We had our student stay with us for the weekend. She was 16 (Korean years), 14 (American years). She went by Grace, but her name is JinJoo. She was VERY quiet. Though, I think when I wasn't around and it was just her and the girls, she talked more. The girls loved having her. Chelsi attached herself very quickly, which was very much not like her. They were a little sad to see her go yesterday, but she had to get back. It was definitely a great opportunity for us....and I think we both had lots of laughs with a little bit of a language gap. :0)
Monday, January 12, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Potty for Webkinz
WARNING: This post is a little graphic. Not for young readers. :) :)
Not quite what it sounds like, but we're seeing if Chelsi will potty for a Webkinz. I told her the other night that if she quit peeing in her diaper, long enough to wear underwear, she could play games with us instead of watching. I tried to tell her big girls that wear underwear can play big kid games.
We're at the point we've tried everything for her to go potty. Sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn't. It's not really that she can't, I don't think. She's just too busy and honestly, doesn't care. Everytime she says she's already wet she smiles kinda like "what's the big deal". We've tried offering money, candy, privileges, setting a timer, whatever. The timer has helped the most, but not worked completely. She, at least, goes willingly now. She rarely complains about interrupting whatever she's doing to go now.
Shortly after I told her she could play big kids if she gets into underwear she informed me that she wants a Webkinz like big sister if she wears underwear. I told her that was fine. She went on and on how she could take care of her Webkinz on the computer and sleep with it at night. She also told me she wanted an elephant like the one she sleeps with now. So, I made sure there was one and sure enough. For the last two days, she's been rarin' to go for that darn elephant. Tonight, I posted this picture above her potty, by her bed, on the fridge and one for grandma's house.
[caption id="attachment_294" align="aligncenter" width="250" caption="I need Chelsi!"]
[/caption]
She's working hard for this little guy and finally, even, went poop on the potty at grandma's. She's gone before, but only if we catch her and she finishes there. She went on her own yesterday, which, I believe, is a first! Go Chelsi go!!
Not quite what it sounds like, but we're seeing if Chelsi will potty for a Webkinz. I told her the other night that if she quit peeing in her diaper, long enough to wear underwear, she could play games with us instead of watching. I tried to tell her big girls that wear underwear can play big kid games.
We're at the point we've tried everything for her to go potty. Sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn't. It's not really that she can't, I don't think. She's just too busy and honestly, doesn't care. Everytime she says she's already wet she smiles kinda like "what's the big deal". We've tried offering money, candy, privileges, setting a timer, whatever. The timer has helped the most, but not worked completely. She, at least, goes willingly now. She rarely complains about interrupting whatever she's doing to go now.
Shortly after I told her she could play big kids if she gets into underwear she informed me that she wants a Webkinz like big sister if she wears underwear. I told her that was fine. She went on and on how she could take care of her Webkinz on the computer and sleep with it at night. She also told me she wanted an elephant like the one she sleeps with now. So, I made sure there was one and sure enough. For the last two days, she's been rarin' to go for that darn elephant. Tonight, I posted this picture above her potty, by her bed, on the fridge and one for grandma's house.
[caption id="attachment_294" align="aligncenter" width="250" caption="I need Chelsi!"]
[/caption]She's working hard for this little guy and finally, even, went poop on the potty at grandma's. She's gone before, but only if we catch her and she finishes there. She went on her own yesterday, which, I believe, is a first! Go Chelsi go!!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Our Korean student is coming Friday!!
How fun! We don't know her name, yet, or anything about her. We know she's around 14 years old and from a rural part of Korea, but where exactly, we will find out. She only stays through Sunday, but it will be interesting and fun. We're hoping to learn a little more Korean and Kaelin's so excited she can hardly stand it. She asked me last night "what [she] should teach her". :) She wants to be able to teach her English so bad, but she may already know it quite well. I've been told their English language skills vary quite a bit. We're just supposed to do what we normally do and she will participate as a family member, so nothing exciting. But doing ordinary things with a new member in your house has to be interesting. And hopefully, we make a new friend.
Can't wait!! Now, I need to continue teaching the kids how to say anyeonghasaeyo.
Can't wait!! Now, I need to continue teaching the kids how to say anyeonghasaeyo.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Photos from Christmas
Not much time to really say anything, so I'll just leave some of the pictures we took. They were at various places for Christmas, hence the change in outfits. The kids pretty much loved everything they got. I can't think of anything they dismissed, so while they were not spoiled with lavish gifts, they got great things they loved.
Cole received a toolbox complete with some small tools, camoflauge pants, a PS2 game, remote control car, a nerf dart game to share with Chase and a couple of other small items.
Chase received a remote control car, the dart game to share with Cole, Boggle, a basketball, baseball bat, MP3 Fuze (which was really cool), some boots, a Leapster game and some other small items.
Kaelin received MORE Polly Pockets, her cherished Charcoal Cat Webkinz, a Leapster game, magnadoodle, a bike, bed lamp, bath robe, TinkerBell movie, a storage footrest, Trouble (for trouble) and some other items.
Chelsi received Polly Pockets (to which she has yet to show interest), her "very own" Leapster (in her words), a Leapster game, Cranium Hullaballoo (which all 4 love!), Hungry Hippos, her princess tent, a storage footrest, princess tea set and some other items.
Grandma and Grandpa received a laptop from us and the kids since they refuse to accept money for all the kid watching they do...summer breaks, Christmas breaks, afterschool, etc. I think it caught grandma a little off guard and brought some tears, but we were happy to make that purchase!
Cole received a toolbox complete with some small tools, camoflauge pants, a PS2 game, remote control car, a nerf dart game to share with Chase and a couple of other small items.
Chase received a remote control car, the dart game to share with Cole, Boggle, a basketball, baseball bat, MP3 Fuze (which was really cool), some boots, a Leapster game and some other small items.
Kaelin received MORE Polly Pockets, her cherished Charcoal Cat Webkinz, a Leapster game, magnadoodle, a bike, bed lamp, bath robe, TinkerBell movie, a storage footrest, Trouble (for trouble) and some other items.
Chelsi received Polly Pockets (to which she has yet to show interest), her "very own" Leapster (in her words), a Leapster game, Cranium Hullaballoo (which all 4 love!), Hungry Hippos, her princess tent, a storage footrest, princess tea set and some other items.
Grandma and Grandpa received a laptop from us and the kids since they refuse to accept money for all the kid watching they do...summer breaks, Christmas breaks, afterschool, etc. I think it caught grandma a little off guard and brought some tears, but we were happy to make that purchase!
Then and Now
I was loading all of the pictures from my camera from Christmas to the computer this weekend when I saw the Christmas picture and it reminded me of something else. It reminded me of the picture we took of the kids the day Chelsi came home from Korea. We're just shy of 3 years since Chelsi joined our family and I can't believe how much they've grown and changed since that picture in March 2006. It's amazing how babyish the older 3 look. It's amazing how much Chels really hasn't changed, but has all at the same time.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Life changes and rearranges
and you have to keep up.
I couldn't sleep anymore and didn't want to wake anyone, so I got out of bed. I've been googling all morning for something to help Brian gain some more function/strength. As I was doing this I was thinking about how much our lives have changed. Not just since his accident, but ongoing changes. I think outside of anyone's family/relationships people assume other people's lives are better than theirs or perfect. I know I do sometimes. It's, most times, impossible to know the complexities in someone else's life. Never be too quick to judge that person's life. I have realized, more and more, through our experiences that, like Brian told our son the other night, "if you think you have it bad someone else always has it worse". VERY TRUE!
I know we have it good. In the scheme of life and important needs and necessities we have it all. I think others outside us would think we had a perfect life. For the most part, a quick judgement would make our lives look extremely easy. I know that others have had it much harder, but I also know the reality of our life and that it has NEVER been easy. We've had to constantly adjust to our ever changing rules in life.
When I thought we'd just get married, have kids and live happily ever after I was wrong. I would never say life is bad; it's just constantly rearranging my thinking, goals and expectations. The kid part came hard when our geneticist told us we would most probably not have mentally healthy children. That was a blow that changed the way I planned to go about having or not having our children. So, 15 years after she told us that we have 4 children. They were never easy to have, but we have them just the same. We just had to reroute our plans on how to have them.
When I thought we'd just have healthy children, I was wrong. I thought mental health would be our own real obstacle. When Cole was born with Tet, I was devastated. My healthy boy wasn't healthy. He never will be a perfectly healthy child. To us he is, but when you can't even get him nonrated life insurance you know society doesn't consider him perfectly healthy.
One more boy with a birth defect, subsequent surgery, and two adoptions later Brian's accident takes the largest toll on our lives. Our lives have been changed and rearranged for 15 years. We should be used to it by now, but you never get used to it since it's, obviously, never anything you could plan for. Not the stuff we've had. I mean, I can handle sick kids, multiple UTIs on one, annual heart care of another, the 4 surgeries between 2, the birth related issues of another and yes even the seizure, but Brian was hard. I don't know what it was about the accident; the threat of life, life as we knew it, being separated involuntarily? I don't know. I just know we've always been able to work our way through the other stuff with, relatively no issues. Maybe it's just because those other issues, though large to a lot, they weren't. We adjusted, we grew stronger. And while, "we're" fine, it's been a long road and we've still got some road to go. It changes the way you look at each other. Your dreams in life become different. How can they not? You see your spouse go through something at a, young age, that is hard to watch. Very few know the residual effects left from the accident. Most people assume he's 100% again because outwardly he looks that way. No one knows the hurt he has for himself or I have for him because he doesn't think he'll ever run again or have a comparatively normal muscle strength in areas he's lost. It's changed what we worry about, think about, dream about.
He's still new to SCI world. One year post-injury isn't that long, but when you're in construction and strength and movement is your livelihood, it's a tough one to deal with. You just want it to be a little more normal everyday and when it stops improving or is improving so slowly you can't really see it, it's harder to take. We work so hard at our marriage and kids. Part of all this makes us stronger, but I can't help but think part of it makes me weaker. I'm a worrier by Type A trade, so this gives me more to worry about through life. It does make us parent differently, which can be better. I just hope God gives us the grace in life to continue to deal with life-long changes such as the ones we've had. I pray He shows us what to do and others continue to give us the chances we need to make it and continue with lives as we knew them.
And I pray God gives others the chance to see past the outward appearance of someone's life and realize that no one's life is perfect and they are more blessed than what they think.
I couldn't sleep anymore and didn't want to wake anyone, so I got out of bed. I've been googling all morning for something to help Brian gain some more function/strength. As I was doing this I was thinking about how much our lives have changed. Not just since his accident, but ongoing changes. I think outside of anyone's family/relationships people assume other people's lives are better than theirs or perfect. I know I do sometimes. It's, most times, impossible to know the complexities in someone else's life. Never be too quick to judge that person's life. I have realized, more and more, through our experiences that, like Brian told our son the other night, "if you think you have it bad someone else always has it worse". VERY TRUE!
I know we have it good. In the scheme of life and important needs and necessities we have it all. I think others outside us would think we had a perfect life. For the most part, a quick judgement would make our lives look extremely easy. I know that others have had it much harder, but I also know the reality of our life and that it has NEVER been easy. We've had to constantly adjust to our ever changing rules in life.
When I thought we'd just get married, have kids and live happily ever after I was wrong. I would never say life is bad; it's just constantly rearranging my thinking, goals and expectations. The kid part came hard when our geneticist told us we would most probably not have mentally healthy children. That was a blow that changed the way I planned to go about having or not having our children. So, 15 years after she told us that we have 4 children. They were never easy to have, but we have them just the same. We just had to reroute our plans on how to have them.
When I thought we'd just have healthy children, I was wrong. I thought mental health would be our own real obstacle. When Cole was born with Tet, I was devastated. My healthy boy wasn't healthy. He never will be a perfectly healthy child. To us he is, but when you can't even get him nonrated life insurance you know society doesn't consider him perfectly healthy.
One more boy with a birth defect, subsequent surgery, and two adoptions later Brian's accident takes the largest toll on our lives. Our lives have been changed and rearranged for 15 years. We should be used to it by now, but you never get used to it since it's, obviously, never anything you could plan for. Not the stuff we've had. I mean, I can handle sick kids, multiple UTIs on one, annual heart care of another, the 4 surgeries between 2, the birth related issues of another and yes even the seizure, but Brian was hard. I don't know what it was about the accident; the threat of life, life as we knew it, being separated involuntarily? I don't know. I just know we've always been able to work our way through the other stuff with, relatively no issues. Maybe it's just because those other issues, though large to a lot, they weren't. We adjusted, we grew stronger. And while, "we're" fine, it's been a long road and we've still got some road to go. It changes the way you look at each other. Your dreams in life become different. How can they not? You see your spouse go through something at a, young age, that is hard to watch. Very few know the residual effects left from the accident. Most people assume he's 100% again because outwardly he looks that way. No one knows the hurt he has for himself or I have for him because he doesn't think he'll ever run again or have a comparatively normal muscle strength in areas he's lost. It's changed what we worry about, think about, dream about.
He's still new to SCI world. One year post-injury isn't that long, but when you're in construction and strength and movement is your livelihood, it's a tough one to deal with. You just want it to be a little more normal everyday and when it stops improving or is improving so slowly you can't really see it, it's harder to take. We work so hard at our marriage and kids. Part of all this makes us stronger, but I can't help but think part of it makes me weaker. I'm a worrier by Type A trade, so this gives me more to worry about through life. It does make us parent differently, which can be better. I just hope God gives us the grace in life to continue to deal with life-long changes such as the ones we've had. I pray He shows us what to do and others continue to give us the chances we need to make it and continue with lives as we knew them.
And I pray God gives others the chance to see past the outward appearance of someone's life and realize that no one's life is perfect and they are more blessed than what they think.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Sad AND Pathetic
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081221/ap_on_bi_ge/executive_bailouts
What the hey! They really should have to own up to their plan and go through an inquisition the way the auto makers had to. This is in sane. They make millions during a recession where most are losing their jobs, homes, etc. and only dream of making $100,000 a year, let alone millions.
And our government's big push to pass this stupid bank bailout was that taxpayers will make their money back and then some? Please! What a load of bologne. They guys had no scrupples to begin with. This is how we got in this situation. And they're not going to stop because the US government bailed them out. They going to take advantage and it looks like they wasted no time in doing that.
What the hey! They really should have to own up to their plan and go through an inquisition the way the auto makers had to. This is in sane. They make millions during a recession where most are losing their jobs, homes, etc. and only dream of making $100,000 a year, let alone millions.
And our government's big push to pass this stupid bank bailout was that taxpayers will make their money back and then some? Please! What a load of bologne. They guys had no scrupples to begin with. This is how we got in this situation. And they're not going to stop because the US government bailed them out. They going to take advantage and it looks like they wasted no time in doing that.
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