Time At Home

Adoption experts agree that staying close to home is a good thing for the first couple of months. That is what we are doing. Amy is liking the routine of what we do around here. She is learning how to be part of a family.  She is settling in nicely and it shows in her behavior, in her attachment to us and in her learning.   We have been keeping busy every day.  Picnics in the shade, exploring nature with magnifying glasses, making bead necklaces, watering the flowers and chasing the squirrels out of our flowers, are some of their favorites.  Amy also has jobs to do and she loves being part of the family in this way. Every morning, Anna, Amy and I make our beds.  Amy helps me and Anna unload the dishes.  Anna does the silverware and Amy does the dishes and cups. For meal times Anna sets the table and Amy puts out the napkins.  Amy will actually get upset if someone else tries to do her job.  One can see the deep need in her wanting to be a part of everything. We are thankful she is with us, and so thankful she is happy to be in our family.  Scott or I pray with the girls every night at bedtime.  We are not sure how much Amy is understanding but she seems to be catching on to things quickly.  Recently I finished my prayer by thanking God for the members of our family, and naming each one.  After I said Amen, Amy recognizing that I did not include myself in the list, folded her hands in prayer then said,  " and thank you Jeesa (Jesus).... for  Mommia."
Be. Still. My. Heart.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:6

Will's Birthday

Will officially turned 20 on April 30th.  I am a bit late posting this. Feeling like I'm running at least a month behind since we returned from China.  That's okay. Wesley still has not had his birthday dinner with us. His birthday was April 14th and we were in China.  Made him his favorite chocolate fudge brownie cake during our first couple of weeks home, but did not take a picture so we need to do it all over again! We will get to it! I remember feeling as though just getting his cake made was a great accomplishment. Those first weeks home were tough.
Back to Will,  a home made cookie cake with vanilla buttercream icing, please leave off the chocolate icing.  Just the way he likes it.  20!??? Really......Will?!
How did this happen so fast. What happened to the teen on the end of your age???
We love you and celebrate you.

Anna's Recitals

The month of May has been a busy one. Finishing up school for Anna and including her end of year recitals.  Well done Anna, you have practiced and performed beautifully.

She's a Mess......Now I'm a mess

Let me start by saying, I am a germaphobe.
 I try to touch as little as possible in certain places such as public restrooms.
I am a hand washer.
I wash my hands.....a lot.
 Amy touches EVERYTHING.......every where.
Then she touches.......ME!
She is constantly pulling on my arms and loves to put her hands on my cheeks to make sure she has my undivided attention.  MY FACE, fellow germaphobes! Maybe she thinks I will understand her Chinese better if I see her talking.

I have turned into a walking, antibacterial wipe dispenser.

 I realize some things are fine to touch....its the yucky, dirty things she touches that drives me crazy.
Toilets, floors, trash cans, oh how she loves to grab or push open a trashcan to try to see what is in it.....high alert!
 Even after she washes her hands in public restrooms, she then feels the need to swirl the sink one good time with her hands....... chasing soap bubbles down the drain. Yikes.  Then I feel the need to wash her hands all over again.  Sometimes I just squirt her hands with my nifty antibacterial hand gel hanging from my backpack pocketbook so that we can get out of the bathroom.  Yes, I have to have both hands free with this girl when we are out and about.  Love my backpack pocketbook.  I got used to it back when I had my broken foot and it sure comes in handy now!
Back to what she touches.
She loves to hand print or drag her hands down automobiles. Friends in our area.....if you should happen upon a slightly unusual hand print on your car, it was us! We strolled past your car in the parking lot. If you should see me out and about with black on my face and clothes.....well, she touched me after she touched your car. I do still bathe.  Believe me.  I take the longest hottest showers I have ever taken. Below, she hand printed my van and Will's car.  Looks like she may have changed my oil.

Amy Sings and Dances

This video was taken after bath time which is supposed to be our winding down time.  As you can see, she doesn't always wind down as fast as I do.  She cracks us up.  Where she gets her energy from I do not know. We play outside several times a day, run around in the basement, dance and all sorts of other activities. Trying to wear her out is only wearing the rest of us out. Even Anna is exhausted at the end of the day.  Amy does sleep well at night though so we are very thankful!
She is having to catch her breath in this version of twinkle little star as she had been dancing prior to me taking the video. She can usually say starrrrr very well and really accentuates her r's at the end of words. I have no idea where she got the idea of what appears to be her holding a microphone ( her thumb) as she sings. Her dancing style seems to be a combination of thai chi, hip hop, and ballet as I catch a quick, triple arabesque at the end.

Will and Amy

In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin-yang, which is often called "yinand yang", is used to describe how seemingly opposite or contrary forces are interdependent in the natural world; and, how they give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. Many natural dualities (such as male and female, light and dark, high and low, hot and cold, water and fire, life and death, and so on) are thought of as physical manifestations of the yin-yang concept. ( Wikipedia).   Will and Amy are like yin and yang.  He is quiet, she is loud.  He is gentle, she is on the rough side.  He is calm, she is high energy.  
They get along perfectly.
 Will often watches her for me to take a walk.  Thank you, Will.  You are a great big brother.  That 45 minute walk is important to me. God most often speaks to me then. More appropriately, that is when I am more apt to hear.   I can often only get quiet on the inside, when my body is moving on the outside. 
Amy continues to adjust and bond with us in every way.  We are thankful. She is also keeping us busy, busy, busy!  We don't just go to sleep at night......we collapse.  

As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth. Isaiah 61:11

Will blowing up a giant beach ball and riding bikes. He possesses a gentle and quiet spirit.  He has the patience of Job.  As you can see, Amy likes his company.

Helloooooooooo

Amy is a talker.  Talks all the time.  To anyone who will listen.  She is picking up new English words every day.  Whenever the phone rings she will shout.......Hellooooo!  While rummaging through my kitchen drawers, she found my plastic melon ball maker.....thingamajig......what do you call those!?  She had a five minute conversation with whoever she imagined was on the other end.  She even

said "gooooodbye" before she put the thing back in the drawer.

What she says most often.......Mommia, Daddia, ( I have no idea why she adds the "ia" on the end because it really does sound Italian)  Whoa, Stop, Wait, Be Nice, Swing, Ice cream,  Later, Come here, Please and thank you,  I don't know and maybe, plus our favorite...... I lovva you ( has an Italian twist also)!

She sings Twinkle Little Star, Old Mcdonald, and Bah Bah Black Sheep.

We used to nod and say yes to most of what she was saying, but after realizing we should be careful,  now we often find ourselves just saying, "maybe or I don't know" when we are not sure.

We are working with someone to get a bilingual tutor for Amy soon.  Will be so helpful to be able to get some things translated between us.  We are able to translate some things to Amy with phone apps. or google translator, but they do not seem to recognize Amy's dialect. Oh how we would love to know what she is saying!