Someone made a comment

It was something small, and while I do like to think prior to Katie I would have been offended by it, I'm not sure how offended I would have been. It was a little rude, and it was racist in that the person who made the comment took a physical characteristic of a Chinese person and applied it in an "across the board" kind of way. It was not meant as mean, or mean spirited...but it was a remark made regarding a physical characteristic of a Chinese person. It stung.

The parents made the comment that because their daughter had been squinting a lot lately due to a physical ailment that when she started talking it might be Chinese.

I know they were joking as the Mom told us the context and was laughing about it. But it still stung. It was a reminder of the comments we will get for years to come about Katie. They will come from children and adults. "Does she speak English? Does she speak Chinese? Are you her mother?" I've gotten some already, and luckily Katie is young enough to not notice. She's oblivious. Luckily as my least favorite questions have been asked in her presence, "How much did she cost?" Or "Isn't it expensive to adopt from China?" Yes it is. I don't elaborate, but if they ask how much, I typically reply, about the same as a new car.

That's probably not a good answer, but it does make them OPEN their eyes. They routinely buy new cars, think nothing of it...but to adopt a child it is expensive? I personally find that all the fees we paid to various agencies, travel, and governmental entities were all well worth it. I ALWAYS mention that many of the expenses were for the US government portion as we had to pay for fingerprints, for background checks, for papers to be notarized, authenticated (in triplicate), and had to pay shipping costs to each and every place a paper came from or was going to! Then, we had to pay for a 2 week trip to China AT THE LAST MINUTE with about 1.5 weeks notice! By this point, people are beginning to understand that YES it is expensive, but the fees for the adoption agencies and the in-country fees to the orphanage and such are NOT expensive!

Playing at a playground

Being the nice and wonderful parents that we are, we took the kids to play on a nearby large playground and park. Lovely place, nice and shady, not so many other kids around this time of year.





Katie is still a little wary around dogs, but she loves to point to them. She gets so excited to see them, but does NOT want to get close enough to pet them. Although, at the ball field she has come very close. She'll reach out her hand and get within centimeters before pulling it back.


After our fun-filled time watching the kids on the playground, we opted for a quick dinner out. The kids begged to sit outside on the patio, we caved.



I realize that there are few photos of the boys here, but honestly they were mainly blurs on the playground and we have to stick right by Katie as she's a little more adventurous than her abilities allow her to be. ;)

Homeschooling update...

You did know we homeschool didn't you? Yeah, I know, we're a little weird like that. I'll post one day about the struggle to decide to homeschool, why we chose this lifestyle, what I love about it, what I dislike about it, and what our future plans are (hint, it's one year at a time). But for now, here's our update:

It's at the end of another school year for us, and we're deciding on what to do for next year. We did decide to homeschool next year with JM officially 4th grade and Samuel officially Kindergarten. We will start with curriculum and our "summer schedule" on June 1st. I think we have curriculum narrowed down, and it's not quite easy to follow. It's not streamlined, but I think it's what is going to work out best for us. I might be over-estimating my abilities though! LOL

JM is going to do 5th grade Switched on Schoolhouse for Bible, Science, and Language Arts. He'll do 4th grade Horizons Penmanship. For Math, we're going to start with Horizons Math 4 book 2 (skim through to make sure he learned all he was supposed to this year), then we'll do Horizons Math 5. We're also going to have him do Switched on Schoolhouse State History. :)

Samuel is going to do Horizons Math 1, finish up Horizons Language Arts K and start Horizons Language Arts 1. He'll also do Horizons Penmanship 1, Horizons Spelling 1. Science will be taken care of with our science museum, watching Magic Schoolbus, and participating in science experiments here with JM. Bible will be done using Sonlight's Core 1 Bible suggestion (we used it with JM at the same age).

Notice what is missing from both? History and Geography. This is where I might be a little crazy. We're going to do Sonlight Core 1+2 for both boys. JM will have the most advanced set of books that go with it to read alone, and I already have all the books for Samuel to read alone(from when JM did Core 1). Yes, JM did Core 1 already, but it was a few years ago and I think he'll benefit from going back over that early History.

Okay, why Sonlight Core 1+2? Isn't that 1st and 2nd grade level? JM is in 4th? Well, yes, it's sort of 1st and 2nd grade level. But Sonlight is not tied strictly to grade levels. 4th grade is the "top end" of students using Sonlight Core 1+2, as Kindergarten is bottom end. This means, Samuel is going to need a little "help" understanding, and JM will need a little "extra work" to make it a full curriculum (see above...I think he'll get plenty).

Basically, this means, that every day Dh or I will be reading a nice literary book to the boys that pertains to history or geography. They will then read their own books that relate to that time frame as well. We'll learn LOTS of geography this year - all states in US, provinces in Canada, over 200 countries, all continents, oceans, and planets. :) Samuel will need help writing (he probably won't be). JM will be doing it fully.

What about 4th grade being "Intro to American History?" The beauty of homeschooling is that we can pick and choose which part of history we're going to cover in each year. JM has already been introduced to some early American History, and with our vacation to DC this year (and Williamsburg as well), he'll get a little more. But the plan is, if we homeschool the following year, he'll do a more in-depth American History study. We might even do Core 3 for both boys that year...carrying on into Core 4....and so forth. :) Depends on how it goes.

I can always change my mind part way through the year and start him on American History if I feel like I should. I have a set of books to start it if I want to.

confusing? perhaps a little?

OH, and of course we'll continue with the following "daytime" activities during the week:

Karate - it's a homeschooling class during the day (LOVE Sensei)
Friday Classes - offered through our cover school, Samuel will go to Kindergarten and JM will have his plethora of classes including Spanish 2.
Homeschool Science Classes at the science museum (at least I hope they offer these again)
Piano lessons - going to see if I can add Samuel in

I've considered other music classes as it's almost time for JM to choose an instrument to play in an orchestra/band if he would like to. I think 5th grade is when it would start. Samuel might take the chorus class. I don't know though. I would love an art class for both. I might talk to a friend about those.

Earthquake in China

I was as shocked as everyone else to learn about the earthquakes in China. The 7.9 quake was in the province just to the North East of Katie's province of Yunnan. While they felt tremors in Kunming (where she is from), there are no reports of damage.

It is truly a sad situation, but the stories of the bravery of the people of China are truly amazing. What they are dealing with, and how they are hanging in there is nothing short of wonderful. As far as we know (and have heard) the orphanages are all okay, the kids are not in the buildings where the tremors were strongest - some are in tents, some are in vehicles when it rains. Most of the orphanages have not sustained a lot of damage, but they are without electricity which makes washing diapers and clothes harder. So, many are asking for extra money to purchase diapers.

The stories of the schools are the hardest for me. But honestly, this is all just so sad. So incredibly sad. From the cyclone in Burma to earthquakes in China, just so many natural disasters right now.

Katie's First Haircut

Remember that frizzy hair from the Mother's Day post? If not, there's a quick reminder in this post. Anyway, the "Magic Hair Lady" as Dh has dubbed her, came to my house today. She totally spoiled me rotten! She came because we tried to figure out a time for me to get to the salon to do the magical hair straightening thing, and it just was not working out. She offered to come to the house, and after hemming and hawing for a few minutes I took her up on it.

In addition, I asked pleaded with her to trim up Katie's hair. It was getting quite shaggy and scraggly. It needed just a little bit of "hair magic" to make it all spiffy.

Katie not too sure about this new lady, the towel, and sharp pointy things...


doing better, and clapping for herself for doing go great!


snip...snip


Photo OP! Katie's new spiffy hair that is no longer scraggly and shaggy. Mommy with her frizzy hair that needed major help.

Photos from my Mother's Day

I truly hope that each of you reading this blog (yes all 2 of you) had a super duper wonderful Mother's Day. I truly hope it was better than mine, because then I know it would have been absolutely wonderfully out of this world perfect! :)

We started at midnight with lots of wonderful family togetherness, enjoying a nice spring storm. Lots of lightening, lots of thunder, lots of rain, and weather sirens going off. Which led to a wonderful night snuggled up with kids in the bed, lots of poking of the eyes, pulling of the hair, jumping up and down playing, and little feet in the back. Nothing like kids in bed with you to remind you of how wonderful being a Mother is. When the alarm went off at 7am, I could not believe it was time to get up already. It felt like it had only been a few minutes since my eyes had closed (possibly had been). It was a rushed morning of getting kids ready for church, and rushing out the door to make it to the "early" service (starts around 8am). I had a commitment to watch the nursery for that service. I felt all of Katie's love for me as she was rather clingy after Dh and I's first date night since her joining our family. She wanted to be held...no she wanted down...wait, she wants to be held. Then Dh showed up in his suit of shining armor (not really, but I swear I saw a halo above his head) and told me to skedaddle to my Women's Sunday School class. I told him that Katie wasn't herself, and might need us to just stay with her again. In Sunday School I was able to eat breakfast (finally), and enjoy the blessed sound of NO whining. One of the members told me she loves reading my blog (*sniff*). That really made my day. As I'm listening to the discussion of Esther and the Boll Weivel stories, I get a message from Dh. He needs me to get Katie so he can sing in the choir. Plus, I get the joy of picking up the boys (it truly is a joy). The minute I get Katie from Dh, she starts crying. Hard. She did not like seeing Daddy leave (and this was the first time she's done this in 3-4 months). I get the boys, and find out that they made some GREAT cards for me (one had chocolate attached to it!). Samuel had made a tissue paper rose, I thought it was for me, but he said it was for Katie. She needed it more because she was crying. (*awwwww*)

I get everyone out to the car without a vomit incident (have I mentioned that sometimes Katie vomits if she cries hard enough? NO? well she does). I drive the car around the parking lot in circles for a little while. Katie continues to cry, and beat herself up with the tissue paper rose. We wait on Daddy. It seems like forever, but eventually he comes out of the doors and hops in the van. Katie cries harder. She cries the entire way home. As it's Mother's Day, I get to choose what we do for the day. I told Dh that I would LOVE to go for a "nature walk" nearby. We change clothes at home, and get everyone loaded in the van. We stop by Sonic for our Mother's Day Lunch. Katie cries and cries. She wants food, then she doesn't, then she does, then she doesn't. Dh and I are both trying to figure out what is wrong.

Amazingly, I've taken no photos until this point. NO PHOTOS PEOPLE! What kind of Mother am I? Katie looked so adorable in her Sunday dress too.

We get to the hiking place, and get everything together. Katie is no longer crying. She didn't eat lunch, but she's not crying. We took the Ergo carrier to try out, and she seemed content hanging out on Dh's back for the walk/hike. I handed the point and shoot camera to JM. As a result, you actually get to see some images of ME and my frizzy hair.



the view from one overlook....

view of the trees from the path...I don't know, ask JM, he took the photo.

do you see the bug? The kids did!







The hike/walk was nice, very nice. The boys said it was boring though they did enjoy themselves (yeah I was confused as well). Katie happily sat there on Dh's back, looked at the sky and trees...then fell asleep. After roughly 1.2 miles (it took us a good hour to walk it too), we were back at the van. Everyone was ready for a break, and a nice quiet relaxing ride down to the shopping center. We had to wake Katie up put her in the van. She screamed the entire way home. We chose to skip the shopping. We gave her some Motrin thinking she might be teething, or have a headache. After all, we had a headache by this point. She went right to sleep. I laid down on the bed and promptly fell asleep as well.

2.5 hours later I woke up. It's roughly 5pm now.

Dh had been shopping, and he tossed a bag of Dove dark chocolates on my lap from afar. He's been married to me long enough to know that I wake up grumpy, especially from a nap. We get up, walk to a friends home for a cookout. Have a lovely time with our friends, Katie is no longer screaming and crying. She's quite happy, though angry about something still. Yes, she can be both happy and angry at the same time. Happy meaning not screaming, laughing and playing. Angry in that she will only do anything on HER terms...including eating her dinner.



At 7:30pm she crawled up on my lap and said "Wan Nigh-nigh." Although the chocolate pie won her attention for staying for a few more minutes. We gathered up our children, and Katie refused to go to Dh. Ah....she's over being mad at me for going on a date with Dh. We promptly put her to bed once home, and she ever so kindly fell asleep for us.

10pm rolls around and our last little munchkin has fallen asleep...on the couch.

I truly DID love this Mother's Day. Not because it was perfect, not because I got wonderful gifts, but because I was able to spend it with my kids and Dh. I got to see friends, talk with my Mom, and live life.

Mother's Day hard thinking

This Mother's Day is both wonderful and contemplative. I've been thinking about Katie's foster Mom and her "first mom" or "birth mom" quite a bit. You see, Katie is an amazing girl. Truly breathtakingly amazing! Not that I'm biased at all. I wonder what her mother in China is thinking about and doing? Does she wonder how that little girl she gave birth to on August 1st, 2006 is doing? Does she even have a clue that 2 people around the world are raising her now? I don't know. I hope she can feel peace if she does think about her. I hope she is not terribly sad, and honestly I wish she didn't suffer any sadness when thinking of that little baby. I will say this, her parents in China were STRONG of mind. The traits passed on to Katie through them show me that.

But Katie's ability to love, to show love to others, to accept love from us...well that comes from her Foster Mom in China.

With the boys, I know how much I love them. How much of their personalities are directly attributed to us. I can look at them and say "that smile" came from us or that stubbornness came from me, or really just about every aspect of their personality. Katie, though, I look at her and think "Wow, her Mom and Dad in China have to be gorgeous. They have to have the best lips, the cutest smile, the prettiest eyes. They must be so smart, so funny, so out going, and love music." I think of how much I love the boys, and I think about things they could be thinking about Katie.

That's why this Mother's Day is more contemplative for me than those in the past. It's definitely tremendously JOYOUS and wonderful....but it's tempered by thoughts of what her Moms in China must think about her. I wish I could let them know that she is doing really well. That we love her so much.

Mother's Day this year is special though. I have 3 wonderful children. I have my boys, whose hugs and kisses mean the world to me. They participate any time I ask for a photo, and do so without too many bribes. I have my daughter who tolerates my dressing her up. Her hugs and kisses, are rarer for me to get but are the more precious for it. My husband is wonderfully tolerant of so many of my quirks, and has loved me for over 12 years.

But, more importantly, this Mother's Day I've been thinking about my Mother and my Mother-in-Law more as well. They are both very special women in our lives. My Mom was super nice this weekend to give us our FIRST night out on a date since we brought Katie home. (Dad helped as well of course) Everyday we live with our kids, we are reminded about how great it was that we were both blessed with Moms who cared for us so much, who invested so much time in our lives....and who love us still! :)

Grandmothers...our grandmothers are in our thoughts this day as well. We have a wonderful legacy of women in our families. I hope I am able to pass that legacy, that history of both our families down to Katie, for her to appreciate when she is a mother. Wow. Just thinking of her as a mother seems odd. But it's the circle that will one day complete.

An important milestone!

I've mastered something important....are you ready to find out what it is?


At least it is in our family it's important. I have mastered drinking out of a juice box!


Okay, so I still gets a little confused sometimes.


I particularly like the sunlight reflecting on the foil.


But it's more fun to take the straw out, and put it back in.


Don't you think it's a great important milestone too?




You do?! Oh that's great!