Thursday, October 30, 2008

THURSDAY'S HERO

Tonight I will make the post for Ammon. He is exhausted and was asleep by 8:30 tonight. It was an exciting day for him and for his family.
Today, Oct. 30, 2008, Ammon was honored by the BYU football team as their Thursday Hero. His family and a few friends were invited to come along. It was our honor to be there and we all had a wonderful time! Ammon said it was the greatest day of his life as he rolled off the football practice field at the end of the event. (He says that quite often.)

Here he is sitting in front of a large wall mural in the football office. It looks like he is watching the game from the press box. Cool!!


We met at the football office reception area and got to watch the team practice from the second story balcony. When everyone was there, the tour of the facility began.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall watching the action.



Coach Mendenhall's office. He likes to surf, hence the surfboard.


At the beginning of the year, each player was given a chisel with a mission written on it. Before each game some players are selected to chisel out a piece of the rock. It's a big 1,000 lb piece of granite. I didn't get a photo of the top of the rock, but a large block "Y" is being chiseled out and it looks really neat.
We got to watch the 2007 football highlights film that is inspiring and so much fun! That was in the same room where the granite boulder is stationed.


There is a large world map on one of the walls showing where all the football players are currently serving their missions. I believe there are over 100 serving right now. It was impressive. Kaitlin is looking this over.

This is the locker room - it was rather messy but it was also very large.



Several of the players are taking a flower arranging class. One of the women (travel agent) that nominated Ammon told me that they bring the arrangements in to them to enjoy. Vic So'Oto is one of those taking the class. I thought Chelsey would enjoy this. Here is one of the arrangments waiting to be taken home.



This is the wall of photos showing "Master Scholars" meaning these guys have GPA's above 3.0.

This was on one of the walls. Notice that they thought Ammon was from Provo. Not!


Here's Devin's version of the Haka! He looks scary.




Ammon and Devin watching the practice just before going out on the field.

Ammon following Cort out on to the field to meet the team.


Ammon waiting with Cort while the team was finishing up some business.


The man with the camera was the one that recorded and filmed the event.



One of the players making a presentation to Ammon. Jen will probably have to fill us in as to whom these players were.


Here is Ammon signing the white flag the that the team carries out on the field every game. They also gave him his own signed flag!



Here he is being presented with a coin that each player was given at the beginning of the season. They must carry it with them at all times and in all places to remind them of who they are and what they stand for. Ammon is now a part of the "Band of Brothers" and must carry this coin with him all the time.


Austin Collie and Max Hall talking to Ammon.


Max Hall & Coach Mendenhall visiting with Ammon. These are two very nice guys.


Here is the signed flag that Ammon now has.
After the little presentation, the team broke ranks and all of them lined up to shake our hands. We got to meet all of them and even had some time to visit with the coaches. I told Coach Mendenhall about Ammon's fettish about boys ruling and girls drooling and my thoughts after the Women's football clinic that the girls were definitely drooling and the guys were ruling. He thought that was very funny and agreed with me.
Besides the coin and flag, Ammon got a football Jersey (which they called the Fui jersey, #1), some bracelets, two other shirts and three BYU hats. He got his own Media Guide which he loves and some Y stickers to go on his wheelchair and on the car.
Coach Mendenhall told him that as long as he, the coach, was at BYU Ammon had an open invitation to attend any practice he wanted to so we will probably go again in the future since we don't get to go to the games.
All the kids that live in Utah were there supporting Ammon plus a few friends.
We had a great time watching and meeting the team. It was an honor for us and it was touching to hear the team thank Ammon for being the kind of example he is to others and for being their hero. What a great day!!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Thursday's Hero

Today I (mom) received an e-mail from a representative of the BYU football team. This is what he said:
"On behalf of the BYU Football program, we would love to invite Ammon to be next week's Thursday's Hero. We have heard of the trials that he has had to face in his life and his desire to take on the world. For that we would love to have him come down to our practice on the 30th of October so that we can recognize him..." They asked for a few details and then continued:
"Again we will be expecting you on the 30th of October at 4 p.m. in the Student Athlete Building. ..We are very excited to meet you all. Family and close friends are welcome..."
Is that great news or what?!?!

Friday, October 17, 2008

I rattle a lot

Today I went to the doctors and the doctors said I have croup. Mom said I sound like Darth Vader cause my voice is rattly but she's wrong . I kinda feel sick. I hope everybody comes to the weddding especially dad bye

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

a great dad

dads the greatest dad of all I just wanna hug him forever

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

my awsome Mom

I have an awesomeMom and today i'm about to hug her

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Our Last Teenager

Today Ammon had a great day! He had many visitors and phone calls. It was nice because he's been kind of isolated - no church, no school and few visitors due to health concerns. Today everybody came! Two of his school aides and their entire families came. The Geberts came first and their youngest daughter sang a song to him as a birthday present. It was very sweet and took a lot of courage to sing to a house full of family members. The photo below is of the Minson family. Keri (mom) is another one of Ammon's aides and this is her family. They came to visit and brought their newly returned missionary, Kyle, with them. Ammon was so excited to see Kyle! Back row, left to right: Devin, Steffi, Diane Stewart (family friend), Mark, Keri; front row left to right, Kyle, Ammon and Alex. They brought gifts and sang a song, too, which was pretty funny and very short. These are some of Ammon's best friends.
Here is Ammon opening one of his presents. I got him a school outfit (which he has on in the photo), some new church clothes and t-shirts now that he has grown a little.


He has Shrek 2 & 3 but didn't have the first Shrek. He had wanted that to complete his "collection." He was happy to get it.

The girls wanted to get him a fish so we got one last night, followed the directions to the letter but the fish died shortly after we gave it to him this morning. It was sad - I don't know if we dare get another one just to kill it -- we seem to have this problem with pets.......Hmmm.......
He was pretty excited to get a couple of movies, a Michael Buble CD, lots of candy, some great birthday cards, and a few other cool gifts.
What a great day!

today is my birthday

everybody's going to come first i got this shirt and then i am going to open the rest of my presents its gonna be fun

Thursday, October 2, 2008

my birthday is coming up in two days

i'm so excited i am going to be a teenager cant wait if anyone would like to come that'd be awsome