Oh-Run-Gee, Two-Sleep, Mouth Surgery

Oh-Run-Gee

During the children’s sermon yesterday, Miss Beth was making a point about how everyone is unique; everyone has their own preferences. She asked Shaling about her favorite color. When we first met Shaling, her favorite color was red, which is a significant color in Chinese culture. However, her tastes have changed a bit and she replied to Miss Beth with, “blue and oh-run-gee” (I love the way she says orange, “oh-run-gee”, and will miss it when she finally starts to pronounce it correctly).

If you know me well, you probably giggled or perhaps rolled your eyes at Shaling’s new favorite colors. Brock and I met while members of the Marching Illini at the University of Illinois, so orange and blue are prominent in our household anyway. Plus, I’m a big fan of Rochester schools (which the kids attend) – the music program, sports, and education itself. The Rochester Rockets just happen to wear orange and blue as well. So, I’m sure it looks to some of my friends that I just happened to indoctrinate her. I promise I didn’t – the girl just has natural school spirit!


Two-Sleep

Shaling truly does not like to sleep alone. In China, she shared a room with several other girls and that feels much more natural to her than being alone in a full-sized bed, in her very own bedroom. She often asks if she and Preston can “two-sleep”. Though on occasion they do just that, we’ve also explained to them that as they get older, it will not be appropriate – girls can spend the night with girls and boys can spend the night with boys, but mixed genders cannot do so.

Shaling has come up with the perfect solution. She told me last week that we need to get two more “people” (kids). She wants a girl to two-sleep with her and a boy to two-sleep with Preston.


Mouth Surgery

Shaling & I had our initial visits with our new dentist, Dr. Milner, on Friday. Dr. Milner (Dave) is also a friend of mine (and fellow sports enthusiast). His wife, Sa, is of Chinese descent. Sa tried hard to speak to Shaling in Mandarin, but Shaling would have none of it. It makes me sad that she is giving up her native tongue.

Dave tells me that Shaling probably has orthodontic surgery in her future. He is referring us to an orthodontist (our first visit will be Thursday, September 22nd) and the orthodontist will make the final determination, but Shaling will probably need a tooth extracted. She’s got some permanent teeth blocking the growth of another permanent tooth. The orthodontist will probably decide to sacrifice one for the other.