Evans

Grace's first level 9 meet

2012-01-23T21:20:00.000-05:00

A joyful lesson

2012-01-20T21:47:00.000-05:00

I have learned SO much about my children from others. I was at Analiese's IEP meeting the other day and her speech therapist shared something with me. At first I felt sad but the more I thought about it the happier I became.

Analiese was part of the 3rd grade chorus at school this fall. She loved EVERY minute of it!! For their Christmas performance Analiese really, yes REALLY, stole the show! She was so very animated and full of expression, it was obvious that she loved singing!

I can't tell you how nervous I was when Analiese brought home the flyer about chorus. At her other school the kids had to audition to be a part of the chorus. With Analiese's cleft her singing is not the clearest and I dreaded her being rejected.

As it turned out, her new school accepted ANYONE who wanted to be a part of the chorus! I can't say enough about the music teacher. She is one in a million!

Anyway, Analiese never missed a class and I am sure, even though I never was told, she gave 100% during the practices.

But, I digress. During the IEP we were all commenting on how Analiese's speech issues do not deter her. We all agreed that she is the most well adjusted, social child we know. The speech therapist shared that the music teacher came to her and commented that she was so impressed that Analiese came to chorus and acted like she didn't have any speech issues. Analiese sang her heart out and gave it all that she had.

Like I said, my first reaction was one of sadness. It's not like I've been in denial about Analiese's speech issues but well, it's hard to put into words. I guess I really didn't want to admit that Analiese COULD be held back because of her speech.

But, the more I thought about it, the prouder I became! We have ALWAYS supported Analiese in her love of singing and song writing. We have been blessed (and cursed) with performances after performances.

What I realized is that my little girl won't let a small thing like a cleft palate or speech issue deter her from enjoying her dream!!! Not for the first time, I realized what a strong individual Analiese is. God has truly blessed her with strength!

Analiese came from one of the worst beginnings I could ever imagine. At two weeks she found herself at an orphanage that did not have heat or running water. She shared a crib with 3 other children. During the winter they all wore heavy snowsuits to bed so they could keep warm. She had to use a "pot" to go to the bathroom in because they did not have working toilets. I could go on and on. But I won't because Analiese had SO much more than she did not have.

She had the love of the director and the wonderful Aunties who took care of the children in the orphanage. Analiese is who she is in part because of those wonderful women who loved her in her first years. They gave her the foundation for the rock-solid self esteem she has!

I know that God has a great plan for my youngest daughter. She brings sunshine and love to EVERYONE! It doesn't matter that she has a cleft-palate---it actually makes a positive difference that she is so challenged!

If you are one of the lucky, blessed, that have met Analiese you know exactly what I am writing about. If you haven't had the fortune to meet her, I hope that one day your paths will cross. You will be happier once she touches your life.

I guarantee it!

Braces

2012-01-17T19:39:00.005-05:00

Analiese got her braces on today! She only has them on the 3 top teeth. They are the cutest braces I've ever seen! They are so, so tiny.

A few months ago we started with the orthodontics for Analiese. Her mouth began shifting and she could no longer use her obturator. So, it was decided to move forward with the orthdonotic treatment.

A year or so ago, Analiese had 11 teeth removed to make room in her mouth. So, when her teeth came in there was all kind of movement. Some teeth were coming in sideways, some not at all because another tooth was under it. What a mess!

To begin this phase of her treatment they removed some more teeth in the back, put in a palate expander (thank goodness not the kind I have to turn) and inserted a placement wire behind her bottom teeth to keep those teeth from moving.

Once that was in place the orthodontist wanted one more of her front teeth to come to put on the braces. That tooth poked through over the holidays. So, today we were good to go to have the braces put on.

It didn't take too long as the braces and wire were only placed on the 3 front teeth. When more teeth come in more brackets will be placed and then connected to back molars.

Analiese isn't feeling much pain but that could change as her teeth move. Of course she has such a high pain tolerance she might not tell me until it is unbearable for her (which would be over the top for most of us!).

I'm so excited that we are moving forward on Analiese's teeth. She has begun to comment about how she would like to have pretty teeth like so-and-so and question when will ALL of her teeth will come in.

Getting these braces on means so much more to my little girl--it's a step toward having a "normal" mouth. I've promised her that one day she is going to LOVE her teeth as much as we love her!!

Family Picture Wall

2012-01-16T20:13:00.000-05:00

We have this wall in our "office" on which I've always hung the girls school photos. For awhile I had different sizes, colors and orientations of frames. I never liked it. So, I recently bought new matching frames. Dave hung them and because they were larger than what I had, the FAMILY sign wasn't quite spaced correctly. I still didn't like the wall.

So, for Christmas I asked for some money so I could re-do the wall. This is what I planned:

But the wall wasn't long enough to accommodate all of the photos. So this is what I finally wound up with:

Another view:

Still another:

I'm not finished adding photos. I want to put some vacation shots in the smaller frames. I know I have some great beach pictures. Right now they still have the factory photos.

I still really like the frames that the girls' school photos were in so I'm thinking of using them on a different wall. Is it too much to have TWO family photo walls???

I'd love to hear your opinions!

An angel to watch over them

2012-01-12T21:00:00.001-05:00

A young mother of one of our gymnasts passed away today. She fought a very hard and courageous battle against colon cancer. For 18 months she did everything possible to become one of the cancer survivors. Unfortunately she has become another victim.

I simply cannot imagine how this woman prepared her children for her death. All day I've gotten teary just thinking about the tremendous sadness she must have felt when she realized that she was going to have to leave her family. What things did she do to ensure that even though she would not be physically present while they were growing up, she would always be a part of their lives? Did she write letters to be given to them at the important times in their lives? Did she make videos for them to watch when they turned 13 or got their drivers license? What about the advice she wanted to share with her daughter? How did she capture that to be given at just the right times?

I've thought about what is the better way for a young child to lose a parent; suddenly without warning or slowly over time? Is it better to have the time to say goodbye and start the grieving even before their death or is it best to simply just lose them one day?

As a mother I'd like to have the time to create something for my children. Whether it's a video to be shown on the day of the prom or a letter to be given graduation day I'd want that opportunity to share what I imagined I'd say at those events. I wouldn't want my daughter to wonder what her mother would say when she started going through puberty or my son to wonder if his mother would care if he got a motorcycle. I'd want to be able to tell them when the event occurred. I'd want to be able to provide them with my thoughts, my words and my feelings. I'd want them to know that my feelings, my thoughts and my advice, directly from me. I can only pray that when it is my time to go that I will have had a lifetime of shared memories with my children.

My sadness over this mother's death will fade but the insight I have gained will stay with me for a lifetime. Good bye Julie and thank you for having touched my life. I hope that as a part of the gym family I can somehow return the favor by somehow making a difference in your daughter's life.

A belated Christmas post

2012-01-07T20:21:00.000-05:00

Our Christmas was wonderful this year. Once again, ALL three girls sat on Santa's lap to tell him what they wanted to receive. For Analiese she asked for a Fijit friend, Grace, a bell from his sleigh and Sarah wanted a Wii game. They all must have found their way onto the "good" list because they each got what they requested...plus some!

We did not travel at all over the break. The weather was perfect (very warm) so we got to spend some time outside. Sweet Grace had practice and only had a few days off. Her schedule was reduced but she had to be at the gym everyday except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day! Not that she minded, she is lost when she has too much down time!

The boys were able to spend a few days with us. It's always nice to have all of the kids together! Dave and I have a great respect for the adults the boys are becoming. William and Thomas are within a year of graduating from Tech and James is ready to commit to the Army so that he can get a commission when he graduates in a few years.

We LOVE having a full house and the girls love how much attention the boys give them! Some day they will get together with their families and share the great memories of the holidays they had growing up!

Sarah chose a VERY grown- up dress this year. Her Dad was not happy but agreed that she looked quite beautiful! Sarah received a laptop for Christmas and was quite excited to get rid of her very slow, very old desktop model. She promptly pulled the dinosaur out of her room and set it up in the playroom for Analiese to use.

Grace also chose a more grown-up dress and couldn't wait to pose for her photo! She is growing up so quickly. Dave and I believe that she just might be a little older than her 10 years. It certainly wouldn't be the first time the Chinese were off on their "age guesstimate"!! Grace was so thrilled to get the bell from Santa's sleigh. She really did not want anything else but I did talk her into asking for some clothes for the gym!

Then of course my sweet, sweet Analiese! Notice that she is now growing her hair out. She also is growing up. We have noticed such a maturity in the past year! She continues to make an impression on everyone she meets. She received a guitar and a karoake machine from Santa. What excitement as she now can write a song, play it either on her keyboard or guitar and also sing it into her microphone. How blessed we are to hear her excitement!!

As a family we couldn't be more blessed. We are all healthy and Dave and I have good, stable jobs. We thank God everyday for the things that we have and ask for his guidance to navigate the coming year.

Happy 2012 to each of you!

TOPS, HOPES and a Break-through--OH MY!!

2012-01-06T22:22:00.000-05:00

Testing out of level 8

Yes, Grace is still excelling at gymnastics! I think the last time I posted she had a cast on her leg. It healed perfectly; no lasting problems. Since then we've hurt a couple of more body parts, but thankfully nothing lasting. The scariest one was her back. She over extended on one of her "flippy-do's" ( I really must learn and REMEMBER all of the names of her new skills) and hurt her back. It turned out to be one of her worst injuries. We wound up at the orthopedist who put things very clearly:

"Think of a paperclip. We've all bent one back and forth, back and forth, until it snapped. Now it could have taken 15 bends but it snapped. Grace could be on number 12. If she doesn't slow down and take care and back off on the training... well, then we'll be having a more serious talk."

So, back off we did and now she is back to 100%!

After Grace's wonderful level 7 season she began training hard for her summer TOPs testing. She tested 3 times and each time made a score high enough to qualify her for National Testing. So, in October off she went to National Training Center in Texas. There she just WOWED everyone!! She did fabulous. She needed a score of an 81 to make the TOPs National Team. Grace walked away with a 91!!

TOPS NATIONAL TEAM

So, in December she went back to Texas as a part of the TOPs National Team. Unfortunately this was right in the middle of her back injury. She was only at 1/4 of her abilities but still had a great time. We are so proud of how she closed the TOPs part of her gymnastics journey.

Grace now is heading into what is termed HOPES. That is a bridge between TOPs and Elite for 10-12 yr. olds. Grace is scheduled for 3 National Qualifier meets this year. If she qualifies she will be able to compete in the US VISA CLASSIC!!

Grace on bars being watched by Valeria Luikin

This summer Grace was well on her way and had many of the required skills. Then came a few injuries, falls and eventually fear---for the very first time in her gymnastics career!! Of course we didn't know about her fear until well after it started. I knew SOMETHING was wrong but just didn't know exactly what.

It didn't help that Grace is my "keep-everything-close-to-the-vest" kid and never told me anything. But one day she and I were talking. And the dam broke. Everything that Grace had bottled up inside came tumbling out. The fear of disappointing the people she loved, the fear of hurting herself doing gymnastics and the fear of not having her skills for the National Qualifiers.

It was WONDERFUL but heartbreaking. I felt guilty that I didn't know how she felt, I felt wonderful that FINALLY Grace was telling me how she felt, I felt sad that she had carried around such a burden and I felt WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW???

Luckily we worked through it together. We had a meeting with Grace's coach and she also celebrated the break-through! Grace told us she wasn't sure she wanted to do the National Qualifiers. She wanted time to think about. We made a plan and agreed to come back in 2 weeks to discuss how she felt.

In the weeks that followed Grace became more animated, more talkative and lo and behold--got her skills back!! Today she told her coach that she wanted to meet tomorrow because she had decided to go for the National Qualifier!!!

Grace receiving input from Valerie Luikin

We aren't sure how she will do but the real victory lies in Grace getting rid of her burden and realizing that we are here to support her in whatever SHE wants to do. She now talks so much more about the gym. She will tell me specifics about how her training went instead of just"fine". She has even called me twice to share some fantastic progress she has made!

This season is going to be so exciting. Grace has already tested out of level 8 and will compete level 9 as well as the HOPES qualifier meets. No matter what happens score wise, Grace has accomplished so much!

Check back to see what happens. Her first level 9 meet is on January 21st and her first HOPES qualifier is on February 10th in Orange, California.

A new journey awaits and Grace is ready to jump in knowing that she has the support and encouragement, not pressure, of the people who love her the most!

Mom

2012-01-03T22:54:00.003-05:00

For many years I had not seen my mother. Twelve years and 6 months to be exact. It's a long story and one I'm not ready to share. My mother had only met Sarah once; when Sarah was 11 months old. Yes, Sarah is now 13 1/2 yrs old. Mom never, yes NEVER, met Grace and Analiese. Our relationship consisted of phone calls, photos and gifts on special occasions.

Until October. That's when my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. It had already spread to her liver when she was diagnosed. Up to that point she had been battling emphysema. We even finished our basement so she could come and live with us because of her breathing difficulties. But that's all part of the story I'm not ready to share.

I was stunned, no, maybe surprised. I don't know, I just wasn't expecting lung cancer. My Mom had quit smoking years ago. I thought that the emphysema was what eventually would be her demise. Mom not only had lung cancer, she had small cell lung cancer which is very, very aggressive.

So, here I was faced with a very real, very serious situation. How in the HELL do I deal with this??? Because of certain things, yes, it's part of that story again that I'm not ready to share, I had already decided that I was NOT going to ever see her again. But, there was a part of me who did not agree with that decision. It was that same part of me that finished the basement, the same part of me that couldn't let go and walk away.

I don't know WHAT to name that PART of me. All I know is that I talked to Dave and told him that I wanted, no needed, to go to Philadelphia to see my mother. AND that I wanted our daughters to meet their grandmother and I wanted her to know them!

So a week before November we got in the car and drove to Philadelphia. It was a VERY long drive (another story for another time). By the time of our trip my mother had already undergone one round of chemo. We had hoped that she would have bounced back from that treatment and felt good enough to receive visitors at home.

Well cancer just doesn't care what you think. What happened is that my mother was in the hospital due to complications from the chemo/cancer during our visit. So, instead of driving to my childhood home, we drove to the hospital.

Once at the hospital I was a wreck. I was so nervous, so afraid, so scared. Yes, ALL part of the "story I'm not ready to share". When we got to Mom's room, I was shocked, and so, so saddened. The woman I was afraid to face was old and sick.

For so many reasons I am so glad that we made the trip to see my Mom. She is fighting hard to beat the cancer and for that I support and applaud her. My girls LOVE their grandmother and they SHOULD!

My feelings are more mixed than they ever have been. I have more sadness than ever. THAT I chalk up to progress. I honestly hope that the next trip I make back to Philadelphia is not for Mom's funeral. I'd like to spend time with her outside of the hospital. To talk. And maybe resolve some things.

Some day I'll be ready to share my story. But not now. And I certainly won't preach to all of you how important it is to reconnect or how short life is.

Because, now, I need to pray for a miracle.

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-02T21:10:00.001-05:00

I know, you all thought I'd given up this blog. But I hadn't! I took a forced break because I could NOT remember my log-in and password!

Seriously, when blogger co-mingled with Yahoo all of my accounts got screwed up. Every time I tried to log in I was told that I didn't have a blog. Then, when I requested a new password, I never received a response. There was NO amount of emailing I could do to produce the needed information!

So, I basically resigned myself to having to start a new blog, which of course I did not want to! So I just put the blog on the back burner.

Then just recently I tried to comment on a blog that I read. Of course they needed my log-in. So, I once again tried to log-in and BINGO it worked!! So I promptly wrote down the magic information so I'd have it when I needed it.

Of course I have so much to catch you all up on. So stay tuned for some up-dates. There have been some changes in our lives and we've all seemed to adjust pretty well.

So, Happy 2012, I KNOW that it's going to be a great year. I can already tell...

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T21:44:00.000-04:00

Grace found the BIG egg that everyone was looking for!

I KNOW there are more eggs to be found!

We had a wonderful Easter day! The weather was gorgeous and we got to spend lots of time outside!

I've lots to catch up on--and promise to do that this week. It's been busy, busy, busy!

Hope you like the new look of the blog!

Grace Evans First level 7 meet

2011-02-02T06:53:00.000-05:00

They say a "picture is worth a thousand words." What do YOU think???

If you aren't a male then what are you??

2011-01-31T20:19:00.000-05:00

At dinner tonight we had the following conversation:

Analiese: "Dad, do you know you are a male?"

Dave: "A what?"

Analiese: "A male, you know a boy."

Dave: "Yes, that's right."

Now me, always taking advantage of that teachable moment, decided to jump in on the conversation.

Me: "Analiese, what are you if you aren't a male?"

Analiese (with a very confused look on her face): "An un-male??"

Life just keeps getting better and better!

She said she's been waiting her ENTIRE life..

2011-01-30T20:06:00.001-05:00

Sarah was all smiles the morning of her orthodontist appointment. She said she was nervous and excited. She wasn't real happy that Dad was going to have to take her out of school early. I pulled out the camera and reminded her that I wanted to document the experience.

The first picture Dave was able to take. I wanted him to take a photo of Sarah standing next to the sign in the office that said, "Braces On--Sarah" I thought she'd love to have that but she refused to stand in front of the sign.

Sarah said it felt so weird having her mouth held open so wide. Her face hurt her for days and now she is fighting a migraine. I'm sure it has lots to do with the contraption they used.

Bottom braces are on!! The entire procedure took about 90 minutes. These brackets are the newest technology from 3M called "self-litigating". The brackets are clips that hold the arch-wire in place so rubber bands are no longer needed. Sarah got some bands on the front teeth--kind of a decoration!

Sarah still looks so beautiful! She'll have to wear the braces for about 18 months. Because of her overbite (10 years of thumb sucking!!) she has to be careful that her top teeth do not push down on the bottom braces. Right now she has something behind her front teeth that prohibits her from closing her mouth completely. It is a great challenge to eat!

Finding the silver lining in wearing braces--attaching a magnet to her mouth. I told Sarah that she truly can now attach to the refrigerator. That is something she wanted to do when she was about 2 years old. She told me she swallowed some magnets so she could attach to the fridge. I was horrified but luckily found the magnets under a chair right before we left to go to the emergency room!!

Saying goodbye is never easy

2011-01-16T19:50:00.002-05:00

That's what our school district is saying to our February break :( Even though our Governor declared our area in a "state of emergency", due to the massive snow/ice storm, and is allowing districts to apply for a waiver for 4 of the 6 days the kids missed from school due to the snow, our district decided to take not only the week in February, but an additional day, in March, to make up the snow days.

When I originally found out I was angry. Not only angry that the winter break was gone, but that the decision was made without any public input!

However, our superintendent sent the district staff a letter explaining the reasoning behind the decision. It really was the BEST for the kids and the entire district staff and faculty. Due to the budget crisis we took our 4 snow days in the beginning of the year as furlough days, so the 4 day waiver would have caused us to take 4 MORE days without pay!! That would have been a total of 14 days for the year. YIKES!!

Last year, to make up for the 5 flood days, (what's next--locusts???) our district added 15 minutes to each school day. That worked out well. Why, did the superintendent not just recommend that?? Well, that would have meant, custodians, cafeteria workers and bus drivers all would have lost the 6 days of pay. No, not an option.

So, as I read through the letter, my anger was replaced with understanding and sadness. There are many families who already have trips scheduled and paid for--with penalties for cancellations and/or changes. We aren't one of them, but I WILL be working the entire weekend at the gymnastics meet that our gym is hosting. It didn't seem so bad not having a weekend to relax when I knew that I would have the whole ENTIRE week off after the meet. Now? I'm planning to take a personal day after the meet so I can at least have one day to unwind!

I'm sure the board and the superintendent are in for a barrage of criticism and challenges. But, you know, when they chose to not ask for public input they in effect put themselves in this position. It will be an interesting drama. One in which I'll sit back, watch and secretly hope that a better choice comes forward. I mean the first week in April is SO far away....

And snow it did!

2011-01-12T17:06:00.001-05:00

The snow was predicted to begin Sunday night. At 5:00 all schools and the university closed for Monday. Every hour we went outside to check for a flake. Not one in sight.

The special "storm" dessert we ate; mini pudding pies, and we waited.

Finally, the first flakes fell!

Within 15 minutes we had a dusting on the deck!

WOW! 1/2 inch already!

To bed we went satisfied that calling off school was justified--why it's almost a full inch of the white stuff!!

Then in the morning we saw...

An entire white world!!! At least 5 inches--8 in some places!!

So we bundled in our warmest,

And decided to play.

No sled you say? Then what is this?

It works just as well, getting us down the hill!

Making us laugh, making us smile,

And helping the youngest enjoy in delight!

But wait, what is this?

Someone must work, to clear out a path,

Is it Mom? Nope she's enjoying the hill!

Push us together!

Boy am I pooped!

Resting and warming by the fire,

So the next day we can stay busy, doing what we love! NO SCHOOL TODAY!

Three days later...the snow is not gone. We've not been to school, to the store or to work. Bring the warmth back--this is the SOUTH you know!

2011-01-08T19:50:00.000-05:00

We are expecting 3-5 inches of snow starting tomorrow night and then on Monday another 2 inches of ice. The school system has already called and alerted parents to the three possible actions they will take on Monday: cancel school, start 3 hours late or early dismissal if the weather begins to get bad on Monday.

I was out today for my normal grocery shopping and quickly realized how crazy everyone was because of the forecast. I didn't consider myself one of them until I bought a bag of salt (really?? I've never purchased a bag of salt in my life!!), 2 boxes of logs for the fireplace (the power might go out with all of the ice) and called Dave to make sure we had batteries for the flashlights.

Even though I'm excited about the possibility of another long weekend I'm dreading it as we already have one "ice day" to make up. However, if the weather is bad AND school must be called off I just ask that they make the decision Sunday night so I can sleep in on Monday.

Not much to ask for, is it???

10 pounds

2011-01-06T20:08:00.000-05:00

Other than when I was pregnant, I've never weighed what I weigh now (can you say that fast 10 times???). In the past two years I've gained more pounds than I want to admit. It wasn't until this Christmas, when I saw some of the photos that Dave took that I realized how chubby I look!!

So, for the first time in my life I'm working at losing weight. Yes, even when I gained the 50 pounds of baby weight I didn't have to work at losing the weight!!! It came off so quickly and I was back in my pre-pregnancy clothing within weeks.

Now? Not going to happen. So, I'm trying to exercise at least 3 days a week. I really don't have much to cut out of my diet. I don't drink soda, snack lots but I have become very sedentary in the past few years. I sit at a desk for the majority of my day, sit in the car driving the kids around, sit at the gym and dance studio watching the kids and then go home too exhausted to do anything but sit some more.

My goal is to lose 10 pounds by summertime. I think it's a reasonable goal but I don't believe it is going to be easy. Just this week I wanted to work out at least 3 days. So far I've only walked on the treadmill 1 day for one reason or another. I really thought I'd be able to squeeze in more than that.

I so remember a time when I was able to get to the gym every night after work and work out for at least 2 hours. Now I hope for just 2 hours a week!! No wonder the scale never used to go into the triple digits!!!

Back to work

2011-01-03T22:19:00.000-05:00

It was rough going back to work today. I really got used to sleeping in and having lots of unscheduled time. I mean Dave and I actually got to sleep in until 10:00 on New Year's Day!!! We haven't done that in years.

In anticipation of my early morning, I went to bed at a decent hour (10:30). I set the alarm for 5:45 and fell asleep instantly. What time did I awaken??? 4:00---and could not fall back to sleep until 5:30!!!

I took Grace to the gym this morning prior to going to work (She is going to have the easiest time going back to school since she continued with her gym schedule throughout the break) and felt like I was in a fog!

I was very busy today but all I could think about was how much I missed being at home :(

So, tomorrow is another day and by the end of the week my break will be a distant memory. But, I can see February 21st just around the corner. What's February 21st you ask? Well, it's my winter break of course--one more week to enjoy away from work!

I LOVE my work schedule!!!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T20:13:00.005-05:00

The girls made it to midnight, watched the ball drop and celebrated the beginning of 2011.

I've made several resolutions. One is to be a better blogger. In 2010 I was horrible at keeping everyone up-to-date. As of today that all changes. My goal is to blog SoMeThInG every other day and post pictures at list once a week.

So, in keeping with that I've tried to upload some photos , but I'm having difficulty. I really want to get our holiday photos up to share so I'll try again tomorrow.

At dinner last night we all made some goals for the coming year. They are:

Grace: Make it to level 7 regionals and also to the National Training Camp again (hopefully this year to Camp A).

Analiese: To make it to preteam (pretty lofty goal!!)

Sarah: To take good care of her teeth while she is wearing braces (she gets them on the end of the month).

Dave: Be healthier; eat better and exercise more.

Tina: Exercise more and try to lose the extra pounds I've put on in the past two years.

Stay tuned to see how we progress. 2011 we are ready for you!!!!

Where HAVE I been?

2010-12-15T19:48:00.000-05:00

Busy.

I should be wrapping presents right now but really wanted to update the blog.

The weather is AWFUL here; lots of ice. Dave is out trying to bring the girls home from the gym and first encountered a bad accident and stalled traffic so he went another way and is now crawling up and around the hilly road. It's been almost an hour on a ride that should have taken 20 minutes.

So....in hopes of not having school tomorrow I'll be brief now and then tomorrow I'll do a post with photos.

Sarah was not chosen for the musical. She was heartbroken but handled it so well!!! She may apply to do some of the technical things so she can be part of the cast that way.

Grace attended the National Training Camp (Karolyi's Ranch). She had a blast!

We went to Michigan for Thanksgiving and had a great time. It was so nice seeing family.

I'm moving to another school--yes, in the middle of the year. That's a story for another time!

I got my new camera and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

Dave just made it home with the girls! Thank God they are safe!

Hoping school is out tomorrow and I find out BEFORE the alarm goes off!!!

Comfort zone and disappointment

2010-11-17T21:50:00.004-05:00

Sarah auditioned for the school musical, High School Musical Jr. this week. She is an AWESOME dancer and a good singer. Unfortunately, she was not chosen to be a part of the cast.

When Sarah found out that she had to sing as part of her audition she cried that she just wouldn't do it! I so understood how she felt. I would NEVER sing in front of anyone. However, as a Mom I knew that I had to push her to move out of her comfort zone.

Sarah is not a bad singer. She can carry a tune and it doesn't hurt to listen to her (like me). So, we had lots of discussions about not letting allowing our fears dictate what we would do.

We went shopping for an outfit to wear at the audition, downloaded a song that was PERFECT for her range and Sarah took the plunge! For the dance audition she received a call-back. Not so surprising as she is an AWESOME dancer.

For the vocal audition Sarah said she was so nervous that she shook, from her toes to the top of her head. Originally we were told that it would be a private audition in front of the judges only. But, because of the number of kids trying out, they put the kids in groups of ten.

Sarah not only got up in front of the judges to sing but in front of her peers! How's that for stepping out of your comfort zone???

Unfortunately Sarah was not chosen to be a cast member. She was so disappointed. I was so sad for her. I did my best to comfort her. I hugged her, I said all the right things (I hope) and I told her how proud I was of her that she conquered her fear!

I cannot tell you how hard it was to watch my sweet daughter go through this disappointment. However, I hope that the comfort I gave her, as well as our discussions, have helped build a foundation for her to draw from. Life is full of disappointments and I want to give Sarah the necessary skills to deal with whatever comes her way.

The best part? Sarah is being honest with her friends in her disappointment and is anxious to apply for a tech position so she can still be a part of the musical.

God may have waited to answer my prayers for a child but when he did he sent me the best! I love you Sarah and I am so proud to be your Mom!

Happy Gotcha Day Analiese

2010-11-07T19:17:00.001-05:00

First layer that Analiese was wearing

Second layer she was wearing

Analiese's choice: Japanese steak house

Five years ago we were handed one of the most wonderful blessings in the world; our third daughter. Our meeting did not happen as planned and looking back it was just a tiny hint of how unique our daughter would be and how she would do things her way!

Min Qiu Xia shyly came to us, called us Momma and Baba and fell immediately in love with her Daddy! That has not changed, she is a Daddy's girl through and through!

Qiu Xia was dressed in two layers and she WOULD not allow us to take anything off of her. We would eventually have to force her to remove the top layer because the fever she had sky-rocketed and we desperately tried everything to bring it down.

Our sweet girl had an awful ear infection when she came to us and the worst teeth I've ever seen in a small child! But, in spite of her medical conditions, she was happy and content.

Now, five years later, we know that Min Qiu Xia, Analiese, was really only two years old when she came to us, not the three years the Chinese told us she was. She also is not the quiet child they described, but the most gregarious child around!

Analiese brings sunshine to everyone and melts the hardest of hearts! Everyone knows and loves her! She "works" at the gym concession stand and gets paid with food. She charmed the young boy who runs the stand and he looks forward to the days she is there with him!

There are days where we are just exhausted parenting this child; she walks to a different drummer than the rest of us. Even though she loves to please us, she doesn't hesitate to do things her way, even if it will get her into trouble!

The past years have been a journey. Whereas another child's spirit may have been broken with the challenges Analiese has faced, Analiese seems to thrive and grow stronger. Her medical procedures continue and she still faces years of speech therapy. But, Analiese handles it all so well. When we go to Scottish Rite to see the speech therapist and the orthodontist, it is like a visit with friends!

I am always told what an awesome job we have done as parents to Analiese. We certainly can not take credit for the sunshine she spreads. We can only thank God that we have her in our lives and pray for wisdom in helping her channel her enthusiasm for life!

We love you Analiese!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T19:47:00.000-04:00

Visit to the corn maze

2010-10-17T21:16:00.000-04:00

We had a great weekend last week. We had NOTHING on the calendar. So on Sunday we took a two-hour drive into the mountains and visited a wonderful corn maze. We had a great time finding each pit-stop and checking off on our cards. It was very interesting to see the girls sense of direction--or lack of.

After we found our way through the maze the girls jump and played on the hay bales. We were a little concerned for both Grace and Sarah because of their allergies, but all for nothing as they weren't bothered at all!

After the maze we stopped at road side store and bought some wonderful home-grown apples--Arkansas black--that were just delicious! They were so much better than anything we could ever purchase at the grocery store. We also bought a great pumpkin for a steal of a price!

We don't get many weekends that we have the luxury of taking a long drive (that doesn't involve getting to a meet or dance performance) and just enjoying our family. I guess that what's makes the adventure even more enjoyable!

TOPs National Testing

2010-10-10T22:13:00.001-04:00

Grace had a wonderful time in Texas at the National Training Camp, otherwise known as the Karolyi Camp. She left, with her teammate, her coach and her teammate's mom, on Friday afternoon. They tested on Saturday and Sunday and did a FANTASTIC job!!!! Grace did her absolute best she has ever done on her Physical Abilities. She held her handstand for 60 seconds, went up the rope in 8.6 seconds (that's 12 feet in a pike position!!!), did 8 press-to-handstands and sprinted so fast! Her skills testing was awesome, even though she had two low scores--floor acro and vault were each a 7.0.

She took great photos of the signatures on the bunks--Alecia Sacramone and Courtney Kupets--were just two of the girls who slept in the same cabin. Grace signed her name--both first and last--who knows, some little girl, years from now might be so excited to know that GRACE EVANS slept her in her cabin!!!

I know that you are being so patient, 'cuz you REALLY want to know the outcome. Well, I'll tell you...Grace made B camp!!!! That means she is not a member of the National TOPs team (that is A camp) but she has been invited back to train with the National Training Staff!!! She will return on Dec 5 and stay thru Dec 9th. So, I know you are wondering WHAT is the DIFFERENCE between the two camps?? Well, other than camp A invitees being named to the National TOPs team, it's the cost. Camp A is paid for by the USAG and camp B is paid for by the parents :(....

Everyone is SO, SO proud of Grace. It is incredible what she has accomplished in two years!! No one could have ever imagined that when she began with one gymnastics class that she would be invited to the National Training Camp!

From all accounts, Grace was not nervous and just enjoyed her experience. She came home so animated, wanting to share everything! She loved everything about the camp; the cabins, the Walk of Fame, the food, and the lake. She didn't miss having her parents with her and for that we are so grateful!

Grace now will continue her training, and begin competing at level 7 in December. She has another year in which to train and try to qualify, once again, for National Testing. For now, we excitedly wait for December for her return to Texas.

Oh, the highlight of the trip? Meeting Bela Karolyi!!! I was on the phone with Grace and she started screaming, "Momma, I gotta go, there's Bela!" She was able to get her photo taken with him and just cherishes the picture.

Grace's goal? To have a brick on the Walk of Fame. Our goal? To be able to continue to support Grace in this wonderful journey!

We are SO proud of her!

Grace's BIG news

2010-09-21T20:03:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I've kept you all in suspense for so long. It wasn't malicious in any way. It's just that I've been so busy! With work, and my new "job" at the gym. Have I told you all about my new position? What? You all want me to get on with Grace's news? You mean you DON'T want to hear about my new job as the scorekeeper at the gym? Oh, you do, but just not right now!?

On to Grace's big news. If you've been following Grace's gymnastics journey you are aware that she is part of the TOPs program. That is the Talent Opportunity Program which identifies athletes with potential and trains and accelerates them to one day, hopefully, be on the National Gymnastics Team.

During each summer the TOPS girls test at the state level and if they qualify they are invited to the National Training Center in Texas, otherwise known as the Karolyi Ranch, to test nationally. Then IF they qualify they are invited back to the Ranch to train for a week with the National Training coaches. They also become members of the National TOPS Team.

About 50% of our gymnasts on the Olympic team have come up through the TOPs program. For instance, Courtney Koupets and Shawn Johnson were both on the National TOPs Team.

What? Grace's news? Oh, I'm getting to that. Now? You want to know it now?

Grace QUALIFIED for the National Testing and will be going to the Karolyi Ranch on Oct 1-3!!! Only 4 girls from Georgia qualified and only 2 from her gym!!!

The testing will consist of the same physical abilities test that she did in the summer but additionally they will test her on skills. She has been busily learning and perfecting those skills for the past month.

Unfortunately, only one parent is able to be a chaperone and I lost the coin toss. So, Grace will go to Texas with her teammate Hannah and Hannah's Mom.

We are beyond excited and proud of our sweet little girl! We know she will do her best and we hope that will be good enough to be invited back as a member of the National TOPs Team!!

My news as the scorekeeper kinda pales in comparison to Grace's news. I'll post more about that later. What did you say? Thank goodness?

Labor day weekend

2010-09-06T11:22:00.000-04:00

What a great weekend! After this past month of running around, trying to get back into the swing of a new routine, we really needed this time to sit back and take a breather.

We did lots of relaxing by the pool, the girls made dinner (chicken potpie) and we practiced putting hair up for the "competition curls"!

I'll post more to catch everyone up on the past month events; beginning of school, first gymnastics meet, first dance performance, first cross country meet and some really fantastic news regarding Grace!

Gotta go and enjoy the last of this wonderful, wonderful last weekend of summer!

Camp

2010-08-01T20:02:00.001-04:00

A free scrapbook design by Smilebox

Unexpected Joy!

2010-07-27T10:47:00.001-04:00

What do you do when you are rearranging large pieces of furniture, have sweat dripping off and your cell phone rings? Ignore it, of course! What happens then when your land line starts ringing immediately after the cell phone quits and your STILL pushing that same large dresser? Again, ignore it! What about when the cell phone starts ringing yet AGAIN???

Answer it, 'cuz there is someone who desperately wants to get in touch!

That's what happened yesterday as Sarah and I were rearranging her bedroom furniture. And I'm so gld that I did answer the call because it was my niece, Mara. She was at the airport with a very long lay-over (about 6 hours) and wondered if we had time to meet with her.

Yes, yes, yes, of course we can! With some quick arranging we headed off to the airport! As we left the house, a summer thunderstorm was brewing. We quickly realized, just a mile down the road, that the storm was a wicked one. Debris was scattered all over and a tree had fallen across the road. We were not delayed long as 2 enterprising men quickly removed the tree with a chain and their truck! We wouldn't realize how bad the storm was until our arrival home, several hours later.

Our visit with Mara was short but wonderful. We hadn't see her in two years and what a difference those years made! Mara was coming from a medical "camp" at Georgetown University. She is going into 10th grade but has already decided that she wants to go into the medical field. So she spent a week watching an autopsy, diagnosing illnesses and listening to lectures! She received two college credits and tons of excitement!

After a long dinner (can't believe how LONG we were in the restaurant, so glad we didn't have a plane to catch!) and some catch-up, it was unfortunately time for Mara to leave! With hugs and kisses we sent Mara to meet her plane.

Back home we went to find our garage door up and all of the power out! Seems that the storm was pretty powerful, we surmised that the electrical surge may have caused the garage door to go up. Not sure how long the power had been out but it sure had the cats nervous. With candles lit, we sat down expecting a long, uncomfortable night (very hot, with 80% humidity outside).

Imagine our delight when the electricity popped back on about 30 minutes later. Oh, another moment of unexpected joy!

See, I told you so!

2010-07-26T14:56:00.000-04:00

Sarah informed me the other day that I had NOT put any photos from her birthday on the blog. I surely did not believe that! I mean, I am SUCH a conscientious mother, I would NEVER forget to blog about something as important as my daughter's 12th birthday.

But, sure enough, when I searched the blog there was not a photo to be found about her birthday. I'm not sure how that slipped past me but it did.

SO, here is a blog post for Sarah.

Planning the 12th birthday celebration seemed so easy; movie (Toy Story 3), swimming and a sleep-over. However, because not all of the girls could come we had to change the original date, which didn't help because still some of the girls could not come. Sarah wanted to change the date ONE more time and I wouldn't let her.

I was secretly happy that not everyone could come; that meant less girls staying awake till all hours of the morning. The celebration turned out to be wonderful! The movie was great, the girls got to swim for hours and they even went to sleep at a decent hour!

Now that Sarah is 12, I do see a difference--both physically and emotionally. She is still dramatic but less immature about issues. Dave and I agreed that she could go to the beach with her friend's (Emily) family. I missed Sarah lots but we kept in touch via text and calls. She had a great week and came back a little more responsible and respectful.

Sarah also did a musical theatre/tap camp last week. The theme was Mary Poppins. One of the tap dances, Step in Time, the tap company girls will work on and eventually take to competition. It was so very well done, I can't wait to see once they have more time to practice how it will look!

Sarah has also decided to compete on the cross-country team at her new school. I am thrilled that she is showing interest in something at school and something that is not dance related! Not that I don't like her dancing but I really want her to try other things and not just be so focused on the arts.

I've allowed Sarah to stay home by herself for short periods of time. She has shown herself to be very responsible. I've even allowed her to watch Analiese when I take Grace to the gym. It isn't even an hour but it gives her some experience. Once again, Sarah has shown responsibility.

I'm very excited about the upcoming school year and the changes I will see in Sarah. She is hurtling toward being a teen and I fully expect the ride to be an exiting adventure!

Under construction

2010-07-22T20:47:00.002-04:00

Thanks for your patience....I'm still trying to figure some things out AND get a good photos of the girls!

Where's MY vacation??

2010-07-20T18:00:00.003-04:00

I keep getting these fleeting feelings of anticipation for my vacation. Not a problem if I had an upcoming vacation. Since I do not the feelings are disturbing.

This is the first summer in a long time, at least since Dave and I have been married, that I have not been on a vacation. Yes, I know we went to the mountains for the weekend AND I went with Grace to Virginia Beach for the TOPs camp. BUT...I haven't had a VACATION!

You know the kind where the decisions are pool, beach, magic kingdom or epcot? I want a week where reality doesn't intrude, and the phone doesn't ring! I want to go to the beach....

Grace does have a scheduled gymnastics meet in Cancun....I wonder if we can extend our stay for a few extra days???

TOPS-Elite Camp

2010-07-13T09:57:00.018-04:00

Team photo

S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G

S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G

Gustavo, our host

Mihai Brestyan, Alicia Sacramone's Coach

Liang Chow, Shawn Johnson's Coach

What a great experience! Grace spent the weekend in Virginia Beach at camp (click here for additional photos). She was invited to the TOPs-Elite Camp with the National Team training coaches. The schedule was grueling: 8:00-11:30 & 4:00-7:30 every day. The girls rotated between bars, floor, beam, vault, trampoline, dance, science(mental toughness), and stretching. Grace loved every minute of it!!

The girls were trained by some of the best coaches in the US. On vault, Liang Chow, Shawn Johnson's coach, worked with the girls. He seemed to be the most gentle and jovial man. The girls loved him and named him as their favorite! Then on floor, there was Mihai Brestyan, Alicia Sacramone's Coach. The girls enjoyed working with him also! On beam was Tammy Biggs, who was one of the coaches for the 1996 Olympic team.

Grace was nervous the first morning but that feeling was soon replaced with excitement. The atmosphere that was created was so safe and encouraging. Grace completed several skills that she never attempted before (on the floor: round-off whip, round off back tuck, round off lay-out, front tuck, and back handspring X2. on the beam: back handspring- step-out- back handspring two feet, back tuck and round-off back handspring. on the bars: toe-circle and front giant). She was so proud of her abilities (as was I!!)

Additionally, the girls worked with the National Team's sports psychologist, Dr. Alison Arnold. The parents were also treated to a session with her. She was so fantastic! She helped the girls understand the power of positive thinking. She gave them some skills to use when they feel stressed or negative. The parents were given suggestions on how to encourage their daughter while not adding to the anxiety. We now talk about Grace's "evil twin" Marsh who tries to get her to think that she might get hurt or about her "monkey mind" that is not focused! What great skills and strategies we now have!

We didn't get to do too many free activities but did get to beach for a little bit and also the girls got to swim. But, mostly it was about the gym and building friendships between each other. Us Moms even got to know each other alittle better!

Overall, it was fantastic and well worth the money that was spent. Grace wanted to stay and train at the gym and just cannot wait to go back next year! I guess we better start saving now....

Our newest addition

2010-06-30T20:49:00.007-04:00

Meet Abbi our sweet 10 week old kitten. We weren't planning on adding another pet to our family and we certainly were not going to do it 4 days before we left for vacation. But, like all things, God's plan was obviously quite different than ours.

Yesterday the girls and I were at the uniform store buying Sarah's things for school. As we were waiting in line, Sarah looked out of the window and saw these words on the marquee next door, "Abandoned Kittens need loving homes". Sarah begged me to just go and take a look. Reluctantly I agreed.

Once we went in to the vet's office I knew we were not leaving without one of the cute little bundles. There were 8 of the sweetest looking kittens ever. However, that's not what hooked me. It was their story. A woman brought the kittens in and explained that they were in her neighborhood and a dog was going around killing the babies. So, she gathered them up in hopes of finding homes for them.

So, I told the girls that we would talk about the kitten at dinner and if their Dad agreed we would bring one home AFTER our trip this weekend. The vet tech agreed that they would keep the kitten until Tuesday for us. Not good enough, the girls wanted Dad to come and see the kitten NOW.

So, I called Dave who, after hearing what I was asking, began to yell, "NO MORE CATS"!! I listened and then asked him when he could get to the vet's office. WIthin 15 minutes he was there. Within 2 minutes of his arrival, he promptly fell in love with Abbi deemed that if she was coming home then he got to name her. Dave calls her Fish Bait, we call her Abbi.

Welcome home Abbi. Now if we can just convince Duchess and Clarence to like you then peace will reign once again!

Life is fragile

2010-06-23T21:02:00.006-04:00

My intent today was to update the blog on our wonderful, busy, month of June. However, I woke up this morning with some time before I had to get the kids out of bed and took a moment to catch up on some of the blogs I love to read. Well, over and over I read about stories dealing with children, sick and dying children.

There are so many parents suffering because their little ones are fighting cancer, finding out their unborn baby will probably not survive and/or a brand new baby dying in spite of the best medical care.

How does a parent go on when the bottom has fallen out of their world? The grief would be unbearable, yet the need to continue on for the remaining children would be so important. How do you continue to wake up each morning knowing that the little child you loved so deeply for 8 long, or is short, years will never run through the house again?

Is it harder to lose a child who has been part of the family for years or to lose a newborn baby? Is there a comparison?

Today I spent some time chiding myself for complaining about my busy schedule with the girls. How many parents would give anything to be able to drive their child to a gym or the dance studio or watch them celebrate another birthday-- just one more time?

It wasn't that long ago that I struggled with infertility and grieved each and every month when I did not get pregnant. The pain I felt thinking that I would never hear someone call me Mom or be able to celebrate my child's accomplishments was, at times, overwhelming. The loss I faced when my first adoption fell through after the birth of the baby pushed me to the brink -- I remember having to make the decision to either get up and get on with my life or die right there on my couch.

And that grief was for the child(ren) I never thought I would have. Now that I have children that grief is only a portion of what I imagine I would feel if I lost one of them.

Today I said some prayers for the Chapman family, Ellie's parents, Jake's parents, Cohen's Mom and Dad, Kate and her family, and for the nameless others who are all grieving and fighting a battle for their children. I then prayed for the health and well being of my children.

And then I woke up my children, and the 4 other girls who spent the night, to begin our wonderfully busy, crazy day! Thank you God for this day and for the many, many more days in which I will get to spend with these special gifts.

Are YOU someone's Happy Ending????

2010-06-17T12:19:00.001-04:00

Hope is Fading from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.

Shoes definitely do NOT make the man!

2010-06-09T20:09:00.004-04:00

Since Dave's promotion he has been rubbing shoulders with some VIP's. Two weeks ago he was invited to go golfing with the Dean of College of Science, a Cobb County Board Member, and a retired Vice Chancellor of the University System. Since Dave loves to golf it was not hard to jump at the chance!

It has been years since Dave has gone golfing due in part to lack of time and money. However, he still has his clubs and a nice pair of golf shoes. So, he pulled them out and waited for his day out on the course.

What a day it was! Dave came home and told me that he had a great time but was horribly embarrased. Why I wondered? Well, he explained that once he got to the course he found out that metal cleats were not allowed. Not a problem, he went to the pro-shop and had plastic cleats put on. Pretty uneventful.

The embarrasement came right on the first hole. After teeing off Dave noticed one of his yellow plastic cleats had fallen off. Confused, he picked it up and pocketed it.

Then he started to walk toward his ball and stumbled on something. He looked down and didn't see anything on the course, so onward he went. Again, a slight trip. He looked down and realized something was wronng with his shoe. He lifted his foot up and the entire bottom of his shoe was hanging off. OMG!!! Dave made a joke about his shoe and moved forward only to realize that the OTHER shoe had also fallen apart!!!

Thank goodness for humor! Dave turned the situation around and the guys all had a good laugh! However, Dave had to walk, or drag, in those shoes the entire afternoon. At least he finished in second.

Wonder if he'll get another invitation?

Kids say the darndest things

2010-05-25T20:37:00.002-04:00

At dinner the other night Sarah told us that the dinosaurs were on the ark which prompted a very good conversation that went something like this:

Sarah: We were talking in bible class today about how the dinosaurs were on the ark.

Me: Dave, did you know the dinosaurs were on the ark?

Grace: The ark?

Me: Did they have one of each Sarah?

Dave: Sarah, the dinosaurs were not on the ark.

Grace: I hated the elevators on the ark.

Silence...

Me: What elevators?

Grace: You know, the elevators that took us up to the top of the ark.

Me: Grace, do you me the ARCH in St. Louis????

Grace: Yeah, the ark...

Gotta love my sweet Grace!

My love-hate relationship with the month of May

2010-05-15T21:38:00.009-04:00

May is a mixed blessing. I eagerly anticipate so many things but also want to skip the month all-together. It is the busiest month with the culmination of so many things. We not only celebrate Gracie's birthday, and Mother's Day but we also finish up school and dance.

I love the excitement but dread the planning and the fullness of my schedule. I run from place-to-place. I go to work and attend meeting after meeting, then run to get the girls to dance rehearsal and end-of -the- year events.

This year we added James' graduation to the mix. What a milestone we got to celebrate! But, what a hassle to coordinate the logistics!

We've created some wonderful traditions for May without even realizing what we were doing! We light candles, have a small procession to the Virgin Mary statue, and say a prayer for the kids' chinese mothers on Mother's Day. This year Analiese was able to say the prayer! Even though Matthew is no longer with us we included his mother as we know that she must grieve over the loss of her child. It was eye-opening as Gracie indicated that she never thought about her chinese mom.

Another tradition is for all us to stop and get ice-cream after the the dance recital to celebrate (as Analiese declared!).

May brings the end of the school year and this year we have been able to celebrate Sarah's achievements. She received an excellence in academics award, presidential physical fitness and A/B honor roll for the year.

Maybe there should be an award for Mom's who survive May without being committed. What could we call it? The Maydurance award? Any suggestions??

Happy 9th BIrthday Gracie!

2010-05-08T21:02:00.003-04:00

Sweet Grace had a wonderful birthday celebration! We held her party at the movie theatre. The girls were treated so very special. Two rows of seats were reserved in the front of the theatre, they got slushies, popcorn and candy and then after the movie they were escorted to the party room for ice-cream and cake!

Grace beamed from the moment she woke up 'til it was time to go to bed! Unlike Analiese, Grace never demands to be the center of attention. So when she gets to be the one everyone is celebrating she enjoys herself so much!

I just cannot believe that she is now 9 years old. It seems like yesterday we got on the plane to China to meet her; our Chinese daughter. Grace has come such a long way from the frightened two-year old who walked into our hotel room, to the self-confident young lady she is today! Gymnastics has helped Grace find her own identity and provide her with an arena in which she excels!

This year has been a whirlwind for Grace. She competed for the first time and exceeded all expectations. She has transitioned to training with the elite group of gymnasts and misses some mornings at school. She continues to be an excellent student, wonderful friend and awesome daughter. She is well grounded and very modest.

When I prayed and cried out to God all of those years for a child I never knew that I was being asked to wait so I could parent a very special little girl. How blessed I am. Happy Birthday my sweet Gracie, I love you!

My recession proof job is not so recession proof

2010-05-04T20:22:00.002-04:00

Many of my co-workers lost their jobs today and others were reassigned. And only 9 million of the necessary 22 million dollars in cuts were decided. Next week the remainder of the cuts, 13 million dollars, will be decided.

I realize that this is happening, and has happened, all over the country. However, I never thought this would happen in my career field. I work in education and have always said that I may not make a lot of money doing what I do, but I will ALWAYS have a job. Not anymore.

All first and second year teachers will not get a contract for next year, our nursing staff is being reduced, our attendance clerks are being let go, some administrators are being forced to return to the classroom and all middle school athletic programs are being eliminated. And everyone is being furloughed 10 days. That's just the short list

Next week the board will have to consider whether they will eliminate the local supplement to our salaries. If they decide to do that it will save the district over 10 million dollars. However, it will be disastrous for some of our teachers.

Our school district is the largest employer in the county. Many of our teachers' spouses also work in the school system. If the supplement is taken away these families will lose about 20 thousand dollars a year.

Right now so many of us, if not all of us, are feeling shock and disbelief. None of us, not a one, got into education for the money. We all were called to this profession because of our love for children.

A profession of individuals who have struggled for respect will now struggle to survive. What ARE the country's priorities?

I think I'd rather clean toilets

2010-04-26T20:44:00.004-04:00

Fall/Winter clothing for next school year!

I spent two whole days of my spring break swapping out Grace and Sarah's winter clothes for spring/summer clothes. I then had to take another weekend to finish up with Analiese's!

It sounds so easy....pack away the winter clothes and bring out the spring clothes. Well, it isn't that simple! First Dave pulls out ALL the clothes I packed away last fall. I do label everything so that part is pretty simple. But that's where the simple ends.

Why is it so difficult? I have to decide: what clothes MIGHT this child be able to wear next season, what clothes get put away for the next child and what clothes should just be donated or thrown away.

Once I've done that I now must take out the current seasons' clothing and make sure that not only it fits but it is something that the girls will wear. Then I box up, label, hang up and put clothes in drawers.

Oh, but it doesn't end there! With Analiese there are so many more layers. She has to try on the majority of the clothes. She is so darn petite and slow growing that clothes that I THOUGHT she would wear may not fit. Right now she is in 3 different sizes...5 for pants, a 4T/5T for shorts, and a 6 for shirts (sometimes a 5).

As there are no other children to hand her clothes down to I now have MORE decisions to make---what clothes will I sell at the consignment store, what clothes will I give to friends, which ones will I donate to charity and which ones should just go in the trash!

Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful that we have enough clothing, either hand-me-down or bought, that I have to go through this every season! But to be honest...I'd rather scrub bathrooms then do this chore!

Adoption gone wrong

2010-04-15T20:15:00.004-04:00

I really was not going to comment on the latest international adoption drama unfolding. However, having gone through a disruption in our adoption less than a year ago, I feel that I have more insight than others who just seem to want to cast stones.

I am in no way defending the actions of this mother. I don't believe that any child, no matter what their issues are, deserve to be caste aside without a thought for their welfare.

However, I do understand the desperation that mother must have been feeling. I understand how a child can create havoc, stress and feelings of helplessness. I've lost sleep, felt pushed beyond my limits and felt so alone in my journey.

I can truthfully tell you, based on my own experience and the experiences of people that DID help me through my journey, that receiving help is NOT as easy as it has been presented.

Let me explain what happens if DFACS is called. They won't automatically take the child out of the home unless their evaluation determines that the child is a danger to themselves or others. And if they do take the child, they will very likely take any other children out of your home (because they now believe you are unfit to parent) or they may charge you with neglect. There will certainly be a huge investigation and sometimes, many times, the child is RETURNED to the home!

Now what about the placing adoption agency? In my experience (and others) they are not willing to help at all. My agency representative very rarely answered any of my correspondence and when she did it was to tell me how sorry she was and how she hoped things worked out! My agency was out of state so they really had washed their hands of any responsibility. The agency that did our homestudy also wanted no part of helping us. Fortunately for us, the social worker who did our homestudy for all 3 adoptions took it upon herself, NOT as a representative of the agency, to ask around to families that she knew. That is how we found the family that eventually adopted our son.

Our friends were very emphathetic but could not offer much in the way of guidance. They listened and tried to be supportive. On the other hand, there were many people who just sat in judgement of us, very much like what is happening to this woman.

There are many parallels in our adoption disruption to the current situation unfolding. Our son was also 7 years old. We also received nothing but positive information regarding his behavior. However, immediately in China it became apparent that he had some serious behavioral issues. He was violent, oppositional defiant and very inappropriate with our daughters.

I remember calling our agency from China saying that we did not want to bring him home. For many reasons, lots steeped in guilt, we did bring him home. On 20/20 hindsight that was a huge mistake.

For months we dealt with his anger and tantrums when he did not get his way. School was a nightmare as he was extremely defiant and violent. He struck not only other children, but also his teacher and the school principal. The only reason he was kept at school was because I worked there. That was another issue. I never got a break from the stress as I dealt with it at home and then I dealt with at work.

This is another issue this woman is being investigated for; not having the child enrolled in school. Having made the decision to enroll our son immediately in school and everyone suffering the consequences of that choice, I would recommend to anyone who asked, that the better choice is keep the child out of school for at least 6 months. I so understand why that woman may have tried to homeschool the child.

Our decision to disrupt our adoption was not made lightly nor was it made because we were not committed to our son. It was made because we realized that our entire family was suffering and our girls were constantly in danger. Yes, in danger. I won't go into the specifics but we were on constant watch and could never, ever let our guard down. The toll that hyper-vigalence had on us was horrible.

Once again, this post is not meant to justify what this woman did. However, it is meant to give a little insight into the reality of the lack of options that parents have when an adoption goes wrong. There are many adoptive families who will say that they went through stress and transitional issues with their adoptive child. But, with patience and love their child eventually adjusted. I would respectfully explain to them that their comparison is likened to comparing apples to oranges! We, too, went through the transitional issues with our first two adoptions! The issues we dealt with our son were very different. They were not transitional issues but were issues more associated with an emotional disability. There is a huge difference in the two.

Before our disruption I could not have imagined how anyone could re-home their adopted child. But now? I realize that our intentions of giving a home to an orphan did not have to turn into a life sentence for our family.

My heart goes out to this poor woman. I don't believe she is crazy nor do I believe she is unfeeling. From what I read she is a nurse, by nature she is a helper of people. I choose to believe that she found herself in a situation that she could see no end to. If given the opportunity, I would wrap my arms around this woman and hug her. It is not my place to judge her, that is left up to our God.

Easter and Spring Break

2010-04-14T21:36:00.008-04:00

Oh Boy, once again time has just flown by! Easter seemed to descend upon us with no warning and then spring break just flew by. We had great weather and enjoyed all of our time together.

Easter day we attended a new church. What an experience that was! Dave and I are dyed in the wool Catholics but have been "lost lambs" due to the current situation the church is embroiled in. With Sarah attending a Christian school she has been after us to go back to attending church on a regular basis and NOT the Catholic Church.

So Dave and I agreed to try a different church. On Easter morning we got dressed in our Easter best and off to church we went. David, more than the rest of us, was over dressed in his suit and tie. The service was like nothing we had ever experienced--lots of current music with a live band and a very laid back pastor who came out wearing khakis and flip flops! There was no ceremony, no communion and no traditional mass.

Dave and I were out of our element but agreed to try again this past weekend. Analiese wanted to attend the children's service (which she absolutely adored!)and the rest of us went to the main service. It was very similar to the Easter service. The kids all can't wait to go back and Grace has said she wants to attend the children's services next week.

The entire time we took the kids to the Catholic Church they NEVER have shown any excitement or desire to attend the service. So, that alone has helped Dave and I to put aside our perceptions of what "church" should be and take the plunge and continue to attend this church!

On the other hand, spring break was FANTASTIC! The weather was awesome, most of the week. Up until Thursday we had sun, sun and more sun. It rained on Thursday but it didn't last all day.

Grace had 3 days of training so Wednesday afternoon we headed off to Chattanooga. We were able to walk around and enjoy the city. We walked over the glass bridge, enjoyed the water in the memorial to the walk of tears and had some fantastic ice-cream.

We stayed at a local hotel and the girls got to swim and we enjoyed the benefits of "VIP" services in the concierge level. The girls felt so special being able to enjoy the complimentary drinks and treats! It really is the small things that make them the happiest!

On Thursday we spent the day inside at the aquarium. It was so fun. The girls got some hands-on experiences. First they fed the river otters--my favorite creatures! They fed some fish, held some butterflies and the best part? Feeding the sting-rays!

We all had a great time and didn't have to drive too far! I'm so glad that Grace had a few days off from training and Dave was also able to get away from work. I think we'll have to do more of these "close to home" trips as Grace won't have any full weeks off this summer.

We are so fortunate that we have lots of places close-by that we can enjoy. To make it more special all it takes is stay at a hotel with a pool. The kids will get to travel all over Georgia this summer!

FIVE Gold Medals

2010-04-05T20:28:00.002-04:00

Sarah had a fantastic dance competition. In each dance she performed in she won a gold medal! One of their dances, the lyrical, one first place! The girls did their best, had a lot of fun and it showed!

Sarah did a great job performing, not only in the dance mechanics but in the "drama" of the dance! She has made tremendous progress this past year! We are so proud of her.

The weekend did not start out well, nor did it finish so well. When we got to our hotel (at about 2:30) we were told that our room was not yet cleaned but would be ready in about 30 minutes. Instead of waiting, we put our luggage in the managers office and went out to explore Chattanooga.

At about 5:30 we decided to return and check in. It was not meant to be. Our room had been given away!! We were moved to another hotel and were not charged for the room. The hotel was comparable but without the indoor pool that we wanted. Fortunately the other families were at a hotel with an indoor pool so the girls were able to enjoy some swimming.

On Sunday morning I awoke feeling ill. As the day wore on I felt worse. By Monday morning I knew I had to get to the doctor. Sure enough, on Tuesday I was diagnosed with pneumonia. With the Zpack I began to feel so much better in a short 24 hours.

I promise to post some Easter highlights and of course some spring break fun!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T19:45:00.002-04:00

This wasn't a holiday we celebrated when I was growing up. Oh, I remember wearing green and getting pinched if I didn't have it on but that was the extent of our "celebration".

Since I've married Dave St. Patrick's Day holds a new meaning. Every St. Patty's Day the leprechaun visits our home. His name is Sir Brian Barook (I think I spelled that correctly...). He plays tricks on the children: he turns their milk green, the toilet water green and other messy things.

Today he wrote on the girls bathroom mirror in green marker and drew a giant shamrock! He is so lucky that it came off with windex! He also "decorated" the house in green streamers!! This year he didn't leave any candy gold like he has in the past. I wonder why?

The girls know he's been running around watching them because the cats keep chasing something under our furniture!

We had our traditional cornbeef and cabbage dinner this past weekend because it is very difficult for me to cook on Wednesday evenings. The girls all have dance or gymnastics and we run around getting everyone where they need to be AND then back home again.

I sure hope you all had a nice St. Patty's day. Maybe Sir Brian will come and visit YOU next year!

Neither the time nor the place

2010-03-11T22:11:00.003-05:00

Today we found out that one of our colleagues was killed in a car accident. It was quick we were told. She probably had a heart attack and was dead before she hit the concrete wall.

I know that was supposed to ease the pain, make us feel better that she did not suffer. But guess what? This woman had submitted her paperwork for retirement in June. She was finally going to take some time for herself.

Since I was new to this school, I didn't know this teacher very well. What I did know is that she taught those kids who were considered "slow learners". You know, those kids who didn't qualify for special education but whose IQ was low, and lots of them had little to no experiences in life. She loved those kids and worked so hard to give them what they needed.

The children had already gone home when we found out about her death. The teachers will spend their furlough day calling parents so they can break the news to their children.

Yes, a day without pay, but not a day without work, Why? Because caring about children doesn't take a break. Teachers become teachers because of their desire to make a difference, not for the money (there isn't any to be made).

We will try our best to help the students understand that Mrs. H will not be back, and they will not see her again. It will will be hard but we will find the words. The hardest? The kids who only hear encouragement and kind words at school from Mrs. H. The kids who look forward to her hugs and kind words. What do we say to them? How do we help them process this loss?

I know that I am struggling with this death. This woman was set to retire in less than 3 months. She has been working so hard this past year to help her students so they can pass the state mandated tests and she'll never get to see those results.

We don't know when life is over. Today I made sure to tell my father that I loved him, to hug my girls just a little harder, to enjoy those potato chips and to realize that tomorrow is not a promise.

MH you will be missed and you have made an impact both in life and in death. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

An ER visit

2010-03-10T15:40:00.002-05:00

Dave had to take Grace the ER Monday night. She's been fighting a cold for weeks but it really has been manageable. Until Monday...

Grace starting coughing and coughing. We did our usual routine of breathing treatments with absolutely NO LUCK! The coughing then turned into choking and Grace became combative. We knew it was time to get her to the ER. Grace would have none of it and started to fight us when we attempted to put her clothes on.

It was hard but I calmed her down enough for her to understand how critical it was to get her to a doctor. Grace went willingly with Dave.

Once at the ER Grace was triaged to the front of the line (thank goodness!). She was given a steriod and then also diagnosed with an ear infection which contributed to her asthma attack.

Grace is on the road to recovery but who knows when another attack will rear it's ugly head!? I keep praying that Grace will grow out of the asthma as some kids do. For now we will stay ever vigilant.

Our Champion!

2010-03-07T20:07:00.003-05:00

Analiese was chosen as her first grade class "breakfast of champion". This is a school-wide student recognition program. Each month each teacher chooses one student who she feels exemplifies the characteristics of a good student.

This was Analiese's first time being chosen. She was so happy and even happier when she saw that Dave and I were both there to celebrate with her! She beamed the entire time, did not eat her bisquit (too spicy) but did drink her chocolate milk!

While walking Analiese back to her class after photos were taken, I told Analiese how proud of her we were. Her response? "Mom, I feel like I am in a dream. I just cannot believe that I've been chosen!"

You know Analiese, that's EXACTLY how I felt when I held you for the very first time!

I have sizes???

2010-03-04T19:45:00.003-05:00

When I was younger I never could quite understand when other women would talk about their "fat jeans" or their skinny clothes. I was always so petite that I had great difficulty finding clothes that fit properly. I mean, I remember shopping for clothes for my first "real" job at Casual Corner and not being able to fit into the size 2's!!!

I did, eventually, grow "into" the size 2's and out again, but I never thought of myself as having "sizes"!

Let me give some perspective. I am 4 ft 10 in. tall. When I got pregnant with Sarah, at age 34, I weighed 91 pounds, went up to 145 pounds during the pregnancy and lost ALL of it within 8 weeks of giving birth!

I never had to watch what I ate. I loved fruits, vegetables, potato chips and any kind of gummy candy. I exercised regularly and never, ever had to watch my weight.

Well, all of that changed after we brought Grace home from China. With 2 kids it was harder to get to the gym. I still ate what I wanted but wasn't exercising nearly as much.

Fast forward six years to today. We now have 3 girls, with 3 different schedules, and absolutely NO time to get to the gym. I have to watch what I eat because I can just feel the pounds come and go!

So, why do I share so much? Well, a few weeks ago, when I cleaned out my closet I found something amazing. I had clothes that did not fit and would never fit again. I had clothes that sort of fit but looked, and felt, horrible. And then I had my clothes that fit well.

I have SIZES!!! How did this happen?? This is harder to handle than being close to 50 years old!

I now watch what I eat and am trying so hard to carve out time to get back to exercising. I know I'll never be the size I was years ago but I do want to lose some weight and get back into some of those clothes that "sort of" fit now.

So, do any of you have any suggestions for me? What do you do to stay fit??

What we didn't expect

2010-02-11T20:41:00.004-05:00

I read this post about what was not told about adopting a child considered special needs. I then began to think about all of the things we were NOT prepared for when we adopted Grace and Analiese.

Like the article mentioned, the things we were most unprepared for were not the challenges but the blessings!

With Grace we certainly were not prepared for the wonderful feelings that made us want to go back to China a second time. With Analiese we never expected a child so full of charisma and spirit that she would make an impact on everyone she met.

We never expected, six years later, to watch Grace make a very grown-up, very difficult decision and do it carefully with much thought and consideration.

We also never expected Analiese to be at least a year younger than we were told and to be excelling in a grade that she really shouldn't be in yet!

We never expected to be taught so much by our girls. We've learned to love more, laugh more and live in the moment. And we know that there is so much more we are going to learn.

Adoption, for us, has not turned out to be the journey we expected--it's been so much better!

Dinner Conversation

2010-02-07T21:57:00.002-05:00

Dave: "I think Analiese is a genius"

Grace: "What? Like Frankenstein?"

Sarah: "No, like Einstein"

Grace: "Whatever..."

Life is never boring at our house!

Chinese New Year Celebration

2010-01-30T20:49:00.006-05:00

Grace and the Director of the Confucious Institute

Analiese and the Director

Sweet Analiese

Family Fun

We had a great time this afternoon celebrating the Year of the Tiger--Chinese New Year, The Spring Festival--it has so many names! We first were treated to two hours of music, dancing (including some dragons)and some other fun entertainment. After that we enjoyed a meal of traditional chinese foods.

The celebration was held at the University. In the past few years the University's Asian Studies has grown tremendously. Their Confucious Center is now working with the Georgia Lottery Prekindergarten programs. Each child enrolled in that program is learning the chinese language!! What a great opportunity. This evening part of the show was a group of prek students singing songs in chinese! It was so wonderful!

I just cannot put into words how wonderful it is for my girls to see their culture celebrated by not just other Asians but by everyone! There was such a multi-cultural group in attendance this evening. We feel so fortunate to have this program so close and available to us.

One of the sponsors of this afternoon's celebration was the Confucious Institute. This is the group that is Grace's sponsor for her gymnastics. Grace was able to give the Director of the Institute, Mr. Ken Jen, not only a thank-you card but she also gave him a photo of her on the beam. He hugged her so many times and told her how proud of her he was. He introduced her to the other members of the institute. When we thanked him for his support he responded that Dave is their "special friend" and they were very glad to help Grace, and want to continue their support.

When Mr. Jen found out that Grace was the Georgia State Champion he said that he couldn't wait until she was the national champion. Soon, Mr. Jen, soon...

The fork in the road

2010-01-23T18:06:00.006-05:00

Grace has made a very important decision that not many 8 year olds would understand, let alone make! She decided that she was ready to move to the next level in her gymnastics training. She will be pushed to her limits and sometimes beyond. This level, we are told, is not for the uncommitted.

Grace's coach told us that he sees the talent in Grace and thinks that she can go all the way---to the elite level. He has decided to work with her and one other young girl two times a week. That means Grace is really getting private lessons to help accelerate her training. Her coach believes that not only can he have her ready for the TOPs testing this summer but he thinks that she can be considered by the Karolyi's to attend a by-invitation only developmental camp.

The biggest barrier for Grace to achieve all of this? Her emotional level. Grace, when frustrated, breaks down and cries. Not only does she cry but she has a hard time calming down. Now, this is not unusual for an 8 year old who is a perfectionist. But, it is unacceptable for a gymnast who wants to make it to the National Team.

So, we talked with Grace and explained the expectations for her at the next level. She would have to work extremely hard and most things she would not be able to do. She would have to push hard and when she eventually learned the skills there would be even more difficult skills to learn. The coaches told her that they would support her but they would not feel sorry for her. She was told that on the floor she was not an 8 year old. They would consider her a gymnast training to be elite and for that to happen they could not and would not baby her.

Grace told them, on her own, that she wanted until the end of the week (yesterday) to consider it. Her coach told her that if she decided NOT to move on he would still be thrilled because he would have another state champion at level 5. He told her that she would be an awesome gymnast no matter what she decided. Dave and I told her that we would love her no matter what. We reminded her that she was Grace and she was not gymnastics.

During the week we talked about everything, we answered questions and Gracie thought about it. I had Grace watch an old, 5 part documentary (click here to watch) that CNN did on Elite gymnasts. We told Grace if she decided to move to the next level then we would find a sports psychologist that she could talk to.

We arrived at the fork in the road one week ago. Grace made her choice yesterday morning, She told her coach that she wanted to continue with the TOPs teams and that she would work very hard. After practice she then told me her decision. I can't say I was surprised.

At the tender age of 8 Grace grabbed the ring of this fantastic opportunity and is now on a journey that will be full of challenges and unbelievable rewards. And we believe she will be successful!!

No great surprise

2010-01-20T21:36:00.006-05:00

We heard back from the pediatrician today regarding the results of Analiese's bone scan. No big surprise as the nurse read to us from the report, ..."a child of 5 years 9 months to 6 years 10 months" (as opposed to her stated age of 7 years 5 months). Unfortunately they couldn't give us a smaller range of age but I think we are pretty close when we say Analiese is probably a young 6 year old.

I told Analiese about the results and she asked, "Am I five or am I six?" I told her that she was probably "six" and she said that's OK!

I also asked her if she was going to tell anyone and she said, "no, I'm afraid to". But then she promptly told all of the adults at the dance studio when she arrived for dance class!

I realize that Analiese is too young to really understand. We believe that the earlier we discuss the details of her early life, the likelihood that those details will become part of her is greater. We don't want to wait until she is older, with lots of questions, to begin discussing these issues. Hopefully, by sharing early, we will avoid some confusion and possibly anger.

For now? Nothing really changes for us. For years we've suspected that Analiese was younger than her stated age. We just know for sure that she is right on track developmentally--physically and emotionally for her real age!

A disappointment that I feel is how much of what the chinese told us can I believe? Was Analiese really found on a policeman's door step? Was she really only 2 weeks old? I had a dream of possibly locating the policeman and getting a copy of the police report for her finding. I really had hoped to provide her with as much information about her beginnings as possible.

As I stated before, and the pediatrician has pointed out, Analiese is a very bright little girl as she is doing so well with the group of her peers that some are as much as 18 months older than she.

Analiese has become quite vocal lately about being so "small". Some of the things she complains about are:

**having to sit in a car seat
**having to roll up the sleeves on her shirts
**not being allowed to stay up late
**not being able to reach the kitchen counters without a stool
**not being able to sit in the front seat of the car

She folds her little arms across her chest and exclaims that "Everybody but me can do things, but I can't because I'm the baby". She wants to know why she had to be born last. I tell her it's because she was meant to be my baby and the baby of our big family. That generally calms her down.

Analiese will then say, "I love being your baby". Oh yeah, and I love having you as my baby!

How old are you really?

2010-01-15T22:35:00.003-05:00

Analiese went for her well check up today. The pediatrician said she is an extremely healthy little girl! She is 44 inches tall and 37 1/2 pounds! That puts her in less than the 3rd percentile. That's actually an improvement as for the first years home she didn't even make the growth chart!!!

Dave did discuss with the doctor our concerns about Analiese's "age". He jokingly passed on my request to "cut off a limb" to count the rings and see how old Analiese really was. Even though the pediatrician laughed, she told us that we could do a bone scan and find out, within 3 months, what Analiese's age really was.

It didn't take a minute for David to agree. It was a simple procedure--an x-ray of Analiese's hand. They will measure the wrist growth plate as well as the growth around her knuckles and get a very good age estimate!

Why do we want to know her "real" age? Oh, for so many reasons. But, mainly, for her. As she matures and grows she'll want to know the "whys'. Will we change her birth certificate or do anything formal? We decided no. However, we will know and more importantly Analiese will know.

Analiese is EXTREMELY bright. She questions why she is so small, why others can do things she cannot, why she has a "hole" in her mouth, why she has to roll up her sleeves on her shirts and why she can't do some things that her friends can do. We can't answer everything for her but we want to do our best to give her the answers we can get.

Our guess is that Analiese's real age is about a young 6 year old--not a 7 1/2 old. Will that change anything that we do? Not really. It will validate our suspicions and allow us to reevaluate our expectations for her.

Analiese will always be who she is, nothing will change that. But...we are pretty excited that we may be able to give her a piece of the puzzle of her life.

By the way, Analiese has the most beautiful hands around--and the x-ray proves it!

Necessity is the mother of invention

2010-01-08T11:14:00.004-05:00

So WHAT does a Yankee, transplanted to the south, do with her kids on a snow day????

SLED of course!

And so it has begun

2010-01-07T16:16:00.003-05:00

Dreaming of a winter wonderland

2010-01-06T22:29:00.003-05:00

We've watched, in envy, as snow falls in so many states. We've had so much rain this year and just cannot seem to catch a single snowflake! When the temperature drops to a level cold enough to snow we have the sunniest days possible! When the chance of precipitation is high, the temperature increases and we wind up with rain...and more rain....72 inches or so this year.

But, the past week an arctic front has settled itself in our part of the country. Baby, it's been cold outside! We've broken out the boots, sweaters, gloves, scarves, hats and winter coats! The best part? The National Weather Service says we have a 60% chance of snow tomorrow!

Yippee, Yahoo! The snow is not supposed to start until afternoon but several schools have already decided on early dismissal tomorrow--on the threat of snow! We couldn't be more excited! We just cannot wait to go outside and play in the wonderful, cold, snow!

I know there are many of you sick and tired of the snow. Well, those of us in the south don't have many opportunities to build snowmen or sled so we are ready, willing and able to enjoy the heck out of our first snowfall of 2010 (or maybe the decade, I'll have to research that).

What I'm not excited about is that we still have 3 days to make up for the flood days we had to take in September so a snow day will just add on to the time we will have to make up in June. But you know what? It's going to SNOW---who cares!!!!!

Stay tuned for photos of the first snowman that Analiese and Grace will get to make!

A blessing to ALL!

2010-01-02T21:03:00.003-05:00

We all went to watch Grace at her elite clinic today. As usual, Analiese charmed someone into playing with her. No, it wasn't another child, it was an adult! Analiese spent the time talking, laughing, talking and laughing some more with this other mom. This mother just loved Analiese! She told me how wonderful she thought our little girl was. Of course I concurred and told her that it was Analiese's lot in life to touch other's lives. She laughed and said she was SO glad that she had been blessed with meeting Analiese!

I must say that Analiese is always so full of energy, love and happiness. She forever is telling me how much she loves me and how happy she is that I am her Mom. For days she has been trying to arrange a day where I don't have to do anything but relax (you know Mom you can read, take a bath, watch TV or play Wii). Unfortunately no one wants to take on my responsibilities so Analiese is now looking for someone to at least take over the cooking...

Another thing about Analiese is that she is always and I mean ALWAYS laughing or smiling! She is the happiest child I have ever met. This is a little girl who spent the first years of her life in the most impoverished of conditions--no heat, no running water, very little food, sharing a crib with three other children, and not having a family of her own.

Instead of breaking her spirit, her circumstance seems to have infused her spirit with brightness and charisma! I think that is why raising Analiese is such a challenge! We have to be so careful not to break her spirit but to channel it into a positive direction!

I think I understand why God waited until I was older to bring me together with my children. I certainly would not have been up to the challenge when I was in my 20's to handle the gifts my girls have. Not that I'm an expert now but I certainly am less self-centered and selfish and able to focus more on being the best Mom I can be.

2009-12-31T21:02:00.004-05:00

The new year is just hours away. As I look back on 2009 I realize we all went through lots of changes and learned lots of lessons.

Our biggest challenge has been going from a family of six to a family of five. Saying goodbye to Matthew was hard but the benefit has been immeasurable. What could have torn our family apart has brought us closer. Our girls have learned some hard lessons about people, honesty, trust and faith.

Sarah's move from elementary school to middle school has been full of changes and challenges. Dave and I made another tough decision to move Sarah into a private Christian school. The anticipation through the summer was awful. Sarah was convinced she would never make another friend and we had ruined her life! The reality? The new school fits Sarah like a glove! She has proven to be not only a good time manager but quite adept at fitting in! The changes have been so positive and we are so pleased with the education, both academically and spiritually, that Sarah is getting!

Analiese's changes have been more of a challenge. As we continue her cleft treatment, that now has moved into orthodontics, we've confirmed what we suspected all along; Analiese is at least a year younger than the age given to us by the Chinese. Even though she has risen to the academic challenge, and even surpassed it, the emotional one has been more of an issue. We realize that even though her birth certificate indicates a seven year old, she really is more like a very early six year old! We work hard at keeping our expectations for her at an age appropriate level. On the other hand, she is so darn smart! Her mastery of vocabulary is incredible and she is reading so well!

The year for Grace has been nothing short of a whirlwind! Her gymnastic talent is undeniable and everyone is just in awe of natural ability! Her first year of competition has been just incredible ending with a first place, out of 270 athletes, in the GA state level 4 championship! Her training schedule has changed to include mornings at the gym and late arrivals at school. The changes continue as Grace will participate in an elite training clinic with the National Gymnastics Team this weekend! Her schedule will change and she will move from level four starting next week. Final decisions have not been made as her coaches are so concerned to not do too much, too soon! Grace has the potential to compete Nationally and one day be part of the US Olympic Team! Our job is to not only support her but to keep her grounded and to reinforce the importance of education!

Dave has finally been given the promotion he has so deserved! He is now the Assistant Vice-President of the Library! It's a well deserved promotion but one that has added a little stress to our family. Since we don't have family close by to help us with the kids we really have to balance our schedules. Dave must now attend more meetings, do more traveling, and has less flexibility in his schedule.

My change has been mixed. I was informed, at the end of the last school year, that I would be moving schools. I was devastated, for many reasons. The girls were attending a school that was not their home school because it was where I worked. We now had to decide if we wanted to move the girls. We could have moved them to our home school, to the school where I was going to be or just keep them in place. Not one of those choices appealed to me. I did not want things to change! In the end we kept the girls at the same school. I've had to adjust in so many ways. Even though the change has been positive in so many ways for me it has not been without challenges. I am so grateful that the principal I work for has been so flexible in allowing me to not miss some of the more important events; parties and celebrations!

So what do we look for in 2010? Hopefully as much happiness as we have had in 2009! Sarah continues to enjoy dance and we will support her in her upcoming competitions. Sarah is also talking about becoming a cheerleader for next year and we will be there for all of those games also! Grace will train for not only her next competitive season but also the chance at attending the National Training Camp in Texas with the Karolyi's! How exciting will that be! Analiese will get her braces, begin piano lessons and continue to touch so many lives! She is our brightest star and we thank god every day for having her in our lives!

We can't forget the boys; James will graduate high school and the twins move into their junior year at GA Tech with internships and decisions.

Dave and I will continue to work to be the best parents we can be. However, we hope to spend a little more on couple time.

On a more individual note...I remember, years ago, praying that each new year would grant me the wish I wanted most...a child. God granted me that wish...seven times over! What I want in 2010 is the guidance to know how to be the best Mom to a middle schooler, to an elite athlete,and to a spirited-child!

We welcome the New Year and anticipate that it will be full of lessons, love, and challenges. We shout out to Matthew that we love him and are just waiting for the day that we can, once again, be an active part of his life.

Happy 2010 to all of you!!!

A Christmas Tradition

2009-12-24T20:41:00.003-05:00

Every Christmas, since Sarah has been a baby, we've opened one gift on Christmas Eve night. It started out as a special gift from me but has evolved into new christmas pajamas! The kids know what the gift will hold but still are so excited to open the box to find out what their 'jammies look like!

This year the elves gave the girls new pajamas on Tuesday night so the girls thought that "maybe" their Christmas eve gift was going to be something other than pj's. Surprise--two new pair of pajamas!

The excitement level has been so high all day today. We've called NORAD several times to find out where Santa is in his travels, we've checked the NORAD site and finally agreed that Santa won't come until everyone is in bed asleep!

I never grow tired of the excitement this holiday brings. Nothing is better (OK, meeting your child for the first time is better) than seeing the girls open their gifts Christmas morning! Only a few more hours and the house will be just full of surprise and more excitement. How blessed we all are to be able to celebrate together.

So, to quote Mr. Moore...."the children were all nestled all snug in their beds...." "Good night to all and to all a Merry Christmas!"

Holiday Fun

2009-12-21T19:50:00.009-05:00

The holiday fun started last week for all of us. Yes, the girls were still in school but there were LOTS of fun activities. First Grace and Analiese celebrated Holidays around the world (public school, very politically correct) then there were the parties on Thursday and on Friday they both wore their pajamas to school to enjoy the Polar Express. I was so lucky to be able to be at BOTH parties.

Sarah, on the other hand, as a middle schooler, doesn't get to enjoy those types of activities anymore. But, she did get to do some celebrating. In history her class was studying ancient China. Needless to say Sarah had lots to share. We were able to get one of our former teachers (from the Chinese school) to come and talk to Sarah's class on Tuesday. Dave was also able to attend. On Wednesday the class enjoyed some foods from China--we made some vegetable fried rice!

Since then we have been going, going, going. Tonight we slowed down a bit and made some goodies. We dipped strawberries, bananas and pretzels in some chocolate. Yummy--we can't wait to taste them!

Christmas shopping is done, wrapping is almost done and Grace only has 2 more days at the gym. Santa is just waiting to bring all of the gifts to the girls.

Speaking of Santa, he sent a video message to each of us. What fun it was hearing our names and seeing our photos. If only I had thought to video tape Analiese as she watched Santa open his book to check her "page"! It was priceless.

If you are interested in creating a special video message, go here and watch the wonder on your child's face.

And the State Champion is

2009-12-13T20:05:00.026-05:00

Grace Evans! Not only did Grace win first in her age division, she took first place out of 247 athletes!!!

Grace took fifth on vault (9.175), first in floor (9.70), bars (9.60), beam (9.50) and first all around (37.975). Her goal was a 38.00 all around! She had such a fantastic competition. It was obvious she was confident and having fun during the entire meet.

Grace's team also won first place--out of 34 teams. The girls had a great season and the state meet was just the venue to show how hard they've worked. It was so much for all of the girls!

Now that the level 4 season is over Grace will move from the team. We aren't sure where the coaches will place her but know that she will be working on new skills after the Christmas holidays!

This past weekend the team had their end of season celebration. We had a party and sleepover at the gym. The girls had the gym to themselves and loved just having fun. Even some of us Moms got into the activities. We did the vault--I was even able to flip onto the mats. I also tried the beam, I didn't do much because I hardly had any balance and felt like I was up so very high off of the ground!

The girls did not go to sleep until 3:30 (yes they played from 7:30-3:30) and then we had to be up by 6:30! Needless to say we had a bunch of very tired little girls on our hands. Grace I got home and went right to bed. I had to be up by 9:30 so I could go watch Sarah's dance performance but Grace slept in until 11:00 AM.

Grace then had to turn around and come BACK to the gym at noon so one of the coaches could video her doing the level 4 routines. This coach is doing a training clinic in Mexico over Christmas and needed a gymnast who could do the routines very cleanly. Even after very little sleep Grace knocked out the video piece in less than an hour!

We are so proud of Grace. Not only for how well she did but for how supportive she has been of her team and how humble she is about her talent.

I guess she doesn't need to brag....Dave and I do it enough for all of us! Wouldn't you????

A Great Give away!

2009-12-09T13:55:00.005-05:00

I have been reading the blog Kelly's Korner for almost a year now. I started when Harper was born and put in the ICU. I prayed for the family and have continued to follow Harper through her first year.

Today Kelly has a wonderful give away---a new HP computer!!! Go check out the site and see how awesome this computer is. I'd love to upgrade.

UPDATE: More HP give aways: Boomama also has a giveaway and Jen has one also, as does Stephanie

Tina

need a blog update?

2009-12-03T22:33:00.004-05:00

Jamie has done a great job updating some blogs. I'm hoping to get a free header from her. Maybe I'll learn a thing or two???

Go take a look here

The final meet of the year

2009-12-03T22:03:00.004-05:00

We leave for Moultrie tomorrow for Gracie's state meet. She won't compete until Saturday evening but we are taking the weekend to celebrate her hard work. We booked a hotel MONTHS ago that wasn't even completely built because it was going to have an indoor pool (not to mention NEW--which I like). Thank goodness it was finished in time--not sure where we would have slept!

So, the girls will go to school 1/2 day tomorrow and then we'll make the 4 and 1/2 hour drive to Moultrie. I'll paint the windows with good luck slogans and we'll count yellow cars and volkswagen bugs all the way there (it's 2 points for a yellow car, one point for a bug, 30 points for a YELLOW bug!).

At the end of practice tonight the level 6-10 girls (and coaches) all stood in a line, holding hands (like a pyramid) so our level 4 girls could all run through it. The whole time they were hooping and hollering! Yes, I got chocked up to watch the comraderie.

Grace got some sweet gifts; her big sister gave her some balloons and flowers and her TOPs teammates gave her a necklace and stuffed teddy bear. Grace is SO excited.

Stay tuned and we'll post results on Saturday night.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T21:25:00.006-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope your day was as wonderful as mine. Here are just a few photos of what I'm so grateful for:

A busy day

2009-11-25T21:42:00.005-05:00

What a day! Even though the sun was shining and the temperatures near sixty, we paid a visit to Santa! Both Grace and Analiese were very excited to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas. On the other hand, it was very obvious that Sarah was humoring us. Sigh, this is probably the LAST year I'll get a photo of all three girls with Santa!

After seeing Santa we came home and enjoyed the outside. Dave did some gardening, the girls played on the swings, Sarah griped about being outside and I just soaked in the wonderful weather!

I finally gave the camera to Sarah and told her to go take some photos. How interesting it has been to see things through her eyes!

Tonight Sarah made dinner for us from start to finish! We had sloppy joe's, tater tots, and broccoli. How fun it was to watch her get everything together. We might pick one night for her to make dinner each week. She really is growing up right before our eyes!

We watched Home Alone with the kids tonight. Analiese laughed and laughed! It doesn't surprise me that she got ALL of the humor! She thinks along the same lines. I sure hope we didn't give her any ideas. Grace, on the other hand, was very concerned about the mess the little boy was leaving around the house. We are really going to have to get her to lighten up a bit.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we have so much to be thankful for. Some day, we hope, the children will look back on all of these traditions Dave and I have created with fondness. Hopefully they won't see them as corny but as something they want to recreate for their families. Life is good, really good this year!

Thanksgiving feast

2009-11-22T13:15:00.016-05:00

Dave and I were both able to celebrate Thanksgiving with Analiese and her class. There was turkey, cheetos, veggies, brownies, cheetos, cheese and did I mention cheetos? Since I had already had lunch with Grace, I passed on the food but enjoyed being with Analiese and her friends.

This might be the last year Analiese has Thanksgiving feast in school. I think it ends at first grade. Wow, Dave and I have been going to some sort of Thanksgiving celebration at school with the girls since 2001--is this really the last one? I guess we are going to have lots of "lasts" with Analiese just as we had many "firsts" with Sarah.

Kinda sad when I think about it...

A hard reality

2009-11-21T21:14:00.006-05:00

We were "asked" this week not to have any further contact with Matthew. It seems that our constant contact was causing Matthew to tantrum. The new parents think that less contact with us will allow Matthew to heal.

I actually am quite confused ( just one of the emotions I'm feeling). I guess I would not term our contact with Matthew as "constant". I've seen Matthew once since he left our family in June. We've probably spoken 6 times on the phone. Dave, of course, has seen him a few more times but certainly nothing I would term constant.

We did try to call Matthew the other day to acknowledge the all important day he left the orphanage. We also sent a package of his belongings that we've collected over the weeks. Before that we saw Matthew in the middle of September.

But other than that, a "constant" I will admit to is my constant wondering of WHY God chose us to walk this path. Or maybe my constant thankfulness that our family weathered the journey with Matthew and emerged closer. Or maybe it is the constant affection I feel for a little boy that was once my son.

The explanation we received from the family left Dave and I feeling so many emotions. There is no doubt the the new parents are holding us responsible for Matthew's anger. We know Matthew's anger all too well and know that he came to us with that emotion. He was angry at us for taking him from the orphanage, he was angry at us for not buying him everything he wanted, he was angry at us for not allowing him to do what he wanted, when he wanted, he was angry at us for not being the "rich American parents that would give him everything". Matthew was just angry and we in no way caused it. Did we try to understand and deal with it? Absolutely! Were we successful? A little. But so little that we were fearful that one day we would have a much older, angry child on our hands that we were not prepared to deal with. An angry child who would cause so much more havoc in our family that we were not willing to put our girls through.

I'm sure many of you are wondering--- Then Why do you want to remain in contact with Matthew? There are many reasons. One is that Matthew was a part of our family; a son and a brother. We raised our hand and recited an oath that we would never abandon our son and we intend to keep that oath. We also know that we made a choice to re-home Matthew for the good of our ENTIRE family. But that doesn't mean we loved Matthew any less. We know that Matthew is way too young to understand that what we did was out of love. But when he is older he might understand and we want him to see that we DID NOT abandon him as his first parents did.

We wish the new family much luck with Matthew. Right now they have us to blame for the anger. Later, after we've not had any contact with him? Hopefully they will be able to get to the root of his anger. For now we will respect their wishes and have no contact with Matthew. Hopefully we will, one day, be able to see him again. Until then the constant that will remain is the devotion we feel for a little boy once known as Matthew Qingnan Evans.

There's a preteen in the house!

2009-11-15T19:10:00.003-05:00

How do I know this you ask? Well there have been a few hints:

Wild mood swings--within seconds.

Request for a cell phone,

an iPod touch (no not the OLD one the NEW one),

iTunes cards,

and a cell phone with a keyboard for texting (!!).

Drama over what can and cannot be worn on a cold day (yes you need stockings!).

Friend issues.

Loud music.

Bedroom door closed.

The green-eyed monster.

Boy talk, mostly about one in particular.

Lack of tolerance for little sisters.

Impatience with parents.

Wanting more freedom,

Missing the little girl things.

Asking LOTS of questions.

Wondering about relationships,

ALL kinds.

It's been FOUR years!

2009-11-12T20:14:00.020-05:00

Min Qiu Xia in the orphanage

The first layer on Gotcha Day.

The top layer

Four years ago (November 7th, 2005 to be exact) our lives were changed forever. In the lobby of a hotel in China, a tiny little girl, sick with fever, walked over to us and uttered the words, "momma, babba". From that moment we have been on a wonderful journey. One that is filled with laughter, singing, dancing and happiness. Our sweet Analiese Qiuxia has the magical capacity to become a friend within minutes of meeting, to charm a crowd with her antics and to be the brightest spot in the day. On the other hand she can drive us all crazy with her nonstop talking, send our blood pressure through the roof when she uses permanent marker to draw on the walls and have us all wondering WHY DOES SHE DO THAT???

But, when the dust settles and the day ends we are filled with enormous love for this gentle, sweet spirit. At one time we actually thought WE chose Analiese. I mean, we were the ones who saw her photo and declared that she was the one we wanted to bring home. However, now we know better. Analiese CHOSE us becåuse she knew we needed her laughter, her spunk and her goodness. For all that we have given to her we will never be able to come close to what she has given to us.

We love you Analiese and thank you for being our daughter. XX))

Abandonment

2009-10-23T22:34:00.003-04:00

I think of Grace, Analiese and Matthew's birth parents often. I wish I had SOME information to share with my children about the people who gave them life and why they decided to leave them when they did. The following is a post I read on abandonment written by Amy Eldridge, the founder of Love without Boundaries (one of my favorite charities). Because two of our children, Matthew and Analiese, were considered "special needs", this really hit home.

"I think it is a fair statement to say that most of us who have adopted internationally think that our child's birthparents made the decision to abandon their child. I have read many essays and poems where adoptive parents imagine the birthmother hiding in the bushes or watching until the tiny bundle is found. Perhaps that is how you imagine it to be as well. I know I certainly did, until I helped run a cleft mission where many of our patients were rural children with families.
On that trip, parents told me one story after another that quite simply turned everything I thought I knew about abandonment on its head.

I want to share one of those stories today, as I have been thinking so much about my son's birthparents lately.On this particular cleft mission, we had far more babies needing surgery than space available, so very sadly we were having to turn families away. We had set a weight requirement for the kids' safety, and we soon learned that parents were sewing rocks into their babies' clothing in the hopes that their kids would meet our 10 pound requirement. We also had begun turning away babies who were obviously younger than 5-6 months because we wanted to make sure the kids would do well under anesthesia.

I was sitting in the intake room one morning when an anxious young woman came running in holding a tiny bundle. I could immediately tell that the baby was a newborn, and I asked our Chinese director to break the bad news to the woman that the baby was far too young for surgery. As she was given the news, the young lady burst into tears and began pleading and begging to have her child be seen. My friend came over to me and told me that I needed to go and speak with the woman in private, and so I did.

She pulled back the blanket to reveal a tiny baby girl with severe cleft lip. The mother told me that her daughter was 28 days old, and that their period of confinement was over in just 2 more days. As she was crying and talking, the mom kept kissing her baby's forehead, and she kept telling me again and again, "I love her....I love her so much." But then she went on to tell me that her extended family would not accept her daughter since she had been born with a cleft lip. They felt this tiny baby would bring shame to them all. With tears streaming down her face, she told me that her mother-in-law was coming to take the baby away from her in two days' time. The mom was begging me to heal her daughter, to make her daughter beautiful, so that she could keep the baby that she had carried inside of her for 9 months….the daughter she loved completely.

When I explained that the baby could not safely be put under anesthesia at four weeks of age, she fell on her knees and was sobbing at my feet, pleading and crying and begging me to help her. Right now...even typing this story....it brings a pain to my chest that I cannot describe.Over and over on that trip, I heard stories from birthparents who adored their children with cleft, but who were told the children could not stay in the extended family.

I met a woman whose daughter with cleft had been taken from her by her in-laws while she slept. She never saw her daughter again. She had come to our mission after reading about it in the paper, to thank us for giving parents a chance to keep their children.....a chance she herself did not have.

That trip changed everything for me about how I view birthparents in China. Many people give pat explanations about infant abandonment that cover the issue in blanket terms: “Babies are abandoned because rural families want sons.” “Babies are abandoned because the medical needs were too great.” Simple, one line sentences, to explain a personal life event that is often very complex.

When it comes to human life, and heartbreaking decisions…..abandonment and loss.....I have learned that there are rarely simple explanations. Every single one of our children faced a great loss in their lives, but the reality is…..we have no idea about the deep, personal stories of the people involved. We have no idea who made the decision that a child couldn’t stay in the family. We have no idea of the anguish, or sacrifice, or resignation experienced. It is easy to think it was a birthparent who lovingly placed the child by the orphanage front gate, but it could have just as easily been an in-law or an uncle who was given instructions by the head of the family to remove the baby from the home.

Every child has their own unique story. It certainly hurts more, however, to think that any of our kids have birthparents like the woman I met on that very somber day. There is still such a stigma surrounding children born with special needs, especially in the rural areas of China. For those of us parenting these amazing kids, the unknowns of their beginnings are very sad to think about, aren't they? Have you thought much about this issue? Do you normally think of a birthparent making the decision to leave a child? Or were you already aware that especially for children with special needs, many become orphaned to not bring shame to the family at large?"

Amy

Catching up

2009-10-17T20:03:00.002-04:00

Here we are in the middle of October and I've not updated the blog in weeks! We've been busy--as usual. There has been lots going on so sit back and enjoy the post....

The girls received their report cards and all 3 are on the honor roll! We are so proud of what good students they are. Sarah, with the exception of Art (89), received all A's! She has proven to be a very responsible middle school student! She's had a few issues with time management but always gets her work and studying done. I've had to take a few steps back and allow her to figure out how to juggle school, homework and dance but she has come through with flying colors! The input I've received from her teachers has been very positive; Sarah is a delight, a good student, respectful to both adults and peers and she has transitioned very well!

Grace, even with her new schedule (more on that later), made all A honor roll! The teacher, no surprise, told me how sweet and wonderful Grace is. The only area we need to work on is reading comprehension. Grace loves school and is well loved in return.

Analiese also made all A honor roll! She is a wonderful student, she is actually ahead of her peers in many areas. This is amazing because Analiese is probably a year younger than what the Chinese told us. Behaviorally, we see the immaturity. Cognitively, she is very, very bright! According to Analiese's teacher, Analiese is compliant and is very eager to learn. This doesn't surprise us at all. Analiese loves to learn and puts all of her effort into everything she tries. We chose the best teacher who is doing a wonderful job of channeling Analiese's energy and challenging her to do her best. Thanks Aunt Kelly!

Sarah had another performance today. Her dance company volunteered at the Annual Walk for diabetes and then performed at the culmination of the walk. Unfortunately the weather was awful (no rain but cold and overcast) and they had to dance in the grass--not the desired venue for jazz!

Dave took Sarah, a couple of her friends, and Analiese downtown for the walk. I was out of town and could not be there. Sarah was sad because this was the first time I was not there to help her get dressed, do her hair and make-up. She cried and I really worked hard at assuring her that SHE was old enough to take care of those things her self. We practiced with her makeup and talked about how to dress warmly. Unfortunately, I did NOT talk to Dave about dressing Analiese warmly, I really thought he would just know what to do. WRONG! The poor, sweet little girl went to the walk in capris, crocks, no socks and a thin jacket! I sure don't understand how Dave didn't know to put warmer clothes on her (in his defense the weather forcast was for a much warmer day--the reality was so different).

Grace's gymnastics schedule has changed -- AGAIN! Surprised?? No neither were we! I had a conversation with the head coach and he indicated that Grace was ready to move to a more advanced TOPs team. That meant workouts in the mornings! All of the girls on the team she was to move to are home schooled. The school district would not work with them to allow for late arrivals or early check-outs. Dave and I had already discussed this issue and did not want to pull Grace out of school. So, I went to the principal (whom I love dearly) and discussed the situation. She had to discuss it with the "higher ups" but came back with great news! The school system is willing to work with us. They won't excuse the tardies but will not press the issue with social services. So, for the last two weeks Grace has been going to the gym in the mornings and after school!

Grace's new schedule is tough. She goes to the gym: Mondays 7-10/3-6, Tuesday 3-6, Wed Off, Thursday 8-10/3-6, Friday 7-10. The first week was difficult. Grace was tired and her body hurt. Last week was the first time I ever heard Grace express happiness at having time off from the gym. Last Thursday, when I put Grace to bed, she cried. She lay in bed and had tears streaming down her cheeks. We had a talk about what a great gymnast she was and how important it was for her to continually increase the amount of training she needed to do if she wanted to reach her goal of being in the Olympics. It was so hard for me. I just wanted to tell her that we could quit and she could just continue with her current program. But, that really wasn't the truth.

We were told, by Grace's coach, to expect tears, pain and more tears from Grace. She said that she works the girls hard but she does it so the girls can reach their potential. She works them hard so they can qualify to go to the Karoyli's camp (3 of the girls are going in December), compete Nationally and eventually be part of the National Team! She thinks Grace has the skills and potential to be one of those girls! Dave and I are committed to doing everything we can to allow Grace the opportunity to find out if she can reach that level!

Today Grace had a meet and, once again, won first place on all four events and first place all around! She got her best all around score--37.875! She only has one more meet before the state meet! Grace is nervous but we have assured her that all she has to do is what she has been doing and she'll do great! No matter what happens! I think Grace is finally realizing how much she wants to win and the competitive bug has gotten her! Go, Gracie, go!!!

Grace and I, with one of Gracie's friends, drove up to the meet on Friday. Grace had to be there by 8 AM and the drive was long enough that I just wanted to be closer and avoid the early wake-up, long drive and stress of making sure we got there on time. She had a great time. There was an indoor pool and along with her friend that came with us, another teammate came up early! The girls just swam, giggled and yelled the night away. I guess this was just a small preview of how the state meet is going to be. There are a bunch of us staying at one hotel with an indoor pool. Boy do I feel sorry for the non-gymnastic traveler at that hotel!

The rain continues here. We are so tired of all of the wetness! Of course there are the benefits but we so are ready for some dry weather!

At the end of the month Dave's boss retires. Dave will then assume the position of Assistant Vice-president of the library! Congratulations Dave, you deserve the position!

Even though we are so busy, we feel blessed that we are able to do all that we do! Life is good, god is good, we are sso blessed!

Grace 10 04 09

2009-10-05T19:44:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-09-29T22:52:00.004-04:00

I had a truly wonderful birthday today! It is so much fun how the girls acknowledge my special day. They mimic what we do for them so I got lots of hugs, kisses, and special treatment today.

Analiese told me that it was my day so I should just relax and do whatever I wanted. She gave me some choices: sleep, watch TV or play on the computer! When I started to cook dinner she told me to "STOP"! She just had no idea what would really happen if Mom actually "STOPPED!"

When Grace asked me how old I was, I told her the year I was born and challenged her to figure out my age. Well, she did a great job of writing up the subtraction problem. When she came up with my age (no, I will NOT tell you how old I am) I took her word for it--even though I thought I was a year younger. However, as the day wore on today, I kept wondering where that "lost year" went to...I was a little freaked out thinking that I had some how lost a year. Turns out that Grace used 2010 instead of 2009 when she did her subtraction!

Did Grace listen to me? Nope...it wasn't until my Dad, Granddad Matt, called and told Grace how old I was that she finally believed me!

It wasn't the year older that bothered me so much, it was the belief that I seriously could NOT remember being the "lost" age.

Getting older is really not much fun--but enjoying my kids growing up is just priceless!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-09-29T22:52:00.001-04:00

An insider's view

2009-09-26T23:20:00.003-04:00

Clarkdale Elementary School

The flooding last week has touched us in so many ways. I experienced not only the fear of possibly not being able to get to Sarah but the necessity of staying calm in a terrifying situation. Dave and I were out of work, the girls out of school and we lived with having to boil our water for a week. But we were lucky, luckier than so many others who lost a lot more.

Some lost so much more; their homes and others their lives. But, what has really made an impact on me has been the elementary school that was demolished in the storm. For whatever reasons, Cobb county did NOT close their schools on Monday.

As Monday wore on, the rain continued to fall and the water had no where to go. Many of the Cobb schools became unreachable, but none as bad as Clarkdale elementary school. As you can see in the above photo the school was just consumed by water. The children were able to be evacuated but they had to wade through high water to get to safety.

Being an educator is like being a part of a large family. One of our teachers received the following email from Ellen Auchenpaugh a teacher at Clarkdale Elementary School. I received permission to post it here and hope that all of you feel the power of her words.

I've been wanting to write some of this down while it is fresh on my mind. After so many years of teaching young children, my writing has become very straightforward and somewhat simplistic, but at least I will have a written record for myself and maybe others of what has happened this week.

I went to work Monday morning, Sept. 21, 2009, knowing that the trailers would be in some kind of jeopardy that day. Several years ago, they completely flooded during the summer of Hurricane Dennis, so we already knew that the water would be rising out there. Students never went out there that day - each trailer class has a "buddy class" in the building for days such as this. Non-homeroom people started right away to move items in the trailers up off the floors, just in case. There was little or no accumulating water at that point, other than the usual puddles. By the time we got to the last trailer, water was on the steps of the first ones we had done, the ones closest to the creek. So we then began to move as much inside the building as we could, including the new LCD projectors that we had only received less than a week earlier. When we ran out of space, we began to put things in people's cars, just to get it out of trailers. That turned out to be one of the smartest things we did that day. But it then began to rain, so we had to stop (and we were exhausted by then as well). The water during that time began to encroach upon the side parking lot, and was beginning to cover the back field as well. So then the trailers on the other side of the building were also in jeopardy, so we began to do the same thing over there. The whole time, the weather and the state of things were being monitored.

I don't remember it raining all that incredibly much that morning. That and the fact that water had been on the fields and parking lot before but never in the building must have made us feel somewhat safe inside the building, though the encroaching water was beginning to be a little disconcerting. By around noon, I think, you could step outside about every 5 minutes and tell a difference. Announcements began to be made for certain people to move their cars. Then an announcement was made to quickly get things up off the floor as much as possible. While I was doing that, I looked out the front window and realized that I needed to move my car, too. I waded through ankle-deep water to get to my car, and moved it up the road a little. By the time I was walking back to the front door, maybe 5 minutes later at most, buses had arrived and children were exiting out the front. I didn't even know where we were going, but it was all orderly and calm. I knew I had to quickly go back in after my purse, and when I got back to my office, the carpet was wet about halfway into the room (I'm on the end right by the side door - creekside). (Later I found out that what began as calling students out a grade level at a time ended with just line up and move out.) I grabbed my purse, grabbed a plastic trash can, retrieved my family photos, a few papers from my desk, and my album with 30 years worth of class photos and other school pictures, put my computer and the Tier 2 files on the top shelf of the highest bookcase (almost at ceiling level) and evacuated. Water was almost knee-depth by that time (in the front lot), and students were safely on the buses. I got in my car and we all headed to Garrett Middle School.

The students were amazing. Some were in the theater for hours before going home on the bus or being picked up. A teacher from Garrett is a storyteller, and she stepped up to the plate and entertained the kids. Some people with cars took the teachers who had ridden the buses back to the school to retrieve their cars, in the nick of time. We watched The Bee Movie and the students were absolutely fabulous. So were our hosts.

Most of what happened after that has been recorded on the news and in newspapers. Even at the worst of the time while we were there, no one ever suspected that it would ultimately be this bad. We were shocked at the photos on the news.

I can't even describe the feelings. I think I've experienced almost every emotion there is this week. I've had spontaneous tears numerous times, both from sadness and despair as well as gratitude and overwhelming appreciation. I've felt guilty about receiving so much stuff. I've felt guilty when things get a little frustrating, when I know that so many people have it so much worse. I feel guilty that students in other schools have also lost their homes, yet are not getting the same attention just because their school is intact. I feel bad for the host schools. They had no choice in this, either.

I want to mend things one at a time - let's get all of the living situations and basic needs met, and then let's go on with school. But it can't happen that way. We must do it all simultaneously. It's hard to be the receiver rather than the giver. One has to learn to do that with grace - it's very humbling. It's hard to accept so many wonderful gifts, but you must because you really do need it. I feel bad that we can't possibly keep up with where all of this stuff and help and support is coming from, and that there may not be a formal thank you note written. So many feelings. Just overwhelming.

At the parent meeting Wednesday night to explain the new plan, the crowd was tremendous. The support for the school by the parents was so touching. The main thing that the parents wanted to make sure of was that their children would have the same teacher. Some burst into tears when they found out that the teacher would be the constant. Maybe that should drive the budget processes. It's not the stuff or even the building, but the teacher and staff who make the difference. It's not WHAT is delivered but WHO delivers it and HOW. Hmmm..... there are some lessons here for all of us.

There have been so many stories this week that would break your heart and warm your heart. The loss for so many families is devastating. One child couldn't stay at school Thursday because she had lost her home and the picture of her daddy who had been killed a few years earlier. She went back home with her mother, who is also a Clarkdale staff member. An aunt has a small photo of her dad, and one of the other Clarkdale staff members is buying a locket so that this little girl can keep her photo with her all the time. One child came to school today with dress shoes on, and was embarrassed. Though his dad wouldn't admit that his tennis shoes had been lost in the flood and all he had left were dress shoes, we suspected differently. When we asked the child later if he had tennis shoes, he didn't. When we asked if he had food to eat, he said that the people he now lived with were sharing their food. We traced his foot on a piece of paper and the county computer guy who was installing the secretary's new computer volunteered to go shoe shopping. We gave him a Walmart gift card we had received. He came back with, in the words of the child, "way cool shoes" and returned the gift card to us. Teachers who were already exhausted from working long hours still found time and energy to go shopping after work for clothes for some of their students. Those are just a few of the stories that I can remember in my exhausted state of mind.

A not-so-small miracle: we taught on Monday at Clarkdale. By Tuesday, the building was destroyed. On Wednesday afternoon, we began to set up classrooms from absolute scratch, had another "first day of school" at two locations on Thursday, and by Friday there were reading and writing and math lessons occurring, almost as if nothing had happened. The students have textbooks and some supplies, and are all getting new bookbags with more supplies on Monday.

Of course, none of this could have happened without the help of so many people. The staffs at both Compton and Austell Intermediate have been amazing. We know that it must be like relatives moving in with you for an extended period of time that you didn't invite. We know that many people were displaced from classrooms and offices into smaller spaces because of us. We know that precious commodities like copy paper have had to be shared, and there must be numerous headaches with all of this. We know that we are an interruption in a school routine that has just finally gotten established. Yet all we feel is welcomed. People have donated things, bought things, made things, moved boxes and tables and chairs, given lesson plans, fed us, hugged us, smiled at us, given the kids a pep rally to stress that we are all a family, complete with gifts at one school and a drumline, cheerleaders and giant cardinal mascot at another (one child exclaimed, "Look at that big ROOSTER!") (The cardinal, by the way, is our mascot).

I have to commend Cobb County Schools as well. Who would have thought that we could go back to school with everyone else on Thursday? That certainly wasn't the easiest thing for us, but it happened. So much work has gone into all of this, and the planning and support and just "being there" has been great.

The outpouring of prayers, notes, love, support and stuff has been totally and completely overwhelming. We are stunned, and don't even know how to begin to thank everyone. Heroes and angels abound, my friends. I guess part of the reason that there is tragedy on this imperfect earth is so that God can reveal all of those people. My life is forever touched and changed because of them.

Because of all of the love and support, we will get through this disaster. School will go on. Lives will be rebuilt. I am praying about the future. We are so small. It was too easy in some ways to find another place for us. Economic times are tight, to say the least. Even though it would hurt greatly to demolish the old building and build a new one, it would absolutely break my heart to see Clarkdale nonexistent. We can be in a new building, even in another location. But we cannot let Clarkdale Elementary School go by the wayside because of a flood or any other reason.

I wish I could describe what it is about Clarkdale that makes it so special. People who enter the building comment on it, but no one can put their finger on exactly what it is. Even though I've seen many people come and go over my 30 years there, the spirit remains the same. There are good teachers everywhere, and good schools - I'm not at all implying that there are not. I've been around many this week. Maybe I'm a little prejudiced, I guess. Maybe it has something to do with our size - less than 450 students. I don't really know what it is. But it is something. It is definitely something. And it cannot be lost.

Please pray for our students and their families, families from other schools who have been affected, our staff, the people in our new "homes," and those who make decisions about our future.

Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow! He will be with us into the future, whatever it holds. And that is sufficient.

More to come next week, I'm sure. There will be more stories of tragedy and hope, but I know that things will get better overall, little by little. With all the help and support and prayers, it's inevitable!

What it's all about!

2009-09-26T23:04:00.002-04:00

David found a wonderful program for all of us to watch as a family. It was a National Geographic show about odd animal relationships (you know the orangutan and the dog???). I was on the couch with the 3 girls but had Analiese in my arms. She looked up at me with those big black eyes and said, "I'm so glad I have a Mom."

My heart just melted. That child is darn amazing! She can frustrate the heck out of me but then turn around and in one short sentence make me realize what being a Mom is all about!

Day 3 and counting....

2009-09-23T11:51:00.005-04:00

The fort

sleeping peacefully

Today is day THREE of no school because of the rain, floods and resulting damages.

The rain had been coming down for days but on Saturday and Sunday it just seemed as if it was never going to end. So, on Monday morning, when the 5 AM call came in that our schools were closed it came as no surprise. What was a shock was that Sarah, who is now at the private school, had to go to school--as did Dave to work!

As the rains fell Monday morning, I began to get very nervous. And then the phone call came from the university, at noon, with a recorded message indicating that due to the roads being very hazardous, everyone was being asked to NOT come to the school. WHAT???? My husband is at work and my daughter is at school!

I quickly ran to the phone to call Sarah's school. No sooner had I dialed then an email came in, from the school, indicating that we could come and get the kids early. Well, off I went with Analiese and Gracie in the car.

What normally takes 18 minutes, took us over an hour to get to the school. As the rain fell in buckets we were met by closed road after closed road. I honestly have to say I felt the stirrings of panic as I contemplated the possibility that I would NOT be able to get to Sarah.

I called Dave, in hopes that he could leave school and get her. Unfortunately he was in the middle of the campus closing and could not close. So, we pushed on. We finally got to some open roads but passed playgrounds, homes and businesses under water. We knew it was just a matter of time that the road was going to be closed.

When I pulled up to the school it was not only full of parents but the school itself was flooding! I walked through deep puddles just to get to the front door. After waiting about 20 minutes Sarah finally arrived. We then left for our trek home!

The amazing thing was by the time I got back onto the road, the rain had stopped. We then were able to see more of the dangerous waters. We even saw rescuers bringing boats to evacuate people out of their homes--this was about 2 miles from our house!!

Fortunately, the rain continued to slow on Monday and we've not had another drop. We actually had sunny skies yesterday and today. However, the damage is so great that many cannot get out of their subdivisions or the roads to some of our schools are unsafe.

It has been a challenge keeping the girls occupied. Yesterday they built a fort. I let Grace and Analiese sleep in it because we, again, had no school today. Sarah is back to school, as is Dave to work.

I sure hope we return tomorrow. The teachers have to make up all of these missed days.....

A Wonderful Saturday!

2009-09-19T20:24:00.023-04:00

Our traditional after meet photo!

A shout out to Sarah from Matthew!

Forever connected!

Oh, Analiese missed Matthew!

We love you, Matthew!

Even though we woke up to yet ANOTHER day of rain (number 5, I think!)we had expectations for a great day! We started out very early as Grace had to be at her meet by 7:45. The good thing was that it was at our gym and we didn't have too far to drive.

Grace was excited about the competition, and had been since last week's meet. She told me the other night, as I tucked her into bed, that she wished she could compete EVERY DAY! I asked why she liked to compete so much, if it was because she always did so well, or if she just liked the feeling of being out there performing. Grace said that she just liked doing gymnastics and the feel of the competition.

I took the time to then talk to her about not becoming over confident, that she, so far, has done very well but it may not always be that way and to always remember to have fun! Grace said that it was OK if she didn't win but she would always do her best. Well, I wasn't so sure that Grace would have such enthusiasm if she wasn't winning each event but I hugged her and told her that we were so glad she had found something she loved.

Well, today was a test for Grace. Even though she did her best, and scored very well, she did not place in vault! This was the first time Grace did not get called up to the podium to accept a medal. She scored a 9.00 on her vault but it was not good enough to get in the top 7! How did Grace respond? She said she was surprised but she did her best and now she knows she has to work harder! That was it....

As for the other events? 1st on bars, beam, floor and all around! Grace had an awesome beam routine. She held her handstand so long that many people in the audience were gasping and later came up to her to tell say how awesome her routine was!

I think the best part, for Grace, was that her "big sister", (a level 10 gymnast) was at the meet and was the one to give her the trophy for #1 all around! She hugged Gracie so tightly and Gracie just beamed! It was so sweet. I watched her big sister go up to the young lady who had the trophy for Grace and ask her if she could please be the one to give it to Grace. I have to say, Gracie's big sister has been so supportive of her.

After the meet, we went home to rest and get ready for next exciting event. We were meeting Matthew and his Mom and Dad for dinner! We were so looking forward to seeing him. Unfortunately, Sarah had other plans and was not able to be with us. Matthew, of course, commented on missing Sarah. I assured him that the next time we got together, Sarah would be there. He was happy about that!

I just cannot put into words the emotion I felt seeing Matthew for the first time in 3 months. It was so bittersweet. He is doing so well and I know it is because of the environment he is now in. While living with us, circumstances were such that he just was not afforded the opportunity to reach this level.

Matthew seemed to be a bit uncomfortable in how he was supposed to act around us. I can only imagine how confusing it must have been for him. I mean, we were his parents for 18 months. Now, he has new parents but, here we were and he just wasn't sure what to do. I took Matthew aside and told him how happy I was that he was doing well. I told him that we missed and loved him but, again, we were so happy he that he was happy and loved his parents! I also told him that we would continue to see and talk to him. I told him that we would call him and we wanted him to call us whenever he wanted to. He seemed to relax and understand that everything was good.

Analiese just loved seeing Matthew, whereas Grace seemed alittle more reserved. Later Grace and I discussed that even though we missed Matthew, we knew that he was doing so well because he was not with us. It is hard for Grace to understand but she is so trusting that we only want what is best for our kids that she accepts Matthew no longer lives with us.

For me, this visit was so emotional. Not a teary kind of emotional but something much deeper. I watched Matthew with his new parents, and realized that he fit, really fit. And after talking with Matthew's Dad, and learning of the challenges they have faced and seemingly conquered, being an only child has been the salvation for Matthew.

My faith in God was strengthened today. But so was my understanding that when we are called to do something it doesn't always turn out the way we envision it should. When Dave and I realized that WE were meant to bring Matthew home, we never thought, not for one second, that he was anything but our son. But, almost 2 years later, we realize that we were were never meant to be Matthew's forever family.

The journey with Matthew has been long and hard. There have been tears, stress and anger. But today, in the midst of all of the rain, a HUGE ray of sunshine burst in my heart. It was so clear that Matthew is where he is meant to be and we made the right choice for him.

We celebrated SO many successes today....

Happy Gotcha Day Gracie!

2009-09-14T20:25:00.005-04:00

Gracie's referral picture...don't you just want to hug her?

Grace Today...still so beautiful

Almost eight years ago, I brought up adoption to Dave. I can't say that his response was very positive. I mean, he already had 4 children. Why ever would he want to ADOPT a child? I didn't give up though. I continued to bring up the conversation, explaining why I wanted to adopt. I wanted Sarah to have a full time sibling and I wanted her to have a sister. It took awhile but Dave also came around to seeing that adoption was something he wanted also. I knew where I wanted to adopt from; China. Before I had Sarah, when I envisioned myself with a child, it was always a little Asian girl.

We ventured into the China adoption world at a time when quota's had been put into place limiting the number of families who could adopt. There were not many agencies who were accepting applications. But I had done my research and wanted to use Children's House International. To my surprise, right when Dave agreed to the adoption, CHI began accepting applications! We immediately began the process. Between collecting the paperwork, getting our homestudy completed, waiting for the INS (as they were known back then) and eventually the shut down of adoptions because of SARS it took us almost exactly one year to see our sweet Gracie's face on the computer. The rest, as they say, is history.....

SIx years ago a sweet angel walked into our lives and stole our hearts! We are forever grateful to Stefani and GInger of Children's House International who helped us bring our sweet Grace into our family. We also marvel at the wisdom of the Chinese when they matched us with little Wen Fei Zhen, even though we had requested a much, much younger child.

We cannot imagine another child in our lives. For the past six years we have marveled at how absolutely perfect we all fit together. When God placed adoption in my heart he knew that Gracie was soon to be found at the base of that mountain and she would need us to be ready for her. When we received our referral information, never, not once did we mourn not getting the baby we had requested. We knew that Grace was our daughter, no matter that she was 28 months old instead of 18 months.

Six years have flown by. Grace has blossomed from a frightened, quiet toddler into a wonderful, confident (but still quiet) young girl. We don't know what the next years will bring, but we sure are glad that we are on this journey together. We love you Gracie Feizhen!

Disappointment and Excitement

2009-09-13T21:00:00.005-04:00

This weekend has been an extreme of emotions.

Today Sarah auditioned for a spot in the Atlanta Ballet's the Nutcracker. We felt pretty confident that she would secure a spot because she performed with them last year. Well, unfortunately, the economy has affected the ballet. The Atlanta Ballet has had to cut the Nutcracker casts from 6 to 4 as they will have less performances this year due to loss of income. So, that meant the spots that would have been open to the public (as opposed to the spots taken by the kids who dance at the Ballet's school) were cut.

We did not know any of this before we decided to audition. All of this information was given to us right before they took the kids into audition. So, when Sarah emerged from the audition, she looked at me with sad eyes and shook her head "no". Needless to say Sarah was disappointed (and my heart broke for her) but after we spoke and she realized that not being chosen had NOTHING to do with her dancing ability but it was all about the economy she felt better. But, she is angry with President Obama because he hasn't done what he promised. She wants the economy to do better so she can perform with the Nutcracker. Hmm...maybe she should write to him so he can view the world through the eyes of an innocent 11 year old. I mean, she is being affected now by the economy and certainly will have to pay for his fiscal decisions in her future.

On the other hand, Grace had her second meet on Saturday and once again, just amazed us all! She took 3rd place in the vault, 1st in beam, bars, floors and all around! She increased her all around score from the last meet--from 36.75 to 37.17! So, once again Grace came home with 5 medals!!!

It was a little scary for us, because during warm-up Grace landed on her head during her bar dismount and immediately burst into tears! We thought she had hurt herself but after the meet she told me she cried because she was so frustrated that she ruined her dismount!! I thought for sure the meet was going to be a wreck for her. But, Grace bounced back and once again, enjoyed herself and it showed!

Because Grace has scored above a 32 on these past two meets she has qualified for the State meet in December. We sure hope she continues to do well and places well at State.

We are so proud of both girls. Proud of Grace for doing her best and proud of Sarah for not only being brave enough to audition for the Nutcracker but to take the disappointment in such a mature way.

The silver lining? We will be able to watch the Nutcracker as a family this year. And next year? Hopefully the economy will be better and the Ballet will be able to add back the performances. Sarah will certainly be there to audition--she's not ready to hang up her ballet slippers yet!

Birthday Celebration

2009-09-12T21:32:00.012-04:00

Let's start with the cards.

Oh, this one is purple and has a star!

Kai Lan!!

Oh, a password journal that I can keep from my sisters!

An Ice cream cake with cookies and cherries!

I'm not going to waste any breathe!

Hope my wish comes true!

What a great day! We got to celebrate Analiese's birthday today. She received several checks from relatives so off we went to Walmart. Analiese tried to tell me about this iCarly item that she wanted. I had never heard of it, nor had I seen the commercials that had sold Analiese on this so we had a slight communication problem!

We walked the aisles at Walmart in hopes that this iCarly item would just "be" there. Well, it wasn't! So we walked some more...and then we walked some more! Oh, there were a few items that Analiese picked up but they weren't things that would have held her interest for very long. So, back on the shelf they went.

There are some things that Analiese loves; drawing, writing, singing and anything electronic! I tried to talk her into combining her money to buy a Nintendo (she has a Leapster but is always borrowing her sisters' Nintendos). Analiese said, "No, Santa is going to bring me that."

We eventually found our way over to the toy clearance aisle and found absolutely NOTHING that fit Analiese. Tomorrow we will hit Target! It's fun to allow Analiese the freedom to choose but boy-oh-boy how overwhelming it is for her to have so many choices! I'll narrow the field down for her and we'll walk away with some awesome things!

Analiese did get a Ni Hoa Kai Lan doll. She is purple (Analiese's favorite color) and has the character for "giggles" on her shirt. How perfect for my little Chinese princess! She loves Kai Lan and it is so great to be able to give her a doll that looks like her!

We did get Analiese a "Password Journal." This is a great gift in so many ways; she can keep it a secret from her sisters and she has blank paper, lots and lots of it, to write or draw on! Some day, I hope, Analiese will be a great author or illustrator!

The last gift is that we are redoing Analiese's bedroom. It will be purple (of course!) with some green and pink stripes. We will go back to the Tinkerbell theme; I bought some pictures of Tinkerbell that I will frame and hang up. Granddad Matt and Grandmom Eileen bought some wooden letters that spell out Analiese's name and we will put them up for her. I'm sure the room will look just adorable.

Happy Birthday Analiese, our family is so much better for having you as a part of it--what DID we do without you????

Happy 7th Birthday Analiese!

2009-09-11T20:15:00.004-04:00

Today Analiese turns 7 years old! It is so hard to believe she is that old! We are going to celebrate as a family tomorrow but Analiese did get to celebrate at school with cupcakes and the PE coaches playing the Beatles birthday song for her during gym class!

I woke Analiese up by singing happy birthday to her and of course the rest of the family made a big deal out of it being her day. The best part was when I was driving the kids to school and Analiese said, "Mom, it makes my heart sing when everyone tells me happy birthday!"

Oh Analiese, Happy Birthday Baby and let your heart sing, sing, sing. We love you!

My kids are growing up!

2009-09-09T21:50:00.005-04:00

My girls are changing, right before my eyes! Analiese came home today and told me that she and her teacher talked about "self-control". Oh my! That means my sweet Analiese is talking ALL of the time and her teacher is tired of competing with her! I hate to give Analiese a consequence for "talking" at school but I know I must, to not only support her teacher, but also to help her learn compliance.

So today, Analiese lost her TV watching privilege. With most children that would make a HUGE impact. With Analiese? She just moved on to the next thing--drawing and coloring. This is one of the best things about Analiese...she loves life! There is always something wonderful to do; watching TV, riding her bike, reading a book, doing homework, talking to anyone, dancing, talking, singing...We ALL need to take lessons from this sweet one---enjoy EVERY minute!

Grace? What can I say? She continues to amaze me in her ability to juggle her gymnastics with school! She learned a new skill today--she was able to do a forward tuck! She was so excited--but then, turn around and her level of enthusiasm was the same when she learned how to do a word search on the computer for her spelling homework! She is the most "even" person I know. I need to take a few lessons from her!

Now Sarah, of course, is changing the most! Her level of understanding of human nature amazes me. On Friday, she received a note in her locker from a boy in one of her classes. He wrote to tell her how much he liked her. Sarah was so touched, even though she doesn't share his feelings. She asked me what I thought she should do and I gave her the "mom" opinion. Sarah decided to write back to the young man. She thanked him for the note and told him how sweet it was that he liked her. She didn't ignore him nor did she "lead him on" to believe that she felt the same about him.

Having Sarah in middle school is showing us how we have done as parents! She is sensitive to others, a great time manager and an eager learner. Sarah is an awesome kid and we are so blessed to call her our daughter!

Sarah, Grace and Analiese are as different as different can be. However, there is a common thread they share...they are confident, independent and loving children! These girls are amazing and continually challenge me to be the best mom I can be. I sure I can live up to the challenge!

Final weekend of summer

2009-09-07T21:30:00.007-04:00

Falling is not going to hurt this one!

Go Analiese, GO!

Even though the calendar says summer does not end until September 21st, this weekend has been the traditional end of the season. The weather was beautiful today, which allowed us to spend some time at the pool. It was so crowded so we didn't stay very long.

We really just enjoyed the long weekend as a family; playing Wii, watching movies and relaxing. The girls were happy they didn't have dance or gymnastics! Sarah did have to work a bit on some homework but not so much that she wasn't able to relax.

Dave did start working with Analiese to teach her how to ride a two-wheeler. He took her training wheels off and right away Analiese got the hang of keeping her balance! She was determined NOT to get hurt and covered every possible part of her body with pads or a helmet! What a kid!

Since we've been back to school for several weeks now, not so much will change for us. The girls have been into their fall schedules and we seem to have a good rhythm going. Some days Sarah is pretty stressed because of her homework load but we are working through that.

I just cannot believe that summer is over. It seems that we just got out of school and were planning our trip to Disney! I know that before I'm ready, Halloween and Thanksgiving will be here!

Next weekend the pool closes, so in between a gymnastics meet, dance rehearsal and auditions for the nutcracker, we'll try and swim one more time!

Where is the time going?

2009-09-02T21:07:00.005-04:00

Gosh, I feel like just yesterday it was the weekend and we were enjoying being at a pool party and now, well, it's Wednesday already!

We had a very busy Saturday but were able to relax at a friend's house to celebrate her daughter's 7th birthday. The kids had a great time with their homemade "wipeout" in the pool.

On Sunday it rained so Dave dug in the basement and found the EASY BAKE OVEN! What fun making tiny chocolate chip cookies and melting marshmallows. The girls couldn't believe that a lightbulb actually could cook something!

And of course Sarah couldn't resist putting the giraffe hat on Clarence. It was quite comical when he spotted his reflection in the oven door. He kept looking at the "other cat" and even tried to locate him under and around the corner!

On another note, we knew that on Monday Matthew and his new family were due in court to finalize his adoption into their family. I expected to have mixed emotions and indeed I did (and do). However, when Dave called Matthew's new dad he was so jubilant that we couldn't help but be happy for all of them!

So, today it was with tremendous pleasure I visited Matthew's family blog. In an email thanking us Matthew's Dad invited us to follow them on their blog. Reading the posts, I felt such a peace knowing that Matthew is right where he is supposed to be. He is doing so well and is loved so much. What a testament to how awesome God's plan has turned out to be!

We will always love Matthew and always consider him to be a part of our family. The girls still consider him to be their brother and from what his Dad says Matthew speaks of us and the traditions he shared with us. We have made an impact on each other's lives and nothing will ever change that.

In the words of Matthew's new dad, "Is Matthew the perfect child? Oooh, no. But we don't know how we have done without him. We feel like he is the perfect fit." And that just says it all.

My Baby is growing up

2009-08-27T19:49:00.003-04:00

Sarah went off to her 6th grade retreat yesterday. She'll be gone until tomorrow afternoon. She is at a camp with other 11 year-olds for two nights with NO contact with her parents. ACK!!!!

I wasn't prepared for how this retreat would make me feel. As I helped Sarah pack for this trip I struggled with keeping my emotions in check. It was just a multitude of things that brought home how grown up my daughter is now.

It was the deodorant and the bras. It was the removal of the "butterfly" from the sleeping bag cover and the careful choosing of pajamas (only sleep pants and t-shirts). It was the bible that she has become so comfortable with and the excitement of being away for 3 days.

This is the first time that Sarah and I will not have told each other, "I love you" before we go to bed. This is first time that I've not held and kissed my daughter in a full day and the first time I've not not been able to talk with her.

I'm amazed at how much I'm bothered by all of this. I keep checking the school website looking for an update (they said they would post SOMETHING!). I'm glad that I haven't heard from her because that means all is well. Then on the other hand, I so wish she would call.

I did write a "mom note" and stick in her notebook. I hope that she'll get a good feeling when she reads it and realizes how much I really miss her. I can't wait to see her tomorrow and hear all about her experience.

On Wednesday I said goodbye and I love you to a totally different child. Tomorrow I'll greet a young lady who had her first taste of independence---and loved every minute of it. I'm not sure I like letting go.

Professional photos

2009-08-24T21:01:00.004-04:00

At Gracie's meet on Saturday there was a professional photographer snapping pictures. I went to the site today to view them. There are some really great ones of Gracie!

I think the photos show what everyone sees in Grace; her form is almost perfect. Go take a look here:
www.shelleyphotographyinc.com

Once you get to site, choose:

CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR PICTURES (right hand side)
RECENT PHOTOS (left hand side)
JUDGES BLAST OFF 2009

Then in the drop down menu choose:
C2 sess 2 level 4-C Floor, B Beam (Grace was on group B)
Page 1, photos 53-70

you can see more at:
C2 sess 2 level 4 B Floor
Page 10, photos 243-261.

Enjoy the pics. When our "other" computer comes home from the doctor I'll post the video!

A Champion!

2009-08-23T17:43:00.005-04:00

First on bars!

First on beam!

First on floor!

First on vault!

Best all around!

Awards

Grace participated in her first gymnastics meet yesterday. She was so excited and had fun competing. And it showed! Grace took first place in all four events; 9.65 on vault, 9.3 on bars, 8.85 on beam and a 8.95 on floor. She also was named best all around with a total score of 36.75 (best is 40).

To qualify for the state meet in December Grace must score at least a 32 all around in two of her meets. She now only needs one more meet to qualify!

This meet was hosted by the judges. We were warned that the judges would look very closely at the girls and mark them down quickly. It is the judges opportunity to tell the girls what they need to work on for the rest of the competitive season.

It certainly held to be true. The scoring was very low, especially in the beam and floor events. As you can see from Grace's scores they were not particulary high, even though her performance had very few flaws.

Part of the excitement for us, other than just watching Grace perform, was watching Grace each time she was called for first place! She really had no idea that she had done so well. She walked away with 4 medals; one for each event and a trophy for the best all around!

Needless to say, Grace walked on clouds for the rest of the afternoon. She cannot wait for the next competition. We've cautioned her not to expect to win each and every time. She doesn't seem to mind--she just loved getting out there and showing off her talent.

It will be interesting to see how the remainder of the season goes. Grace's team looked well prepared but could use some more work on the beam. That was the lowest event for all of them. Some girls fell multiple times off of the beam. Grace wobbled a few times and it is reflected in her score.

We are so proud of Grace. Not just for her performance but also for her support of her team and her graciousness in not bragging about her win. She is a true team player!

Some more firsts

2009-08-18T21:29:00.008-04:00

6th, 3rd and 1st grader

Our 3rd and 1st grader!

Our Sunday morning breakfast

On Monday Grace and Analiese started back to school. I just cannot believe that Grace is now a 3rd grader and my baby is in first grade. Both girls were very excited and had a great day! They both have GREAT teachers and I fully anticipate a great year!

Analiese has the same teacher that Matthew had last year. He flourished in her classroom and she was so patient with him. She'll have some challenges with Analiese but doesn't seemed concerned at all.

Analiese calls her teacher "Aunt Kelly" because last year Analiese was in class with Kelly's nephew. He, of course, called her Aunt Kelly and so did the rest of the kindergarten class. "Aunt Kelly" doesn't mind and actually thinks it might be a good thing because she is getting married in February so her last name is going to change anyway!

Grace is having a little difficulty transitioning in with her new classmates. The teacher I requested for her actually "looped" with her entire class. That means the entire class, with teacher, moved up a grade. Grace is one of 5 new kids that were placed in the class. Unfortunately for Grace that means that the kids already have had a year to establish relationships.

Grace is shy to begin with so it is difficult for her "break" into an already formed group of kids. I realized this was an issue this evening while I was reviewing her work for the day. She had completed a sheet, "getting to know you". Grace had to complete some statements. One was, "I wish I could...." and Grace wrote, "make friends."

When I questioned her, it was heart breaking. She said that "no one wants to play with me." I put her on my lap and probed some more (and all the while holding back my own tears). She said that during recess she justs, "walks around looking for her friends from last year."

I offered some suggestions and even asked if she wanted me to talk with her teacher. Grace responded that she didn't want me to say anything. Well, fate intervened when her teacher called (you know the obligatory beginning of the year call). I brought up what Grace said and wrote and asked for her input and help. The teacher had noticed and has offered to be more proactive in having the girls be more inclusive. I sure hope Grace finds her niche!

Sarah continues to enjoy middle school. During the past couple of days I've observed Sarah putting on make-up; mascara and lip gloss. I questioned her today and her answer was that "all the girls at school wear it". She immediately got defensive and said, "You don't want me to be DIFFERENT, do you???"

I told her that I just wanted to find out why she wanted to wear makeup and then I would decide if it was something she could continue to do. With a great big SIGH, she said, "it's not like I'm going to die if I wear it!"

Oh boy.....So, the wise mom that I am told her that "I" didn't really start wearing make-up until I was in the ninth grade.

My daughter, my first baby, exasperated says, "Yeah, that was before they had make-up in bottles. What did you have to do, squeeze cranberries to put on your lips?"

Yes, I am not kidding and no I did NOT make that up! I just cannot believe that my daughter actually thinks of me as OLD!!!

At that moment I realized that we had moved into a totally different arena and our relationship had shifted. We must officially be into the "tween years" and I'm not so sure I'm really ready.

I'm preparing myself for some battles. I sure hope they aren't close to what I put my Dad through.

Sweet Analiese~

2009-08-11T22:38:00.003-04:00

When I checked in on Analiese before I went to bed last night, this is what I found! The things that child gets in to! I laughed so hard and of course had to call Dave upstairs.

This is just one reason why we love her so very much! What DID we do before she came into our family????

First Day of Middle School

2009-08-10T21:55:00.004-04:00

It's just nerves

Doesn't she look so grown up?

The traditional first day photo

Today was Sarah's first day of Middle School. Beginning last week she started to get nervous about going to a new school not knowing anyone. Her nerves really got worse at meet and greet. Sarah really was afraid she would get lost even though we walked to each of her classes and studied the map.

Yesterday was hard and last night was even worst. Sarah went to bed fairly early but had a difficult time falling asleep (Thank goodness for Benedryl). She did get a decent night's sleep and woke up fairly easily. Now, I can't say the same for me. I, also, had a hard time falling asleep and when I did I woke up several times. I had very strange dreams, most were about getting Sarah to school!

Sarah wanted me to take her to school as she didn't think Dave would be a help in getting her locker organized. I knew better; my 11 year old still wants her Mom to be there and "hold her hand". I'm glad that she wanted me, cause I wanted to be ther with her.

This morning Sarah and I both compared it to her first day of preschool. On that day she happily arrived at the school but when it was time for me to leave she grabbed a hold of me, started to cry and would not let me go! We laughingly said that she couldn't physically do that but she could do it in her head!

Well, when we got to school I could see how nervous Sarah really was. A teacher stopped to introduce himself and Sarah almost couldn't respond. When we finished with organizing her locker I walked with Sarah up to the front of the school so she could meet with ther "buddy". She did NOT want me to leave. She asked, "Please Mommy don't leave".

Let me tell you how quickly that phrase had me seeing the sweet 3 year-old that I took to Montessori all of those years ago! I would have liked nothing more than to stay with her but I knew that I had to walk away. It was so hard!!!!

I thought about Sarah all day long. When I finally spoke with her, after she got out of school, she was so excited! Sarah had a GREAT day!!!! Oh, how the weight was lifted off of my heart!!!

Sarah knows that tomorrow will be even less stressful than today was and that by the end of the week she will feel right at home! I am so grateful that she had a positive experience on her first day. Can you only imagine how hard it would be to get her to go back tomorrow if today was horrible????

I am so proud of Sarah and how she is able to go into new situations and come out with such a positive outlook. I know that this experience is so good for her and will serve her well in the future. However, it doesn't stop me from wanting to make things "all better" for her. Gosh, who knew that being a parent would be so hard???

Grace's level 4 beam routine/mock meet

2009-08-09T22:27:00.001-04:00

Grace's level 4 floor routine/Mock Meet

2009-08-09T22:26:00.001-04:00

Grace's Mock Meet

2009-08-09T22:25:00.004-04:00

Back of her warm-up suit

Front of the suit

The second skin leo

Grace and her teammates

On Saturday we were treated to watching Grace and her gymnastic's team perform in a mock meet. Their first meet is only 2 weeks away and the mock meet was used to get the girls (and parents) ready for the meet protocols. There were no scores kept, it was informal, but the coaches kept the meet as close to an official meet as possible. It was so much fun watching the girls march out doing the "official" gymnastics walk!

For days all Grace could talk about was the meet. We thought they would be keeping score and Grace had hoped for a medal. The morning of the meet Grace could not wait for the time to come to leave. She was so excited! When she finally was able to get dressed she looked so darn adorable! The competition leo is like a second skin---we are hoping that Grace doesn't grow out of it before the end of the competitive season (December). Everything else fit great. The backpack is HUGE--she could probably fit into it.

During the meet Grace did great, she looked so relaxed. We saw lots of smiles and confidence out of her! Dave and I are not in agreement, but I think Grace did best on the floor, then bars, beam and finally the vault. The vault seems to be her weakest (again it is all relative) area. Grace just shines on the floor; I'm predicting a win at the state meet in that event (that will be in December). We are so proud of how well Grace did!

Grace wasn't disappointed that there were no medals. She said she had lots of fun even though she was a little nervous in the beginning. Grace was glad she saw us in the stands and said she heard us cheering for her--that really must of felt so good to have her family there cheering her on.

This morning, as Grace and I lingered in bed, Gracie shyly said, "Mom, I can't wait for competition to start." Now that's my girl, a true competitive athlete! I'm telling you, 2016 Olympics here she comes!