Positive is good

I called today to complain because we get up to 5 calls a day from this 866 toll-free number and I call back and get a busy signal. I called the phone company to see if they could help me. She said she got thru and it was some kind of life insurance place and they have this phone system that answers the first call and then dumps the rest. So---that really makes me want to buy insurance from such a place. She was suppose to get them to REMOVE our number from their computer. It's bugging me and that's not good.

Funny, a place that sells life insurance is wasting my life answering their calls. I wish I could sue!

Talking about something else, our accountant gave us bad/wrong advice and now we get to pay IRS fines because the information was WRONG! Good luck trying to do something about it. So they get to continue doing their thing, and we get fined $600! UGH! What's fair about that?

Do you notice no matter how hard you try to be a good and honest person, someone is always there with a knife to stab you in the back? It's hard to stay positive when the word is filled with negatives. Yup!

I'm home this week alone--without hubby, so I am BOSS over the kids. I wish I had the full-time job and could be away for 4 days :) instead of my hubby. Oh well! I am going to college again in the fall and will have some more time away. Although college classes isn't the best way to escape kids. Both are hard work!

:) Life is good! Just have to breathe and stay positive. Maybe with 2 kids underfoot I can get some work done. Pray for warm weather so I can send them outside to play.

**s**

HOMESCHOOLING SUPPLIES

So --didja know we are going to homeschool our kids? No I am not a weirdo or wacked in any way...I just want to make sure that my kids can read. It seems the schools have different agendas and teaching is a low priority on most of their minds.

Imagine this --I am running a poppy poster contest w/prizes. I called one local school and explained that we wanted to come to the school and talk to the 4th graders about the contest. If you don't talk to them, they don't really understand it and then no one enters. I was told...even though this is a Veteran sponsored event, that the school is just too busy to allow ANYONE access to the kids or classrooms. Wow! I was blown away by the comments. If the teacher felt it was important she could read it to the class and then they could work on this outside of class. If someone would win a prize, we could leave it in the school office and they would distribute it. No pictures with the winners for the paper. Go figure. Then the principal says "so when will you be bringing by the info?" I won't be. Don't bother! or should I say "why bother?" Why waste my gas driving to the school and not have anyone enter?

So another reason why we are going to homeschool. To teach our children to respect America, and learn to be patriotic. Imagine that most kids don't know the words to the Star Spangled Banner or even the pledge of Alligance. WOW!

We are going to use ACE School of Tomorrow as our main program and add things when we need some extras. Plus I bought a preschool program to get us started and then we will work on our kidergarden program from ACE. I think Rachel and Alex can learn together despite the age differences. Her English is still not at the 5 yr old level and Alex is now 2. So I think they are pretty close to the same level and can learn together.

It's very exciting. I love a challenge and teaching the kids is something that John and I have talked about even before we had kids. I look forward to learning too. :)

**s**

Easter pics

okay, I backdated this post. It wasn't here when you looked before....it's allowed :) as this is MY BLOG. My blog =my rules. Rule #2 --backdating is allowed. :)

So since I haven't posted this yet.
Here are 2 Easter photos of us sitting on our front porch.

Easter weekend

We went to visit John's Mother and family for Easter. We went to see his Ma and Pa on Saturday, went to church with them on Sunday, and then went to see the whole family after church.

I think Easter is over-rated. It's become too commericialized just like Christmas. Actually I think Easter is worse. Each kid was sent home with 2 dozen hard boiled painted eggs and 2 bag fulls of candy. My kids are 2 and 5. Do they need that much candy? I would think not.

I think next year we are going to boycott Easter. I say this and everyone freaks. "Boycott the Savior's resurrection? "faints" How can you think of such a thing" Please? Is that what I said?

I'd love to have a nice meal, and then maybe reflect as a family on Easter. I guess we could do some of the egg hunting and candy on a small, small scale but nothing like 2006's Easter.

The funny thing is, beyonf the prayer at mealtime--it was a day of greediness. Everyone had to count their eggs and candy to make sure they weren't shorted any. Give me a break!

Shouldn't we act like Jesus is alive and with us EVERYDAY?
I understand the purpose of the Easter Story --but I think just like Christmas, after the day is done...we put our easter decor away until next year.

Maybe next year we can make a "He is Risen" sign for our yard.
I want to stay more focused on HIM and less on candy!

**s**

washing feet -Good Friday

I thought I would write a Good Friday article:
I found a great writing of believing we are all to be servants to each other from a mennonite website. I added the link and info below.

Jesus washed feet, why can't you?

In America, we live in a more cut-throat type of world and don't see service/servantood as important. Getting a waitress to bring your food promptly and correctly to the table might be considered service.

Well, you need to go to Xi'an, China. they do team building every morning and they have a city motto "to serve each other." We were served. The customer service was awesome. I can't explain how wonderful it was. Everyone was happy to have a job, and they were really friendly. I didn't see one person with a bad attitude. Everyone was thankful that they were working and were glad to serve us.

We have so much to learn! I've heard the Golden Rule has been rewritten to say "do it to others before they do it to you," If only we could try harder to serve one and one. To really care about those that are poor and hungry. I don't mean those that refuse to work, or would rather live off of assistance than work....I mean those that try and still fall short.

What if we had to get off our high horse and wash feet? Have you ever seen the show on cable called "Dirty Jobs?" There is this guy that goes to people's jobs that write in and show you what kind of dirty jobs some people have. He says that some people have the dirtiest jobs and come home spelling to high heaven, but are glad that they are working and helping out. WOW!

--enuff said!
sandra

http://www.mennolink.org/doc/cof/art.13.html
We believe that Jesus Christ calls us to serve one another in love as he did. Rather than seeking to lord it over others, we are called to follow the example of our Lord, who chose the role of a servant by washing his disciples' feet.
Just before his death, Jesus stooped to wash the disciples' feet and told them, "So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you." (1) In this act, Jesus showed humility and servanthood, even laying down his life for those he loved. In washing the disciples' feet, Jesus acted out a parable of his life unto death for them, and of the way his disciples are called to live in the world.
Believers who wash each other's feet show that they share in the body of Christ. (2 They thus acknowledge their frequent need of cleansing, renew their willingness to let go of pride and worldly power, and offer their lives in humble service and sacrificial love. (3)
See: John 13:14-15, Matt. 20:20-28, Mark 9:30-37, Luke 22:25-27

Sunday -1st day to Church

I thought I would share a wonderful story and a few pictures. Rachel never wore a dress before, or atleast not tights and a pretty dress. Can you tell we went shopping at Walmart? Every girl should have a pair of maryjanes! I dressed her up and then showed her the full length mirror. She twirled around in front of the mirror and was so happy. Imagine a pretty dress can make a girl smile.

:) Here are pictures of Alex and Rachel getting ready to go to church.

**s**

Home from China

We arrived home. This is our pile of suitcases. No they aren't all full --but NW airlines wouldn't check 4 bags with 50 pounds, but would check 6 bags under 50 pounds. Go figure! So we repacked them at the airport and took a couple small ones out of the big ones. Good thing we didn't throw the 2 little ones out.

Here's Rachel standing outside the Milwaukee airport waiting for Will (my brother) to come and get us.

It was a bit cold, but we were GLAD to be home!

**s**

Sunday in Guangzhou

Okay we've done a lap arpund the island shopping. What kind of treasures did we buy? 3 big suitcases from Jordan. A couple outfits for Rachel Qin. (she loves pink) I had some pearl strands made for about $20 a set --30inches long. They are all freshwater pearls--and double knotted. Bought a few extra trinkets here and there. We bought 5 small paintings from a guy who paints with his hand. He showed us how he does it too. We took his picture too :) and got a couple to show you.

They have people take a picture of someone, and they can tap it into a sort of shiny granite flat stone. Oh they are all beautiful. We didn't have one of those made.

I am having a top made custom fit. I've been measured 2 times now. We pick it up tomorrow. IT cost $45 but it's silk, and going to be about a 4x and made in 1 day. WOW! I thought it was worth it.

This island is always gloomy, it's wet and it rains everyday. Great weather if you were a duck. John says reptiles love this weather.

Tonights dinner----peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. No we're not poor we are tired of the food here. :) Feel sorry for us, we miss American food. In LAX, we're eating steak....and it better taste like steak or I'm not paying.

I think we're done shopping here. Some shops are VERY VERY pushy. Others like Jordan's and Sherry's were rather nice. We bought a mahjong game now to find directions in english online. It's a small set so it's not heavy, and it's a 4 player game.

Oh did I tell you that the Mattel playroom is a dump? The carpet is dirty and some of the toys were broken. It's made for babies. It was very dumpy. We were in there maybe 10 minutes and I said we're leaving because we have better toys in our own room. We'd buy her toys instead. Plus the people in there were talking about how sick they were or had been---my que to leave (run!).

Thanks for your prayers--our health has been wonderful. Overall, besides not seeing the sky in a long time, we're surviving. I'd give this hotel a thumbs down. Plus it seems as soon as you leave that the maid is in here counting the mini bar, cleaning our bathroom, or making our bed. I love a clean room, just hate them in here when I am not here. Can you tell I am ready to go home?

I need a chiropractor appt for Thursday or Friday....sleeping on a board hard bed makes every bone in my body hurt in the morning. We all took an afternoon nap, so we'll probably be up later tonight. I can't wait to have my OWN room. Maybe I'll have to go Friday to the chiro because I am going to stay in bed all day on Thursday when I get home....Dolly and I are going to snuggle and sleep in :)

Does it sound like I am homesick?

XIAN treated us so nice, here it's very blah. We just asked for 2 extra pillows, the gal was going to see if there were any available in the hotel. This is a 20 floor hotel and there isn't 2 spare pillows? For $100 a night with no meals and no perks---I think they can get me 2 pillows. GRRRRRR!

The picture is from our window at the White Swan in Guangzhou, China.
See how gloomy it is?

"there's no place like home....." (click click)

**s**

look at this smile

If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, look at this one. We broke the ice and now she's smiling and laughing with us. Her laugh is a joy to hear. She can play card games, lego, cars, and she loves to swim.

The timezones have been a bit difficult to deal with. I am a morning person here, and am up by at least 4am.

We love our hotel--XIAN Sheraton is awesome. We saw the President of the Dominican Republic 2times now. They roll out the red carpet for him to walk on. Never seen a president before, it was cool.

**s**

day 5 -Xian -Monday

I thought I would share some great sites here since if you search XIAN you hear about the great Bell tower in the center of the city. You can climb it, but we didn't. It's in the center of the city and you can drive around it.

Also we drove a lot in the morning and in XIAN it is common to do "team building" morning sessions with all the employees in front of the building before starting. I think this is the reason that the customer service level is so far above ours, it's because each employee is happy to have a job and everyone is a part of keeping the flow of that business going. It's the weak link in the chain effect...and no one wanted to be the weakest link. It was the norm to have awesome service and have no need or want for anything more. Everyone and everything was perfect. I loved that! So I added a picture of a group of people standing in front of the building for morning team building exercises.

day 5 -Xian -Monday

We went to the passport location to get Rachel's passport photo taken (she had to go in person along with bringing in a photo of herself) and outside were a bunch of different types of police cars. So since my brother is a cop, we thought it would be fun to choose this as our photo background.

Check it out, John actually wore pants on this day. The picture doesn't show it but it is almost 80degrees outdoors. (And yes, Rachel is wearing a winter coat! She isn't hot either.)

Monday-March 19th

On Monday we had to go to the "State Office" building --for the province and do an exit exam and fill out some finalization papers. After this interview, Rachel is officially yours but we still have to wait for the passport (which takes 5 business days) before we can contine on to Guangzhou to get her US Visa.

We had to sign our name and then put a blu thumbprint over our signature to swear it was officially our signatures. Silly I am left-handed and still have to put my right finger-print over my name :) stating it's me. Rachel had to print both of her palms onto this paperwork. We took a picture of it to remember.

I took Rachel, Daddy, and Jenny's picture. Also we took a photo of the other family that was adopting the 2nd child brought to the hotel back on gotcha day. They were from Florida. Then Jenny and the notary had to fillout and authenticate our paperwork. We took a picture of the govt offical (wearing a brown jacket) as he was at gotcha day. I guess we didn't take any pictures of the administator.

**s**

Now with TOYS!

TOYS---TOYS---TOYS

What a difference buying some cheap toys can make.
I had to share some post-toy pictures.
See the changing face?
The sad face is almost gone....

Sunday in Xian

Hello from China.
We've decided that we could actually live here if we could read and write Chinese. The people are so friendly and the customer service level is topping a new word for excellent. However, we miss seeing the blue skies. Jenny said that they only see blue skies after a hard rain or snow. Otherwise it's always overcast with pollution and is gloomy. I can do it for a while, but I miss seeing the sky.

Sunday was a fun day. We went downstairs for breakfast and Rachel Qin can eat! Then Jenny came at 10am to take us shopping at the local mall which is about a 5 minute walk up the street. It was an interesting strip mall sort of reminded me of port plaza (in Green Bay in it's good days) although some places let you pay at the end, while others make you pay and then come back to that aisle to pick it up. No rhyme or reason which aisle is which.

I guess most people need food for their room, we made a list like she said and we wanted a suitcase, some clothes for Rachel Qin (undies, socks, dress shoes, some tights, a new outfit, some toys) and we wanted soda and snacks. They don't sell tights because it's considered winter now and kids don't wear dresses in winter. Also they don't sell dress shoes for the same reason, you can only buy sneakers or sandles (shower shoes) for kids. So we bought her a new pair of pink sneakers. The sizes are wacked...so we tried the button up top on her to make sure it would fit. The lady in the store was trying to sell us an outfit that was huge. Mama is a born-shopper so I found the perfect size. Soon we have a crowd around us wondering what we are buying.

Okay, so it's 70 or more degrees outside. Everyone around us is cold. Our little girl is wearing a short sleeve shirt, a heavy sweater, and her winter coat. John and I have on short sleeve shirts. John also has on shorts. People look at us like we are crazy. I would drop if I tried to wear a coat, I was sweating in the mall it was so warm.

The mall was very Walmart-ish. Made me miss being at home. Oh--we also bought a few books for her. Some flashcard words, some playing cards, some little police cards, and legos in a little purse. She loves the legos and cars.

Oh she was eyeing up this bike in the store, I told Jenny to tell her she can have a bike at home. She nodded her head yes.

When we came back to the hotel she had to look at everything and then proudly sat on the floor and looked at all her things.

Then we went to dinner and she tried hamburger. We had hamburger, fries and noodles. :) She loves American food.

Then we checked out the pool and hottub. She's not afraid of the water and will be swimming in no time. She loves the water.

Our little doll :) baby, she makes it all worth that 15 hour plane ride.

**s**

Sunday, March 19 -XIAN

So Sunday came and Jenny took us to the mall. We were suppose to make a list which included Soda, and toys along with clothes for Rachel. I think this was a real ice breaker moment for us as we had Jenny tell Rachel that we were going shopping to buy her toys and clothes. "Real store bought clothes....." -PollyAnna Movie.

Before Jenny got there we went downstairs to eat breakfast and took a couple pictures. Notice that there isn't a smile yet on her pretty face. Soon this terrible frown goes away forever :()

Along the way we ran into a condo place with Mickey and Minnie mouse outside. Jenny took our first family photo.

more pictures from gotcha day

more photos to share of our new princess.

Jenny --and good news

Again--I am adding a few more pictures to my blog (since I am now home).

You will read a lot about JENNY our wonderful guide from China.
Here is her picture.

Also you will see in one picture the nanny is telling Rachel about her new family, and Jenny is telling us the most wonderful news. Her cateract in her right eye has been fixed in Jan 2005. (too bad our bad agency didn't tell us that--bad intl agency alert!)

Jenny was an awesome guide. She even gave me her hotmail address so we can remain friends forever :) via email. Jennny --you made our trip to China special, thank you for taking the time to be our friend and explaining a few things to Rachel so she wasn't afraid of the journey home to the USA.

gotcha day photo

Hello everyone, the blog hasn't been loading pictures, not sure why so I didn't post until now. We went to the downtown hotel to meet up with the orphanage and meet our daughter. She had her favorite nanny along and was very spoiled by her. We really don't have a great gotcha photo because she wasn't told about us or shown our pictures before that moment, so it was all very new and scary for her. It would be hard for anyone to leave the arms of someone you know to go to strangers you don't know.

Jenny our guide/interpreter talked to her and she just didn't want anything to do with us. So the nanny left and she cried and cried. Then Jenny says "okay, time to leave and takes her hand and off we go to the van." Our baby girl is very well behaved and listens so she took Jenny's hand and off we went to the van. We got to hold her in the van, and she cried a bit. We stopped and got her some candy (M&M's of course) and after that she was fine.

They tell these little kids that we brought them presents and candy and things so they want to go with us to see all their new things.

Gotcha beginning photos

This might overlap what it says on another day --but I was going thru my pictures and I am adding a few more GOTCHA day photos into this blog.

So Off in the distance at this downtown hotel we are told "they are here" --we see a bunch of people and 2 children being brought in. One is walking and one is being carried. We assume the child that is walking is ours just because our daughter is 5. Well, ours was being carried.

It's almost like a dream---off into the sunlight you see these shadows. One of them is Rachel. She's the one off on the right hand side of the photo in the bibs and yellow sweater.

She didn't really want anything to do with us, but she hates new things and almost refuses to do anything that is new. So she avoided even looking at us while the nanny held her.

gotcha day

well, today came and went quicker and smoother than I thought.

We went to a different hotel downtown XIAN to meet our new daughter. 2 girls were getting parents so we got there before they did. You can see the kids coming and one was walking and one was being carried. From a distance you would assume ours would be walking.The other child went to a woman with 4 kids or more, I was too busy to count them all. Seemed too many.

Well, ours was carried by her favorite nanny. She didn't want much to do with us so I don't really have a gotcha picture. They gave her cookies to calm her down.

She goes by ChinChang as her name. One word.

OH GET THIS---our agency WAS getting updates on this child and weren't telling us! I got a book with a bunch of pictures. Her eye surgery was done on Jan 2005. They just did the right eye, the other eye is fine.
She's a little doll, they had her bundled like it's the northpole or something. It was about 70 degrees and humid. John wore shorts.
Finally the nanny handed her to us and then left. The director of the orphanage was there too. He was a very nice man, loved children and she hugged and gave him a kiss goodbye. They talked a lot to her. Jenny tried too but she didn't really want to be with us.

basically she was scared to death.....she'd cry and I'd cry with her. I felt so helpless.

So Jenny said time to go, and took her hand and we went to the van.She sat by me and then by John and then back by me. We stopped to get our pictures taken -first together then her, then each of us. It's for her passport paperwork.

What a doll! They kept saying "Mama and BaBa" that's us. :)She looked at us and then started to cry. The nanny went thru our picture book with her and showed her our picture book.

Chinese people LOVE dogs. As far as I have heard they don't EAT dogs here. Everyone loves Dolly's picture.

So we promised we'd stop and get her candy...she has a sweet tooth like her Mama :)

Jenny did lots of talking with her and we actually held her hand when we left getting her pictures taken. Jenny came up to our room and then we learned "how Mama will know when it's potty time" The word is Meowmeow --it means time for potty. I had Jenny tell her she needed to be persistant with us so we would learn. So far so good. She needs help on the potty otherwise she's fine.

She's about as big as Alex. Her clothes are either just right or WAY too big. She has no waist, a bit of a tummy, but no butt :)

So when Jenny told her she was leaving, she was like "bye" and was fine with being with us. We went for a walk and took her to see some fish in a fish tank on the 3rd floor. Then we showed her the swimming pool. I think she'll like swimming.

We went downstairs to look around. The shops here are nice and have really friendly staff. The dress shop asked if she would let her hold her and swooosh off the go with her. They talked and talked to her. They went and got her a cookie. Soon they got 2 more packs. Then they went and got her 2 glasses of water. She sat in the middle of them since they can squat down and talk to her. They talked and she ate. (John said she can't talk with her mouthful.) They kept saying how beautiful she is and asked why she wouldn't speak. She doesn't talk to strangers :)

We ordered food in our room. :)We had ice cream FIRST. It was a scoop served on rice crispies.Then John had a pizza, I had a steak with fries, and she had noodle soup with mushrooms (again in a bowl the size of your head.) We let her sample everything. She ate and ate and ate. I think she's trained to finish her plate. She eats with a spoon. If I picked up a fry and dunked it in ketchup--then she did too. Otherwise she would pick up a fry and put it on her spoon and then eat it. She loves noodles.
I gave her all the toys I brought. She loves the Ling doll. John blew up a ball and we all played with that. Then she was bored again. So finally I gave her the harley motorcycle model we brought along. I had John remove it from the box and platform. She is sleeping with that motorcycle :)

So she eats formula for breakfast and before bed --warmed up.She gets a nightly bath. AND she sleeps in a crib. Sounds like a spoiled child don't you think?

She went down with John to get more soda. She waved and said "bye bye" as I stayed in the room.

I gave her a bath. I must have done okay as she told me I had to take her hair down. I combed her hair, put on her nightgown (which she really liked) and then we both brushed our teeth together. All seemed okay. Now she is sleeping in her little crib.

sandra