tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45119335676288783052024-02-19T12:14:59.225-05:00Banana, Bear, and BophieNikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.comBlogger542125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-39286330219752904192017-05-09T10:38:00.005-04:002017-05-09T10:38:55.637-04:00How's It Going?This is by far the most common question I get right now. I appreciate it. I love that friends and family are so invested in our little Margaret that they want to hear how the first few weeks at home are going. The only difficulty is how hard it is to answer that question.<br />
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It's good, maybe even great. We're all back home safe and we're relatively healthy. We all adore this newest member of our family and it is exciting to see her personality and to get to know her better. Everyone works hard to see her smiles and to hear her giggles. She's got more and more of them too. We're coming out of the jet lag fog and I really appreciate how well she's sleeping. There have been some sleepless nights, but they are getting fewer. We are settling into the best routine we can with our now ten kids. Above all, I just feel blessed. I am blessed to be called to parent this beautiful girl and all of my children.<br />
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Still, it's hard work. For every sweet crooked smile and little giggle, there is still fussiness. She still cries sometimes and while at times she accepts our comforting, she also still is clearly grieving the life she left. Often her frustration is the normal almost 2 year old difficulty with trying to communicate with limited verbal skills, but it's compounded by language barriers. Everything she was learning in China now has to be relearned. She frequently gets upset when we can't figure out exactly what she wants. One dinner it was ketchup. At a table with 11 other people, it was 10 solid minutes of fussing and crying before we understood she wanted ketchup for her sweet potato fries. We now know she *loves* ketchup (can't get anymore American than that) and it's the first thing on her plate, but that discovery was hard earned. There are so many others just like it and we're still just figuring her out.<br />
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There are also a lot of us that she has to figure out. I took her to Joseph's school for an event and was amazed at how quickly she recognized him and loved the excitement she had at seeing his face. She is learning she has her older sisters wrapped around her fingers. They will stop and give her attention and pretty much anything she wants at a drop of a hat. She gets a little frustrated with the younger ones as they tend to give her too much affection.<br />
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She's also realized that Mom is not as much fun. I make her get dressed, I wipe her nose, I put her to bed, I change diapers. None of these is as much fun as her sisters and the constant new fun they show her. We didn't want to stifle the mutual love for each other, so we instituted a rule that only Mom feeds her. This has been invaluable in our bonding. Much like a newborn learns love and trust for a mother through feeding, Margaret is learning to trust me through food. She grabs my hand for snacks and such often now. She also has learned I provide comfort. I think she first saw this from the other littles. She watches them and it has helped her to see through them how important a mom is. Last night was the second night she cried and wanted me to hold her. That is an indescribable feeling to finally break through a little.<br />
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A friend in our adoption group posted her experiences on Facebook and used a Lego analogy. I loved this because we brought home a ridiculous amount of Legos from China. They've overrun our house. The friend spoke of building a Lego house, staggering the next row over the seams of the previous row for strength. She built a house like this for her children with many little details she was sure they'd love. The kids did love it and naturally her 5 year old wanted to add to it. (This is adoption for our family, there is so much love that our kids want to add to it.) He built his addition using columns to butt up next to her house. The column method was ineffective, and it wasn't stable. They had to together tear down her carefully built wall to add his addition onto the house in a manner that would be stronger. She went on to relate this to adding a new child through adoption. We can't just slap an addition onto the side of our house, we have to dismantle part of our walls so that we bond together stronger. We also can't just add a child without breaking down a few of our own walls too.<br />
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This is our life right now. We're breaking down a few of the walls in an effort to have a new stronger home and family. This is evident in the logistics of our family life. Managing the logistics of nine kids was often overwhelming and adding now a tenth child who in the short term needs a lot of attention has had it's difficulties. We've missed a few activities, we're figuring out a new school routine, daily life has to find a new normal and we're figuring that out. Our buddy system is being reworked, our chores are being reassigned, and even our meal schedule is being refined. These are no small tasks. We've already begun trying to make decisions for the next school year as deadlines approach quickly. Add to this end of the year events, soccer games, and TWO sacraments this week and the logistics can be overwhelming.<br />
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Those aren't the only walls either. Each of my children, in some way, has to figure out their new position in our family. This is most obvious with Jack who struggled with Mom being gone and is now struggling with not being the baby. The others feel it too though. Mary was convinced that Margaret was adopted just to be her friend. It has been hard for her to have Mazie favor the older girls simply because they can carry her around and have more access to fun looking items throughout the house. The older ones too are craving the balance and peace that comes from Mom and Dad having things figured out. We're working on it, but the walls have to come down before the addition can be added more securely. It's a work in progress right now and sometimes it's hard and messy.<br />
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Still, I wouldn't trade this work. It is the task to which I've so clearly been called. A few weeks ago in the midst of a particularly overwhelming week this verse was part of the daily Mass readings, "Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will." It has stuck with me and I've been praying it frequently. "Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will." It motivates me to keep pushing forward, it gives me new energy and grace when I feel depleted. It also helps me to let go of all that I don't accomplish. It reminds me that as long as I let Him guide me, He will accomplish through me all that is required. So we push on with rebuilding and pray again, "Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will." <br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-14509284975513766412017-04-29T21:09:00.001-04:002017-04-29T21:09:33.898-04:00Guangzhou Day 3Our third day in Guangzhou was a fairly free day for us. Some in our group headed to the pearl market. Six floors of pearls.<br />
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Margaret means pearl and we had hoped to find a few gifts. Jewelry just isn't really our thing. While Margaret certainly is our pearl, we aren't very jewelry savvy and I really dislike the bartering required in Chinese transactions. Most of our group had to return to the hotel to await TB results. Because Mazie is so youmg, we had more free time. We decided on a trip back to Shamian Island where we had stayed on Juliana's adoption trip. There was a trade show in town and we had trouble all week with taxis. David eventually talked me into this.<br />
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I hope he will eventually add his go-pro video of the experience. This man on a moped thought nothing of trying to outrun buses and much bigger and faster cars. I held onto that baby as tightly as I could as there were many bumps and turns. Still we made it in one piece for about $1 less than if we'd been able to find a taxi.<br />
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The island has a long history of catering to the adoption community. There used to be shops catering to adopting families on every corner. There were only a few left, but the island has few cars and was a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of Guangzhou.<br />
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This quiet suited sweet Mazie. She enjoyed walking through the park where there was a little girl blowing bubbles.<br />
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A picture with this statue has practically become obligatory in the Chinese adoption community. Mazie did us the favor of being especially cute while we snapped many pictures.<br />
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Her favorite part of the island was our stop for squeaky shoes. Forget the toys, and dolls, and hair bows. She saw these shoes and from her seat in the stroller, pulled them off the shelf, put them in my hands, and said, "xiexie (thank you), Mama!" At that point I think I would have bought her 8 pairs for a smile. She didn't even realize they squeaked.<br />
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Her giggles and may smiles as she realized she was making little squeaks when she walked were priceless. I'm thankful that after buying these shoes, we found Jenny's store where I had bought shoes for Juliana almost nine years ago. We bought a few more pairs of shoes for home there. After satisfying the girls' needs for new shoes, Dad was ready for one of his Guangzhou favorites.<br />
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He was like a kid in a candy shop. Every imaginable creepy crawly sea creature in buckets and tanks.<br />
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Not to mention the chaos of cars and people trying to package and ship said creatures.<br />
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David brushed up on his Chinese this trip and was able to converse enough to get this guy to let him hold the octopus.<br />
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Again, I hope he eventually adds some of the go-pro footage of the market. What can't be conveyed by pictures and video is the smell of this place from blocks away. Our trips to this market are why my shoes made their way to the trash on our arrival home.<br />
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We cleaned up for dinner and our red stairs pictures and then went as a group to dinner at a Portuguese restaurant.<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-52877635568514080172017-04-29T14:08:00.002-04:002017-04-29T14:08:52.479-04:00Guangzhou Day 2Bright and early Monday morning meant back to the work of getting this little one home. The first step in the immigration process was to have her get a medical screening. We boarded a big bus once again and this time we decided to sit up front for a good view.<br />
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This picture doesn't do justice to the typical China traffic. When we arrived at the clinic it was a typical China hurry up and wait scenario. It's even less fun to wait when you know the next few hours mean talking to doctors and such. We were lucky that Mazie received a clean bill of health and is cleared to come home, am added bonus is that since she is under 2 years old we didn't have to worry about a tuberculosis blood draw.<br />
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Later in the evening we went on the Pearl River cruise. The last three adoptions we opted not to go on the cruise, mainly because by this time in the trip we are exhausted. It was nice to see Guangzhou at night and we saw the second tallest building in the world, the Canton Tower. You can see it in the picture below. It is the colorful tower on the right side of the picture.</div>
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I'm still not as knowledgeable about my fancy camera as I should be. I took many pictures on the cruise and only realized the next day that I did not have the image stabilizer on. I got many blurry or too dark pictures.<br />
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The lights were really amazing. There were Chinese characters scrolling down buildings, large tv screens, and a seemingly endless skyline of sky scrapers.<br />
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Mazie enjoyed the music and we enjoyed that the temperature cooled off a little despite the humidity.<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-82266150933335972492017-04-19T04:46:00.000-04:002017-04-19T07:38:39.508-04:00Starfish and Red StairsThere is a well-known story of a boy walking along the sea shore throwing starfish that had washed on shore back into the ocean. An older man approaches him to teach a lesson about common sense. He tells him there are so many starfish on not just this beach but many others like it. He tells the boy throwing these few starfish is really making no difference. The little boy throws another into the ocean and replies, "It made a difference to that one."<br />
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This is our one more starfish.<br />
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These last few weeks I had the distinct privilege of watching 14 new children have their lives forever changed. At its peak in 2005, around 15,000 children were adopted internationally by American families, mostly from China. International adoption has sharply and steadily declined since that time. Last year there were around 5,000 international adoptions and about 2,500 of those were from China. If the pattern continues this year, the following photo shows roughly 1% of this year's American adoptions from China.<br />
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The families in this photo are truly amazing. I have been inspired, awed, and blessed by getting to know them. We've shared tears of happiness, and tears of exhaustion, homesickness, and frustration as we've all struggled to bond with our new children. Each one was drawn to adoption for their own reasons, each family making incredible sacrifices to help just one more child. For many of these families this was not their first adoption, and most have biological and adopted children at home or travelling with them. Listening to their stories has encouraged me to pray and advocate more for the children left behind.<br />
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Nine years ago when we traveled for Juliana's adoption it was tradition to take "red couch photos". Chinese adoption has changed so much since then and now we take "red stairs photos". Here is our red stair family picture. We're almost done with our time here and I am anxiously waiting to have our whole family in one picture.<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-61621661325466434352017-04-19T00:42:00.000-04:002017-04-19T00:42:02.188-04:00Easter in China<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our first full day in Guangzhou happened to be Easter Sunday. I have to admit I was particularly homesick all day. Before we left I had a conversation with a priest who told me about some locals here who had never had the opportunity to see an Easter vigil. I decided then that I would offer up all I could on Easter Sunday for them and the others of this country. I feel particularly blessed with a parish that has a beautiful Easter celebration. When we knew we would miss this day with friends and family I was very sad, but after that conversation I knew I had to be thankful for the opportunity to experience so many beautiful Easter mornings.<br />
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Here in Guangzhou it seems as if the world had no idea of the importance of the day. There is a trade show occurring the next three weeks and the area is flooded with business men and women. There are people everywhere. We decided to skip the group tour of the Buddhist Temple (not quite the Easter Sunday outing for us), but wanted to meet the group at a local craft mall. The joke was on us as we spent Easter morning wandering the back streets of Guangzhou when the cabbie dropped us off two block away from the right place and we ended up lost.<br />
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Thankfully, someone in the group had an international calling plan and a kind hearted local teenager helped us find our way. Also, Mazie took the opportunity to grab a nap.<br />
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We did eventually find the group and the craft mall. After a meeting to get more paperwork filled out, that evening we decided to skip the cabs and took the subway to Beijing Rd. for some shopping. Sunday night must be a popular night for this as it was wall to wall people. It felt a little like Times Square.<br />
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In the middle of the street, there was a glass plate revealing the excavation of a 14th century Ming Dynasty Road. It was beautiful, but I could not get a decent picture.<br />
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I also loved this sidewalk propaganda.<br />
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At some point there will be a post of my favorite signs from China, for now here is one I'd like to hang in my kitchen.<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-25898168922204080072017-04-16T02:25:00.003-04:002017-04-16T02:25:27.458-04:00Last Day in ZhengzhouOn our last day in Zhengzhou, we decided to take it easy and go for a walk around our hotel. There was a lovely little park right next door.<br />
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We were serenaded by men playing Chinese stringed instruments, and there were many children playing.</div>
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The evening before there was a man with a 10-15 foot whip practicing, thankfully with all the kids he wasn't there in the morning. </div>
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We battled the local scooter traffic mixed with taxis who create their own lanes to beat the traffic.</div>
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We walked more than 3 miles to make it to McDonald's for some deep fried pies. In the US they switched years ago to baking the pies, but China still puts them in the fryer. Mazie got her first taste of ice cream. We'd heard that many of the kids in our group didn't care for the cold texture, but she loved it.</div>
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It was quite sunny and I considered buying a pair of sun glasses, but these were a little too expensive and I was afraid of what they'd do to my eye sight.</div>
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We found a Chinese edition of David's electric car.</div>
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And decided not to try the local street food for fear of sickness, despite how wonderful it smelled.</div>
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In the afternoon, David decided to get a haircut. This is his before picture. </div>
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Since it was Good Friday, we met some other families and prayed the rosary in the hallway around 3 PM. Missing Holy Week and Easter has hands down been the hardest part of the trip for us. We have tried to celebrate in small ways, but it is difficult. </div>
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We spent the evening back out for American BBQ. It was nice to be at a restaurant where we could speak and hear English. The owner of the restaurant spoke with us both nights. </div>
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The next morning was our last at the fantastic breakfast buffet. I've really enjoyed the mix of traditional Chinese breakfast foods and Western fare. </div>
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We then loaded the bus and drove to the airport to head to Guangzhou. Mazie did us the favor of falling asleep on the plane and the flight was as easy as possible for us when flying with a group of 14 children on a packed Chinese airplane. I doubt our next plane ride will be as easy. </div>
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Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-61325967255530175592017-04-14T02:53:00.001-04:002017-04-14T02:53:46.167-04:00The Third Day's a CharmLittle Margaret had spent two days crying so many tears. I thought I was prepared, but this transition was harder than any other we've had. I know this is because she received such wonderful care from people who truly loved her. In the long run that care will help her to bond to us, her family. Still, in the short term, this was harder than I had anticipated. I had a rough night the day before. I was home sick. We can't even talk to Jack. He cries when we're on the phone. Mary grows quiet and I wanted so much to hold her. The older girls have been so helpful and I just want to thank them. I missed Catie's first soccer games, and well, I'm just missing them all. It was hard to be so home sick and try to help little Margaret transition.<br />
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Today, though, we turned a corner. She woke up and let me get her out of bed. She wanted Dad, but tolerated me, more importantly she didn't cry. After breakfast we came back to the room and played. She laughed and giggled. She loves to take things out of the bags and then put them back. We passed her snacks back and forth and laughed when they fell or when she threw them. We saw real smiles, we heard giggles, and she laughed. It did wonders for me. I didn't realize how sad I had been, but with each smile I was reminded why we were here.<br />
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We decided to take the subway to the Exhibition Center in Zhengzhou. There is a lake behind it and we walked around the entire "Golden Egg" Lake. Again, it was a beautiful spring day although it did get a little warm. The area is known for it's futuristic buildings.<br />
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It also had the wonderful smell of spring from the cherry blossoms.<br />
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Little Mazie has had enough of the carrier and so I gave up and bought a stroller. I had wanted the carrier for better bonding, but the stroller has been a good decision. She likes the extra freedom and my back is thankful too.<br />
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She also likes to walk quite a bit. She really enjoyed jumping down the stairs and getting a reaction from us. And she really thinks Dad is quite the funny guy.<br />
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After all this walking, we went back to the hotel for some more paperwork (it truly never ends) and then opted to take a taxi to dinner. David did a little internet searching and we opted for TripAdvisor's number 1 restaurant in Zhengzhou for American BBQ. The taxi ride was quite the experience. The cabby was talking on a walkie talkie AND a cell phone, creating his own lanes, and the car was below empty. It was an exciting ride.<br />
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Nothing a good beer and some good food couldn't cure. Even little Mazie really enjoyed the corn bread.<br />
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Zax BBQ was excellent. Each meal was served with plastic gloves because the Chinese don't like to eat with their hands. I can only imagine what they thought of us digging into the chicken and eating American style.<br />
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When we told our guides about our dinner trip, they told us that they've taken their Chinese friends to this American restaurant and the Chinese felt sorry for us having to eat like that. We found it delicious though, it was a nice change for us especially at this point in the trip when we are battling our own homesickness.Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-20634762944781228202017-04-13T22:24:00.001-04:002017-04-14T01:40:30.964-04:00Day 2 -- The Yellow River Scenic AreaOn his last trip, David and my dad decided to take a taxi to the Yellow River Scenic Area. This is perhaps the Chinese equivalent of Mt. Rushmore. I should know more about the history, but will have to look it up when there is a spare moment. The guide told us they were the heads of two emperors, Huang and Yan, but that's all we know.<br />
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This trip he was determined to go back and he convinced a few in the group to join us, even our guides decided to add it as an attraction. As soon as we arrived and left the bus we were whisked onto a hovercraft boat and taken out onto the Yellow River. Unfortunately, this happened so fast that this is the only picture I got of the hovercraft.</div>
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The boat took us out to a sandbar that appears when the tide goes out. </div>
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Fortunately for us we timed it well. When we landed and disembarked there were many Chinese there to offer us rides on horses and ATVs. David, of course, could not let the opportunity pass. </div>
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See us way out in the distance? That's probably right about the time that I'm telling him to slow down. I kept reminding him we now have 10 children, we can't afford a stay in a Chinese hospital.</div>
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You can tell he wasn't really listening. </div>
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After spending more than a week in two big cities, Shanghai has a population of 22 million and Zhengzhou 9 million, it was nice to be out of the city. The park area had many beautiful paths and it was the perfect spring day to enjoy them.</div>
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There was even a peacock farm. Mazie really enjoyed feeding them. She got a big kick out of throwing the corn kernels.</div>
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It was one of the few times that she wasn't crying. There were fewer tears today, but still plenty of them.</div>
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We spent quite some time just walking and enjoying the weather. The plan was to try to find the way to the top of this.</div>
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At every turn there seemed to be more stairs. David would tell us not too many, just about 50 or so.</div>
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I'm glad he's not the one teaching our kids math. We never did find the way to the top, but we did find one of these.</div>
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And instead of finding the path to the top, we found this...</div>
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I can't believe he convinced me to do this.</div>
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He was so nervous he borrowed a stroller for the baby.</div>
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There was some sort of temple at the other side. I know there are probably many prayers being offered there.</div>
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Thankfully we made our way back down the mountain and only had to cross the bridge one way. The view from the bottom was much nicer in my opinion.</div>
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The bridge is in the background. The large pole in front was actually a giant speaker which played Chinese music. It was a beautiful park. </div>
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Little Mazie was in good spirits with Dad on this second day, but cried whenever he left or Mom touched her. This was harder for me than I had anticipated. I knew her transition would be difficult, but was a little unprepared for so much, so very much, crying. It was hard to want to mother her and to have her turn to Dad, and it was hard to see so many tears. I knew the bond she had would make this difficult, but in the long run will be good for her.</div>
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I'll post about our third day in Zhengzhou when I get another spare moment. Thankfully, she has really turned a corner. She's laughing and playing, she only cries when she's tired. She still prefers Dad, but is happy with Mom. It has been so wonderful to see her finally feeling happy again. There is undoubtedly a long way to go with bonding, but it has lifted my spirits to see her smiles and hear her giggles.</div>
Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-52160537228986892502017-04-11T18:22:00.002-04:002017-04-11T18:46:18.265-04:00Lost in TranslationOn Gotcha Day, orphanage workers and nannies do their best to tell new parents how their child was cared for in the orphanage. Each parent receives a paper detailing a schedule, favorite foods, medical care, etc., then on Gotcha Day they are on hand to answer any other questions. It's hard to convey all this information in one emotional moment.<br />
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This is the last paragraph of a new page given to us on Margaret's Gotcha Day. Without meaning to do so, they pretty accurately captured this sweet girl's day.<br />
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Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-83016233219160326962017-04-11T18:16:00.000-04:002017-04-11T18:16:02.055-04:00Signed, Sealed, Delivered<div style="text-align: center;">
She's Ours!</div>
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All our official Chinese adoption paperwork is finished and Liang Qi is now our daughter. Yesterday morning we left the hotel. Margaret (still mostly being called Qi Qi) is always grateful to leave our hotel room. </div>
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Although the elevator makes her quite nervous. She always grabs on extra tight as the elevator starts and stops. </div>
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We then went back to the same building and room where we had Gotcha Day the day before.</div>
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This was hard for poor Margaret. It had been an emotional day for her and even I found it hard to be back there so quickly. The moment we walked in the door, she cried, and cried some more. I spent most of the wait time walking in and out of the building. She enjoyed watching some older boys play and they enjoyed performing for her.</div>
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We very unceremoniously signed a few more papers and that was it. She is officially our daughter.</div>
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We left that building to go register with the local police department. It was a matter of walking up 6 flights of stairs carrying the baby and all the accouterments and then waiting for photocopies and getting a picture taken. Since we didn't take any pictures all I have is another of her adoption paperwork.</div>
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She napped on the bus and then stayed asleep for more than 2 hours. We had to wake her up to go get her passport photo and then we applied for her Chinese passport. Now we wait a few days to receive that passport. It means a few free days for sightseeing and bonding. There were still many tears yesterday. We've seen a few little smiles and there were less tears, but yesterday was still hard for her. We're hoping that each day gets a little easier for this sweet girl. </div>
Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-65126376035245208132017-04-10T09:21:00.002-04:002017-04-10T09:40:50.385-04:00Margaret Day!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This morning we loaded on a bus and drove 10 minutes to a local government building with 13 other families all waiting to meet their 14 new children (one family is adopting 2).<br />
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There is nothing like experiencing a Gotcha Day. It's emotional, exhilarating, nervous, and exhausting all rolled into one. All these families are in one small room and meeting their newest family members. Emotions run high. Parents are excited to meet their children, nannies are often sad, and the children are often confused and tired from their journey and nervous because of the new faces and surroundings.<br />
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After an hour wait at the government building, Margaret arrived! Adoptive children have different ways of dealing with the stress of leaving their old environment and being cared for by parents who look different, sound different, and smell different. For Joseph he regressed and didn't walk for three days. For Peter, he stopped eating. For our little Margaret, she cried. And cried. And cried. As you can see from the picture, she isn't at all happy. Her nanny briefly walked into the room and there were many, many tears shed.<br />
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Thankfully, she eventually stopped crying and fell asleep for a well-needed nap.<br />
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We spent the afternoon and early evening in the hotel signing papers. Margaret spent her time going back and forth between sleeping and crying. It wasn't until we headed out for dinner that we saw her first smiles for us. Then when walking at the mall we found she loves music and lights. She played and enjoyed looking around at all the stores.<br />
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At bedtime, she pointed to the crib and took David's hand and asked to be put in the bed. I'd heard of this from other parents, but after 9 children didn't believe there would be a child who wanted to sleep in their own crib without any hassle, but that's exactly what she wanted. Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-90254234129453194622017-04-08T19:17:00.002-04:002017-04-08T19:20:11.536-04:00Lupin HouseToday we had an experience unique to this adoption. We were able to go visit the foster home where Margaret has received most of her care. Lupin Home was an amazing home to several small children. The Lupin Home began when five founders decided to help orphans in more rural areas receive better medical care in Shanghai.<br />
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The house was beautiful, very clean and bright, and the children there were very well cared for. Although the children were shy at first, they eventually warmed to us. It also could have been the jellybeans we brought to share. How fortunate that Margaret was able to receive such good care from such loving people. The kids were so cute, I just wanted to scoop them all up and bring them home with me.<br />
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Orphanages from rural areas send children who need surgeries or specialized medical care. Margaret arrived here when she was just a month old. She received the care she needed and then, rather than send her back to the orphanage, the workers found a foster family to care for her. This amazing woman has cared for QiQi (Margaret) for the last year. She clearly loves her very much. Please pray for her. This is her fourth or fifth foster child to be adopted. It still isn't easy, but the care she provides these children allows them to bond with their families and ways that would be impossible without her loving care.<br />
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The biggest blessing of the day was that we were able to spend a few hours with our sweet girl. We had a chance to see her in an environment where she was a little more comfortable. We were able to hold her, to play with her, and have a glimpse of her personality. We were also able to have a good conversation with her foster family about her care and daily schedule.<br />
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She is definitely a sweet girl. She was wary of us at first, but by the end of the visit we were playing and she was laughing. She likes toys and noises. She has a sweet way of folding her hands and saying thank you. </div>
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It was a real gift to get a chance to spend some quiet time with her before Gotcha Day where she will be in an unfamiliar place surrounded by unfamiliar people.<br />
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We had a wonderful lunch and then went back for a nap.<br />
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We cannot say enough to thank these wonderful people who do such wonderful work helping these orphans. We are so blessed for all they've done for our sweet Margaret<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-72915784519489374442017-04-08T04:55:00.001-04:002017-04-08T05:09:09.418-04:00Second Day in ShanghaiIt was raining this morning. We grabbed some umbrellas and sloshed our way to breakfast. When we finished, it was more rainy than when we left and we decided a nap was in order.<br />
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When we finally woke up, the rain had ended and we grabbed a taxi to visit the French Concession area of Shanghai. We followed another self guided walking tour, but were a little smarter and downloaded a map before we left the hotel. Another post will have to be dh telling you about his IT issues here in China.<br />
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It turned out to be a rather nice day. There was a light drizzle, but it was warm enough we didn't mind.<br />
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There were many European bakeries on the tree lined streets and you could almost imagine you were in Europe. We had cheese tarts and a latte to complete the European feel. Those who know me know I love my coffee, but for some reason I can't bring myself to order from Starbucks here in China. It just seems more like a chain, and we always try to enjoy local fare. It also rubs me the wrong way to see a Starbucks on virtually every street corner.<br />
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This garden was beautiful, although we're here out of season. I'm sure in a few weeks it will be amazing. Despite the rain, there were old men playing Mahjhong on stone tables and even a few practicing Tai Chi.<br />
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We followed our tour into an out of the way tangled web of markets. It was a beautiful mix of hand crafted items and food markets. Of course there were also many trinkets sellers too, and bars, and strange meat on a stick, and these too.<br />
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Along the walk, we could see into little alleys where there were more residential apartments.<br />
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Art Deco buildings and even planters and street lights seem to abound in Shanghai. We decided to end the day with dinner at an Italian restaurant. Again, come to Shanghai and eat Italian? It was delicious though.<br />
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Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-60597369614253310502017-04-06T18:51:00.001-04:002017-04-07T18:55:21.082-04:00First Day in Shanghai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We started our first day of site seeing with a walking tour of Shanghai. We know from experience that the only way to battle through jet lag is to walk. So after only about 6 hours of sleep in almost 48 hours, we got up and walked. </div>
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We started with a shopping strand. It was amazing to me to see all the western stores. There was the Gap, a Disney store, a huge Apple store, even a Tiffany store. It also seemed as though Starbucks has also taken over here as we must have passed at least a dozen of them.</div>
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Even here they seem to have Beauty and the Beast fever. I thought my girls would get a kick out of this storefront.</div>
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We walked the strand very early before any of the stores were open. Still the women gathered in the streets to dance.<br />
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After leaving the shopping, we walked the Bund. Perhaps the most well known tourist area of Shanghai.<br />
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When David was here 20 years ago, most of those sky scrapers on the Pudong side of the city were not here.<br />
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The buildings on this side of the river, however, are much older.<br />
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Our hotel is just a block or two from this clock tower. We here the bells chime all night. Hopefully that will lessen as we get over our jetlag. In the distance is the pineapple building. I took this picture for Sophia, my pineapple lover. :)<br />
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After the Bund we walked through an old shopping area. Think trinkets, more trinkets, and more trinkets.<br />
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After all this walking we stopped for dinner. We went to a Spanish tapas restaurant, because one always goes to China to find good tapas.<br />
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It was excellent! </div>
Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-17135751135223788992017-04-05T18:14:00.001-04:002017-04-07T18:55:46.205-04:00Back AgainA little more than twenty years ago, dh traveled to Shanghai for a summer to study at Fudan University. He returned from that trip and proposed a few weeks later. It's amazing how life brings us back. Here we are, full circle, back in Shanghai.<br />
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This is the view from our hotel. DH booked us the "Ultra Sassy Room" so we are set for the next few days.<br />
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We hope to do a lot of walking today, although both of us have been awake since 2 AM. The plane was crowded and neither of us got much sleep on the flight. Sooner or later I think it will all catch up with us.Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-35415256807823498592017-04-05T18:00:00.001-04:002017-04-06T04:34:53.547-04:00A New JourneyThe girls have told me that it is only fair that we blog this adoption journey as well so that sweet Margaret will one day be able to read about the lengths her family went to find her.<br />
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This is Liang Qi. </div>
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In a few days she will be Margaret Zelie. </div>
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She is a sweet girl from Shanqiu, Henan but currently living with a foster family in Shanghai. Please pray for our family as we travel to bring her home.</div>
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I don't think I'll ever forget all of our children standing in the garage waving goodbye to us as we left for the airport. Each of them was so excited about this new sister, despite being sad about us leaving. Everyone is willing to pitch in and help. Everyone is willing to endure a little chaos. All to bring home one more little one. Each of them have shown the beauty that comes from recognizing the inherent worth of every life. The truth is, if it were just my decision we may not have been here. Since my cardiomyopathy diagnosis I have been tired and a little afraid of all that a new baby entails. My dh and children have shown that they will fill in the gaps when I am tired, they reminded me that our family has a lot to offer even if I feel a little overspent. More importantly, they showed me that God does not measure using our "first world" standards. He calls us to love. So here we are... because as Mother Teresa says, "How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers."</div>
Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-81861390763355096372017-01-11T10:44:00.000-05:002017-01-11T10:45:01.460-05:00The Tenth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When we first adopted Juliana I thought the high point of our adoption story would be attending Christmas Mass as a family. One of the most difficult things I had ever done was to get on an airplane and fly half way around the world leaving my three daughters at home in December. As we were preparing to fly home, Juliana had a *very* high fever unlike any I'd ever seen. We'd called our pediatrician who told us to keep doing what we were doing and get her home. I was nervous and hadn't slept. Then at the airport there was a complication with our tickets and we were being held off the flight. Our group was boarding and our guide and David were trying to sort everything out, but I was left holding a sick baby girl and afraid I would miss Christmas with my girls. I broke down crying. This is frowned upon in that country and I knew I wasn't helping the situation, but I just wanted to be home. We made it on the flight, Juliana threw up all over an older woman next to me, but we made it. Then we missed a connecting flight because we were both so exhausted. Still, we got home around 8 PM Christmas Eve and I felt like a complete family. Attending Christmas morning Mass as a family with our new little one was indeed a memorable day.</div>
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Then came the day we baptized her. While I expected the joy of Christmas, I was taken aback by how much her baptism meant to me. This was the real reason we went through all the paperwork, this is why we sacrificed extra savings, this is why I was willing to walk on that airplane. Not just to add another child to our family, not just to give her the gift of an earthly family, but to give her a heavenly and eternal family. Her baptism is when we truly completed her adoption process. That day was January 10, 2009 and it was a glorious day.<br />
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One year later on that day, David and Hannah walked into another orphanage and were given our dear Joseph. It was an entrance into the world of boys and our lives were forever changed. This crazy day was the start of a busy few days as my sister waited for a heart transplant, and I was 11 months pregnant with Gabriel. I only saw Joseph over the computer that day, but again our family was growing through the blessings of adoption.<br />
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One year after that on January 10, 2011, unbeknownst to us, another little boy was born in China. I thought our adoption days were over. We had six children and I thought our family was complete. Then through a random email and a book, God revealed he had other plans. It was around that time we started a new adoption process and little Peter would join our family shortly after his first birthday.<br />
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All this on the same day in January.<br />
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Six years have passed, full of more stories of biological children and keeping up with life with all our children.<br />
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Then yesterday, January 10, 2017, once again becomes a banner day for our adoption stories as we received and accepted the file of our newest child. She is 18 months old and absolutely beautiful (we can't share pictures publicly right now). We were surprised by the call as we expected to be waiting many more months, but know God's timing can not be outdone.<br />
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This is our fourth adoption and I am again surprised by how much and how quickly you can fall in love with someone just by seeing their picture. It changes everything. Please pray for our family and our littlest daughter as we begin the process of bringing her home. Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-4355384680263028112014-08-06T15:20:00.001-04:002014-08-06T15:20:19.155-04:00Introducing John Edmund<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Three months have flown by. It's hard to believe this sweet boy is growing so quickly. </div>
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John, or Baby Jack as we call him, had a fairly uneventful birth. There were many concerns from the hospital staff since this was my sixth c-section. The anesthesiologist even took a few extra minutes to get a new IV in me when he heard how many previous sections I'd had and what the potential complications were. The pregnancy hadn't had any major complications, I was very swollen and very tired as I had been during Mary's pregnancy. The surgery went well and the minute Jack was born he gave out a hearty cry which was music to this anxious mom. After cousin Oliver had such an ordeal at his birth, I was especially nervous. All fears were allayed with that cry and my first glimpse of a beautiful pink baby boy. I had been worried since we had moved up the date of his birth because I wanted to be able to attend Sophia's First Holy Communion, but little Jack was just fine.<br />
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I tried very hard to enjoy my hospital stay. When Hannah was born I couldn't wait to get home to start life with a baby, but with Jack I was looking forward to a few days with just him before trying to get back into the swing of big family life. Despite my efforts to enjoy that time, I found that I was very anxious. I was having a difficult time sleeping and I felt on edge. By Saturday evening, I was incredibly thankful to be going home the next day. I had developed a cough that was bothersome as nothing is as painful as coughing with a c-section incision and the anxiety had reached an uncomfortable level. David had come to visit without bringing any of the other kids and it was the first time we'd had a conversation alone. I didn't understand then why I felt so anxious and emotional. I just wanted to be home and feel normal.<br />
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We walked two loops through the hallways and I hoped to be so tired that I would finally get a decent night's sleep. After I said goodbye to David, I asked the nurse to take Jack to the nursery (I very rarely do this) so that I could sleep. I told her I wasn't feeling well and really felt I needed some sleep. She agreed and thought the sleep would help my breathing which had become hard. We both thought I was battling some anxiety and sleep was the best remedy. I tried for hours to sleep. I tossed and turned, I moved the bed into different positions, but I just couldn't sleep. As time went on it also became harder to breathe. I didn't feel as though I was short of breath, it just felt like each breath took so much effort. Finally after more than 3 hours, I told the nurse something was wrong.<br />
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I was sent for a CT scan very quickly and had to call David in the middle of the night to come back to the hospital. The CT scan ruled out an embolism, but showed excessive fluid in and around my lungs and a moderately enlarged heart. They then did an echocardiogram which showed I was in congestive heart failure with an ejection fraction of 15-20%. I was transferred to a telemetry floor where I could be monitored for at least 24 hours and could start the heart medications. I also was given a diuretic to help get the fluid out of my body. I left the hospital 30 lbs lighter than I'd come in.<br />
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My initial diagnosis was Peri-Partum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) since I have not had any history of heart problems. The diagnosis is complicated by my family history though. My sister has idiopathic cardiomyopathy and it is thought that we must have some sort of genetic origin of the dilated cardiomyopathy.<br />
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It was a scary few days of hearing so many new medical terms, learning about medications with the added complication of breastfeeding, learning about new dietary restrictions, and coming to terms with what will most likely be a chronic condition. I was thankful to be able to go home after a few extra days. I was so thankful that I was able to attend Sophia's first communion.<br />
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At the end of May I had a cardiac MRI and they found that my EF had improved to 37%. Each day I continue to feel a little better. I'm tired and the fears and anxieties sometimes creep up on me, but I am learning to give those to God in prayer. Another time I will have to blog about how the prayers of so many family, friends, and even complete strangers brought (and continue to bring) me strength and peace, especially at a time when praying was difficult for me.<br />
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Jack continues to bring such joy to me and our family. He has begun to laugh and that sweet sound rivals his first cries. His smile brightens me even when I'm exhausted. That hair, the one dimple, the bright blue eyes, the beautiful lashes, oh he has quite the hold on my heart!Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-37780677777670949992014-02-12T16:12:00.001-05:002014-02-12T16:12:44.845-05:00Back in the Groove<i>Blather on about why I took a blog break, then link to the new posts... </i>That was the note I left myself about this post I wanted to write about trying to once again get back into the swing of regular blogging.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My guess is that with a smile like that, this little one is going to provide me with a lot of blog worthy material!</i></span></div>
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The truth is I'm busy. With eight kids to keep up with, a new pregnancy (blog announcement coming), school, laundry, fatigue, dinner, and countless other distractions, the blog just fell to the wayside. Then I started remembering why I started this blog in the first place. Not as a space that would have a major readership, but rather a family space to remind me of all the special blessings my children bring me each day. Many years ago I kept a digital journal of the funny things Hannah and Catie did as toddlers. I would have forgotten so many of them if I hadn't written them down. Now with the dog and pony show my home has become, it is more important than ever to chronicle our adventures.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My life sometimes--running around in circles and everything all a blur!</i></span></div>
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Hopefully in the coming weeks you will see more posts from me. I'd like there to be new posts about all of our current happenings, but also some "make-up" posts of all the special events that took place during my blog absence. Here's a list of what I hope will be some of those posts:<br />
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Where We Are Now<br />
London<br />
First Day of School<br />
Christmas<br />
When Eight Isn't Enough<br />
Gabriel-isms<br />
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Birthday Posts:<br />
Hannah<br />
Mary<br />
Catie<br />
David<br />
Peter<br />
Gabriel<br />
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OK, that list looks intimidating. I'm just going to do my best.Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-88650291477518225152014-02-10T16:13:00.000-05:002014-02-12T16:13:32.666-05:00Where We Are NowDo you ever think back to what you thought you'd be as a child, a teenager, young adult? How different my life is than I expected it to be and yet how I can see the hand of God guiding me each step of the way. How surprising to be here in some ways and in other ways how could I be anywhere else? What is also amazing to me is that I don't have to look back on childhood thoughts, teenage dreams, or college aspirations to be surprised where we are.<br />
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This is my family less than five years ago.<br />
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Look at all the pink, the orderliness, the femininity. If you had told me then that in five short years we'd be expecting the arrival of a FOURTH son and have another sweet girl in that mix, I'm not sure I would've believed you.<br />
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Still, here we are weeks away from the birth of another little boy. My house is littered with cars, trucks, trains, and countless airplanes. Unfortunately I don't have a recent family picture. Hopefully that will be remedied with Easter, but here is one of my favorite pictures of my boys.<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-23664637389472602052013-07-16T15:20:00.000-04:002014-02-12T16:14:13.328-05:00Watch Out There's a Teenager in the HouseI can't believe I am old enough to have a teenage daughter. I can't believe she is old enough to be a teenager. Hannah Banana ushers in what is sure to be a lloooonnnnngggg few decades of having a teenager under our roof. When she was born I remember being told to appreciate each moment because it would go so fast. I have honestly tried to do that and still it has gone by too fast.<br />
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While I am certain there will be more than a few difficulties as we journey these next few years together, every time she flashes me that sweet smile of hers I can't help but notice that in her eyes she is still that sweet Banana that stole my heart the minute she was born. I still remember the look on David's face as he placed this sweet child in my arms. He knew I was somehow changed with her arrival-- I was now a mom.<br />
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Now, that smile reminds me I am the mom of a beautiful teenage girl who still can melt my heart with her kind words, her willingness to be helpful, her desire to grow to become the young woman God is asking her to be. Sure, she has her moments. Still, I am incredibly blessed to be her mom.<br />
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To celebrate, we took a group of Hannah's friends and her sisters bowling after Catholic Kids Camp. I think she really enjoyed herself. Her gift from us was a week at Camp KRIC (Kids Rooted in Christ). I know she thoroughly enjoyed that week and can't wait to attend next year. She was blessed by that week as she learned to Shine for Jesus. It is bittersweet to watch her growing so quickly. I want her to stay little forever and yet I am so excited by all that is in store for this truly amazing young woman.</div>
<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-68036591990912921412013-05-23T07:19:00.000-04:002013-05-23T07:19:23.504-04:00My Small Garden<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"We cultivate a very small field for Christ but we love it, knowing that God does not require great achievements, but a heart that holds back nothing for self."</i>-- St. Rose Philippine Dechesne</div>
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This powerful statement has had a spot on my bathroom mirror for a few years. It's been a favorite of mine for even longer. It seems so simple, but every now and then it strikes me in a new way. This year we put in a new backyard garden, my own little field if you will. We have a small yard and there was no place for it until we put in a fence. Now there is a perfect little corner and dh was kind enough to build a raised bed for us earlier this spring. We started small with room to grow. Goodness knows I'm going to need some way to feed these boys as they get older.<br />
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What surprised me was how much work this little patch of land has proved to be. There was the building of the bed and the trips to the hardware store that entailed, the trucking in of dirt requiring coordinating the use of Grandpa's truck, the work of choosing the best plants, planning the space (we went to three different stores looking for broccoli), all before we set about actually planting anything. Then once it was planted there were a few cold nights requiring me to traipse out in the dark with old sheets and in search of rocks and such for weights to shield the seedlings from the crazy ups and down of Ohio weather. Then, despite my efforts we had to make yet another trip to the nursery and replant a few spots where the cold crept in.<br />
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Then there is the maintenance. The weeding, and the watering. The task of unrolling great lengths of hose to get from spigot to garden. The even more tedious task of rolling up the hose when done. Watering the garden often means watering the kids too. This means more laundry, more towels, more dirty wet floors to tend. Each time I think I'll just spend a few minutes on this little garden, I'm amazed to find I've spent an entire morning, especially since the mornings are my time to spend with my youngest three children.<br />
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As much work as this "field" is, the work of my "field for Christ" which is my children is even more demanding. Lately the task of caring for them has been arduous and exhausting. I suppose spring is the season for laying foundations and that always seems to entail more work in gardening as well as child rearing. With so many little ones, we are in a springtime of sorts within our family too. The foundation is being set for our little children learning to take care of themselves and work as a family. They are seedlings growing in virtue. Trying to keep up with this training of little ones, the endless activities and appointments, the mountains of laundry, and maintain a peaceful home with the bustle of children has left me exhausted. It also left me a little bitter wanting more "me" time.<br />
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I struggle daily to see that the weeding and the watering are what bring a good harvest. They are what God is asking of me. The pedicures, shopping, time alone, glasses of wine, night off, or the endless list of things in my mind I've decided I deserve because of all of the hard work I've put in, are not going to bring about the harvest God desires.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, those things aren't bad in and of themselves. I assure you I still plan to go for a pedicure hopefully with my mom who has had an even rougher few weeks in and out of the hospital. There is a beautiful bottle of my favorite port on the counter which will inevitably make it's way to a few glasses as I sit on the front porch and try to have an uninterrupted conversation with dh. It's just that today I needed the reminder that those things aren't what it's all about. Those things are supposed to be a help. They should help me at the true task of cultivating my field whether that field is big or small. We all need a break, a respite, or we will get worn down to the point we are unable to cultivate any field, but it is all too easy to allow our selfishness to overtake these respites and start allowing them to hold us back from our tasks of cultivation.<br />
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It was clear that I had let them become too important, I had lost balance and perspective. I had let the weeds of my own self indulgence choke out my harvest. Instead of refreshing me, I just wanted more time for me and thus had less time for cultivation. Self indulgence always does this. It leaves us even more empty with a greediness for more indulgence. While it brings some immediate gratification it robs me of a true harvest. True fulfillment only comes from giving more of myself, even when that self-centered evil angel is sitting on my shoulder telling me how much I deserve more.<br />
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One simple test I have used to determine if my down time is becoming too indulgent is to ask myself if after the time spent do I feel energized in my duties as a wife and mother. After a Mom's Night Out do I feel renewed in my vocation? Do I have a new zeal for cultivating the small field given to my care? Often times the answer is yes. My time has provided a much needed break, and the great friends I have offered new perspective and encouragement. However, sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes I just want more, more, more. One night out leads to the desire for another and soon I'm not enjoying the task of motherhood, I'm resenting the demands of it. Sometimes it even has nothing to do with the frequency I engage in these activities, but more to do with the place they hold in my heart. The thought of time away from my duties consumes me and even though I am still tending my garden, I am doing so resentfully and not with the love and care it deserves.<br />
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At these times, I am in most need of more self sacrifice, not more self indulgence. If the things I am using for rest and relaxation do not result in a renewal or in increased physical, emotional, or spiritual energy to tend to the field, then I need to rethink them. I need to set myself again to the task given me with a revived spirit of self-denial. I need less pedicures, less retail therapy, less indulging, and more prayer. Prayer is the ultimate water for our gardens and the truest refresher for a tired gardener. Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-18638684206389248042013-05-21T12:51:00.003-04:002013-05-21T12:55:55.544-04:00Sweet Smiles From a Usually Serious Boy<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Swing</span></div>
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<i>by Robert Louis Stevenson</i></div>
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How do you like to go up in a swing,</div>
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Up in the air so blue?</div>
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Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing</div>
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Ever a child can do!</div>
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Up in the air and over the wall,</div>
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Till I can see so wide,</div>
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River and trees and cattle and all</div>
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Over the countryside--</div>
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Till I look down on the garden green,</div>
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Down on the roof so brown--</div>
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Up in the air I go flying again,</div>
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Up in the air and down!</div>
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Dear Peter is a very sweet boy. He is, however, usually pretty serious. When we first brought him home we would only catch a glimpse of a smile on rare occasions. As he bonded with us we found his smiles were becoming broader and more frequent. We noticed for many months that he was a different kid when out and about. At home he was comfortable. He knew his place in our hearts and family. When we were out, he seemed nervous. He's now starting to show that smile more in public. He's learning that we are forever his family and no matter where we are, he will always hold a special place in our lives. That makes my heart beam like the smile on his face.Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-19209044500111200782013-05-05T20:32:00.000-04:002013-05-05T20:39:41.124-04:00My Eighth Flower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers!"</i></span><br />
--Mother Teresa<br />
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"Each one of us is here today because we have been loved by God who created us and our parents who accepted and cared enough to give us life. Life is the most beautiful gift of God. That is why it is so painful to see what is happening today in so many places around the world: life is being deliberately destroyed by war, by violence, by abortion. And we have been created by God for greater things - to love and be loved.<br />
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"God has created a world big enough for all the lives He wishes to be born. It is only our hearts that are not big enough to want them and accept them. If all the money that is being spent on finding ways to kill people was used instead to feed them and house them and educate them - how beautiful that would be. We are too often afraid of the sacrifices we might have to make. But where there is love, there is always sacrifice. And when we love until it hurts, there is joy and peace.<br />
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"The child is the most beautiful gift of God to a family, to a nation. Let us never refuse this gift of God. My prayer for each one of you is that you may always have the faith to see and love God in each person including the unborn. God bless you."<br />
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--Excerpts from <a href="http://www.ewtn.com/New_library/population.htm">STATEMENT BY MOTHER TERESA SENT TO THE CAIRO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT ON SEPT. 9, 1994</a><br />
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Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4511933567628878305.post-12831907573160604222013-05-01T15:38:00.001-04:002013-05-01T15:38:33.211-04:00Behind Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These three troublemakers are especially glad the weather is finally warming up. It means they can go outside and burn off their seemingly endless supplies of energy. Oh to be able to bottle that...<br />
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See, this morning I was awakened by a teething baby so early that the birds weren't even singing yet. That didn't matter to one little miss who seems to know that she gets mom's undivided attention if she wails at o'dark thirty.<br />
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Thinking I'd get a jump on the day, I started breakfast early. Instead of a head start on the day I found this:<br />
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Only the picture doesn't do it justice. What I really found was Peter standing on that chair at the counter. He had tipped the Cheerios box and was putting his hand in the box and shoveling the cereal onto the floor. With each swipe he let out an almost maniacal little chuckle. His brothers thought this was quite funny so they joined in the laughing and began dancing in the rainfall of Cheerios. They thought each little crunch under their tiny little feet added to the sheer joy of this glorious event and laughed, sang, and crunch crunch crunched. The dog joined in on the feast with endless munching. I seemed to be the only one not basking in the joy of the moment...<br />
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Now at mid afternoon the teething baby is taking a wonderfully peaceful nap in the sunshine streaming in the window. The boys are playing outside on a glorious day running back and forth and driving toy cars and tonka trucks through the yard.<br />
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I'm left wishing I had liquid energy.Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05658891224952346934noreply@blogger.com0