round-up in Pendleton!

Playing together in China

December 12th Update

What an adventure... Rick hiked the steepest part of the Great Wall with Paul on his back.  The only casualty was his thigh muscles and a little chaffing.  Oh, and more than a few comments from the other climbers... of course they were in Chinese so we assume they were something like" what a good Daddy to bring his son up the wall."  Of course, it really was probably something like, " Crazy man."  I hiked up as well.  We made it about 2/3 rds of the way up and the steepnest and wind made us go back down. It was awesome.  We have an amazing tour guide -- he has taken us to many more places than we asked.  So far we have seen the Great Wall, Ming's Tombs, the Secret Place, the Lama Temple with the worldest largest gold Buddha, the Art Zone, the Chinese Acrobats, the Beijing Zoo and so much more!! What a great way to get ready for Joseph -- now we have orientation this morning.  We found out we are the only family here.  The others left on Saturday.  We will meet them Friday in Guangzhou.  Today we go to the Forbidden Palace and Tiannimen Square.  Tomorrow is Gotcha Day! We drive for about 40 minutes and get Joseph and then drive about three hours to the Capital city of Heibei where we spend the next day and fly out on Friday morning to Guangzhou to do our American paperwork.  Paul is very excited... Rick and I are wondering how the parents, aunts and uncles did it... just adding one child after another:)))  It is now starting to seem real.  Paul is telling everyone what he is going to teach Joseph -- I going to teach Joseph a lot of stuff -- Matt (his friend)  will help.  So, we are in the final countdown!!  We will let you know how it goes tomorrow!! Love, ARP

December 10th Update

Dec 10th a.m.

We arrived safely in Beijing an hour ago and are currently relaxing at the hotel.  We left for LA on Wednesday morning.  Alaska Airlines waived our over weight bag fee! Whew... one bag was 70 pounds -- love Pasco Alaska staff!  So we arrived in LA at 5:45.  We spent a lovely evening with the Gallaghers in LosAngeles, though Ann missed Marianne.  We spent the day repacking our suitcases to meet the weight requirements and then had a nice breakfast with Frankie, walked on the beach with Ellen Z. another of Ann's awesome friend/family people and she fixed us dinner and then we were off to the airport at 6:30pm on Thursday night.  Our flight left an hour late but we got into Guangzhou and changed planes on time -- to head back north to Beijing.  We arrived in Beijing at 4:30 pm PST Friday.   Which is noon on Saturday in Beijing.  Quite the day.  Paul is an awesome traveler.. we went to put on the DVD for the last hour into Guangzhou -- he had been in the plane for 13 hours or more and the security check person forgot to turn off the power on the DVD player!! Paul took it in stride and read a book and played with his trains...  Happy to be in Beijing... got update on Joseph.. he is now 30 inches tall, only two inches shorter than Paul.  We are off to walk around and then have Peking Duck in Peking:))  Early to bed tonight and then we are off to the Great wall and the jade market tomorrow.  Love to everyone and thanks for the prayers.  ARP

Everything To Me (Music Video) - Adoption Videos - Adoptive Families

Everything To Me (Music Video) - Adoption Videos - Adoptive Families

Joseph it has been 16 months:)) Almost there...

The Grand Canyon

Joseph... we are almost there!

Off to China next Wednesday!!

Paul in front of Karin's Court Chinese restaurant in Dallas, TX.  He wanted Chinese for lunch.  We ate there twice.  Yummy!! Dim Sum, Shumai, mmm....  6,000 miles later we are home.  The doctor's visit went fine... some new sensitivities and some old ones gone.  Blood work back next week.  Yikes.  Just hard to hear how I need to cut back and be more rested:))  Yeah, with a four year old and a two and half year old on the way:).  Looks like China over Christmas... can't wait.  Thanks, Dad!!

Wow ... A year already

I'm back and feel as if the past year has flown by.  When someone had asked me how being married was going and how did I feel as a married woman vs as a single woman -- all of five years ago, I had to pause and really think.  I love being married and being married to Rick, it's just that it was totally different.  So, without much thought I said that "I had greatly underestimated the degree of change."  Well, almost two years after adopting Paul and about to go back to China and adopt Joseph I know that I am again, "greatly underestimating the degree of change!"  Does knowing this help... perhaps.  We are not nearly as wound up about the travel, will Joseph transition, will Paul deal with it okay, etc, but we are curious how having the second child will change things.  We can listen to stories, we have watched our siblings, been the siblings when three others were brought home or in Rick's case four others -- I had five older siblings.  We know it will be sooooo different, but.... how much?  Will I be able to truly embrace my role as Mommy as I take on even more work at home? or will I be chafing to get out of the house and work? I really look to Mother Mary and her example of sacrifice and grace and pray for her guidance and patience with me.  I have found this summer so much easier than last... yes, someone can teach the night classes, someone else can sit in the pro shop on Friday mornings and I can work with sport psychology clients on my time table.  I know part of this is because being in Pasco we have so many options for babysitters:))) Thanks you guys.  I truly love being home with Paul and going to storytime -- as long as the little girl doesn't bonk him in the head with a block!  My right knee may need orthoscopic surgery to find the source of the fluid build up... the bones and everything else look great.  Going to the Dr. in Dallas next week for a tune up!! Hopefully, then I can start to lose weight:)))  Love my family and I am just blathering for now... Paul is taking a nap!

Paperwork, paperwork and more... loving it!!

Paul's giggle and screams in the background as Daddy wrestles with him and they play before bed.  Oh man... here comes the hotflash!!! I loved sweating when I was playing tennis, volleyball or basketball, but at least I was expecting to  sweat.  Nothing quite like cooking from the inside out.  I guess this is the stage of life where women become the microwave:)  Paul has now grown over seven inches since we became a family 10 months ago. His speech is coming along really well and he is very clever.  He has learned to cry to get his way... however, Rick and I have decades of dealing with nieces and nephews who had already perfected this art.  We try hard not to laugh as we say no.  Life is good.

We are back to being knee deep in paperwork for the adoption of Joseph -- the name assumes we are matched with a boy. It seems strange to have to send more certified copies of our births and marriage because our certified copies are over 9 months old.    Because we now live in Washington, we have to get fingerprinted at the local police station and at the federal level.  However, it is easier this time because we look at Paul and know it is all worth it.  We are told it will go much faster this time.  we can pray.

We are loving our new house.  We finally have a grown up bedroom set... well on Tuesday our chest of drawers will be here.  Our sales person forgot them on the order... unfortunately our really good deal turned into just a good deal... but still a good deal.  We also ordered a new mattress today.  Our blinds were installed last Tuesday, so the house is shaping up.. just don't look in the garage!  

Yippee the pantry is done!

should have worked out

Wow... wow.. wow... as Paul would say after watching Wubbzy. I went to pick up Paul this morning and my lower back went into complete spasms. I could barely walk. It seems I never learn. Allergy shots, nebulizing Atrovent, and watching what I eat are all for the same thing...keep these things from happening. Yah! After twenty years one would think I wouldn't get so lax... yeah, now I am paying for it...

Playing in the sprinkler

Paul was amazed to see the water coming out of the ground in the neighbors yard. He rode his Diego trike through the water on the sidewalk and looked at me as if to say, "What? where is this coming from?" He got off the trike and stood in the spray... after a few minutes he was soaked. So, we had a three year old in a diaper standing in the neighbors yard enjoying his first sprinkler bath. I only wished I had brought a camera on our spontaneous walk.

We leave, Paul and I, for Portland. He has his surgical follow up and a dental appointment. Daddy has to work. More to follow

Six months yesterday we became Paul's parents!!!

It hit home on Monday that we have been parents for six months. The time flew by and at other times it seemed to go in slow motion. I figured out that when you are really tired or trying to work out the compromises with two people who not only become first time parents in their forties, but also were single for most of their adult life, that time slows way down. However, this slow down is not counter balanced by time slowing down for the really good stuff. That time seems to fly by. Paul is even falling to sleep faster every night. Our social worker was very happy to see how fast Paul has bonded and how happy and energetic he is... "all boy" is how she put it. And he is. I think that Rick and I balance each other out. The other night in Boise I was asking him why he was winding Paul up before bed -- a common Daddy activity I understand from other mothers, and I had to admit that I was being "anal Annie." We are trying really hard to be consistent, strong and flexible with Paul. So far so good. The time out chair comes in handy when it is time to pick up toys. Oh, gotta go get Paul some food!!

Back in the mood!!

First the man, then the baby and now the house!

Yep, Rick and I put an offer in on the house in West Pasco and it was accepted. Now we need to get the house sold in Pendleton. Rick is the third of his siblings to move to a new home in the past six months. I think our communication skills improved with this major purchase... he actually asked me not to "stop talking to him" when we have a big decision to make. He is the only one who has ever asked me to not stop talking! I had asked him what we would do differently throughout the process.. and that was his answer. Yep, I am smiling over this one. I am sitting at the dining room table looking at a beautiful bouquet of roses that Rick and Paul gave me this afternoon for Mother's Day and my birthday. He also took me out to a really nice dinner last night, bought me three glasses of wine -- which almost put me out!! I think that was diametrically opposed to his plan!! Little did he know... I didn't need wine:))) Paul stayed with a sitter, his junior godfather Garrett and had a really big time. Poor Garrett, he had never changed a diaper before and Paul pooped for him just 10 minutes after we left:))

We are excited about going to Boise with Rick for his class and visiting friends and family. We are also getting family pictures done by Kyla while we are there.

I need a nap!! Hey, I can go take a nap... i will go take a nap.

Little man says I Love You!

Wow! The power of those three words said umprompted by the cutest three year old. Paul started out the morning by coming into our room and saying Mommy, Mommy instead of the Mama, Mama I was used to. Mom in Chinese is Mama. The about 20 minutes later as he was playing with his cars he turns his head towards me and says, "Mama, I love you." I just about started bawling. I called for Rick and said, "Watch this, Paul what did you say to Mama?" and he repeated I love you. Poor Rick... he said, "Paul, say I love you Daddy." Paul gave him this silly, mischevious smile and said, "no, no." He gave his Daddy an I love you later in the day. What a groundbreaking day for our family. We know we are bonded with Paul and even though you are pretty sure he is bonded with you... you just love the reinforcement.

Paul has experienced time out several times this past week. Another sign he is bonding with us. He is now testing us and finding out exactly what he can get a way with. Fortunately for us, Paul is sensitive and smart and once in the time out chair, okay it took twice, he ran and picked up his toys. He is learning his ABC's and singing away to songs and he loves to dance. He also loves to screech at the top of his lungs just to hear how loud he can go... he isn't quite as loud as mommy yet!

Paul has his birthday party this weekend and we are excited to see him blow out his candles and eat his Duck cake Auntie April made him back in July.... we had the cake at the shower!

We are stressing a bit about selling the house and finding a house in the Tri-Cities. Budget, tax rebates, etc. and selling our house... what fun! It is so interesting to be going through the process of buying something so huge with another person. Even though I professionally know that Rick and I have very different decision making styles, I still get so confused by the slowness of his decision making... did I say confused or annoyed? After decades of making our own decisions independant of anyone it is so difficult to come to a common point. I would like to say I was a bit surprised by this... I thought we would gather information, look at the details and make a plan and execute the plan... I hadn't anticipated the difficulty in making the plan. I am realizing just how much I want Rick to look at the details and then tell me what we are doing... but he doesn't. Oh well... I sense another "big" discussion coming our way. Probably should get a little more sleep before we do. Anyway, we know God is working in our lives and if we are listening and prepared we will make the right move. Happy May Day everyone.

Rainy Rainy Rainy

What a good morning. Paul came into our room and stood by the bed and said, " Mommy, Mommy" instead of Mama, Mama and then later just turned around and looked at me and said, "I love you." He looked at Rick and said the same thing. I have been getting my recruiting speil down for the calls I need to make today for the Whitman team. I am several days behind on returning calls. Where does the time go? Paul went to a free tennis class I did for a small, rural high school near here. The coach was in a wheel chair with a broken ankle and he and Paul had races -- Paul was on his Diego Trike. Paul won.. we won't talk about how he cut corners because he is only three. He loves his cars, see through bean bag filled with buttons. We are off to Walla Walla again.