Ice skating revisited.

The video from Sunday night showed our girl hesitant, but at least happy. Here she was before the video started rolling. She couldn't wait to hit the ice but got pretty overwhelmed when she realized how difficult it was to stay upright.

And then the walkers came out! Ella isn't a huge risk-taker, so the walker really helped her feel comfortable. And her concentration was exceptional.

I just love the expression on her face...and her tongue! The more she concentrated, the more her tongue popped out.

JT keeping a watchful eye on his girl

And what could be better than ice skating for the first time, but to have some of her favorite muscians along for the night?! JT and Allison are our wonderful friends and currently traveling the states on tour. We were happy to open our home to them for a few days this week as they enjoyed some down time in between Midwest performances. Ella was equal parts bashful and in awe that we had others living with us. Alli introduce Ella to "Dinah", her new ukulele. Suffice it to say that Ella's fascination with anything resembling a guitar is over the top at this point. Ella got to strum the strings and touch "Dinah" with a wide-eyed grin. Their last night here, Alli serenaded Ella before bedtime. Sweet heavens, it brought me to tears...such a touching few moments.

JT (he really is that tall), Alli, Ella and Larry!

~H

We remember that crystal clear morning, bright blue sky and firecrackers.

Happy 2nd Forever Family Day to us!! There are some memories about that Sunday morning, halfway around the world in Kunming that are forever burned in my mind. And that clear air (not uncommon in Kunming), bright sun and the remnants of new year firecrackers popping loudly as we drove off with that pink-cheeked bundle in our arms are as bright as ever.


Lexie and her mama, Ella and her daddy

And her cheeks!

With her nannies from the orphanage

THE DAY WE ADOPTED YOU

“If we had it to do over again

Adoption is what we'd choose.

We got more than we had hoped for

The day we adopted you.

For you have given us more in life

Than we could ever want or need.

You made our house into a home

And made our family complete.

We love you more than life itself

for all the things you say and do.

And if we had it to do over again

You'd be the only one we'd choose..”

~Unknown

The last two years have gone so, so fast, haven't they? What a gift Guan Man Li has been to all of us. Thank you for being with us there, here and in the days to come.

~H, L & EML

Sunday night skate.

We have friends staying with us for a few days, so photos will have to come a bit later. I will leave you with this video of our girl's first try at ice skating. I can't get over how old she looks!

~H, L & EML

Bundle up girls, we are blowin' off the stink.

I think the pictures speak for themselves, including the March of the Pandas!!

Ella sporting her newly-knitted hat from Grandma.

A perfect cherry on top to a love-filled day was this piece that aired on a popular morning show. What a woman....what love.

~H

Shout it from the rooftops!

Happy Valentine's Day!! I love you, Ella-Land!!!

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be..*

And we think her laughter and giggles are some of the best around. When her giggles and my shutterbug finger line-up in perfected timing? Well, it is worth a blog post :)

Ella did me the honor of a fantastic dance party after Ah-men on Sunday. (Her first time at Ah-men without a diaper, I might add!) Larry put in my "I need a pick-me-up like no other" CD. It is the soundtrack from a movie that Whitney H. appeared in when things were better in her life. It is chucked full of spirituals. We marched and danced through the house with our shakers. Larry read the paper, occasionally glancing over the top of it to smirk at us. I think it was a fantastic tribute and probably not the last this week if Mama has anything to say about it.

~H

*Whitney Houston "Greatest Love of All" (1963-2012)

Ella the baker

We got a little baking done this evening in preparation for Tuesday.

And she's serious about her mixing duties.

And she's quite pleased with the finished product. But she's not so serious or willing to help with clean up...

H