Technology

Just because I love to blog, and I can't resist this mug (Eli you narrowly escaped my camera) or technology, I'm trying out the app for blogging!

Squeezing In A Blog

Both kids participated in the school Christmas program on Tuesday night. Sidney made her debut as a dove in the 3 year old live manger scene.  I was overjoyed to watch another of the moments I refer to as the “good stuff.”  It’s the stuff  that gives perspective to sitting in the waiting room during surgery or watching her struggle to understand her permanence in our family. Her performance was highlighted by getting clocked by the heavy stage curtain as it swept past her. Eli followed with the big kid program. It was enjoyable, because he didn’t baulk about it in the days leading up to the performance.  Of course, who could blame him after he was cast as a bell in our church Christmas program last year? An event which is sure to scar him for life. And as a side note, I would love to include some photos of Eli, but he is with his classmates, in the photos, so I can't post them.

In other family Christmas events, we celebrated with Tom’s parents and sister last weekend. We are a very blessed family. I might sound like a schmuck, but I truly enjoy giving more than receiving. Whenever I look around at the overabundance on Christmas, I can’t help but think about those who are truly without. Perhaps, this is because I read a very moving blog entry a couple of days ago. A missions group was in Africa. The person chronicling the journey discussed a trip to the local dump. People scavenged through refuse looking for bits of food. One of them had leprosy and was missing fingers. We are all born the same with the same heart, and we end up with such vastly different circumstances. The photos were like nothing I have ever seen. It puts so many of the issues we consider problems in our lives in to perspective. It makes completing my Christmas shopping a privilege and a joy.

Stepping off my soapbox, Tom’s schedule has slowed down considerably in the past couple of days. This allowed me to go caroling with Eli’s boy scout troop last night. It was rainy. In this part of the Midwest, we aren’t receiving any snow, and it’s warm and foggy. I’ll admit, I didn’t feel like going out again, wanting to stay where it was dry. Then, good Lutheran guilt kicked in. I started thinking about how much joy a couple of Christmas songs could give the residents. So, we went. Much to Eli’s chagrin, the parents also followed along and chimed in. Mr. Independent preferred mom didn’t come along. 

OK, I’m off to produce the family photo card. Yes, I’m a traditional girl. Cards and stamps please. There’s no other way.

A moment to blog....

Mom is vertical again and back to her normal chaotic pace. My strep throat is gone, but allow me a moment to whine. I remember it being miserable as a child. It is equally if not more miserable as an adult. I know I’m sick when Tom actually offers to care for me. Before you think I’m married to an insensitive man, I will say again, Tom is a wonderful husband, but he has no tolerance for any sort of whining during illness. Maybe it was seeing me huddled under two blankets, teeth chattering, and knowing I was still freezing that really sent him over the edge. It wasn’t pretty.  

Sneaking in a photo of Eli. He fights me every time.

After pulling myself out of bed, and facing my growing to do list, Sidney and I picked up her new shoes. Again, her limb difference is caused by fibular hemimelia. She obviously wears her shoes to school, and out and about, but it’s almost impossible to get her to wear her shoes at home. We have talked at great length with our orthopedist about the impact on her spine. He said she compensates well with her other foot. In addition, she doesn’t stay standing long. Like a normal kid, she’s up and down all the time. 

Speaking of shoes, I am in the midst of trying to get 90+ pair of flip flops and kid’s shoes to Des Moines. All the flip flops and shoes will go to an orphanage in Haiti. I started thinking about how many people wear flip flops in third world country’s. Cheap and a barrier between you and the ground. They can’t prevent disease, but it’s better than nothing. We function on such a different level of necessity in the United States. Which pair provides the most support, which pair is most stylish, which pair looks better. I am certain none of these questions will be on the mind of the people on the receiving end.  

I can’t stop thinking about the stories of the people who will wear the shoes. How did the earthquake impact their lives? Are all their family members still living? What happened to their home? Are they living in a tent? There’s so much devastation and lack of infrastructure to take care of the remaining chaos. I will never forget seeing a photo of Haiti about a year ago. There, amongst toppled buildings on either side of the street, people walked about like everything around them was normal. Obviously, nothing had changed since the day of the disaster, but they had to forage ahead despite the devastation all around them. And by now are the same buildings repaired? It saddens and angers me, but I know God has some lesson in all of this.

Fill Their Stockings and Half the Sky

Take a look at the fund raiser of another favorite blog. She has beautiful photograhs and best of all her little one is also a Chenzhou girl. Makes my heart sing to see the work she is doing to benefit Half the Sky. Sidney was part of the Half the Sky program in China, and it made all the difference in her ability to bond . Half the Sky trains and staffs orphanages with additional people, giving kids additional one on one time. A $5 enters a chance to win.