Day 2

Tonight was the Manhawk Dance Competition at the high school. I (Mom) am entering this for Ammon because he isn't feeling well tonight and went to bed as soon as we got home. When we left the school Ammon said, "This is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It's the best experience of my life."

Girls from cheer, the drill team and the dance company get a group of boys together and teach them a dance and then they perform it and are judged by adult judges. It's a real competition. There were a couple of really great dances. They all had to include something about Ammon in the dance. Some had "We love Ammon" written on their backs. Some came out with cool posters saying "We love Ammon."  He was overwhelmed. His group performed first but before the dances started, they showed part of the CD Jess made when Ammon had all his scoliosis/trach surgeries. It stopped in the middle and wouldn't work so they couldn't finish it and I was sad about that because it really gives a great glimpse to the struggles he has faced. But they saw a little. So the dances began. The students began to chant, "AMMON! AMMON! AMMON!" It was absolutely amazing.

First picture is of the display they have set up and will keep up all year long.

His senior picture -- It's such a nice one and he looks so old!

Part of the display.

A huge sign on the wall at the school.

Ammon's  group dancing to "The Eye of the Tiger."

Other dance teams joining in with Ammon's dance.

 A special guess showed up. The audience could see him but Ammon didn't know who it was until he came around in front of him. The audience was going wild.COSMO!!!

 Cosmo gave Ammon a gift bag that had a great BYU winter knit cap with gloves and a new BYU shirt I've never seen. If Ammon could have jumped out of his chair, he would have. This was a highlight for him.

 So Cosmo is preparing to show some dance moves himself.

 Not a good picture but you can see Cosmo in flight.

 Final hug from Cosmo.

I don't know how to describe this whole evening and week. It's totally overwhelming. Everywhere Ammon went kids started chanting his name again - even when we left the building. Ammon was trying really hard not to cry several times during the night. He was very emotional as were we. An event like this, put on by students (student council) makes it very evident that there are phenomenal youth in this world who are learning how to selflessly serve. I'm so impressed by all of it.

A Very Special Week For Me

I had n AWESOME DAY TODAY! and I will have an AWESOME WEEK! Because Today I had a very special Assembly all about me. The Dance Company danced to a song called Cosmic Love. They were Amazing. and then the Dream Factory talked about their Program and then our family got to go up on stage to say some Positive things about me. and then the Jazz Band Played.and then Singers came and sang The Star-Spangled-Banner and they were FANTASTIC! and then the Student Council Came to bring me Backstage while they showed a video of us and in this video Emily Miller is kind of talking to my parents and my nephew Brenden asking me a lot of Questions and we couldn't see it because we were backstage. The student council gave me a bunch of gifts that included some things from the Dream Factory. I got a harness and headset for my Gopro camera and a pole that attaches to my wheelchair that can hold my iPad when I want to use it. I got a gift certificate to Coldstone and another iTunes gift card and lots and lots of Hershey bars!

After that, they played an audio clip from a friend of mine that is in Finland on a mission named Steven Goodsell. They showed his picture, too. Then they showed a short YouTube video from Chad Hymas who is a motivational speaker. He was talking to me! He told me not to give up on my dreams to be a motivational speaker like he is even in a wheelchair. That was awesome, too!

Then Mr. Peery, the principal talked about me and then told the students about another special ed student that passed away on Saturday night unexpectedly. His parents came to the school on Monday and gave Mrs. Wilder two bags of pop tabs that this boy had been collecting for me. That was really special.

And then we sang this year's school song and I got to go up to the front with the student council and do the dance moves and  sing the song.

We got shirts for the whole family (even all of you that don't live in Utah) and dog tags that say "Making Ammon's Dream Come True." We will send them all out to you.

Tomorrow night is a fundraiser called "The Manhawk." Only guys can dance and it is a competition. I am going to dance in it. It's lots of fun. Thursday is a movie night showing my favorite movie and next Monday is the Skyhawk Gorge -- lots of samples of food and activities for everybody. All of these activities are to raise money for The Dream Factory.

What can I say?!?  My school is awesome! I love everybody all of my heart and soul.