Lily's Pad

Lily's Birthday Party (November)

2011-01-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

I know it is January, but I am behind as usual. Before I post all of the holiday photos, I wanted to make sure that I posted/recorded Lily's birthday photos as it was such a wonderful occasion for her. She had her party at the horse farm where she takes lessons. The party was great fun and included horseback riding, a hayride, a pinata, cake, and good times with family and friends. Who could ask for more really?? Afterwords, we left there and met family for dinner to celebrate both Lily and Sherrie's birthday. Quite the day!

Our girl is 8..............................

2010-11-18T17:17:00.000-08:00

Our girl turned 8 today! She celebrated at school and then did her favorite thing, horseback riding, after. We will be back at the farm on Sunday, as that is where she chose to have her party. Since November is National Adoption month, I just have to say, our decision to adopt is one of the best choices we have ever made for our family. Lily is a pure delight and continues to inspire us daily.....

Those Wonderful October Days........

2010-10-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Lily and Sophie

2010-10-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Sophie was a flower girl for a wedding and came over prior to the wedding. Lily had a similar dress, so of course I had to snap a few shots of the two of them......

The end of summer....

2010-08-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

We had such a busy, but wonderful summer. Lily was busy with horse camp, art camp, vacation bible school, lots of swimming, and a week's trip with us to the beach in North Carolina. Although I do love the fall, I will miss the unstructured, but busy days of summer. It is definitely Lily's favorite time of year. One more week of horse camp, and then getting ready for school. It went much too fast.....

Our first place winner!

2010-06-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

Lily was in her first horse show and won two 1st place ribbons! Sure she was the only one to compete in her age group, but it didn't matter to her (or us). She was just as proud as she could be of those ribbons. And we were so proud of her!

Disney

2010-05-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH :)

Early October....

2009-12-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

I have finally gotten around to downloading some of my photos. I have a lot of catching up to do as far as postings and photos go. These images were taken in early October, when the weather was still nice...We had a blast that day, just walking slowly, being adventurous, and of course taking pictures. We found this old pump and finally did get water to come out. It was very rusty tasting though, so just a sip was enough. Lily is sporting her new hair cut. Lily does not like brushing or putting her hair up anymore, so she finally made the decision to just cut it short. It sure has made mornings more pleasant:)

Wedding Photos

2009-10-03T19:10:00.001-07:00

I am finally posting photos of my oldest son, Dustin's, wedding. It was a rather small ceremony, although the wedding party was large due to the fact that all the siblings were in the wedding from both Dustin and Sherrie's families. It was a perfect day, and a perfect wedding, from the beautiful setting, to the weather, the great food and fun music, but especially perfect because of the love that was present throughout the entire event. The ceremony was absolutely magical, and no, I could not stop crying. The wedding is one of those memories that I will treasure forever.

First day of First Grade

2009-09-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

Lily started first grade, and is in school 5 full days a week for the first time. She is loving it, and making many new friends. It has been more of an adjustment for me though since last year I was able to spend each Monday afternoon and all day each Friday with her. My husband is not in her class at all since he is working with 4th graders this year, so he only gets to peak in once in awhile. We so enjoy her stories of the day and helping her with her homework (which she loves to do). She is a good friend to others and very compassionate. We were told that she stopped by the office after school to ask about a boy who had to be sent home. She was worried about how he was doing. She is liking school so much better this year than she did last year, which may partly be due to having a more routined schedule. Besides school, Lily is still in gymnastics and ballet. She loves to dance, run, and be outdoors as much as possible. She still loves horses as much as ever, and is bound and determined to ask Santa for a "real horse" again this year. She has lost 2 of her bottom middle front teeth, and was thrilled when the tooth fairy left money under her pillow. Lily loves Troy from High School Musical and tells others that he is her boyfriend. She wants to be a "wildcat" cheerleader for halloween, and her grandmother is busy working on her costume. She is also asking that her 7th birthday party have the HSM theme:) Well, that is the update for this little 6, almost 7 year old, as Lily likes everyone to know.

The Black Swamp Art Festival2009

2009-09-27T07:52:00.001-07:00

the gang minus Cassidy

Melanie and Dylan

Lily showing off her face painting

saying grace

Twins at 21

Val teaching Lily the "ropes" on texting

Newlyweds:)

Cadence, Lily, Val, and Colton

Val, Lily, and Dylan

Lily sneaking up on her brother

the whole gang..

Lily and her Dad

It was great fun to have all the family and some great friends together for the Black Swamp Festival weekend. It is a family favorite with lots of art, music, and good food. We're already looking forward to next year...

Updates of our sweet Sophie Lee

2009-09-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

Our sweet grand baby Sophie Lee is now 7 months old. We are thrilled that they have now moved closer to home so that we will be able to see them often! Sophie is so precious, and has such a sweet and easy disposition. She is sitting up, eating cereal and an assortment of vegatables, going to bed by 8:30 p.m. and sleeping straight through the night. Her smile lights up the room, and she often breaks out in a giggle (and often we are not sure what is so funny:), but of course we all end up laughing histerically. As you can see, Lily loves "her" Sophie, and she is such a help with her care. And of course, Aunt Lily is Sophie's favorite too!!

Old favorite from the archives.........

2009-08-27T20:09:00.001-07:00

Every once in awhile I come upon a picture that stops me in my tracks. This is one that I took of Lily at the zoo when she was 3. She has a zebra on her overalls as she had declared that as her favorite animal (and still does:). My sweet, sweet, girl.

Wedding Rehearsal and Wedding Day Prep...

2009-08-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

I've finally posted some pictures of the Dustin and Sherrie's rehearsal dinner, and wedding day preparations. Hopefully, we will get our hands on some wedding pictures soon!!

Summer Update

2009-07-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

Like most of you, it has been a full and fast summer so far. I posted some pictures of Lily with her best friend Ellie in a tap dance recital in June. The others are from our "beach house" vacation which followed Dustin and Sherrie's wedding. The wedding of course was by far our most exciting and wonderful event of the summer. It was beautiful; a magical evening full of love, joy, and lots of fun. I will post pictures after I recieve my copies. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the summer. It is flying.........

Lily in shades of blue.......

2009-06-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

Just Pictures.......

2009-05-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

My Little Rockstar

2009-05-24T01:15:00.000-07:00

Today was "dress like a rockstar day" at school. Lily could not have been cuter in her Hanna Montana gear. I can't believe that school is ready to come to a close. I have been able to spend every Monday afternoon and Friday with Lily over this past year. We have had the best time! Only one more week now, then a packed summer, and school all day every day next year. I am really grieving over this one. My sweet girl is growing up.............

T-ball

2009-05-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

Lily started T-ball this spring and loves it. She has practice every Friday and Saturday night from 6-8 p.m. (hey, what's up with that??). But, we love to watch these little ones learning the game and shouting our constant reminders to stop playing in the dirt and watch for the ball:) Don't ya just love Lily's pink glove?

Family/Engagement Photos of Dustin, Sherrie and Cassidy

2009-04-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful but windy day. I could think of nothing better to do than spend the day at the beach with my son and his family, taking pictures to celebrate their upcoming marriage. We had a wonderful time together and got some photos of this beautiful family as well.

Easter at our house

2009-04-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter, shared with Joe's parents who flew over from England. We connected right from the start, and we are happy to have such wonderful people as our now extended family. Amanda joined the family for a short while and brought the cutest cupcakes. We had a brunch of course, with Dustin as chef, cooking up individual made-to order omelots for everyone. We visited the Easter Bunny the night before, and thought this one was rather creepy to say the least. We thought it best if Melanie sat holding Sophie and I took the pictures. We missed Dylan and Sam and Colton for the celebration. Can't wait to see you guys for the wedding in June (Dustin and Sherrie are finally tieing the knot:) All the kids are in the wedding party, so it will be a wonderful family celebration. Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

Ghost of Christmas past

2009-04-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

I almost posted some Easter pics, but realized that I haven't even posted Christmas pics yet! We had a great time, although missed Dylan and Sam being with us. As you can see, I took many pictures, so it took me some time to upload:). We spent Christmas Eve at Dustin and Sherrie's home, Christmas at our house, and then an after-Christmas gathering at Grandma and Pop-pop's home. Sorry for the delay in getting these posted, but I really did not want to miss posting the occasion since I'd like to make this into a book some day. Next, it's Easter time:)

Raise your hand if you love me.........

2009-03-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

Lily can be shy at times, but once she is in a comfortable and familiar setting, there is no stopping her. She exudes self confidence, although is still quite sensitive to what others have to say. Since Curt is able to be in the class with Lily when he is working with other children, he is able to watch her from a distance. One of my favorite stories that he tells is when Lily went to the front of her class when the teacher was busy with an individual student. Lily cleared her throat and said in a very matter of fact voice, "okay everyone, now raise your hand if you love me." All the girls immediately raised their hands; the boys looked around at each other with a dazed look on their face and finally agreed amongst themselves that they would raise their hands too. Curt finally directed her to sit back down. I guess she was quite pleased with the response and was happy to sit down and re-engage in her school project. Above are pictures I captured of her telling her rendition of the story after school while enjoying a muffin. She thought is was all quite amusing.........

Introducing Sophie Lee

2009-02-20T06:39:00.000-08:00

Sophie Lee decided to enter this world on Valentine's Day at 7:22 a.m. after Melanie went through 48+ hours of labor. She skipped through Friday the 13th just so she could be our Valentine Day baby. And what a doll she is. She weighed 8 pounds 3 oz. and was 20 inches long. Both Mommy and baby are doing great. And yes, grandma got to be there for the whole labor and delivery..... I love this picture taken by her Daddy wearing the zebra hat that her Aunt Lily got for her. Is she not the cutest??? Welcome to the world Sophie Lee. We love you more than words express........

Melanie's Blessing and Shower

2009-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Since my oldest daugther Melanie is ready to deliver any day now, I thought it was fitting to finally get pictures posted of our celebrations for her from December 13th and 14th. . Her best friend Amanda did the planning, with lots of help from the family. First, on the 13th, the women of the family (and Amanda) got together to have a special and intimate blessing for Melanie of our own. We hired a henna artist to create a design on Melanie's belly, and other creations for those who wanted them. Then we made a wreath out of our written blessings. Amanada handed out candles that we are all to light when Melanie goes into labor indicating that our spirits would be with her (Amanda thought of everything. Since she thought we might be in the car when the this happens, she found battery operated candles:). Then a "ladies tea shower" on the 14th was planned at a historical museum. It was all decorated for Christmas and was just beautiful. Grandma Sandy, me and Amanda all made special dishes, which were served with different teas, coffee, and punch of course:) Amanda planned the tea around breast cancer awareness since Joe's Mother(the baby's other grandmother) is currentlybattleing breast cancer. Everyone was given information on prevention and a tea cup with pink ribbons to take home. Sandy made a beautiful quilt with pink ribbons on it, which was covered with wishes from the guests, and sent to her in England with other items from the shower. Melanie recieved a lot of beautiful items for her and the baby. It was a wonderful celebration and I know she felt very "showered" with love from all. Now, just waiting on pins and needles to get the call so I can get down there before my new grandaughter decides to arrive:)

Thanksgiving 2008

2009-01-30T19:02:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2008 was filled with family, friends and lots of laughter. All the kids came home, and several brought significant others, and/or friends. We hung out all day cooking, ate late in the afternoon, then spent time playing board games, eating pumpkin pie, and reminiscing about how chaotic it was when I was a single mom bringing up the older 5 children (always interesting to see the world through their eyes; I never remember things quite the same way as they do:).
We celebrated Lily and Sherrie's birthday as a family on Thanksgiving since the whole gang was together, so we had cake as well as pie. It was especially great to have Dylan and Sam here, as they had recently moved to Minnesota and were about to start new jobs there. Good, good times...............

Going back in time.............

2009-01-23T06:20:00.001-08:00

I was so busy during the last several months that I missed posting pictures from the holidays and other events during that time. So, starting with Lily's birthday party in November...... Lily's birthday was on November 18th. She picked a "zebra theme" of course since that is her favorite animal in the whole world. Cadence, Cassidy, and Grandma Sandy were our Safari Guides for the day and we all helped the girls make their own glitter purse and book marks. Cadence and Cassidy did some face paintings. Lily even wore a zebra dress that I had saved from when Cadence was her age. Grandma and Pop-Pop got her the Hanna Montana DVD complete with dance mat and wig. Of course we ALL had a great time with that. We voted that Cassidy was the best look alike...We all had a great time!

Ms. Lily in Red

2009-01-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

I bought this coat in Nanchang for Lily a few days after we held her for the first time at 13 month old. It is hand sewn and has the most beautiful detail work on it. I thought it was the prettiest coat I had ever seen, although I knew it would be years until Lily would finally wear it. Now I can't believe that she actually fits in it already! It almost seems surreal that my baby girl is wearing that coat.... But, isn't she just lovely in it?!

A wish to all for the New Year........

2008-12-31T11:55:00.000-08:00

Sister Time.....

2008-12-30T23:00:00.000-08:00

I love these pictures that I took when the girls were just sitting around talking, laughing, and just hanging out one afternoon. Sister time..... Got to love it!

A mystery..........

2008-12-30T22:49:00.001-08:00

I was surprised to come to my blog and realize that Lily has been on the computer and evidently figured out how to post on my/her blog!! How can that be? She has left the clues that it is her by writing the words that she knows well (lily, mom, dad, zoo, and attempts cassidy) and goes around the house writing on anything she can get her hands on. She even labeled the post: zoo!Too funny. She seems to be more active with posting on my blog than I am. Okay, so how did she get my sign in and password??? This is a mystery...........

2008-12-16T18:32:00.000-08:00

zoo
lilymomdadcssd
cdgsddbddgddgdfdgdfdvdfdfdddfdddg...//

bvfffrfb xcncdvcv

2008-12-16T18:31:00.001-08:00

Best Friends Forever...........

2008-11-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

Lily and her BFF Ellie are just too cute together, and already pretending to talk with boyfriends on the cell phone (WHAT!!). I am somewhat behind with postings, and will post Birthday and Thanksgiving shots soon. What a wonderful time this has been for the whole family...... We have so much to be thankful for. Hope others are doing well, and that you had a great Turkey Day!

Love, Mary

Trick or Treat.......

2008-11-08T06:49:00.000-08:00

Ohio says We Want Change......

2008-10-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

Wanting HOPE for our kids

Family picture.......

Dustin helping with the painting

A few weeks ago we got together as the barn on the property where my son Dustin and his family live was painted as part of the 'Barns for Obama Campaign. We had a great time!

weekend favorite

2008-09-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

First Day of Kindergarten..........

2008-09-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

She had a great day and couldn't quit smiling!

Yes, I followed her in and got a picture in the classroom.

She is sooooooooo excited!!

Come on out; let's get some pictures!!

Boy, it has been a long time since I have posted. The summer went by too fast and was so busy for all of us. We took a couple trips, had a family reunion, Lily was a flower girl in my nieces wedding, with lots in between. I will have to go back and re-cap at some time. But for now, Lily started kindergarten and what an exciting time it has been for her! She absolutely loves her teacher, her classmates, and learning. She pretends to do homework every night and is starting to read, so reads us her favorite books each night. I can't express how wonderful it is to watch and share in this experience. Interestingly, since my husband is a special needs teacher at the same school, he gets to be with a couple of students in Lily's class each day. We had to do some preparation in teaching her that daddy is a teacher when at school and will have to attend to other students. She has done very well, but does "shoot" him the 'I love you' in sign language now and again. Curt of course loves being able to watch her from afar and experience some of these first moments of her schooling. I love re-living the memories through his stories.

I hope everyone is doing well. I have been keeping up with some blogs through the summer and am so excited to see that referrals will be coming in for lots of folks who seem to have been waiting a lifetime. How wonderful!! Can't wait to watch these miracles unfold.....

Cadence and Lily taken with new flash........

2008-06-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

I tried out my new flash by taking some pictures of Cadence and Lily out on the deck. I am not sure the flash makes much of a difference, but I will have to work with it awhile to figure it out. Hope everyone is doing well. Happy 20th Birthday Cadence and Colton!! We love you guys to pieces..................

Fun at Grandma's House

2008-05-31T04:18:00.000-07:00

Lily has been spending more time at Grandma and Pop-Pop's place. She absolutely adores them and gets so excited when we get to visit. Today is no exception. Curt and I are off to see Eric Clapton thanks to our daughter Melanie who provided us with free tickets:) Thanks Mel! Have a great weekend everyone!

Easter pics (late......)

2008-05-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Little Sibs Weekend

2008-05-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

Little sibs weekend was a blast, complete with all of Lily's favorite things: camel rides, balloons, a variety of animals, face paintings, music, jumping on a trampoline, and time with her sisters and grandma. What could be better?

Ms. Christy and Company

2008-04-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

Ms. Christy's class performed to the song, Butterfly Kisses. Okay, I had watched them rehearse week after week, but it was all a surprise for my husband. As they were performing, I was shooting pictures and just sobbing behind the camera as I was thinking about my husband watching it for the first time, and just thinking about how our girl is growing up, etc. etc. etc. It was one of those "awe-filled" moments for me as a mom. When I finally looked at my husband, I realized he was holding it together pretty well, so I felt a tad bit embarrassed and attempted to pull my sniffling self together:). They were just sooooooo sweet. I got several shots of the performance itself, some of their tap class earlier in the week, and then some of the girls just hanging out after their show-Oh, and one of Lily tuckered out at the end of the tap class. Aren't these girls just the cutest?

More from the ballerina...........

2008-04-29T05:50:00.000-07:00

A moment in the sun

2008-04-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

Reading

2008-04-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

Reading to Lily is one of our favorite things to do, but truly the real fun is when Lily reads us a story. She licks her fingers before turning each page (don't know where she picked this up since neither one of us do this:), and then turns the book out and moves it from side to side slowly so we can see the picture (like her teacher does at preschool). She always adds her own twist to the story as she goes along. It is always so funny to hear what she will come up with next. Always one of the highlights to my day.

Playdates and Princesses.............

2008-04-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Lily's Beauty Parlor..........

2008-03-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

Lily enjoys getting her toenails painted, but loves returning the favor even more. Of course, she feels the look is not complete without also doing the hair. Doing hair is a daily thing now, whether she is doing her own, mine, or another volunteer (except no boys!). We love our little beautician, and an added bonus, there is no charge...........

Taking time to.................

2008-02-22T16:42:00.000-08:00

Just taking time to post pictures from the past several months, and to reflect on those wonderful moments in time. With such a large family, it seems we have a lot going on, especially over the holidays. I have included pictures when everyone was home over Christmas, Melanie's graduation for her MBA, Lily's dance presentation, the big birthday bash, and stuff in between....

Lily's gift, 'The Red Thread'..........

Melanie and Lily

Dustin gets some new tools

The cakes (wish I had done better picking these out for the BIG birthday bash)

The birthday trio.... 106 years in all:)
Making a wish.................(hey, is that enough candles?)
Playing the Wii.............(we all had a blast with this!)

New Christmas Sweaters

From here on out, known as "sister time"

Lily's horse.

Lily checking out Santa's left-overs

Day dreaming...........

Christmas morning.........

Christmas eve.....

Horse races on Christmas Eve

Cassidy's Candy Cane hairdo

Making the gingerbread train. Hey, where's the kids?

Love this picture (Cadence, Colton, and Dylan)

Lily sledding solo

Decorating the tree

Lily's ballet performance.........

Grandma reading to Lily before the performance

Gotcha Day Celebration

Melanie's graduation

The kareoke sisters...........

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

Lily and Bryce

Leaving on a jet plane.............

2008-02-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

Dylan, the music director and Dustin concentrating on the piano
Dustin on the banjo...

Lily takes a picture.......

Dylan, somewhat tired of all the pictures already:)

Lily drumming...........

Cassidy shoots a group picture........

The bakers and decorators.............

The finished product..........

Dylan thrilled with the cake..........

Dylan left to Arizona for training last Monday morning, working for an airline company. We are all so excited for him, and for all the opportunities for travel and experience that this opens up for him. Well, and the opportunities it opens up for us too (part of his benefits are that parents fly free!!) The pictures are from a family gathering the day before I drove Dylan to the Detroit airport to start off on this new journey. Cassidy and Lily made and designed the cake. We had a great time with great food, fun, and music. Dylan is doing great in the training program and sounds so happy and excited to be there. Well yeah, it is Arizona:) Go Dylan!!

CNY 2008

2008-02-04T06:28:00.000-08:00

Our most recent kodak moment........

2008-02-02T21:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Cassidy!

2007-12-19T21:38:00.000-08:00

Cassidy, Happy Birthday sweet child. You are such a bright part of our lives and I cannot express enough the love we have for you. You are one of a kind, with a spirit and heart for kindness and generosity towards everyone. May you always know how very special you are. And of course you know how much Lily loves you too. Thanks for always being there for her and making her feel special in the way that only you can. Happy 10th birthday my dear granddaughter. I hope this year is as wonderful as you.

Gotcha Day Revisited-4 years later..............

2007-12-08T13:14:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite pictures and has always reminded me of my daughter's birth country
The famous Red Couch photo. Lily is in the middle with the hat. I am attempting to duck behind the couch, but apparently not fast enough:)

Look how tiny she was! We tried to strengthen her legs by holding her hands and walking with her. It was actually another 9 months before she actually walked on her own.
Our first day with Lily. A rough day for her with a 3.5 hour bus trip before we ever met her. No tears, but just wondering what these funny looking people were all about;)
On our bus trip back to the orphanage. Always studying our faces and gazing into our eyes

The first moment we saw our daughter............
First approach. Lily was very attentive to everything..........Together at last. My husband could not hold back the tears.

Colton was able to go with us to China and was a huge help. They bonded instantly
Lily's first time with her cloths off and seeming to enjoy it. She could only sit for a few seconds before flopping back, so we always kept an arm behind her.
Today is Lily's 4th year Gotcha Day Anniversary. I have posted several pictures of the first day that we met Lily and that she physically became part of our family (she had been a part of our hearts long before). She only weighed 13 pounds at 13 months of age and was extremely weak and thin, however gained strength almost daily while we were in China. She accepted us from day one and seemed rather surprised that we reacted to her every whimper and need. I cannot say enough about what Lily has been to us and to our family. We have learned so much from her and about the power of love through her. She is such a character and a joy to all who know her. She has a great sense of humor, a great sensitivity towards others, and is strong-willed at times too. On this day and always, we give thanks for this little girl coming into our lives and completing our family so perfectly.

Favorites from our last fall hike

2007-12-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

Here are some more pictures of our last hike in November, before the snow and cold hit hard (Brrrrrrrrr). Beautiful colors, wonderful weather and the best company a girl could ask for........

The ending of fall.......

2007-11-29T21:25:00.000-08:00

This is a photo taken on our last hike, which ended up being our last one of the fall. Yep, winter seems to have finally hit midwest Ohio. I think we were quite spoiled as fall seemed to last longer this year. Anyway, I will post more pictures from this hike as it was a beautiful day full of color, leaves, and wonderful weather. Wishing everyone much hope and joy as we enter the holiday season, especially for those in this "wait" to be united with their children.

5 years old and a princess party.........

2007-11-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

Lily turned 5 today! We started the day with Lily coming to our bed and asking about every birthday she has had. She is always interested in her first birthday, so we let her know that we were not with her when she turned one, but that we loved her and celebrated her birthday even though she was not with us yet. This all ultimately leads to the story of our traveling to China and "Gotcha Day". It seems we re-tell this story many times a year and Lily loves hearing it. It was a great way to wake up and start the celebration. Well afterwards, it was time to get ready for the princess party! Soon, everyone arrived and was dressed for the occasion. We had a ball! Grandma and Pop-Pop were here too, and Dylan and Melanie were a great help (we especially appreciate Melanie being the 'locked up' fair lady, since all the princesses wanted to be the bridges:). Lily had a great time. When we tucked her in tonight, she asked, "can we do it again." "When you are 6", I replied. "Okay, let's make it about zebras next time". "Okay". "What was your favorite part about today?", I asked. "Locking up Melanie in bridges and the story we tell about you coming to China mama." That's my favorite part too", I replied. I read her ballerina book (while attempting to hold back the tears), and off to sleep she went. Sweet dreams my dear daughter, sweet dreams.

Happy Birthday DH

2007-11-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

The good thing about a large family is the number of birthdays and celebrations that bring us together each year! These are a few pics from our celebration of Curt's birthday; breakfast out at Cafe Marie. Melanie brought the most wonderful pumpkin cake. We had a great time and lots of laughs, although missed Cadence and Colton who are off at college. Although it is a good thing to treasure the moments with children when they are young (as it goes so quickly), I will have to say that I love, love, love hanging out with my older "kids" that are now adults. It is so amazing to see their lives and dreams unfold. I am so proud of each one, and find so much joy in being part of their lives.

Time for a winter coat................

2007-11-07T19:12:00.000-08:00

Well, it is now time to bring out the winter coats in Ohio anyway. I think we have been spoiled with all the great fall weather and were surprised to see a few snowflakes come our way today. Anyway these are some pics of Lily in her new coat. Glad she likes it, as it seems she will be sporting it often for awhile.........

Happy Halloween and pics of our little bee...........

2007-10-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

I stayed home with Lily today as she has some upper respiratory stuff going on. Still, she was insistent that she go trick or treating and help to pass out the candy. We only made it a few blocks with the trick or treating, and then she wanted to be carried home. She did eat dinner and helped greet a few trick or treaters at our house. Then she went right to bed. What a sweet bee she was, even if for only a short while.............

Halloween Party at the "Y"

2007-10-31T16:15:00.000-07:00

We took the girls to a halloween party at the "Y" over the weekend. They had a blast playing all the games. Afterwards, we grabbed a bite to eat at Ch!l!s and had a great time. The girls were pretty tuckered out and slept well that night:)

A great fall day and more pictures.........

2007-10-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

I am off work most every Friday and dedicate my day to just hanging out with Lily. She looked so cute in this green dress last Friday, that I could not resist getting out my camera and playing photographer for awhile. She is okay with it for a short while, and then it is back to "let's play mama." I am one lucky mama...........

Loving the Fall Festivals.................

2007-10-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

We love the fall and all the festivities that come with it. We recently enjoyed the Harvest Festival at Bittersweet Farms and the Apple Butter Festivals. Being around animals, and especially horses always makes Cassidy and Lily's day special.

Just asking for a miracle....................

2007-10-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

I am leaving for the Chicago area tomorrow to see my dearest childhood and closest friend. We met in the 4th grade and use to trade shoes and tell our deepest secrets, and have continued for the next 40 or so years (not trading shoes so much as she is a size 5-6 and I am about an 8-9. Trying to fit in to a size 5 was a bit tough).

I am sad to say that my dear friend is not doing well and has a rare, but devastating illness called Scleroderma. It is quickly progressing, and is causing her excruciating pain. Although I am a nurse, I know very little about this illness. I have read quite a bit about it since her diagnosis, although I seem to have more questions than ever. If anyone visiting this blog knows or has experience with this illness, please leave a message or send me a private email. I want to make sure I can be there and offer as much support as I can. I am so sad, but feel this is the time to be strong for her. I have experienced miracles, and don't want to be greedy, but am asking for another now.........

Please send good thoughts and/or prayers her way.

New school dresses and a day at the bay........

2007-10-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

Prior to the most recent "heat wave", the girls asked to go to the bay. Although it was a bit chilly, we thought we would dress a bit warmer and just take off. So, they put on thier new school "duds" (that they just could not wait to wear) and off we went. Another great day, with fun in the sand, water, and of course, chasing the birds. It has become one of our favorite places.

A trip to the zoo

2007-10-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

With all this nice weather, summer has sure been prolonged here in Ohio. Lily and I went to the zoo and had a blast. This is a photo I got as we were watching the poar bears.

October 4th, 2003; The Referral

2007-10-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

We woke up very early (around 6:30) Saturday morning as this was the day we were to see our daughter's face for the first time, and let's face it, we didn't sleep well anyway due to all the excitement. This would be the day that we would name our daughter as well. To choose a name, we had created a "voting box" out of a shoe box which we decorated to the hilt in an Asian style. Each family member placed their vote for the 3 top names of their choice in the box. After we saw our daughter's/sister's picture, we were to select one name out of the 3 most voted on names (if they matched:). So, we took out the box and dusted it off after nearly a year of it sitting around and collecting dust and stared at that for some time waiting for the Fed Ex Guy. Well, the minutes were ticking by sooooooo slowly that I thought I was going to jump out of my skin. Then I had this idea; mmmmmmmm, it is Saturday. This is my Weight Watcher day, and I know if I leave the house the Fed Ex Guy is sure to show up............ And besides, I haven't eaten much since I have been so excited and I am sure to have lost weight. So, I looked around the room at my husband, kids, and dog and announced that I would be going to Weight Watchers. I then went into my logic, "Well, it is kind of like when you go to a restaurant and you are waiting for your food. You know that if you get up to use the restroom, your food will come!" They looked at me like I was crazy and did not understand the logic, so I tried to explain again. No luck with them getting it, so I just made them promise that they would not open the Fed Ex package until I returned and that I would have my cell phone. So I leave and drive 25 miles to WW (and lost 4 pounds:). As soon as I left the WW meeting, the phone rang. Yep; the Fed Ex Guy brought the package (and now they are believers in the illogical logic!)! So, now I have 25 miles to drive, and no, I do not remember a thing about the drive. I do know that my heart raced the whole way. I walked in, and me and the children simultaneously opened the package while Curt took pictures. There she was; our sweet little girl in the blue dress (and to this day, blue is still her favorite color). Words would never be enough to express the feelings of that moment; it was surreal and a moment like no other I have experienced. We rejoiced together at the blessing of this sweet little girl coming into our lives, as we cried, laughed, hugged, and and talked about the day she would finally come home. It was a very tender moment for this family; one that will never be forgotten. We then packed up and headed to Wal-Mart to copy and enlarge the pictures. Funny thing is that when we started copying the pictures, the photo department clerk peered over the counter and said, "Mam, those pictures look like they have a copyright on them and we cannot let you leave with any copies as that would be illegal. I did try to explain the situation calmly, but she would not listen and became louder and louder in her expressing that I would not be allowed to take any copies. While I looked at her trying to even comprehend what she was telling me (as I was still riding on "cloud nine"), my oldest daughter Melanie stated in her most assertive voice that I had yet to hear at that time, "These pictures are from China, and we will be taking the copies!" I in fact had to hold her back as I thought she was going to lunge over the counter:)! I don't know what went through the clerk's head at that time, but she turned and walked away to take care of another customer. She did not say another word and then later even helped cut the copies of some of the wallet-sized photos. Afterwards, we all went shopping and each of the kids picked out an outfit for their sister. We finally returned home and had looked at her picture long enough now to decide on her name. We opened the box and went through all of the names. The three top choices were Sophia, Iris, and Lily. There was no doubt in anyone's mind; she was going to be Lily (Lily Yi Meng Marie Martin-Williams to be exact). We helped Cadence and Colton get ready for Homecoming, took pictures of them and saw them off (with their own copies of pics of Lily:). We then emailed her picture to I think just about everyone we knew and I placed a large-sized copy of her picture next to our bed. Her picture would be the first thing we looked at each morning and the last thing we looked at each night before we fell asleep (with several times in between). I thought endlessly about how and where she was, whether she was being cared for, and imagined holding her for the very first time. I was so in love with this little girl. I was truly awed and so thankful for all the miracles that came together that had allowed me to be her mother and for her to be part of this family. I still am, each and every day.

October 2, 2003; The Call

2007-10-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

It was October 2nd, 2003. We had been reading on the "rumor mill" of the December Dragon's yahoo group that the call was to come on October 1st. Well, we never got the call. By the end of the day of October 2nd, I was more than disappointed. Driving home alone from the dentist office at 6:15 (with cell phone on my lap where it had been all day), I was in the middle of having a "pity party", complete with kleenex and some sappy country music on the radio when the phone rang. As I looked at the number, I realized it was Curt. I picked up the phone and whimpered into the phone, "Can you believe we did not get The Call again!" He replied, "Well, that is why I am calling. I did just get the call." I of course let him have a small lecture on what is appropriate to joke about and what not to joke about. "I'm not kidding," he yelled, " We have a daughter!" I felt myself choking up, "WHAT!!" He continued, "Since our agency is 2 hours behind us, it is only past 4:15 there. Listen, our daughter is 11-months old and her birthday is on November 18th, 2002 (this was much younger than we expected as we requested a slightly older child). She is from the Jiangxi Province, city of Yichun. Her name is Yi Hong Meng, which means "Vast Dream". And, she is wearing a cute little blue dress in her photo." Of course, I heard almost nothing after "we have a daughter". Thankfully, I was only 3 miles from home, tears streaming down my face and just speechless the whole way. Of course, I got my voice back when I came into the house and made Curt go over the entire call over and over. And then came question after question; did you ask about travel, what does she look like, what is her personality like, is she in the SWI, or in foster care, what does she like to eat, etc. etc. ??? Well, Curt forgot the whole list of questions that I prepared ahead of time and set on the counter for easy access. It is just when that call comes, it is soooo overwhelming, even when you get it from your husband, so it was hard to be too upset:) We of course, called all the older children, grand parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. So today, 4 years ago, was the day we rejoiced about "the wait" being over, at my becoming a mother for the 6th time around, at Curt becoming a father, about parenting a child together for the first time, about our older children welcoming a new sibling, etc. etc. etc. It was a wonderful day of thanksgiving and celebration. But then we had to wait again for 2 whole days (and I swear all the waiting is worse than labor) to see the first picture of our sweet daughter wearing that cute little blue dress.............

Thanks.......

2007-09-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to Connie (http://www.jadynjourney.blogspot.com/) for the pink duckie and reminder to take care of the health of our daughters and ourselves. The poem was wonderful, and Lily takes the duckie wherever she goes. Thanks for thinking of us!

Toilet Paper Bride

2007-09-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

We totally should have won! Look at the detail on the boquet!!

All the toilet paper brides with the bride to be.

Melanie, Amanda, and Lily

Look at the detail in that veil!!!

Lily looking pensive as they count the votes..............

Lily happy no matter the outcome.

Melanie and her dog, Safka

My oldest daughter Melanie and I recently hosted a wedding shower for her best friend Amanda. We played the "toilet paper bride" game where each group chooses one member of their group to dress up in toilet paper as a bride. Our group chose Lily, who was a wonderful and willing participant. The bad news is, the bride did not pick our group as the winner (so, what's up with that? We demand a re-count!:). Of course I am kidding. We were good sports although we do know that WE WERE THE BEST!!!

Ms. Christy's Class

2007-09-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

This is the first class that Lily was able to stay in for the duration of the 8 weeks. We had tried her at the YMCA twice before as she kept saying that she wanted to take ballet. The class seemed alittle too structured for her as she kept coming up to the window and smiling and making faces at us. Cute, but somewhat disruptive to the class. So, Lily has been a ballet "drop out" twice. And then, we heard about Ms. Christy right in our home town. What is different about the way Ms. Christy teaches is that she does a short lesson, then reads, continues with the lesson, then plays simon says, etc. etc. In addition, half the class was ballet and the other half was tap (which Lily LOVED). So, she is a ballet and tap dancing wonder these days. She is now taking a ballet and gymnastic class and we are only able to watch her on a TV monitor. And then next week, Lily will begin another class with Ms. Christy. Always a hoot to watch!

Making headway in Preschool

2007-09-19T00:33:00.000-07:00

Lily started her 2nd year of preschool, but this year it is at the "big girl school", which is the elementary school and the same school that her daddy teaches at. Her first day was awful. She spotted daddy, wanted to be with him, and cried from 9:15 to 11:30, then slept through lunch and was awoken by the fire alarm. So before her second day of preschool, we were playing it up big; telling her what a big girl she is to be able to go to this school, etc, etc, etc. That night as Curt was saying prayers with her before bed (I was pulling my 12 hour shift at work), she ended the prayer by saying, "and obviously my father hates me; amen." My poor husband was so upset that she said he hated her; I on the other hand was impressed that she came out with the word "obviously", seeing the rest for what it was (manipulation dear). At any rate, she has done well at preschool every day since with no crying or observable discomfort. However, each day as she is leaving, she turns to the teacher and says "goodbye; this is my last day and I won't be coming back." Well, today, Miss Marty let us know that Lily just said "goodbye." So, we are making headway I'd say...........

Lily's Quilt of 100 Good Wishes

2007-09-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

Since our past web site "crashed", I thought I would periodically post some older pictures from that site. This is Lily's quilt of 100 good wishes (actually turned out to be 88 squares) that we started during our wait. Grandma Sandy insisted on stitching it all by hand, and she finished it about a month before Lily's 3rd birthday, which was perfect because of the fall colors. Anyway, the pictures do not do it justice, as each square has an individual story of it's own. What a labor of love and creativity from all who contributed. My love and appreciation go out again to all. One of the squares that is alittle hard to see (green square that Lily's right hand is on in the bottom picture) is of a pocket with a small Asain doll inside which was created by my dear friend Diane. When we are showing others the quilt, Lily proudly takes the doll out of the pocket and says, "this is Lily" and then has the doll visit each of the squares while she tells the story about who made it and the meaning behind each. This quilt has already brought her such joy and will be such a wonderful keepsake throughout her life. For all that are in the process of making one, it is truly worth every effort and stitch...........

Colton Leaves for College.............

2007-09-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

From left to right: Melanie, Colton, Dylan, Lily, Me, Dustin, Cassidy, Cadence, and Sherrie.

We moved Colton down to Cincinnati yesterday for "move in" day at the dorms. It is a beautiful campus and I think it will be a great environment for someone as creative as Colton. Unfortunatly, I got a migraine (it was day 5 of no caffeine and it just hit!) and we had to cut our time short. We did get him moved in though and Dylan (who drove separately) was able to stay for awhile. We are so excited for Colton to begin this new journey, but of course will miss him dearly around here. We love you Colton and are so proud of you. We know you are going to do awesome!!

Lunch, a Movie, and Blue Goo Ice Cream

2007-09-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

I recently met up with my friend Marcia and her beautiful granddaughters for a "day out with the girls". We went to lunch at Johnny Rockets (the girls thought our waiter was Johnny himself, and he danced so well that we thought he might be as well:), saw the movie Ratatouille and finished the afternoon with Blue Goo Ice Cream. Doesn't get much better than that!

Twinkies

2007-09-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

These two love to dress in matching outfits, so I am all too happy to indulge to make them smile a bit:). I thought these outfits were just too cute to pass up and even got them off an "end of the summer" clearance rack. I hate thinking about it being the end of summer already, but love the sales! Anyway, we had fun going to the park one evening and getting pictures along the way in their new duds. They laughed and joked about being "twinkies" just like Cadence and Colton.

Joseph ShiJun comes to visit with brother Luke....

2007-09-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

Quite the pose, huh?!

Our dear friends brought Joseph Shijun home from China to join their family just a few weeks ago. We had a relaxing day while Lily, Luke, and Joseph swam in Lily's new pool. Oh, Lily is not choking Joseph; it is just a "love grip":). What a sweet addition Joseph is to their family! We are so happy for them all.

More pictures from Maumee Bay

2007-08-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

These are some more pictures that I took while at Maumee Bay. We left on a whim last Friday night and drove straight into a pattern of storms consisting of lightening, thunder, and several tornado watch reports. We took cover at a chinese food/pizza diner (I know, quite the combo:), and waited for the storms to pass over. It was pretty scary as a black cloud just hung over the place while we ate. I wish I had my camera to catch it, because I have never seen anything quite like it. Thankfully, it passed quickly and we were able to make our way to the Bay. I so enjoyed watching Lily chase the seagulls and play in the water and sand. Although you can't tell in the pictures, her dress was quite covered with dirt and sand by the time we left. Beautiful place, and we can't wait to return.....

Weekend Favorite

2007-08-25T20:52:00.000-07:00