Miscellany Monday: April 2, 2012

Saturday evening my dear friend Vicki and I headed with these cuties (plus Gabriel, not shown)...
...down to the airport.

Why did we want to drive for 3 hours with 8 children?

To meet Drew and Zeke at their homecoming.

Our friends Robbie and Stan have been in China for the past couple of weeks (with their daugthers, Josie-Tatum and Ellie - also born in China) bringing home their newest family members.

There is nothing like a good airport homecoming to make me all misty-eyed!

Here is Zhuang Zhuang (aka Drew) meeting big sis Whitney in-person for the first time (they'd been skyping during the trip, so he went right to her)

Qing Zhuange (aka Zeke) has one of the cutest smiles I have ever seen!

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And this...is what it looks like when you take lots of cute Chinese-born children to the airport bathroom at one time:

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Lily Kay is beside herself.
On Sunday she realized that one of her front bottom teeth was loose.

Very loose. Not that it didn't have lots of help getting that way.

And then Sunday night (after we put the children to bed) Lily Kay came running in to our room: Elisabeth had pulled the tooth out!

LK's first lost tooth!

"I'm so exciting that I lost my tooth! Are YOU so exciting that I lost my tooth, mama?!?!"

Yes, Lily Kay...I am SO exciting!

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I took supper to the M family tonight. Yes, the same family that just got home Saturday night. That would be why I took them supper. I SO know how helpful it is when friends love on you by bringing food. Yes, phone calls and cards are sweet. But really, already PREPARED food just spells L...O...V...E! It is helpful when you've been gone halfway around the world for 2 weeks...and then you traveled for approximately 30 hours, crossing 12 time zones. With a child (or children) that isn't used to you (or anything) yet. (It also very helpful when you been gone for 24 hours and then bring home a newborn...for the first time ever.)

But I digress...

I guinea-pigged them.

That is what we call it when I try out a new recipe for the very first time...on someone else. But this sounded like a winner. AND it contained noodles. Which Drew and Zeke are used to....being good Chinese children.

We also had this for supper tonight. Big. hit.

I quadrupled this recipe. Because we have more than 2.2 children...and so does the M Family.

Two pans for the M Family. LOVE is alternately spelled: D.I.S.P.O.S.A.B.L.E....C.O.N.T.A.I.N.E.R.S.

I got this recipe (along with approximately half of what I've been preparing lately) from Heavenly Homemakers. Love Laura. Love what she cooks.

Lasagna Casserole

1 pound ground beef
 (I used venison instead)

4 T. minced onion, or chopped fresh onion
 (I used fresh)

4 cups tomato sauce


1 T. basil


1 T. oregano


1 t. garlic powder


½ t. sea salt


8 oz. cottage cheese


8 oz. pkg. pasta, any shape
 (I used Rotini and Elbow...I'm crazy like that)

8 oz. mozzarella cheese (or cheddar, or a mixture of both)

Brown ground beef and onion. Drain grease. Add tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garic powder and salt. Allow meat and sauce to simmer about 20 minutes. Boil pasta according to package. Drain and stir pasta into sauce. Add cottage cheese, stirring until everything is evenly mixed. Pour into a casserole dish (9×13). Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

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It has been 6 months since Noah had tests to check for glaucoma at the ophthalmologists'. WOW - has 6 months flown by!

I take him Wednesday for a Field Vision Test...then we go back next Wednesday for the results. We would appreciate prayers that the results show that Noah does not have glaucoma.