Newfound picture of Livi

I belong to a yahoo group that is made up of families that have adopted from or are in the process of adopting from Olivia's orphanage. There is a really neat woman (LeeAnn) on this list that has adopted from Guilin and is in China NOW adopting a son from a different orphange. She is however the coordinator for the foster families for Olivia's orphanage so she is visiting Guilin first. She was there in May of 2005 (Livi was just turning one that month) and she took a bunch of pictures of the kids that were there. She just recently posted these pictures on the group for all of us to look though. I was clicking quickly through the pictures ooohing and aahing over the cute kids not expecting to see anyone I knew.I opened this picture and my heart did a double beat. I quickly grabbed the couple other pictures I have of Livi close to this age and I am 99% positive it is Olivia. I emailed LeeAnn, and she even remembers Olivia. She said she was in the baby room and was being moved to the toddler room the next day. She said she was quiet but VERY observant to everything and everyone. It just seems so surreal to me to find this picture and then to chat with someone who got to meet Livi 10 months before we did!

My Baby Boy is Legal!

Evan turns 21 today. Does that make me old? Heck no! I have a two year old at home. I felt older when he turned 18. When he turned 18 I thought "Oh no, now anything he does he can be tried as an adult for" now that he is 21 I think "Thank God he is now legal." HAHA!

Realization

This morning I went to our small town post office. I had Olivia with me and we were standing in line. Okay, I was standing in line and Olivia was kinda dancing around. Another woman came in behind me and was standing in line. I noticed she had a little girl with her, about 4, who was also from China (I knew she was Asian, the mom did tell me later she was from China). Anyway, Olivia was be-bopping around and when she caught sight of this little girl she stopped and just started staring at her. After about 2 minutes she looked up at me and said "Mama, like me. Like me." as she pointed to the little girl. I was shocked. That was the first time she had ever taken notice that she looked different and that she noticed someone else that looked like her. Now we have another little girl at church from China and we have gone out for Chinese food many times but this was the first time she really took notice of the similarities. (The other little girl was facinated by Olivia too and even gave her a piece of gum.) It was a pretty cool morning and more proof that little miss smarty pants (I say that lovingly) is growing up.

Dinner with Livi & Dora

I was reading a magazine the other night and looked up to see this setting. Olivia had set up a little "table" for dinner for her and Dora. These days not much happens without Dora being involved one way or another.

Olivia's First Valentine

Thank you Grandpa Yoder for my very first Valentine!

Happy Valentines Day and SNOW DAY #2

We had to bring out the big guns today just to get out of our driveway. Our neighbor came down and blew us out.

SNOW DAY!

Yep that's what it looks like out our front door. WHITE! We are having a snow day today. They are calling for 8-12 inches to add to the 6-8 inches we already have. What more could a kid want?

Chillin' with Dora and Dad

Winter Fun

Well as usual in Indiana we have been blessed with snow-and getting more everyday. Right now we probably have 8-12 inches on the ground. When we got our first snow Olivia was not too impressed. She would not even touch it. NOW she loves it. She and Morgan go out to play and sled. In these pictures you see Morgan pulling Livi with the four wheeler. Problem now is when it is time to go in Livi says "More, more" and she doesn't understand that even though her lips are blue and she is shivering she should be in the house. She just wants to PLAY!

Someday she is gonna kill me for this....