The most beautiful baby ever

This arrived while we were in China. She was the sweetest little thing. How hard it must have been for her birth mother. I have no doubt in my heart and mind that she loved her and wanted her to have a good life. She was left were she would be found quickly and as her birthday approaches I hope that she and her foster mother have some peace about them. I pray that God gives them that. She was found in August and the ad starting running on my birthday 2005.

I hope my dear beautiful little girl never has to question how much she is loved, I know the day will come and she will have questions. I hope that I will be able to help her with the questions that we'll never have answers to in this life

Jinghai kindergarten

I'm posting some pics (that I finally scanned) of Gracies kindergarten class. These were the photos that were on the camera we sent. They were all taken the same day. There is one little girl in the red who is in a lot of them. I wonder if they were friends or if they just sat beside each other.

Bubbles and the view

Gracie loves Bubbles (I also discovered Playdooh can keep her busy for hours) and the hot beating sun does not seem to bother her!!!!! We sat outside while she played and tortured the dogs. Neli does not like the bubbles and Gracie thought it was the funniest thing to chase her while blowing the bubbles, she would just laugh and laugh, it was too cute.

This is the view from our back porch, nothing but trees, weeds and I'm sure several snakes lurking around waiting to cause a heart attack.

We hope to put Gracies swing set where PaulPaul is clearing out on this one.

I think it needs something else.

Dunkin Donuts Coleman Opening

Getting ready for a big night!

Our newest restaurant opened this past Monday. They closed the restaurant on Wednesday night and had "Friends & Family" night. It turned out really nicely. Gracie fell asleep on the way there and was not in the best of moods.

Perky

aka PaulPaul

The mayor of Mt Pleasant cutting the ribbon Tom (my boss) giving the mayor a basket of goodies.

The mayor getting a hug from Perky.

Gracie leaving me to go with Shannon, she works at the office.

She really wants to get in the jump castle, but just wouldn't do it yet.

Daddy gave Graice her very own donut.

He knows how to please her.

Finally as we were leaving, she climbed up in the jump castle, but that is as far as she would go.

Theres not much to post about in our lives, they are pretty boring at the moment. Our days consist of me trying to do my work=work (my job that I do at home), while not allowing Miss Princess to watch too much TV. You try explaining to her just WHY what she would like to see is not on at that moment. She just keeps handing me the remote like, fix it.

It was quiet one afternoon while I was trying to work and I went to check on her, the TV was off and she was sound asleep!

When the weather is nice, we go outside for an hour or two. She loves to sit and play in the pool, but you better pay attention or else you'll have a cup of water in your lap.

She is getting better with the dogs, she is forever the caregiver. She lets them outside, she lets them inside, she lets them outside, you get the picture! I now hear myself saying, Close the Door! She feeds them, and if you dont watch her, she'll give them her food. She wants Peanut (who is old and grumpy) to be her lap dog, and that AINT happening. She still doesn't want Neli to touch her, and this dog will be her faithful companion, especially if PaulPaul should leave. When we're outside, Neli is never too far away. No matter how many times she yells at her, Neli is still right there. She is the sweetest dog. I found her asleep at the foot of my bed yesterday morning when I went to check on Gracie while she still asleep.

Rare bonding moments

Rock Star Dog

just a matter of time before she tries to put clothes on her I'm sure

Rock Star Baby

Last night, Gracie was ready for bed, and came to get me, I was having a snack and trying to finish some things up for work-work (house work has fallen to the side). So she took my snack and went to the kitchen, I kept hearing the bag crinkle and thought its late for you to be eating, so I went to check on her, and this is what she was doing!

Those bags aren't cheap you know!

As you can see she has started picking out her own PJ's, and they do not match.

Paul Ray has been working so much lately that his little girl doesnt get to see him very much and that is really not good. They have opened two stores since we've been back from China, plus one in a bilo and two more will open this Saturday in a Bilo. Hopefully things will settle down soon, I sure hope so.

He also will be out of town (Boston) the week of her birthday, he leaves Sunday and comes back on Friday. That wont be good, he did however buy me a camera for my laptop so Gracie will still be able to see him and talk to him.

Then in July he will be gone for two weeks, but my boss is going to fly me and Graice out to stay with him for a week so she will only miss him for 4 days.

Anybody live near the Dania Beach area in Fl?

This will be our home for a week, after 16 days in 3 hotels, this should be easy, and Gracie should be right at home.

"Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman

This is the first time I've heard this song, Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman. It is beautiful. I know you've all heard the horrible news by now. I started to post a few times but kept hitting delete.

In case you have not heard, or you dont know who he is: He is a Christian singer (very good), he is also a father to six, 3 of which were adopted from China. He and his wife also help lots of other families with adoption grants.

One night last week, one of his sons was coming up the driveway (at night) and did not see their youngest daughter, Maria Sue, she was hit and killed.

What a terrible thing to happen to any family. My heart goes out to all of them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLYxtuC0oRk&eurl=http://afj2016.blogspot.com/

Happy Memorial Day

Let us remember what today is! Its not just a day off from work, but a day to remember all of those who have served and died for this great country that we live in. I have an uncle who died in Vietnam.

You may not agree with the current war, and I hope if you are voicing your opinion, that you remember it is those men and women fighting that war that GIVE you that right.

We should all thank them and their family for what they do, and for what they give, because for some, they gave it ALL.

this is my son marching in the Veterans Day Parade, he is out front

An Old Farmer's Advice:

They did it right in the ole days

* Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, and bull- strong.

* Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.

* Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

* A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

* Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

* Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.

* Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

* It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

* You cannot unsay a cruel word.

* Every path has a few puddles.

* When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

* The best sermons are lived, not preached.

* Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen, anyway.

* Don't judge folks by their relatives.

* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

* Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older an d think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.

* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

* If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

* Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

* The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'."

* Always drink upstream from the herd.

* Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole l ot easier than puttin' it back in.

* If you get to thinkin' you'r e a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

* Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Leave the rest to God

First Time in the Water

We cleaned out Neli's pool to see if Gracie would like the water. At first she wasn't too sure what our plan was. Then I made the mistake of taking shoes off. It was too funny, I took one sandal off and was going to take the other one off, she went to put her foot down, but could not, would not let it touch the ground. I love it!!!!!!! So I held her to get both shoes off and then put her in.

At first she just sat there, but I went and got her tub doll, and that helped alot.

Gracie has to clean everything! She thought her chair, that Aunt Erin gave her, that had never been outside until now, needed a good cleaning! But what a smile, look at that!

Gracies First Sleepover

Best Buddies
Gracie is 5 months older than Little Man!
When my child plays, she sweats!!!


Every time we go to town for something, I'll ask Gracie, ok where do you want to go now? That is usually answered with: Chris - tor - pher, Grand-daddddy! Too cute!

time to say goodbye, they kept hugging so I tried to get a picture, but at that very moment, Hunter decided ENOUGH and was pushing away from her.

Until next time!