What a Lucky Ladybug we have found!

We have a Cub Scout at our house!

2010-04-12T15:27:00.003-06:00

Ryan is in Cub Scouts. He really likes it.
Mark goes to the meetings with him most of the time.
Ryan built a car for the Pine Wood Derby. It did really good til it
hit the side of the track and did something to the wheel. He had fun.
The club had the Blue and Gold Banquet and Ryan recieved two awards for his
belt loop. He has sold candy bars and popcorn.
He will attend Cub Scout Day Camp this summer for a week in Tuscola.
He is growing up.

Happy Easter Everyone!

2010-04-12T15:20:00.004-06:00

Can you believe how the children are growing?
Ryan is 6 years old and Kimberly is 2 years old.

Christmas 2009

2009-11-28T15:50:00.008-06:00

Just wanted everyone to see our precious children.
God has blessed our lives so with 2 beautiful children.
We are busy with life. Ryan has lots of homework and books to read.
He is learning to add and subtract and read on his own.
Kimberly turned 2 and is learning so fast.
She can say about 200 words and she loves her dolls. She got one for her
birthday that she named Happy. We have to have a coat on it when we go
outside when it is cold. She loves jewlery and perfume and hairbows.
The flower shop is busy with the Christmas rush and Mark is still at
C.H.I. We had a good Thanksgiving dinner at Mom and Dad's.
We hope everyone is doing good and hope you enjoy the Christmas season.

Kimberly's Forever Family day is today

2009-09-11T07:42:00.003-06:00

One year ago today, Kimberly Renee became an American citizen, met her new brother and all of her family. After being on 3 planes and airports for over 24 hours we were finally home on American soil. We were so happy to be back.
Kimberly and Ryan met for the first time. We became our forever family.
We are so blessed. God has given us two beautiful children to love and take care of.
Time goes so fast. Stop and enjoy each day!

Summer Fun!

2009-06-30T08:51:00.002-06:00

The photos are from the Arthur Fireworks show. We were worried about Kimberly and how she would do.......Believe it or not......She fell asleep during the grand finale. She wasn't scared at all. It was a great show. We had a really good weekend. Now we are preparing to go on vacation on July 3rd for a week in Lancaster, PA. Ryan is excited. We are going to stay 2 days in a red caboose as our motel room. Should be interesting. Have a great week and enjoy life.

Summer has finally hit!

2009-06-20T08:38:00.002-06:00

We are all having a fun summer.
Ryan graduated out of Kindergarden and will be a 1st grader in the fall.
He is loving the outdoors. He plays in his sand box and rides his bike.
He is playing T-ball again this year. He has a couple of more games left.
He went to Bible School last week and he loves to go swimming.
Kimberly is growing like crazy. She is so sweet with a red hot attitude.
She is 18 months old. She can say about 40 words. On her 18th month check up she had to have 6 shots. Poor thing. We felt so sorry for her. She did great for
a week then broke out in hives. She took some medicine and is all better.
She is ready to potty train but we are going to wait til we get back from vacation.
She loves going to Daycare and being with meme (Minde and Randy) Papa.
She is learning to like the water and she loves to be outside also.
A fun night for the kids is staying home playing in the little pool and having a picnic on the patio.
Mark has been on second shift at CHI so its just me and the kids at night. Mark comes home for supper to be with us. Mark is doing alright. His back has been really sore and it leaves him kinda of grumpy.
I am doing good. I'm finally back to normal with my meds. The flower shop has been kind of slow but with the fudge sales it seems to be helping. The tourist are just down.
We are looking forward to vacation. We are going to Lancaster, PA for a week. We will visit Hersey, PA and the chocolate factory. We are going to stay in a red caboose for two nights for Ryan. They have remodeled them into hotel rooms. It should be fun. We are also going to check out the amish there and spend a week being a tourist. Grandma and PaPa are going to join us out there and then they are going on to visit Nigara Falls. We have to come back to go to work.
It has finally hit the high 90's and high humidity. Welcome to summer in central Illinois. We are having lots of fun and enjoying life.
Love to you all.
Anita, Mark, Ryan and Kimberly

Ryan turns 6 on Saturday!

2009-04-30T20:29:00.003-06:00

Ryan turns 6 on Saturday. Can you believe it? Time has gone so fast.
He is growing up. We are having a birthday party at the park. We
have invited all of his classmates and some relatives and friends.
He should have lots of fun.
Kimberly is doing good. She is also growing. She loves to be outside
with Ryan. She loves going to daycare to play with the kids. She is
saying more words. She has stopped eating except for junk food. I guess
she will eat when she gets hungry.
Mark is doing O.K. He went back to work but on second shift. He doesn't
get to see the kids except for 1 hour in the morning and he comes home
for 30 minutes for supper. We are making do. We are hoping he gets on
days soon.
I'm doing good. The doctor put me on some new medicine and it seems to be
helping a lot. I feel so much better. We will see how it works in May.
May is the biggest month at the flower shop.
We have Prom, Mothers Day, Graduation and Memorial Day.
We are planning a vacation this year in July. We are going to Hersey and
Lancaster, PA.
We will be gone a week.
Happy 6th Birthday, Ryan! We love you buddy.
We should have an exciting weekend. We will be going to the Pub for supper
for Grandma's birthday also. Her and Ryan share birthdays. He is 6 and she will be 66.
Love to you, Anita, Mark, Ryan and Kimberly

2009-03-12T08:02:00.007-06:00

It is almost Spring!

2009-03-12T07:29:00.002-06:00

Hello! Everyone! It is hard to keep up with the blog now that we are home and settled in. We are all doing good.
The children are growing and learning everyday.
Ryan is 5 1/2 years old and he can't wait to be 6 on May 2. He is on the letter V at school and he can count to 130. He is learning to write and read. He can read simple books that are 5 or 6 pages long. It is amazing what they teach in Kindergartern. He goes to gym on Monday night and he can jump on the trampoline, double mini and the tumble track. He is learning several new things there.
He goes to Youth group on Wednesday night after school til 5:30 p.m. He learns Bible stories, snack, games and learns new songs.
He is keeping busy.
Kimberly is 16 months old. She is walking all by herself. She has 16 teeth. She can say about 30 words now. Her hair is filling in and she is changing her looks. She no longer looks like a baby. It is hard to believe that we have been home for 6 months already and it seemed like an eternity waiting til time to go get her.
We are looking forward to Spring. There are so many things we want to show Kimberly. She will love swinging on the swing set, playing in the sand box, taking walks, swimming in our wading pool this summer. We are tired of staying in the house.
I've been having some troubles for the last 3 or 4 months. But I think the doctor may have me on the right track. We are trying some new meds and hopefully that will be the right stuff. I'm not sick, sick but I'm tired of feeling crappy all the time.
I'm hoping the sun will help also.
Mark is still laid off at CHI. He has looked for other jobs but none out there. He has been helping with the children and then helping out at the flower shop. He even learned how to make Fudge. I'm proud of him, how he has stepped up to help out.
We are getting along good and really enjoying the children.
Ryan is a home body, so if we give him a choice to go somewhere or stay home, he chooses to stay home. That is a good sign.
God has blessed our lives richly. We had no idea what we were missing when we had no children. We are so very thankful for the opportunity to be parents. Even on the days when we drop into bed bone tired. :)
Have a great day and I'll post photos soon.
Love, Anita, Mark, Ryan and Kimberly

Merry Christmas to everyone!

2008-12-20T12:44:00.010-06:00

We have been so busy I haven't had time to keep up with the blog. We are having so much fun. The childredn bring such joy into our lives. We could of never imagined what we were missing. God has blessed us richly.
Kimberly is the sweetest little girl. We love her so. She is really growing. She weighs 21.6 lbs and is 29 inches long. She is standing on her own but will not take a step so far. She has a weak ankle on the left foot. The doctor said it should get stronger with her standing on it.
She is a very picky eater. If she can't feed it to herself......you can forget it.
She will shake her head back and forth no no no.
We switched her to regular milk off of formula with no trouble. She loves going to
daycare and playing with the other children. A couple of weeks ago, she picked up a bad habit.......sucking her thumb. When we ask her what is in her mouth, she smiles and takes it out.
Ryan is slowly adjusting to her. We had several probelms for several weeks. But it is getting better. He is enjoying school and learning so much. He just keeps growing. Ryan has a sweet heart and a good spirit. We love him so.
We are all ready for christmas. Kimberly will like the paper and the boxes this year. Ryan would like a train and some race cars. Easy to please.
We are having Christmas Eve at our house and will go to my parents on Christmas Day.
We will have dinner and play with the toys.
We want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2009 bring you good health, happiness and love.
Love to all of you,
Anita, Mark, Ryan and Kimberly

We are home!!!!!

2008-09-13T10:50:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone!
We are finally home! It has taken a day to get everthing back in order.
We left the hotel in Guangzhou at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday. The van took us to the airport and we only waited a few minutes before we boarded our flight. Joe and Anabel were on the same flight.
The flight to Tokyo was about 4 1/2 hours. It was pretty easy. A Chinese man sat beside us and he played with Kimberly.
The flight from Tokyo to Detroit was really long. It was 11 hours. We had to hold Kimberly the whole way. She slept off and on during the flight but never could get comfortable. During that flight we changed time. We turned the clock back 13 hours and then we relived those hours.
In Detroit we had to go through customs and immigrantions. When the man stamped Kimberly's passport was when she became a U.S. Citzen. We handed the famous brown envelope full of papers to the man and we were free to go through. We had to collect our luggage and send it through to another part of the airport. We had about 1/2 hour to wait til we flew to Champaign. That flight was something else.
After all the miles we had went, when we were ready to take off, Mark said to me....we may have a probelm......the right engine did not start. The pilot reved the engines and finally it took off. I was thinking oh my gosh!!!!!!
But we made it and on time.
When we got off the plane, we had a welcome party waiting on us. It was so nice. Everyone was waving and holding signs. Ryan was waiting on his new sister.
He was so excited. He has grown 2 inches while we were gone it looked like.
Kimberly was excited to meet everyone. She let everyone hold her and she even smiled at them after all the hours we had been up.
We went for supper together and then went home!
She was really good on the flight......It was sad to leave China behind......We left Bo Hai and her homeland there to bring Kimberly Renee home with us.
We are adjusting at home for the weekend and then we all back to work on Monday and Kimberly will go with me to work.
Thanks for all the support while we were gone. It was a trip of a lifetime. We were so fortunate to be able to go and we brought back a wonderful sovenior.
Love to all,
Anita, Mark, Ryan and Kimberly

The last post before we leave!!! We are on way Home!

2008-09-10T01:53:00.003-06:00

Day 14
Hello, everyone!
Believe it or not, we are packing to come home.
We are done here in China and ready to bring Kimberly back to Illinois to meet
her new brother and all her family and friends. We can't believe how fast 15 days went. Time in Nanchang went pretty slow but here in Guangzhou we kept pretty busy.
We finished our shopping this morning. We went to Shamain Island one more time. It is so hot and humid, we about croaked today. The chinese people even think it is hot. One shop we went to, the owner made tea for Mark and Doug while Kerry and I shopped. Mark sid it was pretty good. I think it was a sales approach, keep the men busy so the women could shop. The man spoke good english. He was the man that did our laundary. We had lunch at Lucy's. This time I stuck with French fries and Onion rings. Mark had hamburger and french fries. We can't wait to get home for a steak on the grill, baked potato and a lettuce salad. A diet coke and ice. Heaven!!!! Can't wait.
We also went to a Chen Clan Academy with Shinko and Doug, Kerry and Chrissy. It was beautiful. It had lots of cravings and it was also a museum. We thought we were going to a tea house that showed us how the Chinese make tea but that didn't work out. So we are back in the room. I'm going to make this post and then start packing. We have to have our bags outside our door at 5:30 a.m. in the morning and then head to the airport with Joe and Anabel. They will fly with us to Detroit.
We leave at 8:20 a.m. on Thursday in Mainland China and then we get to Champaign at 5:27 p.m. on Thursday evening.......I still don't know how that works. I think I will live one day twice. We'll see when we get home what it was like.
Kimberly is doing very well. She has learned to say ma ma and da da and clap her hands and to play peek a boo. Oh! by the way......for whoever guessed......she has
8 teeth. You are going to love her! She is a sweetie.
We want to thank everyone for their support while we were gone. It sure made it easier to read e-mails from home.
We will be in Champagin at 5:27 p.m. on Thursday evening. Looking forward to seeing everyone.
Love to all,
Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan, Get ready!!!!! We are coming home! We have missed you bunches and can't wait to see you. Have a good day in school and watch for our plane coming in at the airport. We will have to walk down the stairs to get off the plane. Have grandma take some photos so we can have them. We love you little buddy!
Mommy and Daddy

Day 13- Kimberly is finally ours!

2008-09-09T03:30:00.003-06:00

Hello, everyone!
We are on Day 13 already. One more day and then we travel.
Today was the big day. We went to the U.S. Consulate. We could not take our cameras
in so no photos. Sorry! We had to go through security and then we went into a room with 30 other couples and 30 children. We had a ceremony and then we were issued Kimberly's passport and visa. The paper we have been waiting for all this time.
We recieved a brown envelope full of papers that is sealed and can not be opened. When we go through customs in Detroit, they will open the envelope and stamp Kimberly's visa. At that moment, she will be an American citizen. Yeah!!!!!!
This morning we went for breakfast and then went shopping. Things are so cheap here. 50 cents for a soda, 80 cents for a bottle of gatorade, Kimberly's size dresses for $10.00 and also jewelry.
We are going to meet Evan, Melissa and Merea and Doug, Kerry and Chrissy for supper. We are going to Papa Johns for Pizza. Still playing it safe with the food.
We'll go eat Chinese when we get home.
Evan and Melissa leave in the morning. The rest of us will leave on Thursday a.m.
Kimberly dressed up for the Consulate appointment. She is so beautiful.
She is opening up to other people. But she still wants to see me or Mark.
The day at the orphange made her fearful of people because the nanny grabbed her out of my arms. She is just now getting over it. So we will have to be careful at the airport when she meets everyone. She might be scared & cry. We will have to see.
She is really smiley and has two big dimples. But she can be also be a fart already.
Ryan will have a run for his money. Me and Mark will definetly have to get on some good vitamins to keep up. What fun.....Chilren are.
Have a good day.
Love to all,
Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan, You offically have a little sister. She is all ours.
We hope you are doing good and being a good boy. We love and miss you so much.
We only have 2 more days and we will be home. Mark off your calendar.
Love, Mommy and Daddy xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Day 12- A shopping here we go!

2008-09-07T23:51:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone! Day 12
We had a free day. Echo and Shinko went to the U.S. Consulate this morning to submit all of our paperwork. She was just here and everything is in order. We are ready for tomorrow. We bought Kimberly a special dress for Tuesday. She will be dressed in pink.
We met Kerry and Doug and Chrissy for breakfast. Then we went to Shamian Island. It is a 6 block walk. It was cool this morning when we started.
We went to the White Swan to look around and finally found postcards... I was going through withdraw. It is really pretty there. We stopped in several shops along the way. Out by Lucy's people were taking dance lessons and also some ladies doing a fan dance. Fun to watch. We ate lunch at Lucy's. It is an outdoor cafe. Famous place in the adoption world. I ordered a baked potato and corn on the cob. It was good. Mark stuck with a hamburger. We are so so ready for ice cold diet coke. Most of their pop in lukewarrm or hot served with no ice.
Kimberly is a good shopper. She slept most of the time. We are getting a etching done of the two kids together. We can pick it up tomorrow.
We are back in the room to cool off and regroup. We are going to the Jade and Pearl Market this afternoon. Pizza Hut for supper.
Tomorrow we are free in the morning and then we have the consulate appointment at 4:00 p.m. The last thing and the paperwork will be finished and Kimberly will be ours. The adoption w0)ill be finished.
Enjoy the photos! (Kimberly sunning herself was from Sunday.)
Love to all,
Anita, Mark and Ryan
Ryan, Little Buddy. Just 3 more days and we will be home. We love you and can't wait to see you. Be a good boy and take care of Grandma and Papa for us. We hope school is going good and you are learning a lot. Do good at tumbling tonight. We want to see what you have learned when we get home. Keep marking off your calendar.......Love, Mommy and Daddy

Sunday in Guangzhou

2008-09-07T00:15:00.003-06:00

Hello Everyone. It is Day 11 here in Guangzhou. It is very hot and humid. Echo said that if we had come in July that we wouldn't of wanted to step foot outside. Sometimes, you have to change clothes 2 or 3 times a day. God was looking out for me when he made us wait till September.
Today was sightseeing. Mark is feeling much better.
We went for breakfast and then met our group in the lobby at 9:30 a.m.
Kimberly is opening up to Echo and Shinko. Photos attached.
We visited a temple and the Monk blessed the babies. It was really nice. We also lite 3 incense each and made 3 wishes.
After that we went to the Yuntai Gardens. It was beautiful. It had lots of fountains and a lake and really pretty flowers. Mark even thought it was pretty. Kimberly just sat back and enjoyed the ride. Things are not handicap accesible here. So there are lots of stairs. We have to carry the stroller up and down all the stairs. She thinks she is a princess getting carried on a throne.
No joke..........She is a princess.
Last stop was the Baiyun Mountain. We rode a cable car up the side of the mountain and looked around at the top. You are suppose to see over the city but the smog is so bad that it is hard to see. Echo said it is from all the cars.
We arrived at the hotel about 1:00 p.m. and it is time for Kimberly's nap. Mark and Doug walked to McDonald's to pick up lunch. We ate in the room again.
We are done for the rest of the day. We might check out the pool this afternoon. Tonight we will walk down the pedestrian street and look around.
We are free again tomorrow. We are going shopping.
Love to all,
Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan, (Ge Ge) means brother in Chinese
I'm looking forward to meeting you on Thursday. Just a few more days. Mommy and Daddy have been telling me all about you. That you are so funny and how ticklish you are. They told me you like trains and scoopers and that you are stubborn. Guess what? That is one of my things.....stubborn. You, Me and Mommy---boy Daddy don't have a chance. Hugs and Kisses till I see you Big Brother. I love you already. Oh, Mommy and Daddy say that they love you bunches and bunches too. Mark off your calendar, we are on the count down. Love, Kimberly

Day 10

2008-09-06T00:58:00.003-06:00

Hello to everyone. Today is number 10.
Can you believe how fast time has gone. We will be home before we know it.
Mark has had the diarahee last night and some of this morning. He has been alittle
daring with the food. Not me. I started him on the Cipro so hopefully that will help. We skipped breakfast and had Mcdonald's Chicken McNuggets for lunch. We are going to play it safe till we get home.
Today was the Medical appointment for Kimberly. She did not like it at all. Check out her photo. She weighs 18.9 lbs. and is healthy. It was very humid and down right hot. She cried and cried. She had real tears. We felt so sorry for her.
After that we went to the White Swan to have our RED COUCH photo taken. Well I had to undress her to put on her Chinese outfit and of course, she started crying again. She was so cute in her little outfit. We bought one in turquoise.
She had a rough morning. We looked around at the some of the shops. We bought a few things and then came back to our room. We are going to a pedestian street tonight. It is full of shops but no cars. It is a 1/2 block from the hotel.
We are so surprised but Kimberly is totally bonded with both of us already. We feel like we have had her all the time. A chinese lady told me that me and her look alike. Now that is scary.
We bought Kimerly a little dress, shoes and hair bows to match for her Visa Consulate appointment on Tuesday. That will be her big day. She will be offically ours forever and ever.
Love to all,
Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan- We love you and miss you so much. Can't wait to give you hugs and kisses.
We hope you are being a good boy. Today is a day off from school. We hope you are having fun at school and learning alot. How did show and tell go? Did everyone guess what was in your sack? I even know what was in your sack! Love to you little Buddy. We love you, Mommy and Daddy

Day 9- We are back on a jet plane

2008-09-05T06:49:00.003-06:00

Today is Friday. We are done in Nanchang.
We went down for breakfast and then just hung out in the lobby. The room is just to much to sit in there any longer.
It is raining again today. We were going to walk to the market but decided we didn't need anything that bad.
Echo brought us Kimberly's passport this morning. This was the paper we were waiting for during our stay in Nanchang.
Kimberly says ma ma and da da already. She can also give you a kiss.
You are going to love her. She is so sweet. God did good.
We checked out and met everyone in the lobby at 1:30 p.m. We took a van to the airport. By the time we got our boarding passes, went through security and immigrations we had 1 minute to spare before we boarded the plane. No waiting around which was good. Glad I didn't have to go to the restroom.....all they had was squatty potties. No way!
The flight was really good. Kimberly was good the whole way.
She looked around and played with her toys.
We took a van to the hotel and she slept all the way there. It is about 1 hour drive through the city.
Echo told today that Guangzhou has 10 millon people in it. People are everywhere.
We went to our room and sent our clothes out to be washed. They are suppose to be back tomorrow. Lets hope. The same outfit for 6 more days will not do.
More meetings tomorrow. We have to meet in the lobby at 9:30 a.m.
Love to all,
Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan- little buddy, we sure hope you are doing good. We love you so much and miss you lots. We flew on a airplane today. We are on the last step before we get to come home. Just a few more days. Love, Mommy and Daddy

Day 8

2008-09-04T05:12:00.002-06:00

Today was a free day.
We got up at 5:30 a.m. Sleep is hard to come by here. The bed is so hard. Like sleeping on a piece of wood.
We went downstairs for the buffet. It rained all day so we spent the morning in our room playing with Kimberly.
We went to the Teng Wang Pavillion this afternoon with Melissa, Evan and Merea. It rained on us all the way and then when we got there we went to the 6th floor to watch a show. The room was small with no windows. It was like a spa in there. It was the hottest I've been since we have been here. The show lasted 10 minutes after we had waited for 30 minutes in the heat. It was neat.
We looked around and went into the little shops.
We got back at 4:00 p.m. so we sat in the lobby to watch people. Doug, Kerry and Chrissy came by and joined us. We had a nice visit with them. Guess What?????
Kimberly is noisy. She loves to look around and see what people are doing. She is going to fit right in.
Here is a question for you.........Kimberly had 2 teeth on her referral now how many does she have?????????????? any guess????????????
She loves watermelon, bananas, bread, pizza crust, cherrios, corn flakes, chocolate, juice and formula. She is a eater.
She is so sweet. She loves to smile and play with her toys.
Tonight we have to pack. We fly to Guangzhou tomorrow at 3:40 p.m. We are done here. Echo will pick up the girl's passports in the morning and we will be ready to go.
Echo said the time in Guangzhou goes really fast because there is so much to do.
Just 6 more days and we fly home.
Love to all
Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan- We are so glad you are being a good boy. We are counting on you to keep Grandma and Papa in line. We miss you bunches and bunches. You better be ready for a bunch of kisses when we get home. Get out your plane today....We fly to Guangzhou. Look on your map so you will know where we are.
Lots of love, Mommy and Daddy

Day 7- Visit the Orphange

2008-09-03T03:10:00.005-06:00

Hello everyone!
We want to thank everyone for all your support while we are here. It is nice to read e-mails that people are thinking about us.
Today was a emotional day. We left with Melissa and Evan and Echo our guide and the 2 girls and we went to the girls orphange. It was a 3 hour drive. We were fortunate to see how most rural Chinese people live. It was a real eye opener.
When we reached the orphange, the nanny that took care of Kimberly while she was there was waiting on us. She opened my door and grabbed her and hugged and kissed her. You could tell that she really loved her. But the good news.................Kimberly cried and she wanted her mommy to take her back. Echo said we are doing good. So we were happy with that.
It was so touching to see her nanny and how sad she was to see Kimberly go.
The Director, Assistant Director and Social Director had a meeting with us. They answered several questions for us and they all 3 signed a book for me. They were happy to see us and they also thanked us for adopting Kimberly.
It was so hot there. There was no heat or air conditioning.
All I can say is when the Chinese ladies come up to Kimberly and tell her that she is a lucky baby.........she really is. We will not be able to give her expensive things or lots of things but we will fill her life with love.
Tonight we are eating Pizza Hut in the room. We will give Kimberly a bath and let her play with her toys.
Tomorrow our guides go to the Notary to pick up the girl's passports. We will leave her on Friday.
We love you all.
Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan- We love you little buddy. We hope you are doing good. Grandma said you did good at gym. We are glad that are being a good boy and being tough. We are proud of you. We love you bunches and bunches.............Hugs and Kisses xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Love, Mommy and Daddy

Tuesday, Sept. 2

2008-09-02T00:51:00.005-06:00

Good Morning everyone!
We are doing fine. We are on Day 6 already. Kimberly is doing very good.
She is smiling freely and playing with her toys and looking for Mark when
she can't see him. She is a very happy baby. Guess what? She has 2 dimples when she smiles. Cute as a ladybug. She is taking her bottles now and
also has had 2 BM's. So that is good.
Today we went to Elephant Lake to visit and look around. We also went to a Toa
Pavillon. It was a very old place. Pagoda's done in red with lots of statues and incense. There were several Chinese people there that were praying to these statues. Our guide didn't know much about it. She said most Chinese people are Buddist. Anyway, we looked around and drew lots of attention. Anywhere we go, people come up to you and smile and want to touch the babies. One told Mark today to move Kimberly into the shade. It was to hot for her. A lot of chinese ladies
carry umbrellas. They want their skin to be as white as it can. So I fit right in with my fair skin.
Our guide took us to a shopping mall. There were several floors. We went to the baby floor. There are so many people everywhere you go. It is so crowded.
We got Kimberly a traditonal night gown, a pair of shoes and one outfit. Believe it or not.....they don't have many to choose from. I guess they ship most things to the U.S.A.
Our guide had us pick up food from KFC for lunch again. We ate in the room. Kimberly ate french fries and mashed potatoes today. We are done for the day and Kimberly is taking a nap. It is 3:00 p.m.
We are having a hard time with all the sitting around. Can't sleep in the daytime or you can't sleep at night.
Tommorrow we go to Kimberly's welfare institute were she lived for the 9 months. We hope to meet her nanny. It will be a long trip. It is 3 hours each way. Our guide will take us around her town also so we can take photos. Melissa and Evan are going with us. The other 2 couples are not going.
That's it from China.
We love you and miss you all.
Love, Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan, Little Buddy. We hope you are doing good and that you had fun at tumbling.
Back to school for you today. We miss you and love you bunches. xoxoxoxoxoxo
Love, Mommy, Daddy and Kimberly

Monday, Sept. 1

2008-08-31T23:48:00.005-06:00

Good Morning, everyone!
We are done for the day.
Believe it or not, Kimberly went to sleep at 8:30 p.m. last night and slept through the night.
We got up this morning and went down stairs for breakfast.
She ate egg, watermelon, biscuit, sweet potatoe and cereal. She also took a 8 oz. bottle on the way the our meetings.
First we went to the Civil Affiars Bureau. We had to have a family photo taken and then had a interview with a lady. She asked us several questions. She gave us a gift for Kimberly when she is older.
We had to wait for about 1 hour for the paperwork to get finished.
Next stop was the police station. They had to take Kimberly's photo for her passport.
Last stop for meetings was with a man at the Notary Public Office. The man interviewed us and we had to give him a gift.
He asked us if we were satisfied with her? What a silly question.....
Then Echo took us to Walmart. It was 2 story. We bought some juice and some more formula. Last stop was KFC for lunch. We took it with us and ate it in the room. Now it is 2:oo p.m. and we are done for the day. Kimberly is taking a nap. No,
She is just now waking up. We will just play with her this afternoon and evening.
We are done with meetings here in Nanchang. Now, we just wait for Kimberly's passport so she can leave the Province of Jiangxi.
Love to all,
Anita, Mark and Kimberly
Ryan, We hope you are being a good boy. Have fun today when you go to gym class. You get to try some new things. You will have to tell us about it when we get home. One more day closer. We love you bunches, sweetheart.
Love, Mommy, Daddy and Kimberly xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Kimberly is finally in our arms!

2008-08-31T04:24:00.005-06:00

Believe it or not!
After 3 1/2 years we met Kimberly Renee Krutsinger for the first time
today at 4:00 p.m. They orphange brought the girls to our hotel. Our guides
called us and told us to meet them on Floor 3.
They were waiting on us there. We are so happy. Kimberly
is as precious as we thought she would be. She was dressed in a little
pink outift with a green frog on the front.
We took her back to the room and held her. She was o.k. for about 1/2 hour and
then she started to cry. We rocked her and tried to play with her. She fell
asleep for alittle while but when I laid her down she started to cry again.
SHe wouldn't take any formula but we got her to eat some puff cereal and some
baby food.
Our caseworker came to our room to check on us and we had to sign several papers.
She made funny noises to Kimberly and told us to turn on the T.V. so we did.
She is now on the floor playing, laughing and eating pizza crust.
We had Pizza Hut delivered to our room so we didn't have to go out.
It was the best meal I've had since we have been here.
Enjoy the photos.
We love her totally already.
Love to all,
Anita and Mark
Ryan- your little sister is here. She is really cute and we showed her your photos. She thinks you are cute......and guess what they told us about her.........
She is stubborn...I told the people that she has a brother, Ryan at home that is
stubborn also. We hope that you are being a good boy. We love and miss you bunches.
A few more days.
Love, Mommy, Daddy and Kimberly

Saturday, Aug. 30

2008-08-30T01:50:00.007-06:00

Hello everyone!
We met Joe and Anabel for breakfast at the buffet. It was pretty good.
When we were done, we met a guide named Mary that took us to a grocery store.
We got 4 bottles water, 2 packs of gum, a can of chips and a bag of candy for $5.00.
We walked around down town on the pedestrian street. It had people everywhere and lots of little shops. One shop was having bra sale. There were about 20 ladies digging and grabbing. It was to funny.
Two young chinese ladies came over by Mark and stood because he was so tall.
After that we came back to the hotel and met Echo and Shinko. They will be our guides the rest of the trip. We had a meeting and turned in some of our paperwork.
They took us to Shamian Island after we were done. We ate lunch at Lucy's and stopped at a couple of shops on our way back to the hotel.
We meet again at 6:00p.m. to pay our bill for the hotel because we have to meet in the hotel lobby at 6:40 a.m. to catch our flight to Nanchang.
We will not post again until we have Kimberly in our arms. We meet her at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. Count down begins.
The photos are of our travel group. Melissa and Evan and Joe and Anabel. The second one is of Mary our guide and us on the pedestrain street. The other two are scenes from China.
Love to all.
Anita and Mark
Ryan, It is so hot here. And guess what we found at one of the stores we were in. Willy is over here in China. We couldn't believe it. Thought of you as soon as we seen it. We love you and miss you bunches. Hugs and Kisses
Mommy and Daddy xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

We are here!

2008-08-29T18:34:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone!
We finally are here. We arrived at 1:30 a.m. The last flight was alittle much.
But we made it. We sat on the runway for one hour for it to take off.
Our guide met us as soon as we came off the plane. He took us striaght through
customs and also through buggage and to a waiting van. We met Joe and Anabel in Tokyo so they came along with us. It was an hour van ride to the hotel.
We checked in and exchanged some of our money.
Our hotel room is very nice. We have a king size bed with a sheet of plywood for a matress. It has a couch, desk and a very nice bathroom.
We are going downstairs to meet Joe and Anabel for breakfast and then we will look around outside and then we need to meet Echo at 2:30 and she will go over all of the
things we need to do while we are here.
One more till til Gotcha Day.
Enjoy the photos and we love you all.
Anita and Mark
Ryan- We love you bunches and bunches and we hope you are being a good boy. We hope you had a good day in school and we are already on Day 3. Love to you sweetheart.
Love, Mommy and Daddy

We are in Tokyo!

2008-08-29T02:17:00.001-06:00

Hello from Tokyo! We arrived at 3:30 p.m. and now we are waiting for the last leg of our trip. We will be boarding at 6:45 for the final flight to Guangzhou. The flights have been good. The plane from Champaign to Detroit was small. It held 34 passengers. The plane we came on from Detroit held 400 people. It was 2 levels. It was a long flight. But we had a snack, dinner and water twice and then breakfast. What else could you ask for. We met a couple from Washington, Illinois that is going to China to get a special needs little girl. They are going to Bejing and then to Nanchang and Gaungzhou. They were friendly and they have a little 4 year old China doll that is with them. We are both fine and looking forward to landing in China. The photos are of me and Mark in Tokyo and the other one is taken in the plane over the Pacific Ocean.
Love to everyone!
Little Buddy we hope you are being a good boy. We love you bunches.
Love, Anita and Mark

2008-08-25T19:47:00.002-06:00

Andria spent the afternoon with us on Sunday. We had lots of fun. We went to the Children's Museum in Decatur for Ryan. We ate at McDonalds and treated ourselves to Ice cream on the way home. We had fun being kids again.

We have two days til we leave. I think we have everything ready. When I get there and find I forgot something....I guess I'll know I wasn't ready.
We are counting the hours.
Susan and Ronnie had a pizza party last night for Mark's Birthday. We had a Cubs Ice Cream cake. We had fun. We are going to Mom and Dad's for supper on Tuesday and we will spend the evening on Wednesday with Ryan. We sure will miss him.
God has blessed our lives so much with him. He has brought such joy to our lives. We love him dearly. It is the hardest part of going.
Counting the hours.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

Ryan

2008-08-25T19:38:00.002-06:00

This is Ryan's first day of Kindergarten. He was a little shy but he is having fun already. He loves being with the other boys and girls. He is really tired when he comes home from school.
Enjoy your day.

Updated info on Kimberly

2008-08-14T21:25:00.002-06:00

Friday, Aug. 15, Kimberly will be 9 months old.
We got updates on her today. She weighs 16.5 lbs and she is 30 inches
long. She has 2 teeth. She is outgoing and loves to listen to
music and watch T.V. You don't think she likes the CUBS do you?
We didn't get any new photos.
The ISS (guides in China) workers are working on our final travel plans
while we are in China.
We will meet Kimberly on Aug. 31 at 4:00 p.m. in our hotel. "Gotcha Day" It has been such a long wait but now it is just a few days.
We are able to go back to Kimberly's orphange. We both want to go. We want to
thank the Nannies that have been taking care of her for these past several months.
It is a 3.5 hour ride and cost $500.00. It will be a hard day but we both feel
that it will be worth the time and money.
We are counting down the days til it is time to go. It won't be long now.
We also got word that our fingerprint renewals are in Guangzhou. So we are ready.
I packed the suitcases on Tuesday. There are 4 pages of stuff that you are suppose totake with you. Most of it is for Kimberly. The 2 big suitcases
each weigh right at 50 lbs. We will both carry a backpack.
All I have to pack yet is our laptop, camera and all the paperwork that we have
to take with us.
We are on the countdown........13 more days to go.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

We leave on August 28th.

2008-08-08T12:38:00.003-06:00

I got the call at 11:30 a.m. yesterday with our dates we have been waiting on.
I tried to figure out the flights all day and to no luck. One flight was going to be $9,000.00. Couldn't go that route. So I called Cross County Travel and they helped me out. We can fly out of Champaign instead of O'Hare (Mark's happy) and it was so much less than we expected. Thanks Jackie and Karen!
Our flights are set and now the hurry begins.
We fly out of Champaign on Aug. 28 at 10:14 a.m.
We have 3 stops. Detroit, Tokyo and Guangzhou.
We will arrive there on Aug. 29 at 11:00 p.m.
We will meet our other travel mates on Saturday, Aug. 30 at the
hotel. Joe and Anabel are from Florida and Evan and Melissa are from Chatham, IL.
We will travel from there to Nanchang.
We will meet Kimberly on Sunday at noon at the hotel.
Hang on sweetheart!!!! We will be there soon.
We have the opportunity to go to Kimberly's orphange. We will decide when we
get there if we all go or we break down and only one of us goes. I think we
will both go unless Kimberly is sick when we get her. One of those have to cases.
To see for myself where she was taken care of while we waited on her.
We will stay in Nanchang til Friday, Sept. 5 and then
travel to Guangzhou for the rest of the trip.
We will not be going to Hong Kong at all.
Kimberly will have her medical appointment on Sat. Sept. 6.
Her visa ceremony is set for Tuesday, Sept. 9 and we will be
ready to come home on the 11th.
We should arrive in Champaign at 5:27 p.m.
This will be great beacause Ryan will be able to come to the airport and pick
us up. He will be able to see the planes and then us.
Now, if it was really that easy.

We need to double check our list and start packing. We will close
the flower shop. The first two weeks after school starts is so slow that it worked out perfectly.
God really has had his hand on this the whole time. Now if he can calm my nerves. We have it made.
Mark is clearing the days off with work today.
Ryan will already have started school for one week. I was worried that we might have to leave on his first day of school.
God is so good!!!!!!
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

Gotcha Day is August 31!

2008-08-07T12:22:00.003-06:00

The day we have been waiting for.
We have travel dates. We need to be in Nanchang, China
on August 30, 2008. Can you believe it???? We are
finally headed to China.
We are busy booking flights. I'll post as soon as we know.
We meet Kimberly on August 31. :') :') :')
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

Letter of invitation is here

2008-08-06T07:57:00.004-06:00

Tuesday the U.P.S. man brought us a package. It was the
letter of inviation from China that we have been waiting for.
Now, ISS (Workers from Lifelink) is working on flight plans in the country of China, hotel rooms, train schedule and appointments scheduled and then we will be able to make flight arrangements. We only need to make plans to get to Hong Kong. They do all the rest.
We should know by Friday about that. We have a day and a half to get plane tickets
and then we will need to start packing. The hurry and scurry will begin.
Kimberly hang on! Mommy and Daddy are almost there.

Ryan went to the Doctor for his physical Tuesday. He had to have 3 shots. He was so grown up! He weighs 45 lbs. and is 44 inches tall. He is getting so big. He will start Kingarden on Aug. 20. We are hoping we are still here for the first couple of days of school.

Enjoy Today!
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

2008-07-28T07:36:00.002-06:00

We should be recieving our travel approval anyday now!
We sent for our VISA's on Tuesday 7-15-08 through Denise Hope
and got them back on 7-25-08. So the travel dates are next.
Then we can actually get our plane tickets...............
Then the countdown begins........
I'll keep you posted.
Have a great day!

Kimberly, We are praying they are taking good care of you till
Mommy and Daddy can get there to get you. We love you so much already.
We will be there soon! Ryan bought you a bib this weekend. He can't
wait to give it to you!
Hang on Lucky Ladybug!

2008-07-08T22:02:00.000-06:00

I prayed for this child and the Lord
granted what I ask of him.
Samuel 1:27

Introducing Kimberly Renee Krutsinger

2008-07-08T21:51:00.005-06:00

We are proud parents of a beautiful little girl.
Kimberly Renee Krutsinger. Her chinese name is Bo Hai.
Bo is an old country name. Hai means Sea.
She is in Poyang, Jiangxi. Her birthdate is 11-15-07.
On 3-6-08 she weighed 12 lbs. and was 26 1/2 inches tall.
She is in overall good health. No issues at this time.
The paperwork says she is a happy baby and likes to eat.
She will fit right in with our family.
When you look at the photos, look at her nose.....it looks
just like Ryan's.
She is so much cuter than we could of imagined. She is definitely
a keeper. She is our Lucky Ladybug. God has done good.
Enjoy the photos. Keep praying for us while we wait for the time
to travel to get her home.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

We got the Call!!!!!

2008-07-07T13:22:00.002-06:00

Hello! What a wonderful day!
We got the call at 12:45 p.m.
Diane from Lifelink called and we have a little girl.
Her name is Bo Hai.
Her birthday is 11-15-07. 7 1/2 months old Young !!!!!
She is normal health.
We will get the Chinese paperwork on Tuesday with the photos.
I had to promise Mark that I would not open them til he gets home from work.
Can you believe it, he is working til 5:00 this week. I might have to meet
him on break. I won't be able to wait.
The english paperwork in another day.
The 29 month wait was long but what about 2 more days.............
What a happy day!
Love, Anita

Mark's Family

2008-06-30T13:26:00.004-06:00

We had a pinic in the park on Sunday with Mark's family. He was at the ball game so he didn't get to attend. We had lots of fun. Ryan loved playing with his cousins. Remington, Raven and Grace. We had a good day. We went out for supper with Grandma and Papa to Burger King.
Over the 4th we are going to Indianapolis to the zoo and the children's museum. We are going swimming and having lots of fun. I'll post photos then.
Have a great day!
Love, Anita

Something is in the air!

2008-06-28T13:34:00.001-06:00

Rumor Queen says that there is something in the air!!!!!!!
Should be here Monday or Tuesday.......................
Oh! Could be our sweet Kimberly's face?????
Keep watching......I'll post as soon as I know anything.
Anita

Referrals came in late for June

2008-06-18T13:41:00.003-06:00

Referrals came in on June 10, 2008. They took LID's til 1-20-06.
We are 1-24-06. So close but still so far. We hope and pray that
we will see Kimberly's sweet face the first few days of July.
We should travel 6- 8 weeks after that. The Olypmics may throw a
wrench in travel plans and make us go the first of September. (and miss
the Cheese Festival) I would hate that HA! HA!
So we are on the countdown, this is June 18 already. The month is almost half over. I'm going to close the flower shop and hang pink bows on the poles and leave. We think it will be best for the store. Mom and Dad are going to have
their hands full keeping Ryan entertained for 14 days. If it is the end of August, Ryan will be in school full days so that will help.
Whenever it is God's timing, is what we keep telling ourselves.
We know that she will be perfect for our family when the time is right.
Ryan is running for Mr. Firecracker. He will ride in the parade on July 4th. People are voting with pennies in cans placed in several stores. He is also playing T-ball this year. He is so bored with it but says he likes it.
We are having a fun summer. Business has slowed down at the Flower Shop. Mark's work is also slowing down alittle.
Keep watching the blog, soon we pray that you will be able to see sweet Kimberly's face.
Have a great day.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

Referral Time

2008-05-05T21:52:00.003-06:00

Referral time again. The months seem to be moving along pretty fast.
They referred 3 days this month. That makes it down to 1-12-06. We are 12 days out.
If they will take 6 days each month, we will see our sweet daughters face by the July 4th. Just a couple more months. Keep hanging on Lucky Ladybug.
Ryan turned 5 on Friday. He is getting so big. We celebrated all week end. He had lots of fun. He will graduate out of preschool on Thursday. He will start Kindergarten in the fall. Hard to beleieve that we have had him for almost 5 years.
We are having so much fun with him. He will start t-ball soon. We already know that
he will be the one out in the dirt digging around. God did so good when he picked out Ryan for us. Maybe that is why it is taking so long for Kimberly. God is picking out a match for Ryan.
Keep praying for us. We are getting closer.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan
Hang on Lucky Ladybug we are getting closer.

We are still hangin in there!

2008-04-08T21:56:00.002-06:00

The referrals came out for April. They only took 5 days.
The have referred through 01-09-06. We are still 15 days out.
We were hoping for a June referral and travel in July. But it
looks like we will get a July referral and travel for Mark's Birthday
in August. We will go whenever it is time.
The weather is finally getting nice. Ryan is loving being outside.
He will spend the summer outside. Business is picking up everyday.
Mark's brother, Dennis from Texas was here today. He stopped to see
Mark's dad and he had supper here with us. He brought Ryan a bubble blower.
It takes batteries. He loved it. Nice to see Dennis, even for a short time.
Take care everyone!
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

We are Number One!

2008-03-06T09:13:00.003-06:00

Referrals are here for March.
They went through Jan. 4, 2006.
We are Jan. 24, 2006 so we are 20 days out.
By our guessing, we think we will get a referral
in June and we would travel in July.
It would be hot but it would be a great time to
go since we are so slow in July.
We were hoping Ryan would still be in school
so that he could share with his classmates
everyday but this will be O.K. also.
He can share at daycare instead.
We are getting a little more excited each month.
The closer it gets, the more real it seems.
We went to Walmart for a few more things on our
list to travel with. We have everything except
for the medicines. We only need the 3 rd shot of
our Hep B shots and we are ready to go.
Keep praying for us.
We have faith that God will bring us that specail
Little Ladybug to make our family complete.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

"Hang on Little Ladybug, we will be there to get you soon."

Just a little closer!

2008-02-07T14:29:00.000-06:00

February referrals came in. They took 8 days. They now have referred
through Dec. 27, 2005. Believe it or not. '05. We did not move a
number just a few days. It makes us 28 days out. If they take 8
days at a time, we would hopefully get a referral in June. We would
travel in August. It will be really hot but it would be a good time
to be gone. The stores wouldn't be to busy.We attended a class at
Lifelink on Saturday about attachment. It was for our hours for
our adoption license. It was nice to connect with other adoptive
parents. We had a nice time.We celebrated Chinese New Year with
our adoption group in Effingham on Sunday. We made Dragon Mask,
Had a Dragon Parade, Read story books and visited. It was nice
to see everyone. Ryan had a great time. He got involved with
the other kids this time. Ryan is starting to come out of his shell.
We are getting ready for Valentines at the Flower Shop. We are
praying for good weather and good business.Have a great Day.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

We are Number 2

2008-01-02T21:12:00.000-06:00

We changed to number 2 today. They only took 5 days this time. We are so close but so far. We are 36 days out. At this rate, 36 divided by 5 days..........we can't be looking at 7 more months can we????? We are getting anxious to see our lucky ladybugs little face.
Jan. 2, 2008 has been a lucky day for us. We changed to number 2 and we are also down to 2 businesses. We sold Aunt Sarah's today. The new lady takes over by March 1. We have a lot of work to do. She doesn't want the wholesale business so we are taking it with us. She only wants a retail store.
We are excited. No more cheese festivals..............Horray!!!!!!!
We are also going to sell the Buggy Wheel if we can find a buyer. I just don't have the time it takes to make it a success. My first love is the flower shop. I really want to be a good mommy and then a business owner.
Happy New Year to everyone and may 2008 be good to you and your family.
Love, Mark, Anita & Ryan

Merry Christmas 2007

2007-12-26T21:32:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas to each of you.
We hope you had a good day and are enjoying the season.
We had a nice day. My parents came over to celebrate the Christmas with us. I fixed breakfast and lunch. Ryan enjoyed opening presents. He got a race track for his hot wheels, a whiz kid computer, new clothes and some new books. We played with his new toys and just hung out. It was nice being able to stay home for the day.
We visited Mark's dad at the nursing home in the late afternoon. He just came home from the hospital. His heart went into A-fib again.
We had christmas with Stacy, Andria and Jeff on Sunday at mom and dad's house. We had lunch and presents. It was nice to be together.
On Christmas eve, we went to the Seegmiller's for a live natvity in their barn. It was really neat. They had live animals, Mary, Joseph and a live baby. We sang carols and had some readings. We all enjoyed it.
We are starting some new traditions at our house. By next year, we will have our little ladybug with us.
We pray that 2008 will be a good year for you. We wish you good health, happiness and prosperity.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

Keep praying for us-----We are almost there.........

2007-12-06T23:15:00.000-06:00

We are Number 3

2007-12-06T22:54:00.000-06:00

Referrals were received on 12-5-07. They have done through Dec. 14, 2005. That means we moved to number three. We are almost there. Lifelink has Dec. 16, Jan 4 and then Jan. 24......That is us. Just a little longer. It could be as much as 6 more months. The rumor is there will be no travel in June, July or August for the Olympics. I sure hope not. We are praying for an April referral and then travel in June. That would be a great time to go.
We will wait and see what God has in store for us. We are letting him guide our path on this trip. We are trying to be patient waiting on our little lucky ladybug wherever she may be. We pray God is keeping her safe and healthy for us.
Christmas is just around the corner. We have been busy at the flower shop with the outdoor decorating and getting the poinsettias to the churches. Aunt Sarah's is having a good season with the gift baskets so far. We pray business will keep strong though December.
We are not going to close for the first week in January like we always have. We are going to be closed during New Years for 4 days. We are going to Chicago to spend a couple nights on Michigan Avenue and look at the lights and look in the stores. We might even hit Shedd Aquarium. Ryan will like that.
Ryan is talking in sentences now. He is a real hoot. God has blessed our lives so richly with him. Being a mommy is the best thing in the whole world. But he is growing so fast. He is in 4t clothes and is learning to count, say his ABC's and sing songs.
Merry Christmas to each and every one of you. May 2008 bring you great happiness, health and prosperity to you and your family.
Love, Anita, Mark and Ryan

Our website is up and running!

2007-09-18T21:34:00.000-06:00

We just finished our new website that has our wood products that we make on it.

It has

50 items on it. I have just finished getting the photos on there.

We are ready to start selling. We are hoping that it will bring in money

for our adoption fund. Time is getting closer.

Please take a look and let us know what you think.

www.djdoodleshoppes.com/shoppes/amcountrywoodcrafts

A & M Country Woodcrafts

2007-09-05T20:22:00.000-06:00

The Gift of Life

I didn't give you the gift of life

But in my heart I know

the love I feel is deep and real

As if it had been so

For us to have each other

is like a dream come true

No, I didn't give you the Gift of Life

Life gave me the Gift of You.

2007-09-05T20:20:00.000-06:00

A Journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

-an ancient chinese proverb-

We are Number 4

2007-09-05T20:17:00.000-06:00

We are now Number 4. They have referred through 11-25-05. We are 1-24-06. Just a little longer to wait. We think we will be looking at a March referral and maybe travel the middle of April. Keep watching and wait patiently with us.

We are NUMBER 5

2007-08-05T08:13:00.000-06:00

Hello! Everyone.

We moved to number five on Thursday. That means five or six months and we should

have a referral hopefully. If things continue as they have been.

Some days it seems that time is going so slow but then on others, we can't believe we are

down to number 5. We started out at number 24. We are doing the happy dance.

We are starting to talk a lot about Kimberly to Ryan so he will get adjusted. We

follow along on several blogs while people are in China and we talk about there

travels. Jeff and Amy are in China now with Lily. She is so cute. Can't wait to see her.

Have a great day.

Love, Mark, Anita and Ryan

2007-07-19T21:30:00.000-06:00

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet,

regardless of time, place or circumstance.

The thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break.

~~An Ancient Chinese Belief~~

We are now NUMBER SIX

2007-07-06T06:53:00.001-06:00

We just moved to number six today. The CCAA has matched through Nov. 14, 2005.
We have at least six months to go but we are getting closer. Have a great day and keep watching.

Today we move to Number 7

2007-06-06T21:17:00.000-06:00

Referrals are here for people through Nov. 7, 2006. That makes us at Number 7. Slowly but surely we are making our way down the list.
Jeff and Amy got their referral today for their little girl, Lily. They will recieve their pictures tommorrow. We are really excited for them.

2007-05-05T21:31:00.001-06:00

Ryan turned 4 waiting on his sister.

2007-05-03T21:59:00.000-06:00

May 2 was a big day for Ryan. He turned 4 and Grandma turned 64. They share their birthdays. We had a small party at the house for family and a few friends. Ryan had a lot of fun. We decorated the house and yard with balloons and "Cars" decorations.
He got lots of fun gifts. He was so excited that it was his birthday.
Being parents is so much fun. To able to watch your child grow and learn and enjoy so many small things that most of us take for granted.

God is good to us.

We Stayed the same.

2007-05-03T21:54:00.000-06:00

New referrals came this week on Monday. It was for only 2 or 3 days. So we did not move anywhere. Jeff and Amy in Mattoon are next. Their LID is 11-3-05. We are excited for them.
We will have to wait another month to see if we move.
Mark got another job today. He will start at C.H.I. here in Arthur soon.

He will be on day shift working in the factory. His hours are from 6:30 to 3:00.

So he will still be able to help out at our other stores.

We pray things will start looking up for us.

We are Number Eight!

2007-04-11T20:43:00.000-06:00

On April 10, 2007 we moved up the ladder to number eight.

This time the referrals was for only two days. There were alot of people really upset. Amy and Jeff in Mattoon are now Number One. We are so anxious for them.

We are still thinking at least September for a referral and maybe later. If we got a referral in November that would make us travel in Janurary. Which would be great for everyone. We would be able to close all the stores and just go.

We are waiting patiently. We will be ready when the time comes.

Til then we pray God is taking care of our little girl for us.

We are Number 9.

2007-03-06T16:57:00.000-06:00

Today we moved down to number 9 on ther referral list. We started out at 24. We have been waiting for 13 months. Time seems to go pretty slow between referrals. The wait is always hard but we believe that

God is picking us out a very special little ladybug.

Ryan has been in preschool for 100 days today. He had a party.

He is starting to talk alittle more about Kimberly.