Pelley Family Blog

Fall is my favorite time of year - can’t get enough.  Too bad it’s followed by winter - but - we won’t go there right now.  This week I declared a “day off” and we gals went to Lake Farmpark and apple picking.  Joanna & Grace asked why we didn’t go to the Farmpark anymore.  Well - skating - therapy - swimming - school.  It all adds up.  We had our only sunny day in ages, and had a GREAT time!  The Farmpark had a special “balloon display - about 20,000 balloons in all shapes and sizes.  It was way cool!

Grace under the balloon tree

Balloon girl on balloon tire swing

What a beauty?

Balloon fruits and veggies

Ruby braiding the mane of a very patient horse

Tentatively petting the pony

Grace trying her hand at milking the cow

One patient cow

Grace in the corn maze

Three beautiful gals on the hay wagon

Grace loved all of the apples on low branches

The biggest and smallest apples

I’m writing this post from Boston, Massachusetts.  It’s a long story.  Every year we do a “Back to School Vacation.”  Joanna loves this title, because it sounds like an oxymoron.  We do SOMETHING educational.  It has sometimes been a local museum.  Last year we went to Cincinnati for 2-1/2 days, touring the Creation Museum and attending lectures.  This year we find ourselves in Boston.  How did that happen?  The brief story:
Summer of 2005 found us attending a Joni and Friends Family Retreat.  Joni Tada is a quadrapalegic who heads up a ministry to people with disabilities.  Years ago, we donated Grace’s walker to her ministry, to be rehabbed and sent to a third world country.  Another ministry of Joni and Friends are the Family Retreats.  They happen all over the world, and are a time of uplift and encouragement to families who are affected by disability.  They are WONDERFUL!  Every year since, Grace has asked to go again.  This past year, she started saving money towards that end.  This year, I told her we could not go, as there were so many unknows with Ruby - how she would be adjusting.  And, since in many cases, you have to sign up on January 1 to get a spot, I knew we just could not commit to that.  ANYHOW, in early June, on a whim, I decided to see if any retreats had open spots, knowing it was futile.  Well, there was ONE camp in the US with openings - in NEW HAMPSHIRE.  I was pumped.  I broached the subject with Mike.  We’d really have to scrimp vacation days and money to make it happen.  We signed up, and found out that we qualified for a scholarship.  Praise the Lord!  Then, we looked at the map, and saw how close we’d be to Boston, and realized that this would make a GREAT back to school activity.   So, last evening found us driving into Boston.  The historical attractions were closed, but we could walk around just the same.  And this is where Grace made the comment in the title of this post.  We were standing in front of Old North Church, taking it all in, and Grace said, “Just think - some people go to Orlando for vacations.”  She just could not believe one would go to amusement parks when you can be standing in the same place Paul Revere, among others, played such a part in our country’s quest for freedom.  I loved it.

Today, after attending church at Eastern Nazarene College, we headed to Plymouth Plantation, and spent a VERY hot afternoon there.  Then we drove to the wharf in Plymouth and Mike, Ruby, and Joanna all enjoyed some lobster, while watching a fishing boat unload their day’s catch.  Grace and I were not as brave!  I can’t wait to download my pictures when I get home.  Stay tuned.

We may take in the Adam’s estate tomorrow, but around noon we’re off to New Hampshire - where we have a cabin for a week of Family Retreat.  It’s gonna be good!

Joanna with her

Joanna and Grace are REALLY into Tolkein. Ruby calls the movies "Frodo"

Sisters acting silly

Mike never misses an opportunity for a science lesson

Joanna getting her feet wet!

At the bottom of the gorge - the cable towers and mountain stream in the background

Joanna is officially sixteen (I’m writing this a little late - but I just got Mike’s pictures downloaded into my files!).  Joanna has been a true joy (her middle name) since the moment Mike said - “It’s a girl!”  She’s my quiet, deep-thinking reader who studies theology for fun and designs orphanages in her spare time.  I don’t even like to think that in just two short years, she’ll leave this nest - okay - let’s not go there!  We celebrated Joanna’s birthday a few days early - since we left for Florida on her birthday.  Then, on our way to Florida, we spent her actual birthday at Pipestem State Park in West Virginia.  We took a cable car down the gorge to the restaurant.  Arriving early gave us the pleasure of hiking around the river - skipping stones - just enjoying God’s beautiful world!  Then - an overpriced dinner - but in a really neat setting!  Joanna said it was her “ultimate” in natural beauty!

Ruby

Okay - it’s been forever since I’ve posted - just have not been home long enough to do much more than do laundry and check emails.  Just thought you’d like to see Ruby & Mike on Father’s Day.  I bought a t-shirt for Mike that said “Ba-Ba”, or “Daddy” in Chinese.  This really confused Ruby, as she calls her foster father “Ba-ba” and Mike, “Daddy.”  But, I think she got it figured out.  The picture is taken in our hotel room in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Ruby with a blanket that someone made for her - isnt’ it cute?

I awoke last week to a broken computer.  Hence, no pictures.  As soon as we get it replaced - I will be posting - lots to share.

Well - we’ve been home one week with Ruby!  This week with Mike home has flown!  While we originally thought it would be good to have him home during the transition, we feel like the only one NOT needing help with the transition is RUBY!  She seems right at home - laughing, kissing, lots of hugging, etc.  The rest of us are dragging.  She has WAY more energy than anybody else in this house.  She’s going to either keep us young or kill us! 

One happy girl! I'm convinced that, just for Ruby, God let us have one more (I hope) snow!

Mike took Ruby to work this week - first to Mandarin Club (they want to make her an honorary member) and then to have a Chinese co-worker teach Ruby how to use her pocket translator to talk to us.  It worked, and this has been wonderful!  We can communicate a little better!

Ruby and Joanna communicating with the pocket translator - and body language!

Ruby experienced her first “science night with Daddy” - and wouldn’t you know - they dissected a worm this week.  She was right in the middle of it all!

Dissecting a worm!

We’ve stopped at an authentic Chinese restaurant twice - and bought enough for Ruby to have one traditional Chinese meal per day.  I make her try one bite of whatever we are having at mealtime.  Sometimes she takes a bite and waves it off - but then comes back to it, one time even having seconds.  One thing she did NOT wave off was a hamburger off the grill.  She DEVOURED it before moving on to noodles.

Eating her noodles!

I’ve done some math placement tests with her this week - just to find out what she knows.  Basically her addition/subraction and all of her multiplication facts through ten.  We hope to start working on reading next week.  We’ve gone around the house and labeled several things - so she can see the English word.  Today, she picked up a Hello Kitty notepad at a store - I said “Hello Kitty”.  She looked at me and said, “Kitty” and you could see a light turn on!  She connected it with our Kitty at home and realized they were the same word.  That was neat.

Doing math

One thing I’ve realized is that Ruby must have studied the photo album we sent her last fall.  And she wants to “relive” the things in that album.  One thing she wanted to do was to make bread, and imitate the picture of Joanna pulling on the dough.  So, we did that this week.

Ruby with oatmeal molasses bread dough

Mike and I HAD to get some work done yesterday, so I put Ruby in front of the TV with a video - frist time I’ve done that.  I went down to do laundry and found her with the cat on her lap.  She and the cat have a love/hate relationship right now. 

Kitty napping on Ruby

Well - that’s it.  We’re headed out for Chinese - one of Mike’s co-workers is headed for a stint in Singapore - so we’re meeting at a Chinese restaurant.  We figured she’ll like that!

I feel like today is Ruby’s first chance to do some exploring - and what she wanted to explore was OUTSIDE.  We had a wonderfully mild day for Cleveland, and sunshine to boot, so as soon as she was home from church, she changed and headed outside.  Kind of like travel day on Thursday, she showed her enthusiasm by touching EVERYTHING and trying it out.  Grace and I stayed home - Grace is exhausted and having trouble getting over some sickness, and we felt it best to lether recoup today.  Mike and Joanna introduced Ruby to the Victory community and took her for some good Catonese food - I guess she did some major eating.  They brought some home for the next few days as well!

Here are some photos of today:

Peace sign

Badmitton

Biking

Jumping