another year and a belated birthday post

Clarke turned four years old in April and I am only now posting some birthday pics. Life just moves too fast. Her cousins and brother are ready to enjoy the cake. She has started pre-K this fall and is doing so well. Growing up so very fast.

SHE IS THREE!

Say cheese. We usually say cheeseburger, but whatever.

Blowing out the candles.

You have GREEN TEETH.

Clarke attacked her tinkerbell birthday cake. You can hear my son talking in the background about the armadillos he killed on his florida turkey hunt with his dad. But most importantly you can hear my 98 year old great aunt declaring repeatedly that Clarke has green teeth.

REFERRAL ANNIVERSARY

I can't believe it has been one year since I saw Clarke's face. On May 2, 2007 I saw Hong Mu Xin for the first time, in a picture of course. Look at the then and now.

I'm a Rock Star

Clarke got a keyboard from Santa. She thinks she's a rock star.

Snowmizer

This is a short video of Clarke enjoying a snowman that plays "Snowmizer" from Santa Clause is Coming to Town. She has on her Christmas hat and boots. Pretty cute.

Christmas at the Grandparents

We had Christmas at my parents about a week before Christmas when everybody could be there. Clarke enjoyed opening her presents and spending time with her cousins, Nanna, Grandaddy, aunts, uncles,and great aunts. In these pictures, you can see Clarke held by her Nanna in a new Christmas hat, looking up at her great Aunt Becky, and with her cousins Sarah Jane and Isabel. Cousins Tim and Grant, brother Will, and Aunt Rebecca, and Grandaddy are in the pictures too.

Christmas card photo session

We had an in home photo session to get a photo for our Christmas cards. I thought we would never get a good shot. It took a good 45 minutes to get both in close proximity, looking at the camera, with a happy look. Finally, we got one that would work. I have posted one of Will alone too that I like.

Thanksgiving

Here are some pictures taken around Thanksgiving. Clarke has grown and is filling out. Her legs which were very bowed when I met her, are no longer so. But, this picture shows just how petite she still is.

Clarke and the Cat

Clarke has had several battles with our cat. The cat puts up with a lot, but after so much, Clarke has ended up with some scratches. But I think they have finally made peace.

Where's Will

Will has been busy too. He represented the navy in the veteran's day program this year at his school. The second grade did a short musical number, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Will and I went to a Titans game. Titans v. Jacksonville Jaguars. Titans lost but we had a big time. Saw one very devoted fan, "Crazy Jim."

Halloween with the tulip fairy

Clarke was a tulip fairy for Halloween. She enjoyed her costume, the frilly skirt and all. I think this girl is a girly girl. Again, notice the shoes. We went to my aunt's and great aunt's home to trick or treat. Clarke found a magnifying glass.

getting updated

well christmas is over and it is 2008. i'm going to post some pictures to get you updated on clarke's progress through 2007. she is doing great as you can see. the picture of clarke in her stroller at the white county fair in september is one of my favorites. i just love this close up of her in red. the hair is starting to obey. Another shows Clarke being terrorized by brother Will. She doesn't seem to mind. They get along great. Clarke calls Will Mamma half the time. The last shows Clarke wearing some of my shoes. The girl is fascinated with shoes. You can also see Clarke playing the piano with cousins Isabel and Grant.

TWO MONTH UPDATE

I met Clarke on July 4, 2007. I can't believe she has been with us for only two months. It seems like she has been with us much longer. She is doing so well. She hardly wimpers now when I drop her off at her daycare. She takes long naps in her own bed, sometimes uninterrupted. She still sleeps with me at night but we will just have to make that transition slowly. I tried it one weekend and it was just too stressful. Will cried when he was a baby, Clarke screams in terror. But, all in all, she has progressed so much. She is such a good baby. She even travels well. We went to Pigeon Forge this weekend. She spent the whole day Saturday at Splash Country, just took a nap in her stroller and kept on going. She's can keep right up with our on the go lifestyle.

Mac and Cheese

She likes it so much she rubbed the plate against her face and got it in her nose. A girl's got to have her mac and cheese, a vegetable in the south.

Strawberry yogurt

Clarke is a good eater. I was worried I would have to make congee, a rice/broth porridge, which she ate at almost every meal in China. At first she would only eat bland foods when we came home, but now she will try almost anything. Here she is enjoying strawberry yogurt. At night when I put lotion on her after her bath, she thinks the pink lotion is yogurt and tries to eat it too!

Will is really all about his little sister. He truly likes to help. Here are a couple of pics where Will is feeding her breakfast. Check out his bedhead.

Clarke goes to the pool

She loves the water. She likes to put her whole face in. I love this close up picture with her serious face.

Clarke enjoyed a visit from her cousins, the Potters from Murfreesboro, at her Nanna's and Grandaddy's house. Here you can see Clarke visiting with her cousin, Isabel.

Here is one of the first photos of Will meeting his little sister. It's been almost a month now and things have really started to settle down and we are getting in a routine. School for Will starts next week. I'll have to start getting up even earlier now to gets us all out the door and Will to school on time.

Home Sweet Home

Well we have been home now for about three days. Everybody is struggling to make the adjustment, me I think more than Clarke and Will. I forgot how physically challenging taking care of a little one can be. I hope to post some pictures later of Clarke and Will after we have had a little more time to settle in and then I will be closing the blog. Thank you so much everyone who posted or sent me an e-mail or let me know they were watching. Your support meant a lot while I was across the globe. It is so good to be back here in the hills of Tennessee.

The girls with their moms on the red couch. Eden Clarke later in the day on Wednesday before our consulate appointment. After the appointment it was a mad dash back to the hotel and then to the airport. A twelve hour flight to Los Angeles, a five hour layover in LA, a two hour flight to Dallas, then an hour later another flight from Dallas to Nashville. Arrived in Nashville at 8:40 a.m.

Everybody gets their picture made on the red couch at the White Swan Hotel before they leave for home. Here are some pictures of Annaka, Lucy, and Clarke on the infamous couch.

Just some things seen today. Another bride getting her wedding pictures made. Soldiers in the park? This was an area close to a children's school and a park where the locals gather. This morning I saw these soldiers doing formation? They were actually raising their guns and you could hear the click as they pulled the trigger. Obviously they weren't loaded, but it was very unnerving.

Banyan trees are everywhere. They are huge and quite beautiful. Their trunks look like a bundle of vines and something hangs from the branches which reminds me of Spanish moss. This tree shown here was growing at a severe angle. A concrete support has been fashioned to allow it to continue to stand.