Lillian Darnell – First Time Voting

October 23 2020

It is done. I normally wouldn’t take so many pictures. Yet, this was Lillian’s first time. She can’t/won’t wear a mask so she didn’t get to walk it in to the official ballot box at Raleys – took me about 2 minutes. 💙🌊💙

When Lillian reluctantly agreed to register to vote last year while we were getting her ID, she had no intention of voting. I suggested she might change her mind, and this way she’d be ready, just in case. I asked her last night why she changed her mind, deciding to vote. She said, “The United States needs me to vote.” She researched the candidates and the questions for hours. Congratulations, Lillian Darnell!!! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Throwback Post: One Blood Test, One Phone Call, One Moment in Time

**THROWBACK POST**

November 3 2015:

The article I contributed to Interaction, which is a multidisciplinary journal for the Australian Institute On Intellectual Disability, has just been published. Here’s a brief description of what and why I was asked to contribute: “looking at creativity in how we work and interact with people with intellectual disability. The other theme I am interested in exploring is empathy and how this “works” within our relationship building within intellectual disability”

Excerpt from the article: “One blood test, one phone call, one moment in time, drastically changed the direction of my life forever. I know more about genetics, chromosomes, DNA, motor skills, verbal skills, and now emotional and behavioural issues than I ever thought I would need or want to know. ……. I thought I had life pretty much planned at that point and for a while this brief phone call seemed to have caused my life to break apart like a melting iceberg with pieces scattering here and there. Looking back now, all that was brought into my life, all that occurred, all that began, and all that ended were meant to happen for my own growth and enlightenment. An enlightenment I feel spreads far beyond myself and my family as I believe we are all connected.”

My article is on page 30. However, the entire journal is excellent! You’ll need a chunk of time to read it as it’s short story length at around 4,000 words. I encourage anyone who is moved to subscribe to this wonderful publication! Enjoy and please feel free to share and/or forward to anyone you think would benefit! With oceans of love … xoxo

Click here to read the digital version of the journal. The access code is: K9HqOa

My article is on page 30. However, the entire journal is excellent! You’ll need a chunk of time to read it as it’s short story length at around 4,000 words.

I encourage anyone who is moved to subscribe to this wonderful publication to do so! Enjoy and please feel free to share and/or forward to anyone you think would benefit! With oceans of love … xoxo

PDF version: Interaction Volume 28 Issue 4

Lillian and Camilla October 2020 Date Day

October 10 2020

Yesterday was the Lillian and Camilla October 2020 Date Day

First stop: I picked up an order of fries for Lillian and we had a great lunch at home.

Next stop: A trip to Wilbur May Arboretum. So much gorgeousness = tons of photos!

Last stop: Lillian picked out her pumpkin and chose a sugar cookie with red icing, in the shape of an apple.

Nearly Done with the Lillian Turned 18 Buried in Paperwork Palooza

February 19 2020:

Another one down, one more to go for the Lillian-turned-18-buried-in-paperwork-palooza. Power of Attorney for financial matters signed and notarized this afternoon. Last one is the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions and End of Life Decisions. I need to discuss this one with Lillian more to make sure she understands it all. And, just a fun photo from happier times for us … Book signing for Lillian in June 2019 at Barnes & Noble.

Feelings of Relief and Winning at Life

February 12 2020

Paperwork (loads of it) turned in for Lillian’s Age 18 Redetermination for SSI … Another one done! Only had to wait about 2 hours just to turn in paperwork (I wanted a date stamp on it as I’ve had things get “lost” before.) Wahooo!!! A beautiful photo to match the feeling of relief … Ahhhhh ….

Winning at life! Just took a really long, hot shower, turned the water off, and thought, “Um, I don’t think you actually used any soap, girl! You just stood there under the running water!” Winning = I realized it BEFORE I dried off and got out! Wahooo! 😜😂

Sweaty Hands for Fingerprinting

November 8 2019:

Another marked off the list. Fingerprinting done. She was so anxious and worried, they had a heck of a time getting her prints because her hands were sweating like crazy. They were incredibly kind and understanding.

She must really like volunteering at the library as that’s the only way I could get her here, by reminding her it’s required once one is 18 years old. She’s heading into her third year volunteering. Hopefully, one day soon she’ll go without me as her sidekick. That’s the plan anyway!

**Update – January 20 2020: It turns out they were so sweaty, that the fingerprints weren’t acceptable. However, they did not request she re-do them, due to her situation and that she’s been volunteering at the library since age 16. She completed a few additional pieces of paperwork and we’re done with this one!

Supported Decision Making and Power of Attorney Paperwork

October 19 2019:

Finished researching this for the most part. Just need to circle back to creating the SDM paperwork with Lillian and paperwork for a Power of Attorney. Hope to do that in between waiting for the book proof. Then on to researching ABLE accounts.

More Research on Supported Decision Making

 

It Is Done – Lillian Darnell Gets an Identification Card

October 14 2019:

She survived getting an ID! Extreme anxiety and pissed offness having to go do this (on Lillian’s part). You can tell she was nervous in the second photo and had calmed down by the 1st photo. She does not like these new rules that come with turning 18. We were only there about an hour. Plus, she registered to vote too! Whew! It is done now. 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Next up. Getting fingerprinted for her library volunteering …. More extreme anxiety over that one!

Thank you to the lovely DMV worker who graciously overlooked that I had made the appointment for the 15th. (And did not make me get in the “no appointment” line!) Today is not the 15th! I’m losing my mind!!

The 18th Birthday – Lillian Darnell

September 14 2019:

We had another busy day as the 18th Birthday celebrations came to a conclusion. ♥️🌸🌸🌸🎉🎉🎉♥️

Eating cake and donuts and opening gifts. Followed by a quick September 2019 Date Day trip for fries and dessert.

Then back home for the live Facebook celebration. Which was hilarious as we had a lousy connection and had to keep restarting …. Five times!!! Hence, the 5 live videos on my timeline! Ha!

During the video Lillian shared 18 wishes for her 18th Birthday. Here they are ….

1. I wish Macy, Lauren, Kaitlin Baker, and Rebecca could come to Reno, NV.
2. I wish to be able to drink out of a cup/glass without a straw.
3. I wish to be fearless.
4. I wish for infinity art and crafts supplies.
5. I wish for infinity clothing.
6. I wish to be able to travel around the world with my friends and/or by myself.
7. I wish for the Earth to be healthy again.
8. I wish for the Earth not to die.
9. I wish to be less picky.
10. I wish to live with my friends.
11. I wish to be less vulnerable to spicy hot stuff.
12. I wish to have a dream home.
13. I wish to have a dream vehicle.
14. I wish to see Hawaii.
15. I wish to go to Florida.
16. I wish to have infinity photography supplies.
17. I wish to have more friends.
18. I wish to have two beds.

September 14 2019:

Lillian’s 18th Birthday Celebration …. We had a lousy connection so had to keep starting again as our recording ended!! HA! Each one is pretty short!