Grace and Courtesy

After weeks of illness, we were finally healthy!  I took Matthew to meet some friends at an indoor playground earlier this week.  As I watched from outside them play structure, I saw Matthew playing with a little girl about his age.  She gave a great, hacking cough and I cringed.  Please, please, no more sickness! A moment later, it happened again and I said quietly to my friend, "Oh, I wish she would cover her mouth!"

One more cough and I heard Matthew.  "You know," he said conversationally, "when you cough, you should cover your mouth."  Then he lifted his elbow to his mouth and gave a dramatic little cough.  "Like this."

"Okay!" the girl replied happily.  And they continued playing.  (And then I vigorously washed Matthew's hands.)

Connections

This week was full of connections for me. At the beginning of the week, David and I went to hear a transracial adult adoptee speak about his experience growing up in a white family in Detroit in the 60s and 70s.  It left me full of gratitude for adoptees who are willing to share their perspective and for the many friends we have who are also transracial adoptive families-- I think Matthew has more friends who are transracial adoptees than not.  It also made me think about the ways we need to continue to try to do more and that's a wonderful thing.  Every parent should be challenged to always do more to be the best parent possible for their kids.

Later in the week, I e-mailed with a woman I've never met but who is surviving a pregnancy with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.  I had ICP when I was pregnant with Cameron.  It's a rare pregnancy complication that causes extreme itching, especially of the hands and feet, as well as a terrifyingly high risk of fetal death.  Reading the e-mail from this woman took me right back to that time and how scary and exceedingly uncomfortable it was.  I wish I could help this poor woman feel better but I was so glad that I could just be there to say, "I know."  Sometimes, you just need an "I know."

Then today.  Today was a gorgeous, warm, sunny day and I spent most of it inside.  And it was AWESOME.  Cameron and I volunteered packing meals to be sent to children in Haiti.  Not only did it feel incredible to spend the day doing something so worthwhile, but to watch my kid doing it joyfully?  Really incredible.  Cameron rotated jobs with three other kids, scooping dried vegetables and soy powder and filling bags.  The whole time, music played over the speakers.  I was the weigher, in charge of making sure the correct amount of food was in each package.  When Cameron was the bagger, he'd hand me the bag, do a quick dance step in time to the music and then grab another bag!  And every time I caught his eye, he'd smile and say, "This is GREAT, Mom!"

Somehow, all these events are linked together in my mind right now.  All these ways I've connected with people this past week and how important each connection was to me.  Hoping to make the coming week full of connections, too!

With a side of rhino

A few days ago, Matthew was emphatically requesting hippopotamus for lunch.

"What?  Hippopotamus?"

"Yes, hippopotamus.  I want hippopotamus for lunch."

"I don't know what you mean, Matthew!"

"There! There!" he squealed.  "No, not that," as I held up the soy milk.  "No, no!  The hippopotamus!" as I held up some jam.  "Hippopotamus!"

Finally, I picked up the hummus.  "YES!  THAT'S IT!  I want hippopotamus!"

Breakfast on the Death Star

Cameron awaits the delivery of the mail with great anticipation every day.  He rarely receives anything, but the mere possibility . . . it's intoxicating.  So when the doorbell rang last week and we opened the door to find a big box addressed to Cameron and Matthew, you can imagine the dramatic clutching of chests, the frantic pulling of tape, the desperate pawing through packing materials.

Surprise packages are awesome.

Surprise packages are even more awesome when they are sent by someone who really, really understands you.

Inside the box we found a Star Wars apron, a Darth Vader AND a clone tropper spatula and some Lego minifigure magnets.  Great jubilation and mass consumption of Yoda shaped pancakes followed.

And now Cameron's mailbox hopes are even higher.  It's gonna be tough to top this one.

Inflation

Cameron:  Mom!  Dad!  Me and Matthew made up a jumping show.  It's in the living room and it's only 10 cents a person!
Me:  Oh, Cameron, I'm sorry.  I'm right on my way out the door.  But I saw you rehearsing for the show and it was great.
Cameron:  Oh.  OK.  So, ummm, Daddy, the show is 20 cents a person now.

Why I Haven't Posted in Two Weeks

We've been sick for two weeks.  TWO weeks.  First Cameron got sick and had a fever of 102 for a full five days.

He recovered. 

I rejoiced. 

And the next day Matthew had a fever of 102.  For five days. 

And in the middle of that, David and I caught it, although thankfully minus the high fever.  So for two weeks I have been stuck at home, feeling not-so-great myself and always, always with at least one kid home sick. 

Which is . . . wearing. 

I've also lost my voice and am left with two options.  I can whisper.  "Matthew!  Stop hitting your brother!"    Or I can speak at normal volume but in deep and raspy man voice. Which totally cracks the boys up.

Matthew's School Day

After visiting Cameron's classroom a few weeks ago, it was off to Matthew's for the day.  He was sooooo excited to have me visit.  As it turns out, his best friend (I'll call her Renae here) was also very excited to have me visit.  Although Renae is 5 and Matthew is 3, they have been largely inseparable this year.  Renae is a sweet, smart, friendly girl who has many times helped me out by taking a reluctant Matthew's hand in the morning and saying, "Come on!  We'll have fun!  And I would miss you if you weren't here!" 

Renae calls me "Matthew's mom," and during Parent's Visiting Day I think I heard, "Matthew's mom" about as much as I heard, "Mommy."  "

Matthew's mom, Matthew's mom!  Watch me do this skeleton puzzle!" 

"Matthew's mom, Matthew's mom!  Come sit near me, I'm having snack!"  So I watched Matthew and Renae do a loooootttt of two person works together!  Once in a while, Matthew would select a one person work, like the transferring work in the photo above.  Renae would quickly select a work and take her seat next to him!

The following day, David went to Parent's Visiting Day and was not nearly as popular with Renae!  He said Matthew chose lots of one person works without interruption.