Quinn and Jiu Jitsu

I forgot to mention that Quinn was awarded his orange belt in Jiu Jitsu about a month ago. Jiu Jitsu is different from Karate where you can earn your black belt in a couple years. I'm told it takes ten years to earn a black belt in Jiu Jitsu. This orange belt represents two and a half years of training. Here is one of his instructors, Tony, saying some really nice things about Quinn, one of them being that Quinn is skilled but not arrogant. That's true. Quinn is a humble sort of kid. Congratulations, Quinn.

We had a great (stressful but great) Christmas this year. I don't know why I let Christmas stress me, but it does. I wish I could learn to enjoy it more. I'm worried that my children will be unhappy on Christmas morning, that my house isn't clean enough, that my decorations are 25 years old, that I didn't get my neighbor gifts done, etc. etc. The neighborhood agreed to donate money to the Food Bank instead of doing neighbor gifts, so why my doorbell rang constantly the entire week of Christmas with yummy, fattening goodies from neighbors, I have no idea. Now I owe everybody in the neighborhood, I suppose. But I really do have great, kind neighbors that are always doing nice things for us. I really am so grateful for them.

We got to spend time with my side of the family on Christmas Day. We had about 35 people at our house for dinner, and we had a good time visiting and eating.




Here's Quinn's creative way of washing dishes.



My sis doesn't like her picture taken, but I was sneaky.

My brother's family. They added that cute little girl to their family this year.

My cute hubby and my Mom and Dad

Mom and Dad brought all their old Christmas decorations to give away to any takers. Through the years my Mom has painted, crocheted, glued, sewed so many Christmas decorations, they decided to declutter this year.

My brother's family

My sis's family

My niece and her little boy

Alex playing his DS. He got a game called Scribblenauts that has entertained the family for hours. This is a good game for Alex because he has to SPELL the name of the objects he needs to work his way up the levels. He is constantly asking me how to spell a word, and it's a sneaky way to get some learning in while having fun. BTW, we had NO melt-downs the entire Christmas holiday. We still have eating and touching issues, but we're making progress. We got home from Ukraine with him Christmas Eve of 2009, so we have now passed our year mark. It's hard to comprehend the magnitude of what he's learned this year. (And what we've learned.) Notice how his GIGANTIC overbite has calmed down in this picture. We're on about the third month of his orthodontic treatment, and his mouth is full of bolts and metal arms that are pulling his lower jaw out and making room in his upper jaw to receive his lower jaw etc. I'm not even sure what all they are doing to his mouth. And we thought we had reached the end of our adoption expenses? But it's all worth it. We watched Despicable Me the other night, and it prompted Alex to have a dream that night. He dreamed we told him he had to go back to Ukraine. In his dream he was crying and pleading with members of the family to let him stay. When he woke up his pillow was wet. How sad! I asked him, "You mean you don't want to go back to Ukraine? I thought maybe you would want to go back." He said, "No, not really." Doesn't he look American in this picture?

But I digress. Back to our family party.

Little update on Eric: Eric passed his half-way mark of his four-year obligation to the United States Air Force. He's expecting to be transferred this spring from Guam back to the States, maybe the western part of the U.S. (We hope and pray.)

Only one more Christmas to go in the military, Eric!!! We hope you got your package by now. We love you and miss you.