X-Ray Crazy

I have so many interesting things to blog about after spending almost 9 months in America, but today I just had to vent my frustration over the seemingly craze over X-rays. What is the deal?
I have had many x-ray related conversations with my doctor, the chiropractor, the pediatrician, friends and today the dentist. So here is what it went like today.

Hygenist: What are we doing for you today?
Me: Just a cleaning.
Hygenist: Well, let's get your x-ray and then we'll get started.
Me: I don't want to have an x-ray.
Hygenist: Well, the dentist won't even look at your teeth without an x-ray. We can't even clean them or anything without an x-ray.
Me: That's silly. You need an x-ray to clean my teeth?
Hygenist: Yes.
Me: Is this your policy for children as well?
Hygenist: Yes, for everyone.
Me: Well, I'll be leaving now and I'll be canceling my daughter's appointment too.

What is it with x-rays. I know dentist like to x-ray so they can see cavities inside or between the teeth or whatever, but for goodness sake, I don't have the right to say I don't want an x-ray and still get my teeth cleaned? That is crazy!

So I called Matt and told him about all this craziness and he agreed to call and see if he could find another dentist that would clean our teeth without x-rays. Everyone of them he called said they needed x-rays and one office worker even told him it was the law. He wanted to ask her which law, but decided not to harass her. He's so nice. I mean really people - does no one else see the breakdown of our freedoms in this country? I don't seriously think it is a law that you must have an x-ray when you go to the dentist. Matt says maybe it is homeland security that has decided every American needs an x-ray at the dentist so that they will have dental records for everyone. Ha!Ha! If so, BIG Gov't - get out of my mouth!!! The pharmacist at CVS heard me talking with Matt about it and said he thinks it is a ploy to get more money since x-rays are so expensive. He suggested finding one of those orthodontist that give free consultations and then take the x- ray over to the dentist. Great idea, if it were the $ that concerned me. It is the point of the whole thing. I should be able to get my teeth cleaned without having a stinkin x-ray. Period!

One more thought on x-rays. Just something to chew on. Why won't they give you an x-ray when you're pregnant? Yet, when you raise a red flag about the safety of x-rays in general they tell you that you get more radiation from the sun walking to your car from their office than you get from the x-ray. This makes no sense to me? I mean pregnant women rarely have deformed children due to the radiation they received from walking across a parking lot- even though pregnant women walk across many, many parking lots throughout their pregnancy. Hum??? Am I ignorant here??? Is there something I don't know? OK - well that's my story for the day.

Christmas Memories 2009

Christmas Eve

We had a spectacular Christmas this year in the U.S. That alone made it special! We got to enjoy Christmas lights, Christmas pageants, Christmas parties, yummy food, Christmas Eve service, and a very special Christmas Day with my Dad. He went to be with the Lord 4 days later.

Some of the fun little things we enjoyed this year included Gracie making a Gingerbread House with her Mims. We decided the store bought construction materials were lacking... but Gracie completely enjoyed eating her creation one gum drop at a time.

We had a Christmas party at my mom's house and played a really cheesy gift exchange game. It was fun to be with everyone though! Gracie and Lola had a ball with William (their 2nd cousin). He got a remote control car that Gracie loved driving and Lola loved chasing! Gracie about to enjoy a homemade chocolate covered cherry.

She shared it with her cousin Luke.

We went out and got a real tree. That was fun. We took a hay ride out to the back tree lot and chose carefully. Gracie helped her Daddy cut it down! Getting it decorated was another challenge. All our ornaments were left in China so we made some originals. We strung popcorn and created penguins, reindeer, and manger scenes. We also hung candy canes that had cute little covers that gave them character.Lola on the hay ride!

We spent Christmas Eve in Griffin and ate Mexican for lunch. Then we went to church where we celebrated the birth of our Savior through song, prayer, candle light and the Lord's Supper. It was really special. My Dad was sitting next to me belting out those hymns like only he could do. What a precious memory.

Christmas Day was great! The kids woke up late then discovered their gifts out on the covered patio where we put the tree. My parents arrived a few moments later and we enjoyed watching the girls and started off our time together with a pancake breakfast. We stacked some together and covered them with whip cream and called it Jesus' birthday cake. We stuffed ourselves! Then we opened presents! My niece Chelsea made us this delicious fudge that I ate the majority of... Mom gave me a keepsake locket that my grandmother Martin had given her. Matt got his comic book fix, and of course the kids loaded up.

We had a relaxing morning and Mom and I cooked several dishes. Mims made her famous Cranberry Relish and we enjoyed an awesome Christmas dinner of roast, potatoes, carrots & mushrooms, broccoli salad, green beans, sweet potato souffle, and pumpkin pie. I think there were some more things - but I can't recall... My Daddy ate so much food I wondered where he out it. He weighed about 130 lbs and had just recovered from pneumonia - but he was feeling so good on Christmas Day. I fully enjoyed watching him eat and enjoy his dinner so much. I will hold on to that memory forever.

After dinner we played games - Matt, Mims, Paul & Chelsea played settlers of Catan. Daddy and Marty played Wii. Gracie and Christi played Hungry, Hungry Hippos, Wii, and the Leapster. My sweet sister in law, Wanda helped wash dishes and everything was just as close to perfect as it could be.

I am so thankful for such a wonderful Christmas with the people I love. God has been good to us. His mercies endure forever!Gracie liked to pretend she was Mary and she loved wrapping up her baby Jesus.

Everybody - Let's Wiggle

Finally, after years of watching Greg (now Sam), Anthony, Murray and Jeff perform on DVD and tv we crowded into the floor section of the Gwinnett arena in North Atlanta today to enjoy The Wiggles live. What a show! Gracie is a bit sensitive to loud noises so the initial shock of the show - bright lights and loud greetings - sent her into a small tizzy. We made our way up the stairs and took a seat high up and away from the center of it all until she calmed down. After about 2 songs she was ready to reclaim her seat among the lucky kids who were all face to face with their favorite band. We sang along to all our favorite tunes and waved at Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog and Henry the Octopus. It was really entertaining. Like old groupies, Matt and I talked about the show for an hour after we left. We were impressed with Captain Feather Sword who took his place in the gymnastic display of manly strength. Didn't know he had it in him. The Wiggles were great - they read every sign and sent members of the dance team around to pick up roses for Dorothy and bones for Wags. A lot of kids brought little gifts - we didn't. We have a good excuse - we came straight from church. Lola fully enjoyed herself too. Thanks to our Sunday routine, both girls were running on no nap, but they didn't miss a beat. In the end, surprisingly Gracie announced that her favorite things were #1 Twinkle Twinkle Little Star because they turned all the lights off and only the lighted toys, cell phones and stage displays lit the arena and #2 the FIREWORKS. If you know anything about Gracie - you know she hates fireworks! But there was a small explosion of graffiti at the end of the show and Gracie thought that was awesome. She talked about it all afternoon. We left the arena with Gracie shaking her Dorothy tail - we admired her shadow all the way to the car. What a wonderful afternoon. We had so much fun wiggling!

Things I want to learn how to do...

I am sitting here being unrealistic since my kiddos are asleep and I have a sense of freedom to do lots of crafty things...there are several things I have decided I would like to learn how to do.
After reading a friends comment on facebook today I have decided I want to learn how to sew. It would be fun and useful and one way I could at least get my size in China. I would also like to learn how to knit. Most women in China knit sweaters for their kids and long johns for the family. I think that is so cool. Knitted wool long johns - now you just don't run down to REI for that kind of thing. I would also like to learn to make cheesecakes and other scrumptious treats. I don't mean the box kind - I want it like Cheesecake Factory - NY style! I would also love to learn to tile floors - boy would I have a field day in my apartment if I had that skill. I wouldn't mind carpentry skills either... and while I'm at it, maybe some plumbing works would come in handy. Well, I am starting to get off course. Back to things I really want to learn how to do! I would love to have a garden on my balcony. Okra in China - fresh tomatoes, squash, green beans, bell peppers, broccoli and spinach. Oh, raw veggies would be such a treat. And salad!!! Now I am hungry. I guess I will go make a snack and do something I already know how to do - like study.

Lola turns 1

She's on her feet and off to the races. She can't be contained and that is not an exaggeration. Lola Mei has been active even well before her birth and she has shown no signs of slowing down. On September 9 we celebrated her first birthday. It was a blast. Mimi came from Texas to join us and Meme and Papa came from Griffin along with my sister and her 4mth old Charles. My friend Janet and her daughter Anna came as well as Judi and her granddaughter Micaiah. It was a good crowd. Lola enjoyed her first taste of birthday cake and tore through her presents like a pro. The big kids (Gracie, Anna & Micaiah) also loved helping open gifts.

Gracie and Anna did a good job singing Happy Birthday!

Highlights of Lola's first year include:
Her birth in Thailand - a good experience for the most part
Rolling over and sitting up at 3months
Crawling at 5 months
Standing at 7 months
First 2 teeth at 8 months
Coming back to America at 9 months
4 upper teeth all at the same time at 10+ months
Walking at 11 months
And in between all that:
Making friends with Bianca and Tian Tian in China
Loving on Huan Huan - dancing, cooing, etc.
Refusing formula and making mama opt out of meds for back pain
Stealing the hearts of her mama, daddy, Gracie, meme, papa, mimi, grand daddy & meme Horne, and everyone else who has had the joy of spending some time her

Lola is our sweetie. She has a great disposition and smiles all day long. We thank the Lord for giving us such an awesome gift! Lola was named after Matt's grandmother and she has proven to live up to it this first year of her life. She is definitely a blessing! We love you Lola!

Lola gives her cousin Charles some love!

How Town Fries

That is a little joke....translation = How time flies...

Matt and I celebrated our 6th anniversary on August 16 and we had so much fun! Being in Asia for the past 3 years we have not had the luxury of going anywhere without our kiddos. Other than maybe dinner... there just isn't much to do in our city. This year though we are in the States and my parents, bless their hearts, came over and watched the girls for a whopping 8 hours - and Matt and I went to Six Flags! I felt that same excitement deep in my belly as we rounded the corner where the highest roller coasters can be seen on the horizon. I wanted to clap. As we drove into the parking lot we eyed the coasters and talked about which one we would ride first. They looked like old friends to me, but poor Matt hadn't been to Six Flags since he was small child and these monsters looked like pure terror to him.

Once inside the park we went to the nearest coaster - The Georgia Scorcher. You stand up on this one and it is a doozy. I wondered if my back would hold up under the pressure. But the sheer adrenaline kept me committed. Then we went to the Mind Bender - my fave. I stretched a little as we waited the additional 5 minutes necessary to get the front seat. Matt reminded me of how crazy I am... front seat was not his idea. Oh, it was so much fun and leaving the second loop I felt this pressure and something slip in my back. When we exited the coaster I was able to lean over and touch my toes for the first time in about 8 months. Awesome! The Mind Bender had given me a needed adjustment!

We made it a trio and rode the Batman... also awesome, then went for the not so thrilling classics - Thunder River and Monster Plantation. Yes, a cheesy ending for a not so cheesy anniversary date. I must say - 6 years has flown by and I am happy to say that I am still very happy with the man the Lord gave me. Now I am happy and a little more flexible.

Heartbreak

"The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." But it is so easy to love your kids more. What? Our children canso easily become an idle and we must daily remember not to let it be so. Yes, your children tend to take that place in your heart that no one can pierce. You love them before they are ever born and you feel them. I don't mean you just feel them moving around in there, I mean you feel them deep in your soul. They are part of you through and through. So when they are hurt you hurt, when they laugh you feel joy, and they can push your buttons better than anyone else can. Thinking about the connection between a mother and her child blesses my heart and I begin to think about how much God loves us. For He gave his only son for us.

I am heartbroken today over the loss of a little one. A friend who was excited to meet her son on September 9 had to say goodbye before she ever said hello. I cannot imagine her pain right now. How can you be 36 weeks pregnant and with no warning find out the baby you have been nourishing and nurturing through your very own body has died. My tears cannot bring him back nor can they comfort this woman who is experiencing sorrow among sorrow. It really reminds me of the how precious life is and the fact that none of us can sustain it one day longer than our Creator has intended. Why a baby? I don't know, but I do know He is the Lord and He has a plan. To my friend I say I'm sorry, I love you, I hurt for you, and I am praying for you. The Lord has a plan for you and somehow this fits into His plan. He love you and He loves your little boy. That baby is lost to us but he is not lost, he is with the Father.

When a baby dies we often want a reason. We need some one or some event to blame. Sometimes mothers blame themselves - if only I had.... but we must all remember that the Lord holds out lives in His hands. Not one of us could have taken a breath today if He had not allowed it. We can go to doctors and take medicines and eat perfect diets and exercise and meditate and whatever else people do to be healthy and stay safe... but the fact remains that we may not have a tomorrow. This baby was a person. He was loved. His life mattered. He will not be forgotten. His mommy has a spot in her heart that is still full - full of memories and dreams.

My heart aches today.

Our rights are fading away - quickly!

I have come across many articles, videos, and the like regarding political Tom-foolery. Many of them have scared me, frustrated me, and made me down right angry - but I wanted to share this one because, especially for my Christian friends out there, we need to know both sides of an argument. I am, as most of you know, pro-life. Very much so! I have even marched in the "right to life" march downtown Atlanta! No excuse is a good excuse to end the life of a child. So, please hear me - we need to protect our rights! The rights of the unborn are extremely important, but we cannot undo an injustice with another injustice! Natural childbirth is also a God given right. I am so thankful for medical discoveries, and I know there are those of you out there who may have had experiences where a C-section was needed and I am not at all opposed to that, but the heart of the issue here is our rights, as Americans, as humans. Please watch this short video. I am not supporting those who created the video, but those who have been violated. And those of us who may be violated in the future. This is only the tip of the iceberg folks. Lawmakers are taking away life and liberty as fast as they can sign their name. Yikes! If you want to comment, send me an email.

The Sun Came Out

Oh Sunny Day!!!

After nearly 3 weeks of rain the sun finally decided to grace us with some light. We celebrated by walking to the grocery store about a half mile away. Actually farther than that, but the point is we got out in the sun. I recently read that an infant should have 2 hours of sunlight each week to sythesize enough vitamin D. I figure Lola has had about 30 minutes since we got back from Thailand a month ago. She definitely got enough sun on our sunny day - she woke up from her nap with a nice little sunburn across the bridge of her nose and cheeks : ( Guess she has my skin. Here are some photos of our sunny day.

Check out that armor on the little one.

Laundry Day

Lola Laughs!

This is just a taste of what we get on a daily basis. Lola is so happy and she often laughs and entertains us all!

Gracie Rocks Again

Gracie loves to "rock out" with Matt when he plays Guitar Hero. Now that we have a Wii we have 2 guitars so she can go to town. The other day we came into the living room from having quiet time and there was Gracie all dressed up and rockin away on her own toy guitar. It makes noise, but one could hardly call it music. She was cute though, so we had to capture the moment.

My newest idea...

Those of you who know me well know I am a visionary - never short on ideas. I also happen to love helping others and something that has been on my heart for a long time is the lack of support for expectant and nursing mothers. In the States the moment you get pregnant you are bombarded with information, whether you want it or not. I love learning all about this kind of thing anyway, so when I was pregnant with Gracie I read every book and article I could find. I also had a lot of support from friends and a wonderful doctor and nurses. Here in China there are just so many people that the doctors don't really have time to supply the women with information and in this culture it isn't really common for one to receive a lot of information regarding anything in the healthcare field. People rely on tradition, hearsay, and old wives tales to navigate pregnancy issues and the first year after birth. Granted, we were given an inborn ability to parent so children here are not necessarily lacking, but I do believe women could have a more satisfying experience and some pitfalls could be avoided with just a little education and support.

For example, in the past year I have known 5 women (including myself) that have had a baby. All but 1 (me) have not been able to breastfeed because "they didn't have enough milk". This is hard for me to believe when the stats say only about 5% of women don't have the ability to produce enough milk. That doesn't mean breastfeeding is easy - I know first hand that it is NOT easy! At least not for everyone. Even if you produce tons of milk. One friend here, who's trust I've gained, lamented her trouble with breast feeding. She said she didn't have enough milk, but she was still trying. She only had enough milk for one feeding a day. I was so siked when I found out that she had not stopped completely and we discussed how she might be able to increase her milk supply. I loaned her a good breast pump and after a few days she said her supply had increased. After 2 weeks she was only giving her baby one formula feeding. PTL! This is really a big deal now after the formula scare. I know not everyone can breastfeed, but that is really not the issue. The issue is having support and information for those that want to try.

Breastfeeding support is only part of the plan, women also need more information regarding pregnancy - the dos and don'ts - and delivery. C-sections are abundant here - probably as high as 90%. I don't blame the women who have few options for pain control - no epidural here unless you have a lot of relationship or money. General information regarding pregnancy is also needed.
So, my plan is to get certified as a Doula, breast feeding counselor, & childbirth educator. I hope that I can then help more than just my inside circle of friends. I think it would be great to have childbirth classes at the local hospital the way we do in the States. I hope I can also train labor nurses with pain management techniques and support woman who want to breast feed. So far the idea has been received with excitement. Several of my friends have already asked if I can be their personal Doula when they get pregnant. This has been brewing for years and I think I have finally figured out how to channel my interests and passion to help others.

Lola Eats Oatmeal

Lola finally got her first taste of something other than milk. She didn't quite know what to do, so she just sopped and spit and made a big mess - but we have broken the seal and there is no turning back. On the third try she ate 2 tablespoons and then 4. She is an old pro now that is day 4... eating a bowl of oatmeal never looked so easy. What a sweet little piggy!

Gracie does laundry!

We have this cool laundry line that goes up and down by turning a simple crank - only problem is that the crank is low enough and easy enough for Gracie to let the clothes down, down, down! On more than one occasion she has been in trouble for lowering freshly laundered towels to the floor - which have to be rewashed - arg! No matter, she never gets tired of helping when it comes to doing the laundry. Yesterday she went out onto the balcony with me and politely asked that I lower the clothes so that she could clip them! This is her version of "helping" these days. It is really cute! She just goes down the line clipping clothespins to everything. We often take a shirt out of the closet to find a stowaway clip hanging from one side or the other. I finally caught her in the act! Here she is - clipping away!

Gracie's Potty Antics

Oh my dear Gracie. She is such a mess! We have moved her little potty to the living room so she will have easy access. Since Lola arrived going potty has been an issue, so we want to make it as easy as possible. I am sure being able to potty in the only room with heat is also an incentive.

This morning our little princess decided there was indeed one more incentive to having her potty in the living room. Our rainy day agenda included a movie and I guess she didn't want to miss any of it so she scooted her little behind (while attached to the potty) across the living room until she was in front of the tv. She then decided she could also play with her Barbies while relieving herself.

I am happy to say that we haven't had any accidents for about a week! PTL! Go Gracie Girl!

A Wedding in Hong Kong

Our friend Paul has finally gotten married! We are so happy for him. It was an awesome wedding too. First we ventured to the University Chapel where he and Millicent were married in a traditional Christian wedding then we joined them and about 200 others for a banquet to celebrate their union.

The ceremony was great. It was the first church wedding I have been to in a long time, complete with a small choir. Everything was in Cantonese, which we can't understand, but were able to read most of the characters and join in on the singing and follow the readings. It was really a blessing to see our oldest Chinese friend finally get hitched. I don't mean oldest as in age, but oldest as in I have known Paul for 8 years +. He was a post graduate student at the medical school where I taught English back in 2000-2002. He was so smart - graduated top of his class. Better yet, he was not so wise that he became foolish. He found Life and pursued it with diligence. After waiting a long time he finally found his bride. And she is a prize!

The banquet was the best I have ever been to. First, once we arrived, Paul & Millicent greeted guests at the front of the hall. She had changed from her wedding gown to a beautiful blue evening dress. She looked like a princess. After all the guest had arrived and were seated there was an introduction and pictures were shown from both of their childhoods on, followed by their wedding photos. Then they were introduced. They entered with the biggest smiles on their faces. Millicent had once again changed into another beautiful white wedding gown, but not the same that she was married in. WOW! They gave some speeches, played some games and then dinner began. The first dish was delivered in the dark. The wait staff came out in a dancing procession holding plates with flashing lights. As the dish got closer we realized it was a whole baby pig that had been roasted. In place of eyes were flashing lights in the shape of hearts. It was so cool. 9 other dishes followed and we ate soooo much. The food was really good. Oh, and I guess while the first dish was being served or sometime after Millicent slipped off and changed into another beautiful peach colored gown.... gorgeous! The man sitting next to us said it is common for the bride to change several times because this is the day she is supposed to look her best. And she did! After dinner, she changed once more into a mint-green colored dress in order to see her guest off. It was an incredible experience. Sorry our camera died so we don't have photos from the reception.

Thank you Paul & Millicent for letting be a part of your special day. May God bless your marriage!
This is me and the girls with Paul's dad - I had not seen him in 6 years. He was glad to see that I now have children. He was already a happy man that day for obvious reasons!

A Haircut... 20 years in the making

Well not really, but hey I've had long hair for 20+ years and it was no easy decision to cut it off! My major motivator was no other than my lovely 4 month old daughter - Lola. While she is indeed the most precious thing you have ever seen, she loved pulling my hair. It is as though an infant has super pulling powers because they can get just the right amount of hair in their little fist and pull with just the right amount of force to torment you - and in this case - torment me into cutting off all my hair!

I would not dare get my hair cut here in the city where I live. It seems that all the hairdressers went to the same school and only learned one technique and one style. I have seen some doozies and I didn't want to be the next victim. While I was in Hong Kong I took advantage of a high scale salon and trusted my locks to a well trained stylist. Luckily I got the same guy who cut my hair last time so I trusted him enough not to watch every move he made. I just told him what I wanted and closed my eyes. The end result was a little shorter than I wanted - by about 2 inches, but I am still pleases with the outcome. The photo here was taken with a special effect so that all the lines and puffiness around my eyes couldn't be noticed. We stayed up past midnight every night in HK and didn't get home until after midnight last night... it is wearing on me and it shows!

Lola Gettin Her Groove On

Lola is our favorite household doll! We manipulate this poor child and make her do all kinds of things. Dancing is one of our favorite things... she is just too cute! Here she is shakin' it with our nanny Huan Huan. Aren't they so cute!

Grace's hair

#1 Stinkweed!

Oh the saga... Gracie and her hair. She doesn't want it brushed or combed or put up or braided or anything else. The other day while she was engrossed in some Disney movie - actually it was probably one of her many annoying Barbie movies - I french braided her hair, one side anyway. She didn't notice what I was doing until I was finished and about to put the rubber band on the end. She protested, but I won. She refused however to let me do the other side, so this is the way she went around for the rest of the day. I thought for sure she would eventually let me do it, but NO - NO WAY JOSE! What can you do?

Mom's Christmas Present

My dear sweet mother, who's age I shouldn't post, fell and broke her shoulder a month ago and has been struggling to do the simplest of tasks. You can imagine how frustrating that can be. She has on more than one occasion told me how disgusting her house has become. She always takes care of everyone and now that she is down and out she needs someone to take care of her. My Dad has done his part by helping her dress and driving her all over town, but noone has yet learned to clean the toilets or vacuum or mop.... so for Christmas I gave my mom a couple of visits from Hazel.

Mom sent me this photo Hazel with a red bow on her head Christmas Eve (actually it was the 23rd in the States). I was happy that Hazel understood just how important she is! Wouldn't it feel good to know you were someone's Christmas present.