Becoming American!:)

Today we went for ice cream one last time. It was\is our favorite ice cream place to walk to and it is closing for the season!:( Today was the last day!:( We went up and mom asked if we all wanted the usual and everyone but Chin Chin got something different! Dad got a sundae, I got Mint Chocolate Chip in a cone instead of a cup (OK, I didn't exactly stick to my usual). Mom got a small vanilla cone, Chin Chin got a small vanilla cone and then mom asked ThaLen "Small vanilla cone right?"And ThaLen said "Actually, can I get medium?" We all looked at our cute, sweet, little peanut and laughed! Could she put it all in that little 5ft, 91lb body!? And mom said "Oh my! You're becoming an American!" clapped, laughed, then ordered her a medium!:) ThaLen laughed too!:) And not only did she eat it ALL! when we got in the car she asked what was for dinner, forgetting we had just had a HUGE! Burmese dinner!:)LOL! That is something I would say and do! Big sister is so proud my traits are rubbing off on baby sister!:)LOL!

I just wanted to share with you a very precious thing that happened in Sunday school today!We were in small groups and we were talking about the second coming of Christ and when he comes the blind will see etc.. Well, the small groups leader was going to each child asking if they had been blind for a long time and Jesus gave them their sight back what would you want to see? Some kids gave cute answers like my dog, my mom, my dad, my siblings etc.. Well Sophie gave the sweetest answer of all "I want to hear" . It really wasn't the answer to the question and actually really off the subject but basically Sophie was saying she would rather be blind then deaf. I don't think as a 21 year old with both hearing and sight I could choose between the 2. I love sunsets, being able to see the faces of people I love and in general seeing God's beautiful handiwork around me. And I love hearing...Well...EVERYTHING! And the idea of having to choose between the 2 is incomprehensible! But not for Sophie! She I think would gladly give up her perfect vision if she could hear! What wisdom from a 6 year old!

I look so...Stupid!!!

This afternoon Chin Chin changed out of jeans and a T-shirt and into a very pretty little night gown!:) Then she put on a sweatshirt. She came out of her room and stood in the hallway giving me a funny look!:) And I started to say "Chin Chin! You look so!..." Then she finished with "STUPID! The word is stupid!:) )" I'm both so impressed her English is coming so well and quickly!:) But on the other hand, where did she learn or hear the word "Stupid!" I don't really remember any of us saying "stupid" since before we got ThaLen almost 5 months ago! I laughed SO HARD!:) And so did Chin Chin!!!:) She says she's American now because she says and understands idioms!LOL! For example: 2 days after school started she came home and bounced into my room where mom, dad, ThaLen and I were, plopped down into my computer chair and says so happily and in a happy\silly voice says "I wanna use the computer!" Then she just cracks up laughing and says "I American now! I say wanna!" We all laughed so hard and so did she!:) ThaLen this week is starting to say funny things too!:) A couple days ago when I made a small mistake while doing something on the computer and I said "Whoopth!" It's always fun to put TH's at the end of certain wordsth!LOL! It soundths silly!LOL!:) I also said "nuths!" Well, first Chin Chin heard me and thought "Nuths!" sounded hilarious! Or hilariouths!:) She she started saying it all the time!LOL!:) Then that night ThaLen picked it up and was trying to find more wordths she could put TH's on the end!:) It's been 3 days and both are still saying "nuths!":)LOL! and ThaLen is still trying to find more "wordths" to end in TH's!!!LOL!:) ThaLen I know realizes "nuths" is just a funny word but every time Chin Chin makes a "Whoopths!" she will either say "Whoopths!" Or "Nuths" like it's a real word!LOL:) I fear I've corrupted her English!:)LOL! Oh well!LOL!:) What else are big sisters for!?!?!?:)

Sunday Exitement!

The family that I work with at church was so sweet this past Sunday!:) They brought Chin Chin birthday gifts!:) She got a pink and black shirt with an animated girl on the front, a blue shirt with Hannah Montana on the front and a little teddy bear that can fit in the palm of your hand that Tracy (the mom) made!:) Chin Chin waited for me to open her gifts in the car and the happy little girl screams, screeches and happy sounds she made the whole way home as she opened them and looked them over were priceless! We Americans take so for granite when someone remembers our birthday, like we expect it. SHAME ON US!!! I can't imagine not even having my birthday acknowledged almost 18 years of my life! Every time she receives a gift of any kind she is like a young child getting their first gift! It's so awesome to watch her face lite up but my heart breaks for her because I know what she's been through and I understand just even remembering her birthday means the world to her! She must of held the shirts to herself and in front of her a million times on the way home to look at them, grinning ear to ear and squealing happily and exitedly! And she carefully looked over the bear like she was examining every inch and stitch of it! The 2 older girls Ada who is 8 and Sophie who is 6 always pick out and very carefully I might add my gifts and by the colors of the shirts I was pretty convinced Ada had picked out the Hannah Montana shirt because her favorite color is blue!:) And I was pretty convinced Sophie picked out the pink shirt because her favorite color is pink but I was wrong! The second to the youngest, Bree who is 4 years old picked them out by Ada and Sophie approved them!:) Great job girls!:) I will try and post pictures soon!:)

Hello Family & Friends

Well, after many days of reading very fun blogs from family and friends I decided to get into blogging!:) So to keep many of you updated I will be blogging about our new lives with my sisters!:) Look for blogs soon!:) The only news I have right now is Chin Chin has her first school choir concert on Monday night!!!:) She's exited!:) I joined a special needs dance team a couple weeks ago and we have our first program October 26 and we practice on Monday nights:( So I'm trying to decide if I should go to my dance class or Chin Chin's concert??? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!! I feel like such a bad big sister if I don't go!:( But she seems to be O.K. in knowing I may or may not be there. But that could be a communication error. She's SOOO FUNNY!:) Her English is getting SO GOOD!!!:) Some days I feel like her English gets better every hour! And Friday she told us "1 more month and I speak English no stop!" She still needs work with grammar but WOW!:) And she talks ALOT! she makes me look quiet! I'm not really sure if that's good or not!? So for now we're enjoying the peace and quiet of her still not speaking perfect English!:) But it will be AWESOME! when we can fluently talk to her!:) Won't be long!:)

Life Changing!

Okay, I was an emotional wreck this morning because of my meeting but it went really well actually! I'm just needed to interpret a little bit more then what I do. It's a little scary because my expectations are now a little higher but I'm always up for a challenge! I have other huge, life changing news! A couple months ago we looked into special needs adoption because of my work with my little special needs girls at Mars Hill but we got discouraged because of the cost and so for now, until God maybe opens the door again it's not an option. After a couple weeks and it was almost completely out of our minds we received an e-mail from a lady in our church! Does anyone remember when Bethany Christian Services helped bring The Lost Boys from Africa and put them into foster homes? Well, it's happening again only in Burma! To make an incredibly long story short, we have started the paperwork and process of becoming a foster family!!! And things are moving so quickly it looks like we should have our kids the end of April!!! We are praying for a boy and girl, 2 or 3 girls or a couple girls. We really can't get just boys because I'm home alone a lot and it would be really inappropriate for me to be home, alone with a bunch of teenage boys. After all our paperwork and home study and other stuff is done we just wait for a call! Prayer requests:
We are frantically remodeling our house! So please pray we get it done by the time kids are available to us.
For our kids traveling safety because the only thing they're told is get off the plane in America and go with whoever is there! They aren't told anything about us!
Pray for the kids and us because for the first 6-12 months these kids speak 0 English! And pray that we'll all adjust well!

I'll keep you posted!

Daily Life

As much as I am enjoying working with this beaut
iful little girl you see on the left I still ask myself if interpreting for deaf children or people in general is something God really wants me to do? I've tried and tried with no luck to get certified and it's either too expensive, too far away or at GRCC there is a great program but it's at night and the GoBus is not dependable and it's not safe to be downtown at night! But on the up side we are so close already!!! We've been working together since October 21st! For those of you that don't know this is 5 and a half year old Sophie! She is deaf and I've been interpreting for her in Sunday school (Kids Kove) during story time! From what I've been told she didn't like going to church before she and I started working together and now I guess every day she asks "Church today!?" and every Sunday she can't wait to get in the car! The most precious and special memory I have with her is when I was told her full name. The family had been praying for 9 months to come along side and help Sophie. Then they felt when we started working that I was a gift from God. Her full name is Anna-Sophia! It's so cute, I was talking with her mom a couple weeks ago on the phone and all day Sophie was telling everyone to call her Anna! Her mom went with it thinking she wanted to be called by her first name. Then Sophie informed her that she was me! I've been with this family through so much in the past 6 months! The family only adopts girls with special needs and when I began working with Sophie they were preparing to bring home number 4! Then the father was diagnosed with his 3rd bout with cancer and the adoption agency questioned proceeding with the adoption! But they were able to show proof he would be okay and the agency let them proceed! But the process was pushed back! Then the week before Thanksgiving they got 2 amazing and miraculous phone calls! Number one came just days before Thanksgiving they got the results from his second round of tests after surgery, CANCER FREE!!! Then the week before Christmas the adoption agency called and said come get your daughter!!! And here she is! Gigi Chapman! And here are the other 2 girls! 6 and a half year old Ada is holding the stars, and will be 4 on Sunday is Bree with the pig tails!







Well, that's pretty much my life right now. Buzzzy but very rewarding! Sunday I have a meeting with all the staff and her mom to see how best to help her. I don't know why but I'm worried. I don't think I have a reason to be but I just don't like big meetings with lots of people and pressure! Well, I will say goodnight for now!