The Perfect Date

We always get to this date and say it is the perfect date, simply because it was a funny bad answer from the movie "Miss Congeniality."  Inevitably, this pops up on social media sites because today is in fact the perfect date.  And it really was too!  I mean, it literally was not too hot and not too cold.  All you need is a light jacket, and you're good to go!  We saw overcast skies today, and there was the threat of rain, but it never really materialized.  That being said, we got more mulch down in the front yard, and we're actually looking forward to moving to the next phase of mulching soon enough.  We're almost there on the front yard.  Meanwhile, the back yard garden is overgrown with mint.  I mean, it's nearly a mint farm back there.  Mommy got some of that, and we've been using it to put in some water overnight, and taking some infused water with us to the office.

Madison did well in school today - she was actually outside at one point too, enjoying the perfect date.  It wasn't too hot and not too cold either.  She was outside having fun with her friends.  She had gotten a few perfect scores on some tests on Latin America, and enjoyed her other classes too.  She's doing a novel study in ELA, reading the book, "The Running Dream."

She's really enjoying this one, reading farther ahead than necessary, talking about it from time to time at home.  Isn't it great to get into a new book?  We love that she reads so much, and loves it.  The story sounds inspirational as well.  We might get into that one at home, once we've left Neverland for a bit!

She's studying the weather as well, such as cold fronts and warm fronts.  She's keeping busy.  And then there's taekwondo after that.  No mishaps with the gear or bags, but there was a whole lot of practice, and she's got some more to do, she says.  We may have to put out mats at home for that, but for tonight, she earned her second stripe on her green belt.  Time just goes by quickly for these belts.

We got home and Madison was at the piano, practicing a bit before we all sat down with popcorn to watch the next few episodes of "Gravity Falls."  Things are building to a big finish, and we were left with quite a cliffhanger!  It's been a great show, one that Madison is super excited to get home and pick up on.  She's already imagining what character she's most like and so on.  The main characters are about to have their thirteenth birthday party, and sure enough, Madison is right there with them, about to do the same.  Anyway, without giving away too much, we're really addicted to this show!

Afterwards, it was time for bed upstairs, time for prayers and time for reading from the devotional and "The Bridge to Neverland."  The characters are leaving England, and we'll see what happens next.  Everyone's happy to have Ombra back in the picture at least, even if he's just a bunch of ravens lurking about.

Daddy got done the first script for day one of Summer Xtreme today, and solidified this weekend's script, as well as several other things - like going to that middle school to entertain the kids there.  We had a big day today, but it was very nice.  In fact, you could say today's date was the perfect date.

Another "Perfect Date"

Well here we are at the "perfect date" again, April 25th.  The more that recurring memory strikes us, the more it cements the fact that we should probably watch that movie on this date each year:  "Miss Congeniality."  It's a funny segment, and a fun movie too.  

Today may not have been perfect, but it was a good day overall.  Maddie had another pre-cal test that was pretty big.  She had taekwondo tonight too, of course, helping with instruction and then attending leadership afterwards.  We got home after that and we watched the latest episode of "X-Men '97," which has been pretty heavy of late.  It's almost as if this were part of a "What if..." series, one where the mutant and human conflict really goes to the next level, with lots of casualties in the mix.  The loss of Gambit... we're still not over that one.  Gambit is of course, one of the favorites.  Okay, he is my favorite.  And this show actually killed him off.  Of course they didn't have the guts to kill Magneto for real.  Like that is supposed to make us feel better or something.  Anyway, back to Gambit.  The rajun Cajun is an absolute favorite of mine and yes, I gave the limited series of comics from back in the day, not to mention all the early X-Men books that feature him in them.  I do not have that first appearance, as much as I regret not getting that one.  Yeah, I should have picked that one up when I had the chance.  I do have Deadpool #1 and the first appearance of a few other characters like Domino and Jubilee.  And suddenly this one comic I have with Deadpool vs. Wolverine is a little more valuable.  But back to Gambit.  He was the coolest hero outside of Wolverine, who of course everyone loved and still does.  But Gambit sort of went under the radar, this suave and flirty Cajun with the long trench coat and exploding playing cards.  Playing cards?  What kind of weapon is that?  Don't think about it too much.  He throws cards and they explode.  As Stan Lee would say, " 'nuf said!"  

 

Anyway, Maddie and I watched that tonight, along with the in depth analysis we usually watch on another channel.  We might have to start watching the X-Men movies now, come to think of it.  And pull out those old comics again.   As Gambit might say, "I have no problem with 'dat."

We closed out the day with reading again, and we're approaching the end of the book.  The Death Star is about to go down, and things will turn around again.  And hopefully we'll see that with "X-Men '97" too.  And in the office.  Our KidPak office is in shambles at the moment, new furniture coming in and new paint on the walls.  It's been rough moving around so much stuff and keeping the other regular things going, but we're doing our best.

After prayers tonight, it was time for bed.  Not a "perfect" date, but not a bad one either!

April 25th - Your Perfect Date

Here we are again, and in fact today is the perfect date, as it is described above.  Maddie saw this movie earlier this year, so she gets this joke now.  Today was a quiet day - Maddie had school, of course.  She started out well enough with the Chick-Fil-A breakfast sandwich they offer in the car line.  It's five dollars, and we're usually scrounging to remember or find the cash as we creep closer to the drop off point.  But we had that ahead of time this morning, and she got to have a nice chicken sandwich for breakfast.  

The rest of the day for us involved writing portions of "Esther," as well as prepping for Weird Science part two.  We have optical illusions this week, but also hopefully we'll have the Van de Graaff generator up and running.  We'll probably test it out tomorrow.  As an aside note, I have recently found out through Mom's ancestry work that I am in fact related to someVan de Graaf people.  I'm not sure if I'm related to Robert J. Van de Graaff himself - I'll have to look into that.  

The squirrel problem seems to be much improved.  We still see Willy come up to visit us on occasion, and we give him free reign.  There is one other squirrel that could be a headache, but we'll see how things go.  We haven't seen Stripe the Squirrel in some time.  He's got a stripe on his fir, and we named him after the lead gremlin in the original movie.  "BILLY... GUN!"  You have to say that in a creepy Stripe voice every time you see him.  We've decided to let Stripe stick around too.  But the squirrel trap has been super effective and helpful.  

Anyway, tonight we had a hair appointment for Maddie, and she enjoyed going over for that.  NEW HAIRSTYLE!  Mom and I were in the waiting area just talking while Maddie was watching in the mirror as a hair stylist gave her a new look.  She likes it!

We closed out today with homework, and then a few episodes of "Ultimate Spider-man," followed by a few more pages from "The Kingdom Keepers," and then prayer too.  So it was a typical week day.  But it was April 25, so yeah, it was a perfect date.

June 10, 2010

A Perfect Day

Miss everybody at home. Daddy is working late one more night. That's right: in less than 24 hours, life will return - somewhat - to normal. Until then, Daddy is stuck here away from his family contemplating the phrase "absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Stuck at work, I looked back just two years in time. Through Google maps, I was able to locate the People's Park in Nanning, China - so I snapped this photo above. It was such an important place in my life.

There are some days that stand out more than others: those perfect days where everything sinks in and favor rests on shoulders held high, and a pleasant, restful smile reflects unforgettable moments in time. In some cases, these days aren't filled with anything hugely memorable on their own - for example, one day I can always look back to for peace was in the summer in Habersham County. The gentle rolling thunder echoed above as the light rain descended in the forest around me, the pitter-patter of raindrops gently hitting the leaves. A song by Enya played, and we were planning a short trip to Alabama to climb its highest peak, just for fun. It was raining there too, but it didn't matter. It was a perfect day.

Another perfect day I remember had us climbing Pikes Peak early at sunrise, up 14,110 feet and above the world. Coming down, we wandered through the Garden of Gods, looking at the snowcapped mountains beyond. Driving from there, we saw the ginormous fossilized tree stumps of Fluorescent National Monument and wound up in Cripple Creek, where we road an old steam train in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, finally spending the night on the second floor of an old saloon where cowboys slept a hundred years ago.

Yet another even better perfect day happened during the week Daddy met Mommy. We talked for hours and learned about each other, and Daddy finally met someone who he knew inside his heart he would want to spend the rest of his life with. It was Mommy's birthday, and for a surprise, I arranged for a rose to be sitting on the table when we got there - secretly, all Mommy wanted was a rose for her birthday. We were just getting to know each other at the time, and Daddy was only planning on taking her out for her birthday so that she would have a good time on that special day. But Daddy found himself having a special day as well, one that he would never forget.

The details fill my mind even now: in the parking lot after our date, she gave me a recent Newsboys CD: "Take Me to Your Leader." Ever since then we've collected their releases. In fact, one of their CDs played an interesting part of us eventually getting married: "Step Up to the Microphone."

Ye-Ye heard a song on that project that we all love, a song called "Entertaining Angels." He couldn't get it out of his mind, nor could he get out of his mind the phrase within the song: "24/7." While thinking about us getting married, he prayed a lot. And out of curiosity, he looked it up in the Bible: "Angels." The first reference he found to angels was right there in Genesis, 24:7.

"...he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there." - Genesis 24:7 NIV

24-7. Angels. Ye-Ye was convinced from that moment on that we were to be married and live happily ever after.

Which leads us to another perfect day: the one at the People's Park in Nanning. I'll never forget Madison walking along with Mommy throughout the entire park that day. It was not crowded at all - the rains had just washed everyone away, and we had the whole place to ourselves. We didn't know if Madison could walk well, or walk much. But those early signs of her personality began to show: she wanted to explore! She held Mommy's hand tightly, and with tiny footsteps she marched forward and around the lake, over bridges and under trees. We saw the large fish in the lake, and we blew bubbles on the island. Daddy took many pictures that day, but we didn't need to. We'd always remember the imagery, and the feel of the air - cool after a good rain shower. We'll remember the sounds of the park, and the sounds of her tiny feet walking along. We'll remember it all: it was a perfect day.

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

Today was Mommy's birthday - and an anniversary of sorts.  The picture above is of a restaurant, the 57th Fighter Group, where Daddy first took Mommy out on a date!  It was about fifteen years ago, if you can believe that.  Time does fly by, doesn't it?

It's a long story that led to the first date - I heard that Mommy just wanted to have someone take her out for dinner for her birthday, so I felt "led" to do that.  I felt led to treat her like the princess she is, and even arranged to have a rose delivered to the table just prior to our actually meeting there.  Little did I know that Mommy's prayer was just for a nice dinner and for someone to send her a rose.

So we met there, having driven from two completely different directions.  Daddy was in White County at the time, and Mommy was in Roswell.  We sat there and talked, and talked, and talked.  And that was that.  It is funny how everyone else in your life is just a set up to just show how perfect that special someone is for you in your life.  I'm going to go against the general thought of "it isn't always perfect," and say it right here:  our marriage has been perfect.  We were put together by the perfect Matchmaker, and now that we've got the benefit of hindsight, that perfection is more apparent each day.  We've gone through some troubled times with her cancer and other areas here and there, but Mommy and Daddy have always loved each other and helped each other get through whatever it was.  And here we are on May 8th, 2013.  Still in love and still together - and now with an extra family member we couldn't imagine being without.

Today was a good day for Mommy.  It's funny to say this, but if she was given a choice of things to do, she would actually choose going to church for a revival service with Perry Stone.  She'd choose that over a lot of other things - and of course, it's free!  Sure, there's an offering to take up, but even that is considerably cheaper than even a movie or a night on the town!  At least Daddy got her a half-dozen roses.  What I did was this:  I had them underneath the product table out in the lobby area, where the other VOE merchandise was for sale.  When we went to take a look at the material there, Daddy signaled the lady behind the counter, who reached underneath the table to give them to Mommy.  It was a complete surprise for her, which was great.  Also a surprise were the seats:  Daddy had three seats saved (one for a friend) at dead center, three rows back.  It was a great night for Mommy.

Meanwhile, Madison got to enjoy KidPak Jr. on a Wednesday night.  Usually, she doesn't get to do this, as she has to get up pretty early each morning for school.  But as tonight was a special occasion, we had a great place for her to go while we were in service.  It was a late service though, so we're sort of dreading getting up in the morning...

Across the pond, it appears as if Nana and Ye-Ye are having a remarkable adventure.  With Captain Barbossa.

They made it safely to Ireland, and are there on a guided tour, checking out our ancestry, inspecting ruinous castles and kissing large rocks.  No explanation about why exactly Captain Barbossa is with them - he's in a few pictures with them as somewhat of a mascot.  I'm not entirely sure if the Irish look fondly on the attire Barbossa is wearing - perhaps he should switch back to his more piratical costuming.  Regardless, it appears as if the three of them are having a good time, posting pictures nearly daily.  We'll hear all the tales and Irish songs when they return next week.  Until then, Irish them a good time!

Welcome to the Referral Process!

Six years ago today we received the letter below - can you believe it was that long ago? Daddy was writing in a journal at the time, really officially starting with the first official moves towards adoption, getting things ready for the dossier to be sent off. We began in the summer of 2005, and got all the pieces together of what we needed by the end of the year, sending it off around Christmas time. The timing of this was a lot more significant as we thought at the time, in fact hugely so. At the time, we estimated (along with everyone else sending in their dossier at that moment) that our wait time would be six or seven months, as that was the average wait time until recently. Folks who sent in their dossiers a year earlier already had their children. So in our case, we were getting ready for Madison that very year as well. Obviously, that did not happen so quickly. Again, how incredible looking back the timing of this was - when we sent in our dossier:

1. For one, Mommy had cancer at the time - but didn't know it. We sent the dossier off, and within two months we were having emergency surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

As described elsewhere, this is a long process. Anyone who has gone through it knows what it is like. It took years. Keep in mind we thought we would have Madison in months - and suddenly Mommy has to endure something epic.

Our apologies to the other future parents waiting on their children: they were so anxious to receive their new daughter. So were we, of course, but we also knew Mommy was in no condition to go to China, or be a Mommy yet. So we were quite content when we were told the waiting time was increasing. It gradually increased - we saw the graph and charted out the rate of adoptions and saw ourselves on the list. All of us guessed we'd wait a year. Then it slowed down further. And further. Then a year and a few months. Then a year and a half. It was two and a half years later.

This is the remarkable bit. Understand this, because no one else really appreciates it as we do: when they say go to China to get your baby, you go - or you endure the whole process over again. In May of 2008, they told us it was time. And, it was at that time exactly that Mommy had recovered well enough to not only go - but be a Mommy as well. A few months earlier would have been too soon for her.

So, while others complained and grieved about the waiting time (which I do not blame them), we ourselves were actually grateful for it. We needed to wait, for Mommy's health.

2. The waiting game. The other side of the remarkable bit of timing is something I've chronicled here for quite some time: the waiting process is still slowing down. If we had waited just seven months to send our dossier off - if we had received the letter below just seven months later - we would only NOW be going to China for our daughter. That is a six year wait. It's worth repeating: if we waited just seven months later to send the dossier information, we would have to wait six years for our daughter. We do celebrate when we hear of the new families going to China - after such a long wait. But we do feel terribly sorry for their situation, with expiring paperwork, repaying fees again and again, and the longing for a child - not knowing when the wonderful moment will be.

3. The clear thing about it all for us is God's timing. Point one sort of nails that. Point three is something we all share, especially those parents still waiting. There is an invisible red thread, as described below.

"The Red Thread" is a symbolic saying very popular among families adopting from China. The Red Thread is an old Chinese saying that means when babies are born they are already connected to the important people in his/her life by a red thread. This thread can be twisted or stretched, but not broken.

For us and any other adopting parent, there was one child over there waiting. If we had gone over to China one week too soon or too late, we would not have Madison. Pure and simple. She is our daughter, and we are her parents. Though people were used in the process to put us together, we are matched by God Himself. She is perfect for us in every way, and we hope to be as perfect for her as well.

*****

Dear GWCA Family,

Hello and Welcome to the Referral phase of the GWCA adoption process. I am writing to inform you that your Dossier has been sent to China ! This is the first step toward receiving your referral. This email contains helpful information regarding what to expect during this phase; we ask that you please review this information carefully.

Once your dossier is received by the CCAA it is then registered and you are given a DTC or Dossier to China date. Some families also refer to this as their LID or Log-in Date, but to clarify, we refer to LID and DTC dates as one in the same.

Although dossiers are now registered with the CCAA monthly after they are sent to China , we don’t receive the dates from the CCAA immediately. It may take up to eight weeks for the CCAA to send us your DTC Date. We will notify you via email the day we receive confirmation of your DTC date from the CCAA. From that point on, you can chart the movement of your dossier by following your DTC month in our Places Everyone email.

This can be the most challenging period that you will experience, because after all that you have accomplished, you must now simply wait for your referral. But remember, this experience is what you decide to make of it, so think positive! J To help occupy your time, we encourage families to learn about the Chinese culture, language and history. Many families decide to start a journal to document their adoption journey. You can also take this time to plan for your child’s future, and to consider the many decisions that parenthood will present.

As you wait, you will undoubtedly have questions and concerns. It is for this reason that the Referral Education Team was created. This team is designed to support and educate the families who are in the period between receiving their DTC date and receiving their referral. Please be assured that it is our highest priority to keep our families informed with the most recent information available. You will receive periodic updates pertinent to your DTC Month or to your individual case, as well as helpful reading materials and weekly tips!

Every client will be included in a DTC Month email distribution list. Therefore, it is very important that you notify the R.E. Team with any changes regarding your contact information.

Finally, the R.E. Team will contact you with your referral. At that time, we will provide you with specific information and photos of your child. Once you have accepted your referral, you will progress to the Travel Team. The GWCA travel advisors will artfully guide you through the completion of your adoption experience.

This can be an anxious time, but it can also be a joyous one, filled with possibilities. We hope that you will approach the coming months with a positive attitude and a patient heart. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Congratulations! J

Beth

Mad as Hatters

First things first, it was a day to futterwacken - it's 10/6!  That's the sign on the Mad Hatter's hat, and that's the date for us to have a bit of a Mad Tea Party, with pictures, unbirthday presents, and a viewing of "Alice in Wonderland."  As you can see above, the tea party went remarkably well - Mommy had a new tea for us, a cinnamon apple tea that was just perfect for this season.  There were pastries and so forth, and we actually found an "Alice in Wonderland" stencil set just yesterday at the dollar store, so why not?  Madison has actually been using a few stencils lately, so it was a perfect gift at the perfect time, and at the perfect price.

Afterwards, we watched the Tim Burton movie once again - although next year we may revert to one of the many other versions we have.  Of course there was popcorn and so forth, and it was a nice evening overall.

Just before bedtime, there was reading from the Bible - we were talking about building the Temple, and moving the Ark of the Covenant there.  And after that reading, Madison was anxious to see what happens next with those time travelers and Paul Revere.  It's been a book that Madison has been quite into - this third one might be the best so far, actually.  We prayed together, and soon after it was time for bed - at least for Madison.  Mommy and Daddy went to the guest room to watch some Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The rest of the day was work for Daddy, and school for Madison, and various chores for Mommy.  She picked up several items for the small group night tomorrow night at KidPak.  Madison was coincidentally learning about Paul Revere today, which may have fueled her desire to hear the continuing adventure tonight.

Afterwards, on Tuesday there is always piano.  And Daddy is amazed at what she is starting to be able to do.  It's very impressive finger work on the piano, and some of it is nearly instinctive, rather than laboring to search for keys.  She's getting better and better, and we're pretty proud of her.  Next week, she'll choose her recital piece.  Which is the piece of music that we'll have stuck in our head for weeks...

Speaking of which, each morning Madison wants to hear the "Descendants" soundtrack.  It's always requested, and Daddy is happy to oblige.  Although we do talk a little bit too, about the upcoming day, about plans, about movies, about books, about just about anything really.  Madison is wanting to be Mal for Halloween.  Mal is a character from the "Descendants" movie, but her costume is sold out everywhere, although you can get it for a mere $500 on certain websites.  Obviously, people aren't pleased with this.  Neither is Daddy, come to think of it.  I'd like to get that costume, but we'll see how it goes.  Daddy would have better luck sewing it himself, versus paying $500 plus shipping.  Anyone who does that... well, quite frankly, they're mad as hatters!

Wedding Date

Mom and I had a date tonight.  And this would be our first date in well over two years, this due to our current family dynamic.  Our friend Diana came over with her sister Elizabeth, and the two of them kept Nana and Maddie company at the house - they went out to Chick-Fil-A, and watched the Sight and Sound version of "Samson," followed by a request from Maddie:  "Descendants."  She and I have been listening to that music again lately, reliving some of our earlier years, and she's wanting to go through the movies again.  Or at least that one.  Maybe the others.  We're entering that season of the year, the one where we celebrate those sorts of villains, so I think that's okay, right?

Meanwhile, our date tonight was at a wedding.  Just Mom and I were invited, and it was a bigger wedding in regards to food.  I ordered salmon and Mom ordered chicken - and we did so weeks ago.  It was down at Roswell at the Presbyterian church, a place built in 1839.  It was a very nice wedding for our friend Brock, who got married with Allison, the two of them having a very elegant and honestly perfect wedding.  It was a nice night out for us too.

It was a busy day, one where we started out at Team Edge to do our regular round of practice.  Talk of tournaments pops up from time to time, although the idea of October's tournament might be too soon, and too much for the team at this season.  But there will be other opportunities, and the team keeps training together, working together, and having a good time together too.  Practice can be hard, but it's fun too.

Afterwards, it was time for a nice reward of boba tea.  We went over to the shop and got some of our favorite flavors for the ride home.  Lunch was prepared, or at least almost prepared.  Mom had burgers and hot dogs ready for the grill, so I was out there grilling all of us a nice traditional summer meal.  Mom had potato salad and macaroni salad, plus corn and baked beans.  We were all set!

After we got home tonight, we still made time for prayers.  We have church in the morning, so we all went to bed rather quickly.  We read from our book, and we got to sleep fairly quickly.  It was a busy day today, but a fun one.

Black Friday

Madison has a little sign hanging on her doorknob.  It reads "Madison is in" on one side, and on the other:  "Madison is out."  We have no idea where she got this idea, but each night she turns it around before going into the room - and each morning she turns it back.

Today, we were all collectively "out" for a bit.  It was a day of recovery for some, while Mommy was still facing some of the symptoms of this stomach flu.  Nobody got up early to go shopping today, although Daddy did venture out a little later to check on some sales.  He was 75% successful, that is to say he got 3 out of 4 of the items he was looking for.  And, of course, there are always those extra items you wind up getting that you didn't intend on getting.

But he quickly returned home, where Nana and Ba-Ba were with Madison.  Nana was still recovering a bit as well, and Ba-Ba never once felt any of the symptoms.  Good for him!

We didn't do much today, outside of playing games and watching Christmas movies.  We're doing a series based on Christmas movies in December (which starts on Sunday!), and there was a recent request to do a message based on the movie "Arthur Christmas."  We watched that one a bit, scouring for ideas, and then continued the Christmas-movie marathon by watching "The Preacher's Wife."  Mommy really likes that movie, especially the soundtrack.

Daddy was looking online for deals because it is Black Friday.  But he didn't see any deal for any of the items he was looking for.  Perhaps on "Cyber Monday," as it is now called.  I think it has been called that for the past five years or so - it's the internet alternative to Black Friday.  Instead of racing out and buying all kinds of stuff in person at stores on Friday, people sit on their computers and order stuff online on Monday.  In a similar theme, tomorrow is "Small Business Saturday."  We'll be working hard at our new service on Sunday, but we might find time to go to a small business.  In the old days, Mommy and Daddy used to go to a small business all the time:  a coffee shop.  There were two of them, and we'd frequent them all the time.  We'd sit and play Scrabble while sipping from our hot drinks on a cold night - a perfect date night.  But in came Starbucks, and those small businesses were gone.

We should check out Gainesville Square tomorrow, and just walk around.  If we have time - and if everyone's feeling better.  It's been a tough day for Mommy, but we're grateful that all of us were well enough for all the other fun things we've been doing lately.

Camelot-athon Begins!

So here we are on April 25 again, the "perfect date."  It was a nice day with lots and lots of rain, and many different things going on.  For one, Mom and I were over at the chiropractor with a post-Easter adjustment.  We went to Cracker Barrel after that for a good meal, and that place was packed!  But we like shopping in the store there, and in fact Mom got a hat that she likes there with a butterfly on it.  Last time, I got a cap with "The Mystery Machine" on it from Scooby Doo.  We laugh because a good bit of our clothing comes from Cracker Barrel!  Anyway, Maddie was at school laboring away as always, and as I said, it's crunch time.  She's in somewhat of a perilous situation with one class grade wise, but otherwise, it's just a winding down time with a lot of effort getting across that finish line in just a short time.  Tonight she had taekwondo for a good bit, and she feels like the team is doing really well together, firing on all cylinders and getting things good.  Her kicks are getting better, and the team is gearing up for the big competition now in just a few months.  

We had more storms tonight.  Maddie was doing an economics project this evening, so Mom and I were starting our "research" for an upcoming theme at KidPak, related to castles and Excalibur and all that.  That being said, we started a "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" series of movies, which you'll be surprised at how many of those there are.  We're just watching four of them, the first tonight featuring Whoopi Goldberg as Sir Boss and Michael York as King Arthur.  

It's actually a fun movie, "A Knight in Camelot," although obviously made for television, produced with slots for the commercials to squeeze right in.  It's a fun movie though, and there were a few ideas in there that we might take with us into skits.  We'll see!  But we'll continue this "Camelot-athon" for a week or so with several other titles, and as a bonus, I've never actually seen the original "Camelot" before, so that will be fun to visit.  Oh, wouldn't it be great to revisit Medieval Times again?  Or go to the Renaissance Festival?  Another important question:  Why are these words so hard to remember how to spell?  Anyway, you can see the mode we're going into for June at KidPak, at least.

We did have time to read tonight, and of course we're reading about those vampires entering the Kingdom of Lancre, and addressing the mystery of where Esme Weatherwax has gone off to.  After that, we said our prayers and got some sleep.

Cheese, Chinks, and Chasms

Okay, so we've had this game for years and never got around to playing the actual game on it.  Let me explain:  we had Kinect Star Wars, and because Madison was younger and because of the sometimes frustrating responsiveness of the Kinect system, we just didn't do the longer game segment on this disc.  We did the shorter activities, such as the rancor monster rampage and the pod racing, but the jedi padawan game was just a bit too much at the time.  So here we are a few years later, and we're just now trying it now.  And we're enjoying it.  You can see our jedi master Mavra Zane above, who is training us, and inadvertently leading us on a mission.  We went to Kashyyyk today to do a bit of training, and how exciting was it to run into Mace Windu and Yoda there.  And then the Trandoshans showed up with battle droids, and all-out war.  The end result was Madison and Daddy jumping, swinging arms, kicking, and just generally flailing all over the place for a really long time.  Seriously, the battle went on for so long that Madison was asking for a break, and Daddy was grateful for the rest as well - we escaped from Kashyyyk, and went straight to the kitchen to get a drink.  That game is a pretty good workout!  We'll continue tomorrow, I think.  But on the horizon is the dance floor, which we've never tried before.  There's this instantly catchy song called "Han Solo," which we've already got stuck in our heads.  Yes, it won't be long before we're dancing to that one.

So, recently Daddy spotted a particular cheese at the grocery store, and finally picked it up:

This past week, I finally picked up some Camembert cheese.  Mommy has warned me that she doesn’t like it that much, although not for the reasons Monty Python warns us about.  We’ll see!

But I’ve had somewhat of a "Cheese Shop Bucket List" in my head for years, and I’ve put it off for too long.  I’ve had Wensleydale Cheese several times now, mostly thanks to Wallace and Gromit.  And of course I’ve had plenty of the single most popular cheese in the world, cheddar.  Also, I’ve enjoyed the more common cheeses on the list, like Gouda, Edam, Greek Feta, Stilton, Mozzarella, Paresan, and Gorgonzola.  Madison has tried some of these as well, although we haven't stopped to create a checklist.  

Still it’s taken me this long to actually purchase Camembert cheese.  And once I’m done, I may even brave the cheese that all Warner Brothers cartoons taught me to avoid:  limburger.  I’m anxious to see if you can actually spot a visible yellowish trail of stench-mist emanating from each slice.

One note:  there apparently is no such thing as Venezuelan Beaver Cheese, as there are no beavers in Venezuela.  As many years as I’ve been making reference to this sort of cheese, I’ve never known that it was entirely made up.  But fortunately, the rest of these cheeses are not made up.

That being said, Norwegian Jarlsberg, here we come!  And while we're in a cheesy state of mind, here below is a poem that Daddy wrote rather hastily for David Austen, Madison's cousin, who has a birthday today.  He was actually a cheesemeister for a time, which is why this poem below is so cheesy:

We hope your birthday’s gouda, and not at all runny
And in fact fairly grate, (yes these cheese puns aren’t funny)

Like Casu Marzu, these jokes are rotten and stink
They may smell like limburger, when you stop to think.

But we’ll say them regardless, so have mercy please
And don’t take our plate here, because it’s nacho cheese.

Anyway, happy birthday! We hope that it’s not blue
Because our dear nephew, we’re quite fondue you!

This year won’t be a muenster. Nothing will be amiss.
Because God made you holy, like a good slice of Swiss.

You won't start to crumble, like a nice piece of feta,
because you’re strong as Stilton, and sharper than cheddar!

So have a great birthday! It’s not our expertise:
We’ll stop with the puns now, because you’re the Big Cheese!

His birthday is on the perfect date, because it's not too hot and not too cold.  All you need is a light jacket.

Although today a jacket might have helped with the windy day.  It was breezy, but it was still good to go outside and do some yard work in.  Mommy did just that, planting some more in our garden.  Daddy was working on messages as well - got to keep moving forward!  Also, I've been working on a version of the Dr. Seuss book, "Oh the Places You'll Go" for Madison's other cousin, Hannah.  We got the book, and we've been adding scriptures on each page, handwriting them in.  It'll be a nice graduation memento.

Mommy made Swiss cheeseburgers today with mushrooms, and these were just the most delicious cheeseburgers we've had in ages.  They were so good!  Tonight, we really got into Narnia by watching the movie "Prince Caspian."  I forgot how good this movie was - having just read the book, you realize how much of a good job they did with it.  Obviously, there are a lot of things added here or there, such as a dreadful sequence where our heroes attack Miraz' castle.  And the "shipping" of Caspian and Susan, I don't remember that.  But there are key lines in this, key bits of dialogue, that are really strong, and the message is there certainly.  It was nice.

Afterwards, we continued our voyage east of Narnia, visiting an island with invisible monopods, although Madison and Mommy don't remember these characters at the moment.  They don't know anything about the monopods, which means they have more in common with the voyagers in the story, left in mystery by these unusual voices from all around.  Tomorrow we'll read the next chapter, and we'll meet the Dufflepods.  But it was pleasant reading again tonight, and really an entire evening spent in Narnia, which isn't that bad of a place to go if you're stuck at home.  Sadly, we have no wardrobe around here, or a painting of a ship on the sea.  But we'll keep looking around.  These chinks and chasms are all around, and surely we can find one.

Until then, we said our prayers tonight, and we did the hide-and-seek thing, which is always funny.  It's a game where Daddy has to find Madison before bedtime, and it takes a while, because she's getting more and more advanced.  The last few years, she's even set up things to make me believe she's one place, only to be on the other side of the house.  She'll put a bunch of pillows under a blanket, to look like that's her underneath there.  Or she'll lay a blanket over vacuum cleaner in a spot in the corner, but it's not her under the blanket.  And so on.  It's getting more and more elaborate.  And we've been doing this ever since bedtime began.  To think, it started out so simply, where she was in the same exact hiding spot every night, and Daddy had to march around pretending he couldn't find her.  Now, it's legit:  I can't find her!

One of these times, perhaps she'll find a chink or chasm to Narnia.  And won't that be a wonderful adventure.  Perhaps that is what we'll dream tonight.

Something Beautiful

Fifteen years ago now, and it seems like a distant memory, a surreal event that changed our lives forever:  the first time we met Maddie.  We're so busy with Summer Xtreme preparations with costumes and so forth, but we were sure to stop and remember this momentous day fifteen years ago.  It's "Gotcha Day," and we usually post the pictures on social media and so forth, and we recount the stories and we read from the journal I wrote in about all that happened.  The memories grow fainter, and I'm glad I have pictures and written words for that day.  There are of course things I won't forget - the waiting in that room, and looking out across the large room into the doorways that led to a hallway that paralleled the entire room.  There were two doorways.  Maddie came through one of them, held by a social worker and passed on to Mom.  She was not happy about anything, and that's a typical image of adoption for infants and toddlers.  What it must have been like to leave behind all you knew to be handed into the arms of complete strangers.  But Maddie was so tired, and she fell asleep very quickly.  The journey to Nanning was a long one for her, and she was exhausted.  When she awoke, she was more settled and more comfortable, although there was much to get used to.  English, for one thing.  Many other things too - I remember Nana handing her toys, perhaps too many, and perhaps things getting overwhelming at points.  I remember the toy key ring that she would not let go of.  I remember the crib in the corner and the moment she was on her back on the bed, with Mom and I being a bit playful with her.  One of Maddie's first smiles came then, and we were grateful - they were few and far between in those early moments.  She was getting used to us.  I remember getting back to the hotel - all of us with our new children - and wondering if Maddie had been able to walk yet.  She was tiny and thin, and her first steps didn't come until perhaps the next day when we did the Cheerios trick, the thing you saw in the movie "E.T.", but instead of Reece's Pieces, there were Cheerios resting on the carpet there in a small path that led to a table she could reach the top of that had a small pile on it.  Later on she was walking more, which is my favorite memory of her early on - the day we explored that park and Maddie walked and walked and walked and kept on walking.  She was nearly leading the way, pulling us along, suddenly free and suddenly wanting to see the world for herself.  We were with her every step of the way, seeing all the beauty of that park in China - the large fish in the pond, the zigzag bridge, the ponds and statues, the ladies doing the tai chi and the elderly folks playing mahjang.  Mom brought along bubbles to blow at one quiet area, and Maddie reached out to touch them, fascinated by them floating all around her.  The temperature was perfect - the rain had just come and cleared out the park of many residents, and simultaneously cooled things off so that we could have the park nearly all to ourselves, going all the way from one end to the other.  It was a wonderful day.  

There are many other memories from our trip to China, but the first day we met Maddie was the biggest.  We didn't go anywhere else that day, and I'm glad.  The noise and commotion of the first meeting of all the parents - it was a room filled with wondrous chaos.  But the quiet in our room afterwards, and that sacred time together alone, just the three of us for the first time as a family... it was something beautiful.

Tonight we were at taekwondo, and it was a full night with the leadership class followed by black belt class.  Maddie had a good time as always.  She was sparring of course, and working on a few kicks that she's getting better at.  In fact, there's this one kick that she's able to do... which she was pulling off even though she was trying something else... it was funny.  

We got home today, and we read for a bit, and then said our prayers.  We'll do something nice for a big Asian meal tomorrow to celebrate, and it's an equally important date tomorrow- the official adoption date. But today will be the one that goes in our memory even stronger - the day we first met her, fifteen years ago this very date.

Loop Day

If ever there were a day to repeat time and again, this one would be nice.  Of course, there was a lot of work to do, but the weather outside was just so perfect.  This morning, Daddy knew he'd have all kinds of things at the office to do later on, so we decided to go to the pool early.

Perhaps it was a bit too cool in the pool.  Madison herself was feeling chilly, but we hung in there and had a bit of swimming time early on.  Daddy went off to work after this, retooling a script because of a missing actor at the last minute.  Apparently Obi Juan is coming back with his sombrero tomorrow, and it should be pretty fun.  There's even a shout out to H2-D2, the sombrero-wearing droid that Madison helped create last visit to Star Wars Days.  To think, we actually did have a Star Wars series at KidPak many years ago.  I think it was around twelve years ago, actually.  Ye-Ye built an X-wing fighter, and Mommy was Yoda (Daddy did the voice work there).  Time flies by, doesn't it?  Well, it does in this world, and not when you're in the loop, right?

Assuming we get there, tomorrow's message is called "The Bounty is Paid," so you can imagine we're going to be talking about Han Solo, and bounty hunters a bit.

Madison did some piano today, and went to harvest some virtual crops as well.  There was some television thrown in to the mix, but otherwise, it was a nice relaxing day for her.  When Daddy got home, we're starting our cowboy movies, the 'western' theme movies, and the first selection was "The Apple Dumpling Gang."  Madison has not seen this one, but she did like it.  Daddy remembers seeing this in theaters when he was young.  I think it was part of a double feature, and those were just the best.  All that 70's Disney magic!  Tim Conway and Don Knotts were great in this one, but so was the entire cast.  Bill Bixby and Harry Morgan were perfect, and this movie was a lot of fun.  I suspect we may go to the sequel tomorrow night, and then on to "Hot Lead and Cold Feet," another classic.  "The Shakiest Gun in the West" is in the cue as well, along with "Home on the Range" and those old Bob Hope westerns like "Paleface" and "Son of Paleface."  And yes, there's an Abbott and Costello movie or two that takes place in the Old West.  This will be a fun series for research with all these old Western-themed movies.  We just saw a Western-themed episode of "The Twilight Zone," in fact.  And then there are the more serious classics too... okay, the list goes on and on.  It'll be great fun digging into all of them.

Before bed and prayers, we read a bit tonight, some from devotional and Nevergirls, and after that Daddy read a bit to Mommy from "Hollow City," the next book in the Miss Peregrine series.  It's only appropriate, as today is Loop Day, right?

Just in case you're wondering what Loop Day is, that's the day that the peculiars in the first book live over and over again.  While September 3rd is a big deal in the book, September 30th will be the release date for the movie upcoming.  We're kind of looking forward to it, as by then we should have all three books of the trilogy read.  We'll see how that goes, of course - we're just starting on book #2 now.

Tomorrow, Daddy is speaking at KidPak.  That's why this entry might be a little short today - he has to go and study, and rest.  It's a big deal, and a big message.  The Bounty is Paid.

So goodnight, and happy Loop Day.  If we post the same thing this time tomorrow, you know you're stuck in the loop.  Just sit back and enjoy - it was lovely weather, and everything turned out okay in the end.  Rest easy, and rest early.  Goodnight!

First Fire

We had our first fire of the winter tonight, which Daddy miscalculated on the "where will the smoke go" department.  Fortunately, some adjustments had us breathing regular air again, rather than a bunch of smoke!

It's such a nice thing visually, isn't it?  Even more so this time of year, as we popped in yet another Christmas movie tonight.  I guess we're taking this thing seriously:  probably no other movies but Christmas ones for the next several weeks.  ABC has it's "25 Days of Christmas," but we've got them beat currently with "53 Days of Christmas."  I believe that's when we started - so far it was that short 1955 "Miracle on 34th Street," followed by "Disney's A Christmas Carol."  Tonight, we dipped a bit into the obscure with "One Magic Christmas," an unusual Christmas movie from 1985, starring Mary Steenburgen.  Mommy and Daddy sat down on the couch with our chai tea, and snuggled down for a movie together - it was a perfect evening.

It was a great day today, starting with a nice late start.  Or, at least it seemed like a late start.  Daylight Savings time in the fall is the best, isn't it?  We all go to bed earlier and wake up later!  Madison was well rested, and actually ready to go to school with no foot-dragging.  Daddy and Mommy left shortly after that, out to do some Christmas shopping.  We used gift cards galore, some at the Disney Store and another at Red Lobster, where we both enjoyed a nice lunch "date."  We also stopped by Teavana for some chai tea, which we now have enough of to last an entire year or more.  Yeah, we bought too much.

Daddy also picked up a new game for Madison and he to get through before Christmas time.  This one will last us a few weeks, and get us to Christmas, I believe - it's "Up" for the X-box.  We played a sample of it a few months ago, and enjoyed it.  Today, Daddy picked it up for $10, which is a steal, really.  It's a two-player game, and the perfect motivation for Madison to get through piano practice.  Speaking of which, that went well today.  It went well yesterday too - she's more focused (again, the motivation might be helping a bit!).  Tomorrow, she'll be all caught up finally.  This is a place she hasn't been for the last few weeks, mainly due to the cruise and the week before that, strep throat.

The last embers of the fire are currently burning out, a quiet crackling in the great room - it's even a pleasant sound to have a fireplace.  The fake fireplace in the extra room up front is fun too.  It's nearby the piano where we practice, and Madison enjoys pretending she's backed up to the fake fire too closely.  She pretends to panic, and gets Daddy to pretend to pour water on her backside to put out the fire.  We did this one time, and now, we have to do it a lot.  That's the fun of having a seven-year-old.  The other fun thing is stories at bedtime - we're still at 100 Acre Wood.  Currently, we're on book #11 of the series, where Madison sits and listens as Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Roo and Eeyore look on.  Perhaps for Christmas we should consider finding a Rabbit and Owl doll.  Do they even make those?  Poor guys - what would 100 Acre Wood be without them?  And Kanga too?  We need to have an Owl Appreciation Week or something.  And for heaven's sake, start making Rabbit toys - we know how fussy he can be.

Time Traveling and Tests

So we were back to school today, which this picture above generally summarizes.  Only... Madison actually likes school, so it wasn't that bad.  What this picture does show is one of the episodes of Gravity Falls we watched tonight.  One of the other things we did today was pick up on our binge-watching, and we got to this episode tonight, where Dipper and Mabel go back in time using that tape measure there.  A few years ago for our "Time Travelers" series, we made a time travel device that looked just like that, a tape measure with the infinity symbol on it.  We put it in the display case with the other time travel items, just to see if anyone caught the reference.

School was largely review this week, a lesson on "how to take a test."  The students in sixth grade are going to be taking the Milestones tests - starting Wednesday.  Nobody likes these.  I mean, nobody likes tests in general, but these are like... the worst.

Tests like these generally are.  It's like that last game between two wild card teams at the end of a baseball season.  You could have this one team that is just statistically proven with test after test, homework assignment after homework assignment.  Averages are off the chart, but if they have one bad day, one bad test, then it's all over with.  That's the Milestones test.

My advice to Madison isn't exactly something teachers don't want to hear.  I've been telling her not to worry about it.  Just relax and do your best, but it's nothing anyone will be sitting there super judgmental about.

Anyway, this starts on Wednesday, so we'll take it easy on her this week.  Speaking of tests, though, Madison got a perfect score on her Canadian test.  This made us super proud, eh?  This was her summative test, which carries a good amount of weight on her total score for the year.  She was pretty happy about that one, because she guessed an answer towards the end.  Evidently, it was a good guess!

Tonight we had piano class again, and here we are returning to things.  It was raining by that point, and thank you Lord for the rain.  The pollen today was so immense.  We were traveling along and I saw something I've never seen before, a tree that looked like a chimney, with a plume of yellow smoke continuously rising upwards as if there were an active fireplace deep within.  Picture a chimney top with smoke coming out, and you've got an idea of what we were seeing with all the trees here.  It's been devastating on the lungs.  I have an inhaler, and medication.  Today we were at the chiropractor and they were putting us on some of the old time machinery in order to "stir up the lungs a bit."  The one with the waterbed and the massaging is pretty nice.  The other one is so gloriously retro - the Spinalator.  The "stirring up the lungs" part wasn't exactly scientific there, but it was nice.  The two of us - Mommy and Daddy - were in a quiet, dark room on these little massage beds.

After our visit to the chiropractor, we went over to Cracker Barrel for a date.  Yes, Madison, while you were toiling away at school, reviewing for the Milestones, your parents were on a lunch date!  We got there just in time for the lunch crowd, and had a nice meal together.

We were home after that, and we did our taxes at home.  Well, at least Mommy did.  She did all the work, and we got that off our minds at least.  One task down, quite a few others to go!

So tonight we were reading from our new devotional, based on the series, "Miracles."  We also continued reading about Neverland as well, which has been nice.  We're building up to a big finish for this book, and suddenly there's the appearance of Tick-Tock the crocodile, which means that things are about to get really interesting.  We'll see - Daddy has no memory of what happens next, but everyone has been enjoying our bedtime stories.

We said our prayers tonight, for good rest, for good health, and then it was time for bed for all of us.  We're still a bit worn out from the weekend, and a good night's rest was in order.  Good night!

Another Homecoming

 

Maddie went to a homecoming dance one more time tonight, and this time with a date!  Yes, she went with Nate the date.  It was his senior homecoming, and she was happy to come along for a very nice night in Flowery Branch.  Beforehand, they grabbed a bite to eat, and yes, there was this photoshoot too!

Just as the train came roaring past!

Here are a few pictures Maddie took from the dance tonight.  She had a wonderful time!

Oh, and pictures of dinner too...!

And meanwhile, here's a photoshoot I had with Mom!  

Okay, this was just while we were with Nate and Maddie for a bit downtown.  Afterwards, Mom and I didn't make it to the botanical gardens in time, but we did get some things done at home.  And we have some nice roses in the back yard right now anyway.  

Also Mom and I went to eat at Mellow Mushroom, which was packed tonight!  Big crowds and big wait time, especially at our table, but the food was good, and we tried an ice cream Sunday with a gluten-free brownie, and it was just delicious.  It was a leisurely paced meal, and that's just fine - we had a good time there. 

It was a good day today.  Maddie had her Team Edge practice this morning, and after that we were largely back at home getting ready for the dance, or just getting a few things done around the house.  Here's something that came in the mail:

This is for a skit tomorrow - we'll have six of these costumes for flowers, and it should be fun for a musical number.  You got to have Good Soil!  

I was shooting down juro spiders, as they're getting huge and out of hand around the house again.  The weather is getting cool outside, and it's just perfect.  We had a nice day today, and of course Maddie had a wonderful time tonight.  There were llamas at the homecoming dance.  Llamas!  Also, a few old friends from church that we hadn't seen in a while.  Maddie was quite tired when she got home, but we still made time to read a little, say our prayers, and then get to sleep quickly!