I heart Wild Olive tees!!

The girls and I have loved our t-shirts

from THIS amazing company.

They are passionate about displaying God's Word

in such a creative way, and they also have big

hearts for various charities, one of which is

fundraising for adoptive families.

They are having a fabulous giveaway,

so go "get your verse on"

and check out Wild Olive Tees!!

randomness

Last week was downright busy...

Gracie had 2 appointments in Charlotte.

We'll see her surgeon again in April & schedule

her next surgery. He's very pleased w/ how her

palate is healing! Our main issue right now

is working with her on her speech.

(She's still receiving therapy twice a week.)

She's doing so much better, but gets so frustrated

when we can't understand her!

("I not say that Mommy!!!!")

Poor girlie is sick right now -

some kind of croup/cough thing that

she seems to get quite frequently.

(I'm wishing there were such a thing

as a coffee IV!!)

In all honesty, she's been so

healthy since her surgery last October-

we've been sooo grateful!

Brian went w/ the girls on the church youth group

ski trip last Friday. They had a blast -

sunburns, aches, pains & all!

Finally, the kids had no school yesterday,

so in honor of our national President's Day holiday we

slept in, ate a fabulous breakfast together,

did yard work, and made

THESE!

"Fabulous" is an understatement.

YUM!!!

a spring in your step - guaranteed!

Ahhh, spring is in the air in our neck of the woods...

Maybe it's a little warmer where you are,

or maybe ol' man winter is still on your doorstep,

but I know a SUPER way to put a little Spring in your step!!

Hop on over HERE to my friend Lori's blog

and check out her fabulous fundraiser to bring her

two handsome boys home from China.

(You must see their faces - honeys I tell ya)

*The fundraiser has been extended to Sunday the 20th!*

Please know that when you do give of your time,

financially, and with your interceding prayers

to help an adoptive family, you ARE being

the hands & feet of God the Father in changing

the life of a child, or children as the case may be!!

Now, put down that coffee mug and Spring into action!!!!

have a Love-ly day!

"How great is the love the Father

has lavished on us, that we should be called

children of God!

This is the message you heard

from the beginning:

We should love one another.

This is how we know what love is:

Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.

And we ought to lay down

our lives for our brothers."
I John 3:1, 11, 16

Ali's day

dinner at the birthday girl's favorite Italian restaurant

a three year old full of sweet tea =

hours of entertainment ahead

a "happy birthday" serenade

by the birthday girl's nutty sister

one of the birthday girl's favorite movies

books from Grammie

the birthday girl's favorite

dark chocolate cheesecake

there was singing

there was dancing

thank you thank you

I'm here on Tuesdays and Thursdays

don't forget to tip your waitresses

our beautiful friend Diane!

the perfect day ends with

Grandma & Grandpa!

I blinked

I was 23 years old.

An ice storm was brewing outside.

The "lessons" learned in birthing class...

pffffft

out the door, honey!

After 14 hours of labor

our beautiful little

blue eyed baby girl was born

and today

she is 17 years old.

Literally, I blinked...

and time has flown by!

Happy, happy birthday to

our beautiful, Spirit-filled,

funny, artistic, hard working

Ali!!!

CNY continues

Saturday we were able to celebrate Chinese New Year

with our local Chinese cultural association.

Gracie especially loved the dragon dance and the food...

authentic "tastes like it did in China" food!

yum

as close as she would get to the dragon

I know what's in this here red envelope...

money!!

xin nian kuai le!

Happy Chinese New Year 2011!

party girl!