October 2, 2006
The Last Day Visiting the Girls
Today was the hardest day I could ever imagine. I've been dreading it all week. The realization that I'm going to be leaving in just a few days and that I won't be seeing my girls again for nearly three weeks is tearing me up! I've decided that these girls are never going away for summer camp. In fact, this may very well be the last separation we ever have.
We met with the speech therapist today. She works with the child psychologist and is kind of the developmental expert for the children. She told us that Ryn-Alina is right on target for her age in speech and is like a little sponge in all her classes. She loves her lessons and gets bent WAY out of shape if she gets left out or misses the classes for any reason. She also told us that she loves music, but I knew that already.
Maggie-Vera is also right on target in every area -- and maybe even a little ahead in some areas. The therapist said she recently had some type of IQ test done (age-appropriate), and she tested very well. One of her biggest strengths is also one of her weaknesses -- she's stubborn. (No kidding? Really? I would never have guessed!) Some things just have to be her idea first. Still, she does very well in her classes. The therapist was particularly proud of how she's developing in the area of play, including how she plays with the dolls and tries to care for them. I had actually picked up on that before. I've noticed that she tries to share her juice box and cookies with Leap some days. Other than the sticky junk all over him afterward, it's very, very sweet.
Today I brought the laptop to show the girls some of the pictures that we'd taken over the last few weeks and to sing them my Mommy song with the actual track. I've sung it to them some when were playing in the playroom, but I wanted to actually do it right for them once. Maggie loved it for about a minute and then went back to playing with ZhaZha Dae Dae, but Ryn was fascinated.
Of course, they didn't understand a word of the song, but it's really my promise to them. The first time I heard this song on Debby Boone's Reflections of Rosemary CD it felt familiar -- which was odd because I'd never heard it before. After I listened to it a few more times I figured out why I felt like I knew it. It was the story of the life my parents gave me -- and the promise I wanted to make to my girls.
I had a fantasy childhood -- no question about it. My parents were the most amazing people, and they did everything to give us safety, security and happiness as children. No matter what was going on in the world around us, wherever Mom & Daddy were we had HOME. I want that for my girls.
Here are the words to the song. I hope this makes a little sense.
I'll Be Home
By Randy Newman
I'll be home
I'll be home
When your nights are troubled
And you're all alone
When you're feeling down
And need some sympathy
And there's no one else around
To keep you company
Remember baby
You can always count on me
I'll be home
I'll be home
I'll be home
I'll be home
Wherever you will wander
And wherever you may roam
You come back
And I'll be waiting here for you
No one else will ever love you
The way I do
I'll be here to comfort you
And see you through
I'll be home
I'll be home
I'll be home.
Thanks so much to Debby Boone and Gabriel Ferrer for letting me have a copy of Debby's rehearsal track to use for my girls. Ryn loves it now... maybe Maggie eventually will, but you never know.
Couple of pictures from today. Since we got to play in the music room today, they were way too busy playing to cooperate with pictures, but I thought these were sweet. Hopefully when we get home I'll be able to share more with you.
"No -- this way ZhaZha Dae Dae"
