October 9, 2011

• Emptying the Nest

  No we're not sending the kids off to college just yet, we are trying to gain space.  While we waited for Shaeleigh we "nested."  While waiting for YiLin we are de-nesting.  The good news is, after being rained out last weekend, we had our garage sale and the house looks much emptier just by the virtue of not having the giant heap of treasures in the dining room that have been there for three weeks.  Of course Kenn is still suffering because everything that didn't sell is all piled up in his "man cave" but we have a pick-up scheduled for Friday.

  And so.... where are we with YiLin?

  For those in the adoptive circles, we have our 1800 approval and are waiting for our cable to be sent.  As of last week we were not in the system so we not likely to get our TA (travel approval) until mid-November at best.   To sum it up for those not familiar with TAs and I800s - there is still a chance that we will travel before Christmas but more than likely, we will end up traveling soon after. 

  For those saying, "who the heck is YiLin?"   ...I will admit, my blogging has so fallen to the wayside that I have not fully introduced Smitheroni #3.  He is currently 6 years old and living in Shandong Province (south of Beijing).  He is exactly 1 year younger than Shaeleigh.  Well, 1 year, 2 days.  After many months of pondering names, we decided that we'd just stick with the name he has (although we will be dropping the tones so from his perspective, it may be a whole new name). 

  We recently found out that there is a little girl in Chance's school named YiLin (although her name has different characters).  I asked the girl's mother about how she would translate our YiLin's name.  She told us that "Lin" is a legendary lucky and happy animal is Chinese folklore.  It also means "great people" because it is a kind of rare animal.  "Yi" has many meanings.  One meaning is idea/thought/meaning.  Another meaning is expect/intend to.

  Our agency has asked that we not post photos so I am going to stiff you on that.  We did get a small update a few weeks ago - one new picture and news that he has started first grade.  His favorite subject is Chinese.  Hm...  we might be in a pickle there. 

  But, more news to come - we should know in 2-6 weeks, what our travel options are.

  Meanwhile....

   

   

  Shaeleigh started 2nd grade and is doing well.

   

  She has found a loop hole in the "no more stuffed animals" rule. It goes like this, "Mom, I want to learn how to sew." 

   

  This Roxy.  She's a Moshling.  Shaeleigh fell in love with Moshi Monsters last year.  Now suddenly it appears she was on the cutting edge of trendy kid stuff because Moshi merchandise is starting to pop up in the toy aisles.  Moshi Monsters has an online world, cards to collect, as well as stuffed animals and little tiny plastic figurines.  Shaeleigh's former favorite, "Bella Sara" (world of mystical horses) at least had positive messages and chapter books.  Moshi Monsters has little redeeming value.  Okay, she is learning to sew.

   

   

  Chance in a basket. We discovered a the mother load at the library. All the marvel comic books and manga stuff is over in the series section. Superman, Spiderman, Transformers, Pokeman.  Both kids LOVE the library trips.  Shaeleigh has discovered Diary of a Wimpy Kid and after she read one we could never find the rest on the shelf.  So then we discovered the joy of putting books on hold.  Not only do you get your book, but you get to pick it up from a special shelf where it's hanging out with your name on it, AND you get a phone call from the robotic voice letting you know your book is waiting.  Shaeleigh and I put a few Power Ranger books on hold for Chance too and he was soooooo excited to see his name on the books sticking out of the shelf.

   

   

  I was attempting to take a picture of myself to add to the photo album we were sending to YiLin as I didn't have anything with my shorter haircut.  Of course the best photo of me is the one with no-shirt Chance sticking his bottom in the air. 

   

   

  Then Chance, who decided the photo shoot thing was fun, wanted to have a session for him and Baby.

  After asking me to take 100 shots in different poses he wanted Baby to have her own sitting. Oh, and he wanted to be the photographer:

   

   

  He's an abstract artist apparently.

  And now we close with a few quotations from the artist himself:

   

  I bought a new purse a few weeks ago and when I asked Chance how he liked it, he said,

  "Well...  it's only brown and old looking."

   

  Chance walks in the room while I'm mumbling in Chinese:

  Chance:  "What are you doing?  Are you practicing Chinese?"

  Me:  "Yes.  How did you know?"

  Chance:  "Because my brain works."

   

  We're in church where there is a huge crucifix hanging over the alter.  Chance points at it.

  Chance:  (not whispering) "That guy without a shirt - that's Jesus?"

  Me:  (whispering) "Yes"

  Chance: (still not whispering) "I thought it was God."

  Me: "Yes.  Jesus is God."

  Chance: (really not whispering) "God's the guy without a shirt?  (pause)  Wait a minute....   I thought Jesus was a baby?"

   

  Chance on breakfast Part I:

  Chance:  "I want some of those, you know, things that you eat."

  Me:  "Hm....   what do they look like?"

  Chance:  "You know, those different kind of toaster strudels, you know, with no cooking."

  Me:  "A Pop-Tart?"

  Chance:  "Yeah! Yeah! One of those!"

   

  Chance on breakfast Part II:

  Chance:  "I want some Chinese Toast."

  (For the record, I never figured that one out but I gave him an English Muffin and he didn't complain).

   

  • 9:50 pm
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