The 3 of us

As I have started filling out all the paperwork for kiddo #2 I realized that we had no pics of all 3 of us together, because they do ask for snapshots of your family. It's usually me or James taking the photo so we just don't have any pics of us "the family". So this was a quick attempt before church on Sunday.

Good Idea

I have read a couple of other blogs where they posted about buying a container and filling it with beans or rice and then hiding toys in it or giving their child a little rake and cup. We used 3 types of beans. Then we put in little cars, a fork, spoon, and cup and Taylor loved it. He played for about 40 minutes straight before lunch and nap and I know it will be the first thing he asks for when he wakes up.

Torture

If we want to torture Taylor we just give him a haircut. After 1.5 years with us this is still the reaction we get. We cut his hair at home. We get out the candy, and suckers. We wrap him in a little towel and clip it in the front to keep the hair at a minimum. We talk about the haircut days in advance. We let him hold the clippers. And still..............you see the pictures!!! This last haircut was the worst reaction yet. Please, please I hope he outgrows this soon. This not only tortures Taylor but mommy and daddy too. Uggh~

Look what I found

Thursday night-above

Friday night-below

You don't understand, Taylor does not just lay in the floor and fall asleep. He goes to sleep at nap time, only when you put him in his bed and at bedtime usually around 8:30p. Thursday night he was watching something on t.v. in his toy room and fell asleep before 7pm. Tonight when I got home at about 6:15p this is how I found him. The difference this week is he went to daycare 4 days and usually only goes 2 and sometimes 3. He must have had a big time and played really hard. In the 2nd pic you can see he fell asleep with some little brochure in his hand to a thermostat James had bought??

Heartbreaking

Last night after Idol, we caught the 9pm news and they announced the death of Steven Curtis Chapman's 5 year daughter Maria. What you may not know is Maria was one of 3 daughters that the Chapman's had adopted from China. They also have 3 biological children . They do so much in the adoption community, it has truly become their life's message. They are an inspiration and my heart breaks for their family. After their first adoption they founded a organization that helps in the adoption ministry, and helps to raise money to provide grants so that more families can adopt. The link to that organization is http://members.shaohannahshope.org/site/PageServer


Sending up prayers for the Chapman family tonight!!!!!!

Awesome....

I keep up with a few families through their blogs. This family is a young couple, from the US, living in China and working at a orphanage. They do not get paid to work there. This story they wrote is very touching and is really just awesome......

http://jacobandcarrie.blogspot.com/2008/05/restoration.html

flower beds....one year later!

beautiful azaleas above and roses below

(not a great ground cover to have when you have a toddler, they have thorns!!)



Do you remember our partial landscaping makeover from last year. Check out the one year later photo at the top. I love seeing all the green and the beautiful blooms!!

Ahoy Matie!

His best pirate face!!

#2

Well I guess we officially started the paper chase for #2 today. We sent in our application and application fee to our agency. We will be using the same agency we did for Taylor, www.hfsadopt.org . We have our home study and physicals scheduled and when we get our packet then we can really dig in to all the paperwork. The process in China has changed a lot but for us it is still the best fit. We cannot wait to go back to China!! When you've been given the greatest gift of your life in this country you can't help but have such a love in your heart for the country and the people. We expect to have a referral in approximately 2-6 months and we expect to be in China in 9-12 months!! We are so excited!!

His favorite place in the house...

decisions decisions

Brown Bear Brown Bear

When not being filmed he will read this book front to finish but you'll see he gets a little distracted with the camera being there, but hopefully you'll get the point. Just click on the link below...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghv3WCB6TVA

...the last thing he says is "chilren", he kind of skipped to the end. Too cute!!

Dodging the paparazzi in Chicago

...............it's tough being a star these days!!

Chicago Chicago

above - Getting ready for take off!! Taylor loved the flights!

This Zoo is a free zoo in Chicago on Lake Michigan. It was beautiful and we really enjoyed it.

Below we are at the Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier
They just happen to be having a Korean festival at the Children's Museum which was really cool since James is half Korean. Taylor is modeling the traditional Korean Hanbok.


Our hotel was right around the corner of the Magnificent Mile and was affordable and nice.







Taylor and mommy in Millennium Park

"The Bean" at Millennium Park

above- Under "The Bean"

In China Town, Chicago (see Sears Tower in the background)
Last week we took a little mini vacation to Chicago for a few nights. It is somewhere that James and I have wanted to visit. We really enjoyed it and I already have a list of things I would like to do next time we go.