Bracelets for Beau

"People who make the world better for other people are some of the best people." ~Kid President

Last Thursday evening Andy and I received an email from Beau's (regular education) 3rd grade teacher at Hansen.  Page (Foss) asked if Andy and I would have time to come to her classroom as Beau's classmates had an idea they wanted to present to us.  All we knew was that the kids were inspired by Beau to do some sort of service project.  We set up an appointment to come to the school at 10 AM on Monday.

When Andy and I walked into the classroom, the students were gathered up front and seated on the floor and their power point type presentation was displayed on the white board.  You could tell they were excited/nervous to share their idea with us.  There were seats set aside for us and seated in chairs near the back of the classroom were Beau and his para Erin, looking excited to watch the presentation (I would later learn he had seen the presentation a time or two).

The presentation was opened by one of the students and about 6-7 of them gradually took turns speaking.  They were holding books that Mrs. Foss used as a part of her curriculum and they had pages marked.  The students read excerpts from them and explained how what they read made them think about certain real life scenarios.  We heard how the books that their teacher was using for their class all had emphasis on being kind to one another, being accepting of others, giving back to your community, etc.  Through all of these readings, these 9 year old third graders all came to one conclusion: the things they had been reading reminded them of Beau and of the inclusive park project. 

I was doing a pretty good job of holding it together but when Beau’s friend Drew got up to speak and a slide came on with a picture of Beau taken at school, smiling big, and on it was a list of all the amazing things about Beau that they loved – the tears started flowing.  I was able to chuckle a little as I heard Beau say “yay” with a little squeal from the back of the room and when we turned back to look he was smiling and pointing at his picture on the slide show. 

One of the little girls in his class had purchased some bracelets before where the money went towards various charities.  These kiddos, on their own, talked and wondered if they could make bracelets and then sell them to raise money for the inclusive playground.  They called their project, Bracelets for Beau.  They explained that they would make the bracelets before school and would stay in during recess so their educational time wouldn’t be affected.  The bracelets would sell for $1 and all the proceeds would go toward the inclusive park. They anxiously looked at Andy and I and wondered if this would be OK for them to do.  They had already pitched the idea and done their presentation to the principal and had gotten approval from administration. 

Their inspiration was their friend.  Their classmate.  Our son. 

I turned to Page and I wanted to confirm – had she had anything to do with their initial idea?  With tears in her eyes, she said no.  It was all the idea of Beau’s classmates/friends.  For her, it was a proud moment in teaching.  From the books she chose for her curriculum to the way she has made inclusion such a huge part of her classroom, she has every right to be proud.  Her leadership and her heart combined with third graders who have equally as much heart is proving to be a winning combination. 

We told those amazing kids that of course they could do this service project and that we would help them in whatever way we could.  Tomorrow night (Friday April 21^st) Hansen Elementary will be holding their annual carnival.  They received approval from PTA to set up a table to sell $1 Bracelets for Beau.  This will be the kickoff for their service project and I would encourage anyone that is attending the carnival to stop by their booth and check out what these amazing kiddos are doing. 

I am so proud of these kids.  I know how scary it is to get up in front of an audience (no matter the size) and speak.  They spoke with such ease and conviction.  They completely understood the meaning behind the books they were reading.  Think about how selfless it is for them to give up a little extra time sleeping in the morning or giving up your recess time (especially this time of year) to make bracelets. 

At 9 years old, these kids get it.  I have always been more of an empathetic person but it wasn’t until I was faced with an intellectually disabled child that I realized what was truly important in life and just how selfless I could be.  If it wasn’t for Beau, I never would have started a non-profit and I never would have dreamed of working on an inclusive playground for my community.  

We could learn a lot from these young kids.  They don't see the differences like adults see them.   They knew they loved their friend and they knew they wanted to help build the playground he inspired in whatever way they could.  

Help these kids out.

Help support the Place to Play Park.

Buy Bracelets for Beau for $1 and all of the money goes directly to the park.  If you aren't attending the carnival please contact me and I can connect you with how to get some bracelets. 

More importantly, be inspired by the fact that an amazing group of 3rd grade friends did this because they loved Beau, their classmate and friend and they wanted to give back to their community. 

Just when I think his friends can't impress me any more than they already have, they do something like this.  

"You don't need a cape to be a hero.  You just need to care." ~ Kid President 

9 years

Disclaimer as you begin reading - this may get disjointed or I may ramble.  My apologies in advance. 

February 7, 2008.  Beau Hunter Weichers came into this world - 2 weeks late.  I guess it should have been an indication that things might always take a little longer with Beau.  It was a scary delivery.  It all seemed fine and I labored only a short period and delivered but when your baby, your first born, doesn't cry it's the most terrifying and quiet sound you've ever experienced.  I didn't hear the alarms, I vaguely remember the amazing NICU nurses rushing in, I don't remember my doctor stitching me up at all - I just remember repeatedly saying, "why isn't he crying?".  It wouldn't be the last time we thought we had lost our boy. 

Intuition would tell me several times during that first year that something was different about Beau.  I hated the routine check up appointments because Beau was never meeting their stupid milestones on their stupid charts.  He was a year old and couldn't crawl, let alone walk.  I went to PT with him and I would crawl over his body while holding his middle section up to keep him from falling.  He eventually got it and they discharged us from physical therapy. 

July 29, 2009 was the second time we thought we would lose our Beau Beau.  That night was when epilepsy entered our world.  It was the night my poor husband had to talk to the 9-1-1 operator while I held our limp baby.  You can be trained to know what to do in an emergency, as I was, however when your 17 month old child is the patient it throws you into a tailspin.  One thought I've never shared is the conversation I had with God that night.  Maybe I never shared it for fear that people would think I was crazy.  Beau was laying with his head near the hallway wall and as I laid my ear to his mouth and chest I focused on something on that wall - I can't tell you exactly what I saw but my focus was locked on the wall.  In my mind the words I remember were, if Beau doesn't make it, I won't make it either.  I wasn't sure how it would happen, but I knew I couldn't handle any more.  Life was rough at that time and "loss" was a common word for us.  Mentally, I felt done. Thankfully God wasn't going to let Beau's story end there. 

A couple days of testing and we had the diagnosis; partial agenesis of the corpus callosum as well as epilepsy and global developmental delay.  What does that mean for his future?  The answer: we don't know, every child, every brain, is different.  Will he walk, run, talk.....?  The answer: we don't know. 

Oh if I could have foreseen what the months and years that lie ahead would throw at us.  Let's face it  I'm glad I didn't see what was to come.  The first few months after the diagnosis were difficult.  Watching Beau attempt to crawl and seeing his arms just give out at any given moment and him landing flat on his face.  Having to hold him down to give him the horrible liquid phenobarb (Andy and I tasted it - way worse than Fireball by the way).  The therapy appointments, the doctors appointments, the specialists, the IQ testing, the medications, the sleepless nights, waiting for phone calls at work of an emergency with him, trips to the ER for staples/stitches from falling so often - and the list goes on.

What's amazing and something I pride myself on, is that I didn't completely fall apart.  I was certain I would, but I didn't.  I rallied.  I could sit and throw myself a pity party or maybe I could make a difference for other families like ours.  Beau's Beautiful Blessings came about as a way to do something constructive with the reality we were facing.  It was either take that sadness and whine and cry or take that energy and do something positive and beneficial. 

Looking back over the last 9 years we have been on a crazy roller coaster ride.  I was one person before July 29, 2009 and a different person after.  It was so hard.  So, so very hard and some days it still is.  Pill organizers, diapers, a communication device, therapies, drop down tantrums in the middle of a store - ongoing.  I never realized the impact a special needs child could have not only on us as parents but also on family members, community members, classmates and teachers.  He has taught me things you can't learn in any book.

Watching the bond he shares with his younger sister was something my heart needed.  From early on she babbled with Beau and he babbled right back.  They had their own language.  And today she is often the only one that can calm him when he is really upset and she knows his signs and grunts just as well as Andy and I do.  She will talk to you about his diagnosis.  At 4 years old, she is wise beyond her years, and God's other amazing gift to us. Beau has grown so much with the help of Delaney.

We had two different early birthday celebrations this weekend.  At each one, we only lit 1 candle.  In 9 years Beau has never been able to blow out his birthday candles.  This year that all changed and we weren't expecting it.  We waited 9 years and we are proud to say Beau blew out the birthday candle like a champ - no spitting either!  What seems small to others is huge in our world. 

Well Mr. Beau, your momma wants to wish you a very happy birthday.  I have read back through the letters I have written you over the years and they provide me with proof that you have come so far.  You crawled, you walked and you can run. While you aren't able to carry on conversations, I am grateful that you can say some very important words like momma, dada and Dee for Delaney.  While I won't say it has been the easiest 9 years, I'm grateful God chose you for us.  His unique creation is handsome, charming and full of joy for some of life's simplest things (like spending an afternoon at Menards to watch the forklifts or watching the cars go through the car wash or watching garage doors going up and down).  

Thank you for never giving up.  

Thank you for always fighting and trying, even when it would be easy to give up.  

Thank you for changing me into the person I am today.  

Thank you for inspiring people and inspiring ideas - like an inclusive playground :)

Happy 9th Birthday Beau.  I'm so lucky to be your mom. 



(PS - Plan on having a dance party tonight playing only your playlist; Miley Cyrus, Party in the USA, Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe and LMFAO, Sexy and I Know It.) 





My Hero

I received an email this morning from Beau's teacher and the school principal.  The students are taking turns doing posters where they describe who their hero is and why. 

This is the picture I was sent.  After I finished crying happy tears, I thought it was another example of just how important inclusion is.  Thank you sweet Adrie.  I know your parents must be so proud of you. 

 

 

PS - He's my hero too.  

We call it "Beau Time"

If you have spent any time around me or have read about any of our experiences with Hansen Elementary on my Facebook page, you'll know that we just might be in the best school around for Beau.  Their philosophy and attitude on inclusion are second to none. I have heard horror stories about IEP meetings and lack of inclusion from other special needs parents.  I hate to sound like I'm bragging but we've never had that issue and the way Hansen Elementary has gone out of their way to include Beau has been incredible. 

It seems that it's not just families like ours that are noticing how amazing Hansen Elementary School is.  Just this winter, Hansen was honored as a Blue Ribbon School for academic excellence by the U.S. Department of Education.  On top of that the Iowa Department of Education just did a story on Hansen Elementary and how they lead the state in education delivery for students on individualized education plans (IEP's).  I can attest to the fact that the special education department is wonderful and does amazing things.

To further demonstrate their "thinking outside of the box" approach and focus on inclusion, I have to share what Beau's 3rd grade classroom refers to as "Beau Time".  Because of Beau's intellectual disability he spends a majority of his day in his self contained special education room with Mrs. Reed. Beau attends all of the specials with his classmates in Mrs. Foss' 3rd grade classroom; music, art, PE, recess, etc. and also gets to share some time with his classmates first thing in the morning right before going to specials. 

This is where once again, Hansen's team, including his wonderful 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Foss, stepped up and came up with an idea to make Beau's time in her room be more meaningful.  As Mrs. Foss explained, this morning time was a work time for students, however she wanted it to mean something for Beau.  Mrs. Foss met with Beau's speech pathologist to see how or what they could do to use Beau's peers to help him work on his communication goals.  Because Beau is mostly non-verbal they wanted to find a way to use his Nova Chat 7 communication device to interact more with his peers. 

The result of the meeting with Mrs. Foss and Beau's speech pathologist.....

"Beau Time".

Here is an excerpt from an email from Mrs. Foss:  Beau Time is approximately a 15 minute block of time each morning where Beau and his para (Ms. Erin) work with a small group of kids in Beau's class to help Beau learn to use his communication device more independently as well as model some of the learning that Mrs. Reed is working on with Beau.  The students are given a specific day (Monday - Friday) to work with Beau.  They do not like when their day of the week is a day off school!  Beau works on asking and answering questions, colors and numbers with his peers during this time.  The students have been playing a few different games with Beau to help accomplish these goals.  We also try to do a morning meeting game at least once a week where Beau needs to use his device to identify the number on the dice that he rolls.  He has been sitting with his peers during this time and they are assisting him with his device rather than Ms. Erin.

 

The 3rd grade classroom also has a Breakout EDU session in the afternoon.  Beau doesn't always make it to the classroom in the afternoon because he is often napping at that time (3 strong anti-seizure drugs will make you sleepy!).  One of the afternoons Beau was in Mrs. Foss' room during the breakout EDU session.  These sessions are team building and problem solving sessions for the students and they have a 45 minute time limit to solve the questions.  His classmates were pretty excited to have him in the room that afternoon as a part of their team.  Apparently Beau seemed to realize there was a timer on the board that was counting down and that it must be important.  He quickly decided to become the time keeper.  As Mrs. Foss pointed out, every team member is important in a breakout session. 

 

 

The more Beau gets to interact with typically developing children of his own age the more he gets to see them model how to do things, act in a social setting etc. and it's a great benefit to him.  I witness it all the time when he is with his 4 year old sister.  He may be afraid to try something new and doesn't respond well if Andy or I try to help him but if Delaney does it, it's a whole different story.  He puts the fear aside and responds well to her and what she does.  The same is true for him at school.  Having peers who care enough to work with him and help him grow and having a school and team that incorporate that into their daily routine is something every special needs parent dreams of.

 

Hansen 3rd graders are rock stars when it comes to how they protect and take care of our son - their peer, their classmate, their friend. 

 

Hansen educators (we love Mrs. Reed), paras (thank goodness for our Ms. Erin) and Principal Estep are rock stars when it comes to the team they have put together for their special education students and their focus on inclusion.

 

Hansen has (non-special education teachers) like Page Foss (Beau's 3rd grade teacher) and Jill Schulte (Beau's 2nd grade teacher) that have inclusion on the brain and make sure it is an important part of their classroom. Beau's classmates are gaining so much more in terms of life and the real world, about empathy, compassion, patience and working with someone who may be different than them. I have been stopped by some of these students, their parents etc. in public and these kids are 100% impacted by Beau. For somebody who can't talk, that's pretty amazing.

 

If a school could have a Mayor, Beau Weichers would be the Mayor of Hansen Elementary. 

 

He is loved by so many, of all grade levels, by staff and by those that pass through and happen to meet him.  It's not uncommon to be out in public and get stopped by people saying hi to Beau - people that neither Andy or I know.  Just last week we were stopped in Menards (Beau's second home) by an employee that said, "Hi Beau".  He didn't recognize Beau from coming in to watch forklifts rather he is a substitute teacher in the district and recognized Beau right away. 

 

If Beau can have an impact on Hansen Elementary, on his teachers, his peers, etc. than he is doing to them what he has done to me.  We become his vehicle to educate others, to create awareness, to do positive things in your community to give back to those who can't do it themselves.  I see his classmates and other Hansen students participating in ways to raise money for the inclusive playground we are trying to build.  Parents of students are working to raise funds.  Parents of his peers and classmates showed up without hesitation as we were preparing a fundraising video for the park. 

 

I don't know what the magic is but Hansen Elementary has been magical for our family.  The staff, the students and the parents make our family feel so loved. 

 

Thank you for your focus on inclusion. Other schools need to take notice and come and learn from the best.

 

As I say quite often, raising a special needs child takes a village. 

 

Thank you Hansen (which includes students, staff and families) for being our village.

 

And for loving (Mayor) Beau.