Sisters and Best Friends

Amy and Kali are best friends as well as sisters. They play together all day and have started dressing in matching outfits whenever they can.  They are so cute together. This picture was at Chuck E Cheese last summer for Amy's birthday.  It was Kali's half birthday and so we had a double birthday party. It was just our family and I think it was one of the most fun parties I have ever been to.  The two girls were so excited and cute. I am so blessed to be their mom.

Funny Stories

One of the best parts of having many children is that there is something pretty humorous everyday.  We also have at least one person cry and usually a couple of siblings arguing - but there is a lot to laugh about.

My friend, Crysta, reminded me of a couple of funny Kali stories:  Brad and I try to go out for dinner a couple times a month.  The two youngest girls don't really like us going without them.  One night Kali told Brad and I she didn't want us to go.  Brad told her it was important for us to go once in awhile.  Kali told him that he could out, but not mom. And she said, "find another mom to take out."  Brad thought that was funny, but I explained to her that he was not allowed to take another mom out to dinner:)

When we decided to adopt again, I asked the two youngest if they wanted another sibling.  Amy said in 4 year old fashion, "we is enough." Kali agreed.  Then I asked, what if it is another child from Ethiopia?  Kali's eyes lit up and she rubbed her hands together and said oh, yes! Then I said we were planning on adopting a little boy from Ethiopia. Kali looked disappointed and irritated.  "A boy??! Why would we want a boy?" Now they both seem to warming up to the idea and agree his pictures are cute.

Our oldest is getting ready to take his behind the wheel test to get his driver's license.  This has made driving and cars a hot topic at our house. Our almost 15 year old can hardly wait for his turn and is talking about saving up to buy Brad's car in a year. Yesterday he asked Amy, who will start Kindergarten next year, if she would like him to drive her to first grade.  She said, "No, I will have my own car." Expectations are apparently very high in our family!

We are so lucky in this country!

Yesterday, as I drove the girls home in the car, I told them that tomorrow night we are going to a dinner at the Christian high school.  Our oldest is a senior and his soccer team is having a dinner to honor the senior players. The girls were very excited, particularly since we don't go out for dinner very often.

Kali said, "We are so lucky in this country." I asked her why she thought so.  She said because we get to celebrate holidays and sometimes go out to dinner. So cute!  She has had a wonderful time celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's day. This really warmed my heart. She is still in transition and frequently whines to me when she doesn't get her own way. I am trying to help all of the kids have grateful hearts and it is a blessing to hear Kali being thankful without prompting.

A really big family!

Many times people react with suprise when Brad or I say we have 7 children (soon to be eight).  In Silicon Valley families tend to be small, so we do stand out a bit.

But the Kayes family is a really big family - they have 19 children, 16 adopted internationally.  I was blessed and inspired by watching the video interview below with Joe and Nancy Kayes.  What an awesome couple - they are the kind of people I would like to be when I grow up:) I loved hearing about some of their fears as they adopted and how they learned to just take things one day at a time.  God has truly blessed them.
http://www.facinglife.tv/episode/season_3/episode_16/episode_316.html

Kali's birthday

Kali just turned 7 and had her first birthday party.  We invited all the little girls in the afternoon kindergarten.
Kali was so excited and had a great time!

All Kali's sisters (and one brother) had a great time too!

Russian and Ethiopian Christmas!

For the last 6 years we have celebrated Russian Orthodox Christmas on Jan 7.  Ethiopia also celebrates Christmas on Jan 7, so this year we had Russian and Ethiopian Christmas.  Our friends who also have a Russian son celebrate with us.  My mom and her husband and Brad's parents joined us. We had great food and a fun time!

Disneyland fun!

The week before Christmas we went to Disneyland for three days. It was K. first visit and she loved it.  She loved Thunder Mountain roller coaster and kept asking to go on rides that go fast. Here is a picture of the girls on Grizzly Falls.  K. loved it!

Meeting princesses was another highlight!

We all had fun but K. was not happy to stop (and waste time)  to take the picture below.

Our oldest tore the MCL in his knee and stayed at a friend's house to rest his knee for soccer.   All that walking at the Disneyland parks would not have helped his knee.  We stayed at a Marriott Residence Inn near the park.  Our room had two bedrooms - one with 2 queen size beds and one with bunk beds.  The living room had a sofa sleeper.  It is perfect for big families!