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!!

Thank You Great-Gramma!

This post is for my Gramma in Michigan who sent Lauren a sweet gift today. Gramma I wanted you to be able to see her open your gift. As you can see, she loved it! She wanted to put it on immediately! :) She will be wearing this to church this weekend. Thank you! I wish we lived closer, we think of you often and love you like crazy!

Accepted My First Nurse Practitioner Position!

Well, one year ago today Danny, Mom, and I arrived in Beijing, China and today I accepted my first position as a nurse practitioner! Out with the scrubs, in with the business attire! :)

Summer Fun Playdate!

Our Last Homestudy!

Well, we said goodbye to our social worker, Nancy, today...she has been our social worker for the past 4 years and has been to our home numerous times for pre and post visits for our homestudies and today was our last homestudy. It was bittersweet saying goodbye. She has been so wonderful and is just a beautiful lady. However, it's a chapter now closed and our paperwork is officially done!

Above if just a random pic of Lauren being her usual crackup! :)

Our 11th Anniversary!

11 years ago today I married my best friend. What a journey we have taken together since then...the world is so amazing with Danny in my life. This past year we have grown even more in love and have taken on a new aspect to our relationship...parenthood. It has been one of the most challenging years of our marriage and one of the best years of our marriage. Sleep and money have been low, but our respect, admiration, and love for each other have grown. We layed in bed talking this morning about the excitement and love we had for each other 11 years ago today and how much more that love and excitement is there now.

Last year at this time we were counting the "sleeps" before we would head off to China to get our Lauren. Today we wake with her in the middle of us and are just amazed by what God has done in the last year. What a miracle Lauren is to us and what a beautiful gift God has given me in having Danny as my husband.

Favorite Saturday Morning Start

This morning I started my Saturday morning with my favorite start to the day. As Danny and Lauren slept, I got up as the sun just began to rise and I headed off to yoga. After yoga I got a coffee at my favorite local coffee shop next door and was home in time to kiss Lauren and Danny awake. Whenever I get myself to get out of bed early it always pays off...

While in class, my instructor read this excerpt. I thought I'd share it here.


Aparigraha means "nongrasping," and it can be a tough sell in this consumer culture of ours. But freedom from wanting more and more is just that: freedom.


"Aparigraha is the decision to not hoard or accumulate goods through greed but rather to develop an attitude of stewardship toward the material world, Before you bring anything into your home, ask yourself: Do I need this for my role in life? As a parent? As a spiritual seeker? Or am I just accumulating stuff out of my own fear and greed?" If you don't consider these questions, your possessions can take over. "Once you get so much stuff, you have to take care of and defend it, You start to get attached to it and identify with it. It's easy to start thinking you are your stuff, but the truth is that stuff comes and goes."

The idea is: Just let it go. "If our homes are filled with old junk that doesn't apply to us anymore, there's no room for new energy to come in, that holds true for the nonmaterial ideas and attitudes you cling to as well. "If you are hanging on to old beliefs about yourself or your relationships, or clinging to a career that no longer feeds you, there's no latitude to move in a different direction."
"Acknowledge abundance and practice gratitude. You don't need more and more if you are grateful and feeling fulfilled with what you have in the moment."

Haaayyyybatterbatter!

Happy Summer!!

Well, it's over 100 degree's today, so summer is officially here! Happy summer everyone!! :)

Passed!

Off To Take My Boards!!

Mother's Day

A dream come true...



My Mother's Day gift, come to find out...good things do come in small packages. :)

I have had an incredible day from the first moment I opened my eyes. My wonderful husband brought me Starbuck's in bed and Lauren shared a hot cocoa with me in bed. She then took my hand and brought me to the dining room to show me the roses she and Daddy picked out. As we dressed, I pulled out a matching necklace to the one that I wear often, but just a little smaller version. It is Mother of Pearl and has the Chinese character's of "Daughter and Mother" engraved on it. I put this on Lauren and she thought this was so, so special to be wearing a necklace like mommies. It was such a special moment and she wore the necklace all day today. We then went out for breakfast at my favorite, Mimi's. After breakfast we walked over to Border*s and I got a book from one of my favorite authors, Francine Rivers, "A Lineage of Grace". We then went to church and I enjoyed every minute of being with my precious daughter on my first Mother's Day church service.

Tonight, my mom, Lauren, Bailey, and I enjoyed a nice walk together through the pretty Sierra Verde neighborhood where there are waterfalls and wildlife throughout. Now, I am off to get Lauren into her jammies and I into mine and we are going to snuggle together until Danny comes home from work. (right now, I look down from typing and she is naked and has just strapped herself into her doll stroller and is putting on her sunglasses...better go!) :) Happy Mother's Day everyone!!

Let me not forget...

147Millionorphans.com