mY aMeRiCaN iDoL

Before Aaron's accident, I wouldn't say we were big TV watchers. We were too busy living life (and both going to grad school) to actually sit down on the couch and watch TV. On occasion I would sneak in an episode of the Bachelor when he had something else to do, I would catch him watching Big Bang Theory or How I Met Your Mother when I walked in from class. Of course ESPN was on first thing each morning and the TV was on for any major sporting event, especially if it involved Ohio State! 

There was a time where I 'd leave work by 4, drive an hour to see Aaron in Wauchula...somewhere between there I'd get take out for dinner and eat it in the car. I would get there by 6 and to make it worth the long trip I'd stay for at least a couple of hours. Most nights I would just crawl into bed with him when I got there. 

If you have ever been to Wauchula you know that the TV is the only thing we had to entertain ourselves at night. Aaron wasn't a fan of all of the crime shows and that was pretty much all that seemed to be on around 8-10pm in the evenings so we had to find something else to watch! 

This was the time when he was starting to whisper FINALLY, I was desperately trying to get him to talk and encouraging everyone who was visiting to do the same. I had become irritated trying to spell things from a print out of a computer keyboard, although Aaron was getting good at it! 

The therapists also told me to do things with him that he enjoyed before the accident. It would probably have been easier to stick with watching ESPN but I soon found out that American Idol was much more entertaining! 

We spent the rest of that season singing our hearts out, well I tried to sing and encouraged Aaron to join me! It became even more fun when the contestants performed "old" songs that Aaron began to mouth (and eventually sing) the words to. At this point we were still dealing with some major memory glitches as well so I was amazed at how much he remembered!

It wasn't long before we took American Idol on the road with us when we started being able to travel outside of the facility, I'd turn on some of our old favorites as loud as I could and sing along with Aaron! 

It's been almost five years of singing to the radio or American Idol together and it is still one of my favorite things to do with Aaron!

I couldn't think of a better ending to this blog than to share some of my personal favorite songs to hear Aaron sing: "Whoomp There is Is", "Fresh Prince of Belair" (theme song), "Baby Got Back", and my newest favorite..."Thrift Shop" lol!