Easter Eggs with our little bunnies!

The finished product...

I let them have a piece of the Easter candy I had bought for the baskets...

She is so proud of her eggs!

Working very hard...

I don't know what possessed me to think that coloring Easter eggs with a 1 1/2 year old would be a good idea...but, that is exactly what I did! I only let her have 3 eggs...but that was enough to make me realize the error of my ways! :)

I honestly thought that the boys would have outgrown coloring eggs by now, but they REALLY wanted to do it...thus, the Easter egg conundrum!

We are on Spring Break right now and I don't know if any of us will survive! Luckily the weather is perfect so we can have a lot of outside time. But the boys are fighting constantly and the little one is whining because her allergies are kicking in. I might just have to go on my "own" spring break before it is all over with!

Enjoy the pics and have a blessed Easter!

Gotcha Day Anniversary!

Taryn, one year later!

This was our first attempt at getting a pic of the two of them!

The girls!

This was the best we could do...and even in this one you can tell Taryn is getting ready to run!

Okay, sorry for the week long delay. I misplaced my camera cord and have spent this whole week looking for it! Finally, I have found it and here are the few pics we were able to get! We went out to eat with one of the families we traveled with...of course, Chinese food! It was so much fun and the girls had fun playing together. Of course, trying to get pics out of them was a whole other story! They are definitely both toddlers. I can't believe it has been a year since we were in China. This time last year we were still in China! I have felt so nostalgic about China, our trip and Taryn in general this week. Basically, I feel blessed to have our first year with her. To have been able to travel on a once in a lifetime trip to China. And to now be on the other side of the adoption process. Our one year visit with our SW is over...the process is now FINISHED! This leaves me feeling so happy...and I suppose relieved.I still have such a heart for those of you waiting and in the process. I have heard that the wait for China NSN is up to 6.5 years! I pray that this fact doesn't discourage those of you with a heart to adopt from China. I know for a fact that there is a child at the end of the wait. A child chosen just for you and your family. Please hang in there and know this!Until next time...

One Year Ago Today...

Lately I have found myself saying those words..."One year ago today..." and applying it to our adoption journey. Today is particularly sweet...it was the day we left for China. Yes, in just 2 days it will be our Gotcha Day! I am overwhelmed with emotion pertaining to these days. I feel totally nostalgic about China and our trip. I can't believe it has been a year...it seems like only a few months! Because it is all so hard to put into words I put together the video below to "commemorate" our first year. I hope you enjoy it! If you are in the same place as we are you might just watch it an reminisce. If you are waiting, I pray you watch it and take heart that it will be you sooner than you think...I promise! In just 2 days I will have Gotcha Day pics up to post! Enjoy...

My Montage 2/16/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Valentines Day and Stuff!

The boys dressed Taryn up as Indiana Jones!

She is such a "girl" with her purse and her cell phone inside! She goes everywhere with her purse.

Garrett and his Valentine Candy!

Taryn and her Valentine Suckers!

Yummy!

We are buried under snow here in KY! Nothing like those in NY or WA, but we are having more snow here than I have seen in awhile. The boys are having a blast. Poor Taryn, however, is not getting out in it much because it requires one parent to go with her...and Mama doesn't like cold! :) So, she hasn't gotten to play in it as much as her brothers.
I can't believe it is February already. We have already been contacted by our SW for our 1 year follow up! OUR ONE YEAR FOLLOW UP! It will be one year in March! Can you even believe it? It feels like it was just yesterday (or at the least a few months ago!) that we were in China! I will have to let everyone know how our follow up goes...as well as our 1st Gotcha Day! We have already made plans to get with one of our traveling couples and go eat Chinese Food with the girls! So, enjoy the few pictures from Valentines Day...until next time!

Snow Days!

Yes! Taryn's brothers took her sledding...!

I guess they are having fun...hopefully!

Snow bunny!

The Chinese would be very pleased with the "bundleing"! :)

Beginnings...

Taryn and our niece, Eva, playing in the water area ...

Taryn and Wesley playing in the bubble room of the Museum...

Wesley...pretending to walk on the moon!

"Beam me up Scotty..."

1st haircut!

Playing a game on Christmas Eve!

Her new "baby"...

How cute is this Santa?

Our Family...

I can't help but reflect to where we were this time last year. We had just gotten our referral and were so darn happy to be getting ready to travel. Fast forward 10 months and we are still so "darn" happy to be alive and to be the parents of our newest daughter from China...Taryn Joy. This was the time of year for many "firsts". It was Taryn's first Christmas, her first hair cut and her first time at the Children's Museum. All of these "firsts" happened within one week so I combined as many pictures as I could of these events!
I hope the New Year is nothing but joyful for all of you. I pray that those of you waiting to receive your child from China (or any other country!) will hear good news this year. I pray for all of the little ones who will not be placed into a family this year...that they will somehow be protected and kept safe until their family comes. I especially wish all of the new additions to many new families this year, nothing but the very best. It is still hard to believe she is home with us! Thank God for her, and for our family...Happy 2010 everyone!