It has been a year

One year ago yesterday we adopted Lee. It's so hard to believe that it's only been a year. Sometimes it feels like forever ago that I stood at that orphanage entrance and looked at him for the first time. Part of me felt a little sad for the others in his life, a year since they have seen him. He seems like a different child to me now. I can hardly remember the days I used to spend just wondering what he would be like. On February 10 it will be a year that he has been in America.

These other pictures are one of Ellis jumping like a frog to and from the bathroom.
Of course, Eva, always willing to strike a pose for me. I hope she is always like this. I love her willingness to be photographed.

The little boy is Sheldon whom I mentor every Tuesday, he goes to Eva and Lee's school. I have known him for the past two years, but only this year did I have the time to commit to helping him every Tues.

This is Eva's new favorite shirt. As soon as it is clean she puts it on, so you all may want to get used to seeing this shirt on her.
The picture of Eva and Ellis (of course Ellis is screaming in the background) is just a typical moment here. Ellis was being very vocal about wanting to go in the house IMMEDIATELY, Eva thought the volume of her screams was hilarious...

Beautiful Weather

After church we took the kids to Beef O'Brady's for lunch. They love it there because of the arcade inside, Trip likes it because he can watch a game while he eats, I like it because the kids have something to do aside from climb under the table.
I took the kids to the park after lunch. Our neighborhood is having baseball try-outs today, so we went over and watched that with friends for awhile.
These are pictures of the kids in the back yard playing ball together. I am going to see if I can get Lee signed up for a soccer team this season. I hope I'm not too late. He seems to like soccer.
Back to school tomorrow. Next weekend I think we will go to the local supermarket for a Tet celebration. (Lunar New Year) I am thinking the kids will enjoy seeing the dragon dance, I'm under the impression from Lee that he has seen one before.
Have a great week everyone! :)

Baby week

Hello, I have felt slacky for not posting this week. I really don't have any new pictures to add except one of Lee and Eva and some others I have taken in the past week. Baby's can be nice and challeging to take at the same time. I enjoy trying to improve my skills in that area.
My friend, Kyle, was nominated for teacher of the week in one for one of the weeks in February, so the news paper needed a picture of her. I could not allow her to just send in a regular snap shot. I think I'm a bit controlling for a photographer friend.
Hope all is well with everyone, it's super late here, I have just finished a quiet evening of work..my office is now closed:)

Birthday Party for Lillian

Eva's friend, Lillian, had her birthday party over the weekend and I took pictures for them as a "Photo Shoot Birthday Party"
The girls were all great, really so fantastic in front of the camera. I'm just posting some that I took of Eva. After all of the time she spends in front of my camera she seemed pretty comfortable.
It's Monday, the weekend seemed soooo short. I took pictures both Saturday and Sunday so I have my hands full with editing today.
Eva really dragged out of bed this morning, I feel so badly to even wake her up in the mornings sometimes. I just remember how it felt to be awakened by the words "time to get up for school."
Just a couple more weeks until the big Hannah Montana concert! I know Eva is pumped, especially since it is on a school night. Jury is out whether I will send her to school the next day or not.
Sweet Ellis is home with me today and Mr. Lee jumped out of bed as usual, ready for whatever the week holds. I've already finished my one cup of coffee for the day, now I need to get down to business.

Friends

Eva with Kyle's daughter, Zoe, Ellis with the little boy, Jake, who lives down the street and Olivia.

Extra photos from last weekend

A few more pictures from the day before and around the baptism. This weekend I am taking pictures at Lillian's birthday party (A photo shoot birthday party, I think the girls will enjoy it)
This week back to school has seemed long, especially just having vacation. Eva had a more difficult time getting in the groove than Lee, he was pumped to go back to school. Ellis wanted to go back, but today, for the first time in forever she hesitated at the door and said she wanted to go home. I always feel so horrible to leave the kids when they don't want to be left! It just pulls on my heart so bad.
That first day of school when Lee started crying when I left the room in school just tore me up. Now, of course, he is more excited than anyone to go.
All of my kids are great this week and I am going to try to get some new pictures of them this weekend. I've never been one for scrapbooking, but adding pictures this way is much more my speed. I need to get some sleep:)


By the way, this expression on Ellis' face is very comical to see in real life. She does this when she knows you want her to pay attention or look at you..one of those expressions I'm sure she will outgrow one day.

Ellis

Sweet Ellis, through all of Lee's hoopla I think she began to feel a bit left out. Between Christmas, birthday and baptism this has been present central for Lee. Last night we went to the Rader's house for dinner and to let the kids play. Olivia really has some of the most gorgeous dress up gowns. I took a few pictures of them playing and thought she just looked so beautiful.
The kids are back in school today, just me and Ellis home.
Tomorrow she heads back to school. The house will seems so quiet.

Baptism Sunday

Yesterday was Lee's baptism. He did very well, I must say I was impressed. I was a little afraid that he would start talking to the pastor in the middle of the ceremony, but he did great. I think in these pictures he was a little nervous about the upcoming "sprinkle"
Once we got home though and had our breakfast reception, he was so happy to see all of the food! He was especially excited about the watermelon and the chocolate cake with strawberries on top. The last picture here he is just showing me that he is five.
Now, I must say that I am totally disappointed that in all of the craziness of getting to the church by 8:00am, then coming home and making sure everything was set for people to start arriving, I did not think to ask anyone to take a family picture of us. Only after the party was over when the kids had already changed their clothes and were dirty from running around outside did I think of it. I guess I just kept thinking we would get to it later. I think we may have to just dress up in our baptism outfits and take a picture anyway!
Yesterday was a beautiful day, the weather couldn't have been any nicer.

His first birthday cake!

It may have been Lee's first cake, but after almost a year of watching other kids blow out their candles he was more than ready to do his part. He actually wanted to blow them out while we were singing but then we reminded him to wait until the song was over. As you can see, he was very pleased to finally have HIS turn at a birthday. He told me the other day that he thought birthdays took a very long time. I don't think he really realizes or remembers that we just happened to pick him up right after his birthday. The wait did seem very long to him!
He is the last one of his friends or family member's to have a birthday within this year of his arrival, I think sometimes he was afraid we had forgotten his turn.

Believe it or not, this is our first family picture together, not including one we had taken over the summer with all of Trip's family. This is the first one of just the five of us together...crazy? On top of that we all look so tired, or maybe I should just say that Trip and I look a little suspect. Oh well, next picture, hopefully this Sunday at Lee's baptism we will get a good family picture.

Happy Birthday my boy!

It's so difficult to believe that at this time last year my husband and I were just about to get the news that it was time to go pick up Lee. We were notified on January 2, 2007 late in the evening. Little did we know at the time that January 1 was Lee's real birthday.
So today was our first day of the new year and our first day to celebrate a birthday with Lee. He had a nice time I think. We were at our friends house, the Bramuchi's, all day so I think he felt happy to be playing with his friends.
He is five, which puts him in an older boy catagory in my mind. I've always thought of him as almost 4 or 4 and now it's hard to believe that this child actually ages and will continue to get older!
I made him an orange dreamcicle cream cake. He seemed to like it and ate most of the oranges that I used to garnish the plate. Oranges are still one of his all time favorite fruits.