Miah's Dedication

Today was Miah's dedication. We were honored to have both sets of Grandparents come to church with us today as we dedicated Miah back to the Lord. We know that she is a gift from him and we thank Him everyday for this amazing blessing. After church we went out for lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant, where we were surprised to see Miah using Chop sticks. She knew how to hold them and was quite successful picking up her food.

First Haircut

OK...so there was not much to trim, but we really needed to trim those bangs as they were starting to get in her eyes. Miah was not too sure about sitting in that chair though. After all the blood tests and Xrays she has had lately she is a little less trusting of strangers touching her. The hairdresser managed a little pony on top, but Miah pulled it out before we got home...good thing I took a photo before.

Cute as a button! Even with the tear stained look!

The Big Day!

Waiting for her surgery to begin. She was pretty nervous, but was still smiling!
No more Tonsils...still smiling!

No Orphans of God

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Today at church the Pastor spoke from Ephesians Chapter One. I was reminded that we have all been adopted by God. "In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." Ephesians 1:5

I think this video is a great reminder that there are No Orphans of God. He is a Father to the Fatherless.

Many of you who have followed our journey have shared with me that you have thought about adoption or how blessed we are to have Miah in our family, to be her Mommy and Daddy and her two big sisters. And I could not agree more on that last part. If you are one of those people who have thought about adoption, even if the first time you ever thought about it was when you saw Miah's story unfold, would you PRAY for God to speak to you specifically about adoption? How you fit in His plan for the orphans of this world?

I am going to pray as well for all who do this, because I just will never believe that it is God’s will and plan for the world to have 143 million orphans.

The Bible says that children are a heritage, a blessing, from the Lord! I pray no one who reads this misses out on a wonderful blessing from God. There is NOTHING on this earth that is of any real value that we can see and touch except people. And these precious children like Miah, who the world sees as imperfect and a challenge and needy, are nothing like that at all. They are treasures. If only more people knew...that is my deepest prayer, that more people would know the joy of adopting one of these priceless masterpieces. Some are even clothed with clay pots that are cracked and in need of repair by the world’s standard of perfection and worth, but I promise you they are special and worth so much more than anything you could ever own.

If God is calling you, neither money nor the inability to parent a child with medical needs will be a roadblock for Him. He may ask you to step out like you never have before … He asked us to but He was there stepping ahead and making the path for us to follow.

I'm not sure why I am being nudged to write this, but if you have any questions about adoption or the waiting child program I would be so very happy to chat with you.

First Swimming Lesson

Today Miah had her first swimming lesson. Overall she had a great time, but did cry a couple of times when daddy tried to get her to float on her back. She even went down the slide and went underwater. I think we have a little fish on our hands!

Ladybug Shower

Great friends of mine hosted a Ladybug themed shower to welcome Miah home. Ladybugs were everywhere...from wrapping, decor, party favors, cake, and even ladybug shaped buns. Miah's favorite part of the morning was that she could reach everything off of the food table. We feel blessed beyond measure from the love of our family and friends through our journey to bring Miah home. Thanks again!

Miah's Ladybug Shower

Great friends of mine (I feel so blessed) gave Miah and I a shower to welcome her home. The theme of course was Ladybugs...which were found everywhere including the cake, party favors, wall banners, flower arrangements, and even the buns were shaped like ladybugs. Miah was spoiled and she will be wearing some pretty nice clothes for the next little while! Thanks everyone!

First Day of Kindergarten

Today was Madi's first day of kindergarten. She was so excited to finally go to school. I remember when Mack started Kindergarten...I was a little teary eyed. This time feels different. Madi is SO ready to start school and I am so excited to watch her start this new chapter in her life.

What is next?

First they bring me to Canada...then they make me wear this hat??? What is next?

Today was Round Up Sunday at our church. A country theme kick off Sunday complete with a BBQ and bounce houses for the kids. Mack was on the kids worship team and Miah thought that she too should have a turn wearing a cowboy hat.

My Chinese Dress!

Today our friends threw us a shower to celebrate Miah. This was a great reason for Miah to pull out her new Chinese dress straight from the silk market in Beijing. Daddy did a good job shopping for his girl!

Sleep

Miah is great sleeper...my only complaint is that she likes to wake up at 6:00 am. However, we do not hear from her during the night, which makes Mommy very happy. She is still napping in the afternoon and has the occasional cat nap in the morning. Here are some photos of her when she didn't quite make it to her crib.





This is how I found Madi yesterday...it had been quiet after she got out of the shower, so I went to check on her. Apparently she was cold and a "bit sleepy."

Back to School

Today Mackenzie started grade four! How on earth did she get old enough to go to Grade four? An even better question is...How did I get old enough to have a daughter in Grade four? Yikes! Madison will start full time Kindergarten next week. However, today she got a treat to have her teacher come over for a home visit. She is very excited for Kindergarten to start!

Quick trip to Vancouver

On Saturday afternoon we were all feeling a bit bored and decided to make a quick trip down to Vancouver. 40 minutes later we were on the road. It was fun to see the girls scramble to pack their bags at a moments notice. It's always amusing to watch what they declare "important" to pack. However about three hours into the drive Madison says from the back of the car "Not the best idea you ever had Mom!" It was great to see old friends, do some shopping and visit with Drew's parents. They were very excited to see Miah to see if she would remember them from China. I am sure she did as she was quick to give them lots of hugs and kisses.

I love my new hat! Now I am all ready for the winter!

Shopping at the Disney Store

Look at Me!

This week Madison lost her first tooth. I can't believe she is old enough to start losing her teeth...we worked so hard getting all those to come in! All those sleepless night of crying while she was teething is still fresh in my mind.

Enjoying the Last Moments of Summer

Yesterday we spent the day at the IPE in Armstrong. The girls had a great time and Miah was very intrigued by all the animals. Towards the end of our day she finally got brave enough to hold a bunny on her lap. It is hard to believe that summer is winding down to a close. Only two more days until Mack goes back to school, then Madi starts full time Kindergarten the week following.