Christmas, 2016

This year for Christmas I didn't really want anything but when my family went to Nanna and Papa's house l was surprised that I got some gifts. The present l opened on Christmas Eve is a virtual reality goggles. My dad of course had to try it before I did and that annoyed me; I swear my dad sometimes acts like a kid! When he finally put it on my head, it was pretty cool! In fact, I watched a video through it, my right arm sort of flinched a little bit. However, when I took it off l felt kind of dizzy. The next day I woke up about nine o'clock and then we all devoured my Papa's gourmet breakfast pancakes, eggs, and bacon. After everybody was done eating, Caleryn and I started unwrapping the rest of the presents. The first present l opened was close but my dad kept on saying that l wouldn't be disappointed. The next present was a thousand piece puzzle of the world and all of the different country flags. Later on, mom, Nanna and I started to put it together. The thing that was hard about it is the box didn't come with a bigger image of the puzzle. All we got done during the time I was there is just the boarder. Aunt Carol gave both Caleryn and me twenty dollars. The funny thing is that Caleryn kept on stealing my money and would put it in her purse! Sometimes she can be a little thief. My best gift l got was a surface with an tobii eyegazing device. The cool thing about having a surface now is that l can play the rest of our clan members: Skorch, Captain SOB, Snottrod and Beverly so that we can have clan wars more often rather than once a week. Another thing is that I could start blogging on it too but my dad hasn't set that up yet. I haven't tried the eyegazing part yet but of course my dad has though. This whole Christmas has been great. I didn't get a lot of presents but there were more expensive gifts though. 

Donating my stuff

Last Monday night there was an event in our church, where my confirmation class and another class had to donate some of our clothes, jackets, games, accessories that we don't use anymore to a foster home for abused foster kids (teens). My mom cleaned out my closet and gathered a whole trash bag of my old clothes. My dad went through my video games and we filled a whole box of all my old games, playstation 3 and other gaming stuff. When my dad and I got there, he thought he had to carry both the box and the trash bag but he attached it to my chair so that I could carry it in. When we got in there, both classes started separating all the clothes into piles of boys and girls. I couldn't really separate clothes so I wrote a note of encouragement to one of the teens to send with the donations. Some of the teens in my class and Mike (one of the teacher's) said it was really cool that I donated the playstation and all the games. They thought it was very generous, which made me feel good. All and all after I donated, I felt really blessed how much I have and that I could do a little to help someone else who is having a hard time.

The Metal and Muscle Tournament 2016

This year another team called Arizona came to play against the Fireballs, Infernos and the San Antonio Straps. Arizona was awesome! They even beat San Antonio with ease. Which was the first game in the tournament. The next game was the Fireballs verses the Infernos. My team (the Infernos) beat the Fireballs but I didn't score a goal. Then my team played against Arizona Heat Elite and they destroyed us! We didn't get a single goal! The coach of their team said that the reason they got so good is because they played harder teams than they were. Which it totally made sense to me. After that we had a good two hour break until the next game. My dad gave me a beef jerky to hold me over till dinner time. The next game l played was San Antonio. My team lost but I was the only Houston player to score on San Antonio! Which is pretty cool! We lost because we were tired of playing. The next day the San Antonio team forfeited because one of their registered team members couldn't play and they had to use a sub (which was registered). My team played against Arizona again to see which team would be the champion. But like the first time, my team got dominated! I was still happy we at least scored one goal. It was like David vs. Goliah!

Here is a message from our team Manager...Diane Murrell

I am so impressed with our two teams, you fought long and hard and well against tremendous odds on both Saturday and Sunday. I saw growth in each person's character, your attitude, your persistence and your refusal to give in - such mental toughness. I saw growth in your team work and love how you stuck together both on and off the court. I see a strong sense of unity in two solid teams. You fought some USPSA giants in this tournament Arizona Heat Elite and you made every coach and parent proud to say we belong to the Fireballs and the Inferno. The score was lower than this time last year against STRAPs, you scored a goal against Arizona, (who I think were second in one fo the biggest conference cups). You played without a key player (Allie you were missed), you played despite the distraction of always needing to charge your chair. You got up early, you got yourselves here in the rain on time, and you showed up on court and learned what a conference team looks like by playing against one of the very best in the US. And that's our goal to become a conference team. Let's look forward to the new year, we have learned so much this weekend and are excited to roll out new ideas to help us all move forward and be a better me, a better you and a better us, 2017. Congratulations on a well fought weekend.  See y'all at the Christmas party next week and our time to celebrate Coach Lauren and Jonathan.

I'm swimming without floaties

Just recently l started swimming with my physical therapist Alan, to practice walking in the water with flat feet (without hopping) and to work on my swimming. A little while after practicing different therapy ideas, Alan bought a mask for me to try out and it was awesome. It is kinda like a snorkel but its just one piece that goes around the whole head! I can easily breathe under the surface of the water without worrying about swallowing water! But, I still have to hold my breath and work on my breathing when I go under. I eventually got so used to it that Alan was convinced l could swim without the floaty that goes around my back, which l was okay with swimming without because I think that floaty really made me a little too buoyant. Now don't worry l still wore both of my arm floaties. Later on l was confident that I could swim with no floaties at all and still be buoyant enough to stay afloat, which l was! And even if I would've sank, which I usually do, I would be okay because I was wearing the mask and Alan was right next to me. I was a little scared when I attempted it but now I think that I was pretty safe all along. I've gotten so much better calming my breathing down and now I can swim without all the floaties too. I have a video on the blog you'll have to watch as well.

Power Soccer Tournament

We are having our annual power soccer tournament at Metal and Muscle this weekend at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. This year is going to be really cool because we will be playing a new team from Arizona along with the San Antonio Straps team. It will be fun to be able to play a new team, although we've heard they are really good! Also, this will be the first time that my dad will be coaching this event along with Coach Lauren and Coach Gabriel. It's going to be a really long weekend!

Cameron Blake, Herman the Cripple, Broyles - (my new confirmation name)

Herman the Cripple is the saint that I chose for confirmation. The reason I picked him is that he was born with cerebral palsy, cleft palate and spina bifida. He also couldn't walk or talk very well. But Herman was very intelligent. He knew Arabic, Latin, and Greek but nobody could understand him because of his trouble speaking. I connected to Saint Herman because I also have cerebral palsy and spina bifida. He had to deal with his struggles and he stayed faithful with God. Sometimes it is hard for me to not doubt myself and to stay faithful and to live through certain things. And I think that many other people in the world struggle with that nowadays too. 

Herman was born in 1013 in Altshausen, Germany to a farm family. His parents cared for him until he grew to the age of seven. But, back then if you were disabled, the parents didn't really know how to take care of them and it was a daily challenge. I think that I am pretty blessed to live in this time period to have the parents and blessings that I do have. His parents placed him in an abbey in Reichenau, Germany to be cared for by the Benedictine monks. This is where he eventually became a benedictine monk himself at the age of twenty. Although he was bedridden and had a speech impediment that made him nearly impossible to understand, he had enormous intellect. He was a scholar, mathmatician, astronomer, composer, writer and a historian. He built astronomy equipment, and musical instruments, most likely the same way my dad builds things for me so I can use them in a different way. Saint Herman was the most famous religious poet in his day within the Catholic Church. He is the author of "Salve Regina" (which is the Hail, Holy Queen and recited at the end of the rosary) and "Alma Redemptoris Meter". I think these were the most important reasons why he was canonized a saint. But, later in his life he became blind and had to give up his writing. I'm sure this was very difficult for him since writing was his only way of communicating. This would most likely be a struggle for me as well since I have a blog to help convey what's going on in my head.

After reading about Herman the Cripple, I felt very connected to him because he was able to do so much in his short disabled life that it seems overwhelming to me and gives me hope. He did not limit himself due to his cripple body. Maybe I can find something in my own life in a meaningful way to give back. Right now I still struggle to think about what I could do to help others. I'm hoping God will speak to me and guide me in the right direction.

Although Herman's body was a wreck, his spirit was full of Love for God. Sometimes, the more challenges God gives us, the closer it brings us to Him. I'm very lucky in that way. My parents always say, I will go straight to heaven because I'm so close to Him... not so much for my little sister. Blessed Herman was called a "wonder of his age". He died at the age of 41 in the Reichenau, Germany abbey. He was known as a "Saint for the Unborn Child" and "Saint for the Disabled". He was beatified in 1863 and feast day is on September 25th.

In closing, I came across this poem that someone wrote about him that kinda spoke to me as well...

I am least among the low, I am weak and I am slow; I can neither walk nor stand, Nor hold a spoon in my own hand.

Like a body bound in chain, I am on a rack of pain; But He is God that made me so, that his mercy I should show.

Brothers do not weep for me! Christ, the Lord, has set me free. All my sorrows he will bless; Pain is not unhappiness. 

From my window I look down, To the streets of yonder town. Where the people come and go, Reap the harvest that they sow.

Like a field of wheat and tares, some are lost in worldly cares; There are hearts as black as coal, There are cripples of the soul. 

Brothers do not weep for me! In his mercy, I am free. I can neither sow nor spin, Yet, i am fed and clothed in him.

I have been the donkeys tail, Slower than a slug or snail; You my brothers have been kind, Never let me lag behind.

I have been most rich in friends, You have been my feet and hands; All the good that I can do, I have done because of you.

Oh my brothers, can't you see? You have been as Christ for me. And in my need, I know too, Have become a Christ for you!

I have lived for forty one years, In this wilderness of tears; But these trials can't compare, with the glory we will share.

I have had a voice to sing, To rejoice in everything; Now loves sweet eternal song, Breaks the darkness with the dawn.

Brothers do not weep for me! Christ, the Lord, has set me free. Oh my friends, remember this; Pain is not unhappiness.

Halloween 2016

This year for Halloween l was Charles Xavier from X-Men. I think that it was a perfect costume for me and  amazingly, some of the people who were giving out candy realized who I was. Now for Caleryn, she was a princess kitty cat. We saw Snow White passing out apples so Caleryn had to have one. I had to carry her in my chair for a little bit because she got tired of walking house to house. We started heading back home before she blew up. Once we got home, we spread out all of our candy and what does she want to eat the most...the apple!! Anyway we got lots of candy this year and I think that I was definitely goofy looking in my costume. 

My new school subjects for this year

My new school subjects for 11th grade are: consumer math, physics, a new vocabulary book, U.S. history book, Latin and a catholic faith handbook for confirmation. And I also just started reading "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which is just about 500 pages. But my favorite subjects are U.S history and the catholic book.  Im enjoying U.S. History because it's neat to read about how the country started. Honestly, if any student was really taught about history and actually paid attention then I just don't get how so many people could be a socialist or a communist or even a liberal in some ways. Those systems just never work throughout history. I am struggling with consumer math because of the amount of steps for each problem and it is hard to visualize the problem too. Math is usually my strongest subject so I'm a little worried about that. I only have one more Latin lesson left and then I think we will start on Latin II. I think I'm going to be heavily into Catholicism this year for sure, I'm learning so much through the book and at class. Plus two of my old school buddies are in my group at church. Maybe I will start praying 3 times at night again like I used to, I like to pray at night because I'm alone. This will be my goal this year.

Book report on Harry Potter and the cursed child

This book was about what happened twenty years after the last Harry Potter movie. It was a great book to read but l would highly recommend you to watch all of the previous Harry Potter movies first in order to fully understand this last book. There were about six settings in the book but the main setting was at Hogwarts. The summary of the story is that Harry Potter's son, Albus and Draco Malfoy's son, Scorpius go back in time to save Cedric before he gets killed by Voldemort. But in doing so, they have problems in the present time. The boys eventually come to a realization that they can't save Cedric. All and all, the whole book was pretty interesting and I loved it. Now, my mom says I have to read a serious book.

The Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday my family went to a pumpkin patch for Caleryn to play at. There was not much there l could do but she was like a kid in a candy store. My mom and l was constantly trying to catch up with her and my dad! Activity after activity, it was ridiculous! My mom really wanted to come there to take pictures of her. The place was crowded with kids but it really wasn't so bad because it was so spacious as well. They had a band playing and me and mom just sat under the trees listening to the music. They have a huge corn maze that you is spooky and haunted at night but dad said it was a little too narrow for my chair. I'd probably be too chicken anyway! We didn't get a pumpkin because Caleryn went to sleep when we left. So haha! 

First Confirmation class

Last Wednesday, l had my first confirmation class. I also have to go to Lifeteen classes too. There are about 250 kids going through Confirmation this year at my church which is like the largest amount ever in our diocese. All of the kids there, including me, had to take a test to see how much they knew about God. Some of the questions were, can you name all Ten Commandments, name the Pope, our Cardinal, write the words of the rosary, what is the Holy Spirit,how often do I go to mass, who helps me in my faith, how do I feel about going to confirmation classes. I actually started the test early because it takes time to write down my answers. The lady that copied my answers on a sheet of paper said I did really well. I knew most of the questions off the top of my head. One assignment l have to do later in October is write a paper about a saint that I like and why I connect to that saint. I have to have a sponsor, I also have to do two service projects this year to help give back to the community and I have to go on a retreat. So I think this year is going to be a pretty big year!

I'm becoming a cranky grandpa!

Two weeks ago I finally urged my mom to set up an eye doctor appointment. I was having trouble seeing small font words far away. I have to squint because of my blurry vision. And its not just that I have trouble with ether; I also have trouble reading the signs on the roads too. The doctor did an optical test and she said that my vision is 20/70! Then the doctor put a lens on me to tryout and the difference was night and day! I could see the author names on the books behind my dad easily and that's about six or seven feet away from where I sat! The doctor then put some dye into my eyes to see how healthy they were. While the dye was drying up, I looked for a cool frame for the new glasses.  After fifthteen minutes, my dad wheeled me over to the room we were in; the doctor told us that my eyes are healthy. I eventually picked the frame I wanted. The glasses took two weeks to make. I looked like an old man/a geek when l first saw the pictures my mom took. I can totally see better now! FINALLY!!

The Fireballs charity event

This year the Fireballs charity event wasn't fair for the Dynamo Dash at all. The biggest difference between our team and the Dynamo Dash is that we have five kids with Strike Force chairs and we practice every Saturday. On the other hand, the Dynamo Dash only plays power soccer when this event happens. Plus, the score was 15:0; it was almost too easy, they should really practice more! I did get a goal though before ten minutes was up. I didn't get to play that much because the coach wanted me to be goalie. I think I might of got in trouble for not using my peripheral vision. I think I might need a rear view mirror! Maybe next year it'll be more fair for the Dynamo/Dash players. Anyway, when I first started warming up, most of the Elders from Camp Blessings came up behind me like a bunch of ninjas and said hi to me. And then, just as l thought everyone that knows me was there, another ninja nicknamed Kitty Purry came to watch me play. The funny thing is that my mom and dad didn't recognize her because she dyed her hair brown! I was so surprised that they came! All in all the whole event was pretty cool. Especially when some of my friends from Camp Blessings took the time to come to watch me play. That was really nice of them to do that. 

P.S I just thought of a new nickname for Jaycee Wright and it is Karen the Cougar from the movie Talladega Nights.  

P.SS If you don't get that, it's okay. I'm just being a dork right now.