Local Celebrities, Father’s Day, and Other Life Happenings

Local Celebrities

Ever since James was born, we’ve questioned why James was the way that he was. How could someone be so cruel to create someone with so many issues. I think we’re finally starting to understand the reason why. He will never be able to contribute to society like most of us can. But what he can do—and what he has been doing all along—is show us that there is still good in the world. So many wonderful people have come into our lives because of James. People that we would not have met otherwise.

We don’t know if James even understands the impact he is making on the world. And the more his story gets out there, the more impact he has. So many wonderful people touched our lives after the article about our fundraiser made the front page of a local newspaper. The follow-up article was just published this past Thursday. And to top everything off, Stacy got a call from James’ pediatrician on Thursday morning to tell her that he heard a story about James on WBBM AM 780 on the way to work. He said that they mentioned the Daily Herald article, Mobility Works, and the gala…more on this below. Stacy had WBBM 780 playing on her computer all day and finally heard the story Thursday afternoon, but didn’t think to record it, so I didn’t get a chance to hear it.

We’re starting to feel a bit like celebrities around here. And it’s all because of James.

About the gala I mentioned above…James was selected a few months back to be the Epilepsy Warriors Foundations’ Face of Epilepsy for 2014. Stacy, James, and I will be putting on our formal wear and will be at the gala at the Chicago Cultural Center in a couple of weeks. If you are interested in attending or would like more information about the event, please check out the following websites:

http://www.epilepsywarriors.org/chicago-face-of-epilepsy-for-2014/

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-bridge-of-hope-gala-dinnersilent-auction-tickets-10136591819

 

Father’s Day

James got me a couple of cool gifts for Father’s Day.

 

Blue model of a classic Ford Mustang front end with illuminated headlights displayed on a shelf beneath a television, featuring the chrome grille and Mustang emblem with a “MUSTANG” license plate, set above electronic equipment including a digital receiver showing 7:40, creating a themed automotive décor element in a home entertainment area.
Mustang shelf

 

Framed artwork resting on a carpeted living‑room floor, featuring a vintage‑style illustration of a white classic Ford Mustang with black racing stripes in front of a Route 66 sign, set in a dark wide frame with surrounding home furniture visible, capturing a nostalgic automotive décor piece.
Mustang painting

 

Do you see a theme here? After James was born in 2009, I made the hard decision of giving up my 2001 Mustang to trade it in for a more family-friendly SUV. Do you think this is his way of saying sorry for making me give up the Mustang? It’s alright buddy, maybe someday we can get an older Mustang and we can work on it together. That would be a cool father/son project, wouldn’t it?

We had a nice Father’s Day dinner with Stacy’s side of the family. Stacy let me drive the new van. We have discovered one small problem with the van, but we’re not sure if it can be fixed. Because the wheelchair ramp folds in on the passenger side, the front passenger seat can’t slide back as far as it normally would. The back of the seat hits the ramp. Being that Stacy and I are both tall, there’s not much leg room for either of us in the passenger seat. Stacy decided to sit on seat in the far back of the van, where she had more leg room:

 

View from the back seat of a moving vehicle showing James seated in a red car seat with legs extended toward the front passenger seat, while Jeff drives in a dark shirt holds the steering wheel, with ceiling vents, dashboard controls, and items like an orange cloth and seat‑back pocket visible, capturing an everyday moment of travel in a minivan.

 

James had no complaints about his seat.

 

Other Life Happenings

A couple of weeks ago I had a golf outing for work. It’s pretty cool when you’re allowed to take a day off work to go golfing…and get paid for it. Stacy and James joined us for dinner. He stole my new hat.

Side‑by‑side close-up photos of James wearing a white baseball cap with a bluejay logo, an orange‑gray‑white plaid shirt, and a black chest strap, with their head tilted back and mouth open in both images, capturing two similar angles of the same moment.
James wearing my new golf hat

 

James had an appointment with the urologist on Monday to check on his “berries”. When James was born, his testicles weren’t fully descended. About three years ago he had surgery to bring them down. The right one is still down, but unfortunately, the left one went back up. The urologist’s said that there’s no rush, but he recommends having it removed. This was Stacy and James’ first adventure in the new van without me and she said it went well. She likes the fact that the van is a bit taller than her old car, which makes it easier to get James in and out. Not as much bending.

 

Stacy in the driver's seat, wearing sunglasses and a blue shirt giving a thumbs‑up toward the camera, with James seated in a red and black car seat in the back wearing a yellow striped shirt and looking upward, captured inside a car with trees and another vehicle visible through the windows, showing a candid moment during travel.
Going to see the urologist

 

Stacy ordered a couple of these stickers for the van, one for each of the side doors:

 

Two accessibility stickers displayed on a vehicle window: a yellow diamond‑shaped sticker listing key medical and communication needs for a special‑needs child, and a blue sticker with a wheelchair symbol requesting extra space for loading, both signaling the vehicle’s adaptive and medical‑support requirements.
Customized sticker for the van

 

In the event she is in an accident with James in the car, and assuming the side window hasn’t shattered, this sticker will give paramedics some info about James.

And finally, James starts summer school next week so wish him luck. He has the same teacher and one-on-one nurse that he had during the school year so he should have a good summer. Since his summer school is only a couple of blocks away, mommy and James can walk there, and walk home…as long as it isn’t raining.