Stringing the Beads

Lil Orchid is making Jewelry, stringing Beads and loving every minute of it. It only makes sense to save what she has strung. Otherwise we just keep dumping the beads over and over again, and she keeps stringing them over and over again, everyday. She loves to help flatten the bottlecaps used in Mom Mom's bows and for her jewelry. She will say "Help Tap, Tap, Tap" and goes and gets her little hammer.

A brief background, Lil Orchid was to be adopted as a healthy child, not a special needs. My daughter kept receiving conflicting information and then no information from her agency. When we finally traveled and arrived at the orphanage the nannies placed her into my daughters arms. That moment we knew something wasn't right, she was burning up with fever. Once my daughter had custody we took her to the International Clinic and left with so many prescriptions. We knew she wasn't moving her right side (arm, leg) and when she smiled it was a half smile. Everyone chalked it up to orphanage delay but we knew that wasn't right. We returned home and after a year and a half of tests, doctors, hospital visits, a very smart, small, aged lady doctor diagnosed her correctly. She had Polio. We were told had we even been a day late our Lil Orchid wouldn't be here today. Everything started to make sense. They told us she would never walk and would struggle to use her arm, hand, leg, etc. But we continue love and play with her and never, never accept NO. Then she took her first steps with a children's walker, and they said she would always use assistance. Again Our Little Miracle proves them wrong. The brace on her leg, well you just never know. They are so amazed by her and finally admitted that they weren't really sure about anything because Polio is supposed to be eradicated in our country. So because you keep coming back to read about my beautiful, strong and courageous Lil Orchid. I am leaving out all the tears, nights of crying, anxiety, confusion, heartbreak, the setbacks, and lets not forget the prayers! Needless to say a small part of her daily physical therapy is to work with puzzles, beads, etc for dexterity of her hands and fingers. She loves it and she calls it sewing ....just like Mom Mom and Mam Maw.

So we decided not to destroy her craftsmanship, her hard work and her beautiful beads. We decided to let her sell those items and put the money away. Yes, there are a few things we do, like tie knots, attach clips, seal the items, etc. But she chooses the colors and strings the beads. She is so Talented and very Passionate, just like the rest of her family! ;)