Summer Break Day #48

• Attend eight more appointments at the cleft palate clinic with Yali and Patience (brings Yali to 122 medical/dental-related appointments since his adoption; Patience clocks in at 26); more surgeries and procedures ahead
• Leave the hospital with an ironic package of chocolate chip cookies and a Pepsi from the vending machine
• Drive Yali to visit two “mini” Big Foot monster trucks in Pacific; he is in love
• Oxbear drives Puck out to the Big House to mow in the evening after the heat of the day has passed; Puck returns with a bucket of tools to de-rust

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Yali, doing sit-ups before going to bed, talking to his little sister…

“Patience, I’m trying to be strong and healthy. So I can be a Monster Truck driver and a police. I’m going to eat carrots, vegetables, tomatoes, and also – guess what, Patience? – I’m also gonna eat onions, tomatoes, and also… pickles! And some day I will like pickles.” By this time he was hanging from the “rafters” of the bottom bunk. “Patience, I need to focus. Patience, do you want to be a girl police when you grow up? Then you have to be strong and healthy and eat lots of vegetables and onions and tomatoes and salad. And when I grow up I will say, ‘Hmm… yummy salad!’ Guess what? I’m gonna be so taller!”