Enjoy

I was cleaning out some Kodak Files and ran across some really great pics I had forgotten about.

One of those great e-mails I had to post - Enjoy

You know you are an adoptive mother (or you should be!) if: 1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has ever made you lose sleep. 2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family. 3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing. 4. The fact that if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child, there would be no orphans in the world is convicting to you. 5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption. 6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about your adopted child's "real" parents. 7. You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth (2 years!) 8. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway knowing where God calls you He will provide. 9. You have ever taken a airplane ride half way around the world with a child you just met. 10. You believe God's heart is for adoption. 11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacy's you could ever leave on this earth. 12. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have them in your life. 13. You know what the word Dossier means and you can actually pronounce it! 14. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.

Ad for Job

Help Wanted - Job Description POSITION: Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop, BaBa JOB DESCRIPTION: *Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. *Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. *Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! *Travel expenses not reimbursed. *Extensive courier duties also required. RESPONSIBILITIES: *The rest of your life. *Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. *Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. *Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. *Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. *Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. *Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. *Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. *Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. *Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. *Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility. POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION: None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.. WAGES AND COMPENSATION: Get this! You pay them! *Offering frequent raises and bonuses. *A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. *When you die, you give them whatever is left. *The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more. BENEFITS: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.. ** AND A FOOTNOTE? ** THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!! ** If you are fortunate enough you will be come grandparents!

More Chinese New Year Getting it Together

The girls getting hair cuts and making their scrolls for the upcoming events. Also is our little Picklehead that comes Mon - Fri. You could never tell her otherwise that this isn't her home too and the girls and Owie are not her sibs. We really are blessed she is a part of our life. (In the beginning I wondered if we would make it though LOL) She also got her hair cut for CNY with the girls. We have a pretty full calender coming up faster than I want it to. Feb. 2 - Daddy's Birthday Feb. 3 - Playgroup CNY party at Grand Empire (The count is up to 51 people so far) Feb. 6 - Celebration with Genevieve's old classroom Feb. 6 - Large Family gathering on the eve of CNY ( about 30 coming) Feb. 7 - Celebration with Abigail's classroom Feb. 7 - Visit MIL and go to New China for Dinner Feb. 9 - Birthday Party for Drewsela as the girls call her. She will be 5 yrs old this year. Drewsela is "PickleHead's sister. Feb. 9 - CNY celebration at Notre Dame. This is usually pretty much geared for the adults but really wonderful Feb. 10 - Chinatown Parade in Chicago - driving there and back to see it this year. www.chinatownchicago.com Feb. 14 - Valentines Party for Abigail at school Feb. 16 - Girls perform for the CNY with their Mandarine Class Feb. 23 - Genevieve's 5 year Birthday Party at Chippewa Bowl Come On March

Sorry It's Been So Long

Ok I know it's been a while. Christmas in the Trawick Household was WONDERFUL. Very quiet, very pleasent, very calm. When there is a large family, lots of children there is usually drama of some sort when the whole lot gets together with spouces and kiddos and whom ever else shows up. This year, Not. I have no idea what was different, but I'll take it. Now we get ready for the Chinese New Year. This is big around here. Every weekend in Feb is booked up with celebrations already. The decorations are hung and the house cleaning is beginning. We are working on our Calligraphy character for happiness. They are doing wonderful. The girls are also doing very well with their homeschooling. Genevieve is now writing her alphabet and numbers and putting letters together to create words. So she really thinks shes the counts meow now. I love to watch her little eyes light up when she figures out a word or sound. She has also beocme quite the whiz kid on the computer. I have had to put tight security on her because she has learned to surf quite well. Of course her fav site is PBSKIDS.ORG and GODISNEY.COM. She loves playing Kai-Lan and Sagwa the best. Abigail is 4 and her test "mommy switch" is on over-drive. My prayers are that we just make it until she turns the switch off or down a bit. :>). The rest of the group is fine as well. I will post pics of all the celebrating next month.