This is our hibiscus bush STILL blooming in January! I hear some people are actually getting SNOW in January? Wow, what an unusual concept that is.
It’s been a good 6 months since I added any new pictures to the picture page! So, I added a few! Check it out, you just might see yourself ;)
These are my awesome December Secret Pal gifts from my July Fireflies Secret Pal. I’ve really been wanting the Chinese Lullaby CD and have already been enjoying it! I think Lainey will love the bear blanket and we plan on taking it to China with us. Hey, Secret Pal…if you’re reading this…forgive me for posting this SO late?? Thanks again!
Well, not technically. But, we did have an AWESOME field trip with our homeschool group today! We went to the Cummer Gallery of Art and Gardens, where there is a traveling exhibit called “Temples and Tombsâ€. Approximately 85 artifacts from Egyptian history are on display here, on lend from the British Museum for about 3 months. It was so amazing to be in the same room as these treasures, made thousands of years ago. I just stared at a pair of bangle bracelets, imagining the Egyptian woman who wore them.
They didn’t allow pictures in the exhibit (the security was tighter than the airport), but I took a few outside and in the Children’s interactive area.
Ethan got the cobra from the gift shop.
Marley, busy creating.
Payton inside the “noodle house†the kids made.
Abbey “inside†a painting (and Payton’s head peeking out from the back!)
Ethan is writing his description of the item he found in the archeological dig activity.
Abbey bought a archeologist kit, where she’ll uncover an Egyptian treasure. After about 30min., she found the bottom of the item and then took a break! It’s hard work!
The above picture is of an unassuming basketball bin, used to…hold basketballs. There are several of these (though, larger in size) at the gym where my boys and oldest daughter play Upward League basketball. I was picking up my sons (and dropping off my daughter) for practice last night and found my son, Payton, with 2 good-sized gashes in his head…one on his forehead, in the hairline and one on the side of his head, in his hair. Seems he ran into the basketball bin on his way to the bathroom. Judging by the dried blood on his shirt, it wasn’t a pretty site. I can’t very well blame the coach for not taking care of my son…his Dad is the coach.
So, I left Abbey with Randy and went searching for an open urgent care. The first one was closed (8 minutes prior to us arriving) and the next one said they don’t accept head lacerations. Huh? So, we drive to the ER and he’s checked in at about 8:45. The triage nurse sees him and tells us to wait for a room to open up. Oh, and the check-in nurse has already told us that it’s *really* busy tonight. Randy shows up with Abbey about an hour later and I take the kids home while he stays with Payton.
They finally get home a little before 1am! His front gash is glued shut (ewww..) and his side gash is closed with 2 staples. Ordinary, metal looking staples! I mean, are these things sterile??
So, we’re calling Payton our “Little Craft Project†with his glue and staples! Oh, and he’s the only one of my kids ever to need stitches (he had three of those years ago…again, on his head!) He can’t wait to show us friends at his basketball game on Saturday and at church on Sunday. Boys are weird. But, I love mine!
My parents gave me this little framed picture for Christmas and I just love it. I have no idea if the jacket (is there a more appropriate term?) is for a male or a female and I don’t know what the writing in the background says. But, I just think it’s adorable. I’ve hung it just above my kitchen desk, where my laptop sits, so I can look at it as I work (ha!) on this website. A little reminder of a child in China waiting for us.
For those worried about us, yes, we did find the house! We are unpacked from our trip and undecorated from Christmas. Whew.
Welcome, 2007!! I hope and pray that this is the year we meet Lainey. Or, at the very least, that we know who she is and can gaze at her picture, anticipating a trip to China. It’s hard to explain, but my heart can almost “see†her. Like, I’ll just undoubtedly know it’s Lainey when I see her for real. God has already chosen her as mine…I can find peace in that while we wait!
We had a grand Christmas that stretched across 9 days! We had Christmas here at our home with just the 6 of us, and then made our annual after-Christmas trip home to see our families. We just got home last night! Days and days of seeing family that we dearly love! My kids were so happy, spending time with 10 of their cousins. They are all such best friends and they hated to say goodbye. To all of our NC family, we love and miss ya’ll already.
So, what does the title of this post mean? Well, before we left for NC, we managed to take down the very wilty Christmas tree in the front room. But, ALL the other Christmas decorations were waiting for us when we walked in last night. Add bags and bags of gifts, and the luggage and bags from 6 people, and I’m literally trying to “find†the house. So, why am I posting instead of tackling all this? Hey, I needed a break!! Okay, break over. Back to work.
Happy New Year, everyone! I’ll share a few pictures from our trip when I get another breather.
