Just a Couple of Quick Snap Shots

Here are just a couple of quick snap shots of the girls this weekend:

Sophie keeping 'cool' in the car (she had actually fallen asleep!)

Livie, our Candy-lovin' girl, after a blueberry lollipop!

Mary

I Got Tickets!

Yes, I am excited...SUPER EXCITED! Neil and I are going to see SCC and Michael W. Smith in Concert here in Ft. Lauderdale on November 5th. It looks like we have very good seats (Orchestra Section), which is always an added bonus.

Like so many in the adoption community, the seed to adopt was first planted upon Neil's heart after he watched SCC's DVD. SCC spoke about the impact that adopting (they only had Shoaey at home at this point) had had on their family. I don't know why adopting never entered my thoughts. I suppose I thought that those who adopted chose to do so because they either had struggled with infertility or they were these amazing, super-parents who adopt children because they are, well, amazing (think: incredible foster parents who go on to adopt 10, 15, etc. children). Well, we had given birth to two incredible kids, and we certainly weren't anything like the 'amazing super-parents' who I imagined adopting, so why in the world would I ever think that WE could or should adopt?

On this DVD SCC didn't speak about infertility or being super-parents. He spoke about kids and how we, as Christians, could make a lasting and wonderful difference in the life of a child. Neil 'got it' immediately. It took me a bit longer (no surprise here!). Of course, having now adopted twice and being able to look back on our adoption journies, I can tell you that yes, Livie and Sophie do now have a family of their very own, but MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, they are truly the ones who have made a lasting and wonderful difference in OUR lives.

So, on November 5th Neil and I will enjoy a wonderful "Date Night" together and get to watch SCC (and Michael W. Smith...love him, too!). Maybe this is just our little way of thanking the man who, without even knowing us, was instrumental in our being blessed with two wonderful little girls!

Mary

Mani/Pedi

What do you do with two little girls who are sick with colds and stuck at home?

Give them a mani/pedi, of course! Livie and I realized that this marks the first time that Sophie has had her nails painted. True to form Livie chose the light sheer pink while Little Miss Firecracker, Sophie, chose the hot pink. :-)

Mary

Bioharzard?!

I have several - and I do mean SEVERAL! - boxes and containers filled with treasures from Kim's Closet. As most of you know I am helping Kim with her purging of all of these items since she and her family recently moved to Shanghai. Well, today I was going through a new box of goodies and taking photos of all of the contents in preparation to list them all on my eBay site, when what should I find but a box with all of the necessary *tools* for collecting and shipping a SECIMEN to a lab! Ewwwwwwwwww! Now there may be a very good reason that this was in the box with cute stuffed pandas and ladybug items, and hopefully when Kim reads this she can explain! :-)

Mary

Photos From Our Cruise

A day at sea...total relaxation! I went with our three girls to hangout poolside. Neil and Chris were off playing basketball.

Mary

Brighton's China Tale

This is the new Brighton bracelet from their China Tale Collection. If you haven't seen this yet, you MUST take a peek before they are gone for good. Production of this Asian-inspired line will cease in October, and while you may be able to order some of the pieces, basically it will be VERY DIFFICULT to obtain these gorgeous pieces within the next couple of weeks. I found just two of the bracelets here in South Florida (bought both...one for me and one for Kim!). Suffice as to say if you want this item, buy it ASAP because it will be gone very, very soon.

Mary

Looking for our lost shaker of salt...

Ahhhhh...vacation! We went on a WONDERFUL vacation in celebration of Neil's dad's 70th Birthday! This included a week long cruise on Mariner of the Seas (Royal Caribbean). I will add photos throughout the next week.

We had a WONDERFUL time! Look for more photos of our vacation over the next few days. :-)

Mary