Ta Da!

This is about as close as she gets to looking 'girlie'. We have a deal now that she gets to pick her clothes on PE days (with mom's approval of course) and I get to pick on non-PE days (as long as it's not a dress). It's working out ok for now.

Her hair is finally long enough for a pony tail so she wears it that way quite often now. It makes her look so different and so grown up. I'm not so sure I'm happy about that.

She brought home another all A&B report card yesterday, so last night she and her daddy had a 'date night'. Her school was showing "Ratatouille" for their free move night, so she and daddy had a night out. Mommy stayed home for a couple of hrs. of much needed quiet, alone time. LOL. A good time was had by all!

Proof Positive!

The design works! This one hangs in her Aunt Sheila's window in Michigan. Bon appetit birdies!

Yet Another Bird-feeder

This is the 4th one so far and no end in sight! I see shop class in her future. lol

I think we're going to let her sign up for Little League. She's been pressuring us all week. She wants to play sports of some kind, so this may be her starting point.

She has started to think about her birthday party for this year, and up until this week she was sure she wanted a Spiderman party. I was not looking forward to decorating my little girl's birthday party in the Spiderman theme. But earlier this week she came running out of her room to find us and tell us that she knows for sure what she wants now..........#48 Jimmie Johnson/NASCAR!

That's my girl!!! LOL

WOW

It's been 2 days and I'm still blown away by this flag.

A friend of mine (fellow China adoptive mom), Susan, has a daughter (Delaney) serving in Iraq. Delaney has 2 young children that Susan is caring for while their mom is gone. I knew they wouldn't be able to be together this Christmas and this weighed heavily on my heart and mind. I don't know Delaney, I've never met her, but it didn't matter. A young mom and her two little kids were separated by thousands of miles. Sad at any time of the year, but even more so at Christmas.

My husband was laid off from his job in early Nov. We immediately knew that we would need to cut way back on all spending, but especially Christmas. We decided that, other than making sure Santa came for Mailia, we would spend very little. But I couldn't stop thinking of Delaney, half a world away, without her kids. So I talked to my husband and we decided to send a "care package" to Iraq.

I took my mom with me and we went to Wally World and starting tossing everything we could think of into that cart............cookies, candy, personal items, puzzle books, etc. We then got it all boxed up and made it to the post office before the cut off date for int'l. packages. I said a prayer that it would really arrive in time for Christmas.

Well, to make a long story short, it did indeed arrive in time. Susan let me know a few days before Christmas that it had made it! YAY!!!!

Two days ago, on New Year's Eve day, this flag arrived in the mail.........FROM IRAQ!!! The flag of the Screaming Eagles Air Assault Unit of the 101st Airborne!!!
It was signed by Delaney and about 25 more of our American soldiers stationed with her.

I was awestruck and speechless. I'm STILL awestruck, although no longer speechless. LOL. Folks, these men and women wrote to thank us for remembering them and supporting them. They are THANKING us!!! I get choked up and tears in my eyes just writing that.

Please, when you're reading this, say a prayer for our soldiers all over the world. And if you get the chance, let them know that yes, we think about them, and YES we support them. But mostly, we THANK them! WE THANK THEM!!!

God Bless our Troops!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Her Creation

The Bird Feeder

Hanging the Bird Feeder

See it?

Watching for Birds