:: ONE YEAR ::

     It is truly unbelievable, but Naomi has been home with her forever family for ONE YEAR!  One year ago today we landed in Memphis as a family of SIX :)  Our social worker comes tomorrow to do our one year follow-up.  It is just mind boggling to me that a whole year has gone by already.  It seems like just yesterday in many ways.  It seems as though she's always been with us in other ways.  She has come so incredibly far!  She's still the sassy, strong-willed little girl that we met last year, only now she is so full of love it brings me to tears.  Of course mama is her overall favorite person :), but she sure does love her daddy & brothers too.  She has her best of friends (and if you ask her who- she is sure to tell you!)  She loves her grandparents & cousins and talks about them often when they are not here. Her speech is coming along beautifully. Her English has always amazed us. She has understood us from day one.  She is no longer afraid of animals like she was.  She absolutely LOVES to eat :)  She loves to play outside and ride her bike.  She has had 3 reconstructive surgeries and was put to sleep twice more for stitches removal. She is SUCH A TROOPER!  Honestly, she is the very best patient there could be :)  She has had to get glasses... and she wears them great!  We look at pictures often of our time in China and of Naomi's time at MBHOH.  She always smiles & talks about her Ayis :)  We received a beautiful gift on Naomi's 5th birthday - a scrapbook of her early years at New Hope Foster Home.  What a blessing to have pictures of her as a baby!
     We feel so incredibly blessed with the gift of this precious girl..... And we will forever be grateful to the woman who gave her life.  We pray that God will somehow, someway give her peace that her baby girl is safe, loved, and with her family forever.

A Year In Pictures...

     Gotcha Day 4/16/2012

4th Birthday at Maria's Big House of Hope 4/20/2012

Mother's Day & Church Dedication  5/13/2012

Memorial Day 5/2012

Father's Day 6/2012

Beach trip with family 7/2012

 

First Day of Pre-School 8/2012

Got glasses 9/2012

Halloween 10/31/2012 ~ Naomi was Dora :)

Thanksgiving with family 11/2012

First Christmas home!! 12/2012

First trip to Disney World 1/2013

Chinese New Year Celebration with friends 2/2013

First Easter home 3/2013

Gotcha Day Surprise Puppy :) 4/16/2013

5th Birthday!! 4/20/13

"Adopting one child won't change the world;

but for that child, the world will change" 

Naomi's Gotcha Day Video

  It's been exactly 10 months since we held Naomi in our arms for the first time.  We thought it was about time that we make her gotcha day video :)  Better late than never.  This brought so many wonderful, painful, grateful memories back. It's hard to believe it's already been almost a year, and at the same time it's hard to remember what life was like without her...  She has brought so much zest into our family.  Everyone that told us girls were different SURE WERE RIGHT :)  She is quite a spunky, strong-willed little thing... but we love her SO...

This video shares some of Naomi's journey to us and some of our journey to Naomi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q2c1CJZwA8

:: 3 months ::

It's actually been just over 3 months that Naomi has been HOME with us. It's been quite a busy summer.  I've had to wait until school was back in session before I could actually get a second to sit down at the computer.  It's hard to believe it's been 3 months!  In some ways it still feels like yesterday.  Our pastor and his wife are currently on their way to Russia to meet their 2 boys for the first time this weekend.... and it has brought such a flood of memories back for me as they have prepared to go.  So many emotions.... excitement, fear, uncertainty, helplessness, sorrow, and unspeakable JOY. 

Naomi is doing as well as I could possibly want for her to be. She has come such a long way in just 3 months.  She has overcome her fear of animals.  She has overcome her fear of the shower :).  AND, she has overcome her fear of us not returning.  She now KNOWS when we leave her anywhere, we will most definitely come back to get her :)  She has even spent the night with my mom and did great :). 

We have kept her one busy girl this summer, but have had a blast.  She has had a lip reconstructive surgery and tubes put in her ears. We have been to VBS, to the beach, to the waterpark, to multiple baseball games, to family reunions, to the lake, and everywhere in between..... She has taken it all in stride :).  She was not very fond of the ocean, but she warmed up to it pretty quick.  She absolutely loves the pool and the lake.  She loves to eat and loves to play :)  She is one happy girl! :)  She has given our life SO much flavor..... that's the best way I know how to describe it.  Girls are definitely different! :)  She will begin speech next Friday and we are very excited to see how far she will come with that. 

 We feel so blessed that God has brought this little angel into our lives and allowed us the opportunity to parent her.  I pray that one day we will hear Him say, "Well done my good and faithful servant"....

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the last 3 months. 

We finished Naomi's puzzle :)

Here are all of the names of those who helped bring her home :)

It is hanging in her room so that she will always know :)

VBS :)  She was unsure about it all...but she never left the stage!

Father's Day at the beach

My family

My favorite pic :)

Also really love this one :)

Fourth of July :)

She loves to eat...

And loves her brothers :)

Kevin's family

"Not flesh of my flesh, not bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own..."

one month :)

Naomi has been home for one month today.  It still seems a bit surreal to have her.  It has been quite the challenge settling in.  Coming home right at the end of school made things a little crazy for a few weeks.  We are looking forward to no alarm clocks, nowhere to be, and some sweet summertime fun soon. 

We, once again, want to take this opportunity to thank each one of you reading this that helped in some way to bring our daughter home.  We honestly could not have done it without you.  To those of you who bought t-shirts, bought coffee, sponsored puzzle pieces, brought Naomi gifts, brought food, made casseroles to stock our freezer, sent encouraging messages, and mostly prayed us through this past year.... THANK YOU.  I cannot hold back the tears thinking of each of you. God has proved Himself faithful through HIS faithful... you.

We dedicated Naomi to the Lord on Mother's Day.  It was just about the best Mother's Day I've ever had.

I feel so unworthy to be blessed with such amazing kids!  My cup truly runneth over :)

Our sweet Jeb graduated Day School this month. He will begin Kindergarten in August. 

 VERY BITTERSWEET.....

Kevin & I celebrated 15 years of marriage this month. Seems like yesterday... :)

These 2 pics were taken at the baseball field.  We've spent a lot of time there this month also...

She is quite the outdoors girl too... as long as there are no animals around :)

In one month Naomi has really begun to understand that we are her family.  You can see it in her eyes... you can tell when Kevin goes to work & comes home...and when the boys come home from school... even when she notices them on the ball field... She knows... She gets it.  She spent the first four years of her life without any concept of what a family is, but in just  

one month through God's amazing grace...

 Naomi knows she has a FAMILY. 

Praise His Holy Name!



one week :)

Naomi has been home one week!  Here are some things we know about her:

• She is very loud :)
• She loves to be held
• She is B-U-S-Y!
• She is very afraid of animals (our dog in particular)
• She is extremely girlie :).... Loves purses, nail polish, lip gloss, & shoes
• She LOVES babies :)
• She loves water..... bath, pool, etc
• She seems to favor blondes when we have visitors??
• She loves peanuts (gets giddy even:), fruit, and meat
• She is extremely hot natured.... She sweats sitting still in our air conditioned house
• She is so much smarter than I ever dreamed! She knows some sign language & understands almost everything we say.
• She is SO loving!! She gives lots of hugs & kisses!
• And... she loves her MAMA :)

She has brought lots of life into our home.  It's a very surreal feeling to have her here after this very long year.  I wish I could say this week has been a breeze, but we all know real life in NOT.  We have had our challenges.  The boys are working on make-up work from school.  We have had lots of obligations to keep. We have had lots of visitors.  And while Naomi, for the most part, has taken it in stride, we are all pretty tired.  We have had meals brought to us all week & I honestly don't know how we would've made it without them.  They have been truly a God-send. (We LOVE our church family). Our brains don't seem to be functioning correctly (lol)..... They say that it is the jet lag.  We forgot Jeb at Dayschool one day..... And I have forgotten a number of other things this week.  Oh well, thank goodness for grace :) 


We went on Jeb's last Dayschool field trip :( ....  Naomi played like she was one of the group! :)

They played themselves out with our sweet neighbor Lilly! :)

She loved playing with friends visiting...

 

Our sweet Sunday School class had her a welcome home party :)

It was like Christmas!!

It took about an hour, but then she was all warmed up!

Our class got her this precious bike :))  Miles wants to ride too!

She can drink out of a big cup pretty good...

She got quite the loot :)

Then more visitors...

Aunt Lisa

And Mamaw :)

Then our first trip to church! She did great:)  Even played in the nursery WITHOUT crying a bit!

 Then our first swim at Nana's :)

Thank you Lord for such a great week!

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:6