Clinton's Journey

Teresa and Clinton Skiing

2009-03-22T16:52:00.000-06:00

Annika Learning to Ski

2009-03-22T16:50:00.000-06:00

Clinton and Matthew Skiing

2009-03-22T16:49:00.000-06:00

Clinton learning to Boogie Board

2009-03-22T16:04:00.004-06:00

Posing in his New Jacket

2008-11-24T19:01:00.002-07:00

David and Wilson's Visit

2008-08-30T18:54:00.000-06:00

Questions.....

2008-08-30T16:16:00.002-06:00

Lately Clinton has been going through a huge question asking stage... at least hopefully it's a stage. Some days I feel like a question answering machine. From the moment he wakes up until I have to cut him off so he can go to bed. He hates it when I say that he has to choose, only one more question. Here is a sampling of some of my favorites:

How do the bees get the pollen from the flowers to the bee hive?
Are we inside of the world or outside of it?
Where was God before He created everything and what was He doing?
In the movie Chicken Run how did they know there was a world outside the fence?
Why can't I take my fish outside of the tank to play with it?
Where can I buy a jet pack?
How do they know how big the universe is?

As you can see, they are not easy questions and often require us researching on the internet to find the answer. So, I'm learning a lot and for now am just getting use to being woken up in the morning with, "Mommy Lauri, I have a question...."

First Day of First Grade

2008-08-22T18:48:00.000-06:00

Ocean City Boardwalk

2008-07-30T18:58:00.000-06:00

We had fun visiting Holly. Clinton learned to buggie board and loved his first trip to the Beach!

In PA with high school friends

2008-07-20T19:16:00.000-06:00

Clinton's Frog

2008-07-15T19:23:00.000-06:00

Visiting the Heitsman Farm in PA- meeting lots of new relatives for the first time.

Michigan with GCC Friends Kids-

2008-07-09T18:43:00.000-06:00

Jackfruit!

2008-05-01T15:55:00.000-06:00

Clinton loved Jackfruit in Uganda and really was missing it. We found one at an International Market in Denver. It wasn't quite as good as the ones off the tree in Uganda, but he still loved it. It has a very strange- sticky, gummy texture, and tastes like banana laffy taffy.

Adoption Day

2008-04-25T16:01:00.000-06:00

In April we finalized Clinton's adoption. It was a great relief to finally be done- after a year and a half of paperwork, and 3 months of living in Uganda last summer. He's now legally Clinton Bradt- and my son!

Clinton- before his solo at the CHS Banquet

2008-04-15T18:32:00.000-06:00

Growing Fast

2008-02-16T18:48:00.004-07:00

Clinton is getting big- fast. He has gained 7 lb. and grown nearly 3 inches in the last 6 mo. He discovered that if it holds everything he can find in Grandma and Grandpa's bathroom, he weighs even more! Lifting all those heavy things also gives him big muscles.

Clinton is also getting creative with the English language- on the way to school he loves to say, laughing, "I hope we're not Tarter Sauce to school."

Christmas Day at the Cabin

2008-01-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

We loved having everyone together for Christmas. We spent several days together at the cabin- with lots of movies, puzzles, and days in our PJs!

Favorite Present Ever- Keyboard

2007-12-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

Sledding with Annika

2007-12-24T07:15:00.001-07:00

Leah, Tim and Annika are here for Christmas. Clinton has been very excited to have his cousin visit- he seems to have a real sense that she is family. Yesterday they went sledding together at grandma and grandpa's cabin. The anticipation for Christmas is about killing him. This morning (Christmas Eve) he woke up and said, "Mommy Lauri, don't tell me what day it is. Let's pretend it's Sunday and not Monday, because I think I will just want to open my presents so badly."

Learning to Ski

2007-12-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

Clinton learned how to ski in the driveway, and has now been to the mountain twice as well. He loves it and likes to ski really FAST! There is talk of him one day being on the Ugandan Ski Team- we think he is Olympic material.

Grandma is a Good Sport

2007-12-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

Christmas Alive

2007-12-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Clinton and I were part of a live nativity at Christian Heritage School. We were buying and selling goods in the Bethlehem Marketplace. Every car that drove through received a CD that has songs and kids reading the Christmas Story. Clinton now likes to listen to the CD on repeat in our car, really loud, with the windows down, so that everyone can hear it.

Clinton's First Snow

2007-10-15T18:08:00.000-06:00

We were at Grandma and Grandpa's cabin at Steamboat Lake last weekend and they got quite a bit of snow. We spent hours outside- sledding and building a snowman. Clinton loved it!

The Family

2007-10-13T02:25:00.000-06:00

We recently visited Leah, Tim and Annika in Kansas City for a quick weekend. Clinton and Annika quickly became great friends! Here's our new Family Portrait!

First Day of School and New Bicycle

2007-10-13T02:08:00.000-06:00

Fun in the Sprinkler in KC

2007-09-29T19:10:00.002-06:00

Coming to America

2007-09-11T21:57:00.000-06:00

Clinton has been in America now for nearly 3 weeks. We are both adjusting well to lots of changes. After meeting Clinton last June when I was in Uganda working with Come Let's Dance and my friend Shane, I returned this summer to go to court and get legal guardianship of Clinton and bring him to America to finalize the adoption. I ended up spending almost 3 months in Uganda- twice as long as I was expecting to be there. I am glad to be home, and Clinton is constantly learning of a whole new world here in America.

He asked the other day if we always have electricity here, today he asked why I never have to put gas in the car. If you have spent time in Africa you will understand his perplexion- they only put in enough gas to get to where they are going, and then add more later for the way home. They don't want anyone to cyphen out their gas, ask to borrow the car and then use their gas, and something may come up that is more important to spend your last shilling on than gasoline. It is not uncommon for someone to put gas in a car several times a day.

Clinton loves swimming, the hot tub, bath tub, riding his bike, ice cubes, and anything familiar to him- rice and beans and mangoes are at the top of that list. He also loves anything with wheels- his new bike, skate board, and rollerblades. He does not like pizza, meat, or milk. When he grows up he wants to be a Pastor in Uganda, an Ambulance Driver- because they get to drive fast, and a massage therapist. He likes to give massages ($.25 or 400 Shillings) M-F, but they are FREE on the weekends!

Tonight I was reading a book to him before bed about Astronauts going to the moon. He was completely Amazed and kept asking if those people really walked on the moon. I assured him that they had and he finally said, "Mommy Lauri, I think we will go." Those are big dreams!