Saturday, May 10, 2008

A treat, all the way around!





Friday night we had the pleasure of a quick visit with the Begemans, one of our Guangdong families! They were in town for the day and were able to join us for dinner. We always love visiting with Caroline's China sisters and their families. It's amazing the bond that you form with perfect strangers in such a short but poignant moment in time. But then, of course, it's perfect...just another one of God's finishing touches in the blessing of adoption.




Kristin in China...February, 2007








Kristin...May, 2008...isn't she beautiful?




We visited for a while at our house and then ventured next door to Grandma "Magga" Dotty's house for dinner. The kids had fun playing together...I'm not sure Kristin and SuSu knew what to make of my crew, but before long, they were running and playing "Hide and Seek". Caroline kept calling to Kristin, "Come on...fowa (follow) me!" They disappeared for a while, and Maria found them playing tea party in the closet! SuSu took a liking to Mickey, and they had a grand time hiding behind the clothes in the closet.







Note Caroline's black eye...ran into something at school...
The red blotch on her chin...landed on a landscaping brick...
Knot on the back of her head...incurred minutes before our company's arrival...
Courtesy of our front porch...
OY!



Abby with SuSu...China...February, 2007



Sweet SuSu...May, 2008

SuSu is a Guangdong girl, too!


Thank goodness Dotty offered to cook dinner. Occasionally, I'm watching some program or reading some magazine article and come across some really nifty treat or project. Over the years, I've learned that what looks easy on TV or in an article...well...probably isn't. But from time to time, I get sucked in and start believing that I, too, can be Martha Stewart. I haven't watched her program in a long while. Some days I can hardly bear to watch, as her "togetherness" just gets on my nerves. I mean, really, who can transplant begonias, wash donkeys, sew curtains and prepare a dinner party for 40 all in one day? Well, let me tell you...she can. Before noon. I got hooked on her show of late during "Cupcake Week". I was watching one day (and folding laundry, I swear), and Martha had on this charming gal who goes by the name of "Bakerella"...at least that's her blog name. She made these darling little miniature cupcakes, and it looked SO easy! I thought to myself, "Now I can do that!" Yeah. Well, I got the hairbrained idea that I should make them as a treat for the kids when the Begemans visited. All in all, it turned out okay. I mean, Bakerella I am not. And I'm just another Martha Stewart wannabe. Had I not been in such a hurry, it might not have seemed so overwhelming. In the end, though, the kids didn't notice that they weren't perfect and tore into them with barely the blink of an eye. Hmmmm....maybe I should make these for our Guangdong Renion this summer....okay, okay...enough of my schemes.

Bakerella's Cupcake Pops


My attempt...

Pathetic, I know...


I have to share one little funny story from our evening. Abby, Mickey and SuSu were dining in the kitchen, and, as usual, my sweet children were being their charming selves. As the story goes, Mickey said to Abby, "Abby, you are D-U-M." Don't you love his thoughtfulness in spelling this out so as not to be a bad influence on SuSu? Abby's response? A cocky teenagerish eye roll, followed by, "That is NOT how you spell it, Mickey." To which SuSu replied, "Yes, Mickey, it's H-A-M!" Hee!


You might also notice in the slide show a photo of SuSu and her dad deep in conversation over Mickey's finger. I'll have to post photos and the complete story on a "Flashback Friday", but suffice it to say that my son injured his finger (and actually broke the bone in the tip of his finger) while he was brushing his teeth...NOT! And Shannon took the opportunity to share a natural consequence of disobedience with his little gal. It was quite funny! Maria, Shannon, SuSu and Kristin...we loved visiting with you! Thanks so much for stopping by! We can't wait to see you again in July!!!

6 comments:

C.C. said...

I soooo enjoyed seeing the pics of your visit with the Begemans!

And, I thought your cupcakes were awesome!!

Glenna said...

Dear Martha.....mmm, I mean Cindy...I love those cupcake pops! Martha would be very proud! The pictures of the Guangdong girls are really precious.....they are so lovable - I'm glad Caroline got to visit with her friends....Give her a special hug from Aunt Glenna...I love you all....Glenna

Kristi said...

Looks like you guys had a great visit! Wish we could have been there too, but it sure makes me excited for July!!!

Glenna said...

By the way, speaking of folding laundry, have you ever seen Martha fold a t-shirt? When she does it, it looks like a simple piece of cake! It's been about a year now (or more) since I saw her doing that, and I still can't do it!

Our Journey said...

Oh those cup-cake-pops are TOO cute! I think I'm going to have to try those sometime!! By the way, the b-day pictures are so cute! It's so neat to see pic's now & a year ago -- We must of been the couple families waiting to the end for our 171 - after reading your story I remember thinking about the few families that were sitting on edge w/ us!!

Allison said...

Wash donkeys. HAHAHAHAHA.