Birthday Pictures

On Anna Li's 13th birthday we took her to Stix's (an Asian Steakhouse and Sushi Restaurant) for dinner. She loved the shrimp!! After dinner the servers walked out playing a drum and sung Happy Birthday to Anna Li... oh but first they announced to the entire restaurant.. "Attention everyone... Today is Anna Li's 13th birthday.. lets wish her a Happy Birthday!" and everyone clapped and cheered! It was great and Anna Li was grinning from ear to ear! They gave her an ice cream sundae but of course she was too full of shrimp to eat it! They also let her wear a big red chef's hat:) Her birthday party was this past weekend and she invited her friends to roller skate. I stayed for about an hour before I was hit with the flu!

After skating we went back to the house and more friends and family come over for presents and birthday cake. No worries.. I was locked away in the bed room keeping my germs to myself:)

Anna Li received lots of jewelry, MONEY, clothes, and her favorite ROLLER SKATES!!!!

Her birthday theme was Dogs!!! and she wanted a cookie instead of a birthday cake!!!

She had a wonderful birthday and I hate that I missed it all:(

Anna Li's Article

Several of you have wanted to read Anna Li's write up in the paper. It is now on-line!! You can go to www.cullmantimes.com and click on the Lifestyles section.

I have been really sick with the flu, sinusitus, bronchitus, and two ear infections so I haven't been able to post pictures from Anna Li's birthday party. I am starting to feel better except for the cough that just want go away. I head back to work in the morning. I have been in the bed for 5 days so needless to say I missed my girls first birthday in America:( It was heartbreaking but Chad took lots of pictures that I can't wait to post them!! She had a wonderful birthday!!

YMCA Fundraiser

Please take a moment to see what my friend Jill is doing with the YMCA:)
Here is the email she sent me. Join in and help out any way you can!

I'm working to raise money for homeless youth and youth leaving foster care who don't have support as they become independent adults. We've had a 42% increase in teens and young adults coming for help this year, and it's harder than ever to fundraise in such challenging economic times.

Here are three ways you can help--any or all of these makes a big difference in my world:

1. Click on this link and read about why I support what the YMCA is doing. Just takes a moment, and whether or not you donate, having more people know about our work helps.

http://seattleymca.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&eventID=501&participantID=1217

2. Make a donation to support foster and homeless youth becoming safe and stable.

3. Help me spread the word, or be a fundraiser for us--you can put a link to my fundraising site on your blog, myspace, facebook, or in twitter. And you can register and have your own fundraising page and send that out--super easy, and a fun way to do something to help teens and young adults in need.

I sure appreciate any assistance you can provide.

Thank you so much,

Jill

OMG! A SURPRISE PARTY!!!

OMG!! Anna Li had a surprise birthday party at school!!!! She came in the house with her arms full of presents and smile that was priceless. How blessed we are to have so many people that care so much for our little girl!! She walked in the door and said, "I love my birthday in America!" Oh sweet child, this is just the beginning.....

Happy Birthday Anna LI:)

Happy Birthday Anna Li!!! Mom and Dad love you very much:)

You are officially a teenager!

Tonight we will be celebrating Anna Li's 13th birthday!!! We are taking her out to eat and then to the store to buy ROLLER SKATES! Next weekend we will be having her birthday party. She and her friends will go rollerskating and then back to the house where friends and family will join us for cake and ice cream:)

I will post some pictures later on tonight!

Extra, Extra.. Read all about it:)

Look who scored a whole page in the paper:) The Cullman Times contacted us and asked if they could do an article about the newest addition to our family. After talking to Anna Li and making sure she was ok with the idea, we gave them the OK. I have known the reporter since she was in diapers:) so I felt completely comfortable with the idea and knew she would do a fabulous job! So, Anna Li is a big celebrity in town now! Sunday the preacher was so proud that he posted the article on the big screen. I am sad to say we missed it because we have a house full of sickness right now. Everyone at school was excited and Anna Li LOVED the attention:) This is actually the second time she has been in the Cullman Times. The first time she walked in a picture as the camera man was taking a picture of the police helicopter and it made the paper:) BUT, her celebrity status doesn't start there.... she made the Xining City Paper too! We were fortunate enough to get a copy of Anna Li in her local paper in China. Some important government officials (maybe like a mayor) visited the orphanage and who else but Anna Li would end up getting her picture in the paper with them:)

Our little peanut:)

I am 7 weeks and 4 days pregnant AND we have an official due date!! Baby Gray is due September 18th..... 11 days after Colin's 5th birthday:)

Speaking of birthdays.... Anna Li will be turning 13 on Friday the 13th! She is so excited!!!!!

Chinese New Year

We celebrated Chinese New Year with our Athens Family with Children from China group on Friday night. We had a marvelous time and all of the kids looked so adorable:) However, I left my camera at home....agh!!!!! I will post some pictures of my kids as soon as I get my hands on some. We had a photographer at the event so I know I will have some soon:)

Why I left my camera at home????? It was Friday... the end of the month....income tax time...pay day... all these combined can make a day at the bank more than chaotic! I did so good staying on top of everything all day because I wanted to get out on time..... THEN... a lady comes in at one minute till closing and wants to do an hours worth of banking in 1 minute! Aghhh! I put on my fake smile and somehow managed to get out fifteen minutes later. (Just in time to run home, get the family, and make the hour drive to Athens while my camera sat at home on the kitchen table:(