Hale Family Tales

Hannah went from Camp practically straight to Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Florida.  I picked Hannah up early Wednesday morning from camp and we got on a plane early Thursday morning to fly to Venice, Fl to visit with Grandma and Grandpa for a week.  We’ll end our trip with a day or so over at the Magic Kingdom.  It is time to let Ellie in on some of that Disney Magic! – We have to get all this play in since school starts in a couple of weeks…

She looked pretty good when I showed up.  Ya know, she was dressed, had a coat on since it was cold, had brushed her teeth and hair at least sometime in the last three days.

Hannah and a new friend Madison were singing us the “new to them”  Shark song they had learned at camp.  This is the “Grandma Shark” verse – notice, the shark has no teeth.  Hannah was happy to share this song with Gr’ma and Gr’pa almost first thing.

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Venice…in July = heat and HUMDITIY!

I think we were here less than 5 minutes…

before this kid was in the pool…for the next several hours.

They are in it now as I type out this post.  Probably will be where you will find them for the next week.

Grandma has a new name for Ellie; “The Great Gecko Hunter.”  She isn’t so gentle with the cute little creatures.  In her zeal for catching them and keeping a hold of them, they tend to get squished or de-tail-ed.  So far we are 0-2. 

I am going to take my 8 1/2 year old to sleep-over camp today.  She is ready – not only packed up, but she is ready to experience this grand adventure in God’s creation, in branching out to be who she is in this world.  She has blossomed over the last few months and she will do great.
 
I am so proud of the girl that she is, but, as parents we all know that a new milestone is bittersweet.  I am so excited for her.  I will send her off happily on this grand adventure. 

PS – It was a raining downpour as we drove up to camp to check-in.  Hannah quickly got in camping mode with her rain gear and happily went on her way.  There were a few wide-eyed little girls in her cabin, but I think Hannah will be just fine.  She was in the middle of “Simon Says” as Ellie and I said our good-byes and headed home.  I can’t wait to hear all about it!
 

Here is a link to a blog written by a Bethany Christian Services Intern who is spending her summer in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia working with Bethany staff there.  You will quickly see why this blog is important to an adoptive family awaiting their child!

http://katepadden.wordpress.com/

BTW, I had a dream last night where I was looking at a photo of three infant girls.  It had a letter with it saying one of them was ours and I was trying to figure out which baby girl was referred to us based on a narrative description in the letter.  What a dream!

Ryan’s bike was in the repair shop and was ready to be picked up last night.  He decided that he and Hannah would get dropped off at the shop and they would bike home.  The shop is 4 miles away, but it was a beautiful, breezy evening.  It is a nice, gentle downhill ride for almost the last mile.  I will say I was less than enthusiastic that it was almost 8pm when they left the shop and that my 8 year old was crossing a lot of busy intersections, but she was with her Dad and gee, she has to learn sometime…

Ryan told me that on the couple of big uphill jaunts, Hannah came up with a funny expression and said it repeatedly, “Boy, this is back breaking work.”

She didn’t tell me about the hard part, but she was very animated telling me about how much fun it was.  She promptly drank a big glass of water, ate a big bowl of cereal, and got around for bed.

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This morning, Ellie was coloring and stickering in a notepad.  This girl knows how to keep busy with paper, crayons, gluestick – she loves anything crafty. 

I was walking by her when I heard her mumble to herself, “I want to do something more complicated,” as she reached for a cutting and gluing activity book.  Boy, what a big word and she used it right.  

Ellie: “Mama, read me this page.”

Mama: “There aren’t any words on this page.”

Ellie: (suprised, big brown eyes) “Well….maybe them falled off.”

So, I think we should maybe look around and find some errant letters running around here. 

Ellie and Gabby are such best friends that we say they were twins in heaven while they were waiting to be born.

“Pleezzzze can we have some gum??!??”

Daddy love!

Ellie:  “Michigan is a fun place where to go.”

The girls were sure to spend some time catching up over tea. 

More later, my Picasa goofed up, or more likely, I goofed up my Picasa.

On October 16, 2006 eight little Chinese beauties changed the lives of 8 sets of Mommies and Daddies by becoming our daughters.  We became parents to these little ones in a hot, stuffy, civil affairs building in Nanning, China all in the same moment.  Some cried, some mourned, but they each grabbed a hold of her new parents and reached firmly into the future God had planned for her.

Today they are happy, smart, well-adjusted Chinese-American beauties who love their Mommies, giggle at their Daddies and have stolen many, many hearts.

This weekend, we get to enjoy them, together for our annual reunion, frolicking in the sand, swinging on the swing set side by side, and sharing toys and snacks. 

They spent the first year of their lives in the same orphanage.  Their stories all start at the same time and place.  We intend for their futures to all include one another for they are the…

Beihai Sisters!

PS – There were ladybugs all over the beach today…I guess they showed up for our Beihai girls!  There is one below in Ellie’s hand but it is sort of hard to see.

1,200 miles to sit on his lap.

Now, who do you think is the happiest about that?

Both my niece and nephew recently asked Jesus into their heart and have had some great conversations with my Mom about God and heaven.

They are spending the night with us here at Mimi’s house in Indiana – you know, cousins are magnetic – whenever we are in town the kids are inseparable.

Mimi told Hannah their good news at tuck in time tonight.

Mimi said, “That means we are all going to be together in heaven!”

My 7 year old niece, Makayla said, “Yes, but Mimi, you are going to be there first.”

I have prayed this verse over Hannah and Ellie for years now.  It was on my mind during our hike in Mueller State Park over the weekend.

“Trust in the Lord with all your and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all of your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”