March Madness....let's review

Tuesday morning
Tuesday afternoon, snow all gone, beautiful warm weather
Thursday afternoon

So much for global warming...

OK, it's SNOWING...AGAIN...in March...in the south. Hunter and Ella are both at school, I'm sure they are soooo excited. I'm about to go get them, school is closing early. It's really snowing hard. Heck, forget about the kids, I'm excited!!!

When did God think of adoption?

Xiushan Orphanage, China

Oh, I love me some John Piper. Listen to him explain adoption. Love his passion. Love his little encouragement at the end. I really needed this today, as it reminded me to keep praying and stay open to how I can encourage others in adoption. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the number of orphans, by all of the injustices and red tape that stand in the way of children having parents. I also need the reminder about my own adoption - and what a huge thing that is.

A couple of weeks ago I read along as several bloggers I read went to Africa with Compassion International. As they prepared to come home they were brought together to discuss what it was going to be like when they returned home to their comfortable suburban lives. They called it "re-entry" and said it could be a difficult time. One blogger mentioned having survivor's guilt at the stark contrast b/t her life and the lives she encountered in Uganda.

Something happened as I read their accounts. I realized that for the past year, since we came home from adopting Piper, I have been struggling through some sort of "survivor's guilt", for lack of a better word. I just have had such a difficult time thinking about the difference b/t Piper's life and the lives of the children that still reside at Xiushan Orphanage. Just writing that, the tears are rolling. I can't put into words how much I love Piper Grace. Just like any proud mama, I think she is one of God's most beautiful creations. But then I think about those other children, they are God's creations as well, and now that I can really see them, and feel a kinship with them...it's just hard to accept. They deserve to have a family that celebrates with them as they take their first step, or learn to say their own name. They deserve a mommy who will comfort them when they are sick and tell them they are the most wonderful baby in the world. Don't they?

Anyway, these thoughts feel very incomplete still. I don't really know what to do with these feelings, besides offer them up, and remember that God is in control, in the good and in the bad, that I know. My job is to pray, and stay close to Him and listen when He speaks.

"Be open to the possibilities - of God's promises to grow good things in hard places. Be open to the possiblilites that these circumstances hold more than what I see right now. Be open to the possiblilites of discovering new hope. Be open to the posiblilities...one day at a time." Carol Kuykendall (thank you to my mother in law for that quote, I love it...)

The best PMS fix around

Once you enter into this crazy, wonderful community of China adopters, something very special happens about once a month. BABIES! Referrals come out, and families are formed. I love looking at the pictures of the little ones who have no idea that a family is freaking out, in a wonderful way of course, on the other side of the world as they study every centimeter of their photos.

Now that we are on the other side of this process, I can somewhat picture what's about to happen in these families lives. They are about to embark in an out of this world adventure of love, travel, bonding, discovery...just life at it's fullest. It's just all so exciting! So if you'd like to see a few of these sweet faces, go here, and enjoy.

Dena

Snowy March Surprise!

Yesterday evening, little white flakes began to fall.

Little did we know that we'd wake up to several inches on the ground.
We live next door to a big hill and the kids had a blast sledding down.
Ella was the first try it, and had great technique from the very beginning.

This is the first time it has snowed here this year, and it was a good one - soft and fluffy, perfect for playing. Piper was such a trooper and hung with the big kids for the entire time, only complaining when it was time to go in. It's already starting to melt, but it was fun while it lasted. My hats off to you Northern moms who deal with all of paraphernalia that goes with snowy weather on a daily basis. I just kept thinking that I had to be burning extra calories!

Hello, my name is Dena and PMS is real.

This is a public apology for all of the private thoughts I've had over the years about women/friends who complained of PMS. I plead ignorance. I didn't know. I do now.

It started sometime after I had Ella, 5 year ago. It seems to be getting a little worse each month. So by the time I go through menopause, I'll probably be living by myself, in a box somewhere, and happy about it, because, HELLO, no one will talk to me there.

For 2 days every month, I want to run far, far away - without the running of course. I feel like if I could just not have anyone talk to me, I'd be fine. The other members of my family don't seem to understand how revolutionary those two days could be if they just wouldn't say anything, thankyouverymuch. The 2 other females in the house seem to feeding off of my irritability, and the picture is not pretty this morning.

Piper kept saying "EGG - WANT IT - NOW!!!!"

So, I gave her a hard boiled egg, cut up nicely on her plate, only to have her toss it on the floor. "EGG - NO WANT IT!!!"

It's cloudy and rainy here. I do realize in the big scheme of things, PMS is not the end of the world. It just makes you wish it were!

I'll be darn if Piper just didn't come up to me and say,
"EGG -WANT IT! Now!!!"

Lord, help us.

Busted!

"Twash LOUD!" she kept saying.

I'm in a major simplifying, cleaning out, getting rid of stage right now. Most of the toys we are parting with get donated, but as I was secretly collecting my little treasures to haul away the other day, I couldn't bring myself to donate one of Hunter's toys.

It was with great glee that I picked up this plastic siren thingy that screeches loudly with each push of one it's 10 annoying buttons. I put it in my secret bag where toys go to say their last goodbyes, unbeknownst to the 3 little ones.

But... I have this little problem of over thinking even the smallest of decisions. As I went to hide my stash, with that annoying screechy thingy on top, I mentally followed this little toy's new path. I would donate it to the local resale shop where the proceeds go to charity, and then some unknowing 1st time mom would buy it for their little tot, take it home, and then curse the person who gave it away, knowing the torment all those LOUD screechy sirens would cause.

And I really don't like being cursed. At all.

I could not knowingly pass it along, so in the spirit of sisterhood, I secretly placed it in the bottom of the kitchen trash.

Occasionally when the trash is full, I will place it by the back door, hoping the trash fairy will come take it out for me. It happened once back in 1997.

So, on her way to searching for an open bathroom door, Piper spotted it, and as all good 22 month olds would do, began dragging it behind her.

Well, much to her surprise (and mine), the trash screeched, oh so loudly, at her, as flashing lights blinked on and off through the bag. I don't think I've ever seen that version of shock on Piper's face before! But once she got over her initial terror, she settled into playing with the bag of trash for a good part of the morning.

And really, insulated by old diapers and milk cartons, those sirens weren't so terrible. Maybe I shouldn't have thrown it away after all...

What???

So I'm loading the dishwasher after dinner tonight and Ella(5) starts yelling:

"MOMMEEE!!! Piper put her hands in the toliet and picked up some poo poo!"

I nearly drop the plate I'm holding and run (ok, walk briskly) to the scene. Just as I think I might be ill, Hunter(7) yells from upstairs:

"OH, that's not poo poo, that's my dessert!"

WHAT???

Like it's an everyday occurance, "I put my chocolate in the potty, that's all."

Call me crazy, but something about this conversation strikes me as odd, I just haven't figured out which part yet.

Letting Go

I loved this post, over at Big Mama's. If you're in need of a faith lift (who isn't?), go over and check it out. Love the verses she ended with:

Psalm 103: 2-5 “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

We've been a family of five for one year!!!

Piper, showing off her Gotcha Day outfit from last year.

Piper this morning, looking at a picture of one of her Xiushan buddies dressed in her Gotcha day outfit

The outfit fits her much better this year. It was HUGE on her last year.

Same outfit, last year...Me and Piper, w/all of our new friends in the background getting to know their little ones.
February 26, 2007-what a blessed day!

I can't believe it's been a year since that wonderful day when we first held Piper. She has changed so much, and it's neat to look back at these pictures of that day, now that we know her. What in the world what she thinking, I wonder!!! We were just in awe of her, and the entire process. It felt like a miracle.

Still does.

I'm so excited!

Our friends, Anton and Christie just got a wonderful surprise - a call - they are parents...finally. Go here to see them as they get their news. I am crying happy tears for them!
They started their process to adopt from China just a bit after we did, but because of the extreme slow down, they will not get their referral until next year sometime. Soooo, in the meantime, they decided to adopt from Ethiopia. These two people will make absolutely wonderful, fun as all get out, loving parents.
Did I tell you how happy I am for them???
Thank you, Lord! Keep little Quint safe and loved until Christie and Anton can get to him.

Read this.

Great, great article about a dad changed by adoption.

The Lantern Festival - it's been a year!

February, 2007 The Lantern Festival, in China-Piper lit up when we put this dress on her, and then the shoes, oh, she loved the shoes!
We were on a boat like this one.
Brett and Estee, Estee and Piper were dressed alike that night.
Piper and me.

One of the dads, Tom, from our travel group, posted this on our group this morning:
"Today is Lantern Festival, marking the end of the Spring Holiday Season. Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao) has been celebrated for more than 1000 years, beginning in the Tang Dynasty. By traditional Chinese reckoning, it is one year since a dozen little girls went cruising on the Pearl River."

Those dozen little girls were Piper Grace and the other girls in our travel group. We happened to be in Guangzhou on the night of the Lantern Festival, so our guide took us for a cruise on the Pearl River to celebrate with the Chinese. At that point, we'd been in China with Piper for about a week.

One of the other moms posted that she missed China. I do too. It was such a magical time, being there with Piper - in the country where she was born, so rich in history. I really hope we get to go back again when Piper is older.

So according to the Chinese lunar calendar it's been a year since these girls were forever placed in our arms. On our calendar, that blessed date is February 26th, next Tuesday. Still don't know how we'll celebrate, but we will.

A few of our favorite things...

For Valentines Day, I thought it would be fun to interview the loves of my life. So, this morning, over these donuts, we did just that.

Explain what you think "love" is.
Piper(22 months): "Mine!"
Ella(5): "Love is Jesus coming from our hearts."
Hunter(7): "Love is triple times 'like'."
Scott(40): "An enduring bond b/t two people." (who is this guy?)

What are some of your favorite treats?
P(we helped her a little): "orange juice, mommy's make up, chocolate"
E: "donuts, icecream, spending time praying with God"
H: "family parties, going to cousins house, Wisconsin, donuts, cake"
S: "lemon icebox pie, diet coke"

What is your favorite thing about our family?
P: "Mine!"
E: "That we love each other and we all have Jesus in our hearts."
H: "That we love each other."
S: "That my wife looks like a supermodel as she runs our family with grace and love." (Ok, so he wasn't present for this question, but I'm sure that's what he would have said)

What is your favorite, everyday thing, our family does together?
P: "Mine!"
E: "I like when we take walks together."
H: "I like sitting at the dinner table together."
S: "playing and laughing together"

Pretend you are Oprah and list your Favorite Things.
P: (Ella and I helped her a bit) "laughing, jumping, climbing, singing, copying, dogs, cats, playing under the covers, SHOES!, dresses, looking pretty"
E: "horses, dogs, ponies, hearts, friends, God, mommy, daddy, brother, sister, Mama Linda, Papa Roman, Mandy, Grandma, Papa, all my cousins, earth, that God loves every single one of us, loving, sharing, when Grandma Linda and Papa Roman send us stuff in the mail
H: "Heard Museum, Dinotopia books, Half Priced Books, God, singing, music, African drums, history, writing, sauropods, drawing sauropods, praying, science, my whole family"
S: "my family, reading to the kids, hugging wife, dinner with family, Alabama football, and God" (but not in that order he wanted to clarify, but in some way, Alabama football and God go together in his mind)

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

My mom's idea of "taking it easy"...

Ella, modeling her new, "most beautiful dress she's ever seen", made by her Grandma. My mom and I found some really cute dresses online and got a little obsessed with finding cute material and a pattern. She's wearing it to school for her Valentines party today, and is just sure no one else will have a dress like it, because "most Grandmas don't know how to make a dress like this!". This is my mom's way of taking it easy post surgery. I could get use to this! She's making one for Piper too!
Later today, I'll post our Valentine's Day interview...

For mature audiences only...Preacher discusses being a "real man" rather than a "male"

I believe I may have a sick sense of humor, but I find this terribly funny. Sad, but terribly funny.