Dinner with the Michigan Dream Team

Przemek, Sylvia, Holly, Max, Josie and I

After a great day of therapy, we got to go out and enjoy dinner with the team. We so rarely get to socialize because we are always "working". Josie enjoyed going with them so she could laugh and joke with them instead of just concentrating with them. Sylvia and Przemek son, Max, is one year older then Josie so she enjoyed the company of someone her own age. She is doing a good job in her adult world here but nice to have someone her age to play DS with and tell jokes. Holly was great to organize the evening. Next time we get to go to Przemek and Sylvia's for a home cooked authentic Polish dinner.

We officially accepted Pibb, Josie's dog, today. It looks like he will return to us November 19th. We will be trained for a few days and then fly home. This will delay our return home by a few days but will be worth it. Josie is overjoyed now that we have made the official decision. Bless Sarah and all at Cares Inc for making this such a wonderful thing for Josie. I look forward watching her make even bigger strides with the dog. The dog remains in Kansas until his arrival learning some "Josie" specific commands. We already miss you Mr. Pibb.

I just got word today that Teresa, Josie's twin sister, has been in the hospital the past week and a half. Apparently they thought she had meningitis again but the bacteria didn't grow out of the culture. From my understanding she is on IV antibiotics for her fever. We pray that she gets well soon. We love you Miss Teresa.

Two more days and then we return home for a week break. Josie needs to keep up the hard work for the next 2 days. Our best to all, Jenny and Josie

Monday, Week 5

Where has this time gone??? I can't believe we are in week 5 of this fall session. Josie had a good day walking with canes with Sylvia. It took a little encouraging to get her going but then she did well. It is hard to come back after a fun weekend and work hard. We only have 4 days this week so we need everything out of her we can get. This also means a lot more "walking homework"...not her favorite past time. We waited to do this until right before bed so it really took some encouraging. So much that we ended up doing it in the garage so we wouldn't wake up Aunt Harriet. I'll tell you what, when she makes up her mind to concentrate she is so good at the canes. My wish is for the next 8 weeks with Przemek the canes become 2nd nature and she can do them without so much concentration like she now does with her walker. If she can get really proficient on the canes then come April when we return for the month she can start learning independent steps and then become proficient with this all next summer. It is a good and obtainable goal.

It also turned into a cloudy, rainy, windy fall weather day here today. It is harder to motivate with this weather so I will give her a little break today!! We are having fun seeing the leaves just begin to change. I am looking forward to seeing the color here. What a treat. Love to all, Jenny and Josie

Great Weekend in Grosse Pointe

It is the end of a wonderful weekend filled with the meeting of Josie's new service dog, Pibb, my parents visit, dinner at Jeanie and Roger's then to the Club with them, Harriet, Barry and Marla on Saturday night, church and visiting on Sunday, and dropping my parents back off at the airport tonight. It was a great time summed up in a nut shell.

We are here 4 more days and then home to LA for a break and Julia Yundt and Matt Hannah's wedding. We are so excited. I can't believe it is already here. There is a lot to accomplish still, but we will take it one day at a time. There is no fast way to fix Josie's walking just patience and hard work. She is amazing. Happy and blessed Sunday to you all. Jenny and Josie

Good Bye Pibb...for now

We had a wonderful day with Pibb. He and Sarah are now on a plane (or 2) back to Kansas. He will undergo some intense Josie specific training. We miss him already. It sounds like we will have him back in a month or 2. Thank you a million Sarah Holbert for making the huge effort to come to us with Mr. Pibb. CARES has truly been an incredible organization to work with. You can see their website at www.caresks.com. They also adopt out puppies at 8 weeks and at 10 months. The 10 month olds are already fairly trained. If you are looking for an incredible dog, not just a service dog, check them out.

Mom and dad are here and we are so excited to be with them. We had a wonderful dinner at Jeanie and Roger's with Aunt Harriet and their friend, John Donnelly. What a treat to all be together.

Josie really hung in there this week especially with all the distraction. I am so proud of her. I will do my best at getting her rested before we we launch into week 5next week. Boy, it is going too fast. If it didn't snow here we wouldn't leave this year. There is so much to accomplish. Phew. Happy Friday to all, Jenny and Josie

Mr. Pibb

Dustin and his dog, Osaka, Sarah Holbert, Josie, Pibb and Sylvia


Sarah Holbert, CEO of Cares Inc.

What an exciting day for Josie. She has had a ball with the new adventure with a dog. We were going to name him Wyatt, but his given name is Pibb after the soda. His whole liter was named after soda...Fresca, Sprite, Mugs, Shasta, etc. Pibb really does fit him. We are still weighing all the options. I am just excited to know that this will work, if not now soon. Sarah Holbert from Cares Inc has been so incredible with us and actually a couple other families at the center. It is remarkable that a dog can give so much assistance to someone.

My parents landed tonight and we are overjoyed that they are here. Josie and I met them at the airport with Pibb. It was our first independent outing. He was great...I still have everything to learn. Mr. Pibb and Sarah will return to Kansas after therapy tomorrow. If we keep him, he will undergo concentrated training to meet Josie's current needs.

Please keep the MacLeod family in your prayers and thoughts. Our very sweet Rachel's dad is having a really difficult fight with cancer. We are thinking of you dear Raych and your family.

My best to all, Jenny, Josie and Mr. Pibb

Our fine furry friend has arrived!

First moments with Pibb (Wyatt)






He is here and I have to say he is beautiful. Josie was so excited when she saw him at the airport she literally leaped out of her stroller. I had to catch her. His real name is Pibb as in Mr. Pibb. The whole liter was named after sodas. If we end up keeping him they can change his name to Wyatt when he is home for the next month for the rest of his training. Pibb does fit him really well. Sarah Holbert is just a doll to bring him to us and spend the next few days with us while we really assess the situation. We got he and Sarah situated at the Country Club (no other hotels in the area). Hysterical to see him at the club. I am so tired tonight and it is so late I will post more tomorrow and let you know how we are all getting along.

Therapy went really well today too. Cute Josie told Sylvia after almost an hour of walking and shaking legs that she wants to listen to her because she knows that she can make her walk. Good night all, Jenny and Josie

The dog count down has begun...

Oh yikes, the dog comes tomorrow. I pray (literally) that this is a good and helpful thing because once Josie sees it it may be impossible to avoid. She has put her all into therapy the past 2 days and told me tonight it is because she has to be "good enough" to keep Wyatt. The pressure this 8 year old has to endure and does it with grace and love.

I find these days that the thing holding her back the most right now is her own fear. She hasn't come to grips with the fact that she is capable of walking. She knows the consequences of falling so she is timid. Sylvia is doing an excellent job at teaching her how to fall and not get hurt. Hopefully this will ease the fear and give her confidence. She was walking across the kitchen tonight and I swear I could have completely let go and she would have been fine. As soon as she felt me pull away she crumbled. She is so close. My new prayer focus is to relieve her of this fear. (please join me in that one).

I will post pictures tomorrow night after we return from the airport meeting Wyatt. It is incredibly kind of Sarah Holbert from Cares Inc. to come to us. We are so excited to meet her and of course Wyatt. Keep your fingers crossed that we can make an objective decision. Love, Jenny and Josie