Christmas Party @ Kendal

Erik took the girls and our friends, Jan-Barbara and Madeline to the Kendal Elementary School Christmas Party. 

L-R: Madeline, Grace, Barbara, Erik and Faith

 Faith was covered in icing when she arrived home, all over her hair, clothes, body and her coat. 

NDDA National Deaf Dance Academy

 Today Parents were invited to attend dance class with their children. It was too adorable for words and so is the teacher (2nd picture below) Faith's age group will perform 3 numbers in the spring. 1 Ballet, 1 Hip Hop and 1 Tap -- and an ending group number - I can't wait - it's gonna be awesome. Also lastly I attached a short and very grainy preview of a hip hop number. I just showed it to Faith and she turned red and covered her face - I asked her - why so embarrassed? --Because i'm shaking my but.

Kendall Elementary @ Gallaudet

Every day, EVERY day we get a great newsletter that keeps us informed on whats happening at Kendall and on Gallaudet Campus. Faith gets to participate in awesome field trips and experiences. Below is a video and photo of the USDA coming to Kendall to teach about food safety - she came home with loads of booty' (treasures) (Our tax money China's money hard at work but thats another story for another blog - that I don't do:)  It was cool that she could participate. Look for Faith with 'Thermy' the mascot. '

Hands = L-O-V-E

Hands have a special meaning in our house. Our hands speak and yell and laugh and cry and teach and most importantly LOVE.

Sea World Trip - October

Tooth Fairy

A few days later...

Kendall's Spooktacular Halloween Party

Faith's Field Trip

Going to school at Kendall has cool perks. She goes on about 2 field trips a month!! Last year the kids went to the White House and met the Prez. This field trip was to a farm for pumpkins. It was so fun being with her friends - they are funny kids. 

OK, here's my favorite part...PIGLETS...Oh I want some! 

The kids were enthralled with the babies eating from the Mom

Apple Pick'n

Shenendoah Valley, VA...Mmmmmm Apple Pick'n & Eat'n
The girls could not believe we rode up the road (like 600 feet :) in Grandad's truck - they loved it, what kid wouldn't love it?

Ward Camp-Out

Grace and Faith LUUUV camping - we wish we could go more. While on our ward camp-out in VIRGINIA - we ran into GUESS WHO? ... My cousin Andrew Z and his wife Jamie and of course their very own little s'more - Max. How cool is that?! I didn't take picts of it BUT we roasted marshmallows and caught up - they are beautiful family.

Left: Faith talking with our great friend Karen - Glad you came Karen.

Restoring Honor Rally in Washington, DC

Thats right peeps! - We were excited to attend the Restoring Honor Rally at the Lincoln Memorial. I have never been around so many people in my life. Many times we were pressed up against people for a mile. We were impressed by everyones behavior - calm, nice, helpful - everyone! Everyone except a few people who came to tell us how wrong we were. We were going to get to DC on the Metro but the Franconia Metro had a line (not of cars but people) one mile long. Many people turned back when they saw the line but that was not happening I didn't care what time we got there I was committed. We ended up catching a cab - squeezing with a family from Georgia who made the trip here just for the Rally. Our family is sick of 'big city life' and they were longing for it :) They paid our cab fee when we arrived - so sweet! Our only regret - we couldn't get close enough to interpreters to see them.

Grace's Yellow Belt Test

Picts of Grace earning her Yellow Belt - They require the kids to  REALLY work to earn their belts!

Our dog Sonny

New Puppy we got in May after Grace saved for a year. She is a 'Yorkie-Poo'...In case your thinking...huhh? Thats a Yorkshire Terrier and Poodle mix. She is so sweet, so fluffy, her tail never stops wagging. We love her! When we got her she was 3 lbs and is now 7 lbs...she may gain one more lb or so.

Deaf Family Picnic...So much fun!

Fourth of July 2010

Life with a deaf kid

You know your kid is deaf when.....you put them to bed 2 hours ago, lights out. When you decide its time to go to bed you walk by the bathroom door and hear the water running...from 2 hours ago when she brushed her teeth!  This isn't the first time this has happened but usually I catch it. Whew...we dogged a bullet, thank goodness the sink didn't get stopped up. Now...just gear up for the water bill..OUCH. 

PET PEVE! - Dads that 'babysit'

DEAR DADS OUT THERE IN THE WORLD... DON'T BABYSIT YOUR OWN CHILDREN!

     If you are watching your own children and being the primary caregiver for an hour, the night or for the day you are not 'babysitting'! When a man is asked, 'Hey what are you doing tonight'? and he replies, 'I'm babysitting' I want to scream.

So listen up, if they are YOUR children, you are not babysitting! 

     You are: taking care of the kids or being with the kids but you are not 'babysitting' them. Babysitting means a temporary caregiver that is not normally obligated to the children they care for, a temporary responsibility in exchange for monetary gain. Dads, do you consider yourself on the same level as the 16 year old you pay an hourly rate to watch your kids? I sure hope not. Dad's, when you say you are babysitting your children you are really saying...'its really my wife's job and i'm doing her a favor'. 

Yes, the words we use matter!

There are two reasons I despise this incorrect use of language:

#1 It supposes that the woman is 100% responsible for the kids 100% of the time. Both Men and Women are equally, 100% responsible for their children 100% of the time. These responsibilities do look different at different times and depend on the situation. No matter, the above is still true.  

#2 Men, why do you underestimate your importance? You are vital to your children and your time with them is so very precious because often you are around them less than the Mom's are. So, stop babysitting your children and start taking care of them, playing with them and teaching them. That is what you signed up for. 

Note: This post was not inspired by my husband who I feel is an equal partner in raising our children, just for the record :)

Happy Thanksgiving

So, i've been really busy with the kids. As many of you know we have a new kid with us. I am unable to go into really any detail on the blog due to confidentiality agreements. I am not able to even post picts :(. I will have to speak in general terms. He is 14 and deaf. He is placed with us through foster care. He is a really good kid who was blessed through all his suffering with a kind, happy heart. We had originally thought we would adopt him but it seems life has different plans. I still believe everything happens for a reason. He was definitely meant to come into our lives at this time. I would have never foreseen that he wouldn't stay forever. But, like I said life/God has different plans. Better plans actually. There is a family out there that is 100% perfects for him whereas we are about 80% perfect for him. He will probably be with us for a couple more months. I will be able to speak and write more freely about it in the future. All in all it has been a rich learning experience for both Erik and I and the girls. We have had to stretch ourselves outside of our comfort zones go to new places, learn new things. I know that being a Mom is a job, a full-time job but before this experience I don't think I treated it like one. I don't think it felt like one. I have had to be more organized and more diligent. I am so grateful for that because it challenged me to do more and be more. I hope it is a lesson that I hold onto.  

WHATDA!@?*

WOW I REALLY SCREWED UP MY BLOG AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO FIX IT - MUCH IS MISSING AND NOT ARRANGED RIGHT - ARGHHHH

We have enjoyed watching this beautiful sight outside our back door! They have hatched and have left the nest. While we did love it - the moma bird did not like us anywhere near, it was like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's movie, The Birds every time we stepped out in the back yard.

Come What May & Love It

A missionary  in our ward recently paid our family a big compliment. He said, "Wow you guys are just like the talk by Elder Wirthlin. I had not heard his address at that time. You guys have really 'come what may and love it' when it comes to embracing your deaf daughter" That was truly a compliment coming from someone who had only known us a short time and could see the love we have for her and for her language and life. We are so blessed that God prepared us for Faith which allowed us to be blind to what the world calls a 'disability'. 

OK you can leave now

OK now your really bothering my kids so you can leave NOW flu - thank you very much and don't come back

Easter Party

My camera died just as we began the Easter party this last Saturday. I forgive my camera and I am not mad at it. I like my camera - it has a rechargeable battery which is great cause I hate spending money lately since my friend Jennifer has show me the new brave world of coupons and getting stuff for free or close to it! Our Easter party went great despite the rain in the morning. The kids were all muddy by the time it was done but I don't think they noticed except for a few young girls who..well..uhmm...enjoy their girliness. I will name no names. ;) In total I estimate we had 412 eggs give or take a dozen. The only real  problem we had were the Egglands Best (raw) eggs we used for the egg toss and spoon race that refused to break! It gives me pause to think how they are engineering those chickens these days. The eggs dropped again and again and not so much as crack!! But--nearly everyone won!.. except for the older kids that took it as a personal challenge to break an egg. 

I secretly like the FLU

I want to confess that I secretly like the FLU. While I of course don't wish my children pain the flu happens whether we like it or not. However I DO LIKE the excuse not to have to go anywhere or do anything. I like that they need me like they did when they were babies. I like that they stay on the couch all day and don't make messes. I like that they sleep in. And lastly I like that I got to finish the last book in the Twilight series, New Dawn and my obsession with Twilight can be over. The girls are (hopefully) at the end of their illness but I figure if we have to live through the flu we might as well find some good in it - ya know joy in the journey and all that...until its my turn that is.  

Spring...we are so glad you are here!

This week on the kids spring break we took a trip to visit my parents in Richmond and we went to Maymont, one of my favorite places in the world. Its my favorite because #1-its gorgeous and #2- its free! Can't you just feel the love in this picture?...ok not really...its 45 degrees and they are cold :) it was only for survival purposes. Grace has announced that she "is retiring from taking pictures". Thanks to Nancy for picking great dresses for her wedding last year and to my Mom for sewing them beautifully and large enough so that I could use them again! Thanks to Maymont for planting flowers to match their dresses.