Psalms 126:3

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!"


We've Been Waiting:

Making our Way to Miah:

We are very close to receiving out TA (Travel Approval) WHOOP, WHOOP!

April 23: All Hague adoption paperwork is complete. US Consulate will issue our Article 5 to China (CCCWA) within 10 days.


Happy Referral Day: February 21, 2013
(we waited 1 year, 6 months, 20 days, 6 hours, 13 minutes

LID - March 26, 2012

DTC (dossier to China): March 9, 2012

USCIS Approval: February 13, 2012

USCIS Fingerprinting visit: February 7, 2012

Dossier completed: January 2012

Chinese Consulate mailing: December 2011

Paper-chase began: August 1, 2011

Talk to our Agency: July 2011

Decision to begin the journey: Father's Day 2011

Saturday, July 21, 2012

4th of July

It was a beauitful, sunny day.  The kind we had been waiting for and it showed up on the 4th.

Mommy showed me how to make an American flag . . . . 


I spend alot of my time blowing mommy kisses.  I even have flavors, like strawberry shortcake, strawberry banana, chocolate and rainbow kisses!



I also tell her daily that I have 60 & 56 kisses for her....is that alot?  I'm going to give you the most kisses today! I tell her that I love her all the way to work and back, and school and back.  Mommy told me that she loves me to the moon and back, but I said, but I can't go that far. . .







I
loved snuggling
up
to
Nana 



Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Mommy Had A Birthday (yesterday)

Daddy and I went shopping for mommy's cake.  I told him in the car that mommy needed a cake with a sunshine on it because she's been wanting some sunshine lately!  I looked and looked through the cake book at the store and there were none with a sunshine on it.  I saw a St. Patty's cake with a shamrock and a rainbow and said, Daddy, can't they just make that a sunshine and then we can have a rainbow and have them replace the green frosting on the bottom with pink because Mommy likes pink~  I was very sure of what I wanted and how that cake needed to look~ I was so excited for mommy to see it and I asked her do you like your KAPRIZE (surprise)?  I told her Happy Birthday all day long and even at bedtime.
 

So happy to have my Dad & Mom in town for a visit and celebrate my day.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Shop Girl

You looked so cute!

I just had to snap some shots of you with my phone.

Shopping for groceries is more fun with you.  You love these little carts, but I did have to show you how to parallel park so as not to dump the food out after turning it over on a practice run!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Happy Father's Day, Sweetie!

Thank you for being a strong, but gentle Dad


You are ever so protective of your girl

I love to see you two spending time togehter

I love your kind heart and easy going ways!

We are truly blessed to have you in our lives!  This time next year, you will definately have to make room for another little cutie pie in your lap.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Girl Sleep-Over


Liliah decided that she wanted to have a sleep-over with mommy! I asked her what a sleep-over was?  She said, well the first thing you must start with is a tent...that's the first thing! When I told her we don't have a tent, she said, we can sleep on the couch then.  We found a blow up bed and she was happy with that.  The other thing she wanted was sweet popcorn (kettle corn) and special cookies and to watch a girl move, like Minnie & Daisy because they are girls. She started talking about this out of the blue on Thursday evening.  This is something new for her to request to do something specific. So her daddy and I made sure it happened. She was so excited to be doing this with me.       


We did our hair the same with a side pony tails, painted our nails and wore our jammies and ate kettle corn.


Liliah is becoming quite a mommie's girl.  She is really initiating lots of hugs and kisses with me multiple times daily.  She tells me all the time, "mommy I love you all day and all night. When I ask her to help me with something she will say, I will do anything for you mommy....whatever you ask me. It is so sweet and I am loving it. Just as this is happening, we are starting to enter into new territory with her.  She knows the facts that she was born in China and adopted.  We are all very proud of that.  We have always told her that God has blessed us and made us a family. She wanted to know when Jesus visited China! Last night she asked me, where were you adopted from?  She is having lots of pretend conversations on her Minne phone the past couple of days.  She tells me that lots of her friends have hair color like her and a couple of her friends have hair color like me. And so, we are talking about adoption much more these days.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Two Very Different Trips

Trip #1 was not fun!!  We were outside in the backyard throwing the ball to Maddy and Liliah jumped up and hit the new pavers face first. Scared the daylights out of me and I rushed her to the bathroom to mop up the blood running down her neck. I realized right away that we should head to the evening walk-in clinic.  Thankfully, they were still open.  I felt so bad for her.  She is an amazing patient though I must say.  She does not get hysterical or afraid at the doctor's office.  Once they gave her some numbing cream, she felt much better.  The doctor came in and said, I chosethe short straw.  I told her, oh you got a good one.  She won't put up a fight or make a fuss.  They gave her some sun glasses to wear while they cleaned her up and put in 5 wire stitches. She didn't even flinch when they gave her the shot around the wound. A nurse came in to assist and hold her hands down. After a few minutes, the nurse said, man you are right, she acts like she is chilling on the beach.  The doctor said they should of video taped her to show all the teenage boys who come in to be stitched up!!!  When headed to get some ice cream and she was dancing around and as happy as could be.  I told her later that night how brave she is and that mommy used to get hysterical as a child at the doctors.  She said, I was as quiet as a mouse!






Trip #2 over Memorial Weekend was fun for everyone!  We headed to the eastern side of the mountain where the tempatures are warm.  This beautiful river runs right alongside of the resort.  I took this after the sun set.  We want to go back in the summer and float this river when it's lazy, the current was fast due to snow melt off.  We schooled her about not going to the river and what would she do if her ball fell in.  She said let it go, I can always get a new ball! We didn't let Liliah or Maddy go near it without us.

We had a bug invasion the second evening.  There were thousands of these nat like bugs coming off the river.  Daddy went fly fishing . . .
   
The girls hung out at the pool.  My favorite part of the trip though, was while we were taking a family walk and  Liliah was holding my hand, out of the blue she says, Mommy, I LOVE you! Melt my heart, I about cried!  What a precious one she is.

   


  The funniest part of the trip was our ride on the elevator after putting on our bathing suits.  A man smiled and asked her how old she was and after telling her age, she proclaimed, very cutely, while pulling on her one strap one-piece, I have to keep my bobbies covered!  Liliah said her favorite part of the trip was swimming and that Daddy's favorite part was being with his girls!!!


Sunday, May 13, 2012

Mother's Day Weekend


Mother's Day weekend was a time to get outside and enjoy the summer-like weather.  We decided to pull the art easel outside for some creative time.  I worked in the garden planting new shrubs and perennials. I loved stopping my work thoug and taking time to just watch and be with Liliah.  She was scribbling all over the easel.  She said she was writing a message~ 
Maddy enjoyed taking in the sunshine too.
My beauty smelling the fragrant flowers . . .





We visited a Rhododendron & Azalea botanical garden.  We walked the trails and everything was in full bloom and very fragrant.

Liliah's view of the garden



This is our 4th,  Mother-Daughter Day! It is such a blessing and a privilege to be your mother.   
Thank you for the wonderful weekend! 
  


Thursday, April 26, 2012

A Mommy & Me Trip

H a l l e l u j a h !
We are out of  here . . .

Headed out for some FUN . . .
and a special family wedding! Mommy and I are going to sunny California. I hear the weather is going to be beautiful.

Friday, April 20, 2012

April Fun

4 Years Old is a magical age (of course, I thought 1, 2 & 3 were too)

You learned to hop scotch this month
Even with all the green on our sidewalk, you did not get distracted (we get a lot of rain which causes said greening which goes away in the summer/fall)




I get such pleasure out of watching you learn new things and the joy it brings you.
Minnie Mouse wearing a hat with her flowers.  We have been spending lots of time in our multipurpose (dining) room.  I have been sewing Miss M.s quilt and we find lots of fun things for you/I to do in here.
Trying to capture a picture of the princess riding her lady bug . . . mustn't loose that wand!
Silliness is always apart of the fun . . .
Sweet little lady bug.  It reminded me of another day . . .
The first day I saw you.  You were ONLY interested in getting on this and riding it.   My, how you've grown, how we've grown together!