Saturday, July 18, 2015

A Few More Tidbits from Nantucket

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Our luxurious Nantucket accommodations have evolved as we have stayed on the island longer. The airy minimalistic look is in upstairs, and downstairs there is a garden suite available with hand-picked one-of-a-kind pieces for decorations. (Please note the exquisite headboard!)




What a project. At times it has seemed like we have been moving mountains.
Wait...! We have been moving mountains ;-)




Having our boys back from their adventures have made our work so much easier.

And funnier.

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And speaking of funny boys....

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I am glad we have had the guys here making life lighter. Otherwise we all just might be crying as we work. It really was a sad day when we said goodbye to the little Willy's Jeep.

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Are you as impressed as I am?

Who needs professional movers?? Grandma and Grandpa took this baby off island yesterday.

(I'll post some pictures on Facebook from the ferry.)

PS. I am hoping to post China updates to Our Mothership Facebook page if blogging is too challenging with limited wifi. Make sure to like and follow our page:)

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Muutama kuva vielä saarelta. Tänään näyttäisi siltä, että lähdemme sunnuntaiaamuna Maineen. Työtä riittää vielä, vaikka Kapteenin vanhemmat veivätkin ison kuorman huonekaluja Maineen eilen. Laitan pari kuvaa autolautalta facebookiin.

PS. Yritän päivittää Kiinan reissua ja adoptiota täällä blogissa, mutta jos netti pelaa huonosti, laitan päivityksiä Mothership-facebooksivuille.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Mei Mei, We Are Coming/Mei Mei, me olemme tulossa!

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Eeek!!!!!!!! It is almost time for Our Mothership Adventures to head to China!

Here's our travel plan:

Leave USA Wednesday July 22

Arrive in Beijing Thursday July 23
    Visit New Day Foster Home on Friday July 24 (not too late to send formula with us!!****)
    Sightseeing: Great Wall, Summer Palace, Forbidden City

Leave Beijing Sunday July 26

Arrive in Wuhan, Hubei Sunday July 26
    Gotcha Day Monday July 27
    Adoption Day Tuesday July 28
    Orphanage Visit??

Leave Wuhan Friday July 31

Arrive in Guangzhou Friday July 31
    Medical Exam
    Sightseeing
    Consulate Appointment

Leave Guangzhou Friday August 7
Fly to Beijing
Arrive in USA Friday August 7


We hope to blog about our time in China, and appreciate your prayers for safe travels, and for Mei Mei's little heart to be prepared for all the changes that are ahead of her. I can't imagine how difficult it will be for her to leave behind all that is familiar. A two year old understands much, but not everything. Thank you so much for praying.

**** Edit: we are now fully funded for bringing the formula, but all other donations will be used to buy preschool supplies, or items from New Day Foster Mongolia's Amazon wishlist. Thank you so much, everyone!!!

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Viikon kuluttua on aika lähteä Kiinaan!! Ensin suuntaamme Pekingiin, olemme siellä kolme yötä, ja sieltä lennämme Wuhaniin, missä saamme Mei Mein syliimme 27.7. Wuhanista lennämme Guangzhoun, missä vietämme viimeisen viikon, ja sieltä palaamme takaisin Usaan 7. elokuuta. Yritän päivittää blogia Kiinasta käsin, jos vain pystyn. Ja pyytäisinkin rukoustukea matkoille, että kaikki menisi hyvin, ja erityisesti Mei Meille, että Taivaan Isä valmistelisi häntä kaikille tuleville muutoksille. Isoja muutoksia kaksivuotiaalle, joka ymmärtää jo paljon, muttei kaikkea vielä. Kiitos:)

Niin, ja ei ole liian myöhäistä ottaa osaa meidän matkalaukkuprojektiin! Kiitos teille ihanille, jotka olette mukana kanssamme viemässä maitojauhetta ja muita tarvikkeita New Day-sijaiskotiin!!

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

July Update/Heinäkuun päivitystä

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So, what is all this craziness with Our Mothership Adventures this summer? After spending a couple of weeks working hard getting our Maine camp ready for summer rentals, what was next?

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Relaxing on picturesque Nantucket Island, celebrating Fourth of July with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt C, Uncle P and cousins?




Not quite. This Nantucket family vacation has looked a lot different.

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Our time on the island has been full of work, and full of changes. Furniture has been tagged, and most have already gone to storage (as of today). Some will head to Maine, some will stay on the island, and some will travel to Florida. The little Willy's Jeep sold. We are sleeping on the floor on mattresses. Yes, we are saying goodbye to this wonderful old house.



The cousins left the island, and we took a break from work to give a proper goodbye wave by Brandt Point.



Today a crew of four strong men arrived to help with the heavy items. It was a hot day (no air conditioning), and the old house has small doorways and narrow stairways. We were so thankful to have such a cheery, hardworking crew from Mainland Connection to do all the heavy lifting. Thank you!!!! Grandma, Grandpa, the Captain and our boys deserve many thanks, too - it was a full day of hard work. (Us girls did laundry, feeding, photographing and odd jobs.)



I did catch a funny moment or two:)



There they go....

And next on the agenda.... Our Mothership Adventures goes to China....!

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Tämä meidän Nantucketin lomamme on ollut vähän erilainen tänä vuonna. Pakkaamista, muuttamista, paljon työtä, paljon muutoksia. On aika sanoa hyvästit rakkaalle vanhalle jeepille ja ihanalle vanhalle talolle. Huonekaluista osa menee varastoon täällä saarella, osa menee Maineen, ja osa Floridaan. Työtä riittää.

Mutta seuraavaksi on edessä Kiinan reissu!

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Independence Day on Nantucket

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Nantucket Island is so much fun on Fourth of July. There is a lot going on all day. Our favorite is Main Street in the morning, and a high noon water fight.




The whole town is decorated for the occasion, and there are people everywhere.




This year Cousin H brought home a medal and a watermelon, and we were so proud of her mad eating skills ;-)

(Missy decided not to compete because of braces on her teeth. You'd have to see her in action to fully understand why.)

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Our boys are still traveling the world, but we had a wonderful day with Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt C, Uncle P and cousins. And this was my first 4th of July as an American citizen!

Happy Independence Day!!

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Kuvia Usan itsenäisyyspäivältä Nantucketin saarelta, Massachusettsissa.

Happy Fourth!!

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Happy Fourth of July from Nantucket Island!

Here are links from previous years:

2014
2013
2012
2011
2010

Monday, June 29, 2015

Maine and Off Again




Our two work weeks in Maine have come to an end. We got a lot done - not everything we had hoped, but a lot nevertheless.

(Having six out of seven family members taking turns being sick didn't help. And yes, I am aware of the statistics, and praying like crazy I don't get this cold everyone else has had.)




A few nights ago I had an errand to run into town, so I grabbed Mr A with his learner's permit, and Little Miss to photograph, as I knew the lupines were blooming. I had Mr A practice stopping several times so I could get out of the car to snap a shot. By the end of the drive he was really good at stopping quickly!:)

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One of the jobs the kids had at the camp was to put a trampoline out in the water. Such a rough job!! I think everyone had a miserable time with this one {wink}.

(We look forward to August and getting on the trampoline, again!)



We are in a strange parenting phase right now. I am packing up a suitcase (below) for our trip to China, and have added diapers and formula in my bag, yet our boys took off on their own. They took our car, and off they went on adventures. Two flew Washington DC to attend camp, one flew to Florida to go on a mission's trip with our Florida youth group.

It was a very quiet day at our camp the next day....




Don't forget our project to fill a suitcase for New Day Foster Home!!

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The Captain, our girls and I packed up the Mothership, and we are off again. Stay tuned for new blog posts on our summer adventures!

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Siivousviikot Mainen mökillä päättyivät, ja taas lähdettiin matkaan. Pojat lähtivät autolla, ja kaksi suuntasivat lentäen leirille Washington DC:een, ja yksi lensi Floridaan, ja on lähdössä lähetystyöreissulle kirkkomme nuorten kanssa. Samalla minä pakkasin vaippoja ja korviketta Kiinan matkalaukkuun, on tämä vaan outo vaihe lasten kasvattamisessa...

Laitoin kuvia lupiineista, Mainen alkukesä on niin kaunis! Lapset laittoivat veteen trampoliinin myös, elokuussa sitten kunnolla kokeilemaan.

Seikkailut jatkuvat siis!

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Let's Fill a Suitcase for New Day Foster Home/Matkalaukkuprojekti!

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Every day we get closer to bringing Mei Mei home from China. (Those of you who are familiar with the adoption lingo, we are expecting our Article 5 pick-up any day now, and Travel Approvals have been coming fairly fast.) We most likely will might be traveling next month!!

As we have been getting ready for our trip, I realized there is a wonderful opportunity to help, to do something special for the precious little ones in China. Our family is so excited about this, and hope YOU will participate with us!


How?


Have you heard of the New Day Foster Home in China? 

Yes, they are a foster home, or rather, several foster homes in China, taking in special need orphans, loving them and providing for all their needs. Their website says:

"Bringing Hope to the Hopeless and the Fatherless Home."

Alleviating the pain and suffering of Chinese orphans born with physical handicaps by providing for their every physical, mental and spiritual need, we give these children a future and a hope while they wait for their very own loving family.

With loyal supporters, a dedicated staff, and caring volunteers, New Day Foster Home's core mission of providing life-saving surgeries and a loving home to orphans with special needs from around China continues to transform lives. Since its founding in October 2000, New Day Foster Home has expanded its programs to reach more children living in government institutions across the country through outreach work like the Formula Project and other initiatives. Every child deserves a healthy start and to know the love of a family, and our work makes these dreams a reality for hundreds of children.

We believe that love makes a difference, and we invite you to join us on this journey of hope.

Here is a film about New Hope Foster Home, made by 60 Minutes producer Johnny Drimmer.


And so, Our Mothership Adventures readers, family and friends all have an opportunity to help New Day Foster Home in Beijing. There are items needed from United States, and since we are traveling to Beijing, we can fill a suitcase for New Day Foster Home, and bring them much needed supplies!

Here is a list of items needed. A list that has medical supplies, formula, and pre-school items like paint with water books. We would love to have you participate!!

What YOU can do, is send us any of these items, and we'll pack them, and take them to China. Or you can shop online and have the items shipped to us. Or, you can send us a donation (small or great), and we will purchase the items, pack them, and take them to New Day Foster Home.

New Day North, their Inner Mongolia branch, has an Amazon Wishlist of things that they'd love for their kiddos. We can bring items to New Day Beijing, and they will ship the items to New Day North - easy peasy!

Leave us a comment, send an email, or contact us on Facebook, and let's get started! (Friends and family, do check first where to send items, we tend to be on the move...)

**** This would be a wonderful way to get children involved too. Families, clubs, co-ops, Bible studies.. No amount of help is too small!!

PS. There are other ways to help New Day Foster Home, as well. You can give donations directly to them, and/or sponsor their children. Read more here.

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Kiinan matka lähestyy... Pian saamme Mei Mein syliimme! Meillä ei ole tarkkoja päiviä vielä, mutta on mahdollista, että matkustamme jo ensi kuussa! Aiomme ottaa mukaan ylimääräisen matkalaukun, ja viedä sen mukanamme New Day Foster Home-lastenkotiin Pekingiin, jossa hoidetaan erityistarpeisia lapsia. Tästä linkistä löytyy lisää tietoa heistä, ja mitä he tarvitsevat. Voisitko sinäkin auttaa? Tämä olisi upea keino lastenkin auttaa.. Mikään määrä ei ole liian pieni. Meille voi lähettää lahjoituksen, tai lähettää tarvikkeita, ja me otamme ne mukaan, ja viemme lastenkotiin. Tule mukaan Our Mothership Adventures-projektiin auttamaan pikkuisia Kiinassa!

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Happy Father's Day!!

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(This shirt is for you, Grandpa!!!)


"The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him."
Proverbs 23:24