Flashback Friday

I use to do this 'Flashback Friday' quite a bit.....

Can't even remember whose blog initiated this fun event?????

My {big} kids would say it's my age.  lol

I think I am just forgetful, right?

Anywho......

Drew and Faith 'found' some pictures of the littles on their phones the other day.

Made me smile.

Big time.

So, I thought I would share.

(Now remember these pictures are from my kids' phones.)


This was taken just days after Avery came home at the end of January 2010.

Apparently eating french fries can be quite exhausting.
(circa early spring of 2011)

Loving on each other.
(circa late spring 2010)

It would be fun if some of y'all share your own Friday Flashback.

Come on now, it's fun walking down memory lane.  :)

Won't you join me?

Update: {Somebody} is definitely Not happy

Finally got the results from Shea's sleep study.

And now {somebody} has a much better attitude.

Good news:
Shea does not have obstructive sleep apnea.  The mid face advancement surgery will therefore not occur for a while.

Bad news:
Shea still gets up several times every.single.night.

My mommy instinct tells me she is checking up on me.....making sure I am still 'here' in my bed.

This routine has been going on for years....like about five! ha!

Shea has never been a good sleeper right from the very beginning.

I *think* this began on the day she traveled to Civil Affairs office in Chengdu from her 'home'town.

She had a quite a long ride.....several hours.

I am imagining that she fell asleep on this ride, and when she woke up, she noticed (understatement) that her whole world had changed.

Sleeping, napping has ALWAYS been an issue from day one.

Maybe I 'fishing in air' with this amateur assessment....

BUT!

Anyone who knows Shea knows she is INTENSE.

And!

She doesn't forgot anything.

Even though she was on 26 months when we adopted her.....

Somewhere is her soul, deeply buried, is the trauma she experienced on the day when we met five years ago.

Oh my Shea.

My sweet, sweet Shea.

She is so brave.

So strong.

So loving.

So sensitive.

We will walk through this 'sleep' thing together.

Day by day.

Night by night.

I will love her intensely......completely.

Hopefully,

Eventually,

She will know that I am going absolutely no where.

No way.

No how.

I am here to stay.

No matter what!!!!

Sunday Snapshot {Avery Ever After}

Two years ago, this lovely little girl entered our lives.

She has completely enchanted us.

We are unabashedly in love with this child.

She is sweet and very sensitive.

Loving and a tad bit bossy.

She is pure delight!

Happy Adoption Day, my dear one!

You are our Avery Ever After.....Forever!

{Somebody} is definitely NOT happy.

Shea.

Who is deep in thought about her upcoming sleep study.

Which may lead to a major surgery....to open her breathing path.

We *think* she had obstructive sleep apnea.

If this is the case, she will have procedure called: mid-face expansion.  A polite way of saying that her upper jaw will be broken and moved forward.

For a while.

A long while.

Shea simply doesn't sleep well.

Like years!   For real.

We need this precious little girl to get her sleep!

(and me, too)


So, her anger.

Her fear.

Her frustration.

All really stems to the fact that my darling child was born with a pretty severe cleft palate and lip.

She doesn't understand why.

She doesn't like looking a little different.

She is old enough to realize that surgery IS.NOT.FUN.

Obviously she doesn't 'see' the big picture.

Someday she will.

She says she doesn't want all those stickers and electrodes on her head.

And the wires, well that is just plain annoying.

But, in her most vulnerable moments....

She asks if {this} is the reason.

The reason her China mama couldn't keep her.

Be still my heart.

{Her} new smile.

My sweet Avery has always had the cutest little smile.  (IMHO)

Her smile has always made me smile.

And usually entices practically everyone to smile right  back at her.

For a couple of weeks she has had o-n-e wiggly little tooth.

FINALLY, it came out on Sunday night right before I tucked her into bed.

It was copiously 'sitting' on her gum.....just hanging.....waiting to fall out.  I was afraid she was going to swallow it during the night.  Yikes!

It just needed some help.

I was the so called 'help'!  ha!

I barely touched it, and out it fell.

Avery pretty much freaked out.

There was a tad bit of blood.....even a drop gets her into a panic.

Poor baby.

Loosing that first tooth can be quite traumatic, right?

However, once I showed her how stinkin' cute her little tooth was and gave her a big drink of water, she recovered just fine.

She woke up to some cash-ola under her pillow, which made her slightly giddy.

 Plus, now she is sporting a brand new, totally enchanting smile.

And YES, I still have my Christmas decorations up!!!  :)

Sunday Snaphot: {a Christmas gift/thank you letter}

This past Christmas my husband's brother and sister came up with a very special and unique gift for Shea and Avery.....

A family ride in a horse drawn wagon!

Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

What was really great about this gift is that we all benefited from it~!

It was a great opportunity for us to hang out together and create some amazing memories....

Dear Auntie Ann, Uncle Dave, Aunt Lori, and Uncle Tom,


Our Christmas present was so much fun!  Thank you!  It is a day we will always remember.


Like feeding the goats, it was a blast.  :)

The wagon ride was completely enjoyable.  The sun was shining, the ride through the forest was so pretty, and the laughter and chit chat were comforting.

And, the horses, oh my!


How we loved the horses!!!  


They were so sweet and gentle.  They were so big!  We would love some of our own.  (Mom says that will only happen in our dreams.)

Afterwards in the warm and cozy lodge, we loved drinking hot chocolate and munching on cookies and apples.  It was the perfect way to end our morning together.

We definitely enjoyed mingling with our cousins....

and getting in some snuggle time with the uncles.

Thank you Auntie Ann and Uncle Dave....

 Aunt Lori and Uncle Tommy....

for a simply marvelous and spectacular Christmas present!


It was one of our best days ever!


We love you all so much,


Shea and Avery




Make sure you get a chance to check out the other Sunday Snapshots:

Wordless Wednesday {bowling and eating}

(more to come in this week's Sunday snapshot)

Sunday Snapshot {Happy New Year with a little Christmas}

Happy New Year!
(Is it really 2012???)

Our Christmas was simply lovely!

We all enjoyed ourselves immensely, and I feel so blessed.

Here is a quick synopsis of Christmas 2011:

A little food....

with some present opening...

equals happy results on Christmas Eve...

 (as well as Christmas morning)

Can't forget about the'big kids'...

or the Christmas stockings, right?

And definitely can't forget about the doggies!

Hope y'all had a lovely Christmas with many memories and blessings!