Happy-Birthday-Daddy!

First Day of School

Nervous. Apprehensive. Frightened.
This is how I felt days leading up to sending Olyvia to Pre-School. Two days a week for an hour and a half a day, sounds easy...seems easy enough...but for weeks I was a wreck...
Thankfully, all of my anxieties were replaced by many smiles and a very good feeling on the day of.
With her backpack filled with wipes, tissue and a new tinkerbell lip gloss I had bought for the "Big Girl", we walked hand in hand up the front staircase to her school. Daddy was behind us filming her every move. There was not one moment of this big day that I wanted to forget....As we entered her classroom Olyvia's eyes widened, she twirled and smiled and said, "Look at all of this Mommy"...Agh...I instantly became at ease, and felt comfort...As she introduced herself to her classmates and teachers, her out going persoanlity shined through, and I could not have been more proud....

My little two year old Princess is now a student, another hat she wears with grace and pride....

I could not be more proud my love!!
Congratulations!

We're expecting!

I am so very happy to announce that Jim and I are expecting again!! I am in my fourth month, and for obvious reasons, we have hid this pregnancy as long as we could....My belly is now making "his/her" announcement on its own, as I am certainly beginning to look like an expecting mother...

We have been filled with so many emotions since finding out, but ultimatley we are happy. Children are a blessing and we definitely feel blessed...

I have been writing since the day I found out. This has been my way of expressing my fears, anxiety and happiness. You can keep up with "Ryle Baby 3" by clicking, here

Or you can cut and paste here, http://babyryle.blogspot.com/

Please keep this baby in your prayers!!

POTTY PARTY!!

 

".....I can do it all by myself..but sometimes I need a little help. My potty chart it shows me how, and I can go to the potty now....."

SHE DID IT!

We had the most fabulous potty party this past week, and Olyvia DID IT!!

Gotcha Day Anniversary!

It is so hard to believe. Two years ago today Olyvia was placed into my arms and my life changed forever. Emma was in my belly at the time, merely one inch long. I'll never forget this day..The smells, the humidity, the anxiety and the anticipation. After giving birth to a child I can attest that there is no difference in how you feel after giving birth or having a child placed into your arms at nine months old. For both occasions the joy, love and happiness was overwhelming. I fell in love immediately.

Today we did our annual dinner at KOW KOW Restaurant and both girls received their GOTCHA DAY gifts I had bought them in China. I have a gift for each of them until they are 18 years of age..The dress Olyvia wore was also purchased in Guangzhou, and I think she looked like a Princess!

When I look back at photos from this day, Olyvia still looks the same. That adorable face still glows with life....


Happy Gotcha Day my love!!

Jiang Cheng Reunion!!

I am still pretty speechless when it comes to this past weekend. We had our reunion with the families from Olyvia's Orphanage. We all met in St. Louis. All of the families were from different parts of the United States.... Chicago, Kansas, Texas even Ohio...Every one of us made the long haul for one reason. To reunite our daughters with their sisters from China.

I am still processing much of the weekend, but what I can say is OH MY GOD!

When I looked into the eyes of each parent I realized how lucky we all are. These girls have brought us all excitement, love, understanding and a new found sense of compassion and need to grasp life with all that we have. These children have brought us happiness. We are the lucky ones as they completed what we were missing...

There are several common denominators I found with each child. They are all stubborn, they are all full of life and their intelligence is mind blowing. Looking back and reflecting on their abandonment, their orphanage and how they spent their first few months of life...I am amazed at the resilience of children. Love..it really is a cure for all things...

The first photos in the above video are of Olyvia's referral picture, Olyvia on the red couch and all of the girls for a group photo on the red couch. These fragile tiny babies have turned into the beautiful toddler girls which you will witness in the pictures that follow...

Adoption. Motherhood. Commitment...I need a few days to sort my feelings, but I would like to touch back on these issues in the coming days...These girls have brought Olyvia and myself so much more then I can explain this evening...My life changed that humid day in August of 2007, and today I feel like I can finally share what I have learned on those topics...

Part II to follow.....

A weekend for Baby Lily!

"Flowers Bloom Like Lily Rose"....

I hosted a baby shower for one of my dearest friends this past weekend, another girl!!