Xin Nien Kuai Le!

That is.... Happy New Year!  It's the year of the snake and we celebrated just a little bit today.  We're not the best at mixing in Chinese traditions around our house, but we do try a little.  Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday of the year in China and we've always done a little something here.  This year we invited Cici to join us in making the traditional dumplings, or pot stickers.  She helped add a few spices and declared that they turned out quite delicious. 

Unfortunately, Michaela is down sick again and has spent the day in bed.  :( 

Spunky Seven Year Old

We celebrated Ami's big day yesterday.  She said she hardly slept the night before!  It's hard to believe she's seven already, but it's even harder for others to believe because she's still so tiny.  Seriously, she's even small by Chinese standards and seems more the size of a 5 year old.  I'll take it though, it makes it easy to still pick her up and snuggle with her.  :)

So, the menu of the day.....donuts for breakfast.  Tuna on toast with fruit salad for lunch was next.  Then she requested "make yourself" pizzas for supper.  We do this once in a while and the kids each get to roll out their own dough and choose their toppings.  Then it was strawberry cake with pink frosting.  (Oops, I just realized I forgot the requested sprinkles!  Hope she doesn't remember either!)  She also wanted to watch a movie, which was the latest Disney fairy movie.  It was a fun day for her and she enjoyed being celebrated.

 

How blessed we are that God chose us to be Li Dan's family.  She brings so much cheer, smiles, energy, fun, and love to all of us.  She regularly comes up to give hugs and freely says, "I love you" first.  She loves to sing and play.  She holds her own against her older brother's teasing.  She adores her oldest sister.  She gets along fabulously with Johanna.  And she's proud of the fact that she and Elijah are the only ones with black hair.  Happy birthday, Ami!  We love the sparkle that you bring to our family!

Mom's Bucket Brigade

 

Yep, that's what's been keeping me busy around here the last 24 hours.  No pictures of the victims (my two eldest).  I am praying that the rest of us stay immune to it and hold on to our cookies.  Yuck! 

More Phone Pictures

Seems like I just posted pictures from my phone, but I've already accrued quite a few on there again.  I took a bunch last week to text to Chris while he was gone, so that's why I have so many to post already.

So, despite our house being "cat free" due to allergies......Twix has learned that if she scratches at the door the kids can't resist.  Mama has only allowed this if the cats stay on the brick and are only in for a little bit.  It really is pretty cute.

When let in, Marshmallow immediately makes himself comfortable in the wood bag.  Every.single.time.

Creation by Ami

I told you Elijah has been journaling some great questions for us!

"They're not on the carpet, Mom!"

Saw this at Wally World while browsing the camping section.  It took me down memory lane to breakfast in YoSemite, the morning after our most terrible night.

Shopping at the Oriental Market with Ami and our Chinese student, I found out that they sell gun powder there....it's special, too.  :)  I opted not to try this flavor of tea.

Our evening at the Hearnes Center

A note Ami left for Daddy when he arrived home from Texas  :)

Johanna and Ami were playing pirates.  They're pretty cute pirates and were dressed alike, but Johanna wouldn't let me take a picture.  (Notice the yellow walls, now VERY pink.)

Ami informed me one day that she was doing "scientific research".  Where does she come up with these things?  She was diligently copying facts from an animal book.

 Had to text Chris a picture of his favorite cookies while he was away.  I know, not very nice, but he got to enjoy lots of treats while away!

Ami and Johanna were playing school one day.  Apparently Ami is a great student!

Old Red had some issues....he's back home now and better live long enough to make it worth the $$ that were sunk into him.

Again, deep stuff we're working through!

Saw this fancy contraption for a dog with lame hind legs.  Pretty neat!

That's all the randomness for now!

Painting -- Before

We've had some painting and room rearranging going on this last week, and we still likely have another week ahead of us before things get more settled, but things are moving along. 

For the last couple of years the three girls have shared a large bedroom.  It has two closets and Michaela had her own "walk-in" closet that gave her some private space.  We used one of the other bedrooms for all the play things, books, and another school work space.   But it was time to give Michaela her own place again, so she got to move up to the old "play room".

Michaela has a natural knack for decorating and is a lover of being organized, so she couldn't wait to pick out paint colors, decor, etc.  While Chris was gone, Michaela and I got her new room painted and things moved up and down the stairs.  We've still got wall hangings to take care of, and curtains to trim, but it's almost done.  Michaela has very much enjoyed her own space already!

I believe this first picture was after we had the first coat of paint on.  The walls used to be lavender (left over from Ami's nursery days).  In the second coat we stirred in special paint glitter.  It sounds funny, but it really has a neat subtle look.  Below is Michaela getting settled amongst the mess.

So this is part of the mess in a holding area until we get the new room for Johanna and Ami done.  Chris and I got the first coat of paint on this afternoon and will hopefully get the next one on tomorrow.  Again, it will have the sparkle mixed in with the very pink paint!

Gone is the yellow from the Surfer Girl themed room.  It is now very pink!  Beds and furniture are all in the center of the room and it's quite a mess.  Hopefully by the end of the week we'll have things mostly in place and I can post some "after" pictures.

Birthday Celebration - Part 2

I told you that we had some fun things planned for the afternoon and evening of Elijah's birthday yesterday.  First on the agenda was to watch a movie of Elijah's choosing.  He had recently finished reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so armed with a bunch of Willy Wonka candy we enjoyed the movie and also pizza for dinner. 

Then it was off to "Beauty and the Beast" at MU.  The ladies' gymnastics team and men's wrestling team were having meets going on at the same time.  We had private/free entrance via the press entrance because of Johanna and Ami's gymnastics club.  Woo hoo!  There was something for all to enjoy and it was fun to do something a little outside of our normal entertainment.  Elijah said it was his favorite part of the day.

 (I thought it was funny sad that three of the ladies were on crutches!)

Today Chris arrived home in time for lunch after his week away.  Yea!  We are all glad to have him back.  Elijah didn't waste any time opening his gifts after lunch.   

He'll be sporting some new luggage on our trip to Japan next month!

Then this evening we capped things off with his chosen birthday meal (spaghetti, French bread, fruit salad, corn, and German chocolate cake).  

I think the celebrating is now complete, and this momma is ready for some down time now that Dad is home to help man the fort!

Another Birthday!

It's time to celebrate Elijah around here!  We've had a busy week with swapping rooms and furniture around, painting, school activities, and now a birthday.....all that, on top of the fact that Chris is out of town.  Phew!  I'll do a catch up post later, but for now it's time to focus on the birthday boy.

Elijah is now fourteen,  making two fourteen year-olds in the house.  It's so much easier to say, "The boys are 14."  :)  With Chis gone, we're sort of stretching out the birthday celebration.  He chose Monkey Bread for breakfast, then Tuna on Toast for lunch.  He opened a couple of gifts, but the rest will be saved for tomorrow evening when Dad is home and we'll enjoy a birthday dinner and cake.  I'll update later with other fun things that we have planned for the afternoon and evening here.  Oh, Elijah also enjoyed the privilege of no school today!

We are so thankful for this dimpled boy that God brought into our family.  I never tire of his huge smile, and love the way his eyes disappear when he laughs.  That same smile never fails to amaze me when I consider the upheaval he experienced in his first ten years of life.  These four years together have had their share of trials and hurdles to overcome, but in the last few months we have seen some real growth and maturity.  He is asking some amazingly deep spiritual questions, the likes of which our other children have never spoken.  We know God is working in his heart and would covet your prayers as we help him navigate through this discovery time.  We knew from the time we adopted him that God had great things in store for his life, and we can't wait to see the fruition of that vision. 

Happy birthday, Elijah!  You are a treasure indeed.