Jeff, Danielle, and Lillian Vist

Pamela's brother Jeff visited with us last week, and was joined by Danielle and her sweet daughter Lillian.  We really enjoyed having them here.  Saturday we had a fun day at Remlinger Farms.  Several pictures are below.

Off to School!

It's hard for us believe Anna is starting kindergarten tomorrow.  Seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from China.  She has blossomed into such a beautiful and interesting young girl.  She is so excited about starting school that she's bouncing off the walls.  Tomorrow she makes her first school bus ride.  It was hard to get her to sleep tonight.  She is so ready!

Lily is starting a new preschool and, like Anna, is very excited.  She met her teachers and visited her school room today and can't wait to get started. 

Anna visits her new classroom

Lilly meets her teachers

Boating Fun with Chloe and Erick

Chloe and her boyfriend Erick joined us for a fun day on the boat.  The girls especially enjoyed bouncing on the donut.

Snacking on Lake Washington

Bouncing in the donut

Anna swimming with Dad

Look Mom, No Training Wheels!!

Anna and Lily have graduated from their training wheels!  And they did it in one day!  Anna was first.  She worked hard to learn to balance on her scooter, and from there she was ready for her bike.  Lily watched Anna and was determined to follow in her footsteps.  She grabbed the scooter, mastered her balance, and asked Daddy to take off those training wheels.  And before we knew it, they were off!

Anna helping Lily get started

Mom, no training wheels!

Off and riding

Picking Strawberries with Dad

Anna and Lily love strawberries, and their Dad has been telling them for months that Northwest strawberries are the best.  And Saturday they found out that it's true!

They were great little strawberry pickers, even though they ate almost as many as they picked!

The Girls Get a Sandbox

Anna and Lily have been asking for a sandbox for some time, and thay finally have one. Dad and Chloe were the primary carpenters and Anna was a helper. And when it was done the girls had a 6 x 8 sandbox that has provided hours of fun.

The carpenters at work

Fun in the sand

With sister Chloe

Dad's three beautiful girls

Our Vacation in the Sun

We had a wonderful time on our vacation aboard the ship Star Princess visiting seven islands in the Caribbean.  This is the first opportunity we've had to vacation with our girls and we all had a great adventure.  Anna and Lily travel so well.  They had so much fun in the ship's play area and on the days we spent on the white sands of some of the world's greatest beaches.

Anna and Lily decorate cookies in the playroom



Playing in the white sands of Barbados

John's eye candy

"Is that an iceberg!?"

"This water is so warm!"

Anna after getting her corn rows.

The three most beautiful girls on the ship.

Easter Sunday

Sailors three.

Loving sisters.

It's fun to dress up!

Two beautiful sisters.

Watching the ocean roll by.

Life After the Orphanage

Life after a Chinese orphanage consists of many different experiences.  In Lily and Anna's case here are a few:


Saying the Pledge of Allegiance taught us by Nana.  But note that the Chinese flag is also represented.

 

Spring is here and it's time to do Spring cleaning on our playhouse.



Until Summer comes. it's fun to swim in the hot tub.



Anna loves to cook!  Here she is slicing onions for the salad.  Note that Anna can use a sharp knife!



Two favorite passtimes- coloring and computer games.  Lily has mastered the computer mouse.



Now I Know What Love Is

Every night we have routine when putting the kids to bed where we sing songs.  Pamela has written two little songs - one for each girl - that she  made up in China to help calm the girls down.  For Anna, it was a song with the lyrics, " Close your eyes and go to sleep, go to sleep, go sleep... Close your eyes to go to sleep....know that Mommy loves you."

Tonight when Pamela was singing the song, Anna stopped her and said, " Mommy, when you picked me up in China I didn't know what love means but now I do."   Pamela asked, "Anna what does love mean ?" and Anna answered in her matter of fact, sweet little voice,  "It means that you care about me and you want me to be safe." 

Pamela came downstairs with tears in her eyes and said. " It's been a great weekend and we have two amazing little girls."

She's right.

Lily the Ballerina

Lily has become quite the dramatic little lady.  Her days are filled with make believe, dress-up, and role-play.  She's at one moment a fairy, the next a princess, the next an actress, the next a ballerina.

Each Saturday morning she joins her classmates at her ballet class.  Three and four year old girls are fun to watch as their teacher tries to keep their attention for more than a few seconds.  It is fun because they are still free from being directed, free to act on their momentary impulses, free to just be what they want to me.

Don't we all wish we could be three or four again?

Lily Is Four!!

Lily is four years old!  How the time has flown since we picked her up in China when she was only 14 months old.  She has blossomed into an incredibly happy and interesting little girl.  Her flair for the dramatic keeps us laughing and amazed.  She brings us such joy!

Chloe was here this weekend which made the celebration of Lily's birthday all the more special.  Anna and Lily love their sister Chloe and don't leave her alone while she is here. 

In addition to the cake and gifts, we went to see Rango the movie and also went bowling this weekend.  Lily and Anna thought the bowling thing was especially cool!  

Nana Barbara helped Lily and Anna build an incredible Easter egg tree.  She creates so many interesting projects for them every day.  They look forward to every day wondering what Nana has in store for today.



Opening presents






Blowing out 4 candles




  
 

With sister Chloe



Visiting Snaqualmie Falls with sister Chloe



Anna going for a strike!



Lily going for a strike!



"I just love the world!"

Lily was twirling around the family room this evening and suddenly she just blurted out..."I just love the world! And I love the world of me!"  The demonstrations of joy she and Anna express are always so much fun to watch.  Anna is not quite as dramatic as Lily, but her huge smile and her loud laugh are her way of expressing her joy with life.

Observing this joy helps us through the times when we question whether we are up to the challenges of being parents at our age (John certainly thinks about that the most!) and how we can be good parents with all the other demands in our lives.

Anna experienced a life moment yesterday when she lost her first tooth.  She was both excited and a bit scared at the same time.

Anna Has Successful Surgery

It's been almost exactly a year since Anna had her major surgery; the surgery that changed her life.  This week she had to have surgery to remove a calcium stone from her bladder.  It was successful, and she only had to spend one night in the hospital.  Dr. Grady and his team at Seattle Children's Hospital did a great job again.

Anna will have two urine bags strapped to her legs for a week or so, and then she will be able go about her life as before.  She's feeling a bit of discomfort but has been a real trooper during this ordeal.  Her sister Lily has been helpful in keeping her spirits up since she got home.  These two girls have a joyful bond that is amazing to behold.