Summer Roadtrip 2022

The initial 10day plan to conquer Glacier National Park this year was quickly sidetracked with rising gas prices. At nearly $6/gallon in Seattle, it was hard to justify a lengthy trip, so we shortened things up and made good use of a beautiful Get-A-Away gift card gifted to us by a foster/adoption community support ministry.

DAY 1: Tacoma to Spokane

I'm getting good at snapping photos while driving! ;)

Lunch spot!

The pop-up table is this year's addition to the traveling show and worked marvelously!  

 

Audiobooks were a big hit with everyone this year.  I re-started the entire Narnia series and the kids devoured several Disney books on CD.  

DAY 2: Spokane Riverfront Park

Tablets are only allowed on vacation (because momma needs to know no one is escaping the hotel while I'm in the shower...or maybe if I need just one more chapter in my book) and for big medical appointments. It's fun for me to see them soak this time together.  

(Also...if you want to sleep in the MOST COMFORTABLE bed of ALL TIME--The Centennial Hotel in downtown Spokane is the place to be.  Like sleeping in a hug!)

Major milestone this year in that the kids starting to carry the back pack--whoot!!

That would be my son attempting to climb to the top of the clock tower while actively chanting "beat that wall!" (ala American Ninja Warrior).  

Mila was rocking the carousel like she was on high intensity thrill ride! 

Riding the gondola over Spokane Falls:

Mila's major win in the pool this year--laying back to float!  This is a huge accomplishment and I am excited to see her make more gains in the water. 

Big wins for Isaac too...for the last year I've been forcing him to be without his swim vest for at least a portion of our swim time; he has hated me for it and I've had to be the mean mom that steps back in the water to let him swim to me.  But this year, not only did he ask to remove his vest, he swam easily across the pool on his own, then proceeded to do handstands and flips under water!  Someone call the US Synchronized swim team, I think they have a new recruit!

DAY 3: Spokane to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

A slight delay in our trip as our van was broken into at some point during our stay in Spokane. The door must not have locked behind me (although I have a very solid memory of pushing the lock button) and someone made their way in to the front seats. Thankfully, nothing was broken and nothing valuable was stolen--only the snacks and hand wipes in my passenger seat command station, my earphones and prescription sunglasses. I'm choosing to believe that someone who was hungry has now been fed and perhaps their astigmatism will be lessened in the glazing sun.  

Dear Idaho State Hwy Department...is this really the best place for a light pole?

The weather was not cooperating today and our plans to take a boat tour around Lake Coeur d'Alene were scrapped. Turns out though, the dockside restaurant has ice cream sundaes bigger than our heads! It was a fun treat to share for everyone. 

Lunch break at beautiful Spirit Lake:

Road trip shenanigans:

DAY 4: Silverwood Theme Park

This was our first foray into theme parklandia and I wanted to use it as a trial run for a potential Disney trip as a family of three in the future. With plenty of rides that we all could enjoy, I thought this would be a perfect way to explore what the kids may like to do.  

Turns out...my kids are train people.  Specifically, my daughter. She could not get enough.  I even sent a message to our contacts in Albania asking if she had some history with trains, then it occurred to me, she is getting her own personal parade--waving a people along the way like she is the daffodil princess on the float!  Despite my constant offers, no other rides were taken. Ice cream was eaten, magic shows were watched, walks were taken and trains were ridden--like five times! There you go.   

Mila keeping an eye on the bad guy that tried to rob our train:

Throwing a coin into the wishing well. 

The moose spit in Isaac's face!  He was not a-moosed. ;) 

Vacations are a lot of work and being in new places with a lot of new choices can be overwhelming; meltdowns happen and I was so glad that we had our new GIGANTIC medical grade stroller to give tired legs and moody attitudes a break when needed.  Each child needed it at some point and each took turns caring for the other when they needed to chill a bit. It really is humungous but I'm thrilled that we had it with us. 

We found another carousel. 

And a talking moose show!  Isaac asked the moose if he liked Tacos.  Mila thought the lady was pretty. 

DAY 5: Silverwood Theme Park

Today was supposed to be a water park day, but the kids wouldn't go anywhere without riding the train first.  *shrug*.  The stellar cast members saw us coming and made way for their two favorite train celebrities.  We rode the train AGAIN at the end of the day, and by that point the train cast were saying hi to us by name even when we weren't on the train!

Mila got robbed on the train today--she could not have been more thrilled!

Isaac got ALL his sensory needs met!

This is the photo immediately before we DIDN'T die in the wave pool.  Probably wasn't smart on my part to take both kids in on my own, but we really were managing great in the rhythm of the waves until we weren't; Mila got splashed in the face and stared to choke and, appropriately, freak out. Isaac got scared and grabbed onto my leg--which was under water; not an ideal place to be.  I grabbed both kids, attempting to ride the series of waves into the shallower end, desperately trying to make eye contact with the 15 year old life guard. Now would be a stellar time for you to see us, dude!  Thankfully, I had attached a luggage strap to Mila's life vest (I suspect not approved by the US Coast Guard) and was able to loop my arm through the strap to not loose her while we surfed into safe waters.  Two screaming kids and a frantic momma quickly declared we were done with wave pools for the day.  Back to the lazy river...then to the train. Thankful for the Lord's protection. 

One last train ride.  Both Mila and the train cast said "see you tomorrow!" as we left. <3 

DAY 6: Coeur d'Alene to home

BIG car day: 8.5 hours through part of western Idaho and across 90% of Washington so we could get back in time for medical appointments.  The kids are such stellar travelers!  They literally colored for 6 of the 8.5 hours in the car.  Happily listening to music or books coloring the entire time.  I'm so thankful the car is their happy place. 

Washington has such diverse geography--I love it!  Deserts, valleys, rolling hills, wineries, plateaus and snow covered mountains. Amazing!

Lunch spot.  PNW friends, if you've never been to Potholes in the Moses Lake area, it is BEAUTIFUL!

790 miles, 14.5 hours in the car.  Our shortest summer road trip thus far, but probably the best one yet. Excited to see what next summer bring us. 

Bonus day: Venardos Circus

We rushed back for a couple of specialty medical appointments for Mila, but I wanted to finish out our vacation week with a bang. The Venardos (animal-free) Circus was in town and we loved every minute! If you ever have a chance to see this Little Circus that could, we highly recommend!  I made a long list of things to remind Isaac he is not allowed to do and Mila now wants to become the Lady Beast...?  #lifegoals

Mila White by Mila White

 Mila has been working hard this semester with her speech therapist on developing an 'all about me' presentation for her class.  She got to develop full sentences on an AAC/talker and prepare to present in front of her peers (although being the center of attention is not something my girly struggles with!) and be ready for spontaneous questions! 

There are a lot of things that I love about this video:

• She was so pumped she started asking and answering her own questions!
• She labeled YouTube as one of her favorite things; she literally doesn't watch YouTube--but I'm probably the only one who understands that she interprets all streaming options on our TV as being "youtube" (it's one of the first logos on the screen and I feel a desperate need to explain this to her teachers...who literally don't care)
• She called out "Frozen Special" which is the Broadway production of Frozen that she saw live in Feb 2020.  I didn't know how to explain to her that she wasn't seeing the MOVIE Frozen, that this was a special event so it became Frozen Special *shrug* What are ya' gunna do?
• This is the first time Mila has shared about being from Albania and moving to the US.  This is a big deal!  She hasn't wanted to talk about her previous life, and only recently started spontaneous sharing memories of life before summer 2018.  She stood there pretty darn proud of where she came from and where she is now <3 

Baby's first classroom presentation also checked off her 9th grade public speaking requirement. Check! Check!  She has come a LONG way!!

Where is my brother?

Four years ago, we met in the courtyard of an orphanage across the world. One of the first questions she asked me was: ku eshte vellai im?    Where is my brother?   (In the video documentation of the day, I mistranslated the word vellai and asked her if she wanted to PLAY?  Then she gave me the first of many, many, many looks like I'm an idiot). 

She was raised with three 'sisters' the same age as she, also with down syndrome.  They shared a room, clothes and life experiences.  I'm sure in the three days since being notified that she had a brother coming for her, she had a lot of questions as to what that included. 

Looking at his picture before he arrived...

What make & model am I getting?

He's here! 

Giving the traditional (way too hard!) Albanian cheek pinch.

Not too sure about this...

Isaac: MOM! She pinched me and now she won't play ball! 

(she absolutely refused to play ball with him)

It's been 10 min. She is definitely not impressed. She wants a refund. 

Sibling jealousy hit hard and fast. The Sisters reported that Mila would cry every day when I would go back to Isaac in our little European apartment and she had to stay behind in the orphanage.  How do you explain such inequity to a tender heart?? All the photos in Albania had me strategically positioned between the two, making sure they both knew I was fully available to them; a practice I continued for over a year when we came home.  Despite that effort an early honeymoon phase, for nearly 15 months every time Isaac would enter the room, Mila would promptly go out the other side.  She clearly didn't sign up for this brother nonsense and was going to have absolutely nothing to do with him.  It broke my heart. 💔 What made it worse was how much Isaac adored his new big sister--he wanted nothing more than to please/annoy her every moment of the day.  Enter the COVID Shutdown.  24/7 of nothing but your mother & brother.  Not even Gramma was available to provide emotional respite. 

That's when it happened...she started staying in the room.  Then she started not rejecting him. Which lead to some engagement in play. Which lead to squabbles and laughter and togetherness. COVID was a backwards answer to prayer. 

Fast forward to 4 years of siblinghood. 

Within the miracle of adoption and all the pain that it entails, the joy that blossoms is all the more beautiful in these two faces. <3 

Three Little Words

 There are miles of important dates in motherhood.  The day you find out about your child, the day they come home, their first smile, their first tooth, the first time they intentionally say 'I love you'.  

Isaac said his first 'I love you' the night before his 3rd birthday, November 19, 2013. 💖  His little lips struggled to make the sounds but it was clear as a bell. I.  Was.  A. Mess.

Today...Mother's Day, May 8, 2022, is the day forever marked as the day Mila initiated her first 'I love you' to me.  💝    Fresh from my own shower, dressed in a robe with a towel on my head, I popped into her room to make sure she was getting dressed.  She looked me straight in the eyes and said "You know what, Mommy?  Mila love you. Mila love Mommy. You!" as she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a big hug.   For nearly 4 years she had responded to my I Love Yous but never initiated her own.  Today was her day.  Today was OUR day.  I.  Was.  A.  Mess.  

 

Three little words: Are you hungry, Please be kind, Time for bed, You are safe, Try it again, Who did this, Get in the car, Pick that up, Not this time, Where's your shoe, Momma needs (a) break, That's good thinking, Let's clean up.  The vast majority of my day is three little words, but I love you is the one I aim to say the most.  The three little words I never want there to be any doubt about.  Three little words that they can speak on their own because they were loved first.  (1 John 4:19)