Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Birthday!

Okay - I still don't have time - even though I've had the whole week off! I can't believe it...this job will make it impossible to ever have another job again! And, once I go back - I work for about 3 weeks...then I'm off for 2 weeks! Julia has absolutely loved it! Unfortunately - she now has to go back to school tomorrow and she's not looking forward to it.

She turned 3 a few weeks ago - and had a great birthday! I am posting one pciture for now...but I will have more - I promise! So much to tell you about how she's changed and grown - we laugh every day and she is so sweet and smart and just gorgeous! Life is good! We had a LOT to be thankful for this year again...

See you soon...

Just not enough time!!!

I have been so busy - I barely even have time to keep up with this posting. I am loving my new job and enjoying teaching my class!!! The girls are fantastic.

Julia is getting so darned big! I can't believe she'll be 3 in a few weeks. She is sooooo smart and still gets prettier every day. She's very independent except when she wants to be spoiled.

The basement is still being worked on and I DO have pictures. I just haven't gotten to put them up yet.

I'll really try to get to it next week.

Lots of love to everyone!

And....Happy Halloween!

2 Incredible Years and just sooo busy

So I missed posting in August and I missed posting on the anniversary of our VERY special day! We did get to spend it with our good friends and fellow China travelers Gretchen, Bob and Maggie and then later over last weekend with Becki, Bill and Faith and Theresa, Mark, Ava, Evan, Jean and Nancy. We missed the picnic in August with the other families and hope to see them again soon.

Needless to say - I've been so busy. I am just loving my new job, it's very busy and rewarding. My students are so nice and so is the other faculty and administrative staff. I have a nice combination of teaching and doing administrative work - which is great cause I love knowing what's going on in many aspects so I cna contribute as much as possible.

My class has 16 students about 5 come from Mexico and 1 from China and the rest from America. They are 6th graders and I'll tell you what - I forgot what it was like to be 11, 12. They are just adorable though and I must say I have a soft spot for a few of them. Now that I think of it, I hav a soft spot for most of them: Jo, Mariana, Olivia, Nelly, Neno, Jiru (Victoria), Natalie, Madaline, Reba, Marines, Maricarmen, Emily, Corry, Paola Ba., Paola Br. They are all great!

Well, that's it for now. I know I need to post some pictures, but I'm not kidding you - I have very little time. My house is a mess, the laundry needs to be done, homework to be graded and I'm dying for some pamper time. I need a facial and a haircut badly.

It's been a great summer and I can't believe how much joy Julia has brought us. She gave us a hard time for the past 2 months but she sems to be improving now. She is all but completely potty trained. She is doing so great. She is so smart and still sings and dances and is just very warm and relatively outgoing. She is possessive and certainly has shown her stubborn side and telling us no - which is hard not to laugh at (she crosses her arms and everything - very serious). There just are not enough words. 2 years ago today - we arrived home in America with our precious daughter - can't believe it!

Love to you all.

New Job!

I am barely making it for this post...believe it or not, I have been very busy. I just got a new job...it happened in a very funny way. The company I have worked for the past 5 years (about) is not doing so well. I had been pretty burned out and felt very unappreciated. My co-co-worker felt the same and also kind of felt beat up by the whole thing. So, they asked me if I would take a "partial" layoff. It sounds good on paper sure - but it is disruptive to Julia's schedule and not exactly creating a secure future for us. So, I said I would and I believe they truly think things will improve and I would have definitely been able to return (though I'll admit, I felt kind of singled out.) Either way, I applied to a position and was offered the job (pretty much on the spot, which is very flattering.) I half wish I had some more time off before leaving my old job and starting my new job (you know time off without worrying about the future). I wanted to wait until the UE ran out and then look for a job (believe it or not, but after daycare expenses, I would have made more money on UE than working!) But this opportunity presented itself and it is ideal. I will be working in an administrative position and teaching at a local, private, all girl boarding school!! I am very excited.



As you know I have been teaching adult education computer night classes at a local Vo-Tech school and have really enjoyed it. I am looking for more guidance on the teaching process and hope to finally call this my career. Unfortunately, I love admin work and the organization and hands into everything that goes along with it. I love the accounting, and computer work, etc. So, we'll see. I hope I am good at it and can maybe grow and get more classes. At least I'm not doing what I was doing before - which I really didn't like.



The people seem nice but I'm still nervous since it's all new to me. I like being on top of things and knowing what I need to know. It will be hard for me to be the new guy. There is a lot to learn (as always.)



Now, what you really want to hear about - JULIA! Well, we have enjoyed our extra time together and took advantage of it. We went to the beach with Aunt Barbara and Uncle Jack and to the zoo with Loreen and Gwen. And, most importan - Julia has been potty training. I am going to have to get the exact date - but it was last week on Thursday or Friday. I let her run around naked (which, frighteningly, she loves) and she would go on her little potty. I just can't gush over this child enough. She is beautiful and brilliant and so easy and good. I asked Eric last night if it is normal to just think everyday that your child is amazing. Oops - she's waking up now - I'd better go.



More later - with pictures!

Time is FLYING!!!!

So, It looks like I missed May's post...and, I have so many great pictures to post and things to talk about. Julia is such a beach girl! We just came home from Sea Isle and Julia just couldn't stand to leave (no bye-bye she kept saying). She's a crane fanatic and has NO FEAR of the ocean...she would just run down and straight into the waves (before grandma or I could even get there!)

I am not even sure which pictures I'm posting - except that they are all from May and/or June. I'll have to post again in July with more detail about the wonderful, loving, brilliant, exceptional, perfect, little girl that we are so fortunate to call our daughter! As much as my heart broke while waiting for Julia and as sad and devestated I was is not even close to how happy and full of love I am today.

Pic 2- Daddy and Julia dressed up

Pic 3 - Julia burrying Daddy and herself

Pic 4- Julia & Grandma Bonnie

Pic 5 - Julia and Grandma Nettie (Tea Party)

Julia and her friend Kyle (Joe and Diane's little boy, 1.5 y.o.) sharinga snack (and the couch)

April - and we're growing so darn fast!

This spring is going so quickly! We had a great Easter in March and I still have some photos from that...then, we went to Texas - Julia's frist flight since China. She did great! She was not scared and was natural flyer. Then, we had a very nice visit with our Texas cousins - Julia was very happy to see Kaylee and Ashlyn. She calls her Uncle Rich, Uncle Gitch.

I'll post some pictures - but, it's hard to keep up with all the "latests." Julia loves the Wonder Pets, the Backyardigans, playing outside in her sand and water table, cooking, eating, balloons, gymnastics, make up, singing, dancing, drumming, watching herself on video, princesses (Ariel is now up there with Cinderella), she will wad up a piece of paper, hand it to you and say "happy Birthday," she can count to 5 in Spanish, likes to give out milk in the mornings at school, feeds Leia the cat as part of her chores after school...and is just generally perfect! She still also loves grandfather's roast beef and REALLY enjoys spending time with her grandfather and GRANDMOTHERS! She is spoiled rotten, but very happy and pleasant. Oh, and she likes to get out of bed in the morning and very quietly walks down the hallway to our room (with her hippo, elmo and blanket) and climb into bed (still around 7 am) and watch cartoons in the morning. She is very quiet and usually closes her bedroom door behind her.

Also important to note is that when we order pizza, she eats salad...crazy kid. I mean, she eats some pizza, but prefers a salad (I wish I her her eating habits). She also likes to sit in the driver's seat of the car and pretend she's driving. Her pretending is getting good and she also likes to play doctor (mostly sticking band-aids on everybody and everything), and makes her princess figures go to the ball and stuff like that. No dolls still, but she will bring them out for her tea parties. Puddles are also fun - she likes to jump in them and had a great time splashing in grandma Bonnie's puddles. Then she just started walking up the hill behind grandma's house, too. No worries - no fears...she also came down, too (but daddy was nearby to help.)

We went to the Dutch Apple Theater this past weekend to see Charlotte's Web. She was pretty tired and slept through about half of it, but she really does like the theater. She would clap in between songs.

We're really looking forward to the shore season and the pool and daddy is still trying to get some time to work on the basement (har dto do with a busy schedule and a 2 year old). We'll get there!

Lots of love to all our family and friends.

Coffee, Bon Jovi, and No school mommy....

I have never been prouder as a mother! Yesterday as Eric and I were getting around in the morning and drinking our coffee and Julia was eating her cereal, she decided she wanted coffee, too. And not in one of her little cups, but "big cup mommy." So we gave her some....okay, it was mostly sugar and milk, but she thought she was cool!

And, to top it off (here's where the pride REALLY comes in) it was in a Bon Jovi Have a Nice Day Tour mug.....and she KNEW what it was....she said Bon Jovi and then said I like Bon Jovi...oh my gosh - I think a little tear rolled from my eyes. I just love this little girl sooooo much!

Then this morning, she says "no school mommy." That was a first...she was still okay and went without a fight, but she is making up her mind now as to what she wants and likes.

This past weekend, we had the fantastic Easter Egg Hunt at the Powell's (another couple we went to China with and whose daughter was with Julia while in China.) Julia had a blast! The egg hunt was at a school gymnasium and was filled with eggs, treats, balloons, and balls. Julia most enjoyed running around the gym back and forth without a care in the world and like she owned the place. She would occasionally look around for us, but for the most part, felt comfortable on her own. (Of course, mommy kept an eye on her all the time.) Some of the pictures we took didn't turn out but I'm posting one or two. One of the pictures that is hard to see, she is petting a bunny - she just loved doing that - she would have sat there all day....and she was very gentle.

We'll be back soon.

I Love this picture....

Okay, it was really hard to get Julia to pose and smile for the camera (the pictures with Eric came out better because I was standing behind the camera and making her laugh and smile, for my photos, daddy wasn't there and it was just the photographer doing stupid stuff....) So, eventually the photographer and I just gave up trying to "pose" and I just started chasing Julia around and she tackled me...the photographer caught this candid photo....I think it demonstrates how happy I am to be Julia's mom and she's smiling, too...so I assume I'm a "fun" mom.

Mommy and Julia Photos

Family Photo

Daddy & Julia Photos...

Gymnastics - Plus, 3 years ago!

Okay...I actually have a minute....Julia started gymnastics last month. She LOVES it! Mostly she enjoys bouncing on the trampoline, but the other stuff is okay, too. The first class, we had a teacher who put them on the balance beam and the high bars (okay low bars), but the regular teacher doesn't really do that. Here's some pics....

This one is from Christmas time when Julia was putting on her makeup - what a star! She's talking so much now and is so sweet. She's very polite - please, thanks and your welcome, bless you, excuse me, etc. Bath time is still fun - she likes to paint and splash, but doesn't care for getting her hair washed. Bedtime is pretty good, though she definitely wants to stay up longer. She reads the books to us now, too. And, she loves her books!! Sometimes I take her to the book store (one of her favorite new books is one she picked out - something about teeth by Dr. Seuss) and she hates to leave. Which brings up her love of shopping and just being around places with lots of people.....I'm guessing that's some residual effect of living in China.

Her favorite activity is to watch TV - she loves the Wonder Pets and is starting to get into Dora and Diego....but she'll watch just about anything. She knows MINE pretty well but shares and is very proud when she shares. She loves to do art projects and sing and dance and jump on the bed. She doesn't eat as much as she used to but still eats just about anything. She recognizes the GOLDEN Arches from about a mile away and prefers strawberry milkshakes with her happy meal (you can thank daddy for that one!)

Julia loves visiting both of her grandma's and they both enjoy spoiling her and she really loves her grandfather's roast beef (whenever we see grandfather that's what he makes and she calls it by name and links the two - grandather/roast beef).

Another cute thing she does is movie nights when we make popcorn (thanks to Uncle Joe and Joey's Boy Scout troup - we should be good for a while). When I put it into 2 bowls, one of them is bigger. If I give her the smaller bowl, she'll switch bowls with her daddy to make sure she gets the bigger bow. When his little bowls runs out, she'll dip her hand into her bowl and scoop more into his....awe, come on say it, how cute!

She's growing like a weed and is so much fun to be with. She's warm and smart and funny and loving and just perfect. If only she would stop biting her friends at school. We actually figured out the routine - she only seems to bite if she is sick...which, fortunately she has been pretty healthy. Yes, fortunately for us and the other kids. She's doing really well at school and seems well liked by her classmates, but is very possessive of mommy and daddy when we pick her up - "that's MY mommy," she'll say and will push the other kids away if they get too close to us.

Okay - I feel like I've covered alot (mostly since we missed most of last month's activities) and I know that mostly people want to see pictures. So, I'll post a few more if I can. Otherwise, this information will just be nice to keep on here so one day Julia can see what kinds of things she did when she was little.

Oh, the plus 3 years ago.....on Groundhog's Day, it was 3 years ago that we started the adoption process. (Waited 1.5 years and have been home for 1.5 years)...The current wait for China adoptions is approximately 3 years!!!!! I just can't imagine! And, many of the other countries have closed...Vietnam included (and most likely Guatamela). I keep those families and those children in my thoughts.

Didn't Get to the New Year yet....

The holidays were such a blur of activity......I haven't even had a moment to get the pictures uploaded. Suffice it to say that Julia had an awesome Christmas! She was such a joy and delight and it was very hard to get her back into the swing of things in the new year...in facts, she went throught about 2 weeks of not sleeping through the night. She REALLY enjoyed going to Eric's company Xmas party at the American Music Theater....you would havethought she knew how to behave in the theater...she sat in her chair andw as mesmerized and clapped in between each performance just like the rest of the crowd....she didn't want to leave.

Probably because we did so much together and had so much time together. The presents she enjoyed most were balloons and Pez candy....

I am mostly posting tonight because I try to get at least one post in every month....nothing like waiting until the 31st to do it. We are very busy in the next few weeks. Next week especially...Tuesday is Mardi Gras (yeah) and Thursday is Chinese New Year!! On Friday we're hoping to get our family portrait done. (So, hopefully I'll post that in a few weeks).

Anyway...Happy New Year! I'll put photos up soon....maybe even tomorrow.