Pictures of the Week 1/22-28

Some days are easier than others when it comes to finding the "right" picture. I'm still not sure what direction to take with Project 365. Mostly people, things, animals, places? Like anything else, I'm sure it will go its own way. One thing I know is that I take a whole lot of pictures of Micah, my youngest.

 

A Boy and His Book

22 / 365

Jerrod is in his "office" reading. He would be lost without a book 

in his hands. It's always been that way for practically 18 years.

Shopping Fun

23 / 365

Only crazy people take this many kids shopping. We had a ball!

Good Morning Sunshine

24 / 365

Erika made us the best happy face blueberry 

pancakes this morning. Love her.

Winter Happy

25 / 365

Our China man LOVES playing outdoors in the snow.

Coming Down Over the Hill

26 / 365

What I see on my way home all the time. The beautiful view of the mountains and valleys is stunning. Today wasn't a clear day because a storm was approaching. I also don't know how to use my camera well enough to get a great shot from the side of the road but it was sure fun trying.

 

Penance

27 / 365

One little boy who had to spend a little time alone today. 

He was sitting on his toy box rocking out to music 

on the radio in this somewhat woeful pose.

Extra Special Helper

28 / 365

Micah is our Daddy Wanna-Be. He was the helper

today down in the basement renovation project.

Home Reno Progress

 Making progress on our play/craft/exercise room in the basement.

 Every project needs an extra special helper.

 Somebody who knows how to measure.

 Being dressed appropriately is a definite plus!

Lights are in and the ceiling is up.

 That's a lot of chiefs. 

Good thing they all love each other.

 Realized we needed to give the cement wall a glossy look. 

Finally the girls got a turn to paint.

Letting the perfectionist in me take a 

vacation meant some very happy girls.

We will finish mudding, priming, and painting. 

Roll out the carpet.

Mount the craft desk.

An interesting thought came to me this week. I have wanted to make this room happen for awhile but honestly until now, I don't think my kids were ready to be on a different floor than me without supervision. What a wonderful relief it is to get to the place where they can be on their own playing and crafting with out safety issues popping up. It was a lot of hard parenting work that is paying off big time now!

Also, I am excited to be able to have a little more privacy in my house if we wanted to have an adult gathering or Bible study, or even a big kid party, etc. We haven't had a place for everyone else to go if we wanted to host a group of people. Not that hospitality is my "gift" but we sure want to open our door more if we can.

Happy Chinese New Year

For our Chinese New Year celebration, the kids donned their silks and we headed down the road for a celebratory feast. Joshua has been beside himself with anticipation. He LOVES Chinese food, go figure?

 The girls got creative with their chopsticks.

 Party of 14, please?

 My brother and his son joined our crew along with my parents.

 Joshua was so happy and scarfed down his 

pineapple juice, soy sauce, and appetizers.

Trey drank up some tea. It spiced him up something special. Between that and the juice, he made 4 runs to the bathroom.

 Grandma sat right in the middle. She is a great sport.

 These old folks and their technology. Grandpa was talking 

to my sister who would have come if she could, I'm sure.

 Lover's Nest. 

The best of both worlds with chicken, beef, and lots of veggies.

 Joshua got his oodles of noodles, dumplings, and rice.

 Oh, no! "Mom, I don't feel so good." We made a trip to the bathroom and he rejected all he had eaten. Poor guy. He had been looking forward to this night for weeks. I think he drank the pineapple juice a little too fast.

 I kept Micah-man in his seat as long as I could.

 Kloey handed out the fortune cookies. Isn't she lovely?

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for a wonderful night out 

and a delicious meal.

My Bad Boy

In the twenty seven years that I have known him,

my bad boy husband has:

- Failed to pay property taxes
- Screwed up our credit (couldn't get mortgage approval)
- Reneged on credit cards
- Resulting in multiple calls from lawyers.
- And calls from credit agencies.
- Most recently, I found out he was much older.
- According to my mail,  he's turning 65 real soon. 

 Will the real Robert Peterson please stand up? 

What's in a name? I guess everything. What do these companies do? Try every Robert Peterson in the phone book?

No, of course that isn't really my hubster.

Mistaken identity.

Not sure how we got cross referenced.

What a hassle.

And that other guy? He oughta get his act together.

Men and Boys

Big men and little boys.

Boy, do I love these guys!

Micah is a Daddy wanna-be! 

He came strollin' into the room with "the look."

Dave has helped us with most of our renovations.

He is the BEST Mr. Fix-it ever.

One night, Bob took the "get the boys to bed" duty. Next thing I know, the little boys are running down to the other end of the house calling me to get my camera. They had put Dad to sleep. Maybe they hypnotized him....

Brother and sister love. 

"The good-bye kiss."

Micah in his shorts and un-inflated soccer ball.

That kid is a hoot and a half.

Little boys know how to play....

And wrestle....

And fly!!!

Please land on your feet little man!

Come on boys, let's get ready!

All together now.

Hands up and WHEE.

Crash landing. Watch the camera dude!

Shopping Fun

My picture of the day.

Might need some explanation.

What crazy person takes this many kids shopping?

They were happy, truly they were.

It was the picture taking that put them over the edge.

Really, it was.

Seating is utterly strategic and we have major discussions and negotiations prior to arrival.

Who will sit where? Who will push who? Who wants who to push them? Or is that whom?

Trey got to walk. A huge privilege for him.

Today was a good day.

While we where out and about I got:

"You have beautiful family."

"That's a tribe."

"Wow, that's a lot of kids."

Yipee. NO "hands full" comments today.

Not that I am sensitive or anything.

After all, I did happily take seven kids shopping.

Like I said, it was a good day.

And believe me, I KNOW I have great kids. 

A Boy Asks For A Doll

I love girls of the preteen variety. One minute they are telling me how to solve the world's problem and the next they are playing with dolls. So it goes, one foot in both worlds. Confusing and exciting all at the same time.

Similar for Joshua caught between the big girls who are only a year or two older than him, and the little boys who are much younger but on about the same level emotionally.

It is fascinating to watch him learn to express himself as his English vocabulary grows daily. Joshua is very bright, there is no doubt about that. He's been through a lot in his 8 years although he seemingly takes it in stride. Realistically, we have only known him 4 months and we are still trying to figure out exactly where he is at. I am grateful that we have bonded well because the length of the road we walk with him is uncertain. Clearly God prepared Joshua's heart to be adopted long before we arrived on the scene.

Second time holding a new baby. Thank you, Levi, for being so cooperative. I think Joshua is thrilled.

Joshua's physical limitations came up this week. I knew it would happen. Trey signed up for a 4 & 5 year old basketball program. 

Certainly, Joshua understood that he was older but he does everything else with the little boys and he would have loved to play basketball. Except he can't. The discussion at the dinner table ensued to include "what about....soccer, baseball, etc." I had to shut everybody down and say, "OK, we need to focus on what Joshua CAN do. Not what he can't do." My girl Cora piped up, "He can draw with me  in my art classes on the computer." Love that team spirit. You go girl! Heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time.

Been meaning to share this picture. Cora is quite an artist and her collage of colors put anything I could ever make to total shame. I am grateful that she willingly shares her gift with Joshua.

The girls have dolls laying around and one of the kids got hold of the camera and snapped a picture of our one Asian doll lying on the ground. Obviously stripped. What can I say? Seeing the girls play with their dolls, Joshua declared that he wanted one too.Who am I to deny a request?

Gender is very different in China. I wish I knew more about it. When we were shopping in Guangzhou, our guide was looking for a baby outfit for her pregnant sister-in-law. There are no "blue" sections nor "pink" sections like we have in America. 

Joshua emphatically decided that he would spend his Christmas money that he got from relatives on a doll. We convinced him to get a boy and found this respectable Asian doll on Amazon which he loved.

Our oldest daughter had tonka trucks and now our son has a doll.

All's fair and Joshua is happy.