** Elias walks, no runs, sway-backed and staggered, like a late-night reveler after one too many drinks. I chase him across the kitchen floor, my thumbs on the sides of my head, my fingers the antlers of a moose, and I think, he's back. His back or his ankle or his hip, or whatever ailed him for weeks, does no more.
** Elias sits in a silver booth at the City Diner and holds the paper kids menu an inch from his face. "Do you want to order a bun pup?" He holds humor in his voice and I smile. Elias reads.
** How do you beat the glass elevator as a birthday gift? You take Elias on a tram ride up Alyeska, high above the trees on a sunny Saturday. And you watch his face.
** "Let's play a game where no means yes. Ok? It will be fun. You ready?" asks the volunteer from Challenge, an adaptive ski school in Girdwood. "Do you want to do it again?"
"No!" Elias says as he flops in her arms like a noodle.
"Yess!!" she tickles him. "You want to ski again!!!"
"No!" he laughs.
"Yes! Isn't this fun?"
And so it goes, until she magically convinces Elias to ski a couple more times down the gentle slope, her arms around him, as David, Pop, Nick and I cheer.
I am smiling right now. So glad you could have some relief and enjoyable moments from the daily schedule.
Posted by: Dayna | 02/06/2012 at 11:52 PM
I'm cheering with you too!!
Posted by: Abby | 02/07/2012 at 02:55 AM
Oh, that last one really got to me! My eyes are sweating. :-) I have a cousin who used to teach skiing to disabled people (in CO). If Elias' teacher is half as awesome...WOW. Love this.
Posted by: Niksmom | 02/07/2012 at 05:32 AM
all sounds happy and good in your world today. I'm so glad to hear that Elias is running around again and that you can worry just a bit less...
Posted by: fleming | 02/07/2012 at 06:02 AM
what a fabulous volunteer.
Posted by: s.e. | 02/07/2012 at 10:01 AM
Love. That is all.
Posted by: Kate | 02/07/2012 at 03:43 PM
The volunteers were fabulous indeed. And yes, it is moments like these that my bolster me through the harder times.
Posted by: Christy | 02/07/2012 at 07:35 PM
Awesome!
Posted by: Greta | 02/08/2012 at 08:08 PM
amazing and what a relief! xo
Posted by: elizabeth | 02/09/2012 at 11:39 AM