The Day Anthony Learned to Fly

We are nearing the end. And I'm not the only one feeling exhausted. Bless this little guy. What a trooper!

Brain Balance is at Week 10!!!! Can you believe we've come this far already? As hard and long as it is - I can't believe we are almost done already!! I have never been so tired and disconnected from my life as these past 3 months, but it has been so worth it. This is partially why I can't for the life of me keep this blog up! 

BUT... Drum roll Please.....

I have a new kid!!!!!!!!

I AM STUNNED!!!!

I will keep you up to date, I promise!

There are a million things to share, I'll break it up over these next posts, but you have GOT to hear this story!!!

The Day Anthony Learned to Fly!

Once upon a time, there was a field trip to Buck Hill. With the staffing concerns, any child with special needs got a note home encouraging parents to accompany their child to the event. I assume to help their child, but putting me on skis would NOT help Anthony very much. Shaun and I thought, and talked, a lot about it and really weren't sure if this was a good idea or not. His balance, his coordination, his fears, his strength, neither of us could figure out how this would even be possible. We were both reluctant, and every time we asked Anthony, he gave us a very strong answer...no. Shaun was doubtful, I was worried, and Anthony was adamant, there was just no way. So I made the decision to cancel.

Then I thought, maybe I'll call Buck Hill first, and explain the situation. Just to see.

That was a good move.

The woman was so great! She talked like skiing with kids like Anthony was "old hat". "No problem", she says, "we do this all the time." I let her know I was to "help", but really didn't know how I could. She said, "sometimes kids do better without their parents help". I was thrilled with her calm attitude, knowledge and experience, especially with kids like Anthony. But I can't tell you how relieved I was to be "off the hook"!! I haven't been on skis since the 8th grade. Seriously, I can't afford to break anything anymore.

The plan was to get him to go through at the end of the line, so that once all the instructors were through giving the other kids their group lessons, an instructor would be available to spend some one on one time with him. And, basically..."see how it goes". I was told an instructor would work with him until lunch, and then he was on his own, with me. Uh, yikes.

The first miracle of the day was while I was watching the buses drive up. As one of the teachers got off, we met eyes, and she gave me a thumbs up. He got on the bus! 

(When he saw me packing his snow pants, he got mad and said, "NO skiing! Just school!" So I had to bring them in in secret.)

When he got in his skis and outside, he took a good look around, saw the chairlift, and said "I go on that". 

I said - "Mmm, we'll see buddy."

I thought - You have got to be kidding, no way, I am NOT taking him on that, we'll both die. 

Here he is with Ken - his awesome instructor.

He did a lot with Anthony. He struggled a bit when he realized how hard it was to understand Anthony and looked to me for "a little assistance here". I told him - he understands you just fine, and he knows people struggle understanding him, keep it to yes and no questions and you'll be fine. And they were. His patience was amazing. He was so caring, and went at Anthony's pace. Which was a big adjustment for him I think. But he got him down a little hill of a couple feet. And Anthony was BEAMING!

They kept at it and soon he had Anthony hanging on to a set of poles, held horizontally like a bar, with him and down they both went on the Bunny Hill.
And ohh, did he laugh!!!

We kept talking him out of that chair lift as he continued down the Bunny hill once more.
I assumed we were done and I was gearing myself up for the meltdown of getting him off those skis and out of the snow. But then, out of nowhere, skis in this English guy. In his awesome accent, Bob, asks Ken if he has ever used this piece of equipment (I can't remember the name). These two are discussing things and then Bob suddenly skis off and grabs this contraption.

Metal things that hook to the front of the skis, that have straps that hook to them, and a bar that hooks right behind his feet to keep the two skis together. And he uses the straps to guide Anthony. Anthony just has to stay up. By the way, did you know they don't teach kids to ski with poles anymore. Wow.
(Through all of this, we find out about the Adaptive Ski Team Buck Hill has. Awesome!!)

And then they ask my permission to take him up the bigger hill next to the Bunny hill. This hill is HUGE to me, I have NO idea what they are going to do or how, but I'm thinking - we've come this far! Sure, go for it. And they did.
THREE TIMES!!
Never has there been a giggle like that!!!

At this point I am thinking, these guys have gone SO FAR AND ABOVE what I had hoped for. Remember, I was psyched he got on the bus!! And now he has gone down that big hill 3 times.
And we are cutting into their lunch time.

So, I begin to prepare Anthony to thank them, say goodbye and get ready to go.

And then these two men look at each other.
You know the look.
The one where there are no words spoken, but a "dare" has just been placed on the table.
Yep, that's the one. They looked at each other, I saw it. And then,
they looked at the chair lift. And then... me.

ARE YOU SERIOUS???

YEP!!

They went 3 times!!!!!
I still get goosebumps, and tears.
My son went skiing!!
As great as it was to be at the bottom of that enormous hill and witness this, Ken told me, it was even more amazing at the top with all of the kids on the hill and above in the chair lift yelling "Go Anthony" and cheering him on. That one got me. Cue tears.

A new world has just opened up to us!!
One I had never even considered!
Look - he is soaring!!
Heart and body alike.

I don't want to be the mom who doesn't let him try things because of his disability.
And I hate to admit that I almost was. But I will never forget what this day taught me...
Start every opportunity with -
"Why not?"

And then take the leap.
Because you never, ever know,
unless you try.
You just might get a miracle before your eyes.