Berry Memories

 So, medical stuff hit first and then the back to school tsunami pulled us under for a bit,  and we are just starting to gasp for air. 

 

Summer's end seemed to take us by surprise this year.  So, I am reflecting, and wishing just a bit that we could go back and snag some of the freedoms of the season.  . 

 

 The sweetness of hide and seek and picnicking under the trees calls back to me with its memory. 

 Two new pickers joined the tradition this year.  We can't claim that they are effective at it. 

One tended to drop her bucket,

 and the other carried a bucket, yet dropped picked berries into his cheeks instead. 

Thankfully, the patch veterans carried us, knowing that sweet baking of treats was to follow if buckets were full. 

 One of us might have become a little obsessive,  picking just...one...more again and again,

which gave us the happy ending of several batches of baked berry bar goodness. 

Kir-plink, kir-plank, kir-plunk

A Summer's Day

Childhood in summer. Unique for each kid, but much the same. It’s giggles, all day PJs, Crocs and popsicles. Children meeting, then heading out into the sunshine hand in hand as easy friends. The sun offers a special freedom.

One of our recent summer days had notable stats: 1 water park, 4 mommas, 18 kids, 7 children adopted from China, a long list of medical needs represented, 12 snack breaks, and 6 hours drenched in June sunshine.

4 of these kids, home less than a year from China, had medical needs that might have kept them home that day.

One sat in her stroller with a cast from her waist down to her toes helping heal her hip dysplasia, her momma visiting in between cardiology and orthopedic specialist appointments. She shared Teddy Grahams with friends who peered into her stroller and sometimes splashed her fingers in the water. Sunshine on her skin, she was a child in summer.

Another laughed and played with waterproof cochlear implants attached to each ear. Her wide smile told us that the thousands of dollars of life altering equipment just beginning to help her hear and understand sounds were not on her mind that day. The melody of water splashing and kids squealing as they swooshed down slides were sweet new sounds. She was a child in summer.

Another little person is prone to kidney infection, and her exposed bladder kept her from walking beyond knee deep in the water. Un-phased by her limitations, she spent the day sloshing in a bubbling fountain. Drippy ice cream in hand, she was a child in summer.

Finally, the oldest, a young teen with spina bifida, was rolled into the park in her wheelchair by her mother. Despite her challenges, a plastic wheelchair and a life vest enabled her to spend the day plunged happily in the pool. Feeling cool water on her legs, she was a teenager in summer.

Their stories bring easy tears, with limits and challenges shaping their pasts. Their orphanage years not just institutional and without parents, but surgery filled and soundless. Their battles far from over, the reasons to keep them away from a water park were many. On the other hand, the reasons TO linger were many as well. 

God performed countless miracles to change the course of their lives. And seeing them all together reminded us that we were in the presence of His sacred work, His love stories splashing around in swimsuits.

Read the rest of this post over at No Hands But Ours. 

Sock Hoppin'

 Our month of camps ended in some poodle skirt, slicked back hair, sock hoppin' good times.  Creative Arts Camp was filled with instrument playing, crafting and dancing fun and ended in a crazy cute 50s style performance. 

We greased up our little man's hair, rolled up his jeans and topped off his look with a white T. 

The girls rocked the poodle skirts with some swagger.  

The sock hop performance was high on the cuteness factor, and the dancers shook it like nobody's business. 

 Our little buddy, Debo, beamed from the stage!

Then, if you are 4, 5 and 6, there is no better end to a camp-a-palooza then jump-a-thon!

It is such a joy to see our littles experiencing new things and pushing themselves in new ways.  Clearly, they mastered their first sock hop!

Camp Hip Hoppin'

Summer Camp Stats

Sophia: 4

Claire: 2

Eli: 1

Evie: carpool city

January through May of this year was Evie focused.  Like all Evie all the time.  So, this momma (who normally prefers to go minimal on the scheduled structured activities) decided to let her little people have some fun of the not organized by mom variety.  I might have gotten a little registration happy, but lots of fun was had!

As June approached, emails from camps started arriving with lists of dress-up days.  I may or may not have been a grumbling costume finder, but once they were found, it was high on the cuteness factor!

 First up was our church's VBS, which only Sophia aged in on.  Such a sweet and fun time, highlighted by making lunches for local kids in need.  She loved it!

Then we hit another local church that rocks out on the camp planning for our community.  Claire and Sophia got in on the action, and came home beaming, dancing, singing their Agency D3 songs 100x a day, and reenacting Bible stories.  

The big one of the summer for Sophia was Camp in the City back at our church.  Complete with waterslides, jumpies, dance moves, chants, tent groups, awesome discipleship, a climbing wall, and the greatest camp counselor ever, her first all day camp did not disappoint.  This camp impacted our girl's heart, increased her faith and boosted her confidence. 

 

Last up was creative arts camp for preschool and completed Kindergarteners with our camp hopping pals.   

It was heavy on the crafts, dancing, instrument playing and sweet Bible story time.  

Eli aged in on this camp and had such a fun first camp experience.  His big smile earned him loads of attention and he had a BIG time!

 

 

We are so grateful to these two churches for investing in the lives of our kids this summer.  We are blown away by how they poured into our kids' hearts.    

Sliding Through Summer

Summer didn't go legit via the calendar until this past weekend, but in our world it started in May.  To us, we settled in long ago and have been sliding through the sunshine months. 

 There is just something about these long, summer days.  It fosters some bravery, promotes relaxation, and gives the gift of reconnection with friends. 

Pools, pop-up storms and pizza.  We are totally summering! 

Thank you, Beth and Heather, for a fun and adventure filled afternoon!



Splish Splash

 June kicked off Operation Fun.  These kiddos need some crazy kid time, so we spent a recent Saturday hitting a puppet show, followed by a splash pad.  Little Miss Ev can't go into a regular pool, so we are in search of splash opportunities. 

 This one was splash-tastic and did not disappoint. 

Puppets, water and a picnic made for a perfect summer Saturday.

 And our new to water fun littles gave it two Chinese-American thumbs up!



Thankful.

The Great Casting of 2013

So, this happened this summer.
A little too much partying and the break of an elbow. 
 9PM breakage at a party resulted in super late night ER visit, and this pitiful 2AM phone image text to a waiting momma.   

 Being rolled around in a wheelchair was one of the early highlights of this Dr. visit loaded experience. 
Soon to follow was a visit to an pediatric orthopedic office for x-rays, an itchy splint and word that pins would be inserted.  Sigh. 

One of the highlights of the "Great Casting of 2013"? 
Cast color choosing. 
Purple?  Nope.  Green? Not so much. 

And then  the day came when hospital gowns and ID bracelets were needed. 
This girl and her daddy did this together. 
Together they stopped eating the night before and stopped drinking liquids long hours before. 

We were all brave.  Even Moses. 

So Daddy walked her back and held her 5 year old hand for anesthesia. 
Then, we waited. 

A while later, this is what rolled out. 
A sleepy, glittery casted, popsicle eater. 
The next day, she'd brag about being "rolled around in a bed".

It wasn't long before the "get well" love started rolling in from family and our peeps.  A couple rounds of balloons, a mailbox filled with cards, candy to munch, a Sophia the First doll arrived via UPS, art supplies and artwork from lots of cousins, a great aunt sent a stained glass coloring book, and Aunt Janie dug up photos of herself in a cast from back in the day. 
Let me tell you, casts have some darn good perks. 

Another highlight? 
A glittery cast elevates you to rock star status among the under ten crowd.  You might even catch friends wrapping their own arms in tissue paper. 

Rough parts:
no swimming, running, trampoline jumping or bike riding for seven weeks
taking a bath holding your arm up in the air
missing gymnastics sign-ups
casts get stinky
getting to wear only cast friendly clothes
not so fun Dr. visits
 

As hard things always do though, the cast portion soon passed.
Papa was in town for the appointment, and daddy took off work, so she had a family entourage.
We celebrated with some crazy delish cupcake action. 

Our girl was so very brave. 
Starting at the ER, she faced it all with such courage.  Never did she fuss, cry or flee from her doctors.  When her momma and daddy were flinching, dreading and worrying, she was walking in with a smile.  She knows now that brave people get scared, but do what they need to do anyway. 
She's also learned that hard stuff happens, but you get through it, and it eventually passes.   

Final highlight? 

This brave beauty got ice cream after every Dr.'s visit. 

One more to go!

On Blueberry Hill

This family loves a good patch. Berries in the hand are better than berries in plastic.  Never do we miss strawberries or apples,
but blueberries were new to us.

 Within a few minutes of buckets in hand,
we knew that a new summer tradition is born. 

These two harvesters joyfully embraced the search for berry goodness.  The fun of it?  Once ya start,

 you.just.can't.stop. 

Eventually our buckets got full,
so we found more thrills spinning until dizzy on a tire swing. 

Piranhas: Rookie Style

Dear Little Piranha,

 

Swim team took us all by surprise, didn't it?  It had you at rubber swim cap and team t-shirt.  We eased into it in May with afternoon practices, and then got serious in June.  8:00 swim practices?  You pulled on that suit with a smile.  

As you stretched that goggle strap over your head each morning, you were really stretching yourself.  New strokes & longer lengths brought new courage. 

It was fun to be part of a team, wasn't it? 

Your momma and daddio were so proud of our little rookie.  So small still, but growing in bravery. 

Practices were all kinds of fun, but we know rookie race Fridays were hard for you.  Thinking of people watching makes you scared.  You had some tears and needed lots of coach encouragement, but you did it. 

Two ribbons on your cork board are badges of overcoming. 

Your family doesn't care at all about your technique or your time.  We care about you becoming you.   

And most improved?  What?!  They called your name, and you beamed,  new confidence born.  Best paper plate award EVER!

 

So honored to cheer you on,

Mom and Dad