Minus 17

Our "adoption group" got together last night. There were 12 adopted kids present, 2 missing and 3 more waiting in China to come home to their forever families! Minus 17 orphans......praise God! Lets hope next year there are even more crowded on that couch!

The simple joys of a 4 year old

In all her pretty "princessness"!

Off to a basketball game and off to a princess party!

Yesterday Jaida went to her good friend Mason-Kate's long awaited and much anticipated birthday party. She had her outfit picked out for over a week and asked constantly, "How many more days to the princess party?" My parents gave her this outfit for Christmas and she thought/thinks it is absolutely the MOST beautiful thing ever! She wanted to wear it to the party along with her "smooth tights" as she calls them and her "high heels" aka church shoes-Mary Jane's which have about a 1/4 of an inch heel to them. She wanted to wear her hair down with the flower headband that came with the outfit, tutu, or as she calls it her "choo choo". She put her Sleeping Beauty lip gloss on and grabbed her purse and the present and off we went. She never stopped talking the entire ride there. She asked me 3 times,"Are we late?" to which I assured her we were right on time! A fabulous time was had by all...thank you Mason-Kate! I asked her as we were leaving if she had fun and she said, "Yes, but 1 thing, it was tooooo short!"

It is so neat to be able to see and enjoy her "4 yr oldness". It was just yesterday Julia was this age and yet yesterday I sent her off on a bus for a basketball game in Spartanburg SC without us there. And she certainly wouldn't dream of wearing a big pink flower on top of her head now! Each age holds its magic moments that we must find and capture. The business of life these days just seems to rob us of this at times but when we can see them and relish in them and hold them in our hearts we experience the true simple joys and the real meaning of life. I love you my sweet Jaida Ruth! Thank you for giving Mommy the gift of that day through your eyes.

Global Warming???????

It started like this.

We awoke to this! 3 snows in 11 months in the deep south!

Checking out the backyard.

Which looked like this!

My snow babies.

A "sled".....aka trash can top.... with a towel to ensure a comfortable ride!

The neighborhood kids and the neighborhood snowman.

Who they named Carl........

Bad Blogger

BFF's!

Annual trip to Lights at the Zoo

Snow! Yes, it is a smattering but......... this is 3 days after!

Mimi and Papa Bill's house with all the cousins.

Christmas Day 2010

Christmas morning...EARLY. Waiting for the Ok to come down and see the "loot"

Christmas Eve after church

Cakes for a Cause. All proceeds go to the orphan/adoption ministry of Julia's choice. They are amazingly YUMMY!

Ok, I have been a bad blogger lately. Christmas came and went and I have been heavy into my "project list". Not to mention school and activities starting back up. Here is a quick wrap-up of our last couple of weeks.

Julia sold over $230 for her Cakes for a Cause charity

Xin LOVED his first Christmas

It snowed again in the deep south...that is twice in 2010!

We visited cousins and relatives

We went to the Lights at the Zoo

Julia's BEST friend Haley visited with us for 5 days! We miss you!!!!!

A great wrap up for 2010! We are blessed!!! Happy New Year to All!