Almost 18!

It is April, 2025. Kimi will be 18 next month! I thought it was time for an update to this blog! Kimi had maxillofacial surgery a year ago to correct a severe underbite. She had some complications with a subsequent abcess, but got through the surgery for that also. She continues to play the violin the high school orchestra, and also volunteers at a daycare sponsored by her school, learning skills she will most likely use as an adult. She volunteers at our church as a small group leader for first-graders. Kimi just completed her 10th year playing wheelchair basketball with her team finishing third in the nation yesterday at Nationals! This weekend, we also met up with Faye Corman and her son, J.P., who was adopted from China the same week as Kimi! They live just 10 minutes away from the venue! I have attached photos of Kimi and J.P. 14 years ago and this past weekend. The last time they were together was in China! Kimi will also be a bridesmaid in her sister Elizabeth's wedding next month!

Kimi is 15 years old now!

 I often forget about this blog I started as we began our journey to bring our daughter, Kimi, home, back in 2010, twelve years ago!  In fact, it has been over three years since I last updated this blog.  So, allow me to catch up a little.  Kimi is now 15 years old!  She is a freshman at Avon High School.  She plays the violin with the High School orchestra, and just began her 9th year playing wheelchair basketball on an NWBA team.  This past summer, she went to Camp Riley, climbed the Alpine Tower, did adaptive skiing, shot arrows from a bow, swam at our local waterpark, visited the Heinz Museum (Mr. Rogers Neighborhood exhibit), visited the Hershey Chocolate Museum, Washington D.C., The Noah's Ark Encounter in Kentucky, Pigeon Forge in Tennessee, the Indianapolis Zoo, the Indianapolis Children's Museum, Wilsem Safari Park (fed several animals) and rode the subway train in D.C. She has come so incredibly far!  She has many friends and is one of the most happy and positive people I know!  And she never ceases to amaze me!  How thankful I am she is part of our family!

More time has passed, obviously!  Kimi is now 12 1/2 and half-way through 6th grade!

In May of this year, Kimi was chosen as the Grand Marshall of the 2019 Indianapolis 500 Mini-Marathon and got VIP treatment.  She waved the green flag at the start with television coverage and everything!

This past summer, Kimi "graduated" out of speech therapy.

In June, we made a trip to DisneyWorld!  She had the time of her life!

Shortly after we returned home, she had a "big" surgery:  Spinal Column Shortening.  This was an alternative to traditional tethered cord surgery with fewer risks and a better outcome, with the most important one being she would not have to face a lifetime of future tethered cord surgeries. 

However, we ran into a temporary glitch with Kimi being the first patient our neurosurgeon had experienced completely losing the ability to stand or walk post-surgery.  It was VERY scary!  We thought we had made a huge mistake.  However, over the next few months, thankfully, she regained what she had lost, and the symptoms which had started us down this path toward surgery were no longer an issue.  So, in hindsight, the decision was a good one.

Kimi has begun learning the violin and plays with the Avon Intermediate School East orchestra!

Kimi also is now in her fifth year playing Wheelchair Basketball. 

We have added two great grandchildren since the last post also.

We continue to keep very busy with family events, church, school, work, friends, etc. 

Kimi is ready to begin Fourth Grade this week!

I just realized it has been 2 1/2 years since I last posted an update on Kimi, so here goes! Kimi is 10 years old now.

A lot has happened since I last posted an update. Mike had a terrible accident on Father's Day, 2016, falling down the stairs, breaking his neck, back, sternum,collar bone and five ribs! Thankfully, he wasn't killed or paralyzed. He is doing great, now.  Then, in September, our oldest daughter, Rachel, gave birth to baby #10, her first girl after nine boys, Anna Joy.  Sadly, Anna Joy was born with Trisomy 18, a serious birth defect. But she was absolutely beautiful and she brought us all so much joy!  We were blessed to have her with us for 10 wonderful weeks!  She left us to move to her heavenly home the day after Thanksgiving, 2017.

In January, our oldest grandson, Daniel, and his wife Kyleigh, had their first child, a baby girl named Avery!  So we are Great-Grandparents now!

We moved to a new house in March - so the bedrooms are all on the main floor now.  This is best for all of us, especially Kimi and Mike.

Kimi will start 4th grade and Elizabeth will start High School this week! Where has the time gone?!

Kimi has been playing wheelchair basketball for two years and LOVES it! We installed a new basketball goal on the back patio, which we had built just for Kimi! She is finally using complete, grammatically correct sentences when she communicates. She loves to sing and play with her dolls. She also rides a three-wheeled bicycle designed for kids with weak lower leg strength. Nothing slows her down! Last weekend, she actually tried tubing!  She was a little apprehensive at first, but once she was in the correct position (and with the promise we wouldn't drive the boat too fast), she absolutely LOVED it!  (Two of our friends were on either side of her to ensure her safety.)

Kimi is becoming more and more independent, also.  We continue to work on helping her handle her personal care all by herself; but that day is coming, too!  We have a new Neurosurgeon, and he told us he does not anticipate any surgeries in the near future.

Keeping up with Kimi!

As Kimi has gotten bigger, our lives have gotten MUCH busier.  I used to be able to keep up with Facebook, others' blogs, news on various adoption websites, and Kimi's blog.  Obviously, I haven't updated this blog for awhile, and that's the reason.  Well, now that the holidays are over, the decorations are put away, and I finally have a Saturday without a bunch of scheduled activities, I am finally updating the blog.

Kimi is doing SO much more these days!  She is in the first grade now.  Recently, she was invited to a party at Hot Skates by one of her classmates.  My first thought was not to RSVP, due to Kimi's disability.  But, then, I thought, how many other first graders can actually roller skate?!  So, I went ahead and RSVP'd.  When we arrived at the rink, the little girl whose party it was, ran to Kimi, gave her a huge hug, and joyfully announced, "Look everybody!  KIMI's HERE!"  A bunch of little girls came running over to greet Kimi.  Then, the first girl and another girl each took one of Kimi's hands and walked with her slowly to where the party was set up.  I was absolutely amazed to see her with her peer group, so happy, and so accepted as one of the group.  Then, I learned the rink had adjustable roller skates that would fit over Kimi's AFO's and shoes, plus a sort of walker on wheels made out of PVC pipe.  Well, Kimi did several laps around the rink - just like all the other girls!   It was just one of those moments ... one that I will never forget ... that will be forever etched in my mind.  I mean, who would've thought?!  Also, Kimi's speech has improved so much, that the other kids can understand her now!  Although she is still about a year behind her peers at school, she continues to progress and is working very hard to catch up. 

Here is a photo of Kimi taken at the rink that day, and a photo of Kimi and Elizabeth taken at Christmas.

So thankful for these two precious girls!