Catching up

No update on the job front, but I do have some pictures to show, and a few stories to catch you up on... For New Years we went to the Holiday Inn and had a lot of fun - they have a dance every year - this was the first time we were able to go. The kids had a lot of fun - Ter was still recovering from surgery, but he was a good sport and though he went to rest for awhile, he came back at midnight to kiss me! We realized at that moment that this was the first time we had ever been out for New Year's! Akaela also got her braces off and her teeth look amazing! She is getting so pretty and growing up! Nick and Akaela are both playing basketball - such a difference this year for Nick at Kearney High! He's doing well, though. And Akaela is doing awesome - she broke the girls record by 12 points -and in only 3 quarters! Noelle has been a b-ball fan since she arrived (most of last season she was yelling in Mandarin) but she hadn't had any actual playing experience in China. We think that they don't do PE there - her muscle tone was almost nonexistent at first and she couldn't even shoot a ball close to the net - and jumping is an issue, too. BUT, she has been working at it and last week she made her first basket! Since then when she comes home from school, she gives me an update - 2 today, Mom! One day it was 4! We also took her in for a checkup and she has grown 3-1/2 inches and gained 13 pounds since she got home! She is now in the 70th percentile for her age! I am enjoying being home - things I always meant to get to are getting done - like cleaning out the pantry! Unfortunately, our finances won't allow me to be a permanent housewife, but I am enjoying it while I can! Of course, there are some unpleasant aspects to unemployment - but I am doing my best to see the glass as half full. Again, I thank my friends for being so great - emails, phone calls and hugs - tears and sad eyes - they all tell me that you care. And that means more to me than I can express. Mostly I don't cry anymore - and I am learning lessons! Just today I saw a woman on tv that had lost her arms and legs from a flesh eating bacteria - she was such a fighter - taking care of her family - and her face was so full of light. I cried (no surprise) at her story and realized that my problems are so small! I'm grateful that God is showing me so much during this time...my eyes are open to more because I am not so "busy". Blessings all! Lisa

I'm listening....

Hello all -
Last Tuesday, January 20th, I went to work as usual - and my boss called me into his office and let me know that my position had been eliminated. I, along with 13 others were let go from the Kearney plant - and Eaton as a whole let go 5200 people that day.
It was a blow - I'd been there for nearly 19 years, so as you can imagine, my world changed that day.
I left soon after I was told, unable to stop the tears, but returned the next day in order to tie up the loose ends and let my coworkers know where some issues stood. Ter was quite upset - and he felt that I should just let them figure it out, but I wanted to live my faith and do the right thing. It was a hard day, I did okay until people gave me sad eyes or hugs, but in the long run, I'm grateful that I did. I stayed till after five, beyond my 8 hours, in order to finish the filing and clean everything up.
I admit, at times I feel the fool, for all the extra time I worked, for always taking the extra step, going the extra mile, for giving the customers my home number, taking the 2 AM calls, being on two phones at once until 9 pm, setting up charter flights, while those above me slept. I feel as a wife who's husband has betrayed her - a fool for caring too much. But, when these feelings arise, I shrug them off, because I did my best and I can leave with a clear conscience.
It is concerning, because we lost 2/3 of our income, and we are still quite deep in debt because of the adoption. We went in debt purposely, knowing that her little life is worth it all, but we hadn't planned on this twist.
But, amazingly, I do have a sense of peace about it. I honestly feel that God has a plan for my life and that Eaton's part in it is over. I have been,even more since last Tuesday, been watching and listening intently for His direction. Though it's a bit scary - it is an exciting time, too! So many possibilities and opportunities!
I must also say, that it has been a time of blessings as well. So many people have shown me that they care, with tears and promises of prayers, sobs and hugs, that I feel humbled and thankful beyond words. It means so much to me that people showed me their concern and love. I feel so blessed.
Please say a prayer, if you think of it, and if any of you have a dream about what I'm supposed to do...you let me know!
Blessings,
Lisa

Happy New Year!

Hi Everyone!
It's almost the last day of 2008,
Our first full year with Noelle - how far she has come! The only time she seems to become intimidated is when she comes in contact with people who are from China. It took me awhile to figure it out, but in China the orphans are looked down on and sometimes ridiculed, and I think all that comes back to her when she hears Mandarin spoken. However, with her Zion friends, with all the love and acceptance that they have shown her -she is happily confident. Ter and I often say how quickly the year has gone, but how we can't imagine our lives without her.
Nick was confirmed, graduated from Zion and has started high school - and he's growing up so much - he's lifting weights and he's starting to look like ....a bigger boy (my baby boy can't be a man, yet!)
Akaela has grown up so much this year, too - she's really starting to "be a girl" - wearing a bit of makeup and enjoying dressing up. Her face has gotten longer, and so have her legs! She has slimmed down and she has a waist! She's almost as tall as I am....
Ter and I are doing great - albeit a few physical issues - but then, as our kids grow older, so do we! But, as we grow older, the distractions fall away and the priorities become so clear - God, family, friends - helping others.
Blessings all - and Happy New Year!
Lisa

A few more pics

Merry Christmas!

Hello all,
I know, I know - I have lost my status as a blogger since it's been so long since I updated. My only excuse is that we have been busy! Nick's basketball games started and one week he had three! He also has practice that starts at 5:30 pm and ends at 8 Pm so poor Ter has become a taxi service! Of course, Akaela has been practicing until 5:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I usually just work until she's done on those days - add in Wednesday night church, and getting ready for Christmas and we were seriously sleep deprived!
I'll try to catch you up on what's been going on -
We had a fun thanksgiving - we actually tried to work at the thanksgiving dinner for people who don't have anywhere to go - but there were five times as many people to help as there were eating, so we stayed around for about an hour and then left. Later we went to Dave and Christine's for an awesome dinner. We stayed late playing Wii and had a blast!
Kristi and I went shopping early on Black Friday and got some good deals, but Walmart was probably the craziest I have ever seen. I forgot my cell phone and had to sit on the water softener salt for about a half hour hoping that Kristi would find me!
Then we had our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday - the Howsdens joined us and we had a good meal, too.
Times are tough right now - everywhere, but in Automotive, we're really feeling it - we hear about ourselves on the news every day. we've lost about a third of the people at work and are taking an extra long break at Christmas. We kind of feel like we are on a roller coaster - one day they say that the congress will bail out the big 3 then they don't pass it - a bunch of plants will close down then the president might help. All we can do is work hard pray.
Billy and Alex got baptized! It was pretty cool!
Then we decorated the house for Christmas. Noelle got to put the angel on the tree for the first time.
The kids had their Christmas programs. I was amazed how how incredible the Kearney High music program is! Akaela did a great job, too - she had a solo! Noelle was very sweet - her class sang "The First Noel" and every time they sang "Noel" she got the cutest smile on her face!
Ter had surgery on the 22nd - double hernia and he has had quite a time recovering. The doctor scared me to death when he came out to talk to me - he took me into the private room! He said that they got it done, but it was "a bear" and that Ter would be VERY sore - and he was right! Poor guy is still on pain meds - he wanted to do it over Christmas break, but I'm not at all sure that he will be ready to go back to work - we'll see.
We also had our furnace go on the blitz and the night of his surgery, a water pipe broke! Needless to say, he was in no condition to fix it...so we had to call in a plumber. Stressful day! But...we made it through and we'll be getting a new heat pump sometime next week. Thankfully, our old one is still working enough to keep us from freezing!

We had a great Christmas - we got a family gift - a Wii - and the kids are really enjoying it. Ter has even bowled a bit from his recliner!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas!
Blessings,
Lisa

Grandma and the seven dwarfs...sorta

Okay, so three of them were my kids and I'm shorter than at least one of them, but it was kinda catchy, wasn't it?
Last weekend I had the grandkids - plus mine so that made seven!
Ter and Billy both worked Saturday, so it was me and them! I had Nick - 15, Akaela - 13, Breanna - 9, Noelle - 8, Alex and Derek - both 6 and Shane - 3 months! On Friday, I realized that if I was going to get to the grocery store I better do it then, because we wouldn't all fit in the van! :-) I got to really get to know little Shane - so much fun - he likes to be held up high (arms over my shoulder) when he's being burped. He doesn't like to lie on his stomach. He won't focus on you when you're holding him, but he will if someone else is. If you talk sweetly to him, he will smile the sweetest little grin in the world. It's been a long time since I woke up in the night with a little baby - or since we had a baby sleeping in the bed between us.
I had a blast with all the kids - we made turkeys out of their handprints - they got to bake - we made a TON of food - and we got to bond.
At church, I had the big kids sit between the little ones in church to keep them in line - experience talking here! I'll add a few pics - aren't they sweet!
We sure did miss them after they left!
Blessings,
Lisa

Highs and lows

I first saw Barack Obama on Oprah three plus years ago. I had never heard of him before but I listened to what he had to say. He was not running for President then, so what he was saying wasn't for votes, he was just talking to Oprah. He said that he was a person who liked to bring people together, that our country isn't one made up of red states and blue states, but of Americans. He was very humble, low key and what he said made a lot of sense. Of course, I am also a person of mixed races who can see many sides of an issue, and I am all about bringing people together, so it wasn't much of a stretch for me. I had the show taped and asked my dh to come in and listen to it. After watching it, he said, "If that guy would ever run for President, I'd vote for him."
I can't say that I have ever been a person who votes down party lines. I (and most of my family) can't be described as true to the party platforms. I guess I follow my Christian beliefs - and by my definition that means loving one another as He loved us. To me that means that showing discrimination and hatred toward gays is not what God wants us to do..it also means that I am pro-life...so I am somewhere in the middle. I do believe that we are all here to help each other and I try to live that.
This time, I have followed the primaries, watched George Stephenaopolis every week - I have watched all the debates - listened to all the commentaries - read all the stories. I have never, ever been more engaged. My dh registered to vote for the first time in his life.
So...when election day came and Barack Obama won I was beyond elated. I took Wednesday after the election off - had some errands - but also knew that I would be up late on Tuesday - and I knew that I'd be either sad or very happy and I really didn't want to listen to what I was sure would be a lot of negative talk at work. I watched tv - and shed a ton of tears - happy tears that our country has come so far. It felt like all I have worked for for these years has come to pass!
But - after I talked to my dh and my ds and dd about what they had heard at work and school - I was very upset. I know that people here are mostly Republican, and I do not begrudge them their political beliefs, but much of what we have heard was so hateful - some racial remarks, some assasination jokes, horrible stuff. There has been some editorials that have made me sick.
So..it seems that "all that work" I did, has not made much of a difference. Not where I live. Honestly, I have been so disappointed - heartbroken really - that I've seriously considered moving.
Who knows, maybe that is the direction God wants me to take - maybe He is preparing for that - and all this will help me not to feel badly about moving. Or - maybe I'm meant to stay and fight the good fight - you know the one about how God created us all and how we're all His children and we're supposed to love one another - why oh why is that so hard for people to get?
So...I've been a bit manic depressive these days - alternating between elation and deep depression.
It's taken me almost two weeks to write this. I've been holding it in - better to get it out, right?
We'll see.
Lisa