Spending time at night with Zachary\
is something very special. Often I am very tired when Zachary is going to bed but when I linger around for a few moments he usually starts to talk about China. Some days he will sing in Chinese and other times he has gone off talking in long phrases or sentences in Chinese. Today he spotted a little teddy bear/blankie that has satin on the back. It was in a little bin by his bed. Since there were several books on top of the teddy Zachary must not have seen it before tonight. It was the little bear that I sent along with Amy a couple of months before we "got Zach". His eyes really lit up and he smiled as if to recognize the bear. I must have put it in the suitcase the day we got Zachary in China and I hadn't pulled it out to give back to him. Poor kiddo.

Well, he told me that Shoo Shoo gave it to him. Shoo Shoo means "uncle" in Chinese and that was the man that spent a lot of time with him. I asked Zachary if Shoo Shoo said that it was from Zachary's momma gan babba (mommy and daddy). He smiled and said yes yes! Zachary indicated to me that he slept with it. Right now he is sleeping with his little bear once again. : )

Earlier today he saw his drum that he had when we first met him. He was full of smilies and said Lai Lai's. I said yes it was. Then he rubbed his hands on his pants and asked where they were. I told him that the pants and shirt he wore in China when we met him were up in his room. He quickly took off running over to his room and I showed him. Then it was Q and A for me. I asked him about the morning of his coming to us. He smiled and rubbed his head (which means to us shower or bath) and tried to tell me more. I asked him if he knew that he was going to meet his mommy and daddy and he said yes yes (with a big smile). I asked him if he is happy and he smiled and said yes.

I can't wait for the day when he can tell me more about China and his past. There is so much I want to know!! I just have to make sure that I have the time to hang around beside his bed even more when we talk about his past because he usually wants to hang on to me longer as if he seems to need some extra love and "security" that I will always be there for him. It has got to be tough to trust again. I am thrilled that he is allowing himself to do it again.

Happy 4th Birthday Zachary!!








Yesterday was Zachary's 4th Birthday! I feel so blessed to be his mommy and to have the honor of sharing this special day with him. He seemed so very happy when we brought his cake out to him. We sang happy birthday and he blew out the candles. He kept asking me if that was his cake. I think he liked the fact that it was indeed for him--but he also needed to share with his family. We will be celebrating in February Zach, Ryan and Sarah's birthdays with all of the cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. That will be a big birthday party!

We spent some time up at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation with my dad and mom yesterday too. My dad had a stroke on Christmas and should be released from the hospital on Tuesday!! The goal is to have him be able to use a walker instead of the wheelchair and for him to be able to use his hand again. Zachary and Stacie are great playing catch with the ball with grandpa. And my dad is getting better at catching the ball!! I am sure that the two little kiddos will be an active part at motivating my dad to keep getting better. You should have seen my dad in the wheelchair holding Zach and Stacie on his lap while navigating the hall of the hospital. The kids were delighted to get a ride with grandpa.



This was a week of doctor's appointments for Zachary. Monday the Dermatologist, Tuesday the Urologist, Wednesday the Opthalmologist, and Thursday the Speech Therapist. Whew! I think we met the insurance deductible for the year in just this week! We discovered that Zachary has Strabismus - which means that his eyes are not aligned. So he is wearing a patch for an hour each day. Stacie calls it his "Power Patch". He is such a trooper wearing the patch and we have really cool patches for him including camo and stars. In fact, Stacie doesn't understand why she can't get a princess patch.

I am so very thankful for the medicine and great doctors that we have available for our children in this country!

Christmas time at the Meijer Gardens!
Aunt Ruth (Garden's volunteer) giving us a tour

Zachary giving two thumbs up for the fun times

Stacie just adores her big brother!

Are these two a couple of hams or what? They just love to have fun!!

All I Want For Christmas Is a Family
These words from a song by Steven Curtis Chapman really hit me last Christmas when we were praying through the decision to adopt from China again and it really touched my heart. I would like to share some of the lyrics from the song for you...


All I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
A shoulder to cry on if I lose, shoulders to ride on if I win
There's so much I could ask for, but there's just one thing I need
All I really want for Christmas is a family

But maybe if I had a brother or a dad to wrestle with
Maybe they could teach me how to get along
And from everything I've heard, it sounds like the greatest gift on earth
Would be a mom

All I want for Christmas is someone who'll be here
To sing me happy birthday for the next 100 years
And It's okay if they're not perfect or even if they're a little broken
That's alright, 'Cause so am I

Well, I guess I should go, it's almost time for bed
Maybe next time I write you I'll be at home

`Cause all I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
Tell me I'll never be alone, someone whose love will never end
Of all that I could ask for, well, there's just one thing I need
All I really want for Christmas is a family

Goofing Around with Ryan and Stacie

Having fun on the slide at PlayWorld

Playing Apples to Apples with sisters, brother and cousins on Thanksgiving

We are settling into our new life!

I feel like we are finally settling into being a family of seven. I never dreamed that I would have 5 children but it is a very exciting life and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Life with two three year olds keeps me very busy. There are so many emotions to deal with (including my own!) One moment Stacie and Zachary are playing like they are the best buddies in the whole world and they next they can be bickering and fighting about some very small thing. Urgh! That is the hard part about having two little kiddos so close in age. But the joys certainly outnumber the lows.

Here are some things that have occured or observations since we have been home:
* Zachary loves eggs and can eat four at one sitting with a big smile
* He loves Stacie
* Stacie loves Zachary
* Playing house is a favorite
* Zachary loves to help me dust, sweep, empty the dishwasher and set the table
* Stacie wants to do whatever Zachary is doing
* Zachary wants to do whatever Stacie is doing
* Zachary is starting to play on the trampoline and huge slide at Play World
* Zachary is very shy with new people around (Sue's note--yippee)
* Sue visits Stir Fry Express every week to stock up on Wonton Soup, Dumplings, LoMein and rice for Zachary and Stacie
* Z loves his older sisters and brother
* He loves hugs and kisses
* He doesn't like pumpkin "guts" on his hands
* All of his tests and lab work turned out negative!
* He has areadly had an ear infection in both ears : (
* Life is crazy
* Life is good
* Zachary likes looking for acorns, and throwing leaves into the air
* I'll post more later--gotta run...we are heading to PlayWorld...great place for developing Zachary's gross motor skills and large muscles

Sue