Thank You, a Gift from the Ozarks, and Other Miscellaneous Stuff

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This is the second part of my monthly post. The original post included school, but there were so many school-related items that I wanted to share that I decided to split school off into its own post, which can be viewed here. This post will cover the rest of James’ life happenings over the past month.

 

 

Thank You

To start things off, I wanted to say thank you for all of the birthday wishes that were left on James’ Facebook birthday posts. He’s such a lucky guy to have so many adoring, and compassionate fans. I think Stacy and I are pretty lucky, too, to have the support of so many people. Not just friends and family, but people from around the world. We may not have met most of you, but know that we appreciate you following James’ story, and keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.

And thank you to everyone that donated to our van fundraiser in honor of James’ birthday. We’re extremely blessed to have received so many donations so far. I am still not totally comfortable with asking people for money and have been looking at other avenues to make some extra money on the side, but with Stacy working nights and weekends, my options are limited. Because James needs around the clock care, one of us has to be home with him. Until I figure out a way to make more money to better support my family, we need to rely on the help of others.

If you would like to make a monetary donation, you can do so here:

https://helphopelive.org/campaign/21730/

We are selling shirts, too, so if you’re looking for a nice t-shirt or a hooded sweatshirt to wear on a cool fall night, you can order one here:

https://www.bonfire.com/rollin-for-james/

Here’s Stacy modeling her Rollin’ for James sweatshirt:

 

Stacy stands outdoors wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with a smiling monkey graphic and the words “Rollin’ for James.” She has on large tortoiseshell sunglasses, and sunlight falls across the grassy area behind her, with buildings visible in the distance. The scene highlights his expressive clothing and the bright, relaxed outdoor setting.
Rollin’ for James sweatshirt available at https://www.bonfire.com/rollin-for-james/

 

 

A Gift from the Ozarks

One of Stacy’s dog walking clients went on vacation and brought home a shirt for James for his birthday.

 

James lies on his cushioned recliner, wearing a bright green‑and‑yellow tie‑dye shirt printed with “Lake of the Ozark Missouri Est. 1931.” The recliner is covered with a sheet with circular designs, and a beige carpet is visible in the background. The scene shows him resting comfortably in a relaxed indoor setting.
Lake of the Ozarks shirt that a client brought back for James’ birthday

 

This has been something I’ve been thinking about for a while. Wouldn’t it be cool if his fans would send him a shirt from a vacation that they went on? I don’t think I would want them to be sent to the house because I don’t think it’s a good idea to give out our home address. I have looked at getting a box at the post office, but depending on size, it would cost us somewhere between $350 and $650 a year. I’m not sure if that’s a wise investment right now. Maybe after we raise enough money to buy a new van, and if there is enough interest in sending James stuff.

 

 

Working with Mommy

James got to go to work with Mommy a couple of times over the past few weeks. One of the days he had a half day of school and since he can’t stay home alone, he went to meet Acer and Dakota. At the end of the video, Acer marked his territory by peeing on James’ wheelchair!

 

 

Two Saturdays ago, James went to see Thor and Bailey before they moved to their new house. James had met the dogs a few months ago and Thor seemed to take an extra interest in him. Stacy didn’t take any pictures during this last visit, but here is a collage from when they first met:

 

A six‑photo collage with the words “Meeting new friends” at the top. In the largest image, a brown dog leans in close to James’ face as he sits in his wheelchair wearing a gray hoodie and blue sunglasses, the dog appearing to nuzzle him. Other photos show a white dog greeting James in sunglasses, James at a doorway with both dogs nearby, and the white dog standing on grass. The collection captures easy, joyful moments of connection between James and the two dogs as they get to know each other.
James met Thor and Baily in early June

 

After that first meeting, Stacy received the following text from the dogs’ owner the next day:

 

A screenshot of a text message exchange shows one person describing how Thor, their dog, went to the rear garage door that morning, sniffing and checking to see if James was inside — something the dog never usually does. The sender calls the behavior cute. The reply says, “Aww he misses his buddy!!! James might just have to come back in the future,” with a “Delivered” status beneath it. The timestamp at the top reads “Today 9:24 PM.”

 

It was for that reason that Stacy decided to take James with her, even though I was home.

 

 

It Finally Fits

A girl that I went to school with used to work at a local radio station and brought James back a Miranda Lambert shirt from a concert she worked at in 2014. It was way too big for him back then, but nine years later it looks like it finally fits.

 

James lies on his cushioned recliner with a patterned sheet of green and yellow circles. He wears a black T‑shirt featuring a photo of Miranda Lambert with the words “Miranda Lambert Platinum” and stylized crossed‑pistol graphics above the text. A plush brown dog‑shaped neck pillow rests around his neck. A clear tube is visible alongside him, suggesting medical support. The scene shows him resting comfortably in a calm indoor setting.
A Miranda Lambert shirt that James got as a gift in 2014 finally fits

 

We don’t know how or why, but James has always had a thing for Miranda. His teachers and therapists in elementary school knew that we liked country music, so they would sometimes play some country music for him in school. He would always light up whenever he heard Miranda’s voice. Anybody else and he didn’t react much, but there was just something about Miranda.

 

 

New Halloween Decoration

Stacy found a new Halloween decoration at Target. It’s so nice to see that those with special needs and disabilities are being included more. Thank you, Target!

 

A small plush figure dressed as a green‑faced vampire sits in a gray toy wheelchair. It has black hair, a black cape, orange pants, black shoes, and holds a white ghost‑shaped bag. The figure rests on a wooden surface in front of a framed photo with partially visible text and a date. In the background, another Halloween plush resembling a skeleton in a black outfit with orange accents is visible. The scene highlights playful, seasonal characters with an inclusive touch.
Halloween decoration found at Target