Merry Christmas!

Wishing all our family and friends a very Merry Christmas!

Visit with Santa

Sunday School Presentation

Miah was an angel in our church's annual Nativity Photo Shoot.

Baa Baa Baby Jesus

This weekend our church presented the musical "The Present is the Future." Mackenzie had an acting role, Madison sang a duet and Miah was a sheep. She was so proud of herself....and so was Mommy!

100 Good Wishes Quilt

Today a very special friend of mine presented Miah and I with her completed 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is beautiful! Cheryl you spoil us! This will be such a treasured keepsake for Miah to have as she grows.

We had fun tonight talking about who contributed each piece of fabric. I thought she might be too young to understand the significance, but I think she actually got it. She kept pointing to the different squares asking "who buy it?"...then I would tell her and she would answer "for me?"...when I would tell her yes for her, she would squeal in delight and have a huge smile on her face.....each square actually received quite a few kisses as well. This is definitely a blanket full of love.


You can see by the expression on her face just how much she loves her new blanket.


Thanks Cheryl! We love it!!!!!

Dear Tooth Fairy

Today while I was making Madison's bed I came across this letter to the Tooth Fairy. She has quite a few loose teeth that she is looking forward to loosing...I guess she can't wait.

Dear Tooth Fairy
My teeth will not fall wot (out)
Ples get me sum manee (some money)
like 5 bucs
and son (soon) my teeth will fall awot (out)

The Photo NOT making it on a Christmas card this year...

Happy Halloween

Tonight we had some great friends over for dinner and the girls all hit the streets in hopes of filling pillowcases full of candy. Miah was so excited to dress up as a elephant and went to a few houses, but then decided that she wanted to "go home now." She was full of awe as she emptied her bucket full of a few treats and polished off most of them while she helped mom answer the door. I think she had more fun handing out the candy then going out herself. When I put her to bed she told me trick or treating was a "little bit scary." However she did say "do it another day"...so it must have had its high points.

Madi's 7th Birthday

Today we celebrated Madison's 7th birthday. She decided that she wanted a glamour girl fashion show party. The girls had fun dressing up and took a few turns on the cat walk.

Miah got into the fun by getting her nails painted by Grandma, putting on makeup and even dressing up and performing for the girls.

Show and Tell

Today was Miah's first show and tell day at Preschool. She was asked to bring something that starts with the letter "P." Guess what she brought???? And of course a Panda dress to complete the day!

Pumpkin Patch

The girls have a five day weekend so today was "Sister Fun Day!"

I love my sister!

Corn kernels instead of sand...what fun!

School Photo Day

Today Miah had her very first school photos taken. She was very excited to wear her new dress and have her hair curled. However, on the way to school she told us that she was NOT going to smile. Her words were "No big smile." We did a little pre-photo shoot at home just in case.....





Her teacher told us that she was a little hesitant to sit on the stool, but after they gave her a stuffed Panda to hold she cooperated. I can hardly wait to see her and her new stuffed friend. I guess if there is a stuffed Panda to be found, Miah will find it.

Nativity Photo Shoot

Every year our church gathers up the preschool families and heads to the park to take some photos of the preschoolers dressed up in the various roles of the Nativity story. This year, Miah was promoted to an angel (last year she was a sheep)....see the progression? These photos will then be put together in a video with a narration and shown to the congregation in December. It always turns out to be super cute!

Notice our sweet angel trying to steal the gift the Wise Man has brought (left side)I didn't even notice this until I downloaded these photos!

No there is not a hold up in progress....this little angel is praising God!

Sweetness! Our hearts are so full of love for our dear angel!

How much difference a year can make....This was our little sheep last year!

A Wedding

This past weekend we had the privilege of attending our friend's daughter's wedding. This sweet girl was our Candle lighter at our wedding 11 years ago...how on earth can she be old enough to be married...or better question...are we really that old?

I was reminded of just how fast time goes by and only how much longer our girls will be little.

One stop we made on the way to the wedding was Build-A-Bear. The girls had been wanting to go for some time and show Miah how to build her own bear....of course she picked the Panda. Once she saw the Panda there was no showing her any other options.

The new additions to our family

Some "Firsts" this week

First Toothless Grin

Madison's First day of Sparks

First Official Day of Preschool

Preschool Orientation

Tonight was Miah's Preschool Orientation. We played together in the classroom for about 30 minutes and then the parents sat in one area of the room and had a meeting while the kids played with the other teachers. Miah did great...she only came over to check on my whereabouts one time and went back to playing. Of course, the worried Adoptive Mother in me wonders if this is a sign of a healthy attachment, or lack of a good attachment....how are we ever to know for sure????

She had so much fun and it was wonderful to observe her in a classroom setting. The last few days I had been praying that there might, just maybe, be one other Asian child in her class...well, it was not to be...ALL the other kids were Caucasian. I know that the odds are not in her favor here in our town, but I was really hoping. When I left tonight I was surprised as to how much that really bothered me. Will she always be the only Asian girl in her peer group? How will she respond to this? What can we do as her family to make her not feel different than her peers? Will she feel different? All those questions we answered so confidently during the Home Study process now have a new reality to them....I wish I could answer confidently now.

Seriously mom? Are you gonna follow me around with that camera?

Making pizza

Matching Chocolates

Painting! She was so excited about this station...boo hoo...all those cute Gymboree outfits I was going to send her in...

The first day of school

Two of our girls headed back to school yesterday. I have to admit I was much too tired to post last night. I think it might take me a few days to get back into the swing of things. Mackenzie started grade 5 and Madison grade 1. They were both so eager to get going and woke up early, got themselves dressed and happily ate breakfast...however, things were not so smooth this morning.

Yearly photo on the front steps...and yes, that is the best smile Mack could find for me... she thinks it is high time Mom put that camera away.....sorry honey, no such luck!

Madison's First Desk

There are some really lovely girls in class with Madison this year. The teacher let them choose where they wanted to sit in the class. It was cute...all the girls took the front rows and all the boys high tailed it to the back...

Tomorrow Miah goes for her fist orientation for Preschool, then starts next week two mornings a week. While I am excited for her and think it will be good for her, I am having a hard time letting go...didn't she just come home? It was cute to see her name on the bulletin board outside her class...the title read "Look who Popped into Preschool"