Faith's Adaptive Skiing Adventure

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I am usually all for Faith trying something new. Years ago, though, I drew the line at adaptive skiing. I knew that Dreams in Motion does an annual event at Huff Hills (North Dakota's largest ski area), but I was too afraid to let Faith try it. I just didn't know how she would do being strapped down so tightly, especially with her high tone and issues with her left hip.  At her day program, some of her friends had been going for years and Faith thought it sounded like so much fun. So, this year, I decided we should give it a try. Since there are only 20 spots available for this event, I got her registered the morning it opened up.  Lots of fresh powder at Huff Hills  As the event drew near, I knew I needed to get snow pants for her (since she had none) and make sure I had all the right winter apparel to keep her warm. That was also one of my biggest concerns is her getting too cold, which can cause her tone to increase even more.  As the day approached, she was...
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Faith's Ag Day Adventure

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What an adventure we had last week trying to make it over to Mandan for the annual Morton County Ag Day. The day began by adjusting Faith's feedings so I wouldn't have to do it at the event. Thankfully, she was up early to get her feeding done. It helped that I was also able to bring her to school about 30 minutes late. By the time we were getting ready to leave the school she had her second feeding and was ready to go! Or so we thought.

When I went to pick up Faith she was surrounded by all three Kindergarten classes standing in line trying to contain their excitement about their field trip. While the kids impatiently waited for their bus to arrive, Tina and I got Faith loaded up in her van and away we went. 

As we drove into the parking lot of the Mandan Community Center, Tina received a phone call on her cell phone. Apparently, the paperwork for the bus had not been finalized, so the other kids that were still back in Bismarck could not go on the field trip after all. What huge bummer them! Tina and I decided to go back to the school to pick up her kindergartner who was supposed to travel with the rest of her class by bus. We figured she and Faith should still be able to go.

At the school as Tina ran in to get her daughter, I noticed a flurry of activity with parents running here and there, all with booster seats in tow. As I wondered what was going on, out came Faith's class. Her teacher came over to inform me that they had rounded up 19 booster seats, so that the rest of her class could go on the field trip! 

Meanwhile, in Tina's van, we drove to Mandan for the second time that day. We were so thankful everything worked out. Our daughters had a great time petting all of the animals. Faith laughed when a little Holstein calf sucked on her hand. She also got to pet a bunny, a puppy, baby chicks, and a chicken. 

Faith checking out the goats. 

Faith petting a baby chick. 

The people who worked at the event were so good about holding up the animals so that she could reach out and pet them. She also got to see a horse and her foal, a sheep and her lamb, and a llama with her baby who had just been born that morning. It was such a wonderful experience for her, and I know as she continues to take part in these kinds of events, her confidence will get higher and higher!

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Faith's Adaptive Skiing Adventure

-
Image
I am usually all for Faith trying something new. Years ago, though, I drew the line at adaptive skiing. I knew that Dreams in Motion does an annual event at Huff Hills (North Dakota's largest ski area), but I was too afraid to let Faith try it. I just didn't know how she would do being strapped down so tightly, especially with her high tone and issues with her left hip.  At her day program, some of her friends had been going for years and Faith thought it sounded like so much fun. So, this year, I decided we should give it a try. Since there are only 20 spots available for this event, I got her registered the morning it opened up.  Lots of fresh powder at Huff Hills  As the event drew near, I knew I needed to get snow pants for her (since she had none) and make sure I had all the right winter apparel to keep her warm. That was also one of my biggest concerns is her getting too cold, which can cause her tone to increase even more.  As the day approached, she was...
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