Ryan's Progress

Ryan's Current Progress

You are listening to "God Will Make a Way".

***Ryan's Christmas Wish Granted***

This Christmas when I asked Ryan what he would like for Christmas he signed that he wanted a "Big Truck". Every Christmas it is always a challenge for us to buy gifts for Ryan that he can manipulate or that would interest him. Because of his many physical disabilities he has difficulty with age appropriate toys. So I started to think what "Big Truck" I could find for Ryan.

Ryan's favorite activity is to ride in Daddy's Ford truck. He gets so excited with the mention of going somewhere. When we are out he spies the 18-wheelers driving by and cranes his neck to watch them as we pass. His favorites are the car haulers. We usually slow down and travel alongside them for a few miles just for the entertainment factor. So when Ryan said he wanted a "Big Truck" I knew a car hauler would be the one to get.

After some thought, I had a day dream about how it would be so special if I could locate a real car hauler for Ryan to ride in. Then I imagined it driving up our driveway with Santa inside on Christmas Day. How special that would be. So later that week I put out an email to my homeschooling friends about locating a 18-wheeler any variety to give Ryan a ride , and if the driver could wear a Santa hat that would be great.

Well, shortly after sending my email out, I received an email from a friend, Donna Frazier. She had contacted some of her friends from the Carson and Barnes Circus and they had invited us to come to Hugo, OK to be in the city's Christmas Parade riding in a 18-wheeler! But remarkably the truck would be hauling elephants, so instead of a car hauler, we would be in an elephant hauler! LOL

So the following weekend we traveled to Hugo. We met with our event coordinator Donna. We were taken on a tour of the elephants. There was a mother and a baby. The baby weighed 1400 pounds! After the tour, Ryan got a circus t-shirt. Then we watched them load the elephants into the truck. We then met the truck along the parade route. The elephants unloaded and we watched as they were dressed in their sparkling bracelets and headdresses. Then Santa came to ride on one of the elephants. He came over and talked with us and met with Ryan. We then went over to the truck and got ready to go in. The elephants were fed some apples and then Ryan and I got to get close to them while they posed for a photo op with us. AMAZING!

We were finally ready for the truck ride. Ryan and I climbed inside while Tim and the other boys went out to the parade route to watch. Ryan and I along with our driver Louie put on our Santa hats and pulled out onto the road right behind the elephants who were carrying Santa. With windows down, we traveled along the parade route waving and smiling and saying “Hi” to everyone. For those of you who know Ryan, saying “Hi” is one of his favorite things to do. J

The next hour was bliss – for Ryan, and for his mom watching him. He smiled, he waved, he pushed buttons and at the end pulled the horn and pretended to drive the “Big Truck”. It was quite an experience, and if that was not enough, after the parade we ALL (yes, all 5 of us) rode on one of the elephants. Again, AMAZING!

It was quite a memorable day and one that was as special as Ryan. As all these AMAZING events fell into place, I was reminded of this verse:

Ephesians 3:20 (The Message Bible) God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

I think a truck full of elephants definitely counts as wildest dreams! And as for those who God used to make this Christmas dream a reality, Donna Frazier, Donna Moos, Louie, and the whole staff from Carson & Barnes, thank you! May you be blessed this New Year in AMAZING ways.

And for all of those who have prayed and who are praying for our family and little Ryan. Thank you. Everyday we are strengthened by your support and love for us.

May you all be blessed this new year, as we take another trip around the sun!

Ryan played on a special needs baseball team

July-December 2008 - This is a long update. We have been doing the program from "Hope and a Future" along with the supplements from our electrodermal therapy and we have seen wonderful progress. He is trying to say many more words along with couplets (more than one word at a time) along with small sentences when coaxed. His strength is improving overall - arms, legs, trunk stability and those exploring little fingers! He also plays more socially with friends. He has 2 friends we have over to play regularly. When people see Ryan who have been absent for a while they are amazed how well he is doing. That is good news because sometimes I'm so close to him that I don't see the changes. Ryan is still not potty trained. But we will try again soon. We usually give it a shot about every 3 months.

June-July 2008 - We are trying potty training again. He seems to stay dry when I take him ever hour, but will not tell me he needs to go. We are going to try for a while longer in hopes he will get it. Ryan also played on a special needs baseball team. He hit the ball off a tee and ran the bases! Tyler & Ben helped with other children that needed assistance playing. It was great time for us all!

January-May 2008 - Ryan is now 6 years old. He has learned all his capital letters and makes the sounds of most of letters he can say. He is starting to learn the lowercase letters as well.

September-December 2007 - Ryan has learned all his capital letters and can identify them. He knows the basic colors and shapes. People comment all the time how much better he is walking. I don't notice it as much since I see him all the time.

July-August 2007 - Ryan can point to about half of his letters. He has learned the relation between a numeral and a number from 1 to 5. He is making some progess with words, but it's still slow. We stopped riding lessons over the summer but we may return as the weather turns cooler.

April-June 2007 - Ryan has started to learn his letters. He can point to some letters and name them, and others he will point to if asked. He is still taking horseback riding lessons and we have seen improvement with his balence and coordination as a result.

March 2007 - On the 18th turned 5 years old. Will count to 5 on fingers when asked, "how old are you?" Matches shapes and colors. Signs right color when asked, "what color is this?" Had a great birthday at the park where he walked everywhere exploring.

Months of January and February 2007 - uses potty when placed, but still doesn't have complete control. Matches colors, matches shapes, crawls up ladder for slide and slides down correctly, says "mine", tries to run, counts on fingers, sits for long periods for reading time, uses sign language constantly to communicate needs, wants and general conversation like "where's daddy" or "daddy at work". There are so many good things it's hard to think of them all!!!!

Months of August and September 2006 - using the potty several times a day. Walking with legs closer together. Putting 2 word sentences together with sign language. Seizure free for 2 months.

Week July 30 - August 5 2006 - wanting to use the potty, urinated in the little potty several times this week. August 5, he did it 4 times.

Weeks of July 9-29 2006 - started saying papaw, meme, down, and uh-oh, looking at books alone, signing questions often, wanting to learn and trying to use spoon and fork.

Week of July 2 - July 8 2006 - noticed that it was sunny outside and then turned dark, asked in sign language, "is it going to rain?" Used 2 sounds together for the first time, said, "uh-oh" and "more".

Week of June 25th - July 1 2006 - urinated in the potty several times. Knows the color red and uses sign language to identify "red" things.

Week of June 18-24th 2006 - very rarely uses walker - only at parks or for long distances, learning to walk backwards, drinking from a regular cup (not sippy).

29:Eleven Hearthside