tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45580888199328022532024-03-21T16:55:43.567-04:00Our Journey To Our Little Ladybugs"Live a life that is worthy of the calling you have recieved." Ephesians 4:1Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-60722641172019998502015-03-25T13:27:00.000-04:002015-04-11T13:28:33.706-04:00FingerprintsWe went to the office to try to walk in and get our fingerprints done sooner than our scheduled appointment of April 1st. Thankfully we walked in and the officer allowed us to get them done. I was a little nervous because I had a cut on my thumb and I was worried it would interfere with my fingerprint. Well, apparently our fingerprints go down many layers in our skin so they couldn't even see the cut on the screen at all. She said our prints looked great!! Now we wait for our I797 approval and then we can submit our dossier. One step closer to our girl!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-71969567505331495692015-03-23T13:26:00.000-04:002015-04-11T13:26:46.526-04:00Medical Expedite APPROVEDWe received our fingerprint appointments on Saturday March 21st. We emailed our request to the USCIS requesting a medical expedite. We had to send a doctors letter providing proof that it is necessary for the expedite. I just received an email and they approved our request. PRAISING GOD for this answer to prayer. We will try to walk in to the office to see if we can get our fingerprints sooner. Our appointment is not scheduled to April 1st. Please pray they allow us to get them done. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-48263666988529054452015-03-11T13:24:00.000-04:002015-04-11T13:24:18.963-04:00Medical ExpediteWe mailed out our I800A to the USCIS on March 6th. We just received an email and text saying they received our documents in the lockbox today. Once we receive our fingerprint appointments in the mail we can request a medical expedite due to our daughters heart condition. Please pray that they will process our paperwork quickly. Thanks!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-405820493989835542015-03-07T13:19:00.000-05:002015-04-11T13:19:47.744-04:00Krispy Kreme Donut FundraiserToday was an amazing day!!! I want to thank all of our friends and family who helped us today. We couldn't have done it all with out you. When Jon mentioned adopting our little girl I really was not sure about having to fundraise again. Part of me thought, so many have helped before how could people help again. While we were reviewing our little one's file, God once again showed me he's got this. They attached a $5,000 grant to her file. After that, our agency encouraged us to apply for a matching grant. Within an hour, yes an hour we heard we were approved for an $8,000 grant. We need to come up with $4,000 and they will match the other $4,000. They then encouraged us to apply for an agency grant. The max that they give was $3,000. That is what we requested. When we got our approval letter the following week, it stated that they wanted to give us $5,000 because of how we met her, advocated for her and they were inspired by our story. I tell you this because I was hesitant. I have seen God provide for two of our adoptions and still I doubted him. Look at what he has shown me in less than a month??? AND then add in today. I first woke up to a message from a woman who has been thinking about adoption and wants to meet me for coffee to talk more about it. For me I just want to be a tool for God to use. If through all of this, it also helps one more orphan get a forever family. Completely worth it!!! So then the morning started. We got the donuts to all of the locations and people were coming at a steady pace. Our first location sold out at 11 and then we started to hear more as time went on. My phone was still ringing as the day went on. Completely Amazing. I am truly blown away. Today was not about us in anyway. It was truly doing God's work and him working for our daughter. He provided for her so she could have a family and get the surgery she needs to help her. Today we saw so many people come together to help make this day what it was. We had so many volunteers to make all six stations run smoothly. We had a few friends that got sick and right after those messages we received some with people asking if we still needed help. God even worked out all of the little details like that. Thank you to all of you who helped us today!!! So many people also shared our event on Facebook. This was huge!!! It really helped!! We had over 100 preorders for donuts today even before everything started today. I was getting texts and phone calls still tonight for donuts. We had 670 dozen donuts this morning and they have all been sold!!! There are so many generous people around in our community!! We are truly humbled. Thank you so much for all of your support and all of your help to bring our little girl home!! We could not do this without you. I think today was also a reminder that there is so much good in this world. We just need to look around and see it more. There was a couple that came by tonight to purchase donuts and they thanked me for allowing them to be able to help in this way. Again truly humbled by it all. Thank you so much!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-1286330879189135902015-02-27T13:09:00.000-05:002015-04-11T13:09:37.903-04:00Our Homsestudy is Complete!Many of you saw our announcement that our family is growing by one more. If you missed the announcement I want to encourage you to go back and read it. It has been an interesting journey and one I have seen God's hand in. He has opened so many doors and put people in our path right when we needed it. To think that last year when we were planning our trip to bring Bowen home and Jon said lets go help at an orphanage and I was like really? I wasnt sure. If we had no<span class="text_exposed_show">t gone we would have missed out on meeting this precious little girl that day. I am just amazed once again on this journey God is taking us. It is a leap of faith but I am going to jump with my arms wide open. We are truly excited to introduce you to our precious daughter that is waiting for us in Ch*na. Some of you know her name because she is in an American sponsored orphanage but Ch*nese ran so her information is out on the organizations website. We have been told by our agency to be extremely careful and not post her English name or Ch*nese name so that it can not be linked back to Ch*na in anyway. So family and friends please refrain from posting her name. When we get our formal letter letter acceptance we can write it everywhere! Our homestudy is also completed as of today!!! So excited things are moving quickly. We hope to post her picture soon!! </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show">
</span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-27169892287252049852015-02-07T13:03:00.000-05:002015-04-11T13:05:01.128-04:00WE ARE ADOPTING AGAIN!!!! We are Adopting Again! Yes we didn’t believe it either but it is true. We received our pre-approval from Ch*na! We are excited to welcome number 6 bambino to our family. It was April 2014 and Jenn, Isabella, and I went to Ch*na to get Bowen. We took a day out of our Beijing tour to go to an orphanage. This particular orphanage had special needs children from infant to around 12 years of age. We really didn’t know what to expect that day we just wanted to serve and love the children. It was an opportunity to just take in the day without feeling we needed to gather everything possible and learn as much as we could like Bowen, and Yu Mei’s orphanage. We walked into a small two story apartment unit where we were greeted by the orphanage director and a group of about 15 children ranging from I would say 4 to 12 years of age. We gazed around and took in the experience but quickly headed upstairs to help out with the young ones for the day. On this particular day they were needing help with feeding the children, caring for the children, and frankly just loving them. At first the children looked at us with blank stares one even let out a big cry when I went to say hi. We backed off and just let them get used to the idea of us being in the room. It was there that the director introduced us to the children and workers. Jenn immediately recognized this one little girl. The director proceeded to tell us that she has a family in the U.S. We asked the families name and sure enough it was our friends daughter. It is amazing how God can connect one family to another with over a billion people in Ch*na. The children slowly warmed up to us and we were able to feed them, play with them, and even get a few laughs out of them. I remember looking at my oldest daughter Isabella thinking how this moment was going to stay with her for a lifetime. I wondered what type of impact it would leave on her. I thank God she experienced this day and the trip to Ch*na for it’s a new story on her heart to share. We enjoyed the children and then had to say our goodbyes. We ventured downstairs where we only had a few minutes to say our goodbyes to the older ones. We wished we had more time with them but it wasn’t God’s plan for that day. I remember reading on blogs and being educated how older children realize what adoption is. They see families come in and swoop the little ones up and head on out the doors as they still wait. I tried to prepare myself for what was about to happen but no one in the right frame of mind can fully prepare for the experiences ahead. We worked our way to the door and children all of a sudden started hanging all over Jenn. They were wrapped around her legs, pulling on her and just wanting to be held. I looked to my left and saw the same thing with Isabella. Children crying and tugging and just wanting us to stay. I remember the orphanage director saying something to the effect of you are just going to have to leave. You will have to break free from them. Surprisingly I looked down to not find any children on me. As I gazed off to my right I see this little girl come wondering over to me. She stood right before my feet looking into my eyes with her arms extended towards me. It was then that I reached down for her and swooped her up into my arms. She stared into my eyes with the most beautiful smile and then proceeded to kiss me on my cheek. I remember looking at her blue lips and blue fingers wondering what was wrong. I remember saying to myself how?? How can a beautiful little girl like this still be an orphan? As I held her I looked at all the children questioning why they were all here. I remember saying to myself why. This is not fair. Why do they have to pay this price they are so little. We all parted our way with tears. We even got into the van and children were yelling out the window in tears. It are moments like this that will leave foot prints on a man’s sole for a lifetime. I left that day never forgetting this little girl. In fact for 8 months I have had her on the home screen on my phone as a reminder to pray for her heart condition and that she would have a family. It is not like me to do these things but something I felt the spirit telling me to do. Time passed and I found out that this little girl’s file was being released to an adoption agency. I remember thanking God saying this is her turn. She will soon have a family. A few weeks passed and I decided to email the agency that had her file just to confirm she was with an agency. I sent an email and never heard a response. Another couple weeks went by and I decided to forward my email to them and see what response I would get. A day later I got an email stating they had this little girls file and that one family was reviewing her file and a few other families were in line to see it. I remember in my heart thinking this is great!!! She is going to have a family. After reading that email I quickly attached more updated pictures and sent them to the agency to attach to her file. I wanted the family reviewing her file to see how precious she was and help her find a family. That day I really felt with confidence that she was on her way to have a family…. Two days later I was sitting at my work computer and I felt a voice say put your name on the list. I really started to ponder why am I thinking these thoughts she already has a family soon... Is God telling me to do this? The voice grew louder as I started to hear more clearly that I was supposed to put my name on the list to review this little girl’s file. I was at the cross roads where I heard the voice but yet questioned why. I remember getting to a place in my head that if I didn’t do this I was going to regret it for the rest of my life. So I emailed the agency and said I wanted to be added to the list. I remember thinking there are many families interested if it get’s to us we will just have to see what happens. I went home and with a shaky voice told Jenn what I did. It is not like me to not have a conversation of this magnitude with my wife before making this type of decision. I mean Jenn knew about the file. She knew I tried to see if the agency had it. She just didn’t know about me putting our name on the list. I was doomed she was going to kill me for this. However; when the spirit speaks we are to obey and listen and that is exactly what I did. Well let’s just say she was taken by surprise to say the least. A few days later I received an email from the agency stating that all the other families have decided not to proceed forward with her. Could it be God.. Could it really be that you are calling us?? I have prayed for 8 months for her to have a family. I have cried for her. I have remembered that day back in C*ina… God what are you telling me? This whole time I have been praying and you are now going to reveal her to us to adopt! God is good. What lies ahead for this little girl is uncertain. We have been in touch with some of the best doctors who have given us a few opinions. The truth is however that we have to walk this road by faith. The records received by Ch*na in no way shape or form can give us everything we need to determine her road ahead. The truth is we often want our lives to resemble a perfect cookie cutter approach. Each cookie being of perfect shape. The reality is when we trust and follow God’s plans for our lives he can walk us into territory less traveled. The best road we have ever been on.. What a journey adoption has been for both of us. Not in a million years did we ever expect to be adopting again so soon. However the sign is so clear. We are to proceed forward. Please join us in praying for this little girl’s heart. She is going to be 5 in March and has such a great joy about her. We are very excited to be stepping out in faith for her. Please walk with us in prayer for her. She has received two surgeries in Ch*na and will need another one in the near future. We pray that God would sustain her heart until we can get her home to the U.S. I will leave you with that for now and will continue more of the story at another time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-21564240647869539782014-01-18T22:17:00.000-05:002014-01-18T22:17:06.482-05:00PUZZLE UPDATE!!I wanted to update you on our puzzle fundraiser. I apologize for not updating sooner. We have had people purchasing from church and I have been updating on Facebook. It has been harder to blog this time around with going to the doctors for Yu Mei and looking ahead to her palate repair surgery. This may happen right before we are traveling to bring our son home. I homeschool my older two, so things have been quite busy around here. I am hoping to be able to blog a little more and do some catch up, so look for some posts that will be coming. <br />
<br />
Right now, we are continuing to do our Puzzle Piece Fundraiser. We have been completely amazed at how God has been providing with this. Last week I was having a hard day thinking about the funds and how they are going to get paid. With Yu Mei's adoption every penny was provided for and when we did our fundraisers he provided exactly what we needed at that moment. He is continuing to do the same with our son. When I went to the mailbox, there was an envelope addressed by someone I did not know. I opened it up and there was a $500 check written out to us. I had heard of those things happening to other people but never expected it to happen to us. Later I found out that the check was from someone my husband had went to grade school with. What a complete blessing. God knew I needed it right at that moment. So, we have had 233 pieces of our puzzle donated so far. We are almost halfway there to 500. If you would like to donate, please click on the PayPal link to make your donation. Each piece is $10 and we will write your name, favorite verse, or message you would like written on the back. We are going to frame it so we can see both sides and so that we will remember each piece of who helped us bring our son home. Here is what our puzzle looks like so far:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XVvQUhkoVzhUTWmEDImqyaTytSBz7mP2QjomWBOPIF_poOaPIbCFntV6Y61tSmiec-j17xanQ7OuWKOzYwAC1n1jeiMUmqoJ7oRM_9TQjMPsNFZeL-dnf60_GxuA1st9Z5egTxO7mJ8/s1600/2234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XVvQUhkoVzhUTWmEDImqyaTytSBz7mP2QjomWBOPIF_poOaPIbCFntV6Y61tSmiec-j17xanQ7OuWKOzYwAC1n1jeiMUmqoJ7oRM_9TQjMPsNFZeL-dnf60_GxuA1st9Z5egTxO7mJ8/s1600/2234.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-46805691087336069822013-12-14T23:21:00.000-05:002014-01-01T23:24:08.272-05:00Adoption #2 Update: WE GOT A REFERRAL!!!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jenn and I
wanted to announce that we received a referral of a little boy 15 months of age
from Northern Ch*na.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is interesting to
see how God works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prior to our referral
Jenn had been following a little girls story by the name of “Lily”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lily has a heart condition and has been in
and out of the hospital fighting a battle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a facebook post of this little girl recently singing a
son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It brought her to tears as she
listened to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew she needed to
find the song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she put some of the
words into YouTube she found that the song was called “All of Me” by Matt
Hammitt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sounded just like the lead
singer of Sanctus Real, which is her favorite group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of their songs spoke to her while we were
on our adoption journey to Yu Mei (Piper—we are calling her by her Ch*nese
name).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In searching, she found out that
Matt Hammitt is the lead singer of Sanctus Real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She started listening to the words and the
meaning behind the song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In searching
she also found that he has a blog that he has because his son was born with a
heart condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This song was written
about his son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The song talks about what
it was like to go through a heart condition with his son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Jenn reflected on the words of this song
it brought tears to her eyes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see we
have been praying for little Lily for some time now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is a sweet little girl that was adopted
from Ch*na and has been fighting a tough battle with a heart condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During that week we felt God giving us a new
perspective of heart conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
interesting how God prepares the heart at times but we don’t always know
exactly what it’s all about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Thursday
December 6<sup>th</sup>, we received the call for a referral of a little
boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This little boy had a heart
condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is diagnosed with ASD which
means he has a 5mm hole in the heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is interesting because to this day I believe God prepared us for this little
guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We began to pray and surrender to
God for his direction with this little guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jenn and I always told ourselves no matter what the condition we were
presented with we would give it to our heavenly father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see God has already called him by
name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has already chosen his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All we needed to do was surrender and allow
God to reveal whether or not he was our son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I met with small group that Friday night and we prayed for this
referral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prayed God would reveal his
answer to us and give us an overwhelming sense of peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s just say that is what God did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see when we surrender our hearts to the
father he reveals things that are not human like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are signs that can only come from
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Saturday and Jenn was on the
TV using YouTube to google Matt Hammitt’s song so I could hear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in the bathroom shaving and we were
getting ready to begin our day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jenn
yelled to me you have to come here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
listened to a YouTube video of Matt Hammitt “Sanctus Real singer talk about the
day his son’s heart stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day his
heart stopped was September 14<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(not the same year as his son)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was the same day our little guy was found abandoned in China.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story of Matt Hammits son was incredible
and they were able to bring him back to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jenn and I and our girls were amused by how these dates lined up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some reason we didn’t put it together
before but I mentioned to Jenn that we were in China that day our little guy
was found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we thought back we realized
that we landed in Beijing Ch*na on September 13 to go Yu Mei our first adoption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very next day we toured the Great Wall of
China and our little guy was found abandoned several hours north of where we
were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very interesting to see how God
weaves a story behind life as we live it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You see we serve a HUGE GOD….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
God that is merciful and is our great provider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we submit to his plans for our lives he reveals himself through a
story that can be told to many.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not
told to many it is a story that can be imbedded in the heart to last for a
lifetime…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We knew he was ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We knew we needed to formerly write our
Letter of Intent to our agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wrote
it before we had our medical review with CHOP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was part of our family. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here are the
lyrics to the song “All of Me” by Matt Hammitt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Afraid
to love<br />
Something that could break<br />
Could I move on<br />
If you were torn away<br />
<br />
And I'm so close<br />
To what I can't control<br />
I can't give you half my heart<br />
And pray He makes you whole<br />
<br />
You're gonna have all of me<br />
You're gonna have all of me<br />
Cause you're worth every falling tear<br />
You're worth facing any fear<br />
You're gonna know all my love<br />
Even if it's not enough<br />
Enough to mend our broken hearts<br />
But giving you all of me<br />
Is where I'll start<br />
<br />
I won't let sadness<br />
Steal you from my arms<br />
I won't let pain<br />
Keep you from my heart<br />
I'd trade the fear<br />
Of all that I could lose<br />
For every moment<br />
I'll share with you<br />
<br />
You're gonna have all of me<br />
You're gonna have all of me<br />
Cause you're worth every falling tear<br />
You're worth facing any fear<br />
You're gonna know all my love<br />
Even if it's not enough<br />
Enough to mend our broken hearts<br />
But giving you all of me<br />
Is where I'll start<br />
<br />
And Heaven brought you to this moment<br />
It's too wonderful to speak<br />
You're worth all of me<br />
You're worth all of me<br />
So let me recklessly love you<br />
Even if I bleed<br />
You're worth all of me<br />
You're worth all of me<br />
<br />
You're gonna have all of me<br />
You're gonna have all of me<br />
Cause you're worth every falling tear<br />
You're worth facing any fear<br />
You're gonna know all my love<br />
Even if it's not enough<br />
Enough to mend our broken hearts<br />
But giving you all of me<br />
Is where I'll start<br />
<br />
You're gonna have all of me<br />
Cause you're worth every falling tear<br />
You're worth facing any fear<br />
You're gonna know all my love<br />
Even if it's not enough<br />
Enough to mend our broken hearts<br />
But giving you all of me<br />
Is where I'll start<br />
It's where I'll start<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50ygAc2qP5A">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50ygAc2qP5A</a></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
following week we sent the referral file to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
to be reviewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We already knew God’s
answer for us but we wanted to be more educated on his condition so we knew how
we could help him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor talked a
lot about his file.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a good
chance that since he was born with this condition that the hole in his heart
could heal all on his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not around
the age of three or older they would do a procedure to close the hole in his
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please join us in prayer for our
little boy that God would heal his heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We know God specifically has a plan for our little one and we can’t wait
to see his story be told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple that
we traveled with to Ch*na adopted a two year old girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also had a hole in her heart like our
little one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still to this day remember
being in Guangzhou, Ch*na where we all were getting our children’s medical
checks done by the doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember our
friend of this little girl running up to Jenn and I in tears telling us it’s
healed….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hole in her heart was
healed….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Awesome experience to witness
as God provided a great blessing that day to this family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Where we
are now</span></u><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have
submitted our Letter of Intent (LOI) requesting to adopt him on 12/11/13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are currently waiting for our formal
Letter of Acceptance (LOA) which is our official approval from Ch*na.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our paperwork has been translated and needs
to go through the review process and then approval state before we receive our
LOA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently we are praying that God
would provide the funds to pay for our adoption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have seen him work with Yu Mei’s adoption
and he moved mountains!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We cannot post a picture of our little one until we receive our LOA. If you see us please ask us to see his picture. He is a cutie!! </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Currently we
are doing a puzzle piece fundraiser to help with our adoption funds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each piece is $10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will write your name or favorite verse on
the back of the puzzle piece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
putting it together as we go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We plan on
framing it so that both sides of the puzzle will be seen so we can remember
each piece of “our puzzle.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you to
those who have already contributed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
I will post a picture of our puzzle to show you the progress. </span>Please pray for us as we wait for our little one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we have been matched we have received a
$11,360 invoice that we are working towards paying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you feel led to helping us with our fundraiser
please feel free to contact me or use the donate button to contribute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is
another song Jenn found after we wrote this post tonight:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trust by
Matt Hammitt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Verse
1<br />
Lest I'm tempted to forget<br />
I'll tie Your love around my neck<br />
I'll write Your words upon my heart<br />
Lord I won't forget how good You are<br />
<br />
Verse 2<br />
I'll dwell upon Your faithfulness<br />
I'll rest within Your promises<br />
And when I'm walking through the dark<br />
Lord I won't forget how good You are<br />
<br />
Chorus<br />
I will trust<br />
I will trust You<br />
I will trust You Lord with all my heart<br />
And I won't forget how good You are<br />
No I won't forget how good You are<br />
<br />
Verse 3<br />
You gave me everything I have<br />
And my whole life is in Your hands<br />
When what I fear is closing in<br />
Lord Your faithfulness will never end<br />
Your faithfulness will never end<br />
<br />
Bridge<br />
And even in the darkness<br />
Even in the questions<br />
Even when the hardest time of life are at hand<br />
And even in the darkness<br />
Even in the questions<br />
Even in the times that I'm not meant to understand<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maRMivc5vB4&list=RD50ygAc2qP5A">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maRMivc5vB4&list=RD50ygAc2qP5A</a></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-12981783235590296572013-11-03T16:05:00.000-05:002013-11-04T16:09:57.181-05:00Orphan Sunday & The Start of our Puzzle Piece FundraiserToday was Orphan Sunday. I woke up and emotions started flowing in the morning as I got ready to head to church. Knowing that we have a little one halfway across the world and wondering what they are doing, if someone is loving them, if they are being taken care of etc. crossed my mind. Also we had prepared for Orphan Sunday by picking a video to be played at the beginning of church and an interview of two girls that were adopted from Foster care to see their side of adoption. I was wondering how it would all go and if people would see a new view of adoption and orphan care. It was very powerful and so moving!! I cried even though I was there for the interview, I edited the video and then there in church I cried again. There were many tears and I think that people were able to get a glimpse and see that the need is great. After the message everyone who had previously adopted, those who have been adopted, or those that are in process of adopting or foster care got up in the front of the church and our pastor prayed over us. It was amazing!! Such a wonderful morning recognizing the least of these. Thinking and praying for our little one who we already love so much. Praying that we will know who our little one is soon. I know it is all in God's timing. <br />
<br />
Today was a great day to launch our Puzzle Piece Fundraiser. We purchased a 500 piece puzzle that we will be putting together as pieces are purchased. Each piece is $10 and we will write your name, favorite verse or message on the back of the piece. Consider purchasing one for your family or one for each family member. We will put it all together and then frame it so we can see both sides of the puzzle and always see the pieces that helped us bring our little one home. Feel free to send me a message or use the paypal link to make your purchases. Make sure to tell me what you would like to have on the back of your puzzle pieces. So far we sold 64 pieces!! Please help us put more pieces together :) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsahA_fCfoBGZ82mowZfW5dnzwjs_k7XvyOAmpL834rAjiH-CKsSs3bV7bIBn7_TX1_VPAv0THONeHQKVRs2ksNKsue8ldAONtNbwMzfI8uj4hhVORQjY0Gbruvxz1W9N3XkDVQv7MbY/s1600/img_1480_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsahA_fCfoBGZ82mowZfW5dnzwjs_k7XvyOAmpL834rAjiH-CKsSs3bV7bIBn7_TX1_VPAv0THONeHQKVRs2ksNKsue8ldAONtNbwMzfI8uj4hhVORQjY0Gbruvxz1W9N3XkDVQv7MbY/s320/img_1480_0001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmIsJAijNNURWEzH3ZmB616PRvOpGn-QMMPFN8bJiQyg29CdghaIqrA7FiPByqg4RKg9FNZN5vJX4q88wuWvbx4SHg2iqkUpaBK1PTvUHr5XsgT3tCUTfyonlwRfC1DMod3f6Wu568XQ/s1600/IMG_1481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmIsJAijNNURWEzH3ZmB616PRvOpGn-QMMPFN8bJiQyg29CdghaIqrA7FiPByqg4RKg9FNZN5vJX4q88wuWvbx4SHg2iqkUpaBK1PTvUHr5XsgT3tCUTfyonlwRfC1DMod3f6Wu568XQ/s320/IMG_1481.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-12776439567273074582013-09-27T22:49:00.000-04:002013-10-10T22:59:32.925-04:00Speech & Language Evaluation Piper has been getting speech since February after her first palate repair. I love her speech therapist! She is the sweetest thing. Piper was doing really well with speech but lately has not been doing well. She is extremely strong willed and if she doesn't want to do something....It just isn't gonna happen!! She holds strong. 3 weeks ago she really was not budging. She spent a good amount of time on the step and then finally came around when her sister came and was enjoying some games and activities with our speech therapist. The last two times she has done AMAZING!! Hearing her say the alphabet and hearing her put 2 and 3 words together has been so neat. At night when I put her to bed she has been singing Jesus loves me and you are my sunshine. It is the sweetest sound to my ears hearing her precious voice. The challenge with speech has come because her palate is still not fully repaired. Our speech therapist is not sure what to do with her so she has been working on placement, vowels, picture recognition and similar words that have most of the same letters but a different ending sound. We decided that it was a good idea to have her evaluated by a speech therapist at CHOP who deals with cleft lip and cleft palate on a regular basis. We wanted to get her take on where Piper is with speech and make sure that we are doing everything we possibly can for our little girl. She is so young and they learn so quick. I just want to make sure that we are utilizing every possible avenue we can to help her with speech. I know we have a long road ahead so it my job to do this. <br />
<br />
Today we went to CHOP for a speech evaluation. Her receptive language is very well. She understands so much. If you give her directions she can mostly figure out what you are asking and then do what you tell her. Her speech language is very weak. It is hard to understand her. I know her lingo and her 2 year old noises and I can figure out what she wants or needs. I had really thought she was doing well with communicating until I actually paid attention. Some of what she says is a noise or a gesture. It is not always a word. They recommended increasing speech to 2 times per week instead of the 1 we are doing now. She recommended working on placement to get where your lips and mouth move in order to make the correct sound. When her mouth is fully repaired then she will know how to say it. She has also been saying the alphabet. She recommended reading some repetitive books to her and having her try to repeat the part that is being repeated. She recommended us trying to do play to show possession, show under the chair/over the chair etc. She also recommended her going to a peer play group. She recommended showing her picture cards to help her develop more words and being able to put the two together. She also recommended signing with words. We have done some of this already and it has really helped. She would sign what she was trying to say first then when she learned the word she would say it and sign it. Now for some things she just says the word and I know what she is trying to say. I could see this being beneficial for her for sure. All in all it was a good visit. It was definitely helpful to have this evaluation. We will be seeing her at our cleft team appointment in late October. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-54681421687411651582013-09-15T22:07:00.002-04:002013-09-15T22:09:57.656-04:00Our BIG Announcement & the Start of Our Journey<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, it is time to let you all in on something big that is going on here at our household. We are ADOPTING AGAIN!!! We are truly really excited and are once again stepping out in faith following the path that God is leading. I will tell you how we got to this point in our lives and how God has led us over the past months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLh8vF6uNtZDGuCCOmrE_sYn0LUJE49htHKU1UXwabvTK5K6rBAmr-O2wsXfX2E7mDMBXFfDLV51vS73yxoCOIbwPmM-aawAThdCDHWakG8Ze3wDxaHw1TdCNfeMe3raYlEC6zB1J4FMc/s1600/thumbnailCAZEDJ1B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLh8vF6uNtZDGuCCOmrE_sYn0LUJE49htHKU1UXwabvTK5K6rBAmr-O2wsXfX2E7mDMBXFfDLV51vS73yxoCOIbwPmM-aawAThdCDHWakG8Ze3wDxaHw1TdCNfeMe3raYlEC6zB1J4FMc/s1600/thumbnailCAZEDJ1B.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last July, before we brought Piper home, I was in my house and I prayed to God. I prayed and told him that we do not even have our daughter home yet, but I would be willing to adopt again and reuse our paperwork if that was part of his plan for us. The one thing that was hindering us was my husbands income. We were just at the max of what Ch*na requires. I told God that there was nothing that I could do about that. I prayed and let it be in his hands. A month later, my husband was called into his managers office. They were changing his position and giving him a decrease in pay. With my cleaning one day a week, we were still making what he had been only I needed to clean. Where as before this money faithfully went into the adoption account. He called me and I was upset but I had a peace that I just cannot explain. A few days later, he received a call from a guy he had worked with years ago. He told him he had heard what had happened and that there was a position open at his work with exactly what he does. Jon got his resume together and sent his application in. While this was all going on, we were waiting for the final travel approval and steps of our adoption to be able to get the green flag to get on the plane to get Piper. We had delay after delay. I was so ready to get on the plane and get to Piper but I had to embrace the delays anyway, even though it was hard. God had every bit of the delays as part of his plan. Every delay we had it was for a phone interview, or a call that came in for an interview. Jon was interviewing both Monday and Tuesday before we left for Ch*na last September. They told him not to worry and to check back in when we got back from Ch*na. When we got back, Jon checked in and they arranged for another interview. He then received an e-mail saying he was going to get an offer. We waited for a week for the offer to come through. I will never forget when he opened up the e-mail with the offer. It was EXACTLY what we needed to adopt again. I was completely speechless!! I didn't know what to say but I knew what that meant. I knew he had opened the first door for us. O how God knows what we need and when we need it. I firmly believe God moves mountains and has a special place in his heart for orphans. Time has passed and Jon has been with his new company for 10 months now.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jon and I are trusting and praying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ask that you join in and pray for us during the pursuit of this adoption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point we feel we are going to adopt a boy with special needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are also not quite sure of the age yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are praying and waiting for God to reveal this to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are going to act on faith and let God put that special one in our paths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He already knows who our child is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is hard to fathom that.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our dossier went off to China this past Friday, which means we are officially DTC as of 8/30/13!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means that our agency can start looking for a child for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard to imagine that our child is alive and in an orphanage in China waiting for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard to believe that we are doing this again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please pray for our family as we wait to see what the next chapter of our life is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will keep you posted as we continue our journey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOODiH_e8rXPAUiedsIOrOjxBcL_mPae641qEaHgYAt9pbR3kCpBeHCZ73XBpokWzTxIHEkLuucDbd8a_6lo__s7M6xFf8jk2Dt1SLmxUXnB9XyAW8XmPw1yNKc33qPqt1GYqgoPOiv8/s1600/DTC+8+30+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOODiH_e8rXPAUiedsIOrOjxBcL_mPae641qEaHgYAt9pbR3kCpBeHCZ73XBpokWzTxIHEkLuucDbd8a_6lo__s7M6xFf8jk2Dt1SLmxUXnB9XyAW8XmPw1yNKc33qPqt1GYqgoPOiv8/s1600/DTC+8+30+2013.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>"Once our eyes are opened, we cannot pretend we don't know what to do. God who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12</em></strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLh8vF6uNtZDGuCCOmrE_sYn0LUJE49htHKU1UXwabvTK5K6rBAmr-O2wsXfX2E7mDMBXFfDLV51vS73yxoCOIbwPmM-aawAThdCDHWakG8Ze3wDxaHw1TdCNfeMe3raYlEC6zB1J4FMc/s1600/thumbnailCAZEDJ1B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-71533034934701358022013-08-05T13:56:00.001-04:002013-08-05T13:57:45.523-04:00Post Op Appointment Today<div class="actorDescription actorName" data-ft="{"type":2,"tn":":"}">
Just got back from CHOP. We had a really good visit!! Her doctor and I discussed all of my questions and concerns. She wants to wait at least 4 more months before we do any other surgeries. She agreed that we need to move our appointment to meet with the cleft team at CHOP earlier to discuss all of her needs. Our speech therapist is having a hard time knowing what to do with Piper, so she is reaching out to the speech therapist there and we are going to arrange to meet and also get our speech therapist here involved. One of my concerns was whether there was something blood related or immune related that we needed to look into to see if this is why she is not able to heal properly. She doesn't think there is anything genetic there but agreed that we should look into it to be sure. She wants to have the doctor that she works closely with at CHOP also evaluate Piper and make sure that together they are making the best decisions for her next<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show"> surgery. Without asking, we are getting a 2nd opinion. As we left, Piper ran out the door towards where the doctor usually goes to after our appointments. Piper RAN out to say goodbye to her doctor. She was not there because she was talking to the coordinator about what needed to happen for us. Piper started crying and laid on the floor. She was so upset. Her doctor came around the corner and wondered why she was crying. She reached for the doctor and she took her over to her box of stuffed animals. Piper just loves her!! She is always so good with her and makes the time to truly care about her. This is another reason why I KNOW we are with the right doctor. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray as we approach these next few months with genetics, speech and her next surgery.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-76510403554584155782013-06-09T14:30:00.000-04:002013-07-29T00:15:36.591-04:00We get to go home!! YAY!We did the same drill today. Around 7 AM the nurse took her off of the IV fluids. All of the sudden today, Piper really wanted to drink some on her own and also really liked the broth and noodles of chicken noodle soup. She wanted more and more of that. Today the nurses and I all felt comfortable that it was safe for her to go home. Her doctor came in to see her once again. She had a piece of the alloderm (fake layer of tissue) hanging from her mouth so she had to snip it to remove it before we left. It took 4 of us to hold her down. She screamed and screamed. I felt so bad. I took Piper for a wagon ride downstairs to go to the pharmacy to get her prescriptions filled. We went upstairs and then we waited for a while until they had all of her discharge papers completed and once they were ready we were free to go. The girls and Jon came to pick us up. She was so happy to see her sisters. I think she will do so much better once we get home. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5iyUhc5nLjZm6h__JVwpXqEDvEQjVPgcO9bTW_6ochD2f-I0rAxly4VbYJYugprT4RBKUhQHP-ArUp7QxuRHeeIAqIEAWZGRroE3WxyfEePBqb9Ykke0mR4GNggZtuRvgkacM5ZzXiA/s1600/img_4984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5iyUhc5nLjZm6h__JVwpXqEDvEQjVPgcO9bTW_6ochD2f-I0rAxly4VbYJYugprT4RBKUhQHP-ArUp7QxuRHeeIAqIEAWZGRroE3WxyfEePBqb9Ykke0mR4GNggZtuRvgkacM5ZzXiA/s320/img_4984.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGK411D7NPfiW-4EYTH4waRCi8RlHcO4g3mkteZ8YRRqhEp_dv4urfOThqJ4hFFIQuOnFdAzrruuFFHHYaTm0JnZkyVdD75xE7mQuQunADlyMbuccYiC9FVbcqF2X5DREYys9qeVqcK9M/s1600/img_4985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGK411D7NPfiW-4EYTH4waRCi8RlHcO4g3mkteZ8YRRqhEp_dv4urfOThqJ4hFFIQuOnFdAzrruuFFHHYaTm0JnZkyVdD75xE7mQuQunADlyMbuccYiC9FVbcqF2X5DREYys9qeVqcK9M/s320/img_4985.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVqu8WsxNiMIp2GmPbU__HObfvUrhLOPb1p1UOnI6V8NE661yNk8P-iOCMt42ViUiVHX5btYpinbaUTJoR6uJVkvl908VxbXqdZaM0wnORkmDCxi9S58034Ylbjop5Rv7fjdXmvvSfho/s1600/img_4987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVqu8WsxNiMIp2GmPbU__HObfvUrhLOPb1p1UOnI6V8NE661yNk8P-iOCMt42ViUiVHX5btYpinbaUTJoR6uJVkvl908VxbXqdZaM0wnORkmDCxi9S58034Ylbjop5Rv7fjdXmvvSfho/s320/img_4987.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfBfm-YY8ufAAfdtvz_cRma5IHUC-soRNa0kSqOcQQx6EGwTjVRPg5OPPAdscOjPWk_0ae_9GbhUf73Mnn2Fhm62owL6TDStc2qTMy9-EYyNvHW62BgMUTgYaPPNcHFPGLAgt4DRO03M/s1600/img_4990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfBfm-YY8ufAAfdtvz_cRma5IHUC-soRNa0kSqOcQQx6EGwTjVRPg5OPPAdscOjPWk_0ae_9GbhUf73Mnn2Fhm62owL6TDStc2qTMy9-EYyNvHW62BgMUTgYaPPNcHFPGLAgt4DRO03M/s320/img_4990.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Peeking out into the lobby</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uo2eOPaT3iaJs4kpnKkjfFJNCWlpDw3p-3tQoZywRRulD54gca1tbLguLv32wM1U4V8A3eMWWUBbH4DBNXFj6KV-39t1_pQfvp8yGxefAP28iD1brNeizljutxg0_xRVFxDbZEg3cbo/s1600/img_4994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uo2eOPaT3iaJs4kpnKkjfFJNCWlpDw3p-3tQoZywRRulD54gca1tbLguLv32wM1U4V8A3eMWWUBbH4DBNXFj6KV-39t1_pQfvp8yGxefAP28iD1brNeizljutxg0_xRVFxDbZEg3cbo/s320/img_4994.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our favorite nurse!! She was amazing :)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-21463517561333645032013-06-08T23:06:00.000-04:002013-07-28T23:43:32.167-04:00Surgery UpdateIt has been a tough couple of days here at the hospital. Piper does not want to drink or really eat still. Looks like we will be here again. Her swelling has gone down some which is good. She is wanting to look at her books and play a little. She has sores at the corners of her mouths which look like they really hurt. They gave us a Neosporin cream that is 10 times stronger than the regular Neosporin. Hopefully they start to heal soon. Please pray for her to eat and drink so that we can go home. Here are some pictures from today and then below an update/discussion I had with the doctor.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxem4IwYuXE-g00TbJk_04D-KJBO4OrW6rYrri3xGZUd7rmBph3xPouwzrvddEg90lX94g0e2t_Vuf2LPRWQFXiJRAaPHnbArT3b4yfC8DujXhiN5OI45TgoSaR95b1VWPaXbxFvqS8Y/s1600/img_4971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxem4IwYuXE-g00TbJk_04D-KJBO4OrW6rYrri3xGZUd7rmBph3xPouwzrvddEg90lX94g0e2t_Vuf2LPRWQFXiJRAaPHnbArT3b4yfC8DujXhiN5OI45TgoSaR95b1VWPaXbxFvqS8Y/s320/img_4971.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepqAjbzZ5DWffFl869SSSo3DahBSUE4QTvfMiHNJZd2thFOJO-ig6xe98jAeOOyg33YLhhBkrrulffFGkQ26TyfVfEDDeemUVAU21IxW2J5TzV0oPnUXP5jwsaLRUEqtitqsPEsdWI3E/s1600/img_4972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepqAjbzZ5DWffFl869SSSo3DahBSUE4QTvfMiHNJZd2thFOJO-ig6xe98jAeOOyg33YLhhBkrrulffFGkQ26TyfVfEDDeemUVAU21IxW2J5TzV0oPnUXP5jwsaLRUEqtitqsPEsdWI3E/s320/img_4972.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIkG4liSAmdPfAfczz9jXRoyELJwYZT4miUt_o8BHbbE3tGXSeVOKyDE1MMoDzj0NsEi1E2P03DdJaGzZQ5YqE_bWLEFBBDSQ1CSrw-i8j-DruVE4l-0g_r9R89EKef1xVbrVNcqew4M/s1600/img_4973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIkG4liSAmdPfAfczz9jXRoyELJwYZT4miUt_o8BHbbE3tGXSeVOKyDE1MMoDzj0NsEi1E2P03DdJaGzZQ5YqE_bWLEFBBDSQ1CSrw-i8j-DruVE4l-0g_r9R89EKef1xVbrVNcqew4M/s320/img_4973.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8a-mFxwa-fZWD87RmVb6sZ_vN7XoE7dILix7W4OEnRzwkOCY0JJ0_r1d5aCRt-hq95X1ObVsoR4rjI2YkxYcJTnIFXMJiUwPoe3-mJc4HkAsfCBwfKLMiu9dhIkGH2INwZCgAVDrWFvw/s1600/img_4977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8a-mFxwa-fZWD87RmVb6sZ_vN7XoE7dILix7W4OEnRzwkOCY0JJ0_r1d5aCRt-hq95X1ObVsoR4rjI2YkxYcJTnIFXMJiUwPoe3-mJc4HkAsfCBwfKLMiu9dhIkGH2INwZCgAVDrWFvw/s320/img_4977.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Today the doctor came in and she told me that the tissue did not look well. It was dark which meant that the blood was getting to the tissue then stopping. It wasn't coming back out and flowing to and from the tissue like they would like to see. She said we can only hope that the layers underneath are doing what they need to be doing. I started to tear up. I said I was sorry and she had tears in her eyes. She said I had no reason to be sorry. She needed to apologize to me 1000's of times. I asked her if it would ever be closed through my tears. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and assured me that her mouth would be healed. She told me that she really cares about Piper and she said trust me I have had many sleepless nights over this little girl. Lots of anxiety. She said she had laid awake and questioned and went over the surgery again to see if there was something she could have done differently. She always came back to that what she did in surgery was the best at that time. I trust that she has always done what was best for Piper. I know that some people have questioned if we are with the right doctor to have this happen a second time. People questioned whether we should get a second opinion or not. I know that when we first met the doctor for the first time, I had wanted to see another doctor in the practice. His wait was pretty long and we wanted her to be evaluated sooner than later. I prayed that God would give me a sign, peace and comfort that she would be the doctor to perform the surgery. When we were there for the first time, she spent so much time with me and answered all of my questions. I never felt rushed or that I couldn't ask any questions. At the end, Piper went up to her and wanted her to pick her up. That was what did it for me. I knew she was the one. Piper didn't go up to anyone like that. The more time I spend with her, the more I know she is the right doctor. Today proved that again.<br />
<br />
When we were finished talking about Piper, she looked at me and said I just need to ask you. You have 3 beautiful girls, what made you adopt? I see parents who adopt who cannot have children, or older parents who decide to adopt later but I am curious why did you do it. This was a moment I feel God gave me. I was able to tell her our story and how God led us to adopt. She just looked at me and said she is a very special little girl. We are truly blessed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-61716841470764474322013-06-07T00:01:00.000-04:002013-07-29T00:01:31.629-04:003 days after surgeryWell, they took her off of the IV fluids today to see if she would drink or eat on her own. She still has no interest in doing either. We have tried baby food pouches, ice cream, popsicles, yogurt, milk, chocolate milk, formula etc. She doesn't want any of it. So they will put her back on IV fluids again after dinner time. We will be staying overnight again. Please pray for her comfort and that she would drink some on her own. You will see in the pictures that she is taking some sips from her cup. It wasn't enough to let us go home though. She will get there. Thank you for your prayers!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsVmEj-nd_MdUh4TsKuS8Bffmxm5VmdvjxmwBIHeuCo3akGHrMPY8COdYbEToVLErVyikE2d8H_f3q5w3PdafsC3oQ_RRKFivUAGbhWhyHIMPGXeBMUJsCdyBs5nObOan23Y8MHHLowU/s1600/img_4963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsVmEj-nd_MdUh4TsKuS8Bffmxm5VmdvjxmwBIHeuCo3akGHrMPY8COdYbEToVLErVyikE2d8H_f3q5w3PdafsC3oQ_RRKFivUAGbhWhyHIMPGXeBMUJsCdyBs5nObOan23Y8MHHLowU/s320/img_4963.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPCrnC8n7aotQsjrfjy6T8p3Igi7iwL7zBwE-SiWXEY_dOjqLDk6eNLBwOX5SDZBCzrSaP5Ix67jEgAjs8qUtTmseExh9DlT8wPWl7GSb4ZqhKp6STymGhcfX4P5d-WJ94PXUlMy5Alg/s1600/img_4966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPCrnC8n7aotQsjrfjy6T8p3Igi7iwL7zBwE-SiWXEY_dOjqLDk6eNLBwOX5SDZBCzrSaP5Ix67jEgAjs8qUtTmseExh9DlT8wPWl7GSb4ZqhKp6STymGhcfX4P5d-WJ94PXUlMy5Alg/s320/img_4966.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAO4-pkJMsaSoyEG1brd4ReVDa5npVeJGcd6s1ZVCEojHb9LCuoImVTO9mYzWEOKS2wG-Qf7RP_InQ8GXk541zboqCEzyVImeq4pk6um_TR8tjF5nKNzKRB8QZQlCR0bYKZ3Kc_kLBsA/s1600/img_4967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAO4-pkJMsaSoyEG1brd4ReVDa5npVeJGcd6s1ZVCEojHb9LCuoImVTO9mYzWEOKS2wG-Qf7RP_InQ8GXk541zboqCEzyVImeq4pk6um_TR8tjF5nKNzKRB8QZQlCR0bYKZ3Kc_kLBsA/s320/img_4967.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWit1SOREESW6wkxpqqlsI1zfcZVPZZQrgab41xnlF0qnXhJpr98LFNYZCtYvh6s-McJj8dTMZWKMpCBG4NVs57WLPwpLPAQUnZps8B6CftpDSSXh0658s7SmYKvyNWQMrSREZHAjwUxw/s1600/img_4968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWit1SOREESW6wkxpqqlsI1zfcZVPZZQrgab41xnlF0qnXhJpr98LFNYZCtYvh6s-McJj8dTMZWKMpCBG4NVs57WLPwpLPAQUnZps8B6CftpDSSXh0658s7SmYKvyNWQMrSREZHAjwUxw/s320/img_4968.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtS2nh_kNJERUlYXi_LqdFrlcz_3vi8mXR96Z0AysHbrVXZmIyZPGEjcNiufd2FtGAti6jTKFKEomL7B3JwTuPDP2X9mrd-7KU8MwPWmtgsX3u2lQAwrq1UFr14h-IPlVatUVLi0QzrQI/s1600/img_4969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtS2nh_kNJERUlYXi_LqdFrlcz_3vi8mXR96Z0AysHbrVXZmIyZPGEjcNiufd2FtGAti6jTKFKEomL7B3JwTuPDP2X9mrd-7KU8MwPWmtgsX3u2lQAwrq1UFr14h-IPlVatUVLi0QzrQI/s320/img_4969.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-8115604202347276092013-06-06T23:45:00.000-04:002013-07-28T23:54:16.494-04:00Day After SurgeryMy little one is so swollen today. I feel terrible that she feels the way she does. She had no clue what was coming to her when we drove to the hospital yesterday. We have been doing a lot of cuddling and snuggling. I love this part. She still does not want to drink or eat. I can understand when I see her. She looks like she is just so uncomfortable. Poor baby. Please pray for her comfort and that she would be able to drink. She is still on IV fluids. Tomorrow they will take her off of the IV's and see if she will drink a little on her own. We did manage to take her for a wagon ride. This was a distraction for a little until she was due for meds. She really fights taking the medicine from the nurses. It is certainly a task day or night. We have to really hold her down to get them in her. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62yXBp3innnSzKDY1dfbZB3uPs4ZtITZ2CDccmzlmWJMGVqC1-ZFUVqPu5NnulBIAlRC23IOpJTM2DJyHSMj2IE5I8-zIF5btElyQ1eRGEnByuyZlqUX3pC6DJlcppxc_Anrr1kS8ha4/s1600/img_4950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62yXBp3innnSzKDY1dfbZB3uPs4ZtITZ2CDccmzlmWJMGVqC1-ZFUVqPu5NnulBIAlRC23IOpJTM2DJyHSMj2IE5I8-zIF5btElyQ1eRGEnByuyZlqUX3pC6DJlcppxc_Anrr1kS8ha4/s320/img_4950.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lIFydm7WsNllRyYGSVNMHJr2fqwQ4JtQcJNAtDLqZ7RyHD1eMsvFOqYLEdSKJVBG3Kh9EOTZjAeMlswHncKqGLBmVmWdhcFcgLORCU0lgc-me2H_BJSj8gbC4LuYa5QDBI5qZEpG4hw/s1600/img_4952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lIFydm7WsNllRyYGSVNMHJr2fqwQ4JtQcJNAtDLqZ7RyHD1eMsvFOqYLEdSKJVBG3Kh9EOTZjAeMlswHncKqGLBmVmWdhcFcgLORCU0lgc-me2H_BJSj8gbC4LuYa5QDBI5qZEpG4hw/s320/img_4952.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkokOvHBXbHJg6DrwLIpp-D3Y0R0PJ82HUmFzpbWFzgUWhiVHVbEp1I7NYaRFDgO59i-hqa6_dGC9m4XAZgEVngf-rqDhBwGIlL9Z-snvRmR_Q8oXx79Ln5FIbki5ibJOFkQXHezPW2aU/s1600/img_4955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkokOvHBXbHJg6DrwLIpp-D3Y0R0PJ82HUmFzpbWFzgUWhiVHVbEp1I7NYaRFDgO59i-hqa6_dGC9m4XAZgEVngf-rqDhBwGIlL9Z-snvRmR_Q8oXx79Ln5FIbki5ibJOFkQXHezPW2aU/s320/img_4955.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PlyTPwc8w0bDkfVl_Xc1mdLxrKiVi7ekLRuEkT2jB-go61Wgh_hDKER00blxmc-g2PVRgFs7tFfELGcioq4sflF3uEbca2LU9yQcBbwy_TT5Tt4rT-wel3Mp38rzdh8ncy-15p9xR-M/s1600/img_4956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PlyTPwc8w0bDkfVl_Xc1mdLxrKiVi7ekLRuEkT2jB-go61Wgh_hDKER00blxmc-g2PVRgFs7tFfELGcioq4sflF3uEbca2LU9yQcBbwy_TT5Tt4rT-wel3Mp38rzdh8ncy-15p9xR-M/s320/img_4956.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3G503GnoZYEYU5qJ9EqIqsg5vKi2QD0tTZd1c-EXHT3wu7vS6Y4uOi79A56vRaaJ-z3m1BoqpP4dgQhT-dx3RBqaSRKoYb_t7LwxQ-LxhyphenhyphenNsecq7hkjZ8xdJVIywiUikFO_XuvVx64E/s1600/img_4957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3G503GnoZYEYU5qJ9EqIqsg5vKi2QD0tTZd1c-EXHT3wu7vS6Y4uOi79A56vRaaJ-z3m1BoqpP4dgQhT-dx3RBqaSRKoYb_t7LwxQ-LxhyphenhyphenNsecq7hkjZ8xdJVIywiUikFO_XuvVx64E/s320/img_4957.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPS4Hwefla5peOj0ELdgQMnghhI0GM9_W6XrHBjci3Q8K1rnI3bsr9EzZVJsmW0-Z4sO8N3PNKuXPN-uuYn2hUi42t1nnm4s2WTj70jTFtUEnfKNvKg_kc-fWFMViv22rlzEuTlJj2xY/s1600/img_4960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPS4Hwefla5peOj0ELdgQMnghhI0GM9_W6XrHBjci3Q8K1rnI3bsr9EzZVJsmW0-Z4sO8N3PNKuXPN-uuYn2hUi42t1nnm4s2WTj70jTFtUEnfKNvKg_kc-fWFMViv22rlzEuTlJj2xY/s320/img_4960.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB1ro2xjt5f78p0ZfrJ2EGQwtyuFTBaEkMd4a6kttTEjSiBvXA8r4RIsS0ve50Ky_QgCTHW1BMM1WHlm3CJWRIhWdR9ysBvblo-8Dr2rVrY5eaDTEUnFvXKt17oO6WctujmRp7o8jeKI/s1600/img_4961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB1ro2xjt5f78p0ZfrJ2EGQwtyuFTBaEkMd4a6kttTEjSiBvXA8r4RIsS0ve50Ky_QgCTHW1BMM1WHlm3CJWRIhWdR9ysBvblo-8Dr2rVrY5eaDTEUnFvXKt17oO6WctujmRp7o8jeKI/s320/img_4961.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ815ynYJXIOTeGf4OLiBKeBY8zEHxJSs0yKRNFVyVuSqdMxphRYLwa6g0PuW6G1XMCfjoU27VjU1gDIrylKbOxjW8ZyzFQcBHL8q3HMQQUIsLyFRDdsZP2qpcWADM8rsILVkxzJKRB4/s1600/img_4962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ815ynYJXIOTeGf4OLiBKeBY8zEHxJSs0yKRNFVyVuSqdMxphRYLwa6g0PuW6G1XMCfjoU27VjU1gDIrylKbOxjW8ZyzFQcBHL8q3HMQQUIsLyFRDdsZP2qpcWADM8rsILVkxzJKRB4/s320/img_4962.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-21776705777144540762013-06-05T22:34:00.000-04:002013-07-12T22:38:37.079-04:00Piper's 2nd Palate Repair SurgeryPiper had her 2nd palate surgery June 5th. I was so scared and nervous only because we had just did this all in January. I was so scared because I knew what it was like the first time and seeing my baby girl come out of surgery was really hard to see. My mother in law came with to be with me while Daddy worked. He was going to leave later and come down and spend the night and the next day with us. That was definitely what I needed this time around. I was so thankful for my mother in law's company that day. It helped having someone there to talk to and be with during our wait. We had to get to the hospital by 6 AM. I woke up, picked up Piper out of her crib, and along with her binky and blanket, I carried her to the car. We arrived at the hospital and I got her all ready in her little gown. We met and talked to the doctors. They said that the surgery was going to be 2 1/2 hours. When it was all said and done it was 4. We got our hourly updates and she was doing well each time. When it was time for us to be able to go back, I all of the sudden was not feeling well. I started getting really nervous about seeing her afterwards and trying to do it all over again. So my mother in law asked for a snack. I had to munch because I felt like I was going to pass out. Once I ate I felt better and then took a few deep breaths and went back. I tried to prepare my mother in law for what she was going to see. We went in and my little girl was definitely having a hard time. The nurse told me that she had attempted to rip out her IV a few times and she was so strong it took 3 nurses to hold her down. When they handed her to me, she immediately calmed down. They said it was the calmest that they had seen her. That just melted my heart. She knows her mama!!! She just laid in my arms and she allowed herself to rest. After a bit, she woke a little and we offered her some popsicle. She loved the popsicle. I think she had 3 in the recovery room. I was impressed. This was definitely improvement from the last time.<br />
<br />
The doctor ended up repairing the hole in the top of her mouth, which was the unrepaired side. She took all of the tissue she needed from her cheek and used alloderm which is an artificial layer sandwiched between her tissue. She was so swollen when I went back to the recovery room. It just broke my heart to see her like that but I know every bit of it is a gift. That is what my mother in law kept saying. She is right. She is here with us and getting the care she needs. Please pray for her healing and that she would not be in a lot of pain. God definitely is giving me strength, more than I thought I had. Somehow I just keep going. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-10469267083423530212013-05-29T22:53:00.000-04:002013-06-30T16:35:49.151-04:00Happy 2nd Birthday Piper!Today is Piper's 2nd birthday. A day I have waited for and dreamed of celebrating with our daughter. I wanted to capture everything I could so I would not forget. We started our day by the girls and I going into her room to sing Happy Birthday. Lets just say I don't think that she was a fan of all of our singing first thing in the morning. She was all smiles though when we went downstairs and she had her morning bottle and breakfast :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9H_zNCXp3WSHIFPuLcL6vWBoIbCygV0KFGrYQnIxZP0sDKeE93j6G7m7aYLKszBwbhsjU8gfl0J446lbpeD2HadUzGo-6fyvEuIyPlDQVe5NdOVSvPCXAvMdd4Fu5Nsorqh3QOrujr5U/s1600/img_4881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9H_zNCXp3WSHIFPuLcL6vWBoIbCygV0KFGrYQnIxZP0sDKeE93j6G7m7aYLKszBwbhsjU8gfl0J446lbpeD2HadUzGo-6fyvEuIyPlDQVe5NdOVSvPCXAvMdd4Fu5Nsorqh3QOrujr5U/s320/img_4881.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVM5Ex1twXyRmTTnsiMWAnhcw0NJa5aUvpciTfJ95evBYoyo-JUyhugQZrT6KdN9BKF5YkBwAvYLDMtRML9sVSc3rNbUAFW7AgYkdNDeGOa1MfjFO4IBy640uClzidWwJU7Zb8uMt26VY/s1600/img_4883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVM5Ex1twXyRmTTnsiMWAnhcw0NJa5aUvpciTfJ95evBYoyo-JUyhugQZrT6KdN9BKF5YkBwAvYLDMtRML9sVSc3rNbUAFW7AgYkdNDeGOa1MfjFO4IBy640uClzidWwJU7Zb8uMt26VY/s320/img_4883.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4yP0ZkyN8kgh9evkAkKvuzkiEV8ReO3ZXAyrXjMSySCK9VPHzShbktBFoMNUSD2xAPe3X71BLrCsuPNiXFg-8q1_wzqsYuU4wX1Fgfl6EkmWc64XFuP2ifQYnrlJHj_ej51RzlB-gXk/s1600/img_4884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4yP0ZkyN8kgh9evkAkKvuzkiEV8ReO3ZXAyrXjMSySCK9VPHzShbktBFoMNUSD2xAPe3X71BLrCsuPNiXFg-8q1_wzqsYuU4wX1Fgfl6EkmWc64XFuP2ifQYnrlJHj_ej51RzlB-gXk/s320/img_4884.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
We played at home for a bit and then we headed to go to the playground nearby. We went and sat under a pavilion on a picnic table and all ate lunch together. We had a good time together having special talks and everyone being thankful to get outside. But boy was it a hot one! We ate and then the girls played on the playground for a bit. Piper especially liked the swings. The other three were in random parts wanting to do all sorts of things. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqM6gMGTNJXLlWkVN_ivc8PtsziddSj_YbYils6aHVsWvWLJ_EZQbmNVLeJkQ7iNpBnW5hClXS1XKz3LN_SFL5zxy6Xj2jDI2zFpYCrQ-HcNXOb-O-Puw0HovApJxThOfR7vkKT2hoiU/s1600/dsc_1364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqM6gMGTNJXLlWkVN_ivc8PtsziddSj_YbYils6aHVsWvWLJ_EZQbmNVLeJkQ7iNpBnW5hClXS1XKz3LN_SFL5zxy6Xj2jDI2zFpYCrQ-HcNXOb-O-Puw0HovApJxThOfR7vkKT2hoiU/s320/dsc_1364.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMoNo9qFMJfUAtRV19qto6yB8S4MF2pXSl0m4OU02eCWua_qABByC18qUC6EHPwvMcyW2HhBH7vdGIwlgDvbX0UfqEw2s_AFi6cbgu-BQJABXDyxO4D93xxCTvEW9SzsTWMcQY5nzqVI/s1600/dsc_1379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMoNo9qFMJfUAtRV19qto6yB8S4MF2pXSl0m4OU02eCWua_qABByC18qUC6EHPwvMcyW2HhBH7vdGIwlgDvbX0UfqEw2s_AFi6cbgu-BQJABXDyxO4D93xxCTvEW9SzsTWMcQY5nzqVI/s320/dsc_1379.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHvJE3Mcdtjr1UTnMi6DFEQqoM5Kj-MAfP7PJV80dgTLcu6BhOz0NGBtH3RxW-lNUiGyKxijJEYB39sDwQ66K1lv_KZCSQZh6nsWEPZaU9AynR8cGREENAGgvK9XRIwC2zqJt5Og4q1A/s1600/dsc_1356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHvJE3Mcdtjr1UTnMi6DFEQqoM5Kj-MAfP7PJV80dgTLcu6BhOz0NGBtH3RxW-lNUiGyKxijJEYB39sDwQ66K1lv_KZCSQZh6nsWEPZaU9AynR8cGREENAGgvK9XRIwC2zqJt5Og4q1A/s320/dsc_1356.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaiqq5xjZJFHRp7QrnLuu3YU2y55aEbJsI2dwkOoalXNOesuYvzKEKI6QjUZ3iF78y08AtgG6iY35jApCqDSNLp_0hubqoNkARHC9PoLQ_oGxhVJj1_4EY9oARVHC6ROIT2QVI5QJ5n4/s1600/dsc_1359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaiqq5xjZJFHRp7QrnLuu3YU2y55aEbJsI2dwkOoalXNOesuYvzKEKI6QjUZ3iF78y08AtgG6iY35jApCqDSNLp_0hubqoNkARHC9PoLQ_oGxhVJj1_4EY9oARVHC6ROIT2QVI5QJ5n4/s320/dsc_1359.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihepzdOzosfSZCzr2ulNIxU1hdrzx-WMGN3XDztwxv-jztJ7BAJ2xlgjCkwN0d-YtO3N8w1mLLsdUP5-NgBiBDFExu_W7aeFyIXjSQJbuuXoWiZ28ueay1na3-pLTZhbEFZ8Y-rivIBQ/s1600/dsc_1383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihepzdOzosfSZCzr2ulNIxU1hdrzx-WMGN3XDztwxv-jztJ7BAJ2xlgjCkwN0d-YtO3N8w1mLLsdUP5-NgBiBDFExu_W7aeFyIXjSQJbuuXoWiZ28ueay1na3-pLTZhbEFZ8Y-rivIBQ/s320/dsc_1383.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_6Mmpvx19AIuWE9hsvL-V4mifmd_lpvHvEyOaFcLCZ-L3UC-A3ZDeSgNPLDwUIG0nDcjvigj_hmFFRgVGPb-lrao0ccZsTJ9D3GcHplX7a0yD_wbAnUzcEggQgtqEi-PUpb04TeAclQ/s1600/dsc_1411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_6Mmpvx19AIuWE9hsvL-V4mifmd_lpvHvEyOaFcLCZ-L3UC-A3ZDeSgNPLDwUIG0nDcjvigj_hmFFRgVGPb-lrao0ccZsTJ9D3GcHplX7a0yD_wbAnUzcEggQgtqEi-PUpb04TeAclQ/s320/dsc_1411.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkmy8zqbY9EE4qiFg2C-tl0iXUb1YMXUjRf1mqaxygPWTNRKjOW8ViJg-G887rzBV7bKSfYYmHap342bNFrbAH9dEHAhixpNri592__E39cpd1TObY5upktefUyuOGt1AtN8onz0uTdQ/s1600/dsc_1419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkmy8zqbY9EE4qiFg2C-tl0iXUb1YMXUjRf1mqaxygPWTNRKjOW8ViJg-G887rzBV7bKSfYYmHap342bNFrbAH9dEHAhixpNri592__E39cpd1TObY5upktefUyuOGt1AtN8onz0uTdQ/s320/dsc_1419.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO84oUO7HvCPE9cpHI935HZkZh58M9jC6z7teSbvMs1yFD0z1Y2IXtMTAzKZmYWxtzg9OJ97CIv4ognOm5GF86pZVaAVJhJhy0XtPmqXb8coGfOLgRDBoAygCrgIsGdM3MnBYpIM0byII/s1600/dsc_1423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO84oUO7HvCPE9cpHI935HZkZh58M9jC6z7teSbvMs1yFD0z1Y2IXtMTAzKZmYWxtzg9OJ97CIv4ognOm5GF86pZVaAVJhJhy0XtPmqXb8coGfOLgRDBoAygCrgIsGdM3MnBYpIM0byII/s320/dsc_1423.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1Lwxn4_pUvY7klxW_fyA2x3TzBSL1A6Qsv_mD_8-BVllaRbh_F1uSVgszDRNznErKs_PcUr2o-amjq24DmpS0gaduMP-wQSrqx4VE0mrtHH7Ny4XlSH5zKvomRjGcEWq_o4klCdgL3s/s1600/dsc_1425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1Lwxn4_pUvY7klxW_fyA2x3TzBSL1A6Qsv_mD_8-BVllaRbh_F1uSVgszDRNznErKs_PcUr2o-amjq24DmpS0gaduMP-wQSrqx4VE0mrtHH7Ny4XlSH5zKvomRjGcEWq_o4klCdgL3s/s320/dsc_1425.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDR1D1NwfjI9291QKE-NNnsGcK3ZHycLqfi0dwkX8nYZT68uja-jv9KuT_l_Q4Wt8oorsHjneQJwgjKGkKuhMM7UqCgAZfm-5RttpPMZdrwld8rJtzSlnq4rcSjdBKAg67vcckkRBqnY/s1600/dsc_1432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDR1D1NwfjI9291QKE-NNnsGcK3ZHycLqfi0dwkX8nYZT68uja-jv9KuT_l_Q4Wt8oorsHjneQJwgjKGkKuhMM7UqCgAZfm-5RttpPMZdrwld8rJtzSlnq4rcSjdBKAg67vcckkRBqnY/s320/dsc_1432.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkqaaraJmv1lRZ7qAgGouuYzjbtooMrJc-HrBeKxLtozKJ8GOCMLvpJI7YeKaGqScyLQZltowZwZio-nQxSV6uDiUxsDyFgGDoTaA06VsZcjjuWhEcPyAMU4Ze7a7j_6xo-j19lNuTbU/s1600/dsc_1444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkqaaraJmv1lRZ7qAgGouuYzjbtooMrJc-HrBeKxLtozKJ8GOCMLvpJI7YeKaGqScyLQZltowZwZio-nQxSV6uDiUxsDyFgGDoTaA06VsZcjjuWhEcPyAMU4Ze7a7j_6xo-j19lNuTbU/s320/dsc_1444.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggbDo3o-MFbj-ykTPsJ6fVM1E2N03Nm98r1ZVikhrVq9uUceGLiJ_958fdeZweotWeb_RQdJ571M0eFv_fXY5lw8MfVo9VZQRU8WAjqB1UPMfPsA0moV0XdxwfsgUczTE3ZyDU2k9Jwc/s1600/dsc_1450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggbDo3o-MFbj-ykTPsJ6fVM1E2N03Nm98r1ZVikhrVq9uUceGLiJ_958fdeZweotWeb_RQdJ571M0eFv_fXY5lw8MfVo9VZQRU8WAjqB1UPMfPsA0moV0XdxwfsgUczTE3ZyDU2k9Jwc/s320/dsc_1450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8K-gK5Haof97F6TxGeAXPVmpabj5oNWqvPx_DmcPwq-XK9C28eyMAYOZzAvBo-pUUvrl754H08Vhjg8AHepskkEvrpkT3syXGnMoYnTf8xUOOG4YBNneLK5wo5em2KW4DIiWkMhm69QU/s1600/dsc_1386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8K-gK5Haof97F6TxGeAXPVmpabj5oNWqvPx_DmcPwq-XK9C28eyMAYOZzAvBo-pUUvrl754H08Vhjg8AHepskkEvrpkT3syXGnMoYnTf8xUOOG4YBNneLK5wo5em2KW4DIiWkMhm69QU/s320/dsc_1386.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJ86wzvTUtBnKL7qaagTBD5JxGGChEANln00p2DqNOBTP_PzKvBPTMpDzk4vlOkyqbo9RR-jL5mxETpYlimyqoauc9glZEVYFgc4SeiGW3-gHAKSWieS0KTv7YPFADil5MW1dR4-rhEU/s1600/dsc_1393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJ86wzvTUtBnKL7qaagTBD5JxGGChEANln00p2DqNOBTP_PzKvBPTMpDzk4vlOkyqbo9RR-jL5mxETpYlimyqoauc9glZEVYFgc4SeiGW3-gHAKSWieS0KTv7YPFADil5MW1dR4-rhEU/s320/dsc_1393.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After the park, we went to Wegman's to pick up Piper's special ladybug cupcakes and her birthday fruit cake. It looked so yummy and her eyes lit up when we were in the store when she saw a fruit cake. I know it was not the same as what the children get in Ch*na but I have seen that the kids get cakes with fruit on them. She seemed to be excited so I was excited that she was getting a special treat. </div>
<br />
We ordered Ch*nese food for dinner. We had sweet and sour chicken, chicken and broccoli and pork lo mein with pork fried rice and egg rolls. We all shared and had an assortment. Piper's favorite was the pork lo mein. She LOVED it and couldn't get enough. I enjoyed watching her shove noodles into her mouth and seeing some hanging out. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimuoMNr1gAa3Z3yKDpDry6n1sLquFvpV39Wrg6Cha1eCSqGuEVudFbYXAHjmqxlIxAujbwSDJCT5zy1VmLeTQZ-NHTRvpoWkkv7Rv4Dx1uHCwE2yplEkuLP8XxCBk-_ELGDXQWWpbKTs/s1600/dsc_1452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimuoMNr1gAa3Z3yKDpDry6n1sLquFvpV39Wrg6Cha1eCSqGuEVudFbYXAHjmqxlIxAujbwSDJCT5zy1VmLeTQZ-NHTRvpoWkkv7Rv4Dx1uHCwE2yplEkuLP8XxCBk-_ELGDXQWWpbKTs/s320/dsc_1452.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB695UUwy7X7q0dQD11R97ug8eGdOfw82oCM0zxh8IhSB3OGCR5xDN1Fb61TAtVksM_hyNRzFX5iRQdzElXrW0TU2jTbOJ4RC_cQBWjzhDviyJlgg2STZwUC9JiWFFYqPi3RGdU12gGuY/s1600/dsc_1457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB695UUwy7X7q0dQD11R97ug8eGdOfw82oCM0zxh8IhSB3OGCR5xDN1Fb61TAtVksM_hyNRzFX5iRQdzElXrW0TU2jTbOJ4RC_cQBWjzhDviyJlgg2STZwUC9JiWFFYqPi3RGdU12gGuY/s320/dsc_1457.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWnsYZNdq3NkxmG58FbRZmuLXX_P4XDJYNUr-IRLWKLhyphenhyphenAjfckw9nbI8H6xTgOJiF1YLLPoVxSaQVtprrNgclD0FycFXAJrYVWsUKJJ1Z0kwded2s2xaiQYFFrXHHzjUY_a1e-e-3f9o/s1600/dsc_1461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWnsYZNdq3NkxmG58FbRZmuLXX_P4XDJYNUr-IRLWKLhyphenhyphenAjfckw9nbI8H6xTgOJiF1YLLPoVxSaQVtprrNgclD0FycFXAJrYVWsUKJJ1Z0kwded2s2xaiQYFFrXHHzjUY_a1e-e-3f9o/s320/dsc_1461.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X4CTopDJ8nZnyN1FJrXCfEQZaCOxjOX8zStKZeYXwBLYnZBTMf4gdCHPw1rbal4mDgRTYnJlyYBpHpUkZmVA0jOKOr_KpXlvOGI2U6iu_S5ioRgwKE1GWJVKqImE4eo425NQPubL6ac/s1600/dsc_1463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X4CTopDJ8nZnyN1FJrXCfEQZaCOxjOX8zStKZeYXwBLYnZBTMf4gdCHPw1rbal4mDgRTYnJlyYBpHpUkZmVA0jOKOr_KpXlvOGI2U6iu_S5ioRgwKE1GWJVKqImE4eo425NQPubL6ac/s320/dsc_1463.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dLlMHqjkWHeojTBzZLDki3a11_40J0YcKJ1mcRTxgiVnH2MB1SrwYfNhImdQVlf3Qsg2kirw6cuBzMOhOd6B5IWC0oaseZ4JSq9HiWRPkrTFvIgCxTg9Da14uBIoeG1Pte7YFFEUgKQ/s1600/dsc_1467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dLlMHqjkWHeojTBzZLDki3a11_40J0YcKJ1mcRTxgiVnH2MB1SrwYfNhImdQVlf3Qsg2kirw6cuBzMOhOd6B5IWC0oaseZ4JSq9HiWRPkrTFvIgCxTg9Da14uBIoeG1Pte7YFFEUgKQ/s320/dsc_1467.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After dinner, I took Yu Mei, Audyn and Ava outside to play for a little. Isabella had Irish dance so we played outside until Daddy and Isabella came home. I had a good time watching the girls play. Then we went inside to have cake and sing to our little birthday girl! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYx0b-QlqkhliLI2nwa5rsSGzluhvpPVbDtDXChDAQMtr4pFK1A9y6wq9PA0MG5BFEXgPYstArt2nk0hILCBKlhk-R64sq0ZEqD2G60NPkpyAxBz6z5meTdo_tHwDXi7UUnCRbIeUNAQ/s1600/dsc_1478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYx0b-QlqkhliLI2nwa5rsSGzluhvpPVbDtDXChDAQMtr4pFK1A9y6wq9PA0MG5BFEXgPYstArt2nk0hILCBKlhk-R64sq0ZEqD2G60NPkpyAxBz6z5meTdo_tHwDXi7UUnCRbIeUNAQ/s320/dsc_1478.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJBkvr1ClgHorFRpl1FVimIiIOvHD2Ms6C2upCeJgPb3jw1QNX0MUrFsJoJ8dlKeCNUrlepf8a3E6HLUbadQEoF_wAxu-kfvA4pRBB9wTmdq1HMZbUAyemcMo1QeNjGdDhRr1g8bJEaw/s1600/dsc_1483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJBkvr1ClgHorFRpl1FVimIiIOvHD2Ms6C2upCeJgPb3jw1QNX0MUrFsJoJ8dlKeCNUrlepf8a3E6HLUbadQEoF_wAxu-kfvA4pRBB9wTmdq1HMZbUAyemcMo1QeNjGdDhRr1g8bJEaw/s320/dsc_1483.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ks5wl4Tpyp4GSgfl_CjrRZDQWAap1AbiBCImzIBwefghYXkeu3ApQbyND8EruBSpq294UdLMPnbfltpERtfDF43zVmTIch2exV56IFwcWsUgMQ_Fygtoc-jgWMyoA5JlQzMtPAMLPkI/s1600/dsc_1485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ks5wl4Tpyp4GSgfl_CjrRZDQWAap1AbiBCImzIBwefghYXkeu3ApQbyND8EruBSpq294UdLMPnbfltpERtfDF43zVmTIch2exV56IFwcWsUgMQ_Fygtoc-jgWMyoA5JlQzMtPAMLPkI/s320/dsc_1485.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After dinner, we sang happy birthday to her as a family. She looked at us and was really not sure what this whole cake/candle thing was and all of the singing. In fact she was fascinated with the candle and almost touched it! Gave me a scare. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7NZeWBxg2yJtwt1hdw0IZ34_JpN3fDUrFzeQs8NPlHlLbfCbYdrpnrR-5LS72vEQtZeeMGX_IGR-hIm9HuuRjLrt02fP7nfyfuLjDHwY30fJhgbBN-jQAWE-s-k4wotn896AJ9dQe-k/s1600/dsc_1497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7NZeWBxg2yJtwt1hdw0IZ34_JpN3fDUrFzeQs8NPlHlLbfCbYdrpnrR-5LS72vEQtZeeMGX_IGR-hIm9HuuRjLrt02fP7nfyfuLjDHwY30fJhgbBN-jQAWE-s-k4wotn896AJ9dQe-k/s320/dsc_1497.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcoQEBewLnwK6jevLZHmwtHOAP5ao2Q1x1Gh6WWMxAb8MzfrKtHKRtQUQqfiZeweqY8RAnsqkFuKPlhdL9cY_uojKEB0ZRe6PPSX0tdRyUzUJyGfjQ_wWkuklXq_hmPfX6xSzh1-_MRA/s1600/dsc_1500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcoQEBewLnwK6jevLZHmwtHOAP5ao2Q1x1Gh6WWMxAb8MzfrKtHKRtQUQqfiZeweqY8RAnsqkFuKPlhdL9cY_uojKEB0ZRe6PPSX0tdRyUzUJyGfjQ_wWkuklXq_hmPfX6xSzh1-_MRA/s320/dsc_1500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc66ZKLq_Z0-E1jX6w7TjtckgL6FpwZaItqDWGAWDtYqfIvV5vsx8cfJkwd7Q3LKPiMhL1cNoKaeoP17zYBNgfI2ABIdAifga0SC1nuwaDx05sBsG69uOqkCcaRdfBEh-X1gKcfB0PWU/s1600/dsc_1501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc66ZKLq_Z0-E1jX6w7TjtckgL6FpwZaItqDWGAWDtYqfIvV5vsx8cfJkwd7Q3LKPiMhL1cNoKaeoP17zYBNgfI2ABIdAifga0SC1nuwaDx05sBsG69uOqkCcaRdfBEh-X1gKcfB0PWU/s320/dsc_1501.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgESxO2I9q92ofT9P8d7kmLYnh2izcvHcNVfzJu0asin41NIK1EgIyFZLzjZpNNQnhDL6tADPMyZNvijbVr3TVl91cOAu2J6FThZNd7fruoitdfDqmTnWuFoABqR_cEF_ul89pky3JAE/s1600/dsc_1513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgESxO2I9q92ofT9P8d7kmLYnh2izcvHcNVfzJu0asin41NIK1EgIyFZLzjZpNNQnhDL6tADPMyZNvijbVr3TVl91cOAu2J6FThZNd7fruoitdfDqmTnWuFoABqR_cEF_ul89pky3JAE/s320/dsc_1513.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2wMAQWRQ3EYkMeq_AcBbgDoOoQLfdYLV2Vanx_RgSJEHcH8v_iKelJv21ud_aB5eUseXIPLfQikuoweSqIk4-4RkFr-LU7axdjDQiLd4tXm6WVYYwE7Z13zVxcV1Sgnca4740Ikv8RY/s1600/dsc_1515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2wMAQWRQ3EYkMeq_AcBbgDoOoQLfdYLV2Vanx_RgSJEHcH8v_iKelJv21ud_aB5eUseXIPLfQikuoweSqIk4-4RkFr-LU7axdjDQiLd4tXm6WVYYwE7Z13zVxcV1Sgnca4740Ikv8RY/s320/dsc_1515.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FHLn2vIOdTS6ALOFWduNB9u6bF8wBedKL0jeRljqGcCGYMynCimwnp0zFtZtRMHIRHADA7tFed1IPRpfMOr_KoJ03VN3AbwDFumXuXK4fQNQ9fc3MHc1w3BdMS1_8rsBJfP4rhD0Mms/s1600/dsc_1517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FHLn2vIOdTS6ALOFWduNB9u6bF8wBedKL0jeRljqGcCGYMynCimwnp0zFtZtRMHIRHADA7tFed1IPRpfMOr_KoJ03VN3AbwDFumXuXK4fQNQ9fc3MHc1w3BdMS1_8rsBJfP4rhD0Mms/s320/dsc_1517.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKn36L-ifVanKHcAs9h7IeqW0lYtpFEbEwo-LD0Eop3sTWTNbzALN9uJg4GXjpz66ZKzo9HF-1wWBL4g7y6qRHFH_1H5n1HE8As_fxHdRfmLQakZa9rmgeVhNxH_og1K2Zv3-OOsf-bFs/s1600/dsc_1527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKn36L-ifVanKHcAs9h7IeqW0lYtpFEbEwo-LD0Eop3sTWTNbzALN9uJg4GXjpz66ZKzo9HF-1wWBL4g7y6qRHFH_1H5n1HE8As_fxHdRfmLQakZa9rmgeVhNxH_og1K2Zv3-OOsf-bFs/s320/dsc_1527.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrCu37yMa_a3LsWwNJFzWfYWUKAArPKqj7gntK7UtOhKUdN2DimkqNnzmeLwD0uHuIfpJTeHcX9TdYlINyzFfxgI9GVRa70BEYV9QQkepsfaLNSjtjZTe-Msf_XJl6HNJyP-j82J3zmk/s1600/dsc_1528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrCu37yMa_a3LsWwNJFzWfYWUKAArPKqj7gntK7UtOhKUdN2DimkqNnzmeLwD0uHuIfpJTeHcX9TdYlINyzFfxgI9GVRa70BEYV9QQkepsfaLNSjtjZTe-Msf_XJl6HNJyP-j82J3zmk/s320/dsc_1528.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilV5wdqki15gj41gUGgUslnJ_GCpmDcmolPd9SciTIPRDR6_QB-KD8hk05XXkYscH5GS-Dp2jtdvqUrounKKymbhzMz8X9eRi1fFz3_j_WcKC2PMoRv4eSTveb9zsH8hyfuCdE6oZUosw/s1600/dsc_1530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilV5wdqki15gj41gUGgUslnJ_GCpmDcmolPd9SciTIPRDR6_QB-KD8hk05XXkYscH5GS-Dp2jtdvqUrounKKymbhzMz8X9eRi1fFz3_j_WcKC2PMoRv4eSTveb9zsH8hyfuCdE6oZUosw/s320/dsc_1530.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLTff4lb7Pm_xolMOYFaR7kue2_TWfUw20dWlki__wVcv8XtGadvGHMk-7njnllXtvWb6X885zB7Aa8B_p9lh6obZK8EkgexPsyXONPynqXSVflgHYEbUipjmTYn36FocxAAnGUoYdaI/s1600/dsc_1536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLTff4lb7Pm_xolMOYFaR7kue2_TWfUw20dWlki__wVcv8XtGadvGHMk-7njnllXtvWb6X885zB7Aa8B_p9lh6obZK8EkgexPsyXONPynqXSVflgHYEbUipjmTYn36FocxAAnGUoYdaI/s320/dsc_1536.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkIy8dI84hmdnmf4H58GevhkEXT9Pg-H-FsK3ZQxPAjGVBKS9AK765LNzGaeIgsg15ILCJYWuXmN2w6qgB39YGNx3mjZxchmA4lyL5DnutG6QiAA-a2_tfFwbHJOVb70InyJzADEynmg/s1600/dsc_1540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkIy8dI84hmdnmf4H58GevhkEXT9Pg-H-FsK3ZQxPAjGVBKS9AK765LNzGaeIgsg15ILCJYWuXmN2w6qgB39YGNx3mjZxchmA4lyL5DnutG6QiAA-a2_tfFwbHJOVb70InyJzADEynmg/s320/dsc_1540.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLk2IvrUWpBjYfvmz1N_0Wjn9BbG687zTo8HaRBtPeQNeep2C7J4kcmoz3oTYU_KWNAa9FcNJOJwaT-BpUSy2T0t0oZOghcSJChWypQ5vYOpbQsbGelLeSAa-Pu3oB5tQbN90UNy9UkMQ/s1600/dsc_1542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLk2IvrUWpBjYfvmz1N_0Wjn9BbG687zTo8HaRBtPeQNeep2C7J4kcmoz3oTYU_KWNAa9FcNJOJwaT-BpUSy2T0t0oZOghcSJChWypQ5vYOpbQsbGelLeSAa-Pu3oB5tQbN90UNy9UkMQ/s320/dsc_1542.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzK0DCXQwfk_0GgLsRSLB8agmfXBs7FRgSLx9S21vsB9YOKdZDucwTBjbBPaxWieyOSk_nFj8ohyphenhyphenIvpgCYvTByOAblFentMKSUSfCFl3QUdUiLrm4h5inBnBdHy7-kiiRws9S2_4uTtE/s1600/dsc_1546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzK0DCXQwfk_0GgLsRSLB8agmfXBs7FRgSLx9S21vsB9YOKdZDucwTBjbBPaxWieyOSk_nFj8ohyphenhyphenIvpgCYvTByOAblFentMKSUSfCFl3QUdUiLrm4h5inBnBdHy7-kiiRws9S2_4uTtE/s320/dsc_1546.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgz3zDpqGIBGB89qwffRIA_6Q7o8kRJII4koafDLK209h4ot2X82uBZpRn3T_nMTJDHeAlxQveKUDwwQmpsfC96CKnulGVE_Zf7ubR3833oHGb3xQ1xUsjkUgJ36heXcf7GsLn_XfBDrI/s1600/dsc_1547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgz3zDpqGIBGB89qwffRIA_6Q7o8kRJII4koafDLK209h4ot2X82uBZpRn3T_nMTJDHeAlxQveKUDwwQmpsfC96CKnulGVE_Zf7ubR3833oHGb3xQ1xUsjkUgJ36heXcf7GsLn_XfBDrI/s320/dsc_1547.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUn4vl37rpGZWpgjQXgTmUZcY8XMkvX7FErMJ-9i8Nv1MykRI9-bb6bUPvODDMgofpbBw51MCZ9BCy21MEWeHj0iNZ_tr78zRkbpDgobDPx6Z_kjCbeGZ4E2IXwN7DaFtGFvulTYYpk8M/s1600/dsc_1549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUn4vl37rpGZWpgjQXgTmUZcY8XMkvX7FErMJ-9i8Nv1MykRI9-bb6bUPvODDMgofpbBw51MCZ9BCy21MEWeHj0iNZ_tr78zRkbpDgobDPx6Z_kjCbeGZ4E2IXwN7DaFtGFvulTYYpk8M/s320/dsc_1549.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichgUCeK74z4ahh0kFq82XOYZnSM4qkTU3ivQp5G2HIT3xIyc0Tsa1gq6ziVc0_1lZT2V64mlxnbqFQyefTZL2J9NTstMAxFy-UtdR1hC49rH5AREnRd0nkgtmD64kdUB_tQlT0QODuX0/s1600/dsc_1571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichgUCeK74z4ahh0kFq82XOYZnSM4qkTU3ivQp5G2HIT3xIyc0Tsa1gq6ziVc0_1lZT2V64mlxnbqFQyefTZL2J9NTstMAxFy-UtdR1hC49rH5AREnRd0nkgtmD64kdUB_tQlT0QODuX0/s320/dsc_1571.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4t_e1c5zgMqFIP7uEqQZcf1zWnJi8f7Cg70-gPQjd8W6OdgZyPQyBHun1fUDQO-qlQzl5sDMub0MkoBXnCl5jutXITZ41f3IB1AtZKiEDO0QGBCDHq-xT-SJObzC8ZZEThNrUogOL1s/s1600/dsc_1573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4t_e1c5zgMqFIP7uEqQZcf1zWnJi8f7Cg70-gPQjd8W6OdgZyPQyBHun1fUDQO-qlQzl5sDMub0MkoBXnCl5jutXITZ41f3IB1AtZKiEDO0QGBCDHq-xT-SJObzC8ZZEThNrUogOL1s/s320/dsc_1573.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhQYpI-mVrgDSXBOEBGxnRjeXiSjZTo8cNjY3E7Us4OXr2KKfEvFRWn7lPjvMB8srdsmVy6TDznLbg05ZcdFCRscAG2W6M2g58VcTZeGFao5nSsfhcClL4iKhEeAZsVURHuNZ3y7glGU/s1600/dsc_1582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhQYpI-mVrgDSXBOEBGxnRjeXiSjZTo8cNjY3E7Us4OXr2KKfEvFRWn7lPjvMB8srdsmVy6TDznLbg05ZcdFCRscAG2W6M2g58VcTZeGFao5nSsfhcClL4iKhEeAZsVURHuNZ3y7glGU/s320/dsc_1582.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2mA6ikLjo2sr-FmEMTUmvpnP3KzBecKil90hzbFRO3UW64_cofAfpreoINl_nYEfZB1Rluh4KtjJ1kbYmM1otaiZeOZbsk5ecGsj9SsOJO9ngqmtIhLgmX5deX5wCSenQPYuJeHtAHA/s1600/dsc_1584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2mA6ikLjo2sr-FmEMTUmvpnP3KzBecKil90hzbFRO3UW64_cofAfpreoINl_nYEfZB1Rluh4KtjJ1kbYmM1otaiZeOZbsk5ecGsj9SsOJO9ngqmtIhLgmX5deX5wCSenQPYuJeHtAHA/s320/dsc_1584.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Later, we got ready for bed and I couldn't help but capture that part of our day too. This is one of my favorite cuddle times. I sing to her and she sings back. I sing to her Jesus Loves Me and You are My Sunshine. I pray with her and when I do she always closes her eyes and holds my hand. At the end when I say amen, she says amen. Absolutely priceless. I just love this little girl!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYcnJUmxBCkv2PpYOlz2AH9uT0PpcUr_xfKGe-y2VJDbsNtAh887Yhy_dmlj5_bzBT__vCrCIRbap7oemAAPSrsSNeaoy3i-4TtKiNJ0fkkyEv0u17Pe3PCuTy9RyZpxL0xzk4L9n_ow/s1600/img_4905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYcnJUmxBCkv2PpYOlz2AH9uT0PpcUr_xfKGe-y2VJDbsNtAh887Yhy_dmlj5_bzBT__vCrCIRbap7oemAAPSrsSNeaoy3i-4TtKiNJ0fkkyEv0u17Pe3PCuTy9RyZpxL0xzk4L9n_ow/s320/img_4905.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPE95IOCVylpMB7xlKRJYfEZiRTg19Ijz3AQ_09btlulesWAGsnoOEE6uNIBMiwIgBDYPqIioFFgcEmurf0LNyjyMqS4yi1_VKTIxeQFV9bsTNnHDuvQUfs8KrFmoC4O-amUH7252tx9Y/s1600/img_4906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPE95IOCVylpMB7xlKRJYfEZiRTg19Ijz3AQ_09btlulesWAGsnoOEE6uNIBMiwIgBDYPqIioFFgcEmurf0LNyjyMqS4yi1_VKTIxeQFV9bsTNnHDuvQUfs8KrFmoC4O-amUH7252tx9Y/s320/img_4906.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPA3mZa7qenVvh0T0Nv3ZfWCDpQ5PjwuYg99yf9xShjcaizpchcGDWsQRFhof1n9roecHXJ61NETIWfIto2yvh6884K6ph54b8_LLGI1ipGRPt9Cj7R-rodG4VANDvoIBvqVjYkWifnk/s1600/img_4908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPA3mZa7qenVvh0T0Nv3ZfWCDpQ5PjwuYg99yf9xShjcaizpchcGDWsQRFhof1n9roecHXJ61NETIWfIto2yvh6884K6ph54b8_LLGI1ipGRPt9Cj7R-rodG4VANDvoIBvqVjYkWifnk/s320/img_4908.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU_u8Xa2m_vWXMfZ7Z5zI4yG4KHD3RalFduVjYsXDneeOIkBJymXPuWyS1PFTddo3kJQJtd0Dq4L2EOeSf2qHCaco6KqZIW_YQXwYko8UdoPGMP4lLYbInXudrRdB5daYMAo6xmCEb3Y/s1600/dsc_1623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU_u8Xa2m_vWXMfZ7Z5zI4yG4KHD3RalFduVjYsXDneeOIkBJymXPuWyS1PFTddo3kJQJtd0Dq4L2EOeSf2qHCaco6KqZIW_YQXwYko8UdoPGMP4lLYbInXudrRdB5daYMAo6xmCEb3Y/s320/dsc_1623.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
We are so thankful and blessed to have this little girl in our lives. So extremely grateful that God handpicked her for us. We cannot wait to see all that God has in store for you precious one. Happy Birthday!! We love you!! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-78453484419306050452013-05-28T00:11:00.000-04:002013-05-29T09:53:56.486-04:00Tomorrow is Piper's 2nd birthday!Wow! I cannot believe it is that time to celebrate our daughter's 2nd birthday. Our little one's birthday is tomorrow. As I put her to bed tonight, she was giggling, pointing to me and she kept saying mama over and over again. She had the cutest little twinkle in her eye and I could see her smile beaming from underneath her binky. Oh how I love this little girl!!! I of course started thinking, and reflecting. I cannot believe tomorrow is her 2nd birthday--her first birthday with our family. I am so excited to celebrate her tomorrow. I feel torn right now and am so thankful that I can process it through. Right now I feel like my heart is torn. The one part of me is so excited to spend tomorrow with my little birthday girl and then the other part of my heart is aching. Aching for her mother. I cannot help but think of her a lot right now. I just cannot imagine what she may be thinking and wondering. She has to remember giving birth to her daughter 2 years ago. Right? You just cannot forget about that. I know I would never be able to forget. My heart hurts because I know she may be hurting remembering this week two years ago. She was anticipating her little ones birth only to find that she couldn't keep her. Seeing my girls when they were born I cannot imagine what it must have been like for her waiting to find out what the sex was of the baby and if it had any special needs or not. I cannot imagine knowing I would have to give my baby away or leave her somewhere hoping that someone would find her and take her somewhere where she would be cared for. She had her for a few days before Piper was abandoned. I know her eyes were what melted my heart when I first saw her picture. I know that they must have melted hers too. With all of the excitement I am struggling with what she does not get to see or hear. My heart aches because she does not get to see the smile I get to see. She does not get to hear her call her mama like I do. She does not get the sweetest hugs and kisses like I get. She does not get to hear her call mama from her crib when she wakes up like I do. She does not get hear the words I love you like I do. She does not get to see her giggle and have fun while she is enjoying life like I do. She does not get to see how much she loves her sisters like I do. There are so many things that she will never get to see. I pray that God would give her peace and a sense that her daughter is with our family and very much loved. Recently I started praying this new prayer for her mother after I had the chance to discuss some of what I am feeling with my daughter's birthday and how I was conflicted being excited and then also heartbroken for her mother. My friend shared that she prays for her daughter's mother that God would send someone into her life that would share the gospel with her and that she would be saved and see her daughter in heaven. I never thought of it that way. I always thought of her adoption being final and that was it. So with that I started praying this for her mother. I pray that she can see her daughter again in heaven. So with this, I am going to end by writing a letter to my daughter's mother. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
To My Daughters Mother,<br />
<br />
I want you to know that I think of you often. I think about what you must have been like and what traits my daughter has that are from you. If she likes things that you may have liked. I wonder if her behaviors, her determined behavior comes from you. I wonder if her beautiful eyes came from you. Today especially I am thinking of you on our daughter's birthday. I want you to know that I am shedding tears because my heart aches that you had to endure what you did. My heart aches because you miss what I get to see and enjoy every day. I wish you could see what I get to see. I wish you could see what a special little girl Piper is. She is just the sweetest little thing. She is very determined, very smart, very loving, caring, has the cutest smile, just enjoys life and everything around her. You would be proud of her I know. I know the decision you had to make was one of the hardest you have ever had to do. I want to thank you for giving her life and a chance to have a family. I thank God every day that I get to be her mama. I know that before she was born God had a plan for her. I will be praying for you that God would give you peace and comfort that your little girl is with a family, very much taken care of and of course VERY loved. A piece of you will always be with me. <br />
<br />
Thank you for the gift you gave me.<br />
<br />
Piper's Mama Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-353395093696808512013-05-12T22:55:00.000-04:002013-07-12T22:55:35.614-04:00Our First Mother's Day Together!Today was a day I have longed for. A day that will always be special to me. You see two years ago on Mother's Day was when Jon told me he was feeling like God was calling us to adopt. I looked at him very hesitant and thought it would be impossible due to the adoption costs. Last year, we had our sweet little girls picture in our hands and of course she was engrained on our hearts. She was halfway around the world in an orphanage. How I longed to have her here in my arms, with our entire family. This year I woke up with her calling me from her crib, "Mama, Up. Mama, Up." I went in and scooped her up, blankie and binky and all and we cuddled for a bit before we actually got moving. I gave her her morning bottle and then we got ready for church.<br />
<br />
For days last week I had thoughts about mother's day and how it just felt different for me this year. I was looking forward to it but didn't know how it would affect me emotionally. The night before mother's day, a friend of mine told me you guys should watch this movie "Listen to Your Heart." It is great. So I asked my hubby if he could look it up on Netflix. There it was. We watched it but I never got the warning that I needed tissues. Lots of them!! There was a strong message that was clearly gotten across to us. Just because it might be hard doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. You may miss out on the biggest moments in your life. Boy that hit me like a ton of bricks. I was fighting and now to open to adoption when he told me. I think it was financially that I was scared. I knew we didn't have the funds to pay for the actual adoption. I didn't want to wrap my heart around it and then have it completely shattered. WOW! To sit here and reflect on how this journey started and to see where I am now is unbelievable. God showed up in many different ways. He kept pointing different signs straight to me until I finally listened to his call. Here we are now. Seeing my little baby girl blossom and how she has allowed me to be her mama is amazing. A complete gift!!! I love this little girl WITH ALL OF MY HEART!! I look at her and I am proud and so thankful to be her mama. I am truly blessed. To think if I would have been so stubborn and held my grounds what I would have missed out on. I would have missed out on this journey that God has called me to. A love that I would have never been able to experience. I am so thankful that I said YES. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HxGzYMQAVBvSGgF6Q43rikJX_7wXHcQsk_lvShkJKDp-KNi3pBbN0GBjyDw6do0ujtAEgTmUu_CRYMporRQ9VF8kzRCmsN4chqz9B85f5YO5pfP74SaT_L0zwXCFkXz8-no236RJP5k/s1600/dsc_1261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HxGzYMQAVBvSGgF6Q43rikJX_7wXHcQsk_lvShkJKDp-KNi3pBbN0GBjyDw6do0ujtAEgTmUu_CRYMporRQ9VF8kzRCmsN4chqz9B85f5YO5pfP74SaT_L0zwXCFkXz8-no236RJP5k/s320/dsc_1261.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPl0oHq59KdDgoMjGezmCXMLRqUaAuP1kz9Dr3Gx55QCV_N_dy6MNcz9nqYjosGzXOr-mtIYZUf2NjnIDmB9qh9t5JP8HRCPqqdztrfaXjJYGwRvUlnOOp4iYf2KH54w2r5spZwdO8Aw/s1600/dsc_1264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPl0oHq59KdDgoMjGezmCXMLRqUaAuP1kz9Dr3Gx55QCV_N_dy6MNcz9nqYjosGzXOr-mtIYZUf2NjnIDmB9qh9t5JP8HRCPqqdztrfaXjJYGwRvUlnOOp4iYf2KH54w2r5spZwdO8Aw/s320/dsc_1264.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCnWM_qeZA1TBM750ZQIgJVhNatmxy4AmpRJWCxBfAPj7K8an18D2D6e7_lGMTnTgxDpd2RolTjgd5EMfhfCod1DOOdet2HuYMWo4cWMN6rRNT22kMEr68veTITuXGsLUtAL0rdFYxa8/s1600/dsc_1266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCnWM_qeZA1TBM750ZQIgJVhNatmxy4AmpRJWCxBfAPj7K8an18D2D6e7_lGMTnTgxDpd2RolTjgd5EMfhfCod1DOOdet2HuYMWo4cWMN6rRNT22kMEr68veTITuXGsLUtAL0rdFYxa8/s320/dsc_1266.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpyQ_jq4H9WV4WbCiMut_y8pdwurEdAcf-8CQ0QAGBsFemgBDUSC8DH9gL9vfvALi2Xzuwh0j9NkzvIgfVK0WfGMUuIdr0MOjvqONIzm0isU_RPthj5U6PRGebaeWSx0f4HpDHyuUbuTU/s1600/dsc_1270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpyQ_jq4H9WV4WbCiMut_y8pdwurEdAcf-8CQ0QAGBsFemgBDUSC8DH9gL9vfvALi2Xzuwh0j9NkzvIgfVK0WfGMUuIdr0MOjvqONIzm0isU_RPthj5U6PRGebaeWSx0f4HpDHyuUbuTU/s320/dsc_1270.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLphWOlTyqbOvi0NDHqnAJc7YmAlTd4ZLNY5cRLEf1JD4MAmIy5SPAMFW8Ivpg67yflMaIg_D6gTPsv7JpyC7dHsV7xDDsp00vcrfXNrDCFToBIMIm14zHz1_WA1F9tsdQ-stksp2zKs/s1600/dsc_1271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLphWOlTyqbOvi0NDHqnAJc7YmAlTd4ZLNY5cRLEf1JD4MAmIy5SPAMFW8Ivpg67yflMaIg_D6gTPsv7JpyC7dHsV7xDDsp00vcrfXNrDCFToBIMIm14zHz1_WA1F9tsdQ-stksp2zKs/s320/dsc_1271.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagn0uZia1qyXnHfYQAgqmUgfNqchVKqzFK-vAEDXJaR9ElP3gbufWK2_oVJ7J2NNZr-DhJmzNz7bSA3UOn1PE8tm_ODiVR7We3atP3GK12CPpgiI8N2E2dyD07H8BVcUzLDwNJjgsgxk/s1600/dsc_1246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagn0uZia1qyXnHfYQAgqmUgfNqchVKqzFK-vAEDXJaR9ElP3gbufWK2_oVJ7J2NNZr-DhJmzNz7bSA3UOn1PE8tm_ODiVR7We3atP3GK12CPpgiI8N2E2dyD07H8BVcUzLDwNJjgsgxk/s320/dsc_1246.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85qLEbTaZUVuaiSjAvUYjjnIGkDehgxWGCmCcVo4Ll4VXFURFRVaALbnZdjN-SRROh9_viTsjeeO8SECyZqCYzIpF0oTnzhuCWn1VnTOtzxHGDevo1X5x4Kk62nrAN_eqUGPuAjq3HHg/s1600/dsc_1251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85qLEbTaZUVuaiSjAvUYjjnIGkDehgxWGCmCcVo4Ll4VXFURFRVaALbnZdjN-SRROh9_viTsjeeO8SECyZqCYzIpF0oTnzhuCWn1VnTOtzxHGDevo1X5x4Kk62nrAN_eqUGPuAjq3HHg/s320/dsc_1251.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LE6Wmq9EGqoDIpAGJyd4modohuB8l-lg17Fwx8NBnWdH28j_wSOufc7EKfGwWCQ_rnr17v6h2v8BtSRu9LCAIy-CXNUl4LDiUj6FMkX1PSGRz5tuie64k9BXegf4yHrPmwL0kzD9gsE/s1600/dsc_1255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LE6Wmq9EGqoDIpAGJyd4modohuB8l-lg17Fwx8NBnWdH28j_wSOufc7EKfGwWCQ_rnr17v6h2v8BtSRu9LCAIy-CXNUl4LDiUj6FMkX1PSGRz5tuie64k9BXegf4yHrPmwL0kzD9gsE/s320/dsc_1255.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-68942757468364020502013-03-16T03:00:00.000-04:002013-03-27T00:50:55.334-04:006 Months Together --Mommy's PostWow!! Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday we were just getting ready to go to Ch*na to meet our little girl. Here she is home with her forever family--already for 6 months. There are so many emotions and feelings that I have since bringing her home. I have seen Piper evolve so much in these past 6 months. I think of her like an onion peeling off layer after layer. Her and I have had a bond I feel from the beginning. I loved her so much and just could not wait to hold her in my arms. She embraced me from the day we met. Our bond has just continued to grow and grow. She will just come up to me on her own and give me a hug. She has also started to take her binky out at nighttime to kiss me goodnight before I rock her to sleep. Before, I would have kissed her on the binky. I always tell her I love her. She tells me "I love you." These are just moments so precious that just make me melt. Literally melt. She wakes in the morning now calling Mama instead of crying. She only wanted Mama to feed her her bottle. Baba has tried but she pushes it away and really cries. She loves playing with her sisters. Audyn and her have also been developing a bond. It is so neat to watch. They take turns with some toys. Of course there are those many moments where Audyn is taking something from her or the other way around. But the moments that you do see them starting to bond more are just priceless. I know in time it will only grow. She has started to speak more words. Her little voice is precious. She can say: Mama, Baba, Audyn, Ava, Bella, Angel, Bert, Elmo, NO, help, all done, please, hi, hello, bye, out, night night, banana, bar, uh oh. She has started speech and our therapist is helping her learn concepts like push, off, in, out, etc. She shows her picture cards and she points to the picture name when she says it. She also has a toy with 4 balls that go on top and you use a hammer to push the balls through and they go through a maze. Two balls have patterns and two are solid. Piper puts them on top and then rearranges them so that the ring on the toy matches the color of the ball. The therapist was really amazed. I couldn't believe that she recognized it either. She is really a smart girl. She catches on pretty quickly and pays attention to everything. She really likes to do everything her big sisters do. Her sisters just adore her!! <br />
<br />
She is such a blessing!! I cannot imagine my life without her. She fits in perfectly with our family. Seeing her smile gives me so much joy and honestly just makes my heart melt. I look at her sometimes in disbelief that she is really ours and then there are times when I look at her and forget she was adopted. It feels like has always been here. Sometimes I forget she is Ch*nese. Really I do. Piper is just so full of life and such a happy girl!!! I cannot wait to see what God has in store for her. I thank God that he chose us all of the time to be her mommy and her daddy. People have said that Piper is so lucky. I honestly feel like we are the lucky ones. I know that I have forever been changed for the better and it is because of her. I love you so much Piper! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwruSzGCXPmAimoMHQOTmHkUIPC5Rl0JElzC98IlND-qPz05qXGXuebCbRR8Llrw3go-A5wrzxTbzZgcAd0uDW0R9D5uDvp2wIci-Js3UH0dlkeHAzx2189_HJHtMe_9O7E9vjzeFPAW0/s1600/dsc_9862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwruSzGCXPmAimoMHQOTmHkUIPC5Rl0JElzC98IlND-qPz05qXGXuebCbRR8Llrw3go-A5wrzxTbzZgcAd0uDW0R9D5uDvp2wIci-Js3UH0dlkeHAzx2189_HJHtMe_9O7E9vjzeFPAW0/s320/dsc_9862.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-59862075727792510792013-03-16T00:22:00.000-04:002013-03-27T00:25:46.152-04:006 Months Together --Daddy's Post
I<span style="font-family: Calibri;">t’s been 6 months since Piper has joined our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first 6 months were very hard for her and
I relationship wise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I didn’t
realize it would take so long for her to warm up to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The struggle was back and forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would want to try and trust me and then
she would back off and distance herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is the part of the adoption process I wasn’t expecting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized it would take some time for her to
adjust and get comfortable with our family but I didn’t expect her to reject me
for 6 months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jenn kept reminding me to
be patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would often remind me
how we reject our heavenly father yet he loves us unconditionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to remind myself of this and slowly win
Piper’s trust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, 6 months ago
she was stripped away from the life as she knew it and was thrown into a new
family who spoke a different language, looked different and acted differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This little girl has amazing strength and I
can’t wait to see what God has in store for her life as she develops her
faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the last week I have seen a
change in Piper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She runs up to me when
I come home from work and gives me a hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She will let me hold her without struggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a blessing to see her finally starting
to show a little trust in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adoption
can be a challenge for a family but the rewards are GREATER than words can
describe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My children have a new
perspective of life that cannot be granted without living through this
journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ava wants us to adopt a brother
and Isabella wants to open an orphanage someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I encourage them to dream big and trust in
God’s plans for their life!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we
submit to God’s plans in our lives and have faith he will do amazing things!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCNESDUxEy_6Qge15vdtSk6Ytg7hIi_kyXTq6FJNeyXAmirr41jz21BWXYGJcvO7tJzQS9FKk6pAKpgm4pEBd2w8dgh0qTN06ZAYJon-hv2DrU0DViW3BZkUTcteTe0CFnaaKSX582ks/s1600/dsc_0282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCNESDUxEy_6Qge15vdtSk6Ytg7hIi_kyXTq6FJNeyXAmirr41jz21BWXYGJcvO7tJzQS9FKk6pAKpgm4pEBd2w8dgh0qTN06ZAYJon-hv2DrU0DViW3BZkUTcteTe0CFnaaKSX582ks/s320/dsc_0282.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyte8_j855s1uHk-cOyXgOUsnu9WzCwLr61vPcjyxNxED606AAWY2cpmLbHSgyEMyZj90HSzDxE7bnUjJmedola5vogFWnHUN7nGzDNUiI5teD17ZE-HLiUi95s8pO-Eqzdj8DrJ6lpwk/s1600/dsc_0283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyte8_j855s1uHk-cOyXgOUsnu9WzCwLr61vPcjyxNxED606AAWY2cpmLbHSgyEMyZj90HSzDxE7bnUjJmedola5vogFWnHUN7nGzDNUiI5teD17ZE-HLiUi95s8pO-Eqzdj8DrJ6lpwk/s320/dsc_0283.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
Making Pancakes with Daddy--Saturday Tradition</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilRC_WoDxhpQ-0G21ar3kyT7Or1wXaaNE42dv8zuZVWuCk3CNXybsJPgZ_WQ0iYVAqbHLAr8sbCBbdI9n3i6AN1jqQbV1z62-jcFE2gg1ryHkn3l38WQAFSRcV0jVCIv8CqrTBu93MLQ/s1600/dsc_0292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilRC_WoDxhpQ-0G21ar3kyT7Or1wXaaNE42dv8zuZVWuCk3CNXybsJPgZ_WQ0iYVAqbHLAr8sbCBbdI9n3i6AN1jqQbV1z62-jcFE2gg1ryHkn3l38WQAFSRcV0jVCIv8CqrTBu93MLQ/s320/dsc_0292.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aqJxeqIH5Ymw-BRRqz-J9oogw_byNTHge3PdlzqVpApHdfPdCbtwdGzxYQw14c2EQ1-5q8iYelXP_ic0WoqNsXn2LwVXcNCZotmcCgyEUJyx1E2BDemslmsRUXPy7lf4M4q1v8yR_uU/s1600/dsc_0300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aqJxeqIH5Ymw-BRRqz-J9oogw_byNTHge3PdlzqVpApHdfPdCbtwdGzxYQw14c2EQ1-5q8iYelXP_ic0WoqNsXn2LwVXcNCZotmcCgyEUJyx1E2BDemslmsRUXPy7lf4M4q1v8yR_uU/s320/dsc_0300.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-64122412307581515502013-03-09T00:10:00.000-05:002013-03-10T22:30:22.210-04:00One Year Ago......and Now<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_513d4097b5bd19c30472639">
A Year ago yesterday was a day we will never forget. It was the day we saw our little Piper's face for the first time. When I saw her eyes I knew she belonged to us. We were getting ready to leave for our sister in law's wedding and we got the phone call.My oldest daughter was already with my inlaws so I was really excited to tell her and show her the picture for the first time. It was definately at a time we were not expecting to hear. <span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">The best surprise ever. People say that she is blessed and lucky. I think that WE are the ones who are blessed and lucky. She has changed us forever!!! She fits right in with our family. Seeing her blossom is amazing. Audyn and Piper are becomming little buddies lately. It is a beautiful thing to watch :) It is hard to believe that in a week it will have been 6 months since we have held her in our arms---forever in our hearts.</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed">
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKC1yk-v1wvjqz9ih-CEOsrEanttwDbLvYJ6l6GZHQNDd7_5MAjdwrCr5IAI9haafENCFEFy5TM_JGozfdYHFaQIRMG9Dj0q23uD12GLYE-a9Br1FjDBOXFiW-CSwYSdg5Z62Ye4UgCY8/s1600/Ling+Yu+Mei-after+the+surgery-(2)--03.09.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKC1yk-v1wvjqz9ih-CEOsrEanttwDbLvYJ6l6GZHQNDd7_5MAjdwrCr5IAI9haafENCFEFy5TM_JGozfdYHFaQIRMG9Dj0q23uD12GLYE-a9Br1FjDBOXFiW-CSwYSdg5Z62Ye4UgCY8/s320/Ling+Yu+Mei-after+the+surgery-(2)--03.09.12.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sofbieQaQ1IcElZmOhPfg71nBwHYv6KtX9Llar4hMxodv50ZhQbf9ApZl-aD93azYcoM6efbpV7RwVn4l8-GkRKNgsIm93l7s4H8J06uBQM-aWgWxqaBArPI7w4-nCTmLfyCplgvn54/s1600/may+25+2012+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sofbieQaQ1IcElZmOhPfg71nBwHYv6KtX9Llar4hMxodv50ZhQbf9ApZl-aD93azYcoM6efbpV7RwVn4l8-GkRKNgsIm93l7s4H8J06uBQM-aWgWxqaBArPI7w4-nCTmLfyCplgvn54/s320/may+25+2012+013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldC9am8xFsTjbOdPwVbjGaTgDkv5tAsQ-abJXJC2O54CwNqkpRKXWdpii3_C4e5aOisokHvrlDBGtj5zSGh-2xdbp7-D48kXbUSAD_jgJIRfHUjpko35we-6K39RKoL81tpDJeSmsDjM/s1600/dsc_3669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldC9am8xFsTjbOdPwVbjGaTgDkv5tAsQ-abJXJC2O54CwNqkpRKXWdpii3_C4e5aOisokHvrlDBGtj5zSGh-2xdbp7-D48kXbUSAD_jgJIRfHUjpko35we-6K39RKoL81tpDJeSmsDjM/s320/dsc_3669.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6tT2yP8JJEJtQJN8UVismIuF_uZtMjEqfc9xbfYQiWbtThjQgsbesEJ3wUPLe9SiWmbamycRp605AcO41zlEdhaw5oGMxTyFdHl4c0IQbgEQ0eU0eMrChcQO49ohLq10vpPxDrZy9tI/s1600/dsc_3663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6tT2yP8JJEJtQJN8UVismIuF_uZtMjEqfc9xbfYQiWbtThjQgsbesEJ3wUPLe9SiWmbamycRp605AcO41zlEdhaw5oGMxTyFdHl4c0IQbgEQ0eU0eMrChcQO49ohLq10vpPxDrZy9tI/s320/dsc_3663.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6JK3VpcbEUqgheJqTJsuPeqfABp2YUbJU2L21YEqn6TMJ1aQ-4AkJjrBmo5um33QFk0dNSYqwAbXV5uoBiyVPThCvl0-dUhtzYZMVEyk6k0Arkq2oqbt1N0x1XRN87C_GwpMPjVHrHA/s1600/dsc_0275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6JK3VpcbEUqgheJqTJsuPeqfABp2YUbJU2L21YEqn6TMJ1aQ-4AkJjrBmo5um33QFk0dNSYqwAbXV5uoBiyVPThCvl0-dUhtzYZMVEyk6k0Arkq2oqbt1N0x1XRN87C_GwpMPjVHrHA/s320/dsc_0275.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcymDbX7-naYcHwH5049DSwUgMVDU88x-Rkhyphenhyphenn1q3l-8PZAKDSJnaL1MDLRLM8jc_cswyV93bkcTaFOKCE50HR6L7uTiTZIyTm2NLy21wUTvEzSX9QQckoMuDt1nYkz6Uw6PC1bc_tfc/s1600/dsc_0276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcymDbX7-naYcHwH5049DSwUgMVDU88x-Rkhyphenhyphenn1q3l-8PZAKDSJnaL1MDLRLM8jc_cswyV93bkcTaFOKCE50HR6L7uTiTZIyTm2NLy21wUTvEzSX9QQckoMuDt1nYkz6Uw6PC1bc_tfc/s320/dsc_0276.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9eZQjtbF6PXpnH6cmWV7qaUrMqSHam2JIrez8X7K3g_Myo5a9xZLl_8E9wDGb3VetrAASMAjimpQNbPhrArbPVcIYom3hQLQTwyYX30oxoZP_VL9yCuL8iG1fw8fUBDAxDp31LCcd4vY/s1600/dsc_0273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9eZQjtbF6PXpnH6cmWV7qaUrMqSHam2JIrez8X7K3g_Myo5a9xZLl_8E9wDGb3VetrAASMAjimpQNbPhrArbPVcIYom3hQLQTwyYX30oxoZP_VL9yCuL8iG1fw8fUBDAxDp31LCcd4vY/s320/dsc_0273.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrrF5FXnGAco1lutoMGkp06PQHMgpCCrejv6szRcfsJzyP0dSwft7FEZWEwwIL1ZtkRCGZfYrkerDBuXOIlHk0Rdaoa9uNnrGddD67RY5mcihRf6St616A-6Zn6kLvESmbfCjXzu90uc/s1600/dsc_0286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrrF5FXnGAco1lutoMGkp06PQHMgpCCrejv6szRcfsJzyP0dSwft7FEZWEwwIL1ZtkRCGZfYrkerDBuXOIlHk0Rdaoa9uNnrGddD67RY5mcihRf6St616A-6Zn6kLvESmbfCjXzu90uc/s320/dsc_0286.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkQ7r9izj7_9VHMN2FIuJM65DC6nl5txCygdJIM8QysopXv5gCC8V-BDvVEmLNYfaMHOQVIybsvTV-asLF9o2iL2R4BkLhdNU9U6uqOEhbDIZ4zJdXFPjJwj6Qs_uomqBWJd79NuncKU/s1600/dsc_0285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkQ7r9izj7_9VHMN2FIuJM65DC6nl5txCygdJIM8QysopXv5gCC8V-BDvVEmLNYfaMHOQVIybsvTV-asLF9o2iL2R4BkLhdNU9U6uqOEhbDIZ4zJdXFPjJwj6Qs_uomqBWJd79NuncKU/s320/dsc_0285.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed">
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-35863022783078225122013-02-25T00:12:00.000-05:002013-03-26T23:45:29.097-04:00Our Doctor Visit to See What is NextWe went to see our surgeon today for Piper to be reevaluated to see what is next. Her palate is pretty much half repaired and the one side is open to the nasal cavity once again. She wants to wait for 3 months from her surgery date before she does any other surgeries because she wants what is there to be fully healed. She wants to use tissue from the left side of her mouth where palate was repaired and from the sides of her cheeks. She also doesn't want to wait too long because what is repaired can shrink some and she doesn't want to lose the length in the back of her mouth. The length in the back of her mouth she said is going to be great for speech for her. We tentatively set surgery up for June 5th. Her 2nd birthday is in May. We really want to enjoy it with her since this is the first birthday that we will all be together. I really would like to have a Welcome Home/2nd Birthday Party and invite all that have been part of our adoption journey to celebrate her. We go back on April 22nd for her to be reevaluated. If any changes need to be made with the surgery date we will make any changes then. Please pray as we make these upcoming decisions on her surgery.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558088819932802253.post-53565594445811035082013-02-10T00:18:00.000-05:002013-03-26T23:43:48.210-04:00Chinese New YearToday we decided to celebrate Chinese New Year with our girls and take them to a Chinese New Year Gala where one of our friends daughters does Chinese Dancing. My older three were really excited to go. Piper woke up in a grumpy kind of mood. She really has never woke up like this before. We drove to the school where the event was going to be held. We walked in and we were definitely a minority there. There were a lot of Asian People there. We sat down and waited for everything to start. When they began they were speaking Mandarin. Piper immediately looked up and stared. She was okay for a little and then really started getting upset and squirmy. I got up and tried to stand in the back with her. She was definitely out of sorts and not herself. She would not come to me at all. She kept running and walking away from me. When I got close to her she would cry and throw herself on the floor. I thought it was part of her mood but honestly I think it was EXTREMELY hard for her to hear the language and experience the surroundings. She remembers and that is what she was surrounded with for most of her little life. They had crafts for the kids to do and they were excited to do them. We let them do a few and then we needed to leave. Piper was not getting any better. She definitely struggled with this event. She fell asleep in the car on the way home and was much better when we got home. It just may have been too soon for her to experience something like this. We gave our girls red envelopes and a Chinese Dress that we had gotten for each of them in Ch*na. They loved it!! We ordered Chinese food to celebrate. Here are some pictures from our day. <br />
<br />
<br />
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! The Year of the Snake<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAawqPg5pxHAWkGdNjNfEF6jb6nt161jPBaxxjxlXH3l2AtT-CPZSnMev8TUzhGx0bo0zpBDjRJQmOwsS_6TOknCr1wm8fPV-IhspasAhbaKf024jYWiqZobDNwtlxQcSbJMldccl5p0/s1600/img_4122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAawqPg5pxHAWkGdNjNfEF6jb6nt161jPBaxxjxlXH3l2AtT-CPZSnMev8TUzhGx0bo0zpBDjRJQmOwsS_6TOknCr1wm8fPV-IhspasAhbaKf024jYWiqZobDNwtlxQcSbJMldccl5p0/s320/img_4122.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9E8Fw56aaUe8fC9O6iwGtLxh30xIjs-dcvKhj3aCFz-Khe35aBVttNxN-CRc95y6Vr6DXSnJKGv18ibSMfJ_agUbLOkmW3MXZMRbqySti9u6BXmnlIvk6b7wWigOZJn7FzoDGl1vS_-Q/s1600/img_4127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9E8Fw56aaUe8fC9O6iwGtLxh30xIjs-dcvKhj3aCFz-Khe35aBVttNxN-CRc95y6Vr6DXSnJKGv18ibSMfJ_agUbLOkmW3MXZMRbqySti9u6BXmnlIvk6b7wWigOZJn7FzoDGl1vS_-Q/s320/img_4127.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgip3M9-Tx7xiyAeb2MWwqdqZh_2aQqb152AG0s8ve54JakoiBDgE1tH78zkDuHMA2cm8yqM4kAuln0tUOA4s8CYmG62ICrJPr-TzXpQuMDD5KUtdEPZUuqVQx4MASIqQyi9TYsShsjV0c/s1600/img_4131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgip3M9-Tx7xiyAeb2MWwqdqZh_2aQqb152AG0s8ve54JakoiBDgE1tH78zkDuHMA2cm8yqM4kAuln0tUOA4s8CYmG62ICrJPr-TzXpQuMDD5KUtdEPZUuqVQx4MASIqQyi9TYsShsjV0c/s320/img_4131.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUu9bDJyDsOLXqyljah8vkW45mdGvxJe1j9-TQwtVsSx1AZI3ZrEDpuWHlO-oDj3ewiCRyNFXoWfusGYf6anLwudTJ0f5JvwUOxWEMMqOZXPaBc3PG4P9hFEE64HALz2vFSioBh7aXNs/s1600/img_4124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUu9bDJyDsOLXqyljah8vkW45mdGvxJe1j9-TQwtVsSx1AZI3ZrEDpuWHlO-oDj3ewiCRyNFXoWfusGYf6anLwudTJ0f5JvwUOxWEMMqOZXPaBc3PG4P9hFEE64HALz2vFSioBh7aXNs/s320/img_4124.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26zzoGpSYiJ1P1INX_UDYCJg5PNBV0U06q58iWAgAxoLeyOIsU83Z5p5FrNQxgWVtF7GOheAnYGw2yp3FDMzKu7LYoEjdRNLJKvqkXX4283dSnwnwm1TQMDgh0EiY1XC9ZpHOqayn4kg/s1600/img_4136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26zzoGpSYiJ1P1INX_UDYCJg5PNBV0U06q58iWAgAxoLeyOIsU83Z5p5FrNQxgWVtF7GOheAnYGw2yp3FDMzKu7LYoEjdRNLJKvqkXX4283dSnwnwm1TQMDgh0EiY1XC9ZpHOqayn4kg/s320/img_4136.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQil2lkAapypSlyOD_PZE6cqOT5hArS9TBhjfEweuC4vRoqzBvz1iYcr8h6yL50OvG9kWVeD4N8heMgix7oFADFJYvZPTuzydwuD0jZK6zCHFq-F7YAHdHVc67RgsIPK-b3SKTQzOIBbo/s1600/img_4135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQil2lkAapypSlyOD_PZE6cqOT5hArS9TBhjfEweuC4vRoqzBvz1iYcr8h6yL50OvG9kWVeD4N8heMgix7oFADFJYvZPTuzydwuD0jZK6zCHFq-F7YAHdHVc67RgsIPK-b3SKTQzOIBbo/s320/img_4135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkE32i9vgP9-yPo47_RG2KP2AX8BY3PL8Mz11k7X2LyAZizC_T0vW7a0xidk7-HCh14URMHRb0Vw1r6dQFUhYkx5HErxbcs1M0U9CTLqgbdGpfYmwTdczXFHpwevmkyukcy21J18dLww/s1600/img_4144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkE32i9vgP9-yPo47_RG2KP2AX8BY3PL8Mz11k7X2LyAZizC_T0vW7a0xidk7-HCh14URMHRb0Vw1r6dQFUhYkx5HErxbcs1M0U9CTLqgbdGpfYmwTdczXFHpwevmkyukcy21J18dLww/s320/img_4144.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2XPQ_pRc6yC8xJnhOOsNSxmfr6rx6l4yY6yf5eF-f8SgwOCtL9PGihxPOM-6v91vsX3oXaaPZN1Wv9ux1H3r099KVBoHlE3XHot4eLweF9yGG2VBUpBfc4dWZjxZnH4zinJTwBP5NbQ/s1600/img_4146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2XPQ_pRc6yC8xJnhOOsNSxmfr6rx6l4yY6yf5eF-f8SgwOCtL9PGihxPOM-6v91vsX3oXaaPZN1Wv9ux1H3r099KVBoHlE3XHot4eLweF9yGG2VBUpBfc4dWZjxZnH4zinJTwBP5NbQ/s320/img_4146.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2HbDOfd90oKOQRTDBwKVygiMjP3KH2F4kMHqKGZgD_I7NSTGBwcNml8Iq1T0BzOkfi-Ap_n_eff7-gFXJYPUevFfG-n1jHdxMI0nD3BUgC8Ura3W7WINnAIi7YW1WSaRu2t0bVGk_40g/s1600/img_4138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2HbDOfd90oKOQRTDBwKVygiMjP3KH2F4kMHqKGZgD_I7NSTGBwcNml8Iq1T0BzOkfi-Ap_n_eff7-gFXJYPUevFfG-n1jHdxMI0nD3BUgC8Ura3W7WINnAIi7YW1WSaRu2t0bVGk_40g/s320/img_4138.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQBO3_-Pisf4IfHT8rEHgY_2rYW8oL85kyw-rC4EemKG5Q-4va3zB1GbSr75lGRHd7MlXdI3KJyTLExd1qBeRGixnVAiQaqbT49xu_qOoWwi6nNGWwpAU4A8tnIX5mG0WnWRXKKDov7Q/s1600/img_4147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQBO3_-Pisf4IfHT8rEHgY_2rYW8oL85kyw-rC4EemKG5Q-4va3zB1GbSr75lGRHd7MlXdI3KJyTLExd1qBeRGixnVAiQaqbT49xu_qOoWwi6nNGWwpAU4A8tnIX5mG0WnWRXKKDov7Q/s320/img_4147.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFgvuwWF8us1JcKtGjkcpfjjMWrcMEnF5waaH5Kd8lwICHZixovuzoeh8j8WpJk3ckndV0_U4hK6-n7ruMJhzywAjXxAQU69JF0RT7QovHoNdgI-01WYX0q90_IZqgrXBrMwlLKzuJfo/s1600/img_4149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFgvuwWF8us1JcKtGjkcpfjjMWrcMEnF5waaH5Kd8lwICHZixovuzoeh8j8WpJk3ckndV0_U4hK6-n7ruMJhzywAjXxAQU69JF0RT7QovHoNdgI-01WYX0q90_IZqgrXBrMwlLKzuJfo/s320/img_4149.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1J9SuIMxAtwJM7tE6VPLnyxdrhou5Ep3ROc_lQevFbqooQIl6gkwfxBO6dLiAykhtJWqYN6nfGe8ujXagSuLRtS5NegmKZ10h5ghElnkfe9wcJCTt_3rQvhoSyEj_OVoOxfUM2pWaek/s1600/dsc_9688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1J9SuIMxAtwJM7tE6VPLnyxdrhou5Ep3ROc_lQevFbqooQIl6gkwfxBO6dLiAykhtJWqYN6nfGe8ujXagSuLRtS5NegmKZ10h5ghElnkfe9wcJCTt_3rQvhoSyEj_OVoOxfUM2pWaek/s320/dsc_9688.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RDR6mi-bRTkDvUEIuq4nTumy8PIIfoSLNA31312h9XsbSSGVlBF21K-LVymStA8JkQTSQnbF4C02MIuud-kLkjYZkEjOezqnzYOk7cHdmraTilPkmuZuG__Ltac11srLLPxbTWcg874/s1600/dsc_9691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RDR6mi-bRTkDvUEIuq4nTumy8PIIfoSLNA31312h9XsbSSGVlBF21K-LVymStA8JkQTSQnbF4C02MIuud-kLkjYZkEjOezqnzYOk7cHdmraTilPkmuZuG__Ltac11srLLPxbTWcg874/s320/dsc_9691.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_JxrdtTvMSWMi6eus8DGHJdOJn5s0ZRBx2V4w9QstP8e1-xxMREicjDGniGFt-nHs-2xUMwAeesc-Kqgk3JlwssoKoHBzJ0z1yG6O-_XbDNFSYlihR_h6dNa_1uJZC5k_2wOwHVAZLA/s1600/dsc_9702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_JxrdtTvMSWMi6eus8DGHJdOJn5s0ZRBx2V4w9QstP8e1-xxMREicjDGniGFt-nHs-2xUMwAeesc-Kqgk3JlwssoKoHBzJ0z1yG6O-_XbDNFSYlihR_h6dNa_1uJZC5k_2wOwHVAZLA/s320/dsc_9702.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGNmUEQ25PQzKxtCycziDsuzxclYinNN0oSvSHVrCqVLShJR25APOvgrLHWEfN4yac0zNXdp4kTR1sS6jh3dA_RGKwyRLRkw86MCTlP4p0cndSK9SlKnr4bPBEMXVstxWtB1BW97q6DU/s1600/dsc_9703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGNmUEQ25PQzKxtCycziDsuzxclYinNN0oSvSHVrCqVLShJR25APOvgrLHWEfN4yac0zNXdp4kTR1sS6jh3dA_RGKwyRLRkw86MCTlP4p0cndSK9SlKnr4bPBEMXVstxWtB1BW97q6DU/s320/dsc_9703.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJ9ZdPA0-s97coC4u6UKo8vjjypIa-ZSGBZjqS8G-KujVqma6Vc3D-ZVVY5ly7AGIrVFJjM100oyrPQdnqMC8Hk2apnJHKaK6o4zED4JKLSiSfxdS4695jwnCWBw5EGuDvnj13LIbT5Q/s1600/dsc_9707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJ9ZdPA0-s97coC4u6UKo8vjjypIa-ZSGBZjqS8G-KujVqma6Vc3D-ZVVY5ly7AGIrVFJjM100oyrPQdnqMC8Hk2apnJHKaK6o4zED4JKLSiSfxdS4695jwnCWBw5EGuDvnj13LIbT5Q/s320/dsc_9707.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9mzdM-tSLlU1wv-4npAIoJUebkRAWS0hFhy4DTy7B8exsG49uv7yMQGLSbxItvm-pmvifyvD8D9EuKJAd0sTIUUpWFKv3dH36rI-lHoV16SbXJai7rtoHaAlyINq-HN21bYtR_Uk4P0/s1600/dsc_9734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9mzdM-tSLlU1wv-4npAIoJUebkRAWS0hFhy4DTy7B8exsG49uv7yMQGLSbxItvm-pmvifyvD8D9EuKJAd0sTIUUpWFKv3dH36rI-lHoV16SbXJai7rtoHaAlyINq-HN21bYtR_Uk4P0/s320/dsc_9734.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiGmjIQAv6i-lywTSxH0MVVNEU_2Z_7tV1zcxcFBh6MYFrEyvGXk45IbMjGL5Ni2KFkYB1e8E3fBait7zDemDBnKoLQiEkhyphenhyphenwWgf7hsBNPwsVDJrAB5TUBFUvGwmhUcGzGeOUpdheeuI/s1600/dsc_9747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiGmjIQAv6i-lywTSxH0MVVNEU_2Z_7tV1zcxcFBh6MYFrEyvGXk45IbMjGL5Ni2KFkYB1e8E3fBait7zDemDBnKoLQiEkhyphenhyphenwWgf7hsBNPwsVDJrAB5TUBFUvGwmhUcGzGeOUpdheeuI/s320/dsc_9747.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfedaegBNaeUZ7gENx7aA9amxb4zKa2vlcfVM_HAIEKrQiQufdj0og2PTJRCZHmIxWf1A4SmhUAzB6RqIu74svcl0LiUdfh-mVEVUqLIANor0AFn3DEE3xYY9t7ig7wladTjMV5Qv3Zs/s1600/dsc_9862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfedaegBNaeUZ7gENx7aA9amxb4zKa2vlcfVM_HAIEKrQiQufdj0og2PTJRCZHmIxWf1A4SmhUAzB6RqIu74svcl0LiUdfh-mVEVUqLIANor0AFn3DEE3xYY9t7ig7wladTjMV5Qv3Zs/s320/dsc_9862.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Z0x29_k1x9buZKJYMGJ11loZaWtwe3UCQIrWMlsfq0j7f4qDXOVVmMBoXAiUAvD_NPwjVJ3vG4MVFhPyFNBhQIduZD05PS-R09h0cJDIH0FJc46EqM6ZNyOknLj-QYGZoo9NZ3cdo5g/s1600/dsc_9860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Z0x29_k1x9buZKJYMGJ11loZaWtwe3UCQIrWMlsfq0j7f4qDXOVVmMBoXAiUAvD_NPwjVJ3vG4MVFhPyFNBhQIduZD05PS-R09h0cJDIH0FJc46EqM6ZNyOknLj-QYGZoo9NZ3cdo5g/s320/dsc_9860.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_236935387"></span><span id="goog_236935388"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0