A Picture is worth a thousand words....

We had a wonderful Christmas and still can't stop smiling. Thank you Lord !

Snow Pictures......

I know I'm a little late. I've been busy and just took these out of the camera today. Last week snow.... this week 80 degrees. That's the weather for you in southern Louisiana - unpredictable. Izzy didn't seem too excited about the snow. I tried to tell her that she really needs to appreciate it because it won't happen very often, but she ate a few snowflakes and wanted to go back inside where is was warm. She's a southerner already.

I want to go back.....

I had the most incredible dream today. I never dream during the day because I never sleep during the day... but today out of utter exhaustion from Christmas craziness, I just collasped. I was planning to do another 10 more things while Izzy napped today, but about 2 into the list of 10 my body just gave out and I said that I was going to lay down for just a few minutes. Needless to say, I must have really needed it because I woke up 4o minutes later. When I woke I had been crying so hard I was soaking wet and I started remembering my dream. We were walking into the restaurant in Fuzhou that was right next to our hotel. We were with the Arnolds (Amy and Brad and their son Jacob) just like we were in May of this year. The only difference was that Izzy and Libi (their daughter) was much older. It was so sureal. I could smell the food. I could hear the cars bustling by. The palms trees were beautiful and the flowers were everywhere. Just like when we were there. And Katherine, our coordinator that became our great friend was there too. It was magical. I didn't quite understand why I was crying because in my dream everything was wonderful. But then I was struck by this overwhelming sadness, this longing to be back there. I knew that I had loved Fuzhou when I was there. It was a beautiful place to meet your daughter. The people were so kind to us. Our time there with the Arnolds was truly blessed. Going to Hidden Treasures and being with Mike, Deena and the children was something that I will never forget. But then we came home and life took over. You forget some of it. Every now and then I would think of China and marvel at how perfect it was. Our experience there was nothing short of wonderful. Today though..... I long to be there. My heart actually aches to go there again. Whether it's to bring home Izzy's mei mei, or just to go back with Izzy for a heritage trip or maybe even a mission trip to go serve at Hidden Treasures. Whatever the case may be, I really really really want to go back. I didn't know how much till today.

So I lay there overcome with emotion and feeling kind of silly. I mean this is a place that I only spent 14 days out of almost 39 years. When you look at it that way, it's a little silly. But these days I can't control what makes me emotional. God is in control and I'm so outta control. :) Then it dawns on me what woke me up in the first place.... I hear this little sweet voice through the monitor saying " Momma, I awake now..... come see" So, I had dry my tears quickly. Izzy hates to see me cry. She does not understand what happy tears are no matter how many times I tell her " It's ok, Momma's happy, not sad". Doesn't matter. It upsets her.

It was beautiful seeing China again even if it was just in my dreams and I may not be able to be in China right now or even soon, but holding Izzy reminds me that I have the next best thing. So I told her that I had a dream about China (she doesn't quite get dreams yet either) and that I was thinking about our family going back to China one day and that I pray that we will be able to. And just so matter of fact she says " Yep, Momma. We are going to China, not yet though. We are not ready." Sometimes, Izzy has more wisdom at 3 than I do at almost 39.

Izzy meets Santa for the first time.

Santa stopped by our family Christmas party at my mom's house last weekend. I had no idea how she would respond to Santa not having seen him before. Well, not to worry - Miss Izzy was the first child to run up to Santa. She just loved him and asked him if she could go for a ride in his sled..... What was I worried about? She did finally change her mind from asking Santa just for pink presents, now she wants a pink guitar and pink presents. And she told him to make sure he comes down the chimney when he comes to our house. Absolutely precious..... I love this age.

Decorating for Christmas

I haven't had this much fun decorating for Christmas since Ryan and Jessi were little. What a joy to have a munchkin in the house especially at Christmas.


I keep asking her what does she want Santa to bring her for Christmas and she always says the same thing.... pink presents !!!!

Fashionista one day...

Unibomber the next...

Family Portraits

Finally.... We had family portraits taken. Izzy's been home almost seven months and we are just now getting pictures taken. I know that's pitiful, but it's really hard to get my 20 year old and 17 year old home at the same time. And getting five people to all smile and not make goofy faces is no small task. Out of over a hundred pictures, we ended up with about seven that we could all agree on. Thank God the photographer is my mom.... No one else would have put up with us.

And this is why the other 90 something pictures didn't work:


They don't follow directions very well......

Someone is always saying something funny, when they shouldn't ....

Izzy is just pretty over it at this point..... Can't blame her, she's three. There's no excuse for the 17 and 20 year old though.

Goofy, goofy, goofy.

And this is the look on your face when your toddler stomps around with white tennis shoes on in dog poop.

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Despite the kids nagging us for making them take pictures and them picking on each other and them making fun of Rob and I, the thirty minutes that it took us to take these pictures is forever etched in my mind. It's those little moments that seem insignificant, trivial and often a pain in the butt that stop me in my tracks. And I look at my family and I think Wow! I am so blessed. God has given me such a wonderful family. And only a child with Izzy's personality could have fit in with this bizarre family. I am so grateful for each and every one of them and I'm grateful that they were willing to indulge me for thirty minutes...... :)

Never a dull moment

Yes, I know I haven't updated since Halloween pictures. Izzy has had an upper respiratory infection coupled with a kidney infection that we haven't been able to completely get rid of - so life on yucky antibiotics keeps you at home a lot. Despite feeling bad for the last two weeks, she has kept me in stitches. I'm always amazed at the joy in this child. She just loves life so much, you can't help but share in it with her. She has taught me so much in the mere six months that we've been together. Everyday that I'm with her I learn more about love and life than I have in the 38 years that I've already lived. To see life through a child's eyes is just beautiful and I'm finally at an age that I can really stop and embrace it. When Ryan and Jessi were young I was so busy just being out of college and settling into a career and marriage that I just blinked it seems and they are 17 and 20. I don't really know how that happended. One thing I know for sure now, it's that I'm savoring every moment the Lord gives me with my children. Even the 17 and 20 year old~when they let me. And Izzy just continues to bless us........

So, here's what's been going on the last two weeks. To start with an artist was born:

I think this was the portrait of Daddy.... A little scary.

And even scarier, our whole family. We look a lot like an alien family. And below she is working on her portrait of Nini. Sweet. Nini looks a little alienish too :)

Getting dressed all warm to go help Daddy with the yard work. Of course by 10 a.m. it's hot again and we have to change.

And Daddy is always good for a few laughs at breakfast.

Izzy has expressed an interest so far in piano, violin and guitar. I'm so grateful Daddy is gifted in these areas because Mommy is definitely not !!!

And of course she always finds time to dress up the cat....

I don't even think Crash noticed......

Fairy Pumpkin Princess Witch....

That's what Izzy called her costume. Not sure where the pumpkin came in.... maybe the color. Don't you love the pumpkin she carved with Daddy. Her idea....

We thought we covered everything with her about what to do. Apparently we forget to tell her to stay at the front door and say trick or treat because at the very first house, they open the door, Izzy says "trick or treat" and proceeds right by the nice lady trying to give her candy in to her living room and on to her kitchen. She was having a great time talking to everyone as if she knew them. Rob and I had to go in after her to get her to come out. It was very funny and the they just loved Izzy. Needless to say, we had to explain Trick Or Treating a little further.