Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Mary Out and About

The last three weeks have made us wonder how we ever functioned without this little girl in our lives! Little girl has us all wrapped!
 
 
 
She is such a tough little girl and is unbelievably uncomplaining. As many times as she seizes, despite bumps and bruises all over her from all her falls, she recovers each time and just goes back to whatever she was doing. I don't know many children who would tolerate head gear, but she wore this crazy motorcycle helmet for days without a fuss while we waited for her real helmet to arrive.
 
 
She loves all things sensory. She loves other children and is LONELY at home with just Mama and Papa when the little boys are in school.
 
She's still pretty much non-verbal but does have a few words she says - some we wish she didn't have. Although we do use some signs, we are hesitant to do a lot of sign language because we know that she is capable of talking, and right now we want to encourage her to find her voice. Language is going to take her a long time, but we went through the same process with Aaron who never ever stops talking. We give lots of prompts, first letter sounds and a whole lot of praise. She loves the praise part!
 
If you signal it is time to go outside... this is where she is going to head.  No competition.
 

This comes in second place. Years ago I bought this little cart at a yard sale thinking maybe Aaron could ride. Nope. It didn't work. In fact, despite have lots of children at our house over the years, no one has ever really been able to ride it, and many times over the years I have considered selling it. I am so grateful we kept it.
 
 
Little girl isn't quite strong enough to peddle it up the incline so we have to pull her up.  Aaron wins the prize for being the best puller. He hooks a bungee cord to the front, and she peddles, and he runs up the incline. He loves doing it as much as she loves being pulled. They go around and around and around together until he wears out.
 
 
Riding down is her favorite part! She was made for the road!
 
Her seizures have decreased, but we still have a long ways to go. It's going to be a long process to figure out how best to help her. Our next appointment is in two weeks and if she has not improved with dosage changes etc. they will most likely hospitalize her.
 

She started a one day a week preschool at the homeschool co-op where I teach. We had no idea what she would think of the idea, so Papa took her in the first day. Her shyness lasted for about 5 minutes, and then she was ready to roll.  This week she pulled me down the hall to her classroom running as fast as her legs could carry her!
 
 
This past weekend she attended her first drama production; Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We again had no idea how she would handle sitting for two hours watching a show in a totally foreign language. We had nothing to fear! Once she realized that the show involved music (her love language), dancing, really cool costumes and MAKEUP... she was hooked! One of the moms let her practice putting on makeup which was the absolute highlight of the day for her!

 
After the show was over she led me up to the stage so she could do some twirls and turns and then offer her own personal bow.
 
Once done with her personal performance, she happily helped Papa clean up the set!
 
Yep.
 
She's a gem.
 
 
We can't imagine how we functioned without her. Even so, it hasn't been a perfect three weeks. We have climbed into bed some nights completely exhausted and overwhelmed and just glad for a few minutes of respite. Keeping a child safe from non-stop seizures adds a stress that is hard to explain and difficult to live on a day to day basis. Our little boys are adjusting to their little sister and that transition brings another level of stress. We are adjusting to the new norm and trying to figure out how to get work done with a little one wanting our undivided attention. Navigating in grocery stores has been a new challenge. We can't just jump in the car and go - little girl needs her seat, sippy cups, snacks and other essentials that are not on our normal radar.  
 
It's been a challenge.
 
But she's precious and we wouldn't trade a minute of it.
 
------------------------------------
 
There are three babes who are just as precious.
 
They are all three gems.
 
 
 

 
Undiscovered gems.
 
I'm their MACC Warrior this Christmas.
 
I'm supposed to raise 1,000 in their accounts and do everything I can to find them families.
 
My new norm isn't offering me a lot of time to do either.
 
So I have to resort to begging!
 
Please - see them.  Please!
 
I wrote about them HERE.
 
They need swings and bikes and play sand and good food and lots of praise. They need loving hands and exhausted parents. They need to upend a family. They need to wreck havoc on someone's norm. They need their bruises kissed and their medical needs addressed.
 
Please, Holy Spirit - tap on hearts for these three!
 
Cadence and Jenni are in Mary's orphanage and I would not recommend that place to anyone! Ronald is in a decent babyhouse, but he faces transfer in the next year.
 
Gems.
 
All three.
 
Please share them and please help me raise the 1,000 in their grant accounts. I'm trying to figure out what I can do to raise their funds.  I am accepting any and all ideas!!  Anyone have something of value we could giveaway? Anyone want to offer some matching grants? I'm open for ideas! My new norm right now doesn't offer me a lot of spare time but I'm open to doing what I can.  I love these three.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

6 comments:

  1. Mary looks relaxed and self-confident in this pictures! Glad the seizures have diminished some - sounds as if you're on the right track. It's good to learn that Mary's world is expanding in so many good ways. Love that sparkle in her eyes!

    Advocacy for the Mary's "waiting friends" is absolutely wonderful. I just checked the trio's descriptions on RR - Ronald's specifies his diagnoses, but doesn't really describe the child - and a couple of his issues are not at all familiar. Perhaps you could update the description to make the real child more "real" to potential families (I just did this for Regina - keeping my fingers crossed for her as well as these three little ones).

    Meanwhile, your advocacy and awareness-raising via this blog, which has a very large readership, is a real blessing - you never just know where advocacy may lead.

    Best wishes to everyone,
    Susan in Kentucky
    Cousin to 2 from U.

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    1. I would try to translate the texts from the videos on changeonelife.ua on the weekend - but I only found the both girls there:

      https://changeonelife.ua/videopassport/2921/?region=7&gender=&age=&number=&_=1512597682016

      https://changeonelife.ua/videopassport/2763/?region=7&gender=&age=&number=&_=1512597682019

      I couldn't find "Ronald" whether on this site, nor on the national adoption site sirotstvy.net.
      I'll send the texts here - and you can edit them (my English is not really perfect) and forward it where you think it would be good to reach the potential parents.
      You can also reach me via email: lasst.uns.einander.lieben@gmail.com

      With best regards from Berlin
      Natalia

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    2. The promised translation of the both videos. Sorry, that it lasted much longer as I previously meant.

      Cadence (Viktoria)

      This pretty girl's name is Viktoria, and she was born 2010.
      Vika is a withdrawn child, and most of the time the little one spends in her own world. The girl doesn't speak, and she doesn't always respond the words directed to her.
      The active child has difficulties with sitting calmly and learning, because there are so many entertainments around her. During the classes the little one is playing often, or she is lost in her own thoughts, and she even walks sometimes through the classroom.
      Viktoria likes active activities: running, going for a walk, playing active and collective games.
      Although the child likes to spend time alone, on the playground she gets closer to other children and likes to play with them.
      Viktoria is a very tender and nice girl. The child needs the help of adults to explain her the new things, to get dressed and to take care of her in the canteen or in the classroom.
      The girl needs an individual approach and a lot of attention to get used to the difficult world around her.
      A lot of things will get much easier for the little Vika, if caring parents will appear in her life.


      Jenni (Daryna)

      This charming girl's name is Darynka, and she war born 2010. Dasha is in the preschool now, where she is preparing to get a schoolgirl. The girl can already write, count to ten and she knows colors.
      Most of all she likes to draw and to watch cartoons, especially the cartoon about Masha and The Bear.
      The child adores music. As soon as she hears a lovely song, she starts to dance.
      Dasha likes to participate at school performances, where she sings children's songs and dances good.
      In her free time she plays with the dolls and her favorite toys. Most of all she likes the games where she is playing the role of a doctor or a mother of a big family.
      Dasha is a leader in the group. The child likes to communicate with everyone, and she is able to organize the children for playing together.
      Also the girl is a helper for the educators. She likes to have a duty in the canteen and to water the plants in the corner of a living nature most of all.
      Daryna is an independent and a cheerful girl. The only thing she is lacking in her life is a loving family.

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  2. How calm and happy Mary looks in these pictures! And she's only been home such a short while <3. I know you'll still have things to work through ahead of you... but how happy I am that she's already doing better <3.
    Thank you for advocating for these sweet little ones <3. I don't have much to give to their accounts right now... I do hope to make as much of a donation as I can near the end of this month, even if it's small. The Christmas Angel Tree is one of my favorite fundraisers since the Hidden Treasures auctions are no longer going... I loved helping with those! I do run a Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/UnderTheTapestry... I have been considering the idea of offering that a portion of all sales will go to the angel tree this year, but don't know how to advertise, as this business is still rather small and I don't have many blog followers.
    Again, thank you for the updates <3. Give your beautiful girl a hug for me!
    Bri from www.forget-not-his-benefits.blogspot.com

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  3. Sweet girl! May I ask, how old is she? I don't think I ever knew while I've been following along on the count down to bring her home! (I've been a reader since Aaron) Is she about 5?

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Loving words from kind people make our hearts glad!