HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2009

Here is Emma and her dragon mask she colored, with moi help. She carried this with for the parade and was mighty proud to do so!! Look at that face! This is the gentleman who did the sword dance. The kids were so facinated with him, they never moved!! He was quite good and talked about what he was doing so we could understand. I think I would like to take a Tai-Chei class this year. (spell check please) Anyone know of one?

Nadya and Aimee hoping for good fortune!! See their pearls!! Thanks Auntie Victoria!! We love them!!
Now, Nadya just had to try these on for size. It was quite a feat for her to fit them into her eyes!! Nice look!!

This is the older girls dance team. They did a traditional sword dance and it was done very well. I am excited that Emma will now be old enough to take lessons.

This is what my husband did during the celebration, read the paper. :) He was interupted when little Miss Emma decided that she needed the mic from the emancee. They requested that Emma's parents please claim her!! She just has to have a mic of her own!!

The sites on the table. We enjoyed all the festive decorations on the tables along with some great little crafts for the kids. Thank you FCC!!!

Emma showing off her lovely Chinese outfit. She often asks to wear one of her little dresses just for fun and of course we indulge her!!

The Red Envelope and gold coins that are traditional.

Happy Chinese New Year to all who celebrate this special holiday! We have cleaned the house and decorated with lights and red lanterns in recognition of the Chinese New Year. This is the year of the OX. On Sunday we enjoyed a large celebration with other families who have adopted from China as well as many from the Chinese community here in Mason, Ohio. The place was packed with families and children adorned in red which is a sign of luck. Emma wore her sweet two piece red and gold princess dress purchased in China by a friend when they traveled last summer. Cindi, thank you. She loved wearing her special clothes and has enjoyed this celebration two years in a row now. We are amazed at just how comfortable she appears in such a large group, must be that so many look like her!! She marched in the Dragon parade this year, a first. She wanted to help carry the dragon, but she is too small so perhaps another time. We enjoyed watching a master sword dance, our young girls who take dance classes and are learning to do the traditional dances, a puppet show, karate demo, lion dance and of course the wonder Chinese buffet. My sister, Victoria and her daughter, Sidney, joined us this year and we had a wonderful time celebrating together. She gifted the girls with a lovely set of fresh water pearls. It was fun having some family with us. Thank you for joining us!! Here are a few photos.

The Best Christmas Present...

City of Qianjiang in Chongqing, China 2009, the birthplace of our sweet daughter, Emma. As you can see it is a very mountaineous city. We hope to visit with Emma one day. Look at this little bed!! This is Emma sleeping in her little bed! No crib!!! She is in the one with the pink head bumper pad. They slept two to a bed, even the tiny ones!!

Emma is playing on the floor mat with some of her little friends. She is the one on all fours!!!

Emma in her walker, the place she spent most of her young toddler years, playing with one of her favorite toys, stacking cups!! She still loves these cups today at nearly 4 years old!!

This is a photo taken when she was around 15 mos. Sometimes it's hard to know for sure, but we have other photos like this taken by other visitors. She always wants to wear a beautiful dress, she asks every morning. I know this is short lived so I will indulge her as often as possible. :) She looks to have a cold and possibly eye infection.

The Chinese woman in this photo is Emma's appointed caretaker, called an Aiyi or auntie. They care for the children until they leave or are adopted, the same person. Each one cares for about 4 children so the other children are Emma's pals.

Tasting the yummy bumble bee teething toy! She is just so cute!!!

Another sleeping photo, sorry they are out of order. :) Emma is in the upper left bed.

Emma and her aiyi with friends. I'd love to know who the little girl in the blue dress is!! Anyone out there know? She is so pretty!!

Entertainment!! Look at the sweet little jammies, I am very sure they were part of a very genereous donation, possibly thru my Qianjiang Yahoo group. :)

Ok, this is only some of the photos we were sent by someone who visited the SWI in June 06. This person was touring with a group to several SWI's in the area which is very big! I am so very thankful that she noticed another photo of my little Emma on the APC group and contacted me! Perhaps one day I will get to do the same for some other family. Thank you!!

Happy New Year 2009!!

Well, Happy New Year 2009 everyone!

It's hard to believe that another year is yet upon us, how quickly times goes by! We have much to be thankful for during 2008 and look forward to seeing what this year brings for our family.

First up, Emma did not end up with her surgery on the 30th although we did spend a good part of the day on Dec. 30th at Children's Hospital. Emma had her first of 3 heart echos and EKG's to check on her little heart. All is looking well, she is a pro at laying still for the 40minutes it takes to do the proceedure. The reason they did not do her surgery to remove her tonsils and adenoids is because she is a low maintenace dose of baby aspirin daily to prevent blood clots going to her heart for 6 months. They decided last minute that the risk for bleeding was too high so we will wait until she completes her meds for the heart. We had so wanted to get this surgery done so she could sleep better. Guess we will make it through another few months. :)

We spent New Year's Eve home with our two youngest girls. We ordered our favorite Chinese Food and ate with candelite. We put little Emma to bed early and then Larry, Nadya and I enjoyed watching Prince Caspian. We did not stay up past 11:00PM, getting too old and tired. It was a nice quiet evening at home. :)

It's been flurrying for days and the skies have been gray for months!! I am really missing the blue skies and warm sun!! I am ready to head south!! :) Anyone want to buy a house in Ohio? :) Larry has been very busy with A Child's Hope International setting up meetings with many different people. It's amazing how many people we have met in such a short time! Larry is often on the telephone speaking with folks from various parts of Africa, India and Haiti. He has made contact with people in China as well. The Kids Against Hunger program is wanted everywhere!!!! Check out his blog at www.bergsnest.blogspot.com