Today we're celebrating our First Gotcha Day!

This is the only video we have of Lia and I first meeting. It's when our eyes first met.  We had a difficult time posting in China, so now on the 1 year anniversary, here it is.  Grab your tissues!

It was around 11:00 a.m. and Lia was waiting in the lobby of the hotel.She just had a 3 hour drive from the countryside to the city of Nanchang.  She was pretty tired.   As we walked into the hotel lobby, I watched Lia and the assistant come down a beautiful staircase.   Keith was suddenly very busy with the director, signing necessary paperwork.

Forget the formalities! Here's my Lia!!!! I went right to her.  So you'll see the assistant trying to avoid me...I can't even describe the feeling I had, but it was almost like my heart exploded... in pure joy.  It was a huge blessing beyond what I ever dreamed of.  I couldn't wait to hold her.

Look for Lia giving me the once over (or should I say the twice over)!

Lia's accessories

Today, Lia did her usual routine of hiding behind the drapes. But this time, she was caught with all her accessories 

 holding her back from having more fun.

 

Did that stop my little thinker?

 Nope.  She took off the little loop that kept her balloons on her wrist, and then let the balloons be free.  But then she had no idea where her balloons went...

Then she saw them.  She was hysterically proud of herself.  

...Up to the ceiling!

A minute later, she walked into the kitchen, business as usual.

And ready for a new adventure.

P.S.Don't even ask how we got two free CVS balloons...that's another story!!!!!

Being a cool dog in the hot dog days of summer

Our pool...

no fancy fountains or shimmering nighttime lights,

just some water heating up in the sun,

an occasional butterfly flittering by,

and Lia clapping in excitement.

The Brimfield Antique Show

Nothing like looking at other people's  "stuff", I mean treasures.

We did find the Terracotta Warriors at Brimfield!!!!

(BTW;You must google this if you have no idea what I'm talking about).

...And we also found a very cute giraffe pull toy for Lia.

It became a joke since we had big plans of what we would find,

 but ended up buying Lia  the little giraffe from a seller who was very anxious to haggle. (I love to haggle, but it was too cheap of a price to even start to negotiate and too hot!!!).

Hard to believe, but this is the first time Lia is in a pool.
Last summer we were way too busy in China, and then way too busy adjusting when we came back last August.

Happy First Father's Day Keith!

"Being your little princess is a sweet and special thing,

'cause when it comes to hugs and fun,

Daddy you're the king!"

Keith got a Shutterfly book for Father's Day.  
It was loaded with a years worth of photos of Lia and Daddy.  
Honestly, I don't know how I kept it a secret; 
I was so excited about giving it to him!

Check out Lia's shirt!   Why put strawberries in a bucket???

Daddy's girl

My Sweet Pea in the Strawberry Patch

We went to strawberry picking today with Janet.  I've known her since 1st grade!!!!  Lia and Janet met for the first time today, and they hit it off well.  She's visiting for a few days and we're having a lot of fun!

Happy (Belated) Mother's Day

A friend sent me this poem since it's my first Mother's Day. I just had to share this with you.  Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!!!! Hope it was wonderful.
Enjoy...

Our First Mother's Day

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not

my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom, 
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom, 
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried myself with love for a child.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep. 

Before I was a Mom, 
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
 

Before I was a Mom, 
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child,
because there's nothing like it.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom, 
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. or lay awake listening for that breathing
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom.

May you always be overwhelmed by the Grace of God rather than by the cares of Life.

Things I'm Learning as a New Mom

A border in a garden, a little shoe box, a shelf or a window ledge are all classified as a little chair.

It doesn't matter that I'm not a plant, this space is meant for me!
Move over plants!

While celebrating mom and dad's anniversary at the
 Italian Restaurant at the C.I.A.,
I discovered another little chair just for me.

Exploratory play includes ice cream.  It is to be explored first, and then maybe eaten.

Mommy "had to" eat the ice cream, and she enjoyed every second of it.

Helping means being in the center of it all.

I want to play here while I help...

...And nothing will happen to the washing machine or the dryer if a rock is in it.  Sorry, no photo.  (Little girls like to collect rocks with daddy, and put them in their pockets.)

Happy Spring everyone!