PUMPKIN PATCH FUN FOR EVERYONE!

RIDING THE BIG TRACTOR

GIDDY UP HORSIE! CUTEST COWBOY AND COWGIRL IN TOWN!

JUST CHILLING OUT ON THE FARM!

THE POOL OF INDIAN CORN WAS THE BEST!!!

HAVING THEE TIME OF HIS LIFE!

PUMPKIN CARVING FUN!

PUMPKINS MAKE ME SOOOOO HAPPY!

GOO AND MORE GOO - HOW FUN!

DIGGING OUT ALL THE SEEDS AND GOO!!!

LOOK AT THE BABY PUMPKIN SHE CHOSE!

SO PROUD OF A DIRTY JOB WELL DONE!

SOPHIA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!

OLIVIA, SAVANNAH AND SOPHIE ARE HAVING A BALL!
TO SMILE OR NOT.....
THIS IS THE CUTEST BUNCH OF KIDS I HAVE EVER SEEN
BIRTHDAY PARTIES ARE SO MUCH FUN!!!!!

THE PUMPKIN PATCH IS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY!! WHAT A LOVELY DAY!

SOPHIA TURNS 3!!!! OUR BABY NO MORE!

All four kids on the couch enjoying Sophia's special day!
THIS WAS SUCH A SUPER FUN NIGHT!
I LOVE PRINCESS THINGS!!! YAHOO!!!
LOOK AT THIS FANCY WAND - SO PRETTY!
I AM NO LONGER A BABY!! I AM A BIG GIRL!

1st DAY OF SCHOOL

READY FOR HER FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL!
LOOKING PREETY SMART IN HER NEW BARBIE BACKPACK!
I LOVE SCHOOL MOMMY!
AT SCHOOL READY TO WALK INTO CLASS
SOPHIE HAD A WONDERFUL DAY AT SCHOOL! WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE HER IN SUCH A WONDERFUL PROGRAM!

THEE CAKE!

SOPHIA WANTED A PRINCESS BARBIE CAKE - SO MOM WENT TO WORK!

"WOW - I LOVE THIS MOM"!
IT IS SO AMAZING THAT SHE LOOKS JUST LIKE ME!
I AM HOW MANY NOW???? 3!!!!!!!
LOOK AT THOSE PRETTY FLOWERS ON HER DRESS!

BIRTHDAY FUN!

WE HAD SUCH A FUN TIME AS A FAMILY WATCHING MISS SOPHIA OPEN HER GIFTS - SHE WAS LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET PEA

To my youngest daughter - I can not believe that you turn 3 today! It seems like we were just celebrating your 2 year old birthday yesterday! In this year that you have been home, you have changed and grown so much and in so many ways. You make me say "wow" all of the time! You make me laugh continually and I am beyond blessed to be your mommy!
God created you in such an awesome way! You are so kind and sweet. You look at others who are sad, and always try to comfort them. You have thee most witty sense of humor and keep me on my toes as your mind thinks at a speed that is by far - "over the limit!" You will do great things in your life darling and I feel privileged to be one of the people who get to hold your hand as you become the person that God has created you to be.
You came into our lives in such a miraculous way - and I am still in awe of the miracle of your adoption and how God meant for us to be your mommy and your daddy. You are just beautiful inside and out!
Now that you are three, you are becoming more independent - "I do it" to just about everything - and me, as your mom, has had to allow you to wear your minnie mouse shirt inside out with your purple Gymboree leggings and your cowboy boots - it is YOUR style and you wear it with CLASS! :) - I can not believe that in just days, you will be going to preschool, learning, growing, making new friends and seeing what you like in life! AMAZING!
Thank you for allowing me to be your mom and for loving me with this amazing unconditional love that makes me melt! Sophia Hui Juan - you are such a blessing! Have a super third Birthday darling - WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

FUN FAMILY TRIP TO CANNON BEACH!

SWIMMING WAS SO MUCH FUN! WE GOT TO VISIT TILLAMOK AND SEE WHERE CHEESE AND YUMMY ICE CREAM IS MADE!

OUR VERY BRAVE GRANDMA TOOK ALL 6 OF US BY HERSELF TO THE AQUARIUM! WE ARE JUST THREE VERY HAPPY BEACH BUMS!
IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO HAVE MY COUSIN AS MY BEST PAL!

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.