"No Ear"

Brock took Shaling to her follow-up doctor visit yesterday (in regard to her ear infection detected on January 18). Apparently, there is still a lot of excess fluid in her ear...enough that the doctor says she probably isn't hearing out of that ear at all. I can only imagine how much more challenging that has made her initial time here. She is trying so hard to emulate the words we say in order to learn her English. Only hearing those words with half of her possible hearing I'm sure doesn't help. She now has another follow-up visit on March 8.

Brock called me at work to tell me about the visit, but last night, Shaling was trying to tell me about it herself. She kept pointing at her right ear and saying, "no ear, no ear".

I took her to Wal-Mart last night to get her Valentines for the class party. I'm positive she had no idea why or what we were buying, but I pointed at the variety of boxes and she eventually chose one that had a variety of cats & dogs picture. Each card also has a temporary tattoo. Either tonight or tomorrow, we'll sit and fill them out. I thought I'd encourage her to sign her name with Chinese characters. I thought the other kids might enjoy that.

She will actually miss the class Valentine's Day party because it is this Friday. She has a mid-morning dentist appointment and I'm going to keep her home for the afternoon as well, because Grandma & Grandpa Reynolds will be arriving sometime in the wee morning (1:00 or 2:00?) Friday and then heading back to Florida on Sunday. With their time here so short and this being the first time she'll meet them, I'm taking advantage of the dentist appointment as a way to keep her home all day and spend some special time with them.

Tonight, Shaling will attend her first volleyball game. Her cousins Maggie Nicholson & McKenzie Michaelis will both be playing on the 7th grade Carlinville Warriors team here in Springfield tonight versus Grant Middle School. Shaling & Mom will go to the game while Dad takes Preston to his Concert Orchestra rehearsal.

Shaling recently received a sketch pad as a gift. She has been drawing pictures of Mrs. Collins, Father, Mother, the Cubs logo, a Cardinals 2006 World Series logo and more. We are enjoying watching what she creates with her pencil & paper.

We are looking forward to this Saturday when Shaling will get to meet many more of her new family members. We are having an open house at Grandma & Grandpa Coonrod's house in Carlinville. It is also being hosted by Grandma & Grandpa Barkley and Grandma & Grandpa Reynolds. It is for aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. that are within a reasonable driving distance to stop by & meet Shaling. We are looking forward to seeing everyone.