tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81699465503177708312024-03-13T09:31:08.920-07:00Five Fingerprints of GodA Family Blog of Hope and a Life in FaithJanet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.comBlogger372125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-41344305759687198622015-06-21T20:20:00.001-07:002015-06-21T20:25:08.433-07:00The Wedding<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ted and Claire's wedding day was as special as they dreamed it would be . . .</span></div>
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Getting our make-up and hair done - what a luxury</div>
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Claire getting into her wedding gown - beautiful bride </div>
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While the girls were getting ready, so were the boys!</div>
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Last few minutes with my oldest son</div>
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before he marries Claire - so happy!</div>
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First look before the wedding and pictures </div>
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The wedding party</div>
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Ted waiting for his bride to come down the aisle</div>
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Wedding communion together</div>
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The joy overflowing</div>
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The vows</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Oh what happiness and joy! They are now husband and wife. Lovely wedding surrounded by family and friends. What a day to remember!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">More to come - reception pictures coming soon!</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-40761038040454660852015-06-16T12:39:00.001-07:002015-06-16T12:44:45.239-07:00Ted and Claire's wedding weekend - The Rehearsal<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">What a wonderful weekend we just shared with </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">who came from near and far . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our oldest son, Ted, married the love of his life, Claire,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">and we are over the moon thrilled for both of them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">First, there was the rehearsal and dinner</span></div>
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MOTG and MOTB excited for our children!</div>
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Gram waiting to be escorted down the aisle</div>
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by two of her handsome grandsons</div>
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A mama and her two little sons practicing for</div>
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the wedding</div>
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Three little loves walking down the aisle</div>
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A beautiful little flower girl</div>
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Father and son with our minister</div>
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A sweet moment between Ted, Claire, and her dad</div>
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A cute picture of the bride and groom</div>
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Sweet treats</div>
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The lovely ladies who prepared and served</div>
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the rehearsal dinner</div>
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Let the dinner begin!</div>
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The happy couple</div>
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The happy parents</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stay tuned: Wedding pictures in my next post!</span> </div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-76436956081964466092015-02-15T19:14:00.000-08:002015-02-16T18:19:15.567-08:00Happy One-Year Anniversary<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A year ago (February 17, 2014), our daughter Sophia, my dear
friend Deidra, and I were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Grace, the newest
family member to join our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin
and our three sons waited back home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
were standing in a large, clean, modern looking room in the Civil Affairs
Office of Guangdong Province.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would
spend our entire time in China in Guangzhou as that was the province of Grace’s
birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The night before had been spent
enjoying a calm and leisurely meal of delicious Chinese cuisine with our guide
John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The three of us</span> would come to depend heavily on
John during the next eleven days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
just didn’t know it yet!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Meeting Grace for the first time</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the look on Grace’s face in the pictures her orphanage
had already sent us, we could see a beautiful little wisp of a girl looking
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t exactly have a look of
joy on her face in those pictures though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was more the look of a little one used to keeping her emotions
inside, looking like she was part sad, part happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, here the three of us stood, waiting to meet
Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, she marched in across
the room from us followed by her nannies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She paused to look in our direction, then turned, and kept going to the
other room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first look, Grace seemed
larger than her pictures, and the look of determination and grit on her face
told us her personality might be a little larger than we had expected as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sophia and I stretched out our hands to welcome Grace as she
came back into the room a short time later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Deidra, our own personal paparazzi, stood a little off and snapped photo
after photo of our first meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
can see in the pictures a little girl whose eyes are wary, whose personality is
strong and trying to take charge in a frightening time, and a little one who is
competent in her answers to her nannies and to our guide as they talked her
through this first meeting with her new mom and sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw a determined, intelligent, strong
little girl at first meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The orphanage
staff who had brought her to us said at parting, “She is very stubborn.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That parting comment should have clued us into what the next few days, weeks,
and months of life with Grace would be like. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em>Grace's first plane ride as we began our journey home</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As soon as we returned to our hotel room and our guide
left, life with Grace took on a larger than life appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While skyping with her new daddy and
brothers, Grace started her first meltdown with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our sons went back to bed as Kevin stayed on
the skype long into his wee hours of the morning, watching the scene in our
hotel room unfold, praying and talking us through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can I describe that time in China?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the moment Grace came into our hotel
room, throughout the rest of our stay in China, she was frantic, terrified
beyond reason, and so very difficult to handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In those few moments Kevin witnessed her first
meltdown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had been jumping on the
bed behind me as I talked to Kevin so I calmly went over and helped her
sit down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She immediately became enraged,
trying to bite, kick, scratch and rage at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That strong and determined young lady we had first met was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was heart wrenching to witness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This very damaged, terrified little girl
remained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had meltdown after
meltdown the rest of the trip, throwing herself down on the any surface, trying
to bang her head on anything she could find, screaming, writhing, biting,
kicking, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John, Sophia, Deidra,
(Kevin and our boys across the world), and I constantly had to problem solve
from every angle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just eating breakfast,
lunch, and dinner out, walking down a street, and especially being in
governmental offices were fraught with trauma for Grace and for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We, and loved ones back home, constantly
prayed, and with God’s provisions, traveled safely back home at the end of our
time in China. </span></div>
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<em>First picture as a family of 7 taken right</em></div>
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<em>as we got off of the plane after a long</em></div>
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<em>and exhausting journey home</em></div>
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<em></em> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grace was our fourth child to be brought home, and I am
forever grateful that she was not our first adoption because if she had been,
we might not have Philip, Elijah, and Sophia home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our first year with her has been that rough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have learned a truth about adoption, and
it is this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though you want to be
home with every fiber of your being while in-country with your new child, the
really, really difficult work begins once home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And, it was the case with Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even though our time in China was way out of everyone’s comfort zone,
Grace’s entry into family life was so much more difficult than any of us could
fathom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kevin and I could stop the tantrums and Grace throwing
herself down when she became frightened and enraged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could stop the biting, kicking, and acting
outrageously in front of others, but we couldn’t stop the effect of a lifetime
of trauma we didn’t cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That has been
a long and arduous journey for our entire family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Sitting with her daddy on a sunny spring day</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think that many adoptive families would agree that
bringing home a child with such a history of trauma, as most of our children we
adopt have in their backgrounds, brings out things you didn’t even know about
yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of those things are
positive such as the opening of our hearts and eyes to the plight of orphans
everywhere, learning to love a child from that kind of difficult background,
and the joy that is in our being when our new child succeeds in something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is great joy in seeing Grace suddenly
understand what being in a family is or seeing the wonder in her face when she
gains a new skill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is such
sweetness in sitting and rocking her, pressing our faces to her hair, taking in
her smells and the feel of her sitting there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is such a goodness to adoption, and we know without a doubt that
God’s fingerprints are all over our journey to Grace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n63PR4HkspA/VOFYQTp8r6I/AAAAAAAADLs/dgUHnJ2QGyM/s1600/Four%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bzoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n63PR4HkspA/VOFYQTp8r6I/AAAAAAAADLs/dgUHnJ2QGyM/s1600/Four%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bzoo.jpg" /></a></div>
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<em>Our little ones at the zoo last spring</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is another side of us we learn about that is not so
nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the darkness our hearts can
hold in the negative feelings and in our actions of those first few
months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the impatience that we
show our new child because we are at the end of our rope, dealing with issues
we didn’t even know we had or issues we thought we had already worked out in
the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the inability to like
and sometimes love this child God has brought and needing to daily call out to
Jesus to help give us His eyes and heart to really, truly be the parents and
siblings Grace needs us to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
the immense guilt when we fail, which we do daily, and there is the sadness
that comes from seeing your family’s life turned upside down as our new child
struggles to heal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>All four of our littles last Easter</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But through it all, we are seeing slow and steady
progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just when we think we can’t
possibly manage Grace’s challenges, God brings help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a homeschooling mama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sophia, Philip, and Elijah thrive in being
home-educated, getting individual attention, loving the curriculum, and growing
with other kids in our co-op.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Grace
. . . homeschooling just wasn’t’ the right fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We tried it for many long and difficult months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her needs are so great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She needs speech, ot, pt, academics, and
social skills in a structured setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grace
now attends Kevin’s school and is so blessed to have a loving, caring special
education staff to help with her special needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are seeing great progress in her ability to better cope with life and
also in her ability to be a loving member of our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Praising God for this huge blessing and that
our family, friends, and teachers are willing to come alongside us to help
Grace heal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>First day of her new special education class </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>back in October</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our church has been wonderful in helping place her where she
needs to be instead of by age level as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Grace still is homeschooled one day a week as she goes with us to our
co-op school. Everyone there is so understanding of her needs, making her
feel welcome in everything we do on that day. And of course, our family,
friends, and our community love her dearly and provide tremendous support to Grace and to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have had the prayers and support of so
many during this last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Some friends of our friends even prayed over her one day a few months ago over skype which was the most amazing thing. Grace's tough times are caused by so many issues, but greatest among them is the spiritual battle that we often felt when she would revert back into her orphanage behaviors. That one prayer encounter from strangers has helped our Grace so very much. God seemed to reach down and begin to heal her little spirit that day. </span></span><br />
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<em>Waiting for a new little friend to come home</em></div>
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<em>from China at the airport on Christmas Eve</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The support from others includes
doctors, too, as we steadily address Grace’s medical needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The funny thing is that the medical issues
Grace has with her Sturge Weber syndrome are not the issues we struggle with!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Sharing a giggle with her grandmother (Gram)</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>during the holidays</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At this time, Grace’s seizures are controlled allowing her
to have the laser surgery she needs to treat her facial birthmark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has tolerated those treatments well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will be getting a leg brace soon to help
her walk and run easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Grace
first came home, it was evident her physical strength and coordination was
lacking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through many happy and long
hours of playing, swimming, walking, and running with us, she is gaining in
strength and stamina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I write this, I can hear her playing happily with her
siblings in the family room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is a
huge step forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grace didn’t have the
ability to play with others at first, especially her little brother
Elijah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead she would bully others
or ignore them altogether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was very
hard on our children who were home first as they struggled to find a happy
balance with Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are seeing her
play well and imaginatively with her siblings and other kids more often now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That makes us happy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes her siblings happy, too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em>All my littles helping me celebrate my birthday</em></div>
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<em>in November</em><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something else that makes Kevin and me very happy is that Grace
is beginning to respond better to positive reinforcement and loving touches and
gestures from us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is very easy for
Grace to snuggle up to a stranger or to someone who isn’t her immediate
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She definitely came home with
indiscriminate stranger affection, but snuggling up to her mommy and daddy was
something she struggled with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are the
ones who are closest to her, invading her sense of security and space, setting
limits, guiding and directing her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
resented that for the longest time and would deliberately seek out our negative
attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin and I have always been
united on rearing our children and very consistent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now Grace is beginning to thrive under our
parenting instead of resenting it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OxXeqr22TXE/VOFdjw4ae0I/AAAAAAAADMg/aRbgtTl__nk/s1600/Claire%2C%2BTed%2C%2BGrace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OxXeqr22TXE/VOFdjw4ae0I/AAAAAAAADMg/aRbgtTl__nk/s1600/Claire%2C%2BTed%2C%2BGrace.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Grace with Teddy/Claire (as she calls them both)</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>taken last spring</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another blessing Grace has in her life is her big brother
Ted and his fiancé Claire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Claire came
into our family’s life about the same time Grace came home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Claire has seen our extremely difficult
transition with Grace, and she is marvelous with her and our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ted is so understanding of Grace’s abilities
and needs, and together Ted and Claire love our little ones so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kTee4N0dFa4/VOFevIU4mCI/AAAAAAAADMo/5wkmxQSIj2A/s1600/IMG_5627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kTee4N0dFa4/VOFevIU4mCI/AAAAAAAADMo/5wkmxQSIj2A/s1600/IMG_5627.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Gracie 11 days out from her second laser surgery!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Look at her beautiful smile! I just took this</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>picture tonight. See our Amazing Grace emerging!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Overall, we are far from those first traumatic days, weeks,
and months with Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life in
transition with her still has its ups and downs much like a roller
coaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, we are seeing much
more positive times, loving, and sweet times, too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Grace’s first Gotcha Day, we celebrate her
with love and affection in our hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are coming through a long and dark tunnel into light and beauty with
our Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The song “Amazing Grace” was
kind of her theme song, and we quote it often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was lost and now found, and in a very profound way, we were lost but
now found in our journey with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amazing Grace – she really, really is!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We love you Grace Chengmei so very much!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-15438089587725722812014-12-31T22:36:00.002-08:002014-12-31T22:52:22.413-08:00Good-bye 2014, Hello 2015!<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">2014 was an eventful year, to say the least!</span></div>
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This family picture. . .</div>
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became this. . .</div>
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As Grace came home and Ted and Claire began to date.</div>
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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 <a href="http://www.myadoptionwebsite.com/journeytogracie/index.html">here</a> for a peek at Grace's journey home. </div>
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Grace's transition has been a bit rocky, but she (and we all) </div>
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are making slow and steady progress!</div>
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Sweet Easter children</div>
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A new little friend came home from China just</div>
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a month later</div>
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This sweet boy had his bone graft surgery </div>
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in the spring and did very well</div>
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We attended the graduation of our nephew,</div>
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and Ted brought Claire along! :)</div>
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We met our new great-nephew in the spring as well.</div>
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That meant two new children were added to our family</div>
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this year!</div>
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Sophia danced in her first recital.</div>
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Hmmm - Claire was there, too!</div>
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Grace took her first family vacation as we</div>
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ventured out east to see our nation's beginnings</div>
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and visit dear family</div>
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Grace had her first time ever at a beach.</div>
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Our littles sat for this picture glowing with summer fun and looking</div>
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toward school beginning.</div>
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Grammy and her youngest grandchildren</div>
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Philip and Elijah with their wonderful cranio-facial</div>
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doctor who does all of their cleft lip and palate work -</div>
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the cranio-facial team put on a picnic for their patients.</div>
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The theme was a western one!</div>
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There was a reason we saw Ted and Claire together a lot! </div>
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They got engaged in the fall! We are all so happy!</div>
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I decorated a table at our church and attended with Sophia,</div>
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dear China friends, Claire, and her mom</div>
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Mommy and her little girls are at our nephew's wedding.</div>
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This extremely handsome man still takes</div>
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my breath away!</div>
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Grace's first laser surgery to lighten her birthmark - this</div>
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was taken a few days after the treatment. It has lightened</div>
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considerably now. This photo also shows the look we</div>
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sometimes see in her eyes from living in an orphanage. We pray</div>
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we will see this look less and less and her sweet, beautiful smile</div>
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more and more.</div>
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A tender moment with Grammy at Thanksgiving</div>
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Surrounded by 4/6 of our children on my birthday</div>
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Going to see a play Ted was in called</div>
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"The foolish wiseman"</div>
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Visiting with Ted right before Christmas</div>
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Welcoming a new little friend and his parents</div>
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home from China on Christmas Eve</div>
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Spending Christmas morning with all of</div>
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our children - big and little</div>
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Listening to Ted read the story of</div>
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Jesus' birth</div>
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Looking forward to their wedding next summer!</div>
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Spending a quiet New Year's Eve night</div>
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with our precious little ones. Their smiles light our</div>
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Happy New Year to everyone! </div>
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May 2015 be filled with peace, joy, and love!</div>
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God bless us, everyone!</div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-71213569878868159232014-10-20T02:53:00.001-07:002014-10-20T02:53:25.169-07:00New Family Pictures<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Exciting times around our home these days!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Ted and Claire are engaged!! We are over the moon happy about that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Here are some new family pictures that were taken a few days before Ted asked Claire to marry him. We all knew he had a ring and was going to pop the question, but she didn't know yet! It was sure difficult to keep from telling her during our family photo shoot! </span></div>
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Our kids</div>
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The girls</div>
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The boys</div>
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This one is a riot! Maybe it could</div>
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be one of those "awkward" photos</div>
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you see on the internet!</div>
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A picture with our "littles"</div>
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Our gang</div>
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Happy!</div>
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Ahhh, scary children picture!</div>
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The mom and dad</div>
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Lovely day with our children</div>
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Beautiful couple</div>
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Our oldest son and soon to be</div>
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daughter-in-law</div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-39503171012281834262014-09-13T19:54:00.000-07:002014-09-13T19:54:03.483-07:00The wild, wild westToday I took our little boys to a picnic hosted by our cranio-facial doctor and his office. We love this doctor. He has done such marvelous work on our boys' cleft lips and palates, and we will always be appreciative of his giving heart. In fact, all of the doctors on our team are wonderful, and a couple of them were also at the picnic today.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago Philip heard that we were going to a picnic where other kids with cleft lips/palates were going to be, and his eyes lit up. He said, "That will be great. No one will stare at us or ask what's wrong with our noses and lips!" And it was so! All the children were so beautiful and happy to be there. The parents were happy, too!<br />
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The picnic had a western theme, and the invitation said to dress up in our best western gear. Philip and Elijah have some cowboy clothes. Both boys had a great time with the pony rides, food, petting zoo, and games, but the best thing of all was getting to wear a fake mustache! It was hilarious when they put them on. It was like their "western gunfighter" persona came out in force. See for yourself in the pictures below!<br />
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-79301994654138062152014-08-25T05:27:00.003-07:002014-08-25T05:27:33.507-07:00Needing to catch up!Life has certainly gotten a whole lot busier since our youngest daughter has come home! I pulled up my blog this morning and realized that Philip's Gotcha Day was the last time I posted. Sorry Auntie A, Brenda, and other precious family and friends who like to catch up now and then through these posts.<br />
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Vacation time: Kevin and I took our four littles on a wonderful vacation to Virginia to visit historical sites like Thomas Jefferson's home, Williamsburg, and Jamestown. These were great destinations because we had spent the last year studying the birth of our country (our littles' new country), and they relished the visits to each significant place. <br />
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But, I gotta tell you, the most beautiful and significant parts of our vacation came with our time together as a new little family, bonding and building lovely memories for each of our kids to tuck into their hearts. Some of the most beautiful of those memories were spent visiting family far away, an aunt, uncle, and cousins in Virginia Beach, an aunt, uncle and cousins in Roanoke, and along the way home another aunt and uncle. Time spent with each of these beloved people helped solidify our littles place in their loving family. They met family they didn't know they had along each stop. They were engulfed in extended family love, and it was beautiful!!<br />
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Each layer of family we have added to our littles' world has brought them so much joy, from our immediate circle of a mom, dad, and siblings, to a grandma, aunts, uncles, and cousins, to great aunts and uncles and second and third cousins here and far away, Sophia, Philip, Elijah, and Grace continue to grow in love and a knowing of their place in this world. When each of our youngest came home, little did they know the ever widening and deepening circle of family in which they belonged. That has been such a joy for Kevin and me to witness for each of them. <br />
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Here are some pictures of our vacation out east. Love, love, love the smiles of our little children's faces in each of the images! Know that they will treasure this time for the rest of their lives. We love vacations! <br />
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First stop - Jefferson's home</div>
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A bit of cuteness at the gift shop later</div>
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At Williamsburg with Daddy</div>
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Resting in the shade with Mommy</div>
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Playing Colonial games</div>
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In a hot Colonial kitchen</div>
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Playing more Colonial games!</div>
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A day at the aquarium with our cousins</div>
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Should have posted this picture for "Shark Week"</div>
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Cousins</div>
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At the beach</div>
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In Roanoke meeting more family</div>
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The Girls</div>
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The Boys</div>
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Our littles with still another uncle along the way home</div>
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An another aunt, too!</div>
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Most precious picture of the whole trip</div>
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Back home with Wendy</div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-45184958878841452032014-06-25T04:48:00.001-07:002014-06-25T04:48:34.548-07:00Happy 6th Gotcha Day, Philip!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We celebrated Philip home six years on Monday, June 23rd. Can't believe our sweet, funny, inquisitive little son has been home that long! He can't either!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One of the first pictures we saw of our little guy over spring break </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(both Kevin and I are teachers) in April 2008. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The sparkle in his eyes caught our hearts right away!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Daddy holding Philip for the first time - Philip </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">wasn't too sure about this "family stuff"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">First time in Mommy's arms - he really </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">wasn't sure about having a new family at this point!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Despite his hesitation when first meeting us, Philip quickly warmed up to</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> his new mommy and daddy and was such a happy boy in China!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What a wonderful "Welcome Home" Philip received</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">when we stepped off the plane. Our loving family and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">friends welcomed our little boy home with open arms and hearts!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once home, my dad and Philip became best buddies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dad only lived another year and half, but in that time, he and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip forged a strong bond that will last for eternity. Love this picture</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">of my dad, my uncle (Dad's brother), and our tiny son.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My mom loved to come play with our little children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip was so very close to her as well. She passed away</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">last summer. He misses both of his grandparents </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but was blessed to get to know them.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Couldn't find a picture of Gram with Philip but wanted to</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">include this sweet picture of Kevin and his mom because</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip still is blessed (we all are) to have his Gram in his</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">life. They are kindred spirits in their love of puzzles and games. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When we say that we are taking our kids to Grams for a game date, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">he lights up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip loves, loves, loves his siblings. He and his</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">biggest brother are especially close. When Philip first came</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">home, Ted was still away at college and had a difficult</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">time getting Philip to bond with him, but now you would</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">never know! They are such sweet buddies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip and his China siblings are very close.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They play for long hours, talk and giggle like crazy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and genuinely love each other. When watching these lovies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">together, it is difficult to imagine that there was a </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">time they didn't know each other. It is a joy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and privilege to parent all of our children!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip has lots of family who love him dearly - aunts, uncles, and cousins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here he is with two of his big cousins whom he considers his good friends, too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip surrounded by his family - We say it every year </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and with all of our children, but it is true - we can't imagine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip (or any of our children) not being here. We love him</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to the moon and back!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When we tucked him in at night on his Gotcha Day, he beamed and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">said, "Thank you for adopting me." Oh honey, the pleasure is all ours! We</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">would do it again and again. Our quiver is full. Our hearts overflow!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Happy 6th Gotcha Day, Philip!</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-46676738263882319242014-06-22T21:03:00.000-07:002014-06-22T21:03:26.943-07:00Miss Sophia's first dance recital<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our Sophia performed in her first dance recital tonight. It was joyful watching our beautiful daughter shine.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sophia has come a long way in confidence since coming home almost three years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">She has such a sweet spirit and is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Above is a lovely picture of Sophia and her grandma.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of her fans came to cheer her on!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sophia's family - we adore her!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Sophia has the most tender heart. She wants to become a minister when she grows up. She loves Jesus so. We love her!</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-65770490492529394522014-05-22T05:36:00.003-07:002014-05-22T05:57:45.951-07:00Happy Birthday Gracie Chengmei!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Today is a very special day. It is Gracie's first birthday home after living her first seven years in an orphanage. I want to share two pictures of our girl with you all today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The first one was taken on our long flight home from a very difficult two weeks in China. The hurt, mistrust, and overwhelming feelings you can see on Grace's face were very real to our girl. We will probably never know all Grace went through up to her Gotcha Day on February 17th, but we can sure make some assumptions that are more than likely fairly accurate. Orphanage life, no matter how lovely a facility or how dedicated nannies might be, is still less than. It is less than in love, in individual attention given, in feeling secure most of the time. It is less than in so many areas. The biggest area it is less than is that it doesn't have the ability to help a child grow into a secure and healthy adult. It helps contribute to making them react as an animal would in so many ways instead of a fully functioning human. I know there are good and bad institutions, and I know there are many, many dedicated and loving care givers. I also know what I know about our Grace.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our time in China receiving and getting to know Grace was some of the roughest time in our lives. Those first few weeks rank right up there in my mind and heart as when we have lost our three parents, Kevin's time with cancer, and Ted's earliest days in the special care nursery when he was born. I know that sounds overly dramatic, and some of you might be thinking, "How could she say that? How could meeting a new child be as sad and traumatic as losing a parent or going through cancer or wondering if your newborn son was going to be ok?"</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I want to keep it real today. The time in China was horrendous. Grace came to us with a final word of parting from her nannies. "She is stubborn," they said as they walked out the door. Stubborn didn't even begin to cover what our Grace was those first few weeks and months. How can I describe such a small and damaged little girl to you? Kevin stayed home with our young sons, and my friend Deidra and my daughter Sophia traveled with me to receive Grace. Even though I skyped with Kevin A LOT and for LONG PERIODS OF TIME, it has still been difficult for him to even understand how damaged Grace was at first. When I talk of our time in China, he still shakes his head in disbelief at the magnitude of Grace's disturbed behaviors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Grace, it was instantly obvious, could not process even the smallest details in her new environment. She wasn't just stubborn, she was not even capable of filtering events and settings around her except to try to manipulate them. She could only be in "survival mode" at all times. The only things she could do well were to have gigantic meltdowns and manipulate the adults in her world. HEARTBREAKING.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Every trip outside the hotel room was fraught with trauma for her and us. She was expert at gaining the quick approval of Chinese adults, whether that was the man on the elevator or the restaurant waitress. We found out later from our guide that the Chinese words she was speaking to others were things like, "I love you," and "I think you are pretty/handsome." Then she would demand they give her something. It was the doctor's lunch in the clinic, some sort of merchandise in the store, a different plate and a different food in the restaurant, even things off the maid's carts in the hallway. The time of the maid cleaning our room was even a tough spot as she demanded and received things from her each day. We had to constantly be alert to these dangerous interactions on her part. She approached strangers and acquaintances alike with the sole purpose of obtaining something. And she did it all in the loudest voice I had ever heard a child her size use. Her speech was demanding and frantic at the same time. She had no other frame of reference for behavior. SAD BEYOND BELIEF.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When I would step in and say no to the person wishing to give in to her demands, Grace would go into some sort of terrible trance and begin her descent into a huge meltdown where she would scream and wail and try to bang her head on whatever hard surface she could find. She would fall to the ground and writhe as if in pain. If she happened to stay standing, she would fling her limbs outward in such a freakish way that people would instantly recoil. This happened over and over again, on dirty restroom floors, in Chinese governmental offices, in our hotel lobby, on the sidewalk as we were walking someplace, in restaurants, while touring cathedrals and temples alike, on playgrounds, in stores, in airport waiting lines, you name it. And even if people (mostly strangers) gave into her demands, it only fed her frenzy.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">She would hit, kick, scratch, and try to bite me often. I did therapeutic holds more times than I can count. I whispered that I loved her, Jesus loved her, she was worthy over and over again. We were always on "high alert" for danger to and from Grace. There was never any "down" time. We were all in "survival mode" during the day and only partly relaxed at night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I woke each morning early, around 3 a.m., and would quietly slip into the bathroom to read the comments from our blog and pray. I wept as I read each comment, those life-giving, sustaining comments. You have no idea how they helped strengthen me. Then I would pray. Actually, Deidra, Sophia, and I never stopped praying once we received Gracie. Kevin and so many people back home were praying, too. We prayed under our breath in hotel elevators, while eating out, in the gardens of the temple, on our knees at the Christian cathedral, and in restrooms. We relied on our wonderful guide, John, like we were reaching out for a life boat on stormy high seas. We put one foot in front of the other while praying, and God got us home safely and soundly. Giving all praise to Him who brought us home and continues to sustain us. Thanking God that Sophia and Deidra were there in the terrible times to help sustain Gracie and me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The trauma didn't stop when we returned home. Gracie's meltdowns were much easier to handle and are gradually being extinguished, but the trauma of her previous existence didn't miraculously go away. It is slowly improving. And we are slowly learning to love her in such a way that we will never let go, but this road has been one long difficult one, for sure. For us, and most assuredly for Gracie. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But now at home, with Kevin by my side, and our little family learning how to relate to Grace and she to us, through consistency and love, discipline when needed, guidance always, through knowledge of the adoption process of attachment and bonding, through family and friends helping to give us time to bond with our precious girl, things are improving. Through God all things are possible.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now look at the next picture. It was taken yesterday at our homeschool field trip. Oh my! Can you believe it? Only our God can bring such a miracle - beauty from ashes I say.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our Gracie is learning what love is, the love of our God and the love of her family. We are learning patience (not always), perseverance, extreme love, and how to relate to a child so broken but now beginning to heal. We are far from perfect, and many days we don't even hit the mark, but God is teaching, molding, and guiding us daily. Gracie is learning what security means, what boundaries are, what joy there is in trying something new and exciting, what living in a family really means - the give and take of life. She is responding daily to new situations around her and is beginning to do it in a gentle and calm manner. She is learning to give love as well as accept it.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Truly on this day, her first birthday home, she is a treasure. Life is precious, and we are so thankful God brought us together. Happy Birthday dear one. We will love you forever.</span> </div>
Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-85321474473940053572014-05-21T17:36:00.000-07:002014-05-21T17:36:13.688-07:00Homeschool Highlights<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you had told us six years ago that we (two public school teachers) would be homeschooling all of our China treasures now, we would have thought you were crazy!</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Practicing for our homeschool co-op's end-of-the-year music concert</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Homeschool? Who, us?</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">What about the socialization?</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The night of the music concert from the co-op's music students</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">What about the curriculum?</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">What about the time constraints? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">What about, what about??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After Field Day, there was still time to visit the zoo with friends and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">see one of the new and exciting exhibits!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">I stay home and teach our four youngest children. Some days are trying - too much to do, too little time (not all that different from teaching in the public school). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">But, overall we are so happy with our decision! We can pick and choose what and how to teach our kids. We can shore up their needs and enhance their strengths.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">There is so much we can teach - God's word, history, math, language arts, many, many kinds of literature, science, art, music, pe, social skills, and so much more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: large;">We can do it all through individual instruction, group instruction through our co-op, and field trips with friends.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love homeschooling. While I know not everyone wants to or has the time or resources to homeschool, we thank God that He has put this type of teaching on our hearts. The sacrifices we make to homeschool seem so small compared to the benefits. Our children are thriving and growing into Godly young people who are interested in the world around them, and we get a front row seat!</span> </span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-86465032872563325152014-05-11T17:49:00.001-07:002014-05-11T18:14:50.012-07:00Happy Mother's Day<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a sweet day today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Church with my husband and children this morning . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Brunch with our neighbor, Dottie, and our children . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rounding out the day with our nephew's college graduation and dinner out with some of Kevin's family, including my mother-in-law . .</span> .</div>
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The graduate and his peeps</div>
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The graduate and his grandmother - a very sweet picture</div>
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Ted and his "little" cousin</div>
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Alex and some of his groupies</div>
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Some adorable people who made my day</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Missing my mom today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was her first Mother's Day in Heaven. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sending our love and hugs to her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">But mostly, today was a very lovely day spent being cherished for being a mom and wife, surrounded by my amazing family!</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-78270246243737234782014-04-29T04:45:00.000-07:002014-04-29T04:45:25.940-07:00Kevin, it's your day!<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Birthday to Kevin on his 57th birthday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">No matter his age, young or old, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">he is the best husband and father around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Silly beyond compare</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Patient, too, especially when little ones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Always there for every occasion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">The sweetest, most loving man I know</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loves all creatures, great and small</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is an encourager</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Makes us smile even in tough times</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Makes special moments for each of us</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">We love, love, love, this faithful, wonderful, goofy, loving, dependable, hard-working, amazing man!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank you God for our Kevin!</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-46427513507796239772014-04-08T04:35:00.000-07:002014-04-08T05:07:26.644-07:00Setback<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Remember the last post? The one where I said Gracie was doing so well?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">She is, really. . .for this short time into our transition, but . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">We can so easily forget when we see her sweet little face beaming that she has still come from an extremely difficult place and still has miles and miles to go to get to a good place in her healing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">And so it was that we were reminded of that sad fact when our dear little Philip had his bone graft surgery this past week. When we were raising only Ted (or when Philip first came home which felt like raising an only child again), it was so easy to focus solely on one child's needs. Whatever Ted had going on, be it surgery, a concert, a sporting event, etc., Kevin and I were always there. When Philip came home, we only had to share our time with a toddler and a college guy. Pretty easy to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now though, we have entered into the land of splitting our time and presence to help all of our children having a present need. This is not new territory to many families, but this has come to us rather later in life, and it is a transition for us as well! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since Gracie came home, all of our attention and focus has had to be on her. She has so many needs right at this moment. But Philip - he needed us too as his surgery was a tough one. Ted graciously came and sat with our three little ones at home while Kevin and I spent the day with Philip. Then I spent the night at the hospital with him as well. Gracie's new normal was rocked. She loves Ted, and that presents a bit of a problem at times since she will easily transfer her beginning attachment from us to him. It seems at first that our children from difficult backgrounds can only focus on one attachment at a time. She goes back and forth between Kevin and me as it is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">So throw her into spending all day with Ted (who is just plain wonderful), and she retreats in her progress. Then throw into the mix that her new mama and brother aren't there at night and perhaps her new daddy is a bit worried about her missing brother's well being, and by morning she was a mess. On top of that, a loud and scary thunderstorm woke both Gracie and Elijah in terror in the morning. By the time Philip and I came home from the hospital, she had gone back into her "orphanage survival skill" mode and met us at the door stumbling and flailing her arms and legs around. Her gaze was glazed over for most of the day, and she just sat and stared out into space. Truly it was heartbreaking to see.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">How easily life can take our precious broken children back to a bad place again. We have had a time getting her back as our Philip has needed a lot of attention. We are happy to say that Philip is healing well and getting back to his old self again, but our Gracie has taken a bit longer to feel a little more secure again. Getting glasses for the first time yesterday, you could just see her starting to slip away a little. Oh, the dance of attaching and bonding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Steps forward, steps back. . .</span><br />
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New glasses for both of our girls. Gracie has rubber frames because she is</div>
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not the most careful of children with her belongings. LOL!</div>
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Not completely up to par, but feeling better every day!</div>
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<br />Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-50794276862147143942014-03-31T19:59:00.002-07:002014-03-31T19:59:37.425-07:00Gracie Update<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gracie's behavior just keeps getting better and better!</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gone is that scared, overwhelmed, angry, impatient little girl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Now we see sweetness, mild outbursts, and really wanting to be part of the family kind of behavior</span>. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are days and times that she reverts back to what we call "orphanage behavior," but those times are less and less</span>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Several times a day we stand back and marvel at what God has already done in Grace's life and ours.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes I think that it isn't just the new child that changes so, but also it is that our hearts expand and grow.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maybe it's a little of both, really.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or a lot. </span></div>
Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-80242475764110968002014-03-25T20:45:00.004-07:002014-03-26T09:26:20.952-07:00Home a month now!We cannot believe that our Gracie has been home for a month now! That stressful, awful, wonderful time in China is becoming a distant memory - thanking God for that!! <br />
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The Gracie we received and struggled with through our time in China is also becoming a distant memory. She is blossoming before our very eyes, and we love the softness and gentleness we are seeing in her. We love her so already!!<br />
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Everyone is settling down into a routine. We are even able to venture out more and more and do more "normal" activities with our new little girl. During her first couple of weeks at home, there was a time that I didn't think things would ever get any better. Jet lag, exhaustion, and being overwhelmed with the transition can really play havoc on your emotional state! Also, there is a certain letdown after you return home. The high excitement of traveling and receiving your child has worn off, and the sheer amount of work in the transitioning stages tend to be a let down similar to the day after Christmas. That is the only way I can explain it, and I am not meaning anything negative about our precious children and the gift they are to us. I feel fairly certain that each new child we bring home feels the letdown for a bit as well.<br />
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Then we begin to move on through that stage, and suddenly you wake up one morning, and just like that, your new child feels like he or she has always been with the family. Just like that the same new child begins to feel that he/she is finally home and that you are their family. It is such a difficult process, but we are entering into that stage where we all are feeling like we belong to each other, and I have to say that we are "thrilled" to be out of that yucky "new at home" stage. Even though we will still have rocky times, we know that mostly it will only get better and better. <br />
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-27595480123391992232014-03-17T09:47:00.001-07:002014-03-17T09:47:06.082-07:00How are we doing this far into the transition time?<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Today, March 17th (St. Paddy's Day)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Gracie has been ours for one month!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Many people want to know how she is doing with the huge transition in her life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">We have had a fair share of ups and downs, and Gracie (who came home so delayed) has a long road ahead of her,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">But, this we know. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">She loves sleeping in a comfy bed with lots of warm, soft blankets to cover her. She loves having lots of good food to eat (and some junk food, too!) She loves giggling and being silly. She loves having toys with which to play, and she is beginning to love being in school at our home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">But most of all, she loves belonging . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">She loves having a family of her own! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">So amazing to see the early beginnings of our diamond in the rough starting to shine!</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-5760447245958348112014-03-09T18:57:00.001-07:002014-03-09T18:59:08.058-07:00Home and adjusting to a new normal<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">We arrived back home Wednesday night, February 26th, to a gathering of our loved ones welcoming us back. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Happy to be heading home </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(our dear friend Deidra and my Sophia)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A homecoming at the airport</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gracie meeting her daddy and brothers for the first time</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Looking a little travel weary, but so happy to be home</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Our first picture as a family of 7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A little overwhelmed and getting a look at her new</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">bedroom for the first time</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Beginning to play in her new home</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Philip and Elijah sharing the moment with Gracie</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Awww, </span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-41284660665635262252014-02-08T05:50:00.003-08:002014-02-08T05:54:16.032-08:00Leaving on a jet plane . . .<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">The next time I post anything on this website, we will be home with our Gracie!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Can't believe it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">We leave February 14th (Ted's birthday and Wendy's too)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Check out our adoption website:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"><a href="http://myadoptionwebsite.com/journeytogracie/index.html">myadoptionwebsite</a>.com</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Journey to Gracie</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-90437607099689403532014-01-28T20:17:00.001-08:002014-01-28T20:17:23.844-08:00TA, CA, And Travel Dates - oh my!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wow! We received our Travel Approval and Consulate Appointment just a few days ago, and now we have our tickets in hand ready to travel!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I even have begun to pack! Can't believe we are really this close to bringing our Gracie home!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here are two pictures we just received from her orphanage showing Grace looking at the picture book we sent her of her family and her soon-to-be new life! Priceless beyond belief!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you wish, you can follow our adoption journey at</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">myadoptionwebsite.com</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Journey to Gracie</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-3816806760684692402013-12-28T07:26:00.000-08:002013-12-28T07:33:01.816-08:00Christmas time 2013<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">This <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Christmas</span> has been a new normal for my family and me. With my mom's illness and passing in the summer, our hearts have been heavy with grief. Then I became ill around Thanksgiving and just couldn't shake it for weeks which made preparing for the season even more difficult.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">But God . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">He makes all things new . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">All four of our children were in a beautiful CHRISTmas musical at our church. Even our littlest got in on the action and practiced his songs for all he was worth! In the last few weeks leading up to the production, we spent a great deal of time and energy on the musical. It was exhausting, but in a good way. We were extremely busy, but ALL of the practices and preparation were centered on Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">That turned out to be an amazingly awesome thing! Suddenly we found that JOY began to find a spot in our hearts where only deep sadness had been living. Christ's birth, life, and resurrection certainly takes on new meaning whenever you lose a loved one. Suddenly we could once again begin to experience that JOY and peace that really does pass all understanding. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">In fact, one morning Kevin and I realized that our children hadn't seen a smiling face from us in a long, long time. Too long. We were missing the treasure that they are to us and only focusing on our deep sadness over Mom's illness and death. We stopped right then and there and prayed that God would return JOY to our hearts despite our immense grief. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">He did just that as we moved toward celebrating the Christmas holiday. The musical began our change of heart, and it continued throughout the holiday. Now, I am not saying our intense grief is gone. There were moments in the past week where our grief brought us to our knees as we would remember all that we have lost (three of our four beloved parents/grandparents are no longer on earth). But I am saying that JOY in Christ has come again, and we can rejoice in that even in the times of great sorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">And looking back on all of the festivities of the last few weeks, our hearts can smile with the JOY that we experienced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Christmas musical was truly breathtakingly beautiful in presenting the CHRISTmas story</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Spending Christmas Eve at my brother's home has begun a new family tradition. My brother, sister-in-law, and nephew worked so hard to make this a special time, incorporating so many special touches of Mom throughout the evening. Even though each of our hearts was deeply longing to have Mom and Dad once again be with us for that special night, we were able to find JOY and happiness in the celebration of Christ and our love for each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Christmas morning came, and our little family of six (plus cute puppy) thoroughly enJOYED our time of celebration with reading the CHRISTmas story and opening the special gifts we had picked out for each other. We all are looking forward to Grace being a part of our Christmas next year! There was even a gift for her that morning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Christmas evening was spent with our neighbor Dottie (who adopted us long ago as part of her family and vice versa for us) and Gram (Kevin's mom). They came for dinner and for the annual decorating of the gingerbread houses with our family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kevin and I have had our parents over for a special dinner for Christmas (not always on the day but close to it) since our early years of marriage. The decorating of the gingerbread houses began four years ago. We were so very blessed to once again have Carolyn (Gram) and Dottie join us.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And lastly, we joined Kevin's family for another Christmas celebration the day after Christmas. It was a sweet night and great way to end our Christmas holiday surrounded by so many people we love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Before we knew it, Christmas had come and gone. The holiday we had all been dreading going through without my mom had actually turned out to be filled with so much JOY that it left our hearts smiling long after the last bite of food, the last gift opened, the last Christmas song sung, and the last hug from our loved ones. God was surely in the details of this season of REJOICING.</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-32376303658390811652013-12-19T05:40:00.000-08:002013-12-19T05:40:08.529-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just another day of cuteness in our home!</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-64476172624389819652013-12-06T20:45:00.002-08:002013-12-06T20:48:34.111-08:00Closer and closer<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Below are two pictures of our family that have been taken recently. The first one was the picture we took last summer to be used in our China dossier.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">The other picture was taken on Thanksgiving day. It is kind of funny because the way Ted is standing makes him look like he has a funny hair style and a star upon his head! See for yourself.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JGOmiNsZA1U/UqKmfeXJwQI/AAAAAAAACuA/vEuTS0_U0Bw/s1600/Whole+family+picture+with+Grace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JGOmiNsZA1U/UqKmfeXJwQI/AAAAAAAACuA/vEuTS0_U0Bw/s320/Whole+family+picture+with+Grace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">But, do you notice anything else about the pictures? Something kind of sweet and charming?? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Grace is in both of them! Our brother-in-law photo-shopped her into the pictures so we can send it to her to let her know she belongs to our family!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"> We love the way they both turned out - she just fits right in with the rest of us! We pray she will think so, too!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Ok, prayer warriors - we would love to have your prayers about the details still to be worked out in Grace's adoption process as we get closer and closer to bringing her home. They are details that can only be worked out by our amazing God! We are trusting in Him for the outcomes.</span></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-2048578340596683142013-12-04T08:09:00.000-08:002013-12-04T10:35:18.854-08:00New pictures of our girl!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Gracie knows she has a family! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And she is thrilled!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">She tells everyone she knows that she will soon see her mom and dad!!</span></div>
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<br />Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8169946550317770831.post-69123753473437459812013-10-30T20:41:00.001-07:002013-10-30T20:41:11.227-07:00LOA!!!<div align="center">
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">L O A!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">Three little letters that mean a whole lot!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">We will be receiving our LOA tomorrow by mail. LOA stands for "Letter of Acceptance"</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">for Grace!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">We file our I-800 with Citizen and Immigration</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">We wait for our Article 5</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">We wait for our TA (Travel Approval)</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">We fly to China! </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">It may fall on Chinese New Year, so that means we wait until after that.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">But, even though it seems far away, </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: x-large;">we are really, really close to bringing our Gracie home! January/February! </span></strong></div>
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Janet and Kevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02951028593473613761noreply@blogger.com5