First 3 Weeks

Nothing worked out the way I planned.  The first 3 weeks has been really rough and stressful.   But everyday gets a little better, and things are finally and slowly falling into place.   There has been progress, success and blessings, but there has also been a lot of frustration and despair.   

Just a few days home, we realized it is impossible to continue to homeschool Faith.  I don't have the time and energy to teach, and Faith can't really focus with the little ones around.     She started with public school on Thursday, January 12.    She absolutely loves it, and has met many new friends already.   Pearl has also started the pre-K speech class two mornings a week.   Bethany's enrollment to school is still in the process.  We hope that will happen very soon.  The boys - are basically auto-pilots, pretty much on their own in terms of school work.   This is where I feel very guilty about....  I hope we have given them a solid foundation to take off from here.  As a family, we are pressing on to continue to run the race God has marked out for us.

On January 24, Bethany completed her bathroom routine all by herself for the first time!   Having to feel her way around the space is difficult enough for a 5-year-old.  In addition to that, seating toilet, flush handle and running water were all new and foreign to Bethany.  This is such a big milestone for her.  I can't explain how excited we are!

Happy Chinese New Year!   Here are all the little cousins together,all dressed in red. 

Just a few days home, Ruth would roam around the house and find her toys.   Most of the time, she is such an easy going kid.   But when she doesn't get her way, she screams in the highest pitch possible!  She is definitely a screamer!

At the Chinese New Year get together with our families, Bethany enjoyed dancing to the music, punching the pinata(her favorite!) and collecting candies on the floor.  We practiced all the names of each family member, and she greeted each one of them by name.   She did so well that night.

I call these two "the mischievous".  They seem to be always up to something - spilling cereal and water all over the floor, going through drawers and pantry, feeding each other chocolate chips cookies, etc.. 

We do floor time every morning.   Bethany has come a long way with toys.   Although she still prefers to play with her baby doll by herself, she is more willing to try different toys now.    

There are still behaviors I don't understand - The first time Bethany got on this little car, she did so well with it and would follow my voice and drive to me all over the driveway.   The next day when I put her in this car again, she wouldn't even budge.  This seems to be the pattern in her learning.  Just when I thought she has mastered the skill, she forgot everything the next day as if she has never done it before.  Very frustrating.  A few times I totally lost my temper.   This always happens  - just when I thought I was patience and have so much love for our kids, God gives me a bob on my head to help me realize how much I fall short of His standard.  

Right around 3:45pm every day, I take the kids outside to play and wait for Faith's school bus.   They all look forward to see Faith.

 

1/27 - Bethany asked Ben to find her "baby"(her baby doll).   Ben spotted it on the floor.

Ben -  "I see your baby!"
Bethany - "Teach me to see!"
Ben - "You can't see; but you can use your ears and your hands."