Summer 2012

Ari and Sophie love to play dress up and have tea parties!

Sophs and her new friend, Tom. He's a bed HOG, but she loves to snuggle, so it's a win-win situation!

Sophie was NONE too happy to hear I was going on a week long mission trip to Florida with Shane! She decided she was coming along, too!

She loves planting and watering. It's one of her chores that she enjoys! :D

She made the watering can with Grammy Slimmer when I was away on my mission trip.

Our herb garden, compliments of Aunt Marcia Sommerville!

She and Ari found a bird's nest in the hanging basket; while they waited for them to hatch, they drew pictures of them on the porch!

Michelle and Ellie did a makeover on the lil Miss!

Michelle is an amazing braider!

Some pics from our Farm Foto Shoot....she enjoyed a week long experience at the Grove's farm~ riding horses, learning and playing with baby goats and chickens!

Kristi's 7th Rock a Hula Luau! We had a BLAST!

Funny what two girls can do with two 5 gallon buckets on a hot day!

Total silliness!

Many days were spent playing with her new friend, Chloe...cut out of different molds, God has knit them together as sisters!! For F-O-U-R hours they sat on the floor, cutting and making clothes, from rags, for their stuffed doggies.

March is here!

It's hard to believe that my sweet lil Rosie is turning 9 on March 13. 

My girlfriend did a quick photo shoot last week and made this beautiful collage. 

Thanks, Juls! ( Beautiful Beginnings Photography~ check her out; she's FANTASTIC!)

I wish my words could adequately express how much I love this little girl. 

My days are brighter because she's in them. 

She doesn't care if my hair is graying and tangled and I'm dressed in my jammies. As we daily read her Bible, she often watches my face as I read to her, gently touches my cheek and whispers, " I'll always love you, Mommy!" 

Her ninth birthday reminds me of her birth mom and I wonder many things~  Does she dream about where Sophie is?  

What does she look like~ does she have an infectious smile, a quick wit, incredible intelligence, a love for music, art and animals?

 Does she love grilled peanut butter sandwiches and bananas? Is she short, but have extra long legs? 

Does she have thick, course, black, shiny hair? Does she love people?  Is she athletic? 

Is she loving and brave?

Yes... I'm convinced she has these qualities. 

Any birth mom who would love her child enough to realize she can't care for her and desire to give her a better life is both loving and brave!

Will she ever hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Yesterday, Sophie asked if we could go back to China to swim in the Marriott pool and sleep in the beds. 

My prayer is that someday Sophie would like to relearn Chinese and go back to share the Gospel in her native tongue.

I'm so grateful the Lord has given Sophie a heart softened to Him. 

Her favorite activity is sitting down to read her Bible in the morning and evening. I asked her tonight if she wanted to read Misty of Chincoteague...."No, I'll go get my Bible." 

There is no greater joy than knowing that Sophie is learning to love God with all her heart, soul, mind and strength. 

I love you, sweet Sophie Rose~ Happy 9th Birthday! 

We traditionally sing to the birthday girl on the hour she was born. Because we don't know, we opted for a 7:30am sing-a-long....she liked it better this year than she did last year!!!

Sophie and Daddy went to Sight and Sound in Lancaster to see Jonah! What a treat~ A HUGE daddy/ daughter date!

Mommy :D 

December 1st Prayer

Sophie's bedtime prayer tonight~

" Dear Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins; please help me obey you better tomorrow. Thank you for my family and friends; please heal Mommy and Ellie of Lyme disee ( how she says disease) Please forgive me for sinning against You. In Jesus Name, Amen.




Today during school, we were reviewing our time line. Magna Carta, St. Thomas Aquines, Marco Polo, The Hundred Years War, The Black Death and Joan of Arc and we came to The Great Papal Schism......

I have to continually remember that Sophie has NO pegs with which to hang any of this information on. I have to literally teach her how to even pronounce each word. ( "Con - stan - tin - o - ple" ....."Okay, now...Constan-tin-o-ple.....Constantin-o-ple" ....Constantinople"....You get the picture!)

So we continued playing this game with the time line cards and I realized that instead of saying "The Great Papal Schism" she was saying, " The Great Papa Skittles!"   Too funny!

How Much I Wanted You

It's been so long since I've written.

Many days Lyme disease seems to have overrun our family; it's been a hard season, but God is using it for His purpose and glory. 

Sophie Chats.....

Bedtime tonight consisted of snack of a Pina Colada Slurpee, a Christmas bedtime story, lots of snuggling and singing and of course, our nightly "chats." 


"Tell me about how much you wanted me, Mama."~ Sophie

I reviewed the amazing story from the beginning to the end, reminding her that daddy and I were somewhat like Mary and Joseph minus the angel appearances. ( God put her on my heart first, then daddy later.)


Mom~ "We waited 3 long years until God thought it was time for us to come to China for you." 

"You wanted me really bad, didn't you, Mom?"~ Sophie


"How do you know that Soph," ~ Mom


She jumped out of the sheets and proceeded to wave her arms wildly about....."Because of the way those people stuffed me in that car with you the first day... I knew you really must have wanted me!"


We rolled on the bed with great laughter, sang our songs and she is sleeping soundly as I type. 


Oh, how I love that sweet girl!