Easter Pics and attending her first birthday party!

China adoption? Is it the right option for our family? Is adoption in his plan for us at all? Maybe I am missing my calling? Lots of questions...

It is amazing the twists and turns life takes you. If you asked me 10 years ago, am I at where I thought I would be today? The answer would have been, "No!" Never in a million years did I think that would actually be using my counseling degree, however, I knew that I would be married and I guess 10 years ago I knew it would be to Richard, I never thought that I would have been a foster parent with hopes of adoption.

I do remember a promise that I made to myself when I was the ripe ol' age of 10 standing on the Great Wall of China praying to God and promising him I would make it back to China to adopt my little girl. Do I really think that I need to do that? Are the needs for little girls in China to be adopted as great as they were twenty years ago? Is the reason why the adoption process is going so slow for Richard and I because that China adoption is not the plan that God has for us? As I sit here on the eve of night that Jesus Christ rose again to show us the truth and light, I question, what is his plan is for me? I want to make sure that it is his work that I am doing and have my own agenda in the way of his plan. Did God not realize that the only dream that I had for myself was to grow up, get married and have a family. Is my definition of family and his definition of family different? Is his definition of family for me just a husband and to be a parent of the world with working with children who have biological parents.

Believe me, I am totally grateful for the experiences I have had with E and Kai-Li. I have learned so very much from them and have gotten to see different experiences through their eyes. I look at people differently and see the saddness for what they can not see because they are worried about the mundane and superficial parts of life. So on the eve of this Easter Sunday... I am still very THANKFUL for all the God has given me. I hope and pray at the end of the day and 'in the end' that I have made him proud for the choices that I have made, friendships I have made and cultivated and relationships that I have chosen not to foster. So tonight like everynight I pray for my family, for him to give me strength, for the precious little girl he has given for us to love, for her family and may I be at peace with the decisions that are in front of me.

I know this was a super serious post but soon on to a lighter post and some fun pics of first birthday parties (as an attendee for Kai-Li, meeting new cousins, and dying her first Easter eggs and making pudding drawings.) Love to all!

The Girls weekend in Maryland

Thank you for visiting Auntie Beth, Auntie Jenny, Lia and Emma! We will love wearing all of your clothes. Kai-Li and I had so much fun with you. Kai-Li tried to sleep lots on Sunday because of all the fun. We will have to do another girls weekend soon! Maybe in Jenny's new place! :)

March Pics... We love this girl!

Jen and Cadance at the St. Paddy's Day parade. It is nice living in a small town.

Our family outing at the St. Paddy's day parade, next time we have to get a family pic with FD. She loved watching the kids and not the parade.

Kai-Li St. Paddy's day outfit. It is a 9 month outfit but becuase she is in the 90 percentile for height, it fits perfect!

SHe smiles and laughs all the time except for when you pull out the camera.

My mom said that I would always have a red head. Here she is! Love this girl!

All Smiles!

Pure Sweetness!

Her beautiful blue eyes that catch peoples attention. People constantly stop us saying that she is a beautiful baby esspecially her eyes. Richard and I laugh to ourselves and tell the people she gets them from her Oma and Grandpa Kimball. Then we laugh and giggle as the people walk away. She is like our little secret angel.

She loves her high chair. It is now on her play circuit.

6months and a bad hair day

Kai-Li's last doctor's visit was on Thursday, March 26th for her 6month checkup. It is hard to believe that she has already been a part of our family for six months. She weighs 15 pounds and is 28 inches. SHe is the 28 percentile for weight and 90 percentile for height. So, she is a long, skinny one. She is such a sweet thing!

Now for the bad hair day and her sporting her crab glasses. Can you tell we live on the Eastern Shore?

Kai-Li is rolling both forwards adn backwards and loves to smile and giggle.

Aquarium, Bath Fun and More...

Ohhh... I am caught! I love this pic. Thanks Omi and Opa for the cute outfits. I love them all.

My cute red hat and my whale sweater. I was a hit at the doctor's office.

Tub Time Fun!

My Valentine Day present! Boy, it was a good pick FD!

My first Superbowl!

My half time 3D glasses! I loved 'grabbing' the images.

Yummy prunes... keep you regular. They are NOT my favorite.

My first aquarium visit! I loved all the fishies!

I think that I am a big girl standing up.

Loving my Omi!

The brighter the better!

Me and my whale.

5 months and update on adoption

Well, Kai-Li has officially been with us for five months. She continues to grow weighing almost 15 pounds at her last doctors visit. She is so happy and a joy to watch grow. We are so very blessed to have this experience with her. Many people say that she is blessed but it has and will continue to be MY honor and privilege to spend the rest of my days with her. Our homestudy and I 600 A is coming up for renewal so we will continue on with the adoption from China. We are getting more and more excited because the Center for Adoption Affairs is in our month. Richard and I pray that all of the stars align and if it is God's will for us to go to China that he will help, in the others areas, to make our dream come true. However, if it is not his will that he gives me the strength to see what his plan that he has laid out for me. I, at this point have surrender to God and know that he knows what is best for me and our family. He has a plan for us. Richard and I just have to walk in his path.

Since we have last posted we have taken Kai-Li to have her Valentine pictures at the Pic*cture Peop*le. They are so very darn cute. She has her cute nakeness in her Omi's pearls. There is another picture of her blowing bubbles. It was funny because of a day she was sticking out her tongue. She has not really since the day of her photo shoot stuck out her tongue but it is a moment in time tha we will always remember.

Some is starting to eat a tablespoon of Rice cereal and loves it. She says "Mmmmm..." She loves to "bite" on your chin and she makes the entire room light up as soon as she is in it. I love to come home to her and Richard. She is worth every second and every tear. I would not change or exchange this experience for the world.

Again, I need to Thank Richard for taking these journey's that he may not have taken if he were with someone else. This has been an incredible journey and I would not trade it for all the travels to foreign lands and domestic vacations in the world. Love you, best friend and hubby!!!

4 months old!

Dear Kai-Li,

Every day with you is a blessing! You are a sweet 13 pound 10 ounce baby (at your 4 month check up) that has the sweetest baby blue eyes. You love to smile and giggle. The best giggles are with your Oma. You love your FD in the morning but you want your FM at night. You still do not sleep though the night though last night you went down about 9 pm and slept till 5am. You fit perfect into our lives. Last night while FD stayed home you went out to Happy Hour with FM, and had fun just hanging out with the girls. You are wonderful and I cherish every moment I get to spend with you. You are learning so many new things and are having a bunch of first and I am pround and even more so...HONORED to spend this time with you.

Last night, you sucked on orange and lemon. You Unlce Theo when he was your age used to love orange and lemons, your Uncle Jason and I used to think that it was so funny to see him make the same little pucker faces that you make then go back for more becuase you were intrigued by the taste. You are still on formula but got to taste rice cereal for the first time this past week. The doctor wants you to drink two ounces of prune-apple juice but I do have t osay taht it is not one of your favorites.

Some of our little nicknames for you are: Kai-Li-Coo (sounds like Haiku), little brown bear, little PIMBA, and FM little kitten for a girl with her cute mittens.

Your favorite songs are: Insey Weansy Spider and Little Drummer boy, you love listening to classic music in the car and of course we try to throw in the pop and country every now and then.

Thank you for coming into our lives and we will cherish every moment we have with you and love you for the rest of our lives.

Love you baby Kai-Li !

~FM