A letter arrives

Joseph received his college letter from THE ONE.

(drumroll)

... And he's ACCEPTED!

How he will afford to attend remains to be seen.  But today, we celebrate.

Encouragement from G

As I mentioned, we have guests coming for much of this week.  Which explains why I stayed up late last night cleaning hiding the mess as best I could.

When G woke up this morning, he looked around & in his most innocent cheerful encouraging voice, said:

"Mama, you cleaned dit up!  Good job!!!  High five!"

Christmas Day

I've been feeling better about how my family celebrated Christmas this year.


We've really increased our focus on Christ - building anticipation for the celebration of his birth.


I've worked hard to decrease consumerism - removing materialism from the holiday.

Um.

It's possible that we're a work in progress. 

I did tell my boys that we give gifts to remember the great gift that God gave us.  That counts for something, right?

Oh - and some of my shopping was... unconventional.  The night before Christmas Eve, I told Joseph that I needed some help.  He got down a couple of bins of his old toys for me.  I opened the first one and discovered a Mickey Mouse lunchbox - something to put things in! - with Mickey! - and it had horses in it! - the perfect gift for G.  Below that was a tractor, with a hitched wagon - could it get any better?  I went to the book store opened the book bin, and found five terrific "new" books.  Voila!  At one point, I asked Joseph's opinion on a gift and he rolled his eyes at me: "I wouldn't want to impose on your sentimental gift selection experience, Mom."  But, he really didn't mind.  And -G?  Those gifts have been his favorite so far. 

The only gift I purchased for him that he seems to like more is.. seriously.. the book Dogs. Such a funny boy.



So Christmas Day was fun.  The boys enjoyed their gift opening.  G seemed to hit overload with just a couple of gifts left to open.  I tried to stop him, but he insisted on pressing through.  Perseverance!

I had warned Joseph that this was going to be a less materialistic Christmas for us.  He totally wasn't expecting the Kindle.  So fun to surprise him!

And my mystery gift from G?  Two ornaments he made at school.  What could be better? 

We have lots of guests coming.  Today my cousin visited.  Looking forward to the celebrations yet ahead!

Christmas Eve

Preparing for a white Christmas

 Such handsome boys!

 10,000 tries later - a photo of all of us

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Suspense Is Killing Me

This came home from day care.

What could it be?

A Monkey and The Grinch (two separate tales)

This first story will only work if you can assume a French accent, so we’re going to practice that first.


Say: “oh”

Not, not like that. Say the word “boat” – that kind of “oh.”

Now – pronounce it up through your nose: “oh”

Well, if that’s the best you can do….


I went last night to buy new Christmas pajamas for G. A very important tradition for maximizing Christmas morning photo ops.

There were 1000s of options to choose from! 

Unfortunately, none of the options were Christmas pjs.

G & I searched and searched. Finally I spotted a green pair. I pulled it out for a closer look. But NO, they had ruined the potential Christmas-y-ness by sticking monkeys on them. I put them back and kept moving.

Very deliberately, G stopped me. In his most thoughtful voice he said (remember to imagine your French accent here): “Mama.  I like moh-nkey.”

The second story...

While we waited in line at Kohls,

and waited in line,

and waited in line,

G demanded answers from the man in front of us.  What was in his bag?  Were those books?  Which books? 

Finally we got to the register. 

As we checked out, G's new friend came over a gave him a book!  He'd added How The Grinch Stole Christmas to his own purchases for G "since he likes to read" with a "Merry Christmas!" 

Made our night - and our cashier's too.

Who would've thought that a Christmas trip to Kohls could result in some fun memories?

Gifting Success!

Thanks to you - gifts happened!  Chocolate covered pretzels for every teacher/assistant/van driver/principal/secretary/random helping person.  Hooray!

Oh - what's that?  You want to know what the envelope is doing inside each bag?

Well, that is the handwritten note that was completed for each recipient.  Boo-yah!

Excuse me?  You're wishing that you could see a note?

Why, it just so happens that I took a photo...

... of the hand-crafted cards that G created!

Feeling pretty good about this accomplishment. 

Now, if only I had written notes to my actual friends & family.  I'm still hoping to achieve that goal.  They may be New Year's Cards, but I have a dream....

Oh Christmas Tree

We got a Christmas tree up.

In recent years, I've taken whatever was left on the lot on Christmas Eve.  Joseph and I have unpacked the first 20 ornaments that our hands touched, and we've called it a day.

If something happened, like the tree got wobbly... Whatever.  Pull the kitchen chairs around so that if it fell, the stand didn't tip & dump water everywhere.

Seriously.

This year I was pushing Joseph & Bapi to get us a tree already.  And we unpacked ALL the ornaments.  And I took photos of my sons.

(G was busy talking on his phone - er - on his pack of tissues.  Funny boy.)

I'm mindful that this may be the best Christmas I ever have.  I'm trying to savor as much as possible.

Reader Updates

Since the suspense has been killing you...

Yay Diane!  I get to send you a copy of that CD!  Hopefully I'll get that done soon so you can still enjoy it before Christmas.

Thanks to both all five of you who played.  I really do wish I could send a copy to everyone.  I appreciate you sharing my memory.  And - in case you're the bitter type - Joseph drew the winning name, so send all your hate mail to him.

In other news - you know that easy cookie recipe I helpfully posted?  Not so much!  G and I experienced some ..challenges.. with the recipe, but I figured it was just us - - until I got complaining texts from my sister.  My sister who also did not win the CD.  My sister who USED to read my blog.  Sorry K.  Anyway, unless you're an Almond Bark Application Expert, you might want to stick with your standard recipes.

Evidence.  How the cookies are NOT supposed to look:

At least we had fun smashing up the oreos:

And - G got to have his first ever beater.  He was timid at first.  But did catch on:

Any story that ends up with licking a bowlful of chocolate has got to be good, eh?

Christmas cookies

This is the THIRD recipe I have posted.

Surely, I'm starting to make The Food Network nervous.

So we did a cookie exchange at work and my co-worker contributed amazing little chocolate balls of deliciousness.  I asked how she made them, and since the recipe meets my criteria (less than 5 ingredients & 5 minutes of effort), I thought I'd share.

If you're one of my healthy friends, well, maybe you'd just better come back tomorrow.

Ingredients:
1 package mint oreos
1 package cream cheese
1 package almond bark / melting chocolate

How's that for a beginning?

You totally crush up the oreos, and mix them together with the cream cheese.  Then you roll them together into little balls.  Let them chill in the fridge for an hour.

Melt the almond bark and dip the balls so that they're totally covered in chocolate.  My friend then drizzled different-colored almond bark over them to make them even more amazing.

I haven't actually made these yet, but the ones I tasted were dreamy.  And with that recipe - what could be wrong?

I would post a photo for you - except you can't take a photo of something you already ate.  Mercy, that was a yummy cookie.

Enjoy!


p.s. You probably would enjoy some terrific new Christmas music while you're baking.  I've only gotten 2 comments & 1 email.  You should enter my little (tiny) giveaway.  The odds are in your favor.

So Many Firsts!

Making a paper chain..

Discovering snow..

Bundling up to play in the snow (for the 5 minutes Mom lasted).. 

Making Christmas cookies..

 

 

...and eating them!



Last night I put dinner on the table.  G looked at it pensively.  Then he got up, walked over to the fridge, and stood there - pondering.  After a minute he decided, grabbed what he wanted, and stated matter-of-fact: "No Mama.  I gonna eata cookie."  This is my boy.

The Christmas Story

Mary drove a dump truck

with Jesus in the back

Eventually Jesus ditched her when the ultimate form of transportation became available - a BUS!  Apparently even angels & wise men were also fond of public transportation.

Back at the barn, they caught up with the rest of their friends - you know, the other wise men, the hula girl, the worker guy, and one sheep.  Mom will probably join them once her construction gig is finished.


Isn't it good to know the outtakes?

Thoughts for the season of giving

Seriously.  This lady wrote another must-read post.

Best Christmas Music

Love love love this CD.



After the earthquake in Haiti - when I knew that G was alive but adoption paperwork had been destroyed - when I wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to come home - when I was staying awake all day & night trying to make something happen - when I sobbed without crying because there were no more tears & no time to waste

- when I felt despair closing in around me

- then I needed to fight back.  And the only way to do that was to acknowledge that God is good.  To drown out every other thought and replace them with the certainly that God is in control, and His plans are good, and His plans cannot fail.  In the bible, God promises joy to his people.  I don't remember which verses I was holding on to then.  Here are some that might help you, if you need them today....

"He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”  Acts 14:17

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.." Galatians 5:22

"Though you have not seen Jesus, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy," 1 Peter 1:8

So - in the middle of the night - I would put this CD on - with the songs "Unspeakable Joy" & "Glory in the Highest" on repeat - and I would sing until I was really singing.... until I was grounded, remembering what is true, and giving God the praise He deserved regardless of how my circumstances looked to me.

I bought an extra copy of the CD to give away to one of you.

Send me an email or leave me a comment if you are interested.

I'll do a drawing this weekend.


p.s. I know people don't like to comment, but if you win, you'll be happy; I'll be happy.
We'll have unspeakable joy.  Trust me.

The Hungry Caterpillar

We have the pop-up version of the book. G has been helping me read it lately. Do you remember the last page, where the caterpillar turns into a "beautiful butterfly?" Oh, but you need to see this version....

Continuing the Saga

So tonight we go into the camera store to pick up some photos.

G looks at the guy behind the counter suspiciously, backs up a little, and says "No hurt me."

I say: "No one is going to hurt you, G."

I turn my attention back to Counter Guy, who asks for my name.

G asserts: "No owie, Dentist."

I say: "He is not the dentist, G.  We are here to pick up our photos.  That's all.  Just to buy some photos."

Counter Guy looks a little suspiciously at us.

G makes a decision.  He turns to Counter Guy and opens his mouth up WIDE: "Aaaaaaahhhhhh."


Oh my word.  The child is funny.

Dentist

I love going to the dentist.  Having someone work on my teeth so I leave with a shiny smooth smile... love it.

G went to the dentist tonight.  Apparently, he does not love the dentist.

Perhaps it was me scooping him up after day care; force-feeding him dinner at warp speed; and dashing off into the Arctic night, trying to get there on time.

Perhaps it was having to sit in the waiting room for 1/2 hour while Pat Sajak screamed at us from the lobby television.

Perhaps it was the frantic, behind-schedule hygienist who flung open the door and herded us quickly back, despite G's concerned "whazza?" regarding the suspicious vacuum noises from the next room.

Whatever it was... he was NOT opening his mouth.

Well, except for the brief moments when he cried "No hurt me" and "No owie!"  Then, his mouth was open.  But he still carefully hid his teeth behind his turned-in lips.

What the heck?

Finally, Harried Hygienist departed, and the dentist came in.  He actually took the time to be reassuring with G... exchanged high fives, demonstrated how he would just look at the teeth, showed him the prize chest he'd get to choose from afterwards.

Didn't matter.

The lips were sealed.

I wonder what the librarian is going to think when I go in tomorrow... this time requesting books about going to the dentist. 

Happy Oral-Awareness Month, from our home to yours.

What We're Reading Lately

No further comment.

Assertion

Recent quotes from my four-year-old:


"Das mine!" (when I dared to take a dollop of his lotion)

To Joseph, when serving him dinner: "Iz not tchours (yours).  Iz mine." (warning Joseph, who had absolutely no interest in G's dinner).

After telling him that it was almost time to clean up: "I no wanna one mo' minute.  I wan lotsa minute."

When I took his hat off: "I do it mysel.  ...  Not tchoo (you)!"  Then he proceeded to put his hat back on so that HE could take it off himself.


I'm considering taking a vacation, since I'm so clearly not needed here.

Free Advent Study

With this being G's first Christmas home, I have a blank slate for creating new traditions.

I've been thinking about how I typically spend December vs how I want to spend it.  In my mind, it should be much less about running around for events & gift-buying than it always is.  I want to get to December 25th and just be culminating a CELEBRATION of what God did for us... leaving his throne, choosing humility, and sacrificing to make himself known to us... everything worth celebrating.  But without fail I rush through the season, just trying to survive.  I give my nods to God, and zip on to the next event.

This year, we've got something new.  And I can share it with you!

I found the link on the Sit A Spell blog that I've been reading.  It's for a Free Advent Celebration.  There's a simple bible reading & thought for every night, along with a coordinating ornament to hang, and an action step for the next day.  It's exactly what I've dreamed of.  Including - did I mention - it's free.

We started it last night.  I lit a candle to make the event feel different.  Maybe next year I'll get an advent wreath.  But, for now, a cheap candle.  Although it is a "hot chocolate" scented candle - which makes it about as Holiday Themed as I get.  I digress.

G snuggled in with me.  Joseph read.  G declined to hang the ornament, but did want to blow out the candle.  (Good thing I'm such a holiday mood-setter, eh)

And it was perfect.  Very brief, but enough to teach my boys and myself, and to build our Christmas anticipation.  Love it.

If you want to join us, here it is.

Another Choice

It's been a while since I tried to write anything of significance.  Some days, it's all I can do to slap a photo up here for my mom to enjoy :)  I know this isn't my most coherent post, but see if you can understand my meaning....


November was National Adoption Month.  One of the Sundays in there was "Orphan Sunday."  I heard & read volumes about adoption.

All month I was bombarded with the messages:

"Over 147 million orphans in the world"

(The population of the U.S. is just over 300 million)

"Every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out - without a family to love & support them"

"Every 15 seconds another child in Africa becomes an AIDS orphan"

It breaks my heart.  I cannot imagine what it would be like to grow up without a parent.  Especially in a country with no social services.  

AND YET.

I look at the solution we passionately embrace.  Christians especially seem to push adoption:

"Adoption is God's heart for the orphan."

"If just 7% of Christians would adopt, there would be no more orphans."

People gladly ask their friends for money, and do fundraisers, and take out crazy loans in faith to fund their adoptions.

The average cost of adoption, as reported in Adoptive Families magazine, was between

$25,000 and $35,000

Which makes me think about:

Amazima in Uganda, which offers the opportunity to sponsor a child.  For $300 a year, each child receives an education, a uniform, two hot meals per day, school supplies, and any minor medical care. 

Real Hope for Haiti, which can staff their cholera house for $10 an hour.

The Livesays in Haiti, who help save the lives of children who are dying of malnutrition.  For appoximately $100 a child can be on Medika Mamba, a lifesaving nutritional product - and the product is produced in Haiti, creating local jobs.

Heartline in Haiti, which runs all kinds of programs to educate and empower women.  For $500 a woman can go through the sewing program, and receive a way to support her family.

You know I could go on.

So I look at those dollar amounts - so expensive that few people actually donate.

And I consider that -when those same people are driven by the desire to add a beautiful child to their family or community, they will stop at nothing to raise the necessary funds.

... the same amount of money, that - if raised - could provide
          10 Ugandan children with 10 years of education, food, and medical care
          4 months of round-the-clock Cholera care
          300 starving children with lifesaving nourishment
          60 women with the employment needed to support their family

AND THEN I imagine that I am a woman in Uganda or Haiti or ....  That I am a mother.  Perhaps I am a mother suffering from AIDS.  Or one who will die of cholera.  Perhaps I am a mother listening to my children cry from the pain of their hunger.  Or one whose children have stopped crying because they know there is no food.  Perhaps I am a mother, looking at my children and deciding: which one will eat today?  which one will I send to the city or to an orphanage - hoping that they are fed and educated.  How does a mother choose?  How does she survive after making the choice?

And why should she have to?

If I were that mother, I would be grateful to know that someone would take my child, through adoption, and feed him, and educate him, and love him.

But I would be even more grateful if someone would make adoption unecessary.

Why can't Christians gladly ask friends for money, and do fundraisers, and take out crazy loans in faith, and raise $25-35,000 to PREVENT ORPHANS?  To keep families alive and together?

I recognize that millions of current orphans desperately need and deserve families of their own.  I have been blessed beyond belief to adopt my precious son.  I am intensely grateful for the many friends who sacrificed to help me bring G home.  I am not trying to discourage adoption.  Children need families and families need children.  We should sacrifice for that.

I'm just saying - let's not stop there.

Is it just me...

... or does this photo make you think that I'm going to have an

extremely handsome teenager on my hands any day now?

Great news today... G's birth certificate arrived!  We had been told that our state takes up to 5 months to issue certificates for foreign born children, but my lawyer suggested a tip, and sure enough - the certificate arrived today (just a week or two later)! 

I LOVE looking at an official document showing me as the mother of this beautiful boy.

College Acceptance

Joseph got his first acceptance letter!  I asked if he wanted to go out to dinner to celebrate.

"No, we'll celebrate when I get accepted to 'THE ONE'."

All hopes continue to be in that basket.

Travelin' Man

G loaded up his bag full of the essentials - matchbox cars, slinky, glow sticks, etc - and announced: "I goin-ah the city."

More imaginative play!  LOVE that!

One from Thanksgiving

The men took the carving very seriously.

How cool is it to see G in the mix?

What a Hero

Superman has been at our house lately - flying crazily here & there.

It's not like I imagined he would soar.  It's more like being flung around by the edges of his cape.

Very exhausting, the flying is.  Even a superhero needs to rest.  Face down in the carpet.

(p.s. The "new" camera is pretty disappointing, eh?)

Thought for Thanksgiving Thursday

(January 2010.  First night together at home.)

I have so much to be thankful for.  I think of the obvious things, and then I read these verses from 1 Thessalonians 5:

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

With my co-workers, I am reading through the book “31 Days of Praise” by Ruth Myers. She wrote the book after living through her husband's suffering from cancer and then her life as a widow with two young children. So far, the book has been a great direction-setter for a lifestyle of praise. Thought I’d share a bit of one prayer with you for Thanksgiving:

“I choose to thank You for my weaknesses, my infirmities, my inadequacies (physical, mental, emotional, relational)…for the ways I fall short of what people view as ideal…for my feelings of helplessness and inferiority; and even my pain and distresses. What a comfort it is to know that You understand the feeling of my weaknesses!...and that in Your infinite wisdom You have allowed these in my life so that they may contribute to Your high purposes for me.”

“Thank You that many a time my weaknesses cut through my pride and help me walk humbly with You…and then, as You’ve promised, You give me more grace-You help and bless and strengthen me. Thank You for all the ways I’m inadequate, for they prod me to trust in You and not in myself…and I’m grateful that my adequacy comes from You, the all-sufficient God who is enough!

Thank You that I can trust You to remove or change any of my weaknesses and handicaps and shortcomings the moment they are no longer needed for Your glory, and for my good, and for the good of other people…and that in the meantime, Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in my weakness.”

I am thankful for you.  Hope you have a great Thanksgiving day.

The Back Seat

I just can’t seem to slow down lately and get to the computer. I hate to be leaving you out of the deliciousness that’s happening here every day.
Here’s one of the reasons I laughed today:


This morning I placed a bag FULL of papers on the backseat of the car next to G. As I rounded the first bend, the bag tipped & the papers started sliding around. G was peering down from his carseat and calling out to me: “Be fahfuh (careful)! Fahfuh Mama! Too fas, too fas! Be fahfuh!”

Wish I could record his sweet voice for you.

Tis the Season

For reclining turkeys and their floating legs. 

What's up with the teacher labeling the picture "turkey?"  I mean - c'mon - obvious.

And - yes - this means that my new (used) camera arrived.  It requires some extra steps, but hopefully I'm back in business!

Hand-me-downs

Sorry for my absence.  I'm having an especially busy week, and I'm at a loss without a camera.  Here are some old photos, just to keep you entertained :)

I thought Joseph was adorable in these pjs. 

And now G.  Love the Simbas.



Remembering

I spent last weekend reading other blogs & news articles, remembering what it was like after Haiti's January earthquake, and crying.  In some ways, the pain still feels so fresh.  I remember - not just in my mind, but with my body - how it felt to desperately ache for news of G.... how it felt to know the suffering others were enduring.

G has been looking back too.  For the past three days, he's asked me "airplane Mama" - he wants to see the photo I have of him on the airplane from Port-au-Prince, and the photos from our first days together as a family.

So much has changed for us.

So much has not changed for people living in Haiti.  I hope we're all continuing to pray for them.

You Need This

A perfect recipe =
Less than 5 ingredients
Less than 5 minutes of prep

Presenting - Trader Joes Soup!

Ingredients:
- One 32 ounce carton of TJ Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- One 12 ounce container of TJ Black bean and roasted corn salsa
- One package of TJ Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage (I used Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage - no harm done)
- One can of diced tomatoes
- Salt to taste (I didn't add any, and I thought it was perfect)

Directions:
Drain out just a bit (but not all) of the juices in the black bean and roasted corn salsa.
Combine all ingredients and simmer for as long as you want or eat right away.
Garnish with croutons or tortilla strips.

The recipe yields approx 7 cups of soup.  There are 150 calories per cup.

I don't know who invented this recipe.  But I do know...

It's powerful good.

Zoo

Thursday was a gorgeous gorgeous day here.  And we went to the zoo.  AND Joseph joined us.  AAAANNNDDD it was free day.  Does it get any better than that?

G was scared at different points - mostly when going through doors into exhibits.  We had lovely conversations about how Mama always keeps him safe. 

He was totally unimpressed with amazing things like BISON GRAZING JUST A FEW FEET AWAY!  That gave me flashbacks to encountering bison on the snowy Yellowstone mountain roads.  At the zoo, I was pretty sure they were behind ultra-strong metal cables but I was still a little nervous.  They're just big, ya know?     

Back to G.  He had a minor tearfilled experience as we dragged him past the carousel: "I wan dat!  I wan dat!!"  But otherwise smooth sailing.  As we passed the site of previous zoo meltdowns, I was enjoying how far we've come.

For the second zoo visit in a row, G enjoyed the camels.  Really?  Out of all the options... camels?

You'd probably like to see a photo of Joseph holding G - both of them smiling - while a polar bear swam just six inches away (behind glass).  I'd love to see a picture of that too.  I need to solve my broken camera dilemma soon!

Thought for Thursday

From "Do Hard Things" by Alex & Brett Harris:

"You're probably familiar with the saying 'ideas have consequences.'  But did you know that expectations have consequences?  It's true.  The power of expectations has been documented in study after study over the last few decades."

The authors wrote about two studies... 
"Both studies were set up the same way.  Teachers were given two classes of randomly divided students.  However, the teachers were told that one class was made up of the best and brightest students at the school and that the other class was made up of the slower to average students.  With that, the teachers began to teach.  And guess what happened?

All of the teachers' interactions were tainted by their expectations.  When the teachers worked with a student in the 'bright' class, they persisted with the student until he or she found the answer.  But when a student in the 'slow' class didn't find the answer right away, the teachers moved on to another student."

"Don't miss this: statistically the classes were exactly the same.  The only difference was in what their teachers expected of them.  Soon, the students began to meet those expectations.  The 'best and brightest' class began to excel, and the 'slower to average' class began to lag behind."

It's worth thinking on.

Accomplishment!

Celebrate with me.

My church is gearing up for our next medical missions trip to Haiti.  Tonight I finished drafting the medical supply order!  It was more complex than ever, with us expecting to serve more adults, have a larger team, and face cholera concerns.  But some major decisions have been made.

Metronidazole; Albendazole; Clotrimazole - I have conquered all.  Hooray!

Trusting that the few hours I spent will be significant in caring for people in Haiti.  So glad I get to be part of that.

Fall Fun

Disaster has struck: My camera is broken!  Not sure how I will blog without photo evidence, but I'll save that worry for another day.  I have an Autumn photo dump I can share tonight....

(loves his "bike" and super-loves taking it down the hill)

(first pumpkin carving)

(picking up apples with M)

(note G's frog boots - he loves them)

It's been so gorgeous here.  I can't help but pity my poor Florida & California friends who miss this beauty :)

That's it.  The end of the photos.  Yesterday there was a potential blog post that involved dining without silverware, but who wants to read about that?  You'd need to see it.

This makes OVER ONE WEEK since I last took a picture of G.  Just imagine all of the unrecoverable sweetness that I've missed.  Better get that camera fixed soon.