It has been far to long

Since I was last here posting about what is going on in our lives. I can hardly believe it has been more then 2 months since I last posted here. Several people have asked me if I was going to stop blogging now that we are home with Sophia and I have always said no that I love doing it and I intend on keeping up with it. I still feel that way so I am going to try and get back to it on a more regular basis. The summer has been full of fun things for us. Day trips to Disney World, St. Augustine, The Beach, We had a Reunion of good friends, We had company for a few days when our travel mates the Love family came and stayed with us. We spent time with our other travel mates The Gonzales family and as always with our best and longest friends Matt and Lisa. On top of all of that we had a visitor from Hong Kong, our friend Bruce brought his daughter Anya her to spend the summer with his mom so we visited with them and got to see his lovely wife Elza when she came to retrieve Anya. I have more to share with you all about their visit later in the post.We went on Vacation with our good friends the Hylands to The Great Smoky Mountains and had lots of fun. Riz and I have been busy working and just living with a 2 1/2 year old in the house now. We are having tons of fun with her and love this 2 year old age. Something else that has been keeping us busy is that we have started the paperwork to return to China for a sister for Sophia. We are very close to being DTC and are going back with our good friends the Palumbos who we traveled with for Sophia and their daughter Claire. It has been busy and stressful getting all of the paperwork together for that but we know in the end it will be well worth all the stressful moments. Sophia has been busy too this summer. We attended several friends birthday parties. We got together with lots of families with kids her age and she has been having a really good time playing , learning to share and wait her turn. Sophia is also attending The Little Gym now twice a week and we are all loving that. It is so wonderful o see how much she enjoys it and how excited she is each time we drive up to The Little gym. She is learning so much form Gym (as she calls it) and we could not be more proud of her. She can walk on the balance beam (high and Low) by herself, She loves the rings and the uneven bars. Her favorite is the Ball time and she is learning that the balls are for everyone to SHARE...Sophia's vocabulary has taken off this summer and we now have a little chatterbox in the house. She is now talking in sentences and putting more and more words together everyday.She is talking a mile a minute, her memory blows us away and her comprehension is, well lets just say we are watching what we talk about around her now... LOL... We have started preparations for the Holidays already. The house is decorated for Halloween and Sophia will be attending a few Parties and of course we will be Trick or Treating. Her costumes this year for the first party she will be a Ballerina, the second she is going in a Toga (as a Greek Goddess) and for the big night she will be her FAVORITE Disney Character Mulan (Pictures to follow). We will be going to the Pumpkin Patch this weekend to pick a pumpkin to carve and to get some great Fall pictures, now if only the weather here in Florida would cool down. I picked out her Christmas dress yesterday it is really cute and we plan to have her pictures done soon so we can send out Christmas cards ASAP. Sophia has been talking a lot about Santa Clause (Gaga Clause) a LOT! and we can't wait to see Christmas through her eyes this year. Now on to the pictures from this summer. I promise to post the Pumpkin patch pictures and Halloween pictures as we get those done and I am going to make every effort to update more frequently...Thanks for sticking around and being interested in our life as a growing family.

These are pictures from our summer I hope you enjoy them

A Day at the beach with the girls. Sophia, Allyson, Ashley and Lisa (no pictures of me or Lisa it is forbidden to see pictures of us in a bathing suite LOL)

One of our many trips to Disney over the summer this time we stayed at Coronado Springs they have a great pool and Sophia loves to swim there.

We rode the Choo Choo Train at Downtown Disney. Sophia loves to ride any Choo Choo train ..

Sophia got her ears pierced over the summer courtesy of Uncle Mike and Cousin Travis

My Best Friend, Lisa and I took a road trip to get some of the Paperwork done for our second adoption. We had a great time and it was a fun day

State Certified Paperwork Done!

On an other trip to the Magic Kingdom over the summer . She loves the carousel too

Photo Shoot for the Dossier
and 1 year post placement visit.

Random cuteness

She is developing her own style and we love that.

We attended our good friend Mary Alice's Birthday party at a GREAT Splash Park.

I bet you guessed it was Barney Themed right?

On an other trip to Disney (EPCOT this time) Sophia met her IDOL Minnie Mouse. She was so cute and not sure what to do but she talked about her the rest of the day.She is fearless

We spend lots of time at the park letting Sophia play and once a month or sometimes more daddy takes Sophia there and they spend some quality Daddy and Daughter time.

Our FCC group had a Moon Festival celebration at the beginning of Oct. The girls are all so beautiful and are developing such great friendships.

Our first taste of Fall this year was on our vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains.

and Sophia discovered the electronic horse and loved it so much she road everyone we would come across..

We were with our good friends The Hylands.

Sophia and Hope are 3 days apart in age and life long friends.



I had a few more pictures I wanted to share with you all from The Love's visit this summer but after 4 times trying to get them to load I have given up. I will share them in a separate post in a few days....They are so adorable...

GIVE AWAY!

JACKIE is having a GIVE AWAY! go check out her blog.

Jackie is a fellow EAC Mom who will be traveling soon to bring home an other Zhouskids beauty.. Follow her story and watch a miracle happen....

One Sweet Life in Sugar Grove

"Random acts of kindness"

I Facebook Friend sent this to me and I Love it,I had to share....

a friend of mine told me about how she and her kids loved doing "random acts of kindness" in order to foster a love of giving. We thought her idea was so great that we have decided to promote it every quarter. The first week of July, we encourage you to do one random act of kindness in order to spread goodwill to others, and also to remind people that millions of children around the world live each day as orphans.

To take part, here is what you should do:

1) Print off the image on this blog, and cut it out as a small "coupon" or postcard. (if you double click on the image, it should load it on your computer in a larger size)

2) During the first week of July, pick a moment to do something kind for someone. Some suggestions include paying for the person behind you in the drive-thru line, buying a cup of coffee for the person in line behind you at a coffee shop, helping someone with lots of groceries load them into their car, etc. Be creative!

3) After doing your kind deed, give the person your "kindness card". If you are in a drive-thru line, simply give it to the cashier and ask them to give it to the next person in line while telling them that their meal is free. Then you can turn around and wave at the unsuspecting person behind you with a huge smile as you drive away.

So many people in this world are having a hard time and could really use a pick-me-up. You will never know how your random act might have given them just the encouragement they needed that day. It ALWAYS feels good to give, doesn't it? Invest just $5 into surprising someone with random kindness the first week of July, and help spread awareness about all of the children who go to bed every night without parents to love them. You will be adding a moment of giving to the world as well, and no act of kindness is ever wasted. Do a fun deed the first week if July and then come back here and tell us how it went!

(Warning: our friends who have done this with their children say their kids absolutely LOVE doing it, so be prepared to have some extra cards printed and in your glovebox! What a great way to teach our kids that giving to others is a blessing.) Have fun!

Friends for life

During the 29 month wait for Sophia I was very lucky to bond with an amazing group of women. We met on the Jan2006yahoo group early on in the wait and forged a friendship that none of us ever expected. We come from different backgrounds, different walks of life and different areas of the country, but our common bond was the adoption. During the wait we met on several occasions to support each other. The bond we share has only grown deeper with the addition of our children. Our support for each other has moved on from supporting each other through the long unexpected wait to supporting each other through the adjustment of becoming a family. We all talk on a regular basis so meeting for a reunion was only natural. We have all been home now for some months. Riz and I being the longest at one year now and the Smith's being home just a few short months. We started planning this get together months ago and out of 14 families 10 were able to make the weekend in Amelia Island Florida. The weekend was more wonderful then we thought it was going to be. We spent time together at the beach, eating out, shopping in Amelia Island and "Hall Way cocktail parties" but I know I speak for the others when I say the best part was seeing all the girls play together. Each girl has their own individual personality and all are beautiful. We shared stories of our trips to China and of our parenting since becoming moms to these sweet girls. The weekend was over to quick but we ended with the promise that we would start planning the next reunion soon and for a much cooler place next year we are thinking New Hampshire. Erik and Kathy Crisman live there and offered to host next years event. Here are a few pictures from the most amazing weekend......We also celebrated our one year Family Anniversary while we were at the beach......

Friday's BBQ Me and my friend Karen

She had the best ride all weekend

My Friend Stephe and I at dinner Sat. night

My good friends Kathy and Stephe

The girls from

left to right top row Emma,Sophia,Qiao,Hannah

left to right bottom Mary Alice,Giorgia, Kaelie,Meili,Lily and Lexi

I may be partial but they are all so beautiful.

(Mom to Emma, Kathy made each of the girls a "Pillow Case" dress. Thanks Kathy)

Sophia wanting to take MORE pictures

Sophia trying to plant a kiss on GiorgiaMy beauty

A family pictureThe girls in their matching Green Lady Bug dresses (Thanks Stephe)

Sophia with her first Family Day anniversary gift. Two jade bracelets we bought for her while we were in China.Mommy and daughter on our first Family Day AnniversarySophia's buddies Kate (Key) and Claire (Care)
Family Portrait on Family Day
The Love of a Family....

The True measure of a man

Dear Riz,
This is not your first Father's Day,but your second. Last year we were blessed with the most amazing gift of parenthood on Father's Day. I watched you go from being a man, a husband to a Father in the blink of an eye. Standing there in that hot Civil affairs office in Nanchang China I saw not only a child gain a family but I saw a father born before my eyes. Becoming a father was a long time coming for you, but I think that time has given you the gift of gratitude and appreciation. I always knew that Fatherhood would suite you and it has in more ways then I had ever imagined. I knew you would be an awesome dad and you are just that. I always knew that your heart would melt when you heard the words I love you Daddy or when she cried or even when she laughed and it in fact has melted many times in the past year. . Being a "Father" is so much more then biology, Fatherhood comes from the heart, it comes from the desire to nurture a little sole into a healthy, happy human. You have all of those things and so much more. The true measure of a man is shown when he becomes a parent. How will he handle parenthood? It is shown in all the little things that get over looked on a day to day basis. The bed time stories, and night time bathes, the snuggling on the couch and the being firm when it is called for, all of the kissed boo boos and the dried tears it is measured in the laughter that is heard in a home. It is measured in the TOTAL enjoyment of spending every possible moment with your child and exposing your child to everything life has to offer even those things that you don't like (ie. sand, seafood and children's music). It is all of these things and the wish to do them all over and over again just to see the happiness it brings to your child's face and to hear her laughter again and again. The true measure of a man is what kind of father they are.. you are an amazing Man and a GREAT father. I am so proud of you and so happy that Sophia has you as a father and that I have you as a husband,,,,,

Happy Fathers Day

We love you
Susan and Sophia

A year in her life

It was one year ago today that Sophia was placed crying in our arms. It has been the most amazing year of firsts as we became a family. We knew from the moment she was brought to us that our lives were changed forever, and that they have, changed I mean. Changed for the better in so many ways we can't even begin to recount them here. People ask us all the time "So how is parenthood?, Is it every thing you thought it would be?" they say that to us with a snicker in their voice like "Ha HA not as great as you had dreamed right?" We find this so strange because Parenthood is better then we had ever dreamed, It suits us. We had always talked and dreamed about taking Sophia with us while we did all our normal stuff and we have done just that. This year we have traveled as much as we always did and Sophia was right there with us. We still go out to eat, shopping and to Disney World just like always. The difference now is we have someone to share all of that with. Parenthood has been challenging at times as we have adjusted to each other and learning to be firm yet loving and flexible. Things do take us longer and we have a shorter period of time in the evening then we used to but we make the best of it spending quality family time together. Parenthood is more then we ever dreamed it could be or would be. So when people ask us that question with the hint of sarcasm in their voice we always say that we would not trade it for anything and that it is the best thing we have ever done. We wanted to share pictures of Sophia from this past year with you in the form of a slide show put to music but I ran out of time so here are snap shots of our life this last year.

A Year in Her Life

Sophia in China before we became a family.
14 months old

May 2008

The day we became a family in Nanchang China

Sophia was not quite 15 months Old

June 16th 2008

Sophia's first 4th of July as an American citizen

July 4th 2008

Chilling with my friend Hope on our first trip to the mountains

August 2008

Sophia and Big Sam in Wendy's front yard on our first trip to Savannah, Ga

September 2008

Sophia's 1 and 1/2 year birthday Party

Playing with my little Buddie McKenzie.

Stephanie in the background

September 2008

Sophia in the Lake Helen Pumpkin Patch

October 2008

Sophia getting her first hair cut by Paul

October 2008

Thanksgiving Day

November 2008

Sophia and Allyson at the Christmas tree farm

Dec 2008

Hanging out by the fire with Kate (Key) and Claire (Care)

December 2008

Christmas Day

Dec 2008

Back together with my China buddies Claire (Care) and Stephanie (FiFi)

January 2009

Just one of my favorite pictures of our girl

January 2009

Valentines Day

February 2009

St. Patrick's Day

March 2009

Sophia's 2nd Birthday Party

Cousin Breanna

April 2009

Doing the Zoo with the Love twins

April 2009

Summer is here New Smyrna Beach

May 2009

our one year Family Day Anniversary

Amelia Island Florida

June 16th 2009

These pictures give you a small look into all the firsts this past year. There were so many more that we could not capture here. Things like Sophia's first words, her first ice cream, the first time she said I love you in English, her first bike and her first all nighter in her crib things that happen when the camera is not looking but will always be in our memories and in our hearts.

Stay tuned for pictures from our Panda Reunion at the beach......

EBAY!

I am selling on e-bay now so please feel free to check out my listings and spread the word. I am trying to raise money for a very special project...hee hee hee...There is a link on the side bar that will take you right to my e-bay listings. If there is anything there you would like please feel free to bid and contact me. If you are from out of the USA please contact me directly and we can work something out. Thanks for supporting us and our very special project. :)

From Childless to toddler in 18 days

Our walk down memory lane this month brings us to today May 19th. It was a year ago today that we received a second gift from our agency and from China. It came in the form of an "update". We were luck to receive an update about Sophia, her physical, medical and developmental state. We also received 7 beautiful pictures that we cherish still today. In a matter of 18 days we went from being a childless couple to being the parents of this little girl whom we only saw as a 6 month old baby until may 19th. These seven pictures fast forwarded things for us in a big way. We now were the parents of a toddler with quite a personality. We learned that she could stand and from studding the pictures gathered that she could walk (the dirty shoes. They are the shoes she was wearing on Family Day). We also got a glimpse of Sophia's foster mother and we learned that Sophia was inquisitive based on the fact that she was trying to see what was going on around the corner. We were able to see where it was she was living and a bit of the surroundings. We both studied these pictures for any kind of information that would help us to better know this child who would become our daughter in a few short days. We learned that she could drive a motorcycle and thought how perfect (we live in Daytona Beach, FL the home of Bike week and Biketober Fest). Most of all we were able to see that Sophia had the most amazing eyes and the sweetest smile. These updates are so valuable to anyone who is waiting to travel to meet their child. It is just a bit of added information that you can share with your child later in life.

A very Happy Mother's Day

Me and my Daughter
it is so wonderful to say that.

For so many years Mother's Day was one of the hardest days of the year for me. For so long I dreamed of being a mother. Long before we decided to adopt I wanted to be a mother but it never happened for whatever reason. I always wondered why I had not been blessed with a child to love and to call my own. It was not until we decided to adopt that all began to change. Each year that we waited for Sophia we celebrated because in my heart we were already parents and I already a mother. This year was my first Mother's Day that there was no sadness or emptiness just pure love, joy and more happiness then I ever dreamed possible..


I hope that all of my family and friends had a very happy Mother's Day I thought of you all many times through out the day.

We also took time as we will every year to honor Sophia's first mothers both her birth mother and her foster mother. We feel if it were not for these two women we would not be so blessed today.

What a difference a year can make

One year ago today (May 2, 2oo8). Our lives changed in the most remarkable way. We went from dreaming of our daughter. Wondering what she looked like, where she was and how old she was to knowing her and some of the details of her life. We have been reminiscing about that day for a week or so now and it has been amazing to look back on such a wonderful time in our lives. It is unbelievable to us how much our lives have changed for the better in the last year. Sophia added so much joy and excitement to our home and to our lives that day and every day since then. I was looking through documents on my computer yesterday and came across an e-mail from Uncle Zhou. Zhou is a true angel to us and all the EAC families that he has helped join together. One year ago today I opened my computer at lunch time and saw this and life from that moment on changed forever.....

"CONGRATULATIONS

Jan.10 LID group and all, Hi!Congratulations to your referrals. Kim in the Office is busy copying the referrals right now, she will call you pretty soon. Just let you know they are in the office. We got twins too. How exciting. Babies are young, about 10 months old, from Jiangxi Province. Again congratulations. Remember today is a great day for all of us.By the way, I am right now in Beijing with a family. We are going to Inner Mogolia to adopt a baby girl.

Zhou in Beijing"

These pictures were the first glimpses of our daughter. They were in this order and the most beautiful pictures we had ever seen. They still are very precious to us for so many reasons. Sophia was 6 months old in these pictures.

The Mug Shot

The High Chair

The laughing baby