Church

Jas and I hit the ground running at 7 a.m. this morning and (YAY!) we all made it out the door at 9:40 a.m....5 WHOLE minutes before Sunday School started! (And since our church is about a 2 minute drive from our house, that was plenty of time to get there.)

We made freshly-milled whole wheat muffins for breakfast (a dozen millet, and a dozen blueberry millet)...



...AND all the children had baths...

AND the cherry on top:Daddy even had time to take pictures of our precious, freshly scrubbed and fed bunch before we headed out the door.

(And the "phantom mom" got to be in the pictures too - a real treat! I wish we had more pictures of me with my kids. They're always asking me where I was when we look back at old pictures of them - "Why weren't you there, mama?")

I sure wish every Sunday started out this way!

We're having to really give thought and consideration as to how we handle Zibing's transition at church. With us homeschooling, church is the only time during the week when my children are not with me. We've never had a child this old (or this shy) at adoption before. When we're at home she is fine (loud sometimes even), but once we step out of our doors, she is much more subdued...if not downright closed off. She will even put her head into my shoulder many times...and that is what she's been doing at church.

So, I went to Zibing's Sunday School class with her today. Mrs. Charolotte and Mrs. Eve have taught this class long enough that they've had all of my children...and I couldn't be happier about who Zibing will have for her first Sunday School teachers! She and I stepped in there for 15 minutes last week, to start getting her used to it, and when we walked in today...she smiled! A victory! We played...and then did a craft...and then went to the "reading corner" for prayers and songs...and then had a snack. She had a good time, and I'm hopeful that it will go even easier and smoother next week!

And then during the church service today, it was mine and Jas' turn to be the adult volunteers in Worship Kidstyle (the Pre-K and Kindergarten age kids), so Zibing just came with us to that. Noah and Daniel are in that class, and she was glad to see them. In fact, when we first arrived at Noah's door, Zibing spied him through the glass in the door and she started yelling and waving at him, "NOAH!"

This class has LOTS of singing and dancing and moving around, and she liked it pretty good. She didn't dance on her own...but when I was holding her and dancing and jumping she smiled and laughed. And I just love seeing those "dents" (as Noah refers to her dimples) in her face when she smiles and laughs.