January 1, 2020
“Happy” New Year from Mountain Shadows!
Dear Mountain Shadows Family:
Because I’m happy.
Have you ever been so filled with joy that you wanted to jump right up out of your chair and sing?
Sunshine she’s here. You can take a break.
And dance?
Some of you may recognize the words in italics above, and those woven into the fabric of the story below, from Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” song.
When asked about his inspiration for the lyrics of Happy, he said, “The motivation for me, was them telling me what I could not do.”
At Mountain Shadows, we believe there is nothing our residents can not do – and they continue to prove us right every time.
While there may be some challenges along the way, the lives of our Mountain Shadows residents are rich and full and yes – oh so happy.
Much of this is made possible by you, through your support, your loving kindness, your generosity.
I invite you to read our story about the Fuller family, below, where you will learn how their 11-year-old Down Syndrome son, Nate, surprised everyone – and taught them about the secret to real happiness to boot!
But first, I encourage you to watch our new Mountain Shadows video below. It was inspired by Nate. And, quite simply, it inspires us. We hope it will inspire you too.
From our entire Mountain Shadows Family to yours – we wish you a clap-happy New Year!
Here’s why:
Because we’re happy.
Can’t nuthin’ bring us down, because we’re happy!
And in this New Year, and beyond, we wish the same to all of you.
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof!
Wade Wilde
Executive Director/CFO
Life’s a Room Without a Roof for the Fuller Family
By Sheryl Wilde
It might seem crazy what I’m ’bout to say.
Sunshine she’s here. You can take a break.
Here come bad news, talking this and that.
Well, give me all you got, and don’t hold back.
There was no doubt about the results of Fabi Fuller’s amniocentesis. It was 100% certain her baby, Nate, had Down Syndrome. And the doctors didn’t hold back in telling her about the potential challenges he could face in life – the things he could not do. They told her about the possible delayed physical development, cognitive impairment, delays in reaching developmental milestones like talking, sitting, crawling, and walking.
Fabi is the Human Resources Manager for Mountain Shadows Community Homes and she admits that at first, it was hard when her second son, Will, was diagnosed with autism. She had noticed that his behaviors weren’t quite right – there were issues with his temperament, signs of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), not making eye contact, not responding when she talked to him.
But I should probably warn you, I’ll be just fine.
No offense to you, don’t waste your time.
But, while things can be challenging in terms of a daily routine, she says, “I wouldn’t change anything for anything in the world. Having one child with Down Syndrome and one with autism, for me, I’ve learned that it’s okay as long as I love them and give them attention as I would any child. As long as I love them as I would any other child, it’s okay.”
Here’s why … Because I’m happy.
Can’t nuthin’ bring me down, because I’m happy!
“William is 6 years old. He’s up at 6:30 in the morning and he won’t stop! He’s very energetic and independent. His brain goes 1000 miles an hour.
“Nate is very social. He’s definitely not shy. He loves music and will play the same song over and over and over. And he loves dancing.
“Doing things with my boys can be challenging though. It might take 15 minutes for a typical child to get up and get dressed in the morning. For us it takes a lot longer.
“Whenever we had family get-togethers, I used to be a little worried about how everything would go.”
Then one year, the family bought a Wii Music game and Nate launched a new family tradition.
“As the whole family sat at the dinner table, heads bowed, solemnly saying grace, Nate jumped up, out of the blue, cranked up the music and started belting out a song …
Because I’m happy…
“And then he started dancing!
“It was crazy! At first, I was thinking, ‘Oh no! What is he doing?!?! What is everyone going to think?’
“Then he pulled me out of my chair and I started to dance with him. And soon the whole family was dancing!
“When we all started dancing, it brought a type of joy to all of us. Now he does this every time we get together. It brings light. It brings joy. It brings laughter. We get lost in the moment and forget about being grown-ups. We forget about how exhausting it can be to do everything. We do what we normally wouldn’t do.”
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space.
“The meaning of the holidays has changed for our family because of Nate and Will. As challenging as things can sometimes be, we take every moment and make it the best and most memorable moment possible. Every year, we are grateful we have been given another holiday together as a family.”
And, with Nate and Will, each milestone is a miracle.
“There are things that we thought might never happen. Things like Will making eye contact.
“I remember the first time Will made eye contact. It was at my sister’s house. There was a cake for her niece on the table and Will was going to grab it. We often say, ‘Will! Will! Will!’ 8,000 times and he doesn’t respond. But this time I yelled, ‘Will!’ and he turned and looked at me. That was a big moment. It was a moment that most people would take for granted. But it’s a moment I’ll remember forever.”
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof.
“I have learned so much from Nate and Will. I’ve learned to take every moment and enjoy it.
“Over the past six years, I’ve come to realize there was a reason I came to work at Mountain Shadows. It was meant to be. I feel a close connection with everyone. There is a feeling of family with everyone.”
The family connection was forged even deeper when Fabi’s daughter, Eileen, joined Mountain Shadows as a respite worker and support staff for the Mountain Shadows Day Program.
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth.
“Eileen is working toward becoming a behavior therapist. It’s such a good feeling that she wants to work in this field. She’s a great help with the boys. She understands them and she’ll do whatever is needed to protect them.
“She loves working with the clients in Day Program. When she’s not there, she misses them. And as a respite worker, she takes care of Nate and Will. I love the Mountain Shadows respite program! It’s been great. Respite workers come into my home and stay with the kids. It allows me to do errands or just take a breather.”
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you.
“Respite services allow me to get out and do what I couldn’t do otherwise with my two boys – go out to lunch with friends, go shopping, go out to dinner, go hiking, the little things. I would have to think twice about doing anything if there were no respite services.
“Family is a big deal to me. I couldn’t do all of this without my family, and my Mountain Shadows family. Family has made me strong.
“People often say that’s the reason God gave me Nate and Will, because I can do it. They’re probably right. My kids make me strong. I do whatever it takes to keep them safe … and happy.”
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do.
Can’t nuthin’ bring me down
Because I’m happy!
-Pharrell Williams