More photos

Kayak Fishing Tourney

Andrew and Austin fished in one of the largest (if not the largest) kayak fishing tournament this past Saturday.

Andrew caught a flounder a little over 18 inches long which would have placed around 3rd place if he wasn't disqualified..

Yep, my boy was DQ'ed because of his mother's mistake with the camera. Basically, my camera split the morning launch photos from the afternoon catch photos so when he presented his photos at weight in, he did not have the launch photo (which is a requirement). Boy, did I feel bad..

The director of the tourney came by yesterday and brought him a bag filled with fishing supplies and a gift certificate to Black Creek Outfitters because of the sportsmanship that Andrew demonstrated when DQ'ed.... and because his fish would have placed in the top 3.. and the director so enjoyed the photo with a bag of chips, Gatorade, water bottles, half eaten banana in the kayak and pouring down rain!!

A huge storm came up while they were out on the water!! They had to tie up the kayak across the creek because the tide was too low to get back to our dock... thank goodness for neighbors...
After it settled some, the boys went back out to fish in the cold rain.. (yep, it got cold after the storm)

The boys had a blast...

Johnny Boy's Birthday--Double Digits

My baby boy turned 10 on Sunday!! I just can't believe it...

My sweet boy...my smiley boy...my fun loving boy...my brown tanned boy...my boy!! 10 already..

Oh, I am sooo thankful for the gift of John..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONNY-MICE... I LOVE YOU

She loves to swing

We took Andi up to Jarboe Park to swing. She cried all the way back home because she had to stop swinging..

Mother's Day

What a special Mother's Day. It was Andi's first day at church. She even wore her squeaky shoes--which Andy about killed me for letting her wear them to church.

So content having all my children home!!

I thought getting four kids to smile and look at the camera was hard! Try 4 boys and one little girl!!

The Real Heros

Wednesday at the TPC was Military Appreciation Day. John went up to one of the soldiers and asked for his autograph! Then other kids starting following his lead...

We are so thankful for the men and women that serve and protect our country...and for their families that make so many sacrifices.. Brings tears to my eyes.

There was a F-18 fly over!! I just love fly overs.. I cry every time. But this time, the jets did a golf fly over---quiet!! We are used to the fly overs over the Jaguar stadium which are thunderously loud!!

The 82nd airborne sang Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" and the Temptations' "My Girl"--pretty cool stuff.

Darius Rucker ended the day with an awesome concert. We used to listen to him in the local Charleston nightclubs way back in our college years...

TPC

Andi loved going out to the TPC. She even got Phil Mickelson's autograph in her baby hat!! That's my girl..

A Gator Girl

She sure does look cute in her Gator cheerleading outfit.

The boys went on online to shop for Gamecock items!!

And I am wondering where I could go get Clemson items...

Andi is going to have a tough decision regarding which team she will pull for!!

Grand Slam!

Grand Slam!!

That is how the cardiologist described baby Andi's test results.

The vsd and asd that had been reported on her echoes in China are now completely healed!!

Wow!! What a Miracle.

Thank you for all your prayers.

So thankful that God has blessed us with a healthy baby girl:)

So happy for baby Andi. She is such a joy to be around.

Mother-Daughter Photo Contest

Ok, I am going to let you know how crazy I am... There is a photo contest in our local newspaper for Mother's Day... mother-daughter look a like contest... It seems they will post photos of the mothers and separate ones of the daughters to see if the readers can match the families...

Well....I told Andy that I wanted to enter it..Because I feel like Andi and I both look a like!!
Andy thinks I am crazy--which he should have already known that..

But when I look at our photos I see 2 people happy on the inside.... we do look alike!! We are enjoying each other and it shows...

Progression--Regression

Regression is what Andrew describes his relationship with Andi..

She begins to smile and laugh with him then he goes off to school or baseball, and Andrew starts all over with Andi..

But Andrew is being persistent in pursing the relationship with Andi...even though it is hard to feel rejection from her.

I wrote back to Andy when we were in China that Andi would be mad with me every morning.. She looked like she was thinking---"why are you still here? I like the boys, but you?? not so much!"
It was hard on my heart but worth pursing her heart!!

So it is good when Andi and Andrew can be alone together...she doesn't have any choice but to play with him...and this is what I get to treasure up in my heart---the laughing, smiling, reaching out for him to catch her, holding onto him!! and seeing Andrew smile with joy that "she likes him now."

Sharing lunch with Andrew:)

OH---She said BUBBA today during lunch:) BUBBA, Bubba!!

This past Monday

I told a friend of mine that Monday felt like when I came home from the hospital with our other 4 children..

"wait--doesn't anyone realize that we/I just had a baby?!!"
"back to normal life??"
"wait a minute, my emotions are all over the place, and the world around me is going back to everyday life!!"
"Do you guys realize---I just had a baby!! and what that means??"
"everyone stop---just sit here--and stare at this precious child!! because I can stare and hold them all day with such contentment.."

Well---the same emotions and thoughts were here on Monday as almost 15 years ago, 11.5 years ago and almost 10 years ago...

The heart of a mother is filled.....content..joyful...thankful..awe struck...

So Monday came--Andy went back to work, Andrew went to school, doctor appt for Andi, Walgreens shopping, driving a car (remember I have not driven in a little over 2 weeks).....everyday life....normal life...my life:) I am blessed..

Zephaniah 3:17

"The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you.
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

Wow---our God rejoices over us!! He calms us with HIS LOVE...

These emotions/feelings/thoughts that I have regarding my children (really His children that He has given me the privilege of mothering) are nothing compared to the DELIGHT the Lord has for me!! WOW....

How great is our God!! Sing with me!!

Just like her big brother

If you know John, you know that he sticks his tongue out while he is concentrating in sporting events...

Well, sweet Andi does the same sometimes. She has turned out to be the little water bug.

Things she has learned

Andi has learned many things since being home.

Waves goodbye
Blows kisses
kisses (and what a sweet sound her kisses make)
signs for more and thank you (but resists doing this consistently--kind of hard headed!)
says MaMa
says look and up
She still says stop it and leave me alone in Chinese!!
scribbles with a pencil

She continues to amaze us...

She has done great in the car seat...she gets very quiet when in it..

We have not had any problems with her sleep schedule.

Special Times

This morning after I gave Andi her bottle, we sat for 40 minutes just looking at each other:)

Her beauty blows me away...

We then went onto the front porch swing...girls like to go here to "chit chat" my boys say!!

She enjoyed the wind blowing thru her hair. She pointing at the sound of the osprey in the tree. The osprey have come back another year to have babies. They had their babies while we were in China... New beginnings... Spring.... Our Savior lives... He will make all things new..

Cookie Time

Andi had her lab work completed yesterday...that was not fun at all...

She went grocery shopping with me for the first time. The bakery gave her a sugar cookie coated with sprinkles!!! Now that made her smile...

We then went to the pet store for crickets (to feed the bearded dragon). Andi just loved the birds... she made the cutest sounds talking back to the birds....Maybe we should get a bird for her??? One we could teach Cantonese words and English words!!! just joking and poking fun at my dear husband....

Mrs. Rogers saves the day and brings Andi goodies

This week my 3 youngest boys are taking the SAT achievement test!! Yes, they went to China (12 hours ahead of the great USA) to return to sitting for an achievement test half the day. The boys really have not had a problem adjusting back to our time zone---God's grace...

Mrs. Rogers came by to pick up John for some one to one test prep yesterday! Gotta love the way she loves on me and our boys!! She also brought Andi the cutest socks and blanket...
I am waiting for the handmade American blanket or quilt that she might make us---

Miss Kathy comes to visit

Miss Kathy came to visit and brought Andi a princess dress up outfit...because we all know that she is the princess of the house. She won't keep on her butterfly wing headband...

Andi will probably wear her princess outfit to go fishing with Austin, Richard, and Andrew!! "Move over boys--I am a princess!!"

A little pouting---anyone looking??

Andi did not get her way so she ran to the couch to hide her face!! She then looks around to see if anyone is looking --- "well, no one is looking??!! Ok, I will come back to play."

She is dressed in one of the many outfits that her daddy and her bubba bought her!! She points at her new outfits while we say "pretty, pretty" then she just grins:)

When I brought back out the pj set she wore in China, Andi just grinned ear to ear!! so cute!! (yes, she wore the same jammy set every night because I only brought one with footies and she would not keep a blanket on her during the night. And in China, the adults bundle up their children no matter what the temperature is outside.)

Oh, no...Andi spilled her milkshake

But the dogs loved the milkshake!!

Andi is warming up to the dogs. She liked it when they followed her around and around
the kitchen!! She was just giggling...

Happy Easter---He is Risen

We Are Family

We are home:) We got in about 6pm Good Friday!! What an Easter blessing!! More photos coming..

Thank you all for praying and loving on us while we were gone....

Love u guys!!

Pray for traveling mercies..

We leave tomorrow thru HK, Japan, Detroit, then home...
pray for us.... we are ready to be a family....