Playgroup!

We had playgroup at our house last week! It is always so fun to get together with this group! Now that many of the children are a little older and in school we don 't get to see each other as much as we used too. The summer will be nice! We will see each other every Friday at a park or at a pool! I am so excited to bring Emma and Ellie this summer! I have already signed them up for a park playgroup with Sarah and a two other friends. Of course I'm not quite sure how it will work out, I will probably have to sit at the park while they play.

Both of our girls has been slow to get in the mix but they are not having any problem now- it just takes time to feel comfortable.

China adoption has slowed down with the long wait but we should have a new little one joining us in about 8 months!! This family has already waited 4 years for their daughter. That is a long, long wait but we all know how worth it- it is!! I can hardly wait for Nancy and her family to get their referral!

This August or September our friends will be bringing home their 13 year old daughter! Our playgroup is continuing to grow! I just love seeing these treasures come home to their forever families! Such Blessings!

Bits of Progress and an Award!

No we are not adopting Ronald McDonald! I hear he already has a family!

Yippee! I got an award on this blog! Thank you to Gayle from A Hope and A Future! I will have to figure it out and get the award over here and then pass it on- but there is only one person worse than Gayle at the computer and it is me! It may take me a couple days!

I just have to share with you that we are getting some great questions from Sarah lately. Instead of "Do pigs talk" he is asking about the seasons, if it is am or pm, can we drink the rain and does Jesus love me? It is so awesome to actually have conversations with her! I am beginning to believe what I say does not go in one ear and out the other! I still have to repeat many things and concepts but she is connecting the dots and it thrills me!!

She is recalling many things that have happened over the last 16 months that she has been home. She is remembering details and she is understanding "Why" much much more! It has been a journey much like our birth children but it has been condensed over 16 months. It is so interesting to see things happen "in order" as she is learning, becoming more comfortable and growing in every way!

Sarah is like a typical 1st grader. writing little notes and reading every sign she sees! Her favorite toys are her American girls! They are perfect for her and she treats them very well. They get lots of love! Sarah is technically supposed to be a young 4th grader put we consider her an older 3rd grader.

She is telling us more and more about China. Not shocking things just things about everyday life. The weather, when they played outside, the clothes, the food, etc. I am feeling like I am hearing the true story now instead of confused thoughts.

Today is Thankful Thursday and I am so thankful for these children that are in our family and those that will be joining us!

Children's museum!

It was Sarah's 10th birthday! We went to the children's museum with my sister and had a wonderful time!

They just happened to have a China exhibit there! The girls loved it! Anna seems to have a natural knack for the Chinese characters!

Here is Sarah in a Chinese classroom!

Onto the waterworks area!

Sarah has been to the Children's Museum 3 times. Each time she likes it better and is more interested in the different activities that are offered!

Yes! We already know what Anna will be doing when she grows up! She will be a cashier at a grocery store! She knew exactly what to do and did miss a beat! All items where scanned! It is especially funny because I order my groceries online! Sometimes she goes with Dad to the grocery store for a few items! That must be how she knows what to do!

It was a busy day at the grocery store! Lot's of shoppers!

It was so funny to watch because they all played together BUT they played separately!

Anna did not care much for the new cashier! She gave her "the look".

Go ahead guess where we ate lunch?

I have n ot introduced dinosaurs to our little homeschool. We need to stay in the present and be concrete! However this exhibit has opened the door to dinosaurs! We will be reading science books on it this week! What a great opportunity! Sarah was interested, Anna was scared to death!

My little birthday turtle!

They have an ant hill- it is so cool! The kids play in the tunnels!

This may have to be another one of our science topics!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Salon Time!

Last time we were in Florida it was quite cool so we did some different things! Both of the girls desperately needed a trim. Their hair was so shaggy on the ends.

One of the girls completely enjoyed the salon experience! She loved being pampered and cared for!

The other one was not so fond of it. She cried the whole time. Anna got 4 inches of shagginess cut off.

She had a hard time sitting still and needed to be in her Daddy's arm. Mom was too busy being the photographer! It may have helped if we would have washed her hair and removed a few of the meals that were caught in it! Oops!

It was traumatic!

But it's looking good and healthy!

Sarah loved every second of it!

After the cut they blew it dry!

And it felt so good!

They styled it!

Now Sarah's hair is healthy and looking good!

Everyone recovered and we were off to lunch!

The Year of The Tiger!

Today was our local FCC (soon to be FCA) CNY party! The girls always have so much fun here!!

We saw lots of friends and met some bloggy friends, too!! Hi Maureen and family!!

Sarah has become much more coordinated and can actually kind of do this!

We met Amy and her family when we traveled to China for Anna! Their daughter Leah is 3 yrs old.

There were lots of games and prizes! The girls had so much fun!

Here are two of their good friends, Amy and Mia!

Waiting their turn!

Sarah is fishing for prizes!

We met Lani and Scott in the beginning of our adoption journey! Ruby is from Taiwan and was the first to come home from our group!

Patricia and her family were there at the celebration! All the kids are from China! The girls are twins!
Elizabeth and Taylan! We see them every year at the CNY celebration! Joan- I was looking for you so I could take a pic of you and your girls! I'm sorry- we didn't run into each other again.

The face painter does an awesome job! Anna picked NiHao Kailan and Sarah is a cat!

Happy Valentines Day!

It has been a long time since I had children making valentines cards! The girls had a wonderful time and did a great job! The baskets are filled and the Valentines are ready to past out!

Sarah is going to HS co-op classes on Wednesdays. She absolutely loves the classes and the kids she has met! There are lots of little ones for Anna to play with too!

This was Sarah's first time passing out Valentines! She loved giving them and receiving them!

Anna passed hers out, too!

The best part was eating all the candy! Sarah like the American holidays! Lots of candy!

Valentines day was a big success!!

"The Snowy Day"

We went to a play today! It was based on the book "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats.

The did a wonderful job, it may be my favorite this year! The girls loved it and were engaged throughout the whole play! Auntie Barbie went with us. It is so wonderful to see their improved attention span- it gets better each time we go to a play! I tend to pick the ones for younger children so both of them can follow it and we read the book ahead of time! They are only one hour long. I am excited for Emma and Ellie to join us!

Sarah wants to be in a play now. I think we have a few hundred things to work on before we add that to the schedule! I told for now focus on doing your very best at Chinese dance, gymnastics and swimming!

This may sound odd but we are working at communicating accurately. Having the appropriate emotions that match the circumstance. Being considerate of others schedules (and realizing we are not the center of the universe). I can't really imagine encouraging her to learn how to pretend and fake her feelings when we are trying to do just the opposite- do you know what I mean?

Anyway- we had a wonderful time! I think we will continue going to the plays and not being in them!