FB Friday

December 8, 2012 ~ Today has been different. My sister Kristi is in the hospital with appendicitis and I've been with her for the afternoon/evening. My sister Debbi came to give me a break and I came home to help put Maya K to bed, change into comfy clothes, eat dinner, and then I'm heading back to spend the night with her after she is out of surgery. Then Debbi will come back in the morning and be there with her as she is hopefully released. I'm praising the Lord that it was caught quickly and that I was able to go be with her right away!! Please keep Kristi in your prayers!!

Kristi is out of surgery and resting in her room :-). I'm staying with her for now and she's supposed to decide at some point whether or not she wants me to stay for the night or if she is okay with me leaving. I think a nap might be in order for tomorrow :-). I'm so thankful that she is being well taken care of here at the hospital!!

December 9, 2012 ~ My sister Kristi is on her way out of the hospital!! She should be released within the next few minutes and begin the process of heading to the car and then to a place where she can rest and recuperate!! Please be praying that she will get her strength back quickly!!

December 12, 2012 ~ Guess who got to meet Santa today?!?!

BTW. We are not teaching her that Santa is real. Before today, I was honestly not sure she even understood WHO Santa was!! But when we saw him in the store, she pointed to him and said "Santa!!" She was happy and willing to sit on his lap and smile and then get a candy cane!! We will have fun with the character of Santa in our house, but teach the real meaning of Christmas.

December 13, 2012 ~ Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm. Not such a great start to the day. I'm praying that things improve SOON!!

I love library days!! The day has definitely improved from the way it started :-). Maya K has begun to get very comfortable at the library and was making everyone smile at her excitement and antics during story time today, we've got a "new" pile of books to read, she got to eat HOT DOGS (her FAVORITE!!) for lunch, and then mommy read two stories to her before she laid down to sleep. I'm hoping that she will actually go to sleep (and quickly) for me today since we want to go to VCA's Christmas program tonight!! (my school)

It was such a blessing to be able to see so many of my former students and parents tonight at the Christmas program!! I LOVE being home with Maya K, but I definitely miss all my other "kids"!!

December 14, 2012 ~ Maya K has almost completely learned how to tie her shoes. And not because I've taught her (which, even though I've been a teacher for 8 years, I have NEVER done and I have honestly been scare to know where to begin!!). She has just been watching me closely and decided that she can do it herself. And she almost can!!

She said her longest phrase/sentence to date!! (Pointing at the M&Ms) "After quiet time, I forgot to eat." (This was said in her adorable ET accent!!)

Wordless Wednesday (FIRST SNOW!!!)

(These photos were taken this past Sunday morning when we had our first snowfall of the winter!!!)

(She has been dreaming of and begging to make a snowman for the past month. There was barely any snow on the ground, but we had to try!!!! She LOVED it!!!!)

Talking Tuesday

Maya K: "Snow, Ice, Please, Mommy!!!"
Mommy: "Honey, I can't make the snow and ice come. We just have to wait."
Maya K: "PLEASE, Mommy!!!!"
Mommy: "Maya K, we have to wait until God says it is time for the snow and ice to come. God knows the best time."
Maya K: (pointing to the freezer) "Ice."
Mommy: "Do you want an ice cube? You can have an ice cube to play with after breakfast if you want."
Maya K: (pointing to the kitchen floor) "Ice cube, slide, floor."
Mommy: "No, Maya K. You cannot put ice cubes on the kitchen floor. It would be too messy!!!!"
Maya K: "Maya K clean. Please????"

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Maya K was putting one of her babies on the back of another baby.

Mommy: "What are they doing, Maya K?"
Maya K: "Horse."

Mommy: "Oh, they are pretending that she is a horse. Giddy-up, Giddy-up!!!"

Maya K: "No, Mommy. Horse, neigh-neigh, not up-up."

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We were at the library for story time and the librarian was reading a book about two chopsticks that were best friends. Maya K turned around and looked at me with a BIG smile on her face as she pointed to her lips. She though they were talking about chapstick!!!!!

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Maya K was building a tower with her blocks and telling me about a tower that daddy had built with her before. She was telling me that daddy's tower had fallen down and while she was telling me about it, her current tower fell over.

Maya K: "Daddy tower big loud, Maya K tower tiny loud."

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We were listening to Christmas music on Pandora radio and the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" came on. Maya K had been loudly singing her own words to the tune of the "Wiggle Worm" song and as soon as the song came on, she came running over to the computer and said.....

Maya K: "Mommy, cold outside??? Baby???? Where?????"

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Nathan was sitting at the computer working on his school paper when he sneezed.

Daddy: (sneeze) "Excuse me."

Maya K: (singing) "Escuze me. Escuze me, oh Lord. Standing in the need of prayer." :-)

FB Friday

December 2, 2012 ~ I decided to actually wear some eye makeup for our family photo session this afternoon. This is what Maya K thought of it ~ "Mommy, eyes?? Pretty?? NO!!!" This was repeated over and over and over, and she told me to go clean my eyes!!

December 3, 2012 ~ We just got home from a visit to the Social Security office. Maya K's application and paperwork has been submitted for a social security number and now we just wait for it to arrive in the mail. Still checking off my list one thing at a time!!

December 4, 2012 ~ Maya K wants sooooooooooooo badly to like hot chocolate. I've let her taste mine a couple times and she just doesn't like it (which I'm okay with - more for me!!). Today she asked again and wanted some in her cup. I gave her a little and she tasted it, said "Yummy, hot chocolate" and then put her cup down. I asked her if she was going to finish it and she said "Legos first. Finish Daddy comes home". I think she still doesn't like it, but she REALLY, REALLY wants to!!!! (I'm pretty sure my little ET beauty has had plenty of coffee in her young life and is wishfully thinking of that when she tastes the hot chocolate!!)

Can you guess what we're doing this afternoon?!?!

December 5, 2012 ~ Tried something new today :-). I think I like it, so now I just have to wait and see if it can last for more than one or two days. It took me over an hour!!!

Maya K drew a picture of her daddy tonight :-).

December 6, 2012 ~ We've got a busy day ahead of us. I got up early to make some banana coffee cake with our very ripe bananas, it's library day, then run home to quickly get some lunch, and then Maya K's got an appointment to start her immunizations :-(. Prayers would be appreciated!!!

Poor girl. I just told her that we are going to go get ice cream after she sees the doctor and now she is ecstatic to go see the doctor. I'm not talking to her about her shots until right before they happen :-(. I'm hoping she is still excited about the ice cream when the shots are done!! No kids are happy about shots, but she's never had them before. Is this going to make it easier or harder?!?!

Maya K's shots are done (for now)!! She did well and I'll post the info on the blog after I've been able to tell Nathan first.

I'm working to upload a video to YouTube and it is taking FOREVER!! Maya K was given 7 pieces of candy corn after dinner and what she chose to do with them was HILARIOUS!!! After watching (and interacting) with her for about 20 minutes, I recorded about six minutes of it and wished I could have recorded for much longer!! This is probably more for family, but some of the rest of you might enjoy hearing how far her English has come. Just 40 minutes left on the download time!! HURRY UP!!!

This video (click HERE) is six and a half minutes long, but I just LOVE it!! Maya K has such a GREAT imagination and this went on for FORTY MINUTES after dinner tonight!!! This is only a small part of the events that the candy corn "people" took part in!! It kept going, and going, and going!!

First Shots

Pam ~ Maya K's appointment for her first immunizations was today. I really haven't been dreading it, or really even thinking about it very much, but I did feel a little apprehensive last night and this morning as I knew it was coming.

I am a firm believer in telling children the truth. I wanted to talk to Maya K and tell her what was going to happen, what I was going to do, and what would happen when we were all done.

But I wasn't going to tell her all that information any earlier than necessary. She has never had a shot before, but she did get to see Nathan and I each get two shots about a month ago (we were finishing our Hep A & B rounds). That was such a blessing because I could remind her of that and tell her that mommy knew how it would feel.

Her apt. was at 1:30 this afternoon, so I told her at lunchtime that we were going to the doctor's office after we had eaten lunch and gave her some reminders of when we went there a couple of months ago. I am very glad that her first visit was a non-shot visit!!!!! It was a good experience.

I also told her that we were going to go get some ice cream after we left the doctor's office. She got VERY excited!!!!! And talked about it A LOT!!!!!!

When we pulled into the doctor's parking lot, I told her that she was going to get a few shots today and that there was going to be some medicine in the shots that would help her to stay strong and healthy. I reminded her about daddy and I getting shots and she instantly began shaking her head "no". I told her that it would be fine, that it would hurt just a "little bit" and she would get some bandaids and then we would go get ICE CREAM!!!!! She got excited hearing the words "ice cream" again and didn't dwell on the shots that I had mentioned.

We didn't have to wait very long when we got inside and Maya K was happy and content. She was measured and weighed and has grown one inch since October 18th and has gained one pound. I'll take it :-).

I was able to talk with the nurse about what immunizations Maya K was going to get today, HOW they would administer them, when she needs to come back for more, etc.

When the nurse left, I talked with Maya K again about the shots. I told her that she was going to get three shots and they would be in her leg. She shook her head "no". I said it will be quick, hurt just a little bit, and then it would be all done and we would go get ice cream.

(She took her stuffed Tiger with and wanted him to get his shot first. I said "okay" :-)

The doctor came to check her over again (we did this two months ago, but since she's been home longer now, it was good to talk again). She hasn't even had a cold since we got home 10 weeks ago!!!! We have been blessed with a VERY healthy little girl (so far).

After the doctor left we were able to read some more in the book we had brought and then the nurses came in. Maya K tried to shut down, but I put her up on the table and talked to her and held her while they gave her the shots. She cried and screamed and was very unhappy, but the nurses were quick and efficient and it was done very fast. I picked her up and cuddled her while she cried and I told her that she was so strong and brave and that it was already done. We looked at her bandaids, she stopped crying, I fixed her pants, and told her that I loved her very much.

She looked up at me and said "Chocolate Ice Cream."

YES, baby girl!!!!! We're going to go get some ice cream!!!!!

It only took about two or three minutes for her smile to come back (the two lollipops that the nurse brought her probably helped that a little!!!!) and we left with a calm and happy Maya K!!!!!

Praise the Lord!!!!!

(The ice cream was good!!!!)

Wordless Wednesday

Talking Tuesday

I (Pam) laid my head on the table during Maya K's evening snack time.

Maya K: (tapping me on the arm) "Mommy, no. Sleeping in bed (as she points upstairs)."

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At breakfast, Maya K began telling me a story about her purple stuffed zebra that she slept with. I had asked her if she slept well and then asked if her zebra had slept well.

She started by telling me that the zebra had stuck his tongue out at her. Then he licked her cheek!!! Can you imagine the nerve??? :-)

After licking her, the zebra started jumping on the bed, but Maya K did not jump on the bed because that is "no, no". He jumped so big that Maya K told him to be quiet and then he jumped off the bed and quietly sneaked downstairs and took a chocolate cookie and ATE IT!!!!

But he was so "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" (i.e. "quiet") that mommy didn't hear him.

This story was told with a lot of actions and facial expressions (wish I could have recorded it) and words like "no, no", "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh", "BIG jump", "mommy, no listen", "ears no listen", etc.

At least we know she has no problems with her imagination!!!!

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We like to listen to music in the car while we are out and about. We have three new CDs that have children's Sunday School songs on them and we are listening through one of them for the first time. The song "Kumbaya, My Lord" came on today (Friday).

Maya K has taken ownership of this song because she thinks it is a song about HER.

Maya K: (singing) "Kum-Maya, My Lorrrrrr, Kum-Maya."

She was singing each line after it was finished on the CD and was learning the song pretty quickly. She kept singing it as she got out of the car. I just can't seem to get her to hear the difference between "baya" and "Maya"!!!!

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We were preparing for me (Pam) to give Nathan a haircut. He went into the bathroom to get his hair wet and when he came out, he had spiked it all straight up!!!!

Maya K: (giggling) "Daddy hair dinosaur!!!!"

FB Friday

November 24, 2012 ~ Guess who got to put the star on the Christmas tree this year?!?!

Decorating the Christmas tree is FUN!!!

November 25, 2012 ~ We "heart" our cousins!!!

November 26, 2012 ~ Maya K went to bed two hours after her normal bedtime yesterday (with having had no nap - we were celebrating Christmas with my parents before they leave to head home). She is still asleep at almost 8 a.m.!!!!

November 27, 2012 ~ It's been a LONG and tiring week!!! She fell asleep during her quiet time today and I'm letting her sleep!! Poor girl!!

I just got the BIGGEST smile and "THANK YOU!!" from my daughter because I gave her TWO ice cubes to play with in her cup and bowl!! And then that was followed by a "I love you, Mommy!!" It's the small things in life!!!

November 28, 2012 ~ We have been HOME with Maya K for two months as of today!!

She's a girl. She just asked me, "Present. Shoes. Please."

She's full of cuteness today!! I told her that I was going to make cookies during her quiet time today and that she could have one as soon as quiet time was over, and as soon as she understood what I was telling her, she got a HUGE smile on her face and said "Kiss!! Kiss!! Kiss!!" as she scrambled to the edge of her bed to grab me :-).

She is wearing a PURPLE sweatshirt that says "I love flipflops" and black boots that have sparkles all over the top of them. And yet, I was asked, "Is this your little BOY??" Really???

I'm working on MORE adoption paperwork this evening. It's not over yet!! We start the Social Security process on Monday.

November 29, 2012 ~ We've had a rough late morning and lunch time. I am hoping that her attitude is fixed by the end of quiet time!!

We're trying something new this afternoon!! I LOVE my daughter, but she HAS to learn to play independently sometimes, right?!?! So, the timer is set for 30 minutes and she is supposed to stay in her room and play. She can play with any toys, books, puzzles, etc. that she wants to, but has to stay in her room until the timer goes off. She actually seems kind of excited about it!!

November 30, 2012 ~ Today is special on two accounts. We have now been home with Maya K for NINE weeks!!! AND it is Maya K's half Bday today - she is 5 1/2 years old!!

Maya K's teddy bear is pouting!! So she just put him on his bed. (Can you tell what happens when there is pouting in this house?!?!) Haha!!

Tonight was another family movie night!! We ate our homemade pizza while sitting on the floor and watching "Finding Nemo". (Maya K LOVED it!! She couldn't stop talking about it even as we put her in bed.) Maya K also got to eat her first CANDY CANE!! (She WANTED to like it, but I don't think it was her favorite thing!!)

30 Days of Thankfulness

Day 1 ~ I am thankful for my special little girl, Maya Kisanet Joy!!
Day 2 ~ I am thankful that my little girl is sleeping well at night!!
Day 3 ~ I am thankful for my hubby, Nathan, who is committed to being the best husband and daddy he can be!! I love you, Nathan!!
Day 4 ~ I am thankful for my church.
Day 5 ~ I am thankful for my warm and cozy home.
Day 6 ~ I am thankful to live in a country where we have the freedom to vote.
Day 7 ~ I am thankful for the sovereignty of God!!
Day 8 ~ I am thankful for my kitchen with its microwave, oven, refrigerator, and sink.
Day 9 ~ I am thankful for my pajama pants :-).
Day 10 ~ I am thankful for a washing machine and drier.
Day 11 ~ I am thankful for all the veterans who have served our country.
Day 12 ~ I am thankful for Nathan's days off of work!!
Day 13 ~ I am thankful for the salvation I have through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!!!
Day 14 ~ I am thankful for my comfy bed.
Day 15 ~ I am thankful for story time at our library!! Maya K loves "library day" and so does mommy!!
Day 16 ~ I am thankful for Victory Christian Academy and for the 8 years I was blessed to teach there and for the many, many children who impacted my life!!
Day 17 ~ I am thankful for the blessing of adoption!! Happy National Adoption Day!!
Day 18 ~ I am thankful for cookies.
Day 19 ~ I am thankful that Maya K loves to sing. She blesses me everyday with her joyful spirit!!
Day 20 ~ I am thankful for godly parents!! I love you, Dad & Mom!!
Day 21 ~ I am thankful for my two sisters and brother!! Their friendship is very special to me!!
Day 22 ~ I am thankful for THANKSGIVING Day!!
Day 23 ~ I am thankful for my parents-in-law!! They did a fabulous job in raising and loving my husband and I love them for it!!
Day 24 ~ I am thankful for my grandparents. My Grandma Munsen went to be with Jesus when I was 12-years old, and I am so thankful for the impact she had in my young life. I am blessed to have all three of my other grandparents still living and I LOVE them with all my heart!!!!
Day 26 ~ I am thankful for Christmas lights.
Day 27 ~ I am thankful for my "siblings-in-law" - three brothers-in-law, and three sisters-in-law.
Day 28 ~ I am thankful for my three nieces and six nephews!!!
Day 29 ~ I am thankful for my car.
Day 30 ~ I am thankful for the many blessings that God sends my way EVERY day!!!!

Wordless Wednesday