Our Mini Reunion

This weekend Morgan, Olivia and I made a trip down to Kentucky. We were part of a little reunion with our adoption group. When we went to China there were several families that traveled together. We got several of those families together to celebrate our "Gotcha Day" in China three years ago. It was so much fun. I have not seen any of these little "babies" for three years and they are getting so grown up. Olivia is the oldest of the group by almost a year (and still the littlest!).

Sophie, Makana, Gianna, Emily, Ava and Olivia

Sophie eating pizza!

Beautiful Emily.

The hostess...MakanaFunny Gianna.

Hilarious Ava. What a doll. A little Chinese girl with a southern accent. TOO CUTE!

Olivia and her buddy Ava.

Olivia and Ava putting on tattoos.

Before and After

Chester got his summer cut...

Gotcha Day Anniversary

Three years ago today Little Miss Olivia Guan was placed in our arms in China and we became a family of 6.


Olivia March 2009

New Family Members....temporarily!

Okay so here is the scoop. For Christmas we bought Evan a couple Bearded Dragons. As a kid he always wanted a lizard. There was no way I was gonna have any reptiles living in my house so we always said no. Well, he is on his own now...living in his own apartment. So, mom gets this great idea to surprise him with a couple easy to care for pets. I think he really liked them. The biggest problem is that there is something he wants/likes more than his pets......his girlfriend (soon to be fiance'). He is an EMT so he is at work a lot (24-48 hour shifts) so he said he was having a hard time taking care of them and getting them fed etc. I hated the thought of these little creatures dying so I said I would take them back. He said "That would be great, Lexie will be happy." Ah-ha! The girlfriend has all the pull. :) So this weekend we picked them up. The plan is to try to sell one of them right away. I will feed the other one for a while and either sell it or Katie might take it. They are currently about 8 inches long but will grow to 18-24". They are pretty fun to watch and feed. I have not touched them yet. Mike will hold them and Olivia likes to pet them. I don't touch them and Morgan stands on the couch when they are out in case one "gets loose". HAHA! So meet Sherman and Willie....

The picure above is at night. For some reason Willie likes to sleep standing up. Last night when I went to bed this was his position. Standing up hanging on to the little tree. This was still his position when I got up this morning.

The night before this was his position all night. Propped in the corner in what I call the "You are under arrest" pose. He was like this all night. I don't get it, but if he is comfy... I guess all is good.

They love crickets and little mealworms. They will also be getting a diet of greens and veggies. I have discovered that crickets are VERY expensive. (About 12 cents each and they can eat 15 each a day...you do the math). I have found a place to get them wholesale. I gotta buy 250 minimum. That means I will have a tub of crickets in my little apartment. Most people don't know that crickets STINK! I can't wait for nice weather so they can sit outside on the patio.

Anyone in the market for a bearded dragon????

Happy 23rd Birthday Evan!

Day in Chicago

So today we spent the afternoon in Chicago. Tomorrow is Evan's birthday and his girlfriend decided to surprise him with a trip to Chicago. We made arrangements to meet them in Chi-town and then take them out to eat (all a surprise to Evan). We went to town early and hung out at the Children's museum. Here are a few pics from our outing.

Ramblings...

I love facebook! I have been on it for a year or so but haven't really done much with it. The last couple of months I have been on it several times a day. Slightly addicted actually. I have been connecting with so many people. Many of them from my high school days. Many are just my friends and church family back home that I don't get to see anymore. There are even a few from our adoption group that I haven't seen in almost three years. It is great.

I keep saying it but I really mean it. I want Spring to come. I like having a white Christmas. But other than that one week of Christmas, I would be fine with temps above 50 the rest of the winter. I guess the writing is on the wall....once retirement age hits I will be a snowbird and fly south for the winter.

We are all adjusting to our move. Morgan has had the hardest time, but sheis actually coming around even faster than I thought. Thirteen is such a tough age to deal with change. Especially when you have to leave everything/everyone you love behind. She is making friends at her new school. She even had a friend come and spend the night last night. She is getting there. It isn't home yet, but I think her major fear of not fitting in is past.

I am enjoying being unemployed more than I thought. I don't know how much longer that will last though. I have inquired about bus driving here, but the pay is about $6.50 less an hour. That is hard to take. Doing the same work (maybe even tougher work because of the area) and making that much less....I don't know it just doesn't excite me much.

What I have been doing some checking into is going back to school. Nothing fancy or too long of a commitment. I am looking at becoming an MA (Medical Assistant). Less schooling than a nurse but about the same type of work. I would be most interested in working in a doctors office or a clinic. Don't really want hospital hours. The main thing I have to get worked out is finding child care for Olivia. Part of the problem is that she is suppose to start Kindergarten next fall so I need to decide if I put her into a daycare with a Kindergarten program or find out if there is a daycare that she can go to after school. I wish they had all day Kindergarten like back home. That would make it easier.

We are really settling in to our new church. Each week we feel a little less like strangers. Tomorrow we are having a Super Bowl party at the Pastor's house. We are in a small group with him and his wife. We normally have the Super Bowl party, but since we are in this dinky apartment right now it will be a while before we are hosting any parties.

Well, I better sign off...I feel like I have been on the computer all day. :)

I wil leave you with one of my favorite pics...

Happy Anniversary Sweetheart

Today Mike and I have been married for 23 years!!! I can't believe how fast the last 23 years have gone by. I can't believe how young we were too!!! Just kids!

Winter Wonderland

UGH! It just keeps snowing and is cold. I am ready for Spring. The temps are a little better here, but we got a few more inches of snow today. Being here at the apartment has made winter seem harder this year. #1 I am missing my woodburners. I don't miss lugging in the wood and getting up at night to add more wood, but I do miss the bone warming heat. The "It is so cozy in here" feeling that you don't even care that it is 15 below outside. #2 I am really missing my garage. Having to go out every morning to either chip ice off of my car or scrape off the snow is a real pain. At first I didn't even want to start it to warm it since it is in a parking lot and once it is started, I can't lock it. Well, after the first week of freezing temps I didn't give a flying rip if someone took my car. It needed to be preheated.

Last Thursday was Morgan's last day of the Semester at her old school. Today was suppose to be the first day at her new school. Even though there was no school on Friday for the middle school the high school had a snow day because of dangerous temps. That messed up the middle school schedule so their semester doesn't end now until tomorrow. UGH! They could have told us that before we got up at 6 AM today and got to the school by 7! So, we went back today after lunch (they only have half days today and tomorrow) and Morgan got her schedule, locker assignment and got to walk around the school. She doesn't have to start until Thursday now.

This is really dragging things out. I am getting really frustrated with all her moodiness. I do feel bad for her. I know she is nervous to start a new school and sad to leave the old, but her ups and downs are leading me to insanity.

Here is a picture of my little guy Chester just cause he is cute. ;)

Morgan's Music Video

Morgan had to make a music video for her music class. She picked on of her favorite songs and put pictures to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZUmiJv8Bew

China, baby!

My friend Rebecca & her hubby Andy are in China right now getting her little boy. Little Owen is such a cutie. You can see him on their blog. http://www.ourfamilyjournal.com/

Olivia's dance and tumble

*Sorry for the blurry pics. I have a crappy camera and my zoom doesn't really work.

Christmas at Evan's Apartment

What a crazy 10 days!

Last Sunday (the 21st) we woke up to no electricity. That wouldn't be a real big deal but we had the night before picked up two bearded dragons (lizards) for Evan for Christmas. These particular lizards need 100 degree heat lamps on them. Since we didn't know how long we would be without electricity we decided to pack up a day early and head back to Middlebury. We were staying with my brother and his family. They don't have Internet so I was going through some major withdrawal.

We had Christmas with Mike's family on Monday night and Morgan still had school on Tuesday. We basically just hung around Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday night we spent the night at Evan's apartment. We got up Christmas morning and had a wonderful Christmas with all the kids. I made lunch for us and we spent most of the afternoon just hanging out. THat evening it was back to my brother's for Christmas with my dad and his new wife, my mom and step dad and my brother and his family. That night we went to my dad's to spend the night because my mom was staying with my brother. Friday we got iced in most of the day. We finally made it back to my brother's to spend more time with mom. Saturday we just hung around and that evening we got to Evan came over with his girlfriend and we got to meet her for the first time. We enjoyed the evening with all our kids.

The next morning dark and early Mike took Morgan and I to church to board a bus. The two of us were on our way to Grand Rapids Michigan for a three day youth conference (I was one of the chaperones). It was a great and very tiring three days. When Mike picked us up this afternoon at church we made a beeline for home. I am so tired of living out of suitcases. I am tired of sleeping in different beds. I am tired of not being able to cook in my own kitchen. It is so nice to be home.

I hope to be posting some pictures in the next couple of days. My camera is dead so I will get to it soon.

Tomorrow Katie is coming along with one of her college friends and Sunny her boyfriend. They are spending the night in OUR apartment and then on New Year's Day taking the train to Chicago for the day. MORE CRAZINESS! :)