Wordless Wednesday

Virus Alert!

I have a virus attacking my main computer. If you receive an email from me today, PLEASE do not open it!

Going Through The Motions

Not very well either I might add!

Happy Birthday!

My niece, Special K had her first birthday party this past weekend. Just look at how cute she is! We had a great time at her birthday party as did the kids. SK is already signing to her mama thanks to Baby Signing Time Videos. I love to watch her sign, it's so sweet!

Enjoying the first couple tastes of her cake. I'm SURE she did not sleep that night due to all the sugar! LOL

She loved the feeling between her little fingers. She worked at it until it was tiny little piece.

The aftermath! ;)

Bebo loved these glasses. He is one silly little boy!

Twink enjoying her juice and trying not to get wet!

See what I mean when I say she was trying not to get wet! LOL This is Spitfire who LOVES the water.

Umm, yeah this was my idea! hehe Poor Jewel went swimming.

Bebo's Art Award

Last night Bebo was honored for an art piece he drew. Seven schools participated in the Build A "Framework" Of Character Contest. There was one winning participant overall and seven 1st runner ups from each school. Bebo won 1st Runner Up for the Deaf School! :) We were all so excited and proud of him. His principle was so excited to share the news with us last week. 

Bebo loves to draw. It is one of his favorite things to do. I will say he is very, very good at it too. Some of things he does is just mind boggling. I have one piece on camera from when we were in China. This is coming from a child who had just turned seven mind you. My almost six year old does not draw nearly this good.

Bebo, we are so proud of you! Keep up the great work and do what you love for as long as your little heart desires.

Too Painful

Today's eye testing was too much for Bebo. He went to the eye doctor to have an ERG performed. Unfortunately when they placed the contact in his eye it was too much. If you'd like to view how they go about this procedure you can check out a video at the bottom of this page.

After they place the three main leads on him as well as the dilating drops we all sit in the dark for 20 minutes. Then the numbing drops are placed in his eyes by the use of red lens flash lights. (remember we are sitting in a dark room) After that is when they place the contacts in. Or should I say try.

He did great! They were all so impressed with how well he did. Unfortunately we will have to wait a VERY, VERY long year to repeat this test again, all the while worrying. *IF* insurance pays for genetic testing we may find out this fall.

Prayer Request

Tomorrow Bebo goes for further eye testing as his eye doctor was concerned after his routine vision test last month. Could you all please say a prayer for him as the test is not a comfortable one. That we would also receive the test results tomorrow and not have to wait any further with questions. Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday

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Looking Fear In The Eyes

Have you ever looked into an animal or a persons eyes and seen fear? I don't mean just any fear, I mean shear terror? I have and I see it more than I would like.

Twink has an extreme fear of doctors, dentists, etc. She is fine walking into the office but as soon as it is time to head back for her to be weighed and measured it is a total melt down. This is where her fear starts and my lack of muscles come into play. As long as it is a routine check things are pretty good. I call pretty good screaming, crying, and kicking. If the visit is one where she needs to be held for something then it is a different story.

Twink does not like to be restrained. It does not matter if I do it or someone else does. For the record, I prefer to be the one to do as I can be the one who looks into her eyes and talks to her. She has had so many tests where we have had to hold her. Numerous sedations, Castings, Botox, EKG, Echo, X-ray's, Lab Work but the worst two have been the EEG's and her eye exams. Both have to deal with her super sensitive head which has major sensory issues compounded with us holding her down. She goes into this fight or flight response. The only thing is she does not do the OR it's both!

Holding her for these procedures is nothing short of a miracle. The physical strength this child demonstrates during these times is mind boggling. It takes every ounce of energy and all my strength to hold her. Most times that is not enough.

Looking into her eyes during those moments breaks my heart. She looks like a scared trapped animal looking for a way out. Many times I have to look away when she is like that. You see her fear, her terror in her eyes. They are scanning the room searching for a way out. Searching for a reason as to why this treatment is being done. Soaking in every face that is doing this to her. Screaming at the top of her lungs that it hurts and she does not want it. Shaking her head back and forth. Her face soaked with tears and snot streaming down her face. It's all I can do not to cry with her. I know what they are doing is only helping her but times like those it's hard. It's hard to see her react like that.

All is better within a few minutes of each procedure with a little love and some holding. Oh how we dread those appointments though.

Racial Identification?

The look from Twink is about how I feel when we received a letter home from our local school district. The letter/form title reads Student Racial and Ethnic Identification. It states in this letter that they have adopted a new policy that requires them to collect this information. The information will be used for the following:

- Report information to the State and Federal Education Departments
- Plan educational programs and make sure that they are readily available to all students.
- Study the movement of students in different ethnic groups as they move from school to school.
- Analyze differences in academic performance, attendance and completion of school.

If this form is not filled out a student records officer from our school or the district will be required to identify the group to which the student appears to belong, identifies with, or is regarded in the community as belonging.

Does anybody else see this as wrong? I know people who do not have children of a minority race see no problem with it but I just do not see why this is REQUIRED! We have already given this information once when we register the child for school so why do have to do it again?

I can tell you that both of my children from China are register with the school system but do not attend the schools. One goes to a deaf school and the other is in the preschool program. We are moving out of the school district but I am disappointed that they have decided they needed this new policy.

What are your thoughts?

Flags Galore!

 

We went to a local park Sunday after we heard about all the flags that they had displayed for Memorial Day. Actually they were doing a fundraiser for a local school and this was the beautiful results. I think I read there was 1,300 flags and honestly it was a sight to see. 

These pictures really do not do them justice.