Showing posts with label Pictures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pictures. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Mission Christmas Party

 

Max had a fun Christmas party with his mission. He had to bring an exchange gift. He got the idea to take five different size boxes and wrapped a gift in the smallest one and then put it in the next box were he would put another gift. It took us hours to wrap them one after the other. The person that got his gift got to also read a scripture Max had written with each box they opened.

 It was a clever idea.








A Sunday mission meeting, his mission leader is holding the cookie.

                                           

                                     



Monday, April 11, 2022

Special Olympics State Swim Meet October 2021

                                                         Max loved the State swim meet.



      He had the opportunity to swim a 100 IM for the first time.



Max swimming a relay with his swim team.









Max and one of the swimmers from Tempe team






Monday, July 22, 2019

Max attended the AZYLF 2019

During the month of April, I was trying to figure out what
Max could do over the summer. 
I knew I didn't want him sitting around playing on his iPad.
 I prayed that I could find something for him to do. He did get a job and loved it,
 but I felt there was something more he needed.
 So, I search for programs that he could attend and found the
 Arizona Youth Leadership Form. 
He loved it!
He went for five days and had the most amazing time. He stayed in a dorm on the 14 floor and had a roommate and was learning about how to
transition from a youth to an adult. 
It was hard to let him go, but I have realized I need to let him spread his wings. 
Max came home so happy that he went. He even graduated from the program. 
We were not able to attend the graduation,
but was able to get some pictures from it. 

Max is wearing the navy blue shirt in the pictures. 






Here he is speaking at the Graduation. 





After he came home, he was thrilled that they invited him to come to state.

His peers are on church missions, getting married or moving on in life. 
Max on the other hand, is learning how to someday make that step. 
I think we did the right thing in holding him back in high school
 for two extra years on top of the regular four.
This next year will be Max's second year of being a senior. 
I have noticed Max is recognizing what is happening more around him. 
It warms my heart to see him growing into a wonderful young man. 
He is learning how to advocate for himself.
That has always been a struggle for him.
 I have noticed lots of people that have autism
 have a hard time advocating for themselves. 
The way we have helped him learn to advocate for himself is
 through rehabilitation, a goal in his IEP at school and
 I have made it a goal for him at home. 

About six months ago, Max noticed the young men in
our church who are a year younger than him
were preparing to serve a church mission. 
He said, "Mom everyone around me is growing up." 
My heart broke, broke into a million pieces
 that he felt left behind. 
I tried to hold back the tears, but they came. 
When you have a special needs child the tears often come
 when you least expect them to. 
I knew though, that Max had surpassed them
in ways they would never reach. 
He is gentle, kind, loving, friendly, helpful and he always smiles.
 Max doesn't see the bad in people only the good. 

Max has been an example to me.
He has taught me how to have patience. 
He has taught me how to love others.
He has been a blessing. 
Pure joy!







Monday, April 1, 2019

Oh how Max has grown.

I was looking at pictures of Max from years ago and thought I would post a few.






Tuesday, March 26, 2019

What? Max is Nineteen?

The morning of Max's birthday he woke up to his door being taped up. 
I thought it would be fun to use paint tape to add color to his orange streamers. 





The night of his birthday we took him to 
  Joe's Farm and Grill. 
He loved his hamburger. 



The Sunday before his birthday we had 
 a wonderful time celebrating his birthday with his siblings. 

The picture below is with his two older brothers and niece. 

Max does not like cake, so instead he had a cinnamon roll cake. 

His niece colored this envelope. 



Inside the envelope was tickets to Harkins.

Max was happy his Aunties and Grandma came to celebrate with him.
He loves his Grandma.


Friends from our church came and sang happy birthday to
 Max with a plate of chocolate chip cookies. 
Max thinks they are awesome.




Thursday, August 16, 2018

Max was in the Gilbert High School Newspaper

Here is the link to the newspaper article

https://www.smore.com/ehuq2 

-----Department and Student News-----

Max Reynolds goes for Gold!


A HUGE Tiger shout-out to our own Max Reynolds, who did an amazing job
 in swimming at this past summer's Special Olympics in Seattle, WA.
 He won gold for the 100m and 50m freestyle swimming events!
 We are so proud of you, Max!

Please see https://issuu.com/timespub/docs/1_gsn_0715 for an article in the 
Gilbert Sun News about Max as well as his family's blog at http://maxwithautism.blogspot.com/
Please see below for some pictures from Special Olympics 
courtesy of Mrs. Raff!













********************

Friday, July 27, 2018

Max's Eagle Court of Honor


Max in his Scout uniform  before Eagle Court of Honor


 The table set up in the room where we had the Eagle Court of Honor.

Tim Carroll telling about how to be an Eagle Scout. 
Max's oldest Brother in the Eagle nest just to the left with a blue shirt on. 
Max's oldest brother Michael read the poem below.

The Eagle

Written by Tom Lalor for Jonathan Lint
Twas the Eagle they chose, as a symbol of strength for a
new and mighty land.
That was forged in Truth, and Liberty; delivered
By God’s own hand.
That Eagle stands for Integrity and Pride
Throughout our age.
To remind us of the wars we’ve fought for
Freedom and the price we’ve paid.
And so it was when Lord Powell called on his troop
Of boys to be men,
That this symbol so strong, so pure and so proud
Was called to serve again.
Not every Scout can wear this badge, in fact they
Are but few
Who rise above their peers today to remind us of
What is true.
That Loyalty and being good will always be our aim,
That Courage and Faith are the best of us, that
The Eagle knows no shame.
These honored few who wear this badge walk
Among us to this day.
To exemplify the very best that we strive for,
So now we pray;
That God will bless and keep these Scouts always
In His sight.
For it is they, not us who know it best, the Eagle
Stands for Right.

Max taking the Eagle oath and repeating what his brother Malachi said. 

Here is the oath and Charge

I Maxwell Reynolds 
reaffirm my allegiance
to the three promises of the Scout Oath.
I will do my best to do my duty to God
And my country and to obey the Scout Law.
I will help other people at all times
And keep myself physically strong,
Mentally awake, and morally straight.

I thoughtfully recognize and take upon myself
The obligations and responsibilities
Of the rank of Eagle Scout.
I will at all times do my best
To assist other Scouts climbing the Eagle Trail,
Especially those of my own Troop, Team an Post.

I will help build America on the solid foundation
Of clean living, honest work and reverence to God.
I promise to make my training and example,
My rank and my influence
Count strongly for better Scouting
And for better citizenship in my family,
Church, community and country
And with my contacts with all people.

I realize that the Eagle rank
Is not the end but the beginning
To this I pledge my sacred honor!

 Max putting my mother's pin on. I now have three Eagle Scout sons.

Max putting the Father's pin on his father. 


Here is pinning it to his dad.

Max receiving his Eagle pin which fell apart.

Putting the broken Eagle pin on Max.


Putting Max's Eagle scarf on.

Putting the Eagle scarf holder on.



Max wanted to give five mentor pins.
 Because these men helped him
 along his journey to getting his Eagle. 

Mark Kitterman was one of Max's
 first leaders an he was a remarkable help to Max when he first started scouting. 

John Johnson was a help to believe he can achieve want he wants.
John Johnson supported Max in all of his life activities. From attending several of Max's baseball teams to attending his swim meets and taking pictures for Max to treasure.  

Jim Turley helped Max see the value of work and making every minute count. 

Tim Carroll influenced Max in ways that gave him the strength overcome obstacles. Tim Carrol and John Johnson hiked Mount Whitney with Max.  
Here is a link to the place they stayed for a week. 



Ted Morgan has been the most amazing influence in Max's life. Ted did not have any son's of his own only beautiful daughters, but Heavenly Father gave young men like Max to be an amazing role model too. Most of all of Max's swimming pictures were taken by Ted Morgan. 
He attended Max's swim meets and went the extra mile to help Max succeed. 


Paul Gibson spoke with Max about how he had never seen any scout say such kind things to the people that mentored them. 

The Mormon Battalion came and honored
 Max with a Scarf holder. 
He also shared a story about the Mormon Battalion. 
Max went to the Mormon Battalion twice and one time he found a snake. Here is the video of that experience. 




Max was so happy.