journey of a blessed family

Busy with a husband, 4 kids, a full-time job outside the home, a couple ministries, shuttling kids to baseball, basketball, softball, trumpet lessons, flute lessons, violin lessons, (and the concerts and recitals that come with music lessons!), monthly trips to the hospital, an occasional moment to take a walk....it's no wonder I don't have time to blog anymore!!

The super-quick update is: We're doing great! Life is busy, but blessed.

We had some family pics taken recently for Mother's Day...here's my wonderful crew! I thank God daily for the gifts he has given me.

Ok, so about 4 hours ago I was proudly sharing the tale of my precious, WISE child G, right? How he so WISELY shared his joy of being part of our family and how great a year it had been because we'd come to get him from China...how much he loved us and would be with us FOREVER...hmmm...

Seems tonight at dinner he has changed his precious, little 4-year-old mind...He very matter-of-factly told me at the dinner table that he didn't like me, he likes his China mom...he doesn't want to live here anymore, he'd like to go back to her house....He wasn't upset or anything; just decided he was done with me.

oh well...tomorrow's another day...I'm sure he'll change his mind again (more than once, I'm guessing) Kids...gotta love 'em (and I sure do and ALWAYS will no matter how they feel about me on any given day) blessings....D

New Year's Eve, 10 pm...putting G to bed...
Me: "Goodnight G...Happy New Year! "
G: "Yep...you come China pick me up..."
Me: "Yes...we came to get you in China this year"
G: "You and daddy and J come get me in my China...bring me to A & E's house"
Me: "Yes...we brought you Home...to our house"
G: "Yep...whole family house...Mommy...I like dis house"
Me: "Will you stay here with me forever?"
G: "Yep...I like here"
Thank you, Lord, for a sweet ending to a wonderful though stressful and challenging year...How did my sweet little G...just 4 years old...know that's what 'Happy New Year' meant? How did he know to contemplate on the blessings of the year? I'm amazed and blessed by the wisdom of this little guy...I didn't blog it, but we had a similarly 'profound' Christmas blessing. Before eating Christmas Eve dinner, someone said, "we need to say the blessing before we eat" and without missing a beat, G said, "Thank you God...this food...and for Jesus come here...amen" :-) Short and Sweet, but he knows what's going on!!

No pictures right now, but wanted to share those sweet moments before they fell out of my head!! Blessings....D

Juggling a family of six and a full time job leaves one lacking in time to do the very important things in life like blogging!!! We're all still alive....G's still doing awesome--as are all the other kiddos....we're crazy busy as always...life is good. (GOD IS GREAT) One quick medical update - G continues to get his transfusions on a 4 1/2 week cycle and is doing very well with that....he was also evaluated by the cardiologist in the last couple weeks and will be having a catheter procedure in January to patch an Atrial Septal Defect (praise God it won't require open heart surgery) He will be getting a port about a month or two later to make his monthly blood draws and transfusions go a bit easier rather than having to insert iv's each time. I've only got a few minutes to post some pictures right now, but wanted you to see some of the stuff we've been up to....blessings to you all ~ d

Me and 3 young ones; My sister & husband & son & his fiance = glow in the dark bowling fun!

Chinese Moon Festival

E's first day of 1st grade

A's first day of 4th grade

J's first day of HIGH SCHOOL (don't you love the look...."Mom, I'm in high school now, I don't need you to take my picture")

G's first day of preschool

End of the summer family camping trip

Fall Break trip to visit our China travelmates (we met them in China...they were adopting their daughter when we were getting G) All 12 of us spent a few days together....Awesome friends...awesome family...LOVE EM

G's sweet friend, M! Aren't they adorable...a match made in...well...China to be specific!

Pumpkin carving....G's first time...he liked poking his pumpkin with the pattern tool and eating the toasted pumpkin seeds, but other than that wasn't all that thrilled with it

Yeah, so, it's been like 6 weeks since I posted anything....I don't even have a good excuse! (other than it's summer, so somehow schedules got even crazier than they were during school...and...I'm lazy and just haven't been on the blog lately....I guess that's excuse enough!)

The big kids start back to school in just 2 WEEKS, so maybe being back in a formal routine will help (although, I thought being OUT of that routine a couple months ago was going to help life not be so crazy....:-) I guess life with 4 kids is just crazy whether in or out of a routine!! (can I get an 'Amen' ?) J starts HIGH SCHOOL this year and, boy does that make me feel OLD. A will be in 4th grade, E will be in 1st grade and G is SUPER-EXCITED about starting preschool in just 3 weeks. He can't wait to ride the school bus with his brother and sister!!

The kids have had a good summer...nothing too out-of-the-ordinary...a little swimming, a little camping, a few trips to the amusement park, chasing lightning bugs, bike riding (and crashing), Vacation Bible School, basketball camp for J & A, drama camp for E, CSI camp for A, band camp for J, and general summertime fun.

I need to brag on my excellent little patient, G....since I updated you last he's had another transfusion and while he's done really great with all his medical stuff since he's been home, this month he made it through the IV without even a whimper--what a big, brave boy he is!! He actually was interested in helping the nurse with the iv and i think that was part of the reason he didn't seem to care that it might hurt. She let him help with taping the tube down and with attaching the blood line and when he was all finished he even got to take the needle out of his arm himself. (he WANTED to do it!) I was so proud of him for not only being a trooper and tolerating the treatment, but for wanting to take ownership of it and help with the process. He's amazing...I just love the way he faces everything head on. It's really been fun to watch him over these past 4 months and see the way he jumps into everything...he's curious and brave and loves to learn new things and figure out how things work--he's not afraid of anything!

A few pics of the past few months.....Enjoy!

Home from the hospital...made it through the sedation and MRI with flying colors (won't have the test results for a couple days); didn't have to have the transfusion today because his hemoglobin was still good (rescheduled for Tuesday). G's a little loopy today and can't walk on his own, so we're just hanging out watching tv and he's finishing up a nap right now. Just wanted to let you know.