Mother's Day and Prayers for Sichuan

Last year on Mother's Day, I was sad for my precious girl's birth mother and foster mother, knowing that every moment of my joy was a moment they were missing. When I woke up Monday morning, I was even more saddened to learn that a devastating earthquake had rocked my precious girl's birthplace. I knew her biological and foster families had suffered great emotional losses, if not physical ones. In Sichuan Province alone, where Amelia was born and lived until she was 2, over 63,000 people died. In Amelia's birth city, 30 people died. In the city where I spent my days during her adoption process, hundreds of people lost their lives. A year later, these people are still rebuilding their lives. Please pray for them.

I continue to thank the Lord for my own mother and for the two mothers in Amelia's life who came before me. May God bless them always.

Odds and Ends in Amelia's world

It's Amelia's world, and we just live in it. She is definitely princess material (as long as the princess can spin in a ballet gown and play a round of golf).

1. A Day Out With Thomas.

I heard Thomas the Train was coming to town, so I did what any self-respecting mother of a Princess would do - -I booked tickets. When Amelia heard we were going, her precise words were "MOMMY!! I ALWAYS WANTED TO RIDE ON THOMAS!!!! And Mommy, YOU made my DREAM COME TRUE!!!!" What can I say? She has a flair for the dramatic.

2. Off comes the cast.

Oh, my word, you would have thought they were inflicting some kind of rare and horrible torture on her. Instead, they were just cutting the cast off. Like I said, she has a flair for the dramatic. Her arm is all well, and I highly recommend the waterproof goretex cast material. Great stuff!!! She was able to bathe and swim in it, and it didn't smell or look nasty and the end of the 4 weeks.

3. A Baby on the Way.

Well, that's Amelia's wish, anyway. She prays every day that God will give her a baby brother or sister. She was originally petitioning for a baby from China, but I told her China says no. So now she is petitioning God that China would change its mind. Right now, no babies for this household, but all my other friends are having babies! Becca, JJ, Ann, Kim, and even fellow singleton Merinda, who is traveling in a couple of weeks to get her new little one from Russia! So thrilled for ALL my sweet friends!

4. School is Almost Out.

Amelia is sad to learn that achool is almost over for the year, but she is very excited about the end of year party. She is couting the days on the calendar. However, she was less than thrilled when she learned she will do PreK again. She is only 4 now and will be 4 when school starts -so PK is technically where she truly belongs! However, I did put her in PK a year early for this past school year b/c she needed the stimulation. , but I am keeping her there to get her back on track with her peers. She is convinced that if she would ONLY learn to read, she could go to Kindergarted. Despite my assertions that this is not true, she requested from Grandmama reading lessons. Now she has been receiving daily lessons with Grandmama and is reading many words. She still isn't 100% there, but she is well on her way. Man, this kid is competitive and driven. She'll give you a run for your money!

5. Golf.

Amelia's new favorite thing is golf. I knew she was interested in baseball, soccer, tennis and football. I never even considered golf as an option. I don't play, and nobody in my family plays. That's about to change. Amelia saw golf on TV and was immediately interested. She spied one of those plastic caddy things in pink and had to have it. Now, she is petitioning for golf lessons. We did take her to play Putt Putt on Easter afternoon. She hit a hole in one on the last hole. Golf scholarship, anyone?

Yes, she delights me. Yes, she exhausts me. Yes, every cell in my body is richer for knowing her.

Amy B

First (hopefully ONLY) broken bone

A week ago Friday, I got a call at work that Amelia had hurt herself on the playground at school. I went to pick her up and decided to head to the ER to have her checked out. Sure enough, the ER reported that she had a minor fracture of her radius (forearm) and they put on a temporary cast/splint. (Note: it was missions week at school, and all the kids were invited to wear a 'native' costume - I don't dress Amelia in a Mandarin outfit every day!) We were supposed to follow up for a permanent cast later, but in true Amelia form, she was only concerned that we not miss seeing the musical Annie, which we had tickets for that evening and had been looking forward to for weeks.









On Wednesday, we had an appointment to see the orthopedist to put a more permanent cast on. Imagine my surprise when he said not only had Amelia fractured the bone, but the arm was actually dislocated from where it joins the other arm bone up by the elbow. So...on Good Friday, we were at our local hospital, where Chunie underwent general anesthesia to have her arm set. She charmed all the nurses, but was less than thrilled when she came out with a bright yellow cast (she had repeatedly requested purple, but apparently the OR was fresh out of purple). All in all, she is fine. She will be in her cast for 4 weeks. The good news is her cast is waterproof and supposedly won't be stinky by week 4. We'll see!

The Chunster's Politics

I debated not adding this post to the blog, but I figure, hey, it's my blog, and this is my version of a baby book. So here goes. I will say for the record (hey, the record is important in my line of work) that I most certainly believe in being
prayerful and supportive of whatever person is the chosen leader. Please don't take any of this to imply disrespect.

The Chunster loves Obama. There, you have heard my secret.



As you might imagine, I hail from the Land of Dubya, not only in geography, but in spirit and philosophy also. I am unashamedly Republican, and so is my family. We call 43rd "Uncle George."

So...back in Sept, I was trying to teach Amelia to say "we are republicans," anticipating Papa's pride. And then it happened. Out of the cherub's mouth comes: "Mom, you may be Repubwican, but I am Democrat." Yes, on speaker phone. Yes, with Papa on the other end. Thud. Trying to make the best of the circumstances, I suggested to Amelia that, on the other hand, she might need to be 4 before declaring a political party.

Then came the actual election. My preschooler fell head-over-heels for Obama. She began telling me to "shush" when he is on the news. She went crazy when she saw his photo (yes, we had to purchase the Time Magazine commemorative edition). She asked me once, "don't you think our new Pwesident is handsome?" And of
course, she prays for him every night. She once told me that he sits next to God and talks to Him. I hope so!!!

To top it off, in a West Texas airport crowded with people, when the TV was showing Dubya's goodbye speech, my very tactful 4 yr old LOUDLY announced "he's outta
here!" Yes, I got the stink-eye from my fellow West Texans.

Several weeks back was the Presidential Address. My Chun-bug was SO thrilled. She grabbed her commemorative magazine and claimed her spot in front of the TV. She actually stood and cheered when the audience did. (Okay, my mom did call her to point out some people were seated and not cheering and those people were Republicans. Amelia said, "my mom didn't clap either" - at least she's catching on.)



We tried to explain redistribution of wealth, and she was briefly concerned about the safety of her Ratatouille bank, but when we assured her that nobdy was coming to take it away, she recovered. As she was watching the President with adoration, I decided I should photograph this magical moment.



Finally, Amelia asked if she could use the camera. Assuming she want to take my picture, I handed the camera over. However, the Mama as a subject has now been usurped by one much fairer: Our President. Yes, the Chunster photographed
her magazine cover, featuring President Obama. She even began playing "presidential motorcade" with her cars (I happened to buy a presidential limo play car when I was in D.C. for work...back when Uncle George lived in the White House.)



This might be funny if it weren't completely and totally true. How does a Mama lose her political influence before her child turns 5?

And Papa has recovered from his near heart-failure: he actually bought her a t-shirt that says "Little Democrat." No, I have not yet let her wear it in public.


Amy

Enough already...my self-esteem can't take it!

When Amelia was 2 and learning the difference between "big" and "little" she used me as an object lesson: "Mommy, I have a yittle skirt 'cuz I have a yittle bottom. You have a BIG skirt because you have a BIG bottom." I accepted this observation because she was applying new knowledge to daily life (yeah!) and because it happened to be true (ugh).

When she was 3, and learning the word "blonde," she told me, "but Mommy, your hair isn't bwonde. It's GWAY." Gray hair at 31? My heart skipped a few beats, but I moved on.

Shortly after her 4th birthday, Amelia was watching cartoons, when she bellowed from the living room, "MOOOMMMMYYY!! COME HERE!!!! YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!!!!!!!!"
I thought maybe something was on fire, so I ran in post haste. Instead, it seems she wanted me to see a commercial. "MOM," she said, "You NEED this." What on earth could I need so badly, you ask? Well, friends, it was a commercial for ProActive. The acne solution. As Alyssa Milano was extolling the virtues of this amazing product, Amelia had the phone in her hand and was preparing to dial the 1-800 number. She explained to me "Mom, your face boo-boo will go away and your skin will be cwean and shiny." This is probably good news for the advertisers of ProActive - even a 4 yr old understands your product. But YES, I was insulted. One small flare up, and The Chunster was staging an intervention.

But not one of these prior events compares to last night's. Yes, The Chunster outdid herself this time.

Every day, when I arrive home in the afternoon, that whirlwind of a Chun-bug hurls herself at me and squeals "MOMMY! YOU'RE HOME!!!" with her arms outreached to be picked up. I freely admit that she is 4.5, and too heavy and too old for this, but she's my one and only, and I am gonna keep picking her up and kissing her until they wheel me away to the Home. But I digress.

Yesterday, one of favorite parts of the day took a turn for the worse, when, during pick-up/huggy time, Alarmist Amelia gasps, "WHAT is in your nose?" She then proceeds to put her little hand under my chin and tilt my head heavenward so as to get a better view. Finally, she pronounces the verdict: "MOM! I think you have a nose hair." A NOSE HAIR?????? I am a 32 yr old woman who believes in good grooming. I took Downy wrinkle-releaser to China, for crying out loud. I do NOT have nose hairs!!!

I can live with being a big-bottomed, gray-haired, acne-covered woman. I REFUSE - adamantly REFUSE - to take on the nose hair label.

And that's all I have to say about that.


Amy
Harried but not hairy mother of The Chunster

Jumping for Joy!

The Chunster was high on life this week. Here, she is practicing her ballet leaps (or, baway yeaps...as she says!) before Dancing with the Stars.

Is it Springtime yet?

It sure felt that way last week! It was even warm enough to don swimwear and play in the sprinklers. Alas, following some blowing dirt and now a cold-front with sleet, it doesn't feel that way anymore. West Texas weather is Crazy!