Bye Bye '09 Come On In 2010!

Anna and I went to the movies and had a really nice dinner out tonight. We aren't making resolutions this year but asking God to give our family health, happiness and a better year.

God Bless!

Lesa & Anna

I Love You Katie!

Sad Day in the Gator Nation

"I'm a Gator and I'll always be a Gator."
~Urban Meyer
The Gainesville Sun

Someone Saved My Life Tonight...

Today Drew, Katie and Jia left for Arizona. Anna decided (without urging) that she would stay home and keep me company. I don't know what I would do without this beautiful, sensitive young lady. In a way I hate that she worries about how vulnerable I am, but I try to pay her back by being the best Mom I know how to be. Anna is something special.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE PARNHAMS'

Santa visited our house!

Jia's pickle

Katie found the pickle!

Opening the pickle present

The pickle present: a fabulous leopard snuggie!

Jia LOVES Alvin and the "chickmunks"

Katie with a Christmas ornament

Rex watches the present opening

Daddy helps Jia open presents

Dad's Miami Dolphins shirt

Mom's watch from Anna

New shoes from the girls

Present of the year: skate shoes

Mom with her presents: watch from Anna, adoption ornament from Katie

Presents from Auntie Jenny and Uncle Craig

Jia LOVES her jacket from Auntie Jenny, Uncle Craig and her cousins

Jia with her new fancy shoes from Anna and Katie

Anna and Katie opening presents from each other

Present that Dad picked out!!!!

"FOR TO US A CHILD IS BORN, TO US A SON IS GIVEN, AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ON HIS SHOULDERS. AND HE WILL BE CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE".
~Isaiah 9:6

Just lots of pictures of Christmas Morning. Great fun was had by all!

Christmas Eve part 3: Not a Creature is Stirring...

Christmas Eve part 2: Jia sleeps?

What a blessing from God-the most wonderful children any parent could ask for

Jia and Daddy waiting for food and being silly

Oh my goodness, the mall is closed!!!

Katie will not pose

Anna in a dress!!!!!

Katie shows off her style

Jia HAD to have this dress at Target today

On the way to Church

We are so very lucky

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.""

~Luke 2:13-14

I love Christmas Eve more than I love Christmas Day. There is ceremony-dressing up in new clothes for church, going out to the same restaurant every year, the presents aren't open and the tree is beautiful. Cookies are baking in the oven. There is just an air of anticipation with peace thrown in. Does that make sense?

We had a lovely night. Now we are just waiting for Jia to close her eyes and have dreams of sugarplums dancing in her head.

God Bless You All!

Merry Christmas Eve Pt. 1

"FOR I CAN DO EVERYTHING WITH THE HELP OF CHRIST WHO GIVES ME THE STRENGTH I NEED"
~PHILIPPIANS 4:13

The picture is a copy of our Christmas card. Friends and family will probably get them in the mail, but I only finished 2 days ago I am running very late this year.

Off to Target (yes, I did say Target on Christmas Eve) to get Jia some new shoes. Also a quick stop at Publix. I am never done shopping, it is like an illness.

I hope you stop in later to see Christmas Eve pt 2 and maybe 3. Exciting news tonight-Anna is going to wear a dress.

Guess who's visiting before Santa?

Jia lost a tooth today. She gets upset and cries for a few minutes, but now she is negotiating how much cash the tooth fairy should leave her. She is adamant it should be $6.00 (i think I got 2 quarters, maybe one).

She was eating popcorn out of one of those big holiday tins and that is what did that tooth in!

Notice Jia's new haircut. I love it, she was starting to look scraggily (new word?) so Jia and Mom went to Miss Franny yesterday. this means she looks beautiful and I am no longer gray.

Stay tuned, tomorrow is our annual Christmas Eve: last minute errands, Church, dinner at Macaroni Grill, where Santa and Mrs. Claus usually show up.

Wow!

I can't believe that my little blog has had over 15,000 views! Just the day to day stuff of our family, it is really gratifying to know that so many are interested.

I think we get this traffic because we are linked to Tina at The Story of You. Tina made our beautiful blog. Tina does blogs and websites for people adopting from China, and has also adopted from China herself.

I am really hoping that people come to see us because of Jia. I hope they can see what life is like for a family who adopted a 3 year special needs girl from China and how she has turned into a happy healthy Asian-American girl.

If one family decides to adopt because they have read my blog it would mean the world to me. If you are thinking about it--do it, adopting all three of our girls is the best thing Drew and I ever did!

Jia's Bad Day

Okay, I am feeling like the worst Mom in the whole world. Today Jia had a Christmas Show for her Aftercare class and we missed it! In my defense, they didn't send any notification home, but she came running out saying "Did you see my show?' That ripped my heart out. (does this mean I really am too old to be the Mom of a 6 yr old?)

THEN, we got home and she showed me her "boo boo's" a big cut on her knee and a medium cut on her arm. When I asked her what happened she said that someone pushed her down on the playground and that her teacher took her to the nurse. NO ONE called or contacted Drew or I. This is the same school the called me every time Katie looked at them funny,and we didn't get any notification, so I am a little upset and sent an email to the teacher.

Anyway, tough day for my little "G".

Decorating the "Big" Tree

If you look closely you will see my little Tink posing by the tree.

Jia is thrilled that we saved one of the ornaments she made last year-of course she has a brand new "crop"

Katie, reaching for the top

Some of our ornaments (I collect them) I have a Christmas picture of the girls with Santa every year

Side shot

Remember how obsessive I am about Christmas Trees? Well this year we have the main tree, my Mexican tree in my bedroom and the girls each have a teeny tree in their rooms--Anna has purple, Katie-white with green and Jia has pink, very art deco (i guess) The good thing is that they all have my requisite WHITE LIGHTS!

Sad Night in Gator Nation

Are Gator tears anything like crocodile tears?

You CAN go Ice Skating in Florida!

The big girls are going out with their friends tonight to the Ice Skating rink.

Gator Eve....and Jia's Christmas Party

Today is the day before the SEC championship. FLORIDA which is number one is playing Alabama which is number 2. So today the girls were decked out in their best blue and orange.

Also today was Jia's school Christmas party. Jia's Dad accompanied her to this bash. They had different stations where they made different things. They had a Christmas tree, where all the kids were supossed to bring n ornament that was a tradition in their family and decorate the tree. Jia brought the German Christmas pickle.

Jia's teacher also bought them each a present. Each got a book, wrapped up as a gift with an inscription in it. Moving Jia to this school, and keeping her in Kindergarten were two of the best things we have ever done.

Enjoy the pictures. Cross your fingers for that Gator win!