Memorial Day Parade (delayed post)

Lucas and I found a great parade in our area on Memorial day.  I think there were over 100 entrants.  And they even threw candy.  yippeee!!!
We got there just a little late so missed the initial fire trucks but saw them as we were parking.  However, Lucas got to sit on the back of a Police pick up truck with the policeman's kids and family.  So he was pretty happy about that.

This picture cracks me up...what kind of face is that?

There were a lot of tractors in this parade and these Farmall Tractors remind me of my Grandpa Tews.  He had one of these when I was little.  I rode on it a lot.  It just reminded me of him.  I miss that farm and all the fun memories there.

The other day he saw flags on crosses lining a downtown area we were driving through and he asked about it.  I explained to him that those were all soldiers that had died in various wars.  He asked who they were, and I began to read names and the wars they died in.

After a while it got quite quiet in the back seat of the car.
His eyes filled with tears and with a choked up voice he said
"that's sad mom"
"all those people died"

He was very moved by the memory of all these people even though he had never met them. Moved to tears.  How often have I been moved to tears seeing those crosses and flags?  I love this boy and his tender heart.  Thanks Lucas for reminding me to Remember....

Legs/feet everywhere...

After swimming for 3 hours today,

 Lucas made it into the house before I did by a few minutes.  

When I walked into the door, this was the "explosion" I saw right in front of the door.  

Swim suit 

Legs

Liners

socks 

shoes 

everywhere...

Now that's a pile of stuff to trip over.

(it made me chuckle a bit and smile)

Life at our house!

GA Aquarium sad news...and Blind Side

Lucas has been to the aquarium several times this spring and was anxiously awaiting the birth of their first baby Beluga whale.
Unfortunately I found out today through some research that the momma had her baby over a week ago and she died just a few days later.  I was so sad.  And I wasn't sure how Lucas was going to deal with it since he would sit for the longest time at that exhibit and just watch her swim and asked lots of questions of the docent.
I told him today and he got very sad.  A few tears filled his eyes.
Then later he said

"Will the momma whale adopt another baby soon?"

some confusion for the boy about biology and adoption still.

A good teachable moment.

Last night we also watched Blind Side.

We've loved that movie for a long time.  With a little editing, Lucas enjoyed it as well.  He really was very curious about the adoption aspect of the movie and asked a lot of questions about the "momma" that the "white mommy" went to see before she adopted Michael.  He was a bit confused by why she could not take care of Michael if she was sitting right there talking to the "white mommy".  He kept asking later in the movie if she "died".  We tried to make a few parallels for him.  But, the story is different in that I never got to meet his "China mommy" and I told him that makes me sad sometimes.

So from whales to football players the topic of adoption and birth have risen to the surface this week.

We try to just answer his questions as they come and let him process as much as he can.

"Does he call you mom?"

Yep
Someone asked me that the other day at the swimming pool.

I really have not had that question before.  It is a common question asked of adoptive families.  I knew it would come someday.

It was part of a greater discussion we were having about Lucas and his adoption and his surgery, etc.  I would really rather have people ask about Lucas's story and answer their questions directly than have them wonder about it.  So the discussion was good.  But, that question just caught me off guard a little bit.

I just said "yes, he calls me mom.  He never knew another mom".  And let it rest at that.

I try not to let the fact that people are just uninformed about things get in the way of my emotional response.   But, ocassionally, I do have to say questions like that surprise me.

So, if you have a question.  Even if it is a question like "Does he call you mom?"...please just ask.  And I hope I respond with Grace.  =)

5 hours at the pool...

Yep,
After that previous post and all the consternation....
We spent FIVE hours at our pool yesterday and he never ONCE said anything about wishing he had feet...
Just sayin'
That's our boy.
Movin' on.

Our friend Debby found this though.

http://blog.swimator.com/2011/05/shinfin-leg-fins-review-no-more-sinking.html?m=1

I think it is stinkin' cool.
Problem being it may be too big for him and I'm wondering if he still needs a foot to support it.
There has to be something for kids too.  Especially since they are still growing.  If we were made of money we might consider a more permanent prosthetic for swimming, but it would change so much over time as he grows.

Alas,
My husband's "wheels" are now turning and he is in "inventor" mode...
stay tuned.

"The next time you bring me from China..."

Yesterday was the first time I've ever heard Lucas express any form of "regret" about his surgery.
He has never said anything negative about the decision or about regret that he has "new feet", etc.  Even when kids ask on the playground he just says he used to have 2 toes and now he has 5.  Or he just says he had "surgery".  He has always been positive about it.

I know it was bound to happen at some point but it was hard to be on the recieving end of the comments he had.  It all came out of frustration.  He was mad because our neighborhood pool has opened for the summer and he wanted to wear flippers.  He cannot swim with his legs on because they will basically fill with water and he will sink.  I haven't done a ton of research on options at this point becasue it has never been an issue.

So as I write what he actually said, it comes with a slight chuckle under my breath (so sorry if that sounds insensitive) combined with "do you really mean that?--maybe I should be more sensitive"

He said -- in a huffy and mad tone...
"Ya know what?"
"The next time you bring me from China I want to keep my other feet.  I don't want you to cut my feet off"
"These feet are stupid"
it went on for a while with several more comments about how dumb they were, and he did cry a little about it too.
(does anyone else think that is funny in a way? "the next time you bring me from China..")

We did process through it. --I'm not that insensitive.
And I did finally relent and tell him
"ok"
"Let's try it"
 
I figured the reality was he needed to see what would happen.  I realized I didn't want to do it because it would make his legs wet and it would take a long time to dry.  I also know what will happen and he will sink.  It would be painfully hard to watch it happen and I also didn't want to be inconvenienced.  Check in my spirit about that one.

So, we headed off to the pool.
Fully intending to attempt swimming with legs on and flippers.

But, alas.
Once we got there he let it all lay to rest and was perfectly fine with just taking them off and swimming.
Whew.

It does make me want to do some research for him though.  There has to be a "swimming" prosthetic.  I mean they made a tail for a dolphin in the movie Dolphin Tale right?
And/or I need to take him to some swimming lessons so he can gain some confidence in the water even without his legs.  He really does quite great.  But, he knows he doesn't go as fast as other kids and struggles a little to keep up.  Some of that is because it is early in the swimming season.  I'm sure he will adapt and figure it out, but it would be fun to find something to make swimming even more fun.

I love this boy.
And the reality is.
He is pretty stinkin' amazing.

Beach Time May 2012

A little spontaneous plan last week landed Lucas and I at the beach for 4 days.
We have not been able to afford travel or attending so many sweet graduations this year because of our finances.  It's been so hard to miss so many.  Last week Wednesday part of our tax refund came.  Peter and I decided that Lucas and I would go to our sweet Hannah Cz's graduation party in Florida.  Peter felt he needed to stay back to take care of some appointments and Isaac is basically working full time now.  So off we went--Just Lucas and I.  It was hard to leave them behind.

When we got there we thought it would just add to the fun to "surprise" everyone.  We were practically surprised since we decided to go on Thursday and I was on the road Friday morning at 5:30 a.m. for a 9 hour drive.

Here's just a little "beach" video...

We borrowed "Jack" as a stand-in brother for Lucas.
And "grandpa John" and "grandma Maggie" (Hannah and Jack's grandparents) just for fun!
Personally, I have 2 favorite things in this video..
1.  Lucas surfing with no feet
2.  right after that The Monkey's "scream" in the song when our friend David is all decked out with sunglasses and a pink towel!


a short trip to the beach but oh so good!

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