A Year of Her Sweet Face

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Happy Gotcha Day

One year ago today, this was Liliah's first real eye contact with us.  She was calm, but you can see the concern in her eyes and that her wheels were turning.  We never experienced any obvious grieving with her.  One of the traits her foster mother made in the notes was that she was easy going.   The above clip is our first meal together just a couple of hours after we met. 

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1 Year later . . . what a transformation

  

You finally settled on your pose

Happy, Happy Gotcha Day

Miss Liliah YingXia (yeen saw)

Daddy & Mommy love you to the moon and back

The Day Before We Met Liliah - 1 Year Ago

Last year on this day, giddy as can be at the couple's tree in the Forbidden City

  We were on the eve of stepping through the door to parenthood. It was a journey with many miles, but every step was worth it . . .to have the privilege to love 

this sweet face . . . .

Happy New Year!

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What an amazing and joyful first Christmas we had with Liliah.   Last year we waited with hope and anticipation of boarding the plane to China and bringing her home.  To have her here with us is often beyond words. . . . . our cup indeed runneth over!

 

Christmas with kids in the house is just plain fun and magical!  A few of her favorite things were the lights, the tree, snowmen and Santa Claus.  She is still pointing out lights on buildings and announcing Christmas lights!!!  When she sees a Jack-n-Box commercial she excitedly says, Noman.  Every morning as she came down the stairs she wanted to turn on the Christmas tree lights.  She never bothered any of the presents under the tree and thought it was a ball to hand out gifts and help open them.  

We spent Christmas in California with my family.  My parents & us started a tradition of eating out at a Chinese restaurant on Christmas Eve many years ago prior to ever knowing we'd adopt...let alone that we'd have a sweet little daughter from there.  It was so neat to have this tradition in place and to continue it with her.

Liliah also got to meet daddy's side of the family for the first time a few days after Christmas.  They gave her some sweet gifts to welcome her into the family.  

Liliah a year ago the week of Christmas (front row bottom left with her foster dad, turning around and looking at her foster mom