She prefers HER world thank you...

In Lucy's world she spends her evenings shopping a sensory catalog for classroom supplies for her own class (you know, the one SHE teaches).  In her world she makes appointments for sick dogs and is able to provide some diagnostic services over the telephone.  In Lucy's world she has (and she has stuck by this claim for 2 years now) flown on Christmas Eve, just a little bit, just floating above the carpet a little as she was laying there (no one saw her but she did it).  In her beautiful world, Jack Frost is Frosty the Snowman and she KNOWS him and at times helps him with his handiwork.  She has checklists of kids who need time-outs, she has intake forms for new toddlers for my room (not REAL intake forms with any identifying client information mind you).   No wonder it sucks so bad for her sometimes when all her grown-ups expect her to live in OUR world.  I'd fight it too little girl (maybe not quite as fiercely)

Hi!! We are still here ...

So much has happened and at the same time so much is the same.  Lucy was batman for Halloween.

Lucy's 1st grade year is less dramatic then kindergarten but it's not without its challenges and heartbreaks. Live is challenging.  We live it the best we can but it's challenging, exhausting and stressful to live in a world created for more traditional personalities. 

Lucy's auntie Jen, the love of her life and our housemate for the past 6 years up and moved to St. Louis. Her job transferred her there.  Oh the sad sad sobbing that took place when we broke the news to Lucy. It was heartbreaking.  Lucy crying, auntie Jen crying ...  I wen't with Jen when she moved to make sure she unpacked and left Lucy with grandma.  Lucy and her mama were separated by states for the first time in six years.  I was pretty anxious. Lucy handled it pretty well.

FINALLY Lucy was picked as a volunteer at the zoo.  She was so proud.  She held the food dish and these birds flew over to her and landed there.  Lucy held so still. 

About a week after I returned from St Louis Lucy had a breakdown. She missed Jen so much.  Zeppelin bolted over to the sofa and proceeded to curl up next to Lucy as I rubbed her back.  Zeppy stayed with her until I brought her to bed over an hour later.  He's a devoted dog for sure.

Lucy has managed to hang on to her keen sense of style.

We started an elimination diet.  Taking out dairy and adding in lots of protein plus supplements to see if we can help Lucy's brain help her body to settle down a little bit.  We're only a week into the plan. We will definately let you know how it goes.

Lucy helped to make Lefse

In her excitement of actually seeing Santa Lucy totally forgot to ask the two questions she had planned:

1. Can she ever visit the North Pole and

2. How big are elf's

Oh well she says, we'll just write him a letter and ask.

See you soon!

outdoors

if Lucy hasn't spent adequate amounts of time outside

in fresh air

getting lots of sun

and exercise.

she become quite unpleasant.

and obnoxious.

and these days if we stick to our back yard.

she just claims she's too cold and wants to go

back inside after a few short minutes.

so when we have an unscheduled stretch of time.

and i am not too tired.

we like to take mini road trips out to the country.

enjoy county parks.

and be in a place where she can gets

loads of good exercise

and oodles of fresh air.

i get energized

and she settles down.

it's a win win.

I fear winter.

Six Years

I can't believe it's been six years since that life changing day when I walked into the baby room at the care center and picked my baby up out of that crib.

seems like every year, every day my heart grows a little to accommodate the intensity of my love for this daughter of mine.

Today as I was telling her about our famiversary (which is actually tomorrow), I said tomorrow is October 24th and on October 24th six years ago it was the day I walked into your room in the orphanage and picked you up for the very first time" ... Lucy says "ohhhh momma, you are so lucky"  yup.

It's always fun to recount what adoption was like in Ethiopia in 2005 (for me anyways).  In 2005, my daughter was a waiting child.   Yes, it's true for reasons that may  not lead to her being 'special needs' today, she was waiting then ... a 2 month old girl.  The staff at my agency was just waiting for me to finish my dossier because Lucy was waiting for someone who checked that magic box "I would be willing to parent a child with..."  and that one magical 'yes' was what matched me with Lucy. 

I arrived on the 23rd of October late at night, the next morning I walked down the steps of the 'guest house' into the orphanage and my child was placed in my arms, 30 minutes later I carried her back up the steps and from that moment I was responsible for her care.  

Right now that baby is waiting for me to come help her brush the Pretty Ponies hair out.  I must go. 

The Wedding of the Decade!!!

My cousin Scott (ironically not really pictured in this post) got married yesterday to the nicest, smiliest woman in all of Minnesota.  His mom calls it a miracle.  I call it smart, he might have waited over 40 years for this moment but he waited for the RIGHT woman and that is no miracle, that is some real Anderson smarts right there.

Lucy was the flower girl extraordinary.  She alleviated all of my fears and anxieties by NOT trying to overshadow the show with her wonderful, strong, overwhelming self.  Oh I fell deeper in love with her yesterday.

She was exhausted from a sucky nights sleep the night before but she held her stuff together all the live long day, even in those moments when it was just her and I and I expected her to "release her demons" she did not.

look at these handsome boys.  I love photo oh so very much.  See Sam in front?  Handsome little mini-Mike, or is it a mini-manly-Terri?  Hard to tell.  He's sure cute though.

There's my darling again.  Glad the photos were outside in her element.  I think this saved the day.

Look at those fall shadows.  This photo is pretty funny if you look carefully at each of the kids. 

and look at the beautiful ladies. 

Lucy gazing at the first dance.

and pooped out before she could get her groove totally on.

Wonderful wonderful wedding.

Love you Scott and Karin.

Yo

How are you?

 We are fine.  It seems like when things get exhausting the blog is the first thing neglected.  Far better to neglect the blog then the kid, dog, cat, house etc but still I hate neglecting the blog.  With fall upon us and
school hitting us hard we find ourselves sticking close to home Monday - Friday.  It gets a little lonely for both of us but cramming in errands, playdates or out of the neighborhood activities gets overwhelming really fast. 

 
Lucy is still sporting much better behaviors in first grade, working hard and having some fun too.
Currently she is all about space aliens.  Are they real?  Could they be real?  Are they in our attic?  What would happen if ...   She is also into ghosts. Seeing them, hearing them, getting woke up at night because of them, telling me that they like to hang out by my bed (spooky stuff). 

Yesterday I amazed her when I confirmed that yes, real cops wear panties under their uniforms.  I love being able to amaze her with my wealth of unproven information. 

Hope to see you all again very soon. 

First Week of First Grade (fwfg)

Well I haven't picked her up yet today (Friday) but I can report that Monday - Thursday went good for Lucy at school.  I have hope.  I swear to whoever that if the blog-effect ruins this in any way, you will NOT be hearing from me regarding any positive school news any more. 

At home things are a little more, shall we say, fireworky.  Yeah. I get all the stuff that she so diligently holds inside of her during the school day and AIN'T THAT WHAT MOM'S ARE FOR??!!  I can handle it.

I can't however handle her 6am wake up calls very well, so I could use a little magic morning sleeping dust please.  6:40 is fine. 

First Day of First Grade (FDFG)

First Grader

 We've been kicking back and enjoying these last lazy (sort of) days of summer.

Ahhh summer.  Never really appreciated it much until Lucy started school.

Even though my days dont change much (a girl's gotta work), knowing that Lucy

is happy and having a mental break from the hard work that is school relaxes me and

lets me have a mini-mental vacation.   Lucy is double happy, spending her days at art camp or with grandma and her weekends/vacations rocking out doing things that she loves like camping.

Learing to ride a two-wheeler.  She still needs work on that one.

cracking me up on the bus to the state fair

having her very very own stick of cotton candy

the butterfly house!  lucy loves it, i hate it

going on spinning dropping rides

and visiting with President Obama

yup today is our last day of summer vacation and

we are both feeling the stress of what 1st grade will bring.

I'm hoping she finds her joy in school and learning.

Wish us luck please.

Curly Hair Care

 oh curly hair care.  i've learned so much. I can keep her hair (mostly) healthy even when

she spends time almost every day in a chlorinated pool.

 I can do styles that last (and look decent) for a week or two.

 I can spend lots of money on product, but when I am out

of product and money I know how to use coconut oil and olive oil

scented with a few drops of essential oils.

when i do her hair, we can get by with a few tears and screams.

when i try to bring her in it's drama city and more tears then

the hair people are comfortable with.

I sure wish I could help her tenderheadedness ease up a bit.