Live Your Life...

It's been awhile since my last entry. No particular reason, just life. Sometimes, life gets in the way and we loose touch with certain things. That pretty much sums it up. I'll do my best to catch everyone up to date on the last month of Rowe activities and events.

We are heading into the final stretch of the 2011-2012 school year. 4th quarter. Everyone seems on track and focused. Ask me in a month and I'm sure it will be a different story. That last month of school can be  brutal. Weather is too nice, field trips get planned, and suddenly it is a struggle to pull the kids over the finish line of June 8th.

Last week was Spring Break, Becca's 16th birthday and Easter. Wow, nothing like packing everything into one week. Much to the kids' dismay, there was no exciting trip for Spring Break this year. I did happen to hear from them that EVERYONE, but them managed to get away, so there's that. Glad to hear people are pumping money into the economy, or rather the economies of Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. Poor deprived Rowe children...

We did manage to visit the Science Museum during Spring Break and saw the Pirate exhibit, which I found to be very interesting. It was all about the Pirate ship, the Whydah, that sank off the coast of New England. I especially loved seeing the real gold and silver. Behind a glass case of course. I'm pretty sure that was for my safety, so I wouldn't be hauled off to jail for stealing.

On another day of break, Becca, Bella, and I went to explore Minnehaha Falls. I hadn't been there in years. Still just as beautiful.

We also visited a Ukranian Church in Minneapolis for Palm Sunday. They were having a "bazaar" after the Mass with perogies which our family adores and I refuse to try to make by hand. I managed to somehow read the time of the Mass incorrectly and we arrived at 9:30am and it had already started. Considering it went until 11:10am, I would say we were there for about all the kids could handle. My Grandmother on my Dad's size was Ukrainian and went to a Church just like the one we visited. Being in the church brought back lots of memories of her and the kids love learning about their "history".

On to the event of the year, Becca's 16th birthday. I am completely kidding, well sort of. I mean it was a very special event for our family, but get out of your mind any ideas of "Sweet Sixteen", the MTV show that ran a few years ago and showed lavish, over the top parties, where the kids drove away at the end in their new Mercedes or Range Rover. Our party featured the likes of steak, lobster, cheese, chocolate and a couple of fondue pots. We went for a night on the town to downtown Minneapolis to visit The Melting Pot. I had never been there before. 

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And then it was Easter. The last day of Break, Becca's real birthday, and the official kick off to all things Spring.  We were a little late with our egg coloring this year, so here you see Bella and Harry painting eggs in their Easter best.

We spent the day at my sister's house. She planned an egg-cellent egg hunt (sorry, couldn't help myself).

And now you are caught up on our life. What's next? Lots! Stay tuned...

Movin' On Up...

As I write this blog entry today, the warm sun is shining on my shoulder, the birds are singing outside, and it going to be 66 degrees outside today. March 13 and near 70 degrees? In Minnesota? I'm really not going to ask too many questions as I am afraid it could be a mirage that might be easily shattered if I fail to suspend my disbelief. I am declaring it now, Spring is here. And if it turns cold and snows in a few weeks, I will bow my head and sink into a deep depression, but as they say, "Live for today..."

Another sure sign of Spring outside of the weather? Bella is on break from her swim team. She finished up her Winter season a few weeks ago. And there is some exciting news! She is moving up to the next level, Bronze. It is something she has been working towards for quite a while. She has had many friends move up, which can sometimes make things tough. But Bella is a trooper and she understands that it takes her longer to achieve some goals. All the sweeter when they are reached. She has had one of the best coaches in the world for the past two years and Bella is really going to miss her. I will too! She has become a good friend during that time and she is a blast to hang out with. We'll have to ensure that our ladies' nights out continue. Bella is so excited to move up and she really likes her new coach, too. Luckily, she got to know him very well because he was helping coach her level this past season. That makes the transition so much easy. We don't have to go through the implant and muscle weakness shpeel the first day.

So with Winter season done and Spring swim season not starting until the middle of April, we have more free time than usual. So far we have been anything but bored. Last weekend, we finished out Girl Scout cookie selling for the year. Bella and I went door to door for about 3 hours and on Sunday there was a troop cookie booth. We have one more troop cookie booth at the end of March, but all of our personal money has been turned in. Selling cookies is not my favorite activity for many reasons. First, there is an over-saturation of Girl Scout sellers in our neighborhood. Erick can't sell at work (or won't, I'm not really sure) so we are forced to hit the streets for our sales. Second, Bella gets that prize incentive sheet for selling cookies and stares longingly at the Ipad and the notebook computer, wondering why she can't sell 1 or 2 thousand cookies. This from the child who gets discouraged and wants to turn around and go home after hitting two houses that don't buy the cookies. Thirdly, I feel like I need to hire a security team to protect the unsold cookies. Trying to ensure a brother, sister and father don't dive mouth first into the cookie pile is exhausting. Not to mention, making sure the dogs don't get close to the pile. This year has been better, but I am sure there are 1 or 2 boxes unaccounted for. Yes, I am glad the selling season is almost over. I feel Bella's 100 cookies sales were respectable and hard fought.

During the next month we have a lot of activities. Becca is going to be turning 16 and we have a special night out planned. No license yet, we are still making it through behind the wheel training. Also, Becca is planning on doing some lacrosse reffing again this Spring/Summer season. Becca is busy, too, with training for becoming a camp counselor for church. Bella is headed off for a week with school in April to a survival camp. I am excited for her, but nervous. I'm sure she will survive...Will I?

What Doesn't Kill You, Makes You Stronger...

Today I started the day out earlier than usual. Instead of bringing Harry to the bus at 6:45am, I had to drive him to school at 6:15am. I thought it would be a nightmare to get Harry up at 5:30am in order to leave on time. Surprisingly, Harry was up at 5:00am in order to take a shower. As I forced my eyes open and my legs out of bed, Harry came in wide-eyed and anxious to make sure I was already up. At no point this morning was I faced with the sometime snide comments that can be heard in the morning or complaints about lunch making or other necessary morning chores. The reprieve was nice, I'll admit, but I am hoping that this is the first and last detention I have to bring Harry to at school.

Harry turned 13 in December and since then I have really noticed he is growing up. I'm not just talking about the physical changes like his deeper voice, his new found interest in daily grooming, and his rapid growth. I am mostly stunned by his intellectual changes. Just last week he was discussing his thoughts on the U.S. constitution and his feelings about the 2nd amendment. This was prompted by his history lessons at school. The conversation was not long, but I was surprised by how thought provoking it was.  Not that we saw eye to eye on his interpretation of the 2nd amendment. He wondered why we couldn't live in a world similar to "Call of Duty", where everyone is in charge of their own protection. The use of guns and weapons would be self regulated. Man, he took that "right to bear arms" stuff seriously! I did comment that his idea scared me a little, but I was just proud that he was really reflecting on stuff he learned and then putting his own spin on it. He does this almost daily now. The other day we were listening to the news and they were talking about Maryland passing gay marriage. Harry thoughtfully asked why there was all this commotion and discussion on gay marriage. He said, "Seriously, Mom. Who cares who marries who? I don't get why people care or why it's a big deal." Out of the mouths of babes...

In the same mode of Harry wondering about various things, he has been a bit fascinated over the last few months about detention. He has wondered out loud what it's like and what goes on during it. I told him it was really boring, you can't talk, and you just sit quietly and do homework. Not that I would know, it's just what I heard :) So last week, Harry comes home to tell me that he got a detention for rough housing and being sarcastic to one of his friends. The note from the teacher called it "bullying", but Harry doesn't agree. The teacher did say that Harry is a very good kid and that he just had a bad day. Well, I have conferences with his teachers this week, so I hope it goes well.

Ahh...the trials and tribulations of being 13. Can't say I miss being that age...

I Made it Through the Rain...

So last week I spent a 1/2 hour looking all around the house for something that was in my pocket. This week I have frantically been searching for my ipod; sifting through disgusting garbage, shoving my hand down areas in my car that aren't big enough to fit a pinkie. And there it was yesterday; sitting in a pile of melted snow at the end of my driveway in the gutter. Wow, I must be turning 41...

The great ending to the ipod story is that it still works! With a little help from Bella's dry and store (a machine we use nightly to extract any moisture from Bella's cochlear implants) and a few heartfelt prayers, it was back up and running. Sure it has some surface flaws. A few more scratches, dents and dings, but nothing that inhibits it's purpose of playing music. Kind of how I feel about turning 41, a few more surface flaws, but still fully able to perform.

The last four weeks have been pretty light on blog posts due to a busy schedule. Erick has been traveling a lot, including a trip to Brazil, so I have had to up my game to keep up with maintaining the household. Having William, our Chinese exchange student has been a rewarding experience, but has also added more activities. Tomorrow he is returning to Bejiing. It will be hard to see him go, as he has really become a part of our family during his short stay. During his time in Minnesota, he has visited two universities, the Mall of America, gone to a hockey and basketball game, and shopped at an outlet mall. Last night, we attended his farewell banquet. It was fun to see all the pictures that have been taken during the students' visit. Especially since I have not done a good job of taking photos. I usually give camera duties to Erick and as he has been gone a lot, I failed to find a replacement photographer.

A few weeks ago, Harry had a Chinese New Year event at the Saturday Chinese school he attends on a weekly basis to learn Mandarin. Below is a picture of his performance. He is in a 1st grade class since he has just started learning the language. As you can see, he is quite a bit bigger than the other students in his class, but he was a trooper about going. I have been warned that next year, he will not be participating.

Never Knew I Needed...

A decade. 10 years. About 3,652 days. No matter how you say it, it's a pretty long time. In five days, Bella will turn 10. I have kind of dreaded this double digits birthday. She is quickly moving from a little girl to a pre-teen, and we all know what comes after that...

To say she has changed my life in those 10 years is an understatement. All of my kids have changed my life, but Bella has definitely altered it the most. During her 5,249,487.6 minutes on earth there have been times of true despair and heartache, moments of powerful clarity, instances of joyous celebration, and points when I was wrapped in straitjacket of fear. When I look back on her life so far, I am struck by how much she has amazed me and surpassed my expectations. I have pushed her past her comfort zones many times, sometimes with success, sometimes with severe resistance. Yet each time, she has come back stronger, realizing that pushing limits and breaking barriers is how you reach the next level.

Speaking of pushing limits, Bella had her 2nd official swim meet this past weekend. She did a great job. It was a challenging day considering the pool was completely unfamiliar, she hadn't been to a meet since October, and her mind was really focused on what she was going to do after the meet; spend the night at Grandma's with her cousin for a pre-birthday celebration. With all of those factors, Bella managed to shave 8 seconds off of 50 Freestyle putting her at 1:22.38. In her 50 backstroke, the good news is that she perfected her backstroke flipturn, the downside is that she DQ'd herself because she turned over at the end of the race to touch the pads. It's a shame because had she not DQ'd, she would have improved her time by 10 seconds. Oh well. She has another meet in just a few short weeks, so she can try again. The next meet is hosted by her team, so the pool will be familiar and there will be far fewer distractions. Besides, as it has been said before,"It's amazing how much more you can learn by making mistakes, than you can by making perfect decisions"-unknown
    
Life rarely gives you what you expect. It has been said that hardships and challenges define an individual's character much more than everyday experiences. I do think the curve balls are what keep things interesting. Did I ever think I would have a child with cochlear implants? Or that I would become a part time homeschool teacher to provide extra educational support for my child? I certainly did not, but now that I am here, I can't imagine life any other way.

You Had Me At Hello...

So last Saturday, we unleashed the Rowe chaos onto a new level; international. We welcomed our foreign exchange student, William, from China. I bet you're thinking that William doesn't sound very Chinese. It is his English name. His Chinese name is very difficult to pronounce and he was ok with us using William.

Excitement buzzed in the air as we prepared to go to the high school to meet him. The students all arrived via bus from the airport. Bella held the sign with his name in the air and it didn't take him long to find us. On the way back home, we drove by Lake Minnetonka and told him how there are a lot of lakes in Minnesota. We saw an ice boat sailing around the lake on its blades and William was very impressed. I am amazed by his command of the English language. He speaks it much better than I can ever dream of speaking another language. He even speaks it better than some Americans I know; namely those crazy kids from the Jersey Shore...

Upon arriving at our house, our pets gave their own special greeting to William. Ika barked like a mad dog, jumping up on our guest with his full 85lbs. Enzo, decided his shoes would look better with some chew marks. (We have since given William a plastic tupperware container to put his shoes in when he comes home.) The cats have showcased their bad manners by jumping up on the counter when he is making his breakfast or onto the table in the middle of meals. As I had mentioned in a previous post, most people in China don't have animals as pets and if they do, they certainly don't have 4. I would imagine William feels a bit like he lives on that old show "Green Acres", but I don't think they have that show in China, so the reference is lost on him.

Our daily routine is beginning to settle in with our new family member. His presence has actually helped in some cases. There have been times when I have seen a fit or an outburst brewing in one of my kids and just as they are about to blow, they stop suddenly, when they remember there will be an outside witness to their crazy. William is only here for 4 weeks, but I am thinking of getting a paper life size cut-out of him, with the hope that I can achieve similar results when he is gone.

Last Friday, our whole family went to the Chinese New Year Celebration at Minnetonka High School. Lots of elementary kids from the Chinese immersion program performed. Some of the Chinese exchange students also sang, but William had chosen not to participate.

One area I was worried about was food. It is a non-issue because William has an adventurous culinary appetite. The first night we took him to our favorite all you can eat Chinese buffet. I think he thought it was  funny that there was so much food and you could just keep eating and eating. His favorite food is pizza and he has had it a lot for school lunch and out on field trips with his exchange group. Before he leaves we will probably take him out to a hamburger place like "Five Guys" to give him some more American cuisine.

This weekend is Bella's 10th birthday party. William is excited to see an American birthday, but from how he describes the ones in China (they have cake, candles, and sing "Happy Birthday", I don't think there will be a big difference...

Everybody Feng Shui Tonight...

With 2011 behind us, we look ahead to what 2012 will bring. I have to say, so far I'm loving 2012. Yesterday the high temperature was 52 degrees, here in Chaska, MN. No snow on the ground. Records being broken at least once a week for high temps. I know it's not for everyone, but this is my kind of winter. I feel for the people who are suffering financially due to the lack of snow and cold, but I have to admit, it sure is nice to be able to keep on top of picking up after the dogs, rather than waiting for a an all day poopfest some day in April.

With the holidays and all of their decorations packed up and buried until next year (below are some pictures from the holidays), our family is looking to our next celebration. On Sunday, our Chinese foreign exchange student will arrive. To say I am a bit anxious is kind of like saying the first day of kindergarten is no big deal to a 5 year old child. Each day I work on cleaning a different section of the house to prepare and tell the kids how the next four weeks they are really going to have to step up their game. Towels strewn around after showers, wrappers thrown haphazardly on the counter after preparing a meal, those days are gone. Well, I can only hope and pray...

Yesterday I sent a quick email to the exchange student and his family. I thought there were a few quick facts that he should know and prepare himself for. First, I thought it only fair to tell him there are 3 kids in our family. Most kids in China have no siblings, so that will be a big change. Also, I informed him that we have a bit of a zoo. Well I didn't actually use those words, but when I wrote that we have 2 cats and 2 dogs, I am sure that is the image that came to his mind. We have been told that most people in China have no pets. Lastly, I told him that Isabella has cochlear implants. It's not really a big deal and doesn't affect him in any way, but I thought he should know. I really don't know how common they are in China. As a family, we are all excited to learn from our new family member. We can only hope he feels the same...

I really hope the mild weather continues. They say God only gives you as much as you can handle. I'm pretty sure he is fully aware that when I took on the responsibility of having an exchange student, he understood a winter like last year with 40 inch snowfalls and subzero temps was out of the question, if he wanted me to remain sane.