Baseball Time!

Spring Baseball Season

The spring baseball season has started, and a certain four children are SUPER excited to be back on the field!  This photo was taken following their first game.  Want to see why?  Check out the video below where they get to play.  It is such a special time for the kids and the parents too!

Or see the short video of the league HERE!

Yes! Isaac still plays basketball!

I know that Isaac has a fan club out there who has been wondering if he still plays basketball.  YES!  He still plays with the Cincinnati Dragons as player #5 and is loving it!

 

The Dragons have had more games this season than in the previous one, and have played in tournaments in Indiana and Ohio, and coming up soon in Kentucky.

Isaac LOVES playing ball.  He has made some friends and overcome his shyness a bit with these guys.  We're thankful that he has this opportunity.

f o u N d - an adoption story

My children were invited to be a part of this video that was the senior project of a friend.  She is a Communications major who interned with Dr. Mary Staat at the Cincinnati Children's International Adoption Center and this video was donated to them for their use.  I am privileged to know many of these great kids. Their stories are all true.  Enjoy!

Archery!

One evidence that the school year is in full swing is archery lessons.  We use this as part of our official "PE program" for the older kids.

They have completed several levels of lessons and both Tikvah and Isaac are now in the advanced group.

They enjoy it a lot, and both are pretty good at it too!   

The thing about archery is that everyone can do it and everyone can have a good day at it. You don't have to be an expert.     -- Tom Barker

Adding to the fun are two of my grandsons in the same class (their nephews!) so it makes a great thing for them to do together.

If you would hit the mark [at long range], you must aim a little above it: Every arrow that flies feels the pull of the earth.     -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Isaac goes FAST!

A couple of weeks ago a big truck pulled up in front of our house.

Isaac wondering why we called him to see the delivery truck...

Challenged Athlete's Foundation gave us a grant to get a sports chair for basketball.  While we've greatly appreciated the loaner chair provided through the basketball league, it didn't really fit him well and provided its own set of challenges.  How wonderful to have a chair made just for him!

 The delivery driver was super excited too, and even stuck around and watched us get it put together. 

During the summer - the off season for the Cincinnati Dragons - one is never sure how many will show up to work with the coaches.  It so happened that the first time Isaac got to take his new chair to practice that he was the only kid to show up that day!  The coaches were able to make the adjustments needed to his chair and then give him some tutoring on how to get the most from it. 

Here he is at practice a few days ago being taught to GO FAST!

We are so thankful for these opportunities for our boy!

Baseball!!!!!

Today our youngest four kids tried their hand at BASEBALL!!!  The  Joe Nuxhall Miracle League gives children with special needs the opportunity to feel "normal" for a change.  It seems that our children's lives have been full of the things that they CANNOT do, so today was just so awesome!
 
 See Jen's smile?  It was there the entire time.  As you may remember she was pretty much invisible in her orphanage, not allowed to participate in most of the activities because of her mobility issues.  She was sooooooo excited to play.  And let's just say she charmed the crowd.  They were cheering her and her BIG SMILE on to the home plate where she stopped and bowed to them.  LOL! At one point the announcer called her "Miss Personality" and referred to her as his favorite. 

Can you imagine?  Just two years ago she was special to no one, and today a group of parents WHO GET IT were there cheering her on.  It was such a special time for her!

Each child was paired with a "Buddy" who gave them as much (or as little) help as they needed.  No surprise that Isaac needed very little help.  Also no surprise that he could hit that ball HARD!  And he has a new nickname - WHEELS.  As he zoomed into home plate the announcer jokingly said, "Wheels!  You are going to get a speeding ticket!"

Pat and Abigail in the outfield.

In the dugout.

In the dugout.

You know, we all have our challenges.  I could give you a list of things that this fifty-some year old body is struggling with these days.  But most of my needs aren't visible.  People don't stare and ask questions when I walk by.  But my kids with visible needs -- they have spent their lives being stared at and feeling different when all they want is to just live their lives and fit in like everyone else.  Today they had that chance.  It was totally worth getting up at 7AM on a Saturday to make it happen.  Looking forward to spending the next several Saturday mornings with this league.

With their "Buddies."

Thank you, Jake!

This guy... he has worked cheerfully and tirelessly to get the Cincinnati Dragon team going and we will always be grateful for it. But.... even more. Ethan and Isaac were the first to arrive at practice this week. When Jake drove up Isaac's eyes got really BIG and he asked, "He can DRIVE?" Yes, my dear boy. The chair does not limit you as much as you've been led to believe. Thanks for being an inspiration on the court and off, Jake!

Cincinnati Dragons play their first game!

If I could choose just one thing for Isaac to participate in it would be basketball.  Imagine how thrilled we were when a BRAND NEW ADAPTED LEAGUE was started in our city!  They have been practicing for several weeks now, and today was their very first game.

Isaac was a little nervous when we first arrived.  His coach helped him get his loaner sports chair all set, then it was time for warmups.

They formed their "perfect circle" for a pre-game pep talk.

Meanwhile in the bleachers ... the purple fan club awaited the beginning of the game.

And it is game on!  Isaac is number 5.

We had some WONDERFUL referees.  Our team is very young, as in they just had their first practice on November second and many of them are still learning the rules of the game.  Our refs were so very patient, and they took the time to explain to the kids WHY they made the calls they made.

They also took the time to give encouragement and pointers on how to improve their play.

The dragons played a team that had much more experience and a lot of talent.  We scored our first points in the fourth quarter - it was #5 for the basket!  Yay, Isaac!

Score!

I am so thankful to coaches Jake and Ian for the many, many hours they sacrifice to encourage our kids.  I have never seen Isaac as excited about anything - EVER - as he was following today's game.

Cincinnati Wheelchair Dragons Basketball

Yesterday we attended the call out for a brand new youth wheelchair basketball league.  They are called the Cincinnati Dragons!  I had to pretty much TELL Isaac he was going - he is a little timid - but once he got there, he had a  really good time.

It is coached by men who are in chairs themselves, and I know it was good for Isaac to see that these men are very capable and living full lives.  The founder played college ball, in the paralympics, and even professional ball so he knows his way around a basketball court!  One of his assistants currently plays college ball.

The sports chairs were provided by the league as loaners.  They also gave us details and instructions to apply for a grant for a custom sports chair for Isaac to keep.  Oh boy, more grants to write - but we do what we need to for our kids, right?  After applying for all of those adoption grants, I could likely do this one in my sleep.  In fact it may come to that...

The personal trainer in me was cringing when it was announced that they were going to stretch.  Oh no....with no warm up?  But they had a gooooood warm up!  The coach had them "running" up and down the gym floor over and over before their stretch.

Then they played a game of sharks and minnows!  Isaac was pretty good at evading the sharks, but not so aggressive when it was his turn to BE a shark. 

 Play ball!

The rest of us watched from bleachers that were on a balcony up above the gym floor.  Crazy Mama here was hooting and hollering when my boy made a basket.  At first it seemed that Isaac didn't know what to think about that nonsense, but we soon saw him looking up at us with the most adorable little grins on his face!

The sisters were, well... being sisters.  They were eating candy, making faces, and clapping for their brother.

 

The benefits are numerous.... making new friends, getting exercise, playing a game he loves, seeing that his life isn't really that limited just because his legs don't work.  We are so excited for Isaac to have this opportunity to play basketball!