Cold feet anyone?

I just loved these 2 pics! Time spent w/ dad is priceless! Bert love's to make up stories to tell the kids. They love to hear them b/c he always makes them the hero. I hope he knows he is OUR hero!

Christmas Baking 08

I wish I would have taken an "after" picture of the mess!! Thankfully the memories were priceless!!

Christmas Banquet 2008

We had our church Christmas Banquet this past Sunday. It was so fun! EG played the piano, read scripture, sang and mimed! Wow was she busy. Tyler played the drums. Micah and Sophie decided to sit this year out, but maybe next year they will give it a try.

2 year Gotcha!!

Yesterday was our 2 year gotcha day. I simply cannot believe it! The time has just flown.  It feels like we have always had Sophie, and I can't believe she spent the first 19 mos of her life w/ out us.

 We started yesterday morning laying in the bed and showing Sophie pictures of herself in the orphanage and the pictures of the day we came home w/ her. We talked about the day mommy and daddy came to get her in China.  I had the kids write letters to Sophie..of course this totally made me cry. Then we went to children's theatre. We let Sophie pick out where we should eat. She had a hard time picking between McDonalds and Chinese buffet, but the buffet won out in the end!  Sophie has grown leaps and bounds and is truly a joy in our lives.  She is definitely trying at times but nothing more so than any other 3 year old. She is such a little diva and everyone is constantly reminding me of how much I wanted a "girly" girl! She loves to change clothes constantly..loves shoes, loves to get her hair fixed.(like Amber's, or a braid like Lody) She can put her hair in a ponytail by herself.  She like's to change her name and have us call her Brooke, or Hannah or AntieRay. She is just too funny!  She loves to sass her older siblings and that really irritates them which makes her want to sass them all the more! I was really worried about what kind of letter's they were going to write to her! I told them they could be anything about Sophie (memories, poem etc.) lol.  I tried to take pictures of the letter's but they wouldn't show so I am going to type them. Grammatical errors and all.

Here is Tyler's:

2 things I remember the most about Sophie is that her hair was short and she was small. Now its hard for me to hold her without my arms breaking and me getting a mouthful of hair! I feel sad to know how fast she is growing.

Micah's: 

Dear Sophie to me you are a trophie       (omg I loved that  line)

you have shown me how to believe

and how to deceive                         (what!! lol she is a major trickster)

and may you have another great year.

EG's:

Sophie is the sweetest sister in the whole wide world. here are some memories of her

I remember Sophie always wanted mommy and never daddy, I remember how she did sign language, I remember how her first word was apple. but more importantly she needed love and care, so i think she got the perfect family in the whole wide world.