Three Little Pumpkins

A Few New Pictures

2009-04-11T00:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few new pictures of the kids from St. Patrick's Day, Brennen's school fieldtrip to the Coca-Cola factory and traversing through YuYuan Garden in Shanghai!

This is one of my favorite pictures I have taken thus far in China. Though the smog makes the World Financial Center a little hard to see, this is a great example of "old" meeting "new" in this wonderful society!

Chinese New Year...in Malaysia!

2009-02-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

Though this is our first year in China, we opted to forgo the endless days and evenings of fireworks for Chinese New Year here in Shanghai for the peaceful beaches and rain forests of Malaysia. We traveled to Kota Kinabalu, the capitol of Sabah, Malaysia. In addition to spending lazy days by the pool and on the beach, we took a boat to Gaya Island and hiked through the rain forest. Though Collin and Brennen were determined to see a python, and I hoped to see a proboscis monkey, we ended up seeing bats hanging upside down in a cave (yikes!), a gecko, a chameleon and tons of ants! Apparently, the island inhabits the "Giant Ant", which grows to about 3-4 inches in length. However, much to Brennen's dismay (and my relief), we just saw "regular old ants." The rain forest was just beautiful, with all of its waterfalls, lush green plants and sounds of birds and cicadas.

After trekking through the rain forest, we got back on the boat and cruised to a neighboring island for snorkeling and an "under water walk." After the boys snorkeled with Dave, I got to go with them to the bottom of the South China Sea! A small boat cruised us out to a houseboat off shore. There, we put on what looked like space helmets and climbed down a ladder that took us about 15 feet below the surface. At the bottom, a walkway was roped off. We held onto the ropes and walked under water, seeing hundreds of tropical fish, as well as coral and sea anemones. The water was crystal clear and the view was just beautiful! A scuba diver went down with us and gave us bread to feed the fish. As soon as the bread was in our hands, we were swarmed with "Nemo's" and "Dorrie's". It was really cool. The guide also picked up coral, a starfish and sea anemones for us to feel. He had a camera and took several photos of us underwater, which were then put on a disc for us to keep. A picture of Collin and me is at the right. (Brennen unfortunately didn't get into any of the pictures).

It was as close to perfect as a vacation can get, and we can't wait to go back someday when the kids are a little older so that we can go deeper into the rain forest and do a canopy walk!

Life in Shanghai

2009-01-10T00:16:00.000-08:00

The past several weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind, but we are all settling in to life in Shanghai. Collin and Brennen have begun to make some good friends at school and are "finally" having playdates again. That has made a big difference.

We had a wonderful Christmas and were all relieved that Santa found us in China! He was very good to each of us again this year. Our church, Sacred Heart, even had a children's mass where kids dressed up and reenacted the birth of Jesus, so we felt right at home.

Instead of heading out of town for Christmas break, we decided to explore Shanghai. We went to the Science and Technology Museum, the Aquarium and the Live Insect Museum. We also took a few bike rides as a family, which was something we don't typically get to do in December! Though the temperatures are quite chilly in December and January here in Shanghai (40s, occasionally upper 30s), it just doesn't seem as cold when you see green grass, leaves on trees and flowers!

Our driver, Feng Xin, and our ayi, Su, have already become part of our family. With Dave traveling so much, I am very fortunate to have their help and friendship.

Here are quick updates on all of us:

Maeve: Maeve is a typical precocious two-year-old, who makes us crazy one minute and has us laughing in stitches the next! She loves to dress up in princess costumes, to do puzzles and play dough, and to do "gymnastics", which involves her standing on her head and doing somersaults. She goes to a "Creative Movements" class every Thursday morning with mom, where she gets to dance and play with a few other toddlers. She is quickly learning Mandarin from our ayi, Su, who has the patience of a saint! One of Maeve's favorite activities is to look at the pictures on Su's cell phone, mainly because most of them are of her! Maeve also enjoys going to "Miss Cristi's House" to play with Leah, Lauren and Kate.

Brennen: Brennen has had the most difficult time adjusting to life in China out of all of us. He misses his "old school" and his "old friends." That being said, he seemed to turn the corner right after Christmas break and has a new, brighter attitude towards school, friends and life here in Shanghai. Having playdates and getting involved in some activities outside of school has shown him that it may not be all bad to live here. During Christmas break, Brennen took an animated Legos class at Children's Technology Workshop (a Canadian-based center). Over the course of the week, he developed a story line about Santa getting trapped in an avalanche and how he got rescued. He had to build Lego scenes and characters to go along with his story. Then, his instructor took still photos as Brennen moved his Lego characters through the scenes. The end result was a movie played to music, burned onto a disc, that Brennen got to bring home. It is really cool and Brennen had a blast! Tomorrow Brennen starts basketball, and we are in the process of getting him into guitar lessons at school, which he'll be taking with his good friend, Harrison. I'm not sure if he is more excited to learn how to play guitar, or to just have an excuse to show boat with a guitar. Either way, he's excited!

Collin: Collin has jumped right into school and making new friends with a positive attitude. He really enjoys his new teacher, Mrs. Kent. She is a former writer for NBC, so let's just say she makes the kids read and WRITE!! It has been wonderful for Collin. Her enthusiasm for reading and writing are infectious and as a result, Collin always has his nose in a book! Collin's two best friends at school are Tommy and Addison. The three of them are good students and like sports, so they get along well! Like Brennen, Collin also starts basketball tomorrow. He has been anxious to get started, since all of his friends back home have been playing for a couple of months already, and regularly send email updates of plays and scores. He loves getting the emails, so keep them coming! Collin's new friend, Tommy, just started taking trumpet lessons at school, so Collin has decided that he may give trumpet a try, too. I have to say that the words, "Mom, I want to take trumpet lessons," are 7 words I never expected to hear! I didn't think our house could possibly get any louder...

Dave: Dave continues to LOVE his new job, in spite of the frustrations and long hours. He travels domestically and/or internationally each week, so he is only home on the weekends. In just a couple of months, he has been to Hong Kong, Singapore (twice), Poland, Croatia, and Hungary. He is up at the factory in Xuzhou when he is not out of the country. He does a great job at making time for the kids when he is home, taking them on bike rides, playing outside, and finding yet another ice cream shop! (We haven't found one that compares to Whitey's). He is still trying to find time to start his Mandarin tutoring...hopefully he'll squeeze it in before we leave China.

Cathy: I continue to love every aspect of life in China (especially now that the kids are happier). My Mandarin tutor, Lisa, comes to our house twice a week to tutor me in Mandarin and our ayi, Su, in English. It's a difficult language to learn, but Su and I have a lot of laughs together as we try out our new phrases with each other. My friend, Cristi, and I have made a pact to have a "girls day out" once a month (her husband also travels Mon.-Fri.). We have had a blast going all over Shanghai to different markets and shops, and we always end our day with a Chinese foot massage at a spa, capped off by tea and dessert. It's rough, but some body's gotta do it! Now that I have the house in order and more of a routine down, I am looking forward to getting back into the groove with Raising Hope. In April, I am going with a team from Holt International to Cambodia and Nepal to visit 3 different orphanages. We will meet with the orphanage staffs to assess needs, and we may also take part in building a playground at the orphanage in Nepal! The best part for me, will be meeting all of the sweet kids. This experience is truly a dream come true for me. In February, I will be flying to Guangzhou, China for a few days to meet up with my friend, Debbie and her husband, Bill while they are here for the adoption of their daughter, Ella. I feel very blessed that I am living here and can meet with them to lend a helping hand, and to of course, hold that sweet baby Ella who we have prayed for for so long!

Well, that about sums it up! The last week of January is Chinese New Year, and we are heading out of China to Malaysia! We are going to Kota Kinabalu to stay at a resort on the beach. We also hope to take a day trip into the rain forest, so the kids are very excited! I'll post again when we get back!

Home Sweet Home...Almost

2008-11-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

Well, we arrived in Shanghai two weeks ago, so we are "home sweet home"...almost. We are in a furnished apartment temporarily, until our household goods arrive and clear customs. We hope to move into our new house by Thanksgiving. The picture to the left is a view from our apartment balcony. The rooftops in the distance are of the neighborhood we will be moving into, and then downtown Pudong is beyond that!

Our first week in Shanghai was a little rough. Dave was only here with us for three days and then had to leave on business. The boys had a difficult time the first week of school. They both have wonderful teachers and we really like Concordia, but it is never easy being the "new kid". Both of their teachers paired them up with a buddy, so that helped.

Luckily, our first week ended with trick-or-treating...twice! There was trick-or-treating in Regency Park (where our new house is) on Friday night, and trick-or-treating at Seasons Villas (where our apartment is) on Saturday night. The boys, and Maeve, had a blast with the Steed girls. It was a perfect ending to a not-so-perfect week. For those of you wondering, the kids received many of the same kinds of candy we have in the States. However, they also received peanuts, tiny apples, dried fruit, and seafood biscuits!

Our second week in Shanghai went much more smoothly. The boys are already more comfortable with school and with riding the bus. We also found a church that we really like (named Sacred Heart, believe it or not!). There are many families who live near us, and whose children go to school at Concordia, who attend that church, so it was especially nice for the boys to see familiar faces and to feel more like part of the community.

As for little Miss Maeve, she, too, is settling in. She was very uncomfortable our first few weeks in China, but now she is back to her sassy self! She is even starting to speak a little Mandarin to our driver, Feng Xin! She greets him in the morning with, "Ni hao, Feng Xin!" (Hello, Feng Xin), says, "Xie xie" (thank you) to him after he puts her in her seat, and tells him, "Zai jian!" (good-bye) when we get back home. It's really cute and Feng Xin just loves it! (Maeve is sitting next to a huge patch of shamrocks in the picture to the right!)

Dave loves his new job and all of the challenges that are going along with it. This week he is off to Singapore, and then he'll be off to Poland the end of the month. He also gets to go to Croatia within the next month, so he is really excited to visit his old stomping ground.

As for me, I am trying to keep the ship afloat. All of the mundane chores that I always complained about in the States have suddenly become an adventure. I'm still not sure if my clothes are getting washed properly in the washing machine, nor my dishes in the dishwasher, and the traffic in the aisles of a Chinese grocery store is more dangerous than on the streets! But, that being said, I love living here. I feel so blessed for our family to have this opportunity to experience China first hand--the people, the language, the food, the markets, the craziness of the big city, the quiet of the countryside and the beauty of it all.

I'll try to be better about posting updates more often! I just needed to get through these first couple of weeks, focusing on getting the kids settled. Know that we think of all of you daily!

Tastes Like...Popcorn!

2008-10-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Last night was our biggest adventure in China so far. The boys were bound and determined to visit the Night Market, a.k.a. "Snack Street", and eat something "weird", like scorpion on a stick. Well, after walking past vendor after vendor, selling silk worms, crickets, starfish and snake, we came across a variety of scorpions! Our choice? Purchase one huge black scorpion on a stick, or three little tiny scorpions on a stick. We chose the latter. For the equivalent of 2 US dollars, we were about to embark on a culinary adventure of a lifetime!

The big question...who is going first? Dave volunteered, with no objections from the rest of us. After putting an entire deep fried scorpion in his mouth, the boys and I were dying for the verdict. What did it taste like? Nope, not chicken. It tasted like popcorn! Really? Okay, now I had to try it. I wasn't as brave as Dave, so I just bit into a couple of legs. Yep! Tastes like popcorn!

The boys were next. Collin (who was the most convinced that he was going to someday eat scorpion on a stick) wasn't so sure he was ready for a bite. So Brennen yelled, "I'll do it!" And he grabbed the stick and dug in. We then received confirmation yet again that scorpions taste like popcorn. With that, Collin gained some courage and finished off the last scorpion. It was unanimous...they taste like popcorn. Light, crunchy and a little buttery (thanks to the deep fryer).

So there you have it. Team O'Keeffe showed Andrew Zimmern that he's not the only one who is willing to eat the weird foods of this world (check out his show...it's fabulous). Dave and I were very proud of the boys for being so daring and willing to "Do as the Romans." However, I think tonight we'll settle for Pizza Hut.

The Great Wall

2008-10-13T00:59:00.000-07:00

After over two years of waiting, Collin and Brennen FINALLY got to hike the Great Wall! We couldn't have asked for a better day. It was sunny, in the low 70s and the beginning of fall color made the view even more breath taking.

Our tour guide, Mr. Lei, took us to a remote part of the Great Wall. It was perfect...no tourists, no vendors, just us. We had to walk 1,100 steps to get to the Wall. Once we got to the Wall, it was very rugged hiking, and there were parts that had little to no sides of the Wall left! As a mother of three young children, it was a little nerve wracking! However, the boys did very well, and Maeve sat safely on Dave's shoulders.

Once you are on the Great Wall, it is even more difficult to imagine that it stretches for 4,000 miles! The part we walked on had original bricks with limestone and rice mortar, dating back 700 years! Some parts were so steep, that we literally had to climb straight up. It was quite the adventure, and we can't wait to go back some day, exploring yet another area.

Touring Beijing

2008-10-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

We have spent the past two days touring the beautiful city of Beijing. On Sunday we went to the Beijing Zoo, along with 5 million of our closest Chinese friends! We found out that the Chinese government shut down domestic tourism for four months prior to the Olympics. As a result, any tourist spot in Beijing is PACKED on the weekends!

In spite of the crowds, we had a lot of fun at the zoo. The weather was perfect (sunny and in the 70s) and it was good to get outside in the fresh air (relatively speaking).

The zoo has a really cool aquarium with a Sea World like dolphin show. Even though we couldn't understand what was being said, we all had fun watching the dolphins and seals.
Brennen's favorite part was going to the underground tunnel in the aquarium. He felt like he was swimming with the sharks! We all also enjoyed seeing the Great Pandas. This was the first time the boys had seen pandas in "real life".

Yesterday we went to the "Dirt Market." It is a market place where all of the locals go. You don't see many tourists there, so it was quite the experience. Even the kids walked around in awe, looking at the rows and rows of artwork, furniture, ceramics, etc. The highlight for them, was coming across a stand run by an elderly gentleman who had a pet cricket. It was the biggest cricket any of us had ever seen, and it was in a tiny cage!

Today we are heading to a remote part of the Great Wall. The boys have waited for this day since before Maeve came home, so they are very excited! We'll take lots of pictures and post again when we get back!

And We're Off!

2008-10-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well, thanks to jet lag, it has taken me longer to post an update than I had expected, but I'll try to get everyone caught up. Here goes...

Getting ready for our move was a little challenging. International moves are never easy, and when you combine that with a two year old who had a high fever (104!) and the stomach flu, it makes for a stressed out mommy and daddy!

Before the moving company came to pack us out, Dave and I did some serious shopping! Many of things the kids love to eat (cereal, instant oatmeal, granola bars, etc.) are very expensive in China, because they are imported from the States or Europe. So, we went to Sam's Club to stock up. We figure that eventually the kids will have to learn to change their eating habits somewhat, but having a few things from home in the beginning will help ease them into it. Let's just say we got a lot of looks as we pushed an overflowing dolly through Sam's! As you can see from the picture, Dave and I barely fit in the van to drive it home!

All last week the moving company packed us out, and on Thursday, they loaded the truck and drove off to California. Our belongings will sit in California until the moving company gets a copy of Dave's Chinese work permit, at which time our "stuff" will literally be put on the "slow boat to China."

Which leads us to why we are in Beijing for the next two weeks. John Deere's main office is in Beijing, so this is where we had to come to have our residency and work permits processed. But, let me back track to our journey from Moline to Beijing.

After spending a few nights at Dave's parents' house in Moline (thanks again for everything, Doris and Jerry!), we loaded our rental van and drove to Chicago last Saturday. Our plan was to spend the night in a hotel and catch our flight to Beijing the next day. Well, after an over 3 hour drive to Chicago (thanks to road construction) with 3 anxious kids, we arrived at our hotel only to discover that we forgot one of our suitcases in Moline! (Yes, this is in spite of the fact that Doris asked us if we were sure we had everything). Was I happy? No. Did I completely lose it? Almost. However, Dave's dad came to the rescue and met Dave half-way between Chicago and Moline to deliver the suitcase. We can never thank you enough, Jerry!

The next morning, we caught our flight to China without any problems. And, our flight to China went remarkably well, in spite of a few of Maeve's short-lived temper tantrums, Collin complaining about the "disgusting plane food", and Brennen coming down with the stomach flu mid-way through our 14 hour flight (flight attendants don't get paid nearly enough!). I think we were all happy to land on Chinese soil and to have the "moving part" of our journey behind us!

We are now on day 5 of our stay in Beijing, and we are making the most of our time here. The kids are having fun walking around the big city, seeing how different, yet similar, life is here. Right across the street from our hotel is Chaoyang Park, where outdoor beach volleyball was held for the Olympics. It is also an amusement park, so we took a nice walk through it yesterday and let the kids ride a couple of rides.

A couple of days ago, we went to the Pearl Market and to the Toy Market. The boys were amazed at all of the things there were for sale, and they were very impressed with their dad who bargained for great prices!

We plan on going to the Great Wall in a couple of days, once we seem to be "over the hump" with this jet lag! We also promised the boys that we would go to the Night Market next week, so that they could see all of the "weird" foods for sale there. Collin is convinced that he is going to eat scorpion on a stick, which is quite comical coming from a kid who wouldn't eat turkey, aka, "mystery meat" on the plane!

Well, I have to go wake up sleeping beauty from her nap so that maybe she'll sleep past 4am tomorrow morning! I'll post again after we go to the Great Wall. Thanks to everyone who has been emailing us. The boys especially look forward to reading them each day. This picture is the view from our hotel room, which shows the big city of Beijing!

Shanghai or Bust!

2008-09-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

Well, today I mailed off our change of address cards! However, I realized after they were all complete and ready to be mailed that I didn't put our moving date on them! So, to let everyone know, we are flying to Beijing on October 5. We will be in Beijing for about 2 1/2 weeks while our residency permits process, and then we will be off to Shanghai around October 22. We will be in temporary living for about a month until our household goods arrive, at which time we will move into our new house. We will have our Vonage phone with us at all times in China, so our new phone number will be effective upon our arrival in Beijing (to reiterate, the phone number is a US phone number (Moline, IL number), so it will be like calling us in Moline, but will reach us in China). The best way to reach us will be through our new email address, which is already activated. Okay, now that I have cleared that up, I better get packing!!!

Life Goes On!

2008-09-07T17:42:00.000-07:00

In spite of getting ready for our big move to China, life still goes on! School is back in session and we are full swing into homework and football! Collin is in fourth grade this year, and Brennen is a big first grader. Both boys are happy to be spending the first couple of months at Seton with their friends. This is Brennen's first year playing flag football, but after watching his big brother and older cousins for so many years, he looked like a pro out on the field his first game!

On August 10, Maeve celebrated her 2nd birthday! I can't believe that our baby we held for the first time at 9 months is alread 2!!! Maeve still has a smile that lights up a room, and a spunky personality to go with it! She loves to play hide-n-seek with the boys, and especially likes to be "it". Instead of covering her eyes, she covers her mouth, counts to 14, shouts, "Go!", and takes off running to find the boys. We are having a lot of fun with her!

Just after school started, we had a double birthday/going-away party for the boys at the Aqualetic Swim Club. Over 40 of the boys' friends came to help us celebrate their birthdays and our move to Shanghai! In lieu of gifts, Collin and Brennen chose to have their friends bring school supplies to donate to Seton. Dave and I were very proud of them!

WE'RE MOVING TO CHINA!

2008-08-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Well, many of you already know, but for those of you who don't, we are moving to China! Dave has accepted a 3 year assignment in Shanghai, and we couldn't be more excited! Not many families who have adopted internationally ever get the chance to live in their child's birth country, so we feel very blessed to have this opportunity.

Dave and I recently traveled to Shanghai to go house hunting and to visit the two American international schools. Shanghai is a beautiful city, but this will be quite a change for our family. With a population of 18 million, it will be similar to living in downtown New York!

As if moving overseas isn't exciting enough, we will have the great fortune of sharing it with our dear friends, the Steeds! They have been great friends of ours for several years (Dave and John began working for Deere at the same time, and Cristi and I co-founded Raising Hope International together), and John was also asked to be a part of this China Team for Deere. We are going to be living in the same neighborhood and our houses are two streets apart. How's that for Divine Intervention?

Due to the Olympics, we don't have a definite moving date yet. China has stopped processing Z-visas (which is what we need to enter the country as ex-pats) until after the Olympics and Special Olympics are over. So, we hope to move the first week of October, but it all depends on when our Z-visa is issued. We have a house waiting for us, and the boys were accepted into Concordia International School (our first choice), so we are ready to go! We have decided to keep our house in Moline, so it is making our move a little easier. We will be coming back here after our assignment in China, and since our house has been in the O'Keeffe family for 40 years, we just couldn't imagine living anywhere else. This house is truly home for us.

We'll keep all of you posted as more details arise.

Start working on your passports...we expect to get visitors!

Xiushan Reunion 2008

2008-07-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that a whole year has gone by since we first arrived home with Maeve! On June 26, we flew to the Jersey Coast to meet up with three of the other families we were in China with (two of the families couldn't attend) for our first annual Xiushan Family Reunion! What an amazing and emotional experience it was to see all of Maeve's "sisters" again! We had such a wonderful time, and after the first few minutes of awe at seeing each other again, it was as if we had never been apart. We are truly family.

All of us had a blast relaxing on the beach, hunting for sea glass and digging for sand crabs! We also had fun on the boardwalk one evening, riding roller coasters and eating pizza at one of Bob's favorite places.

Bob and Leslie were also very gracious to have all of us over for a clam bake at their house. What a hoot! Bob was chef extraordinaire, and Leslie taught all of us the fine art of eating clams and "smashing crabs with a hammer", as the boys called it! It was delicious, delicious, delicious!

It was a fantastic first reunion. We missed the two families who couldn't be there, but it was so wonderful to see how all of the girls have grown, how well they are all beginning to speak and how happy they all are! We are very blessed.

Aaahhh...Spring!!

2008-05-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

After a brutal winter here in the midwest, we are finally enjoying spring! The kids are growing so fast and changing before our eyes. Collin is finishing up third grade and seems so grown up! He and Brennen are good buddies, in spite of the fact that Brennen can play the part of the annoying little brother quite well! Collin adores Maeve and is very protective of her. Almost every day he says, "Mom, you know why I love Maeve so much...". It is very sweet.

Brennen will soon be finishing Kindergarten and is still the life of the party! Luckily, he has done very well in school and is adored by his teacher. We're not quite sure how he pulled that one off, except to say that he does allow a few brief moments of sweetness at home. :) Deep down Brennen is a softy, and he likes to make people laugh. That's not so bad.

Both boys are full swing into the baseball season, and Dave is coaching both of their teams. That makes for one crazy schedule, but we love it! Maeve has come to love going to the ball fields because she gets to run around like a maniac! I don't really get to see much of the games, but that's life with a 21 month old who thinks life is grand!

Speaking of little Miss Maeve, she is doing fabulous! She is still a little peanut, but continues to grow and thrive. She is talking up a storm and has no problem telling her brothers (or anyone for that matter) when she would like things done her way! She loves to sing songs, dance, count numbers and read books. She still has that beautiful smile that melts the hearts of anyone she meets, and she loves being with her family most of all. Her "buppa" (Papa Jerry) is her absolute favorite. Life is good when she is hanging out with her "buppa".

This summer we are going to the Jersey Shore for a reunion with the families we traveled to China with. We are so excited and can't wait for all of the girls to be together again! Collin and Brennen are so happy that they finally get to meet all of the families they have heard so much about and to meet all of Maeve's "China sisters."

FYI--for those of you who may be wondering, the recent earthquake in China was in the same province where Maeve is from (Sichuan/Chongqing). However, we are thankful that her orphanage sustained no damage and the children there are all safe. Please continue to pray for all of the families affected by this devastating earthquake.

I will try to be better about posting more often. Until then, take care and keep in touch!

A Very Merry Christmas

2008-01-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful first Christmas with Maeve this year! Collin and Brennen explained to her that Christmas is all about Jesus' birthday, and that this great guy, Santa, brings lots of gifts to help everyone celebrate! Maeve may not have understood the Jesus/Santa part, but she had the gift thing all figured out!

Each year, in lieu of exchanging gifts with the O'Keeffe side of the family, we all go on vacation together. This has become a very fun and memorable tradition for all of us, especially for the kids. All of the little cousins have so much fun together and don't miss opening presents one bit. We typically go to an indoor waterpark resort, and who wouldn't choose going down a waterslide while there's a blizzard outside over opening a gift?

This year we went to "Fun City" in Burlington, Iowa. The resort has an indoor waterpark, an arcade, go-carts, a bowling alley, rock climbing and laser tag. We had a blast!

Halloween Fun

2007-12-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

Collin and Brennen had a lot of fun this year showing Maeve what Halloween is all about!

One Happy Family

2007-10-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

Our summer with Maeve went so fast! It's hard to believe fall is already here. Though Maeve has only been home for four months, it seems that she has always been with us and we now can't imagine life without her!

We had a lot of fun this summer going to the pool, spending time on the ball fields with the boys and welcoming the many family members and friends who came to meet Maeve. In September, we had Maeve baptized and we were just thrilled at how many friends attended the service, in addition to our families. Everyone is still so excited that she is home and is doing so well.

We recently went to Colorado Springs. Dave had an Air Force Academy Alumni Baseball Reunion there, so we made a family trip out of it so that we could see our dear friends, the Blocks. The kids all had so much fun...and by kids I am including my husband and all of his college buddies! What a hoot to see all of those guys playing baseball at the Academy again! I have to admit, for a bunch of "old guys", they still got it!

The morning after we got back from Colorado, a reporter and photographer from the Quad City Times showed up at our house to do a feature story on international adoption and my non-profit organization, Raising Hope International. (Okay, I knew they were coming but I still felt like Carol Brady on the episode where she wrote down the wrong time that the camera crew was coming to their house and she answered the door with her hair in rollers!) My friend, Cristi, and her three girls (all from China) came down from Dubuque for the interview as well. Luckily, the girls were the stars of the show. Maeve is now a celebrity in our town of Moline. She really hammed it up for the camera! (I know, hard to believe). What a different life she has compared to just a few months ago! What a different and blessed life we all have because of her.

Collin and Brennen are still wonderful big brothers and they are more excited than anyone with each new word she learns to say and with each new step she takes as she learns to walk. She loves both of them so much and she gets so excited when they come out of school each day. When I tell her, "it's time to go get the boys from school," she goes and gets her shoes and brings them to me! She can hardly wait to see them.

I will try to post more pictures after Halloween, but at the rate I am going, it may be Thanksgiving before I post again! Thanks again to all of you who check in to see how we are doing and for your interest in our blog!

Home Sweet Home!

2007-07-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, everyone, I am FINALLY updating our blog now that we are home! After getting several phone calls wondering if we were all still alive, I figured I better get going!

Our flight home was uneventful. Maeve was great the whole way home. She either slept, or smiled at people. Who could ask for more than that?

Dave and I were so excited to see Collin and Brennen when we arrived at the airport in Moline. We missed them terribly. They were excited to see us, but were even more anxious to see their new baby sister. They made signs and brought balloons to welcome her home. What a relief it was to have our family all together safe and sound.

Our friends, the Cavins, made a big "Welcome Home, Maeve" sign that was hanging on our garage door when we got home from the airport. We have such a wonderful family and so many wonderful friends who made our homecoming very special. Someday Maeve will realize how many people anxiously awaited her arrival!

Now that we are home, we couldn't be happier. Maeve is settling right in and seems to know that she is home with her family. She continues to be a happy, smiley baby and she adores her brothers! She gets so excited when they play with her, inspite of the fact that they "love her to death" from time to time. She doesn't seem to mind her legs moving a thousand miles a minute while Brennen sings ,"The Wheels on the Bus" to her, or that it's not always comfortable when Collin tries to carry her around. She just seems to be happy to be home with her family who loves her very much.

Maeve is really starting to like solid foods and is gaining weight as a result. She is up to a whopping 15 lbs.! We are even starting to see a roll on her thighs. She'll be a little beef cake in no time!

Well, that's my update for now. Thank you to everyone who followed along on our Journey to Maeve. We received such positive feedback on our blog from so many people, and we appreciate everyone's excitement for our family. Our trip to China was an unforgettable life experience. Dave and I are fortunate to have traveled to 9 different countries in our almost 12 years of marriage. But, when we look at our three little pumpkins, we realize there's no place like home.

Going HOME!!!

2007-06-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

Well, today was our last day in Guangzhou. Tomorrow we leave for Hong Kong, then we head home on Friday. We went to the American Consulate today and took our oath, the last official act before leaving the country. As soon as we get through immigration in Chicago, Maeve will officially be a U.S. citizen.

One of the families in our group left for Hong Kong this evening. The rest of us leave tomorrow, so we went out for one last group dinner. It was really hard to say good bye to everyone, but we'll get together again. Next time, in the States.

This will be our last post until we get home. It has been a lot of fun keeping this journal of our time in China. We hope all of you enjoyed it as well. We didn't take many pictures today, so there's no folder of extra pictures to look at for today. Cameras weren't allowed at the Consulate.

We can't wait to get home to Collin and Brennen. We have missed them very much. Thanks to all of you who emailed and posted messages to us. We really enjoyed hearing from everyone and appreciated everyone's excitement. This journey to Maeve has been quite the adventure, but the real adventure begins when we get home. We can't wait!

Down to the Wire

2007-06-05T05:40:00.000-07:00

Well, today was the last full day our group will be together. Some of the families begin their journey home tomorrow after our Oath Ceremony. We all agree that tomorrow will be bittersweet. We are all excited to get home to our families, but our daughters will be leaving their home country and the only sisters they have known. We made a pact to get together for group reunions. We have become like family.

Today we went to a Buddahist temple that is right in the middle of the city. It's a very peaceful place amid the chaotic city of Guangzhou. Some of us braved the long climb up the pagoda that is several stories high. There was a beautiful view and we got some really nice pictures. We also took pictures of the three enormous gold buddahs in one of the temple buildings. It is mind boggling to think of what it took to construct those things!

We ended our day with one last pizza party, this time in Drew and Stephanie's room. It was so much fun looking back over the past two weeks. The girls are all growing and changing before our eyes. Their personalities are really starting to come out. They are all such sweet babies and we will miss them.

Tomorrow we will squeeze in some last minute shopping and the few of us who will be here until Thursday plan on going to dinner together. I will be frantically packing, trying to shove five suitcases worth of "stuff" into three! I may be purchasing another suitcase tomorrow!

Well, it's time to put a very sweet, but very tired little baby girl to sleep. If you would like to see more pictures from today, click on the "More China Pictures" link and then on the "China Day 12" folder.

Red Couch Picture

2007-06-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

Today was "Red Couch Picture" day. This is an event that all adoptive families are excited about because it means that they have their child and are close to coming home. The families in our group met at 10am for the photo. It was actually quite fun. The kids were dressed up in their traditional Chinese outfits and looked adorable. They were also all over the place so we had to act fast. As you can see from the extra photos, Maeve wasn't as excited as we were about the "Red Couch" picture. In the end it turned out just fine. We actually got a few good pictures and one excellent group photo. We have a great group and we have enjoyed getting to know them all.

The "Red Couch Picture" wasn't the only event we had for the day. Actually, to start our day we called Collin and Brennen. They sound like they are having a great time with their grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. We sure miss them and appreciate them being so good while we pick up their baby sister. Maeve is excited to see you and give you her great big smile. She looks at her special alarm clock quite often. We can't wait to see you in a few days. Cathy and I really appreciate all the help that our family and friends have provided while we have been away.

After the "Red Couch Picture" it was time for Maeve's doctor's visit. It was very easy and she is quite healthy. The appointment consisted of quick measurements, a doctor's once over and an ear, nose and throat exam. She sailed right through and it was determined that she was the smallest of the girls at 13 lbs 9 oz. She also is 26 1/2". These measurements were a bit different than the last adoption document we received. S he actually is doing great and progressing every day--sleeping well and eating a lot more than she did a week ago.

After the doctor's appointment, it was Dave's turn to get pampered. I went with some other men in our group to get our foot massages. I think the best thing about the whole experience was Carl's reaction to his feet being massaged. He is extremely ticklish and had a hard time not laughing through the whole experience. I must say that I really enjoyed it. Initially I was reluctant but it was very relaxing. I can now better understand why Cathy enjoys them so much.

Cathy took this opportunity to take Maeve on her first Mother/Daughter shopping outing. They had a great time with some of the other mothers and daughters, but they are a deadly pair. They came back with a lot of packages--I may have to put some type of quota or restricitions on them (yeah, like that will work). Actually, I am writing the blog tonight because she is out with her friend Wendy (NC) closing down some more stores.

We had another good day in Guongzhou and finished it with dinner with our group at a local restaurant. The restaurant was very nice, but when you initially enter you walk by all these tanks of fish, crab, and all sorts of stuff, like water beetles, silk worms, dirty eels, etc. We didn't have anything exotic tonight but some traditional Cantonese foods. These foods are much milder than the spicy foods of Chongqing. After dinner, we decided we needed an evening stroll because Maeve wasn't quite ready for bed. We took a short walk to Starbuck's and got a latte and muffin to cap off our evening. Well my evening, remember Cathy is out shopping. Actually, I am glad Cathy and Wendy have hit it off so well and that they can develop their friendship.

Well that's enough for now. If you would like to view more photos please click on the link at the upper right corner that states, "More China Pictures" and select "China Day 11."

2007-06-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

I'm filling in for Cathy tonight because she had a tiring day of shopping (3 times) and a massage. Please don't worry about me--I got to write the blog.

Actually, we all had a wonderful day. It started with Maeve having a great night sleep and then putting on an outfit that our dear friend Cristi gave her and it actually fit (photo). She is such a pip squeak and we are having difficulty finding her clothes. Maeve is doing really well. She is sleeping great, eating more and more, and has such a great disposition.

We didn't have any planned activities today but it turned out to be quite busy. After breakfast, we all went on a trip to the jade market. Maeve and I were actually along for the ride and Cathy and some other ladies got down to business. It was quite interesting but hard to really know if it was authentic. After that adventure and lunch, Maeve and I went back to the hotel. Maeve had a very lengthy nap and I might of dozed off a bit as well. Cathy on the other hand was off shopping with the ladies again. We have a group photo of the girls tomorrow and they all decided to purchase the girls authentic Chinese dresses for them to get their photos in. They were successful and then they were off for massages. Many in our group went to include our friend's 8 year old boy, Pait. They had a wonderful time and it was a very relaxing experience for all. It was so good that I'm going to go tomorrow with some of the men.

After Cathy got back, we decided to go to the pool. The White Swan has an awesome pool and a nice little baby area. Maeve loved swimming and it was fun talking to many of the other adoptive families not in our group. There is a huge group (~20 families) from the Boston area. The pool was very refreshing in the heat of Southern China.

It was now time for dinner. We went with our friends the Bryans from NC. We went to a Thai restaurant that was very good. Carl ate his meal out of a coconut and mine was out of a pineapple. I have been very pleased with the food on the trip. The hotel buffets have been great and the Chinese food has been very good everywhere we have gone. I guess I won't be losing a few pounds on this trip.

At this point it was close to 8pm and we were heading back to the hotel, however, Cathy and Wendy decided we weren't quite done shopping. We poked in and out of a few stores and enjoyed talking to some of the locals. We even bought a few things if you can believe it.

As if we hadn't had a full enough day, we decided to go and get some ice cream. It sure tastes good in the humid air of Guongzhou, just ask Maeve. I had her in the bjourn in front of me and she decided she wanted some ice cream. I had to give her a little taste. Well we found out she REALLY REALLY REALLY likes ice cream. Let's just say that our quiet, easy going Maeve had a legitimate meltdown after daddy was done and mommy was done. Thank goodness for bottles.

If you would like to view more photos about our 10th day in China, please click on the link that says, "More China photos" and then click on "China Day 10."

China Day 9

2007-06-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Guangzhou late last night, so we were too tired to post a message. Today, we had a relaxing day walking around beautiful Shamian Island. It's a nice change of pace from the craziness in Chongqing. The White Swan Hotel is wonderful and we are looking forward to spending our last few days in China here.

Maeve is doing better each day. She is actually getting pretty used to Mom and Dad. This afternoon I had to go to fill out some paperwork, so Maeve hung out in the room with Dad. When I got back to the room, she was so excited to see me, and then she had to give me the business for leaving her! She is getting very attached to her mommy and that is just fine with me!

This afternoon all of us took the girls to have their pictures taken for their visas. It's hard to believe that we are down to the last few days in China. Dave and I are so excited to get back home to see Collin and Brennen, but I still have plenty of shopping to do before we go! It's also bittersweet in that we will be taking Maeve away from her home country. We know we will be back someday with all of the kids, but we are trying to be good about taking lots of pictures so that Maeve will be able to learn about where she came from. We hope she will be proud of her heritage. We are very proud of where she comes from. China is a wonderful and beautiful country.

Dave and I took a lot of pictures of Chongqing, which you can see by clicking on the "More China Pictures" link and then on the "China Day 8" folder. The "China Day 9" folder has a few pictures from today.

Our Last Group Outing in Chongqing

2007-05-31T05:28:00.000-07:00

Cathy needed a break from the blog tonight so I am substituting for her this evening. Today was our last group outing in Chongqing. This morning we all gathered in the lobby and departed for Eling Park. Eling Park is the highest point in the city with some spectacular views of Chongqing. Unfortunately, it was rainy and overcast and visibility was very poor. I was very disappointed because Chongqing is absolutely enormous. I wanted to see it from that vantage point because it is high rise after high rise with many more under construction. Our tour guide calls the city a "concrete forest" because of all the high rises. They go on for as far as you can see and truly is hard to comprehend--think Chicago downtown times 1000. Despite the rain the outing in the park was very interesting. It was very pretty and had some neat landmark's. Mao had a house in the park where he held up during World War II and there was a neat museum. The museum outlined the Three Gorges project, which is a huge damn, that is displacing approximately 1.3 million people. After an hour or so the kids let us know that it was time to head back to our hotel so off we went.

We returned to the hotel and spent a quiet afternoon hanging out in the hotel. We got take out from an italian restaurant and Maeve and I took a nice walk in the garden on the 10th floor. We all also were able to sneak in naps.

It has been a long week here in Chongqing so we decided to invite all the families and our guides to a pizza party in our room. We ran down to the Pizza Hut, which is right next to the Starbuck's, and brought some pizzas back to our room. It was a great way to spend the evening. We all needed to socialize and blow off a little steam. Many of us have been so focused on adjusting to our children that it was nice to really spend time with other adults having fun. It really turned out well and we were all able to share our progress this week.

Well tomorrow is our last day in Chongqing and I think all the families are ready to move on to the next leg of our journey. We have all heard of the great experiences that people have in Guongzhou and the White Swan and we are all looking forward to it. I think Cathy is excited about the shopping.

If you would like to view more pictures of our experience in China please click on the link in the upper right corner entitled, "More China Pictures" and then select, "China Day 7."

Taking it Easy

2007-05-30T05:09:00.000-07:00

Today we decided to take it easy and stay at the hotel. Maeve is feeling much better, but she needed a day with less excitement and more nap time! Maeve was having a lot of trouble keeping her formula in, so we switched her to soy formula and that seems to be helping. Little by little she is doing better.

There is a mall attached to our hotel, so we went for a walk. Other than that, we just played in the room and rested. We all needed a slow day.

Tonight, Maeve finally started grieving. She has been through a lot and it finally all hit her. We worked through it and hopefully each day will get easier for her. We talked to her big brothers, Collin and Brennen, on the phone today and they are ready to give her lots of love when she gets home.

Tomorrow we are going to the highest point in Chongqing to get a great view of the city and to learn more about the 3 Gorges Dam. We should have some great pictures to post tomorrow. If you would like to see some pictures of Maeve playing, you can click on the "More China Pictures" link and then click on the "China Day 6" folder.

Going to the Zoo!

2007-05-29T05:36:00.000-07:00

Today we had an outing to the Chongqing Zoo to see their many panda bears. Maeve is still fighting a cold, but she still had fun seeing all of the animals and pretty flowers at the zoo.

It was amazing to see panda bears eating bamboo just a few feet in front of us! They really are cute animals. One of the pandas gave birth to twins, which is very rare. Unfortunately, the baby pandas weren't out today. But, we got to see mom and grandma.

We also saw something you would never see in a U.S. zoo. A bear stood on it's hind legs and would dance in a circle to get you to give him soda! People were pouring soda down to him and he would catch it in his mouth!

Maeve is starting to trust us and bond to us a little bit more each day. She gets a big smile on her face when she sees mommy or daddy. She is just so sweet.

To see more zoo pictures, click on the "More China Pictures" link and then on the folder entitled "China Day 5."

It's Official!!

2007-05-28T05:56:00.000-07:00

Today was the second day we were waiting for...going to the Civil Affairs Office to make our adoption leagal in both China and the U.S. After a family picture and a swearing in, it was official! Maeve is our daughter forever!!!!

To celebrate, our group went out to dinner for some spicy Chongqing food. Maeve tried her hardest to sit in the highchair, but she is such a peanut that she kept sliding down. So, she sat on my lap and had some steamed eggs...a favorite of Chinese babies.

Maeve continues to be such a happy baby, inspite of the cold she is coming down with. We are hoping it won't be long before she starts the grieving process that is natural for her to go through. It won't be much fun, but it is necessary.

Everywhere we go, people comment on what a smiley baby she is. It amazes me that a tiny baby in her situation would have such a joyful spirit. I guess the angels we prayed for God to send took good care of her and made sure she was happy. Her big brothers, Collin and Brennen never let a night go by without praying for baby Maeve. God heard all of their prayers.

To see more pictures from today, click on the "More pictures from China" link and then click on the "China Day 4" folder.

Our Beautiful Maeve!!!

2007-05-27T05:02:00.000-07:00

Words cannot explain the joy we feel today! We FINALLY have our beautiful, smiley Maeve in our arms!

After arriving in the absolutely crazy city of Chongqing (it's the largest city not only in China, but also in the world...32 million people!!), we had just one hour to do more paper work and get ready for the babies! We were all rushing around in a state of delerium.

After the paper work was finished, we were told to go back to our rooms, wait for our luggage to arrive, and then come back to the conference room. Well, Dave and one of the other dads headed for the lobby with their camcorders and cameras to catch the girls arriving. Dave took one look at a sweet baby being carried in by an older gentleman and said to the other dad, "That's my daughter!" He could tell it was her right away because she has Collin's chin and Brennen's big smile.

Dave called me immediately from the lobby and said, "They're here!" Unfortunately, our luggage was the last to be delivered, so I was still gathering up a few things. Needless to say, I was in panic mode and just about stopped breathing! (I know that is difficult for most of you to imagine). The next thing I know, my dear husband was walking through our hotel room door to help...I think the dead silence on the other end of the receiver followed by a slam tipped him off that I was about to lose it!

We finished getting our things together and headed for the conference room. When we walked in, all of the girls were in the room already waiting for their moms and dads! Maeve was the first baby I saw and my heart about stopped. She is such a beautiful baby and I knew it was her the minute I laid eyes on her. I said, "Nihao, You You" and she looked at me and gave me the biggest smile Dave and I have ever seen. At last we were looking at our Maeve.

Once all of the parents arrived, we were one by one joined with our daughters. Everyone in the room had to let out a laugh and an, "Awwww", because when I took Maeve in my arms, she looked me right in the eyes and gave me the sweetest smile, as if to say, "It's going to be okay, Mom."

After going back to our room, Maeve continued to amaze us with her giggles and smiles. Then, she took a bottle and fell asleep. I have a feeling that when she wakes up, the smiles will be gone for awhile. But that's okay. We'll see that sweet smile again before we know it.

What an amazing day. Though God may give us our children in different ways, the moment you hold that child in your arms for the first time feels the same...amazing and indescribable. Life doesn't get much better than this.

For more pictures of our day, click on the "More China Pictures" link and then on the "China Day 3" folder.

China Day 2

2007-05-26T04:36:00.000-07:00

Our second full day in Beijing was quite the adventure. After our orientation meeting with Holt (at which we received updated photos of Maeve and she still has that beautiful big smile, only now with two teeth!), we set off for Tian An Men Square. I had to pinch myself that I was actually standing there! It's bigger and more impressive than pictures show. Chairman Mao's mosoleum is closed for renovations, so we couldn't go inside. However, just being there was very surreal. It was also fun to see the countdown clock to the olympics just across the street. Everyone in China is so honored and excited to be hosting the next olympics.

Afterwards, we went to the Temple of Heaven, which is where the emperors would go to pray and offer sacrifices. It is probably one of the most beautiful sights in all of Beijing.

Next, we went to the Pearl Market. I had to convince everyone in our group to go there after the Temple of Heaven so that our driver would take us there and wait for us. It didn't take much convincing and we had a blast! I haven't gotten to bargain like that since we lived in Turkey! Needless to say, after just two days, I have a reputation as the resident shopper of our group! It helps to have good friends who told me ahead of time exactly where to shop!

We ended our day with a stroll through "Snack Street." Let's just say that if the visuals didn't put you over the edge, the smell did! Of course, if your idea of a snack is scorpions, beetles, silk worms, or sparrow on a stick, then this would be the perfect place! To see more pictures from our day, you can click on the link to the top right that is entitled, "More China Pictures" and then click on the folder labeled, "China Day 2."

We are now less than 24 hours from holding our sweet Maeve. It's hard to believe, but the next time I post a message, it will be with Maeve by my side. Okay, now my stomach is in knots. I'm not going to sleep a wink. Where's my Tylenol PM?

Our First Day in China

2007-05-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

After a three hour delay in Chicago, we safely arrived in Beijing on Thursday evening. Today was our first full day in the beautiful country of China. We met everyone in our travel group this morning and we are very fortunate to be traveling with such a wonderful and fun group of people!

It took about two hours by bus to get to the Great Wall, which allowed us to see a great deal of Beijing, including the grounds of the Olympic Stadium. The stadium, still under construction, is called "The Birds Nest" due to its shape. It will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies.

The Great Wall was breath-taking...literally! We haven't huffed and puffed that much in ages! There are parts of the wall that go straight up, but the view was worth every minute of the hike. Being two people who have also had the fortune of seeing the pyramids in Egypt, it was just as mind boggling to imagine what went into the construction of the Great Wall. It's no wonder that it is one of the seven wonders!!!

After leaving the Great Wall, we headed for the Cloisonne Factory and learned all about what goes into the making of these beautiful pieces of art. Much to Dave's dismay, I out-shopped everyone!

We ended our afternoon by taking a bicycle rickshaw tour of the Hutong district. We even got a tour of a family's home. Though it was very modest, the family was extremely proud of their home in the Hutong district which is being increasingly threatened by the construction of new apartment buildings.

We ended our day by going to a duck restaurant with two other couples from our group to try Peking duck. We were told that it was one of the four experiences we needed to have in Beijing. One of the guys in our group was convinced he would get avian flu if he went near the duck, but the rest of us were daring and it was delicious! We even got an official certification of the duck we devoured...not sure why. I guess if there's a duck recall, we'll know the other guy in our group was the smart one.

To see more pictures from our first day in China, you can click on the link at the top right entitled, "More China Pictures", then click on the "China Day 1" folder.

Two more days till we see our newest pumpkin! We can't wait!

ALL PACKED AND READY TO GO!

2007-05-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

The past six weeks have been a whirlwind, but our bags are packed and we are ready to go! It's hard to believe that Dave and I leave in 2 days, we will be on the Great Wall in 4 days and we will have Maeve in our arms in 6 days!

Big brothers, Collin and Brennen, are looking forward to spending time with both sets of grandparents, but are very anxious for their baby sister to get home. They have been a big help in getting everything ready.

Our next post will be from Beijing!! Somebody pinch me.

AT LAST...WE HAVE A DAUGHTER!!

2007-04-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

On April 6, 2007--Good Friday--we finally received our referral call after an 18 month wait! It was indeed a "good" day and our precious Maeve was definitely worth the wait! So, it is with indescribable excitement and joy that we introduce our daughter and baby sister:

MAEVE MARIE FUYOU O'KEEFFE

Chinese Name: Xiu Fu You

Date of Birth: August 10, 2006

Xiushan Social Welfare Institute

Chongqing Municipality, Sichuan Province

There is something to be said for the "Red Thread" Chinese proverb that says a red thread connects those who are destined to be together. We know this is the case with our precious Maeve. Not only could we feel it in our hearts the minute we laid our eyes upon her, but we also realized that she was born on what would have been Cathy's grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. God is good!

While We Wait

2007-02-25T14:41:00.000-08:00

We have been keeping very busy as we anxiously await our referral from China. In spite of terrible winter weather and Dave's busy travel schedule, we managed to continue our tradtion of celebrating Chinese New Year with our good friends, the Steeds. We had a wonderful time going out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant and exchanging red envelopes with the kids. This was the 6th Chinese New Year we celebrated together! Oh how time flies...except when you are waiting for a referral, that is!