Sniff Sniff...

 

Jake and Rachel...as cute as ever.  Getting a picture of the two of them is rare these days. 

  

Rachel is such a fish in the water.  She absolutely loves swimming.

  

Funny to see Jake without a shirt.  He usually swims with a shirt.

  

Jake taking two foul shots!

  

Rachel's second time at the beach which was almost three years later!  She had a blast.

   

Jake, Rachel and Sherry at the beach.

  

Love this!

  

Jake and Julianna Bell

  

Rachel and Elizabeth Bell

  

This is what a little girl looks like when she colors her hand with a blue marker!  This girl is something else!

  

Jake had all his hair cut off!  4+ years of long hair.  It's growing on me.

  

Still handsome.

  

Sandy and my niece, Isis.

  

Isis, Jake & Rachel - Easter 2011

  

Rachel at the Great Wolf Lodge.  We had a blast!!!!

  

Marion, Sandy & Jake.  My sister looks fabulous after losing 100+ lbs.

  

Seriously, ain't she cute!  I can just eat her up!

  

Isn't this funny?  Rachel pushing Jake on the baby swing.  LOL.

  

Mommy & Rachel. 

  

We saw the Fresh Beat Band at Sesame Place in May, 2011.  Rachel's favorite band on Nick Jr.

  

Rachel with Ms. Kelly from LeRoux.  She was so proud of her trophy!

  

Another rare photo of Dave and me. 

  

So proud to show us her moves.

  

Rachel and one of her best friends, EJ.

   

Rachel loves our "new" piano.  I think we will have our own entertainment for years to come!

 
Jake finished 7th grade in June and Rachel finished her first full year of preschool! I can’t believe how fast these years go! I mean, it just seems like yesterday that Jake was starting Kindergarten and at the same time, it seems like just yesterday that we brought Rachel home from China. Why does life have to feel like it’s going at warp speed? Jake only has one more year of middle school and the same year he starts high school, Rachel will be entering Kindergarten! I’m not sure my heart can handle two huge milestones all at once. Why is it so hard on parents to see their kids grow up? I know we are selfish, as mother’s, to want our kids to stay young so that we can have them with us at all times and shelter and protect them from this big wide world we live in. I want to protect them from anything negative that could possibly harm them. I know going into our big world is the only way they will learn and grow as a person, but it scares me to death! I guess all we can do is teach them to trust God and teach them right from wrong.

7th grade was a major transitional year for Jake. He was an “A” student all the way through the first marking period of school, but things started changing halfway through the year. Jake received his first “C” this year after the 2nd marking period and then he got two “C’s” after the third marking period. In between the 2nd and 3rd marking period, we scheduled a conference with his teachers. We wanted to make sure we weren’t missing something, like whether or not he was struggling with something in school. On the positive side, Jake is very well liked by his teachers and by his peers. He’s a leader and apparently a very good friend. All his teachers said that “he is very respectful, a clown at times, but for the most part, he’s genuinely a good kid who is well liked by everyone. Your son is an “A” student who gets “B’s” and “C’s.” He’s perfectly capable, but he lacks motivation.” So, we had to have a talk with him, although he would probably say we “lectured” him. It took him another full marking period to realize that we meant business and his final report card, he showed a major improvement in all his classes and he didn’t received any “C’s” in his core subjects. He did get a “C” in Art, which really is still unacceptable, but his consequence wouldn’t be quite so harsh since we did see that he worked harder and he pulled up his core grades. He hasn’t had his cell phone in over three months! He is dying for it, but because he did get a “C” in Art and not because of his artistic ability, but because he was late handing in three assignments, he had to wait another month to get his phone back. We compromised, because he wasn’t supposed to get any “C’s”, but I do want to reward him for improving all his grades in his core subjects. I hope he learned a lot from this year. Unfortunately, as he moves onto each grade, school gets harder. He won’t get by, by doing just the bare minimum. He has to put effort into his work and he has to study! This is all new for him and I think he learned the hard way this year! Nonetheless, we are blessed because he is a great kid and the fact that he did pull his grades up, we know he is perfectly capable. He’s smart, talented, funny and just an all-around great kid. We truly feel blessed to be his parents. We hope he has a great start to 8th grade in September and that he will remember from the touch lesson I hope he learned in 7th grade.

Jake is participating in a “Counselor in Training (CIT)” program at the YMCA. He had to go through an application process as well as an official interview. He did that over spring break and he ended up being chosen for the program. This is a great opportunity for him for the future and at the end of the five weeks, he will be CPR and First Aid certified. Hopefully in the end, this program will help him next year for finding a paying job as a counselor for some camp program. I am very excited for him and hope he ends up enjoying himself. Jake will also be very busy with basketball this summer, because he is playing on way too many teams. I guess it’s a good thing he enjoys the game! Actually, basketball is his favorite sport and the only way to continue learning and growing in the sport is to play play play! So, he is definitely playing this summer…on three basketball teams. We already see a huge improvement in his skills. Hopefully he will do an overnight camp or two. He did one last summer and he absolutely loved it. I’m hoping he enjoys it as much this summer.

Our baby girl is growing up too! Can you believe we just celebrated 3 years as a “Forever Family” of four on May 19th?! Seriously, time really does fly by. Rachel truly enjoyed her preschool this past year. Her teacher, Miss Kuntz, was absolutely fantastic. Miss Kuntz has been with PCA for over 30+ years teaching three year olds. It truly blows my mind the patience, love and grace she shows our children. Her love for God is shared each day with our kids too. Rachel has grown so much in her first year with PCA and I’m looking forward to her continuing this summer for their camp program. She is learning her numbers, letters, colors and more songs than I can count! She has made so many friends and I know she will miss them over the summer. Hopefully we can schedule some play dates!

Rachel is showing a true interest in music. We all know that she is quite a little performer, but she loves getting on the piano that was given to us by a coworker of mine. She happened to be performing one day and she had us in stitches with her passion and comfort with herself. If I didn’t know she was three, you would think this girl was performing for years! She has repeatedly asked to learn how to play the piano and she also wants to learn how to play the violin. We are totally going to look into some sort of lessons for her. I think we may have to wait to another year or so for piano lessons as she is too young, but apparently there is a method that is used in teaching young children how to play the violin. I am really curious to see where her enthusiasm and willingness to learn takes her. I think we might be seeing Rachel on stage someday! I know that we truly enjoy the entertainment that we have been blessed with.

We are preparing for another celebration in our family that is truly exciting. Our family is growing by leaps and bounds. I know that I have shared earlier that my sister, Sandy, and her husband, Marion, have been fostering a child and have been for almost a year now. Well, we are hoping to receive wonderful news this week that the adoption process will be finalized! Isis will “officially” become part of our family. I mean, she has been a part of our family from day one, but the “official stamp” will mean that she will be forever ours legally! Sandy and Marion are wonderful parents and it’s exciting to see them grow as a couple and now as parents. We will be making our way down south next month to celebrate with them over their growing family and it will be the first time in a long that my older sister, Debbie, and her family will be going along. We plan to have a great “Adoption Celebration” with Sandy, Marion and Isis and then we will be on the next journey where they will work on bringing home another child. God is so good and I can’t believe how He has worked in our lives in growing our family and that He has led my family and each of my sister’s families down the road of adoption. We have been truly blessed with our children, both biologically and through adoption. We were blessed with the best of both worlds and I will be eternally grateful to Him.

We found out some wonderful news recently. I’ve heard people say how God has quite the sense of humor and recently our friends have learned that first hand! My friend, Tina, and her husband have decided that they were done having children. There boys are now 8 and 9 and they are in a very comfortable place with their life and things are easier to do now. Tina was on birth control to prevent pregnancy, but since turning 40 in March, her doctor felt that it was no longer safe for her to be on the pill. They decided that her husband would have surgery to prevent future pregnancies. Five days prior to his surgery, Tina learned that she was pregnant! YEP!!!! God decided that they weren’t done having children! To top it all off, the baby will be due in February…they will celebrate all three of their children’s birthday within 30 days! They didn’t see the humor in any of this, but now that the “cat is out of the bag” they are truly excited about their impending addition. I am so excited to share in this journey with Tina and Pete. When we became friends, Peter and Zachary were probably 2 and 3 years old at the time. It will be fun to see Tina pregnant and watching her family grow to a family of 5! This couldn’t happen to a more deserving couple. Tina and Pete are great parents and the fact that they see this “oops” as a blessing shows that they are ready to embrace what God has in store for them. Congratulations my friends! You will do amazing and you are truly blessed to have the love and support of your family and friends. I love you all! See, I said that my family was growing and that includes my “extended” family as well! There is nothing like have a baby in the family even when it’s a complete “surprise.”

I was sad to learn that another close friend of mine, Diane, has breast cancer. I met Diane about 18 years ago when I responded to her ad that she placed in the newspaper for a babysitter. Diane and her kids became a part of my family from the moment I met them. I have watched Ali and Nick grow up, from starting kindergarten to graduating high school. Again, it’s crazy to think how time flies! Anyway, Diane called me about a month ago after she learned her diagnosis. Actually, as I’m typing this, she is in surgery having a “lumpectomy” as well as a “partial hysterectomy.” When Diane shared her news, I would have never guessed that she was sharing bad news with me. Her positive attitude and great strength just truly amazes me and it will serve her well while she goes through her year of treatment of radiation and chemotherapy. She has an amazing outlook and she has amazing confidence in her medical team. If anyone can beat this disease, it’s Diane! She is an incredibly strong woman. This disease truly scares me to death and I pray that I’m never faced with it. But having Diane in my life and seeing her positive attitude and outlook, she gives me the strength I need to get through each day. Please pray for my friend and ask God to heal her and to continue to give her all that she needs to get through this phase of her life. I thanked Him for her as my friend and I thanked Him for giving her the strength that she does have, because her strength WILL help her win this battle!

Our family had a little scare back in June with Jake. While participating in “Career Day” at school, which is where professionals go to school and share their profession with the students, a cardiac nurse picked up an irregular pulse while performing pulse checks with a “pulse ox” machine on each of the students. Since Jake was the nurse’s help during class, he was the last student to be checked. The machine picked up his pulse being extremely high. As a precaution, they recommended that we take Jake to the doctor to make sure his heart was okay. Long story short, after an echo cardiogram, EKG, blood work, wearing a heart monitor for 24 hours, he was declared healthy! Praise God! The explanation given, since Jake is athletic, these machines tend to give false readings. Because Jake is athletic, his heart rate beats slower than a normal heart rate and these machines tend to pick up a double pulse from within his body. Also because of his athleticism, his heart will appear larger due to the large muscle around his heart. It’s all good and I’m so glad that it was nothing! Getting that phone call from the nurse was frightening and all I kept thinking was how blessed we are that they caught it! You constantly hear stories of athletes who drop dead on basketball courts because of heart conditions that they were not aware of until it’s too late. Enlarged hearts do run in my family, so I was thrilled that his heart is large because he’s athletic and not because of genetics. I can’t imagine him learning that he couldn’t play basketball or worse yet; he has a serious heart condition. I am thankful he is here, healthy and hopefully here for a long long long time! My kids are my world and I can’t imagine anything being wrong with them.

The next month is full of fun stuff happening which I’m looking forward to since our July has been kind of quiet except for work and camp. We will be celebrating Rachel’s 4th birthday this month too and believe me, we get a countdown each day! Rachel is so excited that she will be having a birthday soon and she let’s everyone know that she encounters. We are heading down south to visit family and in the first weekend, we are headed to Waymart, PA to attend Living Hope’s 13th Family reunion. I’m so excited and can’t wait! I will try to do my best to update more frequently, but I know we all know how crazy life can get. I do love sharing our family memories and hopefully one day my children will appreciate this blog.

2-Week Hiatus

I'm disappointed in myself, or I should say that I was disappointed in myself.  I've learned that I have this "all or nothing" kind of thinking and this kind of thinking just doesn't work with a weight loss journey.  I don't think of the 6 weeks where I did really well and lost 22 lbs, but rather I focus on the last two weeks where I let my food program go and I just didn't care what I was putting into my mouth.  I focus on the negative instead of the positive and this thinking is what has sabotaged me in the past!  I can sit here and write about all the excuses as to why I went off program because of my family visiting for the Easter holiday and that being backed up with my monthly friend.  I beat myself up over my pitfalls and I'm so hard on myself for "falling off the wagon."  This is the negative thinking that gets my in trouble.  I realize that I need to learn that life happens, hiatus's happen and it's just a matter of picking yourself up and starting a new day making the right choices.  I did that for myself yesterday.  I recommitted myself and I promised that I wouldn't put another piece of chocolate or candy in my mouth and you know what, I did it!  I really did it!  Last night after dinner I really wanted something else to eat.  I was craving that chocolate that was sitting on top of my refrigerator from Easter, but I didn't cave.  I didn't continue the 2 week hiatus that I took from my food program, but rather picked myself up and made better choices.  Today is day two and that is all I can do is to take it one day at a time.  This is a huge defeat for me.  I didn't let not being on program for two weeks sabotage me. 

I seriously want this go around of losing weight to be more successful than in the past and I know that my thinking is what needs to change.  I need to learn to be nicer to me and not be so hard on myself.  Our lives will be faced with many challenges including times when we don't make the best food choices.  It's a matter of letting that day go and just making the next day a better one. 

I don't really know how much my two week hiatus cost me in pounds yet, I will find that out tomorrow, but when I do weigh-in, I need to accept it and move on and continue to be motivated and remember that this is a life change and life throws us curve balls.  I'm in this for the long haul.  My weight didn't come on overnight, so it's not going to come off overnight. 

Almost to 20!

Friday was a good weigh-in at 2.4 lbs lost for a total of 19.4. I'm thrilled. I can totally feel it in my clothes too, which makes it even more motivating to keep going. Wearing lose clothes is one of the best feelings.

I will admit that I fell off the wage a little bit on Saturday. My son had a basketball tournament and it was difficult to plan. I did plan a ahead some and I had breakfast before leaving home where the rest of my family had breakfast sandwiches from Wawa. I knew that they were more points than I wanted to use. We ate early, so needless to say I was hungry by the time his first game was over, so we went to a fundraiser pancake breakfast at Applebees. I only stuck to two small pancases and 2 sausage links. I definitely could have eaten more, but I had only the one serving. For dinner, which is what killed it, I splurged and had chinese food. I know how fattening it is, especially Genearl Tso's chicken which is my favorite. I will say that I didn't eat the whole thing, but I'm so thankful for those weekly flex points! That is what is so great about WW, because you can splurge and not completely ruin your week!

Even though I splurged, I still have changed the way I'm eating. I would have had the breakfast sandwich and I would have had another helping of pancakes! Before, I would have eaten all the Chinese food that was given to me and then had a fattening snack later. So, even though it wasn't my best day, it was still better than I would have done if I weren't on progra. So, go me!

I Saw Your Face for the First Time Three Years Ago Today!

I can’t believe it’s been three years today that we saw our baby girl’s face for the first time. I will never forget this day! For over three years prior to this day, I wondered what Rachel looked like and couldn’t wait to know what she would feel like in my arms. Right now three years ago, we are overjoyed with excitement as we shared the good news of our daughter’s referral. We probably made 100+ phone calls and shared our photo with everyone who has been waiting with us. I remember getting Jake from school the morning of receiving the phone call from our agency and as soon as Jake saw me at his school, he knew this was the day he would finally see his sister’s face. We got to the agency and they were waiting for us. We walked up to the front door and were greeted with a “Congratulations Crist Family” sign and when we entered, confetti was thrown on our heads. We were dying to see the photos! When we saw our daughter’s face, she was more perfect and more amazing than we ever imagined. I couldn’t get over the size of her and how beautiful her bald head was. I loved the little smirk on her face and that she already looked like she was withholding a funny little secret. Her eyes looked happy and that helped me pass the next six weeks as we waited for travel approval. This day is probably one of the most significant days for me, because this is the first day that we laid our eyes on Rachel. I mean her birthday is special of course, but I didn’t get to share that day with her. Maybe it’s kind of like seeing your child for the first time in an ultrasound…I don’t know. But when I think back, it brings tears to my eyes that our wait was almost over!

Rachel is so perfect for our family and I will always remember, as if I gave birth to her, what I felt when I first saw her beautiful face. She is amazing in everyway and I thank God for the privilege to be her mother. I’m blessed beyond words with the most two amazing kids! I pray that God will give me all that I need to be the parent He would have me be. I love you Jake and Rachel. I hope you will always know that.

17 Pounds Gone for Good!

I am down a total of 17 lbs as of today! I was bummed about the .4 lbs loss this week, but it’s better than being up .4 lbs, right?! But then I realized later this morning that hormones definitely had a huge role in my minimal weight loss this week. The fact that I lost even .4 is a feat in itself. I’ve been known to gain up to 7 lbs during my monthly cycle.

I’m still feeling extremely motivated by my “new lifestyle” and each day I pray to God asking Him to help me be “mindful” of all that goes into my mouth. Even if I splurge with a treat, that I stick with a portion and not more. I’m thankful that God is hearing my prayers, because I haven’t felt this motivated by something in a long time. I am able to resist temptations from birthday cakes at the office to eating Krispy Kreme donuts from a fundraiser at Rachel’s school. I did give in to eating one donut, but in the past I could have easily eaten 4 in one sitting! It’s embarrassing to admit that, but that is where I was and that was reality “then.” I allowed myself one donut, but I was thrilled to learn that the donut was only 5 points and not 7 like I originally thought! I love the new WW program where fruits and vegetables have a value of zero points. When I feel hungry, I know I can grab that piece of fruit!

I don’t know what is different this time around. I don’t know why I am sticking to program more easily this time and why it wasn’t working before. Maybe it’s because I am asking God for guidance each day. I pray that He continues to be in my heart and mind each day and that He uses me to be an example for my brother. Maybe this is how I can help my brother. The only thing I need to rev up is my workouts. I’m not faithful yet doing exercise 3 or more times a week. That is my next plan of action. I need to find something that I love and don’t resent every time I’m doing it. I’m thinking maybe I need to learn a sport, like Tennis or something. Any suggestions? I would love to hear them.

Beautiful by MercyMe (Lyrics)

This song touched me so much that I thought it was perfect to post on my blog. It was shared on my brother, Paul's Facebook page. I need to remember this every time I fall short. I hope it inspires you!

It’s Not a Diet, But Rather a Lifestyle Change

I had made my mind up in November of 2010 that I wanted to have bariatric surgery. But before I follow through with a commitment like that, I wanted to make sure I was in the right frame of mind on many levels. I had started to lose some weight in December, where I actually did lose 7 lbs., which was over the holiday. For me, that is a defeat in itself! I mean, not only was I dealing with the holidays, but a ton of birthdays too including Jake and me. Somehow, I did manage to lose 7 lbs which the surgeon was impressed with. Heck, I was impressed! Well, that all went out the window within a few weeks. I don’t know why, but I noticed that I was eating more, especially at night. I quickly started putting those 7 lbs. back on. I was so excited about my decision to have the surgery that I had all my pre-op done within 1 month of my decision. If I were allowed, I would have had the surgery the day I made my decision. But something held me back. I knew I was not ready for this surgery, mostly because I was not mentally prepared. If I can’t follow a food plan now, why would it be any different when I have the surgery?

Most of you are aware of my brother, Paul’s condition. He is morbidly obese due to his addiction to food. He is 28 years old and currently weighs over 800 lbs. I am scared to death for him. His weight will not let him live another 28 years if something isn’t done soon. My brother is a great guy and has a lot going for him. I think seeing his condition has given me that much more motivation to lose weight. How can I lecture him about his weight when I am obese myself? Wouldn’t that be hypocritical of me? I realize that I’m not nearly has heavy as him, but I’m still overweight and considered morbidly obese as well. If I don’t do something about my weight now and get my eating under control, I could potentially struggle with the same health risks that are plaguing my brother. Simple things that we take for granted, like going to the bathroom, is a chore for my brother. He needs assistance in cleaning himself. This saddens me deeply. I just wish I knew how to help him.

I realize that before I can even consider the surgery further, I need to get to the root of why I eat. I mean, who doesn’t love to eat, right? But I do know that I tend to eat more when my emotions are out of control. I know that January and February were not great months for me, which was due in part, to a medication I was taking to help me feel more awake during the day. But regardless, I know my eating habits tend to depend on how my emotions are going. I don’t know what happened three weeks ago, but it finally hit me that I need to get control of my life again. I need to get control of my eating habits. I was starting to feel the weight in my knees, which hurt when I would go up and down steps. I also figured it could have a lot to do with why I’m constantly tired and why my fibromyalgia is flaring up. I am going to be 40 years old this year (I know, that’s crazy, right?!) and losing weight is going to be much harder if I don’t start now.

I am currently seeking mental health on a weekly basis. I still can’t tell you why I overeat or why I use food to comfort my emotions, but just talking to someone about life has helped me tremendously. I have started Weight Watchers about 3 weeks ago, and so far, from my heaviest weight, I am down 16.6 lbs. I love the new program with fruits and vegetables being zero points. But just like anything, you can’t over eat fruits and veggies either! Now, I know this kind of weight loss will be slowing down, because it’s not healthy to keep losing 3-5 lbs a week, but it feels great to have a great start! I started exercising 2x a week including weights, but plan to get to at least 3 times a week! This is huge for me! I don’t like to exercise…I really don’t. I wish I could love it. Maybe I will grow to love it, but I hate it right now. I would love to find an activity that I love which would give me the exercise I need. I’m searching. I thought I might like tennis, but I can’t afford lessons. Does anyone know how to play and would be willing to teach me? I’m a quicker learner!

What I need from you, my family, friends, acquaintances, I need prayer and support. I need words of encouragement and cheers when I lose. I need people to call and ask to me exercise with them or even just go for a walk. I need you to pray for my brother that he will have the strength and courage to change his life. I want him to rely on God and relinquish his addiction. I want God to use me to help him. I don’t know how right now other than to be an example, but if there is something else, I hope God will open the door and walk me through. I love my brother and I want him to be around for a long time!

As for the surgery, I have not made a firm decision yet. Maybe I can continue to do this journey without the help of surgery. My friends, who I love dearly, are rooting for me and are encouraging me to do it on my own without the surgery. I’m praying that God will continue to give me the strength to keep moving forward and that He will help me think twice before putting anything into my mouth.

Thank you for the support and encouragement I have been receiving, which is invaluable to me. Talking about my weight and weaknesses is no easy task!

More Awesome News!

I’m so excited for Jake! He has made the baseball team with his middle school. Our school district only has one team which is composed of both 7th and 8th graders. Not sure why this is the case since most districts do have a separate team for both…I think anyway. Apparently they said there just isn’t enough interest, but I find that hard to believe since over forty 7th graders tried out for the team this year! The first cut was made after the first week of practice and only ten boys were chosen and of course, Jake was one of them. The ten had to endure yet another week of practice before the final seven 7th graders were chosen. Jake found out yesterday morning that he was one of the seven! We are totally psyched for him. He really doesn’t think he deserved to make the team. I wish I knew why he sells himself short all the time. He has so much natural ability and a huge amount of potential. Obviously the coach saw those attributes too! You go Jake! We know you will do awesome and we know that you will make us and your team proud.

Another milestone for Jake this past weekend is that he got contacts! Honestly, I don’t know how this kid played sports and did well in school because his eyes have deteriorated horribly over the last year and a half since his last eye exam. He went from a -1.75 to -2.25 and -2.50! The eye doctor couldn’t believe he was dealing with this for so long. I don’t think Jake realized how blind he was! When we left the eye doctor on Saturday, he couldn’t believe the crispness and sharpness of everything around him. He called me upon his return home from school yesterday and said “I didn’t realize how big the clock was at school and I can see the numbers on it!” I wish I had known he was struggling! He NEVER wore his glasses in school because it’s just “not cool!” Maybe if he had worn them, his eyes wouldn’t have deteriorated the way they had. Anyway, I think the contacts are going to give him more confidence in all he does. The doctor said we will probably see a huge difference in all he does including school and sports.

Yesterday was a big day for Dave and me! We are the proud owners of a 2008 Nissan Altima. We are not the type to turnover cars every few years. In fact, both of our cars were 14 years old! We traded our 1998 Chevrolet Malibu in for a 2008 Nissan Quest minivan which we absolutely love! The spacious room is exactly what we need, especially for traveling and whatnot. Dave and I constantly battled over whose turn it was to drive it! I knew that my 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier’s time was up, because poor Jake had no room in the back seat. At 13 years old, he’s already just about at 5’10” tall and probably still growing. His knees were pretty much in his chest whenever he road in the backseat of the Cavalier. It is so nice not having car payments, but it’s so nice driving a newer model car. Heck, I’m excited that I have a CD player! I’ve had a cassette player all this time. I don’t even think you can buy cassette tapes anymore! LOL. Anyway, we are excited and blessed that we are able to afford a “new” car and hope that we get 14 years out this one! The Altima is very nice! It’s white with a moon roof. It’s definitely not top of the line, but it has some fun features like a “push” start button. You don’t need a key to start the engine or unlock the doors! As long as the remote is in your pocket or purse, you can open the car or start the engine. It rides so smoothly compared to the Cavalier. We feel so blessed that God has blessed our finances that have allowed us to make this investment! If things go right, I’m praying that we can outright purchase our next car and not finance!

A Proud Moment – March 12, 2011

We celebrated the end of basketball season for Upward on Saturday with a ceremony held at church for all 450+ students. Each child is recognized by name and asked to cross the stage to receive an award. This year a “sport” bag was given to each player which was a great gift, because they are perfect for summer camps. There is always some type of program planned and this year was an awesome juggler and unicyclist. He was quite funny too! He did a great job capturing the attention of all the kids and parents. Each year, each head coach from each team is asked to nominate one player who is deserving of the “Christ-Like Award.” This player doesn’t just display athleticism, but rather more important qualities like character, good sportsmanship, a positive role model, honorable behavior, etc. One boy and one girl is chose for this award each year and this year, our son, Jake, was awarded the “Christ-Like” award. I can’t begin to put into words how proud and elated we are that Jake received this honorable award this year. As parents, we work hard to instill positive attributes and morals in our children hoping and praying that they grow up to be the kind of child and adult you would want them to be, but rather yet, a Christian that God asks us to be.

As Jake’s parents, we truly believe Jake is very deserving of this award. Upward is a different caliber of basketball than the competitive leagues Jake was getting used to this year. The teams are made up of an array of kids from athletic to not so athletic and even children with special needs. Upward does a great job in teaching our children that “all kids are winners.” Jake was blessed with great athletic ability and he was able to pull back and remember that he is not the only kid on his team, the Stings. Being one of the tallest on the team was a huge advantage for getting most of the rebounds. Most times you would just go up for a shot, but Jake held back and passed the ball consistently to other players, even though the shot would have been easy for him to make. He did such a great job involving his team and being a great role model. It was a pleasure watching him and just witnessing the character Jake displayed on the court each week. We are incredibly proud of our son. I pray that God continues to work in his heart and follows him through his life and leads him in all is decision-making.

Jake, your dad and I are immensely proud of you. You are turning into the young man we have prayed about. Watching you morph into the young man you are becoming has been such an honor and privilege. I know you think we are tough on you and you may think we are unfair and unwavering, but everything we do is because we love and care for you more than words will ever convey. I hope that you will always have “Christ” in your heart and that you allow him to lead you in life and all your decisions. Without God, we are empty and worthless. Let the award given to you on Saturday be a reminder of how special you are and that all things are possible through Him. We love you, Jake and we are truly honored to be your parents. We thank God everyday for you!

Jacob Crist – Most Christ-like Player

2011 Upward Basketball

Upward Basketball is about helping children to grow in Christ as they learn the game. Some young people come in as complete novices in both areas and others are well on their way spiritually and physically.

In describing the Christ-likeness, I think that you always have to examine lives in terms of where thy have come from and the possibilities of where they can go.

We had a young man on our team who had to model Christ in a very tangible way. Christ is the model of power under control; of submission when he could be an authority; and in the same way, Jacob Crist is in the process of learning what it means to relinquish using his God-given talent in order for his team to be successful and for the other teams not be overwhelmed. For any young person who is learning how to be what it means to be a Christian while playing competitive sport, there are real life lessons that have to be learned that are reflected in the stars that Upward awards.

The Blue Star – Effort: Jake never lacked effort on either end of the court. He was the first down on offense and defense. In practice, he asked for more suicides.

 The Red Star – Defense: Jake’s defense originally was taking out frustrations for what he perceived as unfair treatment out on the other team. This shifted by the end of the season by getting his team mates more involved.

The Gray Star – Offense: Jake started to actively suggest ways to improve the team by sharing what he was learning from playing on other teams.

The Gold Star – Sportsmanship: Jake never lashed out after hard fouls or calls that didn’t go his way.

I believe that in the process of maturing from a babe in Christ to maturity, one has to work out the details of his own salvation. Jake is well along in that process.

He has the physical attributes that will make him a stand-out athlete but he is also developing the Christian attitude that will make him an asset to his team.

Arthur Mitchell

Sting Coach

March, 2011

This is a shot of Jake on the big screen!  I don't think he knew what to think right away!

This is a picture of Jake taken by the technical crew!  So cool!

This was Jake, Dave, Rachel & I on stage where Jake was received his award.  Such an awesome moment for parents!

Just a Couple Quick Thoughts

I can’t believe that we are already a week into March. I love that we are already seeing glimpses of spring every now and then too. I do love the snow, but by this time, I’m ready for the reprieve from the wind and snow. There was a day where I even opened all my windows because it was warm enough. The house definitely needs fresh air after being closed up for the last 4 months. I can’t wait to hang my laundry outside too. I know, how crazy is that? I love hanging my clothes outside. Do you know how much you save in electricity?! And your clothes will last longer too if they aren’t put in the dryer. You want to hang them inside out though, because if not, they will fade in the sun. Try it! They smell wonderful.

Dave just called me on Monday, March 07, 2011 to tell me two little cute comments Rachel shared with him on their way home from school today. My girl just melts my heart sometimes. Rachel was telling her daddy that a boy in her class doesn’t like her and she says “it hurts my heart.” I love it! And then after going through the drive-thru at the bank, the teller gave Rachel a lollipop. Well, it wasn’t long before she dropped it on the floor of the car and daddy says, “We can’t eat it now.” Rachel responds with “daddy, but a little dirt won’t hurt.” LOL. She probably said that because so many times she has dropped something and before I could get to her fast enough, she sticks whatever it was in her mouth. I then usually say “well, I guess a little dirt won’t hurt.” It just shows you how much our kids pick up and that they hear everything we say. Even the things you don’t want them to repeat!

We are excited for Jake because based on a coach recommendation, Jake is going to play for an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) basketball team. This is a great opportunity for Jake, because he will learn so much more about basketball. He’s come a long way and hopefully this will teach him more of the fundamentals he needs to know to grow in his game. So, it looks like basketball will be the sport for this spring and no recreational baseball. He is going to tryout for his middle school! I’m nervous for him, because this is a big deal. There is only one team that consists of both 7th and 8th graders. Tryouts start tomorrow, so please pray for him. He really is good at baseball, but after not playing all winter, he may be a bit rusty. Hopefully he wears his glasses like he’s supposed too! He needs them regardless of whether or not he thinks they are cool. When he can put drops in his eyes without prying his eyes open to do it, we can get him contacts, but in the meantime, he needs to wear his glasses!

Winter 2010-2011

Rachel peformaing in a Christmas show at her preschool.

She made such a cute little angel!

Jake dressed for a baketball game.  He has to wear a shirt and tie for all school games.

Love this!

Love this more!

She is my girl with a horrible sweet tooth!  Just like her daddy.

Rachel wanted me to put more batter on the beater.

We love our KitchenAid Mixer...Jake does too!

Rachel trying out her new bike!

Jake was thrilled to get his X-box.

I just looked at my blog and I didn’t realize how long it’s been since I updated it last. I mean, I knew it’s been awhile, but it’s been even longer than I thought. I feel guilty about it too, but honestly though, I have not been in the right frame of mind to write. The start of the New Year was a rough one for me and my family, only because they had to suffer the “raft” of my mental state. I feel even guiltier about that! I’ll explain later.

Gosh, I just realized that I didn’t even post about Thanksgiving. It was a great holiday this year, because my sister, Sandy, and her family came into town. It was wonderful having them here to enjoy the holiday with all of us, especially to celebrate my new niece, Isis. We were even privileged to celebrate her first birthday, which was so much fun. Isis shared her first steps with us too. It’s amazing how God works, because just like Rachel, Isis fit right in with the family and she wasn’t a bit shy or upset that she was surrounded by unfamiliar faces. She is a spunky little thing who just loves to laugh and entertain. Hmm, sounds like someone else I know! Actually, I was surprised at how well Rachel did with Isis being in our house. She wasn’t too jealous considering she had to share the spotlight with the youngest addition to the family. We did have a small birthday celebration for Isis and my friends and Dave’s family were so gracious enough to celebrate with us with gifts and food! It was so much fun! I did put Sandy to work where she made her famous fried chicken, green collards, “crack mac” (macaroni and cheese) and very tasty cornbread! This is a new tradition that has started for whenever Sandy visits us here in PA. My friends still talk about our southern fried chicken dinner! Sandy does a great job, but it really is a lot of work! She only knows how to cook for an army, but we love it because we have a weeks worth of leftovers! They may be coming up for Easter this year and I’m totally psyched! I so wish they lived closer so that we could do more and get to know our niece better. Hopefully one day they will make the transition back to our old stomping ground!

Unfortunately, the rest of the year was a little stressful for us. We have so many birthdays this time of year, including Jake and myself. But, we always make sure that we celebrate in some way for Jake. Having a birthday in December myself, I know all too well how sometimes we get forgotten because of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Before celebrating Jake’s birthday, we always make sure the house is already decorated for Christmas and I always do tons of cleaning beforehand. I need to get more organized with that, so that I can eliminate some of that stress. Andrea and Phoebe came this year to help us decorate the tree. I believe this is Andrea’s 5th year in helping us decorate our tree and now Phoebe has joined our tradition. Andrea is Jewish in faith, so she doesn’t have her own tree. She remembers doing this with her grandmother, who was catholic, when she was younger and she enjoyed the tradition of tree decorating. It’s fun having your “extended” family help in decorating for Christmas. Dave and Jake had helped this year topping the tree with our star. Rachel was thrilled to have a part in putting the star on the tree. It’s hard to believe that she’s old enough to help!

Basketball season was in full swing and keeping Jake, and us, busy! Jake pretty much played ball seven days a week. I guess we didn’t learn from the fall with his busy activity/sport schedule! Basketball is Jake’s “new found love.” He tried out for the 7th grade team at school and made it, which was a big deal for him! We were so excited for him for such an accomplishment, especially considering he hasn’t played competitively for very long. His school had a great team this year and the record ended up being 10 and 1. Jake also played for a recreation league and for their travel team which he also had to try out for. He played for Upward Basketball at our church, which I tried talking him out of, but he wanted to play, especially since this is his last year because he ages out. He thought it would give him more practice, since we don’t have a good driveway for a basketball net. We are now at the tail end of the season and we aren’t sure what spring looks like yet in the way of sports. Jake may not play baseball this year for the first time since he was five years old! I’m very sad about this! He wants to pursue basketball and is hoping to find a team where he can play this spring. I just hate to see him give up baseball all together. He’s so good at it and has a natural talent for the sport. I thought he could play for school and do recreational basketball. He’s not sure about trying out for school since they only have one team which is composed of both 7th and 8th graders. I was surprised to learn this, since I thought most schools have a separate 7th and 8th grade team. Anyway, he’s afraid he wouldn’t be good enough to make the team. I say he should go for it. So what if he doesn’t make it (I do think he would make the team!) at least he would get the experience of trying out. Jake sometimes shies away from challenges, which bugs me. Hopefully he will change his mind. It would be a shame to let his talent go to waste!

Rachel is still dancing. Although, lately, she hasn’t been wanting to go to dance. Not really sure why, because she loves to dance. I guess it could be a phase. She still loves school and continues to learn more and more each week. She is so funny. She loves to sing and every day we get to hear the songs she has learned at school. I am amazed at how many songs this girl knows and is willing to sing to anyone who will listen. We get such a laugh out of our spirited girl. Just last night while eating dinner, she announced that she was finished. I told her that she needed to eat at least 3 mores bites. In the end, she ended up eating almost every bite on her plate. I complimented and praised her for this and she says “I’m the best and no one is better than me.” I explained that this really isn’t a very nice thing to say out loud and she responded with “stop criticizing me!” All Dave and I could do was laugh. The words that come out of my girl’s mouth at three years old is unbelievable. She is a pistol and I think this is just the beginning that we are in trouble for what is to come!!!! Everyone keeps telling me this and it scares me to death.

I’ve been sharing Rachel’s adoption story with her just about every night. We have implemented “snuggle time” in her bed which lasts about 10 minutes or so each night. During that time, we say our nightly prayers. She is so cute, because every night she wants to pray for several families who lost their house in a fire back in the fall/early winter. We pass by these homes everyday and each day she asks about it and wonders if they are getting help. I love that she thinks of these families and shows empathy towards them at her age. So each night since she saw these homes, she is sure to include them in our prayers. I love it! Anyway, the second part of our “snuggle time” is spent sharing her adoption journey. She loves to hear about her adoption journey and how we waited and how she “grew in our hearts.” When I talk about us entering the Chinese Adoption Civil Affairs Office in China, I talk about how we knew she was our little girl because she was the only “bald” baby in the room! When I get to that part, she yells “that was me…that was me!” I share with her how she cried for a little while and she always intervenes and says “because I didn’t know you yet.” I go on to tell her the rest of her story and how we loved her before we even laid eyes on her. She is always telling me “but I grew in your heart.” Back in December, I switched out the picture with the kids and Santa with the new one from this year. I found the one of Jake with Santa when Jake was only a year old behind all the others. I laid it on the table and Rachel asked “is that me?” I explained that the picture was Jake when he was a baby and she responds “he’s from China too?!” LOL. Without too much detail, I tell her that no, Jake grew in my belly and you grew in China. She pondered that for a moment and after a few seconds, she grabbed my face and said “but I grew in your heart for a long time.” Did I tell you how much I love this girl?! My heart skipped a beat when she said this. I pray to God that that will always be enough for her. I hope that by sharing her adoption story with her, she will never be ashamed of it, but know that she was chosen out of pure love. I pray to God that she will be proud to share her story and that her story will always be a part of her and one that she will proudly treasure. I know I always will. Right now, I’m cherishing the moments during “snuggle-time” in her bed where we lovingly share her adoption story and pray that God will continue to give her that sense of love and belonging as she gets older.

We celebrated another Chinese New Year with Living Hope at the Chinese Buffet earlier in February. It’s always great to see the families, especially the children because they usually have grown or changed so much. I hardly see Rachel when we go because she is all over the place running with her little friends, especially Elizabeth. This year I’m excited, because I’m helping with the planning of the next reunion this summer. This coming weekend we are taking a ride to visit one facility that is a big possibility for the reunion. I’m praying that we can find something that will be fun but financially affordable for everyone.  I’m excited about this role and I’m looking forward to meeting and coordinating activities with other families.  I love the networking and the growing relationships that have come from our adoption process.  I think it’s so important for us, particularly Rachel, to network with families who have the same family dynamics as ours. I pray that Rachel, and us, develop lifelong relationships as we continue to grow and network with other multi-cultured families. We have already developed some great friendships and it’s been a blast!

I am happy that we are at the tail end of winter already. It’s been a tough start this year. I’ve been struggling mentally on so many levels, but thank God, I think I got to the root of the problem. I struggle with severe fatigue and after having a sleep study done last September, it was determined that I have Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD). It’s very similar to Restless Leg Syndrome, but it occurs while I am sleeping. They sleep study revealed that this PLMD wakes me up about 15 times per hour because of the jolting movement of my legs and arms. So, the doctor put me on a stimulant, which is supposed to help keep more awake during the day. The drug worked like a charm, or at least I thought so. It worked great in keeping me awake, but the side effects had caused some severe mental issues including aggressive behavior. My poor family took the brunt of my behavior and outbursts. I’m ashamed and embarrassed by the whole thing. My mood swings were so severe that I would go on rampages that would last a long time and then end in severe depression and crying fits. One Saturday morning, I was so aggressive and agitated that I tried getting out of our moving car! That day, I knew something was seriously wrong with me. My aggressive behavior made me so upset and ashamed; I would then fall into a deep depression where I would hide away from my family and friends. I started researching my medication, and once I realized it was the medication and I stopped taking it, within three days I was back to myself! I still can’t believe that I dealt with this for 6 long weeks. I can’t believe how horrible I was to my family and myself. I have the best husband in the world for putting up with me. When I think back over those 6 weeks, it makes me cry. Thank God my family is loving and forgiving. I asked Jake if he saw a difference in me after few days after I stopped my medication and he said “oh yeah!” I can’t ask for forgiveness enough. I would rather be exhausted then to put me or my family through that again. Thank you to those who prayed for me during those rough weeks.

It is hard to believe that we are at the end of February and that spring will be upon us before we know it. I have faith that things will in fact improve as time gets on. We have some exciting things coming up for the spring and summer, including my sister and her family visiting for Easter, and an Easter surprise for the kids (I will share later)!. My hubby forgave me enough to purchase a gift for me, which is a digital photography class! I can’t wait for April 17th! My friend has inspired me to want to learn to get my DSLR out of “auto-mode.” I’m going to make plans to go visit my friend, Tina, in Chambersburg and we are planning the Living Hope reunion for August. So, we have some great things to look forward to and honestly, they are very much deserved! We need to embrace life and count our blessings each day.

Please keep my father in your prayers. After a nasty fall while working, an MRI showed spots on his spine. He has an appointment with a specialist next week. Please pray to God, that it is nothing serious and that if it is serious, that God will give him and everyone around him the strength to handle whatever he is faced with. Please continue to pray for my brother, Paul, who is dealing with severe and dangerous obesity. Pray that he can stick to his food plan and lose the weight that will allow him to live a more comfortable and normal life.

Rachel and her dance class performed for senior citizens at Christmas.  They were so cute.

My sassy girl!

She was front and center showing us her moves!

Notice Jake's size compared to everyone else!  It's quite comical.

Jake going for a lay-up.

Upward Team!

My boo boo face!

She looks like a little cheerleader here!



First family shot in a long time, but of course the princess wouldn't cooperate.



My girl.

 

Rachel LOVES her new motorcycle.

When she realized there was a turbo button, there was no stopping her!

Love seeing the mess on Christmas morning.

Andrea, Phoebe & Rachel

My little angel bugs.