A pet dog for Christmas!

Hello Everyone!

The last couple of months have been a bit rough for the entire family. We've all mourned the loss of Hans in individual ways. We have decided to get the boys a pet Golden Retriever for Christmas to help ease the loss while we wait for our new service dog to be trained. For all of you doing the math...yes, that means we'll have 2 dogs by this time next year!

4 Paws for Ability has worked with us to find a good match. Her name is Cinnamon. She is a year old and actually went through some of the service dog training...however, she was shy in large public places, so she did not make the cut to become a certified service dog. She IS obedience trained with the same commands that we will be using with our new service dog, she's house broken, she is not aggressive, and she gets along well with other dogs. We will be picking her up on the 22nd...until then it's a surprise, so if you see my boys PLEASE DON'T SAY ANTHING!!!
Dave and I are very excited about getting her. We saw so many positive things for our family in the short amount of time that we had Hans. We have high hopes for this year.

Thanks for all the prayers and kind words. The support of our friends and family have helped us tremendously.

Heather

A Bump in the Road

I am very sad to report that we have to return Hans to 4Paws. In the past two weeks he has shown signs of aggression. He has been nervous in new environments, growled at people on a number of occasions, and snapped at a couple of people. We have been in contact with the head trainer, who is retiring him from service work. Unfortunately, one of the people he has been aggressive with is our youngest son, Aaron, so we cannot even keep him as a pet. We are all heartbroken over this.

To those of you who have been taking this journey with us, we realize that you are disappointed as well. This is one of those times that we just hold on to God, because we don't understand why this has happened. Jonathan was making progress with his speech and we could see improvement in lots of ways. Now it feels like we are back to square one.

4Paws is training our new dog now. We will go back for another two weeks of training in August. Yes, that's 10 months away. They are replacing Hans free of charge, so we only have to pay travel expenses when we go.

We still believe that 4Paws for Ability is an amazing organization. There are behaviors in some animals that aren't apparent until they go to live in a family environment. Unfortunately, we were in that small percentage of families.

Thanks for supporting us through all of this.

Heather

We passed! We're home! We're tired!

Hi Everyone!

Well, I passed the public access test last Friday and we graduated that afternoon. Life has been incredibly busy since we got home. Hans has been to church, the chiropractor's office, and multiple times to Jonathan's school. Next Tuesday will be his first full day at school without me. I have had staff meetings and taken him around to each individual classroom to have the student body meet him and answered lots of questions. I gave the kids an opportunity to pet Hans and see some of his tricks. By the time we were on our 16th class he was tired and looking at me like, 'you want me to do that trick AGAIN!' But he was a trooper and everyone is in love with him.

We've done three practice tracks since we've been home. This is the hardest part for us...and I have to say it's a lot easier in Ohio with the trainer running along with you giving instruction and encouragement! We've had one total flop and two successes. Hans knows what he's doing, it's the two dummies holding the leash that need to figure this out!!!

I'm getting use to the fact that getting ready to go places takes an extra half hour...and the idea of just running in and out of places is a thing of the past because EVERYONE wants to meet him and ask questions. This is a really great opportunity to tell our story and educate the public about autism and what service dogs can do to help!

Here's our graduation picture.

We're still working on the bond between Jonathan and Hans. Tethering goes pretty well as long as we keep moving. I'm going to have to tailor Jonathan's vest so that he can't pull it over his head. (We should've named him Houdini!!!) Hans sleeps in Jonathan's room next to his bed. Our goal is to eventually have him in the bed so that Jonathan can fall asleep and stay asleep without being with me...but we'll need to take baby steps in that area. Occasionally, Jonathan has reached out to touch Hans in the car...and I have to say I'm completely amazed that Jonathan can eat french fries in the car right next to Hans-and Hans stays in a down and doesn't try to eat them! Jonathan loves to throw balls, and Hans loves to fetch balls, so that is a match made in heaven!

We feel so fortunate to have Hans in our lives. This journey has been incredible and very worth all the effort and time that went into it. Thank you to all who have contributed in many ways. We sure couldn't have done this alone!

Heather

Finals on Friday!

Friday is the big day! We have to pass a public access test at the mall with the head trainer, Jeremy. He will go through a checklist while I walk through stores to make sure that I am in control of Hans and that it is safe to have him in public. We also have to go to a restaurant and put Hans in an 'under' command - it's a good thing we don't have to actually eat...because I don't think I could due to nerves! We also have to show that we can load him safely into the car. Fortunately, we do not have to have our children with us. We are not tested on tethering or tracking. Yay! Jonathan still fights being tethered sometimes, so if he's having a bad day...well, let's just say that it's going to be A LOT easier without kids there.

If all goes well, we graduate at 3:oo.

We'll drive home at least part of the way on Saturday. We're still deciding if we want to stop half way to break up the drive a bit for the kids.

See you soon!

Heather

What is a restaurant?

I'm thrilled to tell you that we went out for dinner as a whole family for the first time in over 3 years. Hans went with us and was perfect under the table. Jonathan did very well and even stayed tethered for the first 15 minutes. We told Aaron that we were going to a restaurant - but he didn't know what that meant. Andrew said, "it's been a long time since we've been to a place where a waiter comes to the table." Our life is already changing for the better. Thank you 4 Paws!

Today, I ran another track. Jeremy (the head dog trainer) had me do this one without knowing which direction they hid. Then he followed a good distance behind me to see how I would do - no pressure! It went well. We overshot one place by a bit, but I was able to tell that Hans had lost the scent, so I backed up to where I last knew he had it really strong and we started from there. I have to tell you, this dog is big and he can run! My back and shoulders are sore from being pulled behind him. I'm so glad that he's a great tracker! We will be practicing a lot when we come home...so anyone who wants to hide with Jonathan...we could use your help!

One more day of training...then Friday we have to pass a public access test to become certified.

We're all looking forward to coming home!

Heather

Heather and Karen wait to track

Hans does a 'lap' command with Heather

Karen and Jonathan head off to lay a track

Lost in the woods...found by my dog!

Dave ran the track today through a wooded area. Hans did great. I ran alongside him and was a little nervous when the path divided into three directions, but Hans barely hesitated before pulling again in the right direction.

I found out after the track was finished that an earlier group had come upon a snake! Good information to find out AFTER we were done!

We had a few extra minutes, so Dave and I decided to drive to a different park area and try our own track unassisted. I'm happy to report that it was successful! Dave laid a track and hid with Jonathan and I found them with Hans. I still need lots of practice. Hans knows what he is doing, but I don't always read the signs right. The good news is that I could talk myself through the hesitations and figure out where to pick up the track again.

We're all tired of living in a hotel room. Lots of cabin fever going around. We have three more days of training until I become certified. Part of me is so anxious to be home and back to a routine...the other part is concerned that I only have three more days to learn everything I need to know before flying solo.

Oh yeah...we found out the Hans has food allergies. He has uncontrollable itching from it and we are in the process of changing his food. I also have to give him supplements...yes, this dog belongs in our family!

I can't wait to see everyone and introduce you all to our new wonder dog!

Heather

My first track as the handler

Well, I did it! Today I took the leash and ran the track. Hans was right on it and we found Jonathan. I feel better now that I have one under my belt. I still have a lot to learn, but I know I'll be able to do this.

We also did a couple of tracks at the mall. 'Reading' the dogs is different on an inside track than outside, so we have to practice lots of both so I know the signs to look for. I've learned how to hold my arms so Hans doesn't yank them out of their socket and lean back in the run so I don't end up in a face plant on the ground. Fortunately, I'm a good student...and didn't have to learn this the hard way!

Today while working on commands, I had Hans in a 'down' about 40 feet away while all kinds of distractions (2 cats, bouncing balls, swinging tug toys, heeling dogs, knocking doors...) and he stayed for over 1/2 hour without breaking the command. I'm so proud of him.

I'm having trouble uploading video from our camera, so you're stuck with pictures. I'll try to remember to take more tomorrow.

Heather

Tracking and more tracking...

I've never run so hard and so far in my whole life! Those of you who know me well will appreciate this...today I tracked through tall grass. I had two thoughts going through my head the whole time...1) find my kid! 2)this dog better be scaring away all the snakes!!! The things we do for our kids!

Jonathan hid today with his personal aid, Karen, but without the trainer who the dog is use to searching for. Hans still found him! I'm loving this dog more and more!

Andrew has a new buddy that he gets to hang out with several hours a day. This has helped out a lot with boredom and jealousy issues that might have been a problem otherwise. Aaron is getting lots of one to one attention from grandparents. He misses me, but I try to give him a lot of attention in the evenings.

Tomorrow we track in the mall. That should be interesting. I'll let you know how it goes. I can't wait to catch up with everyone. We are exactly half way done with training. In a lot ways it is going too fast and I worry that I will not have the confidence to go home and do everything right. In other ways it feels like doggie boot camp and I'm soooooooooo exhausted.

Dave took some video footage of our track today. It should be entertaining since he was running while he was taping! If it's any good I'll see if I can upload it.

We miss everyone! Hope all is well.
Heather

Tethering Success!!!

Thank you for the prayers! Tethering was a success today. We took Jonathan and Hans to the mall...on a Saturday! Not my first choice since it was very busy and I was nervous, but it went extremely well. Hans stayed in a 'down' all through our lunch in the food court. He was such a good boy! Then I said to Dave, "let's just try tethering him." We used my iPod to make it an enjoyable time for Jonathan, and he didn't fight it at all! He was very happy to walk around the mall and not have someone hold on to him. I think he really liked the feeling of a little independence. This is really going to change our lives because now we'll be able to go places and I'll be able to concentrate on more than 'where's Jonathan?!' Someone asked me how I liked the mall, and I really couldn't tell you anything about it, othere than it's big and there are several levels. We were there for a couple of hours, but I was so focused on Jonathan and Hans that I don't even know many of the stores that are there. Guess I'll try to pay more attention next time!


Here's a picture of Jonathan listening to his Veggie Tales songs while he's tethered to Hans.

Another day of tracking!

We tracked again today, and once again Hans was awesome! Dave and I are exhausted from all the running, but so excited that our dog is doing what he's supposed to do!

We learned about tethering in class today. This is going to be a huge challenge for Jonathan. Even wearing the special vest has been an issue, but we were able to get him to keep it on for 1/2 hour today (I distracted him by letting him listen to my iPod the whole time.) We haven't even tried attaching him to Hans yet. He still doesn't want to have much to do with Hans unless they are chasing a ball together...so we are playing LOTS of ball!

I got to work with Hans on behavior disruptions today. The dogs are trained to 'nuzzle' (push their nose onto a target), 'touch' (touch with their paw), 'kisses'(yeah, that's exactly what it sounds like), 'lap' (laying their head on a lap), and 'over' (putting the front half of their body over the child's legs for deep pressure - this helps a lot of kids with autism). We worked our dog pretending to do the behaviors of our child that we would like disrupted or redirected (basically it's suppose to distract the child long enough for them to forget what they're upset about). Let's just say that I was pretty much covered in dog slobber before we were done.

Here's a picture of me in training class. Hans has been in an extended 'down' position and has fallen asleep! He's starting to earn the nickname 'Big Slug' :)

We have an excellent TRACKER!!!

Well, we tried our first track today. Hans is amazing! It only took him a few seconds to pick up on the scent and then he was off like a shot straight to Jonathan.

Here's how the process works:
Hans has been trained to track a specific trainer at the facility. He always tracks the same person because he is being trained to be a 'scent specific' tracker. Today, that person hid with Jonathan, and Hans tracked her-but now her scent was mixed with Jonathan's. (Actually, it's skin cells that are shed that the dogs are tracking.) We will track every day that we are here and gradually remove the trainer from Jonathan's hiding spot. We also will mix up the people who hide with Jonathan so that the only common thread is Jonathan's scent.

The head trainer, Jeremy, thinks that Hans has some Blood Hound mixed with German Shepherd. I believe him...but I really think he's part HORSE!!! He's all legs and runs so fast...I've been working out so that I can keep up with him, but I need to up my endurance by a whole bunch! I'll be the one dragging behind my dog on the ground this next week!

We're also continuing to work on obedience skills. That sounds funny to say...the dogs completely know their skills already-they just need to get used to getting the commands from a new person. Hans is doing well, but is still testing me to see if I mean it! I have another child pushing his boundaries!:) I can now put him in a 'down' and walk out of the room and he'll stay until I come back to 'free' him. He heels really well most of the time now and today we worked on giving commands from all over the room and working them while there were distractions.

Jonathan loves to play ball with Hans. I'm pretty sure that will be the key to our success with bonding. Hans is a ball lover as well, so it's great interaction for the both of them.

Grandma and Grandpa Noble are leaving tomorrow. They have been incredibly helpful. They've spent a lot of time with Andrew and Aaron. Grandma and Grandpa Johnson come in tomorrow night to spend the remainder of the time with us.
We're all exhausted, but training is going really well. Thanks for all the prayers.

Heather

Hans is with us!

I only have a short amount of time to write...but I wanted everyone to know that training is going well. Hans is listening to my commands and bonding well to me and starting to bond to Jonathan as well. This morning I took Hans out for a walk. When we came back in to the hotel - he went directly to our room and stopped at our door. I was amazed that he already knows the scent to follow! This is a really great dog.

I'm in love!

Heather

A Trip to the Zoo!

Jonathan is adjusting to all of the new environment changes very well. So well, that we decided to try going to the zoo yesterday. We all had a great time - which is something new for our family. We were able to stay for three hours. Here are some pictures of our day.

A Sleepless Night...

It's 2:15AM....................the wait is killing me! We get Hans in less than 8 hours. I'd do the math, but that part of my brain has shut down. Now I'm going to have bags under my eyes for the video.

Heather

We're here!!!

We're at our hotel in Ohio. It took 6 and1/2 hours of driving yesterday to get here, and it's so great to finally be here! Training starts tomorrow, but we came a day early to let Jonathan acclimate to the new environment. He had a really good day yesterday considering all the changes. Thanks for all the prayers-they're working. Please keep them coming!

He ate a sandwich in our hotel room last night, and he finally fell asleep in a different bed...I know these sound like small things...but they are huge accomplishments for him.

We get to meet Hans tomorrow!!!!!

8 more days...Jonathan got a letter from his dog

We're getting so excited to go to the 4Paws training facility! The founder of the organization, Karen Shirk, traditionally sends out letters to the kids from their dogs about a week before training starts. It's a very special announcement just for them. Here's Jonathan's letter from Hans...

Dear Jonathan,

I feel like I have been waiting on you forever. I think you are the most special boy ever for loving me just the way I am. I was so sad and thought no one would ever want me, not that I feel there is anything wrong with me. I can track better than all of them! But you know they gave me that label, sigh. I am so glad you do not care about "labels". I have been working extra hard because I want to be the best service dog ever so you will be so happy with me! I love to play ball and want to sleep in your room. I still remember sitting in the shelter as a puppy praying for a boy to love but all the boys kept coming and taking other puppies. Karen says that is because I was meant for you and I think she is right! So hurry, hurry, hurry and get here to see me, okay?

xoxoxoxoxo Hans

PS Didn't I grow into a handsome dude! Now don't listen to Karen who lectures my ears everyday showing them pictures of German Shepherds and telling them to stand up. I think they give me character!

It's almost time for training!

Our entire family will be traveling to Xenia, OH for service dog training.in three weeks. Actually, I will be the one training...Dave, Andrew and Aaron will be involved in the process a little, but will mostly be taking day trips while Jonathan, his personal aid from school-Karen, and I are at training all day. Both sets of grandparents will be there for part of the training as well. We wanted the entire family to be together for this monumental change in our lives. The training will last 12 days...during which we learning basic commands, public access (malls, restaurants etc.), and search & rescue. Hans (our German Shepherd) will stay with us at the hotel as well, and we will practice the things we learn during the day. The final day, I have to pass a test in order to become a certified service dog handler. I'm excited-but I have to admit-also extremely nervous.
Please pray that Jonathan will bond quickly with Hans. The school district is working very well with us and we plan to start Hans to school with Jonathan as soon as we get back. I will be going into the school to train the staff and talk with the students about service animals. My own school has granted me a month's leave of absence so I can accomplish all of this. They have been wonderful and supportive through this whole process.
So, I'm starting to make lists and figure out how to pack the entire family for two weeks. Life is very full, but will hopefully change for the better once we have our furry guardian angel with us!
Heather

We've reached our goal!

We had overwhelming support from our community and raised over $23,000! Not only did we reach our goal, but we were able to help get a service dog for a second child. Thank you to everyone who has helped us!

This is a picture of our service dog, Hans. He is a German Shepherd, and we will be getting him in September! At that time we will travel to Xenia, OH for a very intense 2 weeks of training to become certified service dog handlers. We are very excited and the summer is flying by. Only 64 days until we leave-not that we're counting!

I googled the name Hans...turns out that it is a derivative of the word John and it means "Yahweh is gracious". That about sums it up don't you think!

Finacial Plus Credit Union's "Big Give"

Today we had our picture taken for the newspaper with all of the tellers at Financial Plus Credit Union. They spent an entire month fund-raising for Jonathan's dog and raised $2,200! They also contacted a local vet- and we have a gift certificate for a year of services and free shots for our dog. Wal-mart kicked in $1,000, bringing the total to a little over 3,200. We are almost half-way there!!!

Wait...this just in...I just answered my door-bell and the student council from Jonathan's school just brought me another donation of $500!

A big THANK YOU goes out to all who have given so much to our family!

Heather

Bowl-A-Thon Success!

A big thanks to Barb Chesser and everyone who participated in our bowl-a-thon! We had a blast and raised over $700. Jonathan even bowled a couple of frames!

Fund Raiser Updates!

I don't know where to begin...this journey is so amazing! The conversations that have opened up as a result of people hearing Jonathan's story...the number of times I've been able to talk to people about God moving and the power of prayer...I may never understand why Jonathan has autism, but I feel so fortunate to have had this moment in time to give God glory for all He is doing in our lives!

This weekend my parents and a dear friend of mine held garage sales and raised over $500 dollars for Jonathan-and a little girl sat for hours at a lemonade stand so that she could give $12.25 to him. As my friend gave me the proceeds of the sale, she thanked me with tears running down her face for all I have done to help her family. She has no idea how much that meant to me.

A credit union in town called after hearing about Jonathan and asked if they could do a fund raiser along the lines of "Oprah's Big Give". They have held several raffles, took over Muffy's for a night, and are continuing to contact businesses until the end of this week to see how much they can raise for Jonathan. They were given $100 to start with by the bank president and told to come back with a report of what they did with it by May 23. We are waiting to hear back from a large company to see if we qualify for a grant-all because of the work of the people at this credit union.

Jonathan's school raised $1,500 in one week! Many of the children were bringing in their own money to give to him. Children have huge hearts. I'm blown away by the way they wanted to help Jonathan.

This weekend is our Bowl-a-thon on May 24. Barb has been working hard on it and I'm so excited to go! If you want to attend, contact Barb at mtnester25@sbcglobal.net.

Our auction team is working hard to pull everything together for the big event on June 20. If you need more information or want to put something in the auction...contact Sherry at sharonjoycestevenson@yahoo.com.

Please keep praying. We have faith that God is working-that He know our every need and that He will answer our prayers for Jonathan.

Blessings,

Heather

Fund Raisers Coming Up!

We have so many people who want to help us raise money for Jonathan's dog!



1. Jonathan's school is currently raising money by having students purchase dog bones to fill up their classroom bowl. The class with the most bones will win a party.



2. There will be a Bowl-a-thon on May 24. $20 to bowl 3 games. Get your team together and sign up! Email me for more infomation!



3. Our church is sponsoring an auction in June. We even have a real autioneer! It will be a lot of fun. We are still looking for all sorts of items to auction off.



4. Some friends and family members are having garage sales and donating the proceeds toward Jonathan's dog.



We are blessed to know all of you! Thank you for walking this journey with us and for showing us so much love and support!

4 Paws For Ability

I can't say enough good things about this organization, or about the incredible journey we are on to get a service dog/companion for Jonathan. The March class recently finished their two-week training in Xenia, OH and put a video together of their children meeting their dogs for the first time. Here's the link...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHgFcBXRsII If this doesn't work, go to You Tube and enter 4 Paws March Madness in the search area.

As far as fund raising for our dog goes...I had a very positive meeting with my pastor (who is completely on board and wishes we could have 4-5 dogs at church!) We are in the process of putting together a 'dream team' to organize an event. The KidStuf group (from church) is sponsoring an auction for us, and Jonathan's school is going to do a couple of fund raisers after Spring Break. We feel very blessed to have such supportive and caring friends!

Heather

Welcome!

Thank you for visiting our blog for Jonathan! This is my first attempt at blogging...so I'm sure I'll learn a lot as I go.

First of all, I want to thank everyone who has prayed for Jonathan and for our family. God alone continues to provide strength, peace and encouragement as we navigate the world of autism. I am learning that it's okay to let others know we need help. For so long I have seen that as a sign of weakness, but the truth is...we can't do this alone. We need our friends and family.

To catch you up...we found an organization called 4 Paws for Ability that trains autism assistance service dogs for children. We were accepted into their program in February, and are now in the process of raising $13,000 to qualify for a dog for Jonathan. The whole process could take up to a year or more to complete. Once we've reached our total, 4 Paws will train a dog specifically for Jonathan's needs. This dog will accompany Jonathan everywhere, acting as a safety feature. Attached by a special tethered-harness, Jonathan would be unable to run into traffic or get lost. The dog would be trained to comfort Jonathan and interrupt his repetitive autistic behaviors. It would also act as a 'social magnet,' making it easier for other children to approach Jonathan and make friends. Our dog will also be trained in search and rescue to be able to track Jonathan if he gets lost.

We are in the planning stages of several fund raisers. I am looking for items to put in an auction. If you have something to donate, or ideas to share please let me know in the comment section, or e-mail me at noble@mchsi.com. I will post the details as they become available.
Please feel free to ask if you have any questions!

Thank you for taking this journey with us!

Heather