Rockin the red carpet

My kiddos walked the red carpet at the Luke 14 Banquet on Thursday night. They were amazed by all the sweet attention lavished on them. It's an event at our church for families with special needs and it was by far the best night I've had. It was a blast. My kiddos danced till the very last song. Such a holy experience. Seeing the church serve these amazing people. That IS the church! That IS the love of Jesus! Such a beautiful sight.

Xin Nian Kuai Le

Well for the first time ever I cooked for Chinese New Year. No restaurant...I understand why we normally go to a restaurant because cooking it was not easy! but worth it. If I'm ever going to teach my girls how to cook Chinese food I have to be able to do it myself.  I bought a wok recently and I've found some recipes that I love and I'm just trying. I'm two months into this and well some things haven't been so good and some things have been really good. At this point I have Egg Drop Soup and Chicken Lo Mein down pat. Everything else is still experimental. This genre of food is so different for me. There are so many staples that I didn't have and some of these meals you almost need to have three hands to do them well. It's a lot more than I thought it would be, but I'm not giving up. I just cannot let my Chinese daughters go into this world one day and not at least know how to cook their favorite Chinese dishes. So, I cooked "most" of Chinese New Year with a little help from Trader Joe's on the Edamame Rangoons and Egg rolls : ) and I have to say it was delicious! And to celebrate it with our family was perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a great new year.....

FAMILY

There really is nothing like it. I knew this already. It's not that I didn't know how blessed I am to have a family. I knew that for sure. My family means so much to me. What I didn't know is that I would miss them so stinkin much. I guess because I've never lived away it just didn't cross my mind that I would miss them to the point my heart ached to see them :(

So what a joy it was to have them here....a few of them. You can't have all of them at the same time : ( but at least I got my mom, Jeanie and Noah  and they came for the whole week! It was good....so good to see them. I think I can make it through till summer now. Even with a couple of days being rained in it was such a great visit. Only to your family is it fun to be couped up in a house with three kiddos for two days : ) All the help with the kiddos...I will miss that too. And the kids...oh my goodness they had such a great time. How they have missed their family. Can't tell you how important family is to them....and they got a new trampoline from Maw Maw and Nini to boot ! Yay!

So good to have them here....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ahhh....sweet memories made this week.

relaxin....on the farm

There is something about this place. Something that makes you breath deeply and exhale. You just can't help it. Whatever is on your mind drifts away. You drink in the Lord's creation and just relax.  Bedaw Farm is where we go on Saturdays for Mei Mei to ride at Rein and Shine. We had a hunch this would be an amazing place for her, but we had no idea it would be such a blessing to all of us. A little place of refuge that God has given us...so blessed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daddy Daughter Dance 2013

Getting dolled up for Daddy....

 

 

Love these beautiful girls...

 

My Marianna for the first time ever danced with the other girls. When she left home she told me she was anxious about the dancing part. Well...another fear conquered..that's my girl!

 

Sweet time with Daddy