Look What I Got Today!

A dozen roses for a dozen years! (on Sunday)

Happy 12th Anniversary to you, too, honey!

I love you!

Dawson's Baptism

So, to end a VERY busy weekend for us, we had Dawson baptized today.  He did great while we were up on the stage/chancel but he doesn't do very well trying to sit in church.  I took him back to the "cry room" when the sermon started and we stayed back there until the sermon was over.  I (and 2 other moms) decided that he (and their kids) would be in the nursery from now on so we could enjoy church.

We dressed him in a traditional Chinese suit that we had bought in China.  It was still too big so we had to roll up the pants.  It is a fairly warm outfit (being it's silk) so I changed him into something cooler right after the baptism was over.

Enjoy the pictures!

Dressed in his "finest"

 

Before church there were some baby bunnies to pet so Meighan went and held a couple of them.

Dawson wasn't sure about the bunny.

Tony trying to show Meighan how better to hold a bunny.

Family picture before church

The baptism

Dawson's First Mother's Day

We got up, ate breakfast and left for church early today.  Tony had been asked to help teach Meighan's Sunday School class.  Last year they started asking the dads to teach the Sunday School classes on Mother's Day to give the mom teachers a break.  Meighan's class was also singing at the beginning of the service so that made me decide to put Dawson in the nursery for the morning.  That way I could video the kids singing without having to watch him.  That worked out wonderfully!  After the kids sang and the teachers helped the dads take the kids back to class, I went and sat by myself for the service.  Kinda nice not having to watch a toddler during church!

Afterwards, I picked him up and Tony and Meighan were done, too.  The nursery people had made little handprint picture frames and so I have my first handprint of Dawson's!  Meighan's class colored papers to put inside mugs.

We got home about 11:50 from church and started getting ready for our families to come up for a cookout/potluck/picnic.  Everyone was to bring whatever meat they wanted to grill and then a dish to share.  Oh, my gosh!  We had SOOO much food!  It was kind of nice that Dawson fell asleep on the way home from church so he slept while we got everything ready.  When it was time to eat I got him up and changed him into something for playing in.  He sat on my lap and ate part of a cheeseburger patty, potato casserole, baked beans, strawberries and raspberry cake.  He also had a few bites of watermelon.  Geesh, this kid can eat!  There was also potato salad, carmelized onions, broccoli salad, potato chips.  We supplied limeade, pink lemonade, tea and water to drink.  If anyone went away hungry from this, they weren't hungry in the first place!

After we cleaned up, we gave Mother's Day cards/gifts.  I had printed out 3 different poses of the pictures that we had our friend take a couple weeks ago and put them in frames.  I gave our mom's the choice of which one they wanted.  If they chose the same one, I'd print another one.

They ended up choosing the same one so I went in and printed another one!

So after everyone left, I wanted to get a picture of me and my TWO kids!  It didn't go so well...

So, after everyone had naps and Dawson was obviously in a better mood, we tried again...

This is the only one that was in focus.  (I look kinda tired.)

Otherwise, this would have been the best one.

Happy Birthmother's Day!

Today is Birthmother's Day -- the day adoptees celebrate/remember/think about their FIRST mother.

Today I am specifically thinking about Dawson's birthmother.  We did learn some things about her while we were visiting the orphanage.  We learned that she was 18 years old and single.  She worked in a factory.  She spent 4 days holding her son, touching his soft skin, smelling him.  She walked into the nursery of the hospital one last time, kissed his sweet cheeks and laid her keys next to him.  She probably cried silent tears knowing she could not keep the baby that had grown inside her.  (Being a single mother in China is very difficult.)  She even left her motor scooter at the hospital (the key for it was on the keys left with her son).

I cannot imagine the feelings that went through her mind and body as she carried a baby she could not keep.  But I am so grateful to her for choosing life for her child when she could have easily chosen otherwise.  I wish she could know that her son is happy (he has a very cute laugh and smile) and he's learning so many things in his forever home and family.  I wish we could someday find her and thank her.

But this will have to do for now:

Thank you for giving our son life!  May God bless you, wherever you are!

These are the keys that Dawson's birthmother left with him,

his only connection to his birthmother.

The note that is with them says

"Xu Le An's birthmother's belongings"

and was probably written by hospital staff.

You Know You're An Adoptive Parent When...

1.  The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.

2.  You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.

3.  You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.

4.  The fact that, if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would be no orphans in the world, is convicting to you.

5.  You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.

6.  It drives you crazy when people ask you about your adopted child's "real" parents.

7.  You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth (2 years!).

8.  You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing where God calls you He will provide.

9.  You have ever taken an airplane ride half-way around the world with a child you just met.

10.  You believe God's heart is for adoption.

11.  You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.

12.  You know what the word "Dossier" means, and you can actually pronounce it!

13.  You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.

14.  You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have him or her in your life.

** One of my friends on Facebook posted this and I just had to share! **