Good-bye 2014, Hello 2015!

2014 was an eventful year, to say the least!

 

 

 

This family picture. . .

 

became this. . .

 

 

As Grace came home and Ted and Claire began to date.

 

 

Our dear friend Deidra, Sophia, and I traveled to China in February to bring home Grace while Kevin stayed home with our boys.  What an adventure that was for us girls while in China.  Click here for a peek at Grace's journey home. 

 

 

Grace's transition has been a bit rocky, but she (and we all)

are making slow and steady progress!

 

 

Sweet Easter children

 

 

A new little friend came home from China just

a month later

 

 

This sweet boy had his bone graft surgery

in the spring and did very well

 

 

We attended the graduation of our nephew,

and Ted brought Claire along!  :)

 

 

We met our new great-nephew in the spring as well.

That meant two new children were added to our family

this year!

 

 

Sophia danced in her first recital.

 

 

Hmmm - Claire was there, too!

 

 

Grace took her first family vacation as we

ventured out east to see our nation's beginnings

and visit dear family

 

 

Grace had her first time ever at a beach.

 

 

Our littles sat for this picture glowing with summer fun and looking

toward school beginning.

 

 

Grammy and her youngest grandchildren

 

 

Philip and Elijah with their wonderful cranio-facial

doctor who does all of their cleft lip and palate work -

the cranio-facial team put on a picnic for their patients.

The theme was a western one!

 

 

There was a reason we saw Ted and Claire together a lot! 

They got engaged in the fall!  We are all so happy!

 

 

I decorated a table at our church and attended with Sophia,

dear China friends, Claire, and her mom

 

 

Mommy and her little girls are at our nephew's wedding.

 

 

This extremely handsome man still takes

my breath away!

 

 

Grace's first laser surgery to lighten her birthmark - this

was taken a few days after the treatment.  It has lightened

considerably now.  This photo also shows the look we

sometimes see in her eyes from living in an orphanage.  We pray

we will see this look less and less and her sweet, beautiful smile

more and more.

 

 

A tender moment with Grammy at Thanksgiving

 

 

Surrounded by 4/6 of our children on my birthday

 

 

Going to see a play Ted was in called

"The foolish wiseman"

 

 

Visiting with Ted right before Christmas

 

 

Welcoming a new little friend and his parents

home from China on Christmas Eve

 

 

Spending Christmas morning with all of

our children - big and little

 

 

Listening to Ted read the story of

Jesus' birth

 

 

Looking forward to their wedding next summer!

 

 

Spending a quiet New Year's Eve night

with our precious little ones.  Their smiles light our

hearts. 

 

 Happy New Year to everyone! 

May 2015 be filled with peace, joy, and love!

God bless us, everyone!