Never Forget

September 11, 2001 is a date that we, as a nation, should never forget. I remember where I was, how I heard, who told me, what my first thoughts were and what my prayers were like that day in history. No matter what your thoughts are about the tragic event, please remember the families and friends of those who were lost today. I'm sure this is a very hard day for them.

Question & Answer

A friend has these questions on her blog and I thought they were cute. So let's give it a try here too...post your answers in the comment section! :)

Spender or saver? I think I’m a saver, but might be a spender…just ask DH!

What is your favorite type of ethnic food? Which dish? I love Chinese (which is laughable since I wouldn’t touch it when I was a kid and all through College!). I guess having tried the original stuff in China really changed my mind. Favorite dish would be vegetable stir fry and spring rolls here…in China, the homemade noodles stir fried in “brown” sauce was the best!

Guest or host? I’m an uncomfortable guest…never quite sure how to mingle and make small talk. I prefer to host, that way I know everyone and I’m comfortable in my own home!

Are you still friends with anyone from high school? Elementary school? Yes, but most do not live in the area anymore. We communicate via email the most.

Do you save cards and letters from your spouse? What about from friends or old boyfriends? Used to, but I got the notion that saving things I never look at any more just collected dust around the house…and I’m allergic to dust. So, I don’t save them anymore. I will scrapbook the cute handmade ones from my kids though.

What is your favorite fall activity? The pumpkin patch with my kiddos. Very fun!

When you were growing up, did your family eat dinner together or whenever you had time? What do you do with your family now? Then...dinner together every night, it wasn’t negotiable. Now…the same rule applies, we eat as a family, not negotiable.

You have just inherited a vacation home. Where do you want it to be? I can’t pick a location, I’ve traveled to too many beautiful places. I would say as long as there is a mountain view with a lake close by…and lots of land to preserve nature…that would be ideal.

“Brevity is the soul of lingerie.” ~ Dorothy Parker Do you like to wear sexy lingerie? Depends on your definition of sexy lingerie…does shorts and a t-shirt count?

Bridget and Nikki's Story

New Referral

Our friends from Julia's travel group in 2004 just got their referral of daughter #2. Her name is Madelyn Grace and she was born in Guangzhou Province. We had hoped to travel with them and tried to coordinate our paperwork for #2 when we started...obviously that didn't happen. The thing is that their paperwork was logged in on Feb 6, 2006. They were approximately 3 months behind us in the paperchase and wound up waiting a full year after us to get their referral! I am sooooo glad they now know what their baby girl looks like, where she is, and when they might be able to travel to bring her home. She was born on October 29, 2007....10 months old like Jenna was at referral time...wow!

If their journey goes anything like ours, it will be God-filled and joyous....a trip of a lifetime. I'm sure once they meet Madelyn they will know that she was intended to be their's from the moment she was conceived in her birth-mother's womb. What a blessing! I am so happy for them!!

On another note, a close friend of mine just started the paperwork for a domestic adoption! She has struggled with infertiliy for at least 5 years...I'm so happy that her journey to parenthood has some definates now...not as much sorrow and agony over infertiliy. Praise be to God!

The Month in Review

This month has been a whirlwind of activity with swim lessons, the Olympics, getting ready for school, gymnastics starting, and a lot of anxiety from Jacob about 2nd Grade. He's been a handful to say the least...anxiety is a wild monster! Fortunately, school has started and he has began to relax a bit. Julia has started Kindergarten (sob!) and Jenna is adjusting to being the only child at home during the day. Whew! I'll let the pictures below tell you more....

Six Years Ago & One Year Ago

Six years ago we adopted Jacob from Ukraine on August 2, 2002. He was 15 months old and we were naive first time parents! Jacob has taught us a lot about being parents over the past 6 years and boy has he grown up too! We are so surprised at how fast time as flown by...it seems just like yesterday when we walked into that Ukrainian orphanage and saw our little boy for the first time. What memories!!

God is so good to us that only one year ago on August 2, 2007, we saw Jenna for the first time. Our 3rd child and baby daughter in China was waiting for us and the face was priceless! Two beautiful children seen for the first time on the same date...amazing! Jenna has grown so much in the past year and it's hard to fathom what life at home was like without her.

Jacob's Ukrainian Passport Photo taken at 15 months old.

Jacob now in 2008 - 7 years old and all boy!!

Jenna's referral picture - our first look!


Jenna now - one year later and so sweet!

Camp Daze

Jacob and Julia are at camp this week so I'm finding a little more downtime to post! yea! Things are very quiet from 9am to 3pm with just Jenna in the house. I forgot what it was like during the school year...and now I know what it will be like in about 4 weeks when school starts for the kiddos.

I've enjoyed my time with just-Jenna. She's so much fun and growing so fast! One of the funny things about her is that she makes little jokes and cracks herself up. Just today I asked her what a cow says and she said "quack, quack" and then bust out laughing. I have trained Jenna to climb into her high-chair, into the van, and into her car seat...she's been climbing up the stairs and down the stairs for weeks...the lure of Julia and Jacob was too much for her to bear! She's becoming so independent now.

Fortunately her independence saves my back a bit; I went to the doctor yesterday (with only 1 child in tow...yea!) to check on my back...I've been having trouble just standing up straight so I needed a check up. Turns out my L5 disc in my back (the very lowest one for those who don't know) is degenerative and is causing me all my pain. I will be starting PT soon and have some nice drugs in the meantime to stop the pain and allow me to function like most moms. Yea!

We traveled to the Columbia Zoo about a week ago and had a great time. I'll post some pictures of our trip below. Three more weeks of summer! Yea!



Jacob & Julia LOVED feeding the Giraffe!!


Jenna and Daddy watch the animals.


Jacob & Julia watching the Elephants.


The kiddos on a baby elephant statue.