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.

Merry Christmas to You and Yours

I hope we all remember "the reason for this season."  Our family wishes you a Merry Christmas a Blessed 2011 New Year!

Love,

Dave, Sherry, Jake & Rachel

2010

Rachel's Version of the Pledge of Allegiance

Officially a Teenager




13 Years and Counting

 

I remember like yesterday when we found out we were pregnant with you. I’m not sure you know this Jake, but we honestly thought we were going to lose you. We tried for exactly one year to get pregnant and the very last month, if I wasn’t pregnant, we were going to seek medical help. We found out right around our 3rd Wedding Anniversary that I was pregnant and we couldn’t be more thrilled. A week or so later, I went for my first blood test, which didn’t come back normal, so the next day they repeated the blood test. The levels that should go up were not, so the doctor wanted me to have an ultrasound to confirm that things were okay. Things were not okay from the ultrasound and yet another round of blood tests was ordered. Long story short, I was told that I was either having a tubular pregnancy or that I would be having a miscarriage. The doctor wanted to be safe and ordered me to have a procedure done, which basically would clean out my tubes and uterus. Your dad and I were devastated and incredibly heart broken over this news. I was scheduled to be in the doctor’s office the next morning where the doctor would go over the latest blood results and from there I would head to the hospital to have this awful procedure. I was scared out of my mind and my heart was broken in a million pieces.

At this point, we had shared the bittersweet news with Mommom and Poppop. Mommom had accompanied us to our appointment that morning. We arrived for our 8 AM dr.’s appt. where the doctor basically told us the grim news and he did one last exam and determined that the procedure needed to be done. Dr. Guifrida had the nurse call the hospital to tell them that I was on my way. I was crying hysterically while putting on my coat. As we were about to leave, Dr. Guifrida says, “you know what, I want to do my own ultrasound here in the office. Take your coat off and follow the technician to the ultrasound lab.” I was confused, but did what I was told. Without getting into too much personal detail that I’m sure you would be grossed out by, when the doctor placed the probe, there appeared this little fluttering thing on the screen which I found out was your little heartbeat! I was confused but the doctor was smiling and started to cry. We were told that I was in fact pregnant and that everything looked completely normal. There we all are, surrounding this ultrasound machine watching your heart flutter with not a dry eye in the room. We had all just experienced a tremendous miracle.

I can’t tell you how close we came to losing you and how you wouldn’t even be here today if God hadn’t intervened. That was my first real glimpse that there is a God and that he heard my prayers. Things were touch and go for a little while, but we were indeed pregnant and we couldn’t have been more elated. When I think of that time, I get goose bumps and still choke up thinking how close we were to not having you here with us today. I thank God every day for you.

You are amazing! I know I give you a hard time and that I can unreasonable at times, but one thing is for sure…I love you with all my heart and want nothing more than for you to be happy and to succeed. Your dad and I are so proud of you and just elated about the young man you are becoming. When I see you interact with others, especially children, I am in awe at how sensitive and compassionate you are. You have this charisma about you that is so appealing and intriguing. No wonder the girls seem to love you! Although, if I had to be honest, I wish the girls could wait a few more years! LOL. But I know in my heart, you will do what is best and what God wants you to do. As long as you keep God first in your life, you will be a wonderful gentleman! I love you, Jake, and I wish you a Happy 13th Birthday! We love you!

Gods Heart: Adoption

God calls us to take in his children. We all were orphans until God "adopted" us. This is an amazing song a wonderful message about adoption and God's children.

My Favorite Time of Year!




My blessings.

 


I hate to say it, but this is my sassy girl!  I love it though!  LOL.

 


I love this!  She is showing her toe point.

 


Group dance. 

 


Rachel absolutely loves to sing and dance.  She was having a blast here.

 



I love this pictures with Rachel's pigtails.

 



Me, Rachel & Jake at a school event.

 




Jake is so grown and looks so handsome here.

 




Rachel had a blast sliding into the hay!

 




Seriously?  Jake wanted in on the fun!

 



My sister Debbie's family - Debbie, Miranda, Mark & Gabriella

 




Gabriella, Miranda, Rachel & Jake - we had a blast at Colonial Gardens

 



Sisters - Debbie & Me.

 



Me, Dave, Debbie (my sister) and Mark (brother in-law)

 



Dave and Jake being completely silly!

 




Andrea and Phoebe - Look at that smile!

  Fall is definitely in the air and it’s truly my favorite time of year. I love the colors, smells, fall festivals, pumpkin patches, fall foods like pumpkin bread, apple crisp, hot apple cider, etc. I wish our schedule wasn’t so hectic so that we could enjoy more fun things this time of year. The crisp air is incredibly refreshing too! There is something to being in crisp air and then being snuggled up in nice comfy sweats watching a movie with your family.

We are truly in full swing with school, activities and the pending holidays. Rachel loves every minute of school and even seems to be upset when it’s Saturday and she asks if she’s going to school and we tell her that it’s Saturday, we get to spend the day together. I guess I should be happy that she likes school that much and would rather go there than be home. We started off the year great with no crying and nothing but enthusiasm, but I can’t say that the last two weeks. She has cried almost every day when dropping her off at school. She is such a mommy’s girl sometimes and she doesn’t want me to leave her. I have to admit, I secretly like when she clings to my neck and wants only me…tee hee! I do hope it doesn’t last too much longer, because it really is tolling to leave your child crying. The other morning, she was desperately trying hard not to cry and I look over, with no sound coming from her the tears are just flowing down her cheeks. She says to me “mommy, I’m trying real hard to hold it in.” Talk about heart wrenching! All in all, she loves school and she seems to love her teachers. Just like First Baptist, her friends seem to be more of the boys than girls. What’s up with that?!

Last week sometime, during one of her 2AM bathroom wake-up calls and while she is doing her business on the potty, she looks at me and says “mommy, thank you for taking care of me” and she followed it up with a kiss. Seriously, can you ask for anything cuter?! She truly makes my heart sing! She is learning to write her ABC’s and almost has mastered the letter “A.” She writes it perfectly except that it might be sideways or upside down. She is very proud of herself too. We will soon be moving onto the letter “B.” She is learning so many wonderful Christian songs at preschool too. This morning she sang the B.I.B.L.E. song to me. It was so adorable and she knew all the words too which impressed me. Rachel is “little miss popular” in school too, because when we walk through the school yard, all the older little girls come running over yelling “Rachel…Rachel…Rachel!” They all comment on how cute Rachel is. During the first week of school, we were waiting in the school yard for the bell to ring, and Rachel sat on the steps with about 7 or 8 girls circling her. Rachel did a show and tell with them with everything that was in her Ni Hao Kai-Lan schoolbag. She showed them her lunch box and what she was having for lunch that day, she pulled out her file and showed them the papers we had to put in there for the teacher and she showed them the change of clothes she had in case she were to have an accident. All the girls got such a kick out of her and Rachel was sitting there just eating it all up. I couldn’t believe all the attention she was getting the first week of school! Now when we walk through school yard, so many girls yell “hi Rachel” and Rachel says yells hi back and bee bops into school like the queen bee that she is. She is always several steps ahead of me and I struggle trying to keep up with her. The other day, a teacher at the school wanted Rachel to take her coat off so that she can see what she is wearing that day. Apparently, Rachel’s known as the “fashion diva” because everyone loves the way she dresses. I just love it and it makes me laugh every time someone stops us.

I think school is helping with Rachel’s behavior because she’s listening a little more. She seems to think twice now and she responds to the 1…2…3…method on most occasions. She sometimes pushes it, but not nearly as often as in the past. She is only allotted an hour for naptime each day, so she is very tired at night and is out like a light rather quickly. I must say, that is probably my favorite part of school. I’m not constantly in and out of her room like before and she’s not playing until 11:00 PM every night. I myself need downtime at night and when I’m running in and out of her room a thousand times, I don’t become a very nice person! So, the cliché “when momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” definitely is true.

Okay, I know it’s our fault, but Jake’s sports schedule was out of control this fall! What in the world were we thinking when we signed him up for soccer, flag football and a coach’s assistant for flag football for Upward all in one season? We learned a very valuable lesson the hard way! He does not NEED to do that much all at once! I’m surprised he didn’t complain about it. Anyway, Jake just finished up playing flag football for i9Sports and his team, the Misfits, won the championship. They didn’t have one single loss this season and they had a great team where the kids played really well together. I will have to say, that one opposing team, who apparently has been together for a few years now, showed incredible poor sportsmanship, especially the parents. The league and team we were on was for 10-12 year olds. Now, with that being said, we know that Jake is not the size of most normal 12 year old boys, but should Jake be penalized and forbidden to play sports because of his size? We aren’t talking about tackle football where kids make physical contact with each other by slamming into one another. This is flag football where there should be little contact. Jake was screamed at by parents and players because he was a great player and was a team leader. He probably scored most of the touchdowns. Jake is very athletic and loves sports, so he’s good at it. Tackle football was not for him…he’s been there and done that and it’s not for him. At least not right now. The championship game was terrible, because the opposing team used tactics that should have been penalized. While Jake was in the end zone, waiting to receive a pass, for the 2 point conversion, a kid literally jumped on his pack and stayed there. No one said a word about it. Maybe it’s because Jake caught the pass, but nonetheless, this kid jumped on his back! He should have been warned or even removed from the team. I just can’t believe this kind of behavior was accepted. When the game was over, we won by a huge margin too, the parents were screaming “you should play with kids your own size” or “these are only 10 and 11 years olds” and “your team won because they are so much bigger.” I was appalled at the behavior and lack of sportsmanship attitude and maturity from the parents. They know the rules and regulations. Our team was not the only team with a “big boy” on it either. You know it was bad when my husband sought out the commissioner to speak to him about the behavior of the opposing team. Tee hee, I’m rubbing off on him! I’m proud of Jake for not quitting and not retaliating. I’m proud of him for sticking it out and for being a team player and a team leader!

We just finished up soccer season as well, and their team, the Galaxy, came in 2nd place. Jake apparently did really well playing goalie this day and unfortunately, I missed the tournament because I was helping with a Scrapbooking Fundraiser. I love that Jake is athletic and that he enjoys it. I hope that he will always stay active, because a big part of me worries that he will inherit my family’s weight issues. I don’t want that for him. I want him to be active, healthy and thin and not worry about being heavy.

We are in full swing with basketball practice with a travel team Jake tried out for. I’m so proud of him for making the team because he’s new to the competitive world of basketball. In early December, he will be trying out for the middle school team as well, which he’s real excited about. Hmm, I’m thinking scholarship or something in the future! I’m hoping with all these years of sports it will pay off when it’s time for college! LOL! I do think ahead! Of course, this travel team is going to take up some time, which I just found out about, but he enjoys it and dad is making the commitment to take him most nights. Unfortunately, it may not leave much time for Upward Basketball which is the league he’s played with for quite a few years now. I think three teams would be really pushing it. Although, it would give him some practice time that he wouldn’t get at home since we don’t have a basketball court. We will have to see how it plays out. It’s hard to believe watching my son on the court playing ball. He’s grown so much, not just physically, but in the sport itself. He’s really a talented young man and things just come easily for him. I hope he doesn’t take advantage of that and that he will continue to push himself to be the best he can be in everything he does.

Jake’s first marking period just ended last week and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He received all A’s and one B. Way to go Jake! Keep up the good work bud! You are making us proud. Remember, you can do anything with God on your side. I can’t believe you will be 13 in a month and that you are turning into a young man. I love and feel blessed to be your mom! Being parents to you and Rachel is a real gift. I hope you always know how much your dad and I love you!

Seriously, Thanksgiving is next week? That is just crazy! I feel like we are still in September. I went Christmas shopping with my mother in-law last night at Toys R Us. My goodness time is flying. I’m super excited though for Thanksgiving, because I’m cooking and my sister, Sandy and family are coming up for the holiday and weekend! We are going to celebrate the first birthday of the newest addition to our family, Isis! I haven’t seen her since early September and we all know how fast they change in the first year. I have 16 people coming for dinner! Yep, I might be out of my mind, but it should be fun and I know I will have the support and help of my family. I love hosting, especially for my family and friends. I just want us to focus on family and just enjoy each others company. Please pray that they will have safe travel.

We finally celebrated Rachel’s birthday in early October at the local playground. It was a great day for a party, except for the excessive wind. The kids didn’t seem to mind. It was nice being with our family and friend’s sharing Rachel’s 3rd birthday. I can’t believe my little princess is three years old! She is so wise beyond her years and I’m enjoying every moment of it. Even when she’s being a pistol, I’m enjoying her. She loved the attention on her birthday and she loved having quite a few of her special friends to celebrate with her. The kids got to play on the huge playground where there are huge slides. They all loved the piñata that gave them lots of goodies when it was finally pulled open. Rachel received some very nice gifts including books and paints. She loves to paint! I love that her birthday is during a time of year where we can enjoy being outside and the kids can run and be kids.

We did get to enjoy some fall festivities in the last month. We actually got to two Pumpkin Patches this year. We were joined one Saturday with our friends, the Bell’s and Zavod’s and the kids had a blast. Rachel loves her little friend, Elizabeth. The two of them are “two peas in a pod.” Little Phoebe got her first taste of a Pumpkin Patch too, but it’s a bummer that it was so chilly out. Next year, hopefully she’ll enjoy a hayride with us. The following day, we met my sister, Debbie and her family at another farm where we took a hayride and did a couple different hay mazes. Rachel and Jake had a blast with Bella and Miranda. They loved the little play area for kids and it was like pulling teeth to get them to move on. Of course between my sister and I, we took tons of photos. I just love fall photos at pumpkin patches!

I’m excited because I’m trying to get back into my hobby of scrapbooking. I haven’t done much of anything since bringing Rachel home. It’s not fair, because I have so many albums of us with Jake, but I have one with just Rachel in it. So, with that being said, I’m starting a monthly crop at my church in January 2011. I’m so excited to be doing this and this will be not just for others to enjoy it but for me as well. My church is incredibly generous to allow us to utilize one of the rooms for our hobby. We enjoy the fundraisers so much, but 2 times a year just isn’t enough to get caught up. My daily life is too busy to try and do it at home, but adding it to my schedule for once a month and committing to hosting it once a month, will help me make the commitment to get some of my own scrapping done. If you don’t scrapbook, you should! It’s such a wonderful thing preserving your memories and it’s a great outlet to our over active lives. Let me know if you are interested in joining us for those who live close by!

I’m going through some personal stuff right now from health to finances. But I’m relying on God to see me and my family through. Please pray for changes that will be coming our way and that we will listen and be obedient to God’s will. It’s hard giving up control and relying on faith alone, but hopefully with prayer, God will pull us through it all.

A follow-up on new family members

Andrea and Phoebe are doing wonderful! I’m so proud of my friend and the mother she has become. She is incredibly blessed with the little angel she got from China. Phoebe has adjusted so well to her new life. She knows who her mommy is and reacts when her mom is out of her sight. Although, each time she comes to my house for a visit, she is becoming more and more comfortable with us. She will now crawl and explore and she is letting me hold her for a longer period of time. She will do this more so when mommy isn’t in our presence, but of course, we all know that’s normal and a very good thing. She’s eating, even from a fork and has mastered the sippy cup. She isn’t a great napper, only 2 twenty minute naps a day, but she will sleep like 12 hours each night! Who wouldn’t take that, right? LOL! When Phoebe smiles, she lights up my heart! I just love this little girl. I just hope Rachel starts to behave like she likes her. She talks about her and offers to give things to her that she has “outgrown”, but she isn’t very good sharing with her when we are physically with them. I think she misses her Andrea. The attention is no longer solely on Rachel and she’s having a hard time with that. Hopefully with time, she will grow to love Phoebe like a sister!

My sister Sandy and her husband, Marion were officially granted approval to adopt Bella. Her new name will be “Isis.” It’s different, but her name is growing on me! LOL. The lawyer thinks that the adoption should be finalized in January or February. Isis is getting bigger and bigger and she’s just another happy little girl. Sandy says that she’s a daddy’s girl, but she definitely loves her momma too. She is struggling with some ear infections, which hopefully will be resolved sooner rather than later. She’s a great eater and is getting chunkier every time I see pictures of her. Who doesn’t love a chunky baby?! I will be curious to see what happens with they stay with us over the Thanksgiving holiday with Rachel. She’s not good at sharing her toys! I’m so proud of Sandy and Marion! They took on the job of parenthood and they are doing fantastic at it! I love when she calls me to ask my opinion! I can’t wait to see them soon!

I Survived!!!!!!

I did survive, but probably wouldn’t win a “Mother’s of the Year” award. My husband left on September 2 and just returned yesterday, September 16th from China. He accompanied one of my best friends to China to bring home her daughter, Phoebe. What an amazing little girl she is too. You can check out her journey at www.meisnowwe.blogspot.com. I am just so happy to report that Dave, Andrea and Phoebe made it home safe and that now we can dote over a new little one who is now part of my extended family. I love that Andrea asked Dave and I to be Phoebe’s “aunt and uncle.” And Rachel thinks she’s Phoebe’s big sister, but the initial visit, Rachel changed her tune a little. She is no longer the baby of the family and now has to share the attention with Phoebe who really is a baby now. I hope Rachel comes to love Phoebe and does treat her like her “little sister.”

We made our way to the Newark, NJ Airport where we met Andrea. This airport offers a direct flight to Hong Kong, which is much more desirable than doing layovers through Philadelphia. After saying our good-byes, which was much more emotional than I thought they would be, Jake, Rachel and I drove 500 miles to North Carolina to visit my family. If you recall, my sister and her husband are doing foster to adopt and they received a little girl to be part of their family. I wanted to be there for my sister and her husband and to meet my new niece. I’m glad I did go, because it did take away some of the stress of being away from Dave. The trip traveling down to NC went okay, but I didn’t get much of a break from Rachel, because she didn’t take a nap whatsoever! I mean, she may have slept all of 20 minutes the entire way down there. It was a long trip too! All in all, I was on the road for 12 hours! We got down there about 11:10 PM and boy was I exhausted and so glad to be out of the car.

We were only in North Carolina for 3 full days, but they were good days with time spent with my family. I enjoyed meeting the new addition to our family and I can still picture Bella’s smile. Her smile is completely infectious. I wanted to bring Bella home with us, but Rachel and my sister was not having that! She is such a busy little girl. Bella is such a peanut for her age, because she was a preemie and weighed only about 16 lbs. For being born so early and being so small, this girl can move, climb, and walk around furniture already. It’s so strange to see this little tiny baby walking and pulling herself up at the coffee table. She was making me a nervous wreck around the slated coffee table. I felt bad because the first night we arrived, she had a horrible dog-barking cough. She has asthma and needs breathing treatments. She sat and received her treatments with no fuss! She easily laughed and smiled and she had no problem staying with me for the day on Friday while her new parents worked. I will say, it’s tough having a 3 year old and an infant at the same time. LOL! I don’t know how people do it. Jake just loved his new little cousin and of course, like all little ones, she loved Jake back. He is so wonderful with little kids. Rachel struggled at time and her feisty-attitude drove my sister crazy! I warned her before we got down there. Again, my sister is another strong woman and three strong women in one household can be a little dangerous! LOL!

I got to see my brother, Charles, who is in prison. Yeah, I know, you probably didn’t know I had a brother in prison. Well, I do and I miss him like crazy. I won’t get into why he’s there, but I do believe he is a good-hearted person, who regrets his decisions and I truly believe he is remorseful for his sins. I hadn’t seen him in some time, so it was so wonderful to see him. He doesn’t get many visits, and to have that human contact, must feel so wonderful to him. I just wanted to keep hugging him and spending time with him. He got to meet his new niece, Rachel, for the first time too. We had a 3 hour visit with him, because we are from out of state. Unfortunately, 3 hours was a little long for Rachel, because she was losing it the last hour. I didn’t want to cut our visit short, but when I was about to, the visit was over. I’m glad that worked out well. It’s a shame that kids aren’t allowed to bring things in to occupy them or at least the prison should provide things to keep the kids busy. I do dream of the day when my brother is finally released and can be a part of our family again. He so misses growing up with us and seeing his nieces and nephews and even his daughter who is living with my parents. He wants so badly to make-up for all that he’s lost over the years. Please keep him in your prayers. He still has another 7 years or so before he has the opportunity of parole.

We left early morning on Labor Day Monday, because I was sure we’d hit a ton of traffic going home. Going home always seems to take longer than traveling down to NC. We made a stop at 5:00 AM to get gas and lots of coffee! We were on the road by 5:20 AM. I will have to say, with it still being dark outside and the kids quiet, my eyelids were mighty heavy. I didn’t sleep real well and it was catching up to me. I knew it was bad when I made a call to Dave on his cell phone all the way in China. I needed to talk to someone to help me stay awake and I knew that it was 5:00 PM over there. We chatted for only a few minutes because at $2.00 a minute, it adds up very quickly. Finally, at 7:30 AM, I called my sister, Debbie (thank goodness she was awake at that hour), who talked to me for about an hour and then my other sister, Sandy, called me to check in. As long as I was talking to someone, I was good to go. Thank God for hands-free. Dave set my blue-tooth up through my GPS which allowed me to talk through my GPS instead of my cell phone. I was so happy that we were only on the road for 7 ½ hours. We were home just a little after 1:00 PM. With only 2 stops, and eating lunch on the road, we made it home in no time. I’m so glad I decided to get on the road early to avoid potential holiday traffic. We survived! Thank God for our safety and for my sisters who helped me through the long drive.

We also survived the first day of school for Jake, which was the Tuesday after Labor Day. He started 7th grade this year! My boy is growing up so fast. He’s much taller than me now and his size 12 men’s shoes are breaking my wallet too! We shopped at Kohl’s for some school clothes and it’s so hard to believe that this is the 2nd year where I’m shopping in the men’s department for my 12 ½ year old son. I should still be shopping in the boys section…right? I thought shopping for boys was easier too? Yeah right! Jake was so hard to buy for. The shirts were either too dressy, had too much print on them or it was too plain. The jeans, they were too straight, too tight, too dark or too light. I was going crazy with him! What is the deal with skulls on all the clothes these days? I’m not a fan and neither is Jake. Even dress shirts that weren’t busy-like had skulls. Anyway, we only walked out of Kohl’s with 3 pairs of jeans and 3 shirts! I wanted to take advantage of my 30% off coupon and get him everything he needed. I’m praying that stuff fits him from last year. He needs to slow down a little with growing or he needs to lighten up with his fashion! Or maybe he’ll need to get a job!

Survival was what it was all about the last two weeks. We survived the first weekend of sports too. All week we ran to practices and all weekend we ran from one field to another for games. Jake is playing soccer, flag football and he’s an assistant coach for another flag football league where he aged out to play this year. That is 6 different events during the week! What in the world were we thinking? If I were a single parent, and thank God I’m not, he definitely wouldn’t be able to do all this. If we had other children who were closer in age, he wouldn’t be doing all this either. Again, we did it and we survived! Anyway, I enjoy watching Jake play and he had a fantastic weekend with a touchdown on Saturday afternoon at flag football and 2 soccer goals! I love watching these high energy sports! They keep me on my toes.

Rachel started preschool this past Monday and again, we survived! Actually, the start of preschool could not have gone more perfect. Rachel was so ready for this new milestone. I was so worried that she’d cry and cling to me and beg me not to leave her. It was all quite the contrary! She went off and started doing her own thing. She was so happy to see her friend, Sarah, there and all the toys and puzzles peaked her interest. I couldn’t even get a kiss good-bye from her. I had to bribe her for a kiss and hug good-bye! What a stinker she is! Why do parents think the worse and we dread it, but when the complete opposite happens, we are disappointed! I think mom’s like it when our kid want only us and that they cry for us. Makes us feel a needed, right? Yeah, I’m bummed that she doesn’t necessarily care that I’m leaving her, but I do know how good this Christian preschool is for her and that the structure and stimulation is the best thing for my feisty, independent, strong-willed little girl. All these traits will serve her well eventually, but right now, I want to pull my hair out because she is giving me a run for my money!

Oh yes, my daughter has been working me these days. I love her more than my own life just as I do Jake. I would give my kidney to them! But I have to tell you, raising my three year old princess has to be the toughest job God has blessed me with. I’m not sure if it’s because we have very similar personalities or what, but we butt heads so badly. She knows exactly how to push my buttons and to get a rise out of me. I’m trying so hard to not to respond in a way that will let her know that she got to me. Any advice is welcomed, because what I’m doing currently is not working. We discipline and I do think we are consistent, but she just does not listen to me. She has a mouth on her that will stun most people and oh my gosh, poor Jake! He can’t go near her without her screaming at him. She wants what she wants NOW! We use time-out, I’ve taken stuff away from her, I use positive words and encouragement, I scream at her sometimes, etc. Nothing at this point seems to work. So many mothers have said that all this is typical from a three-year old girl. Please tell me it it’s a phase and that it will end soon! What can I do differently? Advice? Solutions? Come on, please help me here! I love her so much…please don’t think I don’t! I really do. She’s funny, loving, my Miss Personality, silly, smart as they come, talented, etc, but OMG, sometimes I want to scream! Wait, I have screamed! LOL! I have sometimes locked myself in my room to take a breather. I have left the house to get a break (of course when another adult is home!). I sometimes go into another room to cry! And Jake, he’s no angel either these days. He’s so darn argumentative and he questions everything I say to him. Jake and Rachel antagonize each other. I wasn’t expecting sibling rivalry with a 10 year age gap, but boy was I wrong. The two of them will go at it! I’m venting and I think I deserve it after 2 weeks of flying solo! LOL! I am no angel and I know that I need to work on my patience level and learn to let things roll. I just want my children to love me. I don’t want to yell anymore. Is this too much to ask? Apparently it is! I hope you all don’t think I’m terrible for venting, but I think I needed to get this all out. I wonder if it’s me?!

So yes, we did survive without Dave around and I did survive being a single mom. I’m glad I have Dave and I’m glad God brought him into my life. I’ve learned so much while Dave was away including how much I take him for granted. I have a whole new appreciation for the husband and father that he is and how much he really does to help me out. I was reminded how much I truly do love him and you don’t know how good you have it until it’s no longer around. I’m glad God brought him safely back to me and I’m blessed to have him for my husband. I even told him last night that I appreciate him so much more than I ever did! I will remember to continue telling him that and to pick my battles. I need to let go of my anal retentiveness and let him fold the clothes the way he wants to fold them (you know that won’t last long, right? LOL!). I love you Dave and I thank you for being the man, husband and father you are.

So, the summer has ended and we are back in the rigorous schedules of school, parent meetings, sports, approaching holidays, etc., I am blessed to have the life that I have. I love this time of year and I hope that we learn to slow down and enjoy life, nature and each other.


Jake loves flag football.  We were able to find a league for kids up to 12 years old.



He loves being the Quarterback



He scored a touchdown here and he scored another later in the game.



Jake does have an amazing arm!



Rachel and her friend, Sarah



Rachel got busy right away in her new preschool classroom



Rachel with her teachers, Ms. Jackson and Mrs. Kuntz



Rachel with our friend, Tracey!  Tracey LOVES Rachel!



Look at this little girl with attitude!



Rachel really was excited to go to a big girl school.



My 7th grader.  So hard to believe how grown Jake is.



Jake looking quite handsome if I must say so myself.



Say Cheese! 



I love this natural smile of Rachel's.



They can be so cute sometimes.



Rachel is growing up so fast!


I hope you all enjoy the fall weather that is upon us and enjoy the changing and falling leaves. I seriously do love this time of year.