One Year Ago today.................

One year ago today, we received a phone call that would change our lives forever...
Qin, Bin Li
DOB 8/16/05
25 pounds
31 inches
likes to look at books, can walk forward and backward, can stack 8 blocks, eats well, favorite person: her nanny..............
Shaanxi, Xianyang Social Welfare Institute

We love you Samantha Emily Wood!!

Hershey Trip was a BLAST!!!!!

Ok it was the most fun ever!!! I FINALLY got to see those babies again!!!!! Maddie is talking away, and it is so CUTE! Grace was a doll, and Meigan is just precious!! We even met a couple of new families, Vonda, and was it Kim?...did I get that right?...really enjoyed talking to everyone, I know I missed some, but we got to see and talk to all of you, it was great...a BIG THANKS goes to Michelle for putting this all together.

I was really hoping to meet Connor but he wanted to be home with dad :( He really reminds me of Hayden, when Hayden was younger....

Speaking of Hayden....he got a really bad toothache so we ended up going home early.....got him to the dentist today and he has two cavities....he cried in the dentist chair, and I wanted to cry too....he has to go back Aug 11th because she only did a temp. ....Oh I dread that...........

Big Thank You to Jane for the gift.....love you girl!!!! You are too sweet!!! I was talking to Jane's mom and she told me that she wanted Jane to have a daughter to share with like she did......almost brought me to tears......remembering my mother was the reason I wanted to adopt a girl, since we could not have anymore children. Mom and I were best friends...

David and Denise....see I remembered your name Denise!!!! Was wonderful to get to talk to you.

So wonderful to see our children FINALLY playing together in the USA!!!!!!!!!

Packing up for the PA reunion

Getting ready folks to go and see our bloggy friends in PA.

Remember driver's ed..........Emily is doing the 10 and 2.

Except we will be in the Big RED VAN........

Tomorrow is the last day of work......WHOOPIE!!

And on to big news.........check out the Gang, and Lucy in my blog favs!! We have some exciting news going on!!!

Hey GANG, are you meeting with us up in PA???????????????????????

Getting ready to go

Getting loose ends tied up so I can go relax in PA on Friday.

2 very big things going on at the moment.....

Number 1) is the 1 year mark is coming quickly on our Referral of Ms. Emily! On July 30th 2007 we received the phone call of a lifetime. And then I called Jane!!! :P
I will post some photos about that next week!

As many of you know, my father passed away the night before I left for China. This picture is of the last work boat he built for himself....the boat is back at Daddy's pier now, where it belongs. My dad's best friend now crabs in it.....which brings me to:

Number 2) Dad is going to be remembered in a BOOK! I met with some people at our local Marine Museum. They are writing a book on the "Wooden Boat Builders." They asked me if I would allow them to write about dad. Of course I was thrilled! My dad has a chapter on his life and work, and all the photos will stay at the museum on display! I think it is so fitting for my dad to be remembered this way. If he were alive, he would have no part of this, but what dad did in his lifetime is now a way of the past.....I think it needs to be remembered. He built these boats by hand, in the backyard. I remember when I was 5 years old, I handed him nails all day while he built a boat for a neighbor.

Picture number two is Emily and her friend playing Barbershop...they thought up this game...surely a sign of high intelligence!! :)

Playing around with my pics

Playing around with the pictures...I like these.

Anthony has picked up a stomach bug....wonderful news! At least he will be over it for the trip!!

PS BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE TRIP TO CHINA FOR LUCY....YOU WILL SEE LUCY!! IN MY FAVORITES!!!!!!

11 more sleeps until...............

We are going to PA to visit our dear bloggy friends, and Emily's GIRLFRIENDS!!!!!! Regina can't make it because she is in CHINA! Hop on over to her blog!!

The kids are excited, but I'm more so!!!!!!!!!!

11 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally July 4th photos

Well we had a good 4th. The fireworks were rained out the 4th, we thought. Then at 9:30 we heard the celebration...so luckly the next county over had fireworks the next night and we were able to take Emily. She was really more interested in eating the food we brought for the tailgate party! Oh well...the boys enjoyed it.

Then Saturday we celebrated at my brother's new house...which is BEAUTIFUL....he bought these bubble blowers and Emily LOVED them. They are $2.99 at Walmart...get them!! The kids played forever with these things!

So we are off to the zoo this Sunday.....take care!!