I know random is the tween catch all descriptive, but these days it just fits our lives.  So, in an effort to catch up on my blogging before our big adventure begins, here goes…

“I guess we’re all done training wheels in this house…” Said by Steve.  Reason enough for both of us to pause momentarily and feel a little nostalgic.  Grace and Garnet have officially figured out how to ride their two-wheelers.  We tried and tried to help them (including several on and off manoeuvres with the training wheels) and then one day they both took it upon themselves to figure out how to balance and pedal fast.  Braking came next.  Only a few band aids later and there has been no turning back.  The two of them are a force to be reckoned with when they work together! 

Happy Birthday Grandma!  The family put on a fun weekend for my Mom’s big birthday a couple of weekends ago.  The weather was beautiful.  The cousins were happy and had a tremendous time playing and dousing Grandma with water balloons.  Other than a smoky restaurant and a few shrill chirps from a smoke alarm, the whole weekend was beautiful.  A great family time for us to come together and celebrate with our much loved Mom / Grandma.

6 months with our Grace  Yes, this should warrant its own post.  And yet, when the day passed we were together celebrating Grandma’s birthday weekend.   She was just one of the grandkids.  Her English is blossoming.  Her accent and slightly husky voice is charming.  She had the chance to sit on her Grandma’s lap a whole lot and play with the amazing contents of Grandma’s purse on more than one occasion.  She ate ice cream twice in two days (something she tells me,“I no have this in Chwina.  Never, never in Chwina.”).     And I think that sums up how she is doing quite nicely don’t you think?

School’s Out  Yes folks, we made it.  Our first school year with four at home.  It has been a defining year for each of our kids in one way or another and I am so incredibly proud of my kids.  Really.  They all outdid themselves.

Our patio.  This was our first experience hiring a contractor to do work.  It’s been educational and overall I think the patio itself is a vast improvement over our ill placed, overgrown trees and dead, patchy grass.  It was just poured today, so we’ll get to enjoy it more fully when we return from our big adventure.

End of an Era – Goodbye Ayi Sherri  Garnet has been attending Sherri’s preschool for two afternoons a week since shortly after coming home.  This was a huge deal for us.  We had committed wholeheartedly to homeschooling our older two kids.  We had absorbed much material on building healthy attachments.  So when our little man came home from from China, we were all set to carry on as planned.  God used a few well placed observations by some foks who didn’t even know Garnet to soften my spirit.  Sherri was referred to us by a friend of my sister-in-law and after speaking with her on the phone I was amazed at the peace I sensed.  God used Sherri in so many ways to not only help Garnet learn, but also to develop trust and relationships in a safe testing ground.  As I wrote in the front of the Curious George book we gave her, “Sherri, you have been such an encouragement to our entire family…”  We’ll miss her very much!

Faith’s Year End Dance Production  Months and months of tapping around our house are about to be displayed for all her adoring fans grandparents to see.  Yes, the year end production is set to begin tomorrow.  She’s braved blocking and dress rehearsal and is now catching some beauty rest before the big day.  We can’t wait to applaud our girl.  Way to go Faith! 

Our Big Family Adventure (And yes we have housesitters – just in case anyone out there is getting any funny ideas about an empty house! lol)  We are heading out in a few days and taking a long road trip.  We’ll be camping some.  Doing some touristy things.  Spending lots and lots of time squished together in small confined spaces.  And you know what?  I can’t wait!  There will definitely be those tense moments that always happen on a trip like this, but we sort of planned it that way.  Life since returning home with Grace has been its normal full, busy, packed, crazy self.  Lessons and activities and work and friends and church and therapy and medical appointments and volunteering are all great things, but they leave little wiggle room for working out some of the issues that crop up more readily under the pressure cooker of 3 weeks together on our own without distractions.  So, I’m excited!  I know God has some big growth planned for all of us and I’m ready for a fresh breeze straight from Heaven.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9  This is the verse that God has really been speaking to my heart about the last couple of weeks.  I won’t kid you that I have been quite exhausted for some time.  Health issues and life, not to mention adding a spunky new seven year old to the mix can be physically and emotionally wearing.  When I think to myself that I simply can not step up and be consistent, be a translator, be a mediator, be an instructor, be a mentor, be an advocate one more time, He reminds me of this verse and speaks it to my deepest soul.  May I offer His encouragement to you as well?

I’ll update if I get the chance.  We’ll have a laptop along, but Steve’ll be keeping up with the goings on at work, so my computer quota may be limited.  Take care everyone!