Flashback Friday

Falling asleep eating lunch in her chair

October 2006

Thinking that her Halloween Treat Bucket is a hat??

October 2006

Baking Halloween Cookies

I love this smile and dimples

October 2006

Five Years Ago Today

Many of you may already know this but, many of you may not. Some of you may have noticed the poem on the side bar, some of you may not. Some may know the story of what led us to adopting Emma some may not.

Here's our story:

Five years ago yesterday, I entered the hospital, 18.5 weeks pregnant not knowing what was going on. I had had a headache all day at work to go home shivering cold with a 103 temperature. I went straight to bed at 5:30pm. Kevin came home from work about 6:00pm not sure what to do. He called our OB/Gyn and he wanted us to go to the hospital to be checked to see if I had some type of a virus.

Unbeknownst to me, our son had passed away. We didn't know when, we didn't know why. Five years ago today, on Tuesday, October 14th at 6:30pm, after 19 hours of labor with a lot of medication, we delivered Kevin John Jr. aka KJB Jr. He was a tiny 8oz and 9 inches long. What I remember the most was that as small as he was, he was one of the most beautiful babies I had ever seen.

All his grandparents were with us immediately after the delivery. We were able to spend a little bit of time with him before he was taken away. The nurse that was with us "pulled a double" to be able to stay with us. She was awesome. She held my hand the whole time, she baptised Kevin Jr. and had the hospital take pictures. At first I thought it a bit strange to take pictures but when we were given the opportunity to say yes or no to picking up the pictures, we were happy that we did. They are pictures that I will NOT post but pictures that I will treasure forever.

I was released from the hospital a couple days later and when I got home, Kevin had handed me a slip of paper with the poem scribbled on it. I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't know he had it in him to write such a beautiful poem. A poem that we quickly edited and sent to a friend of ours that printed cards for all the family members.

Five days after Kevin Jr. was born, we buried him with his paternal great grandparents. It was a private ceremony. Kevin read the poem aloud during the ceremony. It was the first time that the family had heard it.

A couple months later, we continued with our In-Vitro treatments, six in all with only the first one being a success. When we were going through our last treatment in October of 2004, almost a year to the date that Kevin Jr. had been born, Kevin met a very nice family that he was doing some work for. Kevin came home that night and told me all about Hannah and how she was twirling around in the driveway getting ready to go to dancing class. He had spent 3 hours that afternoon talking to Kathy about international adoption.

All Kevin had to do was hand me the business card for the adoption agency that Kathy had given him. Within a couple weeks, we had called the agency, filled out the application for Chinese adoption and was approved.

We started the adoption process in November 2004, submitted our paperwork to China in April, 2005, received out referral December 9, 2005, received Emma on February 6, 2006 and the rest is history...or the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.

I often wonder what my life would've been like with a little boy running around the house but I wouldn't in a million years trade the life I have been given. We are one very lucky family to have been blessed with the joys of adoption.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Kevin Jr., in more ways than one. Everything is meant for a reason and I whole heartily believe that this was God's way of leading us to Emma and all the friends that we have met along the way. We love you Kevin Jr. and can't wait for the day that we will meet you again!

From Soccer Star to Princess Diva

Saturday was Emma's last day of soccer. It was the first week that she actually finished a game. For the last five weeks, she would do all the instructional parts of the practice but when it came to the short 3 on 3 game, she had no interest. It wasn't until last week that we realized it was because she wasn't being agressive enough to get the ball. Something clicked this week, she actually finished the game and even scored three times. She's already talking about joining again in the spring.

We celebrated Princess Maddie's 3rd Birthday with her little brother Charlie's first birthday Saturday evening. All the girls were dressed in their princess gowns. They all looked beautiful and handsome. What a great day to spend with friends!!!

Flashback Friday

I love this idea of Flashback Friday. It makes me go back a year or two and glance over some pictures that were taken this time of the year but in the past.

When looking at October 2007 pictures for today, I came across this 30 second video. We moved into our new home on October 20 but, a couple days before that, we were given the keys. I was working part time and when I picked Emma up, we went straight to the empty house. She instantly went to the backyard and started climbing the tree. Listening to the sound of my voice, you would think the tree was 80 feet tall.

Take a listen and you will see what I mean!!

Here are some stills from the day

Harvest Moon Festival

On Saturday, September 29th, we spent the afternoon with other adoptive families that belong to our local FCC (Families With Chinese Children). It was a bit cold and rainy outside but inside, the room was filled with joy and excitement with all the children. This is the third year that we have gone to the Harvest Moon Festival and enjoy it more and more each year. The children always seem to have a fantastic time.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, the other being the Chinese New Year and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes together.

Flashback Friday

A very dear friend of mine Kate started posting pictures from the past on Fridays and is calling it Flashback Friday. I think it's a great idea and have posted the following pictures of Emma from October 2006. The first picture is of her picking out her very first Pumpkin.


This picture is from October 2006 also. Emma and I would just sit in her bedroom and play, play, play. She had tons of toys and books but all she wanted to play with was bubble wrap. To this day, she loves it.

Boy has the time flown by. I can't believe that it's two years later and that Emma will be four in just two short months.

Jack and Jill

Everyday Emma comes home from PreSchool and will not tell us how the day was. It's like pulling teeth. We ask her what she learned, did she have fun, did she get along with the other children. The only thing she will tell us is that all she did was sit, sit, sit.

Then out of the blue, she comes up with this:

It's amazing to me that she is learning these Nursery Rhymes and then reciting them at home like she's known them forever. What a smart little cookie.

Sorry the video is a little dark and YES Lisa, that is a little NE accent you hear!!!