HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

re-adoption

A year later our girl is legally ours in the eyes of the U.S. Her name is legally Naomi and we ordered a US birth certificate.

I thought it was just a "business" thing. It was way more emotional than that. I think part of the emotion was that it reminded me of all the procedural stuff in China just a year ago. We have been a family of five for just over a year.

All five of us had to raise our right hands and swear to tell the truth . . . What an experience for my boys.

Family of Five with the judge behind his bench.

Zach helping stamp all the legal documents.

My beautiful girl. Wild and Free

A daddy's girl.

Going to the store

I am on my way to the store to pick up some more big girl panties. 3 pairs is just not enough. Yesterday we made it all day but today well . . . that is a different story.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Have a blessed Day! From our family to yours.

Happy Birthday Nathaniel

My little boy is 6 years old today. How time flies . . . we must be having fun!!!

I LOVE YOU THANIE!!!

Thanks for singing to me at night when I make dinner, your music is fabulous just like you.

Do we stay? Do we go?

This is tough.

We moved into our little house in Seattle when Zach was 1. We promptly re-did the entire 1st floor, new pluming, electrical, ceilings, walls, paint, bathroom, new hardwood floors. Fast forward 3 years we added the second floor then a new kitchen. When I say we, that means Pete and I with lots of help from family, we hired a couple things out but this is true sweat equity. We are attached. Although it is just a house.

It is just a house but. . . We live within minutes of both of our parents, and our core group of friends. We have a huge support system within 15 minutes of us. Not to mention doctors and neighbors my great new church and on and on. The areas that we have looked would move us about 20 minutes north (that is 20 minutes with NO traffic)

If you remember I lost my job about 6 months ago and the economy has drastically effected Pete's pay. I have had a taste of being a stay-at-home mom and honestly it is a dream come true. It is HARD much harder than going to work but it is where I want/need to be.

Are we headed to the suburbs??? Maybe so. Time and lots of prayer will tell.

We have looked in Richmond Beach and Mill Creek, if any of you out there live in those areas I would love to hear your thoughts.

Guess what I get to do . . .

With the help of a very generous second cousin (he helped me set it up) I get to manage this great new blog.

It is a place for our agency Faith International to quickly post China's waiting children. So far all the sweet faces are from their individual list. But in the next couple weeks I plan on adding kids from the shared list.

I am new to this but very excited at the prospect of helping unite Children and Families. Please Come check it out. We Still Wait

You will need a password to view the kids. Email me , I promise I will check it often.

Santa

Every year we go downtown and sit with Santa, ride the carousel, and have a nice dinner with my brother and his wife and all the cousins. It is a tradition that happened by mistake and I am so glad it did.

Never seen my boys in ties . . . Oh my! they looked so HANDSOME, maybe a little too grown up.

Still looking very handsome. But look at my poor girl. She was screaming for daddy. She was probably on his lap for about 10 seconds but we had to get the picture, part of the tradition.

Next stop the Carousel

Pretty girl in one of many pretty Christmas dresses (I LOVE hand-me-downs)

Cousins at the end of a lovely evening

Pardon the not so great picture quality. Old camera and out of practice

A Year Ago . . .

today Naomi and I landed in Seattle via China (after an ungodly amount of travel). We were finally a family of five.

Picture 12/3/08

I thank God daily for the gift of my family. I also pray daily that it will be easier soon. This sweet little Naomi is giving me a run for my money. It feels like we are back to the first months home. . . she is back in our bed at night and needs to be with me almost %100 of the time. I am sooo TIRED. This to shall pass. Please tell me it will.

P.S. Yes, I was crying in this picture, children do CRAZY things to a momma's emotions.

Wordless Wednesday