2 DAYS!!!!

Dallas is back in the United States!! Oh Yeah - Oh Yeah! He is currently in Texas.
Their first stop in the U.S. was in Maine at 10AM this morning. They continued traveling until they arrived at their hotel at around 7PM tonight. Dallas said they have not slept (or had a shower - gross!) since Friday.

Tomorrow they turn in their equipment as quickly as possible so they can catch another plane home on Tuesday morning.

I am not sure how Lin-Ley is going to function at school tomorrow knowing that it is only one day until her Moddy will be home.
(That goes for me too!)

3 DAYS!!!

No news!

4 DAYS!!

I received one last email from Dallas as they were leaving for the airfield. Now we wait to hear from him once they arrive in Texas.

5 DAYS!

Dallas has confirmed airline reservations! The sand storms are really causing problems in Kuwait so we are praying that their flight to the U.S. is not delayed. They head to the flight field tomorrow to wait for their flight.

COUNTING DOWN... 10 DAYS....

Dallas sent me a coded email last night. Sounds like everything is still on track.
Lin-Ley has given me her list of supplies needed to decorate the house for Daddy's party.

COUNTING DOWN... 15....

All of the replacement Soldiers are in Kuwait and Iraq. Dallas and his crew have trained the new guys/girls. They are working with them now just to make sure they have the swing of things. Now Dallas is basically just hanging out until their flight home is available....

Lin-Ley's Charitable Recognition

As I mentioned in June, Lin-Ley has collected toys and treats for the "Soldier Dogs" at her last two birthday parties rather than gifts for herself. We have delivered the doggie gifts to a local Dogtopia in support of their K-9 Support program. K-9 Support collects donations (mostly monetary) and holds dog washes to raise money to send care packages to the military dogs (as well as their handlers) serving in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan as well as other military locations. Lin-Ley gets a big kick out of the fact that there are dogs that are Soldiers like her Daddy.


I received an email from Dogtopia today letting us know that Lin-Ley has received a place of honor on their K-9 Support website. I showed it to Lin-Ley tonight. She was thrilled to see her photo and read their note about her.


Here is a link to their website:
(Just click on the link, scroll down and find the section labeled "A Very Special Donor")
http://dogdaycare.com/k9support.php

Lin-Ley wrote a letter to the Soldier Dogs that will be going with the goodies that she collected. They will be splitting up all of the items Lin-Ley collected so that many different units will receive her note.


Here is the letter that Lin-Ley dictated to me:

Dear Soldier Dogs,

My name is Lin-Ley. I had my 6th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. I collected presents for you because you are soldiers and I hope you like them. My friends brought you presents. You are cool. My daddy is a soldier too. He is on a long trip right now.

Do you have fun? I hope you play with your new toys. I am sending you some big bones. Do you have human helpers?

I hope you have a good time with the presents. You are the best soldier dogs.

Love,
Lin-Ley


And we included this photo:

1st Grade

Our big girl started 1st Grade on Monday. She was very excited and came home each day telling me how great her day had been.


Lin-Ley and Tru wait for the bus. I am not sure why Lin-Ley is standing like a Soldier...















The bus finally arrived and I do not know who was more excited - Lin-Ley or Tru. There she goes loaded down with her school supplies.

Tru had a doctor's appointment at Walter Reed Hospital later that day. He enjoyed riding the bus in the pediatric waiting room. He kept getting on, sitting down, and riding the bus to school.

Tru looks so grown up in this photo.




Lin-Ley was also promoted to her 1st Grade Sunday School class today.
The kids posed before leaving for church.








"Cheese"















Our church began a Chinese language class for the kids last year. They offer different classes at different levels. Although Lin-Ley has been going to Chinese School for two years she began the preparation level at church.






Today the kids performed in the English and Chinese church services. They recited bible verses and sang songs in Chinese. Lin-Ley led the bible verses for their class. Obviously Lin-Ley does not have the advantage of having Chinese speaking parents at home like most all of the other children at our church. However, many church members approached me today to tell me how wonderful Lin-Ley's pronunciation and diction sounds.


All of the children did a great job!


Hope everyone has a nice, relaxing Labor Day.

We are down to 23 DAYS!!!!

30 Days!

The real count down is on!!!!! The closer Dallas is to being home - the harder it is.
Counting down... 30....

The Bronze Star Medal

Dallas was awarded The Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq and Kuwait during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Wow! That is a huge honor!!

His award states:

CWO3 Herpin's actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect distinct credit on himself, the Criminal Investigation Division, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, and the United States Army.

Way to go Moddy!

Only 37 more days to go!!!!!!!!!!

A Week of Injury

Luckily the kids did not receive any serious injuries but this past week seems to have been filled with boo-boo's... and there was one trip to the emergency room...

Last Sunday, while in the church nursery, Tru began the week with a busted lip.

Monday Lin-Ley came home with two bandaged hands. While playing on the monkey bars she rubbed blisters on the palms of both of her hands.

Tuesday when I picked up Tru from school his teacher's assistant, Miss Ashley, jokingly said, "Your son tried to break my nose today." She was sitting on the floor and Tru came over to her and fell into her lap. He does this all of the time lately. This time when he fell his head landed right on the bridge of her nose.

Wednesday was uneventful.

When I dropped off Tru at school on Thursday morning I heard someone mention Miss Ashley's nose. I asked her how it was feeling. She revealed that she finally went to the emergency room Tuesday night. After eight hours in the emergency room she found out that her nose was broken! Can I tell you how bad I felt??!!

Friday Tru had physical therapy at school. As soon as they got out to the playground Tru fell and scraped his nose from between his eyes all the way down to his lip. The remainder of the therapy session was a disaster.
That evening when we were walking in the house a mosquito landed on Tru's forehead and I waved it away. Within seconds it came back to the same spot on Tru's head. I swatted it rather firmly and Tru cut his eyes and gave me a dirty look. So that evening Tru had a red nose and a swollen forehead.

There is good medical news as well...
Last Friday Tru received the first height adjustment to his prosthesis. Since receiving his prosthesis in April he had grown over 1/2 inch and it was obvious when he walked that his hips were not in line. However, the part took so long to come in that once he got the adjustment (last week) it is already too short again. That is good news because that means he is growing. Obviously this will be a pattern. Tru will grow and need adjustments. Hopefully Dankmeyer and the insurance company can come to an agreement to pre-order the parts before Tru needs them so he does not outgrow them while they are being ordered.

Also, Tru was seen at the Limb Deficiency Clinic again last week. This was the first time he saw his surgeon since surgery. She went on maternity leave the week after Tru's surgery. She was pleasantly surprised to see Tru walking across the lobby toward her. Basically we all sat around (there were 7 doctors there) and talked about how well Tru was doing. I told them that I thought that we needed to work on Tru's upper body strength. They all agreed that would be a good idea. So Tru has a new physical therapy goal.



Lin-Ley participated in a workshop in Baltimore today. It was held at the Museum of Industry. It is a small museum but there are many great exhibits. So of course we took photos:

Tru chose this one. "Truck! Truck!"



We were not really sure what this was but could not resist the photo op.

Lin-Ley enjoyed seeing the boats. She asked me if one of those boats could take us to China.

Olympics Observations:

First of all I would like to know what the U.S. Olympic Committee was thinking when they chose the outfits for the opening ceremony. The U.S. Olympians were wearing long pants, long sleeved shirts, ties, and jackets. We left China exactly once year before the opening ceremony (8/8/2007). I can not even explain how hot it was there!! They were in an open air arena with thousands of people for many hours. HOT!

Lin-Ley is definitely interested in the Olympics this summer. So far she is definitely rooting for Team China. We were watching the ladies gymnastics earlier and she intently watched each Chinese competitor. She said, "They have the same skin as me, the have the same hair as me and they even have a face like me. They are definitely fantastic. Oh Yeah - That's What I'm Talking About! You know, I don't live in China all of the time now. Just sometimes."

This photo was taken last summer in Beijing. The Bird's Nest (where the Olympic opening ceremony was held) was still under construction.

County Fair

The County Fair began today and we decided to be one of the first visitors. It was armed forces day so we did not have to pay the entrance fee - can't beat that. I sent out an email to several of Lin-Ley's preschool friends (many of us still keep in touch) asking if anyone wanted to join us. Luckily Jordyn and Mary were able to meet us there.

Jordyn, Mary and Lin-Ley - together again.

Time to milk the cow.

There was no snow but plenty of corn. So Lin-Ley dove in and began making a corn angel.

The spinning wheel in the House of Fun.

All of the kids (and parents) were getting over heated. We treated them all to fresh squeezed lemonade and funnel cake. Once Tru had the lemonade we did not hear a peep out of him for the rest of the afternoon.

Lin-Ley, Jordyn, Mary, Melissa (Mary's sister) and Tru (and his lemonade).

Finally after almost 5 hours there the girls had ridden every kiddy ride at least 3 times. It was really heating up and we had to call it a day.

Lots of fun and friendship at the County Fair!

One Year of Tru Love !

What a year! Has it been a year already?!
One year ago today we met our Tru. On July 29, 2007 we flew from Beijing to Gansu Province , China . Within 1.5 hours we arrived in Lanzhou , checked into our hotel and there was soon a knock on our door. Special Delivery!

The First Night:

Our pouting, nearly crying, sad little guy was handed to us so that we could begin our lives together as a complete family.

He was so sad that it brings me to tears just thinking about it. He would not even look at us for the first 24 hours.

Lin-Ley wanted to play with Tru and talk to him. He would push her away and turn away from her.













The Next Morning (Our First Full Day Together):

I think this is my absolute favorite photo from our whole trip. Look at Tru's face!









Later that day Tru began looking up and making eye contact.

We were being as silly as possible trying to get Tru to smile.

Yes! There is that contagious smile!

Our Second Day Together:

After the ice was broken there was no turning back.

This is another of my favorite photos. That pink cup was Tru favorite toy for the remainder of the trip.

And that was that. From that point forward he has been the happy, smiley, lively, courageous and inspirational Tru that we all know and love.

So here is a summary of Tru's first year:

* 70+ Doctor’s Visits including: pediatrician, developmental, urology, audiology, genetics, orthopedics, endocrinology, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, cardiology, and prosthetics.

* 6 Emergency Room Visits

* 3 Surgeries

We could not be more fortunate to live in an area with world respected medical care just 20 miles away. The military insurance has been absolutely wonderful and with a little coaxing/insisting/pleading Tru has received all of the medical care he has needed and then some. In addition, other than the cardiologists and one prosthetist, all of Tru’s care providers have been female and all of them have been young. In my book that has also made a huge impact on Tru’s care – or maybe it just made me feel better.

So here are a few photos from tonight:

Tru loves to sit in Airborne's bed in our bedroom. Tonight I turned the t.v. on so he would sit there and I could just watch him for a while.

What a gift!

Even with everything he has been through in the last year he is the happiest little boy I know. Oh so happy! (more tears…)

Another Chinese Poem

Friday was Lin-Ley's last day at Chinese Summer Camp. She begins Drama Camp tomorrow. Yes, that's what we need - more drama!

Lin-Ley wanted to share another Chinese poem:


And once again Tru had to have his turn:


Just being silly tonight....

Happy Birthday Dear Dallas

Today is Dallas' birthday. I forget how old he said he is now. I think he said he was in his late 20's (again)!

This is a recent photo with Piggy. Dallas is holding up the package of gum to show Lin-Ley he did receive his Father's Day package.

Unfortunately when we spoke with him today he was not feeling well. He seems to have caught a severe cold. Lin-Ley learned he was not feeling well and began to talk his ear off telling him how to take care of himself and then the conversation led to her previous illnesses. I finally had to take the phone away so he could rest.

Happy Birthday Daddy! Feel Better!!

Here is video Lin-Ley made for Dallas last week. She has been in a Chinese Summer Camp the past several weeks and has flourished there.


Of course Tru had to have a turn in the front of the camera but he is obviously more interested in seeing himself in the screen on the back of the camera. "I want it!"

65 DAYS AND COUNTING!!