Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

Moo Shu Beef

Ingredients:

1/2 pound deli roast beef, cut 1/8 inch thick

1 tablespoon dry sherry

3 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided

2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup cold water

1/4 cup beef broth

3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded carrots

1 can (8 ounces) sliced bamboo shoots, drained and cut into thin strips

3 green onions with tops, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Hoisin or plum sauce

8 flour tortillas (7 to 8 inches), warmed

 

Cooking Instructions:

 

Step 1. Cut beef into thin strips. Combine sherry, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ginger, garlic and sugar in large bowl; stir until smooth. Add beef and toss to coat. Marinate 10 minutes.

Step 2. Stir water, broth and remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce into remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch in cup until smooth; set aside.

Step 3. Heat wok over high heat about 1 minute or until hot. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil into wok and heat 30 seconds. Pour egg into wok; tilt to coat bottom. Scramble egg, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Remove from wok.

Step 4. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to wok and heat 30 seconds. Add carrots; stir-fry 1 minute. Add beef mixture, bamboo shoots and green onions; stir-fry 1 minute. Stir broth mixture until smooth; add to wok. Cook and stir 1 minute or until sauce boils and thickens. Cook 1 minute more. Stir in egg.

Step 5. Spread equal amount of hoisin sauce on each tortilla. Spoon beef mixture over sauce. Fold bottom of tortilla up over filling, then fold sides over filling. Transfer to serving plate.

 

(I found this yummy recipe on-line at TLC Cooking.)

Inspiration

There has not been much talk about Twink and her progress or lack of progress in sometime on the blog. Basically there was really not much to blog about. She had been holding steady at the level she was at until recently.


If you've been following Twinks story for sometime hang in here with me for a few minutes as I recap a bit. During the summer Twink transitioned out of EI (Early Intervention) and into our local school district. They have been wonderful so far. Twink started an inclusion preschool this past summer. During that time it was more of a transition time. We really did not see much growth and I was frustrated. In September she started back to the same school, different class, and few of the same therapists. She receives ST 4x a week, OT 3x a week and PT 3x a week. We are now seeing amazing results!

Twink receiving speech therapy 4x a week is definitely helping. She is really starting to talk! Whenever we have to do something that requires us to hold her (brush her teeth, wash her face) she will tell us to "let go". This does not happen once, she will tell us this over and over until we let her go. LOL She tells us when she wants to eat and when she is hungry. She says her name all . the. time. She tattles on SPITFIRE by name and tells her to "go". ;) On Halloween I gave her a piece of candy and she walked over to Daddy and said "I got candy". I asked him if he had heard what I heard and he said yes. I often wonder if I hear words coming from her that are just something I want to hear. So if someone else is around I'll often double check if they heard the same thing. They always hear the same word or phrase. We asked Twink to repeat the sentence and she came out with jumbled words. I did give her another package of smarties and she repeated the sentence "I got candy"! I must say it brought tears to my eyes. There are times when she just busts out with a new word or a sentence. She amazes us.

School asked me to stop in yesterday as her new brace for her arm came in and they wanted to show me how to put it on. Unfortunately the lady that brought the brace in came earlier than expected but luckily it is much like her old one so I already know how to place it on her. When I arrived at school Twink was working at a table with her brace on. I was afraid she would not be able to use her right hand as well as she did previously. The brace is to help keep her hand open and in the correct position. We do not want her hand to contract in a closed position. Twink is still able to take the tops off makers with this brace on. She holds the maker in her right hand (affected) and will pull the top off with her left hand. She never even used to use the right hand. Oh and did I tell you Twink was writing her name with those markers?!?! She can't make the A yet but she can make the LI. Short names people, short names! LOL :) She loves to do anything with arts and crafts.

I was also able to talk with her PT. She would like me to talk with our developmental doctor next month but she thinks it would be a good idea for Twink to be fitted with a brace for her right leg. I've questioned her leg for many months (over a year) but they always wanted to hold off. Actually the dev. doc did have a PT in her office that wanted to see how Twink was doing at her next appointment way back when but she ended up quitting. We will see how things go next month after our visit with her doctor.

To think about all Twink has been through and all she still has to go through is mind boggling. We are her family and we will do everything humanly possible to help her through whatever struggles she faces. She is our inspiration.

Our daughter WILL talk clearly one day! The odds were against her and she is beating them everyday!

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

Southwestern Chicken 

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. oil
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts cube (1 lb.)
2 cups of water
1 cup salsa, thick 'n chunky
1 pkg. (10oz.) frozen corn
2 cups brown rice, uncooked
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Cooking Instructions:

Step :1 Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add Chicken; cover. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through (170*F).
Step 2: Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. Add water, salsa, and corn to skillet; mix well. Bring to a boil.
Step 3: Stir in rice. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 5 minutes. Top rice mixture with chicken; sprinkle with cheese. Cover; simmer an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

(Makes 4 servings)

Communication

Many could say our communication with Twink is a struggle. We do rather well most days. We've actually been complimented on how well we can read her and understand her wants and needs.

There is one area that is extremely hard. We had a video done for Twinks adoption journey. She will watch it with no problems until the moment her orphanage director takes her from her Foster Father's arms and places her in mine. She actually will hide her head in my chest and cry the minute she sees the director turn around with her. I picked up on it the very first time she watched it with us. She even had a hard time sleeping the next couple of nights after viewing the video. The second time she watched it, it happened again. The same exact response. We put the video away for awhile.

A couple weeks ago The Count and I were watching it and didn't even think about her reaction but sure enough she turned and clung to me. She sobbed. It amazes me that a child not even two (almost) can remember almost two years later. What makes us sad is she can not express what it is that makes her so upset. We can only guess. So we reassure her that she is safe with us and that day, December 10th was a very hard day for her. We pray one day that she will be able to tell us in her own words, what it is excactly that makes her so sad about that part of the video. She did watch it just a couple of days ago without turning away but did cry for a few minutes after viewing it. It will be awhile before we watch it again.

twink is proof that children can remember into their past and it still makes her sad.

Tasty Tuesday

Sorry about skipping last week but there was so much excitement from receiving LOA that I totally forgot!

General Tso's Chicken
 
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 dried red chilis
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
3 cups peanut oil for deep-frying
2 cups cornstarch
1 big pinch white sesame seeds, for garnish
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Marinade:
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 egg yolk

Sauce:
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons chicken stock or water

Cooking Instructions:


Step :1 Mix ingredients for marinade. Slice chicken into 1-inch cubes and add to marinade mixture. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2: Mix ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
Drip excess marinade off the chicken, and toss cubes in the 1 cup cornstarch. Shake off excess cornstarch before frying. Add about 2 inches of peanut oil to your wok. Heat wok until just smoking, then add the first batch of chicken cubes and deep-fry until cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove chicken with a metal slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Step 3: Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil. (You can pour the oil into a heatproof container and save for later use.) Reheat wok over medium-heat heat. Add dried chilis, garlic, and ginger to wok and stir-fry until chilis begin to blacken and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sauce mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Return chicken to wok and stir well to coat with sauce. Transfer chicken to serving dish.

Step 4: Sprinkle with white sesame and scallions. Serve with white rice and vegetables.

(Makes 4-5 servings)

Our Kera

I took a billion this picture yesterday of Spitfire. It is beautiful in color but I loved it even more when I turned it black and white! The lighting was perfect and she was more than willing to participate. Well there was a cookie incentive thrown in there! ;) Now if only Twink would sit still long enough.

No Dec. Travel

Most information on Bebo and his adoption will be on his blog until we arrive home. Then we will switch over to this blog, our family blog. 

 It is very unlikely we will travel in December. Actually our tentative travel date is late January per our agency. They have stated the current trend for Hague families to receive their TA's are 9-11 wks. Someone asked if we traveled in December when we traveled for Twink, that would be correct! We left the States Dec. 6th and returned from China Dec. 19th. We made it back for her 2nd birthday - January 15th. Unfortunately we will not make it to China in time for Bebos 7th birthday which will be January 1st. :(
 
God's timing is perfect, so we wait and praise Him for his blessings even if we do not see them in our timing.

LOA is Here!!

WooHoo, 63 days after CCAA logged us into their system they have officially approved us to be the parents of Bebo in the Chongqing SWI! He has a repaired cleft palate (not a lip, a palate) and is deaf. We have been very busy learning sign language the past couple of months and are so excited!

We have a separate blog going right now for him.

Booked Weekends!

In a blink of an eye it seems as though our weekends for November have quickly filled with activities. Well I should say the kids and mine as The Count is finishing his last semester of his masters program! PTL!!!! It is actually a good thing as it will make this wait for Bebo go much faster and their are a few fun activities for the kids. Not to mention I am able to sneak away a couple of Saturdays for a couple of hours.

As you can see in the above pictures we went trick or treating without Jewel this year. She actually went with a few of her friends. I have no pictures of her in her costume though. Do you see a miracle in the above picture? Twink with her hat on and NO tears?!?! Yes, she actually wore the hood to her costume without any tears or screams. Big improvement from last year! She did not want Dash's arm around her so she took two steps away from him. Spitfire was not happy everyone kept calling her a bunny as she was a kitty. I think we'll hold onto the kitty costume for Twink and pass on the butterfly one.

Spitfire finished her last soccer game this past weekend. Let's say the weather was less than perfect. Wind, rain and we wonder why these kids are so sick. They ended up cutting the game short but not before our girl scored another goal! WooHoo! As you can see she received not one medal but TWO! Her coach did not realize the league handed out medals so he also bought them. The ones he bought though he had the childrens names and jersey numbers engraved on the back making the medal even more special. She is excited for the spring season to start already! She has a bit of a wait ahead.

Twink was sick last week. I had to go pick her up from school early on Wednesday as she was running a temp. We ended up keeping her home the rest of the week. She is doing much better. Actually all the kids are feeling better and I'm praying that it stays that way. I hope all of you are staying healthy.