Music at Luckyhill and a YUMMY pasta dinner

Sometimes I have so much I want to write, I have to stop and ask myself, "Okay...is that a JOURNAL entry type of thing, or something to put on a BLOG?" I laugh at myself.

Today, I have a couple of things to say, but I will try and be brief.

I have taken music lessons since the beginning of time...not really, but it seems like it. I just LOVE music SOOOOOO MUCH! I have taken private vocal lessons since I was eight years old. I absolutely LOVE singing! I keep thinking that my love of music is something I need to share when I go to Ghana. However, I repeatedly tell myself I am CRAZY for thinking this! African's already LOVE music! By nature, they have music and rhythm talent and a love of music already. Music is part of their culture! What could I possibly teach or show them about loving music that they don't already know? Today, when I was at my singing lesson, my WONDERFUL teacher (she is a wonderful person AND a wonderful musician, having trained with the best of the best around the world!) expressed that she really things I need to share my music with the people of Africa when I go there. I was taken aback! We spent a lot of today's lesson talking about what I can do to bring music to Luckyhill. I prayed inside, asking Heavenly Father if this is something I should be thinking about. I felt that it was! So, I am preparing music and ideas and bringing supplies to bring music to musical people! It seems so strange to me that we would both feel strongly about this, but I will trust in The Lord and do what we both feel I should do! I have learned that God knows best! So, I should just follow Him. That is what I plan to do in this situation, too. It doesn't make any logical sense, but I will do it! One thing my teacher said to me today is that music, more than anything, brings people together. It softens people's hearts. Maybe I am just supposed to use the music I bring to soften someone's heart, or to reach out to someone with whom I would not otherwise be able to connect . I don't know for sure, but I DO know that I need to prepare to share my love of music, and I also KNOW that what my teacher said is right! Music speaks to the heart.

So, today was our "day off" work. Ryan had to go to work to meet people (wait, didn't I just say it was our day off?! HA! What a joke!) and didn't want to be there alone (I understand that!), so Bryttan and Taiger went with him while I was in my singing lesson. After my lesson, I knew no one would be home so I ran to the store. What a fiasco! There is a FUNNY story about that, but I won't share it now. I bought things to cook dinner tonight! Then, I raced home and CLEANED like mad to have the house nice before everyone got home. It was so nice to have some time with an empty house! I got the living room and kitchen CLEAN, floors swept and mopped (gotta love hardwood floors! SO NICE to keep CLEAN!) and started dinner. When everyone else arrived home, Bryttan helped me finish getting dinner ready. Then, we actually had a SIT-DOWN DINNER! YES! I am TOTALLY serious! Bryttan set the table and the four of us ate like a "real" family! It was great! Everyone LOVED the dinner I cooked, too! We had salad, carrots, grapes (for Taiger), fried Polska Kielbaska (is that even how you spell it?!) (also for Taiger...he LOVES that stuff!) French bread and tomato pasta (a family fave!) Much to every one's chagrin, I took some pictures with my Mom's cell phone. Although they are completely uninteresting, I will be posting them with this entry.

Taiger LOVES eating with his hands! Whenever anyone asks why I don't MAKE him eat with a fork (which he does, if he is in the mood, it's not like he doesn't know how...he just doesn't LIKE to!) I tell them that in Ghana they eat with their hands! Since Taiger will be in Ghana in a few months, I am just letting him get used to it! If that doesn't stop the comments, I say that since he is part Ghanaian, maybe it is in his genetic make up to WANT to eat with his hands! Okay, so it is a LOOOOONG shot...But I can't get the kid to use a fork! As a Mother, I have to have SOME arguement as to WHY my child won't use a fork! Besides, I also add, his Aunt BeQin eats with chop-sticks! Maybe the poor kid is confused! HA HA HA!

Want the recipe for Tomato Pasta? SO EASY! Cook one pack of angel hair pasta as normal. Drain water and leave noodles in colander for now. In the now empty pot, put a little butter and some crushed garlic...I used about one and a half teaspoons. Add a dash or two of crushed Basil leaves. Let that cook for a second to get the garlic cooked some and the butter all good and garlicy. Add half of a LARGE CAN of diced tomatoes. Stir it all up. Add the cooked noodles. Pour the rest of the can of tomato over the noodles. With forks, mix noodles so the sauce you made in the bottom of the pot coats all of the noodles. Add some grated Italian cheese (whatever you like...sometimes we use Parmesan, tonight we used an "Italian Cheese Blend" because it was on sale at Albertson's!) and a little basil and stir up. To look nice, I added some more cheese and basil just to make it look "finished". NOTE: The noodles should not be all red like spaghetti, so don't panic! You used enough tomato...trust me! Try it and see! Yummy, huh?!
It will look like THIS!:

Okay, so that blog entry was anything BUT the "brief" I said I would try and be. There are some other topics about which I want to write, but this is LONG ENOUGH! HA!

Thanks to everyone who reads my blog!

Mathilda, Ghana, Stephanie

I found out yesterday that little Mathilda is being adopted...by the Terry family! WOW! What an amazing family they are! I have read their blog a bit in the past, and find myself returning to read it often. They look, from their pictures, like a FUN family, and from their blog like a close-knit family. They are so devoted to helping others, especially the children of Africa. I am glad Mathilda and her brother, Princeton, are going to such a sweet and fun family (not that my opinion matters much, but I did love little Mathilda, in my own way). I thought of deleting my last blog entry about her, thinking it may be weird if some day her family comes across my blog and sees that post. Maybe they would be mad that someone else wanted to adopt their little girl. Then, I realized that if it were me, I would be greatful that so many people love my little girl! We found out about the other family who wanted to adopt BeQin, and they have adopted another little girl who is one of BeQin's friends. We were SO GLAD and THANKFUL that that other family DID NOT adopt BeQin, and that we did (we simply got our paperwork in first, so we "got" her!!), but we have never resented that family, or been upset that they loved BeQin, too! So, I HOPE, HOPE, HOPE that if they Terry's ever do see this blog, they will feel the same way! Glad so many people also love their children! I know Lois loves Mathilda and Princeton, too! How do I know that? Because LOIS LOVES EVERYONE! :D

Stephanie must be in Ghana now, and I am sure has been for many, many hours. I wonder how it is? I wonder if she loves it there? I wonder if she even has noticed she is in Ghana, or if all she notices is that she is with Samuel and Godfrid! HA HA! I bet she is just loving on them SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!! I wonder if she has internet, and how soon it will be before anyone hears from her! I am so longing to hear all about it, to see pictures, hear stories, to see her with her boys...okay, okay...the truth is, I will be THE LAST person to hear ANYTHING, and even then it will only be if she is well and maybe one other tid-bit. I am not a close friend, I am not family...I am not even an "adopting Mom", but I still thirst to hear everything.

Taiger and I are getting so anxious to leave for Ghana!!!!!!!!!!!! I think about it ALL the time! It feels like when I was preparing to go to China...how I couldn't get it off my mind! Now that we have decided to go, I just want to GO! To be there NOW! I can't wait another day!

Lunch, Mathilda and more about Ghana!!

Yesterday, Taiger and I drove to Orem to have a lunch with some families off the yahoo! group. It was SO FUN! As per typical of Taiger, he didn't get up and play with the other children, but I was proud of how well he did! Anyone who knows him knows he doesn't do well with loud noises or large groups until he has gotten used to the idea. I expected a "Taiger Meltdown" to take place for the first few minuets before he warmed up to everyone. Instead, he sat quietly and when one of the Dads talked to him he was a little shy but he still talked and didn't cry! I was so proud of how well he did!!!!



Before we arrived at the lunch, Taiger was SO EXCITED to meet Adjoa (I didn't know others would be bringing their children or I am sure he would have been excited about meeting them, as well). It took us longer than we thought it would to get to Orem, and when we pulled up to the restaurant, Adjoa and her parents were outside getting in their car. I thought they were leaving and so did Taiger! He rolled down his window and shouted through the parking lot, "Wait, Adjoa! Don't leave yet! Wait for me, Adjoa!!!!!!" It was so cute! In the end, they were just going to a different restaurant and we met up with everyone there.



Taiger never did play with Adjoa or the other girls. About the time everyone was leaving, Taiger warmed up to the idea of all the other people being around. By the time we were on the way home, Taiger was ready to play. Once on the freeway, Taiger started crying he wanted to, "go back to the restaurant and play with Adjoa!" Poor little guy!! He begged me to turn around, but even if I had, Adjoa was gone by then. I hope next time we all meet up we can maybe meet at a park, or even a fast-food place with a play land, or something, so the kids can really run around and play! That would be fun!



So, Stephanie left for Ghana at midnight last night! I am SO EXCITED for her!



I listened a lot yesterday at the lunch. I wanted to hear what everyone had to say, more than I wanted to talk. As the conversation wound and turned, people would bring up a child they have in mind to adopt, dropping names of children in whom they were interested. Each time someone mentioned being interested in a child, my heart would start to pound and I would silently beg, "Please don't say Mathilda! Please don't say Mathilda!" Relief would wash over me when they would say another child's name. I found myself longing to ask about her. To find out if she was "called for" by another family. I wanted to hear if someone had met her, had played with her, knew her personality. But I didn't say anything. I don't have a home study done. I am not rich. I didn't feel it was my place to wish for a child. However, I think of this girl every day. All I can do is hope and pray I get to be with this little girl while we are in Ghana, that I will be able to hold her and play with her and kiss her round cheeks, to see Taiger playing with her. I will post a picture of her here. It is the only picture of her I have ever seen. I have never heard her voice, or touched her, and yet, I love her. Then again, this happens with me sometimes. One child in a million will stand out to me, and I know that child should be mine. There have been three girls (including Mathilda) and three boys (all three brothers) in my life I have found and KNOWN they could be my kids. I think of these children often, I even pray for them sometimes. I wonder if they have been adopted, if they are happy and well...Mathilda I know is a child I will always think of and love.

I just can't wait to go to Ghana! I am so excited! I was able to glean a little information at the lunch yesterday. I got a better feel of what it will be like for Taiger and me. Now, I can't wait to go! I learned we don't have to bring a bed, there will be one in the guest house. I also found out that there is a fan in the room, and running water at the guest house! At the orphanage, there is a toilet, although I am still not sure if there is one at the guest house. I wish I knew a little more about the guesthouse, but I suppose I have enough time to find more out. Maybe I can get Stephanie to go over and scout it out for me, or even take some pictures! I would love to show them to Taiger so I can prepare him for it a little, although I guess it isn't a big deal either way.



It sounds like finding food in Ghana will not be a big problem, as there are places nearby to eat. I am still not SURE on clean water, but it sounded like it is easy to find. Still not sure on other things, but, like I said, there is time for that later. This process is teaching me to be PATIENT! LOL! I can't wait to learn more...I will post information as it becomes available to me! Maybe once Stephanie is in Ghana she will post pictures and things and I will know more.



Mom is leaving for her conference early in the morning, so I need to go help her get ready! She is letting us pick out her clothes! FUN!

Pictures and some exciting things!!

So, I have this bad habit of unintentionally dressing Taiger and I in matching clothes. I guess that happens because I dress in what I am in the mood to wear, and I dress Taiger in what I am in the mood for him to wear, and it is the same mood! HA! Anyway, I had my sister take pictures of Taiger and I in our matching clothes. I think they are cute, so I am posting them here for EVERYONE to see! :D (Even if they don't want to! HA!)

Okay, so before I post my pictures and end this, I HAVE to mention some exciting things! So, there are some sweet little families adopting from Luckyhill whose blogs I follow avidly! All of these adopting families belong to a certain group on yahoo! and post on there, too, as they prepare for their children. I feel like I am reading a great book as I read about these people and their adventures as they go through this wonderful adoption journey. Anyway, there is one woman who is just so sweet and so cute! She and her husband have SO MUCH LOVE in their home. They are positive and down to earth and so kind to everyone. They have been waiting to adopt this adorable little munchkin from Luckyhill named Adjoa. Well, FINALLY, little Adjoa is home! I am so happy and excited for she and her husband and Adjoa!

Exciting thing number 2: Stephanie is this wonderful soon-to-be-Mom, also part of the yahoo! group. She and her husband are adopting two little boys from Luckyhill. They are such an amazing family and so spiritual! I have been amazed as I have read their blog, watching as they have put ALL of their faith in God that they will be able to soon bring home their little boys. They are always so happy and they are going to be such wonderful, loving parents!!!!! Well, Stephanie and her husband decided that she needed to just go to Ghana and be with their boys! They don't know how soon they will be able to bring their little guys home, so she could be there for a while. She just knows she needs to be with her sons. (I understand that feeling!!!!!!! Sometimes, I just want to be with Taiger so badly!) Anyway, so she is leaving in the next few days to stay in Ghana until time to bring home her children! I am so excited for her to get to just be with her babies!

Exciting thing number 3: Some time back, I met a wonderful young man named Brad. He came into my work, and after a while I started talking to him about my orphanage I am going to open in China. Come to find out, Brad works with people helping them start NGO's, etc. This week, he called me and said he thinks we need to start NOW on getting my paperwork done and everything for Sixteen Small Stones. I am SOOOO EXCITED! Brad is in the middle of planning his wedding, changing jobs, doing a MILLION things, and yet he wants to take time to help ME open my orphanage. He is amazing, and I am so thankful to him! Anyway, so he said we need to write grant proposals for all these people at the Federal and State level, write some 15 page "thing" (I don't know what everything is!) and do a lot of other things! Something he said I MAY need (GET) to do is open an orphanage HERE first, become established, THEN try moving in to China. I don't know for sure if that is necessary, but I would LOVE to open an orphanage here! WOW! Anyway, only time will tell for sure what I will need to do. The point is, I am one step closer to opening my orphanage! VERY EXCITING!

Thank you for reading my blog, by the way!

Some Pictures of Christmas in Idaho!!

Here are some pictures from our Christmas in Idaho! In the first one, the children's ages are thus: 6 (giving Taiger bunny ears), 4 and a half (hugging Morganne), two and a half (the only girl), and Taiger, age three years and two months! Check out how TALL and BIG Taiger is! He hands his old clothes down to the four year old!

Christmas in Idaho

Taiger and I went to Idaho to spend a late Christmas with my family. We left Salt Lake New Year's Eve and just returned tonight. We had only planned to be there about 4-6 days, but here it is nine days later...and it was SO WONDERFUL!

It was so nice not having to go to work!! Every day we were there, Taiger told me, "I love you, Mommy! I am happy!" It made me SO, SO, SO, SO, SO happy to hear him say that! Maybe it is just because I always feel so guilty about working, but I do think that he felt so happy because I didn't have to go to work and just got to stay home with him all day every day. It was wonderful for me, too!!!!!! I miss him when I am gone all day. It was so exceptional to get to stay home with him!!

Taiger's cousins were there visiting, too; three boys and two little girls. What a houseful!! The kids all had SO MUCH FUN running around and playing! Taiger had a TON of fun with so many little boys to play with! He loved playing with Morganne, too, the little girl cousin only about six months younger than Taiger. Despite the fact that they are nearly the same age, Taiger calls her, "BABY Morganne", like that is just her name. Taiger also just adored Madisanne, the baby. He wanted to hug her and hold her and kiss and hug her. He wanted me to sing to her and when she cried he was the first to comfort her.

For Christmas, my parents upgraded my phone! YIPPEE! I have needed to upgrade for a while, I just haven't gotten around to doing it. My new phone is GREAT! It even takes VIDEO!!!!! AMAZING! (Am I behind? I'd say!!) It was so fun to take pictures and videos of all the kids playing together. I will upload some pictures and videos here for your enjoyment! HA HA! I will only put my very most favourite pictures...you all know me well enough to know I took HUNDREDS of pictures! :D

I bought Taiger a hobby horse for Christmas, and he LOVED IT!!!!!!!! In fact, all the kids did! You can see it in one or two of the pictures on here.

Well, I tried to upload some pictures, but the picture button isn't clicking...try again later, I suppose!

I surely hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

A Funny Story

Tonight, my sisters, my brother and I went to see Body Worlds 3 at the museum!!!!! My parents bought us tickets for Christmas, and boy! Was it ever fantastic!

Anyway, tonight, while we were at Body Worlds, NaiNai and Bampa brought Taiger to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights. Mom told me that when they came home, she thought Taiger would like some hot oatmeal to warm him up after being outside in the cold. She also thought he would be getting hungry! She made the oatmeal, but instead of putting milk in it, she mixed in whipped cream, something that makes it creamy and sweet (NOTE: This is something she NEVER did with me! It is a luxury only Grand kids enjoy). When she gave the bowl to Taiger he looked at her with concern in his eyes and said, "Gwandma, there is oatmeal in it!" HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!! He just wanted the whipped cream! He said to her, "NaiNai, take the oatmeal out! Take it out!" In the end, for dinner Taiger had two dishes of whipped cream!!!!!!!!