Valentines Day

I want to thank everyone for your prayers for my mom. Things are looking better and after about 10 days, they've sent her home and we're "watching and waiting".

On Valentines Day, we decided we would spend the day as a family. We had a pic-nic lunch at the local park. The weather was nice (a little windy, but we already told Anne Marie we were going, so we braved the cold breezes.) She had a blast!

When we got home, we slipped away to make Daddy his "flower arrangement" with paper flowers & his "gift". Then we made chocolate dipped fruit - our dessert for our Valentines dinner. (I took Anne Marie to the $-Store one day before VDay and told her she could pick one thing out for Daddy -- Mike and I don't give each other gifts on VDay anymore, but I thought this would be cute -- She first had chocolate peanut butter hearts, he would have "loved" those, but then we turned down an isle -- and she says "OOOOOHHHHHHHHHH Mommy, I want to give that to Daddy. He would love it! Do you think Daddy would share it with me?" So, I had to buy it! It was a huge marshmallow on a stick that had the letters L-O-V-E on it. (See the flower arrangement picture)

Eating our picnic lunch.

Daddy pushing her on the swings.

She loves, loves, loves to climb this. I have been to the park w/ her a few times since she's become brave enough to do it, but Mike had not. When she first climbed on it, I thought he was going to croak, he just kept looking at me and saying "you let her climb this by herself?" She's actually quite good at it now -- and very proud of herself when she gets to the top!

Loving the "swirl slide"!

Anne Marie "smelling" the paper-flowers we made for Daddy's gift

See? The BIG "LOVE" candy??

Anne Marie opening her gift (Hello-Kitty Bubble Bath)

Getting ready to help make our chocolate dipped fruit for dessert

Blog-Time-Off & Prayer

It's been a little crazy around here. My mom has been very sick. She's been having some major problems with her heart and we've been back and forth to the hospital for the last 10 days.

Things are starting to look up!.....But please say a little prayer for her (healing for her heart) and for all of my family as it's a very emotional situation for us (after my dad passed away in the same hospital after a heart procedure a couple of years ago). Please pray that we are able to see what God's plan is in this crazy-feeling-situation that has been going on.

I hope to be back w/ happy - fun-loving stories and pictures of Anne Marie w/in the next couple of days!!

Craft Day With Friends

This past Friday we went over to a friends house & decided to sit down and talk about the crafts we were going to do this year! I have such talented friends and they have great skills that they are willing to share, so this way I can learn how to make some pretty great things and it helps with my B-day and Christmas shopping if I can make 1/2 the things for people on my list. So, Friday we went to look over some new ideas, make a "needs" list, and I even made a bracelet while we were there organizing her jewelry beads. (One b-day gift down, but I can't show it because I don't want to give away the surprise!!) Anyway, the girls also LOVE to do crafts, so we set them down to make cute little Valentines Cards for their Dads. They had a blast! They wanted to draw hearts all over the cards, and stamped them, and wrote on them & Anne Marie is even learning to write her letters, so we wrote "Daddy" on it -- she did great (with a little help). Thanks for the fun day Jen & Avery, we're looking forward to our next craft day!

Two little hands hard at work!!!

Warm Weather Fun!

Strange weather we're having!! 2 weeks ago there was ice, a week ago there was snow -- and this week --- 60deg. (and warmer) weather!! I had both girls one day and it was too nice to stay inside, so another friend came to visit & we headed to the park! The girls had SO much fun. We were the 1st ones there and took advantage of the "freedom" -- the girls fed the ducks, ran all over the park between the two playgrounds & had free-reign on every slide! I am now "done" with winter -- bring on SPRING!!!

Three best buddies feeding the ducks

Anne Marie just loved watching the ducks swim to catch the crackers she was throwing

Having fun taking turns on the slides

What a bunch of cuties!!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Happy Valentines Day to all our Friends & Family!!

Love, Me & Mike & Anne Marie

A Visit From Our Special "China Friends"

This past weekend our friends came to visit with us and go to a Chinese New Year celebration that was being celebrated at a local mall. This family is so very close to our heart as this is a family that we met during our adoption process, and ended up traveling to China to adopt our girls at the same time. It just is so great to have families close to us that we can get together with.

Well, Thursday night I happened to talk to "J" on the phone and told her about the CNY celebration and mentioned they were more than welcome to come & join us. Well, to my surprise they made last minute plans to come & join us!! YEA!! I wish I would have thought about it sooner and would have called our other friends Ally & her family to join us as well!!

The girls had a great time! And I just love that they live close enough that we can make last minute plans to be able to spend time with our very special friends!

The girls reading books together

They were having a raffle drawing while we were there & "M" was one of the helpers that got to draw a ticket. Then, we ran into some other local friends that also adopted from China (after we did) and their little girl "L" also got to draw a ticket. The girls were so excited!

Daddy & Anne Marie waiting for the "show"!

They had all kinds of special Chinese dances, music & entertainment. Anne Marie LOVED the dragon dance -- she was very upset when it ended -- she even asked to go find the dragons when they went off stage!

After the show we decided to take the girls to Chick-Fil-A to get Milk-Shakes. And let me tell you --Y-U-M-O! If you like milkshakes & have never tried theirs -- GO GET ONE -- but you will probably need to share they are HUGE!!

Happy Birthday Nana!!!

Today is my Moms Birthday!!! I won't give her age away -- she'd just croak if I did, so since I can't do that I'll just post something a little funny -- that will pick on her a little bit since I can't do that -- and I know she'll laugh (after she blushes a bit) But it just shows how funny she can be sometimes w/ the kids!

Normally my mom is a very quiet person. Every once in a while she gets around the grand kids & just "breaks out". She'll get on the floor & flip them around over her head -- and they just laugh and laugh. (Mind you she's only 4'11 - and a tiny little lady!!)

But one day a few months ago she was over at our house, we were talking to Anne Marie about how she was potty trained & how proud she was of her & wanted to see the new big-girl-undies she got...well Anne Marie thought it would be funny to prance out in the living room w/ all of them "swinging" around .. and then it got funnier & funnier from there...

So, here's to "Nana" -- we LOVE ya & Happy Birthday !! (and to her husband --- pay up -- you did say you'd pay if I ever posted these right??? haaa)

Adoption Day Celebration

On 2/5 we celebrated Anne Marie's Adoption Day with our families at our house. We ordered Chinese food (she LOVES it) and since it was still Chinese New Year I made the girls little red envelopes with money and candy in them. Mike's mom brought chocolate covered fortune cookies (YUM!) I attempted to make sugar cookies w/ the word "love" written in Chinese on them.

While we were in China we bought Anne Marie 18 little gifts to give her for the next 18 Adoption Days. This year we gave her a little cloisonne bracelet. She's been asking to wear it every day since. Mike's parents also bought her a dragon kite. She loves kites -- and can't wait until we can get together with them to go fly the kite (believe it or not, the weather has been so nice the last week that we might try to do it soon -- crazy weather -- one week we get ice, one snow & the next it's in the 60's)

My "love" cookies

Anne Marie's bracelet

The girls w/ their red-envelopes & treats (Chinese money, candy coins & red gummy fish)

Everyone enjoying their dinner!!

Snow Day Cookie Making

This week we might have had a nice snow, but one day last week we had 2 "ice days" instead of snow days.....Anyway, we didn't want to venture out anywhere, and our friend Mattie didn't come to visit us those 2 days since her family didn't want to venture out either. So, it was Mommy & Anne Marie time. We had bubble-baths, watched a movie, made crafts, and made sugar cookies. Anne Marie picked out the tulip & heart cookie cutters and so the cookie making began!

Having fun rolling the dough.

Cutting the cookies out....


Hearts & Tulips

Decorating with icing.

All decorated -- even a special cookie for Daddy!!

YUMMY!!! Enjoying the fruits of our labor!!

2 Years Ago.......

"Now"

"Then"



You know I"m going to have to do this every year right??? I just LOVE talking about, thinking about, & looking over all our memories of this day!!

2 years ago today we met our sweet Anne Marie face-to-face! WOW! I can't believe it's been two years! It feels like she's been part of our family since the beginning of time (and in God's eyes I'm sure she has) but when I look back at all our pictures and think about that day, it seems like these 2 years have gone by so quick!!

I remember everything about that day. The way I was pacing in the hotel room making a bottle & waiting for "our time" to depart. I remember running back up to the room at least 2 times while waiting in the lobby worried that I had forgot something. The way my stomach felt riding the bus to get her --- it just seemed so unreal! I remember seeing this beautiful child across the room just KNOWING it was my daughter -- Mike even doubted me!! I remember looking into that face, and just knowing this WAS the child God's intended for us!

I remember that quiet, painfully shy, almost unemotional personality she showed us those first few days. It makes me want to cry thinking of what she must have been thinking. How worried she must have been. How worried her nannies must have been, and then how worried her birth-mother must have been for all those months, wondering where she was, how she was taken care of, and who was loving her!!

She is now an AMAZINGLY funny, loud, opinionated, hyper, happy, stubborn, vibrant child. She loves hard, plays hard, and laughs harder!! And we could not be more blessed.

I also think often of all those families we traveled with. And, especially on days like today I wish them well!!! We hope that you all are having a wonderful Adoption Day -- and you eat tons of Chinese food --- and know that we're thinking of you all!!!!!!

YEA!!! SNOW DAY!!

It finally SNOWED!! Not ice - snow! That great snow that accumulates about 5 inches (not a lot I know, but the most around here this year!) that is wet & sticky - great for snowmen & sledding once packed tight! But it doesn't stick to the road too much so it's easy to get out & have some fun!

It started Monday right when Daddy got home from work - Anne Marie was so excited to see the snow falling she asked to go out right away. So, out we went.

Anne Marie showing off her favorite pink gloves - finally a great use for them!

Trying to catch snow in her mouth (she kept saying "it gets in mine eyes mommy"!! - Until I finally told her she had to shut her eyes when she tipped her head up)

Having fun w/ Mommy & Daddy - playing in the falling snow & making snow angels.

THEN......... The next day, she woke up & there was snow EVERYWHERE!! She was so excited -- except she asked "where is the snow in the air mommy?" -- I explained it was done snowing, but it was now time to play!! My mom invited us and my sister over with the girls (I was babysitting Mattie & my sister had our niece Naomi for the day while my other sister was working) So, off we went all bundled up to Nana's house!! My mom's house is awesome, it's a beautiful home w/ room for everyone to visit & have dinner get-togethers, a hot-tub for fun soaking & a HUGE HUGE hill in her back yard... it goes forever & it's the best sledding hill (or slip-n-slide hill in the summer)

Ready to "hit the slopes"!!!

My mom was actually the 1st one out there on the hill -- she loved it I think - she was actually trying to get the path started, so off I went behind her -- OH MY -- I don't care how old you are it's TOO much fun not to scream on the way down!!!!

It's a misty picture, but this is my mom & Anne Marie ready to take their 1st trip - we had the girls sit on our backs & hang on to our hats.. they had a BLAST!! They even decided after a while to try a trip down by themselves -- We had 1 person @ the top - 1 person @ the middle & 1 person @ the end. That way if anyone fell off, there would be someone there, but there was not ONE accident!!!! Whoo Hoo!!

My mom & Mattie

My sister & niece Naomi

Mom & the girls making a snowman!!