Camp

Aren't the boys hilarious? Wesley and Collin really do look like they are going to take you down with their machine guns (or blasters as Wesley calls them.)

Well, we are bad parents and our kids will be missing their first two days of school. This year for some reason they decided to schedule school before Labor day which to my knowledge has never happened. We already had planned a trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina which is with some old friends from New York and their families so I really couldn't back out, plus it was already paid for a long time ago. So we will just have to get caught up once we get back. I can't imagine they will learn too much in the first two days.

Wesley got to meet his new kindergarten teacher the other day. I asked her what she knew about Wesley and she just mentioned his hearing loss. So she made some time for us to talk alone afterward which I thought was nice. I ran down the list of multiple issues with her and she asked a lot of questions which was good. I think that means one, she was really listening, and two, she cared. I forewarned her that Wesley is good at trying to get his way and to make sure not to let him. He's good at trying to work it. I'm scared for this new school and I had to explain to Wesley that it will be different from his other school because he will be the only one with a hearing aid on and kids might not know what it is. But he is really comfortable with that part and I think he will handle it okay. It's his thumbs that might be a problem. He has trouble cutting with typical scissors so he has loop scissors and he has trouble writing. He gets very frustrated and sensitive when he can't do what the other kids can do so I hope he learns that it's okay and that we'll work on it. Everyone at Baxter knew us, knew Wesley and our situation. No one really knows him here and understands all the things he's gone through. Whatever, I'm sure it will work out and I'm planning to volunteer so at least I can keep an eye on things.

The Flynn's came to visit yesterday. Here is Julia and her lovely tongue.



Here is Wesley and Julia.



Jordan and the twins all have FA too. Jordan's counts are dropping and she is very close to transplant. Here is Jordan.



Quinny and Jorja.



At camp this year I felt different. I don't know why. I kind of felt out of place. I don't know what that was about. It's our fifth FA week there so it wasn't like I was new. There were a LOT of families and many new ones too which is great. I don't know. I'm just strange. I liked it once the end came and there weren't so many people I think. I got to know some old families better which is the part I like. I like really getting to know the families personally. Sean and I even did the activities course which is in the trees with high wires strung between them and you have to shimmy across them somehow. For those who know me and know my two big fears are heights and sharks (dork, I know) I was so proud that I climbed a huge ladder into the tree, then climbed up little staples in the tree even higher, then lunged for a rope that I had to hold onto as I VERY SLOWLY slid across a wire gosh knows how many feet in the air. One of the dads took pics so if I get them I will post them. Sean did it too but he's not scared of that stuff. It's a great bonding experience to do with the other parents.

We had a great time though, it's very emotionally draining and you feel bad for the new families knowing what it's like because you've been there before. The Tennessee family I think will be coming back, with the whole family next year, which is good because the second I saw Cameron in the airport I knew she had my heart forever. Benjamin and Collin just get along so well (Oregon family) that we hardly saw them because they played Yu-Gi-Oh every chance they got.

It's time to pack for our trip. I'm sure we will have lots to tell when we get back. Like if I went swimming in the ocean or not (yeah, that whole shark thing.) Quinn just asked if we were going to Canada. It sure would be a shorter drive.

Hugs to you all and have a great first day of school.

-Kristin