I know...

...I know it's been a while since I posted last... about a month but Reese had that surgery I mentioned a couple of months ago.

And boy was it a dozzie. She was completely down and out for two weeks and in a lot of pain. There were a couple of days right in the beginning, I wondered if she would ever forgive me for putting her through this. She was so angry and then so sad. It just about broke my heart. But through us loving her and holding her, she finally started to trust us again.

Now four weeks later, you would never know it happen. She's back. She's just amazing and God is go good. He really touched her through this whole recovery. It will be a while before we know if this surgery will help her with her speech, but we are trusting the Lord and just know she's going to be saying things she was never able to before.

During this season of giving... I cant help but stop and thank God , for the gift of Jesus and for the gift of my family... and my daughter Reese.

She is truly so special and I'm blessed to be her mother. She told me yesterday in between a doctor visit and speech therapy, " mom I really, really really, really loved you; you're my best friend and my buddy." She's told me many time she loves me but this was the first time she told me I was her best friend and buddy. It was just that little something I needed to know that this last four weeks are behind us. It was so sweet and so true.

Reese, I am your mother, best friend, and buddy forever and always. I love you Reese. Merry Christmas...

Our little mama honey bee...

my sweet baby girl saw this costume and just had to have it. we already had a butterfly costume but once she saw this bee outfit, all i heard was, " want it mama" " want it " ( sorry about the coat... but this bee would have frozen without it.) she sure was cute in the wings though

so what's a mama to do?? she returns the other custume that's what and i'm so glad i did.

thank you maw maw for coming along...

this pumpkin is sure getting heavy..

The Pumpkin hunting part 2....

The early cold weather stop us from picking apples this year but not our pumpkin. It sure was a great day.

The pumpkin hunt...

the d-family jack o lantern 2011... isn't it awesome

... it was hard work but someone had to do it... hunt the perfect pumpkin that is and we were up to the challenge

no cold weather was going to stop this team of pumpkin hunters...

whatcha think about this one... it's super cute

or this one with the killer stem

and we got to take all these babies

here is the winner and i think the perfect pumpkin

Four now, mama ?

My beautiful birthday princess

My baby is four... I can't hardly believe it. Reese has grown up so much this year. I look at her and I'm still amazed at how far she's come. Her speech is getting better and better. We are all hopeful her next procedure coming up next month will be the answer to the rest of her speech issues.

All of her classmates have turned four except one and Reese has wanted to be four too for about six months or more. At each birthday party , she would look at me and tell me she was four too. I would have to remind her... not yet but it's coming up soon.

When her birthday finally came, she looked at me and asked, " four now, mama?" and I told yes baby girl you're four now. She's been on cloud nine ever since telling everyone hey and four now.

We had family and friend over this past weekend to celebrate this little princess.

Her school party

Thank you Lord for our beautiful birthday girl. Our prayer is that the Lord bless you beyond measure this year and guide you into the special person He created you to be. Happy birthday baby girl....we love you .

Hide & Seek

Reese has grown so much this summer. I cant believe the summer is almost over. Where does the time go???

Reese grew a whole 1/2 inch in a month. I tell her... " stop growing..." and she just looks at me and tells me, " mama gotta grow." ... so true. My little baby girl is turning into a beautiful little lady.

Reese is all about playing games... games on the iphone, candyland, dora bingo, and good ole hide and seek....

I'm going to have to get her picture playing games on the iphone. She's so good at electronics. Her and her daddy fight over who's going to play tiny wing. Their a hoot. It does come in handy traveling. I think she's going to have to have her own ipod touch soon.

We are off to the surgery center again tomorrow for our 4th set of ear tubes. I'm praying this set lasts longer than the ones we got in March. This will be Reese's 3rd surgery this year.

This summer has been a tough one for Reese but she has done great. She's growing not only on the outside but the inside too. Thank you Lord for this beautiful baby girl. Keep her safe tomorrow and bless her so this will be her last set of ear tubes.

Happy Forever Family Day....# 2

I cant believe this time two years ago today in Changshu, China , I had fallen into an exhausted sleep while Mark walked a very scared and tired little baby girl.

She was so quiet and trying to be playful that first day but I know when night time came and she was still alone with two total strangers, it had to be terrifying. Nothing we tried worked to calm her troubled little heart. Jet lag hit me hard and Mark had to walk her until she tired herself out and finally slept.

I still wonder what went on in her little mind that day.... but all I know is mine and Mark's minds were filled with fulfilled dreams and wonder at what God had placed in our hearts three years before that night and in our arms just hours before. Thank you so God for hearing our prayers and answering them beyond our dreams.

Happy Forever Family Day to all the families of our travel group. I will be sending up a special prayer for you all today...

Mending...

Reese is doing so good. I cant thank everyone for their prayers enougn. She seems to only have a problem when she wakes up from a nap or bedtime. The doctor warned us not to let her throat get dry. I believe he was right. We have been awaking her up and making her take a few sip of something or chopped up popiscle. She doesnt like it but once we get it wet and a little pain medicine she's bouncing off the walls.
It's amazing to see her doing so good and I know its the Lord doing. He is hearing so many prayers for my sweet baby girl and answering. Thank you so much.

Please continue...

... to pray for Reese. She made it through the surgery great. We've been home about 3 hours. She isnt complaining of pain or crying nonstop and she's trying to drink and eat popiscles ( this is an answer to much prayer ... thank you Lord )but she cant seem to keep anything down for long. Please pray the medicine we were given for nausea will do the trick and she will be able to keep liquids down soon.

Please...

....pray for my baby girl today and for the next couple of days. We are up early this morning getting ready to take her for surgery. She is having her tonsils & adnoids out this morning as phase 1 of 2. In 4 months, she will have to undergo another big surgery on her palate/throat a sphincter pharyngoplaspy. She is doing so great with her speech but the speech doctor at the craniofacial center believes this is the next step for Reese. Please pray for her speedy recovery and her parents peace of mind and spirit. It doesnt get any easier no matter how many doctor visits or surgeries. Its still hard but the Lord still reigns and we are trusting and resting in Him today.

Catching Up

Hi everyone it's been a while I know....We have been busy busy busy the last couple of months. What with Easter, egg hunts, local arts and craft shows, Mother's Day, several family birthday parties, and of course several doctor visits. ( More about those to come.. )

Its just been too busy around our home to find time to download pictures from my camera and then upload them to the blog. I think I'm going to have to get me one of those " Blog for dummies books". I know there's help for me some short cuts or something out there to help me speed up this process. Oh well ... I'm just going to have to do better.

Here are some pictures to see what we've been up to lately...

Who would mind mall shopping if every mall has one of these? Not us..

Reesie Bo's at her first bowling birthday party... it was so fun

And we had to go back to the ball game. She just loves Roxy and Rommey isnt so bad either

My pretty girl.. isnt she growing... it's almost been 2 yrs...I still cant believe it.

Flowers anyone... Reesie loves outside.

Egg hunt # 1 at Pop's...

Egg hunt # 2 at preschool

Egg hunt # 3 at Mama's/Pawpaw's church ( it had blow ups )

And finally Egg hunt # 4 at our church..

Happy Easter... I love my bunny ears

These local arts & crafts shows are the best... if they have horses of course.

Ride that horsie baby girl....