Legos

I know it's been forever since I last wrote, but better late than never!

This is a story about Legos, lost children, and the vulgarities of life.

First the Legos. Will loves Legos and builds some pretty complex figures from them. When I bought him a small package today, never did I dream it would take us on a journey halfway around the world and a past I can't imagine.

Oh, it all started innocently enough, Will building his project. Me complementing him on it. He asked if I had Legos when I was little and I told him no they didn't have Legos then, I just played with rocks and sticks (they didn't have fire yet either, LOL!). He told me he had lots of Legos, which surprised me because he said they had no toys at the orphanage. So I asked him about that and he replied this was before the orphanage.

Mind you, he was about 4 years old when he was found on a bench, so memories are probably still there. He said he had a Mama, but no father, no sisters or brothers. He fell asleep on the bench and "Mama run away. I hungry, someone find me. I go in van to place (he didn't know the word orphanage) with many kids." Maybe the saddest part is the resignation the story is told with. Not much feeling involved, just another child abandoned. He must have heard this same story told how many times by other children in the same situation. In China this is the norm. Children left without hope for a future, a society without conscious.

So I don't think I'll ever look at a Lego again without a touch of melancholy and vision of a land far away. A vision of a Mother giving away the toys of a son no longer hers.

Summer Camp 2011

My two youngest boys, Will and Andy, went to Bair Lake Bible Camp. This is Andy's 3rd year and of course Will's first. This camp is Andy's favorite. I like it too because they always accommodate Andy's special needs completely. It's hard to tell how Will liked it. He would tell me every evening he didn't, but later something would set him off and he'd be very animated, telling me about some activity or another.

Picture wise, Will is in the middle of the group camp photo, Andy is in front. The lady with the boys is Miss Lynne, she's been greeting parents and campers for the 6 years we've had kiddos going (Jon and Caitlyn used to go too!). Andy is with their councilor Zach. And I actually got Will to pose with a craft critter they made the second day of camp. Well, that's about it for now. Over and Out!!!!

You've come a long way Baby!!!!!!!

August 3rd is Caitlyn's Gotcha Day~what an incredible trip it's been! Shortly after her 2nd birthday she arrived. Anyone who met her that day remembers it very well. I know I was shocked at the condition she was in. Where was the smiling baby in our photos? Caitlyn's story is a little complicated but one I think worth sharing.

Shortly after our first adoption, we were excited to adopt again. We knew we were meant to adopt another special needs child and talking to our social worker, we had three children we were considering. One boy from Hong Kong that Keith felt strongly about, another boy from Korea I felt strongly about and 1 little girl~sort of "odd man out', if you will.

I had a whole list of follow up questions on the two boys, and had properly drilled our poor social worker about them. We were saying our good-byes, when I did stop to ask about a note on the little girl's notes. It said they were thinking of sending her to Ilsan. I thought it might be an orphanage as she was then in foster care. The social worker said, no it was an institution. Well that was the end of that! Those 2 boys were no longer at the top of the list, it was little Yo Na we wanted. I remember clearly the first thought going through my mind was ,"That's stupid!", which I know isn't very nice but that's what I thought.

We still needed to share her medical info. with a doctor specialising in adoption medical reviews and I had a friend who was a P.T. watch her video tape. Yo Na's diagnosis was mild C.P. The P.T. said she'd be a walker and sure enough a couple weeks later we heard she was indeed taking steps.

So here's the kicker; after talking to the P.T. and doctor, I made the call to the agency,we definitely wanted her. The social worker told me they had been praying for little Yo Na that very day, because when she arrived to work a fax from Korea was waiting. The doctor had signed the papers to have her committed. We managed to stop the process in time and completed probably the world's fastest international adoption. She arrived only 5 months from the time we started the process!

Yo Na (Caitlyn) hasn't been an easy child but when I see these pictures it reminds me of God's Love and his command to us to care for widowed and orphans in this world. When I tell this story people often say Caitlyn is lucky, but I know what happened was a true miracle. I know only God's Hand can reach down and provide an orphan a forever family the very same day a doctor signs a paper to have her committed. It's Caitlyn's Blessing and she is our Blessing. Praise God in all things!

Please note, the dear lady in the pictures with Caitlyn is our wonderful social worker Jan R.

Happy Baba day!

For those who don't know, Baba is Chinese for Dad. I thought I'd invest my time today in preparing a little list of all the things that would happen if we had no Baba. So here it goes:

1. This one's easy, no little Kniselys! Sorry guys, but I am not cut out for single parenting!

2. I'd probably be put in a nice padded room somewhere, which is scary because some days this sounds kinda appealing!

3. I wouldn't get to brag how good lookin' my other 1/2 is. Please note, this is probably NOT on Keith's Mother's Day list! (love really is blind)

4. Our perfect financial situation would be up the creek without a paddle. Keith earns the money, I spend it. Hey it works for me!

5. My dream of a perfect~or less than perfect~family wouldn't have come true. No one else but Keith would actually agree to adopting 4 special needs kids in addition to our one special homegrown son, Chris. I know it's hard to believe but each and every time I brought this subject up, I've never had Keith express anything but openness and compassion.

So there you have it, Happy Father's Days all the wonderful men out there who earn it and a big happy Baba, Appa, and Father's Day to my Hubby and co-founder of Knisely's Krazy Kids, Keith!!!!!!!

It's over~school that is!!!

At least until Tuesday when Will and Andy start summer school. I thought Will would throw a fit about going back over the first 6 weeks of summer, but once we told him no homework with summer school he was okay with it. The boys go 1/2 day, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Most of it is on the computer with some other activities and local library visits mixed in.

Will received several awards, including May Student of the Month. He had a red plastic bracelet saying " Student of the Month" he wore every day; carefully taking it off at night and putting it back on each morning. His report card contained 2 A's, a B and 1 C. Not bad since he just started school in Feb. and STILL gets no ELL (English Language Learner) assistance other than a 1/2 hour a day with Title 1 and my volunteering. But I guess we are muddling through, I just can't help but wonder how much better he would do if he got the services he is entitled to. Oh well, I guess I'll save that battle for next school year,. Stay cool!

p.s. Our cat had kittens a couple weeks ago. Thank goodness Will seems to be as much an animal lover as the rest of us!

Happy Birthday Will!!!!!!!

Well, Will had his first birthday party ever and I think he enjoyed it.16 friends joined us to celebrate and his teacher as well. His favorite gift was a RC car. What a joy compared to last June 2nd, knowing he was turning yet another year older with a family waiting an ocean away, desperate to bring him home.

Caitlyn made him the birthday card she's holding. It was much prettier in person than in the photo. The other picture is Will taking his birthday balloons for a ride on the RC truck!

Our first field trip

Last week we went to Sauder Village in northwest Ohio. It's one of those reconstructed villages showing life as it was in the 1800's. I think this was probably a really helpful trip for Will since America's past is so dramatically different than China's. Of course he doesn't appeared WOWED at all, he hates pictures and I'm sure a lot of it is over his head yet. But it was a good start. Stay tuned, this Thursday, is Will's eleventh birthday and we plan a party right after school. Hopeful weather will cooperate and he will have a good turn out!!!!! p.s. All the girls think he's cute, which he does NOT appreciate yet.