A Year Ago - Oct 31, 2006

Gracie Day October 30, 2007

Today, we celebrated having Gracie one full year. We read the book "I Love you like Crazy Cakes" many times over the last few days and talked alot about what happened a year ago. I asked her many questions, were you sad when we got you, were you mad, did you like the orphanage, did you like the plane ride, were you glad to get a mommy, daddy and brothers... She answered them all the same - dyea (her form of yes- with a d sound in front :o) She also would go get that book whenever we talked about it, so maybe she connects something! Joey, Gracie and I went to eat at a Chinese restaurant to celebrate (and also to celebrate Joey getting his drivers permit!!! :o):) Wade is in Boise, and Kirk is in Columbus OHio at a conference :o( We missed both of them today! But we are so very thankful what God has done over the past year. It is truly a miracle!

Gracie- Gotcha Day 10/30/2006

These were scenes from a year ago in China.

Nanchang October 29, 2006

Nanchang Hotel- Getting ready for Gracie to be with us the next day! Enjoying our last evening as a family of 4!

Hong Kong Oct 28, 2006

Our last picture as a family of 4 in a coffee shop high above Hong Kong!

Just a year ago today.....

Just a year ago today, we boarded a plane for China for our journey to Grace! Here's the entry in our last blog -

"Hi from Hong Kong! We got out of Denver in a snow storm Thursday morning and had to wait an hour and a half while they de-iced our plane. But, got to San Fransisco fine and made our flight to Hong Kong. (Over half of the flights were cancelled so God was really watching over us!) Very long plane ride- hard to sleep and not very comfortable- 4 movies and 3 meals later, we finally arrived. (It never got dark the whole trip, which was very wierd.) Have met some great folks in our travel group- one from Denver and the other 5 families from all over the country!

God is good, and I was overcome with emotion on the plane, as I realized again, how blessed and priviledged we are to have been chosen to be a blessing to baby Grace. God could have chosen anyone to go on this wonderful journey of grace, but he chose us. We are the blessed ones and can't wait to share the moments with you, as we receive her in our arms in just 40 hours or so!"

Very nostalgic time this weekend as we remember "a year ago". It seems so long ago- like there was never a time without Gracie. Much has changed in our lives in a short year- holy cow! Wade has graduated from high school, left home, on his own, and going to college. Joey is in a new school, has grown up from a boy to a man, and is in high school. Kirk pioneered a new building project for the Canon City church and is now pastoring a church 6 times the size of the one in Canon! I have gone from a working busy mom to a stay at home mom, moved our family across the state, helped with 2 litters of puppies, bought and tried to sell a home... and haven't gone completely crazy! Gracie has gone from a very angry and scared little skinny baby to a happy, busy, extraverted, charming, well nourished little toddler! It is a little mind-boggling to see what God has done in all of our lives during this past year! We became a family of 5 overnight!

Join me as I reflect on the journey of our lifetime- a year ago!

Puppies 5 days old!

Charlie and 10 Labradoodle Puppies!

Boy was this session of whelping puppies an interesting one! Charlie was very restless Saturday night, so we knew it may be time. (earlier than we thought though). Sunday morning, I sent the kds off to church with a friend at 9 and before 11:30 am, we had 8 puppies! Charlie didn't like being in the swimming pool- she had other plans! After lots of hard labor and pushing, she jumped out of the pool and started running around the house (mind you, she is having lots of discharge- not a pretty sight!). I hear a yelp from her, then she starts running more, then I hear a cry of a puppy! I found a blob of puppy in the hall that didn't look right (blood was splattered on the walls and floor!- fortunately we don't have carpet upstairs in the main rooms). It looked as though it's neck was broken or deformed; I wanted to try to revive it, but couldn't stomach it- I knew it was dead. So, I call for Charlie and find her in the bathroom, with another puppy on the floor. Stuff is everywhere- I'm frantic trying to get my rags and towels. (I had everything neatly ready by the plastic pool in the kitchen!). After I knew that pup was Ok, I took it back to the pool, hoping Charlie would follow. She wouldn't go in, nor would she clean it up or nurse it. She had 2 more pups on the floor of the kitchen! Nikki (our other lab- Charlies' mom) is in the pool cleaning off the 2 puppies, and growling at Charlie! :o). It was a sight to behold- I won't try to describe what the floors and house looked like for you weak stomached people! I finally decided to bring Charlie back to the bathroom and put Nikki outside. Charlie finally settled in and started to clean and nurse the puppies. (I think the first dead one must have really made her want to reject the litter. ) I had to really coax her along and get her to nurse and clean the pups. She had another 6 in the next hour! Things settled in and we thought it was over. I was napping (got very little sleep the night before) and Kirk came down and said another pup was born (this was 4 hours later!). It was fine and we cleaned up once again. Got her settled in the bathroom for the night, and at 10pm, she started pushing again! I was ready to go to bed. Another was born that was dead. I tried really hard to revive it, but no luck. SHe immediately had another one though that was fine.

Well, out of the total of 12 pups, 8 were black and 4 yellow. 10 lived (6 black and 4 yellow). We have 3 boys and 7 girls. They are all doing fine now and Charlie is finally being a good mom. She growls at Nikki when she comes close, but Nikki growls back! So, that is fun! WE've been keeping the pups and Charlie closed up in the bathroom! So much for that swimming pool that I looked all over town for ( and finally found on Saturday!).

Gracie loves to go in and watch the puppies- she is much more interested than 6 months ago. If anyone knows someone interested in a Labradoodle, let us know!

Charlie hours before puppies were born

Loves Hats!

Gracie had to have a hat on herself, her dog and her dolly before going to sleep! She loves to give hugs and kisses! Do you like her bright YELLOW walls? I got brave! Gracie sure knows how to say yellow now and pick out yellow in her crayons :o)

Go Broncos!

Gracie loves to dance. Here she is dancing to her music, with panties over her shorts! She loves to dress herself now! Fun Fun!

Joey - 15 yrs, 9th grade (Oct 2007)

Joey and Justine - Canon Homecoming 2007

Gracie- 2 year picture

My Big 2 Year Old!

We've seen many changes in Gracie these past weeks as she's made the milestone to a 2 year old!

• She can put socks and shoes (velcro ones) on herself
• She takes clothes off, even tries to get her diaper off!
• She says my and mine MUCH more often!
• She's talking much more (not sentences yet though)
• She'll go into her room and close the door to play herself (but can't get out :o)
• She doesn't want to sit in a high chair anymore
• She tries to comb her own hair
• She knows that Charlie (dog) is about to have babies!
• She likes to play with her dolls and undress them
• She pretends much more
• Joey has taught her to play with trains and airplanes
• She loves playing in the sand pile (likes to take her clothes off first :o)
• She can climb up her climer play toy by herself
• She tells us most of the time that she's peed or pooped her diaper and wants it changed
• She is starting to learn to share (a little)
• She remembers many songs from Kindermusic and loves to dance
• She throws wonderful 2 year temper-tantrums when she is tired!
• She is taking 1 nap now, most of the time
• Still sleeping 11-13 hours at night :o)
• She stopped asking for her ba-ba (bottle) a couple weeks ago
• Still loves her doggie and ducky stuffed animals
• Sleeps with so much stuff in her crib (dollies, blankets, stuffed animals and books)
• Getting more comfortable in the water (but still doesn't want to dunk her head)
• She loves the church nursery now and waves bye to mom
• She loves the bike trailer and falls asleep every ride at 30 minutes
• Her hair is finally growing (can almost get it all in a ponytail or pigtails!)
• She is fast at grabbing things, esp at a restaurant table!
• She still hates to sit still
• Loves to carry a purse and snatch anyone's purse at church and make it her own!
• But, she loves rocking time at Kindermusic and puts her head on my shoulder and says nite nite :o)
• She doesn't know a stranger
• At Subway, before we knew it, she was sitting a table with a strange man and sharing his food!
• At soccer games, she will go up to anyone and help herself to their food or toys
• She loves sunflower seeds (jalapeno/salsa ones!) and spicy doritos
• She will finally sit (kind of) and watch a DVD
• Her favorite DVD's are Elmo and Boz
• She loves to crawl up on the table or counters, then has a smirky smile knowing she shouldn't be there
• She has learned to turn off/on the portable DVD and knows what the buttons mean
• She still loves rice,tofu and noodles the best!

We are very thankful for this wonderful little girl, who only 11 1/2 months ago still sat in an orphange waiting for her forever family! Even though she is so busy and active and can be a handful, she charms us (and many others) with her smile, laugh and curious/outgoing personality.

Gracie with a fancy new outfit!

I love my dog Nikki!

Wade home for a weekend!!

Wade's group of 17 from VCOM - Boise, came to Junction for the weekend after being in Arizona serving at a missions conference. It was so great to see him and meet his team. He is doing great and God is really shaping him into a wonderful man of God! I just couldn't quit thanking God for all He is doing! I don't doubt for a moment that Wade is in the perfect place this year. The group came over one night for a swim party. I had the pool heated to 92 degrees! Hot tub pool! Gracie didn't miss a beat with Wade- she went right to him and just hugged and love on him for the longest time- it was precious to watch. We have her calling him "Guchi" now since Wade is still hard for her to say!

Gracie at the Soccer game

Joey- JV Soccer Fruita Monument Wildcats

Gracie playing with airplanes !

Having a blast with cousin Micah

Gracie's 2 year Birthday

Gracie is 2 today! Wow, can't believe we've almost had her for a full year! We had a couple of parties for her- 1 in Canon with old friends, 1 with a couple of families here in Junction, then a party with family! She had a great time and really was a ham. She's figured out what a present is now- loves to unwrap and knows that there is something fun inside! The funniest part of her big day, was a good friend's dad, who is Chinese, said to her to say thankyou in Chinese - sei' sei' - she just blurted it out perfectly, as if she either was a great imitator or still knew Chinese! It was hysterical! She enjoyed a cake and a dessert at a Mexican restaurant- so we got to do the fun birthday thing, since we didn't have her for her first birthday! Thank you Lord for this wonderful blessing of Gracie LeQing!