This is abslutley one of the most amazing people I have ever met.

What a princess

Wow she keeps getting more and more beautiful

I love the pictures in front of the Tree every year. - - - - Happy 4 yr Family Day Pretty Girl

What's so Special about Today?????

On this date 6 yrs ago this precious little girl was born. I was in Beijing waiting for my life to be changed forever. I was adopting Genevieve at the time. 6 yrs ago a mommy made a really really tough decision. A decision that would not only change her life but ours as well. Because form the moment I first saw her face I knew she was my daughter and I would stop at nothing to get our paper work handled to make it legal. After all she was born in my heart on October 16th, 2005 when I first saw her. Her bestest GeGe in the whole world. At one point in her life he was her whole world and nothing or no-one mattered, but him.

I have been doing presentations at the girls school on diversity, acceptance and the differences in families. This all came about when a little boy insisted to Genevieve that her dad could not be her dad because he was brown and she was not. Then another child insisted that she couldn't do fireworks because that was an American holiday and she was not an American but a Chinese. Well after a few of the teachers got wind of my presentation I did they wanted the same for their classrooms. What a great way to educate our young'uns.

When I do it, I read "The Family Book" by Todd Parr. I also bring in our foster kitties we have that week. I talk to the kids about how they all came from a different mommy and daddy but they are all still family. The play together, snuggle together and take care of each other. I also tell the kids about a "four letter word". LOVE The most important thing to make up a family. If you have that, it's all good. So we talk further about adoption and fostering.

The kids really relate well to the kitties and seem to understand a little better that way. Every class I have been in so far has either a foster child in it or an adopted kid in it or both.

I also read "A Mother for Choco" by Keiko Kazka. Then after that we make our very own Choco. They all look different just like our families. It really is an awesome presentation.

A Wondeful Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving tradition is to eat and serve at our church, Monson Community Methodist Church. We open the doors and serve whom ever comes in. We not only serve but sit down and eat with them. It's amazing. We have people from every walk of life come in. There is one lady, a regular each year who comes in gets 2 to go dishes and leave 20-30 dollars in the "Free will Donation" jar. She takes it home to her DH. We had a gentleman who's family is all on the east coast and he didn't want to eat alone. Their is also the truckdriver who saw our reader board on his way to his hotel while he was layed over in town. We have our truly needy folks as well, but mostly just people who don't want to be by themselves. What an amazing time we have every year we do this. The best part for me is getting a piece of pie, sitting down with someone and chit chatting about nothing or what ever they may need to talk about. God is so Good to allow me to be able to do this. The girls also have a great time as well. It's like having a BIG HUGE family over for the holidays. They jump right in and help cook and clean.

There is never a shortage of teenagers to hang out with and learn how to play games with.

After our day at church we go by our son, Anthony's, house and visit. Doing Thanksgiving like this is nice because it gives the boys all a chance to go to the inlaws house for a holiday and not feel torn about what to do.

Christmas is at home, no ifs ands or butts about it.

Of course Da Ping goes everywhere, including China Town

Happy Brithday Kiddo

My niece turned 15 a week ago. She wanted to go to Chicago to eat Lunch for her birthday. It was really really nice just having a day with the girls and my niece in China town. She was born in the year of the dog.

This is the favorite thing to do with orange wedges for some reason

Genevieve and her bestest cousin - Felicia. My girl turned 15 this month

Wow God is Good

OK, I went on one of the most Amazing experiences I have ever been on in all my life. It was the Walk to Emmaus. I found the deepest understanding of my faith I have ever know as well as the answer to so many questions that had been deep in my thoughts. I also met people whom God placed in my life at that exact moment they were suppose to be there. One of the people I met was a lady who was adopted from Korea 33 years ago. The ironics of that is her family has been discussing the walk with her for 4 years, it was only at this walk she chose to make the journey. We were suppose to meet. Any way we got a chance to talk. One of the questions I asked her during her life did she ever feel left out or different. Her response was, Wow. She told me NO very clearly NO, because her parents treated her no different than any of the other children. She got spankings with the rest of them. She was treated like "One of the Gang". That answer moved me so much. It made me feel better about how I am raising my girls. I post this for all the other adoptive parents who read my blog. I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE anyone who is asked to say yes when the time is right if you get the chance to go on the walk.

Mom's Leaving

Wooo Hooo tomorrow I leave for 4 nights and 3 days. I am going on our local Emmaus Walk. It is a Christian Retreat to reflect and build your faith even stronger. I am so excited to be able to mediate and vegitate with my Awesome God. It's not to often I get to do that at home. Kids Kids and more Kids kinda damper that some days. I used to believe the shower was the place, but now that no longer is sacred. The girls have no problem walking in to ask me how to spell a word, answer a question or to just chit chat. But this weekend I can talk to my Father as long as I want without being interrupted. Does it sound like I'm a bit excited. I'll tell you all about it Monday night.

Halloween

Happy Halloween. Thanks Goodness for Friends. I've lost my camera again so Donna Thanks for the picture. We all went to a local farmers market that afternoon to trick or treat just in case the weather didn't hold out that night. I will say it did hold hold out and the girls went out through the neighborhood. We have enough candy to start a shop with. Wow how'd that happen

Now things can calm down a bit. Our youngest son, Owen got married this past weekend. This is his bride, Kaila. It was pretty hard on me for several reasons but we'll leave that for another time.

Daddy and his Girls

Most of the family made it to the wedding. We are missing our oldest girl, and a son. She has swine flu and he couldn't make it in from Chicago.

Of course the cat's meow - Aunt Barbie

This is Owen's Aunt Ruth and his Grandma.

I love Huggy pictures

The girls were the ring bearer and the flower girls for the wedding. They both carried a ring and threw down the flowers.

Oh the conversations in our House somedays

The new American Girl magazine arrived recently. Genevieve and I were looking through it and the following conversation occurred:

M - Honey we need to order the CNY dress for you and your sister's AG doll.

G - Her doll can't have one

M - Why not?

G - Because she's not Chinese, she's American. (Abigail has Josephina)

M - That doesn't matter, she can still celebrate CNY.

G - No she can't, she's not Chinese, She's American

M - You don't have to be Chinese to celebrate CNY. Mommy is not Chinese and I celebrate CNY.

G - You're suppose to, you're my mom.

M - Honey you're not only Chinese, you're American too

G - No I'm not, I'm Chinese

M - You can be Chinese and American

G - I don't think I want to, I think I want to be Chinese only.

M - Oh, but you we live in America, go to American schools, and have American birth certificates. That makes us Americans, and you're so lucky because you get to be Chinese-American.

G - Well, I think we need to move to China because I just can't handle being both.

WOW, not sure if I'm ready for her to be a teenager.

Happy Birthday Baby

Happy Birthday Baby

Happy Birthday Keith

Wow My Baby is 28 today. It's funny how fast time flies. What a time I've had watching him grow up from my baby boy to a man. Some days were easier than others but I wouldn't have changed a thing. He owns his own business, has a family (BTW, I love his wife) and a new life, but he'll always be my baby. Happy Birthday Darling

I got tagged with H1N1

OK that has to be the worst illness I have ever had. I posted Tuesday and by Wed noon I was flat down with swine flu. It hit so hard I was left crawling to the bathroom. This only until I dehydrated myself from sleeping for 12 - 14 hours straight then waking up long enough to take a sip and go back to sleep for another 12 - 14 hours. The only good thing that came about it for me was the 3 pounds I lost. Please keep praying for our family. Owen as now contracted it and Abigail is still fighting to breath most of the time with it.

Swine Flu

Wow what a week so far and I'm seeing no end in sight anytime soon. Genevieve has pulled through pretty good so far. Abigail is on suppositories for the fever and nausea. I've heard so much about H1N1 but never thought it would hit our house. I honestly thought we would get the immunizations before it hit us. Now I just pray the girls get through it and Daddy and i do not get it. Please keep us in your prayers