Family Photo

Well we are finally getting into a routine. We have started homeschooling the kids and are on week 3. They are doing well and enjoy being able to go to our local zoo one day a week for language arts and social studies. Justin, Kaylee and Bo are all playing soccer. It is very hectic. They are all on different teams this year and it just so happens that their games are at the same time. David is coaching Kaylee's team again this year so at the games I am chasing/fighting the 2 little ones. Luckily last week Grammy and Papa came to the game and helped out. It is impossible to wrangle 2 little ones and then split yourself between 3 fields while carrying them with you. In addition to changing fields, Jackson, had a diaper league and had to toted back to the van for a complete overrhaul of what he was wearing. I am thinking of hiring a babysitter this week. I want to be able to watch their games and not feel like I am going to have a nervous breakdown by the time we leave the field.

Madie is doing well. She and Kaylee have appointments at Shands on Thursday, September 24. They are going to check Madies palate and hopefully schedule us for surgery. Kaylee is just having a check-up and an opinion on when she needs her bone graft.

Jackson is going to preschool 2 mornings a week and no longer cries we I drop him off--YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David completed the swing set in the back yard--and for those of you who know my husband--the swingset good be entered in the Guiness book of world record for being the largest swing set in a persons backyard. The kids are really enjoying it.

I am still working 3 days a week and enjoying my children the other days that I am home. We are so blessed by this beautiful family.

Our Birthday

David and I both celebrated another birthday when we got home. Mady loved helping make the cake. I think the icing was her favorite part. David let her help with the candles and she would clap after she put each one in the cake.


Mady is having a lot of fun. She loves the water. Here are a few pictures of her playing in the water table and taking a bath with Jackson.

We are HOME and Settled in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I have been a bit of a slacker since we have returned home. The ride home was great. Mady and Kaylee slept most of the way. Mady did great with her potty chair on the plane and did not have a single accident. Our flight was delayed in CA which made us miss our flight to Pensacola and we had to fly into Fort Walton Beach. My parents picked us up. Upon getting home we realized we did not have Jackson's Blanket, video, or pillow. It was a crying fest. I joined in. You have got to be kidding me--we travel for 30 hours and arrive home to a child who does not have any of his necessary comfort items he needs to fall asleep. Well we made it through.
Jackson is really enjoying his new sister he is very attentive to her. He still gets a little jealous but is doing well.

After a week of being home we eradicated the children from our bed. I simply could not take it anymore. Jackson on one side of me and Mady wrapped around me like a koala bear. Not the ideal way to get some much needed rest. They are both in our room still just not in our bed. Mady is really settling in. She is a bit stubborn and likes to have her way. She is going to bed now without having a fit and is really enjoying playing with the other kids. She laughs and hollars and is having a great time

Since we have been home Kaylee and Bo have started Blended School at the Gulf Breeze Zoo. They both really seem to like it. They go one day a week. The first day Jackson was very upset that he could not go with them. However, he will be starting his school next week.

Another day in Guangzhou

Well Saturday night we went to Lucy's for dinner. It is an American style resturant. You would think that they would have an American style bathroom. However you would be wrong. Soon after arriving Kaylee had to go to the bathroom. The resturant does not have a bathroom at all. Lucy's sits right next to the park and has their customers use the park bathroom. David took Kaylee and quickly they returned after describing how bad it was. Nope she could not wait, so I grabbed a handful of napkins and we headed back to the bathroom. It was quite the ordeal. It is really stressful taking kids to eat and praying they dont need to use the bathroom because you know how gross it is going to be.

Today we did some shopping and went swimming. Madelynn is quite the shopper. She loves shoes and lights up when we go into the store. Pointing and babbling about what she sees and wants. she likes to run around in the stores and tease the sales people. I think tonight we are going back to Lucy's. David has had an upset stomach since we got here and does not think he can handle eating anymore chinese food. So we have been eating a big breakfast and snacking and then going for a late dinner.

Here are some pictures taken today of the kids.

Cute Picture of the Girls

We are in Guangzhou

Today we got up early to prepare to Hefei. Our guide took us to the hospital where Madelynn was found. They believe she was a newborn because of her umbilical cord still being attached.

We arrived in Guangzhou on Friday evening. Madelynn did well on her first flight and we were happy to settle in at the White Swan.
Today, Saturday, was a busy day for us. We had breakfast and visited with several other families. It is fun to hear their stories and meet their children. After breakfast we were off to the medical exam. The girls did great. The doctors were pretty considerate

Today was a day of many first for our daughter. She smiled and laughed--which is huge. This is the first day she really interacted with us and played with her toys. She really enjoyed playing with Hayley, our friends daughter. Hayley is very patient and enjoys mothering her. It is funny because both girls are very girly. It is a close competition to see who can get the most hair bows, barretts, ribbons etc in their hair. Both girls seem to be under the opinion that more is better. The more they have in their hair the happier they are. They are very cute together. Today we actually ordered Papa Johns pizza and took the kids swimming tonight. They all seemed to enjoy in but the water was a little cold.

Madelynn likes to play with her snacks. She picks them apart and puts them in bowls and stirs with whatever she can find. It is so good to watch her play.