Spring Break

Aiya (Eric's Mom) is down for the week and so far, the kids are having a blast. Ryan had a double ear infection and bronchitis and now Alex has it, but both are feeling well enough to make cookies and cupcakes and play.

Last Wednesday we went to the zoo and Chuck E Cheese. The weather has mostly been beautiful and we are happy that Spring is here!!

Signs of Wonderful Progress

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123683410215005161.html

I love this video and the accompanying article. These are historical changes for China and further proof to me that we are going to see amazing things happening there in the future.

I think of the special needs orphans still in China every day.
My heart still longs to do more. I am continuing to pray about someday adopting again from China as well as living and working there - short term and then permanently - at some point in my life.

Time to SERIOUSLY start studying Mandarin.

Magic Treehouse "The Musical"

We spent the weekend in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was nice to be back in my home state. I didn't realize just how much I had missed it. Northwest AR is a fun and beautiful place and the kids and Eric really enjoyed it.

We went down to see the Magic Treehouse Musical. The Magic Treehouse is a series of books that Ryan absolutely loves - he owns every book now I believe. Aiya introduced him to them. They have a traveling musical now and there was also a "Family Festival" that raised money for the Arts Center that was hosting the musical. There was food, crafts, and face painting. Alex loved the swordfighting demonstration that was done by folks that are apparently "Renaissance Fair" people.
They were all dressed up running around interacting with the kids.
I don't think I realized it when I bought the tickets, but the author, Mary Pope Osbourne, made an appearance. She gave a talk to all the families and kids and did a reading from the newest book due out soon. Then a line formed and the kids could go meet her and get their photos taken. Ryan was thrilled and enthralled to meet her. She was a bit stunned by him and asked "How old are you?"

Afterward, while Eric took Ry to the play, I took Kate and Alex to a local park. Then we spent the night at a hotel in the area with an indoor swimming pool. The kids spent the whole next morning in the pool before we drove home.

We've really had some wonderful memories from these short "regional" trips the last two years. It's great family time and the kids have had some really fun experiences.

Birthdays and a few school notes

Early March is a time of a few birthdays. They tend to represent a lot of different things to me personally and I thought I'd share them. There are 3 people who have already had birthdays this month who represent almost every aspect of my life; (geographically) from MA to MO to China, (personally) from family to friends to work, and (religiously) an early influence to a recent divine gift. Special birthday wishes to you all.

Of course around the house Katie's birthday is the big one for us. It was so much fun. Katie seemed so little last year and while she is physically tiny still, she is so much larger in so many ways this year.








Katie is now 4 and it is so awesome to be able to enjoy birthdays with her.

All our kids are doing well in school. Katie just got moved into the big kids room, Alex continues to learn things at an unbelievable pace (not that he will show off though), and Ryan received an honor this past week.

Ryan was named the Kindest in his class in their "Kindness in contagious" program. This was a vote of his peers and we couldn't be more proud. Lori was able to be there to see him get the award (that HE did not know was coming). Ryan said he voted for Justin and Alex said he voted for Brooklyn (even though preschool didnt vote, go figure!).



Also, a belated happy brithday to my firend Mark and my niece Samantha and a happy future birthday to Benjamin.

Snow Day

Well more like snow week. Monday night was very icy then it snowed a lot on Tuesday and school was out until today.

We played in the snow and made a snowman on Wednesday.
Daddy thinks he may regain his sanity just in time for the Super Bowl.
(Go Cardinals!!)

A T-Rex Named Sue

Last weekend we went to St. Louis to see my grandmother. Eric had a meeting/conference with people from his cluster headaches national group so my sisters and I took the kids to the St. Louis Science Center. We spent the whole day there basically and it happened to be the opening of "A T-Rex Named Sue." On loan from the Chicago Museum of Natural History - Sue is the largest, most complete T-rex ever found. Right now, Ryan is obsessed by dinosaurs and he was thrilled to get to see the exhibit. There was a movie about paleontology and "find your own fossil." They made dinosaur hats and everyone got to make their own stuffed dinosaur at Build-A-Dino (Build-A-Bear's shop inside the museum - man that can get expensive FAST).

We were all worn out by the end of the day but it was a lot of fun. Eric got a nice break and got to meet a lot of nice people. I had a nice visit with my family.

Soon after we got back, Alex came down with a 103 degree fever. He was subsequently diagnosed with a double ear infection AND strep. A day or two after, Ryan ran fever and finally Katie. Everyone got antibiotics and today they are all mostly better.

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone!!! We had planned to celebrate at the annual Lunar New Year party in Springfield today but strep has us all celebrating at home with red cupcakes instead. Here's to a fabulous and healthy Year of the Ox.

S P I R I T W E E K (THURSDAY UPDATE)

It is spirit week at the kids school and every day is a new way to show their school spirit. Days 1 and 2 were "crazy hair day" and "mix and match day". It was fun to see all the kids and teachers show their school spirit through their dress/hair. It really was a lot of fun and I think a good way to make returning to school even more exciting for the kids. It is something special for the kids to see their teachers, staff, and administrators all getting into it. I hope to see even more spirit the rest of the week, but for now, here's pics of our kids showing spirit.

CRAZY HAIR DAY!!!!!

MIX N MATCH DAY

SLIPPER DAY

TWINS DAY

Well, Wednesday was the sorta lame slipper day where Ryan brought his Thomas slippers that were way too small for him. Thursday was twin day, so the boys went as twins. Yeah, daddy aint creative, but they did look cute. One entire class dressed alike with elephants, very very cool.