Emily won first place for a solo performance at tonight's talent show at Craig. When you think about the fact that she was admitted to Craig on May 21 and didn't speak for close to a month, it's pretty amazing that she was able, and willing, to get up on a stage tonight and read two of her poems. I think her heart and her courage were a big part of her win. We also owe so much to Katie, Em's Speech Therapist, for all of her hard work getting Emily to this point. Here are the poems Emily read:

Odyssey
the journey of your life.
the challenges you face,
the insurmountable odds,
don’t always have to be faced
from the prow of a ship

Emily Boldt

Hope
watch as the baby bird
Opens his wings and tries to fly
mother Prays he finds the wind
his wholE life ahead of him

Emily Boldt

We celebrated her Talent Show win and upcoming homecoming at a great little Italian restaurant near Craig - Undici at the southeast corner of Downing and old Hampden. The food was great, the service was excellent and they were very accommodating.

I think we've got Emily's outpatient schedule set - she'll be doing outpatient therapy Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week. So she'll come home on Friday and be back at Craig next Tuesday. Lots of work ahead, but she's come so far.