Friday, August 31, 2007

New family member!




We added a new family member to our house this past week~and IT'S A GIRL! We got a 14 week old shih poo puppy! She is a really good puppy and the boys absolutely adore her! She loves to be around people and is very friendly! The boys chose to name her Maggie. One of the best things about her is because she is a mix between a shitzu and a poodle so she is hypoallergenic and does not shed! She is partially housebroken and we have really been working on fully getting her housebroken. She is doing pretty well despite being in a new environment. Isn't she cute?

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Kindergarten blues



We are experiencing the "kindergarten blues" in our household. Christian is so excited to start school tommorow but I have a case of the kindergarten blues. I have been crying on and off the past couple of days thinking about his big day tommorow. I have experienced the kindergarten blues with Ethan and Logan but this time it is different. For now Christian is the baby and it seems harder for me to "let him go" even if it is just for half a day. It feels harder this time because when the older boys went off to school there was always a younger child to tend to and now it will just be me. Don't get me wrong I am sure I will get use to and even enjoy my "me" time but on the eve of him starting school it is hard to think about how different it will be. Also for the past couple of years when the older two went to school it was just Christian and me and I have really enjoyed our one on one time together. He will have the same teacher Logan had and she is wonderful but I feel sad and maybe even a tiny bit jealous that she will be spending "our" time with him. With as busy as our lives seem to be it is going to be harder and harder to find and I know I will miss it. Of course as I said he is only going to be going half day and we will still have our mornings together so that is my bright side. I know that kindergarten is the first step to "real school" and I do not look forward to having my entire day free from my kids. Am I crazy or what? Let's just focus on tommorow. We will cross that bridge next year.


I am just sad to leave this stage of our lives behind for now. On days like this you truly realize how quickly they grow up and long for them to be little and all yours once again.

First day of school


It has been one B-U-S-Y week since school began which is why it has taken me almost a week to update! Unfortunately my camera was acting up that day and while I took pictures I am having trouble uploading them. The boys first day went very well except for the extreme heat. On their first day of school it was 95 degrees with high humidity. It is worth mentioning that their school does not have air conditioning! I am sure for them the heat made it miserable but they both came home smiling and ready for the next day!
The new song on my blog makes me think of my boys while they are away at school. I am always anxious to hear about their day when they come home!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The results of 4 straight days of rain and football practice





Last night Logan had flag football practice despite 4 days of nothing but rain. I should know better from soccer that unless there is lightening there IS practice. The boys had a blast practicing in the mud. There was a lot of slipping and sliding! At the end of the practice the coaches had them do push ups in the mud. I think this was just to ensure that they were extra muddy before they went home~and it worked! Next time I will come better prepared as I had totally forgotten to bring a towel to wipe him off after practice. *Note*~the missing teeth. We are hoping the permanent teeth come in before school pictures.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Tae Kwon Do testing








On Saturday the boys had their Tae Kwon Do testing. Christian tested for his orange belt and Ethan and Logan tested for their first white tip after getting their black belt. Who knew that Tae Kwon Do continues on after you reach your black belt? They all did really well but I could tell the nerves set in when it was time for breaking. Luckily they were able to keep their anxiety under control and break their boards. I am very proud of my boys!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Why God made Moms

My friend Kimberly e-mailed me this and I thought it was amusing and had to share.

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of ?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom ?

1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook ? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time. [This kid is a genius!!!]
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.


What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of Plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

What kind of little girl was your mom?

1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Friday, July 13, 2007

Beach pictures










I realized I took 175 pictures in Myrtle Beach so I will share some of our favorites over the next couple days.

Vacation to Myrtle Beach








We went on vacation this year to Myrtle Beach with my sister in law and her family. My niece is 10 and my nephew is 7 and all five kids got along great! The weather was really nice except in the evening it was chilly enough for a light jacket. Must have been the ocean breeze! The kids really enjoyed the beach but loved the pool! Most of our time was spent either by the pool or eating! We visited Broadway at the Beach, Ripley's aquarium, and Barefoot Landing. There is a lot to do in Myrtle Beach but I think next year we will go somewhere else. All in all it was a great vacation!

Summer update

We have been enjoying lazy summer days yet the summer has remained quite busy! I thought for sure that once the boys were out of school our schedule would slow down a bit~WRONG! The boys have been to vacation bible school, swimming lessons, soccer, soccer camp, Tae Kwon Do, and we went on vacation.

I had decided during the summer that I was going to try to focus less on the adoption and more on my family and spending time with them. I still occasionally visit my adoption boards and check out the latest news in the China adoption community but I have really limited my time to maintain some sanity. It looks like at this point that we could still be waiting another 2 years before we receive Mia's referral and to me that is just depressing! I can't believe a year ago when we were at the end of our paperchase we thought we would be traveling in a year or 18 months at the most! It is amazing to me all that has changed in one years time. I will admit there are days I just want to give up and be grateful for the family that I have. I know however if I don't remain strong and on the path that God has put us on there will always be an empty place in my heart that only Mia can fill. This week I was reading adoption stories and I found inspiration in a quote a mother had written about the wait.

"I am doing this not for myself but for my child. This little one is worth waiting for. That child is an orphan, dispossesed and forgotten in a fast moving society, but here, where time seems to stand still, I wait. I have not forgotten about this child. This child is that important to me."

This statement meant so much to me. So often I think about "our" wait and not the fact that Mia will be waiting too. The bond between us has already been formed. As we wait we have prayed for her, loved her, dreamt about her, and planned for her. Our parenting her has already begun. We will continue to wait for her as long as it takes because she is that important and worth waiting for.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Updates and the 7 month mark



Easter pictures

It has been a while since I have updated our blog. I must admit I have been in a bit of an "adoption funk." Last month brought only 2 days of referrals which was very disappointing. I needed to step back from the process for a while and try to focus on other things. Of course my boys have helped tremendously with keeping me busy. Ethan and Logan are both playing soccer. Ethan is playing on two different teams this season. Ethan and Logan are also getting ready to test for their black belt in Tae Kwon Do in LESS than two weeks so there has been alot of extra training involved in preparing for that. Christian is loving his Tae Kwon Do class! More big news~I registered Christian for kindergarten last week~sniff, sniff. It is so hard to believe that my baby is ready to go to school with the big kids! It is also hard to believe that there are less than 4 weeks left of school before summer break! We are so ready for summer!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Our ladybug is back!

I just noticed our little ladybug in our timeline is back. She had "disappeared" for a couple weeks but it seems she found her way back!

We made it to the 6 month mark!


Another month down and we have officially been LID for 6 months! There is something very different about this particular milestone. I am not sure what it is but ever since we were first LID I have looked forward to the six month mark. Maybe because it is halfway to a year and a year really feels like a milestone at this point. Maybe it is because when we first started this process the wait for a referral was about a year. At that time I imagined if I could just make it to the 6 month mark we would only have to wait 6 more months to bring Mia home and that seemed completely doable. Unfortunately, though while I am happy to celebrate this milestone, I wonder how many more "6 month milestones" we will "celebrate" until Mia is home.


As I have reflect back on our journey so far and especially now I am reminded that God is in control and He has the perfect child chosen for our family. In His timing she will join our family and we will know the exact reason why we had to wait. I am confident that when that moment finally does arrive it will all make sense and the wait will be just a distant memory.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Update on Mia's quilt

Good news! No GREAT news! I found someone to create Mia's quilt! One of my best friends Bev is going to do us the honor of making Mia's quilt! It makes Mia's quilt that much more special to us to have such a wonderful friend create this treasure for us and Mia.

Thank you so much Bev for being part of this keepsake for Mia!

Friday, March 16, 2007

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Future soccer player or baseball player?






It finally feels like spring has arrived~at least for today! We are enjoying weather in the 70s but by the end of the week it is suppose to be in the 30s! At least we know spring is on its way even if we are spoiled just for today!




Saturday, March 10, 2007

Signs of spring


Yesterday was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and highs around 60 (at least that is what the temperature gauge said in the car and I am chosing to believe it!) Yesterday was a sunglasses kind of day! The snow is finally melting and spring is in the air!

Another sign of spring is that I signed the boys up for soccer last weekend. I am so excited for the soccer season to start! I love to watch them play! Of course it means a busier than normal routine with all three of them in Tae Kwon Do three nights a week and two of them in soccer but it will all work out. It might be wishful thinking on my part but eventually it has got to get here! I am trying to remain postive and hope it gets here sooner rather than later because I am tired of feeling the winter blahs!

Sunday, March 04, 2007

China Families meeting their children

Here is a video of parents meeting their children. This day is commonly referred to as "gotcha day."

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

For our family and friends~ a closer look at quilt squares and wishes we have received!

To our family and friends, as promised here are some examples of quilt squares and wishes we have received. Thank you all for helping us create Mia's 100+ Good Wishes Quilt!

May the wings of love help you reach your dreams.
May you search for the truth in all things.
May your life be a light shining bright for all to see.
May you find peace and happiness with your Forever Family.


Our wish for you~
May your life be filled with love and happiness.
May you accomplish all you set out to do.


Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength.
~Deuteronomy 6:5
Our prayer is that you always feel the love of your Heavenly
Father as well as your forever family. May you in return love God
and your family as much as they love you.



Having a place to go is home.
Having someone to love is a family.
Having both is a blessing.



In Our Life There Is,
A Single Color,
As On An Artist's Palette,
Which Provides The Meaning of Life.
It Is The Color Of Love.



Tuesday, February 20, 2007

5 months LID


Today marks 5 months since we have been LID. Looking back it was one year ago last February that we started our journey to Mia by submitting our application to CCAI. After our approval we received our dossier guide via e-mail and I remember printing it off and letting it sit on the desk for a couple days before I could even read it. It seemed so overwhelming to me! When I finally read it I decided I would concentrate on completing one section at a time. That made all the difference! I was a woman on a mission with a husband that followed my lead and signed where I told him to sign and showed up to scheduled appointments on time. Together we made it through the dossier process and together we will make it through the wait.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Happy Chinese New Year!


Happy Chinese New Year!


Here are some traditions the Chinese will celebrate as they welcome the year of the Pig!


Fireworks and Family Feasts
At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.
The Lantern Festival
In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events.
Chinese New Year ends with the lantern festival on the fifteenth day of the month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.
In many areas the highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon—which might stretch a hundred feet long—is typically made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets. In the United States, where the New Year is celebrated with a shortened schedule, the dragon dance always takes place on a weekend. In addition, many Chinese-American communities have added American parade elements such as marching bands and floats.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Another inspiring song

I also love this song by Casting Crowns.

And the voice of truth says, "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will chose to listen to the voice of truth

"Voice Of Truth"

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat
I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
To the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out his hand
But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. 'Boy, you'll never win!'"You'll never win"

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
And the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a Sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again "boy, you'll never win!"You'll never win"

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Inspiring song

I love this song by Third Day! It reminds me of our journey to Mia. Even with all of the frustrations of the increase in referral times(and yes I have struggled with that lately) we know that God has placed us on this path and He is faithful to see us through. I love the last line.

"Nothing can quite compare with what's in front of me."

Thought that I was all alone
Broken and afraid
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me
And I didn’t even knowThat I had lost my way
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me
‘Til You opened up my eyesI never knew
That I couldn’t ever make it
Without You

Even though the journey’s long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who’s gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I’ve been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have lead me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I confess from time to timeI lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I’ve come from
And the things I’ve left behind
But of all I’ve had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what’s in front of me

Thursday, January 25, 2007

First real snowfall








The past two days we have had our first significant snowfall of the season. The boys were excited to finally see snow and to be able to go out and play. Yesterday Ethan and Logan got off the bus and immediately threw their bookbags on the ground and started having a snowball fight! Of course the mother in me wanted to tell them to zip their coats and put on their hats but I just quietly observed for a few minutes from the living room window and then went outside to take some pictures of the action. Of course today when they got off the bus I was prepared with thier boots, snow pants, and gloves.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Cute T-shirts


I went to Target yesterday to pick up a couple things and found these cute little t-shirts for Mia. I remember Target having the "everyone loves a brown-eyed girl" t-shirt in a long sleeve version in the fall. I wished I would have picked it up but I am so glad I found it in a short sleeved version! As for the "Trouble is spelled BROTHER shirt" need I say more? Gotta love Target!

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Mia's 100+ Good Wishes Quilt

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite friends and family to contribute a piece of fabric along with a wish. The pieces of fabric are then sewn together to make a quilt. If you are interested in participating in Mia's 100 Good Wishes Quilt please do the following.

1. Chose any 100% cotton fabric that you like. It can be fabric from a piece of clothing or a fabric store. Any fabric that is special or unique to you would be perfect! Cut the fabric into an 8X8 square and include 1 small swatch (1X1) or (2X2) to be attached to the blessing, scripture, or wishes card.

2. On a 5X7 card stock card please include a blessing, scripture, or wish for Mia. Also attach the small swatch of fabric to the card. All wishes collected will be placed in a scrapbook for Mia to look at for years to come. She will be able to identify your fabric in her quilt by the fabric swatch included on your wishes card.

Thank you so much for helping us to create this wonderful treasure for our daughter. If you would like to participate and need our address please e-mail me at dmptrsn@hotmail.com.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

4 months down


We are now officially 4 months into our wait for Mia. Surprisingly it has gone pretty fast. I remember thinking when we first got our LID that we were in for a LONG wait and I wondered how I would get through it. The current wait for a referral is 15-16 months from LID. The truth is we are still in for a long wait but it is comforting to know that each passing day brings us closer to Mia. The adoption clock only moves forward not backwards.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Weekend shopping trip







Sunday afternoon my friend Sheri and I went shopping at the outlet malls. Sometimes I can find good deals there and other times I find that the prices aren't much different than in the regular stores. It seems to be a hit and miss for me. This past weekend I found AWESOME deals in the Carters and The Children's Place stores. I went with the intention of shopping for the boys. Unfortunately I didn't find a lot for the boys but I found some great deals for Mia! Oh how I wish I knew how big she would be as the deals were too great to pass up! I must admit because we don't know how big she will be I really have not done any shopping for her. However I took a chance and I figured if the clothes don't fit I can sell them on e-bay and easily get back what I paid for them and probably more! This was my first shopping trip for Mia and it was so much fun to buy girly clothes!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

A new year and my new calendar!


It is a new year so of course I needed a new calendar! My 2007 calendar is called "From China with Love". It is also currently serving as my screensaver. Each month features beautiful Chinese children. What better way to count down our wait than to be able to look at these beautiful children and know that it DOES happen! What an inspiration!

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

My favorite Christmas present









Santa was very good to me this year but my most favorite Christmas present of all was from my sister. It was by far the most thoughtful gift I received this past year. It was a diaper bag for Mia that her boyfriend Brain's mom had made. It is so adorable and I love it! One of the reasons I will forever treasure this gift is because Mia was thought of in our Christmas celebration even though she is not home yet. These are the gifts and memories that no amount of money can buy!