The Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday today to our very excited five-year old.  We have spent much time explaining this “birthday thing” to him.  I think he may be figuring it out now.  We had a party for him on Saturday with family and friends that he is very close to, and he was beside himself with excitement.  After explaining the cake, the candles, the birthday song, and the presents (with help from Maia and Aliana) on Friday, he was ready.  He was very quick to say thank you over and over and there was never a doubt that he loved each and every part.

This morning, Maia informed him that he was five years old and he could tell everyone that now instead of saying four.  So he practiced a few times.  We took ice cream cups to preschool and he told me it was for everyone’s birthday.  I had to stop at the door and explain that it was for HIS birthday and he was sharing them with everyone to celebrate.  He seemed genuinely disappointed that everyone wasn’t having a birthday but perked right back up when his teacher put the birthday crown on his head.  I think he may have even strutted a little when he walked back to his seat.  HA!

This has been an eye opener to me.  I don’t know how they celebrate birthdays in China or if they did.  But there’s no doubt that our traditions are something brand new.  I love seeing the excitement in his eyes.  It makes me realize that I take the little things for granted way too often.

So, Happy Birthday Camden Lin Feng!!  May you always be as excited about your birthday as you are today.  We love you.

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The Hard Stuff

Nobody ever said that adoption was going to be easy.  I read enough books and articles and did enough research about adoption that told me so.  I talked to people who had been there and done that and were truthful about the details.  I thought I was prepared for anything that would come up and would handle the surprises that might arise.  BUT I certainly didn’t think I would be dealing with the hard stuff until well into the elementary years or even later.

I should have known when I looked into those dark dark liquid eyes the first time we met that she wasn’t going to walk an easy and straight path or live a perfect storybook life in a box.  Oh, we recognized her restless spirit in those first few days and spent the next couple of years trying to figure out what made her tick and how to handle this intricate person that God had so wonderfully created.  Even now, when I look into that face, I see the spirit of a wild horse longing for something, looking for a certain kind of freedom.  Her freedom lies not in running wild, but in finding answers to questions that she doesn’t even know she has yet.   Already she’s longing for something that I can’t give her.

And it hurts me.

It’s a hurt that takes your breath away when she makes a comment that you weren’t expecting to hear.  It’s a sad kind of hurt when she asks a question that you don’t have the answer for.  Or it’s a stabbing hurt when she says something that makes you think she could love another more than you.

My girl is looking for answers.  She wants to know:

“Why her first mother left her?”

“If the people in Vietnam miss her?”

“If she can one day have curly hair instead of straight?”

“Could I ask her first mother why she had a bump on her head when we got her?”

“Can she visit Vietnam?”

And currently, every time she sees an Asian lady, she wants to know if they are Chinese or Vietnamese.

She has questions and I don’t have all the answers.  I don’t pretend to have them all.  I am honest and tell her I don’t know.  Because I don’t.  But I wish I did.  I want to have all the answers for her.  I want to be all the answers she needs.  I want to be all the mother she needs.  But I know my girl, and I know that she will always be looking for more.

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới & Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy New Year from our family to yours………

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January 18, 2010

We met this very scared and sick little baby.

We had waited for her for over four long years.  She wasn’t nearly as excited to see us as we were to meet her.  In fact, she felt just the opposite.  I think I can truthfully say, though, that she has made a complete turn-a-round.  Some days, I think she would like to be strapped to my body permanently.  (:

She has grown so much in the past two years.  And she has made such progress from the weak, delayed, and serious baby she was.  Every day she surprises us with the things she’s learning and her budding opinionated, prissy self.   But, no matter how big she gets, she will always be our baby.

Aliana Grace JiuLi, I can’t wait to see what God has planned for your future!

One Year Ago……..

we said yes to this little face.

And now he’s a part of our family.  Wow, that year flew by!!!  I can’t believe how much our Camden has changed and how quickly he is adjusting to his new life.  Camden Lin Feng, you are so loved.

Homecoming

Friday night was Homecoming for the 3 big kids.  We all went to the basketball games and then stayed to see the “princesses” (Homecoming court) for Maia. Camden enjoyed watching Tyler’s friend Hilton who plays for the JV team.  He loves to scream his name like he thinks Hilton’s going to stop the game and say hi.  But after that game, the kids pretty much were only concerned with cell phone games and the Concession stand! Thank goodness Miss Sandra and Mr. Jeff were there and helped to entertain.   Afterwards, we had to stay to take pictures of Jordyn and Peter, her date before we went out to eat.  She looked beautiful and he looked handsome!!

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Camden’s First Day of Preschool

When we traveled to China, we had no intentions of letting Camden go to preschool this year.  But after finding out that he went 5 days a week for 6 hours and realizing how much he missed it, we changed our minds. Each day that Maia picked up her backpack, or brought home a worksheet, he would ask for his own.  He sat at the table with her while she practiced her letters and tried to do the same things she did.

So, when preschool started back on January 2nd, Camden hopped out of the car along with Maia and marched into the door.  At the end of the day, he came smiling and running out to the car to proudly show off his new folder and his star he had earned for good behavior.  Miss Kari said he had a wonderful day and was perfect.  So, now I have two happy preschoolers on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.  Aliana and I happily spend quiet time together just like the “old days”.  (:

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Maroon and White!!!

Today is Homecoming for my big kids.  It’s been a busy and fun Spirit Week for them at school, but I didn’t get any pictures of them in camouflage or dressed as nerds.  I did however stop them on their way out the door to snap some pictures.  They were pretty wound up and the pictures are worth a thousand words.  They’re growing up so fast and I don’t want to ever forget these days.

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Christmas Picture Highlights

Now, Where Was I?

Ok, I didn’t fall off the face of the earth.  We were just enjoying our family during the Christmas Season.  It has been a whirlwind of precious memories over the last two weeks and I am just now getting my house and life back together.

We spent the week before Christmas with family and friends, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with family (18 total sleeping in my house), the week after Christmas at the beach with family, and New Year’s Eve celebrating my parent’s 50th Anniversary.   I can’t think of a better way to have spent the last few days.  But, unfortunately, I have to come back down from the high and clean it all up and put it all away.  ):

I won’t post all the Christmas pictures because most of them are posted on Facebook and there are over 1,000 anyway.  But I will try to do a couple of posts to catch up to where we are now.

I hope your Christmas and New Years was as wonderful as ours!!  We are very blessed!!!