5 years ago!

5 years ago, Abby became our daughter!

This is our official adoption meeting in China where they stamped Abby's foot in red ink making her ours forever! She loves this picture and ALWAYS looks at her bare feet when she sees it! FUNNY!

Happy Gotcha Day, Noodle!

WE LOVE YOU!

Abby's Pearl

Abby's Pearl

When we were in China adopting Abby we stopped at a pearl shop to buy souvenirs for Abby. On the top of our list were a nice set of pearl to give to her on her wedding day. It was a fun experience, one I will never forget. I picked up MANY strands of pearls in China, just about for everyone I knew. We were given a gift for Abby by the pearl store and this weekend we

finally opened it.

Preserved in a can for at least the past 5 years. We have been wondering how bad it must stink!
Actually....it doesn't smell that bad...........even came with a little knife to pry it open!

Wow....Beautiful!

Secure in it's heart cage forever! Abby loves it!

She must have looked at it for hours yesterday. What a great way to celebrate 5 years!

Gotcha day! 5 years with AbbyLIz!

Abby Elizabeth

Gotcha Day #5

Lucy, Alex, Ella, Monica, AbbyLiz, Abigail, Mei-Linn

AbbyLiz, Mei-Lin, Monica, Alex, Abigail, Ella and Lucy Rae

HAPPY 5TH GOTCHA DAY

Yesterday we had everyone over to our house for a fabulous backyard party! The girls had a great time together all day!

These 7 girls are the ANQING SISTERS (2 are missing, 9 total!)

They were all adopted to loving families on the same day 5 years ago. They slept in the same room in the orphanage and some even shared cribs.

These girls are all now 5 1/2. All born in a 2 week span in 2003..it's amazing how much they have grown! Seeing all of them and their little personalities was the BEST! AbbyLiz had a GREAT time, and we think everyone else did too! More pictures to come, when I regain my energy!

My family!

This is my family!

No, we did not go to Thailand and forget to tell all of you...

A friend thought I would like to see what my family would look like together. We think it is adorable and wanted to share!

Very clever!

35 days and counting.......................in 47, you will all see our REAL family photo!

(I cannot wait!, I am so excited!)

Seeing the picture above makes it even more real, how could it not!

**Abby loves the picture! She says "Mom....he's tickling me!"**

Getting it all ready....to go!

Learning from the first time around................

I have no idea exactly what size my child is going to be when he is placed in our arms forever. I had no idea with Abby either, but it didn't stop me from buying everything in sight that "I thought" we needed. I ended up not using a lot of it! She was bigger than expected and we were first time parents! I wound up giving a lot of it away, or returning it once we settled at home. I know now that it is pointless to over-indulge in shopping for my little guys before we get him home. It does make you feel good, but it really is just a waste of time and $$$$.

So............I have tried VERY HARD to control myself. I know that Shaun will be handed to us with everything he needs, not just the outfit on his back. We will donate new clothes to the HSF to replace the things they used for Shaun's care.

Abby and I have purchased a few things we could not pass by, but most things we will bring with the intention of forwarding them on to the foundation.

Baseball Jammie's to match his room decor.....a must!

Varied size summer clothes

For our time at the pool! What size feet will he have??????? (they were $2 a pair!)

Usable items to be packed for Thailand

Start of our packing pile. I am also not stressing over the customary gifts......

I am purchasing "easy" travel items and moving on......

43 days......I think!

We started Abby's paper chain when we found out what she will be doing while we are in Thailand. In 41 days she leaves for NY to spend valuable time with her extended family. Her days will be filled with cousins, aunts, uncles, Grandparents and even Great Granny! I have to say I am a bit jealous of her.....

She is going to have so much fun! She will not even miss us! At least that is what I am telling myself! I am so nervous about leaving her, but knowing she will be with those who love her, I have to feel that it will all be ok.

She is growing so fast......it breaks my heart, but fills it with pride at the same time. I am so proud of the person she is becoming. She is a great friend to everyone and the earth. She is a wonderful little girl, a wonderful daughter!

I have never spent more than 3 days away from her.......and it was hard. 11 days to bring home her brother will be worth it, but how will I survive without my little buddy?

50 days....

Ok, so we have 50 days before we leave......AAAHHHHHHH!

Abby finishes kindergarten tomorrow......AHHHHHHHH!

Suddenly I am the mother of a first grader, and a 14 months old !!! This is exactly what I wished for, a family of 4!

Ok, so this is what I am doing today....day 50 and counting!
-cleaning
-laundry
-finding passports
-reworking my packing list
-grocery shopping
-post office stop
-Paying bills
-seeing to Abby and her chore list


Is this enough???????????????

TRAVEL TRAVEL TRAVEL !!!!!!

We have our travel dates!!!!! We leave in about 8 weeks! Actually our Thai meeting is on my birthday!!!! Shaun is officially ours on MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

So, now we have sooo much to do! Where do we even start??? We had planned on being ready for this journey, but honestly I AM NOT! WE ARE NOT!!!

I guess I'll start our packing list tonight and just go from there.....

I have already looked into flights.....ouch! But, it will all be worth it! Honestly, I'd give my eye, my arm and a leg for this little boy! Abby is so excited that she will still be 5 when he comes home and that it will be before school starts. I think we are ALL happy about that!

More later............off to play with Abby!