So I've been AWOL

Thought perhaps I had given up on the blog, but today is Mother's day and I always have some strong thoughts about this day. I am a mom because two women half the earth away made the decision to chose life for my daughters. I celebrate the gift that I was given when I became a mother and I always wish that I could somehow let these birth mothers know what amazing daughters I have. I wish I could let them know about their passionate hearts and their love of learning. I wish I could let them know how they are both such gifted artists and avid readers. I wish they could hear their giggles and see what a strong sister bond there is between them. I wish for just a few moments God could open the great distance between us so that we could share pictures and information. As it stand now, I can't do any of these things, so instead I offer a pray for them and for their families and for their salvation. Perhaps if not in this world we will be able to share this information in heaven. Blessings to my daughters' birth mothers on this Mother's Day

I've been AWOL

But we've been keeping busy... Here's the proof.

Something I learned at the Technology conference

I know this is crazy...

I'm in Anchorage at the ASTE conference learning all about using technology in the classroom. Lots of interesting information and fun getting to meet people and talk about the different areas of our state. BUT one of my favorite things is the fact that I have total control of the remote when I come back to my hotel room each night and the fact that I can eat all the peanut products I want! Miss my kiddos a lot. Feel like part of me is missing. So here's the photo to commemorate thepeanut feeding frenzy that's been happening here! oh and I forgot the king sized bed and the no cooking or cleaning

 

Happy New Year

 

 

 

I better check in and let you know we are still alive. Just a very busy week last week. Each morning is starting a little after 5:00 am so Cadi can get to volleyball practice on time. Then I've had a little quiet time to spend before Josi gets up and we get to school. Life at school has settled into a nice routine now. Everything doesn't seem quite so new and I'm remembering when I put stuff and life is a little more automatic. This was nice too this week because several of us have been using the new gym to get some exercise. So that has been a good feeling and my broken leg is finally starting to move more normally again. Yesterday the three of us got much needed haircut. That's what we're supposed to do for Chinese New Year. Josi was gracious enough to pose so you can see her new do. Last night we had the great pleasure of going to some of our friends for a Chinese New year celebration. We had quite a bit of snow during the day, but by the time we were finished with the delicious meal the snow stopped and we set off some more of the sky lanterns. They were so pretty in the snow! Of course we had to have a few firecrackers too! It was just such a lovely evening and again I am reminded of the first CNY I spent with my new daughter and how the traditions have formed over the last 12 years. It's an important part of our year, just like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and birthday celebrations and I treasure the familiarity of the celebrations we have.

The pictures of the sky lanterns I lifted from the internet. I wanted you to have an idea of what our celebration looked like!

A busy weekend

Cadi was involved in a volleyball tournament all day Friday and most of Saturday. It was really a lot of fun to watch the games. I learned how to keep the score books. I did a couple games on a practice sheet and then did one in the official book. Didn't screw up. Whew! The rest of Saturday was spent enjoying Iceworm activities. We were able to get to the parade and the photo show and after the volloeyball tournament was over we went and watched the fireworks display. What quite the show for little Cordova. We finished up the evening setting off some sky lanterns. That was so very cool! I got them for our Chinese New Year celebration, but the weather was so perfect last night we had to set off some of them.
Today we went to church and after the homework was finished we settled in for an afternoon of movies. The best news we got today though is that the volleyball team is taking the morning off tomorrow so we don't have to wake up at 5:15! Yeah!