where those pictures end up....

I cannot begin to guess how many thousands of people have taken pictures of our family with their cell phones.  Thousands! 

Sometimes people surreptitiously snap photos from a distance (like I don't notice that a random stranger is hovering around trying to look inconspicious and holding their phone down at waist level?)
Other times people literally stop right in front of my stroller, blocking my path while they get their phone ready and snap the photo.  People ask my kids to pose with their kids (we politely decline....  okay, okay, sometimes I less-than-politely decline!)  They take pictures of my kids sitting in the car, pictures of our family walking through the park, pictures of us doing just about anything.

And I never know where the photos end up.  Until today.

Tuesday morning I was with my boys at the main international post office (hunting down a missing package - we found it!)  It was such a sweet trip for me (not just because we found the package!) because I knew that one of the employees was a believer.  I knew it as soon as I walked in the door.  The clerk looked at John Paul and said "oh, you adopted him". 

Adoption is so uncommon here that most people would never guess, or assume, that John Paul is adopted.  Instead their question is more like "How come one of your kids doesn't look like you?"  or "Is that someone else's child you are taking care of?" or "Why does that child look Chinese?  Is your husband Chinese?" 

I guessed immediately (and correctly) that he was a Christian and had been exposed to adoption through the church.  I said "Yes, he's adopted" and the clerk answered "thank you Jesus". 

So we visited for a bit and other employees started to gather (we tend to attract a crowd!) while the post office man tracked down our missing box.  We wandered back into the warehouse with boxes piled everywhere and all the while I answered questions about our family. 

I can practically answer these questions in my sleep - the same questions I get every day.  "Why so many kids? Why adopt? Why? Why? Why?" 

One lady asked to take our picture.  And after I left she posted it to her weibo account.  (Weibo is like Chinese twitter.)  A friend saw the post and forwarded the link to me. 

It's fun to finally see where one of those thousands of cell phone pictures ended up.

And I'm also encouraged.  Sometimes I wonder if God really uses me, uses our family.  We want to live well in this land, to boldly live out the Gospel, to impact our neighbors, our community. 

But sometimes at the end of the day I wonder if all we do is arouse a bit of curiosity. 

It's been a long few months.  I've been a pretty miserable example of someone who loves her neighbor as herself.  More often than not I scowl when someone tries to take my picture.  I try to avoid the crowds, not answer (again!) the same questions about family and children and adoption. 

But if God can use me on a trip to the post office to find a missing package.... well, that should encourage all of us! 


If you're curious you can see the weibo post HERE if you have a weibo account.  It's also posted HERE. 

today's pictures

"Mom!  Come quick and take a picture of me and John Paul eating our apples."

In little-brother-land life doesn't get much better than this!  The life of a 5th child has it's drawbacks (I cannot begin to count how many times Luke has been sat on by his siblings and today at supper I had to ask Isaac "please do not lick your brother's head") but there are some perks too. 

And my promised shot of all five kids in front of the tree.  A friend was here for dinner so I got the camera ready and asked her to put Luke in place at the last minute.  In about five seconds I snapped three pics and this was by far the best one.  And it's pretty shoddy.  Oh well, we got our Christmas card picture weeks ago and thank goodness it is much MUCH better than this one :) 

Oops, and I just realized I cut off the top of the tree.  Hmmmm, maybe we'll have to stage this one again :) 

cutting curls and little updates

Last night, in a bit of a rash decision (and attempt to keep Lydia from sucking on the ends of her hair - ugh this habit of hers drives me bananas!) I cut her hair.  She asked to "just cut it short" and I clarified several times.  I was half-hoping she wanted to keep it long because I did love it long.

But she wanted it cut and I was ready for a hair-sucking solution.  So I cut off about four or five inches!  You'd never believe how long her hair actually is unless you saw it dripping wet and totally straight.  That girl had long hair!  And now it's short.  And oh so cute. 

Told you it was cute :)

And maybe even curlier?  If that's possible?!?!

Other than last minute hair cuts (did I mention Matt was working and I did the hair cut at bedtime, ya know, just to keep things interesting around here!) things are going pretty smoothly.

Luke's pulling-up skills have advanced significantly.  He pulls up on the glass sliding doors, every piece of furniture in the house... if he gets close to it he'll use it to stand up.  He still hasn't mastered the move from crawling to sitting, which doesn't seem to matter since he NEVER sits.  Not for even three seconds.  He and big bro John Paul were cut from the same piece of cloth. 

John Paul's receptive language (in English) is amazing.  I cannot believe how much he understands.  We still speak to him in Chinese sometimes, and Lydia still translates almost everything I say.  [Seriously.  Matt says we should pay her!]  Maybe she thinks he won't understand me in English or she just got in the habit or I don't know what.   But that sister of his is like a tag-a-long translator.  Even without his translator at his side John Paul's English skills are professional.  If only he could speak to us... so eager to get his surgery (hopefully in two weeks - pray he gets healthy and stays healthy for his surgery!!!).  And he has started stringing together two different hand-signs to create a mini-sentence! 

Isaac is Isaac.  I see every day how God specifically gifted him for his spot in the family.  He's such a lover of people, delights to entertain his little brothers, wants to do all the "big kid stuff" with his sisters, easy-going, laid back, quick to forgive (and also quick to offend - we're all learning!).  There was a season earlier this year when I wasn't so sure how I felt about three-year olds.  I know that it's two year olds who tend to get pegged as 'difficult' (whatever that means) but I LOVE me a two year old.  It's such a great age.  Three, now that's usually trickier in my book.

And Julianna.  Yesterday we were wrapping up one mini-craft (cutting snow flakes for our sliding doors) and I asked if she wanted to do another one.  "Of course I do!  That's why I chose you to be my Mommy, because you love to do crafts" she said.  Then she grinned at me and walked away giggling, headed across the living room to tape up more snowflakes.

No pressure, huh?  I quickly cut out a Christmas tree shape from green paper and the girls cut out and glued on decorations.  Today I'm hoping to buy some cotton balls and we'll make snowmen and then my craft bone might be weary and needing some rest.  But at least our doors will be decorated for the holidays.  And it's a good thing too, since that's why Julianna chose me to be her Mom and all.....

our tree

We put our Christmas tree up today.  It was really hectic.  And also really fun.  Honestly, the best part was the early afternoon when both little boys were napping.  Matt and me, Julianna, Lydia and Isaac got some great ornament-putting-on time together.  John Paul and Luke, we'll welcome you to the ornament hanging party next year!

[But hallelujah that in just one afternoon John Paul has mastered the 'one finger touch' with the Christmas tree.  He'll circle the tree, touching lights and ornaments but using only his pointer finger!  Woohoo because it's hard to yank down an entire Christmas tree with just one finger and I'm pretty sure this skill might be what saves our tree from sure-destruction via John Paul.  Now whether or not we can save the tree from Luke is a yet-to-be-answered question.]

I spent every single Christmas as a child picking out a fresh tree from the nearby tree lot with my family and to this day can not imagine putting up a fake one.  Surely one day soon I will give up and go for a fake tree in this land of "no Christmas trees available" but for now I'm holding on to tradition :)  A fake tree would be a lot prettier.  And hold a lot more ornaments.  But I just can't do it... not yet. 

So last January we moved our Christmas-like tree onto our porch and it thrived through each season, growing strong.  Matt and the kids washed it off (oh it was dusty dirty) and hauled it back inside this morning.  We've never landed a tree in our living room so easily.  We probably only moved it about twenty feet and over one door sill!

A few strings of lights and we were set to go. 

Lydia worked hard on perfect ornament placement, with a strong preference for hanging her favorites on the front mid-height branches :) 

Julianna took over arranging the nativity on top of our dish cabinet..

and after Luke woke we tried for a quick shot in front of the newly decorated tree.

Ha!  Luke doesn't stay anywhere for very long...catch him, Isaac, catch him! 

And now I'm realizing I never got a picture of the final product.  I'll hopefully get one later this week.  I had hoped to add some wrapped gifts this evening but time is getting away from me so I'll have to do that another evening. 

Oh wow, I LOVE this season.  Even though this year I am particularly easily overwhelmed at all the "work" that goes into Christmas, I'm still excited.  We won't make as many cookies.  We won't do as many crafts.  There's just no way I'm going to have the time or capacity with a house full.  But I'm oh so grateful for my two little boys, especially when I realize that last Christmas neither John Paul nor Luke was in our home for the celebrating. 

And I'd rather have them than another Christmas goodie any day of the year.  (well, most days at least... when you get right down to it there are certainly moments I'd be tempted to trade any of my children for a sugar cookie, or even better, for one whole hour to myself to spend rolling and cutting and decorating cookies!)

turkey weekend

I'm a few days behind on updating, we've been busy having fun :)  Thanksgiving weekend is a big one around here, with lots of friends in town for the celebrating. 

So much celebrating that I might turn in early tonight.  We had a great afternoon with three families out to visit and it was a treat.  There was even a little guy named Luke, just about two months older than our little Luke. 

But before the afternoon fun I decided to make up for the lack of photos I've taken all weekend with a camera tour of the house.

He doesn't nap often, but when he does it is always with his tiger.  I love how he has his ankle propped up on his knee.  And wearing his football gear (cause he watched his Daddy play a little football this morning).

My best napper.  John Paul loves to snooze away the afternoon.  I eventually wake him so he can go back to sleep in the evening at the same time as his big sibs.  (And we just moved Isaac in with John Paul, so now we have a boys' bedroom and a girls' bedroom. For the next 15 years - ha!)

Lydia washing up a few dishes (we had just made M&M bar cookies to share with our friends) and Luke getting into the kitchen.  Again. 

I have always stuck by my "no little ones in the kitchen" policy. (Our kitchen is small and dangerous for little ones - low counters, gas burners, all kinds of baby trouble.)  John Paul is already a pro at staying out of the kitchen and I'm needing to get serious about teaching Luke the same thing.  But he loves to pull up on that white stool of Lydia's and the stool is often in the kitchen so.... But his kitchen days are numbered :)

Julianna was out at a friend's house and Matt was on his way back to our apartment with a carload of friends.  Really a great day. 

I'm dreaming of getting our tree put up on Monday.  I'm also dreaming of a chain link fence to keep Luke out of the presents.  Hmmmm, this year is gonna be a risky one for our tree, I just know it.  

fire truck fire truck

Julianna and Lydia's classes organized an afternoon field trip to a fire station.  We arranged for Isaac and John Paul to get "little brother passes" and join in the fun. 

[I actually had another errand to run in town so I missed a lot of the event but heard plenty of stories!]

Isaac's absolute favorite jacket is this fire truck hoodie and he intentionally wore it for the fire station trip.

The size and sophistication of the equipment was impressive.  Very impressive.  Unfortunately, emergency support (fire, police, medical) really lags behind standards for most developed countries.  There are very few fire stations, I almost never see emergency vehicles, cars do not yield to sirens, police do not garner even a fraction of the respect that they do in America.  I've only had a few occasions where I directly interacted with a policeman here.  Once I was very impressed.  Once I was very,  ummmmm, under-impressed. 

Anyways, there might be only one of these trucks in the entire province, but it's still amazing - this truck can rescue people from a 30 story building with a 101 meter tall "cherry-picker".  (They raised it to full height to show the kids!)

[Lydia's class in front of the biggest fanciest rescue truck.  There were at least 20 trucks at this station.]

Fire-fighting is a branch of the military and Isaac loved all the fatigues.  

Getting in the trucks was pretty fun too :)

The boys (and Matt) stuck close to Lydia's class - together they toured trucks and the dorm rooms.  {Matt told the kids he expects them to start making their beds to military standard like what they saw in the fireman bunks.} 

Julianna was in a separate tour group, always arms-distance from her best buddy, Zheng ZiYi.  Zheng ZiYi and her mom rode to the fire station with us and it was 100% chatter and giggles from the back row where Julianna and her buddy were double-buckled next to John Paul. 

Definitely a great way to spend an afternoon!

our afternoons

Wednesday afternoon I took everyone shoe shopping.  Julianna and Lydia needed new footwear, the boys were just along for the experience.  And it was.  An experience, I mean. 

Thursday I decided something a little more low-key was in order.  We walked across the street to the neighboring apartment complex.  We go there all the time.  It's a huge complex, and the best part is an enormous area in the center that is totally blocked off to cars.  The kids can ride bikes everywhere and I don't have miniature panic attacks that someone's going to get hit by a car! 

There are several different courtyard play areas within the car-free zone and I usually park the stroller at one of those spots and let John Paul out to run around with the big kids. 

Yesterday a group of ladies had gathered for dance practice.  This is incredibly common here.  By 8pm most every public space is filled with at least one group of dancers.  It's pretty much the middle-aged Chinese woman version of the Electric Slide - a line dance, but classy and elegant. 

Julianna loves to watch and she perched herself on a grassy hill overlooking the dancers and did the moves right along with them.

Luke hangs out in the stroller...

and almost always gathers a crowd of admirers.

(There are days this crowd issue makes me want to scream in frustration.  There are days this issue makes me want to cry in frustration.  Yesterday it didn't bother me.  But some days.... oh, some days.  I just want to load the whole family up on the next airplane and move somewhere that we can go out in public without causing a scene.)

And these two... almost inseparable these days. 

Often best of friends.  Occasionally worst of enemies. 

They played hard, biking far and collecting rocks and exploring everywhere.  We made it home a little after five and I started the mad dash to get supper in the oven. 

And this afternoon?  We're going to visit a local friend who just got out of the hospital.  Because when the doctor said "rest quietly at home" a visit from me and the kiddos is probably exactly what he had in mind!

the men (at least one day they will be!)

When Matt is away Isaac steps up and becomes "man of the house".  He takes his role seriously.

This morning he told me "If any bad strangers try to come in our house I will hit them with this stick."

[Note to any potential bad strangers: he might be three years old, but he's got a big stick.]

And can you tell we've had more than one conversation about appropriate and inappropriate ways to wield your strength?  This is something I need lots of grace to navigate well - this encouraging him (and my other sons) to embrace the God-given desires to assert strength, to destroy evil, to protect others, to lead out.... but also steering those desires in the right direction.  Anyways, I was thankful that at least this once the stick was for the 'bad strangers'.  We've had more than one stick aimed at a sibling :)

I got my little two bundled and loaded up for a quick walk mid-morning.  Quick, as in "you better be quick about it or you will not keep up with Isaac on his bike". 

That double is not as light as it looks.  The boys alone weigh almost fifty pounds. 

And one last picture from this morning... Matt tucked away little notes for each of the children while he was gone. (Well, everyone except Luke.  Luke eats paper.)

Each note has a crayon drawing of Matt doing something with that child ("Daddy has crayons at his work?!?!"  Lydia was incredulous.  Who knew Dad had crayons at work? he he he)

a new week

Last week was long, tough, hard, discouraging, disappointing, draining.  I am feeling pretty beat down and weary.  And it's Monday :)  And Matt travels a few days this week :)

So I took part of the morning (Matt stayed with the littles, he's way behind on work but usually takes Mondays off and was kind to keep the morning work-free so I could get away).  Now I'm home, and the reality is that a morning away is not going to "solve" all the troubles in my heart.  But it was nice to eat lunch alone.  Seriously, I loved it. 

Everyone is resting, and I should be catching up - planning meals, starting the washer, picking up the living room carpet toy-debris.  Matt will be home for dinner tonight then it's off on the road tomorrow - but not for too long.  He'll be back Wednesday night or Thursday morning, depending on train schedules and his work load, etc.

As tough as last week was there were certainly a few highlights. 

Our big three were delighted to spend the night away with some friends.  They didn't get quite as much sleep as they are used to and after their return home Lydia fell asleep on the floor of the living room mid-afternoon.  And she stayed asleep even after all four siblings were up and bouncing around the house. 

It's not a big house.  That's pretty impressive sleep folks.

Another highlight was a family bike trip to our brand new McDonald's.  It's about twenty minutes (on bikes with kids) from our home.  If you think I'm crazy to be excited about a McDs in my (relative) backyard that's just fine with me.  

John Paul on the back of Matt's bike, I had Luke in the stroller but he got crabby and I moved him to the ergo before I took this picture.  It's definitely gotten chilly, especially if you're on a bike, so the kids were excited to bust out their hats and gloves.  (And yes, I burn a lot of calories trying to keep up with this crew walking!  It's nice to be on foot to help with some of the road crossings and bumpy pavement areas, but I'm gonna need faster transportation here pretty soon!)

My quiet time is ticking away and the meals are not getting planned, so I best wrap it up here.  


The brief update on John Paul: our surgeon is traveling until early December.  We are eager and hopeful that he will have his surgery as soon as Dr. Stone returns.  John Paul will be on a liquid then soft foods diet for a few weeks post surgery and we have some major travel in January, so it seems best to us to get through the early post-surgery weeks while still here at home. 

As Matt pointed out, at least he'll still be eating real food at Thanksgiving, which is pretty much a perfect holiday for a boy who loves to eat as much as our John Paul does.  But his first Christmas with our family might be a bit of a bust in the good-food department for our little buddy.  Oh well, pureed sausage balls anyone?!?!  Ugh. 

i can't believe i'm writing this....

but his surgery is postponed.  Again.

He ran a fever for a few hours last night and even though he was fine this morning they are not willing to proceed.  I totally understand their need to be cautious, and we believe they are making wise decision. 

We are just so so disappointed and discouraged and weary.  Mostly weary.  Well, and discouraged. 

Tired of all the upheaval and cancelled plans.


Tired of driving back and forth to the hospital.

Tired of needing so much help from so many friends. 

Tired of re-arranging and re-doing. 

the roller coaster {surgery day YES!}

Oh my, what a ride.  The short version of the story is that we are back at the hospital.  And John Paul has a surgery slot for tomorrow (Friday).

His surgery is the third of the day, estimated to be around noon but the time will vary based on how quickly the first two surgeries proceed.  (that'll be Thursday evening around 11pm EST, 10pm CST)

Would you please stop and pray right now?  Pray for John Paul to stay healthy (no fevers!) and recover quickly.  Pray for skill and wisdom for the surgeon (Dr. Stone) and the other staff who will be involved in his surgery and recovery.  Pray for extra measures of grace and wisdom and patience for me and Matt.

I already feel so stretched and torn between my children at home and John Paul at the hospital.  Today was the longest I have ever been away from Luke.  And I'll be away all day tomorrow too, and through the night, and my other kiddos too.... oh, it's so hard on this Mommy. 

This week has been so challenging already, and the surgery is still ahead of us!  Jesus is enough.  For me, and for John Paul, and for you.

much love,
Laura

cancelled {surgery day no-go, evening}

John Paul started running a fever at 4 this morning.  Matt took him in to the hospital and spent most of the day there.... and the reality is just that we cannot proceed unless he is perfectly healthy.

We are really bummed.  Honestly, I feel like I ran an emotional marathon.  I can't believe this whole thing started just three days ago.  I had some tough moments today, just feeling like "we need a break" or "we need something to just go smoothly".

[Sad lethargic little buddy in the hospital bed.  It's totally unfair that I get to be the loving parent in this photo when in reality Matt played this role for 99% of the day... I just happened to be in front of the camera when Matt took this picture.]


I had moments of real disappointment and frustration.  Where are you God and why is this not working out according to my plans? 

But God is so good, and He patiently leads me back to TRUTH.  And the truth is this: God is here.  And perfectly in control of every single bit of this journey.  So I can have joy and peace and rest based on TRUTH, not based on my circumstances.  The perfectly wise, perfectly sovereign, perfectly loving God of the universe is writing this story.  That is TRUE. 

That doesn't mean that I don't struggle.  I was so so sad today.  I still am.  I so badly want this surgery for him.  And I am so weary of all the schedule readjusting and last minute changes and (what seem to be) constant potholes and road blocks.

But even in the middle of all that weariness and disappointment I can have peace and joy.  And my heart turns to (most likely) every other patient in the cleft ward, "How in the world do you face the world, when you don't know that you belong to a good and loving God?"

I am excited to go back, probably two weeks from now?  (Honestly, I'm tired of the 'probably' and for now we'll just hold on and see what happens.)

One day we'll have a story to tell, won't we?  In some ways we already do!  

delayed {surgery day 1, evening}

Some of John Paul's test results were not ready in time for him to get on Tuesday's surgery schedule.  The surgeon we want is not available Wednesday.  So the surgery is moved to Thursday.

The surgeon (Dr. Stone) is a Chinese man who comes very highly recommended as "one of the finest cleft surgeons in all of China".  He is well connected in the cleft surgery world, on the board of directors for a major international cleft NGO and travels extensively.  We had no idea he lived and worked in our city when we accepted John Paul's referral.   And we will wait for him to do the surgery!

There is much to be thankful for.  Today could not have been smoother.  We waded through gobs of paperwork and pre-tests and evals in record time.  John Paul was a trooper - it helps that the cleft ward has a play area that is perfect for him, lots of room to get all his climbing urges satisfied.

We have our bed assignment and, at least for now, no roommate.  (It's a two bed room at the very end of the hall.)

At one point this morning an attending doctor said "oh yeah, I can hear he doesn't pronounce his 'g' sound right, he's overcompensating using the back of his throat, he'll need speech therapy to correct that."  And I could feel the mama-bear in me come creeping out of her den!  All my defenses on alert, and the internal dialogue started.  "Of course he doesn't pronounce it right, that's one reason we are here.  I know he'll need therapy.  He'll do great, don't you worry, he's smart as a whip and the cutest kid in the whole hospital so just back off lady cause this is my son you're talking about and he's gonna run circles around the "g" and every other noise in the book, ok?"

I kept the internal dialogue to myself, just smiled and nodded.  But really it's one of the highlights of my day.  I was so glad to have that mama bear come out of her den for John Paul.  It felt like a good step for us.

So now we re-juggle schedules and work out a few new kinks for our other children.  We have to be back at the hospital tomorrow morning early, then home again for the afternoon and evening.  Starting Wednesday morning John Paul (and always at least one parent) will be full time at the hospital until discharge (ideally, hopefully Saturday morning).

And an early bedtime.  Wowsers I am wiped out.

Thanks for praying for our little family.  

heading in {surgery day 1, morning}

It's 6:30 am.  I'm drinking a cup of coffee and adding last minute items to our hospital bags.  In just a few more minutes Matt will load the bags in the car and we'll wake John Paul and get him ready to head to the hospital. 

Friends will be here all day caring for our other four children - they arrive at 7am and we'll hopefully be rolling towards the hospital at 7:02!  (and it looks like our other children might sleep through our departure!)

Last night we spoke at length with some friends here who were with their foster son for his palate repair.  It was super helpful, and that conversation, on top of all the things we've read and researched leave us feeling confidently prepared (as prepared as we can be, that is!  still many many unknowns!)

I'm hopefully expectant that walking through this traumatic experience together will be a significant part of our growing relationship - learning to love and be loved by John Paul, and he learning to love and be loved by our family.

We're so thankful for your prayers and encouragement.  I'll come home from the hospital this evening and Matt will stay with John Paul through the night.  If all goes well John Paul will be in surgery tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.  I'll be back tonight with an update.

roommates for five

[I added the link for the apple peeler at the bottom of my last post... should have just done it that way the first time around :)]

It's been five years since I created this silly little celebration we call Roommate Anniversary.  What can I say? It's a keeper.  Fun, easy, simple celebrating for the whole family.  Isaac is 100% sold out on getting his own Roommate Anniversary and moving in with little bro John Paul.  Hopefully that move is on the horizon... in the meantime he's still in with the big sisters and participated in the festivities alongside them.

November 3, 2007 baby Lydia (just a few months old) moved in with her big sister Julianna.  The following year I decided we'd make it a little celebration, these girls are roommates til separated by college, so I hope to use this day to celebrate their growing friendship.  And November 3rd has become a much anticipated day in our household. 

We started the day with pics by the R-O-O-M-M-A-T-E-S banner I whipped up the night before (thank you card stock and ten hurried minutes with a marker and yarn!)

{Matt took this pic standing in our bedroom doorway.  The girls and Isaac share the room behind them.  Bathroom door beside Lydia.  John Paul's little room beside Julianna.  Living room off to the left and Luke sleeps in a closet/alcove in our bedroom.}

I made name tags for glass mugs.  And we always eat muffins (and who doesn't like an excuse to turn off the lamps, light a candle and blow it out!) 

And a little photographic tour around the breakfast table....

Later in the day I took pictures of each of them on their beds, and the group shot too.  The girls have outgrown these short beds and next year they'll be passed to Isaac and John Paul.  Thinking about moving the girls to lofts, or maybe just a bunk? 

For Bible time this morning Matt read out of Ecclesiastes, chapter 4.  "Two are better than one .... for if they fall one will lift up his fellow.... if two lie together they keep warm.... and though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him.  A threefold cord is not quickly broken."

He had them raising arms (and legs) every time they heard the words "one" "two" or "three" so it got a little aerobic, and very very silly.  But we do hope and pray that these siblings live these truths together.  For surely they will fall....

making applesauce UPDATED

My children could eat their body weight in applesauce.  But for the past year or so I've kind of avoided making it.... lots of peeling and chopping work and my reward was noisy-slurping off the spoon children who licked the bowls and said "is there any more?"

But I have remedied the situation, just in time for John Paul's post-surgery soft foods diet.  (Also in faith that Luke will one day eat some mushy-solid food!)

The raw material:

(Also, you've now been introduced to my counter space.  You're looking at 90% of it.... to the right of the sink is the dish drying rack and my stand mixer, left of the stove is just enough space for a 9x13 baking pan.) 

Back to the applesauce.

And the counter top with my new electric pressure cooker (love) and apple peeler/corer/slicer (love).  I'm not a kitchen gadget-y person, but these two are just awesome.  The pressure cooker is great for huge batches of rice (always necessary when we serve guests) and it cooks beans in 30 minutes (no overnight soak required) and does a bunch of other handy kitchen things too.  Good good investment for our family. 

Now the apple peeler/corer/slicer is a pretty great piece of equipment.  As you probably guessed it peels, cores, and slices.... in about five seconds per apple. 

Break the rings apart and it makes perfectly thinly sliced pieces for your favorite toddler.  Or big kids.  I'll get it out at lunch and run five or six apples for me and the kids to munch on. 

I slide the apple off the core and toss it straight in the pressure cooker.  When the pot is mostly full, the pressure cooker does it's thing for about twenty minutes and....

Applesauce.  Yum.  [You can still see a few of the 'apple rings' - a few stirs with a big spoon and its all a perfect mush.] 

I don't add anything to it at all, but you could spice it up a bit with some cinnamon or what ever strikes  your fancy.  My kids are do-it-yourself-ers when it comes to the cinnamon, so we just add it at the table.  Serve it hot or cold.  It freezes perfectly too.

Hungry?

China pengyous - my apple peeler/corer/slicer was 58 RMB on taobao, let me know if you want the link. 

UPDATE:
Here's the link http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14908260980
I was wrong,  it's 48 RMB, my shipping was 10 kuai, so total 58 :)