Happy Gotch'a Day Gabriella

You're come a long way baby!!!!! Look at these amazing pictures.................8 years ago today this was our tiny, itty biddy Gabriella in Orenburg, Russia. Ryan and I flew twice to Russia to complete the necessary paperwork and to finally adopt little Gabriella. Can you believe this baby was a failure to thrive baby, malnourished beyond anyone's imagination, and labled mild to moderate brain damage, with under lying potential of but not limited to; liver and kidney damage, possible cystic fibrosis, and rickets. We fell in love with her instantly by looking at her picture and we say "yes" instantly.

This was the very first time we laid eyes on Gabriella, who was already named Yulia. She definately had orphanage delays at 9 months of ago. Were we scared----YES. Did we ever think what the heck are we doing---NO! We had faith on our side and everything felt---PERECT!! Gabriella spent her first 11 months in the worst orphanage I will ever see in my life! I will never forget the screaming, the secretiveness, the horrible rancid smells that I still don't really know what it was, the limited electricity, the coldness. It was a very lonely place no child should ever see. Orenburg is on the way southern city that actually borders Mongolia. This bridge was a walking bridge to Mongolia. Ryan and I tried walking to Monglia but were stopped by some not -so-nice looking soldiers carrying 2 machine guns. So we can't actually say we've been to Mongolia...but about 22 feet away!

This was the hotel we stayed in the first time we traveled. At night Ryan and I pushed the beds together to keep warm. And also because I was scared of the scratching noises we heard at night. There was no question the old old old hotel had rodents of some kind living in the walls.

On our second trip to Orenburg, we traveled with Ryan's aunt Becky and uncle Dale to accompany us and help us. Partly because we were scared traveling, thought it wise to travel with another couple and partly because we wanted company for the long 3 week journey. This picture is Ryan and I standing outside the Orenburg court and the judge has just approved us to be Gabriella Yulia Hope's parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gabriella was still at the orphanage. We left the court building and rushed to get her!!!

Once we left Orenburg and flew to Moscow we felt better and safer. Here we are having a celebration dinner in Moscow. What a celebration it was.

You can already tell that Gabriella looks healthier in the 2 weeks we had her in Russia. It's amazing what a little nutrition and medicine can do to a baby! She already is looking so much better!!!!!!!! Here's her first smile.

Happy Gotch'a Day my beautiful girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My world is a much better place with you in it!!!!!!!!!!! We love you to pieces and are so proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Highlights from the Week

I thought I would post some pics of the week and happenings that have taken place!!!!!
The week started out with a super-duper BIG surprise!!!!!!! Momma bought (notice I didn't say daddy...he voted against it and was vetoed!!!) a playhouse for the backyard!! It was a total surprise to them!!!! I woke them up early Saturday morning and lined them all up on the couch. Then I raised the blinds and they saw the playhouse sitting outside on the trailer!!! They all screamed and lost it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so fun to see their little faces and the excitement in their eyes!!!!!

The playhouse is beautiful and the kids LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!!!!!!! We've already laid cartpet in there and decorated it!!!! I hope it will be something that they will always rememeber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Jocelyn is a reader!!!!!!!! She reads everything she can get her hands on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She has gained a tremendous amount of confidence this year and has learned that she can sound out and spell just about anything. I am so proud of her! She is a very serious student. Unlike her brother sitting next to her!

Ahnya is such a honey! Always a sweetheart and always with her blankie. Wherever she goes-the blankie goes, too!

Gabriella has grown up to such a big sister! She is a wonderful helper and is learning that mom says "yes" more if she helps out without asking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today the kindergarteners went next door to Hill Street to sing to the residents!!! I took Ahnya and Magnus with me to listen to the kids sing their beautiful praises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here's Jocelyn, Lily and Halle in their HRS shirts!

It was a great week!!! Lots happening!!! Wonderful weather!!!!!! Ryan traveled the whole week and is back now...thank goodness! I am exhausted and feel like I have been run over by a giant truck! But that's what weekends are for, right? To rest up and get ready for another! Wishing you a wonderful weekend and hope you have beautiful spring time weather, too!!

Birthday Girl Turns 7!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Jocelyn Ka In!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We celebrated Jocelyn's 7th birthday today!!!!!!!!Jocelyn started her birthday with breakfast in bed!!!!!!! Actually, momma's bed!!!!!!! Why not...someone is always sleeping in momma's bed!!! She ordered her breakfast the night before so momma could get it ready. Good thing she picked an easy one! Fresh fruit and OJ! Perfect!!!!!! Here's all the kids in bed this morning at 7:00 a.m. I seriously can't tell who's happier...can you?!All smiles...................................................................
We went out for dinner tonight to celebrate the BIG day!! Jocelyn picked pasta night at the Bistro!! Nana and Bumpa joined us, too! They are back from Arizona!!! After dinner we came home and had cake and opened presents!!! All the kids gave Jocelyn gifts. Some favorites are Mermaid Tale 2 Barbie and friends, "Winter" the life size dolphin, barbie DS game, and an ipod nano with ear buds!!!

The favorite gift of the day was the life size dolphin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

..........................my creative BIRTHDAY banner I made in my "free" time! Not bad!
Magnus has so many nicknames!!!!!!!!!!! Lately, we've been calling him Potroast, Meatball, Slim, Mr. Shu, Night Mare on Lawrence Street (that's only if he's been really really naughty.....like throwing my contacts away in the garbage, coloring on mommy's wall, setting off my car alarm when I am grocery shopping, sticking my favorite lip gloss in his diaper, fishing in the toilet, etc, etc, etc.) All the kids around the table ready to attack the cake!!!!!!!!! I think Ahnya is addicted to cake!!! Seriously....she LOVES chocolate cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And will do anything for cake. She didn't eat all day...because she was waiting for CAKE!
These two are inseperable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Jocelyn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We love you forever and ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Birthday Party FUN!!!!!!

Jocelyn celebrated her upcoming birthday with her kindergarten friends on Saturday at the YMCA!!!!!! She had 14 friends come and play and they all had a blast!!!!!

I can't believe Jocelyn turns 7 on Tuesday, March 6th!!!! She is precious inside and out!!!!!!!!!! I can't help but think how proud her birth mother would be.

The girls played in the Y Hopper, made some crafts, played games, had pizza and birthday cake, and then swam in the pool!!!!

A party is never a party without BIRTHDAY CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...........................................Yummmy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Silly, silly, silly girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for all the beautiful birthday gifts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's Breanna A. in the pool with the girls! I had three helpers in the pool with the girls!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Breanna, Alyssa and Adrianna for swimming with the girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Court Proceedings Gone Wrong

Today was our final Re-Adoption court proceeding in the Lyon County courtroom! We've done this three times prior with the girls and today was suppose to go smooth!!!!!! Easy peeeezzzzy!!! Zip in...and zip out!! No such luck....

Magnus' court proceeding failed! Ryan, I and the kids were in the courtroom when Judge Bush declared the paperwork was wrong and he would not sign the Re-Adoption because Magnus came home on an IH-3 visa. And the Minnesota statute only states an IR-3 visa is acceptable. I'll skip the rest of the legal mumbo-jumbo....but Ryan and I left the courtroom this afternoon with a failed court proceeding and unsuccessful re-adoption.
Look at this face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Magnus is totally sick and tired of listening to this judge!!! Mommy is too!

Here is the lil' man all dressed up for his big day that ended with an unsuccessful outcome!!!

No worries!!! Magnus' adoption was complete and final in China. Nothing is going to happen...our family is fine! Magnus is forever ours. It is just strongly suggested in Minnesota that families go through re-adoption proceedings. We HAVE to complete the re-adoption in order to get a Minnesota Birth Certificate and Passport. So while the adoption is final and already completely legal...we have to re-adopt to get the US paperwork.

Magnus was so funny today! I was cracking up the whole time PRIOR to the judge declaring our proceeding was unsuccessful.

Here's the whole gang!
So it looks like we put or celebration on hold and get a lawyer to help us through this legal mess of unjustice. Lesson of the day: When life gives us lemons...we just make lemonade!!!

My little poopsie!

Minnesota Fun

Here are some pictures from our fun weekend at the lake. I forgot to post these last week! The girls and I did some good old fashion ice skating on Lake Reno!!! It was so much fun!! We had a blast!!! Daddy and Magnus stayed inside and out of trouble.

Valentines Day!!

We had a fun Valentines Day!! Here's some pictures I wanted to share!!! Gabriella woke up all smiles on Valentines Day! She knew it was an extra special day!!! Breakfast was blueberry waffles with whip cream!!!!!

Jocelyn was happy to get her special gifts on Valentines day, too! She loved the new shirt....but loved the chocolates even MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahnya and Magnus hung out with me for our usual day at home playing and picking up! They are soooo busy together and are playing better with each other all the time. These two are so cute!

Ahnya is always a character...and always silly....but mostly just melts your heart! You can see Magnus a tiny bit laying next to her watching every little thing she does.

And last but not least...baby Magnus! He'll be 23 months old next week and growning and growing. Momma's little tiger boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!