What does it all mean?

I have much to post about since we have been busy the last few weeks but that means sitting down and editing pictures...haven't done that yet but I really wanted to get this posted before I forget the details as this also serves as a family scrapbook.

In one month from today we will celebrate Hudson's FOURTH birthday. NOT possible. In many ways he seems still so "baby" to us but then things like yesterday happen and we have to remind ourselves he is almost four.

He has always been sensitive but we are really starting to see what a tender heart he has. He has never been into TV or movies until recently. He was watching Finding Nemo for the first time about a month ago while I was getting ready and when I got out of the shower he was crying...He said "the mama is gone"....(I had forgotten how traumatic that first scene was..) and then more tears when Nemo got lost and dad was frantically searching....Oh, SOO sad...Another day it was Cars which is the only movie he has ever shown interest in. He has watched it MANY times but this day when Lightening gets left behind...TEARS...."Mack, pease come back"....

SO, yesterday...the girls call me as I am leaving work (I work one day in the office, the rest at home). "Hudson started crying and won't stop and he wants you". They put him on the phone and he is dong the crying where he can't stop"...K, break this mama's heart so I step on the gas. The girls have him outside when I drive up and he starts sobbing harder and throws his arms around me and buries his head in my neck....won't even look at me. He is holding a picture of Mark and the girls tell me he has been for awhle and won't let go of it. It was a picture from about 7 years ago and is of Mark in his brother's kitchen...all alone...??? (Why was the picture taken anyway?). When Hudson finally gets calmed down enough he shows me the picture and says "Daddy is all alone, where are you?" BREAK MY HEART!!! I told him "I was there" and he then really looks hard at the picture "NO, he is alone"...I told him I was taking the picture...more tears.....He really was so upset for about 30 minutes, wouldn't let me put him down. We always reassure him when we do go anywhere "We will come back" and the night before last he went to a soccer game with Mark. When he came home several hours later he ran in to me and said "I CAME BACK!"

Bedtime has also gotten difficult again....not wanting to be alone.. HMMMMM, so what does all this mean? A normal part of development? I don't remember this in any of my other three kids. Adoption issues???? I was just reading some adoption material last night and how at about age 4 they don't "get" it (that they were adopted) but they are beginning to understand time and space. Probably a combination of the two...
SO...any advice would be appreciated.

I am looking forward to catching up on blogs....I have missed seeing your families! School starts next Wednesday, Hudson started speech this week, Jordan's soccer games have started and Madi and Kailee will soon be having VB games...and lets not even talk about homework.....bye bye lazy days of summer!

The Hina's in Texas!

Our travel group waited un unusually long time for our TA's and during that wait there were six of us that became pretty close, emailing each other, sometimes many times a day, encouraging each other, praying together and we came to call ourselves the "gabby girls". It has been a year and four months since we parted ways in Beijing and Chicago. Last night Mark and I were able to have dinner with the Hina's, Dave and Amy (one of the gg's) and their darling girls. They have moved 40 minutes down the road from us, leaving the wonderful weather of California.


It was so fun to catch up with each other although we have kept in touch thru email and blogs. Their daughter Jocelyn was the smallest and youngest of our group. A year old when they met her in China she weighed just over 10 lbs, she was so fragile. What a blessing it was to see her jumping, climbing, and running around. Her big sister Cali takes such loving care of her Mei Mei and we are excited to spend lots more time with them. Hudson's sisters have been gone since Thursday and he was thrilled to have two girls to play with. They were an active bunch at Pei Wei but once again, SUCH a blessing to have such vibrant healty kids!!

We sure wish the rest of the Gabby Girls could have been with us...and our whole group for that matter!!!

Why do the Chinese kids have their eyes closed?

Jocelyn then...

...and now....
Checking out their fortunes

The Hina's are now Texans!!!

We are so glad you are here!!

Visitors from China

We were able to catch up this past week with our friends the Cheelys, who live in China and teach English in Nanjing at the Universitys. They have two beautiful girls, Abby and Esther. Brooke, Abby and Esther's mom grew up in our church and Pam and I became friends with her shortly after we started our paperwork and shortly after they adopted Esther. During our second visit with them we were in the waiting stage and now it was SO great to get to introduce our China babes to them. It was a very noisy house with all of them (although the noise came from two boys) but we so enjoyed their visit! Thanks for spending time with us Cheelys!!!All these kids have been in China!!!

Is Kailee dreaming about a little sister..???
Beautiful blue-eyed Abby who is the only blond haired, blue eyed girl in her Chinese school!

O
Our China beauties!

Always up for a challenge!

Hudson loves the water and will swim around the pool by himself on a noodle. Last summer he was jumping in all over the place. This year he has been a bit reluctant to jump in but Ty who is a maniac this year in the water has encouraged some healthy peer pressure. Today Hudson first jumped off the diving board (didn't get a picture of that one) and then daddy told him he would buy him a new car if he jumped off of this high ledge below. Hudson was all over that and after getting up the nerve he did it!!! "I'm gonna do it ...
... psyching myself up
here goes nothing! "

After that, it was again and again. Once we were out of the pool for the night he reminded daddy of his promise so off they went....he's got daddy wrapped around his finger.

(Pictures aren't the greatest as they were taken with my phone)

Nan Nan

I have been catching up on blogs as returning back to life in Texas has gotten me behind. I have seen this video on two different blogs, one from a family that is in China right now bringing home their daughter. I don't typically watch video's but the second time I saw this posted I thought it must be good. As it was nearing the end Hudson crawled up in my lap and hugged my neck so tight and then planted one of his lingering kisses on my cheek. At the same moment a precious little cleft palate child popped up on the screen. Oh, for ANYONE who even has had a moment of thinking about adopting from the Waiting Child program I wish you could have felt what I did at that very instant. I don't even know how I would put it into words to capture all I felt in that moment....the best I can do is say what a humbling honor it is to call Hudson my son, to love him and to be loved by him. What we would have missed out on had we not gone with the Waiting Child program brought tears and if we should be blessed enough to adopt again the Waiting Child program would be the only way to go for us.
In light of that I wanted to post the following picture of a precious little girl who will be two in Oct. Her name is Nan Nan and she has spina bifida although she can walk and is continent. She needs the second part of a crucial surgery and there is a foster family in China who contacted me asking if I could help in finding her a home. I do have an email from her foster mom, Rachel, that gives more information about her and she also has more pictures and videos she is willing to share if anyone is interested. I can't get her out of my head and SO wish we were at a place to move forward but we know right now is not our time.
Please watch the video if you have not already seen it. Many of you have adopted special needs kids and I know you will be blessed like I was. If anyone wants more info on Nan Nan let me know. Please pray that she will find her forever family soon!

The only way to spend time outside in 102plus degrees!!

We were taking pictures of the "little" ones and thought we needed all six families represented so the eldest of the group jumped in. Jake is Jordan's best friend and leaving for college in California within a year.....

Many times I refer to the "posse" which consits of a group of six of us. Some of us have known each other longer than others but we have have all shared lots of joys together and also some very hard times. We all go to church together and have served alongside each other in ministry. The Sanza's have been waiting to host a party in their new house which has a great pool and since Frank is a big golfer, a putting range is in the works. It was great to all be together again!!! Lots of pictures follow showing the events of the afternoon/evening.



.......swimming with the dads...... Hudson and Mark

Maddie and Mike


Calli and Drew

Ty and Frank

and the youngest, Noah and Jason