Rehearsing

Danny, Alyssa and Parker were all in a wedding this weekend and we're more than a little tuckered - hence the post at 9 am on a Sunday when we'd normally be at church! Reagan was ready to call it quits before the main course at the rehearsal dinner on Friday, so she spent the day yesterday with her cousin Lincoln instead. Alyssa and Parker partied on until almost 11pm last night, but are still resting as I type! I'll wade through the photos at naptime and post them for Grandma who's out of town and already on baby-withdrawal.

Supermen!

18 months

My baby girl is now a year and a half! It’s hard to believe that one year ago today we received the long-awaited call alerting us that it was finally time to meet Reagan in person. At the time she was still such a baby, and although she still fits into many of her 3-6 month old outfits, Reagan is quickly becoming a little girl. She can run, dance and hold her own in family wrestling/tickling matches. She is developing and learning to assert her will (and, fortunately, also learning the meaning of the word “no”). She’s talking more and more every day and tries to mimic every sound we make. I won’t bore you with the list of words that she can “say”, but it is this point that amazes me more than any other. The girl missed out on 6 ½ months of English-language development and yet she is still right on track – even ahead of her peers!

I continue to marvel at God’s protection of and provision for our little girl during the time we were half a world apart. Reagan has not been the least bit behind on any developmental milestone, and I think a great deal of the credit for that goes to the women God set to physically love and care for her before we were able. The other day I caught a glimpse of Reagan’s primary nanny in the background of a photo on another adoptive-mom’s blog and it brought a tear to my eye. On the surface the nanny seemed to be a rather unhappy, even somewhat cold, woman, but she lit up when she was interacting with Reagan – laughing, kissing her, making her giggle. By the third day of our visits to the orphanage, we finally realized that she was desperately trying to hold her emotions in check. She seemed to be dreading the moment she would have to say good-bye to the baby she had cared for since day 2, and the closer that moment got, the more she shut down. She waited until the last possible second to hand Reagan to me, and even then she was reluctant to let her go. Needless to say, that made for a very emotional morning, but I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to see God’s answer to my prayers. I continue to pray for those ladies, Luc in particular, and hope that someday Reagan will also get the opportunity to thank the women that helped shape the beautiful runner-dancer-talker we are enjoying a year later.

If they'd only known

Part of the fun of packing is reliving all the memories associated with those items that have been tucked away in closets for the past months or years. Of course, it also increases the time associated with the process, but who can resist flipping through a photo album from old camp counselor days? The other day Alyssa sat down with me and one of her favorite memory books: my "School Days" album. You know, the type where you write down favorites from each year of school, paste copies of those dreaded institutional portraits, and stash dozens of report cards. As I looked through my pre-school progress report, we all got a good laugh over one very prophetic comment. In the margin next to my score from some group activity a teacher had written: "Laura cannot be persuaded into doing anything she does not want to do." If only my parents had known just how insightful that instructor was! My mom thinks it might have been more appropriate to have written "she cannot be pursuaded to do anything she does not see the point in doing" but either way - she was spot on! I appreciate my mom's attempts to soften the truth in my favor, but I'm afraid that I'm still very much the kind of girl that cannot be persuaded into much!

My bé

As we approach one year home with Reagan, I marvel at how she is simultaneously both so very American and so very Vietnamese. She obviously looks Asian, but I’m always tickled by the other ways her ethnicity manifests itself. Her little voice forms a hard “A” sound easier than the Caucasian babies I’ve known, she’s still so tiny that people are constantly amazed to see that she walks, her hands – and especially her fingernails – are incredibly delicate, her nose is a little more challenging to squeeze (though according to my Vietnamese nail lady, she has a good, “tall” nose!), her hair is so dark, shiny, and straight… but my very favorite is the way she squats. She moves so effortlessly in and out of this position! There is nothing comfortable about squatting to me, but she can play like this indefinitely. Her hips just must rotate out differently than mine. It’s clearly not something she was taught, because she wasn’t even sitting when we brought her home, but something in her nature that she shares with those of her beautiful first home country. To me it is just the cutest thing, and it brings a smile to my face every time I see my sweet baby squatting like the beautiful Vietnamese girl that she is!

Even better than we’d hoped

As He seems to have a habit of doing, God has surprised us with a new home that is even more perfect than the one we had been dreaming about!
This last weekend Dan and I were looking at an aerial map of the neighborhood in which we’ve been searching for homes. For the first time we noticed a group of houses that had unusually large yards and remarked to each other about how incredible they were. We also determined they must be incredibly expensive and didn’t really give it another thought. Then on Monday morning I received my daily e-mail of all new listings in our city. As only God would have it, the home at the top of the list sat on one of those very lots! There were no pictures of the interior, but since it was well within our price range and square-footage requirements, we quickly went out to take a look. I fully expected it to be torn apart inside and in need of serious fixing-up money, but it was beautiful! It was the same floor plan as another house we put an offer on when we sold ours a few weeks ago, but it has every upgrade in the book, including a huge bonus room over the garage. I called Dan and told him we could put an offer on it without him even seeing it – it was that fabulous! Oh, and the yard was even better on the ground than in it looked from the air. It had a pool & spa, and then another 75 feet of flat grass before sloping steeply down to another residental street. I know that a quarter-acre is nothing in most parts of the country, but I’m telling you: to this Southern Californian it looked HUGE! Anyway, we brought Dan back to look at it Monday night, he of course loved it too, and we wrote an offer. But wait, you say, I didn’t think you had sold your home yet. Well, that was true up until about an hour after we determined to buy this one! God graciously provided a buyer for us at just the right time, and at a price we can live with. Is that amazing or what?! I’m still pinching myself that, Lord willing, we are actually going to live in that home! It is just so much better than I ever could have hoped. It’s closer to my in-laws, just a few minutes further to my family, in a great school district, on a cul-de-sac, with a view, and did I mention the pool? Parker was concerned that the current owners might be taking the (in ground) pool with them – I think he’s been a little confused and disappointed by the homes we’ve seen with backyard playsets that are not included. Needless to say, I think we’re going to have at least a couple of shrived-up kids by the end of summer! Can you tell we’re all excited?
It’s always so amazing to me how God answers our prayers in ways that we couldn’t have even imagined. We started this process with our eyes set on the house up the street, which now pales in comparison to this one. When it sold we were disappointed, but trusted that if God had something better, He would make it clear. That continued to be my prayer when our house fell out of escrow a few weeks ago. If that buyer had not decided to move to New Mexico, we would have probably settled on another far-less-incredible home – for more money! An odd coincidence is that the family we’re buying from is also moving to New Mexico. Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor? Now He seems to be allowing us to have a home we can stretch out in and enjoy for the rest of our lives. I couldn’t bring myself to even ask for such a home because even our current, lovely house is so much more than we deserve. But He continually proves Himself to be gracious beyond all measure!

So much for "normal"!

Back to "normal"

School’s in session, tax season is past, the course I teach is nearly over, and life is starting to feel a little more normal. I’m even caught up on sleep thanks to a self-imposed weekend bedtime of 9pm. So here I am, back in the blogging world. I’m more than a little surprised that any of you are still here, but my Sitemeter tells me that at least a few of you have stuck it out through my unofficial hiatus. Thanks!

Having Alyssa home for two weeks was such a treat! Even though we stuck pretty close to home we enjoyed a day at Disneyland (no pics, sorry), a lot of long bike rides (the big kids are up to 2 ½ miles – Daddy runs alongside while Reagan and I follow with the jogging stroller), swimming at the neighbor’s pool, a couple of sleepovers at grandparents’ houses, and just hanging out. Once Parker adjusted to sharing me with a vocal sibling he loved having Alyssa here! Today he started cheering when he realized it was time to go pick her up, and went on and on about how much he loves spring break. Alyssa was excited to go back to school, but he and I are counting down the weeks until summer!

One of our favorite activites: snuggling in bed!

My hero

I'm not sure how I would survive a cold in the midst of tax season without it. Thanks Lord for giving the world Afrin!

Why would we even want to sell?

Given the current dramatic decline in the real estate market, this is a fair question, and we’ve been asked it more than once. I’m sure our neighbors are convinced that we must be on the verge of foreclosure! Sometimes it seems like we’re about the only seller not in that unfortunate position. But it basically comes down to the fact that even though we’re selling low, we also may have the opportunity to buy low. Property taxes in California are based on the sales price of the home - whether it was 2 years ago or 20. If you bought the median home in Los Angeles county in 1985 for $125,000 your property taxes are still holding steady at $1500 per year. However, if you bought the median home in 2005 at $500,000, your taxes will forever be a minimum $6250 annually. All of that to say, if we trade houses now, even if our mortgage goes up, we could end up saving money living in a significantly larger home. So as much as we love our home, it would be kind of a bummer to miss out on that opportunity. We can’t wait to see what God has planned!

...or not

Apparently our buyer has decided to move to New Mexico instead of here. Dramatic change of plans huh? So back we are to square one. I'm a little bummed, but it helps to know that God's plans are undoubtedly better than mine.

SOLD!

We sold our house yesterday! Now the (hopefully not too) tricky part is finding a house we like more than this one at a reasonable price. We have our eye on two in particular, but we'll have to see how much the sellers are willing to discount them for us. I'll keep you posted! In the meantime, I'll be busy rearranging furniture, packing, organizing a garage sale, and picking out paint colors... in my head, which makes for some sleepless nights.

Our cyclists... and a fan

It's been a big week at our house: Parker learned how to ride a bike - without training wheels! Alyssa hit this milestone last summer, but when we pulled out the big bike she received for Christmas we left the extra wheels on so she could get used to the height. Last Friday we decided to take them off, and by Tuesday Parker was insisting that his training wheels be removed as well. Though he hasn't yet mastered the starting and stopping part (hence the fat lip!), he's doing remarkably well for a 3 1/2 year-old on his second day... at least in this mom's not-so-humble opinion! For now, our sweet little Reagan is happy to sit in the back of brother's pick-up and cheer them on, but I have a feeling it won't be long before she wants to get in on the action too!

The boy loves his mama!

Once a week after dropping Alyssa off at school, my parents take Parker for a "doughnut date." Needless to say, he always has a great time, but it's clear he still thinks of his mama: he always comes home with half of a sprinkle doughnut for me - the bottom half!

Are you kidding me?

When we re-finalized Reagan's adoption last month, I really thought we were done with adoption paperwork. I was wrong. It seems as if the process is never-ending! I found out yesterday that it will take another 10 months to get a California-issued birth certificate! We also still need to change Reagan's name on her social security number, which has to wait until we receive our tax returns are processed. Then we have to apply for another certificate of citizenship in her american name, to the tune of another $420! Fortunately I have this precious little face to motivate me...

but does it really have to be so hard? It's no wonder so many are intimidated by adoption!

Spring!

I love spring! I really don't mind winter, especially because ours are so mild, but there's just something about the new life this time of year brings. I love the green hills, new flowers, and most of all, daylight savings time! The kids sleep a little later in the mornings, we take long walks together in the evenings, and there seems to be so much more time to do things outside - like plant sunflowers:

I warned you!

I'm still here... just drowning a little in tax returns, (still) sick kids, houseguests, writing a mid-term exam, and trying to keep a show-ready house! We're taking a break today to visit old Walt D., so if you're lucky I may have a few cute photos to share tomorrow. I know... you're on the edge of your seats!

Since I have nothing of real interest to share, I'll refer you to a few of my friends (or "friends")who do:

Nate is blogging his insights into the Shepherd's Conference our church is currently hosting.

Amy challenged me to be more purposeful in the raising of my children.

Kelly is sharing the story of her daughter's domestic adoption - you know I'm always a sucker for a good adoption story! (start here)

Laurie is just about to pop with baby number three and plans to blog while in labor! This is the same Laurie who recently returned from adopting 8 month-old Shawn from Vietnam, joining 20 month-old Jackson, also from Vietnam. And I thought our kids were close together!

Heidi could use your prayers for a little good news in the adoption department. They've been on the verge of travelling to pick up little Claire for way too long now, and are still being held up by our government.

Lisa wrote about the potential for humiliation when you take on a teaching role - something I encounter every time I face my undergrads! But she reminded me of the silver lining - humility- which is something I definitely need more of.

So that should keep you busy for a little while. I'd link a little more, but my smallest sicky is finally stirring. Duty (and joy!) calls.

Dinner and a show at Uncle Pete's Firehouse

Presidental mob-scene

Monday... President's Day... what better way to celebrate than a trip to the library of one of our greatest? Air Force One, presidential limo, beautiful gardens, views, and special activities for the kids... sounds like fun, right? Well, it would have been if the place hadn't been mobbed! It seemed to me like an obscure place to go, but apparently thousands of other families had the same great idea. It was so busy that the only available parking was over a mile away at the bottom of the steep mountain drive. Needless to say, we decided not to take that hike and ended up at the local ice cream shop instead! So, we still got a cute picture, but not quite the cultural experience I had envisioned. (I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately!)

Tax time!

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned before that I’m a (mostly-retired) Certified Public Accountant (exciting profession, I know!). This time of year, of course, is traditionally a pretty crazy one for us CPAs. In the past I’m managed to avoid much of the tax crunch because I’ve never worked in a tax department. However, this year I’ve volunteered to spend a dozen hours or so each week working from home for an organization that prepares returns for pastors and missionaries. I’m not a tax expert, but my knowledge has grown exponentially over the past few weeks, and I’m actually starting to feel like I know what I’m doing! Unfortunately, the time I’m spending with 1040s and W-2s is time that I had previously spent with you, my bloggy friends. I still plan on keeping you all up-to-date as much as possible, but please forgive a couple of months of what will likely be photo-heavy and deep-thought-light blogging!

Well intentioned

I had resolved not to post any more photos from Disneyland for a while. Dan and I had also resolved to take the children to the local Tet festival to celebrate the Lunar New Year, in honor of Reagan's heritage. However, a most-appropriate backdrop for Minnie and my sweet little asian baby, coupled with a house-bound trio of sick children on the day of the festival, have defeated all of my good intentions. So, here you are stuck again viewing Disney pictures with no hint of the authentic celebration I was planning on telling you all about! Maybe next year...

Done!

A short interview with a very sweet, tootsie-pop-bearing judge and several hundred pictures later, the re-finalization of Reagan's was finally completed this afternoon! Though the legal implications were far less than that of the Giving and Receiving ceremony in Vietnam, it was surprizingly emotional. The judge, clerk and attorney general (who played photographer for us) seemed genuinely excited for us and pleased to help make it a very special moment. But the quote of the day came from Parker who understood that the ceremony would legally change Reagan's name. As we were walking out of the courtroom he asked me, "what is her name now mama?" I told him, and he said "oh, that's a nice name!" Though we've been calling her that for over a year now, it's a relief to know that we have the approval of the state of California and the three-year-old!

Official... again!

After Eight months, several errors by our adoption agency, multiple trips to the courthouse, and too many fees to count, Reagan will finally be adopted (again) tomorrow! Since Dan and I both traveled to Vietnam, Reagan has legally been ours since the Giving and Receiving ceremony there in May, but here we are replaying the game through the California system. The real carrot at the end is a U.S.-issued birth certificate. There are added benefits related to inheritance issues, and we will legally change her name to ours as part of the process, but mostly we didn’t want to have to depend on our ONE official copy of her Vietnamese birth certificate for the rest of her life – that’s just way too much pressure! I anticipate that the court hearing will be much like the one in Reagan’s hometown - a few signatures and photos, maybe a couple of little speeches exchanged - and though this one doesn’t change Reagan’s legal status as our daughter, she feels so much more like our daughter this time around. For that reason tomorrow will be a special day.
The day of Reagan’s first adoption was a little overwhelming – for her and for us. She had just left everything and everyone she had ever known, including the caregiver who clearly loved her and the four walls that had been her whole life, for the arms of some very odd looking, odd smelling foreigners. She was content – even happy (she repeatedly laughed and smiled at me that day!) – but her sweet little personality was still hidden. We had loved her in concept for almost two years, cherished her photos for 5 months, and visited her in her orphanage for three days, but she was still very much a stranger to us.
However, today I love Reagan in the deepest, mommy-est sense of the word. I know her as only a mama could. I understand her cries, her babbles, her patterns, and her preferences. I cherish her giggle, her swagger, her soft jet-black hair. I love the way she laughs at her brother, cuddles with her sister, can’t stop kissing her cousin, and embraces her role as daddy’s little daredevil. She just fits into our family. For all that went into finding her, bringing her home and now making her a Californian, it’s so clear that God made and choose her just especially for us. Reagan Thao-Van was “ours” legally on May 15th, 2007, but now she’s “ours” because she’s one of us.

Packed and ready...

No offers thus far on the house, but the kids are all packed!

House for sale!

In spite of the current, well publicized housing slump here in southern California (and elsewhere!), we've decided to try to sell our house. We love our home and will be very happy here if it doesn't happen, but one of the houses in our neighborhood is in foreclosure and could prove to be a good bargain. It's larger and has a pool, and with mortgage rates falling may even end up costing less each month than our current home. The only trick is getting our house sold first! Our realtor (my father-in-law) says it will be a miracle if it all happens the way we're envisioning, but for that we're grateful because we wouldn't want to move if it wasn't very clearly in God's plan. So far, it looks like His plan may be for us to stay here: it started pouring the day we listed it and hasn't let up since. We've received more rain in the last week than we did all of last year combined! Southern Californians don't go out in the rain (we like to pretend that we really do have a winter), so needless to say we haven't seen a lot of potential buyers. And in addition to the weather conspiring against us, three little kids tend to make it difficult to keep a "show-ready" house. We'll see how long I can handle it! So, if you live around here and want to be our neighbor, come brave the rain, rescue me, and buy our house!

My favorite time

Every night, before dozing off, Dan and I talk. We lie in bed discussing everything from the kids and work to ministry and dreams. There is no television in our bedroom, no desk, no kids, no computer, no distractions – just us. Our conversations may last only a few moments before we both succumb to the call of slumber. On other occasions we’ll lie there for an hour or more. Sometimes our talks are tainted by frustration and tension, but more often then not they are full of love and support for one another. While Dan and I naturally talk to each other throughout each day, I cherish the time we’ve set aside at the end of each to reconnect, and I savor the sense of oneness those moments foster in our marriage.
The sad part is, I have neglected to reserve such a time for the most important person in my life: Jesus Christ. Of course I talk to God throughout my day – I pray while driving, washing dishes, folding clothes, showering – through all the normal stuff of life, but I do not consistently set aside a block of time to really communicate with Him. Just as I see my relationship with Dan suffer if we too often miss our late-night talks, I can’t expect to have a deep, personal connection with God if I don’t talk to Him without distraction. As faithful as I might be to discover Who He is and what He says through Bible study, listening to His Word being taught, serving Him in ministry or worshiping through song, it can quickly become one-sided and mechanical if I’m not regularly confessing my sin, seeking His will, thanking and praising Him in prayer. So, I’ve made a resolution, as lame as it might sound, to spend 10 minutes a day in focused, personal conversation with my Lord. I’m embarrassed to even admit that such a resolution is necessary, but thought if I confessed my failure here, perhaps some of you might be willing to hold me accountable or be encouraged to join me. I trust that 10 minutes will often turn into more, just as my talks with Dan often run late into the night, and that those moments will bring glory to my Savior as I come to know and enjoy Him with greater intimacy.

Brave again

Well, today Parker had yet another reason to summon up his courage: a gaping gash in his head! Apparently Skull had a close encounter with Cabinet this morning, and the result was a shiny new staple. With the staple came stickers and a new toy for bravery, so the boy is already back to his happy, energetic self. I'll spare you the photos because pretty it isn't. Did anyone warn me just how different raising a male would be?!

My brave boy (and girl)

This is a post I promised to Parker in commemoration of his first trip on the Matterhorn! The boy is terrified of the "little kid roller coaster" in Toon Town, but couldn't wait to jump on what I think is a far scarier (and bumpier!) ride with Daddy this afternoon. He loved it so much that he had to take me back for a spin too. And of course, once little brother conquered his fears, big sister quickly dismissed hers and also joined in the fun! Why do I get the feeling that this is a sign of things to come?

I’m back!

I’m sure I haven’t really been missed here in the blogging world, and you all have probably been just as consumed with the holidays as I have, but I have to admit that it has felt a little strange to be so out of the loop. Not only has this blog been lacking new posts, but I didn’t even read a blog for almost a week! Just today I finally caught up with all of our agency’s families who are in Vietnam trying to bring their new children home - I don’t think stories of those first meetings will ever grow old for me! Between Christmas (which didn’t wrap up until the 30th for us), spending extra time with family, New Year’s, after-Christmas shopping, putting away the decorations, making room for all the new toys, and reading the two new books I received for Christmas, my blogging time was quickly squeezed out. Honestly, the books probably are the most to blame. I’m the kind of person who can only read if that’s the only thing on the agenda. It a novel isn’t compelling enough to consume in a day or two, it’s just not worth reading. For that reason I have to force myself to leave them on the bookshelf until we’re on vacation or nothing would ever get done around here! In the five days after Christmas I read 1000 pages, and even with Dan home there just wasn’t enough time for blogs after that! So all of that is a rather boring explanation of what really could have been said with the title alone. Sorry about that… I’ll stop now, but hope to be back with something slightly more interesting to say soon!

Happy girl

So it seems that Reagan enjoys dressing up for Aunt Jacque's house more than posing at home! Maybe it was the abundance of wrapping paper and boxes to play with (since no one-year-old I know ever seems to enjoy the gift as much as the package). We had a wonderful Christmas and are now busy digging out from the incredible generosity of our family and friends. I think that a number of old toys are going to enjoy a little "vacation" in the garage for a while. Better get that done during what remains of nap time!

All ready for Christmas!

Though we've yet to get a photo of a happy Reagan in her Christmas outfit, the three of them still look pretty sweet, don't they? We'll try again tonight! Note the doting big brother who is desperately trying to get a sad baby sister to stand up and smile when mama calls "cheese!".

Hark the herald

I’ve long enjoyed the tune of the carol Hark The Herald Angels Sing, but had never really stopped to consider what the words mean. Several years ago I finally did, and fell in love with the hymn not just for the music, but for the truth it presents about my Savior. The first word is an old one, which means “to listen attentively.” Alternately, hark refers to “a hunter's shout to hounds, as to encourage them in following the scent,” which presents an appropriate and interesting image. The hymn writer is imploring us to listen to, and follow, the truths proclaimed by the angels on that first Christmas night. As we approach Christmas this year, I also encourage you to set aside the busyness for a moment (challenging I know!) to consider the words of the angels. But even more importantly, I would encourage you to consider the Baby they announced - Diety veiled in human flesh, Who was born that men no more may die – and to give Him the glory He alone deserves.

Hark the herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled

"Joyful, all ye nations rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With the angelic host proclaim:

"Christ is born in Bethlehem

"Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored

Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come

Offspring of a Virgin's womb

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see

Hail the incarnate Deity

Pleased as man with man to dwell

Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings

Ris'n with healing in His wings

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

3-0

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently celebrated the milestone birthday. No, I don’t really feel that much older, but I do finally feel like I’m a true, respectable adult. One would think that titles such as wife, CPA, college professor, aunt, “senior staff” (an unfortunate name for our roles in a college-age Bible Study), homeowner, piano teacher or mom would have done that for me, but somehow leaving my twenties behind seems more definitively adult-ish than any of those other things. So many huge life changes have happened in the past decade that it just now feels like I’m settling in. Between the ages of 20 and 30 I met Dan, graduated from college, started a career in accounting, got married, gave birth to two wonderful kids, adopted a third, ended a career in accounting, started a “career” in teaching – big kids and my own little ones, moved four times, and celebrated 8 years of marriage. It’s hard to imagine that the next decade could hold quite that much stuff. I don’t regret growing older though because each stage just seems to be better than the last. God has been so incredibly gracious to me over the past 30 years that I can’t wait to see what He has in store for me over the next 30!

Not so deceptive, not so delicious

In celebration of my recent birthday (the big 3-0… more about that later), my sister gave me a new cookbook, promoted by a certain talk-show host, that seemed rather promising. The idea is to puree various veggies and sneak them into your kids’ favorite dishes, thus getting them to consume the good stuff unaware. We don’t really have that much of a problem getting our kids to eat what we set in front of them (well, except for Parker who we can’t even get to eat sweets), but I didn’t see the harm in trying to up the nutritional content of the food I serve to the whole family. So on Tuesday I tried the chicken nuggets. Aside from being entirely too much work, they weren’t all that bad. Dan preferred the un-doctored variety, but my mother-in-law swore she liked the broccoli/spinach version even better. I was undecided, but after last night’s fiasco, I am decidedly anti-deception! I thought I’d try the spaghetti pie. Pretty hard to ruin, right? Wrong. For the first time in 8 years of marriage we had to run out for Chinese after dinner came out of the oven. It tasted only a little better than it looked, and trust me, it looked not even half as good as the photo in the cookbook. It was more than a little obvious that the meatballs were full of broccoli, and the carrot and cottage cheese combo was far more than could be overcome by the pasta and tomato sauce. I’m sure a good portion of the blame can be placed on this chef, but I think from now on our veggies will be served steamed, on the side, disguised with only perhaps a little cheese. Now I’m off to find another Christmas present for my sister because apparently great minds think alike – there’s a second copy of this disaster sitting in my closet, wrapped up with her name on it!

They’re out!

Our Christmas cards are in the mail! If I didn’t enjoy getting them so much there’s no way I would go to all the trouble. For some reason the task just seemed especially tedious this year. Maybe it was the multiple photo sessions in multiple outfits on multiple different days (we get to dress and pose for the grandmothers’ Christmas cards as well). Perhaps it was the fact that the cute cards I bought on clearance last year didn’t want to go through my printer, which meant I had to print our letter on a separate sheet. I couldn’t bring myself to make another run out just to get paper, so I was limited to my stock on hand, which of course was not the right size and had to be cut by hand because my paper trimmer was too small to accommodate it… you get the idea! Top that off with the printer running out of ink and the laptop running out of juice mid-print and I was pretty much Christmas-carded-out before I even got to the sort, stuff, address, lick and stamp routine. All in all it’s still worth it for the fun of running out to the mailbox each day to see how our friends and family have changed and what they’ve been up to over the past year. I also appreciate the opportunity to share how gracious God has been to us, but I think next year I might go with the Costco photo shop special. So if you did receive a card, enjoy! If not and you’d like to have one, shoot me an e-mail with your street address (momwholoveschrist@hotmail.com) but you’ll have to do without the letter – I’m all out and not about to start that mess again. Or if you’d rather not have our family photo plastered on your fridge next year, just enjoy it here:

As you can tell from our photo, the ~ family became a little more Vietnamese in 2007! After almost two years of waiting, Reagan finally became an official part of our family on May 15th. Since then, we have enjoyed getting to know the little person who for so many months was just a picture and a dream. Reagan is a sweet, happy baby who has blended almost seamlessly into our crazy life. Parker has embraced the role of big brother with gusto, and his laughter and enthusiasm are contagious. Alyssa loves being mama’s helper, but now shares her mornings and tender spirit with her beloved kindergarten class. Dan enjoyed ten weeks away from work, which we filled with all kinds of fun “bonding” activities after bringing Reagan home, but eventually returned to a job he loves. My life is filled with the simple joys and stuff of being a wife and now mother to three. When there’s time left over I blog about it ~here~. But as grateful as we are for our many temporal blessings, and especially the joy of adopting a child, they all pale in comparison to the joy of being adopted as a child of God. At this special time of year, and every day, we rejoice that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). We pray that you too have been redeemed and know for yourselves the indescribable joy of being adopted by God!

Not beach people

This is how we love the beach! Close enough to smell the salt air, watch the waves crash, and take some cute kid pictures, but not so close as to deal with the sticky persistent mess that inevitably results from any physical contact with sand and salt water. I know, we're spoiled and probably a little too uptight, but we really did have fun and took the kids on the nearby 3-car ferry to make up for not allowing them to bury themselves in the sand!

THE call

One year ago today we received the phone call informing us that we were parents once again. After months on the waiting list, nearly a year and a half into the adoption process, and two countries later, we were finally sure that our daughter was alive and waiting for us in Vietnam. We were shocked she was so young and so tiny, we could barely tell what she looked like from the little grainy photo, we weren’t even sure what we would call her, but we knew she was ours and loved her from the start. Now we know her in the flesh, are watching her sweet and silly little personality develop, and are falling in love with her more every day. As much as we praised God for Reagan one year ago, we feel even more blessed by this precious gift from our heavenly Father today!

Disneyland... again!

Three times a birthday

ONETWO
THREE

Alyssa's birthday celebration became quite drawn out this year. Her party had to be resheduled due to the fact that so many of the attendees were ill. Since she and I weren't sick, we met the only other well family members (my sister-in-law and niece) at McDonald's for dinner - hence the first celebration. We finally were able to have the real party a few days later, and a week later I got to bring cupcakes to her classroom. As you can see from the expression on her face, that was probably the highlight of them all. So there's the birthday wrap-up. Most of you probably get tired of all the family photos, but a few of my readers (hi mom!) require them!

Imposters

Can I just tell you how much I love artificial Christmas trees? For many years I was something of a Christmas tree snob and just couldn’t bear the idea of forgoing a real tree for the holidays. Growing up, our trees were always real and both looked and smelled wonderful right on through the Big Day. However, I don’t think I’ve yet mentioned that I’m a native Washingtonian. In case you haven’t heard, the climate there is significantly different than my current environment. Southern California tends to be quite dry, which is great for outdoor play and my mood, but not so good for Christmas trees. What may start out as a beautiful decoration the day after Thanksgiving will be a pile of tinder by the time Christmas finally rolls around. For several years Dan and I compromised by picking out our tree on my birthday in early December. This satisfied my need to have the Christmas décor out early while avoiding a fire hazard on the holiday. However, the trees still got quite dry, and man are they expensive here! So, in time my frugality and fear of fire won out, and I finally broke down and bought a fake one. Or rather, make that two. I purchased one on clearance in the after-Christmas sales a few years ago ($14.99 I think!). When I pulled it out the next November, however, it turned out to be a cute, but very stubby little tree. So that became our “kids” tree for all the homemade and miscellaneous ornaments. Ultimately a handy thing to have, but not the Christmasy masterpiece I had envisioned. I then went out and purchased another of significantly greater stature (not on clearance), and have been in love ever since. The thing goes up in a matter of minutes, it fits perfectly into its custom-made stand, there’s no cutting, watering, falling needles, or asymmetrical spots. It comes pre-lit, the branches can be contorted to any position you desire, my Margaret Furlong collection can be protected from little hands with one little bend, and it can stay up for as long as I want. I’ve even solved the problem of smell by purchasing a real wreath from my favorite store. Of course, I am sacrificing a little character, I know the fake ones aren't as "green" as some would like to think, and my kids may not know the joy of searching for the perfect tree, but its not like LA has a lot of “over the river and through the woods” kind of tree lots anyway! And yes, I know these are the same pictures as last year, but they really haven't changed - another plus! Just imagine one more stocking hanging on the mantle.

All is quiet on the blog-front

I’m relieved to see that I’m not the only one who has neglected their blogging duties over the long weekend. Between the holiday times two (Thursday for Dan’s side, Friday for mine), Alyssa’s birthday, a nearly 2-week break from school, the Family Plague (which hit 11 out of 16 family members), Black Friday, and decorating for Christmas, blogging just hasn’t been a priority. Judging by the lack of posts on my normal blog-roll and dip in traffic here, I’m guessing mine isn’t the only hectic life. So I trust I’ll be forgiven, and hope to come up with something meaningful to say here one of these days. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and don’t neglect to continue thanking the One who gives us life, joy, and the opportunity to find peace with God.

5 years ago

About this time five years ago I was recovering from one of the most exhausting and rewarding experiences of my life: giving birth. I was in labor for 2 days, pushed for 3 hours, and was finally blessed with the sweetest, most beautiful newborn baby girl I had ever seen. All of our family was there – those who couldn’t be in the room had their ears to the door – and within hours of Alyssa’s arrival we had dozens of friends stop by to see this precious gift. Dan and I were overwhelmed by the love demonstrated to us by so many of those close to us, but even more in awe of this tiny little body God had entrusted to us! Looking back at pictures she was as funny looking as most brand-new babies are (especially those who have spent that amount of time in the birth canal!), but I thought she was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. I couldn’t wait to get her home, dress her up, take her out, and show the world what an incredible gift we had been given. But as proud I was of her that day, I am infinitely more proud of her on this day. She has already proven herself to be a beautiful young lady, inside and out. Her confidence in who she is and what she knows is both admirable and humorous (Daddy thought he would have at least a few more years before his little girl would start correcting him). Her love for her siblings and cousins is evident in the way she talks about, shares, and serves them (though you shouldn’t think that means they don’t bicker!). Just as all parents think their children are brilliant, I’m convinced she is, but more importantly Alyssa loves to learn, is respectful of her teachers, and is anxious to soak up the truth of the Scriptures. Alyssa exhibits care in her appearance and loves to dress up, but isn’t affected or afraid to play in the dirt. She is excitable about something like a birthday party, but patient and humble when it has to be postponed as a result of the Family Plague. Many of my own character qualities are bound up in this little life, but she has enough of her daddy in her to make her incredibly likeable. Already I admire the lady I see emerging from the precious girl God allows me to mother. Already I am thankful for the pain of that day 5 years ago, and the indescribable joy He has brought to our lives as a result. Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

What's more fun...

...than one kid with the stomach flu? Three kids with the stomach flu! At least, that is, if you measure fun in loads of laundry...

1st Fieldtrip

Tuesday was a big day! Alyssa got to ride on her first real school bus and go on her first real field trip! The bus was actually a more anticipated event than the play we attended, and the field trip in general has been talked about even more than her upcoming birthday. Needless to say, we had a good time and I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to be a part!

I watch in hope

A favorite worship song of mine is taken from Micah 7:7

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD,

I wait for God my Savior;

my God will hear me.

While singing this chorus on Tuesday at Bible Study, I thought of how diligently I watched in hope for Reagan, and how diligently I don’t wait for God my Savior.
Throughout those many months (years!) of waiting for our adoption to be completed, I could not be torn away from my computer. I scoured the internet for any information about adoption, Vietnam, adoptions in Vietnam. I hit refresh more times than I care to admit, hoping that some e-mail about our process would be waiting for me. I tied myself to our agency’s forum with the sense that our adoption somehow became more real as I watched others complete the process. My heart leapt each time the phone rang, hoping it was some news about Reagan. Most of my blog posts are about The Wait. My idle thoughts often went immediately to Reagan. Even my worship of God was colored by His gracious care of her and me during that trying time. My sense of hope for my third child was almost palpable.

My conviction now is that I might learn to cultivate the same sense of hope for Jesus Christ. His return is far more certain than the promise of a child ever was. As I witness the dramatic developments in Vietnamese adoption over the past week and the possibility of a shutdown at some point, I realize just how delicate the balance of international adoption really is. In stark contrast is the promise of Christ’s second coming which is guaranteed by God in I Thessalonians 4:16-17 - “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God… and thus we shall always be with the Lord.” The joy that Reagan has brought to our lives pales in comparison to the joy I will experience when I am finally united with Christ. Through Him I can rejoice even when I suffer, knowing that “when His glory is revealed, [I] may also be glad with exceeding joy” (I Peter 4:13).

Yet even in light of those promises, that precious hope, I often fail to anticipate His arrival with anywhere near the longing and urgency I felt for our daughter. Perhaps the thousands of intervening years between His first and second coming have lulled us into complacency, but we are commanded to be ready (Luke 12:40). The gospels are full of tragic parables of those who thought they had time to prepare themselves for His coming, only to be told by the Lord “I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12). My prayer is that none of you, my precious readers, will ever hear those words. I pray that you intimately know the grace of God that brings salvation, and look with me for “the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

I wish I had something to say…

but I don’t. The only thing I don’t like about having a blog is the pressure to keep it going. This is just one of those weeks when there are a lot of things floating around in my brain, but there’s not enough time or brain cells available to put anything coherent down on “paper.” I’ve been thinking about the intense conversations going on over at Voices for Vietnam Adoption Integrity about the potential for corruption in adoption (specifically in Vietnam) and what a truly ethical adoption looks like. I have my own, somewhat unorthodox views and a related post that’s been in the works for some time, but it’s just not ready yet. I’ve been thinking about our friends, the Kostjuk’s, who are facing the possibility that they may never get to know their newborn baby girl. I’ve been thinking about the babies we lost through miscarriage. I’ve been rejoicing in the glorious way God used that pain to lead our hearts ultimately to Reagan, and how without their deaths we never would have conceived Alyssa and Parker. I’ve been falling more and more in love with my newest daughter, almost to the point where I can say I hold the same affection for her as for my eldest two. I’ve been thinking about whether God will ever lead us (or rather Dan!) to adopt again, and when that time might be. I’ve been wondering whether our family is complete and what it will ultimately look like. A lot of fragmented thoughts, but like I said, nothing really cemented enough in my brain to compose a post in and of themselves. So maybe some day I’ll expand upon these thoughts, but for now you just get this little dump.

Happy Halloween!

Though Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays (just why do people have to decorate with tombstones, and what are we supposed to do with all this candy?!) the kids really do love dressing up! Even Reagan tolerated her slightly-ridiculous-but-very-adorable goldfish costume, and Alyssa has only shed her scrubs for the few hours she was at school this morning. I had this great idea for a themed Halloween when I saw the fish costumes on clearance at Babystyle, but Alyssa was set on being a doctor and I just never found the time to create a fisher-girl outfit for her. So alas, no theme. They still looked pretty cute though and are already busy deciding what they're going to be next year.