Happy Anniversary!

My three most favorite guys.  Happy Anniversary to the greatest dad and husband.  It has been a fun 12 years.  I love being on this rollercoaster of life with you.  
Love, Jennifer

Slow Movin'

Here I am sitting on the couch.

Sore muscles.  I should be moving around, stretching out those sore muscles.  But I don't want to move around. 

I want to sit right here on the couch.

So, this past Wednesday, my friend, Lana, talked me into trying a Cross Fit class with her.  She has been going for a couple months and really loves it.  She has been asking me to join her for quite some time but I have had a reason not to go for quite some time.  Anyway, I went on Wednesday. I wouldn't say that I loved it but I did like that I got a great workout.  So I went back on Friday (after my regular P90X workout) and liked it a bit more.  I really liked the core workout.  It was tough and pushed me to the limit and made my muscles hurt really bad. 

Well, I am still training for that 25K trail race in April so I needed to get in a long run this weekend.  And...my running partner just happened to be running 12 miles today in a race out in Black Forest. Sooo.....I ran it with her.  The first 7 miles or so.  Then, she lost me.  I was really slow movin' at that point.  There were 50 mph winds and add the really sore muscles, this might have been my slowest 20K ever.
Oh well, I got in my long run.

I think that tomorrow will be a rest day, starting now.

So if you see me walking around like a granny, you'll know why.  Although, I don't anticipate walking any time soon. 

Nope.  Not gonna wear these pants, ever again. 

 I was carrying my gatorade cup because if I had dropped it, it would have blown to Kansas.

Jennifer

Did you know....

That is the common start to a comment quite often made to me by strangers. Especially at the grocery store.

Did you know that it is very hard/difficult/rare/odd to get a boy from China?

When Scott and I first brought Mason home, we received this comment often, sometimes daily.  Of course, I have heard most of the adoption related comments. Ones like...

Is he yours?

Where is he from?

How did you get a boy?

Was he abandoned?

What was wrong with him?

He is so lucky.

You are so wonderful to adopt him.

and on and on....

Don't get me wrong.  Some of these questions/comments are well intentioned.  I get it.  Not everyone understands adoption or Chinese adoption.  Adoption is very complicated and changes pretty frequently.  It is full of paperwork and government agencies. Offices and agencies that I had no knowledge of before adoption. So, I get it when people are curious and ask questions.  I have to admit that I don't always know the right way to respond to every question and comment but I do try my best to give an educated answer.  I also have to admit that it does often bother me when I am approached in public by a stranger and asked a very personal question.  Sometimes I smile and walk away and other times I politely answer the question or comment and walk away.  It is important to remember that this is Mason's information and it is not ours to share. 
Once in great while, I get pissy.  Like today.  I got the question.

Lady standing very close to me in line at the grocery store- Excuse me ma'am.  Is your son Korean? 
Me- No, he was born in China.
Lady- Oh, China?  Did you know.....it is very hard to get a boy out of China.
Me- Actually, it isn't.  {Insert very fake smile}

And I took Mason's hand and we walked away.  I realize, I was rude and could have given a very educated answer to this question/comment.  Something like...
Actually, there are more and more boys being adopted out of China. About half of the children waiting to be adopted in China are boys.   If you are interested in adopting a little boy from China, you can contact our agency for more information.  Here is their card.... 
BUT....I didn't this time. I got pissy.

What I really wanted to say was... (Kelsey, if you are reading this, stop here) :)



No sh!t!  Really!  I had no idea that more girls were adopted from China than boys!  Thanks for giving me THAT info!

If she is reading :) I apologize to the lady in the grocery store.  I will try and do better next time.  Because, there will be a next time. Maybe I should write all the appropriate answers on index cards and refer to them when I get a personal or unwanted question. 
Excuse me while I flip through my notes for the nicest answer I can find.

Anyway, if you are still here....Thanks for listening to my rant.  Adoption is such a gift and we are so blessed by Mason and it is hard to imagine life without him.

 Is he mine?  Yes, he grew in my heart and I adore him!   
Where is he from?  He was born in China.
How did you get a boy?  We requested either gender and were blessed with a little boy.
Was he abandoned?  That is my son's information and I am not comfortable sharing it with you.
What was wrong with him? Absolutely nothing.  He is a child of God and perfect in every way!
He is so lucky.  We are the ones blessed by his addition to our family.
It is so wonderful that you adopted him.  Thank you.  Adoption was one way that we always planned on adding to our family. Mason has blessed our lives in more ways than we can write in a blog or talk about in the grocery store. 

Aaaaah.  Now I am feeling better! If I offended you with this post, sorry.  It was probably most understood by other adoptive parents.

Jennifer

Gotcha Day Anniversary {2 years}

Happy Gotcha Day to our sweet Mason!  2 years ago today we met for the first time in that tiny room in Zhengzhou, Henan, China.  We couldn't imagine our life with out this precious being.
Love, Momma, Daddy, Sam, Alice and Paige

Quiet is Good

We are busy as always.  Friday night, Paige had swimming lessons and Alice attended a birthday party.  Saturday we spent the morning sledding with our church friends in Divide and then swim lessons for Sam and Alice in the afternoon.  Sunday was busy with church, running, a Kids In Christ activity here and a very chilly cookie booth.  

Today, Scott is home for the holiday and we have had a pretty relaxing day.  Scott and Sam worked on their pinewood derby car and I watched a few episodes of House Hunters.  The littles took naps and the bigger ones went to the park to drive RC cars.  Most of the time I like to stay busy but it is soooo nice to get a bit of quiet time too.  Quiet is good.

I haven't taken many pics lately.  I forgot the camera when we went sledding.  Bummer.  We forgot the sleds too.  Big bummer:)  Luckily, our friends at the ranch are prepared for people like us and keep a stock of inner tubes in their sports closet.  Anyway, I don't have any cute sledding pics.  I took one picture at KIC and then got busy.  Funny how hosting seven 9 and 10 year olds can be hectic.

By the way, KIC stands for Kids In Christ and it is the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders from our church.  They meet once a month for a couple hours of fun time.  Last night, they met at our house for dinner and Wii games.  They had a great time and wore themselves out!  Our KIC group has also adopted the Humane Society and donates items each month for the animals. 



Back to school and work tomorrow.  Scott has enjoyed the long weekend and the kids have enjoyed having him home.  Our weeks are always busy with activities for 6 so we do love some quiet time once in a while. 

Have a great week!
Jennifer

Lovin' Every Minute of It

Remember last week, when it was sooo cold?   How could we forget!  Well, we are back to our favorite Colorado winter weather.  60's and sunny.  Lovin' it!  The kids spent some time playing out in the yard today.  We also made a quick trip to the park on the way to the car after school.  Anyway, while the kids were soaking in the sun and warmth, I replaced my 13.1 bumper sticker with my NEW 26.2.  The dog even got in on the action and rolled around in the dead grass and deer poop, three times.  It was so nice out that I didn't even get mad at her, well not too mad anyway.  Hard to believe that our kids were home on a {{cold}} day exactly one week ago.

Have a great Tuesday! 

Jennifer

Paige {Third Born}

The best. Third born. Ever.

I couldn't ask for a sweeter, more cooperative, smiley, enthusiastic child.  She lights up the room. She bounces everywhere.  She cuddles.  She is awesome.  Our third born. 

 

Running and....

 Yesterday Kristin and I got in our long run.  We started at dawn and by the end it felt like we had been running all day long.  Not really all day but by the end of our very hilly (mostly up) 11 mile run, we were pooped.  We did stop and take some fun pictures.  Every time we run we say that we should bring along a camera to prove that we really are out there, having a blast :)  So yesterday I was packing.  Scott's new mini camera to be exact. 

taking a self portrait in front of Garden of the Gods

who were we kidding, we were getting tired

and looking for a break

Just starting out at dawn.  6:30 am, Saturday morning.  We are hardcore:)



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Now on to the Meaning of Children.  

It's getting deep.

Deep in Crisco.

You think that I am going to write a really deep post about how much I appreciate my children, right??!?! 

Not so much.  I do love and appreciate each and every one of my blessings.  They are gifts from God afterall!  There is one other meaning for children that sometimes goes unnoticed.  Yes.  I am speaking of greasing the cookie pan.  A job that all moms despise and all children love doing, or think they love doing.  I did it as a child and I am sure my mom did as well.

Alice did a great job.  I think she has a future in pan greasing.  At least until she realizes that her kids love it as much as she once did :)

Have a great Sunday!
Jennifer

Happy Chinese New Year

We celebrated Chinese New Year today.  The kids wore their silks.  We went to Denver to the CCAI celebration and then due to weather we headed for home and had Chinese food for dinner at our favorite little restaurant. 

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Friday and Saturday, the temps were in the 60's. Sunday we dropped to a chilly 50 degrees. Monday was pretty cold and dipped down in the teens and today, well, guess what, my kids are home from school because IT IS TOO COLD!  Negative temperatures and the high is zero!  ZERO!!! 

Last night, I asked Scott if we had ever missed school due to the cold.  He laughed and said no, zero degrees in Michigan means that it is winter.  Well, I have to say, these Coloradans are a tad bit wimpy when it comes to cold and snow but I will most definitely take the warmer days too :) 

Anyway, we are laying around in our jammies, watching movies.  The best thing to do on a snow cold day.  Later on we are going to put up our Chinese New Year decorations, if we can get up off the couch.

Have a wonderful day and stay warm.  Oh yeah, if you happen to be on vacation in a warm place right now, thanks for sending your daughter a picture of the beach :)   

Scott wrote a funny post about winter running over on his blog. Check it out here. He really is that crazy.