Merry Christmas!

Wow I can't believe we are just days away from Christmas! Are you ready? I'm almost ready! One more day to get the last few things checked off my list! The kids are foaming at the mouth with excitement and really cannot be contained in any shape or form! It makes me happy to see them so excited! I remember the anticipation of Christmas as a child and I'm so glad my sweet babies have a love for the Christmas season as I do! We have been listening to Christmas music since we got home from China and I'm still loving it! I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy 9th Birthday Coopy Baby!

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby boy! Once again can't believe another year has passed and we are celebrating yet another birthday! Birthday number nine, my how time flies! So nine years ago today this precious boy came into our lives and has added so much joy and love! Cooper has such a kind sweet heart, he is very sensitive, he is very creative and has a great imagination! He is social and outgoing and most of the time makes me beam from ear to ear! He is a great little brother and a super big brother and a very special son!

We have had a crazy weekend full of birthday parties! Two of Cooper's friends also have December birthdays so we are all caked out! All of these boys are so stinking cute and so into nerf guns! We have exchanged various models of nerf guns and ammo amongst the three of them! Tonight Cooper has five little boys her and we are having a sleepover!

Happy Birthday my Coopy Baby! I love you!

Happy Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for. It is especially evident this year as we spend Thanksgiving in Fuling, China. Today was the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the new Fuling Social Welfare Institute. It was a very touching ceremony as they included our children in the celebration. We have felt so welcomed and loved by all! The new orphanage sits high on the hill and has beautiful views! The building is really something! So big and nice for the children to live in till their forever families come.

We were not able to meet Gracie's foster mother. We were told she is in another city working now. We passed along our gift for here in the hopes that it will make it to here someday. But we did meet a Nannie named Yang Pei Fen who recognized Gracie and asked is she was Ying and rubbed her legs. We also met a lady who worked in the infirmary who took care of Gracie. We snuggled with babies and surprisingly Gracie was not jealous and wanted to hold them too! She gave them sweet baby kisses and love! Very difficult to see these kiddos and not leave with a handful of them! Troy has a special place in his heart for one little baby boy who he held for quite sometime. These past few days have been very very emotional. Moments of elation and moments of uncertainty and helplessness and all at the same time.

We hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving as we count our blessings of three beautiful children, family, friends, our home, our country, our freedoms, and of course all the new Fuling family we have met this week. Happy Turkey Day!

A few photos

Our First Days in Beijing

Well we finally made it to Beijing Saturday afternoon. Our flight had a total of 6 Fuling families on it and we got to know one another at the airport and during the flight. The girls range from age two to eight. Gracie is completely in all her glory with all these little girls. She is so happy to sing and dance and play with them all! It certainly makes me realize how important this trip is for her just to see the sheer happiness on her face!

The first morning, Sunday we were invited to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, who is in charge of international adoption where a very moving ceremony was held in honor of our girls. The ceremony was very nice and the girls and families were all given gifts. Lots and lots of media there. We were in newspapers and on the news here in China. When I find the link I will insert it for everyone to see. Gracie, Troy and I made it onto the news!

We then made our way to the Great Wall. We were very lucky, we got to see a different section of the wall. Troy and I elected to use the cable car this time with Gracie because there was just no way we would make it to the top with her in tow. Gracie was very excited to be on the Great Wall and loved going up and down the stairs while we were there. Once again the wall took Troy's and I's breath away! Absolutely amazing!

On Monday morning we went to Shei Hei Park which is across the street from the backside of the Forbidden City. In the park the mountain is made from the dirt dug from the moat around the Forbidden City. We climbed to the top and were blessed with an awesome view of the Forbidden City and surrounding Beijing.

We then went onto the CCAA and got a tour. Very interesting and sad at the same time as all the dossiers there are waiting for a match. Kristy I looked for your dossier to put on top on the pile, but I couldn't find it:(

We then flew to Chongqing and this morning we are going to see the pandas. Gracie is very excited! And then this afternoon we and going to the Civil Affairs office to review our children's files. I will post pictures in a bit as we are getting ready for breakfast and Gracie is starving!

In holding...

So we have had a delay. :( We had mechanical problems on our flight out of San Antonio, so we missed our connecting flight. We were rebooked and put on a different flight, but we will arrive in China on the 22nd and not the 21st. :( We are sad, we had plans for Saturday, but oh well we will just deal with it.

And We're Off!!

Most of you know that we are going to China tomorrow morning! The orphanage that Gracie is from is moving to a new orphanage and they have invited all the children that have been adopted from Fuling to return and participate in the ceremonies. More than forty families will be there celebrating. We did not expect to return to China so soon, but we are so very excited to be going back! We will be spending a few days in Beijing, then going to Chongqing and finally onto Fuling. When we adopted Gracie in January 07' we only spent a few hours in Fuling and now we are going to spend days there. We will get to experience more there and all though Gracie will not remember most of our trip I hope that she will remember some and that she will have positive feelings and pride for her birth country. We will also have so much more to share with her when she is older about China and Fuling. Gracie is so very excited about going to China! I'm not really sure if she really understands, but we have been talking a lot about China and what we will be doing and what to expect and that we are a forever family! So in the morning we will be boarding that plane and hoping for an unforgetable trip (unforgetable in a good way of course:D). We will be updating the blog while in China so come along for the ride if you want! See you in December! Oh and I can't wait to eat, I love Chinese food!