All I can say is Wow!!!

Eating spagetti and meatballs with chopsicks

Jacob continues to do well.....needless to say since my posts get further and further apart!!! we have been busy!!! So many things have happend...Jacob has gone to school with Jade the past two Thursdays...he loves it!!! He fits right in and has already made some friends...He has skyped with his friend Braydon (Ji Ke Ping who is from his room in the orphanage and who lives in TX now)  twice...it is funny because Braydon has been home for almost a year and won't speak Chinese to Jacob and yet Jacob doesn't have enough English under his belt yet to keep up a conversation....so they pretty much make faces at each other!!! In talking to Braydon's mom I found out we are all going to be in Maine this summer at the samet ime and only like 45min. apart...We are going to get our families together....I can't wait until the boys see each other again!! Jacob talks quite a bit about China thru our interpeter Ling Sun....he says the most random things...one day we were riding in the car and he told Ling Sun that his one friend in the orphanage peed blood!!! That was an interesting comment....I bet there are some pretty sick kids there....how sad....
I have been planning the kids summer activities so I asked Jacob what he used to do at the ophanage when they had summer break...he said he was very bored and they would watch TV sometimes or play games...
I am going to keep the kids pretty busy....we have many visitors coming (which I love), we are going to Maine and RI over 4th of July, we are going to WI in Aug. I am going to fill in a few weeks with summer camps and swimming lessons....speaking of swimming lessons...Jacob has had 3 lessons so far and loves it!! he is becoming a good little swimmer and what a water lover...Now that our pool is open I keep a VERY close eye on him....We are in the process of planting a garden...I want Jacob to know where food really comes from!!! it is funny because I am sure he is used to being fed in a big dinning room type situation....he is always very impatient for food to come....because I am actually cooking it he needs to understand it takes time and you don't always eat at the same time every night....
Today...I took the kids to Dorney Park!!! Jacob has never been to an amusement type park before...He LOVED it!!! I started him out on the small rides but soon he was fearless and soon going on rides with Caleb...the joy I saw today come out of him was priceless!!! I think we have a little daredevil on our hands!!!
I have caught Jacob calling me Mama or Mommy a few times...he still points and grunts at me most of the time but atleast I know it won't be long before he calls me Mom all the time....It is funny because if he says Mama and one of the kids are around and hears him they make a big deal out of it...
Paul has been gone the last 3 nights traveling for work...and all the kids talked to him on the phone last night...when it was Jacob's turn he talked to Paul then said "I love you daddy"...so cute again I don't know if he means it or if he is just saying it because the other kids said it...but we will take it either way...
I think having Jacob around has sparked an interest with Lily atleast about being adopted...she said to me the other day..."Mom was I adopted like Jacob?" I said yes but you were a little baby and you don't remember...she then said "is my China Mom dead?" I said no but I am sure she is still in China and probably thinks of you everyday....she was happy with that explanation and walked away...
I am sure over the years these 3 children of mine will have many questions that I won't have answers for...but I will always try to give them a positive response...Have a great Memorial Day weekend.....enjoy some recent pictures...




The slip and slide
 

Computer kids

Love the roller coaster ride!!!

Jacob's very 1st amusment ride

Things are going good....

I know it has been awhile since my last post....but needless to say I have been busy!!! Having Jacob home with me during the day has been somewhat of an adjustment for me....I am used to dropping the kids off at school then having the next 7.5 hrs. or so to myself...I really haven't been getting much done!!! but that is ok..I am trying to keep him busy....He started swimming lessons on Monday...and what a fish he is!!! He was basically swimming by himself...he has no fear of the water and puts his head under and everything....he will be swimming in no time!!! Ling Sun tutor's Jacob Monday thru Friday....for about 2 hrs. a day...she is working on his English and Math....He is a quick learner and I am sooo happy we have her to help!!! It is good that I am the Mommy and she is the teacher!!! I also think he likes having someone to speak Chinese with...Jade and Lily like to draw alot...so Jacob has been joining them...Most of his pictures consist of his house, him and Packer airplanes and trees....all good things I guess I would be concerned if they were of war and bad stuff....Last weekend we had a fire outside and Paul and all the kids went in the hot tub....Jacob saw his first rainbow and loved it!!! I mentioned Packer....Yes, Packer our dog....Jacob was deathly afraid of him at first but now.....HE LOVES THE DOG....actually I think he is driving Packer crazy because he follows him around all day long....he even tells Packer in perfect English "I love you Packer"....and is always kissing him...I caught him rubbing noses with Packer the other day....Speaking of Love....Jacob loves Lily...him and Lily are making a special bond...he is always carrying her around...I know he also loves Jade and Caleb...his eyes light up when the kids come home from school....I cannot thank Caleb, Jade and Lily enough...they have been so good with him....they really engage Jacob and play board games, put together puzzles, play outside and just really keep a close eye on him....they are also a big help in the keeping him line as they reinforce the rules of the house....It is better than me saying no all the time!!! Jacob is a really social kid...he has a good friend in the neighborhood, Nolan...they are the same age and have been having alot of fun together!!! Jacob has gone over to Nolan's house and has no problem fitting in...So far everyone that has met Jacob thinks he is a really good kid....he is very easy going and really has no problems fitting in...We have been trying to teach him how to ride a bike...but he just can't stop yet!!! Jacob continues to be a good sleeper and eater....He is pretty much eating anything we put in front of him....he sleeps well...today, after lunch he actually took a nap...so did Mama....We are having fun figuring this all out and I couldn't do it without Caleb, Jade and Lily...they are great!!! I go back to the reason I decided to do this in the first place!!! I love my kids!!!

First Day Home with Mom....

Monday morning the kids had to go to school....Jacob was up and said his good bye's.....then he continued to work his way through cartoons, toys and games....I didn't sit still....I think I have to say Bye Bye to the kickboxing classes for awhile...Oh, well I guess now that the adoption is over I can always get the fat sucked out...Paul's Mom was in town and was scheduled to leave later that afternoon....Jacob pretty much bounced around the house and kept himself busy...I did play a few games with and tried to keep him busy I don't want him to get bored...We got home from the airport and he was ready to see the kids....His face lit up when they got off the bus!!! Jade had a Spring concert that night at school....the kids and I went (did I mention that Paul was in Boston overnight) anyway Jacob seemed to like listening to the music After the concert because Mama was VERY tired we all went to McDonlads....I haven't eaten at a McDonald forever....but you know what tonight it was ok.....

Fireworks and Sooooo In Love!!!!

You know when you have the first kid and you wonder when you have the 2nd kid how you could ever love anything like you already love the first!!! Well....with adoption it is the same only scarier (Ok I just asked Paul how to spell it and he doesn't think it is a word...but in Klose language it is) because this child did not come out of your body....I have experienced this now 3 times....and everytime the love just happens and it really doesn't matter where the child comes from, all that matters it that they are with you and you love them!!! So I am again in LOVE....I have to admitt the first few days were different in this adoption because Jacob was older and I couldn't shower him with kisses and hugs and hold him and stuff!!! Not that I haven't loved him since the minute I layed eyes on him!!! but once I actually had him I had to restrain myself because I knew he needed time to learn to Love me....with Caleb and the girls it was just an instant bonding experience because they were so young (and didn't know any better). And believe me he still isn't showering me with kisses....but things are looking up!!!
Needless to say so many thing have happend in these three short days since we have gotten home....
We arrived home on Saturday night around 8pm.  as the car pulled into the driveway Jade and Lily and Gabby (the neighbor girl and best friend of Jade) were all sitting at the end of the driveway waiting for us....on the fence the welcome home sign and balloons were there (thanks Dick and Donna)...I thought he was going to be ok....I jumped out of the car crying to see my girls...Jacob stayed in the car and started to cry this pretty much was the moment he was not looking forward to!!! Him actually being in the US with a family who didn't speak Chinese!!! He cried really loud and didn't want to get out of the car...once we got him out of the car he didn't want to go in the house...After sitting with him in the driveway for about 20 min. we were finally able to get him to come into the house.....We had to kinda drag him into the house like the way he was dragged out of the orphanage...We showed him his room and where everyone's bedrooms were then the main living area....then we showed him the BASEMENT!!! that is where all the fun is....the toys and the media room....the crying seemed to get softer when we were down there...We went back to the kitchen and at this point all the kids including the neighbor kids came running over....before we knew it Jacob was running around and laughing and happy!!!! at this point he was just another kid in the neighborhood!!! We then called a few neighbors over ourselves and had a few glasses of champagne...And before I mentioned that I am a big believer in signs...well,our first date was to watch fireworks...and we have had many displays of fireworks in our lives and alway appreciate a good firworks dispaly....Well here we are sitting in little bitty Center Vally, PA and off went the loudest fireworks....it was crazy none of the nightbors expected it!!! I told Paul "it is a another sign" and he said what that we are adopting another child....and I said NO "God has given me everything I could want and more"...Everyone then went to bed...
The next morning Jacob woke up early....then woke up ALL of his siblings...future note "Don't ever wake up Jade early" but she was actually ok with this-this one time!!! He was sooooo excited...he ran around the house looking at everything checking the pantry and the cupboards...He went downstairs and played with
every toy...We had a good day a nice dinner and early to bed!!!!

Our first breakfast as a family of 6

Welcome home Jacob Shi Zheng Farr!!!  

Bye Bye China....We are in Tokyo!!!

As to be expected Jacob had a pretty good breakdown for Paul this morning...Paul pretty much had to dress him and brush his teeth...By the time I got to their room he was just sitting on the floor crying....I have to say however, I think we have a bit of an actor on our hands....Everytime the cartoons came on the crying was less when the commercials were on the crying was louder...We had a short shuttle ride to the aiport, got checked in and waited at the lounge for our flight...Jacob was fine once we were at the airport...He had noodles, chocolate and soda for breakfast!!! I have to admit we have been letting him indulge a bit but soon the party will be over and back to reality...We had a good flight to Tokyo about 3 1/2 hrs.  Oh yea, we did have the wasabi in the eye incident!!! Jacob not knowing what it was opened the packet of wasabi on the plane to put on his noodles but instead got a big wad of it on his finger...so what did he do but put it right in his mouth!!! then once he realized how hot it was began rubbing his eyes....well then he began crying and rubbing his eyes because his eyes were burning!!! I was sitting in my seat across the isle with a full try of food in front of me...so I got up from my seat as fast as possible to get a wet washcloth so he could wash out his eyes...incident was soon resolved and everyone went back to watching their movies...Once we landed in Tokyo we forgot we had to go thru security....Welll dumby Paul bought a $100 bottle of Maotai (Chinese liquor) at duty free in Guangzhou...Well when going thru security you can't bring in any liquids more than 3.5 oz. so needless to say the security staff at the airport in Tokyo will be having drinks on Paul tonight!!! As I write this we are sitting at the Admirals Club lounge in Tokyo waiting for our American Airlines flight to JFK...The boys are playing on the computers in the computer room....The sun is out here in Tokyo!!!! I so miss seeing the sun!!!!! The worst thing about China is because of the pollution you never get to see the sun!!! I sure hope they do something about that someday!!!!
Once we land at JFK we have to go thru the visitors line at immigration where they will take the sealed brown envelope from us and from that point on Jacob Shi Zheng Farr is a US citizen!!! We have a driver picking us up at the airport and hopefully about a 1 1/2 drive home.....I can't wait to see my girls!!! I hope once Jacob get's home he can start to get excited about this journey he is on!!!! Because one only knows when you are a FARR life is a awesome journey!!!!
Thanks for sharing our journey with us!!!! I promise to update once we get home.....

My girls I am so proud of them!!!!

Can't wait for the 1st picture of all 6 of us!!!

My Last Post From China....

Well, unless there is internet access at the airport in Guangzhou or Tokyo this should be my last post….Jacob was told today that he will be going to the U.S. tomorrow…and he was in a pretty bad mood all day…. We went to the Jade and pearl markets, had lunch and picked up his passport and visa from the consulate….We then were taken to the Pullman hotel by the airport….It is actually a pretty nice hotel…I was a little afraid…but am happy!!!!! Today our guide Kelly told us about an American couple who recently came to China to pick up their 14 year old daughter…..They were in China and 2 days before they were supposed to pick her up and she ran away from the orphanage!!! Wow….how terrible is that for both the family and the girl….I can’t imagine…so all day I kept a close eye on Jacob….I just want to get him home!!! And let’s get on with this process!!! See you all soon…..

Caleb trying to coax Jacob into doing something

Caleb entering the tomb of the King of Guangzhou