I'm a BIG helper!

Lily is helping Da Da make some new dressers.
One for Lily and one for Lana!

(Written by Da Da) As a home owner, home improvement projects are a way of life. I really enjoy getting out my tools to fix, assemble, build, or paint projects. These days I don't do any projects by myself, I have a helper! Whenever I am doing work around the house, Lily is right by my side. She is actually a very good helper and is a natural at putting things together! Lily can use a hammer, screwdriver, Allen wrenches and she can hardly wait to use power tools! Projects take a little longer, my tools are rarely where I need them, instructions are strewn all over the place, and there is a bigger mess to clean up, but when the project is done, it is all worth it when Lily smiles at her Ma Ma and says "I'm a BIG helper!".

Gotta love the "plumber pants"!

Adoption Day Tradition

Breakfast in bed!

Lily has been asking for breakfast in bed for some time, not sure where that came from, she has not seen it in our household! So, we decided that it would be a nice surprise to bring Lily breakfast in bed to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the day we became a family. Lily had the biggest grin on her face when Da Da brought in the tray of food! Breakfast began with a chocolate donut with "sprinklers" as Lily calls them, along with eggs, sausage, milk and juice. We plan to make this a regular tradition for both girls on their adoption days.

Happy Birthday to Lily!

Lily celebrated her 3rd birthday at Build-a-Bear! We had a great time with friends and family! Almost everyone made a bear! We planned on about 9 bears, but even the older kids and auntie wanted to make one, so we ended up making about 15 bears, and a few dogs, too!

Day 19

Today is day 19 in the count down to Lana! I think it would be a great present to get our LOA (Letter of Acceptance) or better yet, our TA (Travel Approval) on my birthday in July! How is that for being optimistic? Our real hope is to be with Lana on her birthday September 8th. Lana has spent too many birthdays without her forever family.

In case you wondered where Xi'An is, it is almost in the geographic center of China.

Have Passport...Will Travel!

Lily's passport came yesterday!!! Lily has been waiting and waiting and waiting for her passport to arrive! Every time we checked the mail, Lily would ask "Is my passport here, yet?". I am not sure she knows what a passport is but she does know that it means she gets to go to China to get her big sister! One more thing to check off the list!

This picture is Lily with our dog Cami. Cami is a Portuguese Water Dog in need of a hair cut! They get along pretty well for the most part, especially when peanut butter is involved! One day, Ken was home with Lily and Cami and Ken thought it was a little too quiet in the kitchen where they were. Upon checking on them he found Cami very patiently sitting next to Lily on the floor, waiting for Lily to dip her hand into the peanut butter jar. Each time Lily's hand came out of the peanut butter jar, Cami, of course, licked Lily's hand clean and patiently waited for Lily to dip her hand again! So, now before using any peanut butter, we have to ask "Is this the dog's peanut butter?"

I See the Moon...

I see the moon and the moon sees me,
Down through the leaves of the old oak tree.
Please let the light that shines on me,
Shine on the one I love.

Over the mountains, over the sea,
I have a love who is waiting for me.
Please let the light that shines on me,
Shine on the one I love.
-unknown

Thinking about Lana, hoping she feels our love for her. Lily has been especially sweet talking about Lana lately. Lily frequently asks "Is my big sister waiting for us?, When can we go get my big sister?, Can we go get her today?".

Today is day 10 of our count down to Lana! Let's hope we will NOT join the century club and wait over 100 days!

A note about the painting, it is called "Watching a Lantern Show" by Wang Jinxi. I really enjoy the bright colors of the Jinshan Peasant Paintings. These paintings are created by Chinese peasants working in Jinshan County near Shanghai, China.