Day 3, 4, and 5.

Autumn and I tried to show my step dad what we have already learned. Unfortunately it didn't seem like he cared too much. I wont let that set us back though because I really want to show him we are willing to work hard to be able to communicate with him :)

I also forgot to mention something in my first post. Just before the holiday break, I learned that a parent at Autumn's school is deaf. She isn't even able to read lips. This is another motivator for me to learn sign language, who knows how many parents I will meet at my children's school that wont be able to communicate with me unless I know and understand their language. I was tempted to just tap her on the shoulder and tell her who I was and I am learning asl, but I also didn't want her to quickly start signing back at me thinking I knew more than that simple phrase. In the next few weeks I am going to push myself to learn more and more words so I can converse with her. 

In the last several days I will admit that I didn't keep up with the signing as much as I hoped. My poor little guy has needed my attention and that is more of a priority to me. However I did review the signs for family relationships,  I know words like boy, girl, lady, gentleman, mother, father, in-laws, aunt, uncle and the list goes on. I have also downloaded several apps to my phone which help teach me words, and some simple phrases. Tonight I reviewed some baby signs to start teaching Caleb, for example words like milk, drink, thank you, baby, bye bye, eat and a few more. 

Day 1 and 2

On day one I made the commitment to start learning to sign, I was pretty sure I knew the alphabet so I decided to double check myself. I was spot on with the exception of the letter p, I forgot that one.

Day two I decided that I would learn to sign "My name is Cheriann, I am learning American Sign Language." I also watched several videos on youtube and other sign language web sites, here is a video of me signing what I learned. It's kind of comical because I did the video numerous times and I was watching myself and it looked silly, then I decided to look at the camera so it looks like I am staring straight ahead at something past the computer screen.  Then half way through Autumn decides to attack me and Joel is putting up a baby gate behind me. I guess I should work on my video-ing skills and find a better spot to video myself.

Okay, I know your laughing.....

Project 365:________

Here it is, another year and a new you...or whatever it is that people say. Well I have two goals for this year that I am calling 'Project 365: ______', actually I can't think of what I calling it other than the fact it's my project for the next year. But I have 365 days to give it a name, because by the end I am hoping I'll know exactly what to name it.

14 years ago, my mom started dating who I call my step dad. My mom still isn't married to him but when a male figure has assumed a father like role for 14 years, it's safe to just say step dad instead of some spiel about how they have been together and engaged FOREVER but my mom just wont commit to marriage again. LOL! Anyway, back to my whole project...my step dad is 80% deaf, over the years his hearing has decreased. Sometimes it is very frustrating to have a conversation to him and repeat yourself 4 times before you simply say "you didn't hear me, did you?". I am not one to need the latest technology but it does have it's advantages and one is I can communicate with my step dad via text, this is great because we can clearly communicated. My other favorite is Skype, this allows my step dad to read lips when he doesn't quite understand what is being said. Sometimes I wonder what it would feel like to be in his shoes, I get saddened when I watch Autumn communicate with him and he doesn't hear her or she doesn't even know he can't understand her, imagine how he must feel. So one of my goals this year is to learn sign language, and maybe I can help teach him along the way and we can have yet another way to communicate.

I want to incorporate sign language into my everyday life, teaching my children along the way. By teaching my children, I will be showing them we can adapt to a group of people society deems different and show them the barriers that society sets in place can't keep us from having friends we would otherwise have difficulty communicating with.

My other goal and project for the year is to give back more than I did last year, this will be a tough task but I have faith that God will provide and give me the necessary tools and skills to do just that. Last year I donated 10 inches of hair to locks of love, raised $525 for March for Babies, helped Autumn raise $250 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Adopted a family for Christmas providing gifts for 4 children, walked a 10k for the March for Babies at 38 weeks and 6 days pregnant, and held the President Position of a MOMS Club Chapter and making other small charitable donations along the way.

My goal is to unselfishly give back to make a difference no matter how big or how small. I recently threw away a shirt that said "Kindness can Change the World", it was worn out but the quote will never stray far from me. I know that I can't personally change the world but I know a simple gesture can go a long way, and it feels amazing to do kind things.

Project 365:______ starts now......