Ho Ho Ho!!!

Loading up the PTC sleigh to make some deliveries.

And they're off!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

Chinese Santa Claus...

gets a haircut after growing a mini mullet...

hits in the cage with Daddy and the boys....

finds Mills' halloween candy in December...

goes to lunch with the girls...

and discovers that sticking your tongue in a jar of homemade green pepper jelly causes you to make faces...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Getting to Know Him....

Everyday that I spend with Kell I learn more and more about him...and I love him more and more!  I don't know how that is even possible!  I sincerely enjoy his company and our time together before he is off to school.  As his English gets better he is able to tell me more how he feels and even about his life in China.  It's very broken English and charades but he is so happy to get to communicate and is anxious to learn more and more.  He gets so excited when his teacher comes over and they go to school in the basement.  Here he is with Mrs. Phillips and Brittany, our favorite babysitter.  They gave him this huge Panda and he LOVES it!  Peter Panda is his name. 

Yesterday he brought to me the shirt I was wearing on "gotcha day" and was able to tell me about what he did that day leading up to our reunion and how happy he was.  Wow!  Tears of happiness as I told him what a happy day it was for me, too...one of the happiest of my life.  "Jesus, Kell's fanimy (family), come here (pointing to the ground) forebber (forever)."  Yes, Kell, to God be the glory!

In other news, Kell is very slowly learning to eat what we eat.  I am figuring out what he likes and try to make it for him.  I can at least help him out on the noodle front, right?  I have stocked up on scented candles as most of what he likes smells, well, offensive.  Boiled eggs, fish and more fish, seaweed.  Now and then I cheat with not homemade Chinese.  That's hit and miss.  This one, however, got the thumbs up from our Asian Sensation...and no preservatives or MSG.  Thank you, Annie Chun!

Play Doh has made a come back at the Berry's...

School is out and my house is full of boys of all sizes and I. LOVE. IT.  Messy, smelly, loud, constantly eating....

Mills and his buds decided to take a polar bear swim today...add "wet" to that list of boy adjectives!

We're doing fine...really incredibly good!  Kell likes to cook and shop...

...and find a free neck massage while shopping...AHH!!!!!

Tis the Season...

...to be so crazy busy that one cannot find time to post on a blog!  This was the boys' last week of school and week 3 home with Kell.  He is bringing on much excitement this Christmas season.  We call him "Buddy the Elf" sometimes because he is so excited and animated about everything like Will Ferrell in the movie.  I've decided to stop trying to explain how Santa works unless one of my Mandarin speaking friends happens to stop by.  The more I explain, the more confused I make him.  At this point, I believe he thinks Santa is coming to spend the night with us...which brought on more cleaning.  Gotta get ready for company!!

...and exercising with Mills to get in shape!

...and sneaking up into the top bunk with Burke!

...and decorating the inside of his bed with an extra special piture from an extra special friend!

....and rough housing with brothers gets a little energy out before bedtime!

Here are a few pictures of Kell's and Burke's last day of school.  Kell had a great time at his class party.  We decided to wait to start full days at school after the break but have enjoyed visiting the class.  God has provided us with a wonderful school and the perfect teachers and classmates.  His plan is always perfect!  Everyone is compassionate and loving and understanding.  The kids are sweet and gentle with Kell.  This pretty girl sits by him and took him under her wing.  So sweet!

Here's Burke with his sweet teacher Mrs. Bingel...and Kell eating the cookie he decorated himself!

....and there is so much cleaning to be done to get ready for Santa's visit!

There are more but I am not going to post any more cleaning pictures.  I'm beginning to get his drift and it's just a little embarrassing...maybe I'm not the housekeeper I thought I was!!

YUMMY.....

That's it....just yummy!

Week 2 in the USA!

                                          THE ROOMIES
                                           Kell and Burke

This week Kell went to the pediatrician for his check up (more like "check in", really).  He did great and even had a little fun...he always does.  He was brave getting shots.... 

...4 of them!  When you're that brave, you get a sucker AND a popsicle!  He charmed the office staff greatly!  Even gave a big "thank you" when we left.  Not to brag about my genious son, but he knew all the letters for his eye exam...that's right, all 26!

We got him all registered for school and took the tour.  He went straight for a desk and started looking and listening.  He is quite anxious to start school.  We may try it next week.  It's a short week and he will get a little taste before school starts again in January.  His English?  Well, it just blows me away!  He's putting together simple sentences.  All that's required for a sentence is a subject and predicate, a noun and a verb...right?   No fancy adverbs or conjunction junction yet, but very soon!  But he does have lots of adjectives..."pretty",  "he's so cool", "your so cute", "sweet boy", "special boy"...all the things said to him.

Mills turned 12 this week and here he is with our sweet friend Anna after their cotillion Holly Ball.

Kell loves to watch Burke's basketball team and to play basketball with the boys on the driveway.  Trampoline still trumps in his play world.                                                                                 Kell thinks Jack is so cool!  He loves to ride with him in his big black truck!

This is short because it is way time consuming having this new "baby".  He is worth every second!  I cannot tell you how awesome he is!  I hope most of you will soon find out for yourselves.  Be ready to be charmed!  We are going to try to get some shopping done.  15 days out and we are still at haven't even started!  Yikes!!

Change...

Seaweed in my pantry, chopsticks in my dishwasher...change.  My days are spent loving on a beautiful boy who has never belonged to anyone.  He slows my pace, my days are no longer my own...change.  For all 5 of us...change.  Wonderful change.  We are back to basics.  We must be intentional to speak of everything we are about, everything we believe in, so that we can teach this new member of our family...a crash course. And in it all, the blessing is OURS!  I am blessed to be Kell's mommy.  I am blessed by seeing my husband and my other boys taking it back to basics.  Blessed by being obedient.

Don't misunderstand me to say it is easy.  Change is not easy.  This boy is the perfect combination of, well, perfect, and then he's spunky, opinionated, sassy, and yes, he will back talk...but only once!  Then he will melt your heart...oh, the charm!  But God has trained me well in the area of charming boys.  It's not my first rodeo!

"It takes a village" is a regular saying among me and my friends...it's true!  And God has given me His best villagers for this journey!  We are blessed with "aunts" who love and spoil...and give Mommy a break.  Kell loves down to his toes!  Lots of friends to play and learn from and he loves them all and they teach him well.  We have a teacher who comes to tutor.  Oh, this boy LOVES to learn!  He loves getting to go to "school" with her...in our basement.  His excitement over learning is electric!  Our teacher deserves to be wearing a tiara! Hmmm...maybe she will..

Kell is already good at educational games on the computer.

 Life lessons.  Here is Jack's spiritual mentor teaching Kell to eat Karo and peanut butter on a homemade lard biscuit!  This may be corruption!

We will officially register for school in a few days.  He really wants to go.  Sunday at church, he was checking all the rosters for "Du Xiao Shu"...his Chinese name.  Aw!  He wanted to go with the kids so bad. Hopefully this Sunday he can go (I will go with him). 
I want him to get to go but I also want to hold him for a little while.  He is with wide eyed wonder taking in this American culture.  While he is taking it in, he is bringing all of us on a journey to "what it's all about".   It's about being at the foot of the cross, broken and vulnerable and loved like you do not deserve.  Not deserving but made worthy by Christ.

Home One Week?

Wow!  Already?  But in some ways it seems like Kell has always been here.  I cannot imagine how it must feel to have your world turned upside down...but this boy is handling it well.  Kell is the sweetest most lovey boy!  The Berrys aren't so good at routine with all the schedules to keep...there's been a football banquet, a few practices, a Christmas show, basketball.  Kell has gone with the flow (though we do wear him out!).  He is adjusting so well.  Beyond my greatest expectations. 

Kell is cute and funny...and maybe he knows it a little!  He is a charmer, for sure!  Just the way I remember him when we met in January.  Love at first sight and it continues to grow!  He freely hugs and kisses  his family and gives us lots of  "I love you" and "wo ai ni"!!  He greets everyone so sweetly...sometimes with a "Nihao, y'all!". 

Kell's adjusting to the schedule.  He wasn't sure he liked Baba going to work and the boys going to school, but now that he knows they come back, it's ok.  He's so excited when it's time to pick up his brothers...especially the golf cart pick ups!  He loves when the kids come home from school and he gets to play with them.  His favorite is jumping on the trampoline.  I really appreciate play time, too...a little break for Mommy!  Ahhh...such sweet little babysitters...although Kell does like to check in with me often.

Aside from being cute and charming (bias!), my boy can clean!  Apparently our standards of cleanliness don't meet his.  He is a cleaning machine!  I find him washing and wiping, sweeping and mopping.  I even walked in the kitchen to find him hanging by his elbows from the kitchen sink washing dishes in hot soapy water.  I do not have hope that this will last...he's an American child now! Ha!

We took him to the family Christmas program at church.  At first, the loud music and lights were a little scarey.  But before long he was dancing and clapping.  He even raised his hand to be a contestant in the lyrics contest.  Good thing he was not chosen...there were no songs in Mandarin! He had to inform a few folks that "Jesus loves Kell".  He's looking forward to going to "Kell's church" in the morning.  He loved watching Burke play basketball today.  He has to check everything out so he was in the middle of the team huddle...sorry, Coach!

His English is coming along so well!  He's like a parrot and is even starting to put together very short sentences.  It won't be long!

Kell has brought a new excitement about Christmas and Santa.  He is such fun!!  Santa came through the neighborhood today via firetruck...very, very exciting!!

Thanks for checking in!  I will try to update more often...as soon as we have a schedule....hahahaha!

Home Sweet Home

It's so good to be home!  Ahhh...American soil and southern accents!  We had a good trip home.  I didn't know what to expect from Kell on the trip but he did great!  He got upset for the first time the morning we were leaving.  He thought the plane would explode...he saw it on the news!  He was assured in every language that it would be fine and he never seemed worried again.  He didn't sleep much at all on the 13 hour leg of the trip.  He was just so excited!  He was so good, though!  Watched a little TV, colored, but mostly was just another patient passenger.  I will say, though, that Korean Air is all about customer service and goes out of their way for kids...had to get that plug in!  Oh and they have way more leg room!

Our arrival at the airport and home was made SO special by friends!  I will post about that when I have pics to post....it just needs its own post!

Kell has been a dream!  He goes with the flow.  We had lots of visitors welcoming him home the first few days...which we absolutely LOVE!  I say it all the time...our joy is multiplied by so many joining the journey!  And Kell brings his own joy to the mix!  If you visit, he will proudly show you the room he shares with Burke (after being greeted in English!).  He includes the closet and shower (with demonstration...clothed, of course!) in the tour.  He's so proud of his new home! 

Kell is such a little love!  He has the cutest personality.  We laugh so much with him!  OK, sometimes when we really shouldn't.  Be careful what you say...he WILL say it!  He's picking up English quickly.  True Chinglish!  It's so cute (can you tell I'm smitten...we all are).  When he speaks English he still has the Chinese voice inflections. 

We are all in adjustment mode right now.  Another person in the house, at the table, at bed time, loading the car to go somewhere (the Berrys are back to booster seats).  We'll very soon be in our new groove.  Oh, wait, then school will be out...and then it will go back.  Hmmm...

Big brothers=adoration!  Kell loves his brothers and they love him!  I am touched seeing how our older boys have opened their hearts.  They are patient and kind and absolutely changed forever.  Mills and Burke have both say they're adopting.  They saw for themselves the need...and that was just one orphanage.  Burke says he will get me a girl!  Pink bows may be in my future afterall! 

This boy has brought SO much joy already.  Can't wait until he speaks really good English and can tell us what he has been thinking about all of this.  Probably that white women are way too huggy and kissy!  Kidding...but he is so precious that I cannot help myself!  There's lots of mommy time to make up for!

Kell has been practicing writing the alphabet.  He is a sponge!  Can't wait to see how he soars when he goes to school.  That will be after the Christmas break.  Our sweet friend, Jilly, sat patiently with him the second day he was home and had him writing his name.  He is good about sitiing and working on his "school work" ....plus, he's a genious!  Bias....

The only thing Kell hasn't adjusted to well is Raz, our dog ("gogo" in Chinese).  Surely he will get used to him and they will be big buds.  Kell drops food on the floor for Raz and then doesn't like that Raz follows him around.  I think we need a lesson in cause and effect!

Thanks for all the prayers, cards, emails, texts!  Our new boy is doing SO good!  He's a good eater ( I have never cooked such healthy tasteless foods) and I try to have Chinese food prepared for him...not Panda Express!  And, yes, chopsticks! 

Oops!  The Christmas PJs pic made it twice and I can't get it off!  Mixed messages...I tell him he's a big boy and then go buy him Santa jammies and slippers!!  He's just so darn cute!