What I forgot to mention about the various frustrations that popped up during shopping is dealing with my daughter who is deaf.  She has no concept of self image.  She is totally unaware of how she presents herself in clothes, hair, or posture.   I don't think there is a day that goes by that I don't have to remind her zip her zipper up. Really!  It is too funny, its like she is oblivious.

When we finally found things for her to try on, she went into the dressing room and came out with pants and a top on saying they were too small. So, I looked, made her turn around, and then I looked closer...she still had her shorts on underneath!!  I asked her "Why?"  She gave me the "I don't know" and "why should I take off my clothes?"  I let a breath out slowly and stood there not moving for a count of ten.  I tell her to go back into the dressing room  and take the shorts off. She comes out and the pants fit fine.  I look at the top and she signs, as she pulls out her strap, "Should I take this off too?", referring to the shirt that she wore into the store!  I sign slowly, "Yeees..."  So she pops back into the dressing room, sigh.

The next day I was thrust into a very important  serious emotional situation with my other new daughter.  For her privacy I won't go into details, but suffice it to say that as over prepared I am in most areas, this one caught me by surprise.  If I don't handle it correctly, the consequences could be serious.  Thus I have discreetly asked around for book referrals, spoken with a couple of Moms that have teenage children and I'll do my meticulous research "thing,"

I am waiting until next week for more information for this little guy. Several things need to happen before he can come to the US for his surgeries. First we need to know that he can fly, then, most importantly, we need a Pediatric Cardiologist to donate his services and a hospital to do the same.  From what I hear getting a Doctor can be hard, but not impossible.  Having a hospital donate their services IS impossible.  Without surgery, he will die. That is a fact.  So without a hospital coming forward, we would need some very big donors to step in.  In today's economy I don't see that happening. But I don't give up easily and I believe we will find a way to keep this little boy alive,