Growing up

Wearing Josh's hat.

Miss Grinch

Last night Brice went down the hall to go to bed. He came back laughing and said, "Mom, you need to come and see how Brinley is sleeping."

LOL

She looks like Miss Grinch taking a long winter nap.

Lunch with a star! :)

You've heard of Dancing With the Stars!  Well, today we had Dining With the Stars!   Brinley was chosen to be the Star Student Of the Month for her class. As student of the month, she gets to sit at the "Student Of the Month" table and invite two guests to dine with her.  Her daddy and I were pleased to be her guests. We dined on chicken sandwiches, corn on the cob, green beans, potato salad and sliced peaches. The drink of choice was chocolate milk.

Brinley's photo will be featured on the cafeteria bulletin board during the month of April and she receives a "Goody Bag" from the school.  We are so proud of you, Bin Bin!

This handsome young man was spotted in the cafeteria while we were there. :)  He actually came over and sat with us for a few minutes. We must be okay, huh?

Why Adopt? {Sunday Snapshot}

Why adopt?  This is why.

This is Brinley.  This is our daughter.

A little girl once abandoned by the gate of an orphanage in the middle of the night......on the other side of the planet.  This is our daughter.

This is the face of a special needs child. No longer an orphan.
This is our daughter Brinley. We could not love her more.

Brinley The Spy

A couple of weeks ago Kristen bought the girls the movie "Harriet The Spy".

 It was one of Kristen's favorite movies when she was younger so she was sure they would like it.
They LOVED it!

Yesterday we found Brinley perched on top of the clothesline with a little pair of binoculars and a pink tote bag. In her tote bag she had her notebook and a small pencil. 

 She was spying on us.... and taking notes!  While sitting on top of the clothesline!

Sorry I can't show you the notes.  I'm sure they are labeled TOP SECRET! ;)

Brinley's Prayers

Last night Brinley was saying her prayers and she said, "Thank you for my mommy and daddy and my 'fambly' (family). Thank you for my teachers. HEY, I LOVE BOOKS!!! I LEARNED TO READ TODAY!!!" I thought it was awesome that she was sharing her big news with God. I learn so much from my children.

Bin & Shay

I think this pic of the girls is so funny. Brice was trying to take some pictures of them. He put them by the pool facing the sun. They both started fussing at him and looking 'not so princess-ish'. He gave up and told them to go play because he was going back to take pictures of birds instead. LOL

A quick update

We started homeschooling in February and it is going pretty good. Still trying to figure out how everything works but we are getting there. Brice loves it and he is trying so hard to do a good job. The science we started out with just did not interest him at all. For all of you who know Brice, you know that he is a science lovin' kinda guy. My friend Rachelle recommended Apologia Science and he LOVES it! I am so glad! We are studying Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day. Bats, bugs, birds, etc.

The history we were using wasn't interesting to either of us so we have found another one that we are going to try. We've just started Mystery of History 1 so let's hope this one can keep his interest. I think he's going to like this one a lot more than Story of the World 4.

I started out doing Five In A Row with Brinley and Bailey and they really love it but it takes a lot of work on my part so until we get Brice settled into what works for him we have gone back to just doing some basic ABC's and working on cutting skills with Bailey and some more advanced things with Brinley. They both love homeschool so far. Brinley says she doesn't want to go back to school. I love having them here with me.

Bailey's tantrums seem to ebb and flow like the tides. Some days we only have one or two. Other days we have an unending string of tantrums and fits. Things do seem to be getting better for her. Last week she was crying and she sobbed, "Mama, I have a family in China and I don't REMEMBER them. I don't KNOW them! I can't find them, Mama!" It was so sad to hear these words in her tiny little voice. She was clinging to me and just sobbing her little heart out. She often tells me, "I love you, Mama. I stay with you and Daddy always." She was so tiny when she was found. No more than a few days old and yet she knows that she was abandoned and that she has a "China mama". I do get frustrated with her tantrums but I also look at her and I can't help but just feel so protective of her. She is so sweet, she will do anything for anyone. She loves all of us. She gladly sits on our laps, hugs us, gives us kisses, great eye contact....but she has something that is truly just eating away at her happiness. It makes me so sad. I watch her sleeping and I wonder exactly what is going on in that little head and heart.