Obama's Inauguration.....A New Beginning....REALLY????

This morning, the inauguration of our 44th President, Barack Obama, was televised and it was blaring on two televisions in the house....maybe three. No, we didn't vote for him. Yes, we were interested, as much of the world was, in watching this historic occasion. I have to be honest and say that I couldn't join in with the news commentators in the "ecstatic joy" they kept claiming that EVERYONE has for this new President, the "savior" of America. I felt a sadness for him that he has to lead our country in this very difficult time. I am praying for his safety and for strength....for his faith to be strong. I am hoping that he doesn't get disillusioned too quickly and become discouraged like so many of the people in this country are now. It is a very tough road ahead for him and you couldn't pay me to do his job.

I also felt sad for President Bush because I think people tend to blame one man for too much of the woes and failures in life....that is unfair and unjust. I hope he will have some time to rest and reflect but he won't beat up on himself.

I heard one newscaster say that Obama will need 50 billion dollars to get this economy jump-started and I had to ask myself what "new beginning" everyone was thinking we would have as a nation as we sink deeper and deeper into financial ruin??? Ummm...WHERE is this money coming from? Sounds like more of the same old stuff to me....entitlement and programs for all!

I think our nation needs a reality check! We "the people" need to force our "leaders" to trim the budget, tighten their belts, stop the perks and earmarks, and get out of debt! How will that happen if everyone thinks they deserve what they are "entitled" to??? Okay, I am not a politician (obviously) so I will shut up now. But I will keep praying for this nation to "see the light" of Jesus and come to their senses....so there will be a better world for my precious children when they are grown.

(Inauguration button shown above available for purchase...click here.)

Barack Obama's Half Brother Performs in China to Benefit Orphans

Here's a news article that caught my eye and I decided to share it on the blog. I like reading about people who want to help Chinese orphans. This person happens to be Barack Obama's half brother who lives in China and is married to a Chinese woman. Here's an excerpt from the article....

SHENZHEN, China - The news release didn't say who Mark Ndesandjo was. Nor did the posters and emails promoting the concert Friday in this southern Chinese boomtown where he played piano to raise money for orphans. On Friday, he said he had visited a Shenzhen orphanage shortly after arriving in China and saw rows and rows of sleeping babies while a harried staff of two nurses tried to care for them. "One child with big black eyes seized my finger and would not let it go," he told the crowd.

If you would like to read the entire article about Mark Ndesandjo, click here. I find it interesting that he has chosen a life in China.

A Song for Moms......Motherhood is Exhausting but Learn to Laugh Often!

This has been one of those weeks where I truly feel like a "broken record." It is extremely obvious how many times I repeat things to my kids in a day...only to wake up the next morning saying the very same things all over again...and wondering how many times I will have to say these same things during their life-times before they will FINALLY get it! (whew..run-on sentence, but you get the idea)

I was whining to a friend of mine who sent me this link to a video by Anita Renfroe. It had me, Jasper....and the kids...in stitches...........with us pointing and nodding at each other throughout the lyrics.

Anita says she has figured out what a mother says to her children in a 24-hour period and she has condensed it into 2 minutes and 55 seconds. The lyrics are set to the "William Tell Overture" (Lone Ranger Theme music). Motherhood can be exhausting (and so can listening to the William Tell Overture music...haha). But as my friend Tracy reminded me on Sunday, if you are exhausted at the end of the day after taking care of your family, you MUST be doing something RIGHT!

Take a look and hopefully you can relate, smile, and perhaps laugh at yourself. Laughter is a good medicine...for sure! And in my opinion, every mother needs to laugh OFTEN!

A VERY BIG THANK YOU FOR A VERY SPECIAL SCHOOL !

(Hannah, Joshua, MaryAlyce and Esther Marie made this poster to give to OSMS as a thank you for their help.)

Blessings abound from all sorts of places, sometimes so unexpected....

Such was the case with a very special school and the student body at OSMS. One of my brothers (Patrick) teaches at this school and he shared with people there about Esther Marie and our family. The Science Club at the school decided they wanted to help us by having a fund raiser. They sold paper Panda Bears and because of the generous hearts of the students, parents and faculty at this school, they raised $1,526.17 !!! We were just "blown away" to put it mildly! The money will be used this month to pay down a credit card which houses the debt for Esther Marie's adoption expenses and medical expenses.

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to say....

THANK YOU OSMS SCIENCE CLUB,
STUDENT BODY,
PARENTS AND FACULTY!

You truly have a very special place in our hearts and we hope you get to meet little Esther Marie soon so you can see how your generous support has helped her...and us.

Emmie's Speech Progress

It's been a great weekend and we ended it with fellowship at our church Home Group this evening. The kids (except Emmie) are tucked into bed and she is on the way. We have been snapping some photos of Emmie and enjoying some one-on-one time with her. She is fascinated with eyes and often wants to look into your eyes and examine them. Tonight she was practically sticking her finger onto my eyeball, touching my lashes and giggling. It felt very strange but I patiently let her explore.

It also brought to mind all the cute things she says now....so I thought I would share some of them with you....

I see...or I see it (especially when looking at photos that have just been taken...she is demanding to see)
Come-on (when she wants you to follow her)
Be right back (with her finger pointed out at you)
Just a minute (again with the finger pointed..she can be a bossy little thang)
I love you (that one just melts our hearts)
I help you (she is a great little helper)
Help me please or help me do it (she has good manners)
Clean up (she learned that quickly and actually does clean up well and with a great attitude)
bye, see ya (while waving at you)
Like that (Emmie tacks it onto things she tells you constantly)
Ready..Set..Go (this is one of the first strung-together statements she used and is SO cute)

Other words used frequently are: sorry, hungry, milk, eat, clean-up, thank you, me, mama, daddy, all of our other kids' names, uh-oh, night night, NO, wait, hi, hello, bye bye, etc. It is great to hear her using more short sentences too.

When we were having her speech evaluated this past week, Judy (the speech therapist, asked if she knew at least 50 words. We are SURE that she does. She babbles quite a bit, getting the number of syllables for words correct, even if we are not understanding her. SHE knows what she is saying!

There are some sounds she is still unable to make at this point, even with her palate repaired and closed up. She just hasn't learned yet. We are praying that God will totally heal her palate and more surgery will be unnecessary in order for her to have better speech. She has come a LONG way from not knowing any English (and from having a big hole in the roof of her mouth)...and we are SO proud of her. She is almost always willing to repeat words and sounds and a good attitude like that goes a long way toward better speech. Great job, little Emmie!!

Two Silver and One Bronze

A MaryAlyce story...brief but funny....

The kids were playing games on the Wii tonight and MaryAlyce was telling how she had "won some medals" when she was playing on her cousins' Wii...while visiting in Texas.

She then told us she had won "two silver and one bras medal." (pronounced like the undergarment women wear!)

It was so dang cute and spoken in that sweet little MaryAlyce voice, that we just HAD to ask her to repeat it a couple of times. Daddy then gave her a big ole hug and Mommy gently explained how to say the word correctly.

Kids can be SO innocent in those kinds of mistakes, you can't help but smile!

IT'S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME!!!!

It's girl scout cookie time and sales start today!

(double click the cookie image to enlarge so you can see the cookies better and read the descriptions)

Hannah and MaryAlyce will both be selling this year and they are pretty excited about it. Selling these cookies helps bring in much needed funds for the troops and the girl scout council. If you are interested in purchasing any from the girls and are in our area so we can deliver to you, please email your order to the girls at 4everinourhearts@gmail.com . The cookies have gone up slightly this year and are now $3.50/box but are still a bargain for those tasty treats we all know and love! New this year are Dolce De Leche (caramel) and sugar free chocolate chip. A returning cookie is the lemon sandwich. These freeze great so you can enjoy them for months to come...so stock up now!

Girl Scout cookies can be used to dress up other recipes in a variety of unique and resourceful ways. Here are a few suggestions from the folks who bake the cookies for the Girl Scouts.

The first one is from one of the two bakers of Girl Scout cookies, the ABC Bakery:

Fudgie Peanut Butter Balls (Makes 28)

1½ boxes (24 cookies) Girl Scout Do-Si-dos (Peanut Butter Patties)
3 tablespoons butter or marga rine, melted
cup salted peanuts, finely chopped

Place cookies in food processor or blender; process until fine crumbs.

Combine crumbs and butter; mix well until blended. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls.

Place peanuts in a small, narrow bowl. Roll each ball in peanuts, gently pressing peanuts into balls. Store covered container in refrigerator until ready to serve.

This recipe is also from the ABC Bakery:

Chocolate Thin Mint Pizza Supreme (8-10 servings)

1 8-ounce package refrigerated chocolate chunk cookie dough
½ package (19 cookies) Girl Scout Thin Mints
½ cup white chocolate morsels
Vanilla ice cream, optional

Press cookie dough evenly in the bottom of an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan or a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. (Dough will barely cover the pan.)

Break Thin Mints into halves or thirds; press cookie pieces into dough, covering evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Place white chocolate morsels into a small self-closing bag. Microwave the bag of morsels on medium/high (70 percent) power for 40-50 seconds or until melted.

Snip one corner of the bag. Hold bag tightly and drizzle white chocolate stripes over top of pizza. When cool, cut pizza into 8-10 wedges.

If desired, top each serving with a scoop of ice cream.

This rather unusual twist on a favorite Girl Scout cookie comes from the other bakery, the Little Brownie Bakers:

Samoas Sweet Potatoes (4 servings)

1 box Samoas Girl Scout Cookies
3 pounds sweet potatoes
cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
pound butter
cup heavy cream
1 cup mini marshmallows (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Cool and peel.

Mash potatoes and ad rest of ingredients. Season to taste.

Place mixture in casserole dish, layer with Samoas and bake in 350-degree oven until cookies melt. Add mini marshmallows as a topping.

Let's Sell Cookies!

MaryAlyce and friends met tonight in their Daisy Girl Scout group to learn about the different kinds of cookies and how to sell them. They worked this cookie puzzle together and were proud to show it off. This is the first year these girls will sell cookies.

Great Clinic Visit for Esther Marie!

Dr. G checking out my cleft repair.

Drawing intently for awhile while we wait.

Dancing and silly faces while we wait.

If you ever want to have a marathon doctor visit, just go to a specialty clinic...whew!

Our appointment was at 9:30 this morning and we didn't leave until 1:45. I'll admit we saw several people at the clinic, but much of the time was spent waiting...and waiting...and waiting. In the end, Esther Marie just couldn't hold out any longer and laid her little head on daddy's shoulder while we were talking to her surgeon, Dr. G. Within minutes...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Today, Emmie saw the audiologist and had her hearing checked again...it is totally normal. She saw the speech therapist and had some evaluations done (and got to play with some cool toys as a bonus). The ENT doctor came by to check her tubes to make sure those are okay...everything checked out. Then we finally saw Dr. G and he checked out her palate repair. He thought it looked great and she had healed nicely. We spoke about future surgeries, but it is too soon to decide about more palate repairs. We also discussed the plastic surgery that she will need after age four and he explained it in more detail and even said we might choose to wait a little longer to have it done...perhaps age 6. There are several factors to consider after Emmie turns 4. It was a great visit and gave us a lot of information we were wanting. We also met some very nice families in the waiting area. Our next visit will be in May to check Emmie's speech progress.

Just to let you know, Esther Marie is growing like a weed...she now weighs 30 lbs (dressed) and is 35.5" tall (with shoes on). She is a great eater and we are happy with her progress.

Esther Marie is 33 Months Old!

(Double click on this photo to check out Emmie's great make-up job! She had a bunch of fun!)

It's hard to believe little Esther Marie is 33 months old already and she has been a part of our family for almost 7 months! She is growing and changing so fast...and cute as a button. Today she got into my make-up and put on some eyeliner and lip gloss. She also had fun putting some lip gloss on me...and daddy! (laugh)

Tomorrow, we have an appointment with her surgeon and the cleft team for a follow-up visit. Dr. G will check the roof of Emmie's mouth to see how it looks since the surgery in August. We are also expecting her to have some speech testing to see how well the surgery has helped in that area. Her speech continues to improve and we understand her better each day, but she still has a long way to go. I also am feeling anxious about the plastic surgery she will need when she is four..on her lip area and nose, so I have some questions for Dr. G about that as well.

Esther Marie will turn 3 in April so she will no longer be eligible for in-home, early intervention services. Therefore, we had our first transition meeting yesterday with the public school. She has some testing appointments set up in February and we will find out in March if she qualifies for the "special needs" preschool program in the public school. We hope this will work out if that's the program where God wants her to be in the fall.

A Belated New Year's Wish

This snowman may look "cool" but it was pretty warm on the coast for New Year's and felt like spring when we went out for a walk. New Year's Greetings from Hannah, Joshua, MaryAlyce and Esther Marie to you and yours!

Well, I am a little "late" with this wish for a "Happy New Year" but since it's still the beginning of January, I figure it's okay to post this cute graphic. We were visiting my brother on the coast...we headed his way on New Year's Eve. When we got there, we had a party outside because the weather was not that cold. He has one of those neat copper fire-pits, so we built a fire and gathered round. We roasted hot dogs and made S'mores and the kids (and adults) ate more than their fair share! Later, we came inside to play games and have some fun. The kids almost made it until midnight but when crankiness set in, we sent them to bed around 11:00. Uncle Patrick doesn't have television so we missed the ball dropping in Times Square. I'm sure it was about the same as every year though so we didn't miss much.

We were supposed to head on out on Friday to see Grandma and Grandpa, but the next morning I woke up sick with some type of virus..and I wish I had NOT enjoyed the hot dogs and S'mores so much the previous night. I am sure you get the picture! UGH! We ended up staying longer...through Sunday, traveling home that night. Monday the kids were off school and they started back yesterday. They were excited to get back to school so they could see their friends and exchange excitement with them over Christmas presents. Now we are back to the reality of a "normal" schedule and homework each night. Ahhh the joys of school!

We did enjoy a lazy visit with Patrick listening to old Christmas records (yes, I said records as in LP's), playing games, watching Christmas movies, reading and just talking and visiting. He lives in a very cute little artsy town and when I got to feeling better, we went out one afternoon for a walk....a slow walk. We also went to the thrift store and poked around....something we all seem to enjoy doing...looking for "treasures." We always have a wonderful visit with the kids fun Uncle and we look forward to seeing him again soon.

What did you do for your New Year's celebration? Drop us a note and share.

Funny Joshua!

We slept in this morning....yes, all of us....again! I think we are going to be in BIG trouble when school starts again in another week. Anyway, I was woken up by two little squirming things in the bed with me.....kicking, crawling and banging....along with some squealing. After a few minutes of that, I groaned and shooed them out. So they made their way to Joshua's room and bed. Well, poor Joshua didn't know what hit him. Wham, bam...crunch...ugh! They were doing the same thing to him. Jasper peeked his head in the door and Joshua looked up at him.....and said....

I think it was a BAD idea to wake up today!

I heard him from my room....and we all burst out laughing...and laughing!

It was a funny way for us to start the day.....the laughing, I mean....NOT being used as a punching bag or a trampoline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love my kids and how they are constantly making me laugh!

Another Family Day At Home

Today, I realized (more than ever) that I should NOT let the kids stay up way past their bedtime unless it is a very special occasion! We had some grumpy-heads hanging around! And so the bickering began and kept on......until three of them had naps this afternoon!! That seemed to do the trick and helped stop some of the fussing.

In spite of the tiredness, we did have a good day hanging out as a family with no real pressure or stress from outside forces. I love having time together like that! Jasper went downtown for a short time early this morning to do a little work and to pick up a stray package at UPS. The kids and I slept in and that was bliss. We had a nice brunch again this morning and the kids played a lot with the toys they got from Santa.

We had our post-Christmas BIG meal this evening and so there was some preparation earlier in the day for that. I put a small, fresh turkey in the oven and then Hannah and I headed out together to do a little shopping in the afternoon/early evening. We had fun together...mostly window shopping. When we got home, I finished up dinner and we had a very nice meal....turkey, green bean casserole, rice and giblet gravy, corn, cranberry sauce and rosemary rolls. For dessert......the cheesecake that Hannah and her daddy made a couple of days ago....and boy was it GOOD! Emmie LOVED it and wanted MORE!

The clean-up was a lot........and as I was standing at the kitchen sink forever, I was trying to figure out if the meal was worth all the dish and pot-scrubbing afterwards....but knowing how much my family enjoyed the meal, I can definitely say.....YES!

Tomorrow, we have our "family Christmas" where we exchange gifts with each other.....since Santa came on Christmas day. The kids are excited all over again.....and I'm glad that we had a few days between the two special days.

The Day After...and Still in Jammies!

How do you like the new photo for the blog heading? It's the kids on Christmas morning in their cute Gymboree jammies. We actually gave these to the kids last Christmas but I planned ahead and ordered Esther Marie a pair like MaryAlyce's in preparation for this year...size 2...and it worked out! They look so sweet to me all snuggled in their jammies. They stayed in them all day yesterday. We had a great Christmas....and the kids opened their presents from Santa after we enjoyed a brunch of cheese omelets, Sister Schubert's cinnamon and orange rolls, bacon, fresh fruit, juice and coffee. The kids let me know this was a real winning combination as they went back for seconds and even thirds. The presents seemed to be a hit as well. Hannah got some boots...and a purse and lunchbox (Vera Bradley which is apparently all the rage in middle school), Joshua got a computer game and a Navy Seal boat with some G.I. Joe action figures, MaryAlyce got art supplies, a Disney movie and a tea set that you can really use. She can't wait to have a "tea party!" All the kids got stockings and house shoes and some other odds and ends. We had a yummy "party foods" dinner in the evening and then called the grandparents to wish them Merry Christmas. After some more playing, the kids went off to bed....and so did we!

Esther Marie was really cute this first Christmas! She loves candy...we know that for sure! She enjoys candy canes and anything chocolate, which always seems to dribble out of her mouth onto her clothes. Her favorite thing at breakfast was the rolls and I got a thumbs up on that one. I guess she has a bit of a sweet tooth. She wasn't quite sure what to do with presents but the other kids were more than happy to show her how to rip open the paper, throwing it about the room. She got some pretend food items and cookware and a little kitchen. She also got an Esther Veggie Tales movie and some books. She has been having a fun time "cooking" and serving things to all of us...saying..."eat it!" I have loved watching her as she copies our expressions and reactions, and she joins right in with all the holiday fun!

Okay, Okay....so it's the "day after" and I will admit it....everyone but Jasper is still hanging around in their jammies today..and it's the middle of the afternoon. It is just SO fun to me to have such a lazy day after the busy schedule that we always have...especially in the few days before Christmas. I am headed to put little Emmie down for a nap in a few minutes after we have our pizza lunch, and then I will reluctantly dress. We slept in this morning and had another brunch...oatmeal, fruit, and German Christmas Stollen that we always have during the holidays. I think the hot coffee was my favorite part...a Christmas blend and I like it even more because Jasper always makes it and hands me a cup! Yes, he spoils this woman rotten...I admit it! (Hmmm...I seem to be admitting a lot today!)

Now I have to get busy because I have more work to do and more secrets planned for the continued celebration. The more children we have, the more we try to spread things out to make the fun last. We had "Santa" Christmas yesterday...and a day off today to play with all the presents. Tomorrow, we will have our "family" gift time and a big, cooked holiday meal....turkey and trimmings. Sunday we will go to church, and hopefully will have some outside play time when things are more dry...it's been raining a lot. Next week, we plan to see other family members and will have a New Year's Eve party with Uncle Patrick. We can't wait for that fun!

We hope you had a blessed Christmas Day and that the rest of your holiday is wonderful, happy and that you stay well!

Merry Christmas!

MaryAlyce...Age 6

Joshua....Age 11

Hannah....Age 12

Esther Marie....Age 32 months

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

These are the photos we used for our Christmas card this year and so we wanted to share them on the blog also. They were taken at the park near our home and we had to dodge the rain to get them! Have a wonderful Christmas Day!

Our Whole Gang on Christmas Eve

We had a great Christmas Eve service tonight. There were lots of Christmas songs and special music. The kids always get excited because they get to dress up and they know they will get to hold lit candles. Jasper sang and it was so nice....In The Bleak Midwinter was the song. Matt, our worship leader, played the guitar for him. Esther Marie did great for about half of the service, but then she got bored and wanted to talk. Out came the Cheerio container and that kept her fairly quiet for awhile. She fed them to herself and to MaryAlyce, occasionally saying...EAT IT...as she pushed it into MaryAlyce's face. I had to muffle my laughter! Then when she was done with ALL the Cheerios, she made the sign for "drink" and begin to say MILK in a loud voice. At that point, we walked to the back of the sanctuary...while Jasper was singing his song. I ended up taking Esther Marie in and out several times until the service was over. Oh what I would have given for a "toddler nursery"...ha! It's a family-oriented service so it was okay, but I wanted to focus more on what was going on around me. Several moms with toddlers were out in the vestibule and the kids had a "dance party". Anyway, the service ended with candles lit and Silent Night and it was beautiful. Afterward, we took a few photos, said hello to friends, and then left to come home...in the pouring down rain! It feels like summer-time here with a high of nearly 70 today. My kids might be "dreaming of a White Christmas" but as they say.....it ain't gonna happen!

What did you do on Christmas Eve? Will you be having a White Christmas? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Happy Christmas Eve To All !!

Greetings and Happy Christmas Eve to everyone!

Can you believe that tomorrow is Christmas Day? Hopefully you are close to being ready for the "big event"...but if you are not, and you are feeling a bit of panic like I am, then close your eyes, take a deep breath...and try to focus on what many of us are really celebrating...the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. It's not just about one day, but about every day serving Him! And yes, as I am rushing about with lists in hand, I am reminding myself of this constantly.

Our family is having a wonderful holiday season so far, and we are looking forward to more to come. This is Esther Marie's FIRST Christmas in the United States with her new family.....as a U.S. citizen! What a special time to remember. She is full of wonder and is saying "wow" quite a bit. I had debated putting a tree up this year, but she is doing really great with it and amazingly, is leaving the ornaments on the tree. (no kidding) Emmie loves the lights on the tree and on the garland, the ribbons and bows, the candles on the mantle and the stockings. She loves the reindeer antlers (the ones on a headband that are red and green with bells) and yes, bows in her hair. She finally has enough hair for me to be able to pull it up on the top of her head to put a bow in it. She watches my every move and wants make-up too...but you have to draw the line somewhere! (giggle) I pretend to put some on her and she gets a little lip gloss for good measure.

We had a busy week during the last week of school before the holiday. Jasper was out of town for a couple of days, Joshua went on a field trip out of town, and MaryAlyce had three holiday parties in ONE day! On Thursday night after the Daisy meeting with MaryAlyce, Hannah decided she needed three gifts for friends, some candy canes, and she wanted to make Christmas cards for her friends. Yes, I took her to the drug store and Cracker Barrel for the items she needed. It is hard for me to say "no" to the kids at this time of year.

Christmas Eve.....we will follow our normal "traditions." We are in town this year and will cook and bake, wrap some presents, and go to the candlelight service at 5:00 p.m. at our church. Jasper will be singing as he does many years...which I always enjoy. This year he is singing with guitar accompaniment and I know it will be lovely. Afterwards, we greet friends, pass out Christmas cards, and then head home for our Christmas Eve party...just the six of us. We take pictures and then eat many of our favorite holiday snack foods....croissant sandwiches, stuffed eggs, chips and dip, cheese ball, jalapeno poppers, etc. I like to put out quite a spread for all of us to nibble on. We will bake some cookies for Santa (to put by the fireplace) and wait to see if he rides through our part of the neighborhood on the fire truck, throwing out candy. The children watch for him to come and get so excited when they see him! After that, we let the kids open a gift...and then it's off to bed for them so Mom and Dad can get things ready for the next day. Yes, it's a busy night....but a fun night!

I'm excited about this year with all four children...especially with the wonder-filled eyes of our latest addition...little Emmie! I hope you are having a very blessed holiday season and that these next days will be filled with joy, laughter and the happiness that only Jesus can provide.

Love to all from our family!

Thanksgiving in Texas...Emmie Meets Some More of Mommy's Family!

Our Texas Family Members....pictured left to right: Ellen, Uncle Daniel, Joshua, David, Aunt Annette, Hannah, Esther Marie, Jasper (dad), Sarah (me), Joseph, Aunt Lisa, Uncle William, Jonathan, and seated, MaryAlyce

Texas was our Thanksgiving destination this year, and the trip was alot of fun! Esther Marie met more of my family.....I have four brothers. She has met each one of them now (and their families) , except for Aunt Kari and cousin Ben. Ben is in France teaching English and hopefully she will meet him before too long. My brothers, Daniel and William, are the ones who live in Texas. Along the way, we met Uncle Stephen and his daughter, Jenny. Daniel and his family moved to the states from Germany during the summer, so it was great to see them again. While we were there, the kids enjoyed lots of good food, fishing, playing in the park, playing tons of electronic games, shooting pool, air hockey, playing the drums (both David and Joseph play drums in the band), and many other things. Joshua especially loved being around "the boys"! Of course, Esther Marie enjoyed all the attention see got as the newest member of our "clan." She did really well in the midst of 13 other people! It was a great visit and we look forward to the next time we visit Texas!

Esther Marie Met Her Tennesse Relatives in November!

Esther Marie finally got a chance to meet her Tennessee relatives about a month ago. Here is a nice shot of Grandma Alice with all of her grandchildren....Spencer, Isabell, Hannah, Joshua, MaryAlyce and Esther Marie. Our kids love to travel and spend time with family...especially grandmother. When we were there, the kids did some sewing, some crafts, worked on a big puzzle, watched movies, played with grandmother's toys and enjoyed the fire in the fireplace during the cold weather. They also spent a few hours at their cousins' house. We had a great weekend and hope we can go back again soon!

Home Study, Transitioning and Therapy...All In One Week!

Busy, busy....that is an understatement...and I am sure you can relate! On top of all the normal activities, we seem to be cramming alot of appointments for Esther Marie in before the "holiday break." Add Christmas and decorating to go along with that and my head is spinning! (Okay, I heard that! laugh I am kinda "dizzy" at times anyway without all that going on! ha)

Anyway, we had two appointments yesterday...Esther Marie's six month follow-up home study and also her "transitioning" meeting for her special services she is receiving....speech therapy, occupational therapy and special therapy sessions. The home study went great! Lauren asked us questions about Esther Marie and how she is doing. She will write a report which she will submit to the CCAA in China. She will also send them several photos to show that Esther Marie looks well and is doing well. Our final home study will be in June which will mark our first anniversary of "Gotcha Day."

Brianna, from the therapy program, came to the house next. We talked about "transitioning" Esther Marie from home services into services provided by the school system. We will have three meetings before April, and they will test her in five areas to determine her need to receive help. Brianna feels she will have no trouble qualifying. Hopefully, she will be admitted to the preschool program that is provided by the school. After Esther Marie's birthday on April 7th, she will be in the new program....hopefully.

Today (Wed.), Miss Tammy came to the house bright and early...8:45 a.m. Mommy and Daddy were still cross-eyed and Esther Marie was excited! Miss Tammy brought her special box of textured toys for Emmie to play with and it was pretty funny watching her face and hearing her reactions to all of the different things....feathers, sandpaper, squishy balls, gooey stretchy things, Playdough, Silly Putty, etc. YES, this IS therapy! You might be surprised at all the things that orphanage children miss because they are confined to a bed for so many hours in a day. The interaction with and manipulation of the different textures helps her fine motor skills and reactions to textures when touching and eating. We also discussed her deficit in some gross motor skills and how to help her in that area. She still is unable to sit up from a lying down position! We are working on that. It was a great visit and Emmie and I will be heading to the dollar store soon to get some thing so we can make our own fun texture box!

Esther Marie is making very good progress in so many areas and we are SO proud of her! This has been a great program to be associated with and we are SO blessed that she is in the "at-home therapy program!