Another weekend, another parade

This weekend was the Heritage Day Festival. It started on Thursday night with a preview night of the carnival rides and the Junior Miss/Mr pagent. Then Friday night was carnival rides and a band. Today was the parade, then rides and games and craft and food vendors and all sorts of things. I dropped Kole and Kali off around 9 am for the parade. Kali was in the marching band and Kole was riding a on trailer with the football team. Kaci, Max, Reiko, Sweetpea and I then attended the parade at 10 while Boyd was doing his thing.
After the parade and the raising of the flag, we headed home for lunch. Then off to Springfield for Max to practice with a quartet. Kaci and I went and did the shopping, then back to get Max. After dinner, Boyd took Max and dropped him off at a party while I took Kali, Kaci, and Kole to ride the carnival rides. Then back here to relax. Ha! Not hardly. I still need to start the laundry!

Tomorrow Kole has a football game at noon. I am working the gate at 12:15. Boyd will be taking Max to the quartet and I will pick him up after. Unless Boyd stays in town for 3 hours. ha!

This has been a very busy Saturday and looks to be a very busy Sunday also! I haven't downloaded any pictures yet. Sorry!

Happy Gotcha Day Kali!

Today is 11 years since we met Kali the first time in the Golden Anhui Hotel in Hefei. We have heard the hotel is gone, but not out memories of walking her up and down the hallways. The tears of joy and fear and most of all, the heart shattering love we have for our first child. She was scared to death of Boyd but smiled immediately for me. She was a shy girl. Not too shy, just in a really cute way. Now I have a very smart, honest, soft-hearted beautiful tween, almost a teenager. It is hard to imagine where all the time went, but the memories are there forever.

Heritage day parade

Kole was in the Heritage day parade today. What a zoo! There were 102 entries. Just 10 short of the number of entries in the State Fair parade! Ha!









They moved him to the opposite side of where he was when I left him. So, we were on the wrong side of the street

After the parade and being shy

Kole is so shy about getting his picture taken.

Before the parade

Happy Gotcha Day Kaci!!!!

Wow! Eight years ago today we met Kaci for the first time at the White Swan hotel on

Shaiman Island in Guangzhou China. She was a little peanut and reminded us of a cricket in the way she was all arms and legs. She was so quiet until she warmed up to you, then she was a hoot! Then someone would approach and she would get quiet, just like a cricket!

Today she is a giggly girl who wears her emotions right out there on her sleeve so everyone knows exactly what Kaci is feeling. There is no subtelty in her. She loves being on the computer listening to music, dancing, and learning piano. She wants to be a teacher at this point in her life and we will see how many times that changes. Kaci is also very high maintenance. Some would say she has distinctive tastes in clothes... Well, not really that. She just likes shopping at the mall. LOL One day she will be trying to act 16, the next day closer to her age and then another time, she will act like a pre-schooler.

She has gone from a cry baby (ha ha) to a giggler. Most things are funny to her. She tries to find fun in everything she does. She is my glass half full kid just like her older sister.

Football picture

We received Kole's football team picture and the individual one we ordered. Here is the individual one.

He really likes football!

A good week and start to the weekend

Kole in thought














Kali smiling for
the camera
















Kali, Jenna,
Kaci, Jelena








We had a bit of a rainy end to the week but the rain held off for us to attend our Adoption Agency's annual picnic which was a lot of fun. I had fun seeing parents and children I had not seen in years for some of them.

Kali was ill early in the week. But was better by Wednesday. We've had kids with lots of homework and studying to do. I attended an open house at the high school and junior high. I met teachers for both Max and Kali.

We had dog training this afternoon and us and the little dogs did very well. Reiko is already surpassing what we are teaching him. Sweetpea is really getting to enjoy working with Boyd and that in itself is just short of a miracle. She has always been shy of men and boys. That is why we decided he should work with her.

Wish I had taken more pics, but Kali and Jenna were using it. LOL

Exchange Student Orientation

Many of the students
Max and Yuri are 7 & 8
from the left

Many of the Asian girls

Beverly is in Green

Apple is in the turquiose

More students

Apple and Beverly

in green and turquiose

Pawel is in the jeans

Many more of the students

Yuri and Max

Kali and Kole

Uyen

We had a wonderful time meeting 34 students and their host families and Area Reps today. Best of all Max was able to meet his friend Yuri who will be living not far from my mom. So we will be able to visit!

Kaci loved hanging out with Donna and Uyen (pronounced Wen). I really enjoyed meeting Apple, Beverly, Uyen and Jonathon, four of the 6 students I am supervising this school year. We also met Yuri, Pawel, Arne, Alli, and many many more! They are all very good kids!

They are looking forward to Oktoberfest with a trip to Six Flags.

It was a long day, but fun and way too much food available!

Concert tickets

I surprised Kali and Kaci last night by taking them to see Jordin Sparks and Jesse McCartney in concert here in Springfield. I fell into them by pure luck. A person at work knew someone who had 6 free tickets they weren't goign to be using. Tickets were selling for $32 - $42. I asked for three and the girls and I went. There were two opening acts that were actually pretty good. Relativly unknowns, but very good. Someone named Justin Sieven or something like that and Jesse Page (maybe).. then Jordin Sparks and Jesse McCartney.

O.k. I think I must be getting old because that was SSSOOOOO Loud! Even Kaci was covering her ears and Kali was complaining her ears hurt and we were not next to the speakers.

After two songs from Jesse McCartney the girls wanted to go and since I did not spend money on the tickets, we left.

They really did enjoy themselves and we were able to get home by 10 and get them to bed so Kali could finish her homework this morning.
No pics, I didn't take the camera... boo hoo!