Flats and Handwashing Challenge- Day 3

Laundry day. And, boy, did I pick a great one for hanging my dipes out to dry. FYI- thunderstorms and tornadoes do NOT make for good laundry-drying weather! So, now my laundry is all over the dining room.

So, my sweet husband made me a camp-style bucket washer (thanks, sweetie!). We put it to good use today doing 3 loads of dipes! I learned a valuable lesson: just because you happen to have enough dipes to do laundry every two days doesn't mean you should wait that long. Only a handful of flats fit in the bucket, so I ended up washing, rinsing, ringing, and hanging for almost 2 hours! I can't help but look forward to Monday when I can go back to my washer and dryer, but then I remember how fortunate I am to have that option. I am really learning a lot from this challenge- I'm soooo glad I decided to participate!

Flats and Handwashing Challenge- Day 2

Today, I focused on diapering with receiving blankets. I had previously gone to a thrift store and had gotten a stash of flannel receiving blankets for 78 cents a piece. I'm sure I could've found them cheaper at yard sales, etc... but it was the middle of winter when I purchased these. The hardest challenges that I've found with diapering with blankets are: 1) Not all of them are perfect squares (and, therefore, hard to fold), 2) Snappis don't grab the flannel that well, and 3) They are too thick for pins. Enter the pinless nappy fold. I LOVE this fold, not only for it's handiness, but also for the thickness of the layers in the 'wet zone.' It is really working well for us! I used a Mother-Ease cover today in the hopes that there would be adequate air flow on her little tushie during this very warm day.

I'm also storing up my funny stories from this Challenge! Today, we went to our pediatrician (who is also a dear friend). I stripped Elie Kate down and turned to get another flat from the bag. Before I could get the clean one on, she peed all over her sister who had lovingly picked her up in an attempt to be helpful. I think the whole staff was appalled! Thankfully, our ped took it in stride. As did my eldest. Good thing she loves her baby sister!

Flats and Handwashing Challenge- Day 1

I had an unexpected challenge today- a sick, cranky baby. Thankfully, I had used flats since Elie Kate was about a month old, so I had practiced some with the folds. That baby was NOT wanting Mommy to play around today!

I used mostly bamboo terry squares that I had cut and serged myself for the first Challenge day. These can run about $10 a piece when bought pre-made, so this thrifty mama decided to try to make them myself. I like bamboo because it is so absorbent, soft, and stretchy, and I can almost always get a good fit. It can be pinned with a diaper pin, but the nifty little contraption that I used to hold it together is called a Snappi. No worries about sticking a baby with that bad boy! I covered the diaper today with a Rump-a-Rooz one size cover. Thankfully, we were able to get the whole day out of the cover!

I used the origami fold today, which is a nice fold with extra absorbency in the middle for those heavy-wetters (like my gal). I am also having to use inserts that I cut from a fleece blanket to keep her dry because she has very sensitive skin and will get a rash pretty quickly. She is now heading off to bed in her heavy-dooty overnight dipe, so we'll have more flat fun tomorrow! Oh, and a HUGE shout-out to my pal, Brooke Tobey, for using her wonderful technology to help me get these blog pics up! Thanks!!!!

It's Not Easy Being Green... or, Maybe It IS!

Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to take care of the earth. Even before I knew what taking care of the earth was all about. I planted seeds, cared for flowers and animals, loved nature hikes and just being outdoors. When I was in Junior High, my family began recycling. It was just something we did- I didn't realize that it wasn't 'normal.' I guess you could say we were "green" long before "green" became a popular thing.

Fast forward a few years... My husband and I felt like doing our part to take care of the earth was something we needed to do to be good stewards of everything God has given us. We know that this world will one day pass away. We know this is not our 'forever' home. But it doesn't mean we can trash it and do whatever we please. So, we recycle. We compost. We garden. We reuse. And, we cloth diaper. YES... WE USE CLOTH DIAPERS. And WE LOVE IT!!!!

We live in a day and age where there are so many options for cloth diapering! There are fabulous prints and colors, styles and types, with many chic and trendy options. These are NOT your grandmother's cloth diapers (although I prefer a good prefold with a wool cover!). Gone are the days of the stinky diaper pail. No more dunking and swishing (unless you choose)!

There are many reasons we chose to use cloth. Mostly for the environment, but we will save about $2000 from birth to potty training by using cloth diapers, and $800 by using cloth wipes. That's a whole lotta moolah for this family on a budget! However, the 'start-up' costs can be overwhelming. We were blessed to have loved ones give us money and diapers to start our stash, but what do low-income families do when they don't have the money to build their stash? What if they don't have a washer and dryer? Enter "The Flats and Handwashing Challenge" by Dirty Diaper Laundry. From May 23-30, I will be using only flat squares of fabric and 5 covers to diaper my baby (except for nights). I will be handwashing and air-drying. And, I will be documenting my experience each day for you all! You'll hear about the good, the bad, and the ugly (but hopefully mostly good!). I'm not the greatest about linking and posting videos, but I'll try my best to give you an accurate account of my challenge. So, HERE WE GO!!!!

Kathleen is my Middle Name

The first Kathleen stepped into my life at a time when I needed her most. She was wanting to conceive a child, and it just had not happened yet. I was wanting to conceive a child, and I was going through tests and treatments to try to make that happen. Month after month I would be hopeful as I waited. And month after month I would feel those "before" cramps, and I knew. My hopes would come crashing down around me. Kathy had such a way of cheering me up. She was funny, loud, and just plain jovial! Then, one day she wasn't so jovial. She proceeded to tell me that she had felt a sizable lump in her breast that the doctor wanted to check out. We discovered that her cancer was stage 4 by the time it was found and diagnosed. Within months, she reunited with her Jesus in Heaven. But, during those months she taught me so much about life. She taught me to take deep breaths and take in God's wonder as we learned to paint together. She taught me to laugh even when it hurt. She allowed me to care for her and massage cream into the burns that radiation had caused. She leaned on me to walk, and I leaned on her to help heal my heart. I was there at her deathbed when she gasped for breath, and I felt her peace as she went home.

When I hold my Kathleen in my arms, my prayer is not for her to experience a pain-free life. My prayer is that she stands with grace, honor, and dignity as did the first Kathleen. And, maybe, just maybe, she'll bless a few friends along the way.

SURPRISE!!!!

As promised... the rest of the story: When we decided to homeschool, I never imagined the twists and turns this year would take. I have suffered with endometriosis for many years, and we were looking at going ahead and having a hysterectomy or trying more treatment options. WELL, there was a little something that prevented any of those measures. Just a "little" something that would change our whole world. After 13 years of infertility, I found out I was pregnant! Even as I'm typing this I'm remembering some of the funny details that took place: calling my sister while I was buying my 3rd and 4th pregnancy tests, my husband not speaking for 3 DAYS, videotaping our parents' reactions to the news, laughing with pure joy in our Bible Study! God sure has a sense of humor! Well, it was a rough, high-risk pregnancy with many ups and downs during those loooooong 9 months, but we trusted and prayed a LOT along the way. After 32 hours of labor, we were blessed with our miracle- Elenore Kathleen Grindean (aka- Elie Kate)! She has brought so much joy to our whole family. It's like she was meant to be here all along.

As a young married couple so many years ago, we often pictured our lives with children. The journey of infertility is a heart-breaking (and sometimes desperate) one. When we trusted the LORD with our family, he sent us two beautiful gifts that we KNEW were from Him... two beautiful children that bring us joy every day! Adoption has become such a passion of ours. Only God can knit together a family that bridges races, ethnicities, and varying backgrounds. And, likewise, only God can open the scarred womb of a 34-year-old woman and bring uncontrollable laughter to her lips. He, indeed, is worthy of so much more praise than I could ever give Him!

Macho, Macho Man

Ming Hong is our "Macho Man." He always wants to be the strong, powerful character in play and in real life. But, he sometimes misses the mark... He's a character, all right (in every sense of the word)! He will be in kindergarten in the fall, and is eager to soak-up everything he is learning (and is quick to let you know EVERY detail)! He is a self-proclaimed 'thenius' ('genius'- still developing in speech). We're still working on the humble-in-spirit and meek-shall-inherit-the-earth concepts!

Our Journey Continues...

OK... we're going to have one more "go" at this. It's been a year-and-a-half, and life keeps getting crazier! This post will be an update on Adia. She is now 7 years old! We have begun the journey of homeschooling this year, and we love it! We prayed long and hard about this decision, and felt like with her special needs and our desire to breathe God's Word into every aspect of our family's life, that homeschooling was a good fit. We had some unforeseen "circumstances" that made for a very difficult school year (more on that in another post), but we made it through. Her standardized test scores more than tripled, and we are so much closer as a family. She is growing up so fast that I can't help but love to spend EVERY available moment I can with her. There will be more posts about homeschooling resources and our journey through school because I want to share with anyone who is even THINKING about homeschooling to have some readily-available information. Come journey with us...

Our Stanlee

This time a year ago, we were planning a trip to China to adopt our son, Stanlee Ming Hong Grindean! He is a precious, affectionate little boy with a infectious smile... Here is the story of how we came to bring him into our family:
-Jan. 2007- We feel called to adopt from China, encouraged by our host daughter, Yiwen Zou.
-September 2007- We begin looking at names and files of special needs children. They all need homes so badly! We know we are called to adopt an older child- there are LOTS of boys available. Our agency, World Association for Children and Parents (WACAP) says that American families mostly want Chinese girls, even with special needs. So, the boys wait and wait...
-October 2007- We are narrowing our list- looking at 2 boys and 2 girls. One of the boys, Yu Minghong, gets a family. We are getting our homestudy completed and paperwork filled out, so we are just waiting.
-Jan. 2008- Our homestudy is complete. We can now put a child on hold... Looking at more children, and I notice that Yu Minghong is back on the list. I called the agency to see if it was the boy we were looking at with the original group- HE IS! It is rare to happen, but the family couldn't continue the adoption process, so they had to drop him. We decide to put him on hold (after many prayers and unsure thoughts about a boy- there are NO UNSURE THOUGHTS now, though!).
-April 2008- Still waiting on our consulate appointment. Waiting is the hardest part. Beginning to raise money for our adoption...
-May 2008- Have to update our homestudy. Still waiting on appointment... God works out our flights through the generosity of neighbors. WOW!!!!
-June 2008- Nearing the end of our wait. Trying to get consulate dates to work out... Send a care package to our "son" in China. We love him already!
-July 2008- Consulate date works out for July 29. We have to get ready, and fast! God is bringing in funds every day- we are hoping and trusting. We know we simply can't go if everything is not there. We are surprised (but shouldn't be) by God's provision through family, friends, and even strangers. EVERY PENNY we need is raised, and we are set to go!
-July 2008- We journey to China. We first meet our little guy as he is screaming and trying to get away from us. My heart just breaks for him as he not only is thrown into the arms of strangers, but he is crying out for his "Hao Pou" (his foster mother). Over the next two weeks we will have some smiles, lots of tears, and immediate bonding. We had to leave Adia at home with loved ones, so we are missing her as well. We can't wait to get home!
-August 2008- We arrive home to a whirlwind of loved ones and well-wishers. Ming Hong is so overwhelmed that he clings to us for several weeks. Adi just can't understand why her brother doesn't "love" her as much as she loves him. He eventually warms up to her, though, and they become inseparable. Two peas in a pod.

There is much more to Stanlee's journey, but we will post that later. Now he is a strong-minded, independent little guy who lets everyone know what he thinks! He is definitely a gift from God and is a beautiful part of our family picture!

WE'RE BACK!

We are finally back to blogging. I am really excited because we have moved to a new home, and we now have Hi-Speed Internet! So, that means more entries and more pics! Our family is now a family of four... we adopted our son, Ming Hong (Stanlee) from China last July. We have been adjusting as a family this entire year, so here is a quick catch-up ('08-'09):
-August: Came home from China, quick "vacation"in Southern Indiana
-September: Adia starts school, Mom has adjustments with being a Homekeeper...
-October: Lots of Dr. visits, Halloween theme: Wizard of Oz
-November: Enjoying time with my Sister and Brother being home
-December: First Christmas for Stanlee, begin work on new house
-January: Stanlee's cleft palate surgery with LOTS of recovery time
-February: Still recovering from surgery
-March: Same ole' stuff
-April: More Dr.'s appts., Easter fun with whole family
-May: Adi graduates Pre-K
-June: Adi dance recital, BIG MOVE to the New House

We hope you continue to check our site, we are going to try to keep everyone up-to-date now!

Being Silly!

Adia is always looking for a laugh.  Daddy saved this hood from changing the oil and we thought she resembles Brave Sir Robin in the most uncanny way...

Celebrating More

We went to Build-a-Bear with Gee-Gee and Papa Barlow, and then to Chuck E. Cheese's. The GEV (Grandparent Entertainment Value) was really high that day- Thank Goodness!!! Adia also got to make her own birthday cake- her first one ever, and boy, was it delicious!!!

Adia's 4th Birthday

Adia wanted a Big Top Birthday for her 4-year-old celebration. We had lots of circus fun, complete with carnival games and fun big top treats. The hit of the party was "Hartsy" the clown... Mimi Grindean dressed up and painted faces the whole party!

Adia Antics

So, our daughter Adia is at the funniest age. She loves language so we play a "vocabulary" game. She wants to hear words like "genuine", "hypocrisy", "catasrophe", and "automotive" (can anyone use a sentence with all of those words together?) with their definitions. Then she comes up with big words that she knows (like hippopotomus)... it is a riot! She also thinks that "actually", "technically", "probably", and "possibly" are words that should be in her everyday 3-year-old vocabulary. We are used to it now, but you should hear the comments from people who hear those words for the first time! She definitely keeps us in stitches!

our family vacation

Hi all! We just got back from family vacation in Gatlinburg, TN! We had a great time hiking, swimming, going to "holiday" (the Incredible Christmas Place, in "Adia language"), and seeing the Aquarium... Mostly, though, we just enjoyed being together and having some down time. Despite a near-breakdown with the van (thank the Lord- it was easily taken care of), and having to drive back 2 hours after our coming-home departure time (details later), we had no complications!

Happy Anniversary to Us!!!

For our 10-year anniversary, we went to Mazatlan, Mexico. It was a great time just being together for a few days. We got tired of being "tourists" really quickly-we figured out the bus system. Not too hard- just hold your hand out, and one stops. When you are ready to get off, just jump up! The funniest experience was when we asked the "pulmonia" (little golf-cart like vehicle/taxis native to Mazatlan) driver to take us to Wal-Mart. When we got there, we understood his funny look. There were no other gringos in the entire store! We got second (and third, and fourth) glances. It was pretty funny!

We went to the Aquarium. This is Colb standing (no kidding) 4 feet from a HUGE crocodile.



One of our favorite parts of the trip was a day-tour we took to a little silver mining village called Copala. On the way there we stopped and watched some men making bricks by hand. What hard, hot work.



This panaderia (bakery) is nothing like the ones in our neighborhood! We got treats baked straight out of a clay oven. YUM!!!

A HUGE thank-you to all of our loved ones (Mimi and Papaw, Gee-Gee and Papa, Kevin and Di) for all of your help with our trip and with Adia. We love you all SOOOO much and appreciate your support more than you could ever know!!!!!

Birthday Wishes...

Adi had her birthday party on April 28 at Shepherd. She wanted a birthday with pink and purple flowers, so Mommy and two other friends made 300 pink and purple flowers to put on her cake!!! We had fun planting flowers, playing games, and enjoying our friends. What a special day!!!!

Fish is Fish

After our visit to the pet store, we got home and put Jovany, Bear, and Adi into their new tank. Adia loves them and admires them without her hands (she shakes the tank when she pulls on the dresser). She was so tired after the whole ordeal that she fell asleep right on the rug while trying to take off her shoes!!!

Chuck E. Cheese Birthday Bash

We met Mimi and Papaw at Chuck E. Cheese's for Adia's birthday (May 02). We celebrated with pizza, games, and a not-so-enjoyed visit from Chuck E. Cheese himself (see pic of Adia scared half-out of her wits!) Mimi had not been there since Colb was a kid, and I don't think Papaw has ever been there. What a treat!

Opening Birthday Gifts

We have been so busy that Adia just got to open her gifts this weekend (her birthday was last Wed.)

Adia is unwrapping fish food for her new pets.

Yiwen gave her a special poem that she wrote using the ancient art of Chinese Calligraphy!