Last Friday we celebrated Chinese New Year. Makenna made a couple of crafts with the kids while I took some others to Physical Therapy that morning.
They made egg carton Dragons and paper Chinese Lanterns.
For dinner Eliza, Makenna, Moriah and I worked hard making Lemon Chicken with a very delicious lemon sauce, Vegetable wontons, Chicken Lettuce Wraps and rice noodles (that didn't turn out so well), along with Moon Cookies.
This year, God put it on our hearts to host a child from another country for Christmas! We are working with an organization called Project 143.
Our boy is from Latvia and is 11 years old. He also happens to be adoptable. We do not have intentions to adopt him, instead we are going to advocate for him to be adopted. It might be a bit challenging as we are not to speak about "Adoption" with the hosted child. But we can talk to others who might be interested in adopting him. So we will need to be discreet.
Here is a wonderful explanation directly from the Project 143 website as to why families should host:
Without hosting,
most of these children will eventually ‘age out’ of the system and never
experience the life giving, life changing love that family provides.
Hosting can also serve as a connection between an orphan and his or her
‘forever family’. However, you absolutely do not have to be interested
in adoption to participate in hosting a child. The focus of the host
program is cultural exchange and exposing the children to life outside
an orphanage. Adoption is sometimes the by-product of the program, but
not the only goal.
We are told from his previous host family that he is a very sweet and loving boy, who loves God, and loves other children.
It is going to be exciting to see how God moves in this boy's life through our family. We anticipate amazing blessings from his 4 week visit with us.
He arrives this Saturday evening. This last couple weeks we have been buying Christmas gifts and clothes for him. We are told they often come with only the clothes they are wearing. It has been a blessing already to think about this child and what his needs are, praying for God to take care of him emotionally, physically and mostly spiritually.
I hope to share some insights about this child, whom I will call "A", in the coming days. Please pray that he adjusts to our family easily, that he is comfortable here and feels loved by God, through us. If you would also please pray that the right family would meet him and know he is to be there son.
Each weekend after Thanksgiving, like most Americans I think, we pull out all the Christmas decorations. The children are giddy with delight knowing some of their favorite books will be coming out on display and that a beautiful tree will once again deck our living room for the next month.
This year I think Lenea (almost 6) and Asher (almost 4) were the most excited about it. Lenea was so sweet she said, "Putting up the Christmas tree makes me jump for joy!" and Asher kept looking at after it was set up asking if it would still be there in the morning, so mesmerized with the lights.
The troops so excited to actually build the tree.
Asher kept putting ornaments on the same branches.. That is okay, I went back later and rearranged them a bit, keeping the more fragile ones near the top as well.
Here was my very excited, almost 6 year old...
And Toby was excited, he just is learning to contain himself a bit more with age.
Our decorations won't win a prize photo on a magazine. They are simple and out-dated. I think those trees in magazines and fancy stores are beautiful, but they have never been my style. I prefer Christmas time to be traditions (which for me includes the same old ornaments from years ago), memories and most importantly of Christ. So I believe 90 % of our ornaments have a special meaning behind them. I also got rid of most of the decorations that really emphasize Santa. I know many people do Santa and that is there thing, but it hasn't been our thing for over 18 years. We began doing stockings again last year, which the kids know Mom and Dad fill; and we talk about St. Nicholas. However, our children all know Santa is not real. I remind them to be discreet to our friends who might celebrate that way, as it the parents choice in how they lead their children and families. However, we have always emphasized honesty. When I realized I was actually lying to my child and putting Santa ahead of Jesus we stopped playing the game, and haven't missed it at all. We didn't want them to think we might have also been lying about the Lord Jesus' birth as well.
So back to the decorations, I do buy new ornaments for all the kids each year. I try to buy something meaningful for the previous year we just finished. This year they each got a very pretty hand embroidered Chinese ornament, except I forgot to buy myself one.
We will send their boxes of ornaments with them when they start their own families. Then they will have sweet memories to begin sharing with their children. And I will have room to buy some new ornaments for Jay and Me!
Our ornaments include some strange looking ornaments, adorable hand- made ornaments by children, special ornaments my precious grandmother painstakingly sewed by hand, even some broken ones that are too meaningful to me to rid of but I never seem to make time to fix either. Here is one of the precious ones my grandmother made the year before she died almost 22 years ago.
Each of her ornaments were hand sewn with various beading and ribbons and lace, with her very arthritic hands. Each of them had two different sides, and each with unique designs. I am still in love with them. I think I have about 15 or 20 different ones, plus the ones I have given my children. She also made birds that are just so sweet. You know one thing that I love too, is that if I close my eyes and take a big smell I can actually smell her on them. I know it seems strange but it is true. I am thankful for the Lord giving me that "realness" of her.
I have made a few in my day but stopped a while back when time became too filled with other things. I plan to return to this hobby again, maybe when I am grandmother. I know she would be happy to know that.
Well after our tree was complete, we realized that it was a bit lop-sided. Afterall, we have had this tree for I think 8 years now, it was a half off special at Walmart, we paid $50 I think. But Jay put a little something under the weak side to lift it up. Unfortunately, 2 days later it toppled over! Thankfully, no one got hurt.
So off to hunt for a new Christmas tree. When I was young we did live trees. Jay and I bought live tress until we moved to AZ 20 years ago. Most people in AZ don't buy live trees because the trees there are so dry and more of a fire hazard than usual. Now since moving to CO we have learned that myself and most of our children have pine tree allergies, so live is out. I miss the wonderful smell!
I found a pretty tree, not as tall as I wanted but pretty enough and the lights are already on the tree. I could not believe how much they have gone up in price..On sale at Lowes I spend over $150 for this tree and it is much smaller than the one that fell down. So the kids got to decorate two trees this year.
Sweet Ellie even got in on the fun. I just love her smile!
Isaiah was being a goof ball with his cheesy smile. I am just so thankful he is smiling like he is and has some extra energy after his heart surgery. Praise God.
And Yes, Lenea was just as excited to decorate another tree. She is a sweet big sister.
And here is our finished tree, the second one. I hope this one lasts a long time too.
It was nice to have Jay off an extra day this week. Sadly, tomorrow he and the kids have work and school. I am sure getting up early after a fun, late day will be a bit difficult. But at least it is Friday.
Here are some photos from the simple events in "traditional" 4th of July celebration in our home.
Isaiah and Elliana looking so adorable in their red, white and blue.
Two precious sisters, daughters, and friends..Mo Mo and Nay Nay
This toy, was not meant for riding on really, but it is just her size and she get herself around pretty well. She loves it.
Now the yearly water fight battle begins.. This is serious business.
I am telling you it is very, very serious.
Last year we had a firework ban so Toby, our creative son invented "Water works". Weeks prior to the 4th he saves all the empty shampoo, soap, vitamin bottles etc that I allow him to get his hands on. Then the kids created them into a water explosion of some sort. This year they even put food coloring into the water.
Ellie had fun with her little water balloon that would not pop. Which was just great fun for her. She kept throwing it and Moriah retrieved it for her each time, for about 15 minutes it kept her occupied.
Asher having fun and working hard at these bubbles.
Elliana and Eliza posing for the camera, as Eliza attempts to show her to throw down the Pop Its..one of children's highlights of the holiday.
She was so excited as she made it "pop"! Here with Makenna.
Our typical serious little boy, we got some big smiles from him when he figured out how to "pop" the Pop Its.
Lenea, Jacob and Toby gearing up to watch the Fire Works.
Nothing as fun as a little feet smooching on a baby boy.
Asher was afraid of the firework sounds so he got to wear some shooting head protection. What a sweet cheesy smile.
After this little show we had in our front yard, Jay took most of the children down the road to watch some professional Fire Works Show. I stayed back for the 3 littlest to get to bed.
Happy 4th of July!
