Better Off Alone (Adopted by Brendon and Sarah Urie)

8. Sarah

Callie had clearly seen our note as I heard her in the shower when I got up. I texted her to come downstairs for breakfast when she was done getting dressed.

She came bounding down the stairs dressed in jeans and a Panic! shirt we'd bought her yesterday. She looked happy.

We asked her what she wanted for breakfast and she signed at us. Brendon looked at the eggs and pancakes and bacon he'd made and guessed what she'd signed. Her face lit up because he'd gotten it right.

She asked for two pancakes and four pieces of bacon. Brendon got the syrup out of the fridge and asked her if she wanted a drink. She signed something and Brendon tried to guess what she wanted. Finally he waved her over to the fridge where Callie looked inside and saw that we didn't have what she wanted, so she signed something then texted us that she'd wanted apple juice. She took out the milk and showed us the sign for that and pointed at herself, signed drink and milk. Then gave us a thumbs up.

I smiled watching her.

Brendon got her attention and showed her the confirmation that we were signed up for sign language classes starting tomorrow. She threw her arms around B and signed thank you. Which we knew because she then texted us.

Then she pointed at B and did the sign for 'Dad' and pointed at me and did the sign for 'Mom', which we knew because we'd looked it up.  She was ready to call us Mom and Dad.

She hugged B

Brendon texted her something and she read it and started crying a little. Brendon asked what was wrong and she said nothing, she was just happy we wanted to learn her language. She'd said none of her other foster families had ever even tried learning to communicate with her.

After we'd all eaten, we planned out the day. We wanted to go get paint for Callie's room, and some bedding and get her some clothes. She came with so little!  We wanted to get her things to make her comfortable and we also wanted to get things that would keep her safe. If we had to order online so be it, but we wanted to make sure we started getting something going.  We looked up a few places and thought we might be able to get some things at Best Buy maybe? 

Through texts and notes we were able to plan the day in a way that seemed quickest. We asked Callie if she was ready to go and she nodded and we headed out.

In the car Brendon went to turn up the stereo and Callie touched his shoulder and texted.

'I appreciate you turning up the music in the car,  but it's a bit hard to tell music from road vibrations. Don't worry about music in the car. 😁'

Brendon smiled and texted back. She nodded. I guessed he asked if she was sure.

She sat back and watched the city pass by. We got to the mall where we'd decided to start. We went into Hot Topic again and got Callie more shirts and even some pants.  At Old Navy we looked at jeans and sweat pants, t-shirts and such. She tried on a few pairs of jeans that she liked. They looked good on her, so we bought them. We also got her more undergarments and socks and sweatshirts. From there we went to find some shoes and we went into a Best Buy and asked them about assistive technology. They didn't have much to offer.

Brendon kept Googling and said he found a few places and he made some phone calls while I shopped with Callie. We went into Bath and Body Works and Callie chose some soaps for her bathroom and shower. She'd show us the signs for some of the products or smells.

Eventually we took a bunch of bags out to the car then went into Target to get bedding and bathroom stuff. Callie's favourite colour was blue. So we got her blue sheets and a blue comforter and a few fuzzy blankets with blue in them. We got her a blue robe and towels, bathroom accessories like a cup and soap dish and a toothbrush holder.

Since we had people coming over for dinner tonight, I picked up a few things as well.

Back out at the car, we decided to go to the butcher and then home. We were going to go to Home Depot for paint but we wanted Callie's room to be her perfect room. So it thought maybe we'd get a decorator to help her and us make this room truly Callie's room.  I did a little Googling as well and found an artist who is deaf. I sent her an email to see if she'd be willing to paint something for Callie.

At home, we unpacked the car and Brendon helped Callie take all her new things  to her room, and to get it all ready to wash so she could maybe have new sheets tonight.

Once they got the laundry in, Callie came into the kitchen and signed at me. I tried to guess what she was asking. I could tell it was a question.

She pointed at herself, then put her right fist on her left palm and lifted it a bit and then pointed at me, and the food I was preparing.

I thought. Maybe she's asking to help?  I texted and asked her if that's what she meant. She beamed. I'd gotten it and she was happy we were picking things up. It sometimes just took some common sense and context.

I texted her asking her to put some of the groceries away and then asked if she could cut the potatoes.

She nodded and then when she got to the potatoes got my attention to ask how I wanted the potatoes cut. Wedges, cubes, fries?

I told her and she got to work.

It was nice having my daughter helping in the kitchen.  I smiled to myself as I listened to Callie cutting the potatoes.