One Year Ago Today ...

... our lives were changed forever. It is surreal to think that a year has passed since we got on a plane to China and traveled half way around the world to meet our daughter. I remember that day and exact moment like it was yesterday. We awoke with such anticipation, had breakfast, boarded a bus, and drove to that little building where our daughter waited for us. She had come on a long bus ride herself from her orphanage, a few hours away. I will never forget when we walked into that hot Civil Affairs office and saw our daughter's face. I was the first person off the bus and the first to get off the elevator upstairs where the babies waited for us. I saw her the moment I walked into the room. She was so small, so distant and so alone as she sat on a nanny's lap. She held a little rattle. I knew her face as soon as I saw it and after a few seconds and without asking for permission, I walked over to her and for the first time we made eye contact. I touched her little hand. She was so tiny. So perfect. It is a moment I'll never forget and was one of the most special days of my life.

I am so thankful that God chose us to be Lia's parents and we are all so blessed by this little girl. Those scared and distant eyes have become much more confident and secure over the past year. That day was happy for us but I will never know how this brave little person felt leaving the only home she had ever known and being placed in the arms of two people who looked, smelled and sounded different from all that she knew. What emotions there were from all of us! But God's arms were around us all and once again, He created a family and somehow we knew it would all be alright. Lia has blossomed into a joyful little girl who loves to giggle and dance. She is full of life and loves her family. And we love her. More than we ever thought imaginable.

What a day that was and as I remember I am overwhelmed. And grateful. And full of joy and thanksgiving.

Spring is here!

We've had a fun and busy spring so far. We have enjoyed playing outside a lot and it has been a lot of fun seeing both Jackson and Lia grow so much. They are saying so many new words every day and are truly entertaining! They continue to get along so well and genuinely seem to love being together. I'm sure the sibling rivalry will start at some point but for now we are enjoying the peaceful play. Lia and Jackson enjoy playing in their outdoor pool.

They always enjoy snack time - especially when I let them sit on their mat.

One of their new favorite things to do is sit in their rocking chairs on the porch. They sit out there and read, talk to each other and watch tv. They even sometimes rock each other. It's too funny.

Fun outside on a beautiful day!

Easter 2010

Eating Peeps for the first time. At first they weren't so sure about them ...

But as you can see, it didn't take long to start enjoying them. Look at those faces!!

A couple of rare pictures of both of them sitting still - at the same time!! Jackson and Lia love their golf clubs!

More pictues from March

A whole-lotta catching up!

So February just kind of happened I guess and here we are well into March! We stayed busy and it seems like just in such a short time my babies have officially become toddlers. They both turned 18 months old earlier this month and Lia is officially just over 20 lbs now (5th percentile) and Jackson is nearly 28 lbs (75th percentile). Both are chatting up a storm. We're not always sure what they are saying but they are usually pretty passionate about whatever it is. We are hearing more recognizable words each day. Jackson had tubes put in his ears a couple of weeks ago so that should help in in many ways, one of which is in his ability to hear better. We are already hearing new sounds from him and it is exciting to watch.
It's finally spring (as of this week!) and we are starting to have more and more warm days. Both Jackson and Lia love to be outside whether they are swinging, running around the yard, riding in their wagon or "taking doggie on a walk". In fact, we spend a lot of time on the porch as well and keeping them inside is sometimes a battle. I'm so glad they like the outdoors though!
They both love to climb the stairs and in fact, they love to climb on anything! This is especially true for Lia. She's our little "monkey" and finds her way into many many predicaments due to her climbing. We joined Gymboree recently and that has been a big hit. They love going there for a lot of reasons but I'm guessing one of them is because they can climb all they want and when they take a spill it is on a soft mat.
They still enjoy their books, and also love singing, which is pretty entertaining to us. They have started coloring and do pretty well as long as I can keep the crayons out of their mouths. :)
Jackson and Lia are a ton of fun right now and we don't have many dull moments. They laugh so much and can make a big deal out of the smallest things. It's so neat to see their little imaginations at work and to see them soak up everything around them. We are looking forward to more spring days and to all the fun and adventure the coming months hold.
Below are some pictures from February and March. They are posted from oldest to newest. My goal is to update the blog more regularly and not let myself get so far behind in the future!
Enjoy!

Jackson and Lia love playing in the driveway and edge of the street. It's a good thing we live on a cul-de-sac!

Yes, this is the look of a determined little girl (above) and a frustrated one (below), as she got herself "stuck" in the toy drum.

Fun at the park!

Family time outside.

All dressed up for church

Lia learning to climb into the tree house ...uh-oh ...

Jackson and Brooke

Jackson, perfecting the art of "stepping" while outside.

Lia playing outside

Jackson, giving Mema a big hello!

Lia sporting a fabulous dress with matching hat (thank Annie). This girl just loves to wear a hat!!