SOAR

Special Olympics ARkansas here we come!!

This year we tagged the truck and remembered the flag.

We were assigned to Sears Hall which was great because it was the nicest dorms yet.  We had a 2 room suite with a bathroom between.

Everything looked maybe a year old.  It was clean and that's important.

We met up with Tammie (Canyon's school aide and coach for the Special Olympics) and went out to eat at McAlister's Deli.  After eating, it was time to get ready for the walk in and opening ceremonies.  Of course, like always, there were hundreds of motorcycles.  Canyon was in heaven.

Waiting is FOREVER because they want the athletes there 1 1/2 hours before it starts.  It's just too long and so hot.  In the future, we don't plan to line up til 20 minutes before.  There just is not a point to all that waiting.

Canyon has his badge with all his information on it for the weekend.  He is in Standing Long Jump and Shot Put this year.  For next year, since he ages out of this division this year and will be playing with kids as old as 20 next year, I want to see about entering him in more events so he will have more chances of placing.  I think he might be disappointed if he only gets ribbons and no metals.  He's gotten metals every year.

Finally they march in.  That too took forever.  I didn't get a good picture because he was so far away, but he waved the entire time with an ear to ear smile.

After the athletes walk in and get seated, the bike show begins.  They do a lap around the field revving their engine and it is very loud, and cool.

There were also guest appearances of Willie Nelson and Elvis impersonators.

Back to the dorms and bed.

Next morning was pancakes, sausage, eggs, biscuit and gravy, and orange juice.  They feed us well!

After we ate we took a stroll to the fountain and tree Canyon loves to have pictures with.

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2014

They both are growing nicely :) 

(We don't have one for 2013 because we didn't get to go to Special Olympics last year :(

Then we headed to Olympic Village for some fun.  Canyon made another bead necklace.  We have 4 hanging in my room now.

So many beads to choose from!

And he played some other games too for small prizes.

There were a few Disability Dogs to play with and pet.  This is Bella.

First event: Standing Long Jump

He got a SILVER!!  Which was really good considering there were 6 in this heat.

He is so proud and so are we :)

Now there was a LOOOOOOOONG wait til the next event.  After we had lunch, we found Cody (James' cousin's son) at the Tennis Ball Toss. His event started late and we were so tired and so hot, we just couldn't wait anymore for his award.  We headed to the dorm for a much needed nap.  We put a movie on, be we were all out within 5 minutes and didn't wake up til it was trying to replay. 

Then it was time for the Shot Put.  

He got a BRONZE for this.  It's really heavy and he was in it because his friend at school was in it.  His friend, Shawn, is REALLY good, but his mom wouldn't bring him to Special Olympics so Canyon was on his own.  

This was the last event for the day and Canyon's heat was the last to play and be awarded.  There was no one there.  Everyone had headed to the dorms already to shower and dress for dinner and the dance.

Dinner was chicken nuggets, corn, mixed veggies, roll, salad, and a beef/noodle dish (goulash). 

We left dinner and there was a car in the parking lot that was the same color and Canyon's shirt.

Back at the dorm we had 45 minutes to kill before the dance.  The boys were pooped! It had been a really long day.

The dance was held on the tennis courts at Berryhill Park.  Canyon would not get up and dance.  He was a lump and I was just about to say 'let's go.'  Then this girl came up to him and he came alive.  They danced and were so cute together.  I didn't ask her name, but it was so loud I probably couldn't hear if she told me anyway.

But Canyon would ditch her to find other people to dance with, so Jared jumped in.

Then Canyon had to put on his own show.  He wasn't afraid to go up to complete strangers and dance a way.   Well, most of the people there aren't afraid to do that.

The dance ended at 9 (earlier then I remember it ending in the past) and we went for frozen yogurt.

The next morning was french toast, eggs, hash browns, sausage, biscuit and gravy, and juice again.

We finished packing up, checked out, and were on the road at 8 am.  

I have to admit, it wasn't as fun as it has been in the past.  Because the kids are getting older? Because it was soooooo hot?  Because his events were so far apart and we had nothing to do for hours and hours?  Don't know.  We did have a good time, but even Canyon was ready to come back from this quick trip.