Field Trip to Wal-Mart

It has been the winter doldrums. When it finally warmed up a little bit, it rained too much to go outside for long. Ryan had a field trip with school that he and Daddy went on to Wonders of Wildlife. BOTH of them learned about the food chain and got to see and touch a frog, a snake, a rabbit and an owl (they didn't touch the owl but it pooped on the floor, which Ryan thought was even more cool). Yes, though I don't have photographic evidence yet, Daddy touched a live snake. He wasn't even drugged (Daddy, though I guess the snake wasn't either). We're all very proud.

Alex was really mad Friday morning because he couldn't go on a field trip. To calm things down, I took him and Katie on their own field trip - to McDonalds for breakfast then to Wal-mart! Very exciting. They picked out new sunglasses and found those awful plastic croc-type shoes with all kinds of characters on them. Alex had to have Spiderman and Katie got Dora.(To be fair we got a pair of Cars shoes for Ryan...)

Here they all are modeling the sunglasses on a 40 degree, rainy, windy day.




We have big plans for Spring and Summer - if they ever get here.

Katie Hui's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Katie Hui!!!!

On March 1, my baby girl turned three! I gave her a big kiss and hug that morning and said, "Happy Birthday, Katie!" She gave me a big hug and beamed and said, "Happy Birthday, Mama!" She is doing so well - I am amazed by her. She is quite a mimick and loves to get ready with me in the morning. When I brush my hair, Katie has to use the brush next. She wants to brush her teeth and put on deodorant and make-up too. She has learned a lot of English and communicates well. We are going to have her evaluated again and she will start speech therapy through Eric's workplace. She is so affectionate and loving. She is smart and charismatic. She loves Ryan and Alex and they all three play very well together MOST of the time. We are so blessed to be her parents.

We celebrated Katie's birthday by taking the whole gang to Chuck E Cheese. The boys had never been before and they were all excited. Aunt Leah and her boyfriend Derek were there as well and we had a blast. They loved the games and "rides." Daddy and Ryan played a couple of fierce matches of air hockey. Aunt Leah and Ryan spent some serious time putting out fires on a fire-fighting large screen video game. Katie and Alex liked the slides, the "bumblebee" game and "Whack-A-Mole."
They all got some presents and Alex loved collecting "tickets" from the games. He did not want to turn them in for prizes...he just wanted the tickets.

Eric and I had the opportunity this last weekend to attend a Marriage Retreat in Branson that our church/Sunday school class sponsors. Christy and Leah watched the kids for the weekend and we had a wonderful time reconnecting as spouses. In particular, I learned a lot about how to better respect Eric as my husband and how expectations can really present problems in a marriage. I am very glad that Eric is my companion and partner in this life. I am proud to be his wife.

Here's to SPRING around the corner!!!!
The Cohen Clan

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

Happy Chinese New Year - 2008 the Year of the Rat!!

Katie's first New Year NOT in China. We celebrated quietly at home last night - singing a few songs and reading children's books (with DVD's) we brought from China.
There are two large celebrations in our area but due to schedules and illness - we probably won't be going this year. I'll plan on it for next year, though.

Alex was sick with the stomach flu for a few days and then night before last he fell against a chest of drawers and cut his forehead deeply. I took him to the office to put Dermabond (glue) and steri-strips on it.

Otherwise - all is well. Eric's back has bothered him on and off but it is better.

Below there is a selection on Chinese New Year from the web site: www.124Chinesenewyear.com

May everyone find peace and blessing in this year. We send our love and thoughts to China as they are suffering through the worst winter in 50 years with crises of snow, ice and cold (we can relate from last year!). Thank God for Half the Sky and Love Without Boundaries for helping the orphanages get warm blankets, clothes, food, water and fuel at this time. Also, my thoughts are with our friends at New Day as they continue their amazing work.

Eric, Lori, Ryan, Alex and Katie

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"Chinese New Year draws in when the chill north wind blows hard, and winter is at its peak. Chinese New Year is draped in age old traditions and beliefs. Chinese New Year presents us the rich heritage of one of the world's most ancient civilizations. The New Year or the Spring Festival is the most celebrated occasion as it is not just about holidaying but a time to reflect on the essence of ancient customs.

People in China believe that as they enter a new year, they should drop the last year into the silence limbo of the past. Common Chinese New Year Activity includes cleaning the houses from top to bottom, purchasing new clothes, paying off debts, painting their doors and window panes, and even getting new haircuts. Traditional Chinese New Year brings forth the essence of new life and new hopes.

There is no fixed date for Chinese New Year as it is celebrated in accordance with the lunar calendar. The Lunar calendar is based on the time the moon takes to go around the Earth. The origin of the Chinese New Year Calendar is deeply rooted in age old traditions, dating from 2600BC when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on the cyclical dating that is governed by the track record of the new moon. As a result, the beginning of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. A complete cycle, according to the Chinese calendar, takes sixty years and consists of five cycles of twelve years each.

One of the most important characteristics of Chinese New Year Calendar is that it names each of the twelve years after an animal. Tradition says that Lord Buddha had called for all the animals to come to him before he departed from the earth. But only twelve animals came to offer him farewell and as a token Lord Buddha named a year after each of the twelve animals in the order they arrived. According to the popular Chinese myth the animal ruling the year in which a person is born tremendously influences his or her behavior and traits.

The Spring Festival ceremoniously commences with the practice of offering a sacrifice to the Kitchen God. Kitchen God is a deity sent from Heaven to each house to take charge of family's affairs and make a report on what the family has done in the past year to Heaven annually on the date of the twenty-third. So with the preparations of feeding the Kitchen God, the celebrations of Chinese New Year gets kicked off.

Traditionally, the celebrations for the Chinese New Year last up to fifteen days. During these days, the Chinese wish each other by saying "Kung Hei Fat Choy" which means having a great fortune, or "Kung Hall Sun Hei", which implies happy New Year. Married couples give red envelopes with lucky money to their kids or relatives of their younger generations instead of giving presents. The money can be used to buy holiday treats.

The Chinese value their family as they consider it as a means to keep the family blood running. So, Chinese New Year is a pretext of family reunion, where folks of the family gather for feast and acknowledge the spirits of their forefathers. Traditionally dinner is usually a feast of seafood and dumplings, symbolizing prosperity and good wishes. Chinese New Year Dish includes prawns for liveliness and pleasure, dried oysters for all things good in life, raw fish salad to usher in good luck and prosperity, dumplings boiled in water signifying a long-lost good wish for a family and Fai-hai (Angel Hair), edible hair-like seaweed to bring prosperity for the family.

Chinese love excitement and merriment and New Year give them an opportunity to do so. Chinese New Year is characterized by street celebrations which include the performance of lion dance and dragon dance with exploding sound of fire crackers. The loud noise made by the fire crackers signifies the getting rid of sadness or bad events of last year and ushering in a good and prosperous coming year."

The Best Video I've Seen

I went to a women's conference last night here in Bolivar. Open to the community and non-denominational, it was a good experience as I was feeling weary and worn out with life's cares. It was great to see so many lovely faces - ladies I knew from various places. Women from 15 to 95 filled the auditorium - there were a lot of people there. We sang and there were skits. We prayed together and there were lots of hugs. It felt peaceful and powerful and right - sort of filled up the dry well of my soul with "living water." It is so good to know that I am not alone in my struggle to balance being a wife, career, motherhood, and navigating the joyful, painful, and often confusing world we live in. All of us were "in it together" so to speak.

While there I saw the most wonderful video - it truly affected me.
The feelings and images it evoked in me will stay with me for a long, long time.

I found it online today and felt the need to post it here.




These links also work - the first one is better quality and bigger, I think.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

Sometimes the problems of the world and of my paitents (who come to me for help) are so much bigger than I am. (Not sometimes - all the time.) Honestly, in the last few months I have sat hand in hand and heart to heart with a gentleman who lost his love of 50 years, a girl who can't stop cutting herself to try to relieve the pain in her heart, two women who are held captive by the need to self-medicate their pain with LARGE quantities of alcohol, one who lost her precious little one in the second trimester....I could go on and on.

There are no easy answers for these things - no quick fixes or magical solutions. When I cry with them and offer them what hope and help I know - the best I can really offer them is love. I can love them because I have known the unconditional love of the Father that gives me the strength every day to keep loving and hoping and fighting. I can hope that somehow, through prayer and the love of others, they can know the unconditional love and never-ending strength of the Creator that longs to "gather (My) children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings." (Matthew 23:37)

So when I look into the future and I am afraid - when I hate my own weakness and selfishness - when I cry for the suffering I see around me, I remember to huddle under His wings and to stop long enough to feel His arms around me and hear His whisper "and lo...I am with you always...even unto the end of Earth."

Lori

Haircuts and Pigtails

The kids got their hair cut at our friend/hairstylist Amy's yesterday.
Amy put Katie's hair up in pigtails for the first time and it looked so cute!
I had to take photos.

We are all doing well and we seem to have escaped the winter doldrums by staying so
incredibly busy. Everyone is healthy and we are looking forward to spring.

Go Patriots!!!

A blog for the new year

well, it's 2008 and since it is important for me to blog at least 1 time every 6 months so Lori has asked me to blog a little about the kids, Christmas and such. Pictures will follow.

Ryan is continuing his pre-school education in the new year. i am not sure why I send him since he is quick to tell everyone he is the smartest person in our family. I am beginning to think he may be right. He speaks more eloquently then me, his vocabulary is amazing (interestingly filled with words that sound like they came from TV shows and commercials), and he is very polite. Like all kids, he is ornery at home but I'm very proud of his performance and attitude at school.

Alex continues to learn how to be a big brother. He seems to be enjoying his new role as leader and role model for Katie. While they are great, the two of them together are dangerous. He continues to be shy at times and loud at others. He has the sweetest smile and loves to cuddle when he is tired (which is rarely naptime or sleep time). He is going through some sleep issues these days, but otherwise he is doing really well.

Katie's surgery on her thumb (we removed her extra thumb from birth) went well. Our surgeon was amazing. Everything seems to be going well and we are very excited. Katie took a while to get used to no cast or splint, but now it is an afterthought. Her speech and language are progressing very well. She loves her big brothers and spends a lot of time mimicking them.

The kids loved Christmas and got tons of great gifts. It was interesting seeing Katie's first chance to celebrate Christmas. She wasn't sure what to make of it all, but when books and toys start getting opened, it is easy to get into it. Lori got a chance to take the kids out in Katie's first snow, we went to Silver Dollar City (more on this with pictures later), and we enjoyed time with our families this holiday season. It was awesome.

it's been a trip of nostalgia for Lori and I as well. Lori got a chance to see an old High School friend and his mother. I have heard about Jon for years now and we finally got to meet. It was a wonderful evening and we enjoyed catching up/meeting each other. We hope to make it to New York City to visit with him sometime.

As for me, I have been in contact with a few old friends this past year. Marco and Jay from my high school years (I owe you both phone calls if you are reading this) and now Grant from my college years. It was awesome catching up with him today. I hope to catch back up with a few other friends this year.

Anyway, our family would like to thank you for reading our blog and comments you have made in the past year. It is awesome to be able to share our lives with you all and we hope to get a chance to share more great moments this year.

God Bless you all.