February Fun!!!

This managed to be another crazy month - but lots of fun!!! We had some house guests for a few nights - the Gumms from Syracuse,NY came with their adorable little girl just a few months younger than Zanna. The two hit it off and had a great time together. They played, pooped and (I can't think of another p-word to fit into this) and shared a bath together. It was too cute! It's nice to have another pastor's kid in our district she can look forward to playing with at conferences, the Labour Day retreat, etc. The day after they left we took off for a two night stay in Toronto. We had the opportunity to get together with most of the group we travelled to China with a little over a year ago. It was great to them all again, to see how far the girls have come and how well everyone is doing. It's just amazing how well they've all adjusted. The hotel we were at had a water slide which was a hit for Will. That and the fact that almost all the older siblings were girls he had all to himself. I wish we had taken a picture of him in the hot tub with all his "ladies". Ha!
We had a chance to go to the famous Mandarin buffet restaurant. I have never seen such an amazing Chinese buffet, we were in heaven (I'm sure the Chinese food will be even better in heaven) but until then, this will do! And for those interested, the twins (affectionately called the snot sisters) are doing great and were still snotty (I'm sure there had been a period of draught for awhile).
The day after we arrived back from Toronto my parents came in for a visit to celebrate Zanna's birthday. We had a great time and it went very fast as usual. On her birthday, her godparents Skip and Karen came over to celebrate. Elmo was the character of the day! Having clearly recalled Will's 2nd birthday and the meltdown he had from too many people and no nap I learned my lesson this time around. It was low key but she had a great time and quickly realized this was an extra special day for her. As my custom is to make my children's birthday cake every year and stress myself out this one wasn't too bad. I made a chocolate cake (with the flour I ground in my new wheat grinder mill - that's a whole other endeavor) and wrote Happy Birthday Zanna and had little Elmo candies around it with an Elmo candle. As you can see from the picture, she enjoyed her sugar high!
I should have put this picture first because it happened earlier in the month but this was taken at a Chinese New Year party we were invited to. Here Will is helping turn the pasta wheel for the dumpling dough. Wayne helped fill the dumplings and we all helped eat them!! It was a very lovely evening and we felt honoured that a group of the Chinese community would invite us in their home and share this important part of Chinese culture with us.
On the school front, we've done some special fun things. We met a group at the Experimental Farm where the kids got to learn about the food chain. It was very interesting and everyone had great time. Of course once we were home all I could smell was farm on my hair and skin - I had to shower all over again. I'm such a city girl!!! We've also participated in some book clubs. The first book was the Railway Children. There was a discussion circle followed by some Victorian period themed crafts and lunch. I took Zanna along since there were a few other little girls her age which turned out to be a pain in the butte! She plays great with kids but when it comes to people her own size she likes to hug them and it ends up in a tackle with her on top and the victim pinned to the ground screaming and wondering what when wrong. It's exhausting. The last book club was on Little Lord Fauntleroy. Loved this book!!! Had to take Zanna this time, more tackles.
Finally, this last Sunday we hosted the group from Ottawa we traveled to China with. It was a lovely evening, potluck style. It was great to see everyone again and Will had more ladies to schmooze. Zanna had more toddlers to tackle.

Fun in the New Year

January was certainly cause to celebrate and I couldn't help but often reflect on what we were doing a year ago. On Jan. 15th we celebrated our first "Forever Family Day" or "Gotcha Day" as some people call it. In honor of the occasion we went to eat at a Chinese buffet and totally pigged out. We just spent the day as a family and tried to enjoy every bit. We're just so thankful we are a family and that this year has not only gone by so fast but so well. I had thought maybe we'd watch our video from China but I have a hard time watching it when I see how difficult it was for her. Now we know her so well and see how happy she is now that it's hard to see her so upset and in so much pain in the video. But we have such fond memories (not the monkeys) of our trip to China and look forward to returning someday with the kids when they're older - hopefully. Maybe Disney World first!!!
Near the end of the month, Zanna and I went on a girls-only trip to Calgary to visit family. We stayed with Wayne's brother and sister-in-law and their four girls. I had wanted to take a trip with Zanna before she turns two and we have to pay for a seat for her! I had taken several trips with Will when he was little and I enjoyed the time we had together. I wanted to do this with Zanna too. It was a four hour plane ride which is plenty long with one her age. We walked up and down the aisle getting to know the passengers and crew. Zanna kept asking people "where's William?" She was lost without her big brother, it was pretty sweet. She refused to sleep even though it was during her nap time - she didn't want to miss anything! She reluctantly dozed off as we started our descent into Calgary, wouldn't you know. She had a great time with her cousins who were thrilled to see her except for the four year old "baby of the family" who by Saturday was wondering "when is her going home?" - haha! She apparently wasn't getting the attention from her sisters she normally gets do to this intruder! As the older girls are 9, 10 and 11 I got caught up with the in tween shows and now totally get Hannah Montana and High School Musical. I had hoped to play a little Dance Dance Revolution with them on Sunday but woke up with the flu (yah, right auntie!). No, really I felt like roadkill. Very unfortunate. My dear sister-in-law took Zanna to church with the rest of them and Zanna, I was told, was a hit. Apparently someone named Dennis took her dancing around. One can only imagine what went through her mind! The plane ride home was a bit more challenging due to the whole roadkill feeling but, thankfully shorter by 40min. The reunion between her and Will was priceless - what a joy to see them really care for each other. Although it was not long before reality kicked in and they were back to teasing each other. Of course, the reunion between husband and wife was equally touching as one could overhear me say "take me to bed" - seriously, all I wanted was my bed!!!!
One final thing worth mentioning is that Wayne was extended a call to serve a congregation in Austin, Texas. This completely took us by surprise and is now something Wayne must consider over the next few weeks - whether we remain here or go to Texas. Personally, I think it's a conspiracy to give a call from a southern place to a Canadian in the middle of Winter. Could there be anymore snow this year? I haven't been able to put out my cute garden flag in the front because the snow goes up to our lamp post. Crazy!
We have a few things to look forward to - a reunion with our China travel group and a visit from my Mom and Dad for Zanna's birthday - yeah!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Boy, do we have the snow. Wayne and I have decided we have never seen so much snow in our lives. Apparently we've have mild winters since we've been here. But not this year - so much for global warming.
Last year I started Will on a collection of nutcrackers so this is his second one.
Grandma Halldorson got Zanna a tea set. It's so cute how she serves us all tea. She only gives us about 10 seconds to finish our "tea" before she comes back to collect the cup.

Wayne's mom and dad came to visit us for Christmas this year. We had a great time! This picture was taken at Upper Canada Village which was decorated with beautiful lights, we took and cozy horse and carriage ride and had a yummy turkey dinner. The evening was lovely and the weather was mild.

Zanna woke up with a couple of red spots under her lip sometime around Christmas. I thought she had scratched herself in the night. But the day after Boxing Day she woke up with another one that covered her nose and she looked like Rudolph - only with skin peeling off. I panicked and was convinced she had some flesh eating disease (one's imagination tends to run wild) but the doctor said she had impetigo - a common bacteria infection. She got on some medication and now they're practically gone.

On an equally stressfull note, Zanna has also decided to forgo her nap time in exchange for taking her clothes off and diaper and peeing all over the bed time. She likes to see how zippers and snaps and buttons work. She can't get them back on (other than her socks) but she sure likes taking them off. I was doing laundry everyday and was getting really ticked off. So my first tactic was keeping a onsie on her at all times. This worked well for about 2 weeks. Then she figured she didn't need to take off the onsie to get her diaper off. Not sure how she managed that but had to give her some credit for imagination. Then I put her in overalls. But then she figured out snaps. Then I put her diaper on backwards which sort of worked until it leaked because it was heavy in the wrong place. I was ready for duct tape but thought I'd try one last thing. I found an outfit someone had given us. Homemade by the looks of it, a jumper with no crotch snaps and buttons on top so when I put it on backwards, the buttons are in the back. This is now her official "nap outfit". She's very clever though so we'll see what she does next.

Will and I have been enjoying our school break. He's getting together with friends this week now that the Grandparents have gone home. Our normal schedule resumes next week.

Mom and Dad spent Christmas with sister Bekah and her husband Tom in England. We received a few phone calls from them from a pub - very British! And we webcamed on Christmas Day - so great to see and talk to them all. Reid and Brenda hosted an El Paso, Texas Christmas with Brenda's family and were on their way to Mexico when I phoned. I thought the law had finally caught up with him but they were just going for a day trip.

2008 - William is 8 this year, Zanna 2 and we will celebrate 10 years of wedded bliss!

December news

Ahhhh, Winter in Canada! haha! It actually looks worse than it is. Wayne got out the snowblower to clear the driveway and blew it all into a big pile for Will to have at it. He spent hours working on this thing. Pretty cool, huh?
Aren't they cute? Yes, they are wearing matching outfits. I couldn't help myself and Will is still young enough to go along with it so I better take advantage of it. This will be what they will wear for Christmas.

This is us in the middle of decorating the tree. Shortly after it was taken, the tree fell over. And yes, it's real. So water, needles and ornaments were everywhere. Wayne managed to come up with some McGyver contraption to keep it up - we hope!
Zanna's highly amused to have a tree in our house as Mom is the queen of faux trees. I can't keep anything alive for long (thankfully, I've had better luck with my children). But I can't let go of the fresh pine tree that I only have to water for a month. However, after yesterday's fiasco we may have to revisit that one.
It's kinda funny because Will wants to hang up his ornaments and I can't seem to unwrap them fast enough. But then they're mostly mine anyway - Rachel 1978, Rachel 1981, etc engraved on many of them. He gets pretty disgusted. Zanna did great - I thought she'd be a pain quite honestly. She hung up the ones we gave her (although I had to go back later and redo them as they had all fallen off!) and was surprisingly calm but excited about the whole thing. And as we don't "do" Santa in our house, she's convinced the Santa at Walmart that sways his hips and sings carols is Noah. Too funny!!
Will had an exciting week - he played Joy to the World on his violin at the retirement home and at church on Sunday and did such a good job. This was his idea - I was so nervous for him but he was quite confident. I wish I performed that well and steady! What a lovely way to serve his Lord and use his talents for Him. God bless him!

New pictures

Will and one of the fresh lobsters Dad and Mom brought back with them from Maine. Yes, they were to die for. Will wanted to keep one as a pet!
Will and Zanna doing their schoolwork.
Halloween (Reformation Day in our house!) 2007

One year ago

It was a year ago today we received our referral of Hosanna. All we had were three beautiful little pictures and some basic information that I clung to! I carried her pictures around with me everywhere and would show anyone who feigned interest. I remember the moment - I was at the Wine and Food Show setting up the Sunset Gourmet booth when Wayne called to tell me we got "the call". My legs gave out under me and fell to the floor crying in joy. (yes, people around me thought I was nuts") The information he gave swam in my head. I felt overwhelmed - our prayers had been answered and then some. Wayne and Will drove to our agency right away to get the package of information including her photos and drove downtown to the Congress Centre to show me. I kept thinking in my head "I'm having a baby!"
I guess it's sort of ironic that today of all days she's driving me nuts! She wouldn't nap, screaming is her noise level of choice and nothing will make her happy. Oh, well - it all is part of the package! We love her to death!!
I ran into a women in the grocery store parking lot last week who approached Zanna and me. She too is an adoptive Mom with a son from China. We had a nice chat and as we parted her last comment was "enjoy this Christmas". Funny, because she knew having been there herself that it was something we were looking forward to. Last Christmas while we were anticipating our travel and meeting her, my heart ached not having her part of our festivities! Not being able to tell her about Jesus was hard - a year later her favorite Bible story is Noah and she loves the picture of Jesus in our bedroom. Just wait until the Christmas tree is up and the presents are out - too fun!
I'll have to post pictures later - we haven't downloaded the latest yet.

The Punkin' Patch

When Will had his first Halloween we dressed him up as a pumpkin and took his picture in the pumpkin patch - course he was 5 months old and just sat there wherever we placed him. A 19month old is tricky because she runs away. So I put her in the middle of a pile of pumpkins so she had to climb over them to get out. During her getaway we were able to snap a few pictures. But is she the cutest punkin' or what?

Will and Zanna with our pumpkins!