This & That

I know it's been quiet around here and truthfully, there's not much to report.  It's January and we're kind of hibernating.  My mom is here for the month and spoiling the kids and mending our clothes and trying to decide on the best treatment path for her shoulder injury.  Since my mom is giving me a hand with the everyday chores, I am trying to catch up on some bigger projects like cleaning out closets and organizing the office and basement.

The kids are rocking along in school and it's IEP season again.  Craig and I are both pretty busy with our jobs, so it's helpful that there aren't a lot of social engagements this time of year though we had a lovely dinner with friends last week, attended the birthday party of one of Rex's friends, and are looking forward to meeting our new cousin before the end of this month.

Rex has a new behavior therapist who consistently works 25 hours a week with him. She's terrific (Rex loves her and asks for her by name), really interested and engaged with Rex and it shows in Rex's progress.  The kid let me shop at The GAP (store closing in our local mall) the other day for an entire hour while trudging along patiently even though he really, really wanted to ride the escalator some more.

We met with a contractor to discuss remodeling our kitchen and dining room a bit and we're now on his schedule at the start of April - so exciting.  My washer and dryer won't be in the basement anymore when the remodel is finished which will make housework a lot easier. No more lugging heavy laundry baskets up and down the stairs and around corners and through doors I have to unlock first (kid-proof) and narrow hallways.  I know, I know, first world problems.  I started looking at colors which is a little tricky as we're not starting with a blank slate and am open to recommendations for a stackable washer/dryer combo.

Thus far we're having a mild winter in our area with temps hovering around 60 on some days and highs not dropping below the 40s most of the time.  But I know February and March could still bring us lots of snow and cold.  We'll take it as it comes.

Hope everyone reading here is well and had a great start to 2017.

Dear Geneticist...

... over five years ago we sat in your office and you told us, after looking at his chromosomes and spending less than 30 minutes with him, all the things our son would never do.  Your words still replay in my head like a record from time to time, including this sentence, "Prepare to change your adult son's diapers."

Rex became potty-trained last week.

I wish I had had the presence of mind to tell you then, but I am here to tell you now:  Never underestimate the power of love and family, the determination and capabilities of any individual, or the size of a mother's dreams for her child.

Sincerely,

Mother of an awesome boy with a rare genetic anomaly

Christmas Eve Brunch

Last week we celebrated Christmas with our cousins.  We're not often able to reciprocate their hospitality, so we were happy to have them at our house for a Christmas Eve brunch which I decided would feature various dishes representing our family's cultures.  A meatless feast is traditional for Christmas Eve in Eastern Europe, so we prepared accordingly.

From Armenia: wedding pilaf - white rice served with dried fruit and nuts (we know that Ella's birth mother prepares a version of this for Christmas)

From the US: an apple pie variant

From Germany: Christmas Stollen

From Bulgaria: tutmanik (or mesenitza) - a traditional bread made with yogurt and feta and mishmash - a popular dish of eggs, roasted peppers and tomatoes

We also served fresh fruit and a bowl of nuts which are part of many Christmas tables in Armenia, Bulgaria and Germany.

From Our Family To Yours ...

... season's greetings

and warmest wishes for a joyous, peaceful 2017.

A Letter From My Daughter

In case you can't decipher this lovely note I received today, here's a transcript edited for spelling and grammar:

Dear Mama, You have been a wonderful mama for every single day of my life. I mean this to you.  Love, Ella.  Merry, merry Christmas to you.

Want - Need - Enjoy

As many of you know, Craig and I purchase three Christmas gifts for each of our children and we use the following guideline: something they really want, something they need, and something we think they would enjoy.

Here's what we got this year - everything has been delivered (online shopping all the way) and is wrapped.

Ella:

mermaid blanket (want) - $21.00
sewing kit (need - practice fine motor skills and creativity) - $23.00
dollhouse with all accessories (enjoy) - $158

Rex:

cup stacking game (want) - $12.00
socks via an adoption fundraiser (need) - $15.00
two new indoor swing attachments (enjoy) - $364 - covered by Rex's county funds, so really $0

Emilia:

new magna doodle and Llama Llama book (want) - $20.00
birthday cake cutting/pretend play set (need - practice fine motor and play skills) - $18.00
dollhouse with all accessories (enjoy) - $0

The girls are getting the doll house as a joint gift, so the cost of that purchase is essentially split.  Total cost of all gifts this year $267 - very reasonable.

Craig and I don't need gifts (unless it's the gift of quality time), but we have learned that giving and receiving presents is one of Ella's love languages, so we gave her an opportunity to earn some money between Thanksgiving and last Friday with the caveat that she could only spend it on others.  She's made some lovely and thoughtful choices for her siblings (finger puppets for Emilia and a light-up spinning toy for Rex) and has a surprise for Craig and me as well.

Another new thing for 2016 is that only one gift per child is from Santa.  Since we do not know how much longer Ella will believe in the jolly fella, we decided it was time to introduce presents from mom and dad this year to make the transition from one to the other easier when it comes.  It ties in nicely with it being the first year Ella is giving gifts herself, so we shall see how it goes.

Here's to four more days till Christmas!

Marion & Dick

When Craig and I were newlyweds and living in our first house, we made fast friends with our neighbors, Marion and Dick, a retired couple married over 50 years.  Marion and I grew a beautiful friendship through our shared interest in gardening, cooking and baking.  Many recipes were exchanged over four years, pies and breads made their way across the lawns to be tasted, and countless hours were whiled away in Marion's sitting room.  As a new wife, I so appreciated the wisdom and support of my much older friend.

Marion died several years ago of complications from breast cancer.  I wish she could have met our kids - she would have adored them just the way they are, exactly the way she did her own grandson with special needs.  I think of Marion often and definitely every spring when her irises bloom in my front yard and every December when I bake her molasses cookies with a recipe that has been passed down in Dick's family for about 120 years.

This year, I introduced Ella to the art of making Marion's molasses cookies and told her all about my wonderful friend.  Then we packed up a few cookies and sent them on their way to Dick, now nearly 90, in hopes that they would bring back a flavorful hint of his childhood and married years and let him know we love him.

I miss you, dear friend.  A part of you is here with me still and will be as long as irises bloom in spring and cookies are baked at Christmas.