Making the Sale

My conversation with Luci this morning.  She was so complimentary about her big brother. 

Then she got real.

Mom, Bryan would make a good daddy.

Yes, he would.

But first, he needs to go to college.  Then get a job.  Then get married because he's not living here!

.

Then I get to use his bedroom for my Barbie doll collection.

Time in an Ice Cream Bucket

Hmm, that does not have the same ring as Jim Croce's Time in a Bottle.

As soon as breakfast was over this morning, Luci dragged John outside to go on a treasure hunt.  They followed JT's map (you know, 40 paces this way and 67 paces that way) until they got close.  Then Luci said, "No, Daddy!  Dig here!"

So they did.  John was mystified by the treasures inside, until I reminded him that a six year old chose the treasure.

Reading the map.  John discovers that JT needs a new handwriting teacher.  Or, maybe JT should become a doctor, the handwriting is that bad.

 Following the directions...

 Aha!  There is something down there!

 Luci reads the love note to Daddy.  She has her own spellings, so deciphering it for him is a must.

 Someone's got to fill this hole in!  John chose Luci for the task.  That's Luci's pumpkin plant right next to the hole.

 Luci's first Redish.

Betcha she won't eat any redishes tonight.  Any takers?

Time Capsule

Luci wanted to bury a time capsule...to be unearthed at the late, late date of...
 .
(are you ready for this?)....
 .
(drum roll, please!)...
 .
Tuesday!

So, she and JT put some things in an ice cream bucket and dug up a corner of our vegetable garden.  Our ground here is as hard as concrete.  The garden has been tilled, and this corner next to Luci's pumpkin plant is not in use.

What does a six-year-old put in a time capsule?
.
A Love Letter to Daddy.


A Calculator.


A Fanger-Mayer Glass.
.
.
What?  You don't know what a fanger-mayer glass is?  That's Luci-speak for  Magnifying Glass.

Harder than It Looks

I don't know how my mother did it.  She made the most gorgeous dresses for my Barbie (and for my sister's Barbie, too--can't forget Janet!).  I remember one that was golden and had an overlay of something gauzy that was just incredible.  At the waist, there was a little rosette made from shiny golden rickrack.  Amazing.

So, that was the standard I had in my mind when Luci begged pleaded sweetly asked me to make Barbie dresses for her Barbie. 

Today we went shopping, found a pattern with six different Barbie-type outfits in it, and found "the perfect pink fabric, mama!"  I was thrilled that Luci could see a red dress on the pattern envelope and decide it would be even better as pink.  Not that I'm so in love with pink (it is a fine color, don't get me wrong) but happy that she could imagine it different, and better in her eyes.  It is a true blessing to be able to see "what can be" instead of only "what's there."

Here Luci is pinning the pattern piece for the bodice to the fabric.  With seventeen pins.  SEVENTEEN, y'all!  And every single one of those pins (did I mention there were 17 of them?) were pinned through the material and directly to the tablecloth below.  Which is exactly why we have a cheap plastic tablecloth.  Because we have kids.

Don't you think Luci looks like a real fashion designer, with her side-pony tail and flower in her hair?  She thinks she looks the part!

It got pretty exciting at one point.  I was pleased with myself being all calm and everything, letting Luci "help" me pin the seams, tie the bow, stuff like that.  Until.  Until I noticed Luci crawling under the table, near the sewing machine's foot pedal.  It took me a few seconds to realize that she was getting awfully close to the foot pedal and then ZOOM!  The machine sewed the most delicate seam on the dress like a bunny rabbit!  No more calm mom.  When I got done yelling, I hugged Luci and told her she could help me, but NEVER touch the foot pedal again.  She walked away muttering something about a "psycho mom." 

The finished product.  I am so happy that Luci's happy, and that you cannot see the flubs in this photograph.  And that she chose the simplest dress from the six in the envelope for me to make.

Yes, that's the ironing board blocking the front door, and a water gun on the dining room table.  Not a big house.  And filled with KIDS.

This week

 Luci helped me with the crossword puzzle today:

Yesterday, Luci found her doll cake pan.  I bought it for last year's cake (it was going to be a princess cake) but she decided on a wedding cake instead.  All day yesterday she pestered me.  I think she's more stubborn than I am (and that's saying a LOT).  I caved.  Here is the mermaid cake we came up with last night.  I did not have the correct tips for sea shells or the fishy scales that mermaids have, so here is my best shot.  I also made her more modest than the cake decorations asked for.  I used India Tree natural food coloring, and could not match the colors in the Wilton directions.  Luci was happy with our results, so that's all that matters.  She had fun helping me ice the cake.

At one point last night, I heard Luci tell her daddy, "I have mommy wrapped around my little finger!"

Yup.

Luci-isms

Mommy, I have this crunchy part here on my arm.  Luci, it's a scab.

Hamsterdam--the capital of the Netherlands.

Hamster-- what Luci talked Mommy into getting.  Not to be confused with Hamsterdam, or the Hamster Dance.


Hambony--the machine that cleans the ice at the skating rink,

Mommy, I'm singled. You are married.

Suspenders--being in suspense. Mommy, I'm in suspenders!!

Luci had a doctor's appointment a month or so ago. Everyone (and I mean everyone--from the receptionist, to every nurse, to the doctor and learning specialist) we saw told me that Luci is so verbal. Of course. And I'm paying through the nose for this diagnosis? That she's verbal? On the way home, I told Luci that everyone said she was verbal. Luci got very upset, and told me in no uncertain terms, "I am not a fur-ball!" I guess this is not the time to mention that they also said she had a great vocabulary.

I Won't Let Go

This is a wonderful montage with a song by Rascal Flatts. Get a hanky.

Please don't forget the tremendous losses here in our state and the work still to be done.

I Love My Children

This week, they have all done us proud.  They all worked for the tornado victims in some fashion.  Bryan and JT went out into locations that were hard-hit.  

I've already told you some of what they've done.  Here's a post about Bryan, and the work all of us did in our church's Friendship Center.

JT went to Hatton today--it is only thirty minutes from here.  30 minutes!  So close.  We all keep thinking, "It could have been us."  I think that thought is what is spurring us all on to do what we can.

Here are some photos from JT's day, all taken with his cell phone.

He texted me once he got out to Hatton:  "This place is messed up."  Understatement of the year.

 This photo is right-side-up.  It was taken of a mobile home that flipped multiple times.

 JT's comment with this photo:  "This used to be a house."  Burning what's left to reduce the amount that will need to be removed.

 Luci worked today on a shoebox to send to Kids 4 Alabama.  Please check this group out, and if you can, send a box, too.  You've seen Tuscaloosa on the news, but many more people were affected than just that one city.  Some whole little towns were literally wiped off the Earth last Wednesday.  The children there could use something to hold on to.  The deadline to get something in the mail is May 16.  Luci picked out some necessary items (toothbrush and lipgloss!), and some fun things (lollipops and paint and several other things). 

 After writing a note and drawing a picture, the box is complete.

If you participate in the Kids 4 Alabama box program, please let me know.  It really warms my heart to see something like this get started for our littlest ones!

For Nana

Mom, Luci now takes better care of her dolls, so I let her have the American Girl Ivy  doll that you gave her.  Our homeschool group is going to start up an American Girl club next fall.  I think Luci will love it.

A few weeks ago I ordered "Dollie and Me" dresses--they arrived today.  So cute!

How we are helping...

You can help, too!  Check out this site from our church:

Turning Point Ministry

Check out these sites, too:

Samaritan's Purse

Josh Willingham Foundation

Red Cross

Here is what we've been busy with this week.

First, we took items to our church--that was Thursday, immediately after the tornadoes. Here is Luci with Rhett (Josh and Ginger Willingham's oldest--no relation to us, but we'd be happy to claim them).

Bryan went to Tuscaloosa with a group from our church.  This was yesterday, Monday.  Here are some shots he took with his cell phone.   Here is some furniture the guys brought down.

 Do you remember seeing the Tide--Loads of Hope commercials about Hurricane Katrina?  Bryan was happy to see Tide set up here, too.

Getting items ready for give-away.

Bryan's group had to come home the "long way."  Normally it is a two-and-a-half hour trip down to Tuscaloosa from our town.  Straight down, through some of the worst-hit areas.  Since there is a curfew on many of the roads between here and Tuscaloosa, they had to come home the "long way"--it took an extra hour.  Bryan got home after 9 pm.  Thank you, Randall, for dropping Bryan off on your way home instead of taking him all the way into town to church.  That saved us a 50-minute round trip to town to pick him up.

~~~~~~~~~~

Today we went to the Friendship Center at our church to help sort and put away things.  Lots of things that people are donating are just useless to folks out in the field--come on, people, why on earth are you bringing WINTER clothing?  Summer is almost here, and this is HOT and HUMID Alabama.  THINK, People!  Also, don't bring worn-out things, or dirty items!  Please THINK.

So, we put away winter clothing and hung up other items.  Luci worked harder than she ever has, and did a very good job. JT helped her some, when she would let him (where does she get this stubborn streak?).  (these were taken with my cell phone)

 Mrs. Diane (in the background) got the men to build some hanging racks to fit in this new trailer (bought by these men!  WOW) and Mrs. Diane set up a "store."  Tomorrow morning, she and several others are heading out to Hatton Community to give out children's clothing.  Later they will go back with clothing for adults. 

 Some of the men who worked on the shelves.  They are taking it easy now, but they really worked hard, and did a fantastic job.  John (on the right) supervised--he is having surgery on his shoulder tomorrow and can't do much right now.

 Of course, Sonny had to get silly.  Here he is right before he sneaked up on the others. 

Today has been hard on Luci.  It has been raining all morning.  Pouring at times--we got over an inch of rain today (totaling more than 8.40 inches since last Monday!).  Today John was going to meet us at the church building and take Luci with him to go shopping (Mother's Day is coming!).  Luci would not leave my side.  She cried, and cried, and cried.  She was worried that something bad would happen to me, or to her, while we were apart.  The weather was scary to her.  We reassured her that it was only rain, that the weathermen (all of them!) said NO TORNADOES today.  Prayed with her.  Nothing helped.   So she stayed with me and worked with me while John had to wait until I was done--he waited over two hours as I hung up clothes.  (I think he enjoyed the male companionship in the other part of the Center, though.)  By the time we left the Center, it was just sprinkling hard and she willingly got into John's truck.  I got to go home by myself.

So much going on.

My thoughts are all over the place. 

Certainly with the survivors all over the South.  We've donated to our church's relief efforts, and will continue to do what we can.

Trying to not dwell on the bad stuff too much, for fear of Luci's over-analyzing things to death, and for keeping me out of a depressive state.

So, when Luci is around, we have watched some of THE wedding videos, kept the TV off of the news as much as possible, and generally tried to lighten the mood around here. 

Not to the point of hilarity, that just seems wrong.  But lightening it, certainly.

As evidence of my mixed up thoughts: At this moment I have open in my tabs here on the computer a story about the Royals:  What did the lip-readers pick up on the conversations during the big day?, and a video of Hackleburg, one of the hardest hit areas in Alabama.  The town was closed off, even to help, until late yesterday.

THE Wedding

Luci and I did not get up early today to watch THE wedding of William and Kate.  But...we have seen videos on the internet already, and looked at many photos of the happy couple.  This is one of our favorite compilations of photographs.

The big question from Luci: Will my big teeth come in before I get married? I do not want to get married with these holes in my smile!

Luci thinks this is the blooper reel from this morning:

Biblical Proportions

Yesterday, April 27, 2011, will go down in the history books as the worst tornado outbreak in forty years.

At one point, I was close to tears as we hid in our basement safe room.  John thought I was fine; I told him I was just acting fine for Luci's sake.  It was terrifying, knowing what had already hit elsewhere and then was heading our way.  

It is just devastating, seeing the news.  Overwhelming.

I don't know why our county was spared, but I am thankful.

We are helping as we can, giving supplies that those in the communities hit hardest are asking for.  Today Luci, JT and I got some things and delivered them to our church...as part of the outreach ministries.  It was wonderful to see so many people bringing things.  As we pulled in, we saw many cars also pulling into the church's parking lot.   They planned to take a big van and a delivery truck; both were filled when we got there and there was much still to load.


Please pray for the survivors.

Today

Jeremiah 10:12-13 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ¹² But God made the earth by his power;
   he founded the world by his wisdom
   and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
¹³ When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;
   he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning with the rain
   and brings out the wind from his storehouses.


Isn't that a cool Bible passage?

Today at 10 a.m. the sky was so dark that our security light turned on:

Seen this afternoon:

the remains of Luci's chocolate Easter squirrel  beaver  bunny.  We're not entirely sure what it was when it started out on Sunday morning.

We have about 4 more hours of stormy weather to go through.  Thankful, thankful for the electricity!

Where were you...

at 4:05 a.m. this morning?

We were in our tornado shelter, our safe room in the basement.

Today we have a big system moving through, and I am scared stiff.  Trying to hide the nervousness from Luci, who has recently been diagnosed as "O.C.D., hyper-vigilant, and high-anxiety."  Like i need her to be more nervous than she already is!  She's like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers on normal days.  Add tornadic weather, and, well, it's not fun around here.

Except for right now--JT is keeping Luci calm by wrassling with her in the master bedroom (I was going to say, "on my bed," but since I still sleep with Luci in the living room....).  They are watching the Disney channel's Junior programming...how calm is that? 

Very early this morning, as I woke from the NOAA weather radio siren, I noticed something.  I am the only person in our house who can hear the blasted thing!  It is loud, and annoying, and my mommy-brain can not block that out.  Maybe because it sounds a lot like children whining about their siblings.  "M-o-o-o-o-o-o-m!  Come NOW!" 

So I herded the family to our safe room, and watched Luci entertain us for the duration of the warning (45 minutes worth).  One child, who shall remain nameless but has red hair and the initials J.T., was such a grumpy-Gus (no offense intended to any of you named "Gus.").   Bryan told him, "You are the last person on Earth I'd want to share an apocalyptic event with!"

Keep us and all of us in the South in your prayers today.  It looks like it could be a very bad day.

I did it!

Successfully made my first meringue on top of a Key Lime Pie.

Right about now, my Dad is calling it "Cow Slobber."

Ready for the Beach!

I found Luci wandering around the house this morning, wearing this ensemble.

I am so excited!

This might not mean much to you, but it was an exciting discovery for me. Many people who adopt from China get to see the "finding place" of their child, and some get to meet the foster parents, if the child was in foster care.

Luci was not in foster care, so we didn't get to meet those who took care of her.  Ayis ("aunties," the orphanage workers), did not come with her to our meeting, either.  As far as we can understand from watching the video of that day, the orphanage directors were there.  (Lest you think I am a total fool for not knowing exactly, that was a hugely emotional day and details sometimes get lost on days like that.  Even on video.)

Well, on Luci's paperwork, it is translated as saying, "Saji Town" as the town where she was found.  The orphanage director said that it was too far from the orphanage to go to (about 3 hours further), so he could take the other two families to their spots, but not ours.  He also insisted that Luci is from the Bouyei minority.  I have always thought Luci is from the Miao Minority--she looks so Miao that others have commented on that, too.

Tonight I was just clicking on different links I had in my favorites list and this popped up:

I had never seen that listing before, with the Minorities listed on the map.  Zip, Pop, Pow! I was wide awake after seeing this! The place in the near middle of the photos is called, "Luzhi Tequ," which is the area of Liuzhi, the town where Luci's orphanage is.

Down near the bottom-middle of the photo is "Sazhi Yizu Bouyei Ethnic Minority."  I think that is Saji Town!  The differences in spelling?  Why, you try translating Chinese characters into English.  Since we have never known where, this is a very big find. 

I can't wait to show Luci tomorrow.

Apologies for the poor photograph.  I cannot figure out how to capture the screen and then open the Paint program to paste it and save it.  My computer-whiz is in the basement, busy in the Man Cave.  So you have a photograph.  :)  I wanted to document it because next time I click on the link, it is sure to be something else that pops up.

Terrain (double click to see the image bigger):

Fishing!

Luci has begged and begged to go fishing.  So this morning, after I got back from our Fun-Razor, John headed out with all three children to a friend's pond.

I figure Luci will love it until

1. she has to go potty; or
2. she sees a real fish on the line.

Then I'll get a phone call to come pick her up.

JT wanted to know, "How long is this going to last?"  because JT and Bryan do not think fishing is fun anymore.    I told him, "Until you boys get along."

I figure they will be home sometime late.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, about that Fun-Razor.  

Since I was not able to sell the 5 tickets Luci brought home, I own five discounts.  So, I made five purchases and got some polo shirts for the boys for only $5.85 each after the sale and discount was taken into account, and two cute little dresses for Luci.  (One was only $2.83! Can't beat that with a stick.)

Classic Luci-ism

Our church is having a big mission trip this summer.  One of the fund-raisers is with the Charity Sale at Belk's Department Store.  They sent the kids home from Sunday school with several tickets to sell.

Luci kept asking, "Why do I need a Fun Razor?"

"I already have one!"

Then, before worship started, a video of the church folks in Antigua (where the mission trip will be) was shown.


Luci's next question (you know it already, don't you?):  "Are we sending them razors?  Why?  They don't have hair on their faces!"

Demonstrating proper use of a Fun Razor: