The Graduates

So it's been a while (6 months!). I can't believe that it's been that long since I've posted, but that's a really good indication of my life in that same time frame. My biggest news right now is that my baby Mia has graduated pre-school and my oldest has graduated high-school. Yep, that'll be one starting kindergarten and one starting college this coming fall. Whew!

Here's Miss Mia waiting to get her diploma...

Diploma in hand, Mia's off to hug the founder of the school (balding man in front row). He's the original principle and has attended all 41 graduations.

Goodbye hug with her teacher...

With Big Sissy on high school graduation day...


After the ceremony in their matching dresses (yes I did that!)...

Big sister spent a majority of her last semester doing volunteer work in Vietnam. She loved it there and is already saving her money to return. I'm really proud of her.

In Vietnam visiting with some of the children the agency I work for supports...

In other big news, Nicole and Kinhly are coming to visit for a week. I'm so excited, and so is Mia. We've planned to go to Chattanooga and Ohio to meet up with friends.

An update for those of you who used to follow along on the blog I shut down:

• I'm still in school, even taking summer session which is kicking my butt!
• I'm still working for the agency I love.
  
• My dad is STILL alive!!! God's given us another year with him, thank you Lord!
• Still homeschooling, but I've hired my mother to help with the boys.
  
• Mia will start kindergarten in PUBLIC school! GASP!

Just Some Pictures

So, it's been a while. I have so many cute photos on my camera. And there they'll stay, on my camera. I've lost the chord. Mia's been to a couple of fun outings with her godmother lately: the zoo, Dis*ney on Ice, and we stopped by on Halloween night and did a little trick-or-treating.

Mia's doing well in school. Her teacher is an idiot. Sorry, but it's the truth. I'm seriously concerned that my kid may be more intelligent than this lady. I can't tell you how many notes have come home with wrong dates, no dates, and misspelled words. She sent a math worksheet home with a sample problem on it. The sample was wrong. She can't seem to remember our last name to save her life. Mia comes home with notes for "Mrs. Wilson", "Mrs. Williams", "Mrs. Woodhull" ... not even close. The sad thing is, Mia's last name is written out on her backpack, her lunch box, inside her jacket. There's no reason she can't look. One day her teacher tried to put the wrong kid in my car. There's another little Vietnamese girl in Mia's class and her teacher had the little girl by the hand walking towards my vehicle. I just looked at her and said, "Nope, wrong one". But, she's nice and Mia seems to likes her. Thank God for teacher's assistants.

Anyway, here are some pics of Mia's at her godmother's house hunting bees and playing in bubbles. She LOVES bubbles!

(Laurie O do you recognize the dress?)

Bee hunting (Mia loves bees)

She found one!

Blowing bubbles


Dances with Bubbles


Bubble headbutt

Two Year Anniversary

Wow. Time has seriously flown by! Yesterday, VN time, today, US time was the two year anniversary of our G&R. Oh, Mia was such a scared little peanut. She was pitiful. I can't believe how much she's changed, and I'm so blessed by her every single day.

She was asleep when we got to the orphanage (you can tell it was a special day, Mia had a dress on and their were mats in the cribs)


The nanny woke her up


She wasn't thrilled


back on the swing where I'd held her the first time we'd ever met the year before


signing "the book" at the G&R


terrified Mia at the G&R


1st time she'd seen herself in a mirror; 1st bath right after the G&R


both of us were worn out (emotionally spent!)


Mia's 1st flight


look at that face!


hotel in Hanoi


The Princess Now!

New Digs

I just cannot ever leave this blog alone. I was so proud of the pink ditty that was up for less than two weeks! But, for some reason it was bow-ring. So, I figure I'll try this look out for a while. I found this background on the Cutest Blogs on the Block website. They have some great stuff...for free!

Is It Cheating?

Tina, wonderful Tina, awarded me with the smile award. But, I have to admit that I've been awarded by two other people on my other blog (I only posted it once, though). But...this is the first one for Mia's blog, so, I'll graciously accept again! And, of course play by the rules.

First off thank you Tina! This award was created by Mere (who is a teenager in high school btw, how cool is that chick!?!)

So here's how the award works:

Characteristics for the Smile Award:
1. Must display a cheerful attitude.
2. Must love one another.
3. Must make mistakes.
4. Must learn from others.
5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world.
6. Must love life.
7. Must love kids.

These are the rules for The Smile Award.

1. The recipient must link back the the award’s creator
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.
3. You must chose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself.
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award, as posted by Mere.
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.

People I’d like to give the award to:

Brenda, because she is a total hoot! She loves life so much, she owns and operates a chocolate store to make life better for the rest of us. She has major compassion for humanity as proven by her reaction to the floods that destroyed part of her town. Hat's off to Brenda!

Sara, who is an amazing mother of two VN cuties, one Korean doll baby, and a very handsome home grown boy. She has such convictions and is always right there for encouragement and speaking the truth.

Rita, who hasn't blogged since like July but is an awesome woman who met her husband and kids on the internet. How cool is that, really? Her kiddos have a very special place in my heart and they could not have been blessed with better parents ~ especially on the mommy front. She is probably one of the most hilarious women I've ever "met" in my entire life.

.Karin, over at Here Comes the Sun. She's mom to a precious pea pod named Caroline. She has patience and endurance that beats any human on earth. She always has a great attitude, even when things were tough to wait out.

and last but most certainly not least...

Nicole L. who did one of the most thoughtful random acts of kindness in the whole wide world, for me, who she's never met irl. She's very talented, has an amazing attitude, and when she updates her blog has great things to say. She loves kids and has started a fund to help build a playground for the children still in her daughter's orphanage.

Little-Miss-Model

A few weekends ago Mia was in a fashion show. My friend owns a boutique and my oldest daughter works there. They put on a fashion show debuting the fall wardrobes for some of the lines they carry. Mia got to wear the cutest little dress, tights, and shoes. And, of course a ginormous hairbow. She strutted her stuff! She put her hands on her hips and twirled, looked over her shoulder, and right at the end she did the hand-on-hip-twirl again. Too cute!

on the stage


Of course Kimberlee came to watch. The two of them together were hilarious. They look so sweet in pictures, but oh the camera LIES! They are two little rough-necks with each other. Then they'll just grin like, "what? aren't we cute?" Ha!

the choke hold


but aren't we precious

Guess Who's FOUR!

I cannot believe she is four years old now. I met her when she was 14 months old. Our G&R was almost a month after her 2nd birthday. I cannot get over that she is four, wow. We had a great birthday this year. Much better than last year. (we have the same birthday) Although, this year I had the grand idea of holding her party outside at the park...in 93 degree weather. We had it in the evening but still, it was soooo hot. Needless to say, it was one of the shortest birthday parties ever! We did pick up the partying back at home when the grandparents came over though. I still look at her in amazement every single day and thank God that she is here, with me, and that I am blessed to look in those beautiful brown eyes and see that impish little grin on her face. Here are some birthday pictures at the park.


mmmm Kroger cake (haha)




Mia's brothers chowing down (& sister who refuses to look at the camera!)


opening up Street-Walker Barbie "Totally Color It" (urghh a Barbie with wax hair dye dressed like a hooker)


opening Barbie Mariposa


Mia wanted a laptop and I found this great Cinderella VTech laptop. She's played with it the most so far.


I couldn't resist getting a little something for Kimberlee to open too.


a sweet moment between godmother & goddaughter





my favorite picture. the girl who loves sand yet hates the texture. go figure

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

(Kinhly, you were missed!!!)

Photos ~ Many Photos

I'm really disappointed in the photos that I had taken of Mia. Really disappointed. They are grainy and try as I might I cannot get the color better without screwing up the photos. I even emailed a couple to a friend and she couldn't do it either. Her opinion was that the camera was set on a low light setting and there wasn't much she knew to do. If any of you think you could enhance these, please let me know. But... Mia and Kim are so cute, grainy or not, I'll still cherish the pictures.