I've been trying to "catch up" on the blog. I've added some new posts and edited some old ones, adding some photos....so be sure to scroll down to check it out...down to "Learning About Kitty" (August 1st post). I haven't forgotten about our trip pics and will add those soon. Wading through all the photos I have does take more time. Thanks for staying in touch via the blog!

GOT YOGURT???

A possible new AD CAMPAIGN....starring Emmie????

This was a real shot, not staged. Esther Marie loves yogurt and enjoys feeding herself, no matter how messy it gets. Call the dairy association, quick!

Who Is My Teacher?

Joshua was happy to meet his new 4th grade teacher today. This is her second year teaching at his school.

This is one learning-center in Joshua's new classroom.

Joshua and Will put away their school supplies. They have a neat classroom complete with a computer center.

Esther Marie and MaryAlyce enjoy playing with blocks in MaryAlyce's new 1st grade classroom.

Wow! I love to read! These are some of the books in my new classroom.

Hannah pauses for a few minutes to enjoy a book.

MaryAlyce with her new 1st Grade teacher. Miss C. is beginning her fifteenth year of teaching and is a published author.

Do you remember that childhood anxiety of wondering which teacher you would get in the fall and whether he/she would be nice or not? I think my children have been having a little of that anxiety which has now been diminished. They go to a great school which seems to have an abundance of "nice" teachers, so worrying was not necessary.

It's hard to believe that school starts tomorrow...August 7th. We have had a busy couple of days! The kids have been happily examining all of their school supplies for the last few days...notebooks, pencils, erasers and such. There seems to be a fascination with putting their name on things..."mine, mine, mine." I was thrilled about the "tax free" shopping weekend because on a tight budget with four children, that did save us some money. Even diapers were tax free! Go figure....

Anyway, yesterday (Tuesday), MaryAlyce met her teacher who is very nice, and was thrilled to learn that a few of her classmates from last year will be in her class this year. I had all my children with me because Jasper was gone to San Antonio, Texas, Monday night and Tuesday. Esther Marie was thrilled when she got to play with little connecting blocks while we were checking out the classroom. I was impressed that she wanted to help clean up and put them back where they go. She did a great job.

Joshua met his teacher today and one of his buddies from Boy Scouts is in his class. We didn't see many students because we were running late and got there at the end of the "meet the teacher" time slot. His teacher is newly married and seems very nice. After the school visit, we headed for the hair salon so he could get a MUCH needed haircut!

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY and backpacks are by the door! So tell us....when does school start for you and what do you do to prepare?

It's Cracked...OUCH!

Esther Marie is the type of baby who is very active and daring. She isn't afraid to jump, climb or dive. I am sure you get the picture...VERY active 2 year old! The interesting thing is that when she gets hurt, she doesn't really cry. That is a behavior that develops out of institutional life. When most infants cry, they get attention fairly quickly from their parents. In an orphanage, you have to wait your turn...IF you get a turn. So, the child learns that crying doesn't work and they just stop crying when they get hurt. Esther Marie can fall or get hurt and she doesn't cry, most of the time. We end up having to watch her more closely because of it.

Yesterday, she took a tumble off the bed and she was really crying...tears. So I knew something was wrong. I held her and she fell asleep, but that worried me...so I woke her. I decided to feed her and she ate fairly well. She loves to eat...it's one of her favorite things to do. But after that, she was clingy and whimpering. Finally, she took a nap and after waking, she felt better. So I thought she must have just been shaken by the fall.

During the night, she whimpered and tossed (sleeping with me), and this morning when she woke, she was crying again...tears. She also was touching her shoulder and frowning. So I knew something was definitely wrong. I called the doctor and made an appointment to see him at 10:30. About the time we left, Esther Marie had perked up again, and I questioned myself about making the appointment. Sitting in the exam room, I was REALLY wondering why we were there. She seemed totally normal. But I kept thinking about the early morning when she was crying so much, and I needed to get her checked out..so I was glad we were there. Our wonderful pediatrician, Dr. W. came in and examined her and touched along her shoulder area. She started to cry so he ordered an x-ray. Sure enough....cracked clavicle(a.k.a. collar bone)! I am SO glad I made the decision to take her and have her checked out.

So what does that mean? Well, you don't put a cast on some one's shoulder...and she is too active for a sling. So you just watch the child carefully, try to keep them from falling again and in three weeks it should be healed. Please pray that it does heal totally with no complications before her surgery on August 20th! (And yes, it did make me feel a little better for him to tell me that this does happen quite a bit with a tumbling toddler....sigh.)

The SOUTH Is HOT No Matter Where You Are!

Boy is it HOT! The heat index has been around 105 degrees lately! I think now that it's August, you are going to be able to fry an egg on the pavement no matter where you are in the South. I remember when I was a kid how we used to try that. Can it really be done? Find out here.

We also would have a contest to see who would run out into the street and stand the longest on the blazing hot pavement. What was the "prize" for the person who won the contest? BURNED FEET! I guess the sun had already fried our brains! You couldn't pay me to do that now. but kids will be kids.

What's your favorite memory of hot summer weather? Post a comment and let us know.

Home Sweet Home...Once Again

We were out of town and I got lazy with the blogging because I was spending time with Jay, the kids, and some extended family, so I apologize if you have been checking and there haven't been any new entries. Thank you to those of you who have signed the guest book recently....we love knowing that you stopped by!

We went to visit one of my brothers...."Uncle" Patrick...and then loaded up the family van-mobile and headed on to see Grandma and Grandpa (my parents). We had not visited them since the holidays in Dec./Jan so it was good to see them again. This was Esther Marie's first "road trip" since arriving home from China and her first visit with Grandparents. She did really well, especially in the van while we were traveling. She has learned to entertain herself and she sings a lot. It's very sweet.

Patrick has a new house that he is renting which has three bedrooms, so we were able to camp out with him for a few days. (We were gone from last Saturday until this past Thursday night and got home pretty late.) It was a good, relaxing visit. We slept in, played games, visited and tried to stay cool. It was VERY hot and not even August yet when we were there. Patrick lives in a quaint town in a coastal area, so we walked to town a couple of times to window shop. We also visited the thrift store because Patrick has a great one near his house. He's a seasoned shopper there and knows a bargain when he sees one. He had found some toys there for the kids so they had things to play with to keep from getting "bored". It was hard to leave when it was time but we know we'll be back to visit him again soon. We are going to miss eating his Belgian waffles! YUM! Maybe we should call it "Patrick's Bed and Breakfast Inn" ???

Mom and Dad live in a small town that is a couple of hours away and we stayed at a Hampton Inn there. That's a good fit for our growing family because we get "free" breakfast when we stay there. (Is anything really "free"?) We squeezed in one room this trip, but realized those days will soon be over and we'll have to get two. I love the Hilton Honors points system because we earn them when we charge everything on our HH credit card, and so we were able to get two nights "free" with our points. (Again, is it really "free" ?) Ahh well...at least I won't find that charge on the bill next month so I'm good with calling it "free"! Mom and Dad seem to be doing pretty well and the kids loved seeing them. We visited the property where my parents used to live and enjoyed seeing the dogs, cats and the horse. We didn't stay that long this time because of the heat and the mosquitoes. Such a dilemma when you want to go outside when it's cooler but you don't want to be eaten alive by mosquitoes! For some reason, mosquitoes seem to target our Chinese-born children more than the rest of us, and they make a meal of MaryAlyce in particular unless we protect her with sprays. The kids played games and we visited and looked through photos and went down "memory" lane. The kids got a kick out of seeing pictures of their mommy and their four uncles when we were kids. That was fun hearing their comments! Esther Marie got her introduction to dogs and she was wary of them, but interested. She mostly wanted to be held. She got in the back of Paw-Paw's pick-up truck and ran around with the other kids. The sweetest thing was when she sang for G-Maw and when she held on to Paw-Paw's hand to go for a walk.

Now we are back home and gearing up for school. We have shopped for most of the supplies and taken advantage of the "tax free" (again that "free" word) shopping days. I have to finish up tonight or tomorrow. School starts next Thursday, the 7th...and that's hard to believe. That day I will also be having that back molar taken out. I'll be glad when that whole thing is over!

I'll be posting some photos of our visit with family soon...so come back and check them out.

Learning About Kitty

We are a family with pets...THREE cats and NO dogs...much to Hannah's dismay. Although she does have a dog at her grandparent's house that she calls her own. Here the girls are hanging out with our oldest cat, Muffin. Our other two are Butter and Jelly. I guess we had food on our minds when we named them! Esther Marie is not quite sure about pets and what they are. She will sit close but doesn't want to touch.

Esther Marie decides she wants to check out what Muffin is eating. Here goes "the reach."

MaryAlyce is quick to grab Emmie's arm to tell her "no"...don't eat THAT!

Okay...so we'll just watch...and hopefully when Muffin has finished her food, she won't try to nibble our toes!!

Ever-Changing Emmie...an Update

I haven't written about Esther Marie specifically lately, so I thought it would be a good idea to give an update about how she is doing. She is progressing with bonding with the family and enjoys playing with Joshua, MaryAlyce and Hannah quite a bit. Blossoming like a flower is a good way to describe it, trusting and opening up more and more each day. She wants to participate and not be left out of things, which can lead to some frustration and the inevitable whining. She loves music and dancing...music can calm her when she is antsy and upset. She especially likes to dance with mommy holding her. Paper seems to be a favorite thing to play with...she likes the crunching sound of it, she likes to draw on it, and she likes to stare at words on a paper and pretend she is reading it. She really loves toy kitchen things and dolls. She pretends to feed herself and the dolls. I think the thing we notice most about her is that she is a fantastic imitator...she copies sounds, motions and facial expressions. She really makes us laugh and she knows it. She is sleeping much better now and bedtime and nap time don't seem to be as threatening. She has calmed down and doesn't cry as much. I believe that is because she is getting more secure with us and her surroundings. She is very independent and wants to do things herself. She "talks" at us and is still pointing and acting bossy. She is not eating "real" food as much as I would like, but I think the textures are throwing her off...the feel of them in her mouth. She still prefers baby foods, yogurt and mashed up banana. I am curious about how that will change after she gets her palate repaired and she has healed from the surgery. I love watching her interact with others and still am in awe at what a miracle her personality is after growing up in an orphanage for two years. She will meet her grandparents soon and I know she will charm them just as she has charmed us.

Hanging Out With Uncle Patrick

China Bends One Child Rule in Quake Area

I am always watching the headlines for news about China....I guess that is only natural considering that I have traveled there twice and three of my children are Chinese.

I was very glad to see that the Chinese government "has a heart" and is going to "allow" the families in the earthquake zone who lost a child to have another one if they choose to do that. (China Bends 1-Child Rule in Quake Area)

We don't have to get "permission" to have a child here in the U.S....imagine living in a country where you do,

May I always be thankful to God for the freedoms that He has blessed us with in this country! Please pray for the Chinese people...for their true freedom in Christ and in China as well.

Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?

We had a pot luck supper this past Wednesday at church...Esther Marie's first...and she was more quiet than normal. I think the sounds of all of the people were overwhelming her a little, but she was happy to eat and she did look around at all the people. She enjoyed some peas and mac & cheese and her eyes got really wide and she smiled big when mommy let her have some Key Lime Pound Cake. Mmmmmmm!

After dinner, we went up from the fellowship hall to the sanctuary and Ms. Kathy, the children's pastor, made a presentation to our family. The incredibly awesome children in Children's Church, grades 1 - 6, have been having a contest to collect money for Esther Marie's surgery. They did all sorts of things and even contributed allowances. It was a contest between boys and girls and the GIRLS WON! (sorry boys!) All total, these kids raised $325.70 for Emmie! WOW! Thank you to all the kids from the bottoms of our hearts! They have also been having prayer times for her and have shown an incredible interest in and tenderness toward her. We have truly been touched in a special way by their efforts and love.

We were allowed to share for a few minutes, and I was again able to briefly tell about the miracle that God provided in regard to the surgery expenses. About half the people there this past Wednesday night had not heard my testimony the previous week.

We ended the night with a fun time! The 5th and 6th graders have been working hard all summer to learn Bible facts. Why? Because some adult "contestants" from the church were chosen to participate in our church's version of "Are you smarter than a 5th (6th Grader)?" Our pastor was the show host and the kids did a fantastic job! The laughter was contagious and you couldn't help being amused and stumped! Well, I for one know I am NOT smarter than a 5th/6th grader at our church and I am totally willing to admit it! (haha)

Have you ever watched that game on T.V. and realized just how much stuff you don't know! Do you ever feel like you need to repeat 5th grade?? (laugh) Drop us a comment and let us know what you think.

Thursday Thoughts and Happenings

The dentist was a breeze today! Why? Because he didn't do anything but talk to me. Whew! Does that mean I am "out of the woods"? Nahhhh. Rats! We talked and he explained the removal of a tooth that has a root canal. The tooth is brittle so more than likely it will break apart during removal and he will have to drill and cut to get it all out. UGH! Upon hearing that, I decided to wait until next Thursday afternoon when he will give me anesthesia and then take the tooth out. I knew I couldn't handle sitting there while all that was going on! I am a pitiful baby when it comes to going to the dentist. When I was growing up, I had a dentist who used to drill on me without deadening the tooth...and he was related to us. Yikes! Before going to see him, I actually used to plot out an escape route and plan in my head! If you prayed for me, please keep praying..and thank you!

While at the dentist, I met a nice lady who shared with me about someone she knows who works in an orphanage in China during the summers...in Guangdong province, which is where Esther Marie is from. I wonder if she works in Emmie's orphanage or somewhere else? I gave her my blog site address and I hope the two of them will check it out and leave us a message in the guest book. It's always neat to be able to share about adopting with people I meet. Esther Marie was toddling all around the waiting area jabbering and flirting with people. She was entertaining all the nervous patients who were waiting. What a sweet diversion!

Hannah had registration at school today...7th grade. It's hard to believe! She got on the team that she wanted and was busy much of the afternoon making calls to friends to see which team each person got on. There were some "yippies" and some "ohh nooos", but in the end I think most people were okay with their teams. Hannah got her schedule but has decided not to play clarinet in the band this year....so her schedule will change. She wants to try electives and signed up for theater and home economics and things like that. They take four different classes during the year. It's a shame that she can't be in the band and do all those things too. I am going to miss her playing the clarinet. I am happy though that it's a rental and not a purchased horn!!!

School starts here on August 7th....terribly early in my opinion. I liked it better when school started after Labor Day weekend....like when I was a kid. I don't think summer is long enough any more. My brother Patrick and I had a discussion about it recently and we both think that summer gets shorter and shorter each year because the school systems are moving toward year round school. When does school start for your kids and what do you think about short summers? Leave us a comment!

Below are two new blog entries. I have more to come, so stay tuned. It seems life in this family of 6 is always bringing new smiles, tears, memories and miracles. I hope you can relate, even a little, and that we can bring a smile to your face or encourage you. I look forward to sharing more with you soon, including some more photos. Thanks for hanging in here with us. We'll be blogging about the beginning of school and Esther Marie's surgery before you know it.

Tooth Tales

Many of you read the blog posts before we left for China where I was whining about my abscessed lower molar. Okay, be fair...abscessed teeth hurt really bad so I think some whining was appropriate, don't you? Well, I am back again....but instead of whining, I have been crying.

I went to the dentist on Tuesday afternoon to have the crown put on that tooth. The root canal had been done and I survived that dental nightmare. (Just a nightmare, because in reality it was not as bad as I had dreamed it would be.) Anyway, I just wanted to get it over with. I had been trying to be so careful when eating and was sick of chewing on the right side, but I had an episode recently where some chicken ran over to the left side of my mouth and I bit down on it...naughty chicken! I knew something wasn't right and felt I had cracked the tooth. Monday I frantically called the dentist and got an appointment. After working on the tooth for quite awhile, my dentist informed me that when I crack something, I REALLY crack it. The crack went all the way down to the root and therefore, she didn't think the crown was viable. (BIG SIGH) I frankly was not expecting this and it totally threw me off and the tears began to roll. I believe I just have too much on my plate emotionally to deal with and this was like the straw that broke the camel's back. I'm glad the women in the office were so understanding and were so nice to me!

So now what? I am headed to an oral surgeon on Thursday (tomorrow) to have the tooth extracted. If it is too complicated, they will have me come back another day and will put me "under" to spare me the ordeal. I can't decide which I would rather endure. Oh yeah...NEITHER! (haha) I have been so upset since that appointment on Tuesday afternoon but I am feeling better about it right now. I want to thank Kathy, my pastor's wife, for praying with Jasper and me before we left church tonight. It really calmed me and I am not dreading the appointment as much.

I'll tell you what "bites"....having to get the tooth extracted.....after enduring the root canal....which has not even been paid for!

Thanks for praying for me that I will get through this extraction with no complications, that a bridge will be an option, and that God will once again provide the money we need for the necessities of life......like teeth!

Lightning and a Late Show

Hi Family and Friends! I haven't posted for a couple of days because our internet has been uncooperative...grrrrrrrrr! We had a bad storm here on Monday night...what I call an electrical storm....with really loud crashes of thunder and that scary sky-to-ground lightning. The kids were frightened and huddling near us, asking a lot of questions. There we were explaining to them that they were safe and there was no need for screaming each time the thunder crashed. All of a sudden, lightening struck something very close to the house with a loud KA-POW and we all screamed! So much for trying to convince the kids not to be afraid! Whatever it struck, the after-shock made branches and pine cones fall out of the trees outside the windows and that was startling as well.

Then the rain came and the wind blew the trees making them sway in that spooky kind of way where you are praying they don't land on your house. At some point, the power went out and I sent Jasper to the basement for the oil lamps, and Hannah and I started digging out the candles. We played Uno (cards) for awhile until it got too dark and we were each having to hold a flashlight to see what color card to play next. It was also beginning to get really HOT in the house with no AC! We are SO spoiled!

Finally around 9:00 pm, we decided to get out of Dodge and head for a cooler climate. We landed at the dollar movie theater and for $5.00 got to enjoy a late movie with cool air...yippie! I am so happy they had something appropriate...Horton Hears a Who....very cute movie! The kids and I laughed on and off all the way through it...and it even seemed to hold Emmie's attention most of the time. This was her FIRST movie theater experience. It was so late that she was zoning in mommy's lap and glad to be cuddled, her eyes glued to the screen. Jay was snoring in the seat next to me for half the movie. Poor Dad! He gets up early and is very tired by 10:00 PM.

When we got home around midnight, the power was back on and everyone went straight to bed. The kids were relaxed again after the storm, and I was thanking God that we could sleep late the next morning because it is summer break!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hopefully the Whole Family Won't Catch It....

Poor Hannah was throwing up in the night and so I stayed home with her and Esther Marie this morning while Jay and the other two kids went to church. Emmie was crabby all morning so I hope she is not coming down with something also. A good long nap hopefully will help...and as I write, she is snoozing away. Hannah is resting in bed and feeling better today. I'm not sure what she has but I pray the whole family doesn't catch it!

I am adding $13.00 to our surgery fund and am thankful for the donation since every little bit helps. A family who attends our church sold some extra veggies from their garden and then gave us the money for the surgery. Thanks to that special family!

There are three new posts....fairly long but full of exciting news.....about Esther Marie's upcoming surgery, about a miracle for her, and about a letter from the President. Thanks for taking the time to read them and share in our lives. Please sign our guest book or leave a comment. We really want to hear from you...and we are making a permanent record of the blog for Esther Marie and for our other children, so they'll want to be able to look back one day and know you visited. We love you all!

Esther Marie Got A Letter From President Bush Today!

Esther Marie received an exciting package in the mail today....a letter from the President and her official Certificate of Citizenship! Yippie! She officially became a citizen the day we returned home, June 20, 2008, but the Certificate of Citizenship is THE important paper to have! Below is the text of the letter she received from President Bush. I know it's a form letter, but all the same, it's very touching and very meaningful. I would copy and post the Certificate, but I don't think it's safe to do that. I hope Esther Marie will grow up to appreciate what it means to live in this great and free nation....and I pray God will continue to bless America!

The White House

Washington

Dear Fellow American:

I am pleased to congratulate you on becoming a United States citizen. You are now a part of a great and blessed Nation. I know your family and friends are proud of you on this special day.

Americans are united across the generations by grand and enduring ideals. The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, and that no insignificant person was ever born. Our country has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by principles that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be citizens. Every citizen must uphold these principles. And every new citizen, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American.

As you begin to participate fully in our democracy, remember that what you do is as important as anything government does. I ask you to serve your new Nation, beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be citizens building communities of service and a Nation of character. Americans are generous and strong and decent not because we believe in ourselves, but because we hold beliefs beyond ourselves. When this spirit of citizenship is missing, no government program can replace it. When this spirit is present, no wrong can stand against it.

Welcome to the joy, responsibility, and freedom of American citizenship. God bless you, and God bless America.

Sincerely,


George W. Bush