Nice to Meet You! 7/365

You may remember that in October, we brought home our newest rescue, Annie.  You can read her story here.  We felt fortunate to have at least some information about her when we adopted her, because with all of our other rescues, you never really get the whole story.  You always wonder what they have been through, and what it was like where they came from.  Since Annie's story was so unique, and she was one of so many taken that day, their story had hit the local paper.  The news article even mentions our sweet Annie by name.  So, from the article, I was able to gain a little more insight into the life of our Annie.  But the more I learned, the more my heart broke.  See, it wasn't just about some crazy animal hoarder like you would see on TV, it was about a woman who truly wanted to do the right thing, and a husband who loved her enough to allow it.  Then when she passed away from pancreatic cancer, there was a man left with what his wife had loved, and he was overwhelmed.  For him, there was a sense of relief when they came that day to take the animals away.  His burden was lifted.  His life could for the first time in years be normal.  He walked away with his favorite dog, the one pictured in his arms above.

After reading the article a few times, I just couldn't stop thinking about the man.  Was he okay?  Or did he wonder every night when he laid down what had happened to the animals that had consumed his time, his finances, and his life?  I also selfishly wanted to find him, so I could get those questions that you always want to know about your rescues answered....mainly, how old is she?  So, I began my search.  I found a phone number, and called it, only to find it disconnected.  So then Noelle and I decided maybe we should search facebook.  We did find three gentlemen on facebook with that name, so we tried to learn what we could from the limited profiles.  We decided that maybe we had found our guy.  So, I sent him a message asking if by any chance he had lived in Alabama with a bunch of dogs.  He messaged me back letting me know that he was indeed our man.  I was able to share with him that we had adopted sweet Annie, and that we adored her, and I was able to get my questions answered.  We sent him a Christmas package from Annie with a detailed account of what she had been through since that day, but how she had landed herself perfectly into our family.

So this morning Annie and Rags ran to the front door barking. I looked out my window to see who was here, and there was an unfamiliar man on my front porch.  I cracked the door just a little because after all, I am well protected with Annie and Rags.  He peered in and said, you have one of my dogs.  At that, I threw the door open and Annie jumped over barking at him like crazy.  But then he said, Oh Annie, and knelt down.  That is all it took, with one quick sniff, she knew exactly who he was.  She gave him some kisses and after a few minutes with him, she came right back to Noelle and I.  I wanted her to spend time with him while he was here, but he was overjoyed to see that she loved us, that she was choosing us.  We got to talk a bit about Annie's whole story, and we have all the pieces to her puzzle now.  I can only hope that he left here satisfied knowing that we love and adore one of the dogs that he admitted that he worried about.  He said there were six that he wondered about, so for us to reach out to him about one of those six has given him a glimmer of hope that the others too have landed into the same type of situations.  So, to our new friend....it was nice to meet you!!

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Am I Even Chinese at All? 6/365

After school, I always let my kids play up at the playground, and I sit around with a few moms and we chat.  This year we have an influx of Chinese and Korean students in our school because of the local Kia plant and all of their suppliers. 

There was two Chinese families at the playground yesterday and their two little girls were playing.  My youngest ventured over their way, and then this was the conversation that I overheard. It took some self restraint on my part, but I decided to let LeeLee handle it herself.

Chinese girl #1- "You need to go play somewhere else"
LeeLee- "WHY?"
Chinese girl #1- "Because you are not Chinese."
LeeLee- "Yes I am"
Chinese girl #1 and #2 in unison- "No you are not."
LeeLee- "Yes I am"
Chinese girl #1-  "No you are not, I am Chinese, you are not."
LeeLee- "I am Chinese, I look like I'm Chinese."
Chinese girl #1- "yes, but you are not from China."
LeeLee- "yes I am from China."
Chinese girl #2- "you don't speak Chinese"
LeeLee- Ni Hao, Gugu, Mei Mei, Jie Jie, see, I just spoke Chinese
Chinese girl #1 now looking a little perplexed- "Well, we still aren't going to play with you because you are not like us."
LeeLee- "You are right I am not like you, I was adopted by people who chose me, your parents didn't get to choose you, they just got stuck with you, and it looks like they got stuck with a couple of brats."  then she happily skipped off in the other direction.

Oh friends, part of me is so proud of my girl!!  She has self confidence, that can't be shaken by some children at the playground.  She knows who she is.  The other part of me was a tad bit embarrassed that she called the girls brats, but I have always been a call it like you see it type of girl, so we had to have a conversation about that.  The good things is, the girls had limited English and I heard one of them say, "What is a brat?"


But this little display yesterday, just reminds me that my girls will face issues like this all their lives.  They do live in a complicated place....one that I haven't experienced before, one that I have no wisdom to give them.  Some would argue my girls are not Chinese, they are American, or Chinese Americans, while others would see them as Chinese because after all, they look Chinese.  And then there is this, that they will face a certain outcasting from some in the Chinese community.  For each of my girls, they have to find their place in this world, and find who they are. But as for LeeLee, I think she fully understands this verse....I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are your works, And my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14  If she can hold onto that verse for life, I believe she will find her place in the world, and I will be her spectator rooting her on.

We have Eggs! 5/365

Little LeeLee was all ready to be my model today...but she got bumped by something more important.  The kids have anxiously been awaiting the arrival of this since the beginning of October when we purchased our chickens for family day.  Our first egg was discovered.  I sent Hunter down with a box full of veggies for the chickens, and he came back in screaming, "We have eggs!" I think there was a bit of disbelief, but he had an egg.

Upon further investigation, we realized there was not only one egg, but eight beautiful eggs.  They weren't laying in the nesting box, so we had overlooked them.

Here they are, all cleaned up, and ready for a meal.  Tonight we will be having breakfast for dinner...and I am so excited!

The Pink Fuzzies 4/365

I have a pink fuzzy vest that I got years ago.  I think it could be considered a little tacky, but I love it.  I often catch the girls getting it out of my closet and wearing it.  I was so tickled when I found a coat to fit Pippa, and it matched my pink fuzzy vest.  It was a big deal to find a coat that actually fit Pippa because of her unusual shape, but I had the added bonus that we could be twins.  When I put my vest on, and Pippa's coat, Hope looked at me and said, "No fair, I want to match you all too!"  To which LeeLee replied, "me too!"  I found these sweet minky outfits on sale on the internet for just $15 each, so I knew that I could make their matching dreams come true.  Normally we only spend $5 per Christmas gift, but these outfits justified the extra money.  Noelle helped me wrap the gifts for the little girls, and when I pulled these outfits out to wrap, the envy bug got her.  She said, "Oh no, now I'm going to be left out."  I played it off, and said, "yes, but now you will be able to take a picture of Pips and I with the little girls."  Her sweet face fell.  So, it was fun to see her open her matching outfit up on Christmas morning.  They of course all chose to wear them today, their first day back at school.  So, I am wearing my pink fuzzy vest, and Pippa has her coat on.  Hunter thinks we have all lost it, I think he might be right!

At Home 3/365

When Hope curls up on the couch, it makes me smile.  When she opens my door in the morning, and peeks just to make sure we are here, I smile.  When she comes in and snuggles up with Paul in the evenings, I smile.  She is home, she is loved.  As I look at this new year, it is sweet, I get to enjoy more time being a mommy to four great kids.  BUT, there is also this deep hole in my heart for the thousands of children that we left behind that are just like Hope.  Some of them, who I personally now know and am invested in.  Oh how I would love to see them at home sitting on someone's couch...for them to have someone smile, just because they are there......Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  James 1:27  

Boy Oh Boy! 2/365

Yesterday, Hunter complained that he wasn't the first one I put on the 365 project, so he said he would model for me today.  I told him to go get ready, and this is what he came down in.  I couldn't help but smile.  The overalls are not his, I think they are Noelle's old ones, but they are just so him.  He is such a country boy at heart.

January 1. 2012 1/365

Noelle and sweet Annie enjoying the beautiful weather in Auburn today.