Sneak Peak

I have started working on Myah's big girl room. She has showed great interest in climbing out of her crib so I figured I should start looking around for a bed. I have always wanted a girly girl room for my little girl. Evidently so because I only had to go shopping in my own basement to find all the accessories that I needed. I am a collector and also have inherited some great pieces. I love the vintage, pink, somewhat shabby chic look. I still have the crib up so I don't have everything in its permanent places just yet but I do love how it is all fitting together. Myah seems to like it too and wants to sleep in the bed already. I found an adorable iron bed at the local antique mall for $113! Mark's Grandma gave us the mattresses, that are like new. I found a great vintage chenille bed cover at my favorite consignment shop for $29.I lucked out and spotted the curtains on clearance at TJ Maxx for $8. It is just perfect. I do have to get some reinforcements for the bed frame before I let her sleep in it though. Here is a sneak peek, I have had the pillows for years too! Must be I always knew I would have a little girl, you all know how I get rid of things!

Another Piece of the Puzzle?

I received and email the other day from Brian Stuy, some of you may have used his services before. He has gone over to Tuanfeng (many other cities too) and has made a dvd of the orphanage, government buildings and the city. I am so thankful that he chose to visit Tuanfeng, Hubei on his most recent trip to China. He traveled all over China taping finding spots, orphanages, etc for families like us who are searching for any little piece of the puzzle we can find for Myah's sake. I ordered the dvd today and am so anxious to receive it. He takes an interpreter with him to ask questions that families may have and that the orphanage director is willing to answer. He also has several pictures available for purchase. I was flipping through them on his website and noticed that there was a picture of a foster family room at the orphanage. I was under the impression that the foster family Myah lived with had their own home. After seeing that picture, I began to cry, it looks just like a room in one of the photos we received in our album from the orphanage. Myah is sitting on a bed and the caption reads that this was taken in her eating room. This room looks almost identical to the one at the orphanage. I have to believe that she was under the care of a family who lived at the orphanage. Whether it was a worker, an elderly family or some one else affiliated with the orphanage, I do not know. I ordered the picture and hope that upon receiving it I will be able to see things more clearly to know for sure. I can't wait to see the video and I hope that Mrs. Li explains about the foster rooms. Mark and Dayton were able to tour the orphanage but never got the impression that babies lived there. It broke my heart to look at the pictures that are posted in Tuanfeng, I loved our trip to China and how warm the people were. I can't imagine what her life would be like. Or ours without her. If you would like to check the site out for yourself go to http://www.research-china.org/ and look under city pictures and dvd's. There are many other cities offered too if you would like to see if your child's information is there. We ordered our finding ad through Brian before we left for China and he is very quick and reliable. I will post the picture of Myah that I am talking about so you can see for yourselves.

Bad Storms....

The little Baptist Church by our house had alot of trees damaged
The cemetery by our house was just littered with huge trees like this.

Thursday afternoon we had a horrible storm. People claim it was a tornado. Whatever it was it was very damaging to our little town. Amazingly, I had just left with the kids to go to Target and I had just got inside when the storm kicked up. Our neighbor called my cell phone and told me that a bad storm came through and power was out. It was so bad that I could barely get back home due to the trees, power lines and debris. I had to take a dirt road that everyone else was using too. We stayed at a hotel that night and luckily had power the next day. The scary part is that two huge trees fell in my neighbor Pam's garden. She has the most beautiful garden and I was going to take Myah's pictures after they got home from going into town. The trees fell in my favorite part of her garden, where I would have been with Myah. We had a mess to clean up, Mark found pieces of our patio furniture at the front of our subdivision. Luckily everyone was ok. It was so strange because just the night before a tornado ripped through my hometown up north where my parents live. It went over the lake where all of our pictures were taken on our boat. Isn't that weird!? Here are a few pictures that I took while in the car, they aren't very good.

Happy 60th Birthday Mom and Grandma!

Last year on her birthday with all of her grandkids.

You know how they say to know her is to love her, well that is my mom Linda. Today is her 60th birthday and I am in denial. She makes 60 look really good! Many of you know my mom. When ANYONE talks about my mom they all say how NICE she is, I have to say she is THE nicest person I know. She has a heart as golden as her hair. She is just as beautiful if not more on the inside as she is on the outside. She is my best friend. I wish we lived closer, we are so much alike, my family calls me little Linda. I pray that I can be half of the woman that she is. She makes everything special, she has collected many pretty dishes throughout the years and loves to entertain and make everything beautiful. Many years ago after we moved up north (30 years ago this August) my dad was hurt on the job and becamed disabled. My mom went to work full time for our family. She still works at the same place for the State and is now a manager. She always managed to make sure that us girls had designer jeans while she shopped at second hand stores. As a child you don't realize what sacrifices that your parents go through to raise you. She made many for us. I love her now even more as I look back on what she gave up to keep us happy. She always has a smile on her face, my dad teases her about it, he says "Linda stop smiling, people will think you are goofy", but she always says, " I can't help it!" That is my mom, and would you believe, I do the same thing!!! And I can't help it!! My mom also has stayed in great physical shape, my sister and I always laugh and say it is pretty sad when your mom has more energy than you do! I remember when Mark and I first started dating and we were up at my grandparent's cottage, my mom was in a bikini and Mark (who was 17) remarked, I sure hope you look like your mom when you get to be her age! I still tease him about that one! I pray that she has a great day today, I am going up north to celebrate with her, my grandma is up there also so I am sure that it will be a fun time. I could go on and on about my mom, those of you who know her know what I mean. She is an Earth Angel and I love her dearly. Happy Birthday Mom!!!!

I am blushing...

My blogger friend Lori nominated me for this award. I was so touched by her special words that she left on her blog. I started out doing baby jelly beans and have our whole adoption story, travel, etc on there. I left it right after our 1 year gotcha anniversary and moved over to this blog. It is so much fun and I love that everyone has given me such positive feedback about the new format. I still go back to bjb and reminisce but I love how simple blogging is. My family and friends are my world, I love them dearly and I am so thankful for all of the people in our lives, many of you I have met through our adoption and I never dreamed that I would meet so many wonderful families while trying to add to ours. Thank you Lori for the nomination, you are a great cyber friend and someday I hope that our paths will cross, you are a kindred spirit. We pray that your wait for your daughter will go quickly, we know that she will be worth it for sure!

Nate the Great

Next stop... the cover of GQ!
So handsome!
I love this one not so much for a portrait but because I snapped it while he was laughing at himself after I asked him to pose a certain way and and he couldn't do it, we all thought it was hilarious!

I know. It just doesn't seem possible, our nephew Nate is going to be a senior in high school this year. Not only does his birth seem not that long ago, but I also realized that when he graduates next spring, it will mean that I graduated 20 years ago! Oh my gosh!!! Time just flies! We are so proud of all of our nieces and nephews. Nate is our oldest. He just received many honors this year in baseball, lets just say, the college scouts are calling his cell phone already, yeah, he is that good. But not only is he a great pitcher, he is an exceptionally good student, he is a strong Christian, a great son and grandson. He was our ringbearer 14 years ago, I remember when we asked him if he would like that position in our grand event, he replied a few minutes later " I want to be a ring lion" not a bear. So my mother in law sewed the cutest little lion patch on the back of his little pillow that he carried down the aisle, he was a ring lion inside! I have been thinking about him so much lately, probably due to the fact that I took his Senior pictures last week and I have been staring at his face for the past few days editing into the wee hours of the morning. I see such a special young man, quiet and respectful, yet quirky and humorous. He is a great kid. We look forward to his bright future! Here are a few of my favs from the other day.

Matilda Jane Groupies!

This past weekend was the Plymouth Art Fair. I have been going for years and years and had always seen the booth with all of the adorable little girl things and never had an excuse to buy anything. Denise at Matilda Jane used to do painted furniture but is now only doing clothing. Many of you have seen her work, Myah has a few pieces that I have taken pictures in, her adoption announcement for example. I had the chance to visit with her this weekend at the show, she is so sweet and humble. Her stuff was included in the Oscar's goodie bags this year for the stars with kids. I have photographed many little girls in her clothing and I love how they look! I ran into my other Matilda Jane groupies while I was there, great minds think alike right girls, I won't identify you so I won't get you into trouble with the hubbies! I restrained myself from taking one of everything and just walked away with a dress and hat. It is in the picture, mostly browns/floral scroll fabric. Look for Myah's special pictures soon to be taken in this one! I love it!!! I am obsessed with brown lately! Anyhow, if you are interested in her clothing she has a website at http://www.matildajaneclothing.com/ she is getting her fall collection out soon and she is only doing a few more art fairs this year. This is a picture of her booth from this weekend.