A Week Away

Sorry for the long lapses between posts, but it's been a busy Summer! This week, Ma and Pa will be getting a little quiet time as both the girls are heading off to different activities. Lin is spending a week at an all-girl's camp and Ruby is spending a week with her grandparents. What will we ever do with the house to ourselves for a week. We actually talked about painting the kitchen and tearing up the carpet in our living room... ha!

Lin will be sleeping in the cabin on the right

Lin checking out the cabin and picking out her bunk for the week

Lin hanging out with some of her cabin mates

Needless to say, Ruby was a little pouty that she couldn't stay with her big sister at camp

Ruby feeling better about the world! We took her out for a nice dinner after dropping Lin off at camp

Ruby loves edamame! She even ordered edamame dumplings for dinner



Father's Day 2012

Two Years Ago

Two years ago, Lin Guo Chu walked into our arms and lives forever! It was one of the incredible moments you will never forget. I thought I would share the travel blog posting from that day...

The day started early... 3:00am. We couldn't sleep. Just a tad nervous around here! We finally headed down to breakfast around 6:30 and we were the first of our group in the lobby at 7:50. Yes, we're in a group now with two other families.

So we met Shiyan and headed out for the Big Day! First, a stop at the bank which took a horribly long time. Then it was off to the orphanage. We were ushered into a big meeting room and sat down to do the paperwork. I think it's just downright cruel to expect us to hand-write something so important while our fingers are shaking so much we can barely hold the pen!

After sitting around for a while, not really sure what was happening, Shiyan finally told us the three kids had all been getting their TB skin tests checked... and all three had tested positive. So they were all having to get chest X-rays. Okay, take a deep breath... and panic. Lin, being over 10 years old, cannot travel to the U.S. if she has tuberculosis. Take another deep breath... and pray.

One of the other dads and I (Lisa) both left the room to use the bathroom. As I was walking back out, I saw two little kids in the lobby and I knew right away they were the new son and daughter of our travel-mates. We were told Lin had gone to get her belongings and would be along shortly. Both of the other kids in our group are 5 years old. The little girl was all smiles. The little boy... not so much. That was tough, to be in the room while that poor little boy tried to run away from his new parents. Shiyan assured them that his reaction was perfectly normal, though, and not to take it personally.


Several minutes later we heard someone say "Lin Guo Chu is coming". We both ran forward to meet her in the doorway, and there she was! She had a smile on her face and she let us hug her. She was clearly nervous and unsure of what to do. That made three of us! But we sat down and showed her some of the things we brought her. One of her teachers came in and told us that Lin is very well-liked, a leader among her classmates, and she will be missed. We were told she is a very good girl, and she certainly seems to be!


 Oh, there's just so much to tell and I don't know where to begin, really! She has been quiet, smiles at us every time we look at her. She says Xie Xie (thank you) anytime we do anything for her; she seems incredibly polite. But probably the most important fact of the entire day: she wants to learn how to play the drums!!!

Just a quick bit of great news... her x-rays came back clear!!!! We'll have to carry the x-rays with us to U.S. Customs and Immigration for verification when we land home. Lin is an amazing girl and we are so honored she is a part of our family. As we were leaving the orphanage, the director and many of the other caretakers walked us to the van. It was truly heartbreaking as they all said their goodbyes. She was truly loved there... and the sight of her looking back at them, waving goodbye will forever stay with me.

We've been under a 24-hour harmonious period to see if it'll work out. Our guide Shiyan called last night to talk with Lin. After they were through, Shiyan told us that Lin is very happy!!!! She is scared of learning a new language though. We were playing around with some alphabet flash cards and she got about half of them correct. She was all smiles and giggles, especially trying to pronounce our last name.

Our first picture as a family of four!

It has been an incredible 2 years. There has definitely been some challenges as Lin became a member of our family, but through it all she has shown incredible bravery... we love her so much!

Whew... what a weekend

Friday was Ruby's last day of pre-school! An exciting and sad time. She has learned so much the past two years and made many friends along the way. Here she is posing with her teacher. Our little social butterfly is so ready to tackle kindergarten in the Fall!

Friday night was also the last day of Ruby's Chinese dance class and the Chinese school had a year-end celebration where her class did a traditional dance. They received a huge applause.

Ruby posing with her Chinese dance teacher after the big show!

On Saturday day, the graduating pre-school class walked in a fun parade through town. It was the last time many of the kids would see each other before heading off to different schools. Although I envision many playdates over the Summer!

After the parade, we hit the local Greek Festival for some gyros. Ruby couldn't stop giggling about how much she looked like her Spongebob popsicle.

After such a Ruby-centric weekend, we took Lin out for a little fun and she really wanted to see this one!

Ka-Pow! When was the last time you saw Norris on a movie poster?! Needless to say... Dave is super excited for this one!

Also, we were visiting Dave's parents and Ruby was just playing around the house when she walked into the room with an old phone. She asked if it was a real phone and Dave told her it was and to put it down. She left the room. Moments later, the phone rings and Dave's stepfather answers it. We hear him say that everyone is okay and then he tells whomever is on the phone that his grandkids are visitng. He gets off the phone and calls Ruby over. He asks if she dialed 911 and Ruby's face drains of all color and she immediately bursts into tears. We told her she wasn't in trouble and that we were happy she knows how to call for help, but only do it when there is an honest-to-goodness emergency. She cried for about 15 minutes and calmed down. But, as we were leaving, we asked her to apologize to Grandpa for calling 911. She started crying again, but the funny thing was that she was also holding onto a kazoo she got from the parade earlier in the day... and her cries sounded like a dying duck. We tried our hardest not to laugh as she cried through the kazoo. It was classic... the poor thing. Lastly... our rock band, LISA CANT SING,  had a rehearsal Sunday afternoon. We're breaking in a new bass player and getting ready to rock a big gig at the end of the month.

Baptized!

My Mother's Day gift this year? Lin was baptized and confirmed at church!

At the beginning of the school year we started making Lin attend Sunday School. We didn't force it on her last year, but this year the 7th and 8th grade Sunday School class was doing confirmation and it was really important to me that she be a part of it. She tried to protest but I really didn't give her an option, and so she's been going all year.

A few weeks ago, as Confirmation Day finally approached, it was time for her to decide whether she wanted to be confirmed or not, and if she wanted to she was expected to write a statement of faith. I told her that it was her decision, and I meant it.

Well needless to say, she chose to be confirmed! And along with that came baptism, something we really hadn't talked with her about before. I really was so proud of her! Now, I'm not that naive, I know her decision was mostly because she knew I would be disappointed if she chose NOT to be confirmed. But I can definitely tell that she learned a little something about the kindness and generosity, the sense of belonging that comes with being part of a church community.

Here's Lin in front of the pictures of the confirmation class.

All the kids made their own banners with their names and some images that symbolize themselves and what they've learned as part of the class.

Very cute... All the confirmation class gathered up front for children's time -- probably the only time Ruby and Lin will sit together for this part of the service. It's not really obvious in the picture, but Ruby was so excited that her sister was there with her!

Each student was asked to make a brief comment about their statement of faith. A number of people told me later that they were so moved to hear Lin speak -- I know for many people in our church this was the first time they'd ever heard her say anything besides "Good morning."

Baptized! Our awesome associate pastor was so cool and snapped this picture for us while it was happening!

The fam

Mmmm... cake......

They did confirmation at both services, so we sat in a different part of the sanctuary for the second service. Had to switch things up a bit, you know! Lin received some very nice gifts for her confirmation and baptism. Two beautiful necklaces from her congregational mentor as well as a bracelet, some framed inspirational quotes which she has on display in her room, some cash and a Bible with her name engraved on it.

Even though Sunday was all about Lin, it was a great Mother's Day!

Random stuff (now with pics)

Lin on the left unleashing a furious kick!

Lin is now an orange belt in Tae Kwon Do! Her test was Friday night and she was most nervous about the board-breaking part of the evening. Now that she's moving up in the ranks the board-breaking gets trickier. She kept saying "What if I can't do it?" and I kept answering "You can't say that. You have to say 'I WILL do it!'" And then she would say "I know, but what if I CAN'T?!" Poor girl! Needless to say she did it, but it did take her 3 tries to get her kick to break the board.

The girls playing one of many pianos which randomly appeared around town to promote the Gilmore Keyboard Festival!

Another Lin story, she was locked out of the house yesterday! Oh, I felt so AWFUL!! She's supposed to carry a key in her backpack, just in the off-chance I'm not home when she gets off the bus. Well, guess who left her key sitting on the dresser in her bedroom on the very day I decided to join Ruby's preschool class on a field trip?!? So Lin was stuck sitting in the garage for about an hour, in the cold and rain, with no idea where I was or when I would be home. She was very close to tears when I pulled in the driveway, and the look on her face told me she was really PO'd, but fortunately she didn't stay mad for long. I apologized to her repeatedly but she finally said "It's not your fault -- I should have my key!" which is technically right, but I still felt just awful.

It did make me think a bit about how far we've come in the last 22 months, though. I really think the Lin of 2010 would have wholeheartedly blamed me for being locked out of the house. Today's Lin, nearly two years in a family, had the maturity to know it was just a mistake, no harm done.

Ruby watching her pizza garden grow!

Wanna hear a ridiculously cute Ruby story? I know you do! Well, Ruby went to a birthday party on Saturday and, while I wasn't paying close attention while her friend was opening presents, Ruby says her friend received an MP3 player and headphones. So on the way home Ruby told me that she also wanted an MP3 player, and could we go get one right now? I told her that that's an awfully nice gift, more suitable for Christmas or birthday and not just any old day. So Ruby told me she wanted to write a letter to Santa. No problem.

So we got home and she got out her paper and asked me how to spell MP3, iP*d, and headphones (she also wants an iP*d because Lin has one). Being the always attentive mom I am, I told her how to spell everything while also puttering around the house doing other things. So I really wasn't paying close attention to Ruby's letter to Santa project.

Well, Dave comes home from work on Monday carrying the mail. He says "Look what I found in the mailbox." And there was Ruby's letter to Santa! She had taken a second piece of paper and wrapped it around the "letter," taped it shut, and wrote Ruby on the outside. And then, at some point between Saturday evening and Monday morning, she went outside and put her letter in the mailbox. How sweet is that?!? I could literally almost cry when I think of how absolutely adorable and sweet that is. Of course, said letter is now safe in my collection of homemade mother's day cards, birthday cards and other cute notes from my girls. (And I think Santa is going to write a letter back and maybe, just maybe, he'll have to send her a little gift, too!)

Heading out to clean some cabins at Camp Newaygo!

Relaxing by the lake at Camp Newaygo after a day of cleaning.

Ruby in pink on the left has also started Chinese dance class.

 Stay tuned... plenty more coming as the school year winds down and another frantic Summer approaches!

Happy Belated Easter - A Caption-Free Picture Post