Magic Spit

Last week I get a call from Issac's sweet teacher telling me that Isaac has been sent to the principal for spitting in a boys eye. We of course were mortified and I immediately called Lyndon so that we could get on a unified discipline front. When he got home (after cleaning up buckets of rocks, scrubbing doors and writing apologies) I asked him why he did such a thing. Here is our conversation.
Mom: Were you mad at this little boy?
Isaac: No, he is my best friend.
Mom: Why in the world did you spit in his eye?
Issac: Well, I thought if I spit in his eye, I would be able to see better, kind of like magic you know.
Mom: Can't you see?
Isaac: Well, it's like (waving his hands around) and furry you know.
So though he had had his eyes tested just that week in school we decided to take him back to the eye doctor because of the "fur". While having his eyes tested they told us he was sick of the eye test and wouldn't let them cover his left eye, but he did perfect with his right so they "let him off the hook." After further testing they tell us that he has had lazy eye for years and has rendered him nearly blind in his left eye. That's why he can't read. That's why when his teachers tell him he can and he throws his pencil and says "I can't" he is right and they are wrong. His pre-school teachers told me a boy that bright was just being stubborn and that I just needed to push him harder (pretty glad I took that piece of advice and chucked it). He sees a pediatric eye surgeon tomorrow. Send a prayer for him will you?

Feel Like Giving A Future To A Child?

It's the middle of the night and I can't sleep. I am thinking about my Haitian Roots kids and I was hoping you wouldn't mind reading a post about something so dear to my heart that sometimes I can't even talk about it. Sometimes you put things out there that mean everything to you and people don't "get it" and that hurts. But, you are my friends so we're OK. You know that Haitian Roots is a non-profit group of amazing people who want to help Haitian kids get an education. Right now this group, who I am honored to be even slightly attached to is scrambling to get the last of the money we need for the first tuition payment. I am the kind of person who hates to borrow an egg, so asking you all to care about my cause is a big stretch for me. Anywho...I could post lots of gorgeous faces for you to look at, but it being the middle of the night I won't call Shannon and make her send those photos to me for you to look at. But here it is. We have lots of kids who don't have sponsors yet who are desperately waiting to go to school. If you feel so inspired there are several ways you can help out (1) Sign on to sponsor a child. The cost is $250 per year and that covers all their costs to attend school for the year. (2) Sign on to sponsor and have $22 a month taken out automatically from your acount. (3) Make a one time donation because you feel like it or you recently won the lottery (you know whichever). (4) Say a prayer for these kids and their families. Thanks for listening folks. I know we all have our "causes" and so many of you I know are doing your own brand of good in the world, but maybe some of you feel inspired to jump into my crusade and fight with me...I would be happy to have you join me. Much Love, Heather
*To Sponsor a child click on "sponsor a child" on the upper right corner of my blog
PS The photo is of Kyle with Angeline, the girl he works hard for all year to sponsor

Summer Days

Ahhh...the days of summer. Heat, water, popsicles and kids that need naps but won't take them...I have to admit I have always been a summer hater. I love schedules and cooler weather, but this one I am starting to see the magic of summer that everyone talks about. Living in paradise helps immensely. Favorite summer things so far:
1. Micah yelling "chicken egg" all day long. We got chickens (so fun and this kid is in love)
2. Eating fresh peas from my garden
3. Sitting on the porch watching the sun over the most beautiful view there ever was
4. Learning to play tennis with hubby
5. Being with my sister and her family last weekend to see them sealed together for eternity
6. Running in the heat and being certain that I burned a few hundred thousand more calories
due to the amount of sweat
7. Watching Lyndon and Kyle perform in Field Of Stars (they were awesome!)
Things I could have done without:
1. My poor husband totaling our van
2. 7 rounds of a horrible flu in the house (or in Washington DC)
3. Popsicle goo tracked through the house, followed by muddy feet
4. Ants in the house and snakes when I run (Ewwww)
All in all I think summer is a success. We have bought enough popsicles in the last few months to fund the running of a small country. I spend half my day applying sunscreen to my red heads and being grateful I have one kid that doesn't burn thanks to adoption! I have been reading instead of making the kids do school work and I never want to stop. Summer reads I have enjoyed immensely
1. The Narnia series-read it alone or to your family, the whole thing. It rocks!
2. A Beginner's Guide To Constructing the Universe (wow, talk about seeing math in a spiritual way!)
Happy summer to all of you!