Quite a week

It has been quite a week around here. Josiah started with a runny nose from allergies last week. In spite of taking Singulair he woke up Tuesday with a cough and wheezy breathing. (Josiah was diagnosed with allergic asthma in May.) So we did a breathing treatment of Xopenex and off we went to Bible study. When I got him from the nursery he sounded worse. (Last time the treatments really worked and I could tell he was better after the first one.) Anyway, after round the clock treatments for 24 hours he wasn't better; he seemed worse. So, on Wednesday morning I dropped Caleb off at preshcool and took Josiah to the doctors office. The doctor listened to him and she said his chest was tight. She did another treatment in the office and prescribed an oral steroid for 3 days with round the clock breathing treatments. We left the doctors office, dropped off his prescription, and I fed Carissa in a park on the way to pick up Caleb from preschool.

I am so glad that Carissa is sleeping through the night because I don't know how I could have done feedings and treatments. Josiah was so medicated I felt so sorry for him. The treatments and steroid make him very hyper. But the Singulair makes him sleepy. So he would be bouncing off the walls then ten minutes later be asking to go take a nap. Anyway he is doing much better and has a checkup Tuesday morning.

On a different note, as we drove past a pet store yesterday Caleb asked to go there. Josiah answered him with "No, we just got a hamster and we have too many pets. We have a cat, two fish, and a hamster. And when all of us are big kids we are getting a dog. And that will be the last pet for YEARS." Chris and I were trying so hard not to laugh.

Issaqueena

Josiah has been begging for a pet for the past year. Most of the time he has asked for a dog, but there have been many other requests. Some of the best ones that we can remember are skunk, parrot, squirrel, panda (which would eat the bamboo out back), aardvark, giraffe, baboon, and cheetah. So, we finally gave in and took him to the pet store this past Friday. He picked out a hamster. On the way out of the store he asked for suggestions for names and Chris suggested Issaqueena. Josiah liked the name. The name comes from a Cherokee legend. But of course Chris knows the name from an annual bike ride, Issaqueena's Last Ride. Here are some pics of Josiah and Issaqueena.

Josiah got some ball time this game

Here are some pics from Josiah's last game. The coach had Josiah try to run the ball up the field several times. This worked well until he ran into the other team and they took the ball.

Josiah and Owen waiting to play!

This is how Carissa watches Josiah's games.

Tummy time

Here is Carissa doing some tummy time.

Interview with Thabiti Anyabwile about transethnic adoption

Here is a link to a very good interview that Dan Cruver at Carolina Hope Adoption did with Thabiti Anyabwile about transethnic adoption.

http://www.carolinahopeadoption.org/blog/archives/63

Carissa's smiles

Carissa has really started smiling in the past week. Here are some pics of her.

Pictures from Josiah's 1st soccer game

Here are some pictures from practice before the game.

Here are the pictures from Josiah's first game. They play 3 on 3 with no score-keeping.

The team had their pictures taken after the game. Here is Josiah's team. Josiah's best friend, Owen, is sitting on the left.

Piggy banks

We have started a chore chart for Josiah who is 4. He gets paid a little amount for doing his chores each day. To make it easier to visualize where his money is going (instead of envelopes) I found online a piggy bank called the Money Savvy Piggy Bank. It is listed on ToysRUs's website. I went yesterday (without the boys) to try to find this bank in the store.

As you can see, it has 4 slots for saving, spending, donating, and investing. This piggy bank has won awards and been featured on the Today Show, WGN News, and in Money Magazine. The store did not have this bank! (So I guess I'll have to order it and pay shipping). The store did, on the other hand, have plenty of ATM machines (several different brands) and 1 piggy bank, an electronic one which tells the child how much money is in the bank.


The recommended age for the electronic bank is 3 years and up. Now this might be fine for older children who already know how to count money, but I don't want my 4 year old told how much money he has. How will he learn to count money if he is told how much he has and doesn't have to count? I couldn't even find traditional piggy banks at the ToysRUs. (Maybe they aren't in the same place as the ATMs.) Needless to say, I was not too happy that I couldn't easily find somewhere local to buy the divided piggy bank.

Get rich with plastic, not cash!

... at least according to Hasbro.

Anyone who knew me as a kid will quickly acknowledge that Monopoly was unequivocally my favorite board game. And anyone who knows me now will acknowledge I'm all about the electronic age (even electronic banking). But Hasbro's claim to "wheel and deal your way to a fortune even faster using debit cards instead of cash" is crazy-talk!

Now I wasn't a math major, but if industry figures indicate that consumer's spend 12-18% more when using plastic over cash, the only way I'll make a fortune faster is if I'm the banker or retailer, not the consumer.

We're big Dave Ramsey fans around my house and are even using the envelope system with great success for all of our spending on groceries, gifts, entertainment, and whatnot. Not only is using cash good practice, but it also probably good for the kids to see that we're actually spending real money, and that a swipe of the plastic isn't all that's required for purchasing.

The bottom line... I doubt you will see "Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition" on my wish list!

Redemptive History

Here is a very good synopsis of Stephen's sermon on redemptive history.

http://blaquetulip.blogspot.com/2007/09/midweek-grace-acts-7.html

An Excerpt from Worship this morning

Here is an excerpt from worship with our part of the church this morning.

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ~Isaiah 55:1-3 & Matthew 11:28

O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
O the deep, deep love of Jesus vast, unmeasured, boundless free
Rolling as a mighty ocean, in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward, to thy glorious rest above.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus spread His praise from shore to shore
How He loveth ever loveth, changeth never, never more.
How He watches o'er his loved ones, died to call them all His own.
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o'er them from the throne.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best.
'Tis an ocean vast of blessing, 'tis a haven sweet of rest.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, 'tis a heav'n of heav'ns to me.
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee.

The Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. ~Isaiah 61:1-3

How Deep the Father's Love for Us
How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son, to make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turned His face away;
As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished!

Behold the Son upon the cross, God's wrath upon His shoulders;
Behold His grace, His covenant, restoring wretched sinners.
It was His love that held Him there, His Father's will achieving,
But now, He sits enthroned on high; for me He's interceding.

I will not boast in anything; no gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection!
Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom!



To hear sermons from our pastor Toby Woodard (and others), click on the link for Redeemer Presbyterian under websites on the right. It usually takes a few days for a sermon to be up on the website.

Soccer

Josiah had his first soccer practice last night. Watching 4 & 5 year olds do different drills is rather amusing. Josiah has a great kick but we need to work on him listening to the coach and doing what he says to do, not just kicking the ball around the field and into the goal. Though I guess that is part of the purpose of playing sports. I think it will be great preparation for kindergarten next year. Now, if I can just keep my mouth shut and let the coach handle Josiah. His first game is next Thursday pm. I'll try to remember to take the camera and get some pics to post.

USA Cycling Pro Championships

Here are some pics from the USA Cycling Pro Championships Road Race from this past weekend in Greenville. George HINCAPIE and Levi LEIPHEIMER are in the peloton.

Some other riders.

Caleb looking grumpy.

Chris and Josiah watching the race.

Carissa napping during the race.

New to blogging

So, Chris just showed me last month how to use a blog reader and I have become addicted to reading my friends' blogs. It is so great to keep up to date with friends that live elsewhere and current thought in reformed/adoption/multiracial circles. So, now I'm starting my own blog. I'm sure I'll be posting way too many pics of my kids. But I also hope to comment on books I'm reading and other such stuff.