Ballet Class

Update: We arrived at dance class last night to a room filled with 6 other little girls dressed in their pretty pink tutu's. Jadyn was in awe, and couldn't wait for me to put her ballet slippers on.

Soon the dance teacher came out and introduced herself to the girls and ask them to follow her to the dance room. Parents were not invited, yes, that's right, I had to sit in a waiting room with no windows to peek at my girl through. I was devastated. All the other Mothers said "oh you'll get use to it, they never allow you back there" I'm thinking "What? no one told me this, how will Jadyn do just being taken away like that?". 45 minutes later, they came strolling back, Jadyn was crying. I kept asking what was wrong, thinking she had a miserable time.

She was crying because the class was over and she didn't want to leave! That's my independent girl! She had to show us all the foot moves she learned once we got home. Next Tuesday can't come soon enough for her.


Her first Ballet/tap class is tonight, but because we now have 3 kids in nightly activities, I would not have time for pictures then. So here is an early peek. Plus, One Auntie can't wait any longer to see her in her tutu. I will take more pictures during her first class!



Jadyn can hardly stand the wait! (Ok, I can't either)

One of my softbox lights was out so these are a little dark.

Stay Tuned

One little girl is pretty excited to start this tomorrow!

Summer Fun

The kids and I spent a good part of the week in Portland. We had a great time visiting places we don't see often since we moved away 5 years ago.

Like the playground at Washington park

(I had a hard time letting her sit in this filthy swing)

and the Oregon Coast

on our way....

How long can you dig in the sand with a sucker in your hand?

Not very long!

How much sand can my Grandson put in his mouth?
Several handfuls!


We had a great time, it's not often that you get 80 degree weather at the coast.

It doesn't take much to thrill this girl


a new bike helmet

she could hardly stand it, but we had to wait until it cooled off outdoors


still 90 degrees at 7 pm

No way that helmet was coming off


No matter how hot she was


It's like the big kids have and that's a big deal to her.


Checking out a bug. No comment, she'll "get it" someday!

Jadyn is running and playing, you would never know she had open heart surgery one month ago today.
She is keeping up with her playmates and having a great time. She has gained back the 3 pounds she lost. We are thrilled to see her continue to blossom and enjoy doing stuff she wasn't able to do before surgery.

Random smiles

She tries so hard to give me that sweet smile (when she feels like it, I should add) I took these outside today, and while she was very willing to smile, they are pretty fake looking
But beautiful none the less!!

Doesn't she look like a little school girl?







this one is a true smile!

and so is this one, as she sang and clapped a song

The little white chair she is sitting in was my Grandmothers, Jadyn loves it.

Jeron received his third stripe on his gold belt today in his Tae Kwondo class, Jadyn and I were very excited for him. She has learned several of the moves from watching his class.

She is not one bit shy to perform them in the lobby for all to see. The self confidence this little girl has makes me so proud to be her Mommy! Not to mention how cute she looks when the black belt students are taking her picture with their cell phones as she doing her routine. I have to remind myself, 12 months ago she was in a orphanage. One would never know.

Water filled weekend

A weekend home to just relax, we haven't had one of them in a long time.

Jadyn spent most of her day in her pool. We also had a fun time at her best friend's birthday party.

Trying out the huge water slide with Daddy



this is hard work!

It ended up taking a big brother to crack it open

Jadyn had a fun weekend, she feels great and did fine keeping up with the other 3 yr olds at the party.

One year home photo!

Jadyn had a follow up appointment yesterday with her cardiologist. He told me "I couldn't be more pleased, she looks wonderful".

He stopped one of her meds and cut back another one to half the dose. She was on 2 types of lasix, a medication that prevents fluid retention around her heart. It's necessary after heart surgery. Jadyn hasn't been out of breath once since her surgery, even when she runs. Her oxygen saturation's are 97-98, just where every other child's are.

She does not have to go back to the doctor for 3 months!

ONE year home!

Happy Anniversary Princess, you have made our family complete!

12 months= 2 heart surgeries, 11 pounds heavier, 3 inches taller, 6 inches of hair, an English vocabulary well above an average 3yr old, I could go on and on, but the pictures tell her story.

If you are reading this blog and contemplating adoption, just look what a family and lots of love can do for an orphan.

This year has flown by, I just can't believe a year ago today, we met this little girl.
The one year mark also means , we are done with adoption paperwork, no more post placement reports to China, no more adoption agency! We have been doing adoption paperwork since December 25, 2005.

I should add that we are going to do a re-adoption through our court system here, so we can obtain a birth certificate for Jadyn. We are hiring a lawyer to do the paperwork!