Amazing Aunt Peggy

My message on Facebook to my wonderful, amazing Aunt Peggy:

Peggy, Jack and I love you so much! Thank you for your extremely generous donation to his speech therapy fund. I am so grateful and in awe of my beautiful family, I'll never forget it!

A Generous Gift

Yesterday, shortly after I posted the first video showing Jack's progress through GoFundMe - I received a 250 euro donation anonymously. I cried for an hour. Seriously. Like a long, hard weeping cry. Wonderful, selfless people are out there. This person was an old schoolmate of mine from Minnesota - my hometown of Aitkin!

She has a big HAPPY family and I have to say, it makes me so proud to know her.

I just want to say this to her; I want you to know I THINK YOU ARE WONDERFUL. Your kindness is still making me cry...as I type this even.

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I hope some day we can meet up again and I can give you the BIGGEST hug because you are AWESOME! You believe in me and it's people like you that drive me to keep going, all my love to you and your gorgeous family!

Speech Therapy for Jack

Hello Everyone! Jack and I have been very busy working diligently on his speech using the tips and tools the therapists have put in place.

You will see the new confidence in his face, and his eyes. He has a new sparkle and it's all because of your generosity!

To clarify --- Jack didn't have more than 10 words (even echolalia, which is repeating) before Christmas last year-- only five short months ago! He was not potty trained and did not have any desire to be a part of a conversation, let alone show interest in playing, talking or being a part of our family. He has made a drastic, dramatic improvement in all these areas.

With the guidance of the therapist, we learned how to help Jack have the confidence and drive to potty train. He's not 100 percent there but definitely 70 percent of the way! I'm SO proud of him.

The hard part is the funding has run out now, and I want to continue this therapy and nurture his mind while we have such a good start.

If there is anything you can do, Jack and I really appreciate it. From the bottom of my heart, you all are making a huge difference in this little boy's life. I can't wait to tell him how this all happened - it seems like that day may be closer than I thought.

Jack and I love you all so much.

Sincerely,

Jill

Jack's GoFundMe Page

A Reader

I love books, I LOVE to read. I have been waiting and waiting for Jack to enjoy a good storybook, but he never really has. At every attempt, he either left the room or said simply, "NO".

Well, last night all four of us snuggled in the big bed before sending the boys off to their own beds. I wanted to read Adrian the prologue of the "me time" book I've started, Thomas Harris' Hannibal Rising.

I began to read aloud and Jack made a little nest next to me. I continued to read......for an hour. Daddy and Kane left the room shortly after I began but Jack wanted to stay. He watched me read while repeating words he knew along the way. It took everything for me to hold in my tears, he was SO interested and listened closely to each sound I made.

Today, I am celebrating this progress! Love you, Jack!