Happy Adoption Day!!!

Four years ago today, a precious little almost-9 month old baby girl was placed in our arms for the first time. We soon learned that she was a very active and energetic child, and she remains that way even now. She is such a blessing!



This morning, as we were talking about the reason today is special, I used the term Gotcha Day. Mary Joyce really didn't understand it, so I told her if she didn't like that word, we could call it Family Day or Adoption Day. She told me that she likes "Adoption Day," so "Adoption Day" it is!



We kept the celebrating kind of low-key. We went to lunch at McDonald's and invited one of Mary Joyce's school friends and his family along. Unfortunately, I left the camera in the car until late in the action, so I didn't get any shots with all of the kids. I got a couple of cute ones of the girls, though.





And a related funny...

All 3 kids were in the church nursery last night while I was at a Church Council meeting. Mary Joyce was pretending her flip-flop was an airplane. Miss Alesha asked Mary Joyce if she had ever been in an airplane, and Mary Joyce said, "Yes, when I came from China." Then she asked Mary Joyce if Katherine and Malcom had been on an airplane, and Mary Joyce answered, "No, they came from the hospital."

And here are a couple of bonus pictures...

Look Who's Walking!!!

"Mama, come here and see this..."

"...it's his cage!"

(What girl with a little brother hasn't dreamed of putting him in a cage at some point?)

And because Malcom got his picture made, the girls had to make a cage for themselves, just for the photo op...

Random Photo Thread

Look who is turning into a little climber, much to his Mama's chagrin.


Malcom is finally big enough to really ride on his rocking tractor. His feet don't reach, but he can make it rock anyway.


The girls had to have a family photo for their preschool classes, so we had a friend make one at church last week.


Ice Cream!


Malcom is actually starting to draw lines and squiggles on the paper instead of eating the crayons or banging them very noisily on the paper...

First Day of Preschool, 2010!

The girls are off to their first day of preschool for the new school year. They were very excited about starting. They are both at the same school where Mary Joyce went last year. Mary Joyce is in VPK (Florida pre-K), and Katherine is in 3 year old preschool. Both are going half-days, so they are there from 8:30-11:30. I think they will be fine, but Mama is a nervous wreck about my baby girl being at school. (Mary Joyce has a December birthday, so she was 3 1/2 before she started last year, but Katherine just turned 3 on the 6th of August.) She will probably do better than I will. There is a new K3 teacher this year, but it looks like she will be really good. Mary Joyce's teacher was also a VPK teacher last year, so she is a familiar face from around the school building. All-in-all, they should have an excellent year.

Now, I just have to adjust to being home with a 16 month old all by myself. The last time I was in this situation is when Mary Joyce was this age. :-)

And here are their before school pictures from today...

Katherine is Three!

On August 6, 3 years ago, our sweet Katherine was born. We celebrated her birthday today at the park with friends and had a wonderful time. Party and birthday pictures are in a slideshow in a post below...

And now, for a walk down memory lane...

Newborn Katherine


One Year Old (At her first birthday party at Grandmama's House in Georgia)


Two Years Old! (At her second birthday party)


Three Years Old! (Today at her third birthday party)


I can't believe how fast 3 years has gone, and now our girl will start preschool in a few weeks. We love you, Katherine!

Louisiana Vacation

In July, we went to visit my parents in Louisiana for a week, with quick stops by Chet's mom's house in Georgia on the way there and back. It was hot, so we spent a lot of time inside, but we had a great time visiting with family. The kids played with some of mine and my sister's old childhood toys, and that was a lot of fun to see. Katherine also had a brief round with a mild ear infection early in the trip, but she bounced back very quickly. We were able to visit with my grandparents, and other extended family, including relatives from Little Rock that we haven't seen since we got married and some of Chet's cousins who live nearby. We also took a quick spin through the campus of my alma mater. That campus has really grown in the years since I was a student. All-in-all, it was a good trip.