Luci's Birthday Party!

We had a big party today! Luci's name was drawn for a reduced price party at our wonderful Children's Museum. It is a small museum, with high quality. It is one of the best children's museums that we've been to, and we've been to quite a few. I was thrilled that Luci's name was chosen for the party! We all had fun--the kids pretty much filled up the museum and got to play with their favorite things.

Here are photos of some of our favorite people:

Luci's name was posted throughout the museum.

Luci and Daddy. When he walked in, everyone knew that Luci loves John!

Karlee and Kate--there were costumes for the kids to put on! FUN.

Maggie and Seora

Nathan Riley, Hannah and Britt (I couldn't catch Cole on camera) working the locks on the Tennessee River

hmmm....awfully cute! Casey Brooke and Bryan....more on Bryan's costume later.

Tyler and Luci in the house the boys built

Rachel in the Tennessee River

Nathan Riley and JT digging for dinosaur bones



Bryan decided that the boys' costumes were a little dull. Oh, brother! Don't you know that Mommy has a blog???

Bryan, Graham, Nathaniel, Ben and Tyler

Whitt

Luci and Kate

Our Queen for a Day

Luci found the water! Love seeing that happy face. Later, Diane wrung lots of water out of Luci's sleeves. It was pretty funny.

When we got home, I thought I put the leftover cupcakes up high enough. I heard a crash! John went to investigate and I yelled, "Grab the camera!" Luci's only comment was, "Mmm, Good!"

I BE TWO!

Luci turned two today! We are so blessed to have her here with us. Luci is our little Light. She's just what we needed.

Here are some photos--I don't have one yet of the adorable ladybug shoes that Kathy and Greg gave her, but that one's coming soon. (Thanks, K & G, I love those shoes almost as much as Luci does!)
Nana and Papa sent some cute clothes and Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. I made the dolls 17 years ago as a fund-raiser for a mission trip I went on and Mom very generously bought them to help. Now they belong to Luci, which is such a sweet circle of events. Luci loves the dolls but the wrapping paper seems more fun right now!

This is a doll house that a friend at church has outgrown. Rachel's mom blessed Luci with it, and she loves playing with it! Luci even finagled Daddy into playing with her.

JT's gift is a cute little doggy that barks. Worth some kisses!
Sit and Spin and spin and spin. We found some tiny crocs, too. (Crocs are funny little shoes that look kind of like those clogs from Holland.)
Happy baby and happy big brother and mommy.
I love my new light from Bryan!


Here are some photos of the house. John took the kids out there today while I went to a teacher's program and the Space and Rocket Center.
Front
Back

Side

I Tuck! (I'm Stuck!)

" I Tuck!" was the cry yesterday. I took the photo and then she climbed out to see herself in the camera. (I don't think she was really stuck.)
Trying to change a monkey's diaper is always quite a trick.

Pumpkins!

A family in one of the little towns out in the country sells pumpkins every year. They've been selling them every fall for years, and their children and grandchildren now take care of business. After JT's baptism, we headed out to celebrate and get a pumpkin or three. (John went back to work.)

Luci walked up to these pumpkins and tried to pick them up. She pronounced them "Heavy." We didn't know that she knew the word! How fun to learn what she knows by surprise.
Ahh! A pumpkin just my size!!
Bryan found one that suits him. Doggone it, there is my finger again. Bryan, you do know that you are going to have to carry that upstairs to the apartment by yourself, don't you?
JT and Luci wheeling our $7 worth of pumpkins to the van.

We Have A New Little Brother!

JT was baptized this afternoon! John had the honors of baptizing him--John has had that privilege for all of his children so far. Here JT is coming up a clean, new person. Can't you feel his excitement to be in the brotherhood of believers?
JT hugging Luci--what a happy boy!

JT, we are so proud of you for making this awesome decision to put on Jesus Christ in baptism, washing your sins away in the blood of the Lamb. We are eagerly awaiting the good works you will do in your life as you labor in Christ's family.

October 15

Nana and Papa, I love my cat shirt! Thank you!

Bryan as G.I. Joe, spying on J.T.

He's wearing John's old helmet and John's new BDU shirt (battle dress uniform), which is now called ACU (army combat uniform). I think Bryan needs a CBU (camouflage brick uniform). Note the twigs stuck in the helmet cover.

Painting

We went by the house today after JT's soccer game (which he WON! he wants you to know).I took photos of most of the rooms to show you the colors. The painting is not yet done, so keep that in mind as you look through these. Also, the electricity is not hooked up yet, so some of the rooms look a little dark. They look nice and sunny to me! I am used to living in the woods, and it was always dark in the house, even on sunny days. This house is nice and bright, a happy house. We are still out in the country (actually 5 miles further out than where we were), but not in the woods. I love this house! The kitchen, as viewed from the dining room. I love the cabinets!
The master bath (John likes it when I call him "Master") and the light above the whirlpool bathtub (hooray for the fancy tub!!).
Luci in her GREEN room. If it looks too green after we've lived in it for a while, I am going to sponge paint a lighter green or white on top of it to tone it down.
The living room, and Bryan and Luci. There will eventually be a deck out back, off of that little porch you see through the French doors.

JT wanted a shot of his really cool ceiling fan.
Bryan and Luci in Bryan's room--it is the same color as JT's room.
Dining room and the light fixture. I really like this fixture, and it only looks exspensive. The ceiling is white--the yellow color is just a reflection from the walls.
The cabinets above the computer desk and the pretty light fixture that hangs there.

Cabinets and Paint!

But first, some kids!

Luci loves to run and "get momma."
JT's team at Upwards Soccer. Ethan, James, JT, Gates (the red-head in front of JT), Reese and Shaler. I am not sure who the little guy behind Shaler is. They are a bunch of nice boys who play hard and win quite a bit. Upwards sports have a Christ-centered approach. The kids memorize Scriptures and have devotionals at half time. JT is really enjoying it, at least as much as the YMCA soccer programs we've done.
Finally, the inside of the house is starting to look like something you can live in! You can see the yellow paint that is in the main areas--they've just started here. The cabinets are beautiful! I love them! JT is showing off my new pantry. Behind him is the computer area and you can see the kitchen sink/bar seating area in front. Part of the kitchen and the dining room. Yes, it is yellow.
More kitchen. Yes, it is very yellow. Looks more yellow than I remembered picking out! I hope Luci's green room is the sweet shade I picked out and not a big surprise. They haven't gotten to it yet.


The front of the house. On the right of the picture is the retaining wall and my finger. oops. Can you see JT peeking out his window? He's in the downstairs window on the right. You have to look hard.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival)

Tomorrow (Friday) begins the Mid-Autumn Festival, what we Americans usually call the Moon Festival. It is the marking of the first full moon during harvest time. Every time Luci and I see the moon, we blow kisses to it and I tell Luci that her China-momma is going to see that very same moon tonight, and perhaps catch her kisses. It is fanciful, and not really true, but I do imagine that her Chinese mother wonders just how her precious daughter is, and where she is, and is she happy? I pray, as Luci blows kisses, that her mother can somehow feel in her heart that her daughter (whom she loved enough to give her life, and to place her where she would be found quickly) is healthy and full of happiness and has everything a little girl could ever hope for.

We are going to have a special treat--a mooncake! Last Saturday, Yu told Kathy (a friend who just got her referral) and me a little about the Mid-Autumn Festival. I said something about maybe going to the Chinese market in Huntsville and getting a mooncake for Yu, and her face really lit up. So, naturally I delegated and John went to the Chinese market and found these moon cakes. Isn't this a beautiful package?! I was really astounded when John brought this home today. The box of 4 red-bean paste moon cakes (doesn't that make your mouth water?) was $12.99. The box looked more like a big book than a box of cake.

The individual cakes are in gorgeous metal boxes. I am going to have a hard time deciding which one we will keep. (I figure we will be happy sharing just one, not being big fans of red-bean paste.) I am going to get us a box of Moon Pies, too. That just seems more appropriate for our family. I'll get Yu a box of those, too, and let her come to her own conclusions.

Here is an interesting story from China Daily about Mooncakes. Thank you to the Rumor Queen for finding this, and prompting me to post about our own moon wishes. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2006-10/05/content_701794.htm

Guess What We Did on October First?

SWIM!!! It was 86* here today--plenty warm for a dip in the pool. The boys played for about 45 minutes, but Luci only lasted as long as it took to take this picture. Her comment: " 'S CODE!" (John and I were sensible and did the life guard duty from lounge chairs.)