Time Flies When You're Having Fun!!!

Two years ago yesterday, a little girl was placed in my arms halfway across the world. Life hasn't been the same since*S* I was looking at baby pictures of her and it's hard to remember how little she was. I cannot believe how much she has grown. She's running, climbing, into everything (typical 3 year old*S*). She loves the Wiggles, Dora, Ni Hao Kai Lan, and Elmo. She likes to sing and dance. She knows her name is Jessica Kangchan Sullivan and she knows she came from China. She recognizes Keira from our travel group when we go onto looking at blogs (sometimes calls her "Keira with a K" to differentiate from "baby Ciara", one of my friend's daughter). While she isn't as clingy as she was, she is definitely a mama's girl. Lately, her favorite hairstyle is 2 braids (never thought her hair would get long enough for that!). Her favorite word is "Why?" She has questions about everything. She can't wait to go to California and talks about seeing Uncle Nicky there. This year, she loved Santa Claus (terrified the year before) and Halloween. She loves Jason who she refers to as "My Jason". She loves to pretend to talk on the phone and is frequently pretending to call Jason's friends Seamus or Colin, both who are very nice to her.

July 2008

The Little Angel 12/08


Searching for treasure on the map 1/09

Feeding baby Ciara 2/09

Look how our baby has grown!

Our first glimps of our new little girl. She's 8 months old in this picture.Gotcha Day 2007 - a few minutes after she was first placed in my arms

Gotcha Day Anniversary 2008

Gotcha Day Anniversary 2009

Hug Your Kids
Since we got started in the international adoption process a little over 4 years ago, I've been following people's blogs and websites who are also in the process, finished the process or thinking about the process. I also subscribe to umpteen Yahoo groups related to adoption and of course religiously keep up with what's happening in the Rumor Queendom. I'm nosey; when we drive by people's houses and the shades are up, I look in (much to Mike's chagrin). When blogs are open to the public and they're interesting to me, I read them. And yes, if you have a really loud cellphone conversation right next to me in line at the grocery store, I will listen (I will try not to add my two cents though). When you start to follow someone's blog or site, you get to feel like you know them even if you've never met them in real life or talked to them outside of leaving comments. A little while ago I learned about a little girl adopted from China with Jason's birthday who had a Caring Bridge site and I started reading and following it. Caring Bridge is a service that provides free websites for people who are critically ill so they can keep their friends and family updated. The little girl had leukemia and today she got her wings. I cannot imagine the pain her parents are feeling right now. Time to go hug my kids.

Year of the Ox

We went to a party in Braintree for Chinese New Year this year. It was fun - the food was good, we watched some children put on cute dances and the martial arts demos were very good. There were more crafts last year. Jason was disappointed we didn't win any of the raffles. I was a little disappointed the masseuse wasn't there that was there last year. The massage I got last year hurt when she did it but my back felt awesome afterward! Jess wore the Chinese outfit Chuck, Sandi, and the girls gave her for her birthday. She was going to wear the red shoes Jen gave her but they are a little too big right now so she wore the sparkling silver ones. She got lots of rave reviews on them. She calls them her sparkly shoes. We went out the first day of CNY for Chinese food at our local restaurant. It was very good as usual.