Grandma Ethel

Well, Grandma, you will be missed and you are sooo loved. I know that you are now at peace and that you are sooo happy to see your husband again after 30 years or so. Your Grandchildren will all hear about the spunky woman that did everything and the lives she touched, and your mission to share a testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We love you Grandma. Thank you for being a guiding star for all of us. Take care and we know you'll be watching over us in heaven.

Tonight Grandma peacefully passed away surrounded by her children who love her. Heaven gained one fine lady tonight. I know she is well and her spirit is quite happy. She fulfilled this life's mission with grace and humility. I hope to have her spirit with me when I sing at her funeral (and also hope to have my voice back from the cold I have). We'll miss you and we will always love you. See you later.

You're welcome to join me in wishing her happy a homecoming.

Mother-Load-O-Books

Hit the mother-load of Children's Books by Chinese American Authors and thought I would share. At first I posted all the books but there were probably 40 or so books with reviews and that just was too long. So I figured out how to post links!! Hallelujah! So over in the Links Of Wonder you will find the link to the books. Credit is given to Zheng Ye Yang for compiling the list. I LOVE figuring out more blog stuff since being pc illiterate is not very fun and I get a tad green-eyed of those who are fabulous at pc blogs and scrapbooking...but I'll catch up some day... when I'm 80. (Not really that jealous as jealous was a bad word growing up with my ma... including terd, fart, and shut-up... still am programmed to never utter those words... even seeing them typed leaves me in anguish).

The Lamb-a-roo by Diana Kimpton illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

This book is by an adoptive mother who was inspired to write this for her daughter. Here is the inside cover: "Lamb is alone and sad and wants a mother. In spite of having lots of relatives, Kangaroo is sad too because she has no baby of her own. When the two find each other, they become a happy family until Lamb realizes that he is different from all the other kangaroo children and attempts to fit in ... with hilarious results. Diana views humor as a helpful means of presenting serious information. This book celebrates the meaning of "family" and emphasizes the important message that differences are what make us special."

I liked this book. The beginning of the Lamb being alone leaves the story open so it can fit different adoption backgrounds. It was also nice that the mother just desired a child... no other meanings... just a want to love a child (lamb). This one was another wonderful accidental grab at the library (I have luck!). The beautiful pictures were made with acrylic paint on heavy textured paper, over which was added handmade papers and actual pressed flowers and leaves (it's set in the outback). Hope you enjoy. =0)

Sara/Sofa?

Who the heck is that? Oh yeah... it's me! haha Just thought I'd let everyone know who is posting on their blogs! Most everyone knows me as Sofa so I didn't want ya'll to think there was a crazy poster on the loose (that's still to truly be determined anyways). I'm soooo bored waiting for any adoption news.... I've found that everyone's blogs are keeping me afloat. I have a silly sense of humor so bear with me. Thanks everyone for posting away keeping me company in mom adoption land! By the way... that has to be sung in We represent the Lollipop kids tone. Okay... think of a better one.

Honestly the kids keep me not bored on the home front and super busy but in the lone deranger mind of mine... I can't handle the silence of nothing... nada... no news for anyone moving along. I'm thriving off of my friend Judy's blog of about to travel to pick up her son in about 13 days! Go Judy! Everyone else's blogs are helping me stay alive and have news flowing no matter what kind it is! So keep posting.

This picture was sent to me about 7 years ago by a friend. I have no idea who the man is but he makes my day everytime I see him. He is just so darn happy and cute. His caption in my misc. pictures is, "Gimme a kiss." So if you're feeling blue, just save this pic and he just brightens the day.

Hannah Is My Name by Belle Young

Hannah Is My Name by Belle Young is a book I picked up at the library without even trying. We skim the library and grab about 30 books and then test them all out at home. With my luck, this one is written by a woman "born in Taiwan in 1960 and came to America with her parents at the age of 7. She says this book is based on her first years in San Francisco. She arrived in the fall of 1967 via Japan. She missed her old friends and teacher but it was not a miserable yearning. It was a great privilege to come to the U.S. and we didn't look back."

This book has beautiful vivid pictures and the way the people are drawn is very simple yet expressive. The book discusses the feelings of a young girl arriving in America, gaining a new name and hoping to make a life here in America, but this fragile American existance balances on whether or not a green card will make it's way to their home. It discusses much of what I feel was the American Dream of seeking to make a better life for themselves but with a very childlike ease that has something for everyone.

Just thought I'd share this with ya. I think I may do reviews of children's books every so often since it has become a little hobby for the children and I to search out cultural books at the library. We search all heritage books not just our own so this week was polynesian and Chinese & Taiwanese. Last week was Kenyan, African American (in honor of Black History month) and Korean. I was just starting off with listing book names but I want to write reviews on them so I can remember which ones I liked and why.

Owwwwww!

My brother-in-law was in a motorcycle accident 2 days ago. Someone pulled out in front of him and there was no time to stop. He doesn't remember much but one thing is for certain, despite the excruciating pain he is in right now... he is soooo lucky to be here and have no broken bones. He had to be airlifted out. The motorcycle cops that came to the scene loved his boots (kinda funny & great job with those... we like your toes). Thankfully he also wore his helmet which is not a law in his state! You go Aaron! Right now they are prepping him for surgery for his torn lateral ligament and partially torn anterior ligament. He is bruised, road rashed, and so unbelievably sore... but dang it, He's Alive!

Aaron, you are a trooper...I wince everytime I think about your pain. You are in our thoughts and prayers, I love you, and we can't wait to see you in a month. Kole will just have to go easy on ya when wrestling since he'd actually be able to pin ya... j/j. Rakel, I love you hun... you're holding up so well. I want so badly to be there for you guys right now. I love you way to much to be sitting 400 miles away just waiting for news. Uncle Airnen, get better... heal well and right and Rakel... you must eat and sleep... that is an actual necessity. Do you remember when Nika used to call you Airnen? Sending love and thoughts and prayers and good juju and no-spitting-gum-out-on-the-floor karma! Love you, Sara

Dossier is on it's way!

For those who would like to promounce that word (I'm guessing it's French), the best phonetics I can do is Daus..eeee..A (long a) or DOS (like computer DOS system) long E and then long A like Hay. Whatever... anyways, that sucker is now on it's way to our agency. We had trouble with one final paper, police clearance, because a famous/infamous person was hanging out in our jail and where there are famous people, there are paparazzi. They bug. So today, there was NO ONE at the jail so off we went and a nice lady did not charge us full price (half) for the papers we needed to complete our dossier.

This is very exciting for us. Now it is translated and in a few months we will add our USCIS (immigration) paperwork and we are done until referral. There is a possibilty that a few notary commissions may expire but not on things that are hard to re-do, like color passport copies. The soonest the commission expires is July of 2009 so we choose to wait and see instead of re-do. Call it Hope! Hey, it happened for Pandora right? She brought hope out of the box too.

Also my husband brought home a Chinese New Year pin from his work. I thought it said Rat... he thought it said Happy New Year. It says Luck! Both wrong! Hey and the lucky thing this year is to buy 3 Chinese coins tied together. Even if it is less expensive to buy three coins and put them on the string... that won't work. They are only lucky if you buy them all tied together with a string! In the year ahead, the Rat is a symbol of hope, cleverness and illumination. Happy New Year!

Nika looking gorgeous as usually in front of the waterfall at Disney Princess on Ice.

Jadyn also gorgeous posing in front of a lovely shower curtain.

Kole, looking handsome, and actually not making a silly face....yet... to be continued on next post.
By the way, to pass the time, of waiting and waiting and waiting... I take pictures... so as therapy... you guy's will have to endure photos. It's cathartic... and not in the laxative sort of way. haha

You can NEVER have too much mascara, Darling!

Ahhh yes, mascara is a girl's best friend. Jadyn believes it looks best in black. Here she is modeling the newest Hollywood trend that is all the rage this season. Ahhh, when children learn how to get a footstool and climb up your counter on the bathroom sink to retrieve your makeup from a "secure" basket.... is a great day. Truly tried not laughing at this one even though it was also smeared across my leather couch.