Pictures from Shower

Aren't these adorable?

Welcome Home Baby Shower for Abbey

Our Church, Brandon Presbyterian, wanted to give us a Welcome Home Party and Shower for Abbey. We were so excited for everyone to meet Abbey and share in our joy of finally being back home. On Friday, Feb. 11, we all met in the fellowship hall to enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs and the fixins. I was amazed at the number of people who came and it meant so much to all of us to have everyone there.

I can honestly say, thought, the highlight of the shower were the "Ladybug Cakes" that Rebekkah Dawson made. They were so adorable.!! Rebekkah and John had actually brought us supper the first weekend we were home from China. So Rebekkah got to see Abbey's nursery and the Ladybug theme I decided to use. Little did I know she would take those "bugs" and turn them into the cutest cupcakes, decorations, and the big cake centerpiece. I told her once all my adoption buddies saw the cakes.... everyone will want one! Rebekkah put so much thought into planning this shower and it was so wonderful.... I just cannot thank her enough for making it so special. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Big Sister Haircut

Madeline has wanted to cut her hair since before Christmas. I just could not bring myself to let her cut it! Oh how I have loved that long, beautiful dark hair! But... when we were in China, it was so hard to take care, keep it clean and pulled back, etc. So....on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2 weeks after arriving home from China. we got it cut!


She was so excited. I admit I felt a little sad, but I do LOVE her new haircut. It makes her look so Grown-up, just perfect for a new BIG SISTER!

Playing outside with her mei-mei

Love It!
I took this picture after her dance class

Getting to Know Abbey

We have been home over a week now. A week on Friday. I can honestly say the first weekend home was a blur. I remember bits and pieces of talking to people on the phone, washing clothes, sleeping whenever Abbey slept and somehow functioning just enough to get by, but really ...

Madeline and Matthew started back to school on Monday. They were both so happy to see their friends again! Not so happy to get back into the morning routine--:(

Abbey started off the week with her first ride in the dreaded CAR SEAT. She hated it, screamed and cried almost all the way to the kid's school. I remembered our Chinese language CD was in the car and put it in... wa-la! no more crying. She just sat there and listened. Needless to say, we have brushed up on our Chinese language skills this past week everytime we get into the car. (ha)

Here are a few things we have discovered about our sweet Abbey since having her home.

1. She loves DOORS... she must open and then close every door she sees. And it must be done correctly...no half-open doors, mind you.

2. She is a climber... she will put those little feet up onto anything she can get a hold of.

3. She is a snuggle-bunny.... she loves to be held, cuddled and loved on. She will give us "kisses" by opening her mouth wide and planting slobber on your face. She also leans forward and puts her arms around us when we ask her to 'give us love'... so precious!

4. She has a temper... yes, it's true. Take something away from her and she turns into the Tasmanian devil. Tell her no and she lies down on the floor on her back and sticks her bottom lip out and begins the most pitiful wail you have ever heard. It's amazing how that wail ceases the minute she is picked up!

5. She is very smart... already figured out how to press the door latches down to get into the cabinets... (see #1)

6. She loves dogs... she stands at the back door and living room windows and squeals when she sees our pet dogs, Sadie and Jacob.

7. I think she has the sweetest little laugh on this planet. And she is ticklish big time!

Abbey has been through so many changes these past few weeks. Our entire family has been been "changed" the last couple of weeks. Abbey has made us stop and see once again just how amazing our children are. Each of them bring their own special gifts into our family. I feel so blessed to be called "mom" and love my kids so much.

Now just waiting to hear those sweet words from Abbey calling me "ma-ma".

Travel Journal

I will not be posting to this blog during our trip to China. We have a site at http://babyjellybeans.com/ that you can follow. Just enter Abbey Runner under child's name and our password is: runner
I hope you will follow along and feel free to post a comment as long as it is nice (ha!).
Keep us in your prayers.

Xie' Xie' (thank-you)

Here we Go!

It is Monday afternoon and I am counting the hours before we board the plane to Abbey.
We found out this morning that our flight to Atlanta was cancelled due to the ice/snow accumulations there. So... our travel agent, Sue Sorrels (who is amazing by the way) spent the morning trying to re-route us through another city. Long story short: we are leaving here and flying to Dallas at 6 am in the morning. Early...yes. From there we fly to Seoul, Korea, layover there, then on to Beijing. We arrive in Beijing on Jan. 12.

The past 2 weeks have been so busy and crazy. I have spent most of my time preparing for this trip and making 500 trips to Wal-mart! I am sick of Wal-Mart.
So last night after I had finished packing and repacking for the "umpteenth" time, I actually took a minute to sit in Abbey's room and just think.
I sat in the rocking chair that I have rocked all my babies in. I looked around her room thinking of what it will be like to look over at her crib and see her standing at the side-rail smiling back at me.
What it will be like to snuggle up to her.
What it will feel like to hold her little misshapened hand in mine.
I will kiss that little hand and hold onto it for dear life.

I will forever be amazed at this process of adoption and the change it has brought about in my life.
I cannot imagine my life without Madeline, now Abbey, the connection I feel to China and it's culture, the friends I have made who also adopted children from China, and my FAITH that has been tried at times throughout this process; yet sustains my very existence. It is faith that has told me time and time again... don't give up, she is waiting.

And I always, ALWAYS think of the birthmother. How can you not think of the person who brought this miracle into the world? I often pray that somehow the birthmother will know how much their baby is loved and adored. I thank God these 2 little girls call me "mom" because of the "mom" who gave them life.

My life is amazing and I cannot think of a better place to be than "right now". We are about to make our family of 5, into a family of 6! I am beyond blessed. Now just hold on for the ride as we countdown to bringing our next "China princess" home. We are coming sweet Abbey. Mommy loves you.

One week from today..

we will be on a plane to China and Abbey! 7 days...next Tuesday!

I have been running around like crazy trying to make sure we have everything we could possibly need on the trip. Then I will remember something else... add it to the list, then go back start organizing my stacks of stuff, then...

remember I forgot to do so and so...

you get the picture, don't you?

I am a little stressed. It is much harder packing for 4 of us instead of just Mike and I. I am taking a pharmacy on wheels attempting to cover any possible illness known to man. That is my biggest fear with taking the kids... that one of them will get sick and I want have the meds we need. Oh please oh please Lord, keep all of us healthy and well. Please.

We did get Abbey's suitcase packed last night. Check that off the list.

We also got Abbey's room somewhat organized this past weekend. A sweet friend of mine at the clinic offered me her little girl's crib bedding with guess what?? LADYBUGS!

It is precious! This same friend also gave me tons of clothes and toys for Abbey. I just sat on the floor looking at all of it and almost cried.... tears of thankfulness and joy for friends and for HIM providing for all of our needs.

Please keep all of us in your prayers this week. It is a time of seeing to final details, floods of emotions, including joy and yes, fear; packing and repacking, frustration and lack of sleep.

Then I look at my little girl's picture plastered all over my refrigerator and counter-tops and all I can think is.... I can't wait to hold her.

I am really going to hold her.

OK... there go the tears...