boot scootin boogie...

I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from a speech therapist in WA. I have never met her before but I have been able to bounce a few things off of her. She sent me this and it has blessed me every time I read it. We are almost at a year and although I feel the Lord saying to me...just get to a year, it seems like this is a never ending thing that He has us in. I would love to know what the Lord has up His sleeve!
This is what she wrote...”Stay encouraged. Even in the slumps or what seem to be plateaus, his brain is probably cooking together everything it has been taking in and you just won't see it for a bit. Sometimes I like to think of it like a big sponge and you're dropping drops of water into it one at a time. The sponge doesn't appear wet for a long time, but it's gathering water all the time. It's only after it gets all saturated on the inside does it finally start to drip. A patient can take in therapies for a while and not show progress until the "saturation on the inside" happens. Then they show progress again and the "plateau" is over. The old thought was that whatever a person recovered a year after a TBI was all they would get. The new research blows this all apart. While that first year is critical, we now have studies that show how patients improve for years after their injury, and much of it depends on age and stamina. Ben is in great shape that way! I am sure he is going to continue progress for quite some time, God willing! I say this because I know the one-year mark is coming up soon. Don't get discouraged. There's still time for progress. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, just in case anybody out there wants to try to drag you along into the old-school thinking!”

Oh my goodness what a night we had with Trace Adkins and Toby Keith on Friday!! Ben and I spent all day Saturday and today trying to catch up from just one night out!
We left the hospital a lil after dinner time on Friday night. Got all loaded up in out huge shuttle bus and took off! We all then met up with the people who supplied the tickets for us who had the connections with Toby Keith's management. After taking a few photos we then headed into the amphitheatre. We were supposed to sit in the wheelchair section but the lift was broken. Oh bumm deal because what were they to do but put us in the BOX seats in the VIP section! Hello, were we ever super blessed! This helped with our men too because then there were not people crowding around us and gave them some space and a lil less stimulation!
First opener singer was good but of course I have already forgot his name...I was just ready for some Trace and Toby! Trace came next and he was great! Lots of cowboy hats a movin and boots a dancing!
The real show started when Toby Keith made his grand enterance! Just when he was getting started Ben tugged on my hand and said he wanted to go! I explained to him that Toby had just started singing and could we stay just a little bit longer. He was good with this and then turned his head to watch Toby on the big screen! About 5-6 songs into his show Ben pulled on my hand again and said, "get me out of here!" That was my signal that it was time to go! To my surpise it was 10pm! We made our way back to the hospital and right as Ben was laying down his eyes closed and he was out! I gave him a few kisses, told him he did amazing and that I am so proud of him!
Enjoy a few photos below!












PS...I did get my hillbilly boots....just didn't get the expensive ones at Nords!

Conversation Ben and I had last night...me-"ben, i got some ice cream and i am going to eat it all!" Ben-"that's not fair, you have to share!" Me-"what if i don't share?" Ben-"i will throw a fit!"