One year ago today...

...Chad walked into the Civil Affairs office in China and saw his newest daughter for the first time
...Ava felt the embrace of a Daddy for the first time in her life

This is what I posted to my blog one year ago while I was waiting for Chad to arrive home with Brooke and Ava from China:

I put together a little slide show to the song "Unfailing Love." The first time I heard this song back in August 2007 (after we had just been matched with Ava) , I was looking at Ava's picture and thinking that the same unfailing love Christ has for us... He has that same love for all 150,000 orphans all over the world...and He wants us to have this kind of love for those the world has forgotten...

Check back over the next few days; I'm going to be posting a few more pictures from their time in China.

What Brooke likes to do for kicks

Brothers

Ashton and Gabe have a really neat relationship. Ashton loves to get on the floor and play with Gabe, make him laugh, and then laugh hysterically at Gabe's laugh. It is really funny watching the two of them together. Ashton likes to hide and then have Gabe find him. When Gabe does something silly, like eat paper, Ashton says "I just love how his brain works."

I think part of the reason Ashton feels so close to Gabe is that Gabe is an answer to Ashton's prayers. Before Gabe was even conceived, Ashton prayed for a baby brother. We told him "probably not" because we were just starting the process to adopt Ava. Well, wouldn't you know it, a couple months later we were surprised to find out that we were expecting. And...it was a boy of course, the brother Ashton had been praying for all along! When Brooke plays with Gabe sometimes she says, "Ashton, I'm so glad you prayed for him."

I took these pictures of my two boys out on the deck in their matching shirts. Instead of having them sit and smile and stare at the camera (which doesn't work with Ashton because then you get his cheesy fake smile), I followed Rebecca's photo rules. (Rebecca also has 5 kids, one adopted from China; she's come to our Moms' nights before.) Basically, the photo rules are to not tell your subject to sit still, smile and look at the camera. I'm happy with how these pictures turned out; you can really see the bond these two have. I'm going to try her method more often.

Peanut Butter Balls

Okay, for me, a snack has to be healthy (I didn't say a dessert has to be healthy), easy to grab, and filling. These are perfect. My kids love them and so do we. I got the original recipe online, but then I added a couple ingredients.



Peanut Butter Balls



2-3 cups Rice Krispies

1 1/2 c oatmeal

1 1/2 c powdered milk (NOT breastmilk unless it is in powdered form)

2-3 T ground flaxseed

1 c peanut butter

1 c honey

2 t vanilla




Stir dry ingredients and then stir in the rest. Form into 1" balls and refrigerate in a tupperware container. (Do not bake)

Outside all day

I could take this weather all year (high of 70 and sunny). I let Brooke do her schoolwork outside and let the other kids play with playdough and push Gabe in the swing. Brooke finished her work in record time and spent the rest of the day playing too.

Gabe goes high in that swing, doesn't he?

Oh, and the pictures of Kate running- that's when I asked her to stay still for a picture. What a little stinker...but such a lovable one.

What do you think?

Here is my sweet, smiling 10-month old.



















Today the kids and I all looked at pictures of each of them when they were Gabe's age. They were so cute, I thought I'd post some to the blog. Here are some pictures of my other kids at 10 months.

Brooke:


Kate:























Ava at 20 months (the youngest picture we have of her)


















Ashton:























So who do you think Gabe looks the most like?

Oh, and here's a contest. Who are the babies in these pictures????

Brookie

Brooke is 7 1/2 now. I think 7 is such a cute and fun age, but then again I've loved her at every age.



































One of the things I love about Brooke is her great love for her siblings, particularly Baby Gabe. She is so good with him...she plays with him a lot, she holds him while practicing her piano and sometimes while doing her schoolwork (when he lets her), and she begs to go get him out of his crib in the mornings. One morning I overslept (Chad was already at work) and I woke up to see Gabe sitting in his highchair eating Cheerios. Brooke had gotten him out of his crib when he woke up, put him in his highchair and fed him! She's a baby-lover like I am (well how could you not be when we are talking about this cute face):