You can doubleclick on the comic and view it alone. Then, you can magnify it. Or, if it's too hard to read that way, here's the link:
Monday, June 27, 2011
Anniversary Edition
So, I've been blogging for just over a year now. I started the blog to update everyone while we were in China. And, I wasn't really sure that I'd continue once we returned home. But, maintaining the blog is really a lot of fun. It helps me reflect on our daily lives and sift out the things that are truly important. So, here's a little something I put together for our "Anniversary Edition." I hope you enjoy it. I certainly had fun creating it!
http://Pixton.com/ic:2fl7xz1n
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Reflections of Us
Today is Lacey's 7th birthday. In honor of her birthday, I posted a new slide show at the bottom of the main page.
Recently, I was reading a book about adoptive families. One woman, who had been contemplating international adoption, shared her worries about not being able to see a reflection of herself in an adopted child. The concern made me recall a medical professional who told me that during her 20 plus years of helping couples with fertility issues, she had concluded that people's motives for wanting children are primarily selfish. It's true people have a desire to pass on their bloodline, and see their many wonderful genetic traits reflected in their children. These thoughts and others were part of the myriad of things that Les and I considered in the years preceding Lacey. So, what exactly do we want to see reflected in Lacey? Very simply, I want to instill the same things that my parents taught me - a love of God, family and country, and a desire to give back to the community. This is a good time to reflect on how we are doing as parents.
In January, I published Lacey's first prayer. Here's a reprint, in case you missed it before.
"Dear God, Thank you for Jesus are born. Her grow and grow. Her 12 years old. Her go to a place and talk to old woman and talk and talk. Her mom and dad go home. Then they come and look for Jesus. Them mad. Then Jesus go home riding the uncle. Amen. "
I guess the prayer is a pretty good reflection of how the loving God lessons are going.
The loving family part has been easy. From the beginning, Lacey has opened her heart to us, accepted us as family and been eager to love us. She's actually taught us quite a bit about love.
Lacey doesn't understand the word "community." She really doesn't understand what cities, states and countries are all about either. But, she certainly understands about giving. During Lent, the girls brought home little boxes from church to collect coins for homeless children. Lacey immediately retrieved her bank and dumped its contents into her little box. True, she doesn't really understand the value of money. And, because she doesn't understand, we haven't given her much. But, she was willing to give everything that she had.
Teaching Lacey a love of country is more complex. We want her to reflect both her country of birth and her adopted country. This photo reflects Lacey's feelings toward the U.S.
We also want Lacey to remember China with pride and to continue to learn about her Chinese roots. Here are wishes from Lacey's caregivers at the Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute.
"Dear Hai Dan, You are from Shanghai, China. Shanghai is one of the biggest cities in China. This city has long history, rich and deep culture. It develops faster these years. And when Hai Dan grows up, it will hopefully develop towards one of the commercial cities in the world. You used to live in a great Home where you were taken good care of. We all love you very much and we hope you can live happily with your Daddy and Mommy (brothers and sisters). We also hope you can come back one day to visit the Home and us!"
Recently, I was reading a book about adoptive families. One woman, who had been contemplating international adoption, shared her worries about not being able to see a reflection of herself in an adopted child. The concern made me recall a medical professional who told me that during her 20 plus years of helping couples with fertility issues, she had concluded that people's motives for wanting children are primarily selfish. It's true people have a desire to pass on their bloodline, and see their many wonderful genetic traits reflected in their children. These thoughts and others were part of the myriad of things that Les and I considered in the years preceding Lacey. So, what exactly do we want to see reflected in Lacey? Very simply, I want to instill the same things that my parents taught me - a love of God, family and country, and a desire to give back to the community. This is a good time to reflect on how we are doing as parents.
In January, I published Lacey's first prayer. Here's a reprint, in case you missed it before.
"Dear God, Thank you for Jesus are born. Her grow and grow. Her 12 years old. Her go to a place and talk to old woman and talk and talk. Her mom and dad go home. Then they come and look for Jesus. Them mad. Then Jesus go home riding the uncle. Amen. "
I guess the prayer is a pretty good reflection of how the loving God lessons are going.
The loving family part has been easy. From the beginning, Lacey has opened her heart to us, accepted us as family and been eager to love us. She's actually taught us quite a bit about love.
Lacey doesn't understand the word "community." She really doesn't understand what cities, states and countries are all about either. But, she certainly understands about giving. During Lent, the girls brought home little boxes from church to collect coins for homeless children. Lacey immediately retrieved her bank and dumped its contents into her little box. True, she doesn't really understand the value of money. And, because she doesn't understand, we haven't given her much. But, she was willing to give everything that she had.
Teaching Lacey a love of country is more complex. We want her to reflect both her country of birth and her adopted country. This photo reflects Lacey's feelings toward the U.S.
We also want Lacey to remember China with pride and to continue to learn about her Chinese roots. Here are wishes from Lacey's caregivers at the Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute.
"Dear Hai Dan, You are from Shanghai, China. Shanghai is one of the biggest cities in China. This city has long history, rich and deep culture. It develops faster these years. And when Hai Dan grows up, it will hopefully develop towards one of the commercial cities in the world. You used to live in a great Home where you were taken good care of. We all love you very much and we hope you can live happily with your Daddy and Mommy (brothers and sisters). We also hope you can come back one day to visit the Home and us!"
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Less is More
Yesterday afternoon I stopped at 7-11 to get a dose of caffeine for my ride home. I was delighted to find myself in the midst of a little girl's birthday party! A young immigrant girl and six of her friends were laughing and enjoying "Slurpees" as their mothers looked on. The cashier and manager, who are both immigrants, were fussing over the children as though they were at a 5-star restaurant. The birthday girl was showing off a bright pair of children's sunglasses, while the other children admired and exclaimed. These kids and their mothers were absolutely radiant with happiness. Seriously, I'm sure they were happier than they would have been if the party had cost hundreds of dollars. As I walked back to my car, the only thing I could think of to say was, "Wow!" and "Wow!" again. As cliche as it sounds, sometimes less really is more.
Driving home I thought about my remaining three days of work and HOW I'M GOING TO SPEND MY SUMMER VACATION WHICH STARTS IN FOUR DAYS DON'T YOU KNOW!!! I spend the entire school year maintaining a list of all the things that I absolutely must accomplish during my summer break. This year's list is longer than ever. It includes: paint the family room, hallways and computer room; make curtains for the computer room; put new wallpaper in the bathroom; make a recreation room in the basement; clean the filing cabinet; take at least one professional development course; landscape the entire yard; learn to paint landscapes; be Superwoman and Supermom and take the girls to a million cool places; and find the cure for cancer. Okay, that last one is a joke. But, the idea of less is more really got me thinking. Who am I trying to kid? I'm not capable of getting all those things done. And, really, what's going to happen if I don't? So, I'm making a new list of what I want to do this summer. Here are a few of the items: get the girls up early to go look for hatching butterflies; let the girls stay up late to go toad hunting; read aloud with the girls during breakfast; help Cassie make curtains for the playhouse; teach Lacey what a president is; and maybe make some very cool chalk drawings in the driveway.
Driving home I thought about my remaining three days of work and HOW I'M GOING TO SPEND MY SUMMER VACATION WHICH STARTS IN FOUR DAYS DON'T YOU KNOW!!! I spend the entire school year maintaining a list of all the things that I absolutely must accomplish during my summer break. This year's list is longer than ever. It includes: paint the family room, hallways and computer room; make curtains for the computer room; put new wallpaper in the bathroom; make a recreation room in the basement; clean the filing cabinet; take at least one professional development course; landscape the entire yard; learn to paint landscapes; be Superwoman and Supermom and take the girls to a million cool places; and find the cure for cancer. Okay, that last one is a joke. But, the idea of less is more really got me thinking. Who am I trying to kid? I'm not capable of getting all those things done. And, really, what's going to happen if I don't? So, I'm making a new list of what I want to do this summer. Here are a few of the items: get the girls up early to go look for hatching butterflies; let the girls stay up late to go toad hunting; read aloud with the girls during breakfast; help Cassie make curtains for the playhouse; teach Lacey what a president is; and maybe make some very cool chalk drawings in the driveway.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
My Indomitable Spirit
Thursday evening , Cassie graduated from a light blue Taekwondo belt to a dark blue one. That means that she has about five more levels to achieve in her quest to become a black belt. I guess this was the seventh Taekwondo graduation that we've attended. While each ceremony is special, this one marked the culmination of a year that has been particularly difficult for Cassie. A year filled with gains, unexpected losses and challenges has caused her to grow up and assume a little more independence than we had planned. And, she has hardly ever complained. So, on Thursday night, it was absolutely appropriate that Cassie was lauded for embodying the Taekwondo tenet of "The Indomitable Spirit."
I don't make a habit of discussing my kid's accomplishments in public. I don't brag about her grades or her test scores or her reading level. But, I've decided that this might be one feat that deserves a little public praise. On Thursday night, Cassie had to break a 3/4 inch pine board with some sort of leaping kick. Board breaking is a standard part of graduation and in the past, Cassie has always done it on the first try. For whatever reason, it wasn't as easy this time. So, under the tutelage of the two senior masters, and with about 30 other graduates and their families watching, Cassie kicked and kicked until she finally broke the board. After she was finished, she flung herself into my arms so that no one could see her tears, which was just fine because it prevented everyone from seeing mine.
The master instructors praised Cassie's "Indomitable Spirit," and the entire studio applauded and cheered. As I listened, I realized that they didn't even know half the story. You see, over the past year, Cassie has risen to every personal challenge thrown at her. She has assumed primary responsible for teaching Lacey how to navigate the many settings of life in the U.S. - family life, the neighborhood, the bus, school, to mention a few. She has taught Lacey about personal hygiene and style; the role of a sister and daughter; what friendship is; how to enjoy books; how to be a good winner and loser; how to have a doll tea party; and how to love pets. The list is endless. The other day I came downstairs and Cassie was actually helping Lacey memorize a children's poem about being an American citizen. Over the past eight months, while I lacked the energy to do many of the simplest things, Cassie has never complained. Instead, she has voluntarily assumed responsibility for helping.
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| The First Attempt |
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| Receiving a little guidance from her mentor, "Miss Laura" |
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| "Keying Up" for a Kick |
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| The Flying Sidekick |
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| Cassie being awarded the uniform patch for "Best Form" |
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| Celebrating with Cassie |
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Pass the Time, Please!
Maybe I hadn't spent enough time at medical appointments last week, because I broke a tooth yesterday and had to head for the dentist. After informing me that my copay would be in the realm of $600, the dental assistant apologetically told me that today's appointment would take two hours or so. "Hey," I exclaimed. "If I hadn't had to skip lunch to get here on time, that would be great news. Do you know that the next two hours will probably be the only time I have to myself all week?!" I clutched my copy of "Bohemian Chic," and settled into the recliner, content to be reading about decorating with "vintage and salvage." The dental assistant peered at me for a couple minutes, struggling to compose an appropriate response, and finally walked away.
Les and I always swore that we would never become one of those families that is constantly rushing from one extracurricular activity to another. And, for the most part, we have kept that promise. We usually have at least two weekday afternoons that are spent quietly at home. Knowing that Lacey had so much about her new life to absorb, we held off on extra activities for her until next year. But, the end of the school year brings a mad rush of activities that scorns family time.
Let's take a glimpse at my calendar and allow you to live vicariously through a Northern Virginia family!
June 4, 10:00 a.m. - Stand in line for 2 hours to buy dance recital tickets
June 5, 1:00 p.m. - Dance recital photos
June 6, 3:30 p.m. - School book fair
June 7, 5:15 p.m. - Violin Lesson
June 8, 4:30 p.m. - Ballet Lesson
June 9, 7:00 p.m. - Taekwondo Graduation
June 10 - Kindergarten picnic (send chips)
June 11, 10:00 a.m. - Violin rehearsal
June 14, 4th grade picnic (send chips)
June 15, Kindergarten birthday party (send juice bags); 4:30 p.m. - ballet class; 7:00 p.m. - Violin recital
June 17, Last day of school, 12:00 dismissal (argue with Les over who gets to leave work early)
June 20, Begin week of summer camp and getting girls up at 6:00 a.m.
June 22, 4:30 p.m. - Parent's day at ballet
June 23, 4-6 p.m. - Ballet Dress Rehearsal
June 24, All Day - Lacey's Birthday!, Betsy's Last day of work!!
June 25, 1:00 p.m. - Dance Recital
All events come crashing into a grand finale. I appreciate the sense of accomplishment that all these activities afford the children. But, I always wish some of this joy could be spread over the rest of the school year. Two months of unscheduled, spontaneous activities with the girls will be my just reward. And people actually wonder why I don't sign the girls up for swim team.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Give Me Six Weeks
I think one of the most awkward conversational moments has to be when a doctor asks, "How are you?". Seriously, what kind of answer is the doctor seeking? "Fine, doc, I just dropped by to see how you are."
So, last week I got to visit a hematologist. When that question came my way, my first inclination was to respond, "well, if you'd glanced at the 11 pages of forms that you had me fill out, you might not have to ask." Or how about, "I've been a bit bored lately and I heard you had good coffee in your fantastic waiting room! And while we're on the subject, can you tell me again why it was that you wanted me to show up 30 minutes early?"
All kidding aside, there really were 11 pages of forms which I had to fill out before I arrived. (And that 30-minute early arrival was for???) So you can understand my state of mind when I finally reached the question regarding "method of birth control." I racked my brain for some appropriately medical-sounding term and finally settled for "fatigue." If the doctor actually read this, he did a great job keeping a straight face!
This morning, I'm on my way to receive an iron infusion, which is supposed to restore my iron level to 100 percent. The doctor promised that in six weeks I will be feeling wonderful - just in time to enjoy the summer!
So, last week I got to visit a hematologist. When that question came my way, my first inclination was to respond, "well, if you'd glanced at the 11 pages of forms that you had me fill out, you might not have to ask." Or how about, "I've been a bit bored lately and I heard you had good coffee in your fantastic waiting room! And while we're on the subject, can you tell me again why it was that you wanted me to show up 30 minutes early?"
All kidding aside, there really were 11 pages of forms which I had to fill out before I arrived. (And that 30-minute early arrival was for???) So you can understand my state of mind when I finally reached the question regarding "method of birth control." I racked my brain for some appropriately medical-sounding term and finally settled for "fatigue." If the doctor actually read this, he did a great job keeping a straight face!
This morning, I'm on my way to receive an iron infusion, which is supposed to restore my iron level to 100 percent. The doctor promised that in six weeks I will be feeling wonderful - just in time to enjoy the summer!
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