Testosterone and TuTus: Overdue Photos and Update

I know I know I have heard you all loud and clear - how is it going and where are the photos? Well we have been home for 2 weeks and 2 days now and in some ways it seems like Olivia has been with us much longer and in other ways well it has taken me some time to get myself caught up to sit down and blog.

After being home for 4 days I started trying to work some again (from home only about 15 hours a week but still my gosh who would have thought 15 hours would have been tough to get in, but it is! ), and catch up around the house and with the kids and mail - my gosh you can build up a pile of paperwork in two weeks, then their is adjusting with our new daughter of course and my first retreat we are putting on in 2 more weeks (yes I started a ministry last year putting on women's retreats and first one is in two weeks). So coming up for air well has been a bit hard.

But I know what you really want to hear is how is Olivia? Well she is doing incredibly well. The boys adore her and she adores them! She still loves her daddy and she and I are making great strides, she actually likes me now too! Her and Grace get along so well. They really compliment each other well, but yes Grace runs the show, wonder how long Olivia will let that happen. Olivia is more laid back and sensitve, Grace my tough fire ball. Olivia loves anything girly - dolls, bows, clothes, shoes - Grace still could care less - she would rather be playing with cars and dinosaurs and although likes to match her hair bows would be just fine in jeans and tennis shoes or her flip flops.. They are so fun to watch and really like they will be great friends. They really do love each other and have bonded so well.

Ninety percent of the time Olivia is all smiles, so easy going, laughing, just melts your heart and so full of joy and excitment about her new world. She takes it all in. But there are still times here and there where she will randomly break into tears. This was frustrating at first with the communciation barrier and I couldn't figure the triggers. I mean she woudl be playing fine and I would say something encourging and she would just start to cry or if I pushed and made her use her English words she would cry (if her brothers or daddy were around because they are the softeys that would just let her grunt for as long as she wants...uhhh negative). Google translate has helped some but sometimes I still dont think she is following me in that. So after both of us upset and frustrated in these moments and prayer (an essential) I decided no more askign what is wrong (until her english is better) just pick her up, love her and redirect and that is working well. These don't happen often but they do happen and honestly I see it as a sign we are safe enough now for her to cry. Her whole word has changed and that is overwhelming, I cna't imagine what her 5 year old mind is thinking and I don't know if she could articulate it even if she could speak. So I chose to love her right where she is at. Pray for us here. It seems the times where she will cry randomly have occured so far only when it has just been me and her home and I was doing something when she was in a room alone and I re-entered to check on her. I think it is the being still with her thoughts. Normally she is too busy playing with Grace or her brothers or she and I are out running errands and doing things together, she is to busy to think about everything she is too busy embracing it. It is important she can be alone with her thoughts and be okay, but this will take time. She is teaching me that is for sure, I am gonna have to learn to soften for this little sensitive one and she is gonna have to learn to toughen a little as well, we will be good for each other!

So you asked about her language? She has done phenominal. I can not tell you how impressed I have been at how much she has learned She is so smart. She is so eager to learn. She amazes me!

You also asked about eating? Well first few days I wondered if it would be rough going, but now she is doing great, and eats really well, so glad!

So the weather here has been gorgeous. We really have had no winter. Wiht temperatures in the 70's and 80's it has been shorts and tshirts and enjoying the outdoors. From bike and scooter rides, to bubbles and sidewalk chalk to swings, slides and trampolines. This girl loves it all!

Olivia learned to ride the bike after about 10 minutes!

Grace zoomed ahead on the scooter

So much fun together

Bubbles

lots of bubbles

how can you not love that face?

Both in the Chinese squat. Okay so this is typical. Grace blowing bubbles at Olivia, check out Olivia's face.

She is still like "ewww, don't " Grace still blows and pays her appeal to stop no attention , come on this is fun she is thinkng

Okay if she isn't gonna stop maybe I should embrace this, toughen up a little, might actually be fun - yes that is a smile as she reaches to touch the bubbles

and yes that is down right laughter - this is how this little girl is growing - Grace is so good to stretch her and Olivia is so good to Grace and teachng her to come in touch with her tender side

Checking out the flyers

Yes Olivia loves to right her name

Christian came home from baseball and Olivia ran to his arms! She loves her brothers

I love this picture - it speaks so much about the love these two have for each other

Christian playing for high school team now. Yes Olivia knows all about baseball already and has already been to several games and cheers from the sidelines