St. Lucia Day!! (and a preschool Christmas song)

Today is probably the day of the year that Greta looks forward to most in our home. Swedish tradition has it that the oldest daughter in the home wakes up before anyone else and serves pastries(we do pepparkakor cookies) and coffee to those that are sleeping. It is a tradition that Sweden has celebrated for many years, but they have actually adopted it from the Italians.

In order to help our 9 yr. old out(in case you're wondering), the coffee is set up to brew for her in the morning and after she gets dressed in her Lucia gown and crown of (battery operated) candles, she wakes her siblings up to join the Lucia train, and eventually ends in Mom and Dad's room. I think it is one of the BEST traditions ever!!

This year we decided to surprise a few friends and family before the sun was fully up and deliever cookies to them to. Our rule of thumb was that if the lights weren't on, we wouldn't wake them(I didn't want any friends mad). So, a few of you got passed by and I think we only broke the rule at one house because Ella said, "I know she is awake, she wakes up at like 6am everyday!" Don't worry, we didn't get to most homes til close to 8!

Later in the morning we headed out to the church where Fia goes to preschool for their Christmas program. The preschool sang a song for us and Kwame got to join in too! They both thought it was so much fun to stand on the stage and sing out for all the parents -what joy kids have! I love it!

P.S. Happy Birthday Aunt Ingrid!

Blogstars and Nose Jobs

I am sitting here trying to catch up with blog posts and life, and as I am reflecting, it is exhausting remembering the ups and downs. Hours were definitely not wasted these last couple weeks.

Ella had her tonsils out and she was a rockstar in the recovery and the whole process. She got pretty used to eating only ice cream and it was hard to know when she was 'healed' since Ice Cream was all that she wanted to eat for days to come for some strange reason???? I was then supposed to have surgery exactly a week later for my nose job (deviated septum and some polyp that needed to be taken off) but with my grandma passing away, I couldn't imagine going to her visitation with a mustache bandage under my nose. I know, really, why do I worry about what others think?? Really, I thought it would not be conducive to crying.

You may have seen the post on the memorial and the court date, but what you may or may not have noticed was that we had Aunt Kathy and Uncle Mark in town for a few days. Daron and I love having them in town, and of course the kids do too. We always love sitting around chatting, playing board games, etc. at night, doing crafts with Kathy, and getting bedtime stories told by Mark. I felt bad that our time was so limited when they were here, but they got to see how a family of seven is never dull. We were thankful to hear that they still want kids, their number just may have dwindled a bit! Oops.

This weekend, Justus's soccer team went to the finals for the state soccer champs in the President's Cup tournament. They did such a great job and we got to see Justus score more goals! Their team ended up being the final four of eight teams, but ended up losing their last game. This tournament started at 9am in Burlington, so we had to leave the house at 6:15 in order to make it in time-that was not fun! These games were all freezing!!! We are having some arctic cold, but sunny weather here in Seattle-pretty crazy! Starbucks and Crossroads Covenant Church coffee shop we found there were our friends!!

Hey? Did I tell you I am a blogstar?? I guess that is what it would be called....I always wanted to be a star! Well, the real skinny is that a fellow Ghanaian adoptive mom, Andrea K., that I have never met in person, but are facebook friends and she has read my blog, wrote me a note later in the day and said she thought they saw me at a Burlington Starbucks. Her husband thought I looked too young (aw shucks!!) but the truth is that I never got to my makeup yet that AM. What was funnier is that I butted into their conversation with the barista and we still didn't know it was the other. After realizing we were both there after the fact, we did set up a meeting for the next day so we could make it official and all. The family is about to go to Ghana to bring home their daughter in the next couple weeks. Please keep them in your prayers.

After the last game, we jumped in the car to catch the ferry for our first Sunday of the month at Alive. Luckily we made it right before the service started. I know I have said this before, but I am so thankful for our church! They are real people there that I can really share the ups and downs of life with, that I can learn with, and that I can grow with. I am so blessed to be a part of this group! They are truly my family. I can't believe where we were as a church four years ago, and where we are now!

Monday morning, I had my surgery appt. at 6:45! All went well and I am now on the mend. Lots of bloody bandages and it isn't fun to stand up for long. Before surgery, the anesthesiologist came into our room and thought we looked familiar. He said we looked like the winners of Amazing Race. Ha! I don't know who he was talking about or what they look like since we don't watch it, but we played with him for a second and had him second guessing. Maybe he was just confused with me being a blogstar and not a reality star. I don't know? What do you think? ;)

Thanksgiving Weekened Re-cap

As I mentioned before, my grandma passed away right before Thanksgiving. What was wonderful about that, was that we were able to be with much of our family to celebrate her life and grieve together. We had a great time together playing games, making yummy foods (well, most were yummy-ha!) We had 21 for Thanksgiving and 18 of us stayed over night for 3 nights together. Yes, we do live in the next town over, but I just love sleepovers and all the late night chats and early morning coffees it brings. The kids always like it too, because then they get spend as much time as they can with their cousins and grandparents.

Here are three of the youngest four in our extended family. They LOVE spending time together.

Baby E and Fia got to wear matching clothes.

We have played football at Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember. It started with our family, then when we moved away from family, we started doing the traditions with our in Bedford and now at Alive. So....this year was our 5th Annual Alive Turkey Bowl and we had a great mix of family, church, and friends. Even another local church added a few of their own. We were split into 6 teams and moved around playing three games. Of course, we had hot cocoa for afterwards!

It is hard to tell in this picture, but Fia lost her first tooth this weekend!!! She was so excited. It has been protruding and a little loose since we visited her in Ghana. I am surprised it stayed in this long. The tooth fairy came and she thought that was the coolest.

A special tradition for the grandkids is that Grandma takes them to the Farm Kitchen to decorate their own family gingerbread house. This year was special because we had all the grandkids here before Inger's family moves. The kids had a blast -thanks MOM!!


I think I can be honest when I say that Kwame had a good time!

Another tradition of our families is to go and cut down our Christmas tree the Sat. after thanksgiving. We haven't done it for a couple years now though because last year we were in Ghana and were gifted with a tree when we came home from some awesome friends! The year before that, we cut down a tree that was in our front yard. That one was perfect! This year, we went to the local tree farm and searched rather quickly (it was cold) for this years.

We found the perfect tree and had a great morning with the family picking it out. The kids also loved the free cookies, cocoa, and apple cider.

Happy Thanksgiving....now on to Christmas ( we are currently watching Charlie Brown Christmas).

Re-Adoption Day!

Today was the day that we went to court for Fia and Kwame's re-adoption. Yes, they were adopted in Ghana, and the U.S. recognized that, but to get a social security number and birth certificate in the U.S., you need to be re-adopted. So.....today was that day! And after yesterday, when we buried my grandma, I think we have had a roller coaster of emotions to last us for awhile!

Time to go to bed because Justus has a soccer tournament in Burlington tomorrow, but I wanted to introduce you officially to the newest, most official family of 7 this side of town. We are so blessed to have our family, as crazy as they make me! Today as we went to court Fia kept telling me, " Mommy, I love you. Mommy, you know I love you...." She was the sweetest and it has just been in the last couple of months where she has said it on her own and you can tell that she means it with her whole heart.

The court hearing went fantastic and the Judge we had was really neat in that he,himself, was adopted at a young age, so he seemed touched as well. He asked us a few questions, took our picture with him, and he gave the kids a stuffed animal. F & K thought he was the best! After the hearing was done, we hightailed it out to grab some homemade ice cream.

Today was also special because we had my parents along and Mark and Kathy. Thanks for coming!!

Thankful & Heartbroken-goodbye to my Grandma Gwen

My Grandma Gwen passed away today....I know I shouldn't be surprised when I get a call that my 91 year old grandmother just died, but I was literally shocked today. For the last month or so she has been in and out of doctor's offices for her back and other small setbacks that have made her weak, but I was still surprised because we all just thought she would turn around. I thought this was just temporary and now I really wish I would have gone into be with her. The last couple weeks have just been busy with one kid or another being sick since the beginning of October and Ella getting her tonsils out yesterday. I kept thinking I would go and see her after Thanksgiving if she couldn't make it out to my parents...I know I shouldn't beat myself up, but I am and it stinks! I miss her and I just want to hug her one last time. I am thankful though that it was quick and her pain wasn't drawn out. She is now with Jesus and I am peaceful about that. I thank God that my dad could be with her when she suddenly died; what are the chances of that? I believe that God was definitely in control of the timing.

Below are some pictures that I quickly found of her of the last couple years. I will do more of a tribute to her another night; now I just want to grieve her and what she has meant to me and my family. Please keep everyone who is touched by Grandma Gwen in your prayers as we celebrate and honor her life.
This picture with Kwame was actually just about two months ago. It is my last picture of her that I had taken. She took Fia, Kwame, my mom, and I out for dinner at The Shores and she was so excited to introduce her new great grandchildren to all of her friends. She was in good health then, so just another reason I am still reeling.

This picture was from a couple Thanksgivings ago-the Doublemint Twins! ;)

Kwame and Grandma quickly developed a little bond that was fun to watch. She talked to me before we adopted on how much has changed in her lifetime as she remembers being segregated on the buses. She was very happy to have these little ones join our family!

A favorite of my dad, Grandma, and Aunt Jan.

Easter dinner 2008: Ella was so excited to sit between her Grandma and Great Grandma

Aunt Jan and Grandma. As Grandma's only daughter, Jan has always been so helpful in bringing Grandma back and forth between all the gatherings. Thanks Jan for all that you have given!

Grandma's oldest grandson always had a way of making her laugh. Except when he didn't! ;) She and Brad had a great bond that I loved to watch.

I got to be on the boat a couple times with Grandma. This was an especially fun day last year when we took the boat from her place on Mercer Island over to Kirkland for lunch. She was very excited that we did this and a couple of her friends had to see us off!

Two summers ago we celebrated her 90th birthday with most of the family. She is missing at least another half dozen great grandchildren in this picture now! This photo shoot was hilarious as we could never get the kids to look at the same time. I love Kinzie's face in the back-looks like she and Justus were up to mischief.

One highlight of the reunion was that Justus and KJ got Grandma to play a little Wii!

She was an avid sports fan, so it was not surprising that she even had fun watching all the kids play the Wii.

Lastly, here is a picture I enjoyed. Many were surrounding her to see pictures of the past and hear more of our family history.

I will surely miss her and can hardly believe she is gone. It is wonderful though to be able to celebrate her life and know that she is now at PEACE.

More Birthday Pics..

Just wanted to pass a couple more pics on that I thought were fun from the girl's birthdays...

Fia had a Princess party and had the kids come as a princess or a prince...she LOVED it!

Don't you just love her face???

She didn't turn 61, but I ran out of candles, so I told her..."6+1=7" :) You will also notice that my blondies like to open their mouths when we sing...you can almost see Ella's tonsils and say goodbye to them before her surgery next week!

Ha! I loved Ella's puffy cheeks-she didn't want to get caught with a candle lit, as her siblings said that meant she had that many boyfriends!

Haha!! Greta will kill me with this picture someday, but I couldn't help it. She is the loudest singer(can you tell???) during her own birthday song! You can see her tonsils and no, she won't be getting surgery.

Nine. I can't believe it! She is a fun girl-always ready for a party! After her birthday dinner, Grandma and Grandpa said they ad to leave, but Greta got them to sit down so they could perform for us one of their Miley Cyrus dance shows-I should post a video. Hilarious!