Well, This Just Sucks...

I know, there are more tactful ways to start a blog, but I can't find the words right now. On Wednesday, our attorney contacted us to let us know that our fears were realized in that birth father filed paperwork at the 11th hour. This morning, we found out that he has now completed the steps he needs to take to establish paternity, and our chances for a successful adoption of this baby are slim.

We have two choices: contest the adoption or walk away. It is difficult to know which choice is the right one. Above all, we want what is right for the baby, no matter how painful that may be for us. After much soul-searching and discussion, Doug and I have decided to walk away for now. However, we are also leaving the door open should birth father change his mind. We have faith that if this precious baby's destiny is to be our daughter, then it will happen. If not, then it is not meant to be.

As perfectly as God paved this path for us, we know we were meant to take this journey for a reason, even though we don't know right now what that may be. We have been overwhelmed with the support and love all of you have sent our way, especially throughout this past week.

Doug and I embarked on this journey willingly, knowing the risks. We have done what we could to hope for the best but also prepare for the worst. We will be OK. In the midst of all the unknowns, baby girl made her appearance last night. She weighs just under 6 lbs and is tiny, healthy and precious. Seeing pictures of her beautiful face has made for some sad moments. While I try to keep those moments at a minimum around Maddie, she just caught me in one and wanted to know why I had tears. When I told her it was because I was a little sad, she ran up to me, wrapped her arms around my neck, and said, "Don't be sad. I give you a big hug and a kiss!" In spite of the sadness, my heart is full!

Thanks for your love and prayers as we regroup and decide where to go from here. The baby is really the one who needs the prayers right now. Additionally, this scenario is so far from our dear birth mom's wishes and this is not an easy time for her. So please flood her with good thoughts and prayers as well. She has been an amazing beacon of light along this entire journey and I am a better person and mom for the example she has shown me.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, & Maddie

And So Starts Our Journey to Lexi

I suspected it before, but now I KNOW FOR SURE that God is a champion chess player! Our family has embarked on an incredible journey, and we are in awe at the events that have touched us over the past six weeks.

I hardly know where to start so I’ll just start at the beginning – our beginning of this journey and the events that led up to it, that is. In early June, I was given the opportunity to go part-time for the summer. When the topic was first brought up, change-resistant and control-freak that I am responded with, “There’s no way we could do that!” I had all kinds of excuses... financially, we could never afford it; I have been working at least one full-time job (and sometimes two) ever since I graduated from high school; I’m not the kind of person that is cut out for part-time work and part-time stay-at-home-mom (or so I thought - boy was I wrong!!!).

During that same time, Doug was in the process of interviewing for a position with FedEx. His response to the part-time idea was that if he got this new job, his salary would increase substantially, allowing us the financial freedom for me to go part-time for the summer. Lo and behold, out of 150+ viable applicants, Doug was chosen by FedEx for the position (God’s chess move #1 in this journey). Because of some separation anxiety stuff going on with Maddie, we decided that I should cut back to working just 2 ½ days per week, allowing me to spend more time at home with my precious daughter. Our summer was fast filling up with her activities – swimming lessons, dance camp, soccer, etc. – and this would also allow me the extra time for all the activities. We were completely in awe at the timing of this whole scenario… God’s incredible timing. Little did we know what His next move was going to be!

On my very first full day home with Maddie, I had full intentions of getting all kinds of stuff done. I have been neglecting this house and yard for way too long and this was my chance to catch up. But Maddie had other ideas. After about the 6th plea of “Mom, come play with me!” I retorted, “Maddie, you need a sibling!” For about a year, Doug and I have both agreed that our family is complete – we are happy and fulfilled with one child. However, we always agreed, “But, if God drops another baby in our laps, we wouldn’t say no.” NEVER TEMPT GOD!!

God’s chess move #2: Exactly one week after I started working part-time, I got an email from a long-time friend. She is pregnant, due on 8/6, and was exploring the idea of placing her baby for adoption when she was born. Having followed our journey to Maddie, she reached out for some direction on adoption resources. My heart did a flip-flop… and an idea immediately started germinating in my brain. However, this was way too easy, too good to be true, surely not… she just needed resources, right!? In fact, she wasn’t even sure that adoption was the path for her. She was just starting the research process to see if this was the right thing for her and her baby. In her second email, same day, she suggested that, if she did decide on adoption, maybe Doug and I would want to adopt her baby. This time, my head started spinning, hands tingling, stomach in knots, sweating, heart pounding… you get the picture.

Doug was at work in Memphis. He SELDOM answers his cell phone. However, I had to get his attention somehow, so I texted him, “How would you feel about adopting an infant in a few months? Call me when you can. ILY” Let me tell you folks, it did not take that man very long to call me back that time!! Hehehe

God’s chess move #3: For various reasons, Doug has never been too keen on the idea of domestic adoption for our family. However, due to circumstances that had occurred about a month before, he was completely open to it this time. Here is what happened. When we went on vacation a few months ago, I had an intense, inexplicable desire to see an old friend that I had not seen in almost 20 years. Since she lived along the route to our vacation destination, we arranged to meet. The two hours we spent together was hardly enough to catch up, but it was oh so great to reconnect with her. Neither one of us knew then what was in store for us, nor that one day soon both our families may forever be intertwined! Doug too came away from our get-together with much love and respect for my long-time friend. That friend is, as you have probably guessed by now, our baby’s birthmother.

I am in continuous amazement of this intricate chess game of life, how all of our lives are so intricately woven together, and how seemingly random happenings are not at all random. Rather, they are all part of a much, much bigger plan. God is the master player, orchestrating this whole thing. All we have to do is listen for his queues, and then choose the moves!

The past five weeks have been a whirlwind and an emotional roller-coaster. We have tried to be still and listen for God’s direction on this and to date he has removed every obstacle in our path. With Maddie, it took us more than a year to complete our home study and adoption paperwork. This time, we got it done in just THREE WEEKS! And, I didn’t even have to get pushy with anyone to make it happen!!

As with most domestic adoptions, there is still some legal risk until parental rights are terminated. This has been the reason for our “public silence” on our journey until now. However, because He has paved the way for us so far, we have faith that if baby Alexis (Lexi) is meant to be our daughter, He will take care of that final barrier as well.

Today, we are in awe of everything that has brought us to this moment of anticipation for the birth of our new daughter. We are grateful and humbled that God and our friend, Lexi’s birthmother, see our family as being worthy of this precious gift. Even as I write this, I am completely overwhelmed with emotion… our journey to and with Maddie was and continues to be so incredible. She is such a special kid and we are so very much in love with that little girl. She has blessed our lives and changed Doug and me ways that we couldn’t have even dreamed of. To be chosen to be Mommy to another precious daughter… WOW, what an honor!!

Lexi’s birthday is projected to be Saturday, August 6. Unless we get the call sooner, toward the end of this week, we will be heading to Florida for her birth. We thank all of you for your love and prayers as we embark on another incredible journey.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie (a very proud and excited big sister)

Two Years!

This week marks two years since we brought home our precious little girl. What an amazing two years these have been! We have watched her blossom from an infant who could not sit on her own or even pick up anything with her tiny little fingers. Today she is very independent, kind, thoughful, smart, and so very funny.

I have been very remiss in blogging for the past year. So, I have "harvested" the past year's Facebook status updates about Maddie:

Fri February 25, 2011, 6:09 pm: This sweet child of mine is so cuddly when she's sick. All I've heard since she got up from her nap this afternoon is, "Mama, I wanna snuggle." No arguments from the mama!!

Sat February 19, 2011, 9:46 pm: Today was a good day... took Maddie and two of my beautiful nieces to see the model railroad show at the Essenhaus, then to St Mary's College for their annual Chinese New Year celebration. Wow... what a show! I feel blessed to live in a community that celebrates my daughter's heritage.

Fri February 18, 2011, 8:00 pm: I tried to get Maddie to eat a sandwich earlier tonight. Her emphatic response, "NO! That tastes like yucky spiders and I'm fwustrated!" Dear Lord - Thank you for giving me another 10 years to prepare for when she's 12. As dramatic as she is right now, I shudder to think about that age!

Mon February 14, 2011, 8:15 pm: Maddie and I were talking about the five senses. I asked, "What do we do with our nose?" She said, "Stick my finger in there and pull out the booger. Then we blow it!"

Sun January 16, 2011, 2:40 pm: When I wasn't looking, Maddie got into the star stickers. When she was done, she brought me her artwork: a calendar with her star stickers all arranged very neatly in a small grouping. She said, "Look mommy, I made a constellation. It's a treasure chest." My little 2-year-old amazes me with something new every single day!

Sat January 1, 2011, 1:42 pm: Starting the new year out on the right foot... Maddie is napping in HER OWN bed. That is good on so many levels!!

Fri December 31, 2010, 6:03 pm: As I'm getting ready to go out tonight, Maddie said, "Wow, you're beautiful, Mommy!" I melted. After I said, "Thank you!", she demanded, "Now you tell me!" Sigh... they learn all too fast!!

Sat December 25, 2010, 5:15 am: Two years ago today the China Center for Adoption Affairs chose Doug and me to be parents to our sweet Madeline. That four-year wait was excruciating but the second we met her, we knew why we had to wait. God has perfect timing! Merry Christmas to our friends Kris, Shawn & Kaycee, and John, Lisa & Anna who were chosen for Kya and Lucy on that day as well.

Fri December 24, 2010, 8:19 pm: When we got to the hotel this afternoon, Maddie was running around the room chanting, "It's a crappy song, crap, crap." I was about to say something to her when she started singing, "If you're happy and you know it, crap your hands; crap, crap!"

Fri December 24, 2010, 7:43 am: Maddie and I are watching Polar Express. She just asked if Santa was coming back to leave her presents under the tree. (We opened our presents Wed eve when Doug was home.)

Thu December 23, 2010, 8:03 pm: Looking forward to a wonderfully relaxing weekend in Rockford with Doug and Maddie... just hanging out at the hotel, swimming, and taking Maddie to see where her daddy works.

Fri December 10, 2010, 6:54 pm: this morning Maddie wanted to play airplane. so as i'm flying her to the kitchen she says, "I wanna be the co-pilot!" hmmm... wonder who she learned that word from!?

Thu December 9, 2010, 8:14 pm: Me: Get your finger out of your nose. Maddie: But there are boogers!

Sun November 28, 2010, 7:39 pm: On our way home from seeing Santa this evening, Maddie said, "Mama, I want to go home and hold you and snuggle." Love, love, LOVE that girl!!!

Thu November 18, 2010, 5:55 pm: there is nothing wrong with my kid's imagination. as i'm rushing around putting groceries away, I hear her yell, "I have new shoes!" I turned around just in time to catch her trying two hot dog buns on her bare feet!

Sun November 14, 2010, 5:36 pm: Happiness is seeing Christmas lights through the eyes of a 2-year old. Last night we walked around and looked at the lights in downtown Shipshewana. Maddie was jumping, clapping, and squealing, "This is awesome, Mama. Look at all the tiny lights!"

Tue November 9, 2010, 7:04 pm: Tonight I'm thankful for my husband. It's wonderful to have another "adult" present to help abbsorb some of this 2-year old's energy.

Sat November 6, 2010, 6:49 am: I'm thankful for my mom. She came over for dinner a few nights ago, and stayed around to read Maddie her bedtime story. Maddie loved it. There is an incredible bond between Maddie and her two grandmas... I love that!

Sat October 30, 2010, 10:59 am: I had an epiphany while Maddie helped me reload the curio cabinet... it can be free of fingerprints after she goes to college.

Wed October 6, 2010, 5:41 pm: With Maddie and me both sick, her crud even worse than mine, how can it be that she has that much more energy than I have?

Sun October 3, 2010, 8:14 pm: Maddie's prayer tonight: "... and God bless Miles and Cassidy and SpongeBob and some pineapple. AMEN"

Mon September 27, 2010, 7:02 pm: Dinner with Maddie... always an adventure. Tonight we had to use a flashlight to rule out that she had a small lima bean stuck in her nose.

Tue September 7, 2010, 7:11 pm: Maddie keeps talking about wanting to go to school... "Step, step, step on the schoolbus; and the wheels on da bus go round an' round; an' my backpack, an' paper, an' pencils, an' colors, an' snacks, an' kleenexes, an' scissors..."

Mon September 6, 2010, 9:43 am: Wow... whirlwind weekend! Road trip, first annual (hopefully) reunion with other families who traveled to China with us, a day at the Cincinnati Zoo, and now a day at home to recuperate. Good times!

Wed September 1, 2010, 5:50 pm: "Sowwy Mommy. It was a atsident!" That's Maddie's explanation for everything... dinner on the floor, broken sunglasses, dirty footprints on the kitchen countertop... the list goes on forever.

Sun August 8, 2010, 8:37 am: My only not-so-proud moment on the plane... a rancid smell wafted around our seats. I thought it was the guy snoring behind us. Then Maddie loudly and proudly announced, "I tooted. Maddie is stinky!" I would have expected that AFTER a week with the Grabers, but not before!

Sun August 8, 2010, 8:32 am: Maddie did amazingly well on the first leg of our flight, especially considering she had only 4 hours of sleep.

Thu August 5, 2010, 6:46 pm: 26 Grabers... 15 kids and 11 adults (and I use that term loosely)... is CO ready for us?

Sat July 24, 2010, 12:17 pm: Dear Mom... I'm sorry for when I was 2!

Mon July 19, 2010, 6:59 pm: My kid's off button is broken!

Sun July 18, 2010, 7:46 am: We tried out Goshen's new splash pad at Rieth Park yesterday afternoon. It was a hit with Maddie.

Sat July 17, 2010, 10:39 am: Sad day in the Snow household... we found out this morning that Squirt is in end stages of renal failure. This is her last weekend with us. This tiny kitten showed up five years ago on our doorstep, the morning after we found out Doug has MS. She was a welcome distraction at that time. It's very ironic that her demise is due to complications from diabetes.

Sat July 17, 2010, 9:53 am: Had a great evening with Maddie... her first Movie - Toy Story 3, then her first trip to The Chief for some pink ice cream.

Sun July 11, 2010, 6:47 pm: During dinner, Doug belched (I know, big shock). Madde reached over, patted his shoulder, and said, "Escuse me!"

Tue July 6, 2010, 9:07 pm: Maddie's prayer tonight... and God bless "Miles, and Daddy, and Tassidy, and Kai Lan. The end!"

Mon July 5, 2010, 9:26 am: Seven whole days without pull-ups or diapers (for Maddie, that is). Only 2 accidents all week! YIPPEEE!! Thanks Sara and Mia for being our inspiration!

Thu June 24, 2010, 6:27 pm: When I picked up Maddie from the sitter tonight she said, "I wanna go home." I asked her what she wanted at home and she replied, "I wanna have a tea party and watch Kai Lan with mama." No way could I deny such a sweet request, so instead of dinner, we had a tea party with little sandwiches, fancy cookies, and the good china.

Mon May 31, 2010, 6:55 pm: Busy weekend, but a great weekend nonetheless... can't believe it's almost over. Maddie's latest overused sayings: "You guys..." and "I'm mad!". She has such a vivid imagination. Right now she's in the tub, being supervised by her daddy. The conversation coming from that direction is hilarious.

Wed May 26, 2010, 7:09 pm: Woohoo... Maddie told me she had to poop in the pottie - her telling me that is a first! After she declared herself "All done!", I transferred from the potty to the tub. Unfortunately she wasn't all done and she finished the job in the tub!! Two steps forward, one step back.

Sun May 16, 2010, 8:22 pm: Today I told Maddie to bring me her socks... a minute later she came running into the kitchen, waving her socks and yelled TA-DAAAA! I have no idea where she picked that up but it was good for a laugh today. It's so much fun to see her wit and sense of humor developing. She's a real ham.

Sat May 15, 2010, 6:19 am: Last night, Maddie kissed an "owie" on my face, patted my cheek, and said, "Dere ya go, Mama." My heart melted - I so love that sweet girl!

Sat May 1, 2010, 2:03 pm: loves this drizzly Saturday... full of "eskinose", butterfly kisses, and big hugs. My heart is full.

Sat April 3, 2010, 6:43 am: Lots of hugs and eskimo kisses... well worth getting up at 6 AM on a Saturday for that!

Thu March 25, 2010, 5:10 pm: Maddie just burped, then laughed and said, "Two times" then faked a second burp - loud and long - then lauged and laughed. Where does she come up with this stuff?! I'm blaming this one on her father.

Mon March 1, 2010, 4:50 am: At 4:10 AM and Maddie woke up crying for her mama. So different from one year ago... crying her little heart out because she was scared to death of me (and Doug, and Grandma Jo). Sweet Maddie, you are so very loved.

Fri February 26, 2010, 7:10 am: I don't wanna close my eyes... I don't wanna fall asleep cause I'd miss you, baby. And I don't wanna miss a thing. ~ Aerosmith (Can't believe it's been a year already!!)

Sat February 20, 2010, 6:39 am: Poor Maddie... she has 8 new teeth coming through at once! Eye teeth and molars at that. OUCH!!

Sun January 24, 2010, 6:05 pm: The Wiggles are out... Barney is in. Woohoo! A whole new batch of annoying songs that will plague me throughout the day!!

Fri January 15, 2010, 7:47 pm: Maddie has three new molars. Hmmm... no wonder she was so miserable last week!

Tue January 12, 2010, 5:22 pm: F... is for Feathersword!

Sun January 10, 2010, 8:13 pm: In spite of all the puke and poop and cold weather, I enjoyed my week with Maddie immensely... sad to see it coming to an end.

Sun January 10, 2010, 10:19 am: is thankful Maddie waited until after we got off the plane before throwing up all over herself!!

Fri January 8, 2010, 12:01 pm: hopes Maddie's tummy settles down before we get on our flight home tomorrow afternoon!!

Thu December 31, 2009, 7:34 am: Winding up the week early this afternoon, then Maddie and I are leavin'... on a jet plane... Sarasota, here we come!!

Sat November 28, 2009, 2:32 pm: Maddie had her first encounter with Santa and she was NOT impressed! WAAAAAAHHHH!!

Mon September 7, 2009, 6:45 pm: After a full day of being in a stroller and shopping cart, Maddie has way too much energy. In the time it is taking me to type this update, she has climbed onto a chair, flipped the dining room light switch off and on, climbed on up onto the dining room table, rearranged the centerpiece, knocked off every placemat, knocked down and spilled her sippy cup, ate dog food, and spilled the pets' water bowl!!

Mon August 24, 2009, 4:05 pm: and Maddie and her Grandma are roasting in FL.

Sat August 22, 2009, 3:56 pm: cleaning house, moving Maddie, cleaning again, chasing Maddie, doing laundry, kissing boo-boos, feeding Maddie, cleaning again. Mom duty is exhausting but oh-so-rewarding!!

Fri July 24, 2009, 7:47 pm: (road trip) + (baby puke) = (not my idea of a good time)

Sweet Maddie... we are so in love with you and that love grows even stronger each day!

Much love,

Mommy & Daddy

Maddie and Her Daddy Talking About Airplanes

This was an early morning conversation between Maddie and Doug one morning last week.

Demolition

Maddie is going through the "clumsy" phase. Last week, she fell at the babysitter's house and still has a bruise on her cheek from that fall. She also put her right hand on their wood-burning stove and blistered her fingertips. She falls about 75 times (or more) per day. Between drying her tears and cleaning up behind the tornado that is Maddie, it's difficult to get anything else done.

In addition to the tumbling, we are working on alternatives to whining. Yes, the girl whines and it drives me just a little nutso! I know that is a phase most kids go through and am trying to be patient with that. I think this is probably God's revenge for my impatience with OPK's (other people's kids) who whine. :) We have been working very hard on turning her whines into "Please" and other more effective forms of communication (like pointing and showing me what she wants). We're making progress. Score so far today: Maddie - 3, Mom - 10!

Last week, Maddie's babysitter asked me, "So, is Maddie bossy at home too?!" Since she doesn't have other kids around most of the time at home, we hadn't noticed the bossiness. However, she has an independent streak a mile wide. She refuses to be fed by either Doug or me. She has to feed herself. As Doug says, she thinks she has to "drive" in pretty much any situation.

If it sounds like I'm complaining, please know that I am not. I love my little girl with all my heart and wouldn't change a thing. She is pushing me to grow beyond anything I ever imagined!

Yesterday, we finally knocked out the wall between our kitchen and living room. The demolition part is done, but we still have some wiring and drywalling to be done. Once that's done, there will be lots of cleaning and painting to take care of. Then, after the first of the year, we want to put new flooring in the kitchen.

Yes - that felt GOOD!

Dave, tearing down the walls.

Too late to turn back!

I'm glad Dave has to deal with this wiring maze.

It's still a work in progress, but we're getting there.

Thanks for checking in.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, & Maddie

Trick or Treat

For Halloween this year, Maddie dressed as a duck. We took her trick-or-treating in the pouring rain and howling wind at a couple of merchants in Downtown Goshen. Nice day for DUCKS!

Maddie still loves playing with the dog's collar when he's not wearing it. She snaps it shut every time and does so very quickly.

Uncle Dave confiscated this Harley from the neighbor's garbage. With the exception of one dead battery, it works perfectly. Maddie absolutely loves riding it. For now, it's in the basement. I'm sure by springtime she'll be flying up and down the road on her hog!

Dave's nieces, LuAnn and Grace, were here yesterday and spent the day playing with Maddie. They all had a great time!

Maddie was introduced to McDonald's Play Place for the first time with LuAnn and Grace. She wasn't too sure about the slide at first. LuAnn held her while sliding down the tube. Each time, Maddie had the most terrified look on her face until they stopped. Then she would break out into a huge grin and shrieks of glee. She jumped up, ran over to the entrance, and wanted to go up again.

Maddie's favorite book right now is a scratch 'n sniff book with a bunch of different fruits. This video is of her sniffing the fruits. She makes the funniest scrunchy face when she sniffs the book.

This week, Maddie found a step stool in our bedroom closet. It is one that we had when we were little kids growing up on the farm. It's wooden, red, and had painted on the top, "This little stool is mine, I use it all the time; to reach the things I couldn't, and lots of things I shouldn't." She quickly figured out how to use it!

I was making dinner one evening last week and I heard her toddling into the kitchen behind me, grunting. I turned around to see her carrying that stool. She brought it over and put it down beside me at the kitchen counter, and climbed up to see what I was doing. Ever since then, when I'm in the kitchen, she puts her little stool right next to me and wants to get in on the action.

Saturday, I was transferring laundry from the washer to the dryer. She brought in her little stool and put it between me and the washer and got up again to "help" me. She's still a little too short to be able to reach anything but she had to feel involved.

After I was done with the laundry, I hurried into the kitchen to prep a couple of dishes for a carry-in we went to that night. Maddie followed and put her stool next to me. I was working at three different stations around the kitchen and she was having a very difficult time keeping up - she couldn't move her stool fast enough. So, she pulled two chairs over from the dining room table and placed one at each place where I was working. Then she could quickly climb up wherever I was working. I was stunned! How can a 16-month-old come up with a solution like that??!

Maddie is becoming more and more independent. She eats with a fork, not a spoon. If we try to feed her anything, she shakes he head no and completely refuses. Once we put it down, she feeds herself. She has a stubborn streak that definitely takes after her father's side of the family!

Maddie likes to walk around the house with a pen and small pad of paper. She walks, stops and writes, then walks again. It looks like she's walking around taking notes about something. I told Doug that we're lucky that she is learning to write on paper and maybe we will be able to avoid her writing on walls, etc. Not five minutes later I saw that she wrote on her sheet on her bed, the linoleum in the kitchen, and the table cloth on the dining room table! When will I ever learn to keep my mouth shut!?

Maddie is also a very loving little girl. She frequently wants hugs, kisses, and to just wrap her arms around my neck or her daddy' neck. That is the best feeling in the whole wide world!

Thanks for checking in on us.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, & Maddie

Grandma, The Wiggles, and Lucy

We went to Terre Haute to visit Grandma Patrick last weekend. They just got back from NM and bought Maddie this adorable hat.

Grandma's friend sent Maddie a bunch of play pots & pans, a tea set, and made her an apron. Maddie played with those toys all weekend.

Monday evening we took Maddie to see The Wiggles (a.k.a. WEE-WEE in Maddie-speak) live at the Morris Civic Auditorium in South Bend. What a show! It was enjoyable even for adults... what little I saw of it anyway. Most of my evening was spent staring at Maddie's backside as she stood on my lap and danced, jumped, clapped, and got all caught up in the show. The show lasted for an hour and 45 minutes and she was into it the entire time. I was afraid that she would lose interest, but no... she LOVES those guys! In one of their songs, they sing, "Bow to your partner," then pause and bow. Maddie bowed right along with them. I didn't even know she knew the song but it became evident that she knew almost everything they sang.

Maddie and her mommy enjoying the show.

Yes, Daddy adores his daughter!

Spectacular show!

When we were in Terre Haute last weekend, we met Lucy and her family for lunch before we headed home. Lucy was in the same orphanage as Maddie and we got to spend lots of time with them when we were in China. It was so cool to see how much little Lucy has grown and changed. She is a trip! She is a month younger than Maddie and is doing pretty much everything Maddie is doing. It did my heart good to see another mama darting after her daughter as she tried to make a run for it when we were getting ready to leave the restaurant! This photo is Lucy's daddy and the girls.

This is Lucy's beautiful mama and oh-so-sweet big sister, Anna.

Maddie is doing new things every single day. She knows animal sounds for cow, horse, chicken, pig, dog, and kitty. She loves to play with Legos. She can sit on the floor, taking them apart and putting them together for hours on end. She is also learning her numbers. The other night on the way home from the babysitters I was counting telephone poles... one, two, three, four, five... and she said six. I thought it was a fluke so I did it again and again she said six! The next count, after I said six, she said seven. She continues to amaze us with all the new things she is absorbing. Of course, along with the good comes the bad... she has learned her first 4-letter word and loves to spew it out... s##t. Hmmm... wonder where she picked that up!

This video is a great representation of Maddie's dancing throughout the entire Wiggles show. It's a little dark but you'll get the gist.

It's time to sign off for now. Thanks for checking in with us.

Much love,

Beth, Doug & Maddie