A very happy heart indeed

Well April 18th marked one year since Abby Grace's open heart surgery. (OHS) Things are looking wonderful. She has days where she still gets breathy and bluish but nothing like before OHS. Her SATs have been in the upper 70s to mid 80s...pretty good for a girl working off of a rigged up heart. She reached 29.2 at her last check up so we still have 6 pounds to gain before her next OHS. You'd think with the way she eats she'd be as big as Owen but I guess her metabolism is so good it just doesn't stick on her. I sure do wish I had that problem:) She still has purplish fingertips and toetips but hey I wouldn't care if they were green with blue spots or stripes, she is alive and living everyday to the fullest and that is all that we can ask for.

One Year!!

It was one year ago today that we met our sweet little Abby Grace face to face in a smokey hotel in Gansu China. One year that seems to have flown by. I still remember the moment we first saw her sitting in her nanny's lap...

As we walked into the smoky room we saw Andrew sleeping peacefully in his nanny's lap but Abby Grace was no where to be seen. We got our paperwork in order and started going over it with Steed. Then we heard a commotion and saw her as her nanny carried her into the room. Tears filled my eyes, she looked so small and so lost. Her cheeks were rosy and she was bundled up in a creme colored jacket. The nanny sat down with her at a large round table and when the director realized we were her family she called V over to sit by Abby Grace and the nanny. V almost lost it she was crying so much and she was amazed that the moment had finally arrrived where she could touch her little sister. She sat at the table with her and the nanny pulled her hand over to Abby Grace's hand. They touched briefly and then Abby Grace began to cry...did she know her world was about to be turned upside down? Our paperwork was looked over and then the "ceremonial" passing occurred. She screamed like I have never heard a child scream before then began quiet sobs. Sobs that just about broke my heart. All I could do was hold her tight and keep whispering in her ear "Boo Koo" meaning don't cry. We paused for a few pics and then we wisked her upstairs to our room. She was still sobbing as we began to undress her from the 3 layers of clothes she had on and tried to offer her a bottle. She wanted no part of the bottle or of the comfort I was attempting to give her. I think she only wanted to go back to her nanny. We sat with her in our room that night just amazed that we finally had her in our arms. She laid in her little crib and sobbed as she fell asleep that first night.



Day 2 was much better. She woke up in a great mood, ate like crazy at the breakfast bar and even smiled in our family photo for her adoption decree. She still clung to me and followed me everywhere, if I got out of her sight she cried but as the days in China progressed she warmed up to Sean and V and everyone else around her.




Since coming home a lot has happened in Abby Grace's young life. A life that we are so thankful to be a part of. Here are a few of her highlights of the past year:

OHS 4/18/08

Smiling and finally wearing pig-tails


popsicles in the summertime

4th of July 2008


Palate surgery day

Praying for S.

Helping mommy cook.

Picking out pumpkins for Halloween.

AG was a beautiful butterfly for Halloween.


Lip surgery post-op

AG's new smile.


Blowing bubbles!!

Ice-cream for Thanksgiving day dessert.

Guess who turned 3 on Dec.11th?

Posing for our Christmas card.

Decorating the Christmas tree.

A playdate with her little friend Paige.

Celebrating the CNY

Walking in the AHA heart walk. Our team raised over $1000.

It is so hard that our first year with Abby Grace in our family is over. There were so many times during that year that I just stared at her and cried. I am so honored that God chose us to be her family and me to be her mommy. She is an amazing little girl whose smile lights up our lives everyday. Thank you Father for this wonderful gift you have bestowed upon us. We truly are blessed beyond words.

Prayer request!!!

Some of you may remember my dear friend Leslie who traveled to China last year to bring home her little one with a heart defect and cleft lip and palate. Through many countless prayers they made it home safely and her daughter, S. underwent OHS and has been doing great. Tomorrow is the beginning of the next chapter in S.'s life. Tomorrow she'll be having surgery to repair her cleft lip. If you feel led to pray for them tomorrow please do so and visit their blog www.roomforatleastonemore.blogspot.com
in my list of blogs to offer support. I remember how nervous I was leading up to Abby Grace's surgery. Knowing that the little face I'd fallen in love with was about to be forever changed. Leslie is feeling the same way. You, the parent, accept your child (adopted or not) for whom they are on the inside. What is on the outside really does not matter. Please pray for them tomorrow. I'll update in the coming days to let you know how she is doing or just check her blog. Leslie is a much better manager of blogging time than I am :)

Boy meets trampoline......

enough said.

We've been MIA

Wow time sure has flown by in the past 6 weeks since my last post. Yes...6 weeks....I am such a slacker. I sat down to post numerous times but just got off track and never did update during the holiday season. Anyway, we celebrated Abby Grace's first Christmas with our family and this past weekend celebrated her first Chinese New Year in the US. She is just so amazing to watch. She takes everything in. She doesn't know a stranger. That could be a good or bad thing depending on the situation. She started speech with the school district after Christmas break and seems to be doing great. She loves going to see "Miss Kelly" at big school. She walks her out and meets Jacob at the end of school. Last week she said "Well hey there Miss Abby Grace." Abby Grace just lit up and went running to her. I think she is really enjoying that 30 minutes of 1:1 time twice a week.

She is really enjoying our new found tradition of S'mores on Friday nights. No, not every Friday night, just the one's when Daddy is home to help corral the crew:) She loves to sit with me and watch the fire and eat her chocolate minus the cracker and marshmallow. Just the chocolate, she's my kind of girl. She is still eating very well. Veggies and fruits are her favorites, but we are trying to get some meat in her too.

Her Ox Sats are doing great, holding in the low 80's. She is very active but still get's winded from time to time. I am thinking about enrolling her in some gynastics classes this spring. She just loves to tumble all over the floor.

Well that is about all of the time I have for an update now. Enjoy the pics:)




Yes it snowed and V had school. Actually Jacob had school too but he skipped.



<

CNY Party with the FCC group