I've been tagged!

I was tagged by Adam and Carolyn and I need to tell 7 things about myself....hmmm....what is there you wouldn't know about me....

1. I love to laugh. I love to laugh so hard that my stomach hurts and tears are in my eyes. I love it when something is so funny that everytime I think of it, I start laughing all over again. My husband and I have had some really fun laughs like this and I love it.

2. I have never smoked a full cigarrette or gotten drunk. I hate the taste of alcohol and I can taste it no matter how small the amount. The other night I ordered a dessert at a restaurant and thought it tasted like cough medicine. I said "there must be alcohol in this!" and sure enough there was rum in the sauce. It is now a BIG joke in the family to try and get me "drunk" on Christmas Eve....every year they say, "this is the year Tammy!" and we all laugh.

3. I used to be so skinny that my high school basketball coach strongly encouraged me to eat donuts and drink milkshakes to gain some weight!

4. I LOVE detective work and really wish I had pursued a career as an FBI agent. I think I would be really good at it! I even looked into a private investigator course a few years ago but just felt I didn't have the time or lifestyle (with 4 kids) to do nighttime undercover work. I applied to be an auxiliary police officer but they closed the program before I got in. Bummer!

5. If my house is untidy or needs cleaning, I am CRANKY. As soon as it's clean, I'm a new person - happy and sweet. I've tried, unsuccessfully, for years not to worry about the tidiness of the house. :-(

6. I was 18 when I met my future husband. We started dating a few weeks after my 18th birthday (he was 19) and I never doubted I was too young to know he was the one I wanted to marry. And, here we are 13 years of marriage later and I still like waking up to him!

7. I do not like having a lot of children...it is a ton of work, exhausting and hard for me to keep a calm, peaceful house. BUT, I love each child I have and was THRILLED and EXCITED to have each child join our family. And, if the possiblity of a 5th child comes up, I'll do it in a second!

Back to China????

Hi everyone. I am posting some information for a blogger "friend" who is hoping to head back to China. Her name is Kennedy and she was adopted several years ago. There is a trip being organized to visit her orphanage in China and she is really hoping she can go back to China for this trip! She is trying to raise some funds for her trip and I said I would include her link on my blog. You can read all about her amazing trip back to China and her fundraising initiatives. Click HERE to read more....

Speaking of heading back to China...Evan is still missing China and his foster mama so badly. He talks about China every day and most days he is asking us when he can go back. He says he "loves China so much" and "misses his China". This is so hard for him...his english is fantastic now so he is able to share a lot about his life in China and he openly admits how much he misses his mama and big brother in China. We have told him we will try to go back to China when he is 10 but that is still 4 years away. And, really, how will we afford a trip to China for 6 people!!! Maybe just one of us will take Alyssa and Evan back - I don't know. Maybe the boys will be working and can save a bit of their own money for their trip.

It is really heartbreaking to hear Evan talk about his mama and how he misses China. He was so loved there.

The Story of Mii

Our children received a Wii for Christmas this year. Evan was thrilled! He's been asking for one since he came to Canada so getting one was HUGE for him (and the other kids love it, too!)

He made a Mii the other day and he said "Mommy, I made one of you!" So, I came in and looked and the Mii was Chinese. I told him it was great and that I really liked it. Later that night I said to Evan "I love the Mii you made of me...I see that you made me Chinese." Evan says to me..."I wanted to! I wanted you to be beautiful!"

Hmmm...you just never know what they are thinking or how they are processing....

Beautiful....

Chris arranged for family photos for my Christmas present this year...we had a friend come over who is an amazing photographer and he took some photos of the family, the 4 kids and some individual ones of Alyssa (her school picture didn't turn out). He took a couple of Evan as well. We haven't gotten most of them back yet but here are a few we did get back...like really, how do I choose which ones to use? They are all so beautiful!!!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing each and every family a very happy day on Thursday! As you can imagine, our household is a buzz of excitement and activity and we are enjoying all of it!!! As you can see below...it is very clear what our "gifts" are this year!

We hope God's peace, joy and love fills your home this year!

The MacKinnons....

Gift #1

Gift #2

Gift #3

Gift #4

I finally got time to upload some pictures...I was planning to wrap presents but then I found myself down on the computer checking out Megan and Shawn's blog - they put up photos of their new daughter from Ukraine - she is so beautiful!!! It's a private blog but if you're interested, email Megan and tell her you follow our blog.

We have been busy getting everything ready for Christmas...we are all really excited this year...

Nathan was over for a pre-christmas dinner and gift opening because he is going to Toronto to visit his dad over Christmas. This will be our first Christmas without Nathan in years!!! We had a great time decorating the tree and he opened his gifts. (pictures way below).

Only 1 week left...where does the time go????

Alyssa and her "friend", Nicholas. She has a HUGE crush on him and lights up whenever she sees him!

Evan at his Kindergarten Christmas concert

Alyssa at her concert...she looked so beautiful but I could NOT get her to smile for the pictures (except for the one she's in with Nicholas - no joke!)

Mommy and Evan

Nathan having fun with Evan

Nathan and Alyssa

YAY for our friends!

I am so excited for our friends, Megan and Shawn. They are in Ukraine and have just accepted a referral for a sweet, beautiful 3 year old girl!!! Megan and I have shared a lot of highs and lows through our adoption processes and I am just so thrilled this has all worked out so well for their family!

I have been trying to post pictures and updates for the last week and just can't find the time....I coached 6 basketball games over the weekend, I just finished cleaning the house, I've been checking my emails every 10 minutes to get updates from Megan and Shawn and for some reason I just can't get time to upload the pictures from my camera to the computer. And there are some really cute pictures on the camera!!!!!

I have to go up and put the kids to bed but maybe later if I get my second wind I'll post. If not, another day!

Merry Christmas everyone!