The Laying Out Of Clothes

Every morning before I get Elisabeth up,
I lay out her clothes along with a diaper and box of wipes.

  

It's the kind of thing that seems mundane, but I am pretty sure pictures like the one above will remind me [when I am old and gray] of what an extraordinary season of life this was. 

I don't want to forget a detail, not a single one, not even something as simple as laying out Elisabeth's clothes in the morning.

5/412

  

Yesterday, I answered precisely 412 questions in regards to Elisabeth and her development. Some of them required and simple yes or no answer, while another questionnaire asked that I rate her on a scale of 1-3, or, circle 0 if she is unable.

In all, there were only 5 that she is capable of. 5 out of 412.

As I was circling, no, no, no, no, no, no, no....

And 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0....

I thought, this is so silly! Elisabeth simply cannot be measured in the same way as the rest of us. Indeed, the rest of us cannot measure up to Elisabeth.

She is perfect and pure. It doesn't matter that she can't crawl or communicate or make choices, it just doesn't.

 

 I smiled, though, at two of the five that she is succeeding at.

They are:

Has good relationship with parents and other adults.

and...

Is well liked by others her age.

   

She's got the important stuff all figured out!

Thirty Years

Yesterday I had the honor of performing Sibelius' 2nd Symphony. It was thrilling. Lately I have become even more engaged in my music. It's like it is becoming an even bigger part of who I am. I find myself wanting to learn more and play better.

As I was preparing to leave for my concert I was reflecting back on my musical career thus far. That's when it occurred to me that this January marked 30 years since my first violin lesson. I shared the news with Donald.

"Wow," he said. 

"That's pretty impressive when you can say you've done something for 30 years."

I feel so blessed to have discovered my talent and my passion early in life. And double blessed to have had the parents and resources required to help develop and nurture that talent. What if I had never had that first violin lesson? What an empty life that would have been. But alas, I did. And yesterday I performed Sibelius' 2nd Symphony. And I loved every moment of it. And I felt happy.

Seizures Are a Big Deal

The only time Elisabeth gets into mischief is when I am trying to bolus feed her and she swats her hand at the tube...resulting in liquefied food splashing everywhere.

Such was the case today.

I called Elsa down to help clean up the mess and hold her hands.

 

 

"It's okay, you might make messes sometimes, but you are such a good, good girl," I told Elisabeth.

"Yes, Elisabeth, messes aren't a big deal. But seizures are a big deal," Elsa told her.

"Exactly," I agreed.

Gymnastics Meet #2

The VEGA Challenge

~ Battle Ground, WA ~

January 17, 2016

~ Scores ~

Beam: 7.35

Bars: 8.3

Floor: 7.0

Vault: 7.675

Total: 30.275

 

[Lorelai and her teammates stretching. She is the 7th one back.]

Before the awards ceremony there was a handstand competition. Lorelai didn't win..but she held her own!

MCGA came in 2nd place and while Lorelai was in the locker room changing we snagged her award and posed for a picture.

 

Afterwards the girls took advantage of the photo booth area. That's Lorelai's best friend and teammate, Dianne, behind the emoji pillow:

A Post About New Strings.

 

As a musician, strings are something I see as a luxury, one that I rarely allow myself. New strings - nice ones - are expensive and I can never justify spending the money when I have a million other things on the need-money-for-this list (for example, a custom car seat for Elisabeth.)

So you can imagine my joy when my mother presented me with a new set of strings for my birthday this month! It had been [embarrassingly] years since the last ones were put on.

When we returned from California life was busy - basketball, rehearsals, students, gymnastics, work.... I just hadn't found the right moment to put the new set on. And that's the silly thing about me, it has to be a moment. I mean, it takes but a few minutes to do the task, but I wanted it to be an experience, I wanted to soak it right up.

Yesterday afternoon, the opportunity arose. A few of the girls were gone, one was upstairs, and Elisabeth was resting on the couch. The house was quiet and there was sun streaming in the music parlor window. "This is it, this is my moment," I thought.

As I opened the first string I read the back of the paper sleeve and my heart just about burst with excitement...

  

It reads:

"I use Pirastro's Evah Pirazzi strings on my 1713 Stradivarius. I find that they offer the best combination of power and quality. - Joshua Bell

What???!!! I have the same strings as Joshua Bell?!! It might have been one of the most exciting discoveries of my life, haha!

(If you don't know who Joshua Bell is, quick! Go to YouTube!)

Then off with the old, and on with the new...

 

Ahhh....the sound of heaven.

New strings!

Glorious, clear, brilliant new strings!!!

 

P.S. I have more exciting news about Joshua Bell! Stay tuned!!

Gymnastics Meet #1

~ Clarkston, WA ~

January 9, 2016

~ Winter Spirit Meet ~

This was not Lorelai's best meet and her scores were a lot lower than she wanted, but the triumph was in her attitude. Usually she is extremely hard on herself, but at the end of this competition she had a smile on her face. She was enjoying the experience regardless, and that made her a winner in my eyes.

 

Scores:

Bars - 7.825

Beam -  7.9

Floor - 8.35

Vault -  7.35

Total: 31.425

A Merry Little Review

Christmas at my mom's house was so nostalgic for me. Seeing my children wake up and gaze at wonder at the same tree I woke to throughout my childhood. It was magical.

Uncle David, Uncle Marc, and Uncle Michael were all there, too.

Elisabeth loves her new doll and elephants.

And Lorelai was thrilled to get Grace, the 2015 American Girl Doll of the Year! (She, like Lorelai, loves to bake!)

The number one thing on Alexandra's Christmas list was a typewriter. And...Santa delivered!

 

The days leading up to Christmas Alexandra kept smiling and saying, "click click"...mimicking the sound of the keys typing. She was quite confident she was going to get one!

She spent the rest of Christmas vacation typing...and I have carefully saved each and every manuscript!

'Twas a 

merry day 

indeed!

 

Some gifts included:

Elisabeth

Elephant

Colorful Toy

Cabbage Patch Kid

Elsa

Superman pictures

Smallville

Etch a Sketch

Frozen sticker book

Stacking Cups

Watch

Lorelai

Grace Doll

View Finder

Hand Mixer

Vans shoes

Guinness Book of World Records

Alexandra:

Kindle Fire

Kindle case

Grease

Lava lamp

Notepads

YOLO Juliet

[Domino's from Uncle Michael]

Birthday Thoughts 2016

 

[My daughters and me in Long Beach, CA, on Dec 26th, 2015]

Here is what is true about me on this, my 36th birthday:

I love who I am. 

I have never wanted to be anyone but me. 

I love being a mother and I am proud to tell people I have four daughters. 

I am grateful for the rich and diverse experiences I have had thus far in life.

I have everything I ever desired: a family and a home.
I am starting to like the color orange.

I am happy.

36.

New Year's Day 2016

I took this picture as I sat on a bench at Laguna Beach one morning this week. 

It was beautiful, peaceful, and happy.

Explore: verb 

To travel 

for adventure 

or discovery. 

I have spent the past week in southern California. While here, Donald and I have taken the girls to Mission San Juan Capistrano, to the Aquarium of the Pacific, to Disneyland, to the Discovery Science Museum, to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and to the beach (multiple times). It was a week of learning, discovering, and having fun. There is so much to do and see in this world of ours, and so I decided that this year our family shall keep on with the trend that we set this week: to explore.

With Elisabeth getting bigger it is easier to just stay home. Managing her medical care and needs out and about is not simple - but life isn't meant to be easy, life is meant to be experienced - and I want Elisabeth to experience everything. So we will set off on adventures this year. I imagine that most of them will be in the great northwest where we reside - it's amazing how many wonders are waiting in our own backyard!

Let's go, do, and see 
in 2016!!!

An Ode to 2015

Badger Mountain.

Kindle. Disneyland. Shake it off.

Vice President. Fit bit.  The Music Man. 

Gymnastics State Championship. Blood Infection. Basketball. 

 Baptism. Little Women. Outliers. Yoga. Tooth Extraction.

Anything Can Happen. Jane Banks. Trout Quintet.

 Young Womanhood Medallion. Glasses. Utah. 

  Track and Field Junior Olympic Championship.

Mt. St. Helens.

2015 

 

I will always look back on this year as the year mountains were conquered. 

Dreams do come true. 

And anything can happen if you let it.

  

Christmas Eve Review

As we set were decorating our Christmas tree a few weeks ago, I was telling my children about Christmas at my house growing up. And then, suddenly, I said "Let's go! Let's go to Oma's house for Christmas!"

And that was that.

So on December 22nd we packed up the van and began the long journey south, arriving Christmas Eve to my mom's - which is absolutely magical when decorated for Christmas.

 

Elisabeth, lounging in the family room with view of the roaring fire and the Christmas tree:

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

   

Before leaving for California, we celebrated an early Christmas with our family in Washington. Grandma and Grandpa Sorenson gave each of the girls a Kindle Fire. I get a kick out of seeing Elsa use it and comparing it to the life she lived just two years ago in Ethiopia. What a stark contrast! 

It filled me with joy to see my children in my childhood home for Christmas, to know they were experiencing it as I did.  

Among all the treasures at my mom's house, Elsa found this Christmas Golden Book. And in it, my name: upside down and backwards! Ha!  

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

A Story About A Kindle

5 years ago Donald gave me a Kindle for Christmas. It became my companion everywhere I went and oh, all the adventures we had together! It traveled with me around the world to Europe and to Africa. And as it accompanied me on my adventures, it took me on adventures, too. For within that small device was a vast library. A library that could take me throughout the universe and across time. Indeed, there was nowhere that my Kindle and I couldn't go so long as I had an imagination.

Then, in August of 2013, I picked it up to find a shattered screen. I was devastated. It felt I had lost a friend. And I, who simply hates keeping things without purpose, and who has very little thought for sentiment, couldn't bring myself to throw it away.

So I kept it.

 

Fast forward to this past Sunday morning. Donald handed me a gift and when I opened it tears filled my eyes. It was my Kindle, restored!

Donald told me how months previous he had seen an identical model at an estate sale. He bought it and watched videos online to learn how to replace the screen. The result was a success. My beloved Kindle is as good as new. And oh, how giddy I get when I think of all the adventures we will once again embark on together.

 Merry, merry!

I Chose To Nap

It was a busy day, as most days right before Christmas are. We had family coming over for dinner and there were a million things to do in preparation of leaving town. But I decided to stop and snuggle with Elisabeth instead. In a matter of moments I was asleep and Donald captured the moment with his phone.

 

Sometimes it is good to stop and slow down.

Sometimes the best thing to do is take a nap next to your baby.

Especially 8 year old babies.

It's The Thought That Counts

"I know what I want to get Lorelai for Christmas," 
Elsa said proudly.  
 "A laptop!"

 
[Elsa, reading by the glow of our Christmas tree last night.]

One Decade

This year we celebrated 10 years of living in our home. In fact, I have now lived in this home as long as I did my childhood home. Yet in my mind it seems I spent aeons living in that house in California and I feel it wasn't too long ago we bought this home. Time is funny like that. It's always the same, always steady, but life experience and perspective makes it feel otherwise.

I love this house. I find it to be absolutely perfect. Indeed, I cannot find one flaw in it. I love the layout. I love the size (not too big, not too small). I love my music parlor off the entryway. I love that my bedroom is large enough to share with Elisabeth so that she is near me every night. I love the fireplace and the warmth it provides. I love our backyard and the magical gathering place it becomes for friends and family on Summer nights. I love all the windows and the light, airy feel they provide. I love it all and I hope to live here all my days.

I feel lucky to have settled into this home at such a young age. When we moved in Alexandra was a toddler and Lorelai only 5 months old. Now Lex is a teenager starring in plays and Lorelai is a competitive gymnast who spends her (rare) free time in the family room doing handstands. And not only have I watched those two grow and learn in this house, but my number of children doubled with the birth of Elisabeth 8 years ago and the adoption of Elsa in 2013.

So much has happened in 10 years and I can only dream of all that is to come. And this home...this home will be the cornerstone of it all; the place we gather to find refuge from the turmoil of the world; the place we come to share and learn and grow.

I love this home of mine.

  

[I took this picture through my windshield a few days ago. Thus the rain drops. 

Our home is decked out for the holidays. It is simply magical, especially at night!]

I Believe in Good

In the six weeks that I have been working as a one-on-one para-educator to a boy with cerebral palsy, I have been careful to observe what I see happening around him. Now, I am the mother of a disabled girl, so being in the company of child in a wheelchair is something I am used to, but this job provides me with a different perspective. At a school I can see how children interact with a peer who is different: how they look at him, how they talk to him, what their intentions are.

And what I have seen has renewed my hope in the human race.

These children are loving. Not only are they kind and accepting of the boy under my care, but they go above and beyond to include him, to encourage him, and to help him be his best.

I can say with absolute honesty that I have not seen even one child look down at the boy I care for. Not one word of negativity, not one look of pity, not one moment of exclusion.

Every day I have children begging to help push him, feed him, play with him and read to him, So much so that I finally made a list to keep track and assign a daily helper. And the care his peers give him is honest, pure, and loving. There are no ulterior motives, it isn't for the praise of being a good helper or for the novelty of pushing a wheelchair while walking in line. It is because he is their classmate and they love him.

One day as I was about to take my little guy to the bus his friend ran up and said, "Wait, I want to say goodbye." And then I watched as he first hugged him, and then took his face in his hands, looked him in the eyes and said, "One day you'll walk, one day you'll be strong."

Those are the moments I witness day after day. It's another reason why I feel so blessed in my job. In a world that is become increasingly more violent and hateful, I get see what's good. I see the pure and innocent spirit of children. And as I witness their love I say to myself, 'There is good in us all. Mankind is good.'

I believe that, I truly do.

Indeed, I believe in good.

An Ornamental Afternoon

Trimming the Tree.

 

By golly, look at that!

Somehow Alexandra is suddenly tall enough to reach way up to the top!

 

You'll notice the familiar tape ornament hanging just to the left of Lorelai's chin.

A true Sorenson classic!

 

Elsa's third time decorating a Christmas tree. THIRD. Time flies. It really, really does.

 

And while the girls made the tree sparkle, Brigitta just stayed curled up by the fire in her Christmas sweater.

Before the decorations were complete, Donald and the girls went to a friends house to watch a football game, leaving me alone (with some old Christmas records) to finish things up.
It was a bit magical.

When they got back, our home was completely transformed into a Christmas wonderland.

[Lorelai playing her xylophone and Elsa reading a Curious George book.]

Christmastime 

is here!