Happy Birthday Jesus!

As most of you know, Lily only gets 3 presents for Christmas...just like Jesus did from the Wise Men.  That has been our family tradition for years.  I would show you her other presents, but honestly, they pale in comparison to what her Aunt Suzette bought her this year.  The Disney Princess Castle is really all that matters, along with the Princess Carriage (which is over to the side that Aunt Trina bought for her), and of course, all of the many Disney Princesses and Fairies which were also presents, too.  This is the present that just keeps on giving.  She LOVES this castle!  So, we have continued our Disney-themed Christmas this year...which brings out many other questions from Lily like "How many days until we go back to Disney World?"  About 6 months to go....we can't wait!

Thank you, Father God, for another wonderful year with this amazing family you have blessed us with and for sending your son!  Happy Birthday Jesus!

Christmas with Aunt Trina & Aunt Ella!

Lily was so excited to spend the evening with her Aunt Trina & Aunt Ella.  Here is a picture before she started opening up all of their presents.  She was thrilled with each gift, and she has not stopped playing with her new toys and art supplies.  Thank you so much for being such important people in Lily's life.  Lily says, "I love you both more than all the ladybugs in China!"

Lily's First Picture of God

Lily came home with this picture the other day.  I asked her what God was doing.  She said, "He is watching over us just like He always does."  She has started drawing us as smiley face people, so that is a new trend.  But, I like it.  I especially like that we are so happy while God watches over us!

Silly Lily

Have a blessed day! 

Marriage, Babies, and the Water

 Lily decided to have a wedding today at our house.  She made a list of guests, then sent them invitations.  After that, she told me that Mickey and Minnie were getting married...again.  Since I have seen them get married before at our house, I took the opportunity to discuss how important it is to only get married once to your best friend. 

 To this, Lily informed me that Mickey and Minnie were best friends for a long time, then boyfriend and girlfriend, then they got married.  After that, she said they had a baby.  Then, they got married again, and they had another baby.  Then, today they were going to get married again and have another baby.  But, that is all the babies they want.  I said, "You only have to get married once though- and you can have as many children as you want." 

Then, Lily said, "But you and Baba always say you have to get married first, and then you can have a baby! So, they wanted 3 babies."  She continued playing.  They got married again, and then next thing I know, Lily says they are in China getting their baby (Hello Kitty who is Japanese, by the way).  Lily brings me a sheet of paper and says read this- of course, I say, "Well, could you please read it to me." Lily replies, "Sure.  It says- This is your baby from China.  We hope she lives to be 100 years old, and when she dies- we hope she goes into the water."  (That is from Return of the Dawn Treader where Aslan sends the mouse into the water to represent going to Heaven.) 
    Look what we have done to her!  She thinks you get "married" to have babies and she thinks you to get to Heaven by going through the water.  Of course, you kind-of do with baptism and all.  And she should get married before she has a baby.  Maybe, somehow, we are on the right track.  I just love her imagination and her listening skills!

Wacky Wednesday

We are having Spirit Week at school, and Lily is enjoying her different outfits.  I think that Wacky Wednesday has been her favorite.  She was so excited to get to wear her tu-tu with her accessories that didn't really match.  She said she felt like Fancy Nancy today!  Of course, she was really happy when I dressed wacky, too!  After our day at school, she also got to go to the dentist all dressed up!  What a fun day!

Package from NeverLand?

 Julie and her family used to be our neighbors.  Today, Lily got a surprise package from them. 

 She wondered if they came from NeverLand?  They did look like Tinkerbell had sent them just for her!

When she dressed up in this orange one, she said she was a "Tigger Fairy"!  Thank you so much for sending Lily this special package.  I know she will enjoy these adorable tu-tus and their accessories!

More Aunt Fancy Nancy Fashions!

Check out this adorable brown and pink polka-dot outfit! Lily just loved it. She couldn't wait to wear it to church this morning. After church and lunch with our family, she was thrilled to go shopping at the mall. She informed us that she really needed some headbands with bows and flowers on them to match all of her fancy clothes!

She also let us know that for Christmas this year, she only wants Disney dress-up clothes. Yay! We have already started shopping since Rapunzel is her favorite character. We are enjoying this phase of watching her be our little princess!

Aunt Fancy Nancy Shops Again!

Thank you so much Aunt Fancy Nancy for the new fashions that arrived upon our doorstep a few days ago! Lily was thrilled with brand-new clothes! She could not wait until she got to wear this outfit to school. She even put on some sparkly pink Sephora eye shadow with some lip gloss. She had to get "fancy" since she had fancy fashions to wear!

We will post another photo after she wears the adorable brown & pink ensemble!

FPKids & the World

Lily had some FPKids homework to do last weekend for church. She was so excited to learn about what God's Grace was really all about. One way that we showed her was by making some homemade cookies to share with family and friends. It was a way of showing her how Grace is all about getting something we totally don't deserve.

Part of her Bible Study for the week was drawing the world and labeling all of its parts. She did this all by herself by looking at her Melissa & Doug World Puzzle. We were really proud of her, and as you can see by the first picture- she was really proud of herself, too!

Lily's Afterschool Friends

Lily loves Kaitlyn and Kaylee! Thank you girls for taking care of Miss Lily afterschool so I can get my work done! Lily cannot wait to see you and play with you every day!

Lily's First Day of Kindergarten

Lily had a wonderful day today! She loves her teacher, Mrs. Stewart! She has told us all about her day- she made a schoolbus, colored an apple with a green leaf and a brown stem, went to Computer Lab where her teacher said, "Do not throw the headphones!" , went outside to play on the playground, and went to Art & Music. She said that in Art she got to tell three things about herself- "My favorite movie is Mulan. I love to play a lot! I love to watch t.v. I have a cat named Sushi." She had her school smile on all day today! She also ate all of her lunch that Baba packed for her: strawberries, grapes, sliced deli turkey, BBQ Pringles, string cheese, and a Yoo-Hoo. She got to help pack her lunch last night.
She also said, "I did not get in trouble one time!" She better not EVER! :0)

Lily's Ukelele

While we were in Myrtle Beach, we found this purple Ukelele for Lily at a cool music store. Jamie loved it immediately because it reminded him of his grandfather who played the Ukelele. At one point, he even taught Jamie how to play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." So, we have spent the summer learning how to play. Lily has always wanted to play the guitar, like Taylor. So, we thought we would start with this instrument. She loves it!

Sushi Love

Chocolate Milk, Cheetos, and Sushi...make Lily a very happy little girl!

What she says...

"I really want some of that BarbeCUBE today. It is yummy!"

"I need to put on some lipgloss today because I am going on a special occasion!"

"Make sure Sushi stays in here with you since she is always a good stayer."

"Okay- you sit here, and you sit here, and you sit here....(waiting with hands on hips)...pllllease!"

"I really love your tattoos, but I am never going to get one of those because there will be blood."

(Two days later) "I am going to get one of those tattoos when I grow up...probably a small heart."

"I think I need a Kit Kat."

"Remember, when I grow up, I want a hot pink Mini Cooper. Now, don't forget, okay!"

After watching Narnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, "Next time we go swimming, I am ready to go to Heaven." (In the movie, Aslan says his land is beyond the water.) "I am excited to see Nana Claire. But, I will miss you since we can't come back here after we go there." The questions and statements about Heaven are constant and very interesting.

We can't wait to hear what she will say next....

Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood...

Ever since Lily started watching movies, she has been a huge fan of Winnie the Pooh. We have Tigger's Movie and Lumpy's Movie- which have been favorites from month to month. In the beginning, Piglet was Lily's favorite character...then Roo...then Tigger...now Pooh. Rabbit will never be her favorite because "he is too bossy."

Needless to say, we have been counting down the days to see the new Pooh movie at the theater. So, Lily could not wait to see it last weekend. We even made a desired trip to our local Disney Store to buy a Pooh, along with some winter pajamas that just had to be worn now. The movie was an absolute treat for all three of us. How wonderful it is to be able to go to a movie and know that everything in it is going to be completely okay for Lily to see!

If you haven't been to see it yet, make sure to stay for all of the credits...yes, every last one. Otherwise, you could miss the whole point of the movie. It is not over until all the credits are gone, and you see the hundred acre wood back on the screen. We would have missed it if Jamie hadn't read about it on-line.

The Flower Girl and the Shoes

Once upon a time there was a beautiful little girl named Lily. She had always longed to be a flower girl. One day, her Aunt Manda asked her if she would be one of her flower girls for her wedding. Lily was thrilled. So each day, she practiced and practiced and practiced for her very important job. Finally, the wedding day arrived. No one had told her it would be such a long day- she waited and waited and waited. She just thought she could not wait another minute. She could not wait to drop the fragile flower petals down the center aisle in the church. All of a sudden, everyone began to get even more excited as the bridesmaids put their high heel shoes on for the big moment. Lily was really unsure why the girls kept taking their shoes off all day long. Before Aunt Manda walked down the aisle, Lily finally was able to be a flower girl. She walked in the middle of the two older girls, delicately laying down one petal at a time. When she reached the area where she was told to stand, she did so happily...for a few minutes. Why had no one explained to her how long this wedding would take? She knew it had to have been at least 5 minutes by now! She looked up at her Mama, and she whispered, "My legs are really tired." She saw her Mama's face, and she knew she had better turn back around and do her job. But, seriously, she was tired, and that basket was really heavy. So, she decided to just sit it down for a few minutes. Wait a minute, Lily thought, maybe that is why all of the girls in the wedding kept taking their shoes off all day. They were probably tired of standing, too. So, it couldn't hurt to take my shoes off, Lily said to herself. She quietly removed her shoes, and quickly realized that things must be coming to end. She watched as Aunt Manda and Uncle Bernie walked down the aisle with loud applause. Then, she watched as her cousins walked out. "Uh-oh," she exclaimed when it was her turn. "I don't have my shoes on!" Everyone in the audience was smiling at her, while the two flower girls were staring at her...waiting on her! It was the easiest thing to turn and wait on her Mama and Baba to walk. She decided to just walk back with them. She would remember next time she got to have this very important job that you probably should keep your shoes on.

And Mama will remember to always explain everything to her daughter...absolutely everything...next time!

Note: The photo was taken by Doodle B Photography. You can check them out on FaceBook!

Getting Ready for Dinner

Aunt Manda and Uncle Bernie got married this weekend. Yay! Lily got to be a flower girl, and she was beyond thrilled! This is a picture before the wedding rehearsal and dinner.

Last night after we got back home, Lily was completely worn out from the weekend. She had fallen asleep on the way home-- actually during dinner at Abuelo's---We carried her to bed. She woke up for just a minute, and she said the sweetest words. "Mama- I am so glad I am here. I am so happy that God made you. I love you super much!"

Thank you, Father God, for this beautiful child that you have blessed us with! She is an angel!

I Love You More...

As soon as we held Lily in our arms, we began saying these words, "We love you more than all the chopsticks in China!" Over the years, it has become a game between the three of us that we often play. "I love you more than all the pandas....I love you more than all the bicycles...I love you more than all the rice-in China..." It is always fun to see what Lily comes up with and how many things we can think of that remind us of our time in China together.

This tattoo has been brewing in our minds for awhile....the chopsticks represent our saying, while the Chinese characters stand for Lily's Chinese name- Wan Jin Mi. Mi Mi was the name she went by in China.

Lily Grace (Wan Jin Mi)-

Your Baba loves you more than all the chopsticks in China!

All Grown Up

I'm not sure what it is... the constant need to put on her Sephora pink eyeshadow with her lipgloss, her unending questions about Heaven- (how we get there, who we will see, and what it is going to be like), her constant questions about marriage and babies, her need to tell everyone what to do "really nicely", or the fact that she keeps growing taller and taller.... But, everyday, we look at each other and comment about how Lily is growing up.

She has always loved everything Disney, but now, she has a new found passion for Mulan. I think it is because she finally understands the movie, along with how amazing Mulan's character truly is. She is constantly reminding us that certain people (in movies or life) are breaking God's rules. She completely understands wrong from right, and she has even started counting for herself. (You know- "Now, Lily- you have to the count of 3. 1...2...3" She means it, too. I told her the other day, I am just waiting for her to put herself in time-out. She thought that was hilarious, but she also thought it might be a good idea.

With every change, I enjoy her little spirit, her personality, her creative-side, her love for God and Jesus, her love for her family and friends---even more! Every day, we pray that God will make us into excellent examples for our daughter. He has given us such a gift, and we pray that we can raise her with God's guidance, strength, and grace every day!

My "Stretch Marks"

Some Mamas get to have stretch marks after they have their child, so I decided to get a "stretch mark" of my own. Forever, I want Lily to see my tattoo and know that my love for her is unconditional, forever, and neverending- just as God's love for her.

Waiting for Lily stretched my faith. Having Lily here now has stretched my understanding of unconditional, amazing, forgiving, spectacular love! My tattoo is a representation of those things- the love for my beautiful Asian princess and the love of my Father in Heaven which is the most amazing love of all!

My Lily- always remember that I love you more than all the chopsticks in China!

Our Last Day of Vacation

Lily had a wonderful evening playing on the beach with Liana and Marah.

She took advantage of being able to run wild on the beach and chase the waves into the ocean...

This was a common sight to see during our week long vacation together. I just couldn't get enough of these hugs and moments for the girls to become lifelong friends.

This is probably one of my favorite pictures that was taken that evening. I loved watching the girls together, and seeing them share this vacation together. I hope that it is the first of many more to come!

Friends Forever

The girls genuinely seemed to love being around one another. They could always find something to do each day. Lily couldn't wait to wake up because she knew the girls were there...

Of course, I have to mention that Marah woke Lily up most days. This really made Lily happy. On one of the last days, she asked for Marah when she woke up because she wasn't in there "to do her job". Then, she asked if we could take the girls home with us so they could wake her up every day!

They were always busy, busy, busy! The next post will be beach pictures of our last evening together on vacation. I am sad to once again see this vacation come to an end.

Argh...A Pirate's Life for Me!

We went on a Pirate's Adventure on an actual pirate ship with an actual captain. The girls had the best time.

First, they put on their pirate garb along with their tattoos to get ready for their voyage.

Then, they went out into the water searching for Pirate Pete and the treasure.

After a water cannon battle and some Grog (a pirate's beverage), they found the treasure and sailed for home.

....Fearless

"I don't know how it could get better than this..." as Taylor sings...with a huge smile on Lily's face.

Did you know how much happiness a $5.00 flashy Taylor Swift light can bring to a child? Pure delight and enjoyment!

I had to show a picture of Taylor in Lily's favorite dress of the evening. When we left the concert, Lily said, "Taylor is so amazing! How did she change clothes so much and so quickly! When do we get to come back?" That was the beginning of the hour-long endless discussion and play-by-play of the evening. It really was a great concert, and Taylor does a wonderful job introducing young children to a broadway production concert with some class and style. We had a great night!

The Skywheel Makes Me Happy!

David, Beth, Liana, and Marah couldn't wait to take us on the skywheel. Lily was so excited to ride it!

However, Jamie did not completely feel the same way. He was scared! He is extremely terrified of heights and bridges... for future reference! But, he made it! It was a lot of fun!

An Evening at the Boardwalk

Lily loved to copy Liana as much as she could, but she has always loved trying to be just like her.

There were lots of hugs on this trip together. If we left each other for just moments, Lily and Marah would embrace as though they hadn't seen each other in years! It was so sweet!

We had such a wonderful vacation with Beth, Marah, Liana, and David!

The girls were always having fun together, no matter where we were!