Tis the Season for. . .

 

 

Football

 

Proud to be #7's Mama

Proud to be this cute little spectator's Mama too

 

                                 Cheerleading

Proud Mama of 2nd girl from left in first row

Speaking of football and cheerleading. . .
Leiney Grace went to her 1st ever college football game.
She had a BLAST!



IEA Shows

 

                                  Birthdays

Celebrating Ellie's Birthday

All this fun means 1 weary Mama.
Somehow I did manage to rest on my birthday
(thank you honey!)
 

An Unexpected (and unwelcomed) Guest

Any Guesses?

And we're off!

Our homeschooling has officially begun!

Ellie has had a great start to her 1st grade year.
With Ellie, I am using A Reason for Handwriting, Saxon math 1, Explode the Code, and Sonlight Language Arts 1 with 2nd grade readers.  All 3 girls are studying Beautiful Feet's Learning American History Through Literature and Apologia's Astronomy.
For Bible we are using some books we already own.  Right now we are finishing up what we started last year - Bible Stories to Read.  Ellie is super excited that she is starting ballet this year.  She has been a huge Angelina Ballerina fan for years and has waited patiently for her turn to start lessons.

Lilly has had a rough start to 2nd grade (and if she reads this she may get mad, but I am just stating facts!)!  Lilly asked me today what the worse school was.  I, of course, knew that she couldn't wait to tell me that it was HOMESCHOOL!  She has also openly shared that she will NEVER homeschool her kids "like this".  I could go on, but you likely get the picture!  Ahh, the joys of homeschooling a spirited and strongwilled child.  Any advice?  I'm all ears!  Although Lilly is officially a 2nd grader, she is doing 3rd grade work with Leiney Grace.  And, no, the work is not too hard, and it is not the cause of her poor attitude.  Lilly is continuing with gymnastics this year.

Leiney Grace loves school - specifically math!  She would do worksheet after worksheet. Attitude is not a problem for this 3rd grader.  She is eager and excited every day.  This year Leiney Grace and Lilly are using A Reason for Handwriting (cursive), Saxon Math 3, Character Quality Language Arts level 2 (a new curriculum which I stumbled across and so far LOVE), Explode the Code, Sonlight 3rd grade readers, and the same history and science as Ellie.  Leiney Grace is very interested in tennis after watching her older brother, Fulton, play.  She has had a few lessons this summer and will continue in the fall with a small homeschool group.

One new part of our school day is "center time".  I have numerous activities in ziploc bags in a drawer in our school room.  These are the girls' "centers" for when they finish their school work.  Lilly enjoys this part of school.  Just not the "boring" part which is most of our school day according to Lilly.

This past January when we brought the girls home from a charter school, I just pieced together our school with curriculum I already had.  We worked out of our kitchen and our laundry room.  I taught sitting on the floor in the midst of dirty clothes.  Not your ideal set-up.  This summer I spent many hours reorganizing all of our homeschool materials. I have accumulated quite a bit after 11 years.



A wall of our playroom is the new school room.  So far it is working wonderfully.

Heading back up the stairs for school after snack and a quick recess.  Dawson is in Tot- School : )

 

Maps are now hung on the wall rather than being propped up against a chair only to fall down.



Each of the girls has their books neatly stored here. 

And mom/teacher has all of her supplies neatly stored here and in the cabinets above and below.  I was praying that my attempt at relocating the school area as well as my improved organization would ease my load.  After 4 days, I must say it has made a huge difference!  I am actually enjoying homeschooling!  Loving the curriculum and most improtantly loving having my girls home with me. (well, minus the 'tude a certain 7 year old is giving me : ) )

There is one other student in our homeschool this year - Shelby!  Shelby has just started her junior year and with one look in her room, it is quite obvious that school is back in session.

Shelby is taking Honors Biology II and Honors English III at a
 co-op 45 minutes from home.  The rest of her courses are self-taught with a little help from mom now and then.  Saxon Advanced Math (thankfully a friend is taking this with Shelby and her mom is willing to help both of the girls with this challenging course!), Notgrass American History, BJU Spanish 2 with DVDs, My Father's World Personal Finance, and Piano.  Shelby also started working at Chick-fil-a this summer.  She has really enjoyed it and hopes to continue through the school year.
Shelby continues showing her horse, Charlie, and will once again be on a local IEA team (Intescholastic Equestrian Association).

Well, that sums up school for more than half of our kiddos.
Next up - spotlighting the other 4 who will be attending a traditional "brick and mortar school"
It will be a busy year indeed!

Long Overdue . . .Dawson Update

Where, oh where, has this summer gone?
Is it really time to go back to school?

We have had lots of fun this summer - board games!



Dawson always wants to be where the action is- silly faces and all.



This summer Leiney Grace and Ellie found a new love. . .
UNO!



Dawson is doing so well!  He has captured ALL of our hearts (even those who weren't initially in favor of  opening our home and hearts to another little one).  He keeps us smiling and laughing with all of his 2 year old antics.



This summer I have been busier than ever and more tired than I can ever remember.
I wouldn't trade a thing though.  He is worth every bit of it!
Pediatrician visit and subsequent lab work revealed Dawson has no immunity to any of the illnesses in which he was vaccinated for in China.  Thus we are redoing ALL of his vaccines! Thus many visits to the pediatrician and lots of tears!
 



Shriner's Hospital brought peace and concerning news.
Peace came with the unanimous decision from the professionals: no prosthesis in Dawson's near future.
At this point, a prosthesis would only hinder Dawson - it would be heavy and cumbersome.  He needs to learn to navigate this world with his God-given anatomy. Down the road, we will revisit the idea and be open to whatever Dawson wants and whatever is available to aid him to reach his full potential!  



The concern came when the doctors recommended we see a geneticist.  The main reason for this referral is that Dawson has numerous "spots" on his trunk.  The doctors at Shriner's have labeled them as cafe au lait spots.  Our pediatrician is not so sure nor am I.  If they are cafe au lait, Dawson may have a syndrome - bilateral upper limb difference combined with cafe au lait spots.  We have an appointment in March with the geneticist at Shriner's and are seeking a sooner appointment from another genetics center in our state.



I was really shocked by the "cafe au lait" diagnosis and subsequent syndrome concern at Shriner's.  I noticed the spots in China and thought they looked like old scars. Having had time to reflect on this possibility, I am resting in God's perfect plan.
You see David and I did not accept the referral of another little boy who had Tetralogy of Fallot (same heart defect as Leiney Grace) and numerous cafe au lait spots.  We were concerned he had NF 1 or NF 2 - neurofibromatosis.  We said "no" to that little boy only because we did not have a peace about the "spots" which were listed in his referral papers.
God in His sovereignty did not reveal Dawson's "spots" in his referral paperwork.  And I am so thankful that He didn't.  I likely would have missed a tremendous blessing! 
Dawson has started Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy through the Early Intervention program in our state.  He has been referred for Physical Therapy as well.  I am not sure all of these are absolutely necessary.  Dawson amazes us everyday and even amazes his OT with what he can do - without ever having any therapy. 
My heart is bursting to share that just tonight Dawson made huge progress.  The kids had shared that Dawson had gone up the stairs alone.  I did not believe them and cautioned the children not to let Dawson go up the stairs.  He always holds my hand and acts very timid on the stairs. Dawson struggles with balance due to his lack of arms so the stairs have scared me!  Well tonight he wanted to go up so I said "Ok, Dawson you can go up the stairs."  He smiled a huge grin and proceeded to walk upstairs BY. HIMSELF. (He uses his right arm to balance himself up against the wall.) I was SO proud.  A crowd of us gathered at the bottom and cheered him on.  Then I was sad.  He won't be a baby for long : (

There is a lot more to share - more to come!

Starting to forget and wishing I didn't remember

We have just returned from a wonderful week at our favorite beach. Fun beach pictures will eventually get posted, but first a post about something much more important. 
Before we left for our vacation, I wanted to write this post but never found the time.  After reading my dear friend's blog over the last 2 weeks as she spent day after day caring for orphans, I want to share my thoughts and encourage you to visit her blog.  To be fair, I first must warn you.  It is hard stuff to read.  It is sad and disturbing.  I want you to read it, and I want the Lord to break your heart for the orphan just as He broke mine in 2007.

Amy and I travelled together to adopt her Lulu and our Leiney Grace in January 2012.  We have become lifelong friends, and I am so thankful that God placed us together in Changsha, Hunan as we welcomed our daughters into their forever families.  Amy and I share the same passion for the orphan, yet we know we can not keep adding to our families through adoption.  Our hearts want to yet perhaps our husbands do not or the funds aren't there or the list goes on and on.  Yet our hearts remain broken.  We want to be His hands and feet for the orphan.  Amy did just that over these last 2 weeks.  Amy spent day after day serving orphans at Chenzhou Social Welfare Institute.  To be brutally honest, I am terrified to even think about doing what Amy has just done.  I am scared to go to China to serve in an orphanage.  I truly do not know if I have the inner strength.  I have obvioulsy done hard things, (bringing Dawson home alone currently ranks right at the top of the list!), but I just don't know if I could ever do it!  My heart is already broken - how can it possibly stand to witness all of that hoplessness and despair knowing I can not fix it?  Of course, I don't have to go.  It's my choice, right?  Not really.  I think He will send me - eventually.

Amy with her family and me as we prepared to meet our new daughters last January in Changsha, Hunan and then at the end of our trip with our precious girls.

 

Dawson and I have been home for 6 weeks.  We are finding a new normal now, and I am no longer in survival mode on a daily basis. I am forgetting "the labor pains" of adoption.  For me "forgetting" also means that I am starting to allow myself to remember.   I am remembering that there are millions more children waiting to be adopted.  Children living in orphanges with minimal care, minimal access to medical care, and minimal education.  Children like my precious son whom I just brought home.  Now a beloved son who likely would have been a beggar on the streets of China had he not been adopted.  I am forgetting how hard adoption is - the paperwork, the money, the stress, the preparation for the trip, THE TRIP, bonding and attachment difficulties, and the reentry into life.  As life gets easier post-adoption, I remember that my work for the orphan is not done.  I want to forget the overwhelming needs of the millions of orphans that really do exist in our world today - right this very minute!  Oh, how I wish I could simply forget. Forever.  It is so. very. painful to know. Yet at the same time, I know that He who broke my heart for the orphan will never let me forget.  Not as long as there are orphans.  There is simply too much work to be done and too few willing workers to be His hands and feet to the orphan - to serve in an orphange, adopt orphans, give money to orphan relief, spread the word about the orphan crisis, advocate for the waiting children, and the list goes on and on.  Although I would love to live the rest of  my life refusing to "remember" and thinking my work for the orphan is complete, I have realized I can not.  As long as I have breath,  my broken heart for the orphan will exist, and I will seek His will in how I can best serve "the least of these".

Amy's Lulu and our Leiney Grace at a reunioun at our house to celebrate a year of the girls being home with us

Please visit Amy's blog, scroll down, and read her posts about her time spent serving at Chenzhou Social Welfare Institute - the orphange where our Lilly spent her first 19 months.
                   http://popsiclesandpopcorn.blogspot.com
It is well worth your time!  Please take some time to read about the reality of life in an orphange, see the images of the children who are living in an orphange right now, and then pray about how the Lord can use you!  I pray your life will never be the same.

Happy 4th of July

So. Tired. of. Rain.
At least today it was scattered showers.
As David worked on his fishing boat, the littles made themselves  comfortable ~ with umbrellas. 
 

Watermelon is a huge hit at our house.
I prefer it chilled, cut up, in a bowl, and eaten with a fork.  It's much less messy!
The rest of my crew enjoys it room temperature, by the slab, and the messier - the better.  Thus they eat it outside : )

Yummy!

And just like that, it's gone!

This horse swing was a hand-me-down from someone whose children had outgrown it.  David finally had a chance to hang it today. It was a hit!

Did I mention we have had lots of rain?
These 2 decided to go "mudding" on the golf cart around our property.  Then they opted for a mud fight. 

Thank goodness they are old enough to clean themselves up.

 

Dawson enjoyed his first blanket ride courtesy of Lilly and Leiney Grace.

The little bros gave us a piano concert.
Eventually I pleaded with Hudson to stop banging playing and hid the piano. Awful of me I know, but
have you heard the noise one of these old toy pianos produce?
Yikes ~ it is terrible.

Dawson loves the cats, and they tolerate him pretty well!

Our newest American citizen



Such a handsome boy

And whose presence in our family has been such a blessing!

Grateful for all of the freedoms we have in this country including the right to have as many children as one chooses. Many Americans may not think of this freedom very often.  Knowing the result of China's "One Child" policy, this is a freedom every American parent should cherish.  Thanking God for the 9 children He has entrusted to me and for this great country I am blessed to live in. 
Hope you had a great 4th too!