Home 5 Weeks

We have been home 5 weeks today!  In some ways it seems much longer than that, since we've done so many things and Caylie has come such a long way in her adjustment to her new life.  Things have really gone much, much better than we imagined.  Not that everything is perfect, but it is good.  

Caylie is happy most of the time.  Of course there are times that she must be told "no" about something, and that will set off a bad mood, or if she falls asleep in the car and wakes up cranky.  Then the bad mood can go and on!  But mostly she is happy.  Loves her brothers and her big sister. She is comfortable wherever we go.  She is shy with people when she first meets them, but will make friends if they persist in playing with her.  She is good about putting away her toys and following most directions.  She goes to bed without a fuss, which was one of the things I worried most about.  We just wish she would sleep past 5:30am!  

She is learning more English words all the time, although she understands way more than what she speaks.  She will still regale us with long speeches in Chinese, though, and it makes me sad that we not only don't know what she is saying, but that she will not retain her native language once she is fluent in English.  Ha . . . her newest word comes from watching Toy Story several times.  She always asks for "Buh-mm-woo-ee."  (Buzz and Woody!)  It is cute.

She LOVES to sing and dance!  Oh my goodness . . . if one of the kids gets out a dance game for the Play Station, she is SO excited!  And sometimes she will just make up her own moves if  she hears a song that she likes.  She sometimes sings little songs in Chinese, but is always trying to sing along to the songs on KLOVE.  Her favorite is Matt Redman's "10,000 Reasons".  We sing that at church too, and Jim said that yesterday when we started that song, she cheered loudly!  Haha.  :)

Here are a few photos from the last week or so.

Hanging out with big sister Brittany.  *edit: She just looked at this photo of herself and said, "Pretty girl!"  

Playing cars with Justin.  I should have gotten a photo of what's behind them . . . Keelan's keyboard.  She loves to turn that on and "play"!

We went out to the driving range on the 4th of July to hit a few balls.  

And later that night we went to watch the fireworks.  She had a great time!

 Popsicles are yummy!  (And messy!)

 She likes to take the plastic cups and plates from the lower hutch cabinet.  One day she was out in the kitchen longer than usual, and I came in to see that she'd set the table!  (Although I think she was expecting company!)

Dinger hat!  And more yummy ice cream at Brittany's Dairy Queen!

Keelan needed a haircut, so I decided it was a good day to try for a bang trim.  Of course she did GREAT!

The finished products!

Yesterday we went to Famous Dave's BBQ for my birthday.  Had to get a shot of Caylie with the welcome bear.

Cookies are always better when there are TWO!

Taking pictures on Mama's phone.

We like to be silly!

All of my children!

Taylor - 20, Brittany - 24, Justin - 10 1/2, Caylie - 4, Keelan - 14

Fun with Friends!

Since Caylie's been home - 4 weeks yesterday - she hasn't really played with any other kids.  Usually she just watches.  But yesterday we had our church picnic and suddenly she was off!  I turned around and she was having a grand time, without her parents or brothers even watching!  So proud of her and so happy that she's getting comfortable in her new surroundings.  :)

See, Caylie . . . you throw the bean bag into this little hole.

These bean bags here, see?  Yep, toss them right into that hole!

There you go!  You can do it!

Look at me!  I'm playin' corn hole with my friends!

Time for a tickle break!

OK, back to the game.  Now where's that bean bag?? 

Yep, I am just havin' so much fun with my new friends!!

Aww, Graham, you are so silly.  And why do you have to move away just when I got here??  :(

Home for a snack, but too tuckered out to eat it.  

Rockies Faith Day

On Saturday Caylie went to her second Rockies game!  This one happened to also be the first Faith Day of the season (they usually do one, but are doing two this year), was also Jim's company game (for which there is also a lunch beforehand), and Grandma and Grandpa were here, as well!

We started out at the Wynkoop Brewery, where Jim's company, ADA-ES had a buffet lunch for all the families.  

Caylie with Grandma and Grandpa.

Blurry Brittany, Brad, and goofy Keelan.

Jim and me.

When we got over to Coors Field, Caylie saw this cute monkey at the KLOVE booth.  I say it's Curious George.  Jim says it isn't.  Either way, he was cute and Caylie liked him.  :)

Grandpa and Grandma's first Rockies game!  And it looks like my head is smashed, or something.  Weird.

The crew - minus the photographer.

The Rox won their game against the Stinky Giants with a walk-off in the 9th!  It was lots of fun.

After the game there was an interview/testimony with Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler, and a concert and time of worship with MercyMe.  

Jesus is teaching my daughter to worship Him.  If the rocks and trees can know their Creator enough to cry out in worship, then so can my daughter be nudged by His Spirit to do the same.

Please continue to pray with us . . . while she has come from a place of darkness and little hope to a place where she will hear the Gospel, the battle is not yet won.  We feel a very real spiritual battle for her soul.  We pray that her heart will remain tender toward her Creator until she is able to make a decision to follow Him.

Looking out at sunny Coors Field during a time of worshiping our Lord Jesus.  So, so awesome.  I look forward to this day every year.  

Pikes Peak

While my parents were here we made a trip down to Colorado Springs and took the cog rail train to the top of Pikes Peak!  Some pics from our day:

Jim, Caylie and Keelan on the train on the way to the top!

As we got further up, we had to put jackets on!  It was sunny and in the 90s in Colorado Springs at about 6000 feet, but that was about to change . . .

Grandma and Grandpa

Taylor and Jim

When we got nearer to the top, it got cloudier.  Then rainy.  Then when we got out of the train, it was snowing!  They wouldn't let us go out and take a lot of pictures in the 40 minutes we were up there, as there was too much lightning in the area!  Such a bummer, after going all the way up!  Here are a few shots I got just going from building to train.  Fortunately it had stopped snowing at that point.

Keelan and Caylie at the summit.

Heading back down.  Isn't Keelan cute in his Pleasant Goat sunglasses?


Justin, Taylor and me.  Poor Justin had a hard time.  He was very light-headed at the summit, and actually passed out momentarily.  Then he was sick for the next couple of days.  Poor baby boy . . .

Aside from poor Justin's problems, it was a fun day!

Grandma and Grandpa Come to Visit!

My parents came from Indiana to meet Caylie last Tuesday and stayed through Saturday.  Here are a few pictures from their visit.

She was a bit shy with them at first, so we got out the coloring book.  That's the first thing she did with us in the hotel room, as well.

Caylie and Grandpa.

Grandma brought Caylie a little Chinese wa wa (dolly.)  I think she likes it a little bit.  At least she didn't throw it, haha.  I don't think she'd ever seen a dolly with a real-looking face before she was home.

And Aunt Sharon sent her this cute froggie towel.

Playing at the park.  

She's not real thrilled about swinging by herself.  Doesn't seem like she'd ever done it before.

Justin and Grandpa.

Playing on the PlayStation.

Girlfriend LOVES to dance!

And a few more shots, just for fun!

Don't worry, Aunt Tina.  Grandma and Grandpa will show up in the next few posts, as well.  :)