Summer

So my summer is not turning out even remotely as planned. In May I was all geared up to work 20 between June and July from 9 - 4, and then spend the rest of my time doing prep for the fall and doing some little day trips with Rich - touring parts of Southern Ontario that are on my list to see.

This is not what happened at all. Instead of 9 - 4 with an hour lunch for 20 days, I am working anywhere from 8 to 5:30 pm, at least 7 hours a day (but usually more), with no breaks. NO BREAKS! How is that even legal? Anyway it's hard work, always having to be engaged and paying attention, no down time, and it's all for very little pay. That gets frustrating.

The upside of my job is I get to do some fun things - for example this week I got to go to the Jays game which was actually really good. So far this summer I've been to Ontario Place, African Lion Safari, the Jays game, Adventure Village at Confederation Park, and later this summer I'll be back at Ontario Place or the ROM, MarineLand and Wild Waterworks. So that has definitely helped break up my work weeks.

The worst part of the summer so far is Rich is still sick. After the fourth visit to the doctor they still don't know what is wrong. He coughs to the point of not breathing and is exhausted and in pain all the time. They think maybe whooping cough but because of a doc's mistake they can't test for it. So frustrating. He's off work until August 30th now. This is financially stressful for us which of course makes it harder for him to get better. We've had to back out of lots of fun things we had planned which is sad, and when we are off together Rich doesn't have the energy to do anything.

He's almost through all the movies we have here so if anyone has any they can lend us to help him with his stir craziness let us know! In the meantime, keep us in your thoughts and prayers, there are going to be some rough weeks ahead!

Different Abilities

So I finished my second week at work and this was my first week working with one of the campers I'll be with this summer. She was an 8 year old girl with cerebral palsy who is confined to a wheelchair pretty much all the time. Intellectually she is on par with or superior to her peers, but physically she needs a lot of assistance. She's incredibly independent so it was a pretty easy week for me other than bathroom times and getting ready for water games.

I had the opportunity to do a lot of observing this week. Kids really are good at heart I think. I discovered pretty early on that my kid was really good at explaining why she was in a wheelchair, and was willing to tell other kids. When kids would ask my why she was in a wheelchair I would say to go ask her. They would ask and she would explain. On the last day of camp one of the kids asked on the soccer field. She explained, and as she did, the group of kids grew, and the questions kept coming. The rest of the staff was trying to get the kids into the soccer game but I was thrilled to just let them talk. It's so encouraging to see the acceptance they had for one another, and the willingness to help and include.

Kids are afraid of people who are different. Adults can handle the fear in a few ways:
1) Show fear yourself and unknowingly continue prejudices.
2) Exclude those who are different - ignore the "problem" and teach kids to do the same.
3) Fear is dispelled by information. Teach why the person is different. So many kids think that disabilities or differences are "catching". When they are assured it's not, and they see adults treating all people with value and dignity, they in turn will follow suit. Actions really do speak louder than words. Remember that - always.

On a completely separate note, my sweet hubby is sick still. He seems to be getting worse instead of better, the cough is terrible, and I am getting increasingly worried. Hope he gets better soon! Love you schnooks.

One more Ivan story....

So I really like the fact that with blogging I have an online journal of things that have happened through our life. One more story Rich wanted me to post about Ivan - it's one of our favorites:

Rich and I had been dating about 2.5 months and I was up from Toronto visiting for the weekend. Rich had a cadet thing to do and so he was going to be gone a lot of the weekend but I saw him in the evenings. So on Saturday Rich is gone, and I'm in the shower. I heard what I thought was the phone ringing so I hurry and jump out of the shower. As soon as the water is off I realize it's not the phone, but the fire alarm. I grab a big housecoat, throw it on and run out of the bathroom. I've never lived in an apartment so I wasn't sure what to do, but I knew I had to do 2 things. One, get me out, two, get the cats out.

Rich had the cats before he had me, and I was pretty sure if I let them die in the raging fire he would break up with me. I grabbed my backpack and dumped it out all over the guest room bed. I ran and grabbed Sheba, and shoved her in the bag. Now Sheba loves everyone, and as long as she's with someone she's happy, and she loves to be in bags, boxes, etc. So she's happy in the backpack and I go to get Ivan. Ivan is backing into a closet with a look on his face that I'm sure is telling me "not a chance...you are NOT putting me in that bag". I can't reach him so I figure I'll get her out first. I run out of the building and throw Sheba in my car, lock it, and run back into the burning building to get Ivan. I'm crying by this time, worried about Ivan.

I've said before I don't like cats, but Ivan was different. He was so full of himself and so above everyone it was hilarious. I really wanted him to like me, and I knew shoving him in a bag was going to set us back in the whole liking me thing. I ran back into the apartment and I'm begging Ivan to come out of the closet to me. Then the alarm stops. It was a test. They forgot to put signs up warning people it was just a test of the system. I'm shaking because of the adrenaline and I go back to the car to get Sheba. We go back into the apartment, I put her down and start to cry again.

Rich chooses this moment to walk in the door. I'm in a housecoat still, my hair is dripping and partly frozen as it's December, Sheba is still in the backpack, and Ivan is looking thoroughly unimpressed with me. Rich gives me a hug and tries to find out what's wrong as I'm bawling. He finally gets the story out of me and starts to shake he's laughing so hard.

So that is my story about how I attempted to rescue Rich's cats from a "burning building". I think I was pretty courageous - I didn't know it was a test! Ivan and I did eventually become friends, and he's the only cat I really loved.