Chinese New Year with Great Friends!

We had a great evening with great friends. We went to P.F. Chang's for dinner and to one couple's house for dessert, a craft, a dragon dance and red envelopes. It was snowing but a perfect night - well mostly as my hubby was a little under the weather.

Celebrating our 3rd Family Day with Olivia

February 3, 2004 was one of the happiest days in our lives. We were given final approval to adopt Olivia. It was a day filled with joy for not only us but our travel group - 14 babies all from the same orphanage. We were scheduled to get them on the morning of February 3rd but as with most agencies warn plans can (and sometimes do) change. We toured the Jade market, had lunch at the Friendship Store and then toured The Great Wall that morning. It was so cold on the Wall that we took a few pictures and climbed back down. After we left The Great Wall, we went to the airport. Once we separated from some of our group (they were all SN adoptions and went to other Provinces), our wonderful guide Peter said he had some news and he could be bribed for some ice cream. (Fortunately, there was a Haagendas stand near by) I looked at him and said "We're getting our babies tonight, aren't we?". He looked at me and said yes! Of course, I was excited and nervous and had never wanted to get on a plane so bad. So at 9:30 pm we were handed our children and from that moment she has been everything we could have asked for and more.

Finally, we have.......SNOW!!!

Well, we finally had some snow last night, only about an inch but the girls loved going out in it for a little bit this morning. Sophia was so upset to have to come in.

Christmas Eve

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve. We started our day by going to the in-laws house for breakfast and gifts. Both girls got clothes and money. After we opened gifts, we went to church as a family. It was a great service. For some reason, this is the only photo I have of that morning. We had to wake her up and she is so not a morning person plus she went to bed a little later than normal as we had company the night before. Also, no this is not what she wore to church - I just didn't want her to get anything on her Christmas dress.

After church we came home, had lunch and waited for my family to get here. We had a great time as my niece (whom we only get for Christmas every other year) was here and she is such a character. Olivia got her beloved guitar and Sophia got drums among other things. They are spoiled but so loved by all that meets them.

Baking Christmas cookies

This year was a first and hopefully a new tradition at my in-laws. We were invited there the Sunday before last to make and decorate cookies. We had my in-laws, my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and his girlfriend. We had all just found out the week before that they are expecting a baby and he is very nervous about it since he NEVER wanted to have children. They found out a few days after making cookies that the baby is a boy (of course that is what the in-laws wanted so they have someone to "carry-on the family name") so I will have 2 new nephews next year - the first within the next month. Here are a few pics of the cookie making.

So behind.....

Our family had photos taken earlier this month in addition to Sophia's 2 year photos. We had so many good pictures to choose from. Sophia had her 2 yr checkup the day before so I was really surprised she did so well especially since she had 4 shots given to her. She weighs 28 pounds and is 33.5 inches tall - the 50th pecentile on both. Here are a few that we have.

My baby is TWO today!!!!

Sophia on her birthday!!!

Well, it finally happened - my baby turned two years old. Man, time sure flies around here. It seems like it was just yesterday that she was 10.5 months old and just placed in my arms but it is now just over a year later and all paperwork is completed with her adoption and we can just chill and enjoy her. Her birthday party was yesterday and a good time was had by all. She goes to the doctor Friday for her 2 year check up. I can't wait to see what she weighs and how tall she is now.

Look at that look she's giving me!

Wow! What a big girl I have!

When I took Olivia to the dentist in October it was determined that she had 4 cavities. Huh? 4 cavities in 6 months?!?!?! Unbelievable! I mean I brush her teeth and they were on the bottom no less - the area I work the hardest on! Well before leaving the office I made the appointments to get the cavities filled - one appointment today and one for next Tuesday. Dr. Yang told me that she would fill 2 today but if she was doing well and she could do the other 2 she would. She also told me that I was welcome to come back with Olivia but if she started crying and screaming I would be asked to leave. I debated for the last month and a half on how to handle this. I ultimately decided that it would probably be easiest if I told Olivia she had to go back by herself thinking that if I were back there and then had to leave it would upset her more. So we talked about it all weekend. She understood that she would have to go back and be a good girl for the dentist. We walked in and were there all of about 20 seconds and a kid in the waiting room hauled off and hit her in the face putting a long scratch on her cheek that bled. We got that taken care of and waited for them to call her name. When they did, David and I gave her a kiss and told her we'd be waiting for her and to be a big girl. She went in (never hesitating) and climbed in the chair. The dentist said she was a very polite, big girl. She said she did great - she was able to fill all 4 today so we don't have to go back next week! She wants Olivia to be her daughter-in-law someday. LOL She was very impressed that she could count to 10 in Chinese and sang her a short Chinese song. Dr. Yang loved it! We took her to the bookstore for a few special treats and out to lunch - just me, her and daddy. (Grandma kept Sophia for us so we could have some special time with Olivia - even if it was going to the dentist!)

Then tonight the girls' school had their Christmas program. She was so good. Her class sang "What a Mighty Day" and "Go Tell It On the Mountain". She sang out and was gettin' down! The class had on black shirts that made them look like they had choir robes on. They looked so cute. Sophia's class did "Away In The Manger". She was an angel. Of course they didn't sing - just stood on the stage around the manger. She was a riot.

Christmas pics

Well, I took the photos for our Christmas picture tonight. Here is a sampling of the night. I won't say which one(s) are actually for the card so you'll be surprised.

What's on my tree?

Sandra of Jazzie and Tahlia fame posted pics of ornaments on her tree so I thought I would post a few of mine. I only have a few because they didn't turn out quite right. So without further ado.....

Our tree with 7 strands of lights! (We got teased last year by our good friend Teri because we only had 2 strands on there so I had to buy new lights! These are just for you, Teri!)

Olivia's first Christmas home ornament.

Sophia's first Christmas home ornament.

A Hallmark Holiday Barbie ornament. My mom got me all of these ornaments.

And the first Hallmark Adoption ornament in 2002 given to me by my mom just after we decided to adopt from China.........

"More than a dream come true...."

"Finding a special child to love...."

My Kohl's around the world ornaments...

And my Christopher Radko adoption ornaments....

All was quiet and I assumed the worst...

The other morning I was in the kitchen getting ready to start lunch and it was awfully quiet in the house which usually means only one thing.......the girls are into something they aren't supposed to be in. Well, I was wrong. Sophia's big thing is getting the pillows off of Olivia's bed, bring them into the living room, get a cover and lay down. So, this is what was going on.....

Olivia reading to Sophia.

Caught mom with the camera......

So I'm going to close my eyes!

3 years ago today........

Presenting Long Fu Yu!!

Look at her long, thin fingers.......

.....we got the call that we were FINALLY parents! It was a wonderful day! I can still remember that day as if it were yesterday. Most of our DTC group had gotten their calls a few days before us as our agency translated some things before getting referrals and making calls. They called me at 10:07 in the morning. I had been e-mailing my travel mate Susan wondering if we would get that infamous call that day. We had just been lamenting how hard it was to see our DTC group get their calls while we were still waiting. I had just typed a line similar to -I guess we weren't going to get the call today (as our agency usually made calls about 9:00/9:30) but I guess it is all in God's timing and as I was about to hit send I heard Theresa (our receptionist) say "may I tell her who's calling?" and she was looking at me. She put the person on hold and said "It's Suzanne". So I start shaking and saying Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. I was so nervous! So, I calmed down and got on the phone and she said "Congratulations, you're a mommy!" - the phrase I waited a long time to hear. She said she has big beautiful eyes. She was in the Suichuan WI in the Jiangxi Province. Her name is Long Fu Yu and her birthday was 3-7-03. She weighed 13.8 pounds and was 27 inches tall/long. She said we can FedEx your package and I said no way I'd be there in about an hour. As I was talking to her I realized I hadn't sent the send button yet to Susan so I typed "I'm on the call right now so get ready!". Once I hung up the phone I tried to call David. He didn't answer his cell phone or at the house. I called my friend, Missy, as she was going to drive me to Lexington. (Sorry Mom!) She was not at her desk so I tried David again several times. Again, no answer. So, I tried Missy again and we set up a place to meet - but I didn't tell her anything about Olivia. I had a thought about where David might be. I called the gym and asked if they could ask if he was there and he was. They gave him the phone and I said "Hi daddy!" I told him about our daughter and asked him to go with us to Lexington. He slept in the car on the way since he had been working all night. We had traffic and a stop in Frankfort before we got to the agency. Once we got there we asked to see Rachel to get our pictures. She was the most beautiful girl I had seen. We all cried. After we got back in the car David said "I'm so glad we got a pretty baby." (Note: we think all babies are pretty but he had been awake all night and still had to go to work that night - so he was a little slap happy.) We called our parents, our siblings and a few friends and told them to come to our house that evening but we did not give any details. I made copies at Meijer for everyone and got a referral celebration cookie. The parents were first and then the friends. It was a great day. I took a few pictures of Olivia today with her referral picture.

Her mug shot........

And pics from today.......