Troll Trouble

Uhuh, it looks like I have finally been found by a troll named Suzee who left this comment.  I want to make sure all of my readers have a chance to see it here as it provides valuable insight into the minds of those who have clearly done their homework regarding the practices, processes, and effects of international adoption.  I also want to thank Suzee for her professional and qualified medical assessment regarding my children's apparent FAS.

"So awesome to know you're in the market to purchase another kid from a corrupt country! Yippee! It's wonderful that you continue to support crime, corruption and human trafficking by spending upwards of $30k per kid!! Jesus must be thrilled!!!!

Ps both your kiddos have facial features consistent with prenatal alcohol exposure!! You'll have tons of fun with that + trauma!!"

IAC 226 Results

The following referral were issued in IAC Session 126 which was held on June 27, 2012:

1) Italian dossier from December 2008 referred a female child aged 5 years and 11 months

2) Italian dossier from January 2009 referred a waiting child (#1807) with a profile on the MOJ site

3) Spanish dossier from June 2009 referred a female child aged 4 years

4) Italian dossier from June 2009 referred a male child aged 3 years and 10 months

5) Italian dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 10 years

6) US dossier from October 2011 referred a male child aged 3 years and 2 months with a family history

7) Italian dossier from February 2012 referred a male child aged 9 years and 4 months

8) Italian dossier from March 2012 referred a male child aged 9 years and 2 months

9) French dossier from April 2012 referred a waiting child (#1827) with a profile on the MOJ site

10) US dossier from June 2012 referred a waiting child (#1238) with a profile on the MOJ site

11) US dossier from June 2012 referred two waiting children (#1764 & #305) with profiles on the MOJ site

12) US dossier from June 2012 referred a waiting child (#1765) with a profile on the MOJ site

Sunday Sundries

We had a pretty low key weekend here at the Martini house.  On Saturday morning, Craig and the kids ran some errands while I attended the first ever PTO meeting at Rex's preschool.  It was an interesting hour and a lot of good ideas were generated though I am wondering how the follow through will turn out.  I did not yet commit myself to any projects as we are new to the school and I feel like I should learn the ropes a bit more before taking on leadership activities.

On Saturday afternoon we headed to Indiana to get some peaches at one of our favorite orchards. Everything is early this year due to the heat and drought, so I wanted to make sure we did not miss the peaches.  On Sunday I turned a good portion of them into jam and we will enjoy eating the rest over the remainder of the week unless I get brave and try my hand at dehydrating.

Peaches juicing

Peaches simmering

Peach jam

On Sunday evening, I made a favorite (if weird to Americans) German dinner: cold cucumber soup with mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs. The twist this time was that I used the Armenian cucumbers from my garden along with homegrown dill.  We're a cultural melting pot around here... literally.

A childhood favorite of mine

In other news, we are trying to teach Rex how to use headphones to listen to music.  Here's the first time that he kept them on for an entire song:

And another first, our Emilia-girl with pigtails:

Summer's been quite busy for us, so it's been nice to have a lazy-ish weekend at home.  Home is our favorite place, a safe haven where we can rest, relax, and regenerate.

IAC 225 Results

The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 225 which was held on June 20, 2012:

1) Canadian dossier from March 2009 referred a female child aged 3 years and 5 months

2) US dossier from March 2010 referred two children, female and male, aged 3 years and 1 month & 2 years with features in health status and a family history

3) Dutch dossier from April 2010 referred two male children aged 5 years and 5 months and 4 years and 5 months

4) Italian dossier from August 2010 referred two children, female and male, aged 7 years and 10 months & 5 years and 2 months

5) Italian dossier from June 2012 referred two female children aged 11 years and 2 months and 7 years and 3 months

6) US dossier from June 2012 referred a waiting child (#1528) with a profile on the MOJ site

One Year Home - July 28, 2012

Letter to My 2008 Self on the First Anniversary of Rex’s Homecoming

Dear Viviane,

I know that for a few years you have been thinking about having children and the discussion has been ongoing with Craig as well.  Fortunately, both of you are certain that your lives will be happy and full with or without little ones added into the mix.  But a decision has to be made and soon because you don’t see yourself as an older mother.  To be honest, you don’t see yourself as a mother at all.  You think you are far too selfish.  You like to sleep, you like it quiet, you like being alone. And you want things to be just so: tidy, clean, tasty, healthy, perfect.  You hate surprises and are a Type A long-term, detail-oriented planner.  You are impatient and have high standards for yourself and those around you.  You are not mother material in your own mind.

But let me tell you something: you have a huge heart, you have boundless love, and you have incredible strength.  Trust me, I’m nearly always right.  You will see the photo of a little boy thousands of miles away and he will be yours from that very second.  The process of bringing him home will take you to your breaking point and having him home will stretch you far and wide beyond your wildest imagination.  This boy will not be healthy or typical.  On the contrary, he will have needs so great that you will feel like your life has become a scary twilight zone, a place where you search for something in the dark without a flashlight.  You will cry more tears in those first months of motherhood than you’ve ever cried before.  You will work harder and on more levels than you believe you can handle.  You will sleep less than you did in college and feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and petrified much of the time.  You will learn to let it go, you will learn to stay in the moment, you will learn to celebrate the little things.  You will learn to take it one day at a time, sometimes one hour.  You will learn it hard and fast.

Call yourself crazy, but guess what?  You’re also going to have a little girl.  She will be a virtual twin to your son and come home to you very soon after his arrival.  This child is more stubborn than you and I know you consider yourself the world’s most stubborn woman.  Brace yourself, you have met your match.

Do you realize your assets as your contemplate this decision?  You have an idea now that you have good instincts about people and life in general.  You do. Trust them.  You will find yourself in many new and unexpected situations.  Listen to your gut.  Use your brain.  Follow your heart.  You will never have all the answers, but you will always feel confident in your decisions.  No need to encourage this independent, defiant streak in you, but keep doing your own thing and don’t put too much stock by what others might say.  Cherish your husband.  There’s no better man and no better father-to-be. Count on your family and friends because they will be there for you if you ask.  Oh yes, you will have to learn to ask for help.  It will drive you crazy, but that’s part of the plan.  You will make new friends, too, around the world, other adoptive mothers and their families.  They will be dear to you and a source of support you don’t know you will have.  You will become an adoption resource and help many on their journeys to becoming adoptive families.

If I told you now that your children will bring out the very best in you, I know you wouldn’t believe it.  If I told you now their list of diagnoses, I know you would not consider adopting them.  If I told you now how your heart will burst with love and pride over these little ones, you would think it impossible.  If I told you now that you are made to be their mother, you would be filled with doubt.  If I told you now that you will rise to every challenge, you would not consider yourself able.

Have faith!  Nothing will be as you dreamed or imagined.  Everything will change.  You will be different, but at the core you already have everything you need: love, determination, knowledge, strength, responsibility, firm ethics, courage, and generosity.  You will be blessed.  You will be filled with happiness.  You will be grateful.  You will be a good mother.

Love from 2012,

Me

SEMO

As some of you know, Craig and I lived in southeastern Missouri for about three years.  This week, Craig had to return there on business, so the kids and I joined him on the trip which, for me, served as a reminder of what was good about living in Missouri and also of why I never want to live there again.

We rented a cabin on the grounds of a vineyard.  It was a beautiful setting though with heat indexes around 110, we did not get to enjoy it as much as we'd wanted.

Sunrise

View from our cabin

Little boy on the prairie

Admiring the wide open sky

We didn't know it when we booked, but they also keep quite a lot of horses at the vineyard.  They often came right up to our cabin and we were able to get a good look.  I think this was the first time that my children took note of a live animal other than a neighborhood dog.

Horses roaming

Hello there, beautiful!

While in Missouri, we also had the opportunity to catch up with old friends which was so much fun.  And, as if this weren't enough, we got together with a wonderful family who adopted a little boy from Rex's orphanage.  The boys are only about two months apart in age and spent a long time together in the same room.  We were told by our translator that they were friends.  I forgot to ask if I was allowed to post a picture on my blog of their reunion, so I might do it at a later time.

After three days in Missouri (we even drove through our old neighborhood and showed the kids where we used to live), all of us were ready to come back to Ohio.  When we walked into the door here, Rex bubbled over with happiness.  I think sometimes he is still afraid that we might leave him somewhere or not return to the home he loves.

Bracing herself for the long car ride

It's just like they say, there's no place like home.

Emilia - Thirty-Five Weeks Home

Today marks thirty-five weeks home for Emilia.

It’s been a great two weeks with a little girl who is always happy, unless she does not get her way or her food.  My tiny tot is looking good and growing, her hair is getting long, she’s got chubby cheeks and arms and legs and a belly.  When we were out at the grocery store, someone even said to us about the kids, “Oh, they’re close in age” as opposed to assuming that Rex is a toddler and Emilia is an infant.  “Yes,” I answered.  “How close?”  “Seven months apart.”  Confused look… “How close?”  “Seven months apart.”  I love those moments where people want to ask more, but decide to just walk away.

We have experienced a noticeable uptick in Emilia’s babbling.  There are more and longer random sound combinations now, like heeyaga, owelee, ewelyn, etc.  She has also started making sounds back and forth with us, but she always chooses the sound and does not change it if we change ours.  Emilia has also begun chewing her fingers and some objects around the house which OT tells us is a great sign for being ready for more textures and a willingness to finger-feed.  At the same time, I am trying to reduce her thumb-sucking which is still a means of quick soothing for Emilia when distressed.  I am not stopping it altogether, but just pulling her thumb out of her mouth when I am comforting her which she is accepting quite well.

Emilia is working very hard to use her hands more appropriately.  She is trying to pick up with pincer grasps or at least by using her middle finger and thumb. She isolates her index finger (or sometimes middle finger – yes, some awkward moments in public) to point and last night she waved bye-bye for the first time to the cashier at the store.  She knows the sign for more, but will sign it by putting together our hands rather than her own.  Emilia is quite agile up and down the stairs now and can get a couple of unassisted jumps in on the trampoline.  She’s still reluctant to participate in structured activities, but she is always keeping busy and learning on her own.

She still loves to look out the windows.

We used to be very worried about Emilia’s nutritional intake, but those days are over.  Our girl likes to eat.  And she is upset when someone eats and she does not.  She hovers in the kitchen when food is being prepared to make sure she doesn’t miss a meal.  I have cut back on her fat calories and increased her fruit and liquid intake. She loves drinking smoothies, so we have a great way to get her vitamins and fiber.

We are so blessed to have this little Bulgarian angel in our family.  Emilia is so loving and showers us with hugs and kisses, smiles and giggles every day.  She adores Rex and continues to approach and engage him to the best of her ability.  She’s a wonderful sister and a cherished daughter.  

Rex - Forty-Nine Weeks Home

Today marks forty-nine weeks home and fifty-one weeks out of the orphanage for Rex  It’s been one year and this is my last regular developmental update, a then and now.  From here on out, I will post about Rex’s progress intermittently when I see fit.

Then: 12.76 kg  - Now: 16.3 kg

Then: 85 cm – Now: 91.5 cm

Then clothing size: 18 mo – 2T – Now clothing size: 3T-4T

Then: no communication beyond crying, raging, SIB

Now: 12 independent ASL signs, pointing, babbling, a few verbal approximations, eye contact, touch

Then: A little boy who recoiled from physical contact and affection most of the time.  A little boy who would crane so far away from us that we sometimes lost our balance trying to hold him.

Now: A child that chooses to cuddle, especially with his daddy, and who draws comfort from physical touch.  A child who gives hugs and high fives and makes eye contact. 

Then: A little boy who needed to be rinsed and soaped standing in a dry tub as quickly as possible and who screamed throughout the entire process.


Now: A child who hurries up the stairs at the mention of bath time and handles contact with water very well.  A child who has a blast at the splash park, too.

Then: A little boy who would wake several times each night, thrashing and hitting his head.  A little boy who woke violently every morning, screaming and auto-aggressive.

Now: A child that sleeps through the night peacefully and awakens happily.  A boy who gets himself out of bed to start playing or lies there, calmly cooing, until I check on him.  When he sees us, his face lights up.

Then: A little boy who raged when hungry or thirsty, who still drank from a bottle and could only finger-feed.

Now: A child that signs eat, drink, spoon, cracker, and finished to let us know what his needs are regarding food.  A child who drinks unassisted from an open cup, eats alone with a fork and requires little help eating with a spoon.

Then: A little boy who had just learned to walk and was very unsteady with poor balance and coordination.

Now: A child that runs and climbs incessantly and falls with a much lower frequency.  A child that can jump unassisted and navigate stairs up and down in various ways.

Then: A little boy with the fine motor skills of a baby.

Now: A child that can complete puzzles, open and close containers, push buttons, scribble, stack, etc.

Then: A little boy who was angry, closed off from the world, frustrated and unable to communicate.

Now: A child who is curious and joyful, who is learning and willing/able to communicate and who seizes the day.

When Waiting Hurts

Two years ago another Hopscotch family suddenly lost their Georgian sweetheart as they were picking him up to finally come home to the United States.  I don't know the family personally, but I am passing on this link to remember Evan and celebrate his life.

http://hopscotchadoptions.wordpress.com/2012/07/17/when-waiting-hurts/

For some if us who have adopted, enduring unnecessary and painful waits caused by bureaucratic red tape while knowing that each passing day endangered our children's physical survival or mental/emotional health, this story is an important reminder that we must continue to advocate for waiting children and to ask officials around the world to be as efficient as possible in joining these precious children to their forever families.

Big Developments

One year ago, Rex left the orphanage an angry, frustrated, shut-down toddler goliath trapped at an infant developmental stage.  Once home, he was evaluated for his development using the Denver II on August 15, 2011 at 29 months old with the following results:

Gross motor – 16 months

Fine motor – 10 months

Social-emotional-personal – 6 months

Language – 9 months (this was later amended by a speech pathologist to 6 months)

He was basically like an ill-adjusted 9 months old all around, except that he could walk and had an enormous physical strength and iron will.

Eleven months later, eleven months of having love from parents, of living in a safe home with nutritious food, well-fitting clothing, quiet sleep, opportunities to explore and learn, eleven months of intense therapy with qualified professionals and our son was evaluated again on July 16, 2012 with the same testing tool.  He is now 40 months old and scored:

Gross Motor - 30 months (+14 mo)

Fine Motor – 24 months (+14 mo)

Social-emotional-personal – 18 months (+ 12 mo)

Language – 17 months (+ 11 mo)

The second test administered on 7/16/12, the Vineland, showed that Rex’s raw scores in the areas of communication, daily living skills, and socialization have tripled while gross motor has doubled from the 8/15/11 results.  His composite score has moved from the 50s into the 60s based on a mean of 100, so he’s inching up there, slowly but surely.

In June, one of Rex’s board-certified therapists updated yet another developmental assessment on him. She had done the initial evaluation in January but did not tell me because she said the results were too depressing.  This test looks at a child’s basic language, life, and learning skills from birth through the end of first grade.  To describe the test, imagine 25 columns (or towers) each representing a different area of development.  They are made up of bricks which symbolize specific skills.  A brick gets colored in once a child has mastered the skill.  There are a total of 1484 bricks to be acquired.

Six months ago, Rex only had 34 bricks under his belt.  That’s just over 2% of the total.  As of last month, he has gained 73 additional bricks, making it 117 mastered skills.  That’s almost 8% of the total.  We have seen the greatest gains in eating skills, gross motor and fine motor, receptive language, requesting and cooperation.  Keep in mind, too, that some of the towers aren’t even applicable yet (things like classroom routines and spelling) and that Rex has four more years to get all the bricks colored in to be on target. 

Based on the results of all three tests, Rex has now left infancy solidly behind and is full steam ahead into toddlerhood.  He's like an almost two-year-old across the board, so handle accordingly.

To some parents of neuro-typicals for whom things come naturally or quickly, who are stars in their classrooms and on the athletic fields, and who will take the nation’s elite universities by storm, this may not seem like much.  But to me, the mother of a child with special needs and a grim prognosis who I realize is still quite delayed, this means everything.  Rex’s hard work is paying off as is Craig’s and mine and that of his wonderful therapists.  We’re so proud of you, son.

Armenian Cucumbers

I planted these cucumbers as a tribute to Rex and his birth country this year.  Lo and behold, we are going to be able to enjoy a harvest.

And this evening we had our first home-grown tomatoes and fresh basil from the garden.  What a long-awaited flavor explosion!

Celebration = Epic Fail

Rex's Together Forever Day started off perfectly.  We spent a low key morning at home, enjoying the desperately needed rain through the windows, swinging in the basement, having a smoothie.  Then we headed out for about an hour to run some errands, came back for lunch, and had the kids down for naps almost at the usual hour.

Before the naps, Craig called Dewey's Pizza (remember Rex's love of this local delight?) to make dinner reservations for eight.  No such luck, they don't take reservations on Saturday, but we were assured that the rush didn't start until 5:30 or 6:00 and that we wouldn't have a problem getting a table for our larger group if we arrived any earlier.  So, around 4:30 our family along with Auntie and the cousins headed for Newport on the Levee in Northern Kentucky.  Of course, there was a street festival going on, so we lost some time with parking and finally made it to Dewey's door at 5:18.  Craig approached the hostess about a table and was told there was a 50 minute wait.  Bam, just like that.  Craig and I instantly knew that at least three of the kids who were with us would not be able to last through this wait, then the wait for the food to arrive, the actual meal and the ride home.  So, we decided to get some carry-out pizza and find a spot to eat it.  

We ended up devouring our Together Forever Day celebration dinner on the floor of a mezzanine balcony in the mall off paper plates with plastic forks in most humid conditions.  And you know what?  It actually was fun and definitely memorable.

Who needs a table?

I love how my little nephew is using his cutlery here.
Also notice his shoes on the ledge... too funny.

Even though he was sweaty hot,
Rex enjoyed his favorite pizza.

"You know what, Sister,
these parents of ours have no clue what they're doing."

I forgot to ask my sister-in-law to take a family photo,
so here's a self-portrait from the car ride home.
Quite fitting for how our celebration turned out.

Happy Together Forever Day, Rex!  We may be a strange bunch with unpredictable adventures, but we love you like crazy cakes.

Here Comes The Son - July 14, 2011

IAC 224 Results

The following referrals were issued in IAC session 224 which was held on June 13, 2012:

1) French dossier from August 2009 referred a male child aged 2 years and 1 month with features in health status and a family history

2) French dossier from November 2009 referred a male child aged 5 years and 11 months with features in health status and a family history

3) Italian dossier from June 2011 referred a male child aged 7 years and 7 months with features in health status and a family history

4) US dossier from August 2011 referred a female child aged 11 months with features in health status and a family history

5) US dossier from March 2012 referred a male child aged 1 year and 7 months with features in health status

6) US dossier from May 2012 referred a waiting child (#1760) with a profile on the MOJ site

7) US dossier from June 2012 referred two waiting children (#1609 & #1628) with profiles on the MOJ site

8) US dossier from June 2012 referred a waiting child (#1038) with a profile on the MOJ site


9) Swedish dossier from June 2012 referred a waiting child (#1783) with a profile on the MOJ site

Thanks to Ministry officials for fixing the link so quickly.

IAC 223 Results

The following referrals were issued in IAC session 223 which was held on June 5, 2012:

1) Italian dossier from April 2009 referred a female child aged 4 years and 10 months

2) German dossier from May 2010 referred a female child aged 2 years and 8 months with features in health status

3) Italian dossier from August 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years and 10 months

4) Italian dossier from October 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years

5) Italian dossier from November 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years and 6 months

6) Italian dossier from January 2012 referred a waiting child (#1214) with a profile on the MOJ site

7) French dossier from May 2012 referred a waiting child (#1794) with a profile on the MOJ site

MOJ also released the results from IAC session 224, but at the moment the link opens up a blank document, so I will keep checking in hopes that the problem will be fixed soon.

Her Family Found Her

I am so very happy to announce that the beautiful girl for whom I have been advocating for quite some time now has a family.  They were officially matched to her today by her government and will soon travel to meet her.  Life is good!

July 11, 2011

One year ago today in Yerevan, we were reunited with Rex after almost eight months of waiting for the bureaucratic process to unfold.

While we were full of joy that morning, I also remember being shocked and heart-broken over how much Rex had deteriorated in the interim.  He was angry, frustrated, shutting down.  He had the skills of an infant.  But his spirit was still alive and we hoped that our love, care, and belief in our son would make it sparkle again.  One year later, Rex is a curious, joyful, determined, energetic, resilient, hard-working, loving boy whose laughter is infectious to everyone who has the privilege of hearing it.  

Here are a few before & after photos:

Our son is a blessing, a gift to be treasured, a story of survival and hope, and a beautiful example of how adoption can change a life.  And while it may seem like a drop in a bucket, that one life is worth everything.

Emilia - Thirty-Three Weeks Home

As of Saturday, Emilia has been home with us for thirty-three weeks.  It seems that with every week that goes by, she is a happier, more relaxed little girl.

The best thing that's happened lately is that Emilia is working on attaching to us even more.  She smiles every time she sees me and seeks out physical contact.  If I sit down anywhere, Emilia is right there, climbing into my lap and getting hugs and kisses.  She also gives a lot of very slobbery spontaneous kisses to Craig and me now.

Cuddling on the couch

Developmentally, I don't see a lot of obvious forward motion at the moment, but I am sure Emilia is learning because she is constantly on the move and exploring.  Sometimes she stands by her high chair now and says, "eeeeee" so maybe we can claim that she speaks 4.5 words now.  She is very vocal, especially when she is complaining or chewing us out. She also pays great attention when we pronounce sounds and words for her and she imitates silly sounds all the time.  She will be evaluated for speech therapy in about a month and then hopefully can start receiving services in September.  We are also trying to cut down on Emilia's whining when she doesn't get what she wants (like daddy's cell phone to carry around) and are finally seeing a bit of an improvement in that department.

Speaking of September, Craig and I have toured a preschool for Emilia and have decided to sign her up for two full days a week.  This way she can have contact with peers who will hopefully propel her speech, play, and self-help skills into the right direction while still being at home with me for the majority of her time.  We are planning on Emilia starting there the second or third week of September.  This means that I will have two days a week with no kids here at home... I won't know what to do with myself at all.

Good help is hard to find... or not?

Emilia has transitioned from the pack and play into a toddler bed which has gone better than expected.  She still needs a rail to keep her contained at night, but I am happy that she sleeps soundly now on a mattress with a pillow and even a blanket.  When she first came home, she would have preferred to sleep on the tiles or hardwood floor if we'd let her.

The sweetness that this little girl has brought to our lives is tremendous.  We just couldn't imagine our days now without her laughter, her smiles, or her hugs.

Our Funny Girl

Rex - Forty-Seven Weeks Home

Today marks forty-seven weeks home and forty-nine weeks out of the orphanage for Rex.  It's hard to believe but at this time one year ago, we were scrambling to get ready for three weeks in Armenia and for being first-time parents.

I had to cut the feet off his pajamas
because he was just getting too tall.
It's okay for summer, right?

The last two weeks have been a bit challenging with Rex as he has been sensory-seeking, so he's been doing a lot of great things like jumping, spinning in his saucer, and swinging as well as not so appropriate ones, like chewing anything in sight, scratching his nails along walls, and banging different objects onto various surfaces.  Here's what happened with Rex and a maraca a few nights ago:

We've had one or two long days with a lot of intense tantrums, but the good news is that even in the most severe moments, Rex no longer hits himself or bangs his head.  The bad news is that he has now started to pinch us instead.  I know it's a phase as he is trying to replace one behavior with a more appropriate one which I still think this is.  I believe that some day, he will truly know how to express and handle his emotions in an acceptable manner.

Elina, Connor and Rex watching TV

While we are experiencing a little regression, there has been a good bit of forward motion developmentally, too.  Rex learned to clap in imitation and he is now able to touch a teddy bear when we ask.  This is quite a sensory feat for him as he definitely doesn't prefer stuffed animal texture.  We're moving on to trying to get him to hug the bear now.  Rex also loves to sit and look at books with me.  He does a great job turning the pages and lately points to things on them, so I can tell him what they are.  It's been great to see him generalize the signs he knows (for example, he has applied the sign for light to flashlights, room lights, campfires, sunshine, light-up toys, candles, street lights, and reflecting prisms) and use them in a variety of settings, even away from home, with a number of different people.  In his last OT session, he asked Ms. Kristen to swing and to sing by using his signs and also told her when he was finished.

Time for a catnap

What has been a most wonderful new achievement is that Rex is giving us hugs.  We can ask for one, but there have also been spontaneous hugs for Craig and me.  And these are real hugs with his arms around our necks, holding tight.  I still get teary-eyed every time this happens.  No matter what else, I know this little boy loves us with a fierceness all his own.

Stay tuned for more Together Forever Month posts over the next few weeks.

By Popular Demand

By popular demand here and via email, I am sharing the recipe for the blueberry lemon cobbler.  I am not very exacting when it comes to baking (I really want to be like my Oma who used to just pour the ingredients straight from the bag into the bowl), so I always make extra topping because we like it across the entire cobbler, not just dots here and there, and if  have extra blueberries, I throw them in as well:

Blueberry Lemon Cobbler

Enjoy!

Blueberry Bonanza

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Marie and I headed to Indiana to pick blueberries.  After a few hours of work, I came home with about fourteen pounds of antioxidant bounty.

I made four jars of blueberry freezer jam.  This is the first summer that I own a freezer and I am loving it.  Freezer jam is so much faster and easier than traditional jam.

I also cooked some lavender-blueberry jam the old-fashioned way.  I grow the lavender myself and when I found the recipe, I decided to try it.  It turned out well, like a berry jam with a floral note.  I canned several six-ounce jars of this concoction to be used as part of teachers' gifts at Christmas.

And, of course, I froze some blueberries to be used in pancakes and sweet breads throughout the winter.

As every year, the piece de resistance was a family favorite: blueberry lemon cobbler.  This thing was gone in less than 24 hours.  Rex loved it, Craig and I have always been crazy about it.  We even scooped some fruit only out for Emilia and crumbled dairy-free lemon cookies on top, so she could enjoy the treat with us.  Delicious.

Now that I have stocked up on berries, I am waiting for peaches.