Happy Birthday Lexi!

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY LEXI!!!

Lexi turned 3 today!!! We had family over, she had a lot of fun and so did the other kids.

She was much more interested in her presents this year and really knew what to do with them. Marc and Max seemed to take quite an interest in what was going on. Before everyone got there we fed the kids a lite lunch and then had Charlotte, our exchange student, explain to the boys that we would be eating again pretty soon for Lexi's Birthday Party! Max got very upset and told Charlotte he did not want a party because after the party we would send him away! My heart just aches for Max when I see how afraid he still is that we will send him away. We reasurred him that we love him and we are his Mama and Baba forever!

Charlotte was really surprised by all the food. She told us her parents have never bought her presents, that for your birthday they just take her out to dinner and have friends along but no gift exchange.

Charlotte is kinking the hose so that when the kids get close to the water she lets it go and it really sprays them. The little kids just loved it!

After the presents and the food we let the kids run in the sprinkler.
Logan really enjoyed himself but I really needed a video to capture all the squeals of delight!

The four little ones did some swinging after everyone left.
This is their favorite way to swing.
We only have two swings so they share and all of them can swing at once.

One of the gifts Lexi got was play dough with cutters and the works.
The kids had a lot of fun making all kinds of things.

We got this picture of Marc at the end of the day!
I think we wore him out!

Lexi Celebrated at Sabbath School!

Happy Birthday Lexi!


Lexi and another little girl at Sabbath School had their third birthday's.
The teacher gave them both gifts and balloons and we brought miniature cupcakes!

They have an artificial cake with candles and you put a penny in for every year!
I think they should change that to one dollar for every year!

The kids enjoying Sabbath School.

Lexi eating her cupcake, she was very intent on it,
unlike the boys who shoved it in their mouth so they could run off and play.

Our Exchange Student Arrived Today.

Charlotte, our exchange student from Shanghai, China arrived today.
The kids like her, I am sure she will have her fill of them pretty soon.
I made the mistake of painting her room pink and she hates pink so we are going to let her pick out some bedding and repaint to a color she likes.

Lexi's 1 Year Forever Family Day!!!

One year ago today this amazing little girl was placed in my arms! She was screaming and shaking in terror! The Ayi said she is afraid of strangers! She was not just afraid of strangers but she was afraid of everyone!!! She did not want Daddy or Katy in the room she only wanted Mama and would bury her head and did not want anyone to look at her, she would not make eye contact with anyone.

I was terrified thinking what have I done to my family! We had one beautiful, brilliant, loving amazing daughter from China that fit in our family wonderfully and now I had to ruin it by adding another child that had major issues?

Lexi had very autistic behaviors. She would not make eye contact, did not want any toys or people to play with, would not eat, her activity was what we called "spit art", she would spit on her finger and trace outlines, over and over again! Or she would play with her own fingers right in front of her face! She had boils all around her head and her hair was worn off from rocking her head back and forth. Then to add to that she cried all the time. Developmentally she was about 6-9 months and she was turning 2 in two weeks!

Well we have gone from that to an amazing little girl that will be three in two weeks and she is on target in every area except speech, in which she is making great strides!!! God has blessed us with a loving, affectionate and very smart little girl.
She has really blossomed in 1 year, touching many lives and showing them what love and God can accomplish!

I praise God daily that I had the courage to say "Thank you God for giving me your child to love and nurture" and then trusting Him to know what He is doing! I would have lost out on so many blessings had I given in to my original fears!




Forever Family Day Celebration!







Settling down for nighttime!





Having a tickling party!


This was in the morning after I got home from working all night.
Everyone thought they should go to bed with mom! I was the only one trying to sleep!

The kids have been getting along quite well! They love playing in the back yard and they are quite inventive.

Katy came and told me "Mommy, I love my Marc and Max!"

This is our grandson swinging!

Our son Jonathan teaching Max how to push the other kids on the swing.

We only have two swings so the kids decided to double up, I thought it was pretty cute!

Eating alomond butter and honey sandwiches and grapes! Yum!

It has been quite warm in Seattle and the kids have enjoyed the back yard and the water! Katy is our little daredevil. She was trying to show the boys how to run and slide on the slip and slide. Marc would never do it but liked to watch but Max was all game to try!

They really enjoy the water!