~ A CINDERELLA STORY ~

Once upon a time . . .

there was a little girl who needed a family...

and a family who was waiting for their little girl . . .

with a twist of the majic wand (tons of paperwork and

rumors galore!) . . .

the princess found her way home!

"Yup, the shoe fits!"

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE !

~ WEEKEND RECAP ~

We had a nice and busy weekend.

We started off Friday night visiting the kids cousins, aunt and uncle; along with poppy and gma ~ we laughed and ate and had a good time as usual. Cousin Joey has been wanting to have Mia over for dinner for about a year now ~ yes, even before she came home! The boys also made a yummy gingerbread (haunted ) house; which came out great!! Mia made herself at home and checked out her cousins house ~ she was all over!

Saturday morning we had dance class and the girls (Mia and her buddy, Meaghan) got to wear their costumes ~ my camera ran out of battery, but I also want to wait to "unveil" Mia's costume for Halloween...so there are no pictures of dance class (besides, Meaghan's mom and I are having a tough time of getting our girls to cooperate with taking pictures!).

Saturday evening we had some more relatives over to meet Mia ~ they showered her with gifts (and the boys) and we really enjoyed their company! Mia seems to be opening up more and more to people; but is still hesitant when they get "too" close. This is all fine and I am glad she knows who her parents are ~ her adjustment still amazes me!

Sunday our wonderful neighborhood "planing committee" had their annual Halloween party & parade ~ the kids always have a blast! There was yummy food, games, a parade and the mummy wrap contest ~ which Ed and Anthony participate in every year ~ it is always so nice to see neighbors we haven't seen in a while and see the kids in costume. Mia seemed to enjoy a small bowl of Halloween toys the most ~ I couldn't drag her away!

Enjoy the slide show below:

***CLICK "View All Images" TO SEE THE SLIDE SHOW, for some reason it's not cooperating with me today!

~ Happy Days ~

Congratulations to my big boy: his arm is healed and he can actually have both arms thru his shirt sleeves ~ hooray!!!

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MORE GOOD STUFF:

~ Yes, they are holding hands (for now) ~

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~ Sweetie ~


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With Halloween less than a week away, little "E" has changed

his mind a few hundred times as to what he'll be! A few of

his "choices" are: FIREMAN, ARMYMAN, NINJA TURTLE

or (not pictured) a POLICEMAN! All very nobel, but he changes

his mind too much!

*Thank goodness we have most of these costumes from his big bro. The

only one we bought was the policeman...but still, I like to KNOW ~ I know,

I know, it's not about ME :)

~ PUMPKIN CARVING ~

It's become a fun tradition, our annual pumpkin carving at Aunt Barb's house! There's always lots of yummy food involved; and then the kids (and adults) get to work on the pumpkins!

Halloween goodies!

Having "hailey-pops" (???)

A new pocketbook?

All mine!

We found Miss Mia at the top of the stairs &

blocked it with chairs ~ she was stunned!!

He's too funny!

Playing!

Perfect fit!

Crazy carvers!

This is fun...

Looking good!

THE FINISHED PRODUCTS:

~ DADDY'S LITTLE PRINCESS ~

I was enjoying watching Mia and her daddy last night ~ she gets so excited when he walks in the door from work. It's a daddy-daughter thing I guess - the way she bats her eyes, smirks at him and gives him a shy smile ~ yes, it's a girl-thing!

If you've been following us, you know it wasn't like that from day one. It seemed the more she bonded with me, the more she would push daddy away. She would look at him only when he was looking the other way and she would not let him hold her . . . until mommy came up with a brillent plan: FOOD! mainly the "O" 's . Whenever I handed Mia over to daddy I always handed him this "gormet" cereal, heee heee :) It worked and she learned that she can depend on daddy for food and then for more and more.

Just a few pic's, of course!
















Remember this pic of daddy luring our little monkey?
This is one of the only pic's of them together, we were
still in her province....














In Guangzhou: Uh, oh, Mia sees mommy with
the camera, quick hand her the "O" 's !!!!















Walking thru the White Swan!
















Letting daddy do airplane rides and smiling!
We've hit a milestone!















And picky-back-rides ~ who is this little woman?
















She just might be a daddy's girl!
















Mia nows holds her arms up to daddy....















and wants to be "thrown" around like her
brother!

















Daddy is VERY smitten with the princess too!














Daddy & his daughter!

HAPPY 11TH ANNIVERSARY TO MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND.
YOU ARE A DADDY FIT FOR A PRINCESS (AND THE 2 PRINCES!)
I LOVE YOU!

~ A GIRL, A POCKETBOOK & A HORSE ~

I like my farm, but I love my horsey!

I have everyone in my bag, come on!

O.k., let me check to make sure he's in here...

Yes, here is horsey!!

I just love him, he makes me happy, "neigh, neigh"

Unloading my bag:blocks, egg, cups, compact...

I'm holding horsey close to me!

Loading my pocketbook up again...

Two pocketbooks full! (And we added a bib for

drool!)

Come on horsey and cock-a-doodle-doo!

See ya' !

~ LOG IN DATE ~

I was VERY unsure about writing this post. I didn't want people to think I was bragging or however else this could be taken...but, here I go!


Last year our dossier was logged into the CCAA on this date! We had a small celebration, ordered Chinese food and breathed a sigh of relief that all of the paperwork was done, accepted and actually IN China!


We arrived home with our China Princess 11 months later to our great surprise! Even before submitting our dossier I always had this "feeling" to look on the SN list (special needs) or WC list (waiting child) and I did look; but no one struck me as the ONE until I read "Dan Dan's" profile. She had a VSD ("hole in the heart" and what they called a "hemangioma" on the forehead) - scarey stuff to someone who isn't familiar with these conditions.


"Thanks" to two very special little people I was familiar with VSD ~ my little "E" was born with this and another heart defect; and to Miss "M" who was born with a hemangioma on her ear lob. I knew from "experience" that these 2 SN's were something we could "deal" with...don't get me wrong - I was SCARED!!!


When I got the call that we were chosen for "Dan Dan", I actually said to the woman on the phone, "how bad is the hemangioma, will I be shocked when I see the picture?" ~ I felt guilty for asking, but I wanted to prepare myself.


Well, as you know from my October 4th post, Mia's once huge hole in her heart is now the size of a pin hole! And, you've seen (MANY) pictures of my girl (I know I take a lot!) and you can hardly see the "hemangioma" or strawberry birthmark on her forehead ~ it mainly comes out when she is mad!!! Which does happen ... among all of her smiles!


I guess what I'm trying to say is...adoption is such a rollercoaster of emotions and questions and "blind faith" and most of all HOPE.


I'm not saying, by any means that every story turns out as perfect as ours, but in your heart you know what you can handle ~ even though I had experience with these "SN"'s I contacted many professionals and got MANY opinions ~ as EVERYONE should do!!!


Our story is ...well, our story and looking back I am proud and relieved that I followed my heart and all those "feelings" and that my wonderful husband had faith in me and my "feelings". Always check the SN's list (or WC list) and absorb and learn all that's happening around you (as I did with "E" and "M" 's conditions) ~ you don't want to miss out on your China Princess!



























"Screaming Mimi" ~ cute even when angry!!


*Special thanks to my little "E" and Miss "M" , without you I'm not sure what would have happened ~ thank God for you...for all of you :) I will be forever greatful...