The Coolest Thing Ever!!

New Look for This Blog

So, I decided it was time to give this blog a "face lift"! Originally, I loved the subtle tones and faded colors of the template and colors I was using before...but after all this time, and after a long, cold Utah winter, I was ready for something bright and colorful...something "spring-ey"! We will go with this new "look" and see if I like it...

OH HAPPY DAY!

Stephanie sent news from Ghana! Oh, HAPPY DAY! And I am not even waiting to go get my little one! I can't imagine how the adopting parents felt. It was so fun to read about the children...it gave me insight about the lives of the rest of the children at Luckyhill, about their day, their thoughts and interests. It was so kind of Stephanie to take the time to update everyone! I can't imagine, with all she has to do...keeping up with her own two little boys and getting to know them and spending time with them! She has taken the time to speak to everyone's kids who are still at Luckyhill and get to know their personalities a little so she can write back and tell everyone about their children!!!!! Isn't that so, so sweet?!?!

I didn't work on Thursday! (Although I love my days to be with Taiger, I am worried that I don't have to go to work...this economy is killing us!!) Taiger and I had another FUN day! It was so sunny outside, and not too cold, so we spent some time outside! I took him out on his little four-wheeler. He had a blast driving it around our neighborhood.

Little Brother left for art school in California. He was driving, with Dad following to make sure he made it in his new (old:)) car. They came as far as Utah and stayed the night so we could say goodbye and to get Mom and Bryttan to ride with them. Taiger was sad to see Little Brother leaving. He and Taiger have a very special relationship and are VERY close. LB is Taiger's only uncle, and Taiger looks up to him SO MUCH! LB rebuilt an old hot-rod, which he drove to the Bonneville Salt Flats for Speed Week. LB talked about Speed Week and preparing for it. He worked so hard on his hot rod, getting it ready. Taiger got ALL into hot-rods and fixing cars because that is what LB was in to. Recently, I bought Taiger a little matchbox, hot wheels car. It is a hot-rod that looks like LB's. Taiger calls it his Bonneville car and it is BY FAR his FAVORITE car he owns (and he has a few!). He carries it around with him and just LOVES that car. He knows Bryndon LOVES Bonneville and hot-rods. The morning LB was leaving for school, Taiger ran out and asked him to come back in the house. When LB came back, Taiger said, "I want to give you a present. I want to give you my Bonneville car." Of course, LB would not accept the gift and asked Taiger to hang on to it for him. It was so touching, though, and LB and Taiger had more hugs and kisses over that.

A Day Off Work

Yesterday, I didn't have to go in to work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was SO WONDERFUL! I loved being able to spend the entire day with Taiger! We had such a fun day!!!!! Here are some pictures of our various activities!!

First, Taiger got all bundled up and went out to play in the snow. Taiger LOVES to eat fresh snow and even brought a spoon outside so he could maximize his snow-eating potential! In this picture, he mouth is full of snow!!

Then, Taiger dressed up like a pirate and jumped on his bed, singing the song from Pirates of the Carribbean and sword fighting an imaginary apponent, who I am certain was also a pirate.

We then learned about Valentine's Day and made decorations for Valentine's Day. Taiger was so proud of his work he hung them on the fridge!! Of course, he was still a pirate, hence the hook.

Taiger then decided it would be fun to put the markers we had used for the crafts in his mouth and, using his breath, shoot them out...all over the kitchen. Taiger was a good boy and cleaned them all up after his little game.

Afrer THAT "fun", we went outside and Taiger went sledding in the neighbor's yard with the neighbor kids. FUN!

The last "activity" of the day was a warm bath! When Taiger got out of the bath, he wrapped up in his favorite towel...a snowman towel!! I had cooked dinner while he was in the bath. He ate and, needless to say, went RIGHT to sleep!

What a FUN day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Autism and Immunizations

There HAS to be a way for Taiger and I to get to Ghana. There MUST be a way. Someone on the yahoo! group to which I posted was SO POSITIVE! She offered suggestions and told me that I would find a way...that where there is a will, there is a way. There have been a few people who may or may not agree with me not immunizing, but are at least gracious and understanding and willing to help me find a way to make it work.

I appreciate those people more than I can express!! I appreciate their advice and have learned a LOT from what they have said! I also really, REALLY appreciate their choice of words and the spirit of their posts, which were neither judgmental nor attacking in ANY way. I think it was very kind and compassionate of them to not want to make me feel bad, to not lecture me, and to not make me feel foolish in front of other group members. I wish I could THANK them for that...but I don't want to get onto this topic any more than we already have. I realize it is not a healthy topic for discussion on the group because it is something about which people feel quite strongly. Besides, I really didn't intend for the topic to be about immunizations, but rather about if anyone had suggestions for someone who does not immunize (whether they agree with it or not)...I didn't mean to start something. For that reason, I have not told Little Brother's story, nor anything else I have learned since Little Brother contracted Aspergers. It is not the right time or place to discuss whether immunizing is wise or not. I wish others would also see it is not a good place for that discussion.

It hurts me so much to have people say negative things about "people who don't' immunize". Someone even said she respects other's decisions, so long as their decisions are educated ones. I wanted to tell her how "educated" I am...how I have lived through the nightmare of my brother getting Autism from an immunization. I wanted to tell her of the horror Little Brother has lived through since that immunization. To tell her of the many reports and articles written about how immunization can cause Autism. I respect people who DO immunize...why can't people respect those who DON'T? I respect them by not posting my opinion on that group...I wish they could respect me and also drop the conversation unless it is in the spirit of simply informing and offering advice, as so many others on the groups have done.

I don't know who all reads this blog, and I don't know if those of you who may read it immunize your children or not. I certainly don't want to ever offend anyone over something like this, as I have been slightly hurt by this very personal topic. Anyway, I DO want to just end this post by asking you to PLEASE take a moment and read about immunizations and Autism. At least to understand why people like myself are concerned, and to understand how many people with Autism came to have it.

Devastated

I am so...devastated. I don't even know if that is a strong enough word to express how I feel.

I found out that to travel to Ghana, one MUST have the vaccination against Yellow Fever. I was so worried and immediately began looking into the vaccine, to see what side effects there are, and, most importantly, to find out if it can cause Aspergers. I posted on a yahoo! group about my concerns. Lois emailed me and said that, "Yellow Fever is the least of your worries". Needless to say, I freaked! Okay, I know that sounds so immature...but it really is what I did! Posts began flooding the group about the importance of immunizing before going to Ghana. Lois posted each disease prevalent in Ghana and it's symptoms. I knew about all of this...I just didn't know Ghana was an area where these diseases were SO prevalent. I guess I should have known, really. When in posts it was said that this is a Third World country, indicating I should have KNOWN, I felt dumb for not looking in to the diseases in Ghana first, but I also felt slightly justified in my stupidity, as it were. I traveled to China, also considered by many to be a "Third World Country", without immunization or vaccination. Also, Ghana is not on lists of "Third World Countries" that I have seen, so I figured it must be "better" that other African nations, which ARE listed as Third World. I thought it would be a "safer" place to travel, and that is part of the reason I chose Ghana in the first place.

Anyway, it doesn't matter now whether I was stupid or not. What DOES matter is what I am going to do next.

I have spent the day almost in shock. I keep being reminded, "I am not going to Ghana". At least not with Taiger, and not for the months and months I had planned on. Each day, my mind is preoccupied with thoughts of going to Ghana. I envision our life there. I wonder what it will be like. I picture us in the guest house, at the orphanage. I see me teaching at the school. I see Taiger in a preschool room with other children his age, busy there so I can help the older children. I picture me with the older girls, facilitating healthy discussion and following my goals help them in every way I can. I love those girls already. I admire them. I wonder about them. I pray for them...as I do all of the children at Luckyhill. I pray for Kingsley's family, for their strength. I am amazed at their fortitude, their spirit of sacrifice, their closeness to God. I yearned to be in their presence, to feel of their spirits. I longed to learn from the people of Ghana, and especially from those at Luckyhill. To learn to be humble, to sacrifice for others. I wanted my eyes to be opened to the realities of life outside of the shelter of America. I wanted all of this for my son also.

But I know it is not all about what I want. It is about what God wants. I felt SO STRONGLY that I was supposed to be in Ghana in August. I knew I was supposed to be there in August. I am having a hard time accepting the fact that I will not be there. I keep thinking, there has to be a way. I have to be there in August. I suppose I need to stop thinking so much and have faith that if it is what I am, indeed, SUPPOSED to do, God will provide a way. Maybe I am supposed to go alone, without Taiger. Can I get immunized? I must pray to God for the answers I seek.

Bowling and Blankets

So, last night we went on a FUN grand adventure! We went BOWLING! It was Taiger's first time going and he had a BLAST! When we arrived, they told us it would be an hour and a half to two hours until we could bowl. I thought Taiger would be asleep by then, but we decided to wait...Taiger was SO EXCITED to bowl he wouldn't let us leave!!!! In the end, we had a BLAST! At one point, I got a strike (amazing, since I hardly even hit any pins before or after that!), Taiger's turn was next and HE got a strike (go Taiger!!), then Jeremy was after him and he got a strike as well! It was amazing! I took a picture of the score board as proof. Ha ha! Anyway, it was well worth the wait to see Taiger have SO much FUN!!

Stephanie emailed the yahoo! group from Ghana and updated everyone. Unfortunately, it is very, very cold there at night, and there are no blankets or warm clothes for the children. So, almost all of the kids have colds. My heart ached when I heard this!! Ginny (a mother who recently adopted from Luckyhill) sent some sweatshirts over for the children. I have some sweatshirts that are NEW that I want to send...maybe some blankets, too...I will see.

I will post some pictures of our bowling adventure for your enjoyment.

When Taiger got his strike, we were quite excited for him! The noise upset him so he covered his ears. So, this is how Taiger looked when he got his Strike! He HATES loud noises! :D