Weekend of Soccer

Because so much of our time lately seems to have been taken up by the TK's-Teeny Kids, this post is ONLY about the BK's-big kids! We had our first tournament of the soccer season this past weekend. It was in Aiken SC and is put on by the Bulls Soccer Club, which is the club Julia and Sam play on. We had a very jam-packed weekend with LOTS of soccer-going from 8:00am Saturday morning to our last game starting at 4:30 Sunday afernoon. Both teams, the U13 girls and the U9 boys did fantastic! Julia's team won their U13 division and Sam's team won runner-up for the U9 boys division! We all came home with medals!!!!! Somehow that seems to make all the blood, sweat and yes, some tears, worth it! GO BULLS!!!!!!! Good job everybody!

We are still here!

I just realized it has been several weeks since I posted last! We have been doing some more "adjusting" to life as a family of 6, homeschooling in full swing, soccer in full swing, building a pool-finished but lacking landscaping so lots of sweeping and mopping of the floor, having friends over to celebrate the end of summer, and just "life". I hope to get back to "blogging" soon!

Where did the summer go?

Why is it that summer just zooms by? Well actually time itself just seems to fly by these days. School starts ridiculously early around here and even though we home school the TK's (teeny kids) do go to preschool. I love this program that is 1 mile from my house. Honestly, I need the break from my precious little people(is that terrible of me to say), my BK's (big kids) need a break from the TK's and they need a break from each other. So off they went to preschool today. I originally had them in 2 days a week in the same class. I quickly switched that upon arriving home from China..... they now go 3 days a week and to separate classes. Jaida is in pre-k3 and Xin pre-k4. I was worried how Xin would do without his Mei Mei but he did great. He relies so much on her, almost as if they are twins and I truly think he needs to establish his own identity. Julia and Sam started today too and we think we are really going to like our curriculum this year, at least after day 1 all is well. They said they LOVED their teacher-aka Mommy, she was AWESOME!!!! I/we truly love homeschooling and hope that it continues to work for us. Julia started 7th grade and Sam 3rd. It is such a joy to share my day with them. The TK's are going to have their own little workbooks and they are so excited about doing them with the BK's! Let's hope that enthusiasm remains!!!!! Here are a few pics from today, note the lovely garage backdrop in the one photo. I was in a hurry and had forgotten to get the shot of the 2 together. Oh well, the faces are too darn cute!!!!!

China Friends Reunion

As Jaida calls them, we had our 3 year reunion with her "China Friends". This is the fabulous group of people we traveled with 3 years ago to get Jaida. There were 9 families total. Two families brought other children and there were also 3 sets of grandparents. It was truly a remarkable group of people. We shared a huge life changing event with these folks and thankfully we have all stayed in touch and each year since have had at least 6 of the 9 families at our reunions. Year 1 was in Texas, year 2 here in Augusta and this year we went to Orlando. We stayed at the Nickelodeon Hotel and had a ball. Our family visited Disney's Magic Kingdom on Friday and then the rest of the weekend we visited with each other. The girls are all so precious and it is such fun to watch them together. They all will turn 4 this year. Here are a few pictures, well ALOT, that captured this sweet time. Thank you Josh and Heather for putting together this year's reunion....it was WONDERFUL!

Our Sweet Sam

With Julia gone for a week of fun, we decided to treat Sam to a special night out...without the TK's-Teeny Kids. We got our favorite babysitter, to which Xin did really well, and off we went. We went to dinner first where we all ate way to much and then off to see a movie. It was such a nice time to spend just with him. Sam is our most tender-hearted child and our peacemaker. He is such a kind and caring soul. Not to mention very handsome with beautiful blue eyes, freckles splashed across his face and curly hair tossed across his forehead. Oh how I love this child! He had our undivided attention last night and I loved that special time. I got to hold his hand for a change instead of a tiny little one. Our night ended way too quickly but I will tuck away those memories in a special place in my heart. We will have to do it again soon! I love you Sam......with all my heart!

My Girls

God has blessed me with two girls. One has blond hair, the other black. One is 12 the other 3. One is my strong, independent, driven child the other is my prissy, dependent child. One is my oldest. One is my youngest. I am crazy about them both! I sent my 12 year old, Julia, off on an airplane by herself this week. She went to visit her best friend in Florida. A very hard "Mommy" day. To watch your child walk down a jet way which leads to a metal tube that will fly 40,000 feet into the air and land in another state without me there to protect her is a very hard day indeed. I miss her so much. It was just yesterday she was my 3 yr old, cuddled in my lap and bringing me a baby doll to rock and change. I watched her beautiful blond hair disappear down that jet way and I wanted to run screaming "Wait! I need her back!" of course that didn't happen. I would have been arrested for sure. Even with my "unaccompanied minor" gate pass in hand I am pretty sure they would have taken me away in handcuffs. She landed safely and is having the time of her life. I miss her so much!

I had a"girls night out" with my 3 yr old, Jaida. The boys went to a baseball game and we headed out to do "girl things". Since Jaida has been, in her own words, "dying to get her nails done" we put that on our agenda. We met some friends, another Mommy and little girl, and went out to eat, got their nails done and had ice cream. Sitting there in the booth with my 32 lb bundle of love warmed my heart. Her stringy black hair tied up in a pink bow, brown little arms, constantly- moving- body, never -stop- talking- cute- little- mouth self sitting next to me, sharing a pizza, brought me such joy. On the ride to the pizza place she never stopped talking-so excited. This was the dialogue, well monologue really: "Where we going? How far is it? When we get our nails done? Mason-Kate be there already? Ms. Beth have her pretty hair and pretty make-up on? She have her high-heels on? What shoes Mason-Kate have on? When we get ice cream? Where dat mall at? Where boys go? They have baby cones at that ice cream store?" and on, and on, and on....... She was very adamant about me having pretty hair and putting make up on and wearing high heels and looking cute. I tried to comply... I did take a shower, fix my hair, put my make up on, thought I had a cute outfit on until she said it was Ok (Xin told me it was cute) but the high heels....... sorry baby. She did tell me my flip flops were kinda high heels, they do have a wedge, and that passed inspection. Seriously.... where does she get this stuff? Such a fashion diva! It was such a PRECIOUS night. I savored every moment....knowing all too well that way too soon she would be walking down a "jet way" and out of my arms.





Not quite what she thought it would be..."Hold my hand Mama!"


Look at those sweet feet! Check out the cute teeny tiny flowers!!!!!


"Ok, loving this! I am now very comfortable...watching a little Barbie while they dry!"


Aren't they cute?!?!?!?!?!?
The much-anticipated "baby cone"!

Thank you God for giving me these 2 very different gems to love. What a pleasure it is to be their Mommy!

Forever Family Day

Jaida July 2007

Three years ago today we walked onto the 20th floor of the Civil Affairs office in Nanchang, China. It was a Sunday, they don't use the airconditioner on Sundays...heat rises....July....about 120 degrees in the room. I am already sweating bullets as I am about to meet my 3rd child for the first time. We walked in and there were all of the babies, chaos ensued. Babies were passed to new parents. Babies cried, screamed. Parents cried. Photos flashed. Jaida, bald and coneheaded with an absolutely flat back of the head, was placed in my arms. She took one look at me with my blond hair and the corners of her mouth curled downward,( she still does this today and it is so darn cute) and preceded to cry, scream, thrash, arch her back, kick her little legs, and flail wildly. She clung to her name tag-the only thing she had that was hers. She wouldn't let go of it. It broke my heart. She was sweating, I was sweating, Sam and Julia were crying, I was crying, she was screaming, Will was trying to get his hands on her, and my parents were trying to record it all on tape and in still photos. At one point I remember saying a quick "Oh God, help me. What have we done? Please help me. Please help her." She screamed and cried the whole rest of the day. She stopped momentarily when Julia brought out the Cheerios and then started all over again. We ordered pizza. I cried. My mother came into our room and said, "It will all be ok" and hugged me. I was so glad she was there....I needed MY mommy! Jaida finally fell asleep after taking a bottle while giving me the evil eye and sucking furiously. She/we all woke up quite early the next morning and she was a new baby. She smiled. She ate. She never looked back. Her personality came to life. I fell in love. .........I adore her. I can't believe it has been 3 years. She was/is perfect for our family. Our youngest member. Full of personality. Loved beyond words. A gift. Thank you Lord for creating families in all kinds of ways. We celebrated our family with little gifts, a movie and dinner and ice cream out. *We celebrated earlier in the week because Julia left for Florida-by herself-whole "nother" post* It was a great day and I am so thankful the Lord placed adoption on my heart. I can't imagine life or our family without this little bundle of joy! I love you sweet Jaida and I am blessed to be your Mommy!
Jaida July 2010