Basketball is OVER!

Had our first play off game last night.  If we lost we were done and if we won we would go on to play for the Championship on Sat.  We lost.  BUT.......It was a game and a half.  Both teams played REALLY well.  We were within 2 for most of the game.  Brad says "It was a defensive battle".  :-)  

I can really see how Jack improved from when we started to now.  He cried twice on the court.  Once when he had the ball and was picked up by a kid by the ball.  And the other - I'm not sure what he was upset about.  It bothers Bill a LOT - but I can see he's trying to work it out.  He's staying on the court - he's trying to get back into the game - he's just got tears.  I think he'll get it under control.  Plus, his coach assured me he has a HUGE heart - that he had the biggest heart on the team.  Well, if tears come with that - I'll take it.  I love that he has such a huge heart. 

Sal did a GREAT job.  She played UNO with her medals the whole game.  She had brought her gold medal and bronze to show some of the people at Johnny Rockets (we had a school fundraiser there before the game) and when we got to the game she asked who could play UNO with her - I suggested her medals would play - the look on her face was so cute.  Kind of like "that's kind of silly - but well, yeah - they could".  So it she stayed out of our hair and no "how much longer" questions.  I praised her and praised her when we were done. 

On a serious note - Jack brought up going to college on the way home from practice the other night.  I was just him and me and he asked what college he could go to.  Then asked what college Sally would go to.  I said that she may go to JJC.  He decided that he should do that too - when I told him that he could go away to college he seemed concerned that he wanted to be with Sal.  So I leveled with him that Sal going to college and him going were two entirely different things.  I broke it to him that she would not be able to be a Dr or lawyer and yes - miracles do happen and things can change but we do have to face facts of the present right now.  He was kind of taken back.  I think he only saw her "handicap" in her behavior and not in her ability to learn.  It saddened me and of course when he got out and went in the house I sat in the car and bawled.  I felt like I had killed Santa for him.  I remembered that little 2 year old telling us how Sally was his hero because she had found one of his toys that he lost. 

On a happier tone = Sal had her IEP annual meeting this week.  She's doing GREAT.  I LOVE my team - and not just because they seem to love Sal.  They work SO hard and are constantly evolving on how to reach and teach her.  She's reading at a 2nd grade level and can tell time and money.  We still need to work on counting change and knowing what you get back - but it's a start.  As we've all known for a long time her understanding is WAY above her level of communication and even that's getting better. 

Sally got to come into the meeting at the end and she just beamed!  She loves school so much.  We got approved for summer school - which we're ALL excited about.  We also decided that she will transition into the "life skills" class in High School and since my team hasn't done this before they want to work very closely with us to get this done.  Loving that!