Bringing Home Baby #2!

Dragon days

2012-02-11T12:37:00.001-05:00

We had the best time celebrating Chinese New Year with our FCC (Families with Children from China) group last weekend. This is always our groups big event and really is such a fun and well organized afternoon. Everyone has such a blast, kids and adults alike! It's a few great hours of catching up with our friends and letting the kids experience a celebration of the Chinese New Year. There's red envelopes with a coin for each child, delicious Chinese food enjoyed by all and crafts galore. There is also a lot of running around, chasing and playing with the kids! We always leave this amazing event both exhausted and excited, refreshed from seeing our FCC family and happy for all of the joy the kids have experienced with their special pals!

We got the kids some Chinese clothing to wear this year and I was so happy to see how much joy and pride they both had in wearing it.

Oh but we must back track....before we could attend such an event the kids had to get all ready. Complete with mud masks. Really --- they loved it!

And I got in a quick picture of the three of us before we left.

Once we were all gussied up we stopped to help pick up the food. We took some photos to help pass the time.

And then...............time to play and see our friends!

Some of the girls that attend language class performed a special dance and they did such a great job!

After the dance all the kids took part in the dragon parade! We have three dragon heads and the kids all form "dragons" to march in. They all love it and it's so cute to watch!

The dragon parade leads to............bubble wrap!!!! Our version of fireworks and so much fun for the kids!

We also attempted the "group photo" of all our darling kids! There are so many that it was actually almost impossible to capture them all at once! (Simone is trying so hard to hold her brother but the two silk outfits is making it difficult as he kept sliding off!)

And back to the crafts they all headed!

Group picture of me and some of my FCC Mama pals!

And we tried to get a "guy" photo as Sammy calls it. FuDa, SP, Owen and Sammy. How hard can it be?

Well they all sure are handsome little fellows!!!

This year is the "Year of the Dragon" which is a special year within the Chinese Zodiac and considered a lucky year. The dragon is a symbol of power and the only animal in the zodiac that is not real. People born under a dragon year are said to have an aura about them, they stand out in a crowd with their power and intellect!

I hope your Dragon Days of 2012 are filled with blessings and joy !
J

How can it be that my baby turns three.....?

2012-02-09T07:25:00.001-05:00

Really......Three?

I clearly remember my blubbering about him turning 10 months old! How is it that he's gone and grown into a big three year old already?

But alas, he is. A big, big three year old.

And he truly is such a big boy now. I am proud and amazed at how he's grown in the last year, both in size and in all other way. He is such a smart little guy and is so expressive with his thoughts, although not always through his words but always with his eyes and actions.

He's such a sweet a cuddly fellow too. He loves to snuggle up with us and gives the best and biggest hugs to those he loves Yet he's a rough and tumble guy and he loves to tackle you to give you some of that love! He's also busy physically and loves to explore and will climb on anything he can swing his leg over or pull himself up on. He doesn't stop from dawn to dusk, he's the energizer bunny for sure!

And that determination I have spoken of in the past...well that has grown with him as well! He is still the most strong willed person I have ever met. Pair that with his intelligence and he is one tough little fellow! He absolutely knows what it is he wants and will make sure any around him know as well!

His favorite things right now are anything that has to do with construction. I now know the names of every construction vehicle on any site or roadside thanks to Sammy-Wei! He loves to see and hear the equipment working! He also is really interested in airplanes. He has always enjoyed watching them fly overhead and to fly on them, but now he tells me that when he's a "big guy" he'll be flying one too. A blue one to be specific!

So as sad as I am that my baby boy is actually not a baby anymore, I am thrilled with all he's learning and doing and growing into. Sammy is a joy and a blessing and just so uniquely Sammy-Wei! My three year old boy....

And here's some random pics of my handsome and darling little dumpling on his 3rd Birthday!

Happy Happy Happy Third Birthday my sweet darling boy!!!!!

Mama loves you always and forever.

Just Once

2012-02-02T10:54:00.000-05:00

Just once I'd like to see how it feels to be seen as just a family.

Not as "an adoptive family" or "the family that adopted Asian kids". Just a plain old Mom, Dad and kids.

Now I am certainly NOT complaining about adoption, or how our family was formed or how it looks.

No, not ever. I'm just saying....it would be so different to go out in public and be seen as "just a family". We never step out and have people say things like "what a cute family you are" unless the next thing is...."where were they born" or "Did you adopt?"

We get the stares and curious questions - and the nosy ones as well. We get the second glances and the whispers behind hands. I've even encountered the stone cold stares or looks of disbelief in our family dynamic. We get the, "are you sure this is your Mom" when I pick Simone up from an after school event or when she introduces me to a new pal she's made at the playground.

We never get a simple, "How do you do, Simone's Mom" with that knowing look that says "of course she's your child, look at how much you look alike".

It has often occurred to me that when you look different from "the norm" you feel the eyes upon you more. I remember when Simone was first home and how self conscious I was in new Mommy groups. The quiet hush when we'd walk into story time. The exchanged looks that said, "I told you she had an adopted baby". The questions I was never prepared to answer because I was too busy learning how to be a Mom. Learning all sort of things about this new 9 month old baby I had so eagerly adopted and was not yet ready to share.

And I always felt different, as if I was on the outside of this secret circle where all the talk was of stretch marks, breast feeding and epidurals. All I had to offer was how the climate in China had been last spring and my concern about the toxins in the baby formula she had as an infant. So I offered nothing. I would just sit there and feel the difference of my new Mommy-hood experiences compared to theirs. And somewhere in those moments I started to wonder how it would be to just once feel how they felt.

And yes it's true still. Some days I do think that just once I'd like to be that "fly under the radar" family. Just normal with nothing for anyone to comment on or to goggle over..

Just once I'd like to go to a social gathering without being asked:

"Oh are they from the Philippines?" (Huh?)

"Are they 'real' brother & sister?" (Duh!)

"How much did it cost and did you have to adopt?" (Personal?)

my new favorite .....being told how I really should seek therapy for RAD since "I've heard it happens with adopted children all the time, and yours seem like they may have it". (oh yes folks, I kid you not)

And of course there's the famous "We would have adopted too. That is if we couldn't have 'kids of our own' first" line I love so much. (Thanks dear stranger for informing me that adoption was your second choice and that you somehow now feel that we have some special bond because you thought about it once and I did it. Ya, makes perfect sense to me too)

Did I know this was probably going to happen when we started our adoptive journey through international waters? Oh yes, in theory I sure did. We took the classes, read the books, went to the seminars and we certainly did our share of talking to other adoptive parents. We attended FCC and Agency events to be able to see firsthand how amazingly in-sync and in love these already formed adoptive families were. We were fully prepared to be a family that looks different, at least in our in our minds. But naively we really didn't think it would ever feel all that different, how could it when you are just a family.

Often when I'm out running around doing errands I have children with me who do not belong to me....one or another of Simone's friends. And most of those pals look more like me than Simone does. So people often assume that child is mine and will comments about "your lovely daughter" or ask "how old is your daughter" etc... nodding toward said child who is nothing more to me than a tag-a-long. And it has struck me, that this could have been my normal, this assumption of what my child should look like, how my family would appear if biology had been involved.

And me, the one complaining here and now--- well I am always the first to correct those assumptions and point out just who my daughter actually is. So then , why am sitting here saying "just once" and yet I'm the one that never allows the assumption, never let's that feeling of "just once" creep in?

Because most of the time I really don't care, it's just part of us. I'm one of the first to share my story with somebody who truly wants to know the beautiful parts (and not so sparkling points) of our journey. If my friends have questions about us I openly share any of the details I can, because I love the story of us, the beauty of our adoptions. And because I love my children in my heart and soul not because they were adopted, but because they are simply my children.

But sometime I do feel exhausted by it and just want to be out of the house with my darling kiddos without being "Advocate for adoption lady" or "savior of orphans" or anything else. Just Mom.

On the flip side, I get no greater joy than walking into a room and seeing my beautiful Asian babes busy at play. I love seeing those special traits in each of them that makes them so uniquely them. I love holding their hands walking through the store, library or park because they are mine all mine and I love them. There is no better feeling than the pride I have in them and the amazing beings they are no matter if our DNA matches up or not. I often look at them and totally forget that they are adopted. Of course I do, for our love and our bond has nothing to do with how we look. My love for them allows me my very own "just once" moments of the love and tenderness of motherhood.

And because of that love I know without a shred of doubt that I would never change a thing about either of them or a moment of how we became a family.

Not once.

New Year Gathering & Taiwan Pals

2012-01-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we headed over to Nashville for a fun gathering to celebrate Chinese New Year with our fellow adoptive Taiwanese families! It was a huge success and a ton of fun for all! We had quite a few families come with lots of Asian cuties and plenty of darling siblings! We met at The Discovery Center (An awesome and fun hands on place for the kiddos, btw) and explored for a few hours. Some families we'd met before and some were new to the group and all were just wonderful to hang out with for a day!

We even got a pretty decent group photo! Oh ya, we sort of took over the place...

Sammy had soooooo much fun, with all the hands on trucks, cars, trains and all sorts of stuff!

Simone enjoyed it quite a bit too! And she renewed a friendship she made at the last gathering!

Sammy called this the "excavator ride" and we had to pry him off so other kids could have a go!

More group photos!

You may know that Sammy Wei just loves babies. He's always been interested in any baby he sees, and has finally gotten past his little stage of pinching their feet, thankfully! Now he just loves to snuggle and rub heads. This little cutie has been home for about a month -and oh how cuddly she was!!

After a few hours of play we ~~invaded~~ stopped by a very yummy Chinese restaurant. Simone sat with her pal and they talked Star Wars and DSI stuff for the whole meal!

And we sat with a family I've been in contact with throughout both our adoptive journeys. It was so wonderful to meet somebody I've "known" for years! And the boys were so similar, it was so funny to compare stories! Now I really can't wait for R.O.C.k.s in Chicago, and meeting all of our other Taiwan families!!!

After filling our bellies we decided to head back to the Discovery Center to explore some more! We already made plans to stay the night in Nashville so we had plenty of time to play!

Below is Sammy "fixing" the car. He loved all the hands on and had such a blast!

Cute kids.....

We went to the hotel after, swam for a bit and all promptly fell asleep - what a day!!!!

In the morning we played around in the room...

And hit the pool for another quick swim before heading home.

It was such a great time and as always so wonderful to meet and hang out with all the Taiwan families! We've made some great friends and hope our children will carry these memories and friendships with them. I am so appreciative of those that help to organize these events to keep our kids culture alive!

Gong He Xin Xi.....Happy New Year!

Family Fun!

2012-01-16T14:50:00.000-05:00

We are so fortunate to have Ijams Nature Center close enough to home that we can drive over there for a few hours or a whole day whenever the mood strikes. We just love to spend time there exploring the acres of trails through woods, along the river and along the quarry. The center itself is a great indoor break from all the walking and the kids love to visit with the turtles, fish and snakes. They've recently added an outdoor "playscape" area too which adds to the kids fun!

So when we couldn't decide what to do on an unusually warm day last weekend we packed a lunch and headed over for the day!

The kids really enjoyed it - and Adam and I did too. We got lots of fresh air and had a great time as a family! And I think we stayed for almost five hours, exploring the trails....

We spent plenty of time indoors as well, getting to know the turtles and fish a bit better!

But soon were back outside for a nice family hike!

Which naturally just wore us out. Sammy fell asleep on the trails and slept for a good 45 minutes and Simone took a small catnap in the sun!

But we had lots more fun once they woke up! We hit the playscape area for some more playtime full of climbing and running.

We had such a great day together having some good old family fun!
J

First Haircut!

2012-01-11T13:55:00.000-05:00

Every day we wake up with this crazy look.....

So Adam and I decided it was time for Sammy to get his first real haircut. He was not too sure about this and seemed a bit nervous when we informed him that we were going to the hair dresser. Simone being the good big sis agreed to get hers cut first so he could see how easy it was! Family trip to Gre*t Clips!

Look at that face! He is really not sure at this point and I wondered if he'd have a fit....

She was super excited!

A lollipop given by the hairdresser made Sammy much more comfortable. Bribery with candy....

Well, Simone looks fabulous!

Guess we forgot to get an "after" of Sammy!

He looks darling though and the hair dresser listened when I asked he keep it shaggy and natural.

So we still have wild hair but it looks a bit less like a lions mane!

Holiday fun!

2012-01-08T16:44:00.001-05:00

Holiday fun for sure! We have been keeping super busy with all the fun and holiday excitement! Naturally (this is me we're talking about) I have tons of photos to post showing all of the fun we had.

Below is a photo I found on the camera when we got home last week.
Now it surely is not a picture of my feet and I am positive that I didn't take the picture. So when I asked one little Sammy-Wei who may have taken it he promptly informed it was Ollie, our dog. Mmmmhmmm - not sure I believe that entirely-so either Sammy told a wee fib or we have one talented pooch!

Moving on.

The day before we left for our trip to Vermont we had a visit from our favorite Santa and his darling elf! You may remember him from last year and we are so happy ~~James~~ um Santa stops by our house! Sammy was in heaven since he is a tad infatuated with the big guy!

And then we flew up to the great Northeast Kingdom for a week! It took Sammy all of 2 minutes to get warmed up at my parents house....

And my brother was there with his family! Fun times....

It took Simone and her cousin less than 2 minutes to start the cousin fun---they sure had a grand time together!

And my newest little niece! She was so darling and it was such fun to hold a big 6 month old baby! I know Sammy was 8 months when we met but he was almost the same size as my niece so it was cool to have that baby feeling again!

And the night we got there was Christmas Eve so we awoke to find that Santa had indeed visited! He left one of his usual silly notes, this one questioning whether Poppa should be on the naughty or nice list this year! Oh Poppa, always getting in trouble!

Sammy totally got the whole Christmas present thing this year. We had to watch that he didn't open ALL of the presents! It was such fun to watch!

Oh..my adorable dumplings! Simone must have been on the very nice list this year, she got tons of great gifts.

The deer visited of course! All the kids loved to check out the window and then run into the living room to inform us of how many deer they saw!

It was brrrrrrrr cold out but we bundled up the kids and Dads and sent them out for an afternoon of sledding! (I needed to stay indoors to get the hot cocoa ready of course!) They had a great time playing and sledding and all came back chilly & ready for my yummy cocoa!

Sammy got the coolest gift from HoHo. It's an airplane that he can put together & take apart with a little drill. He played with it for hours, still is playing with it!

The three cousins!

And Christmas in VT would not be the same without the making of reindeer food! The girls look forward to this with Poppa every year, and Sammy enjoyed it too!

Family photo!

One of our days there we took the kids to a yummy pizzeria and then for ice skating!

Both my kids had a blast and were frozen solid but loving every icy moment! They both had grins on that reached ear to ear! Simone started with the crates, then with my hand and was shakily skating around the rink by the time we left! I see some skating here in our future! Sammy said "I skate by self" and had a great time trying to make it around the rink. He let us help eventually and was thrilled by the speed we could take him!

Oh, and then my camera battery ran out. Why, why why didn't I charge it before we left, you ask?

That is a whole other story folks. Let's just say my careful organizing was somewhat ummm, sabotaged by one little fellow that kept moving my stuff around.

We found the charger upon our return home under the dresser. Didn't do us much good now did it!

Yet, even without a camera our vacation continued and we spent a day in a nearby town, shopping & eating with our final day/evening spent near Boston with some family. Simone had the best time with some older cousins and other family. We also enjoyed eating the most delicious clam boil ever! We had a great time and were spoiled with food and affection!

But vacation came to an end and we've spent the remaining time home from school hanging out and having fun. School starts back tomorrow for both kiddos and we'll get back in our routines and schedules.

Another New Year is here, amazing how fast the last one flew by!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all!!!

Photo Book

2011-12-12T22:18:00.001-05:00

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HoHo time already?

2011-12-07T13:43:00.002-05:00

Really? Is it possible Santa has started making his pre- Christmas appearances already?

Where has the time gone? Why, just yesterday I was complaining about the blasted heat of the summer and now we're having a visitor from the North Pole at all our local events!

Now we all know what this truly means....that I need to step up my game and start my Holiday shopping! Hanukkah and Christmas will be here in no time and I've yet to prepare at all!

In fact, I got my first Holiday cards this week and realized I haven't even thought about ordering mine! I have a feeling this year will again not be the year I finally send out some adorable cards with pictures of my kiddos on them! Oh well, I'll shoot for 2012....

But back to HoHo. Naturally we have had to see Santa wherever we can, on account of how much some little elf is obsessed with him (think back to the Halloween costume!). It's not too hard, he keeps a busy schedule and makes appearances all over the County! It was a warm day this weekend when a pal suggested we pop over to a local nursery and visit with him and get some pictures of him with the kids.

Sammy was having a great time, but was a bit unhappy about actually waiting in line.

But agreed to one "smile" for the camera. Not sure what kind of smile this is, but it's all Sammy Wei for sure!

And the lovely Miss M joined in for a photo!

Love this photo - they are so cute!! Miss M and Simone have been pals for a very long time and always have so much fun together.

. All the excitement of the wait, visiting with his reindeer, and finally we get to see the Big Guy. Simone and M looked pleased as punch but Sammy has another look on his face. He is so silly!

Santa asked what they wanted and Simone said "Your Santa, you should already know!...Don't you have it wrapped already?"

Sammy said he really wanted "juice". Big dreams there kid, big dreams.

I didn't get to sit on Santa's lap this year. So if you happen to see him while you're out and about please make sure you let him know that I too have been good this year!

I couldn't find my name anywhere on the "nice" list, but I'm not too concerned. I'm sure it's just a typo.....
Hohoho!
J

A Gobbly Good Time!

2011-11-30T16:32:00.000-05:00

My favorite holiday (besides Christmas, cause then I get to see my family) is Thanksgiving. I love the day because it's all about some of my favorite things....family, food and fun!

So this year Adam's family decided to all meet up at a specific location, with the three brothers and families renting a house and the extended family staying in "the lodge" of the resort. It worked out perfectly! The kiddo cousins got to hang out the entire time and play play play for three whole days! We had tons of yummy food and lots and lots of fun times! Great memories were made for sure, we all had a gobbly good time!

Maybe when they're adults we'll get a photo of them all looking the same way. maybe even one with them all smiling!

Now I know I've talked about what we call "cousin bliss" before. It's still there, all of the joys of being amongst cousins for a few days. I just love that they all get along so well!

And the Uncles are perfect for climbing on!

The "big cousins" were awesome at helping with Sammy! And Sammy LOVED all of the attention!

Adam & his Uncle!

Cuteness all around!

So we had a lot of time playing in the house, but we were close to all sorts of nature trails and we enjoyed a nice long wilderness walk full of exploration and fun!

We all got fancy for our Thanksgiving meal. Some fancier than others! Love this....there's actually rhinestones on the lapel!

Over the weekend there was all sorts of play and often the kids would all switch around and everyone played with everyone! Sammy was in heaven....

Simone was having a blast as well. I know, I know...there aren't too many photos of her. Well she and her big cousin D were inseparable and almost impossible to catch on film. They had their own games on the DSI and with legos to play! But a grand time she certainly had!

SO there you have the recap of our Gobbly Good Thanksgiving weekend!

Hope you all had wonderful times with lots of food, family and fun too!!
J

A day in Nature

2011-11-14T22:35:00.000-05:00

Around here we have a custom for birthdays...if it's your birthday the day is yours. The birthday gal or guy gets to choose where the day takes us.

Sooooo, on my big day I took us out to nature!
We hit the road and took a ride around the "Cades Cove Loop". This area is just beautiful and chock full of wildlife. It's actually a valley within the Smoky Mountains National Park and is a historic landmark for all of it's preserved homesteads and churches dating back to the early 1800's. It's a great trip because its a loop around the valley with little pit stops at various landmarks along the way. And again, the nature and wildlife is just amazing!

My family were great troopers too. We stopped and explored and ate snacks (and yes, Sammy napped in my arms while we meandered through the woods) But we truly had a fun family day and it goes in the books as one of my favorite birthdays ever. All of the giggles, the oohs over each new discovery, the joy over every animal we spotted....it all warmed my heart over and over.

So on to all the fun photos.

Within the Cove there are a lot of historic buildings. We got to walk through them and see what it was like (sort of) back then.

Here's one of the churches.

Once inside the church it was so simple and so beautiful

And outside- reading all of the dates on the cemetery headstones was amazing.

We had some walks

And some air time

And plenty of playing in the leaves time!

More walks to cool destinations

And then there's the wildlife....

We ran into a gaggle(?) of wild turkeys

Some deer on the field. Sammy decided to head on out to see them. He told me he was going to pet them.

We saw so many deer- it was just awesome.

Ohhhh...or maybe whoooooo. We also saw an owl! I thought that was just the coolest!

And there you have a day planned by me. Well, sort of planned.

Really a day in nature can never be planned, just enjoyed!
J

November is....

2011-11-10T17:40:00.002-05:00

November is....
A busy and special month for me.

November ends the craziness of Halloween and all of the candy and parties that go with it. November has Veteran's day toward the beginning with my Birthday around the middle (and yes folks, I WILL be turning 29 ~~again~~ this year). And my favorite of all holidays brings the month to a close...Thanksgiving! I love seeing our family and all the joy of "the cousin gang" getting together. Oh, and the food....mmmmmm mmmmm. I do love that Holiday most of all!

But another special aspect of this month, to me and mine anyway, is that November is "National Adoption Awareness Month".

Some of us are reminded all year long on a daily basis what adoption can mean. For me it begins with my families, the one I grew up with and now the one I am raising, both formed through adoption. I have parents, a brother and countless extended family members that I was so fortunate to have because my parents chose to adopt. And because my birth parents chose to bring life into the world and then made a plan for that life, for me, so many years ago.   And now, every moment of every day I know how blessed I am with my two amazing children that came to me through adoption.

I've always said adoption isn't a one time event. You don't just adopt a child or just get adopted, it becomes part of you, part of your life. Not that it encompasses your life, no, it just is always there as a part of who you are - kind of like a thread in your DNA. You may not talk about your brown eyes every day, but you still are aware that your eyes simply are brown.

So in keeping with that, I also have always believed adoption and your feelings toward it can be ever evolving.

Growing up I was fully aware of adoption, it was a big part of how I became me. Yet it was also a natural part of my life, I was adopted and now I had them as my family. Sure, I wondered where I came from, who I looked liked, where I got some of my personality. It just wasn't something I thought about all the time, it was just a part of who I was...I was "just adopted".

Adoption then became a choice I had to make once I married and was ready for a family of my own.   Adoption suddenly became my own business transaction - my little act of a means to an end.   My evolution was going from "being adopted" to "adopting" and I did what I had to do to make my family. The emotions that went into the act of adopting, at that point in time, did not compare to the emotions that led me to it.   Now, those emotions of hurt and loss that led us down the road to adoption are barely memorable. Time and two amazing blessings have healed much.

Oh and once we brought our darling dumplings home my thoughts evolved a bit again. Now I had this child, and eventually two, that I brought out of everything they had been born into to take them half way around the world to make them my own. I knew I'd love them both beyond anything in the world but I didn't ever realize or imagine how intense that love would be and how it would consume every last inch of my heart. And yet, even though they are totally mine in my heart, I know there is that part of them that always belongs to others, to their birth parents. I now realized adoption was more complex and had more emotions, players and components than I had ever imagined when I was "just adopted" or even "adopting".

Now, at this time of my evolving self, I think of other things. I think of why I adopted the children I did. I've come to a final conclusion that it truly was for selfish reasons. I wanted a family and I wanted babies - healthy babies at that. I did not set out on this path to save a child or make a difference in a life. Nope, I simply wanted a family and babies is what I had in mind. Not that I took the endeavor lightly or think I'd adopt and that would be it. No, I never felt that way, for my adult adoptee self knew the truth. I just have realized I went into the process thinking solely of my wants and needs - to have a family.

Now that I happily have these two wonderful beings in my life I start to think of others, those needing families still. The older children, the ones with special needs, and the ones right here in this country that need forever families. I imagine one of mine in foster care or an orphanage at the ages they are now, or older. I think of the sweet kids folks in our FCC group have brought home, those children that truly do benefit from adoption in a whole different way. I think of the people I know here fostering children, some with the hope to eventually adopt and sometimes just fostering to help the kids that need loving homes. Those selfless acts of love and finding family blended perfectly together.

At this time I wonder in my heart what is next for us. I would not change the course of events over the last ten years, for they have all led us to the here and now, a happy family formed through not only adoption but a whole lot of love. Yet still I wonder if there is more. When does the time come to give back some of the joy we have received through adoption, and just how do we do that?

So this November leads my ever evolving mind along that new path. This path leads my thoughts not to what adoption means to me, but what I could mean to adoption. I do not know where this path will take me, if it leads anywhere or is just a curve on the road, leading me back to where I am now. But in my heart I want it to lead me.... because adoption is not a one time thing and I have a lot left to explore and plenty more left to give.
J

Wow. Two years ago....

2011-10-26T08:00:00.005-04:00

It feels like yesterday.

It feels like a lifetime ago.

And it feels like such an essential part of who I am that time doesn't even factor in.

But this I know for sure, it did happen - two years ago and half way around the world, in a small city in Taiwan. That life changing moment of meeting my WeiChe, my son.

Suddenly, the days and months leading up to the momentous event became a blur, now that I was face to face with this sweet baby, my sweet baby. All the pain and anguish of waiting, wanting, needing to hold him dissipated in a moment filled with so many emotions. Relief, fear, joy and awe intermingled in my heart, now that I was finally able to see and touch this baby I’d been dreaming of for so very long. Once again I felt those emotions of becoming Mama, those emotions so intense and real that I hardly think I could describe them.

We were now ~ finally ~ a family of four. My baby was with us, which is where my heart always knew he belonged.

I don’t know how, but two years have passed since that wonderful day in Taiwan. And in those two years I have learned so much - about love, about growing a family and about the nature of little boys. And most especially about one little boy that has become so much a part of my heart that I can’t imagine how life was before him.

It’s incredible how much Sammy-Wei has grown in the last two years. He’s becoming an amazing little boy with such a fun and outgoing personality. He’s so full of life and boundless energy and he certainly keeps me busy, but his enthusiasm for everything is so catchy and so joyful that I delight in his non-stop nature. He’s sweet and snuggly if you can catch him and is the cuddliest boy when he’s in the mood for lovins. There is not a person that meets Sammy that doesn’t fall in love --- he’s just like that. Even in his most devious moods he’ll win you over with his darling dimples, that sweet smile and those beautifully rich chocolate eyes.

I think of his Birth Mother today more than other days. I think of how difficult and maybe heart breaking it must have been to make a plan for her son, knowing he would become the son of others. I swore to her then as I do now, he will be loved always. We will affectionately keep her in our story of how we became a family.

And I will go now, to celebrate with my sweet boy. I’ll celebrate all the joy he’s brought in these last two years, all of the challenges and accomplishments. All of the things that have made these last two years so very amazing.

Happy Family Day my big boy, WeiChe. I love you from the bottom of my heart, for always.

Pumpkins can really roll

2011-10-15T13:44:00.001-04:00

Yep. True fact...pumpkins can really roll when given the chance.
I mean 100's of yards if the circumstances are just right. And they can roll fast. So very fast.

I know this first hand. Not by choice but by a force of nature greater than I've ever encountered.

We call this force Sammy Wei.

You see, Sammy doesn't listen to "no sweetie, don't do that" until he's found out just why you don't want him to do whatever "that" is. So naturally when I asked (repeatedly) to NOT roll the pumpkin down the front yard he just had to find out truly why I was against it.

Well you can pretty much figure out the rest. And if you've ever been to our house you really can envision just how a pumpkin can begin a long, fast roll. See, we live at the top of a street that is just straight uphill and our house sits on top of another hill, so it's like the house on a hill on a hill sort of thing. And at the bottom of that street is a very busy road.

By the time Simone alerted me (by screeching hysterically) the gourd was half way down the yard. And by the time I got halfway down the yard it was on the street and beginning its very fast descent to the very end of the road. With me running as fast as my legs could pump and still not catching up as it picked up more speed and bounced off the curb a few times. Meanwhile Simone is in tears and yelling frantically for me to move faster, for it is her favorite pumpkin ever after all. And there's Sammy, the one who put this whole thing in motion...so to say, just standing in the front yard wondering what all the commotion is about. It is just a pumpkin after all.

By now I was quite sure we'd never see that pumpkin again. I tell you that thing picked up speed, rolling faster and faster as it made its all the way down the hill and crossed over that already mentioned very busy road, somehow managing to miss all of the passing cars. Finally it rolled up the hill across the street and came to rest in the woods about 10 feet or so in. Amazingly still in one piece.

We've since retrieved the unbreakable pumpkin and Simone has it displayed well out of Sammy's reach. She's really hoping that he learned his lesson.

But I'm guessing probably not. It was really too much fun for him watching that pumpkin roll.....
J

The Great Pumpkin

2011-10-12T16:58:00.002-04:00

Well, okay, maybe more like the Great Pumpkin Patch!
I cannot believe that Autumn is here already and that our annual visit to the Pumpkin Patch has arrived! Yes, the leaves are changing color a bit, and yes the air is getting a slight bit cooler. But Pumpkin Patch time......?

But alas, it's true. We made our super fun and ~~flippin hot~~ somewhat sunny venture to the pumpkin patch with who else but our FCC (Families with Children from China) group. We had a spectacular turn out and the kids and parents had a wonderful and dusty afternoon together.

The pumpkin patch we go to has expanded over the years and really had so much more to offer this year than last even! And I laugh, because our little group seems to have expanded for this annual gathering as well!

And what a wonderful group it is, the kids just love to get together, with the older kids keeping a watchful eye on the youngsters and the middle kids finding new pals each gathering. Simone & Sammy have found such great friends and role models. I just can't say enough about how special this great group really is for our kids!

Okay, okay...on to the photos!

I caught my two in a few pictures...such cuties!

And then the pals came and they were all just off to play!

Love this one of the "older girls". They are such great pals!

We all took our hay ride over to "pick" our own pumpkins. Sammy was in his own little tractor heaven for this. All I've heard all week since is "Sammy ride red tractor"! We all had fun on the ride and out in the dusty field picking out our prize gourds.

Oh. So, I snapped the photo below for a reason. You can't see too well but the hair on these folks was just a rainbow, and they had piercings on every imaginable visible part and tattoos galore. Which is all just fine. I have no problem with any of that. But I was cracking up because as we all got off the hay ride this family just stopped and open mouth stared at us. And in "normal" life I'd possibly be staring at them - funny how that works huh!

And we got a family photo...yay!

And a group photo!!!

And another fun hayride back to the corn maze!

And on the corn maze side there was more than enough fun stuff to do! Too bad my battery ran out of juice right around that point. So I borrowed the following photos from my sweet Mama pal Julie.

Sammy & Adam went on a tractor ride. Probably *almost* the highlight of Sammy's whole day. (There was a petting with bunnies and pony's and goats that played...sooooo I say toss up).

And this is just too adorable of the kids. Julie truly captured such a cute moment...The boys all in their own little mischievousness, Simone fawning over baby O with Sweet Sis O looking on protectively-and with her arm in the stroller around her brother.

LOVE IT!

So Happy Autumn Days to you. Enjoy these days of Indian Summer while it lasts for surely the cold winter winds will be here soon!
J

Taiwan friends

2011-10-02T14:16:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we had the pleasure of spending the day in Chattanooga with some other families that have adopted from Taiwan and live in the general area! There were 13 or so Taiwan dumplings and plenty of siblings to add to the fun.

Now you all know we have our local FCC group that is mainly made up of Chinese adoptees. I love the Asian culture that we bring the kids through the group and the ties that they have to other Chinese and Asian adoptees. And its amazing to hang out with fellow adoptive families that have been down the same road and crossed the same great ocean to create their families.

So to meet some others that have been not only across those waters but to Taipei, Taiwan was really cool! Ya see, we adoptive folk like to compare our stories. You know...how the flights were and how long they took, what hotels we stayed in, where we shopped and sites we visited, what the oddest/yummiest/most authentic meals we ate were. So it was super cool to, for the first time, share and compare our Taiwan journey. But truly, most importantly is that Sammy now has a connection with children from his birth country, just like Simone!

And boy were they all just darling!

Both Sammy and Simone quickly made friends and all of the kids just had the greatest time playing with each other and running all around.

The park this was held at was amazing - Coolidge Park in Chattanooga. It was just lovely and had a lot of great spaces for play. So once lunch and indoor play was over we headed to the carousel - which all of the kids just loved.

And then outside for some more running and playing! You'd have thought these kids had been playing together all their lives they all just had so much fun together! And yep, the adults all had a really great time getting to know each other too!

This one ^ cracks me up...look at Sammy Wie's tongue. He's such a goof!

After the gathering we took the kids to the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Since Sammy is soooo into trains right now we knew he'd love a quick visit there.

Which he did! "Big big trains" he kept saying with glee!

One of our new friends had the same idea and the three kids had such fun running around together, checking out the trains.

We took ~~the slowest~~ an interesting trolley ride around the grounds.

And the kids on board got to ring the trolley bell! What fun....

And one last stop for a ride on a very little train.

One of the Mom's from the group took this great photo below. Too bad Simone wasn't in it, it came out so nice...could've been my new profile photo for the blog! But I had to post it because ~~I actually almost look good~~ it's such a nice one of my guys!

So we had a fun filled day with some great new pals we hope to get to see more often! I'm so glad to have such connections for Sammy and look forward to keeping in touch!
J

Moon Festival of 2011

2011-09-13T13:37:00.000-04:00

The Autumn Moon Festival....

What an amazingly fun night we had with our FCC Friends last Friday, celebrating the Moon Festival. The Moon Festival is a harvest festival which is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar and consists of such traditions as eating moon cakes and carrying lanterns or releasing them into the night sky.

Below is a group photo of our sweet FCC kiddos! Boy is it nearly impossible to get them all looking at the same time! But they're all in the picture, so we've got that going for us!

The meet and greet at each event is always so fun. The kids are all excited to reunite with all their pals!

And then the playing begins! Simone, SP and FuDa built a fairy house.

While everyone else hit the playground....

We got to meet our newest FCC addition! Baby O came home a few weeks ago and is just darling! It looks like Sammy is trying to share a truck with him....

Or maybe not! He did love the baby though and kissed and hugged him all night! I've never seen him enjoy a baby like that. I have a feeling they're going to be best of buds!

Oh...his JieJie pushing the swing! I'm told Miss O has been an amazing big sis!

The three amigos!

Mmmmmmmmm..........Mooncakes!

Craft project time- making our lanterns for the lantern march!

Oh....SP is Sammy's favorite buddy!

And story time - a book about the Autumn Moon Festival!

And then our march!

It's so awesome to see these 20+ kids of all ages marching along with their lanterns!

Then we got to release our lanterns into the night sky! This is magical to me...always my favorite part of the night! It's so beautiful and peaceful to see all the lanterns lit up and soaring together. And the contrast of that peace mixed with all the commotion going on around, all the noise of the excitement and the kids and adults laughing and ooohing and ahhing.

And another reason it's my favorite....the kids reactions are just the best!

Sammy was amazed!

Here's our lanterns (biodegradable and environmentally friendly!)

And so now we just have to wait another year before we get to do it all again!

Follow this link Brooke's video to watch a video one of our FCC member's daughter made of the night. It really is a great video and I think she captured some of the joy we all have in our celebrations!
J

August happenings

2011-09-01T15:28:00.004-04:00

The month of August is already over and boy did it fly on by! We've been busy - busy with school starting, busy with friends and just being together as a family. Simone started second grade (sob....) and Sammy started preschool (sob again!), or playschool as we like to refer to it! Both are doing great, Simone loves her teacher and has tons of pals in her class. And while it hasn't been a seamless transition for Sammy he seems to do better every day and really likes to play with his little friends and all the cool toys, inside and out!

Here's the 1st day of school, after picking each up and getting a special treat!

And flashing back to the morning, here's my Simone ready to head out the door! She looks lovely and was just so excited!

And here's Sammy.... not too happy at all. Now he did go to summer camp at the same school, but this was his 1st time without big sis. He was not feeling good about this whole school thing.

But he did well, and has mostly good drop-offs, and great days once I leave. He really enjoys it and is well loved by his teachers!

Of course we've still been hitting the parks in the afternoons.... got to run that energy out!

And sometimes you just need to cool off

We've had some fun visitors to our yard this year. There are 3 deer that meander up our street and usually stop in the yard before heading through the woods across the way. I got one on film before the dogs spooked them. It's always sooo cool to see!

And a huge hit this month...Farragut Fleet. It's a "touch a truck" experience that a neighboring town puts on annually. We met up with some of our favorite pals.... and some of the neatest trucks and equipment. Pure heaven for my littlest dumpling!

And Simone enjoyed quite a bit as well!

We hit yet another park after. The kids rode bikes and ran along....

Some kids bigger than others!

And stopped for refreshments and some play time.

Naturally we had one heck of a cold front come through - being August and all.

Oh wait...now that I think of it we never got cold at all....hmmm. Maybe I should've reminded them...

Oh...now this looks about right. Back to the splash pad and park!

Sammy is wearing a very special shirt sent from a very special person. He wears it well too!

And another total highlight of our month.........
A visit from some very dear friends. A family we traveled to China with almost 7 years ago were staying close by and popped over for an afternoon/evening. The girls (Simone and G) are from the same SWI (Social Welfare Institute) and had not seen each other since we landed on US soil!

But they were best of friends within moments and had a wonderful time playing. I think they came down when they were hungry, and not a moment sooner! And I too am a big fan of Miss G...she has an amazing personality-the perfect combo of sweet and self confident. She was just darling.

There was also a new addition to the family that Sammy Wei was just smitten with! I have to admit, she stole a piece of my heart as well. Sammy is still talking about her and it really was the first time he really made such a close connection with a friend - they were partners the whole evening!

Of course we took a walk to see the horses next door.

The girls were more excited to create a secret hand shake...although they did give the sweet horses a bit of attention first.

And Sammy was busy practicing his new run. Run Sammy....run

So as you can see, our month was pretty full of good times and pretty great friends! Now September is officially here and summer is almost truly over (pool closes this weekend...booo). But I am quite confidant we will find plenty of fun times still!
J

Boo Boo

2011-08-29T17:26:00.001-04:00

So I'm painting the dinning room this week.

Have I ever mentioned how I really dislike painting. I get the paint everywhere, and I truly mean EVERYWHERE- in my hair, on the wrong walls, on the bottom of my foot, which leads to paint all over the carpet. Plus all the prep work and clean up...ughs. It's an all day event just to prep, and even longer to wash everything out. But I worked hard and plugged away, getting the bottom half of the wall done this morning. Phew. Tomorrow the top will be done with my bold new color choice, stony gray.

And then Sammy came in the room - my little force of nature himself. And he swung the tool I was using to open the paint can. It hit my JUST painted wall and made a scratch.

On my just painted wall.

So I ~~yelled hysterically~~ gently scolded him as a good mother would. I said "Sammy, you've made a boo boo on Mama's just painted wall. Now what will I do?"

He took care of it for me. All by himself!

I'm still not happy about my ding, but this does sort of make up for it.
J

Could it be her?

2011-08-18T17:20:00.000-04:00

All my life I've had those moments.
The ones where I see somebody and wonder...could it be her? That face in a crowd that looks somehow familiar, somehow like I've seen a hint of it numerous times. The color of eyes, the sound of a laugh or the shape of a face. Maybe a facial expression or the set of lips. My brain picks up on these cues (real or imagined) and causes me to just wonder....could it be?

Or sometimes it's more of an encounter....like that woman at the grocery store with long blonde/brown hair and athletic build that stares at me just a bit long. The traffic officer with kind eyes and about 16 years my senior, who looks on the verge of asking me something, something deep and important. But never does. Or the lady on the plane, the one that keeps looking my way with a sense of curiosity in her eyes. Does one of these women know something I don't? Could one of them be her?

These moments always leave me feeling this yearning...this feeling that I'm embarking on a search that will never give way to a resolution. Scanning every crowd for that one face that ignites some spark of recognition. Wondering if I've just walked past her and didn't even know it.
.
I guess when you don't know what your looking for it's hard to know if you've found it. And I think sometimes you don't even know that you are looking in the first place.

Most often these moments leave me feeling like Choco the bird, asking (to myself only) "are you my mother?" Could it be her?

Growing up not knowing "where" you came from is a complex emotion, one felt deeply by many adult adoptees. I'm not even speaking about cultural, although for many adoptees that factors in. I mean the just not knowing your genetic blueprint or medical background. For me this leaves me feeling like there is always just a little something missing or forgotten on an emotional front. And then on the medical front I have no "background". Any of you who have filled out the endless forms at the doctors office knows exactly the feeling you are left with. That sense of loss, yet again. The sense of not knowing, never knowing just those few details about your own self!

And being adopted during the closed adoption era means I have pretty much no idea of where I came from, aside from the "not too personal" items the social worker could pass along. Eye/hair color, age and a guess at ethnic background I may have in me. It means in order to find out where I came from...who she is....I'd have to petition a court with a valid reason to unseal my birth records. And then hope once I got the records that the names haven't been blacked out as was sometimes done back then - To protect the privacy of the "biological" parent, you see. Which means the courts felt that having knowledge of who they were could be damaging. But to whom? To them, or me? And just who was most damaged in the long run....?

So some of you may be saying "well if your so interested, why not take the plunge and find your birth parents"?   Well I'll just tell you why.

Because I'm actually not that interested. Not in finding birth parents anyway.
What I'm searching for is a connection... but not to a particular person. More like a connection to ~ myself. A glimpse of...well of where I came from. Just to be able to know the basics of my life before I became Jennifer. To have a genetic link - to some body, any body.   So I don't need any type of relationship with those in my past, just the history of me.   It's just about knowing, just simply knowing.

And there is one other reason, as crazy as it may be. My sweet child will also never know where she came from.. She may find herself scanning the face of every Asian woman she comes across and wonder....Could it be her? She may study different faces, eye shapes and body types and try to "fit herself in" to a specific one, just to have a mental image of what she may have come from. Sure, she may spend her life just as pleased as can be with me for a Mom, but always yearn to know her genetic footprints. And like me, she will not get that chance.

But I will be right beside her, maybe even when I'm old and grey- still scanning the crowd, still searching into eyes for that hint...

Wondering, Could it be her?
J

More Florida fun

2011-08-10T16:23:00.000-04:00

Ahhh yes, our fun in the sun continues!

Adam and I lived in Dunedin for many years and we were so excited to see the park right up the street from our old house built a splash pad! We brought the kids and they played on the playground and splashed in the water. We had been going to this park since we first got Emma, and then Ollie (the dogs...) and then Simone! So it was just the right place to bring Sammy now too!

We went back and forth from water to play area! I laugh as I type this because I've noticed that in almost all our photos we have the same things on...bathing suits!

The ice cream truck came by and Sammy really enjoyed his ~~messy~~ frozen treat.

All this activity naturally led to one of these....

Later that night we enjoyed a nice dinner with Cousin L! The kids just adored her and the dinner was quite yummy.

The next day we had a real treat...
We went to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where we got to see Winter, the dolphin, and many other sea creatures. Winter has a movie coming out in the fall, so it was exciting to get to "meet" her! This place is so cool because its a rescue, rehab and release center. If the animals can be released back into the wild then they work toward that goal, if not they keep them and take care of them. But what's really neat is the close proximity you are to the animals. You could almost touch them...it was just awesome!

Here's Hope, a baby dolphin. We watched her for a very long time as she played and swam all over!

And this was a large adult male that swam all around his pool in circles, coming just inches from us!

And lots of stingrays! Sammy loved splashing in the water.

After a few hours at the aquarium we headed to Clearwater Beach.....

We call this look "the Popeye". We see it often and it cracks us up!

And after a few hours of sand and water play got some yummy seafood on the beach! It was the perfect ending to a fun and sunny day!

On our last morning we hit the pool one last time...trying to get a bit of pre-flight energy burnt off! And we had one more chance for some sweet photos before heading out!

And a goofy one too....

And then sadly...it was time to go home. It was such a quick trip and there really was so much more we wanted to do. But I am so glad we had the time we did...it was a great way to all be together and to really enjoy a sunny vacation!

A Florida Vacation

2011-08-06T11:10:00.001-04:00

Of course its hot as blazes here so where do we choose to go on vacation...? Well, a location even hotter than here! We decided to take a last minute mini vacation to Florida. And naturally I took a billion pictures, well okay - 187 to be exact, either way I will be overloading this blog with pics of my kids!

We flew this time, and for Sammy it was an amazing treat! He's obsessed with anything that has an engine or motor so the airport was pure delight for him!

And we landed to a super hot Clearwater. But even being hot it was beautiful, you just can't beat that ocean air and views!

First thing we did was head to the pool! Being in our old stomping grounds meant lots of family time with aunts, uncle and cousins!

The kids loved seeing all of the family and had so much fun hanging out. To see the joy that family brings to my two is wonderful and heart warming!

And being in Florida we got some yum-yum-yummy Challah bread! Yes folks, this was hugely exciting for us. We just can't find good bread here, unless somebody makes it(and I don't bake soo..)!

Here's a picture of that beauty...

We also hit a local favorite food joint. This is an old mobile home on the Causeway that has the best food and some ice cold beer. The kids loved it, and it was cool because we used to bring Simone here when she was Sammy's age!

Simone's fish n'chips. She thought it was that good...good enough to take a picture of!

Since we had a convertible the kids wanted to just drive around a lot..."top off" is all Sammy would say! While we were just driving and we'd just stop wherever we thought looked interesting.

We found this park with a boardwalk and had a nice walk.

And found some stingrays!

We also took a boat ride (yes, another Sammy favorite....Simone enjoyed immensely too!) over to Caledisi Island. What an amazing beach that is! We had a great day playing in the sand and waves, collecting shells and searching for wildlife! We even saw a few dolphins on the ride over!

Look close....closer...do you see it? Yep, a turtle!
Sammy & I scoured the island looking for turtles and just as we were getting on the ferry boat to go back we spotted it!

It was such a fun day at the beach and we were all tired and sandy when we got "home".

Later that night we had a lovely dinner with one of my oldest friends and her family. The kids had a grand time swimming in the pool with Myla, the pug! Sammy is still talking about her!

And now I'll end this blog entry with Myla, the swimming pug.

We'll call this "chapter one" of our Florida vacation because there are plenty more photos to come!

Cousin Bliss

2011-07-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Some of you may be thinking what a bad blogger I am. And you'd be right. Only this time I have a valid excuse. Mmm - hmm. I do, I do.

My computer kicked the bucket. Yep, apparently I caught a very nasty virus and it just locked the bugger up. A friend got me up and running though (for which I am forever grateful...thanks CH).

So now I can continue on the path of good bloggyhood. Or at least try!

So on to Cousin Bliss....

Yes, those words can only mean one thing....we got to spend a weekend with the cousins!

And was it truly bliss....? Oh ya ~ it sure was! They all had so much fun together and it really was a wonderful weekend for the kids and adults as well! I'm fortunate to have great Brother & Sister-in-laws and we really enjoy time together!
So we met at a fun little city that was a halfway point for all - and though it was a short stay we got to do a few fun things.

So here's a peak at just what cousin bliss looks like!

Aren't they all so cute!

MmmmMmmmmm....dinner time! The one activity that kept them all in one place for more than 2 minutes!

Sammy learned how much fun jumping on beds can be. I'm not sure it's a skill I wanted him to acquire...but they had so much fun I couldn't bear to stop them!

Simone and her big cousin-they were the duo of the weekend, playing DSI together, trading Pokimon cards and just being goofy!

The guys.....chilling after a long day.

Sam was chilling too....

But the next morning came soon enough and naturally we headed to the pool for some fun!

Peek-a-boo. I spy a wild thing in the brush!

They all swam and swam....and played and played! We were water logged and tired after our swim!

We had a special visit from a cousin of Adam's and his family. They have a 2 year old boy...so for part of the trip Sammy had an extra special companion! And it was great to get to know some family we haven't spent time with!

And then the highlight of the weekend (well for Sammy anyway) was the Museum of Transportation. We all enjoyed it, what a great place, but Sammy LOVED it! So it had lots and lots of trains.

Trains everywhere....

And some cars....

It even had the car from "Ghost Busters" and some other famous cars! I didn't see much of that part...cause I was still with Sammy Wei watching the model trains!

And more trains. Big trains, trains being preserved, parts of trains and toy trains....

And of course...as exciting as it was...somebody pulled "a Sammy". Yep he passed out cold and missed our walk through downtown as well as lunch!

But he woke up as we pulled back into the hotel and the first words out of his mouth was..."train". Which led to the mantra of "more trains...Mama?" until Sammy and Mama ended up heading back to the museum for two more hours to watch the model trains go around. I could not believe how much he loved those trains! They had to actually close for him to leave. He still asks every day or so to go see those trains!

We had plenty more fun, we had more pool time, another dinner and a trip to the ice cream parlor. But finally it was time to depart. After an hour of goodbyes we tried to capture an ever elusive photo of the cousins. There was no such shot to be had... below is the closest we got.

I think my kids are in it....

So the blissful weekend ended with the promise of another meet-up soon. Let's hope so....I love being a part that kind of magic - that kind of Cousin Bliss!

Watching the Dragon Boats race

2011-07-03T09:45:00.002-04:00

One of our favorite summer events...the KARM Dragon Boat races at The Cove!! This year it turned out to be a beautiful day, starting overcast and cool and evolving into a hot sunny day with a great breeze. Perfect for racing. Oh okay....just watching the races! But I truly love to watch them, I find it just so exciting!

Oh yes..the little fellow is demanding that his sister row! Bang those drums Sammy Wei! Row JeiJei...row!!

But she prefers crafts! Our FCC group has a craft booth that we all take turns volunteering at. Simone spent almost two hours helping me with the crafts! What a big help she was too!

Of course being at the Cove meant swimming in the lake and playing in the sand!

And for me...watching those races with my toes in the water!

This year there was inflatables as well, the kids went on this slide a dozen or so times.

And we met another youngster from.......Taiwan! I put our bag down next to the chair his Mama was sitting at, not knowing, and we ended up realizing both our boys are from Taiwan and they are about 6 months apart in age! I am sooo excited to have this cool connection for Sam. And they really became pals fast, sharing a snack and a blanket!

What a fun day at the Cove!

And next year we're hoping to have an FCC boat in the races.
Row Mama, row!
J

Catching up...

2011-06-27T21:41:00.001-04:00

Yes, catching up once again! I typed my Birthday post for Simone and realized I had just skipped right over all of the other fun stuff we've been doing the last month or so!

So to play catch up......

We've had a few fun outings with our FCC (Families with Children from China) friends. A large and boisterous group of us headed to Ripley's Aquarium one hot Sunday afternoon. We had a lot of fun with all of our pals and got to visit with some very cool sea creatures!

Simone ended an amazing school year and was sooo very sad to see 1st grade pass! She was so lucky to have a truly great (kind, caring yet still tough) teacher and really sweet and wonderful classmates!

Adam and I celebrated 10 years of wedded bliss! We had a date night out but also cooked a nice meal for just the two of us. Well...the 2 of us and one little Simone...oh well - maybe for our 20 year celebration we'll have quiet time!

We spent a night watching the butterflies being released at the zoo. It was a fun event with all sorts of activities for the kids!

Sammy-Wei & Simone both love the carousel...Sam says "up...down...up..."

We spent a day at Ijams Nature center with friends. The kids built some cool fairy houses and we went for a great nature hike to find a secret pond!

We decided to join a pool this year! And since the kids go to summer day camp at the same center it worked out to be a great decision! The kids have made so many friends, both at the camp and the pool (we have too) and it gives us something to do on these unbearably hot summer days! And Sammy...well, he is a fish - Simone too! Oh what fun the last month there has been!

We also had an FCC pool party gathering. It was just a a blast to see all the kids swimming and splashing and just enjoying the water and each other! (yes...that would be Sammy hanging upside down!)

The mermaid of the family....

Mmmmmmmm. Watermelon!

We attended a zoo birthday party and what a huge treat that was. It was such a fun and different type of party! All the kids had a great time!

Below is the sweet and adorable Birthday girl!

At the end of the party the zoo staff brought in some different animal items, like a turtle shell, some elephant hair and other things. But best of all was the Chinchilla that all the kids got to pet. What a treat that was!

So I think we have finally caught up on our past month or so of our fun and busy days...
More to come soon!
J

The Birthday celebrations

2011-06-20T16:48:00.000-04:00

Oh yes, there sure is an "s" at the end of celebration. Come on...me celebrating Simone's Birthday for only one day!?

No way... it was a week long celebration of her big seven years. We had a lot of songs and skipping and reminders of how old she is! And Simone received so many wonderful gifts ranging from new chapter books, to new LPS stuff, some play dough (a HUGE hit in our house) and some jewelery making stuff! She also got plenty of add-ons to her Pokemon collection and some new clothes! She loves everything she got and really had an enjoyable week!

So just how did we celebrate?

We started off on her "big day" with a swim at the pool after camp with some pals. Then we had some yum-yum-yummy Thai food! Both the kids (and Adam & I) dug in to the great feast Adam brought home!

And we had some cheesecake. Not your typical Birthday cake...but that's what the Bday gal wanted!

A few days later we had a party at the Cove. Just a few of Simone's closest pals and their families for some good fun. It was just perfect! Again this year we did "wild animal" theme.

Lions and tigers and....Simone's. Oh my!

Sammy tried to make a new friend, but it just kept running away!

Simone with her very first and one of her best friends, Ms J!

Some friends wanted to be very well rested for the festivities! I swear SP falls asleep every time we're meeting up with his family. But isn't he so cute....

Swim fishies...swim! Being at the Cove meant the kids could enjoy some lake swimming, and enjoy they did! We almost had to drag them back to eat and do crafts!

And yep - that's Sammy out there swimming around with no fear. D is close by though to keep him safe!

Simone & pals...

My Birthday girl!

We did a flag cake since she was born on flag day!

The cupcakes were very good. At least Sammy-Wei thinks so!!

She had such a nice time at the party, we are so blessed to have such great friends...

We also had some face painting - done by Mom & Dad helpers. The kids all looked so cute, I wish I had gotten more on camera! But I do love this photo below.... She looks like a woodland fairy!

It was a fun party with wonderful weather and even more wonderful guests! Thanks to ALL of you that made Simone's day so very special! (and helped make the party so stress free for me - You guys all rock!)

To continue our celebrations we headed to Atlanta on Sat. morning to watch a baseball game! Every year Adam's company has an "appreciation day" for them complete with a great BBQ and great seats! Plus it was Sammy's first real ball game and he was sooo excited!

So....of course he fell asleep! Did you honestly expect anything else?

Simone had a great time during both the pre-game BBQ and the game itself! Below is her "self portrait". She took all sorts of photos that day!

And let me tell ya... It was a hot day with little breeze - but it sure was fun just to be together! Below is a photo Simone took - we call it "melting Mama". I swear I was stuck to that seat by the meltation

process!

Once Sammy woke up he enjoyed the game and really got into all the crowd cheers and boos.

In the 5th inning a storm rolled in, a BIG storm with lots of rain and some thunder booms. The rain delay lasted for a few hours so we packed it up early and headed back to the hotel. We had a nice family dinner together and then watched a movie all curled up in our beds in the hotel room. It turned out to be such a nice quiet end to a busy week!

That was our fun week celebrating seven amazing years! Can't wait to see what festivities next year brings!!!

**I have to add...we tried to stop in GA to grab the kids some lunch. We turned off the exit and drove up the street of a decent sized town to find absolute devastation. We had unkowingly stopped at one of the towns hit by those terrible storms that rolled through a month or so ago. In our neck of the woods we had some hail damage and a scary night in the basement, but came out of it perfectly fine. But this town lost everything in this area, as well as the lives of nine people. I know other areas were hit as well, some much worse, this was just my first time seeing just how powerful those tornadoes were and it was a terrifying sight. My heart goes out to all effected. Let's keep them all in our thoughts....

And then came......seven

2011-06-14T07:30:00.003-04:00

Yep, seven. Seven years, seven candles....

My little dumpling turns seven today! I can't even believe that she's that old, can't understand where the years went! Sure I missed the first 9 months of that first year but where did the rest of our time fly by to?

My sweet QingLu has grown and changed so much over the years.   And she's always been a such joy to be around - full of life and laughter and some days mischief. In just the last month she's completed 1st grade, had two weeks of summer camp and learned to jump off the diving board.

But in the last few years she's gone from being my one and only darling (my baby) to being the big sis, the JieJie, and has learned to share not just our attention but all of her life and possessions with this new fellow (and done a great job!). She has gone from singing ABC's to flourishing as a student, from reading with me to reading by herself in her free moments. She was once so shy and reserved and now will easilly make pals with any other child. And she'll stand her ground when needed...
She's made me so proud in so many ways- too many to even count!

On her last day of being six:
Well.... she has an amazing personality and has a lot of great pals. She loves to eat just about anything- the healthier the better. She is always asking what we're doing next and wants to have friends over or to be playing somewhere. She has decided that she wants to be an "alligator wrangler" when she grows up - well that or a "hula hoop champion". She's figured out that if she asks her brother if he'd like a popsicle before asking Mom if they can...well that her chance of getting one has just been upped by 50% or so. And she loves both Pokeman and LPS equally, no matter what her friends like - she's sure she'll persuade them to like it with her....

So even though I wasn't there the day she came into this world seven years ago, I remember clearly the day I met her. I will forever celebrate both with equal joy...for this day, her birthday, the world was blessed by her coming into it...

And this is the day I was blessed with her coming into mine. Besides her referral photo it's the first real photo I have of her. (Thanks Jody L)

And my beautiful girl just days before her birthday....

Soooo
Happy Happy Happy Seventh Birthday my sweet Simone.
I love you... xxoo.... Mama
J

Crazy Busy...

2011-05-30T20:36:00.016-04:00

Yep. That sums up these last weeks - crazy busy.
Sometimes I wonder if it's me or the kids that keep us so busy.
I know who keeps us so crazy...

So let's re-cap,   hmm----------
We've had some fun filled days splashing into summer break! We've had outings with friends from school and the FCC, parties and play dates to attend and of course Simone's social agenda to keep up with. Simone "bridged" from a Daisy to a Brownie in Girl Scouts, Sammy completed almost two months at day care (part time) and Adam and I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary. *Wow...I'm such a lucky gal.  What a blessing, to be married to your best friend and to have these funny and sweet babes to share each day with!

The end of the school year was bittersweet...my baby girl is moving on to 2nd grade - that progression of time that just can't be halted. But I'm not the only one sad to see the school year end...Simone was very upset to leave her amazing teacher and wonderful classroom of friends. What a fantastic year and truly great experience she had in 1st grade!

We've been gearing up for summer camp for the kids and we are all excited for it to start tomorrow! They will get to swim and do all types of cool outdoor activities for 6 hours each day and I know they will both make some great new friends.   I get to go back to work (just part time!) at my old job, so it's the end of "stay home mommyhood" for me. Again, bittersweet and mixed emotions but I know this is the best plan for all of us! Sammy needs some social stimulation other than Mama, and well, Mama needs the same..sans kiddos! I'm sad that this chapter is ending, but know in my heart it's time. Plus we have all sorts of things planned for this summer so I know it's going to be a great one!

And now let's just re-cap the last month or so in photos.

Family play in the back yard. This kid's a natural...

Slip n'slide action!

The Easter bunny came with some goodies!

And of course we had an egg hunt! This year Sammy seemed to get the hang of it and Simone was gracious enough to show him where to look.

We visited the zoo a few times, always one of our favorite spots to go!

We had a monster of a storm with horrid hail and super high winds. Nothing compared to those tornado's that hit surrounding areas, but scary none the less. My heart aches for all those caught in the worst storms.

Sammy & I went to the Children's Museum one rainy day and spent almost the whole time in the train room! He just loves trains. And trucks, and planes and motorcycles....anything that goes vrooom!

Below is Simone bridging to a Brownie. I am so happy she enjoys Girl Scouts so much. She's part of a wonderful troop with some sweet girls and a super leader!

We had a few outings with our FCC group. One gathering was at Ijams Nature Center and we sure had a blast! The kids had so much fun seeing each other and we all got to take a great hike on a beautiful day!

We had some fun play dates with pals as well. We have such great parks around here, there's always something to do and some where to go!

(Oh yes...that would be Simone and her best pal FuDa. Yep, smooching the cheek.... she just adores him)

We took some time to enjoy our animals too. Sammy loves to hug Oliver.

One of the favorite Uncles came for an awesome weekend visit! Simone loves her Uncle and sure kept him busy during his short stay! Hope to see him again soon....

And "Date Night" for our anniversary! Our dear pal watched the kids for us so we could celebrate the last 10 years of marriage! Hard to believe we walked down that isle in Dunedin FL ten years ago! Feels like yesterday in some ways and I've often thought if I had any idea I'd be where I am now back then...well, it wouldn't have changed a thing for me! I've been so blessed...

A final photo of my sweet girl enjoying a good book by the waters edge. Her newest hobby is reading a good book. Makes me so happy to see and so proud of her! Isn't she precious...

Of course I have more to post and when time allows I'll get back on here and do my blogging best! Until then, enjoy your crazy busy! I know we sure will....

The case of the misplaced identity

2011-05-07T22:18:00.000-04:00

Yes, there is a mysterious circumstance that has happened in our home.
I just know for sure there is another person in this house, one with a real name. But it appears her identity has mistakenly been misplaced.

This woman now shares a name with millions of other women. Using her new identity she goes only by Mommy. Or Mama for short. Sure there are variances, like "give that to Simone's Mom" or "go ask Mommy if you can eat that" and "Sammy's Mama can help tie your shoe". It's even been a bit more formal "To the mother of Simone....." and "Samuel's mother, please sign here".

But mostly what is heard is "Mama"...all day and into the night. No real name, just Mama.

What really tipped me off that this identity had been misplaced was the day I noticed this.....

Look under the word "FAMILY". Notice how almost all the family members have actual names....all but one.

I know there was once a real name, an identity to define this "Mommy" person...I've seen the other name on the tax bill that comes each year. I know it was once used when she worked, used by co-workers and clients alike! Yet it seems her newest full time clients prefer to use the name Mama.

So for now it's just just the case of the misplaced identity. Or maybe replaced is a better way to put it.

And to be totally honest, I've seen pictures of this Mama person-back when she still owned her real name and identity. She was once so put together, with her hair brushed (teeth too) and make-up applied. Her clothes looked clean...no food stains or marker or some other un-identifiable goop covering them. She looked well rested, carefree and un-wrinkled. But I've got to be honest...I've caught a brief peek or two at this Mama character and, well....I have to say it sure looks like more than just her identity was misplaced.
Just saying....

But I'm learning to come to terms with this situation. I'm learning to accept the fact that my identity has been misplaced, replaced and changed for the time being. I have become -----just Mommy.

Okay, to again be totally honest..I have no problem admiting that I do love my new identity. What better name to be called than Mommy...or Mama. So for a few years I lose a part of who I was, who I am, but I get to be so much a part of two amazing little beings lives. Always I will know my true identity -forever I will be Simone and Sammy's Mommy.

Happy Mother's day to all of you that have also misplaced your identity for the time being. And for those that have reclaimed a part of yourselves-whose kids have moved on (a bit)...you'll always be Mommy to that special someone(s)! And how blessed we all are!

Go Fly a Kite

2011-04-11T18:45:00.000-04:00

Yep, that is just what we were asked to do this weekend.

We had the pleasure of going to a Kite Festival yesterday with some of our FCC pals. It was a hot day, but the wind was high and the kites sure flew! All the kiddos were so excited to see each other again. And we adults were happy to see all our pals as well!

Simone got the hang of it right away and flew that kite until she was red faced and too hot to fly any more!

All of the families practiced flying kites!

And Sammy made a new friend. She wasn't as enamoured by him as he seemed to be by her...but I'm sure there will be many more chances for him to prove himself.

The pals hung out as usual! Where FuDa was Simone was sure to be as well!

We call her "cool breeze"...

And we call him "runaway bunny"....

Here's the gang. What a great group of kiddos and what amazing connections they are making with each other! I am proud and thankful to have these great families so close by- and so willing to share their time and experiences with us.

So when somebody tells you to "go fly a kite", well you may just want to take them up on it.... Trust me, it's a lot of fun!

Let's take a walk...

2011-03-27T08:00:00.022-04:00

A walk down memory lane. Let's walk back six years. Six years from today.

Picture this...........
A quiet hotel room amidst a bustling city along the Ganjiang River. A woman quietly folds and refolds tiny clothes, not quite sure how to put things back, how to arrange these unfamiliar articles. A man paces the room, looking often at the view of the river...as if seeking for something he'll not find. Not out there at least.

The phone rings, breaking the silence. The couple turns and stares at it, unable to quite fathom what it truly means.

The voice on the line tells them to hurry to the elevator, that the moment has come.

They have arrived.

The couple wait - excited, scared, thrilled and terrified all at once. How will these next moments change their lives forever? The woman starts to cry, unexpected tears full of emotions too hard to put to words. The man comforts her, says it will be alright.

As the elevator doors open a line of women exit, carrying small bundled objects. Eight sweet babies, some with red faces full of tears, some staring silently as if wondering what would come next, all about to embark on the next part of the journey of their lives.

Names are called, matches are made. The couple wait, ever so anxious, scared, so excited and....

They hear their name called, they are asked some basic info and then. And then.

I became a Mom.

Six years ago today, I became a Mom.

Those intense feelings that had been in my heart for ages were finally becoming a reality. The dream of actually seeing her in person, of holding her, of being Mom were now fully real. The love I'd felt for a photo of a small chubby baby now had a smell, a feel and a weight.

She had a voice as well, and boy oh boy did she use it. What a bittersweet moment becoming a parent to an older infant can be. All those months preparing for this very moment, but never being fully prepared.

Now let's picture the days to follow.

Bus rides were peaceful as well as late night. In between was hard, for my sweet QingLu - it was a new beginning she'd never asked for. Her world was with another "Mama" and parting from her was so painful. But as days went by she grew to like us, more and more. Until we became all she knew, all she needed.   I started to really feel like a Mom too, the more she allowed me in, allowed me to care for her and love her, the stronger those bonds became. I remember the day she first smiled at me, the warmth of that beautiful grin produced just for me.

We still do talk of her "other mother", the one who fostered her. We speak of the obvious care and love she gave to that baby girl, and of the gratitude I'll always feel for giving her such a positive start in life.

And of course we talk about the most important "others". The ones she will never again know, only knew for a brief moment. Today probably means nothing to them, yet I seem to think of them so much on this day, more so than any other day really. I feel a pain for them, for never knowing what a joy, what a gift and what an amazing being they brought into this world. What I would give to just let them know....share with them my gratitude.

But honestly I can't dwell, because on this day I celebrate the awesome blessing I received six years ago.   I celebrate this child, my child, so full of sparkle and depth and joy.

My sometimes quiet and reserved child, the one who wants to know the rules so she is sure not to break them. My sweet girl who is always full of laughter - that deep warm laugh that radiates through and through. My dumpling who is good at singing and dancing, but even better at making up new lyrics. Her creativity is wonderful and she makes up songs to calm her brother, to let me know what she wants for dessert and sometimes just to amuse herself.   My artist, she has such an ability to create drawings that pop with life and that are so very detailed it amazes me on a regular basis! My little girl who is growing into such a young lady who is gaining such self confidence and poise.

My Simone QingLu, my daughter.
I love you all the way to Pluto and around the universe. And back..... Happy Family Day my love.
XXOO

The day she first smiled at me...on the bus ride from the park to the hotel.

Final days of Spring Break

2011-03-24T09:40:00.001-04:00

Just a few photos to wrap up our Spring Break! We spent most of our final days poolside since the weather was warm and the kids just loved all the swimming and slides!

Me and my silly guy.

Not asleep...just resting. He seriously popped up within moments and was off and running. He just loves his Daddy...a lot!

I have never seen a pool get fuller faster than at this hotel. By 10AM it was jam packed with kids and adults and you had to be resourceful to get a poolside seat! But we had so much fun and my two were little fishes!

And we had to bid farewell to our pals.

Wait...is that a kiss she's sneaking? Oh my my my.....

And the famous "hair wrap"! She begged the entire trip to get this and finally on the last day we let her. She was thrilled!

Pretty cool, huh?

So we headed home...the long 10 hour drive back to our home town.

The kids did really great on the way home as well but by the time we passed the TN border we were all more than ready to get home.

And now we're all back to reality and back on schedules ---- but with the memories of our super fun Spring Break still lingering!

On we go....to Sea World!

2011-03-22T20:23:00.001-04:00

Tuesday brought us to SeaWorld (wow, was it really a full week ago?) and all of the excitement that such a park can bring! Simone chose Sea World and we thought that it would be a bit easier than the other big parks with Sammy. There sure was plenty to see and all of the kids had a great time, as well as the adults! It was a long tiring day but it really was a wonderful time.

Here's Sammy and P at the start of the day. We were lucky to have him around to help watch Sammy! And I tell you what, he did a great job of chasing him and keeping him close for us. And Sammy...well he just adores P!

Now if you've been reading this blog for any length of time you'll know already how my two just love aquariums. They both could spends hours amongst the fish tanks. Sammy was awed by the sting rays and having them swimming all around him and Simone just loved pointing out any of the species she knew the name of.

Photo below taken by Ms. Simone.....I see photography in her future!

And our favorite parts of the day were seeing the shows! The dolphin show was so amazing and the kids just loved every moment! There were a lot of "ooohs" & "aaaws" from them!

Check out Simone's face.....! Love it.

After that we hit the play area where the kids headed right for the splash pad. (Cause there wasn't enough water back at the hotel?) We did manage a few rides and attractions along the way. I even got to ride on Kraken (the roller coaster) with my Mama friend J! It's been, ummmm, years since I've been on a big ride and let me tell ya.... it was AWESOME!

Below is Sammy splashin it up!

Entertainment!

This was so cool...these fellows on stilts doing all these crazy flips while the musicians were playing wild drum music.

Our very own dancing queens! Go Girls......dance dance dance!

And my ultra napper, once again taking a break from all the activity. He actually fell asleep in the midst of the very loud music show!

It was hard to drag the kids away from there- but we were able to with the promise of seeing these amazing creatures....

Think the girls are a bit tired? They didn't actually sleep on J but certainly rested while waiting for the show to start!

Not Sammy. Since having his little power nap he was all sorts of excited about seeing these Orca's jump through the air and water! He said "wow" about 150 times through the show! Very adorable.

They really put on an incredible show!

We rounded out the day with dinner with the sharks. The tank full of sharks and other sea critters was right next to our table. Though the girls were a bit nervous about eating with sharks so close the boys just loved it! No photos though...I just couldn't get my brain and camera to work together and all the photos came out terrible.

So that was our day at Sea World. We all went back to the hotel and slept like babes....

I have a few last photos I'll post later of our last days there--- and special pics of Simone's hair wrap!

And off to Orlando

2011-03-21T15:55:00.001-04:00

Yes, the adventure continues. Next stop.....Orlando, Florida!!!

We met up with some friends from back home for a few days excursion at the Nick hotel.

Where we got to hang out with...........

Think the kids are a wee bit excited about our stay? She was jumping up and down and he was dancing a little jig!

Literally within seconds of checking in Simone has found the lagoon pool- and her pal. And there they stayed, for many many hours....

While the little guy caught up on his zzzz's poolside!

But soon enough we dried off to check out the hotel room.

And boy was it cool! We had a sponge bob themed room with cool bunk beds and bikini bottom walls!

The top bunk was a perfect spot for snack & tv time....

And the walls were begging the kids to do a funky dance....

But soon our tummies were grumbling and we headed out to Rainforest Cafe for some yummy grub! Sammy & pal P made friends with the elephant.

Pretty girls! It was great Simone had a best friend built into vacation, it kept her entertained and Adam and I had some other adults ~~to help chase Sammy Wei~~ to hang out with.

Sammy was amazed with the restaurant and all the activity. Every time there was a rain shower he climbed into the nearest lap and pretended to shake. I think he really loved it....

Oh my handsome fellow! It looks like he was trying to read the signs to find the ice cream shop.....

So that was our first day in Orlando. It was a good start to a fun couple of days!

More exciting memories to come......

Part 2...the fun continues

2011-03-19T10:25:00.003-04:00

Did I mention how much we squeezed into a week....?

Well, believe me when I say that it was a lot of fun stuff. We were lucky to make it to a park on the water for some morning play before nap time...and before more family arrived to visit! The kids had a blast playing and I was thrilled to be able to get together with one of my dearest pals and her family!

And have I ever mentioned how Sammy has NO fear and runs any playground like he's been playing there for years? Well, that's my Sammy Wei...taking over playgrounds near and far.

Thankfully Simone is around to keep him from tumbling too far. And to rescue him from dinosaurs....

But who is this darling? Well that's Ms. A and her sassy pigtails! Sammy seemed to like her and they played around each other quite a bit while seeming to keep their distance. Very cute!

Weeeee.........

Ms. A and her wonderful Mama!

Ummm...rocking out to AC/DC? Or smiling...?
Either one, it's a typical Sammy face.

And a typical Simone face....lovely!

Still playing "together".

And Simone's busy doing her thing.
And then....

She spotted this.
Which became a crab hunt with a group of other kids!

While these two just kept playing!

What a super fun morning it was! I am so glad the kids got to see the gulf and play in the sand and water.

Then the surprise visit from another favorite Uncle! Yes...and Yay..... it's Uncle Fred!!!!

Both kids were so happy to see him again and had such a great afternoon playing with him.

And Aunt Annie came for a bit again. Sammy was very happy and gave a lot of hugs and pats.

And since we had built in babysitters...Adam and I got a date night!

We had a nice dinner and some quiet time together! Trust me, this is a rare occurrence and we totally enjoyed it! (Thanks Ma & Pop for this treat!)

And we got to watch the sunset over Dunedin Beach while enjoying a nice glass of vino.

But alas, our time in Clearweater ended very quickly so we could continue our vacation in Orlando!

One last photo with the grandparents and we were on the road again....

But the fun still continues....

Spring Break - part 1

2011-03-18T22:22:00.000-04:00

It was Spring Break for Simone last week which meant a full week off from school! And being that we haven't technically "vacationed" since summer Adam & I decided on a road trip to Florida!

Wait, hold on....did I hear a couple of groans out there?

Oh, I see. Some of you are remembering the ~~disastrous~~ not so great road trip from last year. Yes...we were a bit uncertain as well - but figured we had nothing better to do so, what the heck, we gave it a try it.

And............It went great. The kids slept for most of the drive there and were well entertained by that certain purple dinosaur and the yellow sponge dude for the remainder of the trip.

And really, we are so glad we went since the kids had such a blast in Orlando and we were even able to sneak in a few days to visit family in Clearwater. It was a week packed full of activity that left Adam and I needing a retreat, but that made some wonderful family memories! In fact, we packed so much into our time there that it'll probably take a few posts to be able to share it all...so this I name "part 1".

We spent a lot of time with Adam's family and were thrilled to be able to see both his parents and some Aunts, Uncles and cousins! And we had some free time to meet up quickly with some pals :-) although not nearly enough time to see them all :-(

On our way out and about we got to drop by to see one of my oldest pals and her family at the ball park. Her son was pitching that day, so it was such a treat to be able to see him throwing that ball! And we got a family photo while we were there...

Sammy was very interested in Nick and wanted to get on the field and hit a few of his pitches. Nick was gracious enough to chat with both kiddos, which made them feel so special!

Sammy liked the ball. I think...

And the pool was the place to be. Simone couldn't get enough and swam like a fish! We were lucky the weather was warm because those kids would not stay out of that water.

And Auntie JoJo and Uncle Marc came for the day. The kids have missed them so much since they moved back and were beyond thrilled to spend some great time with them.

Oh...all cuddles with Auntie!

Last year she never would have jumped in the pool. But this year......

Naturally Sammy followed suit.....Thankfully JoJo was there to catch him.

Aunt Annie came for dinner with cousin Daniel. Both kids were so happy to see them again and had so much fun hanging out.

Lot's of giggles on the floor...and Harry dog came with Auntie which made the visit all the better for Sammy!

To finish we have more cuddles on the couch...

So ends part 1 of our great spring break! There sure is a bunch more to come....

Odds and ends of fun

2011-03-10T14:50:00.003-05:00

Life around these parts is as busy as ever, but we have a lot of fun each day! It's been great with Sammy getting older and being able to do so much more with us. He's becoming an easy traveler, like his big sis, and he's starting to understand boundaries and is really becoming a much better listener. So we have been taking more fun day trips with him!

A few weeks ago we went to W*nderworks with some friends. It's an interactive museum that has a lot of really cool things for the kids (and adults) to explore!

The kids all loved the space room and enjoyed trying out the spaceship!

And what could be better than a giant keyboard!

Well for this fellow the motorcycles where even more thrilling! I had to pull him off after about 15 minutes so other people could have a turn. Luckily there was so much more to explore!

And my brave girl....

This was a flight simulator that actually closed all the way up and went upside down and all around. I never thought Simone would do it but she really wanted to! My pal went in with her since I was holding Sammy Wei-who was VERY unhappy that he was too little to join in on the action. Simone said it was awesome!

And Simone's class performed in a musical show at school. It was adorable and very fun to watch. I loved seeing my big girl out there singing and dancing and totally enjoying herself!

What a little ham....

Sammy liked it too!

But he liked the school mascot even more. He chased that poor leopard the entire evening, showering it with plenty of hugs and even pulling it's tail!

And on to play time fun! Some FCC buddies were putting a playhouse up for their daughter and some of us volunteered to help. Didn't take much to convince us either...an afternoon of fun for the kids and some adult conversation with great pal, well naturally we're in!

Simone just loves SP and treats him like he's her other brother! And he's such a sweet little guy....

SP & Sammy cleaned up after all the play!

I just love how Sammy has to be in the midst of it all~

There was outdoor fun as well!

"Please take this carrot as a symbol of my friendship...."

Looks like he's saying "ugh, these ladies.....already measuring for curtains!"

The playhouse turned out great and I know it'll get a lot of use! And what a fun day we all got to have...

I threw this photo in just because I thought it was cute! He looks so grown up, and yet with his little toes sticking out he still holds that babyness..

So that's my collection of odds and ends. This week will have many more fun memories made, I am very sure...so I'll be posting about that soon!

Just let go.....

2011-03-03T11:01:00.001-05:00

That's what Simone told me.

"Just let him go, Mom....it'll be alright" she said.

It was as simple as letting go of Sammy so he could glide down the slide into her waiting arms. But her words...let go...well, they haunted me and gave me a pit in my stomach.

It was more than just the slide- of course it was. It was about this internal struggle I have regularly, this wish to keep him my baby forever but knowing I have to let him grow. The knowledge that I must be the one to push him forward, to guide him and to not take the easier road, that path where I hold tight to his babyhood and keep him all to myself. It was all about letting go.

It seemed easier with Simone, almost like a drifting. We drifted apart, we drifted back. She never seemed too far away, like I never fully released her. Maybe it was because I knew there would be another, once she grew a bit I'd have baby #2 to love and cuddle.  But Sammy appears to be it, my last baby.
Or maybe it was because she was my first child and I was still too naive in not realizing just how quickly they do grow, just how fast I'd lose my baby to childhood. Now I know better.

I guess what really started me thinking on this path was a remark his new teacher said to me. Ah, yes...I did say new teacher. You see, Sammy has started day care, just two days a week. Two very long days for me.
But back to his teacher. She told me "Sammy needs to start getting used to others helping him and being here for him. It's not always going to be Mama doing for him, and he needs to understand that".

Harsh words? Or plain honesty....?

Well either way, I felt like telling her how wrong she was. I wanted to let her know that she didn't understand- that it is my job, my duty and my biggest joy to take care of him. That's what I do....I tie the shoes, fix the meals, brush the teeth, get the juice, rock to sleep. I make sure they are happy, fed and clean. I worry about them, feel pride in their every accomplishment and amaze at all the love I feel for them. Me- Mama.

Oh, how I felt like yelling at her "I waited too long for him, prayed too hard for him and wanted so badly to get him. I can't just let you have him"!

And I felt like running away from her, from there, and just keeping him all to myself, never letting him go.   I wanted to keep him in these moments, these moments where Mama is all he needs, the only one he wants.   I keep trying to hold on to this stage of his life that passes all to quickly - but I know I can't. I can't even slow it down. He'll grow, my Sammy Wei, and soon enough he'll be letting go of me.

So for now I'll just have to trust in those words.
I'll have to just let go....
J

Day of Dragons and Dancing

2011-02-20T13:46:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was one busy day for us! Busy but a lot of fun!

We celebrated Chinese New Year with our FCC Chapter. What a grand celebration it was too! This is always the biggest event so we get to see so many families. The kids are well entertained with crafts and yummy food and catching up with all their pals! Some new families joined us this year and we hope to see them more often. And all of our best pals were there as well, so the kids not only had a fun time but were excited to see everyone they know so well!

Here's the four of us. Yes, we adults look worn out....chasing Sammy around that place was a job in itself, and one that took plenty of energy! And for Ms. Simone, well, she just had a great time and was so independent, not only playing with her favorite pair of brothers but making new friends as well! What a difference from last year, she has certainly come out of her shell!

One of Sammy's favorite games was jumping off the stage. Oh yes, the stage he wasn't supposed to be on in the first place. But try telling Mr. Determined that! Year of the Ox suits his temperament very well I must say! But look how happy he is in the midst of his deviousness...

And Simone's bestest pals, FuDa & SP!

Oh and there's that stinker climbing on the stage again...

True love....

Fuda was the head of one of the dragon's and did a fine job prancing through the room!

See Sammy Wei at the tail end, trying so hard to keep up with the big kids! He was not going into the dragon made for the little ones, no sir! He had to be right near his big sis!

And instead of firecrackers we had bubble pop on the floor! The kids LOVE this and there was not a bubble left when they were all finished!

He's finally looking a bit tired as well! And oh so cute...

And some of my FCC Mama pals! It is so amazing to have made such great friends with such wonderful women. I feel very lucky to have gotten to know all of them over the last year and look forward to many gatherings to come!

So if all that excitement wasn't enough we had a birthday party to attend later that night. One of my friends turned the big four-o and had a great party at a local hotel! And she wanted it "kid friendly" so we all got to go as a family, which truly was great. There was very good food and a DJ playing great dancing tunes.

Simone and Sammy had no problem shaking it up on the dance floor. It was darling to see them dancing together! And Simone knew all of the other kids there so she had a really fun time!

The B-Day gal and another friend. Also my "girl's weekend" pals!

Thank you Perla for a great time!!!

Shake your groove thing, shake your groove thing...ya ya! Sammy really has the beat down and was even trying to line dance. He had so much fun and was just adorable out there!

My dancing queen....

So that was our day yesterday. What do you think we'll do today?

Oh you know it - hang out and chill! We're going to cuddle up and watch TV, maybe make some popcorn. Well, Adam & I anyway. The kids are already running around the house like wild things...

And below is a just for fun photo. Sammy got new sheets from his Auntie Jody and he is now sleeping in his room in a "big boy bed" (well...mostly sleeping in there, he wakes between 5 & 6 to cuddle back in our bed. It's a start though!) But he really loves his "vrooom vrooom" sheets and enjoys laying in there.

Yep, naked as the day he was born here....he climbed in while we were dressing for the day!

So that's our day of dragons and dancing!

Hope all of your weekends are truly grand too!

Zoo day with friends!

2011-02-17T09:45:00.000-05:00

I know I've said it before, and it's just so true...we really love our Knoxville zoo.

We have zoo passes that have come in handy, since they do story time with a critter visit during the week and then have the "Wee Play" zone, an indoor play area for the kiddos - which has been just great entertainment for Sammy & I during the week.

But know what's even better fun? You guessed it...a day at the zoo with great friends!

Some of our friends invited us to join them last weekend to celebrate a birthday, and it turned into quite a little gathering! And boy oh boy- did we all have fun! The day was beautiful and the kids were all in great moods and we got lot's of fresh air, saw lot's of animals and just laughed the afternoon away.

Here's Sammy with his new ball cap on! Ready to see some bears....

The Birthday Boy, and one of Simone's favorite people, arrives! Simone just adores her pal FuDa and his little bro. The moment they see each other it's like they never parted ways and the old game of chase starts up again.

The rest of the photos I think can tell their own stories...so I'll just let them!

Now on to "Wee Play".....where we sure did play!

Here's the whole gang! What a cute group of kiddos.....

It's great to see the friendships forming with these kids and the joy that they share when they play together! I am so glad to have found such great pals for my kids and for Adam & myself as well! Not only do the kids get to interact with other Asian adoptees, but we adults get to hang with other parents...it's just great!

To see more fun photo's check out Julie's blog over at:

http://thedeziels.blogspot.com/2011/02/great-friends-and-great-times-and-tons.html

She has a knack for taking really great pictures and capturing those happy moments so well! Plus her kiddos are just so cute!