Jenise's Concert

Earlier this week, Jenise had her first concert. At the schools the kids go to, when the kids enter third grade, they can begin instrument lessons. She has a lesson one day a week right before school at her school. It's great! Anyway, she plays the viola. She said she was seated near the piano on one side and as you can see--couldn't isolate her. I went to the concert with JiaLi while Daddy was at Daniel's baseball with the boys. Even though JiaLi is easy to watch, I didn't feel comfortable going right up front with her(she's a chatterbox and loud sometimes). I took some pictures after the concert and I am loving this blog because I am horrible about keeping up with the whole scrapbooking thing(I just finished Joe's journey to JiaLi) and now I have storage for when the concert happened. I was able to get a picture of JiaLi watching the concert. It was a concert with grades 3-10 or 12. Luckily Jenise is grade 3 and performed in the beginning. Jenise had a warm-up then Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star in 4 versions and then the last song. JiaLi was good but did get restless by the 3rd Twinkle, Twinkle so I picked her up and quietly sang the song in her ear which settled her. When the song was done and then next song started, JiaLi looked up to the auditorium ceiling and in a humming loud voice said "Little Star, where are you?" I was happy I was toward the back:) But it was very cute:)

Gotcha Day Clothes

I don't usually participate in things like this but the Photo challenge this week on the Double Happiness blog is Gotcha Day pictures and it sounded fun:) I found this out on Annslee's site. Anyway the pictures above are Gotcha Day pictures with Daddy. You will notice in one she is eating. Yes she came out with food--when the food was gone--total crying. My husband called and I thought it was the best sound ever--just to hear her. I know a lot of you out there are waiting--it will happen. I had her try on her Gotcha clothes this a.m. Three layers worth. The bottle she is holding was a lifesaver for my husband.

I think she took it from someone in the group. Thank you whoever allowed her to keep it!!! Couldn't get the shoes on but wanted to include a picture:) While we were trying the clothes on, JiaLi kept saying "I like these", "I like these". When I took the picture of the pink outfit, her comment was "I like pink!"

Another Spring Weekend

Jenise is holding her arms down because JiaLi just placed a whole bunch of sand on her head. Luckily Jenise handled this like a good sport. We are all at a playground nearby to Danny's baseball game. Joseph and Edward of course have become buddies with someone at the park. The toy is not their toy but they were lucky the boys shared:) JiaLi just loves climbing. If it's possible to climb, she is up. Joe and I actually went to the ACONE which stands for the Adoption Conference of New England this weekend which is held each year in Milford. This was our first year going and we are so happy we went. Joe and I were on a panel for adoption in China with two other parents. One Mother was a lady with 4 birth children and then 6 that she adopted. All from China and all waiting children. She was such an inspiration for Joe and I. I don't think we will ever have 10 children but she made one more seem so doable. I was able to attend some other topics. I went to adoption in Guatemala and then Adoption in Lesser Known Countries. I was surprised that Vietnam was one of the countries. If we do adopt, again most likely only one of us will be able to travel. We would like to be able to travel with others if possible. We definitely each had an increased motivation to take the next step. I keep saying if we are going to do it, we need to just get started and deal with the money step-by-step. We just ordered bunk beds for JiaLi and Jenise and their room has opened up so much--helping us also to see that we do have room for another:)

Guess Where Daddy Was Last Week..

This is a trip Joe and I were hoping to make together with JiaLi. We were hoping to celebrate our anniversary here. We were going to use Joe's points to make the trip but he did not find out that he was definitely making the trip until January and to use points to go to Rome, six months is needed. We just couldn't justify spending the amount they were asking for tickets. Oh well....At least Joe was able to see some of the sights. Here are just a few of the pictures he took. We are glad he's home:)

Missing Daddy

The best part of Daddy being away is when he comes home. Whenever Daddy calls, the kids all rush to the phone to say "HI". Luckily, Daddy is not gone every week and when he is home, he works from home--what could be better. But when he's gone, we do miss him! Here is JiaLi talking to Daddy.

Caterpillars

For our regular Friday playgroup, we rotate houses and a few weeks ago, it was my turn. Edward receives that Backyard Magazine each month and in the most recent issue at the end was a project to make caterpillars. We used nylon type stockings(black) and filled them with potting soil and then topped off with grass seed(a good amount) and then kept them watered and within 5 days the grass was starting to grow. The kids were psyched! I wish the picture was better. I'm looking now and you can't distinguish the three caterpillars but there are three. Above you can see how much they did grow---I guess I should give the caterpillars a haircut. The picture with the boys was actually supposed to be a family picture but Jenise was not having a good day(had been in trouble and had very red eyes and really wasn't motivated with the picture--3rd grade-she is better now though). Anyway, I figure I've been posting a lot of the girls anyway so thought I would share JiaLi with her brothers:) I wish I could remember what they were yelling out. We were all cracking up!

I also had to slide in a picture of JiaLi with jewelry. This is to prove that JiaLi does enjoy girly things too--this is Jenise's old Princess game(the name of it has left me) and JiaLi likes to have all the jewelry on.

A Backyard Picture

Over the weekend, we finally had some great weather. We were able to wear shorts and T-shirts and we actually had red faces(I should say Joe did--that Irish skin) from the SUN!! The kids finally got started with Spring activities(more photos coming) and we did some yard work. In the process, I took this photo of Edward and JiaLi in the backyard and when I was looking at it, the picture below immediately came to mind. This has always been a favorite of mine. Prior to kids, I had this on one of my walls. As the weekend progressed, I had in mind to get a photo with the two of them in the same pose except holding hands. I remember doing a similar one when Danny and Jenise were younger--more difficult to locate--that was back then I was using only a 35 mm and I am horrible about saving negatives. The first one Edward and JiaLi were too focused on what was going on with everyone else, but the next one I had them looking for animals and that was easy. Then I changed the photo to black and white. I no longer have the above poster on my walls--but I think I need to make room for this one.

Outside Finally

Jenise and Mommy were jumproping and of course JiaLi wanted to join in. As you can see, she loved it. But then she fell on her face:( Nothing like a popsicle to make things better especially when it looks just like Jenise's:) So Daddy was in Indianapolis this week. Yes the place the Colts are from and he brought home small footballs for JiaLi, Joseph and Edward. The footballs are the kind that play music or say "TOUCHDOWN" when they hit the ground. Of course, the kids thought these were the greatest thing. We have had rainy weather all week--the kids vacation--we were so thankful today to see the SUN and just be outdoors!! The girls playing "Mom and baby".

Please Don't Buy A Watch

I have been telling Joseph's aunts and uncles to please never buy him a watch. It was interesting back in November when I met with his Kindergarten teacher. She had all good things to say about Joseph--no problems academically or behaviorally(is that a word). BUT she asked if Joseph gets nervous about things--I think this is her nice way of saying is he OCD. When he was going to school in the a.m., Joseph was the one who would tell her it is time to load up backpacks and get ready for the bus. One day they were all lined up to go to where the buses are and his teacher wanted to go over one more thing. Joseph questioned her "Do we have time?" Each morning when it gets to be 10:00/10:30a.m. no matter where we are, Joseph starts asking "what does your watch say?" I let him open the door at 11:40 by my watch and his bus does not arrive until 11:50 but it settles him to have that door open. Today I did not have my watch on and he ran up to my room to get my watch. I never really noticed his behavior until his teacher pointed it out. Daddy insists that he gets this behavior from me--he's probably right but watching how Joseph gets is really telling me that I have got to take a big chill when we go places and NOT get so caught up in the time.

Whether JiaLi is reading a book or just in a new place, she loves to ask "what's that?" Even if she knows the answer she still asks the question as you can see above with Daddy. Sad to say but we have only taken her to the zoo once which was last year in May. We have an annual walk that we do in May in a Boston Zoo and we are so excited to do it this year with all the talking that JiaLi is doing. The walk is a Kidney Foundation Walk and we do it in honor of a good friend who has had a Kidney Transplant. He is Joseph's Godfather. We have had a few scary moments this year with him ending up in the hospital with very high blood pressure and always the scare that he is rejecting his kidney(which he received from his brother). We are so thankful for the Kidney Foundation and the walk that we do each year with all our friends including his family--it's one of those times that you learn to truly appreciate. The walk is May 20/21st(I don't have a calendar in front of me) and I really can't wait to see the kids this year. Last year JiaLi pointed at everything--this year she will be able to point and speak:) We are so thankful for all the help we have had with her.

Our Girlie Girl ;-)

So we went out today to spend some time out of doors, (we are expecting more snow, someone forgot to tell the weather it is April 11). JiaLi spotted the sandbox in our neighbor's yard and spent almost all of her time in the dirt. Here is a girl who dies to put on dresses in the morning and plays in the sandbox all afternoon. Girly Girl in the morning turns into a tomboy when her big brothers and dirt are around :-) You will note she is staring up at a tree... She became quite frustrated,(okay really frustrated, just look at her face, you gotta click the picture for a close-up it is worth it) when big brother Dan scrambled up the tree and left her on the ground. Oh well judging by the way she plays in the dirt Mommy and Daddy will be chasing her up trees soon :-)