Baby Girl Schneider(2)

THREE!!!

2011-09-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my baby turned three!!!! A milestone that has actually prompted me to take pause and reflect on all the blessings that have been bestowed upon this family. Life has been moving forward with such speed that there hardly seems to be a moment to just sit and soak it all in. We've been moving again and in doing so, I came across the file box I keep all of Kailahni's adoption paperwork in. Looking through it all reminded me of a time in my life that seems light years away...adoption blogs, rumor boards, paperwork, waiting, researching Kailahni's past, discovering her finding ad, reading book upon book about adoption/attachment, traveling to China, seeing her sweet face for the first time, being so connected to other families who were/are on the same path..their children...their journeys. I didn't realize how much I've been missing the connection to the world of international adoption and the people who make it up. I feel such a strong desire to reconnect, and it's my goal to find a way to fit that back in our life. It's important for Kailahni and it matters to me. I feel sad that this blog as been neglected...I know that it means something to other people to be able to see how Kailahni is growing and developing. It means something to me to be able to share it, so I hope to do better at that. My camera was broken a few months ago, so the only pictures I have to post right now are from my phone...not the greatest, but they'll have to do. I don't know when a new camera will fit into our budget, so bare with me.

In a nut shell here's where we are in life. I am basically working full time for the flooring company that Doug manages. I do a lot of work from home, but go to the office a couple times a week. The full time working mom thing as been a huge adjustment for me (hence the blog neglect). It's created quite a bit of upheaval in the workings of this household, but it's getting better. We decided to move to a smaller home closer to work just before the start of school. The move was complicated with the loss of my Grandmother who passed away the weekend we started moving. I was able to be with her in her final days and was able to attend her funeral and I'm grateful for that. However, our move was prolonged and drawn out as a result. Let me tell you...moving in Phoenix, in August...NOT FUN!! We are in our new house now and starting to settle in. I'm really hoping that the decision to simplify our home and location will really benefit us all.

Jacob is now 15 years old and a freshman in High School. He's doing great and has acclimated to yet another brand new school very well. We are so proud of him and the maturity he has shown in coping with all the changes he's faced. Benjamin will be turning 13 soon and is now in Middle School. He too is doing great. This is the first year my boys have attended school at two separate campuses. It's a bit of a juggle, but so far it's working out really well.

Little Miss is changing everyday. She is such a treasure in this household. She tolerated our move amazingly well. We just started her in preschool two days a week. She definitely experiences separation anxiety when we drop her off, but is so excited to tell us about her day when we return. Right now she is just going from 9 to 11:30, but when we feel she is ready, we will let her stay until 1. She acts every bit the part of a three year old. She's extremely talkative and bright. NOTHING gets past her....NOTHING! She loves art, cleaning, toe nail polish, princesses, Hello Kitty, cooking....such a girly girl. She can spot something pink a mile away...even in Home Depot. It's amazing. She lights up our world and we are so proud of what a strong, brave girl she is.

Sorry for the quality of these pictures, but a least it gives you a glimmer as to how our girl is changing and growing. I look forward to hearing from all of you and can't wait to touch base into your worlds as well. I love and miss you all!

First Haircut

2011-02-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday I took Kailahni to get her first haircut! My girlfriend, Michelle, was kind enough to squeeze her in between clients. It was so sweet to see Kai sitting in the chair like a big girl. She didn't cry (which surprised me), but had a very serious look on her face the entire time.

I got a little teary when I told Michelle how my Pop-Pop had given me, and the rest of my siblings, our first haircuts. He also gave Jacob and Benjamin their first haircuts. During our wait, he told me that I didn't need to worry because his shears were sharpened and ready to go for our little girl. He assured me that he could trim girl hair, just as good as boy. Sadly, he passed away before we were able to bring her home. He was in my thoughts as I stood and watched Kailahni's looks transform right before my very eyes! What is it about getting your kid's hair cut that makes them look a year older in an instant?!

Although her hair is a little shorter than it was, the cut sure makes is look healthier and a bit fuller...and by "a bit", I really mean a bit!!!

Finished front.

Finished back.

We "Rocked It"

2011-01-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

What a crazy, fun weekend this has been! Myself, along with 4 other amazing ladies, ran the PF Chang's Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon. A few months ago, I convinced these women to training for a 1/2 marathon while I trained for the full. My foot injury didn't allow me to complete my training, but these girls forged on....I resumed some running with them a few weeks ago and decided to join them in the 1/2 marathon. My sister-in-law, Cori, had matching tank tops and visors made for us that sported our "marathon mamas" logo (I don't remember which one of us came up with the marathon mamas "team" name, but it stuck...kind of cute, kind of funny, kind of dorky, but what do we care?!). Anyway, this weekend has been a whirlwind of running events, from the Expo Friday night, to the "carb loading" party Saturday night, to the race and after party yesterday.

I really didn't think I wanted to do this race, but am so glad I did! It was a lot fun, and seeing these girls finish race despite their worries and doubts was just awesome! I broke my personal best time....official finishing time, 1:50:39! The greatest part about that, is that I also managed to surpass my friends, Chris and Brad's, best 1/2 marathon time! A few years ago...during "the wait"..I started running. Our friends, Chris and Brad, took on the role of my personal trainers to help me prepare for my first 1/2 marathon. They ran with me, and ran with me, and ran with me. I held them back, made them slow...but they stood by me and filled me with all kinds of advice and pats on the back. The three of us ran my first half together...they were such great sports. After that, running became more individual for me. I ran the Fiesta Bowl 1/2 marathon by myself last year and came withing 50 SECONDS of beating Chris and Brad's personal best time for a half marathon. 50 SECONDS!!! They have enjoyed dangling that over my head for over a year now....that is until yesterday! Brad's daughter was running yesterday, so both Chris and Brad were down at the race to cheer her on...I ran past them at mile 11..as I did, I glanced down at my watch, realized that I was in contention to smoke their personal best time, and decided to give them a lovely "thumbs down" signal to let them know that they were "going down"! Brad happened to catch the moment on camera, and to me, it's one of the greatest pictures EVER!!! AAAAAHHHH, THE GLORY!!!!

My entire family (minus my Mom..sorry Mom) were standing at mile 12 (they surprised me...I had no idea they were going to be there) to give me that last bit of motivation...Kailahni was so funny with her "Go Mama" cheers. It was great to see them all. I finished the race, then walked back along course until I saw my girlfriend Melissa running toward me. To fulfill a promise I had made to her at the start, I hopped back on the course and ran along side her...we passed mile 13 together and then crossed the finish line side by side. I looked a little silly with my bottle of water in my hand and my finishers medal bouncing in my face, but a promise is a promise!

It was a beautiful day full of lasting memories! I'm so proud of my "marathon mamas"!

We've missed everybody!!!!!

2010-12-31T10:25:00.001-08:00

It's me! It's me!!! I really can't believe how badly I've neglected my blog. It's so pathetic. Life has been busy...obviously, but it's no excuse, really! I started working for Doug's flooring company a few months ago, and I haven't been able to see straight since. I promise to be better moving forward. I haven't taken many pictures lately, and therefore haven't had the motivation to post!

Since my last post, Jacob turned 14 (GULP), Kailahni turned 2 (and all that that entails), Doug turned 41 (ha, ha...old fart), Benjamin started 6th grade (middle school here we come), and I...well I started training for my first full marathon, injured my foot, had to stop training (didn't handle that real well), recently started running again and am planning on doing a half marathon in a few weeks. Full marathon on the back burner for now.

This post is short, I know, but it's the best I can do for now. I shot this video on my phone the other day while I was icing my foot on the couch (about the only time I find myself sitting down these days). Anyway, Kailahni is half naked and her hair is a fright, I'm getting over a cold and sound just ridiculous...it's not pretty, but it's life! I know you all love us enough to see past all that!

I'll post more soon...I promise! Big hugs to all!

What a summer!!!!!!!

2010-08-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

Well...the boys are back in school (sniff, sniff)...summer vacation is officially over. Our family trip to Washington turned out to be so amazing and relaxing it's hard to describe. We were so happy to finally get to introduce Kailahni to her Grandma (Doug's mom), Aunt, Uncles and cousin. We went on hikes, played at tide pools, walked on the beach, and ended our trip with a 4 day sailboat trip through the San Juan Islands. It was awesome. We got to experience all kinds of nature...we saw humpback whales, dolphins, seals, deer (Jacob fed one from his hand...swear to god) and even ORCAS!!!!! We sailed through a pod of over 30 orcas that were breaching and splashing all over the place....one even came directly under our boat. I have a video clip of the amazing orcas, but it doesn't do the moment justice....it was a once in a lifetime experience! The tail end of our trip coincided with our trip to China last year. One morning, I was sitting on the front deck of our boat drinking my coffee (go ahead and be jealous), and I realized that "one year ago today" Doug and I were climbing the Great Wall. Being together as a family in such a beautiful as the San Juan Islands was an awesome way to celebrate our one year anniversary. There was so much uncertainty in our lives a year ago...we've had a very BIG year! It felt so good to be all together, to feel so settled in our life, and to get to enjoy all the beauty of the San Juan's as a family. I can't post all my pictures because I took way too many, but here's a few...

If you watch the video clip, you're going to want to view it on full screen and you should probably hit your mute button because my screaming is a bit over the top. The orcas were much closer to our boat than it appears in this video. Unfortunately, by the time I got my camera rolling most of the pod had already passed us, but I managed to get some of it recorded. Be patient...the most exciting part is toward the end of the video.

One year ago today....

2010-08-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, Kailahni Xiugang Elizabeth Schneider enter our world, our hearts, our lives...forever. It was a moment, and a day, that I will never forget and will always treasure. Time does not permit me to create a post that does my heart and mind justice regarding this day, and the child that we have had the indescribable privilege of parenting. So, for now, this video clip will serve as a reminder of what our first moments together looked like.

3 moms, 8 kids and loads of fun...Part 2!

2010-07-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

I'm still enjoying looking back at all the pictures we took on our zany trip to California. We really did have and great time. I think my sisters and I may have started a fun new tradition...I think...we may need at least one Daddy or Grandpa with us next time we attempt to do this...maybe. In some ways I think the challenge of juggling it all ourselves was part of what made it fun...at least it made it funny, at times.

We leave on Saturday for Washington to visit Doug's family and introduce them to our beautiful baby girl. It's a trip that I am looking SO forward to. I'll post again when we return!

3 moms, 8 kids and loads of fun!

2010-07-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

We returned home on Sunday evening from our trip to Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo/Pismo Beach. Norah, Sarah and I were brave mamas...heading out on our own with all o kiddos. It was a such a fun week, but one of those trips where you could almost use a vacation from your vacation....or maybe a spa weekend...hhhmmm.

We did everything from wine tasting, to hanging at the beach, to walking through parks, feeding ducks, going on pony rides....lots and lots of fun! I'll let the pictures do most of the talking. I'm going to divide the pics into two (maybe even three) different posts. ENJOY!

Qianjiang Sisters

2010-06-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we traveled down to Tucson for an annual convention. While we were there, Kailahni and I had the joy of meeting up with the Tarico family. Their daughter, Avery, and Kailahni were orphanage sisters. Avery was born in July 2008 and Kailahni in September 2008...so they are very close in age. It was so awesome to see these two little girls sitting side by side, playing with toys and eating popsicles together half a world away from where their lives began. Avery and Kailahni have very similar "stories", very similar personalities, and are both tiny, little bundles of energy. I'm so glad we were able to reunite our girls...even though they are unaware of their "sisterhood" and the unique blessing of having left the small district of Qianjiang, Chongqing China almost a year ago, placed with two separate families (who knew nothing of one another), and are now living only an hour and a half away from each other. So amazing!!!

We leave Thursday for our trip to Pismo Beach! I'm sure it's going to be a wild and crazy time. Me, Norah, Sarah, and all 8 of our kids on vacation together!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness there will be vineyards nearby! I think a glass or wine or two will be in order!

Pool Pals

2010-06-24T14:52:00.001-07:00

Dan Davenport came over to tutor Jacob today and brought along with him his sweet, Lauren for a play date with Kailahni! The girls and I threw on our swimsuits and our sunscreen and headed out to the backyard so that Jacob and Dan could work in peace and quiet.

The girls played great together! It's so nice that we live so close to the Davenports. I'm sure there will be many more play dates in our future!

Re-adoption Day

2010-06-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Well, Kailahni is officially ours...AGAIN! Today we appeared before a local family court judge to finalize Kailahni's Arizona adoption. Although the State of Arizona does recognize adoptions that were completed overseas as final, we chose to go through a process that is referred to as "re-adoption". What that does for us, is it allows us to register her adoption with the local family courts. We are now, and forever will be, able to request notarized copies of her Adoption Decree through the Clerk of Courts office. It's nice to have that piece of mind, because the only evidence we have of the authenticity of her adoption is on paper...and most of that is in Chinese. If those documents were ever lost, or destroyed, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to get them reproduced. Knowing that her adoption is now permanently on record with the local courts is very reassuring.

So down to court we all went, to raise our right hands and swear that all the information we had presented to the courts was true to the best of our knowledge and that we will love our little girl forever and always...."no brainer"! Then the judge announced that Doug and and I were forever the parents of Kailhani Xiugang Elizabeth Schneider. It was nice to finally have the boys get to witness some of Kailahni's formal adoption proceedings in person. Sarah, Axl and Vienna also came to show their support which made our day extra special.

The proceeding today was short and very sweet, but I'm glad it's over. We have just one post placement visit left and then we are DONE with adoption related paperwork, appointments, court proceedings, fingerprinting....bla, bla, bla. YIPPEE!!!!
Heading into the Court building.
Jacob keeping Kai distracted.
Doug, waiting and looking a little nervous.
Our happy, little adoptee.
Still waiting, but this time with our cousins.
Axl and Vienna going through security...they were so serious about it...the kids, I mean.

Inside the court room.
I jumped up so quick, I didn't have time to pull my pants out of my butt....nice.
An official Arizona family.

Kailahni giving the judge "knuckles".

Summertime, Summertime

2010-06-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

Summer is underway. Thus far, we've been home hanging out with friends and family, having slumber parties..mostly with cousins, pool parties, BBQ's...typical summertime fun. We have made a few short trips up north (pics below), but the weather in Phoenix hasn't really been THAT bad so the itch to get out of town hasn't been real strong. That's all about to change.

Next weekend we are heading down to Tucson. I have plans for Friday night with a family who's daughter was in the the same orphanage as Kailahni, at the same time. We met through a Yahoo group for the Qianjiang SWI. I'm really looking forward to meeting them in person and seeing the girls together...again.

The week after we return home from Tucson, the kids and I are hopping in the car with Sarah and her kiddos (and hopefully Norah, as well) and heading to Pismo Beach!! I'm SO EXCITED!!! I'm hoping beyond hope that we may possibly get to visit with Stephanie and Zoey while we are there....it's a bit of drive, but we may be able to swing it!

Then, towards the end of July, the five of us are heading up to Washington to see Doug's family. His Mom, brother and sister all live there. None of them have met Kailahni, so we are all really excited about this trip. We may even get to spend a couple of days sailing through the San Juan Islands!! Those plans have yet to be ironed out, but anyway you slice it, the trip will be amazing. Jacque (Doug's sister) lives right on the water...when you look out her windows at night, you can see the lights of Victoria, Canada from across the water. Amazing beauty!

Can you do this?!

2010-06-09T17:05:00.001-07:00

Welcome to summer! No big plans in the works yet, but I'll be sure to find our way out of the heat and into the tall pines or out to the beach at some point! While home we will be going poolside as often as possible and having lots of indoor fun with friends and family!

I'm very excited about the prospect of possibly unearthing some of Kailahni's past with the help of a woman named Cherrie Turner. She lives in Beijing and has two adopted daughters from China. She visits the Qianjiang Social Welfare Institute (Kailahni's orphanage)a few times a year. She works closely with a non-profit organization that (among other things) helps to provide formula and clothing for the children of the Qianjiang SWI. In fact, this organization raised money for formula and delivered it to the SWI in September 2008....the month Kailhani was born. They also raised funds and purchased winter clothing during her first (and only) winter in her SWI. Cherrie is leaving in a week to visit the SWI again. Since Kailahni has been on the receiving end of Packages of Hope's efforts in Qianjiang in the past, it was our privilege to assist in the current formula fund raiser.

Through emails back and forth with Cherrie, I have now learned who the "mystery" nanny, in the one and only photo we were ever given of Kailahni's "Ayi", is. Cherrie has known this woman for years. Her name is Gao Junxiang...warmly referred to as Ayi Gao. She told me that she loves the babies in care as if they were her own. She is poor and uneducated, but full of warmth toward the children. I can't tell you what these words meant to me...especially coming from someone who has met her personally.

I have sent a care package to Cherrie, in Beijing, with gifts for Ayi Gao and Ms. Lu (the orphanage director)and the other nannies. She is going to hand carry it to Qianjiang with her. In the package I included many updated photos of our precious Xiu Gang. I also included a letter letting orphanage staff know how loved she is and how much we appreciate the care they gave her.

Cherrie was at the orphanage twice during Kailahni's stay. One of her visits was only 20 days after Kai's was born. She told me that she held many of the newborns on that visit and was photographed with most of them. She is bringing her photos with her on this visit and said she would sit down with Ms. Lu and Ayi Gao to try to identify Kailhani in them. She also offered to venture out to Kailahni's finding location and photograph it for us.

I don't know what will come from her attempts to gather even the smallest bit of information on Xiu Gang's life in the SWI, but anything would be greatly appreciated and highly treasured! Keeping my fingers crossed!
Ayi Gao standing next to Kailahni's empty crib. The crib still has her name tag on it. This photo was taken just after we left Chongqing to head to Guangzhou for the last leg of our trip to China. We didn't receive it until after we returned home.

1 Year Ago Today....

2010-05-21T09:09:00.001-07:00

One year ago today was the start of a day I will never forget! It started with doubt and disbelief and ended...ended late...with the most amazing, surreal feeling I have ever experienced. It was the day we received our referral call and the first glance of our beautiful Xiu Gang.

The events of the day are etched in my mind...driving the boys to school with my phone in my hand and my list of questions on the passenger seat...phone calls back and forth to Stephanie (who was covering all the rumor boards for me since I couldn't take the anticipation)...going to the gym to run on the treadmill (with my phone)..meeting Cori and Leigh for breakfast because I couldn't go back home to sit and stare at my computer...getting a call from Stephanie while I stood in the parking lot of the restaurant telling me to get home because calls were being made all over the U.S....sitting in my office at home for hours waiting, afraid to move, waiting for that damn phone to ring...and the NOTHINGNESS....no call, no call, no call...the phone ringing and seeing CHI on the I.D....then more waiting, no referral...more nothingness...no answers or response from CHI...the pain of not knowing what was happening or why our phone never rang again...the pain of having to tell all of our friends and family that it wasn't going to happen...we didn't get our referral. Then another phone call...this one from Tina, calling from her home...the strangeness of her first words to me...the questions racing through my mind..."WHY WAS SHE CALLING ME, WHAT WAS SHE TRYING TO SAY?!" I finally just asked, "Did we get our referral today?" Her response, "Yes, oh yes, you have a daughter! She's beautiful." My heart almost stopped. Then we got this.....

Today will be a day of reflection for me...I almost can't control it...my mind is full of thoughts regarding our baby girl. When I look at her referral photos, and her finding ad I get overwhelmed with wanting to know what her life was really like before us. I get so sad that we didn't see and hold her when she was a newborn, a month old, two months old....we weren't there when she got her first few teeth or learned to hold her head up and roll over. I wish I could get a glimpse of her world before we entered it. A photo of her in orphanage, with her nannies, with her "sisters"...anything. I could go on an on....but I won't!

Mostly today, I will feel so grateful that I've been given the gift of this child and that my phone finally did ring!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll feel grateful for what we finally do know about her and all that we have yet to learn!

Kailahni chat

2010-05-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

I thought I was going to catch a video of Kailahni showing off her mad water skills....instead she hopped out of the pool to tell me something of great importance...too bad I don't know what that was! Isn't her voice so sweet?! Doug chose the bathing suit....no chance of us loosing her while she's wearing that! Chickeeda banana...cha cha cha!

Breakfast on the Farm

2010-05-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we were invited to enjoy a breakfast gathering with our friends at the Lucky Acres Ranch! The ranch/farm is owned by my friend, Suzanne Hanson's, in-laws. They were kind enough to allow us to invade their land for the morning, and believe me, it was a bit of an invasion....an Asian invasion. There were 10 children there...7 from China, 1 from Ethiopia, and 2 from my belly (my boys)! The food was great, the weather, delightful and the company, too enjoyable for words. The kids were able to pet and feed all the animals....goats, donkeys, miniature ponies, an Alpaca, a pig...they got to visit with the "large" animals as well..big, beautiful horses and cows..they even gathered eggs from the chickens. Suzanne had a pot painting craft all set up for the girls, so Kailahni got to paint for the first time. Jacob and Benjamin were as sweet as could be with all the little girls. They took time to walk the girls around and show them the animals, played with the younger ones on a blanket, Benji held Lauren on the tractor (not that she need holding...she could have probably driven the thing on her own if we let her), and assisted them in swinging on this electric, spinning swing thing they had. It's hard to describe, but really neat.

It was a really fun day! Thank you Suz for arranging the gathering (even if it was at 8 in the morning)! And, please tell your in-laws thank you for their warm hospitality!

Wises3 in AZ!!!!

2010-04-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

Talk about 4 years in the making!!! I got to hang with my Steph!! The Wise family made the LONG trek from San Francisco (basically) to Arizona to visit with family and FRIENDS!!! It was so awesome to get to meet all three of them face to face instead of email to email, Skype to Skype, text to text, blog to blog...you get the drift! Stephanie is one of those people I don't think I could have survived "the wait" without. Her friendship and support was, and still is, immeasurable! To see her, with her precious Zoey in her arms, was so heartwarming for me it's hard to describe!

Stephanie made dinner reservations for us in Prescott. Kailhani and I, along with three other families, drove up on Sunday evening for a meeting/reuniting that was really, really special. Little Zoey got to see two of her Yiyang "sisters" (all three girls were born in the same month and waited in the same orphanage) for the first time since leaving China. Mardi and Stephanie got to see one another for the second time....the first time they met (over three years ago), in Prescott as well, they were just starting their amazing journeys toward motherhood....and now, they stood side by side with their daughter's on their hips sharing stories of their new lives as Mommies!!!!! It was so sweet to see and so amazing to look around the dinner table and think of all that has transpired in all of our lives over the past four years, to see the friendships that have developed, to stare into the faces of four of the most amazing little girls in the world, and to think about how blessed we all are to have gotten to experience the miracle of adoption!

Thanks for setting up dinner Steph, thanks for coming to AZ, thanks for the pics, and THANKS for being my friend! I miss you already! Kisses to you, ZOEY, and Andrew!

Bouncy House Baby

2010-04-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

Well, Kailahni had her first bouncy house (a.k.a death dealing bacteria farm) experience this weekend. We went to a picnic hosted by our good friends, Josh and Nicole, and little Kai bounced her brains out. I sent Jacob in there with her to help keep her safe, but she wanted to bounce all on her own....go figure! It was a really nice picnic. We had everything from a playground, to sand volleyball, to the ever popular bouncy house, to guitar playing to entertain ourselves with. Things are starting to warm up here in Phoenix, so it was nice to get out and enjoy what may end up being our last good picnic day until Fall comes around. Time to bust out the sunscreen and bathing suits (GULP)!

Kailahni and her Uncle Gick (Rick)...he only lets special someones touch his guitar!
LOOK...a picture with ME and Kai in it...I didn't know that could happen anymore!
Yes, Benjamin bought his PILLOW to the picnic...don't ask!
Jacob and our friend Jeremy's newest addition...so sweet!
Jacob and friends with Josh, my nephew, buried up to his head (just the way I like him)
Who says Kailahni doesn't look good in blue?!
Sara and Kai having fun together, as usual.

Pioneer Days 5K and Parade

2010-04-13T19:25:00.000-07:00

The good weather in Phoenix is still holding, which made our weekend activities so enjoyable. Saturday morning started out with Cori, Lezlie and I running in the Pioneer Days 5K. It was a fun little run. I came in 4th for my age category, so no medal for me, but I did get a lovely t-shirt and water bottle! Cori and Lezlie did awesome and walked away with the same t-shirt and water bottle I got. We are all pretty satisfied with that. After the race, Doug dropped the kids off to us and then headed out to play in a golf tournament which he won! Go Doug! The kids and I, along with a bunch of our friends, then got to see Saramarie (cousin) dance her way down the Peoria Pioneer Days Parade. Her entire dance troop, which consist of many of our friend's daughters, was invited to be apart of it. It was so sweet to see all the boys (brothers and cousins, mostly)cheering for their little sisters/cousins as they came by. Kailahni LOVED the parade. She waved at all the people as they passed, and ate more candy and crap than I care to talk about. I think there is a lollipop in her hand in almost all of these pictures. There was a picnic that followed the parade and my little sugarplum stood in the grass, sucked a lollipop, danced to the music being played, and watched as her balloon (along with many others) floated off into the sky. She even got to be apart of the parade, briefly. Saramaries LOVES her Kai cousin and couldn't resist picking her up and carrying her down the street a ways. SO SWEET!! It was a fun, sun filled day...that's for sure!

This afternoon, Sarah and I took the kidos the zoo. My camera died when we got there, so I didn't get any pics, but I did take a few of Axl, Kai and Vienna in Sarah's front yard before we left. What a bunch of silly monkeys we have! And, I couldn't resist adding a few of my little diva in the making!

Breakfast bunch!

2010-04-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Kailahni and I had were able to join some of our friends from the adoption world for breakfast. It was a gathering 4 years in the making. Terri, Mardi, Suzanne and I all met as a result of using the same adoption agency. We all had March 2006 log in dates and waited all those long years together to see our little girls come home. This breakfast date was the first time all 4 of our girls have been together. We were joined by the lovely Emma and her mother. Emma came home at the same time Lauren Davenport did. In fact, they were born in the same province in China. Caroline and Gwyneth were also born in the same province and raised in the same orphanage in China. It's so nice that these girls will be able to stay close to one another as they grow up! My pics aren't the greatest..they were taken on my cell phone, but they are precious to me! Kailahni wore an outfit that Terri had bought for her, along with a pair of shoes I bought her to celebrate our having made it through the "review room" in China. She looked as sweet as can be.

In this photo, from left to right, we have Caroline (Jiangxi Province, Suzanne's daughter), Kailahni (Chongqing Municipality, mine all mine), Lauren (Guizhou Province, Mardi's daughter), Emma (Guizhou Province), Gwyneth (Jiangxi Province, Terri's daughter)

We missed some of our other adoption friends who, sadly, don't live near by. One of which, my good friend Stephanie, mother to the precious Zoey, just so happened to send me a care package the other day! She brought this mug for me while she was in China (I wanted to buy one for myself while I was there, but didn't)brought it all the way home, and then took the time to ship it to me from California! Thanks friend....I've been using it everyday!!

"Let's hit it!"

2010-03-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

The other day, we were rushing to get out the door to run a few errands and possibly play at the park for a few minutes. Jacob eagerly volunteered to run Kailahni upstairs and get her dressed for me. SWEET!!! A few minutes later the two of them came bounding down the stairs..Jacob put her down and proudly said, "OK, let's hit it"! Laughter ensued....he couldn't figure out what was so funny!

Let's break this down...red squeaky shoes, yellow PAJAMA bottoms, a cute tie dye top, long sleeves underneath (it's about 75 degrees outside), and a ski cap...made sense to him and she loved it! What a riot!

In case the pics weren't enough

2010-03-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a few short videos from our Spring Break and ski trip!

Sorry about the wind in this one...I had no idea it would be so loud! Kailahni puts her feet in the ocean for the first time in her life!

Here's Jacob getting a surf lesson from his Uncle Chris.

And here's a short one of Jacob snowboarding. This particular video was shot while I'll was letting him cut through the trees (not something I like to encourage). I drilled him about controlling his speed, which I think he did rather well.

Surf, sand and snow

2010-03-22T21:59:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been so busy. We've been on the go, go, go!!! Jacob and I did a full "ditch day" together and went snowboarding a few Friday's ago. It was SO much fun. I haven't spent a day with just him in a long, long time. The weather was beautiful....sunny and lots of snow. I skied in my jeans (old school style)...it was that warm. We are hoping to get a few more ski days in before the snow melts away, but if this is all we do this year, than that's OK too. I'm so glad I got Jacob on the slopes. It's one of his favorite places to be. Benjamin is more of a lodge bunny! He's a good skiier, but had no problem staying home while his brother and I took to the slopes. Kailahni spent the day with my sisters while Doug worked. She did great with them and had lots of fun playing dress up with Vienna.

Last week, of course, was spring break.

The kids and I traveled over to California with my Dad. We spent most days on the beach...just hanging out. Again, we had fantastic weather. I rented the boys wets suits and they boogie boarded for hours. Kailahni LOVED playing in the sand. I knew she would. She also LOVES her Grandpa, and vice versa. My brother Chris (who lives in Oceanside) left work early one day to squeeze in a surfing lesson with Jacob.

I think one of my favorite things in life is to watch my kids play at the ocean. There's nothing better than sitting back and watching them enjoy one of the best parts of nature.

We returned home on Thursday night, and on Friday I drove Jacob up to Flagstaff (cause I'm cool like that) to hang with his cousins for the remainder of his break. My girlfriend, Leigh, came along for the ride which made this quick turn around trip much more endurable. Benjamin stayed home (his choice) and hung out with cousins down here.

Saturday night I attended (brace yourself) my 20TH HIGH SCHOOL REUNION!!! Yikes! It was a lot of fun...as in I got home at 3 AM, fun! (For the record, I'm way too old for that.) However, I have some really good friends whom I've known for many, many years and when we get together it's hard to break away from one another. We turn into a bunch of silly school girls all over again!

This is me and my "oldest" friend in the world, Simone. We were in the same 1st Grade class together and have been friends ever since. She's lives right around the corner from me with her adoring husband, Roman (pictured below). He went to school with us as well...we all graduated together!

Just a nibble

2010-03-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog, but here's a sneak peak at how our Spring Break is looking!

We walked to the water and blew kisses to China.....it was dreamy!

How we roll

2010-02-24T12:35:00.000-08:00

The weather here in Phoenix has been so awesome! We've been spending as much time as possible outside these days!! Kailahni is working on more teeth (not fun), so getting out of the house and having some "fresh air distraction" has been good...FOR BOTH OF US!! We've gone hiking a bunch, we've been to the park, the zoo...gymnastics (that's inside, but that's OK)!!! We've gotten to visit with Gwen, Caroline, Lauren...our cousins. It's been fun, fun, fun! I'm loving it!

(Me with Gwen, Norah with Kailahni, Sarah with Caroline...and Axl peeking in on the fun)

This Friday, I'm pulling Jacob out of school (cause I'm cool like that) and taking him snowboarding. He's been working so hard to bring his grades up in school (and succeeding), that we thought a reward was in order!! I'm really looking forward to spending some "teen time" with him.

If your belly was this cute wouldn't you show it off???!!!

At the end of a day....there's nothing like some snuggle time with big brother Benji!

Girl fun

2010-02-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

Kailahni loves her piano. She sits and pushes the keys until the music comes on and then she gets up dances. It cracks me up because she won't stand and push the keys...she has to be sitting. She really is a funny, playful little girl. It's near to impossible, though, to get her on video laughing and smiling, but she does both all the time. Well...not ALL the time, but enough of the time. Her personality is so funny. She'll insist on wearing certain clothing items (like this cap....even though it was sunny and 70 degrees outside) or her "squeeky" shoes from China coupled with nothing but a diaper (very classy). What a silly girl we have! She makes us laugh every day!

Kailahni got to have a little play date with her friend Lauren the other day. It was so good to see Lauren and Mardi again. We met up for some gymnastics. Lauren has been to this gym quite a few times with her parents, but it was a first for us. The girls had some "serious" fun. I don't think Kailhani cracked a smile once...but she seemed to have fun. Lauren seemed very intrigued by Kailahni but wanted to keep her mom close while she played (not her normal "monkey girl" behavior). So, even though it was a little bit of an "off" day for our girls, it was fun and something I look forward to doing again in the near future. Mardi and I are hoping to get together to take the girls on a hike next week. Maybe we'll get more smiles out of them then!!

Tea pots and giggles

2010-01-28T14:12:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm trying out a new way to upload videos to the blog. Thanks to Stephanie, I may have found a new and improved way to do this. These are the type of videos that are way cuter to us than they will be to you, but they are here for your viewing pleasure none the less.

Kailahni loves her tea pot! She's will pour herself tea and sip it...but only if she hears the "pouring sound". If she doesn't hear the "pouring sound", then the cup is obviously empty and she can't sip her tea. Duh! I find this highly entertaining and funny! She will also giggle along with the tea pot (yes, the tea pot giggles, and yes, that scares me a little)! Enjoy!

And, here is Kailahni with her daddy! Too bad she doesn't like him...and vice versa! Ha ha!

2010?! Really?! WOW!

2010-01-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

Time just seems to be flying by these days. I've been thinking back over our past few months, and I really can't believe all that we have been doing....and NOT doing (like, sleeping)!!! The "not sleeping" thing is part of the reason I've neglected my blog! Sorry...sleep deprivation is tough stuff, and I'm a huge whimp about it!

But, we are all happy and healhty, so that is good! Jacob and Benjamin are the best big brother's Kailahni could ever hope for. They love her to pieces and are so patient and kind with her. They couldn't be any prouder of her than they are. They both love to just sit with her and try to teach to say new words, or learn a new trick...they dress her up in funny costumes, build forts for her, take her on the trampoline and let her "bounce" on her own, read books to her, play music and dance with her...I could go on and on. I have strangers comment to me about how loving they are with her. People will come up to me in the grocery store or at a restaurant and tell me how touched they are to see the boys being "so good" to their sister. They are both going to make really good Dads when they grow up. I love my boys. They are good kids and fun to be around. Both of them are growing up a little faster than I would like, but there is still an innocence to them and I'm a trying to soak up every minute of their boyhood before it's gone.

As for our little sugarplum...well, where do I begin?! She amazes us everyday! She is "talking" up a storm and developing quite the personality. She's a riot...most of the time. But, she can be a real pill too! She know's how to turn on the water works..that's for sure!! She understands "no" now and doesn't like to hear it...EVER!!!!!!!! I'm blown away by how much she imitates us and can understand what we are saying and doing. You only need to show her something once or twice and she gets it! She's walking full time and has mastered the stairs in our house. She loves books and can make all kinds of animal sounds. She's learning new words everyday, and using them more and more often. She's been able to say mama and dada for a while now, but has just started calling for me when she want's me. She'll say "mama" when I walk in room now....IT MELTS MY HEART...I LOVE IT! Her voice is very, very sweet..her cry, LOUD..her hugs, to die for...her smile, contagious..her eyes, beautiful and "telling"...her spirit, awe inspiring!

I'm a Mom to three very different, very special kids. I really hope I am doing them justice as a parent. Finding the balance between taking care of them and taking care of myself can be a challenge... I've gotten back into my running and it's making me a happy little lady...a sore, happy little lady! I ran a half marathon in November and am hoping to do another in February (if my body let's me)! We'll just have wait and see!

The Gift of You

2009-12-03T07:03:00.000-08:00

THE GIFT OF LIFE

I didn't give you the gift of life, But in my heart I know
The love I feel is deep and real, As if it had been so.
For us to have each other, Is like a dream come true!
No, I didn't give you the gift of life, Life gave me the gift of you.

Four months ago today, Qian Xiu Gang stepped in my arms and into our life, forever. In an instant, our world turned pink! I will never forget how if felt to finally hold her, feel her cheeks againt mine, touch her hand, look into her beautiful eyes, kiss her sweet lips, and listen to her giggle. She was, and still is, a dream come true. As we watch her personality emerge and her heart open up, we are in costant awe. I feel so blessed to have been able to make the journey to her and priviledge beyond words to be her mom. She is our daughter and sister and is so loved and treasured!

"Wo ai ni, Mei Mei" ~ Mom

Has it only been 3 months?!

2009-11-18T14:55:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that it was only 3 months ago that Doug and I were returning home from China with our precious Kailahni. So much has changed and happened in our life since then. Our whole world looks different...our surroundings, our home, our family...our whole life, really. It's enough to give me an anxiety attack just thinking about it.

The boys seem to be getting a handle on school. Poor Jacob is having a really hard time this year....middle school is tough stuff. And, middle school for a kid with ADHD who had to switch school mid year is REALLY tough. He's not loving school at all, but he's still trying hard and giving it his all. I "heart" Jacob! Benjamin is doing just fine academically, but begs to be home schooled. Ha...could you imagine?! I don't thinks so...not now, at least.

Kailahni is walking more and more each day, but still not full time. She's so funny about the walking thing. She looks like a weeble wobble when she walks...it's so cute. I'll have to try to get another video of it soon. She's talking more too. Her cousin, Saramarie, gave her a baby doll and she loves it to death. It's adorable how she'll cling to her baby and give it kisses.

We've been able to get out and around a little bit more lately which has been nice. With the move and everything, my friends and family have been sorely neglected by me. I'm hoping life will continue to settle down more and more so that I can get out and do more of things I enjoy with the people I have been missing. I did take Kailahni over to Lauren's house for a brief playdate the other night. It was a lot of fun to see the two girls interact together. Mardi and I have big plans for future playdates. Hopefully next time one of us will remember to take a picture. It makes me laugh to think that two of us moms have waited YEARS to see our girls play together...and when it finally happens, neither one of us bothers to pull out a camera! And we are both bloggers...there's no excuse for it!!! bahaha

I'll end this post with a big shout out to my 3/27/06 LID friends who booked their flights to China today! I can't tell you guys how much joy it brings me to see you complete your journey's. The next few weeks will be so memorable for you....there just aren't words. Enjoy every moment of it!!!

Catching up

2009-11-03T07:15:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how horrible I have been about updating the blog. Between having Kailahni at my side ALL DAY, EVERY DAY and trying to help the boys get acclimated to their new school, I don't feel like I have much time to sit down and blog. Go figure! Life is good, but busy. Jacob and Benjamin are settling into school, although they are both a little overwhelmed with being in a "real school" (as they call it). But, all in all, they seem happy and are making friends...so that's good.

Kailahni is still working on her walking skills. She could probably be a full time walker if she wanted to be, but she seems content to just dabble in the walking thing, for now. She has entered into a bit of a "clingy" phase, which is normal and expected. She wants to be with me (on me really) at all times. If I walk out of the room for even a minute, she lets me know just how "not OK" she is with that. She's not sleeping quite as well as she was either. I'm up with her 2,3,4 times a night. I'm sure this will pass, and we are working hard to answer ALL of her cries and reassure her that we will always be there...ALWAYS. She's a bright girl, so I'm sure she'll get that concept soon. At least I hope she does, because I like my sleep...I'm missing it!

We've made it to the zoo once since our move. The day we went it was a little bit hot, but we made the best of it. Sarah, Norah, my Dad and all the kidos were there. Kailhani really seemed to like the animals and had a good time splashing in water playground. I'm sure there will be plenty more zoo days in our future! I've also included some pics of some playtime at Sarah's house. It's so much fun to watch Vienna and Kailahni play together!! Sista Cousins!!

Almost Walking!!!

2009-10-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Life is moving forward at top speed. The boys started their new school this week. Kailahni is trying to walk. I'm still working on putting our new home together. We have our first post placement visit with our social worker on Friday. And...let's see...what else?! I don't really know what else is exciting and new for us, but we are busy...that's for sure. We went to the zoo last week, which was a lot of fun, so I'll have to post photos of that soon. But, for now, just LOOK at what our little girl is doing!!

Attempt #1...ALMOST!!!

Attempt #2....GETTING CLOSER

The Third time is the charm!!! I got smart and set the camera on the coffee table so I had both hands free!

And, finally, here she is showing off her mad walking skills to Doug and the boys! We are so proud!

Blessings Galore!!

2009-10-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

Referrals for my 3/27 LID friends have finally arrived!!! Today has been such a joyous day! I am beside myself with joy and relief for these very deserving Mommies and their "Oh so" deserving children!

Introducing Zoey Wise!!! She is the daughter of my friend Stephanie and her husband Andrew. Stephanie has been such a huge source of support and friendship for me throughout our journey to Kailahni! She's an amazing woman who is going to be...I mean, IS a wonderful Mom. Zoey was born on March 16, 2009 and is currently waiting for Stephanie and Andrew in Jiangxi, China.

And here is Terri's bundle of joy! Her Chinese name is Yi Xiau Yang. She was born on March 5, 2009! She is also residing in Jiangxi Province. In fact, Stephanie and Terri's babies are in the same SWI. How awesome is that?! Terri is one of the first adoption mamas I met here in Phoenix! She's a beautiful person who is going to be such a loving, fun Mom! I can't wait to see her step off the plane, in just a few months, holding this precious child!!

There are more babies to come! This was a large LID day, and I am close with quite a few of the families! It's been a long, long wait...but SO WORTH IT!!!

Two words

2009-10-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

TEETHING STINKS!

We are moved over to the new house, but not quite moved in yet! Jacob and Doug are on a 4 day canoe trip and Kailahni, Benji and I are having fun just hanging out together and unpacking! I'll post more later!

This is going to be short...

2009-09-30T23:03:00.000-07:00

We're moving!

I don't mean switching blog sites "moving", I mean moving, moving!

We aren't moving far...just across town, but a move is a move! It's been crazy, chaotic, hectic, busy and exhausting...to say the least!

Once we are settled in and things have calmed down, I'll post again. I hope these pics tie all my adoring fans over until I return to blogger land! tee hee

Love to all, especially my 3/27/06 LID mamas who are being tested to their limit right now! I'll be praying that, before I finish opening my boxes in our new place, you'll be opening "the package" that will change your life forever!

Playdate in Kai's Room

2009-09-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...two posts back to back. I'm a mad women. After picking up the boys from school yesterday, running a few quick errands, and doing a little homework with Jacob, I took Kailahni into her room to clean up her toys. One thing led to another and myself and all three kids ended up playing in there for over an hour. We played hide and seek, Kailahni style!
It started out with just Kailahni...

Then Jacob joined in the fun....

Then Benjamin..

It's funny how the boys will stop whatever it is they are doing...video games included, to play with the baby. They get so much joy out of seeing her do new things. I love watching the three of them play together. It gives me a great big Mommy smile!

Randomness

2009-09-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

This post is a shout out to my March 27th (and maybe 29th) waiting mamas!!! The excitment that I feel for you guys (and you know who you are) is hard to explain. Referrals will be here anyday and we will finally be seeing the beautiful faces of all of your little girls! It's going to be a wild and crazy referral day...that's for sure. I'm so proud of each and everyone of you for staying SO strong through this LONG, LONG wait. What amazing women you all are and what wonderful mothers you will be!!!

Kailahni and I spent our morning hanging out with Stephanie on Skype. We blew off our chores and what not and chatted our little hearts out!!! It was so much fun...very irresponsible, but fun!

The pictures of Kai in her panda pj's are for you Suzanne!!

Only a few more days you guys.....WOO HOO!!!!

Kailahni is One!

2009-09-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl turned 1 today. It's hard for me to think about the events that unfolded in her life on this day just one year ago. I tried to tell Kailahni her "birth story" today as I got her ready for her nap. I tried to explain to her about her birth mother (the woman, I know, must have thought of her a million times today) and the difficult choice she had to make. I tried to let her know that we will always honor this woman, whoever she is, for allowing Kailahni to have a life. I tried to explain how sad we are that we couldn't get to China sooner than we did, but how happy we are that we are together now. But, I don't think I had much success in expressing all these "truths" to her. She sat on my lap, giggled at me, tried to play beek-a-boo a million times, played with my hair and pointed at my nose (her new skill). For all she knew, I was telling her the funniest story she has ever heard. I guess, for now, that's as it should be.

The fact that Kailahni is letting us love her is the biggest gift we could have ever been given! She has opened her heart to us, she TRUSTS us...that is such an unbelievable blessing. I could stare into her beautiful, brown eyes for hours. She's a precious soul and one that will be treasured by her family forever!

Settling in

2009-09-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

It seems we have settled into life again. In so many ways, it feels as if Kailhani has always been with us. She fits perfectly into our world. We are in awe of this amazing child. Her smile melts our hearts.

It's scaring me how fast she seems to be changing. She'll be in 1 in just a few days...NO!!! She can now pull herself to standing and let go of whatever she used to pull herself up...and then just stand there with perfect balance. She's even taken a few tiny steps between the couch and the coffee table...YIKES!! I'm not ready for her to start walking. But, I have a feeling it's going to happen...soon. She can point to each of us if we ask her who's who. She says "mama" and "dada" and "bye bye" (kind of). She waves bye bye and claps her hands when you ask her to. She thinks Jacob and Benjamin are the greatest things on earth (usually...sometimes Mama is the only great thing to her...fine by me). She wants to be doing whatever it is that they are doing. Right now they find this very amusing. I'm sure some day soon, that will change.

Doug is her hero...that's for sure. When he comes home from work she practically jumps out of my arms to get to him. She definitely knows who we are, I'm just not sure she knows what we are. Does she know we are her family? Forever and ever? I'm not sure. I'm not sure any baby does at her age, but with biological children you never really question it. With her, I have to wonder. One thing I know for sure....she can't possibly love us nearly as much as we love her.

In other news: JACOB TURNED 13 LAST WEEKEND!!!! It's unbelievable. How did this happen?! Who said it was OK?! For his birthday he got.....A BLACK EYE!! Swear to god. Poor kid. I thought to myself.."maybe a black eye isn't such a bad thing...maybe I should "accidentally" give him one every couple of days to keep the girls away". Then he went to school on Monday and his eye had a Florence Nightingale effect on the girls in his class. They flocked to him. I guess I better come up with plan B...quick!

Jacob is such a great kid. He really is. I'm not just saying that because I'm his mother...at least I don't think I am. I don't just love Jacob because he's my son...I like him for who he chooses to be. Jacob is a very likeable person. He's active, adventurous, kind, funny, smart, creative....and awesome with little kids. He's got the patience of a saint. I don't know anybody who doesn't like Jacob. I keep telling him that if he continues on the path that he's on, his teen years are going to be some of the funnest years of his life. If he decides to go rotten on us, I will be sure to make them some of the worst! He knows I'm not kidding, so we'll see what happens.

Please forgive me for not posting sooner. I hardly had any pictures to put on here. I haven't been taking many....how strange is that?! I'm too busy enjoying the little things in life to remember to grab my camera. I'll have to get better about that.

For my fellow March mamas: This is going to be such an exciting month. Referrals will be here in no time....this month already feels like it's flying by. With a three day weekend in front of us, we'll be at the middle on the month before we know it. You guys are in my thoughts and your babies...all of them, are in my prayers!!

"Being thirteen is awesome!!!"

Our first week home

2009-08-22T22:41:00.000-07:00

We have been home from China for just over a week. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. With the boys in school, our life is in full swing. Doug, Kailahni and myself seem to be adjusted to U.S. time...more or less. That jet lag was a real butt kicker.

Most of my friends and family have now had a chance to meet the baby. She seems to love all the attention she is getting. Everyone is so excited to finally have her home. Jacob and Benjamin are wonderful with her. They love her to pieces. They laugh at every little thing she does. Watching the three of them play together is a riot. It's one big, giant screamfest. The three of them roll around on the floor together and scream with laughter...it's adorable. The boys are already trying to teach her naughty things....like shaking her head "no" when you ask her anything. They think it's hilarious to ask her, "Is Mommy your favorite?"...she shakes her head "no"...they laugh (positive reinforcement for not so positive behavior) and then they ask her another question. They can do this for hours.

Her pediatrician visit went great. She now weighs 15 lbs, 9 ozs. She'll see him again next month for another weight check and blood work. We are working on switching her to U.S. formula. She seems to be handling the change well. We are also trying to introduce as many solid foods as we can. She still struggles a bit with solids, so we have jarred baby food to help ensure that she's getting enough fruits and vegetables.

I still can't believe she is home. I can't believe the wait is over. I can't believe we went to China. We've been looking at our pictures from the trip and reliving so much of our time spent there with our family and friends. That's been a lot of fun because the trip goes by so fast that you forget all that you did and saw. I feel endeared to that country. I will always treasure the time we spent there and do my best to inculcate into Kailahni a sense of pride in the place where she came from. China will be in our hearts forever and the people, especially the children, of China in our prayers.

Home Sweet Home!

2009-08-14T23:42:00.000-07:00

We are finally home! It's the weirdest feeling in the world to have Kailahni with us at home. A good feeling, but so surreal. She is doing great. Her brothers LOVE her. I let them stay home from school today, and they couldn't get enough of her.

Our flight (or I should say flights) were long and little bit tough. None of us slept all that much. Kailahni had a few bad boughts of crying (screaming, really), but it could have been worse. I think it was the lay-overs that really got to us. Over 8 hours of lay-overs...YUCK! But, it was all worth! We made it home safe and sound! We had the world's best welcoming committe waiting for us when we deboarded in Phoenix. Actually, we had a welcoming committe in L.A. also (we're so special). My girlfriend Machel and her kids, Ashley and Travis, drove up from La Jolla to catch a glimpse of Kailahni. Although our visit brief, it was very meaningful. Thank you Machel, I love you!

Seeing our boys and all of our friends and family at the airport was such an awesome experience. You never really realize how much you miss someone until you see them again. We even had three fellow "March Mamas" at the airport to greet us! That was so special!

I think we are all adjusting well. Last night went great, tonight is starting to look a little different (Kailahni is very turned around on her sleep schedule). I don't plan on doing much for the next few days. Adjusting to Phoenix time and loving on each other is about the only thing I have on my schedule. That, and visiting with my friends and family who stop by. We have such supportive, patient and loving friends and family. I came home to two VERY well taken care of boys, a clean house that was stocked with food, and precooked dinners from my Mom. How awesome is that?! I don't have many pictures to post from our arrival (for once, I wasn't the one taking them), but I'll add them later when I get some from others.

Thank you to everyone who followed our trip so closely. It was fun having you all there with us. It really made us a lot less home sick than we would have been. Doug and I are grateful beyond words to have each and every one of you in our lives.
Saying "Goodbye" to China.

On the plane headed for home..

Waiting in Toyko for our flight to the U.S. (only 16 hours to go...uugghh)

Home at last!

The real journey begins!

2009-07-29T00:14:00.000-07:00

The day is finally upon us. Doug and I will be leaving for China in the morning. It's so hard to believe. It feels a little bit like a dream. To think that in a few short days we will be meeting the child we have dreamnt about for so many years is overwhelming. I can't wait to see her sweet face for the first time.

Thank you all, so much, for being so supportive and hanging in there with us throughout our wait.

I hope we are able to stay connected with you while we're in China. We have set up a new travel site for our trip. We will do our very best to post as often as we are able.

Looking forward to seeing everyone again real soon,

Mary

www.babygirlschneider.shutterfly.com

2 days till China

2009-07-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Sunday evening and all is quiet in Schneider house. We're actually getting ready to pop in a movie and relax. The four of us have worked hard all weekend to get our chores, errands, and shopping done. We even cleaned out the garage. I did, however, manage to find time to float around in the pool for a bit...and I made it to the gym for a much needed run on the tread mill. Woo hoo!

It's hard to believe that Doug and I will be leaving for China in only two days. I can't believe the time is finally upon us. The anticipation is building to a level that is hard to explain. We are really, really excited!

The picture above shows some gifts that we received this week. The quilt was hand made by my Aunt Jane and the doll was made by my good friend Stephanie! Thank you both so much for your kindness and generosity!

2 DAYS TILL CHINA!!!

Lauren has arrived!

2009-07-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

My good friend Mardi along with her husband, Dan, her mom, Sherry, and her PRECIOUS DAUGHTER LAUREN arrived home from China today!! Jacob and I went to the airport to greet them along with Terri (another waiting mama) and others. It was so great to see all their smiling faces as they approached us in the waiting area. Lauren is so adorable. I'm so happy that they have arrived home safely.

Congratulations Mardi and Dan...and WELCOME HOME!!!

Norah, Sarah and my Dad came by today and we all headed up to the mall to get some much needed shopping done. I'm getting down to my last few errands...thankfully. I think by the end of the weekend the only thing I will have left to do is some cleaning and little bit of laundry! Yeah!

It's been a long week, but I'm starting to feel like everything is coming together!

5 days till China!

A Tea...FOR ME!!!

2009-07-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

On Monday, my dear friend Leigh held a tea in my honor. If you've never been to tea at "Leigh's Tea Room", you are missing out. It was so nice to take a break from the errands and the packing and enjoy some time with "my girls". I don't know where, or who, I'd be without my friends and my sisters. Each and every one of them shower me with love on a daily basis...I'm so blessed! Throughout this journey, they have shown undying support and have lent me a listening ear more times than I can count. My friends (and sisters...who are also my friends) mean the world to me and I treasure them all.

The packing, for China, is well under way and the excitement is building. It's been a very busy week, but I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting a grip on everything. Tomorrow the boys and I are going "back to school" shopping...how crazy is that?! Who goes "back to school shopping" in July?! WE DO!! They are going to start school before we return home from China, so it's a "must do".

I'm hoping that if I get enough stuff done tomorrow and Friday, I may be able to take some time to float in the pool with Jacob and Benjamin this weekend. I think it will happen! :)

5 DAYS TILL CHINA!!!

UPDATE: I must have been really tired last night when I posted this. We don't have 5 days left before we leave, we have 6...and last night (when I was typing) we still had 7. Sorry! So let me try this again...

6 DAYS TILL CHINA!!!! YEAH!!!

11 Days till China!!

2009-07-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

The boys and I returned home from Flagstaff last night. We had such a great time. It was mostly women and children on this trip, so the food was good, the drinks were great and the conversation..even better. The kids had so much fun...all SEVEN of them!!! They played, hiked, swam, went to the skatepark, explored...played some more! My children are truly blessed to have such an amazing extended family and friends that we adore.

Although Flagstaff was beautiful and relaxing, I was itching to get home and get myself ready for China. My "to do" list is long enough to make you gasp.

We received our final intinerary for China a few days ago. It still shows August 3rd as being the day Kailahni will be placed in our arms! That's only 16 days away!!

Drum roll please....

2009-07-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

(My visa to enter China)

Doug and I have officially decided on a name for our sugarplum! Are you ready for this?! Her name will be:

Kailahni Xiugang Elizabeth Schneider

As my Pop-Pop would have said, "That's one long call sign!" And he'd be right. It is!

Along with "re-naming" our child, the last week and a half have been busy. The packing is under way...kind of, sort of...not really. I've basically been organizing myself so I can shop and pack, but I haven't really done either. I still have plenty of time for that, so I'm not too worried. (Yeah right..wink, wink)

The boys and I are heading up to Flagstaff on Monday to relax in the tall pines with our family and friends. I'm really looking forward to that! Once we return home, I'm going to have to get really serious about preparing to leave. I think the "time crunch" will be good for me. Right now I feel a little bit like a chicken with my head cut off. But, soon, all will fall into place and we will find ourselves boarding the plane. YEAH!!

Our baby girl turned 10 months old today! Thoughts of her are completely filling my mind today. I've stared at her photos a million times and tried to imagine how she may have changed since they were taken. I can't wait for the moment when I actually get to lay my eyes of her! To think that, that moment is not far off, just thrills me. EXCITING!!!

We have our Travel Approval!

2009-07-01T13:49:00.001-07:00

Chongqing City

We received an email yesterday evening from our agency letting us know that our travel approval had arrived and that they were requesting appointments for us at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou!

This morning we received another email letting us know that our appointment had been confirmed and that we can make our travel arrangements!

I've spent most of the afternoon on the phone with our travel agent BOOKING OUR AIRLINE TICKETS TO CHINA!!!!

According to our newly CONFIRMED intinerary, Xiu Gang will be placed in our arms on AUGUST 3, 2009!!! It's hard to type that without tearing up! It's so unbelievable.

Here's our travel itinerary:

Wed, July 29th - Depart Phoenix at 7:30 AM
Thurs, July 30th - Arrive in Beijing at 8:10 PM
Fri, July 31st - Free day in Beijing
Sat, August 1st - TianAnMen Square, Forbidden City and the Great Wall. CHI orientation that evening.
Sun, August 2nd - Fly to Chongqing
Mon, August 3rd - RECEIVE XIU GANG!!!!!
Tues, August 4th - Formal Adoption Process
Wed, August 5th-7th - sightseeing and free days in Chongqing
Fri, August 7th - Depart for Guangzhou in the evening
Sat, August 8th - Medical exam for Xiu Gang
Sun, August 9th - Free day
Mon, August 10th - Free day
Tues, August 11th - U.S. Consulate appointment
Wed, August 12th - Take an oath at the American Consulate and receive Xiu Gang's visa
Thurs, August 13th - Leave China. We will arrive in Phoenix at 5:43 PM that same day

I don't know what else to say. I don't know what to do right now either. Should we go out and celebrate? Should we start packing? Should I go to spin class, like I promised my girlfriend? My mind is a flurry....I'M SO EXCITED!!

I will tell you this...after much debate, we've decided to fly coach, BUT IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS.....

Finding Ad

2009-06-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

We received Xiu Gang's "finding ad" in the mail today. When I opened the package, the first thing I pulled out was a copy of the newspaper that the ad had been placed in...."The Chongqing Legal System Daily". I flipped through the paper and found the page that had the babies ad's, I scanned the pictures and found Xiu Gang right away!!! It made me so happy to know that I was able to pull her face out of the crowd. There were 21 other photos of children on the page.

The ad was published on December 12, 2008, when she was only 3 months old. I can't say for sure how old she is in this photo, but my guess is that she is pretty close to 3 months. This is earliest photo of her we will probably ever have. It's precious to me.

Included in the package, as well, was a map of the Qianjiang District, an enlarged photo of her ad and a translated version of the information that was placed next to her photo.

I'm trying to keep a calm, patient heart, but it's getting harder and harder. I want to kiss her sweet cheeks so bad I could cry....I'm not going to let myself cry though because we are going to Costco to get some "passport" type pictures taken for our visa application (I don't want to have puffy eyes)!

Still no travel approval....I'm hoping we'll hear something about that by tomorrow.

Tentative Travel Dates!!

2009-06-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

We have TENTATIVE travel dates!!!! Although our travel approval has not yet arrived, our agency is hoping that the following dates will be our travel dates.

Thursday, July 30th - Leave the U.S.
Friday, July 31st - Arrive in Beijing
July 31st - August 13th - Our stay in China
Thursday, August 13th - Leave Guangzhou for the U.S.

Since our agency has not yet received our travel approval, they can not confirm an appointment for us at the American Consulate in Guangzhou, therefore, these dates can change. But, it's exciting to see none the less!!!

Although I still stare at her photos in amazement everyday, the excitement from her referral arriving has worn off, the anxiety over packing has begun and the ache in my heart to see Xiu Gang in person is getting harder and harder to ignore. Five more weeks, huh?! I can do that!

Our cruise!

2009-06-15T00:44:00.000-07:00

We just returned from our cruise. We had such a great time. The boys thought they had died and gone to heaven. They had so much fun. Jacob loved driving the boat that we rented and hanging out at the kids club on the ship and Benjamin was all about the "all you can eat ice cream" (go figure). I could go on and on, but I won't. I'll let the pictures do the talking. The one thing I will say (since it can't be pictured) is that our baby girl turned 9 months old on the third day of our cruise (June 10th). The day before that, we were on the island of Catalina. Amongst other things, the four of us hopped into a little "surf shop" and bought XiuGang a pink tank top that says "Catalina Island".

After we debarked the ship, we headed down to Oceanside to visit my brother, Chris, and spend some time with our very good friends, the Pachesky's at the beach. Sarah, Norah, my Dad, Taylor, Max, Lincoln, Axl and Vienna all met us there. It was a great way to end our trip!
First day on board!

"Mom let me order lobster!"

This is not Macaulay Culkin..I swear, it's Jacob enjoying the robes in our stateroom.

Benji, chill'in off the shores of Catalina Island.

Benjamin took this picture..AT BREAKFAST (thank god I had makeup on)

Driving the boat...with one hand!

Driving the boat with two hands....but still, scary!!

Jacob loves these glasses...ALOT!

Benjamin and Doug modeling Doug's new "canoe trip" hats!

Doug on the beach at Oceanside...it was a "fun" cruise..I guess he's tired...what else can I say?!

There's nothing funnier than "pre-teens" at the the beach! Oh wait...Taylor is already 13...OMG!

Beach buddies!

Norah, my Dad, Sarah, Chris and myself on the beach in Carlsbad. For the record..I wasn't prepared for pictures..seriously, I had been at the beach all day and hadn't showered..there was sunscreen in my HAIR!!! Whatever!

Leaving on the "fun ship"

2009-06-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

WE'RE OUT OF HERE!!! Doug and I booked a fun, little family cruise for ourselves and the boys! We set sail tomorrow evening! It's a four day jaunt in the Pacific on a Carnival ship. They call them "fun ships". And let me just say...if our ship isn't "fun" now, it will be when I get on it!!! The boys are so, so, so excited. We wanted to do a little something special with them before the baby comes home and this seemed to be just the thing.

We've been playing Jimmy Buffet music and dancing around the house to get in the mood while we pack. I'm actually the only one dancing (Benji too, a little). I tried to get Jacob to form a congo line with Benji and I when I sent them in to brush their teeth, but he wanted nothing to do with it. Figures!

I think we're going to have a blast on the trip!!! And, who knows, maybe we'll have some tentative China dates when we get home!!

Bon Voyage!!!

Learning about Xiu Gang

2009-06-01T21:05:00.000-07:00

We received an email Tuesday morning (May 26th) with the translated version of Xiu Gang's narrative. It contained information regarding the events that transpired on her "finding day". Although it was a little tough to read, it's information that I am grateful to have. We learned that Xiu Gang was 6.6 lbs at birth and 19 inches long. That makes her our biggest baby, believe it or not. Benji was only 5 lbs 6 ozs and poor Jacob entered the world weighing only 2 lbs 3 oz. Xiu Gang's surname, Qian, comes from the name of a river in her district...the Qianjiang River. We also learned that she is very active, laughs loud and likes her bath.

After reading about Xiu Gang's "finding day", I got online and visited the website of a man who has helped many families obtain their child's finding ad. I called the number on his website and spoke with him for quite a while about Qianjiang. Both he and his wife traveled there in 2006. He described the city to me in great detail. I purchased a DVD that he made of the city....in fact, we've already received it and watched it. It has footage from inside the orphanage...including the newborn and baby rooms. It also shows footage of many of the finding locations throughout the district..including Xiu Gang's. I'm so very grateful to have this video. It is doubtful that Doug and I will be able to visit her orphanage. I don't even know if we will get to go to Qianjiang. It's highly possible that the babies will be brought to the nearest "large" city, Chongqing, to meet us. If that happens, and we don't get to visit Qianjiang, then this video may be the only images we will have of her birth town.

About an hour or so after I spoke with this man, I received an email letting me know that he had located her finding ad. He is sending it to us along with a copy of the newspaper it was published in. This will most likely be the earliest photo we will ever have of her. I can't wait to see it.

Later that afternoon, I headed off to Fed Ex to overnight our signed acceptance papers back to our agency. Two days later, May 28th, our agency emailed me letting us know that everything had been sent back to China for processing of our travel approvals!!! One step closer!!

The pictures in this post were taken by a family who toured the orphanage when they adopted their daughter. This is where Xiu Gang has been living while she waits for us.

Referral celebration!

2009-06-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sydney and Jaime on referral day!

I hopped out of bed Saturday morning, the day after we received our referral and immediately sent Xiu Gang's pictures over to Costco for printing. I ordered 4X6's, 5X7's, wallets, black and whites...you name it. I felt like I hadn't slept in days (probably because I hadn't), but I didn't care. The excitement of finally being done with "the wait" was fueling me. I was buzzing around the house, calling people, emailing people...all kinds of "nervous energy" type of things. Doug, on the other hand, went golfing. Men can be so calm during the most uncalm moments in life...it's impressive.

That evening we celebrated with our family. Cody threw together a nice little BBQ at our house. He also mixed up some mean Flirtinis. The girls showed up with tee shirts that had Xiu Gang's referral photo on it. I just about died when I saw that. It was pretty stinking cute.

Sunday, the girls and I (including Vienna) went to Baby's R Us and I bought a glider rocker for the baby's room. It's the first big item thing I have purchase for our sugarplum. It was great because they actually had the chair I wanted in stock, so I was able to bring it home that same day.

It fits so nicely in her room. I have a feeling her and I will spend many, many hours in this chair together.

Then finally, Monday night...when things seemed calm...Doug and I sat down together, went through the referral packet (again) and signed our Seeking Confirmation Letter, officially accepting the referral of our beautiful QIAN XIU GANG!

Referral Day!

2009-06-01T16:23:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it's been over a week already since our referral day. It was such an exciting day! We had quite a little crowd of people here to meet the Fed Ex truck. Ann, our Fed Ex delivery gal, was a little taken back at first, but she got very excited when she realized what she was delivering. I was very much relieved to open the package and see that all of the information we had been given the night before about Xiu Gang was correct. Doug and I had agreed that I would open the package right away and not wait until he got home from work. That way, if there was any confusion or conflicting information, we would still have time to call our agency in St. Louis before they closed. Her referral photos were so sweet. We can hardly peel our eyes away from them.

Doug had asked me to email him her pictures right away. We were having technical difficulties getting that done, so Terri and I ran over to Kinko's to get them scanned. Doug got home from work just before we got back. It was all a little caotic and unplanned, but oh well.

That evening we went to a Colin Hay concert. I'm not sure what most people do after they receive their referral, but we had already bought tickets to the show and we knew our good friends would be there, so we decided to go ahead and go. It was actually kind of nice because the drive to the concert was about 40 minutes and it gave Doug and I some alone time to talk about our baby girl. I brought her pictures with us (I couldn't leave her home alone)....it was hard to believe we were really looking at our daughter.

Welcome to the new site!

2009-05-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

With a referral in hand, we are proudly embarking on the final part of our journey to bring home our baby girl, XiuGang. Thank you Stephanie for setting up and designing our new "home". It's so beautiful.

Stephanie (pictured above) will be experiencing all the joy we now feel in just a few months. She is anxiously awaiting the referral of her daughter, Zoey.

This past week has flown by. It feels like so much has happened, though. I promise to post soon with an update on all that has transpired.

Thank you everyone for hanging in there with us. The best is yet to come!!!