Category Archives: Everyday Life

20 Birthday Questions (Lena– 5 years old)

December 10, 2012 Molly 4 Comments

1. What is your favorite color? Purple

2. What is your favorite toy? Dollhouse

3. What is your favorite fruit? Banana

4. What is your favorite tv show? Backyardigans

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Quesadilla

6. What is your favorite outfit? Stripe jacket (I suggested this– her original answer was just “shirt”, but she wears this jacket all the time)

7. What is your favorite game? Hide and Seek

8. What is your favorite snack? Water

9. What is your favorite animal? Giraffe

10. What is your favorite song? A Giant (?!?)

11. What is your favorite book? The Bible

12. Who is your best friend? Allyson

13. What is your favorite special treat? Cookies “Any kind you really like?” Um, no

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play

15. What is your favorite drink? Um, water (She actually said um for most of them but I had to put it here, since that’s how she answered it last year)

16. What is your favorite holiday? Eggs “Do you mean Thanksgiving?” “Um-hm”

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? “To sleep” (I explained it to her and then she said) Monkey

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Banana

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? My chocolate cake… chocolate, I mean my chocolate, chocolate (What she asked for was tacos)

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Play “Like what kind of job, to do for work… last year, you said a ‘tree'” Giraffe!

Here’s last year’s answers. Reed’s is first and hers is at the bottom.

Everyday Life

My Pair of Fives

December 8, 2012 Molly 3 Comments

Today begins the 29 days when I have 2 5 year olds! It’s Lena’s 5th birthday!

If you know them in real life, you know how true this picture is!

We went to get our Christmas tree. We went to a park that allows you to cut down a red cedar, an invasive species here. It was pretty fun– wandering around in cedars with the kids asking “What about this one?”

But, lest you think it was too fun…

Someone was mad that his daddy was busy with the tree and couldn’t carry him. He had to settle for me instead, which was NOT okay.

Lena went out on a little date with her papa this afternoon, while Reed and I got her present ready. I decided that he had to help me set it up and wrap it after he found out what she was getting and nearly spoiled the surprise for her. I think it may be a new tradition to have the kids help out with their siblings’ presents, because it was a lot of fun and helped him feel more involved in her birthday.

It was fun to watch her unwrap a present bigger than she is. And to see all of her delight over it!

When I first asked her what kind of cake she wanted, she told me “a Lena cake!” Later, she told me, a chocolate cake. So, I decided on a chocolate Lena cake.

We had some friends over for dinner and cake. It had been awhile since we had seen them and we had a great time.

After our company left, and Gus was in bed, Lena asked me “can I play for just a few more minutes, please? …two minutes, please?” It was already past her bedtime, but she was so sweet and so happy, so she got a timer for 15 more minutes. They got an extra bedtime story too… we just had to read her 2 new books. “Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?” and “Llama Llama Holiday Drama.”

Happy birthday, sweet Lena! We love you and we are so happy to be your parents. We had a great time celebrating you today!

ETA: Sorry about the photos not working earlier– they should be now. They always show up fine for me, so I never know until someone comments to tell me.

Everyday Life

The Minis

December 6, 2012 Molly 2 Comments

Alternatively titled, I have way too much time on my hands.

My friend B asked in my last post: “Am I the only one that thinks your children are mini versions of you and your husband? Reed is all your husband and Lena is all you! So meant to be!”

Ha, no. You are actually the one millionth person to comment that!

When we were praying about which child to adopt last year, one sweet little boy caught my eye– he reminded me a ton of my husband.

Do you see it?

When I was visiting my family in Pennsylvania over the summer, I went through a ton of photos from when I was about the ages that my kids are now and some of them reminded me of…

(Apparently we both make lots of silly faces!)

Because I don’t want to leave her out– Lena and I are probably the most similar personality wise, although she’s more even-tempered than me. When I was her age, I liked to play by myself– making up stories, which is something I often find her doing. Lena’s birthday is coming up on Saturday and we got her my favorite childhood toy. I can’t wait to give it to her, although I’m trying to figure out when I can sneak off to play with it myself. Anyone want to guess what she’s getting?

Adoption, Everyday Life, First Adoption, Second Adoption

Memories

December 2, 2012 Molly 2 Comments

I find it hard to believe that 2 years ago we were in Ukraine. Hard to believe that it’s only been 2 years since Reed and Lena became part of our family. It seems like a lifetime ago.

I miss our time in Ukraine– we had so much fun there. While our first few months of parenting were very difficult, the journey to become parents was a lot of fun. So many great memories there. Nothing like the nervous, excited energy of meeting your children for the first time and finding your way in an unfamiliar culture with a language barrier!

And 1 year ago, we were in Russia. That seems impossible, too.

I think about this sweet girl every day and wonder where she is and what kind of life she is living. It’s hard not to know, to have any clue. Unfortunately, she is still on the Russian database for orphans, which is not promising. 😦 But, I pray that she has a good life, beyond what I can imagine. She was a part of our incredible story which brought us to our amazing Gus, and I hope that her story is just as incredible, even if I don’t know how it ends.

Everyday Life

30 Days of Thankful: Day 30

December 1, 2012 Molly 1 Comment

Today, I’m thankful for my friends. I have tried to come up with some brilliant words to tell you how much I adore my friends, but I can’t. Everything we’ve been through in the past few years has shown me what it means to be a friend– not by my own actions, but by all of the love I’ve been shown. I’m thankful for the friends who stuck it out with me and for the friends who got to know me in the middle of all of the craziness that is my life and love me anyways!