sign language

Amazing Race: Deaf Contestant & Mom

by oh amanda on February 15, 2009

in Amazing Race,me,sign language,tv

Amazing Race AND Survivor premieres in one week? LOVIN’ IT! We had a yahoo-amazing-race-is-back party with Kristen tonight. It ended up being a put-the-kids-to-bed-and-get-them-up-to-go-the-bathroom-and-then-go-to-bed-again-about-400-times party. But still it was fun. The Pioneer Woman’s favorite salad ever made an appearance. So, that was worth it.

I’m excited about this season of Amazing Race so far. First of all the dating-but-we-are-really-mean-to-each-other couple got eliminated first. Hallelujah.

(do-you-love-when-i-do-this-every-other-sentence-or-what?)

When Phil introduced the couples I was getting excited because almost all of them seemed somewhat normal. (Minus the aforementioned dating couple, of course.) But my team is Mom & Deaf Son—Margie and Luke. Luke is deaf and does not read lips, he only uses sign language. So, he needs his mom to translate for him. He wants to show the world that deaf people are equal to hearing people.

You know I’m a fan of sign language. It all started when I read about Rachel Coleman and her daughter Leah—I know I’ve mentioned her a hundred times in my blog. In a nutshell, Rachel was in a band and realized her daughter Leah was deaf at 14 months old. Rachel says she put down her guitar and picked up sign language. She has produced over 30 quality DVD Sets teaching hearing kids to communicate with deaf kids.

One thing Rachel said that’s always stuck with me is (in the ohamanda paraphrase) that deaf kids can feel very isolated. And if hearing kids only knew three words in sign language: “friend”, “play” and “hello” “name” dang, I can’t remember. But the idea is, deaf kids are just the same as hearing kids. They just want to play. And a little bit of sign language can go a long way for a deaf kid. I just love that!

That’s one of the reasons I picked up the Baby Signing Time dvd’s— because of Rachel and Leah’s story. Not only did I want Lydia to be able to sign “more” and “milk”, I wanted her to know sign language to communicate with others. (I’ve already let Asa watch one of the dvd’s. Is that bad for a four month old?)

So, I say all that to say, I loved seeing Luke on the Amazing Race hoping to show the world that deaf people can do exactly the same as hearing people! And how cool and so beautifully ironic was it that they were first to the Pit Stop by LISTENING for the yodelers? LOVED IT.

So, BESIDES Margie & Luke, who was your pick?

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Press Control A

by oh amanda on January 18, 2008

in God,me,sign language

Today I had to pick up a few things for my favorite soup. I usually go to the grocery store because I do this whole couponmom.com thing. But for some reason I felt like going to Wal-Mart. And I was arguing with myself, “Why go to Wal-Mart? You can get in and out of the grocery store quicker. You know where everything is there.” My self replied, “Well, I just want to go to Wal-Mart!” I couldn’t get Wal-Mart out of my mind. So, I went to Wal-Mart. And I let my imagination run away with me and started thinking, “What if God told me to go to Wal-Mart?” I wondered who I might run into or what I might even receive by choosing Wal-Mart over the grocery store!

I know. It’s weird. But that’s where my mind went.

So, I grabbed the few items we needed, took Lydia potty and finally got in line to check out. And who is my cashier? A deaf woman. She had a sign on her register that said, “Deaf. Please be patient.” So, I was thinking, “Cool! I know sign language! Well, I mean, I know how to say ‘dog’ and ‘octopus’ and ‘cheese’. So, I can talk to her!” But I could not think of ONE thing to sign. I was going to say, “Lydia, see this woman? She uses ASL, can you show her ‘cat’? ‘horse’? ‘doll’?” But then that seemed kinda weird. Like the cashier was a teachable moment or something.

Finally, she pointed to my screen because I forgot to click “no cash back” and I signed “sorry”. Her face lit up as she handed me the receipt. I signed “thank you” and she signed “you’re welcome” still beaming.

As I turned to walk away, I thought, “Man! I know the sign for ‘friend’! I could have signed ‘friend’!!” I started thinking what if God had really put it in my heart to go to Wal-Mart? What if he really did want me to sign “sorry” and “thank-you” to that cashier? Just to brighten her day?

I know God is in every detail of her life. He wants her happy. He wants her smiling and not feeling detached. I know God is involved in every detail of my life. I’ve asked Him to use me however He wants. So, if he wants me to brighten someone’s day by simply signing “thank you”, I’d do it!

All this rambling just makes me contemplate. I’m not saying today was a “divine appointment” or that God CHOSE ME to bless an “unfortunate soul”. It’s just got me thinking about how I react when God really does speak to me. Will I be willing to do what He says? Will I listen to the small things He asks me to do? Will I step out and do something little for Him…or something big? I want to!

I hope you figured out how to read this post. I only colored the words I knew in sign language. It made me think this is what the conversation must have seemed like between me and our cashier. I was moving my mouth but she only “heard” the few words I signed. (Granted, she could probably read lips, but you know what I mean!) I doubt I’m as brave as our cashier. It would be hard to work with people that can’t understand you! I wish sign language was more common! And that I had paid more attention to the non-animal and non-food signs on my Signing Time videos!

Speaking of which, my heroes are Signing Time are going to Ghana to teach sign language to deaf orphans! Isn’t that cool? Go check it out!

{ 15 comments }

Post Its

by oh amanda on July 24, 2007

in blogging,family,lydia,me,meme,sign language

I’ve started making lists of things I want to blog about. That way I’ll never be at a loss for posts. I’m forever riding around, or cleaning out something and a great blog idea pops into my head. Well, now, on my new igoogle page I have a post-it note that I update with new ideas. (btw, did anyone make their own igoogle gadget? if so, I want yours, too!)

One of the items on my list is one of the memes I’d been tagged for from bee. (It was like a week ago…) But as I started doing it, I realized I’d already done this one! (See, that’s why I need a list!) So, if you’re up for it, here’s my meme!

So, onto Item #2 on my post-it: Les & Lydia sing the ABC’s. It doesn’t sound amazing, but it is.

Lately my husband has been working across town about an hour away. His company rented an apartment so he can sleep there and be able to work early the next morning. (Imagine driving all the way through Atlanta during rush hour!) So, Lydia and I have not only been entertaining ourselves, Lydia has been talking to her Daddy on the phone a lot.

I’ll put the phone on speaker and let Lydia hold it, so we can both talk to him. The other day I said, “Did you tell Daddy you were singing your ABC’s?” So, Les started singing the ABC’s on the phone. Lydia did the same and signed along with it. She was so excited! Dancing, holding a phone, singing with Daddy and signing! It was adorable.

Yesterday, Les called and talked to Lydia for a few minutes. Soon, Lydia put her hand up in the air and started signing her ABC’s, then signed “daddy”, then pointed to the phone. I said, “Les, I think she wants you to sing the ABC’s again.” Sure enough. He started singing; she started dancing and signing. She could not have been happier.

I have a good hubby, huh?

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(don’t forget, my giveaway is on till friday! leave a comment & you could win some moo minicards!)

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Baby Baby Baby Signing Time

July 21, 2007 family

When I was pregnant, I was so excited to be a mama. I wanted to do the best things and know the best products. I knew I wanted Lydia to be on a sleeping schedule. I knew I wanted to breastfeed. And I knew I wanted to teach her sign language. I had heard a [...]

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