Christmas Day

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I love being mommy to this angel...




Lauren hanging her ornament. We have many that say, "Waiting for Lauren 2006", "In our Hearts Lauren 2008", this one says, "Adopted with Love 2009 ~Lauren 8/5/07".


My Grandma just arrived yesterday from Michigan and I just loved watching Lauren sit and talk with her great-gramma for the first time last night..what cherished memories.



My sweethearts...two gifts I never take for granted.


Merry Christmas everyone. May 2011 bring Peace, Love, and Joy to your family.

My Hero

Visit Katie at Amazima Ministries to be be inspired and encouraged. Please pray for this amazing young women who has left me speechless so often and feeling driven after reading her words to follow God closer and listen more intently for His will in my life.

Magical Times

The past month has been so wonder-filled for us. To say I am blessed, just does not do it justice. Last year at this time we in the Davenport home were in what we refer to as "survival mode". Money was tight, Lauren and I had the dreaded H1N1, I was looking at the mountain of schoolwork ahead and the finish line of graduate school that was so close yet seemed impossible to get to, and just home with our new precious daughter. This year is magical... as my patients at Mayo used to remind me of daily, THESE are our Golden Years. November 12-13th we headed up to the Polar Express where Mrs. Claus made us cookies to enjoy as we headed to the North Pole to see santa!



This is us on the Polar Express train! We listened to the story on the way up while sipping hot cocoa and eating the delicious cookies Mrs. Claus made for us, then we saw santa at the North Pole and, can you believe it, he rode back with us! We sang Christmas songs all the way home and Santa came by and gave a sleigh bell to each child. Then, if that wasn't enough, Santa was waiting for pictures when we got off the train and he signed Lauren's sleigh bell! :) It was soooo much fun!




Lauren ran up to the main conductor while we were waiting for the train and said, "mommy, take my picture!".



Lauren in the pretty hotel lobby, it was so cozy with a huge, blazing fireplace and tall Christmas tree. You instantly feel in the holiday spirit when you enter this lobby.


I'm a little behind in posting pics, so thought I would share with you Halloween as well. Lauren loved being Jesse from Toy Story 3, she often asks me to be Woody and we re-inact parts of the movie. This is Jesse with her cousins Princess Tiana and Wolverine of course. :)


Jesse never looked more beautiful... :)


Well, besides our Halloween fun and Polar Express trip,we have just enjoyed being together and creating memories together. Thanksgiving was full of Zoolights, Turkey Bowl fun, time with family, and lot's of laughter with my girl. My heart is so full of joy and I am so thankful to my Creator for all His abundant blessings.

First Family Portraits

Yesterday we went to our favorite walking spot near our home and had our first family portraits done! Suz did an amazing job and what made our experience even better was knowing she is doing this photography as a fundraiser for the adoption of her Ethiopian Princess :) Suz has started "Pictures With A Purpose" and though she says "I'm not a photographer..", she's a natural. :) Thanks Suz for such a fun time and letting us capture this time forever!!

Guizhou, China Reunion

Nihao!This past weekend we enjoyed our first Guizhou,China reunion! We danced, we played, we went to the zoo, we swam, we had a blast Guizhou Style!! It was awesome to see many of the families we went to China with. It felt so surreal to be sitting around the dinner table together again! What an amazing sight to see how much the girls have changed in just one short year. Everyone is so well adjusted. We missed those who were not able to make the trip this year and if any of you are reading this, just know we talked of you often and you were with us in Spirit. :)

Gymnastics Day One

My baby had her first official gymnastics class tonight. As I watched her, I was so proud of her and my heart tightened seeing her growing up before my very eyes. Thank you Lord for this beautiful girl who you have placed in my life. I am so grateful I listened to Your voice and did not give up during those years of doubt.

Olympics 2020 here we come! hehe! :)

Lots of Hiking!

We have been escaping the heat the past few weekends and heading up north.(to Lauren's dismay, "up north" was not the "north pole", we got to the trail and she said, where is Santa Clause!") :) These are a few pics of our Humphrey's Peak hike last weekend.

A quiet home is not always a good thing.... :)

Reese Boy

Our hike was just awesome yesterday, however, I forgot my camera, so no pic's! So, I thought I would put a post out for something pretty fun and meaningful my mom is doing! Lauren loves going to visit gramma's house and especially loves her dogs, Oreo and Reese. Well, Reese has been nominated for the Cavalier Idol contest and just made it to round 2! Reese was just rescued by my mom this year and he is loving his new family & home. After years of being a foster mom to many, many children. My mom is now a foster parent for the rescue and just has a heart of gold!

Go Reese!

If you'd like to vote for Reese go to www.cavalierrescueusa.org and vote for #619!

Reese asked us to explain that if he were to win one of the prizes, he already has plenty of toys. Reese says he would donate the money back to one of his friends still in Rescue. Probably one of the special needs Cavaliers like Charlie in CA or Stella Patella in CO. He thought it was important you know his motive for entering this wonderful contest.

Artist's at Work

Lauren and her dear friend Kailahni had so much fun painting together this week! We have displayed Lauren's work on our fridge. I was at work during this art session, however Lauren told me all about what inspired her for this particular piece. :)

Thank you Mary for putting such a nice playdate together for Lauren!

As a side note, I survived my first week at my new position. I'm glad for a slow wake up today and the Davenport's are now heading up north for a nice long hike. I will post pic's later, have a great weekend!!

Time...please slow down.

I took these pics yesterday. Whenever I swaddle Lauren after her baths and I get to laugh with her, kiss her, and do our spa routine we started on her very first bath in China, I am reminded of how much my baby is growing. I always think of how small she must have been when she was born and imagine how she was swaddled then. My Lauren is growing up so fast. As much as I have willed it not to, time continues to breeze by!

That being said, My "big girl" Lauren and I had so much fun shopping together today in her favorite store,"Claire's". She really is a good shopper and I, who used to loathe shopping, actually find myself enjoying it now! :)

Well, Tomorrow is the start of my last stint at Mayo. I work the next three days and then say goodbye to a wonderful place and even more wonderful friends. I will miss the camaraderie with my fellow co-workers. Lately, my head has been buried in Endocrinology books in any free time I can find and I am excited as well as nervous to be starting my new position. Lauren made me smile tonight as she came up to me with my shoes as I was reading my book and said, "Momma put your shoes on, we are going for a walk. " hehe...off we went with dog in tow!

She is medicine to my soul I tell you.

Lauren's 3rd Birthday!

3 years ago today, our sweet Lauren was born. Last year we were just back from China and still in a fog when we celebrated her 2nd birthday. This year we were able to take in every minute and we had soo much fun! We started the day by heading to the Children's Museum. This place is just amazing. It's an old school they remodeled into three stories of crazy fun for kids. Afterward we headed home and I baked her cake while the party girl rested. Then we had her favorite meal and sang "Happy Birthday" three times, each time with blowing out the candles of course. :)

There is never enough time to say all I would like to. Even as I type Lauren is inspecting the desk drawer next to me and has just discovered where I keep the stamp ink. It's all just wonderful.

I take in every second of my time with this amazing girl that has been placed in our life. I don't take a second for granted. Her smile, the smell of her hair, her sweet voice, her tender heart, She is just incredible.

We are having her birthday party with friends and family Saturday and I will post more pic's then. But for now, here is a album I put together and a short clip of her grocery shopping. We figured she was 3 now, it was time she started getting out on her own! hehe..

Create your own photo album

One Year Ago Today...

I've written this post in my mind throughout the week and I am driven to tears each time I think of what today represents...the day our sweet Lauren was placed in our arms for the first time. As I watch the videos from one year ago, I am amazed at how far Lauren has come in such a short time. She is a different child and yet I still see the resilience and determination in her today that I saw one year ago. I remember as we gave her her first bath that night, I was surprised to see how resourceful she was despite being so tiny and young. The video's of Gotcha Day are much harder to watch now than they were a year ago because I know HER now. The girl who deserves all the best life has to offer and yet her first two years were soo so hard. She was sick and frail when we held her for the first time. She had markings that revealed part of her past that is hard to think about now. And yet, I am thankful that she was loved by her nannies and taken care of as well as she could be.

A few weeks ago Lauren and I were sitting together and she started to talk, "mamma I was scaaarrred..." and it was a few minutes into the conversation that I realized she was telling me about some of her memories and it took all I could to stay calm and listen and reassure her. As she talked in her little voice, I just prayed that God would give me wisdom and the right words to comfort her and let her know we will always be here for her. She gave me a big hug at the end of our conversation and I could tell we had just experienced a moment I would never forget.

~Lauren, Daddy and I have loved you long before you were born and we are so thankful God gave us amazing, special, you.

Well, today one year later, we had a great time celebrating our 1st anniversary. I put the following album together. Enjoy. :)

Make your own photo album

Also, go to the Hertzler Family link at the right...they finally have their sweet Makaila in their arms!! Congratulations Lisa!!