A Different Friday Night for a Change!

Tonight, on a Friday no less, Jocelyn and I actually got to do something different for once.

We went to a graduation party!!!

I don't think I've been to a high school graduation party for AT LEAST ten years ... at least! You forget what they are like when its been that long.

The gal that is graduating tomorrow is our Hippotherapist's daughter, Radie. She has a pretty cool and unique name I think. I definitely have never heard of it.

Here is Peggy, our therapist, with her daughter, Radie:

{Radie often leads the horse while Peggy manipulates Jocelyn. They make a pretty good team I think. They are therapist, but more importantly, they are our friends & feel like family}

Anyways, they sent us an invite and asked us several times to come to the graduation party. I told them that I wasn't sure if we would come because these type of social gathering are just plain difficult for us. Typically, there are so many people {and you only know the hostess} and there is almost never any room for a wheelchair, and if there is, it's a huge ordeal to get it inside another persons house, and set up, without making a huge scene!!

 

What typically happens when we go to someone's house like this where there are large groups, is that I have to hold Jocelyn the entire time, or find some out-of-the-way spot to sit her down and be right next to her so she doesn't fall over. Sometimes it can just be plain awkward! I worry about how I will go to the bathroom with no one to hold or watch her, what if someone wants or needs me to do something, then everyone wants you to drink &/or eat ... I don't have 15 arms ... its almost impossible and exhausting to do yourself. If Justin comes with me to something like this, then its more doable, but he's not around often and doing this type of stuff by myself, is starting to get to be too much. 

 

Even though I felt some true anxiety about being at their house {and we know them WELL ... for at least 1 1/2 years now ... but we can't take up all their time ... they had LOTS of people there to visit with}, I raised my chin up high and faked it until I made it. We sought out Radie, gave her the gift we brought and hugged her, wondered around, looked at some fun scrapbooks they had laying around and made the best of it. I noticed people were very curious about us {not to mention my HUGE backpack of medical supplies, etc was attached to my back like I was some college student again} but I'm use to people staring.

 

Jocelyn started to seem like she was getting anxious and uncomfortable herself, and I'm sure she could feel my nerves as well.

 

I decided that since it was such a nice evening out, we would venture outside, find a spot to sit down and just enjoy watching the people and talk to whoever came along. I mean, it is Friday ... it was time to be social!

 

We snapped a few pictures of ourselves. Jocie's facial expressions crack me up!!

 

Radie came out and chatted with us too. We talked about boys {she's been dating this Sophomore for about six months now} and I told her she was robbin' the cradle! Ha! We carried on about his family and how she doesn't think they are too excited about them dating, what will happen to them when she goes off to Washburn, what she wants to do in college and why ...

 

          Aaaahhhhh ... the possibilities and innocence of high school, where life can take you, the dreaming of big dreams ...

 

Brought back a lot of good memories and it was so sweet to see such a pretty girl have that twinkle in her eye about life in general.

 

It was refreshing!

 

We also really got to chatting with Peggy's father {he's a total hoot and such a sweetheart ... he has a pretty aggressive cancer and I'm so thrilled he is still here for all of this} and even her sister who is a special education teacher no less. She was just as easy to talk to and carry on with as Peggy always is. She was really interested in Jocelyn, the things we were doing and so forth. Their family did a wonderful job of making us feel welcomed.

Made my heart full!

We stayed for about an hour and then we needed to drive back home since its about a 45 minute drive. Before we left, we of course said goodbye to all of them and a picture of us girls was absolutely mandatory!!

Jocie and I had another perfect Friday night!! Except this Friday, we got to spend it with some "extended family!" :)