Happy 4th of July!!

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!  We hung out here at the house, cooked out, swam and enjoyed some fireworks in the backyard.  I was going to take Little T to see the big fireworks but when we went outside and she heard the booms she got scared so I quickly nixed that idea.  Interesting that last year we had been home a few days and she seemed to enjoy them. 

Some friends of ours have moved to Alaska.  We just became close these past few months when our boys were playing baseball together.  Funny, we went to the same church but never really talked.  I guess spending every single night at the ball field will do that!  Her husband asked her to marry him again on their last Sunday at church with us.  How sweet was that?  He got right down on his knee and proposed in front of everyone.  They did the ceremony and then had a nice little cookout afterwards.

Speaking of being married, Big T and I just celebrated 23 years together.  It's hard to believe that we've been married that long!  He's a great husband and an even greater dad.  He's my rock and I know that he will always be there and support me.

June 16th

June 16th is a day that will forever be etched in my mind.  This was the day that our sweet Little T was walked out to us in Guangdong.  She was dress in a cute yellow outfit with blue sandals on and she just looked around with her sad little eyes. I knelt on the floor and took her into my arms and cried.  J and L just smiled and stared in awe at her.  We stayed there for a little while and then went back to the hotel room where L got the first of many smiles out of her.  When she looked at me it felt as if she was saying "What took you so long to come get me" with her dark brown eyes.  That first day she wouldn't look at me for 10 or 15 minutes but once I gave her her bottle she made eye contact and didn't stop.  That scared tiny girl has blossomed into a beautiful little girl who fills our days and nights with smiles and laughter. 

Little T has come so far since those first days.  She's learned how to chew her food, started to babble and is now starting to say words.  She's learned that rain isn't scary, dogs are fun, and nieces can be even more fun.  She runs around the house laughing and teasing her big brother.  She goes to ballgames to cheer him on.  At church she folds her little hands and closes her eyes and tries to say amen when we are done praying.  She is potty trained for the most part and gets very upset if she has an accident.  Little T still takes a good nap in the afternoon.  She enjoys being "pretty" and loves to put makeup on like her mommy. 

Her daddy loves her to pieces and she can have anything she wants as long as she gives him kisses.  He tells me all the time how amazed he is by her, how far she's come, and how much he loves her.  Little T is a momma's girl but she does love her daddy to. 

She's gained 7 pounds and grown 5 inches in this last year.  She is wearing 24 months on top but 12 to 18 months on bottom.  Little thing has no butt!  She is saying more and more words though I'm not sure if everyone would be able to understand them.  Juice, dye dye (bye bye), mama, dada, Kacee, Jasmine, love you (makes my heart melt!), eat, Hannah, nana, sponge bob, yo gabba gabba, hi, hey, stop, no, yes, poopoo, three, please, want, amen, more...she isn't forming sentences yet but she is signing sentences so the words will come. 

Sweet sweet Little T.  We love you so so much and are so happy your are part of our lives!! 

MIA

  Umm....yeah...sorry about that.  Life has gotten in the way of this blog!!  There has been so much going on that I really haven't had time to do anything. 

Where to start....ok, I'll start with L!  He's doing great, school is almost out so he's pretty happy about that.  His grades could be better if he actually put in some effort!  JV baseball is done but he was pulled up to Varsity baseball for the state champion playoffs and guess what?  His team plays next weekend for the championship!!  Go EW!!  He's not playing but he's there cheering them on.  He's also playing Jr. Legion ball so you guys can guess where we have been almost every single night! 

T & T have visited us twice!   I know - I'm such a bad blogger!!  I haven't even put up pictures of their first visit yet!  Baby H is now walking and turned a year old in May.  She is such a pretty and happy baby.  T & T get married August 8th!  We are so excited and happy and PROUD of both of them.  They have so much on their plates yet they are both getting on the Deans list at college and working and taking care of our sweet granddaughter.  They are off for the summer but will start back to school in the fall.  T has now decided that he might want to do research instead of being a pediatrician.  He's only done one year of college so we'll just sit back and wait and see where he ends up.   Whatever he decides to do I'm sure we'll be proud of him.

Big T is doing great also.  Business has been a little off but he seems to be generating the sales.  He's such a sweet husband and daddy!  He loves all his kids and he supports them and me with everything he has.  I'm doing great, loving my job still, loving working at home and playing with Little T everyday.  God is good!

I have a ton of pictures to process.  The 365 project went by the wayside when I and Little T got sick.  I ended up with some ulcers on my throat and just couldn't pick up the camera!!  Oh well, maybe next year will be better.  Here are just a few shots to pacify you.

Don't be hating because she so beautiful!!  Love my granddaughter!! (Picture taken by her daddy - not too bad!)

Isn't this a great shot?!  We were at the ball field and I happened to catch her looking at me through the bleachers!

 

These dresses were bought last year when we went to WVA to visit T & T.  They still fit! 

Here the girls are last year - boy have they grown!!  Look how much they've changed - wow!

 

We went to Relay for Life last night and Little T got her face painted.  She got a ladybug on one side and a baseball for her big brother on the other side!

We went to an agricultural type fair in Raleigh this weekend and Little T had a ball on the rides!  Last year when she rode one of these she cried.  My baby is growing up!! 

 

1 Year Ago

At 7:15 in the morning I got a phone that would change our lives forever.  It was Pam from CCAI saying she had a file of a little girl who was looking for her mommy.  I started screaming and crying and people at work had no idea what was going on.  Pam said she would email the information along with a photo.  The second I got off the phone with her I called Big T and told him to get home and get home NOW!  He said that he got shivers and the hair on the back of his next stood up when he heard me say "We have a daughter!".  He called me when he got home and we opened the email at the same time.  Wow...just look at her!  We were both crying and laughing, talking over each other.  Good thing it was the second to my last day at work because I was useless!!  All I did was stare at this precious little girls picture.  The next few months flew by.  I started a new job, became a grandmother, and flew to China! 

God is so good!  He orchestrated this adoption from the little seed in my heart in 2005 to Big T saying yes, to the long wait, deciding on special needs, a new job, flying to China - everything!! 


"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."   Jeremiah 29:11

Little T Turns 3!!!

3 years ago, in a country far far away a young woman was in labor.  She dreamed of this day for 9 months, knew the pain she would go through and fought to bring her child into this world.  What did she think when she saw her daughter's face?  Was she married?  What did her husband think?  Were they upset that their child, the one they dreamed and talked about, was a girl?  What about her grandparents?  Her aunts and uncles? 

I have no doubt that Little T was loved when she was brought into this  world.  She spent 7 months with her family.  7 months of being cuddled, cooed to, loved.  7 months of hearing her mom and dads voices singing to her.  7 months of playing peek-a-boo with a face that she loved unconditionally. 

I sit here and think about what I was doing the day she was born.  I know we were still paperchasing for her.  China was slowing down in their referrals and I wasn't listening.  I looked back at my blog and see I was trying to think of another name for the blog.  Such trivial things when you think about it. 

I woke Little T up this morning by singing Happy Birthday to her.  She opened her eyes and smiled and blew like she was blowing out her candles.  Tonight we will celebrate this day with her.  Give her presents, cake, and ice cream but still, my mind wanders to a country half way around the world.  I'm thinking about her birth parents and what they are doing today.  Do they think about her?  Do they still mourn her?  Do they know how grateful we are?  I'm so humbled by them. 

Cuddling with Little T this morning, looking into her beautiful brown eyes, I smiled.  This little girl is such a gift to us.  She is smart, beautiful, happy.  She is loved.  Most of all, she is our daughter.  Happy Birthday to our sweet Little T!!!

Scary Smart!

Little T is scary smart! She's not talking yet but she is so smart. This afternoon I was on the phone and my cell phone rings. She ran up to the kitchen, grabbed my phone out of my purse, opened it and started babbling away. Good thing it was my son on the other end. This evening L asked her to go get him a mountain dew. She took my hand and brought me to the kitchen then signed for me to open the fridge door. Once it was open she pointed to the dew box. I grabbed a diet coke and she said no and pointed again to the dew box. I took one out and she ran with it back into the bedroom to give to L. I just don't know what we are going to do once she starts talking! :)

Swing Set

We bought Little T a swing set this past weekend - boy people, they are expensive!!  We got one that has a little trampoline (she loves to jump), 2 swings, a slide, and a glider.  I wanted one of those real nice wooden ones but 500 bucks?  Not gonna happen!! 

Little T helped us put it together and she really enjoyed it.  The weather here for the past few days has been in the 80's but it is supposed to get back to the 40's this weekend.  We are enjoying it while we can!  She loves to be outside, picking up leaves, throwing them, putting leaves on her slide so they can slide down with her, putting them on her swings.  She has even brought her baby out to swing and slide!  We put her on the glider and pushed it and she giggled away.  When it slowed down we told her to push with her feet and she did!!  You would have thought she was eating chocolate with her laughing once she realized she could control the speed herself!  Then we put her on the swing...hmmm..she wasn't so sure about that.  I realized that the other swings she has been on has a front and back to it while hers is just a seat.  So I carefully put her on and began to give her some little pushes.  After a minute of "NONONO" she started to smile and then laugh.  Of course, as soon as she started to laugh she leaned forward and fell right off onto her belly!  I cracked up, the look of surprise on her face was just priceless.  She didn't cry at all, just got up, wiped herself off, yelled at the swing, and went about her business.  That's my girl!

Ok Daddy, I'll hold this part while you tighten that bolt!

Oh jeez Daddy, you can't tighten it?  Here, let me do it! 

Now I gotta open this box of springs.  What?  You don't like me mooning you with my diaper? 

Hey Daddy!!  I put some springs here and I'm going to test them out for ya! 

Hmmm....Momma.....I'm not too sure about this!  Are you sure it's safe?

Momma!!  You were right!  This is fun!

 

This is just a sweet picture I took of Little T.  It's in our living room and I used natural lighting.