School's out , for summer!!!

Oh, what a great week ahead! The monkey is still playing ball, and has made the All-Star team ! We are looking forward to the tournament later this summer. He will also be turning 13 this friday, and has still not told us how he wants to celebrate . [ no, he is not having a Hello Kitty or Barbie party, even though someone keeps asking him to]

The ladybug will have her school musical Tuesday morning. The man and I will be going to it, and we are looking forward to it. We have not been able to attend much at her school this year , and it will be fun.

Our exams are this Monday and Tuesday , and we will just have to go to three days of workshops the next week. Then ----- we will have some big time family fun !!! I am working on my list of summer goals, and will post them next week. Until then, stay cool !

Sixteen days, you say?!?!

Oh my word - sixteen days of school left ! That. Is. All. This year has flown by. In less than a month, my sweet little monkey will be thirteen. Who would believe that? Even now, I still see that tiny little boy sitting on that table in the orphanage. He is so precious.And a little silly.

I've been waiting for a girl like you

What a weekend!
The ladybug had her birthday party yesterday - oh my word. She has planned the themes for her parties until she is 26 - and this was the year of the "Hello Kitty" party. I was happy. [ Did you know I have been collecting Hello Kitty since around 1978? True story !]
So , I decided to just let the girl tell me what she wanted to do at her party this year - I thought it would make it even more special . She wanted
1. "pony on the tail" [ instead of the usual 'pin the tail on the donkey' , I made it 'pin the bow on Kitty' 2. a craft - I painted beads white and drew Kitty's face on them - we made bracelets and necklaces
3. Hello Kitty twister - and they LOVED that one !
4. coloring - one table had each child an HK coloring book, plus one of my HK lunch boxes full of crayons
5. bingo - this is the one that got me. I made an HK bingo set, and it was so cute. Ladybug walked up to me while I was making it last week, and asked what it was. I explained that it was the bingo she wanted, and she proceeded to inform me that 'bingo' is small pillows filled beans, and you throw them. Uh , yeah. I think that would be 'bean - go '

She picked the foods. She helped me fill the goody bags - rings, candy, bubbles, and I made each child a felt Kitty doll. That would be 40 of them. She helped me with the decorations . She really really wanted those pointy party hats . I have to say , I think she had the best time, ever. Our church family has been so wonderful to her - everyone at the Wednesday night service sat and listened to her tell her party plans, then sang to her. She was grinning all evening.
I honestly do not know if any one else had a good time, but I do know that my sweet baby did.

Today was just as special - the monkey had confirmation. There were 8 children in the group, and they were all so sweet . I am so proud of that sweet boy. He is amazing.
And that was our weekend. I am exhausted.

Sunday, Sunday

Would you like to know how much fun it is to have two ill children in one house? Gotta love the stomach bug. The monkey is laying low - won't eat, won't do much. The ladybug is still up and running, but she just stops everything and runs to the bathroom every now and then. So far, the man and I are safe. I went to church alone this morning, and I tried really hard not to breathe on anyone else. This was the PERFECT way to spend our Spring Break Stay-cation.  Perfect. I am very thankful that the man and I did not take a trip this year . It would have been awful leaving two sickly sweeties.

I am sure there will be great times this week - and I am sure I will be posting them on here. Until then, there is laundry to fold and hot tea to drink...... and a few art projects to finish. Have a good evening!

two more days - the end is near!

Only two more days of school before spring break?! How exciting is that? At our faculty meeting today, we were given freshly baked cookies ---- oh, the joy.
And that's about all I have today !

lovely weather we're having

Cold.
Oh my word, it is cold.
We are one week away from Spring Break, and it is utterly freezing . The ladybug and I are working away at her birthday party decorations, gifts, and invitations. [ or , as she calls them , "tumations"]
We have made our list more than once, and she STILL keeps inviting every waitress, waiter, salesperson, bus driver, passer-by, and every one else whom she thinks is deserving of a 'tumation' to her party. Good times. It would be quite the scene if every one of these people she has invited actually showed up. Today at church, she invited an elderly lady, simply because the lady complemented the pink dress Ladybug had on. Bless it.
We are looking forward to our first Spring Break at home in years. We have made waaaay too many plans to actually accomplish, but that is beside the point. Sleeping in ! Pajama days ! No bed times !
Who wants to come hang out with us?!?!
Now the Grandparents have asked to take the monkey to Nashville, for some S E C games. Wow. Even more exciting for every one !
Have a great week - take a break !

don't it make my brown eyes blue

So we went to the Chinese New Year Party this past Saturday. Ladybug was really looking forward to it. We walked in along with a family from our orphanage group. Very exciting for the girls. We had a nice lunch, and it was time for the Dragon parade. Ladybug and her sweet friend got in line behind a few girls who were slightly older. Just a little older. Maybe two years. I was snapping photos and using my phone to tape the parade, and the sweet scene between Ladybug and the others. Then , I saw it. One of the older girls in front of her [ that we have known since she came to America] turned and said something really ugly to my baby. I saw the hurt in my baby's eyes. I would have given anything in the world to have saved her from that. She did the best she could - she walked through one lap of the dragon parade, and then she stopped, looked at me, and put her sweet little hands up to her sweet little eyes. I ran, picked her up, and held her very, very close to my heart.

So , why is it that little girls have to say ugly things? I know it isn't just little girls that do it - I teach High School, and I see it in older girls as well as teachers. It happens. I get it. But I sure hate that it has already happened to my baby. My four year old.

I am catching on that 'developing a more forgiving heart' is going to be my lenten focus this year , and I am okay with that.