My Kid Circus

Since we started the process to adopt from China, I have read everything that I can get my hands on about orphans in China.  I have been so happy to learn about several organizations that are doing wonderful things to help provide formula, medical care, etc., for these dear babies.  One organization that I have been particularly drawn to is Love Without Boundaries. After leaving China, there was definitely a feeling of needing to do more.  Through Love Without Boundaries, we have helped sponsor two sweet girls.

This is Eileen. She is currently living in a foster home in China, and she was born with cleft lip/ cleft palate.  We get a detailed monthly update on Eileen, as well as pictures. We pray that her family is out there, and will come soon to take her to her forever home.

Love Without Boundaries is doing an easy fundraiser during Lent.  Our family will be participating.  I hope yours will too!

Love Without Boundaries Foundation

For those who observe the season of Lent and would like to help orphaned children, we are raising funds for formula in our four healing homes. We had several groups ask us to put together a campaign for Lent to collect spare change this season to help feed babies in need.

You can visit this link for more information, including a label to print out and affix to a jar or can for coin collection. Thank you! http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/programs/healing-homes/lenten-campaign/

Today we had a small tragedy for the males in my household.  D broke the iPad.  There is really no defending him; the iPad froze, so he punched it.  Surprise, surprise the glass shattered.  Sigh.  Oh this guy.

I told him that he was going to have to tell his dad. The tears started.  And kept on going.  And going.  He finally fell asleep on the couch after saying several times, “I don’t want Daddy to make me go live in a different house!”.  I assured him that this wouldn’t happen, but he couldn’t believe me.  Finally I made him call his dad, to try to put an end to his misery.  I have to give my husband credit here. He handled the situation well, and responded to poor D’s feelings rather than his action.  I love him a little more for that.

D was relieved for a little while.  Then I reminded him that he still had to tell Z.  Oh the anguish this poor guy was going through.  He knows how much Z enjoys playing games on the iPad, and with as much as he adores his big brother, he couldn’t bear the thought of upsetting him.  He sobbed in the car on the way to carpool, and couldn’t even speak when Z got into the car.  Luckily Z has a kind heart, and he also responded to D’s feelings with understanding and forgiveness.  It was a wonderful thing to see.

When we got home and Z saw it for himself though, he simply squeaked out, “My baby!”.  Like father like son. 🙂

It's a good thing he is cute! Who can be mad at this guy?

Today the boys had their annual check up.  I had a conversation in the lobby with a woman that went something like this,

Random woman in lobby- “Are those your boys?  Are they twins?”

Me-  “No, they are actually 2 years apart, they just happen to be the same size.”

Woman, looking skeptical- “Oh.  I wondered. You have more kids?”

Me: ” Yes.  We actually have 2 girls at home too.”

Woman, looking at me in disgust-  “YOU birthed FOUR kids?!”

Me:  “Well, actually our last one is adopted.  We just brought her home from China last October.”

Woman, now looking at me like I am insane:  “You CRAZY!”

Me:  Laugh

Woman, continuing looks of disgust, “I am serious.  You are CRAZY.  You had three little kids, and then you CHOSE to make your life harder.  You know that song, ‘I’m no Superman’?  You need to let your husband listen to that”.

At that, I broke myself away.  I wish that I had been quick enough to come up with a good reply, but later I thought that I should have told her something that I heard from another adoptive mom, “If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart”.  That about covers it.

We have never really minded our kids getting in bed with us.  We have always kind of liked the extra snuggle time.  However, that was when it was one child climbing in in the middle of the night.  Recently we have had 3 children in the bed very consistently.  5 in the bed is just too many!

Yesterday I said to the kids, “I think maybe it is time for us to come up with a schedule and take turn sleeping in Mommy and Daddy’s bed”.  D said, “That is a great idea!  One night you can sleep on the couch and we will sleep with Daddy, and the next night Daddy can sleep on the couch and we will sleep with YOU!” .  Um, not exactly what I had in mind …

It was absolutely an extra special Christmas this year.

Of course one of the highlights of every Christmas for me is watching my kids be a part of our church’s Christmas pageant.  I’m always a bit nervous about their behavior in front of the crowd, and you may remember the wrestling sheep we had a couple of years ago.  Still, I love it.  This year was a memorable one.  They missed their part.  They were in the bathroom… Oh well.  They are still my 2 favorite shepherds. 🙂

Z using his night vision glasses to look for Santa.

Christmas morning was the amazing wonderful fun that it should be.  Hannah seemed to love it.  Several people asked me if I had a hard time keeping Hannah away from the Christmas tree.  Honestly, she barely seemed to notice it.  I figure she thought it was a strange as anything else in her life that we would suddenly have a decorated tree inside our house.

Santa brought the girls a little play kitchen, and Hannah played with it while all the other kids opened all of their gifts and went entirely through their stockings.  She was a happy girl.

All this sweet girl wanted for Christmas was "Sleeping Beauty".

My favorite line of the day came from little D though.  He took a look at his gifts from Santa, and in an amazed voice said, “I was good??”.