More pics

We tried to get the 2 yr olds to stand stil...ha ha

Mom update and CNY pics

Mom is home now and doing well. She has had quite a SCARE so we are now dealing with a little fear as well as healing. I tried to explain, the time to be afraid was before the surg. She now has a new lease on life and we are ALL going to get healthy and stay that way. Your thoughts and prayers were definately felt and answered. Thanks again to such a great group of people.

Help for Chinese students for this summer

Here are the pics you requested. My daughter went for the visit when we were there. She was quite impressed at how happy the babies were and how clean the orphanage was. She was pleased to see the aunties loving the babies so much. In fact it bothered her when we first arrived home, because she worried at how they missed the babies that left. Sweet girl.

All of the girls that came from Lu'an seemed to be healthy and well cared for. Our girl and many other that we stay in contact with are so well adjusted and loving. What a wonderful gift from the aunties at the orphanage. They helped our children be able to love and accept the new people that have come into their lives.

Hope this helps you out.

So tired I don't know what my name is

Mom had emergency open heart surg on tues. We went in for a heart cath and ended up in surg about 2 hrs. later. It is really hard being on this side of the bed....HA HA

She is doing great and will be going home tomorrow. Please pray that I have patience and understanding of what she is going through. She is 67 yrs old and NEVER had any surg. so this has come as quite a shock for her.

Claire doesn't seem to understand that I can't be here all the time. She has become VERY needy and cries if I go near the door. I must remember to take care of myself or I can't take care of anyone.

Thanks for listening

Shelley

Renaissance Feast..Innkeeper Hannah

Hannah has been studying the Renaissance Period in school and when they finished the unit they had a feast with entertainment. All the food and entertainment had to be found in Renaissance times. It was fun to see all the kids dress up and really get into it.

1st Day (ok 1/2 day) of school

She liked it and didn't really cry when I left her, but was really glad to see me when I returned. I made it just fine too...gave me some free time to come home and listen to the quiet. Next week I hope to get more things done during our time away from each other. Enjoy the pics. The picture of Hannah was after a really hard day at school.

Happy Valentines Day

How thankful we all are for our precious valentines...sent straight from China

For my sisters from Anhui

MISSING YOU.

Funny things I have been meaning to tell..

When Hannah rides her scooter in the front yard, I make her ring the doorbell every three times she passes our house. Each time she rings the doorbell I yell "thank you" she answers back and etc...Now when our doorbell rings for any reason or there is a doorbell on t.v. Claire yells at the top of her voice "taint tu"

When Claire is through eating, she MUST get down from her booster chair and buckle the safety belt. If I beat her too the punch, because we are in a hurry and she takes a little bit, it is too much for her to bear and she falls down in the floor saying her word for open. Now even Hannah doesn't try to help her buckle the strap. Hopefully she will grow out of that soon.

She loves to play peek a boo with the little girl who lives on the other side of the oven door. She also loves to "talk" to the little girl who lives on the other side of our back door leading into the garage.

She BELIEVES that the little Chinese girls in her favorite video are listening to her sing and watching her dance. She has the video memorized and does the dancing before the girls on the video do them.

She will now do without whatever she is asking for if she has to say please or thank you. It truly is funny to watch a child walk away from candy because she doesn't want to say the word. No fit throwing, crying, just simple disinterest.

She has three words that sounds EXACTLY alike...elmo, almost, and animal....I NEVER get it right on the first, second, try...

She still will not bite a noodle off...she slurps the whole thing in. We have been buying our noodles from a Chinese market in town and they are really long.

Everyone is well and happy. Hannah can't wait for school to be over...she seems to be struggling with more responsibility given to her at school. I try to tell her it is because she is so bright, but she doesn't like to hear it.

Thanks for stopping by

A small dose of cuteness and health update

Claire is feeling much better...fever, coughing, and LOTS of snot. I was afraid it would settle in her lungs, but we avoided that. Now my hope is that we don't have anyone else sick in the family.

The picture where she is holding up her hands, is the way she asks to be held. She says, "hod you" and holds up her hands. Pretty adorable if you ask me.

Hannah brought home a class selection list for MIDDLE SCHOOL. It about broke my heart. I remember her first day of kindergarten and can't believe she will be going to 6th grade next yr! Where do the yrs go?