Boys

My friend Jill, with 2 boys, sent me this, and we laughed as we both could relate to so much of this. BOYS! My boys discovered that if they run really fast after pushing the garage door opener, they could make it in time to grab on to the bottom of the garage door, which would carry them up to the ceiling. This was really fun until the garage door fell off the hinges! Once I walked outside to see Simeon with his hands behind his back bending over to pick up a sharp-pointed stick (one that was whittled to a point on both ends), sticking out of the ground. He was trying to pick the sharp point of the ground...with his teeth, mouth opened wide leaning over the sharp point. It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.

P.S. If you have a boy story, PLEASE SHARE.

And you also find out interesting things when you have sons, like...

1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house
4 inches deep.

2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller
blades, they can ignite.

3. A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded
restaurant.

4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong
enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman
cape. It is strong enough, however, if tie d to a paint can, to spread
paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.

5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When
using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times
before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.

6. The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit
by a ceiling fan.

7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already
too late.

8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

9. A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a
36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.

10. Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4- year old
Boy.

11. Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.

12. Super glue is forever.

13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't
walk on water.

14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

15. VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials
show they do.

16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.

18. You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.

19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not
like ovens.

20. The fire department in Austin , TX has a 5-minute response time.

21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.

22. It will, however, make cats dizzy.

23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.


24. 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with
or without kids.

25. 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

This photo was taken by my brother Jason just a few weeks ago in Kenya.

A note from Meru, Kenya

Someone has asked for an update from my parents as they are in Meru, Kenya for the next several weeks and have no way to update their blog (vicariouslytogether.blogspot.com). This is the only email we have received, as internet access is obviously difficult to find. They do have a cell phone that can receive text messages, if you would like to contact them, leave a comment and I can tell you how to do that.

We have been comfortable in the arrangements for sleeping under a
mosquito net. The local clinic reports that 1-3 cases of Malaria come
daily to receive medications. This is the rainy season and the female
mosquitoes, here called Mosqweetos..are in full vigor.
Saturday a group of 50 children were fed, who were orphaned because of
HIV/AIDS. We have been astounded by the amount of HIV positive
individuals who have no hope but a painful death. Some of the obvious
lack of energy or mental alertness might be connected to a very poor
protein diet.
A great surpise for us was to find a stash of 42 new books written in
English, on topics related to Africa. These books were passed out at a
pastor’s conference to workers etc. Our local leader came home with
Amazon.com value of $1,000 worth of text’s, concordances, study
Bibles, Maps, written by Kenyans, scholars, some from Zondervan,
Navigator
Press etc. It was sad and shameful these books were in a box, some
still
in their plastic wrap, and none of the English speaker school teachers
had
read about the AIDS threat, the encroaching Islam menace. It was
enlightening to read of the Christian Historic movement in Sudan,
Ethiopia
and some of the Kingdoms like the Aztec Kingdom of Mexico, some with
evidence of awareness of Jewish and Christian principles.
The ongoing clash and conflict of HOW TO HELP PEOPLE rages in my mind.

Like the Katrina victims, some still want FEMA to give them a place to
stay, feed them and send their kids to school. AT WHAT POINT have you
stopped helping people and begin to HURT them. So the Thraka people
teaching their children to READ AND WRITE Thraka…when no books but
the
Bible exist in their language? How will they read manuals of VISTA
WINDOWS FOR DUMBIES? Interestingly the history of Africa there was a
King who wanted his tribe to learn Greek, to read the Wisdom of Athens!
We wanted to fix the road, filling up the potholes, which a small
Volkswagen would fit, and with pick and shovel, put dirt and gravel in
the low spots! NOT WITHOUT a permit from the local Chief. A small
town
has a barrier, pole and they taxed anyone bearing luggage, bags of
produce going to market. Everyone justified the taxing, saying it was
to
fix roads, but none of the roads we traveled seemed to be fixed.
I road on the back of a motorcycle Tuesday to catch the City Bus. The
guy who collected tickets offered me a better seat, and I thought I
would
like riding on the HUMP of the wheel well, with a beautiful view of the
country side. The driver went 74 miles per hour on country roads, with
potholes and slime pits, I realized the conductor taking tickets was
wise
in suggesting I sit anyplace except on top of a wheel well in a vehicle
with no suspension and no springs.
We drove on the wrong side of the road, and honked for cattle pulling
sleds to get out of our way. I don’t think any ride at Disney or
Magic
Kingdom would give the thrill of riding on a bus with Swahili music
blaring full blast.
Three times I’ve been to the larger city, and all times the servers
were
down. I keep trying to calibrate a handset with my laptop which will
allow me to go to a browser on the Internet. I waited 6 minutes for
the
full page of Yahoo to open up. Since people pay per mega that is
downloaded, it just takes time.
People sing while they work. Most men wear suit coats, even field
workers. I think the image of preachers with coat and tie, they
connected
suit coats to respectful images. I saw a gardener working his field
with
worn and tattered suit coats.
I took pictures yesterday, and all of the kids were black, and all had
the same uniform on. I asked them each to pose holding a bucket, a
mop,
standing next to a wall, a tree, a bike so I could emphasize
individuality.
Every morning they play drums, and I took their hymnal and starting
singing Standing on the Promises… DUMO…DUMO. And they all lit up
and
smiled. Funny how when you learn to say something in a language that
they cherish, it strikes a cheerful note.
I’ve found many religiously minded businessmen, the Hand of God
Cyber
Café..his initials are HOG Cyber. Many Bible Texts. I wished he
would
have been more knowledgeable and could get my laptop connected to their
Internet, After 4 Cyber Shops and 4 technicians, one of them removed
all
of my Anti Virus which did not please me.
We are learning our own limitations, and that these people are much
healthier than black people in Chicago who have Diabetes…here there
is
none, and I have YET to find anyone with a weight problem. They are
all
very slim, lanky and thin.
Charissa Urban at charissaurban@yahoo.com has found a Prefix, a
Country
Code and a number she can send text messages to us. Send her an email
and she can get this to you if you want to pop us a note.
God has a plan for Africa, and the Thraka people are part of his
diadem
of his crown. Meanwhile, we have been called to LOVE, and SERVE and we
thank you for your prayers for us as we experience different sounds,
different smells, different colors..
There is a mongoose family that runs through the trees at night with a
bark. When we have gotten up early we see them playing running up and
down fence posts, frolicking.
The Wild Life that used to roam these plains is now protected in a
National Park 40 miles away. No wild life, large game, is left, my
friend says it is because they are all very good hunters. They did a
good job and hunted it all.
Trees vanished, mahogany trees once were more evident. I see outhouses
and fence posts with the wood that is considered semi precious in the
USA.
It would be a college education in sociology for anyone to just come
and
hang out and learn from these people. I think being here for an
extended
time allows us to get to feel their pain and their joys. Last night
their leader was burdened as a staff member had taken upon himself to
be
like Americans, and just go ‘live with his girl friend’ and not
respect
the tribal customs of getting the parents blessing with the church.
Yesterday my technician visiting informed me that the monitors on a
computer adjust themselves, but he wanted to tweak the program to
adjust
the size. I can’t remember the last time I opened up a Windows 95
on a
computer, and all 8 women were spell bound with the phenomena of a
computer which ran off of a power plant.

ADOPTION UPDATE!

Just kidding! I wish. Still just waiting, and waiting and waiting....and waiting. Ho hum. Tweedle dee. Waiting is so boring. I can't believe it's only been 9 days since we submitted to the SDA. Seems like much longer.

I have been spending a lot of time at the computer waiting for that long awaited email to come announcing our travel date. Thus all the recent blogging, and picture downloading. No email. I'll check again in 5 minutes.

Meet Bliss

This is Bliss, our golden retriever. 12 years ago on my birthday, John walked into our first apartment carrying a little golden furball with a pink ribbon around her neck. If there had been blogs 12 years ago, this blog would have been solely devoted to Bliss. We used to take her out for fast food, waterskiing at the lake, ice skating on the pond in the winter, swimming, camping, on family trips. We even took her to a photo studio to have her pictures taken professionally!!! (I can't believe I just admitted that). She went in the car with us everywhere and we opened the sun roof so she could stick her head out the top and let her jowls and ears flap in the wind. (For some reason that is really fun for a dog). My brother made fun of me for putting diapers on her, and bathing her once a week....in my bathtub.

Look at her now. How things have changed. The vet said her thyroid is low. Maybe that's why she lays around all the time. Or maybe because she's old. Maybe because she has arthritis. Who knows? (I confess, I didn't buy the thyroid replacement or spend $85 on an x-ray) One thing I know though is that she is happy, and she has been the best dog anybody could ever ask for. Isn't it obvious?

P.S. I just learned that red-eye removal does not work on dogs.

Candy Sculptures

There's more than one way to get rid of Halloween candy....Candy sculptures! Notice there are no Snickers Bars, Milky Ways, M&M's or Reece's Peanut Butter cups on this "candy castle". Hmmmm. I know they were in the bags a couple of days ago...I'm not sure where they went! (Wink) Oh well, there are plenty of Tootsie Rolls, Dum Dums and Smarties to do the job. :)

Anyone selling a limo?

Jude told me that once Ava gets here it's going to be pretty squished in the back seat of the Suburban. He said we need to buy a limo. Anyone have a limo they're wanting to get rid of? :)

He's so cute I can hardly stand it!

CHRISTMAS ANGEL TREE

Starting today, you will be able to sponsor the adoption of one of THESE BEAUTIFUL ANGELS. Click on 2007 Christmas Angel Tree Project, then Waiting Angels Gallery, to see photos of the children who are still praying every night for a family.

When we "picked" Ava, she came with a grant of $1005. With grant money, the chances of an orphaned child getting adopted really multiplies. These kids depend on people like you and me to help them find a forever family! I am thankful for Andrea, who helped us find our sweet Ava, and for which ever person or persons felt led in their heart to donate towards her adoption. We are living proof that these grants really help! For a $35 donation you will receive a beautiful photo ornament of your child. What a beautiful gift this would be for your mother-in-law, an aunt, grandparents, you know, those people who already have everything they need. How about a Secret Santa gift, or a gift for someone you know who happens to have or happens to love someone who has Down Syndrome! I really hope someone who reads my blog today would give a desperate orphaned child this wonderful gift. Keep in mind that the older children (3 and up) are most at risk for being moved to a mental institution and never having a chance for a family. These two children, Vadim and Varsha, will be hanging on our Christmas tree this year. This will remind us to pray them, and for a family to say "Yes" to the call of adoption.

A conversation between two kids

I love eavesdropping on kids' conversations.

This is one that took place in the back of the Suburban on the way home from school.

Simeon: Hope, look at my beetle pupae, they're baby beetles.
Hope: Oh. Can I hold the baby beetles?
Simeon: No, because they're for my homework. I don't want you to squish them.
Hope: Pease? I won't 'quish them. I p'omise.
Simeon: No, you can't hold them.
Hope: Fine, then, I won't be your brother anymore.

This reminded me of another backseat conversation I heard a few years back between Liesel and Simeon. They were around 3 and 5. I don't remember what they were arguing about, but I clearly remember Liesel ending it by saying, "FINE THEN, I'M NOT GONNA MARRY YOU ANYMORE!"

We are blessed

And so are you. Take this test to see just how so.

Click here

We got excited about the thought of plucking Ava up from the poorest of the poor and moving her in with the richest of the rich....Just like Jesus did for us!

We in America have so much, so much that we take it for granted. Consider sharing some of your extra with someone in need.

The Urbans love orphans

We had a meeting at the Little Lighthouse tonight which will be Ava's future school. It was an informational meeting for parents of newly diagnosed children with special needs who are on the waiting list for their child to attend there.

We had to miss all 3 soccer practices tonight in order to be there. The kids were a little disappointed about missing practice, but got really excited when we told them why we would be missing practice. I told them there was a meeting at Ava's new school, and there would be childcare. Jude asked (of course it would be Jude asking), "Mom, do we get to play with a bunch of orphan kids?"

My special hiding place

About 2 or 3 months ago, John gave me a great idea. He suggested I put my purse on top of the refrigerator where Hope can't reach it, since she loves my gum and my lip gloss so much. You know, remove the temptation. So I thought this was so brilliant that I put Simeon's pocket knives, special snacks, plus anything else special that I don't want her to find.

Today when I reached up to grab my purse off the top of the refrigerator, I saw that Hope now has her own "stash" of things to protect up there. She had her little purse, a few dimes and nickels, her tiny pink Bible (thanks Aunt Donita-every one of my kids has treasured their little personalized pink and blue bibles), and her prized tube of lipgloss that she earned by sleeping all night in her own bed. I'm not sure who she is hiding these things from. I just thought it was SO funny. No wonder I keep finding the barstool right smack in front of the refrigerator!

A letter from John

This was so sweet it made me cry. John wanted to be the one who made our adoption announcement to my extended family members (by email). He wouldn't let me read it until after it was already sent. So here is what he wrote:

There is a new little Urban on the way...

We know the gender. Its a girl!

We've even seen pictures of her using a normal camera.
In fact, she's already on this earth waiting for her forever family to take her home. We even have a name for her.. Ava Alina Grace Urban.

She is a special person, but then again aren't we all.
She has some special needs, and again, don't we all.

She has a smile that just brightens the room.
She has a heart, that although may need a little adjusting, is ready to give every Rovenstine the biggest hug you've ever had.

Her eyes, needing a little adjusting, are some of the most beautiful eyes you've ever seen.

She's a gem. A priceless gold nugget that Jesus thinks is worth traveling half way across the globe for [James 1:27].
She's going to bring life, joy and great love to our home.

We hope you will welcome, love, accept and hug her true Rovenstine protocol. She's going to bless you, I promise.

John Urban - Simeon, Liesel, Jude, Hope and Ava's dad.

Scooby and "The Gang"

My Mini-Me

Missing her...

Waiting is for the birds! There is waiting with every pregnancy, but you get to feel your baby kicking you all day, and you spend your days wondering who he or she will look like, whether they'll have blue eyes or brown, or green, blonde hair, brown, or no hair at all, as was the case with two of mine, and you have a general idea of when you will get to meet for the first time.

With adoption the waiting is different. I have seen my child! I have seen her, and I have fallen in love with her, but never had the chance to hold her. I see her picture on the magnet board, in my Bible, on the phone, on the refrigerator, on the computer, I see her every day but I can't pick her up and love on her.

I used to worry about whether I could love an adopted child as much as I love my biological children, and the answer is yes. I know, because I already do! I went in to mommy mode the moment I laid eyes on her. John went into Daddy mode the very same day. There are 4 brothers and sisters here that CANNOT wait to meet our sweet Ava.

As I prayed for her tonight, I said, "Lord I just miss her! Please let us be able to go soon and get her!" And then I realized what I had said, and I wondered, is it possible to miss somebody you have never met before? I guess it is!

Orphan-eggs

I overheard a conversation today between Hope and her cousin Sebastian who is very close to the same age. She was saying, "Sebastian, guess what? We get to adopt Ava!"

Sebastian said, "Where is Ava?"

Hope said, "In the orphan-eggs".

I can only imagine what she believes this "orphan-egg" place to look like!

Something fun to do...

....Purchase a wheelchair for a person who is bedridden in Guatemala! I have been following

THIS MAN'S BLOG

for several weeks now, and I have been amazed, touched, inspired by what he is doing for disabled adults and children, many of them orphans, in Guatemala. I was born in Guatemala to missionaries, so maybe that is also why this is so dear to my heart.

Our finances are tight right now, as we are saving up for adoption travel expenses coming up soon. But I believe what this man is doing for the needy and hurting people of the world is true christianity. I am totally excited about helping to provide a wheelchair to someone (like the 12 year old boy who has never walked and can't leave his bed). What a mission, and what a beautiful demonstration of the love of Christ. I am hoping someone who reads this post today would be inspired to do the same!

When you have writer's block....

Just post a cute video of one of your kids!