December

Wow, I need to catch up on the entire month! There have been several significant events this month, which is probably why I have fallen behind. I always want to do justice to the important things, but I rarely have the time. So, rather than wallow in my perfectionism, let me at least get started with some highlights.

On December 5th, we celebrated the 4th anniversary of Julie's adoption.
If you've been following along for a while, you'll know that we always make a ring cake to celebrate the formation of our family, much like Larry and I exchanged rings at our wedding. Both symbolize that we are a family by a promise and "until death do we part." This year Julie wanted a chocolate chip ring cookie!

On December 9th, we celebrated the 1st anniversary of Joseph's birth.
I tried my hand at making a cake for the first time ever (Larry's mom inspired me by making Julie a gorgeous doll cake last summer). Since Joseph looooves his "Blue Bear," I tried to replicate him in cake form. It came out fairly well for my first shot. I have so much more to say about Joesph turning 1 that it will have to wait for another post.

On December 9th, we also attended Julie's school Holiday Concert.
The kindergartners were the cutest!

On December 19th, we celebrated the 5 year 6 month anniversary of Julie's birth. She was so excited to turn 5 1/2! It was also my Aunt's birthday. Happy Birthday, Tante!


On December 19th, we also attended Melody's gymnastics "performance."


On December 25th, we celebrated the anniversary of the birth of our Lord.
This is the photo we finally got for our Christmas cards. Now wait, don't get offended that you haven't gotten one. We still haven't sent them out! It seriously took us a week of trying to get this family shot since we had no one to help take it. It's so much fun to compare how the kids have changed since previous years' cards, all hanging in order on our fridge.

On December 26th, we enjoyed some really great fun in the snow.

This was Joseph's first time out in the snow and he loved it! I have more pictures to share, that is, if I want to admit that I stood by and snapped away as Larry fed our little son hunk after hunk of the white stuff. At least it was fresh-fallen!

Also on December 26th, we witnessed the following:
If you can't tell, he is standing on the bottom ledge. Dishwashers, tables, refrigerators...our boy is an equal opportunity climber and explorer! I love the "who, me?" expression!

Phew! It feels good to catch up a bit. More to come soon!

A Matter of Minutes

That's all it took. I went into the bathroom, leaving Joseph and Julie playing happily on the floor while Melody sat at the table. I came out a few minutes later and this is what I saw:

Is your first thought the same as mine? "What? There's a baby on the table! Wait! How on earth did he get there?" With Grandma gone, there was nobody else strong enough to lift him up there. Oh, me of little imagination! Melody quickly filled me in on the goings on during my (very short) absence. My clever son went under the table, pulled Julie's booster seat off of her chair, used it as a step to hoist himself onto her regular chair, turned himself around and climbed right up on the table. So simple, right? And why stop there? Why not pluck every single napkin out of the holder and scatter the big box of crayons all about too? Such fun can not be kept to oneself either, so I'm sure you can imagine how many children I had on the table before all was said and done. I had to call an end to the festivities when one shall-remain-nameless little boy started trying to eat the salt shaker. Good times :-)

Thanksgiving Treat

See for yourself!

Loves of My Life

I can't imagine a day without them. My heart is full this Thanksgiving (and every day). And check out those teeth on my little guy!

11 Months

My baby is 11 months old today. This is his last "birthday" before the big 1 year. How is it possible? I really don't know. It's a good thing that he does new cute and fun things as he grows or else my heart would break for loss of past days. Of course, I'd love (LOVE) to sleep all the way through the night again, but it's a small price to pay for the privilege of sharing life with this precious boy. I adore you, little man!

SO big!

Baby Face

Update

We made it through day 1 post-op and all the kids are now sleeping, yay! All in all, the day went well. Julie's lip is swollen and the stitches make it a bit tight, but that didn't stop her from smiling and laughing today. We think it will look really good once it heals all up. As for Julie's ear, we nearly forget that she even had surgery there! It is draining very minimally, which is not at all our previous experience. What a blessing! Now we just wait to see if it works. We're not confident that it will because the surgeon encountered a lot of scar tissue in Julie's ear, but we also know that God can do anything. We should know in about 6 weeks. Here are some pictures from our day yesterday.

Heading in early in the morning, all smiles!

Almost ready to be wheeled back...brave girl.

Not so happy afterward, but at least finally out of bed and not so sick to her stomach.

Going home at 9PM, feeling much better!

It was SUCH a blessing to get out of the hospital without spending the night there. I am 100% certain that we all slept better at home, even if it was sporadic. Plus, there was a patient in isolation in the room next to us, which freaked me out. I have admitted to being a germophobe, and that was almost enough to push me over the edge. The sign on the door warned about "respiratory droplets." I figured out why after hearing telltale sounds coming through the wall - ack. They day nurses seemed really good about gowning up before going into that room, but the night shift only put on masks. Um...not good enough if you're going to then come in and work on my kid. Did I say I was SO glad to get out of there?? Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers. We are very grateful for each and every one.

We're Home!

It's been quite a long and eventful day, but we are actually home! Larry and I got up at 3:30AM with Joseph and stayed up until it was time to take Julie in at 5:30. We're super tired so I'll spare the details, but we were released around 9PM and Julie is doing great. I'll update more tomorrow! Thanks so much for your prayers; they were surely felt!

Surgery Tomorrow

Julie will be going into surgery at 7:30AM tomorrow. Her two surgeons have booked 2 1/2 hours for their procedures, so we are hoping they will be done by 10AM and that we can be with Julie soon after. It is never easy to go through these things, not for Julie and not for us. Turning my baby over and watching the distance between us grow is among the hardest things I have do as a parent. However, I know that God goes with her and never leaves her side or our side. All prayers for our sweet girl are very much appreciated. I will update as soon as I can tomorrow.

Glimpse of the Future

These pictures give me a little peek at what Joseph will look like as a big boy. He's growing up!




(Although the majority of people tell me that Joseph looks just like me, some think he looks like Larry. These pictures are a good chance to really compare. Personally, I see more of me in him, but maybe I'm biased!)

Mid Autumn Festival

This year, Mid Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival, fell on October 3rd. There are many traditions and stories surrounding the festival, some of which you can read about here if you're interested. It is a special time for families to gather together if possible, and also a time to think about those who are far away. For us, that includes our extended family here in the US and also our daughters' birth families in China. We went outside and admired the full moon and talked a little bit about our unique family scattered about the globe. This got me to singing a song from one of our children's CDs. I believe it is actually a combination of two songs. It goes like this:

I see the moon and the moon sees me;
God bless the moon and God bless me.
Please let the light that shines on me,
Shine on the one I love.

It's a simple refrain, but it captures the essence of what was going through my heart and mind as I stood under the full moon with my precious girls. Right now they are too young to ponder these things deeply, but the time will come quickly when they will. Next year, I'd also like to gather some children's books about the moon and Moon Festival to read outside by flashlight. I'd also like to light some colorful lanterns and pray together for all of our special family members. Finally, I'd like it to be a time of thanks to God, who made the moon and all of us under it, and whose glory is unmistakable in the luminous fullness of the harvest moon.

Here are our yummy Mooncakes that we picked up at an Asian market:


And here is the beautiful full moon and our beautiful girls!

This is the best shot we could get with all three kids.

And finally, a Moon Festival poem:

Enjoy your families, everyone!

In Search Of

Okay my bargain hunter friends, I know that some of you are really good at ferreting out deals and I could use your help. We here in circus-land love this product and use it for every nap and night time. In the summer I used the cotton version and now I am using the microfleece. I was able to get a few off of Craigslist and now we are borrowing one from our friends (it's pink and oh-so-cute on my little boy!). At night it keeps him nice and toasty when layered with his snugly PJs (thank you Chris and Pat!). So why am I writing this? Well, you might notice that they cost about $20 a piece, gulp. I'd currently love to get my hands on one fleece size medium and two fleece size large. Come spring I'm sure I'll be looking for cotton ones too. All of that could easily total $100, which just isn't possible right now. Soooo, if any of you have one of these you'd like to sell, or if you see a great deal somewhere, please let me know! I'd be ever so appreciative! Thanks :)

Waiting

Larry is finally home from his interview trip. It was a loooong 5 days without him, made even longer by sickness, extreme sleeplessness and one busted lip for my little climber boy. We are so glad to have Daddy back! The trip went well, we think. Larry was told he would hear back in about 2 weeks, after all the interviews are completed. So now it's time to wait and pray.

In other news, Julie's kindergarten school picture came and I think it is really good, other than the fact that she looks about 13! Where did my baby go?


One last thing...if you think of it, please pray for Julie. She is scheduled to have surgery again in November and I am already all torn up inside for her. Both her ENT and her plastic surgeon will perform procedures during the same operating session - one to put a new prosthesis in her left ear and the other to completely re-do her cleft lip repair from scratch. My poor baby is going to be one hurting girl. :(

Is It Just Me?

I'll admit it, I'm a bit of a germophobe. I wasn't always, but having children changed me. In particular, Julie has a tendency to have a hard time kicking illnesses that other kids get over quickly, making me pretty paranoid about her catching any kind of cold. So, imagine my reaction when we went to the grocery store yesterday and the cashier was coughing without covering her mouth, blowing her nose without washing her hands, handling our food and giving my children stickers. (She also made some very loud remarks about adoption, meant positively, but that's another story.) I was seriously tempted to call the grocery store when I got home to ask if they have any policies about sick employees. I know I can't avoid sick customers, but sick employees? Okay, fast forward to today. We had an appointment with the girls' cleft surgeon this afternoon. After waiting the usual hour, we got into a room and waited a bit more. I could hear a bunch of coughing down the hall, but I didn't find out it was the doctor until he came to see us. He coughed all the way through the appointment and was clearly stuffed up pretty badly. All of this while examining my girls' mouths and noses. To his credit, he washed his hands and tried to cover all his coughs, but still. I feel like we're pretty much doomed to get hit with some nasty stuff after all of this, right when Larry is going away. I'm praying that if sickness is coming that it could at least hold off until he is back. So, is it just me or do others of you find it irritating when sick employees don't stay home? I realize that people have to work and earn a living, but at the expense of my family's health? It can't be just me, right?

Hello World!

Happy Birthday Melody!

Melody turned 3 at the end of September, as impossible as that seems to me. She was Joseph's current age when we adopted her, a tiny, adorable baby. Now she is a capable, loving, spunky, stubborn 3-year-old who fills our days with exuberance. We love you, sweet girl!

Welcome to the Circus!

Life is very much like a circus with my little boy. I have never known a child so active and adventurous. I gave up bringing a blanket outside for him months ago. There's no point. Even on soggy ground (like today), I put him down and off he goes. He crawls through wet leaves, wood chips, mulch, grass, mud, dirt, sticks and who knows what else, all in the name of exploration. He stops briefly to greet each plant and tree that he meets, reaching out to touch it and discover whether it is prickly or friendly. He especially adores our neighbor's garden ornaments and visits them over and over again. Inside he fights being restrained for any reason, including sitting in his high chair for meals. As soon as I unbuckle him, he stands up in the chair then climbs onto the tray and right onto our kitchen table. I wonder where he'd go from there? He has taught himself to turn around and go feet-first down stairs and other heights, but a table would be another matter. An open dishwasher door, however, is no problem. He screamed mightily when I tried to close it up after loading it this evening. How dare I close up his current scene of exploration?! At bath time I ended up bathing him standing up because he just would NOT sit. I even have a bath chair to buckle him in but he can wiggle out. So, I held onto him while he stood and explored the faucet, somehow managing to get him clean with my free hand. Then it was Melody's turn and Joseph stayed to watch. The next thing I know, he's leaning over the edge of the tub, up on his toes, then throwing his weight over the top and heading toward the water headfirst! Thankfully I was right there and caught him, but gee whiz! I can barely keep up with the kid! What ever am I going to do in the winter when we can't get outside? Maybe we'll go to the library and let him climb the shelves, ha! What an amazing miracle it has been to watch this boy grow from a helpless newborn to an obstinate 9-almost-10-month-old. Even as he wears me out, I love him every second. Thank you, Lord, for my boy!

Nervous

The latest news in our house is that Larry has a pretty important job interview coming up. He had one interview on the phone and now he has a second interview. The job is not nearby, so they offered to interview via video conference, but Larry thinks it is important to go in person. So, we will be without him for 5 days as he travels. In addition to the interview, he's going to spend a few days exploring the area, attempting to learn as much as he can about things that matter to our family (churches, medical specialists, school services, etc.). I am super nervous about the whole thing...nervous about being without Larry for 5 days, nervous about the prospect of moving, nervous about all the transitions we would face, nervous for Larry and the interview itself...ahhh! But, then I think of this:

Acts 17:25-27
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

I am so grateful for the truth of God's word and it's power to counteract my nerves. One step at a time, His plan will unfold. I'll keep you posted!

New Layout

I finally found a new blog layout to try. What do you think? I know, change is hard and I'm sorry if this throws anybody off. I think I like it!

Emerging Language

It is amazing to watch Joseph start to demonstrate an understanding of language. He definitely gets it when we say "no," even if he doesn't always want to comply! Even more exciting than this, however, is the beginning of his expressive language abilities. Check out his first sign:

The Future According to My Kids

I recorded these stories during lunch today. I love hearing what is going through their little minds!

Julie's Story
When I grow up my husband will come. I will be the Mommy and my husband will be the Daddy. My 10 babies and I and my husband will live next week in Ohio. Our new car is the gold van we will keep it forever. There will be 10 seats. We will sleep in a giant bed and Felicity will come over to our house and we will all live happily ever. And that's the story of my 10 babies when I grow up. The end.

FYI - Felicity is a friend of ours that lives in Ohio. Julie's 10 babies are all girls and even have names. Last time I wrote them down they were: Kiaya, Robert, Jessica, Belinda, Marty, Melody, Julia, Julie, Steve Green and Tubby. There are some pretty unfortunately named girls in the bunch! Julie also says that Larry and I aren't allowed to come help her with these 10 baby girls (ha!). She is going to do it all by herself with her husband. When her 10 babies grow bigger, they will sing and dance with her. Last week Julie told me she and her family would live far away from me and would send me a card. When I asked why they would live far away she replied "so we can live near Grandma" (who is in South Carolina, not Ohio).

Melody's Story
My 3 babies when I grow up every day my husband and my mommy live in South Carolina. And then we all sleep midnight and the elephant goes SNORE. And they live happily ever. The end.

FYI - Ever the realist, Melody has long maintained that she will have 3 babies. So far they have not been named. Also, the elephant snoring at midnight is straight out of a Sandra Boynton book that we love to read.

I can't wait to hear how these stories evolve as the years unfold! :)

Still Here

I never know how to start these "it's been so long" blog posts. Sometimes life is just way too busy for blogging, and then I get a bit overwhelmed with wanting to write something profound to describe all that has been going on. Then I avoid it all together and a vicious cycle is born. Maybe I'll just ease myself back in gently with few photos.

Julie started Kindergarten last month!


Melody is getting to be so grown up at almost-three...


Joesph is a wild man who crawls, cruises and climbs anything he can reach!


Larry is back in grad school 2 nights a week and all of our extra activities are back in full swing. We're still trying to get Joseph to sleep through the night, with some success here and there. He turned 9 months old on 9-9-09, adding to the fun number facts surrounding his birth (born at 9:12PM on 12-9). Melody will be 3 in just about a week. I can hardly believe it. I wish time had a pause button so that I could stay here and savor these precious, fleeting moments with my little ones. My heart thereatens to break over the realization that their baby years are rushing away and I will never be able to revisit them. Right now, however, I hear one of my littles waking up and I can't wait to scoop him up and kiss him until he giggles. More soon...

2 Years Ago

My Sweet Little Melody Munchkin,

Two years ago something truly amazing took place. So amazing that it is nearly impossible to put into words. Sometimes there just aren't any words for supernatural works of God. And that's what you are, you know...an amazing, perfect creation of a holy, loving God. How did I get so lucky as to be your Mommy? It is unbearable to think of having missed out on the blessing of you. You are such a precious little person with so many endearing qualities. You have a natural attention to detail and a strong sense of order. You love back-rubs and hugs. You are often serious but you also love silliness. You take a while to warm up to situations, just like me. You have quite the vocabulary for a 2-year-old and you are extremely resourceful. You are kind. You adore your baby brother and always want to "rub his fuzzy head." You have a nearly iron will that will take you far in life (even if it sends things into a tailspin right now!). You make Mommy and Daddy proud in so many ways! I truly cannot imagine life without you and I am so glad that I don't have to. I love you, Meddy Wei Wei!

July 9th, 2007




July 9th, 2009



---I have been trying to upload a video clip here for way too long and I need to go to bed. I'll try again tomorrow!--

(You might notice that we are singing "Happy Anniversary" in the video clip. We have settled on this terminology after thinking carefully about the day and it's meaning. In ways, adoption is like marriage, specifically in the sense that a new family is created in the eyes of the law and that a commitment is made before God. Marriages use the symbol of the round, never-ending wedding ring to represent these things. Similarly, we make a ring cake for our girls on their anniversaries. I hope they will find these things meaningful and respectful as they grow up.)

New Baby Pics

Well, we finally caved and ordered the hospital photos from Joseph's birth. We didn't get them at the time because they were outrageously expensive, but when Joseph's 6 month "birthday" rolled around I panicked because I needed those pictures of my little tiny baby who was growing up so fast. Maybe you can see why...


(There are others, but these are my favorite two.)

Julie's 5 Year Old Picture

For those of you who have been with me for a while, you know that I take my kids' annual photos myself (not that I'm a great photographer by any means, but to save money). Here's what I have for Julie's 5 year old photo. Which do you like best?

This would be my favorite except I don't like the way the color of her dress bleached out in the middle. I might be able to edit it, but it would take me a while.

I really like the way the flowers on her dress match the real flowers.

This is the same spot where we did her 4 year old photo. Once I decide on an official pose, I'll have to post one from each of the last 4 years.

This won't be the official photo, but I like it a lot :).


I hope you'll weigh in and help me decide!!