JOURNEY TO ZACH AND LUKE

FOURTH THANKSGIVING 2011

2011-11-24T02:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Remembering God's glory and power. Times and cultures change, but God is always majestically present as defender and provider. We have much to be thankful for but let us start by giving thanks to our Lord Jesus.

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17

"Father to the fatherless and protector of the widows is God-He places the lonely in families." Psalm 68:5-6

"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." Psalm 82:3

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you and will be in you." John 14:18

THIRD FAMILY DAY NOVEMBER 4TH, 2011 "GOD CONTINUES TO BLESS US"

2011-11-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our 3rd year together on a Saturday night prior to the 4th of November because Ken and Tina (Mom and Dad) were going to be in Carlsbad with Clayton for teacher conferences. All six of us were together on this night and we celebrated by going out to eat Japanese food at Cho Cho San's here in Thousand Oaks. We have more than a house, we have a home. The dogs are celebrating their 1st anniversary with us so it was a true "Family Day" for everyone!

CHINESE FAMILY TREE

2011-11-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

CONTACT INFORMATION:

YOUR CHINESE NAMES:

Ding Yuliang born 5/19/1999 (Luke Liang Mosbey)
Ding Yuxiang (Zach Xiang Mosbey)

Zach was born 3/26/1995 on the Chinese Official Documents. We legally changed your DOB to be 8/19/1997 after arriving home to the USA

BUDDHIST UNCLE: NAMED ZUO BA JIAN CUO

In Chinese (青海省民和县满坪镇本康滩寺。左巴尖措。邮编810805.)
He is a Tibetan Buddhist Monk

His address is:
Benkangtan Temple .

Manping Town, Minhe county, Qinghai province (810805)

China

Phone: 0118613848664499 Call last day of month at 7 to 8 PM

email: zuobajiancuo@163.com

PATERNAL GRAND PARENTS:

Paternal Grandfather: Ding Caiwang born 6/6/1940 with ID # 632122400606651
Paternal Grandmother: Ding Fuyin born 9/1/1945 with ID # 632122450901654
Home address:
No. 70 the 2nd Community
Shanzhuang Village,
Manping Township, Minhe County, Qinghai Province
China

Phone: 011 861 5111759535

PATERNAL UNCLE AND HIS WIFE:

Uncle: Ding Shanlin born 3/27/1965 with ID # 632122650327651
Uncle Wife: Wang Zhaoxionglian born 4/18/1967
Home address:
No. 73 the 2nd Community
Shanzhuang Village,
Manping Township, Minhe County, Qinghai Province
China

MATERNAL GRAND PARENTS:

Maternal Grandfather: Chen Wanying (deceased 12/1995)
Maternal Grandmother: Wang Yinggui born 6/8/1940 with ID# 632122400608652
Home address:
No. 34 the 2nd Community
Shanzhuang Village,
Manping Township, Minhe County, Qinghai Province
China

CHINESE BIRTH PARENTS:

WE HAVE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHINESE BIRTH PARENTS OTHER THAN THEIR NAMES:
Father: Ding Shancheng
Mother: Chen Shiyuemei
A married couple who were the villagers from the 2nd Community, Shanzhuang Administrative Village, Manping Township, Minhe County, Qinghai Province.
"They were unfortunately washed away in a flood at the same time on 7/2/2001 while they were picking the Chinese herbs in Sulu Village, Zaduo County, Yushu State, Qinghai Province. Their bodies have not been found yet up to now."

English Teacher and Tutor:

May in Chifeng,

Ni Mei Chun
Home address:
Environment Family Member

Building 121

Chifeng (024000) Inner Mongolia

China.

My home phone number : 0476-8215116
Cell: 011 86 1 370 4769 467
email: 799667291@163.com

May's School Address where she works:

Mei Chun Nir
Foreign Language Group/Tenth Middle School

ChiFeng City, NeiMengGur

P.R. China 024000

Children's Welfare Institute of Chifeng:

LEGAL SIGNATURES RELEASING ZACH AND LUKE TO A FOREIGN ADOPTION:
Yu Suying, Legal Representative of Children's Welfare Institute

"The children were brought to this CWI on 3/24/2005 and has been living there ever since."

We agree voluntarily that the Children's Welfare Institute of Chifeng City conducts inter-country adoption for Ding Yuling and Ding Yuxiang who were placed with the CWI.

Ding Caiwang (paternal grandfather) 11/2/2005

Ding Fuyin (paternal grandmother) 11/2/2005

Ding Shanlin (paternal uncle) 11/16/2005

Wang Zhaoxionglian (paternal uncle wife) 11/16/2005

Wang Yinggui (maternal grandmother) 11/21/2005

MISSOURI FAMILY TREE

2011-11-04T17:23:00.000-07:00

(1) (2) Your Paternal Grand Father, Kenneth Gene Mosbey, Sr. b. 6/30/1931 d. 6/23/2007
(3) Your Paternal Grand Father and Grand Mother, Betty June Jackson Mosbey b. 12/18/1933

(4) Your Paternal Grand Mother and Aunt Jackie Mosbey Bryant b. 2/16/1950

OHIO FAMILY TREE

2011-11-04T16:50:00.000-07:00

SOME OF YOUR OHIO RELATIVES

(1) (2) Your Great Aunt Verneta (Nedie) Howell Dunn. Paternal Great Grandmother Brisker's sister b. 4/15/1926
(3) Your Paternal Grandfather Roger Wayne Howell (Mom's father) b. 12/31/1931 d. 8/25/1991
(4) Your Uncle Michael (Mike) Wayne Howell, Mom's half brother through father b. 6/23/1960
(5) Your Uncle Tony Lee Howell, Mom's half brother through father b. 5/28/1967
(6) Your Maternal Great Grandfather Floyd Clayton Hougland b. 8/6/1905 d. 3/10/1980
(7) Your Maternal Great Grandmother Lucy Mae Suthers Hougland b. 5/21/1909 d. 11/11/1970
(8) Your Maternal Grandmother Winona June Hougland Howell Cook b. 10/15/1932 d. 3/31/1996
(9) Your Aunt Amber Howell Moore, Mom's sister b. 8/8/1954
(10) Your Cousin Rob Ratliff b. 10/29/1973 and his daughters (your cousins) Haley b. 11/10/1996 and Jordan Ratliff b. 3/22/2001. Robby is Aunt Amber's oldest son.
(11) (12) Your Great Aunt Nancy Sue (Susie) Hougland. Grandmother Cook's sister b. 10/18/1937
(13) Your Cousins: Mary Ann Harris, Jon Harris, and Andy Harris. Mary Ann's father (John Hougland) was a brother to Floyd Clayton Hougland (your Great Grandfather)

FOURTH HALLOWEEN 2011

2011-10-31T23:20:00.000-07:00

HALLOWEEN 2011:
Zach went as a football referee and Luke went as a Los Angeles Sheriff. They boys love getting dressed up and going to school. Luke invited Ryan Bishop to come for Trick or Treating again this year. Zach invited his friend, Leo Alves and another friend for the fun in the neighborhood. Although Halloween fell on a Monday and a school night, the boys still made the best of the evening. Boo!!!

GROWING THINGS

2011-10-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

Zach in his garden! He is growing tomatoes, zucchini, beans, cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, and peppers. This garden was planted late August 2011 and Zach is showing us his cucumbers and peppers on October 13, 2011. He really knows what he is doing in the garden!

Zach is a real guy now, he shaved for the first time on June 5, 2009! Yikes!!!

ZACH

Date Height Weight in pounds

3/24/05 (CWI, China) 3’ 11 1/2” 53

10/31/07 (GZ, China) 4’ 4” 68.5

11/7/08 (USA) 4’ 6 3/4” 71

2/17/09 4’ 8” 74

8/31/09 4’ 9 1/2” 83

2/25/10 4’ 11 1/2” 90

8/15/10 5’ 1 1/4” 96.5

4/2/11 5’ 2 1/2” 104.5

11/4/11 5’ 3” 109.2

LUKE

Date Height Weight in pounds

3/24/05 (CWI, China)         3’ 9”                       44.1

10/31/07 (GZ, China)       4’ 3 1/2”       64

11/7/08 (USA)   4’ 4 3/4”             68

2/17/09             4’ 5 3/4”              74

8/31/09          4’ 6 3/4”             77

2/25/10              4’ 7 1/2”           78

4/2/11              4’ 10”                     85.5

11/4/11        4’ 11 1/2”               97.4

KUMON AND TRAVEL TO LEARN ENGLISH AND HISTORY

2011-09-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

After successfully completing Rosetta Stone for American English, and getting help with the English Language Learners (ELL) at school, Zach and Luke do Kumon twice a week to improve their English and Math skills. In the Summer of 2009, they attended the Westlake Village Sylvan Learning Center but everyone felt that this program was not a good fit for our family. We have all seem improvement at a steady pace through Kumon.

I love to travel and visit museums. In order for the boys to learn about the USA and spend intimate time together, we traveled to 15 states and the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) In addition, the trip to Israel was full of culture and history. It is safe to say that they have traveled more in the three years that they have lived in the USA than most of their classmates who were born and lived here their entire life! Here are the states in order that they were visited:

California
Hawaii
Arizona
New Mexico
Texas
Nevada
Utah
Ohio
Washington D.C.
Oregon
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
Israel

ISRAEL

2011-08-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACH #14

2011-08-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

SUGAR RAY LEONARD

2011-07-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

NPC MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER:

Sugar Ray Leonard was born May 17, 1956. Luke (May 19th) and Sugar Ray's birthdays are very close. Sugar Ray is an American retired professional boxer fighting in five weight divisions. He was named after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles. He stands 5 ft. 10 inches. His boxing record has 40 fights, 36 were wins, and wins by knock out were 25. He only had 3 losses and 1 draw.

SOUTH CAROLINA

2011-06-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

SOUTH CAROLINA: SMILING FACES. BEAUTIFUL PLACES

Ken and Tina celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary with a jet boat ride. We met Chaplain Doffin and his wife Nancy for a lunch afterwards. We looked like drowned rats from the boat spray. Chaplain Doffin married Ken and Tina 32 years ago today! He married us in a Naval Chapel in Lemoore, CA on 6/23/1979. It was a treasure sharing the day with him and thanking him for what he united. We happily shared with him the by products of that marraige, Morgan, Clayton, Zach, and Luke. He gave us a private tour of Charleston and showed us a congregation that was founded in 1682.

Lake Murray Fun!!! Ken's childhood friend Gary Shire, retired in Chapin, SC and we visited him and his wife Gabriela. They took us on their boat on Lake Murray. Lake Murray is a big wide open lake with a purple martin roosting place on "Bomb Island." The birds swarm at sunset and it was magical to witness. Zach went fishing for the first time and caught a giant fish!

Nicki Halley is the governor of South Carolina and we had an opportunity to say hello while touring the State Capital.

GEORGIA

2011-06-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

OREGON

2011-06-13T22:33:00.000-07:00

We drove to Oregon to meet Aunt Jackie (Dad's older and only sister) and Uncle Dan. We stayed in their charming home with them. Cousins Isaac and Jared (Bubba) both live with Aunt Jackie so it was fun meeting them. While we were in Oregon, Uncle Dan drove us all around and showed us what Oregon looked like. We toured the Tillamook cheese factory and Aunt Jackie bought us all ice cream while we were there. We had lunch at a lodge where they filmed one of the popular "Twilight" movies. It was so fun for Cousin Isaac to show us his gun collection, hearing about hunting, and learning about the skins and antlers of the animals.

SAN FRANCISCO

2011-06-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

As soon as Colina Middle School was out for the summer, we traveled north to meet Aunt Jackie. We spent the night in San Francisco to see the sights and meet our cousins who live in the area. We drove down Lombard street, the crookedest street in the world they claim! Cousin Caleb and his wife Shannon was nice and we walked through Chinatown, went to a fortune cookie factory that gave us free samples, rode the cable cars, and had dinner on Fisherman's Wharf. After returning to our hotel, Cousin Aaron came for a short visit with his girlfriend that he worked with at Pet Co. Cousin Aaron told us he was the manager of the reptile department and was responsible for feeding the pets under his care. The next morning we visited the Golden Gate Bridge and headed further up the beautiful California coast.

LUKE'S 12th BIRTHDAY 2011

2011-05-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

LUKE HAS A SPECIAL DAY!

Dinner at Cho Cho Shan's for Luke's #12 Birthday. They let him wear a Japanese kimono and wig. We all sang Happy Birthday with the candle they presented to him. His present was adult sized golf clubs as he had outgrown the child clubs he received from Santa in 2008.

JUST 12 SHORT YEARS AGO IN 1999:

The worlds population exceeds Six Billion. The Wars in the Balkans continue to cause suffering in the region, but both sides do come to the table and a peace is agreed. The world prepares for the new millennium parties and computers around the world run testing for the millennium bug which could cause wide scale disruption to business and infrastructure if not fixed. The take up of the Internet and Mobile Phones around the world open up new opportunities for successful entrepreneurs.

THIRD CHRISTMAS 2010

2010-12-25T21:09:00.000-08:00

TARGET PRACTICE

2010-11-27T16:36:00.000-08:00

THIRD THANKSGIVING 2010

2010-11-25T22:24:00.000-08:00

LUKE AT COLINA MIDDLE SCHOOL

2010-11-22T18:40:00.000-08:00

Luke in the band in 7th grade. Luke at the annual Turkey Trot in 2010 with his team of 6th Graders.

ZACH AT COLINA MIDDLE SCHOOL

2010-11-22T18:31:00.000-08:00

October 13, 2011 Zach in band with his 8th grade friends

November 22, 2010 Turkey Trot 7th Grade. Zach finished in 5th place for all of 7th grade boys! The TEAM Zach was on finished in 1st place for ALL 7th grade boy teams. Way to go Zach!!!

August 30th, 2009 Zach gets ready for 6th grade at Colina Middle School!

February 3rd, 2010 Zach gets student of the month in 6th grade! Zach is shown with Mrs. Kern and also with Mr. Shane Frank, Principal.

May 26th, 2010 Zach received a Certificate of Achivement for his English Language Success.

FAMILY DAY NOVEMBER 4TH, 2010 ANNIVERSARY #2 HAS WENT TO THE DOGS!!!

2010-11-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

NOVEMBER 4TH, 2010, OUR 2ND ANNUAL FAMILY DAY

WE ARE YOUR FOREVER FAMILY

OUR DOGS: LEXI AND GRACIE AND HOW THEY JOINED OUR FAMILY

Lexi (tan color) was our first adopted dog, she came home with us on 10/28/2010. Lexi is a Chihuahua mix possible with a terrier due to her long legs. Chihuahua is named after a state in Mexico. She came spade and with all shots.

Gracie (gray color) was adopted a few days later, she came home with us on 11/3/2010. Gracie is a Shih Tzu mix possibly with a Schnauzer due to her hair texture. Shih Tzu dogs originated in China and is among the earliest breeds of dogs.

The dogs were gift for the Second Anniversary of "Mosbey Family Day." Since we don't know their actual birthday's, we chose November 4th since this was the day Zach and Luke came home to their American home and a day very close to when we brought Lexi and Gracie home to their Thousand Oaks home from the Dog Shelter. Thus "Mosbey Family Day" now would include Lexi and Gracie as well!

Both dogs came from:

Ventura County Animal Services

600 Aviation Drive

Camarillo, CA 93010

805.388.4341

www.vcas.us

THIRD HALLOWEEN 2010

2010-10-31T23:12:00.000-07:00

HALLOWEEN 2010:
The boys went as biker dudes. Going Trick or Treating is a BLAST for them! Luke invited his friend Ryan Bishop to come over and they had a great time.

LUKE AT COLINA MIDDLE SCHOOL

2010-08-31T22:54:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON DC

2010-08-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

ZACH CELEBRATES # 13

2010-08-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

USHERS IN AUNT AMBER'S WEDDING

2010-08-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

OHIO 2010 LONGABERGER

2010-08-03T23:59:00.000-07:00

OHIO: THE HEART OF IT ALL

The Longaberger Company is an American manufacturer of handcrafted maple wood baskets and other products including: pottery, wrought iron, fabric accessories, and specialty foods. It is one of the primary employers in the southeastern Ohio area near Dresden, Ohio. Started in Dresden, the company is now headquartered in Newark, Ohio. A family-owned and operated business, the Longaberger Company was started by Dave Longaberger, and after his death is owned by daughters. We toured here as Tina and cousin Deb Michael have been consultants for this company

HANDLING FEELINGS

2010-07-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

GRIEF CAN BE EXPRESSED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS

After suffering the loss of their parents, their grandparents, the orphanage, and China, the boys had a great deal of feelings to work through. They dealt with it differently. Zach tended to "freeze" and have the "deer in the headlight" look when he became overwhelmed. Luke tended to have outbursts and shame afterwards.

There came a time when Mom and Dad attended weekly group counseling sessions for adoptive parents. Luke had several rage issues resulting in hostile and violent acts. Nothing we tried was working to help calm, comfort, or teach him. We reached out for help with the Ventura County Adoption and Foster Counseling Sessions. The class was called Fostering Attachment. Faith Friedlander, MFT, through therapeutic discussions, gave us some new parental tools to strengthen us for this journey. These counseling sessions helped us understand Luke better and learn that rage is an emotion that can show when a child is undergoing extreme stress, grieving, or being frustrated. There was a jealously component to his outbursts as well. His nervous system was probably overloaded and he needed time to properly adjust. We had great success as he began to trust and accept. As we began to understand Luke more, we began to consider letting him have a dog. He had wanted one since his arrival from China.

The rage incidents were the most frightening and upsetting times we had through the adoption process. Ken had to go get stitches in his hand after trying to unsuccessfully remove knives from Luke's fists. Broken kitchen chairs, dented table, walls, and a computer in need of massive repairs was a result for Luke not getting his food choice selection. A hotel room was destroyed on a vacation to Utah. It was a very scary time for everyone. Zach told us that Luke had anger issues in China and it was not anything new to see him behave this way. This was comforting in a strange way. We were relieved that it wasn't just us that he was lashing out about.

We had sought medical advice for Luke, thinking there may be an underlying condition that had not been previously detected. In the end, we decided more time was needed before we under went extensive medical testing. Time did help and these types of incidents came to a stop. Some of the personal events that occurred are mentioned not to make Luke out to be a bad boy, but to be honest about what went into the adjusting period. It was exhausting for everyone and we are so glad to have this behind us.

UTAH

2010-07-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

We drove to a TPN Conference in Park City, Utah. The Olympic Center gave the boys an opportunity to race on the bob sled and watch some spectacular ski jumps into a pool of water by athletes who train during the summer.

THE PLANNERS NETWORK (TPN) ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS MEETING

We drove to Park City, Utah in July for the annual family shareholder conference. The altitude was so high many people at the conference got high altitude sickness. Activities included a visit to the Olympic Village where we watched skiers do jumps, twirls, and landed in a deep pool. Zach enjoyed the toboggan ride!

NEVADA JUNE 2009 AND JULY 2010

2010-07-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

NEVADA: THE SILVER STATE

JUNE 28TH, 2009 On the Nevada/California border, the Hoover Dam provides electricity for thousands of households. We took the Dam Tour. The Colorado River and Lake Meade are popular recreation areas. Notice the white rock around Lake Meade, this shows the drought and the water level that has dropped, it was previously under the water.

We especially enjoyed the feeding of the Lions at the MGM.

Zach in front of New York New York being the Statute of Liberty.

King Luke and his Excalibur Castle. Zach is another Statue of Liberty. The boys loved to take the roller coaster ride at New York, New York. We saw the Tournament of Kings dinner show at the Excalibur Hotel where we traveled back in time for jousting on horseback and eating with our fingers!

Morgan, Clayton, Zach, and Luke took the elevator to the top of the Paris hotel where they looked out onto the Las Vegas Strip.

We dove in the pool for a refreshing splash.
After renting inner tubes, we floated around the lazy river.

LUKE 5TH GRADE WESTLAKE ELEMENTARY

2010-05-27T22:58:00.000-07:00

March 12, 2010 Luke won the Oratorical Competition with the story of Three Billy Goats Gruff. A story about standing up to a bully, fighting back, and having courage.

May 27th, 2010 Luke's 5th grade Western Dance end of school year activity prior to graduation a few days later.

December 10th 2009 Christmas Concert at Westlake Elementary, Luke is in the 5th grade here playing his trombone. Luke is standing with Mr. Jeff Rickert, Principal and Ms. Janine the Music Director. Luke has attended the Ms. Janine's summer music camps.

June 9th, 2010 Luke's graduation from Westlake Elementary 5th Grade

HAPPY #11 BIRTHDAY LUKE!!!

2010-05-19T01:26:00.000-07:00

COST OF LIVING IN 1999:

Yearly Inflation Rate USA 2.19%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 11,497
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 8.50%
Average Cost of new house $131,750.00
Average Income per year $40,810.00
Average Monthly Rent $645.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.22
Average cost of new car $21,050.00
US Postage Stamp 33 cents
1 LB of Bacon $2.59
Ground Coffee per IB $3.41
Loaf of Bread $1.49
Dozen Eggs 89 cents

SECOND EASTER 2010

2010-04-04T21:17:00.000-07:00

My Dearest Zach and Luke,

This is a bag of jellybeans
Colorful and sweet
It is a prayer
It is a promise
It is everyone’s treat!
Always remember:
Red is for the blood he gave
Green is for the grass he made
Yellow is for the sun so bright
Orange is for the edge of night
Black is for the sins we made
White is for the grace he gave
Purple is for his hours of sorrow
Pink is for our new tomorrow
Thank you for all the time, talent,
and energy you give to teach our children
about the meaning of our faith.
We are all blessed by your passion…..
Here is a little treat from the Easter Bunny.
You are always in our thoughts.
Please know you are loved very much!
Enjoy!!!
Have a Happy Easter!!!

SECOND CHRISTMAS 2009

2009-12-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

Christ Bell

THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3 :20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13 )
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are?

Keep this bell ringing...pass it on
'The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
And give you peace...
Numbers 6:24-26

SOCCER AND END OF THE YEAR PARTY

2009-11-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

FAMILY DAY NOVEMBER 4TH, 2009 ANNIVERSARY #1

2009-11-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

TODAY WE CELEBRATED! We went out for a special dinner at P.F. Chang's to honor the first year we shared as a "family." The food wasn't the same as in China but it was still a happy time together!

SECOND HALLOWEEN 2009

2009-10-31T22:56:00.000-07:00

HALLOWEEN 2009:
The boys dressed like criminals. Luke went as Zoro to the 5th grade Westlake Elementary school event. Zach is in 6th grade at Colina Middle School and is more reserved not knowing how the older kids dress for Halloween in middle school. Zach is enthusiastic to dress up at home, but gets shy when it comes to going to school.

12 MONTH POST PLACEMENT REPORT ZACH

2009-10-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

Angels' Haven Outreach

Since 1986 37365 Wakefield Street, Indio, CA 92203 ~ (661) 259-2943 ~ fax (661) 799-3318

P.O. Box 53 Monkton, VT 05469 ~ (802) 453-5450 ~ fax (802) 453-5450

TWELVE-MONTH POST PLACEMENT SUPERVISION REPORT

October 17, 2009

Child’s birth name: Ding Yu Xiang

Child’s current name: Zach Xiang Mosbey

Date of Birth: China date of birth: March 26, 1995. Proposed age change of August 15th, 1997 from medical evaluations received in the USA was granted in the Superior Court of California on June 05, 2009.

PLACEMENT HISTORY:

Date of Arrival in China: October 24, 2008

Notice of Travel Number: (2008) MG-2838-11-0038

Date of Adoption: October 28, 2008

Place of Adoption: Hohhot, Province of Inner Mongolia, China

Welfare Institution of Adopted Child: Chifeng Child Welfare Institute

Date of Arrival in USA: November 04, 2008

Placement Agency: America World Adoption Association

Health Status of Child at time of Adoption: Healthy

Date of Post Placement Visit #1: April 04, 2009

Date of Post Placement Visit #2: October 17, 2009

Date of Court Validation: The child was re-adopted on June 5, 2009 through the Superior Court of California, Ventura Branch, to generate a California Birth Certificate.

Citizenship: USA – November 04, 2008 (No. A2564275)

Child’s Status of Naturalization: The child became a US Citizen upon entry to the US on November 4, 2008 under the Citizenship Act of 2000.

Social Security Number: XXX-XX-1174

Adoptive Parents:

Father, Kenneth Mosbey’s Profession: Financial Planner

Address of Employer: 2992 Morvale Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91361

Mother, Tina Mosbey’s Profession: Financial Planner / Homemaker

Family Address: 2992 Morvale Drive Thousand Oaks, California 91361

Family Telephone: (805) 371-8462 E-MAIL: tinamosbey@gmail.com

Health status of the child: Healthy

POST PLACEMENT CONTACT:

Zach Xiang Mosbey and his parents, Kenneth Gene Mosbey, Jr. and Tina Lee Howell Mosbey, were seen at their residence on October 17, 2009, for their twelve-month post placement home visit.

CHILD’S ADJUSTMENT:

Zach was adopted by Kenneth Gene Mosbey, Jr. and Tina Lee Howell Mosbey on October 28, 2008. Zach appears to be a very bright boy who has made significant progress since his placement. He is expressing himself in English very well, and is able to retain his fluency in Chinese by watching Chinese television programs. His interaction with his parents is spontaneous, affectionate and comfortable in nature. Bonding and attachment between Zach and his parents appears to be very favorable. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey enjoy being highly involved in their son’s life. They are very successful in maintaining a positive and stimulating life style and a comfortable, safe, and secure home environment for their son. At home, Zach enjoys several types of activities with his parents, and socializing with members of his family and extended family. Zach’s overall adjustment has been very good due the exceptional effort put forth by his parents to be sensitive to his cognitive-emotional experience as he adjusts to them and his new environment.

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey reported to this writer that Zach tried out for and made both Intermediate Band and Jazz Band II at school. Zach takes private trombone lessons on Thursdays and he plays soccer with practice two times a week and regular games on Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Zach has a lot of friends and is constantly being invited to social parties. In addition, Zach attends Cotillion where he learns social graces with manners of the opposite sex. He wears a suit and tie to these events and enjoys it very much. Zach is looking forward to dressing up for his first Halloween and his parents are glad that he has a nice circle of friends. Zach completed the Rosetta Stone program in English and he is now completing the Kumon Institute of Education English program for reading and writing and appears to be having great success and rapid mastery of the language.

BEHAVIOR:

Overall, Zach displays age-appropriate (i.e. school age) behavior as reported by Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey. He is extensively interactive with his family and friends. Zach is responsive to dialoguing with his parents, verbal redirection and earning privileges through a reward system. Zach has a pleasant demeanor and personality, and interacts well with others. He is a friendly, happy, and energetic school age child. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey indicate that Zach presents himself in an age-appropriate manner and enjoys engaging with those around him and his family. He currently enjoys learning new things and socializing with friends and family.

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey have not had any major discipline problems thus far and report that Zach is very athletic, smart and polite. They describe their son as a happy, determined, intelligent, boy who always seems to help: “Zach is learning a lot of computer skills and he goes to church every Sunday and he is a very willing to please child.” Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Zach is speaking and understanding English very well and appears to be picking up all aspects of the language.

APPETITE:

Zach maintains a very good appetite and enjoys many different types of food items. He does not have any known food allergies. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Zach enjoys eating just about anything and maintains a hearty appetite. Mrs. Mosbey reported to this writer that Zach especially enjoys white rice, pasta, soup, fruit, salads and eating just about anything at Panda Express Restaurant.

SLEEP PATTERN:

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Zach is a good sleeper and continues to sleep in a bedroom that he shares with his brother, Luke. He typically sleeps uninterrupted through the night for a period of approximately 9 hours.

BASIC NEEDS:

Zach’s basic needs are adequately met by his parents. His home is spacious and beautifully decorated and all utilities are in place. Zach’s wardrobe is extensive and his parents are very conscientious about the quality of his hygiene. He receives excellent medical care on a routine basis and as needed.

MEDICAL STATUS:

Zach continues to be seen by his pediatrician, Dr. Steven Kundell, M.D., for routine check-ups and medical examinations. He is current with his immunizations and was reported to be an extremely healthy young boy by his pediatrician when last seen for an exam on February 13, 2009. Zach is currently 58 inches tall and weighs 86.5 pounds. He has a head circumference of 20.25 inches. He is presently developing in an optimal manner and just received his annual flu vaccination. Zach’s hearing and gross/fine motor skills appear normal. Zach was recently re-evaluated and fitted with eyeglasses that held a slightly different prescription.

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey re-adopted Zach through the California Superior Court in order to obtain a California birth certificate. At the time of the re-adoption Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey requested and were granted a birth date change for Zach that now is legally recognized as August 15th, 1997. This is based on medical evaluations by Dr. Steven Kundell, M.D.and Dr. Lambridas, D.D.S. These evaluations included physical exams, dental exam, dental X-rays, and a wrist X-ray.

DENTAL STATUS:

Zach continues to be seen by his dentist, Dr. Lambridas, D.D.S., for routine examinations and cleanings. He recently received a routine examination and cleaning. Zach was fitted with braces several months ago. His Orthodontist is Dr. Nagel, D.D.S.

EDUCATION:

Zach transitioned from elementary to middle school this year. He currently attends Colina Middle School and is in the 6^th grade. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey reported to this writer that Zach’s teachers state that he is a pleasure to have in class and they do not have any discipline problems at all. He continues to participate in the English Language Learners program for English and Social Studies and was recently moved into regular classes for Math and Science. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Zach likes to study and do his homework and continues to enjoy participating in the immersion English program.

CHILD CARE AND SUPERVISION:

Zach primarily receives care and supervision from his mother. Mrs. Mosbey works part-time as a financial planner and is a full time homemaker that is very committed to being actively involved in her child’s life. Mr. Mosbey spends as much time as possible with Zach when he is not working. Mr. Mosbey takes him golfing and they enjoy this activity immensely. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey love and cherish Zach and are exceptional parents in many different respects. They have provided their son with a wonderful family life and an extremely nurturing and comfortable home environment.

FINANCIAL STATUS:

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey are able to comfortably provide for their son. They have a net worth of approximately $3,000,000. The Mosbey family maintains health insurance coverage through Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company and pay dental costs out of pocket as required.

CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey continue to provide Zach with many positive experiences to enable him to appreciate his Chinese heritage. The Mosbey’s reported to this writer that they regularly cook Chinese food for dinner and take outings to the local Chinese market in the Los Angeles Chinatown district. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey have also catered several private parties in their home with various Chinese themes and decorations. The family has also attended Chinese New Year celebrations in Pasadena and through the Conejo Chinese Cultural Association. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey are very committed to ensuring that their lifestyle is culturally sensitive to the needs of their son and should be commended on the wonderful job they have done by providing their son with these opportunities. Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Zach also maintains contact with another boy, who resides in Everton, Missouri that was also adopted from Inner Mongolia. Zach enjoys conversing over the phone and speaking in his native language of Mandarin with his friend. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey reported to this writer that their next-door neighbors are also Chinese and they often invite the family over for visits.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES:

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey reported to this writer that both Luke and Zach had an eventful, fun and educationally stimulating summer. The boys attended a two-week band camp and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The family also traveled cross-country through the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Texas to provide Luke and Zach with an educational experience and introduction and hands on learning experience to American culture. Some of the sights the family witnessed were the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, the Alamo, the Colorado River, the United States Printing and Engraving Mint, the Johnson Presidential Library, the George W. Bush Presidential Library, Tombstone, Carlsberg Caverns, Houston Space Center and a meteor crater. The Mosbey’s also visited their cousins in Texas. While driving through the state of New Mexico they visited the Heritage Farm and learned about the Native American Indians in Santa Fe. During their return trip home, the family also visited Las Vegas and attended a jousting show at Excalibur Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey also took their family to Maui, Hawaii during the summer where the children had an opportunity to snorkel with fish and sea turtles.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

Zach continues to prosper in an optimal manner. He is a very happy and well-adjusted youngster who is bright, imaginative, polite, affectionate and highly interactive. His parents clearly and continuously display their love and affection for Zach. They have experienced tremendous joy as his parents. Zach's continuous progress is the result of his parents’ conscientious efforts to provide a very loving family, and a highly stimulating and nurturing home environment. This writer is very impressed with the ongoing care that Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey have provided to receive Zach, and with their commitment to facilitate his adjustment and transition. It is clearly evident that Zach is strongly attached to and bonded with his parents. He continues to make favorable progress in all areas of development.

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey are to be highly commended for their exceptional parenting, and home environment and family life that they are providing for Zach.

RECOMMENDATION:

This writer fully supports the finalization of the adoption of Zach Xiang Mosbey, by his parents, Kenneth Gene Mosbey, Jr. and Tina Lee Howell Mosbey.

Submitted by:

___________________________________ Date: ________________

Robert M. Woolridge, MSW

Adoption Social Worker

Angels’ Haven Outreach

Approved by:

___________________________________ Date: ________________

Sherry Archer, Executive Director

Angels’ Haven Outreach

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE

Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on this ______________ day of ___________________, 2009 by Sherry Archer, proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person who appeared before me.

Signature____________________________

Signature of Notary Public

12 MONTH POST PLACEMENT REPORT LUKE

2009-10-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

Angels' Haven Outreach

Since 1986 37365 Wakefield Street, Indio, CA 92203 ~ (661) 259-2943 ~ fax (661) 799-3318

P.O. Box 53 Monkton, VT 05469 ~ (802) 453-5450 ~ fax (802) 453-5450

TWELVE-MONTH POST PLACEMENT SUPERVISION REPORT

October 17, 2009

Child’s birth name: Ding Yu Liang

Child’s current name: Luke Liang Mosbey

Date of Birth: May 19, 1999

PLACEMENT HISTORY:

Date of Arrival in China: October 24, 2008

Notice of Travel Number: (2008) MG-2839-11-0039

Date of Adoption: October 28, 2008

Place of Adoption: Hohhot, Province of Inner Mongolia, China

Welfare Institution of Adopted Child: Chifeng Child Welfare Institute

Date of Arrival in USA: November 04, 2008

Placement Agency: America World Adoption Association

Health Status of Child at time of Adoption: Healthy

Date of Post Placement Visit #1: April 04, 2009

Date of Post Placement Visit #2: October 17, 2009

Date of Court Validation: The child was re-adopted on June 5, 2009 through the Superior Court of California, Ventura Branch, to generate a California Birth Certificate.

Citizenship: USA – November 04, 2008 (No. A2564239)

Child’s Status of Naturalization: The child became a US Citizen upon entry to the US on November 4, 2008 under the Citizenship Act of 2000.

Social Security Number: XXX-XX-2293

Adoptive Parents:

Father, Ken Mosbey's Profession: Financial Planner

Address of Employer: 2992 Morvale Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91361

Mother, Tina Mosbey’s Profession: Financial Planner / Homemaker

Family Address: 2992 Morvale Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91361

Family Telephone: (805) 371-8462 E-MAIL: tinamosbey@gmail.com

Health status of the child: Healthy

POST PLACEMENT CONTACT:

Luke Liang Mosbey and his parents, Kenneth Gene Mosbey, Jr. and Tina Lee Howell Mosbey, were seen at their residence on October 17, 2009, for their twelve-month post placement home visit.

CHILD’S ADJUSTMENT:

Luke was adopted by Kenneth Gene Mosbey, Jr. and Tina Lee Howell Mosbey on October 28, 2008. There was a brief “honeymoon” period before Luke sporadically demonstrated some mild to moderate reactions (interactional / behavioral) to his adoption that was probably caused by, or associated with, the surfacing of feelings related to the loss of his biological parents, his respective grief responses to his loss, the need to be placed in an orphanage for an extended amount of time, and/or previously maintained and unresolved anger issues. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Luke has suffered from several tantrums during the past several months. The tantrums generally last for an extended period of time and the child cannot be de-escalated easily. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey have sought out therapeutic resources for their son and recently became involved in a counseling support group for adoptive parents called “Kids and Families Together - Fostering Attachments Workshop.” Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that the support group has assisted them greatly and they are applying new interventions and parenting techniques to manage their son’s behaviors and needs.

Luke is expressing himself in English very well, and is able to retain his fluency in Chinese by watching Chinese television programs. His interaction with his parents is spontaneous, affectionate and comfortable in nature. Bonding and attachment between Luke and his parents appears to be very favorable. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey have been working diligently on trying to meet the emotional needs of their son by nurturing him and containing him during his outbursts in a loving, stable and safe environment. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey enjoy being highly involved in their son’s life. They are very successful in maintaining a positive and stimulating life style and a comfortable, safe, and secure home environment for their son. At home, Luke enjoys several types of activities with his parents, and socializing with members of his family and extended family. Aside from Luke’s sporadic outbursts, his overall adjustment has been very good due the exceptional effort put forth by his parents to be sensitive to his cognitive-emotional experience as he adjusts to them and his new environment.

BEHAVIOR:

Overall, Luke displays age-appropriate (i.e. school age) behavior as reported by Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey. He is extensively interactive with his family and friends. Luke is responsive to dialoguing with his parents, verbal redirection and earning privileges through a reward system. Luke has a pleasant demeanor and personality, and interacts well with others. He is a friendly, happy, and energetic school age child. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey indicate that Luke presents himself in an age-appropriate manner and enjoys engaging with those around him and his family.

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Luke takes private trombone lessons on Thursdays and he plays soccer with practice two times a week and regular games on Saturday. They describe their son as a happy, determined, intelligent, boy who always seems to help: “He is a very athletic boy that enjoys all types of sports. He is building social skills and English skills by making friends and participating in social events, like birthday parties.” Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Luke is speaking and understanding English very well and appears to be picking up all aspects of the language.

APPETITE:

Luke maintains a very good appetite and enjoys many different types of food items. He does not have any known food allergies. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Luke enjoys eating just about anything and maintains a hearty appetite. Mrs. Mosbey reported to this writer that Luke especially enjoys white rice, pasta, soup, fruit, salads and eating just about anything at Panda Express Restaurant.

SLEEP PATTERN:

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Luke is a good sleeper and continues to sleep in a bedroom that he shares with his brother, Zach. He typically sleeps uninterrupted through the night for a period of approximately 9 hours.

BASIC NEEDS:

Luke’s basic needs are adequately met by his parents. His home is spacious and beautifully decorated and all utilities are in place. Luke’s wardrobe is extensive and his parents are very conscientious about the quality of his hygiene. He receives excellent medical care on a routine basis and as needed.

MEDICAL STATUS:

Luke continues to be seen by his pediatrician, Dr. Steven Kundell, M.D., for routine check-ups and medical examinations. He is current with his immunizations and was reported to be an extremely healthy young boy by his pediatrician when last seen for an exam on February 13, 2009. Luke is currently 56 inches tall and weighs 77.5 pounds. He has a head circumference of 20.75 inches. He is presently developing in an optimal manner. Luke’s hearing and gross/fine motor skills appear normal. Luke was evaluated and fitted with eye glasses several months ago.

DENTAL STATUS:

Luke continues to be seen by his dentist, Dr. Lambridas, D.D.S., for routine examinations and cleanings. He recently received extensive dental work that consisted of a root canal, the fitting of a crown and the extraction of a decayed baby tooth.

EDUCATION:

Luke currently attends Westlake Elementary School and is in the fifth grade. He continues to participate in all types of extracurricular school activities and is doing well in school. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Luke likes to study and do his homework and he continues to participate in the immersion English program. Luke takes more English in the class with his teacher than other children and has individual attention for his homework. He reads every day and completes homework assignments that address reading, writing, math and language skills. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Luke and his brother are also being privately tutored for the trombone. Both children are actively involved in their school band. Luke receives grade appropriate tutoring through the Kuman Institute of Education to address and enhance his educational needs. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey participated in a parent teacher conference and the teacher stated that she was very pleased with Luke. In addition, Luke attends Cotillion where he learns social graces with manners of the opposite sex. He wears a suit and tie to these events and enjoys it very much. Luke completed the Rosetta Stone English Language program and he is now completing the Kumon Institute of Education English program for reading and writing and appears to be having great success and rapid mastery of the language.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES:

CHILD CARE AND SUPERVISION:

Luke primarily receives care and supervision from his mother. Mrs. Mosbey works part-time as a financial planner and is a full time homemaker that is very committed to being actively involved in her child’s life. Mr. Mosbey spends as much time as possible with Luke when he is not working. Mr. Mosbey takes him golfing and they enjoy this activity immensely. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey love and cherish Luke and are exceptional parents in many different respects. They have provided their son with a wonderful family life and an extremely nurturing and comfortable home environment.

FINANCIAL STATUS:

CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey continue to provide Zach with many positive experiences to enable him to appreciate his Chinese heritage. The Mosbey’s reported to this writer that they regularly cook Chinese food for dinner and take outings to the local Chinese market in the Los Angeles Chinatown district. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey have also catered several private parties in their home with various Chinese themes and decorations. The family has also attended Chinese New Year celebrations in Pasadena and through the Conejo Chinese Cultural Association. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey are very committed to ensuring that their lifestyle is culturally sensitive to the needs of their son and should be commended on the wonderful job they have done by providing their son with these opportunities. Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey report that Luke also maintains contact with another boy, who resides in Everton, Missouri that was also adopted from Inner Mongolia. Luke enjoys conversing over the phone and speaking in his native language of Mandarin with his friend. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey reported to this writer that their next-door neighbors are also Chinese and they often invite the family over for visits.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

Luke experienced some anticipated difficulties during this last period of adjustment. His parents’ determination, conscientiousness, consistency, encouragement and optimism have facilitated his transition into their new family. Luke’s parents are very committed in providing various forms of activities and services that promote personal and developmental growth. Luke appears to be very happy, vibrant, highly interactive, and outgoing. Overall, Luke has adjusted favorably to his family, and to his community, school, home environment and extended family. His attachment and bonding appear optimal. Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey have made continuous efforts to provide their child with a comfortable life style, and a very loving, safe and secure home environment. Luke has greatly benefited from his parents’ care, support, and nurturance and encouragement.

This writer is very impressed with the quality of care, supervision, parenting skills, and the manner in which Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey have welcomed and embraced Luke and his brother into their lives. They are to be highly commended for their exceptional ability to provide their children with a warm and loving home and family life, and for their sensitivity and genuine concern for their children’s adjustment issues, feelings related to previous losses, and their respective grief responses. They have been highly supportive of their children, and are resourceful in accessing community resources as needed.

Mr. and Mrs. Mosbey are to be highly commended for their exceptional parenting, and home environment and family life that they are providing for Luke.

RECOMMENDATION:

This writer fully supports the finalization of the adoption of Luke Liang Mosbey, by his parents, Kenneth Gene Mosbey, Jr. and Tina Lee Howell Mosbey.

Submitted by:

___________________________________ Date: ________________

Robert M. Woolridge, MSW

Adoption Social Worker

Angels’ Haven Outreach

Approved by:

___________________________________ Date: ________________

Sherry Archer, Executive Director

Angels’ Haven Outreach

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE

Signature____________________________

Signature of Notary Public

VISITING CHINA VIA SKYPE

2009-10-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

While Morgan was at her hotel room in Chifeng, China, she Skyped us and the Zach and Luke visited briefly with the Uncle, May and May husbands. Everyone was so excited!

COTILLION

2009-09-25T01:52:00.000-07:00

LEARNING TO BE COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT SOCIALLY

Cotillion is designed to give young people instruction and practice in the courtesies that make life more pleasant for them and those around them; to give them thorough training in standard ballroom dance; and to provide opportunities to practice and enjoy these skills at memorable parties, dinners and events, complete with decorations, refreshments, favors and prizes. Zach and Luke attended Cotillion in 2009 and 2010. They were hesitant at first to dance with members of the opposite sex, but as time went on, they complained less and less. They learned how to give a proper toast, attended "Which Fork First" dining skills, how to give a proper introduction, how to make small talk, and how to give a complement to the host.

LIFE IN SHERWOOD

2009-08-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

August 30th, 2009 End of the Summer Youth Tournament at Lake Sherwood Lake Club.

July 12, 2009 Kayaking on Lake Sherwood.

The Fire Department collects water from Lake Sherwood through helicopter tanks and drops the water on fires. This was for a brush fire in Thousand Oaks close to the 101 freeway.

ZACH'S FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY!

2009-08-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

ALOHA!!! MAUI, HAWAII

2009-07-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

KAANAPALI BEACH IN MAUI, HAWAII
ALOHA!!!

Maui is the second largest Hawaiian island. Maui's first sugar mill began sugar operations in 1828. Now tourism makes up a large part of its economy. Luau! Hawaiian style pig cooked in a pit. Notice our heights in relation to each other, this will be changing soon as the boys grow. Morgan and I will be working ourselves to the front of the line before we know it! The boys loved the ocean and the waves.

SAN DIEGO ZOO

2009-07-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER MOSBEY ADVENTURE: July 18th, 2009 we went to the San Diego Zoo and enjoyed the wild animals. It was a great day and the boys love zoos!

OVERVIEW ROAD TRIP ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST 2009

2009-06-30T23:02:00.000-07:00

Ken drove the family from Thousand Oaks, CA and explored Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. After dropping Morgan at the Hobby Airport in Houston, TX to go to her Air Force ROTC training in Charleston, SC we continued home to CA.

Total miles driven: 4,725 total miles

Average miles per gallon on our GMC SUV: 16.9 miles per gallon

Gallons of gasoline used: 281.4 gallons

Total miles on the odometer on the GMC on 6/30/2009: 21,414 miles

We had many wonderful experiences on this vacation. This is the list of everyone's top five (or more) favorite things on this vacation. It is fun to see how each of us enjoyed the tours.

Luke:

1. White Sands New Mexico Park sledding
2. Swimming in the hotel pools
3. Watching the Laker Basketball Games NCAAA Finals on the hotel TV's with the family. (Zach had Laker colored bands on his braces) How fun!!!
4. Meeting our cousins in Austin, TX Jeri and Christina Coletti
5. Visiting with the Major Family in Fredericksburg, Texas
6. Playing the arcade games at the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas
7. Roller Coaster rides at New York, New York in Las Vegas
8. The Excalibur Dinner Show with the Knights of the Round Table fighting on horse back

Zach:

1. Tombstone, Arizona
2. New Mexico Farm
3. White Sands New Mexico Park sledding
4. Houston Space Center
5. Fort Worth Bureau of Printing and Engraving
6. Roller Coaster rides at New York, New York in Las Vegas

Clayton:

1. Walking on the Las Vegas Strip
2. Hoover Dam
3. Grand Canyon
4. Fort Worth Bureau of Printing and Engraving
5. LBJ Presidential Library

Morgan:

1. San Antonio: The Alamo
2. Visting with the Majors on their Texas ranch
3. White Sands New Mexico Park sledding
4. President Bush Library
5. Branch Davidian in Waco, TX
6. Gaveston, TX
7. Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico

Tina:

1. New Mexico Farm
2. LBJ Museum and LBJ Ranch
3. Visiting with the Major Family and our cousins Jeri and Christina Coletti
4. Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, TX
5. Galveston, TX
6. Fort Worth Bureau of Printing and Engraving
7. Watching the Lions being fed at the MGM in Las Vegas

Ken:

1. Luckenbach and the Hill Country
2. Bodies the Exhibition in Las Vegas, NV: This exhibit was an informative view into the human body. Over 200 actual human bodies and specimens were dissected and displayed to give a unique look into the human body.
3. Tombstone, Arizona
4. Galveston, Texas
5. Family time just chilling
6. White Sands New Mexico National Park sledding

ARIZONA GRAND CANYON RAILS TO RIM TOUR

2009-06-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

We were all cowboys as we rode the Rails to Rim train to the Grand Canyon. On the way back we were held up by a bunch of cowboys. Thankfully, we had a singing cowboy on board that cheered us up after all of our treasures were stolen. We were all singing the blues that night!

TEXAS Bush, Galveston, Fort Worth, Amarillo,

2009-06-24T16:49:00.000-07:00

WE TOOK TURNS RIDING "SHOTGUN" ON OUR TRAIL THROUGH TEXAS

Luke dressing up after a shower in the hotel room!
June 20th, 2009 College Station, Texas: This Presidential Library and Museum was opened in 1997 and holds the Presidential Records of George Bush, the 41st president of the USA. It is housed on the grounds of Texas A&M University. We saw the big pond where George Bush still goes to fish and relax, the burial location where George and Barbara will be laid to rest, and many other personal exhibits of his life.
June 21st, 2009 Galveston, Texas: Hurricane Ike struck Galveston on September 13th, 2008 at 2:10 AM. It was a strong Category 2 hurricane with winds extending to 120 miles. We could see the aftermath in the neighborhoods surrounding the island. Ike was the costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the USA at that time.
June 22nd, 2009 Fort Worth, Texas: We visited Billy Bob's, and the Stock Yards. June 23rd, 2009 We spent Ken and Tina's 30th Wedding Anniversary at the Bureau of Printing and Engraving where they produce currency notes for delivery to the Federal Reserve. We learned about the redesigned Notes ($20, $10, etc.) the special paper, special ink, and met with some workers who were responsible for the printing. They had a great gift shop!
June 24th, 2009 Amarillo, Texas: In the panhandle of Texas, is The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum. We learned about the breeding, hands on activities, lung capacity of the Quarter horse, and racing legends. Clayton, Zach, and Luke at the starting gates!

TEXAS Dr. Pepper, JFK, Houston, Huntsville

2009-06-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

June 19th, 2009 Waco, Texas: Dr Pepper was invented here in 1885, just around the corner from where the museum is now located. There are interesting exhibits throughout the three floors and free samples given of the many flavors. We are standing in front of the original bottling factory.

June 19th, 2009 Dallas, Texas: The Grassy Knoll and the Book Depository legendary for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

BLAST OFF: June 21, 2009 Houston, Texas: Space Center. We took a NASA tram tour and saw the astronaut training facility for the International Space Station.

GIDDY UP: June 22nd, 2009 Huntsville, Texas: Giant Statue of Sam Houston. It is 67 feet tall and sits on a 10 foot base. We also drove past the Prison in Huntsville where many executions take place. The Huntsville Penitentiary was the only prison in the eleven Confederate states still standing at the end of the Civil War. The "Wall Unit" is the death house where the executions take place. Zach wearing a coon skin hat and holding a quote from legendary Davy Crockett.

Zach wearing a coon skin hat and holding a quote from legendary Davy Crockett.

TEXAS Guadalupe Mtns, LBJ, Luckenbach, Alamo

2009-06-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN TEXAS

STAGE COACH HO! June 14th 2009 The beautiful Guadalupe Mountains with the Guadalupe Peak in the background. This is the tallest point in Texas at 8,751 feet. The Mescalero Apaches used to live in the area prior to be driven out and onto indian reservations. We also visited a Butterfield Overland Stagecoach Mail Route stop close to here. Later, Wells Fargo took over the mail route and it ultimately was replaced with the transcontinental railroad.

ON THE TRAIL AGAIN: June 16th, 2009 Lyndon Johnson's National Historical Park and Ranch in Johnson City, TX. Both Lyndon and Lady Bird are buried in the cemetery on the ranch grounds along with other family members. We toured the "Texas White House" and saw up close the personality of Lyndon Johnson by the way her lived.

CITY SLICKERS: The Majors are seated on the swing and Sheri is standing next to Clayton. The Majors: Sheri, (Mike not shown,) Sara (age 12), Sean (age 11), Ryan (age 9), and Evan (age 5).

Sheri, her husband Mike, Sean and Ryan went to Beijing, China for the Hope Journey Educational Trip in 1996. This is the family that took the first photos of Zach and Luke. Zach and Luke, along with one other girl had been selected from their orphanage to attend. With the focus on babies in the adoption community, the Majors went to China with our adoption agency to attempt to get older Chinese children adopted. If you entered the orphanage other than a baby or didn't get picked up in the adoption cycle, you had almost no chance of being adopted. We had talked via email and the phone to the Majors but meeting them and spending a few days with them in Fredericksburg, TX was extremely heart warming for everyone. Many times we do deeds and never know the fruit that develops from our contributions. We wanted them to see Zach and Luke in the USA and meet their entire family, including their Chinese daughter that they ultimately adopted. We felt God used them to bring Zach and Luke to us and are extremely grateful.

COWBOY UP: June 16th 2009 Lyndon Baines Presidential Library is on the grounds of the University of Texas at Austin. There are some great exhibits about an interesting time in this country's history. Johnson had a very good sense of humor and was a great story teller.

TREASURED MEMORIES: Our cousins, Jerri Hougland Coletti and her daughter Christina (adopted from Russia) welcomed us to their home in Austin. Cousin Sylvia (adopted from Romania) was out of state at a summer camp so we did not get to visit with her. This was their home in Austin prior to them moving. After seeing their home, we grabbed some grub at a local Mexican restaurant.

LAWLESS ACTIVITIES: June 18th, 2009 Let's go to Luckenbach Texas with Willie, Waylon and the Boys! Luckenbach's association with country music began in the summer of 1973, when Jerry Jeff Walker, backed by the Lost Gonzo Band, recorded a live album there called Viva Terlingua at Luckenbach Dance hall. That album became an outlaw country classic. Four years later, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson memorialized Luckenbach with the song "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love.)" Today the town maintains a ghost town feel with its small population and strong western roots. One of its two main buildings houses the remnants of a post office, a working saloon, and a general store. The other is the dance hall. We had fun reading the signs on the post office wall, "We don't call 911, we take care of it ourselves!" We stomped our feet and danced on the outside dance stage, and went inside the famous dance hall and looked around. For our "Southwest Mosbey Family Vacation," "Luckenbach, Texas" became our theme song and we played it over and over as we sung on the top of our lungs droving the back roads of Texas.

WE SADDLED UP AND RODE THE TRAIL: June 18th, 2009 San Antonio and The Alamo

NEW MEXICO

2009-06-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

ARIZONA

2009-06-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

"Historic Route 66" is known as the Main Street of America or the Mother Road. It was established in 1926. Route 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed. U.S. 66 was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985 after it was decided the route was no longer relevant and had been replaced by the Interstate Highway System.
This corner was made famous by the band the Eagles in 1972 with the song "Take it Easy."
Well, I'm a standin' on a corner
In Winslow, Arizona
Such a fine sight to see
It's a girl my Lord in a flat-bed Ford
Slowin' down to take a look at me
Experience the Impact! You can see the rim of the Meteor Crater in the background. This was the first crater to be identified as an impact crater. this is the most well known and best preserved meteorite crater on Earth. It is located near Winslow, Arizona minutes from Interstate 40 in northern Arizona.

READOPTION JUNE 5TH, 2009

2009-06-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF VENURA, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SUPERIOR COURT IN VENTURA COUNTY, CA

Re-adoption is not necessary in most international adoptions. We did this only to obtain a "State of California Court Ordered Delayed Registration of Birth." This is not a birth certificate as they were not born here in California. At the same time, we changed Zach's birthday. While we were told his birthday was August 15th, 2007 (11 years old) by our adoption agency during the adoption process, on the legal papers from China, Zach's date of birth was listed as March 26, 1995 (13 years old.) We found this out shortly before we departed for China. To get the papers changed in China, would have been almost impossible. It was decided that we would not delay the adoption but to go forward. After getting him home, we would legally change his birth. This occurs in Chinese foreign adoptions as there are not any legal papers produced when a child is born in that country like the birth certificate here in the USA. China also uses the moon calendar and memories of relatives when deciding your birth.

We had Zach evaluated medically before making the decision to change his age. Zach had not yet reached puberty and the 1997 birthday was more in line with his bone and dental evaluations. We had legal letters notarized by his Pediatrician, Dentist, and Orthodontist, after dental and wrist X-Rays were evaluated. This is the common method to establish growth and age.

Tari L. Cody, Judge of the Superior Court, did the ceremony. She was a wonderful judge and a mother herself. Some of our friends joined us for this private proceeding. Jan and Bob Holstrom, Christine and Jim Campbell, Betty Tam, and the Sylvan Learning Center owner. (The boys initially took many English class's at the Sylvan Learning center in Westlake Village, CA.)

1ST MEMORIAL DAY 2009

2009-05-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED AND GAVE US OUR FREEDOM HERE IN THE USA

We proudly saluted our service men and women by attending the Memorial Day Service at our local cemetery. Zach and Luke saw two flyovers of military aircraft. The 2nd fly-over was the “Missing Man” flight formation that brings tears to many eyes (including mine.) We enjoyed the band concert by the Air National Guard and the boys saw grown men playing the trombone (Zach and Luke play the trombone.) We also sang the “National Anthem,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “This is America,” “God Bless the U.S.A.” and of course the fight song of all our military branches –GO NAVY!!! Now, with Morgan proudly in the AFRORC, we say “Go Air Force” or what ever she tells us to yell. We heard “Taps” and visited the grave with the memorial wreath of the unknown solder, we pray that they “Rest in Peace.” Photos are of Zach and Luke with the march of the Colors (the USA flag.) The Scottish bagpipes, The Memorial Grave Site, and the “Mosbey Platoon!” Luke is driving the jeep, Zach is stationed on the the gun, Clayton is on lookout while riding in the passenger seat and Morgan is the senior ranking officer giving commands.

DISNEYLAND AND HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY LUKE!

2009-05-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

MEMORIES OF A LIFETIME: FIRST TRIP TO DISNEYLAND MAY 2009

Our birthday present to Luke was to take him to Disneyland with two of his school friends. Zach and Luke loved the experience and were not scared at all. We had a park hopper pass so we went to both Disneyland and California Adventure. You can see all of us standing in front of the large “California” sign. Ken and I are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary in one month and the photo of us shows the love we still have for each other. Instead of an anniversary party for us, we decided to buy a hot tub for our back yard to relax in and take in all of our blessings. If you want to celebrate with us, bring your swimsuit and join us for a splash!

CHURCH AND SCHOOL

2009-05-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY ROUTINE:

On Sundays after church, we usually go out to eat and discuss what we have learned from our lesson. It is heart warming to hear what Zach and Luke get from the service. They both sit with us in the adult church service and we take pleasure seeing them turn in their Mandarin/English bible (with book tabs) to find the scripture we are studying. They sing with the congregation, fill out their tithing envelopes, and place the envelopes in the basket. Using our faith as a foundation, we explain our worldview, which includes just about everything…..

MOTHER'S DAY AT COLINA:

I had the pleasure of joining the boys at school for a special Mother’s Day Celebration Brunch. They both had hand made crafts for me. Zach wears his Stetson hat to dance with the fifth graders at school for open house. Dancing with girls is something that would never happen at school in China.

HAPPY # 10 BIRTHDAY LUKE!!!

2009-05-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUKE!!!

Luke enjoyed his first very own birthday cake with candles on his actual birthday! In the orphanages, there are so many children; the directors pick ONE DAY a year to celebrate ALL the birthdays for the children. Luke told us he felt so lucky to have his own cake on his special day. We had to explain what “make a wish” before blowing out the candle means. Luke also took donuts in a pink box to school for his classmates. It is a constant reminder to our family how lucky we are in America. We pause when we think about the children in the world who have never had a celebration, cake, or the luxury of a wish on their birthday.

Major World Political Leaders 1999

Australia Prime Minister John Howard
Brazil President Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Canada Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin
France President Jacques Chirac
Germany Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
India Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Italy Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema
Japan Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi
Mexico President Ernesto Zedillo
Russia / Soviet Union General Secretary of the CPSU Vladimir Putin
South Africa State President Nelson Mandela Till 16 June
South Africa State President Thabo Mbeki From 16 June
United States President Bill Clinton
United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair

BAND PERFORMANCE

2009-05-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

ALL SCHOOL BAND PERFORMANCE AT THE CIVIC ARTS PLAZA:

As luck would have it, the annual band performance at the Civic Arts Plaza (for all the local school bands) fell on Luke’s birthday. Since this was the first birthday that would be celebrated on his ACTUAL day, it was hard to tell Luke that we could not do something special that evening for this birthday. He just looked at me and said “Mom, can I still have a cake?” Zach and Luke practice playing the trombone and will be attending a two-week band camp this summer to sharpen their skills even more.

GOTCHA DAY SIX MONTH CELEBRATION!!! APRIL 26TH 2009

2009-04-26T21:39:00.000-07:00

SIX MONTHS AGO TODAY WE GOTCHA

APRIL 26TH, 2009:

It is hard to believe that Zach and Luke walked into our arms 6 months ago today at the hotel in Inner Mongolia, China! We have been so very blessed these past 6 months. It has been incredibly busy and exhausting as we continue to adjust to all the changes. Ken has chilled champagne and sparkling apple cider. I thawed Cheesecake and we celebrated with hot chocolate, kisses, and hugs.

The greatest thing was that we went around the table sharing our thoughts of that special evening, six months ago, when we first met face to face. Now that the boys can share their stories in English, we are learning a great deal about their feelings and their life in China.

They are signed up for soccer that starts in August. Zach and Luke will be attending band camp for two weeks to improve their trombone playing. They take private trombone lessons weekly and are having so much fun. Both boys are taking lessons at Sylvan Learning Center to improve their reading, phonics, and comprehension. We will be doing this through the summer and maybe longer if needed. Zach and Luke remain positive, cheerful, eager to learn and a joy in every sense of the word.

1st EASTER 2009

2009-04-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

COLORING EASTER EGGS AND FINDING EASTER BASKETS:

We had fun coloring three dozen Easter eggs as we played loud music and danced around the kitchen. The Easter baskets were hidden and on Easter morning, everyone had fun playing hide and seek to find their very own Easter basket. This is great fun! It really brings the kid out in all of us....

FIRST VISIT WITH THE EASTER BUNNY APRIL 2009

We woke up early and went to the 6:00 AM Easter Sunrise service outside in the fresh air. After getting showered and dressed we went to the Four Seasons for Easter Brunch that was fun with the Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Hunt. It is soooo much fun watching Zach and Luke take part in our traditions. They are learning a great deal in the short time that they have been here in the USA.

FORE THE LOVE OF GOLF

2009-04-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

SHERWOOD LAKE CLUB:

February 19th, 2009 Luke is lining up his putt and Zach is waiting for his turn to putt. They are shown with children in the Sherwood Lake Club golf clinic. They are playing with the new clubs they got for Christmas.