Friday, December 18, 2009
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."
"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! Thursday, December 10, 2009
An Update on Faith SiSi...{my SpiCY HuNaN GiRL!}
Si Si has had another bout of tonsilitis. And was very sick.
She is potty trained, rarely has accidents (but she actually did just today but they say it is rare). She wears nappies overnight still though. You can buy diapers at supermarket stores here if you don't want to carry too much.
She likes to eat and is not a fussy eater (accept for like most kids she is not great at eating her greens), she likes to eat adult food including spicy food (the local cuisine is spicy) and she likes all snacks such as biscuits, fruit etc. You can get stuff that she would like locally at supermarkets as well. She drinks from a cup. She eats breakfast at 7 am, lunch at 1130, dinner at 5 pm and snacks before bed.
Si Si, like most kids, loves toys and so I would make sure you have some interesting stuff to play with and she will be happy. I think I have mentioned before she is a strong personality, she does have tantrums sometimes, but you can expect that the sudden changes may confuse and upset her.
From the sound of things I am so glad we are going during their winter, I would hate for her to have to suffer through with her tonsillitis reoccurring so often. (4 times since September)
It also sounds like she will fit right in with her strong personality...we have been well prepared by her older brother Dallin. Maybe now he will learn what it's like to live with a young, strong person :) Is it wrong to think pay back? I am also excited to know she is well on her way to being potty trained. ( we were told this would be a big challenge due to her birth defect.) If you want to look it up she has been diagnosed with Agenisis of the Corpus Callosum. Basically she is missing some conective tissue between her left and right hemisphere in the brain.
She is potty trained, rarely has accidents (but she actually did just today but they say it is rare). She wears nappies overnight still though. You can buy diapers at supermarket stores here if you don't want to carry too much.
She likes to eat and is not a fussy eater (accept for like most kids she is not great at eating her greens), she likes to eat adult food including spicy food (the local cuisine is spicy) and she likes all snacks such as biscuits, fruit etc. You can get stuff that she would like locally at supermarkets as well. She drinks from a cup. She eats breakfast at 7 am, lunch at 1130, dinner at 5 pm and snacks before bed.
Si Si, like most kids, loves toys and so I would make sure you have some interesting stuff to play with and she will be happy. I think I have mentioned before she is a strong personality, she does have tantrums sometimes, but you can expect that the sudden changes may confuse and upset her.
From the sound of things I am so glad we are going during their winter, I would hate for her to have to suffer through with her tonsillitis reoccurring so often. (4 times since September)
It also sounds like she will fit right in with her strong personality...we have been well prepared by her older brother Dallin. Maybe now he will learn what it's like to live with a young, strong person :) Is it wrong to think pay back? I am also excited to know she is well on her way to being potty trained. ( we were told this would be a big challenge due to her birth defect.) If you want to look it up she has been diagnosed with Agenisis of the Corpus Callosum. Basically she is missing some conective tissue between her left and right hemisphere in the brain.
Please pray that she will have an easy time bonding with us, and that her suffering will be short. I really just want to cry when I think of that moment, and how scary it will be for her. I will be the cause of her pain and fear, instead of the one that is suppose to comfort and protect her. We would also appreciate prayers for our children who so willingly are staying home. We will be missing New Year's with them, and my oldest daughter's 17th birthday :(
I am so blessed to have understanding children who want their sister home as much as we do. It has been such a miracle to watch their love grow as we prepare for her. I am sure she will bless our lives much more than us hers.
And finally we would be very ungrateful if we failed to mention the wonderful sisters in our church who are bringing our children dinner every other night while we are gone. That is a lot of service!!!! How blessed are we!
We leave in 20 days!!
Horray!
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