Life's Little Wonders

Dancing Girls

2012-02-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

Dance till the stars come down from the rafters
Dance, Dance, Dance till you drop.
~W.H. Auden

Guess who is four?

2012-02-03T11:30:00.006-07:00

Today, is Silas' fourth birthday.

I think he likes it!

We sent him another care package through Gifts to China with Love and they delivered it to him yesterday (since that was his birthday in China), which means I am lucky enough to receive photos of him today!

He looks happy and healthy and BIG.

I assume these photos are taken in his foster home. I scour every detail trying to picture what his life is like right now.

I needed these this week. We have passed the middle mark in the wait for our LOA, and I am tired of waiting.

I am joining in on Favorite Photo Friday.

“I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3

A Year of Graces

2012-02-02T11:57:00.003-07:00

"Joy is always a function of gratitude -- and gratitude is always a function of perspective. If we are going to change our lives, what we're going to have to change is the way we see." - Ann Voskamp

Like most everyone else, I am jumping onto the One Thousand Gifts bandwagon. I love this book. I love the writing. I love the simplicity. I love the thought process. If you haven't read it yet, you really should, it will change your life.

I also follow Ann's blog A Holy Experience. I am inspired by her words and photos each and every day, they touch me deeply. I can relate to Ann's life somewhat. She is Canadian. She has six children. She has a husband who works hard and loves her and her family. She is Mennonite.

Ann encourages us to journal our gratitude. To write them down and even photograph them. I am doing a bit of both.

So here is some of what I am grateful for this January.

“Practice is the hardest part of learning, and training is the essence of transformation.” -- Ann Voskamp

Baby Joshua

2012-01-31T15:35:00.006-07:00

This is my sweet nephew Joshua. You might remember the newborn photos I took of him here.

Oh, how I remember those days with babies… it wasn't that long ago! How one minute you could barely stand how cute they are and the next you just want one minute alone! Actually, I still have those days...

It is always nice to have a baby to cuddle and play with, but nice too when you get to give them back to their parents when they get fussy or tired.

Having a baby is one of the most wonderful things in your life, as well as the hardest thing in your life. ~Nuno Bettencourt

Prosciutto Wrapped Mozza Balls

2012-01-29T10:55:00.002-07:00

This is a family favourite.

One of my favourite restaurants makes this dish, and after craving it ALL THE TIME, I decided I should figure out how to make it.

Prosciutto Wrapped Mozza Balls:

Wrap cocktail boccocini balls in long strips of prosciutto and fry in non stick pan, until the prosciutto sticks shut and the mozza is warm.

Tomato Sauce:

2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of olive oil and peppers diced tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, diced
2 medium onions, diced
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
chopped fresh basil

Saute onions and garlic in 3 tbsp. of olive oil until soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour. (I use an immersion blender to make the sauce less chunky).

Put some mozza balls into a bowl and spoon sauce over top. Top with parmesan and serve with warm greek pitas.

Where are we at...

2012-01-27T12:45:00.003-07:00

Hi Paige:

I have asked the status of LOA just before the Chinese holiday. Your status:
your document is in the administration office. We (I let my brother ) to
ask for it to speed it up, and the staff there know it. After the
Chinese holiday, we will ask for this again.

Best regards

Happy Chinese New Year!

Yulin

Oh, how I love Yulin! Hopefully, this means that it will be done soon.

We are on day 67 right now, with the average being 60 days.

LOA means Letter of Acceptance, which is China's final approval for us to adopt Xingui. Once we have this, we will know when we will travel (4 - 8 weeks later).

Silas' Finding Ad

2012-01-25T16:42:00.004-07:00

We received Silas' finding ad. He is the baby in the middle. It is very blurry and looks like he has no eyes, but he was found at ten days old in an underground tunnel and taken to the local police station.

He was immediately hospitalized for pneumonia and because of the cyst on his lower back.

This is the earliest photo we will ever have of sweet Silas.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is the Year of the Dragon.

THE WATER DRAGON 1952 AND 2012

Water has a calming effect on the Dragon's fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people. However, their actions can go wrong if they do not research or if they do not finish one project before starting another.

This year it can be expected that the 2012 Year of Dragon would be a happy and joyful one especially for the Dragon people. It is also believed that the Dragon Year 2012 would bring for all of us good luck and charm.

We celebrated by inviting friends over for a celebration dinner. It may not have been the most traditional dinner. But it was good! Ribs, wings, rice, dumplings, steam buns, lettuce wraps, chicken chop suey... and fingerkilochi for dessert... we like to mix a bit of Mennonite in with our Chinese!

A child's life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark.-- Chinese Proverb

With true friends...even water drunk together is sweet enough. --Chinese Proverb

Eli is Eleven

2012-01-19T11:13:00.005-07:00

Today, Eli is eleven.

What a joy this boy can be. I haven't always been able to say this about him. At times, he almost made me snap! But I knew that when he finally did start to mature, he would be one amazing kid. And I was right!

Eli amazes us.

This boy can do anything he puts his mind to. And he does have to figure everything out. I wonder where he gets that from… not me.

All he wanted for his birthday was a bike, stuff for his guitar and dinner out with his family.

He got all three.

Now we just need the temperature to warm up and the snow to melt and my boys can head off to the skatepark once again...

We love you Eli! Happy Birthday.

Back on Skates

2012-01-17T11:00:00.006-07:00

After a bit of pressure… Abby was convinced to get back onto skates after years of refusing to try it again.

This is what happened the last time she skated…

But when you have a boyfriend who loves to skate… I guess you have to be willing to try.

They were really cute…

They actually did a couple of laps around the lake… and she said she would go out again.

Micah is Eight

2012-01-15T09:48:00.002-07:00

I will miss the baby he was... but look forward to the man he will become.

Today, Micah is eight years old.

I feel like the eighth birthday is a big one. They seem to suddenly go from being a little kid, to a big kid.

When Micah was born, I knew he would be my last baby. I never wanted to put him down and I wanted to remember every sweet moment. Those dirty faces... the blankie... the goofy faces... the toothless grins...

He fills our lives with joy and laughter. He is a great big brother and a great little brother. He is full of affection and still loves to cuddle.

We celebrated his day with bowling and laser tag. Pizza, pop, cake kabobs and his favourite friends.

“Your birthday is a special time to celebrate the gift of 'you' to the world." -- Author Unknown

Happy Birthday Micah! We love you!

Care Package

2012-01-12T10:26:00.002-07:00

We sent Silas a care package through Gifts to China with Love.

The cake actually says Happy Birthday… his birthday isn't until February.

He looks happy and well cared for.

We ordered another of the lovely silk pillows, as we had for Zoe. The day we got Zoe, they said that she had brought it along, but had dropped it in the street. I am sure, somewhere in China, someone has a red silk pillow on their sofa, with a photo of Tim and I!

i heart faces: {best face photo from 2011}

2012-01-09T11:36:00.005-07:00

Check out more entries at I Heart Faces.

Christmas in Phoenix

2012-01-08T15:51:00.000-07:00

Was wonderful.

Was beautiful.

Was fun.

Was joyful.

Was all about family.

We didn't miss the snow and cold. We enjoyed the house and the pool. We loved hiking in the mountains and seeing the amazing sunsets. We loved the drive from Phoenix to Los Angeles.

Everyday, I was filled with gratitude to the One who has given this all to me.

Out of Africa

2012-01-03T12:04:00.004-07:00

Yesterday, we headed north to Camp Verde to Out of Africa Safari Park. I would highly recommend this park to everyone. The shows were wonderful and the animals were very active compared to those you see in zoos.

We started out the day in the "bus" where we drove through an area where we could feed the giraffe and camel. We also saw the zebras and other animals up close! Tim even got a on the mouth kiss from the giraffe with its very long and wet tongue!

We found some lions at the back of their cage and the male wasn't too impressed that we were disturbing them! He was too lazy to get up, but he roared at us and bared his big teeth.

The tiger splash show was the best... can you imagine having a job of playing with tigers (and hyena's) all day! It was like a big kitten.

The hyena's loved playing with Abby through the fence.

The Rest of Disneyland

2012-01-01T14:56:00.003-07:00

We had a great time at Disneyland. We went from morning until late at night and the kids were exhausted... as well as Tim and I!

The decorations were beautiful and standing on main street while they lit up the castle for the night, it snowed...

We always get a lot of comments and questions, but there is something about the people that work at theme parks that are so encouraging. We had numerous workers talk to us about adoption. One woman went on and on about how wonderful it was and she thanked us for doing this and praised our bio kids for being such great siblings. These people make my day!

I am joining in on Sunday Snapshot.

Princesses

2011-12-31T13:26:00.003-07:00

What a day this was for the little girls! We started the day at Bippity Boppity Boutique, where they had the full princess makeover. This place really goes over the top, but it was very sweet and they loved it!

We are stared at every where we go on a regular basis, but this day... we were REALLY stared at. The girls got a lot of compliments.

We then headed over to Ariel's Grotto for lunch were we met a few of the princesses.

"Laughter is timeless, Imagination has no age and Dreams are forever!"-- Walt Disney

Wordless Wednesday:{Disneyland}

2011-12-28T09:41:00.002-07:00

Preschool Christmas Concerts

2011-12-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

The girls had a tots concert at our church Saturday night and did a very good job. My camera did not work when I got there so I am hoping that someone will send me a copy of their video.

Sunday morning, we headed to the Lutheran Church where they did part of their preschool Christmas concert for the congregation and then Tuesday night was their actual preschool concert.

No close up photos of Lilah… she wasn't in the mood.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and wonderful 2012!

Sweet Silas

2011-12-22T11:15:00.001-07:00

"I have seen the Vision and for self I cannot live;
Life is less than worthless till my all I give."-- Oswald J. Smith

This is the very first photo we saw of Xingui.

How could I not fall in love…

He is only 18 months old here.

Silas has post-operative meningocele. It is a type of Spina Bifida, but his diagnosis is looking pretty good from the information that we have. He walks and runs and is potty trained.

He is said to be introverted and shy. People love him. He is clever and smart.

He was found in a subway station at ten days old and taken to the hospital. He weighed 8 lbs. 13 oz. He had pneumonia a umbilical hernia and a cyst on his back, which was operated on immediately through the Tomorrow Plan. He was in hospital for two months, then transferred back to the orphanage until he was placed with his foster family at eight months old.

He lives in Hunan. I am very excited to visit this Province. It is known as the spicy Province and has some beautiful places to see.

Every adoption from China can be so different. Depending on the orphanage, the director of that orphanage, the location, etc. We have had a short note sent to us from the director and she says this:

"MS ZHAO YING SAID LI XIN GUI IS IN FOSTER CARE.SHE IS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR FROM HIS FOREVER FAMILY.THEY WILL SEND UPDATE SOON."

We hope to meet the foster family (as we did Lilah's) to tour the orphanage (we have never been able to tour the girls orphanages) and to visit his finding spot (also never got to see the girls as they were too far away). We hope his care is overseen by Half the Sky as they will provide a lot of information and photos from his very first days… although not until he is officially adopted.

We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life.
But those who make their journey home across time & miles,
growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them,
are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us
by God's very own hands.
--- Kristi Larson

Along came a boy...

2011-12-20T08:44:00.004-07:00

You have all picked up on my hints…

Lilah drew that family photo back in the Spring, when we were just thinking about doing this again -- trying to ignore the calling and ignore the image of his sweet little face in our minds… But she handed me that picture and it struck me hard.

ALL OF OUR KIDS have asked repeatedly for us to adopt again. Our family has a heart for adoption and a heart for the people of China.

There is a long story behind this adoption. One I can't share publicly until he is home and officially ours, as things here are being done slightly out of the norm. Our Province has strict rules on how things are to be done. But I will share eventually.

Introducing our newest family member and beautiful son…

Li Xingui
From Changsha, Hunan, China
Born February 3, 2008

Soon to be Silas Xingui Riegel

We are hoping to travel in the Spring to get him. We were matched with him December 13th and are now waiting for our Letter of Acceptance from China (which means they approve of us adopting him). This letter can take anywhere from two weeks to four months to come. Once we have that letter, we will get our travel dates.

Xingui has been in foster care for three years (which terrifies me) and we believe he is involved with Half the Sky Foundation. His orphanage and foster family have now been told that he is being adopted and we are preparing a care package for him in celebration of this!

We are so excited and feel so blessed to adopt this little boy. I will be sharing more about him and his story soon!

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.-- Psalm 16:11

the Ladybug tree

2011-12-19T10:52:00.001-07:00

When taking photos in the Fall, I came across this strange tree. The leaves were FULL of ladybugs. Lots were alive, but it seemed to be a tree where ladybugs go to die, as there were a lot of dead ladybugs as well.

I have never seen anything like it.

Ladybugs hold a special place in our hearts. Ladybugs represent good luck in the Chinese community and seeing a Ladybug often means that a referral is imminent in the adoption world.

Lilah's family drawing

2011-12-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

Adoption Christmas Party

2011-12-12T11:04:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, was our Adoption Agencies annual Christmas party.

We have never gone before, but were really glad we did this year. We were able to connect with people we haven't seen in awhile and the kids had a blast. There were jumping tents, crafts, stories, music and lots of food.

Santa also came and surprised all of the children with a gift. When our kids were called up, Lilah ran up to Santa and hugged his leg with the biggest smile on her face!

The Mischievous One

2011-12-09T11:33:00.010-07:00

Zoe is a cutie and always makes us laugh… but the girl is wearing me down!

I understand her need for wanting certain things… like picking her own clothes (usually a summer dress with no tights and summer shoes)… or asking for a snack, being told to wait a minute and throwing a tantrum on the floor… just being told to wait and her saying "I wait too long!"… or her trying to do her own hair (which involves many small elastics and bows over top of her ears)… but the big one right now is us saying NO to something and her laughing and doing it again. Her sneaking into any one's Lypsol or lip gloss, because it is very important for her to look and feel pretty and girly.

It is all pretty typical toddler stuff and she is testing her boundaries. The good thing about Zoe is she accepts discipline well. She goes to her time out spot willingly and after a few minutes is ready to apologize. And she always knows exactly what she did wrong. And she forgives easily.

Zoe will climb up on our laps and cuddle. She will walk by me and kiss my hand or arm. She will blow kisses if she is across the room. She loves to play with my hair.

Her newest thing, is that she will ask for something (like polishing her nails) and when I say no, she says "But I NEVER tried it before!"

Through all of her mischievous and trying ways… she will suddenly look up at you with a grin and sparkly eyes and we melt all over again.

Loving Preschool

2011-12-07T13:02:00.001-07:00

The girls love Preschool. They love going every single time. They have made great little friends and I have seen such improvements in maturity in both of them. Lilah is seeing that everybody has to obey the rules and follow orders and Zoe is learning to stretch her attention span.

The teacher told me yesterday how much she loves my girls. How she fell in love with them the first day of school. Because they are adopted. She is also in the process of adoption and is in the waiting stage and it is wearing her down. She often pulls me aside to talk and I am more than willing to encourage her that it will happen and her fears are quite normal.

The class is preparing for their Christmas concert. Lilah is a sheep and Zoe is the donkey. I have been warned by the teacher that Zoe has to stand in the middle of the stage and it will likely be quite entertaining. Anyone who knows Zoe... knows exactly what that means! I really hope her future teachers will find her just as amuzing!

I am so grateful for this multi-cultural Christian preschool, that has biological families, adoptive families and foster families. I am so grateful for such a wonderful teacher, who loves my girls!

*crazy hair day!

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other.

Christmas Photos

2011-12-04T13:12:00.006-07:00

It's a lot of photos of a lot of kids… I wonder if other mother's yell at their kids "Just smile and we can be done!"

As I was preparing my kitchen area to do a newborn photo shoot this weekend, I decided my own kids would be good practice. I wanted to try Christmas lights as a back drop and it took a few tries to get it the way I liked it. But I love taking more formal photos of my kids a couple of times a year, especially at Christmas.

We are headed into a crazy couple of weeks and I will be glad when it is over and we can settle down, head to the desert with our family and just ENJOY the season.

I am joining in on Sunday Snapshot.

It's beginning to look...

2011-12-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

A lot like Christmas!

I have been trying a lot of new recipes that I find on Pinterest.

Angel Bites

3 tablespoons reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
food coloring (optional) - i used a few drops of yellow to get a very soft butter color
4 to 4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
about 1/4 cup superfine or granulated sugar
beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy, about two minutes. add the mint and food coloring, if using, and mix until blended.
add the confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until it forms a stiff mixture.
form balls with about 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture. roll in the superfine sugar and flatten with your thumb or tines of a fork. store in the refrigerator.

Candy Cane Blossoms

1 bag Hershey's Kisses brand Candy Cane Kisses
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons milk
Red and Green coloured sugar

Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove wrappers from candies (approx. 35)

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternatively with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in red and/or green colored sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 - 1o minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies is set. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Yields approximately 35 cookies.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-30T08:12:00.003-07:00

Book Review: {Shield}

2011-11-28T10:05:00.003-07:00

This e book is written by an adoption advocate that lives in my city. She has seven children, some bio, some by the foster to adopt program and some through international adoption.

I believe this book is a MUST READ for anyone entering into adoption for the first time. Sharla gives much practical advice to prepare for the changes ahead. It is also a great book to read if you are entering adoption for a second, third, fourth time! It has some great pointers to preparing your home and mind for a new child. It talks a lot about self-care, which seems to keep coming up in my life lately. And as selfish as putting yourself first can seem, you really cannot take care of a child, or children, or even your spouse, if you don't take care of yourself first.

You can buy the book here.

The love of a Surgeon

2011-11-25T09:14:00.007-07:00

This is my favourite photo from Tim's trip to China.

Faith and knowledge lean largely upon each other in the practice of medicine. ~Peter Mere Latham

Tim isn't in this photo, but I love the compassion and care that is shown here by the surgeon and the nurse to this severely burnt baby.

Never did I think that I would marry a surgeon. It hasn't always been easy and it has been a long road to get to this point in our lives... but I am thankful everyday that I am married to such a skilled man.

We all have purpose in life and I knew very early in our marriage that Tim would go far. I knew that someday he would serve in this way. I knew in Medical School that he would end up doing Plastic Surgery. I knew in residency that he would end up doing burns. I knew that he would do mission work.

You can see that this team has a lot of fun together. Playing with the silly Chinese OR hats.

Surgeons must be very careful
When they take the knife!
Underneath their fine incisions
Stirs the Culprit - Life!
~Emily Dickinson

Even though they see such horrific things on these trips, the people are simply grateful... and I think that makes it all worth while.

Enjoying the Snow

2011-11-22T18:54:00.004-07:00

Today, we came out of the deep freeze and enjoyed temperatures of +5C.

Zoe begs to go outside everyday and I have to explain that it is too cold. Today, was the perfect day for her to play in the snow.

Her joy in EVERYTHING continues to amaze me.

The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.— Henry Ward Beecher

The Stone Forest

2011-11-21T11:31:00.005-07:00

While in China, Tim had ONE day off. They used this day to go to The Stone Forest.

O LORD, how manifold are your works! in wisdom have you made them all: the earth is full of your riches.-- Psalm 104:24

Tim and Patrick. Patrick and his wife traveled with us last November to China to adopt Su Yee. I had mentioned to his wife, what a blessing it is for these men to go and serve in the country of our daughter's birth.

Forty

2011-11-17T09:13:00.019-07:00

Today, Tim turns forty. I think it is the longest 40th birthday ever... it was his birthday yesterday when he left China and is still his birthday today, as he enters Canada!

We have changed a little bit in the 23 years that we have been together... but that is okay, because we change together!

Happy Birthday Tim! See you soon!

Medical Mission

2011-11-16T09:35:00.010-07:00

This post is an excerpt from my Father in Laws emails... it gives you a bit of a glimpse of what they are doing in China.

At the Rehab Hospital in another part of the city, doctors, PT, OT, nursing and others have gathered to assess the approximately 100 potential surgical candidates. Decisions are based on a number of factors. Is it possible to do? Is it the right timing (for some surgeries on children age and development are taken into account)? Will surgery make a functional difference for the person? and so forth. Many of them are unbelievably disfigured. Huge tumors, a pinky finger that is turned 180 degrees and attached to the wrist, gnarled hands due to burns, cleft lips and palates, a black mole covering the whole face. This is a mere sample of what is needed.
Shortly after lunch a phone call informs us that surgeries will begin about 2pm. That means we need to prepare medications to be given just prior to surgery. The people start to arrive. They sit on beds in the hall, waiting. As it turns out it was not until 3pm that the first cases went for surgery. Just before they are moved upstairs they are given a dose of an antibiotic and Tylenol. One after another the call comes from the OR to pre-medicate patients and have them brought up for surgery. One by one they return. The ward doctor then decides on what medications they require to prevent infection and control pain. If strong pain killers are used they also need something to lessen nausea and constipation. Once we receive those orders we move into action providing individualized doses for 4 daily dose times. On this day the surgeons decide to add a couple of patients to the list and they carry on until 7-7:30. Normally they are supposed to be out of the OR by 6pm. Oops! With jet lag and all we are all tired but complete the day. Those of us who stayed to the end had missed the team meal. As we are walking back to the hotel we found that most places to eat were already closed. While the group is deciding what to do Tim and I return to the hotel and locate a KFC (24 hours) we had heard was near by. After we dragged ourselves back to the hotel we fell into bed ready to begin all over again at 6am the next morning.

I find it quite interesting that my response to being here this year is quite different than last year. Last year everything was new. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the people, the transportation, the stores and so forth. So far I have not taken a single picture.
But the purpose remains the same. There are people here that are experiencing life changing surgeries. The child that had a second left thumb removed. People who are able to use their hands again. Some who are able to walk with ease now. A child who was severely burned who had a “contracture release” of the eyelids and can now close his eyes. The same thing with his mouth so he can again eat properly. One can not begin to fathom the change these surgeries will have in the years to come. A not so little boy who has been coming for a number of years to repair the damage caused by burns.
The days have been grueling. Each day begins at 5:30-6am and often ends at 9-10pm. Fortunately there are some important members of the team who take care of us. They run errands to take things to other sites where we are working. Some times we need them to go shopping to purchase supplies or medicine. Most importantly when we can not take time to go out to eat they purchase food at nearby restaurants and bring the food to us. There never seems to be a lack of snacks either.
We now have patients at 3 different hospitals. One of our pharmacists returned home today so our human resources have been severely stretched. I was fortunate to set up pharmacy for just one day where the operations occurred today. The challenge in being spread out over different facilities is finding out that a medication we need, or a bottle or something related to packaging has not made the journey with us. This happened a couple of times today. Fortunately we were a short walk away from the other hospital and could easily retrieve what we needed with relative ease.
Today as I walked between locations I was amazed at how efficiently a seemingly dysfunctional traffic system operates. The road is shared by cars, truck, buses, bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, and even the occasional cart pulled by a person. There is a lot of horn honking. Yet in the midst of what seems like chaos, the traffic moves. Lane markings on the pavement serve as suggestions. If there are 2 lanes that are often three rows of traffic. Often vehicles straddle the line as if to indicate that they wish the opportunity to move either right or left depending on which lane they think might be faster. At other times, especially at intersections of major roads, traffic passes one another in what I might liken to the RCMP musical ride. They cross paths and one would think that a collision is imminent. But as they weave their way across the intersection everyone comes out on the other side without incident.
Crossing the street as a pedestrian is also an adventure, but one I feel quite comfortable about. The trick is not to freeze in the headlights, so to speak. When it is busy you can only make it one “lane” at a time. First you have to watch for bicycle and electric scooters along the curb. They sneak up quietly. Sometimes from the opposite direction than they should be going. Then there are 2-3 lanes coming at your from the left. Once you make it to the centre line you may now have to wait for a stream of traffic approaching from the right. And don’t forget about the scooter/bicycle traffic. At night the challenge is doubled because headlights appear to be optional, especially on bicycles and scooters.

On our way back from lunch at a nearby eatery one of the team purchased a pomelo. At the moment there are street vendors with cart loads of them every where. Apparently they are in season. There are also bananas by the bunches on carts waiting to be sold. Since we were in the hurry up and wait mode, the pomelo peel ended up on my head to the delight of some of the staff and squeals from the children. That lead to a number of pictures with groups of kids. It is so fun to interact with them. After this event the doctor who works at the hospital asked how many grandchildren I have. I guess he thought that my goofiness indicated that there might be grandchildren.
Orders began to arrive fairly soon once the doctors came, but with 25-30 patients still at Rehab hospital it took a long time for all of them to be seen. For many today was the first day that bandages were removed after surgery. This is a long process so order changes trickled in over the next hour or so. The pharmacy team worked hard to complete the orders because tonight was a team dinner. We managed to complete things by about 5pm and head out for the bus ride back to the hotel.

Tim and his dad are on their way home -- 24 hours of travelling and he will be home!

Missing Tim

2011-11-13T11:45:00.008-07:00

The orphan Sunday post is a bit annoying as the video I posted automatically plays, so you will have to pause it first!

These first nine days with Tim to China have gone by quickly, but we are at that point where it is time for him to come home. The kids are losing it and I am tired.

Tim was sick with a stomach bug yesterday on their one day off, so I hope he is better when he wakes up so he can get back to work.

They are all working very hard, and yet he wishes they could work even harder! They have had to turn some patients away due to OR shortages. They have seen things that you would never see here in North America. But they all feel so blessed to be able to help these people who have gone through such tragedy.

Tim feels blessed that he was able to travel with his dad this time (his dad is a pharmacist) and also with Patrick, who we traveled with to China last November to get our girls. He also loves reconnecting with the team and maintaining the friendships that they have.

By the way... I don't really have to sleep alone... the minute Daddy is gone, Micah sleeps with me!

It is hard to connect with Tim with the crazy time difference, he is 15 hours ahead of us... but I know he reads my blog and so this song makes me think of him.

Comments and Questions

2011-11-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Some of the comments and questions I get on a daily basis...

Are they twins?

Are they sisters?

Are you married to a Chinese man?

How old are they?

Oh, she is very tiny!

Are they from China?

You can't save them all.

I would love to adopt, but it costs way too much.

I would love to adopt... but...

We have always thought about adopting.

You should have her face looked at by a doctor.

What is wrong with her face?

How long did it take to get them?

They are so cute!

Are you adopting another one?

I think two kids is enough, one for each parent.

Are you putting them in violin?

It is so sad about girls in China.

What a wonderful thing you are doing.

They are so lucky.

How many kids do you have? Six! No wonder you are so skinny!

How many kids do you have? Six! How do you stay so skinny?!

You are crazy.

Most of the comments are positive, but there are always a few that hit hard. I hate the standard "adoption comebacks" because for the most part I think that people are just curious and somewhat ignorant on how adoption works. I am fine with educating them. I hate the standard answers like "oh, we are the lucky ones!" because I think it goes both ways -- they are lucky, millions of orphans are still waiting for families. Or, "no they aren't biologically related, but now they are sisters." Really, does it matter?

I was being asked questions at the girls preschool yesterday and the teacher laughed (she is in the adoption process and had pulled me aside last week to talk to me about China) and said maybe I should just give a talk.

Sometimes, I wish I could give the first answers that come to my mind, but they can sometimes be harsh. Such as, the woman yesterday, who told me they had looked into adoption, but it was too expensive. I wanted to say "yet you drive a brand new van, wear the brand name clothes and just built a new house" but I held my tongue.

To the ones who think we are crazy, I think they are crazy for having only two. How boring! My house is loud and crazy and messy and I work non-stop to keep up with it all... but it is so amazing! I often look around our table at dinner and think WOW... how did I get here? How amazing is my life?!

Besides the comments and questions, there are the stares. You should see peoples faces when our entire family walks onto an airplane! Or anywhere for that matter! I love it! But sometimes we also get rude stares and whispers, especially concerning Lilah...

And then we get the hugs and the hand squeezes and the smiles from complete strangers and we realize once again that some people are on our side.

One year with Zoe

2011-11-08T08:00:00.001-07:00

Today marks one year with Zoe. This year has gone by so quickly! She has brought so much joy and laughter to our home.

She became very comfortable with us, very quickly. I think she instantly knew that her life was going to be better and she wasn't interested in going back.

This girl has a BIG personality. She is very dramatic and her antics make us laugh. She makes it difficult to get angry at her. She is affectionate. She is smart. She is everything that a child who spent the first 3 1/2 years in an orphanage should not be.

She is an example of an "easy" adoption. Her paperwork was fast. She adjusted so well. She fits right in. She hasn't upset the dynamics of our family. She accepts discipline and guidance.

We are so glad we can call her ours.

I didn't give you the gift of life,
But in my heart I know.
The love I feel is deep and real,
As if it had been so.

For us to have each other
Is like a dream come true!
No, I didn't give you
The gift of life,
Life gave me the gift of you.
--- Unknown

Orphan Sunday

2011-11-06T08:48:00.011-07:00

Today is orphan Sunday.

Think about this, it is estimated there are between 143 million and 210 million orphans worldwide (recent UNICEF report.)

Only 4 % of boys over the age of 4 years will find a family.

Every day 5,760 more children become orphans.

Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…

Each year 14, 505, 000 children grow up as orphans and age out of the system by age sixteen.

Each day 38,493 orphans age out.

Every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out with no family to belong to and no place to call home.

In Russia and the Ukraine, studies have shown that 10% – 15% of these children commit suicide before they reach age eighteen.

Studies also show that 60% of the girls become prostitutes and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals

Another Russian study reported that of the 15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed, 6,000 were homeless and 3,000 were in prison within three years…

It frustrates me to hear these statistics. It frustrates me that I CONSTANTLY get comments about how people would love to adopt, but then they come up with excuses. I know not everyone is meant to adopt, but I know that more people are called to adopt, then do. When you obey God's calling... he will bless abundantly.

Job 36:11
“If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.”

Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Favorite Photo Friday

2011-11-04T08:00:00.002-06:00

I'm only one. But still, I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
-- Edward Everett Hale

Check out more favorite photos at The Long Road to China.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

Halloween

2011-10-31T10:58:00.007-06:00

This year we have a Strawberry Shortcake -- or Strawberry Tallcake -- as her friends may say.

Anakin Skywalker.

And two cute little fairies...

We have Luke Skywalker.

And some creepy underwear man. Who I will not be posting pictures of. It was just weird.

We carved pumpkins.

We hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

November is Adoption Awareness Month

2011-10-30T09:51:00.000-06:00

Is everyone here?

by Charlotte Riegel

In 2007, a girl was born in a country that did not value girls. Being unable to access necessary medical attention for her daughter, the mother chose to abandon her child on the steps of a busy library knowing she would be given the chance at life she could not provide. The baby was taken to a medical facility and later placed into a foster home as an orphan.

Halfway around the world, a couple with four children of their own, began the arduous task of completing a mound of paperwork for adopting a girl, on the very day this orphan was born. The wait for a placement was agony.

After many months without the girl they were praying for, the hopeful parents amended their application to include a child with minor disability. Soon after, they were contacted about this little girl who was born with a craniofacial cleft. They eagerly accepted the challenge.

Lilah did not choose the life she was born into nor the family she was placed with shortly after birth. Neither did she choose the lifestyle and love of family she now enjoys in a Canadian home. Adoption is God’s plan and it is not a new concept.

Moses, Esther, and Jesus were all adopted. They were nurtured and educated by someone who had not given them physical life. The Egyptian Princess, Mordecai, and Joseph had no idea of the role they were playing in God’s bigger picture, but they were willing to love a child that was not born of their flesh and blood. Are you?

November is Adoption Awareness Month. There are millions of children around the world, including some living in Canada, who need what most of us take for granted – the love and nurture of a parent.

Wendy Robinson of Christian Adoption Services says, “Every child we parent provides one more space in an orphanage for a child in need of a safe place. In many countries the orphanages are full and regularly turn away infants and children, only to find them abandoned on the steps of the orphanage. Mothers, who are starving, know their child will die and the only hope they have is placing them in orphanage care.”

If children are not adopted and grow up in an orphanage, during their teen years they are forced to leave and survive on their own in whatever way they are able. Many become trapped in the sex trade or illegal drug industry.

Though not everyone can adopt internationally, some can help locally by caring for a child needing temporary care. If the child is unable to return to their birth family, foster parents may choose to adopt him or her. Many of the adoptions in this province are by foster families adopting the child in their care.

Look around your dinner table, asking yourself and God, “Is everyone here?”

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans...in their distress...” – James 1:27

Christian Adoption Services (http://www.christianadoption.ab.ca/) would be happy to answer your questions and help guide you through this God honouring journey.

Charlotte Riegel is a Calgary based freelance writer with two internationally adopted grand- children.

This article was published in City Light Magazine. It can be found here.

I am joining in on Sunday Snapshot.

The end of a week

2011-10-28T09:14:00.004-06:00

This week has been one of those weeks. Full of stress. No down time. Too much to do. And feeling overwhelmed by it all.

Tim is stressed. He is heading to China for two weeks for his annual medical mission and the paperwork has been a little slow going and I haven't had the time to help him with it. I am excited that he gets to go and do this trip again. He loves it! But it means me and SIX kids... I am trying to mentally prepare myself for two weeks of busy and that it just might be okay to skip some activities if need be... to keep my sanity.

Lilah is still having some issues and at some point hopefully I will be able to share more in depth what these are and how we dealt with them, but it is wearing me down emotionally.

Trying to look at the positive side of things... this week is finally over and everything got done that needed to get done. We are looking forward to some Halloween activities this weekend. Our community has some fun stuff going on, the kids have their costumes ready to go and parties to prepare for.

I found these skirts (with leggings underneath) while in Phoenix and the girls love them. Zoe repeats over and over "I am so pretty!" Yes, she is. Despite the stress sometimes... I would change nothing about my life. I have been given more than I ever asked for.

Some difficulties teach patience
Some difficulties teach us to have compassion
Some difficulties teach gratitude
Some difficulties teach us to die to self
Some difficulties build character

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. -- Proverbs 3: 5-6

I heart faces: {let them be little}

2011-10-24T15:38:00.004-06:00

This photo of our two littlest ones exudes such joy... it makes us smile to see these two girls so happy and full of life. I do wish they could stay little... at least for a while longer.

Check out more "let them be little" entries at I heart faces.

Caramel Apples

2011-10-23T09:28:00.002-06:00

I bought the caramel apple kit from Costco. Actually, I bought two... and it is a good thing! These were easy, fun to make and delicious.

Ours may not be as pretty as the ones on the box.

But I may have to go back to the store and stock up on these.

This week I am joining in on Sunday Snapshot.

Phoenix

2011-10-20T09:20:00.006-06:00

This is where I spent my weekend.

We recently bought a house (together with my sister and her husband) down in Phoenix. The house will be our vacation home. A place to escape the harsh and long winters that we have here. A place for our entire family to go together and be together.

My mom, sister and I went up to shop and decorate the house and to get it ready for Christmas holidays, when we will all be there together. It was a lot of shopping, but the house is ready and we did also get to enjoy some down time by the pool.

It was so strange to us to see the landscapers out planting pansies and petunias. This is their planting season as the weather is starting to cool off for the winter. Which really means it is the same as our summer. Our landscaping was just completed and everything is starting to bloom.

One night we headed out to Scottsdale to the ipic luxury theater to watch Footloose. Which was awesome. I am addicted to this theater. Sitting in recliners with blankets and pillows. Drinking wine and eating while watching the movie. Amazing.

I had to bring some treats back for the kids.

And Josiah did break his arm while I was gone. Skateboarding. It was bound to happen. They didn't tell me until I got home, as they didn't want me to worry!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T18:27:00.003-06:00

A new Do

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

This is the much improved Lilah.

I have so much trouble with her hair. I want to grow it out, but it is so fine and she only grows little wisps for bangs... it ends up looking like a fly away mullet...

See before.

Beaners finally opened up a store in our city. We thought we would check it out. It gave Zoe a place to play while Lilah had her haircut in the BMW mini.

Lilah wasn't too sure she wanted her hair cut. Like every little girl she wants it long. But once we ranted and raved about how pretty she looked, she was beaming. Once they put the heart shaped sparkles in, it was even more okay.

Somehow, this style just suits her.

So pretty.

The Anderson's

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Who are these fabulous children? They are my nephews and my niece. I have to admit that I don't always like other people's kids! But there is something special about a sisters children.

I have a great family. My sister and I are very close, we may not always agree on some things, but there is nothing like having a sister to turn to and know that she will always be there.

"It's a fine thing when sisters love each other."-- Lorna Landvik

"If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child."-- Linda Sunshine

Thanksgiving

2011-10-11T08:41:00.004-06:00

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God for you who are in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). ‘Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is ... At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus to God the Father’ (Ephesians 5:17 & 20).

My mom signed our entire family up to walk in The Water Run. I think this may become an annual tradition... although next year, some of us want to run it. Our family of 15 was the last family to come in! It felt a little odd that people cheered for us, like walking 3K was a big accomplishment, but I guess for the little ones it was!

Lilah sprinted across the finish line as fast as she could!

This was Zoe's first Thanksgiving.

I had been trying to teach her to write her name and she wasn't cooperating... but at school... she has started writing her name!

I am thankful for my family. For my children. For adoption.

The Gaudet's

2011-10-07T08:04:00.009-06:00

A grand adventure is about to begin ~ Winnie the Pooh

I was asked to do a maternity photo shoot with the Gaudet's.

Mr. and Mrs. G. are the head instructors at Tien Lung Tae Kwon Do, where Tim and the boys go.

We have been a part of this school for six years now and are excited that they are expecting their first child!

I was praying hard that these photos would turn out well for them. I was honoured that they asked me to do this!

A great joy is coming. - Author Unknown

Family Joy - Week Two

2011-10-04T09:08:00.005-06:00

This weeks focus was siblings.

I was trying to capture the ethnic diversity of my children in this shot.

It is really, really hard to get all my kids together for a sibling shot -- I got some last week when we did the family photo shoot, but this week there wasn't a single day when they were all here at the same time and awake!

I did get some shots of the girls together earlier this week, because they are always with me and home during the day.

Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring - quite often the hard way. ~Pamela Dugdale

Vietnamese Pulled Pork Sandwich

2011-10-03T17:21:00.005-06:00

I am always looking for fast, simple and delicious recipes.

These sandwiches were so easy and all the kids loved them!

2 small pork tenderloin
chicken or vegetable broth
salt and pepper

Cook on low in crock pot for 7 hours. Will come out ready to shred.

chopped cilantro
canned sliced jalapenos
mayonnaise (mixed with a splash of soy sauce)

Put on a whole wheat bun and enjoy!

The Jantzen's

2011-09-30T08:00:00.002-06:00

I have been asked to photograph a few different families this Fall. The Janzten family goes to our church. I loved photographing them, their kids are so sweet! I also felt like I owed it to them, since Jesse helped Tim get his dream car and went on a road trip with him to get it, and then almost died in the process -- not really -- but that is another story...

I learn something about photographing other people (besides my own family) every time I do it and I feel blessed that they would even want to ask me. Photography is a hobby for me, I have a lot to learn and a very long way to go, but it is something that I enjoy doing immensely... because every picture has a story to tell.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T08:38:00.002-06:00

Family Joy - Week One

2011-09-26T18:22:00.000-06:00

I am taking a 3 week online photography course with Willette, called Family Joy. The focus this first week is immediate family and trying to use a tripod and remote to take photos of your family. Not bad... but I do need to remember to actually hide the remote next time!

There is always one kid who has to ruin the photo...

So why not let them all...

Tim and the kids.

Me and the girls.

The kids.

A Dream Car

2011-09-23T08:53:00.000-06:00

After a couple of years, waiting to find his dream car, Tim has finally bought one.

The car was advertised on Facebook, his cousins husband was selling it. We never even knew he had this 1971 Pontiac T37. Tim immediately contacted him... as me... telling him to sell it to Tim!

It doesn't seem to matter that my Suburban now lives on the driveway, because there is not enough garage space...

Or that he starts it up at 6:30am every morning and the whole house shakes...

I really am happy that he has found his dream car. The boys are really happy that daddy found THEIR dream car.

Ballet, Tap and Jazz

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music. ~William Stafford

The girls have started dance at the Edmonton Dance Factory. They do one hour per week and cover Ballet, Tap and Jazz.

I knew shortly after we brought Zoe home that I would be putting them into dance. Zoe is always dancing and twirling and pointing her toes... usually while watching herself in the glass of the fireplace!

Zoe loves to wear anything pink and the prettier the better! I can hardly wait to see a recital... I am sure my girls will be the cutest!

Dancing is like dreaming with your feet! ~Constanze

Oh, the things they say!

2011-09-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Micah: When Grandma was ten, did she know what a bathtub was?

Micah: I wish I could get chickenpox so I could have a milkshake with a bendy straw and a new video game.

Micah: I wonder what a bee's tongue looks like?

Micah: What is sex? Is that when you dance?

Lilah: Where do you go when you die?
Me: To Heaven. But you have to love Jesus and ask him to live in your heart. (Look of confusion on Lilah's face!)
Lilah: How?
Me: You pray a special prayer and ask if he will live in your heart.
Lilah: Well... I will if you want me to.
Me: Lilah, you don't do it because I want you to, you do it because you want to do it.
Lilah: (shrug) Okay. (and walks away).

Lilah: We should adopt another kid.
Me: Why?
Lilah: I LOVE staying in hotels!

Lilah: When you die, do you do this? (She puffs up her cheeks and holds her breath)

Me: (to Zoe who is laying on the floor) Are you bored?
Zoe: No. I am Zoe.

Me: My tummy hurts.
Zoe: Then I should drive the car. Lilah and I will sit in the front seat and you and Abby can sit in the backseat.

Pickles

2011-09-15T13:00:00.003-06:00

Today Zoe started a preschool speech therapy group called Pickles.

Speech Therapy has been a bit frustrating for me so far. They have given some good tips, but at the same time the community Speech Therapists don't seem to know quite how to deal with a cleft lip/palate child. Especially, when it comes to finding ways to fix the amount of air that is released when Zoe talks.

We will see how it goes with this community health centre and if I feel it isn't working we will have to head back to the University Hospital to see the Speech Therapist in the Cleft Lip/Palate clinic.

We have been focusing on fixing one sound at a time and encouraging her to speak clearly so that we can understand her. After four years of talking the way she talks, it doesn't occur to her to even try to speak clearly and she automatically speaks in sentences where she leaves off many different sounds in each word, so it can be a guessing game as to what she is trying to say.

I didn't really know if this technique was sinking in, but the other day she actually heard one of the sounds we work on (ffffff) and corrected herself!

Mid-Autumn Moon Festival

2011-09-14T08:34:00.002-06:00

On this day in China, people travel to spend time with their families to appreciate the beautiful full moon, eat moon cakes at night,
and think about family members that may be far away. It makes me wonder if my children's biological family thinks of them and wonders about their lives.

On Monday, I went to the Hong Kong Bakery to buy a Chinese Cake to celebrate and some little moon cakes. One was egg yolk and one was red bean curd. The girls ate them right up!

On Tuesday, our family went to The Golden Rice Bowl where we had peking duck (they all loved it!).

I almost missed this holiday this year, it fell so early and happened to be in a very busy week. But we do love that we can celebrate these special holidays with all of our kids.

First Day of Preschool

2011-09-12T11:13:00.003-06:00

Today, Zoe and Lilah start preschool at Little Blessings Preschool. This school is held in the basement of a beautiful, old, country Lutheran Church.

They woke up very excited! It is really hard to wait patiently when preschool doesn't start until 12:30!

I can hardly wait to see these girls grow this year. I know they will thrive and learn by leaps and bounds.

I gave them these pile of classics to pose with, not really thinking that The Scarlett Letter was the first book on the pile.... hopefully, they won't read that one for awhile yet!

Favorite Photo Friday

2011-09-09T08:00:00.008-06:00

*my crazy husband

Josiah recently earned enough money to buy the Go Pro Camera. He has wanted this camera for awhile now. He loves to take photos and videos of himself and his friends (and as seen above -- his Dad!) at the skatepark. He also loves snorkelling (and is about to take his Scuba Certification Course) and wanted a camera that he could use underwater.

I am quite impressed with the quality this little camera gets. It almost has a fish-eye look to some of the shots that he gets.

A great buy for any teenage boy!

This week I am joining in on Favorite Photo Friday.

Book Review: {The Postmistress}

2011-09-07T10:24:00.007-06:00

I loved this book!

There are a few ways that I rate a book as excellent.

1. I don't want to put it down, I want the book to go on and on and on, and I think about the story even when I am not reading it.

2. It is beautifully written. In such a way, that I am completely awed that an author could write so beautifully.

3. That I learn from the story. It may be fictional, but a lot of fiction is based on fact.

This book is written by Sarah Blake and the story is based in Cape Cod during World War II. It is based around three main characters. The Postmistress, who is new to town and her job, who is the one who "sees" everything first and who knows that if she messes up one letter, it can change someones fate in an instant. Emma, the young doctors wife, who is also new to town and just trying to find her place in this world and deal with her husbands leaving her to work and help in London during the war. And Frankie, the radio broadcaster, living in London, reporting on the war and the stories that she finds around her, the stories that almost destroy her.

This book is about choices and how one simple choice made by one person can change everything.

Medicine Hat

2011-09-06T09:00:00.005-06:00

Medicine Hat is a small City in the south part of the Alberta prairies. Even though I haven't lived there for 20 years now, it still feels like I am going home. My parents are there and it feels comfortable.

It is where Tim and I met and got married.

We both commented while driving how there is a particular smell that reminds us of our youth. That hot, harvest, evening prairie smell.

We went for a picnic to a beautiful park called Echo Dale and walked around the little farm there.

This area has a unique landscape. It edges onto the Badlands and has many beautiful coulees. It is warmer than any other part of the province and has a desert feel, along with rattlesnakes.

The kids love spending time at Grandpa and Grandma's and I love spending time in their beautiful backyard.

"The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." -- Maya Angelou

Little Jillian

2011-09-04T10:03:00.005-06:00

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for." -- Author Unknown

The most wonderful time of the year

2011-09-01T09:05:00.003-06:00

Back to school.

I know some people don't look forward to this day. But my kids get so bored without school and friends.

They are so ready to go back. And I am so ready to see them off each day.

I do much better with routine. I do know that by January I will once again be tired of routine and constant activities, but for right now, it feels great!

We woke up to +4C and steam rolling off the lake. It is like nature knows when the first day of school is and Fall rolls in. My most favorite season!

Kissing a Frog

2011-08-31T16:58:00.004-06:00

I did a little photo shoot yesterday of a family from our church. They wanted pictures of their new baby, Jillian, but Jillian didn't want to cooperate and I didn't get great shots of her.

But big sister Audrey... found something that kept her quite entertained.

She found this...

The cutest little frog. She convinced her daddy to kiss it.

And then she kissed it.

Maybe the new baby will like it...

Sunday Snapshot: {Grade Eleven}

2011-08-28T12:38:00.007-06:00

How did she get so old??? How did I get so old??? Old enough to have a sixteen year old daughter, entering grade eleven.

Abigail is so beautiful, she takes my breath away. She shines from the inside out. It is rare we ever have to deal with the moody teenager thing with her. She helps out without complaining, she loves to play with her many small siblings.

This summer grew her a lot. She traveled to Germany and Austria on her own. She was in two volleyball camps. She completed her National Lifeguard Society course and is looking forward to getting a job as a Lifeguard. She helped planned the orientation for the grade ten students entering her school. She drives herself everywhere in her sweet little Volvo and even got her first (AND LAST) speeding ticket!

This week she will be helping out at her High School with registration. This week she starts grade eleven.

She has her first "real" boyfriend. One who likes to come over and have supper and visit with us. One who takes her out. One who has introduced us to his family and has her over to spend time with them as well. One who treats her the way she deserves to be treated.

Seeing how fast time goes by and how quickly my children are growing up, makes me enjoy the small moments with the little ones, cherishing the time they are so little... and yet looking forward to seeing what THEY will become as young adults.

"And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity...Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes!" (1 Timothy 4:12,15 The Message).

10 Weeks Post Surgery

2011-08-24T11:30:00.008-06:00

It has been ten weeks since Lilah's eye surgery.

She has healed very well and all the doctors are very happy with her outcome. We have to massage her scars 3x per day, but her surgeon said that if it was going to pull down more, it would have by now. Massaging helps reduce the build up of scar tissue and makes the scar less visible.

Lilah has handled everything without complaint of any kind.

Lilah has many more surgeries in her future.

Most of them will be when she is around the age of six or seven. They will take a bone graft from her skull and mold it to fit into the cleft in her face. They may also do some fat injections to build up the right cheek under her eye. They will also attempt to fix her right nostril, by taking cartilage from her ear and using that to make a new nostril, but right now that cartilage is too soft to use. The muscle above her lip (where she had a cleft lip- that was fixed while she was still in China) bulges quite a bit, especially when sucking or smiling and they will try to redo that as well.

Some of these surgeries may be done at the same time, but since the plans always seem to change, who knows...

This eye surgery made a huge change in her appearance. It will never be perfect. When she smiles, that eye does not squint like her other eye and the cheek does not move in the same way as the left cheek. The right eye will always be a few millimeters lower than the left eye and she will never have that beautiful Asian eyelid crease that her left eye has.

But we think she is beautiful.

Lilah's optometrist is always very happy with Lilah's vision improvements. She needs to continue to wear her patch for a couple of hours a day, but the good news is that she may no longer need glasses when she reaches the age of seven or eight years. By then her brain should be retrained into using her right eye. The vision won't be perfect in her right eye, but the impairment should be minor enough that she won't need glasses. When she is older, she could even just wear a contact in that eye.

As a reminder... here is her before picture.

What we loved about Paris

2011-08-21T16:03:00.009-06:00

The amazing churches.

Notre Dame is full of Gothic and biblical carvings. Everywhere you look a story is told.

Saint Chapelle has the most amazing stained glass. The windows depict the whole Bible if you read them right.

The gardens.

The view of the Eiffel Tower from everywhere.

The detail and architecture.

The history.

The Macaroons. And Wine. And Cheese. And Bread. And Crepes.

Even the Metro signs are cool.

Marie Antoinette Estate

2011-08-16T16:19:00.014-06:00

"Let them eat cake." -- Marie Antoinette

My favorite thing to see in Paris was the Palace of Versailles. And more so, Marie Antoinette's little hamlet that she had built for her and her children.

In April 1770, (at the age of 15) on the day of her marriage to Louis-Auguste, Dauphin of France, Marie Antoinette subsequently became Dauphine of France. Marie Antoinette assumed the title of Queen of France and of Navarre when her husband, Louis XVI of France, ascended the throne upon the death of Louis XV in May 1774. After seven years of marriage, she gave birth to a daughter, Marie-Thérèse Charlotte, the first of four children.

Initially charmed by her personality and beauty, the French people generally came to dislike her, accusing "the Austrian" of being profligate and promiscuous, and of harboring sympathies for France's enemies, particularly Austria, since Marie Antoinette was, after all, Austrian.

At the height of the French Revolution, Louis XVI was deposed and the monarchy abolished on 10 August 1792; the royal family was subsequently imprisoned at the Temple Prison. Nine months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette was herself tried, convicted of treason, and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.

Even after her death, Marie Antoinette is often considered to be a part of popular culture and a major historical figure, being the subject of several books, films and other forms of media. Some academics and scholars have deemed her frivolous and superficial, and have attributed the start of the French Revolution to her; however, others have claimed that she was treated unjustly and should have more sympathetic views towards her.

The queen occupied herself with the creation of the Hameau de la reine, a model hamlet in the garden of the Petit Trianon with a mill and 12 cottages, 9 of which are still standing. The Hameau was one of Marie Antoinette's contributions to augmenting the chateau at Versailles and it can to this day be viewed by the public. Its creation, however, unexpectedly caused uproar when the actual price of the Hameau was inflated by her critics.

I loved her little hamlet and all of the charm it held. I could understand, after seeing so much grandeur in the palaces, why she would love her little retreat. The gardens were beautiful, the homes charming.

"I was a queen, and you took away my crown; a wife, and you killed my husband; a mother, and you deprived me of my children. My blood alone remains: take it, but do not make me suffer long." -- Marie Antoinette

We are now at home, so any photos I post will be the ones I finally have time (and faster internet) to edit and post.

Moulin Rouge

2011-08-12T16:15:00.006-06:00

Even though today I took hundreds of pictures and visited many amazing sights... my favourite was Moulin Rouge.

We had dinner crammed into the hall with many many people, but once the show started it really didn't matter. The dancers and costumes were amazing and the comedians were hilarious.

Today, we walked many staircases that looked like this and we are tired! But it is really amazing to think of who else climbed these steps, who entered these churches and palaces... the history of Paris is fascinating.

20 years

2011-08-10T15:43:00.005-06:00

Today is our 20th wedding anniversary.

We celebrated by taking the Eurostar to Paris from London and heading straight to the Eiffel Tower for dinner. It took about 3 hours to eat and was light when we got there and dark when we left. We saw the light show from both inside the tower and outside the tower.

We feel very blessed to celebrate our anniversary here!

London

2011-08-09T14:45:00.000-06:00

My internet here is very very slow and so my photos for now will be little. We had a great time in London and it was a very easy city to get around. Our hotel was very close to everything and so we walked a lot. We had dinner at a pub. Fish and chips, suet and beer.

Westminster Abbey was amazing. The architecture was stunning and overwhelming. The history of the monarchy is confusing and complicated, but fascinating at the same time. To walk the halls where the latest Royal wedding just took place was breathtaking!

Buckingham Palace is kind of simple by comparison. It is huge and grand, but not architecturally as beautiful as many of the other buildings in London. But if you watched the wedding of Kate and William, it was interesting to see where the cars went to the Palace after the wedding and the balcony where they had their first married kiss.

Big Ben and the Parliament Buildings were stunning as well.

Scenes of Vienna

2011-08-06T11:28:00.004-06:00

Abby came back home to Canada while we were camping and this is the first chance I have had to finally edit her Vienna photos. She took some great photos, even though her little point and shoot camera can create a lot of "noise" in the photos.

She may have stalked this beautiful old couple. Doesn't it make you want to know what their life story is?

The three girls together... Nicole. Abby. Sydney.

Schonbrunn Palace.

Praterstern Amusement Park.

*there is something I LOVE about this photo!

Cypress Hills, part II

2011-08-05T08:34:00.004-06:00

This year we zip lined while on vacation. This is a new attraction that opened up just a couple of weeks ago and it is a great idea for that area. We did feel a little bit like guinea pigs though, as all the kinks were not worked out and it did feel slightly unsafe at times. The guides actually used to Tim to help catch people as they came in, so that they wouldn't slam into the poles so hard... you shouldn't be slamming into the poles at all!

While we zip lined, grandma and grandpa stayed at the beach with Micah and the girls, then showed up to take some photos at the end.

We also went to watch my niece and brother in law go horse back riding. I am very allergic to horses, but had to get a shot of this one horse with one blue eye and the almost blue line of fur on it face.

The best part of these yearly camping trips, is spending time with family. The kids love their cousins.

Cousins are those childhood playmates who grow up to be forever friends. --Anonymous

Cypress Hills

2011-08-03T13:40:00.004-06:00

We had a lovely ten day vacation camping in Cypress Hills. The same place we go every year.

The weather at the beginning was a bit cool, but we still managed to go to the pool everyday. Zoe is a little fish and climbed in and out, over and over, just so she could jump in.

There were Dragonflies everywhere. Much better than the mosquitoes that we have here!

Josiah was only there for a few days, as he went to skateboard camp at Eagle's Nest Ranch. He loved it! Abby also came back from Europe while we were there... it was SO GOOD TO SEE HER!

Even though I didn't take a lot of pictures this trip... Micah was about done with the posing.

We felt very done with camping by the end of the ten days and our trailer is now put away for the year. I came home sick and with a ton of stuff to do within the next six days... I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.

The house is a mess and is also in the middle of being re-painted.

My office is a mess and I have a ton of paperwork to get done.

I need to get the back-to-school stuff done.

I am planning a trip for my mom and me, who will be celebrating big birthdays this fall.

We are in the middle of buying a vacation home in Phoenix, which should be wrapped up and a done deal very soon.

But... I also need to pack for Paris! On Monday, we leave for London and Paris for a week to celebrate 20 years of marriage. I think the stress of getting stuff done will all be worth it!

13th birthday hiking trip

2011-07-20T09:32:00.011-06:00

CMH Summer Adventures guests at the Bobbie Burns lodge can experience an exhilarating excursion to the summit of Mt. Nimbus along North America's longest and most extensive via ferrata route. Deep in the Purcell mountains, the Bobbie Burns mountain guides designed and created a Via Ferrata (Italian for "Iron Way") adventure like no other.

For Josiah's 13th birthday (which was in May) he was given a hiking trip with Canadian Mountain Holidays. This would be an adventure for just Josiah and Tim to enjoy, as I am not quite so adventurous. In fact, I likely would've had nightmares after...

See why?

Tim and Josiah were driven by a bus from Banff, Alberta out to a heli-pad near Radium, British Columbia. They were then flown out to the Bobbie Burns Lodge, which only has access by logging roads or helicopter. Josiah was very excited that he was able to sit in the front seat both there and back. They were also flown out each day for their hikes, known as heli-hiking.

They saw lots of mountain goats, some bears and watched an avalanche happen across the valley. Ummmm.... more nightmares.

The scenery in this great country of ours is simply amazing.

The suspension bridge...

The Mount Nimbus route is the most extensive route in North America. The route has re-bar steps drilled deep into the rock face and, maintaining an attachment to the steel cable for the duration of the route, climbers make their way up the steep (ok, near-vertical) rock faces and across suspension bridges. On the Mt. Nimbus route there is some down-climbing involved as well as an amazing 60 metre rapell down to terra firma.

Josiah was in his element. He is one adventurous young man! He said there couldn't possibly be any better trip to take, than this.

Summer in photos

2011-07-17T16:48:00.003-06:00

Baby Joshua

2011-07-15T13:16:00.004-06:00

This past weekend Tim's sister, her husband and new baby came for a visit.

The kids were all over him from the moment he got here.

Zoe wanted to help feed him, play with him and hold him. Lilah was a little more cautious.

Babies are just so sweet and I think because Joshua reminds me of Micah as a baby... he feels even more special.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-13T06:00:00.002-06:00

Koln (Cologne)

2011-07-10T10:58:00.012-06:00

There was one thing I wanted Abby to see while in Germany. And it was this Cathedral in Koln.

Construction of this Cathedral began in 1248 and took until 1880 to complete. It is one of the worlds largest churches and the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. It is a World Heritage Site.

In World War II this Cathedral was hit by seventy aerial bombs and remained standing while the city around it was flattened. These bombs are the reason that the outside of the Cathedral is mostly still black today.

Abby and Meike climbed the 360 steps up the bell tower, where there are eleven bells, four of which are medievel. This 24-ton St. Petersglocke "Bell of St. Peter" was cast in 1922 and is the largest free-swinging bell in the world.

In these photos from the bell tower you have a beautiful view of the Rhine.

The girls went to three different cities yesterday by train and toured around. But what is one thing they had to take the time to do in each city? Shop, of course!

Photos from Germany

2011-07-07T10:53:00.003-06:00

The home where Abby is staying.

She has a thing for beautiful, old graveyards... just like her mother.

Abby is having an awesome time! They spent a day at the mall already. They had pedicures. I guess life really isn't all that different in Germany... They rode bikes around the city one day, seeing the sights, eating at a quaint little bakery. Apparently, she wants us all to move to Germany.

Canada Day Weekend

2011-07-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

I believe the world needs more Canada. --Bono

This weekend was Zoe's first camping experience. And like all of our kids, she loved it. She loved being outside and playing in the dirt all day and fell into bed exhausted every night.

She enjoyed her very first smores. Riding her bike. Playing with Lilah and friends. Eating way too much junk food.

The bigger kids spent a lot of time in the river and the mud. The water was very high this year, so we decided not to do any rafting, but they were happy just having mud wars on the shoreline.

It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw, not because she is Canada but because she's something sublime that you were born into, some great rugged power that you are a part of. --Emily Carr

We are so blessed to live in this great and beautiful Country!

I like travelling to oversea's places, like Canada. --Britney Spears

And she's off...

2011-07-03T09:15:00.001-06:00

Today, my sweet girl left for Germany and Vienna.

I am so proud of her and excited for her!

She will be spending two weeks in Dusseldorf, staying with her exchange student friend Meike. They will show her the sights, she will go to Meike's school with her a few days and they will tour some other close cities as well. She then will fly to Vienna (ALONE) to meet up with some other friends and a Dad, who will take her under his wing for five days of touring there. She will then get on a plane (ALONE) and fly to Frankfurt and then to Calgary, where Grandma is picking her up and bringing her to where we will be camping!

Oh, how I will miss this face and that smile...

Black and White Wednesday: {The Fountain}

2011-06-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

There is a small fountain at the entrance of our community. Many mom's will take their kids there to play in the water. We had one hot day, amongst many rainy days, and so we decided to head over and enjoy the park.

The girls weren't too sure at first.

And they headed into the water slowly. They kept looking at me wondering if I would allow them to get wet...

The water was COLD and you never know how Lilah will react to a situation like this. But Zoe is a waterbug and was ready to jump right in.

Once they were in, I couldn't get them out. They laughed and laughed, which is something they are doing more and more of together as they grow closer.

You can't help but smile when you see such joy on their faces...

Learning to live in the present moment is part of the path of joy. -- Sarah Ban Breathnach

The Funstation

2011-06-25T14:24:00.006-06:00

Whether on land...

Or in the water...

This one source of entertainment...

Will keep my kids happy for hours!

And hopefully wear them out too...

Summer Solstice

2011-06-23T11:44:00.005-06:00

Summer gathered in the weather, the wind had the proper touch, the breathing of the world was long and warm and slow.-- Ray Bradbury

The Summer Solstice: Summer has begun by the almanac, but the light is already leaning toward Fall.-- Hal Borland

Sunrise: 5:04 am

Sunset: 10:09 pm

Tim and I headed out on his kayak the other night at 10:15pm. The sun was just setting, the air was finally warm and the water was like glass.

Other than one other boat and some fishermen on the shore, we were the only ones out on the lake.

It was perfect.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Father's Day

2011-06-19T12:49:00.010-06:00

Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever. ~Author Unknown

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. ~Author Unknown

My Dad.

*who doesn't like a grandpa that makes you laugh until you cry!

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad's idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.
~ Author Unknown

Tim's Dad.

*who doesn't like a grandpa who plays with trains!

Happy Father's Day!

Speech Therapy

2011-06-17T17:52:00.008-06:00

This week was another appointment with Zoe's Speech Pathologist. She was so impressed with the improvements Zoe has made within even a few months.

Zoe's comprehension of the English language has improved a lot, as well, she is pronunciating her words more clearly all the time. She seems to have the most trouble with SH, S, TH and F sounds. When Zoe rambles off a long sentence, she can sometimes still be very difficult to understand. There were even a few times that I had to tell the SP what Zoe was saying. But for the most part, with one correction, Zoe would copy.

She was so cute to watch with the SP. She opens right up and dives right in. A room full of toys and books just might have something to do with it!

We will now be starting regular sessions with a speech therapist that is closer to our home.

I did find that a few of the tricks that the speech pathologist used are very helpful...

When she has trouble with one of her sounds, I will make this motion, she will mimic me, and say it properly usually the first try.

Ffffff...

Ssssss...

Sssshhh...

If anyone else has any tips that work for their cleft lip/palate afflicted children... please share!

Suture's Removed

2011-06-13T14:22:00.005-06:00

Today, Lilah had a little OR to remove all of her sutures. We can see her eye opening up and looking better every day. It will take about 6 - 8 weeks to see how it will look completely healed. Other than the scarring from the sutures, which will take a bit longer to fade.

Lilah before:

Forty Years

2011-06-11T11:08:00.007-06:00

June 5th marked forty years of marriage for my parents. And what amazing parents they are. They have taught me so much about relationships, God and family. My mom and I are very similar, which is slightly scary!

My parents have an amazing story. The were high school sweethearts, started dating at the age of 15. My mom came from a very traditional and strict Mennonite family, my dad came from a very different type of family, and these brothers were known as being quite wild. My mom's family did not approve, but my dad saw something in her family that he knew was different, something that he wanted.

My mom got pregnant with me at the age of 19 and they got married. Three years later, my dad became a Christian and his life completely changed. He gave up a job he loved and a brand new house and they moved us to a Bible School, where we lived in an old airplane hanger, so that my dad could become a pastor. Being a pastor is never easy and even though my dad loved the job, it was the people who made it continually difficult. My mom worked hard as well, through out these years to help out financially.

Every decision they made was for our family and was always in obedience to God's calling. It hasn't been easy. But now they are settled and they have two daughters who love and admire them both and so appreciate everything they ever gave and taught us.

I find it amazing how one persons choices in life can affect generations to come.

We are so blessed to have them as parents, and as grandparents to our children.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T14:26:00.001-06:00

Lilah's Surgery

2011-06-07T14:41:00.016-06:00

Waiting for surgery

Going to the OR - who knew it could be so much fun

Everything went really well and we are now home. Tim and I were talking about how we both had such PEACE all day today and know it is because of all the prayers surrounding us.

Lilah is one tough little girl. She is in pain. Mostly where she has stitches by her eye. We haven't actually peeled back her bandage yet to see what it looks like, we will later when we put in her eye drops. We have been warned that it will look very tight and somewhat puckered, but will loosen up. They also repaired her tear duct and we will see when everything heals, if it works properly. She had an "extra" tear duct (that didn't do anything) on her cheek and that is now gone.

Because the tissue expander wasn't in quite as long as they had hoped, the tissue didn't have time to grow enough fat underneath it, so right now her cheek will look a little bit flatter on her right side, compared to her left. The fat will grow and fill in over the next couple of months.

Lilah woke up crying for her daddy, so he was allowed into the recovery room.

On Thursday, we can remove her bandage and she can start wearing her glasses again. We will then patch her eye only at night to keep her from touching it.

On Monday, I will take her in to get the stitches removed and they will put her under anaesthetic once again to do that.

By tomorrow, we expect her to be very swollen and bruised. But we are so glad that it is done and would appreciate continued prayers for healing and no pain.

Medical Complications

2011-06-05T19:48:00.008-06:00

This weekend while we were away celebrating my parents 40th wedding anniversary in Kananaskis, Lilah developed a small hole by her ear. We only noticed it because there was some clear fluid continually running down her face. The tissue expander (back by her ear) was glowing red and Tim quickly knew that there was an infection. We discovered all this while celebrating at dinner on Saturday night, and as soon as we were done, Tim took Lilah into Canmore to the ER. Luckily, the ER Doctor was very friendly and let Tim take control of what needed to be done.

Tim removed 10cc's of the saline in the expander, cleaned the wound and put Lilah on antibiotics. Once the hole is there it is next to impossible to close again. Each day it has become slightly bigger.

So this morning we headed off to see the Plastic Surgeon. Surgery is tomorrow morning, bright and early. Luckily, I have an amazing friend willing to take Zoe for the day! I am feeling very nervous and anxious and emotional right now. I don't really do well with surprises.

Lilah shouldn't need to spend the night, if all goes well. The tissue expander hasn't been in as long as they would have liked, so we are hoping for a great outcome, even though the skin could retract more than it would if we had done it on June 23rd as planned.

It is all in God's hands.

Summer Fun and a Surgery Date

2011-06-04T15:22:00.003-06:00

After removing a multitude of spider webs, leaves and dirt, the girls enjoyed an afternoon playing in the water table out on our deck.

How I love these easy, carefree, warm summer days...

Zoe looks menacing in this photo, like she is truly enjoying drowning her Barbie!

Lilah's surgery has been pushed up to June 23rd. We are much happier with this new date. The sooner the better. She will be in hospital for one night, the surgery will last for 2 1/2 hours. She will have many many many stitches across her cheek and face. But it will be worth it in the long run and we are thankful she doesn't have to go through the summer with the tissue expander in her cheek.

So looking forward to many more warm and carefree days!

Why not to use a fisheye lens for portraits

2011-06-02T09:29:00.004-06:00