A Tale of Two Houses

It's been a busy, but exciting time around here. We are really, truly house hunting- not just talking about it as we have been for years now. After 5 moves in 2.5 years, owning one house for 8 months and another for a mere 28 days (that has GOT to be some sort of a record- even I can hardly believe we did that), we might FINALLY settle down for a bit.

Honestly, this economy has been a blessing so far for us. We've been extremely financially conservative for years, and we are hoping to use the money we've worked hard to save to buy a house, and we are excited to finally see what we've been saving for. Of course, God surprised us with His plan for our adoption, and we joyfully used a lot of our savings to pay for the services needed to bring our daughter home. Again, God provided for that in a way we could never have imagined, but that is another story for another time.

Affording a house here in New England is no small task- especially on one income. But, God blessed me with a "job" (it seems so odd to call it that, because it does not feel like a "job" to me at all- I LOVE it), so we are in exactly the right position to settle down.

In our house hunting we've come across two houses that are just perfect for us- very simple and unpretentious and very "New Englandy"- exposed beams, gorgeous fireplaces, built-ins, and just a coziness that says "home" to us. We're honestly not sure which of the two we'll put an offer on. We've been praying about it all weekend. Tomorrow we will see both houses again, and we will put an offer on one or the other. We waited over a weekend knowing full well that this is when many houses go under contract. But, we're trusting that it will be very clear tomorrow which house is for us.

It's all very exciting. Tonight my kids were sitting on the edge of the road here in the city trying desperately to dig a hole in the miniscule amount of sand that was there. They were happy as clams- don't get me wrong, but I was just hoping for a little more dirt for them. Not fancy toys or anything over-the-top. Just some dirt and maybe a patch of grass bigger than they are! :) We're praying that in a matter of a month or two they will be able to dig all they want in our own backyard outside of the city.

If you think of it, pray for us as we make an offer tomorrow! I'll keep you posted!

Birthday Boy!

Happy birthday to my Sawyer Bean!
My, how time has flown!

A Pirate Party, Matey!

The highlight of our weekend was a pirate themed birthday party for Sawyer. The whole idea started when Sawyer suggested we have buried treasure at his birthday party. Aye, TREASURE!

My parents were hosting and were game for buried treasure, so the whole thing took off from there. My dad went crazy shopping for pirate themed decor and made the place look like a real pirate port (complete with full-sized cardboard cut-outs of the Pirate's of the Caribbean pirates)! Thanks, Dad! He also planned out the entire treasure hunt which was a GREAT success. The kids loved it. Who doesn't love plundering a treasure chest full of candy and other various loot? My husband was also a good sport about wearing a full-on pirate costume that my dad surprised him with. I couldn't stop laughing. If you know Scot, you know he was NOT loving this, but how do you say know when your father-in-law asks and your son is waiting for a real-life pirate to lead the treasure hunt.

Our friend, Erin, was so generous to make a pirate cake! It was adorable, and delicious! Thanks, Erin!

I made a few ridiculously inexpensive loot bags for the kids that included Pirate's Booty, of course. That was my big contribution to the party! I'll tell you what, you give people a theme, and they run with it!

We asked all the kids to come dressed as pirates. A few did it half-heartedly, but most said "No way!" Not my son, oh no. He was dressed in full pirate garb, and he didn't seem to have any inclination that he was the only one! He was so excited to be the captain of his motley band of (uncostumed) pirates. Thank goodness for the Captain Hook Halloween costume from 2 years ago. It worked perfectly!

For pictures of all the fun, you can can check out our web gallery.

There Are No Words

There are truly no words to explain the sadness that I read about this morning when I woke up. I popped over to Tish's blog (part of my morning routine), and read about Steven Curtis Chapman's 5 year old daughter, Maria Sue, being accidentally struck and killed by a car driven by her brother in the family's driveway. You can read the news story here.

While I don't know the Chapman family I feel like I do from listening to his music and following his family's journey for years. I cannot imagine the pain they are in this morning. To have your daughter taken so suddenly must be awful, but in an accident such as this is just truly unimaginable. I am just praying for them all this morning and will continue to over the days and weeks ahead. I know God is faithful even in times like these.

I found his own words in this video clip explaining how he came up with the idea for his song, Cinderella, haunting, and the words of the song even more so. It seems the Lord was teaching him to "Live in the Moment" in preparation for what was to come for them. God is gracious that way. But, in these moments, I hope you will join me in praying for their family right now as they mourn the loss of their daughter and help their son work through the aftermath of this tragedy.



After reading this, I went to Sara's blog and read about another child who went home to be with the Lord. This little one was very close to Chloe's age (as Maria Sue was very close to Sawyer's age). It is a sobering way to start the day. I found the verse Sara shared to be so encouraging:

"Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love" - Lamentations 3:32

So, I again am reminded of the treasure my children are and how I need to be present in each and every moment with them. There is NO guarantee of tomorrow for any of us.

Pay It Forward

I have been seeing this "Pay It Forward" thing on various blogs, and I decided to join in. I saw it on Tami's blog, Sea Glass and Jade, and I was one of the first three people to comment. I got my "Pay It Forward" gift in the mail from her today, and I cannot tell you what a blessing it was to me. It was not only a very thoughtful gift, but it came on a day when I am feeling like there aren't enough hours in the day (and a day when Chloe has cried and/or yelled virtually non-stop all day long). Boy, did I need that little surprise today.

So, I'd love to bless YOU in return.

Here is how it works:

I will send a gift of my choosing to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this "Pay It Forward" exchange, and who make the same pledge on their own blog. The only thing you have to do in return is PAY IT FORWARD - on your own blog. I'd love for you to play along!

(Note that you'll need to give me your real snail mail address... which you can do by private email.)

Hope you are all having a great day- mine just got a lot better! :) Thanks, Tami!

Paco

I'd like you to meet Paco. He's our resident Super Hero.

We hear a lot about Paco around here. He's got a WHOLE back story, but I'll spare you the details. Actually, I can't remember the details because they don't make a whole lot of sense to me and they seem to change on a daily basis. Suffice it to say that he is made of shark skin and he knows karate. In case you are concerned, he goes to church when he's done fighting the bad guys because Paco also loves God. It's always nice to have a God-loving Super Hero around, right?

Paco also has a side kick. Her name is Baby Polar Bear.
(FYI- Paco insisted on getting himself dressed on that particular day. His mother made him change his pants upon leaving the house. Paco didn't seem so God-loving when that happened, so she allowed him to keep the cape, mask, and hat on. The folks at the grocery store sure were impressed.)

One of Paco's best talents is his ability to turn everyday household items into weapons of any variety.
I'll tell you what, when you are living with a Super Hero, there is NEVER a dull moment. :)

Meet the Author

Sawyer and I went to Barnes and Noble today to meet Tomie dePaola and hear him read his newest book. Sawyer was very excited to meet him as he is the author/illustrator of one of Sawyer's favorite books: The Knight and the Dragon.

Some children's authors I have heard in person are not nearly as good at reading (and relating) to kids (or even people) as they are at writing for them, but Tomie dePaola is an exception for sure. Sawyer and I really enjoyed listening to him read his newest release, I Love You Mouse, and explaining the "secret" on each page. (Sawyer LOVES a good secret.) We had a really nice time, just the two of us, reading books, meeting Mr. dePaola, and just being together!

I almost forgot....

Sara tagged me probably two weeks ago now. I promised I'd get back to it (because it was a little more involved), and then I did it but never posted it. I went on her blog this morning, and finally remembered, so here it is!

I am...a child of God, the wife of a guy I love more every day, and the mom to two really fun, joyful, and (dare I say?) super cute kids.
I want.....to have a really close relationship with my kids.
I have....too much STUFF.
I wish....I could do something on a larger scale to help orphans worldwide.
I hate....injustice, materialism, and politics (of any variety).
I miss....nap time. Oh what I would give for that one hour a day to do whatever I felt like doing to recharge!
I fear....I will look back on this time with my kids and realize I wasn’t “present” enough.
I feel....humbled that God would call me to do anything, let alone something as important as adopting a little girl who needs a family to love her.
I hear....Veggie Tales Silly Songs (“If it doesn’t have a tail it’s not a monkney, it’s an ape.” Very philosophical.)
I smell...clean kids fresh from the tub.
I crave....quiet time to myself.
I search...for ways to help my kids understand the idea of living beyond themselves, and to practice that principle in my own life.
I wonder...who my kids will be when they are adults, and who all my former students turned out to be and where they’ve ended up.
I regret....all the time I’ve wasted doing so many things that don’t matter.
I love....naps on Sunday afternoons (especially if it is raining) and long conversations with my husband.
I ache....to have our daughter home with us.
I care....about pleasing God in all that I do.
I always....wanted to star in a musical (and I still plan to do that someday).
I believe...that nothing is impossible with God.
I dance....whenever I have the chance.
I sing....or hum almost constantly except when I am mad.
I cry....when I’m angry- it is a great stress reliever!
I don’t always....live in the moment.
I fight....the urge to be on my computer too much.
I write.....only when I am motivated to.
I never.....have insomnia no matter how stressed I am. I could sleep through a war.
I listen....to every type of music imaginable- except for maybe gregorian chant.
I need....time to myself- doing whatever I feel like doing- to rejuvenate. Have I said that too much in this list? That’s because I’m currently getting none of it and it’s made me realize how much I NEED it.
I am happy......that’s it. I am happy and content. I love my life.

If you are looking for a blog post or hoping to be tagged, then I tag you! :) I've already tagged all my blogging friends!

Pray for China

Needless to say, I can't get China off my mind right now. The more I read, and the more pictures I see, I realize I can never really get my mind around the magnitude of what happened there. All I can think of is the enormous grief thousands of parents are feeling right now after losing their only child.
In reading blogs of adoptive parents whose children are waiting for them in China, I was so happy to learn that those children were not harmed in the earthquake. However, one adoptive mom whose daughter is waiting for her in China found out that her daughter's Social Welfare Institute (orphanage) was so badly damaged in the earthquake that all of the children are now living outside in tents. Who knows when they will be able to be moved to a new SWI.

If you are looking for a tangible way to help, my friend Rebecca is having a "Good Fun Giveaway", these generally help her family raise money to bring their son home from China. However, in the aftermath of the earthquake, they are generously donating 100% of the proceeds for the giveaway to Caring for China to help them repair their orphanage in Hanzhong.

You can also send donations to Half the Sky which does amazing work for China's orphaned children. There is a link to their Children's Emergency Fund on their home page.

Most of all, I hope you will pray for the people of China. For the frightened children with no mom or dad to comfort them. For the moms and dads who have lost their only child. For the thousands of people who are homeless and without safe drinking water. For all of the people just like you or I whose hope for the future seems dim at best right now.

Wordless Wednesday

Mother's Day Gift

Hopefully, you all had a wonderful mother's day. Mine was extra special. My husband thinks it is fun to bring my son to the store to pick out whatever he wants to get me for Mother's Day. One year that resulted in me getting nacho cheese dip in a jar and chapstick. (I'm sure he also took me out to breakfast or something, but all I remember is the gross cheese dip.)

This year, as I was standing in Target picking out a card for my mom, Sawyer asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day. I'm not sure how he knew Mother's Day was even coming, but I told him, "A ruby necklace." The lady next to me laughed. But, what did I have to lose. I might as well tell him, right?

Apparently, he insisted to Scot that nothing but a ruby necklace would do. (Scot swears he already planned to do it anyway!)


This gift is more than just a nice gift, and the timing could not have been more perfect. We are going to name our daughter Ruby when she comes home. So, our dossier went to China on Friday and then for Mother's Day I got a necklace I can wear every day to remind me of her. Even better, my husband persuaded Sawyer to pick the "journey" style necklace. So the necklace literally symbolizes our journey to Ruby, our daughter. And what a journey it will be. It was the PERFECT gift.

Sawyer did tell me though that he wanted to get me a cross necklace with a Ruby on it that he saw at the jewelry store "because it would honor Jesus because he died on the cross". That almost makes me want to trade the necklace in for the cross! :) Almost.

This is a major step up from nacho cheese dip, but there's always next year.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all my favorite moms!! I hope you all have a wonderful day!

DTC, BABY!!!!!!!

I just got the call that everything is all set and our precious pile of papers is on it's way to China! We are officially DTC ( Dossier to China)! YAY! I was told that we should have our LID (Log In Date) in 2-3 weeks. I'm kind of hoping it will be on my son's birthday- May 27th. We'll see. Thankfully, with a new job and new routines to go with it I have plenty to keep me busy and not checking voice mail or e-mail 100,000 times a day for a message- THE message!

Oh, wow! We're on our way to China (on paper anyway)....and just in time for Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to me! :)

Pins and Needles

Well, assuming two overnight packages sent from two different locations make it to our agency today at the time they are supposed to. AND assuming all is now well with our paperwork, we should be DTC (Dossier to China) today. This was a surprising turn of events made possible by the fact that my husband's company felt badly that the notary was not correct that they offered to overnight the paperwork back to the agency at their expense. So, I'm just waiting to hear. I'll keep you posted!

No Coincidence

I have been about the business of getting those notary issues fixed on three documents from our dossier. It is actually a really quick fix if you take out all the logistics. I think I mentioned that the issues involved only two notaries, but as it turns out, one of them is in Chicago. So, logistically speaking, that isn't such a simple fix. However, with great cooperation from a wonderful woman at my husband's company, it would have been an easy fix IF that notary wasn't on vacation right now. She doesn't get back till Thursday. Well, nothing I can do about that. I reminded myself of the need to maintain perspective, and kept calm. (The fact that our pastor has been teaching about anger probably helped too! :) )

So, today, I went to our bank where the other notary is who needs to fix TWO of our documents. Guess what? She's on vacation. Till Thursday.

I'm telling you, I couldn't make this stuff up. I don't believe in coincidences. And in this case, I really don't. What are the chances? Apparently, my dossier is not supposed to go to China till next week. I'm convinced of that, and that makes it easier to take. I have been constantly reminded along the way of how God is just completely orchestrating every turn in this process.

Here is another amazing example. Last week we had to send our dossier fees into the adoption agency along with all our paperwork. If you aren't familiar with the process, this is a rather large sum of money. Well, last week, the day before we sent our dossier in, we also got our tax return. Guess what? It was almost exactly what we needed for the fee. In fact, it was the amount of the fee plus $30. Just enough left over for us to go out for Chinese food to celebrate. ( I get choked up just writing that.)

Isn't that just like God to provide for our needs but throw in an extra 30 bucks for Chinese food just to make us smile? :) You cannot tell me that was a coincidence.

I'm telling you- I have never done anything in my life that has increased my faith like saying "Yes" to God's call to adopt. If you think God is calling you to something- whatever it is- I'm here to tell you that you do not need to worry about the details. He WILL provide whatever it is you need- and he will do even more than you would think to ask for His glory!

It's the New "Me"

Good-bye, ugly red background. Hello, "Panda News".

Why is it that a blog redesign is like putting on a pair of your most comfy shoes after a long day in heels? That's how I feel about my AWESOME new blog designed by Rebecca ! Finally, a blog that reflects me! YAY! Rebecca does amazing work. So, if you are looking for a blog that is "you", I would HIGHLY recommend checking out her site! The best part? She's doing the redesigns to help bring her son home from China. Is there any better cause than that?

So, welcome to "Panda News". It's a lot more like home to me now. I'm glad you stopped by! :)

(Now, if I can just find time to post, that would be great! But, I started WORK today, so I'm busy, busy! Be back soon!)

Psalm 100

I wanted to try posting a video on YouTube just to see how easy it was (VERY). So, I chose this video because it is one of my all-time favorites of Sawyer. I thought I'd share.

One of the ways we try to hide God's Word in our kids hearts is that we say Psalm 100 to them every night. This was an idea given to me by my sister-in-law, and we immediately added it to our bedtime routine of 3 books/3 songs. Within two weeks, Sawyer, who was just 3 years old at the time, knew the whole thing. I was pretty surprised. Hopefully you will be able to understand him. You might need your Bible handy to make sense of it because I couldn't figure out how to do subtitles on my new iMovie, and even at 3 years old he was kind of hard to understand. I just love his sweet little voice and funny pronunciations. I also love his unprompted use of manners when he burps right in the middle of it! :)

Pretty All True

Tish's post, over at 1st Time Mama, about drama and spaghetti sauce cracked me up and inspired my latest book recommendation. I immediately thought of this book when I read her post.

Have you met Olivia?

We love ALL of the Olivia books, but my personal favorite is "Olivia Saves the Circus" (by Ian Falconer). Olivia tells the story of her summer vacation to her class, and well, she adds lots of drama to her story. (I'd LOVE to read her blog if she had one!) When she's done, the teacher (who clearly is no fun at all) questions the validity of the story- leading to one of my favorite exchanges from children's literature which I quote often (click on the picture if you need it larger to read it):

"Pretty all true"- that's us, Tish! We're just like Olivia, with a flare for the dramatic! Maybe you should rename your blog! :) (Sorry, you can't. The name is already taken. I checked.)

OH, and Olivia has one more quality you'll appreciate, Tish. Whenever it is time for bed, the author tells us, "Of course, Olivia's not at all sleepy." Much to the chagrin of her worn-out mom! :) You'll have to read Tish's blog to find out why she'd appreciate that! Hint: he's small and adorable.