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247 Thanking I gladly offer my heartfelt thanks to the following people, without whom I would not have been able to complete this book: my adored husband, Jim Hulings, who has the patience of Job, and my beloved children and their significant others, Nathan, Sean, Joedy & Dave, Edie & Jeff, Michael & Casey—the nine of them are my life and my muses; my parents, Marsha Udevitz and the late Norman Udevitz, my sister, Jane Miller, and my brother Andrew Udevitz, who all taught me how to see, cherish, and celebrate both a simple moment and the big picture ; my mother-in-law, Alice Hulings, and my late father-in-law, Russ Hulings, for helping me believe I could write; Cindy and James Pursel for unyielding friendship; Casey Lord for bringing Michael the miracle of her love; all my dogs who, at the end of the day, still think I am grand even if I haven’t written a word; Professor John Calderazzo, a gem of a man, who daily inspires me and countless others to do things we never thought possible; my dear friend, Janelle Adsit, for sharing her laughter with me; Professors Pam Coke and Karla Gingerich for giving me their care and advise; Patryica Hatten for bringing play, light, and joy to our lives; Foothills Gateway Inc. for providing ongoing support for people with disabilities in Northern Colorado; the Poudre School District staff and administrators at Barton Early Childhood Center, Moore Elementary School, Blevins Middle School, Rocky Mountain High School, Cooper Home, and Project Search for understanding 248 ♦ Life with a Superhero why inclusion matters; Poudre School District teachers Amy Fristoe, Tracy Gefroh, Molly Kechter, Chris Rosazza, Emilie Ring, Kim Nigro, Greg Brigham, Gayna Jobe, Marilee Boylan, and Derek Gumuchian of The Center for Community Partnerships in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Colorado State University for giving Michael an individualized, loving, incomparable education; the football and swim team coaches and players at Rocky Mountain High School; the Village Green Swim Team and the Village West/Lexington Green neighborhood for being Michael’s extended family; all of the Northern Colorado Special Olympics teams’ coaches; Fort Collins Parks and Recreation for providing inclusive programming and the wonderful Funtime program; Mary Elizabeth Lenahan and Dance Express for giving Michael a place to dance; The Columbine Health Care System and EPIC of Fort Collins for enacting the ideals of inclusive employment ; the University of North Texas Press—especially Director Ron Chrisman and my editor, Susan Thomas—and the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference for making my dream come true; and, finally, wherever they are, Michael’s biological mother and father for giving my family the greatest gift of our lives. ...

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