Favorite Photo Friday "Our Little Flower Girl"

Last weekend we spent a few days in "the windy city" AKA Chicago for my sisters

 wedding.  The wedding was beautiful and we had a wonderful time but this

mama was totally excited as she had all four of her kiddos together for the first

time since Labor Day!  Daniel flew in from North Carolina and it was wonderful to

see him and spend time together!

We just finished getting our little flower girl ready!  Those of you with a beloved

little Asian princess I can share with you that you need LOTS of setting and hair

spray if you want curls in their hair:)

We were downstairs waiting for the limo to pick us up and take us to the

wedding. I knew it had been a busy semester but when I look at this photo...let's

just say I'm excited to have a few weeks off for some R & R and to get

reacquainted with the gym!

The limo has arrived!

Sitting with Aunt Tiana in the really big car!!

We arrived and the first place Gabriella wanted to go was to check on Aunt Kris,

the beautiful bride!

Too cute!

Hanging out with papa and grandma before the wedding:)

She has her flowers...

we were all wondering if she would drop them down the isle??

First we had to check out the "twirl factor" of the dress...thankfully this one

passed:)

Then a quick photo shoot with the ring bearer...yes, Jack, Kris and Kevin's dog

drove in all the way from New York to serve as the ring bearer...he even shared a

 few words during the ceremony!

Here we go....

And she's doing it!!!

She did great until she saw where I was sitting...

Then quickly ran to me to join us towards the front.  Great job baby girl!!!

Kris being escorted down the isle with dad:)

Mr and Mrs Kevin Mano!!!!

Peeking to check out what's for dinner.

The girl LOVES the smell of roses. 

Gavin is an INCREDIBLE cousin to Gabriella and Gabriella loves him to pieces!! 

 He is soooo very patient with her!  You can tell he is used to being a big brother

 and he is wonderful with younger kiddos:) 

Our oldest "baby" boy who just turned 21!  Doesn't he look great in purple!

Our little princess LOVES and I mean LOVES to dance.  I'm totally convinced she

is praying as she "patiently" waits for the dance floor to open up and she can

finally begin to dance!

And it did!  Enjoy yourself baby girl!  You did an awesome job and we couldn't be

 more proud of you!!!

 

Gingerbread Houses with the Chinese Playgroup!

Friday evening was a very special night!  It wasn't just the fact that it was

Gabriella's first time decorating a gingerbread house or that it was some quality

 mother daughter time..

Or the fact that we were able to play with icing and have a few bites of sugary

candy:)

It was special because of who we were able to do it with!  We were invited to our

local China Family Playgroup and we couldn't have had a better time!! 

 We were with several other mom's and daughters who looked just

like us!  We don't want to leave out a very cute little boy with his mama too! 

I can't even begin to describe what a wonderful feeling it was to be surrounded

with other mom's who have "BTDT" and are doing it now!  Mom's of young

children, elementary school children and even some beautiful high school girls! 

The bond with other families who have also adopted from China is simply

instant.  We all love to hear each others stories of how God hand picked each

child for our families and all the events that lead up to our precious little ones

being placed in our arms half the world away.  We can talk openly, ask questions

learn and support each other on this amazing journey that God has called each of

us on! 

Gabriella was so sweet!  After decorating gingerbread houses several of us went

out to a new Chinese Habachi buffet that wasn't only wonderful ,but very

reasonably priced; and when you have teenage boys that is a great

option!   While there she wanted to make sure she included some of her adopted

friends so she asked for my phone and began showing pictures of she and Emme,

 her first dear little friend in our home town that she met when she came home

from China and she misses greatly!  After Emme she showed pictures of

"mei, mei" Emily, her sweet foster sister in China who now lives just a few hours

away and of Hannah, her newest friend where we live now!   We feel so fortunate

that God has filled our lives with so many families who 

have been blessed through adoption!