Happy Birthday Cassidy!

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..............

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

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.......

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.........

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.