We started the day off earlier than usual, with an appointment downtown for one of the other kids traveling with Michel, since I was asked to interpret for the appointment with a specialist at Blank Children's Hospital. We left the house with a rather large entourage: me, my two boys, Michel, chaperone Monica (who had to be at the appointment to give consent as legal guardian), and Maria. After navigating parking garages and multiple elevators and hospital complexes, we paraded into a small exam room already populated by one doctor, one nurse, one Physician's Assistant student, one nursing student, one host mother, and one probably overwhelmed Colombian child. I had brought books and games to keep my crew of four kids entertained, but I was a little nervous about how well everyone would behave in such close quarters (and how effectively I could interpret under such circumstances).
Enter the Blank Child Life Specialists to save the day! The nurse took one look at our motley crew and said, "Let me call Child Life." I was familiar with the Child Life program from friends who have had kids hospitalized or undergoing cancer treatment at Blank, but I had no idea they could come to the rescue during routine appointments as well. Almost immediately, not one but two Child Life Specialists knocked on the door - one English-speaker and one Spanish-speaker, both equipped with games, books, and coloring pages. They brought the kids out to the waiting room, where everyone was quiet, entertained, and apparently content until it was time to leave over an hour later. I can't speak highly enough of the Child Life program. I knew they did amazing work, but they came through for us today in ways I certainly did not expect. With kindness and a healthy dose of fun, they served kids who were not even related to the patient - a patient who was there for an "off the record" free consultation about a chronic health issue. Child Life, you are awesome!
I figured the four kids had not been challenged enough by one long appointment, so I took them to the chiropractor with me on the way home from the hospital downtown. (Okay, so I'm not that crazy, but it's been hard to get to the chiropractor this month, it was on the way home from the hospital, and I hadn't yet used any of the entertainment supplies I brought for the first appointment.) The wait was much longer than usual at the chiropractor, but the kids did great for yet another long waiting room stint. My boys read, Michel challenged Monica to a game of Phase 10, and Maria read and played a solitaire version of Spot It! And a big thanks to Dr. Kasperbauer and his staff for letting us take over your waiting room!
My favorite comment of the day came from another chiropractic patient who asked if "my girls" (Maria and Michel) attended a bilingual immersion school because their Spanish was so good. As tempting as it was to say, "Yes, I've been teaching them Spanish since infancy, and they attend a bilingual school," I instead seized the opportunity to share with her about Kidsave. Sometimes it's difficult to talk openly about the program (since we can't mention adoption in front of the kids), but I try to take advantage of every possible chance to at least share the Kidsave website address so they can learn more.
On the way home from the chiropractor, we dropped off Monica and Michel at another host family's home, where Monica will stay until Saturday, and then we headed home for lunch. Michel is definitely on an egg kick. (After the first week or so, her diet had started to tilt heavily in favor of fruit - just fruit - at every meal. Monica reprimanded her while she was staying with us - not harshly, but firmly - to eat a balanced diet and include more protein to avoid dizziness or nausea, which hit her one day last week. She seems to be taking the counsel to heart and is eating eggs at almost every meal.) Today, she made fried eggs, asking for assistance in flipping them over without breaking the yolks. (I flipped the first one well. The second one broke. Eh, fifty-fifty is better than nothing, right?)
This afternoon, we met some friends from our old church at the neighborhood park. They have adopted twice (one boy from Ukraine and two sisters from Liberia) and have three biological children. We have many friends and acquaintances who have adopted; sometimes I wonder if Michel thinks it unusual that we have gotten together with so many adoptive families during her stay. I have not scheduled this intentionally, but it's just how the playdate schedule has worked out. I am curious if Michel thinks these might be potential families for her, or if she is curious about all these adoptive families in our community. She has not commented on this at all, but I'd love to know what is running through her head! If nothing else, I hope that it gives her a glimpse of what a potential adoptive family looks like, and that it gives her hope that someone will take her into their home and love her forever as well.
Michel got along well with all of the kids at the park, climbing on the playground and learning new games. The kids played kickball and tried to organize Capture the Flag, but I don't think they ever determined how to split into teams before it was time to leave. Michel does great at watching the other kids and following their example. For more detailed instructions, such as the rules of Capture the Flag, she seeks me to interpret, but mostly she manages the language differences with other kids very well on her own. Michel also loved our friend's newest addition to the family, their six-month-old daughter. I'm sure she would love to have babies around in her new adoptive home!
My friend Megan came over for dinner with her boys this evening. We taught Michel how to play the card game Blink - which is like the antithesis to Phase 10 when it comes to length of play. Michel seemed to thrive on the fast pace and challenged Mike, then Megan, to several games. It's clear that she loves to win - often celebrating with a cheer and hands in the air - but she is a great sport when she doesn't win as well. Just don't try to cheat - she always plays fair and will call you out if she thinks you are trying to pull a fast one!
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| Need a fast card game for all ages? Blink can be played in just a few minutes! Fast, furious fun! |
By bedtime, the busy day caught up with all three of the kids. Mike read to them together . All three fell asleep in our bed, arms around each other, before he could even finish the first story. We carried them all to their own beds so they can sleep soundly and be rested for another busy day tomorrow!
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