Giving and receiving...

Stephanie at Ni Hao, Y'all has just started 30 days of Giveaways!  Her blog is GREAT, and this giveaway will be fun, for sure!  Head on over and leave a comment to be entered.  :)



  Also, my amazing travel buddy Sarah is fundraising for a sweet girl named Genevieve who needs eye surgery.  Sarah met little Genevieve on a recent trip to India.

Click here to read about Genevieve's story and how you can help.  (and you might get some Christmas shopping done in the process!)

Flashback Friday (Halloween treats!)

My all time favorite fall treat.  Not just a carmel apple... but a carmel, white chocolate, dusted with cinnamon apple.  So, so yummy.  And I'm not ashamed to admit that I hid this tasty morsel from two teenagers and other assorted youngsters.  ;) 

Not to worry... the kids had a few treats of their own.  Here's just a small sampling of the large amounts of loot the kids brought home on Halloween.  So much sugar...

But, to my surprise, I also found these little gems in their trick or treat bags.  Very cool, I thought.  (The kids were not as thrilled.)    "Scarrots-- eat 'em like junk food."  :)

Two years with Sarah!

Two years ago today, on November 2, 2008, we met our daughter for the first time.  After ten months of paperwork, more paperwork, government red tape, and WAITING, we had the privilege of visiting  New Day Foster Home on the outskirts of Beijing.  This is the amazing foster home where Sarah was lovingly cared for from the time she was six weeks old.  I was shaking so badly (nerves, excitement) when we met Sarah's sweet foster parents that I couldn't hold the pen I was using to write down information about Sarah!

This is right after we met Sarah.  Karen and Grace are standing behind us.  Sarah was sound asleep!  I had dreamed about the moment when we would meet for so long... and never imagined Sarah would sleep right through it!  ;)

This is our baby girl on November 2, 2008 in the Beijing International terminal.  We were preparing to board a flight to Nanchang, the capital city of Sarah's home province (Jiangxi).  The goldfish crackers were a big hit!

First bath in the hotel in Nanchang.  Despite the tentative expression here, she loved the water.  She still loves the water!
 

Sweet dreams, little one.  (She is sleeping sideways in the crib.)

And now, exactly two years later... this is our baby little girl! 

Happy forever family day, Sarah!  We love you to the moon and back!