handsful

Carolin, on my July Fireflies Yahoo group, made this video of her daughter Emma dancing. I dare you not to at least smile, and I bet you’ll be laughing! Turn up your speakers…

http://tatorsalad.net/hunter/EmmaDanceSound.wmv

As it shows on our counter at the very bottom of this page, it’s been 1 year since we began this journey. Specifically, since our agency accepted the Clark family as an adoptive family to be! We’re very excited about what this next year will bring…Lainey!

Welcome Spring, the coming of summer, and…gulp…bathing suit season. We bought this last night, in the hopes of working off some of the winter “blahs” that seem to have settled on the both of us. As I walk, I imagine I’m touring China and conquering the steps of the Great Wall! My bedroom won’t be making the pages of Southern Living, with this thing beside the window, but that’s okay. It’s something positive that we can do for ourselves, while we…wait.

…we sent in our adoption application to Chinese Children Adoption International! That year really did go by quickly.

As a family, we love to watch American Idol. The kids love to choose their favorites among the contestants. Today, I was listening to Stevie Wonder on my Ipod speaker in the kitchen while making lunch. My son, Payton says “Hmm…that was a little pitchy.” Our own little Simon. Would the real Simon criticize Stevie? I doubt it…

Today, my parents arrived from NC for a weekend visit. They brought gifts for the kids, as usual, and also had a wrapped present for Lainey! The card is addressed to her, and tells her that this is their 1st gift to her, how they can’t wait to meet her, and how anxious they are for that phone call from us telling them that she is ready to be picked up from China! The gift is an adorable mini Glo Worm! My oldest had one of these and loved it. This one WILL be making the trip to China! Thanks, Mom and Dad. Your support and excitement for our journey means a lot to us.

I also received my CCAI June/July Secret Pal gift today! The theme was “frames” and she sent an adorable flower/butterfly clip frame and a “Family” album frame on a stand. I love them both! She also (as usual) included sweets for the kids! Pop Rocks (they shared these with grandma and grandpa…what a riot that was!) and little bags of lemonade mix with gummy worms on top! I would have these in the picture, but the kids got to them before I could get the camera! Thanks, Secret Pal, for always remembering my kids. It means a lot to them! Here’s a picture of the great frames…