Give us a click or two?

Greetings all - Marie asked me to make this one - and I'm a hair on the tired side so this will be simply 'quick and dirty'!

Marie sends:

Can you take a minute and vote, and ask your friends to do so please? Its fun to see how many people we know!
we are entering any contest possible to help pay Chase's way home!if you go to this link, it will let you vote daily http://social.macys.com/believe2009/#/tell-us-why-you-believe/343687
we so appreciate helping this little orphan get a chance at his own family....hopefully for Christmas!

We were 177th last night - and were down in the 30's this evening...come on - give us a click a day!

hugs - sleep time

aus

a special word about Grandpa!

In the short time my parents came to visit we sure had lots of fun! Braelyn is very slow to warm up to anyone but my father just has a way with children. He's not in the best health having battled cancer a few years ago then had his knee replaced a few months ago but you would never know it from the vibrant way he plays with the children! From the first second he's ever been with any of our children he has them laughing out loud! and the rest of us too! He LOVES to tickle and our kids sure are used to that! We did teach ours to say "Uncle" when its too much. I remember as a kid being tickled too much without a way to say "ENOUGH"! so we fixed that.

My Dad is a quiet person, deep thinker and will give the shirt off his back if he thinks you need it. He went to college to study Agriculture at UofK where most of my siblings also went. He met my mother there then they married soon afterwards. Her parents actually both graduated from UK which in those times was rare, especially for a woman!

As a child it turned out I had a life threatening allergy to bees which was discovered when I stepped back on a nest to let Grandpa drive by. I must have collapsed because they said Daddy ran up to the house carrying me unconscious. Mom said I threw up all night and my leg swelled up really huge. But, back then, no one seemed to rush anyone to a hospital. I'm lucky to have survived. Now we have epi pens! Because of the bee danger, I was allowed to drive the tractors rather than be in the barn where more bees could be living. My sisters hated that. They thought I was getting preferential treatment but didn't realize I worked much longer hours each day. I mowed with the conditioner where you had to sit sideways and watch how the grass was going in so it didn't choke up. You had to go fast enough to get the job done but pace it so it processed properly. It cut the grass or really, clover for hay or wheat for straw. The machine squeezed it to crush the stems to let it dry quick enough to not mold. Later I came back with the hay rake on the back of the tractor we called "H". It was the tall thinner model, really old with two little tires in the front and huge ones in the back. It was sort of fun raking because there were fewer obstacles to watch for and it was more like a joy ride through the sweet smelling fields.

Unless you encounter skunks. Skunks are not afraid of many things. Their defense is to stand there and put up a stink. When you mow, the clover or alfalfa is quite tall so you really can't tell what sort of wild animal might be hiding. I love animals and will never kill one on purpose. You don't even know it happened until you come around the field again and there it is. Unless you are down wind. So, you hold your breath for that side of the field feeling sorry for the cute little creature who should have run away. But then on the next side you see you found his mate. Oh, no, now that is two sides of fumes to escape. We're going to smell great at dinnertime tonight! But that was not my lucky day. Sadly, there ended up being four young ones scattered throughout and I was so out of breath when I was done and really sad for wiping out the entire family with one mowing session. Too bad they weren't groundhogs. Those are dangerous the way they dig out underground and it can cave in while you drive over and toss you off if the tire hits deep enough. Its a wonder farm children survive.

So enough about farming. People seem surprised when Aus has to go out and I run things around here no matter what comes up. I think he's happy to know I have a lot of unusual skills and talents. We learned to cook and sew in 4H with our Mom as our mentor. Working the farm I learned "how to be a man" until my brother came along 12 years later. We raised our kids to do everything too. The boys cook and clean and our daughters mow the yard and change their own oil. Just like my husband is so kind to empty the dishwasher if I have an arm full of little ones needing a Mommy snuggle...and he NEVER complains! He can whip through laundry like nothing! But it might take me days to get the same amount done. But, he just works on one thing. Men can do that you know. One project from start to finish. No stopping for a child who just has to ask for help in the potty, or to be rocked while she drinks her milk, or to help put on a bandaid...he'll do all those things but the kids come to me first. Women also have oodles of things going on in their mind that men don't normally have to worry with. Like, what to fix for dinner then what goes on the grocery list and if there are enough clean socks and undies or if I need to fill the bird feeders or is the dog barking downstairs because there is another mouse in the trap or will I have time to sit down and blog later?

So, learning from my parents while growing up on the farm was an asset.

When my siblings were so upset we adopted, my father was never unkind or disrespectful. And the kids just love him to pieces! as do we all!

Gotcha Day events

Now that things have settled from all the fun I wanted to put up a few pictures of what we did. Braelyn now lets me put her hair up in tiny pigtails. She has the hint of a curl as does Brianna. Braelyn's hair remains quite SHORT after her dear sister trimmed it to its roots a few months back. I plan to have both get a trim soon. But I love how she looks with the little spouts on the top or when its just one, we call it "Cindy Loo-hoo hair" after the little girl on the Grinch.

She barely fits her Chinese outfit and Brianna wore hers for the last time too. Good thing we're going back and can shop! I have fabric to make them a couple of mathing things too. I was so glad they had matching print outfits today. I got my Chinese outfit on ebay a while back. Its downfall is the dry clean only part so I cheat and use Woolite.

Braelyn seemed reserved then clingy then she would not let go of me after all the fun we had on Gotcha Day. I'm not sure why, she won't talk about it. She refused to sleep in her bed but woke and cried all night in mine. I'm thankful now today she was fine. A sweet little girl from down the street was visiting and she loves to visit. She asked about the upcoming trip we are taking to China and loudly asked if Braelyn was going to see her Mother in China!...My girls didn't seem to notice. I gently told her I was her Mother, that she was born in China but they could not raise her but God brought us to be together as a family just as he did with Brianna from Korea and now Chase. One never knows what will come out of the mouthes of babes!

Ben left to check his babies!

Its Saturday evening and Ben is packing up. He hoped to stay one more day but up at campus two of the pregnant mice gave birth so he has the job of marking them for their upcoming part in research. When they are this young and tiny they don't have the sense of pain so by removing their bitty tail, they can do a quick genetic scan to see which ones carry the traits they need for upcoming studies. He will mark each of the pups by trimming a tip of its toe to number it. At first I cringed not wanting to hurt anything but he assured me, they do it now before they completely develop their nerve endings so it doesn't hurt them and its not a "real" amputation. All labs use the same standards so anyone can pick up a mouse pup and readily tell you what number it is by the missing digit. Just like on Harry Potter's rat...

I tried to understand the genetic studies he is doing and what traits they are obtaining in the lines of mice. Its so complicated. Once they know the mouse carries the right trait, they can apply this to humans with now a nerve grows, develops and can be healed if it has a trauma or birth defect! The ever practical side of me realized that not all the mice will give birth to the right genotypes so I asked what happens to the ones that are not what they need. It seems they also have other animals in the lab, some that do eat young mice so rather than waste, they just "recycle" them into snake food. Sorry, you might not have wanted to hear that. Some that might have a defective gene strain they do have to incinerate as biological waste.

But, reaching WAY up to hug my 6 foot son who's really a MAN now, he makes his Mama proud but I so miss him. Nothing prepares you for the feelings you continue to have even this many years after they leave home...even having more dear children doesn't numb the pain when they leave the nest but so nice they do come back once in a while...and knowing he'll be back soon! At least for our friend's party...Dec 11th!

the next document came!

We hoped to have the mail arrive with tThe his document on Wed or Friday but here it is on Saturday! Just a day late and we'll take it! We got our provisional approval to adopt Chase and he will be a US citizen upon arrival! Now this will be sent to China causing our TA to be created and sent! I so wish we knew just when...but until the TA comes there is no real way.

the oldest boys are home! Ben and Carl will now be helping put up the Christmas tree. Aus is out mailing our Visa applications FedEx overnight so that part will be processed and ready.

we had a lovely visit last night with friends we met in China thus celebrating our shared Gotcha days! I'm not sure the kids really recognized each other but once they warmed up, they played like forever friends! We spent the morning cooking a feast but when I put the bread ingredients in the machine, I was too distracted and forgot the...yeast! Unlevened bread, or our own football for the upcoming game on TV today.

Seeing the kids run around playing together, being silly I just had to stir things up a bit. We have a ballpit that isn't up right now but the balls are in large tubs. While they were not looking I carried the large tub up to the balcony then called the kids to look at the fish tank fibbing about seeing baby fish. As soon as I spied all their little heads I poured a stream of rainbow balls just next to them. The look of surprise and excitement was priceless! I'm sure they weren't expecting that!

Chatting with another adoptive Mom is priceless. Sharing time while she feeds her 4 month son and discussing our adopted children even more valuable. We are so honored they took time from their travels to spend a day with us!

a holiday update for the blog!

To keep up with the change of seasons I changed the background. Easy to see. But do look at the family picture! I'm so proud of myself getting ALL of us in it! Now, lets see who really notices...

I also added the blog where I will be posting items you can choose when making a donation. Gulp, we hate to be fretting about money...
www.aplaceforChase.blogspot.com

and many many thanks to all who have donated, sent prayers and are helping in so MANY other priceless ways! We so appreciate YOU!

we even have a special friend out scouting for secret things for Santa!

Thanksgiving Day Thanks!

Good morning all - I'm just home and still kind of wired - so I thought I'd make a Thankful on Thanksgiving post - it's an Aus update. (and it really IS the wee hours of Thanksgiving Day!)

Read on to the prior post - Marie made a great post a couple hours ago and this one will take top only because it's most recent - no where near as important however! Oh - in summary - we're no closer to solving this one yet, the suspect is one of the more clever guy's I've encountered - today he was working from an unsecured private residence wireless access point. We will - however - get this guy....he will step in something somewhere and we'll find it on his shoe...and this will be an interview that I will "well and truly" enjoy!

So - to the meat of this post - what am I Thankful for today?

The list is really pretty long - and sitting here trying to chill out a little I'm realizing that I'll never complete this....I'm thankful for way more things than not...dare I try to list these things - starting with people? Why not - I've got the time....

As ya'll know top of the list is my beloved bride Marie - who'd have thunk that we'd be where we are today doing what we do? Who'd believe that she tolerated yet ANOTHER holiday that was interrupted by 'the job'? One thing I think we DID have figured out even before we got married - and that we are Blessed to have come true - who'd have thought that over all of these years we'd have grown closer and more deeply in love that we were 'back in the day'? Oh yeah....major thankful to be Blessed by a lover / companion / friend / supporter like her!

Ben - Marie made a great post about him a few days ago - and yeah, what parent wouldn't be proud? No to mention the fact that he's just a great guy - thanks for being who you are boy.

Britt - Marie commented on her today too - doing all those things that adults should do, caring and loving, and hurting just a tad as she learns that as an adult you have to make hard choices and be torn between places and people. Did I mention that she still has the some of the same behaviors she had as a kid? We shared a couple tears today when she realized that she wasn't getting to spent as much time with Marie as she wanted. As a lil 'en she had this 'wipe her tears on her hands and then dry her hands on my shirt' thing she did. She did that while we were in the kitchen this afternoon...and try as I might I still had to laugh at it. Thankful...

Carl - What a kid he is. He'll fit no ones 'profile' - his 'appearance' belies his heart and behavior - and he just loves that (I do too)! He is one of the most profound thinkers I have ever encountered. And he can articulate WHY he believes what he believes - I guess I'd just ask most people - can you? And even more - he's willing to accept those that believe differently regardless...as long as they prove themselves as 'good people'...wow. More thanks.....

Brianna - Boo is just Boo! She's a dancer, singer, artist, math wiz, reading champ, and dearly loving child. All of that and more....and I'd dare you to see her as any one single thing - it's all of that at once! One of the ladies at school (older gal, WW II era, not to give away her age, who works there) - we were chatting with her prior to Boo's parent / teacher conference, and her comment was "She's a greaser - it won't take a minute" (for references on "Greaser" check with an Air Force WW II era vet - it's a 'super dooper perfect landing') - yeah she's all that and more....and thanks again...

Braelyn - a child that is devilish (only in a good way) and shy all at the same time - who would believe that a child could so captivate someones soul? She's a 'old soul' too - she is way wise and sensitive beyond her years - sometimes it really seems like she's done all of this before. The only child I've raised (at least to date) who will respond better to "Princess I'd rather you not do that" than to a "No" or "Stop it". I never thought that I'd be this kind of Blessed....still more thanks....

Chase Chu Yurui - oh while I really 'know nothing' - I'm still so thankful for this little guy with the somber smile who is bringing me back to China! I try not to speculate much because I have as a goal not 'hammering him' into what I want - but 'cultivating him' into who he is....but he brings me great joy from literally half a world away....thanks son - and we're making our best speed to you....

What about the rest of life? Friends - many and more - friends that I see or speak with probably (no - I mean much) too infrequently (and yeah guys - and you guys know who you are) I have a huge regret about that but there are only so many hours in a day and ya'll know how I am about the phone (all us hard of hearing guys feel the same way!). But please know that I'm thankful every day knowing that I could pick up the phone, touch your numbers, and have you here in less time than it would take to drive here safely! Thanks guys....

Family - strange - but with all the issues and lack of communication and all of that (I agree with Marie on all points here BTW) - I really don't think I'd trade them for much of anything! We are what and who we are - and I'm better for knowing ya'll, regardless of the issues and hard words we've exchanged. And I really MUST say - My dad passed away when I was a lad of but 8, and my FIL has accepted me as if I were one of his own! I mean I really feel as close to him as I would have hoped to be with my Dad (no disrespect intended dad - it wasn't your fault or anything!) I hope to emulate that as a FIL in the future too - I'm thankful for ya'll...

The 'job'? Well - sometimes what I do 'counts' for someone some of the time - so yeah - even though it's more like a 'demanding master' than anything - I'm thinking I'm thankful for it! (ok - I'm pretty tired right now so it's just not a good time to talk about it OK?!) :)

Freedom....I'll go to my grave defending with my life (if necessary - but as a goal - NOT) - your right to be who and what you are (even if I personally believe you are wrong - that doesn't really play into it!) But I covet my personal freedom as strongly as I would defend yours....and I'm thankful that I have it - and that I'm FREE enough to say it too!!!

My Faith - yeah - although it's demanding from time to time - I'm glad that I'm a Believer! In fact - it would be pretty pointless in carrying on if I wasn't, and let's face it - God has and always will provide - and I'll always be thankful for that (even if He and I are going to have to have a couple long and frank discussions one of these days - He's really got some 'splainen' to do!)....

That covers the major stuff I guess - there are many many lesser things too (like dogs, fish, hobbies, home, computers, and on and on) - but maybe I can wrap it up a little this way....

I'm "living the dream"....and I've met in my life many people that are "dreaming to live"....I'm thankful I'm in the first group. And I'm thankful that ya'll want to share that - yeah it's trite but true - I'm thankful for all you guys too - thankful that you care enough to bother with our family and share the dream with us....

Happy Thanksgiving Day all -