My Family

My Family
Summer 2015

Sunday, May 29, 2011

"I forgive You"

Have I ever said I love our church?

Well, today we actually got seats in the front row.  Our church is not like most churches in that, it is hard to get a front row seat.  But, today we did.  And not only front row, but center seats.  I did not know how this would go.  Lucas sat between Peter and I, and of course loved the music as usual.  Sat on Peter's shoulders Praisin' Jesus.  I am still in awe of how he stays focused on what is going on.  And I am certain he is learning about God.  It's just mind blowing.

As the preaching section began--which lasts about an hour---the pastor talked about the sermon from last week which we missed that was all about forgiveness.  He said they talked about saying "I forgive you".  Lucas's ears perked up as he recognized that phrase.  He looked right at me and said "I forgive you".  As in  "I recognize that".  We have used this often when he says "I'm sorry" we say "I forgive you".  We think this is such a critical concept to teach.  Our Lord has offered US forgiveness and we must offer it to one another.  It is not always easy.  But, he recognized it.

If he didn't hear anything else tonight
If he didn't comprehend another word
He learned and heard
"I forgive You"

What a sweet gift from the Lord....Lucas knows forgiveness.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Noses

Tonight at dinner Lucas was being a complete goofball.  He laid on my lap at one point and pointed to my nose and then took his index finger to his own nose and stretched it out like Pinnochio's nose.  "Momma....nose...."

I said, "You think I have a big nose?"  He started cracking up!

Fine!

Just cuz he has the most adorable cute little asian button nose doesn't mean he gets to call me Pinnochio!

Speaking of noses....

His got full of water MANY times today.
He has been swimming A LOT lately.  And today he and I practiced without any floatation devices for a while.  He sank.

I'm a fan of sinking.

Is that cruel?  I know a lot of people put floaty things on their kids.  I think that is ok if you want to do that--it's a theory.  But, I believe children should know the feeling of sinking.  So, he has a circluar "donut" thing that he can use for floating around in the pool  but, if he lets go...he sinks.  I want him to learn that.  I'm right there if he needs me.

Today as we practiced around the pool he got to a point of even diving for diving sticks at the bottom of the pool with assistance.  But, in the process he got LOTS of water up his precious little nose.  That he does not like so much.  Ok he screamed a few times.  Trying to teach someone to blow out of their nose while under water is a tad of a challenge.

This whole swimming thing reminds me that we sort of have a toddler.  He is just learning all these toddler-like skills.  But, MAN does he pick them up fast and move from one thing to the next with speed.  I mean in a day we went from using the donut to diving for pool sticks.  He cannot swim on his own, but he is brave enough to jump off the side with caution and with me standing there.  He can scoot himself alongside the pool and actually "saved" himself at one point by nearly swimming underwater.  (I was standing right there, but let him figure out how to manuver underwater to get to the side of the pool)
He amazes me.

as a side note, the "other" boy left today for a week long trip to Flordia with a friend and his family to go surfing.  The day after school gets out and he is off to surf.  A boy's dream come true--except he called us to tell us he is feeling sicklish (he is prone to sinus infections) so we need to pray for his health.  It would be a realy bummer for him to be sick this week.

Better get to bed.  why am i even awake at 11:30pm?

Thursday, May 26, 2011

...and FINALLY we play Pretend.....

I suppose there have been some times when Lucas has played "pretend" and I have not noticed.  But it really does not happen often.  He is a very practical little man.  He laughs and runs and plays with his friends.  He likes to shoot baskets and play ball.  But today, we caught him "red handed" playing "pretend".  Our little dog Buddy has a bell next to our front door that he likes to ring when he wants to go  outside.  After dinner tonight, we saw Lucas over by the bell ringing it and pretending he was Buddy.  So, as I am want to do....I told Peter ...ok sort of screamed "He's Playing Pretend!!!" "Be a dog!".....so the three of us got down on all fours and ran around the house barking and pretending to be dogs.  Ok I took on the roll of the cat and got completely pounced upon, but that's another story.  It was a complete blast!  This is HUGE!  We need our boy to enter into this realm of play and pretend.  It is so healthy and good.  We are guessing there just wasn't a whole lot of it or he just has not been allowing himself to "go there".  I LOVE IT!!!  More to come I hope and pray!  Stay tuned for more Lucas adventures!

a sweet shower of blessing

Many thanks to my friends at work who pulled out all the stops and had a sweet shower of blessing on our family on Monday evening.  Lucas came for a while and then left only because we didn't want to completely overwhelm him.  I have been slowly distributing the gifts to him each day and he is loving it!

Here are some pics from the party  =)  thank you soooooo much for loving on our family!


Ms. Stacia who hosted this sweet gathering is in the backround


Ms. Diana

Ms. Julie

Ms. Debbie

Ms. Nancy

Ms. Sally

Ms. Marrianne

Ms. Tammie

Ms. Jennifer

sweet cookie cake baked by Ms. Chris

Thank you Stacia for hosting this party, thank you to the ladies who came and offered gifts of blessing and thank you to those that cooked all the yummy food.  We were blessed by your love!
Heidi and the boys....

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Culinary Genius? .... (not for the faint of heart)

Yesterday we met some friends at the pool for a spontaneous cookout.  Before we headed out, Lucas said he was hungry.  We have a lot of leftovers in our house from Isaac's party including his favorite junk food "Spicy Chili Doritos".  Lucas found them.  I warned him they were spicy but he ate them anyway.  When he realized how spicy they were, he decided to have some chocolate milk with them.  I mistakingly thought that meant on the side in a cup......

even on the side I found it slighly disturbing.....

but no......
THIS is what he meant....

like cereal and milk......(which by the way his dad introduced him to a few days ago---cornflakes and chocolate milk---not me)




well, at least he ate the fried rice too....
please do not call the culinary police on me....

Monday, May 23, 2011

Stunt Double

Heidi has graciously allowed me to 'guest blog' on her site. Before we go much further perhaps we should define "graciously allowed"- literally means she has gone to take a shower and left her computer unmanned and her blog signed in.

As I watch Lucas dunk the chickens (and no, that's not code) I realize there is a new set of rituals and norms in this second home of ours.

1. Basketball. While it goes against cultural bias, Peter Jundt has become quite the hoopster. I, too, am surprised to be reporting his prowess on the court. Just yesterday I witnessed the most amazing display form and function in a coordinated effort between Lucas and his Dad to score (or at least launch the ball in a vertical direction). With Peter's coaching and natural finessse Lucas will clearly go far in this sport.

2. Organization. One son in this home is random. The other is structured. One embraces chaos. The other embraces the vacuum. One takes things out. The other puts things away. One creates, the other repairs. It is a cool thing to watch how much the ends of this spectrum adore each other.

3. Language. I have realized it is my duty in these short days to impart as many verbal skills as possible.  I began with the basics: "Cubs rule, Brewers drool," (current series not withstanding). I have a few short days to add: "Pepsi IS a breakfast beverage", "I will not mix jell-o in the bathtub" and "Mama is sooooo pretty!" (trying to do as much good as I can!)
So much to teach, so little time.


*******************
Heidi Here....
Yes indeed my computer was hijacked.  Ms. Sharon Czerwinski, the guest unnamed above is in my house for 1 week.  I just cannot wait to see how she corrupts--I mean teaches--my son(s).  And you can likely anticipate she will indeed hijack again. 

All About Isaac

Saturday night, Isaac invited me to a banquet at school called the Leo Banquet.  It is for the kids involved in theater at his high school.  It's a very formal event with many girls dressed in evening gowns.  He invited me as his date because he thought I would like it.  awwww.

I thought it would just be a dinner thing, but it ended up being like the Tony Awards or Oscars with presentations and "Leo" Awards for the best actor, etc. in all the shows for the year.  He was nominated for his role in "I Never Saw Another Butterfly" where he played the love interest of the main character.  He WON!  I was so proud of him.  But, I don't think he was prepared with a "speech" because he didn't really mention that he was even up for an award.  When he got up and did the "thank you mom and dad, etc" he added "...and thank you Jesus for not rapturing me at six o'clock tonight so I could recieve this award"....that's my boy!

The other part of the evening that I just loved was watching all these kids interact.  There is something about the "theater crowd".  I know there is a lot of "drama" other than what is seen on stage.  But, overall there were so many kids that came up to Isaac and were genuinely happy to see him and be friends with him.  I know that may sound simplistic, but to see him go from table to table, talking to people and interacting with them was so great.  He is obviously well loved and respected by a wide variety of people.   Is that surprising?  not really, but just neat to see.  And I loved that he specifically invited me to this event because he thought I would enjoy it.  And I DID!  He thought I must have been bored because I didn't know many people.  But I was not at all.  I LOVED it!


Yesterday, was Isaac's 16th birthday.  Wow! where did that time go?  I love this boy so much!
We had a surprise birthday party on him with the assistance of his sweet girlfriend Annabelle.  She helped me create the guest list and pull it off.  Thanks AnnaB.  I could not have done it without you.

Peter picked out a Pirate Theme...(very funny!) and I made a bass guitar cupcake cake---don't be too critical of the details--I thought the frosting of it would be a lot easier and had very poor planning for timing on that one.  oops!


The kids all hid behind mailboxes and in bushes and popped out from behind our car as we drove over to the neighborhood pool where the party was.  Isaac saw his girlfriend first and said "What's Annabelle doing here?"  then he saw more friends popping out and following our car.  His face lit up and he was very surprised.  He has a great group of friends.


Lucas joined in the fun, without hesitation and started dunking all the teenagers.  So much for just sitting on the edge of the pool.  He wanted EVERYONE IN the pool!!!!









ah but alas, the trick does NOT work both ways....when one of the teens decided to dunk HIM....no no no.....

It was a great afternoon, lots of sun, food, fun and friendship.  I'm so proud of my boy Isaac and who he is becoming.



 a little shwashbuckling sword fighting action.




Abelle, gives Isaac tickets to the concert of his dreams....coming this week.  Tickets were sold out and he thought he missed out on it (Manchester Orchestra, and ???)


a "greased watermelon" game

and a little bit of food!

I love you Isaac!!!


Thursday, May 19, 2011

Lucas the Parrot

Ever wonder what speach patterns you have that you don't even know you have?
Adopt a child that is learning your language.
You will find out.

Lucas is picking up more and  more English.  We have not done a lot of formal teaching, because we have wanted him to just be able to adjust to all the other changes before cramming a bunch of other stuff into his brain.  However, he is picking up a lot more than you can imagine and when I really think about it at the end of the day, I realize how much more English I am hearing each day.

But some of it is rather funny when I think because I realize he is copying my speach patterns since I am the one who spends the most time with him--good or bad.

Here are some of the things that make me chuckle:
"I don't know"...( with an inquisitive sort of tone-shrugging shoulders)
"Hode on" (hold on)
"Let'sa Go"
"I need to go potty" (this happened for the first time yesterday--up until then he always informed me via chinese words)
"stinky"
"hmmmm"
"silly boy"
"excusa me"
"eat some food"
"cum 'ere" (come here)
"brush your teeth"
"You are Welcome"
"just a little while"
"hand-some"

I'll add more if I think of them.
just a funny sort of combination of things he must hear me say a lot.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Baseball, Hot Dogs and Strawberries

2 days ago we were invited by some sweet friends to go to a minor league baseball game.  I am not a huge sports fan, but I really like going to these games because everything just seems more family freindly.  Sorry if that offends the purist baseball people, but it serves my level of sports attention...which isn't much.  I'm all about being with friends, eating food (albeit nasty food) and watching the kids just love hanging out together.

Thank you to the Fedeles for inviting us.  So much fun!

And a bunch of "firsts" for Sir Lucas:

First minor league baseball game

First Corn Dog



First Cotton Candy

Anytime he is with his friends he is a happy little man.  When we depart he begs to know when we will be together again.  He usually cries for at least 15 minutes everytime we depart.  He just loves them so much.

Today, Monday, we were together again.  This time another First...Strawberry Picking:




Peter said this is the first time he has seen someone pick strawberries while wearing a tie.  I have to agree.  He thinks it is part of getting dressed everyday.  I think it's sweet.


"Spirit Fall"

Passion City Church met for the first time in the "new" facility last night.  It was so cool to be a part of entering a new realm of life with the church.  This church doesn't "look" like a regular church.  It is a renovated building of an old retail store (large mind you) but still in the city and part of a cool neighborhood.  Pastor Louie spoke about renovating our hearts of stone and how Christ gives us a NEW heart that pumps for him.  Of course he was much more eloquent than that, but that's the jist of it.

Lucas has been singing, ok shouting, the words to "Our God" for days.  In the doctors office, in elevators, in the car, in bed, etc.  Last night he found a new favorite song.

Spirit Fall

I have prayed when I hear this song for sweet Lucas.  I pray that beyond the language barriers, beyond any words I could share, that he would know the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Last night was the first night he sang it out...

But, in his sweetness he changed up the words a bit.
The words are
Spirit Fall
Sprit Fall
Holy Spirit Fall
Fall On Me

He says
Spirit Fall,
Spirit Fall,
Holy Spirit Fall,
WaAiNi---(these are the Chinese words for "I love You")  sounds like "Wa I knee" so it's totally understandable how he could get from Fall On Me to Wa Ai Ni...it was precious.

He sat on Peter's shoulders during the singing portion and just lifted his sweet hands in Praise to Jesus.  My prayer continues for both of my boys -- that the Holy Spirit would Fall on them and speak to both of their hearts profoundly in their lives so they will love the Lord with all they have and allow Him to work through them.

When Isaac was born I knew the Lord was going to use him for great things.  Now he asks me about that and sometimes I think he feels a pressure about it, but that is not what I meant.  As I held him as an infant, and craddled him and rocked him, I felt the Spirit telling me he was preparing this child for some service.  I'm not sure what that all looks like quite yet.  I don't know if Isaac does either.  But, I still know it's true.  I see him in some type of urban ministry setting.  He LOVES big cities.  He is a people person. He is talented with music and art.  He is intrigued by people that are homeless or living very simple lives.

Here is the verse I have prayed for 16 years for my boy.  It is a verse I felt led to by the Holy Spirit when he was born:
2 Thess. 1:11-12

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.[c]




a Momma's prayer:
Spirit Fall
Holy Spirit Fall
Fall on Me --- and my sweet boys...





Friday, May 13, 2011

Motorcycles, A Serious Discussion with Lucas and Doctors

First let me begin with a message from Lucas....
z';.s
'.
;,e'
a;,;'r,;'r,er
';s,'
x;,';zf,;lsdz;'l[q]a2-3]0i304q9joijak:LOP[u2q9qlSLPOJI90=opqO;PQwkokpo[qIKQFQO]lolqpkqqo0-=q;p[plmna'lwOES=ALKKP{MFDOJZPD[SLMA==UIAHYBBSHBJSBAIS=AAZKJNJABJNABjkba

and there ya have it folks---probably what we sound like to him most days....=)

Lucas has been a tad obsessed shall we say by Motorcycles the past several days.  So everytime we get in the car, he points them out.  When we pull into a parking lot and he sees one he wants to go look at it mor closely.  He has decided that Isaac, Daddy, and Lucas are all getting motorcycles--"but not momma".  

So last night as we laid down for bed he was rambling on and on about them and showing me he needed to be bigger before he could get one.  Then he began pointing to his toes and then raising his hand to "5"  fingers.  I am a little dense so it took me a minute to figure it out.  But then he went and made another motion with his hand like a cutting motion at about the knee level on his legs.  It was bizarre, but he was excited about whatever he was telling me.  With the help of Google Translate and some delicate navigating of some touchy subjects, I realized he was telling me he wants "FIVE" toes on his feet.  And the cutting motion was indeed, "cutting off his legs" at about the knee.  I showed him pictures of prosthetics online and he nodded "yes", except the pictures I was showing were of only one leg with a prosthetic.  That wasn't good enough.  He wants "2".  It was all a tad intense for me.  But he was very excited at the prospect.  He indicated He wants to be taller.  And I think he thinks that by getting rid of his tiny lower legs he will be taller.  True.  But he is still a bit of a peanut anyway.  Heavy discussion.  And to clarify.  Never at anytime have we told him this was an option or possibility.  It IS what some doctors have mentioned, but we won't know that until we have a discussion with an orthopedic surgeon on June 1.  With his very active lifestyle, I am wondering what they will suggest.  But, knowing this is what he wants---it's pretty brave and amazing if you ask me.  Prosthetic feet Do have 5 toes.  Does he fully understand the implications?  probably not.  But if he has a desire for it, it will make it a lot easier to head into that whole thing if that is the direction we need to go.

This week was "doctor" week for the sweet boy too.  Mostly generic "international adoption" appointments etc.  Wed. we saw the general pediatrician who ordered bloodwork -- 1 finger prick, TB test, and about 7 vials of blood.  Then gave us the "lovely" stool sample test to take home.  He thought that was hysterical.  So on Thursday we did that lovely test at home--Apparently the thought of collecting PooP in a jar and mixing it up is quite funny!  And then the fact that someone actually wants this "gift" you've produced makes it even funnier.  He thinks we all should do it.  Can I just say it was GROSS!?  thank you!

Today we had the TB test rechecked.  Of course it was positive, because the one in China was positive and he has had the BCG vaccine which is a vaccine for TB.  It is a catch 22 situation.  For those who know or care, his test measured 24 mm today.  Anything at or over 10 mm is a red flag.  That sent us for a chest xray which of course came back negative.  No TB active, but, now they have a positive TB test over double the size of what it was in China because that is what happens once a TB comes back positive.  Each time it gets worse.   So he has to be treated even though he has probably never had TB, or been exposed to it.  It is just a messy situation.  So on Monday we find out what the medication situation is, but I have heard it could mean having him on meds for a YEAR!  Geesh!  Everyone I've talked to says the BCG vaccine is probably what caused it.  Irritating...

The Good news from today...We also saw the cardiologist for the heart murmur that everyone keeps hearing.  After an EKG, and Echo cardiogram/sonogram he recieved a clean bill of health from cardiology.  There is notthing notably wrong with his heart...Yeah God!  It's just an "innocent" murmer.

Here are a few pics from the past few days:




when you have a lot of doctor appointments you get a LOT of stickers




when you have a meltdown of disobedience, the logical response is to clean your brother's bathroom when it is all finished (this was not a punishment, this was what HE decided to do as he was coming down off a series of "poor choices" a few days ago--his 15 year old brother thanked ME for cleaning his bathroom.  Ummm no....that was your brother that did that)  It sparkled.  But I think I may need to take out stock in Windex!



and, after you've had a long day of everyone listening to your chest, xraying you, and scanning you,  the logical response is to torture the dog when you get home with what you've been through all day long...


just for fun....Buddy the dog and what was left of the cat....

ok, I just combed the cat, but it looks like Buddy ate him.  I thought it was funny.


also wanted to let you know
It's Official at yet another level.  This is Lucas's U.S. Citizenship Papters that came this week!
(I had a picture on here, but thought that wasn't the best idea for security reasons so it's gone)


Needless to say I'm about done with doctor appointments, poop collection, needles, xrays, and waiting rooms for a while.   I know there is more to come, but at least this first layer is done!
Thank you for all your prayers along our journey and into the future.  God is Faithful and overall, we are so blessed that nothing so far has come back in such a way that we really have to be worried about anything life threatening.  We are grateful for that.