More shots, princess wand, some sweet love, and cupcakes!

On Tuesday of this past week, Avery received (yet) more shots and a second TB test!!!

Not fun people, I tell ya....NOT FUN!!!

This time, I left Shea at home with Faith....no need to have two traumatized little girls at the medical clinic!
Remember this????

All the way to the clinic Avery kept saying:

"Momma, I not like shots!"
"Momma, I not like nurses!" *We are not anti-nurse in this family!  Thank you for all you do!
"Shots are dumb! Huh!"

Can you say Shea reincarnated????? Big sisters definitely have a profound effect on their little sisters!

As soon as the nurse walked into the room, Avery started to wail!  Like big time! Like Niagara Falls!!! High pitch and all!

Poor nurse! She was new to us, and seemed slightly startled. Really.

I quickly explained to her why I thought Avery is so desperately afraid of shots....

A combination of Shea & her anxieties about shots
                         and
Avery's experience at the clinic on Shamian Island.....need I say more???

Y'all know what I am talking about.

Nothing like meeting your child for the first time than within days (for us it was three days later), your {new} child 'needs' to get his/her immunizations. Talk about traumatizing! How do you prepare your child for this? I couldn't speak her language.  She doesn't really know me or trust me.  It was rough...I'm not gonna lie!
Avery screamed, she kicked, she cried out to her China momma.....it was all very heart breaking!

So here are again....doing the shot thing!
(Oh my! I guess I did say 'more'!)

Anyway....
Our sweet nurse, listened compassionately and said she would be right back....with some help!

Avery immediately stopped crying.  I was wishing for a towel to dry us off!!! I mean this girl can cry!!!

A few minutes later, two nurses entered....the screaming crying began.....ummm, just to clarify, it was Avery who was crying. Although at this point, I wanted to cry right along with her.....especially since now Avery was crying out for me to help her....six months ago, she was crying out to her nanny (China momma) for help.....sigh.

The nurses were so good...so quick and efficient!

Second nurse left rather quickly after the deed was done. (Don't blame her!)

First nurse/new nurse, who seemed affected by our little visit, quickly dismissed the whole sticker routine....and took us to a room that housed a real treasure box....it was huge and wooden and had a shiny latch and everything. I was impressed....Avery, not so much!




When the box was opened, it displayed a wonderful variety of 'really good stuff'!

Avery wanted none.of.it!!!

Oh, how the sweet nurse tried & tried to find something that would appease her!

Finally, at the very bottom of the box, under all the 'really good stuff', Avery spied a Princess Wand!!! Perfect for my princessy girl. Plus, it had a purple jewel and even lit up!

Score!!!  Big smile!!! Success!!

And, the first thing this little darling says:

"Can Shea have one, too?"

Talk about melting this momma's heart!!!

I hugged my sweet girl and told her that  Shea would earn get her own Princess Wand the next time she needed shots. (Can't wait for that visit!)

As we were driving home, I asked Avery if we should stop for some cupcakes. (This has got to be her very favorite food!!) Of course, she thought it was a great idea!

Me too!

Wordless Wednesday {Twenty-six years and counting!}

Summertime {Entertainment}

 Take a few diseased trees....(which reside on your lawn, right outside your living room window)


 A couple of trucks filled with city workers & all kinds of big, menacing interesting equipment....


A bowl of popcorn (from the night before)....


Two {slightly} bored little girls....

And there you have it!!!


Entertainment for at least one hour!!!

Woo-hoo for me!!!

I got a lot of blogging work done in that one {coveted} hour!

I'm not sure if they were more interested in the {day old} popcorn or the process of cutting down a {sick} tree???


But-
They were sharing (yay!) and they were ummmm, quiet and still!!! (double yay!!)

Sunday Snapshot {Avery}

It's been six months....


Six Months!!!


Since this little stinker has been with us!

Holy Moly!!!


I have seen so much growth from this precious one....

She has blossomed.

She has {slowly} allowed us to 'see' glimpses of her true self in the past few months...


And now, she seems as though she is trusting us enough....perhaps even trusting herself enough....
to be....well, just her!




Avery -

My sweet, sweet daughter!


Avery -


a child who loves to sing & dance....
a child who is very passionate...
a child whose smile lights up my world!

Avery -


who now looks to me for encouragement...
who wraps her arms around me first thing in the morning when she awakes...
who 'needs' me to sleep with her at night!

Avery -


so precious in every way....
so courageous, brave, & strong....
so willing to love!!!!

She now initiates kisses & hugs.
She now will be first to say 'Lub you'!




Avery -


A child of God!
A child who knows Jesus!
A child who loves the Lord!


















Avery, my sweet, sweet Avery!!!
How I love this girl of mine!!

Head over to Stefanie's Sunday Snapshot....

And join in on the fun!!!!

You gotta check out this blog!!!

But first a little back ground info....

A few months ago while Faith, Shea, Avery & I were eating dinner at Culver's, a family of five strolled over to our table.  This was after Faith had noticed them looking at us quite intently....

This nice lady, sweetly asked if Shea & Avery were from China because she & her husband were traveling in July to adopt their little girl.  A very nice conversation ensued.  We exchanged numbers & emails & blogs....and thus began our friendship!

This 'meeting' I believe was divinely inspired. 

Up here in the my neck of the woods, there are only a handful a families who have children who are adopted from China. 

I have been praying for a family who we can connect with....

A family with whom we can share our faith...

A family with whom we have some things in common...

A family with whom we can have fun....

A family who has a child from China!!!!

So Cool!!!  So God!!!

And to sweeten the pot even more....

Their new daughter {Mia} and Avery are only days apart in age....and....their five year old daughter {Chloe} and Shea have become fast friends! (They also have two adorable {older} sons.)

Okay, 

So now,

Will you {please} go over to their blog {Life with the V. Crew} and congratulate them....

They just meet their girl today!!!!

 She is the sweetest little thing ever!!!!

Oh! My! It's been a while.....

Last Tuesday, my three girls and I headed south to visit my {newly} married son and his wife my amazingly sweet & lovely daughter-in-law! :) We were there for 6 days!!!  And we still all love each other!!!

We headed south on the train!!!  It was a long ride...about nine hours.....the same amount of time it takes via car ride.

However, it was quite pleasant merely for the fact that the Littles could get up and move!

Plus....
- the seats were comfy...big & reclining! Good for sleeping!
- the dining car was an adventure all.by.itself!!!!
-and the 'train people' were super friendly & funny! (One had bubbles and magic tricks for Shea & Avery!)

I will post more about our trip and life in general later.....

But, for now....

We're off to VBS!!!

Sunday Snapshot {Grilling}

There is nothing better than firing up the grill on a cool summer's night.....

(just look at this bad boy!)

Grilling definitely makes my life easier!

But for this guy....

Well, he l-o-v-e-s it!

I mean, I truly believe this is one of his gifts.....

One of the things that relaxes him and brings him joy!

Grilling just makes my husband happy!

Just look at him!

All giddy with that big smile on his face!

If this is what makes him happy, who am I to deny him the pleasure of grilling....

Especially since I get off pretty darn easy!

I only have to worry about the side dishes....

He needs to create the masterpiece!

Looks yummy!

Now doesn't it???

And according to the 'experts' it was!!!

Thanks Honey!

The chicken was dee-licious!!!


Click below to read other fun posts and to find out how you can join in this week!

Wordless Wednesday {Swinging}

"I like you to be *China*."

Why is it that the most interesting and heart-warming conversations take place at bed time?

Is is because our children are feeling safe and secure?

Is it because our children are finally letting their thoughts & questions that swarm through their minds during the day settle down and take root? And is it at bedtime where they can take some time, perhaps courage to express what is on their sweet & tender hearts????

I'm not sure.....
But let me tell you that I cherish....and treasure.....and feel honored that my children will share their thoughts, concerns, & questions with me.....

The other night at bedtime.....

Shea:  Mom, Avery and I have the same kind of hair. A-n-d, the same kind of eyes, the same skin. A-n-d, we both have hands!

Me: Ummmm, yes.... (The 'same hand' thing kinda threw me....???)

Shea:  Well, that means we are twins, right?

Me: Not really.....(interrupted by Shea...)

Shea:  But Mom, when people look alike that means they are twins.

Me:  Honey, just because people look alike doesn't mean they are twins.  People are twins when they are born together....when they grow together inside of their mother.....twins have the same mother.  You know that you and Avery have different first mommies so there is no way you can be twins.

Shea: (thinking...) I know that! But, we both are Chinese so that makes us alike.

Avery: (who is usually just a 'listener'...probably because Shea is such a 'talker'....finally pipes up with this comment-)  Momma, I like you to be China.

To say I was slightly blown away by this comment is an understatement.....

Me:  Ummmm, what do you mean?


Shea:  I think she means she wants you to look like us.

Me:  Avery, do you want Momma to look like you?

Avery: Yes.

Me: Why, honey?

Avery:  I like us to be the same.

Shea: She means she wants you to be Chinese.  Me too!

Again, I was utterly amazed by this.....taken aback...falling more in love with my precious daughters....
To think that they wanted me to look like them....and not the other way around! 
Astounding!

Me: That would be really cool if I could be Chinese like you. I would love to have black hair like you.  I would love to have pretty eyes like you. And your skin....I would love to have beautiful skin like yours.
But instead, I have brown hair and brown eyes and white freckled skin. We are very different on the outside, aren't we???

Shea: That's okay, Momma.  We still love each other.

Me:  Always & forever! No matter what!

Shea: W-e-l-l, at least we have all have hands. We're the same that way!

Again, the hand thing.....
Well, here's my take on it:





My hands will always be there....
To hold them,
To caress them,
To wipe away their tears.
To clap for them with joy & pride,
To guide them,
To protect them,
Folded in prayer for them and with them!



My hands....
Their hands....
A Mother-Daughter thing!

Pretty toes!!!

My Littles love, love, love getting their lovely toe nails polished!!!

So first thing in the morning......

*We* got ourselves prepared and ready to go!

Clean little feet....
Towel on the floor....
Bright red nail polish!!


One foot at a time....
It's only fair.

Now onto the finished feet.....

Such cute little piggies!!!
Such happy little girls!

Too bad the nail polish will be probably chipped and practically gone by tomorrow....
These Littles, although they love 'pretty toes', are very rough & tough on their feet!!!!