My Children

This morining I am feeling very thankful for my children. Since they have the day off from school, I figured I better write this now, before the fighting begins and I wonder who these children are.


Introducing Molly, our baby girl waiting for us to bring her home from China. Molly is now 1 year old (as of March 3) and a very tiny girl. It was determined that she was a premie, although how premie, we have no idea. At 11 months old, she was 11 pounds and 24 inches. By checking size charts, that puts her into 3-6 month size clothes, and only for her length. Molly's had a rough road so far. She has bladder exstrophy like Zach and Steven. Funny for such a rare birth defect, now half of our family has it, and 3/4 of our children. She was hospitalized at about 1 month old with pnemonia, and problems with blood sugars and electolites as complications from the pnemonia. Then, while she was in there, she also developed a blood infection and could have died. She was in the hospital almost 3 months because of all that. She's definately a fighter. Her Chinese name means strength and vitality, and is a boys name because the nannies at the orphanage thought she needed the extra protection this name would give her to fight her health challenges. It must be working. We can't wait to bring her home. Her province -Henan- is by Bejing. When we do go to China, we will go pick her up first and then down by the Vietnam border to Zach's province, then over to the American Embasy to finalize both adoptions.

Notice Zach and Steven holding hands! They are so cute!! Zach, my little love bug is such a joy. He has been blossoming since he has lived with us. His teacher tells me it's a good sign that he sometimes gets in trouble at school (????) because it means he's comfortable in the class and with his life with us. He's a little helper and his favorite job is to run the vaccuum.

Peter is growing up so fast. He will be 13 in May, and wants to be grown up, although he can act like a little boy so often. This transition age is so full of inconsistancy. Like watching little kid cartoons with Zach, but wanting to act like they are beneath him - his not being able to resist watching gives him away though. He is learning to cook simple meals, although he loses intrest fast. He's too smart for his own good and gets lazy in his school work. He's the one most like me, in looks and temperment.

Steven is such a grown up already, but you all already know that. At 14 he is too cool to play with Pete, but likes to do things with Zach like read to him. He's still my people pleaser, although every once in a while we have to knock him down a peg or two. He's quirky, and introspective. A self described band geek, who right now wants to be an English Professor at a college someday. He's very sensitive, both in his own life and the way he empathizes with other's problems. His biggest goal right now? To be a mentor to both Zach and Molly.

I love them all - but don't ask me at the end of the 3 day weekend if I still do......