Happy New Year!

I have a feeling I won't be on here much. I think every couple of weeks is going to be my max! Sorry, I'm just busy and I figured time with the kids and Tyler needs to come first. But I am thinking of all of you!

Anyway, last week my mom came to visit and we celebrated Tet. Tet is when the Vietnamese celebrate the new Lunar year. We decorated with yellow flowers (I couldn't find the kind they decorate with but I tried) had a traditional Vietnmese meal, let the kids do sparklers left over from the 4th, and gave them "lucky money" in red envelopes. The Vietnamese sometimes set pictures of their ancestors on the family altar, pray to them, and invite them back for the new year. However, for obvious reasons, we don't want to promote ancestor worship in our home. So instead we set out a picture of my grandpa who passed away a year ago and we shared memories of him as well as some of our great grandparents. We have also decided to buy a rose every year in honor of Ethan's first parents. They will always be a part of our lives and I thought it would be a neat time to remember them.

The Vietnamese meal we had was very good. We had chicken kah (sp?) over rice which is a very typical meal. Served rice soup on the side along with boiled broccoli which we dipped in a lime and ginger sauce. The sauce was so good my mom drank hers! We also had the traditional coconut candy as well as candied orange peels that we dipped in dark chocolate. It was a lot of fun to prepare and eat.

I got the recipes from a Vietnamese cook book I just got. The cook book is WONDERFUL. It's easy to use, and she really helps you know how to find and prepare things here in America. I love to just sit and read it because of all the cultural things she adds. It was a little pricier but I highly suggest it to all of you parents who have adopted from Vietnam. It's called Into the Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen.

Sorry, I'm not trying to sound like a advertisement! On to the fun stuff...

Ellie loves to sit and write. She writes all these words to which her spelling is hilarious. I'm also finally being consistant in teaching her to read and she's doing amazingly!

Ellie had all her Cubbie friends sign her cast.

Ethan loves to watch daddy play.

(most of you are probably wondering if I, like everyone else, constantly mix up my children's names. Saddly, yes. If you notice the above picture you will see it is NOT Ethan. I'll leave it the way I wrote it though just to let you in on the terrible truth that I'm human...)

Both my grandparents gave us money for Christmas and this is what we bought. I've always wanted one and I absolutely LOVE it. We use it all the time at Walmart and the mall. The boys love it too and have discovered the sun shade is a great foot rest! This stroller is great until the boys start hitting and bitting eachother...

"Eww..."

(Doesn't Evan look like a little bully? ...although a sweet bully)

So THAT'S why Ellie was running away and screaming! (no, I'm not kidding, this is the way I found him)

Ahh...I love my boys. :)

I might add that this is NOT the way I do his hair. This was complete bed head...the funniest he's had yet, I think!

Yes...I know we are crazy...

Ethan, making coconut candy with me for Tet.

I just threw this one in because it was so cute. I never posted many pictures from Vietnam. This was taken on our boat ride down the Mekong River.

Back in the States

Hey everyone, Tyler again. I apologize about not updating for several days. We left for Hanoi on Monday, but when we got there our reservations at the Hanoi Hotel had not been confirmed, so we had an interesting evening of trying to get rooms for everyone in our travelling group. It all worked out, but we had to spend a significantly larger amount on a room that first night than we had originally anticipated (double the amount).

We then had to switch hotels, and the internet at the second hotel wouldn't allow me to access blogger. So, that's why I didn't post.

We received Ethan's visa on Wednesday, flew out Thursday night, and are now back in the states fighting jet lag. Actually, Ethan is fighting it, and therefore so am I. He woke up at 5 this morning and wouldn't go back to sleep so we went to go check e-mail. After 1 1/2 hours he fell back asleep and I am wide awake. Oh well. Time for some coffee.

We'll update with more details about the rest of our trip and some pictures, but I think we're going to try to recuperate a little bit first.

God bless

Busy, Busy

Hello again, Tyler here. We apologize about not updating but we have been very busy lately. By the time we get back to our room we just fall into bed. It's been a lot of fun.

For those who are adopting and haven't travelled yet, be warned that your child will most likely bond with only one parent at a time. This has happened in our case. Little Ethan has bonded quite well with myself, but will have little to nothing to do with Misty. We knew that this was a possibility so she is fine with it. We're both glad that he has bonded to at least one of us. No bonding at all would be a very difficult prospect for our future with him.

We are doing really well though overall. I'm dealing with some kind of allergic reaction to something. I don't know from what or where, but a swollen lip isn't really a fun activity. :-)

Misty and I are both enjoying the traffic in Vietnam. It is just crazy. Much different than our home in Kansas where there is very, VERY little traffic.

***I'm working on a video which I will post here once it has finished uploading.***

We'll also try to post a video of what it is like to cross the busier streets. It's a lot of fun, but can be quite scary as well.

We were able to go swimming before lunch today. We weren't sure how Ethan would like the pool because he had never had a bath while living in the orphange. He loved it! As long as I'm carrying him, it seems like he'll try about anything.

Ellie is really enjoying the trip, but I'll let Misty post more about her later on.

I'm going to get going and take a nap while the kids are asleep. Misty went to the store down the street and should be back soon. Hopefully it won't be so long between posts.

The Moon Festival

Yesterday was the Moon Festival in Vietnam. I have read someone that the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is considered a children's festival, at least in Vietnam. Sometimes the children parade around wearing masks. Children's Hope International put on a celebration for the children at Tam Binh 1 were Ethan is. I'm hoping to see some pictures. This is one of the holidays we will be celebrating as a family next year! Here is the article from the CHI blog:

Moon Festival Celebrations!

Whether you call it the Fifteenth of the Eighth Moon, August 14,
Year of the Pig or simply September 25, 2007—today marks one of the most
important dates on the Lunar Calendar: the Moon Festival, celebrated in both
China and Vietnam.

Families and Asian communities across the US began
celebrating this past weekend and many have celebrations today and into the
coming weekend. Eat the traditional moon cakes outside under the moon with your
family and friends, lead a parade of lit lanterns down your street, or plant a
tree in honor of the harvest to celebrate this great day of abundance.

Children’s Hope participated in many activities in orphanages and poor
communities within Vietnam yesterday (due to the time difference). In the Vinh
Long and Tam Binh 1 and 2 orphanages, the children enjoyed lanterns, a special
lunch and moon cakes for the festival. In Vinh Long two separate festivals were
planned for the areas poor children, one within the community and another in the
surrounding rural areas. Within the community, 480 children were presented with
small gifts in celebration. We hope to share pictures of these festivities in
the next E-news!

Children’s Hope wishes you and your family a happy Moon
Festival!

Umm...culture shock?

Vietnam...along with most of the world, seems to have very different standards of road "safety". For example, "stop, look, and listen" is more like "don't look, just go, and walk at a predictable pace" But this beats all. May I introduce the "Vietnamese Car Seat!"

"New 2007 Family Vehicle (car seat included)"