Wedding Bliss

July 20, 2013

We started today out with a Kidsave advocacy event, a family picnic at the park.  We were blessed with beautiful weather, abundant food, and lots of laughs as we played kickball and water balloon toss.  As we have seen over and over this month, Michel loves getting together with her friends from Colombia.  She has adjusted well to our family routines, but I'm sure it is a nice break for her to speak Spanish and not have to constantly navigate new cultural waters.

The chaperone who travels with the Summer Miracles kids spends a few days with each host family.  Today is the start of our turn hosting Monica.  She is warm and full of smiles, and we expect her to enrich the next few days as she joins our daily events.

At the end of the picnic, we all changed clothes to head for the wedding of Mike's coworker, Justin.  It was an accomplishment to get six of us changed into wedding clothes and on the highway (almost) on time.  Considering how many items of clothing and accessories we brought, I was surprised the only thing we left behind was the Crock Pot!

We arrived at Walnut Creek's Downtown Church just in time for the wedding...Michel's first taste of matrimonial ceremonies here or in Colombia.  Michel had seen weddings from across the street (the parents of her foster parents live across the street from a church), but she had never been inside to see the ceremony.  She and the chaperone were both excited to see a wedding in the United States.  According to Michel and her chaperone, many of our wedding traditions are similar in Colombia.  Others, such as the pouring of sand, were new to them.  Michel was captivated by each part of the celebration.

There was a significant gap of time between the wedding and the reception (also downtown), so we headed to the Science Center to see Flight of the Butterflies, a documentary about monarch butterflies shown on the IMAX dome-shaped screen.  The scenery was beautiful, and the story of the monarch's journey is fascinating.

After the movie, we walked several blocks to arrive at the wedding reception.  Or at least to the hotel where we thought the reception was.  I must have glanced at the invitation quickly, seen a hotel address, and headed that direction, but where we ended up was one of the hotels where guests could stay...many blocks from the reception.  (The sleep deprivation of this month may be catching up with me...)  The incredibly gracious driver for the hotel offered to drive us to the reception, even though we were not guests of the hotel.  Michel and Monica were great sports (although I don't know if there were entirely sure why we were hopping in a random hotel van).  We made it in plenty of time for dinner, and Michel enjoyed trying chicken parmesan, green beans, roasted potatoes, and bread.

After dinner, I taught Michel and Monica how to play the card game Set while we waited for the dancing to get underway.  As we have seen before, Michel is very bright and quick to catch on to new games.  Set can be tricky, learning which patterns to look for, but she understood it with very little practice.

At the reception, Michel also enjoyed meeting the bride and groom and asked for a few pictures with the bride and with the couple.  I hope these pictures spark dreams of what her future can hold.  Thanks to Justin and Chelsea for including all of us in the celebration, and for making a little girl's day!

When the dancing started, Michel said that she loved to dance, but that she was too shy to head for the dance floor.  Eventually, with the help of some familiar songs - and two little boys dragging her onto the dance floor, we convinced Michel to dance.  Although she danced with several different people, one group of women in their fifties seemed to welcome her into their circle, and she danced with them until it was time to walk back to the car.  (No, I didn't call the hotel shuttle to take us this time!)

The wedding ceremony left me in tears several times, as I thought about how much I want Michel to have a wedding someday.  I don't have any grand agenda about her getting married, but I want her to achieve everything she sets out to do, with the support of her family.  I want someone to be there for her, guiding her and cheering for her.  I want her to be in a stable environment where she can make lifelong friends, people whose weddings she will attend and whose babies she will hold.  I want someone to love her and cherish her for the rest of her days.  Weddings are inherently so full of hope and promise, and I am overcome by how much I want that same sense of hope and promise for Michel.

A heart inside a heart...
Could there be a more perfect fireworks picture for a wedding day?

On the way home, Matthew fell asleep, but Andrew and Michel were awake as we exited the interstate and spotted fireworks.  The local Clive Festival was held this weekend, and I was disappointed that all of the events today precluded us from participating in the giant slip & slide, the kids' craft activities, and the other fun happenings.  However, we were not too late for fireworks!  We parked on a nearby hill overlooking the fireworks and had a perfect view of the display.  It was perfect timing for our Colombian friends, too - July 20 is Colombia's Independence Day celebration, with parades and fireworks.  Hopefully tonight's display kept them from being too homesick for the festivities in Colombia.

Getting to Know Each Other

July 19, 2013

Mike took the day off from work today, so he was home to enjoy time with Michel.  A last-minute interpreting need came up with one of the other visiting children, so I was off to the doctor while Mike took Michel, our boys, and the neighbor kids to the bowling alley.  I didn't get a full report on the scores, but it sounds like everyone had fun.

Michel asked Mike to make her hot chocolate this morning.  She only drank about half of the mug but insisted on keeping the rest for later.

She often does this, making more food than she needs or only eating half of what she orders when we eat out, then saving the rest.  Sometimes, we can't keep the leftovers (e.g. if we are out and about somewhere and the food has to sit in a hot car for hours), and this seems to upset her.  I try to be very careful about not wasting food in front of her.  If something has to be thrown out, I do not do so in front of her.  I'm sure there have been seasons in her life where food was not as abundant as our supplies here.

Michel asked today what each of our boys' middle names are.  As soon as she knew, she started practicing, in her most stern voice, "Andrew Michael!" and "Matthew James!"  They responded in kind, with "Michel Dayana!"  It became a running joke, where the kids would face off and exchange full-name reprimands.  Another concept valid in the U.S. and Colombia:  use of both names when a kiddo is in trouble!

Michel loves to read and continues to work through Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  It seems this love of reading is reflected in her impressive vocabulary.  I don't think I've known many eleven-year-olds who use terms like "curmudgeon" and "stingy" in describing people.

Michel asked me today when children in the United States start talking.  I assume the range of "normal" development is similar in Colombia.  She said that children who do not have enough language exposure (e.g. parents who talk to them and read to them) talk much later than those who have language-rich environments.  I was impressed with how much she knew about the best ways to encourage language development in babies and toddlers, especially considering that she may have grown up starved for some of that contact.

Michel continues to seem more comfortable around us, opening up and sharing stories about life in Colombia.  She has many stories about the other children who have stayed in the foster home where she currently lives.  In her words, her foster mother has "suffered a lot," seeing children struggle with various situations, or knowing they may return to an unsafe environment.  She speaks extremely highly of her foster parents and seems to be very well-cared for.  I am so grateful that she is currently in a loving home.  I was surprised to learn from Michel's chaperone that Colombia does not appear to have a foster-adopt system like we do in the United States.  Even though Michel seems to be thriving in the current placement, the foster parents would never be eligible to adopt Michel or the other children in their care.

Michel talks about her hopes for adoption.  She does not report strong tendencies about what kind of family (e.g. older siblings, younger siblings, only child).  More than anything, she just wants a family to call her own.  I had to smile at one point - she said that every night in Colombia, after the younger children go to bed, she talks with her foster parents and tells them that certain children in their home will probably not get adopted, but that she will likely get adopted.  I love her confidence and self-awareness.  She seems to recognize that she is a responsible, helpful, caring young woman who will make a lovely addition to a family someday.  On the other hand, it breaks my heart to know that just because of her age, she has about a ten percent chance of being adopted in her home country.  I pray that her dreams of a forever family may be realized as soon as possible.

As Michel grows more comfortable, she is asking more questions about how to say things in English.  She seems to make a mental note of words she uses frequently in Spanish with us or the boys, then asks how to say them in English.  Her memory is remarkable; she very rarely asks about the same word twice.

Michel asked me today what "For Sale" and "For Lease" mean.  She has apparently been noticing the various for sale signs (several houses on our street are currently on the market) and commercial for lease signs around town.  She is constantly observing her surroundings and trying to learn new things.  I explained the two meanings.  She grinned and pointed at Matthew - who was in an ornery mood at the time - and said, "For Lease."

Hey, at least she doesn't want to sell him!

Tonight, Michel and I picked which of her dresses she wants to wear to a wedding tomorrow.  She tried on the possibilities and settled on a black and white polka-dot dress.  My friend Megan gave her a purse that could not be a more perfect match for the dress, and a friend of a friend gave her a pair of black boots that perfectly complete the ensemble.  She tried the entire outfit on tonight and looked so grown-up, so beautiful, and so confident.  With the support of a loving family, I have no doubt that Michel could take on the world.

A few days ago, Michel found the sidewalk chalk and scrawled her name on the driveway.  I'm not sure whether it was intentional, but it's in just the right place for her to see it from her bedroom window.  Yesterday morning, when I let the dog out, I found she had recently added two additional words to the "Michel":

Michel esta feliz.*  Michel is happy.  I hope that we have given her a wonderful summer vacation, and I hope there are many more joyous days in her future, with a family to call her own.  May she always be very, very "feliz."

(*Disclaimer to Spanish-speakers:  I know the final "a" in "esta" should have an accent mark.  I know the keyboard shortcuts for accent marks.  But for some reason, they don't seem to work in Blogger.  If anyone knows how to make them appear, please let me know!)

One Happy Kid...

July 18, 2013

Today was another "on the go" day, and Michel rolled along great with everything.  We started the day with dental visits for several of her traveling companions.  Michel did not have an appointment, but I was called to interpret for five other kids' appointments.  Thanks to Davidson Family Dentistry for seeing the Kidsave kids yesterday!  All of the staff were kind, courteous, and professional with the kids.  Michel hung out in the waiting room with our kids.  We came prepared with books, games, and lunch, and they kept themselves entertained for over two hours.  Michel enjoyed seeing her friends while they were waiting for the dental appointments.

After the dentist, we took Michel for her inaugural visit to Costco.  She said there is a similar store in Colombia and wondered if it might even be the same chain.  (A little bit of Google homework tells me that she's may be referring to PriceSmart, a similar company with the same roots at Costco.)  She loved all the samples and was willing to try every single one...although I don't think she'll be trying spinach dip again anytime soon.  I think she beats everyone in our family for her willingness to sample new foods.

Michel and I played one game of Phase Ten this afternoon - her latest favorite.  Any of you who have played Phase Ten know that it can take a loooooong time to get through all the phases.  Michel has found that it's easy to play just a hand or two when we have some down time, then pick up where we left off the next time we play.  She was so animated when she beat me today!  As soon as Mike got home from work, she engaged him in another round of Phase 10.  I think there may be a few games we send home with her to enjoy with the other kids in her foster home.  They bring her so much joy!

A friend came over for dinner last night with her two boys.  Her six-year-old son spent the whole car ride en route to our house practicing, "Me llamo Tyler."  ("My name is Tyler.")  He's not crazy about our dog, so after he ran to the kitchen table and climbed on a chair to get out of the dog's reach, I heard a little voice say, "Hola.  Me llamo Tyler."  Huge thanks to Megan for the new purse for Michel - she will love keeping her treasures in it.  Up until now, she's been stashing little items in her lunch bag when we go places - notebook, pencils, markers, etc.  I had to explain the silica gel packet at great length though - she was a little confused that I was throwing away part of her gift!  I let her keep the paper stuffing from the purse, but the "DO NOT EAT" packet had to go.

Michel loved having a little one here last night (my friend's two-year-old son).  I think she probably played with him more than the big kids!  She followed him around throughout the night, trying to engage him in games and offering toys and hugs.  Once he warmed up to the attention, I don't think he minded too much.  Michel enjoyed trying to decipher his toddler-ese English.

Bedtime was late, but once Michel changed into pajamas and brushed her teeth, she settled down well.  She spotted a copy of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" in Spanish on my bookshelf.  She read one board book to the boys in English and Spanish, with Andrew assisting her on pronunciation, and then she read the chapter book on her own, while snuggled into bed with me and the boys.  She said she has seen the movie version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  She must have enjoyed the book, because she kept reading long after I tucked two sleeping boys into their beds!

I'm not sure how to put this without sounding terrible, so I'll just jump in.  In all the required training sessions before we hosted Michel this summer, we heard about lots of various hosting and adoptive parenting scenarios.  In the online in-person training, we learned about the challenges that could come up while hosting.  I hesitate to even bring this up, because I don't want to scare anyone off from hosting or adopting, but we learned about food issues and sleep problems and behavior challenges and attachment disorders.  I admit - I loved the training, because it offered so many practical solutions to address the challenges that could arise.  But after more than two weeks, we have seen...nothing.  Mike and I have worked to foster positive attachment with Michel, but honestly, it has been easy with her.  She smiles, she plays, she easily engages with all members of our family.  I looked at her today, laughing hysterically as she ran through the house with our kids and the dog, and I thought, "She's a happy kid."  No child is perfect (nor any adult, for that matter), but in our experience thus far, Michel is a kid who adapts easily, laughs readily, and wants to connect with the people around her.  If you watch her play, you can't help but think she is one happy kid.

Fun on a Work Day

July 16 & July 17

After a busy day at the zoo Monday, we enjoyed a quiet Tuesday, playing games and hanging out at home.  At the end of the night, I gave Mike and the kids a bilingual book to read.  Michel dove in to read the English version of the story, and Andrew valiantly read the Spanish.  They gently corrected each other's pronunciation, and Matthew understood the story well enough to not get bored!

On Wednesday, we went to see Happy Feet through the kids' summer movie program.  Michel had seen Happy Feet in Spanish before.  We arrived a few minutes late, and she leaned over to me periodically with whispered explanations of what we had missed at the very beginning.  It was funny - instead of me interpreting for her, she was keeping me informed on the plot nuances I might have otherwise missed!

After the movie, we headed to our rental property for an air conditioning installation.  I knew the afternoon would be a measure of the patience and adaptability of Michel and the boys.  The installers said it would take up to four hours.  Four hours in someone else's home, trying to keep three curious kids from getting into trouble, is a challenge, but they did awesome!  We packed plenty to keep us fed and entertained:  games, puzzles, books, notebooks, crayons, and the requisite lunch and water bottles.

This should keep the kids entertained for the first hour or so...

Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I really expected more complaints from the kids.  "I'm bored," or "Are we done yet?" or "How much longer will we be here?"  Amazingly, no one commented at all!  We worked on a three hundred piece puzzle, we played a couple of games, and then the kids each curled up with a book on the couch.  Michel was fascinated by a few science books in Spanish that I brought along.  Before we knew it, the technicians were stomping up from the basement to announce, "We're done!"  I was so proud of all of the kids.  The only hard part was packing up all of our treasures again and loading the car.  It felt a little like leaving after a vacation!

After the air conditioning, I wanted to reward the kids for their patience and good behavior, so we headed for Baskin-Robbins.  Michel was thrilled to see the line-up of thirty-one flavors and tried all of them!  Okay, not quite thirty-one, but a few more than I usually allow my kids!  She settled on pink bubble gum ice cream - apparently a universally kid-pleasing flavor - and carefully picked the pieces of gum out to chew when she finished her ice cream.

This evening, our wonderful neighbors set up their outdoor movie projector and screen for us to enjoy Despicable Me, Michel's favorite movie.  I forewarned them that Mike and I would probably cry if we watched it with Michel.  (We did.  More than once.)  They even managed to add Spanish subtitles to the picture to enhance Michel's enjoyment.

I want someone to give Michel a bedtime hug each night and tell her, "I love you."

Huge thanks to Steve and Barb for your gracious hospitality, for sharing your outdoor "theater" with us, for the popcorn and treats, and for caring about Michel.  You helped make memories that she will probably carry with her forever.

Mama's Taking Us to the Zoo...

July 15, 2013

Today was zoo day!  Michel had never been to the zoo before, and we were excited to show her the variety of animals.

(Just as an aside, I don't think I have ever been to the zoo without the lyrics of "Mama's Taking Us to the Zoo Tomorrow" running through my head.  I was horrified to learn that the kids I took to the zoo had never heard the song.  Not the Colombian kids, but the American-born, English-speaking bunch.  In my childhood, Peter, Paul, and Mary serenaded us on trips to the zoo (and in their version, Daddy is taking us to the zoo).  By the time I was babysitting, the younger generation had Raffi to sing the song.  Today's kids are completely missing out.  Am I the only one who remembers this song??  Much to the amusement of the neighbor kids and the horror of my own offspring, I played the song for them on YouTube and sang along.  Loud.  With actions.)

Can't anyone sing along with me??

Anyway, I headed to the zoo with my boys, Michel, and three neighbor kids.  How fun to see her delight at each of the animals.

I was impressed with how much she knew about each animal.  I tried to capture her interest with any fact I might know about an animal (e.g. that starfish can regenerate their legs if they lose one), but she already knew every tidbit I offered.  She has a strong interest in science, and it is clear that her memory grabs on to interesting facts.  She has previously mentioned that human anatomy and zoology are the fields of science that she enjoys the most.

A friend tipped us off that the new black rhino exhibit might be underwhelming, but that feeding ostriches would be a crowd-pleaser.  Sure enough, each of the six kids loved passing leaves of lettuce to a perpetually hungry ostrich.

"Feed me!"

Michel was super-brave and excited to touch a snake and a rat in a special temporary exhibit.  The kids ended the trip with time on the huge playground, and all six kids enjoyed variations on "Hide & Seek."  The other kids included Michel in all activities, and the language barrier never stopped her from joining them in the fun.  I confess, I didn't offer the kids a chance to feed the animals in the petting zoo area, in part because I didn't want drama among the kids about who got more or who spilled the food or who finished first...and I forgot to bring quarters for the food machines.  Michel, however, was very resourceful, picking up tiny pellets of food that she could feed to the goats and the koi fish.  It makes me sad to think that some of this resourcefulness probably stems from survival skills she has acquired over the years.  I hope that she will meet a family who will forever be able to lovingly provide for her needs.

We had a snack outside the zoo before leaving, and I was surprised at how hungry the kids were!  Michel had string cheese, watermelon, graham crackers, and lots of water after our hot day at the zoo.  (Bell peppers were not a hit, so the other kids shared her portion.)  She taught one of the neighbor kids how to play Spot It when we got home.  Michel was way too fast for a beginning Spot It player, but the neighbor was a great sport and kept playing until she got closer to Michel's final score.

After dinner, we took the kids to the neighborhood park.  We knew they were overtired after the zoo, but we had promised Michel a park trip today and wanted to keep our word.  Michel walked with her arm around Matthew's shoulders and enjoyed time on the slide and swings.

On the way home, the boys wanted to stop by "the Viper house," where a neighbor has a Dodge Viper sports car.  Matthew had the chance to sit in the car, and we had a fabulous opportunity to talk about Kidsave to a family who has considered adoption.

The boys think this would be a nice first car.
I think they should get a nice first job.

Michel immediately bonded with their tiny ten-week-old puppy, Chewbacca.  I'm sure Michel would love to be in a forever family that has pets, especially dogs.  She played with Chewbacca for probably half an hour, punctuated by squeals of laughter and joy.  She doesn't think Mia will fit in her suitcase, but she's pretty sure she could get Chewbacca in her backpack to take back to Colombia.  I'm guessing Customs might have something to say about that!

It's hard to think about Michel going back to Colombia in a couple of weeks.  We hope that by the time she leaves, we have started a journey for her that does not end on August 2nd, but culminates in her coming home to a family forever.

The Best Summer Ever

July 14, 2013

I was scheduled to serve in our church's children's ministry this morning, which means I usually attend the early church service at 8:15 and teach at 10:15.  I gave Michel the option of coming with me at 8:00, sitting with me in the adult service, then attending the kids' programming at 10:15, or staying home with the rest of the crew.  She wanted to join me, despite having a late bedtime Saturday night.  She asked what time we needed to leave, then asked for help setting her alarm for 7:00.

Somehow, I didn't wake up to my alarm - I set it wrong, or it didn't go off, or my poor little tired brain slept through it - and the whole household was sound asleep at 7:00 when I should have gotten up...and at 8:00 when we needed to leave.  That is, the whole household except Michel.  Bless her heart - she woke up with her alarm at 7:00, showered, got dressed, and came to tell me it was time to go at 8:00.  I moved quickly, and we weren't too late for church.  We sat in the back so I could interpret the sermon for Michel.  She did great listening patiently, but I could tell her interest was fading by the end of the message.  (Sorry, Pastor Steve - it was a really great message, but it's a lot for an eleven-year-old to take in, especially in a foreign language!)

Michel joined the kids' program for the second service, and she did great participating in all of the games and activities.  I supervised games for the kindergarten through fifth graders, and she jumped right in and joined each activity.  Even if she didn't understand all of the instructions, she picks up very quickly by watching the other kids and imitating what they do.

After church, Mike's parents joined us for lunch at Z'Marik's, one of our family's favorite local restaurants.  Michel wasn't sure if she'd like anything on the menu, so she offered to eat at home.  I told her she could try a little of each food we ordered, then choose something she liked.  She liked my fajita bowl and ordered her own version, but without peppers, onions, sour cream, or cheese...leaving pretty much a bowl of rice and chicken.  Other than being a tad spicy for her taste, she said she liked it and finished her portion.

At lunch, the kids commandeered Google Translate on Mike's phone.  The boys gave up on waiting for me to translate and took matters into their own hands.  Mike's parents also enjoyed the chance to communicate a little more directly with Michel.  Michel spoke into Mike's phone in Spanish and let Google tell Ken and Donna that she was sorry to see them leave.  They told her how much they enjoyed meeting her and would miss her when they return to Kansas City.  She responded by saying, "This has been the best summer ever."  I was touched to know that her time here has meant so much. I pray that this is one of many, many joyful summers she can experience with a forever family.

In the car after lunch, Michel continued to use Google Translate to convey messages to us.  At one point, she passed the phone forward to show the words, "I love you."  Oh, how I want for her to have a family that can reciprocate that love!  She has such a big heart, and she is ready to have parents who can love her forever.

I never thought Google Translate would make me cry...

In her growing list of "firsts" for this summer, Michel had her first ice cream at Dairy Queen (an essential part of the American summer experience, if you ask me), and her first trip through the car wash.  She was undaunted by the car wash and enjoyed watching the soapy bubbles wash the car clean.  I keep wondering if something will be frightening to her, or at least cause her to feel uncertain, but she handles new experiences with ease and confidence.

Michel poked an oversized straw into the top of her dipped cone.  Brilliant!

Michel continues to enjoy cards and other "table games."  I taught her how to play Phase 10, and she caught on very quickly with little explanation.  Although she definitely likes to win, I'm impressed with how well she handles losing as well.  She was beating me by quite a bit for the first several hands of Phase 10, but ultimately, I came back and won 415-385.  She rolled with the loss and was ready for another round as soon as possible!

Through the games we play, I have enjoyed seeing Michel's skills that might not otherwise be demonstrated this summer.  As she counts winning points and cards left over, and adds points to determine a winner, she has shown that she has very strong "mental math" skills - the ability to add and subtract numbers within her head.  She now remembers how many cards are in Spot It!, and when she knows one team's score, she subtracts it from the total number of cards to calculate the other team's score, rather than waiting for someone to count up the cards.  She takes her studies seriously, and I'm guessing she does very well in school.

Tonight, Michel discovered the dishwasher for the first time.  She stood next to me as I rinsed dishes and placed them in the racks.  She watched for a moment, then asked, "Does that wash your dishes?" She seemed thrilled by the idea of a machine that would wash dishes all by itself.  Ah, the joys of modern American convenience!

Really?  You just put the dishes in the machine and they come out clean??

It is hard to believe that we have almost reached the halfway mark of Michel's time with us.  I pray that before she leaves, she will have met the family that will one day travel to Colombia and bring her home forever.

Thank you for joining us in this journey.  Please continue to share this blog with others.  You never know who might be a part of Michel Dayana's Summer Miracle.

Chocolate Delight

July 13, 2013

As many of my regular followers know, I've gotten a little behind on blogging in the last week.  From here on, I will date the posts - not by which date they were posted, but to which date the post corresponds.  That way, we can all keep track of what happened on what day. Enjoy!

*****

Michel woke up Saturday morning much improved over Friday night.  Other than the brief midnight snack, she slept for fifteen hours!  She seemed healthy and rested upon awakening, and she was ready for this week's Kidsave outing to the chocolate factory!  Thanks to Chocolaterie Stam for a such a fun field trip!

Michel really enjoys seeing the other kids "from her community", as she refers to the other children traveling from Colombia with her this summer.  She did not know any of them previously, but the group clearly bonded during their time before traveling to the United States.  (If I haven't mentioned it previously, all 32 kids participating throughout the U.S. stayed with their chaperone for a week or two in Colombia, learning some basic English skills, American customs, and what to expect during their stay.)

Michel loved making chocolate-dipped strawberries and decorated chocolate wafers at Chocolaterie Stam.  The staff gave great instructions to the kids, and the process was fairly simple.  Seeing Michel make chocolates next to our boys was a study in stereotypical gender differences.  Both of our kids "decorated" by dumping heaps of Oreos all over the chocolates (even burying them on the trays).  Michel, however, carefully placed her sprinkles and nuts in designs on each chocolate. She ended up with a beautiful display of chocolates worthy of any candy store!

We grabbed Taco Bell drive-through for lunch and headed to a "pocket party" immediately after the chocolate factory.  Pocket parties are events where potential adoptive families have the opportunity to meet the Kidsave kids and interact with them on a more individual basis than at the large group gatherings.  Usually 2-3 host families participate in a pocket party, to make it more relaxed and less like a "targeted event".  Thanks to the Ekwall family for hosting!  Michel enjoyed jumping on the trampoline with her friends, and they engaged in a rousing game of CandyLand to finish off the day.  It's so much fun to see the kids engage in simple pleasures that our own children take for granted.

Mike's parents were here for the weekend, and they were great sports about being "along for the ride" for the chocolate factory and pocket party.  I think they enjoyed seeing Michel interact with the other kids and take pleasure in new experiences.  They are so warm and conversational - I think it was killing them to not be able to ask Michel more questions and interact.  But they did great in their attempts to communicate with her, and she loved showing them things and giving them hugs.  Some things require no language.

Mike's parents brought a few gifts to welcome Michel.  She loved trying out the hula hoop, and I know she will get a lot of use out of the brush and hair clips.  She tried some of the glow-in-the-dark bracelets at bedtime, and I think she's rationing the rest of the bracelets and necklaces so they don't all lose their "glow" at once.  She carefully gathered all her treasures and put them in her room.  She has definitely learned to keep things out of the dog's reach!

We let the kids enjoy some time in the hot tub before dinner.  Michel asks to go the "piscina" (pool) every day, and we try to oblige her as much as we can while she's here.  The air was hot today, meaning the water was also hotter than usual, but she has definitely grown accustomed to the warm water.  Mike's parents took turns tossing water toys to the kids and watching them splash around.

We grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats again for dinner, and Michel helped prepare the hamburger patties.  She enjoyed mixing the seasoning into the meat.  For dinner, she had her usual variety platter of meats and fruits.  I told her that I had saved a huge bowl of lettuce just for her.  (Other than one sample bite when she first arrived, lettuce is the one food that she will definitely refuse in any way, shape, or form.)  She said, "That's fine.  And I have a big bowl of raspberries for you!"  It took me a moment to realize that she remembered that I am allergic to raspberries, so that was her quick comeback to my offer of lettuce.  Touche!  She has a great memory and a quick sense of humor.

After dinner, we had a Spot It! tournament with Mike's parents and all of the kids.  What a great time!  Everyone could participate and shout out their answers and laugh, without needing to have full command of English or Spanish.  Michel now knows names of most of the objects in English, and everyone else is learning the Spanish words.  I loved watching Mike's parents connect with a little girl who wants nothing more than to have loving parents and grandparents someday.  Thank you to Ken and Donna for making the trip to see this precious little girl!

As we got ready for bed tonight, Michel spotted the neighbors watching Despicable Me on their outdoor movie screen.  Her eyes lit up as she said, "That's my favorite movie!"  Of course it is:  part of the plot involves three little girls living in an orphanage, who are adopted by the "despicable" villain.  Spoiler alert:  The villain's heart is softened and changed by the three little girls.  Why wouldn't this be her favorite movie?  It's her dream story:  to be adopted and taken in by parents who will love her forever.

We didn't want to crash the neighbor's party with their grandkids, but we will definitely have to watch that movie sometime while she is here.  But I can't promise that Mike and I won't cry.

Thursday & Friday Recap

Thursday was another swimming lesson day.  Michel works so hard in swimming lessons and really seems to want to please her teacher.  Treading water was definitely a challenge for her today, but that is what she chose to practice during her free time at the end of her lesson.

After swimming, we came home for lunch and a little play time before heading to a friend's house.  Just as we were leaving, I noticed huge puddles of water streaming from either corner of my refrigerator.  This delayed us for about an hour, as I worked on troubleshooting the problem.  Once again, Michel tolerated the unexpected delay with no complaint or misbehavior.  She entertained herself by cleaning up the basement (all of her own accord) until it was time to go.

Michel seemed to enjoy the playdate at my friend Crystal's house.  She has an almost eight-year-old daughter and two younger boys, along with another older girl and baby boy for whom she does day care.  Michel didn't hesitate at all to join the children's games.  They played hide-and-seek, and she was quick to figure out the various methods the kids used to determine who was "It".  Language hardly seemed to be a barrier at all!  She also enjoyed a game of "Statues in the Garden."  I don't know if I've ever seen a child hold so perfectly still!  She enjoyed "Mummy Mummy" as well, and did not seem uneasy to wander around someone's basement, eyes closed, trying to tag the other kids.

Crystal correctly suspected that Michel might be craving some "girl time" after hanging out with our boys for a week.  Michel joined the two girls in playing with American Girl dolls and dressing up in princess clothes.  She braided the doll's hair quickly, easily, and much more evenly than I could have done.  (With two boys, it's been a loooong time since I've braided anyone else's hair!)

Michel enjoyed playing with the older kids, but she also gravitated toward the baby and toddler.  When the baby woke up from his nap, her face lit up when she was offered the opportunity to hold him.  She supported him properly and bounced him gently to elicit smiles.  I also noted that when the toddler and preschooler cried (for whatever reason), Michel responded almost immediately to direct them back to their mother.  I was impressed at how attuned she is to the needs of younger kids, and that she understood when they needed mom.  I've seen her do the same thing in other group settings as well.

Toward the end of our playtime, we all walked across the street to an area filled with wild blackberry bushes.  Michel had never tried blackberries or raspberries, but she was quick to become a fan!  She carefully chose the ripest berries to pick, eating some right away and saving some for later.  The only downside of the juice-stained fingers was that she couldn't hold my hand; I'm allergic to raspberries and was wary of too much contact with them.  She understood and was happy to have my arm around her shoulder instead.

Before leaving, she found a jackpot of berries on the ground, but it turns out they were mulberries, not blackberries.  I think they are edible, but perhaps not as tasty as the blackberries the kids had been enjoying, so we decided to leave them for the birds.

After the playdate, we hit Taco Bell on the way to the Iowa Cubs minor league baseball game downtown.  She enjoyed three tacos (no lettuce!) and was surprised to see that each member of our family enjoys lettuce on our tacos.  She said that she often eats tacos in Colombia, but they have very different fillings:  eggs, yellow rice, and chicken.  Through a series of order mishaps, we ended up with several (four? five?) snack-size bags of Doritos.  Michel loves Doritos, so Andrew and Mike donated their bags to her, each not realizing that the other had also given her a bag.  I glanced under the table to see a growing pile of Doritos bags in her lap!  She likes to save the best for last, so she savored the Doritos after finishing her tacos.

Michel has previously said she prefers a downtown city environment to a rural countryside, so it was fun to drive through downtown and point out the some of the sights of the city.  We arrived at Principal Park after the game had started, but there were still plenty of tickets left.  It's a great park for a fun family outing.

Michel said she knows nothing about baseball, but she clapped when everyone else clapped because she assumed something good happened.  She enjoyed an Oreo ice cream treat with the boys and loved the t-shirt cannons that shot shirts into the crowd.  She was very curious about the stadium, wanting to find the bear mascot as he worked the crowd and check out the fountain and lighted scoreboards on the far side of the field.  She picked out a lightweight jacket in the souvenir shop to combat the slight chill in the air.  Later, she told me that she loves the jacket.  The I-Cubs lost 4-1, but we still enjoyed the experience.

When we got home, Michel chose to forgo stories and just head to bed.  She usually enjoys reading at night, so I knew she was tired!  She writes in her journal before bed most nights, but I think she saved her journaling for Friday morning this time.

Mike took today (Friday) off to enjoy some family time and get ready for his parents' visit this weekend.  Michel finished strong in her swimming lessons, mastering swimming alone across the width of the pool.  She now takes the Spot It! game with her everywhere and asks to play at every possible opportunity.

Mike took Michel and the boys to Bass Pro Shop this afternoon.  They were there a long time and apparently had fun.  Michel picked out a new pair of shorts and a pink cowboy hat.

I think we finally tired the poor child out, or perhaps the heat and humidity and long car ride caught up with her.  I asked how she was doing when she came home from Bass Pro Shop, and she said, "Bien...pero no muy bien."  (Good...but not very good.)  Typical Michel, starting with the positive, but also letting me know that things weren't great.  She complained of a bad headache and nausea, so I tucked her into bed.  She fell asleep almost immediately - at 6:00 this evening - and didn't even move until midnight.  She woke up groggy but feeling much better.  She met Mike's parents as they headed to bed, ate some yogurt and watermelon, and headed back to bed without complaint.  Hopefully she will be feeling chipper for tomorrow's Kidsave chocolate-making outing at Chocolaterie Stam!

Sometimes it's curious to note the things that Michel is already familiar with, and the things she finds new or strange.  Doors are a surprising challenge.  I guess I've never noticed how many different ways you can open a door.  Even just within our home, there are twisting doorknobs and turning handles, sliding doors, doors that push and doors that pull, all different kinds of locks.  She often hesitates before a door, as if trying to determine how to open it.  However, she immediately recognized Doritos and Oreos, and she navigates a smartphone with ease.

I have noticed Michel's great compassion on a couple of occasions recently.  As we left Taco Bell last night, I managed to hit the edge of my kneecap on the edge of the van tire.  (Those of you who have known me for any length of time also know my tiny kneecaps and their awesome propensity to dislocate.)  It was just the right angle - or the wrong one - to almost drop me to the ground in pain.  Michel immediately dropped what she had in her hands, hopped out of the van, and came to my side. She put her arm around me and asked what was wrong, and she stayed with me until I was ready to proceed.  She would make a loving, caring addition to any family.

Hopefully, this weekend I will get back to daily blog posts, so they won't be such monstrously long catch-up entries.  Enjoy your weekend, and check back for more adventures soon!

Dreams for the Future

(Disclaimer:  This was supposed to be part two of a two-part post, but obviously, I'm a couple of days behind again!  This post will catch up through Wednesday night.)

I'm impressed with how willing Michel is to accompany us on any adventure, big or small.  When Mike took the kids to football evaluations last night - after a day of heat advisories and a triple-digit heat index - she wanted to go along.  When we drove Michel's chaperone to the home of another host family after dinner this evening, she was the first to head for the car.  If I go to the grocery store, she's always ready to join me.  She never seems to tire of errands and appointments and excursions!

That said, I need to remember to prepare Michel with enough advance warning when we need to go somewhere.  She's very responsible and independent when it comes to getting ready to go.  She always comes down with whatever is needed:  bathing suit and towel for swim lessons, water bottle for a trip to the park, Kidsave t-shirt for weekend events, etc.  However, she does take a while to shower, dress, and come downstairs, especially if I don't give her enough lead time.

I was waaaaay overly ambitious this morning, thinking I could get out the door with three kids by 8:30 (even though they've all been sleeping until 9:00), meet a friend at the zoo at 9:00, leave the zoo before 11:30, and have all three kids fed, wearing swimsuits, and coated in sunscreen in time for a 12:00 swim lesson.  Uhhh...no.  I had promised all three kids a zoo outing, but I completely failed in mobilizing the kids to get out the door in time.  When I realized that we would only have an hour to "do the zoo," including time for parking and walking to and from the entrance, I decided to skip the zoo, save my sanity, and plan the zoo for another day.

Umm...maybe another day!

Everything I know about kids in crisis situations and foster care and new environments says that cancelling a fun, anticipated outing at the last minute is a BAD IDEA.  I bend over backwards to keep my word and not change plans on the kids, so that Michel learns to trust us and isn't disappointed.  But today, that just wasn't an option.  Michel had been excited for her first zoo trip ever, but I was surprised - and relieved - to see that she seemed to roll with the schedule change with no problem at all.  When I offered the park or another small-scale field trip, she said that she was fine playing at home until swimming lessons.  Oh, I was so grateful!  She is much more flexible than I had expected her to be.

When we changed to Plan B instead of the zoo, Michel and I assembled a clock from a Discovery Kids DIY science kit this morning.  She has previously mentioned that science is her favorite subject in school, so I thought the science kit might spark her interest.  She dove right into the project and enjoyed figuring out how the gears worked together to operate the clock.  She was quick to assemble the pieces, but also willing to wait for instructions or change her initial attempts if a piece wasn't quite in the right spot.  I loved watching the slow smile spread over her face as she turned one gear, which turned the next one, which turned another gear...all making the clock come to life.  She was so proud of our accomplishment (and it even keeps time!) and was quick to show off her handiwork when her chaperone visited us this afternoon.

Michel loves to read and has already exhausted my supply of Spanish children's books.  At bedtime, Mike usually reads one book to the kids in English, and Michel reads one in Spanish (or, if it's a bilingual story, Mike and Michel take turns reading a page in their respective native languages).  This morning, during some downtime, she picked up a book of traditional Spanish nursery rhymes and children's songs and read through the entire thing out loud.  Then she found a book of first words in Spanish and English and read every page, sounding out the English words for practice.  I ordered a few new books from Amazon that arrived today, and she was so excited to check out the new titles.  Her face lit up when she saw Curious George Visits the Aquarium.  She told me that she had seen Curious George on TV in Colombia, and that he is popular all over the world.  He is a well-traveled little monkey!

Michel clearly seems to be getting more comfortable with us.  She tells us lots of stories about Colombia - everything from friends at school to foods she prepares.  She laughs easily and frequently throughout the day, and she is comfortable helping herself to what she needs.  We are also seeing more of the giggly behavior that seems typical of preteen girls.  Sometimes during swimming lessons, she will start to laugh about something like falling off her floating "noodle", and then her (teenage) swimming teacher will join her, and soon there are two giggling girls splashing around in the water!  I had forgotten about that "giggly" phase that all girls seem to go through, but I'm sure my parents remember my giggles well!

It's entertaining to see Michel instigate more "sibling play" with the boys.  She's the first to start a tickle fight or hide their food if they leave the table during a meal.  She really seems to want to fit in with the kids and be a part of the family.  She continues to encourage them to behave, and so far, they have responded better than they do to Mike and I!

I introduced Michel to her first game today, a card-style game called "Spot It!"  I had no idea what a favorite this would become!

The basic idea is that there is a circular-shaped set of cards with a variety of images on each card.  If you pick any two cards from the deck, there is always exactly one matching image on those two cards.  (The images may be different sizes but must be the same shape and color.)  There are a few different games you can play, but we play the basic version, where each person starts with one card.  You turn over one card in the middle, and the first person to name the object on their card that matches the center card wins the center card.  You continue to play until all the cards are gone, and the player with the most cards at the end wins.

Can you tell which object is the same?

Michel LOVES this game!  It's the perfect game for a bilingual crowd, because Michel can name the objects in Spanish and our boys can name the objects in English, but they can still play together without having to fully understand both languages.  We played it for the first time this afternoon during a visit with Michel's chaperone.  Monica (the chaperone), Michel, Andrew, Matthew, and I played, and we all laughed throughout the entire game.  All of us - ages six through thirty-six...er...thirty-seven - could play pretty equally, without anyone being bored or outmatched, and it's easy to form teams or play individually.

I asked Michel this week what she would like to do when she grows up.  She said she wants to be a psychologist, and if not a psychologist, then a scientist of some sort.  (As I've mentioned before, she loves science, especially the study of animals and the human body.)  If those plans fall through, she would like to be a teacher, preferably for the early elementary ages or maybe preschool.  She dreams of attending a university to further her career, but she also recognizes that may be difficult for a kid coming out of the foster care system in Colombia.  She said there are career options for someone who doesn't attend the university, such as police officer, but she really wants to attend college.  I hope and pray that she will soon connect with a forever family that can support her in those dreams and watch her soar.

Family is Forever

This week feels like Michel's introduction to the on-the-go suburban American family, and Michel is rolling with it well so far!  The schedule has been very full this week, and as a result, I am behind on my daily blog posts.  So, I think I'll break this monster-length "catch-up" post into two posts, so that you can make it through the whole thing!

Michel started swimming lessons on Monday.  She enjoys the water but has never had formal swimming lessons.  She is having private lessons with the same teacher we use for our boys.  She is doing great so far!  I can tell she is really working hard, and she follows all of the teacher's instructions.  I love watching her reach for the side of the pool, because every single time, she comes up with a smile on her face.  Hopefully this will give her new skills to enjoy the water more and keep her safe.  She occasionally seems hesitant to try something new, but she always gives it a shot.  At the end of swimming lessons, when she can choose which activity to practice, she often selects the newest or most daunting skill learned that day.  Such perseverance!

On Monday afternoon, Michel visited another host family because I had to go to an appointment.  I thought she would enjoy time with one of her Colombian friends, but the host mother told me she hardly played with him at all.  Instead, she spent a couple of hours with the family's five-year-old daughter, enjoying plenty of "girl time" that she must be missing at our house!

We had spaghetti for dinner Monday evening (a common meal around here - quick, easy, cheap, and a crowd-pleaser!).  Michel wasn't sure if she would like it but agreed to try "a tiny bit."  I gave her one bite, and she asked for "a little more," and then "a little more" after that.  She probably only ate a quarter cup in all, and I don't think she loved it, but she was a very good sport about trying something unfamiliar.

I asked her what else she would like so that she didn't go hungry (especially after an active day of swimming and playing).  She asked for strawberries, and then said, "Could I make a fruit salad?"  Of course!  Within minutes, she had prepared her own beautiful fruit salad, with finely chopped strawberries, grapes, bananas, and canteloupe.  This seemed to satisfy her for the evening, although she continued to enjoy strawberries right up until bedtime.  (She even had to brush her teeth a second time, since she kept eating after brushing her teeth!)

We are seeing more of Michel's playful, almost mischievous side.  When we were walking to the park over the weekend, she told me, "This is what kids do in Colombia," and proceeded to sweep her toes under Matthew's heel, not quite causing him to stumble but definitely catching him off-guard!  The rest of the trip to the park became a challenge for each of us to walk behind the others, to avoid those sweeping toes!  The kids laughed all the way to the park.

It has been interesting to watch the kids start to interact more like siblings, rather than hosts and guest.  During a recent water fight, Matthew got tired of Michel dumping buckets of water over his head, so he - being a six-year-old boy - hit her over the head with his water gun.  (Sigh.)  They were both upset, but we negotiated our way through it pretty easily, they forgave each other, and soon they were full of smiles - and water - again.

Michel plays well with the kids, but she also steps easily into a leadership role.  As she grows more comfortable with our family and our routines, she can more easily prompt the boys when it's time to go or rally them to whatever action is needed.

Michel saw a movie in a movie theater for the first time yesterday.  I took her and the boys to see "A Dolphin Tale" through the local kids' summer movie program.  I did not interpret much of the movie for Michel, since the action usually could speak for itself.  However, in the scenes with little action, I quietly explained what the characters were talking about so Michel could track what was going on.

The film has been one of our family favorites since it was originally released a couple of years ago.  I remembered the basic dolphin story, of course, but I had forgotten how many different family dynamics and related messages were woven into the plot.  It was hard to explain some of the relationships - a young girl whose mother has died, a boy whose father abandoned his family - knowing that Michel's experience mirrors the lives of the characters.  (These are not the specific circumstances of Michel's life, but like the boy and girl in the movie, she has suffered great loss when it comes to her birth family.)

At one point in the movie, a man leaving for the military gives his young cousin a pocket knife engraved with the words, "Family is Forever."  Later in the movie, the young cousin addresses a large crowd.  I was leaning over to Michel to interpret the speech as it was given, and I almost couldn't get through his closing line without crying, when he quotes, "Family is forever."  My heart breaks when I think of Michel, how her family has not been forever, and her current foster family will not be forever.  More than anything, I want Michel to have a family that will truly be forever, that will love and support her for the rest of her life.  Every child should be able to trust those words:  family is forever.

The Best P.S. Ever...

How could I forget??  This was supposed to be the closing line of my last post, but I got distracted by all the kiddos waking up and forgot to include it.

When Michel came down to talk with me last night, she said, "I am full."  After a few ears of corn, a million servings of blueberries, and one "no thank you bite" of salad, I figured she was talking about being physically full.  Before I could comment on dinner, she said again, "I am full.  Full of laughter."

May we continue to fill her life with laughter over the course of this month, and may she connect with a forever family who fills the rest of her days with laughter.

The new week begins

Last night was another night of almost falling asleep on my feet, so I had to push the Sunday blog update until Monday morning!

It seems redundant to say yesterday was another full day, but, of course, it was!  We had to wake all three kids for church, but Michel woke up and got ready to go willingly.  Mike and I definitely have not yet gotten used to "girl time" getting ready in the morning, though.  We are used to throwing clothes on our rough and tumble boys and hopping in the car.  We have to allow a little more time now to get out the door!

Michel seemed a little nervous when I told her that there would be a couple hundred people at church.  She has a deep faith in God and loves the confirmation classes she has been attending at her Catholic church in Colombia, so she was excited to see our church.  However, she seemed apprehensive about confronting such a large crowd.  She took my hand as we entered the building (only fifteen minutes late!) and stayed close by my side, but when it was time for the kids to go to their classes after the family worship time, she willingly followed Andrew to class.  (We gave her the option of staying with us for the sermon, attending the middle school group with kids her age, or going to class with Andrew.)  Almost all of the other Kidsave kids visiting the Midwest this year are staying with families who attend our church, so she was excited to see the friends with whom she had traveled.  They seem to have formed a very deep bond during the preparation time before coming to the United States.

After church, Michel reported that she had a lot of fun, although she didn't understand most of the teaching in class because of the language barrier.  She liked the pretzel snack, and she was comfortable playing with the other kids after church until it was time to leave.

Mike let Michel pick what she wanted for lunch after church, and she chose pizza.  We went to Pizza Ranch, Mike's favorite local pizza buffet.  It's funny - Michel seems very comfortable with many aspects of our modern society - navigating smartphones and computers with ease - so I sometimes forget that there are still a lot of new experiences here for her.  I explained the "all you can eat" buffet concept before we arrived, and I remembered to tell her to get a new plate each time she went back for more food.  (This is difficult for all kids to remember!)  But apparently I fell short in my preparatory education when I handed her a glass for her beverage without any further instruction.  While I supervised the boys with their drinks, I didn't see her head to the salad bar and start filling the glass with food.  Oops!

Michel has said more than once that her favorite food is pizza, but yesterday, dessert pizza reigned supreme over any other pizza choice.  (Another area I probably should have prepared her better...eating regular food before dessert.  A hard concept when a restaurant places all of the choices before you!)  I talked her into eating two pieces of pizza and one slice of cheese bread to offset the chocolate pudding (which she didn't really like), the dessert pizza, the ice cream, and the large glass of Sprite.  Her face lit up when she saw ham and pineapple on pizza, and I was surprised to learn that Colombians also refer to this as "Hawaiian pizza".

Michel was curious about the kiddie-oriented vending machines in front of the restaurant.  I explained how they worked.  She apparently found a coin on the floor and promptly slipped it in the gumball machine before I thought to see whether it was a quarter.  When nothing came out, I figured she must have put in a penny, but it was too small to pull it back out.  She seemed mildly disappointed when no gumball rolled out of the slot.  My apologies to the next person who tried to use the jammed gumball machine!

After lunch, we went for a drive, and Michel listened attentively as we described various places.  She volunteered comparisons to Colombia on things such as nursing homes.  She was very talkative in the car, telling stories on the way home about the other kids in her foster home and some about her own birth family.

When we got home, Michel helped untangle a mess of a parachute for our kids' model rocket.  We took the rocket to the park, and Michel was in charge of launching it.  She said that she had never seen a real model rocket, but she had seen them in movies.  (She recounted a tale about a scene in a movie where someone launches a model rocket, and it comes down and slices a woman in half.  YIKES!  I assured her that this should be a safer activity.)  She was excited to watch it launch and track its projection through the air.  Unfortunately, it landed in the brushy grove of trees adjacent to the park.  Mike and Matthew tracked it as well as they could, but ultimately couldn't find it.  Michel didn't seem interested in looking for it, because by then she had discovered the one game on my cell phone and was immersed in playing "Can You Escape?"

Michel seems to be somewhat sensitive to the heat and often comments on it.  She stays hydrated and tolerates it, but I can't really blame her for complaining when it's 90 degrees and humid.  She said that Colombia doesn't usually get this hot.  I assumed that Colombia would be hot year-round, since it straddles the equator, but the current temperature in Bogota is 59 degrees.  I was surprised when she said, "I actually prefer the weather in Iowa."  She appreciates that Iowa is consistently hot, as opposed to Bogota, where she says that it is very rainy one day, then hot the next, then rainy again, which, in her words, "causes many illnesses."  I'm not sure if she means ailments like asthma, or public health issues, or maladies caused by the frequently changing weather (something I hadn't heard of before moving to the Midwest).  I probably should have asked for clarification!

During our park excursion, Michel asked if we could get in the hot tub again.  She has definitely taken to the water!  She could probably play in the hot tub all day if we would let her.  Andrew joined a friend to go bowling, so Michel and Matthew had lots of one-on-one time with Mike.  They splashed and laughed almost nonstop.  It's great to see her develop a relationship with each of our kids.

We are learning a lot, not only about Michel and Colombia, but also about life with a girl.  I ran to Costco while Mike was outside with the kids, and when I came home, I found Mike and Michel, sprawled on the floor and painting our dog's nails...er, claws.  It was so sweet to see the two of them enjoying this time together, but Mike apparently has never had rules about nail polish and didn't know that you aren't supposed to use it on white carpet.  Thank goodness for parenting in the age of Google, when I can look up a variety of ways to remove nail polish!

Dinner ended up later than we had planned, but Michel enjoyed baked cod and corn on the cob.  She initially said she only wanted one ear, but when she realized the boys were having seconds (and thirds, and fourths...), she asked for more corn.  The boys asked for blueberries when the spotted the large package from Costco, and Michel tried her first blueberry.  She loved it, and proceeded to have several servings!  I couldn't keep the kids refilled fast enough on blueberries!  It became a game for Michel and Matthew - Matthew would finish his cup and ask for more, and he'd prod Michel to finish hers while I refilled his cup.  Then he would race to eat all of his berries while I brought Michel more, and so it continued.  Note to self:  Next time, rinse all of the blueberries and bring them to the table so everyone can help themselves!

Too many late nights in a row finally caught up with us last night, and our boys fell apart in all the ways kids fall apart when overtired.  Michel not only held together well, but she tolerated the mild insanity from the boys better than Mike and I do!  I think the fatigue was getting to her by bedtime, but instead of manifesting in whining and disobedience and tears (like it does in our boys), it was hysterical laughter.  I think that's preferable!  Eventually everyone settled down, brushed teeth, and read stories.  She said she wasn't ready to sleep after reading.  With permission, she came downstairs with me to let the dog out and snuggle for a few minutes, then headed to her room to listen to music until she could sleep.  She definitely loves music of any kind, and it didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

Today will be our first foray into swimming lessons.  She says she has never learned how to swim, but she is very comfortable going under the water and splashing around in our hot tub.  The boys will have a lesson first, while she and I hang out poolside.  She will have her lesson next, while I interpret for the swimming teacher. I'm hoping that goes as smoothly and seamlessly as it sounds!

Thanks again for following our adventures!

Another whirlwind of activity

Disclaimer:  This was supposed to be Saturday night's post, but I confess:  I fell asleep at the kitchen table before I could complete it.  These full days and late nights are catching up with me!  So here's the beginning of our weekend recap.

* * * * *

I sat down tonight, thinking that I didn't have much to report for today.  I scrolled through the pictures on my phone for inspiration, and realized that we did a lot more than I even remember!  I think I'm taking about 100 pictures a day, so we must be doing something.  Here's today's recap:

This morning was our first Kidsave event.  We attended a paint-your-own-pottery event at Glazed Expressions.  

Mike assumed such an athletic kid as Michel wouldn't be interested in painting, but I had a hunch there was an artistic streak in there.  (I think we both have a bit of gender bias!)  She chose a ceramic heart-shaped box and seemed to love choosing the colors and decorating it to make it her own. She listened and followed instructions well in a group.  She beamed when she saw her traveling partners (the other kids visiting Iowa and Minnesota) and enjoyed catching up with them.  Later this evening, she mentioned that there is one host child with whom she does not get along well.  However, she approached the girl at Glazed Expressions this morning and asked how she was doing in her host home.  I was proud of her for initiating conversation, and for her compassion when she said she was glad to hear the girl was doing well.  "I think she's getting better," she told me.

After Glazed Expressions, we had lunch at Bruegger's Bagels (an old college favorite of mine).  One of the employees was a friend of one of the Kidsave volunteer translators, and she remembered us from the airport!  I love Iowa's frequent small world connections.  Those connections are great for introducing the kids to the community. 

After lunch, we took a driving tour through Des Moines.  There are perks to living in a capital city with plenty of amenities, yet with the ability to circumnavigate the entire city in about twenty minutes!  She enjoyed seeing the downtown area and the state capitol.  We pointed out as many landmarks as we could along the way.  We stopped by John Deere Financial on the way home, where my husband works.  Michel really enjoyed the display of flags out front.  

Mike and I told her what we believed to be true:  that there is one flag for each of the countries where John Deere sells tractors and other machinery.  Yet we promptly discovered that the Colombian flag was notably absent, much to our chagrin, yet Mike was fairly certain that Deere is in Colombia.  (The bracelets Michel made for all of us are in the colors of the Colombian flag:  red, yellow, and blue.)  We also realized that there are probably not nearly as many flags as there are countries where Deere is established.  Perhaps the flags are for the original countries where Deere equipment was sold?  Maybe a reader out there knows more John Deere history than we do. :-)  We didn't go in to see the office, because Michel said she preferred to come back and see the office "when work was going on."  I think she is curious to see what Mike does each day.  I'm hoping she is not disappointed when we go to the office and she learns that he's not actually building green and yellow tractors all day!  

We stopped by Target on the way home to buy Michel her first swimsuit and a few other "girl items" that our mostly boy household lacks, such as nail polish.  The boys balked at having to enter the cosmetic aisle and made a grand show of wanting to escape the section.  However, Andrew immediately came alongside Michel to help her pick nail polish colors.  He has always enjoyed picking out gifts for others.  It turns out they have the same taste in blue sparkle polish!  She chose a fragrance spray, as she seems to like different scents quite a bit.  (Several times a day, she puts on scented lotion I put in her bathroom.)  She picked out a couple of different hair accessories, which baffled the flock of neighbor boys who stopped by tonight and have never seen pink flower headbands on our kitchen counter before!

Michel continues to get along well with kids of all ages.  When playing in the hot tub today, a four-year-old neighbor girl stopped by to join the fun.  Michel immediately got up to help her get in the water and was very gentle and helpful toward her.  (Maybe she was just excited to see another girl in the sea of boys around her!)  We visited a neighbor's week-old baby today.  Michel was very gentle with the newborn.  She cautioned me in a whisper as we approached the baby's room, "She's sleeping, so we have to be very quiet."  

Up until now, Michel has mostly spent time with both of our kids or with our nine-year-old son.  Today, she had more opportunity alone with our six-year-old.  When he was playing on our swingset, she joined him and played for quite a while.  They seem to get along very well and play easily together.  She is using a lot of single word English commands while interacting with our kids, e.g. stop, come, let's go, etc.

Michel didn't balk at all at leftovers for dinner this evening and ate a great dinner.  She enjoyed watermelon for dessert.  We had our first minor injury today, when the dog ran behind her outside and she got a rope burn on the back of her legs.  (If any of you have ever gotten a "Flexi-burn" from a retractable leash, you KNOW what I'm talking about - it is shocking how much it can hurt!).  She definitely expresses pain but was not overly whiny or upset about it.  When we walked to the park afterwards, she looked up at me a few times and said quietly, "I'm really hurting."  It broke my heart, and I just wanted to take the pain away (or rewind time to make sure she was clear of the leash when it happened!).  She allowed use to ice it (okay, so a cold water bottle was our best available substitute).  I checked with her chaperone to see if I could give her Tylenol or Advil if it still bothered her at bedtime, but she wasn't complaining by the time bedtime rolled around.  She'll definitely have a mark there by tomorrow though. :-(

Michel enjoyed our first trip to the playground (although the rope burn hampered some of the running around - she was climbing the steps to the slide like she was eighty years old).  She laughed all the way down the slide and wanted me to take lots of pictures and videos of her coming down.  At one point, I told her the boys (ours and two neighbors) were playing Hide-and-Seek Tag.  I hadn't explained much of the game, but she wandered off toward the younger kids' section of the playground.  In the dark, it was hard to see her, so Mike and I set out to find her.  She didn't respond when called, but we discovered her almost immediately, hiding in the tunnel on the toddler playground.  She laughed and laughed when we found her - apparently "Hide and Seek" is a universal kids' game that requires no explanation.

We ended the night with more sparklers at the neighbors' house.  She played great with all the kids, running around and helping to light their sparklers from hers.  She is quick to settle down at the end of the night and fell asleep immediately after reading two boys with Mike.

Tomorrow will be her first time coming to church with us.  Most of the other host families in the Midwest this year attend our church, so I'm sure she will enjoy more time with the other children she traveled with.  They seem to have forged very close bonds with one another during their preparation before coming to the United States.