Meeting a Friend

At the Helping Hand picnic, I had a chance to meet a "blog friend". She has a beautiful family and just recently adopted her second daughter from China. I have followed her journey...and got a chance to see her beautiful daughters in person on Saturday. If you want to check out her journey..... go to http://aladyblog.blogspot.com

More Pictures from A Helping Hand Picnic

AHH Reunion

This past weekend was the Family Reunion for A Helping Hand... the adoption agency I used when bringing Lillie home. What made it extra special was that three of the 7 families we traveled with last July were able to attend! It was wonderful to see everyone and to see how different the girls were from a year ago! To say these families play a significant role in my journey to Lillie would be an understatement. Each of them holds such a special place in my heart and to spend time together was such a blessing. I was so amazed at the changes each of the girls have gone through in the past year...they are bigger, their eyes are brighter, their smiles are quick and their love for their families is obvious. God is good!



What a difference a year has made!

Dinner with our Travel friends!

We had a chance to get together with 3 of the 7 families in our travel group at Dinner on Friday Night! It was so amazing to see the girls and the changes in each of them..even as they were getting re-acquainted. Here are a few pictures from that night!

Lillie Mae

Serine

Bella

Lillie Elizabeth

Taking Time to Love and Enjoy

Lately, I have had a hard time just being mommy. I mean, it is the time of year (end of school) when everything is being finalized for this year and we are thinking about the next. It is the time of year that I am sleep deprived and so I am not as patient as I wish I was with my daughter. It is the time of year when the sun is up later so it is EVEN HARDER to get Lillie to bed.
There has also been a lot of pain around.... I have been so distracted by the Earthquake in China and the devistation left behind. Erik's friend Emory had open heart surgery...and is doing well, but still has a lot of healing to do. My dad fell and broke his collar bone last week and is also in the process of healing. Lillie worries about Babop and "Ne" (what she calls Emory) and that they are sad because of their " big boo boos" as she calls them.
Finally, I have been thinking about Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. His daughter Maria, his youngest and adopted from China, died tragically last week. In an even more painful turn of events, she was hit by a car driven by her teenage brother. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain they are in, or the healing that will need to occur.

Below is a song he wrote and the story behind it. It is called Cinderella and is about not taking little moments for granted.
I am going to try even harder to remember that the most important thing is Lillie and to take time to laugh at the little things... knowing that she is a blessing, even when she is painting herself and the carpet with mascara!



Dear God,
Please be with everyone who is suffering...who has lost their way...who are searching for peace and grace in this crazy world. Help me to remember that every moment we have together is a precious gift.
Amen

The Arboretum

After we were rained out at the Kitefest, we went to meet Lane and Denise at the Arboretum. It was a chance to spend a little more time together before Denise, Barry and Lane left to go back to DC. Lillie and Lane had a great time!

Happy Birthday - The Party!

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New "China Clothes" from Ms. Mindy

My student teacher the last 8 weeks found a Peddler's Mall (of all places) that sells outfits from China. Qipaos, pants with long sleeved shirts and even shorts outfits! The short outfit has become Lillie's favorite new jammies! She loves them! Thank you Ms. Mindy!

Thank You Ms. Katrina!

My friend, and co-worker Katrina bought Lillie a special gift. She found this beautiful head band of yellow hair at the dollar store and I must share that it has been quite a hit! Isn't she lovely?!?

Another one of Lillie's Favorite People!

Ms. Emmi is Lillie's speech pathologist and a dear friend. She comes once a week, but Lillie talks about her every day. Since Ms. Emmi comes in the evenings after school, she often will tell Lillie when she leaves that she has to go home to have dinner with Jeff, her husband. Now, Lillie mentions every day, " Ms. Emmi go bye-bye. Home, eat, Jeff! " She loves her time with Ms. Emmi!

"Chillin' Out"

Lillie and I had a fairly relaxing Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. We had a play date with Avah, then came home to nap, play and have dinner. After dinner, Lillie decided to relax on the couch and watch Hannah 'Tana! Baby, of course, had to join her!

Mondays with Wyatt

Most Mondays, Jason(his dad) brings Wyatt to our house after preschool. He will nap, and then he and Lillie can play until Michelle(his mom) and I get off from work. My mom, who keeps Lillie while I work, enjoys having the two of them together and always has a story to tell when I get home.
One in particular involves Lillie waking up early from her nap. Instead of crying, or getting out of bed and coming down stairs, she decided to check on Wyatt. Mom said that all of the sudden she heard Lillie's voice over the monitor whispering, "Shhhh! Wyatt sleeping." Mom went upstairs to check and Lillie was sitting on the bed right next to Wyatt...just watching him sleep!

Lillie is giving Wyatt a big hug bye bye! It has been fun to watch their friendship grow! We've come a long way from their first meeting!

Lillie's first Wedding

Lillie attended her first wedding this past month. (Okay, she actually only attended about 10 minutes of the ceremony...then we played in the hallway!) She loved seeing her Cissie and her Ali walking down the isle..."There's Ali" -"There's Cissie" were here comments... but she especially enjoyed the reception. She and Wyatt had a great time playing together, eating together and dancing together! These pictures are of Lillie and Wyatt during Jenni and Christopher's first dance as husband and wife. They were so cute standing there together...until Wyatt puckered up and Lillie decided maybe they were standing a little tooooo close!