Our Little Night Owl

Did I ever mention how Fatima is so hard to wake up in the morning?  She is always the last one to get out of bed.  The girls and I both have to keep calling her name and making threats about being late (although she does not know what we are saying!).  Well, I have figured out her schedule.  She prefers to sleep late but can't on most days, so she takes little afternoon naps and then is up and partying late at night.  This week has been our church's VBS and she has really enjoyed the music and dancing.  We have one of the CD's at home and last night the girls were blasting it on their Hello Kitty boom box, singing along at the top of their lungs!  When it was shower time, Fatima wanted to listen in the shower so Grace hooked the boom box up in the bathroom for her.  

We had our family portrait done by Danita Brooks yesterday.  We met her in a park and she photographed all of us together and a few shots of just the girls and a few of just Fatima.  She will make prints for Fatima to take home to her family and we will get the CD with the rest of the photos for us to keep.  I am so excited and can't wait to see how they came out.  I know she does great work!  Fatima loves photos.  I have been building her an album of all of the photos I have taken since she has been here.  She loves looking at them.  I know she will have a great time sharing them with her family and friends back home.

This morning Fatima had a dental appointment with Dr. Mullens.  He worked on the very decayed tooth, cleaning it up and getting it ready for the crown.  He called me back to show me the special equipment he has that actually takes a picture of her tooth and electronically forms the shape of the crown and a machine produces the crown right there in his office.  No need for a temporary!  Sorry, Dr. Mullens , if I explained this incorrectly.  But you get the idea...it is very high tech!  Two hours later she walked out with a brand new tooth!  Dr. Liz was there too to fit Fatima with her retainer.  This is to hold the space where her teeth were pulled so that the back molars have a chance to come forward and fill the gaps.  She hates it!  She can't talk with it and she acts like she can't swallow her saliva so she lets it build up in her mouth!  She keeps taking it out.  We'll have to work on this one.  I think she will get used to it with time.

I can't believe that she will be leaving us in less than two weeks!  The group departs on July 12th.  It is bitter sweet for me.  I will miss her dearly, but she is going home a happy, healthy girl, and  to a loving family who I know misses her.  We have begun preparations for her departure.  I have been collecting winter clothing items for her and she seems to like them all!  The winters in Afghanistan are very cold and I want to make sure she stays warm.  I will also send home with her any of the clothing that she used here that is appropriate for her to wear back home, which is most everything but her capris.  Of course she will be taking Jessica and Hannah, her two dolls as well as all of the things she has collected during her stay with us.

All of the children are taking home a second suitcase which will be filled with items for her family and community.  I need help filling this suitcase.  These are the items that are needed: toiletries, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, school supplies, winter accessories (gloves, hats, scarves, etc.) and flashlights with extra batteries.  If you are able to help collect these items for us I would greatly appreciate it!  All items need to be to me by next Saturday, July 9th.  I can also pick them up from you.

Thanks for reading my blog.  I enjoy writing it and helps me to realize how lucky we are to have had this opportunity to host our sweet Fatima.  She is really a joy!