Arrival of Summer 2011

Having a play dough kind of day.

The sculpture.

Caught her green-handed.

All the play dough is green since the boys mixed it up.
I like green.

When play dough is done, we move to the great outdoors.

The kiddie pool gets a lot of use.
Even the big kids jump in to splash and play.

Car wash?

Every boy needs a boat!

Time to bail out.

After the baby pool gets old, we move to the lake.

The girls got busy making sand castles once they realized
there wasn't going to be any friends to play with this time.

Quite a creation!

Pretty girl & real smile!

The big kids made an appearance.

When this started it was time to go home!

Summers are for playing, relaxing, and making memories!

Pictures from China

Pictures this week from a wonderful family that was united with their new daughter this week. They were willing to meet Joshua and give him a hug from us. He hugged Mr. John right back.

The wait is getting harder, much harder.
Be brave little man, be brave.

I am working on a strategy to get the next steps expedited to try to bring him home sooner than later.

In the meantime, I am nesting.

Furiously.

My house is in the "it gets worse before it gets better" stage.

Checking off tasks on the BEFORE CHINA list.

Got to keep busy.

It's all I can do.

Baby Bunny Update

Have you ever seen a double animal cracker?

I believe the camel is riding the kitty.
Kloey felt that we should memorialize this event.
Then she ate it.

As promised, the baby bunnies.
There are five.
Remember two weeks ago?
Wow, look at them now.
We are not sure we ever had an accurate count.
Or the mother ate the other one.

They are two weeks old and by golly they look like miniature bunnies.
The eyes are open and they are hopping around.

Adorable.

Anyone in need of a black and white bunny?

Shopping

We were shopping for Jerrod's khaki shorts
and the girls were having fun dressing Micah up.

HE. IS. SO. CUTE.
And if you don't think so, I don't want to talk to you.

To celebrate our "Chinese roots", we decided to treat ourselves to lunch at the Yummy Garden. Runs a close second to Panera, I have to say. Most of the kids had a box of food to take home. Not me. Nope. I ate all my beef with broccoli, egg drop soup, and fried rice. I cannot remember what my fortune was though.

When we were in Arizona, my dad taught us how to use chopsticks. We were thrilled to have another chance to practice our new skill. I think my dad will be pleased to know that on Chinese child information referrals, they reference how well a child picks up peanuts with chopsticks as a skill.

Think that is enough food for the girl?

Cora also cleaned her plate...and kept going on other plates.

Micah sampled an egg roll.

"Mom, (if you are going to take Micah's picture) take me!"

After the ships and the orthodontist, we were grateful to sit down and eat. Did I mention we had the entire restaurant to ourselves?
I need to get working on my Chinese food cooking skills.

Out on the Town = Field Trip and Shopping

Really?
Even I am starting to feel bad for them.
Blogger mother says, "Line up so I can take a picture."
At this point, I am feeling really good about myself because
I found the parking lot closest to the bridge.
What bridge, you say? This one that spans the Piscataqua River, a border between two states. I got a kick out of parking in New Hampshire and walking to Maine.
A ten minute walk.
Cora said, "Don't look down."
We got a green light and proceeded on foot.
Indeed, a memorial bridge dedicated to those who in served in WWI. Pointing that out because after all, we are in the school of life.
Because every trip needs adventure, about halfway across the bridge, the alarm went off. We picked up the pace considerably. Every 30 minutes, here is what happens. Amazing technology of counterweights, so cool to watch and explain to my avid learners. "Yeah, Mom. It's a bridge."
Today we got a guided tour aboard replicas of the Nina and Pinta. Apparently, the Santa Maria was broken to shards on the corral reefs of the Caribbean. The Pinta is the larger ship in the foreground and the Nina (Columbus' favorite) to the left.
The Pinta, a caravel used by explorers during the Age of Discovery.
We were early. A modern marvel. Now how to contain the masses.
Are not oldest sons absolutely the best?
"Mom, I'll take the Ergo." No complaints.
For this sacrifice, he got a trip to Old Navy, Dick's Sporting Goods, AND Walmart.
His needs were met. My back was saved.
Did you know that "23" was my favorite number? My birthday, first born's birthday, Trey's birthday, love Psalm 23. Don't think he even did this on purpose but I love it anyway.
Why does this always happen?
The girls...
and the boys.
I kid you not, he practiced this face so I could take his picture. He has discovered the eyes will get me every time. And he was kind of bored since we were so early. :)
We got a cool guide.
The weather held off for us. It wasn't warm. Who knew we would have sweatshirts and run the heat in the car on June 14th? But I was grateful it didn't rain until later. Felt very authentic to be on board a ship in the raw air. Harder to imagine crossing the Atlantic with little to no cover.
In no uncertain terms:
There are no crow's nests on these boats. Only lots and lots of ropes. Too much weight above and they needed the whole crew on deck.
I mean LOTS and LOTS of ropes. Quite a bit of engineering in the 1400's.
The wind was whipping and I can't believe I got this shot.
The ship's boat is NOT a life boat as it takes hours with ropes to get it over the side due to the weight.
Took up about 1/4 of the open deck.
Kloey volunteered to hoist the anchor.
Weighing a mere 400 pounds.
Gathered in the bow after learning appropriate lingo of front, back, right, and left. Bow, stern, starboard, and port. Hint: Port has 4 letters, so does left.
Some of the crew gathered at the end of the tour.
Highly recommended if the Nina and the Pinta come to a seaport near you. Especially if you studied Christopher Columbus this year.
The link for more information: The Nina

Boy Toy

My son is possessed.

There is constant thrum of motor out in the yard.
He negotiated and worked for the privilege of ownership.
He is happy with his new machine.

I think his butt is glued to the seat.
Every boy should have one.

Heart of Balance

Yesterday, we got mail. A very unexpected package arrived from our social worker. She just returned from a trip to China. I did not know she was stopping by Hangzhou.

Joshua sent us pictures that he colored.

A video was in the package too.

"Hello Mama and Baba."

"I miss you."

"When are you coming to take me home?"

OH. MY. HEART.
Is this our son with his mommy, daddy, and his house under a rainbow?

After I watched the video for the umpteenth time, one of my children said...

"You love him more than us."

Knock the wind right out of me why don't you.

A few weeks ago a different kid said....

"You are always looking at everything China, China, China."

Out of the mouths of babes.

It is really hard to be "pregnant" with a seven year old who is ill and lives on the other side of the world. A mother's heart longs to hold her child, to try and make it better, to comfort and love him.

It would be fair to say that the paper chase has consumed me at times over the past few months. I HAVE spent a lot of time reading blogs of heart kids and kids adopted from China. One thing I am realizing is that life will not ever be the same after Joshua comes home. We don't know what that looks like, but it will be different. His illness may consume our family life for a time. Finding a new normal will be a challenge, an exciting challenge. Language barrier, illness, restrictions, medications balanced with the regular needs of our family life seems daunting at times, I won't lie.

Clearly the changes coming are already affecting our other kids.

Time to rally as a family and remember that God has a purpose for the path that He is leading us down.

Of that, I'm sure.



He leadeth me, O blessèd thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Refrain

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.

Refrain

Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

Refrain

And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

Refrain

The Nesting

Today, my dear daughter kept me company and we painted the little boys' room.

I cut in and she rolled.

It will have a Noah's Ark theme.

As I was soothing Micah last night at 2:00am,

I formulated a plan to finish the room including paint, curtains, and pictures.
And so it begins, the nesting.

Nesting = getting ready for a new baby boy.

The realization that post-China we may not have time for much has hit hard.

There are a lot of unknowns: doctor appointments, potential surgeries, acclimation of a brand new family member.

Only one thing to do.

Make a list.

Things I want to do before I go to China:

Potty train my last child for the last time EVER.

Get new eye glasses (requiring an eye exam). That middle age thing again.

Paint the bathrooms.

Paint the living room.

Paint the little boys' room.

Paint the big boys' room.

Get a twin bed for Joshua.

Buy clothes for Joshua.

Spend time with the little boys.

Spend time with the girls.

Spend time with the big boys.

Spend time with the big girl.

Lose 10 pounds.

Get in shape by walking 6-10 miles per week.

Build another bedroom downstairs.

Grocery shop for 2 months of staples.

Make about 2 months of dinners and put in the freezer.

Meal plans for 2-3 weeks we are gone and 2 weeks after.

Arrange childcare for 2-3 weeks. Wowsa! Biggest hurdle right now.

Meet with the pediatric cardiologist to develop a plan.

Make doctor appointments for when we get home.

Make a plan for homeschooling next year.

To be continued.

What Preschoolers Do

They CUT.
And they CUT some more.

It's hard work.

Don't you know.