End of 3rd Grade, Mother’s Day, and a New Garbage Disposal

How is the year almost half over already? Where has the time gone and why does it have to go by so fast? It’s like that Kenny Chesney Song, ‘Don’t Blink’.

“Don’t blink, just like that you’re six years old

And you take a nap

And you wake up and you’re twenty-five

And your high school sweetheart becomes your wife”

~ Don’t Blink by Kenny Chesney

And then there’s the line from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once and a while, you could miss it.”

~ Ferris Bueller

I remember bringing James home after spending his first two months in the NICU and wondering what our lives were going to be like. Wondering if he would even make it to his first birthday. Now here we are almost nine years later, and he just finished third grade. I blinked.

So, what’s been going on with us over the past month? Well, let me start by saying thank you to all of you that made a purchase from Stacy’s online Thirty-One party. She didn’t get as many sales as she had hoped, but she did okay. Every little bit helps. As soon as she gets her commission check, she’ll send 20% over to Pediatric Stroke Warriors.

 

A purple awareness ribbon appears on the left side of the image with the name “James” written across it in white. To the right, bold purple text thanks supporters for recognizing Pediatric Stroke Month. Below the message, the words “Thirty‑One Gifts” appear. The overall design is simple and bright, using purple as the central color to emphasize awareness and support.

 

 

School

A couple of weeks ago they had their annual “Spring Sing” where they play music and sing a song or two for the school. James obviously can’t sing, but maybe he can learn to play an instrument.

 

Three people participate in a musical activity together. James is sitting in his wheelchair wearing a red shirt with a yellow lightning‑bolt design, supported by a headrest. Two others stand close on either side, helping position and hold a guitar so it rests in front of James. The background is simple and light‑colored, giving focus to the interaction. The moment feels gentle and collaborative, capturing a shared effort to make music accessible and engaging.
“Spring Sing”

 

A couple of weeks ago they had their annual “Spring Sing” where they play music and sing a song or two for the school. James obviously can’t sing, but maybe he can learn to play an instrument. I’ve always wanted to learn to play the guitar. Maybe the two of us can learn together. Or he can learn to play at school and then teach Daddy what he learned.

And just like that, James is done with 3rd grade, will get a little bit of a break, and then start summer school. Sorry, I should say Extended School Year, or ESY. Summer school has negative connotations. Like when you fail a class and need to retake it in summer school. James hasn’t failed anything. James is in ESY so that he continues learning, getting therapies, and spending time with his peers. It also allows Stacy to get out of house and walk some dogs to bring in a little extra money..

 

Two side‑by‑side photos show James seated in a wheelchair, marking the beginning and end of third grade. In the left image, he wears a gray shirt and red shorts, supported by a neck pillow, and holds a sign that reads “First Day of 3rd Grade 2017–18.” In the right image,he wears an orange shirt and blue shorts, holding a sign that says “Last Day of 3rd Grade.” The setup and framing are similar in both photos, highlighting the passage of the school year and James' growth across it.

 

Two side‑by‑side photos showJames seated in a wheelchair, wearing sunglasses and supported by a neck pillow. In the left image, he wears a gray shirt and holds a sign that reads “First Day of 3rd Grade 2017–18.” In the right image, he wears an orange shirt and holds a sign that says “Last Day of 3rd Grade.” The matching setup and framing highlight the passage of the school year and James' growth from its beginning to its end.

 

We did get a little bit of bad news. The one-on-one nurse that has been with James for the past three years has accepted another job in the district and will not be with him in the fall. As of right now she is planning on being with him over the summer. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens as we get closer to the new school year. We just hope that we don’t run into a situation like we have in the past where James has to miss a bunch of school because they can’t find a nurse for him.

 

Mother’s Day

Several years ago, as a Mother’s Day present, I made Stacy a couple of raised garden beds. She got a few years out of them, but after the covered pergola went up, it stole a lot of sunlight from those garden beds. About a year ago I decided to start work on a new set of raised garden beds on the other side of the pergola where they would be saturated with six to eight hours of sun a day. Little did I know at the time how much work it would be. Making the raised beds turned out to be the easy part. Removing the grass and leveling the area was a lot of work!

In researching ideas for a design of the new raised beds, I really liked the looks of the ones made with corrugated metal roofing panels. I came across someone’s post where they made them and included all of the parts they used to make them. For the life of me I can’t find that post now, but if I do, I’ll link to it here. I can’t take credit for someone else’s plans.

 

On a concrete surface outdoors, a stack of construction materials sits neatly arranged. Several long wooden boards lie on the bottom, and on top of them rest a few sheets of shiny corrugated metal. The metal reflects the light, giving the stack a clean, new look. The scene feels like the start of a building or repair project, with the materials waiting to be used.
Some of the materials used to make the raised garden beds

 

A rectangular wooden frame sits on a flat outdoor surface, fitted with a panel of corrugated metal held neatly inside the thick wooden borders. The metal has a clean, wavy texture that catches the light. Behind the frames is a grassy yard and a chain‑link fence, giving the scene the feel of a backyard build in progress — sturdy materials laid out and ready for the next step.
Completed side panel

 

Two rectangular raised garden beds sit on a grassy lawn beside a beige‑sided house. Each bed is built from corrugated metal panels framed with wooden beams, looking newly assembled and still empty. Behind them are a grill, an outdoor air‑conditioning unit, and a white door leading into the house. The scene has a clean, just‑finished feel, as if the beds are ready to be filled with soil for planting.
Completed garden beds

 

In a residential backyard, Stacy crouches down inside one of two large raised garden beds made from corrugated metal panels framed with wood. The beds sit on a grassy lawn next to a beige‑sided house. Behind Stacy are a white door, an outdoor air‑conditioning unit, a grill, and a small stack of wooden boards. The scene has a practical, hands‑on feel, as if the raised beds were recently built and the project is nearing completion.
Stacy in one of the beds to give to you an idea of the size

 

Two raised garden beds are being built in a backyard. Each bed is framed with wooden beams and lined with corrugated metal panels. The surrounding soil has been dug up, with piles of dirt and removed sod nearby. A wheelbarrow, shovels, and a rake sit around the work area. In the background, a beige house with an air‑conditioning unit, a grill, and a covered patio anchors the scene. It feels like an in‑progress DIY project on a warm day.
Removing grass and dirt to make the area level

 

Two raised garden beds sit in a backyard, each built from corrugated metal panels framed with wooden beams at the corners and along the top edges. A red leveling tool rests across one of the boards as Jeff checks alignment. Freshly dug soil surrounds the bases of the beds, with small orange marker flags placed nearby. In the background, a grassy yard is enclosed by a chain‑link fence, with a shed and neighboring houses visible, giving the scene a practical, in‑progress feel.
Done!

 

The only thing left to do was get some soil to fill them up and pick up some vegetable plants to plant in them, so Stacy, James, and I headed off to Menards…in two cars. There was no way we’d have enough room in the van for the three of us and all of that soil.

 

James sits in a wheelchair wearing a bright blue jacket and colorful pants decorated with cartoon‑style graphics. A red‑and‑blue neck support cushion is secured around his neck with a strap. The background shows a garden center setting with stacked bags of mulch on pallets and metal shelving.
James at Menards…in his pajamas

 

That was my gift to Stacy for Mother’s Day. James had his own gifts to give her. The card, the plant, and the jar he made at school. The Wonder Woman Lego we made together…because she is Wonder Woman.

 

James lies comfortably in his cushioned recliner, covered with a patterned blanket. On the left side of the frame, Stacy holds a plastic white cup filled with soil and small green plants. Beside it sits a small jar containing colorful puzzle pieces and a handmade purple card. The card includes printed and handwritten messages offering appreciation and a set of “coupons” for acts of kindness such as breakfast in bed, reading a story, hugs, help with chores, a long walk, and watching a movie. It’s signed “Love, James” with a red heart. The scene feels warm and intimate, capturing a thoughtful, personal gift meant to show care and gratitude.
Plant, jar, and card that James made at school

 

James lies on his cushioned recliner with a gray cover with white polka‑dots. His head turned to the side with his mouth slightly open. In the foreground, Stacy holds a small LEGO‑style Wonder Woman figure close to James' face, creating a playful, intimate moment. The background shows a carpeted floor, a red bag, and a mattress or cushion with some clothing on it, giving the scene a casual, lived‑in feel.
Lego Wonder Woman that James and I made together

 

Medical Stuff

Not too much to report on the medical/health front. James had to have some blood drawn for the seizure medication study. With all of the germs floating around we decided to mask him up.

 

James sits in a supportive chair with black padding and blue fabric around the head area. He wears a white face mask decorated with colorful smiley faces, and his eyes appear partially closed. The background is neutral and out of focus, keeping attention on the child and the supportive seating setup.
Wearing a mask to project him from germs

 

He had a routine pulmonologist appointment on the 29th. The doc listened to his lungs, and they sounded good and clear. With allergy season coming up, he prescribed an allergy med for James.

Stacy noticed a cut on James left ear and couldn’t figure out where it came from. She finally realized that it was from the headrest on his wheelchair. Because his head naturally goes to the left, his ear is constantly rubbing on the headrest. Stacy discussed this with our palliative nurse who drops by every couple of weeks, and she recommended putting something called MediHoney on his ear. It apparently is supposed to help heal his ear from the inside out…whatever that means.

 

Garbage Disposal

One of the joys of homeownership is having random things break. This weekend it was the garbage disposal. It didn’t really break. It still worked, but it had developed a leak on the bottom. It didn’t appear to be repairable, and not knowing how old it was, I decided to just replace it.

Just as I was always helping my dad around the house on projects like this when I was younger, I had James help me. I think we did good. Much quieter than the old one, and more importantly, no leaks!

 

New garbage disposal

 

Daddy’s little helper

 

Install complete