We're Home from FL

We got home yesterday from FL and we had a SUPER time. Karsynn and Kailee had so much fun. They were such good girls on the long trip. They would fight a little and love a litte...just like sisters would do. We enjoyed time on the beach and in the pool, we did lots of shopping, and went to visit Shamu at Sea World in Orlando. The look on Karsynn's face when she first saw the sand and ocean was priceless. She learned so many new words while on vacation, all of which related to the beach, of course. She's such an amazing girl. We are so blessed to call her our own. I love every single minute I share with her. I love being Karsynn's mommy. Enjoy the pics!

Ready for some FUN in the SUN!!

We are leaving for Daytona Beach at 2:00 A.M. and I can't wait. We will be gone until Sunday, so you won't hear from me until after that date. I'll be sure to post LOTS of pictures of Karsynn and Kailee having some FUN IN THE SUN! Please pray that the trip is uneventful and all goes well. Troy is very excited, too. We are stopping in Atlanta for lunch at the world famous restaurant, The Varsity. They serve over 5,000 hotdogs per day and over a ton of onion rings. He found out about it by watching a special on the Travel Channel. I'll let you know how it is! Until next time...

Our New Family Photos

The day we took these pictures, Karsynn fell first thing and would not stop crying. Overall, they turned out OK for it being such a tough day for the girl.




Mommy and The Girl

Daddy and Karsynn

Just some thoughts...

My newest set of wheels!

My Daddy and I have so much fun!

She loves cows and horses!

In just 29 shorts days we will have had Karsynn for one full year. Where does the time go? Can someone please tell me? I simply cannot believe that it has been a year. On the other hand, it seems like she has been a part of our lives FOREVER. She has grown into the most beautiful little girl with the best personality and is so intelligent. God has truly blessed us. It seems that she changes everyday. Her newest word is "bird house." She and her daddy put one up on the fence and that's all she says when she sees it. It's so cute.

~Thank you God for blessing me with the perfect daughter. She is "just right" for our family.

We've been CAMPING!

UPDATE: Here are the pics I promised:







I don't have time to post pictures right now, because we just got home and mommy needs a SHOWER. We've been camping at Cave Run Lake and had a GREAT time, except for mommy's "bug fear." Karsynn had a wonderful time. As of an hour ago, she looked like a dirty little Rug Rat. So cute. She played in the dirt, went fishing, swam in the lake, and slept in her very first tent. It was just Daddy, Karsynn and I taking a much needed break from reality. I'll post pictures later, so be sure to peek back in. We got some really cu.te shots of Karsynn

AHH Picnic...The Gang was all there!!!!!

God is so Good!!! We had our annual AHH picnic this Saturday and all of our travel group families were able to attend. It is rare that you can place 8 families from different parts of the U.S. together and such a unique bond can be formed. That's exactly what happened in our travel group. We are so blessed to call them all friends. I only hope and pray that our connection formed during our long wait and long journey to China to get our girls will last a lifetime. We had such a good time sharing old memories and making new ones with our friends. What a great day!

Message for Rachel: Thank you so much for playing with Karsynn and taking such good care of her. She really had a GREAT time!


Me with 2 of my China Sisters

Hanging out with Friends

Daddy;s and their Girls

The Mama's and The "Spicy" Girls

Jump Rachel, Jump!!!

My new friend, Rachel, and I

My "Sister" and I

Tid Bits and Tales of Karsynn

Her favorite new words: moon, Mamaw, Papaw, Nope (hillbilly for no!), alligator, ellie, sketti (spaghetti), Kailee, pool, water, bubbles, night night, dog

Her favorite new foods: ANYTHING (she's a great eater), broccoli, pickles, lemons

Her favorite new toys: Any type of animal, especially whatnots. She pretends to feed them and put them to sleep. She's going to be an animal lover like her momma :)


She's my little dancing queen. She loves music and loves to dance.

Karsynn and Daddy playing in the new Elmo sprinkler!

Here she is putting her panda bear, duck and dog whatnots to night night. So cute!

1st Referral Day Anniversary!

We can't blog without showing a little of her Chongqing "Spicy Girl" side!

My, how you've grown into such a big girl!

The Gang's all here!!!!

A proud mommy and daddy at the adoption agency

Our first glimpse of her on the computer screen.

One year ago today, we saw the face we'd been dreaming of for years. One year ago today, we became a mommy and daddy for real. One year ago today was one of the very best days of my life. God is so good. We've come a long way baby!

Louisville Zoo with Friends

We had an absolute BLAST this weekend spending time with our friends. Kailee and Karsynn played so hard and are so good together. They truly are China Sisters. We are so blessed that God placed such precious people in our lives. We are lifelong friends. We're counting down the days until the AHH Picnic and our vacation together to Daytona Beach. I'm sure the girls will have so much fun together.

Payton's 1st Birthday

Happy Birthday Payton!!!!!!

Just some pictures...

Boy have these girls ever changed!! Look at those sweet faces.

Mommy and Me!!!

Happy Girl!

She can literally fall asleep anywhere.

Mama and her baby girl!

Steven Curtis Chapman and his Family have lost their "Cinderella"

May God send this family peace when there seems to be none. Rest in peace sweet Maria. You're playing on God's playground now. Have fun.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away." This tragic accident should be a daily reminder to all of us as parents to not stress over the small stuff. The laundry can wait. The dishes can wait. The vacuuming can wait, too. Dance with your little Cinderella every chance you get. In the blink of an eye, they can be gone.

Earthquake Update

Above are some pictures that I found on Love without Boundaries website. They are truly heartbreaking. The people of China really need our help right now, especially our prayers.

My 1st Mother's Day

Mama and her babies!
Wow, what an amazing day yesterday was. Everyday is Mother's Day for me, because I simply LOVE being Karsynn's mama. However, to be on the receiving end of this special day was an unbelieveable feeling. It began with breakfast in bed for Karsynn and I, served by Daddy. We ended the day with dinner in Lexington at TGI Fridays. Each time I look into Karsynn's little almond shaped eyes, I'm reminded of how blessed I truly am. I thank God for her daily. Here are a few pictures to enjoy. By the way, my little one turned 18 months old today. Where does the time go?

Earthquake in China

As many of you already know, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit China today around 2:30 PM their time. So, many people were at school or work. Many cities were hit hard and one, not sure of the name, was 80% demolished. Chongqing, where Karsynn was adopted from, was also affected. Please say a special prayer that the death toll will slow, as it now rests at approximately 8,700 people. Also, pray that Michael, our CQ guide, and his family are all well. He was so good to us, as were all the people in Chongqing. We made many, many special friends while in China. I'm going to attempt to contact our guide, Alison, to see if she has contact information on Michael. Please pray for Karsynn's people, especially the babies waiting to be adopted and the families waiting to travel that may be affected by this earthquake.