Tuesday, September 28, 2010
We’ve got some great kids
A couple of funnies from this morning…
The kiddos and I were sitting at the breakfast table.
Karys, bless her heart, was having a hard time waking up.
She stared zombie-like at the little bowl of cereal in front of her and said, “I just want to put my face in my food”.
After Zane finished eating, he vanished for a moment and reappeared at the table holding his new glasses.
Looking intently at them, he asked, “Dad… what is F - R - A - M - E?”
“Frame. That’s your glasses”.
“They were made in China”, he said almost excitedly.
I tried to look surprised.
And on a side note, I had a meeting at church tonight.
Carmi and I were both supposed to go but I left Carmi at home in the bed because she’s been feeling really lousy and sounds like a bass singer.
Before leaving the house, I had a little pow-wow with the young ones and advised them to be good for momma because she’s sick.
As soon as I came home, Carmi showed me this photo of a tray that Zane, Eliana and Karys had prepared for her.
There was also a hand-written card that said “We hope you get better” on the front and “I love you mom!” on the inside. All 3 signed their names.
They might be aggravations a lot of the time but I’m glad they are OUR aggravations.
We’ve got some great kids.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Bespectacled
At least Zane has a nose to hold up his new pair of glasses.
Eliana and Karys would have a problem.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
2010 Autumn Moon
We had a yard sale over at mom’s house this morning.
After each of the previous… oh… 6 or so yard sales we were, like, “OK. This is it. We’re DONE with yard sales. No more.”
Well. We lied.
Sorry preacher.
But we really mean it this time.
Then tonight we were invited to a pot-luck dinner with the local Chinese church to celebrate the Autumn Moon Festival.
The Autumn Moon Festival has been likened to a sort of “Chinese Thanksgiving”. It is among the most popular holidays in Asia, ranking alongside the celebration of the lunar New Year in cultural significance.
There was rice… check!
Noodles… check!
Dumplings… check!
Kentucky Fried Chicken… check!
Yeah. That would have been us.
And then there were these things…
Yep. That would be chicken feet.
Talk about authentic Chinese cuisine.
And Zane ate it!
After the meal and a Bible study, the evening was capped off with mooncakes!
Karys was, again, her social little self.
She found an unsuspecting teenager who was easily duped into relinquishing her cell phone.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Karys’ 3rd Family Day anniversary
Today is a very special day around the Henderson home.
3 years ago, a little girl was given to us in Baoding, Hebei.
We had no idea, then, what a sweetheart this child would become.
Every day… and I mean e-v-e-r-y day… if she says “I love you” once, she says it a hundred times. And means it.
She’s digging kindergarten. She loves life.
And we love you, Karys.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
8th annual Joyful Hearts homecoming
The 8th annual Joyful Hearts homecoming concert was this evening. Our special musical guest was Brian Free and Assurance.
We put the kiddos (and Carmi) to work. They all were a big help and handed out programs as people entered the auditorium.
Our first race
Me and my marathon-training bud ran a 5K (3.1 mile) race this morning.
It was a blast.
Except for those 3 really steep hills.
And getting passed by men and women pushing baby strollers.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
And the optometrist says…
Carmi took Zane this afternoon to our optometrist for a check-up because he’s been having some trouble seeing.
And the news wasn’t good. It wasn’t unexpected. But it wasn’t good.
His eyesight is 20-200.
So he’ll be sporting a new pair of spectacles in around 2 weeks.
And a whole new world will open up to him.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
An afternoon on the lake
My nephew invited us out to the lake after lunch for an afternoon on his family’s pontoon boat.
This is Eliana on the knee board. The girl isn’t afraid to try anything.
And she stayed up!
Friday, September 03, 2010
Our social butterfly
Leaving the house this morning to take Eliana and Karys to school, Karys asked me to come and eat lunch with her.
“Sometime”, I said and left it at that.
And then I decided to surprise her.
I mean, I better take advantage of the fact that she wants me or Carmi to come eat with her.
Since somebody else obviously decided that 2nd grade is the cutoff for parents having lunch at school.
So I went.
And speaking of Eliana… I was standing outside the school cafeteria doors waiting for Karys’ class to come when Eliana’s class lined up along a wall just down the hall.
And when Eliana saw me… oh. my.
If there had been a rock anywhere around, she most certainly would have crawled right under it.
Then… poor child… her class walked right by me on their way to the bathrooms. He.
She looked the other way.
Oh. I was so tempted to run up and give her a big hug.
But the humiliation would have been too great and she couldn’t have returned to school.
Karys, on the other hand, was very glad to see her daddy.
She sprinted from her place in line and ran straight for me but I waved her back.
Then I took her hand as she walked by. And we strolled in.
The little African-American girl behind us pointed to Karys and said, “She’s my friend.”
And Karys ran over to a girl waiting to pay for lunch who smiled really big as they chatted for a few seconds.
And another girl seated with a different class yelled, “K-a-a-a-r-y-s!”
The girl waved vigorously. So, of course, Karys bounded over to chat with her for a few seconds.
Yep. She’s our little social butterfly.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Girl on the Run
At Eliana’s request, I signed her up today for a character-building program called Girls on the Run at her school.
Starting next week, a group of 3rd-grade girls will meet together twice a week after school. Over a 12-week period, volunteer coaches and mentors will use running as a tool to teach the girls very specific and well-defined social and personal skills. The program culminates in a non-competitive 5K (3.1 mile) run event in early December.
We think it will be a good experience for her.
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