Our Family Blog

Friday, December 25, 2009

The Savior loved Children, what a beautiful time of year to be adding a daughter to our family :)
Merry Christmas!


Monday, December 21, 2009

Merry Christmas!

This week will be gone before it gets here. We are so busy; getting ready for Christmas is a task in itself for a mother, then add company and a trip to China, while simultaneously preparing your 3 children that are staying home to manage their own busy lives ( all 3 are playing basketball, which means daily practices and several games a week X 3 people)

This is when I say to myself...(BREATHE) and I remember why we are so busy, what the season is about and I become thankful for the busyness and the people in my life that have been supportive of our family. My children had over 20 families in church yesterday offer their support 24/7 while we travel to meet our daughter and their sister. I have no doubt they all mean it, and there will be many lovely, wonderful friends checking in on my babies. Even if my babies are all are teenagers, or almost. We have the support of Spencer's girlfriend who has been so generous with her time and is staying with the kids, and then her parents who came over last night to go over the kids daily schedules and are ready (and even excited) to attend the games and cheer on the kids in our place.

Merry Christmas! Here is our Christmas card. We truly have {JOY} in our home and in our lives!

Friday, December 18, 2009

This little spicy Hunan girl has made a {soft spot} in our hearts

This little girl is the reason we decided to move forward with our adoption dream. She is so charming and has everyone wrapped around her little finger. We were at Jensen's basketball game and she got a hold of my camera. You can visit her family blog at http://ourlittlechinagirl.blogspot.com/



Test text...how cool is this I can remote blog by texting!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

{Gratitude}

Our daughter is so blessed to benefit from the non profit group International China Concern. Below are their plans to celebrate Christmas. Her orphanage family is all she knows, and I am so grateful she will be spending the holiday experiencing a small piece of Christianity with the nannies and caregivers that have taken such good care of her. She is loved, what more could a mother ask of others, than to love her children.

"As we have all noticed Christmas is fast approaching and plans are underway here in Heng Yang to give the children a fun Christmas. It is not the same as in our Western countries - it can't be, but we try to make sure that the reason for Christmas is remembered, that the kids and staff get some good food into them, and that a lot of fun is had.

This Christmas in Heng Yang we are planning several different parties with the different groups of kids. An evening party on the 23rd will involve most of the older children and their caregiving staff, they will have a special dinner with their "family groups" and then they will come together to do items and plays about Christmas. All the kids are to come in costumes related to Christmas, we are expecting angels, shepherds, kings, stars and animals to turn up. It will be chaotic, but fun.

On the 24th during the day we are going to hold a very special interactive party with our more severely disabled toddlers and children where they will have one on one adult support to participate in the fun. The therapy department are arranging this activity to involve also sorts of visual and sensory things related to Christmas for this group of special kids. Then, in the afternoon of the 24th we will hold our baby and toddler group party. The caregivers plan to make dumplings to eat together and the kindergarten and care groups are arranging all sorts of songs with actions and plays.

On the evening of the 24th our foreign volunteer team will carry candles around the welfare centre (including both ICC and those under government care) to sing carols to the babies, children, elderly and staff. The Chinese always love this tradition and always join in the caroling.

I am planning this year to set up a little photo shoot for our kids to have a special Christmas photo. I am not sure how the quality will be on my camera and with homemade props, but the idea is to get the kids in a Christmas scene looking cute, they are all so cute, so that won't be hard.

Wishing you all a really wonderful Christmas and that in the hurry of it all you have time to stop and remember the reason for it. I know two families amongst you will be busy preparing to come pick up your babies in the New Year - enjoy the process as you get ready for your little bundles and know that they are having fun this Christmas while they wait for you."

Friday, December 11, 2009

The funniest post I have read in a long time...

Check it out :) My friend Daniel... he is so talented when he writes; he puts me in stitches. He out did himself on this one. I can't wait to be a grandmother, who knew? http://gospelaccordingtodaniel.blogspot.com/2009/11/revenge-is-sweet.html

We get to see Hong Kong!

We just got off the phone with our travel agent. We are confirmed to leave Seattle on December 30th...travel to Beijing for a 3 day tour before we travel to meet our daughter in her province, Hunan. From there we will travel to the American consulate in Guangzhou, finish up her paperwork and her visa, then travel by train to Hong Kong where we will get to stay overnight and fly home. Loving it!