Immersion #1

 For the program I am in (ICAN) we are required to go to three immersion weekends which are basically three days of workshops, games, eating, and only signing. It is a really good experience for me and really needed but I will admit it is tough to be away from my kids and Jeff that long. So this past weekend was my first immersion. We went to Midway which was GORGEOUS and it really was super enjoyable. There was a lot of competition and since I am super competitive, I had lots of fun. They also had about 12 hours of workshops that were great for me. Really gave me a different perspective on ASL and just basic attitudes on deafness. 

     They played some super fun games. The first night we played Top Chef, we had a few ingredients and had to "earn" the other ones with challenges and such. We did signing Ventriliquism (where one person is behind the other and is their hands for signing), we did x-games which included egg toss, grape toss, frisbee throw, story relay, science challenge, ice cream eating, and the final over-under challenge (getting water from one cup to another with going under a ladder and over a broom on a chair), we played mafia, we did skits including our classifiers we had learned, played ultimate frisbee, and many other fun activities and games and SO much EATING! I swear I gained five pounds! BUT I did go running every morning which was super hard because of the elevation but beautiful and helped a little with the eating guilt. 

      The second day I was there I decided to call Skylee. The first thing she said was, " Mom, why are you not coming home? Where are you?" She kept pressing me to come home. The next day Jeff texted me and told me that Skylee had just told him: " Daddy, I love you but I need my Mommy!" I think overall they survived pretty well though. They went to the Cotton Days fireworks one night and hung a lot with Jeff's fam. 

     When I got home both kids were sleeping but when Jaston woke up he just laid his head on my shoulder and just refused to get off. It was sweet. Skylee ran over jumped on my lap laid her head against my shoulder and said again and again, "Momma, Momma." I definitely felt loved and missed. It was a good break and helped me realize how much I cherish these little ones and my dear husband. He did a great job keeping them alive and happy :)