Savannah's first time on Broadway!!..........Broadway at the Beach that is.

Savannah blowing up her ladybug for the pool

A very nice lady offered to take a family photo at Broadway

Ma Ma and my very tired little ladybug watching the fireworks display

Beautiful

Jordan and Haleigh having fun and being silly

Ok, Mom and Dad too!

Savannah building her Panda

Haleigh and her new doll named shelly

Savannah and her new Panda friend whom she named Qian Jiang Yu

We have had such a good time on our vacation. Tuesday we went to Broadway at the beach which is huge place with lots and lots of little specialty shops including restaurants, candy, ice cream, and fudge shops. We try and go on Tuesday night when we come to the beach because they have an awesome fireworks show. Of course they also have a Build-a-Bear store. Haleigh has always made a bear every year and now she got to share the fun with her little Mei Mei. A couple of years ago I went in with Haleigh and made Savannah a rabbit dressed in a Mulan type outfit, it is sooo cute. It was so exciting making one for a daughter I'd never even seen yet but loved so much. This year Savannah got a panda made, I think I enjoyed it just as much as the girls!

First I want to say happy 10 month anniversary to CCAI'S group 1409!! Can you believe it, we have had our beautiful babies for 10 whole months. The time I have had with my sweet little angel has been priceless. The three years of wait to to get her was very difficult, a lot of crying, praying, and wondering at times if we would ever have her in our arms. All of that is behind us now and I would do it all over again in an instant. Savannah is everything I dreamed about in those three years and more. All four of our children are such blessings, I can never thank or praise God enough for what he has done for me.

Second of all I want to say we are on VACATION!! Yippee we needed this so bad! With Brian working 12 hour shift work, there are a lot of days where it seems like we hardly see him, so we treasure vacation time. We try and go to to Tennessee for two or three days and then travel to the beach for a week every year. Mountains and Beach ahhh it's the best of both worlds. We had made plans to visit with one of our good friends Tonyia who adopted beautiful little miss Sophie in our CCAI group. Sophie was Savannah's crib mate in the orphanage, but due an emergency with another family member they were unable to make it. We were heartbroken but fully understand. We hope to try and meet up maybe once a year or so, to get the girls together.

Savannah wasn't sure about her first time on the beach, she didn't want her feet to touch the sand, it was so cute. Now she is getting used to it and loves using her shovel to put the sand in her bucket. She adores the pools, but not to sure about our tradition of crab hunting in the evening. I just can't believe that summer before last, when we sat on the beach Brian and I were talking about what it was going to be like having our new little one with us and now here she is. God is good!

Melinda

OMG did someone say Krispy Kreme

Yes they did, yummy!

Daddy sticks don't belong on the beach

ok, maybe it's not that bad after all

Babewatch, not Baywatch

Ma Ma and Savannah

Waiting to go down to the beach is REALLY hard

Haleigh and little ladybug enjoying the hot tub

Baby bear spotted while on a nature hike at Cades Coves Gatlinburg, TN

Big Buck

Really big snake, looks like it just finished dinner

One of the many beautiful streams we visit every year

Nap time before the hike ever started

Starting point of hike

Once Ma Ma's baby boy, Now my sweet young man

We recently celebrated my first born (Jordan) turning the big 17! I have had such huge mixed emotions about it, so excited about his graduation this senior year, so excited about his last year of football, so excited about his future, but also very sad that my little boy is all grown up. I pulled out all the old photos of him, reminiscing all evening trying to recapture the past, indulging myself in memories. From the time he was old enough to talk, his Grandma Tweet had him singing gospel and hymn songs in church. He would go to other area churches and sing sometimes by himself and sometimes with Tannor along side him. People would always beg them to come back. I am so proud of who he has become, he has made some really good choices. I am proud of his growing faith in God, and his hunger to continue to learn God's word. His youth leaders have always complimented on having him as their student. I can't wait to see what God has in store for him. Jordan you are such a blessing to us. You are a wonderful son, and big brother.

Jordan we love you with all of our hearts, your Ma Ma Tweet is watching down on you so proud and all smiles, for the young man you have become.

I have an angel watching over me from Heaven, I call her "Ma Ma Tweet"



Jordan at age 2


Making noodles with Ma Ma Tweet


First big day of kindergarten


Loves his Bass

Loves fishing


Happy "17th" Jordan


Jamming with Tannor and cousin Ryan

My sweet young man

Proud to be a Falcon

where has the time gone?

Our Qianjiang Spicy Girl

Did someone say "CHEESE"?

Savannah stealing a kiss from best friend Noah

All smiles

It will soon be 10 months since we have brought our little spicy girl home, where has it gone!
Savannah has grown so much and in so many ways, she only wanted Ma Ma in the first few months we came home now she will put her arms out to anyone she sees, including the lady behind me in the Wal-mart checkout line! She says so many new words now like, Jesus, bible, bath, baby, doggy, bub, ball, num- nums, drink, love you, bye, maw maw, paw paw, nan nan, and a few more. I love watching all the facial expressions she shows in everything she does, it's sooo cute. I can't believe it has went by so fast, sometimes I just want time to slow down so I can take in every second of every memory that I have with all four of my blessings.
Little miss spicy girl, Ma Ma and Ba Ba love you so much!

Youth Camping Trip

We recently went on a camping trip with our youth group. The youth leaders have a place on the Greenbriar River. It is located close to the Great Bend Tunnel which John Henry built. The river was too muddy for fishing or swimming due to all of the recent rains we had the previous days, but it was a lot of fun just being outside.
Before we even made it to camp, we had to stop at the ER and pick up our son Tannor. We got a late start due to Brian's work schedule and got a phone call on the way saying that Tannor had been chopping wood for the fire and, yep you guessed it, he hit his foot with the ax and had to get 15 stitches. He is ok but had to sit out all of the fun due to his foot. I think he learned his lesson.
The main event was corn hole from daylight til dark. I'm not sure the grass will ever grow back. Savannah had a lot of time getting to know our youth leaders and the youth, she had a blast. She had her own pool to play in and loved being able to run everywhere. We went for a walk by the river and saw something neat. Someone had built something that resembled a pagoda, It reminded us how muchwe miss China.
Our youth leaders, Scott and Shari brought some beef from a recently butchered cow, the youth cut it up and added spices then hung it over the fire for about 16hours. The boys took shifts tending the fire and when it was done, it was the best jerky I've ever tasted.
During our last nighe there, we had a walk through the old train tunnel, it is a little over 1 mile through the mountain and this particular night the mist was comming out of it made it look spooky. The girls were scared and the boys loved scaring them every moment of the walk.


Savannah having fun in her own pool

The boys playing a little corn hole while Tannor watches from the sideline

The boys doing their part with the jerky meat

The girls doing their part too.

Sitting around the campfire waiting on the jerky

The pagoda along the river reminded us of China.

The Great BendTunnel