My phone rang and I closed my office door to cry. I was overcome with the emotion of waiting for "you."
One year ago today...
Our prayers were answered when the baby girl we'd dreamed of became a reality.
One year ago today...
We learned it was possible to fall in love through a photo when we saw your face for the very first time.
Because,
One year ago today...
"They found DoriGrace"
I think I've written before about my precious WB and his school woes. My little man marches to his own beat..(how strange that the same can already be said about his little sister)..and often finds himself making "bad choices" at school. For all you parents that don't have elementary aged kids, that's what they use to call "actin' a fool", "being crazy", being plan being "BAD". Of course, if you're raising kids today, you obviously know that "no child is bad...they just make bad choices." You know, you almost can't say, "What the HECK were you thinkin'?" anymore. He's not a bad boy...(you can't say that now anyway)...he's a good boy (lucky for me, you can still say that)...he just wants to be in charge.
It isn't uncommon for us to have regular communication with the teacher. By "regular" communication, I mean, it's not uncommon to see her number on our caller id in the evening. (WB...what did you do? You tell me right now...the truth too, don't make me find out from the teacher!!!)
While you'll never find anyone that is more dedicated to trying to raise children with positive self-esteem, I sometimes think we miss the boat in teaching children tough lessons by trying to shelter them too much. The fact remains, WB can't be in charge...not yet anyway. He's just in third grade. When he starts to make up his own classroom/school rules, he needs firm reminders about following the "real" rules. After a rocky start, he seems to be settling in and this week's call from his teacher was filled with praise for his attitude, behavior and performance. (WooHoo for the little man!)
His mom and dad have high hopes for the little fellow. We'd like for him to be happy, educated, productive and to stay out of jail. Yep, that's about it...everything else is just gravy. On the other hand, he's got other plans.
This week, he was asked to write a short story using the following words: neighborhood, content, addressing. He left out content so his story is technically incomplete; however, he does demonstrate some thinkin' and some dreamin' but we still have a ways to go on the spelling front.
"A boy was walking in his neighborhood. He had studed Tomas Jefferson. One day the boy wished hed be presidnt. 50 years later the boy became president in 2058. They started addressing him as President Booth."
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Sorry if I suckered you into reading, thinking that you'd get some savvy political commentary. This is about as political as I get....sorry to disappoint.
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Picture taking and editing has overtaken my life. So why, you ask, are there no pictures in today's post? Good question. Glad you are paying attention.
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I still don't "get" Facebook...I much prefer surfing my favorite blogs.
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Dianna, thank you for the "shout out"...more on that in my next post.
Do ya think she has an attitude?
How bad do you think she wants in that cabinet?
Do you think she has trouble expressing herself?
This girl, she's a mess, but she's awful cute-even on her "bad" days.
So, JB is being rather indulgant with my new photography obsession. After 22 years, he knows...don't buck the system, just go with the flow. He knows my "stages" and how quickly I fall in (and out) of love with new hobbies/ideas. He knows...first comes the obsession, that is followed by an incredible wave of spending and then, once I have all the toys, gadgets and supplies...the love fades. He's been around the block with me, so with photography/photo editing, he's just playing along. As well he should...
He WAS being a pretty good sport about it until tonight. For tonight, he became the object of my obsession. And unfortunately for him, not in "that way." He became the object that I was going to photograph and "fix." (But baby, I love you just the way you are....) Without even giving him an opportunity to respond, I snapped his picture and headed to my computer. Being the good sport that he is, he did muster, "Make me look 20 baby." Uh, right...I'll do my novice best:
JB Before:
JB After: (whitened teeth, wrinkle and eye bag removal and slimming) I probably over-slimmed here. His face does look a little long...
JB 1/2 and 1/2: (Left side eye bag and slight wrinkle removal) 
Thanks dear, for allowing me to point out all your flaws for the world to see. Tomorrow, I promise...I won't take your picture.
Like I said yesterday. I really enjoy the editing, but learning to get the good shots and reducing the editing is gonna be the big challenge for me. Here's my just for fun shot of WB, taken out-back this evening as the sun was setting.
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Here's to Dianna...she's gonna drink the Kool-Aid and enter the D-SLR age. Erin is right...it is highly addictive!!
(Figured I'd better move the "I'm Old Post" before Uncle Big comments.)
Well, I am getting the Elements figured out...I can whiten teeth, change skin tone and remove blemishes. Tomorrow I move to changing a frown into a smile and erasing wrinkles. (I've got tons of shots to practice on!!)
The learning curve on photography is gonna take a lot longer, but hey, I guess I can shoot on automatice for a while. (I can only concentrate on one thing at a time!!)
This is a picture of WB and his BFF Luke. They share an interesting connection. We met Luke on our first day of day care. After a couple of weeks, I struck up a conversation with his mom. Turns out the boys were born on the same day and they were both only children. They were together every weekday for their first couple of years. Now that the boys are in "real" school, we don't see them nearly as often as we use to, but they never seem to miss a beat. Anyway...I forced them to let me take their pictures this weekend.
Original
Softened
Process
Acid Wash
Sharpened
I'm Old...very Old...really Old.
As if the shear number (44, but who is really counting?) isn't enough, I seem to be recently overwhelmed by signs that, I am truly, completely, and desperately...very old.
Case in point: Facebook. Can someone please give me a lesson? I don't get it!!! My BF from high school (Hi Jennifer!) visited last month from Ireland. She went home and sent me a "Facebook" email..."see me on Facebook". So...I log on...which apparently opens an account. (Who knew??) Now I have all these Facebook emails. (Thanks for wanting to be "my friend", I'm so flattered...I just don't get it!)
Seriously...I've just figured out this blogging mess! Now everyone is bailing on me and heading to "the Book."
I'm so old....I'm trying to figure out the technology for Elements and my new camera here...I don't have time for the Book. Besides...I'm mean, it is so 2005...isn't it?
OK...I'm off to make some warm tea and honey with a prune chaser and to figure out the Book. (Besides, who really blogs on the weekends anymore??)
By the way...I'll accept all friend invitations (I got that part figured out), just don't expect me to "invite" you to anything. I'm far too old for that....
I've been waiting for you...a long, long time...I can't believe you're finally mine!
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Why am I just now fully realizing the beauty and wonder of D-SLR? This baby has been out of the box for two hours and already I am wondering why I've ever taken a picture before tonight! I am in love! I can't wait for my kids to wake up and the sun to shine so that I can go take pictures!!
I can barely turn the thing on, but here are some of my first shots. (Please reserve comment on Little Sister's resemblance to Cousin It. This is one fancy camera, but it can't do hair bows!)
Dillon Friends,
My recent computer crash, coupled with my blog tinkering, has resulting in some lost links and a little frustration here. I'm still out checking blogs and popping into the forum as time permits, but I just feel like I'm losing touch. It seems we all had more time to post during our waiting phases and now our posts are getting fewer and farther between. (I'm not hatin', I'm just sayin'...I'm not calling-out any 6 kidded-mothers or anything...)
You may have not heard, but I am putting together an informal contact list of families associated with the Dillon Vietnam program. If you are interested in being included in a master blog roll and (private) email listing, please hop over to the forum and post your information. Or leave a comment here and I'll contact you. I promise (PROMISE, PROMISE!!!) I will not sell your information to the highest bidder. It is tempting, but you can trust me! And, if you submit your info, I will email you a copy of the list, but only after you swear upon the head(s) of your child(ren) that you won't send silly chain letters and stupid jokes en mass to everyone on the list! I've been at this a couple of weeks and have gotten a great response, but I got to thinking that not everyone is active in the forum but they may still lurk around the internet.
I know that because of my family's relationship with Dillon, and our closeness to Tulsa, we'll always participate in their official reunion events. However, I wanted another way to be able to contact others that have participated in this program in the last two years. In addition, as Little Sister grows I thought it might be nice to keep up with others that shared her orphanage "roots."
Besides, who else is gonna organize
THE REUNION TOUR 2020...
VIETNAM WITH TEENS AND TWEENS!!!
(I'm not accepting deposits yet, but start saving your pennies!!!)
Lord, help me...I don't think we're gonna make it through 3rd grade without the direct assistance of the Sisters. It's no secret; WB has been known to have some "issues" in school. (Not the learnin' kind, the mindin' kind.) I'm about ready to play on his fear of Nuns and send him to Catholic school!
Even in his nonconformity, he's developed some strong allies at his school. The fact that he can be a very charming kid isn't lost on me. What I don't understand is how the staff can "like" him, given some of the behavior he apparently displays.
A few nights ago I ran into one of those allies, a teaching assistant that he had for a portion of last year. (And we are "over the moon" to have her again this year...Yea Mrs. Woods!!) WB has always been a "favorite" of hers. She always seems to "reach" him when others can't. I was bemoaning my pain over my kid's "issues" and she told me a story that made me laugh until I almost cried.
We were talking about how well WB was doing. She was very proud of him. "I always knew he could do it, I knew the day I met him on the first day of 2nd grade that he was...special. I liked the way he thinks and I knew we'd be friends." I was more than a little curious and so I asked, "Really, how did you know?"
She said that on the first day of 2nd grade, his teacher, Mrs. H. asked the children to think about what made them special. Mrs. H went around the room, allowing the children to explain their "specialness". Mrs. Woods said the comments were like, "I'm special because my dad takes me to the mall and buys me whatever I want." And, "I'm special because I'm good at soccer."
When it was WB's turn, Mrs. H asked, "OK, WB, what makes you special?"
In one of those instances that teachers apparently remember forever, WB responded:
"I speak to fish telepathically."
"Really?" Mrs. H asked.
"Not just any fish though...only "special" fish...cause I'm "special."
Lord, thank you that my boy is bright, creative and a good communicator. I do love him so, even when he's on my ever-lovin' last nerve. I hate to ask for more because I've been so richly blessed, but Lord...please Lord, can you just get him to mind his teachers? His father and I would be eternally grateful.
p.s. Thanks for the "special" powers; I haven't quite figured them out yet, but I'm sure they'll come in handy one day.
