Easter Lily

Lily experienced her first Easter this year. She had fun leaving carrots for the Easter Bunny and getting a basket filled with treats the next morning.

Lily's brother Eric joined us for Easter brunch. And to Lily's amazement, the Easter Bunny showed up at the resaurant!



Lily and Mom coloring Easter eggs






"I can do it Mom."

Eric, Pamela, & Lily waiting for brunch

The Easter Bunny showed up!

Xuzhou Sisters meet again

Kathleen and her two daughters visited us again last weekend and we had the pleasure of meeting Marika for the first time. I have been looking forward to this occasion for months...thank you Kathleen!

Mari and Cai Cai (another Xuzhou baby) have been permanent faces in our home since receiving a photo of Lily's first birthday from the orphanage director last March. Lily, Marika and the other Xuzhou babies spent their first year(s) together and they will be forever bonded in sisterhood.

I find it so special that Lily and Mari will have the opportunity to grow up living so close to one another; re-united from another life half-way around the world. They were a little shy at first but quickly warmed up to each other. It was so wonderful to see Mari's sweet smile in person.

"Haven't I seen you before?"

Meeting again after a year apart.

Getting to know each other

Friends again!

Lily Planting Onions

Lily has been with us for 11 months now. 11 months ago she could not make sounds, other than to cry or to make minor coos. She could not sit up or even crawl. Her body was deprived of oxygen due to her heart condition. She was underweight to the point where she couldn't be measured on a scale compared to other children her age.

What a difference 11 months makes. Lily is now speaking full sentences, singing songs, parroting expressions, and walking around with that beautiful smile on her face. She has a positive impact on everyone who comes in contact with her. She is a very bright ray of sunshine in our lives!

And now she's an onion gardener!













Is this the way you do it Daddy?

Lily is a Gardener

Today Lily learned about dirt. Dirt is fun. Dirt is what plants grow in. Dirt needs water. In addition to the pansies shown here, Lily helped Daddy plant tomatoes.