1 Year Ago Today!

One year ago today I received the call that changed our lives!  It was the call letting us know they had found a nine month old baby girl for us!  She was in the province Yangxi which is in Guangdong.  We were over the moon with the picture and information we received on her!  Her name was Song Xiaotao and she was just a little bitty beautiful thing!  Here is the first photo we ever saw of our daughter:

                                                 She was only 7 months old in this photo!


Here are some pictures of her taken in the past few days - she is now 21 months old!

Water Fun

Last week we went with some friends to the beach.  We spent the entire day there!  Everyone had a great time playing in the waves which happened to be huge and in the pool at their hotel. 

We also had a playdate with some friends of ours who we hadn't seen since the day we arrived home from China!  All the kids had a fun time swimming and hanging out.  They did not want the day to end!

I don't know if it has anything to do with the water but Emma is sick again with a nasty cough and runny nose!  I brought her yesterday to the doctors and she is back on the nebulizer treatment three times a day until the cough is gone!  At least her fever only lasted Sunday and Monday and was not terribly high! 

Enjoy the pictures!

                                                Here are the pictures of the beach and pool day:

Here are the pictures of our playdate at the pool with friends:

                                                    Adam, L, Emma, Noah, and R

                                                 Noah jumping into the tire.

                                                   L flipping into the water.

                                                 All of the kids being silly.

                                                         Noah carrying R

                                          L and Emma playing in the water on the floor.

                                                         R and Noah in the pool.

                                                       Siblings against siblings!

I don't know... but does this look fair?

                                 Big bro carrying little sis and little bro carrying big sis???

Poor baby is chilling on the couch watching "Barney."  You know she doesn't feel well when she is NOT on the move!

Marlins Game

Last week my husband was given "Diamond Club" tickets to the Marlins game!  There was no way he was going to pass those up.  Let me elaborate just a bit... diamond club tickets are just behind home base, you get as much FREE food as you can eat, the kids are given free souveniers, and the kids are allowed to run the bases after the game is over!  My three boys had such a wonderful time!  Hopefully next time I will get to join them!  Here are some pictures of my boys enjoying their special day together!

16 Years!

Yesterday was my anniversary!  My husband and I have been married for 16 years!  I am so blessed to have such a loving husband!  He is and will always be the love of my life!  I thank God for putting him in my life 18 years ago!  He is a wonderful husband and excellent father!  Love you baby!

Emma's First...

Today Emma actually poopied in the potty!  I couldn't believe it!  I saw her make her "poopy" face and asked if she wanted to poop on the potty- and she shook her head yes!  I undressed her immediately and sat her right down.  I started singing the good old ABC song and sure enough... she pooped!  Yeah!  I know she is not ready to be potty trained yet... but soon enough the time will be here!  Anyways, I will not post a picture of her first you know what- but will post some recent pictures taken of her.  Enjoy!

I can't believe how long her hair has gotten!

Emma laying EXACTLY how her brother is!

                                           Just having some fun playing together!

                                      Emma giving me that smirk of hers- notice her leg...

                                            Look at her expression below... WHY?

                                                         She saw a lizard!