mmmonchan

Jammie Time

2012-01-25T23:43:00.000-06:00

I love it when these two snuggle in their jammies right before bedtime. :)

Thanks, GiGi & Grandpa, for the stylin' jammies.

Snowfall! :)

2012-01-25T23:39:00.002-06:00

While we visited Louisville earlier this month, Dave wanted to put our zoo pass to work.

On perhaps the coldest/windiest day of the year there, we ventured to the (VERY BARREN) zoo.

The clerk working the front window said we were "Brave Souls" to venture out that day.

After exiting the reptile/amphibian hall, we were greeted with the white fluff. Dave was so excited. It took a little while for the keiki to get excited, for they were cold. :)

Stephen took very well to the various people we met on the trip. He was happy to guide Uncle Jon through the zoo.

Celebrating Jesus

2012-01-25T18:54:00.000-06:00

May Jesus be the center of our lives.

(Just a note: I don't know what I did to these pictures above to make them stick together as one merged image, but oh well, it turned out to look like a cross!)

Makana received a Samantha (American Girl) doll from our friends a few months back b/c they thought she'd play with her more than they would. She loves Samantha, especially that in the stories of Samantha, the girl is kind to those less fortunate. Makana plays "orphanage" with her dolls, emulating Samantha's love for those sometimes forgotten by society. Our prayer is that she keeps that heart for the orphans, just as God commands us to do.

After Christmas Day service

(We have lots more pictures, and I'll try to post some of them, but that's a glimpse into our celebration. We also partnered with our friends to have a cookie decorating party for some less fortunate children who wouldn't be with their parents at Christmas. It was great to focus on others!)

Can you believe it? Stephen turned 3! :)

2012-01-25T18:44:00.000-06:00

We are incredibly thankful for our little guy, whom we affectionately called "Peanut Boy" when he was an infant. He could fit in my hand when we met him; not too many THINGS (no less people) fit in my hands (see our previous post).

He's a joy-filled boy, who loves to laugh and play.

Thank you, GiGi & Grandpa, for my special gifts!

Stephen loves to PLAY, especially with people. I have to admit that he does very well playing on his own while Makana and I work on her schoolwork, but he is overjoyed to have playmates of all ages.

Although Stephen likes all sorts of things, we decided on a Toy Story birthday party for him. We started out with an "Infinity & Beyond" contest. Everyone made their own flying vessel. Kennedy won that effort, with her younger sister coming in a rather close 2nd!

We tried to simulate the "claw game" with the aliens by letting the keiki pull prizes out of a box with the toy claw.

Unlike the actual game, everyone was able to grab at least a couple of prizes.

Sticking the star on Woody turned out to be an interesting venture.

Stephen was surprised to see all the figurines on the cake, for he saw the various stages of the cake, but he thought it was finished the day before. :)

Dave said there were lots of children. It wore out the adults. :)

The keiki were still going strong after all that play.

We're grateful to God that he has grown Stephen, so as of this moment, he has NO scheduled appointments for medical, speech, physical therapy, or anything else. Praise be to our God!

Keep growing, especially in the Lord, Stephen!

Dizzy Dancing

2012-01-25T18:04:00.001-06:00

Stephen enjoys people but is sometimes hesitant to come out of his shell around lots of people. It wasn't the case at our friends' wedding last fall.

Celebrate Jesus! :)

2011-12-25T00:58:00.001-06:00

We had a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party, and some people pulled together to make our banner. :)

God With Us 4

2011-12-15T06:27:00.003-06:00

Fleshly divinity. Skin layered on spirit. Omnipotence with hair. Toenails. Knuckles. Molars. Kneecaps. Once again God walks with man. ~God Came Near, p 37

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ~Colossians 1.15
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God: Perfect. Why would he choose to take on flesh and become vulnerable to stubbed toes, cavities, scraped kees, zits, hunger, cold, germs (ewwww!)? When Stephen came home from the NICU, I became acutely aware of the many everyday "dangers" that could affect one's lungs and general health. God subjected himself to that. More importantly, he subjected himself to the sinful world and was tempted by Satan himself. Yet Jesus did NOT sin. For me. For you. That's true love.

God With Us 3

2011-12-09T09:45:00.001-06:00

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." ~Luke 23.35

The verbal stones were meant to sting. How Jesus, with a body wracked with pain, eyes blinded by his own blood, and lungs yearning for air, could speak on behalf of some heartless thugs is beyond my comprehension. . . . If ever a person deserved a shot at revenge, Jesus did. . . . Instead he died for them. How could he do it? I don't know. But I do know that all of a sudden my wounds seem very painless. ~No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, p 25
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"The Wonderful Cross"

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from his head, his hands, his feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless
Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all

Need a trim?

2011-12-07T09:18:00.001-06:00

Makana's been excited to take out our Christmas decorations for the past few months. During Thanksgiving week, she exclaimed, "I am thankful for Thanksgiving! Now we can celebrate Christmas!"

It took a little convincing for Stephen to become involved with the prickly venture. What clinched his assistance was the fragrance of the tree. "You smell, Mommy!"

Good help is tough to find nowadays, but we always seem to have volunteers for the dangerous jobs.

Makana demonstrated that the trunk was also "smelly."

Stephen's most efficient way to help decorate . . .

. . . one on the tree, three on the floor!

Grateful Hearts

2011-12-06T13:43:00.001-06:00

I thank God that he provides a home with "family" wherever he takes us.

This Thanksgiving was rather warm (but NOT HOT!), so the children could play outside.

Our fabulous craft lady had the children make some paper bag turkeys--great idea!

And you stuff it like this . . .

. . . Oh, that sounds familiar!

(I just stuffed mine with aromatics.)

Mom was our quality control specialist.

Somehow I still managed to forget the stuffing/dressing on the counter and the pumpkin crunch in the refrigerator.

The older keiki were drawn to the hammock and hammock-swings.

I am very thankful this neighborhood dog, who stole Makana's shoes, is very friendly.

We don't feed him at all, but he seems to love our yard.

(Until recently when Dave scolded him for stealing the illuminated candy canes from the front yard. I don't think I've seen him since.)

In good ol' Veggie Tale fashion, "A thankful heart is a happy heart."

I thank God for so many things, but I am always struck most by his sacrificial, amazing love.

Exterior Illumination Engineer

2011-12-06T10:31:00.001-06:00

In his element . . .

Dave was excited to discover more unused lights amongst our bins.

The front of our house looks almost the same as last year, but I think Dave's expanded on the side and back of the house (esp on the clubhouse).

God With Us 2

2011-12-06T10:01:00.001-06:00

Seek the simple faith. Major in the majors. Focus on the critical. Long for God. And the Angels Were Silent

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5.6

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It's so easy for me to get caught up in details. I need a God-perspective on things to keep me from getting knotted up every other minute. (Does it REALLY matter that my pens, my closet, my drawers, etc. are not color-categorized? ~Just as an example of me!) I pray for a heart that hungers and thirsts for GOD, for his righteousness, that I will be filled and overflow to others.

God With Us 1

2011-12-05T09:49:00.000-06:00

Our problem is not so much that God doesn't give us what we hope for as it is that we don't know the right thing for which to hope. (You may want to read that sentence again.) God Came Near, p. 45

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8.26

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I pray that God continues to grant me provision for my true needs and not necessarily for my perceived needs.

Blueberries for . . . Makana

2011-10-15T13:03:00.001-05:00

Blueberries for Sal is the perfect springboard (a.k.a. excuse) to make GiGi's blueberry pie.

The book is cleverly written, and because we'd been blueberry picking here in Alabama, Makana could relate a bit to the scenario.

Makana kept asking me if there were eggs in the crust, for she wanted to try it uncooked.

She did not believe me that the crust dough would not taste as yummy as cookie dough. After a little bite, she was convinced and proceeded to work on the pie.

She's so proud of her accomplishment!

The inevitable part of baking; at the wonderful age of 5, Makana loves doing dishes. :)

Waiting for the pie to cool was worse than waiting for it to bake.

It was finally somewhat cool enough to cut.

The food critic was excited.

"I LIKE PIE!"

Makana was emphatic we needed to save three pieces for Daddy--Hungry Bear. I think if I let her, she would have eaten the rest of it! :)

Days in the life of Deuteronomy 6 Academy

2011-10-14T21:26:00.001-05:00

Geography Fair

In the summer when I signed Makana up for this fair, I wasn't sure how everything was to transpire, but just knew that we could ride on her piqued interest in her homeland from visiting Hawai'i this past summer. She's always had an interest in geography, from an EXTREMELY young age.

I wrote her curriculum to aim for the fair and then to build off it. Every day we pray for different people and their needs from various regions/countries across the globe. We are blessed to have many international friends that make these places real destinations for a young mind.

However, what I didn't realize was that a country's GDP is not interesting to a kindergartener. The Republic of the Marshall Island's economy suffered from its geographic locale; it seemed a logical place to start--NOT! I had to quickly tweak the lessons to enhance her interest and not quench it! :)

Some of her favorite friends also worked hard on their projects. They went around the fair with their "passports" to travel the globe, receiving a myriad of stamps. I was proud that they (even Stephen) tried the variety of foods offered. (Stephen esp liked the meat dishes--"More meat, please, Mommy.")

Making Marshallese food 6000+ miles away is a true challenge. Makana said, "I'll just ask Auntie Lisa to send me some breadfruit!" Uh, no! It's not worth the FedEx charges! :)

We settled on making haupia, a Hawaiian coconut pudding. There were too many missing elements to make a truly Marshallese dish, but coconut is a HUGE part of their diet.

We tried to use manual tools to drill through the top while Daddy was at work, but we ended up waiting for the (argh, argh!) power tool! :)

Because it is not straight off the tree, it's a bit tougher to get through.

Makana was able to muster up some muscle to open her coconuts.

It's been a good experience, and we continue to travel the globe. She's excited to locate the countries from the fair on our globe and world map. We pray for the hearts of the different people groups, that every tongue, tribe, and nation will bow and give glory to God. :)

Daddy's New Project

2011-10-14T20:55:00.000-05:00

Can you see it? It was a hamper (now turned on its side and cut up and reconfigured). :)

Since Stephen likes opening and closing doors, Daddy made a lot for him to manipulate.

It's beginning to look a lot like a Vermont farm. I'll need to post the final project, but needless to say, it's a good addition to Stephen's part of our Deuteronomy 6 Academy.

A Day in the Life of Homeschooling

2011-10-14T20:47:00.002-05:00

We are thankful for a good literature program that is fun but well-rounded for Makana.

Stephen tries to imitate her.

The workbook is just her speed with some predictable sections and some that change. For example, just the other day, she learned what onomatopeoia is. Makana was fixated on the fact that there were three vowels in a row, not knowing how to tackle that combination. Gotta love our various English roots!

Stephen's so good to humor himself most the time. :)

How loose is your tooth?

2011-10-04T23:15:00.000-05:00

In late August, the dentist told Makana that she needed to wiggle her bottom tooth because her permanent one was about to break through.

Can you see the permanent one coming in behind the baby tooth?

Her 2 - 3 week time span was almost up (before the dentist would intervene), so Daddy gave her a huge incentive: "a BIG surprise" if she got her tooth out.

That very night, from sheer motivation, Makana dislodged her tooth.

And then . . . it went down the drain as she rinsed her mouth! :)

Eating Out

2011-10-04T23:07:00.001-05:00

The keiki begged to have their dinner outside and even reconfigured the deck to suit their purposes. :) Since it was a nice evening out, I pulled up a chair, lit a citronella candle, and joined them.

Sleeping . . . Stage One

2011-09-18T19:09:00.001-05:00

There is a lot of movement throughout the night in our house. Apparently, Stephen joins Makana for his first stop of the night, usually after she has fallen asleep.

This picture was taken on the first night of the trend. Dave searched the house over before he finally turned on the light in the kids' room to find this sight.

Family Food & Fun :)

2011-09-17T01:39:00.001-05:00

China town dim sum is a must!

Banana boats--We went out on two different boats.

I think I won for the most falls into the water.

Why did Hanauma Bay seem less beautiful this time?

We all had a great time with family, so that compensated for a lot.

Home on the Range!

2011-09-17T01:21:00.000-05:00

When it was HOT and HUMID out, forecasted to STORM,

Daddy had a solution for fun:

"Let's go camping!"

With a projected hurricane in the forecast,

Stephen & Makana had no problem

settling into our indoor camp ground.

After all, it did come with AC, and we were certain the tent wouldn't leak.

The bottom of the tent also didn't reveal any missed rocks we forgot to rake away!

I realized that sadly enough, it was Stephen's first time in our tent.

He was beyond excited--ebullient--to get into the dome.

The only thing it reminded him of was the bouncy houses, so he started bouncing off the

walls of the tent onto the sleeping bags in the middle.

Uh, no, we didn't bring out the air mattresses, so we had to quickly

model for Stephen the purpose of a tent. :)

The keiki had a great night! Dave found comfort on our (real) bed.

Someone had to stay near the camp site.

I tried taking refuge in the couch; no such opportunity for long!

The sore back the next morning was thoroughly worth it when I saw their happy faces

and listened to them tell others of their living room "adventure." :)

We are . . . ND!

2011-09-17T01:07:00.000-05:00

We are wild about football season in our house. :)

Even though we've had a couple of heart-breaking losses to start out the season,

once again, we say,

"GO, IRISH!"

Happy Sweet 16th!

2011-09-09T01:20:00.000-05:00

Makana took this picture of us before we headed out to celebrate our 16 years of marriage--woo hoo! :) I give God all the thanks and glory for our life together.

For those of you who didn't come to our wedding, that is Dave's wedding shirt. However, those aren't his wedding shorts. :)

Silly Stephen :)

2011-08-28T01:59:00.000-05:00

Makana would call this Stephen's Rock Star mode.

Let's just say this pose runs in the family.

Stephen still talks about beeping Mickey's nose.

I . . . need . . . a . . . nap . . ..

Choo choo! When is it coming?

Stephen took his coloring seriously. I was nervous because they gave the kids free reign of all those Sharpie permanent ink markers!

Delirium sets in!

Yummy "Field Trip"

2011-08-28T01:40:00.000-05:00

While it was not the most educational field trip, the time at The Great American Cookie Company was certainly filled with yummy moments.

Each child was able to decorate a part of a huge cookie, and the staff then prepared it for eating.

Stephen loved the cookie part, while Makana especially enjoyed the frosting.

It was a great way to start off a summer day. :)

Grandma's Birthday

2011-08-21T19:19:00.000-05:00

Grandma loves fruit, so we celebrated her 68th birthday with a tart. Although we returned before her actual birthday, her main present was a trip back home to Hawai'i, the first trip back since she moved in with us since December of 2008.

The keiki insist we celebrate with balloons and party favors, no matter what age one is turning. :)

1st Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-19T01:24:00.003-05:00

Our little learner cannot be left out. He was drawing his favorite thing: fireworks. He called me over to give me the full effects of his drawings, with sound and extra "power" in his stroke. :)

We had a fantastic first day, much better than I could ever imagine! :) Makana gave me a hug after the school day was over to say, "Thank you for being my teacher." (I'm blogging this quote now b/c I KNOW every day will NOT be like today. I need it remind me of the good times.)

A most eager student could not stay in bed the previous night. :( Despite the lack of sleep, she managed a full day of schooling. :)

Makana would tell people we are "just homeschooling" her when asked what kindergarten she was attending. We have many reasons for doing so, but much of the reason is rooted in Deuteronomy 6, so we have the Deuteronomy 6 Academy. :)

Velvet Ant aka Cow Ant .. Bites and Stings series

2011-08-18T11:30:00.001-05:00

Yet another resident of our yard! The video is info on the Cow Killer Ant (ie, Wasp); the pictures are from our yard.

The pics are from right in front of the kids' playhouse. We have to ensure to supervise all outdoor activities. And--yes--this wasp did not survive.

Critters

2011-08-18T00:21:00.004-05:00

Living in the country means we DAILY encounter a variety of critters. Here is a cicada that Stephen thought was fake because of its color and size. The two hands belong to the two keiki. :) We liked this cicada better than the others with the red or orange eyes and black bodies. Makana said the tan ones were ugly as well.

Int'l Family Orientation Program

2011-07-16T08:21:00.004-05:00

For 2 weeks we helped with this program for families from all over the globe. It was great for our keiki, for Makana FINALLY wants to learn Japanese. I taught 5th & 6th graders for the 2nd year, & our keiki were in their grade/age specific classes. I only have a few pics from our visit to the zoo, as other teachers helping me were in charge of documenting our class.
It's tough to tell in the peacock picture, but there is a baby with its mommy. :)

Makana's 5th Birthday Surprise

2011-04-19T21:56:00.006-05:00

Makana insisted on having a surprise birthday that she would plan. :) She wanted a surprise scavenger hunt with NO clues. She also wanted a variety of treats to give out at gymnastics and school, but we opted only to make the swimming teddy bear cupcake pop. :) (That pop took long enough!)

"Heavenly Cheese!"

2011-03-09T14:30:00.002-06:00

One could call it laziness or oblivion, but any which way we dub it, Stephen listened to Praise Baby Christmas songs for about a good year as he slept. I couldn't find his other Praise Baby CD, so I put the Christmas one on a loop, and that is what he had.
He was so excited when people started singing "his songs" as Christmas day drew near. He'd belt out in his own way, "Away in the Manger," "Joy to the World," and some other tunes. His favorite, by far, was and still is "Silent Night."

Stephen turns almost any opportunity into a singing one, as you can see. He also likes to "cook." When he combines the two activities, he's almost unstoppable and hilarious. He HAS to put on ONE (just one) boot (in this case it was Makana's, as he didn't have his own boot yet) and set himself up. He'll take your order and then start to sing. On this particular day, he swiped the rolling pin from a previous dough activity so that he'd have his personal, portable microphone.

Ahhhhh, it is music to my ears every time: "Sleep in heavenly CHEESE!" (Silent night from a 2 year-old's perspective) :)

Happy Bob Birthday! :)

2011-03-08T07:53:00.013-06:00

When I asked Stephen what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday, he didn't say anything. He's not one to enjoy cake very much--fits in with our family quite well! :) (He also doesn't articulate much, either.) :) I gave him a choice of trains, Thomas, & Veggie Tales. He quickly said, "Bob."

For his Mother's-Day-Out "class," I figured red frosting would not go over too well. That's where the Bob pops (rice crispie treats w/lots of red food coloring!) come into play. These in the picture are the leftovers after running around all day, as I forgot to take a picture of the entire bowl of them b/4 leaving in the morning. I thought they looked a bit scary, but when I showed them to Stephen in the morning, he immediately exclaimed, "Bob!" Yeah! :) He is the only one that matters! :)

We had some of our other friends over for a fun play date, and Stephen thoroughly enjoyed driving a car his size. He'd stop and go frequently, but his smile was priceless! :)

I just reflect on how far God has brought him from the NICU, and I thank God for our miracle that blossoms daily before our eyes. You've come a long way, Stephen! You are a true blessing to our family! :)

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-27T09:47:00.003-06:00

Just as Dave had hoped, we were able to experience a "real" winter in Vermont. He ensured the keiki tried some maple on snow (from the back yard). Makana's now used to putting on "all the stuff" in order to go out to play. She especially likes it when Grandpa goes sledding across the street. Our tropical girl has turned into a snow bunny! :)

Stephen's still trying to figure out how to properly waddle to accomplish much, but he likes to pat, pat, pat the snow to make it puff all over the place. :) When he first fell down in the powder, he tried to get up but couldn't, so resolved to lie there with his mouth opened, taking in the snow. :)

Dave & I were able to go snow shoeing, one of my favorite things to do in the white fluff. Dave's favorite involves more speed: snow boarding. Conditions on the slope: white! :)

A Year Ago--December 2009

2010-12-19T23:41:00.007-06:00

Dave was deployed to Iraq, and he helped the troops there celebrate Jesus' birth. :) We are thankful for modern technology that allowed us to converse and be a part of the Christmas celebrations. :)

Stephen was still on the verge of crawling, but he was getting closer to that benchmark every day.

GiGi came to visit, and she found it very COLD in Alabama, even though she is from Vermont. :)

Uncle Johnny came to visit for Christmas, and Makana discovered she likes crab.

Joy--Easier said than grasped!

2010-12-19T23:29:00.004-06:00

Clinging to God’s faithfulness throughout this very FULL year has enabled us to experience his joy. We were reminded (from James 1.2 – 4) over & over: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
We are thankful that Jesus came to offer us this joy! ☺

I admit that I've not been the best example of God's joy in my life, but I pray that it shines through more and more.

A gentlemen (or two?) in our area makes these 4 ft crosses out of wood for people to display in their yards. One morning, Dave called me to meet him to see if we'd like one. We'd already seen them all over the city and surrounding areas, so I was game. As it turns out, this man only takes "donations" for his work and places the money in the hands of people helping orphans. WOW! What a blessing all the way around! :)

Happy Scrapping! :)

2010-11-10T21:22:00.001-06:00

Free class! :)

Football Festivities

2010-11-01T23:06:00.006-05:00

Our keiki were excited to dress in their football game attire. When we attended the W Michigan game in October, Dave and I deliberated for a long while over what to get Makana and Stephen. We are thrilled they love their gear. :)

There were definitely no duplicate costumes in Alabama! :) Dave actually found a couple of kids' helmets at the thrift store on base, so we coated them in paint. Sure--they don't have REAL gold like the ones found on Domers' heads on football Saturdays, but doesn't it look somewhat convincing? :)

Mac Giveaway through Bible Software

2010-08-29T16:16:00.001-05:00

Logos Bible Software is giving away thousands of dollars of prizes to celebrate the launch of Logos Bible Software 4 Mac on October 1. Prizes include an iMac, a MacBook Pro, an iPad, an iPod Touch, and more than 100 other prizes!

They’re also having a special limited-time sale on their Mac and PC base packages and upgrades. Check it out!

Woo hoo! It's Mac compatible! :)

Keiki-isms

2010-06-27T13:21:00.000-05:00

Keep in mind we have evening lows in the 70's, but that is not until the middle of the night.

Makana: (While putting on her pajamas) No, Mom, you're forgetting my undershirt.

Mommy: No, it's too hot for that.

Makana: (Lifts up her top) See, it is short sleeves. I need something more substantial under it!

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As I walked into the room to check on Stephen, who was supposed to be napping but was playing instead:

Stephen: Whatcha doing?

Mommy: That's what I was going to ask you!

(Coming from a boy who hardly says anything, his sporadic blurts of speech are clear and logical.)

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Note: One by-product of mothering is not automatic edification.

After exchanging Butterfly Kisses with Makana:

Makana: Did you feel it?

Mommy: Yes, did you feel mine?

Makana: No. It's because your eyelashes are too short.

Mommy: You're right.

Makana: AND your arms are short. Your whole body is short. Your fingers are short. Your legs are short . . . .

(Mommy did not stay around to hear the rest of the list.)

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Yet another indication that Stephen's got more stored up than he's letting on:

Mommy takes Stephen out of his crib.

Mommy: Thank you for being so patient, Stephen.

Stephen: Wait, wait!

Mommy: Yes, thank you for waiting.

Stephen: Wait, wait (with his lower lip jutting out)!

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Makana: What is "shakes"?

Mommy: It is when someone moves a lot, as in the "Hokey Pokey."

Makana: No, not "to shake"; "shakes."

Mommy: Like the type at Chick-fil-a, almost like a melted ice cream?

Makana: No! It's not a drink. Shakes!

Mommy: Give me a context. What do you mean? How have you heard the word?

Makana: Like, "Oh, shake!"

Mommy (ponders some not-so-nice possibilities and dismisses them): Hmmm.

Makana: "Oh, good shakes!"

Mommy: Oh, for goodness sakes?!?

Makana: Yes!

(Yes, my daughter has a lisp!)

:) Matter solved; we could continue the conversation. :)

Reflecting on 2009--April

2010-06-18T23:42:00.001-05:00

I'd wanted to add more pics to this entry, but since it hasn't happened in months, I might as well just post it!

Makana celebrated her birthday with her friends in April. See more pics here and here.

Stephen was fitting his preemie clothes much better and even outgrew some of them! :)
Papa came for a visit and met Stephen for the first time. :)

Happy 4th Birthday, Makana! :)

2010-04-04T15:23:00.003-05:00

Makana's been looking forward to her 4th birthday for a long while. She is definitely growing up quickly! (Click highlighted/underlined area for pictures.)

I posted the following on FB on her birthday:

Our baby girl is 4 years old today! :) Happy Birthday, Makana! :)

Funny quote from this morning: "Mom, I don't feel 4 yet; I feel the same as 3. Look at me; measure me; I measure my 3 year-old size." :)

You've come a long way, BABY! :)

2010-01-20T20:46:00.003-06:00

Happy Birthday, Stephen! You started out weighing less than 3 pounds, and today you weighed in at 17 pounds, 9 ounces! :) You love to move, whether it be jumping, crawling, knocking down blocks, or playing with your big sister's toys.

We thank God for you in so many ways. The twinkle in your eye seems to express the joy you have for life, and your giggle is infectious! We love you, Stephen! We pray that you come to love God with your whole heart, mind, and body! :)

(Pictures taken in February at around 4 pounds and August at around 14 pounds.)

Reflecting on 2009--March

2009-12-26T01:12:00.005-06:00

Stephen finally passed his tests to get to come home on March 10th. Since he was under 5 lbs with a shorter torso, he would not fit most car seats. As we look back at his pictures, he surely does look tiny, but at that time, he seemed pretty big compared to when we first met him.

Makana was such a good big sister, especially because she loves ALL the attention. Although she is still adjusting to sharing Daddy and Mommy's time and energy, she is thrilled to have Stephen as her brother. She is actually quite good with him as she interacts and entertains. :)

GiGi and Grandpa were already scheduled to come for Makana's 3rd birthday at the end of the month, so it was great timing to meet Stephen. :) Thankfully everyone stayed rather healthy, for Stephen was still very vulnerable to all sorts of diseases.

Makana decided she wanted a strawberry cake like one she had to assemble in one of her cutting activity books. Once she has an idea, it is difficult to sway her otherwise. I'm glad she actually chose that cake, for it was a fresh, yummy combination. :)

I thought Makana would burst with excitement the first time she was able to hold her brother. :)

Reflecting on 2009--February

2009-12-18T21:28:00.000-06:00

February was a HUGE month! We were asked to consider adopting one of two girls that needed a family, and we were awaiting an answer. We were surprised when we received a phone call to adopt a little premature boy instead. We needed to act quickly. I asked Makana if she wanted to be a big sister to a baby brother, and she needed clarification that she'd have a brother and NOT a sister. When I mentioned that her best friend Gracie has a baby brother, she was nonchalant about the whole idea and said, "Sure, I can have a brother!"

Stephen was 3 pounds, 15 ounces when we met him on 18 February (a few hours after receiving the initial phone call to consider adopting him). He started on his bottle that day and was working toward eating exclusively from a bottle, gaining weight, and breathing well. Although it sounds simplistic, for a preemie who would have had someone else doing that work for him if he were still in utero, it was a challenge. Thankfully, God's timing is always perfect. My mom was able to keep Makana occupied while I went to the hospital on an average of twice a day to feed Stephen and learn how to care for him when he'd finally join us at home. At that point, the doctors and nurses could not give a definite time frame that Stephen would remain in the NICU, but we looked at that time as a blessing. Makana especially needed that time to get used to being a big sister and look forward to being able to finally seeing her brother in person (and not through the glass of a nurse's office).

At 7 am on 19 February (the morning after we met Stephen), Dave opened an e-mail to discover we would be moving to Alabama in May. Wow! When things change in our family, they come in multiples. (If you remember our story with Makana, she was born on the same day that Dave received orders to come back onto active duty.)

It would have been overwhelming to think about all the changes at once (especially since we hadn't expected to move for another year), but we rested in the knowledge that God is sovereign and completely knows what he is doing--ALWAYS! :)

Reflecting on 2009--January

2009-12-17T22:31:00.004-06:00

2009 whizzed by. As I reflect on the year in general, I recall (in a different sense, though) how Debbie Dornfeld was disturbed that professors kept referring to time flying by and before we knew it, students would be graduating from Southern Seminary in December of 2003 (if I am correct). Debbie wanted to take the days as they came and not be forced to think that time was truncated to a blur. I think of that scenario because I tried to enjoy the individual days of 2009, but I kept finding myself asking, "Where did that month go?"

Perhaps the most significant thing that occurred in January was Stephen's birth, 10 weeks premature. Although we did not yet know of him, we thank God tremendously for his birth! He has added such life for us all.

Another benchmark in January was my birthday. Two birthday elves decorated the house for me with balloons and streamers. I hit 40, and they wanted it to be special. Serra-chan also made it truly special by providing our Thai dinner feast and the tart (because I don't really care much for cakes). MMMMM! :) It made turning forty so pleasant! :)

For Fun :)

2009-11-29T23:16:00.000-06:00

Waiting

2009-11-29T22:48:00.002-06:00

As we waited for Grandma, Makana entertained Stephen and me in the car. :)

Preschool Thanksgiving Party

2009-11-29T22:44:00.001-06:00

The families were invited to join the children for a celebration at the school the Thursday before Thanksgiving. :)

Choo Choo! :)

2009-11-25T13:13:00.002-06:00

Who needs to spend money on toys when the children love what we already have? Come to think of it, something with a motor to push them around would be nice. However, I get a great workout as a bonus when I push them around. (And I used to think pushing only Makana was a great workout! Ha!) :)

Belle

2009-11-25T13:11:00.001-06:00

"Take my picture!" Do little girls get over their princess phase? I just think it is uncanny that Makana loves them so much, for she absolutely doesn't care for their stories in their entirety. :)

1st Tooth! :)

2009-11-24T10:22:00.005-06:00

Can you see it? On Friday, November 13th, Grandma discovered Stephen's first tooth on the bottom. :) Stephen was fussy on that day and would not let us touch his gums (pictures in grey outfit). Since then he has acquired two more: one just next to his first, and one on the top. He now thinks he can eat anything! :) Makana showed Stephen what to look forward to when more of his teeth come in. :)

Operation Christmas Child 2009

2009-11-24T10:11:00.003-06:00

Here are parts of the fruit of our last blog: boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Makana enjoyed buying the contents and packing them (and unpacking them, and then packing them, . . . ) for children in another part of the world. We hope to know where it ends up, as there is a tracking option, so we can pray more specifically for the children. Perhaps this event can become an annual project--hold a garage sale and then pack our boxes! :)

Makana will also send her gifts to the two adoption agencies soon, as a Christmas gift. It's been fun prepping her heart for Christmas this year by reading Mary's First Christmas and One Wintry Night (along with the Bible). Hopefully Stephen's getting something out of the stories as well while he nibbles on toys. :)

It was fun to see Makana's reaction at the end of Mary's First Christmas, for she wanted to know the rest of the story. I told her it comes with the Easter story, and she wanted to add it to her book. She then said that maybe the author wrote another book to come after the one she has, like her Pinkalicious and Purplicious ones! Oh, how little minds work! :)

Teaching James 1.27

2009-10-12T16:02:00.003-05:00

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Anyone who knows our family knows we embrace the concept of adoption completely. It is biblical. Although we have physical limitations to bring in all orphans, we certainly hope to practice James 1.27 in some capacity. When I asked Makana to think about what kind of people she wanted to help with the money we raised from our yard sale, it was almost a "no-brainer" for her. "I want to help children who don't have mommies and daddies." Later it expanded to "children without brothers and sisters" as well. We watched some videos online to see how the money could tangibly help children, and she decided to help adoption agencies (one international and one domestic) and fill two shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

She went through her toy and clothes collection to select things that could go to the sale. :)

By mid-morning of our sale, Makana got the hang of asking people to place their donations in one of the two piggies, "This one is for adoption agencies, and this one is for Christmas children." :)

Hopefully, her heart is being nurtured to love God and others. :)

Brownie Fun

2009-10-12T15:51:00.002-05:00

Carrie, Makana's 11 year-old wonderful friend, came to help Makana with her part of the yard sale. Makana had her friend sleep over (a first!), and had a fabulous time. They made brownies to sell with cookies at their store to raise money for "children without mommies and daddies." (See next post.) We're thankful for Carrie, who is so good with Makana as a friend; they played for hours on end. Stephen got in on the fun a bit, too! :)

Swing Time! :)

2009-10-05T23:27:00.004-05:00

Stephen and Makana love to interact with each other, especially while playing on their swings. It's as though the swings are their happy places.

Striped Sibs

2009-08-21T12:49:00.002-05:00

Stephen's borrowing Makana's glasses, and Makana's using mine. :)

Shake's + Friends = Good Times! :)

2009-08-21T12:35:00.002-05:00

We were blessed to have met up with our friends from our church in Hawai'i on our last trip to Florida. They moved to the area a few years back, and when Dave spent a summer at Hurlburt Field, we saw them then as well. :) Now their children have grown even more. Laura suggested a variety of places, but when she mentioned Shake's, an ice cream place near our hotel, we were game! :) Yummy! :) I surprised Dave and ate a Chicago Hot Dog first, which had everything from sweet pickles to green colored yellow onions. :) We soon got rained out and went shopping together, where Makana had a fun time playing with Candace, and Justin smiled when he finally held Stephen.

Yikes! We remembered about how Kyle and Justin were born extremely close in age to Kayla and Kyle (Mary's 2 oldest). Those were the two that we met in Hawai'i before we left for Japan. Somehow seeing children grow measures time more tangibly than other things.

We went to their church the following morning, where Candace danced for the Lord! It was great! :) Laura and I danced together at Faith Christian Fellowship (At that time, we were only allowed to dance hula).

A Must-See!

2009-08-20T15:27:00.002-05:00

Dave couldn't believe his eyes when he came home from work to find Grandma on Makana's swing--swinging with her legs up! :) It's quite amazing what a three year-old can convince her 66 year-old grandmother to do. :)

I Feel Food

2009-08-20T07:42:00.005-05:00

Stephen LOVES food! :) He watches every bite each of us takes and smacks his mouth LOUDLY. Stephen was extremely excited to finally start solids, especially after the initial cereal only stage. He started his tasting with peas and was thrilled to have a new taste in his mouth. :) After about a month of solids, he even recognizes the names of the foods. When we say food words like peas or carrots, his arms and legs start dancing, and his mouth starts smacking. Believe it or not, his favorite channel is the Food Network. No kidding, when that channel is on, he is fixated and smiles at the food. :) I've told my siblings that he definitely fits in with our family with his enjoyment of food. :)

Stephen's actually sitting on my lap at the moment, and he is also excited to see his pictures. :)

(I almost forgot to explain the title. My friends who spent a year in Japan studying together with me will automatically know what I mean. We'd find the Japanese-English funny, particularly on clothes, billboards, and in TV commercials. There is one advertisement that Coca-Cola Japan used: "Sawayaka tasty, I feel Coke." The general gist was that [as far as I could tell] because Coke is satisfyingly tasty, one would desire it. I think that's how Stephen thinks about his food. :) )

1st Day of School

2009-08-20T05:51:00.004-05:00

When we arrived in Alabama, there weren't any children Makana's age at the chapel. She relied solely on Daddy, Mommy, and Grandma to be her playmates. After deliberating for a while, we decided to send her to preschool for the social interaction. She is doing incredibly well, as she enjoys the structure (AND RULES!) of school. Makana gives me a report each day about who went on to "yellow and red lights." I remind her that the important thing for us is that Makana stays on "green light," and she assures me that she does.

These pictures were of her first day, and she was extremely excited to use her new backpack and lunch bag. (BTW--whatever happened to lunch bags coming with the thermos? Oh, those are the days of yore! I show my age again. Seriously, piecing together her lunch bag is spendy!) Dave asked me if I was ready for this day as we were entering the building. Yes, indeed! She only goes for 3 mornings a week, so it is just the right balance at this stage.

We are thankful that her day is full of a variety of experiences. Yesterday they "made sand" out of peanut butter, for this week's theme is "vacation." Makana also tells us of the Bible stories they are learning, which enhance the Bible story times at home. :)

Last week, her teacher informed me that Makana and another girl were quickly becoming friends. Makana would ask me, "What is my friend's name again?" for it was the first time Makana's heard that name. We figured out who it was the next day. When I picked up Makana the other day, she gleefully introduced me to another new friend. After fussing to me about not wanting to go to school all summer, Makana's has pleasantly surprised us all in her first two weeks of school.

Big Beach Holes

2009-08-20T05:17:00.006-05:00

Each time we go to the beach, Makana thinks it is Daddy's and her task to make the largest hole in which to play. This one was created in May, during our cross-country trip. :)

When we went this past weekend, Makana's hole was so large that it had a small cave in which Cinderella was being held by her evil stepmother (at least that's her story). The story developed throughout the day.

Makana especially loved it when people would pass by and exclaim, "Wow, that hole is HUGE!" or, "This hole is awesome!" The best for Makana was when some children came by and asked their parent, "Can we make a hole like that?" Makana told Dave that she hoped more children would come by to look at her hole. So much for humilty! :)

Cow Appreciation Day 2009

2009-07-25T23:42:00.002-05:00

Our family eats mor chikin! :)

Picnic in Shakespeare Park

2009-07-25T23:40:00.001-05:00

We had a great late afternoon dinner and photo fun in a nearby park.

Like Father . . .

2009-07-25T23:38:00.000-05:00

What is Dave is teaching Stephen? Click here. :)

Yummy Blueberries! :)

2009-07-25T23:35:00.002-05:00

Who would have thought we'd be in blueberry (click on "blueberry" for pics) heaven here? :)

Vote for Makana, so she can Eat Mor Chikin!

2009-07-07T00:34:00.003-05:00

If you didn't know, one of Makana's favorite restaurants is Chick-fil-a. Please click on this link to vote for her picture. You will have to confirm your vote through your e-mail account. If she is one of the top 20 vote recipients, she will win some Chick-fil-a stuff and just be so thrilled!

One way Dave was able to get Makana excited about our move to Alabama was to inform her of his Chick-fil-a sightings (while house-hunting for us). Makana would then boast to her friends as the count increased daily. The final count in our area is at 5. She'd tell people, "My daddy found FIVE Chick-fil-a's in Alabama, and I'm going to move there soon!" Surely enough, as we were on the outskirts of the city, I rec'd a phone call from Dave stating that Makana had just spotted the billboard for Chick-fil-a (I was driving behind Dave in the van.). Daddy was telling the truth that this city was serious about her favorite restaurant. :)

Pinata Fun

2009-06-27T08:23:00.004-05:00

Daddy helped Makana discover what a pinata was when they were on one of their dates. Makana came home telling me that she would have a pinata at her birthday party. Immediately I began to scheme as to how we would make such a thing. Thankfully, Makana asked for a fish pinata even though she had butterflies for most of her party things.

Makana and I worked on making her pinata. The first attempt popped as it was blown onto our rather pokey grass while it was drying outside. Dave then told me not to worry, as we would end up buying one anyway. Well, so much for a vote of confidence in our pinata making--we now HAD to make it and make it good! :)

Makana enjoyed decorating her fish that lasted the many blows by the girls at the party. Little did we know that Jamie and Makenna would love hitting the pinata! :) It definitely was a "hit"! :)

After allowing the girls to expend their energy on the pinata, Dave finally took it upon himself to break through the pinata that survived the girls' attempts.

We took a tip off the show with the 18 children: We packaged all the girls' treats individually with their names so that they would have to help each other out politely. It worked well to keep the treats contained and evenly distributed. :)

Bouncy Time

2009-06-27T07:36:00.004-05:00

When Makana was present at her 1 year-old celebration in Hawai'i, she could only watch her cousins and friends participate in the bouncy ball game. This time around, she was in charge of showing her friends how to play. The funny thing is that the girls still didn't care much about winning, so they took turns using the two different balls. All who participated won. :)

da 'Ville Visit

2009-06-26T18:02:00.003-05:00

Our visit to Louisville included lots of time with our brothers; it was great! :) Makana did much of the entertaining.

She had a wonderful time with the "Jo(h)n's" and meeting new friends and enjoying their company. :)

Stephen's Expressions

2009-06-08T23:09:00.002-05:00

The nurses in the NICU said that Stephen was a "little man" of many expressions. Here are two of them (recorded w/in a span of a minute of each other).

A Surprise Treat for the Best Friends

2009-05-31T06:45:00.002-05:00

For Grace and Makana's 3rd birthdays, Jaren had the BEST idea: Take the two best friends to Build-a-Bear to make matching friends. The girls loved their time together, and Makana cherishes her bear Anya tremendously.

In 1 Week

2009-05-31T06:01:00.003-05:00

When Grandpa + GiGi came to visit on March 24th (pics w/the train blanket), they were able to notice how quickly Stephen grew in just one week. They went away for a few days to see Aunt Jeanne and saw a bigger boy when they returned.

2009-05-30T05:22:00.004-05:00

We are thankful that the two siblings get along. If Stephen cries when we are driving, Makana reports on his status like a good big sister. Sometimes she'll feed him, but only for about 5 seconds. I love it when they smile at each other. See how much Stephen has grown compared to March 10th when we brought him home from the hospital? :) Praise the Lord for that! :)

March 31st

2009-05-29T05:34:00.001-05:00

Makana anticipated her birthday so much more than in previous years. She had her cake selected a month ahead of time when she and Grandma were waiting in the hospital as I tended to Stephen. One of her activities was to cut and paste parts of a strawberry cake. When I came out of the NICU, Makana said, "I want this cake for my birthday!" We celebrated with Grandpa and GiGi, as they took a special trip during the spring just for this occasion. At the time of the planning, we didn't know anything about Stephen, but it was also special that they could meet him at this time. :)

Dave took Makana out to weed and for a walk, so the grandmothers and I arranged the balloons (that Makana and Dave had blown and hidden under blankets) and presents (including those from our outside of Arizona). Makana was truly surprised by the festive welcome when she returned.

After the day was over, she kept thanking Dave and me, "I had a great birthday! Thank you!" :)

Craft Day Birthday Party

2009-04-21T23:56:00.002-05:00

Makana had some of her girl friends come for a butterfly craft party. Although some of them did not finish their craft (including Makana), they had a great time! :)

(And thanks to Donna Shaw, I discovered how fun it was to make those butterfly cupcakes!)

Get your ice-cold lemonade!

2009-04-11T03:54:00.002-05:00

Makana shouts this phrase now as she prepares to go to the "special" baseball games (pre-season ones). She likes the lemonade man, who also happens to sell peanuts and "candy-floss," an Angelina Ballerina term she uses for cotton candy.

Of course, our favorite lemonade still comes from Chick-Fil-A! :)

More Game Faces

2009-04-11T03:46:00.005-05:00

Work the progression from the bottom to the top. Does she even watch the game? :)

Peek-a-Boo!

2009-04-11T03:15:00.001-05:00

I'm growing! I am now over 7 pounds and love to eat! :)

Ballerina in the making?

2009-04-09T01:10:00.004-05:00

Makana's new "thing" is her ballet class. She was so excited to take ballet, especially after watching Angelina Ballerina, but for her first class she froze into a painfully shy state. Since then, however, she has loved every minute of her class.

These pics were taken outside of her class, prior to her putting on her ballet slippers. She said she is "doing like Auntie Mary" when she has her leg up. :)

While I do think Makana is much better suited for gymnastics, as she is quite aggressive for a girl and not afraid of heights, starting her at age 3 here would entail a much pricier investment than we'd like to have as a trial for her right now. We'll see what 'Bama has to offer. :) For now, she is thoroughly enjoying the more classical and graceful discipline. :)

My Game Faces

2009-04-09T01:03:00.003-05:00

In Daddy's Arms

2009-03-13T14:11:00.000-05:00

Precious.

I'm a Big Sister Now!

2009-03-13T14:04:00.004-05:00

Thankfully, Makana is taking her role as a big sister very seriously. She, as was previously blogged, has many plans for her younger brother, and that list of plans grows daily.

When Stephen was finally able to be in Makana's arms, the big sis' had a huge grin on her face: the moment she had waited for! :) Stephen likes being in his sister's arms, and Makana took much glee in seeing Stephen squirm and complain when he returned to Mommy. She explained, "I think he wants to come back to his big sister." I let her hold him again, and Stephen stopped fussing. Makana was so proud that she tried so hard to hold back the hugest smile behind a little smirk. :)

Auntie Irene sent Makana a book with the same title as this blog, and Makana reads it every night. Last night I substituted the names of the characters with hers and Stephen's, and Makana thought that switch was just brilliant! :)

Growing in the NICU

2009-03-11T09:49:00.006-05:00

Stephen's Developmental Specialist Julie was so terrific to document and capture Stephen's growth, especially while we weren't there. She took these pics and many more to help us remember that Stephen did come a long way! :) The nurses took to Stephen and loved him for us, so that he would know that he is wanted and loved and cared for in a great way. We are so grateful to the staff at the hospital, as we could not have asked for any better care for our little growing boy.

One of his nurses--Pauline--gave Stephen some character with his comb-over part! :) See his triple chin, too? :)

Each time I came out of the NICU to care for Stephen, Makana would ask, "Is he stronger? Is he coming home?"

After the doctor called to inform us that Stephen would be released, I told Makana. She picked up Abu and Pupu (her monkeys) and started singing, "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!" with them. Yesterday, we walked out of the double doors with Stephen, and Makana did not know what to do, as she was so filled with excitement.

Front Seat Riding

2009-03-05T22:32:00.002-06:00

Makana insisted on calling Dave today after storytime at the library. She wanted to see her daddy in the middle of the day. Fortunately for her, he was just returning from visitations on the golf cart, so she could take a little tour herself. She was thrilled! :)

I'm Growing!

2009-03-05T22:06:00.003-06:00

Thank you for your prayers, as Stephen is growing well. He was 4 pounds, 12 ounces yesterday. I kept forgetting to bring the camera, and he was active and cooing--yesterday--when I didn't have the camera! Today he was so comfortable that he just slept through his photo shoot.

Makana is so excited to see him. We get to let the siblings see each other through an office window, for it is cold and flu season. Children 10 years and under are not allowed in the NICU. On the way home from the hospital last Wednesday, she chatted non-stop about her plans for her brother all the way home (a half an hour worth of ideas!). Makana wants to hold Stephen like a little bitty baby in the song, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." When he cries, she will give him milk and sing to him and burp him. "What's your plan, Mommy?" she asks me. I reply, "I will call the hospital tomorrow to find out his feeding schedule and feed Stephen."

"Oh, okay. When Stephen is learning to walk and he falls down, I will help to pick him up. I will teach him his ABC song and do this (sign it). . . . And when he's 16, I will teach him how to drive because I will know how to drive already. I will turn on the music for him." And on and on . . . .

For now, Stephen is still working on breathing. Once he figures out his breathing (no apnea that is scary) and stays clear for 5 days, he will probably be able to come home. For now, we know his home in the NICU is a safe, loving place for him. The staff is fantastic there and truly love him as well. We are very thankful for our blessings! :)

Storytime

2009-03-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

One activity we'll certainly miss when we move to Alabama in May will be the library's storytime every Thursday. Ms. Pat (librarian) and Ms. Sheila (craft coordinator) really make the time fun for the children. Within an hour, they listen to a few stories, complete a craft, sing a song or two, and partake in a little snack. Makana also enjoys perusing the stacks to select her "new" books for the next week. :) Today they made trees for their craft time, and the trees made for a colorful forest.

I'm not certain which skill Makana enjoys executing more: cutting or gluing. See her little tongue come out as she concentrates? Makana's been practicing a lot lately, as I have activity books that she completes with Grandma while waiting for me in the hospital.

Reflecting on 2008 (Rambles)--A bit late

2009-02-27T01:10:00.001-06:00

I wrote this blog at the beginning of last month.
-------------

Songs 1 and 2 on our playlist ("Bring the Rain" and "I Will Lift My Eyes") have helped my heart take on the proper perspective as I reflected on some tough moments for my family throughout all of last year. I would not say the trials culminated in the passing of my brother-in-law Kawika last October, but many hearts were and still are sad because he is no longer with us on earth. Makana and I were able to spend time with our family in Hawai'i for about 3 weeks. As Johnny said, it is good to know that our family still supports each other, and it is better to know that we were already there for each other before this event transpired.

Lisa and Jeffo took in Mary's family in the spring. We all gathered for family pictures when Johnny decided to bring his 3 friends from Kentucky to Hawai'i. We got to meet Zayvin (Malia's younger son) for the first time, only to conclude that we didn't need pictures of him, for he looked exactly like his older brother at the same age. BTW--I don't think we ever got those family pictures!

We are thankful that Dave was only "deployed" to the Carribean this past year and had only one other training that kept us apart geographically. That enabled us to take adoption classes in hopes of expanding our family. Makana is excited to be a big sister. She had a little taste of it as we brought home a child in the fall, but her birth mother changed her mind. We had a lot of other possibilities to consider, but none that God has brought to fruition. While we don't care much for being in "limbo," we know that God places families together, whether biological or otherwise. We are waiting for him to do his thing. While it may seem difficult to have had a child in our home only to have her taken away, we pray that we were faithful in saying and doing what God planned in that situation. We pray that somehow those hours upon hours of conversation will lead to a saving knowledge of Jesus. :)

2008 zoomed by--no kidding! We had some really fun moments, especially watching Makana take to hiking and so many other things! We love exploring with her and discovering her train of thought as she becomes curious about a plethora of things, including the Christmas story. I have learned to enjoy PBSkids with her and am thankful that she is descriminate about the shows she watches. I must say, she at least has good taste: SuperWhy, Sid the Science Kid, Barney, and Caillou. Of course, she doesn't usually get to watch them all in the same day, but they are quite educational. You know me, every moment is a teachable moment! :)

Our travels continue to keep us busy and in touch with our family. We are thankful our families live in beautiful places like Hawai'i and Vermont. I guess we didn't make it to Kentucky last year, but we hope to get there in 2009. We are also grateful for our vehicles that allow us to travel by land as well. However, Mom did come to Arizona in December, and it looks as though she will stay with us. :)

Ministry never ceases, and we have been ever so blessed by our brothers and sisters in Christ all across the globe. At the base we are surrounded by partners in God's work--blessings! We pray we continue to grow and walk in Christ in 2009.

Crazy Legs

2009-02-25T23:55:00.005-06:00

What a blast from the past--skating! One of our friends (Sarah) had a birthday party at the skating rink last Saturday. Makana and Dave had gone hiking during the day with some friends from the dorms (while I was at the hospital with Stephen), and they were both quite tuckered. However, the birthday party was a great excuse to try something new as a family while celebrating with our friends. I honestly can say I haven't roller skated since high school (or maybe even junior high?), over 20 years ago! I didn't even try the roller blading craze at all. Thus, I was a bit nervous to start back on the rink with Makana depending on me, but she did beautifully.

After about an hour and a half, Makana's legs got really wobbly, so we took off her skates. She laughed about her legs, saying, "My legs were getting a little crazy!" She definitely wants to go back to try skating again. As a bonus bit of inspiration, when Makana watched one of her new favorite videos after that night, she noticed that Kit Kittredge (An American Girl) also wore skates!

Another Precious Gift from God

2009-02-20T07:43:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, Stephen David officially became a part of our family, as we signed adoption papers. He was born on January 20th, ten weeks early, so he is still needing extra care at the hospital. Please pray for his physical, cognitive, and spiritual growth as we wait for him to be strong enough to come into our home. :)

Makana is beside herself, wondering why her baby brother cannot be strong enough to sleep at home. Thankfully, Grandma is here to spend lots of time with her as I go to the hospital for his feedings. He needs to gain stamina to eat on his own. Right now, he prefers sleeping and conserving his energy to using up calories to gain calories to eat. That is a bit of information for a two year-old to comprehend. :)

Stephen is good at gripping our pinkies; the first picture is one with him holding onto Dave's, and he didn't want to let go. :)

A Demonstration of New Life! :)

2009-02-07T23:00:00.008-06:00

We had a great time celebrating with 3 of our friends from church last weekend. They were baptized, showing a wonderful display of their trust in Jesus to die to themselves and to rise to walk in a new way, a new life in Christ Jesus. :) Two of them are married, so Dave had James help in baptizing his wife Kelli. We rejoiced with Rosi, Jamie, and Kelli! :)

Dave asked members of the church to testify how God has been working in the lives of those getting baptized. It was wonderful to hear of how differently people live once God is alive in them. :)

The atmosphere was so different from the last baptism we did up on the mountain for 2 other friends. We went up early to dam up a river to create a pool in the beautiful, natural setting. Just after the baptismal service, it started to downpour. :)

Both baptisms were beautiful: God was glorified.

Happy Birthday to me! :)

2009-02-07T10:38:00.003-06:00

Thankfully my birthday is in January, and it is a great time to hike here in Arizona. We explored a different trail this time and were thankful for God's creation. As we approached this area, the terrain was very much like much of the rest of Arizona: flat and desert-like. Makana kept informing us, "This is NOT a hiking place!" Almost out of the blue, once we crossed the line into the park, there was a mountain with trees! :)

I'll make you pretty . . . .

2009-02-06T22:58:00.002-06:00

Makana shared her princess dress with Gracie and then proceeded to complete her look with her new styling tools. The two were excited to make each other "pretty." It was adorable to observe!

Makana got her pink and purple hair styling tools with a gift card from Uncle Leonard and Auntie Kris. How appropriate that part of the card went toward something Auntie Kris would approve of. The other part of the gift card purchased something Uncle Leonard would give his mark of approval toward: an emergency response pack with an ambulance, semi-truck (with a remote control), fire truck, and about 75 other pieces! :)

2009-01-07T08:46:00.001-06:00

We hope the spirit of Christ's birth--sacrificial love--will permeate 2009! :)

My Big, Big Dollhouse!

2009-01-06T00:46:00.002-06:00

There is a fun toy store on the opposite end of the city, and it has some great toys that Makana loves to interact with. One of them is a dollhouse. After seeing how much Makana enjoyed playing with all the dolls and accessories in the house, I asked Dave to put his first college degree to work by designing and building his daughter a dollhouse. He realized Makana loved to play with the one at the store but couldn't imagine her putting it to use at home to make it worth his while to design. His alternative: purchase a cheaper one at the store (See the top story, in the middle--the plastic dollhouse?). After all, it came with dolls and furnishings. Makana played with it so much that it convinced Dave that he would make his girl happy by building her a dollhouse out of scraps of wood.

Makana is thrilled with her "Big, big dollhouse!" She tells everyone about it. It is huge. After receiving that pink and purple SUV for Christmas, Dave made an addition: a two-car garage w/a FROG (family room on garage). :)

Slowly but surely, her house is taking shape. Her cousins AJ and Dominic gave her furnishings and rabbits for Christmas, too, which are from the same collection as those from her favorite toy store!

The fun part? Dave is really getting into playing dollhouse now! :)

Fishing

2009-01-06T00:44:00.003-06:00

Makana was fascinated by this game at the toy store, so we got it for her. She loves it and challenges others to compete against her. :) Perhaps it is Makana's Marshallese blood that makes fishing second nature to her. She already has Daddy cheating to keep up! :)

Little Helper?

2009-01-06T00:37:00.002-06:00

Sure, that stocking is almost as big as Makana, but she insisted on passing them out to their respective owners. :) Big helper. :)

One thing to note: Do NOT depend on Makana to keep a secret about presents. Thankfully, she was only awake for the part of the shopping that I found those chocolate covered espresso beans for Dave. As soon as we got home, she said, "Daddy, we found a present for you!"

I whispered in her ear, "It's a secret! Don't tell him what it is."

Naturally Dave prompted her with questions. It didn't take much for her to run over to him, shouting, "We got you chocolates, and you will like it!"

Looking wholeheartedly?

2008-12-30T08:49:00.003-06:00

If you look for me [God] wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Jeremiah 29.13

Makana's deliberately been looking for Baby Jesus all season, asking why Jesus is a baby. One day as we were decorating the chapel, she dragged Dave to see Baby Jesus in the hay. Dave explained to her that Jesus came as a person to be able to walk a perfect life on earth to die for our sins--how we disobey God. He also rose from the dead so that we could have hope. If we believe in him, we are forgiven.

Wow! Abstract stuff!

The next day as we were driving around, running errands, Makana spotted another manger scene.

Makana: "Look, Mommy! I see Baby Jesus!"

Mommy: "Yes, Makana."

Makana: "Mommy, you're forgiven because of Jesus."

Mele Kalikimaka! :)

2008-12-25T03:43:00.000-06:00

May your Christmas be blessed! :)