I always think its amazing what my girls can do... so posed and elegant on stage! I am so very proud of them!

#1
Dana

Amazing

Dogs

Drive

Yells outside

#2

Lundry

A Mom

Undr the bed

Read

Ic Crem

Elefnts

#3

bit fit hit sit kit mit pit
sit

He had a fit

His mother he bit

He had to sit

#4

I like food

Meetbols Strfri

I like food

Sadwich Popcorn

I like food

#4.5

Famile

woch tv Play toys
Play otsid Shoping

Famile

SHQ got a new pretty pink bike... the training wheels are to come off soon. THK is riding SHQ's old bike, and B is riding the new bike she got last year. We are quite the sight as we all go down the sidewalk in a line...S, T, and B because she pedals so darn slow. Makes her mad that THK is ahead of her but he would run her off the sidewalk if he wasnt.

We planted a garden last week - did you know they put carrot and radish seeds in a cotton strip now?!?!? Its the bestest thing ever! Now your plants stay in one place when the hard rains come!! Kids liked the garden and we also planted a few flowers this year too.

SHQ and I are off to Pitts next weekend to see her eye specialist... pray for us! I was stoopid not to book our tickets in Feb when I had the chance because I could have gotten them both free with my frequent flier miles. But noooo I waited because the dr office has cancelled on me before and I didnt want to have to pay a changing fee. I should have because I only got one of our tickets for free... the other I had to pay $500 for. I was soo disappointed!!

We had our pictures taken and they turned out beautifully! It was quite the experience that was rewarded with lots of ice cream afterwards.

Yesterday we went to the zoo and had a blast! The kids loved the elephants... two of them loved the goats and one of them would start to hyperventilate every time I suggested feeding a goat.... guess which one it was! I'll give you a hint... the hair color rhymes with BITE!! Train was also a big hit at the zoo... lions made THK just keep asking if they were going to eat him.

We switched churches recently because our old church wouldnt baptize THK without him going through some kind of child RCIA. Jesus Christ on a Cracker! He's four freaking years old and English is his second language! Thats what we get for having our favorite deacon move away... we're dealing with a priest that doesnt even like people. Our new church is newer, has move families our age, and very compassionate priests. I feel very at home there... they even have a BAND!! Hows that for progressive catholics!! THK gets baptized on June 15 after the 11:15am service. We were asked if we wanted to fully dunk him but I didnt think that would fly :D

Shae sang in a program and school and we were lucky enough to have Grandma Dona come and listen to :) Shae is doing very well in school and we are so proud of her!

We had our 7th wedding anniversary yesterday. Had a wonderful lunch date together and I got beautiful calla lilies. Kids - your dad is da bomb!!

Tian continues to do well. His language abilities are just astonishing!! We were lucky enough to find out that he gets to be in 5 mornings a week Pre-K next year! WooWoo!

1. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH TIAN'S THYROID!!! The Endocrinologist said his second blood test would be fine and it was. End of saga!

2. Tian got his glasses - he looks so handsome! We had to put the chums on them to keep them on his head... he thinks he can just rip them off and with the chums he has to work at it.

3. The girls were at the dentist the other day. Aubree has 2 cavities and Shae has to go to the orthodontist at AGE 7!!! Both of those are sooo wrong on sooo many levels. One of Aubree's is a refix of one she had filled before... the other one is new... I hope and PRAY her permanent teeth arent this pock-ridden. Shae is going to have to have teeth pulled... she has no room for her permanent teeth to come through and the regular dentist says both baby and permanent teeth are going to have to come out.

4. Everyone got a haircut! Tian got a nice buzz last week and the girls got a brand new SHORT do' yesterday. Its a bob with lots of layers and is soo cute on both of them! Shae was so tired of her hair falling in her face and I dont blame her one bit. She has enough trouble seeing her print books... her hair hanging in ther face doesnt help at all.

5. School is going well for everyone! Tian is fitting right into his class of almost all boys... there are only 3 girls in the whole class! B is totally ready for kindergarten per her teacher and Kindergarten Roundup is this week. Shae's parent teacher conference is this week too so we'll get confirmation of what we already know.. that she's doing just fine and is grade-level with everyone else!

6. The girls are starting to work on their dances for recital...I dont know what B's music is because I dont sit over by her room but Shae's dancing to something snazzy for Tap, We're off to see the Wizard for Ballet, and something bouncy for Jazz.

5.

Since he's been home, he's started preschool, went to the regular dr twice (shots!), and the dentist. This week, he's going to the eye dr and the endocrinologist. Thanks to our adoption agency CHI and their required list of blood tests (seriously... THANK YOU!!), we found out that he has a high thyroid level. Thursday we hope to find out what that means for him... right now I have no idea but I'm not terrible worried just yet.

The girls are adjusting as well to having another little person around. Shae thinks he's too loud....Aubree cant decide whether or not she likes it that he's younger and she's older.

Yesterday we got brave and took them all to hobby lobby for a craft kit and to Old Chicago for supper. Supper wasnt as hard as I thought it would be with 2 wild 4 year olds swinging their utensils around their heads :D We probably wont go out again for supper for awhile... THK needs more English in him so he can make his wants clearly known. He thought the picture of spagetti looked good but once it came.. he was not as thrilled.

We started at the rice table sifting rice into dump trucks and finding the little animals in them. He then started to venture out on his own for short forays to other areas of the room...always making sure to come back to me every few minutes to make sure I was still there where he left me. After that he was freely moving around the room!

He played, he painted, he patiencely sat through 2 book readings that he doesnt understand yet, and he giggled through the songs the other kids were singing and doing gestures to. :D

Snacktime was a big hit with him as was the gym. He left happily with a large bag of valentines and a good feeling for tomorrow. Dana is helper parent tomorrow in his room...I'll be next door in Aubree's room.

A few minutes later baba is home, and the next oldest is getting stuff around for pre-school, slight variation of this being that both youngin's will go the school, one 5 days, the other 3?

Come next week, mama will get ready first, and baba will take care of the animals, and hearing aids before going back upstairs for the rest of the routines.

So THK will just be getting use to this routine when we change it up again, toss him in some limited school, and Big G patrol. If all goes will this will work until the summer and beyond, otherwise, we might have to revert back to plan A when baba goes alternate schedule having mornings free, and working afternoons, as well as mama schedule adjustments.

Progress is having every day, naps are getting better. Attitudes to "westerner" food is slow but better, not even one french fry in a good week or more, nor COKE, though ketcup has been used a few occasions.

Other common daily themes, is the constant dumping, building of FAY-JEE's with duplos, then gathering of blocks back into the pails.

We were there 2.5 hours and he had about 4 melt-downs because I wouldnt take him back home. I told him if he was going to kick and cry that he was going to do it on the cushy floor and just walked away from him. Each time when he was done...he'd come up for a hug and go back to playing like a little trooper.

I'm not concerned about his behavior....this is pretty much what I figured would happen. The tantrums are just his way of trying to control his situation... it tugs at my heart strings but I've got to let him work it out. I must stay consistant in my actions or he wont know what to expect from me.

Every day will be better than the last... it already has been. I know school and staying with Grandma all day is going to be hard on him, but he will adapt. He's a tough little nut with a smile that lights up my day... he just needs to work on his fake cry :D

Dear Rude Ass American People,

Shame on you!! In all my travels in the last several years its always the Americans that are the rudest ass people on the planet. At least in China, people ignore each other politely.

Flight Attendants on United Airlines Flight UA850....do you all get your jollies off being mean to people that dont speak English as their first language? Let me tell you, the person you're telling 'if I have to repeat myself one more time...I'm going to go off!' deserves as much respect as the person next to them that perfectly speaks/understands English. Did you stop to think that maybe that person you're being rude to cant hear you very well or is trying his/her best to understand you? If you despise people so much, why are you in a service driven industry? If you're a tired, has-been flight attendant that isnt educated enough to find a different job... the least you could is make the best of your situation.

INS/Custom Officers in Chicago O'Hare - is it a prerequisite to have the personality of an asshole? How about a little compassion for your fellow man thats just gotten off a 14 hour flight? What else do you have to do all day but sit on your butt and stamp shit? You act like its an imposition that someone has walked up to your booth! Well pardon the hell out of me and what a great first impression you have just made! No wonder people in other countries hate Americans - you and every other INS officer I've come into contact with seems to have a great hatred for anyone thats not American or at least Canadian. I've seen officers at my neighborhood INS office (Hello Des Moines INS Office - how yah doing!) treat people just like they're dirt because they approached their window out of turn. If you had some SIGNS around your office explaining procedures maybe you wouldnt be so bitter. I'm from this country and I can barely figure out how your office ticks...imagine how the immigrant feels in front of you as you shriek at them to SIT DOWN and WHY DIDNT YOU GET YOUR FORMS OFF THE INTERNET! How hard would it be to at least be civil to the people that are waiting to be helped. I was sooo ashamed to see an INS official at O'Hare berate an asian traveller for 10 minutes because she didnt quite understand what freaking piece of paper she needed to produce to prove she was a student on her way to Texas A&M. Might I say DICKHEAD!!

Baggage folks that take bags to be rechecked at O'Hare for United - Its not our fault you're in a dead-end job...you have only yourself to blame for your current perdicatment (sp?). Do you think it does a bit of good to be cruel to the foreign traveller that doesnt quite understand your stoopid system of piles? I dont even understand the method to your madness!!

White Bitch that ran over the top of the poor asian lady with a cane trying to get off the tram while you were trying to get on. I'm with the asian lady's Caucasian husband...I hope someone cuts you bitch!! So what the doors dont stay open very long...the damn tram comes every few minutes you inconsiderate wench! How would you like to be run the hell over? WE must get OFF the tram before a large cow such as yourself can get ON the tram.

Loud mouth lady waiting for the Des Moines flight - I just got off a 14 hour flight and had to deal with the rude ass INS people... do you see me complaining because the first officer is still on another flight and hasnt landed yet? Noooooooo. You know why?!?!? BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT!! What good did it do to be rude to the desk lady? She cant make the other plane land any faster. So why dont you shut the hell up and wait quietly before I sic my tired and very unhappy 4 year old on you???

I am ashamed of ALL of you!! You are exactly the reason for the phrase Ugly American.

The Terror Twins and I made brownies tonight while Dana took SHQ and all of Auntie Sis's kids to piano except Baiyu... she and Auntie Sis have the dreaded flu now. :(

I had them stand up on the little stools so they could see and OMG were they excited! Lets whiff the mix all over! Eggs!! Eggs are sooo kewl!! And they open?!?!?!? Gooey!! SCREAM WITH JOY!!! I let them stir and put the cupcake papers in the holes...and then the real fun began. Yes, I let them lick the spoons....with raw eggs in it. Such a bad mother I am! THK just chortled he was so tickled to get to do something like that... I dont know if his foster mom let him help or not but he had a good time. They both thought it was great that their faces were smeared with chocolate... I held them both up in the mirror so they could see their 'artwork'.

Even though he's 4 years old... we have to treat him like he's a little child thats just learned to walk. Why? Because he doesnt understand whats off limits yet, doesnt understand what we're saying, and I dont trust him as far as I can throw him.

He loves his sisters... SHQ is leaped upon as soon as she hits the door in the afternoon. B is like his long lost twin sister... they have the exact same personalities. Its like they were separated at birth and THK was frozen for 7 months! We've taken to calling them the Terror Twins... they fly through the house just cackling and hooting it up :D

He likes to go out and about but he's not real keen on people he doesnt know coming up to talk to him. He's slow to warm up to Big G and Auntie Sis but we're doing our best to go over every day and visit. The following is his order of preference right now for the people in his family:

Baba - the Boy LOVES his dadee something fierce!
SHQ - she's like a white haired goddess to him
B - his partner in shrieking through the house
Cat - we have to get on him to leave her alone so much that he's got 'be nice to the Mao!' mimic'd soo sweet!
Dogs - he learned all their names last night finally. Loves to let them outside and then stand with the door open to the cold and shout 'come on GOs!!!'
Mama - she's good in a pinch!!

Yes - I put myself last... because I'm 'the Heavy'. I'm the one that sits by him at meals, makes sure he's not over loving the animals, shuts the door, denies him his 4th request for a snack in a morning, and puts him in time out when he needs it. Its not a bad place to be... just a tough one at times. But I'm always the Heavy so I'm use to it. :D

In the week I've been home, I was sick with the flu and I've got nothing done but the laundry, put the trip stuff away, and made sure the kids are cared for and played with. The house is a pit... but there's really nothing I can do about it. I've been mostly just 2 blocks from the house and never by myself except for Monday when I went to the dentist for an hour. OH! I did get to take THK to the dentist the other day and I think I've been to Target for twice for 20 minutes with everyone!! Dana has had to go out and about for supplies/take people where they need to go so he hasnt been home a whole lot.

We do have a nice little routine going thats predictible but its only going to last another week. The parental units must go back to work in order to put food on the table and keep a roof over the little ones heads. We keep trying to tell THK that he's going to go to Sher Show (school) next week and that he will stay with Grandma when we go back to work with the electric translator but I dont think he understands it. We'll see how it goes....

Speaking of dogs... guess who loves the dogs and the cat more than anything in the whole wide world!! Its Tian HanKun! The boy cannot get enough of petting the animals...I have to get on him to leave the poor cat alone!

Tian is adjusting well. He slept good the first night, had 2 very rocky nights after that, and slept all night last night. He doesnt really like our food yet, but then again he was very picky in China about what he ate too. He's currently watching Blue's Clues and playing with legos. I took him with me to take B to school this morning and he was a little scare of the ladies trying to talk to him. I didnt think it was possible for someone to walk slower than B but he does! After we dropped B off, we went to Grandma's next door...he cried at the gate because he couldnt figure out why we werent going home. Tian was a little afraid to be at Big G's but a sucker and a fruit cup made it all better. I plan to walk him to school every day and stop at Grandma's for a little bit in the morning to get use to being at school and Grandma's house. Dana left him for a little while at Grandma's yesterday while he took the other kids to school because I was at the dentist and he cried until B comforted him.

Each day is better! Yesterday he went to see Dr Jon for the first time and was pronounced healthy but a bit on the scrawny side. In 2 weeks he'll start getting shots...Thursday he's going to the dentist...next Thursday we're going to give preschool a try...Feb 18th he'll start staying with Big G...Feb 25th he's going to the eye dr.

more later!

First the good news....
The kiddies' plane actually left Beijing 15 minutes ahead of schedule and are estimated to arrive 45 minutes ahead of time. I know for a fact they were ready and willing to board that plane because they called me at 12:30am bright and chippily announcing that they were sitting at the gate. Yahoo! Can I go back to sleep now? If all goes well, they should land in Chicago at 3:36pm.

And now for the bad news....
They may not be able to land. Mother Nature, my nasty little friend, is taking a huge dump on Chicago this fine morning. I think she should consider more fiber. They have cancelled every single flight between here and Chicago this morning due to reduced visability and heavy snows. I am watching the next two flights to see if those get cancelled too. There is a 2:50, a 4:45, and their flight at 7:00pm. According the the weather I have seen, it is suppose to be clearing before this afternoon. They cancelled 600 flights yesterday in Chicago and have left a ton of people stranded. Fingers crossed people!

Other news from the homefront:
1. B spewed this morning before preschool. I told big G I didn't think B was running on all bangers this morning. She was a bit more clingy than she had been at the morning cuddle and seemed a little warm. Score 1 for mama intuition! At least she waited until right before her parents are due home to get sick. Big G reported later that B was looking more sparkly and doing better. Good thing she spewed before she went to preschool. It would have put a huge damper on their beach party if she had blown chunk there.
2. Today is T's big 10th birthday. *SNIFF* Where has the time gone? I told him I INSIST he stop growing. He just laughs and crawls into my lap. Still fits at least! He was totally jazzed about getting a crisp 10 spot from the Nebraskans - you made his day yesterday!
3. The wee red-haired boy's blanket arrived the other day! Thank you Aunt cherwee!!!
4. Is it my imagination or is W speaking clearer??!?!?!?! It is amazing what just a week has done. All big G can say is "Told you so!". I hate it when she is right...