26/52 - the patient

The past 2 days have been long for all of us but Will did outstandingly well on surgery day and post-op.

We couldn't be more proud of our brave boy.

I cannot say enough about the people at the American Family Children's Hospital in Madison.

From his caring and gifted surgeon, his ENT doctor and dentist, and the nursing care he received.

As a former RN, I can say Will received medical care at it's very best.

We're happy this is behind us and hope Will's recovery and healing continue to go well.
It's going to be hard to keep this active boy from doing cartwheels but we're going to try
to get him to rest today. :)

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers for Will yesterday, the 3 of us felt them.

And thank you to our friend Carla who took care of Grace and our dog Molly.

We'll be laying low on this long 4th of July weekend.

Have a fun and safe one!

xo

Sunday snapshot - Will

Bright  and early Wednesday morning, Will, my husband Dan and I will travel to our

nearby children's hospital that's in Madison.

Will is having a rhinoplasty of the tip of his nose (in layman's terms that's nose surgery.)

With yearly visits to our cleft team, we're following the recommendation of his surgeon.

She feels that as he's growing older, the tip is starting to point down.

I did ask that she keep the integrity of his beautiful Asian nose.
We know he'll have a few more surgeries in the years ahead related to his cleft.

The ENT doctor will be checking Will's ears and replace tubes if necessary.

Will is also having cavities filled by our ped dentist and some other dental work.

We're happy this will be only a one night stay and

Dan and I are staying with our little boy the entire time.

Post-op, he'll be receiving some surprises (a couple of new toys)
and ad lib amounts of TLC and snuggle time.

Please keep Will and his medical team in your thoughts and prayers Wednesday.

I have great confidence in these caring people and trust his wonderful surgeon implicitly.

Taken last week of our handsome guy.

black and white Wednesday - Summer portrait

At nearly 9, Grace has become my little social butterfly.

She has many close friends and truly has the nicest little group of girlfriends.

This week she started Summer school.

She's taking art and a reading/writing class.

We're already starting to plan her birthday party...and this is a girl that loves parties!
She and I have a couple of things in mind for it.
On Thursday I'm taking her down to the Chicago area
and she'll stay with her best friend Julia for about 4 days.
So far she's had a fun Summer.


This was taken at a new location I've found and I plan to return with Grace
to take some 9 year old pictures, hopefully in the next few weeks.

The color version was processed with MCP actions, "Mini-fusion" action.

For the black and white, I used Florabella's "Film" action.

It's Wednesday, so many more black and whites are over at Lisa's

"The Long Road to China," be sure and stop by!

25/52 - farmers' market

Saturday we got up bright and early and spent a little of our morning at the Dane

County Farmers' Market.

It's the largest producer-only Farmers' market in the country.

The grounds around the State Capital are a perfect setting.

I know that for my 52 project, I've tried to stick to 1-2 pictures but I couldn't choose one.

The variety of textures and many colors of the fruits, vegetables and flowers were

truly a feast for the eyes.

We bought strawberries, asparagus, bread, bagels, lettuce, kosher dill pickles, popcorn and flowers.

Oh...and cheese of course! We do live in Wisconsin.

I first became familiar with the market when my brother was in college here.

(Will is eating a rainbow sugar cookie below.)

24/52 - Summer garden

(If you look really close at the image on the right side, there's a bee on the daisy in the foreground.)

Summer is in full bloom here in Wisconsin.

These aren't mine, I found them near the Mill from my previous post and pics

about Grace and her friend Lydia.

I'm a flower and garden lover going back to as long as I can remember.

Happy Friday, hope your weekend is wonderful!

black and white Wednesday - best friends forever

"If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder.

If you want a hug, I'll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I'll be your smile.

 But anytime you need a friend, I'll just be me."

~ Author Unknown

"I like her because she smiles at me and means it."

 ~Anonymous

(Local coffee shop that's within walking distance of our home. I loved the pink wrought iron tables and chairs.)

"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be."

 ~Douglas Pagels

Lydia and Grace first met 5 years ago.
Grace was nearly 4 and Lydia was 3. The two hit it off from the start.
And they only live 2 houses away from each other!

Their friendship has been easy and it's been a joy for Lydia's mom
 and I to see their friendship blossom
and flourish.
We are fortunate to live in a neighborhood with many children
and there are several other girls in the same age range.
They all get along extremely well.
It's no surprise that their mommas do too!

Lydia recently had a birthday and I took portraits of her, like I do every year.
These are some of the candids of the 2 best friends.
I brought them to our favorite local coffee shop to get ice cream for the girls,
and then to an old Mill (that's now a quilt store)
for more pics.
The girls had a blast (and so did I!)
The pictures show the fun they had together.

It's Wednesday again, hop on over to Lisa's "The Long Road to China"
to see what's going on, and lot's more photography.

Sunday snapshot - the gymnast

"If you don't leap, you'll never know what it's like to fly."
 ~ Guy Finley

5 year old Will has very little fear of most things,

in fact he'll try anything physical.

As a toddler I'd find him walking along the outside of the staircase (holding onto the railing)

on the second story of our landing,

with a huge smile on his face.

I almost had heart failure.

Last Fall he started gymnastics and he's mastered cartwheels, roundoffs and the splits.

He's working on handstands and next will be back flips.

For the Summer he'll be moving up a level with the bigger boys.

Awesome job Will!

We couldn't be more proud of you!

black and white Wednesday - first days of Summer

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer...
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape

Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It may not be officially Summer on the calendar but we know it's arrived when

we see docks and sailboats in the water.
It's been too beautiful not to spend as much time as we can outside.
We're so lovin' these warm hot temps outdoors.
We've waited a long time for them.

(Lake Mendota).

 
Tomorrow is Grace's last day of school.

The word 'excited' doesn't even come close to describing

how she's been feeling about it.

Do you remember that feeling?

The anticipation of it all...and to be finished with school after all that hard work.

She'll be in 3rd grade!

We're looking forward to a fun and relaxing Summer. 

I try not to plan too much this time of year and love the slower pace.

Grace and Will like to play with their friends as much as possible, have sleepovers,

 run in the sprinkler (which they've done for the last 3 days), swim, read,

 ride their bikes and scooters and eat their fill of peaches, blueberries, watermelon and sweet corn.

Summer time food to me is the best!

(Cute little sign - in Wisconsin, Winter is never far away.)

Will is going to "Camp Kindergarten" for 3 weeks (mornings),

in July to help him transition to Kindergarten in the Fall.

All the kids here attend it.

In August is Miss Grace's birthday and then a family vacation.

We won't be leaving the country this Summer, aren't traveling far and I can't wait!

These were taken on Sunday at the Memorial Union on the shore of one of our large local lakes.

It's a great location, that's a 'just plain fun' hang out kinda place,

and is awesome for people watching.

The frozen fruit bars were a hit.

These 2 always manage to attract quite a bit of attention wherever we go,

and we get many smiles.
And they happily return them.  :)

(Our 2 littles with their Daddy.)

Hoping your Summer is all you want it to be, and then some!

Since it's Wednesday again,

hop on over to The Long Road to China for more black and white photography.

23/52 - time to ride

Will very recently got a new bike.

 It's his first and he picked out this Hot Wheels red, white and black one.

Previously he had a tricycle and a few other miscellaneous riding toys, 

and he agreed it was time to move up to something with 2 wheels. He rides it up and down the sidewalk

and has now mastered turns and getting up our driveway which has an incline.

Soon we'll attempt no training wheels, but for now he's loving riding behind his big sister as they go around the block.

22/52 - the graduate

(I know I'm a bit biased but he is one handsome little man!)

Last week my baby graduated from pre-school.

Of my 3 children, he was the first to have a little ceremony at his school.

I thought it was very sweet and a great way to mark this milestone.

It has certainly taken a village to help William become the little boy who he is today.

Seeing his class perform on the little stage did get me teary.

I couldn't help but think of Deena and Mike (his foster parents in China), and the staff and volunteers

at the Hidden Treasure Foster Home.

And Karen, the teacher he's had for the last year.

All of these people love Will deeply, understand him and were/are committed to help our son.

The words 'thank you' are nowhere near sufficient.

He starts Kindergarten in the Fall,

with a new teacher and friends.

Will is extremely excited because he'll be going to the same school as Grace.

And we are incredibly proud of him!!

black and white Wednesday - (little) boys of Summer

Stay a child while you can be a child.

~ Stephen Sondheim

I would have loved to have seen my expression when I looked out our
kitchen window and found Will and Miles hangin' out with their
Batman and Robin capes and masks positioned on the playset.
(Which was entirely their idea!)

I know I giggled.
And proceeded to watch the 2 caped crime fighters
run, jump, swing and pretend to fight the invisible 'bad guys.'
I used to call Batman and Robin, 'Super Heroes' and Will
politely reminded me that they are 'crime fighters.'

Little boys.

I love their active imaginations and creativity.

And endless energy.

(Most days I love the energy part.)   ;)
He's keepin' me young...at least I hope so.

After a cold, wet Spring, we are delighted that Summer has finally arrived.

Come on over to Lisa's "Long Road to China" and join in this week.