Bloglines

I have to tell you that my favorite invention (besides restaurants) is Bloglines!! I am not kidding - I used to have to click on every link on my blog and now I just put all the web addresses in Bloglines and it tells me when any of my favorite bloggers make a new post - oh yes, and the other best part??? If I find a new blog I want to follow, I just click on one button on my desktop and it saves it to my favorites in Bloglines. Hey, an added bonus, who wouldn't want a little button that tells you how many blogs you get to go read today!!! So if you aren't on the RSS bandwagon - it's easy and it's free AND it saves you time!!! Just have to put a shameless plug in for this lifesaver!!! Now, if only they'd pay me to say these things!!

6 Months Down!

Oh, I am clever, aren't I?!?! My favorite restaurant and they even posted my message for me!!!

Yes, we made our 6 month mark today - if you remember with Chloe's adoption - that meant the referral was coming!! With this one??? The bad news is - possibly even another year from now?? The good news?? It's all in God's hands - I think our pastor preached just for me today - we were in Habbukuk (who would've thought??) and the whole sermon was on how we can let our circumstances "make" who we are. In Hab. 2:2 it says, "And the Lord heard me" (see, He does hear us!!!) and then goes on to say in vs. 3 "If it seems slow, wait for it: it will surely come; it will not delay." Wow - what a reminder that it's all in God's timing!!! And here's how we're to be during the wait, ch. 3 vs. 18-19 "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength..." So there you have it - I will work on my attitude and TRY to remember that God is in control - it's all in HIS timing!

Favorite Photo Friday

Chloe has this very fun chair from Ikea - it looks like a Bumblebee with a wing (shelf) on each side - she LOVES it - although she was afraid of it at first! Anyway - here is how Daddy found her when he got home from work the other night - so it makes a good bed too!!!!

Summer

It's hot, and it's sticky and if you've read our blog for any length of time, then you know how I feel about that!!!!
Thanks - I feel better already!!!!

Matching Plates

You must know that we have daily catastrophes over the plates that we give Chloe. We have those Tupperware snack plates and she is FIRM in what color she wants - she DOES NOT like grey but she ALWAYS wants yellow. So, knowing that, here is a conversation heard at lunch today:

Chloe: Mom - I do not want grey. PLEASE can I have yellow??

(Yes, I forgot and gave her grey AGAIN!!!)

Mom: Chloe, you already used it so just go ahead and finish eating off of it. Next time we will have yellow.

Chloe: Ok, but you know, Grey DOES NOT match my shirt!!

So in case you didn't know eating etiquette - a plate should match your shirt!!

Aroma

A co-worker gave me a small bottle of Red Door perfume - I was so excited, I have always liked this perfume but just never bought it. So - I squirted some on right away!! When I got home, Caleb said, "Mom, did you use Play Doh in story hour today?" I said, "No, why do you ask?" He responded, "Well you smell like Play Doh." I think I was stunned - I couldn't figure out why I would smell like Play Doh - and then it hit me, the NEW PERFUME. He just stood there a minute sniffing and said, "I love Play Doh smell - it's my favorite!" Gosh, glad he approves!!

Favorite Photo Friday

Just a wink for your weekend!!!

God's Bed

Last night - I was walking by Chloe's room and heard our youngest son, Aaron, telling Chloe, "It's Ok, you don't have to be scared because God is with you. The Bible tells us that, so you don't have to be afraid." Chloe said, "Ok Aaron." And Aaron left the room to go to bed as well. I walked in behind him to give Chloe her THIRD kiss and hug of the night, and she looked up at me and said so seriously, "Where is God's Bed?" Well, I guess that's a good point, if He's there with her all night - He probably needs a bed!!!

You Know It's a Good Day When.....

....You get your brown envelope from Guangzhou, China!!! (Don't get too excited - it means almost nothing - but hey, you don't get mail from China everyday!!!)

......AND Your husband makes home made Salsa!!!!

Motherly Thoughts

I have been thinking so much about our reunion - we had such a great time and enjoyed seeing everyone again, but I am drawn always back to how the girls reacted to each other. I was just amazed - it was like those girls saw each other and all fear was gone - even the girls that often are usually more shy in public. My mind says there is just no way they can remember each other, but the reality was that they reacted toward each other like it was just normal to be together. Even Chloe, who can often be clingy in public, left my side and played with her Pingjiang friends like they did it together everyday. Now, as we are all back home, I just sit and ponder ~ do they have a bond that goes back much deeper than anything I can imagine? After spending almost a year together at the beginning of their lives, many even sleeping in the same room everyday during that time, how deep does that go? I will probably never even know....but it sure was something to see.

Favorite Photo Friday

For Favorite Photo Friday, I have a few favorites!! We had the neatest program at our library - GREAT BIG FACES (Paul Merklein) came tonight. He is a fun artist to watch - he draws famous book characters and other famous people and then chooses people out of the audience to draw. Well guess who he asked to draw??? Yep, Chloe!! She wasn't so sure, and then even when he was done I asked her if that picture was of her and she said, "No Mom, I right here." (As she was pointing to herself!!)

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Future Bloggers of America

(Joe thinks they already need a support group!!!!)

Reunion

Good grief - I could probably share photos with you for MONTHS now from our WONDERFUL reunion - I have stories and memories galore to share - but I'll begin with a fun show Joe built quickly while we were all there together - what a great weekend we spent together!! And I am still in awe that 10 out of 11 families were able to attend (we missed you, Johnsons!!).



To see the video - Click HERE!!

Still Vacationing

Ok, today was NOT as big as a hit as yesterday - but, in Joe's defense, it would be tough to beat the Creation Museum!!! We started off our day at Fort Knox ~ Patton's Museum. Our boys LOVED the museum - what boy wouldn't love tank after tank and weapon after weapon?!?!?! Chloe and I - well we chatted the whole way through about the "fancy clothes" (Chloe's words) that the soldiers wear. Ok - I have lived a sheltered life, but when you say "Fort Knox" - do you not think of a large look-out fort???? Well - I did - I didn't say a word until we were finally leaving and I asked Joe when we would get to see the actual Fort - I think he looked a bit like he couldn't believe it (you know, that ex-air force guy knew all that already!!). So no, no fort - for those of you that thought that too.

Then Joe thought a hike was in order - we went about 1/2 mile and the bugs were horrible and it was hot - high 80's - so we headed back. (It would have been a great idea on a cooler day!!)

We ended our day with a trip to Abraham Lincoln's birthplace - it was interesting so see all of that.

So - we are headed farther tomorrow - and then to our ultimate destination!!! Can't wait to see everyone!!

On Vacation

We are headed out....on our way to our Pingjiang Reunion, but on the way, taking in some sights. Today we started out in/near Cincinnati to see the Creation Museum. Hands down, THE BEST museum we've seen!! It was SO nice to actually be in a museum and not have to keep telling the kids, "Now we really don't believe it happened that way..." We say - if you are ever in the area - go see it (or if you aren't in the area - GO ANYWAY!!! It's worth it!) Oh yes, and HAPPY 4th of JULY!!!

Geocachers

What else can you do in the summer out in the middle of nowhere?!?!? GEOCACHE!! Our boys love this new-found, modern-day treasure hunting. It's a man-thing, I think, but I'll let 'em do it!! Just as long as they rid themselves of their ticks BEFORE they enter the house!!!

And what's a girl to do while her brothers are Geocaching??? Well, dig in the dirt, of course!!!