Summer

Wow----has it really been over a month since I lasted posted.....where does the time go.

So to catch everyone up----summer is almost over for us---school will start the first week of September and that seems way too close! I have know idea what I am doing for this 22 year of this homeschooling adventure. 5 kids in my teaching care this year ----and not one of them LOVES to read! What am I to do? I have a huge library with some of the most amazing books on the planet, and no takers. Ahhhh to have the time to sit in my library and read all day.....

The dog, Racer, Josiah's companion dog, continues to be a fun companion. He is a little naughty when he is not on his leash and seems to find some pretty disgusting things to eat when he is off running around. But for the most part he has been a welcome addition to the family.

A hail storm of Biblical proportions took out my vegetable garden and herbs about a week ago. I did not have the heart to go down there all week. But yesterday I managed to walk through the ruin and see if anything was left. It pretty much looks like a weed whacker was let loose among the rows.....sigh. But I plan to cut everything back this week and give it all another chance.

With that hail storm, we got a torrential downpour, and with that we got flooding in our basement...the part in the basement that houses my library----all 10,000 books!!! After sucking up 10 gallons of water off of the floor, moving bookshelves and books, renting a carpet cleaner and trying to get the smell out of there---wiping down ALL 10,000 books---I think we are on an upswing. But the rain still may come and we have not fixed the leak where it came in during the first flood! Oh my---I get tired thinking about it all!

I have had a flurry of grand kids visit in the last few weeks. It was great---on the 4th of July, 13 out of the 14 grand babies were here visiting. It was noisy and loud and chaotic, but it was so cute seeing them all and watching them play! We had quite a few of them sleep overnight---"cousins camp" at grandmas. I must admit---I am not as young as I used to be and I have a little trouble keeping up with them all. Bedtime for grandma comes even a little sooner than some of the grand kids! But Jordan and Kate and Hannah and Chris and Daniel and Josiah are all great uncles and aunts and are great helpers to me! I could not have "cousins camp" without them!

So there you have it----a quick update on the past few weeks. The next few months will be busy with play practice starting (The Wizard of Oz) and a new ministry starting at the nursing home that I am running. Focus on the Family asked to air the show they did with me 10 years ago about our big, loud family. That should be on sometime in October, so that will be exciting all over again! Life is good----God loves me---- and the mountains are still there.....What else could I want!

Spring

I just spent the better part of the day out in the garden. What a lovely day. I weeded and planted and put fertilizer on all of the little seedlings that are taking root. My herbs from last year all seem to have made it through the very long winter, and are now bursting out of the ground with renewed strength!

I worked in the flower beds too and even cut a bouquet of lilacs and bleeding hearts for the table. It smells so yummy. Lilacs have to be one of natures most wonderful scents.....along with iris and jasmine and pansies and.....well you see what I mean.

When things seem a bit bleak, or life just isn't treating you quite right, a trip to the garden seems to make things a little better. The feel of the dirt between your toes and the life growing right in front of your eyes makes all the cares of this world fade away for a time and makes you smile.

I may have to spend a little more time out in my garden!

Racer

So we have been home for almost 2 weeks with our new dog, Racer. I could not have written a better plot for a story about a wonder dog and his boy! Josiah is loving having a new pal, and has taken to keeping up with his grooming and feeding schedule like he was a pro.

Racer has settled into life in Colorado like a native. He loves being outdoors running and chasing and sniffing! He runs along Josiah's bike as they go for adventures together. Racer always has his nose down smelling the fox and coyote and deer that roam our place when we are all fast asleep. He seems to make mental notes in his mind as to where the most interesting smells are, and wants to go back to them time and time again.

My son is like any other boy with a dog---happy, carefree and glad that it is summer! So am I.

Testing

In the morning we will be tested on what we have learned these past two weeks at training for CCI---Canine Companions for Independence. We have a written test and also a field test where we will go to the mall and see if we know what we are doing with these incredibly intelligent animals.


What have we learned? I have learned that raising dogs has alot in common with being a parent. The key is being consistent, fair and balanced. We can't ask the dogs to do something that they have not learned if they have not been taught it in the first place. We must teach them what we expect, discipline when it is not followed, and be consistent! Like being a good parent.

I have learned that my problems are minimal compared to many I have met these past two weeks. I have learned that Josiah's problems are minimal compared to many we have met these past two weeks! I have learned that a dog can make us forget our problems, even if just for a little while.

I have learned that I really love Colorado, even though the ocean is wonderful. I miss the lovely mountains and the pine trees and the great smell of the woods behind our house. I day dream about taking Racer on walks and working in our gardens and having all of the family over to meet our new companion. I do really want to get home to our life and our home.

I have learned that Jordan is quite possibly one of the best older brothers Josiah could have. He is helpful and willing but he also is the older brother. Josiah has a handicap, but he is still an annoying younger brother to Jordan sometimes, and Jordan doesn't take very much from him. For that I am grateful. I do not want any of my kids growing up thinking they can get away with things just because there is a wheelchair in the equation or their skin is a different color, or they are the opposite sex.

I have learned that alot of what I have learned is probably not on the test. I do know the answer to "If your dog is in public, and someone wants to pet him, what should you say?", or "If you meet a strange dog on the street what should you do to avoid a fight?"."What are the commands to get Racer to open the refrigerator?","How many times should you take your dog to the bathroom?" These I know----but I have learned so very much more.

school, dogs and moms

So our first week of dog training---or should I say "people" training has come to an end. We were matched with Racer, a black Lab-Retriever mix. He is 2 years old and been in training since he was 8 weeks. He knows and responds to over 40 voice commands and it is an incredible thing to see. We are learning all about these commands and how and when to use them. We are also learning about dog care and how important it is to take good care of this amazing creature!

Our days are long and filled with much information. It is hard to soak it all up and sometimes Josiah or I make mistakes. We say the wrong command, we correct on the command instead of correcting and then giving the command again----it is hard to keep everything straight! And the black hair that is everywhere is a little hard to get used to.

We have always had outside farm dogs since I was a little girl, so sharing our living space with this hairy, wiggly cutie is going to be an adjustment. We have to keep up on the grooming and brushing and it will cut down on some of the hair floating around---but there will always be some....I need to just adjust to this and move on!

Today we get a break from classes and from Racer. He is going back to visit his doggy buddies and the boys and I are going to Sea World. It is very close by and we just could not pass up the opportunity to go and check it out. Jordan has been an amazing help to me and Josiah. He is the brawn of this gang, hauling wheelchairs in and out of the trunk of the car, carrying Josiah down to the water's edge at the beach and just making himself helpful and saving my back. I could not have done this trip without him. Thanks Jordan!

Josiah is loving every minute with his new friend. He is petting and talking and loving him all the time. It is a sweet thing to see. Racer is a great dog and the best part is he ADORES me! ME! Does he not know that I am not really a dog lover? Chickens are my pet of choice! I have to admit that going into this I had some reservations. But once he started responding to Josiah and I and that tail got to wagging and those big brown eyes locked on to mine.....I was a goner! I do believe I am in love.......

So, one more week at school and we will be flying home to Colorado and our new life together. Josiah will have a built-in friend, the family will have a new pet that can do some pretty incredible things (Racer---get me a soda out of the fridge please!) and I will have learned that you can teach an old dog(me) new tricks.

Racer

We have been matched with a male Black Lab named Racer. He has the most expressive eyes I have ever seen! He has been trained to recognize and obey 30 or more voice commands----it is very impressive! So now the humans have the task of learning all of the commands and knowing when to use them!

It is much harder than it seems! The command for them to stop something they are doing and pay attention is "don't" The command for them to walk is "let's go" and the command for them to stand at your left side is "heel"---but now if you are left handed like I am and they need to be on your right side the command is "side". "Hurry" is the command to go potty...."kennel" is the command to go to their cage and so on. It is all common sense and every command must be well thought out before it is issued! But oh how was all get so confused...the humans that is!

The dogs just kinda stand there looking at us very patiently, waiting for us to get it right. Even if we mess up, they for the most part know what we REALLY want and do it! It is just amazing to watch!

And Josiah's face---when the dog does a command---like speak----well.....let's just say I have had some teary moments today!

The other children that are here getting dogs are becoming friends, as well as their parents. We have a commonality---we are all getting a dog---but the disabilities vary as well as the stories.

One family has waited 6 years to be here. Another 4. One family knows that their son may not outlive this dog. Another girl, so severely handicapped it is hard to see how this dog will help, has transformed into a smiling little girl each time the dog gets on her lap. And that is what it is all about! All the volunteers and all the hours and hours spent training these dogs....it is worth the smiles that are on the faces of all these children. I am so glad we are here!

Josiah's Adventure

My son, Josiah has CP. He can't walk and depends on a wheelchair to get around----or if he wants to go faster---he crawls! We are in California this week to be trained to bring home a Service Dog for him. Canine Companions for Independence is an amazing program that matches disabled people with dogs. We have been in the process of getting a dog for about 2 years. What with all the paperwork and interviews---this process has taken longer than some of my kid's adoptions!!!

We will stay here at this facility for 2 weeks learning the dogs training and getting training of our own. I will try to keep up this blog to let you know how things are progressing and how we all feel about what is going on!

My son Jordan is also with us to give me a hand with the wheelchair and lifting and to be our overall bodyguard!


Day 1-----We were introduced to the staff and to each of the other families that are here for a dog. Our class is small with only 5 families being trained. We had introductory lectures and films to start the day. Then they had us work on the commands that the dogs have been taught to listen to. We practiced on a dummy dog first---which was a little silly---and then they brought in 10 REAL dogs.

They have a few dogs in mind that may work out for us, and we worked with each of them to start with. Then each of the dogs were brought around to the wheelchairs all lined up in a row. It was amazing to see the faces of the kids as each dog came closer! Big smiles, giggles and laughter were all throughout the room.

The staff here are very nice and are willing to take all the time needed to make sure we all feel comfortable with the dogs and how we are handling them. But they also take this very seriously and even give quizzes and tests throughout the day----I even have to hand in a take home test this morning handed out last night!!!!

Last night after class we drove to the beach and watched the waves roll in and surfers doing their thing.
Since we have mountains as a backdrop at our home----the ocean was an amazing change of scenery. As the evening set in we found a theater and let Hugh Jackman entertain us on the 25 foot high screen!!!

This morning the sun is shining and the California birds are in full song---it looks to be a beautiful day! Day one was pretty great......we will see what day 2 brings!!!