Not Yet

Somebody just wasn't ready to go home yet -- granddaughter, Reagan.

What We Are Reading

I haven't done a post on the books we are reading in quite awhile. I'm going to leave out all of the books we read at Christmas and just go on from there. I feel like we haven't been able to read as much since Piper and Tess arrived, but we are kind of getting back to reading most days. I don't like to miss many days as it is the one thing I always do with the kids. But, it has been kind of hectic here since we got back from China -- especially since we were sick so much.

We read Betsy-Tacy and Betsy-Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace -- which we had already read before, but we do that quite a lot it seems. Bethany and I both will enjoy the same book many times and everyone else seems ok with it, too. We then read Snowbound With Betsy and Deborah's White Winter by Eleanor Frances Lattimore. Both of those were nice winter books to read. Then we read The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson and most of the kids liked this book. I didn't love it, but it was ok. Then we read Fair Bay by Eleanor Frances Lattimore -- another re-read. Bethany and Andrew really like this book and one of my older daughters just told me the other day that it is one of her favorites. 

We then read Miss Hickory by Carolyn Bailey. Most of the kids liked this book. It was kind interesting, but not one of my favorites. Then we re-read Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards and all the kids just love this book. I think it is the little cottage and garden and the fact that Mandy has a secret place that makes everyone love it so much. We read this book almost every single spring. I have been doing this for so many years I can't remember how long. Many of my adult children loved this book. 

We are now about half way through Taffy and Melissa Molasses by Carolyn Haywood. We have also read this book before. Actually, it seems like many of the books we have read lately are re-reads. I'm not sure why the kids are wanting to read the same books again, but it is fine with me. I think I will make sure we choose a book we have never read for our next book. Well, a book I haven't read with the kids that are still home.

The kids had a lot of fun flying the kite but had a little trouble getting it up and keeping it up as there really wasn't much wind.

Tess just loves the sandbox. She runs to it the minute she gets outside. Piper gets bored in it very quickly - not Tess.

And while the kids flew the kite and played, Zola played the harp for us on the front porch - beautiful music.

Just Pictures

Thought I would just post a few pictures from the past couple of days. The girls are doing very well and seem to be adjusting to everything new. They still spend most of their time together, but now I notice that occasionally they will play with someone else. That is nice to see. They love being outside so we try to get out if it is warm.

Sophia likes to sit on the porch and watch everything. She hates the grass, but likes it when Bethany or someone stops to play with her for a few minutes.

My granddaughter, Reagan, having some ice cream. She had to have a change of clothes when she was finished.

 We found out that Tess can jump rope -- and she is good at it, too.

Reagan and Bella -- they are almost the exact same size and are good friends. 

Piper and Tess found Bethany's old dollhouse that she has used as one of her fairy houses for the past several years. They loved it! Tess especially seemed to enjoy it and she played and played.

For some reason, Tess seems to have taken to Bella. I notice her playing with and talking to Bella frequently. It is rather cute. I was watching them play with the dollhouse this afternoon and saw Tess put her arm around Bella and hold her as they played. It was so sweet. 

Finally Well -- Hopefully

For the past several weeks we have had so many sick kids I could hardly get everything done. I would start out with one sick child and then within a few days I would have four or five or even six sick children. I have no idea why they just kept getting sick again and again. This has been the worst winter I can remember in a long time. 

The bad thing was that I had so many plans for Piper and Tess. I had read all the books and watched the videos on attaching when adopting from hard places. I wanted to make sure I did this right as I already have experienced RAD. But, one sick child after another kept me from spending all the time I wanted to with Piper and Tess. I was so tired that so many of my good intentions just never happened. I felt bad that things were working out as they did, but I couldn't do much about it.

Well, yesterday everybody was well and it was a beautiful day and we all went outside to just relax and take a break. It was so nice to just sit and watch the kids and enjoy the weather. I think it got up to about 78 degrees. Piper and Tess were thrilled to be out as I am sure they were getting very bored watching me take care of sick kids -- they were barely sick. Tess tested positive for strep (for the second time) but acted like she was totally fine and never even slowed down a little. 

So, I sat and enjoyed the beautiful afternoon and took a few pictures of the kids as they played. I am so thankful that all the kids are well and hopefully will stay that way for awhile. I finally had the time to just sit and realize that Piper and Tess are actually here running around in the yard just as I imagined for so many months. They seem no worse for all the sickness here. 

I sat outside until it was dark -- so thankful that everyone finally seemed to feel good again. Piper and Tess love to be outside and played and played until I had to make them go inside to eat. I am hoping that I will now have more time to spend with them and maybe some of my good intentions will actually happen.