Happy 8th Birthday Mia!

We had dear friends over for lunch yesterday to celebrate Mia's 8th Birthday.  Mia calls this group The Jesus Club and the title is so appropriate.  We couldn't ask for better friends or should I say family? to help celebrate such an important day!

Happy Birthday Mia!  You are so loved!

Merry Christmas to You!

We love Christmas!  Here's a post that's all about the fun of Christmas.  I think Mia has enjoyed it more this year than any other.  She got into the magic of Santa and yet, she so fully embraced the true meaning of the season - our Savior and Lord.                                                                                

Feeding the Reindeer   

    

 Santa has already been here!

 All of us love puzzles!

Mia loved every gift she received!

We will truly miss Bijou and Chipper (formerly known as Reindeer).  We will miss the smiles in the morning when they brought something fun to do.  We will also miss the laughs when Bijou stole a puzzle piece and put it under his hat. We couldn't finish the puzzle!  We will also miss the laugh when he threw a puzzle piece next to us on the floor because he had hidden ANOTHER piece on another puzzle.  Can't wait to see both of you next year!

Christmas Photos

Here she is all dressed up and ready for Santa.

Beautiful Singing and Gotcha Day

I've since heard Gotcha Day is no longer the term to use to describe the very day the Chinese placed a most precious baby in my arms.  I will never forget that day even when memories begin to fade.  Mia was the most precious gift I have ever received or ever will receive.

James 1:17 says:
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

To me, there is no better term than Gotcha Day.  God Himself came down from Heaven and handed me Mia.  He had made me for no other purpose other than to get her.  

I tried to think of a way to capture in a photo the very essence of Mia, but I decided only these pictures can truly show who she is and what she is about.  In these pictures, she is waiting to begin singing in her school Christmas chorus concert and is talking to one of her very best friends, Olivia.  Enjoy!

Happy Gotcha Day, Mia!  We love you!

Making a Gingerbread House

I know I've said it before, but our local library is very special to us.  Mia was able to take a class on how to make a gingerbread house. They had quite a few chefs there to teach them. It ended up being just beautiful!

A Christmas Card Photo

It was so easy to choose our photo this year for the Christmas cards.  This picture captures everything about Mia that's beautiful.

Singing at Christmastime

Our church does an amazing Living Nativity every year.  We also have wonderful music.  Mia sang with the Hosanna Choir and also played her violin once again as a solo and a medley. We are very proud of her.

Thanksgiving in Nashville

We decided to go to Nashville this year on Friday after Thanksgiving.  We met my brother there and had a great time.  Two of the really fun things we enjoyed was ICE and The Rockettes.  This may have to become a tradition!

And to me, the very best part . . .

Attitude of Gratitude

Our church has the absolute best children's choir.  In the fall concert, Mia had a solo on the violin and also played a medley with other violinists.  She's only been taking violin lessons since January, so she really had to practice and did just great!

 Playing in the medley

 Playing a solo

Just Being Pretty

Dress Up and Halloween

Two things Mia decided very easily this year was what to wear for Occupation Day and what to wear for Halloween.  Occupation Day was easy - I want to be a pilot like Daddy!

Mia the pilot

 This was the pumpkin from Halloween carving with Alyssa and Kirsten

We had to trick or treat at Mrs. Carpenter's house (Mia and Alyssa's first grade teacher)

Oliver Twist at the Theatre

We have a good friend who loves to act - he's quite the character!  Mia and I had recently read Oliver Twist together and found out our friend would be in the play at our local theatre.  What a treat for Mia to meet all the cast, go backstage twice, and get everyone's autograph.  Here's a picture of Mia and Steve.

Newest Member of the Best Swim Team in the Area!

And it never hurts to have one of your very best friends on the team too (Olivia in the middle).  Mia is now on a competitive swim team and is enjoying her three days a week, hour long swims. She is in GREAT shape!

First Day of Second Grade

How can it be?  Mia is in second grade!  She absolutely loves her teacher!  Her teacher has two teenage Chinese girls she adopted when they were babies.  I know Mia is a reminder of when they were this age.

Our Usual Summertime Fun

This was Mia's summer for being chosen to go on stage!

Mia reading to the therapy dogs - what a treat! We will do this more next summer.

Here are some places we spent time this summer - our local library and the pool. Our library has the best children's programs during the summer.  We try not to miss a single one.  Mia also swam four hours a week on a plus swim team at a local private school.  By the end of the summer, she was very, very fit and ready for a more competitive team.

Chattanooga Trip for Memorial Day

We decided this year it was time to go the mountains.  My brother met us there and we had a wonderful time seeing everything there was to see.  Everywhere we go, Mia decides she wants to never leave and move there. This was no exception!