Sunday, October 30, 2011

Wheatberries.
Last Thursday we had our 1st official Fundraising event, For Rylan's Fight for Sight.  To say it was a success is an understatement.  It was a sellout.  We could have sold at least 30 more tickets.  It was an amazing night.  The owners of the Coffee house where we had the event were extremely accommodating.  They had everything set up so that when we arrived all we had to do was set up our Silent Auction. Thank you Andrew and Leslie.  Our wonderful Fundraising team was there and pumped.  I could tell that this was going to be a good night.  People started arriving right on time and they were treated to beautiful desserts and wonderful coffee.  Kathy and Paul were our entertainment and they did not disappoint.  Kathy has a wonderful voice and Paul plays a mean guitar.  Rylan was loving the music.  It's his favourite thing in the whole world.  He was bopping his little head to the beat of the music.  He was most upset when they stopped for a break.  Cohen was just as enthralled.  He was trying to sing along with Kathy.  She told me later that she had to look at something else as every time she looked at him she started to laugh.  Maybe Cohen is going to be a singer.  Grandma got Rylan up to dance.  He has this cute little thing he does with his foot.  I can't do it but he has a very different dance move that makes us all laugh.  He was quite a card and he didn't disappoint everyone.  
Karen Webb made a presentation to Ryan and Alicia.  Seems her Grade 1 class had been having penny drives and had raised $170 for Rylan's Fight for Sight.  I don't think there were many dry eyes in the room 
thinking of those little ones, raising money for another little one.  I do believe that they could teach us something about generosity and selfless love and acceptance. When  we pulled the 50/50 draw April Seward had won and she donated the money back to Rylan's cause.  Thank you April.  
The Silent Auction was a great Success.  We appreciated all those bids.  Thank you to everyone one who bought the items.  We can't do this without you.  So I know everyone is wondering how much we raised. Well we raised almost $2500.  Rylan has about $12,000 in his Trust Account.  Amazing!
Thank you Everyone from the bottom of our hearts.  
Our next event is November 17th at the Lighthouse Pub.  It is a Burger and Beer night. We will be having another Silent Auction and 50/50.  
Hope we see you there.  China is getting closer and closer.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

This last weekend was the bottle and Penny drive for Rylan's Fight for Sight.  Pam Duffy a friend of mine took on this huge event.  She arranged all the bags and pick ups and all the thousand little things that need to be done to make this a success.  People started dropping their change off to me almost immediately, as soon as the posters went up and word of mouth got around.  It was jaw dropping.  I have to say that I was so humbled.  The day before the event Jeannie and I went to the Bank of Montreal and had a look at the new change counter that they had there.  It is so much fun.  You put the change in and the machine whips the money around and counts it.  No more counting and rolling for this girl!  The day of the bottle drive we couldn't believe how many people stopped to drop off cans and money.  Rylan the star of the show kept smiling and I do believe showing off a little.  One Dad came by with his boys with some cans and he explained to Alicia that, that morning he had read the boys Rylan's story and explained the best he could about all of Rylan's diagnosis.  Each of the boys handed Alicia some money.  Alicia said they were just the cutest little guys.  At the end of the day all these wonderful Volunteer's and the community had helped us raise over $1700.  People are still dropping off change and asking when we are going to do another bottle drive.  Pam said after Christmas.  So please everyone after Christmas remember us.  We also still have a can up at the Gibson's Bottle Depot, so if you want you can just drop your change in the can if you are recycling your bottles there.  We truly appreciate it.  
Rylan's Therapists were at the house again yesterday.  As usual the little guy never seems to amaze them with his newly acquired skills.  He is walking by just holding on to one hand now and he is so much more curious.  The visitors took Rylan to meet his new Principal that he will be having at Cedar Grove next year.  Rylan was quite curious as to who this new person was.  It just so happens that the Principal has two Grandchildren with special needs.  One is Visually impaired and the other one has Autism.  I think Rylan will have a friend indeed.  While they were there the recess bell went.  All of a sudden there was a wave of children coming from every which way.  Cohen hid behind his Mom but Rylan Ang told me, Had the biggest smile on his face.  He loved all this noise.  This is a far cry from the scared little boy of a few months ago.  Oh how far he has come.  After the first kids went back to school the special needs kids came out to play.  They were quite taken by this new little face.  Rylan was having a great time listening to the chatter and the questions they were asking.  Some how I think this little boy of ours is really going to like school.  I think we need not worry if he will like it.  

Monday, October 10, 2011

Thanksgiving
It was our Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and I had everyone over on Sunday night for our big dinner, as my Mom, Rylan's Great Grandma was here to celebrate with us.  I love Thanksgiving as I think it is a wonderful day filled with family time and good food.  
Everyone arrived it seemed at the same time, which makes my house a little chaotic and noisy.  Rylan was hungry and so I quickly made his special dinner.  Ground up turkey, potatoes, sweet potato, peas, corn and gravy.  Alicia tried to feed him  and it was a no go, then Auntie Ang tried and still a no go.  Ryan thought that it was because he wanted him to feed and still Rylan's little nose went up in the air.  This supper was not what he wanted.   We were perplexed.  Suddenly Auntie Ang came out of the dining room holding the cranberry jelly and added some to Rylan's dinner.  If you could have seen his face.  He got the biggest smile and just opened his mouth and ate.  It was hilarious.  I have to say that I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it.  
Now I know I have written about how much Cohen and Rylan care about each other and how the little cousin has been a true God send to Rylan, but on Thanksgiving I witnessed something that I will never forget.  Rylan and Cohen were sitting on the couch beside each other, watching their favourite TV show.  Rylan was doing his rocking thing and Cohen was occasionally looking at him.  He seems to check on Rylan to make sure he is okay.  Suddenly Rylan reached over and gently grasped Cohen's hand.  I was amazed.  Cohn just looked over at Rylan, then looked at his hand and just continued to watch his TV show as if it was a normal event.  Rylan held Cohen's hand till the end of the show.  I felt almost breathless.  I felt like I had witnessed a small miracle.  Rylan seems to be reaching out more and more.  I think I see him more and the Autism less.  I have much to be Thankful for this Thanksgiving.