Saturday, November 12, 2011

Electronics Obsession


The whole electronics thing for travel has become an obsession for me recently. I've got Rosetta Stone on laptop, kiddie apps for iPad, Kindle books, iPod with everything from Chinese Dora the Explorer to Cd sermons, cameras - both still and video - yikes! I'm trying to figure out what can be left behind - even now as I try to email this post to blogger from iPad! Skype has been set up on all devices, and this techno amateur is trying to get a Chinese phone number to avoid the panda phone. If it doesn't provide fun for kids, I don't want to carry it. Sooooo....let's see if this iPad post works..... Blessings, Kim

Sent from my iPad

Friday, November 11, 2011

Living History



No smart remarks that I'M the living history...  We went on a field trip and I got to try out my new long johns that I bought for Northern China today!  We spent the very cold day at a plantation listening to Civil War History and the stories of re-enactors.  Annie brought Caleb and the kids had a great time collecting pecans that had fallen from all the trees.

The girls loved the dresses the ladies wore!


They hung out with General Longstreet (who was homeschooled and went to West Point)


And saw how they cooked a long time ago (before Kitchen Aids and Cuisinarts)


I am VERY thankful for central heat, electric ovens, and my dishwasher today!!  Happy Veteran's Day! 

Blessings, Kim

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

CENSORED!






A morning post from one of my yahoo groups directed all participants to put “mentions God” in the subject line for all subsequent emails.  This is to avoid offending sensitive persons.  I was so inspired by this admonition that I decided to place some restrictions on comments here.  

In the future, please denote clearly your denominational affiliation in the subject line of your comments. That way, the Episcopalians can avoid any rabble rousing comments by the Pentecostals, and I can be sure to keep the Calvinists and Arminians separated and on topic.  If you belong to a non-denominational Church, just claim “mentions hand raising” so the rest of us can avoid reading the post and feeling un-spiritual about our more subdued form of worship.  If you are a creationist, write “mentions young earth” or “mentions old earth,” so I can only read the posts that I agree with. 

If you are not a Christian – just write “mentions allah” or “mentions buddha” so others can avoid being inadvertently converted.   If you’re an atheist, write “mentions atheism,” so we can all avoid being offended by you listing everything you’re offended by - and your incessant whining about religious people hurting your feelings.

More serious to me, however, are the health nuts.  Please warn me beforehand by “mentions granola” so I can avoid reading your post about baking your own bread and eating organic foods.  I don’t want to feel guilty the rest of the day while downing my Krispy Kremes and whole milk.  Sushi eaters should identify themselves clearly so I’m not irrevocably psychologically damaged by picturing you eating raw fish and pretending you like it just to look trendy.  Bleh.  

If you are not a Republican, or if you are a Republican with beliefs other than mine, identify yourself appropriately: “Mentions Obama,” “Mentions paying off the student debt of other people’s children,” “Mentions raising taxes,” are all posts that might be upsetting to me.  I want to avoid those. 

If you live in a home that is nicer than mine or drive a Mercedes, be sure to write, “mentions idolatry” in your subject line, because surely you must be greed driven and it might whip me into a retail frenzy that I’ll never pay off.  If you’re receiving unemployment, write “mentions on the dole,” and how long you’ve been that way, so we can all evaluate whether or not you’re milking the system.  Lastly, if you are upset about not getting your adoption tax rebate soon enough, write “mentions tax rebate,” so I don’t have to get upset about not getting one at all.  I think that about covers it.  Anyone else? 

Monday, October 31, 2011

Friday, October 14, 2011

LOA#2 - We're going to China!!!

 !!!!!

We received LOA today for Jenny - and a second one for Sarah!!!!  We're going to China soon - and I took a gamble and sent my I800 this week - hoping to hear by November!!!  I'm over the moon excited - although a little sad that I might be missing Christmas.   What a gift, though!  The time of year when we celebrate the gift of the Christ child, we'll be receiving our own beautiful treasures. 


If the timing is right, I could actually take Clint with me on college break - how exciting! God is good - and His timing is ALWAYS perfect (if a little painful sometimes :)  )


Blessings,
Kim
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice!  Philippians 4:4

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Snow in October?


That's what it looks like in my backyard after a 5 minute dog combing.  This dog SHEDS!!! I'm just praying my vacuums hold up until our adoption is finished - I can't tell you how many I've been through...

Good thing he's so cute...

Blessings, Kim

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Nesting - in bunk beds!


 How do you make more space in a room already stuffed?  A really cool Bunk bed system!  



The girls were so excited to get these and have been having sleep overs ever since!  We added some really fun pictures from Marshalls:


And some beds sets that were a steal - comforters, sheets, shams, everything - for about $20 on sale at Kohls:


This took the sting out of losing that Princess queen bed and kept some floor space for playing. :)  The nine drawers will hold all of new sis's clothes which were supplied by good friends who's children are much taller than our girls! (Thanks, Becky and Marie!)  The best part is that I don't have to shop for it all - who has time with adoption paperwork?! 

Grandma bought Corelle plates for my birthday - which stack much more compactly than china - so now we can keep more place settings for our new family of 8.  LOVE them!  Little ones can handle them better as well - they're so much lighter than the heavy (and chipped!) stuff that we had.  Now all we need is two more chairs for the kitchen table! :)  That will have to wait for a good garage sale.

This is the fun part of waiting - getting everything ready for two little ones - who will likely be reeling from so many changes - and not notice much of these preparations.  But it makes me happy to put them in their princess surroundings and treat them like the treasures that they are.

Blessings, Kim

In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.  Isaiah 63:9