Beautiful Texas Bluebonnets & Beautiful Texas Girls

First the FUN shots!!

My absolute favorite picture of them all.
See Miss Hopie really can smile!!

Beautiful Sunnie Kay
Beautiful Hope Marie

When one of them looked perfect the other was not even looking at the camera...cute anyway huh!!

Today Misty and I took pictures of Sunnie and Hope in the Texas Bluebonnets. It was quite an experience!! We have mentioned before how difficult a subject Miss Hope Marie about having her picture taken...and today was no exception but it was a lot of fun. She and Sunnie had a lot of fun and I will post quite a few of the pictures, but you cannot imagine how many times we said "Hey Hope look here" or "Hey Hope smile for Mom."

Sunnie is so very cooperative and is always smiling but occasionally as you will see even Sunnie was a little off in a couple pics. I am going to add a few where one of them looks sooooooo cute and the other a little silly or in Hope's case not smiling.

Hope is really a very happy little girl and does smile a lot it is just very difficult to catch that smile when she knows you have a camera!!!

Hope Enjoying Springtime

Hope is becoming a country girl. She went to the barn to see a new calf on Sunday. She sat with Grandma for a picture. On Saturday she was at Jeff and Bethany's for hot dogs and enjoyed the flowers.

Famous Last Words

"Heyyy"
Swatting a Gallow Nipper

Take me out to the ballgame

I used to read the blogs of people who were adopting from China and I was usually disappointed when after they were home from China they didn’t post as much as before they went. I told myself that we wouldn’t be like that, that we would be posting even more when we got our little girl home. “ Famous last words.” Now I see why they slow down on their posting. We have hundreds of things that we would like to tell on the blog and about one one/ hundredth of the free time that we had before.

Not that we are complaining. We are having the time of our lives, just using so much of that time that there’s very little left over for the outside world. I can’t speak for other adoptive parents but for us one reason is Hope’s need for almost continual attention. She is doing very well, learning English quickly, expanding her vocabulary daily, but she has definite issues with what I suppose is fear of abandonment. When some of the rest of the family are here she practically ignores us, but if it is just me or Becky she demands quite a bit of attention.

She has advanced to the point that she will play out of my sight for short periods, but not without checking on me fairly often. Of course, I am keeping closer tabs on her than she may know, but I want to see her gaining the security and confidence that we are here to stay. Yesterday I told her to watch me out the window while I stepped out and fed the dogs. The window is only a few feet from the patio door and I would only be out of her sight for maybe one second. She would have none of it. She stamped her feet and tuned up to cry while holding her arms up toward me. I picked her up and held her closely while stepping out in the cool breeze.

I’m not sure if everyone will understand, but we are willing to do whatever it takes to make the process of her learning to completely trust us as easy as possible. I am still working evenings and staying with her during the day. The fences are going to pot, the yard needs mowing, we haven’t planted a single thing, and we really don’t care. Those things may have to wait, but we know that eventually Hope will have full assurance in her heart that we are hers and she is ours forever.

Ronnie

Tyler and Hope

Tyler never seems to be around when we are taking pictures. The other day he was looking at the blog and decided there were just not enough pictures of him with Hope. So right them we took some pictures.

Oh and never fear, Misty is behind Tyler the whole time Hope is sitting on his shoulders!!

Becky.

Enjoying Our Little Hopie

Baseball Season Again...we have really looked forward to Hope experiencing the fun and excitement of all the kids playing baseball this spring!!
Going for a walk my Sissy and my Jei Jei

Can you tell I like my Jei Jei (Chinese for Big Sister, Hope cannot say Bethany yet)

Flip-flops on a blacktop country road.

Caleb is my Buddy

Sissy is lots of fun.

I finally looked at the camera after about 20 takes...

Sunnie and Hope wore their matching

Chinese dresses to church.

What a sweetie pie!!

I'm finding very little time to be at the computer lately. Hope keeps us very busy and very tired. She is so full of life and fun. The last 3 months have been wonderful. During the 2+ years of waiting for her referral I tried to imagine what life would be like after we had her home. Not one scenario I imagined can compare to the real thing. She is such a joy to be around and so very much fun. I love everything about having her in our lives. She is so precious. Right now she is sleeping in my lap at 4:50 in the afternoon. I usually try to not let her nap after about 3:00 but she has been very very active this afternoon...her niece and 3 of her nephews were here and all I can say is it was FUN. She is beautiful and sweet and lovable and precious. Do I sound like a proud Mom?

I thought I would post a few more pictures of Hope...She is changing every day and we are watching a real transformation before our eyes. The little girl the referral papers described as timid and introverted certainly does not fit that mold now!!

If anyone reading this is considering adoption from China or anywhere else my advice to you is if you love children and have the resources (both financial and emotional) to raise a child then... just do it! After our visit to the orphanage and now seeing how Hope has blossomed into such a happy little girl, we would really consider adopting again but since the rule changes were put in place we do not fit the age requirements anymore. I saw so many little children in the orphanage who need homes and am somewhat puzzled that it take so long when there are so many children needing forever families.

Becky

Another Photoshoot

"Just a mimmit"
"Looky there"
"Don't hate me because I am beautiful"

"Come here Sunnie!"

Hope in Action

Hope getting a bath and having her hair styled.

A few more views of the Easter fun.