Happy Easter!!

I know that this is my child -and I'm a little bit bias here - but I must say she was the cutest thing EVER on Easter. We found this dress -- and if you look close, you'll notice that the baby has the same matching dress. I just HAD to have this when I found it!! She, of course, had to take the baby to Church with her. She even made sure that I put a green bow in the baby's hair - like hers!! Now, I want to go back and get all the others in the different colors!!

What a wonderful weekend. First that we were able to celebrate Christ's Resurrection - but also our 2nd Easter having Anne Marie home with us!! What a blessing to be able to celebrate both!! We were looking at the pictures from last Easter -- and are AMAZED how much she has changed! She just seemed so little - so quiet - so shy back then!! This year, she is so full of life, running around the house laughing every time she found an egg, and jumping into everyones lap!

Anne Marie and her Easter basket. There wasn't much in there -- and only 1 bag of candy (it was gummies) But she got an Easter book w/ stickers - a DVD of "Big Bird Goes to China" -- and 2 tubes of lip gloss ("yipyaa" as she would say -- she's become quite addicted!!)

After our Easter meal at my Moms, Mike's parents came back to our house & we had an Easter egg hunt. It was a little cold outside, so we did it inside. Oh my, how much fun she had!! She just ran from egg to egg -- looking everywhere for new ones! They had stickers, m-n-m's, and money (change) in them. She wanted to open ALL of them!

Mike's parents got Anne Marie a few gifts for Easter. A cute little pocketbook, some candy, a few other Easter toys -- and a talking piggy bank! She thought that piggy-bank was SO "COOL". Especially since some of her Easter eggs had change in them. Every time you dropped a coin in him, he would tell you what it was & make some cute little remark.

Happy Easter to all our family & friends!!

Love, Melissa & Mike & Anne Marie

Night out !!

Mike and I were able to enjoy a night out with some friends of ours this past Friday night. They were coming through town, and their daughter was with his family, so we thought it might be a fun idea to have an "adult night" without the girls. So, we asked Mike's parents if they would be interested in watching Anne Marie while we had dinner with our friends. I don't even think we had to finish our questions before they said YES!

So, we got Anne Marie's bags packed -- and Grandma got ready for her -- a new toy to play with (a Mr. Potato head kit), special food for dinner, juice boxes, and her favorite fruit - GRAPES! When we pulled in the driveway she yelled --- "Yea! Ganma houussse!" We went in, and I think she knew something was a "little funny" -- but she pulled them into the spare bedroom (now, known as the TOY ROOM!) and off we went out the door.

We were only gone maybe 2 - 2 1/2 hours -- just dinner and a relaxing visit with our friends, then we were back to pick Anne Marie up from Grandma's house. She didn't want to leave! She wanted to keep playing with the kitchen they have there for her!! She had a GREAT time!! Grandma even took some pictures of their special evening and e-mailed them to me!

Thanks so much Grandma & Grandpa for helping Mom and Dad have a nice night out -- and thanks for a F-U-N evening (from Anne Marie) --- Anne Marie is so lucky to have such loving Grandparent's!!

Anne Marie loving her "special" dinner!!

Anne Marie gets special sippy's at Grandma's - One for Milk and another one for Juice!

Anne Marie giving her baby a bath at Grandma's house!

Adoption Ministry

As many of you all know, Mike, myself, and another couple from our Church (that has also adopted) started an adoption ministry about a year and a half ago. (Right before we brought Anne Marie home). We have had fund-raisers to raise money for our adoptions, organized a board for the ministry, as well as started getting information together for other families that are wanting to learn more about adoption, and even started a blog. We also applied for the Steven Curtis Chapman matching grant. His Shaohanna's Hope organization agreed to match funds to the first 100 Churches that started an adoption ministry in their Church and raised $2500. We were SO excited !! We've recently been working on helping others in our community via our adoption ministry.

Well, last week, we had our very 1st community meeting. We had a pot-luck dinner and started small by passing our flyer's to a few other churches in our community inviting anyone that has adopted or is considering adoption.

We had about 6 other couples there, and we were so excited to hear everyone stories, and be able to talk about what the future of our ministry might hold. There were families that have adopted from Guatemala, China, & Romania. There are also two other couples waiting to bring their children home from China and Ethiopia. We are hoping to help many more families with the cost as well as Christan support during their adoptions.

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!!

Anne Marie in bunny ears with Grandma & Grandpa

Anne Marie & Grandpa getting ready to leave Cracker Barrel

Sunday was Grandma's (Mike's mom) birthday!! The birthday girl/boy gets to choose where they want to eat the night of their birthday. We went out to Cracker Barrel (Anne Marie likes it there -- and I'm sure that's why Grandma chose that as her place to eat. -- So SWEET!) Then after dinner, we came back to our house to have dessert, ice-cream and coffee. (And to give Grandma her present). We gave her the present that we also made for Mike for valentines day -- but I still can't show you -- because my Mom is getting the same thing for Mother's day. (I just can't wait to show every one -- it's just too cute!!)

After we had eaten cake and ice-cream Mike's mom brought out her purse -- and around here that means --TOYS--!!!!! Anne Marie knows this too!! Anne Marie will grab her purse every time we see his mom and say "Granma, MeMe hab-it?" (translation: Grandma can Anne Marie have it?)

This time is was a cute little chicken purse with a mini-lunch-box w/ stickers -- and bunny ears! How cute they were!!! So we took pictures of "Grandma #1 & Grandma #2" with Anne Marie in her bunny ears!!

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!! We hope you had a WONDERFUL evening!!!

Love,
Melissa & Mike & Anne Marie