Here and here are posts from our last China Culture camp adventure. Rather prophetic words in the first of those posts! Boy oh boy have my girls grown and matured!!! One thing hasn't changed, though...Anna still claims China as her own and I still cry every time I'm in a room full of proud parents and their adopted children.

Chinese Culture Camp

We now have our second Chinese Culture Camp under our belts and it was so fun!!

Every summer Dillon International Adoptions puts on culture camps for children from all over, including India, Korea, and China. The China camp lasts for 3 days--Thurs, Fri, Sat.

This year I took Song and Dean, naturally, and also Anna. The girls made so many friends and learned a lot. I was able to see some friends from the DFW area, which is always nice. I also enjoyed working with the same lady I've worked with two years ago when we went to camp. This year we had 27 5 year olds and 1 4 year old--Dean! He was not happy in his 4 year old class, probably due to being sick (he had Hand, Foot, and Mouth virus!) on top of not being entirely sure of the situation without mommy. No problem: he fit beautifully with the 5 year olds and was taller than most of them, too!

That would also explain why the vast majority of pictures I took were of Dean rather than the girls. Actually, I took some of the girls during the closing ceremony but had my camera on the wrong setting so they don't look so great, as you can see below.

We are already looking forward to next year. Thanks, Dillon!!

6 months of Dean

Yeah, he's a rockstar and he knows it...

Hard to believe six months have come and gone with Dean as a Spicer! Some days I wasn't sure he was going to make it as a Spicer, either, as the older kids weren't terribly accommodating toward a very spoiled little boy. He's definitely one of the gang now, however, and fits in beautifully.

Dean is one smart cookie, I've determined. Yesterday he brought me a piece of paper with his name and Emma's name written on it and read them both to me. Wow! I've worked on his name a bit with him, trying to have him copy it, but not that much and certainly not Emma's name. Of course, it probably helps that he came to us already knowing all of his English ABC's and 123's. (Of course, he still has some vocabulary issues: he just walked in to ask me 'where my panties go?' Luckily he has Luke to show him just what a horrifying question that is.)

I heard a story from a friend last night concerning a Sunday school craft Dean had made. They were making a well with the class and this dad was doing a quick job with the string that was to hold the little bucket. Dean would have none of it and managed to impess upon our friend that the properly built well needed a cross-string and then a drop-string. So our friend made Dean's the proper way and all was well in the world.

We are all blessed to have Dean in our lives, and we thank God for the gift of this smart, beautiful, funny and happy little man!!

Happy 6 Month Anniversary, Hudson Dean Spicer!!!

Alex's 14th Birthday!!

(Subtitled: BAD mommy didn't download pictures in June)

Alex turned 14 last month. That is just unbelievable!!! He's still a handsome boy with an amazing smile.

He basically received one gift this year: an iPod Touch. I'm sure there are those who would disagree, but I think Touches are one of the most amazing gifts. Of course he can listen to music, but he also listens to audiobooks (he's going through the Chronicles of Narnia now), plays educational games, watches downloaded movies while we're in the car, and plays many, many other games. Alex still struggles with reading, so the audiobooks are wonderful for him. He has several other areas where he is behind, and we've found 'apps' to help address those problems in a fun and innovative way. All this to say that while it is an expensive gift (thanks to grandparents for chipping in!) it is so versatile and useful my only regret is not getting him one sooner!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX-GATOR!!

What love looks like

Sometimes it's planting all the flowers for your wife, and mulching, too.






Sometimes it's sharing a game on mom's phone with your little brother. (picture by Vera)






















Sometimes it's digging up a flower bed that your wife didn't like and preparing it to more closely match her landscaping taste.

Sometimes it's Emma drawing a picture of Mommy (her first ever!) and putting a heart beside Mommy.

And in our family, sometimes it's rabbit ears behind your head.

I'm in love again

You can find information on 'Rebecca' here by scrolling down a bit. She is living in a Russian orphanage now, but sure does look like a girl who would be a ray of sunshine in a family.

Isn't that the sweetest smile? She reminds me a bit of Emma, the hair color, round cheeks and soft smile. I expect more medical information will be available soon.

Be still, my heart....

Reece's Rainbow--you can help!!

The Reece's Rainbow Down Syndrome Adoption Ministry (www.reecesrainbow.org) was begun in June of 2006 to promote the international adoption and rescue of orphaned children with Down syndrome exclusively. We are a registered 501(c)3 organization, and seek donations as adoption grant funds to make it possible for families to afford the high cost of international adoption. Children with Down Syndrome and other special needs are often institutionalized at the age of 4, and there is simply no place in their own societies for them at this point in history. There is no shortage of American families wanting to adopt, they just lack the funds necessary to do it!

Our 3-Year Anniversary Celebration is a special opportunity for you to make sure that Reece's Rainbow can be a voice of hope for these children for many years to come! Even if you are not in a position to adopt, you can still make a huge difference by financially supporting the continued life-saving work of Reece's Rainbow!

THIS JUNE, we celebrate three years of service to orphans with Down syndrome (and now other special needs, as well).

In that short time, Reece's Rainbow has:
found adoptive families for (190) children in (32) countries around the world
disbursed more than $250,000 in adoption grants for children with Down syndrome and other special needs
been responsible for positive social change and streamlining of official adoption procedures in foreign countries
financially supported therapy and educational projects for orphans with Down syndrome
encouraged the development of new birth family support groups in Ukraine and Bulgaria
expanded our family service to include adoptions by Canadian families!
built an official Leadership Team which includes a Post Adoption Family Care program (thats ME!!)
100% of your donation goes to the child, adopting family, or fund that you designate, meaning that we rely completely on separate donations to our VOICE OF HOPE fund to remain operational. This ministry has grown exponentially, and along with it, the needs and costs to *meet* those needs have too! Our ability to serve our children and adopting families, and to expand our advocacy projects and new country programs, depends entirely on the availability of funds in this account to do so.

Please share this announcement/opportunity with everyone you know, so they too can join this celebration and become a part of this very special and successful ministry! Reach out to your Yahoo groups, Facebook and MySpace, your family and friends, your colleagues and church congregations....there has never been a better time to GIVE THE GIFT OF A FAMILY. There are no faith-based limitations on donations nor on adoption grants, so ANYONE can adopt and ANYONE can give! Just $20 from everyone you know can go a long way!! With more than (200) children on our website waiting for families, your gifts now are crucial! Click here to learn more and make your donation now! (www.reecesrainbow.org/3rdanniv.htm)

YOU ARE TRULY THE FUTURE of Reece's Rainbow! We can not do any of this without your gifts, your prayers, and your advocacy efforts. God bless each of you!!

If you give a kid a camera...

she's going to take a picture of her feet.

She'll be so excited that she'll want a picture of her brother's hands and amazing eyes

and her sister's belly button

and her baby sister's tongue
The tongue will remind her that she's hungry, so she'll go downstairs for a snack and hand the camera off to her belly button sister to take a picture.
After her snack, she'll want to watch some Hannah Montana and she'll snap this great picture of a Hannah impersonator.

The Hannah impersonator will remind her of her other sister who loves Hannah Montana most of all, so she'll get another picture of that sister.

While looking for Hannah on TV, she'll run across Dora and snap a picture of her sisters again.

After taking all these pictures, our kid will be very tired, so she will hand the camera off to her oldest sister who is very persistent in taking the same basic picture again...

and again...

and again....

and again, with an important addition.

Now that the kid is rested from her photo session, she'll remember how much she loves taking pictures and will start again on her little sister.

Watching the little sister leave will remind her that she hasn't taken a picture of her living room yet, so she'll decide to take one.

The kid might decide the living room needs to be lived in, so she'll ask her sisters to join her again.

While taking that living room picture with models, the kid will notice her sister's amazing eyes.

And chances are, when the kid looks at her sister's amazing eyes, she's going to want a picture of her feet.

The end.

Many thanks to the kid: Vera,

and her substitute photographers: Emma and Song

Swim Lessons

Vera, Emma, Ella, and Dean dove into swimming this summer, Dean and Ella for the first time.

Vera had begun swimming without flotation aids last summer, and she was quickly able to regain her skills.

Emma was swimming by the end of the week, but still had trouble remembering to pull her head up and breathe. I call that drowning, but the swim instructor was pleased with her progress.

Dean tried so hard to swim, but he generally swims like a seahorse--straight up and down without much forward progress.

Ella...well let's just say she had her own special instructor by the end of the week so she wouldn't push Dean into the water or get out of the water to go elsewhere. She did enjoy herself, however!

What a cute little peanut she is!
Thanks, Coach Moore!! We loved your pool!

Like water off a duck's back...

Isn't Dean cute? He had a blast swimming!!

The video shows all the kids swimming or, at least, trying to swim.

Our final video is of Vera swimming the length of the pool, and it shows how she thinks she must touch the bottom of the pool every. single. time.

Luke's baseball pictures

Luke just started in the 14U league this year! That league plays in the biggest field at the park. I can't believe it!!! I remember when he started in coach pitch and I knew he would never be big enough to play in the big park. Sigh.

Every year but the very first year John has been the coach or assistant coach on Luke's team, but next year will likely be the last year. Our league has an 18U league, but I don't know that John would coach it, as it just has a different feel than these younger leagues. Plus, next year John will get to start coaching Dean's T-ball league...I'm hoping Luke will assist him, but we'll see.

Luke generally plays 2nd base and his hitting improved tremendously over last year. He is most proud of is 4 RBIs, however. Due to the time limit on games, he usually only got up to the plate twice a game.

As you can see, Dean and Ella are captivated by the sight of Luke at bat.

At the beginning of each baseball/softball season I am always ovewhelmed by the sheer number of games and practices we have with 5 children on 3 teams, yet so sad when the season comes to an end. As a parent, it is always a joy to see your children work hard, improve, really put their hearts into something. I never would have dreamed my kids would be so 'into' baseball, but I am thrilled they are!

The Angel League

Vera and Emma have successfully completed another year of Angel League softball! For 6 weeks we were all treated to a constant question from Vera, "My game?" She loves 'her' game and looks forward to it. In my mind she is a star! She throws the ball so very hard and well and ambidextrously. Pretty impressive stuff.

Emma enjoyed the games more than last year, when she usually pooped out after her first at bat. She still loves her pink glove and could care less about donning baseball pants and cleats as Vera does.

Each Angel League player has a helper during the game. Luke, Song, and Anna were most often the helpers this year. Song and Anna played their softball games after Vera and Emma's games, so they were usually in uniform, too.

Note that Anna and Emma are on deck behind Luke.

Could they be any cuter together, these baseball lovers of mine?

Emma sliding home, as always.

Taaaaaaake me out to the baaaaalllllgame!

Do they look happy or what? John was able to get Luke a pass to watch Texas play the Yankees last night and get some field time before the game. Pretty cool stuff for my baseball fanatic! The highlight, though, was a bear hug from one of the Texas players. I'm not naming names or anything, but his initials are J. H. And he just wrote a book. And he has an amazing testimony. And he's the real deal.

As I have told Luke many a time when these opportunities have come up: Luke, soak it in, buddy, because you're livin' the dream!

From the look on his face, I'd say he's good and soaked. ;-)

Phooey!

I should know better than to jump the gun like that, but Lera is no longer on hold. So.....if you're interested in a beautiful daughter, then by all means click on her picture!! You'd get to spend some time in St. Petersburg and Moscow. You could meet a member of the Russian Mafia just like we did. Oh wait, I'm trying to entice, not put you off! We lived to tell the tale, though, and they only shook us down for $150 or so for our hotel room.

I'll try and find some time soon and write about the general process of international adoptions. Just in case some of you were dying to know. ;-)

I know who some of my readers are...

but would anyone like to fess up to having an IP address of usdoj.gov in Bethesda, MD, or ucsf.edu in San Fran, CA? I look at my site meter occasionally to see where in the world people are viewing my family and I've seen those IP addresses often enough to wonder who it is...are you from FIAR, RR, or TSC?