Good News!!

Since getting home Lily's ears have been clogged, a hard wax they have not been able to get out. Doctor said is was almost like concrete, Jeff had read where 60% of Asians have this hard wax compared to the soft wax most people have. So first visit with ear doctor he said he would not touch them, it was too hard. So, we have been on ear drops for the last 3 weeks, went in today and it was soft enough to suck out the wax. He said he would have to strap her down but if it got too traumatic he would have to gas her, luckily even though she was screaming and crying he was able to get the wax out!!!!! He said the ear drums looked fine and seemed to be functioning well, so NO hearing test was needed, praise God. Here are finally some photos of Lily and daddy from Father's Day and a few from this past weekend.

Weekend Photos

This past weekend the weather was wonderful for Father's Day. Here are a few pictures, but I am having problems getting the one of Lily and daddy and the boys and dad uploaded?? The boys got their dad a new bike, we both have bikes now and Lily now has her seat hoping to get some bike riding in. Lily got her daddy the new Steven Curtis Chapman cd called "This Moment, Cinderella edition", wonderful music any dad would love. Lily also has a new friend, Greta, the neighbors got a new dog and Lily just loves her, they have found several pacifiers in their yard, Lily likes to share. LOL Jeff said one day Lily gave the dog her pacifier, it was perfectly in the dogs mouth and she was running around, didn't get a photo, but Jeff said it was hilarious. We also had our first (1) pigtail this weekend, exciting for mommy. We also went to Jeff's dads house for a cookout and as you can see Lily LOVES the water and has so no fear at all. It was such a great weekend, a time to be thankful for the wonderful children God has entrusted to us, remember to show them lot's of love and give lot's of hugs too. And of course to be thankful for the wonderful fathers we have!!!

Tagged!!!

My friend Colleen from http://crazy-eight.blogspot.com/ whom I think is amazing, she had 4 boys, 2 girls and waiting on another one!!!!! Lady had alot of energy!!!!!! Anyway, she has tagged me with 5 questions, and I have to say they look a little hard, but I will try :)

5 Things I was doing 10yrs ago???

(1) I was staying home and doing daycare so I could be home when my boys got out of school and during the summer months.

(2) Both boys were in baseball so I am sure I was spending alot of nights at the ball diamond including my husbands games, he played church leauge softball.

(3) Summer months always brought VBS at church and I along with 2 others headed that up, which was alot of hours but also very rewarding.

(4) Can't think of anything else other them cookouts with family and days spent at the swimming pool???

5 Things on my list to do today???

(1) Having lunch with my hubby and sweet Lily.

(2) After work Lily and I will probably just have supper then hang out playing in the backyard.

(3) Actually today is a pretty light day.

(4) Ok, I really need to go through my closet and clean it out, so I will try!!!!

(5) Onces Lily is done destroying the house I will try to pick up a little before going to bed.

5 Favorite snack foods????

(1) Candy bar (any kind)

(2) Rice Krispy Treats

(3) Mountain Trail Mix

(4) Cheetos

(5) Cashews

5 Things I would do if I were a billionaire????

(1) Adopt alot more kids!!!!!

(2) Pay for Our new church to be built

(3) Makes sure family had enough

(4) Spend alot of time in China, helping orphans

(5) New home, cars and other toys.

5 Places I have lived????

(1) and only 1- Mattoon, Illinois LOL

I am now tagging the following:

http://www.mgdtochina.blogspot.com/

http://journeytoregan.blogspot.com/

http://www.odonnellchinagirl2006.blogspot.com/

http://lifewithallisonandsassie.blogspot.com/

http://www.dwimble.com/

Thanks, Amy

1yr anniversary of Referral

1yr. WOW!!!!!! We woke up very anxious that morning of June 6th knowing referrals had hit the west coast the day before, and hoping to get the call soon. I had gone to work as planned and had informed my sw to call my cell phone since Jeff would also be at work and could not be reached. (really)!! LOL Checking the RQ site frequently calls had been made and announcements were popping up everywhere. I was starting to worry, would we get the call, maybe they won't get them til tomorrow??!!! I had been in touch with my travelmates Gina and Candi all morning waiting to see if they had heard anything yet? I decided to go ahead and try to eat lunch, it was an Arby's market fresh sandwich, I will never forget. I was sitting with a couple of co-workers. had about half my sandwich gone, had just taken a bite and my phone rang. Why it was sitting on my desk I don't know, so I jump up, food in my mouth, not knowing what to do, my friend Lane yells, "spit it out" so as I am spitting my food out, I trip over my own feet while running to my desk before the call ends. I see my caller ID, it's my agency, my heart is pounding, hands shaking and she announces, "we got your referral in". Of course I cried trying to remember what I should be asking, she said that's all she knew and would call me back. Ok, so do I have a daughter, how old? So now I frantically call Jeff not really knowing anything yet but wanted him to know that the referrals had come in and that I would be calling him back soon. I knew nothing for another hour other then we had a child waiting for us. The wait was long but at least I was able to get my thoughts together about what I needed to ask. The call, "you have a daughter just under 7 months old named Li Zhang living in YouXi City Fujian, didn't know where it was, all I could think was I have a 7 month old daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Call Jeff again to give him the news, we now sit at home several phone calls and emails later dreaming of what our little one will look like, waiting for the morning when we will receive our package........................................

Anticipation!!

As we come upon our 1yr anniversary of our referral on June 6th, I have gone back through some emails I had sent to my travelmates Gina and Candi. Boy am I glad that wait is long behind us now, my heart on the other hand cannot imagine what those are going through who are still waiting and not knowing when?? Although I know all have heard this many times but, It Is So Worth the Wait, hang in there. (((hugs)))

Here are a few quotes made prior to the sixth:

"I really just wanted to stay in bed and not get out until we heard SOMETHING!!!!!!"
"Now I sit and work and all we really know is nothing, boy what a long day this is gonna be......"
"I may lose it!!!!!!!!!!! "I am going crazy. LOL" "Oh my gosh when are they coming? I honestly did not want to get out of bed this morning." " stressed here!!!!!!!!!!"
"I could tell I was on the verge of a cry and of course as soon as I got to work they asked, "any news" and I lost it only for about a minute "Oh well, let's just pray for strength to get through today and hope for some good news tomorrow :)
"Ok, Rosie on the Nov group just posted she got an email from her agency saying the stork is about to land!!!!! I am so emotional and so tired of so many let downs, what to believe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Where are you girls, referrals have hit the west coast!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Thanks Monica, I am in tears also and my hands are shaking just waiting for my phone to ring. I hope it's today and soon."
"Ok, I am getting really anxious now, I really want to call and see if they are even expecting a package today but I am chicken"


To someone who has not adopted and been waiting for the call, I may appear to be a little crazy in my prior statements, but for those of you who have lived it, I am totally SANE, well maybe!! LOL I will share about the actual call on the 6th, I still cannot believe it's been almost a year!!!!

Amy

A day at the zoo

We had such a great weekend!!! We had decided to meet up with some of our travelmates, Mike, Gina and Olivia this past weekend at the St. Louis Zoo, our other family was not able to come (we missed you). It was so nice to get together with them again. After spending two weeks in China together, there will always be that special bond and we hope to keep in touch so that they girls will grow up knowing that special bond they share as well. The day was kind of warm and humid, our first stop was the childrens zoo where they had a petting zoo, the girls really enjoyed petting the goats, we had passed the water going in but decided to leave that for the end of the day. We didn't see too many of the animals most were hiding in the shade away from the heat and sun. The girls enjoyed the birds but got most excited over the penguins!!! It was so much fun to see how excited they got each time the penguins dived in, they girls were right at eye level and Lily was really letting out some screams of her excitement, it was so funny!!!!! They really enjoyed the monkeys as well, we ended the day back at the water where they girls got to cool down. They did really well considering the water was freezing and there were alot of older kids running around, but thankfully no collisions!!! Even though the girls are really too young to play together yet, we did get Lily to give out some hugs to Olivia, not sure Olivia was thrilled, but it was so sweet to see. Thanks for a great weekend guys!!!!!