It happened

Ok - so I knew this day would come...anticipated it but silently & secretly wished it wouldn't arrive, tried to prepare myself mentally, rationalized myself to try & not take it personally...but it came anyway - she liked daddy better than me!!! Me - who rescued her from an orphanage in China, who is up with her in the middle of the night, the food slave, laundress and general lady in waiting on her - and she likes daddy better - 

The truth about Becky

Yesterday afternoon, Becky wore me out. She was in a mood, and nothing I did pleased her. She would be fine for a minute, then I would reach for my water, and she would have a fit. In the evening, our bible study met, and she was a doll - an absolute darling & charming sweetheart. No one believed that my precious little angel was capable of running mommy ragged with her temper tantrums...so here's the other side of the sweetheart - 

We see this face whenver I put her down, take something away from her she shouldn't have, the food runs out, or she just generally is non appreciative of whatever is going on!

Now...back to our regularly scheduled cuteness! 

A little help?

So yesterday, I left Becky playing quietly in her room - and it became a little too quiet...so I went in to check on her. She had climbed into her toy basket and was a little puzzled about how to get out! 

She would get this far, but couldn't figure out how to get the other leg out....

"Thanks mom for helping a girl out - literally!" 

Special Friends

Over the summer, my bestest and oldest friend was supposed to visit with her little girl who is 3 months older than Becky. It got postponed due to child illness - and we finally made it up this weekend. We have known each other since our early working days in Boston (too many years ago to mention) - when we were two up & coming career girls. Over the years we have been through several addresses, several job changes, several husbands, and many trials and joys.  We never thought that someday our idea of a hopping Friday night would be at a Gymboree Pumpkin Party with our girls -

Saturday, we started our day at a pumpkin patch. For those of you not familiar with Southern California, our pumpkin patches are a parking lot with some hay bales and some pumpkins, a train and several large, ugly blown up rides. We got some great pictures, but we've got to get Becky to a real pumpkin patch. 

After the pumpkin patch, the girls retired to the house for lunch & naps (while Doug went to the wedding of a friend's son). The girls dined al fresca - with Sailor keeping a close look out for any discarded, dropped or leftover items! 

Fina thought that perhaps she would try to avoid a real nap by commandeering the dog house for her afternoon siesta (it didn't work - into the beds they went!) 

It took a little while to wake up after naps....

When Daddy came home, we all dined at Islands - our favorite hamburger joint - my friend was a little shocked & concerned when they knew us by name there!

Sunday, we went to Irvine Regional Park - they had more of a pumpkin patch there... complete with a hay ride!

We had a wonderful weekend with them - and miss them already.....

Have a Disney Day!

Living as close as we do to Disneyland, we've already been there a couple of times. Becky seems to like the activity and the action....she's not so sure about the characters! 

The most recent visit - we skipped the characters and went right to the  Jedi training so that her friend Nick could train with the Jedi. Nick got choosen and was no dummy - he found out if you pretend to have trouble with your light saber, you get personalized attention from the pretty lady Jedi masters! 

I think Becky was feeling like she was ready to go into training - she was trying to learn the moves along with the trainees! 

Becky also learned that grandma's everywhere have a soft spot for little girls when they ask for ice cream! 

All in all, a very successful day was had for everyone! 

Baby Dedication

On Sunday, we had the opportunity to publicly declare our intention to raise our daughter in a Christ-filled home according to God's intention for families and according to His Word. Becky looked beautiful in her special dress, and it was a great day. 

Becky got to spend some time with our friend's new baby Aaron - Aaron was born while I was in China picking up Becky - I was actually on the phone with Doug when Dave (Aaron's dad) called him on the other line to let us know they were on the way to the hospital - made me feel like I was home & not 10,000 miles away! 

Prayer Request

We have a quick prayer request tonight...wild fires are raging again tonight in Southern California. Last year, terrible damage was inflicted by the Santa Ana fires, and this year looks as if it could be the same. Please pray that the wind would lie down, the humidity would increase and pray for the safety of those fighting the fires. 

Adoption Ministry

Calling all adoptive parents....you may remember that one of the things that God did with our wait was to prompt us to get involved at our church in starting an adoption ministry. We started "Child by Child"  and have our next presentation to the congregation on November 16th. We are being given three minutes at the services (about 4000 people total) and are going to put together a video/slide show. This is a tremendous opportunity for us to reach people who might be thinking about adoption - and to really highlight the needs of these kids.

I am looking for people who would be willing to share a “before” and “after” photos of their kids. In looking at Becky’s referral photo and pictures now, the evidence of what love can do for these kids is indisputable. Also - if anyone has any pictures of the orphanages or great family day pictures - I would love to include those -

You can e-mail them to me.....they will be used only on this this slide show and shown at our church - 

A Tale of Two Cultures

Yesterday, we had a clash of the cultures so to speak. It wasn't intentional, but in reflection last night, the things we did yesterday demonstrated the struggle that Becky will have her entire life. The bower Museum in Santa Ana is hosting an exhibit on the Terra Cotta Warriors & my friend from San Diego, Gace, wanted to see it. We got tickets for the morning & met there. It is amazing 8th wonder - we saw actual warriors that have been painstakingly pieced together and preserved. The history surrounding the Terra Cotta Warriors is one filled with brutality and hostility, yet they are stunningly and hauntingly beautiful. This is Becky's birth culture - her history of her DNA. It is where she was born and where she comes from - it is the part of her ,that she will be reminded of every time she looks in a mirror or sees a picture of herself. She will face it when she does her "family tree" project in grade school or her genetics assignment in high school biology. She does not "come" from her forever family, but from a land in the east filled with a vast history of beauty and pain. Yet, it is her forever familythat give her history.


I realized this after we spent the afternoon yesterday with my dad's cousin Paul - who was visiting from Minnesota. Paul told me stories of he & my dad as young boys growing up on Long Island, of my mom's father's (who I barely remember) and of an extended family that is my heritage - and now Becky's. This will be her story that she will tell her grandhcildren of playing with her cousins, of my dad and his love of music and of her (!) and her extended family in St. Louis.


Adopted kids live in two worlds - the genetic world that they come from (and in Becky's case, know nothing about) and the world that they are raised in. My prayer for my daughter is that the love her Heavenly Father and His knowledge of her since before she was born, will help her reconcile these two worlds. I pray that she will know that this plan of the two worlds was His divine plan for her and that she will feel peace with being a part of two worlds.

We weren't able to take pictures in the exhibit, but they did have a "live" warrior......

Cousin Paul, Becky, me & Grandma

Grandma's House & Baseball Playoffs!

We spent a few days this past week at my mom's house in Phoenix. Becky is such a good traveler - she did 6 hours in the car with very litle fussing - and really adapts well to sleeping in strange places (and yes - grandma's house is strange - many clocks that bong & tick and a couple of neurotic cats!)

For those who know my husband, some might say he's a bit of a neat freak (think Felix Unger from the Odd Couple) - Becky is learning to self feed right now, and fruit is a good learning tool. At Grandma's this week - Grandpa gave her some blackberries...which she loved! This made daddy a bit nuts & mommy very happy...and I have the secret for getting blackberry stain off of baby pj's!

I'm not sure who likes looking at pictures of Becky more - Becky or grandma!
Before we left for Phoenix, Becky's cousins Stephen & Karen came to visit for a night - this isn't the best picture, but I am discovering how hard it is to get a good shot of three children at the same time. I wil forever look at those Christmas card pictures we receive with awe and a newfound respect!

We also took Becky to her first baseball playoff game on Friday - Angels vs. Red Sox (and yes- to all my Boston friends - I was a little conflicted about who to cheer for)....

Go ANGELS!!!!!

Family Affair

I finished my final event of the year this past weekend! We then immediately left for three days in Phoenix at my mom's - and Becky got to spend some more time with family. We are still here - so I am only able to download the one picture that mom took on her phone (I am actually using this as an excuse to try out her new MAC.....Apple here I come!!)

Here she is with her Uncle Ken (my younger brother)