Journey to Madeline

Well, This Just Sucks...

2011-08-05T11:20:00.006-04:00

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

2011-07-31T23:54:00.007-04:00

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!

2011-02-27T15:34:00.003-05:00

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

2010-12-11T15:51:00.003-05:00

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

Demolition

2009-11-15T12:43:00.004-05:00

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

2009-11-01T21:30:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-22T19:50:00.013-04:00

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

16 Months Photos

2009-10-11T15:19:00.004-04:00

Maddie continues to grow and change before our eyes. Since she figured out how to clasp the dog's collar, she has to close all clasps she encounters... on her high chair, on her carseat, and even on her changing pad. She's getting quite adept at all of them.

Maddie loves to sing and play the piano. She also loves to play football with her babysitter's 4-year-old and 7-year-old boys. She runs, then drops and rolls just like the boys. She even tries to hike the ball! Yesterday we went shoppig at E&S Sales in Shipshewana. When she saw the tractors in the toy aisle, she got so excited that she almost jumped out of the shopping cart. She has become quite a tomboy. She loves to build things with her Legos. Everything she builds becomes a truck or tractor and she purses her lips and goes "brrrrrrrrrrr" as she pushes it across the floor.

We never thought it was possible, but every day we are more in love with our little girl. Every day she is more fun and more beautiful than the day before. We are truly blessed to have Maddie in our lives.

Enjoy the photos...

Much love,

Beth, Doug, & Maddie

Growing So Fast!

2009-10-03T08:46:00.004-04:00

Little Miss Bed-Head getting her morning dose of The Wiggles.

This week we had Maddie's 15-month checkup. She has caught up in every way and is a healthy little girl. Since we have brought her home, she has gained 6 pounds and grew 6 inches. With her vocabulary, she is ahead of other kids her age. According to Dr. Chris, 4 words is the expectation by this age. Maddie's vocabulary consists of 15-20 words.

When we walked into the doctor's office on Monday, she immediately spotted the aquarium in the corner and pointed and yelled, "Fish!" I didn't even know she knew that word. She amazes us with new things like that every day.

Last night, Maddie spotted the dog's collar on the back of a living room chair. She climbed up, picked up the collar and studied it for a bit, then snapped the two ends together (it has one of those plastic interlocking clasps). She then brought it to me to separate, then worked at it a little bit and snapped it together again. She did that over and over until she had it down pat and could do it without hesitation.

At bedtime last night, once again doing everything she could to fight sleep, she handed me the TV remote and said, "Wee-wee!" (That's how she says Wiggles.) Our girl LOVES The Wiggles!

This was a tough week for Maddie's mama. I went to TN on a business trip for two days and had to leave Maddie at home with her daddy and grandmas. It was a great opportunity for Doug and Maddie to deepen their bond and they did! She is Daddy's girl like never before. When I first got back, she didn't want to have anything to do with me. That was hard. However, the next morning things were back to normal and she loves her mama once again.

While I was gone, we discovered that she likes raisin bran for breakfast! She picks out all the raisins and then eats the bran.

I have a very demanding toddler wanting my attention so this entry is done. Thanks for checking in.

Much love,

Beth, Doug & Maddie

Where Did Summer Go?

2009-09-26T22:13:00.009-04:00

So, my blogging has once again falled by the wayside for more than a month. August and September have just flown by. Maddie continues to flourish and is growing up so very fast.

One bright update... Doug is feeling MUCH better than he did over the summer. While he is still dealing with residual muscle weakness on his right side (MS), his sugar is back under control and he is stronger than he has been in almost 6 months. We are very thankful for that. Maddie and her Daddy are bonding so much now that he has the strength to play with her and to help care for her.

In August, I went to FLto work with our team at our Sarasota branch. Grandma JoAnna went along to babysit for Maddie while I worked during the daytime. We stayed with my Aunt Enda and had a very nice time. Maddie loved the beach, the sand, and the waves.

Last week I had my first full day away from Maddie when I went to Indianapolis for a conference. Grandma Karen came up to take care of her then. It was hard going a whole day without seeing her. Next week I will be gone for two days on a business trip. This time, Maddie will once again stay home with Daddy and Grandma Karen. I'm not looking forward to being apart from my sweet baby for that period of time but I'm sure Doug and Maddie will bond even further if I'm gone.

Here are some new things that Maddie is doing:

Climbing! Last week she climbed up on top of the piano keys and started playing the piano with her toes. Then, when she couldn't figure out how to get down, she freaked out.
If she can't reach something, Maddie will push a kitchen chair up to it and climbs right up to get whatever her little heart desires.

Maddie LOVES the ABC song. She sings along with me whenever we say that song. Her two favorite phrases right now are "ABCD" and "Happy birthday".

Maddie has discovered The Wiggles and Barney. She gets so excited when those shows are on. We are taking her to see The Wiggles live in South Bend in a couple weeks (yes, I know... she's a little young. This one is more for her dad's enjoyment than Maddie's!)
Maddie responds extremely well to positive reinforcement. She completely ignores or just doesn't get the meaning of the word NO. However, if we get her cooperation and tell her she is a Good Girl or Big Girl, she just glows and wants to do it over and over again.
Maddie loves to be Mommy's helper. The best way to get her out of the dishwasher, refrigerator, kitchen drawers, etc., is to ask her to help Mommy close it. She's all over it. She also loves to help pick up toys. I'm milking this one as long as I can!

Maddie FINALLY has enough hair for ribbons and bows. YAY!

Maddie's favorite people are her cousin Cassidy, Uncle Dave (Frey), Erma and Jayden (her babysitter and son), and both Grandmas. She is a very loving and loveable little girl and is bonding with so many more people than just those listed here. We are blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives!
She's only 15 months old, but we're already starting to see glimpses of those "terrible twos". Every once in awhile, when Doug or I take something away from her or tell her NO for whatever reason, she sasses back. Yes, I said SASSES! The words are not in a language either of us understand, but the tone is definitely there. YIKES... we are in for a FUN time over the next few years.

Maddie is a VERY independent little girl. She does not like to sit still at all. Mealtime and church are real challenges.

Bedtime... enjoy the photos...

Maddie taking a walk in Aunt Kathy's shoes. She LOVES shoes. Her favorite pasttime is bringing her shoes from her bedroom into the living room and playing with them or shuffling around in whatever adult shoes she can find.

Maddie and her proud mommy at Lido Beach in Sarasota.

She likes playing in the sand... both on the beach and in her babysitter's sandbox. Every day when I pick her up a the sitter's, she is just filthy. When I undress her or remove her first diaper after getting home in the evenings, dirt and sand pour out. She has such a wonderful time and gets excellent care and lots of love at her babysitter's house. We are very fortunate to have found her.

It looks like she's chasing the bird but she was actually running away. She was scared of the birds on the beach.

Mommy, Maddie, and Grandma

Yes, she has 2 toothbrushes. Normally, she holds one while I brush her teeh with the other. Tonight, she decided to brush by herself - while sitting in the sink, no less!

Our neighbor was getting rid of this Harley so Uncle Dave rescued it and gave it to Maddie. Anyone starting to get the feeling that there many forces at work trying to spoil this little girl!?

Maddie and Red have become great buddies. She uses him as her horsey, stepstool, and companion. Red loves the attention.

We try to get together with Kya and her family at least once a month. It's so much fun to watch the two of them together. They are both growing and changing so fast.

Thanks for checking in with us. Things are just super here.

Much Love,

Beth, Doug & Maddie

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot

2009-08-16T22:03:00.003-04:00

It's mid-August and this summer heat is finally upon us... FINALLY! We attended two pool parties this weekend and Maddie had a wonderful time at each one... lots of doting fans to take care of her every whim... even a pool boy to float her majesty across the blue waters!

When it's hot outside, Maddie loves cold snacks... especially if Daddy is having one!

Of course, no really big weekend is complete without a meltdown. Poor baby... she was so exhausted that only sleep could fix this!

Last week we discovered that Doug has a Vitamin D deficiency... HUGE THANKS to Dr. Chris for suggesting on a whim that blood test!! Doug has started taking a prescription to rectify that deficiency and his strength is starting to return. Tomorrow we head to Fort Wayne to see a new neurologist who specializes in MS. Thanks for your continued prayers as Doug's health improves (Yes, those prayers are working!).

Much love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie

Hello August!

2009-08-02T22:22:00.003-04:00

Tonight, as Maddie fell asleep in my arms, I marveled at just how beautiful and perfect she is. My favorite time of day is when I'm holding her as she sleeps peacefully and I can drink in the wonder of my daughter. I pray that I will always cherish her as much as or even more than I do now. I shed some tears... tears of gratitude that we were chosen to be the parents of this very special little girl; tears for her first mother - the one who carried her for nine months and who gave her life. Does she still think of her precious little girl? Does she shed tears for her? I wish there was some way to assure her that Maddie is so very loved.

Waking up from Sunday afternoon nap time with Daddy.

Last night we went to the Eliases for dinner. It is so much fun to watch Maddie and Kya together. We have to watch that Maddie does not walk all over Kya. Maddie wanted every toy that Kya had, and Kya is just sweet enough to walk away and let Maddie have her way... it will be interesting to watch these two grow up. I can hear it now... "Maddie made me do it!"

We made whipped cream Saturday morning and Maddie had her first intro to licking the beaters.

Maddie does this gesture often. "Vo iss?" ("Where is it?")

Time's up... Monday will be here way too soon. Have a great week!

Much love,

Beth, Doug & Maddie

Perpetual Motion Machine

2009-07-31T22:38:00.008-04:00

The kid has started walking and she is in constant motion. We are being revisited by some sleep disruptions and have had some very exhausting nights in the past two weeks. However, Maddie is still the best thing that has ever happened to us. Her daddy and I learn new lessons in selflessness every day and they are the greatest lessons we have ever learned. In spite of daily struggles with Doug's health issues, our home is filled with an infinite amount of joy and happiness - unlike anything either of us has ever experienced before. Maddie is sheer bliss. Every day is an adventure in learning new things, in seeing old things through her young eyes - in a whole different light. At times I'm still afraid someone is going to pinch me to awaken me from this cozy, love-drenched cocoon.

Last weekend we took a road trip to Terre Haute so Maddie could meet her Grandpa Snow and her cousins on that side of the family. Two hours into the trip, with both Maddie and me covered in baby puke, I was ready to turn back toward home. However, Doug wanted to press on so, thankfully, we did. It turned out to be a wonderful weekend (once the carseat was disassembled, laundry done, Maddie and mommy bathed, and carseat reassembled).

Oh, and let's not forget the trauma of Tim & Karen's beast of a weather radio. Even though they were gone for the weekend, Grandma and Grandpa Patrick (Tim & Karen) were kind enough to let us stay a her house. After all the chaos of puke, tummy ache, bathing, etc., everyone settled down for a good sleep. We were all drifting off into the first stages of REM sleep when the whole house exploded with shrill, piercing sirens. At first we could not figure out where it was coming from. After finally finding the culprit to be the weather radio, Doug pushed a few buttons and silence settled upon us once again. We finally fell asleep again - FOR FIVE MINUTES - and the damn thing started screamig again! Turns out, there were thunderstorms and tornado watches all around us. That darn radio went off at last 5 times before I figured out now to turn it off for good. The next morning, Maddie reprogrammed it and I'll be surprised if it ever screams again!!

Maddie loves anything with little buttons - remote controls, cell phones, weather radios, etc. Last week one evening she was playing with my phone. I said, "It's OK, just let her play with it. As long as she doesn't figure out how to push the power button on the side, she can't hurt anything." Five seconds later, she had located the teeny tiny power button that turned on the phone! I swear she understands absolutely EVERYTHING we say! She's even repeating some stuff. Funny thing was, the next morning at 7:30 AM I was putting on my shoes to go to work. My phone rings and it was my VERY GROGGY sister Cris. "Why do you keep calling me this early in the morning?!" Maddie had been playing with my phone while I was putting on my shoes and gathering up stuff to head out the door and had turned on my phone and called her 4 TIMES!!! I'm so glad Aunt Cris was the recipient of those calls. Couldn't have happened to a better victim!

This is Maddie's "cheese" pose with her Grandpa Snow.

Maddie and her Snow cousins - Justin and Emily. She had such a wonderful time with them and it is very apparent that she and Emily just adore each other! She took quite a liking to Justin too!

Maddie and Emily

Two Snow men and one very beloved little girl!

As evidenced by this video, Maddie has become quite the little cheeser for the camera!

Maddie loves to dance in time to music. It has taken some time and a little effort on her part but she has become quite good at fitting balls, blocks, etc. into appropriate slots. At times she still gets frustrated when things don't fit exactly as she thinks they should, or when the ring won't go on the post when she wants it to, and she starts to throw a small hissy fit! We are working with her, teaching her to not give up, and to keep trying until she accomplishes what she sets out to do. She's getting pretty good at following through and accomplishing what she sets out to do.

This week she started saying "A B C". That's about as far as she gets with the alphabet for now. She has a very inquisitive little mind and she spends lots of time studying her toys and trying to figure out how they work.

Please keep sending prayers and good thoughts our way. We need them right now. Doug has several doctor appointments coming up over the next few weeks so we hope to get a handle soon on his health situation.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie

Growing Leaps and Bounds

2009-07-14T22:01:00.004-04:00

We had some down time this past weekend so we finally made an attempt at capturing one-year portraits of Maddie. Our little girl is growing up so fast!

Yes Uncle Steve, Maddie IS reading Seven Little Rabbits! And yes, the book is upside down. But Maddie does not care. It's so funny to watch her with books. She opens the covers, turns the pages, and jabbers as fast as she can. She reads! I'm not sure what language she speaks when she reads, but I'm convinced that she's reading. LOL

The girl LOVES her prunes! We are transitioning her onto cow's milk and prunes are a necessity in her diet these days.

I really wanted to get some good frame-worthy shots in her beautiful purple dress from China. But, by the time we got her changed, all posing desires had left the building!

This was a week of more firsts for Maddie. She is closer than ever to walking on her own. She pulls herself up on anything and everything, and walks around everything. She loves to push her car around the yard. She pushes our chairs all over the kitchen. She has also started climbing! Last night I was lying on the floor in front of the couch. She stepped up on my leg and climbed up on the couch. She tries to pull herself up on furniture by throwing one leg up, and then grabbing at whatever she can find to pull herself up. We have to watch her constantly!

More new things: She can no longer be in the kitchen when I'm cooking. The second she gets into the kitchen, she heads for the pet food and water bowls. She seems to be quite fond of the cat food. If she starts hacking up hairballs, we'll know why!! She also LOVES to splash water - in the tub, in the pets' water bowl, in her babysitter's swimming pool.

This afternoon, we saw Grandma Jo (my mom). Maddie had her finger buried halfway up her nose. Grandma howled and said I deserved a kid who did that! Evidently she had a difficult time breaking me of that habit.

We have been working on learning colors. Maddie tends to pick a color and then stick with it. Last week, everything was purple. This week, everything is orgy! That's how Maddie pronounces orange. She just amazes us with how quickly she learns new things.

I hesitate even bring up the crap that is going on right now. However, it's a part of our lives and life isn't always a bed of roses. So, here goes...

Doug has been suffering for over a week with intermittent migraines (every five minutes or so he gets stabbing headaches that last for 5+ seconds) and numbness and tingling in his right arm. He is also extremely weak. After a stressful visit to the hospital to rule out life-threatening stuff (heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, etc.), we came to the conclusion that his M.S. is flaring up again. M.S. is such a cruel beast (not my "B word" of choice, but I'm trying to keep this family friendly). Tomorrow Doug starts a five-day regimen of daily infusions of a steroid to halt the attack.

For the most part, Maddie is a little trooper and such a bright spot during an otherwise difficult time. However, at night when I'm rocking her to sleep, it becomes evident that she too is feeling the stress. She has reverted to scratching her forehead and pulling at her hair when she is drifting off to sleep. She also occasionally claws at my face during that time. It's nowhere nearly as severe as it was in the first two months after we brought her home. However, it's just enough to remind us that she is no dummy and she feels the full impact of what is going on.

It's gut-wrenching to see my dear husband and our sweet baby girl dealing with pain and stress. However, I also know from experience that character is born and grows during times like these. So, in essence, these experiences are a gift. Ultimately, we become stronger, more compassionate, and learn to appreciate the things in life that truly matter.

OK, enough of that... no pity parties please. However, prayers and good thoughts over the next week or two are greatly appreciated.

Thanks for checking in.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, and Sweet Maddie

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-05T17:52:00.006-04:00

We had a wonderful week and weekend with friends and family. Aunt Iva (my sister) and her four beautiful girls were here from Colorado. There is definitely a mutual love between Maddie, Allie, Lauren, Katie, and Melanie. They had such a wonderful time playing and Maddie was tuckered out every night.

This being the weekend of the 4th of July was definitely different from our first five Independence Days in this house. Since there was no Freedom Fest at the Goshen Airport this year, we didn't have a party this year. While it didn't seem quite right, it ended up being a good thing as it would have been just too much with all the other activities this weekend. Hopefully by next year Freedom Fest will be back and we will once again have our annual party.

Being around the four older kids so much this weekend has resulted in Maddie starting to imitate EVERYTHING! She started repeating what we say this weekend. Time has run out.... gotta clean up the language NOW! Katie taught her to wave her finger and say, "No, no, no!"

Maddie is so close to walking. She now stands next to furniture and "forgets" to hold on. She no longer falls when that happens. We have been working on colors. This week she started saying "purple" and picks purple letters out of a stack of different colors. I'm not 100% convinced that picking the purple letter was for real... coulda been a fluke because it doesn't happen consistently. However, she does manage to grab a purple letter more than 50% of the time when we ask her to find purple. She also says "orange" and "blue" quite clearly. She also learned how to flip a light switch this week. She loves to turn lights on and off.

Maddie helped me do laundry today. She LOVES to help with whatever she can get her hands on. It's amazing to watch her transition into this stage... less baby, more little girl. I just cannot say enough about how much fun she is right now. Every day is an adventure in learning new things. When she looks at me with those big black eyes and giggles, my heart melts into a puddle. I thought I knew love before Maddie but never dreamed of a love this intense.

We are in the process of transitioning her off formula and onto cow's milk. She has had some digestive issues return so we are feeding her lots of apple juice, prunes, and other fruits. On Friday we went to the Zoo. On the way home, Maddie exploded in her car seat. Aunt Iva was wonderful... she disassembled the carseat and we washed everything. There was even poop on her carseat toys so it all went into the washer. It even oozed through the cracks in the carseat and onto the back seat of our car. Anyone need a ride anywhere?! Needless to say, we made good use of soap, water, rags, and Fabreeze. Everything is once again fresh as a daisy.

Lauren would like to get on a plane every morning and come to Indiana to babysit for Maddie. She was a wonderful helper while they were here!

Melanie and Maddie had a great time playing in her car.

Katie and Lauren got to babysit for Maddie on Thursday while I was at work. They must have worn her out because Maddie slept like a log that night!

The Graber kids (and one Snow kid) at the Zoo.

Maddie has quickly become very fond of her Uncle Dave. To see more photos from Iva's visit, visit our Picasa web album at http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow/200907. Thanks for checking in. Much love to all of you...

Beth, Doug, and Maddie

Summertime is Here!

2009-06-27T22:19:00.010-04:00

It has been another busy week. Time is flying by and our precious daughter is growing like a weed. She is learning so many new things every day. She is now walking along furniture like an old pro and occasionally stands without holding onto anything. New words this week: book, bubble, blue (she likes B words).

Maddie had her one-year checkup with Dr. Chris this week and she is a very healthy girl. She is in the 95th percentile in height (by American growth standards). She has gained four pounds since we've been home (feels more like 40 when I carry her!). She got two shots and cried for five seconds. She has a high tolerance for pain! Her daddy stood by the door of the exam room, ready to split as soon as she started to wail. But, it was such a mild cry that even Mr. Wimpy stuck around!

Whenever she eats, whether in her high chair or when she is drinking a bottle, one leg goes up. I like to have my feet elevated when I'm relaxing, but she takes that concept to a whole new level!

Much to Squirt's dismay, Maddie takes great delight in chasing the cat. This afternoon the cat walked by her - sauntering lazily. Maddie immediately dropped to all fours and ZOOM... she was after her in a blue streak. I have never seen anything crawl as fast as Maddie does when she is chasing the cat. Funny thing is that she is usually squealing and giggling the whole way.

Our friend Bryan from Ohio was here for the weekend. Maddie had her first introduction to a Harley. She also had her first exposure to Nascar this weekend. Our friend, "Uncle Dave", moved into our basement this week and he is determined that Maddie is going to be a Tony Stewart fan. We'll see...

Last weekend was Doug's birthday. We had a bunch of friends over for steaks on the grill, and ice cream cake. Maddie enjoyed polishing off Daddy's ice cream. The next day, Doug got deathly ill with the stomach flu... we're not sure but we think Maddie may have had a touch of it and passed it along to him. Having a kid that doesn't feel well is one thing, but having a hubby who is as sick as Doug is yet another. By the time the weekend (and Monday) was over with, I was one tired mama! I just kept chanting our wedding vows... "in sickness and in health" and plowed through it. We all survived.

Kris, Shawn, Kaycee, and Kya were here for Doug's birthday. Maddie and Kya had good time together. Kya, like Maddie, is flourishing and has definitely emerged from her shell. She is such a sweet, charming little girl... more reserved than Maddie by a mile, but I can already see these two getting into some trouble together in the years to come!! Next week, we're going to start working on the phrase, "Kya made me do it." This will be Kris's payback for all the times she says, "Beth made me do it!"

Kaycee, Maddie, and Kya

Maddie and Kya both had a fantastic time on the slide!

Kya on the slide

Maddie on the slide

We are looking forward to spending time next weekend with my sister Iva and our beautiful nieces from Colorado. Normally, next weekend is the time that we have our annual party - airshow and fireworks - but that has been cancelled this year. The airshow as cancelled early this year due to a lack of sponsorships. So, we're not having a party this year. While that is usually the highlight of our summer, we are also somewhat relieved. For those of you who usually come over for the party, we still want to see you this summer - just not all at once!! :) So, give us a call and let us know when you want to come over and we'll have burgers ready to toss on the grill! Hopefully by next summer, when Maddie is a little older and a touch more independent, we can resume our traditional bash.

Thanks for checking in. Happy Independence Day!

Much Love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie

Summertime Fun

2009-06-20T10:34:00.010-04:00

Maddie continues to blossom and we are having so much fun with her. Last weekend, her cousin Mandy graciously lent her yard toys to us for the summer. Hopefully by next summer, Mandy will have a sibling who will be playing on those toys. Maddie absolutely LOVES playing on these toys. If the rain stays away long enough, we can get back out and play with them again this weekend!
Maddie loves to swing. Of course, for supreme comfort, her foot and leg have to be up and out. Otherwise, things would be just too easy on Mommy! This week Maddie discovered how to twist her little body around and up in her high chair. So, she now has to be harnessed in or she stands up. She's quite the contortionist.

Maddie was a little tentative about the slide at first, but once she caught on she giggled and giggled when going down the slide - especially when going down backward!

The boat is her favorite... or maybe it's just my favorite because it requires zero energy on my part!!

Hey Judy - she does the "S thing" with her boat! LOL

I think she learned how to drive from her cousin Cassidy! If she didn't, it certainly isn't for Cassidy's lack of driving lectures. Cassidy babysat for Maddie yesterday. So, when we took Cassidy home last night, she honed her back seat driver skills.

During part of this video, you can see Maddie doing her beatboxing routine. She beatboxes all the time in her carseat. It's adorable.

It was so nice to have Cassidy here yesterday. She is so good with Maddie and Maddie LOVES her Cassidy! While I was making supper, there was a whole lot of giggling going on in the living room... the best sound in the world - laughter from my two girls.

While I was at work yesterday, Maddie "exploded" and Cassidy had quite a mess to clean up. She said she never guessed that Maddie could be so much work! Maddie is teething again so she was just a touch fussy and getting her to eat or take her bottle requires a lot of patience.

Maddie was my little helper this morning while I was vacuuming.

OK, so "helping" is overrated. We can't exactly blame the dog for this mess! This week Maddie discovered that one of her favorite pastimes is opening drawers and making big messes with the contents. Time for the next phase of baby-proofing!

Maddie says more and more words every day. In this video she is saying, "bootsa, bootsa, bootsa..." She learned that at the babysitter's. It's PA Dutch for "cleaning, cleaning, cleaning." Most of the time she is one happy little girl. She loves to giggle and laugh.

She's also quite the cuddle-bug. She is now sleeping in her own bed in her own room. However, she still won't sleep through the night - she's usually up between 2 and 4 AM and wants a bottle. So, we put her in our bed. When she is in our bed, she loves to snuggle and cuddle. Doug and I cherish those moments - even if they're at 2 AM. We know that they're fleeting so we embrace them. When she scoots her little body right up next to me and lays her head on my arm, my insides turn to mush and nothing else in the whole world matters. It's so worth being a little tired in the morning - nothing that an extra shot of espresso can't fix!

This week, Maddie started walking behind her doll stroller. Doug was the one that discovered that she could do this. That is very special because he was so afraid that he would be gone when she took her first steps. It has been wonderful that he is here for these "firsts". It won't be long and she will be walking on her own. This video was taken two days ago and now she has started standing with one hand and occasionally no hands for balance. We are simply amazed at how quickly she is progressing over the past two weeks.

Much Love,

Beth, Doug, & Maddie

A Very Active One-Year-Old

2009-06-12T21:26:00.005-04:00

Wow... this parenting thing just keeps getting more and more fun - exahusting, but fun! Holding Maddie is a full-body workout. She does not like to be held for more than two seconds, especially if you're sitting or standing still. This girl likes to be on the MOVE!!

The days of the army crawl are behind us and she crawls up on all fours now. She also goes from her stomach to sitting up quite gracefully. She is pulling herself up on anything she can get her hands on and is starting to walk along the furniture. Every day is a new adventure and Maddie never ceases to amaze us with how quickly she is learning new things.

One of Maddie's favorite pasttimes is chasing the cat. The poor cat just barely tolerates her but Maddie does not care. She crawls after the cat as fast as she can go, giggling full belly laughs as she goes.

Sleeping habits are beginning to even out a bit. The frightened shrieks in the middle of the night have faded... thank God! She still awakens sometimes, but now it is a much softer cry - usually because she is wet, hungry, or wants to play. We figured out last week that when it was just Maddie and me at home alone, she slept through the night most nights. However, when Daddy was home, she woke up between 3 and 4 AM on a fairly consistent basis and wanted to play. Hmmm... what does that tell ya?!

Well, that issue may have resolved itself since Daddy is home every night now as he got laid off from his job on Tuesday. This is bittersweet for us... bitter in that Doug loved his job and things will probably be a little tight for awhile. However, sweet in that he loves to be home with us and it was getting more difficult each week for him to be gone from the daughter he loves so very much. We are already starting to establish a more stable routine as a result of him being home every night.

He has only been home for a few days but this tired mama is already getting used to it and loving having an extra set of hands and eyes. Cooking is so much easier if baby is not attached to my hip and is playing in the living room instead! Getting ready for work is a lot easier and much quicker now as well because I don't have to be entertaining and/or distracting her from doing things such as sticking her fingers in electrical outlets, etc. while putting on makeup! Yes, we are in the process of babyproofing. However, the little booger has this fascination with trying to figure out how things work. She watched me install the outlet covers and now she likes to pry them off by working her little fingers under them!

Overall, she brings such tremendous joy to our lives. Watching her discover how to do new things and how to say new words is so exciting. Her smile lights up the dreariest day. On weekends when we do not have to get up by the alarm clock, she often sleeps with us for the last half of the night. Several times I have been awakened by little fingers poking at my eyes - trying to pry them open, and little hands patting my cheeks - trying to awaken me. When I finally open my eyes, her face is usually 2 inches from mine and she ALWAYS has a huge toothy grin the second she is successful in rousing me. Life just doesn't get any better than that!!

There are times when Doug and I still get a little weepy at just how blessed we are to be her parents. I'm not sure what we did but we must have done something really right to be blessed in this way. :)

Maddie LOVES her bath - more every day. There are days when she now fusses when I take her out of the tub because she wants to stay in.

Maddie is one wiggly little jabberbox. Her babysitter is Amish so she is learning more Pennsylvania Dutch words than English right now. Her favorite words are, "Vo iss?". That translates to, "Where is?". She always says this with raised eyebrows, shrugged shoulders and both hands facing up by her shoulders in a questioning gesture. It's so adorable. Last week she started saying, "bootsa, bootsa, bootsa". Translates to, "cleaning, cleaning, cleaning". Unfortunately, she gets that from her babysitter, not her mother!

Other words in her vocabulary: Squirt (our cat's name), mama, dada, bye bye, no no no no, happy baby, mmmmmm yum yum, blue (new this week), back (It's so funny... whenever we take her near the patio door, she yells BACK really loudly. She's heard that one too many times from her mommy and daddy - yelling at the cat to get back when we open the door.).

Maddie LOVES ice cream! Go figure. :) She's not shy about demanding that her father share ice cream with her if he is having a bowl!

Gotta get to bed... family breakfast at the Essenhaus in the morning. Thanks for checking in.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, & Maddie

Maddie's First Birthday

2009-06-07T11:46:00.007-04:00

Our baby girl is now a year old! Every day we're seeing fewer and fewer signs of "baby" and more and more signs of "toddler".

Maddie is now pulling herself up on furniture and starting to walk along the edge of furniture while holding on. She is developing a sense of independence that she didn't have before.

Our days of snuggling just for the fun of it are OVER. The only time she snuggles now is when she is tired... when she is not fighting sleep, that is.

She is learning the word NO and hears it often. Just a short month ago I made the comment that I'm afraid she is not going to learn that word because she never does anything that warrants us using that word!!! Go ahead and laugh - I realize now just how short-sighted I was!!

Maddie continues to show us that she is a very strong-willed child. We definitely have our work cut out for us to make sure that she channels that in the right direction.

Yesterday was her birthday and we had a party.

Our girl is just a touch prissy. She does not like to get her hands dirty (she gets that from her mother!). It took awhile to get going on her cake!

Once she figured out just how much fun it can be to play in icing, she had to paint everything around her with icing.

Libby, Mandy, and Zoe with the birthday girl... We had the most beautiful birthday crew ever!

Maddie recently learned how to blow kisses. She shares those quite liberally.

Don't blink when you watch this or you'll miss Maddie blowing kisses.

Maddie loves her Grandpa Tim!

Gotta love Darrin... he's a real man - NOT afraid to read instructions to get the assembly job done, no matter how much crap he had to take from Doug and John!! Thanks Susan for this fun gift and thanks Darrin for assembling it.

Maddie instinctively picks up her feet when others push her on this cart, but she hasn't quite figured out how to make it go by herself. I'm sure once she figures that out, I'll be getting LOTS of exercise!

Zoe and Libby decided that they have outgrown their car and handed it over to Maddie. It was such a sweet and loving gesture, one that was a little difficult for them. However, once they saw how much Maddie LOVES riding around in this car, they knew they had made good decision. Thanks, girls, for this awesome present!

Doug says things are just as they should be... her first car is a used car! LOL

Maddie was too busy playing with her new cell phone from Aunt Susan to pose for this picture. She is fascinated with all the little buttons that make lots of noises. I'm so glad we're even now and Susan doesn't have to buy us any more noisy toys!!!

Grandpa Tim also decided that Maddie needed a noisy toy so he bought her this xylophone. However, the joke is on him... it plays very soft sounds - not noisy at all! Now, the wooden building blocks and legos that are currently spread all over the living room floor may pose more of a problem! Maddie LOVES to watch us stack the blocks as high as we can, then she knocks them over and giggles and giggles. She's having a blast playing with all her new toys.

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa Patrick, Peg, Susan, John & Sheila and Mandy, Darrin & Megan, Zoe and Libby for partying with us and for the thoughtful gifts. Thanks to everyone else who called and/or sent cards for Maddie's birthday, and for all the birthday wishes on FaceBook.

Much Love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie

Long Overdue Update

2009-05-31T16:12:00.007-04:00

I started this post a week ago and never did get it done so I'm just going to post what I wrote and start working on the birthday party post. :)

---

Wow - I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post. Nor does it seem possible that it has only been three months since Maddie was placed in our arms. It is difficult to remember life without her as she is the very core of our universe. On the other hand, time is flying by and in less than a week our daughter will be a year old.

I was looking over photos of Gotcha Day and it is amazing to see the changes in our sweet girl -both physically and emotionally. First and foremost, she FINALLY has hair! It even comes down over her ears now. Last weekend I managed to put a cute litte pink clip in her hair. Of course we lost it somewhere in the grass in Cromwell, but the girl did have a clip in her hair for more than an hour.

Other physical changes: Maddie is crawling! She crawls at the speed of light - so fast in fact that she crawled right off the bed at the babysitter's before anyone could catch her. Her nose and forehead took a beating - the firstof many, I'm sure.

She has grown out of her 9 month clothes, some of her 12 month clothes, and we have been forced to break out her 18 month clothes. That's an organization project that we started this weekend but it is far from finished! Maddie has gained over 4 pounds since we're home. She has transitioned into a front-facing carseat as her legs are too long for the rear-facing seat.

Since she has started crawling, she has a new-found sense of freedom. Gone are the days of sitting still and playing in Mommy's lap. She wants DOWN and she wants to MOVE! Today in church I put her in the nursery because she absolutely would not sit in my lap.

Emotional changes: After I returned to work we put Maddie in a daycare in our neighborhood. The daycare came with lots of recommendations from others who had kids there at one point or another. However, it was not a good fit for Maddie. We were very fortunate to have a backup babysitter who wanted Maddie and when I am at work she is now cared for by an Amish family. Maddie LOVES it there. Their youngest son, a three-year-old is Maddie's best buddy. They love and nurture her as one of their own durng the daytime. She gets to play outside in the sandbox, on the swings, pet the animals on their small farm, and is basically getting the same experiences I had as a child. She is blossoming under their care and we are so thankful for them.

A few weeks ago we spent Sunday afternoon with Kris, Shawn, Kaycee, and Kya. Kya and Maddie are from the same orphanage. The girls had a good time playing together.

Kya is two months older than Maddie and is very laid back - just the opposite of Maddie. The two make quite a pair.

Maddie is a real giggle-box.

Maddie crawls faster than most people can walk!

One of her favorite activities is watching videos of herself or looking at herself in the mirror.

Florida

2009-05-03T04:22:00.004-04:00

This weekend Doug and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary by taking Maddie to Florida. We're having a great time with my sisters.

Maddie with Aunt Cris

Maddie with Aunt Kathy

A Fun Weekend

2009-04-26T19:43:00.003-04:00

Madeline's Dedication

2009-04-26T19:31:00.003-04:00

Limited time... pictures will have to do for now...

Picture Fun on a Sunday Afternoon

2009-04-19T21:19:00.003-04:00

Our First Easter With Maddie

2009-04-12T20:24:00.009-04:00

Maddie started out the day in a cute dress, but Doug thought she was just too hard to hang onto so he changed her. He got this outfit for her right after we got our referral in December. Now, we're putting her to work in a Delta ad campaign! OK, maybe not just yet, but we think she'd be able to generate lots of business. We recognize that we're just a tad biased. LOL

Maddie in all her Easter splendor.

We had a wonderful Easter with family and friends. If you look closely, the tag on the bunny ears reads, "Made in China."

Grandma Karen came up from Terre Haute and our friend Keianna spent the night and went to church with us. Between Doug, Karen, and Keianna all fighting to hold/carry/play with Maddie, my aching arms and back got a much needed break! I didn't even realize they were sore until after everyone left this afternoon and I went to pick her up.

She fell asleep while I was feeding her last bottle this evening so I just sat and held her for a good long time while she slept. There is nothing sweeter than holding her like that. I make a conscious effort to enjoy every second with her to the fullest because I know that this stage is all too fleeting.

Over the past two weeks, Maddie has become very affectionate. She loves kisses and leans in often for one or many. She also loves giving eye-eye, ending with a smooch. For being such a wiggle-worm and roughneck, it' amazing how gentle she is when she is in a lovey mood. She also loves to give us hugs.

In the past few days she has taken the raspberry thing to a whole new level. She spits... not just a light spray, but she spits far! Today in church, the lady behind us was making faces at her so she blew raspberries and the spit flew over Doug's shoulder and I'm sure the people behind us got a shower! Also, to all of you who were at the same service we were today, my apologies on behalf of my noisy kid. She found her happy shrieks during the Easter service today and would not be quieted.

Progress in the past few days...

Today she drank from a sippy cup for the first time and LOVED it. In the past she would protest rather loudly when we tried.
We have made some great strides with her stomach problems. Since we switched her formula a week ago, things have worked themselves into normalcy... no more painful poops. We have even incorporated cereal back into her diet and she is fine!
Grandma Jo and Aunt Cris fed her celery with Amish peanut butter. She actually bit pieces off the celery! (For those who don't know, Amish peanut butter has a different consistency than the regular peanut butter so it is not a choking hazard for babies.)
Maddie is now feeding herself on a consistent basis. When we eat out, we order green beans or carrots or some other soft cooked vegetable for her. She picks them right up off her place mat and eats them. She can transfer small bits of food from hand to hand, and also from hand to mouth with little trouble. Some of it still gets away from her, but for the most part, she's becoming a pro. (Commercial break: Kids Table Toppers - these are adhesive place mats for kids. Peel & stick 'em to a table and your baby can eat right off the place mat. Or, in the case of Maddie, you don't have to worry if they decide to suck on the edge of the table because it is covered by the plastic place mat. When she's done eating, peel it off the table and wrap up the mess. Your servers will thank you for this... ours do!)

I think she's teething again. Her drool from the past few days could drown a small animal. She also has a runny nose again... time to get more Boogie Wipes (OK, enough with the commercials already).

Maddie had a wonderful time with her Grandma Karen this weekend. Karen tried her darnedest to get her to say "Ga Ga" before she left today, but no luck. However, Maddie has started saying a few phrases repeatedly. One of them is, "Happy baby." When we read her favorite book, Baby Faces, that is the first page in the book. The first few times she said it, I thought I was just imagining things. However, she has said it often enough now, and quite clearly and happily each time, that I'm convinced that it is not just baby babble.

Mom, Dad, my brother Dave and his family, Grandma Karen, and our friends Susan and Keianna came over for lunch today to celebrate Mom's (Grandma Jo's) birthday and Easter. We had a treasure hunt for the kids this afternoon. Dad (Grandpa Daniel) obviously enjoyed the festivities! Even with all the noisy Graber kids in the living room, he kept right on sleeping.

Kianna helped get the treasure hunt set up last night and this morning. She's one creative cookie! The kids had a great time with the treasure hunt.

Sweet Cousin Libby loved her Easter Basket.

Daniel is quite the entertainer!

Speaking of entertainers, Libby and Audrey are also very good at holding a captive audience.

This video is a good representation of what Maddie is like EVERY time she wakes up - both in the morning and from naps. She always wakes up so happy. This definitely makes those 5AM wakeups on weekdays worthwhile. I can't imagine ever tiring of her wakeup rituals.

We continue to be so very grateful to God for all the blessings he has sent our way. Our daughter is such a precious gift, as are our family and friends. Thank you for sharing in our journey.

Much Love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie

Catch Up Time!

2009-04-09T20:50:00.007-04:00

It has been a busy two weeks! Last Monday, I returned to work and life is very crazy right now. Dropping Maddie off at daycare that first day was excruciating. I thought I would be just fine - that I was prepared for it - but I was wrong. About a mile down the road, I became one blubbering mama. Had I not been driving, I would have been in a fetal position, sucking my thumb while I cried my eyes out. I survived. But, this morning, Maddie cried for the first time when I dropped her off. So, I did too (after I left the daycare, of course).

Tears seem to have become a very common part of our lives in the Snow household. However, most of the time they're tears of joy. It's just ridiculous how often either Doug or I well up just watching our daughter. She is full of such innocence and glee, sheer bliss. We have become complete saps!!

Here are a few of the events of the past two weeks:

Aunt Cris (my sister) spent a week with us. She lives in FL and came up here to meet Maddie and to help Mom and Shari (my sis-in-law) throw a baby shower.
Maddie is completely in LOVE with Cassidy and her Aunt Cris!
We have had some problems adjusting to the formula since we've been home. I won't go into detail. Let's just say that I have never talked about constipation so much in my life!!
Speaking of... Maddie has pooped several times in the toilet! So, we got her a potty. We've got one case of diapers left in the closet - the pressure is on to get this girl potty-trained!! OK, I may be rushing it a bit, but if she is more comfortable going on the potty, then we'll roll with it.
After a few days in daycare, Maddie regressed a little with regard to some of her attachment issues. She cries out in her sleep - not even fully waking up most of the time. Usually, just stroking her back and speaking softly to her will calm her down.
She was getting up several times a night also. She now sleeps in the smaller crib in our bedroom right next to our bed. As long as she can see us when she wakes up, she is fine and goes right back to sleep. So, we will indulge her by allowing her to sleep in our room as long as it takes for her to feel secure.

The Troyer family baby shower was lots of fun. In this photo: Shari, Abby, Tina, Melody, Aunt Ann, Claire, and Libby. For more photos, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow/200904.

Cassidy and Daniel helping themselves to some food at the shower. The beautiful quilt on the wall was made by Terri Sizemore, a friend and former co-worker.

Daryl & Gloria gave Maddie this stroller. She loves to walk along behind it. She still requires lots of support and we are teaching her how to move her legs to go forward.

Mel, Jen, and Colleen gave us this Boppy pillow. It is simply wonderful to use during bottle time or when reading stories. Maddie obviously enjoys it!

Maddie has finally warmed up to Grandpa! I think the feeling is mutual.

In true Aunt Cris fashion, she tried like crazy to teach Maddie to say "Cris" while she was here!

My sweet girls... these two adore each other, and I adore both of them!

Rocking her and holding her as she sleeps... life just does not get any better than that!!

Maddie is Daddy's girl! Cris commented how Doug just cannot stop smiling. It's true - he has a grin on his face all the time. He says he never knew you could love someone this much! (Darn it, there I go... getting all sappy again!)

I never knew either, and the love just keeps growing every day!

Aunt Cris babysat yesterday. She and Grandma Jo took the girls to the Davis Mercantile in Shipshewana. Maddie had her first carousel ride.

When we pick up Doug at the airport, Maddie gets super animated. Her little arms and legs flail all over the place. Last weekend, she and her Daddy fell asleep on the way home. She held his finger the whole way home while they slept.

Maddie loves to go shopping.

Bath time is still a favorite for her as well...

But her all-time favorite thing is sharing a bowl of Edy's Cookies & Cream Ice Cream with her Daddy. He can't shovel it in fast enough!

Thanks for stopping by to see what's going on in our little corner of the world.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, and Maddie

Spring Cleaning the Yard

2009-03-28T19:27:00.006-04:00

Doug finally made it home Friday after doing a 10-day stint in Atlanta. He was only here for 24 hours, but it was great to have him around again. We took him back to the airport today and he will be back Monday evening for a couple more days off.

We were afraid that Maddie might have trouble remembering her daddy, but that as not the case. These two picked up right where they left off.

This afternoon, my mom, brother Dave, and some of his kids came over and helped clean up the flower beds and the yard and get ready for the spring. It would have taken me weeks to get that done so I'm very thankful for the help. Libby and Audrey babysat for Maddie while the rest of us worked in the yard.

In true logger fashion, Dave went a little crazy with the chainsaw. Now that it's done, I like what he did. Don't worry Doug, the trees are still standing... there are just fewer branches to contend with! Dave was also in charge of the burn barrels.

I don't know what Cassidy was telling Maddie, but Maddie was obviously agreeing whole-heartedly!

The shrieking has returned. However, the new shrieking is gleeful and happy - not at all like the frightened shrieking we endured when we first met our little Maddie. She loves music, and loves to sing and dance. I was trying to capture some of that, but instead I got this unhibited glee and just had to share it.

The girls must have worn her out because she fell asleep during her 7:00 bottle and is now down for the night. Or, so I thought... As I was writing, she started shrieking in her sleep - the bad kind, not the happy kind. This happens occasionally in the middle of the night. A little rocking, snuggling, and a few I love you's always calm her down and she doesn't even seem to fully wake up when it happens. I wish I knew what causes those bad dreams for her but I'll never know. Based on what I have read in other China adoption blogs, this behavior is not at all unusual. All we can do is just be there to comfort her when these episodes happen.

Progress With the Pets

2009-03-26T19:40:00.006-04:00

When we first got home, Maddie was scared of Red. That is obviously no longer the case. She now likes red, but the cat is still her favorite. Red is very protective of Maddie and sleeps on the rug in front of her crib every night. If I'm in the living room and she's in her crib, he has to be halfway between both of us so he can keep an eye on both. He is still, however, jealous of all the attention Maddie gets from other people and is quite a pest whenever people stop by or when we stop to chat with people when we're out walking. He has never been one to jump up on people or lick people, but he has this way of making his presence known and of head-butting people's hands until they pet him.

Maddie gets all excited when Squirt enters the room. She LOVES that furrball! Squirt seldom acknowledges that Maddie exists. However, when Maddie was playing with her tonight, Squirt put up with it a lot longer than she ever has from anyone else. Squirt was also way more gentle than usual while Maddie was playing with her. With Doug and me, she usually playfully nips at us when our hands are within range. With Maddie, she lunged but never nipped at her.

We have another new accomplishment. Maddie now sits on her own for several minutes at a time. She usually ends up toppling over after several minutes and then rolls around. I'm not sure if the toppling is intentional, or if she is just making the best of the situation.

Life with Maddie just keeps getting more and more fun. She has the sweetest disposition. In the past few days, she is responding consistently to her name (Maddie). Aunt Iva, you will be so proud - when she is trying to look serious or funny, she arches just one eyebrow! It's hilarious.

She is no longer as inviting or open with strangers, which we consider a good thing. In the beginning, she flashed that toothy grin at everyone. Now, when a stranger approaches her, she looks at my face for queues or assurances, and it usually takes a little time for her to warm up to new people. This is a really good sign that attachment is on track.

WARNING: This paragraph may fall under the TMI category for some of you so stop now if you don't want to know. OK, you've been warned! One more new accomplishment... Maddie peed in the potty today!!! She was grunting and straining, trying to poop, so I decided to follow the lead of one of the other adoptive moms in our group and sat her on the toilet. She continued to grunt but only peed. Hey, it's a start!! By the way, I have never heard a child grunt as loudly as this one does!!! She grunts like a little man. LOL

Laundry is calling my name so that's it for now.

Much love from Goshen,

Beth & Maddie

P.S. Can't wait to see you tomorrow, Doug/Daddy!

Hip Hop Baby

2009-03-26T09:13:00.002-04:00

My time at home with Maddie is winding down quickly. While part of me is looking forward to going back to work, I'm really going to miss spending my days with our precious little girl. She is learning so many new things each day and I hate to miss that.

Obviously, Maddie is now enjoying her baths. She loves to splash with her bath toys.

She has also become quite the little singer and dancer - hip hop, not ballet. When I rock her and sing to her at night, she sings along. At first I thought she was just babbling, then I started noticing the higher pitches and the changes in her tone. It's the cutest thing ever.

Tuesday night we were singing and dancing to the Police's De Do Do Do. Afterward, for the rest of the evening, she kept chanting, "Do do do, da da da."

Last night, we went to see the Living Word, an Easter production at our church. Grandma Jo and Edna went with us. Maddie sang and danced with all the songs in the first half of the production. She fell asleep the second half.

Doug has been gone for a little more than a week. He comes home on Friday - not soon enough. He is missing his little girl tremendously. We skype with him every day but it's just not the same. We miss you and can't wait to see you tomorrow, Daddy!

Jabberbox

2009-03-22T15:49:00.004-04:00

Saturday afternoon, Cassidy came over to spend a couple of hours with us. Maddie had a good time chatting it up with her. I don't know what Maddie is going to be when she grows up, but I'm pretty sure it will involve public speaking!

She's quite the talker!!

Maddie does get floor time, although you probably can't tell from all these photos!

We went to church this morning, then had lunch with Scott & Peg. Maddie is just fascinated with Scott. I'm a little concerned about that! LOL

The Floodgates Have Opened!

2009-03-21T05:25:00.004-04:00

It was bound to happen sooner or later and yesterday it did... Our little Smelly Nelly had a bit of an explosion out her backside - the kind that creeps up and out the back of the diaper. Needless to say, the washer and the bathtub were put to good use!

Maddie obviously felt quite happy once she was all squeaky clean again.

Last night, Scott and Peggy stopped in. Maddie had a blast rough-housing with them.

We got daycare lined up yesterday. Our neighbor will be watching Maddie once I go back to work.

Maddie has two new teeth poking through... one on top, and one on bottom. She is drooling non-stop and chewing on anything she can get in her mouth - mostly her fingers. I bought her some Gerber Graduates Cheese Puffs. These are a little larger than the fruit puffs we have been working with andshe has finally figured out how to pick these up and get them into her mouth. She LOVES those things.

Maddie loves the Skype sessions with her daddy. She babbles back to him and gets all animated when she sees him on the computer screen.

A Day In The Snow Household

2009-03-19T17:57:00.007-04:00

Who would have thought I'd be so content wiping a never-ending stream of snot or celebrating poopy diapers? My life feels more complete than ever before. I live for the next giggle and toothy grin, and just to feel Maddie's cheek next to mine or her arms wrapped around my neck. I consider the smudges on my tops a badge of honor. I will probably never go to work wearing an unmarked blouse again!

Commercial break: Boogie Wipes - they're the best! They are saline wipes and do not irritate Maddie's nose. I have wiped it at least 785 times in the last week and her nose isn't even red. She does not pull away from them as they are so gentle and they get the job done. I found them with the kids medicines at Wal-Mart.

We have had some pretty major milestones in the past few days. Maddie now enjoys her bath! Today she actually splashed with her little duck - a first for her!

Maddie has finally figured out how to pick up a snack with her fingers and gets the idea that it should go into her mouth. She's still working on figuring out how to transfer the snack from her hand to her mouth.

Tonight Maddie had carrots and prunes for dinner. She obviously enjoyed them a lot!

We miss you, Daddy!

Settling Into Our New Routine

2009-03-19T08:13:00.004-04:00

Things are definitely getting back to "normal" here. Maddie slept through the night without getting up once during the night last night. Mom got some much needed rest - YIPPEE!!!

Yesterday afternoon we took Doug to the airport to fly back to Atlanta for work. We miss him immensely!

When we pulled into the airport, something didn't sound right with the car. When we pulled up in front of the airport, we discovered that we had a flat tire. To complicate matters, once we removed all the lug nuts, the wheel would not budge as it had a bit of rust that had frozen it in place. Long story short, we called roadside assistance and they hooked us up. This was quite the distraction from what would otherwise have been a very difficult good-bye.

In true Snow fashion, after Doug got to Atlanta, his car wouldn't start. It had been sitting in employee parking for almost a month and the battery was dead. He finally made it to his crashpad sometime after midnight.

Maddie is just sheer bliss. While we were waiting on the tow truck at the airport, she was getting fussy in her carseat so I took her out. She is such a happy baby. She just jumped and squealed (happy squeals) and smiled and laughed. It was impossible to stay stressed or upset with our situation with such pure joy emanating from her.

The longer we're home, the more we are seeing of her personality. Maddie is silly, happy, and very, very active. She fusses only when she is very tired, hungry, or needs her diaper changed; and then, only enough fussing to let us know that she needs something. Just yesterday she started tilting her head to the side sometimes to get a different view of things. Look familiar Greg & Jen? At times, we are seeing the "obstinate sometimes" part of her personality that was declared in her referral report. In China and shortly after we got home, this girl ate anything and everything. Now, she is developing an opinion and will pinch her mouth shut if she does not care for the baby food we are feeding her.

TV seemed to be an activity of the past for us. However, we have discovered that Maddie loves the show Ni Hao, Kai-Lan. She actually holds still when that show is on TV.

Maddie has two new teeth - one on top and one on bottom - just barely peeking through. No wonder she was fussy for a few days after we got home!

The video below is of Maddie babbling right before naptime yesterday.

It feels great to be home and to be settling into a routine. Being a parent rocks! It is by far the most fulfilling thing we have ever done. We are making a concerted effort to enjoy every single moment as this time is so fleeting.

Our little princess is awake so, gotta go...

Finding Our New Normal

2009-03-14T16:03:00.009-04:00

It's hard to believe that we've been home for 5 days already! We've had some ups and downs since we have been home. Maddie has had some difficulty getting her days and nights turned rightside up. Consequently, Doug and I are exhausted as well. However, things are getting better every day.

Saturday night, shortly after going to sleep, I was so exhausted that I rolled over and fell out of bed! I now have war wounds that match Grandma Joanna's!! If it wasn't for the bruises, I wouldn't even remember it happening... I was in such a fog.

We learned very quickly - within the first few days of being home - that we have to limit our activities for a little while. We overdid it just a tad the first few days home and by Sunday morning it became obvious that we needed a little more down time during our adjustment period. Friday night and Saturday night, we were up with Maddie most of the night. She would sleep until midnight or so, then would be up for an hour or 2 at a time. Then, she would sleep for 45-60 minutes before being up for another hour or 2.

Even when she is not feeling the best, Maddie is such a social butterfly so it is difficult to recognize when she has reached her limits... until it is too late. She is such a curious little bird that she doesn't want to miss any of the action. However, after the action dies down, that's when the meltdowns happen. (Hmmm... sounds vaguely familiar... she takes after her mother!)

We missed church on Sunday, and it ended up being the best decision as that down time gave Maddie a bit of a chance to acclimate to her new surroundings. Dave, Shari, and the kids, along with Grandma and Grandpa Graber were here for lunch on Sunday. It was difficult to do, but we just let Maddie choose when and by whom wanted to be held and if she needed down time, and they were all very respectful of that. I promise, it will get better and hopefully by the next time we get together, everyone will get their share of holding and playing with her.

Sunday night was the first night that she actually slept a little better - she was up only once during the night and went right back to sleep after her bottle. Last night (Monday night), she was up from 2 AM to 4 AM, but then slept until 9:30 this morning.

Grandma Karen and Grandpa Tim came up from Terre Haute to meet Maddie. They went to the Troyer Family Breakfast at the Essenhaus with us on Saturday. Maddie loves her grandmas!

Also at the Troyer Breakfast, Maddie got to meet Cousin Mimi and all the other little tykes. She LOVES kids of all ages.

Grandpa Tim assembled Maddie's new bookshelf while they were here. Thanks Teri for this awesome gift!!

Our friends Rhea and Bailey stopped in to meet Maddie. Maddie got the biggest kick out of Bailey. I wish I could just keep him here to entertain her all the time!

Last night our neighbors, John, Sheila, and Mandy came down to see Maddie. Mandy is looking forward to being a big sister later this summer to a sibling from China. After they left, Maddie was all keyed up... her old happy self. The jumpy little wiggle worm in the video below is very typical Maddie when she is in a great mood.

Maddie is absolutely a part of our family - the missing link. Before meeting Maddie, when people would ask why we chose China for our adoption, we would tell them of the various anecdotes that led us to China. However, we now know that the reason we adopted from China is because that is where our daughter was, and God was putting these little signs in our lives so that we would find her. She was born halfway around the world. But we were destined to be together - to be family. Our hands and hearts are full and we thank God for this gift he has given us.

We're Home - FINALLY!

2009-03-13T04:55:00.005-04:00

We left our hotel room in Guangzhou at 6:20 PM Tuesday evening (Indiana time) and arrived home at 2:30 PM Thursday. Yes, it was a loooonnngg day (or two)!

Maddie handled the flights like a litte trooper. She got fussy at all the usual times - when hungry, wet, tired, etc. Otherwise, she was her usual happy self, just charming people wherever we went.

We flew from Guangzhou to Shanghai to Atlanta. In Atlanta, we were planning to come home Wednesday evening, but the flight to South Bend got overbooked at the last minute so we couldn't get on. We were flying on Doug's employee pass benefits so we were on the standby list. But, we didn't get on so we ended up spending one more night in a hotel... something we were hoping to avoid.

Our checked baggage went on to South Bend so we were without clean clothes, makeup, toiletries, etc. However, after more than 24 hours of travel, a hot shower and the Westin Heavenly Bed felt wonderful. I can't say that we got much sleep however. With the 13 hour time difference, Maddie wasn't interested in sleeping so we all dozed for awhile, but I don't think any of us got any real sleep.

For anyone planning to do much traveling, I highly recommend the Sit-n-Stroll. It was a true back-saver for us while in China and through all of the airports. Plus, having a secure seat for Maddie to travel in made things so much more comfortable for her on the plane. To sleep on our long flight however, we put blankets on the floor. The one seat just did not lie flat enough to be comfortable for napping.

The last thing we really wanted to see when it was time to fly from ATL to South Bend was this sign, but luck was NOT on our side! We finally made it, but our flight was delayed by about 2.5 hours.

Maddie loves to read! The book in this video is her favorite. It is a book of baby faces. We call it her Baby Facebook. After we read it to her she always wants to look through it again and again and she reads it on her own in her own babble language. It's just the cutest thing!

When we got to the South Bend Airport, we had a wonderful welcoming committee there waiting on us. Maddie's cousins have waited so long for her and were so happy to finally get to see her and hold her.

Maddie wasn't too sure about Grandpa. She just checked him out from top to bottom. I'm sure she'll soon be his biggest fan!

Our friend Kim brought dinner for us after we got home. Thanks Kimmy for the wonderful pot roast. Good old American home cooking never tasted so good!

The crib is empty no more!! The very first thing Maddie did when we got home is to pee all over the only crib sheet we had so we had to impovise. Later today I'm making a Wal-Mart run to buy more sheets!

Our journeyhas just begun and we are looking forward with great anticipation to the rest of it. Our daughter is such a delight and brightens every moment of our days and nights. When she is awake, we cannot get enough of her. When she is sleeping, we miss her and can't wait until she wakes up again. I'm sure that will change. :)

Thanks for all of your prayers and support during our trip. I plan to keep blogging as time permits, but it is getting more and more difficult due to my attention being needed elsewhere most of the time. God bless you all, dear family and friends!

Much Love,

Beth, Doug, and Baby Maddie

The Many Faces of Maddie

2009-03-10T10:50:00.005-04:00

Happy Maddie

Upset Maddie

Teething Maddie

Sleeping Maddie

Sick Maddie

Scared Maddie (we don't see this face anymore!)

Sweet Maddie - Your daddy and I love you so very much!

Red Couch Photos

2009-03-10T10:39:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is the day... the day we come home. YIPPEEE!!! While China has been wonderful, we are so ready to be done with living out of a suitcase and for our lives to resume some semblance of normalcy - a new normal, that is!

We will land at the South Bend Airport at 11 PM on Wednesday and cannot wait to see some familiar faces to greet us. We are looking forward to having each of your family and friends meet our new daughter. To us, she is just sheer bliss (most of the time).

It is customary for travel groups to take photos on the red couch at the White Swan Hotel here on Shamian Island, Guangzhou. Here are some photos from that event today...

Thank you all for following our precious journey. It has only just begun. See you at home soon!

Much love,

Beth, Doug, Maddie, and Grandma Jo

Shopping & Down Time

2009-03-08T14:42:00.004-04:00

Sunday (yesterday here), we went to a wholesale pearl market. Guangzhou is known for its pearls. This is just one row in the store we went into - there were at least six aisles like this of pearls of every size, shape, color, and quality. You pick the strand you want and they string them for you. We bought Maddie a pearl necklace and earrings for her wedding day. Now that's thinking ahead!

Below is a photo from the 5th floor of the wholesale market. This entire mall is nothing but jewelry - in bulk! We got some really good deals on jewelry. Most of the shops are pearls, but there are also a few others... jade, agate, silver, gold, etc. You name it, when it comes to jewelry, it can be found here.

Maddie's little (BIG) personality is really starting to shine through. She is so cuddly and lovey one minute, and the next, she's on the move... gotta be bouncing, busy, engaged in some manner. The first day we had her, she could barely lift her head when lying on her stomach. She also had very limited use of her arms. Now, we put her on the floor on her back and she immediately rolls over, pushes herself up on her arms, and looks around. She has also learned how to propel herself forward by using her legs. She'll probably be crawling by the time we get home or soon after.

Maddie is teething and in so much pain some of the time. There are a few things that make the shrieking return - one of them is when we put Orajel on her gums. She does NOT like that! However, it is a necessary evil and she usually calms down after a minute or two. She chews on anything she can get ahold of... yes, even her dad's toe! YUK!!! She still does not like to get to the end of a bottle either. That too upsets her a LOT!

Maddie is starting to sit with less and less support. The high chairs in restaurants here are not made for infants who cannot support themselves and she had a very difficult time in them the first few days. Last night at dinner, she sat in her highchair like a champ. She is really starting to balance herself well.

The bonding is going very well. She is no longer avoiding eye contact with us. The first few days, she would make brief eye contact, but then quickly look away. Now, she makes eye contact with us for extended periods of time. This is a really good sign of attachment. At first, the only way she would go to sleep was to be put in her crib and she would lull or fuss herself to sleep. She did not like to be held when she was tired. Now, she won't go to sleep unless I rock her and sing to her. We'll work on falling asleep without the rocking once we get home. For now, however, that bonding time is way to precious to not take advantage of it.

It has been chilly and rainy here so we are all fighting colds and sore throats. Thanks for your continued prayers during our journey.

Much love from Guangzhou,

Beth, Doug, Maddie, and Grandma Jo

Medical Exam

2009-03-06T23:50:00.003-05:00

We made it to Guangzhou safe and sound. We have a suite at the Victory Hotel. Maddie is one very active little girl! If she is not being engaged or stimulated in one way or another, she gets fussy. For the most part, when she's dry and her tummy is full, she is a very happy baby. Right now, she is teething and we are still dealing with lots of messy diapers so she is more fussy than usual.

She handled the airplane ride like a little trouper. It took a little bribery with Cheerios and a little nap, but she was very good. Last night when we arrived at the airport in Guangzou she had pooped and soaked all the way through her clothes. I had to put a completely new outfit on her and used half a pack of wipes just to clean her up! Of course, everyone had to wait on us and when we got on the bus, Maddie just squealed and laughed. Everyone knew what had happened so they all started laughing. Maddie LOVES attention!!! She can be crying (shrieking) one second, but the second a complete stranger starts talking to her, she perks right up and smiles and coos like all is well in her world. She's quite the little performer.

Maddie did very well during her medical exam. Of course, there were so many different people poking and prodding at her and she loved the attention.

Maddie does NOT like a bath so we do sponge baths. She acts like she has never been washed. However, she loves to have her face washed. My guess is that her face is the only thing that got washed on a semi-regular basis.

Maddie obviously does love the end result of her bath!

This is a typical sight... Doug (or me) trying to hang onto one jumpy active little girl! She LOVES to head-butt.

Happy Family!

She is one ticklish little girl!

We're getting to go explore the island. I'll try to write more later.

Much love from Guangzhou,

Beth, Doug, Maddie, and Grandma Jo

We're Off to Guangzhou

2009-03-05T23:59:00.002-05:00

We just got Maddie's passport and now we're waiting for our bags to get picked up from our hotel room. This afternoon we fly to Guangzhou where we will stay until Wednesday.

Maddie is feeling better but she is still a little fussy. She's teething and we think that is the reason for the fussiness and the upset stomach yesterday.

More from Guangzhou later...

It's Stressful Having a Sick Kid!

2009-03-05T07:19:00.004-05:00

Maddie is a little under the weather today. She has gone through at least 10 poopy diapers and 4 clothing changes in the last 24 hours. We are not sure what is causing it for sure, but we do know that we have been putting too much powdered formula into her bottles yesterday and the first half of today. On top of that, she seems to be teething. Whatever the cause, we need your prayers - especially tomorrow - as we will be taking a 2-hour flight to Guangzhou. We hope and pray that she will be OK in the morning and will feel better for the flight. There's nothing worse than flying when you don't feel well!

This afternoon, Doug and I took a cab to the porcelaine shop to buy a tea set for Maddie. Here is a short video clip out the taxi window. Enjoy the ride!

Heather, because of the travels tomorrow, there will probably not be a blog entry. So please see if you can make other arrangements to help you get out of bed in the morning. LOL

Much Love,

Doug, Beth, Maddie, and Grandma Jo

Maddie and her Daddy Having an Meaningful Conversation

2009-03-04T21:42:00.003-05:00

Additional photos can be seen at http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow.

Life in Nanchang

2009-03-04T07:50:00.023-05:00

OK, second time's a charm... I think we got through this without losing info this time.
---
Baby is waking up and I just spent two hour blogging then lost the rest of this post because the autosave wasn't working properly... grrr... I'll finish this up later!

This is the first thing we see when we get up in the morning. She wakes up so happy!! We live for this and wanted to share this with you. I just took this picture. I'll finish blogging later. Gotta get back to my precious daughter!!

---
Hi! It's been awhile since I've been able to blog. Mommy-hood is becoming more and more demanding of my time. (Jo and Heather - your FB comments are my inspiration for getting this post done this morning!! LOL) While we have had some down time, it has also been more difficult to blog because I'm finally starting to sleep through the night. HOORAY!!

We have had a couple of "down days" just to spend time bonding with the babies and it has been wonderful. It is so cold and rainy here in Nanchang. This place is so full of contradictions. We are in a 5-star hotel but do not necessarily feel safe going outside because of the communication barrier.

The people are still very kind and helpful here at the hotel, but the local culture is not as "westernized" as it was in Beijing. That, combined with the climate, has all of us going just a bit stir-crazy. At first glance, this hotel is awe-inspiring... lots of surface glitz and glamour. But, upon closer inspection, it is so dirty. I swear, these carpets throughout the entire hotel have never been shampooed. Needless to say, we do not play on the floor!

Yesterday morning at breakfast there was a very nice looking young Chinese business man (suit, red power tie) sitting at a table at the edge of the dining room. He horked up something and spit it into his cloth napkin, then he farmer sneezed onto the carpeted floor of the restaurant of this "swanky" hotel! For those of you who do not know what a farmer sneeze is, hold one nostril shut with your finger and then blow HARD! Congratulations, you have just completed a farmer sneeze!!

This morning, our table was near the elevators and another business man horked up something and spit it into the ashtray next to the elevator. People spit everywhere here. You have to watch were you walk. I thought that was just outside but now I'm finding out that it's OK to spit inside too.

The Chinese side of the adoption is now done and we are just waiting on the babies' passports, and then we will fly to Guangzhou tomorrow. Once there, each baby will have a medical exam and then we will wait while the babies' visas are prepared.

To help alleviate some of the homesickness and to get everyone out of their rooms, eight of the families had dinner together last night. We are getting to know some of the other families quite well and we are making life-long friendships. This top photo is Mike, Mary, and their daughter Gracie. During dinner last night, Maddie and Gracie sat across from each other and would not take their eyes off each other. It was very obvious that the two know each other. Gracie, Maddie, Kya, and Lucy were all from the same orphanage. The orphanage director told us that Maddie, Kya, and Gracie all had cribs near each other. My guess is that Maddie and Gracie were side-by-side.

Lucy's dad is a pediatrician. He has been wonderfully gracious in checking out the babies for each of us when and answering any questions and calming the fears of all of us rookies. Maddie keeps rubbing her ears so we were afraid she had an ear infection. Dr. John made a "room call" and assured us that it is just one of the things that she does to comfort herself. Many of the babies do this. It's interesting to see that many of them have the same traits. Maddie and Kya also both scratch their foreheads when they are very tired. Last night was the first night that we kept Maddie up later than usual and she was just scratching away while enjoying her last bottle.

Speaking of bottles, let me just say, Maddie is a little piglet when it comes to eating. We had to cut slits in the tips of the nipples on her bottles so that the formula would come faster. She throws a fit when she cannot get her formula as fast as she is used to. It usually takes her about 5 minutes to finish off an entire bottle! Once we get home, we will wean her onto nipples with smaller holes so that her sucking muscles can develop more fully. Otherwise, she may have some problems with her speech. However, she has been through enough changes lately, that is one that can wait a few weeks!

This is the potty that the hotel delivered along with the baby bathtub. We tried to place Maddie on it to see what she would do and she just shrieked and cried. Many orphanages bind the babies to the potty chairs - once or twice a day - to potty train them from birth. Maddie obviously has had some traumatic potty experiences.

On Tuesday evening, the Eliases came over for Pizza Hut pizza. It was nice to have a taste of home! Maddie and Kya played. Or, a better description of that would be that Maddie performed and Kya watched! Kya is feeling much better and her personality is slowly emerging. She has the prettiest smile and very long lashes. She's beautiful as well.

Maddie adores her daddy and her daddy adores her. Twice now, Doug has watched Maddie alone for several hours while Mom and I went to Wal-Mart and to the museum. Both times we came back to clean, well-rested, and well-fed baby. He does diapers and everything - although the first diaper he put on Maddie by himself ended up being on backward and she wet through her entire outfit! In the photo above, Doug was changing his first poopy diaper. He needed a little coaching but he managed to finish it up!

Mom and I took a cab to Wal-Mart. Note the uncleanliness of the sides of this cab. That is how a lot of things are here... we're just chalking it up to soaking up more of the culture. Mom says she has had just about enough of Chinese culture. LOL

Wal-Mart is on the second and third floors of a building. Here we are taking our shopping carts from the third floor down to the second floor. We took the trip to Wal-Mart to get Diet Coke (for Doug) and suppositories for Maddie as she was very constipated on Tuesday. Now picture this... you're in a country where you don't speak the language and have no idea how to read any labels. So, you go into a Wal-Mart pharmacy for suppositories. How would you communicate what you need? I'll leave our choice of words and hand gestures up to your imagination. After 10 minutes we gave up and left without suppositories. After that, there was no way in the world I was going to ask for help finding tampons!!! As for Maddie - she's OK now... we got some apple juice from the hotel restaurant and things are moving a little too well now!

Coming back from Wal-Mart was quite a trip! At the hotel before we left, they gave us a note in Chinese to hand to a cab driver to bring us back. Their instructions were, "Just go outside Wal-Mart and you can catch a cab right there!" What we didn't know is that you cannot catch a cab during rush hour. Also, we were turned down by 3 different drivers because they did not want to go in the direction of our hotel! Finally, after 45 minutes in the cold rain, and on the verge of freaking out (because it was the first time I had left Doug alone with the baby), we found a very nice young man who spoke English. He took us through an underground walkway to the other side of the street and hailed a cab for us. We got back to find a happy, dry baby, relaxed dad, and pizza waiting for us... no freaking out needed.

Yesterday afternoon we went down to the dessert bar just off our hotel lobby. Kris discovered that Kya LOVES ice cream. She better enjoy this... we later discovered that this little cup of ice cream cost $10!! I guess that's the last time we'll be having ice cream at this hotel.

During our little ice cream adventure, we also discovered that Maddie is ticklish. She has the cutest laugh.

Yesterday we visited a museum that specializes in local culture and tradition. The photos below are from that excursion. Because of the cold and rain, Doug opted to stay behind and watch the baby. It was very interesting to learn more about the customs and living conditions of the people in surrounding villages. With Maddie's orphanage being located in such a rural area, my guess is that her birth parents are from living conditions similar to those pictured below.

This is a wedding rickshaw. The wedding party carries the newlyweds in this.

This is the wedding bed. The bride and her mother spend all day crying on her wedding day. Weddings are generally steeped in lots of celebration that surrounds the groom.

This is a triditional kitchen of a Chinese family. The big white thing is their stove/oven. I will never again complain about my kitchen!!

This is a typical crib used for the babies.

These items are commonly used for babies. On the left is a baby "stander". A baby is placed in there to hang onto the sides and learn to stand. On the right is a high chair. Front and center is a baby walker.

This is a very common sight. Bicycles, both motorized and non-motorized, of all shapes and sizes are seen everywhere.

This is the 2009 model of a flat-bed pickup truck.

The little yellow sign says "no parking". You can see how well people obey traffic signs here. Stop signs get the same regard as this little yellow sign.

Anna and Kaycee, big sisters to Lucy and Kya, during our museum tour. I think they were tired of the cold, wet, dark tour. We have learned first-hand why babies are bundled up here. Nothing is heated, not the orphanages, not our tourbus, not the museum, not the stores (and most have no front door either), not the hallways in our hotel, etc, etc. However, the locals all congregate on the street corners and in front of shops and help each other out. It is very evident that people here bend over backward to help out each other and we could learn a lot from them!

Sweet Kya during the museum tour.

After the museum tour, we went porcelaine shopping. Jiangxi Province (where we are) is known for its procelaine craftsmanship. The shops had amazing stuff and it was hard to pick out what we wanted. Later today, I'm going back to buy a tea set for Maddie.

Jane - you would LOVE these shops. The tea sets here are simply amazing! I'm going to refrain from gloating here because we still have to get our tea set home in one piece. LOL

In closing, here are a few things that we have learned in the past few days:

Yesterday morning in the shower it hit me just how much my mom loves me. I now know because of the love I feel for my own daughter. I just stood there and cried.
Doug has learned that this is a lot more exhausting than he ever imagined. But (in his words), it is a fun exhausting and he wouldn't have it any other way.
I now understand what Pastor Brenda means when she says she is thankful for hot water and for running water.
I never realized until now how much I rely on those trusty handrails that have been mandated by the ADA in all public buildings in the US. Thank you President Bush (the first one).

Thanks for your continued prayers, emails, and FB messages. They brighten each day! Much love, Beth, Doug, Maddie, and Grandma Joanna

Free Day

2009-03-02T23:20:00.005-05:00

Today is our first completely free day since we set foot in China and it feels wonderful to have some down time! Doug and Maddie are both napping so I'm once again taking the opportunity to blog in the middle of the day. Last night, for the first time since we left home, I actually got my much-needed 8 hours of sleep and it felt WONDERFUL!

It is very cold and rainy here - about 40 degrees farenheit. So, needless to say, it feels good to just stay inside today. We had the option of taking another tour today, but Doug and I opted out when our guide said, "You will want to leave the strollers behind today because you will be going up 89 steps to get to where we're going." No thank you! Mom, the international adventurer, did go however. I'm glad that she went. That way we will at least be able to see pictures.

Later this afternoon, Mom and I will head over to Wal-Mart again. Yesterday, when we were there with our group, we only had 30 minutes to grab the essentials. We want to go again when we have time to look around. The Wal-Mart is 3 stories high. The shopping carts are hard to push in a straight line becuse all four of the wheels swivel. When going from the second to the third floor, you push your cart onto an escalater ramp and the wheels lock into the grooves that hold it in place while it moves to the next floor.

We are working with Maddie to teach her how to use her hands and arms more effectively. We put a Cheerio into her hand and hold it in place for her because she does not have the dexterity to do so. Then we practice the hand to mouth motion. She's starting to catch on.

Maddie was a little tentative with Grandma Jo at first, but she's warming up to her and recognizes her now. She can't wait to meet her other grandma too!

Dinner buffet last night included octopus and eel. I had to try it!

Baked beans for breakfast - made Doug's day! Unfortunately, the after effects are not that pleasant for the rest of us!!!

Maddie LOVES her Baba! Doug is such a good daddy. He just cannot get enough of his daughter and plays with or holds her constantly. It is so cool to watch these two together!

Milestone alert: Maddie just rolled over on the bed!

Grandma is showing her war wounds from her tumble in the Fobidden City in Beijing. She has a matching bruise on her leg! We are so thankful that she didn't break a hip or something!

Here are some things that we have learned in the last 24 hours:

Maddie loves to play peek-a-boo and patty cakes.
Doug changed his first diaper ever! It was wet, but it's a start!!
Maddie loves to look at books and have them read to her. I wish we would have brought more books for her.
Maddie loves to play LOUD - she'll fit right into the Graber side of the family!
Maddie is starting to use her legs a whole lot more. She wants to stand up when we hold her and it is hard to keep her seated in your lap.
Maddie has a temper! When she doesn't get what she wants, the shrieking returns!!
When she has everything she needs, she is one happy baby. She laughs and smiles A LOT.
Now that she can bend her arms, Maddie is discovering her hands and she is just fascinated by her moving fingers.
Maddie is using her arms and hands to pick up toys now.
I never thought I'd get so excited to see poop!
Maddie is a wiggle worm. She does not like to hold still.
When she finishes a bottle and we remove it from her mouth, she screams and cries for more. That usually only lasts less than a minute, and then she's content and happy again.
Being parents rocks! Everything in our world has changed. Doug and I both feel the weight of the responsibility and welcome it wholeheartedly. She is just the center of our universe!!

We have learned so much more, but Maddie is starting to fuss so I better wrap this up. Here is a video from breakfast this morning:

Adoption Day!

2009-03-02T02:07:00.010-05:00

Daddy and baby are both taking a nap so I'm grabbing this opportunity to do a rare mid-day blog entry. Maybe I'll be able to get to bed a little earlier that way.

Wow - what a difference a day makes! Maddie woke up at 3 AM and wanted to play. So, we played!! Then she had a bottle and went back to sleep around 4. Around 6:30 she woke up just happy as a lark and has been so ever since.

This morning was a very busy morning. We had to meet at 8:30 and then go to three different offices in the city to finalize the Chinese side of the adoption. Maddie was so good all day - didn't fuss at all. She is such a happy baby and quite the little wiggle worm. She is very curious and has to always be able to see what is going on.

Everywhere we go Madeline turns on her charm and people stop to talk to her, touch her cheeks, or just smile at her. We went to Wal-Mart at the end of our morning and for a little while, Doug couldn't move two feet with the stroller without someone stopping him, bending down and talking to her.

Greg & Jen - do you guys recognize these toys? This is the second trip to China and the Jiangxi Province. They were here 5 years ago when you came here for Maya. Maddie loves these toys. So far, one of her favorite pastimes is to sit propped up by pillows with her legs all covered up in toys. She then kicks until every single toy is out of reach. Then we pile them all in her lap again and she does it all over again.

During this game, we noticed that Maddie's right arm appears to be somewhat weaker than her left side. She also has very poor manual dexterity - she cannot hold a cheerio in her hand. One of the things that we got to do today was to ask questions of the orphanage director. She confirmed what we suspected - that Maddie has not been in foster care this entire time as was originally reported to us. She, along with the other girls from her city were all in foster care for the first three months, then was put back in the orphanage. We suspect that the weakness on her right side comes from laying on that side while at the orphanage. We are already working with her trying to get her to use that hand and arm more - to develop muscle tone. We are also working on the dexterity by holding Cheerios in her fingers and helping her move her hands to her mouth - something that was impossible before with the many layers of clothes she wore.

We learned the reason for the many layers of clothes today. There is no heat in the orphanages. So, they bundle the babies to make sure they are warm enough. Every one of the offices we were at today were also very cold - around 65 degrees farenheit or cooler.

The orphanage director told us that Maddie, Kya, and Gracie all had cribs very close to each other. Gracie will be living in Buffalo, NY. I guess her parents will have to make some trips to IN and we'll have to visit them in NY from time to time. There is a fourth member of this exclusive club - little Lucy is from Bloomington. She was also in the same orphanage.

We asked the orphanage director about Maddie's disposition at the orphanage. Her response was, "She was the naughty one!" She then went on to explain that she was very curious and that she knows how to demand attention. Sounds like we've got a winner!!! We are thrilled with her personality - she will fit right in! Mom, who is sitting here with me as I blog says, "Right now you're thrilled. Just wait!" LOL

Introducing Madeline Li Snow! Today it became official. After promising officials in three different civil offices that we would love Madeline, give her a good education, and to never harm nor abandon her, the Chinese side of the adoption is now complete.

We are so in love with our daughter. With every passing minute, she feels more and more comfortable with us. Words just cannot describe how delighted we are with our daughter. She truly is a gift from God and we know without any doubt that we were always meant to be her parents.

Maddie just loves her daddy. She babbles endlessly with him when he holds her.

This was taken at the Civil Affairs Office in front of the US flag and the China flag. Both of these flags will forever have great meaning in our family. We are finding China to be a wonderful country - a place where people are so kind, they bend over backwards to help you, and are very respectful of guests in their country. We want to be sure that Maddie grows up understanding and respecting her heritage.

"When I'm with Daddy, I ham it up for the camera every single time!"

Maddie's original referral paperwork stated that she can be "obstinate sometimes." Hmmm... apple, meet tree!

Sweet Kya, Kris & Shawn's baby, is so opposite of Maddie. She has the quietest little cry and softest voice. She is feeling a little better today but is still sick. She is still very lethargic. It will be interesting to see her personality emerge as she starts to feel better. It sounds like Kya's illness is just a common cold and congestion. Fortunately for us, one of the other dads is a pediatrician. He has been so wonderful about giving us advice or checking out the babies that are sick. (Thanks Lesa, Anna, and Lucy for sharing John's time with us!!)

When we first unwrapped Maddie from the many layers of clothing, she had what looked like a huge greenish colored bruise on her left hip. It also looked like she had light bruising all over back. Doug and I freaked out! John confirmed for us that it is just a Mongolian Spot - oddly colored skin pigmentation - and nothing to worry about.

Thanks to all of you for the many emails, comments here and on FaceBook, and for the continued prayers. You have no idea how much your comments brighten each day! It makes it easier being so far away from home. We look forward to sharing our sweet daughter with each of you when we get back.

Until later... Much Love, Doug, Beth, Madeline, and Grandma Joanna

Gotcha Day!

2009-03-01T08:28:00.009-05:00

First things first, I have to give a shout out to my baby brother... Happy Birthday Uncle Steve!

Now for the goods...

We left Beijing early this morning and flew on a very bumpy ride to Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. We got to our hotel about 2 PM and were told that we had 2 hours to unpack and then we needed to be in a conference room at 4 where we would meet the babies. I kicked in the turbo and started unpacking. I was in the middle of unpacking when Doug, who was standing by the window said, "Come here. You're gonna want to see this." Eight stories below us we got our first glimpse of Maddie. He just happended to be looking out the window to take a picture of the view from our room and saw a van full of babies pull in. Sure enough, Maddie was among them. She is the one in blue below - the one furthest to the right. Even from the 8th floor I thought that outfit looked amazingly familiar and I was right - it is the frog snowsuit she was wearing in her most recent photos we had received.

Less than 15 minutes later, at 3:15, Kathryn, our guide called and said, "Come to the conference room now. Your baby is here. Thankfully I had packed the diaper bag so off we went. When we walked into the room, there were 6-8 babies (can't remember exactly). Some of the nannies were standing and others sitting, holding beautiful babies. We walked by Kya and recognized her immediately. However, Maddie looks a LOT like two other babies that are here so we had to check the names on three babies before we found her. She is positively gorgeous.

When the nanny first handed her over to me, she was just very curious - checking us out very closely. It all happened so fast and it was completely unceremonious - a far cry from every scenario I have played out in my head for the past four years. However, I wouldn't trade it for the world. The moment she was placed in my arms, my world felt complete.

She inspected both Doug and me, then reached for Doug so he took her.

She was content with Doug for a minute or two, and he was just beaming with pride. All was going very well then things took a turn, and it was NOT a quiet turn!

The second Madeline started whimpering, Doug handed her back to me with a deer in headlights look. And then the shrieking started. This child has a set of lungs on her that won't quit. (Mom says she sounds like a Graber baby.)

Madeline's diaper was wet so we changed that, thinking that might quiet her down, but nothing seemed to console her. She was just so terrified - her little heart was just pounding and the shrieking and crying did not cease. So we went back to our room to try to console her.

The first thing we did was to peel off the layers to see the baby underneath. She was wearing 4 layers - two of them were thick snowsuit typeoutfits. The top layer was the snow suit she wore in her most recently updated photo. Notice the band of elastic on top of the pile. This is a binding cord - used to hold up her diaper! I have no idea why. And yes, this whole stack of clothes was on one teeny 8 month old child.

Shawn, Kris, Kya, and Kaycee - Kya is also very beautiful. Poor baby, she is very congested and sick. Please pray for good health for both Kya and Maddie.

After we returned to the room, Madeline kept crying, shrieking, and was just so very distraught and terrified. We did everything we could think of to make her happy but absolutely nothing worked.

At one point, there were 4 of us in the room in tears and feeling helpless beyond all imagination. Thank God my Mom came on the trip with us. Today, she was such a HUGE help -running bath water, fixing bottles, running for this, and reaching for that while Doug finished up our day's paperwork and I continued to try to console our terrified daughter.

Finally, after about 2 1/2 hours of pure shrieking, she wore herself out and fell asleep on my chest. She slept for about 25 minutes and when she awoke, while she was still scared, it was more of a whimper and that eventually led to being OK for short periods of time. Those OK moments started to happen more often and last longer.

She loves playing "get your piggies" with Daddy. You probably can't tell from this picture, but Doug is one proud Daddy. I fell in love with him all over again - more than ever, just watching him play with our daughter and coax the first smile and giggle out of her.

The more she warmed up, the more she jabbered "baba, baba" which means daddy in Chinese. For the life of me, I cannot get the little bugger to say mama! But, that's OK... all in good time.

Maddie's dexterity is not nearly as developed as most 8-month olds. The many months of being incapacitated in her Michelan Man costume have hampered her coordination. She does this really crazy thing with her fingers - crosses them.

After taking a bottle, she settled down for a short nap. This feeling - the feeling that washed over me while holding our daughter while she was falling asleep - the love, the undescribable feeling of completeness and harmony - I want to hold onto it forever. Simply amazing. Thank you God for answering our every prayer and for keeping her safe and sound until we could get here.

As I write this, our little angel is fast asleep. She is so very precious. We know that the next few days, and maybe even weeks, are going to be extremely difficult as we all deal with grieving Madelines many losses in her young life. Before Doug went to bed, we were talking about her first smile - the first glimpse of what is to come - that one smile made the rest of the day pale in comparison and made all the tough times so beyond "worth it".

Please continue to pray for us as we deal with this transition. Much love, Doug &Beth, and Baby Maddie

The Great Wall

2009-02-28T11:13:00.003-05:00

What a day! Today Doug kicked MS's butt - he climbed the Great Wall!! I had no idea he was actually going to do it until he was already halfway to the first tower. It was the bravest and stupidest thing he has ever done - all at the same time. I was a wreck until he made it back down. Needless to say, he ddn't have any energy left for anything the rest of the day, but he was on cloud 9 just knowing that he accomplished that feat. I have never been so proud of him or so scared in my whole life. By the time I found him way off in the distance in the middle of a crowd of climbers, he was already struggling and he was only halfway up - with the trek back down (even more treacherous than going up) still looming in front of him. I kept thinking he would turn back but he didn't. The steps are very steep and all different sizes and heights. To see pictures of today's adventures, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow/GreatWallJadeCloisonne.

Today we also went to a jade factory and a cloisonne factory. We ate at an authentic Chinese restaurant, the went to the Summer Palace. Doug and I stayed on the bus for that tour - we are preserving our energy for the big day tomorrow. Mom did all the walking and handled it like a champ. Her view of the world is expanding by the minute here! I'm so happy that she gets to experience this with us.

By tonight, I was exhausted from all the walking and Mom was very tense in her neck and shoulders so we went down to the hotel spa for a massage. It was wonderful! Now, it is way past bedtime but I had to get this done before morning as there will be no time then.

Tomorrow is the BIG day! We meet the rest of our group in the hotel lobby at 8:30 and then head to the airport. We will fly from Beijing to Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, where we will meet our babies!! We, along with seven of the other families in our group, will meet the babies at our hotel in a conference room. The wave of reality are starting to come more often... this is actually happening... FINALLY!

Sorry for the short post tonight... for more on our day, see the captions in our photo album.

Please continue to pray for Maddie as her little world is about to be turned upside down. We love her so much, and in time, she will feel the same about us. But, until that adjustment is made, she will be scared to death and will grieve all the losses she has experienced in her short life.

Much love, Doug, Beth, & Grandma Jo

Friday-Beijing

2009-02-27T18:17:00.011-05:00

This is Kris's blog from yesterday:

Today we went to the forbidden city. One thing i've learned is that the chinese don't do anything small. The forbidden city has got to be a mile long from front to back. It's got 9,999 rooms. If you don't know, this is where the emperor lived, when he ruled. We learned all sorts of facts about it from our guide, Catherine, half of which I don't remember. Later that day we went to a acrobat show, which was totally awesome!!! The pictures don't do it justice, but I posted some. Today we go to the great wall. I'm excited about that. We leave at 8:30, and don't get back until 6:00 tonight, so it will be a long day. Oh, I forgot to tell you, we feel like rock stars here. We had many chinese people that wanted their picture taken with us, ecspecially Kaycee. It's like they never saw Amerians before. Well, we better get going, more later.

This little baby loved Kaycee. She kept trying to grab her hair.

This picture on the right is in the emperor's garden. It would have been prettier had it been summer.

These girls were amazing. The little one on the top couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 years old.

More About Yesterday's Tours

2009-02-27T14:02:00.006-05:00

Since I'm awake, here is the rest of our day yesterday. As I mentioned in the previous post, we visited Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City.

Tianamen Square is the entrance to the Forbidden City. It is a huge square where people congregate. Daniel, you can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square.

The Forbidden City served as the home of Chinese emporers for five centuries. In addition, it was also the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government. Daniel, more homework - read more about the Forbidden City here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_City. Also, I found this blog that outlines much of rich symbolism within the city: http://www.rccsd.org/MSmith/SocialStudiesChinaBeijingForbiddenCity.htm I started writing about the significance of the colors, numbers, carvings, etc., but why reinvent the wheel!? :)

The Forbidden City is amazingly well-preserved and just spectacular. The uneven cobblestones and many steps of varying sizes and shapes made for some treacherous walking. We survived it but we were all pooped by the end of the day. In total, we walked approximately 2.5 miles to see it all.

I'm using the term "walked" rather loosely because after about the first mile, I realized that I just didn't have the stamina to make it. So, when a nice young man offered to push me in a wheelchair, we took him up on his offer. This is how he makes his living to support his 2 kids - by pushing people in a rickety wheelchair. After I rode in the chair for awhile, Doug started struggling as well. So,we spent the rest of the day trading off time in the chair. I'd ride until he got tired, then he took his turn.

It was Mom, however, who took a tumble. At the very edge of the exit from the Forbidden City, missed a step and down she went. She bumped her head on rail as she went down. I didn't see it and I'm glad I didn't as I would have freaked! She knows me well... her first words were, "Oh I hope Beth didn't see that!" Other than her pride, she's OK. But, I'm guessing she'll be a little sore when she gets up in the morning!

Duing our visit to the Forbidden City, we learned a little about Chinese numerology. Within the city, there are 9 gates through which you must pass to get inside. There are also 9,999 rooms. There is a lot of significance to the number nine. The number 10 represents wholeness and completeness, and is reserved only for the Almighty Power (God). Number 9 is as close as a mortal being can get to 10. It represents longevity, finality, and supreme prosperity. The number 6 is significant in that it represents perfection and prosperity. I found this to be fascinating as Maddie's birthday is 6/6 and mine is 9/9. Based upon the theories surrounding numerology, these numbers pose some very interesting life lessons for both of us.

The Chinese avoid the number 4 as the word for 4 is the same as the word for death, but with a slightly different intonation. There is no 4th floor in our hotel or in most hotels in China (sort of like the number 13 in the US).

To see the rest of our story in pictures, please visit our photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow/TianamenSquareForbiddenCityAndFlyingAcrobatShow.

Last night, we saw the famous Flying Acrobat Show. It was simply amazing. Here are a few videos to give you just a taste...

Thank you all for the many comments and continued prayers and support. We are so blessed to be able to share this journey with each of you. Today we will be visiting the Great Wall and Summer Palace. Tomorrow, our lives will be forever changed as we will meet Maddie for the very first time! Until later... Much Love, Doug, Beth, and Grandma Joanna

A Day of Sightseeing and Soaking In the Culture

2009-02-27T08:07:00.005-05:00

We’re pooped. Doug is already asleep and I'm fading out as I'm blogging so I hope this makes sense. It will definitely be short! We’ve had a very busy and physically exhausting day.

I started the day with a good workout in the hotel’s fitness center – got the blood pumping. I missed my workout partner! Melody, too bad you couldn’t be here to work out with me. You would have loved it… this fitness room has top of the line equipment and every machine imaginable, as well as the full gamut of free weights.

Then we met Kris, Shawn, and Kaycee in the hotel restaurant for the elaborate breakfast buffet. While it had some pretty strange food for breakfast, it was very tasty.

They had an omelet station. In this photo, Shawn and Kaycee are waiting for their eggs to be cooked. Doug was helping himself to the many varieties of sausage and bacon on the buffet.

One of the most popular Chinese breakfast dishes is congee. Congee is a rice porridge. These dishes in front of the congee contained various items that could be added to the soupy mixture to make it tastier. Most of these items are pickled something or other. The one I tried as shaped like a tiny conch shell and tasted like nothing I have ever tasted before. The congee by itself was rather good – in a runny oatmeal sort of way. However, the things added to it must be an acquired taste… I didn’t really care for any of them.
One of the tables had a full salad bar spread for breakfast. The fruit from this bar was very tasty – fresh pineapple and watermelon.
The cup on the left is a cup of congee. The white puffy thing on the plate is a steamed dumpling. Also on the plate – watermelon, French toast with chocolate sauce, sausage link (type of meat unknown, very strange texture), salami slice, fried hash brown, spring roll, and a fried egg.

The coffee was like sludge – so strong and burnt that none of us could drink it, even with milk added. I added at least a ¼ cup of milk/cream and it was still this dark! Today, we visited Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, and saw a spectacular acrobatic show. Dinner was McDonalds just down the block from our hotel. Not my first choice by any stretch, but Dougie gets what Dougie wants - and tonight it was McD’s.

The Forbidden City tour consisted of lots of walking – close to 4 KM according to one of our informants. Mom and I just got back from the hot tub and my brain is so exhausted that I can’t think so I’m going to upload this post and try to write more tomorrow.

Less than 48 hours to Maddie!! Yes, we are now counting down the hours. We’ll be there soon, sweet baby girl. Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma cannot wait to see you and love on you in person!

Wrapping Up Our First Day in Beijing

2009-02-26T08:00:00.018-05:00

Before I turn in for the night, here is one final update for today. The next few days will be extremely busy so I don't know how much down time I'll have to blog.

Beijing is an extremely clean city - at least everywhere we've been. Everywhere you look there are street sweepers - and I don't mean the mechanical kind. Below is a picture of the two sweepers that keep the driveway to our hotel immaculate at all times. Even the floor of the parking garage at the airport was squeaky clean. There was not a drop of oil or any other type of fluid anywhere. I'm sure there are places in the city that are not so clean, but we haven't seen them. The only exception to the whole cleanliness factor is that people spit EVERYWHERE. When walking to dinner tonight, you had to constantly watch where you stepped because there is spit everywhere. Dad - you'd love it here! :)

This is the view from the window of our hotel room. The streets are very busy with pedestrians, bicycles of all shapes and sizes, and cars. Watching traffic from up here is a hoot. As far as I can tell, the only traffic rule that exists is "the bigger the vehicle, the faster you better run or pedal to get out of the way"! Pedestrians do NOT have the right-of-way.

T his is the view from our room at night. This picture really doesn't do it justice as there are so many beautiful lights.

We slept in today and missed the complimentary breakfast buffet so we hit the lunch buffet instead. Mom was so not impressed with the shrimp that watched her while she ate! They did have some fantastic smoked salmon, tuna, sushi, and desserts on the buffet. Everything else was excellent as well. However we learned a very expensive lesson at lunch... ALWAYS check prices and convert the RMB to USD before making any purchase decisions. The lunch buffet for the three of us was almost $100!! We will not be eating lunch here in the hotel again!

This is the lobby of our hotel. It is very beautiful and not a speck of dirt to be found anywhere!
Around 5 this afternoon, a bus arrived carrying the Eliases and the rest of the families in our travel group. It was so good to see some other familiar faces! Kaycee and Kris still looked like they had a little energy but it waned very fast.

Doug missed his little buddy Shawn! I think these two were quite happy to see each other. :)

Once Kris, Shawn, and Kaycee got settled in, we headed up the block for pizza. Did you know that they put pineapple on Pizza Hut Super Supreme Pan Pizza in China? Neither does Doug. He ate it and didn't even notice!! Hmmm... wonder if I can now start to get away with ordering it like that at home!

Our dinner party at Pizza Hut.

Kris and I were going to order some of these tasty appetizers but didn't know how to say lamb balls in Chinese so we just stuck with pizza and soda with no ice!

We cannot have ice in restaurants or drink tap water, or even brush our teeth with tap water as it can make for some very unpleasant gastro-intestinal experiences!! So, we drink soda without ice and brush our teeth using bottled water.
Poor Kaycee - she didn't even make it through dinner and she was out! She did wake up enough to eat and walk back to the hotel.

After dinner, everyone returned to the hotel except for Mom and me. We shopped at a Wonderful Market next door to our hotel. It is a combination flea market, electronics market, and grocery store and had lots of really cool stuff. We bought Evian bottled water for the next few days. I also found a CUTE little hat for Maddie. They have some really great bargains and I can't wait to go back there with Kris to shop some more!

Well, it's time for me to say good night. I want to get up early tomorrow morning and head down to the hotel fitness room before we take off for a day of tours and sight-seeing.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers! Much Love, Beth, Doug, & Mom

We're in Beijing!

2009-02-25T19:28:00.007-05:00

We made it! Our flight last night from Shanghai to Beijing was delayed by about an hour so we didn't actually get to our hotel until midnight. We were three whipped puppies! The upside to that is that we were all able to sleep through the night until 6 AM (which is actually 5 PM at home). I think we have a good start on kicking this jetlag!

Mom handled the trip like a champ. Before leaving, we were a little concerned about what 21 hours of travel would do to her legs. However, she had very little swelling and we are attributing that to the wonderful leg massage she had at the Atlanta Airport (in front of the electronics store).
Our hotel is absolutely beautiful and over-the-top comfortable. Once again, FTIA came through for us. They requested adjoining rooms for Mom and us and the hotel delivered. Having the adjoining rooms just makes or space feel so much bigger! The photo below is the doorway from our room into Mom's room. These pictures don't actually do the room justice. There is rich woodwork everywhere.

I did manage to blow up a circuit or fuse or something last night. I plugged our power converter into an outlet and then plugged in a 6-outlet power strip from home and it ticked off the "power gods". All the lights in one corner of our room flipped off. Everything works again this morning except for one lamp and I think we can live without that for now. We did all kinds of testing before actually plugging in our computers this morning. I learned my lesson! (Note to others who will be traveling sometime in the near future... some adoptive families who have been here before have been able to get those power strips to work. I have not. Use at your own risk!)

The rest of our travel group arrives this afternoon. We're looking forward to seeing Kris, Shawn, and Kaycee, and meeting the 8 other families in our travel group. The rest of today is a free day as we continue to adjust to the new time zone. We will venture out in a bit to visit some shops and to find a bite to eat. Much to Doug's delight, there is a McDonalds just down the block from our hotel.

Thanks, dear family and friends, for celebrating this journey with us and for the many Facebook messages and emails. We don't have the time to respond to each one individually but so appreciate every message and all of your prayers. More pictures from the first leg of the journey can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow/ChinaDay1.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, and Mom

We're In Shanghai!

2009-02-25T03:50:00.005-05:00

We made it - we're on the same side of the globe as our daughter! Right now we're in the business class lounge for Air China, waiting for our fight to Beijing. We have about a 3-hour layover. It's about 4 AM at home and 5 PM here. We should be in Beijing between 9 and 10 PM. Our flight took us north until we couldn't go north anymore and then we were going south. In other words, we went up over the top of the Earth. So far we have had nothing but daylight for the past 22 hours.
We flew business class coming over - one of the perks of Doug working for Delta! They fed us well. The routine was eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, repeat.

A mimosa before takeoff... life is good!

The first course of our 5-course gourmet dinner on the international flght.

Our one near catastrophe... the Sit-n-Stroll didn't make it with the res of the luggage when we arrived in Shanghai. So, Doug filled ou a claim form and we headed upstairs to check in for our next flight. While we were checking in, an agent from the airport came up to the counter and said that the Sit-n-Stroll was downstairs and that we needed to go claim it. Mom said she would go while we finish checking in. So of she went. Right after she left, one of the agents showed up with the stroller and no mom. He wanted the paperwork that mom had! So I went off to look for Mom but couldn't find her, couldn't find anyone to help me find her because of the language barrier, and I was freaking out... we lost Mom in Shanghai!

Finally, we ended up waiting at the ticket counter where she had last seen us and she fially came back up. They wouldn't let her back in where she needed to go to get the stroller because it would have meant going through customs and she didn't have a ticket. So, long story short, we made it to Shanghai with both Mom & the Sit-n-Stroll even though we lost both for awhile!

We'll begin boarding soon so I will sign off for now. Thanks for your many prayers and the love you're sending our way. We appreciate every message and can feel the prayers! Love, Beth, Doug, & Mom

We're On the Way!

2009-02-24T08:56:00.004-05:00

After a major flurry of activities, we left home a day early and spent the night at the Westin in Atlanta. Now, we're waiting at the gate to board our flight to Shanghai. From Shanghai, we will fly to Beijing where we will spend several days.
Squirt thought she was going to China too!

Mom, Doug and me at the South Bend airport.

Mom & Dad's touching farewell. :)

We're just leaving Mom here until we get back from China. She rather enjoyed the leg and foot massage!

Our chariot awaits. We're boarding!! The next time I post will be from China.

Packing

2009-02-23T07:08:00.002-05:00

I was hoping to sleep in this morning but no such luck. I woke up with all kinds of packing scenarios whirling around in my brain.

As we have been buying stuff for the trip, we have been throwing it in my roll-aboard suitcase. That is, anyway, until the suitcase was overflowing. Then we filled up Maddie's little crib in our bedroom. I just can't believe how much stuff we have to take for a kid - bottles, bibs, diapers, wipes, the little sucky thingy for her nose, and the small pharmacy for all of the "just in case" scenarios. To keep the volume and weight down, we split the list with Kris & Shawn but it's still a LOT of stuff!

We have been told that we can buy diapers and clothes in China - especially since we don't know for sure what size she's in now (it's hard to tell under those layers and layers of clothes in her pictures). However, we do need a few outfits and sleepers to get by until we get to the store after we receive her. And, we have so many cute little outfits, it's difficult to resist the urge to take them with us! As for diapers, we can buy those in China as well but the quality is not the same as what we have in the US. So, we have to take some of our diapers to use during travel to avoid messy accidents.

Holy cow - Doug just discovered that seats on our flights out of South Bend tomorrow morning are dwindling so we may have to fly to Atlanta tonight! Since we are flying on his Delta employee benefits, we fly standby if there is room on flights. Our flight from Atlanta to Shanghai is wide open, but getting from South Bend to Atlanta may be tricky in the morning.

Good grief - what am I still doing blogging??? I MUST get busy!

Getting Ready to Go!

2009-02-21T11:52:00.002-05:00

Wow - it's been a busy few weeks... haven't had time to blog lately so I have some catching up to do! We finally got our travel dates and itinerary confirmed. Thank God for my dear husband - when it comes to travel, paperwork, and all the other last-minute detail-oriented stuff, he's taking care of it ALL. All I have had to take care of is getting the nursery ready, packing, and making sure we have everything we need for Maddie. Of course, that has meant doing some shopping - much to my dismay (NOT)!

I'm not the only one who has trouble resisting all the cute baby clothes. Last week, Doug came home from working in Atlanta with another outfit. It is pictured below. I'm thinking we'll dress Maddie in that before we get on the Delta flight from Shanghai to Atlanta and that should secure us an upgrade into business class. (Fat chance, but it certainly doesn't hurt to dream!)

We have a friend who will be house sitting and taking care of the critters for us while we're gone. Dee - thank you so much for doing this for us! We think Red & Squirt will have a much easier time adjusting to the baby because they don't have to be uprooted while we're gone.

Here is a summary of our itinerary. Doug, Mom, and I will fly out of South Bend bright and early on Tuesday morning 2/24. After more than 26 hours of travel time we will arrive in Beijing Wednesday evening (China time). We will spend a few days in Beijing, sightseeing while we begin recuperating from the jetlag and adjust to the time zone that is 12 hours different from here. While in Beijing, we will visit the Great Wall, Summer Palace, Forbidden City, Olympic Village, and see an acrobatic show.

On Sunday 3/1 we will fly from Beijing to Nanchang. That afternoon, we will receive Maddie! OK - even as I type this, I'm having one of those fleeting moments of reality setting in. It still seems so surreal most of the time. I just CANNOT WAIT to hold my daughter!!

We will stay in Nanchang until Friday 3/6. During that time we will complete the adoption procedure for China. We will then fly to Guangzhou where we will wait for things to be finalized by the US Consulate. During down times, we will be spending lots of time bonding and getting to know our daughter. We will also have time in both Nanchang and Guangzhou to do some shopping and sightseeing. We will return home on 3/11.

Below are some updated photos of the nursery now that shower gifts have been put away.

Our little fashionista already has two closets full of clothes! All the hanging clothes are 6-12 month sizes. The two tubs on the top shelf of the big closet are 18 month clothes. Obviously, we're not hurting in that department!!

Much to our delight, our Sit 'n Stroll was delivered this week. I was concerned that it might not make it in time, but it got here - just like everything else along this journey... all in perfect time. You would think that I'd quit doubting that things are going to happen in time!! The only thing that we are still waiting for now is our new debit cards and we are praying those will be here today or Monday. (long story - I'll explain that one at another time)

We will be taking the Sit 'n Stroll with us to China. It converts from a stroller into a carseat/airplane seat. While we're not crazy about taking an empty carseat to China, this will save us big-time when we come home. That way, Maddie will be able to sleep comfortably (we hope) on the return international flight.

Dear family and friends - we ask for your continued prayers while w are on this trip of a lifetime. We will keep you updated through this blog as often as we can during our time in China.

Much love,

Beth, Doug, and Baby Maddie

More Baby Showers

2009-02-12T21:00:00.006-05:00

On Friday evening, 2/6/2009, Gloria and Megan, two of my very dear friends from work, hosted a baby shower for us in Gloria's log cabin. The cabin was very cozy and we had a great time. I am truly blessed to work with such a wonderful people! Thank you Gloria and Megan for a wonderful evening. You guys are the best!

Gloria (a.k.a. Martha Stewart, Sr.) lit the walkway to the cabin with these candles. It was beautiful!

These girls know me well - the set me up right next to the fire in the cozy cabin!

No, the wicker bassinette was not a gift. Just another one of Gloria's many touches.

Thank you my dear friends and teammates for all the gifts, tips, advice, and love. Thanks also to Spencer for taking the photos for me at the shower! To see more photos from this shower and the next one, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow/WorkAndFriendsBabyShower.

On Sunday 2/8, my wonderful girlfriends Susan and Kim hosted another baby shower for us at Susan's home. They invited all of my girlfriends and we had a great time.

Thank you Susan and Kimmy for the day of reminiscing and reconnecting with old friends. I love you guys so much! Baby Maddie is lucky to have Auntie Susan and Auntie Kimmy in her life.

Note to self: Before the next baby shower or party or gathering of any type, buy Susan a bigger martini shaker so she can enjoy the party rather than play barmaid all day!! :-)

What a wonderful variety of gifts we got! We won't have to buy diapers for a long, long time! Thank you, every one of our dear friends, for your generosity.

Jennifer Glass made this quilt in the photo below. The colors and textures in the quilt are exquisite. Four years ago when Jen and Greg (I work with him) brought their beautiful daughter Maya home from China, Doug and I decided it was time to start our journey. We never imagined this would happen, but Maddie and Kya are both from the same province as Maya! Thank you Glass family for your inspiration!

In addition to the two baby showers over this past weekend, we had a company dinner. We shared a table with Greg & Jen Glass and I'm sure the rest of the table was completely bored by our conversation. We talked about China, babies, and travel all evening. They had lots of pointers for us. We will be staying in the same places and seeing the same sights that they did four years ago.

Maddie - we are one blessed family! In the whirlwind of all the activities this weekend, it became abundantly clear that your Daddy and I are not the only ones excited about you coming home to live in the US. Everyone around us is celebrating right along with us and is so very eager to meet you. Our friends and extended family are as eager as we are to know you. There is so much love here for you and we cannot wait to share that with you in person!

As you start your day today sweet baby, may you be safe and surrounded by people who love you... people to whom your Daddy and I owe a huge debt of gratitude foror taking such good care of you until you are placed in our arms. Only 16 more sleeps and we'll be together at last.

With all our love,

Mommy & Daddy

Travel Dates!

2009-02-08T08:08:00.003-05:00

We got our travel dates Friday afternoon. We will be leaving 2/24 - that's only 16 days away!!!! Since we are traveling on Doug's pass benefits, it will take us a little longer to get there so we are leaving one day before the rest of our group (10 families in total). Our projected return date is 3/11. Now it's getting really real! Soon, very soon, we will be loving on our little girl in person! This weekend is a whirlwind of activities so I'll post more later.

Travel Approval!!!

2009-02-04T21:18:00.005-05:00

Our agency notified us today that the CCAA has updated their website indicating that we have been approved for travel to China... WOOHOO!! Another milestone down. We should know our travel dates by the first of next week. Based on the travel dates of others who also got their travel approval today, we could leave anytime between 2/19 and the first week in March. Our best guess is that we will traveling closer to the end of this spectrum.

On a not-so-happy note, Grandma Karen (Doug's mom) fell on the ice yesterday and hurt her back. Please pray for a speedy recovery for her. She will need a healthy back to be able to fulfill her dreams of spoiling her granddaughter!

Below is a link that I found to be very interesting and insightful. It was written by an adult adoptee. Family and friends, we share these links to give you some food for thought and with hopes that it will give you some insight as well, as you will be and already are such an important part of Maddie's life. This article may or may not be relevant for Maddie as she grows up, but Doug and I want to be as prepared and educated as possible to support our dear daughter when the "tough stuff" comes our way.

"I Don't Want Adoption to Define My Kids" The author of this essay talks about adoption defining her as a person, just as her race, her religious background, and her many other life experiences define her. We are all shaped by those varied life experiences and circumstances in which we are placed - things that bring us extreme joy or deep pain, people who touch us deeply, challenges over which we claim victory or admit defeat. Doug and I will strive to raise Maddie in such a way that she can embrace each of those events that shape her life.

We have learned that when we are faced with adversities - betrayal; loss of health, love, a dear friend; vulnerability - we can choose which path to take. One path can have us paralyzed by fear, hurt, and anger, and forces us to build walls. However, by embracing these adversities as gifts, we can head down a different path. On that path we are forced to grow, to learn, and to embrace new ideas. God never gives us more than we can handle and it's up to us to decide how we will react to each adversity. The reward for choosing the second path is enlightenment.

Our prayer is that Doug and I can be examples for Maddie so that she learns to choose that second path with each of her adversities. We want her to be secure enough with us to be able to express herself and to talk to us about the "tough stuff" as she grows up.

Sweet Baby Maddie, in just a few short weeks you will be placed in our arms and all of our lives will be forever changed. We thank God for choosing us to be your parents.

With all our love from half a world away,

Mommy & Daddy

Baby Shower #1

2009-02-02T20:22:00.010-05:00

Saturday night, our friends Chuck and Tawna threw us a baby shower. Chuck did all the heavy lifting and Tawna brought her "A Game" in the creativity department. This shower/celebration was with our crazy cruising friends - the gang we spend Memorial Day, Labor Day, Nagy Pool Party Day, New Years Eve, and many other fun times with each year.

Not only was this a baby shower for us, but it was also a celebration for our friends Kris & Shawn. They're travelling when we do to bring home Baby Kya. Kya and Maddie are both in foster care and being supervised by the same orphanage. Kris insisted that she didn't want a shower so there were a few activities to raise some money to contribute to their travel fund.

I'm not normally a fan of shower games, but Tawna had some doozies and a good time was had by all...

Activity #1: Family Feud - Doug's team vs. my team. He had the girls on his team and I had the boys. The guys did well but the girls won so Doug got the gift - cute little onesies.

Activity #2: Wii Cow Racing - a tournament where each contestant had to buy a slot on the board. The winner split the money with Kris & Shawn. Those cows ran for all they were worth and no scarecrow was safe...

Activty #3: It's never a party until Chuck outdoes his antics from the previous party. Saturday night was no different... he didn't disappoint. One of the fundraising activities for Kris & Shawn's trip was tucking bucks in Chuck's diaper. This is wrong on so many levels!!! But hey, as long as it's for a good cause... (Oh, and you won't catch me wearing that scarf EVER again!!)

We got some wonderful gifts. Grandma Karen made a Daddy Apron for Dougie. The pockets contain air freshener, a stuffed donkey (hmmm... she does know her son!), diapers, rubber gloves, baby washcloths, and wipes. Oh, and notice the nipples!! It's so adorable...

Thank you to all of our wonderful friends for the beautiful gifts and for celebrating this journey with us. We love every one of you and can't wait to introduce you to Maddie. We pray that when Maddie grows up she will have an amazing and diverse group of friends just like we we do.

To see more pictures from the shower, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/grabersnow/ChuckTawnaBabyShower.

Still Waiting on Travel Authorization

2009-01-29T22:44:00.006-05:00

At the end of last week, the CCAA shut down for Chinese New Year. They are closed all of this week as well. So, we will not get our travel authorization until sometime next week (at least we hope we'll get it then).

Next week, Maddie will be 8 months old. Even though we have so much to do before we travel, it is hard to be here when she is there and turning another month older. While we don't know for sure, we estimate that we will probably travel around the first of March. About the time she gets placed in our arms, she will be almost 9 months old.

This part of the wait is getting more difficult by the day. Both Doug and I are having a difficult time sleeping or staying asleep. The other night both of us woke up at 2 AM and couldn't go back to sleep. Maddie is at the forefront of our thoughts every moment of every day. We are both blessed to be busy enough at work to have that as a distraction. That makes time go by a little faster. However, when I think of the fact that it will probably be another 4 weeks before we travel, it feels like time is almost standing still and I get just a little nutso.

Our friend Susan bought Maddie's first winter coat - a red wool cape. It is the most darling coat. Tuesday morning before going back to Atlanta (for work), Doug opened up her closet, took out the coat, and just stared at it for awhile. Then he said, "I can just see her wearing this to church with her dress and little white tights." Maddie isn't even here yet and she already has Daddy wrapped around her little finger!! Yes, our Dougie is a big old softie! :)

Maddie - we'll be there soon! Daddy and I are sending all our love on the wings of a prayer from half a world away.

Maddie's Foster Mother

2009-01-22T19:57:00.004-05:00

Our adoption coordinator, Melissa, confirmed today that the lady holding Maddie in the photo below is her foster mother. It is highly unusual for Chinese orphanages to provide photos of foster parents. What a special blessing to be able to have that bit of Maddie's history to pass along to her as she grows up! The look of pride on foster mom's face tells me that she loves our little girl and I am at peace knowing that she is being so well cared for.

The closer we get to the end of this phase of our journey, the more difficult the wait becomes. Doug and I both agree that the four years wait was tough. However, now that we know her sweet face, it adds a whole new degree of difficulty.

Still no word on travel arrangements. After tomorrow, the CCAA shuts down for over a week to celebrate Chinese New Year (a.k.a. Spring Festival). So, if we don't hear by tomorrow, we will have to wait another week before any chance of knowing more about travel dates.

Thank you all for your good wishes, prayers, and comments here and on FaceBook. Maddie - you are already so loved and we just cannot wait to bring you home!

Updated Photos!!

2009-01-21T18:44:00.005-05:00

We got updated photos of Madeline today. The timestamp on the photos shows that these were taken at 12:50 AM today – that is 1:50 PM in Maddie’s current world.

We also got updated measurements... she currently weighs 18 lbs and is 27.5 inches tall.

The second we get her home, we’re contacting Michelin to talk about a modeling contract – she can be the new Michelin Man!!

It is not uncommon for babies in China to be bundled in 6-7 layers of clothing. If you take them out – even in the summertime – with exposed skin other than their chubby little cheeks, some of the Chinese people will chide you and try to cover up the child. Hence, Maddie's outfit.

The lady holding Maddie - we're not sure if that is her foster mother or one of the nannies at the orphanage. In any event, it looks like Maddie is loved and well care for. I just can't wait to kiss those rosy cheeks!!

The Nursery Set Up... Now All We Need Is Maddie!

2009-01-19T21:49:00.012-05:00

It's been a busy few weeks.... cleaning, organizing, and cleaning some more. I'm happy to report that the nursery is, for the most part, done. Thanks to Susan for the beautiful crib! She and I had a blast putting it together. Furniture assembly doesn't stress her nearly as much as it does Doug!! :)

There are a lot of great memories associated with some of the pieces in this nursery. My dad made the dresser in the corner for my mom just before I was born. As a kid, we stored anything and everything in it. I'm thrilled to be able to use it for Maddie. It holds a LOT of stuff! The glider was my grandmother's. She was my height and it fits me perfectly. I used to play with the little kid's chair at Grandpa Graber's house when I was a kid. We are looking forward to making many more beautiful memories with Maddie and hope that someday she can share some of them with her children.
Grandma Karen (Doug's mom) made the adorable quilt hanging on the front of the crib.

When we first started this journey, Amanda Gerard made these beautiful Chinese characters for us. The one on the left is "Safety" and the middle one is "Peace". We continue to pray for Maddie's peace and safety every day. We have waited four years to frame these. Thanks Amanda!!

Doug and I cannot wait to curl up with Maddie in this cozy corner and read lots of books.

To ease the transition once we get home, Maddie will sleep in our room for awhile. This crib also holds some sentimental value - my dad and his brothers and sisters slept in it when they were babies.

One Step Closer...

2009-01-07T21:34:00.004-05:00

Today we got the call from Dr. Haimes's Office. Everything looks good on Madeline's medical report. As we suspected from the photos, she appears to be a healthy baby!

After we got the news, we shipped our referral acceptance packet to FTIA - our agency. On Friday, they will return the paperwork to China. Once China receives it, they will take the necessary steps to grant us travel approval. Once travel approval is issued, our agency will schedule an appointment for us with the Chinese Consulate. These are all the steps that will have to happen before we can leave for China. This process will take approximately 6-7 weeks.

We'll be there soon, Maddie! We can't wait to meet you in person.

Letter to Madeline

2009-01-05T19:32:00.004-05:00

Dear Maddie ~

One week ago today I saw your sweet face for the very first time. The first moment that your photo opened on my monitor, a lightbulb turned on in my head and everything became clear, crystal clear. In that one tiny spec of time, I knew that God answered every prayer that your daddy and I have ever prayed for you - and many, many more that we didn't even know to ask for.

Your sweet face was the face I had been trying to picture for four years but couldn't quite see. However, the moment I saw you I felt as if I had known your face all my life. In less than an instant I recognized you, my daughter - there was no question, no doubt - we belong together, we are family. You are my daughter, born in my heart. You are the one that your daddy and I have loved so fiercely since long before you were born, the one that my arms ache for. In that instant I knew why we had to wait for four years... because you are part of God's perfect plan. In that instant, I fully understood the meaning of "God's perfect timing."

Sweet Baby Maddie, my heart aches for the great losses you have already suffered in your short life. Your daddy and I recognize that the events of the next two months will be another source of immense grief for you - as you are taken away from your familiar surroundings, from the foster family you have grown to love so much, from familiar sounds and smells. We will be there to comfort you and help you get through it. We promise to be patient and to give you the time you need to grieve those losses. We also recognize that when you are placed in our arms for the first time, we have had four years to get used to the idea of the three of us as a family. But, you will not have had the luxury of that time. Again, we will give you the time you need.

Your daddy and I promise to love and nurture you; to teach you about God's love, about faith, and the importance of prayer; and to protect you. We promise to love you enough to let you make mistakes sometimes, and we will teach you about making good choices. We promise to raise you to be proud of who you are, proud of your Chinese heritage. We promise to take time to celebrate life's golden nuggets as they are presented to us and we promise to address difficult issues.

As you are starting your day, dear Maddie, your daddy and I pray that you can feel our love from half a world away.

All our love,

Mommy (& Daddy)