Saturday Morning Play Time

Saturday morning Clint called me upstairs and warns me to be quiet and bring the camera.  What was I walking into?!  All I heard as I approached their room were giggles and hearty laughter.  Our sweet boys were happily enjoying an all boy tea party. 

Umm, umm

  A nice cuppa with my brotha

Happy All The Time

I'm in-right, out-right, up-right, down-right happy all the time.

When Jesus Christ came in and cleansed my heart from sin,

I'm in-right, out-right, up-right, down-right happy all the time.

These are the words to our latest song at church.  Well, this morning Mr. Jon Campbell very eloquently merged these lyrics into our morning prayer.  It was a beautiful surprise.  We have been blessed with a few recent blessing out of the mouths of babes..  A few weekends ago Jon Campbell announces, out of the blue, "I am very happy that I have a new brother to play with!"

Happy all the time

Where one is the other must be at all times.  They spend hours playing Batman and Robin, Scooby Doo and Shaggy as well as Thomas the Train and Percy.  They are a matched set and have blown us away with their compatibility.  Of course they have moments when they aren't "kind to everyone", but boys will be boys.  Recently though, Jin said something about China to his brother.  Jin Campbell instantly became very distraught and began to cry.  He told Jin he didn't want Jin to go back to China because he loved him and would miss him too much!

We rather be playing

Jin's right foot update

DAFO Tami2

     Jin is roughly 2 weeks away from receiving some relief and stability for his right foot.  After meeting with an orthopedic surgeon and viewing his x rays the best course of action will be a custom designed foot insert shown above.  Jin chose, with the assistance of Jon Campbell, a spaceship theme with blue and yellow straps and padding plus some Scooby Doo mixed in .  He will place his foot in this Dafo Tami2 and then it will fit into inside his shoe.  Currently, he has complete motion and flexibility of his ankle.  This insert will allow that to continue which is essential to his everyday activity.  One would never know that he is missing all 5 of his toes on his right foot until.... his shoe flips completely around or jets striaght up.  Many people have to do a double take, "Did I just see what I thought I saw?"  Jin runs, skips, jumps and dances like any 4 year old just minus 5 toes.  He has learned to compensate and adjust and that he does beautifully.  The orthopedic surgeon believe he will be fine for years until he becomes an adult and the existing cartilage wears away.  Surgery will then be needed.  Until that point and as long as he experiences no pain, life will gone on fine.  This insert will provide stability and a filler for his shoe to aid in balance.

     Monday was his casting appointment.  A cast is needed to make the insert according to his exact foot shape and formation.  I was unsure how he would react.  Again, Mama worried for no reason.. He was perfect and the process was complete in 30 minutes.

 

A nylon sock was placed on his foot.  Then the tubing inserted. 

The tubing is used to make the cast removal safe and simple.   

 

Wet gauze coated with a hardening substance is wrapped

around his foot and up a portion of his leg.  Jin had to

keep his foot still and not flexed for the

 cast to dry in the proper position.

Within minutes his cast was dry and ready to come off. 

Hopefully this first try will be right.  Mr. Matt used a

blade rather than a saw.  He did not want the sound

of the saw to scare Jin.

Success!

Jin and Mr. Matt Bulow of Bulow Biotech Prosthetics 

Gung Hay Fat Choy

We celebrated Chinese New Year with a lot of NOODLES!

We went to the Golden Coast Chinese Restaurant for a great lunch.  Papa was a little squemish with the assortment of sea creatures for the choosing.  The Golden Coast was packed from wall to wall, but the boys cooperated and we got a great table.  It was close to the buffet and in perfect view of the Lion Dance Troop which we anxiously awaited.  It was well worth the wait too.  The Lion Dance Troop was fantastic. 

SMILE PRETTY FOR THE CAMERA :)

The boys are trying to feed the lion some red envelopes

What is China?

Clint spoke to Jin's class about China today.  He had the full attention of all 6 of the three year olds for 25 minutes.  It was both very precious and humorous to observe.  Both Jin and Ms. Cheryl wore their traditional Chinese dress as well.  Clint spoke about eating Chinese food with chopsticks to Chinese letters.  Jin was an excellent assistant.  Papa and Jin also taught his class a few Chinese phrases.  They  got a kick out of that.  For snack Jin shared fortune cookies and blueberry marshmallows, a Chinese treat, with his friends.

Jin and his panda

Playing the calabash

A calabash is a woodwind instrument similar to the recorder.  It is made from a calabash gourd which is also used to make pipes.  The mouth piece is made from ox bone.  Very detailed painting is done on the front.

Ms. Chery with her students

Jin shares his Chinese books with his friends

These are the books we sent Jin as part of his care package in the orphange once we knew were his "forever" family.  They have travelled many  miles :)

Jin with his classmates