Best Day Yet!

The day off in Grand Island was simply amazing. I will warn you in advance that this entry will be long but I wouldn't do it justice to cut it short. Either way, this was a VERY busy day despite no riding. This morning we went to the local HS for breakfast with the special education students. I ate with a boy named Danny and had a fun time talking and karaokeing with him. To the left is a picture of us waving our hands back and forth dancing. Anyway, he couldn't talk but it was cool being able to communicate through expressions. I would ask him and question and he would nod or shake his head as well as "ham it up" if it excited him. Pretty cool connection. After that we went to the local library for a Kids on the Block show by the other team of puppeteers. I also helped a little boy find some library books to check out. We had lunch back at the hotel from Runzas, a pocketed-hamburger sort of thing. We then went to an elementary school where I got to play kickball with some 4-5 graders. It was pretty sweet teaching a boy named Daniel how to play and more importantly, how to chest bump. The picture to the right is of us displaying our excitement for a successful play. (From the picture it looks like I'm enjoying the chestie more than he is... oh well.) After the kickball game we went and checked out a local park that the GI Ladies had worked hard to make 100% accessible for their children to play on. It is a special place for them and is normally the location of the JOH picnic but today was very rainy and the picnic has been moved to the hotel. At the dinner back at the hotel we had a funfilled "Christmas in July" themed pizza feast. Nearly 150 people showed up, all either with or impacted by disabilities. Danny and his mom were there and it was fun chatting with him again. Adam and I did our KOB puppet show again making the best appearance yet, it seems that every show is better than the first! Then Chad Coltrane made a presentation to the Grand Island Ladies of the Chairman's Award. They are only the 2-4 people to ever receive the award with Bruce Rogers being the only other, a pretty prestigious award! After the presentation we had some karaoke and dancing going on. We had a rediculously funny serenade to Chad of the John Michael Montgomery song "I Swear". He was so uncomfortable! Also because it was "Christmas in July" Santa made an appearance and brought presents for everyone including great Case Logic CD wallets and camera cases. For those who do not know, Case Logic is one of our presenting sponsors. During most of the dancing was when I had one of the best moments of the trip. Sue's 7 year old daughter Brittany is visually impaired and cannot speak but has one of the cutest faces and biggest brown eyes ever. As I sat next to her and we tickled and touched each other's arms I felt an incredible connection although we couldn't communicate. She loved having her palm tickled and would lean in and look at me with her big eyes. It was through this connection that I realized what JOH is all about. I thought about how far we had come so far and all the amazi=ng experiences and friendships we had formed. I thought about how special this whole trip truly is. Most importantly though, I finally felt that JOH magic of knowing that Brittany was just a normal little girl whose body refuses to cooperate with her brain. It is a great feeling though when you are able to feel a connection with someone like Brittany despite the obvious communication barriers. Needless to say, I will always remember her. Later on I danced with Brittany's sister Taylor who just wanted to be twirled and eventually gave me a "sobbing hug" expressing how much she didn't want us to leave. Finally, as things were being packed up for the night, Sue's son Winlee, who is probably about 1 year old, was having a rough time. For the next hour I had a great time holding him and walking him around the hotel as he fell asleep on my shoulder. I had a "first" of the trip when Winlee had what I believe was a seizure, although it was not a full body spasm seizure that most of us would think of when we hear the word. Anyway, it was great just holding him and thinking about all the amazing loving people we had met along the road this past month. As if raising kids is not hard enough, the Grand Island Ladies lovingly adopt children with disabilities. What a statement of unconditional love!