Leaving On A Jet Plane

We got our travel dates on Monday night. Finally! It is so surreal. We leave from Fresno on Sunday Jan. 4th at 5:50 am. We will fly to San Francisco. Then to Hong Kong and then Vietnam. We will arrive in Vietnam at 10:10 pm on the 5th Vietnam time (they are about 15 hours ahead of us) and we pick up our son on the 7th. Now we start the whirwind of packing and preparing. We are going to miss Skylar so much! She is staying here with Grandma.

Thoughts for My Son

My son I can still feel the first day I saw your face
It’s a memory burned in my heart that time cannot erase.
Eight long months have come and gone and still you’re all alone.
I promise you until you’re here our house is not a home.
It’s Christmastime, the lights are up, the stockings hung with care
But nothing feels like Christmas because our son’s not here.
Time goes so slow and yet so fast. The pictures show just how.
You’re getting big and growing hair. I wish you were here now.
So many firsts have come and gone. I know that to be true.
First laugh, first tooth, then sitting up, probably first words too.
I hope on your first birthday, I can look at you and say,
“I’m glad we are together on this very special day!”
But I don’t know what time will bring or how long we’ll be apart.
All I know is there is not a day when you aren’t in my heart.

Love Mommy

Knott's Berry Farm

Last weekend we took Skylar to Knott's Berry Farm. It was fun. She went on rides, ate churros and dip and dots, and shopped 'til she dropped. On the way home, we stopped at the Valencia Mall for pictures with Santa. Paul stood in line for an hour and a half so she could scream the second I set her on his lap. :-)

New Pictures!!

I woke up at 3 am to check my e-mail this morning. This has become a nightly ritual as I hope and pray to see one sent from Vietnam with the subject line "G&R date". That one wasn't there, but there was one with 3 new pictures of our little guy! Someone who "has connections" got them for me. I have no idea how, but they were only taken 4 days ago! He's getting so big. Look at all that hair!

Long Time No Post!

A lot of things happened last month. Unfortunately, none of those things involved us getting on a plane to bring our son home. We were told things look like they are moving forward and we might get good news this week.

Yesterday, we went to my mom's house for "Tree Night." It is a long family tradition which started at my grandma's house with all of the family getting together. We will do my grandma's Tree Night next Friday. Here's a picture from last night.

This is us setting up our Christmas tree.

Skylar looked absolutely adorable on Thanksgiving.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Monsters, ghosts, and skulls don't scare her at all, but get a pumpkin seed on her hand and she's terrified!

I want candy!!!!

Got it!

Skylar's First Birthday!

HOW MANY SERVANTS DOES IT TAKE TO WASH THE PRINCESS' HANDS?
HEY! I'M DOWN HERE
ALL THE KIDDOS
SLEEPNG BEAUTY...I DIDN'T KNOW THEY NAMED A MOVIE AFTER ME!
SO MANY PRESENTS, WHAT'S A GIRL TO DO?
THE ROYAL CLOTHING

HI AUNT GINA
I'M IN CHARGE OF THIS CASTLE
THIS IS KIND OF STICKY
SOMEONE BETTER CLEAN ME AFTER THIS!
NOT VERY PRINCESS-LIKE

ME AND AUNT BROOKE
I'M THE PRINCESS
WHAT??
MORE PRESENTS!!!
DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO KEEP MY MOMMY!!

THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!!!

Skye's New Funny Face

She does this every time she eats. It's hilarious!

Pumpkin Patch

So today we got more bad news about the adoption...Looks like we won't be going with the other family in the end of October. We are trying to stay hopeful. We took Skylar to the pumpkin patch this morning. At first she didn't know what was going on, but she started having fun.

Jordan's Sister Skylar

We began our journey for our little boy in January of 2006. Little did we know he would not be born until January of 2008! He was well worth the wait. In the meantime, God gave us a beautiful baby girl, whom we named Skylar. She is 2 1/2 months older than her little brother. We first saw Jordan's picture on April 28, 2008 and we are anxiously waiting to bring him home.