School Days

Now that the holidays have passed, we are just plugging away at school.  When it's so cold outside (such as the days that don't make it above freezing!), it's nice to work in the family room with the fire going.  But there are still days when we have to run around and deposit the kids at their different activities. 

Despite the hum drum of routine, we do have spring to look forward to, and an exciting spring it is going to be.  We are headed to Japan for seven weeks!  Yes, you read that right, seven weeks.  Chris will just go for three weeks, because someone has to work and hold down the fort here.  And actually Michaela is going to stay for a total of three months!  More about that later, but for now we have good reason to be working away at making sure our school work is getting done.

This was just a little chemistry experiment gone awry earlier in the week.  Pyrex can be replaced, the cook top was not damaged, and thankfully no glass shards were found imbedded in Michaela!

I really am proud of Michaela and the way she has independently handled her high school work.  For one she is not a science lover, as her brothers are, but she has done a great job of working through labs and other requirements.  It's hard to believe that she has less than a year and a half left before graduation!

In other events of the week, Johanna and Ami continue to thoroughly enjoy their gymnastics.  Their skills have improved greatly and they would spend hours at the gym if time and money allowed.

Makeovers and Sleepovers

I love the relationship that our girls have as siblings.  Oh, it's not always peachy, but for the most part they do get along quite well.  I think that's pretty great, especially considering the fact that they have five years between each of them (6, 11, 16).  Once in a while Johanna and Ami like to take over the playroom on a non-school night and have a sleepover.  They either get a small tent out, or the air mattress and set things up.  This weekend Michaela offered to give them makeovers as well.  Fun times being girlie!

I found Ami snuggled in reading this afternoon, still enjoying their sleepover set up.  I love how the sun comes into the south facing playroom in the winter.  

 
One more picture from last week.  The older four had another puppet performance at a local nursing home.  Elijah and Johanna are now on the puppet team, as well.  They probably average a performance every other month or so.  It's great to see the smiles on the faces of the residents, and to see my children serving to brighten someone's day.

Not Much

This has been a very slow week in pictures.  I realized I hadn't blogged in a while, and when I went to look at my camera, I found out why.  I think I've only taken three pictures in the last week!  That's pretty unusual for me. 

So here are my three photos.  And I decided to choose a random year and see what was going on around here on this date....back in 2007.  Ami was emptying the cabinets and Michaela got her first pair of glasses!

On this morning, Johanna decided to assist her "snuggy pal" by making Ami's bed very neatly, and she also laid out clothes for the day (headband, brush, and Pony included). 

We hear the pileated woodpeckers in our woods a lot, and once in a while get a glimpse of them. Of course, they are much easier to spot in the winter when the leaves are out of the way.  I love these Woody Woodpecker birds.  They are as big as crows and what powerful jackhammers they are!  (Photo credit to Benjamin...so I guess that makes only two photos I took this last week!)

We are currently studying Kenya in school.  Benjamin made this galimoto.....toys that children make from scraps of wire.  It actually rolls along, too. 

Oh, she was so tiny.  Not quite one year old, and not quite walking yet.  

 

Phone Photos

Once again it has been a long time since I downloaded the pictures from my iPhone.  It's fun for me to look back at these because they are just quick and random moments where I don't want to take the time to grab my "real" camera, or when I want to take pictures on the "sly" such as in stores or public places.  :)

Good grief.....there are a ton to post and I'm not nearly posting all of them.  I need to remember to download much more regularly!

Someone learned how to blow bubbles:

Ami is a super volunteer at the Food Bank each month!

I did get out my "real" camera for this one.  It was a gorgeous shot as we came up our hill one afternoon:

Corn maze in October:

Through the screen...I love this picture of fall with leaves on the deck, and our silly cat making itself comfortable on our deck buffet: 

Out for our regular evening walk, I love sunsets!

On our way to Oregon....

....to surprise Amy at Costco!

One stop while following Amy around was for an assembly at Abby and Elisabeth's school.  It was for Veteran's Day and all the kids sang a beautiful patriotic song, making me tear up.  I'll have to post the video because it was just too neat.

Out for a delicious dinner at a Amy's local "Chinese BBQ" (ha...inside joke!):

Amy picking out her birthday present, the cute Daisy:

More clam chowder....I managed to savor some about every day!

Enjoying the gorgeous Oregon coast:

This sign just struck me as so funny and we had to turn around so I could get a picture.   Stop....but really, only if you want to.  I got so lost in their small town, the direction and water (they live on a horseshoe peninsula) kept throwing me off.  My personal compass was all out of whack and I even got turned around trying to get out of town to drive back to the airport!

My fun pal, Elisabeth:

Lunch at SFO on our way home:

The big day!

The cutest little Thanksgiving guest:

In church (I know, sorry!) holding my sweet China doll's hand:

MRI ready in STL:

Treats from the Italian neighborhood bakery to help pass the time at the hospital:

At the dentist for a regularly scheduled check-up....the day after loosing her first tooth:

I had to get my wedding band and my anniversary bands repaired over the holidays.  Ugh, I hated going without them, it felt too weird to have "naked" hands!

Poor Johanna, sick on Christmas Day:

Elijah and Chris....you know where, doing you know what.  Elijah is clearly impressed with his cool dad.  :)

It takes a real man to hold up a Pony shirt in Target....or an awesome daddy who will do anything for his Pony loving China doll.  Seriously, can you believe these shirts are in the mens' clothing section!

A tour bus at the grocery store?!  Yes indeed, folks were boarding the bus when we pulled up to the store.  So funny!

Benjamin is into "The Thinker Pose" and Ami loves to be like him:

Gotcha Day!

It was four years ago today that we anxiously paced the entry area of the Inn of Eight Happiness at Shepherd's Field.  The kids kept peering out the window, hoping to spot their brother first.  And then finally, "I see him!!  He's coming!!"  Sure enough, bravely walking across the courtyard with dear Teacher Wang, Elijah came with a huge smile on his face to meet his awaiting family.  What a very special day that was!

We had been on a long journey to meet the son that we knew God had placed in our hearts.  At first, he was simply a child that we sponsored through the Philip Hayden Foundation.  But it was in the following 2-3 months after that initial sponsorship that God clearly spoke to us.  He was OUR child, he belonged WITH us.  And so began a year and a half long mountain-leveling, gate-breaking, bar-cutting journey to bring our treasure home.  Isaiah 45:2-3 were our promise verses.  God led the way, and an incredible way it was.  We took huge steps of faith, but with 100% assurance that our orphan-loving Father was guiding each step of the way. 

So, on that cold Tianjin afternoon, in walked our miracle.  Our treasure!  Here are some favorite pictures from our first few days together.  And then a few more from our celebration here tonight....out to a yummy Chinese meal with our Chinese student. 

Two very happy brothers, just moments after Gotcha:

Our wonderful Baba Tim, director at PHF:

Oh, how we loved being with the PHF children:

Our second morning together, Elijah slapped a note on my back and ran off.  Later translated...."I love my mommy."  Awwwww....

Elijah's wonderful Teacher Wang;