Memere

In early March we gained an angel. Our Memere, Nick's beloved grandmother. She was such a precious, precious lady. She loved us like no other. She loved decorating, fashion, sports cars,  and her independence. 14 years ago when I started dating Nick she soon won my heart. She always loved me and accepted me into the Peterman family. Nick's family has experienced such loss in these last few years as he lost both of his parents and now his Memere. Her absence will surely leave a void in our lives, but we rejoice knowing she is with her Father and in pain no more. 

Thank you for loving us and our kids, Memere! We love you! 

Ethan turns 4

I am a little behind on this post (like 2 weeks), but better late than never. I used to write on the boys totsite all the time. Sadly, there is hardly time to sit and eat much less to write on blogs. So for now, I will cherish those days when I could write on their totsite frequently, but accept that I am one person trying to keep afloat in this life with 3 little ones. All that to say, I am just going to post our family stuff here to for awhile. And a very huge part of our family is our newly turned four little boy. Oh how I love him!

We celebrate both Gavin and Ethan together in the middle of April so both boys tend to get a little extra celebration on their actual birthday. We happily spent his big day with the Halls. Ethan isn't much of a dessert lover but he sure loved blowing out his candles and turning 4! Now that he is 4 he can suddenly walk to the bathroom without me (he had regressed quite a bit needing mommy for EVERYTHING when Chloe came home). He sleeps in on his own...well, on the bottom bunk in Gavin's room! I don't care where he sleeps as long as its not with me! And now that he is 4 he can suddenly dress himself and put on his own seat belt. Praise The Lord! This kid knows more about states than I know about shopping! Seriously, it's amazing...he can place every state where it goes on the map and knows every capital too! His favorite state is Rhode Island which he has named "the little guy". At his friends build a bear birthday he named the monkey he made Rhode Island. Obsessed!!!! He is one smart cookie! He loves to ask if we can talk about states at dinner...needless to say forced geography lesson for mommy! He loves to read...he has memorized several books and takes pride in "reading" them all on his own. He even tries to sound out words. His favorite book is Pete's Big Lunch:) I am looking forward to see what his year as a four year old brings. We are already off to a great start! Love you little Ethan Paul!!! 

36!!!!

Most of you know because of glorious fb that today is my birthday! I have been blessed to have been given 36 marvelous years with the last six being the best of my life. I celebrated 30 being nine months preggo with Gavin about to embark on my first life changer. Two years later I celebrated 32 10 months pregnant with Ethan Paul giving birth to him just seven days later. And finally, at 35 I opened an email to find the face of my precious daughter. I am highly confident 36 won't bring another baby whether by birth or email:), but I am looking forward to a year of a little more time to breathe. With no new babies, trips to China, or surgeries scheduled there may be just a little more time to enjoy instead of constantly trying to keep up. We spent yesterday at the Magic Kingdom just the five of us! It was such a fun, easy day! One of those days that it just felt like we have 3 kids instead of 8:) Things went smoothly and we all enjoyed a day just being together. Chloe loved her first trip!! And I loved watching her! Funny how birthdays change once you have kids...my birthday delight came from enjoying my kids delight. Here are a few pictures from our special day.

Two strollers...genius move:)

Pooh

My ride mate, Ethan:) he always wanted to ride w me!

Nap time:) Mommy got to relax with a Dole Pineapple Whip (soooo yummy and worth every second of the long line)

Waiting for Dumbo! All three loved the play area while you wait

People Mover relaxation

Parade amazement

Fun times!

Cherished

"Children will not remember you for the material things you provided, but for the feeling that you cherished them." -Richard Evans

Every so often there is a moment when I fight back tears watching Chloe do something new. Today I had one of those moments. Nothing monumental occurred....it was just a swimming lesson, but it was a first lesson and she did so great. In these moments, I reflect back to sitting on her orphanage floor with so many little ones, her friends, and wonder does she have any memory of her life before love, and a family, and swimming lessons. Does she remember that she spent most of her time in her crib? Or that a mama didn't greet her every morning? That she didn't have toys or swimming lessons? Swimming lessons may seem silly, but this is just one of the moments in these last 8 months that take my breath away. I love that we can provide for her and love her, but more importantly cherish her and each of these moments. 

But my tears also stream for those that I played with on that orphanage floor, her friends. Will they ever know what it is like to feel loved...for every single thing they do to be special?

Eight months home and the firsts never get old. Today was an exceptionally special day....we all cheered as she braved the pool and put her hands up and shouted yay with each swim. I cherish these moments...

Her biggest fans and the two best brother swimmers

So excited its her turn

Celebrating eight months 

7 months in our arms

I was looking back at old posts and noticed I didn't get to post a seven month update. Each time I think maybe, just maybe, I am getting more used to juggling it all something quickly reminds me that I am not. Some days I remember sitting on the couch after working watching Oprah and Young and the Restless on my VCR (yes, remember those days) without an enormous to do list. I tell ya, I may like to have just one day like that, but most parts of my enormous list are much more rewarding. 

One of the small, not a priority, items on my to do list was to catch up on downloading pictures. Well, I finally got to download some pictures (most from Christmas). Looking back at all these photos is so fun...Chloe grows and changes so much each month. 

This was taken at our neighborhood Christmas parade. Boy how her hair has grown...it's almost one length now and this dress...no longer fits:(

Here they are spreading reindeer food...so huge that she is participating!

What a silly girl! Loved the big boxes on Christmas.

While the boys played with each toy.

Here is another photo which says tons about Chloe's growth. She is actually sleeping at PapaEm's house:) So the boys and I had movie night! 

And here she was one week out post palate repair carefully being fed a bottle. Now she is fully healed and beginning to say all kinds of new words. 

Gosh, what a difference another month makes. Completely packed list for mama equals lots of growth and fun times for our family of five! Worth it all!!

Happy Chinese New Year

I couldn't think of a more appropriate way to celebrate this special occasion than a welcome party at the airport. Little Lucy Juliano and my friend Alison made it home after a long adventure in China. Seeing her come out of the gate brings back so many memories! This will be such a sweet time making up for lost time with her other four children and hubby and to get to love on Lucy as a family. But oh how I remember those first weeks back....some of the toughest I have ever experienced. Exhaustion isn't an adequate word to describe how completely utterly lethargic you are and then have to be a mom for a new baby and the rest of your family. Let's continue to pray for the Juliano's as they transition to a family of SEVEN!

I will let her share most of the pictures I took tonight but here are a few! Hopefully I will have a few more tomorrow with the girls in their Chinese dresses. We plan to join them tomorrow night to celebrate the CNY in the comfort of a home and without the rest of the airport staring. Our girls first CNY home:)

David, Alison's parents and the kids waiting for mama

Crazy girl not happy to be strapped in and not taking over the airport

Lucy isn't too sure about her new friend Chloe (isn't she a doll:) 

Chloe loves Mrs. Alison and Lucy still isn't to sure about her

Welcome home Alison!! Xoxoxo

Small world BIG God

I have been planning to write this post for months, but haven't. This blog, for us, is not so anyone  reads it can know every detail of our lives. It's for us...a way to document our journey so that we can always look back and see how BIG our God is. And if along the way someone is touched by our journey its a bonus! 

We already know that God parted the Red Sea and moved mountains for our Chloe, but He also provided in some other ways too always making His presence known. Two years ago we were just beginning our adoption journey and I was lonely...I had been praying for an "adoption" friend. God answered those prayers by providing me with several great friends. One of those was, a now very dear friend, Alison.

I believe I have told the story of how we "met" here on my blog before. This isn't the story of how we met, but another crazy way God has revealed Himself to us on this journey. I adore Alison and her hubby David (David is actually the guy that Nick met with the night before he finally said yes to adoption). Alison and David have four beautiful children, one of whom is also adopted from China. I think it is probably safe to say they weren't looking to add to their already busy family when we met. They loved and encouraged us, but weren't thinking of another adoption at the time. Well, God had another plans for them and over the course of the last year revealed His plan in burning bush types of ways....this is the point of this story:) 

Back in September we hadn't been home from China for long. I had never left Chloe with anyone except Nick or my mom. Well, it was Gavin's kindergarten open house and I really wanted Nick and I to be able to attend. Alison watched Chloe for me that evening. During this time, their dossier had only been in China a short time. I don't think any of us thought they would be getting referral call so soon. Would you believe that night while she was keeping Chloe the phone rang...the number every adoptive family using CCAI longs to see-Dever, CO. Alison texts me from the open house-they have a file to review. And here's where it gets pretty cool...the little girl who is Chloe's age is from her orphanage!!!!!! Seriously, do y'all know how huge China is?!!! Do you also know that very few children are adopted from their city which is 7 hours round trip by van from a major city? Do you also know I was reluctant to leave Chloe with her?  I mean, really, I don't think we could have ever imagined it...the chance of us, good friends and neighbors, having girls, the same age, adopted within six months of each other, from the same remote area of China. And Alison getting this call during the only hour I had left Chloe since I first held her. Seriously, if I didn't have an ounce of faith there is really no other way to explain this-God! He keeps showing up...for us...for Alison...for our girls! So this time next week Alison will be stepping foot into the same Civil Affairs Office we were in almost seven months ago...two days later she will take the same van ride to our girls town and see the exact same sights we just saw. And two weeks later she will be landing at the very same airport bringing home another Nanyang beauty. My heart is full for them...and for us. Our new daughters who met on the other side of the world before we knew they existed and will be reunited and live within 2 miles of each other on this side of the world. It just doesn't get any better. Yes, it's a small world, but my word, we have a BIG God! 

Alison leaves Wednesday and will be traveling alone to China to get her Lucy. Please join me in praying for her travels, Lucy's heart, and for her family who will miss her at home. 

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