CELEBRATION!

May 8, 2007



March 2008

May 2009

May 2010

May 2011

May 8 2012

We are celebrating today.  Ella and I met 5 years ago today.  How things have changed.

On the way to school today I asked the girls what has changed in 5 years - they know its Ella's Family Day.  Later I'll ask them to remind me because I didn't write them all down. 

Ella:

I get to sleep in Meme's room.

I get to see Beth sometimes

I am learning Chinese

I can tie my shoes

I got a hair cut

Elizabeth for Ella:

You no longer sleep in a crib

You don't run away when I ask for a hug

Ella has lots of friends now

Elizabeth:

I am in 4th grade

I am in gymnastics - no wait, I was doing that before 5 years ago.

I am level 4 gymnastics

This summer I will be in level 5

I can read

I can ride my bike

Mom:

I love my girls

I am learning how to navigate with two girls that fight sometimes

Having fun

Tired sometimes

Still at the same job - that is a good thing

Thankful for the love and support of family and friends.

Love to hear my girls laugh and sing.

To my Dear Aunt Joanne - I cannot begin to thank you for all you have done for me my entire life.  And I am so thankful you were with me for both trips to China to bring my daughters home.  Thank you for loving us!  We love you too Grandma Jo

We are also thankful for my Dad that he is still with us to continue to celebrate the changes in our lives.  Along with all of us, we have witnessed Ella learning to trust and love us and it has been a blessing.  May you continue to bless us Dad and Ella!

Tonight we had dinner at a Chinese Restaurant next to where we go for Ella's glasses.  Her replacements were ready.   A few weeks ago Ella used her teeth to clean her glasses because it was a really tough spot.  Her teeth are really strong and the scratches made it hard to see out.  So we order new lenses and added transition shading to them.  We picked them up tonight after we stopped and got Muriel for Tracy.  Then Tracy met us for dinner.  I remember 5 years ago Todd took me out to eat the night before I left to get Ella in China.  It was across the street from the one we went to tonight.  What a nice surprise to remember that.

That's all she wrote - one tired girl.  But it was a wonderful blessed day. 

I am a very lucky mom and very thankful to God for bringing Isabella Rose Zhi and Elizabeth Grace ShiPing into my life.  I have always wanted to be a mom and I am so lucky that God found the best girls in the whole wide world for me to love.