Christmas Day

Josh's big gift? An IPod - these are his mini speakers.

Ellie's "Princess" Ride-on toy. No, her feet do NOT touch the ground -- maybe soon. But, she does like all the buttons and taking things out of the storage in the seat.

Wii Guitar Hero -- dual controllers so he and Braiden can play at the same time.

Overkill

More Wii goodies and his "Man this is soft" robe

Josh LOVES his robe

Popcorn gift bag with movies

Loving her doll house. She kept trying to stick her head inside it so she could see it

The cat even loved the doll house

She was more impressed with her stocking than what was in it

This is what sleep deprivation looks like - poor Kevin

Happy with her blocks

MeeMee comes to visit

DeeDee and his hat

Visiting Itunes for some downloads

Getting tired -- this is new.

I'm not sure if it's because she is teething or if she's just discovered her thumb.

As you can see from the photos, we all had a great Christmas. I even got my birthday wish -- a NAP on the couch. Later in the day, after the grandparents came to see the "goods", we went out to the women's mission to help serve Christmas Dinner. I'll admit that I didn't do much in the serving area; Kevin and Josh did, though. I was able to visit with some of the women though, and Ellie was a great hit. She got held by several of the women who admitted that they were sad and missing their children and grandchildren. Since we've returned with Ellie, it seems as if something in my heart has switched and I'm (sadly) more in tune with the hurt in the world. I want to do what I can -- however small -- to help. I feel "indebted" for all the blessings we have received. I've committed to pray for one woman at the mission who is in a rehab program and has two children, 12 and 10. It might be a small gesture, but it is something I can certainly do.

After the mission, we went to Chef Wang's for my birthday dinner. It was WONDERFUL, and my friend, Susan, came as well. We went to her house afterwards and enjoyed some time visiting, watching Joshua's Ipod speakers blink and watching Ellie crawl around -- well, shuffle on the floor, I suppose.

Sadly, she SCREAMED bloody murder ALL the way home. She got so mad she threw up at one point and we had to pull over to clean her up. Not surprisingly, as soon as we got home and got her out, she was fine. These "episodes" only seem to be worse at night. They are horrible. I hope it will soon pass for her.

Happy Birthday, Jesus. We're so glad you came!! Thank you for all you have done for our family and most of all, for our salvation.

***

I've come back to add a little more on this post because I realized I didn't post some of the things I want to remember in years to come. This was Ellie's first Christmas and we were SO blessed to have her home. I remember sitting on the couch thinking, "WOW!" How lucky are we to have her here? It's a struggle, somewhat, finding that magic line of making sure each child feels special, has the "same" amount of presents and feels the "same" amount of love. I want Josh to know that he is still JUST as important as ever and just as loved. And, I want Ellie to have the most special wonderful first Christmas (that she'll never remember, eh?) that she can. I struggle each day feeling torn between the two and hoping that one day I'll "get it right". What's the secret??

Now that the rush of the holidays is past, I am actually enjoying the time with both Ellie and Josh, who are both playing with their toys. Sunshine (the dog) thinks she's Ellie's babysitter and Ellie has just flipped onto her tummy and is crawling all over her rug. We are going to to really have to start watching her or get the "corral" that the Davidsons have to keep her in one place. She is such a curious little one taking it all in all the time. She looks like a hoot owl with her head spinning all around to see everything. She just looked up at me and said, "HI!!!" with that big two toothed grin she has. Such a long wait and so very worth it. She is changing before our eyes everyday. Her face and cheeks are puffing up; her hair is growing longer. She has a mohawk right down the center of her head with some "horns" curling up on the sides. Her hair is becoming darker too.

It was a good Christmas. Truly good.

Photos Only - Christmas Eve

Josh plays Santa
Uncle Stoney arrives

Ellie exploring her presents
Josh's "big" gift from MeeMee and DeeDee - an electric guitar

Cool guitar, huh?

Gonna' be a rock star, I'm certain!!

Maybe we can compromise with contemporary Christian star!

More of Ellie exploring her gifts

MeeMee's photo ornaments

Kevin's pen and pencil set

DeeDee gets shirts

Hanging out with MeeMee

Ellie and Josh both got letters from Santa

Ellie decided to eat hers

While Josh read his outloud to us

Prior to MeeMee and DeeDee's house, we stopped off to see our friend, Ms. Betty. She has really cool Hallm*rk musical toys that Ellie loved playing with. Her daughter Jonquil came by as well and Ellie enjoyed visiting with her too.

She was also presented with a Bible

That she promptly kissed.

It was a nice Christmas Eve. More stories and photos of Christmas and my birthday tomorrow. I'm off to bed!!

Forty One Things

This post has been brewing for a few days. Happy birthday to me; I'm 41. So, in honor of that, I'm posting 41 things --- there is no correlation between the "things" other than I wrote them and they are my thoughts. So, enjoy, or skip. Regardless -- MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

1. I love God. I believe in Jesus as our Savior. I believe he was born in a manager and that his mother Mary must have had the most amazing life and that she had to have had AMAZING faith to do what she did.
2. I don't care that people know how old I am. I am 41 and proud.
3. I like animals a lot.
4. I am surely missing sleeping anytime I want to and I am dreading tomorrow morning when I won't be able to get another nap during the day and will have to get up early to see what Santa brings.
5. I am afraid of spiders -- terribly afraid of spiders.
6. I make a lovely manicotti when I have time, but I haven't made it in years.
7. I have had several names in my life due to a failed placement (way back before that term even existed) and I was named by the first "mom" I knew. n
8. Apparently I am allergic to pine trees.
9. I don't like cold weather. 70* is my "magic" number in weather.
10. I LOVE one piece pajamas but only have one pair that is flannel, old, with a rip in the back neck area and has Winnie the Pooh on it.
11. When I get to heaven, I am going to be tall. It is my reward for being short and not being able to reach the top shelves and having to lurch myself over the sides of cribs.
12. I miss the Mickey Mouse Club that I used to watch after school when I was little.
13. When I was little I ate lima bean sandwiches. The bread HAD to be white and VERY fresh, though. I had standards at least.
14. I miss my brother Derek.
15. I don't visit my grandmother as much as I should.
16. I spend too much time on the internet.
17. I do not manage my life very well.
18. I love my husband -- shouldn't that have been farther up on the list? I cannot imagine how different my life would have been had we not married each other. Sometimes I feel sorry for him being married to me. I'm certain my friends feel sorry for him. *smile*
19. I love my children -- even on the days I want to pinch their heads off. *smile*
20. I like casseroles. (half way there).
21. I don't like change at all. (Imagine how freaked out I am right now - ha!)
22. My favorite movies are: Grease, Christmas Vacation, Point of No Return, Romancing the Stone, Home Alone, Wild Hogs, Talledega Nights (I have this weird sense of humor), Facing the Giants
23. When I was little I was a voracious reader. In the summers I'd read 20 books a week. I would LOVE to read now, but time is a commodity I don't have right now. I'll read again one day.
24. I like looking at the Christmas tree while sitting in the dark in my living room. I like the lights.
25. I don't like liver, brussel sprouts, gravy, grits, dumplings or avocado.
26. I think the reason today's children have so many problems is because their parents don't take enough time with them. I don't think it's the school's job to raise my children or to teach them values.
27. I think common sense has left 99% of people (myself included some days).
28. I want to live to see great-grandchildren and be healthy in the process (who doesn't?) or to have Jesus return so we can all go together.
29. I would love to have a clean house -- just for a day as of late.
30. I would love to have a clean car -- see above.
31. I would like an entire week where I don't lose anything, especially my keys.
32. I wish there was no hunger in the world. I wish children and others did not have to suffer; I wish there were no orphans.
33. I would love to visit Italy.
34. My favorite holiday is Halloween.
35. I value tradition and time with my family so much more the older I get.
36. I am the "oldest" of my girls who are part of "GNO".
37. I am so blessed to have made so many new friends in the past few years in our adoption process. It has been the best side-effect of the process.
38. I love Waffle House and IHOP -- the breakfast places.
39. I value quiet.
40. I am sorry that Ellie's mom felt she had to give her up; I am happy that God chose my family for me.
41. I hope 2009 is a calm, regular year with little to no drama. Boring is good after the last three years.

Christmas at the Grandparents

Tonight we had our Christmas with my parents. We had gone up to Kevin's mom's last weekend for a wonderful late lunch and spent time with her and her sisters.

Tonight, mom cooked for us and we opened presents!! Thank you for getting Joshua an ELECTRIC GUITAR. Yes, I know, it was what he wanted, but oy, won't that be fun? Now, I have to find someone to give him lessons.

Ellie got a blanket, bib, several tub toys and an Elmo telephone. She had a lot of fun -- it takes very little to entertain her.

We stopped by one of our friend's house and she had gotten Ellie a Precious Moment*s 30th Anniversary Bible. It's very cute, but I've told her we won't be letting her actually use it for a while.

There will be photos tomorrow. I'm off to bed!!

Two Years

Tomorrow (or in about two hours here), we will have been logged in for our China adoption for two years. Currently referrals are through February 23, 2006. Will we continue to wait? That's a question neither of us feel ready to answer yet. Right now, if we had to make that decision, our answer would be no -- or at least mine would, and I suspect Kevin's would be too. Financially, emotionally, space in our house, time in our schedules, sleep -- all factors that contribute to that decision. But ... knowing how much lives change in a short time and how long we've waited and how certain we felt that our log in date was a "sign" that this was a sure thing, well, we are wise enough to wait and listen for God's leading. However, if it does take as long as the forecast is, we most definitely will not -- we just feel we are too old. The forecast for when we will get our referral? May 2013 -- yes, you read that right, another FOUR and a half years. Not seeing that happen, folks. *smile*

Two Months

Two months ago today, a plane from Detroit landed in Nashville and I cried as I got off a plane because I was so happy to be home, so happy to see my family and so happy to finally have home a little girl that I had waited for for three years.

It seems like only yesterday and yet it seems like several years since I got off that plane in Nashville. Ellie has made so much progress in two months, and yet I still remind myself frequently, that it has only been a short time for her to adjust fully. So while she is not sleeping "like I want her to", she has made much progress in that area. I suspect until she is sleeping a full 10 hours straight (ha!) I won't consider her sleep successful. *smile* I'm too old to get up 3-5 times a night. I suspect there is going to have to be a prayer vigil in the future for her sleep -- or more importantly, for my sleep. *big smile*

So, Happy Christmas Eve, everyone -- we'll be celebrating for several reasons.

Christmas comes to Kyrgyzstan

For those who have followed along with my requests for help for the children of Kyrgyzstan at Christmas and have read about the challenge to raise money to provide the kids a present and a trip out to eat, there are sneak peak photos over at John Wright's blog.

Just the two photos made my eyes tear up. The joy in their faces. We take SO MUCH for granted. Take a second to visit the site. I'll post another link when there are more photos of the event.

Crawling Training

Kevin was out of town this week for a night and Josh and I had a GREAT day at the local mall. We went to Build A Bear and Josh built a dog and Ellie "built" Hal and Hollie Moose. Josh's dog got an outfit. We decided Ellie's didn't need an outfit. During the process of making the animals, we selected hearts to "warm" and wish on before sticking them inside our creations. During our wish process, we wished that Ellie's Kyrgyz friends/babies would soon be able to come home to their forever families. We were excited to read some good news on the front when we got home. Apparently the President of the country indicates the needed paperwork will be completed after the holidays. Here's hoping LOTS of babies come home in early 2009.

He looks mortified, but it wasn't because he was there,
it was because I was taking a picture!!

Ellie and Josh give Hollie a "bath" after she is stuffed and sewed up

Josh enters all the data for his and Ellie's creations.

Josh also got some much needed new tennis shoes. He was so proud of them and wanted them to look really nice so he had me IRON the shoelaces when we got home. Sad part? I did.

Ellie got carried through the ENTIRE mall instead of riding in the lovely stroller the grandparents bought her. She did sleep in it, but that was it. Three hours of carrying her makes for some tired arms. *smile* Josh was a great help though, the entire day.

When we got home, Josh and I sat in the floor with Ellie and she worked on her "crawling". We call it her crawling training since she never got off her tummy. We took the following video for your entertainment. She is really working hard to get across the floor!

Thanks to our friends J. and E. who sent Ellie and Josh some goodies for the holidays. Ellie got a princess outfit, along with a book called Princess Baby and two Vikings onesies. Josh got a Vikings coozie and some Vikings tatoos. We were both surprised and grateful for the goodies!! THANK YOU.

Another thank you to fellow-mom and blog reader, Julie, who has sent Ellie some Primo Duplo blocks. Apparently during the TEN YEARS since Josh was a baby (ha!), they quit making Lego Primo Duplo blocks -- which is crazy because all kids love them. Ellie has thoroughly enjoyed the blocks! Thank you Julie!!

And, last but not least, my mother bought us some new ottoman's for the living room. They are the kind that have storage in them. We needed more storage for the toys that seem to be taking over our house so these were a great solution. We are moving out the large coffee table with pointy corners in fear that Ellie will hurt herself on them as she learns to cruise and walk. Long story short, Josh thought they made a GREAT place to put Ellie in to play. She also thought it was a GREAT idea because she could use the sides to push up and then stand up and laugh and "talk" to us. Here are the results of that fun activity. NO, we did not put the lid on.

Hey, this is pretty cool. I think I like this!!

This picture above was obviously too "lit" and too close, but her eyes were so prominent and pretty that I really liked the look. Note the drool running off her face. She is doing some serious drooling with her two teeth coming in.

Best news of the day -- WHOOPIE PIES have arrived from Elizabeth, Bill and Aidai in NH. Josh got his first one and he asked me why they were called Whoopie Pies. I told him it was because your mouth says, "Whoopie" everytime you get one. And yes, I have saved one for you, Jennifer!!

Just a few more Christmas pictures

These are from Friday's picture day when I tried (diligently) to get some good photos for the card. Cards will be mailed Monday -- yay. These are a few of the "better" ones since I shared the "less than desirable" ones on Friday.

Just cute ... what else can you say?

Pondering ... The only one where I think she is remotely looking at the camera.

Note the dog to her right.

He barks and pulls on the sleigh and moves himself around the floor. She loves him!

Really cute one of Josh. Green is a great color on him.

Playing with the yurt from her Kyrygyzstan Nativity.

Praise the Lord, are we almost done??

Josh puts her on his shoulders

The best one of the two of them together.

This is the reaction she gives to Joshua all the time. She thinks he is a RIOT!!

"Talk to the hand, brother!"



Exploring Santa. This is the Santa from "The Polar Express" and he "talks".
Ellie just laughs and hugs him everytime he talks.

Cheetahlicious Ellie

When we were in Kyrgyzstan, Jennifer took photos of Ellie in this outfit, but it was WAY too big for her (3-6 months). It now fits lovely and I must say, she was a cutie in this outfit. She wore it to Nana's house for Christmas festivities last night and was the hit of the aunts and uncles.

Excuse our crusty nose as we continue to battle a cold. While we were at the doctor's office on Friday, they weighed her again, and she is up to 15 pounds (yay!), so she continues to gain weight at a steady pace. Her hair is growing pretty rapidly as well and is now sticking up all over her head (no matter what I do). I comb it down after her bath and a little while later, when it drys, straight up. It's too funny.