Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and injustice when He could do something about it. But I'm afraid God might ask me the same question.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Weekend Warriors

I don't know why I love to take photos of Mina's serious side.  Maybe it's because we don't see much of it.  She is usually always happy, bouncy or fiesty, but rarely serious.  
My girls and I did a triathlon relay today, we had a really fun morning.  None of us take ourselves or our sport seriously so it makes for a great time and lots of motivation.  Thanks girls.  
Can you spot the complete deceit in this photo? Bragging rights if you find it.  No cheating. 

We love spring! 

Friday, March 27, 2009

Why I am a blog slacker...

It's crazy 'round here.  With all the excitement of our upcoming trip to China, I pulled out all my suitcases yesterday and started refining my packing list.    I can't wait to start throwing all the clothes and goodies in.  I have a feeling fed-ex "black-listed" my address after I chased this poor unsuspecting guy into the street to get his photo when he delivered our LOA.  He made no attempt to look at me with a straight-face when I gave the envelope back to him and started snapping his photo.  He surely thought I was nuts when I began telling him that his photo would forever be in my daughter's baby book.  He was a man of few words, and he made me feel like a complete and utter lunatic.He did manage to cop a smile while I clicked his photo.  I guess I should have told him I would be posting his photo on the Internet for the 10 people who read my blog??? Oh, well, sorry. Mina and her buddy Mia making cupcakes for "Mina day", she got to do all her favorite things, Hang with her best bud, make cupcakes, and eat noodles until she nearly popped. It was fun and simple. She has asked me every day since if today is her special day, I think she is in it for the cupcakes. 
(why does my head look outrageously large in this photo?) Oh, the joy of parenting teenagers.  One second you love them to pieces & your beaming with pride and the next, well.... I came to the grueling realization that in about 10 years we will have 4 teenagers at the very same time living under our roofs. I hope I can get though it without therapy, or better yet, I hope THEY can get through it without therapy.  This poor kid thinks his Mama is the ONLY Mom who is so tough.  Like the time I packed up his ENTIRE room, clothes, tv, video games, cell phone, I-pod, posters, papers EVERYTHING other than 4 days worth of clothes. I kept all his belonging for 3 months, because he threw a salami sandwich on my front lawn. (oh and he ate the sandwich for dinner too)  Yeah, but that was a year ago and I have never had to get all crazy since, well not until this week.  So I would feel bad about posting this, that is if I knew he would see it, but since he won't be privy to any electronic device for sometime, I'm not skeered.  If anyone needs their car washed or house painted for free, let me know, he is in need of keeping busy. He knows I love him though, He always tells me that he is my favorite.  


I love this little character.  She has let go of her puppy hat the last few days, only wearing it here and there.  Now she says "rina-rina" because she wants to dress like a ballerina.  So floppin' cute! 

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

"Mina Day"

A year ago today....
It has been the best year of my life. 

Monday, March 23, 2009

Day 87!  Holy Cow we are crazy happy right now.   China here we come.  We have to wait a few more weeks for our Travel Approval, but this is the big one.  We will be in China in May!  
YIIIIIPPPPEEEEEEEEEE. 

Saturday, March 14, 2009

I know I'm the Mommy, but seriously, How cute are my girls????

She didn't get the nickname Mama-two for nothing..  She loves being a big sister and loves doing anything Mommy does.  Mina has no problem with my 2nd string Mommy.  I don't know what I would do without her.   

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Day 76 waiting for our Letter of Approval from China, and I am growing old and weary of waiting.  I am really in need of some progress here.  Once we get our LOA, we will probably travel about 6 weeks after that.  Mama's coming baby,  hang on!!!  

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

My worst Mommy idea so far...

I am always coming up with great "ideas" 
 or so I think... Day 1 of this project I realized that I made a big mistake.  The kids and I LOVE a good project.  So during the snowy wet week last week, I came up with this one.  I had this grandios idea of making the perfect paper mache' globe and teaching the kids about the different continents and cutting out different animals and landmarks for each different one. You know, like panda bears in Asia, zebras and tigers in Africa, US flag on North America..  All that great stuff. You can see what we ended up with.. It wasn't even round... What a HUGE mess, what a huge pain.  If I didn't like y'all I would tell you to go here and follow these instructions and a week later, after layer upon layer of sticky messy nasty pasty newspaper shreds all over your house,  you too could have a lumpy bumpy misshapen easter egg pinata.  I know you want one.  But what ever you do don't go here.  You will regret it, I promise.  Even my kids say they NEVER want to make a pinata again... 

Will he or won't he???????

So Collin, our teenage son, submitted a scholarship application for an exchange student program to live in China for 6 months next year.  I figured the scholarship was a long-shot, so he submitted it without much thought. On Saturday he had an interview to be chosen for one of the spots. We will know next month if he will be going or not, but now my Mommy panic is starting to set in.  Holy Cow, could my baby actually be living in China next year for 6 months?? I was thinking about how great it will be having Finn home and not to have to be waiting and worrying about one of my babies in China, how ironic that I may be in the same boat, next year... for the third straight year, but instead of waiting for my new baby I would be waiting for my oldest "baby" to come home!!! 
I am not sure if I want him to get the scholarship or not.  I know that the experience would surely be life changing.  I am praying that if it were to change him for the better than he get it, and if it will have a negative impact on him that he will be overlooked.  We shall see...   

Monday, March 9, 2009

Our Love Language..

There is a very popular/famous book called "The 5 Love Languages", it's actually a great book, but I think they left out a Love language the one shared by all of our family members... Our true love language is FOOD!  We love making food and especially love eating food.  The kids all LOVE helping, and Mina is no exception. This morning we let her dump ingredients and stir the cake mix. Can you just see her beaming? Why do all kids love this so much? So cute. 
(I don't usually dress the girls the same, but they both do have a few of the same things, and for some reason they both squeal with delight if they are dressed the same... Hokey, I know but they get so excited.)
I don't know why I love this photo so much.  We had a GLORIOUS weekend!  We spent the whole time outside in shorts and flip-flops.  I love it.  I actually got too much sun, I guess we need to pull out the sunscreen-- far cry from my last post a few days ago, when we had the biggest snow of the year.  Yes this is just 5 days later!!  

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Snow day.

Our snow day. Fun day but now we are over it, thank you very much.  We are ready for some major sunshine please.. Kobi has been sick the past couple days, poor thing.  Hopefully she didn't share 
Our little guy is so full of character, he keeps us laughing. He is getting ready to go play in the snow at 7:00am.  What's the point of getting dressed just to put your snow clothes on?  

"My love of hats is interfering with my ability to see clearly, does that mean I have a problem?"

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Swingin' Smiles

Oh how I long for the days of spring... Oh wait this was just 2 days ago!  Now we are smack dab in the middle of a cold rainy weekend and we are even expecting some snow.  I am not a big fan of big the cold, maybe if I could cuddle up by the fire with a cup of coffee and a good book and just wait out the "storm" I wouldn't mind the cold so much, but that is NOT my life.  So I long for warm weather where we can laugh and play and run through fields of daisies,  or at least something like that.  Or just letting the kids burn off their energy in the great outdoors rather than in my living room on my furniture.  These are some cute photos of the kids playing on the swings a few days ago when it was nice and warm.  Fun, Fun!


Udate on the Wait:  No news is not good news in this case, we are still waiting with no word.  I was holding out for a miracle that we would be able to travel to get Finn before the Trade Fair which is at the end of April...  It looks like we have passed the point of possibility.  We waited 63 days for our LOA for Mina, we are passed that point in our wait for Finn.  I hope and pray that things move along quickly from here.  This is tough stuff.