Dear Grammy Tami

    

All of our children are aware, to some degree, of the big, wide world of blogging.  Our out-of-town family reads our blog and talks with them about it.  The kids enjoy seeing pictures on friends' blogs.  They have their own blogs that we incorporate into home schooling.  And sometimes they ask me to do specific posts on our family blog.  Here is a post that Keandre asked me to write!

We have very open adoptions (meaning fully identified, visits, etc.), although contact is sometimes sporadic.  Keandre's biological Grandma and Great-Grandma, as well as an uncle (age 6) live in Nevada.  We have not pursued much contact this year since we were rather busy with pregnancy bed rest and adding a precious newborn to our busy lives.  But recently we have been looking at pictures of his birth family and talking about them more. 

Today Keandre wanted to call Grammy Tami and leave her a message.  Then he drew her a special picture.  Then he dictated a very long letter for her!  He asked me to post it here.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Dear Grammy Tami,

Please come over here and please see our chickies. We have Noodle, Blossom, and other chickies, and a bunny rabbit. Please come see them. And please come see my mom. Thank you.

And please come see my bed. I sleep in my room with my brother.

We saw Mya and Dennae yesterday. And Marcel and their baby Judah. I didn’t play in the sand or on the playground. They played and then we went to catch some fishies in a pond. Lucas catched five fishies. He put them in our little pond. Please come see it. Please.

I love you. Please come to the park and see all our friends. And Granny and Papa.

Please come see our baby. We have Brooklyn Isabella. Thank you. And please. And my chickies. They are nice. And they peck. Seven chickies.

Please come see our fire pit. It’s here. At our home. Our friends come. We eat hot dogs and we eat chicken food (ha ha…not really!). We eat marshmallows. We fire them.

I write a picture for you.

love, Keandre

Are you sensing a theme in this letter? I think my little guy would like a visit! We are praying it might be possible.  Grammy Tami has already replied to his letter, and Keandre was glowing with joy as I read it to him! :) 

It's the Dad Life

LOVE this.  No matter how many times we see it.  On a blah day, we all need our life as parents glorified a bit, right? :)  (Double click on the movie to see it full size.)

El Tour de Tucson

   

I have been biking regularly for the last few years with a couple friends.  On November 20, we'll be riding 80 (or maybe 109!) miles in El Tour de Tucson, the largest ride in Arizona with about 9,000 riders. 

I've chosen the option to 'Ride for a Child' and raise funds for Tu Nidito.  Each year this agency helps more than 800 children who are grieving a death in the family, who have been diagnosed with a life threatening illness, or who have a parent diagnosed with cancer.  I am paired with, Ben, who lost his older sister, and I'm really looking forward to doing this ride in his honor.

My goal is to raise $500 before the ride, and I am looking for sponsors to join me by making a contribution in my name.  You can see a picture of Ben, read more of his story, and donate online at my personalized rider web page.  (You can also donate by check if you prefer that method.)  All donations to Tu Nidito are tax-deductible, and 91% of every dollar goes directly to support programs for children. 

Thanks for your support!
-Andy

What's in a Name?

 

I overheard the kids discussing names for the chickies.  Names like Clementine, Sweet, and Blossom.  Very cute.  And familiar!  Turns out the kiddos named their chicks after our favorite cloth diapers.  BumGenius diapers have great names.  Destany has been wanting to learn the names of all of the colors after hearing me discuss colors with other cloth diapering Mamas.  It was so cute to see her interest, and I guess it later came in handy when she and her brothers were deciding on names!

Moonbeam, Ribbit, Clementine, Zinnia, Grasshopper, Butternut, Twilight, Bubble, Blossom, Sweet, and Noodle.  Cute, huh?  (Good marketing, BumGenius!) 

Here they are with their chicks.  They are growing and changing so much.  (The chicks and the kids!) 

Lucas with Clementine, Cricket (instead of 'Grasshopper'), and Butternut

Destany with Sweet and Zinnia

Keandre with Noodle and Blossom

My Rows and Piles of Coins

  

Tonight I had story time with just the boys.  As we settled on the sofa, Lucas picked out a book for us to read.   My Rows and Piles of Coins is the story of a young boy who lives in Tanzania.  He helps his mom at the market every Saturday, and when it's a good day, he receives a few coins as a thank you for his hard work.  He saves and saves his coins, counting them and dreaming of what he will buy. 

Unlike past attempts at reading this book, Keandre was riveted.  He is old enough now to start to apprecaite the illustrations, and studied every page and even asked a few questions.  E. B. Lewis is a talented artist, and every page was rich with detail.  It is easy to see why this book received the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award!

Afterward, I asked Lucas and Keandre what they liked most about the story.  Keandre pointed to the little boy's legs and said, "He's the same color!"  Lucas said that he likes the way the little boy saves all his coins and counts them up and thinks so much about what he would like to buy.  That is just like Lucas, and I love that this was just one more reminder that children all over the world have things in common. 

Orphan Sunday

 

For God So Loved - OS from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

little chickies

Maybe we're a little bit country.  Or maybe a little crazy.  Either way, we picked up half a dozen baby chicks last weekend.  Plus a baby rooster that Lucas talked us into.  (We insist he is only visiting until he finds his voice!) 

It'll be another 5 months until they start laying, but that is probably a good thing considering they're currently living in a rabbit hutch. Maybe by the time they're outgrowing it, we'll have built them a coop.  We'll see.  If you spot half a dozen hens ruling the roost in our backyard come spring, you'll know that idea didn't work out quite as planned.....

(Coming Soon: the delightful names our chickies have acquired.)

on the move

This girl is on the move!

And so delightful we can hardly stand it.

Brooklyn is 5 months old now, and started rocking on her knees at 4 1/2 months.  No official crawling yet, but it could be any day!  Take your time, BabyGirl. :)