Things that make me smile

You'll have to just take me at my word on this...it's been one of those days...the past 3 days.  So I thought I'd remind myself of some of the funnier moments these past couple weeks...you might as well listen in.

{I probably shouldn't bring up the time the anesthesiologist thought Renee and I were a "couple," but I have to remind you of that incredibly awkward moment to lay the foundation for this comment. We gathered two different times with our friends and family that weekend due to Peyton's birthday and Easter. It seems like every time we were together, someone would bring it up in the conversation...including myself when Chris was being particularly annoying to his sweet, innocent wife...I may or may not have said that I was gonna have "my wife" smack him for me! I SAID MAY NOT too...calm down! So if you're offended, go with "may not." Regardless, the best comment was handed to me on a silver platter...in the midst of yet another group chuckle, one of my older children piped up with, "But how would he think you two could have an ASIAN baby anyway?!?"

Silence. Full gut laughter. Younger children saying, "Why is that funny???" Now double over and hold your breath laughter. That was our moment. I know...highly inappropriate...send complaint letters to the sleep fairy who hasn't visited our home in quite some time...even though I've written some amazing notes. Maybe this is why Chris is trying to work his schedule out to go with us for the next heart cath...settle the rumors and all.}  Ok..moving on...

[As you know, we're under strict orders to limit our visitors to the house...along with limiting our adventures out of the house...just to try and give the kiddos some stability, as well as limit their confusion about who's actually part of their family. Throw in the risk of catching a bug of any kind for Zoe, and we've seen very few unfamiliar faces. However, shortly after we returned home from China, I got into a conversation with someone...honestly I can't remember who it was at this point...so your identity is sealed...we were just talking through some of the adoption particulars.

At one point, the gal said, "So will you tell them they're adopted when they get older?" Even as I type that, I've got a little giggle going on here. No joke. I just sat there staring at the most clueless human being that's ever walked the earth. HAHAHA. That's awful...I know...shame on me. Holding back some of the best one-liners I've ever heard (in my head, of course), I just replied, "I'm pretty sure they'll figure it out on their own"...which I thought would make the gods of sarcasm proud...except I got no response...just crickets. Then a fatal..."How?" I'm sorry, but I just burst out laughing. Couldn't help it. How will my children ever stop being sarcastic and making fun of each other if I'm the example?!? But c'mon people?!? They're CHINESE!!!]

<As you know, I began referring to our Chinese kiddos as "the twins" before we went over to China. They'll share a room, be in the same grade due to birthdays/school cut-offs, and let's just get this on the table...they'll sure look like twins in our family! So how ironic...or just plain comical...that God would indeed give me twins, for all practical purposes?!? They have to have matching everything...they have to do everything at the same time...they don't like me to carry one, if not the other...my lap just isn't big enough (well, not yet...it will be soon, considering all the sweets I've been throwing down)...if one is in a different room, you hear about it...loudly. Funny, God...real funny. For some reason, the popular parenting phrase, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit!" keeps rolling around in my head.>

~I've realized, much to my joy, that I could really have some fun with the Chinese language. I've learned a few phrases/words here and there...very few...but enough to use when necessary. It's also pretty funny to hear Zane and Zoe combining English and Chinese as they interact with us. For example, I'd bought Zoe some jammies that said, "I love Mom!" on them. When I first told her what they said, she kept repeating it and smiling with raptured joy at the saint of a mother God had given her. :) But once she started feeling better, she would shout, as she threw her head back in laughter, "Bai Yow I love Momma!" (I'm sure I spelled that wrong but humor me.) Since we heard it non-stop those first couple days in China, we knew the first part meant, "I don't want!" Yea..."I don't want to say 'I love Momma'!" Fantastic. I've already created another little smart aleck Carr kid. Yippee for me! :) Anyway, we have found ourselves mixing phrases just like the kids are doing...using some Chinese to get their attention, then switching to English when we don't know the right words. Even singing 'Jesus Loves Me' involves Chinese words until you unmistakably hear, "...the Bible tells me so."

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago when we were in the hospital for Zoe's heart cath...Renee was sitting with Zoe so I could make a bathroom run. When I got back, she sent me on a mission to find some graham crackers for the princess...as she had finished her last pack, heaven forbid.  I went, I saw, I conquered...although it took me some time...I'm not the girl to send scouring through the PICU to find anything, trust me! When I finally burst in the room, I threw up my hands and exclaimed, "TA-DA!" I thought that was pretty self-explanatory, but Renee responded, "Oh...is that the word for cracker?" Ummm...nope...just ta-da! Look what I found! Here it is! Are you serious? Am I on Candid Camera?!? I don't speak "doctor" lingo...but I've got this toddler thing down! Needless to say, that little episode gave me quite a few laughs as I teased Renee mercilessly afterward. You'd think I'd be sweet to her after all she's done for us throughout this adoption/medical journey...nope...sorry...I'm not that girl. :) I continued to say English words to her and then would say, "That's 'noodles' in Chinese..." and so on...~

It was awesome. :) Yes, I'm easily amused. Yes, it's usually at the cost of someone else's mistake. No wonder my kids are so whacked out.

Ah well...back to reality...thanks for sharing these few giggles with me! Next post will be about our day of docs for Mr. Zane this time. Let the fun begin. (Renee...that means "go put your head in the freezer" in Chinese.) Until next time...