Gymnastics Meet

 Deiana just completed her first gymnastics meet.  She is just starting out on the team after working hard on the pre team.  We were so proud of her.  She was extremely focused and really did well.  Her form and skills have really come a long way.  (This is my blog so I can brag!)

 Gymnastics has been very good for her in many ways. Focus, concentration, release of endless energy and teamwork.  She has some good friends on her team, none of them go to her school.

 Warming up before the meet. 

 I suspected she might do very well in this meet.  She does practice constantly.  She ended up FIRST PLACE all around, including first on vault, bars,and floor, and third on beam (looked great but fell once) 

I couldn't help thinking about my mom today, Mimi would have loved the meet and been her biggest supporter for sure.  Congratulations Deiana, you did great.

Surgery Plans

We had a big meeting at the hospital with Deiana's surgeon, orthodontist, several residents and a medical student (whom Deiana thought was cute) regarding her upcoming alveolar ridge bone graft surgery. Basically it involves taking some bone material from her hip and using it to create a bone graft in her upper jaw in the area of the cleft. It is a fairly big surgery and requires staying overnight in the hospital, followed by prolonged (6 week) activity restriction. Those of you familiar with Deiana know that won't be possible unless she is heavily sedated.
This appointment was different, they made her the center of everyone and gave her all the information and let her ask questions, of which she had many. Particularly about diet restrictions (3 weeks of liquid diet).
She has to have two teeth pulled six weeks before the big event. They are retained baby teeth that are in the way. My friends Debbie and Dave hooked me with a great pediatric dentist to do the job. I was really hoping to avoid an expensive oral surgeon.
Making appointments is challenging as I don't like to take her out of school for anything. Afternoons and budget cut days only! She does have perfect attendance this year.
Everything is scheduled and the surgery is to be the last part of June, when school is out.
Six weeks of restricted activity in the summer? We'll see about that.

Easter

We had a nice Easter Brunch at Grandma Lois's house. There were lots of family there, and my dad too. I don't have any pictures (getting lazy with the camera). Becky finished off the holiday by discovering and devouring the Easter basket and hunting down all leftover hidden candy. The dentist and I thank her.

Spring Break and Beyond

March flew by so fast. We went to the beach again this year, and we were happy to have Grandpa join us for part of the week. Don't let the pictures fool you, we did have horrible weather. Only two days WITHOUT constant rain. Buckets of rain and strong winds makes for going outside miserable. We watched a lot of movies and did some shopping, and eating of course.

It was relaxing but we were ready to come home and get back to normal. Deiana has some upcoming doctor appointments and we will be discussing her next surgery, the dreaded bone graft. Not looking forward to that.

School Project

Deiana has had some large school projects this year, requiring complete assistance at home. Reports, speeches, art projects and class presentations. I don't mind helping out with projects, and teaching her how to research and design, and practicing with presentations, but I do think these projects should go along with things learned at school.

Her most recent project, a report, speech with visual aid on president Benjamin Harrison was assigned. It was even suggested to do a power point presentation! Really...I don't know any second graders who can create and put on a PowerPoint presentation, and I don't really need such a project myself.

In starting out, I don't think Deiana even knows what a president is. So, in questioning her she in fact does not really know what a president is, or what the United States are for that matter. She claims they have never talked about presidents, The United States, individual states, or any type of American History in class. NOTHING. I realize she has missed out on a lot in her childhood, but she has been attending school since kindergarten.

So we spend the day at square one, learning about the history of the United States of America, what a president is and does, and the separate states. Then I felt comfortable "helping" her research her assigned president for the paper and making a second grade level poster that is understandable to her.

We now must tackle the speech. It has taken all day for her to remember (and be able to say) Benjamin Harrison! I wonder how many other parents are enjoying their project....

March

This is how we welcomed March! Lovely snow and 2 hour late start for school. Ready for spring!! Barely made it home from work!

Little Slippers, 4 years ago

I am feeling nostalgic today, 4 years ago today we arrived in the USA with our new little girl. Even though she was 4 1/2 years old, looking back she was so small and toddler like. When cleaning out a drawer today I came across her little slippers from the orphanage (aka green building). For those who know, in the orphanage the children always wear slippers inside instead of shoes, same ones every day. The slippers Deiana had were extremely worn out and tiny. Her little feet seemed bound up inside them. They are the only thing we have from the green building.

While we were there we bought her some new slippers that actually fit. Cute and pink, appropriate for a girl. They were from a Ukrainian market. She wore them every day at the green building from then on. When we gave her the new ones, we left the old ones on top of her locker old and worn out as they were. Days later they were still sitting there, so I kept them. I think they wanted us to take them, as they never left anything out of place. She never wore the pink slippers again after leaving the green building.

These are her slippers today. You can see the huge difference in size! Her feet grew so fast for the first couple of years. They have finally slowed down and she can actually outwear her shoes instead of outgrow them.

She missed so much during those first four and a half years, having all of her growth stunted, in every way. But I guess her experiences made her the girl she is today, and the reason she is our daughter.

Notice her slippers are very new, she still chooses not to wear any!

Great Vacation

We recently returned from our exciting cruise to the Carrabbean with 24 other adults! It was a wonderful week of fun and relaxation. I told Deiana we were resting, and reading books on the trip so I tried to keep the water slide out of the pictures! (Don't worry she knows the truth)
We had many adventures such as climbing a waterfall and swimming with the dolphins.
We also had fun dressing up each night for dinner. They have many photographers available to take your picture as many times as you wish.

We have never left Deiana for more than one night, so she really did well. Planning her schedule while we were away was as difficult as packing and planning for the cruise! Aunt Susie kept her on the weekends, and my trusted friend Debbie kept her during the week, taking her to school and gymnastics. Both ladies planned lots of activities so she stayed very busy. She came home with some gifts too, proving she was adequately spoiled! Much thanks to Susie and Debbie for graciously taking on our little ball of energy. We appreciate it so much.

Cruise Pics, continued

The Cruise Group

Love to shop!!

More waterfall action.

Beautiful blue water at Grand Cayman Island.

Girlfriend picture!

Jon surprised me with a Tanzanite ring one night. He gave it to our waiter and asked him to slip it to me with dessert. Our waiter made quite an elaborate production out of it, complete with special dessert, decorated plate and napkin rose wine glass. I was completely surprised, especially because it was for no special occasion. Jon scored big with me and the ladies, but the guys said they might throw him overboard.

Four years ago

Four years ago today we met our sweetie. This day will always be remembered!!

January 2012

It's already half way through January! In another month and a half Jon and I are going on a cruise with a group of 26 friends (no kids!) We have never left Deiana this long but I think she will be fine. She will have school and regular activities.

Here are a couple more pictures from her fall photo shoot. The top one is my favorite. Thanks to my very talented friend Debbie!!

Coming up this spring I hope to have some pictures or video of Deiana in a gymnastics meet! She has been working very hard and her "team" is getting ready to go to 3 hour workouts. She is in great shape and has very solid muscles and no fat. Recently I asked Deiana to go jogging with me. I don't usually take her because I don't want to be slowed down. She literally ran in circles around me, then ran backwards in front of me asking me why I run so slow! I said just run up ahead little girl and let me go slow!

2011 End of the Year

We had a great Christmas this year! Seems like there were more presents than ever! I guess since Jeremy, his girlfriend Sarah, and Jordan bought their own gifts for everyone they really multiplied.
Deiana was the only one willing to be photographed in her pajamas (or at all!)

We did begin the season cutting down our own tree. It has been cold here this year, but not very rainy. A welcome change in my opinion.

Deiana really missed school. 2 1/2 weeks off is really too long! She loves school! We tried to do some fun things but we were both glad to return to the usual routine.

Christmas Card 2011!

Merry Christmas !!!

School Update

Deiana has been doing very well in school this year. I recently had a conference with her teacher and she had good things to say. Her reading has improved quite a lot, she is doing well in math, and her writing is well above average. While her teacher knew she was adopted, she did not know that she spent her first four and a half years in an orphanage unable to speak! Or that English is her second language, as our school system never felt she qualified for ELL. She has come so far it is hard for people to believe at this point.

Her only issues are social ones (overly social). Her social life is so important to her she is constantly wrapped up in who is friends with whom. Most of this is typical girl drama, but as a mom of boys this is all new to me. She doesn't like to be teased, she stands up for herself (and her friends), and she plays rough. In our small elementary school this can be problematic! While she needs to live by the rules of society, I think these qualities will ultimately serve her well.