J Cooper Photography

For some reason we seem to be a magnet for medical emergencies/weird health problems as of late.   I’m not sure what is exactly going on…but everyone seems bent on taking their turn at the ER.

The weekend started out fine.  Friday evening we dressed everyone up and headed out for family pictures.   The kids were…well…kids.  They whined and moaned and cried because the grass was scratchy and they were hungry (although we had just eaten dinner).  But I think we still managed a few good shots in there somewhere!

We fell exhausted into bed Friday night and then spent the day Saturday working in the yard.  After dinner the kids were playing a rousing game of indoor soccer in our family room.  Sounds bad already doesn’t it?   Unfortunately, Sam’s head connected with the industrial metal-edged tv console and when I turned to find who was screaming hysterically…I found him on the couch bleeding all over my linen slipcover.  I’m ashamed to admit the first thing I yelled was “YOU ARE BLEEDING ON MY COUCH!!”  Shameful, I know.  But Mommyhood kicked into gear quickly and I scooped up my sweet boy and quickly realized we were headed for the ER.

Mr. P made a cool looking wrap for his head to contain the bleeding.  I tried to convince him that he looked tough but he wasn’t buying it.

Even the ER doctor was impressed with the gouge.   He finally settled on a combination of stitches and glue.  Super Sam was such a ham at the ER and kept everyone in stitches…HA (couldn’t help myself).  He asked the doctor, “can you see any of my body part through that hole in my head?”   Then he told the nurse, “I’ve been pretty amazing tonight…I think my mom should take me out for a treat…like maybe to Starbucks for some coffee.”

We snuggled in the hospital bed and watched “Big Bang Theory” with no sound.   Quite the entertaining evening.  The doctor was a bit of a creeper and kept insisting that he knew me.  When he asked if I wanted to wear his magnifying visor to see the incision I about lost it.  Uh…no thanks.

We rolled through Starbucks around 10pm Saturday night and once again….fell into bed exhausted.  Sunday was mostly drama free (hurrah!) and then we woke up extra early this morning for surgery to have tubes placed in his ears.

Poor little guy just can’t catch a break

I will be honest that there is a serious temptation to moan and whine about the onslaught of medical appointments and ailments.  But as I laid in that hospital bed this morning with my little guy I was overcome with gratitude.  I get to be the one to hold him while he works out the icky effects of the anesthesia.  And I get to take him home.  For so many parents, that is not the outcome.  And my heart hurts for them and all they have to endure.  My little one may or may not hear everything…but today…he came home and I had the gift of him for another day.

By tonight he was back to his bike riding, potato head building antics.

So thankful for him!  {But to be completely honest, I wouldn’t mind a break from all the medical drama for just a week too!}

I seriously wish I could bottle up this little man before he gets ANY bigger!

And just like that….our little man is THREE!!!

Oh my goodness, do I adore this little boy.  Everyone who meets him falls instantly in love.  He is a huge stinker.  A complete hand full.  But his smile and little voice just melt my heart a thousand times a day.

Last year at this time we were lamenting that he still wasn’t walking.  We were discussing wheel chair options for longer distances and perfecting our moves in our bright yellow walker.   Last year we were still struggling with eating, choking, and gagging.   We were taking terrifying rides in ambulances and seeing neurologists for a scary diagnosis.   But this little guy refuses to be defined by Cerebral Palsy.   He is so willing to work.  He’s never known an easy day in his life…and yet…he keeps trucking along…reaching for the next milestone.

This year he’s WALKING!  He’s so darn fast I could almost call it running!  He is climbing stairs with help.  He is eating regular table food with a spoon and a fork.  He is talking and putting words together!  He is riding a tricycle for Pete’s sake.  This little one is a MIRACLE every day.

We kept things simple this year and invited Mimi and Baboo over for pizza and cake.   We got him a brand new tricycle and a stuffed lion (for is collection).   We fussed over him and he belly laughed and showed off his best flirtatious smiles.

It was a rainy, gloomy night…but there was still a light in the eyes of this BIG BOY.

He may not be able to do everything other three year olds can do (yet)…but Danny has amazed everyone who knows him with his sweet spirit and determination.  I love him with my whole heart and thank God everyday that I was chosen to be his Mommy.

He is fiesty and sly.  He has a special way of tucking his arms under his belly when he lays on my shoulder.  He has crazy little eyebrows that go a million different directions.  He yells “NEEDS SOME!” every time he sees something he thinks he ought to have.  He looks amazing in yellow.  He has a family that loves him.  The world cannot contain the JOY that is this little boy.

Happy Happy Day my sweet boy.

Well, she definitely didn’t get it from me.  I couldn’t run around the block if a bear was chasing me.  I’m more of a sprinter…lightning fast (or so I tell myself)…but I fizzle out quick.   The Brainiac, on the other hand, likes to run.  And apparently, she’s pretty good at it!  She’s been begging to join Girls on the Run which is an after school program for girls in 3rd-5th grade.  They run…shocking I know.  And encourage each other to do healthy stuff.  Not really sure what kind of healthy stuff they encourage seeing as they fed them full of junk food at the end of the season party…but you get the drift.

The end of the season culminated in a statewide 5K run.

I wasn’t sure she could even run the 3.1 miles without walking (it was completely legit to walk if necessary).  But she assured me that there would be no walking on her part.  She was in it to win.  {they didn’t keep times but she was determined anyways}

Not only did she complete the race…but she ran the whole way!  And she came in in the top 30 racers out of several thousand.  Our girl can run!  Who knew??

{at the start line}

{getting her bib pinned on}

{pre-race socializing}

{pre-race flirtation by Super Sam}

{picnic on the lawn while waiting for The Brainiac to run the course}

{chillin with her friends}

{all done}

{participation medal}

{her biggest fans}

{”Now that’s what I’m talking about!”   Loading up on sweet carbs post race!}

My kids are at a fun stage where I feel like I am learning something new about them every day!

{Disclaimer:  Danny and I spent the day at medical appointment with the Shriner’s so we missed out on the fun.  All phonography is credited to Mr. P who was Super Dad for the day!}

Two months.  9 weeks.  62 days as a legitimate Cornhusker.   And life has changed dramatically over the course of these last two months.  We are busier…more tired.   There’s less time for blogging and crafting.   But our hearts are full and I think we just might survive the craziness that is international adoption!

Here are 62 things about Sunshine that make me happy to celebrate:

1.  ”One more hug and kiss” at bedtime

2.  light up tennis shoes

3.  ”whatchoo doing?” a thousand times a day

4.  long legs

5.  eyes squeezed shut during prayers

6.  silly songs in Amharic

7.  ”acavado”

8.  kindergarten worksheets

9.  little legs learning to ride a bike

10.  gut busting laughs

11.  Ethiopian accents signing praise songs

12.  teeny tiny hair braids

13.  ”eees tired” every morning

14. Temple Run

15.  crazy loud sneezes

16.  sleeping with her blanket over her head

17.  ”practicing” her cardboard violin

18.  coloring rainbows

19.  learning her letters

20.  chai tea

21.  the smell of little legs freshly lotioned

22.  drum playing

23.  parasite free!

24.  sibling love

25. brain freeze from her first ice cream cone

26.  squeels of delight on the elevator

27.  Letter Factory

28.  nature walks

29.  dandelion bouquets

30.  ”lip lips” for “flip flops”

31.  side walk chalk art

32.  falling in love with Mimi and Baboo

33.  fashion shows

34.  little school friends

35.  going to Gaga’s house

36.  loving American food

37.  picking out her own clothes

38.  asking for hugs

39.  loving the dog who terrified her at first

40.  chapstick

41.  meeting cousins

42.  complaining about the weather (”too hot!”  ”too cold!!”)

43.  umbrellas

44.  playing dolls

45.  animal crackers and Goldfish

46.  singing bedtime songs back to me

47.  hugs for her siblings

48.  holding hands to cross the street

49.  staying with me at the store

50.  train rides at the zoo

51.  sunglasses

52.  ”I love you too”

53.  buckling her own seatbelt

54.  sharing toys

55.  ”Mommy”, “Mommy”, “Mommy!!”

56.  scrambled eggs

57.  ”Mommy es teeeeny tiny!”

58.  ”Mommy’s hair es toooo long!”

59.  one more plate at the dinner table

60.  missing teeth

61.  lollipops

62.  she’s HOME!

Thankful for a heck of a lot this weekend.

Thankful for children who make my life full and busy.  Thankful for mothers on the other side of the world who chose life and happiness for their children over their own pain.  Thankful for the blessing of friendship and the example of my own mom.  Thankful for first “I love yous” and kisses.  Thankful for sisters who have taught me how to mother.  Thankful for friends who encourage.  Thankful for a husband who is enjoying this wild ride.

Thankful for church nursery duty,  races, afternoons filled with schoolwork, recitals, end of the year projects and a hundred other things that remind me that I’m a mom.

Thankful for God’s love showered down on my through this gift of motherhood.

Happy Mother’s Day friends.

A few weeks ago I took Sunshine and Super Sam up to the school for their screening.  Sunshine is actually doing kindergarten this year and we ended up deciding against kindergarten for Super Sam next year…but that is irrelevant to the story.

The school nurse checked their immunizations, their sight (that was pretty funny to watch with someone who knows limited English!) and their hearing.

Super Sam failed his hearing test.

The nurse recommended we see the audiologist for a full report.  I didn’t get too worried at this point…just made an appointment for the following week and tried to push it out of my mind.  But throughout the week I kept noticing things.  Like how often I have to ask him to speak more quietly.  Or how it is hard to get his attention when he is watching a movie.

We went to see the audiologist and she confirmed that he does indeed have hearing loss.  This news hit at the end of a very challenging week and I took it hard.   The Cooper kids will be receiving a myriad of services at our local school including the gifted program, Special Ed, ESL, etc.  I was not looking forward to adding a hearing specialist to the mix.

The audiologist confirmed that we are dealing with a conductive hearing loss in the middle ear.  She referred us to an ENT to discuss the need for corrective surgery (and potentially hearing aids).

{waiting for our ENT visit….enjoying a bit of one-on-one with my Super Star}

So we waited and I fretted.  And then the ENT looked at my boy and explained that he just needs a new set of tubes!!

Horray!  Hurrah!  I’ve never been so relieved for elective surgery in my life  We had tubes placed when he was 2 due to a build up of fluid and excessive ear infections.  Those have since fallen out and his ears are still not “mature” enough to handle the excess fluid.  So we will try another round of tubes and pray that his hearing improves (the doctor thinks it is likely).

So in a few weeks we will see our friend the anesthesiologist again (He just got back from vacation after the sum we paid him for Sunshine’s dental surgery).  And more good news for him….Danny will likely be having eye surgery too.  So he can take that deep sea fishing expedition he’s been drooling over!

Thankful for medical options that help keep our family healthy and strong {but REALLY hoping for a few months free of medical drama!!!}

A couple weeks ago we had a REALLY long week.  I meant to blog about it but the more I thought about it….the less I wanted to re-hash all the negatives.   The week included Mr. P out of town, a myriad of health emergencies (learning Super Sam has hearing loss and Mr. Stinker Pants needs eye surgery), and ended with puke in the elementary school hallway.  Suffice it to say…not one of our better weeks!

When Mr. P got home late Friday night, all I could think about was being ALONE!  I had NO plans for the weekend except to spend some quality time by myself.

But, Saturday morning the kids were up bright and early.  And by the time I groggily made it down the stairs, The Brainiac had written a persuasive essay on why we should all go to the Henry Dorley Zoo.  As if that wasn’t enough to sway my mind….she had Sunshine write “Please take me to the zoo!” at the bottom of her essay for extra persuasion.  {it totally worked}

So off we went.  And honestly…it was exactly what we needed.  It was way too cold to be at the zoo, but we had a wonderful time exploring as a family together!

{and I brought my camera!}

It felt really good to get out as a family of 7!!

On a side note….I’ve been getting lots of messages that people are having a hard time accessing my blog from Facebook.  I seem to have attracted a Frienemy that keeps reporting my blog for abusive content.  When that warning pops up…it will give you an option to continue through to the blog.  And I promise…I will keep it clean

Do you want to see something stinking adorable?

Someone got some girly girl hair today.   Do you think she likes it?

I told her she looks just like Mommy!  Which got me a rather confused look and then a BIG laugh.

Today was a GOOD day.  Happy chatter (her latest funny word:  lip lips=flip flops).  Playing outside.  Lots of sunshine.  A good day to remember!

{someone get this girl a bike already!}

Hope your day was sunny too!

I’ve got several things I really want to share…but right now things are moving so fast here I can barely keep up.  We’ve had a whirlwind the last few weeks with end of the year activities.

And because things are so crazy…I have neglected my big girl camera.  I need to get it out and take some pictures…I am really missing it.  But so thankful for my phone to capture at least a few memories when life is too hectic to do much else!

{The Librarian was here with the 3 youngest this weekend.   The kids had an absolute blast.  THREE continents represented at our kitchen table.   SIX first families…all joined together to create ONE family.  Makes me smile!}

{girl cousins lounging around}

{kind of blurry…but I love this so much!! }

{The Biggest and The Littlest (that were here this weekend) really hit it off!!!}

{story time}

{Went to my niece’s orchestra concert last night with my Mom and The Librarian.  Showed up in black pants, a coral coat, and my yellow purse.  Too bad my mom showed up in the exact same combo.  I am my mother.}

{then the Librarian broke up our obnoxious look-a-like photo with some good old fashioned khaki and it was fine!}

{Awana is over…whew.   I hate to admit the relief.}

{she blew through 3 books this year!}

{I have no words.}

{It’s not all sunshine and rainbows.  But my fridge is full!}

{End of the year concerts are in full swing!!!!}

I promise to share some pretty pictures soon.   Or maybe a poignant though to share.

Heck, I’d settle for a complete sentence or two!

We’ve been home for over a month now (actually going on 6 weeks).  So I thought it was time to recap a bit of the past month in terms of progress.

Whew.  Can I just tell you I am so very thankful to have that month over and behind us.  There were some tough moments mixed in there that don’t need repeating.  But there was also joy.  And when I look back at this time in years to come…I’m praying it is the joy-filled moments that spring to mind.

So where are we after a month at home?

We are…more settled.  Less whiney.  Less dramatic.  More funny.  We are able to go upstairs and downstairs (briefly) alone.  We are trying all sorts of new foods and liking most of them.  We are sleeping at night after a song and a kiss from mommy (or Daddy if mommy is unavailable).  We are enjoying school for a few hours in the afternoons.  We are talking up a storm…adding words and phrases almost hourly.  We are still frustrated at our lack of English though.   We are….making silly faces and teasing.  Giving first kisses.  Saying “MOMMY” 1000 times a day (at least).  Worn out.   We have an opinion about everything (especially shoes).  We have a new (cleaner) smile.  We are learning to draw and color.  We are learning to share toys and not pout.  We are…loud.   Playful.  Tired.  We are hating having our hair done.  We are loving dolls and horses.  We have learned all our ABCs, numbers to 100, shapes, colors, and letter sounds.   We will be working on reading soon.  We are confused by this crazy spring weather.  We are not a fan of the cold.  We like to say “whaaaat choo doin????”  We love “acavado”, bread, fruit, rice, chicken, and sugar!  We are…growing (almost out of size 6 already).  Flourishing.  Begging to go to Sunday School.  We are not a fan of mommy leaving the house.  We beg for things at the store.  We like for everything to be “fair”.  We have learned “please” and “thank you” and say them unsolicited.  We are seeking out hugs and comfort.  We are talking (a little) about Ethiopia.  We are not shy like the caregivers said.  We are home.

We are particularly thankful for an army of people who have encouraged us throughout this last month.  There is a bit of a tightrope walk to be had in sharing this journey.  Within the adoption community there is a real need to be honest and share the hard parts of the process (to prepare others).  Within my heart there is a real need to be honest and share the good parts of the process (to provide hope).  I’m hoping that these little glimpses into our lives are showing both.   But mostly I’m hoping they show that God never fails us.  Good.  Bad.  The ups and downs of life with a new child are not too much for God to handle.

I’ve never had a severe burn.  But something tells me that getting a skin graft is not a pleasant experience.  An invasive surgery that rips skin away from another member of your body and then grafts it in a new home sounds excruciating.  Not only are you left with a gaping hole…but also a new area that needs constant tending and dressing so that the graft will be successful.   And then there’s the waiting…to see if the skin will grow and the new member will accept the skin as its own.  And there’s pain in that process even though it provides beauty in the end!

That reminds me a bit of adoption.  Sometimes there is some pain involved in grafting a new family member into our body.  It creates gaping holes and takes attention and energy to get things growing again.    But then fresh, tender new skin appears.  Fragile at first…and then toughened up with the support of family…whole again and flourishing!

I would expect to ride this roller coaster for awhile as our grafting takes hold.

And in the meantime….I’ve got some decorating to do.  Oh, yes…you thought I forgot.  But I’ve got a project looming!  Praise the Lord and Hallelujah for home improvement projects!