we've been busy

much has happened this past week. we've had breakdowns and breakthroughs. all of us. we continue to grow and bond in spite of our hectic schedules.


our 13 year old, S, started using English finally. there has been ten weeks of just loving each other. we can't communicate well, but we can snuggle and do our kissy rituals.

she demands several times a day that i kiss her neck up and down a few times ending with a great big loud(but dry) zubber. the more it resembles an obnoxious and loud foof, the more joyful it makes her. she then says "my turn" in mandarin and proceeds to give my cheek a dozen or two tiny kisses followed by a big wet zubber. i never have any make-up left on my right cheek by lunchtime.

if i fail to oblige her '"mama" while pointing to her neck' command she whines loudly, "mamaaaaaaa" and stomps her foot.  if i fail to make adequate fart sounds, i also get the "mamaaaaaaa" foot stomp. i usually am game for our noisy love, but it is really embarrassing in public. i do it gladly because she feels loved by it, but i secretly hope she grows out of it by 18. sorry fellow churchgoers...not so sorry rude old lady at store.   

our 10 year old, B, now has all her teeth fixed. she had over a dozen cavities-some of them had eaten very large holes in her teeth. our dentist was so skilled, he did not even admit her to the hospital to have them done, but did the work in his office using only Novocain for pain. he completed the restorations in just three visits. the Lord blessed us enormously with this dentist. we are very thankful.

B is also is teaching herself to read. i was going to wait to teach her until she was speaking more. i wanted her brain to concentrate on learning the language first. but nope, this kid is a go getter. home for ten weeks and knows how to count American money and reading.

our biological children are continuing to adjust. they are amazing and loving. we try to do as many fun things as possible to smooth their upended lives. 

 A and B feeding the peacock at our co-op farm

 E and friend S playing at the graduation party

we were blessed with the privilege of having our dear friend, F's, graduation party on our property

 his gifts included a gag cake made by moi, but commissioned by his wife, and a case of root beer from friends

party games included copious water balloons 

 i think her favorite buddy, F, got B with a water balloon

one day we made tie dye shirts using shirts auntie S gave all four girls

we also spent several days working on and at the church tag sale we held to raise money to fund new language translation of the Bible into an audio recording to be played on a broadcasting device. E sold her homemade clay bears. she sold 11 items and donated all the proceeds to the charity.

 she does all sorts of bears, but likes to make Bible story bears like Moses found in a basket and the burning bush, Adam and Eve, the Crucifixion

 Peter and Jesus walk on water, loaves and fishes, and Mary

the bio-kids went to work with daddy one day while B and S had dentist appointments. they each showed me what they had been learning while there. pro-golf is in neither of their futures, but they gave it their best shot.

so although we had a super busy week, we managed to slip some fun into most days. i love my family. God is generous in His gifts.

THANK YOU LORD.