Angel from Tonggu

My Snow Bird, February 12 2010

2010-02-14T13:51:00.000-05:00

Happy 5th Birthday, Lily!

2010-02-14T13:49:00.000-05:00

Some Me of Beauty

2009-10-24T10:07:00.002-04:00

Some Me of Beauty

Carolyn Rogers

I took a good long look at myself in a full length mirror

Sometimes it's good to look in a full length mirror

And what I saw was not some soul sister poetess of the moment

But I saw just a woman

Just a woman feeling

Just a woman human

And what I felt was

What I felt was a spiritual revelation

And what I felt was a root revival of some love coming on

Coming on strong

And I knew then looking in a full length mirror

That many things were over

And some me of beauty was about to begin

Lily's haircut

2009-08-13T21:33:00.003-04:00

So, Lily had her hair trimmed recently and I pulled out my camera. It really struck me how much older she looked in that salon chair. My baby's growing up...sniff, sniff :(

My Little Mermaid

2009-08-13T21:04:00.005-04:00

My little mermaid took swim lessons for the first time this year. She had five lessons in May and she liked it but didn't really "get it". Now, she gets it.

Swim, baby, swim.

Here she is jumping off the diving board:

Lily's First Musical Number!

2009-07-17T21:50:00.000-04:00

More from Boulder. . .

2009-07-05T21:01:00.003-04:00

Sweet Belle
Early morning walk with LuAnne. Notice the hot air balloon in the sky. There were actually five or six up in the sky, which, LuAnne said, is not uncommon.

Lily with her first cousin, David.

Breakfast at Boulder Tea House. Check it out: boulderteahouse.com.

Peace out & Happy 4th.

Rocky Mountain High

2009-07-04T16:20:00.003-04:00

Odie

Lily at the pond behind LuAnne's house
Lily and LuAnne on the morning walk.

Dancing with Lily"rella"

2008-12-27T13:11:00.001-05:00

Christmas, ah Christmas, through the wondrous eyes of a child...Magic!

2008-12-26T19:07:00.005-05:00

My Elf in her little red coat from China.

Santa's gifts (pre-Lily's discovery)

The Aftermath

Santa

The night before Christmas. . . Lily treats us to a few bars on the harmonica.

My Ballerina Girl

2008-11-23T09:02:00.002-05:00

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face...

2008-11-14T21:34:00.003-05:00

She is the moon, the stars and all that is good. Roy and I are so grateful for the gift we have been given from a far away land. It's hard to believe it's been three years since a scrawny, tired and scared Lily was placed into our arms. Life has not been the same since. She is way more than we ever deserved and we hope that the best day of her past may be the worst day of her future (an old Irish blessing).

Mountain Girl

2008-11-08T22:44:00.008-05:00

First Pony Ride on Piper the Pony

And, no, she wasn't supposed to be on the ladder!

Lily and I spent a good bit of October in the mountains of North Carolina. I took a writing class at the John C. Campbell Folk School (a place I highly recommend) and Lily stayed with her Nanny at her Nanny's "mountain house in Carolina," as Lily describes it. Here are a few pictures from the mountains.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T21:18:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween from my bumble bee! Oh, by the way, the gap in her bangs is an unnatural gap caused by a three-year-old who found the scissors! YIKES! It will grow back (we hope!).

Moon Festival

2008-09-15T20:10:00.003-04:00

On Sunday, we spent a lovely day with Nanny and attended the Moon Festival sponsored by UGA Asian Children Mentoring Association. They had a musician playing traditional Chinese music on traditional instrument; a Karate demonstration; a traditional dance from Phillipines; a puppet show; a potluck meal featuring Asian food; and, to top things off, mooncakes! Here's some pictures from our day.

A few Stills from Groovy Nights

2008-09-06T09:07:00.002-04:00

Lily with our friend Gina
Dancing the night away
Dancing with Dad

PS: Excuse poor shot quality; Having camera issues with my fairly new CanonSLR. Thinking of switching to Nikon. Feel free to email advice!

Groovy Nights.

2008-09-04T09:20:00.003-04:00

On Friday, I went to the "Groovy Nights" benefit for Project Safe, the battered women's shelter here in Athens. Lily accompanied me and Roy met us later. The theme was the 70s, complete with Disco Ball, Twister, Tab, etc. Lily walked in and heard the music and couldn't stop dancing. This is some video of Lily groovin' out. It's a little loud, dark and grainy, but you get the picture.

Summer time fun

2008-09-04T07:11:00.010-04:00

We visited with Lily's cousin Becca who was in Milledgeville, GA, this past weekend. They swam, ran, ate, rode the granddaddy of all tricycles, blew bubbles, danced, played and had a wonderful time. Lily was asleep before we hit the highway home. For a few more pictures, see Becca's mom's blog click here.

Hats and horses (and happy birthday GCM)

2008-08-19T18:37:00.004-04:00

Princess Sleepyhead

2008-06-10T06:16:00.006-04:00

She was upstairs taking a nap... or so we thought. Then we hear the clip-clop of heels on hardwood and around the corner came Princess Sleepyhead, decked out in all her finery...Ah to be 3.

Now I know my ABCs...

2008-06-03T20:45:00.004-04:00

Reaching New Heights

2008-06-03T12:38:00.005-04:00

My baby girl is growing up. We had our 3 year and 3 (almost 4) month checkup today. Lily is 37 and 1/4 inches tall and weighs 30 pounds. She is A-OK on all fronts. She cooperated with the vision test and passed with flying colors, although it did crack me up when they asked her what the shapes were and she saw a cup and said "coffee" and for a circle she said "oval" and later the letter "o". She hardly flinched when they pricked her finger to draw blood and seemed fascinated by it and was thrilled to receive a bright yellow band-aid for her finger. I kept telling her that the nurse was going to give her one more band-aid. Do you want another bandaid? YES, YES, OF COURSE! she said. But when she realized what was about to happen (the dreaded shot), she cried (screamed, actually) "I WANT MY DADDY, I WANT MY DADDY." After it was over, through her little tears, she said "I don't wanna another band-aid, mama." She quickly recovered with stickers and a princess stamp.

On the Maggie front, Lily did not see Maggie after she had died because she was alseep when we found Maggie. I told her this morning that Maggie was now in heaven. She said with "Da-wiss" (Dallas was Maggie's labrador companion for the better part of 12 years who died a few months ago) and with Papa? I said, yes. She said "Maggie my best friend." And that was that. Life goes on.

Maggie

2008-06-02T22:23:00.007-04:00

The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its' clouds upon our heads.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, when the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master, as if he were a prince.When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its' journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger to fight his enemies; and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its' embrace, and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in watchfulness, faithful and true even in death. (Sen. George Graham Vest, 1870)

In loving memory of Cloud's Creek Magnolia Mae, better know as Maggie,

June 1, 1996-June 2, 2008

Adoption News Wire

2008-05-28T06:33:00.002-04:00

I have started a new blog featuring adoption related news, events and commentary. It's called the Adoption News Wire. My goal is to feature daily posts on adoption related news. Comments, suggestions and commentary always welcomed. The address is www.adoptionwire.blogspot.com or you can click on the link herein.

An explanation

2008-05-28T06:25:00.003-04:00

I find it almost difficult to post anything after the Cinderella song. The death of his daughter, close in age to mine and also adopted from China, has stayed with me. She died on the same day that David (my stepson) died... May 21. Of course, David's death preceded hers by several years. The ironic thing was that that morning -- May 21 -- I was up early (in Destin) listening to music. I have Steven Curtis Chapman's video on my computer of the song "When Love Takes You In" which features one of his adopted daughters from China. I put Lily in my lap and we were watching it together. It's nothing I usually pull up, but this particular morning we did. Later than evening, we heard the tragic news about Maria. Too sad for words really. So, for those who were confused by the last post, this is what it was all about.=

There are no words...goodbye little Maria

2008-05-26T13:45:00.002-04:00

Last days at beach

2008-05-25T07:17:00.003-04:00

Our days have gone like this basically: Breakfast, Beach, Pool, Nap, Pool and Dinner. So last night we did something a little different to shake it up a bit and decided to go on a sunset dolphin cruise. It was fun. We saw a baby dolphin with her mama. Afterwards, we went to dinner at Bonefish Grille which was excellent and they were kind enough to put us in a back corner booth and, of course, they had what every three year old who is up way past her bedtime needs, balloons and crayons. The photograph of Lily with the shark was from the night before at another restaurant. The waiter gave her that shark and she has had more fun with that than anything I've ever bought her. She's constantly making the shark "bite" and eat things, as you can see from the pictures! So, I'm posting now and then I'm packing and we're headed out today.

Flying Water-Winged Angel

2008-05-23T08:22:00.011-04:00

Lily loves the water and water-wings were life changing for her! The problem has now become getting her out of the pool. She has no fear of the water which cuts both ways. Sometimes a little healthy fear is not such a bad thing when you are only 3 and have yet to master swimming without water-wings. She's having a really good time and just watching her enjoy life so much is a wonderful thing. Here's a couple of videos and a few pictures from yesterday.

My beach angel!

2008-05-21T21:37:00.009-04:00

This first photograph is Lily in 2007 at the beach. The remaining photographs were taken today with Lily in that same dress on the beach. My baby's growing up!

The Mermaid Kingdom

2008-05-21T09:24:00.004-04:00

We finally made it to Destin despite multiple mishaps and problems... and thank goodness we are here! We were all scheduled to leave together on Sunday but on Saturday Maggie, our oldest and dearest labrador, had a medical emergency... only to be followed by Lily who came down with some sort of stomach virus a few hours later. Sunday came and Lily was still under the weather, but we managed somehow to leave -- well, Erin, Lily and me, that is. Lily didn't feel well at all but slept most of the trip. We did have a couple of unanticipated stops because of nausea.

On the trip down, we received a phone call from Roy who was still home with Maggie. Roy said that Annabelle, another one of our dogs, had gotten into a scrap with Luca, our toy poodle. All was fine, however, Luca was traumatized. Mind you, this has never happened before and was somewhat disturbing considering we were all going to be out of town.

Erin, Lily and I made it to Destin and walked into a different world. Beautiful, peaceful, quiet and serene. We were in paradise; Roy, however, was still at home dealing with animal crisis. Roy woke up early Monday morning and discovered that he, too, had come down with the stomach virus. Despite that, he took Maggie to the vet and traveled 7 1/2 hour not feeling so well. About three hours before he arrived, I, too, came down with the virus. So, that was our Sunday and Monday. Luckily, it was only a 24 hour bug. Roy arrived safely. Maggie made it through surgery and is doing well. By Tuesday, we were all in good form, fully recovered and enjoying the sunshine and the water.

We stay at the same place every two years (alternating years with Amelia Island). It has a large, fully-equipped kitchen, so we enjoy cooking down here. There's a wonderful fresh fish market down the street, which is one of our first stops after we arrive. Last night, we had seafood linguine with fresh grouper and shrimp. Lily is a big fan of shrimp!

This is the first vacation Erin has been on with us since Lily has been home, so it's nice to be together... especially at this time of year. It's hard to believe that today is the eighth anniversary of David's death. We miss him very much. I often think about how much he would have loved this little girl from China. I'm sure he does.

As you can probably tell by the look on her face in the attached pictures, Lily loves the beach. The ocean is a little too rough right now for her to spend a lot of time in it, but she LOVES the sand and there's a pool. The water-wings were life changing for her! She feels very independent and free to swim, swim, swim without hanging on to mom and dad, although we are always within arms reach.

We have seen schools of dolphins. When I asked Lily today who lives in the ocean, she said "Whales, dolphins, sharks, fish, a seahorse, Marianna the Mermaid, the Mermaid Kingdom, Dora and Boots."

Super Mario Style

2008-05-12T22:27:00.004-04:00

Lily's school had a TrikAThon to benefit St. Jude's. Lily had a blast. Around and around she went in her little "Super Mario" mushroom helmet.

From China to Atlanta...A Reunion

2008-04-19T23:52:00.021-04:00

Friends, Lily and Josie, April 2008
Friends, Lily and Josie, November 2005

On Saturday, a reunion of sorts took place in Atlanta with several of the little girls adopted at the same time as Lily from China in 2005. Roy and I met up with everyone at the Atlanta Zoo. It was amazing to see how much all our little girls had grown and changed in the past two years. Lily was a little chatterbox all the way to Atlanta. "I'm going to see my Josie and Lions and Tigers and Bears." When she first saw Josie she was somewhat shy but they quickly warmed up to one another. Josie, for those who don't remember, is from Missouri and was Lily's foster sister in Tonggu for the nine months preceding their adoption. While it's something neither likely recall, I have a feeling that it may be of great interest, perhaps even comfort, to them both one day... a past shared by two little girls. It's one of the few pieces of information we can offer her about the time from her birth until she was adopted. I digress. :)

Here are some pictures from our day. I must say a big thank you to Stacie Dudley for organizing this event. Also, thank you to Patti for the thoughtful and beautiful scrapbook/photo book of our girls. (Note: if you click on the photograph, it should enlarge it for those wanting a better view of the girls).

Front Row: Jenna, JiaLi (Massachusetts), ??, Ellen;
Back Row: Lauren (GA), Annslee (Tennessee), Liana (Illinois), Lily (GA), Josie (Missouri) & Mikayla (Fla)

L to R: Josie, Lily, Lauren & Annslee

L to R: Josie, Lily (in mid-air!) and Liana jumping on the goat's platform!

Lily and Josie checking out the Flamingos.

Much to my surprise, the man in warthog costume was a big hit. I thought Lily would freak out but she didn't and I had to drag her away from him!

Sweet lil' Josie
L to R: Lily, Sweet Liana and Josie!
Lily was not too sure about this goat, although she did finally pet him.

Josie and her mom
LianaFriends having fun
and more fun!

Hippity Hop Hop Hippity Hop Hop... Happy Easter!

2008-03-25T21:32:00.004-04:00

We're a little late in posting the Easter pictures but better late than never, right? We had a relatively quiet Easter in Watkinsville, Georgia. The Easter Bunny did make an appearance; however, it coincided with my batteries dying in my camera so I only managed a few pictures of Lily at the park in Easter attire after Mass on Sunday and before the Easter Egg Hunt. I hope all of you had a Happy Easter.

PS to blogging friends: I've just now caught up on my blog reading since Italy. I love all the new pictures of Josie, Annslee, Lauren, Becca and all our friends from China. Lily's really getting a kick out of looking at pictures of other kids. She always wants to see Josie dance, i.e., the red lantern dance youtube video from Chinese New Year. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Atlanta in April.

Ciao Bella!

2008-03-19T06:57:00.022-04:00

Assisi

For our ten year anniversary, Roy and I decided to go to Rome, Italy. We left on March 6 and returned this past weekend. It was a beautiful trip. We stayed a couple of blocks from St. Peter's Basillica and the Sistene Chapel. We traveled by train to Assisi, a wonderful medieval city a couple of hours away. The history and the art were mind-boggling. Bernini, Michaelangelo, Rodin, Raphael, Leonardo DaVinci, the Forum, the Arch of Constantine, the Vatican, the Jewish Ghetto, Piazzo Venezia where Mussolini gave his famous speech aligning Italy with Hitler. We walked everywhere, everyday and I even saw the Pope from St. Peter's Square bless the crowd that had gathered below his window. We ate pasta and pizza with red wine everyday and had gelato for dessert. It was a miracle that we managed not to gain weight while there but we did walk a whole lot. Roy kept me away from the Prada shop, and I opted for a painting instead as my souvenier from Rome.

It was also the longest we have been away from Lily (10 days), and, yes, we missed her terribly, especially the last few days. Although we never really considered taking her, it's a good thing that we did not because it would have been too taxing on all of us, especially her. She stayed with her Aunt Joyce and Uncle Jimmy and her Nanny. She had a blast, but my mom said she did seem a little teary-eyed the last morning when she showed her a picture of us. Lily said "I need my family." How precious is that? We talked to her on the phone a few times via Skype and cell phone. While with her Aunt and Nanny, Lily went to the petting zoo; she had her nails done; and was just spoiled rotten in general! The homecoming was very nice. Thank you Joyce for picking us up at Marta! I could hardly wait to see her little face. When she saw us she grabbed hold and laughed saying "mama, daddy, mama, daddy" over and over again for several minutes. It's amazing how much it seems she has grown and changed in just ten days.

Michaelangelo's magnificent sculpture, Pieta.

Roy standing in front of Rome's Collosseum, built in 70 A.D.

Pope Benedict addressing the crowd at St. Peter's Square.

Debbie at the Vatican Museum with St. Peter's Basillica in the background.

Beautiful Rome.

Saturday in the park

2008-03-02T10:30:00.008-05:00

The weather was gorgeous on Saturday so we spent it at the park with friends. Luke is from Vietnam and has been home with his mom for about six months.

She oughtta be in pictures!

2008-02-24T16:14:00.004-05:00

Here's my latest video project for Lily. It features photos and video from referral to age three. It's about ten minutes long and I tried to keep it chronological. Lily's favorite part: the video of the baby (Lily at 9 months). "Look at that baby," she says every time. Also she's very worried about the baby in the Red Couch photo at the White Swan who is crying. "That baby needs her mama," she says each time we watch it. Hope you enjoy it.

Love, proud mama to Lily.

She's 3!

2008-02-10T21:28:00.000-05:00

The past couple of weeks have been busy ones in our household. We've had three birthdays in three weeks! Mine, then Erin's and Lily's. Not to mention Chinese New Year! On Sunday, we celebrated Lily's birthday with family. She was in hog-heaven all day! Between Grandma, Nanny, Aunt Joyce, Uncle Jimmy, Erin and, mom and dad... Lily had a blast. I believe her absolute favorite part of a birthday is having all of us sing "Happy Birthday" to her. Her whole face lit up. She told me, "Mama, I so happy." Here's some pictures from our birthday weekend. Oh, and the "flapper" dress... that was a birthday gift which she, of course, loves.
.

Just another day in paradise with Lily

2008-01-27T06:19:00.000-05:00

Our first YouTube movie . . .

Angel from... Tonggu??

2008-01-26T11:26:00.000-05:00

Ok... so if you really know me well, you will know that my favorite singer (soul, depth, attitude, etc.) is Bonnie Raitt. One of my favorite all time songs is "Angel from Montgomery", which led to the naming of this blog, voila, "Angel from Tonggu." Tonggu is Lily's finding spot, a place we were lucky enough to visit while in China. I'm trying to use all my motherly influence to create a mini-Bonnie Raitt fan, but so far we are still stuck on the "I love you" song from Barney. :)

Our week in pictures

2008-01-20T19:42:00.001-05:00

Lily and the magic crown, wearing her favorite weekend attire... a tutu Dora dress over her PJs.

She looks like such a little girl here. Where's my baby?

Showing me her mail... which was actually a bill that she had somehow managed to sneak away from us, color on it and hide it in the bathroom.

Snowball fight with daddy!

The following day... the snow is gone.

Meet Maggie and Cody... and, no, they aren't suppose to be on the couch!

Hey Frog!

2008-01-20T15:02:00.000-05:00

Today's conversation:

Me: Hey Lily

Lily: Hey Frog

Me: Hey kitty, kitty

Lily: Hey puppy dog, woof, woof

Me: Hey panda bear

And so it goes and goes and goes.

Things you may or may not know about Lily:

1) She's making great strides in counting and language. At her school, they teach Spanish to the children once a week. She will count in Spanish to six; however, she almost always skips the number two -- in both English and Spanish. Go figure. The first time she counted in Spanish, I was floored. I didn't even realize she could and, quite frankly, I don't know that I could make it to six in Spanish! French, yes... but not Spanish. The other day, she wanted me to come with her somewhere and she said, "Come on, mama... Vamonos! I have Dora to thank for that one. It's amazing what little sponges they are at this age.

2) She loves, adores, obsesses over Dora. "I wanna watch Dora, I wanna watch Dora." I've watched Dora clean up the Mermaid Kingdom at least two hundred times.

3) She still goes to sleep with her index and middle finger in her mouth and holding on to my collar, her own, or a blankie with her other hand. She's done it since the first day I held her. It's her comfort, the equivalent of rocking herself to sleep.

4)In her room, we have a converted crib which is now a daybed and a "big girl" twin bed. Her preference this week is a pallet on the floor. It's a battle I'm not going to fight; if we can keep her in her room at night, we're ok with wherever she chooses to fall asleep.

5)Her favorite breakfast: "pink oatmeal" or strawberries and cream oatmeal.

6) She loves: brussell sprouts, broccoli, avocado. She tolerates meat, but it's not her favorite. She's crazy for a cupcake of any kind.

7)Favorite dress-up: A tutu, a crown and a wand. "Make a wish, mama," she'll say.

Thus far, we have opted out of "extracurriculars" for her. She goes to pre-school and they have a lot of activities there (language, music). When we are home and on weekends we spend a lot of down-time with her... relaxing, playing, and, yes, some Dora tv (shame on me, I know). I did make some inquiries about ballet for her, but we will wait until this fall. This child loves a tutu! We're planning a trip to Destin in a few months and Lily loves the water, so we may take a swim class soon.

Sweet Dreams, Fairy Girl

2008-01-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

ALL's well for fairy girl in dream land.

So for Christmas my dear husband gave me a MacBook. At first, I was like, uh, ok, a MacBook. That wasn't my out-loud reaction; just what I was sort of thinking. You see, I wanted a $80.00 bag from Land's End, not a computer, much less a Mac which I knew NOTHING about. Three weeks later, however, I must say again and very sincerely, I LOVE IT. THANK YOU, HONEY! THANK YOU!

I'm still getting use to it to a degree, but there's so much to love about it, especially the picture programs, which may explain why I've decided to update my website and add my "musings" blog to the sidebar (www.lawdawgmom.blogspot.com).

Health update: I broke down and went to the doc in a box today. It's Saturday and I couldn't wait it out for my regular doctor. My sinuses hurt so bad my teeth were aching. No surprise... a sinus infection. Doc gave me an antibiotic that he described as napalm for my body... it'll kill anything, he said. So there you go. By Monday, I'll have wiped out these symptoms I hope and will be on the way to recovery. He did say, however, that my home remedies (neti pot) probably made it less painful that it would have been otherwise.

We're Baaaaack! Finally :)

2008-01-10T22:13:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, friends and family! We had a wonderful holiday season, although we were all sick at one point or another with upper respiratory this and that. I'm still suffering with sinus issues, but I'm determined to kick it with vitamins, neti pot (don't ask!) and rest. I'm trying to avoid antibiotics if I can help it.

Lily is doing great. She's growing like a weed and everyday it's a new word or expression. The potty training... well, let's just say we are hit and miss at this point. I almost thought we had tackled it successfully but she seems to be regressing the last few weeks. She came home from her pre-school today with none of the clothes she had on when she went to school this morning... not even her shoes. She had an "accident". Let's just say, uh, it wasn't pretty.

Lily's developing her own little personality... it's shining through more and more. No question that the child has a mind of her own, which, for the most part, is a wonderful thing EXCEPT when she decides to buck the "system" (me):) Last night, she decided she just wasn't going to go to bed... just wouldn't do it... screamed, cried and then screamed and cried and then screamed and cried some more. Finally, and I do mean finally, she let herself relax and sleep came. She was exhausted, as was I. Roy said if he didn't know better, he'd think the child had my DNA. Going to sleep is rarely easy for me (note: posting at 11:15 p.m./waking up at 4:30 a.m.) UNLESS we put on a movie to watch and I am generally out like a light in ten minutes. I'm not much fun to watch movies with after 9 p.m. (or so I hear).

Finally, Erin and I have decided that this is the year to get back in shape. So sinus infection or not, we are up at 4:30 a.m. three days a week in order to make it to our Workout Warriors bootcamp (www.wowbootcamp.net) by 5:30 a.m. We will complete our first week tomorrow. It's hard, but it feels good to have completed our workout by 6:30 a.m. on those mornings... one week down!

For those that don't know, Erin is Roy's daughter. She's 23 and moved back home with us a few months ago. She's also helping me at the office as my secretary/paralegal/assistant/receptionist/gopher/investigator. Lily worships the ground Erin walks on. When Erin has friends over, Lily goes crazy! "C'me on, guys, c'me on. Come with Lily.. go upstairs." She LOVES being part of the big girls. It's so funny to watch and listen to her.

Crazy hair day!

No, I REALLY am asleep, Mama!

My serious side

My not so serious side!

For unknown reasons, Erin and Lily sitting in Maggie's bed (labrador); Erin on computer; Lily on her alarm clock that she thinks is a phone!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T17:10:00.000-05:00

Let It Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

2007-12-08T11:42:00.000-05:00

We are getting ready for Christmas. Lily is very excited. When I ask her whose birthday is on Christmas, she says "Angel Jesus." When I ask her what she wants for Christmas, she says "presents and candy corn."

My Angel Fairy

2007-09-18T20:20:00.000-04:00

The child is obsessed with her tutu and anything frilly, fluffy and sparkly... The other night I put her to bed and went in several hours later and found her all dressed in her tutu, wand in hand, and oh so many toys scattered about... the purple fairy tutu is for Halloween, but, of course, we can't wait that long to enjoy it.

Go Dawgs!

2007-08-22T23:34:00.000-04:00

2007-08-11T21:54:00.000-04:00

A dear friend of mine and wonderful artist, Lee Hackworth, did this beautiful artwork of Lily.

Life began when . . .

2007-08-11T15:51:00.000-04:00

Back in the saddle again!

2007-07-18T23:35:00.000-04:00

It feels good to be blogging again and nice to reconnect with all our friends. I look back at my first posts after we returned from China and Lily was such a little baby. My baby's growing up! In the last week, Lily has discovered singing. Roy sings "I can't help falling in love with you" to her. She tries to join in... "Wisssseeeee meeeennnnnn". It's very funny (to us, anyway). I've got to get my video camera out.

We spent this past weekend with family in North Carolina. Here's some pictures from our weekend.

Transitions

2007-07-16T06:52:00.000-04:00

We've now moved from the crib to the toddler bed. I thought it would be a difficult transition, but it's actually been very smooth. She has actually slept in her own bed every night for over a week, which is a huge change. In the crib, she was waking up every night and screaming for "mama, mama, mama, mama." So far, she hasn't been getting up at night and seems to like her "new" bed. We are all getting more sleep as a result. I guess it was time!

Happy 4th of July

2007-07-04T21:42:00.000-04:00

We spent the 4th with the Stricklands in Haddock, Georgia. Uncle Tony cooked a pig and Aunt Carol had all the other fixin's. We met Becca, Lily's cousin -- also born in China -- for the first time and visited with her mom and dad. Lily had a blast in the pool. Three sweet little girls -- Jordan, Madison, and Madeline -- and one great diver -- Drew -- kept her entertained for hours. She had such a blast and was so exhausted that she fell asleep before we made it out of the driveway and slept all the way home where she promptly fell into bed without a whimper.

Finally... an update!

2007-06-22T22:13:00.000-04:00

Isn't it amazing how fast they grow? Lily is now 29 months old... turned 2 in February. She's growing in leaps and bounds. Here's some pictures from our trip to Amelia Island at end of May.

Hiatus

2007-02-04T16:05:00.000-05:00

Blogger Mommy has decided she can no longer be all things at all times and must shift some obligations and priorities. Sadly, blogging is way down the list. I will try to post periodic updates about our family. They will, however, be fewer and farther between than posts in the past. (hmm...I hope that's grammatically correct). With work, laundry, grocery store, dogs, etc., I am a little stretched right now and once my child is fast asleep I need to be standing in front of a laundry machine instead of sitting in front of the computer. Guess which one I prefer! Anyway, I knew you guys would understand. Debbie

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2006-12-21T14:08:00.000-05:00

Wishing you peace, love, and joy, and, of course, a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Classic City Weekend

2006-12-12T20:27:00.001-05:00

Our friends, Laura and Mark, and their daughter, Annslee, recently spent a weekend in Georgia with us. It was, of course, wonderful to see them. We really got a hoot out of watching the girls play together. It's amazing how quickly they are growing up! We visited North Campus and a local playground and I took a LOT of pictures. The above is just a small sampling. Click on the collage to make the image larger. Also for more pictures, go to Laura's blog at www.thegrowingwarehouse.blogspot.com.

Introducing Becca!

2006-11-30T21:54:00.000-05:00

On September 1, 2005, Roy and I received our referral. I would definitely say it was one of the happiest days of my life. After such a long journey, we finally learned the identify of our lovely darling Lily. We learned her name, where she lived, a little bit about her history and, of course, we saw her beautiful face for the first time.

Today, Angela and Victor received their referral. Her first birthday is Monday, December 4. She is in Anhui province. Soon, Victor and Angie will hold her for the first time. We are so happy for them and for Becca's grandparents, Tony and Carol, and Victor's parents, too. It's a wonderful day! Welcome to the family, Becca!

Map of Anhui Province, P.R. of China

Giving Thanks

2006-11-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

On Thanksgiving Day 2005, Roy and I arrived home from China with our daughter, Lily. I am so thankful for every day, every moment, and every second I have with her. It has just been the most amazing year! This year we celebrated Thanksgiving at our home with family and friends. Lily got to spend time with her grandmothers and grand-aunt Joyce. We feel very blessed to spend such a meaningful day with our loved ones, and we are equally grateful for the time we had with those who are no longer with us.

2006-11-25T22:12:00.000-05:00

Then and Now

2006-11-13T06:17:00.000-05:00

One year ago today, Roy and I flew to Nanchang, P.R.C. We arrived at the Civil Affairs Office with 13 other families. We walked into a room and there were the babies. Wonderful, beautiful babies. Roy saw Lily first. One of the nannies from the orphanage was holding her. She was crying, scared and exhausted. They called out our names and Lily was placed in my arms. Nothing has been the same since.

It's hard to remember a time when she wasn't here. Every day I thank God for her. The joy she has brought into our lives is indescribable.

I heard a song the other day called "I HAVE BEEN BLESSED" :

I get kissed by the sun each morning.Put my feet on a hardwood floor. I get to hear my children laughing, down the hall through the bedroom door.

Sometimes I sit on my front porch swing. Just
soaking up the day. I think to myself, I think to myself, this world is a beautiful place.

I have been blessed. And I feel like I've found my way. I thank God for all I've been given at the end of every day. I have been blessed with so much more than I deserve. To be here with the ones that love me. To love them so much it hurts. I have been blessed.

Trick or Treat from a little butterfly!

2006-11-02T16:44:00.000-05:00

Greeting the hobgoblins with grandma!

The Running of the Pumpkins!

2006-10-15T23:00:00.000-04:00

My mom and brothers visited today. We took Lily to the Moon Festival where she feasted on Mooncakes and danced and laughed and had a good time. On the way home we stopped at a pumpkin sale at a local church and Lily ran with the pumpkins! She kept saying "apple, apple, apple".

The Hills are Alive!

2006-10-03T01:20:00.001-04:00

Aunt Joyce spent some time this past weekend at my parents' house in North Carolina and sent me these pictures. My mom grew up in these mountains. I have many relatives who still live there. My Uncle lives on land that has been in the family since the time the State of North Carolina received it from the Cherokee Indians by treaty. Even though I have never lived there, I spent many a summer with my grandmother sitting on her front porch, picking blackberries and attending the same little church you see in the photograph, Shady Grove. Whenever I go back (which is not often enough), I feel like I have come home.

The view in these pictures is from my parents' front porch. You can almost smell the fresh air.

Reflections

2006-09-26T23:45:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how our lives have changed since Lily was placed in our arms. It's been a year of great joy and also of great sorrow with the passing of my father. Lily knew his love and that makes me smile. Roy and I also talk about David and how much he would have enjoyed this little girl. I hope he does.

Goldfish & Bubbles

2006-09-24T21:02:00.000-04:00

We spent the afternoon with Aunt Joyce, Uncle Jimmy, Nanna and Mark. Aunt Joyce was fully prepared for an almost two year old with goldfish and bubbles (buhbuh,as Lily says). Highlights of our visit include: Nanna adopting the Garth Brooks look; Aunt Joyce sprawled across the kitchen floor. I did manage to capture that moment on film; however, it was on Joyce's camera. I'm sure she's happy that it lives on her memory card and not mine! We had a great visit and are looking forward to the next time.

She's Gone Country!

A Kiss for Nanna

Sharing a moment!

A Picnic at the Park

2006-09-20T07:02:00.000-04:00

We attended a picnic with other families who had adopted from China who live in our area. It was amazing to see all the children together, laughing, playing and running around. Roy couldn't come so my friend Marcy substituted for him.

As most of you know, Lily has a pretty serious reaction to mosquito bites. So Mom decided to do a preemptive strike and apply kid-safe repellant once we arrived. So, I put it on her and Lily immediately rubs it into her eye. Her little eye gets all red and irritated, much the same as if she'd been bitten by a mosquito. If it's not the bugs, it's the spray! Plus, she smelled like a citronella candle on high. My car STILL does. Other than that little mishap, it was great fun!

Squeaks and Shrieks!

2006-09-16T22:13:00.000-04:00

When we were in China, My friend Sutton and I bought a gazillion pairs of squeaky shoes for our daughters. For those who don't know, squeaky shoes have little squeakers in their heels, so they squeak when your child walks in them. Lily's reaction to them up until now was somewhat non-plussed. However, I put a pair of squeaky shoes on her today and she has been squeaking, dancing, stomping and marching all over the house, shrieking with delight. Squeaks and Shrieks!

More pictures from Saturday with Lily:

Game Day Duds on Mama's little Georgia bulldog!

Bedtime for Bonzos!
Nighty night, my love.

Update Update Update

2006-09-15T16:27:00.000-04:00

Things have been a little hectic in dawg country and I have not updated my site in a while. Lily is growing like a weed. She's talking up a storm, although I can only understand about 20 or so words (let's see, there's hat, dog, balloon, cheek, keys, shoes, cat, juice, bird, hot, Po (from Teletubbies), bug, boo, book, Dora (the explorer), more, bye bye, hey, apple, diaper, mama (occasionally only) and, of course, her favorite word of all, Dadee. There's a few more but I can't remember them right now. She's walking and running all around. It has just gotten better and better and we are truly enjoying every minute (well, maybe not EVERY minute, but 99%) of this little Angel from Tonggu, China.

This little lady is part fish. She LOVES the water.

Lily and Grandma meet Elvis.

Mama's baby

A present from Aunt Carol, Uncle Tony, Victor and Angie

She's a Happy Girl!

2006-07-20T07:05:00.000-04:00

The sweetest thing in the whole wide world is a happy girl!

The Lily of the Valley

2006-07-15T10:15:00.000-04:00

Photo by Aunt Joyce

To dance with my father again . . .

2006-07-14T22:44:00.000-04:00

The water is wide and blue -- Destin

2006-05-27T16:23:00.000-04:00

Water tickling toes, shrieks of delight, snow white sand and white hot sun . . . our week at the beach was a much needed respite. Lily, whose feet had never touched the ocean, was mesmerized by the natural wonder of it all. Here are a few pictures from our week at the beach:

Destin

2006-05-27T16:16:00.000-04:00

Moments in April (and May) 2006

2006-05-08T06:11:00.000-04:00

15 months old!
Lily, Erin and Maggie
Egg on my face!
Nana reading a book to Lily.
First cousin, Will, and Lily hanging out together.

A Gift to the Heart

2006-04-26T21:16:00.000-04:00

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life -Isadora James

Easter Sunday

2006-04-17T11:09:00.000-04:00

We loaded up the mini-van and headed to Gainesville where we spent Easter Sunday with family. The paparazzi was out in force between me and Aunt Joyce. Here's some shots from our day:
Lily sharing a laugh with Uncle Jimmy.
Uncle Bud, our family historian, has collected quite a bit of information about our family going all the way back to the time the State of N.C. deeded the family land to my great, great, great, great, great?? Grandfather. Here, I'm reading some of his writings about the family.Here's Lily cracking jokes with Aunt Joyce and Uncle Jimmy.
Papa and Lily...Kiss my foot!
Lily and Jimmy sharing a laugh over that silly ribbon in her hair.

Saying Goodbyes.

Spring is in the air

2006-04-11T15:34:00.000-04:00

Circle of Life (photos by Jason Garland--photographer extraordinaire)

2006-03-28T12:38:00.000-05:00

Trying to fall asleep on Mama's shoulder

Proud Daddy
Proud parents & sleeping baby with Father Jack
Father Jack annointing Lily with oil
Lily's Godparents, Caron & John

Lily's Baptism--A few more pictures.

2006-03-28T07:12:00.000-05:00

Lily a/k/a Boohbah

2006-03-11T10:31:00.000-05:00

I am now 13 months old and my doctor says I am thriving! I weigh 18.9 pounds. Mama calls me "babble-head" for all my mamamamam, dadadadada, bah, bah, dah, etc. I love the Boohbahs and Baby Einstein animal videos. In fact I loved the Boobah's so much that mama and daddy started calling me "Boohbah and Boo Boo and Boo". They can't seem to stop. I even answer to Boo Boo. At first my mama said absolutely no tv, but I convinced her otherwise. I'm still somewhat shy around strangers and will put my head on mama or daddy's shoulder when someone new tries to pick me up, but I eventually warm up to them. Mama takes me downtown to her office on some Fridays. If the weather is nice, we cruise around downtown in my hot pink stroller ride and go visit our friends at the courthouse. I can attract quite a crowd! I love my new home and my family and the only thing that would make it better would be a, uh, . . . baby sister. Mama says she's working on that and hopes we can all take a trip to China once again in a year or two. She is always saying that I am the best thing she ever did and Daddy can't agree more! Daddy is putting a swing up for me off the back deck this weekend. I'll send more pictures of me in my new swing later. Lotsa love, Lily

Happy President's Day!

2006-02-19T23:08:00.000-05:00

Happy President's Day everybody! Ah, just another excuse for Mom to take another picture of me! It's tough being chased by the paparazzi especially when the paparazzi is your Mom! OK...I feel as if I must address the comments about my hair. You may notice from previous posts that my hair is a bit shorter. Mom decided that my beautiful dark locks were in my eyes and that she needed to cut my bangs. Mom is not trained in such endeavors and, well, you see the results. She's already lined up a professional for some correction cutting and Mom promises it will never ever happen again!

My day with mommy!

2006-02-17T18:27:00.000-05:00

Mommy decided to play half-time hookie from work today. We went to her office for a little while and then we came back home and went for a walk. We played and played until I finally zonked out. Here's some pictures from our day.

My little one year old self!

2006-02-16T20:53:00.000-05:00

My 1st Birthday!

2006-02-12T08:53:00.000-05:00

On February 9, 2006, I turned one year old. I received lots and lots of presents. I told my Mama, "this gig ain't so bad." Presents when I got here, presents for Christmas, presents for my birthday...what's a girl to do?? Aunt Diane gave me a walking Winnie the Pooh. I must admit, I was a little scared of it at first when it started walking toward me, but now we are the best of friends. Aunt Marcy and Uncle Jason gave me books and blocks and Jason also took lots and lots of pictures of me. Aunt Rhonda gave me a rainbow Unicorn. Oh, how I love to chew on the horn!! Aunt Caron gave me a lovely spring collection of clothing, including my first little bikini. Bahama mama!! Mommy and Daddy bought me my first talking car, which I really dig! Another favorite had to be balloons. Balloons everywhere. Mama gave me a little mini-cake (two bite cake), which I LOVED! While on my sugar high, I zoomed around the room crawling ninety miles an hour and showed off how I can now stand up. Birthdays aren't bad!

3 Months Later...An Update

2006-02-05T06:23:00.000-05:00

It has been almost three months since Lily was placed in our arms. When we first received her, Roy and I both were surprised at how quickly she seemed to bond to us with little difficulty. When I see where she is today and where she was when we came home, I am amazed.

The reality is that it was an adjustment for her. She was afraid for me to leave her. She would NOT sleep in her crib. She would scream in absolute terror when I put her in the nursery crib. She could be in a dead sleep, but as soon as that head touched her pillow, she would start crying and wouldn't stop until I returned to pick her up. I would check on her every five to ten minutes, telling her it was OK, but it was of little consolation to her.

So, I moved her into the pack 'n play in our bedroom. At first she'd fall asleep only if I were in the room with her, gradually I was able to leave the room before she fell asleep and she would be OK. She might whimper a little but she'd soon doze off. I returned her to her crib in the nursery a few days ago and she is definitely a different child. She is sleeping soundly and peacefully. No more screaming. No more terror. She obviously feels more secure with us which is a wonderful thing. This morning she woke up laughing and babbling in her crib, talking to her stuffed animals. She played by herself in her crib for about thirty minutes. What a change!

We've all made enormous adjustments the last few months, but I think we've finally hit our stride. I started working again in January and it was a big change for me. I dreaded going back, but I've discovered that it's all about balance. I still work hard, but I'm learning to set limits. Being a mom has made me a better family lawyer and I hope being a working professional will make me a better mom to her. It's not always easy and by the time I get home and feed her, play with her, put her to bed, I am exhausted and ready to go to bed myself. It's certainly a trade-off having a child later in life as opposed to your twenties. Physically, it can be very demanding. I do think, however, that the benefits are much greater (at least for us) as a result of our age. Life experience puts so many things in perspective. I am not the same person I was fifteen years ago spiritually and intellectually and Lily will have benefit of that.

Leaving Lily to go to work was hard, but we are enormously fortunate to have Roy's mom nearby. Lily loves going to her house where they spend a lot of time playing and crawling around the floor. At first Lily was a little whiney and would cry when we were leaving, but now she breaks into a smile when she sees Grandma and reaches for her. She's definitely happy to see us when we return. She'll fly across the floor (on her hands and knees!) and breaks into her "I want you now" sound.

We tried Mother's Morning Out one morning. I thought it would be a nice break for Grandma for me to take her once or twice a week to the church pre-school, plus she would be around other kids. So, one Friday, I walked her down to her class, which is just a block from my office. There were three other babies and two teachers. I left her and returned three hours later. The teachers said Lily was "teary" and didn't seem to like the other kids. Two days later, she had a runny nose and cough. Grandma didn't like it one bit and Lily hasn't been back since.

Physical milestones: Crawling like a speed-demon. Standing up without holding onto to anything for a few seconds. Babble. Babble. Babble. Maaammmaaa. DaDa. Dada. She points to items she wants. She's a patty-cake and peek-a-boo pro.

Health: She's gained two pounds and is now a whopping 16.3 pounds. She's healthy. She loves her Cheerios. She is still taking her bottle a couple of times ago, but also eats "toddler" food. She has 8 little teeth. She likes feeding herself (with her hands). She loves her veggies. We made a concerted effort to start her with veggies especially green veggies before fruits. She can't seem to get the hang of sippy cups but loves the "nubie" cups.

Best change since China: Laughter. She's always been a smiley little sweetheart, but now she will often break into what must be the sweetest sound on earth: a giggling, laughing little baby.

As I've said and as I think everyday, we are enormously blessed by this child and I am so grateful for her. It's still hard to believe she's actually here and that she's mine.

Year of the Dog!

2006-01-30T20:17:00.000-05:00

Lily's Papa

2006-01-28T22:35:00.000-05:00

Lily's Papa (pictured above with grandchildren Will and Lily and, more recently, with Aunt Nelda) has his next round of chemo Monday. It hasn't been easy on him, but he's showing major signs of improvement. Sometimes the chemo can seem worst than the cancer, but he's hanging in there. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

A return trip

2006-01-24T14:02:00.000-05:00

Lily...You are our sunshine. We've really had a blast with her. She definitely requires 24/7 attention and care, but the payoffs are priceless. China is slowing down it's process now and referrals are taking longer. If we're going back -- and we are -- we will have to get started pretty soon on the paperwork. When you start this process late in life you can't put it off too long! We want her to know the joy of growing up with a sister. Plus, we've got more clothes and baby gear than Babies 'R Us, so why not put it to use again? Joke. Having Lily has just brought so much joy into our lives. The love is immeasurable, but sometimes it seems even deeper and greater than love if there is such a thing. She's part of our legacy and we are part of hers.

Milestones

2006-01-24T13:47:00.000-05:00

Lily pulled herself up in her crib, held onto the rail and then let go. She paused for a few seconds before falling down. Soon she'll be taking little steps. She can crawl 90 miles a minute it seems. She's gotten really good at putting things in her mouth. I turned my back for two secs the other day and somehow she managed to find a ladybug and put it in her mouth. There's a lot of irony in that, eh? Her attention span is much greater now. Another milestone for mom...another year on the planet. I spent my birthday in my PJs at home with my daughter. We took a nap, watched the Boobahs and played. It was the best birthday of my life...bar none.

2006-01-05T09:47:00.000-05:00

Nice Hair!

Mommy freaked

2006-01-04T17:35:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I gave Lily a few veggie crackers, made for toddlers. She was sitting in her Pack and Play, chewing on her cracker. I turned my back for maybe two minutes. I then heard an odd noise from her, not quite a cough or cry, but something. My heart stopped. I turned to see her standing in her pack and play, crying but no sound. She was choking. I grabbed her, held her upside down, tried to clear her mouth, as little silent tears fell down her cheeks. I screamed for Roy to help me. He was upstairs asleep and he bolted down the stairs. By the time he arrived, she was OK. I, of course, was a wreck and I am still reeling from it. What ifs, what ifs, what ifs are still racing through my head.

Should I stay or should I go?

2006-01-04T10:57:00.000-05:00

Working mom. Back to work in 2006. Getting out the door is hard. I tend to linger. Once I'm gone, it's OK...at times a bit of a break, but the leaving itself is the hard part. Coming home is just great. I usually leave my purse, my keys, my computer...everything...in the car so I can rush in and see that little face. She breaks into a smile and reaches for me. Heaven.

Photo: Nanna and Lily

2006-01-04T10:34:00.000-05:00

My Angel

So here goes...

2006-01-03T22:29:00.000-05:00

I'm officially a blogger. When I figure out how to add pictures to this thing, I'll really be happening. Lily update: What can I say? I'm in love and I'm already thinking about a little sister for her. Maybe in a year. Admittedly, it's been difficult at times, overwhelming, and exhausting, but, at the same time, I have never known such joy and such love. Gush. Gush. But it's true. I have much to learn and much to share. This parenthood thing will truly be the ride of a lifetime. I can't believe I'm finally on it at 38 years old.