How Lilee spent her 1st Gotcha Day!

We went to the Columbia, SC Zoo for Lilee's special day. We met up with 4 other Guatemala adoptive families all from SC.

Our Family

Our Crew

Mommy and the girls

Joel in front of the aquarium. Yes, Joel has lost another tooth!

Siah in front of the shark tank. He is sporting his new hat he got for his B/D.

Looking at the penguins.



We saw Flamingo's....

turtles.....

giraffe's.......


elephants....

and monkey's that do tricks.


The kids feed the birds......


and the giraffe's.

Jordan showing Lilee the Elephants.



Joel with the girls.


The girls with Maya and sweet little Maria.

The girls with their new friend Anna. Anna just came home from Guatemala 3 days before.


The girls with their new friends Sabrina and Amaya.

Happy 1st Gotcha Day Lilee!!!

One year ago today Lilee came home after a horrific 17 month wait. Today she has been home for a whole year. Alot has changed in a year. She has made a perfect fit into our family and into all our hearts. Lilee is a smart, beautiful, and funny little girl with a BIG attitude!She knows how to boss her daddy and brothers around already! She is talking in small sentences and she loves Hannah Montanna and Zack and Cody (from the suite life) , she also loves to sing and dance. She is a true girly girl (YAY!!!) and a little priss pot! We Love You Lilee and could not imagine life with out you! My heart ached for you to be home with your family where you belonged and now you are here!!

Here are some recent pictures I took of her in her Guatemala dresses, I bought her in Antigua on a few of my many trips over there.

Lilee one year ago waiting at the Westin patiently until time to leave for the airport.

All ready to go home in her home coming outfit leaving the hotel.

Having a little snack while waiting to board the plane.

Meeting her brother Joel for the first time. He was the only one that had not gotten to go to Guatemala to meet her.

One year ago all our5 kids were together and home for the 1st time!

Happy Birthday Nana!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Some pictures from Siah's B/D!

Here are a few pictures I took of Josiah out at on our land today. It was a bit to bright. He did not want to go out to eat, just order in pizza and have his cake. Tonight he is having a sleep over in his daddy's building (Man Cave).

His NC State cake.....

and his NC State sheets that he wanted. (weird a child wanted sheets, but that works!)

Its a bit blurry but still cute!

Happy Birthday Siah!!!!!

Can you believe my 2nd born is 11 years old today??!!! Happy Birthday Josiah, We LOVE YOU so much and are very proud of you!Here is a little update on our big Birthday Boy. He is in the 5th grade this year (his last year in Elementary) and is doing very well. He is also in Awana's at church and will be in our Church's Christmas Play this year. Josiah is also waiting for Basketball to start up in Nov. His favorite sports team is the College NC State. These are a few pictures I took of him recently. I will be adding more from today so check back in later. PLEASE leave Josiah a happy Birthday Comment!!! He was so sad that he didn't have many messages on his last post. My kids love checking the comments! Thanks in advance! You can see from my last post how much he has grown and changed since last year. Also today is my mom and dad's 33rd Ann. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. (See picture below)

Happy #33 Mom and Dad!

One year ago today.... (part 3)

Day 3 ... Was Lilee's Embassy Day. We had to get up bright and early to make it from Antigua to Guatemala City for our apt. It was so early I did not sleep all night for fear of not waking up in time. On our way back from the apt. we drove up a mountain to were the cross over looks Antigua. I had always wanted to go there but they said it was to dangerous. So I hired our driver to take us to the cross and he even walked us down to the cross for safety and took pictures of Josiah and I together. Lilee was a sleep in the van with our facilitator. There were a few police up there to gaurd also. I am so glad we went. It was breath taking!

Josiah waiting for that cloud to move so he can see Volcano Agua.

This was the first chance I had to take pictures of Lilee in her Embassy apt outfit. We were all way to tired to take pictures before we left at 5 am.

"What mom you said we are almost ready to go home, well lets go then."

This was one tired baby!

There's a little smile....

Lilee loves flowers and loves to smell them.

" YAY!! We are all done with the Embassy and now we only need to pick up my visa tomorrow."

That evening after a good rest we shopping at the market and then went to celebrate at Santo Damingo for dinner and walk around to look at their museum and ruins.

A view of volcano Fuego, it is a live volcano that erupts a few times a day.

A peak of the twin volcano Acatenageo.

My happy boy getting ready to eat dinner. The next day he celebrated his 10th Birthday.