Friday, November 30, 2012

This Is Fun!



Never had so many comments on my blog at once. Guess I'll have to see if
I have any other thing to give away!

In between checking my e-mail and delivering subs...and chasing a two
year old, I was doing this the past few weeks. No I'm not giving them
away, they are ordered. Oh, there are two twin sized quilt tops..the
2nd picture is the pillow throw. I think the quilts are sort of 'white',
but it looks great with the kid colors they chose. They order it, I
make it.

Attention: A Book Give-Away

Something new on this blog. I am not a very good book reviewer, but I love to read. When Dorcas Smucker had an offer on her blog for a free book if I do a book review on my blog...well I'm PA Dutch if nothing else. I saw the  word 'free' and 'book' and I jumped for it.
Thankfully I realized that her advertising tour was starting soon after I got home from China so I wisely asked to be one of the last reviewers. Now that gave me plenty of time to read all the other reviews and plenty of time to read the book.

Read the book- Now that was a problem. I love to read, but my time is limited. So to help with that I take my books with me. There is usually one in the bathroom (don't tell anyone), one at the lunch table (well there use to be, but I don't eat alone anymore), and then there is usually one beside the sofa. That is great, if I'm reading 3 different books, but this time I was trying to finish one book on time.  I could NEVER find the book!
The rest of the family got tired of me asking "where's Tea and Trouble Brewing?"

But since it is a book that keeps calling you back, I would delay lunch, nature calls and baby's nap time so that I could find the book and read another chapter.

Now if you aren't familiar with Dorcas Smucker's books, she wrote Upstairs the Peasants are Revolting , Downstairs the Queen is Knitting, and Ordinary Days. This book is written the same way, not a long novel that you need a flow chart to keep track of the characters (out of my league these days), but concise chapters that tell a story in one sitting...umm well.
The one day I was holding Shekinah while reading her book and I got a quizzical look because I was trying hard not to laugh out loud...she has you laughing in one chapter and the next one you need to go looking for a tissue.

She was 'brought up Amish'  and lived in 'the bush' in Canada, and adopted an older child. I was brought up Mennonite, went to the bush in Canada (my brother lived there for a year) and we adopted an older child...so I can sort of identify with her stories. 

I'd write more, but it's time for me to get to bed, I have to deliver subs tomorrow and then get ready for the family Christmas dinner on Sunday.

So this is the deal...all you 'lurkers'  (the people that read my blog, but never comment) and the commenters  leave me a message telling me something about yourself that I probably didn't know. Actually just leave a comment and I'll enter your name in a drawing. If you don't have an google identity and can't leave a message...send me one at   raychris@dejazzd.com  I will do the drawing on  December 5...that is a Wednesday.

 If you want to read more about the book, go to Dorcas' blog here and read the other reviews.  If you don't win Tea and Trouble Brewing is available herhere (I know it says "temporarily out of stock, but  I'm sure they'll soon be in stock)  or, you can send a check for $15 to: Dorcas Smucker  31148 Substation Drive, Harrisburg, OR 97446.  And there's more! Since one book of Dorcas' writing will probably make you wish for more, she has three more books for you to enjoy - Ordinary Days, Upstairs the Peasants Are Revolting, Downstairs the Queen Is Knitting - and now's the time to get them! She's offering the complete set of 4 books for $40. Just send a check to the above address and you'll have lots of stories to enjoy :)

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Avoiding the Blogger Ceiling

I find it hard to believe I have that many pictures on my blog...So I can e-mail pictures just not upload them on the blogger dashboard?

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Who Needs Toys?

Today one of my cyber orders arrived and as soon as the box was emptied
of its goodies...a little girl climbed in. Guess I'll just need to keep
ordering stuff online so we have a steady stream of boxes!

Hmph! I don't think I believe them! I tried to upload one more picture and Blogger told me I've reached my limit for online pics...sorta funny that a whole bunch of us are getting the same message these days even if we've been blogging for different lengths of time...gotta think this one over.

Monday, November 26, 2012

To Philly and Back

I love that Philadelphia is only an hour and a half away, but I am so glad to get home again.

The Drs at Shriner's took a look at Miss Shekinah's hands and feet today. Their diagnosis?

No treatment recommended   unless of course that transverse bone in her right hand decides to grow and cause her problems. They were suitably impressed by her cuteness and her skill with those hands.

Her feet they say are just fine  as long as the now soft cartilage does not harden and force her feet into a wide shape that doesn't fit into shoes.

So for now we get to visit them in a year for a followup

Joe is good for another 6 months. Then he needs to have a follow up on the legs and probably will need to have another pair of legs built.

Anyone have any ideas what to do with all these legs we are stockpiling?  Gotta check pinterest. Maybe a lampstand?   OK now it's time for bed.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

How Is It Really Going?



Tonight I read a blog post. It was a plea for honesty.
 The writer said a friend just came home from Ch*na with two children and she/they are
struggling. She noted that even when she comes online looking for help, all she sees are carefully photoshopped pictures giving a glowing account of what life is like in other households. Of course!
We feel as if we need to encourage others toward adoption and if we talk about the
tough stuff, we will simply discourage. Then there is the privacy thing...how much do you share?

 Older child adoption is considered risky and difficult. We parents don't really talk about the nuts and bolts because it exposes our vulnerability.
Take a look at my pictures! Looks easy and fun! I will start off by saying that our two most recent
adoptions were not easy, but they have been much easier than I expected.
But to tell you what I expected would give my mom nightmares, so I won't write it here. There is a VERY important component in preparing yourself for the worst and having a plan for that 'worst'.
 I will also say that I could NEVER imagine adopting two children at the same time
 (foster situations excluded).
 I know families that have done the dual adoptions and they are doing fine...well what you can tell from their blogs. But if someone asked me for advice I would say "don't do it." but who am I?
So how is it going? I would say that the sleep issues have been the
hardest. When you are low on sleep ANY bump in the road seems bigger.
The Friday night when I felt like I needed to tie a knot on the end of
my rope, I went to our room and plopped crying baby on her daddy and
said "she's yours". Then I curled up and did some crying of my own. Come
On! you've heard crying before, you handled longer spells than that! But
in Ch*na I feel I had extra help from God and here at home it was time
to 'be normal'. Daddy did just fine and he got her to bed. The next day
we decided to give the melatonin a try.
 The crying in the daytime is a
little easier to handle. I just lay her on the sofa and stay near,but go
about my sewing or read a book. You need to give yourself permission to ignore what you can't fix.
 Some moms say they never get to go to the
bathroom or get a shower...well my two year old follows me everywhere so
if I need privacy I need to wait till she sleeps. I expect that to go on
for a very long time. But I was prepared for that.
Then there is the neediness of the other children. I spent 2 weeks away so of course I
needed to dig up extra reserves to give them the missed attention. There is the other recent adoptee that has the underlying suspicion that he doesn't measure up, that I really do not love him.
 I am needing to mind my tone of voice, my body language and needing to remember that two
years home is really not that long. I know these things, but some days I parent by the seat of my pants and am 'reacting' instead of 'responding'. I need to work at molding the young man that will shortly
be a teen. I need to help the self-esteem while overlooking the 'cockiness' that crops up regularly. I need to walk the tight-rope of allowing independence while keeping the guide ropes adjusted properly. As I told him after a long talk this afternoon I want him to want to
visit us after he is grown up and has a family of his own.
All this to say, things are going well. With continued prayer and hard work I will probably manage some private time sometime        in the next 3 years.
Quote of the day: You don't need faith when you don't take risks.taken from this post..read it if you have time

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Like A? What!?

Suppertime yields some great comments. Unfortunately, I normally can't remember them at 10pm when I sit down at the computer.
However I made a special effort to remember some of tonite's chatter

Hope:  She will be as clean as a chicken.
Me, with question marks all over my face
Hope: "Well after it's been washed."

That led to further questions...a whole chicken? or a half? a plucked chicken?  Certainly not one with feathers.


Then Zeke had to get in on the fun.  "Yes, he is two farthings short of a sparrow."


Other times I will suddenly hear a British accent coming from my right "There is no cause for alarm."


31. crazy suppertime conversations
32. naptime without tears
33.Leftovers
34. Microwaves
35.Stronger arms, since I'm lifting 25# on a regular basis
36 Pumpkin pie  in the fridge
37. Chocolate cake with peanut butter icing on the porch (hope the cats don't find it)
38.brooms with the fuzzy tipped bristles
39. sunshine in November
40. bedtime kisses from Shekinah for all tonite

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

#3

21 Days that magically stretch to include all my plans

22. cousins that willing accept new cousins-with delight I might add

23. On line friends that are as wonderful in person

24. Menus that actually 'work' and are ready on time

25. Little girls that sleep till 5 AM

26. Little girls that decide they don't want to dress up for Thanksgiving

27. Only one apron to make

28. Fabric stash in the closet

29.Salvation Army Christmas music

30. Disposable plates (I'm green most of the time)

Monday, November 19, 2012

#2 Day of Thankgiving

11. Little girl grins and giggles
12. heart murmurs that turn out to be benign
13. a day at home
14. automatic washers (if you didn't know there is anything else, you should be doubly thankful)
15. child safety seats
16. sewing machines that live to be 25 years old
17. rural postal delivery
18. crunch leaves for little girls to walk in
19. fingerprints on windows
20. wet wipes


This is actually a bit harder than I thought....I'm trying not to generalize...I need to concentrate on this a bit harder during the day.

the heart murmur was Shekinah's, we were a little surprised when her pediatrician noted it. Normally a SN child has a very thorough exam when their paperwork is filed...we are glad that she was 'clear'.



No good pics tonite...I need to get some good ones of Shekinah and daddy for the post-placement report and do you think the little think will hold still...each of the pics is a blur!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

For This Week

In the spirit of Thanksgiving....we will be instituting austerity measures in this house.

One night a week will be meatless

 Don't they look yummy? ( no Demetrius, I'm not asking you)
BTW austerity  night will be a Wed. night, so don't worry.
Actually this bean soup is very good especially if you use salsa instead of the tomatoes. So one meal will cost about $4 to feed a family of 8.

In the spirit of remembering the difficulties of our forefathers we might also go ice cream-less one night a week.  Not sure if I can handle the wailing that will go with that announcement. There are some children in this house that think their meal is not complete unless accompanied by ice cream.

I might also be singing the praises of melatonin...we will see how tonite goes...but last night was definitely better...she woke around 1AM, but when I appeared with my pillow, she crawled back into her bed.  I bedded down on her floor and didn't even fall asleep before I could hear that she was asleep again. That is a marked improvement over the past few nights.  She had been waking very anxious and looking around the room as if searching. She was also refusing to go up to her room with the girls, before this she loved her bed and always wanted to go to bed when they did.

Tonite she asked to go up to bed after relaxing on my lap for awhile.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I will also list 10 things a day

1  A husband that gets up on a Friday night for the crying baby.
2. A son who gives up his Saturday to clean up soggy houses.
3. Crisp fall days
4. Blue sky behind rust brown leaves
5. Snapping dark eyes
6. Ramen noodles
7. wood stove warmed bathroom floors
8. cell phones
9. I can still kick a soccer ball (far enough to make my 12 y.o. marvel)
10. Apologies before bed

Thursday, November 15, 2012

With a 2 Year Old Around!

This morning during the breakfast and school prep rush, a sheepish youngster came into the kitchen.
"I stapled my finger" he said...mournfully.

I really could not fathom how that could have happened since the finger he was showing me was on his dominant hand.

"How on earth did that happen and where?" I tried not to sound too exasperated.

"I was looking for my bibliography cards on daddy's desk. I leaned down and the stapler stapled my finger."  (note: this is a regular every day stapler...not a high-powered nail gun)


This statement raised a number of questions in my mind.

#1 Daddy's desk is sacred, NO ONE is supposed to mess with things on daddy's desk. NO ONE is to add papers to daddy's desk.

#2 Given those rules - how on earth could a pile of bibliography cards have appeared on daddy's desk, next to the stapler?

I may have quietly and unemotionally asked those questions.

The answer was, "Well with a two year old in the house, you never know!"


The cards were found in some other innocuous locale after the staple wound was suitably cleansed so as to avoid gangrene.

The End

Monday, November 12, 2012

So How Do You Talk to Her?


Who? Me? How do they talk to Me?  I just tell them what to do and they do it!

       Look at them!  They all wait on me hand and foot!


 There are some questions we get (actually my mom and my children get most of them) Some of them are decidedly immature, so I won't get into that, but...

One of them is "so does she know English? Well then how do you communicate?"
Well she speaks "2 year old" and I speak very little Chinese
I can say hello
               goodbye
               sleep good
               very good
              just a minute
              milk
              water
               big
              little
               car
               airplane
               most of the colors, but I might get green and blue mixed up quite often
You get the idea, I speak 2 year old Chinese
She can tell me off in Chinese. How do I know that? Just take a look at those eyes and mouth and you will know that you have been soundly scolded.
She will tell me that a spaghetti noodle is escaping the dish
The other day we were on 222 and I was telling her "car" (in Chinese)  "big car" ( tractor trailers)  and she was merrily repeating me. Suddenly the traffic in front of us slowed and there were at least 3 tractor trailers in front of us. I said (in English) " I don't know what these big trucks think they are doing."
She answered something in Chinese. Joseph started laughing. He translated "Why are those big trucks are in our way?!"              


                                 
Here she and Faith are busy writing.







 Here is the 'not so fun' part of adopting a 2 year old...the grieving...It is hard to watch and hard on the ears and heart...sometimes you just lay her down and try to do something else. Sometimes you post on FB and people pray for you because they are BTDT.




Then the sunny little girl comes back again...wearing mama's nylons and heels. She managed the nylons on her own and was very pleased with herself.






Sunday, November 11, 2012

Ode to Vista

The time came....

I really didn't want to replace my computer yet...not now

But when computers are 7 years old and they start doing odd things AND the DVD drives haven't worked properly in  some time AND ..AND

The Newsletter that I edit for adoptive families depends on a working computer....

So the computer expert that I feed every Tuesday night said he will get me a new one..

I told him I don't want any bells or whistles...just lots of RAM

He informed me that with new computers comes a new Operating System...now in the old days (back in the days of DOS prompts) I looked forward to Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. My young heart got a bit excited to see what new and exciting thing the computer gurus would come up with...after all...my first computer had TWO colors!  256 colors was AMAZING!

But now?  All I wanted was a  new computer that did not make funny noises when it started...but no- my young computer expert informed me "you might as well learn it now rather than a few years from now- when you're 50"

OK

It's colorful...it starts in 30 seconds!  It is so quiet I have to feel it to see if it is 'awake'!

It doesn't have x's in the corners for me to use to close my screens- unless of course I access Explorer from my desktop instead of - what is that screen called with all the pretty pictures?

Now I use the "Start" button on the keyboard --all these years it just sat there taking up room.

Now when I don't remember where to find the "control panel" I just start typing it and viola the "control panel" button shows up...but what if I can't remember what it is called?

Now I have little "clickables" that appear and disappear Cheshire cat-like as I move my mouse around the edges of the screen. Even a cute little hand that I can use to 'throw away' my screen when I'm finished with it.

It is sort of fun

BUT

I have a problem with OUTLOOK (the email program)

I got a new e-mail address before I left for that foreign country with the big firewall. I liked the Hotmail account...all the buttons were sitting there for me to see, they were in logical order "send" "delete"  The bestest thing about it was the "attach photos"  when I wanted to send a whole bunch of pictures to grandma-who-still-uses-dial-up  (not the other one, she doesn't have a computer) I could choose to send original, large, or small photo files all with the click of a button.

NOW
I am faced with this almost blank screen  "To" looks familiar...then post card style I go to the right and type in my 'subject'   But where do I put the message?  Start typing? Oh OK
But try as I might, I could NOT find a way to attach a picture....I scooted my mouse all around the screen and no little paperclip
OK
Do I slide the picture straight from my camera card to my e-mail?
AH-Ha  That brought the paperclip out of the wood work!  But I still did not find a way to easily downsize the pics, so I sent them anyway, hoping grandma's computer doesn't choke.

Next morning grandma sends an e-mail "sure would be nice to see the pictures"
Checked the sent file...it's not there...Hmm 2 messages in the draft folder?  Yup!
Try to send it again...it still goes to the draft folder

Well there are more than one way to skin a cat (figuratively of course)  I went online
typed in Hotmail   .   com   and guess what Explorer brings up

OUTLOOK!  I will figure this out!

For now I will just fire up my little netbook that provokes much hilarity among the pro's and escape the net that is M  I  C  R  O  S  O  F  T    and maybe one day they will just fix what is broken and not try to re-invent everything.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Another 4 Day Weekend!

 It should be illegal, but I guess they didn't plan the hurricane to be the week before a 2 day teacher in-service.  Quan-quan loves having everyone home, even if she has to push her sister around in the wagon(it was actually her choice.

 I also realized that I can be finished with Christmas shopping in no time...
 just buy a bunch of big cardboard boxes....

Except for the one in the jeans sitting on the sofa....think he needs a box too?

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Now She Uses Chopsticks too!

The one thing I figured Shekinah- Quan-Quan would not be able to do was use chop sticks. Apparently someone forgot to inform her of this.....

Please don't be grossed out at the choice of afternoon snack...I'm trying stir fried greens and also a dose of mineral oil before I use the Mira*lax the Dr recommended.  She actually likes both items very well, thank you.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Church with a Two Year Old

Last Sunday, she was sort of in shock and congregational singing was enough to make her sit still. This Sunday...not so much. The cheerios were almost gone by the time Sunday school was over, the stickers had lost their charm. By the time we started church, she was finished...climbing over the laps of siblings, talking loudly in Chinese, and giving mom a work out. I really had forgotten!  Then daddy pulled out his clean hanky ( not many people even carry them) and we played with that for awhile and she got so bored she fell asleep. 

So next Sunday, I will bring a clean hankie and maybe some water in the sippy cup....should I bring cheerios?  We'll see.
Think my hankie folding skills will keep her amazed?  My grandmother taught me how to fold the mice, but every little girl who ever played with a hankie in church knows how to make a cradle-complete with twins. Anyone else have hankie memories?


I even forgot it was Orphan Sunday... this came by e-mail today
 Adoption
 Because of His Great Love for us before the world even began....
We were chosen by God to be adopted as His children.... 
We Love because He first loved us.... 
A pure act of faith is to care for His children just as He cared for us...
Adoption is partnering with Jesus to see lives transformed....
     Adoption is a Miracle!! 


For those of you that are not from the adoption circles...go here and here 
They explain it better than I can.



Quotes from my house: Biggest girl to middle girl: "Let's pretend she has a broken arm"
Middle girl (indignantly) "No! We came to the dentist!"


Another Quote: Zeke to Ben "I want to take that course if they are still offering it."
Ben: "You really should,  it would be interesting...Mr_____'s brain runs in a straight line and yours...runs in mazes."

Friday, November 2, 2012

Things I Almost Forgot

 Two year olds love to run around without shirts...and put their bellies against the refrigerator or the nearest metal exterior door.
 A hat can turn you into the silliest little girl in no time flat.
She also fits on my lap while I sew at the sewing machine....just like her siblings before her (well Joseph was too big, but he did spend time at my elbow). She can take pins out of the pin cushion and replace them without pricking her finger.  She also pushes the needles in the whole way so that I despair finding another needle in a long time.  I have hopes of eventually getting a whole nights sleep again...last night I slept on the floor by her bed in order to see why she gets out of bed. She sat up once and after seeing me, went back to sleep until 4:30.

Quote of the Week- "When you were gone, I found out you can cook things really fast if you get the oven up to 500 degrees"  --my dear husband

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Old Lady and the Two Year Old

First off I deleted the pics I was going to use...by mistake...camera card is EMPTY!!!

I had the cutest picture of my 2 year old eating butter out of one of those little food service containers.  go ahead, use your imagination. She loves the jello packs that are all over Ch*na and she thought the butter pack had to contain something equally yummy...Apparently she didn't change her mind, she even wiped the corners with her finger.

I had another indicator today that I will need to stay on my toes. I walked into the bathroom to use the facilities and lifted the lid to the toilet to find a plastic grocery bag floating there. Now I know what she did with that bag!

Life will be so much richer from here on out....I also may need more frequent vacations.