OUR BIRTHDAY GIRL

At 19-months-of-age we adopted Makena. She is a very beautiful and active child who will go to the limits to please you and the other to test your patience! Our friend Sandy from China hit it right when she described our daughters as "Caring Kau`i, beautiful Maile and naughty Makena." We wouldn't have it any other way.

We went out to Mateo's,our favorite family spot for dinner, to celebrate Makena's 6-year-old birthday. Happy Birthday Makena. We love you!!!

PROUD PARENTS

Whether it's receiving a special award from the school principal, eating nicely with friends in the cafeteria, or even doing cafeteria duty, we are very proud of our girls for their enthusiasm to do what is right.

OUR GIRL!

HOPE CHAPEL

Hope Chapel Kihei has about 1,000 members. There's always something happening throughout the week for family. One of the girls favorite is going to Awanas on Wednesday nights. Dale and I like it too because it's our "Date Night!"

THIS AND THAT

Iao Valley is a very beautiful place to visit while on Maui. Hawaiian warriors fought battles on this very spot. Kau`i was our camera person and did a great job taking pictures.

Sandy left LA this morning to go back home to China. Yesterday, she and a friend went to Disneyland. They arrived at 9 a.m. and left at 11:30 p.m. She loved it and said Disneyland in Hong Kong is small in comparison. While on Maui, Sandy took advantage of shopping for clothes and other items. Sandy said it is cheaper to find "quality" clothing in America. She liked the fact that our tax in Hawaii is 4%. Toward the end of her stay she even bought items that said "made in China!"

Kau`i spent the night at a friend's house. She was invited for a birthday party sleep over in a tent with three other girls. They went skating in an outdoor roller skating park. We pick her up at noon. I bet she will be very tired today (: !!!

Maile and Makena didn't seem to care that Kau`i was not around. They had fun playing together for a change and having girl-daddy time playing "Old Maid."

CANDID FAMILY SHOTS

Very, very busy day having fun going to church, shopping, shopping, and having the best dinner ever at Sarento's On The Beach. Girls enjoyed walking and strolling in the water before dinner.

WHALE WATCH

While Makena went to a Musketeer Birthday Party, the rest of the family went on the Pacific Whale Watch cruise. A very educational and spectacular show of whales.

SANDY'S HERE

Girls cannot get enough of her. Sandy was born in Hunan Province (like Maile). She's a beautiful person inside and out.

MINI STEPS

Now we play the waiting game for Kai. We completed our homestudy and sent our I-800A to USCIS today. Pray we included everything that was needed. In about a month, USCIS will send notice for Dale and I to get fingerprinted. We have to travel to Honolulu for this. Dale's fingerprints will pass with flying colors. Mines never take. I always try twice and then have to make the sympathy call to USCIS.

NO SCHOOL TODAY

Trying out my new camera from Santa. Taken from our deck is picture of Central Maui. Second, the island of Lanai. Lastly, windmills on West Maui Moutain.


Flooding, thunder showers closed the schools today. Back to homeschooling.

COLD FRONT

Decided to keep girls home from school today because of severe "Maui" rain and dental appointments. After home schooling I think the girls would opt for regular school instead. Teeth cleaning went very well for all three girls today. Dentist said girls are doing a great job brushing. No cavities and 10 points for electric toothbrushes! On a different note, Makena was invited to a birthday dinner party without family. Beautiful Makena was so happy!

ZOEY VISITS GREAT GRANDMOTHER

It was a real treat for my mother to finally see her great-granddaughter. Of course she had plenty of dos and don't to say!

DOUBLE CUTE

HOUSE RULES

Let's check what the school is serving for lunch tomorrow? Oh no! I don't like Cheese Burger! Me neither. Okay, that's fine, however, you are responsible for making the home lunches and then follow through tomorrow with putting bags, etc. away. Kau`i says "no problem" and happily does it all for her sisters while they play the game of Fish and interact with Dad and Ry.

MISTLE TOE

Just had to write this for the record. As soon as Kau`i got up this morning and was doing her morning chores, she said "Mom, I hope next year dad finds a Mistle toe." She remembered her dad saying he was going to put one up in the house where you had to kiss that person before you pass through. I thought that was real cute because she does not lack the kisses and hugs from either of us.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Makena's picture says is all! First words after school was "Mom I petted a guinea pig." Of course I said "Did you wash your hands?" All the way to the car she was freaking out because she forgot. Makena's sort of a clean person like her mom. She remembers a program in school and how important it is to wash your hands. Also, no problem getting her to brush her teeth daily. The cardiologist did a good job telling her to brush so she will not have problems with her heart. Her electric toothbrush goes to 2 minutes almost every morning and night.

The family had a wonderful winter break. Christmas is such a nice time celebrating the birth of Jesus and getting together with loved ones. We had a great year and look forward to going to China for the forth time to bring Kai home to Maui.

Because our dossier was less than a year, China has a new rule that will make it easier to bring Kai to the United States. Although we still had to get a new homestudy (which we completed), immigration, fingerprinted, obtain birth certificates, marriage, criminal checks, and so forth, the process should be quicker. We'll just have to wait and see and it's all in the Lord's timing.