Adoption Finalization Day 1 Year Anniversary

October 2010

December 2010

December 2011

I am absolutely undone, hopelessly infected and I will never recover from this great love I have for this wonderful person!

I am thankful to God for my family and I give Him all the Glory!

A Year Ago Today

A year ago today we met the most amazing person...

 At first we saw just a glimpse of her as she was whisked into a back room,

 But soon she came out to meet us face to face,

At first we bonded through food,

then we bonded through play,

we bonded through bubbles,

and we bonded through more food.

We toured her province and experienced her culture,

as best we could for 10 days,

which was an amazing experience.

We saw things amazing,

and ancient,

and had once in a lifetime experiences.

We brought back what we could for her,

but we couldn't really do her great province justice.

Then we embarked on a long journey, literally the longest day of our lives

and brought this most amazing, wonderful, person,

to her new home!

Stage Fright!

Last week Maggie had her Christmas Program.  She practiced every day at school.  Frequently she could be heard spontaneously singing around the house, using hand signs etc.  But on that day....

She just stood and cried!

Eventually I went to get her and she finished the program sitting in my lap.  We had to go home and have a nap to get over the experience!  Maggie is in good company, her brother Matthew cried at his program a couple of years ago!

(I thought he was crying because they made him wear those big bows!) tee hee

John Michael had no problem being on stage.  It was the halo made of tinsel that got him.  He spent the entire program bobbing his head back and forth until it flew off his head.  At the end he was happy to be the one blowing out the birthday cake for Jesus' happy birthday, minus his halo.

Meghan (pictured right) was just happy to be an angel! No stage fright.

Great Progress!

Today in therapy Maggie blew bubbles via the bubble wand through her mouth.  Formerly she could not blow bubbles and if she accidentally got one it was because she was pushing air through her nose.  This is such an important step because it is a pre-curser to all the "plosive" sounds she will need to make in her speech.  We all do this and totally take it for granted, but for her this is a big step!  This comes 7 months almost to the day after having her palate closed.  Go Maggie!

Ready to blow

Success!

So proud of herself!

Happy Halloween, Maggie's 1st!

Maggie was a kitty.

Click the play button to see Maggie practicing her "trick or treat"

Mommy was a mouse.  Matthew a Ninja. George (the dog) went as a hot dog.

It was our first halloween without Meghan who is away at college and John Michael is not pictured because he was at football practice.  Daddy also was not here as he flew to DC that morning.

We had a wonderful chili & dogs dinner with our whole cul-de-sac then went trick or treating up and down one street.  Maggie didn't really get the trick or treating but she totally understands what to do with the treats they give her!  She's got a sweet tooth like her Mama!

Pretty Bows

Maggie gets a lot of compliments on her hair bows and we are purposeful to always tell her that she is beautiful when she looks in the mirror, bow or not.  But recently we received a special gift in the mail from Mary Helen and we'd like to share and say a very special "thank you!"

This "bow" is made of feathers!  Maggie seems to know it is special just by the way it feels.  Her brothers were very good about giving extra special compliments!

 
We'd also like to send a warm "hello" to Sarah and her classmates and teacher in Louisiana!  Thank you for following our blog and Maggie's progress!  We love Louisiana!

Maggie goes camping

Maggie went camping for the first time ever since we had a weekend of amazing weather in San Antonio!

Now, every time I take a photo of Maggie she runs forward to look at it.  So I only get one shot!

Maggie is extremely helpful in waking John Michael up in the morning!

Usually Matthew is already awake and welcomes the company!

Since this was a scuba dive event as well as camping I'll include a couple of photos of diving!

Larry Ratham, a sweet instructor was my buddy!

John's request for equipment is an underwater case for his phone so he can text underwater.  Can you tell he's 13?

John won 2nd place in the buoyancy contest and won an underwater digital photography lesson pkg.

Even the nondivers got treats!  Fun was had by all!

"This is a night for love and affection"

Tonight we went to PF Chang's to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of our miraculous referral for Maggie Rose.  It was on this night a year ago, while at the same PF Chang's restaurant, we got the fortune that correctly indicated our adoption wait was over.  (see our very first post) So we revisited the same restaurant in celebration.  When we told our server, Angie, what we were celebrating she was so excited for us.  The manager, Steve Chang, the hostess and many waitresses gave us a gift of a PF Chang's plate signed by all of them, as well as some yummy dishes to compliment our dinner!

We always look forward to the great wall of chocolate, but tonight the waitstaff made it extra fancy!

Unbelievable kindness, support and generosity!  And I kid you not, my fortune tonight: the title of this blog post!  Is that too cool or what! 

  These were the first photos we saw of her that night one year ago.

Nan Xin Chan

 

This was sent in an update in October 2010.

Here are a couple of photos from the memory book given to us by the orphanage representatives on gotcha day.

And here we are today!  So amazingly blessed!

Maggie we love you so much!