Philadelphia - Horse and Buggy Ride, Bus and Duck Tours and Deconstructing Mom Part 2

And so, per Kendall's request, for his week of being very good, we took took the SEPTA train from Thorndale to Market East in Philadelphia, rode a horse and buggy around Independence Hall, took a double decker bus tour and a duck tour! A non-stop very fun day. Kendall drove the horse and buggy for a bit, learned a lot about Philadelphia a really enjoyed being in a duck boat in the water!

Part 2 of Deconstructing Mom: Everything is out of your hands while you wait for a match since you have done everything you can do to put your adoption plan in motion. So I tried to prepare myself mentally and emotionally to welcome new child(ren) into my life.  I had faith that I will adopt and that the process works. I taught Sunday School and ironically taught the the Pre-Kindegarten/ Kindergarten class, which was Kendall's age so I knew all of the children in church his age.  I subscribed to Adoptive Families and rainbow kids.com and read any story I story I could on adoption. I decluttered, cleaned and organized my home. I started to save vacation time and save  more money.   I became more comfortable with adoption terminology so I can talk about adoption with your child and others in your life. I started to learn about Costa Rica as a county, people and culture. I worked on finishing home renovation projects that I had in the works. I started to rest, exercise and eat properly. And finally, I continued to hope and pray.

We are relaxing at home this evening watching TV.  Buenas noches!

Feliz Viernes!

Today was good day and we are tired! Kendall spent the day at the YMCA. We had McDonald's Happy Meals and then had a wonderful time at La Mancha. I walked dogs and Kendall worked with Ricardo and the horses. He now had knee length black rubber boots to help clean the horse stalls.

We watched The Life of Pi in 3D. The storyline revolves around a 16-year-old Indian boy named Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, who survives a shipwreck in which his family dies, and is stranded in the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Some parts were scary but it was a beautiful film.

After the movie, Kendall was very sad tonight. He told me everything he has lost and I tried to point out everything he has gained. Some tears but all is well. Buenas noches!

Deconstructing Mom (also known as Allison) Part 1

Kendall has had a good week. He has cooperated well with his new schedule and meeting new teachers. We are grateful to them all. We look forward to weekend meant for good boys!

As Kendall was getting taking his shower and getting ready for bed, he sang in the bathroom. I stood outside the door and recorded him. He loves Michael Jackson! We watched The Love Bug in English. My first car was an orange Volkswagon Bug and I loved the Herbiemovies. Herbie, the lovable car with a mind of his own. A down-on-his-luck race car driver, Jim Douglas, reluctantly teams up with the little machine. Douglas thinks his sudden winning streak is due to his skill, not Herbie's. He finally realizes the car's worth when a sneaky rival plots to steal Herbie for himself. The old movies are not available in Spanish so we are listening in English with English subtitles :-0

As for Deconstructing Mom (aka Allison), that is long process that is still ongoing. It started on my 40th birthday when I mailed the completed initial adoption application to Pearl S. Buck International. I had decided then to adopt internationally since most agencies steer single women to outside of the U.S. And there are certain countries that will allow a woman to adopt and restrictions on age ranges. Bottom line - If you're single there are fewer options. Peal S. Buck had 3 countries that allowed single women to adopt and I felt the most comfortable with Costa Rica.

I had to provide financial, medical and other personal information during the home study process and share a snapshot of my personal life in my family profile. The paperwork for an international adoption was daunting, because you must satisfy the requirements of a foreign government as well as the U.S. federal government. And while most international adoptions go smoothly, changes in government policy abroad can delay or derail a placement. Finally, and this is a fast forward, my application was originally submitted in November 2010. In January, I was asked additional questions, which I submitted by February 2011. My application was finally accepted April 2011. And then I waited for a match. Part 2 will be forthcoming - Buenas noches!

I have a dream...

I received word late last night that school was closed today for a water maintenance issue so Kendall spent the day at the YMCA. He got up on his own after the alarm, washed his and put on his socks solito. I usually help him with that and since he did it all by himself I asked for my good morning kiss and hug. He was dressed in a Superman bathing suit and USA t-shirt, sunglasses and cap. He also does nto have school this Friday so he will come again to the YMCA.

When I picked him up at the YMCA, it was pouring, we were both soaking wet by the time we made to the car.  Kendal did not get to swim because of the weather but did see Despicable Me today. He kept saying Villian Favorito and it took me us a few tries and using the Say Hi Translate app on the iPhone to figure out which movie he was saying.  He, of course, wants to buy Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2!

At home, Kendall watched a little TV while I made dinner. After dinner I had him practice the alphabet.  It took some doing since I allowed TV as soon as we arrived home.  I turned the TV off and he missed quite a few letters so I asked him to out the letters in order again.  He decided that he would not so I told him no more TV tonight and he could take a shower to get ready for bed.  We went back and forth in Spanish and English then Kendall became upset with tears. He told me that I was not listening to him and he was doing what I told him. Then he told me he did not like me right now.  I told him I'm sorry and I was trying to have repeat putting the letters in order one more time. I emphasized how important knowing the letters were, practicing will help him do it faster and  help him with writing and reading. He said he understood and that I should have 1 day of castiga (no TV) for not listening or paying attention. Which made me think that  I should.  I was sitting in a chair and he was standing in front of me - I put my arms around him and said I'm sorry and you are right. I asked him to help me out by doing the letters one more time, the best you can and then I will make popcorn and we can watch a movie. He agreed and did a much better job. And somehow, we lost the letter V.  We think Liam is hiding it from us :-). 

I was able to set up for both Kendall and myself for tomorrow, have dishwasher and a load of wash started. We are watching Animals United - Adventures in Africa in English since there was no option in Spanish.

Tomorrow I will blog about Deconstructing Mom a.k.a Allison, which is just as important as Deconstructing Kendall. Today is 50 years after Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech.  “I Have a Dream" is the mantra of any group of people with the hopes of overcoming. Celebration of this speech inspires all generations of all groups to dream of a better life in America.”

Buenas noches!

Transcript of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I have a dream' speech
Published August 27, 2013
FoxNews.com

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men -- yes, black men as well as white men -- would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check that has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end but a beginning. Those who hoped that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "for whites only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today my friends -- so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father's died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!"

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi -- from every mountainside.

Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring -- when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children -- black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics -- will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Deconstructing Kendall

Let me first explain the title of this post - Deconstructing Kendall. I do not like the word deconstruct since it means to break down into components or to dismantle. My dental hygenist and I were both waiting for children at the same time. She for her own biological child and myself for Kendall. We both received word at about the same time that she would have a son in 9 months and I was matched to Kendall. At a dental visit after Kendall and I became a family, she told me about a friend in Romania (She is Romanian) that adopted a 3 year old girl from Russia and that she was "decontructing" what the girl had learned. And I thought what an interesting and negative word choice that was. Now, I understand a little better why she chose that word. Kendall has numerous maravilloso qualities that I love and that others have pointed out to me. He is a very loving, polite, happy, funny, empathetic and intelligent boy. He is also very independent (because he had to be), stubborn, listens to only what he wants to hear, follows the direction he wants to do and can be impulsive acting before he thinks about the consequences.

I enjoy the word deconstruction in cooking. Deconstruction in cooking, also known as "destructured" cooking, emerged in the early nineties thanks to the genius of the Spanish chef Ferran Adrià, whose gourmet workshop elBulli produced dishes that were physically unlike the originals but with all their flavors preserved. This gastronomic concept involves changing the appearance of the various ingredients used in a dish, but preserving and even reinforcing the intensity of their flavors. To do this, each of the components is treated separately, changing and transforming presentation, textures and forms, and playing with temperatures. This means that the same dish might combine a foam, a crispy ingredient, an ice-drink and a gelatin, for example. The appearance of the deconstructed dish differs radically from the original, although it should retain much of its essential character. So Kendall - here we go :-0

Kendall was excited to go to school this morning. I reminded him that it is important for him to work with Mrs. Applegate. She will decide if he has done well for the week and whether he will receive a reward for a job well done at school. Mrs. Applegate e-mailed me that Kendall had another great day considering the weather and the water problems at school.  She asked whether Kendall knows the alphabet and his letter sounds.  He does know his letters but he needs to think about it. He is still learning English letter sounds. We have been practicing this summer but I think a good review and why it is important from multiple folks would help.

When I looked for his school paperwork, I found that his water bottle was not closed correctly and all of his folders, notebooks and even a library book were wet in his backpack. We talked about the water bottle this morning and I put the water in a ziplock back in his backpack so if it leaked the bag would protect his school items. So we talked about leaving the water bottle on a spot on the side of the backpack and checking the seal. Most of the folders and 3 out of the 4 notebooks are OK but one notebook was very wet. We also talked about the fact we would have to buy the library book if we damage it and if we have to buy notebooks and books over and over that would come out of his toy fund. He said he was sorry and we gave each other a hug.

We practiced the alphabet again tonight and he did a good job. I would like Kendall to have reading and speech help as soon as possible. For math, we reviewed addition today and did work on subtraction over the summer. We will review subtraction tomorrow. He does use his fingers and I encouraged him use a number line also.  Mrs. Applegate found it very difficult to keep him focused and motivated so we will work on that. Ms. Clark, the English as a Second Language Teacher, will meet him on Thursday and we will come up with a plan. She will be at the school every 4 days. I spoke to her for quite awhile about Kendall and we look forward to working with her.  Kendall did tell me he threw a top of a pen at other classmates with no 'I'm sorry.'   I told him that means he did it on purpose and was not an accident. He told me it was an accident and will say 'I'm sorry' tomorrow. 

Mrs. Applegate did tell me about Kendall throwing things and some excess talking in class in her e-mail update. She would like to build his self confidence with things that he is able do independently and be successful with. Everyone is trying to get to know each other this week and it's hard to know what Kendall is truly capable of.  He was much more willing to try work today! After reviewing the  alphabet and addition we went over his work that was sent home. I told him to always write his name on his papers or he would not get credit for his work or get a zero. We reviewed his sheets and added to update his work.

Kendall checked out a book about John Henry from the library, intrigued by the train. We read half of the book with me paraphrasing in Spanish. He didn't want me to stop! We watched Parts 1 and 2 of the John Henry Disney videos also.

We chatted with the Abuelos and watched So You Think You Can Dance. Tomorrow school was cancelled due to a water pump problem so Kendall will go to the YMCA.

Buenas noches!

John Henry Part 1 of 2

John Henry Part 2 of 2

Primer día de Tercer Grado

I was more excited than Kendall was for the first day of third grade! Although we set out his agreed upon clothes and shoes, he decided to use his shoes as a reason not to go to school today. He did not like the new shoes because they were too shiny. I told him everyone will have new clothes and shoes today but he still did not like his shoes.  I finally told him to pick a pair of shoes to wear today and we would go shoe shopping after school.

Once we pulled into the school parking lot at 6:30am, he said 'Bye, Mom!' so I knew all was well. The first photo is when I dropped him off and the second photo is when I picked him up from school.  The 2 ladies that were there in the morning knew Kendall from camp so I felt more comfortable when I headed to work.

I picked up Kendall close to 5pm and he had a great day! We went to Payless Shoes and found 3 pairs of shoes. He is now in size 6. He picked out 2 pairs he really liked and we found a new pair of Phineas and Ferb slipons. He even told me 'I love you' in the store. And we were in and out and the other parent/child conversations weren't as fun and wonderful as ours!  Kendall was also intrigued by the bell that went off when you went near the door. The cashier and I explained that when someone was not at the register, they could hear when someone entered and exited the store.  He went near the door multiple times to hear the bell!

When we were back in the car, we were talking about schoolwork and I told him that if he was able to tell me the days of the week that we study in English, he could have a surprise. He was unable to tell me the days in English but he could in Spanish. He actually could tell me 3 out of the 4 but not in order.  I gave him multiple tries and at one point told him the answer but he was not listening or trying.  He then told me 'yo nunca voy a tratar,' which translates to I am never going to try so I continued to see if he could tell the 4 days in English. We made it into the Burger King parking lot but he was unable to do it so we went home. I told him I could tell him the wrong day or time and he could miss out on something fun or go to bed early since he did not know the correct day if the week or time. He is a an excellent negotiator but I held firm in what I asked him to do in order to get the reward.  Believe me, I would have rather had Burger King tonight!

I made hamburgers and fries and he spent time on abcmouse.com. He practiced the days of the week! We FaceTimed with the Abuelos and Skyped with Kevin and Eduardo.   Kendall learned about the number 666 today at school. So Kendall, Eduardo, Kevin and myself talked this being the number of the devil (diablo).  Kendall now likes 777. Despite the car ride home, Kendall and I laughed multiple times tonight.  We are watching Nicky Deuce and I finished all of his school paperwork :-0

Buenas noches!

Mañana es el primer día de clases!

And we are ready! Kendall and I went to church early this morning. He was the only child in church and went to the children's sermon solito. He did a great job and even sang some songs! We went for a healing prayer for the first day of school. This was our last Sunday on Altar Guild for this year.

We went finished our food shopping and I spent most the day organizing the house and Kendall's school things. Kendall played with his toys in the basement. We Skyped with Kevin, Eduardo and Kattya in Costa Rica and the FaceTimed with the Abuelos.

Buenas noches!

Lucha Libre

Kendall opened his package from Abuelos this morning and now Kendall is ready for Lucha Libre! We had Liam Luis Diego vaccinated this morning. We chatted with the Abuelos and finally met Ray's wife, Stephanie, our new neighbors. Kendall had fun playing with the vecinos.  We finished school shopping so we are excited!

We watched Disney's The Game Plan with both Kendall and myself crying by the time it was over. The movie is about one of sports’ toughest players ever taking on his biggest challenge yet – fatherhood. A superstar with an ego bigger than a football field, Joe Kingman is getting ready for a run at the big championship game when the 8-year-old daughter he never knew existed shows up at his not-so-family-friendly bachelor pad. As the big game gets closer, he begins to realize the most meaningful win he can achieve is the heart of the one little fan who counts the most. Kendall was upset missing his family in Costa Rica. We talked about it and hopefully, next year in Costa Rica Kevin and Kendall can resolve some issues.

Buenas noches!

Todos caras de felices otra vez :-0

This morning we said 'Buenas Dias' to the man picking up our trash.  He also speaks Spanish and we have talked to him before. He waved to us so we chatted with him a bit. Kendall is fascinated by the trash vehicle. It is manned by one person and a robotic arm picks up the trash and empties it into the truck.

The YMCA called me at work to tell about an injury Kendall had this afternoon. He hit his head while playing soccer. He is fine and It was just from having fun.  He was being very good today!  I picked up 2 McDonald's Happy Meals with 2 toys before I picked him up tonight. Bonus was that today is family night and I paid $5 for both meals!

Kendall chanted McDonald's Happy Meals all the way to the car. We both enjoyed helping at La Mancha. Tonight Kendall went with Ricardo and I walked some puppies. So cute! The was also a new abused dog that was there that we tried clean up a bit. You should not get an animal you cannot take care of.

Kendall is enjoying playing with his toys again since he was such a good boy today. It was a great start to the weekend - Buenas noches!

YMCA Talent Show and Kendall's Best Friend Marcus

Today was the YMCA Talent Show. Kendall played the recorder and then his guitar for a few seconds. He was the second to perform and one if a handful of children performing solito. All of the children were very talented with lots of gymnastics, dancing and singing.   His best friend, Marcus, was the last to perform. He ate an EXTRA HOT Mini Barcel Takis Fuego Hot Rolled Tortilla Corn Chip. These corn chips are a favorite with the campers! Here is the song:

Hot cheetos and takis
Hot cheetos and takis
I can’t get enough of these hot cheetos and takis
Got my fingers stained red and I cannot get them off me
You can catch me and my crew eating hot cheetos and takis

Snack snack snack crunch
Snack snack snack munch
Hot cheetos and takis
Hot cheetos and takis
You can catch me and my crew eating hot cheetos and takis

Yesterday, for the first time, Kendall achieved all caras de felices for every behavior on his behavior chart. Felicidades, Kendall, estoy tan orgulloso de ti!  However, today, he was also written up for hitting and throwing his backpack at the camper. I talked to a counselor and some kids were asking him questions about God and then this occurred. She also told me the other boys were culpable as well. The parental feedback form mentions he was badgered by other children and it was not totally his fault but he is accountable for his reaction. Kendall told me it was 2 older boys asking him about God, the devil and bad people. I know Kendall is very sensitive about this subject since we have have multiple conversations about Dios, el Diablo y malo personas. Kendall answered but did they continued to ask him so he hit them.  We talked about saying "I don't like this and Please stop" and getting an adult next time. 

He went The Golf Zone with the YMCA and had a great time. He loves the Go Karts and wants to go back with Kevin when he comes to the US. He has a list of mucha costa to do with Kevin when he visits!

Tonight, Nikki stayed with Kendall and I met Kendall's third grade teacher Mrs. Applegate.   I like Mrs. Applegate immensely but she will have 32 children in her class this year.  She requested and does have all of the 3rd grade English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Kendall will also have Marcus and Pearse with him in his class as well.  I offered my help and gave her Kendall's background so we can brainstorm to help him learn.  I also saw Mrs. Stover, the guidance counselor, to give her an update on Kendall as well. She will bring Kendall to Mrs. Applegate's class on Monday. When I came home, Kendall and Nikki continued to play Busytown for another hour and a half since they were having so much fun!

I also will not be working with the Jefferson School of Pharmacy Pharmaceutics Lab this semester, which in light of helping Kendall adjust this school year is a good thing. I will spend more time helping in Mrs. Applegate's class!

Buenas noches!

Una gran cantidad de instrumentos..

For the Talent Show mañana. I am going and bringing every instrument at 3pm for Kendall's surprise. He studied with abcsmouse.com and with several instruments so he is ready for tomorrow.

This morning he wanted tp bring hair gel to camp. We have a large bottle so I put some in a small plastic container for him to take to camp. Today when I picked him up, he told me he did not like that the hair gel was clear since it looked like hand sanitizer and wanted one with a green color to it. We stopped at CVS on the way home and found an inexpensive blue hair gel that he liked with a big bottle and small tube together. He will take that to camp tomorrow.

We talked to Abuelo Ricardo during dinner and then watched part of Michael Jackson - Moonwalker Full Film.

Buenas Noches!

Michael Jackson está muerto - Estoy triste yo no lo sé ...

Kendall was wonderful at camp today.  As we turned down our street, he wished for vecinos en fuera. We had lots of neighbors to play outside with tonight! All boys and Kendall is the oldest. We all had in at dinner time, which is good.

Kendall studied while I made dinner. After dinner he wanted to watch Michael Jackson videos and understand why he died. It was difficult to explain to him what happened but Kendall finally understood. He asked me about the Michael Jackson statue and where it was, and of course, he wants to go there!  Before bed, he told me Michael Jackson is dead - I am sad I did not know him. He asked if I knew him and I told him no.  He wants to watch more videos tomorrow.

He complained of some pain tonight and was fine after I gave home some acetaminophen. Then he said I might not be able to go to YMCA tomorrow. He mentioned his heart - he knows what sets off the alarms for me!  I told him as long as he feels fine, we would talk about his heart tomorow. Then I reminded him about his bedtime and that he was trying to extend his bedtime. He laughed in agreement :-)  I gave him a kiss and hug snd told him we would see how you feel tomorrow. He asked many questions at bedtime to try to prolong going to bed. Finally before bed, I asked him -Más preguntas?and he said 'Lo haré mañana!' So a lot of questions tomorrow. Me gusta!

Buenas noches!

Kendall's US Passport has arrived!

This morning we went to camp a little bit later since I was off.  I met with my lawyer to update my will.  It turns out she used used to be learning specialist and gave me fabulous tips - thank you, Ellen Sheehan, Esquire!  She is also a licensed pilot and is willing to take Kendall in the air as a motivation for good behavior. Kendall is excited!

I took the train to Philadelphia to meet with Jefferson School of Pharmacy Pharmaceutics Lab folks today. Nikki picked him up from the YMCA and they had fun playing outside with the neighbors and games inside.

We did some schoolwork, chatted with the Abuelos then called it a night.

Buenas noches!

Last Week of Camp Starts tomorrow...

Today we woke up to one of the fish floating on top of the water in the fish tank. Kendall actually took the fish to the water in the storm drain himself. Then he hugged me and told me he was very sad. And when he he is a good boy, I need to buy more fish!

The clothes Kendall is wearing in the photo below are courtesy of Abuela Linda. We went to church and Kendall was the only child to go up for the Children's Sermon. He did a fabulous job! Our guest, Pastor Kane, did not know Kendall was still learning English and I was so proud of Kendall paying attention and answering question in English! We are still on Alar Guild and we helped clean and set up for the second service.

At home, we cleaned the first floor. Kendall vacuumed, which, he seems to love. I am thrilled since I do not enjoy vacuuming. Nikki spent the afternoon and evening with Kendall since I worked. She had a few bouts of not listening but otherwise he behaved.

We are very tired - Buenas noches!

Sabado

This morning, I was up at 6:30am courtesy of Cordelia. I did go back to bed and Kendall and I finally rolled out of 8:30am. I wanted to go to the church work day but in light of his behavior I decided we should stay home. I made egg sandwiches and has browns and we discussed his behavior over the last 2 weeks. He understands what he did wrong and the castigas. He also understands repeat of the behavior will start with a longer castiga and bad behavior from niw until the first day of school will continue the castiga. He is learning acceptable behavior and how to develop his own internal controls.

We went outside to work on cleaning up the yard. Y muchas vecinos en fuera! Ty came over to help weed for a bit then another neighbor, Eric, and his dog, Luna, were near the storm drain. Ray and his other son Zach came over to pick up Ty and we all chatted for a bit. Then Kendall and I went back to work outside until lunch. We also had a guest heron in the storm drain.

After lunch, we played Touring England. We made up our own rules by rolling the die and choosing our own routes. Kendall choose the water route taking ALL of the ferries and I chose a more direct route. I made it to the top if the map first but Kendall decided to take ferry back and won! In this traditional British game, Touring England, you make a trip to several cities, while avoiding delays and reach our destination and learn about 1930’s English cities as you drive around the country. Classic fun for the whole family in the original 1930’s retro box. A museum quality and beautiful gift for your classic toy collector. Kendall loved the 4 retro wooden car pieces, a bonita race board and racing die.

We went back out for a bit but it was hot so we came inside. We read magazines. Kendall read National Geographic Kids and one of my favorite magazines - Outside. Outside is an American magazine focused on the outdoors. Its mission statement is: The mission of Outside magazine is to inspire participation in the world outside through award-winning coverage of the sports, people, places, adventures, discoveries, environmental issues, health and fitness, gear and apparel, trends, and events that define the active lifestyle. He asked muchas preguntas about what he saw. He wanted to play another game but I told him later tonight. He was not happy and told me he did not love me but then said he was sorry. I explained that we are working outside and we need to finish that first and remember tu castiga?

We went back outside again before dinner and Kendall was feeling itchy so he went in for a shower before dinner. I finished up outside and we had Alphabet Spaghetti O's for dinner, which he loved. Then I convinced him to let me dye my hair. He helped me with the folding and putting away laundry while the dye was in my hair. He told me he likes redheads and asked if I like brunettes since his hair is dark brown/black and I said yes!

We played a Horse Racing game where you roll 2 die and move through 100 spots on the board. Liam wanted to play since he took the die AND game pieces! We had to count the die then move through the board. Kendall won this game as well. Then I had him count in the board in English and Spanish. I like this game.

At 8pm, he asked for a book so we read from a Spanish Bible Storybook (a gift for his birthday). Cordelia wouldn't relax in his room so everyone is with me again tonight. He brought the first toy I bought him in Costa Rica (a glow in the dark creature from the McDonald's Happy Meal for our first meeting together). He told me he was very scared that day and I said I was also. Kendall is very affectionate tonight with muchas besos so we needed this time together today :-)

Buenas noches!

Another Parental Feedback Form and Another Week of Castiga :-(

Kendall admitted to getting the stick from the woods  and hitting the other camper with no reason other than he was silly.  He knows that he should not hit anyone with anything. I also told him if he would not like it done to him (which he did not) he should not do it to others. So another week of no TV/films, toys, bike, scooter or skateboard and nw he has a bedtime of 8pm even on the weekends. This takes him to the first day of school and 2 weekends of no fun :-(

We did go to La Mancha and I walked 4 dogs while Kendall sat in the car. I really enjoy La Mancha myself and several regulars were on vacation so we were needed.  There was another girl I paired with and we enjoyed chatting and walking the dogs.  Kendall learned it was not all about him tonight and did not like staying in the car. When we arrived home, I took care of Cordelia and he took a shower. We had dinner, talked with Abuelos and now bedtime is 8pm until school starts.  At dinner, we talked about his behavior and Kendall mentioned the story of Adam, Eve and the serpent (el diablo) from Genesis in the bible but I told him the last forms had behavior we had talked about at home so he knew the difference and consequences of good and bad and his behavior the last 3 weeks has been unacceptable. In school, he would go to the principal, go on suspension or even moved to a different school. He was not happy with that since he likes his school.

So what is going on.... we are still a new family, school is starting in 2 weeks and he is excited and scared.  I need to clarify my and his expectations with him and all those involved in his learning while also being realistic. Adoption and language add layers of complexity to his developmental tasks from learning a second language and adjusting to a new culture. Kendall has fabulous problem-solving skills asking more detailed questions and demanding more thorough explanations. He does well with me because I ask him to describe and control his feelings. Empathy (the ability to consider others' feelings and points of view) is hit or miss right now for him. Kendall is very independent but I need to give him the amount and type of structure, nurturing, attention, and supervision I would normally give a child several years younger and establish consistent one-to-one parent/child time without the Liam, Rosalind, fish or Cordelia.

He is still learning who he is and now much of that identity comes from our family and the relationships with the people in his life. Kendall is merging two separate families and histories and exploring how they fit in. We will start a lifebook this weekend. A "lifebook" will record Kendall's personal history. It contains pictures, objects, news clippings, and other memorabilia that have a personal meaning. A lifebook is an excellent way to preserve information  what history we have for Kendall and help your child understand where Kendall came from. Kendall and I will create his lifebook together and I hope this will help Kendall feel more comfortable by building more attachment between us and showing him I value his important relationships from his past.

Kendall went to bed at 8pm and I watched a movie on TV - Buenas noches!

Feliz Dia de Madres in Costa Rica

Happy Mother's Day Kattya!  We sent Kattya an electronic card and below us a video of Kendall performing a song he wrote for her. Eduardo, Kattya, Kevin and Luis Diego sent me a an e-mail wishing me Feliz Dia de Madres. Kendall told me Mother's Day was in May :-)

Yesterday, Kattya and Eduardo reminded me with the following when I told them Kendall and I are working through some behavior issues:

'Greetings and blessings - Welcome to the world of parents. We all go through these stages. The important thing is to be patient, calm and with God's help everything will be fine. Remember you have our support to your needs.'

'Saludos y bendiciones - Bienvenida al mundo de los padres. Todos pasamos por esas etapas. Lo importante es tener paciencia, tranquilidad y con la ayuda de DIOS todo saldrá bien. Recuerde que tiene nuestro apoyo para lo que necesite.'

Muchas gracias - I needed that!

I never thought I would have been able to keep up the blog with daily posts but I know both Kendall and I will enjoy reading this when he is older.  This is the 190th post and we have exceeded over 10,000 views of our blog - increíble! 

Today Kendall told me he had a special dance he learned today at the YMCA. That is the second video.  I asked him if there was special music and he said no but it was an arm twist so I asked him if Michael Jackson would be good.  His answer was an excited yes!  He stopped dancing during the video to see what Micael Jackson was doing.

I was not feeling that great today I think from receiving a vaccine yesterday. I have a sore arm, headache and am very tired.  Tonight is trash night and I yelled at Kendall once he was not helping and there was lots o do. I apologized and he saw all the things that needed to get done then he tried o help. Muchas gracias, Kendall!

We talked to Abuela Linda sans Abuelo Ricardo since he is the foreman on a jury in Bisbee.  Kendall was very interested in this process and asked lots of questions. We watched several Michael Jackson videos, one if which was Thriller.  About 15 minutes after putting him to bed, he told me he was scared and we are all in my bed tonight :-)

Buenas noches!

Sexto mes familia feliz aniversario!

Today is our sixth month family anniversary! I am going by February 14 when Kendall and I decided in unison to be Mom and Son.

We spent more of the morning together rather than the evening since I had a doctor appointment and then worked 11:30am until 8pm. This morning Kendall told me he had some heart pain. He was able to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and asked for our new Thermal Aid peluche (named Buckley), which we are able to heat in the microwave and cool in the freezer. So we spent the morning heating and cooling the peluche and Kendall told me right before we left for the YMCA that he was fine and no mas dolor. Everytime I work a later shift, he wants to stay with me or go to the hospital so he usually tells me he has some time type of pain.

The YMCA trip this week was to French Creek Park. They swimmed outside and he had lots of fun. He want sot go there with Kevin :-) I received a clean bill of health at my doctor's appointment in the morning and Nikki spent the evening with him. They played lots of board games and had fun since Liam decided to play as well!

At bedtime, Kendall told me his heart was beating fast when he was swimming today but he is OK. He gets very excited int the water. It seems we have some game pieces/letters/numbers to look for since Kendall and Nikki were playing hot and cold and hide seek. That is for tomorrow - Buenas noches!

A Nasty Storm with Flooding Rains

I woke up to hearing rain that turned into a torrential downpour with thunder and lightening. Cordelia was very displeased and would not go outside.  Rosalind went out and came back in and I think, Liam would have gone out given the opportunity. By the time we left for the YMCA, the storm drain behind our house was 3/4 full. We took the 30 bypass since our usual way has an underpass that always floods. We were at the YMCA at our usual time but the 30 bypass was already backed up.  

It took me 1 and 1/2 hours to get to work. I tried to see if I could take the back roads but police were everywhere and roads were closed.  I ended up back in wall to wall traffic on the 30 bypass and 202 north. I passed 3 serious accidents and arrive 30 minutes late but I arrived safely! 

I picked up Kendall and no Parental Feedback Forms today!  When we arrived home, he checked that his toys in the basement were OK while I took care of Cordelia.  I was afraid that the storm drain may overflow and we would have water in our basement. Kendall was very concerned with his toys and i heard a 'Yeah' from basement that all was well.  Kendall investigated our new lake (at least for a while) in the back yard. In the video below, he found a ball in the water, was able to retrieve it and asked neighbors outside if it was theirs before it ended up in our garage :-)

He studied with abcmouse.com before and after dinner.  I monitored his abcmouse.com choices so he really did study. We also read tonight.  He chose The Cat in the House and had to empty all of his Tummystuffers to find his Dr. Seuss peluche to hold while we read the book. It is in Spanish and English and we enjoyed cuddling and reading it together.  We also read SkippyJon Jones since he also has one pequeno and one mas grande peluche, which he also had to also find in his Tummystuffers.  We used the iPad story app to read and plan to read another SkippyJon Jones book another day.

My favorite phrases of the night were 'Liam está bebiendo de la taza del baño - It's disgusting!' And I told him cats like to drink out of the toilet :-)  Kendall told me he was going to punch me in the face when Liam was acting loco and I told Liam that I was going to let Cordelia take care of him.  I told him that I would not let anything happen to any person on animal in our house. I teased if he trusted me (¿Confías en mí?) and he said yes :-)

Buenas noches!

Double Dog Dare You...

That is the YMCA theme for this week.  When I dropped off Kendall this morning, he looked at the sign and said '¿Cómo se dice? I told him Double Dog Dare and that he would find out what that means. In hindsight, I think he truly did and is trying to Double Dog Dare me. 

When I picked him up, I discovered two Parental Feedback Forms, the one below and another for a minor injury opening a drink and requiring a band-aid.  Kendall and I sat at a picnic table to discuss this and Marty, the Camp Director, joined us.  It seems, according to Kendall, the other camper made the gesture first and he copied it. He used the word 'olividar' which I was not familiar with. I looked it up and it means to forget. He knows what this gesture means and it is unacceptable to use it in any country. We have discussed this before. He did not say he was sorry because he didn't mean it but I told him he had to apologize tomorrow. He also said he took the cards and crumpled them.  I asked him if he remembered our conversation this morning that another form meant punishment for a week. So he has no TV/films, bike, scooter, skateboard or playing with with his toys in the basement only schoolwork, computer for schoolwork and reading until next Monday night. He has lost anything that was fun. He asked about La Mancha and we volunteer ther by helping to take care of animals.  We talked about going but making him watch instead of participating.  I was making plans for Saturday to meet the Cardosos, another family waiting to adopt from Costa Rica, at a drive-in theater that I am going to have to cancel and I told him that.

When we arrived home, I had him take a shower and made a hot dog with rice and vegetables for dinner. He asked for pizza but I told him no since he will not get what he wants this week.  Upstairs, he worked on the computer but seemed to have some fun with that. I told him he was going to have to do the computer with me and he did not care for that.  And then we discussed what happened today again. And at some point in that conversation, he said 'What the hell' in English.  I asked him to repeat it and then I explained what he said and why we do not curse in this house or anywhere else for that matter.  He told me he learned this at the YMCA.  He admitted again to everything and understands why it was wrong.

He wanted me to read him a book but I told him I needed to finish a few things downstairs. I also told him this was a punishment and he does not get what he wants. I told him to pick out a book and try to read it and look at the pictures. He also went to bed at 8pm and I told him he will go to bed at 8pm every day this week.  He asked to do school work between 8 and 9 pm tomorrow - we'll see. He cried when I told him 8pm for bed and that Cordelia would be with me. Kendall was upset when he couldn't talk to the Abuelos.  We did talk to the Abuelos for a few minutes later in the evening and I reminded Kendall that the Abuelos were coming in September so we hope this behavior does continue so he on punishment while they are visiting. Other than that he was all smiles and seemed pleased with himself which gave me some cause for concern that he is acting out.  I explained to him that in school he will end up in the principal's office and then I will have to leave work so no money, he could be suspended and I may have to look for a new school.  We have 2 more weeks until school starts to work on this.

We have been a family for 6 months juntos.  Felicidades para nuestra familia and Kendall - the double dog dare is on.  We'll get through this but this is going to be a LONG week.

Buenas noches!

A Lazy Sunday

We were both tired today so nothing exciting but spending time in our casa. Today was Pastor Mueller's last Sunday with us and his birthday!  We sang Happy Birthday to him after the service.  Since I am on Altar Guild, Kendall is learning to help clean up in between services and set up for the next.  He decided to go school shopping next weekend so we went home.

Kendall played in the basement and I had The Chronicles of Narnia on the TV upstairs.  He watched the last half with me and asked lots of questions! The story is about the four Pevensie children, who enter through the door of a
“wardrobe” into the wonderful world of Narnia. The two girls are called “the daughters of Eve,” and the boys are called “sons of Adam,” just as we all are. These four children represent what is good and not-so-good in each of us.

While playing hide-and-seek, the youngest child, Lucy, discovers the world of Narnia. She convinces her brothers and sister to journey through the open back of a magical wardrobe to travel to Narnia with her. Narnia, a once-peaceful land inhabited by talking beasts, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs and giants, has been cursed with eternal winter by the evil but beautiful White Witch, Jadis.

Kendall was fascinated with Edmund who is so much different from his brother and sisters. He is a mean and spiteful who enjoys teasing his sister Lucy. He is an example of how sinful greed, in this case for the enchanted Turkish Delight, leads one down a very destructive path. He joins forces with the evil White Witch and betrays his own brother and sisters. He represents all of us in our drift away from God. Fortunately, he eventually changes his ways and is forgiven.

Under the guidance of a noble and mystical ruler, the magnificent lion Aslan, the children fight to overcome Jadis’ powerful hold over Narnia in a spectacular, climactic battle destined to free Narnia from the icy spell forever. Kendall loved the scene.

I was able to get some cleaning done and Kendall helped a bit. Liam knocked every letter from the table onto the floor so we had to look for all of them.  I asked Kendall if he asked Liam to knock the letters and numbers on the floor. He laughed and said no! We Skyped with Luis Diego and now are watching Despicable Me.

Buenas Noches!

Yo trabajo, Chuck E. Cheese and Planes 3D

I worked and Kendall's castiga ended today. Schoolwork, Chuck E. Cheese and Planes in 3D with Nikki :-)

Buenas noches!

Kendall is Ricardo's nuevo apprentice at La Mancha Rescue Farm

Today was a good day. Kendall received many happy faces on his behavior chart, which he calls caras felices. We went to La Mancha and all the dogs were walked so we went to the cat house to see if any help was needed there.  There was a sick dog and lots of kittens.  They had 2 week old kittens that several other children there were holding and Kendall was able to hold one as well.  I wish I had a picture but I did not have my phone.  He held the baby kitten in his shirt and wanted to take it home. Don't worry it is back with its Mom :-)

We saw the ponies and then we saw Ricardo who takes care of the horses. Ricardo also speaks Spanish and so tonight Kendall officially became Ricardo's apprentice.  He helped clean 10 horse stalls and, of course, rode with Ricardo on the John Deere tractor.  We also saw the puppies tonight as well and stayed at La Mancha until 8pm. Kendall and I hope all the animals at La Mancha find their forever home.

We had tacos for dinner and watched Mouse Hunt. Buenas noches!