A few more pics...

I love this picture because 1)you can tell how naughty Timmy is and 2) look at Emma... staring at Timmy. She watches him and then a few days later she is doing the same 'ole thing! Monkey see, monkey do is lived out everyday in my house!

Emma is turning into quite the climber. She was very proud of herself for getting on top of these boxes!

Emma with her crew

We're Alive!

Oh, my... we have had quite a time these last few weeks! To sum it up, everyone in our family has been sick and on antibiotics... all but my oldest son and TODAY he came down with a fever. Monday was a holiday, so we were off school, I missed 2 days of work for illnesses, and the last 2 days of the week are snow days. I am ready for a warm, spring day so I can open up the windows and set these germs FREE!!!! Emma Grace had a week and a half with her babysitter before the snow and illnesses hit and she did awesome. We are so blessed to have such a caring lady watch our Emma Grace while we work! Emma cries for a few minutes when I drop her off, but then settles down and plays. She eats well and sleeps well and is so happy when I pick her up. It was a huge sigh of relief for me to see her so well adjusted. I feel confident that she knows mommy is always coming back for her! There is really nothing to report about the little princess. She continues to thrive here and is capturing our hearts more and more each day. How did I ever live without her?

The top picture is Emma Grace on our 3rd day together. The bottom picture is Emma Grace just a few days ago. She has gained about 2 pounds since coming home (she has only been home 3 months!!!!) She is 18 months old and still under 20 lbs, but growing so much and so fast.

oh, how I love to see that belly hang over her diaper!

Rascal #1 taught Rascal #2 how to climb on the train table. I walked into the room and saw these two trouble makers waiting for me!

Merry Christmas, MinLi

Well, you all have heard me talk about Josh (Minli). This little guy is the only person that Emma Grace has spent her entire life with. They lived at the Fuzhou orphanage together (not sure if they were in the same room, but they were both there together). They were then both taken to the hospital for heart surgery, where I would guess they were kept in the same room. Then, they were taken to PHF together, where they lived in the same house... until we cam to get Emma late October. It was heartbreaking to take Emma away from him, and we want nothing more than for Josh to find a family. But, his papers are not ready, so he will sit and wait.

I got a little emotional when I saw this picture. First, I am so thankful he is at PHF and that there are people like Clay and Jewel (seen in the picture with him) that have sacrificed their lives to serve these children. But, he doesn't have a mom and a dad. I am sure he is loved, but he needs a family. He is very delayed, more so than Emma Grace was. We were told that they just found he has spina bifada, but it can be fixed. He has a heart condition, but that has been fixed as well. A family would truly make all the difference in the world to this little guy. I wonder if he ever thinks about Emma Grace and wonders where she went. So sad.

So, we are praying that 2011 will be his year. Hopefully his file will hit the shared list and a lucky family somewhere can snatch him up.