Forever Families for Michel's Friends

July 24, 2013

Michel's traveling companion, Maria Manuela, has been at our home for a few days this week while her host family is at work.  Although the focus of this blog is advocacy to find Michel Dayana a forever family, I wanted to share with you some of the great qualities about Maria Manuela.  I have enjoyed getting to know her this week and thought you might enjoy learning about her as well.

• Maria is very helpful, especially in the kitchen.  Whenever I start to cook, she is at my side, asking, "Can I help you?"
• Maria is very compassionate and concerned about how others are feeling.  Throughout the day, she will ask the other kids, "Are you okay?" especially if she senses they might be hurt or upset. Once, when I was teary after an especially moving sermon at church, she approached me and asked, "Are you crying?" and immediately gave me a hug.  
• Maria willingly engages in a variety of activities.  She plays board games and pays attention to the rules (and doesn't get upset if she doesn't win), she rides bikes and scooters, she plays basketball, she paints, she helps in the kitchen, she plays with toys...and she loves hide and seek!  
• Maria has a great attitude about trying new foods.  With each new food at our house, she would say, in English, that she liked it "so-so."  However, she would still have a full serving...and then ask for seconds!  She ate a variety of foods while visiting our home:  chicken sandwiches, cereal, black bean salad, several different kinds of fruit, and the healthy cereal that my husband refers to as "bird seed."
• Maria is quick to laugh.  I don't think I've ever laughed so much in an eye appointment as I did with Maria.  Several things were new or surprising to Maria such as the glaucoma test that sends a puff of air toward the eye, or the camera that photographs the back of the eye.  When startled by something unexpected, her first response is to laugh.  
• Maria is a fast and fearless bike rider!  She hopped on Andrew's bike and took off the first morning she was here.  Before I knew it, she had ridden all the way around the block.  She's not fabulous at braking, though, so make sure to keep this sweet girl in a bike helmet!
• Maria is very helpful with younger children.  At the mall, she willingly carried Matthew or let him ride piggyback.  (Matthew is six.  He definitely does not need to be carried.  But he was thrilled with the extra attention!)  
• Maria is quick to apologize, even if she didn't do anything major wrong.  Her first response after dropping something or bumping into someone is always, in English, "I'm sorry."  
• Maria is very easy to correct.  If you set clear limits with her, she respects them.  At our house, if she unknowingly broke a rule, I usually only had to tell her once, and she would follow that rule from that moment on.  
• Even though I spoke primarily Spanish with Maria, she works hard at using English as much as possible.  She almost always answers with English words such as "please" and "thank you."  She attempts to answer in English first, then resorts to Spanish if she doesn't know how to express herself.  

Do you know someone who could provide a loving, stable, consistent home for Maria?  If you would like to learn more, please contact steveh - at - kidsave - dot - org.  Yes, the (@) and (.) are written out to keep the spammers and trolls at bay.