And We’re Off…

Hannah and I are excited to be trading in our warm woollies for summer clothes and sun!  Bright and early tomorrow morning we're winging our way south with Nana and Papa to visit my parents for a week.  Mom and Dad have rented a house in Florida for the month of November so we're popping down for a visit with Grandma and Grandpa.  Hannah and I can't wait to spend the week with both sets of her grandparents!  Let the spoiling begin!!

Tuesday will be extra exciting as it will be Hannah's first official visit to Walt Disney World as we go to the Magic Kingdom Tuesday followed by Epcot on Wednesday!  Breakfast with the princesses in Norway.  Can you imagine the cuteness??

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that Hannah’s first Disney trip would be in the company of the 4 people who mean so very, very much to us.  God is SO good!

We'll be sharing our trip with you while we're away and I promise not to bore you with too many pics.  Who am I kidding?  Of course there will be pictures galore and some great videos too! 

And we're off...to the Happiest Place on Earth!

True Confessions :o)

Before Hannah was placed in my arms I had many thoughts, dreams and ideas about how the day might go.  One thing I never pictured in my wildest dreams was how Norma and I would cap off this most amazing day.

Hannah had been fed and was sleeping peacefully in the Baby Bjorn while we sat and talked in our room and, stared and stared at my beautiful baby girl.  I wanted to immediately memorize each and every bit of her and truly could not imagine putting her down for the night.  Maybe I could sleep sitting up so that I could continue to hold her, feel the beat of her little heart against mine and feel the warmth of her breath on my neck?

I truly can’t remember how the idea came about but this is the way we decided to wind down after the excitement of the day.  I know I was far from sleep as the adrenalin was still flowing so we ventured downstairs and topped off the day with…pedicures!  :o)  LOL!

It was a fun, memorable treat and the last pedicure I had for almost 8 months.   Sleep still did not come easy that night as I spent much of it watching and listening for Hannah.  I was still in shock…my daughter was asleep beside me and I could reach into her crib and touch her at any given moment!!!  And you know what?  That’s exactly what I did….and still do every single night!!!

Celebrating Forever Family Day

Hannah and I enjoyed a delicious dinner with Auntie Norma and Uncle John to celebrate our First Forever Family Day.  My parents are already in Florida so they were unable to join us but we Skyped with them later in the evening.

We went to a local Chinese buffet and it was neat to bump into another family who were also there celebrating their Forever Family Day for their daughter whom they brought home from China 2 years ago.  Small world!

Happy Family Day Hannah!!  Mommy loves you SO MUCH!!!

Hannah and I are forever blessed!  I can say there are many days that I still pinch myself to believe how wonderfully my life has changed.   God is so good and I am forever grateful to Him for bringing Hannah and I together as a family!!!

Forever Family Day!!! Together One Year!

Today is a day of great celebration!!!  It was one year ago today that God brought Hannah and I together as Mother and Daughter!!  He had the day planned long ago, and November 2, 2009 was that day!

‘Your eyes saw my unformed body; 
  all the days ordained for me were written in your book 
  before one of them came to be.‘

Psalm 139:16

Here are some links to last year’s posts for any who are interested in reading them again….or for the first time.

Hannah is Here!!!

Sorry Folks…More Tomorrow

Oh What a Great and Glorious Day!!!  Hannah is HERE!!! – Part 1

Oh What a Great and Glorious Day!!!  Hannah is HERE!!! – Part 2

Oh What a Great and Glorious Day!!!  Hannah is HERE!!! – Part 3

It is less than an hour from now that time that Hannah was placed in my arms 1 year ago!  Wow!!!  I have been consumed with the thoughts of this wonderful day for the past number of weeks.  God was so good (and continues to be :o) in that He created Hannah with the most amazing, wonderful, delightful personality!   I am forever blessed to call this precious gift of God my daughter!

Mom, Dad and I on our way to the Hunan Adoption Administration & Service Centre.  The last time we would be a family of only 2 generations!

The official ‘Notice of Travelling’ stating I was able to adopt Yong Xiao Fen…my amazing Hannah XiaoFen!!

Excited Mommy getting out of the bus on our way into the Adoption Center!

Just moments before she was placed in my arms.   This was her travel nanny and the assistant director of the DaoXian SWI.  (I am SO thankful for this picture as until last week I didn’t realize Norma had captured this moment.  Thank you Norma!!)

This one was taken within a minute of the one above but it captures Hannah’s life changing forever as she moves from the arms of the loving caregivers in her orphanage to Mommy’s loving arms!!!

In these first few pictures Hannah was pretty stoic but as you’ll see, that didn’t last for long.  As for me,  I was already totally, completely, 100% in love!!!

Overcome with emotion

Within minutes of meeting!!

Checking Mommy out

First picture with Grandma and Grandpa

Meeting Auntie Norma

I still love the feeling of this precious little hand on my face.

Very quickly there were smiles, giggles and coos.  God is SO good!!  HE had prepared both Hannah and I for this exact moment in time.

 

Last year at this time Hannah and I were all but strangers to one another.  Tonight as I’ve worked on this post I’ve responded to her gentle, sleepy requests for ‘Mama?’ as she calls from the room next door, just making sure Mommy is near. Going in I reassure her, hold her, rock her and rub her little back.  All to reassure her that all is well.   And I love that time too!  Never enough time to hold my baby close.

Oh yes, the sweetest word ever….Mama!!!

These pictures are from a year ago and yet just moments ago it was lived out again.  Hannah is much longer now and her beautiful head rests on my shoulder, but that same beautiful rosebud mouth still graces the face of my precious sleeping baby.

Happy Forever Family Day Hannah XiaoFen!!  Mommy loves you more than words can express!!!

Thank you Lord for bringing Hannah and I together as Mother and Daughter.

My Sweet Little Strawberry

Last night Hannah had her first Trick or Treat experience and she had lots of fun!  I’m not convinced that she knew what people were putting into her bag; she just enjoyed going from house to house, climbing up the big steps, jumping down them as we left each one and talking to the people who answered the door.  She was beyond adorable in her little strawberry costume and I lost track of the number of people who called other family members to the door to see the adorable little strawberry!  True to form she waved and called out ‘Bye’ as we left each house.

Earlier in the day we had lunch at Nana and Papa’s where she surprised them by putting on her costume after lunch.  They thought she looked adorable and judging by her looks in the mirror I think she was pretty pleased with herself too!

 

We went Trick or Treating with her cousins at Uncle Dave and Aunt Trish’s house.  Here she is with Pirate Noah.

Cousin Makenna made an adorable ladybug.

Hannah and the boys – Justin (top), Josh (left) and Noah.

Jumping strawberry!

Hannah and her stash after we got home. Considering her total candy intake today has been 5 little M&M’s I’m guessing the majority of this will head to work with mommy to share with others there. 

What fun it was to go out with my little strawberry!  I’m not a huge fan of Halloween and will say that it will probably be a year to year decision as to how we will/will not participate but for this year it was wonderful to dress my sweetie up in a cute little costume and enjoy and evening out with her as she made other people smile, just like she does to me every single day!