CaraBeth is 3!

Meghan worked hard making a Nemo cake for CaraBeth
All of us
She sang Happy Birthday along with the rest of us!

These pictures are from her party on Saturday. We had a house full of family and she had a great time playing with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Today is her actual birthday and at VBS she had a couple of special "happy birthday" moments including another cake! We'll celebrate again tonight with a couple more gifts from Mama and Daddy.

First thing she told us this morning was that she was 19! yikes! We think we finally got her to understand that she's only 3.

Two years ago....

Two years ago, on July 7, 2006, we received "the call" from our social worker that we had a possible referral for a baby girl in China. Minutes later, I received an email with these photos and information on Xi, Qian Ling. Just two days later she would be turning 1 year old while we celebrated her birthday and our referral. It would be 3 months later that we finally held her. Now, over a year and a half later, it seems she has always been with us!

Cousins

Cousin Paige gives CaraBeth a kiss!

Family 'cation Part III

Next year there will be one more in the pool!
The wind was cool so when CaraBeth got out of the water she was "sugaring" (shivering)
Connor shot this photo
and I shot this one

Family 'cation Part II

I'm sure Madison and Eric are up to something here
Connor
CaraBeth loved it when Meghan took her to the deep side of the pool
When we put CaraBeth in the baby pool, she threw herself into the water and started swimming! She was like a little fish from then on.
She looks a bit worried in this picture, but she laughed hysterically when they got to the side!

Our family 'cation Part I

This is typical for our family when we travel. We were only to be away 2.5 days, but we packed all of our food too because we were going to stay in a suite with a full kitchen.
Connor's favorite part of the resort was the slide pool
Duck faces
CaraBeth made herself "glasses" with the bagels we were taking to the geese on the lake

CaraBeth offers a flower

JUDO

Connor throws Eric
Madison's turn
Eric began coaching a Judo class a couple of weeks ago. Connor and Madison are both in the class and really enjoying it! Meghan has gone to observe a couple of times and now thinks she'd like to give it a try. I'm not really sure if I'm ready to go watch my girls get thrown around on a mat!