Flowers

Charli loves to help me water the flowers every night. She also thinks she should pick one everyday. So as I dead head the geraniums, she takes them. She loves her 'wowers'. Saturday evening after church she wanted me to put one behind her ear. Of course one was not enough. Soon I had one behind each ear and one thru her ponytail on top of her head. I had to get the camera. I think as silly as this is it's also adorable.

One year ago today....

I got an amazing phone call, Out-Approved. Tracey had to call me herself. She didn't want the agency to call. You see earlier in the week I had contacted her about getting a birthday package down to Charli. I was coming to grips with the fact she would not be home for her first birthday. The ups and downs of the process were really getting to me. My friend Angie and her husband were in Guatemala picking up their little guy. We had been going through this process and crossing each milestone within days of each other and then for some reason, (I think because I'm single and work for my dad) another employment letter was needed. This slowed me down by at least 2 weeks, probably more. Angie was due home on the 24th. I really wanted to go to the airport to greet them but I wanted some good news of my own. And, I got it!!! Getting out of PGN was harder than it had been in quite a few years. And I of course hit just about every road block or so it seemed. Charli was now mine in the eyes of the Guatemalan courts. This was a very good day!!!

I look back on this with joy and sadness. Joy for me but do you know there are still over 450 children waiting to come home to their forever families in Guatemala??? Some of these people were in process before me and others started when I did. I am sad that I am celebrating this day knowing how many families are still struggling with the process. When all of my "on-line friends" have their children home, I will truly be happy and at peace. Until then I will quietly celebrate and cherish the fact my daughter is home.

Fun with Friends

Saturday on the coldest July day in years, Charli and I went visit the Murillo's. Tony and Danielle are the proud parents of twin girls, Izzy and Maddie (and four other girls from Tony's first marriage). They are only one year older than Charli so it's a lot of fun for all of us. We adults get to spend some time together and the kids get to play. Izzy and Maddie got a new playset from Aunt DeeDee and we were there to take home the "old" Little Tykes sets. Here are a few shots of the girls on the slide.

It was a lot of fun. And to top it off, Charli has her own "weeee" (as she calls a slide) at our house. Can't wait to get together again.

Mama's chairs

A few years ago, I bought some adirondak chairs, assembled them and custom painted them. Charil has discovered they are pretty easy to get into. She loves sitting in them. I quickly grabbed my camera last night to snap a few pictures. She looks so darn cute sitting in them.

For the curious, the chairs are turquoise with a large pink hibiscus flower on them. And because I spent so much time doing them, I do not tend to leave them outside overnight very often. They also are housed in the garage for the winter. Someday when I have a bigger deck/yard area I'll get chair covers for them so I'm not hauling them in everynight. But for now that's what I do.

4th of July

The weather was hit or miss for a while but once the rain cleared the afternoon was beautiful. Tony and Danielle Murillo and the twins were there too. Dani took far more pictures than I did and once I have them I'll post some more. (She took some of me and Charli together) But here are a couple showing the after swimming and dinner fun the three little girls were having. The twins are Izzy (straight hair and brown eyes) and Maddie (curly hair and lighter eyes) Charli and the twins managed to stay awake to watch the fireworks show. Charli only lasted for about 10 minutes of the show and then she crashed and slept through the rest of the show, even the big booming finale'. It was so much fun to see the fireworks through the eyes of a child. She kept saying "more".


Here they are on a golf cart ride with Papa.

sitting patiently on the deck

waving their flags

Charli loves her "melmo" even out of the pool