Our Journey to MeiLin

There is nothing better than a good book!

2012-01-27T18:42:00.001-10:00

As a parent, there are many things I wish I had done differently, but one thing I think I did right with Colin was to teach him a love for reading. I used a reading curriculum with him called Sonlight. They have a very interesting philosophy to teach a young child how to read. You should let your child read below their reading level so reading is not a struggle. Consequently, your child can be immersed with the story and not challenged with trying to pronounce every word. Another great reason to use Sonlight is the number of *read-a-louds* they have you complete. Yes, they require you to read to your child.....all the way up to junior high school!

I remember listening to a lecture by Andrew Pudewa from IEW last year. He is a strong proponent of reading to your child, and it was interesting to listen to him and his philosophy of why public schools don't read more to their students. Especially in the older grades. It's not measurable. Not gradable.

I will always have the fondest memories of sharing books with Colin.

It's definitely been more of a challenge to make the time to read-a-loud with Lily. I moved away from the Sonlight curriculum because it is somewhat time consuming and chose a different *core* curriculum this past year. It hasn't been great, but it has been okay. Up to recently. The past two weeks has clearly shown me that it's not working.

Then Colin (the smart one) says, "Why aren't you doing Sonlight, Mom?" "I'm still doing Sonlight in 10th grade." Then Lily adds in, "Remember last year when we read Little Pear and Follow My Leader?" (both books we read while we were doing Sonlight)

Sometimes such a kick in the pants is good.

Lovely when the direction you should take is crystal clear.

I'll be digging the Sonlight books out of the storage closet this weekend.

There will be stacks and stacks of great literature to read.

Together.

And special memories to make with her, too.

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!

2012-01-03T20:43:00.000-10:00

Did I ever mention that John attended the king's coronation in Tonga?

Well, while he was there, he was fortunate enough to meet a delightful American couple who happened to be sailing around the South Pacific.

Yes, this is true. You can't make this stuff up :)

And it gets better.

This sweet couple just happen to have a vacation home here on Oahu in Kailua.

They invited us to spend the last the day of 2011 with them.

What a memorable day the six of us spent swimming with the turtles, relaxing on the sandbar, and trying to absorb one of the most spectacular views that the island of Oahu has to offer.

MeiLin looking out into Kaneohe Bay.

She REALLY liked being out on the water!

The beautiful mountains that look over K-Bay. All of the Hawaiian islands were formed from volcanos. Now the mountains are covered with greenery and vegetation, but the ridges on the mountains look almost sharp.

Going.....

Gone!

Colin getting ready to swim with the turtles!

Our friend Steve has an underwater camera!

You'll notice there's no picture of the sandbar because I was too afraid to take my Nikon out of the boat!

Yup. Their house.

I'm working on that covet commandment.

Beautiful flowers.

I stood on the deck and took these pictures of a sailboat.

Mercy!

The peeps had a wonderful time!

Our friends have a caretaker who lives on the property to take care of things while they aren't on Oahu.

Do you think it's too late in life to consider a career change!

Party in the Hood!

2011-12-27T22:28:00.000-10:00

Black and whites. Few words.

Special day :)

Miss Emily.....The Birthday Girl!

My two girls (and the Maverick) truly had a fabulous time!

Mahalo Miss Jenny!

Mahalo Emily!

2011-12-24T20:49:00.003-10:00

Our sweet friend Emily delivered Christmas gift bags to the peeps yesterday. It was filled with all the necessities that will put a grin on a little one's face.

You know what I'm talking about: Scotch tape, bandaids, a mini notebook, a multi-colored pencil, and a snowman sticky craft.

The kids spent some time this morning at *the booth* designing their snowmen creations.

Thanks Emily! You're the best!

Bernard.....

2011-12-23T11:21:00.001-10:00

Apparently our Elf on the Shelf (aka Bernard) is a bit of an overachiever.

Sheesh!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T19:11:00.001-10:00

We are blessed to lived across the street from some of the oldest friends we know! And lucky enough to be able to share our Thanksgiving holiday with these people we think of as family.

We were also fortunate enough to have a couple of the officers from Lake Erie spend the day with us old folks and our kids. And these two Navy gals can cook! It was really great to be able to share the cooking between four of us. It made the clean up a lot easier, too!

These beautiful centerpieces were made by one of Jen's friends here in Hawaii.

Just lovely!

The feast!

And absolutely the moistest turkey I have EVER eaten in my life!

Jen's trick was to cook it at 500 degrees for the first hour or so and then turn it down for the rest of the time. Delicious!

It's Hawaii. Of course we ate Thanksgiving dinner outside in the sun!

Flowers

Orchids

Isn't that bokeh stunning?!

Yep, more orchids and bokeh.

I know it's a lot of flowers.

I'm thankful for light like this in November!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is all......

2011-11-22T22:45:00.001-10:00

I had big plans for a nice post of the peeps since I've been so lax in sharing them lately, but apparently Lightroom had different plans for me. For those of you who even care, I've spent the last two hours trying to get my pics from Lightroom to export into iPhoto. I've done it a million times before. Don't understand for the life of me why they were being so difficult tonight. After finally giving up and succombing to the *drag and drop* option, this is what you get.

A few pics of Mav and Lil at the playground today.

Oh yeah...and the bottom pic is my front yard.

Yup. Aloha.

My boys :)

2011-11-02T22:14:00.000-10:00

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T22:54:00.000-10:00

Let me just say that there is nothing more lovely than a warm fall Halloween evening in Hawaii!
No tights, leggings, or long sleeve shirts under their costumes this year!

The peeps were bursting at the seams all day. They could not wait to get into their costumes and begin the neighborhood prowl for candy!

Maverick lasted only about 4 houses and then wanted to go home :)

But don't worry, the girls ended up with more than enough to go around!
MeiLin has counted how many pieces of candy she has.
She may not be the one to borrow from!

The hit of the night were the Pop Rocks....Maverick said it was like a party in his mouth!

Enjoy the pics!

Sweet Miss Emily

Just Lily.....just because

2011-08-07T08:50:00.001-10:00

Yes, I'm still alive and kickin'!

2011-08-05T12:51:00.003-10:00

Not that I post very often anyway, but for some reason I needed a break from both my DSLR and my BLOG. I guess two months should be enough, so hopefully I'll remember how to take some pictures in manual and how to post a few pics for my 3 followers!

In any event, the last few months have been highly eventful. We've had some fantastic visits from family members we adore and we've packed up our home in the Washington DC area and are getting ready to move west.

For the last few weeks of summer, we are spending time at my folks place in New York. The weather has been lovely and the kids are enjoying breathing some fresh air! I'm so blessed to have parents who love to have their four grandchildren descend on them and literally take over their home and lives. I can't even go there in my head to think about the time change and the distance that will be between us over the next 3 years.

In the meantime, here are a few pics I managed to take yesterday. Give me a little slack on the editing. My iMac is in a wooden crate headed to Hawaii, so I'm using an old version of Photoshop on a monitor that I don't think even knows how to spell color calibration.

And rest assured, I definitely took the picture of the frog with my telephoto lens, and then cropped it up close. There isn't a chance I'd ever be that close to something slimy that jumps.

I don't do reptiles.

Yuck!

Pool Time!

2011-06-07T17:36:00.001-10:00

Don't ask me how it happened, but I went to the pool with John and the three little ones today.

I took over 100 shots. The colors were really amazing.

But what am I posting?

All black and whites.

All MeiLin.

This girl just takes my breath away.

Nuff said.

Black and White Wednesdays

She's Five!

2011-05-27T17:57:00.003-10:00

I can hardly believe our MeiLin turned five today!

It seems like only yesterday I was standing in China being handed the most adorable and terrified fifteen month old little girl. Time has gone by so fast!

We had a very special day filled with streamers, balloons, pizza, presents, and a Barbie birthday cake! I think the best part of all was that she was able to share her day with Grandma and Grandpa!

MeiLin has certainly grown up since that fateful day in Jiangxi, but in a lot of ways she is still the same.

1. She's strong willed. 'nuff said.

2. She does flips (with ease) on the trampoline.

3. She can read.

4. She's smart. REALLY smart.

5. She LOVES everything Barbie.

6. She doesn't like to share Maverick.

7. She has the best laugh.

8. Grandma is her best friend.

9. She loves to draw.

10. She picks me daily bouquets of clover flowers.

Happy Birthday, my sweet MeiLin.

Your mommy is in awe that she is blessed to share in the life of such a special little girl!

I Love You!

Lunch at the Park!

2011-05-10T11:39:00.004-10:00

Spring has definitely arrived at our house! The days have been amazing; full of sunshine, low humidity, and around 70 degrees. This kind of weather does not last long around here, so I'm trying to take advantage of it!

Lily and I have been working on her 2nd grade standardized testing and when we finished up yesterday, we headed to the park!

The park is located on the river right by our house. It's really a peaceful place.

After a little time sliding, swinging, and climbing, they were ready for lunch!

Sand and mulch in the Crocs.

Mei and Mav emptying their shoes!

Maverick picked the only dandelion in the entire park!

Does it get much cuter?

Lily and her pouty face :)

A much sweeter face.

Happy Spring!

Happy Birthday, Maverick!

2011-05-06T15:48:00.003-10:00

When I was 39 years old, I thought God was playing a little trick on me. But after a couple of pregnancy tests, I realized His plan was real. After 9 months of virtual unbelief, I gave birth to this little miracle.

He turned four today!

We started the day with opening his presents. John and I figured what was the point in making him wait until later in the day if we were all here. I can honestly say that all the gifts were a hit! A kid's MP3 player, digital camera, a pirate ship, etc. I don't think he could decide if he had to pick a favorite!

A little before lunchtime we headed to the bowling alley. It was the first time for the three little ones . Maverick and Lily had a blast! MeiLin was finished after the second frame. She accidentally threw her ball down the wrong lane. Everyone makes that mistake, right? She was too upset to continue.

Poor thing!

We stopped for a late lunch of pizza on the way home, so obviously it was a dinner of chocolate birthday cake for our family!

Here are a few special points about Maverick:

1. He likes to take showers

2. He still wants me to rock him to sleep.

3. He is addicted to the Wii.

4. He thinks Colin is a grown up.

5. He'll only wear *warm shorts.*

6. He's not a good eater. He survives mostly on pretzels and apple juice.

7. He likes going to the dentist.

8. He sleeps in a toddler bed.

9. He doesn't like to lose.

10. He climbs into my bed almost every night.

Happy Birthday my sweet miracle boy!

Your Mommy truly adores you!

Bubbles!

2011-04-06T07:04:00.006-10:00

Dear Miss Tiff,

Thanks for the bubbles!

Love, MeiLin

(They are obvisouly quite a hit!)

Cherry Blossom Festival....Part 2

2011-04-05T08:32:00.002-10:00

Just a few more pics of last week's tour of the sites in DC.

We spent Wednesday morning visiting Arlington National Cemetery. This cemetery was established in 1864 and encompasses more than 600 acres. There are currently over 300,000 people buried at Arlington with approximently 6500 being interred every year, 25 each day.

It was a somber day, cold and overcast, but appropriate for the way we all felt.
Such a place of honor and sacrifice.
Humbling.

Arlington National Cemetery is the only military cemetery authorized

to use horses as part of its ceremonial burials.

The Tomb of the Unknowns

*Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier Known But to God.*

It is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

by specially trained members of the 3rd United States Infantry.

The dedication to their fallen comrades should truly make us all feel proud.

I certainly do.

Cherry Blossom Festival....Part 1

2011-04-03T10:06:00.006-10:00

Disclaimer: This post is going to be VERY PHOTO heavy.

You.have.been.warned.

Let me just say that the thought of 13 people, and nine of them kids between the ages

of 11 months and 15, would be enough to give anyone a hestitating feeling of

*that's a lot of people to be sleeping under one roof.*

But let me assure you....

It was simply wonderful!

Yes, my BFF Miss Tiffany arrived with her family of seven last Sunday and we all spent the most delightful week enjoying each other's company and visiting (and photographing) the sites in our nation's capital. Not just any week, I must add, but the week of Cherry Blossom Festival.

Although we wished the mercury in the theromometer had risen a little higher most days,

the flowers in DC certainly did not disappoint!

We began our week with a visit to the National Archives to view original documents that included the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. You can imagine the excitement the four kids under the age of 4 had during that excursion! No pics allowed in that building, but Tiff did take a very cool pic of their mammoth front door!

Tuesday......

Tuesday started out with the Jefferson Memorial (my favorite :).

A view of the columns from the inside.

The cherry blossoms that circle the tidal basin in front of the Jefferson Memorial were breathtaking!

The blue sky didn't hurt, either!

Bokeh, bokeh, bokeh!

Just lovely!

A view of the Washington Monument.

Notice the White House between the trees to the left of the momument.

The Mr. and Mrs. at the FDR Memorial.

Picture credited to Colin :)

My three munchkins along with their new little buddy, Miss June! They all got along so well!

Me and my GF.....please come back!

Our next stop was the Lincoln Memorial.

This stone is engraved on the top of the front steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It is the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. stood during his *I Have a Dream* speech in 1963. I've been to this memorial many times, but I've never noticed this before.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. So powerful.

One of the magnificent buildings on Constitution Avenue.

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Flowers......

A few more....

Cut me some slack.....it was a LONG winter!

Our last stop for the day was the outside 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon.

I'd say #2 on my list of favorite memorials.

Each detail of its design was so well thought out.

Peaceful. And so meaningful.

Stay tuned for a few more pics....hopefully tomorrow I will share the rest of our special time together!

Who's Your Daddy?

2011-03-12T14:47:00.002-10:00

When John and I were first married we lived in New Orleans. Crawfish boils were an event we loved to attend. Long narrow tables were placed outside and covered with newspaper. When the giant pots of yummy goodness were done cooking and fixin' to be served,

they were literally dumped out onto the tables.

I can close my eyes and truly remember the atomosphere.

The aroma of cajun spices......crawfish, red potatoes, corn on the cob.....

Everyone crowded around and began to eat.
No untensils needed :)

Laissez le Bon temp rouler!

That would be *Let the good times roll* for all you foreigners!

Our experience with crawfish certainly has changed. Fast forward a few years (and a few children later) and welcome to 9th grade Biology. What would you guess Colin needed to dissect today?

Yes, a crawfish.

Not really the way I remember them.

We HAD to wait until after Mardi Gras to do this experiment.

Otherwise it just seemed sacrilegious!

I just hope if I'm ever privileged enough to attend a crawfish boil again that

this image is not I what I remember.

And no, I never sucked the juice out of the head. Blah!

It's Raining

2011-03-10T09:12:00.002-10:00

Some of us have a problem (you know who you are).

Everything we look at gets cropped, sharpened, and post processed in our brains.

Consequently, I couldn't possibly walk outside to get a Diet Coke with Lime from the garage refrigerator without noticing the rain running out of the gutter.

Water, ripples, movement, mulch, leaves, rocks, texture....

Before I knew it I was at the edge of the garage, still in my slippers, with my D90 trying to keep it from getting wet.

And I never did get my Diet Coke.

Shotgun

2011-03-01T17:38:00.001-10:00

Apparently their father is going to need one.

Maybe two.

Big Question.......

2011-02-27T17:56:00.001-10:00

Why

does

wear

his

sunglasses

upside

down!?!?

Portraits of the Peeps

2011-02-05T18:08:00.002-10:00

The last week of my photography class wrapped up this week. There was a lot to be learned about setting custom white balances and tips to taking portraits.

The planets must have all lined up today because I was actually able to get photos of each one of my four peeps! I played a little with them in color, but decided I liked them a whole lot better in black and white. Actually, the action I used is called *chocolate* so I guess it has a bit more of a brownish tone.

In any event.....enjoy the show!

ePhotography Class.....picture of the day!

2011-01-19T14:08:00.001-10:00

My ePhototgraphy class continues and today's assignment was *Creative Crop.* The lesson focused on the idea that your image will have more visual interest if your point of focus is off center.

After spending about an hour unsuccessfully trying to photograph Colin's acoustic guitar, I gave up and moved onto something more practical.

Oreo cookies. Double stuff.

Makes me want a glass of milk!

Picture of the Day....water

2011-01-18T12:54:00.002-10:00

My ePhotography class continues this week and the focus today is shutter speed.

One of the hardest *in motion* objects to photograph is water.

It's tricky.

I think I drained the battery on my camera twice.

I'm concerned about what the water bill is going to total next month. :)

In any event, here is the fruit of the over one hundred pictures I took today.

ePhotography Class

2011-01-14T11:11:00.002-10:00

Since I've spent way too much money on cameras and lenses,

I decided it was time to truly learn how to use all the bells and whistles John paid for!

My BFF and I signed up for a month long ePhotography class.

The goal this week was shooting on manual with different lighting.

Hard.....

especially the ones that need to be taken outside when it's 30 degrees.

It's nearly impossible to manipulate your camera's settings with frozen fingers!

Here are two of my favorites from the week!

Quick Snow!

2011-01-08T19:58:00.001-10:00

It started snowing at our house around 9:00am. The flakes were BIG and coming down fast. It snowed for less than an hour, and the three little ones couldn't wait to get out into it. It was good packing snow, but by 11:00, they were soaked through and the snow was just about gone.

Weird.

The big news comes with the picture of Lily. Notice the gap where her front tooth is supposed to be! It's been pretty loose for the past week or so.......and last night I decided it was time for it to come out. Sure it flew across the bathroom when I managed to *pop* it out, but the tooth fairy left the toothless wonder two dollars! Well done Mommy!
I mean Lily :)

Fresh Air

2011-01-03T16:41:00.001-10:00

Thankfully the weather this past weekend was on the edge of tolerable.

This being said by the mother who gets a chill

when it's 75 degrees outside.

The kids had a blast being out in the fresh air.

My question:

When's the first day of spring?

The Man Cave

2011-01-02T14:37:00.002-10:00

Colin lives in the basement.

Other than the need for sustenance, ie. food, he rarely comes to the surface. Maverick, however, appears to have caught the *Man Cave* virus, since he spent many hours down below

with his big brother the past few days.

The major pull?

XBox 360. Specifically, a new game that Colin received for Christmas....Skate. What's hilarious is that Colin sets up Maverick in his own video chair, gives him his own controller, and then proceeds to make Maverick think that it is actually his three year old little self that is playing the game, riding the skateboard. The laughter was quite contagious because before too long, all six of us were downstairs watching the two of them.

And cracking up.

Let it snow!

2010-12-16T17:41:00.003-10:00

I grew up in western New York.

I know snow.

I.don't.like.it.

My kids, however, LOVE IT! And as soon as they saw the first sign of flurries in the air today, they couldn't wait to get out there in it! Thankfully I was a pretty well prepared with coats, boots, and snowpants.

I'm still working on the gloves. LL Bean is sold out of black waterproof mittens for kids until February. How does that happen? It's the middle of December for goodness sake.

In any event, cold fingers didn't seem to stop them. It was a very dry snow, not good for packing a snowman, but they were able to

make snow angels and roll down the back hill.

Althought there are no pictures of Lily, she did make it outside during the second round

after she had finished school.

Enjoy the pics!

Just MeiLin

2010-12-04T15:39:00.000-10:00

There are times when I think MeiLin isn't that photogenic.....

What

Was

Thinking!

Sidewalk Chalk

2010-11-11T17:40:00.002-10:00

We've been enjoying lots of sunshine this past week! The kids have been spending hours outside on the trampoline, but today they wanted chalk so we moved the party to the front side of the house. It faces south, so there was tons of warm sun for the artists as they composed their works of art.

The driveway is now a canvas filled with butterflies, hearts, and letters!

Hopefully our picky home-owners-association won't have a problem with it since

there is no rain in the forecast!

Sisters

2010-11-03T12:19:00.002-10:00

For

there

friend

a sister!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T16:17:00.000-10:00

Whether I like it or not, these three little ones LOVE Halloween! To them, what's better than being able to play dress up and have friends and neighbors give you candy!

John was the artist in charge of carving this *kitty* masterpiece!

These three trying to contain their excitement!

Barney!

You can make fun of this costume choice, but let me just say that he had the most comments at Trunk or Treat on Saturday night at our church. There was even a little 2 year old girl who ran after him pointing and shouting *Barney!*

Little Miss Butterfly....getting her sparkle on!

Dorothy!

This costume owes me nothing! I made it for Lily when she was 2 and she wore it three years in a row. This is MeiLin's first year with it, and I had to lengthen it...hence the rick-rack trim.

I hope everyone enjoyed their night of Trick or Treating!

We certainly did!

Peaceful, Sweet Smelling, Treasure

2010-10-28T10:07:00.001-10:00

Peaceful, sweet smelling treasure is what MeiLin's Chinese name translates into.

I think she is named perfectly.

BFFs

2010-10-27T17:04:00.001-10:00

Dear God,

Please help them to always be this close.

Amen.

Art Comes to Life!

2010-10-17T12:02:00.000-10:00

This is a famous painting by an artist named Edward Munch. The piece is titled Scream.

This is Maverick's version!

She's Eight!

2010-10-06T10:22:00.001-10:00

Yep, this little girl turned eight yesterday. I can hardly believe how quickly time has gone by. Lily had a great day....no school (the beauty of homeschooling), a trip to Build a Bear, pizza, and a Tinkerbell cake.

Doesn't get much better than that.

Or sweeter than this.....

While we were out at lunchtime, an Asian woman approached me and very discretely asked if my girls were adopted. I said *yes* and that they were Chinese. She said that she was adopted, too, from Korea. At that point, the tears started streaming down her face. She apologized and said that even after 34 years, it's still something she struggles with. We spoke for a few minutes about how she had no memory of Korea or the time she spent in the orphanage there. She spoke very fondly of her American parents. I don't think I will soon forget how she made me feel. I hope my girls grow up to be like her. I want them to be aware and sensitive to the life in China that they lost. I certainly don't want them to be cold or bitter about it.

Especially on Lily's birthday, her birthmother is heavy on my heart. Lily was *left to be found* on this day, and I always try to make a point with all of the fun and festivities going on to take a few moments and talk about the woman who gave her life. I tell Lily how much I love this woman and that we should always pray for her. I also tell Lily that her birth mother probably thinks about her on this special day and most likely refers to her by some special name that only she knows.

And we always buy this special woman a bouquet of flowers.....pink lilies.

Chances are we'll never know anything more about Lily's birth-mother in China. But I do pray that somehow she would have peace that the hardest day of her life became the most cherished day in mine.

Is Trampoline an Olympic Sport?

2010-10-04T12:03:00.000-10:00

Because I think my two little gymnasts deserve gold medals!

Just MeiLin

2010-10-02T10:20:00.001-10:00

Reason #127 why I love MeiLin....it's so sweet the way she tucks her hair behind her ears.

Gotcha!

2010-09-15T18:00:00.016-10:00

It's truly almost impossible to believe that it's been three years since a little girl named An Yu Fen was placed in our arms as we stood in the Civil Affaris Office in the capital city of Nanchang in the province of Jiangxi in the People's Republic of China. The room was filled. Eight families with Great Wall China Adoption were united with ten children that day. Two of the families were blessed with twins.

It was really chaotic since there were a handful of different orphanages with many directors and numerous nannies in the room. As luck would have it, the car from Pingxiang Social Welfare Institute was running late,

so An Yu Fen was the last child to arrive.

I clearly remember the moment I layed my eyes on the little girl who would become my MeiLin. Our guide, Veronica, looked at this child and then quickly looked at me. She said, *Oh, Rebecca, she is so pretty!* I remember my hands reaching up to my face as I placed them on my cheeks. My eyes grew very big and I think my heart skipped a beat as I looked at this little girl. I couldn't believe it.

She was amazing.

The past three years have gone by so quickly and MeiLin has changed in some ways, but I think mostly she is still like the little one we held that day. She has a strong spirit and her personality is very deep. She is extremely bright and has a gentle heart. She's complicated. I think she will grow up to be truly passionate about the people and things that are important to her.

Happy Gotcha Day, MeiLin.

I'm truly humbled that God chose us to stumble through this journey of mother and daughtger together.

You are the most special blessing and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you.

I love you more than you could ever imagine.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

2010-09-06T13:15:00.007-10:00

As those of you who have ever been lucky enough to tour the monuments around Washington, D.C. already know, the monuments are far apart.

Very.Far.Apart.

Since we live so close to D.C., we decided that it would be a lot smarter if we chose to tour a monument or two each time we went into the capital. Last night we took an evening tour of the Jefferson Memorial. It's definitely my favorite memorial, and truly breathtaking at night. The fact that it was 75 degrees with a light breeze probably also influenced my love for this particular place.

The Jefferson Memorial sits on the shore of the tidal basin of the Potomac River. Its design is a blend of the Pantheon in Rome and Jefferson's own Rotunda at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. The columns surrounding the memorial and the steps leading up to it give this place a very majestic feel. However, the reason I think I like it so much is because it feels so intimate when you're inside it.
Peaceful. Safe.

I also love the quotes of our 3rd President that are carved into the walls surrounding the 19 foot bronze statue of Jefferson. I am especially fond of two of the sentences on the northeast wall:

Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed
a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?

Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is
just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.

Poweful words. Powerful man. Powerful memorial.

Three Generations

2010-08-18T02:30:00.000-10:00

We have been at my parents house in NY for the past week or so, and I have MANY photos to post! I thought I'd start today with my favorite. This is my grandmother, my mom, and me. My grandma is

88 1/2 years old it is always special when I can see her. She has nine children, 26 grandchildren, and 48 great-grandchildren! (*I might be off one or two.)

I'd have to say that I think she looks WONDERFUL!

BTW....my mom and I are 29.

Little Swimmers

2010-07-28T11:24:00.001-10:00

The kids LOVE the pool, and John is great about taking them for some quality Daddy time whenever he can. Lily is a fish. She dives for rings and swims across the pool. MeiLin seems to be getting just as comfortable and loves to paddle around the big pool (on her own terms, no surprise for those of us who know her) with her life jacket on. Maverick prefers the *baby pool,* so he gets about 15 minutes of that each hour during the adult swim time in the big pool.

The kids are SO excited when I tell them that they can swim whenever they want when we move to Hawaii next year!

Happy Birthday Colin!

2010-07-17T12:36:00.001-10:00

I can hardly believe this one is turning 14 today!
The last few years have gone by so quickly
and Colin has grown up so much.

Here's some interesting points about Colin:

1. He is definitely NOT a morning person.

2. He doesn't typically eat breakfast.

3. He drinks Diet Coke.

4. He is addicted to Rock Band. (and he's REALLY good :)

5. The little ones adore him.

6. He loves to sail.

7. He likes his hair long and a bit messy.

8. He never complains.

9. He makes homeschooling look easy.

10. He LOVES his Jesus!

Of course as a mother, I love my son.

The great thing about Colin is how much I like him, too.

Happy Birthday, Colin!

Elisa!!!

2010-07-08T16:53:00.003-10:00

Let me just say that I absolutely ADORE my sister-in-law, Elisa! I don't think they come any kinder, sweeter, funnier, smarter, and more beautiful than she is! It has been WAY too long since we've been able to cross paths, but thankfully her job brought her into our town for a couple of days and we were able to spend a few hours with her tonight!

She was of course amazed at the fact that Colin is taller than she is!

A nice gentleman outside the restaurant where we had dinner offered to take a picture of our crazy bunch!

We headed back to Elisa's hotel after dinner just to hang out. I guess MeiLin had some sort of secret to share with Maverick!

The kids were spoiled like crazy with gifts from Aunt Elisa and some Nana sent with her! Thank you both for being so thoughtful!

Elisa, it was such a treat for us to spend an evening with you!
Hopefully, it won't take us so long to see one another again!
We love you!

Has it really been seven years?

2010-06-26T02:40:00.007-10:00

It was a lovely summer day in Hawaii, June 26, 2003. John was attending a beach party with his shipmates and I was with Colin attending a birthday party of one of our best friends. It was ironic that both parties were in view of one another on the beach at Hickam Air Force Base. Our dossier had been in China 13 months and the SARS epidemic in China was coming to a close.

We were finally going to learn about the little girl that would become our Lily.

After a few frantic phone calls to get John and me together in the same place, we called our agency and were given a small dose of information about the little girl we had been waiting for. She was born on October 5, 2002 and was living in Jiangxi Province. Those details would have to hold us over until we were emailed her picture later that day.

When we were able to get to a computer, this was the sweet face staring back at us.

My heart has definitely grown leaps and bounds since Lily arrived into our lives, but she was the one that truly made it full. I had wanted another child so badly after Colin, and this sweet thing was why God needed me to wait.

Happy Referral Day, Miss Lily!

We love you so much and cannot imagine

our lives without you!

Have Blanket, Will Sleep......

2010-06-24T15:38:00.001-10:00

......Anywhere.

He's cute.....and he spells!

2010-06-07T03:25:00.003-10:00

WARNING: There is nothing humble about this post.

It's a mom pridefully bragging about her son!

I always thought we would have to *shorten* Maverick's name to Mav when it was time for him to learn how to spell it. Apparently, I shouldn't have been concerned!

M-A-V-E-R-I-C-K P(dot)

(I have NO IDEA why he adds a *P.* at the end)

Enjoy the show :)

Happy Birthday MeiLin!

2010-05-27T02:29:00.001-10:00

MeiLin is FOUR!!!

Here are 10 special things about our birthday girl!

1. She has the best laugh.

2. Grandma is her best friend.

3. She loves ice cream (with sprinkles :).

4. She's a night owl.

5. She's smart. REALLY smart.

6. Her American girl doll is named Violet.

7. She loves everything *princess.*

8. She only drinks water with a splash of cranberry juice.

9. She's complicated.

10. Her whole body trembles when she gives you a hug.

Happy Birthday, sweet MeiLin! We love you!

Future Olympian?

2010-05-22T04:34:00.002-10:00

We always knew MeiLin was a bit of a daredevil. This trick started out first as a simple somersault. Then it moved into a one-handed somersault.

Now it's NO hands! What's next?

We Miss You, Grandma and Grandpa!

2010-05-19T13:40:00.001-10:00

Whenever I am blessed enough to have my mom visit, I can't imagine how I am ever able to keep my head above water without her. She is such a GREAT help to me and that is beside the fact that her grandchildren adore her! The picture of mom and MeiLin doesn't do their relationship justice. They're a special team, those two! My dad was as equally as helpful to us as he conquered the grandpa *to do* list! We enjoyed visiting a few DC monuments and museums, but spent most of our time being together here at home. (I'll leave the stomach-bug out of the memories) They safely arrived back in New York earlier this afternoon.

Thanks for the wonderful visit! We can't wait to come visit you this summer!

There's a snake in my boot!

2010-05-11T12:11:00.001-10:00

I just love it when *old* things become *new.* Right now the trend seems to be on Toy Story 3 which is scheduled to be released in mid-June. If anyone remembers Colin at Maverick's age, they remember Colin's BFF....Woody. Woody went EVERYWHERE with us. It's very special that Maverick seems to like Woody just as much. It's even more special that a birthday package arrived in the mail today for Maverick. It was his very own Woody. Too cool! He LOVES him :) Thanks to the Texans! Perfect gift!

Happy Birthday Maverick!

2010-05-06T02:01:00.003-10:00

He's THREE!!!

Here are 10 special things about the birthday boy.....

1. He still likes to be rocked before bedtime.

2. He gave up the binky!

3. He has no interest in the potty :(

4. He LOVES Diego.

5. He asks me to write his name on paper
at least 5 times a day.

6. He only drinks apple juice and chocolate milk.

7. He can navigate my laptop like a pro.

8. He's bossy.

9. He's terrified of bugs.

10. Dum Dum lollipops are his passion.

Happy Birthday Maverick! You're growing up SO fast!

Love, Love, Love

2010-04-30T16:42:00.000-10:00

Yep, I Love, Love, Love this little trouble maker with the out of control hair-do.

Honestly, though....she's really the one that keeps it all together at our house. She's the best helper, the best peace maker with her siblings, the least selfish with her toys. She's truly the one that made my heart finally feel complete. Now if I could only get her to learn her math facts without using her fingers.

I Love, Love, Love you, Miss Lily!

In Every Life a Little Rain Must Fall

2010-04-26T16:34:00.002-10:00

It's been raining at our house on and off for the past couple of days. Let me just say that it about drives my children to the edge. They LOVE being outside and it drives ~~their mother~~ them crazy when they are stuck inside because of a little inclement weather. On a typical spring day, they spend hours running in the grass, playing at their picnic table, and jumping on the trampoline. In fact, MeiLin even asked me today if the trampoline was part of our family....ugh! The rain stopped for a few minutes this afternoon and they headed out. Here are a few pics of Mei and Maverick running through the ~~weeds~~ grass and jumping in the puddles!

Hang on, Lily!

2010-04-15T16:55:00.000-10:00

They really don't come any more *girly-girl* than Lily. Bows, nail polish, pink and anything with glitter is what she's all about. Well, all that AND determination. She couldn't move to the 2nd monkey bar when she first started out today. But by the end of our time at the playground, she had discovered her groove and made it all the way to the end.

Way to go, Lily!

Incredible, Edible, Eggs!

2010-04-02T13:16:00.001-10:00

This was the first year I attempted to color eggs with the three little ones. I am happy to report that there were no broken shells, no spilled dye, and only moderate complaints about the smell of vinegar.

All in all, a very successful and enjoyable venture.

Only solid colors, but maybe I'll attempt the rubber cement next year. (JH :)

Disappearing Act

2010-03-28T17:00:00.000-10:00

Most people who know me, know that there is one very funny trait about my youngest son Maverick. He can pretty much fall asleep anywhere....hardwood floors, kitchen counters, computer desks, etc. No place is truly safe from his blanket, his binky, and his sweet, sleepy self.

Well, today....he scared me to death.

This afternoon, we were all (except Colin) hanging out in our kitchen/family room area. I hadn't seen Maverick in a while so I asked where he was. No one knew. I started walking around the downstairs calling his name. Nothing. I figured he must be upstairs playing or watching tv, so I head up there. I go into all the bedrooms and then my heart starts to get a little nervous. I yell downstairs to John, Lily, and MeiLin. Everyone starts the search. We go room to room calling his name. We look everywhere. In closets, in bathtubs, under tables....no Maverick.

The pace I'm walking increases. I go back over my steps, into rooms I already searched. He had to be here somewhere. Colin was at a friend's house so I didn't go down into the basement where his bedroom is. I decide I better check. It's dark down there, no lights on. I look into Colin's school room, his bedroom, his walk-in closet, everywhere. Nothing.

I head back upstairs. I'm definitely starting to panic. I notice that the front door is unlocked but not open. It's a HARD knob to turn. Neither John nor my mom or Colin can even turn it. I'm figuring Maverick couldn't do it either. I check in the garage. Nope.

Then FINALLY I hear John yell, "I found him!" He's calling from the basement. I run downstairs where John is standing in Colin's bedroom. Maverick had taken his blanket, his binky, and his Leapster and had crawled underneath Colin's bed for a nap.

Safe and sound.

The longest 8 minutes of my life.

Here's lookin' at you!

2010-03-26T02:11:00.002-10:00

Don't all two year olds bite holes in their bologna and then look through it with one eye?

Puzzling Puzzles

2010-03-25T07:55:00.005-10:00

Maverick is obsessed with puzzles.

He plays with them nearly every waking minute. Of course, his favorite one would be Tinkerbell.

It's pretty fascinating, as a parent, to watch your child and witness how their brain works.

Sometimes he works on the outer edges first,

and sometimes he starts out with Tinkerbell's and Silvermist's faces.

And of course he gets the biggest grin when he puts the last piece in place.

Thanks Grandma!

2010-03-21T11:33:00.000-10:00

Dear Grandma,

Thank you so much for our new ponchos!

We wore them to church this morning and we just love them!

...almost as much as we love you.

Lily and MeiLin

Spring has sprung!

2010-03-18T14:56:00.003-10:00

The weather here in our neck of the woods is just fabulous!

However, I think there might be a storm brewing a few miles north of here :)

In any event, the girls can't get enough of the trampoline! They take turns doing somersaults and might I add....their form is pretty good.

I don't know why I ended up with so many more pictures of MeiLin today. Be sure to click on the collage for a close-up view.

Welcome spring!
I hope you're here to stay!

Divas!

2010-03-11T16:15:00.000-10:00

They apparently get their sense of style from their mother.

I'm so proud!

A little piece of my heart is broken :(

2010-03-03T03:04:00.002-10:00

I know it's only a building, but it's the place where I finally felt my heart was full.

The Lakeview Hotel, Nanchang, Jiangxi province, China

It's the place where that sweet little Lily was finally placed in my arms.

Apparently, the people of China didn't feel it was much of a special place.

They leveled it.

A part of our adoption day history is gone. Very sad for me.

Mr. Maverick

2010-02-19T01:43:00.001-10:00

Am I the only one who wonders how you could love someone so much?

2010: The Year of the Tiger

2010-02-12T15:20:00.003-10:00

Since Chinese New Year is Sunday, I pulled out a few coloring and cutting projects for the girls to work on. Here's what I learned:

1. MeiLin can color PERFECTLY. She's an *inside the lines* kind of girl.

(Jen, I know this is making the hair on your neck stand up straight!)

2. MeiLin was born in the Year of the Dog and she wants to change it. She does not understand that

she doesn't get a choice.

3. Lily loves everything China, almost to a fault. We are learning about *America* in our homeschool studies and she keeps correcting me that she is Chinese.

20" and counting....

2010-02-06T08:19:00.005-10:00

Our front yard. Our backyard. Let it snow.

Questions from Lily

2010-02-01T08:06:00.009-10:00

Lily: Mommy, can you buy boys in China, too?

Me: We didn't buy you, sweet girl. We paid money for the paperwork to be processed. You would be priceless.

Lily: So....you ordered me?

Me: Ugh!

Teacher in Training

2010-01-28T13:44:00.006-10:00

I've said before that Lily and Maverick have a very special relationship. Maybe it's because most of the time, Miss Bossy Flossy can get the little guy to do whatever she wants.

But sometimes, their togetherness is just pure sweetness.

Like today.

I hope they're always this close.

Crash!

2010-01-23T16:51:00.008-10:00

When Maverick decides he's ready to sleep.....the only requirements

are his binky and his nasty blue blanket.

A variety of sleeping surfaces will work for him...carpet, hardwood floors,

or the kitchen countertop!

**Hey Tif....I took the pic on the left in the dark, with the new lens, NO FLASH!

Daily Devotions

2010-01-15T05:31:00.006-10:00

The Air Museum

2009-12-30T15:19:00.003-10:00

We decided to take advantage of all of the musuems in our neck of the woods and actually visit one of them today! I think this might be one of the best kept secrets in the DC area.....and we avoided the beltway!

National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is a HUGE Boeing aviation hanger that boasts hundred of rockets, satellites, smaller aircraft, spacecraft, and various aviation artifacts. (I sound like a commercial :) The centerpiece of the hanger is definitely the space shuttle ENTERPRISE. Amazing to see it in real life! It's HUGE!

The Concorde was on display, too.

The kids had a fun time running around while the three grown-ups (Colin included) were taken in by this spectacular place.

Yes, Dad....we'll take you next time you visit!

Enjoy the pics!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T19:00:00.002-10:00

On this day, may your heart be lifted in praise for the wonderful gift of Jesus

and the joy He brings to our lives.

Merry Christmas!

Day #3.....

2009-12-21T09:54:00.004-10:00

Is it spring yet? How long is this going to last?

Oh, the Weather Outside is FRIGHTFUL!

2009-12-19T07:50:00.003-10:00

This part of the country is supposed to see more snow in December than we've seen since 1932.

Are you kidding me?!

Dancing with the Stars!

2009-12-15T15:59:00.001-10:00

Be sure to go down to the bottom of my page and pause the music!

2009-12-15T15:47:00.001-10:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The Elf on the Shelf

2009-12-10T14:28:00.005-10:00

Meet Bernard.

He's one of Santa's elves and he's taken up residence with us at our home until Christmas. He works for Santa. You see, he has a very special job to do. Each and every day until Christmas, Bernard is going to watch over the children that live here. And each and every night he is going to make a trip to the North Pole with his report. He will tell Santa how the children are behaving....you know, naughty or nice. When Bernard returns to our house in the wee morning hours, he will be playing his favorite game....hide and seek. When the little ones get up in the morning, it is their job to find him.

Sounds like a fun family tradition to start. Lily, MeiLin and Maverick are the perfect ages!

Right now they're sort of afraid of Bernard and his ability to have a one way

connection to the naughty and nice list.

I'll let you know if it lasts!

Bottom right incisor

2009-12-08T15:54:00.006-10:00

I'm not sure when most kids lose their first tooth. Lily is seven. Granted, the dentist has intervened on the removal of two *sick teeth,* but this is the first tooth Lily has lost naturally. Well, as natual as it is to have a mother twisting it until it finally popped out. I didn't realize teeth could bleed so much.

Of course the tooth fairy isn't allowed upstairs. Lily has instructed me to leave a note on the front door telling the tooth fairy that her tooth will be in the kitchen. I have to agree that the thought of a fairy with wings leaving money under my pillow in the middle of the night while I slept is sort of creepy.

In any event, Little Miss Lily has reached a very exciting milestone! Way to go, Lily!

Now....how much is the tooth fairy going to set me back?

Snow....ugh!

2009-12-05T15:25:00.006-10:00

Even though I grew up in western New York, I have little use for snow. I don't like it. I don't like winter activies. I don't like turtlenecks. I don't like to be cold.

I don't like snow.

I live south of the Mason Dixon line for a reason.

Apparently Mother Nature didn't get the memo.

Not to mention....it's December 5th.

Sheesh!

It's Time for Cookies!

2009-12-02T17:44:00.006-10:00

When my mom and I went shopping on Black Friday (yes, we do it every year that we are together on Thanksgiving), I bought new Christmas cookie cutters. My little ones couldn't wait to put them into action! So, even though the turkey leftovers are hardly used up, we made Christmas cookies today.

Sugar. Frosting. Sprinkles. The season begins.

Enjoy the pics!

*NOTE: This was a bedtime snack....I didn't serve cookies for breakfast!

Well, at least not today :)

My Favorite Season

2009-11-08T17:30:00.006-10:00

Fall is undoubtedly my favorite season. Well....it is when it's 70 degrees and sunny, just like it was today at our house! The kids spent the afternoon outside running around the backyard and jumping on the trampoline.

MeiLin looks so serious, truly she's not!

Colin strategically managed to avoid my Nikon. His excitement came later this evening while he was at church. There was an armed robbery across the street and they needed to *lock down* all of the kids inside the church. I'm ready to move back to the apple orchards of upstate NY!

On a MUCH MORE serious note, little Stellan is headed into surgery tomorrow morning. I've been following the life of this little guy and his family for over a year now. It's going to be a big day for him and his doctors in Boston on Monday. And even though I'm a Yankee fan, I'm praying for a BIG home run in Boston tomorrow!

UPDATE ON STELLAN: SUCCESS!!!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T17:48:00.010-10:00

We started our fun weekend yesterday by making pumpkin cut out cookies. It was an early start....Magic was still in his jammies. After the first batch was cooking in the oven, the girls went to town playing with the flour that was left on the counter. For some reason, I have a hard time remembering my mom ever allowing me and my sister to play with the leftover flour. After seeing the amount of flour on the floor, I guess I understand why! By the time the cookies were actually ready to be frosted, the only one still interested was Lily. At least everyone else was happy to eat them! I think there's only a couple of cookies left.

After a relaxing afternoon out by myself this afternoon (this is a joke, I was at the dentist), I came home to find that my artistic son and my husband had gone to work carving out Colin's pumpkin. Ugh!

It is titled: Jack Had a Stomach Ache

The girls didn't want to *cut* into their pumpkins, so I just traced kitty faces onto them.

Maverick was ready to come home after about five or six houses, but the girls stayed out with John and came home with baskets full of sugar!

The two Rapunzels

Simba, the cranky lion!
Along with Mr. Kitty (who barks :)
This is the same costume Colin wore when he was two!
It is quite obvious he was NOT thrilled with the hood.

I hope all the little Trick or Treaters out there had a fun time!

Happy Halloween!

Too cute!

2009-10-22T16:28:00.003-10:00

No real reason for this post.....just wanted to share this little bit of cuteness!

They're Dumpers!

2009-10-19T13:58:00.005-10:00

With the arrival of our first child over thirteen years ago, I was given the false impression that all children were neat. Colin never made a mess. He didn't and still doesn't like dirt. In fact, he really didn't even play with his toys very much. And everything was organized. Every action figure, book, or game had its home and place on some shelf or in some drawer. He knew where everything belonged. He didn't move forward to another activity until the previous one had been put away.

Yes, I guess the joke was on me.

The dumpers have arrived.

Two of them.

During the morning when I am trying to focus my attention on getting through a day of first grade with Lily, I let the dumpers pretty much have the run of the place. It's a big place with many rooms. As long as I don't hear any screaming or crying, I just ignore the sound of the dumping. Sure, my face sort of crinkles up and my shoulders rise up and tighten a bit, but Lily and I have important work to get through. Math sentences to memorize. Special phonics sounds to learn. Those are the priorites, right? I just have to remind myself that it's a blessing to hear them babbling to one another and giggling. I've spent more than enough money on the toys so I should be grateful that they are actually playing with them.

So, during the afternoon hours I just treat the rooms that have been hit by the dumpers as an obstacle course.

I only clean up once a day.

Well, I pay Lily $1 to clean up, but that's another story.

Yup.....she's SEVEN!

2009-10-09T06:53:00.008-10:00

This past Monday, Miss Lily turned SEVEN! Her birthday *theme* of choice was of course, Hannah Montana.....all together now: UGH!

This included the Hannah Montana table cloth, Hannah Montana party plates and napkins, a Hannah Montana birthday cake.....then we move on to the gifts: Hannah Montana movie, Hannah Montana Barbie, and a Hannah Montana CD.

Double ugh!

She is pretty sweet, if I do say so myself!

At her request, there was only one number *7* candle. I guess she figured her odds of having her wish come true was better if she only had to blow out one!

Thankfully, I think her favorite gift was this bed we bought for *Sarah*, her American Girl doll. Notice the lovely floral mattress and pillow? That would be the humble mom patting herself on the back for being so talented ;)

A tradition I started this year was buying flowers to remember Lily's birthparents in China. Although I've truly made an effort to talk about her history in China since we became a family, she is obviously going to become more aware of things and filled with more questions as she gets older. I'm hoping that if we can spend a few moments on such a happy day talking and praying about these two special people that gave our daughter life, that it will somehow help build a more positive opinion of things as she really starts thinking of things on her own.

I will admitt that it's been meaningful to me to have these flowers sitting on our dining room table. Such a gentle reminder of the most precious gift that we were given.

Happy Birthday Miss Lily!

Your mommy loves you more than you could possibly imagine.

No, I'm not in London

2009-09-25T06:47:00.005-10:00

Around 11:30 last night, I took one last look at my computer before I shut-er-down for the night, and noticed that the *chat* box was open on my FACEBOOK page. I thought that was weird, so I took a closer look. To my utter mortification I realized that someone or something had hacked into my FACEBOOK page and was *chatting* with one of my close friends from highschool. The imposter was saying that I was in London, had been robbed at gunpoint, and needed money to get back home. YIKES! I immediately *cut in* to the conversation and after a few minutes (and an exchange of personal information that he would know) the *hacking* was stopped.

I'm SO SORRY, JS! You must have thought I had fallen off the deep end :)

So, my days on FACEBOOK have come to an end (at least for the meantime), which is a bummer because there are many friends on there that I had totally lost touch with. The other bummer is that the hacker tried to access my Paypal account, but not successfully.

My cranky meter is about maxed out. Last year, my credit card number was stolen not once, but twice. Why are certain people so nasty? Why does my *safety shield* need to be raised against everything and everyone all the time? Why don't people have a conscience that their choices and behaviors are hurtful and harmful to others?

I'd like to say I'm never going to do anything on the internet anymore, but that's just not reality. So, in the meantime, I'll just be changing EVERY password I have out there in cyberspace.

Like I don't have anything better to do.

The End of Summer

2009-09-24T16:42:00.009-10:00

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! My mom has been here visiting us for the past couple of weeks and I guess I'm still trying to get into some sort of routine now that I am homeschooling two kids.

In any event, the weather here has been beautiful and the kids spend many hours each day outside in the backyard. Our grass is mostly weeds, but at least it's green. The two little ones love to pick those little white weed flowers.

As a mom, there's nothing sweeter than a pudgy little fist filled with such a bouquet of love.

First Day of School....well, sort of

2009-09-08T09:26:00.005-10:00

Lily's been doing school for nearly 2 months, and Colin started last week, but I thought it might be nice to show you the *spaces* that we have set up! Lily's school room is actually the office on the first floor. It's nice since there are glass doors that close....to keep out M &M, but still allow them to look at us. Of course, that would be with their faces smudged up against the windows!

Colin is truly the lucky one! The basement (where he lives) has a great little side space where we were able to set up this desk for him. All of his book and supplies are right at his fingertips! The real question is *why is that iPod sitting so close to him during school hours!*

Here's hoping all the children out there have a great year!

(that's not plagiarism, is it?)

Gotcha!

2009-08-25T16:23:00.032-10:00

Some call it Gotcha Day, some call it Forever Family Day, some call it Adoption Day......I just clearly remember it as the day my heart was finally full.

Six years ago.

August 25th, 2003.

The day that Cao Yumeng was placed in my arms.

Lily was a tiny little package, weighing only about 16 lbs., and she was the happiest little girl, right from the start.

We watched the video of that special day tonight as a family. Then we gave her our annual *Gotcha Day* gift. These are little trinkets that we bought for her while we were in China. We have about 20 items and we've given one to her each year on this special day.

Her laugh and her smile are still the same.

Lily's Referal Picture--Taken early 2003

Jiujiang Social Welfare Institute, Jiangxi
August 2003

July 2004

August 2005

October 2006

March 2007

July 2008

June 2009

Dessert on the Deck!

2009-08-24T17:26:00.003-10:00

It was a BEAUTIFUL day today!

We actually ate dinner outside and most of Maverick's food made it onto his shirt....

hence why he isn't wearing one :)

And who was the rocket scientist that designed these treats? It never fails that at least half of the popsicle ends up on the ground. Ugh!

Piggy Back and Gymnastics!

2009-08-23T16:19:00.005-10:00

Lily and Maverick have always shared a very special relationship. From the moment he was born, she has been the *little mother.* She is always very gentle and patient with her little brother and even with them being 4.5 years apart in age, they are the best of buds! Their newest trick is that she carries him around...usually piggy back. It all begins in the morning when she gets him out of his crib! We did have a talk today about how she CANNOT carry him down the stairs!

MeiLin and Maverick (also known as *The Jokers*) have decided that their newest piece of gymnastic equipment is the sofa! And for some reason, they dismount the sofa on their heads.

I'd say MeiLin's performance scores a 9.5!

First Grade

2009-08-20T12:11:00.008-10:00

Most of you know that last year I sent Lily to public school. It was the right thing to do since John was in Japan and I was home with a 1 year old and a 2 year old. Plus, I was homeschooling Colin 7th grade.

Anyway, with the move this summer, it was time to start homeschooling Lily 1st grade! We've been going at it for over a month now and I must say that it is going much better than I expected!

I am using entirely A Beka (for you homeschoolers out there). She is doing work in phonics, reading, math, poetry, and cursive writing. We'll add on units of health, science, and social studies as we move through the year. She really enjoys it and (so far :) doesn't give me a hard time about completing her work.

Even MeiLin and Maverick like to sit in the school room and listen to her read.

Here's a few pics of the student completing her math work!

Excuse the hair-doo....

The Pool

2009-08-01T14:46:00.003-10:00

We spent some time at the neighborhood pool this afternoon. As you can see, everyone really likes the water. MeiLin and Maverick each took turns wearing the life vest as John held them in the *big pool.* They really prefer the 18 inch *baby pool* which is always a tad bit warmer.....hmmm, I wonder why!

Lily has come such a long way with her swimming this summer. I'm sure Leisa is just AMAZED at the little girl who usually sat on the edge of her pool and hardly let a toe get wet. Now John tosses her up in the air and she comes down and swims to the side of the pool.

Gotta love those hot pink goggles, too.

Colin was there....he just does a good job of avoiding my Nikon!

The Hill

2009-07-30T14:35:00.007-10:00

My brother-in-law has been in town for the past few days and I knew he was an important

guy :), but I guess I didn't realize HOW important.....he managed to get my husband a photo opportunity in front of Senator John McCain's office door on Capitol Hill.

BUT WAIT! Then it gets a little better....here they all are with Senator McCain himself! What a great opportunity since John had command of the Navy destroyer bearing the name of the Senator's father and grandfather.

And that cute little guy with the red tie? He's my ADORABLE nephew! Big heartbreaker that one's going to be :)