Meeting Isaac's Foster Family!

Thursday evening had to have been one of the highlights in this entire adoption adventure.  Our Prince had the unique situation of being fostered by a Canadian family who works in China.  They returned to their home country a couple of weeks ago, and are currently traveling a bit.  We heard from them early this week that they were within a couple hours of our home, and would be able to stop for a visit.  What an amazing thing it was to spend time with the family who was such a big part of Isaac's story!

After a simple dinner they all checked out Isaac's new bike.  Most of them even took it out for a spin!

Back inside the kids decided to go play on the Wii while the adults visited, then we all ended up in the back yard making everyone's favorite - s'mores.

I didn't say a whole lot on my blog about the meeting of and those first couple of days with Isaac. While I can't begin to equate my experience with that of Mary, I do believe that there are some instances where a mother can only ponder.  I still don't have adequate words to express it.

Meeting the foster family was another one of those experiences where my words just can't do justice to how special this night was to me.  How perfect their family was for our boy astounds me, and lining up their behind-the-scenes story with ours that was occurring at the same time is amazing.  That our two families were destined to be a part of this boy's story is so obvious (now).  I am forever in their debt for their loving on our boy!

A Miraculous Find at Goodwill!

I stop in at the local Goodwill store every now and then if I happen to drive by it and have a  few extra minutes.  This happens perhaps (at most) once a month.  Earlier this week I returned some library books and took the "back way" home which took me by the store.  So I wandered in to see what I could see.  The first thing I saw was a big sign that said "50% off on everything".  The next thing I saw was an odd looking wheelchair parked near the sign.

I took a few steps, then suddenly stopped.  What WAS that?  I went back to the odd looking wheelchair and inspected it further.  It had a long section with a third wheel and lots of gears and things.  Hmmmmmm.... very interesting.  I checked the sign again.  Sure enough it said that everything was 50% off.

I quickly walked the rest of the store just in case something else jumped out at me then got out of there in record time.  When I arrived home I told my husband about what I had just seen, and asked him to quick go back and look at it.  I told him the price that I *thought* I saw listed on the thing.

Ethan arrived back home just as I was getting dinner on the table, so I quick stepped out to ask what he thought about this unusual wheelchair thingy.  The first thing he told me was, "You missed a zero on the price."  Oh dear.  That kind of makes a difference.  I commented back, "Well, that still isn't awful, perhaps we should get it anyway."  What I didn't realize was that he was a step ahead of me and had already researched these unusual wheelchairs and knew their (very hefty) pricetag.  He said, "It was actually a VERY good deal and I bought it!"

So then we had to get through dinner with me so excited I could hardly swallow.  As soon as we were finished eating we told Isaac he should go outside to see a surprise.  Now our boy's English is coming along nicely, but that was one word he didn't seem to know.  After explaining the word surprise we got him out of the house and onto the porch where he saw this...

It has hand pedals and brakes.

After we explained how to use it we got out the bike helmets.  Our Prince did not like the helmet, and that is one of the few complaints we have heard from him since he's been home!  Still, like it or not, this family wears helmets when we bike. (NOTE: As I say that I have to giggle to myself, because generally this family also wears SHOES when we bike.  I TOLD you I was excited!  I see photographic evidence that I neglected to tell him he should put his shoes on!)

Our Prince is quite athletic and I've been praying for something he can do to satisfy that "need for speed" in him.  In fact one of the first things he asked was, "Maybe I can race?"  LOL!  I cannot express how excited I was to see Isaac out biking with his sister!  One thing our family has loved to do in the not so distant past is bike on the trails close to our home.  We recently got notice that it is nearly Jen's turn for a modified tricycle sponsored by a local group (very similar to the bike she rides while at therapy - see a few posts back).  So I'm looking forward to lots of fun family times biking this summer! 

Kings Island Access - SCORE!

Each summer my husband's employer has a company picnic at a nearby amusement park; and this year it was at King's Island.   This is the first time we have braved an amusement park with the Little Princesses, let alone with the Prince!  I was concerned about how we would handle the walker plus a wheelchair, and if our kids would be allowed on the rides.

Since Jen would just be on the kiddy rides I figured she was fine, but would the Prince be allowed to ride the bigger ones?  A call to the Spina bifida clinic gave us word from his doctor that there were no restrictions.  She said, "Go, and just have a good time!"

We decided to take Jen's wheelchair rather than wear her out with the tremendous amount of walking that would be done that day.  Very. Smart.  Our second Very. Smart. move was to take two vehicles.  Ethan took the big kids when the park opened, and I left with the little girls around noon.  It was the basic "divide and conquer" approach. 

Our first stop once inside the park was at the "Guest Services" building where a very friendly employee asked a few basic questions - things such as if our child could sit up without support, if they could brace themselves with their arms, if they had orthodics, etc.  This formulated the list of things that would be safe for them to ride.  We were then given the list along with a paper for check in.  This is how it works:

1.  Enter the ride from the EXIT (some of the ques for the rides don't play well with wheelchairs)
2.  Present the paper to the ride employee who checks current line wait time.
3.  Employee assigns a time to return to the ride for your turn.
4.  When it is time, the entire party returns to the EXIT where the employee will board you first.

You may have only one spot in line at a time - in other words, you can't go around and get numerous times assigned.  You really do have to wait for each ride, well except for the ones with REALLY LONG exits.  After navigating up a couple of really long exit areas they boarded us for the next ride instead of having us return later.  We felt just a wee bit guilty for cutting the line, but appreciated the little perk!  I felt that the employees did a good job of working with us and making it a pleasant experience for the kids.

Now - being the sensible parent (aka: chicken) I was to spend my day with the two younger royalty in the area known as "Planet Snoopy"

 Early in the day all four kids rode the small coaster in Snoopy Planet together.  I'm really glad they did since it is pretty much the only photographic evidence that all four kids actually went that day!

 

You see, I had both cameras in my backpack since Ethan couldn't take one with him on the crazy rides.

 

I have to say, (at least from my viewpoint) it was the best day this family has ever had to an amusement park!   The girls were patient in line, and not the least demanding.  They seemed amazed that they got to ride these things AT ALL, so each one was a special treat to them.

 

They rode happily for a few hours then we met up with the rest of the family for a lunch break.  From there we walked quite a distance to ride the big train.  NOTE:  If you go with access needs, go to the very FRONT of the train.  There is a ramp up to the front car.  I didn't realize that, so after I got the girls on I struggled a bit to lift Jen's wheelchair into the stroller area.  Thankfully a kind man helped me both loading and unloading.

It was at this point that I had spent as many hours in this place as my feet and back could stand. I informed the Little Princesses that they could each pick one more ride and then we would have to go home.

 

Abigail chose to "drive" little cars, and Jen chose the airplanes again.

They were such good girls!  I EXPECTED there to be some meltdowns and crying that the day was over, but they accepted the news so well.  So well in fact, that we stopped on the way out and bought some cotton candy.  Smart girls.

We arrived home around 7:30 pm but Ethan and the big kids didn't get home until close to eleven!  They stayed clear through until the park closed.  One of the highlights of their day was being able to watch the closing fireworks show from one of the rides!  

I've had a few questions about how Isaac handled the day.  When I asked Tikvah to sum it up for me it went something like this.  She said he scrunched all up going uphill on the rides then squealed on the way back down.  When they got off he claimed, "I don't like that!  It scares me!"  Then nearly immediately asked to go on again.  ROFL!  

Isaac told me, "It felt like I was flying!"  His favorite ride?  The new Banshee Roller coaster.

Since I didn't even go over to the adult side of the park, I had NO IDEA what this thing did.  So I looked up a You tube video of it and am pretty much sick to my stomach just from watching it! Banshee Video  But, everyone made it home - alive, and with some good family memories.  I've declared the day a success!

Look Who Can Pedal!

A few shorts months ago, she didn't have the coordination to make it happen, but look at this!  Jen is doing so well on her tricycle at physical therapy that the therapist actually had to stand on the back of it to slow her down when she took it outside!  Way to go, Jennifer!

Hide and Seek!

Today held one of those unusually relaxed mornings.  You know, the ones we all love where we sit around in our pjs waiting for the just-woke-up sleepiness to wear off - and then some!  I was leisurely reading my email when Abigail came running into the room, plopped on the couch, covered her head with a blanket and said, "Shhhhhhhhhhhh!"  (Score big for me having my camera within reach!)

I heard counting in the other room, and watched in amusement as Jen came doing her little pony trot with her walker shortly thereafter, and was (surprise!) able to find Abigail pretty quickly.  Then Abigail ran off to count and Jen plopped down on the couch in the very same spot and covered her head with the very same blanket.  Yup, Abigail found her.

I thought that must certainly be the end of this particular hiding place.  Wrong.  Princess A.  Same spot, same "Shhhhhhhhhhhh!"  ..... different blanket....

While this sequence of events amused me greatly, it also caused me to think back to a year ago.  Only one year ago the Little Princesses did not know how to play.  I remember when they went in their playroom full of toys and just SAT.  There were toys all around them, but they didn't know what to do with them.  We've spent a year developing imagination and learning to play.

Today, even though their "hiding places" weren't very "good" they were actually playing together.   There is a certain progression of thought shown with Miss A using a different blanket and covering her entire self up the second time around.  I believe we are making progress!

My Son, the Orc!

Tikvah is a huge fan of  J.R.R. Tolkien.  Having read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, and currently reading The Silmarillion, she's infected her brother with a love of all things Tolkien. They have spent hours since The Prince got home watching the movies, and now she's started in reading the books to him.

These fantasy books take place in a fictional past (predating our history) and  in "Middle Earth."  I am neither a fan of fantasty nor of action packed battles so I won't pretend to understand Tolkien or his works.  (Please don't send me hate mail.)  In spite of me, many of my children have loved his writings - long before the movies were released.

If you (like me) don't follow the story, this is how I perceive the series.  It all centers around Hobbits, Elves, Men, Dwarves, Wizards and Orcs (aka goblins) over the power struggle to obtain possession of the Ring of Power.  The bad guys want to own it, the good guys want to destroy it.  Certainly simplified - my apologies to the Tolkien fans.

Isaac saw the movie "The Hobbit" with his foster family in China, and probably began his Tolkien fascination at that time.  His favorite character seems to be Legolas, an elf of the Woodland Realm.  This is likely because of his weapons!  Legolas was chosen to be a member of the Fellowship that intended to destroy the Ring.  He served as the group's archer.  An interesting side note:  Tikvah has begun begging for us to allow her and Isaac take up archery.  Oh help!

 Of course, being a boy, our Prince tends towards fascination with the fights, or epic battles if the little I've watched the movies are any indication.  The Orcs are the henchmen soldiers of the bad guys.  I'm not sure if Isaac dreams of fighting the bad guys or if he just likes the way the word ORC rolls off his tongue, but ORC seems to come up regularly in every day situations around here.

"What was that?"  An orc.

 "Did you hear that sound?" It was an orc.

 "Who did that?" An orc.  Well, you get the gist.   It has become somewhat of a family joke around here that whatever it is, it must be an orc.   

Another of Tikvah's hobbies is face painting.  She has been the creator of many a dog, cat, rabbit, etc. and shows enough interest in it that over the past few years she has amassed a collection of face paints and how-to books on the subject.  She surpassed it all this week when she made her brother into an ORC!  

 

Um... yeah.  I'm happy to say that after a little soap and water, he returned to his very handsome self! 

 Disclaimer: Neither Orcs nor Isaacs were harmed in the process.

Summertime : Time4Learning?

Making two trips to China in only eleven months to add three children whose primary language is Chinese presented some unique challenges to our homeschool this year.  I've been looking for a way to keep all the children learning this summer, but let's face it.  No one (including me) wants to spend the summer with workbooks!  I've signed up to review a website that has intrigued me for quite some time, and this may be the perfect chance to give it a trial run.

Over the next 30 days, I will be reviewing Time4Learning. They offer an elementary school curriculum, middle school curriculum, high school curriculum, and tools like the Getting Started Homeschooling Guide. Be sure to come back and read about my experience!