Mom Gum It

The other day I took popcicles out to the kids after they got out of the pool. I was having trouble getting the popcicles out of their package...Ugh!!...I said, "Dad-Gum-It, I can't get this wrapper off!!" Gracie said, "Huh??? Dad-Gum-It?? You're not Dad. He isn't here. You're Mom...You should say Mom-Gum-It" LOL!!! ;)

Have to add another Gracie moment to this post. Gracie was lagging behind in town the other day. Daddy started teasing her and calling her a "slow poke". She told Daddy, "I'm not a slow poke, I'm a fast poke" ;)

Happy Gotcha Day Little Mister

Four years ago today we were all gathered at the Chicago airport to meet our beautiful baby boy, Isaac!! Wow....FOUR years! Aug. 25,2003 is definitely one of the days I will hold in my memory banks my entire life as one of the best days of my life!!! The day I finally got to soak in my sweet little man!! And, it was just the first day of a lifetime of memories with our sweet, fun and entertaining son, Isaac Thomas.

Isaac is such a smart and entertaining little fella. He keeps us all smiling......always coming up with something funny and cute to say.....little stinker! ;) Just this morning he was entertaining all the folks at church with his ability to lift his leg and toss an object underneath his leg with great skill. Hard to explain.......but such a little hoot he is!

Isaac still takes an afternoon nap. If he doesn't nap and we have something planned for the evening he is just spent. He needs a nap. He really is not excited about the idea of taking a nap, but usually doesn't fight it too bad. He does often ask me though, WHEN he will be able to stop taking naps. "Why does Jacob get to stay up" I explain that Jacob is much older...he is nine years old....when you are nine you will not have to take a nap either. He understands that and has to go through all of the ages......."When I am six will I have to take a nap....etc. etc" Well, the other day I was putting him down for his nap and getting him all snuggled in. I took off his shoes and put them on the floor and folded down his covers. He hopped in bed, layed his head down on the pillow and looked down at the floor and said, "Why do my shoes get to stay up?" LOL!!! That's my sweet, funny little guy!

I love you Little Mister!! Happy Gotcha Day!!!!!!

Here are a couple of pictures of Isaac today, four years later. The first photo trying desperately to hold his composure while Mama snaps a photo because he is holding a grasshopper in his grubby little hand. The grasshopper is trying with all his might to escape. One fighting grasshopper in the hand of a four year old boy equals lots of tickles and giggles...."hurry Mama, it TICKLES!!!" :) Btw, the grasshopper was successful in it's attempts to get away and the photo session came to an abrupt end and turned into a "chase the grasshopper around the house session" ;) We got him and he is now free to explore the outside world again. I'm sure he's gone home to tell his family, "geesh, you won't believe the day I've had!" lol!

Yay! Bikeride with Daddy and Big Bro! :)

I'm an Asparagus

This afternoon I was watching Oprah as I prepared dinner. It was a show on health and was quite interesting. At one point during the show they were talking about "body shapes"....and how certain "body shapes" put you at increased risk for certain health problems. For example, having a "pear shape" would put you at less risk of heart disease than if you had an "apple shape". I shouted out, "whoo hoo I'm a pear!!" lol!....(for once, there is something good about storing most of my extra weight down below! HA!) Jacob came running to the kitchen to inquire what in the world I was talking about?? I explained the whole thing to him and I could see his little brain wheels turning. He finally said, "Well, I'm an asparagus" Ha Ha Ha!!! :)

Celebrating GRACIE!!!

Two years ago today our entire family was finally together at last, when Tom and I brought home our sweet daughter from China. In some ways it is hard to believe it has already been two years, but at the same time it feels like she has always been a part of us. Gracie grew in our hearts long before we were ever united physically. She brings us so much JOY!! It is just something that can't be expressed in words!! I have tears as I type. While we were in China, many of the Chinese people would greet us and tell us that Gracie was a lucky girl...lucky to be coming to America! Oh my goodness.......WE are the lucky ones!! God has TRULY blessed us with our sweet Gracie girl!

I could go on and on about my brave girl, but let me just say that whenever I face trials in my life...now and in the future....I will always think of my sweet daughter and be encouraged. I will think of her strength and her courage.....her amazing ability to fight through the pain and grief and love fiercely in spite of her past loss. She is simply AMAZING....Our Amazing Grace! I most definitely am the lucky one.....lucky to know her...and blessed beyond measure to be her Mama!

Ok, I will stop now. I didn't even get a chance to tell you how fun, outgoing, entergetic, smart and SWEET she is...LOL! I know I'm a proud Mama......but it's TRUE! ;)

Here she is eating her most favorite noodles in China

I love these next two photos. They speak for themselves! ;) The kids stayed with Gramps and Neena while we were in China. In the second photo Isaac is gone because he ran to me hollering "Mama, Mama, Mama" It was music to my ears because it was sooooo hard for me to leave him. He was only two.

Meeting her siblings and friends for the first time
Gracie and Baba at the airport. Daddy carried Gracie all over China and she bonded quickly with him. I look at these airport photos and realize how far she has come.......wow!

And, finally our beautiful Gracie Zhai-Lynn today........just SOARING!!! :) Isn't she something?!!!

WAKE UUUUUUP!!!!!

This afternoon Gracie and Isaac were standing at our front window looking outside and having one of their many daily conversations! It's so fun to listen to them talk to each other! ;) They were talking about EVERYTHING they could see outside........and it was a very serious conversation. I listened for a bit and then left them conversing while I went to another part of the house. A bit later I heard extremely loud yelling! I came running to the living room to find Gracie still in the spot where I left her in front of the window. Isaac was now outside the window hollering at the top of his lungs........"wake up, wake up, WAKE UUUUUUUUUUUUP!!!!!" When I went outside to find out what he was yelling about he informed me that he was "waking up the flowers".....huh? When I got to the bottom of it, he and Gracie had decided that the little white buds in the pink flowers were flowers that were asleep. Isaac had decided to do something about that and go outside and wake them up. LOL!!!

YUM

Boy, we sure are enjoying all the fresh fruit and veggies that we are blessed with this time of year! Yesterday some friends from church gave us a goodie bucket of sweet corn and mators. It was lots of fun for the kids because some of the corn had their names on it. Thank you Huey and Cathleen!! :) We are getting green beans and cucumbers from our garden and it won't be long and we will have tomatoes too. Here is what we feasted on for supper tonight........yum yum! Love this time of year!!

Family Reunion

Last weekend we traveled down to the great state of Missouri for a much anticipated family reunion. It has been much MUCH too long since we've seen most of my kinfolk!! The kids were able to meet all of the family that they have heard about, but never met until now. It was AWESOME to see everyone! Thank you so much to all of the family that made this reunion possible!! This is our family on my Dad's side. This is a picture of the whole clan. My Aunt Mary Lynn's (and Uncle David's) clan in red, My Aunt Sandy's (and Uncle Rodney's) clan in yellow, My Aunt Wilma (and Uncle Keith's) clan in blue, and our clan in green. My goodness gracious merciful heavens look at what Mama and Papa have created!!! :)

It was just great to sit around and talk about all of our memories of Mama and Papa. We sure do miss them, but will always have many good memories to hang onto and share with our children who did not have the privilege of ever getting to know them. I am so very thankful of such special grandparents.......grandparents that were definitely hands on....grandparents that so obviously cared for me immensely! Another good reminder to make everyday count! The days we are living today will very shortly be known as the "good ole days" that will be remembered and talked about as my grown children gather together with their families and reminisce. I'm striving to make these "good ole days" as happy a memory for my children as my "good ole days" are for me!!