September 6th marks the day that I married the love of my life. My one and only. Forever.
Happy anniversary to my CJ.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Mama and Madelyn
Today has been a full day in our house. Now that school has started, I am hearing the alarm clock go off at 5:45 AM! I then pull myself from my comfortable bed, gather my gym clothes and head down to the basement to work out. So far, I'm loving it ...Once I'm out of bed that is... =) I really need to make time to work out, I always feel better (my joints especially) but honestly I am NOT an early morning person so this may be a challenge for me once winter hits. We shall see...
We had a good day with school, the girls were a bit antsy so at break time they went out back to play on the jungle gym to burn off some energy...So I thought anyway...They came back from break with the giggles so needless to say someone got their name on the board as a warning and the thought of losing a sticker for the day which would mean not getting an opportunity to peruse the "treasure chest" on Friday snapped them all out of it and the rest of the day went just fine. Thank you Jesus!!
After dinner and baths, Rachel and Linzhi got in our bed to watch a quick movie before bed. Madelyn wasn't interested so I took the opportunity to have some one on one with my girl. We looked through the pantry and found a muffin mix to make for tomorrow...She was SO excited!! She loves to help me or watch me cook or bake and I am happy for all the girls to help me with certain projects. Now Madelyn loves working in the kitchen right next to me (and I love every minute of it). I feel she has a desire to learn to cook which I am thrilled about! Rachel and Linzhi help me too but it was nice to have some time to bond with her. Just us. It seems God gives me opportunities everyday to snag one of my kids for some alone time and I cherish every minute. We both desire to know them as individuals and love to make special time for each of them even my big guy still needs some mama time (or maybe it;s just mama that does?)
God bless to all...Enjoy the pics below...
Madelyn working hard to mix the batter.
A smile for mama.
Washing up our dishes (she's a diligent worker).
Our finished project! Yummy for breakfast!!
We had a good day with school, the girls were a bit antsy so at break time they went out back to play on the jungle gym to burn off some energy...So I thought anyway...They came back from break with the giggles so needless to say someone got their name on the board as a warning and the thought of losing a sticker for the day which would mean not getting an opportunity to peruse the "treasure chest" on Friday snapped them all out of it and the rest of the day went just fine. Thank you Jesus!!
After dinner and baths, Rachel and Linzhi got in our bed to watch a quick movie before bed. Madelyn wasn't interested so I took the opportunity to have some one on one with my girl. We looked through the pantry and found a muffin mix to make for tomorrow...She was SO excited!! She loves to help me or watch me cook or bake and I am happy for all the girls to help me with certain projects. Now Madelyn loves working in the kitchen right next to me (and I love every minute of it). I feel she has a desire to learn to cook which I am thrilled about! Rachel and Linzhi help me too but it was nice to have some time to bond with her. Just us. It seems God gives me opportunities everyday to snag one of my kids for some alone time and I cherish every minute. We both desire to know them as individuals and love to make special time for each of them even my big guy still needs some mama time (or maybe it;s just mama that does?)
God bless to all...Enjoy the pics below...
Madelyn working hard to mix the batter.
A smile for mama.
Washing up our dishes (she's a diligent worker).
Our finished project! Yummy for breakfast!!
Monday, August 30, 2010
1st day of home school!
To say I'm overjoyed would be an understatement. I was just as excited as the kids were for our first day of home school. As the hour approached I had butterflies thinking to myself "The Lord must know what He's doing by asking me to educate our children." and I had to repeat that to myself a few times today. We did have a great time and the curriculum is easy to followed and the girls for the most part enjoy it. I can see Madelyn is very gifted in Math, I have decided to get more material to challenge her a bit, she's a wiz at it so I need to build on what she already knows. My Rachel is so gifted in reading/language arts and she is actully assisting me in teaching Madelyn and Linzhi to read. My baby girl, Linzhi Rose is showing signs of being gifted in coloring in the lines and identifying her shapes, colors, numbers and some letters. First thing this morning, I went over class rules, rewards and corrections. I typed everything in a word doc then went to google translate so everything could be printed in Mandarin too. As I went over everything Madelyn had a copy so she could follow along with us and guess what??? She did! I asked her through the translator if she understood and she grinned and nodded. So because I am (maybe )a little type A, I have the classroom extremly organized and an agenda for our day. I went over everything with the girls and they understand we are sticking to a schedule and whatever they use (paper,markers, crayons) has a place to be returned when finished. I understand I need to be flexible but for certain things they are old enough to understand in our house we cannot learn when it's chaos and a mess...Except for craft and experiment time...Then it's fun to get messy!! I know I will learn as I go along but I have the basics down and I know what the girls need to accomplish so they can learn. I am so humbly grateful to God for blessing me with this opportunity, I never thought I could (or wanted to) home school but it gives me such JOY to see my little girls that have physcial challenges and the other that doesn't learning and exploring at home where they are loved and accepted.
Madelyn has been home a month already! Time is flying!! She's still doing good, we've had a few melt downs with lots o'tears which we were glad to see. I hate that she has to greive but she needs to get through it. I know she will carry loss for a long time, maybe all her life but we need her to feel safe, secure and loved and in our hearts we feel she's getting there. Linzhi goes for her MRI (brain and spine) on the 17th so we're praying questions are answered so we can get a game plan for getting her some additional help. So like always, I'm busy but loving it and happy as can be =) Raising 4 kids come with some challenges but God is with us always and knows everything we need...Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfullness and self control (I think I have them in order). Without knowing that, I would be a mess especially during the part of the day when I feel like I can't take one more little girl arguement or reminding Trevor to TAKE THE TRASH out!!!! LOL... It always seems to be that part of the day right before my helper and hubby walks in the door...PRAISE GOD!!!! HELP!!!!! I cherish these times, good and challenging because I know they will only be little once, they will be 18 before I know it and ready for college just as my son will be in 4 short months. Time does not give us a break adnd I refuse to allow the enemy steal my joy of being a mother while I have them here in my nest. So again, thank you Lord for all your blessings and opportunities to teach me another lesson. I am a grateful servant.
Trevor starting his (gulp) senior year of High School. So proud of this Godly young man!
Miss Madelyn!
Miss Rachel Cate!
Miss Linzhi Rose!
Being silly at breakfast.
Craft for the day (each girl made a set-I think this is Madelyn's)
Drawing a picture of things we do in the daylight (from our bible study)
Rachel and Linzhi working hard on their picture too!
Sharing crayons.
Classroom rules, rewards and corrections in Mandarin for our newest family member.
same as above in English.
Madelyn has been home a month already! Time is flying!! She's still doing good, we've had a few melt downs with lots o'tears which we were glad to see. I hate that she has to greive but she needs to get through it. I know she will carry loss for a long time, maybe all her life but we need her to feel safe, secure and loved and in our hearts we feel she's getting there. Linzhi goes for her MRI (brain and spine) on the 17th so we're praying questions are answered so we can get a game plan for getting her some additional help. So like always, I'm busy but loving it and happy as can be =) Raising 4 kids come with some challenges but God is with us always and knows everything we need...Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfullness and self control (I think I have them in order). Without knowing that, I would be a mess especially during the part of the day when I feel like I can't take one more little girl arguement or reminding Trevor to TAKE THE TRASH out!!!! LOL... It always seems to be that part of the day right before my helper and hubby walks in the door...PRAISE GOD!!!! HELP!!!!! I cherish these times, good and challenging because I know they will only be little once, they will be 18 before I know it and ready for college just as my son will be in 4 short months. Time does not give us a break adnd I refuse to allow the enemy steal my joy of being a mother while I have them here in my nest. So again, thank you Lord for all your blessings and opportunities to teach me another lesson. I am a grateful servant.
Trevor starting his (gulp) senior year of High School. So proud of this Godly young man!
Miss Madelyn!
Miss Rachel Cate!
Miss Linzhi Rose!
Being silly at breakfast.
Craft for the day (each girl made a set-I think this is Madelyn's)
Drawing a picture of things we do in the daylight (from our bible study)
Rachel and Linzhi working hard on their picture too!
Sharing crayons.
Classroom rules, rewards and corrections in Mandarin for our newest family member.
same as above in English.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Happy birthday!!!
Happy birthday grandma Sharon!!! Oh how we love and cherish you!!!
Here are the girls singing happy birthday to grandma!!
Grandma, grandpa and the girls!
This is how they dressed for grandma's birthday dinner!
WE LOVE YOU!!!!!! CJ, Amy, Trevor, Madelyn, Rachel and Linzhi Rose
Here are the girls singing happy birthday to grandma!!
Grandma, grandpa and the girls!
This is how they dressed for grandma's birthday dinner!
WE LOVE YOU!!!!!! CJ, Amy, Trevor, Madelyn, Rachel and Linzhi Rose
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Mid-August nights...
Well it's getting to that time of year when the kids are going back to school, pool days are coming to an end and the corn in the fields are beginning to brown...Sigh...Summer is coming to an end. But in our house, we get to keep summer going just a little bit longer. We officially don't start our home school year until September 7th. I wanted to give Madelyn a full month home before we start in with school plus, our room isn't ready yet. Madelyn continues to bond and gel with our family, she's getting more and more "at home" with her new life. Each day she picks up more English which we're thrilled about however, we want her to continue with her Mandarin as well. I'm going to purchase more story books in Mandarin and I found a children's bible in Mandarin and English. Preserving her Mandarin is a top priority for us, it's part of her heritage that we feel she needs to keep. Well, I'm off to bed, it's been a long day and I'm exhausted! God bless!
Trevor getting his first pay check from his new job at his uncles martial arts studio. YAY TREV!
Enjoying ice cream after working up a sweat riding bikes! My sweet Rachel Cate.
Miss Madelyn cooling off with her icy. My beauty from the East.
Sister love.
Linzhi Lu!! I said to her the other night...Linzhi, you're my special little kitty and she replied "no mama, I'm your special little dolphin" She's all about dolphins now. Oh my heart...she melts it everyday (they all do).
Trevor getting his first pay check from his new job at his uncles martial arts studio. YAY TREV!
Enjoying ice cream after working up a sweat riding bikes! My sweet Rachel Cate.
Miss Madelyn cooling off with her icy. My beauty from the East.
Sister love.
Linzhi Lu!! I said to her the other night...Linzhi, you're my special little kitty and she replied "no mama, I'm your special little dolphin" She's all about dolphins now. Oh my heart...she melts it everyday (they all do).Monday, August 16, 2010
Our daughters
This picture was taken on Sunday which also happened to be Madelyn's FIRST time going to church. We all walked into the girls Sunday school class, I told her to stay with Rachel, she smiled and walked off hand in hand with her mei mei. When service was over, we walked in to find Madelyn and Rachel still working on their match stick crosses (making sure it was perfect). The teachers just raved at how well she did! She followed along and stayed close to Rach. Oh my heart!! I love the idea of Madelyn learning about Jesus with new friends at church. God is sooooooooo GREAT!!!!
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