A day at the zoo

We took a field trip to the zoo today. . .

A perfect day with perfect weather . . .

And trying to squeeze all of the goodie of the daddy being home a few more days before he heads back to work.

An Enlightening Conversation

For some reason, Philip's legs look so very long in this picture. They aren't really that long! Hee,hee! Funny pic.

On the way home from church today, the following conversation took place.

Kevin: What did you do in church today, Eli?

Eli: Payed (played) and payed some more and had nack (snack).

Me: What Bible lesson did you talk about, Eli?

Eli: Bout amals (animals).

Kevin: What story? Noah and the Ark?

Eli: Nope.

Philip: Adam and Eve?

Eli: No bout Eve. Let me hink (think) bout it. Peas (please) be quiet. It was bout heep (sheep).

Philip: Oh, you know that story about brothers Cain and Mable? One killed the other and was really sorry about that? Was that the story? (Maybe Philip said that because this story, Cain and Able, took place in a field and Able kept flocks?? - good thought!)

Eli: Nope. It bout heep.

End of story!

First Day of School and This and That

I am beginning a tradition, like my dear friend Joli, to take a picture (or pictures) of our darling littles the first day of each school year to document their school days.

Here are some of those pictures of our first official day of homeschooling. We have "technically" already started school because of all of those really cool field trips in Ch*na and because yesterday we just kind of happened into beginning school, but today was our "official" start day.

We had so much fun, and Kevin gets to be a part of it since he is still on adoption leave. There was so much singing and dancing going on today, you might have been tempted to think we were the VonTrapp family.

Almost, but not quite! Hee, hee!

After seeing the dentist today, we found out that Sophia has to have several things done in her mouth including a tooth extraction, two cavities filled, silver crowns on those teeth, some bonding on two more teeth and a few other things, too.

Would you pray for our sweet daughter next Friday, September 9th, as we have these things done? Our pediatric dentist feels that she would do better being put under for a brief time at the hospital to have all of the things done at once instead of continually bringing her into the office, giving her gas, and doing each procedure separately.

That is also the day the I am taking Philip back to his surgeon to see if steriod shots in his nose incision would benefit his scarring, stopping it in its tracks.

It will be a busy day!

Jet Lag - uggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh

We are settling into life with four children. That part is absolutely wonderful.

The jet lag . . . not so good. Our bodies are definitely still on Ch*na time. Our littles wake up every single night after about two hours of sleep and do.not.go.back.to.sleep for hours! Yuck! We are all feeling the effect.

Some scenes from our life now . . .

Mommy is loving playing "girlie" things like Barbies and such.


Sophia keeps drawing her new family . . . so sweet!

Prayers are needed for our little guy. He is really

having difficulty adjusting to this new reality and jet lag.

These two enjoy each other's company. Now we are working with them to include Elijah, too!

We are home!

We are home! Thank you God for your protection on our return trip. We are tired but so happy to be home where we belong!

A Thank You to All

Our little sons want to say a big

"Thank You"

to all of you who sent us donations

to take to Philip Hayden's Shepherd's Field Children's Village.

(And we do, too!)

Shepherd's Field is where our Philip lived happily in China

for three years before we met him.

Families whose children once lived at Shepherd's Field sent donations of shoes,

school supplies, bandaids and such. While a sweet young lady who once lived as

an orphan gave us many hats she personally knitted for children still orphans. A couple

of people from our church even gave us shoes to take to the village.

Only two more days and then Kevin, Philip, Elijah, and I fly across the world.

Our first stop will be to stay at Philip's China home, Shepherd's Field.

We are all pretty excited about that!

Then the next stop will be to receive our Sophia Yilin! She has a little less than a

week until she is an orphan no more!

So very excited for the journey. Follow along at:

myadoptionwebsite.com

IN ONE WEEK!

We will be here!

Oh my!