The Joy of Georgea

We Have BIG NEWS!!

2012-01-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

On December 10th, we received a gift from God, an early Christmas present, the news we had been waiting 9 months for! There is a sweet little girl whose name is "Ning Si Qi", waiting for us to bring her home from Jiangxi province China! These first two photos are our first glimpse of our beautiful baby girl. We are so thrilled we can't describe how full our hearts are right now.

We have chosen the name Grace, and will keep Grace's given Chinese name, Ning Si Qi, as her middle name, just as we did with Georgea. Grace turned 18 months on December 18th and her special need is cleft palette. We were incredibly blessed to receive our LOA (letter of approval) in just 11 days (while some are waiting over 100 days). We turned our I-800 around immediately upon receiving our LOA and received I-800 approval just this past week on January 12. So, we have just a few more steps until we receive travel approval. If all goes smoothly, even factoring in the Chinese New Year holiday, there is still a good chance we can travel in March, which would be record time. We can't wait to wrap our arms around our sweet, beautiful baby girl!!

Ann at Red Thread China ROCKS!! Just 2 days after placing our order for Grace Ning Si Qi's care package, Ann was able to have these photos taken by Grace's CWI (Children's Welfare Institute) and forwarded them on to us. WHAT A GIFT!! We knew the first pictures we saw were dated, and how amazing to see current photos, and to see that Grace looks so incredibly healthy. I also loved seeing her standing on her own. Isn't she GORGEOUS??!! (spoken like a true Mama, I know!) Oh, I can't wait to kiss THOSE CHEEKS!!

Martha's Vineyard June 2011

2011-09-25T15:50:00.001-07:00

We had the most amazing trip over to Martha's Vineyard, to visit with my Aunt & Uncle, after our Boston visit. We've been trying to get to MV for a long time and were thrilled to finally make it happen. We spent a few fast and furious days touring the beautiful island. We saw everything from the Alpaca farm, to a beautiful Japanese style garden- in full bloom, the infamous bridge in Chappaquiddick, lovely beaches, all the quaint walkways with shops, restaurants and lovely architecture, and most importantly we scored some much needed LIVE catch up with our family. Georgea loved every inch of that beautiful island and every moment of our vist, and so did we!

Enjoying Aunt Susie in our vacation cottage which was just a stone's throw from her house!

Uncle Tim!

Our beautiful and peaceful view.

Alpaca Farm!

My Dad met up with us for this wonderful visit and Georgea was as always, thrilled to have time with her "Haba."

This desert girl LOVED being back close to the water. So beautiful.

Mytoi, Japanese style garden.

Visit to Chappaquiddick.

"The" bridge.

Beauty.

A RUN TO HABA's ARMS!

Happy girl!

Breezy day. Love those gorgeous locks blowing in the wind!

The ferry ride was especially fun for Georgea.

A favorite local shop where we found some "goodies" to take home.

Enjoying lunch & some fancy root beer at Menemsha Blues with Dad & Susie.

Daddy sharing some chips with his girl.

Beauty abounds on this lovely island.

Ahhhh, FRESH SEAFOOD!!!

Visiting my Aunt Susie's beautiful horses. This was a definite highlight for Georgea!

Feeding the horses some carrots with Aunt Susie's help.

Love these shots with the sun gleaming through Georgea's hair.

This was such an amazing dinner. Being from Maryland, and living in the desert, I so miss having easy access to such culinary delights!

Our cozy cottage.

Heading out for more fun sight-seeing.

Georgea loved the Farm Institute. Lots of really cool animals, and their babies....up close!

Oink-oink!

We had to stop by the beach!

The Edgartown Bookstore where my Aunt Susie works. This store has so much character, and Georgea LOVES books, so she was in heaven.

An open house at the cottage, with a visit from some of my Aunt & Uncle's local friends.

The end of a perfect trip. So hoping to go back next year......

A Trip to Our Adoption Agency, June 2011

2011-09-25T15:45:00.001-07:00

Wow, could I be a little further behind on my blogging? As Georgea grows & our life gets more and more full and busy, I am finding it far more difficult to carve out the time to sit down & blog, the way I used to, the way I love to. This "project", my "journal" has been such a therapeutic process for me. A place to spill my heart, and sort through my thoughts, feelings, sorrows and JOYS. I hope I can continue to "drop in" here. I want Georgea to have access to this history, the story of our early years together. Things aren't slowing down though, so only time will tell.

I've posted some pics of a long awaited trip cross country to Boston to visit CAWLI (China Adoption With Love, Inc.), our adoption agency, last June. It was truly an amazing experience to see the "four walls" where so many things happened that affected our family in wonderful ways that we can't even describe. We also had the blessing of one of the families from our travel group coming by to visit us while we were in town. What a gift to see Georgea and their beautiful twins interacting playfully together. No matter the geographical distance, we have a bond with these families and our agency that will tie our hearts forever.

Georgea took a liking to this flag stand and her Daddy caught it on film. Our daughter is a child of TWO countries and we make a concerted effort to always remember and honor this important part of her heritage.

With Lilian, the Director of CAWLI. An amazing woman with a heart for the children of China.

Meg! Meg, was the social worker at CAWLI who "found" Georgea and united our families. Meg relocated recently and is now in another state, following her husband's career. We are so happy for her personal journey, but we miss her terribly. She has become a friend though and she will always be a part of our lives. I love, respect and am so thankful for this beautiful young lady.

Here with our friends from our China travel group. TWINS-- amazing, and oh so precious!

"Reading"

2011-08-31T07:32:00.000-07:00

We waited so long to hear Georgea talk. Lots of speech therapy and work, work, work! Now she is memorizing books and reciting them to us. MUSIC to our ears!!

PRE-SCHOOL

2011-08-19T12:34:00.001-07:00

It's been a crazy busy summer! And now, here we are with our "baby" starting pre-school. How did that happen? Georgea turned three in May & we attended her pre-school open house last Thursday. Georgea checked out the room, met her teachers and had a great experience developing a familiarity with the new surroundings.

Georgea's cubby!

Seeing her name on the window with her new "friends'" made it seem real!

Getting into some of the fun "stuff" with Daddy.

Having a tea party with her new friend Clifford (a gift from Aunt Becky!).

We brought home a little project from Georgea's open house. We had to create an "All About Georgea" theme with a poster provided by her teacher. We had a lot of fun filling in the blanks and finding pictures to complete the poster. Georgea got in on the action by doing a little "writing." :-)

Monday was the big day! My sister, Becky was in town from Maryland, so she & Daddy did drop off. We felt it was best for me to stay behind in an effort to minimize the emotion & potential clingy-ness.

The school has parents drop off at the playground which is a great way to help ease the separation anxiety that comes naturally during the first few days of "the unknown."

Heading out at the completion of day one!

Running to Mama!

Great first day- success!

With Georgea's teacher, Mrs. Perry.

Cincinnati Visit, May 2011

2011-06-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Community. Support. Joy. Real people. Real truth. Accountability. Laughter. Tears. Long talks. Long walks. Enduring friendship. Love. These are some of the things I see when I look at this photo. James & I spent more than 10 of our 20 years of married life doing life in Cincinnati Ohio. This family represents a beautiful history of friendships made, and life lived with abundance. I cared for sweet, beautiful Amanda at our church, when she was just a baby. We've watched Matthew grow from newborn to adventurous young man. Nancy and Tom are some of our dearest "life" friends. They've walked alongside James & me, watching us shift from "married forever" career couple to first-time parents helping sustain us through the challenges that can come from such big life transition.

I'm missing Cincinnati these days. We darted back out west several years ago, chasing my career. I've loved so much of this time. I just have such an affinity for the western U.S. And, I love working, strategizing, building relationships that build a business. But I miss those long-standing deep friendships that we left behind. I miss our church. I miss the community. A lot has changed for James & me in the past 2 years. We lost my Mom; we gained our sweet baby girl. Pain and blessings that have affected our family in a very profound way. Hearts grow, desires and needs change, when life's path takes unexpected, winding turns.

I do believe there can be growth, opportunity and joy wherever we are planted. My goal is to focus on that, because we sure do have a lot to be thankful for where we are.

Amanda, loving on Georgea. Seeing the two of them together brings me a lot of joy.

Ginger, Jen and Steph. Three of my girls. Distance has not altered our bond.

With Usha. Friend, prayer warrior, confidante. Thankful me.

Daddy and his girl making the rounds at an "open house" that Tom and Nancy hosted for us.

With Susan & Jen.

A Vist with "Grandma Marge" 5-4-11

2011-05-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

We made a trek to see my Grandmother, who lives in Ohio, in early May. Grandma Marge, who is an impressive 90 years of age, met Georgea for the very first time during this visit. She is truly an amazing woman. She still drives, goes to church every Sunday, lunch with friends, shopping- you name it! I'm so thankful we were able to make this trip and that Georgea had some time with her Great-Grandmother. Truly a blessing.

I had to snap this photo. For as long as I can remember this is what morning coffee-drinking looked like at my grandparents house. "Coffee Rich" and these same coffee cups and saucers. It's amazing how little things, part of the routine of life, simple rituals can bring a flood of memories to the forefront of one's mind. I have so many wonderful memories of trips made here with my parents and sister, to spend time with my grandparents. I could hear the sounds of my & my sisters young girl giggles, our schnauzer puppies (who went everywhere with us) trotting up and down the stairs, visions of my parents laughing and carrying on with my grandparents and all of our Ohio family. My Grandmother & I spent a good bit of time chatting about my beloved Mother during this visit. These conversations keep her alive in my heart and my mind. I know my Mom would have loved seeing Georgea there, in the midst of all of that family love. It was a wonderful visit and I'm so glad we were able to make it happen.

Still working on that smile for the camera.

Silly!

Easter 4-24-11

2011-05-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

Big Easter baskets were an annual tradition during my growing up years. My Mom was the master of the big, full (of all sorts of amazing treats), beautiful Easter basket. Here's my attempt to honor that tradition, although I don't think I'll ever truly duplicate my Mom's awesome and beautiful creative talents.

Posing at home after church and ready to dig into her basket of goodies!

Sweet Easter dress, compliments of Grandma & Papa!

Raisins....because we're still able to dodge candy around here, for now.

Georgea has an affinity for stones & rocks. Not sure why, maybe because we live in the desert? In any case, I found these really cool stones at the bookstore & she loved them!

Stickers are always a big hit!

Tricycle! 4-10-11

2011-05-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

Our cutie is learning to ride her new tricycle. We're working on gross motor skills, and just overall muscle strengthening and coordination. Georgea LOVES her trike, the pedals, wheels, bells....even her "hat" (read: helmet)! It's good fun all around and another step toward becoming a "big girl."

"HAT!"

So, Georgea is learning how to smile for pictures. These are some examples of what we get when we ask for a smile. Ha! I'm just happy she's looking at the camera. Georgea is usually very camera shy. So, I guess if she's looking toward the lens, I need to be satisfied with that for now. :-)

Happy Birthday Barbara

2011-04-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Barbara, Georgea's Au Pair, turned 22 on April 5th. She's been here (from Brazil) helping to care for Georgea for 6 months now, and we're so glad to have her with us.

"Bye-Bye Haba"

2011-04-16T13:50:00.001-07:00

After a wonderful few months of having my Dad (Georgea's "Haba") just around the corner as a winter resident, spring has sprung and Dad has headed back east. Georgea loved hanging with her Haba this winter. They do a lot of laughing and cutting up when they are together & she is missing him already, as are we. This was our last Saturday together & it was a good one. We accommodated Georgea's request to stay in her "jammies" all day long. We enjoyed a nice, lazy breakfast out at one of our favorite spots and then took it easy the rest of the day. Perfect!

Princess In a Pouch

2011-03-28T00:56:00.001-07:00

Well, the weight limit is 40 lbs., and we're not there yet. I keep saying jokingly, that my "baby" is going to be in her pouch until she won't fit anymore. But maybe that's not a joke. Georgea still wants to be pouched. The frequency comes and goes. We can go weeks without pulling out the pouch, and then there are other times where she's jumping in a couple of times a week. She tells me "pouch-pouch", and sometimes she even gets it out of the cupboard herself! She always wants to be in the front and makes this very clear, but there are times when a Mama just needs to be able to get a few things accomplished. Here we are on Friday night while I was preparing dinner. I love having her close to me and when she needs this close contact I'll stop whatever else is going on to accommodate this need.

Ergo says 40 lbs. is their "recommended" weight limit, but that they have tested the carrier successfully up to 90 lbs. Stay tuned...

Happy Camper

2011-03-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

Georgea had her first camping experience earlier this month. Mama, Dada and baby girl headed out to Tucson with my Dad for a weekend of "roughing it." Lucky for us, my Dad's trailer is pretty well equipped including a microwave, flat screen TV, surround sound and all the other necessities. So, we didn't have it very rough after all. It was a lazy weekend of taking it easy and a little exploring. We visited the "Sonora Desert Museum" which is where we saw all the creatures pictured, as well as some amazing scenery. We survived the close quarters, even with a fussy first night for Georgea, and are hoping to do it again some time soon!

Georgea is very interested in and loves playing with stones, which is a beautiful thing living here in the desert.

Mountain Lions!

"Rattle-rattle" Mr. Diamondback

Bobcats. We also see these in our backyard sometimes.

Cracker Barrel for breakfast was a big hit for our pancake and bacon loving girl.

Georgea went up and down the trailer steps a hundred times. She found them very amusing.

Lounging in the bed with her best friends (who go everywhere with us).

When I see photos that show the change in Georgea's hands or feet, I'm still amazed that her surgery is behind us. Amazed and thankful.

Pretty happy!

Cast & Converse

2011-03-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

Here's my baby girl, waking up from her nap time on a Sunday afternoon. Georgea still takes her post-nap and her morning milk from a "Nubby" sippy cup. This is part of the waking up slow ritual that she so enjoys. Georgea is not a morning girl and she loves lounging in bed when she first comes to in the morning as well as from her afternoon nap. I took these photos two days prior to the removal of her "BIG cast." We survived three weeks with a dry, not too dirty arm covering and zero complaining from our sweet, go-with-the-flow girl.

I've been waiting and waiting to get a pair of Converse high tops on Georgea, or any other "normal" pair of shoes that isn't extra wide or stretchy-soft, for that matter. Looking at her in these shoes is very symbolic to me. This is one of my reminders that things have changed around here, that we have overcome one of our big life hurdles as a family. Georgea's surgery is behind us. The shoes are cute, and I love watching her run around in them, but having the worrisome surgery and post-surgery recovery in our rear view mirror is what those shoes are all about for this thankful Mama.

Cutie with a cast, but not for long!

Getting Out There

2011-03-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

Our baby girl is now 2 & 3/4 years old. She's been home with an AuPair for over 5 months, and she's ready to have some regular social interaction. She needs it. We wanted to enroll her in preschool, but with speech therapy being a priority, finding an activity for Saturday mornings seemed like a better fit for our family right now. Preschool can wait. I'm learning that everything being perfectly timed may not be our reality and more importantly I'm learning that "perfect" isn't necessary in general. So, we headed off to "The Little Gym" for our first Saturday session with the 3-5 year olds. It was fun! James went in with Georgea so she could get comfortable the first go-around. I was really proud of her. Although she stuck with her Daddy for the most part, she did engage and participate. I think she's going to love this outing, and so will we!

Tentative.

How cute!

Taking photos through the glass so as not to disturb the group.

G went up the steps and right for the balance beam! Can't wait to see how she's doing in a few weeks, once she really gets comfortable.

WE GOT SNOW!!

2011-03-05T14:04:00.000-08:00

Living in sunny Arizona, at least our part of sunny Arizona, snow is not something we usually get to see, even during the winter months. We might get a nice chill, some good sweater weather, but even that doesn't last long when the mid-day sun comes shining through. But on 2/27 (the 2 year anniversary of the referral of our precious Georgea) we woke up to a beautiful white blanket of snow, right here in our backyard- wow! Georgea has never seen snow, so when I proclaimed "Georgea, look at that white stuff on the ground, that is SNOW!" Her response was: "SNOW WHITE!" Ha! Snow White is the only snow my girl knows.

By late morning, the sun was out, the skies were blue, blue, Arizona blue and the snow in the lowlands was just a memory. Still, seeing our mountains covered, even if only for a few more hours was truly an amazing sight to behold.

DTC!!!!

2011-03-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

Our Dossier was sent To China on March 2! That was really fast! It took us so long to get our paperwork completed and submitted this go-around, but the last few steps (USCIS fingerprinting, approval and then DTC) have happened so quickly. We are going through the special needs process again this time and I just have a feeling in my gut that we will match quickly. I kind of just cringed that I typed those words....like maybe I would "jinx" us by putting that thought process in writing. But I'm not superstitious, and it's a feeling I've had for a while now. Maybe I'm right and maybe I'm wrong. We're feeling ready, but we also know that timing is everything....and it's not our timing. I am so looking forward to meeting the baby girl that we are preparing our hearts and home for. I believe she is here, on this earth....waiting....somewhere in China.....she is ours and we are hers. Prayers for protection, peace, safety, nourishment, warmth, shelter, good health, good care, love, attention, human touch. We love you already sweet baby girl.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2011-03-04T21:17:00.000-08:00

Our FCC Arizona group had an awesome Chinese New Year celebration last week. This was my first CNY as a member of the board of directors and it really gave me perspective on the amount of work that has gone into the events that my family and I have enjoyed over the past few years. I have such appreciation for the dedicated group that has worked so hard the last many years to keep our FCC group alive and active. While this year was a lot of work, I felt privileged to be a part of the "behind the scenes" planning and prep as well as the "day of" excitement!

My Dad joined us again this year. He jumped right in there with me running to the FCC storage unit, loading and unloading his car (a multitude of times) and helping me run my specific area during the event. I appreciated his support and so did my peers.

Cutie and her Dada.

Sue with "the Chief" and Alexa. Our AZ besties!

Province parade!

The Guangxi girls (plus 2)! Why my princess decided to plunk down on the stage, I have absolutely no idea? :-)

Georgea, plus Haba's hand, plus an organic peanut butter cracker = happiness!

Rockin' the pink cast for 1 more week.

Face painting. Kind of can't believe she sat still for this. She's growing up.

The finished product....a dalmatian, just like Vida! Barbara joined us to celebrate Georgea's special day.

Beautiful Maya!

Daddy and his girl cake walkin' (we won two!).

Georgea and Lexie are only a few months apart. Love seeing them together.

So cute playing with their lanterns.

The CHUSA (Chinese Undergraduate Student Association) volunteers are a huge support at this and other FCC events every year. And, they are an awfully sweet bunch of kiddos.

Mama's Little Helper

2011-02-22T12:38:00.001-08:00

I find it the sweetest thing in all the world that my baby girl wants to do everything I do and say everything I say. I also find it the scariest thing in all the world. So much flattery and so much responsibility all in one place. Here my love bug joined me in my (almost) daily effort toward keeping our glass top tables dust and dog hair free. Doing life with Georgea, even when it's just dusting the furniture, brings me an awful lot of joy.

The Pink Cast Club

2011-02-22T12:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when you're feeling like no one can possibly understand your unique situation, it really helps to find a friend who's in the same boat.

And, as a side note...WOW! Look at how beautifully Georgea's right hand is healing and how wonderful it looks. THANK YOU Dr. Au- you are amazing!

FINALLY!!!

2011-02-22T11:02:00.000-08:00

We got some awesome news last week! On Thursday February 17, just 3 days after Georgea's surgery, the news of our I800-A approval, for our second adoption from China, arrived via email. What a wonderful surprise! The wait can be 6-8 weeks from fingerprinting to approval and we waited only 3 and a half weeks. The paperwork for this second adoption has taken a long time to complete, so it's really nice to see something happen quickly. The timing also seemed amazing, as it was a goal of ours to have Georgea's surgeries behind us when we traveled to China, and now that is complete. We are starting to get really excited about and are preparing our hearts to welcome our second child, in God's perfect timing.

Second and Final Polydactyly Surgery, Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

Admitting day, February 13, at Shriner's for Georgea's second surgery. She took a nice nap, my sweet baby girl.

The big day. Surgery on her left hand and the last round of these procedures for Georgea.

Just back in her room following the 2 hour surgery. Georgea recovered very well from her anesthesia again, thank God. She was not so happy to see the "BIG cast" on her left hand. Here the hard cast is wrapped in foam. She didn't have hard casts after her previous surgeries and recognizing the difference this time she kept saying "OFF, OFF!"

Big, hard pink cast. All the way over her elbow and up to her shoulder. The placement of the extra finger on her left hand made the procedure a bit more difficult and required a different type of cast.

The day after. Having had a good night's rest and a hearty breakfast here sits the patient watching Dora, awaiting her discharge papers.

The cast. Pink is her color.

Get me out of here. She was in a fairly pleasant mood, but baby girl knew it was time to go and she was ready.

Georgea did so well that we decided to drive home the same day she was discharged. She was amazing, happy and in really great spirits for the seven hour drive. Her resilience is unbelieveable. And as for us....we were so thankful and appreciative that things went smoothly. Georgea will go back to LA for cast removal in March and then we are done. Hard to believe this is behind us. Thanking God for his grace and watchcare over our baby girl.

Beautiful Girl, 2-11-11

2011-02-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

Georgea inspires her Daddy, and I think he's turning into this very cool, kind of artistic photographer. The two of us were getting Georgea ready for bed and James grabbed the camera, just for a minute, and got these beautiful shots. He captures things that I don't even see. I love seeing Georgea through his eyes. It makes me love him even more.

Just some cuteness! 2-2-11

2011-02-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

These are just some fun pics I took of Georgea in a new outfit, which was a Valentine's gift from her Aunt Becky. Here she's "putting on deodorant" like her Dada. So funny to me. This was the day after we removed her hand cast and it was really great to see her being herself and hamming it up!

On the lookout for Vida. Our girl loves her dog.

Removal of Right Hand Cast, 2-1-11

2011-02-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

After waiting the recommended two weeks, we removed Georgea's hand cast at home, as we had done with her soft foot cast the week prior. This experience was different. She was much more somber during this process and really didn't "bounce back" until later in the day. I'm not sure if it was because she was attached to the extra finger on her right hand which she affectionately referred to as "pinky", or because of the obvious fact that her hand is closer to her face, easier to look at, touch, observe. Maybe a combination of both. So, we reminded Georgea of the conversations we had about her 12 and our 10 fingers (and toes) and how someday soon she would be the "same" as Mama and Dada. We looked at, touched and became familiar with her (dissolvable) stitches. And the following couple of weeks, once the dust settled, we talked about how her right cast was "off" and next her left cast would be "on"...and then that cast would be "off" and then....NO MORE CASTS! NO MORE STITCHES! This conversation (which we made very animated) was entertaining for Georgea and she ultimately joined in with lots of energy and enthusiasm.

Taking it in.

Learning what stitches are.

Comparing her right hand with her left (the only extremity which still had 6 digits).

I love this picture because Georgea was holding on to my ring finger with her left hand while she examined her right hand. These are the moments that bring tears to my eyes. Her tender touch and the security she finds in holding on to even one of my fingers gives me chills. God has joined our hearts in such an amazing way. I love the miracle of adoption....this child He has given me. I feel so undeserving, yet so thankful, grateful. My heart is full, full, full.

Fun with Haba, 1-28-11

2011-02-21T15:03:00.000-08:00

We love having my Dad here in Arizona as a winter resident. It's really a blessing to have family close by for at least a few months, when we have so many miles between us the remainder of the year. Georgea's "Haba" is her constant playmate. They chase, run, giggle, climb, build, laugh and cut up so much she screams when he's around. Seeing them together fills my heart and takes me back to my own childhood. So thankful for these moments.

"Tickles!!"

The chase is on!

Georgea still sporting her soft hand cast here. She functioned incredibly well while wearing it.

Bye-Bye Foot Casts, 1-23-11

2011-02-20T22:40:00.001-08:00

Five days after Georgea's surgery we were able to remove the soft casts on her feet. We were so ready for this. Georgea was "allowed" to walk immediately after surgery, but she had no interest in walking. It was obvious she was fearful of putting her weight on her feet. I'm guessing that the shape of the casts made the thought of walking on them somewhat intimidating as well. So we struggled for 5 days. It sounds like such a short time, but we were tired and anxious and worried about our baby girl. She was more fussy than normal, frustrated that she "couldn't" walk and struggling with things like making it to the potty on time. What an ordeal for a little girl who had only been potty trained for less than a month when this all went down. All in all though, she handled it like such a trooper. She is really a tough cookie and in some ways I think this whole process has been equally as emotional and hard for James and me. This was another learning experience for us that brought us closer to Georgea and helped us once again to know her more intimately, and for that we are thankful.

Outer layer removed and now taking off the soft cotton wrap underneath.

Georgea did lots of examining and touching. This entire process was definitely an emotional one for her. We spent a good bit of time prior to her surgery talking about her fingers and toes. Counting them, and acknowledging the difference between hers and ours. We gave the simple explanation that someday Georgea's would "have 10, just like Mama and Dada." She would play this sentence back for us, so we know she absorbed the words. But the content....there was no explanation on our part, just the fact that it would happen. We tried so hard to give her the information she could process for her age and tried not to overwhelm her with more information than she would know what to do with. It was a fine line. We tiptoed across it to the best of our ability and I hope we gave her what she needed.

More touching and examining.

Somber. Processing. Grieving??

The part of this process that I struggled with the most as Georgea's Mom came from the fact that these extra fingers and toes were the reason she came to us. We chose this special need prior to ever laying eyes on Georgea. So, we were adjusting, changing, altering the very thing that brought our baby girl to us. We thought about, prayed about, sought & received counsel from many about the right thing to do and felt confident that we were there....but there is still a grieving process, a loss. We love every inch of our baby and saying goodbye to those toes and fingers was hard on all of us.

Bouncing back oh so quickly. I saw the light in Georgea's eyes and her playful nature start to take over. A blessing.

Kissable, just like the rest of her.

Playing with her bandages.

Happy to see her "Ugg boots" and ready to wear shoes again after 5 days in hospital socks.

She insisted on putting her shoes on herself, which was great.

It took several days, 4 or 5 for Georgea to really get walking again after her surgery. We were running down the hall carrying her trying to get her to the potty, etc. But ultimately she regained her stride, her balance and her enthusiasm. She's running all over this house again which is an awesome sight for us to see.

Post Surgery Tubby, 1-22-11

2011-02-20T22:28:00.000-08:00

With soft casts on both feet and one on Georgea's right hand, bathing was a bit of a challenge. Thankfully we have a very large kitchen sink. With the help of ziploc bags and rubberbands everything that needed to stay dry and protected did and Georgea even got her hair washed.

Polydactyly Surgery #1 January 18, 2011

2011-02-20T21:45:00.000-08:00

Georgea's first of two surgeries to remove her extra fingers and toes went as smoothly as we could have hoped. This was a long time coming, and actually got pushed to the back burner for more than a year while we focused on some developmental delays and other medical issues that demanded our immediate attention. We had two amazing surgeons at Shriner's Hospital for Children in Los Angeles that worked simultaneously on Georgea's hands and feet. Georgea's foot surgeon operated on both feet, removing the extra post axial toe from each, while her hand surgeon removed the extra post axial finger from her right hand.

Georgea handled the anesthesia very well as she had previously for an MRI, and both surgeries to have tubes placed in her ears. For this we were so very thankful. She did have pain though & so she had a mostly good, but understandably "fussy" day the day of surgery.

Checking out all of the bells and whistles attached to the one hand that did not undergo surgery.

We were incredibly blessed that the Doctors were able to use soft casts on all three affected extremeties. This meant we didn't have to make a trip back for cast removal.

And then there were TEN.

Georgea's first cast signing, by her friend Sascha.

Sascha and her Mom Christine drove up from the OC where they had just relocated from AZ a few weeks prior.

With Christine and Sascha. Having friends visit was a breath of fresh air and welcome distraction. So much stress and anxiety involved in this process.

Trying to keep Georgea distracted from her bandages and her pain. We decided to go for a walk in one of the wagons that Shriner's has on hand. My baby wanted me to hold her non-stop, but sitting in the wagon was easier on my back and seemed to satisfy Georgea's need to be close.

She spiked a fever twice which apparently can be a result of the challenges that come post-anesthesia. We pushed fluids and managed to nudge that fever away both times without any medication.

RESILIENT. This is the morning after her surgery, aka: discharge day! Georgea slept well (with her Mama by her side) and was happy, eating, and ready to go home.

Heading out, thankful and prepared to come back in a month for round 2, on Georgea's left hand.

U.S. Readoption January 5, 2011

2011-02-20T21:03:00.000-08:00

We completed Georgea's US readoption, the last step in the long, winding road of paperwork in early January. James & I were both teary-eyed. The "completion" of what we delved into head-first, years prior was a reminder of the gift that Georgea is to our life together.

Here with our adoption attorney. Such a happy and yet emotionally exhausting day. Sentimental. Celebratory. So thankful to move forward to just "living life" with our girl. No more papertrail....just the 3 of us. Family.

JOY!

January 3, 2011

2011-02-20T20:44:00.000-08:00

Now this screams happy new year!! Georgea's cousin Jordy has had a really rough almost two years, with some challenging behavioral issues. Without going into all the details there have been more doctor's appointments, tests, medical analysis and adjustments than we can count. We were blessed to have a very insightful new doctor come on the case late in the fall and our Jordy is just that...."our Jordy" again. Seeing these two together hanging out and enjoying each other's company was sweet medicine for all of us. HAPPY NEW year!!

Cousin love!

Snuggling with Aunt Becky and all smiles!

New Year's Day 2011

2011-02-20T20:23:00.001-08:00

Our cousins who live in Virginia came to see us while we were in Maryland at my Dad's house over the holiday. It was so great to see them. The time gets away from us and it had been too long. This visit was special as it was the first time we'd seen them since Georgea joined our family. Our cousins Michael and Melissa have four beautiful, smart....just all-around wonderful children. Their youngest, Micah is adopted from China, and is from Guangxi province, just like Georgea. I think it's so cool that Georgea has a cousin that shares her heritage and her story. It was such blessing to have some time with them and to see the girls together.

Ascher, Isabelle and Isaac.

Michael & Melissa with Micah.

I love talking adoption and really enjoyed having this time with Melissa. Sweet Jordy patiently listened in.

James & the kiddos enjoying some tag football on the chilly first day of the new year.

Tubby Time

2011-02-20T20:03:00.001-08:00

Baby G had some fun in the tub at my Dad's house before we headed back from MD to AZ. It took us a long time, almost a year, after we got home from China to get Georgea to get in the tub by herself. We've come a long way baby!!

December 2010

2011-01-30T19:45:00.000-08:00

It's been almost 3 months (again) since I've set aside the time to blog. We've been in such a busy season of our life this past several months that I can't seem to make it a priority. It is important though. This is where I pour out my heart and keep track of all things Georgea. She is my heart and soul and I want to make sure we have all of our amazing life experiences recorded so that we can look back on them. So I'm back. December will be mostly photos, but they tell a sweet, sweet story....

Merry Christmas! Georgea with my beloved sister, aka: "Aunt Becky" celebrating Christmas day in Maryland. This has been our family tradition for many years. Georgea, only potty trained for about 10 days, made the trek cross country (via airplane) accident free. She is amazing!

Stinkin' cute!!!!!

At my Dad's house, opening gifts. This was my first Christmas in Maryland without my Mom. I missed her and found my heart longing.

With Becky. Sisters are the BEST!

Georgea and her "Haba" doing what they do...cutting up!

Celebrating Christmas with Barbara, Georgea's AuPair, at home the night before heading to MD. Barbara went with us, but the grown ups didn't lug our gifts on the plane.

Jia Ting Cookie Exchange! Our Families with Children from China group celebrates with an annual cookie exchange and we hosted this year. We loved having all these kiddos at our home.

With Sascha and Georgea. Both Guangxi girls!

Our dearest Arizona friends, Sue and Alexa.

Stacy & I praising Mia for her artistic talents!

With Julie and Christine with whom I serve on the FCC Board of Directors.

Stacy, Julie, Christine and Megan. The long-time Directors of FCC who have kept our organization alive. I'm very thankful for these ladies.

My baby.

Georgea wasn't sure what to think of all of these people who invaded her home, but she eventually warmed up.

Some bedtime giggles and sweetness. I was putting Georgea down and James came in to capture some of our fun and games on film. I'm so glad he did because these are some of my absolute favorites. This IS my girl. Her personality truly captured- happiness, joy, giggles, fun...LOVE!

November 2010

2011-01-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

November was an exciting month for our family. We enjoyed time with friends, our family in Memphis and got some wonderful news regarding Georgea's long awaited surgery. Here we are celebrating sweet Sascha's 6th birthday. Sascha is from Guangxi province, just like baby G!

Georgea getting a squeeze from the birthday girl

Happy Birthday Sascha!

A gathering of happy Moms.

Georgea having some fun visting with her new friend Brooke. We were in L.A. to meet with the Doctors at Shriner's Children's Hospital. The road that led us here was a long and windy one, but it landed us in just the right spot. Georgea was scheduled for her polydactyly surgery during this visit. Georgea will have 2 seperate surgeries, one in January and one in February to have her 2 extra fingers and 2 extra toes removed. Two Doctors will operate simultaneously, one on her hand and one on her foot. She'll have a cast up to her elbow & one up to her knee for two weeks. Casts will be removed and off for two weeks and then we'll repeat the same surgery on the other hand and foot. We are not looking forward to this process but we know in our hearts it is the right thing to do for Georgea and we feel so good, so solid that God led us to these amazing surgeons. Georgea will receive the best care possible for her unique situation. Finding that care was such a relief for James and me and we are sleeping well knowing we've done all we can on our end. Now it's just pray and trust.

More fun with Brooke who lives in LA and is the daughter of my friend Jessica.

Gina, my dearest friend from work and her lifelong bestie Jessica, along with beautiful Brooke.

Some Mother-Daughter sweetness.

Yay Tennessee! We traveled to Memphis as we do every year to celebrate Thanksgiving with James family. My best friend from college Sharon and her lovely daughter Ahnna drove from their home in Nashville to visit with us one afternoon, and it was such a treat to have this time with them.

Sharon and Ahnna flew all the way out to Arizona to care for our dog, Vida while we were in China. Sharon sat with me and poured over our paperwork the night before our trip to make sure our t's were crossed and our i's were dotted. She and Ahnna drove us to the airport at dawn the day we left to catch the flight that ultimately landed us in the homeland of our beautiful baby girl. These are the the kind of friends that define the word friendship. I'll never forget the part they played in helping us get to our sweet Georgea.

More fun with the giraffe slippers!

With my sister-in-law, nieces and Barbara at the historic Peabody hotel in downtown Memphis. Beautiful.

Memphis skyline...Mississippi River.

"Walkin' in Memphis...." :-)

Thanksgiving day! Georgea with her cousins Caitlynn, Allison, Meghann & Annalee.

Georgea and Cait

With Alli.... (or "Aaahwi" as G calls her cousin)

Beautiful Annalee

I love these girls. Even though there is a big age gap, they really love on Georgea. I'm so thankful for each of them. So special, talented, smart, beautiful inside and out....my joy.

Jonathan and Stephen hanging with their "Uncle Jimmy."

It's hard for me to believe it's been 22 years since I celebrated my first Thanksgiving with this wonderful family. Thankful.

Barbara went with us to TN and while the crowd is big, I think she enjoyed her time visiting with everyone and being exposed to a new part of our beautiful country.

Dad joined us from MD for the second year in a row. Loved having him there.

James parents, Georgea's "Papa" and "Grandma." They host and cook for this amazing event and family time each year. I don't know how they do it, but they make it happen seamlessly. We eat, sing and laugh ourselves silly. This is one of my very favorite times of the year.

Eva, John and our nieces from FL. We got to see them 3 times this year and that was the best

Our little ham peering at us through the window. She loves to play and be silly!

The end of another wonderful Thanksgiving trip.

October 2010

2011-01-02T14:22:00.000-08:00

We started the month of October with a big change. After a summer that left us spinning a bit, James & I decided that we needed to make some adjustments to our family life. We needed more flexibility and less running, more one on one care for Georgea in order to focus on her speech and other areas of development, and less exposure to germs, colds and flu that could leave Georgea susceptible to illness and fever which can ultimately lead to the need for a blood transfusion due to her blood disorder (Hemoglobin H disease). And, last but certainly not least James & I needed to start dating again. Time had gotten away from us over the past year. We still don't feel comfortable leaving Georgea with a sitter (which I'm sure we'll get over some day) and yet we wanted to get some alone time without worrying about Georgea's safety and comfort.

After spending a lot of time pouring over our options we decided adding an AuPair to our family would be the best fit. Barbara is from Brazil. She's super smart, her english is excellent and she really cares about Georgea. They have lots of fun together and Georgea has made a beautiful transition to being at home during the week. We're keeping Georgea in the social mix with toddler time at the library and by spending time with her FCC friends. And, James & I have been able to "steal away" even if it's just for an hour at least once a week. It's such a huge blessing to feel confident that Georgea is safe and happy because her caregiver is a part of our family.

Barbara's arrival weekend.

Georgea working her alphabet skills.

EKG. The list of tests that our baby girl hasn't taken is dwindling. This one came back normal, which made us very happy.

More EKG. What a bunch of cords!

Georgea also had an echo cardiogram ("Echo") test the same day. Also normal. :-)

Echo in process. Dada & Sprinkles the dog, keeping Georgea at ease.

Just some cuteness that makes me smile!

On October 12 we headed to the pumpkin patch with some of our FCC friends. Georgea had lots of fun! She really got a kick out of the petting zoo & the hay ride.

Petting the donkey's with Mia.

Mama, Georgea & Barbara getting ready for the hay ride.

Searching for the perfect pumpkin with Ava & Vivi.

Two of our FCC friends Julie & Stacy.

Mid October brought a visit from one of Georgea's favorite people in all the world...her "Haba!"

Haba can bring on the giggles like noone else!

True love.

Just some photos of my beautiful girl...

"Mama's Ugg boots, Georgea's Ugg boots." This is a sentence we hear a lot around our house.

Oh, she's growing so tall & big. She surprises me almost every day with some new accomplishment.

A beautiful October day trip to Sedona.

Daddy & his girl...

Barbara's first time visiting Sedona.

We found a Brazilian flag!

Three generations.

My little fashionista stole her Au Pair's sunglasses and put on quite a show!

Georgea sporting a gift Barbara brought her from Brazil.

First braids!

Helping Mama with some laundry!

Georgea's first "real" halloween. Last year we were on an airplane flying back home from Maryland. My Mom was in the thick of her battle with cancer & we just couldn't make a halloween outing happen. This year we were blessed to spend the evening treking around a friend's neighborhood enjoying the sights and sounds of little goblins and gouls collecting sugary treats and enjoying each other's company.

Georgea & Jinsey, Disney princesses.

Maya gearing up to hit the trick or treat pavement.

Now that's the life!

Enjoying some organic raisins, Georgea remained sugar-free this year!

How nice to have an "Oakland A" to protect Snow White.

Some of the crew.

Where did the time go??

2011-01-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

The last several months of 2010 were a whirlwind for our family. There were some changes at my company that that took the pace of my work life to a whole new level. We had lots of tests and Dr.'s visits for Georgea and we grew by one with the addition of an Au Pair. I'm catching up on four months of adventure, love and memories, mainly via photos that we have accumulated. It's been busy, but it's been good. And while I'm really ready for and happy about the arrival of 2011, I cherish all that our family experienced last year. We have learned and grown through the joy, laughter and tears.

These photos are all from September. We took a road trip to and through California. James & I both worked, and we also took a few days off to enjoy the beauty of the Pacific coast as well as some time with one of Georgea's cousins. Here miss Vida savors some time in her favorite spot in all the world. The beach at Santa Barbara...

Nearing the top of the 100+ steps we have to take to get down to the beach where Vida can run freely.

Daddy and his girl. I love this photo. The contrast of James big strong frame and the fragility of our sweet feminine little angel.

Enjoying one of a few breakfasts we had on the patio of a quaint little breakfast joint in Pismo Beach.

Central coast wine country. San Luis Obispo is a beautiful, low key, peaceful place to spend an afternoon.

"Hello cousin!" Georgea's cousin is a budding photographer & he captured some fun shots of her, as did her Daddy during our visit to L.A.

Georgea was a crack-up "marching" over the grassy sections on the driveway.

The sun hitting her hair is a beautiful thing to behold.

Dog lover!! Georgea adores dogs & was in heaven with two of her favorite pooches.

"Lipstick." (aka: Chapstick)

More doggy smooches. We couldn't stop it, it was true love all around.

And these are the smiles that Georgea's cousin is the recipient of. Our baby girl really loves her family, and that fills my heart with such joy.

Our dear friend Ginger from Cincinnati spent a week with us in September and wrapped her arms and her heart around Georgea in a big way. And Georgea lovingly reciprocated.

Go Ravens! Aunt Becky sent Georgea a jersey to rally her support and Georgea wore it proudly.

First Pedi!!

2010-09-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

We are having a girly-girl weekend and what better time for a first pedi?! We did the abbreviated version, at home. Just a simple coat of sweet pink...no spa experience this go around. Georgea did so well though, that maybe she'll go with Mama next time for the "real deal!"

Playtime with Alexa...

2010-09-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

Georgea & I headed over to Alexa's house today for some playtime. It's still interesting for me to observe Georgea's pattern of tentativeness, followed by inquisitiveness, followed by her let-loose, let's play, rambunctious nature being unleashed. It takes Georgea almost an hour to find that comfortable, secure place within her that allows her to just relax and let it all hang out. I think most of that is just being a two year old. This is her norm even in familiar places with familiar people. She's actually just more relaxed on her own turf. Georgea has such a fun, silly personality and it makes me happy when she shares her true self with others. It took her awhile to get there, but today, was one of those days!

Here the girls are after each one taking a "flop" on the floor pillows. Georgea likes to imitate Alexa. She also loves to just observe her. She will stare and watch Alexa so intently. It's really sweet to watch.

I have to shoot so fast to get Georgea standing still, and unfortunately I lost the top of Alexa's head in this one! My photographic skills are lacking and I certainly don't see a photography class anywhere in my near future. Alexa is getting so tall & grown up, I can't believe it. I know I'm going to blink and Georgea will be right there with her.

Enter "The Chief", aka: Alexa's Daddy. Georgea loves him! She prefers men, no doubt. James, as well as both of G's grandfathers and all of her uncles serve as amazing playmates and she just loves that!

What could be better than an armful of Alexa and Georgea??? I can't think of a thing!

Careful Climber

2010-09-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Here's my girl doing something that makes me very nervous, but that she enjoys immensely. She gets such a kick out of climbing on just about anything. And I just hold my breath!

Sunday Fun!

2010-09-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

Georgea had a great time on Sunday helping her Dada with a project AND visiting with her girlfriend Isabella.
Georgea's faithful companion "Mana" (Panda)

Sweeping up Dada's mess, and one-handed at that!

Tada!! Love our new dining room wall decor. Designed by Mama & hung with lots of love and care by Georgea's Dada. We collected these outfits from different locations, but the three sets of booties are actually from Georgea's home province of Guangxi.

Vida checking out Georgea's hair accessory action. They really do tolerate each other's invasions of personal space very well, thank goodness.

Making sure her pup didn't alter her do!

So happy to be in the mix sweeping & using the dust pan.

Now it's time to have some fun with Isabella!

JUST PHOTOS

2010-09-01T14:58:00.001-07:00

Georgea has gone through such a growth spurt! She is really thriving. Gaining weight, inches and hair length. I guess I'll be saying "where did my baby go?!" for a very long time.

Cutie listening to her "cd player" (thanks Alexa) She loves this toy & carries it around, bopping to the fun disney sounds!

Cooking up a storm! Can't wait 'til she's big enough to help me in the real kitchen.

Heading off to give some snuggles & kisses to Dada!

We never tire of Georgea's sweet affection. She offers us hugs and kisses throughout the day and we are so honored to be the recipients of her love.

EEG

2010-08-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

I'm playing such catch up with the blog that I'm a little out of order. Georgea had an EEG in July because there was a concern that she may have been having some intermittent seizures. The Reader's Digest version is this: Our girl is amazing! She was a perfect patient during her EEG. Slept when they needed her to, woke when they needed her to and the best news is that her results came back absolutely "normal." The neurologist we worked with believes, based on the results of Georgea's EEG, that she has not been having seizures. The Doc felt so good about the results that he didn't even feel the need to do any recommended follow up. Sigh of RELIEF!

Georgea was amazing patient while the 26 electrodes were applied all over her little head.

Sleepy girl, just what the Doctor ordered.

Look at all those cords!! This was a stressful experience for James & me, but it all went as smoothly as is possible.

Florida Sunshine TAKE 2

2010-08-28T23:11:00.001-07:00

Our family from Florida came back to see us again this August. What a huge blessing to have them here two years in a row. Last year our time together was cut short because on their second day with us I received the news that my Mom needed to have brain surgery. Thus Georgea & I took off to Maryland, with James just a day behind. This year we tried it again, and our "take 2" was a wonderfully sweet week of fun, adventures, good food & lots of laughs and love. Here we are at the Grand Canyon.

Caitlynn, the oldest of our neices is heading off to her senior year in college this fall. I saw her for the first time when she was just a few days old. Hard to believe how the time gets away from us.

Alli just graduated from high school and is moving to Texas to be a part of an amazing dance group. We are so proud of her courage and how she is chasing her dream.

Georgea, oblivous to the "wonder" behind her was just happy to be with her family.

Megan is sweet #3 and is a sophomore in high school this fall. I always say her parents should have named her "Joy" and in this picture you can get a small glimpse of why.

Here they are, my loves. I just adore these girls more than words can say.

Georgea was tucked in the Ergo, so she wouldn't go over the edge. :-)

The beauty of the Grand Canyon still amazes me. I am thankful that we live driving distance away and have the opportunity to visit here a couple of times a year.

James brother John....but I claim him as my own. :-)

James & John did a short hike down into the canyon. Beautiful.

The girls trying to stay dry from a little shower that passed through while the guys were on their adventure.

Seeing them together makes me want three! Although I don't think I'm quite equipped to handle all that responsibility.

Loving her new ability to drink with a straw.

We stayed 2 nights at a beautiful, rustic resort located alongside a river with beautiful views just north of Sedona.

Heading up the trail from our cabin to breakfast. A little drizzly, but no complaints.

Enjoying some time in Sedona before heading back home.

Georgea holding her new doll we found in one of the Sedona Shops.

The joy this child brings me is immeasurable.

John and his girls.

Georgea had such an amazing time with her cousins.

With Eva who spoils her like crazy!

The lean of love.

Sedona beauty.

Back at home sporting an outfit put together by her stylists/cousins Ali & Meg!

"Aunt Bepee" was here!

2010-08-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful visit from my sister in July. Becky is officially known as "BEPEE" by Georgea these days. And when Georgea says Bepee, she says it with lots of enthusiasm, which is really quite sweet. We enjoyed our time together and as always it went way too fast.

Dinner at Harold's!

A sweet moment. Becky is so good with Georgea & Georgea just adores her Aunt.

Pool time, Georgea's fave.

Vida getting in on the action as always.

Our girl loves sweet kisses. She goes back & forth between James & me saying "Mama", kissing me, "Dada", kissing James. Back & forth, back & forth, sometimges kissing each of us 6 or 7 times. Love!

James is Georgea's playmate. He keeps her entertained and giggling.

She's getting so big. I can't believe the way her legs hang down...where did my baby go?

Ahh Arizona.....

Becky is a kindergarten teacher & she is just a natural with engaging Georgea in all kinds of fun and creative activities. There was a lot of coloring, play doh, and finger painting going on in our house this week.

Georgea loves the kitchen she got from Mama & Dada for her birthday. And as a side note....look at that darling belly!

On her tippy toes putting her "Orioles" bear in a spot that is safe from Vida's reach.

This photo marks a special night, Mama & Dada's first date night in a very long time. We haven't felt comfortable getting a sitter & leaving Georgea at home. So, Becky volunteered to give James & me a night out while she was visiting. This was during Georgea & Becky's playful evening together. Georgea had a great time and she even went down well for Becky. Come back Beck' we miss you!!!

WONDERFUL news!!!

2010-08-06T21:09:00.000-07:00

Olivia's family got the news we were all praying for yesterday. The biopsy of Olivia's tonsils came back and showed no signs of cancer. Praise God! He is good, good, good all the time!! Thank you so very much for your prayers!

Prayers needed....

2010-07-20T22:26:00.000-07:00

This is our sweet friend Olivia. Olivia is adopted from China just like Georgea. She and her family have been friends of ours for many years. They live in Cincinnati. Olivia has had symptoms similar to those related to tonsillitis, discomfort, swelling, difficulty breathing & swallowing. She had a school physical and as a result her Dr. recommended Olivia have her tonsils removed. Upon further investigation her Dr. shared a concern that Olivia may have Lymphoma in her tonsils. Olivia will have the tonsillectomy on July 29 and then a definitive diagnosis can be made. We are asking for your prayers during this difficult time. We are praying specifically that the diagnosis would not be lymphoma and that Olivia would be completely free of cancer of any type. Thank you so much for your support!

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!

2010-07-19T09:01:00.001-07:00

In January we were told that Georgea has a genetic abnormality, that she had a "mosaic" genetic composition in some of her cells. This was discovered via some bloodwork that G's developmental pediatrician had run. As a result of this news we met with a geneticist and had a full chromosomal microarray genetic test run. The results of this test would reveal to us how the genetic abnormality was affecting Georgea. Last week we received amazing, miraculous and totally unexpected news! The results of the CM test showed that the 5% of abnormal cells were GONE! Georgea does not have a genetic disorder after all. What an amazing blessing for our family to receive this news! Georgea is progressing so well that this news really does make sense, however we never expected that this was even possible. God is good and we are so thankful!!

Some photos of our smiley girl at her geneticist's office.

The Graduate

2010-07-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful niece Allison graduated from Clearwater High School (with honors!) in early June and we were able to attend her graduation festivities and cheer her on. It was an awesome time with family and a special experience celebrating Alli and all of her many accomplishments. Here she is with "big" sis Caitlynn and "little" sis Meghann. LOVE these girls!

Smiley grad!

Alli and her Daddy, my brother-in-law, John.

We traveled from Arizona, Indiana and Tennessee. It was great to have everyone together.

Georgea with her cousin Meghann. She loves hanging out with her cousins.

Alli with Grandma and Papa.

Aunt Bea-Bea and Grandma.

Mama & Dada (and G in her ergo with sippy cup pressed against my neck...oh well!)

Our nephew Jonathan with Meg and Cait.

The fireworks were beautiful, but Georgea really was not sure about them. Thus, I plunked her into her Ergo for some close comfort and snuggle time.

Ergo baby, working the crowd.

The day after graduation, hanging out at the pool with the family and more celebrating!!

Huggy-huggy Cait & Georgea.

Alexis gets a good giggle out of Georgea via some toe smooches.

Walking with Eva and Alexis. Georgea was the only baby in the bunch which meant lots of attention for a pretty little 2 year old.

A few moments of beach time was all we had, and Georgea loved it!

Bye-bye beautiful sand and surf.....we'll be back soon.

Pretty in Pink

2010-07-15T21:56:00.001-07:00

We attended my childhood best friend's wedding on Memorial Day evening. It was a beautiful day, a lovely ceremony and Georgea was as sweet as could be. She really enjoyed the reception, snacking, giggling, playing with her Haba, Aunt & Uncle....and dancing with Dada.

"How do you like my new handbag Uncle Bob??"

OK, so there was one tantrum, early in the ceremony that led to a "walk" with Dada and some really discombobled hair. :-)

The happy couple, Carla and Mitch!! I love Carla so much. We've been through a lot together, especially in our early years & she really showed up for me when my Mom was sick. Seeing my special friend so happy is good for my soul.

Ready for her filet! They brought Georgea a special dinner of grilled cheese and fries, but she preferred my steak. Georgea's palette never ceases to amaze me. I'm not a meat eater, so I was happy to enjoy my crabcake & share the beautiful filet with the princess.

Georgea was very giggly during the reception. She loves music and food, so what could be better?!

Daddy's girl.

With the beautiful bride and my beautiful sister. Friends for 30 years.

Aunt Becky and her girl. True love.

Memorial Day Parade

2010-07-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the Memorial Day parade in the town where I grew up. Georgea really enjoyed the festivities as well as time with family and good friends.

One of Georgea's good friends Georgi stepping away from the parade for a moment to say hello!

Waving her flag while hanging out with Kelly and Dada.

Haba!!

Georgea reached out for Luca's hand on the walk back to the car. My sweet, sweet girl.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl

2010-07-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Georgea turned 2 on May 26! Seems like just yesterday we were celebrating her first birthday in China. Where did the year go?? We had a wonderful little party, just family, in Maryland a few days after Georgea's actual birthday. In fact we celebrated over a period of several days, with gifts, cake, presents and lots of hugs kisses. She's growing up fast and we're savoring every sweet moment.

One of my sister's very talented friends made this beautiful and DELICIOUS Kai Lan cake.

A visit with Grandma & Papa

2010-05-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

We had special visitors all the way from Tennessee last month! James parents came out to spend more than a week with Georgea. Georgea does her best bonding on her own turf, so having Grandma & Papa right here, at home was truly wonderful for her.

Enjoying the beauty of Sedona.

Snuggle, snuggle with Papa.

I love that Georgea gets to grow up in such a beautiful place. The beauty and diversity of the desert is truly amazing.

Post Sedona coloring at home with Papa. I was out of town this night and seeing the photos of Georgea's "end of day" hairdo made me laugh.

Papa spent much of his trip coloring, playing and reading to Georgea. Georgea loves this type of playful interaction, and like her Daddy, Georgea's Papa is especially good at it.

Patty-pat Vida.

A little morning reading and snuggling, poolside.

Still in her jammies. Georgea loved sleeping in and hanging with her Grandparents.

I know Georgea will be so happy to see Grandma and Papa again this summer. It will be awesome to see her reaction to them after having this wonderful, relationship building time together.

"Running On One Engine"

2010-05-08T16:54:00.000-07:00

"Here's an analogy; think of an airplane, with four engines. You both (James & I) have four engines running. Georgea only has one." THIS is the analogy that Georgea's Hematologist used to help put Georgea's blood disorder in layman's terms for us. Seriously??!! Oh my. Needless to say, I didn't necessarily wrap my arms around that one. I do think it is somewhat of an accurate picture, however Georgea is doing fine, actually better than fine. She's doing really well and thriving with her one engine, so I just need to keep it all in perspective. Georgea has Hemoglobin H disease, aka: Alpha Thalassemia Intermedia. This is a more serious condition than we originally thought Georgea had. James and I believed (due to feedback from 4 different Doctors) that Georgea had Alpha Thalassemia MINOR. When someone has AT Minor, the individual is simply a "carrier" of the disease, but does not suffer any symptoms. We knew Georgea had a blood condition, one we believed to be ATM since the time of her referral. Unfortunately the information related to Georgea's hemoglobin was not quite accurate on the original blood work we received from China.

So, enough about what Georgea doesn't have, I've moved on from that. What does ATI or Hemoglobin H mean to Georgea? This means that Georgea may need transfusions during her lifetime. She may need one, many, or none. How about that? Georgea's hemoglobin is unstable. It can break down, for multiple reasons that I will pass on delving into. That said, we need to keep a close eye on our baby girl. We need to look for signs that her hemoglobin may be in trouble which means she needs a transfusion to get her back on track. Signs like, lethargy, jaundice, general lack of energy, etc.

Here's where the trouble comes in for me. I am a worrier. I try so hard not to be, but it is something I have to fight hard against, especially since I became a Mom. So, with regard to Georgea's ATI condition I need to always be "looking" but at the same time try not to worry. How do I do that? That's really a toughie. So, I'm giving this one up. I'm giving it up to the God who loves me, who cares for me more than any living being and who wraps His arms around my baby girl every day. I'm trusting, I'm letting go, and I'm enjoying this wonderful life that I get to live with my girl and my husband. And you know what? It feels pretty good. I do have moments of worry that creep up on me since we got this news. Georgea had a fever last week & that can be a problem for a girl with ATI. But I really kept myself in check. Georgea's fever only lasted a couple of days, and she was fine. Victory....for both Georgea and me! She's almost 2 and transfusion free thus far!

So, we've got a new Dr. on the list, and darn it, he's with us for life. Good news is, we really like him. He's a great guy & he's super good with Georgea. We'll see G's hematologist every couple of months at first and then he said "once we get comfortable" the visits, if all is going well, can be spaced out as far as 1 x per year. I think that's really awesome!

I'm once again impressed with my girl. She's amazing! She's so smart, happy, fun, engaged, loving, silly, affectionate....the list goes on. And, she's doing it with "only one engine." Now that's quite something, isn't it?

Aloha to rest, recovery and bonding galore...

2010-04-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

James & I have been long time fans of vacationing and relaxing on the beautiful, peaceful, tropical Hawaiian islands. My Mom and Dad introduced us to Hawaii about 15 years ago and we've been hooked ever since. It's been almost 2 and a half years since we've ventured off for one of these wonderful life experiences as we were settling into our new home in Arizona and enjoying the busyness of life as expectant, and ultimately new, parents. A couple of weeks ago we took off with a baby girl on our laps and headed toward our pacific paradise. We delved into island life enjoying sun, surf, pool and nap time on both the islands of Maui and Kauai. The time went too fast, but I feel confident we'll head back that way before too much time passes as now our baby girl is in love with Hawaii too.

Exploring the lawn between the beach and our condo.

Kissy-kissy on the beach on Maui.

Easing Georgea into the very motion-filled experience of bobbing in the ocean.

Becoming familiar with the sensation of toes in the sand. Lots of great sensory experiences for Georgea on this trip.

"Hello waves & water! I love you!"

The best!!

Hangin' at the pool with her playmate, aka: "Dada."

Sunset stroll.

Sweet snoozing & snuggles. Georgea did very will with maintaining a solid sleep schedule despite the travel & 3 hour time change.

Sunset in Kaanapali.

Meeting a friend from Guangdong province! We had a random encounter while taking a stroll after dinner one evening. We met this beautiful young lady and her adoptive Mom. We stopped, chatted for awhile & let the girls interact. It was really fun to watch Georgea and Danica enjoy each others company.

The view from our lanai was amazing. So peaceful.

22 month olds have special beach privileges.

Goodbye for now beautiful Maui. We're off to Kauai to meet up with our friends Sue, Robert & Alexa.

It was so fun to spend some island time with our good friends from home.

The girls!

Darn that straw, but this photo was too sweet not to include.

Spending some time on the north shore of Kauai at Princeville.

Kee beach, one of our favorites.

Two hula girls in their matching jammies.

This is what Georgea looked like during our entire 2 week vacation. The 3 of us hadn't spent such intense time together (24/7) since we were in China together almost 11 months ago. This vacation was a great time of bonding for us as a family and Georgea really savored it.

Some hugs and assistance from a "big girl!"

Truly an awesome time for us as a family. We can't wait to do it again. Aloha Hawaii!

GRANDPA'S GIRL

2010-03-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

Georgea has really bonded with my Dad since he's been here in Arizona this winter. He's getting ready to head back to MD, and I just know my girl is going to be sad once her Grandpa is gone. My Dad can make Georgea crack up laughing & full on squeal & scream with excitement like no one else she knows. It really is a riot to observe the silliness between the two of them. And the lack of their special, giddy interaction is going to create a stillness & a quiet in our home and our hearts starting next week. We're all so thankful to have had this special time together.

GOOD MORNING SLEEPY HEAD

2010-03-26T16:04:00.001-07:00

My girl is not a morning person. If Georgea had her way, she'd sleep til 9:00 every day and then laze around the house in her jammies with her sippy cup of milk until 10, or later. She truly cracks me up in this regard. I had some fun this past weekend capturing her lazy wake up process and she graced the camera and me with some rare morning smiles and giggles.

Waking up oh so slowly.

First grin of the day, and some really cute bed-head hair which I just love!

Now that's my girl!

Giggle-giggle, hug-hug! Georgea loves to snuggle her dolls and stuffed animals, and I think her loving nature is awfully sweet and very infectious.

Manageable, special and what is my legacy?

2010-03-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

These are the words & phrases that have been heavy on my mind for the past few days. I've been thinking a lot about our second adoption lately. It's been almost 3 months now since we hit the pause button, almost immediately after starting the process at the end of December. A lot has transpired in those 3 months. Georgea has entered the Early Intervention program due to her developmental delays. She has had every assessment and test known to man including speech, hearing, OT, multiple blood tests, genetic studies and the list goes on. Georgea now has a whole new group of doctors and therapists that care for and work with her on a fairly consistent basis. All these tests, assessments and therapies have meant a crazy full schedule for a new Mom and Dad both of whom have busy careers. The great news is that we've gotten in our groove. Georgea goes to her therapies each week and we are seeing progress. She's walking all over, wearing her new glasses and her fine motor skills have showed obvious improvement. Things feel pretty good around our house.

All that said, I've started to have the tug to dive back into the paper chase for our second adoption and so has James. But on Sunday I started looking around and thinking..."things are manageable. Life is good. Why would we want to rock the boat? Why would we want to make things crazier when things just got back to feeling manageable?" Then I started thinking..."why is manageable so attractive; so important to me?" Seriously, is that what I want my legacy to be? "My house was clean & my life was manageable??" I don't think so. I want my legacy to be a legacy of love, of care giving of building a family. I truly believe that is my calling. So, bring on the craziness, the challenges, the things that make us stronger and better (and more tired), as we work through it all.

James and I have been blessed in so many ways. We've had a lifetime, almost 20 years, of sweet love and lots of freedom. This past year has been a new experience for us and one that we have relished. There have been many challenges and lots of tears, but more joy than either of us could have imagined. It hasn't been easy, but it's been sweet. Georgea gives us new purpose. We are so honored to be her parents.

So, yesterday morning the phone rang. It was Georgea's developmental pediatrician. She was calling to tell us that Georgea's genetic testing results were in and that she has an "abnormal cell line." Oh boy. Georgea is considered a "mosaic female." That means she has one normal cell line and one that is abnormal. What does that mean? Who knows? We will now add a Genetecist to our long list of fancy Docs that we get to encounter as we prepare to sit down & delve into more testing to try to see what this all means with regard to Georgea and her everyday life.

Georgea is special. I haven't written about Georgea's special need and wasn't sure if I ever would, although I'm sure it is obvious in some of her photos. Georgea has polydactyly; extra fingers and toes. She has one extra on each hand and foot which makes her super special actually because having this many extra digits is rare. I share this to say that we may find, via more genetic testing, that Georgea's polydactyly is a result of her mosaic status. The abnormal cell line could have caused her polydactyly. And, it could be as simple as that. There may be nothing else that ever comes as a result of Georgea being a "mosaic female." That is our hope and our prayer.

So, we're moving on. That phone call is another thing that happened in our day yesterday, but it is not the decision maker of how we live life around here. We are moving forward with our second adoption paper chase. It may be a long road with all that we are juggling, but that's ok. We're fine with that. We're pretty good jugglers.

We are anxious to get back to China. I have such a yearning and I know it's because there is another little girl there that needs a family. She needs a Mama and a Dada...and a sweet, beautiful sister. She needs love and care, hugs and kisses, affection, a hand to hold. We have all of that to give. Those things are plentiful around here so why shouldn't we? Why wouldn't we?

Sometimes it feels good to spill my heart, to just get it out there. This morning I feel better for having spilled. Now I'm going inside to drink some more coffee and watch my husband chase my baby girl around. Thank you Lord for this life of abundance.

SHOE SHOPPING SATURDAY!

2010-03-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

We had a super productive shoe shopping outing this morning at Nordstrom. Georgea was in need of some sandals for spring & summer and we found just what we were looking for! My Dad & I ventured out with Georgea and had a pretty fun time watching her play with her balloon & interact with the other kiddos in the shoe department. She tried on many, ended up with three and was a great sport all the way through. Here's hoping this is only the beginning of a shoe-loving Mom's adventures with her little girl.

Getting a little help from an expert.

One, two, three! I love all of these.

Georgea found the balloon far more impressive than her new shoe wardrobe...oh well.

There's something really sweet & innocent about a beautiful baby girl and her pink balloon...

CENTER OF ATTENTION

2010-03-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

Last week I had my team from work here in Arizona for meetings. Georgea & James crashed at my Dad's place so the girls could focus on work, but Georgea did make an appearance for a visit at the end of the day. Put "Little Miss G" in the middle of a bunch of "cosmetic girls" and she is totally in her element! They were all so sweet with Georgea and she loved being the center of their attention!

"Hi" and boy am I strong

2010-03-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

JUST PHOTOS

2010-03-09T07:55:00.000-08:00

Oats with blueberries & bananas. Georgea's breakfast staple.

I love this hairdo!!

Baby G loves fashion magazines almost as much as Mama!

Just sponging up all the fabulous new looks for spring!

This dress is a hand-me-down treasure from Alexa, and our new favorite!

Do not disturb the fashionista!

Nothing in the world more beautiful than my baby girl's smile!

WALKING & GIGGLING!

2010-03-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

Here's a short clip of Georgea showing off her newly aquired walking skills...

GOOD NEWS...

2010-03-07T20:11:00.001-08:00

We've had lots of good news and wonderful progress over the past couple of weeks. This photo is a picture of Dada and Georgea outside of Children's Hospital the day Georgea had her hearing test administered. Georgea passed her series of three tests with flying colors and that was such a relief for us. I had tears running down my cheeks as I watched her head turn back & forth in response to the noises that were made to initiate a response from Georgea. HUGE blessing and a very happy day for our family!

Additionally, Georgea is now officially a walker!! She's been taking a lot of consecutive steps on her own over the past few weeks and last week, she just took off. I set her down and she just started walking. She hasn't stopped since! It is so fun and exciting to see Georgea's progress.