The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 406 on September 21, 2017:
1) US dossier from November 2011 referred a male child aged 1 year and 2 months
2) French dossier from March 2012 referred a male child aged 2 years and 8 months with features in health status
3) US dossier from February 2014 referred a female child aged 1 year and 2 months with features in health status
4) US dossier from June 2014 referred a waiting child (#3343) with a profile on the MOJ site
5) French dossier from August 2014 referred a male child aged 1 year and 6 months with features in health status and a family history
6) German dossier from January 2016 referred a female child aged 2 years with features in health status
7) US dossier from August 2017 referred a waiting child (#3271) with a profile on the MOJ site
8) US dossier from August 2017 referred a waiting child (#307) with a profile on the MOJ site
9) US dossier from September 2017 referred a waiting child (#3005) with a profile on the MOJ site
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The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 407 on September 28, 2017:
1) Italian dossier from August 2014 referred two brothers aged 6 years and 4 months & 8 years and 1 month
2) Belgian dossier from November 2014 referred a male child aged 7 years and 7 months with features in health status
3) Spanish dossier from December 2014 referred a male child aged 2 years and 1 month with features in health status
4) Swiss dossier from May 2016 referred a male child aged 3 years and 2 months with features in health status
5) Belgian dossier from November 2016 referred a waiting child (#3452) with a profile on the MOJ site
6) US dossier from September 2017 referred a waiting child (#3004) with a profile on the MOJ site
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Thursday, November 23, 2017
This Is Us
This year for the Thanksgiving feast it was just the five of us. By popular vote and based on our little family's preferences, we had egg salad sandwiches for our main meal.
After a laid back morning and afternoon, our extended family came over for dessert: pumpkin pie, peanutbutter pie, cherry almond crumble, and icecream.
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.
After a laid back morning and afternoon, our extended family came over for dessert: pumpkin pie, peanutbutter pie, cherry almond crumble, and icecream.
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| Go Fish games |
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| Biking - kind of... |
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| Cousins at play |
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
With A Little Help From A Friend
Rex is on an outing today with a new friend who we hope can serve as a peer model from time to time. When this photo of them rolled into my inbox about an hour ago, I couldn't hold back the tears.
It takes a village and we couldn't be more grateful every time that Rex's very special village gains a new member.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Together Forever Day #6
Dear Emilia,
Six years ago today, I carried you out of the only home you'd ever known into cold wind and sleet as the sun had almost set over Dobrich. You were light as a feather in my arms and your face showed sheer terror at what was happening to you.
I had waited and longed for you for months, enduring delay after delay, and now that I had you with me, I realized I didn't know you at all. You shied away from our touch when it exceeded the boundaries of what you had known, you were restless and listless at the same time, you did not seem to want to give life another try. I wasn't prepared to see your malnourished body when I peeled the clothes off you for the first time or to see the patches of missing hair on your head, the brittle nails, the deep circles under your eyes. I wasn't ready to hear laughter and crying that was indistinguishable, to watch you rock in a corner for hours while covering your ears and sometimes eyes, too. I was clueless about the level of neglect and trauma you had experienced which would show itself fully in the years to come. I didn't know the many diagnoses that awaited us.
This morning, as I was sitting on the couch, watching the news, I heard your feet patter down the stairs. I knew in a moment you would run around the corner and fling yourself into my arms, "Mama, Mama, Mama, hi." You snuggled with me for several minutes, being generous with your kisses and squeezes until you said, "I go see daddy" and off you were. I knew in another moment I would hear the words, "Daddy, I want hold you" from the kitchen. Oh, how much has changed.
You have learned so much this past year from riding a bike to just about using the bathroom consistently. Your teachers told me last week that your social skills have skyrocketed and that you are getting along fabulously with your classmates. You say, "No help, by myself" with increasing frequency each day.
As your face matures, I see your beautiful birth mother and grandmother in it more and more. I also see myself in your preferences about the world, in the way you say no and okay, in how you like to pepper your speech with German expressions sometimes. You're like your dad in your positive attitude and the way you can make people feel good about themselves.
This morning when I wished you a Happy Together Forever Day, you clapped your hands and exclaimed, "Happy birthday!" I was going to correct you and tell you it's not your birthday, but then I realized that in a way November 14 is the anniversary of your re-birth as a cherished and beloved daughter, sister, cousin, niece, granddaughter and friend.
Emilia, the last six years with you have been a gift to me. Having you in our lives is a joy.
I love you.
Your Mama
Six years ago today, I carried you out of the only home you'd ever known into cold wind and sleet as the sun had almost set over Dobrich. You were light as a feather in my arms and your face showed sheer terror at what was happening to you.
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| November 14, 2011 |
I had waited and longed for you for months, enduring delay after delay, and now that I had you with me, I realized I didn't know you at all. You shied away from our touch when it exceeded the boundaries of what you had known, you were restless and listless at the same time, you did not seem to want to give life another try. I wasn't prepared to see your malnourished body when I peeled the clothes off you for the first time or to see the patches of missing hair on your head, the brittle nails, the deep circles under your eyes. I wasn't ready to hear laughter and crying that was indistinguishable, to watch you rock in a corner for hours while covering your ears and sometimes eyes, too. I was clueless about the level of neglect and trauma you had experienced which would show itself fully in the years to come. I didn't know the many diagnoses that awaited us.
This morning, as I was sitting on the couch, watching the news, I heard your feet patter down the stairs. I knew in a moment you would run around the corner and fling yourself into my arms, "Mama, Mama, Mama, hi." You snuggled with me for several minutes, being generous with your kisses and squeezes until you said, "I go see daddy" and off you were. I knew in another moment I would hear the words, "Daddy, I want hold you" from the kitchen. Oh, how much has changed.
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| November 14, 2017 |
You have learned so much this past year from riding a bike to just about using the bathroom consistently. Your teachers told me last week that your social skills have skyrocketed and that you are getting along fabulously with your classmates. You say, "No help, by myself" with increasing frequency each day.
As your face matures, I see your beautiful birth mother and grandmother in it more and more. I also see myself in your preferences about the world, in the way you say no and okay, in how you like to pepper your speech with German expressions sometimes. You're like your dad in your positive attitude and the way you can make people feel good about themselves.
This morning when I wished you a Happy Together Forever Day, you clapped your hands and exclaimed, "Happy birthday!" I was going to correct you and tell you it's not your birthday, but then I realized that in a way November 14 is the anniversary of your re-birth as a cherished and beloved daughter, sister, cousin, niece, granddaughter and friend.
Emilia, the last six years with you have been a gift to me. Having you in our lives is a joy.
I love you.
Your Mama
Saturday, November 11, 2017
First Nations & Colonial Day
Ella and I have been working hard in social studies, learning about Native Americans, explorers, settlers, colonies, etc. Yesterday, we decided to go hands on by having a day of cooking that would celebrate American culinary traditions from hundreds of years ago.
We churned butter and since we do not have a churn, we used a jar. Having to shake that jar for a long time gave us a small idea of the physically hard work people did daily hundreds of years ago.
We baked bread:
We cooked Stewed Pompion (a Pilgrim standing dish) and Nasaump (a Wampanoag recipe) for dinner. We liked both.
And even though our kitchen was a crazy top to bottom mess at the end, Ella and I had a lot of fun yesterday.
We churned butter and since we do not have a churn, we used a jar. Having to shake that jar for a long time gave us a small idea of the physically hard work people did daily hundreds of years ago.
We baked bread:
And then we put them together:
We cooked Stewed Pompion (a Pilgrim standing dish) and Nasaump (a Wampanoag recipe) for dinner. We liked both.
And even though our kitchen was a crazy top to bottom mess at the end, Ella and I had a lot of fun yesterday.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Oh Canada
Craig had to go to Canada on business, so we decided to make a little family vacation out of it. I am so thankful that we have the opportunity to travel some of the world with our kids and expose them to many different experiences.
We left CVG super early in the morning on 10/27 and arrived in Toronto about 9:00 am. Craig dropped us off at the hotel two hours outside of the city and the kids and I spent the day eating, swimming, sleeping, and playing while he had to work.
The weekend was ours to plan, but with very variable weather, this was not an easy feat. Due to rain, we chose an indoor activity for Saturday morning visiting the National Air Force Museum of Canada. Rex likes airplanes, so we figured it was a safe bet. After lunch, we headed west to get a little closer to Niagara Falls for Sunday. We wanted to eat dinner at Craig's and my favorite Canadian restaurant, but even at 5:30 pm the wait was already 40 mins and carry out was not available until 7:00. So, we just ordered a pizza and turned in for the evening.
Craig and I have been to Niagara Falls before and were excited to introduce the kids to this majestic site. Unfortunately, it was a dreary Sunday, but we still enjoyed ourselves for a few hours.
Monday was a work day for Craig, so the kids and I lounged around the hotel, swimming, eating, playing, napping - utterly non-productive and enjoyable. And our friend Nancy dropped by and took us out to a neat playground for a while. In the evening, we joined Craig and his colleagues for dinner.
We left Canada yesterday afternoon and made it home just in time to go trick or treating.
We left CVG super early in the morning on 10/27 and arrived in Toronto about 9:00 am. Craig dropped us off at the hotel two hours outside of the city and the kids and I spent the day eating, swimming, sleeping, and playing while he had to work.
The weekend was ours to plan, but with very variable weather, this was not an easy feat. Due to rain, we chose an indoor activity for Saturday morning visiting the National Air Force Museum of Canada. Rex likes airplanes, so we figured it was a safe bet. After lunch, we headed west to get a little closer to Niagara Falls for Sunday. We wanted to eat dinner at Craig's and my favorite Canadian restaurant, but even at 5:30 pm the wait was already 40 mins and carry out was not available until 7:00. So, we just ordered a pizza and turned in for the evening.
Craig and I have been to Niagara Falls before and were excited to introduce the kids to this majestic site. Unfortunately, it was a dreary Sunday, but we still enjoyed ourselves for a few hours.
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| Emilia called this "a strong water" |
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| Ella couldn't have loved the boat tour more |
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| Rex love-hated it - this was a love moment |
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| I figured we'd not get a photo of all five of us, so took this selfie- obviously I don't have much practice |
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| Then a nice lady offered to snap this shot |
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| Rex couldn't get enough of being on the SkyWheel |
Monday was a work day for Craig, so the kids and I lounged around the hotel, swimming, eating, playing, napping - utterly non-productive and enjoyable. And our friend Nancy dropped by and took us out to a neat playground for a while. In the evening, we joined Craig and his colleagues for dinner.
We left Canada yesterday afternoon and made it home just in time to go trick or treating.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Home School Update
Ella has now passed 300 hours of instruction for the 2017/18 school year and is doing very well with her new educational setting. She seems to be learning and, more importantly, retaining skills and information at a rate we've never seen before. She enjoys her frequent field trips (she has four of them lined up in the current seven days), quite often accompanied by our Ms. Rie and she has adjusted well to meeting with her academic intervention specialist, Mrs. C., twice a week. Mrs. C. and Ella are actually working ahead of grade level in some areas which is impressive.
We have read almost 40 books since mid-August and visit the library nearly every week. Aside from language arts and math, we have covered a variety of topics in social studies, science, music and art. We ride our bikes each day, jump on the trampoline, and complete one hour of neurological reorganization therapy per day. Ella also works with Gina, our trusted OT, in home for an hour each month to address handwriting and other fine motor IEP goals.
Even though she does not attend school with them anymore, Ella has multiple opportunities each week to see her friends and spend some time with them.
Overall, home schooling Ella has gone better than anticipated. We have our tough moments, but Craig and I have not regretted the decision we made for our eldest's education at this time. Others have noted that she seems more relaxed and happy which makes it all worth it.
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| Before a performance at the Aronoff with a friend |
We have read almost 40 books since mid-August and visit the library nearly every week. Aside from language arts and math, we have covered a variety of topics in social studies, science, music and art. We ride our bikes each day, jump on the trampoline, and complete one hour of neurological reorganization therapy per day. Ella also works with Gina, our trusted OT, in home for an hour each month to address handwriting and other fine motor IEP goals.
Even though she does not attend school with them anymore, Ella has multiple opportunities each week to see her friends and spend some time with them.
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| Ella's reward for passing 300 hours was to attend a Colts game with her dad |
Overall, home schooling Ella has gone better than anticipated. We have our tough moments, but Craig and I have not regretted the decision we made for our eldest's education at this time. Others have noted that she seems more relaxed and happy which makes it all worth it.
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