About a month ago, Lizzy called to ask if there was any possibility that I could come to California and keep the boys for 5 days. Mark had a little "business" to take care of in PARIS!!! And he wanted his wife to go with him! Without hesitation, I said "YES!". I don't think I have heard Lizzy squeal with such excitement as when I said YES!! I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend time with both Cassius and Jian! While I am totally entrenched in my Mary Kay business, with so much growth this year, I know I can travel and still stay on top of things! It is a blessing to know I have such incredible directors at home to count on as well! I know, any other job, I would have been fired!
Mark, once again, reminded me what a 'PRINCESS' I truly am when Nicole and I checked in at the airport to find ourselves in FIRST CLASS! Gotta love that guy!! I should have had a clue when he texted me with a message that began with, "Here is your itinerary Princess"!
So, the time came for the 'parents' to take off and I'd being lying if I didn't admit I was a little concerned about keeping the boys schedules and their daily emotional roller coasters! Thank God Nicole is with me!
Have you ever seen the TV reality show "WIFE SWAP"? Each spouse who is doing the 'swap' gets a 'manual' of daily activities and goings on within the family logistics. Well, I asked for one and I got it!! Lizzy must have spent a LOT of time compiling it. So it is TRULY a MANUAL!
My first real assignment was to pick Cash up from school. I got lost. I was nearly 6 minutes lare! NO BUENO!!! I can only imagine what was going on in that kids head! "Great, she's going to be late everyday. Can't wait to see what else she has planned."
The boys surprised both Nicole and myself and have been a dream. Mark and Lizzy have been working so diligently and consistently on finding ways to control meltdowns, eating habits (if you recall, he was hoarding food, etc), bath time and everything else that comes with a ready made 2 year old!! Oh, BTW, he is a month older than previously thought. All his Chinese adoption papers say his birthday is in April when in fact it is in March! The papers can't be changed and the beat goes on……. Again, I and repeat, NOTHING was easy about this process!!
So we have jumped on mini trampolines (they each have their own. One of the hardest things to put into some kind of semblance is the fact that Jian MUST have whatever Cash has or it is not PRETTY!) Thus, 2 of these things and I'm not crazy about them! They jump like crazy on them! And lets not forget to mention 2 lime green scooters. You wouldn't believe how agile Jian is and how he can control it at such a FAST speed! He is funny, a tease and smart! He has gained weight and eats like a truck driver. When he gets upset, the precious little round bottom lip turns down and it is VERY hard to resist! My challenge was to not UNDO what Lizzy and Mark have worked to hard to gain these last 7 months. I don't remember life without Jian. He comes with a bundle of new challenges but more love, hugs, kisses, giggles, and blessings than a family can imagine!
Running to 2 different schools and different times has been a challenge for me since I am directionally challenged! I think I have it down now! (now that they are coming home today, of course, I have it down!!)
Our most challenging day was 2nd day and it started out OK. Jian seemed a little off, quiet. So, I walk into his school and it is rather quiet. Not the hustle bustle day when Lizzy and I went together. Jian seemed like he was a little thrown by that part, but we continued through the school to where all the other gazillion 2-3 years were playing. I put him down and he went OFF. I mean OFF!!! Screaming, holding on to me for dear life!! Now, I have raised 5 of my own kids, plus I was with my sister-in-law JoAnn's 5 girls just as much as my own, so I thought I had this kid thing down. OH NO!!!!! Being Grandmom is a WHOLE new ballgame. I couldn't leave him there, yet I knew how hard Lizzy had worked to get to this point with him! JEEZ!!!!!! So, one of the teachers says, "He will be fine. Give him to me. I promise you he will stop as soon as you are gone. Call here in 10 minutes and I will let you know how he is. If not, you can come back and get him." OH MY GOODNESS!!! REALLY????
As Jian screamed, I could feel my own eyes filling up. What is with me??? I have done this a million times. With much trepidation on my part and no nonsense on the part of the teacher, she PRYED him off me!! WAAAAAAAAA! I was soaked with snot and tears!! In addition to some of my own as well!!!! WAAAA!
But no, the day did not end there!!! At the appointed time, I picked up Cassius first and proceeded to pick up Jian as well! All was good in the world of Jian when I picked him up! He ran into my arms with his famously gorgeous smile and squeezed me tightly, giggling all the while!! Love that smile and those dimples!!! I parked the car in Lizzy's driveway and was thinking I was rather pleased with my Grandmotherly abilities since I didn't get lost and Jian was still a happy camper, but alas, that was not to be! As Cassius got out of the car and shut the door, he managed to slam not 1 but 2 fingers in the completely closed car door. I was panic stricken just looking at his face, but when I saw those 2 fingers firmly planted in the slit of the car door, I thought I would pass out right then and there!!! I opened the door to release the fingers that should have been broken, bruised or bleeding!!! After panic, screaming, Jian still in the car wondering what was going on, and me running around like a chicken without a head, I ran to pull Jian out (I was afraid to leave him alone in the car to run Cash in the house) and grabbed Cash, quickly set Jian down, raced up the stairs with Cash to ice his fingers to find that they were not damaged in the least!! Trust me, that was a M-I-R-A-C-L-E!!! If you don't believe in miracle, now would be a good time to start!!! God is so good!!!! That was my first full day of school duty!
Lizzy has worked really hard to get Jian to understand his new life in the Lahive home. One of the things she had to teach him was, "Mommy always comes back!"!! Imagine having to run to the grocery store, go to a parent/teacher meeting, or just leave him for ANY amount of time and having him SCREAM unmercifully because he thinks she is leaving him forever!! I believe, in my opinion, that this is part of his former life in an orphanage when changing care givers is like changing your underwear!!! Nobody stays in his life long enough! This has proved to be one of the MOST valuable lessons he has come to learn!! Especially this week with Lizzy and Mark gone for 5 days! He repeats it quite often and always with a smile on his face!!! He is so excited today because he knows this is the day she 'comes back'!!! I can't WAIT to see his face when he sees her!! (BTW: Mark and Lizzy have not left the boys EVER! In fact, they have not had an alone trip in 16 years! Think it was time???? DUH! It has been a crazy year for them physically and emotionally. I pray they had a much deserved rest and relaxation.)
So, we've learned some new tricks too this week. For instance, Cash pretty much relies on his mom for dressing him and bathing him and putting his food in front of him, HOWEVER, oh no, not Gaga! May I present to you the 'new and improved Cassius!!!'! Nicole has been great with giving the boys their bath, but I decided to do it this particular night. So Cash gets into the tub, sits down, puts his hands at his side and said to me, "Gaga, make this quick, I want to get back to my game." I said, "Ok, then hurry up and wash up." He said, "You have to do it." I said, "WHAT????" He said, "Mom gives me a bath, washes me up and washes my hair." I said, "Seriously???" He said, "Yes, seriously". "Well", I said, may I introduce you to the new and improved Cassius Lahive." He was hysterical laughing and thought that was so funny!! He said, "I don't know how." I said, "Seriously????". This kid probably has one of the highest IQ's on the planet!!! I said, "Hold out your hand." He proceeded to do so. I squeezed some bath gel into his hand, told him, "Rub your hands together, clean your butt, front and back and rinse!!" Then he actually had to dry his own body and dress himself for bed! The rest of bath time went uneventfully and he managed to bathe and dress himself just fine. So, it may not be perfect, but really??? And he laughed the how time about the 'new and improved Cassius'!
That same night, we were reading to the kids, playing a game or 2 on the IPAD, PLUS we had the TV on SOAPNET. Sonny (daughter Sonny) walked into the room and asked, "What's going on?" Cassius had his nose in the IPAD, so you can imagine my surprise when he said, "Well, Sonny (soap opera actor) just told his son his loyalty to him is gone and then………" OH MY! So, THAT is why the TV should be off and certainly not on a SOAP station! We all laughed our butts off except Cassius who didn't miss a beat of his IPAD game!
Monday (Feb. 3rd) will be the 10 Anniversary of our son, Paulie's death, and I can't help but think about how much he would be enjoying these little boys! He would be loving every minute as well. It is just a constant remainder of how fragile our lives are and how we should savor these days and times with our children and grandchildren. Nothing can replace this time spent with Jian and Cassius this week. I am grateful that I raised kids who WANT me to be with their kids and who found spouses who agree with them! HA! My prayer for my children is that they enjoy all of it. The hard days are the days that you learn the lessons and the easy days are the days you love what you learned. It's easy to love when things are easy. It's when things are tough that you learn unconditional love. That's the kind of love that runs so deep and so wide that NOTHING can break those bonds! This little family has had an adventurous year and lots of more great adventures are to follow!! And God has blessed me beyond my own imaginings! My amazing family is growing and thriving! And to have the privilege to go with Lizzy, Mark and Cassius to get our 7th grand baby is just more than I could image for myself! Thank You God for the abundant blessings you shower on us daily!
My first real assignment was to pick Cash up from school. I got lost. I was nearly 6 minutes lare! NO BUENO!!! I can only imagine what was going on in that kids head! "Great, she's going to be late everyday. Can't wait to see what else she has planned."
The boys surprised both Nicole and myself and have been a dream. Mark and Lizzy have been working so diligently and consistently on finding ways to control meltdowns, eating habits (if you recall, he was hoarding food, etc), bath time and everything else that comes with a ready made 2 year old!! Oh, BTW, he is a month older than previously thought. All his Chinese adoption papers say his birthday is in April when in fact it is in March! The papers can't be changed and the beat goes on……. Again, I and repeat, NOTHING was easy about this process!!
So we have jumped on mini trampolines (they each have their own. One of the hardest things to put into some kind of semblance is the fact that Jian MUST have whatever Cash has or it is not PRETTY!) Thus, 2 of these things and I'm not crazy about them! They jump like crazy on them! And lets not forget to mention 2 lime green scooters. You wouldn't believe how agile Jian is and how he can control it at such a FAST speed! He is funny, a tease and smart! He has gained weight and eats like a truck driver. When he gets upset, the precious little round bottom lip turns down and it is VERY hard to resist! My challenge was to not UNDO what Lizzy and Mark have worked to hard to gain these last 7 months. I don't remember life without Jian. He comes with a bundle of new challenges but more love, hugs, kisses, giggles, and blessings than a family can imagine!
Running to 2 different schools and different times has been a challenge for me since I am directionally challenged! I think I have it down now! (now that they are coming home today, of course, I have it down!!)
Our most challenging day was 2nd day and it started out OK. Jian seemed a little off, quiet. So, I walk into his school and it is rather quiet. Not the hustle bustle day when Lizzy and I went together. Jian seemed like he was a little thrown by that part, but we continued through the school to where all the other gazillion 2-3 years were playing. I put him down and he went OFF. I mean OFF!!! Screaming, holding on to me for dear life!! Now, I have raised 5 of my own kids, plus I was with my sister-in-law JoAnn's 5 girls just as much as my own, so I thought I had this kid thing down. OH NO!!!!! Being Grandmom is a WHOLE new ballgame. I couldn't leave him there, yet I knew how hard Lizzy had worked to get to this point with him! JEEZ!!!!!! So, one of the teachers says, "He will be fine. Give him to me. I promise you he will stop as soon as you are gone. Call here in 10 minutes and I will let you know how he is. If not, you can come back and get him." OH MY GOODNESS!!! REALLY????
As Jian screamed, I could feel my own eyes filling up. What is with me??? I have done this a million times. With much trepidation on my part and no nonsense on the part of the teacher, she PRYED him off me!! WAAAAAAAAA! I was soaked with snot and tears!! In addition to some of my own as well!!!! WAAAA!
But no, the day did not end there!!! At the appointed time, I picked up Cassius first and proceeded to pick up Jian as well! All was good in the world of Jian when I picked him up! He ran into my arms with his famously gorgeous smile and squeezed me tightly, giggling all the while!! Love that smile and those dimples!!! I parked the car in Lizzy's driveway and was thinking I was rather pleased with my Grandmotherly abilities since I didn't get lost and Jian was still a happy camper, but alas, that was not to be! As Cassius got out of the car and shut the door, he managed to slam not 1 but 2 fingers in the completely closed car door. I was panic stricken just looking at his face, but when I saw those 2 fingers firmly planted in the slit of the car door, I thought I would pass out right then and there!!! I opened the door to release the fingers that should have been broken, bruised or bleeding!!! After panic, screaming, Jian still in the car wondering what was going on, and me running around like a chicken without a head, I ran to pull Jian out (I was afraid to leave him alone in the car to run Cash in the house) and grabbed Cash, quickly set Jian down, raced up the stairs with Cash to ice his fingers to find that they were not damaged in the least!! Trust me, that was a M-I-R-A-C-L-E!!! If you don't believe in miracle, now would be a good time to start!!! God is so good!!!! That was my first full day of school duty!
Lizzy has worked really hard to get Jian to understand his new life in the Lahive home. One of the things she had to teach him was, "Mommy always comes back!"!! Imagine having to run to the grocery store, go to a parent/teacher meeting, or just leave him for ANY amount of time and having him SCREAM unmercifully because he thinks she is leaving him forever!! I believe, in my opinion, that this is part of his former life in an orphanage when changing care givers is like changing your underwear!!! Nobody stays in his life long enough! This has proved to be one of the MOST valuable lessons he has come to learn!! Especially this week with Lizzy and Mark gone for 5 days! He repeats it quite often and always with a smile on his face!!! He is so excited today because he knows this is the day she 'comes back'!!! I can't WAIT to see his face when he sees her!! (BTW: Mark and Lizzy have not left the boys EVER! In fact, they have not had an alone trip in 16 years! Think it was time???? DUH! It has been a crazy year for them physically and emotionally. I pray they had a much deserved rest and relaxation.)
So, we've learned some new tricks too this week. For instance, Cash pretty much relies on his mom for dressing him and bathing him and putting his food in front of him, HOWEVER, oh no, not Gaga! May I present to you the 'new and improved Cassius!!!'! Nicole has been great with giving the boys their bath, but I decided to do it this particular night. So Cash gets into the tub, sits down, puts his hands at his side and said to me, "Gaga, make this quick, I want to get back to my game." I said, "Ok, then hurry up and wash up." He said, "You have to do it." I said, "WHAT????" He said, "Mom gives me a bath, washes me up and washes my hair." I said, "Seriously???" He said, "Yes, seriously". "Well", I said, may I introduce you to the new and improved Cassius Lahive." He was hysterical laughing and thought that was so funny!! He said, "I don't know how." I said, "Seriously????". This kid probably has one of the highest IQ's on the planet!!! I said, "Hold out your hand." He proceeded to do so. I squeezed some bath gel into his hand, told him, "Rub your hands together, clean your butt, front and back and rinse!!" Then he actually had to dry his own body and dress himself for bed! The rest of bath time went uneventfully and he managed to bathe and dress himself just fine. So, it may not be perfect, but really??? And he laughed the how time about the 'new and improved Cassius'!
That same night, we were reading to the kids, playing a game or 2 on the IPAD, PLUS we had the TV on SOAPNET. Sonny (daughter Sonny) walked into the room and asked, "What's going on?" Cassius had his nose in the IPAD, so you can imagine my surprise when he said, "Well, Sonny (soap opera actor) just told his son his loyalty to him is gone and then………" OH MY! So, THAT is why the TV should be off and certainly not on a SOAP station! We all laughed our butts off except Cassius who didn't miss a beat of his IPAD game!
Monday (Feb. 3rd) will be the 10 Anniversary of our son, Paulie's death, and I can't help but think about how much he would be enjoying these little boys! He would be loving every minute as well. It is just a constant remainder of how fragile our lives are and how we should savor these days and times with our children and grandchildren. Nothing can replace this time spent with Jian and Cassius this week. I am grateful that I raised kids who WANT me to be with their kids and who found spouses who agree with them! HA! My prayer for my children is that they enjoy all of it. The hard days are the days that you learn the lessons and the easy days are the days you love what you learned. It's easy to love when things are easy. It's when things are tough that you learn unconditional love. That's the kind of love that runs so deep and so wide that NOTHING can break those bonds! This little family has had an adventurous year and lots of more great adventures are to follow!! And God has blessed me beyond my own imaginings! My amazing family is growing and thriving! And to have the privilege to go with Lizzy, Mark and Cassius to get our 7th grand baby is just more than I could image for myself! Thank You God for the abundant blessings you shower on us daily!
