Happy Independence Day

Our little American beauty wishes you an absolutely blessed holiday!

We are going to Colorado for a few days but will have lots to post when we return.

It was kind of a big week...

Last week/weekend was a very fun and busy one around here. On Tuesday, Lindy started off her morning by going up to our church to practice her flower girl duties. Because of some behaviors Lindy has been displaying recently, we felt like a little practice before the rehearsal would do her some good. I really think she needed that time to see Matt & Ashley and get used to the concept of what she'd be doing. Thankfully, she saw the wedding episode of L*ittle B*ill at least two times last week, too, to help get her in the mood and calm her fears.


Promptly after that, we went for her final "show" at the L*ittle G*ym. She was very excited to have Denisa, Matt, and Ashley there to watch her do some of her tricks.



After the medal presentation, we went to lunch. Have you ever known a bride to eat a cheeseburger and fries right before her wedding? Our special bride did!!!


On Thursday, we went to one of our favorite local theatres and saw The Three Bears Go to the Beach. It was lots of fun and Lindy really enjoyed herself. She even started to show signs of getting over her fear of characters by inching on to the stage. Every time they came near, though, she crept back on her mat.



After a week of appointments (not mentioned) and activities, the day before the wedding was FINALLY here. In the afternoon we went to a lovely tea at the home of the maid of honor's. Although it was STRAIGHT up naptime, Lindy behaved like a complete little lady. She had so much fun visiting with all the ladies and feeling like a big girl by hanging out with the bridesmaids.




Not long after the wonderful tea--with sweets galore--we headed to the church for rehearsal. Lately, our very extroverted child, has been going through a more apprehensive, "I'm scared" phase. I anticipated she might clam up and be semi-uncooperative once all the wedding party was there and all eyes were on her. While she did withdraw some at first, she quickly got into the festive mood and was really excited about being on the stage and around the bridal party. It really helped that the maid of honor is a Kindergarten teacher, so we dubbed her as Lindy's special friend.



After a quick and efficient rehearsal, we went off to have some yummy Mexican food for the rehearsal dinner.



It was a late night but exciting one for Lindy and she enjoyed every moment and ate her weight in tortilla chips. It wasn't long before morning arrived and it was time for us to get ready to go to the church. I was pretty nervous. I so wanted her to look beautiful, be calm and feel peace, and do a good job. I had complete faith that she COULD do it but wasn't entirely convinced that she WOULD do it. Because she openly communicated MANY times during the week that she was nervous, I did my best not to dwell too much on the subject but enough to drive home her important role. Earlier in the week I had decided to offer an "incentive" to encourage her good behavior and celebrate her big responsibility. As far as I can recall, this was the first time I've ever done this and she had a hard time grasping the concept. During the week while we were in a boutique, she fell in love with a hot pink flower ring and I asked her if she would like that as her reward. It was at that time her flower girl role became known as "Operation Pink Ring."

We got to the church and it seemed like things happened so quickly from there. She loved getting ready right next to Ashley and the bridesmaids and couldn't peel her eyes away from all the beautiful dresses, jewelry, and pretty shoes.





She cooperated like a pro during the pre-Wedding photos and remained calm, neat, and not-sweaty before the ceremony. About five minutes before the ceremony, Don and I left her with the wedding coordinator and the bridal party and wished her well so we could take our seats. I'll be honest. I was a nervous wreck! Moments passed and the ceremony started. One by one each member of the party came in. I didn't know Lindy was actually walking until he beamed at me with pride and said, "She's doing it!" I leaned over to the aisle, saw my beautiful daughter, and LOST it. Something about the anxiety, Pachelbel's Canon in D, the beautiful wedding atmosphere, and then seeing Lindy walking down the aisle sent me over the edge. I got a hold of myself but certainly wasn't at all prepared for the feeling that had come over me. She was so good during the ceremony and proud doesn't really capture all that I felt about how well she did.

I didn't get a lot of pictures of her because the lighting was difficult and I didn't want to compete with the photographer. However, here are some...









The reception was at a beautiful location downtown. It didn't take long for her to chow on some food, get some frosting, and hit the dance floor. That's when she got sweaty!



Lindy was super excited because rumor had it that Matt and Ashley were going to leave via a horse-drawn carriage. Being an avid Cinderella fan, she couldn't wait to see that!

So, she grabbed a handful of rose petals and waited for Matt and Ashley to come down the elevator and waited--not so patiently--to see the horse and carriage.


Within a few minutes they came down and in what seemed a blink of the eye they were off...

...to live happily ever after...



The End!

LLLLLLLindy LLLLLLLoves LLLLLLLollipops

Has wuck would have it, our wittle Windy Wi has a wittle trouble pronouncing her "Ls." I think that's fairly common for kids, so I'm not too worried about it. We try to practice "L" words so she can get the hang of it...

One of her favorite things starts with an "L." Here she is tackling a monster-sized one she received for her birthday. It may last until she turns five.

School's out...

...for summer!

Sadly, Lindy was sick and unable to attend her end-of-year program on May 18th. However, she did recover for her Fun in the Sun day on May 21st.

I can't believe my girl already has one year of preschool under her belt. I have absolutely no regrets about putting her into school this past year and can't wait to see what awaits her in Miss 'Berta's class next year.

Here are a few shots of my bathing beauty...

That fan sure does feel good when it is hot!

Yep, I'm beautiful!

Lindy and Mia--sweet friends...

Enjoying some ice cream with the girls...

Thanks, Miss Theresa for being a wonderful teacher!!!

Fun turning four

On May 8th, our sweet girl turned four! I am still in denial that I have a four year old. All week long Lindy asked, "Is today my birthday?" She was just a little excited. At the beginning of her birthday week we told her Daddy was going to take the day off work and we were going to surprise her with a special treat. When the morning of her birthday arrived, she was a bit confused when I put a bathing suit on her under her clothes. She was so absolutely darling as she proclaimed, "I bet I know what the surprise is...We're going to go outside and play in the sprinkler." I absolutely LOVE that about Lindy. She is excited over the very little things and that would've been enough for her. It is a reminder to me that I need to be grateful for the little things and find joy in them.

We had a bit more up our sleeve than the sprinkler, though. On the way to the surprise she was so excited and patient. She registered guesses such as, "we're going to swimming class," "we're going to the donut store," and "we're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house."

The real surprise was that we took her to Sea World. She'd been one other time (when she was about 14 months) when we had family in town but she had no recollection of her first experience.

Despite the EXTREME heat and humidity, we had an incredible day!

Lindy loved seeing the dolphins and sort of liked feeding them. She was a little hesitant at first, but who wouldn't be with those teeth?

She got a kick out of watching Clyde and Seamore.

She was mesmerized by Shamu...

She laughed at wearing funny glasses during the 4D Pirate movie.

She loved playing and cooling off in the water.

After a full day at Sea World, we took the birthday girl for pizza and then headed home for some presents and cake. After listening to about 10 minutes worth of phone messages and birthday greetings, she sat got to check out what was in the various purple, pink, and princess packages and tear open many birthday cards. We were thrilled our dear friend, Denisa, could join us.

We had a wonderful day together and look forward to the many exciting things four will bring!
(Although, EARLY yesterday--Mother's Day--she woke up with her first ear ache. Having her first ear infection and being on her first round of antibiotics is not the exciting kind of stuff I mean.)

Patience

Patience

Give me patience when little hands
Tug at me with small demands,
Give me gentle words and smiling eyes
And keep my lips from sharp replies,
So in years to come when my house is still
Beautiful memories its rooms may fill.

~Author unknown

Dear Lindy,

I LOVE being YOUR Mommy!!!
Thank you for giving me another reason to celebrate today!

xoxo~
Mommy

Thoughts for my three year old

Dear Lindy~

As you've been napping this afternoon, I've been thinking about how blessed I am to be your mommy. I am sad that there is only one more sleep until you turn four, yet I know you couldn't be more excited.


That's you my sweet girl. Pure excitement and joy. Your infectious belly laugh keeps me in stitches and sometimes it makes it hard to correct and discipline you because you are so goofy and crack me up. Your personality lights up a room and you bring cheer everywhere you go. You are love and happiness and you make me so proud.


There are so many things I love about you. I love your honesty, I love that you are kind and have a tender and compassionate heart, I love that you are giving, and I love your nurturing spirit. I love that you don't hold grudges. I pray you will never lose these wonderful qualities.

I know you don't understand why it is hard for me to see you grow up. It is hard to explain. Lately, it almost feels like I've been working myself out of a job. It is kind of silly but it is a mom thing. You grew a little bit and now can get up and down off the toilet ALL by yourself. You get dressed on your own and even try to put yourself to bed without my help. There are so many things you can do and that is wonderful! I know you still need me, though. I look around and see all the messes and handprints everywhere and complain about it but when I look at those little handprints I know they won't always be there and that makes me kind of sad. They represent your childhood and that is going so, so fast.
Sweet girl, since the moment you were placed into my arms I've wanted to protect you from every bump, bruise, cut, scrape, hurtful word, mean person, shattered dream, and broken heart. In this topsy, turvy, mixed up world, I know I won't always be able to do that. However, I want you to know the answer to the question you often ask, will always be, "yes, Lindy, I will ALWAYS love you."

I love you~
Mommy

In case of a fire...

Our girl is almost four (sob, sob) and completely independently Don and I have been trying to teach her some important life lessons just in case...

Last night Don fired up the grill and Lindy was outside with him while he was cooking. During dinner, Don asked Lindy to tell me what to do in case of a fire. Lindy's response was a definitive, "Stop, drop, and eat."

Now that's my girl but I'm not sure she'll be enrolling in the fire academy anytime soon...

Putting it all together

One of my biggest concerns about sending Lindy to preschool was lunch. She's a pretty good eater but S-L-O-W and easily distracted. As presumed, our little social butterfly spends too much time chatting and not enough time chowing. As a result, she often comes home from school hungry or with a lot of her lunch left in her box. I've tried various approaches to get her to eat at school but I haven't found the one that works yet. While I'd like for her to eat it all, I more importantly want her to eat the healthiest things first and then move on to the snack type foods. I know her appetite will vary depending on what she ate for breakfast that morning and other factors.

Last Monday prior to school, Don joined my efforts and strongly emphasized that she needed to eat her lunch...Lindy must've taken the talk with Daddy to heart because she announced to her teacher that she needed to eat ALL her lunch or she was going to be in big trouble. Unfortunately, this did not keep her from talking up a storm during lunch. So when it came time to go to the playground, Lindy was in a panic because she hadn't finished all her lunch. Lindy's teacher let her take her carrots to finish up outside but said she was pretty sure her mommy and daddy wouldn't mind if she left a few pretzels. At that moment, Lindy looked at her teacher and said, "Ms. Theresa, you are the devil."

I was a bit mortified when her teacher told me that Lindy had called her the devil but then when I heard the story it all made sense. A few weeks ago, Lindy asked me what temptation is and what it means to be tempted. I gave her some examples and told her how the devil will put people around us to tell us it is okay to do or not something, even when we know better. We've also talked a lot about making good choices that will please God or bad choices that don't please God. Well, in her little mind she thought Ms. Theresa was tempting her to go against us.

So, on the way home from school that day we talked about how Ms. Theresa wasn't the devil and wasn't trying to tempt her to do something wrong and that we trust Ms. Theresa to help Lindy do the right thing and make wise decisions. It is fascinating to watch her trying to put all these challenging life concepts together and make sense of them. I pray this sweet child will continue to have wisdom and discernment and strive to make good choices and while I'm at it, I pray she'll have a little more tact, too.

March madness and April showers

Well, once again it has been ages since I've posted to our blogs or ventured to blogland. Before I get too much more behind, I'm going to attempt to catch up and write about some of what our girl was up to in March and so far this April... The last couple of posts showed Lindy's goofy side and we continue to marvel at all her crazy antics, her ever-growing vocabulary, and zest for life.

Here's some of the March madness:

On the 14th, Lindy attended a super fun cooking birthday party for one of her classmates. She loves being in the kitchen at home and really had a blast making homemade pizzas and sugar cookies. She also loved the fun little personalized apron she received. It was great fun and I tip my hat to the host parents for being so brave and organized to pull this off without incident.



After Valentine's Day, we told her the next "holiday" would be St. Patrick's Day and the importance of wearing green so she wouldn't get pinched. Well, Lindy proceeded to dwell on St. Patrick's Day for the entire month. She even dreamed that I didn't dress her in green for St. "Packnship" Day and that she got "poked" as a result. The night before St. Patrick's Day, her dad assured her I wouldn't forget.

When the important day arrived, she ended up being disgruntled that she didn't have a green shirt on, even though she had green bottoms, shamrock socks, and a green and white bow...That kid...

Moving to April:

Lindy loved welcoming April by trying her hand at April Fool's jokes. She got a big laugh from them but, between you and me, her delivery needs a bit of work, as do the knock knock jokes she's taken a liking to.

April 3rd was the third anniversary of us being a family. How can it be that three years ago this little creature was placed into my arms? Lindy continues to delight us daily and astound us with all she knows and has become. We are blessed beyond measure and praise God that He chose this very special girl to be our daughter. Fittingly, we spent the evening with other families who have been blessed by adoption or are waiting to adopt.
On April 5th, we attended our friend Ashley's bridal shower. Lindy is going to be Ashley's flower girl and she couldn't wait to attend this mysterious thing called a shower.


She behaved like a sweet little lady and had lots of fun! Thankfully, our friend Emily entertained her with her pink iPh*ne, too! The shower was during her naptime, so she missed some sleep but it didn't take long for her to zonk out in the car...

On April 8th, Lindy spent the day with her Auntie 'Sisa and what a full day it was. They colored eggs together and also baked the most adorable bunny cake you've ever seen and boy was it delish! Since our kitchen was torn up and being worked on, I wasn't able to do any special Easter activities with Lindy. I was glad she had this opportunity to do this with Denisa.


On April 9th, Lindy had her Easter party at school. She had fun doing crafts, listening to stories, and competing in the egg hunt. When there is candy at stake, the girl boogies.



As if there hadn't been enough fun that day, it was also Grandpa Osborn's birthday. Since he was in town laboring very hard in our kitchen (thank you SO much), we gave him the night off and took him out to celebrate his special day at the Cheescake Fact*ry. Lindy loves parties and was happy to be able to sing to her grandpa and celebrate with him.


On April 10th, we were invited to a barbeque at the home of our friends, Daryl and Lori. They were especially excited to have Lindy meet their neighbors' alpacas. I was expecting the alpacas to live in a field and figured we'd see them through a fence. To my surprise, we met Barnum, Bailey, and Barney up close and personal and Lindy got to feed them. We were told alpacas are kind of shy and Lindy quickly learned to be fairly quiet and not run after them. She was very brave and got right in there and fed them without hesitation.

This Easter, it was so wonderful hearing Lindy tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection. She easily spoke of the empty tomb, the women who came to the cave with spices and found it empty, and the angel who told them to not be afraid. I'm so thankful for all the wonderful teachers she has at church and school who've helped her grasp the greatest story in the Bible. While we celebrate His death and resurrection every week and don't just view Easter Sunday as the one day to dwell on its significance, we welcome the opportunity to think about it more during this time of year. We also look forward to the arrival of the Easter Bunny and a small basket of goodies. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Caples for the adorable dress she wore for Easter!


While her Grandma and Grandpa Osborn were in town, Lindy learned to share the TV with Grandma so she could watch her favorite--F*x News. Truthfully, Lindy doesn't watch a lot of TV, so we are teasing about having to share. Anyway, somewhere along the way, Lindy must've caught the buzz about the tea parties on April 15th because when I turned it on to view the one held in San Antonio, within minutes I saw Lindy had set up her own tea party. Just another reminder to be careful about what we're saying, viewing, and listening to as this little girl has already voiced her political views at preschool!

Wow! I'm exhausted from trying to recall so many things that have been happening. Maybe that will be incentive not to wait so long to write. The days are busy, as well as the nights and sometimes they just spill into one another and before I know it, a month is gone. There are many milestones, moments, and memories I haven't written about that I hope I can hang onto, as well, but I hope you've enjoyed just a few of them.

Lindy Li discusses her mommy

I got tagged once or twice with this on Facebook and finally got around to interviewing Miss Lindy Li. It was very entertaining to hear her answers and surprising, too (14 and 15 especially).

Here's what you are supposed to do: Ask your child(ren) the questions and type in their answers as they say them. Tag other folks with older kids who might have fun with this. :)

Lindy-age 3
Interviewed March 20, 2009

1. What is something Mommy always says to you? I love you.
2. What makes Mommy happy? When I eat my lunch all gone and when I clean up my room.
3. What makes Mommy sad? Breaking her stuff.
4. How does your Mommy make you laugh? By doing silly jokes.
5. What was your Mommy like as a child? A little girl.
6. How old is your Mommy? Mmmm...let me guess. 28
7. How tall is your Mommy? Well, she's kind of short.
8. What is her favorite thing to do? Snuggle.
9. What does your Mommy do when you're not around? She works.
10. If your Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for? Being a princess.
11. What is your Mommy really good at? Cooking...You're the best cooker.
12. What is your Mommy not very good at? Does it start with a t? Well, I don't know...
13. What does your Mommy do for her job? Go grocery shopping.
14. What is your Mommy's favorite food? The bird? Red R*bin? I don't know. Chinese? What is it, Mommy?
15. What makes you proud of your Mommy? I'm proud of you when you sew.
16. If your Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be? Cinderella--the best of the best.
17. What do you and your Mommy do together? Sometimes we watch movies, go to T*rget, and L*ttle Gym.
18. How are you and your Mommy the same? We have the same lips, toes, and privates.
19. How are you and your Mommy different? We have different skin, different eyes, different teeth. 20. How do you know your Mommy loves you? By snuggling and hugging.
21. Where is your Mom's favorite place to go? T*rget.

If you have kids, play along if you'd like. It is fun to hear their answers!

What?

The other day Lindy walked into the bathroom (you can't see the princess shoes) looking like this and said, "Mommy, some cowboys look like this."

I'm concerned and a little mortified, too, on so many levels...

February Finale'

For a short month, February seemed VERY full...Since it seems like I keep falling REALLY behind on blog entries, I'm going to do a recap of some more of the February highlights rather than individual blog posts.

Lindy attended two birthday parties...

She helped Bethany celebrate turning three.
We were also privileged to celebrate sweet baby Elleanna's first birthday at a local tea room.


Elleanna's mommy brought special hats for the guests to wear.


Elleanna's brother, Declan, brought flowers for all the ladies and some fun girly things for Lindy. I can officially say that was Lindy's first flower and jewelry from a boy. On a bittersweet note we had to say, "goodbye" to our friends. They are moving back to North Carolina tomorrow because their daddy is scheduled to come home from serving in Iraq next week. We hate to see them go but know it is for a really good reason!

Lindy continues to explore her career interests. She has already told me she wants to be a teacher, a doctor (funny she's terrified of them), and just last week a ballerina. She loves to cook and it is an everyday occurrence for her to pull up a chair and help me cook. On Valentine's Day she helped daddy make pancakes.



She explored her doctor skills with new friend and nursing student, Katie.

She also shows signs of being a photographer. Nothing like having a three year old as the best picture taker in the household.



Let's see what else??? Well, as you can see in the last photo, Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. My parents had really wanted to see Lindy in her own element again--cooking, imagining, playing princess, etc. They asked for it, they got it! From the moment they stepped foot into the house until they left, they were playing dress-up, princess, acting out scenes from Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, playing restaurant, and playing part in a half a dozen more scenes. I'm not sure I'd ever seen my dad play a woman before or dance at the ball. Such fun...

We took a couple hours away from the constant stage productions at our house (and in our car) to enjoy a yummy breakfast downtown and the stage production of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. It was a lot of fun! I have to brag on my mom and thank her for making Lindy's darling pinafore.


Lindy also got her long-awaited mani and pedi. I hate how big she looks in these pictures. Where oh where is my baby girl? We had a lovely week together.

She also got a sneak peek at the flower dress she is going to wear for Ashley's wedding. I won't post pictures but I must say she looks very lovely in it and once it came out of the bag, she didn't want to put it back. Here she is after just seeing it.


These are just a few of the things that happened during February. Some days can seem mundane and even a little stressful but when I reflect and look back at these pictures, I also know there are many fun moments, too, and for that I feel so fortunate.

Meeting Grace Lin

A little over a week ago Lindy had the privilege to meet children's author and illustrator, Grace Lin, thanks to our friends Shannon and Bethany. If you aren't familiar with her work, she has written and illustrated many books. Most are about Chinese customs and culture and they are very colorful and fun!

Ms. Lin was speaking at a local elementary school and we caught the tale end of her presentation to the kindergarten group and her entire presentation for the first and second graders. She was great with the kids and we got to hear her read some of her work, learn about Chinese customs, and watch her teach the older kids how to draw an ox.


She was very sweet and accommodating to allow me to take a couple of pictures and autograph books. After her presentation she drew and autographed a picture of a rooster to signify the year in which Lindy was born and a dog to signify Bethany's year.



While I would've loved to snatch up a whole feast of her books and have them signed, I exercised some restraint and limited myself to two: Fortune Cookie Fortunes and The Red Thread (which somehow we didn't have).

Valentine's Day party

One thing I really love about being blessed to stay at home with Lindy is that I can participate in her school functions. Yesterday she had her Valentine's Day party at school.

Beforehand, she had homework--to decorate her treat bag.

So on Wednesday morning she spent time blinging her bag. She was thrilled to use glue, stickers, and glitter glue. Have I mentioned I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to crafting with Lindy? She is a messy child and being messy doesn't bother her ONE BIT.
In the past I've experienced some frustration when doing these types of activities with her because she just won't sit and work on something for very long. (Did I mention she's three?) This time I was so proud that she sat there for a while intently working on her assignment.

She was very proud of the end result and if you'll notice the shiny streak of glitter glue, that is NOT a mistake. It is a very intentional #1 according to Miss Lindy. They've been studying numbers in school this month.


The mothers take turns volunteering to help with the parties. The first station was a food activity. YUM! She LOVED frosting and decorating her little heart cake and subsequently savored every pink morsel!

After the food station, she went and played games and sang songs...

Here she is showing off her Valentine bead heart that she made.


Then it was time for some fun on the playground. I'm glad she stuck to the swings since she was wearing a dress (thanks Grandma & Grandpa) and tights and maryjanes...

I really have to hand it to teachers. After 90 minutes in a school environment, I'm EXHAUSTED! I feel so thankful for the love and commitment they show for kids on a daily basis!

Happy Valentine's Day!

One can only wonder...

...how this happened at preschool.

BTW, anyone have any tips on removing Play-Doh from clothing?

San Antonio Asian Festival

Last Saturday while Mommy was away, Daddy took me to the San Antonio Asian Festival downtown. We met up with my little friend, Lily, and her mommy and daddy. I got to wear my pretty Chinese dress and Daddy even put a matching red and gold bow in my hair. I liked hanging out with Lily. I'm quite the helper when it comes to Lily and Miss Elissa is very patient with me when I help.

Our first stop was to watch the Chinese Lion Dancers. Truth be told, I was kind of scared at first...Between the big scary lions and the loud drums, I got kind of worried. Daddy took care of me and after a while I had lots of fun watching and listening. The lions are so colorful!


A big part of the fun was eating some yummy food! I am a big fan of Chinese food and I frequently request it. I especially love dumplings, wonton soup, egg drop soup, and fortune cookies. I also love to eat sushi but we didn't get any at the festival. Confucius says, "Wise man steers clear from sushi sold at festivals..." My daddy is pretty wise, no matter what Mommy says sometimes.


There was a lot to see and do at the festival--more than we could fit in during three hours. Daddy decided it was time to go when the REALLY big men in REALLY big diaper-looking outfits came out and were hugging each other. I thought that was pretty silly. I have already been asking to go again. Maybe next year Mommy will get to go. I'm really glad my daddy is so much fun and took me out for a fun Saturday outing.

The End

Words...

How can it be that three months from today, my baby will be four years old? That sounds REALLY old to me. Okay, okay, it might not be really old but it sounds less like a baby and more like a kid. I haven't been blogging as much recently because we've been busy with life and sometimes it doesn't seem like there are as many milestones to record as when she was a baby and toddler. Neither my photography skills or equipment are good enough to warrant just taking and posting a bunch of pictures of her. However, every day I'm amazed by my sweet child and fully aware that she is changing and showing more signs of being a bigger kid...

One of the areas I see Lindy growing by leaps and bounds is in her language skills. Lindy is a very verbal child and has been that way for what seems like forever. If you've met her, you know I'm not exaggerating and I don't say that to brag. She speaks very clearly and uses big words and long sentences. Hmmm...somewhere in the recesses of my memory I remember a chubby little girl who got teased at school for that very same thing.

Lindy cracks me up with what she says and lately I've really noticed that she isn't just talking in such a random manner but that she's carrying on(and dominating) very full, deep, and long conversations. She also experiments with words and sometimes she uses certain words in perfect context, other times she's not quite there...
Within the last couple of months I've heard her exclaim, "awesome," "that's cool," and, much to my chagrin and surprise, "that's BORING," and "I hate this." BIG NO NO! She also says, "whatever" but not the sassy version. Just the laid back, go with the flow version...The other night over a Philadelphia cheesesteak, she saw a picture of the Liberty Bell (which she still calls the Crackin' Bell) and said, "Don't look at me, I didn't do it."
I really felt the twinge of her big girl ways when I heard her make mention of H*nnah M*ntana not too long ago in a store. What?! Where on earth did that come from? Since then, she's mentioned H*nnah M*ntana several times and commented that she has long, straight, yellow hair and that she sings. Not sure who is sneaking this stuff to her but so far the J*nas Br*thers haven't come up as a topic, so I feel pretty safe that we haven't been completely infiltrated by Disney.
As I hear Lindy adding more words to her vocabulary, learning how to use them, and wanting to know what they mean, I am reminded how important it is for me to make good choices with the words I choose and how I use them.

There are so many challenges that come with raising a child and one of them is the added accountability. I think this verse in Proverbs 16:24 is perfect to dwell on and share with Lindy, "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."

So, here's to sweeter souls and healthier bones for all of us!!!

A very princess Christmas

Although we try not to be excessive with gifts, it would be impossible to cart them to where ever we are for Christmas. So, while Santa had located Lindy in Colorado, we celebrated our Christmas at home on New Year's Eve. Santa, Mommy and Daddy, and some of Lindy's other gift givers were all on the same page when it came to Christmas 2008. The theme was definitely princesses, princesses, princesses.





Lindy also got a great art easel from Grandma and Grandpa.

She still LOVES to cook in the pink kitchen she got last year and was happy to get some new gadgets for the kitchen.


It would be easy to have a complete priss on our hands but we also want to appeal to her athletic side, too.

While most of the presents were for Lindy. Mommy and Daddy got a couple, too...



For years I always heard people talking about how kids make Christmas fun and what a blast it is experiencing it through their eyes. After having Lindy for three Christmases now, I totally get it.

Colorado Christmas

Better late than never, I am finally documenting our Christmas in Colorado. We spent close to a week in Estes Park visiting Don's family. Twelve guests and one puppy converged on what I imagine is normally a quiet household in a very peaceful location with deer, elk, and an occasional bobcat in the yard...


Lindy was very excited to play with her five cousins. No offense boys, but she especially enjoyed playing princess with Sadie (19 months), Livi (3.5), and Brooke (6.5).


She also enjoyed being with her grandparents and aunts and uncles.




There were presents on Christmas eve, as well as Christmas morning. Santa with all his wisdom managed to find Lindy in Colorado. On Christmas morning the first thing Lindy asked was, "Is there snow?" Then she quickly followed up with, "Did Santa come?" What fun it was watching all the kids open their treasures...



There wasn't nearly as much snow as we had hoped for and there was a whole LOT more cold than we could fathom. It was REALLY cold and REALLY windy. Thankfully, the natives hooked us up with some extra gear to protect us from the elements and help keep us warm so that we could venture out in the snow and walk the streets of Estes.





On our last day in Estes we went to a local glass shop where the artisans make their wares in front of the public. It was fun to watch the artist construct a bowl in a matter of minutes.


Despite many of the family members fighting sickness, everyone had fun playing, visiting, shopping, watching sports, and of course--EATING.

Stay tuned for another post about Christmas and some other pre-Christmas catch up posts.

Merry Christmas

Dear Family and friends~

I hope all of you will have a very merry Christmas and that Santa will be good to you. I will be back in a few days to tell you about my Christmas and to catch you up on some things I did before Christmas.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Love~
Lindy Li-Xiao

Dear Santa all I want for Christmas is...

Lindy really wants nothing to do with the big guy with the beard and red suit. She says, "Sometimes I'm a little shy." If you've met Lindy, you know that's typically not the case but I'm okay if she's shy about Santa and am not going to force Santa Claus on her if she's not ready. We had been asking her what she would like for Santa to bring her and she hadn't really expressed a desire in anything. This is the kid who picks up acorns, leaves, and styrofoam peanuts and calls them her special treasures.

Then last week while I was making dinner she told me she was ready to write Santa a letter and asked if I could help her. I couldn't help her at the time but did inquire as to what she was requesting.

Her reply? "Diamonds. I want diamonds."
Lindy, you make your mommy proud!

November wrap-up

This post is completely out of order. I got so busy that I didn't post a lot of stuff from November and now I'm playing catch up a month later...

The week before Thanksgiving, Lindy helped celebrate two special birthdays. One was for her friend, Beck, who turned four.


The next day, we celebrated Daddy's birthday. We went to Outback and then later that evening had Mississippi Mud cake. YUM! It is Daddy's favorite and Lindy thought it was pretty special, too. I'm also a big fan and Don's cake always signifies the packing on of the holiday pounds--much to my dismay. :-(

To help celebrate Thanksgiving we went with our special friend, Denisa, to go see the Littlest Pilgrim at a local theatre. It was lots of fun and it was a great reminder about the importance of being thankful.



On November 21st we went to the Orphan's Ticket Home gala. Lindy's sweet face was featured on several of the centerpieces on the tables that evening. Sure, I see her face all day long but when I saw her pictures on the tables with other children who've been adopted, I got a bit verklempt...(Only people who watched old Saturday Night Live will get that word!) It was a great night and over $26,000 was raised to help children come home to their forever families.


I did manage to post about Lindy's Thanksgiving feast at school but we celebrated a lovely Thanksgiving with dear friends. Here are some pictures of the day which was fun and FILLING!!! We are thankful for friends who treat us like family.







I truly wish there was an extra month between November and December. I hate rushing Thanksgiving and obsessing about Christmas. I'd love to enjoy all of the holidays for their meaning and the special aspects of the season.

That about covers the remaining highlights of November. Now, I'm thinking about what I might post for December so far, since it is half over. Someone stop the madness!!!

Thanksgiving Feast

Last Thursday, Lindy's preschool had their Thanksgiving Feast. The 2s were the Turkeys, the 3s were the Indians, and the 4s were the Pilgrims. Lindy was given the name, "Fluttering Butterfly" and she decorated her vest with pink butterflies. That's a pretty appropriate name for her because that girl does know how to flit and flutter.


The children dined on turkey, grapes, apples, corn muffins with butter and honey, tater tots, cheese, and juice boxes--just like the early settlers. A very clever mom chose easy, healthy, relatively mess-free finger foods. Good thinkin'! After their feast they had fun playing games, like Stuff the Turkey.

I had fun being able to join Lindy and her schoolmates for the festivities and even got to help out some which was nice.
Lindy, aka "Fluttering Butterfly" would like to wish all her family and friends a very happy Thanksgiving!

Big day for the big girl

Today was a big day for our big girl. Lindy started preschool this morning. "What?" you ask. "Who starts their kid in preschool on a Thursday in the middle of November?" We did... On Tuesday night I got a call from my friend letting me know an opening had come up in the three year old class where she teaches and that she could begin on Thursday if we wanted.

To be honest, I've felt very behind the curve ball on the subject of preschool. I was under the notion that preschool was pretty much the same as day care and Mother's Day Out with a bit more structure, so I was very surprised when I learned so many of my SAHM friends sent their kids to school. I think Don just assumed she'd be home with me until Kindergarten and that we'd save the money and I'd continue to "homeschool" her to help prepare her academically. Lindy is a very social child and also gets a lot of socialization through bible classes, MOPS, and other interactions. I've seen her make great improvement in the area of getting along with other kids which really encourages and pleases me. I also work with her academically and I continue to see her develop and learn. However, there are some things that are just harder to model and teach when you have an only child who is very independent and pretty strong-willed. For the most part I think Don and I knew we'd send her when she was four to help get her ready for a full day at school and being in a classroom with a teacher and other children.

When the opportunity came up suddenly, I really think it nudged us both off the fence. Lindy has been BEGGING to go to school for at least a year now and I knew she'd be thrilled. When I thought about sending her at four, this is the school I wanted her to attend. It is a very small program at a local church and we know several of the kids and one of the teachers. It is also very close to our house and extremely inexpensive. I just never thought we'd get to send her there because it is pretty difficult to get into because of its size.

There are days that I thought the day she went off to school couldn't come fast enough. I know that sounds awful. It's true, though. Lindy is a wonderful child and my true delight but she's also very high energy and non-stop. She doesn't play with toys much but instead wants me to take part of her very large make believe world. The battery pack on her rarely gives out and it can be exhausting trying to keep up with her and listen to her talk ALL DAY LONG (a blessing, I know). So, given all that, you'd think I would've been shouting out for joy at the prospect of two days with time for myself. I did not. I did quite the opposite. I cried and have been crying on and off for two days. Start humming "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof in your head and that's how I've been feeling...

I've heard that from the moment you say hello to a baby, you're beginning to say goodbye. That was really how I felt today. As I brought Lindy into school, she was pretty much pushing through the crowd to get to her destination. She was so excited. I was so excited for her but as I walked out of her classroom and stood in the hallway to watch her and talk to another mother, Lindy caught me looking in on her and said, "Mom can you go away?" It sounds rude but I know that was my little girl's way of telling me she was fine...

Lindy had a great time. After I picked her up, we ran a quick errand and she kept telling me she needed to sit down for a rest. When we got home, she immediately took off her shoes and plopped on the couch and said, "Phew...that was a really good day." I wasn't even in the room so she wasn't addressing me. It was just her unwinding...

And me? Oh, I'll be fine...I'm thrilled about this opportunity that God sent us and I know it'll be great. I just feel kind of like the words of this song by Zach Gill:

Watch Them Grow

She’s close to God, I’m sure of that
She sits him down and they have a chat
She asks for sunshine and he agrees
You see for her, he’d do anything

You watch them grow then you let 'em go

She is a monkey and I’m her tree
Now she’s climbing all over me
Swinging on my vines dancing on my limbs
Her monkey sounds sound like angels hymns

You watch them grow then you let 'em go

She is an angel, she is an imp
She’s got a big toe and her mother’s lips
She gives fishy kisses and great big bear hugs
42 pounds of pure love
Then one day she’ll be 17, feeling too big for her home
Seems she was just only 3, oh how our children they grow

You watch them grow then you let 'em go

Then one day she’ll be 33, maybe with a child of her own
Seems she was just 17, oh how our children they grow

He’ll ask for sunshine and she’ll agree
You see for him she’d do anything
He is her child, the center of her world
She is his mother, my little girl

You watch them grow then you let 'em go

Can't go to school without eating a good breakfast...

I was able to get a couple shots of her before we left home but the lighting was awful.

As soon as she got there, she began playing.

She's in a class with all girls, including her friend, Mia.

I snapped this one from the pick up line. She's learning to use the rings and that you don't always get to be first or get the color handle you want.

A shot with her teacher, Miss Theresa.

Triple the fun

This past Sunday, Lindy attended a triple birthday party for her friends Maliah, Ava Claire, and Olivia who all just turned three. I'm not sure what was going on in China during February 2005 (maybe Chinese New Year) but almost all of Lindy's local friends were born nine months later (including Karleigh Mei who'll be coming home VERY soon). We've met all these girls this year and that has been a special thing for Lindy to have some friends who look like her. Lindy had a great time being with her buddies and eating pizza and cake.

The afternoon wouldn't have been complete without a group shot of all the girls. No sweat, right? These girls are used to having the Mammarazzi following them everywhere and constantly being photographed, so it would just be old hat. Nope. Try again. This feat actually was tougher than the mandatory Red Couch shots at the White Swan in Guangzhou. Here are the hilarious shots I caught...

That's sweet Lily, the youngest member at almost two, trying to make a get away.

Better luck next year...

Happy Birthday, girls! Thanks for including us in your special day.

Halloween Report

Lindy had a fun Halloween. Instead of trick-or-treating in the neighborhood, we went to Trunk-o-Treats in the church parking lot. It was a beautiful evening and she had lots of fun visiting people she knew and seeing how cleverly people had decorated their car trunks. She refused to stop playing the cake walk until she won a cake. My thighs thank you for the chocolate cake you chose, my dear...


I was in charge of picture taking but Don and Lindy ditched me from the get go, so we didn't get many pictures. Apparently, Don doesn't share my fondness for taking pictures as I didn't get any of him as Indiana Jones with his little fairy.






After Lindy gathered her weight in candy, we went to a party where we ran into this couple. Mom and Dad, I'm sorry. I really do try to keep better company.


Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween. Let the sugar rush continue!

Picnics, Pajamas, & Pumpkins

~~~Happy Fall~~~

This is a potpourri post of some stuff we've been up to the last few days...

On Saturday, we went to Don's company picnic. Actually, it was only a portion of his company but it was a big to-do at a fun local ranch. So Texas, I know. There was food galore (mainly BBQ), carnival rides, petting zoos, a rodeo, and arts and crafts. Lindy loved taking a pony ride, going on her first ferris wheel ride, feeding the longhorns, and making, "snores."

On Monday, the gym Lindy attends for gymnastics had a Pajama Progress Party because it was the halfway mark of their 20 week program. The parents got to be on the other side of the class and be with them during the session. Although I charged my battery, for some reason it died so I only got a few shots at the beginning of class and none of her on the gymnastics equipment. She was thrilled because she got to show off her princess pajamas and her daddy surprised her by showing up to watch.

This morning Lindy and I carved pumpkins. Okay, I carved and she played and fed the deer and birds the pumpkin seeds and goop and supervised as I free-handed his face...I truly believe this was the first time I had ever carved a pumpkin. I am a total novice and had no idea what I was doing, so I no doubt made several rookie mistakes like breaking Jack's bottom row of teeth, the stem, and making the lid too small so now it falls in unless I place it on top of him like a hat. Oh well, despite my broken thumbnail, the blisters on my thumbs, the fact that I'll be in traction from lifting this thing, it was good not-so-clean fun. Fortunately, there weren't any knife injuries! It was such a pretty day outside, it felt good to just do this on the back porch and enjoy the slight breeze, the beautiful blue sky, and the cool of the air.




Hope you're having a great week and enjoying the beauty of the season!

Highlights of Pennsylvania according to Lindy

We just got back from a magnificent trip to Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Each time we travel we are reminded how blessed we are to have such an easy-going, adaptable, flexible child. I truly don't like to brag about Lindy but she is a total trooper. She was an absolute dream and I'm so thankful things went as smoothly as they did.

I've asked Lindy what her favorite things about the trip were. In no particular order, I present some of the highlights of her trip to Pennsylvania:

Seeing the "crackin'" bell...
Seeing Grandma & Grandpa and having Grandma paint her fingernails.
Playing with that "little Chinese girl like me." AKA Hannah... Lindy is taller in this picture because she's wearing the coveted heels.

Playing with Emily.

Seeing the place where pennies are made. She found SEVERAL on this trip but sadly the mint doesn't give out complimentary souvenirs.

Meeting Mr. Cheese, Mrs. Megan, Connor & Clare (and Daisy, too). This family was the most influential in our decision to pursue adoption.

Meeting Olivia.

Playing with Kaci and seeing her chickens, peacock, and dog.

Going on a picnic in the Poconos and drinking lemonade.

According to her, she wasn't so fond of her parents' obsession with eating Philly cheesesteaks

or the scarecrows at Peddler's Village.

Our little traveler has now been to the east coast and can't wait to go back again!

The money laundress

So I've previously told you about Lindy's obsession with looking for money, right? This week she found 27 cents and for some reason two women in the store yesterday felt the need to give her change as we were waiting in line. Maybe we looked a bit scruffy? With those very benevolent contributions, that brought her total for the week to 34 cents. That's probably more than most people made this week, given the horrific week on Wall Street.

After her big find of a quarter on Wednesday, this is what I caught her doing when we got home.

That brings a whole new meaning to money laundering. I don't think this is an indicator to any future white-collar crimes. In fact, I'm just glad she actually has taken to heart that money is DIRTY.