Big Chicken

One morning in June I received an email from a member of our T21 community indicating that a local photographer was looking for a local family of four, including a child with Down syndrome around Ruby's age, to do a photo shoot for a Chick-fil-A ad. Even though we didn't meet the family-size requirements, I submitted our family photo and information because I was so excited that there was interest in this type of ad. A few days later, the photographer contacted me and asked me a few questions about Ruby and before I knew it, we were being sent directions for wardrobe. This was happening!

The day of the shoot, I packed up so many clothing items to provide options for the shoot - I think I bought out all of Old Navy! When we showed up, there was a photographer, Chick-fil-A food preppers, a stylist or two, and assistants for all of them. They picked a dress for Ruby first and I took her to the bathroom to get changed. Almost immediately Maddux was in there with us too, putting on a dress they chose for her. 

The first 'scene' they shot was Ruby alone. She was sitting on a wooden chair, soon to be holding a bowl of Mac-n-Cheese. (At this point, CFA did not have Mac-n-cheese on the menu, so this was a very exciting surprise for my kids.) For a bit, Ruby was just to hold the bowl, they would rotate it in her hands, they would move her in the chair, they would change the lighting and lens and everything else, all the while shooting photos on rapid fire. Finally, they let her take a bite. And from that moment on, she was eating the entire time they shot. They had to keep the bowl full for the photos, so  with every bite she took, they replaced it.

When they were done with this scene (probably an hour of shooting), they gave Ruby a break. She sat on a couch with Lehr and read some books while they set up the next scene. This one was to be a picnic and they wanted to use Maddux and Eli also. To set the lighting and staging, they had the big kids sit there the whole time, so they could give Ruby a break and (hopefully) pull her back in when they were set. Maddux and Eli did great, mostly holding food and drinks, as another thousand photos were taken. (Later, they complained that their legs and feet hurt because of the angles they had to sit and hold for so long.)

Finally the picnic scene was ready to pull Ruby in: she'd had a great break, but I worried that she wouldn't be able to shift gears again. As she often does, that girl proved me wrong and sat right down with Eli and Maddux. She listened to the directions and held the things she was supposed to hold and ate the food she was supposed to eat. This portion was maybe only 30 minutes, and when they were done, the photographer told us we were finished. (The good news was that meant that all of the clothes we didn't use still had tags on them so I could return them!)

I promised the kids we could stop at Chick-fil-A for milkshakes when we left. Ruby fell asleep no less than five minutes after we got in the car though, so she didn't even receive her payment for modeling so well. That girl was spent...she used every bit of energy she had in that three hours!

And can we talk about that three hours? Ruby did SO well. When I think about what it required for her to sit still, in the position they asked her to, for an hour, and smile when they said smile, eat when they said eat, hold a bowl the way they wanted...the focus and attention and self-control she displayed was impressive. And then, to take a break (which she probably thought meant she was done for the day) and still come back and do all of that again...amazing to say the least.

 When we left the shoot, we didn't know when the photos would be used, but we knew it wouldn't be for a few months because the Mac-n-Cheese wouldn't be added to the menu until the fall. Outside of that, we had no information about when (or even if?) the photos would be used. So I watched social media starting in August, hoping to see Ruby's smile. At the end of the month, I reached out to the photographer, just to see if he'd heard anything or knew if they'd been used already and I'd missed it. He had no information, but said he had submitted the photos to Chick-fil-A (so we knew they were out there, at least).

And then, just a few days later, I woke up to an email from a friend who received a Chick-fil-A email including a photo of Ruby. And then a text from another friend with the same photos. And then Chick-fil-A's Facebook page changed their cover image to the three-kid photo. All day I kept receiving texts with photos from friends and reposts online from friends in other areas of the city and country that received emails or saw her on social media or on the CFA website. It was like Christmas! Every new photo of Ruby that popped up was cuter than the last. 

Y'all, this is SO exciting for our community. Just as has happened a few times in recent years, an ad for a major company has used someone 'different' for a campaign. And we couldn't be more excited about it because putting the face of a child with Down syndrome in the mix with all of the other typical kids out there helps us all remember that what makes us different makes us beautiful. So thankful for the companies that are recognizing this, whether they include models with Down syndrome, or in a wheelchair, or with a prosthetic....we love it all!

Best. Weekend. Ever.

Words can't even describe how full my heart is right now. Our weekend was full of stuff: events, work, sports, music, but we were together for all of it, which made it so so fun for our family. Two fo the highlights for us included our favorite band, The Revivalists. We've had tickets for four of us (minus Ruby) to see their concert on Saturday night forever. This last week, however, Maddux thought maybe it would be too late and she'd rather stay home with Ruby and an older friend. We obliged, but not without trying (unsuccessfully) to sway her up until the hour before.

Eli, Lehr and I had a GREAT time at the show, obviously. The front row tickets helped a lot; long gone are the days where we used to arrive 30-60 minutes before their show and hold the front row without much pushback. Their set was a great compilation of all of their albums, giving us many 'old school' gems. We got high fives from Rob (sax player) once he saw us, and near the end, David (lead singer) put the microphone in Eli's face and asked him his name and age, then told the audience to 'give it up for Eli!' Then, "give it up for his PARENTS!" (We won't let Eli live that down any time soon.)

As amazing as the show was, Sunday was even better. Ruby's time in the hospital connected us with Josh and Songs for Kids years ago. We love the organization and have been as involved as we can in their fundraising and supporting their vision for future endeavors. About a year ago they opened up a recording/playing studio to allow for serving the kids who are still very much living with medical 'stuff' but aren't staying at the hospital so much. So they can come to the studio and get music lessons, or play with the musician volunteers, or attend mini concerts put on by musical acts that come through town. We attended the grand opening, but have been unable to check out any concerts. Knowing that The Revivalists worked with Josh in New Orleans in the past though, we knew they'd try to be at the studio, and we wouldn't miss it for the world.

I can't adequately express how cool the experience was. We've seen our boys up close and personal over the years, so as amazing as that is, that was not what put this over the top. The kids and families in attendance were all in, jumping and dancing and singing the whole time. And these kids were not shy about talking to the band or playing instruments with them - that had to be refreshing for the guys! The afternoon started with some of the SFK kids performing one of The Revivalist's songs that they'd been rehearsing. Then the boys did three songs, pulling kids in on the last one. As soon as they were done, Josh had any/all SFK kids find a band member and work with them on whatever instrument they had. It was chaos, amazing, musical, joyful chaos. Ruby made her rounds from Zack, to Ed, finally to Andrew. I tried to grab a few videos and phone photos, but honestly I just held my spot at the back of the crowd trying to take it all in.

The best (for us) was yet to come. Most of the families had left and the drums were open, so we encouraged Eli to sit down at the set (we'd told the big ones to 'back off' the whole time till now because this experience was for the SFK kids, not them). As soon as Eli did, Andrew's ears perked up and he joined in for a few measures. My favorite part was when he said to Eli, "Oh, you can really play!"

Pure heart explosion to see our favorite band of all time mashed up with an organization so near and dear to our hearts - Best. Weekend. Ever.

volleyball

about a week before tryouts last year, you picked up a volleyball for the first time. while you showed great promise and learned a lot at the tryouts, you did not make the team. over the summer i may have signed you up for a few clinics without your approval. i contest that i did it out of love because i knew how much you wanted to make the team, even if you didn't want to put in work over your summer break.

but then you started hitting in the yard, and bringing your ball to the beach with us, and working on some skills even when you weren't at a clinic.

as luck would have it, you also had a few open gym days at your school, with one of the coaches the week before tryouts. all of this helped you feel much more comfortable on the court, so you earned a starting spot on the team. 

so far you've had ten days of school and eight days of practice. i love this. i love that you've so many hours on the court with your friends already, working on these skills together and trying to better yourselves. i love that your team has a coach that is really pulling you all in to support each other on and off of the court. i love that you've found something that is giving you plenty to work on, while still allowing you to see gains.

looking forward to your first game, Mad Dog.

friends

there is so much imaginative play these days. you are always cooking. ALWAYS. but a newer addition in the last few weeks is the gaggle of many imaginary friends around you at all times. 

this makes me at the same time happy and very very sad, and I don't have a place to put how i feel about that.

Back to School

All three returned to school in the last week, but they each went their separate ways for the first time.

Ruby returned to our elementary school, this time to a 1st grade class. She has a handful of repeat classmates, which will hopefully help her find some allies while she's at school. She was SO excited to return. Even though we'd discussed the schedule of events, when we went a few days before school started for our meet-n-greet, she wanted to stay in her classroom. In fact, when I said, "OK, Ruby, it's time to say good-bye.", she turned to me and gave me a hug, saying, "Bye, Mommy!" The first day was not a problem for her.

Maddux returned to her (private) middle school. As a seventh grader, the start of this year is pretty standard, being the middle grade and knowing what to expect. She was excited to return to the routine of seeing friends all day, definitely more excited than she was about the actual 'school' part of it. She had a few extra days at home without her siblings, which she filled with volleyball and friends.

The first week of Middle School always includes a few days at a camp nearby where the students go for a retreat. I love this tradition, and Maddux was very excited to return there with so many friends.

Eli started a new school this year: our local public high school. So he technically had two 'new' things to deal with. I will say, his overall demeanor the few days leading up to the first day was the most apprehensive I've ever seen from him regarding school, even Kindergarten. But I understand. Moving to middle and then high school is a big step, but even bigger when you've been at a small, family-feeling Christian school for a few years, feeling all warm and fuzzy in a bit of a bubble.

As we've discussed with Eli, the choice to move back to public for these last years is intentional, in part to give him a bigger, more realistic world view while he's still in our house and has a safe place to land each day. (As opposed to waiting until college or moving out after high school and having to face 'real world' without knowing you had people waiting for you at home who want to support you.)

But that doesn't make it easier, especially for mama bear.

The first day went off without a hitch for Eli though, complete with him making it to all of the right classes on time, AND having a friend in each of his classes (including lunch). And we've returned to riding the bus, which is working out well right now for him too. (Or at least it's working for the Uber-carpool driver!) Strangest thing for us so far? Wearing 'regular' clothes to school!!