Our Grass Grows Pizza...

Here is the story I promised you a week ago...

We moved into a new house with all new (to us) appliances. Most of them we've figured out how to use quite easily. The fridge - very cold (are those ice chunks in my almond milk? Yes.) The microwave - thirty seconds is more than enough, fifteen seconds is perfect for rewarming Raccoon's pizza.

Ahhhh, the pizza. My first try burned to a crisp in 20 minutes flat. Our kitchen is veeeeery far away from our living room, so no one smelled the smoke until it was too late. My husband was worried that we would set off the fire alarm, so he grabbed the pizza out of the oven and chucked it through the window onto the grass. The pizza (modified for allergies) was going to be a special surprise for Raccoon, but all was lost. However, culinary disasters are not new to me and my questionable kitchen skills, so I simply set about making another one. My mom, ever the economizer, called to ask if we couldn't at least save the cheese on top. The cheese that wasn't burnt black, of course. My husband peered at the pizza, now out in our back yard, and decided that some of it was edible. So he went into the living room and told Raccoon that our amazing American grass grew pizza. Raccoon, my little scientist, needed proof:

 

 

My dad saved the day by going to his favorite pizza place and checking the ingredients thoroughly for corn. Upon securing a corn-free pizza, Grampa was declared hero for the day.

 

Happily, my second try the next day (cooked for 10 min), came out perfectly. 

Stuffed Memories

 

This bear, Fuzzy, was my best friend growing up. I won her in a raffle that my Grammie and Grampie took me to, much to my parent's dismay as we were soon moving (again). But they made sure she came everywhere we went, even in a barrel to South America. She is the only one of my stuffed animals to survive until now, care of my mother. She is wearing my brother's Tigger tie.

 

 

Robin is just getting to know Mr. Turtle.

He belonged first to SB, then to Raccoon, and now to her.

 



The Many Faces of Robin

 

DELIGHT

when she sees her mommy. Awwww.

 

SURPRISE

is the expression on Robin's face most frequently when she looks at her big brother.

Her eyebrows frequently go much higher when she watches him play. :)

 

 

BORED

I am not having fun at the children's museum, Mommy.

 

 

QUESTIONING

why are you always pointing that thing at my face, Mommy?

 

 

CHEEKS

enough said.

 

 

 

 

You're beautiful, Robin, inside and out.

You have brought peace to our family, baby girl.

We love you!

 

 

 

Fleeting

I changed the picture on my blog a few days ago. My son was jumping on the trampoline and I was trying out my new camera. I caught several amazing moment of him in midair. Smiling. Happy. Carefree. Playing with his hat like it was the best thing in the world.

For a moment, it was.

Life has been hard around here lately. I haven't written about it much, but transitions are tough for our family. Little ones are like thunderstorms, but this moving countries was a flood that carried us away. We are just now finding some dry land, but the water is still rising. After days of complete turmoil, I ask myself, "Why did I think this would be a good idea?"

That is why the  moments of grace have been especially sweet this week.

"Bye, Raccon," I said with an ache in my heart. He has needed me so much lately and I haven't been able to be there for him. "Bye, Sweetie," he replied.

"She's nice, Mommy," he whispered to me in our new doctor's office. The Lord heard this momma's cry and answered it.

"Thank-you, Mommy!" And a big kiss on my leg after I told him he could have more ice cream (a special one we found).

His childhood is like that one moment I caught where he is suspended in the air. Time stopped for a moment, then rushed on. The things that are driving me crazy this week will be gone soon enough. I will not wish their childhood away, it is fleeting enough already.

Hosting an Orphan

When I was in high school (not in the US), a local orphanage allowed families to take a baby or toddler home for Christmas. I only recently heard of a family that regularly hosted older boys from Ukraine for the summer.

Go read this. Please? I especially feel drawn to the stories that Adeye posted about Russell and Janet, two high schoolers who are working so hard in school and want to study in the U.S. I hope each of these children gets a chance to be loved for 5 weeks this summer. And it greatly increases their chances of being adopted, by 80%!!! I can see why. With young children at home, I would worry about adopting an older child, unless I knew them specifically. So having 5 weeks to become well-known by a family or community is a great idea.

Maybe some day... until then I pray for this dream to come true for them.

To all the "other" moms

I just wanted to say thank-you to my mom on Mother's Day, along with a special thanks to all of the woman who have also shaped my life in some way. I wouldn't be here today without all of you.

Special Needs Parents

have special needs too.

A friend of mine (who also has young children) posted on facebook about an upcoming trip to celebrate her tenth wedding anniversary, just her and her husband. I must confess that I felt envious. The last time my husband and I even went out to dinner together (alone!) was the night before SB died, almost 6 years ago. Two years ago on our ten year anniversary, Raccoon was one and a half. We couldn't leave him with anyone for an hour, let alone 5 days.

"F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote that the test of a first-rate intelligence

is the ability to hold two opposed ideas at the same time, yet still

retain the ability to function. To be able to see, for example, that

things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.

By that definition, I must be a genius.

We parents of special needs kids face overwhelming joy and sadness,

intense love and frustration, breathtaking wonder and fear—often in

the course of a single day. We work tirelessly to help our kids succeed

in the world, even when we have no idea what that success will look like.

We are given so much reason to be hopeless, and yet, sometimes hope

alone propels us forward."

 

From an essay called Lost.

 

 

 

I do hope that one day Raccoon and Robin will be happy, functioning adults. Then my husband and I will have all the time in the world to travel together. But for now, we'll stick to manageable outings, like to the grocery store and back.

Winning Me Over

I frequently browse through blogs that a friend has shared or that I stumble across. I honestly don't become a faithful reader of many, but the ones I like the most have three things in common: honesty, frequent posts, and a story. This is why I especially like "trying to get pregnant" and adoption blogs, because they are working towards a goal. The fastest way to lose me as a reader is to not post anything for weeks. The posts don't all have to be exciting, I like reading about almost anything once I'm invested.

When I think of my own blog, I have the first two things, but no goal or overall unifying theme. I don't even fit into a blogging category besides "life." I just write about whatever pops into my head, or my current worries. Could I change this? Perhaps. Am I writing this looking for readers? Nope. So I shall muddle along doing what I like. If you are stopping by, I hope you'll stick around.

Coming soon... How my grass grows pizza. (See? I'm adding in a little suspense for good measure.)

:)

Laughter

"A problem well stated is a problem half-solved."    -- Charles F. Kettering

I am not playful enough with Raccoon. It's something I've been thinking about a lot the last few months as I see Raccoon drawn more and more to my husband and wanting to spend less time with me. Raccoon has always been very strong in his parental preferences, switching back and forth between us over the years, but lately it's been more pronounced. If he's playing with my husband and I show up, he tells me to leave, or shuts the door to keep me out. Because I spend our time enforcing limits and routine tasks that he dislikes, I've become the rain-on-his-parade.

Robin is just starting to laugh. Raccoon earned her first three laughs the week before we came to the States. Her face lights up whenever she sees him, and he loves her right back.

"For young children, laughter — particularly the kind
that starts with a gurgle, rises to a giggle, and ends in
near spasms of joy — is a built-in tension-release
mechanism, taking the edge off all that hard work of
being a baby.

You're also teaching them by example. They're learning
that playfulness can transform distress, a powerful way
to help children develop tension regulation.

Need yet one more reason to yuk it up in the first year?
It seems good-humored moms have elevated levels of
melatonin in their breast milk, so their baby sleeps more
soundly. For a sleep-deprived parent, that's nothing to laugh at."

From How to Raise a Fun and Funny Child

Choices? Loving It!!!

We have arrived in Washington State. Woohoo! The flight was atrocious (an overnight, bad idea) and both my children have been sick (finding a doctor in a new town, not fun). But now, on our fifth day, we are finally feeling better and ready to begin our U.S. adventures.

I wrote a post about choice fatigue, but surprisingly, I am loving all the options so far, at least when it comes to food. It is awesome to see my son eating and drinking new things that I know won't hurt him! He didn't want to eat anything the first few days, to the point where I was very worried, but things are okay now. His new favorites? All-natural popsicles, organic chicken hot dogs (no nitrates), and cereal (a generic honey o kind). Thank-you USA.