Sarah had her first Dr appointment today. She needs to return to the Dr another day for blood work. We will be testing for allergies. For today, she has gained some weight, nearly 2 pounds over the past 8 weeks. Her skin is dry, and as you can see from the picture she has hives. I'm glad she didn’t need blood drawn today. Maybe Papa can take her to get her blood taken? I had a large list of stuff to discuss with the Dr. but most of it was about the boys and their medical needs. I don't even remember how tall Sarah is, and where that places her on the growth chart. She was happy and well behaved. Another poor Mom in the waiting room had a daughter who was a monster. She was taking toys away from other kids, and hitting other kids with wooden blocks! I felt sorry for this Mom. Believe me; I have been in the position where my child was the monster. Jessica (our 15 year old autistic daughter) was so awful when she was 3 years old. We did not know she had autism, we could not tell people please excuse her, she is sick. I remember over hearing people in the food stores saying about me, "some people should not be allowed to have kids" (as if her behavior was a result of my poor parenting). Some times it is the parents fault, other times it's not! Sometimes my kids act like monsters too. I am grateful they were good today...but they aren't always good!

I spent allot of time in the garden with Sarah today. We have had 4 days of rain and it was so nice to be outside. I planted a few plants (my hands are a little better). When I was planting a passion flower (Juergens favorite flower) a ladybug landed on my hand. I showed Sarah the ladybug. She ran over to the front steps and pointed to her ladybug rubber boots. I wish I had my camera, it was cute! I wish good news to all you online friends waiting news about your waiting kids.

Sarah continues to be daddy’s girl first thing in the morning. She has been with us for nearly 2 months now, and I still can not take her to the toilet in the mornings. It only takes her about 10 minutes until she fully accepts me, but she needs to wake up first. This means Juergen can not go to work early and come home early. He has to make sure he isn't wearing a work shirt when he wakes Sarah up. She some times has an accident in the night, and he would end up with pee on his shirt (pleasant). He also needs to inform her that he is going. If he tells her he is going, she is just fine. If he goes without telling her, she panics.
This morning at breakfast, Juergen gave Sarah some fighting lessons! She needs to learn to keep the boys in their place!

One thing that has helped Sarah and I bond better is chocolate body lotion. This is a special lotion that has coco extract in it. I just began messaging it all over her dry skin every morning. She loves this ritual. She is now asking to have the message in the morning and at nights. She also wants to rub lotion on me too. It's very sweet! We both smell good, like chocolate!!! Chocolate is very good for the skin. I bought this lotion for Jessica (our 15 year old autistic daughter). Jess loves to get creamed! Sarah has really bad skin. She often seems to react to foods in hives. I think we will need to do some allergy tests on her. She sees the Dr on Thursday. Allergies are on my long list!

Sarah has been wonderful, but the boys are driving me crazy!!! God help me!!! They are home from school for two weeks, and its one conflict after another. What an age (8 & 9 years old). It is raining out side, and they have far too much energy! Like I said Sarah has been good! Here she is rolling.

This little video is called food fight. It is Sarah and Philip playing with the toy food. Sarah force feeds Philip. This is their normal wild!

Sarah has decided to play with her noodles tonight! She was so careful, clean, and neat when we got her. Now she is getting messy, playful, and wild. I think the "real" Sarah is coming out...and she is funny and messy!

Memorial Day
I live in a free Germany. Thousands of Americans (and thousands more from many other nations) died so this amazing country could have freedom from Hitler, so that the whole world could be free of the Nazis and their hate. I have two sons and I hope they never have to fight in a war. Today I am grateful for those who have fought, and for those who do fight. God bless the families who have sacrificed so much for all of us! Germany lost so much in war, so I understand why they hate war...I hate war too! Still, I love my freedom. I say thank you for my freedom! By the way, Juergen lost both his Grandfathers during the WW2. One was a German soldier. He was sent to Russia and died in a concentration camp. As far as I know, He was not a Nazi. His family nearly starved back home (this was Juergen's mom's father). She grew up with out her dad. She only remebers seeing him 2 times. Juergen's father's father stood up agents the Nazis in Germany. They beat him to death. Juergen's father served unwillingly (as most soldiers did) in the German army when he was 17 years old. This was just before WW2 ended. War is terrible for both the "enemy" and the "good guys". Sometimes war is the only way to win freedom.

Sarah got this very special t-shirt in the mail from Kim at the seventh diamond. Thank you Kim! It’s really cute!!! You are very thoughtful! The shirt says "Everyone loves a brown eyed girl"!

Sorry, but I'm messing with my blog look again. Juergen said he didn't like the new green and black design, and that I needed something wider. It is almost 1am in Germany. I will mess with it tomorrow! For now we are under reconstruction again! Good night and happy week end!

I just got a new header design on my family blog. It was done by a very talented women at Maggie's Header. Maggie does the headers for free for people with Christian blogs. She asks people to give donations to 1 of 3 of her favorite charities. I only contacted her 3 days ago, and already she gave me this amazing design. Thank you so much!!! I am trying to begin writing more on our family blog, so take a look!

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. ~Maya Angelou

Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at 59th, where, I assume it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake - as almost all hats are. ~Nikolaus Laszlo, Nora Ephron, and Delia Ephron, You've Got Mail

Sarah is out doing important business with Papa. I’m managing to get allot more done around the house. It’s much easier to work without Sarah on your heels. But then I just took Mickey for his morning walk. I found myself rushing through this task. With Sarah walking Mickey is not a task, it’s an event. With her, we walk slowly. I take the time to teach her the names of flowers. I miss her. It made me wonder what it was like before she came. I’m already forgetting.

Juergen has the day off, and Monday is a holiday. He has to do a pile of paperwork. Part of today’s business is trying to extend Sarah’s visa so I can spend the summer with her in Germany. I would like to go to the USA in September. Sarah's German visa expires today. They are not kicking her out, but they may soon!
Sarah helped me with some vacuuming this morning. She actually did a pretty good job. I love it when they actually like to help. The older kids only see it as work! Oh Mom, do I have to!!!

Here are just a few photos from our morning walk and our shopping trip. The roses are very beautiful this year. Sarah has on an outfit made for an 18 month old. She is so small for a 4 year old! I also bought her Jell-O. She loved it. Here is a tip: Carry straws and plastic spoons in your purse. Jell-O is lactose free.

Ethan Cline, the little boy we met in Guangzhou just had his back surgery. He already looks better! He is such a sweetheart!!! Get well soon you adorable Ethan!!!

Sarah was a little shaken when Juergen went to work this morning. She knew she is not supposed to cry for daddy when he goes to work, so she cried for Thomas. Thomas has school early on Wednesdays, and he did not say goodbye to her. Those tears only lasted a minute. Then I took her to McDonalds for breakfast. McDonalds is near one of my favorite garden centers and I needed to buy some mulch for my flower beds. At McDonalds I taught Sarah how to go down the big slide. I had to walk her through the whole thing two times (so I climbed through those tubes believe it or not). By the third time she could do it alone. We were both very proud.
At home she took a cold bath (it's pretty hot here) while I cleaned the bathroom, and Jessica’s room. Allot of people think we should get a house keeper. On the one hand I think yes, I have 5 kids and I could use the help. On the other hand I think, no, I have 5 kids and 5 kid’s costs allot to raise! We have food, cloths, guitar lessons, reading tutors, Lego etc... It takes a big chuck of change! Juergen makes good money, but we are a one income family. In the fall, Sarah will go to kindergarten. I will have the time to clean my house in the fall. Until then I think I would rather have the money to take her to McDonalds then have a clean house!

Last week I made a necklace with colored paperclips with Sarah. This week we took a left over box from our beads, and began to sort the paperclips by color. She is now learning her colors in English. Next time we will work on the German names.

We got a temper tantrum before Juergen went to work this morning. He was putting Jessica our 15 year old autistic daughter on her bus. I've noticed that it stresses Jessica out to have Sarah come with them to the bus. Each of our 5 kids wants a special part of their daddy. Jessica wants this time with out Sarah. Sarah stayed in the house and screamed and stomped her feet. I warned her not to have such a fit. She kept screaming, so I picked her up and put her in her bed. She was angry, but that is basically tuff! Juergen was upset with me for being so strict, but I know a temper tantrum when I see one. We explained to her again that this was Jessica’s daddy too. She has been really great for me today. I think she really understood because she was role playing the whole thing out with her dolls. She kept explaining to the dolls she needed to go, but would come back. She kissed the doll and waved bye bye. Then she would leave. She needs to learn to share daddy! All the kids need him; she can not have him to herself!
This is unrelated, but Thomas read out loud in class today. He did so well, the other kids clapped! He changed school only a few weeks before we went to China. It has been hard for him to be in a new school. I'm so proud that the class actually clapped for him!!!We are having allot of trouble teaching Philip to read. Please pray for us and for Philip. There must be a key somewhere to unlock his mind!

Sarah got really dirty playing in the garden, and eating a popsicle. She decided that baths are great fun! She was giggling so hard! What a wild wet girl!!!Oh, and she let me give her the bath all by myself. No daddy, no Philip, no Nicole, not even Mickey! That just would not have happened a week ago!

This morning we painted. First with a brush, and then with our hands. At first, she did not like getting her hands dirty. When she learned how easy it was to wash the paint off, she went for it. Next time I need to take her out side to do body painting!

Sarah's first month home!

Can't Help Falling In L ...
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Sarah in China

I had a good morning with Sarah. Juergen was at church with the kids, and I stayed with Jessica and Sarah. We did some arts and crafts. First we colored, then strung some beads, then made this princess hand puppet. It turned out cute. We made a strawberry chocolate cake. Sarah helped me test it! Yum, Yum!!! Here are also some pictures of Sarah’s new lady bug boots, and my roses, kiwi plants and grapes. The plant pictures are for my dad. I planted all 3 plants last year and they are all doing great. I’m even going to get fruit this year. Cool, ha!