Now this, this is what we need

Armstead Snow Motors from Seeking Michigan on Vimeo.

New Calliandra pictures

Pictures of the flower that is.  Calliandra is the botanical name, it translates roughly into beautiful mankind.  Red Pompon Flower is the English name.  Red Tassel Flower is the Chinese name.  These pictures are from Carolin Hunter who took them recently in the Guangzhou zoo and forwarded them to me when I asked.  Thanks Carolin.

Beautiful flower, Beautiful name, Beautiful Daughter.  It's all good.

Acer's Epiphany

Yes, Acer came into some new knowledge today. Earth shattering for our percussionist.

It Happened like this...

Me "David, are you going to the Drum store anytime soon?"

David "Why What'cha need?"

Me "Acer needs a pair of new drumsticks, these are splintering and cracking"

David goes out to the car and gets some almost new and far safer ones.

Meanwhile, Acer, sits stunned by those new, Magical words ... DRUM STORE

Yes, tonight he discovered that there are whole stores filled with nothing but drums and drum accessories.

His world will never be the same.

WACAP

I have a friend interested in using this agency, can anyone give me some feedback?

Yes, I know there should be some posts with pictures, perhaps tomorrow when Mum is over to watch the Little Man

Acer's Drum kit

We've set up all a lot of Acer's drum toys into one area, as a drum kit for him.  He pushes the button on his toy piano to get the tune and then he's off a drumming!

Mister BeetFace

And here we have beets of a different kind.  Acer loves pickled beets, and thankfully, NaiNai, Bill's Mom, cans very good ones herself.  As you can see, Acer tried to lick the bowl clean after he finished off a bowl and a half of them!

From Mr. BeetFace

Musical Breakthrough

Acer has always loved music, since the day we became a family, he had definite tastes in music and would request certain songs.
Since his birthday on the 21st, however, he's made huge strides relating what he's hearing on his new toy piano to what he's playing on his steel drum, his zylophone and even on the real piano.

It's been pretty exciting to watch and hopefully I'll be able to post some videos soon, as he's now requesting I take videos and pictures. He loves to listen to himself play when we play the videos on Youtube.

Don't forget to add us to your prayer list

Throughout this process I've found the more I pray, the more I fund raise.  I'm asking the prayers come from you too, to help us get where we need to especially since the cost has gone up another $2000 due to the economic crisis.

You feed and water them and look what happens!

We've started to notice Acer's ankles peeking out under his pants lately and wondered why as I haven't had a mad shrinking fit with the washer, and we'd just bought him new pants for school in the fall.

Well it seems he's grown an inch and a half in the last six months!

This explains how he was able to gain three pounds and still look as slim as ever. I was actually worried because, going on weight alone (he's very muscular) Acer's weight and old height put him in the obese category for BMI calcualtions. Now that we know he's 39.5 inches, and 37 pounds, he's in the 80% category which makes me much happier.

Now I just have to find longer size threes or size 4's made for boys with no butte!

Latest Little Miss Pictures

Deb from WenJun Gotcha sent us these pictures today.  WenJun was a friend and roommate of Calliandra's and I know she is really missing her.  I was glad to hear that they'd had a chance to talk on Wed. night via skype.  Here you can see the Bethel Choir singing away.  As a singer myself I have to wonder how they're handling the transition from only having one male voice to know being half male and half female voices as the girls have been finding homes.  Wen Jun is in the back, the tallest in the pink turtleneck.  The girl in the back, in yellow and the girl in front in pink polkadots are both really wanting families, so please keep them in your prayers as they have seen three of their classmates go to families this year.  Also, please pray for the shortest girl in the back as she is reportedly in hospital right now.

BTW Calliandra is front and center in these pictures wearing a cerise windbreaker and purple velour pants.

Please add us to your prayers as we're heading to the last month of waiting for LOA, and still have fundraising to do, also, Calliandra's been more quiet on our phone calls lately and so prayers that we continue to progress in making our emotional bonds with her.

Acer Playing Along

Acer got the Steel Drum from YeYe and NaiNai for his big Birthday/Christmas present, and the piano from my friend and Mandarin Professor, Qin.  Here he's putting them both to use at the same time, even if he only has one drumstick to pass between both hands (more on their way thanks to Uncle Dawei)  Sorry, I shot the video this way, I didn't realize that you couldn't turn it like you do photos.