Painted Toes, Picnic Time, Picking Blackberries & Pushing Jeffrey

Whew!! This past week has flown by!

Last weekend we had a "craft day" at the local park. Our Church is gearing up for a 2nd "contemporary" service and they decided that we would rent a booth at the park and pass out information & talk to people about our new service. Mike and I decided that we would volunteer to man the booth for 2 hours last Sunday. We all had T-shirts that were made especially to promote our new service. A friend that attends our Church created the logo for the new service that were put onto t-shirts made by another friend of mine that attends our Church, she even made Anne Marie a special shirt since she would be with us at the booth. (Such awesome creative friends we have!) We had a nice time, the day was beautiful, and we are so excited to see what God has in store for our Church with this new service.



Anne Marie in her "Awakening" t-shirt & Mommy & Anne Marie "working" the booth at the park.



I also gave Anne Maire her 1st pedicure. TOO CUTE!! I did it while she was eating in her high-chair. That way, there was no possibility of her getting the nail polish anywhere and it gave her toes time to dry.


How cute are those toes??



We've been trying to get outdoors as much as possible right now while we have good weather. Almost once a day there is a thunderstorm that makes us come indoors, but Anne Marie just loves being outside, so when ever possible, we try to have dinner outside. Not too long ago we bought Anne Marie her very own picnic table so that we wouldn't have to drag her high chair outside. She loves it -- she thinks she's such a "big-girl". I just had to include this picture of her getting ready for dinner at her table, the smile just makes me laugh!


What a smile! :o)


This past week we went blackberry picking. There is a farm that is close to my moms house that you can go pick blackberries. They are beautiful, big and sweet! Last year we went 2 times and got 4 quarts each time. I made blackberry freezer jam, blackberry ice-cream, blackberry cobbler, and I think we each ate our weight in them too! We took Anne Marie and cousin Naomi this year. The girls had a great time -- picking -- eating -- eating-- and eating blackberries. I just can't wait for the ice cream!!



Anne Marie in the blackberry bushes & cousin Naomi feeding Anne Marie a berry.


This weekend we bought Anne Marie a new toy. Mike's motto is in w/a new then out w/ an old. I have not decided which one we're getting rid of, but we were over at a friends house not too long ago and Anne Marie fell in LOVE with her baby doll stroller. She walked all over her house with her giraffe Jeffery in the seat. She was so cute, so I had to get one of our own. This is the first toy we've bought for her since her birthday, so I didn't figure it hurt too much to get a toy for "no reason" right now. We took it out in the back yard with Jeffery yesterday -- we had a hard time getting her to come back inside!







Very happy with her stroller & pushing Jeffery in the back yard.


We hope you all are having a great summer!!
Melissa & Mike & Anne Marie

NEVER say NEVER -- What a Great 4th of July Week!

"Never say Never" -- how many times have we said that? I will tell you that there was a time that Mike and I said "we're NEVER going to buy one of those" & "we'll never need on of those" & "we'll never be that un-cool" -- Well we now are MINI-VAN owning parents!! How funny!!?? I have to tell you that we were not looking for one, it just happened that a family member had one they were selling, and after our last weekend trip, we realized that it might be something we needed to think about when they told us they were selling! I have to say, it's great for space (bad for gas) but a small 4 door car gets VERY full VERY fast!! So...... never say never!


Anne Marie & cousin Naomi ready to go & a family shot @ the 4th picnic.


Daddy & Anne Marie "chillin" @ the cabin & Aunt Wendy, "Nana" & Anne Marie visiting.

Well, the week of the 4th Mike was able to take a couple of days off, and we packed in quite a few things since we finally had daddy to ourselves for a while! My family had a 4th of July picnic at their cabin. Anne Marie was able to meet a few family members she'd not met before and all the kids enjoyed running around the woods, finding snakes (ugh), and eating & playing with each other. We enjoyed visiting everyone & who doesn't like a "potluck" picnic! We left in time to get home to watch the other families in our neighborhood light fireworks, so we sat on our front porch and watched -- she just laughed and gasped the whole time.

The next day we had a get-to-gether with local families that have adopted from China. It was great to visit with everyone and have everyone meet Anne Marie. The last time we were able to get together with this group was about a week after we got our referral. We feel so blessed that we are in an area that has other families that have adoption in common.

Our friends from our local adoption group.

We also spent a day at the pool where Mike works. Mike's place of business has a gym, playground, sports field, and pool that is available to their employees. It's GREAT in the summer. She has been to the pool a few times, but this is the first time I actually took pictures. How cute is this child in her little bikini!! She LOVES the pool, she through a fit when we had to leave.

Pool time fun - what a cutie!!

This past weekend was also Anne Marie's first time on a bike. Friends of ours bought us a bike seat and helmet for our baby shower. Two of our friends came over and we all went for a bike ride w/ the kids. She seemed to really enjoy the ride -- she even fell asleep in the seat before we got home!! I think all the kids really enjoyed it!!

Anne Marie & friend Elsie ready for a ride -- and Anne Marie asleep during the ride.

Mike said to me after the long weekend was over "what happened to my time off" -- I have a bad habit of planning every minute of every day that we have off together. It's just such a blessing to have this child in our family I want to make as many memories as possible.

I just had to include these shots -- This is our child eating her own corn on the cob -- She begged me for a bite of my corn & then took over!!

I hope that everyone had a fun & safe 4th of July!!

Melissa & Mike & Anne Marie

Weekend Getaway

This weekend we had a little "get-away". Mike has been working between 55-60 hours a week the last couple of weeks, so I decided that we would go and visit friends of ours Di & Bri. They are getting married and one of her bridal showers was this weekend. We just had one for her where we live not too long ago, but I thought it might be nice to try to make it to one of her other showers as well since I'm one of the bridesmaids.

Mike also has family in (who live very close to Di & Bri) so we made sure to make a "pit-stop" there so they could meet Anne Marie. It was a very nice visit. He was able to visit one of his grandmothers, 2 aunts, 2 uncles, and just by chance two of his cousins children were visiting as well.

Mike and Anne Marie with Mike's family.

We spent Saturday morning visiting family, then on to the shower. (Mike and Anne Marie stayed w/ "Bri" and took a nap while the girls "played" at the shower). After the shower we 5 went out to eat and then off to the hotel for us.

Anne Marie ridding back to the hotel after a great dinner .

Anne Marie just loved being in a hotel. She jumped around on the bed, she ran all over the place giggling. Then it was bed time!! Well, it didn't go as bad as I thought, but it took her a little whileto get settled. We heard her toss & turn all night. She finally settled down though -- she just has not stayed in a hotel since China.

Playing on the bed @ the hotel.

Running around the hotel room before bed.

Hey!! What the heck is this thing & what am I doing in it??

Then on Sunday, we took her down to the beach. This was her first time at the beach. We now know that she is in love with the pool and the bath after a very rocky start in China with baths, but we wondered if the waves and sand would be a little scary for her --- well --- NO WAY!! She loved it!! She was ready to run in the waves with or without dads hand. She laughed the whole time (except the one time the wave caught her in the face -- but it didn't keep her down too long, she was right back in)

Loving the beach -- can you see that smile??


Wow!! Big waive -- but she kept on going!!

Mike and I are so excited that she loved the beach this much! The beach is the one place we try to make a point to visit every year. Usually a couple different beaches with friends of ours. We actually have a trip planned with our friends this September and can't wait!!!

She was so exhausted by the time we left the beach Sunday afternoon she slept for 2 hours in the car on the way home. And for those of you who don't know -- she NEVER likes to sleep in the car!!!

Sleeping on the way home.


Now, hopefully Mike got a little rest to start another week of crazy work ( he ended up working 11 hours yesterday) so maybe we'll have to plan a lot of "little get-a-ways" to keep him refreshed.

Melissa & Mike & Anne Marie

Father's Day Weekend

Our weekend started out with Mike's company picnic on Friday. So many people that Mike works with have been waiting to meet Anne Marie. They all have been so sweet with gifts and support as Mike and I were adopting. We had a cook-out and walked around visiting with people. She really LOVED the Schwan's Ice Cream they had there being handed out of the back of the truck!! One of Mike's co-workers even gave her a little stuffed dog that one of her kids had won at one of the carnival games. She just loved it -- she kept "woofing" all the way home in the car.


Anne Marie & Schwan's Ice Cream at the company picnic - YUM!


Anne Marie & her stuffed dog.

Then, Saturday, we went to a cook-out birthday party for some friends of ours. Anne Marie made a new friend (actually two if you count the sweet little boy that she kept begging to hold her -- isn't she too young to flirt w/ boys??? hee hee) She really put on quite a show. She was walking all over the place, showing everyone how she could sign please and thank you & more. She ate WAY TOO MUCH cake!! She was totally exhausted by the end of the night. She fell asleep on the way home!


Anne Marie & her new friend Emma taking a ride in the wagon.


The birthday boy & girl -- check out the size of that cake!! It was REALLY GOOD!!


Anne Marie flirting w/ a little boy @ the birthday party.


Finally Sunday was Father's day!! Mike's 1st Father's day. I was so excited that he was finally able to have his day! He's just a wonderful father and she is IN LOVE with him!! She bought him two books and a leather bookmark that has the word "LOVE" in Chinese & English on it. As many of us have said before who have adopted, I can remember sitting here two years ago during so many of the holiday's (Father's day included) that we were wondering if this would be the last holiday without our daughter. Well, finally!! 2007 is our year to have her here for ALL our holiday's. This child was SO worth our wait -- and God knew THIS child was the one for us!! So here's wishing Mike and every other father out there -- a (late) happy father's day!! I hope you enjoyed it as much as Mike did!!



Anne Marie bringing out daddy's gift for father's day Sunday morning.


Mike reading Anne Marie one of the new books he got. (the book is called: "I love my daddy because....")


Can you read the shirt?? (My daddy is handsome -- hee -- too cute!!)

Melissa & Mike & Anne Marie

Anne Marie's Dedication

This past Sunday (6/10) we had Anne Marie dedicated at Church. What a wonderful day!! We are just so blessed that God has given us this beautiful child. It means the world to us that we are able stand in front friends and family & show our intention to raise her with the full understanding of God's love for her. I can only hope that Anne Marie one day will understand the love that God has for her the way we have understood it through our adopting her. We picked a special verse that was put on her dedication certificate - It's a verse that is supposed to show our wish for her relationship with God & her future. It's just so exciting to think about the path that God has ready for Anne Marie. The verse was 1 Peter 5: 6-7. She did very well that day, we were a little worried that she might cry when our pastor took her in his arms and walked around with her, but when we got up at the front of the Church she waived at the whole congregation, and did really well with him, we were so proud!!!

Mike, Anne Marie and I at Church after her dedication.

After Church we had a cook-out at the house with my family, his parents, and some friends of ours. We just grilled out and ate outside since the weather was WONDERFUL!! A friend of mine that makes cakes and cookies made beautiful cookies for Anne Marie's lunch. They were so so so sweet!

The cookies that our friend Heather made for Anne Marie -little cross cookies & cookies made like a flower arrangement - aren't they too cute?!?!

Anne Marie, cousin Naomi, & best friend Avery eating lunch @ Anne Marie's new picnic table.

After everyone had their fill and talked for a bit, the kids were ready to run and play, so we broke out the bathing suits and the sprinkler & let them expel of some energy! They had so much fun!!!

Backyard Fun!!!

A very special Sunday that we will always remember!!

Melissa & Mike & Anne Marie

Another Visit With The Shartzer's!

What a fun Saturday we had!! We went to visit the friends of ours that adopted with us this weekend. I love that we live so close to them. We have formed such a wonderful bond from our paper-chase, to China and now as new parents. It's just great to be able to see Maggie grow!! She's gotten sooo tall! She's starting to crawl now, and talk a little, and is just so so sweet!!

The girls getting ready to drive through the zoo! Aren't they just too cute?

Well, we met up at the a local "drive-thru" safari type of zoo. It's the park where you are able to drive through the park and let the animals eat food from the car. We wondered how the girls would feel about very LARGE animals coming into the windows, but you know, they really thought it was quite interesting. We had a blast, I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard!

The animals coming through the windows of the car -- too funny!!!

They also had a little walk through area where we took the girls to see the babies and smaller animals up close. It was a beautiful day, and we had a great time!!

Pictures of the girls in the walking part of the zoo. Check out our "cool-cat" in her glasses!




Ok -- Mike might kill me for this, but this shows you that even adults can have fun @ these places!! (ha -- Mike's mama Kanga' and I'm baby joey! -- ha)

We have decided to plan more get-together's this summer & we can't wait!!!

Melissa & Mike & Anne Maire