Feeling very behind in my updates!

I have been hoping to sit down and write a proper note for quite some time.... I never seem able to as I am far too tired once the day is 'done'! I blog really as a way to journal and then I hope to print yearly (another thing I am a little late on, but have great intentions!). At the same time, it is a nice way to stay in touch with friends and family who peak in every now and then and take the time to send off a little note.

As much as I hate to say I am going to have to update in a point form/bullet format , I think this may be the only way to catch up!

-Christmas (yes, it goes as far back as Christmas!) was very special in our 'new' home. Since I grew up in this home, it didn't feel foreign really, just different to now be the adult living here! At first I would feel it necessary to ask permission for things, and now, not so much!!!! :) Back to Christmas.... Unfortunately, Kev began feeling ill after Christmas Eve mass (right after taking some family pics) and remained fevered, coughing etc. for most of the holiday. Poor Kev. Eventually he went to a walk in clinic and was told he had Bronchitis. Thankfully, he responded quite well to the meds, but he was out of commission, apart from small spells, all through Christmas and New Year. Not fun for him and we missed him immensely at anything we went to! Poor little Mara was fevered for about 2 days which resulted in her missing out on family parties.

-Victoria celebrated her Sweet Sixteen (posted about this already!)

- FINALLY we mailed off our package to Mara-Grace's orphanage for our Mitten Mission! (hats, socks, mitts all made with great love and donated for our mission from Angel Glenda!!!!) I can never thank her enough. Usually I mail the package in November, and thanks to Glenda, it was ready and waiting. Just took me some time to actually mail it off. Yikes! I am seeing a pattern here! Mara-Grace was so proud to be mailing it. My intentions were to mail half to Hannah's and half to M-G's orphanages, but there are no children at Hannah's, so the tradition continues to send to just Mara-Grace's.

-I have to share that we had a very quiet, sweet Christmas. With Kev being ill etc. we mainly stayed in. On Christmas morning, our girls opened their presents and then after, were each given a little box with a Mickey Mouse Candy ornament to unwrap. We said they were all the same and to unwrap them together. We said that it was a little souvenir to celebrate our first Christmas here. Our girls opened them all together and then Victoria turned her ornament over to see a paper stuck to the back. It basically said, "Pack your bags, we are driving to Kissimmee Florida where we have rented a 5 bedroom home for a week!" Victoria's reaction at 1 week shy of 16 years old was to scream, and continue doing so, while jumping and reading/shouting the note out loud. Then Mara-Grace and Hannah (who I don't think understood what the heck was happening, but knew it must be wonderful) were jumping and screaming and hugging Victoria to pieces! What an incredible moment! We will happily share our holiday news when we return. Cannot wait!

-We received a beautiful gift before Christmas. It truly deserves it's own post (but I am afraid I will never get it written). When we went to bring our daughter Hannah home from China, we did our utmost to arrange to go to her hometown and see the orphanage and meet her foster mother (whose name we knew). Despite our many requests etc. we were denied that privilege. It has always bothered me since. I have tried in a few different ways to obtain a mailing address for Hannah's Foster Mother, but they have all fallen through. I then found out about someone who was going to the area and was going to try to get as many answers as possible on our behalf. Very long story short, we were finally successful! We have some new pictures of Hannah's Foster Mother and a video of her apartment and her talking briefly in the background etc. We were also given a picture of the man who found our Hannah and a book about her hometown. What I most hoped for was an address for her foster mother, and we received this. What a truly remarkable gift. I am so thankful. We have already sent some pictures and a letter to her. We were fortunate to have been given the disposable camera which we sent to China before bringing home our Hannah. When we developed the pictures, we have many of Hannah's Foster Mom with Hannah. We have one of these pictures framed and in Hannah's room. Hannah always has a nice reaction to this picture. We feel very confident that Hannah was shown great care and love and I am so very thankful to this beautiful woman.

-We received an email from our guide from our trip to Mara-Grace. She is well and I am thankful that for Mara's sake, we have this tie to China. We have not had any luck contacting her foster family etc. And we have never heard back from her orphanage after the gifts, cards etc... We will continue sending though, as we honor them very much for the care they gave to Mara-Grace. We are so fortunate to keep in touch with Louise, our guide and friend...

-We celebrated Mara-Grace's 4th year Family day on January 29th. We spent the day going to her favorite Dinosaur museum, wandering around Chinatown and having Chinese food for supper! I cannot believe where the time has gone. And at the same time, I look at our Mara and see so many changes... One of our three miracles, so special and so loved by all... (The penguin sliding pics are from this special day!)

-Last week we celebrated Chinese New Year! Welcome year of the Rabbit!!!! I spent the week preparing/cooking. I made homemade Won Ton soup, Hunan Dumplings with Peanut Sauce, rice, Chinese Vegetable Rolls, Kung Pao Chicken and Orange Ginger Beef and Broccoli. Of course there were Fortune and Almond Cookies for dessert! Yummy! It was extra special to be close enough to invite Granya and Poppy to our special dinner.

-Around Christmas, Hannah would request her favorite story, "Here Comes Santa Claus".... Well, all of the other Christmas books have been put away, but we needed, and I do mean needed to spring that one back out of our library. Hannah adores it and I think we may still be reading it at Easter!

-Hannah is now at the table in a booster seat.... I cannot truly describe how hard saying goodbye to our highchair was for, ME! And, we have also said goodbye to her tiny bedtime bottle. We now maintain the same routine, but have a little cup of milk with story.... Another hard goodbye....

- Funny tidbit, each day we feed the birds one level scoop (a flower pot) of fresh birdseed. The other day Mara-Grace was playing outside and asked me if she could give her 'bird friends' another little bit. I said no problem.... OK, I was busy cooking (did I mention Chinese New Year?!!!!) and in she came smiling ear to ear, she says to me from the doorway, "Oh Mommy, the birds were so thankful and so happy". I look out to see a mound under the feeder, in the cedar where we always sprinkle extra, and everywhere. I mean shovel fulls! So much food... Seriously, probably 20 scoops... OH My!!!!! Yes, they were happy!!!! I think we are now referred to in the Bird Community as Disney! :) Let's see them flock!!!!! xo

Much love xo

P.S. On a silly side note... I love changing the blog backgrounds to suit the seasons etc. Little did I know that the due to a mix up, one background was staying stuck (one that I had changed AGES ago) and mixing with any new backgrounds. For whatever reason, this didn't show on my main laptop. It was only when I showed the blog on a different computer that I discovered this. YIKES!!!! So, I think I have fixed the problem, and am hoping you are all seeing some Happy Valentine's!!!!!! If not, let me know:)))