Merry Christmas!
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We pray that God will richly bless you this Holiday Season with love, good friends, peace in your heart, laughter, family, yummy food, health, and the true (very humbling) awe of the miracle He gave us all those years ago - in a cold stable, under the starry sky. The Son that came to earth as a tiny, helpless baby, yet knowing full well what would be expected of Him in the years to come. He willingly sacrificed Himself in order to save us all!
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From our House to Yours - Merry Christmas and Best Wishes in the New Year!
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Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS LETTER
You may recall that at the end of October, we sent a letter to ElleAnna's orphanage. We included many photos of her over the past year, to show them how much she was growing and changing. We hoped, in our hearts, that we would hear back from them, but we had no promises. This past Saturday, however, we got a very special Christmas gift - a letter from her caregivers in China. It took a few days for us to have it translated into English, but it was worth the wait!
In the letter, they were very glad that PanSuo was in a family who loved her. They enjoyed seeing her sweet smiles in the photos. They wished her much happiness and good health. They told her that she was very lucky. They were grateful to us for adopting her, giving her parents and brothers who love her very much.
Now, I am even more excited to write them a reply! Even before we had found ElleAnna, we intended to send a "care package" to our daughter's orphanage each year to recognize the anniversary of her adoption. We have been picking up items over the past year with that intention, but we were reluctant until we were certain that the address was correct. Now that we know, we will finish filling the box and get it ready to be shipped. We have clothes for boys and girls, some small toys, little gifts for the nannies...
Amazingly, just a week or two ago, I was approached by a wonderful lady (Wilma) at our church. Each Sunday, the little children pick up lose change when the ushers take the regular collection. Wilma had wanted to send that money to Elle's orphanage, but I had told her how we were waiting for a reply to our letter first. If/when that happened, we could use some of the children's collection and buy a few more things for the box to be sent to the orphanage. I am excited that I can let Wilma know that our prayers were answered and we can move ahead with her terrific plan. :-)
I also plan to send a few disposable cameras in the box and ask the orphanage staff to take photos that we can have developed for ElleAnna. Through this venue, they can share faces of her caregivers and other children that she lived with. I hope that it will give Elle a way to remember her life gently, the life she left behind when she came to us.
Our daughter reminds us constantly that she, Mommy, Daddy, Bryant, and Alex are a family - Elle's family. I am grateful to God every day for her sweet giggles and contagious smile. I am glad that He kept her safe and guided her to us, to her family. She made us the lucky ones, in spite of what the orphanage believes. We are the ones who are blessed to have her as our daughter!
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In the letter, they were very glad that PanSuo was in a family who loved her. They enjoyed seeing her sweet smiles in the photos. They wished her much happiness and good health. They told her that she was very lucky. They were grateful to us for adopting her, giving her parents and brothers who love her very much.
Now, I am even more excited to write them a reply! Even before we had found ElleAnna, we intended to send a "care package" to our daughter's orphanage each year to recognize the anniversary of her adoption. We have been picking up items over the past year with that intention, but we were reluctant until we were certain that the address was correct. Now that we know, we will finish filling the box and get it ready to be shipped. We have clothes for boys and girls, some small toys, little gifts for the nannies...
Amazingly, just a week or two ago, I was approached by a wonderful lady (Wilma) at our church. Each Sunday, the little children pick up lose change when the ushers take the regular collection. Wilma had wanted to send that money to Elle's orphanage, but I had told her how we were waiting for a reply to our letter first. If/when that happened, we could use some of the children's collection and buy a few more things for the box to be sent to the orphanage. I am excited that I can let Wilma know that our prayers were answered and we can move ahead with her terrific plan. :-)
I also plan to send a few disposable cameras in the box and ask the orphanage staff to take photos that we can have developed for ElleAnna. Through this venue, they can share faces of her caregivers and other children that she lived with. I hope that it will give Elle a way to remember her life gently, the life she left behind when she came to us.
Our daughter reminds us constantly that she, Mommy, Daddy, Bryant, and Alex are a family - Elle's family. I am grateful to God every day for her sweet giggles and contagious smile. I am glad that He kept her safe and guided her to us, to her family. She made us the lucky ones, in spite of what the orphanage believes. We are the ones who are blessed to have her as our daughter!
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Friday, December 19, 2008
Compare Pix
Look at this one from a year ago compared to the one above, from this Christmas. Even the twinkle in her eyes.... All three of them have changed so much, but especially Elle. We look forward to celebrating the holidays together this year as she is having so much fun getting ready!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Elle's Cleft Appointment
We left the house at 4am on Friday for the long drive.... We met with the Cleft Team from 8:30a-12noon. During that time, Elle had her hearing tested, had a speech evaluation, the Otolaryngologist examined her as well as an Orthodontist, a Pediatrician, two dental students, a nurse, and a plastic surgeon. She did well, so now we wait to go again until next year..
She scolded one of the speech therapists for calling her "Sweetie". Elle informed her that her name was not "Sweetie, it was Elle". She kept saying "Thank you, Doctor" when they would get done checking her. She played with two other little girls in the waiting room for a long time. One was adopted from Korea and the other from China. They had a great fun in a playhouse set up in the lobby. They would giggle and laugh, especially when some of the boys would come tell them they were going to huff and puff and blow their house down!
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It was so amazing for us to watch Elle be so independent and confident as she worked with each of the professionals. Last year when we went, we'd barely been home for three weeks and she was so frightened by everything. This year, she would wave and give us thumbs up through the window of the hearing lab as she played the games and listened to the beeps.... It was truly remarkable to realize how much she has blossomed and grown!
.The pictures above are from this morning. Elle got one of those mirrors on the dental tool, so she had to show Alex how it worked. Needless to say, she stuck it in there a little too far :-). There is also a video posted below of the same exciting fun she had showing Alex what happened on Friday while he was at school.
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Its Been Busy, Busy....
Time has flown by this week, but not without plenty of basketball, a trip to the Cleft Team for Elle's annual exam, Christmas shopping, spending the night in a hotel, deer hunting, Elle's program at school, another visit with Santa and Mrs. Clause, plus still more Christmas shopping. I hope that you enjoy the blog's new FESTIVE HOLIDAY look. Here are some photos from the past week's events!
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Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Christmas Is Coming!
Santa will be here any minute - Elle is excited. We've been practicing what he will ask and what she wants to tell him that she wants for Christmas.
Oh, look Daddy! Here he comes!
Elle with Santa and her bag of candy!
See, don't they all cooperate well for photos! The balloons were too much fun and very distracting.
Does the angel go up here, Daddy? Like this?
Wow - the bright lights, a giant tree, and an angel on top. Elle thinks we are done, but we've only just started!
Elle finding the perfect place for the little China girl ornament from Aunt Karen. She is holding a paper lantern and has a little square house. The butterflies on the tree were for the Christmas in 2006, when we were still praying and waiting for our little E to find her way to us.
Everyone working hard to hang up the ornaments they've been given over the years.
Its getting pretty full and looks great - doesn't it Elle? NO, Scooby Doo does not come out of the Mystery Van no matter how much Elle has tried to help him get out..
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Its been very busy, and the hustle and bustle is only beginning. Between basketball games, Christmas parties, online shopping, more basketball, school programs, and everything else, things get a little hectic. Elle has learned so many cute songs that I am anxious to go to her program tomorrow morning and see it all in action. Grama, Grampa, Granny, Dayton, and Daddy will be there too - so I am sure we'll have fun.
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Here are some photos of tree decorating, the five grandkids, and Elle meeting Santa for the first time. I have lots of video too from the past few days, so I'll try and get them loaded soon.
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I will give you Holiday Celebrations in small doses that way :-).
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