FUN FUN FUN IN THE SUN!

ALL OF THE KIDS HAVING THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES!
I JUST LOVE MY SISTER!!!
WINNING THE HULA HOPP CONTEST - WOW!
THE WRESTING MANIA COMPETITION!
ALL YOU CAN EAT ICE CREAM IS THE BEST SET UP YET!

FUN TIMES IN THE SUMMER SUN WITH COUSINS

SOPHIE AND STELLA ARE BEST PALS!
SOPHIA LOVES TO GET INTO MOMMY'S MAKEUP! ADORABLE LIPS GIRL!
OUR COUSIN OLIVIA IS GONNA GET US WET!

HAS IT ALREADY BEEN A YEAR???

WOW - One year ago today, something miraculous happened. God's seed that was planted October of 2003, saw fruit and Sophia was placed into our arms. This sweet little girl was tiny, malnurished for sure, scared, unsure, anxious, sick and unprepared for the say we had spent months preparing for. We looked odd, talked odd and even smelled odd (at least Adam did :) - how scary for a little girl who was not even two. This sweet little girl had endured so many transitions and attachments in her short little life. Because of the love of her foster family, she attached to us instantly and has never let go.
Many people will stop me and tell me how lucky she is - no - not at all! We are the blessed ones. We are blessed to see her daily smile, her spunk, her two year old tantrums. We are blessed to get her wet willy kisses and big bear hugs. We are the blessed ones who get to pray for her, sing with her and read books to her. We are the blessed ones to be able to watch her grow.
Saying thank you is not near enough a phrase for the mighty gift we have been given. Thank you God, for adopting us as YOUR children and creating the beautiful model of adoption. Thank you God for calling us to adopt a little girl from China. Thank you Steven Curtis Chapman for doing God's work and being used as a vessel to communicate the act of adoption at your concerts. Thank you China, for allowing United States Citizens to adopt from your BEAUTIFUL country. Thank you mom and dad for taking awesome care of our children while we brought you a new grand baby home. Thank you to Sophia's birth mom for loving her and placing her to be found right in the front of a police office. Thank you Americans Adopting Orphans for choosing us to be one of the families in the Pilot group - one of the first families from AAO to adopt a sn child. Thank you to my husband who listened to God's still small voice and who is a WONDERFUL father. Thank you to all of our friends and family who faithfully pray and lift us up and contribute to our lives and make our lives richer!
Thank you Sophia, for blessing mommy and daddy and your brothers and sister more than words can express. You are such a sweet little lady.
It does not seem like it has been a year - but in looking back - Sophia has made so many changes. THANK YOU FOR THE MOST WONDERFUL YEAR OF OUR LIVES MISS SOPHIE - WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY.....

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, ADAM AND I WERE BOARDING A PLAN, SET FOR JAPAN, THEN TO GUANGZHOU, CHINA - TO STAY THE NIGHT AND BOARD ANOTHER PLANE TO GET TO KUNMING, CHINA TO MEET OUR DAUGHTER. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT IT HAS ALREADY BEEN ONE YEAR. THE EXPERIENCE OF ADOPTING SOPHIA STILL GIVES US THE CHILLS. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE. WHAT A MIRACLE. HOW DID WE GET SO LUCKY? THAT YOU LORD! WE LOVE CHINA AND HAVE A HEART FOR THE PEOPLE PF CHINA. WE LOOK AT OUR PRECIOUS DAUGHTER, WHO HAS BEEN IN OUR HOME FOR ALMOST ONE YEAR NOW AND CAN NOT EVEN IMAGINE OUR LIVES WITHOUT HER. I THANK THE LORD FOR CALLING US, BEING THE VERY ORDINARY PEOPLE THAT WE ARE, TO DO SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY THING! SOPHIA HAS BLESSED OUR SOCKS OF AND WE ARE FOREVER GREATFUL TO BE ABLE TO ME CALLED HER MOMMY AND DADDY. I THINK OF SOPHIA'S BIRTH MOM AND THE HUGE SACRIFICE SHE MADE FOR SOPHIA AND HOW MUCH SHE LOVED THIS PRECIOUS CHILD. I PRAY THAT SHE KNOWS THAT SOPHIE IS LOVED BEYOND COMPREHENSION AND CARED FOR AND TREASURED. I PRAY THAT SHE FEELS IN HER HEART A SENSE OF LOVE - WE WILL FOREVER TELL OUR PRECIOUS DAUGHTER THAT HER MOTHER HAD FOR HER. AWE IS THE ONLY WORD THAT CAN MEASURE HOW WE FEEL.