With Sprinkles On Top

Black and White Wednesday

2010-04-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

(My apologies to anyone who came to see my black and white photos before I managed to get this post up. You see, I somehow did things backwards..... imagine that and then had a few interuptions by girls who have learned to peel their own carrots, and so my linky link was listed before I even posted a picture. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

A fellow blogger, Lisa, has Black and White Wednesday on her blog. Although I'm much more of an amateur than the others I'm sure, I do love photography and editing and I'm feeling the need to be creative in some way today.

I chose a photo of three faces I love, my husband, and my two youngest daughters. This shot was captured soon after he came home from work one afternoon. During the summer his hours are long and since he leaves so early in the morning, usually before the girls are awake, the moment of his return is greatly anticipated!

Cami named this photo, The Sandwich.....I'll let that name stick! Thank you for visiting.

I ♥ Faces "Contemplative" Contest

2009-09-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

I chose a recent photo of Delilah for the contest theme "contemplative" this week. We met her and held her for the first time on June 14 in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. The past three months have been a time of tremendous change for all of us, but most especially for Delilah, barely 3 years old who has had to adapt to a whole new world. She has learned so many things and she has shared to many of her special gifts with us. This steady, contemplative gaze is one I see sometimes as she looks into my face, hoping to find what she needs there, as she tries to understand all that has befallen her. Even with so much to consider, Delilah is willing to wrap her arms around the world, with a heart that is true and a spirit that radiates love.

I ♥ Faces Contest ~ Nostalgia

2009-08-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Visit I ♥ Faces for more photos and information about their awesome contests!

For the Nostalgia theme photography contest I chose this recent photo of my fifth child hugging her armful of Elmos! Elmo has been around for many childhoods in our house, the collection passed down and enriched by each child's particular choice of a favorite. Elmo was the first imaginary friend for most of our children and he will forever remind me of the sweetness and innocence of children who believe friends can come in all shapes and sizes..... and colors!

Color and Light

2009-06-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a sample of some photos I took, playing with unusual colors and light.

Graduation

2009-05-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

We recently had the honor of attending big sister Lauren's college graduation. She has worked hard for four years and she deserves every bit of pride, relief and excitement that she now feels.

We spend a fun day in her college town, exploring downtown, and getting a little taste of the place she has called home for the past few years.

Cami loved exploring the fountains and elevators and even the bleachers. She hung in there like a champ until about 9pm when she crawled up in my lap and asked me to sing her a lullaby.

First Taste of Summer

2009-05-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

On Feeling Small

2009-04-22T14:42:00.001-07:00

Cami has been asking questions. It seems that to ask about Delilah is safer. She doesn't ask about her own past, but she is lately quite concerned about Delilah's "parents".

"Doesn't she already have a mommy and daddy"???

"Who is taking care of her"?

"Will Lilah miss her Daddy when she comes home with us"?

Very tough questions. Both to answer, and to know are rattling around in Cami's heart.

Today I was fixing her hair into pigtails and she asked me, "What is Delilah's mommy's name"???

I had to tell her I didn't know. When she pushed for more information I took a deep breath and told Cami that just like Delilah, she was born to a mommy in China and that mommy was not able to take care of a baby for some reason. So she needed China to find a mommy and daddy that could take care of this baby and love her forever...... and how we are so happy that China let us be the family for her. And now we will become Delilah's family forever in just the same way.

With a stillness that never comes when I'm fixing her hair, and a voice as clear and pure as the first voice ever heard, Cami looked at me in the mirror and said,

"I feel very small right now".

Easter

2009-04-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

Easter

2009-04-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Cami was enthralled with every part of coloring
her very first Easter eggs ever!

Visit the I Love Faces blog to see all the great entries in this week's contest!

A Sister for Cami

2009-03-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

YES! The rumors are all true!
We have been working hard over the past months
gathering documents and saving money
so we can bring home another daughter from China.

Delilah is waiting for us in Inner Mongolia.
She will be 3 years old in July.
She is eleven months younger than Cami.
We hope to travel in May.

If you would like to read more about Delilah,
she has a blog of her own at.
Just click the title below:

Let It Be China

Please let me know if you visit by leaving a comment.

Must Be the Monkey

2009-03-16T09:17:00.001-07:00

Just had to add this picture as my all time (so far) favorite outfit. The pin on monkey adds lots of fun, though his feathery hair didn't last long. I want to get two bright yellow hairbows and add pigtails next time.

Fairy Days

2009-03-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

Cami is blessed to have a creative older sister who takes time to enrich her life and imagination. Often a trip to the dress up trunk will spark a theme. And then Cami will sit perfectly still while Jillian fixes her face with magical makeup.

On this day, I had a chance to photograph their Fairy inspired project. Cami fell into character quite well, looking as if she could be dancing in the dew or under the moonlight, as everyone knows real fairies do.

Saturday in the Park

2009-03-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

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Meet Delilah

2009-03-05T16:19:00.000-08:00

The big news in Cami's life is her approaching trip to China to bring home her little sister. Delilah is eleven months younger than Cami. She will join our family before summer, hopefully. Please leave a comment if you want to know more!

2009-03-05T16:17:00.000-08:00

Daddy's Girl

2009-03-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

Going to the Dogs

2009-02-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

Cami loves to feed treats to our dogs. She likes to give them cheese. Sometimes she likes to have a treat too. On this beautiful sunny afternoon Cami had fun running around the backyard while we planned how we could fix it up with a sandbox and swing for summer.

Catching Up With Cami

2009-02-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

Cami enjoyed Valentine's Day. We made muffins for everyone and the children all received a card and a box of candy. Cami was enthralled with her box of candy and she carried it around all day talking about her "Box of Chocolates" and sounding so much like Forest Gump, it was hard not to laugh. Cami's princess card had a mirror inside. That is what she is looking at so intently in the picture.

Make Me Feel Better, Mommy

2009-02-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

Last night Cami was struggling with the transitions of darkness, dinner, daddy coming home and going out again, bath and bedtime. It's alot to pack into a short time.

As she say eating her popsicle prize for cooperating with getting in her pajamas, she looked at me and said,

"Momma, I want you make me feel better".

I said, "I love to make you feel better. What do you need me to do".

"I need you to hug me. When you hold me I feel better".

Wow! From the perspective of attachment and history of neglect, she has come so far. To be able to accept comfort from me as her primary caregiver..... to know what gives her comfort..... and to be able to recognize when she needs it and then to ask for it. I think this is huge progress!

Of course I snuggled her up in my lap and fed her the rest of the popsicle while she looked into my eyes. I'm certain she is wondering where I was all of her life.....
I get angry every time I think about any child needing that comfort and not getting it.

It changes everything.

Winter Sun

2009-02-03T07:56:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday we had a remarkably beautiful and warm winter day. Cami was happy to get a chance to spend some time outside just digging in the flower garden and soaking up the sun.

Cami loves being outside. I think the extent of her "outdoor life" in China was time spent on a small balcony. Grass and trees and flowers were all new to her.

She has become very observant of nature. She notices the smallest new bloom and the differences in the shape of leaves. These pictures show the quiet focus on her face when she was busy observing her world.

Joy in the Face of My Angel

2009-01-19T17:31:00.000-08:00

See How We've Grown

2009-01-19T17:03:00.001-08:00

This is Cami on the day we met her in Nanchang, August 2007.
The orphanage brought her to us in a new outfit.

Here is Cami 16 months later trying on her Family Day outfit.

She has gained 10 pounds and grown 4 inches.
If she had not been wearing the undershirt, I'm sure her belly would have
been poking out between the pants and the top.

I Picture You in the Sun.........

2009-01-12T12:55:00.000-08:00

I just loved Cami dressed up in this outfit,
a Christmas present from Grandmom.
It is green with pink ballet shoes and buttons.
She has a hairbow in the shape of ballet shoes in for the picture,
but that didn't last too long.
I keep thinking she will start to tolerate hair bows and clips a little better.
Maybe by summer.....

Concentration

2009-01-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

I love the look of total concentration when children work.
We call it "play" but what they are doing is serious.
Cami is so accustom to my camera now
that she just kept on "working" while I snapped lots of photos.
She also seems to work best in as few clothes as possible!

Peeking Into the New Year

2009-01-05T10:58:00.001-08:00

We are welcoming in the New Year 2009!
Today was the first day getting back into real life
after a very long and enjoyable holiday.
Cami was supposed to return to speech therapy
at the elementary school today,
but her speech therapist was out sick.
So one more day hanging around in pajamas.
She loves it.
I do too.
But tomorrow it's back to preschool,
and we really will be returning to real life.
Lots of appointments this month,
including the yearly visit to
The Cleft Clinic in Chapel Hill.

Thank you for all the well wishes and notes of concern
when Cami broke her collarbone.
She is fully recovered now
and she has a healthy fear of the stairs.

Christmas Morning

FurReal Friend Horse at Grandmom's

"Do I really get to eat this"?

Cami's new buddy!

Mrs. Claus (Cami's grandmom)

Cami resting on her new trampoline after all the excitement.

Tumbling Down

2008-12-18T08:03:00.000-08:00

Life comes at you fast!
And life can change in a split second!
I'm just thankful for the guardian angel
that tumbled down the staircase with Cami in her arms.

I want to share how the accident happened
in hopes it will prevent it happening to another child.

Cami has learned to navigate our stairs safely
and in this instance she was not trying to go up or down the steps.
She was standing at the top sort of playing with the gate,
pushing it closed and pulling it back.
It takes an adults strength to lock it so she was
innocently opening and closing it.

For some reason
Cami decide to push the gate shut with alot of power.
It pushed through the point of closure
and flew open towards the stairs
which caught her by surprise and unbalanced her,
sending her through the air
and landing on the steps with alot of force
which sent her tumbling,
head over heals
all the way to the bottom.

As you can see,
the gate came too and could have hurt her badly
if it had hit her.

We were within three feet of her when it happened.
I don't remember getting to the bottom of the steps myself
and Mark heroically tried to get down in time to catch her.

We knew immediately that she was hurt more than just scared.
Her cry was different from any I've heard and
she pointed to her shoulder.

We had no idea if she had sustained other injuries,
so we just wrapped her in a blanket and
headed to the Emergency Room.

All things considered,
we are very thankful that she has a fractured
collarbone.
It could have been alot worse.

She is wearing her sling
and being a good patient.
We hope she'll have use of both hands
by Christmas.

We are working on a new gate system!

FCC Christmas Party

2008-12-18T07:58:00.001-08:00

We recently attended our first FCC party.
Cami enjoyed dressing up for the occasion
and I had a chance to take some photos at home
before we went out.

Gym Play

2008-12-16T09:22:00.001-08:00

Cami had a chance to play at a small gym recently.
She was invited there for her cousin's birthday party.
She liked everything, but it was interesting to see that she was
surprising adept at climbing
the rock wall.
Not only does this require strength,
but she had to plan each move and look ahead
to see where she could put her foot or hand next.

Snow White Pouts at Tea

2008-12-12T19:28:00.000-08:00

Cami loves playing dress up and she can be quite dramatic!
It appears that on this day,
the tea party was not quite up
to Snow White's standards.
.............Long Live the Queen......

The Wonder of It All

2008-12-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

It is so hard to wait for Christmas!
The excitement seems to grow daily around here.
We have had one family party already.
The tree is up.
And presents are being wrapped!
It's all so exciting when you are three!

The Santa statue pictured below has been stored in the closet all year.
When I brought him out this year,
Cami was afraid of him at first.
In fact, she insisted Santa go back into the closet.
But by the next day,
she requested I take this picture
to show how she had decided Santa was
not scary, and indeed, very huggable!

Christmas Card 2008

2008-12-03T12:55:00.001-08:00

Frost on the Punpkins

2008-12-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

Cami bades farewell to the pumpkins
and begin looking forward to all the fun
celebrations that winter brings.
She loves her snuggly warm coats
and she hates to be cold.
I am thankful every time I bundle her up.
And I am thoughtful of the children who are still living
without heat
and without a family.
Seeing the contrast of Cami's life
is a fragile beauty
I find hard to explain.

2008-12-03T12:18:00.000-08:00

We've seen the last of Fall for this year.
But I was able to capture a few fun moments of Cami in the leaves
before they all blew away and the rain came in.

Photography Lessons

2008-11-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

There is so much I want to learn about my camera.
Today I just played around with some lighting.
And color.
There is so much to learn.
And I don't know where to begin.
I see photos on other blogs that just take my breath away.
If you know of a great way to learn about digital photography
please comment and let me know!
Thanks.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

Cami was a Bumblebee for Halloween.
She practiced all week until she could clearly say,
"Rick or Reet".
After each sweet neighbor put candy in her bag,
I had to prompt her with,
"Now what do you say".
Nine times out of ten she answered,
"I need to knock-knock on One More Door".
Last year she struggled just to walk down the street.
This year she radiates the magic and excitement
of every holiday and tradition.

Pumpkin Patch Visit

2008-11-01T05:11:00.001-07:00

Cami went to a pumpkin patch
on a very cold morning last week.
She was amazed by the animals and loved feeding them.
At the end she got to pick a pumpkin
to take home from the Great Pumpkin Patch.

Sunday in the Park

2008-10-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Cat Couture

2008-10-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

Jillian loves to dress Cami up
fix her hair,
add makeup.
On this day Cami became
quite a fancy cat,
and enjoyed it immensely!

Head Phones

2008-10-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

Cami loves the CD player and headphones
given to her by grandparents
for her birthday.
On Saturday night she listened to her music
all the way to dreamland.

Winnie the Pooh Day

2008-10-18T14:36:00.000-07:00

Cami's preschool recently celebrated the birthday
of Winnie the Pooh.
There was a party with cupcakes,
and a spoonful of honey.
One of the dads came to read a Pooh story.

Everyone went home with a balloon.
It was a beautiful Fall day
and you can see how much fun Cami was having!

Fall is in the Air

2008-10-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

Cami wore this cute Fall outfit to Preschool
for picture day.
The black cat walked out of the bushes
unannounced.
We've never seen him before.
Guess he showed up for Halloween!

Since Turning 3......

2008-10-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

Cami's world has continued to grow.
She loves preschool and speech
playing with her sisters and brother
sleeping in mom and dad's bed
brushing her teeth
looking at houses decorated for Halloween
talking to our dogs
and eating.

Cami weighed 24 pounds when she had her visa physical in China.
Now she weighs 35 pounds.

Recently we traveled to the NC coast
for a short vacation.
Here are some photos from Cami's world.

Birthday Video

2008-09-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

Cami's Third Birthday!!!!

2008-09-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

The big day finally arrived!
Cami celebrated her third birthday with her grandparents,
cousins, aunts, uncles, and siblings.
She had a pretty birthday outfit, but she was much to excited to
pose for many pictures!

Cami had fun all day and into the night!
She jumped in her Dora Bouncing Castle,
played with her cousins,
and opened her gifts!
She loved being the Birthday Girl!

We served cupcakes at the party, so the next day
Cami was allowed to cut her cake
and share it with her family.
The look on her face as she eats her cake tells me all I need to know!

Dots and Mouse Shoes

2008-09-05T17:38:00.001-07:00

First Day of School

2008-09-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

Cami has completed her first week of preschool. The first day was difficult. She did not want to separate from me. Luckily, her teacher is gifted in helping children through this transition and she took her around the corner and I slunk guiltily out the door. But before I even reached my car in the parking lot another teacher called to me from the door and told me Cami had ALREADY stopped crying.

That first day she tried to lay low and not participate in much. She kept telling the teachers, "mommy be right back.....one minute". But by art time and snack time, she couldn't help herself and when I went to pick her up, she was playing in the gym for the second time that day! When she saw me she jumped up and down and wrapped her arms around me. She patted me on the back and said, "I love you sooooo much".

I think her sorrow at leaving me and her happiness at seeing me and her ability to enjoy herself to some extent in between on the first day is evidence of healthy attachment. She knows I'm the greatest and no one is my equal.....LOL....... and now she knows I will come back to pick her up. She has bonded well with her teachers, but she knows they are not Momma. I think she is doing great for any 3 year old, especially one that has only been here a year.

My dear friend Lori told me that the second day might be harder due to the fact that Cami would now KNOW what was going to happen. Thanks for the warning, dear. I was hoping you were mistaken, but since you were right on target, I'm glad I was prepared. Cami woke up early and started to cry as soon as she realized it was a school day. She told me she missed me. She told me she wanted to stay with me. I watched the minutes tick by because I was not enjoying this betrayal scene. I really wanted to snuggle her up and tell her she never had to go away from me. But I know she will love her little school as soon as this transition time passes. She will gain so much from being with the other children and doing the fun activities and being part of a group. This is just what her personality thrives on!

When it's time to get in the car, Cami insists on taking the entire box (size large) of kleenex with us. She is very quiet and sad on the drive to school. But she doesn't cry out loud, just a tears in her eyes. She then insists on carrying the tissue box into school with her. I have her walk rather than be carried because I think it will help her feel capable and independent. So here is this little tiny girl with a lunchbox in one hand, a giant box of tissues in the other, and crocodile tears in her eyes. The teachers had trouble keeping their composure. It was so sweet and cute.

And on this second morning, when the teacher kneeled down to say hello to Cami, I gave her a quick kiss and a goodbye and she was fine. She did not need her kleenex. The teachers reported that she participated from the very start of the day. She loved playing in the gym making a special snack with her classmates. They said she was a very good listener and that they understood everything she said to them. She went to the potty twice! When I came to pick her up, she was sitting on the rug in the classroom playing with a basket of plastic letters. When she saw me, she picked up all the pieces and returned the basket to the shelf and then came to me. After hugging me, she turned and hugged her teacher and said, "I love you". What a sweetheart!

Today is Friday and when Cami woke up she had to cry for a little while about not wanting to go to school while I tried to convince her this was not a school day. I think she has worries and anxiety about the separation. It looms larger and more difficult in her mind than it actually is. Once she gets that goodbye over with, she does great! I hope the coming days and weeks will make it easier for her and that her anticipation with be joy and not worry.

School Girl Cami

2008-08-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

Last night Cami had Open House for her preschool.
She will be going to preschool two mornings a week.
We have talked alot about it and I think she understands and is looking forward to it.
She was charmed by her teachers and she loved all the toys.
Here are a few pictures of her dressed for school and
visiting her classroom.

Learning to Party

2008-08-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

A few months ago Cami began to talk about her birthday and to anticipate the celebration. When asked what she wants for her birthday, she will usually reply, "Three Candles" and hold up her fingers. She also knows she wants cake and she wants her cousins to come. Cami is blessed with some of the sweetest cousins in the world.

Last week she had an opportunity to learn about birthday parties up close and personal. Cousin Eli, aka Spiderman these days, had a party in his big backyard. It was such fun and Cami enjoyed every part of it.

There was swimming and water play and a cool inflatable slide.

After swimming and eating, it was time to open the gifts. Cami really enjoyed watching this part. She did a good job of watching from a distance and not helping too much. Most of the time she enjoyed sitting on her cousin's lap like this:

After all the fun of birthday presents, the birthday boy transformed into Spiderman and commanded that we all eat cake!

Thanks Eli, for letting us share in the fun of your birthday!

2008-07-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Website for fund

http://www.lovewith outboundaries. com/unityfund. cfm

Love Without Boundaries Unity Fund

2008-07-28T10:31:00.001-07:00

One of the most heartbreaking situations in China is the plight of rural families, living in poverty, struggling everyday to put food on the table, and all the while, sadly watching a child suffer and grow weaker.

Did you know that sometimes families abandon a child in hopes that they will be found, taken to an orphanage, and through some miracle, receive the medical care they so desperately need. There is no medicare in China, no health insurance, no safety net. Surgery and all medical care has to be paid for up front, in full and this is unimaginable for a family with an income of around $50 a month.

Love Without Boundaries is the organization that provided Cami's cleft lip surgery. Because of someone's donations, her lip was repaired while she was an infant and she was able to eat better and have improved nutrition.

I've never had to look at a child of mine and know they would die because I couldn't take them to the hospital. And I can only imagine the desperation these parents must feel. The horror of the decisions they must make haunts me.

Love Without Boundaries has spoken to families who have struggled with this impossible choice. They know the deep love and deeper pain expressed by parents who would do anything, anything, to give their child a chance at life. Even if it meant losing them forever.

In response, Love Without Boundaries has created a Unity Fund and money raise will be used to provide life saving medical help that will allow families to stay together. They will identify rural families with no hope of being able to afford the treatment or surgery their child needs and through the Unity Fund LWB will be able to pay the hospital so a child can be saved and a family can stay together.

Below is information on the kick off of the Unity Fund and everything you need to know about how you can help and be part of a life saving surgery for a rural family in China.

Please participate if you are able. And I would love to know if anyone decides to help because of reading about the Unity Fund here on my blog. Please let me know!!!!

Love Without Boundaries Foundation has set a goal to raise $5,000 by August 27.

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Goal: $1 challenge to save a child's life!

LWB is launching a $1 challenge to kick off our new Unity Fund for impoverished, rural families in China. So many times over the years, we have met families who have had to make the painful decision to abandon their child in the hopes of getting them the medical care they need. It has been a dream of ours for many years to begin such a fund, so that when we learn of families in true crisis, we can provide their children with the surgeries they need so that such a painful decision does not have to be made.

We have met so many of these families in person, and they love their children completely, but they simply could never afford a $5000 heart surgery to save their child's life when their family is living on less than $50 per month. Our Unity Fund was created to keep these families united and to give a second chance of a healthy life to at-risk children living in poverty. Join with us on this dream, and actually help prevent children from being orphaned. We challenge everyone to send just ONE DOLLAR during this challenge period to LWB's Unity Fund. Is it possible to find 5000 people to donate $1? With your help, we believe it is. If we meet that goal, then together we can impact a child's life forever.

Pass on this message to everyone you know! Pop just $1 in the mail to Love Without Boundaries and help change the world, one child at a time.

Love Without Boundaries
P.O. Box 25016
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0016

or donate $1 online at

www.lovewithoutboundaries.com

or donate through Facebook by clicking "donate" and then choosing "other" and putting in $1.

Together we can continue our work of bringing hope to those truly in need!

Raindrops Falling on my Head

2008-07-15T16:08:00.000-07:00

We've had some wonderful rains this summer. So different from the terrible droughts the past few years. Almost every afternoon a dark cloud rolls into town and we have a summer storm.

Cami is not particularly bothered by the thunder and lightening. I guess she heard plenty of thunder in China. However, she is fascinated by the rain. If there is no lightening, we will sometimes sit on the front porch and let the mist from the hard rain blow over us.

Regardless of the weather, Cami enjoys dressing up for the rain. Almost everyday she plays dress-up with her raincoat and umbrella. I've telling her that she can wear this raincoat to preschool in the Fall when we have a rainy day........ just trying to introduce the "preschool" idea to her.

July 4, 2008

2008-07-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Cami's first 4th of July at the lake! She loved playing with her cousins and eating popsicles outside. It was a wonderful day. Here are a few pictures to tell the story.

The Spoken Word

2008-06-28T23:41:00.000-07:00

When children are born cleft affected, they first have their lip repaired to facilitate feeding as well as for cosmetic reasons. A little later on the cleft palate will be repaired in order to restore articulation ability and to support the structure of the face. Without palate repair, speech will remain unintelligible.

Because Cami had heard her first words in English in August of last year, and because she had an unrepaired cleft palate at that time, she qualified for speech and language therapy in our county's Early Intervention program.

After surgery in March to repair the palate, it took about 6 weeks for the swelling to go down and allow her speech to return to "normal". We continued speech therapy through most of this time because Cami was receptive and learning, even though her speech wasn't changing quickly. I didn't really understand before that just getting a palate doesn't mean you know what to do with it.

So once a week, our speech therapist comes to our home with a bag of toys.....balls, and books, play doh, dolls, tea sets..... all sorts of magical things. Her goal is to flood Cami with certains sounds and then for me to continue the trend during the week.

Cami looks forward to her speech therapy. She loves to watch by the window and then run to the door to let Miss Jodi in the house.

Today Miss Jodi brought cool party favor type blowers. Cami is trying to learn to close off her nose so air doesn't escape that way. She has to engage her palate to make this happen. The blowers were a big success. They helped her see what she needed to do with her mouth to make all the air come out the same place.

Another exercise uses a mirror so Cami can see what position her mouth is while doing some crazy tongue exercises. Because she did not have the ability as a baby to make all the baby sounds, there is some degree of low muscle tone in her tongue and mouth.

Another fun activity involves feeding the animals who faces are on a box. Cami is required to ask for the correct food for each animal..... bone for the dog, carrot for the bunny, etc. Here she is negotiating getting two bones for the dog!

It really has been great fun. We will miss our home speech therapy. At the end of the summer, Cami will age out of Early Intervention. Her speech will then be provided through the school system. We will take her to the local elementary school for two sessions a week. At this point I don't know if speech therapy is something she will need her entire life, or if there will come a time when we graduate.

For now, we celebrate the small victories and the sometimes humorous leaps in language. For example, one of the sounds we had worked on with not much success was "k", as in Cami, car, carrot. Then just a couple days ago, Cami mimicked her mom who just shut a drawer on her finger, with a loud and CLEAR, "Ohhhh Crap". It was a beautiful breakthrough! I'm so proud I could be instrumental in her learning..... ROFL!

Father's Day

2008-06-24T10:17:00.001-07:00

Cami is starting to get really interested in holidays. She quickly got the hang of telling her father and grandfather Happy Father's Day. And now she likes to draw pictures and then wrap them up in paper and plastic bags and present them as gifts. We are already talking about her birthday coming up September 1st. She is going to love, love, love it this year. Last year we had only been home with her one week and she didn't really understand what was going on.

Back to Father's Day...... We went to visit my dad at their lake house after letting Cami's dad sleep late that morning. It's hard to tell from these pictures who was having the best time..... Cami or the fathers. Judge for yourself!

Life Is Good

2008-06-14T15:36:00.001-07:00

Last week Cami's brother graduated from high school. We are so proud of him!

Sunday Swimming

2008-06-09T10:41:00.001-07:00

As the temperature hovered around 100 degrees all weekend, there wasn't much we felt like doing. Late Sunday afternoon we ventured down to the pool again. I think we'll be spending alot of time there this summer. Cami is more adventurous each time she gets in the water. This time we let her play in both the regular pool and the baby pool. She would have been happy in the water for several more hours!!! I also caught a picture of Big Sister flying out of the pool slide!

Pool's Open

2008-06-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

Cami loved swimming in our neighborhood pool. I was surprised that she enjoyed it as much as she since it was her first time swimming since we took her to the hotel pool at The White Swan. She loved her fist float and we stayed about an hour longer than I planned..... and we all got a little sunburn.

Gymnastics Awards Day

2008-06-06T18:38:00.001-07:00

Memorial Day

2008-05-27T16:01:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we went for a long walk on the trails around Jetton Park. Cami can really walk a long way! It was lots of fun for her to have dad along for the adventure.

On Saturday we went for a long walk on the trails around Jetton Park. Cami can really walk a long way! It was lots of fun for her to have dad along for the adventure.

In My Garden

2008-05-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

It's fun having plants and flowers again this year. And it's even more fun sharing it with a 2 year old. Cami and I spent a whole day planting new flowers and then next day we returned to water them. She loved that part!

Spring Fever!

2008-05-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been letting time go by between posting here. I think we all have a touch of Spring fever. Cami and I have been spending alot of time at the lake or out in the yard planting flowers.
Cami loves to play on the swingset. This first picture is the view from my parent's lake house and the others are some shots I caught using my zoom lens.

The Face I Love

2008-05-18T10:57:00.001-07:00

I know I need to diversify in my photographic subjects!
And I plan to.
But I just can't seem to find anything
sweeter
more interesting
more amazing
than this face I love!

Welcome to Cami's Home

2008-05-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

Cami loves her home.
She enjoys opening the door for visitors and inviting them in!

May Twilight

2008-05-17T07:41:00.000-07:00

Thursday Photo Challenge

2008-05-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

Photo Challenge Theme: Shapes

Next week's Theme: Pink

Thursday Photo Challenge

2008-05-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

I enjoy calling to mind all the things I have to be thankful for on a regular basis.
Thankfulness is not just for Thanksgiving anymore!

In no particular order,

I'm thankful I've always been able to provide shoes for my children.
I'm thankful for my lilies that have bloomed by my front walk for six years now.

I'm thankful for mornings when everyone goes to school on time and smiling.
And I'm thankful for afternoons that bring the same.

I'm thankful for grandparents and cousins and memories still to come.
I'm thankful for the guardian angels that I know are following all of us through this world.
(May they never take a vacation!)

And finally,
this week,
I'm especially thankful for high school teachers,
Dora the Explorer Pullups
and my Dad's 70th birthday!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-05-14T17:39:00.001-07:00

Just For Fun!

2008-05-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

MOTHER'S DAY FUN

2008-05-12T14:29:00.001-07:00

Afternoon at the lake house.

Fishing with Mom

Cami with her cousin, Justyn, and Grandmom

Delicious Cupcakes!!!!

Mei Mei Means Little Sister

2008-05-10T16:50:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day

2008-05-10T16:24:00.001-07:00

I love spending Mother's Day with my mother. And I'm a mother myself. But this year, there is another mother I'm thinking about on the eve of this Mother's Day.

There is a mother in China who faced a terrible impossible choice when her baby was born to her needing medical help to survive. Babies born with cleft lips and palates are not able to nurse or suck from a bottle. They are at risk for extreme feeding issues. The may choke often or they may not get enough nourishment and be unable to grow.

Furthermore, in China, and other third world countries, a cleft lip means a lifetime of sadness. There is no hope that a child like this will be allowed to attend school, have a wage earning job, or ever marry. There is little hope that the lip can be repaired. And without repair of the cleft palate, speech will forever be difficult to understand.

I don't know much for certain about Cami's birth, but I can be fairly sure that she was born into one of the most impoverished areas of Jiangxi province. She had many strikes against her at birth. But she had something else. She had a will to live. And she had God watching over her.

Somewhere in China, Cami's mother likely thinks of her every single day. And for all the happiness I share because Cami is in my life, there is an emptiness inside someone else.

And I wish she knew.......

I wish she knew that Cami woke up between her mom and dad this morning...... and that she asked to wear pajamas all day and we let her.....I wish she knew that Cami baked muffins today and pretended to be a cat. I wish she could hear Cami's raspy little voice and see how she looks fresh from the tub.

I wish she knew that Cami was safe and incredibly loved.

And maybe she does know. Maybe she is able, in her Mother's heart, to feel at peace. And maybe that peace began in August when we brought Cami home, and maybe somehow she feels sure her baby is doing okay somewhere in the world. I can't tell her everything is okay. I can't reach her in any tangible way.

But I can do something. I can love this child that is both my child and her child. And I will be forever linked to a woman in China who made a terribly impossible decision and has to live with the not knowing. I will carry her on Mother's Day. And maybe somehow she will know.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-05-07T15:06:00.000-07:00

Prom Weekend

2008-05-04T07:05:00.003-07:00

Cami's big brother was stunningly handsome and patient as he and his beautiful date posed for photos before the prom.

Cami Help Cami

2008-05-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

Cami is right on target as a 2 year old! She is in the independent stage where she wants to do everything by herself and she is insulted if I try to help her. Most days we play a gentle tug of war with Cami trying to dress herself and me trying to sneak a hand in to help without her realizing it. If she does find me trying to help her she will politely move my hand away and carry on.

Cami also loves to use the word, "NO". Sometimes she says it for no reason at all, as if she just likes the sound of it. Sometimes she says it when she doesn't mean it. But mostly says it with perfect timing, in any case where I give her a choice. I've learned not to say, "Do you want to put on her shoes"? (NO)......."pick up the toys with me"? (NO)..... "Go to bed"? (NOOOOOOOO!!!!!)

Over the course of a day, Cami probably says "Mommy" and "No" hundreds of times. I love hearing her little voice, especially when she is playing and caught up in her imagination and she doesn't realize I'm listening.

Well, yesterday she had the telephone and she was pushing random buttons and pretending to talk to people. All of a sudden, I heard a real voice speaking to her. It went like this:

Operator: Hello?
Cami: Halloooooo
Operator: This is the operator, May I help you?
Cami: NO! Cami Help Cami!

I guess she is understanding English pretty well to converse with the phone operator. But she sure did not want her help. I got on the phone at that point and apologized for the inconvenience. LOL.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-05-01T05:21:00.001-07:00

Adoption Prayer

Every call has a beginning
A quiet moment when God
whispers a promise to a mother’s heart
A holy place where a father bows and faithfully accepts
the journey set before him.
A miraculous morning that unexpectedly dawns…
Casting its first light on a chosen threshold.
A gentle knock..a closed door opens.
A sacred invitation sent by the Father..
Leads to the other side of the world.
Where lonely hearts stare out orphanage windows
Praying for someone to care..
And then one morning,
On an ordinary day
An orphan’s life changes...
God sends them a second chance...Through you..

~ author unknown

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-05-01T04:38:00.001-07:00

2008-04-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-04-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

Because I'm so thankful for all my children, and because I never want to forget the children still waiting for a home, here is a special prayer I found:

WE PRAY FOR CHILDREN
Who sneak popsicles before supper
Who erase holes in math workbooks
Who never find their shoes

AND WE PRAY FOR THOSE
Who stare at photographs from behind barbed wire
Who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers
Who never "count potatoes"
Who never go to the circus
Who are born places we would never be caught dead in
Who live in an x-rated world

WE PRAY FOR CHILDREN
Who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions
Who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money

AND WE PRAY FOR THOSE
Who never get dessert
Who have no safe blanket to drag behind them
Who watch their parents, watch them die
Whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser
Whose monsters are real

WE PRAY FOR CHILDREN
Who spend all of their allowance before Tuesday
And pick at their food
Who like ghost stories
Who shove dirty clothes under the bed and never rinse the tub
Who get visits from the Tooth Fairy
Who don't like to be kissed in front of the car pool
Who squirm in church and scream into the phone
Whose tears we sometimes laugh at
And whose smiles can make us cry

AND WE PRAY FOR THOSE
Whose nightmares come in the daytime
Who will eat anything
Who often go hungry
Who have never been to the dentist or a doctor
Who aren't loved or spoiled by anybody

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-04-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Forever Family Day
Guangzhou, PRC
August 2007

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-04-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

Today I feel especially thankful for Spring weather and long afternoons spent outdoors. I'm thankful for the colorful birds that fly into our front yard tree to eat the black oil sunflower seeds we leave for them.

I'm thankful for our gentle and faithful dogs who have, without fail, been gentle and kind to Cami.

I'm thankful for our messy house because it means we have more than enough of everything. The dishes in the sink are proof that our stomachs are full. The never ending laundry reminds me that we all have plenty to wear. And the crumbs needing to be swept off the floor are evidence that we are healthy enough to dash in and out of the house. The toy trail is delightful proof that this house is blessed with a 2 year old!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-04-17T05:24:00.001-07:00

Nothing Says Spring Like BUBBLES......

2008-04-11T14:55:00.001-07:00

Don't Try This At Home.....

2008-04-11T05:11:00.000-07:00

....or I should say, don't try this unless you want to do it for the rest of your life.......

I knew from experience that dressing a toddler can be tricky, but my dear Cami has taken this knowledge to a new level. Still I have to smile at her imagination skills.

We have an ironing board in our bedroom. Cami thinks it's fun to hide behind it and peek out "the windows". One night when I was trying to get her in bed, I took the toothbrush over to her "house" and knocked on the "door", offering a tooth brushing service.

She loved this concept. And she ran with it.

Now in order to get her dressed, I have to offer a diaper service, sock service, pants service, you get the idea..... And with each knock on her "door", she pretends to pay me for the service and then she marches out and shakes my hand and says, "Mornin".

It's very cute, and lots of fun...... as long as we are not in a hurry for any reason. My lesson for this week is that Cami Doesn't Hurry!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-04-09T04:30:00.001-07:00

The Princess Overalls

2008-04-08T14:21:00.001-07:00

Sailor Girl

2008-04-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

Post-Op Visit and Report

2008-04-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

We returned to Chapel Hill for Cami's 2 week post op visit. The doctors said her mouth had healed perfectly and she was allowed to add soft meat and noodles to her diet. She was happy to return the "no-no's" (arm restraints) to the doctor who said he will write Cami's name on them take them on one of his volunteer trips. It's possible a baby in China will have cleft surgery and use Cami's no-no's!!!

Here is how her repaired palate looks. The white areas are either stitches or a dissolving type of packing that helps the skin remain elastic as it grows stronger. For comparison I added the photo of her palate before repair!

As the swelling and pain subside, Cami is increasing her repertoire of sounds and words. I think the ear tubes have already helped her hearing tremendously. I'm amazed she was speaking as clearly as she was before the surgery. You can't say what you cannot hear.

So as she begins to put two words together, each day brings fun new combinations. Recent additions to her vocabulary include, "Up Dada"...... "Come on"......"Let's Go"......"Right Back"....."Help Me". She actually says longer phrases, but these are a few of the ones anyone within hearing range can understand.

We continue with speech therapy here at home once a week. It's been alot of fun and games up to this point. I think the time has come to start working hard on learning how to make all the sounds as well as strengthening the many muscles in her mouth that are needed for articulation.

Daddy's Home!!!!

2008-04-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Everyday Cami waits excitedly for her Daddy to come home from work. Seems like we hear alot about how important it is for all children to have a mother, but nothing can take the place of having a father who loves you! Dads are big and strong. They can fly you around like airplanes. They have cool tools and fun hats! Having a father to keep you warm and safe is truly a gift from heaven.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-04-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

"In my life, I was the one with the special need and my child was the one that filled it. How was I so incredibly lucky to be given this child?"
author unknown

I'm so thankful to have Cami in our family. At first glance, people see an adopting family and they think how much the child needed a family. Only if they look closer can they see how much the family needed that child!

I'm thankful to be two whole weeks passed Cami's palate surgery. She is completely back to normal now with no restrictions except eating things with sharp corners. I am thankful for the talent and kindness of Dr. Van Aust at UNC Medical Center.

I am thankful for a mother who knows everything I don't about window treatments and home decor. She is helping me fix up the girl's rooms. Jillian's room will be a surprise for her 14th birthday...... Shhhhhh!

I am thankful for nights of long sleep, speech therapy in my home, and drinkable yogurts!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-04-02T09:46:00.001-07:00

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-03-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

Today I'm thankful to be a week and a day past Cami's palate surgery. And I'm thankful she no longer needs the prescription pain medicine which was disturbing her sleep and her moods. I'm thankful she slept 12 hours last night and woke up happy and hungry.

I'm thankful also for my family and my friends that keep me laughing.....and thinking....and feeling loved.

I'm thankful for my husband who works hard everyday so that we can live comfortably without many worries.

I'm also thankful for crockpots, Sesame Street, and appliance repairmen!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2008-03-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Family Pictures

2008-03-24T06:59:00.001-07:00

Easter 2008

2008-03-24T06:50:00.000-07:00

Cami enjoyed her first Easter! My mom brought her this cute basket
and matching hat!
Shh!!!! We let her take off the no-nos for photos.

Cami's Palate Surgery

2008-03-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Before leaving town, I took a photo of Cami's mouth and the space where her palate should be. Soon I hope to be able to post another picture showing her new palate. This is how her cleft palate looked before surgery:

We arrived in Chapel Hill for the pre-op appointment on Tuesday morning. We met Dr. Van Aust and also spoke with Dr. Drake who would be inserting ear tubes during the surgery. Everything went smoothly and after leaving the hospital we spent the afternoon having lunch on Franklin Street and playing at The Children's Museum which had a traveling castle exhibition. Here is Cami preparing a big pot of stew while wearing her red velvet cape:

The next morning we arrived at the hospital around 10:30 for check in. Because her surgery was not scheduled until the afternoon, Cami was allowed to have apple juice until 9:15am. This worked out great for us. We slept late in the hotel and she had her normal routine of a cup of juice upon waking. Soon after we left for the hospital and once there she was occupied and didn't complain of hunger.

We were sent to a large waiting room, full of many families whose children were having out patient surgery. We were the only people I saw with luggage. Soon we were called back to a room where we waited for the operating room to be ready for Cami.

Someone brought Cami a pack of hospital pajamas. She loved her tiger pajamas even though the pants alone were taller than she was. She also loved the bright yellow hospital socks. She insisted on wearing all of it! And I have to agree. It really is all about the fashion..... if you are going to get an operation, you should at least look the part. Aren't these pajamas great?!!

The anesthesiologist gave us the choice of having Cami drink something to sedate her before the surgery so she wouldn't mind them taking her away or letting one of us carrying her to the operating room ourselves. I definitely jumped at that opportunity. So I got my own set of stunning pajamas complete with hat and mask to make me germ free. (sorry, no picture was taken of me!). Then we were escorted back to the OR. I was shown to a stool right beside the operating bed where I was allowed to sit down, holding Cami. Then I was handed a plastic gas mask and I was allowed to hold it gently over her mouth and nose. She batted her eyes a couple times and then fell into a light sleep. Then I was instructed to lay her on the table. She was completely sedated though I'm sure they put her into a deeper sleep after I left. She never whimpered. It was a most peaceful way to start surgery on a child.

The surgery lasted about 5 hours total. We had lunch in the hospital cafeteria and sat with Mark's parents who had driven up to keep us company. It was nice to have them there to talk with and keep our minds off the time. Around 5pm, I was told that Dr. Van Aust was finishing up and the surgery had gone well. Soon after that I was invited back to the recovery room to help ease Cami back into this world.

Let me just say that coming out of the anesthesia was not nearly as peaceful as going into it. I could hear her screams as soon as I entered the door to the recovery room. Not only was she screaming, she was thrashing and kicking and doing everything she could to try and get away from the misery she was in.

Luckily, Cami was handed to me, and she seemed to calm down just a little bit. But it was a brutal time for her. She was obviously in alot of pain. I was pleased with the way it was handled. She was treated with respect and dignity. Each time she cried out, her nurse put something in her IV (probably morphine). It worked quickly, but the effect didn't last long. In between they tried giving her pain meds by mouth because they last longer. And they tried to get her to swallow some juice. She cooperated enough to get qualified to head to a room, but she was not a happy camper.

There aren't words to describe the hopeless feeling of watching a child in pain. I don't remember alot about that night in the hospital. The minutes were marked by the degree of pain I thought she was in. The hours were marked by the minutes she managed to sleep. At one point the surgeon on call came by to talk to us and I had a hard time focusing on what he was saying. But apparently he understood she was having some "pain issues" and he was willing to try something else to help her. I think he included a stronger narcotic in her pain cocktail and while it was in effect, she began to sleep. Here is a the first picture I took of her, just a few moments after coming to our room.....and one of the few times she slept like this for the next 24 hours. And also the last time the bedding was this white! Palate surgery is alot bloodier than I expected! We made a good mess of the place by morning.

I have never been so happy to see the dawn. In the darkness we had all fought the pain monster tangled up in IVs, heart monitors, and oxygen numbers. We had learned what no-no arm restraints were really like and we had regained most of Cami's trust back as she slowly realized we did not do this terrible thing to hurt her.

She turned the corner around ten o'clock on Thursday morning. She sat on my lap and ate a crushed up popsicle. She refused to go near the crib. She took a ride around the children's floor in the wagon. Looking at the pictures I can't believe I thought she was doing better. She still looks rough. But knowing these pictures were taken when she had greatly improved will give you some measure of how far down we had gone in the night.

And so we were allowed to go home. We've been home 48 hours now. Cami is eating soup and drinkable yogurts. She loves her bath (cause no-nos can come off) and she can shimmy out of the no-nos at lightening speed. She is taking her pain meds and antibiotic easily and drinking water throughout the day. She is sleeping well, playing puzzles, drawing with markers, and learning to hunt for Easter Eggs. I can see her improving by the hour.

Cleft palate surgery is easiest on the youngest babies. It is harder on a 2 year old than on a 10 month old, and much much harder on an older child. It is an intense surgery but the hard part is over quickly. And children are so beautifully resilient. Once I saw the sparkle in her eyes, I knew my Cami girl would be okay.

It is a huge turning point in her life. This was a surgery that had to be done, both to support her ability to speak and to support the bone structure of her face. Having it behind us is a great relief. We will move forward with thankfulness. Having a doctor create something as precise as a palate in the roof of a tiny mouth is nothing short of a miracle.
I don't want to ever take that lightly.
I don't want to ever forget.

Here is a final shot of Cami resting peacefully at home with her no-nos and painted fingernails, thanks to big sister, Lauren: