New Family Pictures

Exciting times around our home these days!

 

 

 

Ted and Claire are engaged!!  We are over the moon happy about that!

 

 

 

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! 

 

 

Our kids

 

The girls

 

The boys

 

This one is a riot!  Maybe it could

be one of those "awkward" photos

you see on the internet!

 

A picture with our "littles"

 

Our gang

 

Happy!

 

Ahhh, scary children picture!

 

The mom and dad

 

Lovely day with our children

 

Beautiful couple

 

Our oldest son and soon to be

daughter-in-law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The wild, wild west

Today 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.

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!

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Needing 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.

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. 

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!!

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. 

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! 

 

First stop - Jefferson's home

 

 



 

A bit of cuteness at the gift shop later

 

 



 

At Williamsburg with Daddy

 

 

 



 

Resting in the shade with Mommy

 

 

 

Playing Colonial games

 

 

 

In a hot Colonial kitchen

 

 

 

Playing more Colonial games!

 

 

 

A day at the aquarium with our cousins

 

 

 

Should have posted this picture for "Shark Week"

 

 

 



Cousins

 

 

 

At the beach

 

 

 

In Roanoke meeting more family

The Girls

 

 

 

The Boys

 

 

 

Our littles with still another uncle along the way home

 

 

 

 

An another aunt, too!

 

 

 

Most precious picture of the whole trip

 

 

 

 

Back home with Wendy

 

 







Happy 6th Gotcha Day, Philip!

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! 

One of the first pictures we saw of our little guy over spring break

(both Kevin and I are teachers) in April 2008. 

The sparkle in his eyes caught our hearts right away!

 

 

Daddy holding Philip for the first time - Philip

wasn't too sure about this "family stuff"

 

 

First time in Mommy's arms - he really

wasn't sure about having a new family at this point!

 

 

Despite his hesitation when first meeting us, Philip quickly warmed up to

 his new mommy and daddy and was such a happy boy in China!

 

 

What a wonderful "Welcome Home" Philip received

when we stepped off the plane.  Our loving family and

friends welcomed our little boy home with open arms and hearts!

 

 

Once home, my dad and Philip became best buddies.

Dad only lived another year and half, but in that time, he and

Philip forged a strong bond that will last for eternity.  Love this picture

of my dad, my uncle (Dad's brother), and our tiny son.

 

 

My mom loved to come play with our little children.

Philip was so very close to her as well.  She passed away

last summer.  He misses both of his grandparents

but was blessed to get to know them. 

 

 

 

Couldn't find a picture of Gram with Philip but wanted to

include this sweet picture of Kevin and his mom because

Philip still is blessed (we all are) to have his Gram in his

life. They are kindred spirits in their love of puzzles and games.

When we say that we are taking our kids to Grams for a game date,

he lights up!

 

 

Philip loves, loves, loves his siblings.  He and his

biggest brother are especially close.  When Philip first came

home, Ted was still away at college and had a difficult

time getting Philip to bond with him, but now you would

never know! They are such sweet buddies.

 

 

Philip and his China siblings are very close.

They play for long hours, talk and giggle like crazy,

and genuinely love each other.  When watching these lovies

together, it is difficult to imagine that there was a

time they didn't know each other.  It is a joy

and privilege to parent all of our children!

 

 

Philip has lots of family who love him dearly - aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Here he is with two of his big cousins whom he considers his good friends, too!

 

 

Philip surrounded by his family - We say it every year

and with all of our children, but it is true - we can't imagine

Philip (or any of our children) not being here.  We love him

to the moon and back!

 

When we tucked him in at night on his Gotcha Day, he beamed and

said, "Thank you for adopting me."  Oh honey, the pleasure is all ours!  We

would do it again and again.  Our quiver is full.  Our hearts overflow!

 

Happy 6th Gotcha Day, Philip!