Our Weekend

Every year for the past seven years we have attended a special gathering. It is a Fostering/Adoption Seminar organized by a group of  Mennonite churches. Families from all over attend and bring their children. The result is a noisy, crazy weekend where kids outnumber parents 4:1...maybe 5:1...the director at the retreat told us that we are the noisiest group they have...in a good way.
Thankfully a church youth group came and organized activities for the children during most of the meetings.

The best part is that meals are included ( I know, I'm shallow that way) We managed to secure rooms too, so  I didn't even have to worry about bedding...this was no camping trip.

This was however, the first time that Shekinah has been to a large gathering with lots of other children, since we are home. I hadn't thought about it until we were arriving. I wondered if she would notice that other children are commenting on her hands.
I decided she either just doesn't listen or she is used to children staring.
We had all sorts of comments while playing at the playground...mostly "what happened to her hands?"
Then there was the little girl who asked in Pennsylvania Dutch "Is she broken?"
The cutest comment was from a little girl that informed me "I was born with just 2 fingers"  as she showed me her hand with a full five fingers.
I said "Oh? well you seem to have five fingers now."
"Well, yes, that is how all babies are born."
If I wouldn't have known better I would have believed her!


For all those who asked me "Is she always so happy?" Here is a picture from today. She was so good all weekend, she just had to let it out today. I sat her on a chair after she walloped her sister with a pocketbook full of pens and crayons.

The other kids had re-entry problems too...drawers and doors were slammed, washing machine lids were dropped, sisters were accused of lying....

They are finally all in bed and tomorrow is another day.

She did have a "first" tonite, she went swimming and liked it.