This month has been filled with lots of activities and firsts. It was Mia's first birthday here in the United States and with us. It was the first time we attended Jeep Jam and went off-roading. It was also Mia's first time attending a wedding. Each event was fun and we loved seeing how excited she was to experience all these "firsts".
First was the wedding. It was a very dear family friend of ours and she was getting married at a very beautiful lake location. It was at sunset and so lovely. We had told Mia we were going to a wedding a few weeks before we went and from that day on she asked daily, is the wedding tomorrow? When is the wedding? She could not wait to go and see the "princess" (princess is what she called Jessica the bride) in her dress and marry her "prince". She is a happily ever after girl FOR SURE! :) She was so excited to dance with Logan but he had a school sleep over event that night and was not able to attend. So.....she loved dancing with her Dad and talking to the princess (see pics below).
Next was Jeep Jam. This event was crazy! It is a yearly event hosted by the dealership and all the profits go toward wounded veterans and their families. That said, at the break of dawn over 300 jeeps descended onto the dealership lot. We all got into a very long line formation and stared our Jeep parade (approx a 25 minute drive) fully equipped with police escort out to the off-roading "Jeep Farm". I will spare you the details but the day was filled with lots of smiles, lots of OH MY.......GOODNESSES, TONS OF MUD and holding on for dear life. :) We are super excited for next year!
And then....there was our little princess's 5th birthday! The build up was about a month and a half long. She was so excited about the whole idea of a party and cupcakes, cake, ice cream and presents. She told me that she wanted her birthday at Yo-Yo's - a new local ice cream (actually yogurt) shop. Next was the theme. She went back and forth between Princess, Tinker Bell and Hello Kitty. She finally settled on Hello Kitty which totally shocked me. While she loves Hello Kitty I was SURE she was going to go with Princess. Hello Kitty it was! She had cupcakes (she insisted on strawberry cake with strawberry icing - honestly...the were TERRIBLE tasting but looked cute - at least to the girls :) ) with her friends at school on Tuesday. On Wednesday (her actual birthday) I took off work to spend the day with her. We went to the bookstore, we went to the mall, we went out to lunch, we went to a dress shop, candy shop, rode the carousel....we did it all! Mia loved hearing all the compliments on her dress. She had picked the dress out a couple of month back and talked her dad into buying it for her for her birthday. :) You could tell...she really did feel like a princess. For dinner, Mia picked her favorite place to eat....Qui's where she got her favorite, rice and egg drop soup. The owner there, a very sweet woman who has a darling affection for Mia, brought her out a special gift of a very nice set of chop sticks. It was very unexpected and super sweet. After dinner we came back to the house for cake and ice cream. Mia sat very stoic as we sang her happy birthday. She had one request...that we sing God's Blessings to Mia, God's Blessings to Mia like they do at school. Of course we obliged the princess. :) After singing, cake and ice cream it was present time. I will admit I went a bit over board but honestly it was so much fun shopping for her and given this was really her first birthday here with us.....I justified all of it. Anyway....half way through opening her presents she looked up, hands on her cheeks and exclaimed...."Mama....TOO MUCH. Too much stuff"! We all had a good chuckle. I also had a moment of....hurry, take the other half and put it away for Christmas. Alas, she finished opening them all and slept like a baby. :) Then it was on to Sunday, the day we had her "friend" birthday party at Yo-Yo's. It was only a few of little girls from her school and a couple of little ones from the neighbor hood as well as some family friends little girls. The girls ate ice cream, cake, played princess with the crowns and wands Mia picked out for her guests and of course chatted with one another. I loved seeing her surrounded by her little friends and watching her interact with them like they had been a part of her life from the day she was born. Mia had a FANTASTIC time and I will cherish the memories forever! :) Not to be a buzz kill on the warm and fuzzies but I have to be honest. I woke up on her birthday with a VERY heavy heart. I could not help but think of her birth mother (and her entire birth family...but especially her birth mom). I cannot imagine the pain and dispare she must have been feeling on that day. I can tell you that from the moment I put my arms around Mia, I fell completely in love and could not have imagined my life without her. I am sure her birth mother did the same. I also know that while we will never know all the details of what led up to Mia being "available for adoption", this child was loved by EVERYONE who touched her life. This child loves with her whole heart and has such joy. In our heart of hearts we know that is because she was loved....even before we were blessed enough to have her join our family.
We are quickly approaching the year anniversary of when we "got" Mia. It is December 13th. It is called Gottcha day in adoption speak. So much has changed in all of our lives. It has been a year of tears, patience, joy, joy through tears and acceptance. There is not a whole lot to report regarding sleep, food habits, language or any of the other initial hurdles and adjustments of the first year of adoption. It is like she has been here and a part of our family forever. I just hope and pray everyday that we can do right by her and honor this gift that God has given us......much like we all do with all of our children. :)
Until next time...please enjoy some of the photos taken over the last month. :)
God Bless!
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| The little princess sleeps. She looks all grown up in this pic. :) |
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| Logan being silly |
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| Practicing her ballet |
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| Enjoying her lollipop and the last few days of warm weather |
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| Coloring...always coloring...Love those cute little feet. |
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At a conference. I usually hate these types of characters. That said, Logan
Loves Angry Birds so I had to take this one for him. :) |
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| Lilly and Mia watching a movie. |
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| Getting her face painted at Johnny Appleseed festival. |
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| Showing off her apple cheeks. |
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Shooting the bow and arrow. She looks like she is straight out of
Little House on the Prairie in this pic. :) |
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| Having fun with her brother and cousins. Dont even ask...it is root beer! :) |
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Sleeping with her ballet shoes. She fell asleep holding these and watching
Dancing with the Stars. So sweet. :) |
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| Holding the book Logan got her at the book fair. She loves him so much! :) |
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Oh no! Checking out the Tiffany's catalog. She kept ooohing and ahhhhing.
I think we may be in trouble. |
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| Playing barbie at the wedding |
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| Love those big brown eyes. |
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| Dancing with Daddy |
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| A snuggle for mom |
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| Meeting the princess or so she called the bride all night. :) |
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| Always happy with dad |
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| On the trapeze at the Makers Fair. |
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| Upside down please! Again....Again....Again. :) |
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| Getting ready for Jeep Jam! |
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| Waiting to leave for the off roading... |
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| Mia showing us how she is going to hold on if it gets scary or too bumpy. |
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| One Jeep down... |
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| Snuggle for Mom |
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| Love my two little ones... |
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| Yep....they get THAT dirty! :) |
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| AHHHHHHHHHHH! |
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| We made it! Two thumbs up! :) |
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| Logan and Dad |
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| Mia holding on... |
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| Logan grabbed the front seat this round. |
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We were MILES off the trails on the interstate heading home.
I looked back and Mia was still holding of for dear life. :) |
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| Back at the dealership for some fun.... |
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| Riding Karts |
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And going down slides. RIght after this trip down she went head over heals the entire
way down. That was enough of that. She however wanted to go again.... |
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| I am five! :) Lunch with mama! |
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Mia loves to get on each one of these little "rides" every time
we go to the mall. We never pay for them to move but she
loves them just the same! :) |
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She LOVES her Hello Kitty! This makes my heart smile because I
remember standing in front of similar shelves when I was little and
being in my happy place. I seriously could have stayed in the
Hello Kitty store for HOURS if my mom would have let me. |
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All decked out with puppy, lollipop and crown. She sure does look
like a birthday girl! :) |
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| Carousel! I loved that she picked the zebra because it matched her dress! :) |
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I explained the making a wish at a fountain thing to Mia. She thought
it was silly....but fun. |
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| Closing her eyes and making her wish.... |
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| Tossing it in |
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So stoic as we sang to her. She had a special request. That we sing the second verse...
God's blessings to Mia...God's blessings to Mia etc. super sweet. |
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| Again...so stoic. She was like this whenever we sang to her. |
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| Blowing out the candles. |
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| Say cheese! |
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| Logan had her stand on a chair and gave a speech about the birthday girl. |
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| Opening presents. |
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| Opening more.... |
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| Ooooooohhh! |
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| Such a pretty girl. :) When I look at this picture I can envision her as a teen or young 20's. |
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We could not go without getting Logan something special. He has
been such a great big brother. |
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I am 5! Also showing her VERY special heart necklace. The one we sent her when she was in China got
broke (while she was there and they threw it away). She thinks this is super special and wants to wear
it all the time. :) |
