I’m at the cabin with two of my girlfriends and having a great time. We stayed up late last night watching “Baby Mama,” and it was really cute! I seemed to like the humor a little more than the other girls - or maybe I just laughed a little more. All in all, definitely worth a rental - especially from the $1 Red Box.

Sleeping in until 10:30 rocked!!! And I think that Anita was trying to spoon me last night so I’m gonna have to find a divider so she stays on her side!! Jean had her own bed in her own room - gotta take care of the surgery arm! Plus, I’m afraid she’ll tell her husband he can’t play with his “little brother,” Rowland, if I’m not nice!

Good morning!!!

Oh, and Anita even suffered riding in my car with my new bumper sticker!!!

Sorry, Guys, but I’m a Mama for Obama!!

I can’t wait to see how all of these personalities interact! Should be interesting!!!

The girls and I went to see Carrie Underwood last week, and we were not disappointed. She’s not the polished professional that Martina McBride is, but she’s definitely got a voice on her! We sang along with all the songs and had a blast. Of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without the $30 T-shirt and the $10 button and the $40 nutritious snacks!! Great memories to pack away!!!

Jia, Momma, and KeKe Heading Out

We celebrated Jia’s 4th Gotcha Day on Monday. For those who don’t know, her Gotcha Day is the day that we first held her in our arms. I still remember sitting on that couch in a room in the Civil Affairs building in Nanning, China, waiting for my little princess to be brought in to meet her Forever Family. Much to my surprise, she came walking into the room holding two of the orphanage workers’ hands. As my eyes filled with tears, and I held on to Rowland’s knee, this tiny little girl being pushed towards us pushed back! Upon watching the video again this year, you can see the confusion and uncertainty in her little face.

Moments after Our Daughter Was Placed in Our Arms

Our First Partial Family Photo

Climbing the Great Wall

For days, she screamed for her foster mother, clinging to Rowland and pushing me away at every opportunity. My mother’s heart was so broken as I wanted her to love me like I already loved her, had loved her for a year. I remember crying out to God, asking Him if we had made a terrible mistake. Slowly, she opened up to me. I’d like to say that it was the special way that I held her and comforted her or that she just began to feel safe in my arms. Truth was, though, that she loved me for my Diet Coke and Skittles!! She’d sit in my lap and eat my Skittles and drink my Diet Coke as long as they’d hold out. Eventually, she even fed me Skittles!

Bonding Over Diet Coke and Skittles

Now, she’s my special princess. She has opened herself up to me, completely bonded with me. We have come so far from those days in China with that scared little toddler. Now, she’s a “big girl” who loves to curl up with her momma and take a nap; she loves to go shopping and has very definite opinions about her clothing; she loves to sing and has a heart for Jesus; she loves to be just like her big sister; she loves to laugh and tells LOOOOONNNNNGGGGGG, complicated stories; and she told me on Monday morning that she really likes being a Smith!

She also requested Chinese food for dinner so we had to enlist the help of our neighbors Jean and Joe since he’s quite the Chinese chef! And she finally got the Dairy Queen ice cream cake she’s always wanted, even though it said “Happy Birthday!” (Fortunately, she can’t read.)

What a wonderful celebration, better than her birthday for me because it really was our birthday as a family! Jiang Xiao Shen became Jia, and our family was complete!! Thank you, God, for true blessing beyond measure!!! Thank you, God, for giving us the desire of our hearts!! Thank you, God, for the daughter You placed in my arms on September 22, 2004. Happy Gotcha Day, my Shen!!!

My Scared Little Girl

Only an Ice Cream Cake for this Princess!

Two Best Friends - Princess Jia and Princess Cayden

William, Carson, KeKe, Jia, and the “Cousins”

We spent Labor Day at Manitou Springs climbing around the cliff dwellers’ old habitat. Since I was a sixth grader in Mrs. Sparks’ class, and I first heard about cliff dwellers, I’ve always wanted to see what exactly their dwellings looked like. William has just learned a lot about them so he was a plethora of knowledge for us all! We definitely enjoyed climbing from room to room as well as watching the ancient dancing of true cliff dwelling Indian descendants.

William Climbing Out a Window

Kitty’s View from the Top Floor

Carson Looking Quite Handsome

Tribal Dancing in Traditional Tribal Costume

Do You Think That They Really Had Speedo Shoes??

Enjoying a Picnic Lunch

Carson and His Finest Duck Imitation

After enjoying the cliff dwellers, we moved on to the Garden of the Gods. I have to say that now that I’ve been to Red Rocks, I just don’t think that the Garden is quite as awesome. Still, it was beautiful, and we all enjoyed showing off our strength!

Okay - Still Awesome, Though!

See? Colorado Really Is God’s Favorite State - Can You Blame Him?

The Kids Atop the Balancing Rock