Today, we had one of the other Kidsave kids here for the day while her host parents were at work. Maria Manuela is a bundle of energy, and all four kids got along great all day!
Michel slept in this morning and woke up in time for a quick breakfast before heading to the mall. I had to interpret for an eye exam for two other visiting children from Colombia. Michel did great during the long stretch of time in the waiting room, engaging in games of Set with her friends. She has caught on quickly to this pattern-recognition game. It's another great one for school-age children through adults that doesn't require everyone to speak the same language in order to play together.
After Jose and Maria Alejandra had their eye exams and Jose was fitted for new glasses, Maria Manuela also had an eye exam. Huge thanks to Michael Lock and Lenscrafters at Jordan Creek for donating eye exams and coordinating free glasses. We were not expecting to have an exam for Maria Manuela, but her host mom mentioned that she was holding reading material very close to her face. It turns out she needed glasses more than any of the other kids! I am so grateful that these kids could have their vision and eye health reviewed while they were here, and that Jose and Maria Manuela will be going home to Colombia with new glasses. The optometrist mentioned that if Maria Manuela ends up in the United States permanently, she would be a great candidate for contact lenses. I hope that will be a possibility for her!
We spent some time walking around the mall with Jose and Maria Alejandra's host family and Monica, the chaperone, while we waited for the glasses to be made. Considering the fact that we had seven kids loose in the mall, at lunchtime, after a long period of eye exams and sitting quietly in the waiting room at Lenscrafters, I was impressed at how well-behaved everyone was.
While Monica was shopping at The Finish Line (an athletic shoe and accessory store), I spotted this sign:
I know it's meant to be a catchy advertisement, but it was hard to miss the poignancy of the message. I looked at four sweet children, sitting directly in front of this sign, all longing desperately for a family to love them and a home to call their own forever. It's so cliche, but we can change the world, one child at a time. I want more out of life than to say, "If all else fails, I can always change my shoes."
I'm not asking for an army, just a few good families to step forward to support eight children in the Iowa/Minnesota area this summer. Could yours be the forever family for one of these great kids? Could you be the mom or dad that will tuck one of these children into bed at night?
After picking up the glasses, we headed home for lunch, and the kids played for a while. Michel and Maria spent some time painting this afternoon, and it was interesting to see their personalities shine through their artistic styles. I gave them a kit from Michael's with preprinted designs and glow-in-the-dark paint. Maria is quick to want to complete a project and prolific in her work, choosing and completing several designs in a short period of time. Michel is careful in her work, paying attention to detail and filling every spot with color. Regardless of their own artistic tendencies, both girls loved going into our darkened bathroom (the only first-floor room without windows) to see their creations glow.
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| Maria Manuela's dragons... |
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| ...and Michel's safari scene. |
After dinner, we had an appointment at one of our rental properties. Michel, Monica, and the boys did great for the hour we met with our tenants. Michel taught Monica how to play Phase 10 (the current favorite game), which kept them entertained the whole time. Michel continues to roll along well with our sometimes-crazy schedule. She seems to be a child who can adapt well to new situations and would fit in well with a variety of families.
When we got home, we started getting the kids ready for bed when a thunderstorm blew in. With all the kids playing here today (our boys, Michel, Maria, and some neighbor kids), our basement door was left unlocked and blew open in the storm. Unfortunately, we didn't realize it until plenty of rain had blown in and soaked the carpet. In the grand scheme of flooded basements, this was not a big deal, but it did require some time and attention to get things dried up quickly. Without being asked, Michel recognized that I was busy in the basement and started supervising the boys in brushing their teeth. She brought them into her room, and the three of them read stories together until I was available to tuck everyone into their own beds. I was extremely impressed with how Michel recognized a need and jumped in to help.
Tomorrow, we are planning on going to see Oceans at the movie theater. It has such beautiful scenery, I'm guessing it will be an easy one for the kids to watch without needing a lot of extra interpretation or explanation. Hopefully everyone will enjoy it!
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