More of Uncle Kini's Party

The girls loved Candie's baby Maree

Girls

At Uncle Kini's 80th Birthday Party.

Today's Lunch

It is yummy.

Got A Friend

S.B. comes to visit Hawaii once a year.  We have lunch.  And talk and talk and talk.  Catch up on our families.  Known her for 25 years or so.

The kind of friend you learn from.  The kind that has been such a role model in my life (and she's waaaay younger).  I always feel better after being around her - been that way since the very beginning.

Thankful for her.  When I grow up I want to be just like her.

Can't wait til our next lunch date - February 2014.

Gabe

Temple Morning with Mossman Cousins

Best. Session. Ever.

Michelle's Musings

I found Michelle's notebook from school.  She had to write sentences using specific vocabulary words. Here are some of them.

Sulk - Hannah was sulking at mom because she scolded her.
Evidence - I had evidence that Hannah was playing with my iPad.
Occupation - My dad's occupation is being a temple worker.
Contradict - Hannah contradicts herself by saying she doesn't want her baby but now she wants it.
Chronic - Hannah has chronic seizures.
Insufficient - I have insufficient sonic toys.
Maintenance - I did maintenance in my room by picking up my perler beads.
Gullible - I felt gullible when Daddy tricked me.
Famished - I feel famished for dinner.
Acquitted - I acquitted Hannah after she returned my sonic toys.
Vacate - I vacate the bathroom so Hannah can go in.
Malignant - I'm worried that my mom has a malignant beauty mark.
Expelled - Mom expelled Hannah from the car.
Lean - I have a very lean body.
Domestic - Dad shows domestic skills by washing clothes.
Reluctant - I am reluctant to lomi Dad's feet.
Abdomen - Gabe has a soft abdomen.
Beligerent - Gabe was beligerent to Jacob.

One Day More

Til these 2 super cousins arrive for a week of PLAY!

Mark-n-Nancy

Love My Mossman Ohana

Hi I'm Ginny and I'm A Mormon

So I was asked to submit my profile to Mormon.org and I finally did.  You can see it at (and my picture) at http://mormon.org/me/BNCH/Ginny

But here it is below as well.

About Me

My husband and I have 5 children ranging in age from 12 - 25 years old. At age 59 and 62, we are also older than most parents. All of our children are adopted. Four of our children have disabilities. Our youngest 2 girls have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Their birth moms drank alcohol while they were pregnant. Both girls are friendly, loving and love to be helpful. Michelle is 15. She likes babies, dogs, pizza and rice. She has mental retardation and a severe hearing loss. Hannah is 12. She likes singing, dancing, playing outside and candy. She has mental retardation and a very severe seizure disorder. We didn't know that our children had disabilities before we adopted them. Although several of them were slow to make milestones as infants, we believed that if we just gave them enough love they would "snap out of it." But what happened instead was that WE "snapped out of it" and came to love and value them for what they are - beautiful, wonderful children of God. What a privilege it is to be their mother.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a Mormon because it brings me joy. I am a Mormon because it teaches me how to be a better parent. I am a Mormon because, while I do have trials come to me, facing them and everything else in life is easier because of the gospel teachings. I am a Mormon because it gives me peace.

Personal Stories

How has your knowledge of the Plan of Happiness changed/benefited your life?

Knowing that this life is a preparation for eternity gives me comfort and peace. I know that our family can be together forever. I know that the physical and mental disabilities and limitations that my children have are not permanent. I know that our Father in Heaven watches over us and loves us. I know that we are never a lone.

How I live my faith

I teach toddlers at church on Sunday. The children in my class range from 18 months to 3 years old. I LOVE being with them each week. I think my experience raising my own children has helped me be more patient with my toddler class and their energy and excitement keep me feeling young. I keep active in my community by working on task forces and committees focusing on people with disabilities. I think it is important to help everyone see how much people with disabilities contribute to the richness of life. I want to live in a community where my children are cherished just as much as the Savior cherishes them.

Headed to Utah

Memorial Obituaries Wright, Leon

We are so grateful for Leon and all the things he did for us when we lived in Utah.  We are so happy he was able to visit us here in Hawaii - even though it is not his kind of place.

He was a great brother.

Families are Forever.

Clown

Leave my laptop for an evening and when I come back I find its been hacked - 

Evidence below.

Goals

Hannah had to write her goals for 2013 in Young Women yesterday.  She wrote -

Goal is to get married when I am 40 years old.
Goal is I would like to drive a car and cook.
Goal is to play outside and to go out to eat and to go shopping and to stay home and watch my ipad and listen to music.

Ok with me - except first 2.

Looking Back on 2012

When I think about the last year the big things that stand out are:

Hannah's seizures - which are many and severe but despite them - she is a Trooper!

Michelle and her phone and her friends - text message queen and social butterfly via phone to her 2 friends Erin and "Jazzy-pooh"- We have waited 10 years for her to have FRIENDS

Gabe Graduated!

Went to Wales with our ohana!

Gene's illness kept him down all summer - but he's still alive and kickin'

Bobby died. 

 Gabe's play HONK! - he's been in many but this was my favorite.

And a few other things ...

• Old people - taking care of my 84 year old friend Kimie 3 nights a week, helping my friend 85 year old friend Marcella with her dr. appointments and also going to her high school reunion luncheon (class of 1945!) - made me appreciate my health
• Family vacation at Disneyland - enjoyed by all - and immortalized on a wonderful photo collage Susan gave me for Christmas.
• Swimming - I have come to love my morning swims!  I can't believe how much it has helped my previously aching muscles.
• AA EXP Facebook Page - wow!  I am learning so much about the ins and outs of AA and travel in general from these AA experts!!  Can't believe my good luck in getting the invite to join that closed group.
• Seeing Les Mis onstage in Costa Mesa with my brother Bill - so glad he was smart enough to get the redemption message of the play!
• Les Mis movie opening! - seen it twice - probably a 3rd time today...can't wait for the DVD ;-)

Once again, we Wrights have been tremendously blessed...healthy, comfortable, hopefully wiser.  Not without our challenges and sorrows - but always watched over and loved - proving once again that I MUST be Heavenly Father's favorite.

3 Christmases

Christmas 1 - Sunday December 23
Cousins Herman, Misty and Alex came over for dinner.  We had a great time talking about travels.  For dinner we had kalua pig, lomi salmon, gazpacho, green salad, chicken skewers and dessert was pumpkin tarts, chocolate cream tarts and banana bread.

Christmas 2 - Monday December 24
Susan, George, Steve, Azeema, and Brandi came over. Oh - and Santa Claus stopped by for photos with the girls.  We ate Hawaiian nachos, ham, poke, green salad and stew and rice.  For dessert we had red velvet cheesecake and cookies.  It was fun - we laughed and had a wonderful time.

Christmas 3 - Tuesday December 25
Susan and George came over in the a.m, to open presents - everyone was please with they gifts and we ate a brunch casserole, biscuits and left over stew.  At 12:30, Gene and I went to see Les Mis!  I enjoyed the day very much.

The best thing about Christmas is being with the family AND knowing that we are loved as evidenced by Heavenly Father sending His son to earth to be our Savior.

Another Christmas development - Susan got a promise ring     :-)

Conversation

Me:  Okay Michelle do you have your Christmas shopping list ready?
Michelle: Yes
Me: Remember you can only spend $5 on each person
Michelle: Good - Now I can buy Susan an iPad.

Never Too Old

 So the other night I called the girls into the kitchen and had everything set up for them to make graham cracker houses.  I went to work on my laptop for about 10 minutes.  When I came back I found this.

Never too old.

After the construction was completed we drove to Waikiki to give them to Susan.

Partial Update

 So much has happened in the last month - gotta catch up,  But before I forget - wanted to post these pictures of cousins we bumped into at Disneyland on Tuesday!

Great surprise!

Haircut

Courtesy of Susan

Home

Had a wonderful 9 day stay in Wales and Ireland.  A few highlights:

We were greeted at Manchester Airport by our cousin Beci Jones!  She is the daughter of cousin Clare who is the daughter of cousin Ian Mossman.  Last time we saw Beci she was about 14 years old.  She finished college and now works in HR for Sainsbury (large chain store in UK) and lives in Manchester.  We so enjoyed spending about 1 hour with her!

Here we are with Beci and Cathy and Godfrey Kaonohi and Wayne and Nanette Judd.

We stopped to see and walk the aqueduct near Wrexham and had lunch/dessert at a little tea house.

Had a MOST excellent dinner at Cousins Ian and Marion's home that evening in Plwmp, Wales.

More to come.

12 Years Old

Celebrating with her class.

Miraculous Recovery

Text today from Michelle who is at school -

Michelle:  Mom,  I don't feel good.
Me: What's wrong?
Michelle:  I have a runny nose.
Me:  You'll be fine.
Michelle:  I need to come home from school.
Me:  Just use tissue.
Michelle:  But I'm really sick.
Me:  You'll be fine and when you get home you can go to bed.
Michelle:  Mom, can I take my iPad to the fireworks tomorrow night?
Me:  If you are sick you will have to stay home.
Michelle:  I'm feeling ok.

Again

Well yesterday Hannah fell (seizure) and cut her head open again.  After a 4 hour ER visit (6 stitches) we came home and got ready to go to a friend's party at my least favorite place on earth - Chucky Cheese.  It was so noisy and crowded and the pizza is crap BUT the girls loved it.

Gene is in Prague til Wednesday.  Jacob and Gabe have been great at helping out while he is gone but I will be happy to have him back.

Thursday was FASD Awareness Day so we went to the capitol for the Proclamation signing with the Lt. Governor.  The girls and myself each gave a speech and the whole family came :)

I am worried about Hannah's seizures which are getting longer and also more intense where she sometimes turns blue.  I can't believe what a strong person she is!   Something special.

Next Production

Gabe's in the green shirt.

This is rehearsal.

Production runs 2 weekends - last one of Sept. and first weekend of Oct.

I won't be here :(

Simple Questions and One Answer

Posed by Michelle via text message and answered by me.

Michelle - Mom, are we rich?

Me - No we are not rich.

Michelle - When will we be?

Of course, as I read the above I realize we are indeed rich.  In ways that it really counts.

Changes Always Come

Gabe hasn't heard about auditions.  But he did get a role in Ron Bright's next Paliku production - last weekend in Sept and first weekend in Oct.  We won't be here for that :(  He also got another job at an after school program.

Jacob got registered for school and Samantha comes back Thursday.  he also got his old job back at the theater.

Susan is starting with a new company next week and is very excited about career opportunities.  Same line of work - with students with autism.

Michelle texts us many times a day with her cell phone.  Thank goodness for unlimited text messaging. A typical text session -
"Hey Mom"
"I love you so much my sweetie pie Mom"
"Can I go swimming with you Mom?"
"What are you doing Mom?"
"I love you Mom"

She texted Susan -
"Yo sis - who is hotter Sonic (the hedgehog) or George?"

Hannah is enjoying her after school program - dancing, basketball, arts and crafts.  She is excited for her birthday next month.

Gene has been home sick - hoping to be fully recovered for his big hike in El Yunque National Forest this weekend.

Yup - we are Puerto Rico bound on Thursday and back Sunday.

Coming Home to Roost

2 boys.

Gabe - tonight.  Waiting to hear about audition but also he got in another play with first rehearsal Saturday.

Jacob - tomorrow.  Samantha decided to come back to UH and live in the dorm so he is coming home too.

Looking forward to having them home.

Just gotta figure out where everyone will sleep.

2 More Auditions While He's In NYC

This is getting scary.

And he's going to be staying with someone we don't even know.  But he he knows them.

New York

I think Gabe will be going to New York on Thursday.  Audition Saturday for singer/dancer on Norwegian Cruise Line Pride of America (the one that does the Hawaii inter island cruise).  If he gets it the contract is for Aug. 18 - March 26.  Minimum pay is $900 a week.

Many pros are encouraging him to go for it.

I have an award ticket on hold for him.  Gotta decide by tomorrow.  And find him a place to stay...

Proud

Yesterday a group came to do a presentation at Michelle's summer program.
 The presentation was on underage drinking.

Michelle asked her aide if she could go up and tell the everyone that she has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

She did.

She got up front and said

"I have fetal alcohol syndrome.

My birth mother drank alcohol when I was in her tummy.

Alcohol hurt my brain.

But my brain is getting better now."

They all clapped!

What More Can I Say?

HONK! Got extended.

I feel like we added 2 more kids to our family - as Gabe's friends Lakona and Jacob H. sleep over almost nightly.  Luckily, they are good "boys".

Jacob (ours) is doing fine in Missouri.

Susan comes back from Catalina soon.

I am still swimming 45 minutes a day 5 days per week.

And Gene put in a a new shower!