Happy 6th Birthday Mia

She is beautiful inside and out

She is dedicated to complete any task she starts (and just a little stubborn)

She loves her brothers deeply and desires their approval

She loves her sister with everything she has

She is goofy

She loves face painting

She has bought unspeakable joy to our lives.  We love you Mia girl, thank you for showing us how amazing it is to parent a daughter - you have changed our lives forever.  



Five Years Ago Tonight I Couldn't Sleep

Why?

because our lives were about to change forever

laying in a bed in a hotel in China

watching the minutes go by on the clock

we were overwhelmed with feelings of excitement, nervousness, joy

hours from then we were going to meet our daughter for the first time

the only image we had seen of her was taken when she was a couple of months old

now she was 11 months

so many questions going through our heads....


will she cry when they hand her to us?

will she bond to us?

how long will it take for her to get used to us?

what would our new family look like, how was it all going to work?

how would we feel once her lip was repaired? We loved her cleft, it was such a part of her and her personality, we honestly couldn't imagine her with out it

Mia one week home from China on her first birthday

would the repair go well?

how long would it take to heal?

As the days, weeks, and months went by, life very quickly became normal, yes it was now a new normal, a slightly more crazier normal, but she just fitted right on in. 

She has loved life from day one, she is stubborn, determined, sweet, loving and caring.  She learnt to fight for survival early in life, and those have produced characteristics of determination now.

She tells us frequently how much she loves us, and how happy she is that we are her mommy and daddy, and her family - oh my heart.  We are very open with talking to her about her tummy mommy (birth mom) and our journey to her. She is soon to be six and there are more questions now, how we wish we had more answers.  We have prayed hard that she will always know how much she is loved and never feel any sense of rejection.  We know that as she gets older she will have more specific questions, and we will be right there to help her through that journey.

this girl LOVES her noodles

Six years ago, you changed our lives forever, you became our daughter, you showed us the miracle of adoption, and just like when your brothers were born you showed us a depth of love we had never understood before, you changed the path of our lives forever.

We love you so much Mia, Happy Forever Family Day, we can not imagine for a moment our lives without you, we are so proud and blessed to be your mommy and daddy.

Cheerleading and Fencing oh my.....

Love seeing my kids having fun

What is it about boys and swords?

Back to school (Mia starts kindergarten)

Backpacks ready the night before

Benjamin leaves first - he is in 7th grade and although I did still go with him to the bus stop (something that is only permitted on the first day of school or in yucky weather when he wants a ride in the car - like today) there were no pictures and hugs allowed.

Next it was Ethan and Mia's turn

and of coarse today was a BIG day for Mia - Kindergarten

it always seems to rain on the first day of school

she has been so excited about today, and has never mentioned once not wanting to go

it all happened so fast - no time for tears (for momma)

and off we go

of coarse there is always time for a quick photo op

her sweet brother, who is in 5th grade and now gets to sit at the back of the bus - rode to and from school at the front with the kindergartners so that Mia could sit with him.




Lastly it was back to the house to get Lily ready and off to her preschool class, where she will now be going four mornings a week.  She will get all her therapies there, today I stayed with her, but she did great.  There are only 3 students in the class and 2 teachers so lots of one on one attention for miss Lily.



I tried to get a few pictures to remember the day - but this girl is on the move

forget posing

off I go

When they all came home - the reports were good.

Benjamin - "it was good", "yes, they were fine" - man can't the boy give his momma more than that.

Ethan was full of information and couldn't stop telling me about his day - how can 2 boys be SO different??

Mia said she loved school, that some of the children had to go to time out for talking but she did everything the teacher said :).
She did tell me when I was putting her to bed that she felt a little bit nervous today. When I asked her when, she said, "when I was getting dressed this morning, and when I was trying to make friends" ahhh man my heart could break, those tender moments when your children are clearly sharing something important with you are priceless. She had shown no outward sign of being nervous, but clearly there was more going on inside - I am so glade she shared with me. Praying that she makes friends quickly and easily and that her speech is not a hindrance, I know it is something that she is conscious about especially when other children have a hard time understanding her.
This girl has come so far and I am so proud of her - there are not words to express how much I love her


how much I love all my children - and how proud I am to be thier momma.

Momma, I'm going to love Kindergarten

Today Mia had Kindergarten orientation

Yes - they still have to bring a mat (Mia hasn't napped for 2 years)

She has been waiting for this day for a year - she wanted to go "so badly" last year

Her Kindergarten teacher, Mrs Miles, is the same teacher Ethan had - she's great.

When we left, Mia said, "Momma, I'm going to like Kindergarten"

I am going to miss this girl like crazy.

Girl time

I love these girls

I can not imagine my life without them

Although I miss Chris and the boys like crazy, I am so grateful for this time I am having with the girls.

The boys and Chris are in Nicaragua - you can check out their blog here.

Sweet Cousins

Mia and Molly - enjoying some girl time



My Girls

Enjoying every moment watching them grow and blossom






Lily is loving being able to sit up, the world must look so different to her from this position.










Mia got to spend some alone mommy time at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens - memories to treasure.