Christmas cakes

Yesterday as part of our usual Christmas preparation we back Christmas cakes to the recipe I have used for 23 years! The cakes make the house smell heavenly and everyone contributes with this task it was so great to see Aiden show Emily how to decorate the cakes with Almonds and say to her in a few years you will be showing Alice how to do this!
We all stir the mixture before placing it into the tins to cook! New Ovens are tricky though the top of a couple are a tad too brown or should I say black but with more brandy and icing sugar they will be just fine! the children also need to see there is nothing perfect about life it is how we react to it all!
So to all our American friends I hope you have a happy thanksgiving and know that our thoughts are with you as your days get shorter and cold and as ours try and warm up!
Hugs Ruth

Nana heads home!

Well after a fraught 3 weeks Nana is now deemed well enough to head home back to living by herself with support! That is the bit she doesn't like but the other options were really Frightening for her.
She has been diagnosed with dementia and that living independently will be from now on a month by month assessment!
Her legs are clearing up but they need to be dressed so a district nurse will head to her house each day!
She has to have her home help shower her once a week and that will be frustrating for her and no more adventures out to town!
So we have a very grumpy Mum/MIL/ Nana.
What has been so interesting for us is how nice everyone thinks she is and how compliant! However they pushed her too hard yesterday with new rules and she vented it was so good for her to do that and now we are all on the same page!
But she is excited about heading home.
Now it is a wait and see game which may be a frustrating time a head for us!
Hugs Ruth

Aiden's Gt Grandma is sick!

Aiden's Birth great grandma is sick so this adds a new level of stress in the house! Grandad Denys has been up to Napier again this week and it sounds like it isn't a good position for her. She is in hospital again and it looks like the nursing home she was in she wont be returning too. more supervised care is going to be required!
So send all your thoughts to Aiden His Birth Mother Toni and Grandad Denys as we weather this storm out!
Hugs Ruth

Nana is being assessed!

Nana is still in Hospital, is 84 and starting to lose her memory. The hospital has finally listened to us and is assessing Ann for function and what she does in her home and what care she would require!
So the battle has begun! She will not allow this to happen without a fight! So we have buckled our belts and are ready to be the mean nasty ones! Parenting 2 children and a parent is at times extremely demanding! I so hope that this is settled in the next few weeks so we can focus on Alice and China as this happened last time when Emily was referred! Ann was sick and she had issues over care! It might be that when we travel to China this time Ann is put in respite care!
We will have to see!
At least the ball is up in the air! But at least it is a start and we are pleased we have been heard!
Well I am heading off to bed as I am feeling poorly!
Hugs Ruth

Christmas photo shoot!

Hope you enjoy these! Hugs Ruth Updated photos! Emily's progress! Well the last week has been hard on us all! Nana is unwell and looking so much more frail! But the most positive thing about the experience is the first time that Emily hasn't thrown one tantrum about going to visit! Generally Emily would have thrown a tantrum! She feels generally unsafe and insecure about the hospital! So we are so proud of her and celebrating the achievement she has made! We are truly amazed by this! Of course the fact that Nana is still not well! She has the Occupational therapist visiting today to see if her cognitive level is suitable to have her still living by herself! She is such a stubborn woman! She is very quick to think that we are all ganging up on her! so the fact that the kids bought her new pj's and slippers! It is interesting to stand and watch her life as she knows it is slipping away! Old age is a hard reality hopefully for us all! Thanks for all the support and encouraging words! Arohanui Ruth Monday, November 05, 2007 Nana Is unwell again! We have spent the last few hours stressing at home due to Nana being unwell and sick with an infection in the leg without medical treatment she would have been in serious strife! However she has been on antibiotics since Keith saw her on Saturday and took the kids to visit she had an infection. Keith took her back to the doctor's today and has got home yet it is now after 9 pm. His mother was sent to the hospital for a drip of antibiotics to aid her! And we are still unsure whether she will be admitted! So hopefully we will hear something soon as I have Aiden rumaging in the kitchen looking for something to eat! He is stressed about Nana too! Hugs Ruth CCAA update the website The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before December 8, 2005. So families who have their paperwork logged in by 8 December 2005 have been sent allocations or referrals of babies! We are still waiting and within the next few months we should see Alice's face! our paperwork was logged in after 19 December 2005 and before 10 Jan 2006. we will know more next month! Thanks for the support it is frustrating for families like ours whom thought the wait would be around a year at the most well almost 2 years down we are hanging in there! Hugs Ruth in NZ Thursday, November 01, 2007 Adoption Builds our family This came to my in box today and I thought I would share it with you all! Thanks Carol for supplying it to me! "Adoption has the dimension of connection - not only to your own tribe but beyond, widening the scope of what constitutes love, ties and family. It is a larger embrace. By adopting we stretch past our immediate circles, and, by reaching out, find an unexpected sense of belonging with others." Isabella Rossellini We have two special gifts one who knows his birthfamily and birth history and one that doesn't but by blending these two treasures they both have gained so much. And so have we! We can only imagine what Alice will bring to our family! Sending positive wishes and hugs to all those families who have early Dec Lid dates who will see their babies faces for the first time in the next week or so! Arohanui Ruth Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) Three Angels Brother and Sisters Our family dec 2008 Alice Sandra Min Shu Welcome to our Blog! This is the story of our family life here in a little city called Dunedin! We have three beautiful and talented children all adopted! Our son Aiden joined us in October 1995 he was born in NZ. Then in August 2004 we travelled to China to add to our family Emily joined us. We then travelled again to China in June 2008 and were united with Alice. We are now home working hard and playing hard! Join us on our daily battle to be the best family we can be! Arohanui Ruth and Keith Proud parents of our darlings! The Blogs I like! MAD ABOUT MADALYN We're Baaack! 10 years ago Our Little Tongginator Chinese New Year Chapter Books for Older Kids 10 years ago 3 Boys and A Princess Allyson Causey Photography Midlothian VA Class of 2015 Senior Photographer 11 years ago Emmapple Chairs 11 years ago The Friendly Teacake Family. 12 years ago The Silk Road to Siena Spring Has Sprung so I'm Catching Up! 13 years ago She's a-DORI-ble!!! Origami Lotus Flower 13 years ago The Priceless Princess Tomorrow Our Journey Begins!!!! 16 years ago CHINA IN OUR HEART Granna Saves the day :) 16 years ago kay365 16 years ago Followers FEEDJIT Live Traffic Feed Links Rumour Queen Asia Lifebooks- great site for those wanting to write a lifebook for there child A Lifebook site for those whom have foster or adopted children with a New Zealand focus! Blog Archive ►  2013 (2) ►  October (1) ►  February (1) ►  2010 (6) ►  August (1) ►  February (2) ►  January (3) ►  2009 (168) ►  December (4) ►  November (3) ►  October (3) ►  September (14) ►  July (2) ►  June (13) ►  May (27) ►  April (21) ►  March (31) ►  February (28) ►  January (22) ►  2008 (67) ►  December (8) ►  November (3) ►  October (4) ►  September (1) ►  August (6) ►  July (6) ►  June (5) ►  May (9) ►  April (13) ►  March (5) ►  February (2) ►  January (5) ▼  2007 (30) ►  December (9) ▼  November (10) Christmas cakes Nana heads home! Aiden's Gt Grandma is sick! Nana is being assessed! Christmas photo shoot! Updated photos! Emily's progress! Nana Is unwell again! CCAA update the website Adoption Builds our family ►  June (2) ►  February (2) ►  January (7) ►  2006 (13) ►  December (3) ►  November (8) ►  August (1) ►  January (1) ►  2005 (6) ►  December (1) ►  October (5) About Me mumma to many I am a 49 year old Mother to three adopted children and wife to Keith of 29 years. I am a trained teacher. I have been known as the children, in my centre's 2nd Mum! So therefore I am Mumma to many! View my complete profile