I have had so much going on and I did not plan to post until tomorrow for Thankful Thurday. However, I am overwhelmed at the kindeness of people who have e-mailed me inquiring about how Elissa is doing and if she had her baby. I had no idea people would be checking so much. Sorry that I did not get to post it right away. Thank you for praying for my friend and checking in on her. My heart is so touched. So, I decided to be thankful a day early:)
This has been an incredible week. I have so much to be thankful for:
- Thank you for the prayers and inquiries for my friend Elissa. She had a beautiful and healthy baby boy on Monday. Jack Mason was 7 lbs. 7 oz. I have visited them twice and they are doing GREAT! Elissa is so in love with him that when I hold him, she looks longingly like she wants him back:) He is mellow and sweet and does not fuss or cry at all (yet)! She has two gorgeous daughters and is thrilled to finally have a son!
- My friend, Denise received her LOA for Maggie Mae. This is great news as now Denise will just be waiting for her consulate appointment and they will be bringing home Maggie very soon. We will be celebrating Chinese New Year with them this weekend so now we have even more to celebrate! I will definitely post pictures of our celebration!
- My neighbor recieved her referral on Monday for her beautiful daughter, Lily. Lily will live right around the corner and she is just a few months younger than Kate. We are so excited for her to come home.
- Kate Emerson has been home with us for just as long as she lived with her foster family in China (10 months). As people who have adopted internationally know, this is a turning point of sorts. She has now known us for as long as she knew her first family. Hopefully, she now feels secure in the love of her forever family.
- Kate got her ears pierced this weekend and she did GREAT! She barely cried for a few seconds after it was done. I immediately gave her a lollipop and the crying was over. They look adorable and she likes to look at them in the mirror. I am thankful that it went so easily (Dad held her) and that she doesn't touch, fuss or play with them. Thanks Debbie, Kim and Leslie for answering all of my questions and giving me guidance about how to do this.
- I am thankful that I have been able to watch the moving journey of a blog buddy in China this week. Lynn from Somewhere in the Sun has been writing about bringing home Olivia. Grab a cup of tea and a box of tissues and go read about this heartwarming adventure of pure love. They are on their way home and I am so thankful for the prayers support she received these past few weeks. Olivia made changes everyday right before our eyes. Go read it!
I made a short slideshow of some things from this week. I have not been able to get a really good picture of Kate this week to show of her new earrings. Got one in the tub but I shot in it RAW mode on my camera and it will not upload properly..need advice on that.
what a lovely list of thankful s!
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures of the kids! Kate is so cute with the "bling"!
And, nothing is sweeter than a new born baby.
Thank you for sharing.
Lea
love precious kate's new earrings!
ReplyDelete& look at you going RAW--i need to learn to work on that too...its on "the list"-wink!
xo
Hello Kim,
ReplyDeleteI've been enjoying reading your journey for a while and as I just found some freebie scrapbook kits on Asia, I thought you might appreciate them (as your beautiful daughter is from China). Here's the addy: http://raspberryroaddesigns.blogspot.com/ .Check out under freebies Sept. 15-16 , but there's more on Asia if you browse.
Blessings,
Birgit
PS: I think it's great you have some new pics of the boys. They are just as beautiful as Kate! :-)
So many miracles ... gorgeous Mason, the amazing Olivia (you were right about the tissues) and your own precious three. So much to give thanks for ... such a blessed life!
ReplyDeleteI love that you are BURSTING with thankfulness...gotta love that! As always, your post warms my heart. Your kiddos are lovely as ever - Harry's toothless grin is adorable and Kate's earrings are beautiful. (Lily had hers pierced when she was about Kate's age, but she kept taking them out. Glad Kate isn't touching them)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to your friend on her healthy baby boy! Yay!
And I have also been following Lynn's journal in China - AMAZING.
XO
Kim,
ReplyDeleteI just LOVE Kate's ears! She looks so adorable with earrings!! I have been checking your blog so much to see how
Elissa was doing and I just knew you would be posting pictures of Jack Mason! Oh he is so adorable! :) I am glad to hear that they are both doing well.
I also love all the pictures you posted this week...and the judo class is awesome!!
This is such a sweet thankful post Kimberley! I LOVE Miss Kate's ear bling!!! Diamond studs are a girls best friend! hee-hee!
ReplyDeleteSo thrilled to hear that your friend Elissa is doing well and that she is 'over the moon' with her brand new little "Gift from God"! (Our Chelsi weighed in at 7 lbs and 7 ozs. as well!!!)
The pics from your week are just fabulous! I love pictures....been going through some here as well....laughing and crying...and remembering...the years past with Chelsi....so of course I had to post about it! hee-hee!
I hope the rest of your week is just as blessed as the first half!
Love,
Denise
That is a wonderful list of things to be thankful for this week! What amazing blessings!! And seriously... can your kids get any cuter? Love Kate's bling!! She is adorable!
ReplyDeleteKate looks great with the ears pierce!!!!
ReplyDeletecongrats to your friend, cute baby, and good news to read that she is doing fine!!!
Andrea.
I LOVE how most of the things you are thankful for are about other people's joys!
ReplyDeleteI wish you lived in Colorado so we could have coffee and Panera souffles and our Nanfeng girls could play! Lily and Kate are so alike. (Although you probably wouldn't like all the snow we are getting. We are off to the sun and beaches on Saturday for some warmth!)
Anyway, Kate looks darling in her new earings and your boys are as handsome as ever!
Much love,
Lisa, mother of Jack and Lily Lu
Love Kate's earings! They are precious. I love having a new baby around (a friend of mine had one not too long ago). They are so sweet.
ReplyDeleteGo to netflix, blockbuster or where ever and rent Little Manhatten .You will love it! There is a picture in your slide show that reminds me so much of this adorable movie.:) On another note, I have three brothers , two of which cut my hair off when I was 2. My mother was crushed, she took me to get my ears pierced and candy worked it's magic for me too.
ReplyDeleteKim,
ReplyDeleteI meant to call you about Elissa, she was on my mind and things got busy a last minute all day play date and did not get a chance to call you. Glad it looks like things went well, Jack Mason is adorable and I love the blanket. Tell her Congratulations!
Kate looks so cute with her new bling!
Did you tell me Will was letting his hair grow? I love it! he looks so handsome.
How do you take pictures RAW and what is the advantage? Lessons please.
Love,
Aunt Doonie
I am so glad to hear that your friend and her baby are doing well.
ReplyDeleteKate is beautiful as always. I just love seeing her and I'm glad that she now has been with you all for 10 wonderful months.
What an inspiration you and the boys are! I LOVE Kate's earrings and am so glad she did great. She looks adorable as usual as do the boys. Look forward to your posts on Sunday's!
ReplyDeleteMany Blessings,
Kim and Katie
What sweet pictures and lots to be thankful for. We will look forward to your Sunday posts.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to read this list and know that all is well. I love Kates little earrings! I have been contemplating doing the same for Z but i am too scared!!!
ReplyDeleteI will miss reading your frequent posts but will look forward to Sundays. You are such a good abstainer and good example!
We have alot to be thankful for as well. Z is doing so much better! Thanks for your concern!
xoxo,
Stacie
I enjoyed reading your list a day early!!! It is never too early to be thankful for our blessings. Lots of great news to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteKate looks very cute with her new earrings. Thanks for sharing!
Hugs,
Lisa
Kim,
ReplyDeleteI think the pigtails/earrings on Kate are ADORABLE!!!!!! What a cutie-pie she is! Happy Lent! I will miss your posts, but I think it is fantastic that you are going to do it. Perhaps, I should consider that too! Thanks for taking the time to make your list. Congratulations to your friends who all recieved wonderful news this week!!!!
Happy Lent!
Diana
Kate is adorable with her new earrings! I also enjoyed the pictures of your handsome boys. The toothless grin is precious.
ReplyDeleteSweet blessings to you dear.
ReplyDeleteI loce the pictures!! They are adorable!! I love her earrings!! Heidy got hers done last Spring!!
ReplyDeleteDebbie
What a busy and fun week you've had and so much to be thankful for!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the families of Jack Mason, Lily, and Maggie Mae~ how exciting for all of them!
I'm glad Kate is doing so well and blossoming under the love of her forever family. :)
She looks just darling with her earrings! Happy Chinese New Year!
on the raw image - do you have photoshop? If so, I think all versions will convert from RAW to jpg. You need to open the image (which will go through Camera Raw unless you use another Raw "thingy" (oh so technical there aren't I), then save as a jpg. I know CS2, so not sure how to do it in other versions.
ReplyDeleteCame from Maggie Mae's site - comments (saw the avatar of your 3 and it closely matches my three). :)
How wonderful that your friend has her son - he is adorable :)
ReplyDeleteI am glad that your friend's and neighbor adoptions processes moving along well.
Kate is so cute - the bling looks great in her ears.
Thank you so much for sharing your grateful heart with us this past week.
Blessings to you and your beautiful family.