Calling Out to All DADS

I GOT to play with PlayDoh this morning.
I made a XiaoHua and she made a mommy.
How sweet is that?

The only DVD player that will play her chinese cartoons.
And, I got the dishes done!

I try to get up before Trey and Isabella
so I can have a cup of hot tea, read a
couple of devotionals and watch Fox & Friends.

I didn't get to finish my cup of tea because
this little girl came to find me.

So, I wrapped her up and sat her beside me while I finished.

Isabella XiaoHua is doing wonderful!
She is a very happy girl who loves to dance, color, play the piano and clean!
The day we did laundry was a new one for her. She sat in front of the
washer and watched it go around for about 15 minutes. She did the same
thing with the oven when we baked bread. I love watching her experience
all the newness of our way of life and the luxuries that we take for granted.
This sweet little being humbles me every day.

Happy Adoption Day

This is a quick video I put together.
Am working on a longer version of our wonderful and amazing adoption!

Three days in one- because not much went on, except shopping and packing.

On Thursday we all went to the US Consulate and took an oath to always take care of our children and never abandon them. I really don't remember what all I had to repeat because I got all choked up! The first time in two weeks I got weepy. I wasn't the only one, though.
Since no cameras were allowed in the US Consulate we took pictures after we got back to the room.

Here she is with our official Adoption Decree.

That night we went out to a Japanese Restaurant with friends.



The next few are pictures out the bus window.
You see apartment buildings everywhere- with laundry hanging out of most of them.


Dogs.
I'm guessing this is someone's supper.

This is where Isabella is from. Shenzhen. We didn't get to visit, but did drive through on our way to Hong Kong.

Rosa rode with us all the way to Hong Kong, got us through customs, security and to our hotel, and then left to go back to Guangzhou. She was with us from the day we got XiaoHua and was a big help in her transition. We really love Rosa! XiaoHua was very fond of her, too.

Sitting in the Hong Kong airport waiting for our flight home! Yea!

Isabella is now on US soil and a US Citizen!! Yea!
It felt SO good to be home!
The funny thing is....I would never call California home, unless you've been to a very foreign country for two weeks!!