Christmas slippers!!

With visions of sugar plums dancing in her head.....

Ellas birthday party

Christmas 2011

Happy as can be....

First visit to Santa

What an amazing year it has been!!!!

Seems like just yesterday that I was agonizing over the wait for our travel approval to arrive! But then again...we've come so so far in a short year!
I remember when they walked into my hotel room in Nanchang, China with the most beautiful little girl! She was shy and scared as they pushed her towards this stranger that they kept calling "mommy"! She let me hold her and sat ever so quiet....I wonder what she was thinking! I felt so bad for her, thinking how scared and confused she must have been. The orphanage workers left after about 15 minutes and we were left to build our mother/daughter relationship!
Ella quickly took to her big brother, Edward and I! I think she could feel the love. I wanted her to feel how much love I had in my heart for this little miracle I had waited so long for!
Our family was complete on the day that My Evan and Eddie arrived to join us in China....that's when my heart was complete! What a journey!
When we arrived back home Christmas eve, I knew much I had fallen in love with Ella, I just didn't realize how much everyone else would fall in love with her!
From her Aunt and Uncle who met us at the airport in Detroit during our layover, to the greeting we got at the airport in Maine...it was evident she would quickly gain many admirers! Godmother Kathi was smitten by Ella on Christmas day, and continues to be one of Ellas favorite people!
At Blue Point School in Scarborough...the staff and students opened their arms to welcome our angel. Although she didn't embrace them back at first, she now LOVES to go to school and might just be the most popular kid in the school!! The teachers have loved watching her grow into this spunky little carefree girl who loves EVERYTHING about life.
Our North Carolina family didnt meet Ella until April...they had heard plenty about this little wonder though! But, I don't think they realized how much of their hearts she would capture!
Ella has truly not just made a big impact on our lives and hearts but she has to so, so many around her!
Ella is such a happy child! I really can't say that enough! She smiles from morning to night! From just meeting our family you would never know that we have only had her for a year....she just fits with us SO perfectly! I really feel that there was only one way this could have happened! This was the work of something bigger than us! It has to have been the work of god! It's just too perfect! I prayed and prayed so much for this little girl, for my healthy family! I knew that with my faith, it would come to fruition! It was that faith that got me through those oh, so low moments.
Some people know about my relationship, or should I say...lack of relationship with my mom! My mom passed away in Feb of 2006! I would have given the world to have had a healthy, loving mother/daughter relationship with my mom. I never had that and even though I really didn't have a relationship with my mom for some time prior to her passing, I always had hopes and dreams someday I would! The day she died....that dream died! I believe last Dec 13; the day Ella's adoption took place and consequently my Mothers birthday....that dream became a reality! I now have that chance of having that relationship I had hope for throughout my life! What I didn't know was how amazing it was going to be!
I know life isn't going to always be so perfect but what I do knows that the lord has blessed me more than I probably deserve! I am so thankful for my amazing husband, my loving, crazy kids, my faithful and supportive friends, my health and most of my faith in the lord!

Ella on her first Halloween!!

Ellas first school photo!!

Ella with her favorite godmomma!

Ella bowling! She loved it!!

A VERY happy 6 year old!!

Ella turning 6 years old!!!

Wow...what a difference a year makes! I remember a year ago sitting and dreaming of our little princess that was sitting in the orphanage she had been raised in for five years after she was left abandoned as a newborn at the gates. We had arranged for the orphanage to have a birthday party for her and I remember getting the pictures of her eating the cake. It was such a bittersweet moment...I knew it would be the first time she had celebrated her birthday, and the last time she would celebrate it without her family!
This little angelic wonder is such a gift from god. She has grasped all our hearts and wrapped us all around her finger! I think about what must have been going through the head of the person that left this beautiful little girl on the side of the road. Was it the work of god...preparing her and us for the right moment to bring us together as a family?! I THINK SO! I believe that everything that happens in life is for a reason. We may question..."why?!" quite a bit....with patience, the answer will come. The journey to Ella was so difficult at times and I think it was necessary for us to learn and grow and follow the lords plan to make us ready. We had no idea how much our hearts were missing until this little wonder was brought into our lives. The picture was pretty before...now it is complete and the most beautiful ever...all because she is with her FAMILY NOW! I hope that she was left, at those gates, in hopes that she would have a better life...one filled with love, laughter, nurturing hugs, opportunities and many happy moments. :)
I am so looking forward to celebrating Ellas 6th birthday tomorrow. She keeps talking about cake and presents... I just adore this little girl....... My heart smiles everyday watching my 3 amazing children grow. I am one blessed momma.

Happy Birthday

ELLA DAHAI <3

Asleep on the beach!!

At the lake w Mackenzie

My three angels!!

Tubing at the Pierces lake house in NC

This is her.."I'm not so sure about having my back to this monkey mom!!" look!

At the North Carolina Zoo

Wow...where is the time going!! It's been just about 7 months since we brought Ella home.....and what a difference 7 months has made! She continues to grow each day....not just in size but as an amazing little girl! She now weighs 30 pounds..,up from 26 when we first got her! She loves the beach, loves her family and loves attention from EVERYONE! Her vocabulary had grown so much! It seems it exploded after she got her tonsils out in May! She no longer gags when she eats and eats whatever we put in front of her! We took her to the amusement park in town...she was screaming with excitement for the rides! She is so willing to try anything with daddy! She went tubing this week and rode a jet ski (w/ daddy)....with a smile from ear to ear!! She's so much fun and her brothers adore her to pieces....and she can't get enough of them!! We are continuing to embrace the lords blessings he has given us!

Sassy

Resting after surgery!

All American girl!!'

Still waking up....

First time in pool at home!!

Before surgery!

Before her surgery!

Ella at 5+ months...

Ella continues to amaze us and capture our breath daily! She is just one amazing kid. She is sassy,loving,smart, goofy, happy,adventurous.....just fabulous! She is not the same child we picked up on China..,..this little girl is going to go places and I can not wait to ride along! She continues to thrive in school...,learning so so much! She has left behind the shy girl....now she is just spunky!

We host two soccer players for the summer and she has taken to them! It is amazing how she just touches so many with her smile! Everywhere she goes she gains an admirer!

This morning we made another trip to the hospital! This time to have her tonsils removed. She was just perfect during all her pre op stuff! She went through surgery fine! The surgeon came to us after with a few concerns that we will follow up with but he said all went well. She is up and down while we have been here...depends if she has pain meds or not! We are spending the night and she isn't happy! Daddy and her big brothers came to visit and she had major breakdown that they went home and she didnt. The only thing that calmed her was talking to edward and daddy on the phone! She is resting now...let's hope it goes through the night! So nice to see and feel the connection and live she has made.

Still feeling like the luckiest mom in the world......

All American Girl

Sending Photo from my iPhone

First trip to beach house as a family...

We took our first trip as a family to our little piece of heaven in North Carolina. Ella loved everything....the beach, the boat, the wild horses,and maybe most of all our friends the Pierce Family. She really came out of her shell this week and is talking up a storm. She traveled so well. I tell ya...if there was a child made for us....she is it!! She is just a perfect addition to our family.

Ella caught her first fish with daddy. She wasnt thrilled to be near them though. She will get used to it I am sure. She is still iffy about the water....but that will come when its warmer....it was still chilly.

Just a quick update.

My diva!!!

After IV fluids and meds...10hrs later...her smile returns!!!

Second trip to ER...poor baby!

Sleep study

Tough few weeks

Headed to our vacation home today in North Carolina! It is much needed after the last week or so. Ella had a sleep study two weeks ago! I wasn't sure how she would handle it; but all in all she was so brave! We needed to get this study to see if she has any sleep apnea due to her large tonsils. She had these electrodes all over her head and body. It was scary for her but she was so cooperative and didn't try and pull them off or anything.

A few days later....Ella got pretty ill. I had taken her to school thinking she was coming down with a cold. She seemed fine and wanted to go to school. When I picked her up a few hours later her eyes were glossy and she looked not well. I stopped by the school nurses office on my way out just to get a quick temp. I was shocked when the secretary took it and it was 106.6!!!! As a nurse, I have NEVER even seen a temp this high! So we headed to the hospital. She tested positive for strep throat and the started her on antibiotics. We waited and waited all week for her temp to go down and for her beautiful smile to return. On Friday, with a temp of 103, we headed back to Dr office. She sent us right to hospital for abdominal ultrasound suspecting appendicitis! That came back negative....but they ran other test and Ella was now dehydrated and had a UTI upon top of her strep throat! They started an IV and gave her some fluids and antibiotics and she perked up! After 10 hrs at the er..... We headed home. We had such great care by the doctors and nurses at MMC. They just fell in love with our angel! She has that power to make all that she encounters fall head over heels with her!

She returned to school this week and picked up right where she left off! Her smile has returned as well as her spunk!!

I am so excited to bring her back to North Carolina. It will be our first family trip. We will go out on the boat, fish, go to the beach! So can't wait to be on the beach in the warmth. Also, many of our "southern" friends have not met Miss Ella and will finally do so. We will celebrate Easter there and will be so excited to see how Ella likes Easter!

Thank the lord our angel is better!

Sent from my iPhone

Ella at school with her friends!!

Welcome Springtime....

Its starting to warm up here in Maine....slowly but surely!! I am excited for the kids to be able to spread their wings and be outside more! The last few days we have been out playing in the driveway (because there is still a good foot of snow in the yard!!) and Miss Ella just loves to play with the chalk and ride her scooter.
Ella is making huge strides in school. She now waves and says goodbye to me without a care in the world. She loves to go to school and we are so blessed with all the wonderful kids and staff at Blue Point. Ellas' teacher will be out on leave for two weeks and I am a bit nervous because she has taken so well to Mrs Douglas....please pray that Ella does well with the substitute. I know they will do everything to make it easy on her.
Many of you know how much our boys love soccer and how very much a soccer family we are!! Well Ella has joined in. She absolutely loves soccer....she is always saying "Ella soccer, Ella soccer". We got her a pink soccer ball and she loves to kick it around with her little New England revolution jersey on. I think before we know it she will be on the field playing on a team!! Momma still wants a little gymnast though too!! :)
We took Ella to the ENT doctor yesterday and her tonsils are really big and they sent us for a sleep study. I was hoping they would just take them out since our peditrician said they were SO big...but I guess we have to jump through some silly hoops first.
We sent off the orphanage donation to our agency last week and lets hope the orphanage receives it soon. From our family and friends we raised just under $1000 and that will definately go a long way in China. We are hoping that they will stick to their word and send us some pictures that we can share. We THANK all of you that help raising the money.....:)
For now I will sign off....my after school routine begins....3 kids in three different schools keeps me hopping!!

xoxo

Atlantic beach, North Carolina

Ella at the beach

So here we are still on cloud nine! Ella continues to mesmerize everyone that comes into contact with her! Her smile, her laugh, her facial expressions just pull everyone in! :)

Ella is doing so so well in school! She continues to learn so many new things! She watches the other kids and is learning so much from them! We had a few warmer days and she went out and played in the snow! She LOVED it! She didn't want to go in! She has wrapped her big brothers around her tiny finger! They love to hug and kiss her and play with her! It's so sweet to watch and it makes momma's heart glow!!

Since we were in China I have had a concern about Ella's tonsils/adenoids. She snored like a grown man and has some difficulty with gagging with certain foods! Well we went to the doctor and my concerns were validated! Ella's tonsils are so big they are almost touching! So we now have an appointment coming up with an ENT doctor to talk about taking them out! I pray it will be an easy process and that she will do well! In the end it will be better...just hate that she won't fully understand and she will be afraid! That breaks my heart!! :(

On a happy note Ed took the boys snowmobiling up in northern Maine and so Ella and mom decided to head to our home in North Carolina to escape the snow! We went to the beach today! Although it was windy..Ella loved playing in the sand! I can't wait for warmer weather until she can fully enjoy the beach! We went to the park and had a blast! So nice to be able to be outside! I am enjoying my time here in NC with her! The rocking chair that was in the boys rooms when they were younger is now here in our NC home! I have so loved rocking her the last two nights! I think she loves it too!

Growing up I had such a rough childhood and I always wanted that mother/daughter relationship! I never had that! I love love love my boys and have been blessed with an amazingly loving husband! I now...by the grace of god...have that relationship that a mother and daughter should have! I am in awe over this little angel that has just captured my heart!

I know that the lord doesn't always answer all our prayers! I have always trusted in him but I can't lie that there have been times I have questioned him! The old sayings..."have faith"...and "be patient , good things happen to those who wait!"....they are TRUE! My prayers have all been answered in the lords time! He had a plan for my life and it was my faith in him that made me continue to move forward!

I sit here such a happy mom, wife and woman! I have been blessed with the best family, friends and life!

Praise the lord...he is great!

Sent from my iPhone

Enjoying the view at home in North Carolina

Ella and mommy in North Carolina

Two months!!

So here we are just about two months since we got our little angel! We are still waiting for something to go wrong! She is perfect in every way and continues to amaze us! It's been a bit since I posted.....
Ella is now going to school from 12:30 to 2:30 each day....BY HERSELF!!! She is doing so well interacting with teachers and the kids! She brings smiles to the staff everyday! She is even doing well catching all the germs! We are home sick for the second time! It will take some time to build her immune system up to all these new bugs!

She is such a girly girl! She loves to be told how pretty she is and loves to dance! She has really bonded with daddy...which is the sweetest thing to watch! She was really attached to mom and didn't really have interest in dad if mom was around....now its different, she shares the love!! :)

She still doesn't care for the snow but is starting to show a little interest! There is just so much snow I think it's overwhelming!

She loves Dora...its really the only thing on tv that she has shown interest in! Still loves her noodles and rice...but is always willing to try new foods!

She is such a good girl and is learning new words each day! We can't say it enough...we are so so blessed with our angel!

Until next time....

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My princess Ella!

Ella getting pretty!

One month home!!!

Welcome Ella Party!!!