I won a blog award!!

My friend Shanna at Our Big Crazy Family has given me a fabulous blog award, thanks so much!!  I would also like to give this blog award to five of my favorite blogs I read.......

The Nut House

Crazy for Kids

Love Keeps Growing More Love

Little Jills Memoir

The Queen Bee

Now here are the rules for this award:

1. Pass it on to 5 fabulous blogs, and include the one that gave it to you (and Link them). 2. List 5 of your fabulous addictions......

So here are my fabulous addictions...

1.  I would say I have to copy Shanna on this one, I am addicted to anything China adoption, I would bring them all home if I could!!!

2. I am sooooo addicted to Sushi, I cant get enough of it and I think about when will be the next time I can get it and make any excuse to go to my favorite sushi bar!!

3. I love dark chocolate and I keep little stashes here and there, I will eat a few squares a day, my favorite is dark chocolate with cayenne pepper!

4. I am addicted to buying little girls clothes, I cant seem to get enough and she has way more then she will ever where.  I dont buy in advance because before she can ever wear it I will change my mind and like something else, so then I sell it!!  The online forums are sooo dangerous.

5.  Again I have to copy Shanna on this one.....I love Burt's Bees chapstick, I have 5 or 6 different jackets that I wear often and I have a tube in every jacket. I also have one in both purses and both cars!!!  I have tried other brands but nothing works as good as Burt's Bees!!!

Well there you have it, now have fun with yours!

Birthday Party pictures Part II

Yes, a new cup, I love cups!

Pretty new dress from Mommy and Daddy

What could this be from my neighborhood babysitter?

A Tea Set from Nana and Papa

See!

Birthday Party pictures Part I

A kitty shirt from my brothers

Cheese!

Thanks for my cake Daddy!

Everyone enjoying cake and ice cream

Wordless Wednesdays

Ava's finding spot! Part II

Please see her Birthday post below this post!

Happy 2nd Birthday Ava Marie Qi Ya!!!!!!! Part 1

Ava's finding photo

Her favorite Nanny

We dont know how old she is here?

Seeing Ava for the first time

Finally after 3 years, in our arms

Where do I start?  Last night we celebrated Ava's 2nd Birthday, her given Birthday on her adoption paperwork is January 20th, 2007.  She was abandoned on April 17th, 2007, she was left at the front of a News Paper Press gate.  Upon arrival at the orphanage after examination she was found to have a serve heart defect.  Would her Mom have kept her if it was not for her heart?  Was it too much of a financial burden to the family?  Did she hold her baby tight every night and nurse her at the breast wondering what she would do as she looked into those deep brown eyes?  Only her birth Mom knows her real Birthday.  I can not help be think over this past month "Was today the day Ava was born?"  Is her birth Mom on the other side of the world thinking about the baby girl she left very sick at the News Paper gate?  Is she wondering if she is still alive and does she ever wonder if she has been adopted and living in America and that her heart has been healed?  All these questions bring tears to my eyes and to wonder what it would be like to have to make the life saving decision for your child.

I remember going to her finding spot and standing there while all the locals moved about.  Here we were 6 Americans standing here holding a Chinese baby girl.  Did anyone recognize her?  Did anyone remember one year earlier as she laid here helpless and alone?

I had no time to get emotional last night with the craziness of the party but as the kids laid asleep in their beds after the cake and ice cream rush I could not help to come back to all those questions again.  I always wanted to be a Mom since I was a little girl.  I have two younger brothers and many many foster brothers during my childhood.  I always dreamed of getting married and having children some day.  When that day finally came I had four sons.  My oldest was a text book pregnancy and birth I did not know any better and was just happy I was finally having  my first baby after more than 3 years of trying and a very painful surgery to be given a 20% chance of having children.  His birth was a horrible experience, I will not go into all the details.  I went on to have 3 more sons and took an alternative view.  I had three beautiful peaceful, perfect home births and two of those were water births.  I was in total control and everything was just right. I did almost lose my 4th son during pregnancy and was on bedrest, all my past female issues showed up again with him and it was very scary but his birth was perfect and he is my red head so what else can I say. :-)  With all our boys we practiced Attachment Parenting, Family Bed, and I nursed all of them  for at least 2 years, one a little longer.   I love all of them very much but still had that longing for a little girl.  Every year that past that feeling got stronger and stronger.  I always thought about adoption and starting reading more and more about it.  It is funny how God works, was his plan really to send us to the other side of the world for that daughter we always wanted?  He knew all along that she was meant for us, God is good!  We are so privileged to be the parents of this little girl, God knew exactly what he was doing.  You should see my boys with her, it was the best thing that could of happened to our family.  I will say that there are still trying times, sleepless nights, tantrums, toddler messes everywhere but in the end it is all worth it.  God has big plans for her and I am so honored to be able to witness it first hand.  Thanks for listening to my ramblings and enjoy the pictures, it will probably take a couple of posts.

Just cuteness!!!

Doing the spin

I'm going to be 2 in a few days!

Given Mama loves!

CHEESE!

Another picture, seriously?!

Help this little girl get back to China!!!

Kennedy has a chance of a life time to go back to China and visit the orphanage she was adopted from when she was 6 months old.  Her orphanage is inviting all the children back that have been adopted for a reunion and celebration.  Kennedy needs to raise $3,300 dollars to go with one of her parents.  She is the oldest of six adopted children in the family.  What a wonderful thing for this little girl to experience and go back to her birth country. I don't know her or her family but came across her blog and thought I would post it here and help her out.  I know I would want the same for my daughter.  She is selling magnets and bracelets too in the side bar, very cool!!

Please help her make her goal and tell everyone you know!!

Wordless Wednesdays

Thank You Uncle Norm!!

My cool Uncle sent me this all the way from Italy for Christmas. It is a little big but it will be perfect next fall, he also sent a beautiful wool red coat to go with it.  Great taste and thanks for all our goodies they really mean a lot to us.  Especially the ones from the Vatican.  I will get a picture of the boys in the awesome shirts soon.

That is a stamp on her foot from Gym class, not dirt!

Our little school girl

Our Day trip to Focus on the Family

While Grandma Sherry was visiting over Christmas break we took a day trip to Focus on the Family.  Soren had been before but not the other kids.  It is a great place to go for the afternoon and the kids had a blast playing, doing a scavenger hunt, and checking out the book store.  Most of the pictures below are from the toddler play area and I think the older boys were having just as much fun. 

Playing in the boat

Look close I think a wild Indian got Soren!

Who is the toddler?

Helping sissy

Another picture, Mom?

Wordless Wednesdays

Family Photo Shoot- Part 5

Mommy and Daddy

The Family

Ahhhhh

One of my favorites of us

Daddy'O

Family Photo Shoot- Part 4

The "Cool Guy" jump

The senior picture look but 4 years too early

He smiles!!!!

Great jump Soren

Striking the pose!

Family Photo Shoot- Part III

I have about three more parts to post but we have to head out.  I will try and get them posted tonight when we get back.  See ya!

Striking the pose!

Being Goofy!

So sweet!

Jump for Joy!

Gavin