Day of rest

Well, Sunday is designed to be a "day of rest" and today it truly is for this girl. I have caught the nasty little bug that has been flying around and am feeling like total yuck. So, instead of going to church this morning with my hubby he went alone. This afternoon he and Lily played outside and I stayed indoors (close to the bathroom), and instead of working tonight I had to call my boss and say "sorry, no can-do".

Now that I have a little time on my hands, and an empty house, I thought I might ramble a bit.

Here are some of the conversations I have had with the wee one this past week:

(After getting some unwanted boogers outta my girl's nose) Sorry if that is too vulgar for anyone, but boogers and the like no longer gross me out.

Lily: "you get my boogas momma? Tanks, dat feews betta." She is constantly saying that "whatever" I have done makes it feel better. Whether it is brushing her teeth, her hair, or putting on lotion. I find it endearing.

(While lying in bed the other night with her new favorite sleep-mate Sonya Lee)

"Momma, she stay warm too!" meaning, she wanted me to cover up her little doll with the blankies.

After everyone was properly tucked in she whispered "G'night Sonya Wee...be vewy bwiet momma, Sonya Wee is sweeping." How cute is that?

(Thursday night Lily insisted she wanted to sleep NOT in momma's bed, but in "Yee Yee's bed" so I took her upstairs and tucked her in and walked back downstairs to hold my breath and wait)

As I listened on her moniter this is what I heard: Momma, wook at me. I'm sweeping wike a big girl. (loud, exaggerated sigh)... I'm sweeping wike a big girl, momma. MOMMA!!!! MOMMA!!!

Maybe not such a big girl just yet.

I walked in the bathroom the other day to find her standing on the toilet, leaning against the sink, so I asked her what she was doing. "Just thinking" she said. HMMMM...

Last night she was going on and on about her birthday. I asked her who was coming to her party and she said, "pwesents, cake, swee dandles for bwowing(3 candles for blowing), party hats"...Wait, Lily, I said WHO is coming to your party!? Answer: "Evweebody!" So, I'll expect you all here on June 10th for the best 3 yr. old birthday party ever! It's not even May yet, and she is already excited about it -- I hope we can last until then!

Favorite Photo Friday *Updated*

This picture was taken last summer --*I mean TWO SUMMERS AGO* at one of our favorite parks doing what WAS Lily's very favorite thing...swinging. I would spend hours pushing her on the swing and she never seemed to grow tired of it...well, a couple of times she did actually fall asleep in the swing but you get my drift!
This is one of my favorite pictures of all time. Lily just looks sooooo happy!
She still really enjoys swinging. But, she doesn't stay in nearly as long, and she sometimes wants to go on the "big girl" swing and do it "by self".
*Where does the time go?*
It was another dreary day today, but we are supposed to have a sunny weekend, so maybe we will get out to the park!
Happy Friday everyone...

Help!

Help us, somebody please! We are trapped inside again!
The rain just will not stop falling, and we just wanna go outside and play!

I haven't showered yet, and we are both still in our jammies. We have read books, built towers, watched videos, put together puzzles, and checked on some of our favorite blogs. It is only 3:30 -- daddy won't be home for hours. What do we do now? I have been on a diet/trying to change my lifestyle/make better eating choices...for a week and a half. I just wanna chow on everything in the house! Meanwhile, I can't get Lily to eat much of anything. Ugh. My plan is to go for a walk/jog when Jay gets home...we'll see if that happens.
Thank God tomorrow is Friday.

more silliness

Just some silliness

More fun (and learning) with books!

"One Is a Drummer" A Book Of Numbers, written by Roseanne Thong and illustrated by Grace Lin was a gift to Lily from her good friend Chloe. We have been reading it just about every day for a couple of months now and we both LOVE IT!
I highly recommend it to ya'll.
So now Lily knows her days of the week: "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday (oops), Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday"! And her seasons! How fun is that?

We have also discovered that "Yee Yee yuv winta"! (Lily loves winter? How COULD she?) "Momma yuv summa" (duh, of course!) And "daddy yuv fall".

My 100th post!

Well, I saw some of my bloggin' friends taking note of their 100th post, and just realized that I have reached that mark today. To think, it wasn't that long ago that I didn't even know what a blog WAS. We didn't even own a computer while we were going through the adoption process, so it was quite a surprise to me when I discovered this whole new world.

This blog has become a huge part of my life. Much bigger than I had ever anticipated. It is so theraputic for me to write about Lily and my life as her momma. I find myself going about our day looking for good "post" moments. I almost always have my camera with me so I am ready to capture the moment to share with you all. I started this blog thinking it would be a nice way for my travel-mates and out of town relatives to keep updated on the happenings with Lil. It definitely is all that, but it is also a place where I have met so many other people that I now look forward to communicating with on a weekly (if not daily) basis. I get excited to read everyone's comments and love checking in on a ridiculous amount of blogs as often as I can -- my husband thinks I am absolutely crazy! But, I have become invested in these lives. Those who are waiting -- I wait with you. Those who are doin' the mom thing along with me -- I am always encourged or enlightened reading about your adventures/joys/pains. So, I hope that my friends enjoy checking in on us here, but most of all this blog has been so good for ME. I spend this time focused on telling these stories of my little one, posting beautiful pictures, fun videos etc. And it reminds me time and time again of how blessed I am to be living this life with Lily Lin.

Favorite Photo Friday

My ballerina Monkey

So, the ballerina costume is still Lily's favorite "outfit" these days. It cracks me up how many times I have had one foot out the front door only to have her stop dead in her tracks, rip off her coat, and order me to put it on her.

It's so funny to watch her prancing around in that silly little tu-tu. But, I just had to get a picture of this -- since you know that she insists she is NOT a ballerina, but indeed a monkey.

This, I s'pose is proof of that fact.

I like what I see!

I often look at Lily and wonder what it must be like to look like her. Perfect skin that always looks slightly tanned, and gets beautifully brown in the summer months; straight, shiny, georgeous black hair; tiny little body that will probably always be cute and petite; stunning almond-shaped brown eyes; tiny little button nose; breathtaking smile!!!!! The girl looks fabulous in every single color. I have yet to find an outfit that didn't look awesome on her. Hmmmm...what WOULD that be like?

Yep, I'd be kissin' my reflection too if I looked like her!
Nothing wrong with a healthy self image, right??

Friendship!

Lily and Grace. Grace's mommy and I have been friends for quite awhile, and we get together as often as we can!

Lily and our neighbors Katie and Wyatt. We spend a lot of time with our neighbors, especially in the summer!


Hallie and Lily have been friends for about a year. Hallie's mom and I are also embarking on a relatively new and fun friendship. We have "playdates" at least once a month.

My past couple posts on Lily and Hannah have really got me thinking about friendship. It is something that is so very important to me. I treasure my friends so much, and don't know what I would do without them. They are priceless treasures, all adding special things to my life.

So, it is a beautiful thing for me to watch my daughter already developing wonderful friendships! I have posted about her "best friend" Hannah, and you all know about her love for her cousins! They will all be lifelong friends. Well, I just thought I would show ya some of her other friends today.


Macy and Lily are good friends that play very well together while Jay and I enjoy time with their parents (who are VERY good friends of ours). Macy also has an older sister Sara who adores Lily and the feeling is mutual.

Jackson came over a few weeks ago to play. His family has been dear to us for many years, and they recently moved back here from Lousiana. Yay!

Friendships are such a joy in this life! Enjoy yours!

More pics of Lily and Hannah

Our weekend away was pretty laid back and low-key. We spent a lot of time just hangin' out at Steve and Tracy's house. Their home is amazing, and the girls had plenty of space to run, climb, jump, laugh, scream, etc. The adults even had some time to chat! Woo-hoo! It was warm enough for the girls to enjoy some cruizin' outside in Hannah's Dora jeep -- too cool.

Both of the girls love hiding!

Two little monkeys jumpin' on the bed!

The girls were always cookin' up something! They spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

Saturday afternoon we went to a local cafe for lunch. It was great. We had the whole place to ourselves and the girls had a blast! At one point Lily said to me (while pointing at Hannah), "That's my best friend, Momma." It was too cute. Then, the girls enjoyed a little ice cream (and a lot of whipped cream) YUM! As you can see, the guys wanted in on that action! Fat chance!

Sunday we drove into the city and had lunch at "Rainforest Cafe".

The girls were both a little worn out from all the excitement of our time together, so it wasn't the most relaxing lunch we've ever had, but it was special all the same. I was just so happy to be there with our friends! We took one final photo of the mommas with their spicy little cuties and we were headed home.

Until next time...

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig!

We're back from our weekend away with friends and I took SO many pictures that I can't post them all today -- it would surely be overload for my blogger friends, so I will spread it out a bit, and save some for tomorrow.
This slideshow is comprised of pictures taken on Friday. We arrived at Steve and Tracy's beautiful home at around 4:00pm. The drive there took about 7 hours, so we were extremely happy to get out of the car and stretch our legs. The girls took no time to get re-aquainted...they were just off to playing together just like I hoped they would.
We all had a wonderful time together. Tracy and I are blown away by how similar our girls are. Sometimes we just looked at each other and shook our heads at their little antics. They are both so stinkin' cute, but equally as spicy. This weekend just showed me again why we all get along so well.

*Steve, Tracy, and Hannah: Thanks again for having us to your home. We had a great time and look forward to the next time we can all be together! XOXOXO*

Lily's gonna see Hannah!

Let's see, how do I start this story?

Hannah is Lily's best friend. We met Steve and Tracy (Hannah's parents) while we were in China. They were not in our travel group, but we ran into them while we were there and found out they lived about 2 miles away from us. So, we exchanged numbers and promised to be in touch. Well, you know how that can go. We got home and were busy adjusting to our new life and our new daughter and let a lot of time go by without calling. They did come in to the restaurant where I work a couple times and we chatted a bit. So, anyway, we FINALLY called and set up a get-together last summer. We went to their house for a BBQ and, well, it was AWESOME! Lily and Hannah took about 2 minutes to warm up to one another. Then they were off and playing like they had known each other forever. I remember being totally amazed watching them together. I had never seen my daughter like that with anyone (outside of our family) before. Not to mention the fact that the adults all had an immediate connection as well. Steve and Tracy are two of the most genuine, incredibly sweet, and fun people I have ever met. I said a quick "Thanks God" for sending us such wonderful new friends and went about my business. We saw each other a handful of times over the summer and then I got the phone call from Tracy. She was sad to tell me that they were MOVING to Chicago! I cried. And cried. I felt silly for being so upset over it, I mean, we hadn't known each other that long, but I had pictured our future as friends, and the girls growing up together, etc. etc. But, they were moving and I had to accept that. I figured Lily was too young to even notice much. I was wrong about that. She missed her friend. She would ask to "see Hannah" all the time. I would tell her we couldn't cuz she lived too far away now. So, she began saying "See Hannah? No, too far away." It broke my heart! She would look through her photo album and point to the pictures of her and Hannah and talk about what they had done together. And if you ask her who her best friend is she will reply "Hannah". (Although she often tells me that I am! But, I digress.)

I am happy to report that Lily is going to see Hannah this weekend! Steve and Tracy have invited us to stay with them for the weekend and we are sooooo excited. I told Lily the good news about 2 weeks ago and now she will say "I'm gonna see Hannah!" at least once a day! I should have plenty of pictures and stories to share when we return. Until then, have a wonderful weekend and I will see you all on Monday!

*All of the pictures I have posted were taken at that very first BBQ*

*Tracy also has a blog that I recommend checking out here.*

Lily is NOT a ballerina!!!!

Please don't be fooled by these pictures. She may look like a pretty little ballerina, but I assure you she is not. Just because she went to my parent's house Easter Sunday with her "Badaweena tostume" on, and insisted on wearing it (over her clothes, of course) to the mall and the grocery store yesterday does not make her a ballerina! You think that just because she woke up this morning at 7am calling out (half asleep) "Badaweena tostume!" that she IS INDEED a ballerina!? No! But, don't feel badly if she had you fooled, because she tricked me too. I had the audacity to ask her if she was my little ballerina girl to which she boldly replied, "NO MOMMA! I AM A MONKEY!!!!"

How could I forget?

"She's gonna blow!"

FUN WITH BIRTHDAY CANDLES!!!

Well, I enjoyed taking a stroll down memory lane for my "Gotcha Day" posts, but it is nice to be back in the present! I wanted to post some pictures from last week because my niece Logan turned seven! This girl is something special, that is FOR SURE! She is mature beyond her years, and has always been one of my very favorite people on earth. She is such a wonderful cousin to Lily. Her heart just bursts with love for her! She doesn't even mind sharing the limelight on her birthday. Lily is OBSESSED with blowing out birthday candles, so Logan let her help with that. Her heart is so big. I just love both my sweet girls. The birthday candle fun did not stop there! Friday night we spent the evening with very good friends at their home. Their beautiful daughter, Macy, turns 2 today! So, we celebrated that and Lily's Gotcha Day with more delicious cupcakes. Lily was in heaven, once again. It's funny, cuz it really is more about the candles than it is the yummy treat for Lil. After she blows them out she will eat the sprinkles and lick the frosting a bit, but then she is on to something else. Now, give her a handful of M&Ms or Sweet tarts and it is a different story entirely...she loves her some candy!

So, that is a little of what has been happening around here lately. We spent Easter at my parents' house and I worked at 3:30.

Lily's "boo-boo" knee is almost all better. She still kinda limps when she gets going with any kind of speed.

We are all finally done taking our anti-biotics. Yah! And, hopefully warm weather is just around the corner. (again, and to STAY this time!)

Looking Back. Part Three. Happy Gotcha Day!

The day FINALLY arrived. We met our sweet Lily face to face exactly two years ago today. After waiting, praying, doing homestudies, filling out endless amounts of paperwork, raising money, preparing our home, filling a nursery with clothes, toys, and everything else a child may need, reading books on parenting, reading books on adoption, and traveling 15 hours in a plane...WE BECAME A FAMILY OF THREE!!!!!!!

Thursday, April 7th, 2005 (written before meeting Lily)

Today is Gotcha Day. I can't believe it. There were many times when I wondered if this day would ever arrive and now it is here! It's 2am and I couldn't sleep -- wonder why!? Jay is snoring away. It is funny how very different we are. We're meeting down in the lobby at 5:50am to go to the airport. Our flight for Changsha leaves at 7:55. I'm nervous.

Sunday, April 10th, 2005

OK, where do I begin? I couldn't write anything on "Gotcha Day" after we actually GOT Lily. Too crazy. Today is day 4 with her and it is NOTHING like I had imagined. She is a daddy's girl big-time. She'll only let me hold her if Jay isn't around and she'll scream bloody murder first. It's been rough. I've spent a lot of time crying. I'm legally Lily's mom but it sure doesn't feel like it. I don't think either of us was prepared for how difficult it would be. She cries so loud and so long and we have no idea what to do for her. It is getting better day by day, though. We are figuring out what and when to feed her and when she needs a nap. (she eats and sleeps a lot)! She was up quite a bit last night, so I brought her into bed with me -so I could rub her belly when she cried and she would fall back asleep. She's teething and she has a cold so she's kinda unhappy about that. But, we have seen glimpses of a very sweet, funny, silly baby. She wakes up happy and playful and she loves playing with her spoon -- she bangs it on everything and just laughs!When I watch her sleeping I am in awe. Her beautiful eyes and lashes, button nose and sweet, little lips. She is a beautiful child! We are making it. Some days/moments are better than others. Our hotel room looks like a tornado blew through it. Hey! We're first time parents and we get messy trying to figure this stuff out! I am sleep deprived, homesick, and emotionally drained, but I pray each day it will get better. Jay has been incredible. He's a great husband and an amazing dad. This has been a difficult week, but I AM A MOM!!!!!

So, we had a rough start. It may have been the day I had been looking forward to with anticipation for years, but not so for Lily. She had been taken from the only world she had ever known that day and placed in the arms of total strangers. It was going to take some time for her...

Skip ahead.

Friday, April 7th, 2006

Exactly one year ago today we laid eyes on Lily Lin for the very first time. It has been an amazing journey so far with ups and downs that come with having a child --adopted OR biological. The year has flown by and of all the feelings that I have today the one that stands out the most is...blessed. I feel God loves me a lot to have had such an incredibly special plan for my life. Lily is my beautiful angel from heaven and she has shown me how to truly love. Unselfishly and unconditionally. I hope she always celebrates "Gotcha Day" with joy and thanksgiving with us and I pray she feels as blessed as we do. She has a family that loves her so very much.

Skip, skip ahead.

Saturday, April 7th, 2007

I've been a momma for two years! Wow. Life just keeps gettin' sweeter. This child of mine who started off as a stranger has become such a part of me. I loved her instantly, but I didn't KNOW her. That took time. Now, I love how we make each other laugh, and how sometimes I am the only one who can interpret what she is saying. I love how sometimes momma is the only one who can read her books to her the right way or sing a song with her. I love her incredible sense of humor and her ability to memorize an amazing amount of information. I love how she sings worship songs, and will get lost in an entertaining video. I love watching her sleep and also love hearing her call out for me when she wakes up. I love the way she smells after a bath, and how she wants me to sing "Rockabye baby" to her while she is still wrapped in her towel. I love the way her soft little body feels all snuggled up to mine. I love the sweet and quiet quality to her voice and how SMART she is. I love how she says "I yuv oo Mama" and how she says we're best friends. I love watching her climb and jump and dance around like a "badaweena". I love watching her laugh and play with her daddy, her cousins, aunts, uncles, grandpas, grandmas, and all of the friends she has made over the past two years. I love how excited she gets when I give her a piece of candy or chocolate and how she will quickly say, "Oh, tank oo Mama!" See, I loved her long before I met her, and it got even better when I held her in my arms, but now I get to spend my life getting to know her and finding more and more reasons to love this sweet little girl. And, it's great to have her love me too. Nothin' better!!

Happy Gotcha Day to you, my child. I shall make every day an opportunity to discover yet another thing to love about you, and I shall love you deeply, truly, and always!

* Happy Gotcha Day to all of Lily's sweet friends who also met their families for the first time this day 2 years ago...Chloe, Sophia, Mya, Olivia, Mia, Hannah, Leah, Emily, Anna, and Maggie. XOXO*

Looking Back. Part Two.

So, we endured the flight(s) and made it safely to Beijing on April 5th, 2005. Those first few days were surreal. I was homesick and tired, but I was also embarking on the biggest adventure of my life! We met the other couples in the group and slowly got to know them better. (They were strangers then, and now most of them feel more like family. Forever friends!)

We climbed The Great Wall, watched an amazing Acrobatic Show, visited Tienemen Square and The Forbidden City, shopped at a local Cloisonne Factory, and so much more. All the while, thinking in the back of our minds, this is great but let's go get our babies, shall we?

It is wild to look back at these pictures of us in a foreign land! The very last photos taken of us BEFORE we officially became parents. Of course I wish I had known then what I know now...I would've lived more in the moment and appreciated the beauty and wonder of China without all the stress and craziness going on in my head. But, I DID have the trip of a lifetime and I have only the fondest memories of that precious time in our lives.

To be continued (again)...