March 18, 2014
I never want to forget this day......what an amazing unfolding of events!!! Carson and I are in Boise for INVENT IDAHO Day at the Capitol. We set up Carson’s three inventions at the capitol a little before 9 and then headed out to Senator Risch’s office. Alex, Senator Risch’s assistant in DC has kept in touch with us since Children’s Congress and said if we were ever in Boise to let them know and the Senator would do his best to come see Carson. We let them know we would be in Boise for Invent Idaho Day and he made plans to be here! Beth Brubaker got a call from the Senator’s office when she had tried to get him to come to the capitol and she was told that he had a meeting that morning and then was headed on a plane back to DC and would not be able to attend. That was Carson’s meeting.....Beth said “Carson really rates”, The Senator spent 20 minutes with Carson and would probably have spent more but we were done. THe first thing he asked Carson was, “Where is your watch (referring to his invention BG Smart Watch) He wanted to see his invention...I wish we would have brought it!!! He was thrilled when Carson gave him the collage frame of his time in DC and the thank you poster the T1D kids made for him thanking him for signing the SDP...we got to talk about encapsulation and he seemed genuinely supportive in the hope for a cure!!! He talked about the NIH and how supportive he was of all that they do. We took some photos. It was a lovely visit and the Senator showed such kindness to Carson...
We went back to the capitol for a while and Carson bought a few things in the capitol gift shop....the clerk asked all about Carson and after hearing his story he said he wanted to give Carson something “o the house”...Carson had been trying to deicide between two lapel pins and this man gave Carson the other one he chose not to get....so nice. Carson also met a page from CdA who is homeschooled and a jr in high school...he came up later tp see Carson’s inventions and spend some time with him.
I then called Brian at Senator Crapo’s office and he told me that he would be busy but I could go ahead and bring the poster and collage by and give it to the State Director, Bob Ford. Bob was very kind and accepted them on Sen. Crapo’s behalf and then told Carson that the Senator was going to be doing a Press Conference at 2 pm in front of the capitol and he might get to talk to him. We were excited for this opportunity.
Back to the capitol and we had missed state Senator Goedde, but he told Beth he would come back around 12:30. He had emailed me his schedule and wanted to make time for Carson to see the collage we had made for him that was hanging on his wall in his office at the capitol.
Meanwhile, I had called Rep. Labrador’s office and the scheduler said she thought she had left me a message Friday about the plan. I told her I had not received anything. She said “Oh, yes, Rep Labrador has meetings all day in Boise, but he told his Chief of Staff that he wanted to make time to go see Carson at the capitol and see his inventions. She said that his Chief of Staff had my cell phone number and would be calling me when they were headed to the capitol. This was sooo exciting. So, the COS did call on my cell and they were about 15 minutes out and he would be there. When the Rep. came on the floor, it was sooo sureal! He scanned the room for Carson and talked to a few kids on his way, but got to Carson and Carson gave him a JDRF lapel pin (as he gave all the Congressmen) He told Carson that he had talked to others about him and his story and how he always had a smile on his face in spite of this disease and how amazing Carson was. He asked when the JDRF walk was and said he and his staff had discussed it and they would be there to walk! He said he hated to make promises, but barring any emergency he and his staff would be there and to be sure to get the date to his staff. He asked Carson about each invention and spent a good 20 minutes with him. This was the highlight of my day...what a story ...he signed the SDP and admitted in the meeting we had with him in CdA that he did not know much about it, but wanted to learn more...and now this! I think we have a supporter for life!
Carson met with many state senators. Representatives and State Dept of Education members who came through to see inventions....many took lots of time with him including Donna, the lady who wrote up the resolution for INVENT IDAHO DAY at the Capitol with Carson’s name in it!
Senator Goedde came back to see Csrson and the local ABC news was there at teh same time....Goedde wanted to take Carson to his office and he only had a short time. I decided that relationship was more important than media and we went with him to his office and he proudly showed Carson the collage we had made for him hanging admist very important documents on his wall. He then asked Carson if he would like to go to teh Senate Chamber and sit in the President’s chair.....wow! What a cool thing for anyone...especially an 11 year old boy. He was sooo kind and personable..love this man!
A little before 2 pm, Carson and I headed tot he front of the capitol and there was Senator Crapo with his staff and just a small crowd around him ...we stood there for a while and he noticed us and remembered Carson and said Bob Ford had already told him about the poster and collage and Crapo said, “ I can’t wait to see them.they sound very impressive. “ Carson gave him a sneaker pin and thanked him for signing the SDP...he asked Carson what he had been doing since DC, etc and then asked if we would like some photos...of course! He asked if I would send them to his office so he could put them on the web! We stayed to watch the press conference!
More senators and explaining his invention and then we decided to go sit in the Senate gallery and watch some of the Senate hearing. We had been there for a while when the President hit the gavel and Sen. Goedde stood up and said, “We have a very special guest in the Senate Chamber today...Carson Magee is here along with his mother from CdA...he went for quite some time saying how amazing Carson was and how he was changing the world since his diagnosis ...meeting witht he entire ID delegation in DC this summer for JDRF and about his inventions....Would ou please welcome him, he said and the entire full senate stood and applauded Carson...I had him stand when Sen. Goedde introduced him...That was sooo totally unexpected and WOW...one of the coolest things I think Carson will ever experience!!!
Around 3:30, I was down on the second floor of the capitol and happened to see a crowd gathereing down the west wing....I walked that way and saw it was the Office of the GOvernor. Gov. Otter’s office told Beth that he would not be in town, but I saw him there through the glass doors with several people. I went to get Carson and we were just standing outside in the hall with some other people, when the door opened and the assistant asked if we were there for the bill signing. I told her no, but that Carson had met teh governor in CdA and would love to catch a glimpse of him. She invited us to come into the Governor’s office for the bill signing in 10 minutes. We told Beth and she wanted to come....the governors office was so huge and utterly amazing!! The governor was signing a bill for the FFA students all in uniform and it was quite impressive...the media was there and them and that was all..oh year and us...I thought we would not get a chance to speak to him, but then here come Sen. Goedde running in. Governor Otter says, “John, come on up and get in this picture...John is our State Education Chairman. I knew we might have an in, so when he was through, we walked up to where the governor and Sen. Goedde were talking and I asked if the GOv would take a picture with a young inventor. He said he remembered meeting Carson at the resort and was so gracous to have a few pics made with Carson and then Carson and Beth....we had taken the framed copy of the resolution with Carson’s name on it and made the pic with that...Sen. Goedde told the Gov. what an amazing kid Carson was and talked about him some more.
At every point today, I just kept thinking it could not get any better!!! AND it just got better and better. Even the Chairman of Idaho Power that walked us to our car and used his parking pass to put 2 free hours on our meter...when we had asked for change....evey part f this day was just about near PERFECT and I know God had his hand on all of it. If you would have told me aat the beginning of this day..all this would have happened, i would have never believed it!!! Beth told Carson the difference in DC and today was that in DC, he was going to the Congressmen and now today they were coming to him! The State Dept of Education Math lady told Carson she should be getting his autograph because one day she would be reading all about him and see his name in lights!
What a day....meeting with both US senators and our US Representative, our state senator and the Governor, and recognition in the Senate Chambers...I am blown away by God’s hand on Carson!! This last picture is one I took as Carson was giving himself a shot for his lunch. This is the reality of his little life and why we do what we do. We desperately need a cure for all those living with Type 1 diabetes!
Here are some comments from Rep. Labrador and Sen. Risch, and Sen. Crapo about Carson's visit to Boise:
