Unexpected Paths

South Carolina

2012-02-13T10:15:00.002-05:00

I have never been to this state other than passing through. I'd love to hear from families who live or have lived in South Carolina, particularly the Greenville area. Early Saturday morning, we packed up the 4 youngest and headed south. We went through some snowy weather, but the drive was pleasant enough. Once we arrived and check into our hotel, we headed downtown. We really enjoyed it. There seemed to be many shops and restaurants. There is a beautiful waterfall with walking paths all around. Despite the cold weather, many people were out enjoying the day.

We drove around trying to find some neat places, but with no guide, we were a bit limited. Saturday night, we met a man at our hotel who gave us a little insight into the area along with a great map. Sunday morning, we got up early and made our way around the city, getting a better idea about the area.

On our way home, we had to make a stop for Jack in Spartanburg. You know they have this restaurant there called The Beacon, which Jack found on the Man vs. Food site? Jack could have his own TV show about food. He finds certain foods interesting, and will try about anything. He tried the chicken feet while in China. He said it was leathery.

The Double Chili Cheeseburger-A-Pleny. That says it all. He was stuffed, and I was still tasting it hours later (and I only ate a few onion rings and a small cup of chili).

So, any South Carolinians read my blog?

Strange

2012-02-07T10:45:00.000-05:00

Eva brushes her own teeth. I usually brush them once or twice a week. A couple of weeks ago, I felt around for loose teeth since she is 6 years old. Nothing but a small nudge. Last night at bath time I was brushing Eva's teeth and found this...

...yes, those are her 2 new teeth behind her baby teeth. Jack called her a "shark" because of her rows of teeth. Eva is definitely never "normal". She better get wiggling those teeth unless she wants the dentist to take them out.

On another note...where is winter? We've had nice 50-60 degree days around here. The first thing Eva wants to do every morning is go outside to play. She asks after breakfast when it is still in the 30's. She would stay outside all day long if she could. She impatiently begs her sisters to play outside with her. Sometimes Moxie is the only one who wants to endure the adventures. Remnants of her playtime dot the yard: teapot, photo album wedged in a tree (?), notebooks, cups, backpacks, collection of walnuts, sticks. She reminds me a lot of Seth when he was younger. He would wake up at 5:00 am, do his school by 9:00 am just so he could play all day long. Life was so exciting and never dull during those single digit years! I'd like to have a few of them back.

My Diet Update

2012-02-04T15:18:00.002-05:00

Some of you have asked about my Juicing diet. So, I've been juicing for a month now. I think it has gone pretty well. My biggest lesson learned? I really don't need to eat so much food. I eat a light breakfast of toast, fruit (usually blueberries), tea/coffee at around 8:30 a.m. Then around 10:30 I have my morning juice, which usually has another fruit in it. I'll have a little lunch around 12:30 p.m., with another juice at 2:30 or 3:30 p.m. Dinner around 5:30/6:00 p.m. usually consists of a salad with some protein. So, it is not a lot of food, and I never eat after dinner. But, I have to say that I feel great! All the aches and pains I had before juicing (primarily in my lower back and hips/legs) are no longer present. I also have absolutely no indigestion or heartburn issues at all. Those issues were resolved once I stopped eating wheat/gluten products.

Looking back in pictures, I can see a very big difference in my appearance. This pictures was taken in 2010, shortly after arriving home with Ivy. I looked puffy. But, it was also before I knew about the wheat/gluten problem, which caused me to retain fluid.

Now, I eat a lot of raw fruits and vegetables and some raw nuts and lean protein. It consists of celery, kale, cucumbers, apples, lemons, carrots, cabbage every single day. I feel better and sleep better. I'm fitting into clothes that I've not worn in quite a few years. Since this picture, I've lost a bit of weight, too. That is always a plus!

(photographs compliments of Eva)

Who knew that a change in diet could have such a big impact on how I felt? I've always heard it, but never realized it until I actually made the change.

Second Anniversary

2012-02-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

So, it has been 2 years since Ivy walked into our lives. Or rather, we walked into Ivy's life. We talked this morning, and she said, "It seems like I've always been here." Amazing that 2 years can seem like a lifetime to a child. Her past is slowly pushed to the recesses of her mind. She is moving on. She is family.

My first half-hearted smile that I got from Ivy on Feb. 1, 2010. We had many more smiles in the days to come.

Our last full day in China. She was a happy girl. I was a happy mom.

Patriotic

2012-01-31T17:51:00.001-05:00

I consider myself to be patriotic, at least emotionally. I cry at the sight of our military men and women. I get choked up over the lives sacrificed for my freedom. I love my country and the principles it was founded upon. I love life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I love my religious freedoms. When I teach my children about the Revolutionary War my voice shakes. I think I am not brave enough to ever say "I regret that I have only one life to lose for my country." (Nathan Hale before being hanged) Or Patrick Henry's famous quote "Give me liberty or give me death!"

So, with the upcoming presidential election, I think about where we are as a country and the direction we are heading. I grew up with a hard working father and a stay-at-home mom. We did not have much, but I do remember my dad, at times, working 3 jobs to support his family of 6. We never had the latest and the greatest, and we lived in a small 2 bedroom apartment outside of Cleveland. We were happy. I never once remember my parents or grandparents expecting the government to provide for them. When things got hard, we managed. We went without some things. You'd be surprised at a kid's creativity when you have little. I want my children to know that work is good. It creates character. So, when Jordan showed me a short story, I thought it spoke volumes, and may help someone understand what the all too familiar term "fair share" looks like.

An economics professor at a localcollege made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, buthad recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama'ssocialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, agreat equalizer.
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class onObama's plan". All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive thesame grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A.... (substitutinggrades for dollars - something closer to home and more readily understood byall).
After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. Thestudents who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little werehappy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little hadstudied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ridetoo so they studied little..
The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolledaround, the average was an F. As the tests proceeded, the scores neverincreased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelingsand no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. To their great surprise,ALL FAILED and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimatelyfail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but whengovernment takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed. Itcould not be any simpler than that.
Remember, there IS a test coming up. The 2012 elections.

These are possibly the 5 best sentences you'll ever read and all applicable tothis experiment:
1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy outof prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work forwithout receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does notfirst take from somebody else.
4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!
5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work becausethe other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets theidea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get whatthey work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

— with Bill Essmann

New Hair Accessory?

2012-01-30T15:16:00.001-05:00

Joy came to me today looking like this.

Apparently, she wanted to "curl" her hair. It took me about 15 minutes to get this mess fixed.

She also lost a pretty wad of hair. Now I know why my mom kept my hair short when I was little.

Imperfections

2012-01-25T19:02:00.002-05:00

So, I decided to cut my hair. I decided to go short. It has been many, many years since I had short hair. My hair just looked blah, fuzzy, and difficult to work with. So, this was today.

Once I got to my appointment, the lady talked me into keeping my long hair. I really did not want to cut it, but something needed to be done. And she did it. But, when I took a photo of myself, I did not notice my hair, but instead, noticed those imperfections. I do not spend much time in front of the mirror. I don't have that much time on my hands. There are many days of the week that a pony tail and no make up suffice. I know...not good for the husband.

So, here is my new do. I like it. She did a great job. But, look how my jaw sticks out when I smile. I wonder if Mike ever noticed that? And that smaller eye? Again, when I smile. I've always had that...even in school pictures. Ah...it's okay. My kids love me. My husband still loves me despite the weird way I look.

I'll just hide the weird jaws with my hair. I couldn't have done that if I cut all my hair off.

Winter Weather

2012-01-24T19:14:00.000-05:00

I took this picture today, after noticing my hyacinths coming up? In January? Well, it was 60 degrees today. We've received no more than a flew flurries here and there. It is making me wish for spring instead of some winter weather. But, when warm weather gets here, that means my firstborn and her brother will be leaving the nest. I'm in no hurry.

A Quarter of a Century

2012-01-18T18:52:00.000-05:00

I married a sailor 25 years ago in March. He was young, handsome, kind. He wasn't perfect, but his mother and father did a great job raising him. We met in September; married in March. It was a whirlwind 5 1/2 months courtship. He was home for a few weeks, out to sea for a couple of weeks. I could barely contain myself when I knew his ship was pulling into port on a certain day. I hovered by my phone at work, waiting to hear his voice greet me on the other end. On date night, I'd peek out my apartment window looking for the familiar round headlights from his jeep. Butterflies never failed to follow.

He never really asked me to marry him. It was more of a mutual agreement during a phone call from a port in Puerto Rico. I didn't know if he was serious, but soon found out when he was once again home, and we were purchasing the rings. It was a quick wedding at his apartment. His sailor roommates had long since moved out, and I moved in just a few days before the big day. Except for our close friends, no one knew of our plans to marry. He arrived home on a Wednesday, we married on a Thursday, he left on a Monday.

It wasn't hard being married to a sailor. I found it rather exciting. Our time together was limited, so we wasted no time on petty arguments. I just loved being with him every second he was home. Life was good.

Now it is 25 years later. Five jobs later. Three children later. Four lost children later. Four houses later. Three adoptions later. Many sorrows later. Many joys later. Many mistakes later. I'm sure we both have many regrets. How could we not? But, I love my sailor. And my sailor loves me.

I always wondered how we would celebrate 25 years together. I'm still wondering. We're too poor for my wish of spending 2 weeks on a South Pacific Island. Yet, I feel the need to be alone with my husband. To reconnect. To talk. To just have fun together without concern for our children. We've spent so many years being "mom and dad" that we've unconsciously neglected being "husband and wife".

Math

2012-01-17T19:07:00.002-05:00

I just knew those @K47 shell casings were good for something! Today I over heard this from Joy:

"Three plus three

plus three..

equals 9!"

She was quite happy with herself. Maybe I wasted my money buying math blocks. Apparently, anything works.

New Diet, New Friend

2012-01-12T11:42:00.000-05:00

So, I've been feeling a little blah lately. My body had aches and pains all over. My legs and back would ache when I went to bed at night. I started feeling my age, maybe even older. My diet was not great. I enjoyed chocolate way too much. Wheat/gluten caused rashes on my hands, legs, and arms. Although I had the gluten thing under control, sometimes I slipped with a few Christmas cookies. Then my arms itched.

I know a few people who do the juicing thing. They all look and seem healthy and happy. Two people I know use it as part of their cancer treatment. Obviously, raw fruits and vegetables are very healthy, with many nutrients. So, I started reading more about it. With 40+ years under my belt, I'm a skeptic of many things. Juicing was one of them. I considered it just another fad making its rounds. I caved and bought my first juicer, the Breville Juice Fountain, my new friend.

I like it. It is very easy to use and clean. So, I have been juicing 2 times a day. I usually eat a breakfast of gluten free peanut butter toast and fruit. Around 10 a.m. I have my first juice of the day.

So, this was my treat: apple, ginger, peeled lemon, carrots, kale, and celery. You may be thinking it sounds terrible, but the lemon and ginger really make this taste great.

There is such a variety of veggies you can throw in the juicer. The difficult part is probably keeping them on hand. Mike and I have enjoyed the one with beets. I would never enjoy beets before. Now I love them in this juicer.

So, you may ask how I'm feeling? Well, I've not gone to bed with an ice or heat pack for about 4 days now. I don't ache like before, I have more energy, I sleep better. And one strange side effect is on my face. It actually looks healthier. I don't have pics to prove that one, but my skin just looks better. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that I've lost a few pounds doing this. I don't crave the junk that I used to crave, and I am actually always content with no hunger pains. I sound like a commercial, don't I? FYI, Breville did not pay me to write up this post.

Skeptic no more?

Life

2012-01-11T19:52:00.000-05:00

Jordan told me today that I needed to update my blog. But, I have nothing at all to share. Life is just going on. No one wants to hear about the daily activities of school, laundry, dinner, baths, etc.. The only thing remotely interesting is an evening on some friends' property, shooting guns, eating hot dogs and smores. So, to prove that we are still alive:

The girls were preparing for the bonfire after taking a long walk on the property. They actually loved playing in the fire. They weren't actually in it, but enjoyed throwing sticks in it, and catching their own long sticks on fire. Fortunately, no forest fires occurred due to their curiosity.

Now that Ivy has her braces on, she is starting to give me smiles with her teeth showing. I think she was embarrassed by her cleft. It seems most of her pictures are with a closed mouth. For her sake, I'll be glad when she gets her lip/nose revision surgery.

My Boys...they love guns and fire. Always have. Jack seemed pretty confident during his target shooting.

Besides this lovely feather, Eva collected 42 gun shell casings, which she still carries around the house in a red plastic bag. She's my pack rat. She knows it. It controls her. She cannot help it. I've pulled rocks from my washer and dryer because of this girl.

Seth and his friend, Anica. They spent the day clearing and burning brush and riding the 4-wheeler. Tough day for these 2 kids, I mean young adults.

See. I told you nothing was going on here in Virginia.

The Trolley

2012-01-05T17:30:00.003-05:00

Our "town" has a Trolley. I've seen it, but never made use of it. After all, we live in the country, and the Trolley runs a limited run to the downtown area. So, back in the fall, Ivy, Seth, and I were at a cleft appointment, getting Ivy's braces on her teeth. As soon as we headed out of the building, the Trolley was there...waiting on us. So, we hopped on for the ride downtown and back.

So, shortly before Christmas, the girls and I headed on a trolley ride downtown to look around and do some Christmas shopping. They were all excited! It was cool and drizzling rain, but they did not care.

There are so many things in our area that I've failed to take advantage of. Our state of packed full of history and outdoor adventure. Maybe when the girls are older, they'll enjoy museums as much as Jordan and I do. I sure hope so. By the time they get older, I'll be too old to do anything else adventurous!

I loved the mosaic tiles near the Farmer's Market. Lots of little shops and restaurants. Ivy has an appointment next week to adjust her braces. Eva has already asked for a Trolley ride downtown.

Guys in Ties

2011-12-31T19:59:00.001-05:00

The last time Seth wore a tie was in 2001. And it was a clip-on.

So, when Seth decided he was going to the Ball, he needed to take some lessons from his dad in tie tying.

This isn't so difficult, is it?

The finished product. I'm not sure that Seth actually learned how to tie the tie, though.

So, last night, he went to the Vintage Ball with his friends.

Since his soccer team's color was purple, some of the players decided that purple and black would be their thing. They look pretty good. I think about 5 guys from the soccer team dressed this way. Fun times, fun memories.

My kids all chipped in (some did not know they chipped in) and bought me this sweet necklace from the Vintage Pearl. This may be my favorite gift.

And just a few days before Christmas, I found these cute slippers for Jordan from Lands End. Since she has joined the US Navy, I thought the nautical theme was so cute. Since she is so hard to buy for, I was so pleased that she loved them.

On another note...thanks to everyone who commented and sent emails regarding my parenting posts. Your prayers are much appreciated as well as your kind words. Parenting is tough. Parenting a rebellious child is 1000 times tougher. But, this I know. God knew what we were going to go through with Seth. He did not give us the obedient son like our friends have. He did not give us the mild-mannered boy across the street. He gave us Seth. And for that, I am so thankful. He knows it all from the beginning to the end.

Happy New Year!

Parenting the Un-Parentable (Part 2)

2011-12-29T12:11:00.002-05:00

For over a year we drifted somewhat aimlessly between good days and terrible days with Seth. Before my feet even touched the floor in the morning, I dreaded facing what the day might bring. How do I respond? How do I love my son who some days seemed to loathe everything about his parents? Psalm 86:15 says "But Thou, O Lord, art a God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth." If my God feels this way towards me when I'm so rotten, shouldn't I be this way towards my son? As difficult as it was, I tried. I failed. I tried again and again.

Without going into specifics, things got so bad this past summer. Any boundary we set for Seth, he overstepped. He could not be trusted. We made him quit his part time job. We believed he had less than desirable acquaintances at the workplace. Soccer season started; Mike was the coach. I don't know how Mike managed to restrain himself during the first couple months of practice. Seth's rebellion was shameful and quite embarrassing. The worst 2 days of my life were September 16th and 17th. There was an escalation in Seth's anger that I had never seen before. He was out of control. Authorities had to be called, and that was not the first time. A phone call to a detention center was made around midnight. Inside, I felt like I was dying. I was torn between the love for my son and the protection of my other children in my home. It was a decision I did not want to make. Fortunately, God knew all about that. The detention center never answered that call. The authorities left, and Seth went to bed. Mike and I barely slept that night. I cried out to God for help. The next morning, Seth avoided us. I could tell there was no change in Seth. He walked around with his hoodie covering his head. He got on his bike and left for a while. By that afternoon Seth had made some horrific choices that could have had a disastrous outcome. He almost/could have died. I spent 6 hours in the hospital ER with my son on September 17th. I clearly saw God's reasons for not allowing the detention center to answer that call the night before. Seth needed to fall. His life was shaken. That afternoon Seth cried out to God for forgiveness and mercy. He was ashamed of his decisions, attitudes, and behaviors. He had been reckless and selfish. He allowed sin to live in his heart. He listened to the lies of the one who wanted to destroy him. He told me of the demonic music and musicians that whispered in his ear late into the night. He wanted no more. He wanted to be free.

That night, Seth slept in my bed, just like he did when he was a little boy with a fever. He knew that I would go to the ends of the earth to keep him safe. He knew that I would wake up through the night, put my hand on his chest and make sure he was still breathing, just like I did when he was a newborn. He knew that I would fight for his life. He was my little boy once more.

Before you pass any judgments on my son, I do want to let you know that not every day was a bad day. We have had some good times with him when we've taken trips or just stayed home doing nothing. When Seth was good, he was the kind of guy that everyone wanted to be around. He would be the life of the party and easy to love. Seth has such determination in anything he attempts. Whenever he puts his mind to do something, he can and will accomplish it. He has never taken the easy road. I've always said that Seth would one day do great things. He just needs direction.

The last 3 1/2 months have been so peaceful. I had forgotten what it was like to lay my head down at night and sleep soundly without worry. Seth has been happy, truthful, loving his family and the security that comes with it. He has had days of struggle, but he knows that he has a God who loves him and will give him the strength he needs. We are so thankful to God for the change in Seth, for the restoration of family. Things are good. Our life is good. Our God is Great!

Parenting the Un-Parentable (Part 1)

2011-12-28T16:05:00.000-05:00

Sometime in January or February 2005, we made the decision to adopt a child. Mike believed very strongly that our family would go through some extremely difficult times due to this calling. I was so excited about adding to our family that I did not give it much thought. After all, I was a child of God. I loved Him. He would see us through any difficult circumstance. I could handle it. I never imagined the anguish that we would encounter for the next 6 years.

I am going to share some very raw emotions in this post. Some of them are shameful. For privacy issues, I will only share certain parts of our trials. I hope my words will truly convey all that we've experienced and the lessons learned.

My first recollection of trouble was during our 2007 trip to China. My son, Seth, was 13 years old. For half of the trip, he had a terrible attitude. He will admit to being very selfish. I tried to shrug it off as jet lag, but it continued after our return home. Slowly for the next 2 years his attitude towards his parents and family was terrible. We really did not know how to handle such arrogance from our son. He went from a fun, loving, caring, obedient son to one of disrespect rather quickly. It seemed no amount of discipline or prayer changed his heart. We had many ups and down until 2009 when there seemed to be a change of heart for about 4 months. Then it seemed to have gone downhill from there. Although we had some rebellion with Jordan, it never compared to what we faced with Seth.

To me, this picture shows the stress in Mike's heart more than my words. This is not the face of my husband. This was in the midst of our first round of troubles with our son. Seeking the cause of Seth's rebellion, we realized that he started listening to some vile music which praised rebellion, drugs, and alcohol. For a while, we only dealt with attitudes from Seth. Later, he started doing things that were dangerous. I dreaded going to church. Friends would approach me or Mike with a story of Seth's latest rebellion. Peaceful days were rare. I used to make judgements about parents with rebellious children. I wondered how in the world they could allow their child to behave, act, or dress a certain way. I thought to myself that they must be doing something wrong. I am ashamed to admit that I also thought that my children would never behave that way. It seemed so easy. If they disobeyed, we disciplined; problem solved. Well, it did not work that way with Seth.

One day Seth admitted to me that he would leave the house at night on his bike, riding into town (we live out in the country). He shared with me how he slept in the back of someone's truck and even slept behind a gas station on the ground. He also made sure he was home by 7:00 am. I was shocked, but tried not to react in such a hostile way. Another episode was his apparent escape from home life. He tried taking the truck to Florida. Fortunately, the truck was right outside our bedroom window, and Seth did not have the driving skills or license to drive in the snow that covered our property. Mike and I were so shocked by his actions. His thinking was not even reasonable.

Right about now you might be thinking that we caused this behavior in our son. Surely, we were doing something wrong? Believe me, we have beaten ourselves up with the same questions. My dear friend Dawn told me something that I've shared with many mothers going through similar times. She said, "Cheri, Adam and Eve had the perfect Father, and they chose to rebel." How could I think I deserve better than the perfect Father? Slowly, I chose to stop blaming myself for my son's rebellion. But, Seth kept constantly reminding us of our failures as parents. It was very difficult.

Mike and I came to the realization that Seth did not want to be parented. He did not want our advice, our love, or security. That is scary, especially coming from a 16 year old that did not even know how to wash his own clothes. All we could do was cry out to our God for guidance and a change of heart for Seth. Little did we know that things would get much, much worse. To be continued...

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T12:09:00.001-05:00

I have to say that we had a very pleasant Christmas. Mostly, I thought about this being our last Christmas where we are all together. But, maybe not. A lot can change in a year. So, I savored every moment. On Christmas Eve, the girls made chocolate covered marshmallows for hot-chocolate dipping. They enjoyed that very much.

Considering we are a family of 8, things were quite calm at our house. The girls are generally mellow. When there is chaos in our home, it is usually because of Seth; but that is a whole 'nother post.

Opening stockings.

We had to satisfy Joy's sensory needs.

Jack always tries to keep himself from smiling. But, he can only hold back for a short bit. He's a tough one to buy for. He's not fashionable, doesn't like reading. We bought him clothes and books anyway. But, he did get a DS.

And since Jordan had not showered yet, she wouldn't let me take her picture. So, this is the closest you'll get to seeing her right after getting up. She really doesn't look badly, but I wouldn't let you see me either.

So, what do you get your son who needs nothing and is ready to be a Marine? A money box!

I don't think he would have been too happy if they were all ones. But, since he's unemployed at the moment, he'll take what he gets.

And keeping with our new-found tradition, the gang headed out for a movie. The guys and Jordan saw Tin Tin, which they really liked. Jack received the books as a Christmas gift from Grandma. I think the movie pricked his interest to read. The girls and I stayed home, since there was not an appropriate movie for the younger ones. Once I got them to bed, I stayed up too late watching Emma.

1998

2011-12-21T19:21:00.001-05:00

I remember a lot of details about this day 13 years ago. Life was so good. I just gave birth to my 3rd child, Jack. Jordan, Seth, Jack, and I were heading out for a busy, fun-filled day. We started off going to Jordan's ceramics class, where she and Seth made some messy-looking snowmen. Next, we bought some last minute Christmas gifts and had lunch in town. We lived in Illinois at the time, so it was cold and snowy. Our family was staying home for Christmas, but planned on heading to my parent's house after the New Year in West Virginia.

But, our plans drastically changed that afternoon. Instead of enjoying the evening as a family, we headed out to West Virginia. My father died suddenly that afternoon on a warm, winter day. He had been out washing the car with his grandson, ran some errands, and then died.

I often think about what his life was like that morning. Did he even have a suspicion that something was not right? Did he suffer much? His death was a complete shock to all of us. I was not prepared. No one was. I spent the next 2 months in a daze. My nights were filled with vivid dreams of my dad. Mostly, the dreams were of me trying to resuscitate him or that he was alive again. Oh, to have him with me right now! What wisdom he had and could share with me. I know I did not spend enough time gleaning all that I could from him. I wish I could have one more day with my kind, compassionate, gentle Dad. The 30 some years I knew him was not enough.

After Nine Months...

2011-12-17T17:08:00.000-05:00

..we finally received Ivy's and Joy's birth certificates.

After completing Joy's last post placement visits in 2008, we never contacted the attorney to apply for her birth certificate. The post placement expired. Once Ivy came home, we updated Joy's paperwork, completed Ivy's post placement reports, and sent it all in to the attorney. Technically, we did not have to apply for a birth certificate. The adoptions were finalized in China. The girls would not have a US birth certificate, though. Even though it costs quite a bit to do a re-adoption in Virginia, it is well worth it to have that piece of paper. It will make things in their life much easier years from now. Finally, after 6 years of adoption-related paperwork, we are all done. All done.

But, we will have 2 empty beds in the house after Jordan and Seth leave, won't we? No. All done.

Two Christmases Ago

2011-12-15T22:35:00.002-05:00

Two Christmases ago, Ivy had never even seen a piano. Tonight, she played at her second piano recital without a twinge of anxiety.

Two Christmases ago, she had no family. Now she has 3 sisters, 2 brothers, a mom and dad, and 2 dogs.

Two Christmases ago, she never knew that she had a Savior who created her, loved her, and died for her. Now she does.

She has a home. She has security. She is loved. She has all she needs. And so do we.

Peppermint Pinwheels

2011-12-13T09:06:00.001-05:00

Several people have contacted me asking for the Pinwheel recipe. I've never personally made it before. Jordan first tried it out a few years ago and got terribly frustrated. But, that was during her trial and error years. She's since perfected the recipe with no problems rolling out the dough. And the sprinkles on the sides were just added this year. You can use any type of sugar crystals to roll the dough in.

3/4 C softened butter
3/4 C sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp red food coloring

1. In bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in 1/2; add extract and food coloring to one portion.

2. Roll out each portion of dough between waxed paper into 16 x 10 rectangle. Remove wax paper. Place red dough over plain dough and roll up tightly starting with long side. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnite. I think this is the point where Jordan rolled the dough in crystals.

3. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4 in. slices. Place 2 inches apart and bake @ 350 for around 14 minutes.

And, to get you in the mood, here are some more yummy cookies from this year.

Cut outs. Everyone loves them.

Everyone loves biting the heads, arms, and feet off these poor gingerbread. These are my favorite.

Toffee squares. Mike really likes these because they are his mom's recipe. The rest of the family likes them, too. I think Joy passes on these.

Snowballs. Mike, Jordan, and I are the ones usually eating these. They go great with a cup of coffee. These are the ones that usually hang around until Christmas. The other cookies get eaten mostly by a young man in this house without self control. I wake up in the morning to find sugar crystals spilled all in the freezer where the tin stays. Shame on him.

It's Feeling Like Christmas

2011-12-12T19:40:00.000-05:00

This week, it finally got cold. Well, cold considering our temps have been around 60 for quite some time. Sunday was in the low 40's, and today was mid 40's. So, it was time to split the wood and build a fire.

These are the reasons for having boys. Their brute strength comes in handy.

And these are the reasons for having girls! Although Mike seems to be hovering around the cookie makers for some reason.

I can't remember the last time I baked Christmas cookies. I'll be baking again next year, since Jordan will be gone ::sniff::

Joy thinks the candy cane cookie cutter is a "J".

I'm trying to stay away from them all, but it is tough.

I Could Have Cried...

2011-12-07T20:25:00.001-05:00

..when Seth walked out of the bedroom after taking the clippers to his head. I just don't like the bald look on Seth until he is actually in the military.

He's still handsome in my book, but I prefer the long locks of curls he used to have.

It is definitely better than this.

Tree Hunting

2011-12-03T19:03:00.001-05:00

Everyone was home this morning, so we headed out to find the perfect Christmas tree. We found a place close by that had one.

Kind of tall? Looks good!

I hope this is not our last tree-picking Christmas with our older 2. I cannot imagine them not being with us next Christmas, but it is very likely they will not. Jordan always does a good job decorating and baking cookies. Seth is always good for brute strength.

Joy is still small enough to carry around. How old is she? 5 1/2!

The Line-Up. I am never in a picture with Jack. I couldn't resist. He, obviously, is not real pleased to have his picture taken. Never likes it. It is torture. Agony. That is why I can never get him to smile..too often.

The finished, decorated tree, compliments to Jordan. She always does a great job. I think this is the tallest tree we've had.

This is a little off topic, but as I'm typing this, I hear this conversation going on in front of the tree.

Eva: Dad, when Moxie dies, are we going to eat her?

Mike: No.

Just for your information, we do not eat our pets when they die. I have no idea where she got such a thought.

False Alarm

2011-11-30T15:43:00.001-05:00

Last Tuesday, Seth got a call from his recruiter that there was possibly an opening to leave for boot camp 6 days later (would have made it Monday). Did Seth want to give it a try? Oh yeah! Monday morning came around, and he still did not know anything. Then he got a call that said to show up at the office asap. He did. So, while he was gone for 2 days, I cleaned out his drawers, organized his stuff, threw other things away.

He traveled to the MEPS station with high hopes of leaving for book camp on Tuesday. But, he did not go. He was on stand-by that whole time. So, he is still on the wait list...still hoping. My feelings are very mixed. I'm glad to still have him with me, driving me crazy, but I know how badly he is ready to leave.

I Don't Want To Wear A Dress

2011-11-27T16:07:00.001-05:00

When I came home with her in 2006, I thought for sure I had a girly girl. She spoke in a small, sweet, voice. There was nothing loud or obnoxious about Eva.

Her room was pink. Her bedding was floral. Her closet was full of dresses. She loved all things shiny. She even loved her princess shoes.

She enjoyed her girly movies and Barbie's The Princess and the Pauper. Now, she informed me that her favorite movie is the exciting one called The Buccaneer, starring Yul Brenner and Charlton Heston!
She hated bugs and getting dirty. She was a girly! Or so I thought. Today before church, she informed me, "I don't want to wear a dress." What? Today, she wore brown pants with a white butterfly shirt. At least it was a butterfly. That is still kind of girly. But, then again, it is a bug. Almost like these that she carried around in her pockets, dead or alive.

And these.

Oh, well. I tried. She's not as girly as I thought. But, my oh my, how I love my non-girly girl.

An Early Christmas Present

2011-11-26T12:59:00.001-05:00

Jordan gave Seth an early Christmas gift (just in case he leaves on Monday...but that's another post). Can you guess what this is?

I thought it looked like an egg beater. Any guesses?

It is a head scratcher. Ivy, Eva, and Joy were all scratching Seth's head one day, so Jordan thought it would be the perfect gift. Jordan an I actually walked around the store scratching our heads with this thing. It feels incredibly good. I cannot even describe the sensation. I used it so much I got a terribly knot in my hair.

Just Because I Have These Pictures

2011-11-23T15:08:00.001-05:00

Last night, Jordan's Navy recruiter came over for some official document signing. It was a good time with questions asked and answered. Less than 6 months until Jordan leaves for the Navy.

She is very, very excited. That is really an understatement. She'll have boot camp in Illinois then head to school in Pensacola. Not too shabby. I'm sure we will be heading down to enjoy some time with her after she's been at school for a while. After school? Who knows? Her job is usually shore duty, not on a ship. She is really hoping for somewhere in another country.

And, we have this guy, Seth.

He is not scheduled to leave until August, but he is in a holding pattern at the moment. He is on a wait list to ship out. It is possible the Marines can call one day, and he leave the next. There is a lot on his mind. And mine.

So, I'm finished talking about my kids leaving. That is, until they actually leave.

Look What I Found! (Math)

2011-11-21T14:24:00.001-05:00

I happened to be going through some school books, and came across this Math house that I used with Jack around 8 years ago. It had a quarter inch of dust on it because it was sitting on the top of a big book shelf. So I dusted it off for Eva and Joy. They were quite excited to play with the felt numbers and sticks. I really like it because the girls get a visual of the number houses that cannot have more than 9 in each house. They seemed to catch on pretty quickly. So, in this picture I asked Joy to "do" the number 46.

As you can see, Joy has the 4 bunches of 10 in the Ten House, and she is counting out 6 sticks for the Ones House.

Joy was successful, so we gave Eva a turn for the number 30. See the problem? She did not realize it until she actually put the sticks in the house and could see that they did not make 30.

Eva is very good at transposing numbers and letters. If I ask her to pick out the number 76 on the chart, she'll usually pick out 67 instead. Now that she realizes she makes this error regularly, I can see her mind working overtime when I ask her a question. She's a little slower to answer, but I'd rather she get it right than get it fast. She has come a long way from not even being able to combine a consonant with a short vowel just this time last year.

Never Allow...

2011-11-18T11:50:00.001-05:00

...your clumsy 5 year old and wild 6 year old to race down the hallway. If you do, this could happen to the clumsy one that gets shoved into the wall by the wild one:

She may or may not need to be driven to the doctor by the big brother while sitting on her mother's lap who is holding a bloody cloth to her daughter's head that might need to be glued together with dermabond by her nice doctor.

A School Day With Joy

2011-11-15T14:05:00.001-05:00

When I finally get around to schooling Eva and Joy, it is usually some time after lunch. Jack and Ivy do their school in the mornings, and I do what I can with Seth, Eva, and Joy afterward. Now Joy can make any teacher cry, I'm sure. Throughout my mornings, I hear from Eva, "Mom, can you tell Joy to stop ________!" You can fill in the blank. It happens every, single, day, without fail. (As I'm typing this, I've heard it twice.)

Handwriting starts out with excitement for Joy. "Okay, Joy, let's write a line of "s". She starts writing one or two. Then she joyfully shows me her snake-like "s" after each one she writes. After about 5 of them, she's had enough. Onto something else. We are to copy the sentence, "Jan eats cake." It seems like an innocent sentence. Joy writes, "JAN EATS CAKE." I then have to tell her she has to write it again because we don't use all caps. She replies, "But, I like big letters better." Now we are onto Math. Imagine how long it takes Joy to write her numbers 1-30. She doesn't just write them, she wants them in the boxes perfectly, no overlapping or anything. In the meantime, she's half-laying on the counter, making faces at her sister, reaching over to take her pencil. "Mom, can you tell Joy to stop_________!" Joy is learning addition. She is supposed to color each box to represent each number. Her boxes have to be colored to perfection, using different colors. :Sigh: Now, we are onto reading. We cuddle on the sofa. She starts messing with her socks. She takes her book onto her lap and places her finger under each word. Joy is learning the "Y" sound at the end of a word. Her first word is Andy. "Hey, just like in the movie!" I look at her and say, "Joy, can we just read?" Seth, who was sitting across watching all this, gets up and says, "I have to leave. I can't take it."

I think Joy has a hard time focusing in school. Everything we do reminds her of something else, causing her to get so side-tracked. A lesson that should only take 20 minutes lasts twice as long with her. But, look at that face! It comes with a sweet, squeaky voice and a fiery temper. She wears me out.

29, 39, and 51

2011-11-10T12:48:00.000-05:00

Those are the weights of my youngest girls. Joy and Eva both came home weighing 15 pounds when they were a year old. Ivy came home weighing 41 pounds and barely budged in her weight gain for the first 6 months. But, she's caught up quite well. I look at all three of these girls and think about how their nutrition may have played a role in their development, both physically and mentally. I know that Ivy had food every day, but not very much, and she rarely had water. I also know that she did not have a variety. Everyday she had rice and soup. I also know that Joy never had a bit of food ever until we met her, only bottles. She had no idea what to do with the food I put in her mouth. Eva knew exactly what food was and loved it. She would focus on her food and eat anything in site very quickly, never leaving a crumb. So, take a look:

Ivy and Eva are 2 years and 11 months apart. Eva and Joy are only 8 months apart. To me, the big difference comes with Eva and Joy, both physically and mentally. Eva is 10 pounds heavier. It takes Joy about 2 years to grow into clothes that Eva has outgrown. Shoes take even longer.

Eva usually wants to be outside, exploring, playing, whatever she can do. Joy, on the other hand, loves those things, too, but wants to be in my lap whenever she is inside the house. Joy's emotional maturity is more at a 3 year old level. She reads at a K level, and seems to understand her schoolwork. Still, her temper, frustrations, rule her. So, I wonder how much food played a role in my daughters' beginnings.

Wordless Wednesday (or Jordan's Senior Trip to China in 2008)

2011-11-09T13:54:00.000-05:00

It's Official

2011-11-08T17:03:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm now the mom of a Marine and a Sailor. Today, Jordan signed for the Navy. She took her ASVAB (an aptitude military job skills battery test) yesterday and scored a mighty high 94. She was determined when she left on Sunday that she was only joining if she could get the job that she wanted. She had a very short list of jobs, and she got what she wanted, thanks to such a high ASVAB score. She told me that her job is working with intelligence and that once she joins, she can't discuss it (or she'd have to kill me?). So, how does that make this mom feel? Uh, a little weird, but extremely proud. She leaves right after her schooling ends in May. Jordan has researched and worked very hard on this since August. I always knew that when she puts her mind to something, she will accomplish it. Even though I may fail to tell her often, I am so proud of her. So, 21 years ago Jordan I were doing this...

Life was grand. (Please excuse my 90's hair and make up.) Yuck. Now, she's finishing up her 2nd Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and joining the US Navy. I pray she always chooses what is right and seeks God with all of her heart, all the days of her life.

Ahh, A Teenager

2011-11-07T19:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Jack! He is now 13. Amazing to his mother that he is that old already. I thought for sure that he still looked like this...

Not like this...

I love his eyebrows. Why do the guys get the thick eyebrows and lashes that you have to rake, and I get the barely-there kind?

So, we celebrated with a little gift giving...

...and some cupcakes and ice cream.

Yep, he's embarrassed. He has never liked being the center of attention, unlike his big brother.

And, instead of blowing out the candles, he decides to put them out with spit-covered fingers.

Jack's friend, Moxie. Thrilled to be part of this family.

A Little Work.....A Little Play

2011-11-06T16:51:00.000-05:00

We've been living in this house for just over 10 years. The house was ugly...very ugly. Want to see?

July 2001

The bushes were overgrown, the house dirty, but had potential. Maybe. I loved the land that came with the house. We only had 3 children at that time and did not plan on having any more. The children needed a place to run around and explore. All the trees got a work out from Seth and Jack. It was wonderful. We have done so much work to this house. The '90's must have been the year for sloppy, cheap house building, because this house was a mess. It is a work in progress. Mike did some more repairs to the front porch this week.

Mike working on the porch and working on his regular job. Isn't he cute?

Putting Jack to work staining some wood.

I just love all the land that came with the house. Even the girls play outside all day and I don't have to worry about them.

Eva, hiding some treasures she found on the property.

Her hidden treasures.

Our house in 2011...much nicer than 2001.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T14:05:00.000-04:00

Circa 2000

Food...Eggs To Be Exact

2011-10-31T15:57:00.000-04:00

Since Ivy came home in February 2010, she has continued her love for Chinese food. There are some things I was shocked to find that she does not like...simple things like cheese. She will not eat cheese of any kind unless it is hidden on a pizza or lasagna. There is never cheese on a sandwich or even a cheese stick. The same has gone for eggs. The only type of egg she will eat is a hard boiled one. To me, that is just anti-American. No eggs? So, we wiped that one off the breakfast list for her. But, the other night, the guys were gone to play soccer in 40 degrees with sleet and rain. Sorry, I had to miss that one, but I decided to fry myself an egg. Not only did I have an egg, but I had an egg fried in bacon grease...the best kind.

Then, I asked the girls if they'd like one? I had to explain to the girls how it was fried in bacon grease, cooked only until the whites were done, leaving the yolk a bit runny. I also explained how they had to dip their toast in that yolk and cover it with a tad of salt and a lot of pepper.

Slowly, the idea of a fried egg started sounding good to them, and they allowed me to fix them eggs and toast for dinner. Well, everyone except Joy, who was eating her usual Mac 'n Cheese. She never lives on the edge.

Not too bad! Notice Joy in the background enjoying her pasta. Nothing makes her happier!

So, now I have another item to add to our breakfasts. This a true first for Eva and Ivy.

My Small Wish List

2011-10-27T16:42:00.000-04:00

When I was younger, I never imagined what my life would be like. Some people have it all planned out; the romantic courtship, fairytale wedding, 2.5 children, retirement in Florida. Nope, not me. I just lived day to day. Still do. Now, that I'm getting older, so much older, I long for those carefree days. Sounds like an 80's song, doesn't it? So, I've a few things on my Wish List. Some I can make happen, others I have no control over. But, it is fun to imagine.

*Go to a South Pacific island, alone with my husband, for at least a week.

*Ride in a Hot Air Balloon.

*Take Jack to Hawaii.

*See the word "orphan" become non-existent.

*Lose 20 pounds.

*Re-live my children's birth days. (Even the ones that passed away.)

*Visit Venice.

*Watch Seth parent a son who is just like him. (You have to know him to understand this one.)

*Go to a South Pacific Island, alone with my husband, for at least 10 days.

*See Joy master tying her shoes.

*Live in a foreign country with all my children for at least 6 months.

*Watch Jordan marry a man who believes she is the best thing since sliced bread.

*Hike part of the Appalachian Trail.

*See Eva become a lawyer. (She has an answer for everything.)

*Listen to Ivy play classical piano, once she masters it.

*Read a whole novel, within a week. (I haven't done that since 2003 when I read The Count of Monte Cristo when Mike was out of town for 3 days. I didn't feed or bathe the children during that time. I just read the book, and Mike had no idea I neglected his offspring.)

*Work in an African orphanage.

*Re-live my childhood.

*Go camping with the whole family. (Not on Mike's to-do list)

*Have one more day with my dad.

*See all my children serve their Savior.

*Run a marathon. (I know that will never happen because of my shins.)

*Visit the place I grew up the first 10 years of my life...Mentor, Ohio.

*Go to a South Pacific Island, alone with my husband, for at least 2 weeks.

I'm not asking for much, am I?

She Morphed Into Munk

2011-10-25T16:02:00.000-04:00

I am not a big fan of nick names. I had/have one...Sissy. I despised it. The way I looked at it, it wasn't a name at all, just a definition. I was a sister, so they called me Sissy. I tried to name my children names that could not be shortened. I think I did a pretty good job, but inevitably someone is called by a nick name.

When Jordan was younger, I playfully called her Georgy Porgy. Seth was Seth Monster. Jack is still called Jack Sandwich, compliments of our friend Dan, when he put Jack between 2 pillows and made him into a sandwich. I never call Ivy anything playful. Nothing really fits. Eva is usually lovingly called Eva Beneva just because it rhymes so well. Then we have Joy. Joy is lovingly called Munk by her big brother Seth.

As I sat next to Munk on the sofa, nursing some fresh knee wounds, I thought about her name, Joy. Despite her temper and the stress she causes me on a daily basis, she is a joyful Joy. Even after throwing her daily fit, I can usually make her happy again with just a hug and a smile. She started on the fit path when she fell and bloodied both knees. This incident was enough to put Joy in a rage, stomping her feet angrily that she was hurt. She asked for band aids. I told her only after she stopped getting so upset would I bandage up her wounds. As I was washed off her knees, I thought of her Chinese name, Chun Meng, pronounced Chun Mung. I'd call her Chun Meng occasionally. Seth picked up on it, changed it to Chunka Munka. Eventually, it morphed into the shortened form of Munk. It kind of suits her. I love hearing Seth every morning greet Joy with "'Morning Munk!"

We're Crazy

2011-10-24T13:37:00.000-04:00

Only a crazy family will drive 5 hours round trip to sit and watch a family member play a 90 minute soccer game. But, it was good family time. Rarely are we all together at the same time, doing the same thing. It was good; especially knowing that the time is soon coming when we will not all be together often. Since Mike was ~~speeding~~ making good time, we stopped at an overlook, where a gracious lady patiently took a well-needed family picture.

Then, my ~~patient~~ children allowed me to take their picture.

Why is it so difficult for everyone to look at the camera at the same time? Is that really too much to ask? I just want happy faces for 2 minutes, please! Appease me.

We made it to the fields, hung out on the bleachers eating apple pie bites until the game started.

And, as always, there is the interesting journey to the public toilet facilities at these soccer fields. Sometimes it is the port-a-potty, which my girls are terrified of and only use in desperation. Other times, like yesterday, we had a wonderful 20-stall bathroom at the local high-school stadium at our disposal. Joy had to go. I had just taken her 10 minutes earlier. But, you know...she had to go again...more. She and I made the trek to the humongous bathroom. I sat her in her stall, headed next door myself. Joy, loudly making it known what she was doing, let me know she was done. Now, Joy is a tiny girl. She's not yet his the 30 pound mark for her 5 1/2 years. I'm not sure if the toilets were on a sensor or not, but the thing just kept flushing over and over. She is so tiny, she cannot get off by herself (plus the fact that she's not allowed to touch ANYTHING in a public bathroom makes it difficult to just hop off). She kept screaming, "IT KEEPS FLUSHING!". Poor girl. By the time I made to her, it had flushed quite loudly 5 times. She was not happy. I'm hoping it makes her think twice about using a public facility again.

My tiny girl, Joy.

Rare mother/daughter photo.

Don't these guys look ridiculous? Seth is the lone blue guy, the only one who looks like he is working.

Now, I have to decide if I want to make another 2.5 hour drive tomorrow to watch Seth play on a different team. I know the kiddos will be miserable if I take them, but I really want to go. Anyone want to swing by and watch my 4 youngest?

Because Seth Would Not Pose

2011-10-22T19:53:00.000-04:00

I had to resort to using Ivy as a model. Bear with me while I brag just a bit. (And, bear with me the next few months as I sort through feelings of my first son leaving home to join the Marines.) But, Seth is wrapping up his season of soccer. Today he and his team mates received 3rd Place in their Region. This is the team trophy that we get to keep because Mike is the Coach. Ivy is beautifully wearing the 3 medals Seth received for this particular tournament. I am so proud of Seth. He has worked incredibly hard with his team. Seth has been with some of these guys for the last 4 years and has loved every minute of it. I will definitely miss sitting on the sidelines cheering my son on (sniff, sniff).

Fortunately, when this season ends with this team next week, he still has another month of games on another league thru November. I'll savor every minute of watching him play, win or lose.

An Unexpected Feeling

2011-10-21T14:15:00.000-04:00

Today, a friend shared with me that she is 16 weeks pregnant! My first thought was, "Congratulations!" I knew that she had a miscarriage earlier this year, and I was so happy for her and her family. Then, suddenly, a little twinge of sadness came over me.

Don't misunderstand. I'm perfectly, wonderfully content with my clan. But, for the first time in quite a while, I actually felt a loss. A loss that my body will never experience the growth of life again. A loss that I'll never nourish another child from this aging body. I don't particularly want to be pregnant again, especially at my age, or even have another baby in the house. Maybe the reality that my kids are growing up caused this passing sadness. Maybe it is just a reminder of the children I've lost over the years: Ashton, Grace, Ben, and Rachel. Maybe I'll always feel this way until my life is over.

Eva and I

But, soon chaos will ensue our lives once again. The sadness will fade into the background until another reminder comes my way. Life is good. It is such a precious gift from God.

This I'll Miss

2011-10-16T15:30:00.000-04:00

Last week, Seth found out that he got his first choice MOS (military job). He will be part of the Marine Security Force. I did not know much about it, but I was just thankful that he did not go straight infantry as he had planned. Nothing against it, but this mom did not feel good about it. So, when I heard him hoot rather loudly, I knew something good had happened. So, I did lots of googling. Not only did I search Security Force, I searched FAST Marines. FAST stands for "Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team". This is actually the one that Seth is hoping to become part of (it is overseas). It sounds scary, but interesting. After hours online, I figured out that these groups of guys are the ones that go in and secure an area of our nations' interests...like an embassy, a military base, a Navy ship...things of that nature, after an attack or disaster. I read that this FAST team went to Panama, Saudi Arabia (after the bombings), Middle East after the attack on the USS Cole, and quite a few other places. Apparently, they are not in one place too long. They go, get control, and move on.

Since Seth has not graduated high school yet, we have not been given a date for his departure. I am sure I'll know something after the new year and his graduation, which is in January. In the meantime, I've been thinking about Seth's life. There are so many things I can write about him. So many heartaches we shared and lessons learned But, for now I know I'll miss sweet moments.when he takes time out of his busy life and just hangs out and enjoys his family.

Another Early Birthday

2011-10-09T17:02:00.000-04:00

Officially, Ivy will be 9 tomorrow. But, today we celebrated her 2nd birthday. Not just her second birthday with us, but her second birthday celebration ever. So, while Ivy, Mike, Seth, and I were at soccer games, Jordan stayed home to bake cupcakes and take care of my other sick children.

She looks like a well-adjusted 9-year old, home with a family for 1 1/2 years now, doesn't she?

So, we all gathered 'round to watch Ivy open up her presents.

Some of the children looked on with excitement...

...wondering what could be in those packages?! Others, with anticipation.

Even a stink bug came to the party, along with 20 of his friends.

Ssshhh. I bought Ivy some trick candles!

Beautiful! Blow those candles out, baby!

Maybe this angle will work better?

Maybe she needs some reinforcements?

"I'm done. Let's eat!"

Green Day

2011-10-07T16:33:00.000-04:00

Today was co-op. Today was green day for Joy. She loves dressing in the color of the week and eating colored snacks. Joy was not able to go to green day in her kindergarten class because she is sick. It is 4:30, and she is still in her jammies.

She just asked me, "Did they pause green day, Mom?" No, honey, they did not pause green day. She will have to settle for yellow day next week. She went to bed at 9:00 pm last night. By 2:00 am, she had woken up only 5 times. At that point, Mike, Joy, and I were up watching House Hunters International. Do you know how expensive it is to live in Sweden? It is beautiful, but I couldn't afford a decent house there. So, Joy and Mike continued watching TV, and I headed off to my own bed. If Joy continues with her croupy cough, I'm sure we'll be channel surfing at 2:00 a.m. again.

Clarification of Previous Post

2011-10-02T16:10:00.000-04:00

I want to clarify that my post from yesterday was not about Seth. Seth actually signed up for the Marines last month. He will be home for a while since he needs to graduate high school first. But, my new military child is Jordan. She is planning on joining the Navy. This is something she has given much thought and research to in the last 2 months, and she feels pretty confident about her decision. Her dad was Navy, as well as uncles and cousins.

She has not signed her life away just yet. There are some things to take care of first...mainly her college degree. I'm excited for her, though. She has a plan, a desire, a focus on her career, a goal. She is hoping for a specific job in Navy, which I think she will have no problem obtaining. Fortunately for me, she will be home through May when she finishes school.

Your prayers for Jordan are much appreciated.

There Must Be Something In The Water?

2011-10-01T19:06:00.000-04:00

Rain and Mud

2011-09-28T15:44:00.000-04:00

My boys have always loved playing in the rain and mud. So do my girls for that matter. So, it was no surprise when it did not bother Seth to play soccer in the rain last Saturday.

The whole family headed out for a day at the soccer fields. The day looked promising when we left the house early that morning for the 2 hour drive. Once we arrived, though, the rain greeted us with a smile, and stayed around for most of Seth's playing time. But, it did not deter Seth's play or our cheering.

The Cheering Family

Jordan thinks she looks like a mom in this picture. Well, she's got the kids because she held the biggest umbrella! That is what she gets.

Doesn't it look like fun? Seth played a great game with a goal and an assist.

He brought home this yucky shirt that used to be white, along with the matching dirty socks. After 2 washes, they look new! I love Oxi Clean!

Three Minutes

2011-09-25T20:26:00.000-04:00

Three minutes in the life of a 6 year old named Eva, the videographer, with her 5 siblings. Yes, when they are all home it can be this chaotic at our house. Jordan was doing laundry, Seth was on the computer, Jack, Ivy, and Joy were hanging around, Mike was in his office while I made chocolate chip cookies. It was good. We haven't had everyone home all at the same time in a while.

Playing Favorites

2011-09-22T13:58:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have favorites. I have a favorite bunch of kids. This bunch. The imperfect bunch.

Sometimes the easier kids make themselves easier to love. The example of that is Ivy. Another current example would be Jordan (but not 5 years ago). If easy was a reason to love, then Seth and Joy would be extremely disliked in our household. I assure you that is not the case. Jack and Eva run a pretty even "normal", although you'd never know it from their expressions in this picture. Clearly there is some unhappiness happening with those two.

Favorites. I cannot imagine favoring any one of my children. Jordan, Seth, and Jack are not any more special just because they came from my womb. Ivy, Eva, and Joy are not lifted on a pedestal because they were adopted from China. Can you imagine the feelings of inadequacies any of these children could have if there were a favorite? Unfortunately, that is not the case for everyone in my family. I have 2 children that do favor a particular child each. Can you guess? They each have one sibling that they adore just a tad bit more than the others. One favors a sibling because (I think) that child has a personality that matches theirs. The other one favors a child because that child really likes him/her. But, I know with time, they will come to understand that we do not love a child more than another...one day when they have their own.

He's Gone

2011-09-14T15:31:00.000-04:00

Well, just for 2 days. Seth left this morning for his MEPS. He will be taking his ASVAB and doing some physical fitness stuff. He was so excited to be going. This is his 3rd attempt for this appointment. The first trip was postponed due to the hurricane. The 2nd because of an error on the computers. So, I hope all goes well for him.

Seth picked up some Marine paraphernalia for his proud mom.

Ever since Seth's decision to join the Marines, I've wandered between excitement and fear. Seth has loved the military life for many years. I just recently packed up tubs of guns, camouflage, knives, canteens, and many other things from his years of playing on the battlefield. I'm not surprised at his decision, but rather expected it. I'm excited for him because he is excited.

This picture was for some army playtime he made up.

Seth would wake up at 5:00 am, finish his school work by 9:00 am, just so he could have the whole day to play "Army". He was always in full gear, including the blackened face, accomplished from cleaning out the exhaust on the truck. We were frequent customers at the local Commando Supply store, where Seth always wanted some new "gear".

You would not want to be our neighbors at night. Seth would army crawl to surrounding houses just to see how close he could get. Once he invaded a neighbor's birthday party without their knowledge, bringing home secrets about their personal life which I cared not to hear. Another time he arrived home to say that one elderly neighbor did not have blinds on his bathroom window. (That one bothered me.) So, you can understand why I'm not surprised.

Then comes the fear. If you are a mom, I need not explain a single thing to you. All you need to know is that August 2011 was a deadly month for the US Military in Afghanistan. I think I would be less concerned if Seth wanted a desk job. But, no. Seth wants a RECON job.

Six Years Old a Day Early

2011-09-11T17:43:00.000-04:00

Eva's birthday and family anniversary is the same day, September 12th. It is amazing to me that she has been in our lives now for exactly 5 years. Since everyone is going in different directions on her actual birthday due to soccer, karate, and school, we quietly celebrated at home today. It was kind of last minute when I realized no one would be around on Monday. Although she ended up with a store-bought cake, she was quite the happy girl to be celebrating a day early.

Eva has wanted a tool set for a few years. I bucked against it, "Not my girly girl". I have finally consented. A girl needs her tools!

All the girls were quite interested.

The pink cape does not quite match the orange tools, but it will have to do for now.

She needed a little Pinkalicious to complete the day, a gift from Grandmaa

Jordan with Ned's Head.

Eva's smile just brightens up a whole room. Of all my children, she has the biggest, happiest grin. She makes me laugh with her silly ways and quick-witted replies. She's sweet, clever, sneaky, and eager for an adventure. When she first came home, she was all sweet and dainty. Over time, her two brothers have had an impact on her. She's quick to get into a wrestling match with Jack. She's even been known to take a swing at him when I'm not in the room. It seems she is always ready for a game of soccer and enjoys going to see big brothers play the game. She still loves to eat. I mean really eat. A lot. After a large bowl of cake and ice cream she asked for M & M's. I denied her...until after dinner when she asks again.

Sweet Cousin Aidan came over to share a little bit of fun.

Why Bathe Her?

2011-09-08T09:14:00.000-04:00

People not familiar with her would think she was a stray. People probably would even think we do not take care of our dog, Millie. True, she is an outside dog. We bring her in when it is too hot or too cold. But she is happiest when she is outside. That is just Millie. We recently had her bathed, and she smelled so good and felt so soft. But, sometimes I think, "Why bother?" She ends up looking like this.

Yes, that is manure on her. She loves it. Then, there are the burrs that manage to find her when she wanders through the woods. Oh, to have such a grand life as she!

Eva tried picking them off, and Jack tried burning them off. I put a stop to that one real quickly.

Can It Be Five Years Already?

2011-09-07T15:28:00.000-04:00

Has it really been 5 years since we boarded that plane to bring home our Eva? Exactly 5 years ago we were getting settled into our long flight to Beijing. Other than a short flight on a prop plane, Jack and Seth had never flown before. It was a fun time for them both...until about 4 hours into that flight. The excitement wore off and they were just ready to get off that plane.

The crew looks so young, don't they? I know what 5 years has done to them, imagine what it has done to me.

We did the usual tours in Beijing and had a wonderful time seeing the wonderful sites.

We loved the Hutong tour and eating the delicious food.

We had no idea how much Eva's adoption would affect us all. We knew within a week of returning home, that we would be back to adopt again.

Our family of five would eventually become a family of eight.

Eva, 2006

Eva, 2011

Another Anniversary

2011-08-28T16:57:00.000-04:00

I almost let today's anniversary pass me by. It is another milestone in our lives that I am sure will be remembered but not as celebrated as the years turn into a blur.

I remember that early morning flight...we all do. We loved (especially Jack and Seth) heading to the airport when it was still dark out. We caught our connecting flight to Chicago, and like our first trip to Eva, grabbed our breakfast of cinnamon buns and coffee. We walked around O'Hare airport, looking in shops as we waited for our 12:30-ish flight to Hong Kong.

The flight to HK was long, but everyone did well. Eva only fussed the last couple of hours. We arrived in Hong Kong, tired, smelly, and sleepy.

After a long layover, we connected to Guangzhou and was at the White Swan by midnight. We found out that we would meet Joy the next day instead instead of having a full day of rest. I remember feeling anxious, yet excited that we'd finally meet the little girl we've been singing about for the last 7 months.

We met Joy around 4:30 pm. She had a long bus ride from Wuchuan. She was sick, quiet, and smelled like she had been dunked in baby powder. But, she was ours. She went from a scared little girl on that first day, not crawling, walking, or even eating solid foods to squealing, running, and eating on her own by the time we left China 2 weeks later.

Joy and Me the morning of September 12th.

We left China bright and early the morning of Eva's 2nd birthday. And, what a birthday it was. Eva has never been so rotten as she was for that 36 hour birthday. She fussed, whined, screamed, threw fits. It was hard on her. We laugh about it now, but I remember going into the bathroom on that long flight home, sitting down and just crying and asking God to help me endure the long trip home with Eva. Joy, on the other hand, was a little easier to deal with. With a little singing, holding, and food, she was a happy girl. Hats off to the wonderful United flight attendants who brought us treats and encouragement during that long flight. They were probably glad to see us leave!

This and That

2011-08-25T10:51:00.000-04:00

Well, I barely have gotten one project completed before starting another one...or two. I've decided to paint the fireplace mantle. The builders did a lazy job when this house was built. So many cheap short-cuts and the fireplace was not spared. The mantle does not sit directly on the tiles, so you can see the sloppy grout job behind the wood. I am hoping to get some wood trim to close it up. In the meantime, I am ~~forcing~~ asking Seth to assist in the sanding.

My niece, Violet is over for the day. She is the same age as the girls. I consider her my babysitter because when she is over, I don't see my girls too much. Is that considered child labor? Anyway, I fixed them some blueberry muffins for breakfast. Out of all the food I have fixed her over the years, she has only eaten mac and cheese and my blueberry muffins. Isn't Violet cute?

Joy likes my muffins, too. It just takes her too long to eat them, or eat anything for that matter. She will spend an hour at breakfast trying to eat soggy cereal or muffins. I think the only thing she eats quickly is...mac and cheese...no surprise there.

So, after the other girls finished up their breakfast and went outside to do this:

...Joy is still sitting in the kitchen doing this...

I know. She's cute and fun. How bad can it be to have this little one sitting at the counter all day long talking to me? Well, it is not too bad if you like to hear her constant sound effects. She is always talking, humming, singing, making some sort of noise. As I type this I'm listening to her mumbling about nothing. There is no one else here at the moment and she is in constant noise making mode, except when she is asleep. :Sigh:

We sort of started school around here. Since I'm trying to fast track Seth, I got him started this week on his English/Lit and Music. I found this amazing book at the library by accident.

It discusses various composers and styles of music, and it even includes 2 narrated CD's with portions of music of each composer. I'm quite pleased because I was not sure how to teach this subject. Seth finds it interesting (especially the section about the hot-tempered Bach getting into a fight with a bassoonist), which I'm surprised at considering his ~~lack of~~ taste in music. And today, he starts his government class.

And here is Joy still trying to finish off that muffin. Maybe I should take some lessons from her and eat slower and less. I probably would not have this extra 10 pounds hanging around.

Old News By Now

2011-08-23T19:49:00.000-04:00

Today just after lunch I let the children watch a movie. I needed to take a short rest since I went to bed late last night and got up early this morning. So, I am lying there on my bed, knowing that I need to get showered and take the crew to soccer. As I am getting up, our house starts to gently rock. It was the strangest sensation. Our house has shook before from large, loud trucks barreling down the road. But, this was different. I waited to hear a truck or a jet, but there was no sound. My first thought after that was that we just had an earthquake. So, headed downstairs and asked Jack if he felt the house shake. Jokingly, he replied, "Yeah, we just had an earthquake." Well, my thoughts exactly, buddy, but I did not say anything. I went back upstairs and waited, feeling for more shaking. After a couple of minutes I checked the local news online. Sure enough, they were reporting a 5.8 earthquake.

I texted Jordan. And she was really bothered by it. She was on the 12th floor downtown at work. I'm sure she probably felt it much more with the swaying of the buildings. I texted Mike, who is out of town on business. He missed all the excitement today: an earthquake, and his son scored 2 goals in his first scrimmage soccer game.

Seth with the ball.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

2011-08-20T14:44:00.000-04:00

I have finally gotten all my school stuff together.

It will be an interesting school year. Ivy is finishing up her 2nd grade DVD school year in about 55 more lessons. I wanted to do a lesson every day this summer, but somehow we did not manage that. I am schooling Eva and Joy more diligently this year. Last year it was hit and miss with the two of them. Seth has 4 credits left, which I am hoping to fast track (a whole other post). But for the next 11 days, this is his book of choice:

Then there is Jack...that could be a whole other post, but I won't do that to you. Jack learns differently. Last year we did the Countries and Cultures with My Fathers World. It was excellent! He and I enjoyed that tremendously. Jack doesn't concentrate too well. He needs certain things to help him along, so I bought him this putty to play with while we school:

And, since he likes gory stuff, I bought him these for his reading material. Now, before you look..don't judge me. You have to understand that Jack does not feel real confident in his reading skills. So, I thought I'd buy something that really interested him, to get him motivated, thus these:

It is the Graphic Forensic Science books. They are set up like comic books. As much as I'd love for him to sit down with a Sir Walter Scott or an Alex Dumas book, it just is not happening with him. But, one day...one day I'm hoping he'll love to read a classic novel. But, for now, this is what I'm letting him devour:

Yes, it is an autopsy book. Also included in the set are Corpses & Skeletons, Crime Scenes, Criminal Profiling, Trace Evidence, and Ballistics. Guys like this sort of thing. I was even enjoying a little bit of it. To even out his reading material, I did purchase him the anatomy course from Apologia. I thought it would fit in nicely with the gory stuff.

I have always wanted to use these to help my children learn their math facts:

I finally made the purchase of the 4 basics: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. I am very pleased with them. Ivy and Eva have been playing around with them. They will really help Eva and Joy with their motor skills, too. Joy is still struggling, but, Eva is starting to wrap them up nicely.

And thanks to a big dog that will remain unnamed, I found the corner of Jack's American History book chewed up!

So, other than my post from a couple of days ago (which still has my head spinning a bit) this is all that is going on in our house. Seth's soccer games start this week (he is playing in 2 leagues, keeping very busy), and Jack starts his soccer practice. I'm not sure when we will be starting our school year. I'm trying to savor these last couple of weeks.

No Words Necessary

2011-08-19T08:25:00.000-04:00

Seth and Sgt. M.

Another Teenager in the House

2011-08-18T17:18:00.000-04:00

As if there is not enough drama in this house...we now have another teenager.

Millie is 13 and still her frisky self. She gave us much grief trying to run away from us initially, but once she learned family was a good thing, she decided to stick around. For some reason, I don't think Millie is going to give me much heartache in her golden years. Although we don't know her exact birthday, we got her on August 18, 1999. The vet said she was about a year at that time. She and Jack are close in age.

Chinese Food

2011-08-16T10:28:00.000-04:00

We all liked Chinese food before we even adopted from China. We have a few nice places in town that we frequent often. We always thought they were just fabulous. That is until we went to China and had real Chinese food. Unfortunately, some of the amazing foods we ate in Beijing, Nanchang, and Guangzhou, we cannot get at our local restaurants. So, I ventured online and to the local Chinese markets for some finds. Because I love greens, I found this Bok Choy recipe. I've fixed it a few times, but only Ivy, Jordan, Seth, Mike and I will eat it. I could live off this stuff.

You want to buy the baby Bok Choy, and I steamed Jasmine rice and dumplings/pot stickers with it.

Ivy is always happy when we have this sort of meal. She confessed to me last night that she did not eat greens in China. I actually noticed that when we were there together. I'm glad she decided to venture out of her safe box.

Joy is just a big starch ball. All she wants to eat is rice and pasta in no fussy order. Last night she had seconds only of the rice and pot stickers. Eva did, too. I took Jack to Wendy's for chili. Such is life with Jack.

I Must Have Perseverance; Character is Next

2011-08-15T18:51:00.000-04:00

I must have perseverance because Romans 5:3-4 says, "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulations brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;"

I don't usually tease with my blog posts. At least it is not intentional. I try to keep my life somewhat private. So, I'm praying that this scripture truly comes to pass in my life because, well, life can be so difficult at times. I don't know when the character or hope will arrive, but let it be soon, Lord, soon. I am tired.

Joy-ism

2011-08-10T21:17:00.000-04:00

Joy is not one to say anything too clever or witty. She is usually very matter-of-fact, plain and simple. But, every now and then Joy says things that is so out of character for her. For example today, some friends stopped by briefly. The girls were running in and out of the house during that time, playing. A little after they left, I asked Joy if she said hello to our friends. She replied, so un-Joy-like, "No....I freaked out!"

Maybe your children say this sort of thing. Mine do not. I guess that is why I thought it was so amusing and worthy of a short blog post.

Because You Asked

2011-08-09T16:36:00.000-04:00

These Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars are soooo good. I have not eaten them. Well, sort of. Since I cannot eat gluten, and graham crackers have gluten, I just scrape the top layer of chocolate and goo off and savor it for a while. I don't even have the vocabulary to describe it. They are rich. Very rich. So rich, that my sweet-a-holic son will not eat them. So, because you asked and deserve it, here is the recipe:

CRUST

18 graham cracker boards, crushed
4 TB sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

FILLING AND TOPPING

3 TB cornstarch
2 TB milk
2 cans (14 ounces each) sweetened condensed milk
4 TB unsalted butter, softened
2 TB light corn syrup
8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vegetable shortening (oh, yeah)

1. Heat oven to 350. Line a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with nonstick foil: overhang short ends slightly.

2. Crust. Stir the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Transfer crumb mixture to prepared baking pan; press crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. Bake the crust at 350 for 17 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a rack and cool completely.

4. Filling & Topping. Stir together cornstarch and milk. Bring condensed milk, butter, and corn syrup to a boil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Whisk in cornstarch mixture; cook 2 minutes, whisking, or until thickened. Pour over crust, spreading level. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until topping starts to bubble. Remove to a rack; refrigerate for 2 hours or until cool.

5. Microwave chocolate and shortening for 1 minute or until melted, stirring halfway. Stir until smooth. Spread evenly over filling and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or until set. Use foil to lift bar from pan to a cutting board. Cut into 16 bars.

FYI: Because we are vultures when it comes to sweets at our house, Jordan cut down on the cooling times by putting them in the freezer instead of refrigerator for shorter time periods.

Death By High Fat Content aka Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars

2011-08-08T08:52:00.000-04:00

Jordan made these last night. Shame, shame, shame on her. She has always been a great baker, but her regular cooking skills need some fine tuning. She and her future husband may just have to survive on love and baked goods.

So, these babies have 456 calories (maybe less since I cut them into smaller pieces), 20 g fat (12 of which are saturated), 63 carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 1 g fiber, 269 g sodium, and get this...50 mg cholesterol! Don't ask for the recipe...I might be charged with something. Who makes up these recipes anyway?

You Know You Are Getting Old...

2011-08-06T11:23:00.000-04:00

...when summers fly by as quickly as it did this year. Remember the lazy days of summer when we were kids and it seemed as if we would never get old? Remember when 40 seemed ancient? What grand times! Now, summers are so different. The good thing about home schooling is that we can make them last just a bit longer. But, yesterday, we headed to co-op to get the children's pictures taken. Co-op does not start until September, but they all look forward to going back every semester. Don't you just love these fake smiles, especially Jack's?

Seth is not participating in co-op this year. I'm sure he will be greatly missed! We have big plans to graduate him a bit early if at all possible. He hopes to join the military this time next year.

Dishwasher Dilemna

2011-08-04T10:06:00.000-04:00

Usually, Ivy and Eva take turns emptying parts of the dishwasher. One day Eva will do silver, Ivy will do the dishes. The next day, they alternate. I told them they had to keep track of what they did. They can't. There always seems to be a conflict. So, I started writing on the calendar whose turn it was to do the WHOLE dishwasher. The girls just looked at me. I'm not good at remembering any more than they are, so I came up with this:

Since Ivy emptied the dishwasher last night, she had to put and "E" for Eva. It is now Eva's turn to empty. Once Eva empties, she will replace the "E" with an "I". I think that will solve the problem. Eva happily walked into the kitchen this morning, bright eyed, saying, "It's my turn to empty the dishwasher!" Then, I happily replied that they were not even clean yet. Amazing what a little letter can do for a chore.

Adoption

2011-07-31T17:45:00.000-04:00

We started our first adoption in 2005. After hearing a friend's story of 2 failed domestic adoptions (birth mother changed her mind) and watching the news of families torn apart years later when the birth mother changed her mind, I knew that I would not adopt domestically. I guess I was terrified or very selfish. I did not want the grief and agony of giving up my child. So, I researched international adoptions.

People have asked numerous times, "Why not "our own?", meaning the United States. One man recently said to me while working on my kitchen, "Too bad our country makes it so difficult to adopt our own kind, isn't it?" I don't know why I was so surprised. Maybe it was because he was just so blunt about it all. I told him, "A child needs a family, regardless of where they are from."

Today I was reminded about the agonies of domestic adoptions. My friend and her husband were asked by the birth mother to adopt her 12 month old son. She had moved around and could not take care of her son. She had a very bad life that involved drug abuse. My friend, lovingly, brought this child into her home and heart in February, making them a family of 7. There were many struggles with attachment and fears from this beautiful son of hers. We could see him starting to make eye contact and smiling at church. He was progressing. Only days away from finalizing the adoption, in walks the father, who has never been a part of his son's life. Within 10 minutes, their son was gone. How can our agencies allow this? Why does blood make such an impact on the system? I had to spend more than a $1000 to prove myself worthy to adopt, being fingerprinted and having multiple background checks. No one did a background check on him. I understand that he is the father. But, if he has had absolutely nothing to do with his own son for over a year, he should have to prove that he can parent and provide for this child and not rely on a monthly government check.

Fortunately, I do know of wonderful families who have adopted domestically and/or through our nation's foster care system. I know that it can work. But, for others, like this little fella and my friend, the system has failed. It is a reminder why I could not bring myself to take that step domestically.

Bugs

2011-07-29T21:19:00.000-04:00

Jack has been collecting these lately.

They are just the shells of the cicadas. Then he proceeds to feed them to the dog.

I smacked his fingers. It was just gross to me. Instead he feeds them to her without my knowledge, outside, and leaves the tiny legs on my kitchen floor.

Can you see it? It is just as bad as when Jordan did her bug collection for her 9th grade biology class. She kept them stored in my freezer. After freezing the praying mantis for about 10 minutes, she set him free. She could imagine him freezing to death. Softy.

Speaking of my kitchen. It is almost complete. I ordered my lights, but am still debating about the one over the sink. One door needed to be re-ordered. But, I really like the finished look.

The only thing I really dislike are the outlets. They seem like such an eye-sore to me. But, that much electrical was not in the budget. Neither was the new frig, so I'll wait.

Happy Birthday

2011-07-22T17:48:00.000-04:00

One year old today.

Ten months has surely flown by with Moxie She has finally settled down and is quite a pleasant pet (although she still eats everything, even the inedible stuff).

My Girls

2011-07-21T09:41:00.000-04:00

Why is it that my girls will freely pose for a picture? They love it when I grab my camera and say, "Let's go outside for some pictures!" But, this time it was Jordan's idea. She wanted a picture of all the sisters for her desk at work. So I took a few.

A couple of the girls were not thrilled getting spiders and various bugs on them. So, this did not turn out so good. Let's just say one girl with the pouty face was not happy.

So, we focused on a close-up where the girls could stand up. Joy tries too hard to pose. Then we tried again.

And Joy still tries too hard. But, I was happy with it because this is just Joy. Eva is just her goofy self, and Ivy always seems so calm about it all. And Jordan, of course, is the mature one. I think.

This is about the best I can currently get with the boys with my phone. They were being exceptionally good with the girls at the pool, letting me relax in a chair the whole time. Eva once asked me, "Mom, why aren't you in the water?" Ivy replied for me, "Because mom comes to the pool to sit and relax. It is the only time she gets to do that." Thanks Ivy.

Back In Business

2011-07-15T14:21:00.000-04:00

Well, mostly back in business. A few workers came to the house this week to install our counters and hook up our plumbing! I will never take my running water in my kitchen for granted again. I'm very pleased with my counters, Tan Brown Granite. Yes, it is dark, but it sure is nice having counters again. So, now we need to have our upper cabinet doors replaced next week (ordered squared not arched) along with the molding and trim. And the plumbing needs adjusting. The gurgling sound down the drain just doesn't sound right. Add a couple of bars stools, some touch up paint, light fixtures, and we are set. Well, besides that the fabric on our dining chairs need replacing (another time). I'm just so thankful for a working kitchen. Can you hear me singing that last sentence? I am enjoying it so much that I don't mind doing dishes :o))

Yes, I know the fridge does not match. But, it works.

Did you know that this dark granite hides everything (crumbs, coffee & tea stains)?

I need a light over the sink. Until I find one, I get to look at the exposed wires.

I even framed some pictures from our 2006 China trip. This man has no clue his picture is being viewed everyday in our kitchen.

Eva Keneva!

2011-07-13T11:17:00.000-04:00

I stole the "Eva Keneva" quote from my friend Becky last week. She quoted it after seeing Eva riding a bike down her street. So, last week while we were at Becky's house, I took Ivy to their backyard with a small bike, no training wheels. She felt safe because she could put her feet down quickly if she thought she was going to fall. No problems! She took off immediately and rode around the yard all week long. She was quite scared. I could tell by the look on her face. So, while she was practicing, I went inside the house. The next thing I knew, Ivy had given Eva a push on another small bike, and off she went. So, both my older girls are now officially "bike riders".

I was concerned that once we were home, Ivy would not want to ride her bike anymore. I was correct. We have hilly property and a hilly driveway. Not dangerously hilly (except one side), but more gently sloped. Plus, Ivy's bike is a bit taller than the one she learned on. Although she can touch the ground with her toes while on the bike, she is a bit unsteady. So, once home, Mike took the training wheels off both girls' bikes. Eva took off, fast as lightening, thus "Eva Keneva". She appears to be fearless, and crashed onto the grass only once. Ivy....well, just as I predicted, was very cautious. She has trouble going fast enough to ride it because she doesn't want to go too fast. She spends more time "stopping her bike" than "riding her bike".

Notice the intense look on her face? The fear of falling and getting hurt is such a part of her daily life. I know with time that fear will subside, but it hurts watching her be this way. She actually jumped right off her bike yesterday, instead of putting on the breaks, because she thought she was going to crash.

Eva is loving this new-found freedom. She zips and zooms all around the driveway, which is pretty long and circular. It has been fun watching both girls learn this skill, which epitomizes childhood. I loved my first bike, a yellow Huffy. What more could a girl want?

I am trying to teach "drive on the right side always!" to the girls. It even applies to walking on sidewalks and in grocery stores. This is a hard one to learn. All 3 of them want to take up the whole sidewalk or aisle.

Floors Are In

2011-07-11T18:32:00.000-04:00

After repairing the back door and replacing the rotting wood, we finally got our floor down the day before we went out of town. It is really hard to get used to a dark wood floor, since I've had white vinyl for the last 10 years. But, I really like it a lot.

I like the contrast of the darker wood against the medium wood cabinets. The wood is a 5-inch, hand-scraped hickory. Definitely not what I'm used to.

Tomorrow morning the counters and sink will be installed. Our water hook-up won't happen until Wednesday (hopefully). We had it all planned so that it would be finished right after we returned home from our trip to Illinois, but it didn't go as we expected.

FYI to our family in Illinois...all went well on our trip home. We had planned on leaving for home on Monday morning, but we had discussed the idea of driving through the night. When I mentioned it to the boys, they were all excited. So, after dinner on Sunday, we left Illinois at around 7:30 pm, EST. Mike did amazingly well. I tried driving a bit, but had to turn it back over to Mike after my eyes started crossing at about 3:00 am. We arrived home at 9:05 am this morning and took a short nap. All the kids did great. We even had Moxie with us.

One thing about me and vacations...I end up eating something with gluten in it at some time or another. I should know better. Some things effect me worse than others. I can eat a half piece of pizza with no problems, but give me some noodles, and I'm a mess. Most people have an intestinal issue with gluten products. I, on the other hand, have a skin issue. This is the worst it has been in a long time. If you are squeamish, don't look. My hand looks horrible, and it hurts even more.

My hands are swollen, cracked, and blistered. And this is on day 4 AFTER I ate the Chinese noodles from Panda Express. I really did not think 3 bites would hurt me this badly. Hopefully, in a few days, the swelling will go down. It is hard to wash dishes, bathe my children or even myself when my hands are like this. I end up with band aids and ointment all over my fingers just to stop the burning. Lesson learned.

And Now It Is July

2011-07-05T16:44:00.000-04:00

We spent July 4th with some old friends and new friends. We enjoyed the fireworks sitting on a dock on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin (wish it was Switzerland), but we had a fantastic time.

Grace, Jack, and David

Our new friends (lovely family, by the way) had this neat swimming area at their house. The girls had a grand time swimming and playing in the sand.

Jack, trying a dive off the canoe.

All the kiddos lined up trying to sink the canoe. They were not successful.

Such a beautiful place!

Now onto my childhood. I absolutely loved tadpoles when I was a little girl. Any chance I could, I'd find some sort of waterhole and a bucket to bring home tadpoles. I loved watching them swim in the palm of my hand. So, when I got to see this...

...it brought back such fond memories! Then, we got the see some tadpoles growing some legs...

...but, when they were onshore by the hundreds like this and now tiny frogs...

...my girls weren't too amused about my childhood stories. I won't mention the fact that we stepped on many, squishing them to their death.

Yes, I know. I failed once again. No sunblock for Jack caused this look. You would think he had been floating in the ocean for a week. Poor guy.

Becky and I have been friends since 1997. Since moving away from Illinois in 2001, we've visited each other all but one year. I love this girl!

Another one of Those "Conversations"

2011-06-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

I am sure it all starts because of the eyes. They aren't like mine. Or Mike's.

I was at H@rdee's with the 3 girls and Jack. Since we don't have a kitchen up and running at the moment, I had to feed them something. And, since the girls have never been to H@rdee's, I thought it was a decent choice, right on the way to the pool. We sat down to eat our lunch. An elderly lady about 75+ years old stopped by with her husband.

Lady: Can I take one of your girls home with me?
Me: No. I think I'll keep them all.
Lady pointing to Jack: What about him?
Me: He's staying with me, too.

At this point the lady is eying all my children rather closely, and I'm just wondering if she'll actually say it, or just leave, wondering why my girls look so different. I guess she felt comfortable in commenting.

Lady: Your husband must have brown eyes?
Me: Yes, he does. (Jordan is my only blond/blue)
Lady: But the girls' eyes are so dark, almost black.
Me: Yes, they are. (long pause since the lady is still waiting on an explanation) The girls are from China.
Lady: Oh. They are all so beautiful.

Then after some comments about how busy I must be, she was off. None of these questions really bother me at all. I know that some adoptive parents dislike them for various reasons. The only reason I dislike them, is that I feel that my biological children are just ignored. This particular lady did comment about Jack, but her focus was the girls. I understand that. But, sometimes I just cringe because of how my other 3 children may feel about stopping and explaining our family. I always try to change the focus when this happens, sometimes to no avail. I don't want my 3 oldest children to feel less special, if that makes sense. I don't want my 3 youngest girls raised up on some pedestal by other people. I often see that happen in the adoption community. I like a comment that Seth said to a friend after having Eva home a while. His friend asked him what it was like having a Chinese sister. Seth's comment was, "I don't look at her as Chinese. She's just my sister."

The Idiosyncrasies of Eva

2011-06-27T15:19:00.000-04:00

She's unusual. But, most 5 year-olds are. I already mentioned how she carries "stuff" around all day. At bedtime there are toys all around her, in her pillowcase, and hanging from Ivy's top bunk. She likes little gadgets. She saved a rock once just because it was "smooth". The other day the girls were outside, and I spied this peeking out of Eva's pocket:

a rock, and a red sharpie, which she is not allowed to have. In her hand, she carried an old checkbook cover her dad gave her. She makes me laugh. She always has some sort of adventure going on.

A girl with a long stick can be anything she wants to be. So can a girl with a backpack.

When we first moved to this house 10 years ago, this weeping willow was too small for Jordan to play under. But, now, it becomes a fancy castle when you add a few chairs and blankets and a dog.

Eva's first word she spoke was "bug". When we came home from China our ceiling was covered in ladybugs...hundreds of them. She later was terrified of bugs or anything looking like a bug. I tried putting a worm in her hand once and she screamed. She was even scared of frayed rope. So, when she started bringing me "bugs", I thought, "that's my girl!". I loved bugs and worms when I was little. The other 2 girls would never have brought me these:

And just because Moxie goes everywhere the girls and Jack go, here is our 11 month old puppy. Jack has trained her well...loving the soccer ball.

A Lttle Bit of Organized Messes

2011-06-24T14:07:00.000-04:00

I know I have to live with this for a while. But, this is hard for a couple of organized adults.

This is as organized as we are gonna get until the counters arrive, which won't be until July 12th. The hardest part is no kitchen sink. I have to wash my dirty dishes in the bathtub! Yes, that's right! We use paper plates when feasible, though.

I'm kind of getting used to the open top cabinet concept. It makes it easy to just reach in and grab a fork without opening a drawer.

I'm really liking my door knobs. They add just the right touch to the kitchen. Notice that my doors are not aligned just yet. We still need the molding added to the cabinets, which won't happen until...July 12th when the counters are installed. I know once the floor is installed next week it will look much better.

Got a new microwave put in. My last one caught fire once and just was so old. I'm sure it was leaking some radiation over the last decade we've lived here.

We've had this faithful refrigerator (Kenmore) for 10 years. The ice maker went out on us just a few years after we bought it. We had some other problems, but it seems to be working fine now. It just doesn't match, and it is kind of small for our family. But, we Mike is not ready to purchase a new matching one just yet. Maybe I should sabotage it? All in due time...The lights need replaced too. Do you like the bright, gold-builder-installed lights from 21 years ago? I broke down and cleaned them the other day. I thought I was getting some new ones right away, but it appears I may have to hold off on that, too. What a Pandora's Box we have!

Someone Grabbed My Camera

2011-06-24T11:45:00.000-04:00

Yes, I found these pics on my camera. Some I deleted, but kept a few. Jack really isn't this ugly, though. He just is good at making ugly faces.

Kitchen Redo

2011-06-22T14:34:00.000-04:00

I consider myself to be a pretty easy-going, content person. It doesn't take much to make me happy. Something as little as a new hair clip or laundry basket can tickle my fancy. So, imagine my complete joy when we decided to redo the kitchen. After all, I've been living with this for the last 10 years:

which we found out had this underneath:

thus, needing a repair job to happen next week, before the flooring guy comes over, before we head out of town.

And these ~~hideous~~ cabinets were just falling apart. My bottom drawer had to be lifted, then lowered to sit on the floor when in use. I've received numerous splinters from these cabinets. The formica counters have snagged a few sweaters over the years, also.

In the meantime, we are living with this chaotic mess of a kitchen. But, I'm pretty easy-going and can handle these minor conditions in our home. After all, I do have a home, indoor plumbing, and many, many extras in my life. I'm thankful, so thankful.

So, my kiddos get Krispy Kremes for breakfast, which they are thankful for. I'm not quite sure what is up for dinner. But, I'm pretty certain it won't be happening in our kitchen.

**Disclaimer - If you happen to have these particular cabinets and floors, please do not be offended. They just do not suit my particular tastes or function for our family.

Father's Day

2011-06-20T18:41:00.000-04:00

Father's Day used to be about my dad. I guess I was no different than Mike. He once told me, after not acknowledging me on Mother's Day, that I was "not his mother." He has since not forgotten a Mother's Day. But, I don't think I do enough to show Mike how much he really is appreciated. He works hard, loves his children, and loves the Lord with a full heart. In the last 25 years, we've been through some really tough times, and some amazing times. Sometimes we fail to show such love to those we love the most.

So I made him cupcakes.

Dinner with the Girls and a Guy

2011-06-15T18:47:00.000-04:00

I am usually a stickler about fixing one thing for dinner and making everyone eat it whether they like it or not. Sometimes it just doesn't work that way, though. Sometimes I fix something that I know one of my children would not touch with a pole. I make some exceptions. My two pickiest eaters are Jack and Ivy. Jack would be happy with burgers and tacos. Ivy would prefer Asian, hmmmm.

Tonight, I made this taco type chili. I love black beans. I put this over some nachos...very tasty. I've fixed it before, but Ivy and Joy did not care for it.

Notice the girls plates? They are all eating something else while Mike and Jack were at karate, Jordan was still at work.

Let's see...Eva, of course, as usual, eats just about anything. So, she ate the meal. A very large portion, I might add. Joy...well, Joy lives off mac 'n cheese. I made a large dish 2 nights ago, and she's still eating from that. Add a pickle on the side, and she's a happy camper. Notice the twinkle in her eye and the wide opened mouth? Then Ivy...yes, she's eating out of plastic. Annie Chun's Pad Thai, to be exact. This is my go-to meal for her when we are on the run or I've fixed something she just does not like. Seth had dinner with us, but it was so quick that I did not get his picture. Jack should have no problems eating dinner tonight since it is slightly Mexican, and he can eat it with chips. And of course, Mike is just about happy with anything I fix.

Wild Kingdom

2011-06-14T18:00:00.000-04:00

Since I've shared a few wildlife episodes of bees, a skunk, and a snake recently, I have to add our most recent visitor:

It came from the upper part of our property and headed to the pond below our property. I'm no turtle expert, and am wondering why it left its pond to begin with. Any thoughts? Laying eggs? There is no water above our property, and despite the algae and greenery on its back, it was pretty dry. After this incident with Seth, it quickly (as quickly as a turtle can move) headed to the pond, and it seemed to know exactly where it was going.

And onto our other "Wild" animal, Moxie. This is what happens when a dog gets into the recycle bin looking for treats. And no, we did not let her fall down the stairs.

Ivy's Prayer

2011-06-08T13:22:00.000-04:00

After having a much needed discussion on cleanliness in our house with the little girls, I couldn't help but chuckle at Ivy's prayer the other night.

"Jesus, help me be nice. Help me wash my hair good so I don't get bugs."

On another note, Ivy had her first filling at the dentist today. On her permanent front tooth she had a spot. It took me a while to find it since that tooth was way up in her cleft area of her mouth. The doc said the spot was from lack of enamel. It finally earned the right as a cavity last month during her 6-month check. It is amazing to see that tooth quickly sliding down into place since her surgery back in December. I can actually see the tooth pretty good when I pull her upper lip back. Anyway, after many tears, slobber and a drippy nose, the tooth with the spot is all fixed and one color. She cries at every doctor visit, no matter if the doctor touches her or not. I was amazed to see her crying at her first eye exam. The poor doctor never put a finger on her and had to contend with teary eyes.

Tomorrow, off the cleft clinic to see what the next step will be. I'm guessing it will be braces to move those teeth down to where we can actually see them! And one day soon, she will be able to pronounce the many sounds that need front teeth to make. I'm looking forward to it.

What To Do With The Safe Child?

2011-06-07T22:31:00.000-04:00

I've always been a little adventurous. As a child, I spent my days playing in creeks, catching crawdads and tadpoles, riding down rivers on make-shift rafts, riding ponies, swimming, fishing, playing ball with the big boys, etc. Even as I've aged, I'm always game for something. If Mike said to pack my bags today, I'd head out to hike or camp for days or weeks, travel across the globe with no agenda whatsoever (Mike wouldn't ask that of me, but I'm just lettin' you know what I'd do). So, since I have a little girl who would rather sit in a house most of the day, it is a little disheartening.

I feel badly for Ivy. She is quiet, shy, not up for adventures. For example: Today, we headed out to a camp with a bunch of kids from co-op. There was a huge rock wall, and even huger zip line. Other 8-year olds and younger tackled them both. Ivy sat and watched. While other girls, whom she knew, played on noodles in the pool and jumped off the diving board, Ivy quietly walked around in the shallow end. Despite the lack of participation with girls other than her sisters, she said she had an "awesome day." At times I feel like she is missing out on all of the fun. At home, I watch her creeping ever-so-slowly on her bike, training wheels intact. During her swing time, she never goes very high. And roller coasters? I don't think so! Even when Seth gets a little wild with the girls and throws them around, she is the first to scream, "No!" when he gets them spinning.

Ivy is quite fun and playful, but she is usually pretty calm about it all. I told Mike the most spunk I've seen from her was the day we met, and she screamed when she was finally left alone with me. I hope that experience did not zap the zeal right out of her. She is a smiley, happy girl. The best way to describe her is "safe".

I've repeatedly encouraged her to participate, yet she doesn't. I give her opportunities in various settings. Sometimes I think I should just leave her alone, and she will do what she is comfortable doing. Other times, I want to push her to participate. I struggle. She is unlike all my other girls and me. For me, as long as I know that she is happy, then I am happy, regardless. You would think that after having her home over a year, that I would have it all figured out...but I don't. Maybe I'm the one struggling, not Ivy.

Playing it "safe" at the playground

Jack, rock-wall climbing and zip lining.

Five Years

2011-06-06T19:29:00.000-04:00

Our 5 year referral anniversary is coming up. Of course, all mom's think about their children's anniversaries. But, one thing I've been thinking of is China Adoptions. Our file was logged in on June 30, 2005; we got our referral July 31, 2006. So, in the last 5 years since our referral, China has only completed one full year of non-special needs log-in-dates. How terribly sad for those families and children still waiting. And to think...we've had Eva for almost 5 years.

The Passing of Martha

2011-06-01T21:22:00.000-04:00

I had a message a few weeks ago from her daughter, Judy. She asked me to call her with news of her Mother. I dreaded calling her back. I had not spoken to Martha since she had gotten out of rehab for pneumonia. My mind raced with various scenarios of how the call would transpire. I knew the call would be coming some day soon since Martha was almost 90 years old. But, I was not prepared for the wave of emotions I felt when I heard Judy say, "This is the phone call you've been dreading. Mother passed away today."

Judy shared with me the details of Martha's passage into eternity, one that was painless and peaceful. The lump in my throat grew larger and larger as I thought of my dear friend. She was someone who loved the Lord with all of her strength. I could always count on her praying for me daily. All of the little things Martha did for me over the years came to my memory. Seth and Mike were her groundskeepers. Weekly, Seth would make the short trek to cut her small yard. The whole family would make a day of raking 40+ lawn bags of leaves every fall for her. We'd end the day with Martha fixing us a wonderful, warm dinner.

This is Martha with Eva on July 4, 2007. She really wanted to travel to China with us, but I think the trip would have been way too much for her. Unfortunately, it was only 3 months later after Joy came home that Martha moved away to live with her daughter in Florida because of her declining health. She was always so full of life and spunk even up to her last day of life on this earth.

Our November 2009 Trip to Florida to see Martha

Martha and Mike exactly a year ago. She looks so good. I miss her so much already.

So today we went to her memorial service. I was not sad. I knew where she was and I rejoiced for her new life and body she now has in heaven. But, as I heard the sweet stories from her family and other people who loved her, I could not help but feel that lump in my throat once again.

Advocating

2011-05-31T15:30:00.000-04:00

Since settling in after our last adoption, we've gotten into a place of comfort, habit, and routines. It has been good. Today in my email I received an update from Bringing Hope to Children. These are the same people who we used when we adopted Joy, though they no longer do China adoptions. Usually, I don't look at the children. My heart aches for them. Even though we are not planning on adopting again, some of you might be. There is a healthy girl, 13 next month, waiting for her family. Go here to register. Then on the navigation bar, go to Member Area, then to Special Needs, then China. At the bottom of the page you will see a list of children. Yu Ying is the cutie pie I'm talking about.

As I scrolled the list, I came to a familiar name...Wu. That is Joy's orphanage name. The little one who shares her name is called Wu ChunYu. She is just a month younger than Joy with knee and feet issues. They were together in that orphanage. I think how much Joy has grown and learned in these last 3 1/2 years. I look at ChunYu and think of how much she has lost. As much as I would love to bring her into our home, we cannot.

There are numerous beautiful children, waiting, on this partial list with varying severity in their special needs. But, their biggest need is the one for a family. But, I warn you...once you look, your heart will never be the same.

Ssssssss!

2011-05-30T16:35:00.000-04:00

We've lived here 10 years and this is the first time we've seen a snake. We've had many deer, opossums, foxes, skunks, rabbits, groundhogs, squirrels, mice, a bear (but that was 2 miles away), bats (living behind our shutters), but never a snake.

I love the look on Eva's and Joy's faces. Jack and Joy were the brave ones to touch it. Ivy took off around the house when I asked her if she wanted to feel it. Mike then set it free in the woods.

The Dirt

2011-05-28T22:16:00.000-04:00

I have always considered myself a neat, clean person (except as a teenager). As a newlywed, before children, I actually cleaned our house every single Saturday morning! I cannot believe I did that. No one was there during the week to even get it dirty. Even when Jordan was born, I still cleaned every Saturday. Anyway, as time passed and more children came, I cleaned less and less. But, the one thing I had to keep clean, was my children. I have never been one to go out in public with a dirty-faced/grimy child. It just seemed the proper thing to do was clean up before heading out the door, baths every night during the summer.

It seems the older I get, the more dirt I can handle. I don't clean my house every Saturday. The bathrooms get cleaned somewhat regularly. At least I know when they need to get cleaned and end up getting to them within about 4 days of realizing they are a hazard zone. But, I still need to keep the children clean. For the life of me, I don't understand how a little girls fingers and toes can look like this AFTER a bath.

And just to let you know, I clipped and cleaned Eva's nails. It's the least I could do for her because I will never let her go out of the house dirty and grimy.

"Stuff"

2011-05-24T15:27:00.000-04:00

I can hear her walking down the hall in the morning. I always know it is her by the sound of plastic. She carries around a hand-picked selection of plastic bags to put "stuff" in. Eva never puts anything of value in them, just "stuff". I hear the sound when she climbs into bed. Her pillow case is filled with little plastic baggies of "stuff". Eva wants to take them wherever she goes, although she never opens them. Last night I cleaned out a kitchen knife (from the play kitchen), small New Testament, and a hair bow from her plastic baggie.

Backpacks, purses are filled to the max. Whatever she has, she wants a lot of it. Food. She can never have just a little, but it has to be a plateful, or a second helping. Water. She will go into the house every 5 minutes to get water. Eva always wants a cupful of water all day long.

What is it? A sense of security of having something? Is she afraid she won't have it? Is it just fun to have "stuff" in little bags? When she was younger, and something was missing, we knew to look in Eva's bags. She always had it. When I ask her why she has plastic bags of "stuff", she says, "I don't know." Maybe she doesn't know. Sometimes it is sad to see her carrying her bags from room to room, never opening them, having the need to take them with her. Other times, I just laugh at her. Sweet Eva.

What I Love About Jack

2011-05-18T12:24:00.000-04:00

Jack is different from most boys. He doesn't say a whole lot. He enjoys little things and staying home. He is satisfied wearing the same clothes multiple days in a row and it doesn't matter if they match or are off-season. He can go months without combing his hair, and he is not concerned with his appearance. He plays soccer and is a red belt in karate. He loves his two dogs. Teaching Jack has been a challenge and always interesting. In his sentence writing, I get things like: "The white cake, frosted with pink icing, broke apart." "Her birthday party, held at a pizza place, got bombed." "The dog, trained to shake hands, died."

Both of my boys' sentences or papers have tragic endings. My girls, on the other hand, write lovely, happy sentences. Anyway, back to Jack. The other morning, Jordan came out of the bathroom after showering, "Jack got into my shaving cream again, and my razor, and soaked my towel." I just grinned, knowing this was typical Jack. When I asked him what he was doing in the girls' shower, he replied, "Shaving." Well, Jack is only 12, and he doesn't shave. I asked, "Shaving what?" "My arms", he said smiling. That is life with Jack.

Jack's Dogs

Today Jack had to write a 3 paragraph paper. Since he loves geography, I told him to write it on 3 places he most wanted to visit. I did not get a typical 12-year old's answer. He did not choose Disney, the beach, or an amusement park. Instead, he chose Nord, Greeland, a military and scientific base in the Arctic Circle as the #1 spot. For #2, he chose the Hawaiian Islands for the warm, wet, forests. And lastly, he chose the Gobi Desert in Mongolia because "the temperature ranges from 120 degrees in the summer during the day to -40 at night in the winter."

So, if anyone would love to donate to the "Jack's Trip Around the World" fund, just let me know. All we could do is visit, look, and freeze to death (except in Hawaii).

Bees

2011-05-16T19:54:00.000-04:00

I saw this outside my front window:

After shooting them with a paintball gun to no avail, we sent in the big guy...Seth:

Then I felt badly when I found out they were just there for a pit stop, probably waiting for their queen on their way to a new home. They were gone before nightfall. Fortunately, Seth was not successful. Fear gripped him.

The Birthday

2011-05-10T21:20:00.000-04:00

We now have another 5 year old in the house, and she is excited about it!

She was excited about her fish cake...

...excited about money, which she knows nothing about...

...excited about presents...

...and candles.

And today, I thought about the other mother. I wondered if she remembered her daughter. I look at these pictures and know that I am the one who gets to love her as my daughter, know who she is, hold her, cuddle her, kiss her. Tonight, Joy fell asleep on the living room floor, clicking her tongue like she usually does when she falls asleep. I got to carry her sleeping body to bed. The other mother did not. She did not. To not know my own daughter would be unbearable. I cannot even express in words how I feel about that.

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T18:17:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to everyone who reads my blog! Last Mother's Day I was doing this:

This year it was a little different, although it was still pleasant.

Jordan bought me these cute measuring cups.

When they are stacked...they look like a flower. So cute.

My stash of cards from the family.

Later, we headed to dinner, where we all ate too much. I'm just thankful I did not have to cook or clean the kitchen. I've a good life.

Busted!

2011-05-08T16:41:00.000-04:00

Moxie sneaks into our pantry every now and then, but never walks away with anything. But, this time, she decided to try out a sweet potato. I guess it was pretty tasty...at least it was until she was caught with it. She doesn't look too happy, does she?

She looks like she has lot so self control here. Notice the drool hanging off her jowls? All over a little milk bone.

Creepy Crawlies

2011-05-03T21:06:00.000-04:00

When Eva first came home she was terrified of bugs, worms, and such. She even cringed and cried over the frayed edges of a rope. So, imagine my delight when she brought this to the front door! I so enjoyed the feeling of worms in my hands when I was a little girl. She sure has come a long way!

Now, if I can only convince Ivy to do the same.

Good Bye Old Friend

2011-05-02T21:25:00.000-04:00

You've been true and faithful since the day we bought you for our daughter in 2005.

You were Jordan's first car, and served her quite well all these years. But, it is time to move on since you have some problems. Jordan needs something more reliable; something that doesn't suck down 2-4 quarts of oil a week. After a day with her dad, she decided to replace you with this:

At least it is still in the Toyota family. So, enjoy your new life with your new family. Maybe they can mend your wounds and get you feeling better. Au revoir, Ciao, Guten Tag, Zai Jian, Adios, Sayonara, Good-Bye!

Twenty-One

2011-04-30T10:15:00.000-04:00

Yes, Jordan turned 21 years old this week. Kind of sad that I'm so old, yet happy for Jordan to celebrate another year of life. Sometimes with all the chaos and difficulties of raising a larger family, I forget to appreciate or notice her accomplishments.

*When she puts her mind to it, she is a very hard worker.
*She started taking classes at the local community college at age 15 and has been there since that time.
*After struggling with a couple of different courses of study, she decided on Criminal Justice.
*In between classes, she heads off to work at a local law firm.
*She has a tender heart.

I am very proud of her, but often fail to say it or show it.

No, those aren't Joy's glass, and Yes, my windows need cleaning.

Our Girls

The Posse

Millie, age 13, interrupting our photo shoot.