(D)rivvel Supp

Blogger woes

2009-11-25T17:22:00.002-06:00

Just now am able to access Blogger again, but it's slow as Moses.

I was able to publish to the ZKO site: http://zjkids.blogspot.com before it clunked out. I have a ton of awesome pics, but it doesn't look promising. Hold onto your hats, guys....we visited the CCAA and WATCHED them matching files. Surreal. We were invited to take pics and look at the piles of files waiting to be matched (to find our agency/ies stacks).

We're famous. CCTV followed us around, and there was a front-page spread in the China Daily yesterday. Wow, that's weird. :D Some parents who had given interviews were recognized in the airport in Guangzhou yesterday!

Here's a link (in Chinese, though). I haven't watched it but hope to get a chance soon:

http://www.megavideo.com/?v=0RL2WCG3

China: Day 2

2009-11-22T07:16:00.011-06:00

Another fun day! We woke up at 2am and started the waiting until the breakfast buffet opened. :o) We were beat to the front of the line by Anagrace (Vickie's daughter).

Waiting to join some members of the rest of our group who decided to try to find the Beijing Int'l Christian Fellowship church. We did, and it was wonderful. The worship leader chose Sophie's favorite praise song, "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord" and it was very sobering to realize that she was only allowed in the doors of this building because she has a US passport. Funny note: the pastor's name was John Yoder. Didn't catch his freindschaft. But I'm sure we're related somehow. (Sorry....Mennonite/Amish joke)

In the afternoon, who should we run into but Teri's and my mutual friend, Beth. She's been here in China for two weeks looking into opportunities to help her daughter's SWI-mates in another province. BTW, Teri's been my right arm. It's so great to have her help.

Here we are. (AKA: "Beth & the Hobbits") Sooooo very fun that we could all meet, even if we had to fly to the other side of the world to do so.

In the evening we went to watch the acrobat show. Very fun. And cringe-inducing. Wow, the bendy-ness. The girls were hungry so they snacked on an apple/pear as they watched.

I don't know how it works.

The girls with a performer as well as a new friend, and SWI-mate, Sarah.

Beth's daughter, Zoe, and Sophie.

In the evening we had orientation with the tour group and guides. We were given "Happy Bags" full of goodies, which the girls loved exploring.

Tomorrow we're headed for the Great Wall and the Summer Palace. The temps are supposed to be good, even though it's been cold here recently, as evidenced by the heavy clouds of coal smoke. I think it's much worse than 2004. It's done a number on me, and I have nearly lost my voice. I'm very anxious for the clear, blue skies (and warm temps) of Zhanjiang!

Still can't get FB. blaghhhh. My friends live in there.

China: Day 1

2009-11-21T14:10:00.009-06:00

Well, we're here. In body. None of us slept much on the plane, but that made us able to clunk out for a good six hours once we finally got to the hotel. Six hours' sleep put us right at 2am, when the girls decided to call it a night. :D

I'm able to get Blogger with my VPN download, but not Facebook. boooo.

Anyway, here are a couple of the shots I took in my stupor. The first one is my favorite. <3

I had told Sophie & Ava "no stuffed animals" but....we opened the pocket in one of the bags in Chicago, and there were two beanie babies with a note from Katie saying it was ok if they got lost. :D The girls were thrilled!

The girls changed into PJs and got comfy.

Well, whaddya know. Did not see reindeer or a fat, jolly man out the window.

Making new friends!

Wordless Sunday

2009-04-19T14:15:00.001-05:00

Blessed Easter, my friends!

2009-04-12T06:19:00.000-05:00

Lift your glad voices in triumph on high,
For Jesus hath risen, and man cannot die;
Vain were the terrors that gathered around Him,
And short the dominion of death and the grave;

He burst from the fetters of darkness that bound Him,
Resplendent in glory to live and to save!
Loud was the chorus of angels on high,
The Savior hath risen, and man shall not die.

Glory to God, in full anthems of joy;
The being He gave us death cannot destroy:
Sad were the life we must part with tomorrow,
If tears were our birthright, and death were our end;

But Jesus hath cheered the dark valley of sorrow,
And bade us, immortal, to Heaven ascend:
Lift then your voices in triumph on high,
For Jesus hath risen, and man shall not die.

Staying Classy

2009-04-01T13:07:00.002-05:00

Unbelievable. As you may know, President Obama, his entourage of 500 (and 12 teleprompters) are in London.

1750 The BBC's Peter Hunt says: President Obama has given the Queen an Ipod during their private meeting at Buckingham Palace. It contains footage of her state visit to the US in May 2007. The Queen has given the president a silver framed photograph of herself and her husband. The official picture is what she gives all visiting dignitaries.

An ipod. An IPOD. For the Queen. Word is, he'd gone to Circuit City's liquidation sale looking for Guitar Hero for her, but they were all out.

Last month he gave PM Brown a set of DVDs. Never mind that they are the wrong region. Or that PM Brown is almost blind.

And SNL and the other late night comedians say there is just nothing spoof-worthy of this administration...can you just imagine if Pres. Bush had given DVDs--region-locked, or otherwise--or ipods to dignitaries. I'd have been equally embarassed.

A Cause to support

2009-03-30T08:30:00.003-05:00

If you'd like to help an adoptive family, please visit this site: Custom Flag Raffle! The winner gets to choose a hand-made flag quilt from the country of their choice! Today is the last day, so HURRY!

Tea for Two

2009-03-27T20:28:00.005-05:00

75% Girly-girl
25% Tomboy
100% Princess

Mom sent Sophie a box for her birthday...inside was a tea set and princess stuff....the girls were so thrilled. They had tea off & on all day long, and wore their tiaras everywhere. Tonight they are parked right beside their beds, so they can put them on first thing tomorrow.

Good to the last drop!

One more...

2009-03-27T11:51:00.002-05:00

...it's the weekend, after all. This is for Emilie. :o)

"Chik-Fil-A/Yesterday"

Tim Hawkins

2009-03-27T11:40:00.003-05:00

If you like parody, think the FreeCreditReport jingles are catchy, and love Jesus, I think this will make you smile:

(his other stuff is soooo great...check him out on youtube)

2009-03-25T10:59:00.005-05:00

Sophie took a tumble on Grandma's wooden basement stairs...nothing is broken, but it looks just awful as the purple spreads across her cheek! Her sinuses must be bruised, as she's very snuffley when she breathes. Must have hurt something fierce!

Yesterday

TodayThursday update....ayyiyi, swelling's down, but the rainbow starts.

Guess...

2009-03-21T07:36:00.009-05:00

...what Sophie got for her birthday. It's something she's been begging for, for MONTHS. After Christmas I found a hardy kids' model on clearance and stuck it under my bed. She was so thrilled! Indulge my pride:

She rounded us all up, herding in the strays, telling us how to stand. It was pretty funny.

We shot each other, then she went on a photojournalist's journey.

"Daddy studying for Sunday School"

"My feet"

"Wyatt eating breakfast--Dunkin Donuts!"

"View from my bed: My sister, not impressed to have a shutter going off first thing Saturday morning."

I have a feeling we're going to have it poked in our faces a LOT.

Teleprompter Withdrawal

2009-03-20T09:31:00.004-05:00

Click PAUSE to stop music ------------>

As Ed Morrissey on HotAir said, "At least we didn't elect this classless, trailer-park hick from Alaska":

UPDATE: For more gaffe-tastic-ness, see The Telegraph.

Seventeen years

2009-03-18T07:43:00.008-05:00

Last weekend, we left the kiddos with Grandma, (thanks, Mom!) for an anniversary getaway. It was a simply lovely, perfect weekend. The Bedford Springs hotel is a turn-of-the-century (two centuries ago!) establishment that has been beautifully restored to its former glory.

Check out the bentwood walking sticks by the door---for your afternoon constitutional. Maybe next time.

Is this "Privacy Please" sign not to die for? I came thisclose to stealing it.

We ate leisurely breakfasts in this gorgeous room.

"Millie was here September 3rd, 1888"

This is just so charming: Back in the day, brides here on their honeymoons would scratch their names and wedding dates, using their diamond rings, into the blown glass window panes.

There is almost a museum-feel to the place, with old photos and hand-tinted pictures everywhere. If you close your eyes, you can almost see the ladies in their white summer dresses walking across the lawn.

*and yes, I know, the Statlers don't exactly match the time period, but I like it anyway. :D

A Morning at the Park

2009-02-26T20:02:00.009-06:00

Branden & Darlene and boys stopped here for the day on their way to Kira's funeral. We spent the morning at City Park, feeding the ducks and watching the children play.

The ducks and geese seemed very hungry for our cracked corn...guess they haven't had many visitors this winter.

Branden & I with our children

I'd be remiss if I didn't add this one...we just had to take a photo. I think the vehicle owner is waiting for a car wash bailout.

I <3 Faces

2009-02-25T15:01:00.002-06:00

Ohilda posted about this photog site, and this week's theme is B&W. I immediately thought of this one:

It's one of my favorites. Ava was watching the snow fall as she stood in her crib.

Doll alert for you China moms

2009-02-23T15:16:00.006-06:00

If you've ever tried to find an Asian doll, let alone one priced decently, you know you'll have to look a while. I found these at FAO Schwarz, no less. Now, I'm not in the habit of buying their $300 stuffed elephants or giraffes, or ridiculously extravagant Vera Wang Barbies wearing jewel-encrusted clothing, but I can swing this deal to put under my bed for an upcoming birthday or Christmas! If you buy three (call a friend??), you get a 25% break on top of the special price of $30/doll by entering the code SAVEWKEND bringing your total to $22.50/ea. As always, go through ebates to get another 6% knocked off your total. The reviews on the dolls looked pretty good, so I hope to have the same reaction. The size chart says they're 14" long, but on the specs somewhere else it said 16"--guess that'll be part of the surprise. Coming over for a tea party with Sophie and Ava soon?

Monday Palate Cleanser

2009-02-16T12:47:00.005-06:00

*click "pause" on the player to shut up Andrea & Sarah
------------------------------->

What's that? Need a little more? Ohhhhh, okay. Hold onto your hats, Zo is on a roll (again!)!

Oh my.

2009-02-11T08:42:00.002-06:00

Now, this is just a foot sandwich waiting to happen! "Chuck! Stand up!"

GDA: SanDisk 8GB memory cards

2009-02-09T07:40:00.003-06:00

SanDisk and Abe's of Maine are running a pretty terrific deal, if your camera needs bigger, faster cards than what you currently have. For this deal, you need to go to Abe's of Maine.
Abes 8GB Extreme 3

Rebate form

How it works out if you buy the SD cards:
3 Cards @ $34.95 = $104.85 (must buy 3 for the big rebate)
Shipping = $5-7 (depends on location)
Coupon (Loyalty10) = -$10.00
Total = about $100 or $5.xx/card after $90 rebate

If you need Compact Flash for your Rebel, the deal's not as good, but still what I call a steal.
3 CF cards @$39.99 (must buy 3 for the big rebate)
Shipping = $5-7
Coupon (Loyalty10) = -$10
Total = about $115 or approx. $12/card after $80 rebate

You can get a couple more bucks knocked off if you go through Live's cashback (3% back) or ebates (1% back). SanDisk is pretty good with rebates--mine have always come through with no problems. A few things: 1.)the rebate is a Visa debit card, so you need to know how much is on it when you shop, 2.)you may shop at the stores listed on the rebate form, but AoM has the best deal on this, 3.) it must be the specific cards listed on the rebate, in this case it's the SD Extreme III. 4.) be sure to make copies of all your stuff before sending it in, just to cover your bases and would need to re-submit (SD is usually very good about that too).

Happy shooting on superfast (and cheap!) cards!

Family Calendar III

2009-02-08T19:55:00.001-06:00

Family Calendar II

2009-02-08T19:47:00.002-06:00

Family Calendar

2009-02-08T19:28:00.003-06:00

*click to enlarge

I thought I'd post a few of the pages I did for a Hochstetler family calendar. I gave them at Christmas, and now we have no excuses for missing each other's birthdays! To the digi-scrappers who don't recognize the designer: all kits are by Mary Fran. It was fairly easy to put together at last minute...but I'll be looking for another calendar-printer next year. I used lulu.com and they do horribly disgusting print work...I coulda cried when I opened my package. Oh well, live & learn.

Excellence

2009-02-07T09:37:00.002-06:00

Mark Steyn's column today is sheer brilliance, and funny to boot (sad funniness). It's definitely worth your time.

Some tidbits:
-Jesus took a handful of loaves and two fish and fed 5,000 people. Barack wants to take a trillion pieces of pork and feed it to a handful of Democratic Party interest groups.

-Appearing on "The Rush Limbaugh Show" last week, I got a little muddled over two adjoining newspaper clippings – one on the stimulus, the other on those octuplets in California – and for a brief moment the two stories converged. Everyone's hammering that mom – she's divorced, unemployed, living in a small house with parents who have a million bucks' worth of debt, and she's already got six kids. So she has in vitro fertilization to have eight more. But isn't that exactly what the Feds have done? Last fall, they gave birth to $850 billion of bailout they couldn't afford and didn't have enough time to keep an eye on, and now, four months later, they're going to do it all over again, but this time they want trillionuplets. Barney and Nancy represent the in vitro fertilization of the federal budget. And it's the taxpayers who'll get stuck with the diapers.

To Ponder...

2009-02-05T20:16:00.008-06:00

Isn't it more than a little disturbing to realize that a "medical oops" resulted in a human being taking her first breath? Not vice-versa? That she was a nobody, or a somebody, just depending on which side of her mother's stomach she happened to be within a span of minutes? The callousness shown to the newborn in this article defies common humanity. It's like a palpable death of conscience.

NO[forsomekindsof]W is aghast, disturbed: "women shouldn't have to go to this kind of clinic." What, they should be able to go to one who kills 'em correctly? I'm not sure I follow the cause of their disturbance. They're disturbed that a child died? Or that there was a better, tidier way? For whom? It's disturbing to realize if a "good, efficient, experienced" doctor would've killed & disposed of the child "correctly," there wouldn't be this PR mess to clean up. This morning at the National Prayer Breakfast, President Obama said, “We know there is no G/god [I wasn't sure if he meant large or small "g" so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt] who condones the killing of an innocent human being.” Say again?? Dare we hope he intends to carry out and act on that belief, rather than go by his track record?

The last thing I want to say is to any mother who feels she can't care adequately for the child she carries: adoption is a beautiful choice.

*photo from southernappeal.org

He is Risen?

2009-02-05T06:31:00.007-06:00

I know some people love the stuffing outta him, but this photo is just sycophantic. I'm taking a photography class for clueless dummies--even I have learned this is no accident, no "heyyyy, I just got this roll of film back and lookeee here, Margaret!" Scary times, people, when grownups abandon critical thinking...if they ever had it.

I'll be praying FOR him, not TO him, thankyouverymuch.

UPDATE: What's that? You want more??? Okay.
I'm tellin' you, it just ain't natural.
The Jesus iconography: is it on purpose or accidentally being missed by staffers? Which is worse?

Currently Playing

2009-02-01T12:59:00.006-06:00

I've had several emails regarding how to get copies of the currently-playing music. Two mentioned their computers getting hot from so many replays. Glad you like it...if you don't, hang on, I'll be changing it fairly soon.

A few things regarding this version of Robin Mark's "Days of Elijah." I've heard nearly all of the current versions by him and other artists, but this is my favorite hands-down. Maybe it's my upbringing--the aspect of choral worship being an integral part of "being Mennonite," or just the purity and energy of 300 unaccompanied voices raised to the Lord. If this is your only copy (listening on your computer), please do yourself a favor, and purchase the CD. If you have a Dell Studio laptop like I have, with The World's WORST Speakers, you must it into your best stereo, crank up the bass, and put the volume to about 75%. If you're a conservative Mennonite or Baptist, you may want to be alone, as you may find yourself moved to almost dancing before the Lord. ;o) IYKWIMAITYD. ;o) Did I just say that out loud??? Hey, King David did. :D The first time I heard it, felt the words, and imagined Jesus appearing in the eastern sky, I got arm-prickles and tears. Scores of plays later, it still has that effect sometimes.

Soooo, ordering info for "Glorious God" is HERE or HERE. You may remember Keith Lancaster from the 80's in Acapella Vocal Band, and he's back with this great acapella project. There are three albums, with the third one being brand new and looks to be hymns (don't have it yet). The first two are praise & worship genre. He felt the Church is losing its ability to read music and sing in harmony, and some versions of the albums contain teaching materials for learning the songs in Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass (aka Sunday morning Mennonite church singing but with more cowbell, if you know what I'm sayin'). These have been the most-played CDs in our home, of all our recent music purchases. The children are learning harmony too which is great! Don't worry, we won't be recording that and ~~causing you to suffer~~ putting it on my blog.

*just saw Amazon has an mp3 download of "Awesome God" available for $8.99! Great price and you can burn your own CDs.

We so proud.

2009-01-26T07:36:00.004-06:00

This gem is from our home state. Hat Tip, my brother Branden.

MD Public Education Per Student: $10, 670
Whopper (when they're not out of meet): $3.49
Finding stuff like this: Priceless

Grandpa's Send-off

2009-01-23T14:34:00.015-06:00

*family: click on any photos to enlarge & save to your computer

It was the most touching funeral I've experienced, mostly because he is the first of our immediate family to leave the circle, and partly due to his story of redemption after spending many years away from the Lord. But it's all how you finish, and did he ever...several times we heard directed to Grandma, "His testimony in his final months and days are your gift for being faithful and for all your prayers for him." The weekend was spent crying, laughing, and wiping tears again. He was a remarkable, driven, and at times, cynical man, with a low Doofus-Tolerance Level--I think a nicer way to say it is that he didn't "suffer fools gladly" or some such. He was also a guy with one-liners out the wazoo, and many of us had zingers to remember and tell. When my brother spent a weekend with him, he wrote down a few of them as they were dropped during conversation, which included: "It rains on the just and the unjust, but mostly on the just, because the unjust stole the just man's umbrella." and "Buy two of everything; one for you, one for the thief." and "Let's not be stupid!" and "If it's bought right, it's half-sold."

After becoming born-again at about the age of 40, they left the Amish church for an evangelical congregation, and soon thereafter a Fire was lit in Grandpa. He was testifying, witnessing, and being a mentor to other families seeking Truth. One of those people preached his funeral sermon! Even though he fell away in later years, the seeds continued to bear fruit. It was another reminder that God will use anyone, any time, in spite of ourselves, to accomplish His purpose.

I've had some ask me to post some photos, and I want to do it tastefully. I hope they don't appear macabre and icky, especially to those of you who aren't family. I've chosen a couple that are my favorites.

Uncle Kenny, Uncle Lyle, Dad, Great-Uncle Sam, Grandpa's brother

It was unusual to see sand, rather than sod. That morning my brother and cousins had hand-dug it, according to FL law. All the grandchildren and great-granchildren put roses in on top of his casket. In front you see Ava and my brother, Bruce. Behind her, my sister, Veronica, behind her, our family, including my two other brothers.

This next one may appear unseemly...let me explain. Ever since we were little--and even before that--smily faces were a trademark of Grandpa's. He put them on the grain tanks his business built (giant yellow stickers beside the business name), he scrawled them on his correspondence, and every birthday card we got had one beside his note to us. At the grave, my brothers were talking amongst themselves that if they had a marker, they'd put his last trademark on his grave. My sister found one in her purse, and after a blessing to go ahead from Uncle Amos, Brad did so through his tears. None of us knew what they were doing, so when it became evident, a little murmur and tears traveled across the group as we recognized the symbol and its significance to our family.

Dad had gotten small shovels for the great-grandchildren, so even the small ones could help cover his grave. It made for another memorable moment for them.

From left Fred & Aunt Becky, Aunt Judy, Aunt Laura Beth, Grandma, Dad, Mom
Second row: G.U. Sam, G.A. Amanda, G.A. Anna, G.A. Laura, Uncle Martin
Back row: Cousin Mary Lou, Schwartz family

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation."

Psalm 91
(Grandpa's favorite passage)

*thanks to Uncle Amos for several of these photos!

Grandpa

2009-01-11T16:13:00.004-06:00

We've gotten word that he is living his last hours in his old body, and very soon he will be with Jesus. He said he has seen the gates of Heaven and Jesus standing there, but he wants to wait until Dad gets there tonight to Go. I hope his last wish is granted.

Update: His wish came true, and Dad & (aunt) Laura Beth made it there in spite of delays and bad weather. Grandpa slipped away to eternity with his Saviour last night as his wife and children stood around his bed praying and singing him into Glory. He told Dad, "Don't cry." He knew and believed what awaited him. Dad told me it was heartbreaking, awesome, and beautiful to witness.

"We do not weep as those having no hope." I Thess. 4:13

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." Psalm 116:5

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14: 1-3

"Wherefore comfort one another with these words." I Thess. 4:18

Thank you so much to each of you for your kind thoughts and prayers for our family.

Four!

2009-01-10T10:24:00.008-06:00

We had birthday sundaes on The Day, because Somebody didn't have her ducks in a row for a party on The Day. Two days later we had her party complete with cake and Grandaddy's, uncle & aunt, and cousins.

Hey, that looks a little bit like this one:

...minus the gopher grin. This picture makes her giggle every time she sees it. What a funny baby!

Cuteness Overload Alert

2009-01-05T19:15:00.008-06:00

Lots of smooching of babies was done in Indiana last weekend. You can see why:

Oooops. How'd that get in here? (Wyatt thanks Grandma for the BillyBob teeth)

Four Years Ago Today

2008-12-27T12:44:00.009-06:00

I can hardly believe it's been that long...tonight we'll go out and celebrate. She says she wants "Chinese food 'cause Ava 'n me are from China." Of course, that could change at any minute to Chik-Fil-A--'cause they have milkshakes and a playplace.

You can see the single tear trickling down her cheek...she had a soft, scared cry, and was so very tiny, and felt like such a frail 14 lbs. (she's now doubled her weight--woohoo!). Her clothes smelled like coal...it was very chilly as they were having a cold snap. I could hardly believe she was mine--what a miracle.

Daddy's baby girl

Preschoolers--gotta love 'em

2008-12-26T21:55:00.009-06:00

We attended Sophie's Christmas program. She's our first child to attend preschool, so we've enjoyed getting broken into the rigors: snacks, volunteering, projects, show-and-tell, activities. All of these we're used to with the older children, but it's a whole different ball of wax with a herd (or is that a crash, swarm, or confusion) of four year-olds.

The program was priceless. From the living nativity to the bells of "Joy to the World." Our older children were on the floor that night as we played back the video for them. It's not as great as a video clip, but here it is in pictures:

Uh oh, the sheep are getting restless...

The sheep are on the move. Sheep enter Stage Right.

Reporter: "Donkey, on a scale of 1-10, just how exciting would you rate this little play?"

In this impromptu scene, we see Gaspar making a move on the sweet, innocent (and approving!) angel; Melchior hitches up his robe as his belt was lost before he ever got up on stage; and Balthazar, well, let's just say that he won't be dippin' in that box of frankincense again!

Sheep & shepherd exit Stage Left...

"Joy to the World!"

And then, mid-song, "Hi, Mooooommmm!" "Ava! AYYVAH!!!" "Daddy!" Daddy is laughing so hard his video clip got all wobbly. :o) Good times--you can't script (or un-script) this stuff.

If you have a couple bucks you want to give away...

2008-12-14T20:12:00.003-06:00

Most of you probably know I'm involved with Sophie's orphanage. After our children came home four years ago, a group of us found each other through the internet, each determined to change what we'd seen and experienced in our girls. Through determination, lots of prayer, and many moved mountains, we are established and busy at Zhanjiang. Things are changing, children are being touched, and miracles are happening. To read more details, you can visit our website: Zhanjiang Kids Org. This year for a fundraiser, another mom and I made a calendar of our Zhanjiang children (all these children were at the same orphanage). If this strikes your fancy, you can find them here at Lulu. Or if you have five or ten dollars to give toward ZKO's mission, every little bit helps, and you can find the PayPal link here. BTW, the entire board is entirely volunteer--no donations get funneled our way. That is important to me when I give money, and I wanted to make sure that was clear!

If you'd like to be on the mailing list for our newsletter or want a past issue, email me your address (vhmartin72 at gmail dot com), and I'll send you one. Thanks so much!

'Tis the Season

2008-12-14T17:45:00.008-06:00

We've been busy!

Erin turns eleven!

The local girl cousins on Thanksgiving at Grandma's house. In a few weeks they'll all be four years old together.

The girls are watching their daddy & me put up the lighted houses we've collected over the years. We have a big ledge in the foyer above the door, just perfect for a row of them. It takes the BIG ladder from work, so I'm always glad when it's done--I don't like heights.

A few of the houses...at the right is where they go to church. Far left is where they used to go. ;o) Sorry, Mennonite joke.

Three of the children made gingerbread houses in school this week. Erin acts goofy behind her estate---complete with "hausli" (privy).

Their handiwork...you'll notice the many empty frosting dots on Sophie's. Almost every time she and Ava pass the house, another piece disappears. Although Ava "helped" make a house she told me, "I want to make my own 'jingle bell house' too!" :o)

GDA!

2008-12-08T14:39:00.004-06:00

Noooo, silly. It doesn't stand for what Rev. Wright said in his infamous sermon, it means Good Deal Alert! Stop being so cynical...it's almost Christmas!

This morning I got this coupon code on AFC (greatest website ever for saving money) for Le@pFr0g: HY8SHOP and it's good for 30% off today and tomorrow only! They just marked down their Le@pster L-M@x learning systems (pink or blue!) to half off, PLUS you get 30% off that, PLUS free shipping over $50. Add in a clearanced L-M@x game cartridge, and there ya go! I found the best price through ebates. You'll get $10 to start off your Big Fat Check (what they call it). After you sign up, type in Le@pFr0g, click on the HY8SHOP link, and you're on your way to a very great toy for preschoolers-9 year olds at bargain basement prices. And you can chuckle under your breath as you watch all the other clueless shoppers at Amazon and Target pay full price for their Le@pster and you got a screaming deal. Hurry, it expires tomorrow! Be sure to put in your promo code for the 30% at checkout and that it's reflected--I had some hiccups with mine today, but it eventually worked.

Sophie's getting this for Christmas (shhh!)...I love that she'll be able to practice writing her letters, and how much paper this will save. We kill many trees in a week's time. Even more lately since ~~Dead Cat Walking~~ Midnight learned to unroll the toilet paper for Fun Times in a 4X4 Room. Three times. Three rolls. One week. I'm a slow learner.

For the Woman who has Everything

2008-11-26T20:05:00.005-06:00

Bet you didn't think of getting her this. What says "I Love You" more than a gift certificate to Planned Parenthood? "Hey, honey, you can get whatever you want with it: an abortion, a test for STDs, some acyclovir, whatever you choose!" What's next? A keychain punch card?

Way to go, Indiana. I gotta say, you beat out Hagerstown tonight. Hands down.

UPDATE: I've received the following, understandably anonymous, comment:

hi, as a young 25 year old somewhat newly (2 years) married Christian woman, i feel i need to comment on this.

I have, as well as friends of mine, visited Planned Parenthood. There are lots of us who do not have money to go to a normal Gynecologist. They are getting to be VERY expensive even just for an annual exam and Pap. Planned parenthood offers them on a sliding scale based on your income, and they are often even MORE affordable than if you go to another Gyne. and have insurance coverage. ALSO, they offer Birth Control at a very affordable price or even FREE depending on your income. Now tell me, what is wrong with women taking care of their bodies, and getting it at an affordable price????

what about your girls when they grow up? If they don't have $$ to visit a Gynecologist every year, would you rather they neglect it than visit Planned Parenthood???

i am obviously NOT leaving my info, but if you would, PLEASE consider this, and leave a response comment on this post of yours. thanks. I really enjoy your blog, and especially your photos, but THIS has left me quite disappointed!!!

I will attempt to respond to each of your comments.
1.) I understand people trying to find cheaper or free health care. As a Christian, going to a taxpayer-subsidized abortion provider is something you will have to find justification for on your own. I'm not trying to be your conscience, and you don't have to like my viewpoint. I, in fact, did not give my viewpoint in this post--I was commenting on the ickiness-factor of a PP GC. Your defensiveness is an interesting response in that light.
2.) Straw man argument. Of course there is nothing wrong with taking care of your body (in fact, if you have a family, I believe it is mandatory). Of course there is nothing wrong with finding an affordable option. That said, one is very rarely given only two options with which to solve a problem.
3.) When my girls grow up, they will have been taught that some moral decisions may them cost more money. They will have to decide whether to visit a private health care provider who shares their values or one which is a $1B industry which includes performing morally heinous (to me, and possibly to them) actions.
4.) If a healthy body is important, nearly everyone can find the money to put away for those maintenance costs. We do it for every other thing we find necessary to us: car insurance, home maintenance, dentist, eating out, birthday/Christmas gifts. Surely, some sacrifices may need to be made in other areas--but again, if it's something that we determine is an either-or option, we will find a way. We always do.
5.) I'm glad you enjoy my blog; I'm sorry you were disappointed. It's my blog, and I will continue to post the things I find interesting, funny, sad, or disappointing. It's here for my own enjoyment, and that of my family and friends. It's not a popularity contest, which you can see by my choice of the absence of revenue-generating ads in the sidebars. I'm not afraid of controversy, so feel free to respond.
6.) If you're still here: I STILL stand by the giving of a PP Gift Certificate as a disgusting gift idea. What kind of unsentimental, bumbling doofus would give this to a gal??? One that wants dumped on Christmas Day, I presume. I mean...imagine someone you love giving this to YOU. Exactly.

FanTAStic

2008-11-26T18:58:00.002-06:00

We've made Drudge. Weet-weeeoh! I haven't been this proud since K-Fed came to town to buy skivvies and video games at our WalMart.

Sour note: Md. mall quiets Salvation Army bells
Nov 26, 11:21 AM (ET)

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) - A Maryland mall says Salvation Army bell ringers are making too much noise, and that's striking a sour note with merchants.

The mall is asking the charity to replace the insides of bells with paper clips to keep the clanging down.

Maj. Robert Lyle says the three indoor ringers at Valley Mall have replaced the clappers inside their bells. Lyle says he sympathizes with merchants who get tired of the noise. But he says the two bell-ringers located outside the mall are still at full volume.

Salvation Army volunteers ring the bells to call attention to their red kettles. Shoppers drop donations for the poor into the buckets.

Mall Marketing Director Brian Kaltenbaugh says the noise complaints came from kiosk- and cart-based businesses in hallways near the bell ringers.

For next year, they'll probably suggest this:

Cooking with ConvictsMartha

2008-11-25T20:04:00.003-06:00

This has to be the funniest--and most painful--cooking program I've ever had the misfortune of watching. COGNAC? These are not your mama's taters. COGNAC??? Money quotes: "skizzin" and "What are we making again?"

Now, I'm off to get my shades and to collect ingredients for my contribution for T'giving dinner with the family. I'm taking Pioneer Woman stuff this year! Also this. If you haven't taken a gander at her site, you're missing a feast for the eyes. Also she'll make you laugh, and not for the reasons of the above contribution.

And here's a joke to leave you with:
Q: Why does Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella everywhere?
A: Fo' Drizzle

My Baby Girlz

2008-11-24T19:33:00.005-06:00

Playing with my 50mm f/1.4 lens. It's a great portrait lens---gives lots of good bokeh (that blurry b/g). Still have a ton to learn, but it's fun to shoot just because. This was one of the last barefoot days we had, and they took full advantage of it!

Just lookin' for ladybugs. The cat's along for the ride. I'll have to post about our twisted cat sometime soon. He's nice, he's usually cuddly. But he has serious, underlying issues. Attachment issues, if you will. I promise to post an illustration soon.

Rachel's Children

2008-11-09T12:32:00.005-06:00

We heard lots about Joe the Plumber. There were people at rallies, like Spartacus, saying "I'm Joe the Plumber." Well, today "I am Rachel."

I had a long rant-ish epic composed and put in my draft folder since Wednesday, but I just threw it all down the dark rat hole. As I looked at the news today, what makes me the saddest is knowing what is to come--the indicators have been there for all to see. No more surmising, warning, scaring. It's going to happen. How many people voted knowingly for this ramping up of abortions? How many anti-war, leftist Mennonites voted for this man, in the name of "change" and "hope" and "peace" and unicorns and rainbows? Thank God under George Bush abortions declined, and the heinous partial-birth abortion was banned by him and upheld by the SC. Abortion is not "safe, legal, and rare." It's simply legal. As for being anti-war, he has just declared war on the most innocent of all creation--and YOU are going to help pay for it.

"A voice was heard in Ramah: wailing and great mourning. Rachel was crying for her children. She refused to be comforted, because they no longer existed." Mt. 2:18

I am Rachel.

Wordless Tuesday

2008-11-04T05:28:00.002-06:00

"If my people..."

2008-11-03T21:12:00.002-06:00

Click to enlarge and read this amazing ad from the 50's. Mr. Hilton, founder of the Hilton hotel chain, paid for this page in Life magazine. Just as appropriate now (if not more so) than back then.

"Exposure to true information does not matter anymore."

2008-10-31T09:07:00.004-05:00

You may wonder how socialism and communism occurs in a country. You may think it could never happen to our country. Or could it? Please watch the clips below. The first one, an interview from 1985 with a former KGB member, is long--but it's worth the 15 minutes, and has never been more timely. The second one is mercifully short. It's from yesterday.

Yuri Bezmenov
by onmyway02

Please join me in prayer for our great country. That we can continue to live freely and faithfully according to our beliefs and traditions. That good and right will triumph. That innocent life will be seen as sacred. That we can teach our children well. That we can hold on and be salt & light for one more generation.

More baby

2008-10-30T14:48:00.009-05:00

Katie & Baby Natalie

Just had some catch up to do. When the babies were born, you might remember the four girls and I took a trip to IN all by our lonesomes! That was our fall adventure. These are shots from that weekend. I know the blog's been drowning in baby stuff, but I have a ton to catch up on, so....suffer:

Proud Papa (my brother Brad) gets mobbed by female horde: (sis) Veronica, Erin, Ava, Katie--all calling dibs on Addie

Ava n' Addie n' Grandma

Blogger meets Baby

My Dad & sweet-baby-smelling Adalyn

Change for the Hope and the Hope for the Change

2008-10-30T13:33:00.001-05:00

*mucho thanks to my friend Shelley for this one!

Saturday Funny

2008-10-25T14:46:00.003-05:00

It's even better the second (and eleventieth) time you watch it.

Aging in Office

2008-10-17T17:49:00.002-05:00

It's sad to see how responsibility weighs so heavily on leaders. You can see photos depicting this progression HERE. Go. You will enjoy it. Promise. :o)

More Joe (from Scranton, not The Plumber)

2008-10-17T07:18:00.002-05:00

Please keep him away from anything involving budgets.

More Sarah

2008-10-16T16:18:00.002-05:00

Juxtapose the vulgar tshirts, bitter commentary, and sneering condescension of those who hate her and the sweet, pure souls for whom she stands.

I love this woman

2008-10-15T12:41:00.002-05:00

Walmart. With the stoic secret service. Buying Parent's Choice diapers and a toy. Practical, business-savvy, and not too good for WM diapers. Governor Sarah would be quite the lady to have in Washington DC. We just might see the end of $600 toilet seats, $70 screws, etc.

Back to School

2008-10-15T07:31:00.009-05:00

Ok, I know they've been in school for a month, but hey, I've been busy. Plus, anything to keep from talking about politics, AC0RN, and the coming redistribution of wealth ("from each according to his means, to each according to their need"--now, where did I read that??) (Warning: the use of copious amounts of duct tape around your head is advisable before watching the above-linked video).

Sooo...here we have S & A working on S's bucket.
In lieu of backpacks, her preschool uses buckets. Much more user-friendly, plus they get to bling-up the buckets--what's not to like? Did you know buckets are tough to find?? I didn't until I went looking. At The Wal-Marts, all they had was the paint kind. I didn't think she'd go for the 5 gallon kind. I'm just intuitive that way--plus think how many stickers it would take. Then I spoke to my favorite feed n' grain guy--whom I married 16 years ago--and he said he'd look in the office, and asked what color I'd like. How's that for friendly, shop-at-home service? I said she'd like pink and there was no chance of that, but at this stage, any color would be fine. He brought this one home! Can you believe they had a Perfectly Pink bucket in a feed store?

And here she is at school. She loves it, and one of her special friends is D, who happens to be a second-cousin.
The older ones also were looking forward to school. They were anxious to be back with their friends again.
Seeing them off are their shadows, who will miss them terribly, but who are also more than a tad happy for the opportunity to sneak into their rooms and monkey with their stuff--if only Mom doesn't find out.
On their way to school. We believe our children should walk to school like their forefathers did. It builds character. Helps to make good conservative, hard-working citizens who will be "given the opportunity to share their money" with the people who didn't walk to school as children. Oh great...I almost made it through a whole post without going "there."

*no, actually they're not walking the five miles to school. Just outside this shot is Daddy on the golf cart, coming back to take them to the end of the lane to catch their ride----But they'll still have to give their money away.

Clarification: I am not advocating hoarding or not giving to charity. Indeed, giving is part of what we've been taught is good, wholesome, godly, and a way of life since we were children, and what we, in turn, teach our children. Giving, as in, outside of what is required by tax laws. That is what I believe is going to be mandated if the left has their way in reworking tax laws to blur the line between taxes and charity. I still believe in the inherent generosity of middle America--I've seen it first-hand in our home communities and with the adoption community when someone needs just a bit more to have enough to travel for their children. If social awareness is shifted to a government "re-gifting" I believe spontaneous generosity will become a thing of the past, as less and less disposable income is available to give. I do understand why some on the left welcome these changes. There's no better example than the Democratic Veep candidate, Joe Biden, who apparently needs to be forced to "contribute" if it's going to get done.

For Terynn Teri, soon-to-be-famous-author: "Sonseed"

2008-09-28T18:47:00.004-05:00

I loved her video post of moonwalking in church (I think the link is gone now). When my brothers gave me the heads-up on this gem yesterday, I knew how much she'd love it: it's a keeper. Watch for a cameo appearance by a member of ABBA, and others you may think you recognize among the animated backup singers. I hate to say it, but I fear there aren't enough cheeks for all the laughing going on (see :26). "Like a Mountie"??? (1:43) I think this song qualifies (see 2:15). Oh yeah, and "ZAP!" (see 1:55) Good stuff. Vive le Intrawebz.

Playing with babies

2008-09-26T16:16:00.005-05:00

Proud Papa

The girls and I got in the minivan and headed west on Thursday morning. We're now in IN and are up to our eyeballs in baby lotion, itty-bitty Pampers, and peel-y newborns. What fun! Natalie Rose was born a week ago, and her cousin, Adelyn "Addie" Grace followed three days later.Brad (my brother) & Angie and Addie

Ashton and his new sister Natalie

Arrrrh!

2008-09-19T12:12:00.006-05:00

Ahoy, me hearties, Cap'n Laundry here. Whaddya know, it's September 19th which means......it's National Talk Like a Pirate Day! In recognition, and how apropos, here are pics of Wyatt and his cousin A at Lowe's kids camp last Saturday. It's a racket really. They just want the moms to go in there and look at all the lighting, and flooring, and appliances, and paint, and...it's all calculated is all I'm saying.

Concentration Camp

The goggles were more of a suggestion.

Ready to set sail! Next week it's ~~anothershamelessmomtrap~~ a firetruck, which the boys have made sure to write on their calendars.
I'm telling you, Lowe's Knows.

Little Dumpling, continued

2008-09-18T11:47:00.006-05:00

Here are some more shots of the baby you only got a peek at the other day. She was a blast to pose...she'd wiggle and stretch, and then settle in again. If you thought you could almost smell New Baby with those, you'll for sure be able to with these.

Christmas or Birthdays Gift Idea

2008-09-18T08:19:00.002-05:00

When we've gone to China, we've seen these little ride-on cars that are propelled by moving your hands back & forth on the steering wheel. Each time, I've wanted to bring one home, but until we got everything else bought it was the last thing on the list. On one of the adoption groups I'm on, someone said www.overstock.com has them for a very good deal--half-off--for $37.99! If you add the promo code: 129380 at checkout you'll get an add'l 10% off. Shipping is only $2.95. Oh, and these aren't just for the little people! They are safe for up to 220lbs. and adults have been known to have fun on these things! For more info from the mfr. and to see a video of the cars being used, go here: Plasma Cars. If you want to pay full price, you can get other color options from that site. Oh, one more thing, if you do a lot of shopping online, set up an account on www.ebates.com. When you go to shop, go through ebates to get even more $$ back! Different stores offer different percentages. Currently, overstock.com offers 4% back through ebates. If you go through my link to ebates or mention my email address, we'll both get $5.

Baby A

2008-09-16T20:29:00.005-05:00

Let's get the politics and nasty culture-of-death stuff down the page a bit further! Today I shot pics of a brand-new baby girl, a first child for Doug's cousin and his wife. I'll wait to post pics of her face until I get some more editing done, but I just loved a couple of them and wanted to post them here. I've been setting my camera off manual, breaking out of that comfort zone. Scary, but fun. I used my 50mm f/1.8 portrait lens and was happy with some of the shots. I love when babies are born as it means I get to practice again. Baby A was very cooperative. :D We went up to church to shoot, where there are terrific north-facing windows, complete with some panes of antique bubble glass.

It's been raining baby girls (which has caused Sophie to ask if we can "get a baby like that"). My baby brother called today with news: Natalie Rose was born after an emergency c-section, but all are doing well. Can't wait to go to IN, but we're going to wait until my middle brother calls with their baby news--any day now. Have camera, will travel!

A Family of Three

Note: Baby A's face doesn't need editing. She's absolutely perfect, and cute as a button (you'll see). It's some of my shots that need a touch of Photoshop Elements. To make ME look better. :D Just wanted to clarify the ham-handed comment above!

The Sacrament of Abortion

2008-09-11T10:21:00.003-05:00

I thought some comments and articles from yesterday and today are blog-worthy. Trig Palin is a threat to the abortion industry. In this LATimes article:
But a senior Canadian doctor is now expressing concerns that such a prominent public role model as the governor of Alaska and potential vice president of the United States completing a Down syndrome pregnancy may prompt other women to make the same decision against abortion because of that genetic abnormality, and thereby reduce the number of abortions. Published reports in Canada say about 9 out of 10 women given a diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy through abortion. Dr. Andre Lalonde, executive vice president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Ottawa, worries that Palin's now renowned decision may cause abortions in Canada to decline as other women there and elsewhere opt to follow suit.

And this is a bad thing because...it's going to cost too much? she's going to be the "wrong" role model? is he hoping a full 100%--instead of just 90%--of children with Downs won't be born? What's a good number to you, doctor--50%? It's all too Josef Mengele for me. And for a majority of thinking, feeling human beings, I suspect.

The second is from Newseek, from a DIVINITY professor who states:
Her greatest hypocrisy is in her pretense that she is a woman. The Republican party's cynical calculation that because she has a womb and makes lots and lots of babies (and drives them to school! wow!) she speaks for the women of America, and will capture their hearts and their votes, has driven thousands of real women to take to their computers in outrage. She does not speak for women; she has no sympathy for the problems of other women, particularly working class women.

Yeah. Go look at the pictures of one of her last rallies (Fairfax, VA: 23,000) and her homecoming and read that paragraph again. Looks like lotsa working class women. And men. But the crowd is just too stooopid to know they're being duped by a pretentious, unsympathetic person who isn't a Real Woman anyway. Bitter much?

And then for an endcap, this gem from the chairwoman of the SC DNC: South Carolina Democratic chairwoman Carol Fowler sharply attacked Sarah Palin today [yesterday], saying John McCain had chosen a running mate "whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn’t had an abortion.” But she apologized later if you were offended.

That Divinity professor spoke of "cynical calculations" and it looks to me like the left is putting all its money on the Abortion Horse.

Sen. Biden's Speech

2008-09-10T13:01:00.003-05:00

In the interests of equal time, here's my favorite clip of the VP candidate on the Democratic ticket. It was almost time to put out an Amber Alert for Sen. Biden--haven't seen him around much in the news. Here ya go:

For those of you who can't get YouTube:
Joe Biden had an awkward moment during a rally in Columbia, Mo., yesterday. At the start of his remarks, he pointed out several state lawmakers in the audience for recognition. When he got to Chuck Graham, a state senator, Joe 'Benny Hinn' Biden told the lawmaker to “stand up Chuck, let ‘em see ya. Stand up!”

But Graham, who is in a wheelchair, can’t stand up, which Biden quickly picked up on.

"Oh, God love ya, what am I talkin' about?" Biden said. That right there is Sen. Biden in a nine-word nutshell. This one is getting multiple replays at our house. There's just something about his inflection that makes you say, "oh, just once more!"

Gov. Palin's Speech

2008-09-04T06:21:00.004-05:00

Yes, I was impressed. Yes, she's an amazing woman. Yes, her speech was beyond any of my expectations. But wait. Her daughter also stole the show. Her youngest daughter, holding the baby. Cutest thing. EVAH. Just watch:

Plugging my family (link-o-rama)

2008-09-02T15:53:00.003-05:00

Just had to post a YouTube video that my brother did of the Kruse Classic auto auction they attended last weekend. Dad & Branden had restored a cute little Roadster Pickup to put in the auction, and some of that footage is in the clip. He's been restoring antique cars for a living since I was a little girl, and his cars have gone all over the country. Kruse is famous for having lots of unusual and rare vehicles, so watch for some really fun wheels!

Newest Niece

2008-09-01T09:34:00.006-05:00

Still not caught up, but here's a pretty post to freshen up the place & let you know we're still here (somewhere). We were to VA yesterday to meet the newest family member, a niece. Fun seeing lots of newborn-ness!
We also got front-row seats to witnessing two calves being born before we went home. They unfortunately needed human help (Yayyy, Uncle Blaine, nephews, Winfred & Gordon), but mamas & babies all doing well. The children's reactions alternated between "COOOLLLL!" and "Ewwwww!" And then they cheered when it was all over.

I never knew cows were so nosy & motherly over calves that weren't their own---they all took turns coming over to sniff the new babies. Teresa said it looked like Sunday morning at church with all the fawning over the new baby (Baby A made her first appearance in public that morning). :o)

One more kinda-newborn: we brought home the cutest black and white kitten. He slept in the big girls' room last night (last time that happens!), and he's being carried around all day today. After much deliberation over a full, hand-written page of suggestions, they settled on "Squirt." Truly. Why? I don't know. My very nice choice was "Moses" after the book I read in school about a cat that was his color, but I guess my nostalgia doesn't count here and didn't even make it on the page of nominations. I'm just the mom--and the one who will end up taking care of him. I might just call him Moses anyway. :o) After all, they'll be back in school tomorrow!! mwaaaahaaaahaaahaaa

Reunions Part Tsvei

2008-08-10T19:41:00.009-05:00

This one took the five of us south to St. Augustine. We had planned an all-girls trip with Vickie, my China travel-mate, but her mom had a heart attack which changed a lot of things for her. This reunion was for China families from two SWIs, including Sophie's, but coincidentally one of them has a daughter from Ava's SWI as well. Her mom, Debby, and I met when our girls were on the same Special Need list. We hoped to travel to China together, but it wasn't meant to be. Anyway, it's been over two years, and it was GREAT to finally meet in person. The girls definitely have a similar "look," especially when you see them together.

Shangrao Sisters, Ava & Jami

Slumber Party!

They kept coming out and saying they needed more popcorn!

"Sistahs"

There were more Zhanjiang-ers, but everyone kinda trickled in & out. By the time we got around to pictures, these were the only five we could corral.

Sophie and T

We went to the Old City one day, and toured the Castillo de San Marcos. It was impressive. And oppressive--the humidity just killed us. We did a self-guided, Cliff Notes tour and called it a day and headed back to the water again. We thought about those poor soldiers who had lived in the fort on the untamed Florida coastline, baking in their wool uniforms and heavy weapons. And no air-conditioned Hampton Inn or Rita's in sight.

We also got to visit David & Shelley! We traveled with them in 2004 for Sophie and Aly, and it was such fun to meet Lili for the first time, and they, Ava. I will post pics when I get them from Shelley. Left my camera in the hotel when we went to their place. :o( I know...unforgivable.

It was a great trip, and we hope to do it all again!

Reunions Part Eins

2008-08-09T09:41:00.010-05:00

It's been one after another. Trying to catch my breath AND catch up (and there's still one more next weekend)!

Here are some from the Hochstetler reunion in IN a couple of weeks ago. It was very special to have Grandpa & Grandma there--something we couldn't have expected when Grandpa was so low back in January. Praise the Lord for his continued health!

Grandma and Erin

Grandpa and Wyatt

Aunt Anna and Uncle Andy, who passed away last week at the age of 90.

My cousin's little girl, J, helps her Aunt Karen clean up after the brunch buffet, which was brimming with some really incredible food, I might add.

Mom and Ava, who won "Youngest Reunion Attendee"
Grandma + candy bar = toothy grin

Amish Church
A shot I took as we were heading for home Sunday

Shangrao Shindig

2008-07-15T23:03:00.000-05:00

We attended the first-ever Shangrao reunion in Lancaster, PA. It was such fun to meet all the children from Ava's city. There are two orphanages and both were well-represented. Sophie and Ava had a blast playing with little ones their age, and the older children helped the little ones do crafts. Here are a couple shots.The children played "Ring Around the Rosie" before supper

"We all fall down..."

The organizers had fun crafts for the children to do

The next day we went to Long's Park which had a petting zoo inside.

The children enjoyed the face painting!

"We came all the way to Lanc-CASS-ter County and didn't see a single live Ay-mish"
;o) ;o) ;o)
(just trying to sound like tourists)

Berries!

2008-07-14T08:46:00.008-05:00

We went to visit Daddy and get his golf cart to go behind the mill to the wild berry patch. Ripening right now are "wineberries" which you can read about HERE. Can you believe that the last time we went picking we were impatiently waiting for Ava's TA??? There was no crop last year because of the terrible draught. They're fun to pick and eat when they're sun-warmed/ripened, but the flavor is not as intense as their raspberry and blackberry cousins. The blandness would remind you of mulberries, perhaps. We go just for the fun of it, not to take home to make jam or sauce. Tried that once and it was such a flop.

"How can I help Daddy today??" The girls like to watch the trucks dump. Sometimes they even get to hold the button to raise and lower the trucks.

They're not picky---any color berry will do! :o)

Showing Daddy the haul.

This picture reminds me so much of "Blueberries for Sal" in which the baby bear eats all the berries out mama's bucket.

Beautiful red berries!

A day in the life

2008-07-13T21:02:00.013-05:00

We've not seen much of Doug lately, especially in daylight hours. He's been putting in terrible hours these last two weeks (some days it's been 3am-8pm), but thankfully, it's nearly over. When farmers go gangbusters to get grain harvested, so do the guys who take in the grain to store it for the farmer. When it doesn't rain, there's no break. Ergo, I LOVE a good rain. Especially a Friday evening rain...nothing like it. That means no Saturday away from the family. Thankfully our faith keeps one day a week away from work, rain OR shine. I heart Sundays. And rain. Did I mention that??

I decided to take the camera over to capture a few minutes of his day. Maybe you city lurkers, and you country, and related-to-me and home-folks lurkers (I know you're out there, leave a comment or howdy, will ya?) will enjoy a slice of the country life. This is where your bread and cake comes from. Thank a farmer today.

The trucks are lined up in the driveway, waiting for their turn to unload.

Taking orders for trailers (to be taken out to the field and filled on-site with farmers' grain), weighing, dumping, and dispatching trucks. And a few other things.

A truck pulls up on the scale, and Doug's brother runs up to sample the load to test it inside.

Running the sample, testing for moisture, weight, dirt, garlic, etc.

Deciding which tank to run it into

The truck is raised slowly...

...and the wheat pours out into the pit.

Doug's dad checks for sprouts under the magnifying glass

Rinse and repeat.

"It's a Family Tradition"
(From left, Doug's Great-Grandfather, his Grandfather, his dad holding baby Doug, his uncle, circa 1972)

New toy

2008-06-27T10:23:00.007-05:00

I've found such an awesome accessory for my camera. I bought it here, and you can read about it here. It's called a light scoop--maybe everyone else has seen this, but I saw it in a photog magazine and it looked like what I needed. I despise the shadows and flashbulb-in-the-face look that many of my indoors shots have. This little add-on takes your flash and bounces it off a white or cream-colored wall or ceiling, diffusing the flash for a more natural-looking photos.

I give you Without Light Scoop (heinous):

And With Light Scoop (yummy):

These shots were taken with equal settings, same spot, etc. There is also a gold reflector called a Warming Light Scoop that give you a golden tone--nice for portraits. I know you can fiddle with your shots in Photoshop to sometimes get equal results, but I was so impressed by this invention. If you click around on Adorama, you can see package deals for both scoops, plus it's FREE SHIPPING, baby! Disclaimer: no, not getting any kickbacks for this, just a satisfied customer.

And oh yeah, like my teapot??? I got it at an antique market in Zhanjiang. The lid is gone, and the spout is chipped, but my hydrangeas don't care. The vendor said the poem on the back is about spring, and it's supposed to be from the early 1900's. That's much more believable than this:I didn't pay much for it ($25), but the guy said it's from the 1500's (yes, as in the 16th century, not the repro factory at 1521 Zhanjiang St.). It's supposed to be a burial object, and from the dirt and actual soil I cleaned off it, I believe it. I looked on ebay for similar/identical items, and their dating concurs--and theirs are going for nutso prices. It's heavy, and very old, and I love the colors--perfect for a shelf in Sophie's bedroom. Parts of it are glazed, and where it isn't glazed, the paint is very unstable. Even a toothbrush makes the paint rub off. If I was taken for a ride/given a phenomenal deal, here's the guy you need to avoid/patronize if you ever go antiquing in Zhanjiang on a pretty spring day:

Great Find!

2008-06-17T20:31:00.003-05:00

Who doesn't love a good deal? Thanks to imommies.com, I found a great deal on eating out at a great price. Go to www.restaurant.com, put in your ZIP code and how far you're willing to drive. A list of participating restaurants will come up. Some are well-known chains (we found one for Fuddrucker's); others are, well, let's just say my list also showed a local fleabag motel/attached bar that didn't pique my interest for a nice, quiet dinner with my dear hubby or a nice, noisy dinner with my dear five children. Each restaurant has different requirements and certificate values, so be sure to note that before buying. imommies.com also suggested putting in the ZIP codes of places you plan to travel on vacation.

Buuuut wait! Theeeere's more! :o) Until Sunday, you can get a 50% discount on your certificate's cost by entering SIZZLING in the promo code box at checkout. How it played out for us: we bought a $25 certificate/$10 at the promo rate of $5. We are required to spend at least $35 to use it (no problem). We'll be able to go eat out with the whole gang for a pittance! Oh yeah, one more thing. You can print the certificates when it's convenient, and most are good for one year from the time of purchase. Viva la pennypinching! Let me know if you score some good deals!

Fun at Grandma's house

2008-06-16T12:43:00.007-05:00

Grandma & Grandaddy have great climbing trees at their house. When Doug was growing up, he said they were small, but now they're perfect for the grandchildren. That's what I should be thinking when I look at the little dinky limbs in the trees we planted since we moved here, I suppose. Right now, a birdfeeder is about all they can handle!

Three of the cousins are within a few months age of each other. A. was born in October, Wyatt followed in January, and K. two weeks later.

Just Being Boys

"I'm ref-ing. And eating grass. And pretty much just being cute."

Adoption Retreat

2008-06-09T17:57:00.008-05:00

We had a great time last weekend at a retreat center in the mountains. It was for Mennonite adoptive and fostering families--it truly was beautiful to see "all the little children of the world." We heard a miracle story in which God preserved the precious life of an infant who was hours from death, through precise adoption travel. We heard another miracle story of the diagnosis, emotional healing, and attachment (with the help of a competent, professional therapist!) of a child exhibiting behaviors of RAD due to the horrors she had experienced. We learned from the BeenThereDoneThat families, which is so valuable. There were children everywhere, and they all made so many new friends whom they told, "See you next year!"

The bond of common heritage

There were babies to love...

...places to go...

And of course, hair to "fix."

Lovely Hope...Sophie claimed her all weekend, and told me several times, "She's my sistah!"

Chirp!2

2008-06-06T11:21:00.004-05:00

They're growing! You can see how much even one day's jump in hatching has on their development...the oldest one is much fuzzier! You can almost hear him yelling, "Moooooooommmmmm!"
I know. I can identify. I hear & see this exact expression on a regular basis.

Oh great. Now he's waking the whole nest!
Again, I identify.
*click this photo to wonder along with me: "What IS that???"

Scrapping again

2008-06-05T13:02:00.003-05:00

I'm trying to do some catching up. Here's a page I did with some pics I posted earlier.Credits:
Papers & Raffia-Mindy Terasawa "Green Tea"
Notebook paper, staple frame-Leah Riordan "Funky Floral"
Burnt edge paper, rusty clip-Digidelights "Little Turtle"
Worn Alpha Signs-Gunhilde
Font-Juice
(all freebies except M.T.)

Chirp!

2008-06-04T20:20:00.004-05:00

The cardinals in the rosebush on the porch began hatching yesterday. It's totally amazing to watch this up close. These ugly little fuzzballs hatched out of tiny eggs and already know they're supposed to do this when the mother bumps the nest and chirps:
*if you click on the photo, it'll enlarge it so you can see the little egg tooth he used to peck his way out!

Ordinary Sunday

2008-06-02T07:37:00.014-05:00

Our Sundays are usually very low-key if we're home--just like Doug & I experienced growing up (500 miles apart). Our families did/do the same thing pretty much every Sunday: go to church, come home and eat a nice big lunch--but we call it "Sunday dinner," and EVERYONE finds something quiet to do for the whole afternoon while the littlest ones and the biggest ones have naps. It's the Mennonite way. :o) Yeah, can't you almost hear the violin and Reb Tevye breaking into "Tradition"??? :o)

Following is a photo-essay of one of our traditional Sunday evenings:

After naps, have a snack supper. Usually popcorn, ice cream, cheese & crackers, etc.

The children love to go ride bikes at the elevator. It's the one day of the week that there are no vehicles driving around, and there are so many places to ride (and hide. Another favorite thing to do is hide & seek with Daddy--but he knows the best places because he grew up and almost lives here.).

They also like to listen for the train whistle so they can count cars and admire grafitti. Sometimes they get a shift and the children can talk to the guy who drives the train!

How did these get in here? Oh yeah, Daddy got hold of mommy's camera. I think he wanted to capture Real Life. And he did.
Sophie's expression says it all: "This is what I have to deal with on a daily basis."

"On a scale of 1-10, how annoying is this? Maybe an eleven or twelve."

Ok, back to nice stuff again. I've been practicing with DoF. I love that this shows the pretty flowers and Grandma's house in the background.

"After the storm passes, take time to smell the petunias."

It's June!

2008-06-01T07:47:00.005-05:00

I can see the signs of early summer in my yard:

A cardinal nest in my rosebush

Gorgeous poppies blooming against a beautiful sky

Ladybugs!

Well-fed Bumblebees

Sharing a popsicle with a friend

...and a very definite need for baths

(Related quote of the day, after he discovered my bath puff in the shower: "I'm never using a regular washcloth again!" He was so very, very impressed by the amount of suds you can generate.) :o)

It's one or the other

2008-05-19T16:48:00.003-05:00

Either the music lessons are paying off, or there are two small persons who have watched waaaay too much "Oklahoma."

I'm hoping to catch them singing "Surrey with a Fringe on Top." The animals they name are not part of the "chicks, and geese, and ducks better scurry..."

How to help

2008-05-15T16:35:00.003-05:00

If you've seen the grief and loss in the hundreds of pictures coming out of Sichuan (such as "China's Pain" and this article), you're likely wondering what you can do to help. Forces have mobilized, and I feel confident in recommending all of the following organizations. As always, Love Without Boundaries receives the highest praise possible for their efficiency as it relates to the donor's money and overhead costs (3% overhead, almost unheard of in charities, but it's because of their dedicated volunteers):

http://www.chinesechildren.org/Sichuan_earthquake.aspx

http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/earthquake.cfm

http://www.ocdf.org/

Most of the above organizations are working with orphanages, especially due to the fact that there will be many new orphans from this tragedy. Several SWIs are near the epicenter, and you can see a map of them here at Red Thread Maps.

Mercy Corps is already working in Wenchuan, and you can read more info here:
http://www.mercycorps.org/chinaearthquake/

UPDATE: I've been made aware of another medical charity that is on the ground at the epicenter, Heart-to-Heart Int'l.

Praise God!

2008-05-15T08:28:00.004-05:00

This is the update we've been hoping to hear: Chad & Jenny and babies are fine! This is an answer to thousands of people's prayers. Knowing the kind of people Chad & Jenny are, I know God is using them to bring comfort and hope to those around them. Jenny's nursing skills are likely being used as well during this tragedy. Please continue to pray for their emotional health as well as their continued safety. I cannot imagine the raw scenes they're experiencing, without the buffer of a computer screen as we are.

Since Dad's phone call a few minutes ago, I've just gotten another email confirmation from an acquaintance in the adoption world, who has a friend, who has a sister living in Chengdu. She writes:

I got information by my friends sister and husband.

(By seven different people)

[Chad & Jenny] are ok!
Taina

Multiple sources! God is gracious. As I listen to the first song in my queue up there on the right, "Hide me away O Lord," I can't help but think how appropriate it is for Chad & Jenny's experience.

Hide Me Away, O Lord

Keith Lancaster

Hide me away, O Lord;
Hide me away, O Lord;
In the day of trouble
'Neath the shadow of Your wings,
Hide me away, O Lord;

Give me Your peace, O Lord;
Give me Your peace, O Lord;
In the day of trouble
'Neath the shadow of Your wings,
Give me Your peace, O Lord;

Safe in Your dwelling place;
Safe in Your dwelling place;
In the day of trouble
'Neath the shadow of Your wings,
Safe in Your dwelling place;

The song that follows is equally fitting: "Give Thanks To the Lord!" We are!

Please Pray!!

2008-05-12T18:19:00.004-05:00

With our thoughts and prayers being with the hundreds of thousands of earthquake victims in Sichuan, there is an additional concern that has become personal. Chad & Jenny Graber from IN moved to China to teach English in Chengdu, Sichuan province, but recently moved to remote Wenchuan for a year. You will see in the news reports that Wenchuan is the epicenter of this huge quake. Chad's have not been heard from since it happened, and their families and friends are understandably worried. Another concern is that Jenny is expecting their second child before too long. If you pray, please remember Chad & Jenny and their families. I'll update when I hear something.

UPDATE: Here is an article from the South Bend news containing an interview with Chad's parents.

Tip of the Day

2008-05-11T19:55:00.002-05:00

When I get helpful hints, I like to pass them on. This one is to help clean your PC or laptop screens. I found it useful...try it and tell me how it worked for you.

What's blooming at my house

2008-05-06T11:32:00.007-05:00

I wish you could smell these!

I got home from China to a totally different yard. It was warm while I was away, and everything popped. The grass is sooo green and soft, the lilacs are gorgeous and smell so wonderful, and I couldn't believe how the Bleeding Hearts had grown. It was such a long, dreary winter and cold spring that it feels strange to be able to go out barefoot and without a jacket. I took my new Canon DSLR on a field trip:These are called "Bleeding Hearts" for obvious reasons--aren't they beautiful?

See how they drip? Buuuuuut, if you turn them upsidedown:

Look! It's a "Lady-in-a-Bathtub."
See her? Look closer--she has a towel on her head, and if you pull down the sides of the "bathtub," you can even see her arms hanging into the bubbles. Many ladies were pulled off this spring off to check if they had arms. :o( They're easy to grow, and come back each spring even larger than the last. When it starts to get hot, they die back and you can plant annuals around them.

New Tunes

2008-05-05T10:30:00.002-05:00

Hope it's not too annoying. And sorry to all of you who are sneakily websurfing at work and this blows your cover. :o) Get back to work.

I found this song and it took me back, well, not quite thirty years, but almost. I remember first hearing this song at a restaurant in Goshen, South Bend, Syracuse, somewhere, where there was a lady playing it on a Wurlitzer. I learned to play it by ear, but it was great to hear it performed right by Frank Mills. Over the weekend Doug & I were looking up oldies on YouTube and I found it by going down some rabbit trails! After listening to it about 20 times, I ended up buying the .mp3 on Amazon. I also called a music shop in town to order the Frank Mills Collection piano book so the big girls can learn it and some other really great stuff he played in the 70's. Not much good music came out of the 70's (IMNSHO)---they were waiting until the 80's. :o) Anyone else remember this one, "The Happy Song," "The Peter Piper Theme," "Chickadee," "Plaiser D'Amour?" Some of his album titles make me wonder if copious amounts of c@nn@bis weren't involved. :-O The music is squeaky clean and innocent, so hopefully the titles were just to look/feel cool among his st0ner peers. Sorry for the bucket of ice water washing over that dose of nostalgia. Ever the realist, Val.

Son Worshippers

2008-05-01T21:25:00.005-05:00

We went for a walk in the wheat field next to our house this afternoon. It's been cold and dreary all week, and the little peek of sunshine had the girls all excited to be outside again. They were like our tomcats, just soaking it up, and it seemed as if they were sending "thank yous" up to God for the lovely day.

Someone Pick Me!

2008-04-30T22:05:00.002-05:00

A friend in the SN adoption circle, Beth, has made this video. She wrote and performed the song along with one of her daughters. All the photos in the video are of "chosen children" who were adopted and who also have a special need. Thankfully, their biggest need--a family who wants them--has been met. My family may recognize a few of the photos! :o)

Wordless Saturday

2008-04-26T21:17:00.003-05:00

Not enough hours in the day

2008-04-21T16:09:00.003-05:00

I haven't been getting a whole lot of sleep, somewhat due to waking up early from my body's clock being messed up. So, I figured I should get up and post instead of trying to go back to sleep. I woke up at 4am, but did sleep well for the first time last night.

We had a phenomenal day today. It was the most difficult yet for me personally, to go back to where Sophie was for nine months. They took us on a tour, to see the younger kids, the Open Arms babies, the nursery, and the older special needs kids. I held a baby the size of Sophie when she was brought to the SWI (4lbs. 17 in. long). I've never seen such tiny hands and face. Her features were so tiny and perfect. I thank God for His protecting hand over Sophie, as I see how utterly vulnerable she was. I see how well she had to have been taken care of, to survive and thrive.

Then the Open Arms babies. What fun that was. We were allowed to go in and play with them. I took Gerber puffs which were a hit. We'll spend time with them again today.

I don't have any photos of this day related to me personally that I can post, but I updated the ZKO blog: http://zjkids.blogspot.com

Just Children

2008-04-20T06:55:00.001-05:00

Erin's instructions (in the sweet note she left me), besides ordering me to have a "phenomenal time," was to "take lots of pictures of cute children. Katie's special note told me to have lots of fun. I did all three tonight. We went to a local market for snacks and fruit, and later on walked along the harbor. Here ya go, Erin. It doesn't get much cuter than this! Wyatt, the cool boat pictures will come later.

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And always the best one for last...this adorable little guy was eating a banana at the market:

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Zhanjiang

2008-04-20T03:06:00.001-05:00

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This morning Vickie and I flew into Zhanjiang from Guangzhou. We met our translator, Rebecca, in Guangzhou and she flew down with us as well. It's very tropical here, and I'm so excited to be in Zhanjiang for the first time. Vickie is also happy to be back. She has her list of must-see's which will be great to experience with her.

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We ate breakfast at the Guangzhou airport...here we are getting our caffeine fixes.

We were met at the airport by Dir. Su and Ms. Yi and her daughter, QingQing. We had such a delicious lunch together planning our week, and I'll leave you on that note. Do not drool on your keyboard!

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Blogging from LA

2008-04-18T10:58:00.004-05:00

Well, I got in about 4am (Eastern) and everything went well. The flight was terrific, hardly a bump. The only fly in the ointment was my rotund seatmate who kept invading my personal space with his knees and elbows. I crowded toward the window as much as possible, because he was also in some Gastrointestinal Distress. Three times. In a crowded cabin. It was too much to bear. I'm playing the martyr because I can.

I've met Vickie in person for the first time. It's funny, because we already know each other. We first "met" before our girls (Sophie and Anagrace) came home and have been in close contact ever since. We're ready to go for breakfast and then will get on the plane for China this afternoon (3EST). Thank you for your expression of prayers for this trip. We feel them and appreciate them. I'll update again from Guangzhou. TTFN

Overheard

2008-04-16T12:18:00.002-05:00

I had to make a WalMart run this morning. I try to avoid it as I prefer to patronize local groceries, but sometimes, well, you need milk, Levi's for your son, Poptarts, and a Connect 4 game.

My grandpa's favorite joke is the one about the woman who took her children to McDonald's, and they proceeded to spill things, fight, and have a disastrous lunch. She became exasperated and finally yelled at them to "Shut up and eat your Happy Meals!" :o) I think Grandpa would like what happened to me today:

It was only mid-morning, but the woman behind me had obviously had a long day already. She was alternating putting things on the belt, slapping at the hands of her kids who were trying to "help," and basically being verbally abusive--and in a very loud voice. I couldn't help the snort that just couldn't be stifled when I heard this:

"I...am...sick...and...TIRED...of...yelling at you.........SERENITY!"

I dunno...if you're gonna yell at your kids, especially in public, maybe consider naming them something more deserving, like Maverick. Or Booger. Or something.

Reconnecting...on the other side of the globe

2008-04-11T12:05:00.004-05:00

Who are these third-graders? I'm so glad you asked. After knowing each other most of their lives, living about two miles apart, going to school and church together, graduating together in 1990, and then kinda losing touch after that point, these two people will leave their homes in MD and NYC and reconnect in the hometown of the one on the right's daughter's orphanage next week! How amazing that this has all come to pass. Cheryl, the one on the left, has become an accomplished Physical Therapist and has offered her services to the children in Zhanjiang SWI! In addition, she has gathered some of her colleagues to join her. It's really quite amazing and awesome and miraculous, not to mention generous beyond expectation. We really will have to take a "now" photo to post--but I doubt we've changed much. :o)

Gearing up

2008-04-10T16:54:00.006-05:00

As many of you know, in one week (almost exactly to the hour), I'll be leaving for China with my friend, Vickie, to work at Sophie's orphanage. We have business to do for ZKO, and we hope to open new avenues of assistance for the special needs and older children who may never leave the orphanage. I'll be back in exactly a week, so it'll be a fast one (hopefully, for the ones at home as well).

I've been crossing stuff off my list, shopping for gifts for the children (we're going to throw them a party--likely it'll be their first!), buying food and doing laundry, and then I went and did something completely out of my nature: I've just gone and did something frightfully geeky. I bought this:

and I'm going to pull it out and lose every last shred of my dignity over Ketchikan. Hopefully, my seatmates and Vickie will be sleeping--or pretending to--once I blow the dumb thing up and settle in. I still don't know if I'll have the nerve. Maybe I'll carry it to the bathroom (in its "handy pouch, just a little bigger than an umbrella"), blow it up (heh...I'll have to not say THAT out loud), and then maybe nonchalantly stuff it under my shirt and pull it out back at 21F. Hmmmm. This deserves some more thoughtful planning. I'll let you know how it works. And I'll need to work out a commission deal with Traveler's Choice if it is a roaring success. If all six of you who read this blog get one, hey hey, I could never have to work again. Oh wait, I kind of don't already. Ok, then I would give all the proceeds to ZKO, how's that.

I opened up the package to give it a test drive (hence, my reluctance to make everyone point and giggle--partly because if it'd be me watching someone do that, well...I'm deeply ashamed to say I laughed at Mr. Potato Head Lady who was throwing up behind us last time, and giggling at others' folly is not out-of-character for me). We'll see if my misery at 30K feet wins out over the dignity (you can see how much I'm dreading this flight). And, no, Veronica, the guy in the picture did NOT come with it--I shook the box to make sure.

Visitors!

2008-03-22T18:42:00.010-05:00

Bruce, Mary Jo, and Ashton came in to spend the weekend. We're having a great time, and the cousins are having fun re-connecting. Yesterday we went to spend time in the nation's capital, thankfully missing the anti-war protests by just a day. It was still difficult to find parking, as the city was full of holy-day weekend tourists. Here's an essay in pictures.

We saw this (the trees are about two weeks from their peak):

This was a big hit:
As was this:

Great times were had by all, even long-suffering Wyatt:

Of course, all that walking makes for hungry bellies. Thankfully, we had some cookies and pop along to replenish the hungry bodies. We ate our snack on the sun-warmed marble ledges, and enjoyed the perfect weather:

Ashton's consensus of the day and DC in general:

Changes

2008-02-29T10:17:00.003-06:00

Yes, it's still (D)rivvel Supp. I'm trying to give myself a makeover. It's much like giving your own perms, highlights, and in many cases, doing a redecorating project. It just looks a little "off." I'll be tinkering in the days to come, so don't be alarmed if you get some scary, home-made-looking stuff popping up from time to time.

All this stuff comes from Li Fhung's "China Blue" kit. She generously allows its use for blogs as long as credit is given--no matter how crummy it makes her look! Brave, confident designer, she.

Remember Emilee Olson

2008-02-25T10:59:00.004-06:00

I've just read that one of the four students killed in that horrific bus crash in Minnesota was a Chinese adoptee, adopted as an infant from Anhui province. She leaves behind two brothers. From the touching video posted here, it appears that one of her brothers is also an Asian adoptee.

To the China-adoptive community members who read my blog: I understand that the Cottonwood, MN community is small enough that a card addressed to the family will get to them without a complete address. Also, online condolences can be sent by going to "Obits/Condolences" at this site.

More Florida

2008-02-16T11:26:00.004-06:00

Maybe this will make me feel warmer.

New Digital Kit

2008-02-15T13:19:00.004-06:00

This is from a brand new kit by a designer who lives in Hong Kong. Her stuff is absolutely stunning. Her elements are unusual and fresh, and she has gorgeous papercuts in this kit. You can find Lie Fhung's creations here.

(D)rivvel Supp

Blogger woes

China: Day 2

China: Day 1

Wordless Sunday

Blessed Easter, my friends!

Staying Classy

A Cause to support

Tea for Two

One more...

Tim Hawkins

{{Poor Baby}}

Guess...

Teleprompter Withdrawal

Seventeen years

A Morning at the Park

I <3 Faces

Doll alert for you China moms

Monday Palate Cleanser

Oh my.

GDA: SanDisk 8GB memory cards

Family Calendar III

Family Calendar II

Family Calendar

Excellence

To Ponder...

He is Risen?

Currently Playing

We so proud.

Grandpa's Send-off

Grandpa

Four!

Cuteness Overload Alert

Four Years Ago Today

Preschoolers--gotta love 'em

If you have a couple bucks you want to give away...

'Tis the Season

GDA!

For the Woman who has Everything

FanTAStic

Cooking with ConvictsMartha

My Baby Girlz

Rachel's Children

Wordless Tuesday

"If my people..."

"Exposure to true information does not matter anymore."

More baby

Change for the Hope and the Hope for the Change

Saturday Funny

Aging in Office

More Joe (from Scranton, not The Plumber)

More Sarah

I love this woman

Back to School

For Terynn Teri, soon-to-be-famous-author: "Sonseed"

Playing with babies

Arrrrh!

Little Dumpling, continued

Christmas or Birthdays Gift Idea

Baby A

The Sacrament of Abortion

Sen. Biden's Speech

Gov. Palin's Speech

Plugging my family (link-o-rama)

Newest Niece

Reunions Part Tsvei

Reunions Part Eins

Shangrao Shindig

Berries!

A day in the life

New toy

Great Find!

Fun at Grandma's house

Adoption Retreat

Chirp!2

Scrapping again

Chirp!

Ordinary Sunday

It's June!

It's one or the other