Monday, December 6, 2010

18 days til Christmas!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my sister Corinne, her son Bryce, boyfriend Eli and my dad. We enjoyed so much quality time together as a family. It was such a blessing to be with them and we took advantage of every minute, playing scrabble, cooking, the rodeo and bowling!

Tonight I am reminded by the snow that in 18 days we will be celebrating the birth of our lord and savior!

I am pondering all the thoughts that Joseph and Mary had preparing for baby Jesus. I have a lot of things that running through my mind. Knowing that baby Jesus was not Joseph's baby I am reminded that he was adopted as well. As I prepare for this holiday season, being our first as a family with Lucy. I have cookies to bake, lots of gifts to knit and parties to attend. Something has told me to stop and enjoy this time with my family and that the true meaning of Christmas is to LOVE each other.

Today I stopped by a dear friend's home to thank her for knitting this Christmas stocking over 3 years ago for Lucy. I gave her a photo of Lucy holding it like a baby doll. I remember when she gave it to me and how much it meant to me. I know how much time and effort she put into making it for me during a time I really needed encouragement. I would take it out every year and wonder about the day Lucy would get to open it. What a blessing to see her with it this Christmas!

There is so much to do in such little time but tonight I sat and read the long version of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and tried to enjoy a quiet night at home. Back on Joseph and Mary, I know that they had so much on the way with very little resources. With that said, my thoughts tonight are that we all need to stop and cherish the true meaning of Christmas today and always. As we tend to get caught up in work, cleaning and shopping my we all be reminded of this special time of year. I think it is all about spending quality time with one another, making an effort to show others you care and just plain old fashion LOVE!

May the lord bless you and your family this Christmas as he continues to bless mine.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Being Thankful...

This past week was very busy. I traveled to Columbus for work while Jb watched Lucy for two days. He did wonderful. I love him even more for the amazing job he does with her. I was feeling rather guilty for being away so I decided to turn my focus on the blessings in my life. First starting with the wonderful job I have. Second my husband, my home, my health, my car etc.


As Thanksgiving is sneaking up on us next week I thought to share with you this Turkey that Lucy made. I came home to it in her backpack and it brought tears of joy to my heart! I have waited so hard and long for special blessings like this to pop up in my life. My prayer is that in the mist of your busy life, you stop to see the simple blessings you have right in front of you.

Monday, November 1, 2010

A small blessing during a hard day!

Today was a hard day. I woke up with sinus issues a mack daddy head ache and lots of drainage. I would have paid to take the day off and be able to sleep in. Lucy had school so I decided to just suck it up and go.

Meanwhile, I have been having frequent flat tires. The mechanic said that my tire isn’t keeping the seal because of the Chrome or something and it is common in Chrysler's. So I borrowed an old Cadillac from a friend until I figure out what to do.

Well today of all days, I left the lights on and the battery went dead. I called Jb to jump it and then headed to pick Lucy up from school. I then headed to Rural King to buy septic tank stuff, air filters and iron out (lovely house manager job that I have) and came out to the car being dead again. My patients were slim to none by this point.

I asked two people parked next to me if they had jumper cables and was disappointed when I couldn’t find anyone. While in the store I got Lucy a bag of popcorn, so while I waited she just munched away. After almost an hour of waiting to get a hold of Jb again I kept asking more people to help. Then I hear Lucy say…”mommy car no work’n?” I replied “no baby” she then said “I sorry, it’s ok” and kept munching away.

I began to cry because it was then that I realized that life is precious. I took a big deep breath and thought well while I wait I can just enjoy this quiet moment with my daughter.
She was completely happy and here I was a total disaster. We sang the wheels on the bus, did the itsy bitsy spider, counted and just chatted away.

Then from out of nowhere was (an angel) a lady walked past the car and smiled and said are you ok? She just so happened to have cables and offered to give me a jump!(I am loving the friendly helpful soles of the mid-west)

Off we went!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

ladybugs!

For three entire years I spotted ladybugs everywhere. I then stumbled upon a little saying on our adoption blog that ladybugs were a sign that an orphan in china was being matched with a forever family. I then began to notice them in the most unusual places just hoping that we would be getting a phone call a baby was ready.

Anyways this year when Halloween came along I couldn't think of anything better. So I put all my lady friends on a mission and this is what they came up with!Let me tell you that she is such a special little bug. The joy she has brought to our home and life is indescribable!She loves dancing in her outfit and threw a total fit when it was time to take it off.

This week john and I both accompanied her at preschool. We got to spend time in her classroom playing with toys and watching her interact with her teacher and other kids. She absolutely loves the kitchen set at Thomas Edison and makes cupcakes and brings you chocolate ice cream with a spoon and all. My favorite part of the day was eating lunch with her and watching her hold her hand on her heart as they held the flag and said the National Anthem. It was something special!

Tonight John called her You Meng Ke (her Chinese name) and she said "no daddy, my name is Lucy"! My heart sank as I realized that she is no longer that little orphan who sat waiting for love. She is forever a part of our life and owns half of my heart.

Tonight I read her a book and tucked her into bed. I whispered "A butterfly kiss and a ladybug hug! Sleep tight little one like a bug on a rug." she said nightie night mama!

Who knew that good things would come my way with this lady bug.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Summer 2010

Wow, time sure does fly when your having fun. The last few months have been very busy experiencing all the firsts with Lucy. From baby shower's and babies being born (cole & Ruby) to planting the garden, dentist appointments, the zoo, first cougar's football game, peony fest, concerts in the park, preschool, funerals, fireworks at the forth of July, parades, a baby dedication, swimming at the club Conn's pool, making quilts, walking the country block and jumping on a trampoline with our awesome neighbors, camping out, the Van Wert County Fair, horse races, fishing and the new tree swing life is good!

English words are pouring out left and right! This week while taking Lucy out of bed she told me "mom, I'm cold, SERIOUS"! I nearly cracked up. The kid is our entire life. Jb and I just stop in our tracks daily of all the cute and funny things she does. The following are just a few...

listening to the snap, crackle pop cereal every morning, her praying "God is Grape", shaking her booty when she falls down and almost wants to cry, dancing and singing in the car with a fake microphone to her favorite song "sweet home alabamie", tooting and telling us is stinky, kissing us and asking for one more "please", jumping on the bed, running around the house naked and not wanting to leave the house without her baby doll, lip gloss, nails polished, purse full of beads and a sippy cup! Just to name a few.

As I reflect over the last 7 months of our time with her I see so clearly how good the lord has been to us. We are beyond blessed and are grateful of this child who has changed us forever!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mother's Day 2010

Today was an all around wonderful day! It was the first Mother's day that I didn't want to hide in the closet and cry. I woke up to lots of cards telling me I am loved by my husband, daughter and dogs, in addition to other cards from family and friends to encourage me. I then opened some sweet gifts from John and Lucy. I got a swarovski crystal necklace, a cd and a picture frame and tons of text's and voicemails!

At church I was touched by a special message in the book of Exodus. To make it short and sweet it was about Jacobed and how she put a hedge of protection over Moses before sending him down the river. My take was that It is my responsibility to teach, provide, love and protect Lucy for the World and it's ways. I prayed for her soul and hope to be a Jacobed mama!

During lunch, John and I allowed Lucy to enjoy her own cup of tea in a big girl cup at the Chinese restaurant. It was our first time going since our trip to China. Lucy sipped 4 cups of tea and ate a fortune cookie, pretty healthy huh.

The rest of the day we just chilled out. Fed the fish, checked the strawberry patch, chased the cats and took some photo's! Lots of tickling, laughs and a wonderful memory I will cherish in my heart forever!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The Easter bunny!

What a wonderful week!

A pretty hat, a matching purse, a new pair of shoes, a dress from a special friend, the first visit from Uncle David, a basket full of candy all to find out that Lucy is scared of the Easter bunny! Easter at our house with lots of friends, food and fun. All to find out that our daughter is a total jelly bean junkie.

This week she surprised us at breakfast with an E-I-E-I- OOOOOOOOOO! She jumped on a trampaline and went bowling for the first time. Life is good!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

meeting my grandpa for the first time!

Tonight is St. Patricks day and Grandpa Eddie came to meet Lucy. She doesn't usually like strangers and or especially let men touch or hold her but she felt an instant connection with her Grandpa! It has been a special day because he bought her a NY Yankee pink jersey straight from Spring training in Tampa Florida.

Lucy and her Grandpa played all day. They shared ice cream, cuddled on the couch with her baby dolls and ticked eachother silly! Lucy put barrettes in his hair and tried to speak Chinese to him.

Anyways it has been a great visit already! Over the next couple of days we hope to introduce the trains, Go to Chuckie Cheese & take him swimming. By Sunday night we hope to be wore out!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Swimming at the YMCA!

Well there is no pressure but we are hoping that by the time Lucy turns 3 (August 5th) she will make the swim team. Perfect timing for fall tryouts!LOL.

The Brown's have officially made the Saturday open swim (noon to 3pm) our family time. If anyone wants to join us be aware that Lucy will dunk you and wreck your hair do! She is a total wild women in the water and I feel at this stage she will surely take after her mother and kick total butt in the water. The only problem is that the Marlins don't know what is about to happen to the team next year.

In close, please don't be offended by her wedgie. Her bathing suit is a little small and we are waiting for the suits to come out in stores real soon or for someone in a Florida state to mail us one!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Mission Accomplished!

We've got Lucy!

Our trip was a success and to sum it all up in a nutshell it was a mixture of the "amazing race" and "Punked". Two weeks in China is a true test of your marriage, how tough your stomach is for funky food , a test of your patients, balance (squatty potty), sense of humor and a good old fashion spanking for all that we Americans take for granted.

The 30 plus hours of total door to door travel time, touring and sight seeing of the great wall, forbidden city,
tianaman square, summer palace, the olympics in Beijing, jade & and Pearl factories/museums, shopping, long bus rides, traveling in China by plane, bus, taxi and foot and the 3 and a half year wait it was all worth it when we finally got to meet Lucy!

She totally won our hearts on Monday January 25th at 12:21 pm when we looked into those almond shaped eyes and that capturing smile. This child was truly worth the wait. We now know that the lord perfectly made her for our family. She is full of joy, laughter and a splash of the terrible two's.

During our trip she was a total trooper. She was dragged by stroller threw the worst of worst in China. She endured long bus rides, turbulance and lots of appointments that caused her to miss meals, naps and go to bed 4-7 hours after her bed time. She got a peanut stuck in her nose, pee peed all over mommy during a visit to the squatty potty and took her dad to a full battle of war, which resulted in making friends with him on day 10.

Nobody could have possibly prepared us for this experience. I don't want to bore you to death with this post but our lives are changed forever. This Child is a true gift from God and we are so excited to have her in our life.

It was a true blessing from God to be traveling along with 8 brave families who were also adopting. They became extended family after thick and thin. It was so awesome to trade wet wipes for antibiotics and or have melt downs over several terrible meals. If it meant making a pit stop for McDonalds late night or delivering cough drops across the hall in pajamas we were all so perfectly matched. May the lord bless these families as they live the same story as us in Kansas, North Carolina, New York, Florida, Lousiana, Minnesota and New Mexico!

Upon arriving home in the USA a friend told John and I that what we did was very special and that she is lucky. Our reply to him was that no we are the lucy ones! If somehow the funds to adopt again would be provided we would do it again in a heartbeat.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

travel meeting!

Today was something else. John sat in on a telephone conference for our trip with our adoption agency. Since we are leaving in less than one week, we needed to know details about traveling to China and what to expect. He took notes like a true Airborne Ranger.

Our flight leaves Detroit Michigan at 12 noon on Thursday the 21st. We have a special friend bringing us and another picking us up. We arrive in Beijing on Friday night at Midnight. Please keep us in prayer as this is a very long trip for Jb's back, hip and knees and my patients!

then two days of sight seeing at the Great wall of China, the forbidden city, Church ( a goverment ran Chrisitian Church) dinner at the some famous Duck restaurant and then off to Guilin City China to pick up our daughter. Just a funny note about the great wall. When we first decided to adopt from China, I told Jb as serious as can be that I wanted to walk the entire Great wall. Well, that was until I heard it was thousands of miles long. LOL!

We were told that as of today we will not be able to visit the orphanage that she was found at because of the high risk level of the swine flu but that could change over the next week or so. We were informed that the first three days with her might not be that enjoyable and we might be in for a lot of crying. oh boy!

I can not begin to explain how we are feeling right now but before logging out I have to share this.  In the mist of my darkest days of worry about finances on this trip and how we were going to come up with the money needed. My husband told me that I had such little faith. I really did. In fact I stopped right then and there in my tracks and begged the lord to provide. When searching for a bible verse to comfort me I found Proverbs 3 vs. 5-6. Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding , in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. Two months past and everytime I worried about the money I repeated this over and over.

last week Sunday I got to church. In the very back was a gift bag with a trinket in it. Sure enough it had this very verse on it. I don't know who left it for me (my secret sister) but it was just what I needed. Over the next few days the lord supplied every penny of what we needed for our trip. Talk about break down emotionally. God is good all the time!

As jb and I prepare to be parents with less than 6 days to go, we appreciate everyone who have encouraged us, prayed for us, bought Lucy little gifts, asked how things were going and loved this little girl well before they met her.  I thank you from the bottom of our hearts and I truly can't wait to share her with you.

As jb went to bed tonight he told me that this little girl is going to be special in some way. He is not sure what it will be exactly but that she will be special!

We hope that you follow along with us on out trip and we will do our best to post photo's of Gotcha day and possibly a video of us getting her while we are in China!