Baptism

Today Audrey is 18 months old and the day she was baptized at our church, Pilgrim Chapel.

At church in the dress we bought in Guangzhou.

She cheered and clapped after each song.  So the congregation followed her lead... well they just clapped.

And made everyone laugh.

Both of our ministers, Reverend Jameson and Croskery performed the ceremony.  Dick did the actual baptism with water from the River Jordan in Israel.  It was some of the last of the water he brought home from a trip he and Ruth took in the 80's.

At the altar Audrey wanted to be held by myself or John and  then hugging and loudly narrating "HUG". She was not the least bit intimidated  of the extra attention.

Fortunately she was solemn when it counted.  When Dick laid his wet hand on her forehead she focused her attention and was quiet.

She really killed the congregation when she blew a kiss to them right after her baptism.

In this next picture you can see the jade necklace we bought for her in China. 

She was just so genuinely happy. 

Our church is small and attendance is even sparser in summer.  So Molly and Charlie M. were the only other 2 kids at church this Sunday..  In the picture above Molly and Audrey are just about to hug.  Right after this Audrey fell and hit her head pretty hard.  It scared her and was really the only trauma that day fortunately.

Lunch.

Pictures outside before Audrey and I walked home so she could take a nap.  Baba stayed to clean up.

Dick and Audrey.  At this point she was about an hour past her normal nap so she was getting tired. 

With sweet Auntie Paula.   Throughout the service today Audrey would randomly and loudly call out Paula'a name.

Our ministers did such a beatuful baptism for Miss Audrey.  This included the following insert in the church bulliten:

Audrey Lu He's arrival as a member of the Nuckels family was long anticipated!  Her parents, John and Roberta (Bertie) Wininger Nuckels were married in Pilgrim Chapel in 2002.  John and Bertie waited 4 1/2  years for the China Center for Adoption Affaris to notify them that they could come to China for Audrey.  The received pictures and information about Zhuang Lu ("road") He ("celebration") on September 29, 2010.  She was 7 months old.  John and Bertie traveed to China the first week in December.  Audrey officially became a family member December 5.  She was made an American Citizen upon her arrival December 16, when her plane landed at O'Hare airport in Chicago.

Audrey's traditional white dress was one of the dresses bought for her in Guangzhou (formerly Canton), China.  She is wearig a jade necklace from Guangzhou.  In China, jade is more special than pearls or diamonds.  Many Chinese men and women wear jade necklaces with which to display their Zodiak signs.  Audrey last wore this jade necklace when she was blessed by a monk at the Six Banyan Buddhist Temple, december 12.  Today, Audrey is exactly 18 months old.

By way of background, China instituted a "one child per family" policy in 1979.  Since 1989 150,000 children born in China have been adopted by parents in other countries.  Some 80,000 are now Americans.  these young Americans live throughout the country, with all 50 states represented.

Applications to adopt are reviewed by the Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA), CCAA is a branch of the Ministry of Civil Affairs which oversees all orphanages within China.  Both domestic and internation adoption orphanages provide documentation on children to CCAA.  Before coming to the USA, Audrey  resided in Yifeng SWI in Jiangxi Province in Southeast China.  *

This year at the Sundance Festival, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN a documentary film about 4 American teenagers who had been adopted from China won a Hot Docs award.

*  Some of the information I provided re: CCAA got miscommunicated as CCAA handles only international adoptions not domestic too. 


I walked Audrey home (in the stroller or as she calls it the "wee") after lunch.  Fortunately she did not fall asleep on the 6 block walk home as there was a hummingbird in our front garden and I was able to point it out to her.  I mentioned seeing this to John and Paula later and just as we were talking about another female hummingbird we all saw another female hummingbird on the back deck hovering around the planter.  This prompted us, just for giggles to look online for any meanings.  Some of the references we found for hummingbird meanings were : "timeless joy", "teach how to find miracle of joyful living" and "stands for immortality".

After her nap Paula, Audrey and I went to the Art Museum.  Paula bought this little book called What is Mona Lisa Feeling for Audrey.  On the walk home we noticed what looked like a bug bite on her left hand and that it was quite swollen.

Once again Paula found a way to keep A occupied (she is washing her magnetic letters in the bowl) while Paula held an ice cube on her left hand.

After dinner we tried to make a handprint on this canvas frame to commemorate the day. It was comical how much we failed and also how Audrey put up with our many attempts to get a decent print. 

Another failure.  Fortunately the paint washed out easily.

Then we decided hand prints just weren't going to work so we decided to try feet.  This picture shows our first failure.

 More failures.

And finally the one we kept.  Hopefully by the next milestone we will improve.

Email we rec'd Saturday 8/13/11 from Reverend Croskery:

I have a certificate attesting to Audrey's baptism.  I'll bring it Sunday.

Audrey was just wonderful.  So many children her age are frightened by such an event and demonstrate their fears.  Audrey "played to the house."  EVERYONE was captivated.  And this added an element of joy to the sacred ceremony.

Look forward to seeing you.

Bob

Pool, Mr. E's storytime, Zoo, Paul McCartney concert and preparing for Sunday baptism

Monday we went to the pool.  Which based on how it was felt more like sitting in a hot bath.

Tuesday we went to Mr. Eric's story time at Clifton Library.

Audrey is interacting more with kids. 

I was shocked that this hat no longer fits.  She adored this hat, probably for all the attention she got for wearing it.  It was a gift from some dear friends and one of the items we will preserve for sentimental reasons.

Thursday morning we went to the Zoo.  In this picture we are looking at the giraffes.

Miss Audrey has recently been pointing out the blue sky and white clouds to me.

Taking a juice break at the zoo's main restaurant. 

Watching the kids on the playground in the Children's Zoo.  She is not cray about walking on the chips in this play area.  Observing first seems to be her nature too.

Petting the goats was not the least bit intimidating though.

Thursday evening Chelsea babysat Audrey.  John, myself, Paula and her daughter Jen went to the Paul McCartney concert at Great America Ball Park.   The Monk Mobile ran a free shuttle from Mt Adams to the stadium.  Although it was very crowded we got a ride down.  However we walked home as the concert went long and we did not make it on to the first shuttle.

It was a sold out concert... 41,500.  Also GABP had never put on a show like this before so there was some question on how they could pull it off.  The reviews were good.

Paula and Jen.

He wore the Reds jacket for a few songs.  Paul McCartney played for 3 hours including 2 encores and no break.   And he is 69 years old. Some of the highlights for me were:  

When he sang Maybe I'm Amazed and the photo on the big screen was the one below:

In the concert they started showing just his face then slowly panning down to his daughter Mary's face peeping out of his jacket and then down to his other daughter Heather standing next to him. 
             Also great was a song Here Today he wrote about an imagined conversation with he and John Lennon.  And then also Something  which he played as a tribute to George Harrison on a ukulele given to him by George.  We did not get home until midnight but so worth it!
Below are random pictures from Friday that I just thought were cute.  It is harder for me to get a decent picture anymore as she always wants my camera.

Saturday the flowers for the baptism at Pilgrim Sunday were delivered.

Saturday I also picked up the catered lunch from Servati's that we served after the Sunday service.

I was lucky it fit in the church refrigerator.  Particularly the "porcupine' fruit tray.

Busy and fun week ... at least that is the plan

This morning after we ran a few errands (depositing rent checks and Lowe's for rental repairs) we went to Story time at Joseph Beth.  Audrey was mostly interested in playing and climbing the seats.

Not a great picture but if you look closely next to her ear is a teeny tiny barrette she wore.  It doesn't look great because she messed with it but at least she wore them.  I'm hopeful for her baptism Sunday.

This is the dress she will finally wear.  When we bought this for her in Guangzhou it was ankle length.  Now it is nearly knee length.

I found out today that this hat no longer fits her.  I was actually quite stunned when I put it on her head as we were heading to the pool.  Next week I am taking her to her 18 month check up which should be interesting.

John left this morning for an inspection in New Orleans.  Oddly enough Audrey said "bye bye" to him this morning as if he left every morning.  Which he does not as he works from home and she is used to seeing him during the day and at every meal.  I'm guessing she will be confused tomorrow at breakfast.

John gets back Thursday which is when we have tickets to see Paul McCartney play at the Reds stadium.  Dinner first with friends that are also going to the concert.  Friday is Immaculata's Festival and Mt Adams Music Festival.  I'm thinking Miss A will like Immaculata's Festival but the other one may be too late for her.  Saturday our neighbors are hosting a cocktail party so we have 2 babysitters this week, a first.  Then Sunday is Audrey's baptism.  I ordered the catered lunch from Silverglades this morning.  I also ordered an Asian themed floral arrangement from her grandparents for the altar. 

Children's Museum, Mr. Eric's Storytime and Songs, Stroller Safari

Audrey and I went to the Children's Museum Monday as it was a very hot and humid day.  The Waterworks section is probably her favorite area.  I tried to put one of their waterproof aprons on her but they are still too big  and she doesn't seem to mind getting wet.

This picture reminded me of a comment Steve Beverage, who works at Crowley's, made about A when he first met her.  Steve said ... "that just looks expensive, like red convertible expensive".   Steve is a hoot and I just love his name.

She and I had a lot more fun playing their steel drums now that I realized we could move them to the floor.  

 On our way to Clifton Library for Mr Eric's Story Time & Songs.  This is our routine every Tuesday morning.  He is such great entertainment that I will adjust our schedule to make sure we can go to his class.  Audrey now walks up to get a high 5 from Mr Eric at the end and this makes her very happy.

Friday Audrey, Paula and I went to Stroller Safari at the Zoo.  This class was The Sounds Around.  This picture is of our teacher Evan who brought this rooster and a hissing cockroach.  She let the kids touch both.  Miss A also got to touch 2 snakes later when we were walking around the Zoo.  I was glad I did not project my lack of enthusiasm for touching these animals myself as she did not hesitate to touch them.

Paula and I were both amused by how participatory and outgoing Audrey was in class.  When asked what sounds different animals made she was the only kid to answer.  When Evan asked the kids if they knew the name of the hissing cockroach that she brought to class Audrey was the only to guess.  She guessed turtle.

The elephants were inside and we got to see them eating hay which the kids generally found interesting.

Saturday morning we went to a memorial for Jim Simmons, a dear friend and church member, who died this past Wednesday at the age of 83.  Jim was a wonderful man who "never met a stranger."   I unfortunately did not get to stay the whole service as A wanted to loudly announce words and people she knew.  When we went downstairs she then quietly observed the kids.  Go figure.

 At the luncheon after the service we met Jim's granddaughter Jenna who is almost 16 years old and also adopted at 10 months from southeast China.  We also discussed timing for Audrey's baptism with both of our ministers.  It will be Sunday August 7th which happens to be Miss A's 18th month b-day! Both Dick and Bob will be in town and will officiate.  We will probably host a luncheon afterwards at the church.  Fortunately she has not outgrown the white silk dress we bought her in China.  However if she continues growing at the same rate in the past 6 months it probably be knee length instead of ankle. 

Tonight John, Paula, Audrey and I are going to Mecklenburg's for dinner and the 15th Anniversary of their restaurant opening.  Also Paula's condo is now ready and she is moving out tomorrow.  Oh, we are going to miss her and this will be especially tough for Audrey who is completely in the dark about this change.