Newton Sports Day

Last fall EBean's school had their annual Sports Day.  All the children march out with their classes and waving flags.  The year before EBean was supposed to wear yellow, which we didn't have.  I did a frantic search at a local children's store and found a yellow sweater, which was probably only worn for Sports Day.

This year was much easier because now the children wear uniforms to school Monday-Thursday and Friday is free dress day.  The school provided the classes with colored scarves, so my only instruction was to wear red for the Sports Day.

For some reason, which I still don't quite understand, Elise was promoted to "big flag carrier" and she got to march out carrying the large, red Newton flag.

Here she comes...

Waving her class's flag.

And now has made eye contact with mom and won't look at the camera.

Waiting with her class.

Getting ready for morning exercises.

ChinaBean enjoyed the morning at her big sister's school too.

There four different games or races to complete. In between each activity the children did part of their morning exercises and dances.

EBean is getting ready for her race.  Last year she wouldn't participate at all and this year she did all four games.

ChinaBean was very excited to be with the rest of the students and she tried to act like a big girl.

We made it down the slide a few times in between games.

EBean's last race was the cutest.  They had to dress up in a fireman's costume, race the wheelbarrow with a water gun through the cones, and then spray a "burning" boat.  EBean has good aim!

Everyone was awarded a gold medal at the end.  "We are the Champions" was evening blaring in the background.

Congrats EBean!

Now, Where Were We?

Well, hello!  I feel like I need to re-introduce myself to the blogging world.  My blogging break was partly intentional, so I could focus on my family as we prepared for Christmas, deal with the practicalities of home owner's insurance, trying to make sure our lot was cleaned up (crossing my fingers-I think it is now), and talking to potential contractors.  

The non-intentional part was because I just didn't "feel" like writing for the time being.  But, because part of the intent of this blog is to be a journal and record for my children, it's time to start writing again.  I'm started to "feel" like writing again, now I just need to find the time (hello, three kids)!

At the end of 2013, I shared with friends on Facebook that on paper our 2013 looked really bad.  A very emotional adoption, ChinaBean's open heart surgery which resulted in myself and the girls staying in the US for three months while Jamie was working in China,  and of course the tornado.  But, when I look back on the year what I see are blessings & answered prayers.  ChinaBean did indeed join our family forever, the surgery was successful and ChinaBean was out of the hospital in 5 (!) days, and I wanted to remodel the kitchen in our US home and now, well, I get to do it all from the ground up now.

After the new year I did what my friend calls a
"brain dump" and wrote down everything I could think of
that needed to be on my to-do list.  I filled two pages front
and back.  The highlighted ones are completed (yay)!

One of the blogs that I follow suggested, that instead of making New Year's resolutions, to choose a word to focus on during the coming year.  I have chosen steady.Steady as we plan for ChinaBean's last (hopefully) open heart surgery, steady as we plan another summer in the US, steady as we choose a contractor to build a new home and begin building, steady as we anticipate our time in China being extended.  I hope you'll cheer us on this year.  Really, I think the our biggest challenges to come are potty training and ditching ChinaBean's pacifier addiction/habit.  Just kidding, I think.

So, now, where were we?