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While camping, I overheard two Kodas talking about their parents. I’ll be doing more Koda Observations, but if you missed my first one, take a look - Koda Observation 1
Lisa | 
Blogging, Children of Deaf Adults, Deaf, Just for Fun, Koda, My View | 
07 18th, 2008| 
4 Comments »I’m finally owning up to it! IT IS ALL ABOUT ME! At conference I had a breakthrough moment. I’ve been fearful of my ideas and taking them out into the world. I was always wondering what the negatives would be. I was scared of being who I was “CODA” and running with it. This year’s conference helped me to see that I want to be a speaker. “Hearing” people tell me that I have great stories that are also inspiring!
Basically you have to love yourself before you can love others. If I don’t think about my healthy needs and focus on ME - then I can’t focus on others. It’s true, there are studies. You know like when you get on a commercial airplane and they tell you…secure your own mask before assisting others. Same concept!
Photo credit - another fabulous Coda - Sean he also talks about the conference here!
Sometimes I Google myself, and I found this blog post almost 2 years ago from Xanga. Pretty funny now.
You mean it’s not all about me?It started out as a joke. As I was sharing with my friend Janine about it this site, she replied, “Oh, a place where everyone knows it’s all about you”. I paused a bit on the phone, thinking, well isn’t that obvious, if I have a blog, it would be “all about me”. For the last 10 years, that has been a common theme with my friends. They pretty much think, I think, “it’s all about me”. As I reflect, there have been times that I LOVED being the center of attention. I admit, I do love it. But I know there were other times when it wasn’t “just about me”. I was mentally running down a list of good deeds gone unnoticed. I was ready to get really sappy and pathetic by saying…see…see.. I do for others!! So before I could post my very long list. The following situation happened. Late in the day I was approached by Human Resources (gulp). I was informed that my boss was terminated. Being his assistant, I immediately asked, “so will this affect me?” Ummm yea, I guess it is “all about me”. Lisa |
I’m still under-construction.
I’ve been working on the new website and the new layout of the blog. I gave myself some time (June) because I wanted it all to be perfect. I have changed theme three times. Since I am no code monkey, I have been altering the templates on my own. WHEW - it’s a good thing I’m able to figure out patterns and codes, otherwise I couldn’t have inserted my own logo, changed colors and edited the comments section. Still working on that. Any volunteers would be greatly appreciated! The site is still a work in progress and I hope it won’t detour you from coming back. So hang in there because we are gonna have a fantastic plan for the coming year!
So what made me just post a blog without launching the site first? The buzz of all those bloggers talking about the SOBCon08. I was nearly going to go, but my daughter had a dance recital, and as a mom, there is no way I could justify missing out on her dances. However, next year, I’m planning on it. I know I would have had fun!
Since the attendees of the conference have been back, the blogs are a buzzin’ with all the fun they had, tips and pointers, food, sights and an all around great conference. I know I would have been welcomed by Karen Putz and Stephen Hopson. So I’ll be looking forward to next year’s event.
While I couldn’t make it to the conference, I enjoyed my daughter’s recital. She is 4 and she had two dances.
Her ballet song was Magic Tutu and I can’t remember her tap song title, but it went something like ~ I must practice everyday, if I don’t my tap shoes will run away.
She was so adorable. The girls would sing along to the song as they did their steps. She couldn’t see me in the back due to the lights. In one part of the song it said “STOP”. Since she had memorized the song, she knew this word was coming up. It was almost it’s own word in the song. My daughter brings up her hands to her waist and just about to… forming her arms and bringing her hands together… just about to sign.. but realizes she isn’t signing, she is singing. Her brain was telling her to sign the word STOP. It was so clear to me that she caught herself at the end.
After the recital, a bouquet of flowers was given to her and she felt like a star. Her face beamed with delight.
So until next year my blogger buddies, because these times are too precious to forfeit.
My youngest daughter is 4. We called Grandma today via Video Relay. I put her in front of the VP and waited for my mom to answer. It was so great seeing my daughter try to communicate as much as possible in sign language. When she didn’t know a sign, she tried to talk through the lens of the VP. I always find it fascinating how knows she doesn’t need to raise her voice. Both the younger girls have known this since they were toddlers, but I can’t get over it at times. She will whisper and speaks into the camera. They talked for about 5 minutes with minimal assistance from me. It was slow going at times and grandma had to repeat the entire sentence to get the whole concept.
I have 3 kids, 15, 6 and 4. It just amazes me, taking into all of their levels of signing that the youngest is actually better than all of them. My oldest is “lazy” when he signs. It’s the attitude of teenagers!
Today, I was in awe of my daughter. It’s days like today that I cherish! I’m blessed to know such a beautiful language.
This morning, I was rushing around trying to get out the door. I called out from the kitchen to my oldest daughter, Mackenzie, “Do you have your crocs on?” She said no. All of a sudden I hear, stomp…stomp. My youngest daughter Delanie had come into the kitchen, with a bagel shoved in her mouth. I turn to look at her, and she is holding Mackenzie’s crocs (shoes) in her hands. She lifts them up to gesture “here they are”.
These are the moments that melt my heart. She knew to stomp her foot on the floor to get my attention. It’s so obvious to me that being a hearing child in a Deaf household is an entirely different culture. But in our house, there is a flip side.
My husband, whom is Deaf, was raised in a hearing household. He doesn’t tune into stomping feet. He is not ultra sensitive to vibrations. So my children have to work a bit harder to get daddy’s attention. While dad is taking a nap on the couch in the family room, the kids play and run around the couch without waking him. It’s quite amazing in contrast to my childhood.
My Dad’s sensitivity to vibration is a mystery. In our 3 bedroom ranch home, we had an addition built, the family room. The family room was one step lower than the remainder of the house. Dad would be sleeping in the back bedroom. All of a sudden he is in the family room telling us to stop jumping around. It was a calm instruction. However, get us jumping in the living room on the same level of the bedroom and he would come out yelling at us to stop.
Now reflecting, Delanie must have learned to stomp her feet from me. Daddy doesn’t stomp his feet. A Deaf tradition carried on by a Coda.
