Vision Walk 2010. Team Katie Starr.

Should I begin this post by saying; "The best laid plans of mice and men" or should I begin by saying, "Say it isn't so?"

Today was Lily's much anticipated 5K. She raised a lot of money and couldn't wait to walk the walk. She has been talking the talk for weeks now and she was ready. At least she was ready when she hopped into bed last night. Her clothes were laid out ready, her water bottles chilling in the fridge, her new sneakers were at the front door with her socks placed neatly next to them, the sunscreen was in our bag, ditto the bug spray and her epi-pen, the cameras were charged and last but not least her picnic lunch was packed and ready to be grabbed at 7.50 this morning when we left the house to drive to Fort Lauderdale.

I set my alarm for 6.03 and came downstairs, moments later Lily followed me and in this odd, high pitched, raspy voice she told me she felt ill. She said her throat hurt, her head hurt and her legs were very wobbly. I probably stared at her for a few seconds with my mouth wide open. I touched her head and she was hot, really hot. Lily NEVER gets sick. The last time she had a fever we were in China, nearly 3 years ago. I gave her a huge cold drink and she sat on the couch looking so miserable and things just got worse when I said she couldn't do the walk. She begged and pleaded. I told her, no. I told her I would do it with Rosie in her name and she would have to stay home with Daddy. I dosed her with some M*trin, made her comfy and headed to the shower...rather late.

By the time I was out her fever was already down so I started to get dressed and get Rosie ready. At the last second I took her temp and she was at 98.8. Okay kiddo you can come but under one condition, you have to sit in Rosie's pushchair. I will push you both and when we are done it is straight back in the car and we are coming home. No face painting, no bouncehouse, no picnic and no playing. She agreed. All she cared about was doing the walk. A lot of people had sponsored her and she wanted to keep her end of the deal for Katie Starr.

We left the house late and arrived for the 9 am registration at 9.30 but we made it. The Katie Starr team was all kitted out in really awesome team shirts. Lori had done an amazing job of fundraising and the Katie Starr team was in the lead. I kept Lily in the shade sitting down and another Mum went and got her a smoothie, she had an apple and said she felt great. Her temp was back to normal ( I took the thermometre with me) and she was ready to go. After all the teams were introduced we had a quick pep rally, and a warm up. (warm up? Who are you kidding it was hot as all heck and we were sweating before we started LOL.) Lori came over to us and handed Lily a pin that she was given. It was for being an All Star. Lori's team raised $10,000 for The Foundation Fighting Blindness and as the team captain she was honoured with a pin. She told Lily that she deserved it for her fundraising it was very touching but then again that's Lori. Lily beamed.

I forced her to sit in the stroller because she was still very pale and looked ucky. I went as fast as I could, pushing a stroller with 80+lbs of weight in it. It was hot and sticky and I needed to get around as fast as possible then head back home. Both girls were drinking water so they were fine. After awhile Lily said she had to walk at least for awhile cos that was why people had sponsored her. One thing is for sure she is not a quitter. I let her get out and off she went. She didn't last long but she did it.

Once we got back to the start I grabbed her another cold drink and told both girls we would have our picnic in the car and we said our good byes. Neither of them questioned me and we walked slowly back to the car. I put the cooler between them both of them were asleep before they had a bite to eat. Lily doesn't sleep in the day, she might miss something!

When we got home Jacob and I carried them both into the house and plopped them on the couch. Lily didn't move all afternoon. She got up for awhile and played play-d*ugh, had some soup and a popsicle and then after her shower we watched a little television before she went back to sleep.

The walk was incredible. So many people, the Katie Starr team alone had 85 members! Again, that's the Weinstock way. So many people were all walking to raise money for research. Hopefully there won't be a walk next year because a cure for hereditary blindness will have been found but just in case we are signing up again.

Katie Starr and many others deserve this.

Team Captain, Lori with Katie Starr and the Mischief Man, Ethan. ( he felt a little forgotten today because eh kept hearing Lori and Katie Starrs names mentioned but not his.)

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Not looking so hot...she had no idea I was looking at her.

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Putting on her brave face and beginning to feel better.

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Not one to be left out, she loved the fact that she got a team shirt too.

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Everywhere you looked it was a sea of red for Katie Starr.

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These little signs were all along the walk.

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These HUGE spiders were everywhere. When you looked up all you see were these rather scary chaps. Urghhhh

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This pushchair was not made for this much weight!!! ( nor was this Mama!)

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Lily's team I.D. with the pin that Lori gave her.

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Here she is walking the walk, just as she promised.

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Such a fabulous quote on the front of the team shirts.

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Sweet Katie Starr, you will see your future because you have an amazing family who will stop at nothing to ensure that happens.

(side note: Andie since you cannot see Y*u Tube from Afghanistan I posted the video through dr*pshots. Let me know if you can see it. If you can I will continue to do it this way until you get back home))

Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes!

Today was a big day, we received this email from Thesaurus.com

Dear Dawn,

I have great news! The changes we mentioned in our last email are in place.

Your concern helped draw our attention to something that needed further
clarification. Our mission is to provide the most accurate information
regarding language, and we are pleased with the added clarity.

Please do not hesitate to reach out should you have any additional
questions.

Kind Regards,

Evelyn

The changes are for the better, they still use the word "stray" which neither Lily nor I care for but compared to, Hobo, bum, street person and all the derogatory terms they had before, we will take it. Nowhere on the page does it have anything unkind and or hurtful. Lily replied to the email herself and told them exactly what she thought of the changes.

Here it is:

Main Entry:	orphan
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	historical/literary child without parents
Synonyms:	foundling, stray

Main Entry:	ward
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	custody; person in one's custody
Synonyms:	adopted child, care, charge, child, client, dependent, foster child,godchild, guardianship, keeping, minor, orphan , pensioner,protection, protégé, protégée, pupil, safekeeping, trust

Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2010 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source

Thank you to every single person that contacted them....as a group, we did it!

Photos

Playing around with some photos tonight.
You can tell I had a migraine when these were taken, I'm not smiling, I'm grimacing. Oh well.

I love, love, love this one.

When did they get so big.
Why is hubby squinting?
Owie, my head hurts.
I think they were done!

Monkey see, Monkey do.

Really, I have no idea why they were wearing buckets on their heads.

Puppy Love.

Mummy, can we have a dog? Mummy when are we going to get a dog? PLEEEAASE, can we get a dog. Mummy I want a dog!

I must here this question 20 times a week and eventually I think we will have to do something about it but not yet!

In the meantime the girlies will have to make do with visiting all of our friends that have them.

Last night our friends, N and L raced to the airport to meet their newest family members, Mia and Zoe and we were given strict instructions to take the girls over this afternoon to meet them.

2 little Cocker Spaniels puppy's. Zoe is black and Mia is beige.

Look at those cute little puppy tummies.
Rosie immediately fell for Zoe, she is the quiet one who just wants to be held.
Bliss
Lily, on the other hand, fell hard and fast for Mia, the rambunctious, adventurous, mischievous pup. (a match made in heaven)

You can only imagine the pleading that's been going on in this house tonight! After spending the afternoon in the company of these cuties it's getting hard to say no. (darn this I am not supposed to like doggies!) Help me I'm caving.

Pumpkin Paradise.

This morning I volunteered at Rosie's school because Ms. Maria needed a little help in escorting all the little ones to the school's Pumpkin Patch. All of the kiddies are just gorgeous but I have to say that moving the little whippersnappers from point A to point B was hilarious. To quote my friend Doris, "it's like herding cats!"

Once we finally arrived it started to rain.....heavily! :-( The children only had a couple of minutes before we had to round 'em up and head 'em out!

Rosie being "line leader" on her way to the Pumpkins

Rosie and Friend.
Her class.
My little Pumpkin.

Trying to get them to all sit down for a picture.

Rosie and her fabulous teacher, Ms Ria. (Rosie can't say, Maria)
Funny pumpkins require funny grins.
I am superwoman!
Rosie and Friend.

Why?

Why do both my girlies love horses so much? Is it because they know I am petrified of them or is it simply because they truly are beautiful creatures and they can appreciate what I can't in the equine world.

Many of the foals at the ranch are now getting so big that they are out in the fields. Rosie knows when she approaches a mare with a foal that the first thing she has to do is gain the Mothers trust. Once this has been established there is a small chance she will be able to to touch the foal. When we approach them I stand back a little bit as Rosie is not as intimidating in stature as an adult.

This past Saturday this worked like a charm and Rosie and this little fella had a wonderful time. I kept my eye on Mama just to be sure she was OK with it and she was fine, just as long as I stayed back. I love to listen to the things Rosie tells the horse. She tells them she would never hurt them, she wants to be his friend, he is the most beautiful horse ever, etc and so on.

Rosie and the foal establishing trust.

Here she is telling me that he isn't scared.
After about 7 minutes of her touch the little guy fell asleep.


While she was playing horse whisperer big sis was galloping about like a lunatic!

Look at that grin! That grin is there because she had just been caught galloping on a horse that isn't fully trained and she isn't supposed to do that yet! Gema just laughs at her lack of fear.

She was going so fast here that I nearly chopped her head off
She looks so good on this horse.

Rosie and "Friend"

Rosie loves her school however she does not enjoy the part where she has to say good bye to us. We make it short and sweet and for a time things were going well. That has changed and now she cries again. Even bribery hasn't worked of late. She adores, loves, idolizes her teacher and cannot wait to see her and seconds after we have walked out of the door she is as happy as a clam.

She made a friend on her second day. A really sweet little girl who also only goes twice a week. They are inseparable and really cute together. I asked her what her friends name was and she told me, "Friend". I explained that friend must have a name but she was insistent that her friend's name is, "Friend". She talks about her non stop and just says, "me and Friend", so sweet.

Finally after 8 weeks of school her friend finally has a name. ( I knew what it was all along) Yesterday when I went and volunteered in her classroom, Rosie came up to me with her hand clasped firmly in "Friends" hand and said, "This my friend, Ria Aldedandro". To you and I that would be, Maria Alexandra. I crack up laughing every time she says it. "Friends" grandma and grandpa take her to school and they tell Rosie to call her Alexa, but she is having none of it. She finally figured out that "friend" has a name and she is going to use it.

Today Rosie and "Friend" had a play date at the park. Their little faces when they saw each other were priceless. They were so happy to be playing together. Rosie thought she should take her school bag with her and loaded it up with snacks for her and Ria Aldedandro and "Friend" did the same exact thing. Lots of snacks on this play date. and bubbles. and dolls. and other stuff.

Friend, friend, here I am I'm coming.

Weeeeee
"Friend" on the swing
BFF's
So absolutely adorable.

Butterfly Moon.

Approximately 2 years ago through my blog I met a really wonderful friend, Maci Miller. At the time she was waiting to travel to bring her baby girl home forever. At one point we started chatting on the phone and then before we knew it we met up with each other. Maci was so sweet and warm with the girls and I just couldn't wait for the day to arrive when she could hold her baby in her arms.

At this time I had no idea she was a singer and when she mentioned it I just sort of said, Oh. What can I say I live in Miami and everyone is something else, a poet, an actor, a singer but they never really are, they just want to be.

As our friendship progressed she told me she had recorded her latest song for her daughter. Something made me sit up and pay attention and Jacob and I listened to that CD and I was in tears. It is without a moments doubt the most beautiful song you could ever play to your little baby. It is now one of the girls favourite songs and even though I have heard it hundreds of times it makes me get teary. Maci has such a beautiful voice and it matches perfectly with her beautiful heart.

All the proceeds of this CD are going to charity. Please take a moment and visit her here to read about all the little children that the world considers un-adoptable that this CD will help.

And yes this is the first time I have ever had music on my blog but this is the song that Maci wrote for her daughter, Butterfly Moon

We did It.

Do you remember this post about how Lily had to find the synonyms for the word orphan and how she was incredibly upset by what greeted her?

As most of you know it started a huge email campaign involving everyone I could think of, adoption groups, family members, friends, concerned parents, school teachers, (not Lily's school though, they were not interested!) radio personalities, fellow adoptive parents, magazine editors, to name a few. I was told by many of you that we crashed the website of Thesaurus .com on more than one occasion. I sent them an email E V E R Y S I N G L E D A Y. I was constantly thinking of ways to keep it going as I didn't want it loose steam before the magazine was published.

Thanks to all of you for keeping on it.

Nobody ever heard from them at all. In one of my emails I even stated this fact. It wasn't my kindest letter as you can see......

Both of my daughters started their lives living in
orphanages and as such were classified as orphans however
they were NEVER waifs strays or ragamuffins. The synonyms
that you offer for the word orphan are incorrect and need
to be removed and replaced by something that is correct
which in this case word be the phrase, no matches found.
It is unthinkable to me that you can offer this
misinformation and wrongly educate the 1000's of students
that use this site.
What baffles me more is that you don't have the decency to
reply to any of my emails.

I hate to admit but even I was growing dubious that we would ever see any results. I just kept chugging along.

Finally yesterday as I was checking email one addy in particular caught my eye.. help desk, thesaurus .com

It isn't exactly what I wanted to see but it is something. I immediately contacted Adoptive Families Magazine and asked them if they wanted to pull the story but they said, NO. This still isn't good enough so we are going to print with what we have.

Here is the email.

Dear C**e Family,

Thank you for bringing this painful situation to our attention. We
apologize for the distress our Thesaurus entry caused your daughter. The
modern uses of "orphan" differ from the historical or literary uses of
the term. Therefore, we are adding a note to the entry that will
describe how the word "orphan" has been used in the past and in
literature. We feel this common reference practice will clearly explain
the distinction between recording how the term has been used
historically and what the term accurately means now. Please let us know
if you have any further questions or concerns about this topic and we
hope that these changes will make you, as well your daughters, satisfied
users of our Web site.

Regards,

I also received an email from another thesaurus that I had contacted and they were really helpful and gave me the names and email addy for the publisher so that I can contact them. I need to explain that their definitions and synonyms are outdated. Apparently they pride themselves on being up to date.

So it's just a small step in the right direction but we did it. We did make a change and I think it is big. I thanked the lady for doing what she is doing and told her I felt it was a start but that I still believe her synonyms are incorrect and outdated.

Lily you are a ROCK STAR. You stood up for what was right and you have changed a little piece of the world by doing so.

Funny Girl.

On Sunday Rosie attended a birthday party for one of her friends. She wanted to chose her outfit, so I let her. When I saw what she chose I wanted a photo of her in it because this cute little number is a hand-me-down from Lori and Katie Starr and I wanted them to see her wearing it.

She was in quite the silly mood!






I am not sure if I have mentioned this before or not but this nutty little girl of ours has super skinny feet, well not the whole foot just the heel portion, consequently she is very limited in the styles of shoes that she can wear. No pretty strappy sandals for this kidlet cos they fall off of her skinny heels. We have even tried buying shoes in other countries on the off chance that they run narrower at the heel....no chance. So if you wonder why this child is always in k*eds or Cr0cs or other clodhoppers, that is the explanation. Oh, it's a travesty to be a girl and be limited on footwear choices.

Oh For The Love Of Horses.

She loves them, everything about them. She must because she gets hot, sweaty, dirty and smelly and never once complains about it. Sometimes she rides so hard it hurts. Sometimes it's her legs, others it's her hands but she won't stop. If Gema turns her back for a second, which she will do on purpose to test her, she will gallop, even if she is on a filly who isn't completely trained. Fear doesn't exist, she is careful but throws herself into her lessons with everything she's got.

She makes everybody look, not on purpose but with her style. Everybody has something to say about her. And finally she makes everyone laugh, often and out loud.

Riding is in her blood.

Warming up the horses

On her favourite horse of all, Marquesa. She doesn't ride her much anymore since she is a beginner horse but they had a contest last week and Lily won and when asked what she wanted as her prize she chose to "ride out" on Marquesa.
And she is outta there.
Just 3 minutes from our house we have this beautiful area known as Horse Country
This is what Rosie does when Lily rides horses, she drives.
So lucky to have met Gema and have such a positive influence in our lives. This lady is truly one of a kind.

Pool Party Fun

Take a handful of school friends, a swimming pool and a birthday celebration and you have a recipe for lots of fun and giggles.

Adam, the birthday boy.

Lily climbing to safety.
Lily and Sana racing
The only girls at the party.
Friends.

Rosie, with blue lips. Once she gets the tiniest bit cold her lips always go this lovely shade of purplish blue. Just in case you wondering, it was in the mid-80's here .

Cheeky.

Can you see what it says on the front of Rosie's swimming costume? It says, Cheeky........



.......Now I know why!