Sad News...

We just received an e-mail from CCAI. Michael Wei, our amazing, generous, and loving guide we had on our adoption trip has suddenly passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage. Any family who has been on the journey of international adoption knows the importance of the guides in your new life as a family. We were blessed to have had such a wonderful experience with a truly wonderful man. This is truly heart-breaking and a tragic loss for any future adoptive families and especially his family and eight year old son. Please keep his family in your prayers.

CCAI has established the Michael Wei Memorial Fund for his family and in particular, Michael’s eight-year-old son, Wei, Song Bo. Should you wish to contribute, please indicate on your donation the “Michael Wei Memorial Fund” and send your donation to CCAI at 6920 S. Holly Circle, Centennial, CO 80112. If you prefer to contribute through their secure website, please visit www.chinesechildren.org, select “Charity Outreach”, and select “Make a Donation”.

The one picture of Michael is when we were filling out paperwork right before receiving the babies and the other photo is Michael making silly faces at Jetty on one of our outings in Nanning.

Paddle Board

Doug rented a paddle board the other day to see how the girls would like paddling. Needless to say it was a big hit so we are now proud owners of a stand-up paddle board. Ella was hesitant at first but soon hopped on and said "off to Siberia"(her favorite quote from the original Cat and the Hat cartoon). We brought it back a few days later and it was very windy and choppy but both of the girls sat right up by the nose with their legs crossed. The photos are from the first day.

My Little Kayaking Partner

I have made a pact with myself to get out on the kayak once a week and I am very lucky to have a very cooperative child. We have had both of the girls in the kayak since a year old but Ella never took to it like Jetty. Well, Ella has matured quite a bit since last year and I took her out with me last Friday. She was such a great little partner and completely happy to look for hermit crabs in the shallow water as we glided along. We were lucky enough to be joined by my good friends, Libby(my sister in law)and Wendy. Our plan is to try to make it a weekly women's kayak trip. There is something empowering about being a group of women on the river and in control of their own boats. Okay, so I won't mention the trip before that when Libby and I got a little backwards in the backwaters(mangroves)and it was fisherman that helped us find the river again. Other then that we are usually in control of our boats.

Happy St. Patricks Day

I hope everyone is enjoying their Corned Beef and Cabbage today. Jetty had a brilliant idea after school yesterday to make a trap for a leprechaun. We found a box in the studio and Ella and Jetty decorated it to look like a Leprechaun's house. Complete with rainbows and a nice faux wood door. I love the "caught you trap" sign. We rigged it with a string attached to a gold coin.

I have never seen the girls so quick to get out of bed in the morning even on Christmas. They were so excited to lift up the box but that Leprechaun is very fast and our trap not quick enough. He was nice enough to leave a note and some stickers for the girls to enjoy. Notice the little green footprints heading out the door with a trail of gold coins.

I can't take any credit for the footprints because my Mom has done it for years. She is so amazing she stretches it out a whole week at her lab school and even has footprints going up the walls. Have a great St.Patricks Day!

Ella's Art

After boasting about Jetty's bike race it is time for a little Ella bragging. This is the art work I found her creating on the chalkboard the other day. Kids artwork makes me smile and I just love finding their sweet artwork all around the house. I love the expression on his face. When I asked her about the lines on his body she said "they are his brains." Love it!