more pics....

and more pics...

Kiah walking her doll on Christmas morning

The kids with their 2 of their 3 cousins in PA

Jake (4) , cousin Juliana (4) , Kiah (22 months) and Katelyn (15 1/2) holding Kirsten (14 months)

Stuntman Jake

Jake, Juliana, Kiah and Katelyn

Jake on his bike on Christmas morning

more pics...

Jake's loot from us

Some of Kiah's loot

Thinking of Luke in China

Kiah on her gift from Santa.

Christmas Morning!!!

Jake happy with his Doodle Pro!!!

Kiah amoungst the chaos.... she is still opening her first gift of the morning while Jake was almost at the last gift! She carefully tore each piece of wrapping off the gifts.

What Santa left!!!

Kiah and Jake playing with Diego's Rescue Center

Christmas Pictures!!!

Daddy and Kiah surrounded by Kiah's gifts at Gram's house on Christmas Eve.

My sister Danielle and her boyfriend Allen

Nicole, Brandon and Katelyn at Gram's house on Christmas Eve.

Daddy and Kiah checking out the information highway.

After wrapping gifts this evening I noticed a bag missing.

As I walked into the dining room, this is what I saw.

When I opened the garage door Kiah spied her bike helmet. She wanted to wear it around the house so I gave it to her. She immediately thought we were going to go bike riding, hence the look on her face and the tears. She doesn't understand that it is WINTER! There is no way we are getting on a bike until SPRING!!!

Just a couple pics before Christmas!

We took these pics after Kiah's bath the other day. We happened to be talking about the Middle East and we thought it would be cute to see what Kiah would look like if she had to wear a hijab. DARN CUTE!!!

Hugs!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Have a glorious Christmas Season!!!

Just for Kris.....

I thought I would follow suit and post my answers to this... especially for Kris!!!


A is for age: I am a young 35. (35 is still young, right?)
B is for Beer: never liked the stuff
C is for Career: Computer Engineer
D is for my Dog's name: Don’t have one. I *think* about getting a cute little chihuahua. (READ: small poop to clean up). I even have names picked out: Chica for a girl and Carlos for a boy. (We chose Carlos because my husband’s first name is Charles…. And he is 100% AGAINST getting a dog!)
E is for Essential item I use everyday: computer and hey… TOOTHBRUSH!
F is for Favorite TV show: Hmmmmmmmm. I don’t really watch TV much… pretty much a Netflix girl but I really like Iron Chef America. (embarrassing… I know)
G is for favorite Game: I always liked Hungry Hungry Hippos.
H is for Hometown: Arlington, VA
I is for Instruments I play: oh my. This brings back that dreadful feeling of “pretending” to play the recorder when I was in elementary school.
J is for favorite Juice: Anything red.
K is for who's butt I'd like to kick: Can I choose 2??? Paris Hilton and Britney Spears… just because they are NOT role models but young kids ADORE them.
L is for Last place I ate: Unos Restaurant
M is for Marriage: Yes and happily. (even though I wanted to kick his butt this morning. HEY! Should have used that for “K” above!)
N is for my name: Hmmmmmmm…….
O is for Overnight hospital stays: several
P is for People I was with today: co-workers and family.
Q is for Quote: "The things that are impossible with men are possible with God.” Luke 18:27
R is for biggest Regret: not telling someone how much I love them.
S is for Sport: HA!
T is for Time I woke up today: 4:40am. OUCH!
U is for current Underwear: this would fall under the “TMI” umbrella.
V is for Vegetable you love: broccoli
W is for Worst habit: hmmm. I’m sure my husband and kids could answer this better than I could.
X is for X-Rays I have had: a couple.
Y is for Yummy food you ate today: Haven’t had any “yummy” foods yet but I think I am planning some Cold Stone Creamery for after lunch!!!
Z is for Zodiac: LEO!!!


I promise to post more pics soon!

Christmas Thoughts....

Music Video:

I am filled with thanksgiving, joy and pride as I look at my beautiful children. I think of the journeys we all took to be together. I remember walking into that cold orphanage in St. Petersburg and holding Jake for the first time. It just took 1 backwards glance at the children left in the playpen to make my heart ache. The same thing happened in China when we were picking up Kiah. The total number of abandoned girls and boys around the world desperately waiting for families is overwhelming. Oh my heart. I look at all the joy that Kiah and Jake get from the simplest things.... that free cookie at Target. And I so wish that all the children waiting for families around the world could experience the joy of that 1 cookie from Target, that 1 hug after getting a boo-boo, that feeling of belonging somewhere and having someone to love you. So tonight I post a Steven Curtis Champman video called All I Really Want for Christmas. The tears roll down my face everytime I listened to it and it makes my heart ache all the more as we wait to bring our son home from China. I urge everyone to search their heart and soul to see if maybe there is room in there for one of these precious children that need a home so badly. It will be the best journey you will ever take.

Katelyn's first big christmas party

Katelyn went to her first real Christmas party on Saturday night. We spent the afternoon running to the mall to find a dress. Katelyn actually did "dress research" and she chose to go to JC Penny. Wouldn't be my first choice but after trying on 8 dresses Katelyn settled on the black sparkly one. It was listed as $50 but when we went to the register it rang up as $19.99!!!! DING!!! WOO HOO!!! She wore shoes she already had!!! WOO HOO AGAIN!!! And she looked gorgeous as she walked out the door.

Ready for breakfast with Santa Claus

We took the little ones to Breakfast with Santa Claus. They had a spread of muffins, bagels, pastries, juices, etc. Jake and Kiah had no idea WHY they were there. They just knew they got to dress up and EAT. The kids busied themselves with coloring christmas pictures when all of a sudden they heard gasps and a loud HO HO HO. All the color drained from Jake's little face as he was plastered against a book shelf. He didn't move a muscle! Santa made his rounds saying HI to the kids. Jake didn't say a word. Santa then made himself comfortable on a sofa on the OTHER side of the room. I then heard a tiny little exhale from our man Jake. He was quiet for a long time after that. Kiah observed everything quietly but stuck right by my side. It was then announced that Santa was ready for visits with the kids. Jake didn't want to go at first but then he saw the lovely parting gifts the other kids were receiving (x-mas books and candy canes). So, Jake changed his mind and we all stood in the winding line to see Santa. Jake wouldn't get closer than 5 feet but he did tell Santa what he wanted (a razor scooter and a star wars vehicle) and made sure to say that he had been a VERY good boy. Kiah wouldn't get closer than 8 feet and refused to speak AT ALL. We left shortly afterwards with Jake tripping on the sidewalk and falling into Kiah. Both hit the ground. Jake was trying to see Santa's sleigh which was "parked" on the roof of the clubhouse. The fall took his mind off the fact that he couldn't get a good view of the sleigh or the reindeers.

By the way.... it is quite clear that Santa has been on either the Atkin's diet or the South Beach diet because he is looking very lean. :-)

Oreos are just good!

here's more...

Would have been a great x-mas card pic if only Jake and Kiah were wearing more clothes.

Jake (in his underwear....again) posing in front of the tree.

Peace and Love

The professional troublemaker (katelyn) with her willing apprentice (kiah).

New pics!!!

Beauty shop girls...

Katelyn took the time to curl both her hair and Kiah's hair. No special occasion... just bonding time.

It's just not Christmas if you are not wrapped up in garland!!!

See my curls!!!

Jacob... Jacob... Jacob....

Yes... he is using his underwear as a storage area. That is KIAH'S dora backpack and a Jake's Batman sword stuck in that underwear. Something tells me Kiah is NOT going to be happy when she finds out where her Dora backpack has been. And let me add.... that backpack is made of plastic... not cloth... OUCH!!! I can't tell if that is a smile or a pained look on his face!!!

Either way he looks mighty proud.