Favorite Photo Friday {Golden Moments}

I am trying to be intentional this Christmas not to get so busy that I miss the golden moments that come with this season and the celebration of our Savior's birth  .

Some of our recent "golden moments" include the sparkle in Lily's eye that I saw the day we brought out our tree and she saw the lights for the first time.



And the sweet kiss that she planted on her big brother...



Watching her play with the china tea set that belonged to my grandmother's aunt...



Taking Lily to see Santa for the first time...

Lily went from wonder and innocence exploring the cookie jars while we were waiting...



to a very sad little girl who was petrified of the big man with the white beard! (or maybe she was screaming about her mom who had not showered and went out looking like this in public :)




but tears slowly faded into smiles with the yummy gingerbread cookie they gave her...





One of my favorite moments of this month was Lily's "golden birthday" a couple of weeks ago.


The day started with lots of balloons filling her room as she woke up (thanks Dad!), singing happy birthday with a candle in her pancakes and having several of my close friends and family over for lunch with Lily!


Thanks to my parents, Lily had the perfect golden dress for her special day. It looked like a princess and she was living it up, flowing and dancing around the house in her abundance of gold tulle.





We sang happy birthday, Lily gave us her proud "two" pose and then she did her best to blow out the candle...



She opened each gift with enthusiasm and wonder...



Then we celebrated with a little Chinese tradition thanks to my thoughtful niece who called me the night before the party to share what she had studied in her Chinese class in college.


In China, on the child's first birthday, the parents place different objects out and see which one the child goes to first. Each object represents a different occupation/career (i.e. stethoscope/thermometer=doctor, calculator=accountant, orange=good fortune, etc.) and whatever they choose first is supposed to predict their future. 


We placed about 12 items on the floor for Lily and made some bets as to what she would go to first...any ideas???


She picked up the thermometer first (a future doctor perhaps?? or as our doctor said, maybe hot tempered?  I like to go with the doctor :)

 then the i-pod (musician...this definitely is true to her nature as she LOVES to listen to music)



and a calculator (accountant) was third.  Only time will tell and I look forward to seeing how God will use this little girl to impact His kingdom.



Michael came home from out of town late on the night of her birthday so of course we had to sing (again!). I saved her "one less broken" cake for us to have with her daddy.


The day started with laughter and smiles and ended with this...



It just melts my heart everytime I see her love on Michael...especially knowing how far she has come since our time in China. She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her daddy!!!


I am sure our sweet Savior longs for us to be captivated by Him the very same way.

More golden moments to come...on Sunday she will be dedicated at our church and as God would see fit...it will be the same date that she was abandoned in the Nanyang city park two years ago...broken and alone.   

God's redemptive story is still alive. 

Christmas came early for us...March 14, 2011 to be exact. We were handed one of the best gifts we have ever received that day and we are over the moon excited that Lily is with us this year for Christmas!

Tea party...cupcakes...and turning TWO

Friday is Lily's "golden" birthday...she turns two on the 2nd!  It is also our first birthday to celebrate with her.   

Last year Michael, Spencer and I celebrated her special day by making a cake and singing to her sweet referral picture that we love.



This year she will be surrounded by some of her very favorite people who have loved her so well. Several of my close friends and family are coming over today for "lunch with Lily"! What a blessing they all have been to her and we are so grateful for the gift of family and friends. {more pictures to come on the details of her party :)}

I recently took some photograhy classes online and found a blog {Fresh From God} that inspiried the following pictures I took last week of Lily.  


My Mom graciously stitched every detail of the beautiful dress, pants and lace leggings that Lily wore for her tea party!

I'm not sure who had more fun...me watching Lily or her having fun with the china tea set and cupcakes! {Yes...my Mom willingly let her play with this real china tea set and Lily did great! The only mishap we had was a clean break on one of the cups which was my fault...not Lily's}


I used a quilt that my grandmother Mimi made for me and one of her purses that belonged to her aunt that raised her. I love the wording that she stitched on the blanket....



Lily was in her element with the tea set having fun pretending to drink and pour tea into the cups.



I love these pictures that show the details of the vintage buttons and ruffles on the pants and dress. My mom is so talented and can do most anything as long as she has a picture to go by! {Thank you Mom for making this beautiful dress for Lily...it is perfect in every way.} 



LOVE these lace leggings around her feet and her little hands getting ready to dive into the cupcakes we brought out for her to enjoy.





Here she is showing her "two" pose...this is what she does when I ask her how old she is going to be! She hold up her two pointer fingers and smiles so big.



It didn't take her long to dig into the icing (my kind of girl) and discover the yummy treats!



In fact...her brother decided to take a break from chopping wood with Michael and join in the fun.





Love this sweet kiss with the sunlight behind them...



Spencer got tired of the icing and decided to lie down and take a break...Lily on the other hand was completely engaged in the icing!



Even my Mom got in on the action...



A picture of Spencer wouldn't be the same without some kind of silly pose....



Our sweet Lily is turning two today whether I am ready or not. I would love to freeze her at this age for awhile becuase we are having so much fun but we know that God has BIG plans for her and we look forward to seeing that unfold in the days and years ahead.



Happy Birthday Lily! We love your joyful spirit, adventurous nature and fun-loving personality. You have changed our world in a way we cannot explain and we are forever grateful for the gift we have been given in YOU, sweet child of God.


Today we remember your birth mom and the incredible sacrifice of love she made to give you life. We will always remember her and pray that wherever she is in the world that today, God gives her peace in knowing that you are safe and loved beyond measure.

November 3, 2010 {the day that changed our world}

Thank you father for the reminder that I am to find joy in the setbacks and disappointments in life...


I am learning that this life is hard at times and I need complete dependence on you to stay grounded and not be tainted by the world. 


Captivate my heart Lord Jesus to be in this world but not of it...to be transformed by you. 


Lord, interrupt my day as you see fit...open my eyes Lord to what you want to show me and how you want me to make an impact for your kingdom. 

These were the words I penned in my journal a year ago today. 


The months leading up to this day had been a season of feeling God's silence in the midst of many challenges.  I remember running that morning crying out to God that I needed to hear Him speaking clearly to me. 


At 4:30 pm God spoke clearly and chose to interrupt my day with a phone call from our agency...a call that was completely unexpected...a call that would forever change the course of our family. 


I was talking with my sister wishing her a happy birthday when I saw a call from our adoption agency come through.  Since we were not expecting a call about a possible match until spring of 2011 I didn't answer,thinking that they probably were calling about some additional paperwork.  When I finished talking with my sister I called our agency.


The voice on the other end said, "We have a little girl that we would like for your family to consider." 


My heart skipped a beat. 

Excitement, fear and joy flooded my soul. 


She began to tell me everything about a little girl named Dang Yue Xin. 


It felt like time stood still. 


After I hung up the phone the e-mail came through with all her information and I immediately called Michael before I opened it. 


I asked him if he was sitting down. 

I forwarded the e-mail to him and together we opened it and looked at the pictures of beautiful little Dang Yue Xin. 

We affectionately call this one our little "pumpkin smurf".

This was her finding ad picture...the outfit she was wearing when she was found abandoned in the Nanyang city park on December 18, 2009...only 16 days after her birth.







In China they apparently like to take mirror-image pictures...our agency assured me we weren't getting twins (although I would take two of her any day!)



These were the pictures we saw together on November 3, 2010.

Michael radiated complete peace and joy.

I wanted to feel the same way but if I am completely honest...in the midst of my excitement and joy...fear of the unknown began to creep in.


The next morning I went back to the e-mail and began looking at all the pictures again and found picture #3...one we apparently "missed" the day before. 

When I opened this picture I fell in love with Dang Yue Xin...this will forever be one of my favorite pictures of our precious daughter.




Yuexin means joyful...happy...and new.


There was something about the sparkle in her eyes and sweet smile that captivated me in a way that I knew without a doubt that this was the child God had chosen for our family.


I was still filled with fear and questions but an overwhelming sense of peace filled my heart as we began walking forward in obedience to His calling.


I often think...what if we had missed it?

What if we had continued to live our life of comfort and ease and missed out on the blessing of this precious child of God?




Dang Yue Xin (Lily Grace)...fills our home with laughter and JOY every day.



Have there been challenges? ....yes


Has it always been easy?....no


But we would do it all over...


again....and again...and again.



Happy 1 year of knowing you sweet Lily and happy birthday to my sister who is one of my best friends in life. So thankful that you both share this special day together.


"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.
Lamentations 3:23-24

First Pumpkin Patch

Today was a beautiful fall sunny day...perfect for a trip to the pumpkin patch.


Lily's speech therapist planned a day at a local farm for all the children who participate in the speech program. Kristin has a special way with children and Lily just adores her!


Lily's therapy is part of a research grant specifically geared for helping children who have cleft lip/cleft palate. It was refreshing to meet other parents and children who have walked a similar road.


Upon arrival I got "the sign"...aka...need to go potty which happens frequently as we enter a new place. 

As we were coming out of the restroom several ladies stopped and commented on Lily.  They were there with a group of 10 other families who adopted their daugthers from China about six years ago.


I saw the girls later in the day (after surviving the Cow Train Ride) and they were all wearing "China Sisters" shirts. So fun...each family was from a different state and they still plan yearly trips together.


Rarely is there a day when I am out with Lily that I don't get stopped by a complete stranger who either has some connection to China or who just wants to know a little about her story.


We started in the corn maze thinking I would get some great pictures but unfortunately little 'Lils wasn't up for walking so I carried her. Reminded me of our days in China when my arms when numb.


As we neared the end she saw lots of baby pumpkins and decided she would get down and explore a bit.



Kristin helped Lily pick out the perfect pumpkin and she was quite delighted with her new find.






We headed back to the pavilion for some lunch and yummy treats that Kristin provided for everyone.



She also brought a tub full of fun gear for the kids to play with but Lily decided to pass on the hats and boas and go straight for the bubbles...



I have some great pictures of the other kids dressing up and having fun but don't have permission to share so...just Lily pics for now.


Lily saw the Cow train ride and kept saying "moo" so off we went to wait in line for what seemed to me like an innocent kiddy ride.


Not at all...it was more like a roller coaster through a Midwest dust bowl! Picture me (holding Lily and my camera) squeezing into a tiny cart shaped like a cow that is meant to hold a 5 year old. Each one was appropriately named...we road 'Cow Lick'.


At first Lily wanted out which wasn't an option after the squeezing that went into getting there. As soon as the fast, bumpy ride began (picture lots of crazy eights) she was tickled pink, laughing the whole way...as for me, let's just say I was glad to be out and my shower felt especially great tonight considering the layer of dust that covered us from head to toe!


We went back for some finger paining which Lily loved...Miss Kristin thought of it all.



Lily and I watched the Hillbilly Pig Races and then headed out to buy a few pumpkins on our way out.


I found a great wagon just the size I needed for the steroid injected pumpkins we brought home.   

Outside of the cow ride and bubbles...this may have been her favorite part of the day.







Oh how I missed my Sherpa today...especially as I was pulling the wagon up the hill to our car.

The other dads I passed just stared at me and smiled while I was pulling with all my might. (Really...not even a courtesy push or anything...perhaps they were spent from the day on the farm) 

I couldn't figure out why it was so difficult until about the 3rd man I passed (after I had made it up both hills) said...oh your back tire is flat! Guess I should have gone with wheelbarrow :)

I love Lily more each day and the joy she brings to our family is really beyond words. We are truly blessed.

Pediatric cancer...pancakes...and park day fun

This past weekend Michael and his brother Mark did a 40 mile bike ride to help raise funds for pediatric cancer. Over 160 riders participated in the inaugural Hoover Ride for Hope raising over $6,000 to help families with the unrecognized needs that come with the diagnosis of cancer.   


It was a beautiful day and Lily had fun playing with her buddy Gabriel while we waited for Michael to finish. 


The icing on the cake was watching her face light up when Michael came back...



After the ride my wonderful husband suggested that we go eat at my favorite lunch spot in Franklin...Merridees! His brother Mark, his wife Liz and our sweet nephew Zack met us there and we had a great time together sitting outside enjoying the beautiful day.


As you can see...they are so good to Lily and she adores all 3 of them and their hugs! So thankful for the gift of family.






Spencer is on fall break this week so we met up with Zack and Liz after Lily's speech therapy and went to the Nashville favorite... Pancake Pantry!


While we waited for our food to arrive Zack showed us his "thinking face" and I just love his sweet little grin! He is full of joy and love for others.




Lily loved her silver dollar pancakes...Spencer devoured his french toast (literally it was gone before I could snap a picture of it!)...and Zack sported his sugar box "booster" seat with pride!



Thank you Lizzy for treating us to a yummy breakfast! You are always thinking of others and doing random acts of kindness. I am blessed to have such a great sister-in-law!


After breakfast the kids had fun playing outside the restaurant before we headed to the park.



When it was time to head to the park (aka...the kids were over me snapping pictures of all of them!) Zack and Spencer took Lily in the stroller.


Spencer is laughing at Zack as he looks over to Lily and says, "Don't worry 'Wiwwy', we will take care of you"...doesn't get much sweeter than that!



We headed over to Dragon Park and spent the next several hours just watching the three of them laugh and play.  The weather was PERFECT (much cooler than the blazing hot day Lily and I went with Liz and Zack a few weeks ago!) 


Lily and her aunt Lizzy had fun experimenting with the leaves...



Zack had fun tackling Spencer (we have a future football player in the family!)



Lily got some hugs from her big brother and looks up to him like he is her hero!



Lily LOVES the swings (not sure this kind is really meant for her but it is her favorite!)



Caught a sweet innocent look of Lily that I loved...



And we ended up the day with a Spencer sandwich! By the look on all their faces they are about to crash from playing so hard. 



As I expected...Spencer and Lily both fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Lily is doing GREAT post surgery.  She is our spicy little survivor!  Thank you all for your prayers on her behalf.  We continue to see God's hand at work in every detail of her life. 

She is such a figther and doesn't let anything stand in her way of living life to the fullest.  She is teaching me a lot about finding JOY in the midst of challenges.  

We are headed to FL this week so Michael and Spencer will get to see Lily in action on the beach...looking forward to our time together as a family and being away for a few days.