The other question people ask us regarding the move is if we want more room so we can adopt more kids. The answer?
Well, it's an extremely complicated question and the answer probably contains such incredibly extreme academic verbage it would be difficult to comprehend.
I'll try. The answer--
I don't know.
What I do know is we love kids, we love being parents, we will always have a heart for orphans and, well, watch the video:
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Moving and Adoption
Guess what I've been doing?
You only get three guesses.
This?
Or this?
Yup! The second.
We did go to the cabin over the fourth which was a much needed break (as seen in the first pic). It's always fun just to sit back and watch the kids have fun and since James, my mom and dad and a couple of the cousins were there it was even more fun!
Several people have asked how Vu is doing with the move. One of the MANY reasons we had decided NOT to move (before we saw THE house) was because of Vu. We wanted to give him the stability of living here for as long as possible. And then, you all know what happened when we had the world's best "so you're telling me there's a chance" realtor give a call :-)
Here's a pic at the signing with our friend and realtor LP. We feel blessed to know her and highly recommend her.
Anyhoo, I admit I was very worried about moving Vu. He has gained so much confidence but I still see bits of fear come up and he will ask me questions like whether he can still be adopted by a new, different family. We go over the whole process again and again and how the judge in VN made him our son and the judge in the US verified that and gave him the same last name we have. We assure him he will always, always be in our family even when he gets bigger and moves out (tho I also assure him that if he wants to live in the basement his whole life that is okay too! :-)
I've seen tremendous growth in all areas, especially confidence. Last weekend he even caught his first fish! At the beginning of the weekend he was still learning how to cast and by the end he was a veritable commercial fisherman! SO PROUD WAS HE!
He even helped clean it with professional instruction:
Well, so far, so good. We move in 2 days but I have yet to pack his bedroom. I will wait until the last minute and he will help me. He knows everything comes with us and we have even talked about the few things that will stay--ceiling fans, playset, strawberry garden :-(
I still worry about setbacks. Time will tell.
Then again, in some ways, I hope moving will concrete the idea that he will always be part of our family and that nothing, not even moving into a new house, will ever change that!
You only get three guesses.
This?
Or this?
Yup! The second.
We did go to the cabin over the fourth which was a much needed break (as seen in the first pic). It's always fun just to sit back and watch the kids have fun and since James, my mom and dad and a couple of the cousins were there it was even more fun!
Several people have asked how Vu is doing with the move. One of the MANY reasons we had decided NOT to move (before we saw THE house) was because of Vu. We wanted to give him the stability of living here for as long as possible. And then, you all know what happened when we had the world's best "so you're telling me there's a chance" realtor give a call :-)
Here's a pic at the signing with our friend and realtor LP. We feel blessed to know her and highly recommend her.
Anyhoo, I admit I was very worried about moving Vu. He has gained so much confidence but I still see bits of fear come up and he will ask me questions like whether he can still be adopted by a new, different family. We go over the whole process again and again and how the judge in VN made him our son and the judge in the US verified that and gave him the same last name we have. We assure him he will always, always be in our family even when he gets bigger and moves out (tho I also assure him that if he wants to live in the basement his whole life that is okay too! :-)
I've seen tremendous growth in all areas, especially confidence. Last weekend he even caught his first fish! At the beginning of the weekend he was still learning how to cast and by the end he was a veritable commercial fisherman! SO PROUD WAS HE!
He even helped clean it with professional instruction:
Well, so far, so good. We move in 2 days but I have yet to pack his bedroom. I will wait until the last minute and he will help me. He knows everything comes with us and we have even talked about the few things that will stay--ceiling fans, playset, strawberry garden :-(
I still worry about setbacks. Time will tell.
Then again, in some ways, I hope moving will concrete the idea that he will always be part of our family and that nothing, not even moving into a new house, will ever change that!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Flat
Eric took the little ones away for some fun today while I stayed home to pack.
It was weird. I thought I would be really emotional today, especially once some rooms were totally packed up, but I wasn't. I just feel flat. Flat as in emotions, not flat as in chested. I know I'm that so that's nothin new!
I don't know if it's just all the turmoil we've had with selling the house or that I feel like I am supposed to cry so I can't? Again, it's just weird, not what I expected.
Then again, this is just a house. I'm not really into material things. I never feel sad when we sell a car break a piece of our Wedgwood and I rarely keep any type of memento. The only thing I really collect are little ceramic boxes and I only buy one of those when I travel internationally to a new country.
Eric would say I collect kids too and I guess he's kinda right. International travel is usually involved there too. Still. I didn't even cry when I traced the kids heights off the laundry room wall (I will redo them all in our new house).
The only time I cried was this morning when Lizzy said she had a dream last night about Joe and he was laughing and eating ice cream--in our NEW house! Maybe that vision has been helping me through the day, knowing that Joe will be with us where ever we go.
I'll end with some pics of the kids at the beach last week. Kim and Paul were with their grandparents and I had intended on just staying for a little while then heading to a museum but the little boys had so much fun we ended up just spending the day at the beach:
It was weird. I thought I would be really emotional today, especially once some rooms were totally packed up, but I wasn't. I just feel flat. Flat as in emotions, not flat as in chested. I know I'm that so that's nothin new!
I don't know if it's just all the turmoil we've had with selling the house or that I feel like I am supposed to cry so I can't? Again, it's just weird, not what I expected.
Then again, this is just a house. I'm not really into material things. I never feel sad when we sell a car break a piece of our Wedgwood and I rarely keep any type of memento. The only thing I really collect are little ceramic boxes and I only buy one of those when I travel internationally to a new country.
Eric would say I collect kids too and I guess he's kinda right. International travel is usually involved there too. Still. I didn't even cry when I traced the kids heights off the laundry room wall (I will redo them all in our new house).
The only time I cried was this morning when Lizzy said she had a dream last night about Joe and he was laughing and eating ice cream--in our NEW house! Maybe that vision has been helping me through the day, knowing that Joe will be with us where ever we go.
I'll end with some pics of the kids at the beach last week. Kim and Paul were with their grandparents and I had intended on just staying for a little while then heading to a museum but the little boys had so much fun we ended up just spending the day at the beach:
Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken
I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that we are, indeed, moving. Packing begins in earnest today. I am sure many sweet memories will be unearthed with tears flowing, especially in regards to our angel in the outfield, Joe. We moved here when we was in second grade. So . many . memories.
I am so far behind on pictures I wanted to share a few. Joe was a baseball FANATIC so we will go with baseball pictures. He would have loved to have seen his little brothers play their first year of baseball:
Lou Gehrig:
Cal Ripken Jr. getting some instruction from his batting coach:
Looks like he needs more practice--check out where the ball is behind him:
Family tradition--making baseball cookies for the team:
Season over. Both in baseball and in this house.
I am so far behind on pictures I wanted to share a few. Joe was a baseball FANATIC so we will go with baseball pictures. He would have loved to have seen his little brothers play their first year of baseball:
Lou Gehrig:
Cal Ripken Jr. getting some instruction from his batting coach:
Looks like he needs more practice--check out where the ball is behind him:
Family tradition--making baseball cookies for the team:
Season over. Both in baseball and in this house.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
God Bless You
Well, we've had several contractors and repairmen in and out of our house fulfilling the requested repairs on the house--some we agreed with and some were gigantic misunderstandings--we had to actually pay someone to come out and prove an appliance was, in fact, in perfect working order. (The tiny sound of a dishwasher door will never have the same meaning! $80 to a repairman proves that, indeed, dishwasher hinges do make a slight sound due to the spring mechanism, which we of course knew, but we now have the requested verification. . . . for $80.) Did I mention it was $80 for that? If anyone else would like $80 please come over. We have been handing out money like there is no tomorrow. For instance, $80 to dishwasher repair guys. For no repair.
These are the types of things that have given the words "for sale" all new meaning. I never knew selling a house could be so stressful and overwhelming. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the frustrations, letting them spill over into every crevice of life.
Which is why I am actually very glad two of the repairmen came.
First, a little reminder that we live in one of the least-churched states in the nation. It is nearly illegal here to admit to being a believer. I kid you not that it takes actual courage to wear a cross because of stereotypes and the ever-increasing belief that we are never to offend anyone else--even at the expense of offending our own selves and our own God. Let's just say that most people don't talk about religion outside of church and close friends. I have actually known people for years, yet didn't know they were believers.
Anyhoo, having said all that, my mind of late has not been very filled with Christian-like thoughts. It is difficult to feel close to God when anger takes over, especially when envisioning scenarios of karma such as having the screaming fix-the-dishwasher (that isn't broken) realtor (not ours) get run over by the dishwasher repair man.
Oops! Did I just say that outloud? Forgive me karma-god, for I have sinned!!!
WHAAAT? I didn't mean run-over as in dead. Just run-over as in unconscious for a while! So he can't talk. So he can't yell at people and make them get dishwashers that aren't broken, fixed. Or rather, looked at and laughed at by a very perplexed repairman. For $80.
It's bad, huh?
And I digress but it's all coming back around.
When I woke up yesterday morning I read this verse, "But be holy in all you do, just as God, the One who called you, is holy." 1 Peter 1:15.
I felt my heart soften. A lot.
And then, a repairman came and the first words out of his lips were, "God bless you!" I was taken aback. It's not a greeting often used--especially here.
I felt God soften my heart more. A lot more.
And then, another repairman came and as he was leaving he shook my hand and said, "God bless you." I was stunned. Two repairmen in the same day telling me the same thing. I definitely felt God speaking to me.
My heart softened more. Sin surfaced. True confession left my lips and with it, my anger.
Peace. Even tho I have no idea if our housesale will go through. Even after paying for lots of repairs including $80--for no repair.
Peace.
It feels good.
God bless you.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Refuge
Refuge. Respite. Driving to my parents. Laughing children with Happy Meals giggle in the back seat. Curving past waterfalls and rivers and waving trees reminding me of the glory of God's creation. Pulling up to windows that wink with hidden memories. Smiling parents come out to welcome and hug. Children jumping out squealing, "Grandma! Papa!" Shoulders relax. Small smile returns to my face. Children run to see bountiful garden and roll down grassy hill.
Ice tea offered. Recounting last hours of turmoil and stress surrounding decisions on selling our house--or not. Values questioned. Principles considered. Tears fall. Decisions made. Memories fill with signatures placed on black waiting lines one minute before deadline.
Wise parents giving understanding nods. Encouragement. Advice. Assurance.
Deep breath. Bigger smile. Relax into comfy old chair.
One step closer to moving.
Refuge.
Ice tea offered. Recounting last hours of turmoil and stress surrounding decisions on selling our house--or not. Values questioned. Principles considered. Tears fall. Decisions made. Memories fill with signatures placed on black waiting lines one minute before deadline.
Wise parents giving understanding nods. Encouragement. Advice. Assurance.
Deep breath. Bigger smile. Relax into comfy old chair.
One step closer to moving.
Refuge.
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