Merry Christmas 2011

This year's family Christmas portrait. My hair is getting longer, but not I'm not crazy about this year's "do" that my hairdresser gave me on picture day ... oh well ... next year will be my usual 'wavy' do.

Travel Trailer just turned 15 and is 6'1" (or more by now)! Pop Up is 13 and about 5'6".

They are both aiming to become Eagle Scouts and in the past year have completed the following Merit Badges: Snow Sports, Pathfinding, Space Exploration, Coin Collecting, Fingerprinting, Fishing, Woodworking, Swimming, Mammal Study, Bird Study, Geology, Leatherworking, Art, Basketry, Citizenship in the World, Personal Management and First Aid.

We are hoping to start working on our "bucket list" in 2012, before the kids move out, which includes camping trips to Niagara Falls and "must see sights" out west.

Hope you and your family have a fabulous New Year!!

A Mei Lin Tale

Couldn't be any happier for my BIL & SIL ... who are in China at this very moment, about to pick up their long-awaited daughter, Mei Lin.

You can follow their story here:

http://thereandbackameilintale.blogspot.com


I can't wait to see an updated picture of her. I think she was about 6 months old when this picture was taken, and she is almost 18 months old now. When she gets home, she will have surgery to repair a cleft lip & cleft palate.

Didn't quite realize until now, what a HUGE part of my heart is still in China.

Before Travel Trailer was born, we had 3 miscarriages, so had researched and started the adoption process in China. The day of our last meeting with our social worker at home and just before getting to the part of submitting paperwork to China, we found out we were pregnant with him (then I quit working and along came Pop Up, and with other extenuating circumstances, I don't know that we could ever afford it now ... ) so I will live through them, and rejoice with them every step of the way!

Just 2 more days until she is in their arms and they are a family of 3.