She's Back......

I know that I've been a horrible blogger the last few months. I've been in one of my "depression times" and just haven't felt like writing, but I'M BACK!!!

Since I've been gone for a while, I decided to just catch you up on some of the fun things that have been going on in our family, and I'll do that mostly via pictures!!

William and Kitty had their first choir concert together. They did a great job and sang several fun songs!

William and Kitty after the Concert

Beautiful Singing

I took Carson and a friend of his to the One Republic / Rob Thomas concert. I have definitely become a HUGE Rob Thomas fan!! The concert was great!!

Carson and I Ready to Rock!

Carson, Dee, and Maria, Dee's Mom

Next on our list of things to do was to go to "Wicked!" Last year while I was in New York, I went with my sister-in-law to see it, and it was fabulous!! Rowland and I were not disappointed! It was fabulous again!!!!

I love "Dress Up" Dates!!

Since we don't celebrate Halloween, we enjoyed going out to dinner as a family, then watching "Igor" and stuffing our faces with as much candy as we were able!! I always treasure Family Night!

Candy and Movie Night

Our Newest Addition, Joan "Jet" Watching the Movie

And lastly, we celebrated my 44th birthday yesterday! My precious friend Jeannie made me a cake and tried to slide some trick candles into the mix. Still full of hot air, I blew them ALL out!!!

Stuffing Our Faces at On the Border

Momma with Her Little Princess

Daddy and William

The Oldest and the Youngest

Kitty Still Adores Her Big Brother

The Birthday Dance with Joe and Jeannie

My Precious Friend

Making My Wish

All in all, it's been a tough road for the last couple of months, but joy truly does come in the morning, and the sun has risen! I've enjoyed the time of "circling the wagons," focusing all of my energy on my family and resting as needed. God is always faithful, though, even when I begin to doubt Him. Fortunately, His faithfulness is not dependent on mine!! Thank you to those of you who have prayed for me and for our family! Prayers are the real treasures!!

Happy 5th Gotcha Day September 22, 2009

On December 10, 2002, a little baby girl was born in Guigang, China. Almost two years later on September 22, 2004, that little girl, Cydney Jia Xiaoshen Smith, was placed in our arms to complete our family. Somehow, God in His amazing and miraculous ways led us straight around the world to our beautiful daughter. We are so blessed to be her Forever Family. Jia, your momma and daddy love you with every piece of their hearts!!!



My heart is so filled with joy as I watch the video for the 100th time. I remember sitting on the couch, waiting for the orphanage director to place my baby in my arms. Instead, a beautiful little toddler came walking into the room. As tears streamed down our cheeks, Rowland and I reached for our princess. Naturally, she screamed! It was not exactly the moment I had pictured in my mind, nor were the days following. In fact, it was a L-O-N-G three weeks in China living with a little girl who hated me, would not allow me to touch her very often, and would scream if Rowland touched me or I even touched her stroller.

Jia slept on top of Rowland's chest each night, and each time he would try to move or get up, she would scream "Ma-Ma, Ma-ma!" I began to think that she would have been better off to have stayed with her foster mom of the last 14 months. At 22 months of age, she understood just enough to know that she was miserable!

As countless friends and family prayed, I began to notice small changes in her responses to me. My mom, being the wise woman that she is, suggested that I give her Skittles and Diet Coke and that she only be allowed them when she was in my lap. I'm not sure that a psychologist would have agreed, but her plan worked! I gave her Skittles and Diet Coke morning, noon, and night! And God began to work in her little heart to bond her to me. I specifically remember God whispering in my ear, "Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning!" (Psa. 30:5) And so it did!

Jia Taking Skittles from My Hand

And Feeding Them to Her Momma

On the long plane ride home, Jia and I were the only ones who seemed to be awake on the entire plane. I spent hours walking her up and down the aisle, singing softly in her ear, "Yes, Jesus loves Jia...." I know that God used that time to further bond our hearts together.

Now, my little princess who was formed in someone else's body has been forever imprinted in my heart. As I read recently, "I may not have given you the gift of life, but life gave me the gift of you!" Thank you, God, with a gratefulness that only You can understand!! You have been good to this momma!

Jia and "Mom-mom" Loving Each Other

To Understand Me......And the Plight of My Precious Husband

Rob Thomas - "Her Diamonds"

Oh what the hell she says
I just can't win for losing
And she lays back down
Man there's so many times
I don't know what I’m doin'
Like I don't know now

By the light of the moon
She rubs her eyes
Says it's funny how the night
Can make you blind
I can just imagine
And I don't know what I’m supposed to do
But if she feels bad then I do too
So I let her be

And she says oooh
I can't take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cuz I can't help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best and now she can't win it's
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

She sits down and stares into the distance
And it takes all night
And I know I could break her concentration
But it don't feel right

By the light of the moon
She rubs her eyes
Sits down on the bed and starts to cry
And there's something less about her
And I don't know what I’m supposed to do
So I sit down and I cry too
And don't let her see

And she says oooh
I can't take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cuz I can't help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best and now she can't win it's
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

She shuts out the night
Tries to close her eyes
If she can find daylight
She’ll be all right
She’ll be all right
Just not tonight

And she says oooh
I can't take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cuz I can't help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best and now she can't win it's
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

Get Off My Back....

My kids educate me all the time on conservation. Jia was just explaining to me at the cabin this week that we have to take care of the Earth because when we die, there will be a whole new "school" coming up. They tell me not to let the water run too long when I'm brushing my teeth. They tell me which items are to be recycled and which can't be. Another thing that I hear about is gasoline conservation, a GREAT topic for a family of six driving a Yukon XL!

I see all of the cute little mini-SUVs driving around town, and I'd love to own one. The Toyota Prius is adorable and fun to drive. I also think that the Toyota Venza and the Nissan Murano are great-looking cars, and I have driven a Honda CRV that I really enjoyed driving. Rowland and I even spent an entire day trying to figure out how our family could down-size. The problem is that we can't! Carson is in high school now, taller than I am; William is right behind him, gaining on me; and then there are three more of us, not including our huge Lab Sage.

Just this past week, I took the three younger kids to the cabin for a week while they're off track. By the time that we had the car loaded, there was barely room for Sage to lie down in the back. Reality is that we needed every single inch of that monster SUV. We didn't even have room for Rowland and Carson! (Of course, after shopping during the week, we barely made it home! That's a whole different issue!)

I appreciate the Cash for Clunkers idea. I would love to be able to help out by driving a less fuel hungry car. I hear the comments about my tank. Bottom line, though...all of that to say....I'll do my best to conserve. In fact, I even have re-usable bags for groceries. I'll be as green as I can be, but I'm driving my big SUV as long as my family needs it. The rest of the world, including my kids, can just GET OFF MY BACK!!

Everybody in the Car!

I was having a mommy memory a couple of days ago and have been thinking about it each time that we load up the fam lately. When the children were smaller, and there were only three of them, I remember one of my greatest frustrations. I could NEVER get the children in the car with one simple command, "Everybody, get in the car!" Instead, I would have to say it over and over and over again as I would run around the house doing last minute things. In fact, my goal was to get them in the car so that I could pick up the house quickly on my way out the door. (This worked GREAT when we were selling houses!)

I remember talking to Lisa S who was the Teaching Pastor's wife at our church in Little Rock. She had four children, and her youngest was in second or third grade. My oldest was in first or second grade with the younger two being around two and three, I think. She made a great observation in that conversation. "Don't tell them to get into the car over and over again. Wait and tell them when you REALLY mean it." Good point, Lisa!! Her advice didn't solve my problem, though, because I, of course, didn't change!

My problem has been changed, though, because my children DID change! We spent a few days in Breck while the kids were off track, and I noticed that every child can pack for him/herself, prepare a bag of toys or electronics, put their stuff in the car, AND get in the car with one simple request on my part! While I definitely enjoyed their babyhood (probably not a word), I DEFINITELY enjoy EVEN MORE that when I say, "Everybody in the car," the car fills with people, and those people even have my keys waiting for me when I finally get into the car!!! Now, that's what I call progress!!!!!!

Everybody in the Car!!!

Just Doesn't Get It

Jia's in first grade this year and having a great year. She is also the child who shares EVERYTHING - TWICE! (Must've gotten it from Rowland?) She came home from school a couple of days ago and asked me if I'd like to hear what happened at school that day. Not wanting to disappoint her, I said, "Sure."

The conversation went something like this:

"I had to change desks today because I was looking on my neighbor's paper."

"Honey, why were you looking on your neighbor's paper?"

"Because I didn't know the answer."

Duh! "Did you feel badly when the teacher moved you?"

"No. I got to move back when the test was over."

"Honey, you understand that you can't look on your neighbor's paper anymore, right?"

"But, Mom, what if I don't know the answer?"

Hmmm......

She also shared with me that she had never "gotten" to sit in the "private office" chair. Thinking that this was a great privilege, I asked her what she needed to do to be able to sit in this special location. Jia: "Talk to my neighbors instead of doing my work."

Just not sure she gets it.....

My Little Swimmer

Jia's in her second round of swim lessons, and while I'd like to see her teacher push her to progress a little faster, Jia's doing a great job. The good thing about her teacher's slow pace is that Jia loves to go, making life easier for mom!

Yesterday, they had a short segment on the use of life jackets and what to do if you're ever in cold water, how to huddle together, etc. Of course, Momma on the side of the pool was thinking, "What exactly are the odds of this six year old getting stranded in ocean water with seven other people? Could we just do some 'swimming?'" Just in case, though, she's prepared!

Jia Floating in Her Life Jacket

My Princess Getting Out of the Pool

And, Of Course, Always a Pose!!!