Saturday, May 26, 2012

Last Concert Photo

Lily loves to ride on my back which is actually the only place I can carry her comfortably these days.  She keeps eating bricks and concrete blocks, and I won't be able to carry her around much anymore.  This is the last concert picture from our event with SCC last weekend.  She and Kenli were having fun together being silly.

A conversation with Baba that occured the other day:

Lily says: Can I go to the mailbox with Baba?
Jamie says: You don't have any shoes on!
Lily says: You can just carry me!
Jamie says: I can't! You weight 41.2 pounds.
Lily says: No, I don't. I weigh four twelve pounds.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Cinderella

I love this picture of Lily and Baba listening intently to SCC sing "Cinderella".  That is Lily's favorite song, and she loves to dance to it.  Lily often dresses up in her bedroom like a Princess, and then we go out into the hallway, turn on the bright lights, and pretend we are at a ball.  Lily will always be our little princess.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Pure Happiness

 This is Lily...being Lily...completely enjoying life.  She was playing with the girls at the SCC concert.
 They were having so much fun dancing to his music.  It was hard not to watch them the whole time.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Just for Lily

                              Lily wanted to make sure we got some great pictures of SCC and his boys...
 She couldn't decide which one was her favorite, but she thinks both are really cute.
His sons were in his band with him.  Caleb pictured above, and Will Franklin pictured below.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

While We Were Waiting...

 A few more pictures of the girls while waiting to meet SCC.  They were so happy to spend time with each other.
 And of course...super giggly...extremely silly...and lots of fun!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

SCC

 We went to see SCC this evening.  We actually got to meet him, and Jamie was able to share our connection with him.  I couldn't believe it when I heard him telling SCC that in March of 2005, at his concert, God spoke to us about adoption.  Then, in the parking lot after the concert we looked at each other and immediately felt led to China- at the same time- without a doubt.  We knew that Lily, our daughter that God made just for us, would be waiting for us there.
 Being there...listening to him sing "Yours"- where he talked about walking the streets of London, Uganda, Singapore, Manila, and Shanghai...
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky
To the depths of the ocean floor
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything
It's all Yours..... 
     I felt as though God was speaking to us as a family once again.  Not about adoption this time, but something else.  Jamie felt it too, so we will see where God leads us next.  
Being there watching the girls laughing together and dancing together...hearing the songs about adoption and love...I was very emotional tonight.  I am so thankful...so blessed that God has given us the gift of adoption not only with our beautiful, precious daughter...but in His adoption for us.  His love is so amazing...unconditional... never-ending...and so not deserved.  But, I will accept it all...and I will continue to do my best to be His each and every day of my life.

Another awesome concert SCC!  Thank you Amy and Ira for setting up our Meet & Greet.  This little tidbit is just for Lily since I make this blog into a book for her to keep and read someday...Steven Curtis Chapman even mentioned our story on stage and pointed us out in the audience.  I hope you remember this evening.... and always remember how important it is to always listen to what God says to you when He shouts and when He whispers!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Happy Birthday, Princess Lily! (May 17th)

Our beautiful, amazing daughter is five years old!  I cannot believe that this time has passed by so quickly.  It just seems like yesterday that she was learning how to talk saying, "Tinta Bow!  Tinta Bow!" at Disney World when she found her love for all things TinkerBell. Click here. I also remember when she learned how to read her first book...you can see it in the archives on January 7, 2010.
    Here is our beautiful girl now...She has a major fascination with all things artsy....she loves the idea of tattoos(drawn with washable markers, of course).... she is still in love with Disney Everything... she is very loving and loyal to her friends...she has a new love of Strawberry Shortcake...she just discovered The Brady Bunch and she can happily name every member of their family...she loves God and Jesus with all of her heart...she says the best prayers I have ever heard that always have this line in them-"Help us be more like you Jesus every day!"...she likes to help (most of the time)...she thinks she is a big girl who can do everything all by herself...she still loves to cuddle and be held very often...she loves to run (like seriously loves it!)...she can hula hoop pretty well...she is still working on being able to whistle...she knows how to snap her fingers...she is the best shopper...she is careful with her money...she loves putting money in her Savings account.... she is at that stage where just the fact that she disappoints us breaks her heart...she can cry at the drop of a hat...she keeps saying she is too young to get married (since a little boy at school keeps telling her he wants to marry her!)...she is so kind...she is so happy...she is so full of energy...she is so talkative (even out in public now)...she is our everything!

   Happy Birthday Lily Grace!
 (Pictured below are her tattoos!)
Happy Birthday to the most precious, amazing gift that God ever gave us!  We love you more than all the chopsticks in China, Lily!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Our Little Graduate

Lily will be graduating from Kindergarten on May 22nd.  This year has flown by for all of us.  We are so proud of our little graduate!  She has had an amazing year, and we are so glad that we started her a year early.  She was definitely ready for this challenge, and she loves school!  She will be five years old in three more days!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Lily's First Field Trip

 We were on our way to Ruby Falls..."a creepy cave" in Lily's opinion.  She definitely enjoyed it.  This is one of her friends riding with her on the bus.
Here they are again...so happy they made it to see the waterfall.  Lily loved the way it changed colors just like the castle at Disney World.  Of course, everything...every conversation leads back to Disney World.

She had so much fun on her very first field trip!