February

 

Feb 2.

Problem solver…. My little guy loves to pull things apart and dig into them, with all the hope to fix it. Thanks to some good friends of ours, they gave Harrison a very exciting project! So grateful!! His eyes lighting up, and that big smile was the best part when they brought it over and put it on the front porch As soon as he’s home from school, he’s to the garage working on his airplane. He can’t wait to be a pilot someday. And I know I’ve been told so often because of the cerebral palsy he will never get to be a pilot, but technology is changing all the time. And so is his body! It was not that long ago that he was in a walker/gait trainer and not able to speak at all. I’m hopeful he’s going to keep moving in the direction of healing. I’m supporting him working towards his dreams! And it’s scary, heartbreaking and exhilarating all along the way! #livelifeactivated #cerebralpalsyhacked #madnesswiththemerrillbudz #merrillsworktogetherplaytogetherstaytogether #everyonehappierandhealthier #dontforgettodream #problemsolving #overcomingtrials #beinggrateful #loveyou

Feb 3

…another day down of testing and procedures the best part we didn’t have to spend several days in Phoenix. Excited that Summit is growing with new specialists. For years, we’ve had to go to Saint Joseph’s Hospital or Phoenix Children’s to get all their studies and procedures taken care of. I was shocked and happy to stay up on the mountain close to home. When we were leaving, Harrison asked me how many days we were going to be gone. Lol!

With the neurodegenerative disease that my children have, we have to constantly be paying attention to all their muscles, especially the crucial ones that keep them alive. You’d be amazed at every muscle in your body and the important role each has. We’ve worked really hard to keep their muscles in their esophagus, throat, mouth, tongue areas active through therapies, Neutrogenomics and consistency so they don’t lose their ability to eat and swallow. They’ve never done it correctly and it’s definitely not efficient eating but they are alive and active. “A body in motion stays in motion” #awin #livelifeactivated

Feb 4

Wahooo!! Good day and lots of happy tears with Doctor Dollar! It’s been seven months since his accident and we almost lost him. -IVs, chiropractor, doctors, massage, energy healing, medications, therapies, nutrigenomics, rehab It’s been a journey bringing him back to health and it was such a fun day today. He seems to be feeling better and getting his strength back All the wonderful therapy from our awesome massage therapist/rehab Alyssa Fish thank you. We are looking forward to doing hippo/equine therapy and offering it to others as well soon!! it’s just therapeutic being around a horse. #hippotherapy #equine

Charlotte is learning sign language to the Hymns and turning them into music videos with friends and siblings. Pete is helping too! She has been turning them into the church to see if they want to use them.

Harrison's favorites... Planes!

So grateful for the fun people in his life that support him!

Yay! Art and publishing books!!

Lunch Bunch every Wednesday!! We love our friends!!

Feb 5

Sunday Fundays!!!

We set goals today as a family for the new year and had ice cream sundaes. Loren shared with the kids that they are called sundaes because back in the day when they started soda shops, they felt the soda was too risqué on top of the ice cream on Sunday, so on Sundays they just used the flavoring on top of the ice cream instead, which created “sundaes”. Moral of the story, culture changes, things change… what are your goals for the new year? It’s easy to get stuck, but we are learning to move forward and adjust continually. #change #sundaes #culture #goals

Feb 7

One of our family’s favorite repeated quotes, “Forward is Forward, no matter the pace.”

Feb 9

#loveyou #madnesswiththemerrillbudz

Schoen's Ward Valentine's Dance

Harrison's first dance...

I love how they inched closer and closer to each other until he was brave enough to ask her to dance.

Coco Lucas

Harrison and Rosie dancing will always be a favorite for me!

Anna Pember Merrill

 mine too  especially with the dads eyeing them in the background.

Feb 10

My favorite!!! Seeing the community come together Playing Unified!!! Loved having the 8th grade basketball team joining us too! Special Olympics Unified!! So grateful to be a part of such a powerful movement. Inclusion matters it doesn’t matter what disability you do or don’t have, we all walk or roll on this earth together, just from different perspectives

We love Camp Arizona Lions Camp Tatiyee!! This will be Kalicia’s 2nd year serving as camp counselor after getting to attend for years with her siblings.

Feb 11

Shout out and thank you to our local Dominos Pizza in Show Low They donated pizza to our Special Olympics Unified Regional Basketball Event. Such a big thank you from all of us Domino's Pizza thank you Justin

Feb 12

#madnesswiththemerrillbudz #swifty #tiedup #superbowl #family

I love anything that brings family and friends together!

And Kalicia loves anything Taylor Swift! OK we all enjoy Taylor Swift at our house! “Shake it off!” #connection #livelifeactivated #love #family #friends #cousins #excitement #food #madnesswiththemerrillbudz #merrillsworktogetherplaytogetherstaytogether #swifty #football #superbowl

Feb 13

We take Valentine cookie decorating pretty serious at our house. Lol! head lamp and all #loveyou #livelifeactivated #madnesswiththemerrillbudz

Feb 14

I love all my special Valentines busy valentines days with first dances (for Harrison) pouring cement today yay!! ( More steps towards completion for the homes we are building!! So excited!! Grateful for warm days.) #specialolympicsunified #traditions #healthierchoices #kamutflour #familieshelpingfamilies #loveyou #livelifeactivated

Feb 17

This kid! He makes my heart so happy! So many last things happening as he is my baby right now this is the last time we’re making a Valentines box for his classes. So I guess we might as well go out with a bang. It was a fun math/art project, and he actually won a prize for his Star Wars ship but I think he was so distracted by his prize he forgot and didn’t process to pass out his Valentines on Valentine’s Day. Woops And he had to pass them out yesterday. Lol! I’m just so grateful that he is a part of the class and a teacher that loves him. Thank you for including my son in the classroom. It’s so wonderful to get to see him learn even if he isn’t able to be caught up with the other students. His brain is constantly learning and exercising and becoming stronger. Thank you for teaching him. #cerebralpalsyhacked #inclusionmatters #grateful #madnesswiththemerrillbudz #valentines #loveyou #livelifeactivated #everyonehappierandhealthier

(his adorable smirk!)

Young Single Adult Dance

Feb 19

#annamerrillart #happysabbath #watercolor

Excited for the high school play coming up in a couple weeks the kids have been practicing and working hard for the last couple months. There’s a couple different casts. Caroline and Kalicia perform in three performances.

Saturday, March 2nd at 2pm

Monday, March 4th at 7pm and

Saturday, March 9th at 7m

Merrill Budz

heyy heyy peoples!! so so excited for this years production! Anastasia! opening night is next week and us kids have been working so hard for it! COME ENJOY the show, first two weekends in march! and a good monday night for family night!! Caroline and I are both in it! please reach out so you can know what nights we are performing! we are excited! thank you to our directors who have made this possible and our parents!

Feb. 20

Love the progress…. lots to learn from this. I was told it was a dud. No progress, then…. Took time to nurture it, broke off its shell and helped it to root. INCREDIBLE #nurture #grow #livelifeactivated #connection #amaryllis #beautiful #love

More progress on the homes!!

Celebrations!! I love February!

Pukwudgie Progress, a new book I am working on.... interesting characters!

Friends!!!!

From Lowes to driving to the valley to finally get Charlotte's walker! She's excited and all smiles!!

Love Letters to Jon and a butt dial from Austin!

Feb 21

Merrill Budz

i guess you can say i am an adult now….turned 18 in october and now graduating in may?!??!!! LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT AN ANNOUNCEMENT -kikkkaa

#2024grad #merrillsworktogetherplaytogetherstaytogether #maddnesswiththemerrillbudz #remember

thank you momma for taking my pictures @lorenandanna

Feb 23

Roadtrip my kids are always on the lookout for hearts. My windowsill is full of heart rocks from Austin. I was in Birmingham, Alabama for a gas station stop and I found an oil heart, sending love sweet little reminders. #someonelovesyou

Feb 24

Happy National Pet Day!! Some of us have some pretty interesting pets This watercolor comes from an interesting thought provoking story still in creation. What are they looking at? Hmmm… #annamerrillart #merrillbudz #rhinobeetle #cerebralpalsyhacked #livelifeactivated #InclusionMatters #nationalpetday

Feb 25

Thank you for all the birthday wishes!!! busy traveling, conference weekend. What a fun day, learning and growing together. So blessed to be surrounded by such incredible people and getting to watch the success of my children and others. Live life activated!! Love you all I feel incredibly blessed to have all you wonderful people, so many of you are so inspiring. Thank you love you #madnesswiththemerrillbudz #ivelifeactivated #georgiaisbeautiful #roadtrip #grateful

Feb 26

What a trip We just made it home!! @ Midnight Soooo many stories, memories, laughs, prayers answered!! Living life activated and to the fullest! Arizona New Mexico Texas Oklahoma Arkansas Tennessee Mississippi Alabama Georgia spent a few days at an incredible conference, got to see some beautiful sites! And just made the trek back through the states!! Such beautiful country and people #growth #lifestyle

Martin Luther King's Home

while I was away.....

Feb 27

Harrison, my little super hero, is making the best of the wind! He was so excited to put his Superman cape on before he went outside to take care of the chickens and ducks, so he can fly in the wind!

Still looking at the wind as a positive! Blowing in the good and blowing out the bad great way to start a new season.

(And we spent the afternoon and evening cleaning up all the wind blown supplies, siding, and roofing blown all over one of our properties that we’re building.) #wind #grateful #goodattitude #madnesswiththemerrillbudz #service #building #livelifeactivated #lovehispositivity #merrillsworktogetherplaytogetherstaytogether #everyonehappierandhealthier #mysuperhero #farmlife #cerebralpalsyhacked

Feb 28

Anastasia dress rehearsals the excitement and productions begin next week! Lots of backstage makeup, hairstyles and giddiness can’t wait! #anastasiamusical #snowflakehighschool

Feb 29

Cars!!!! And friends!! Racing!! Some of Harrison’s favorite things. And making a car with dad. Connection and friendships are so important! Thanks to all those who put their time and energy into this great evening. Harrison couldn’t wait!! #madnesswiththemerrillbudz #connection #everyonehappierandhealthier #inclusionmatters #playunified #grateful

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know.” We all learn and grow differently. We all have different abilities. We all get from point A to point B in diverse ways, whether we roll, use crutches or walk Some like to jump and dance.

Happy Leap Year!! that extra day added to our calendars every four years. this phenomenon compensates for the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Beyond its mathematical significance, Leap Day has become a symbol of novelty and unconventional traditions. Today is a bonus day!! Let’s make it awesome