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

August 12th was the last first day of middle school for Carson! Next year, it’ll be high school. I really just can’t believe it. Being the good sport that he is, he let me take his picture once again. Like he said, “I know….Christmas and the First Day of School…..” (He forgot to mention the Santa picture the kids have to take every year - sorry, Carson!)

I remember being nervous about leaving him at Mother’s Day Out at a tiny church in the small town we lived in at the time. He was 2 1/2, and there were only 6 kids in his little class, but I worried about him all day long! I remember his setting up Barney and all of Barney’s friends as well as every Disney character he could get his hands on. He would have them perform the videos of Barney that he absolutely loved to watch. He knew every line and even knew all of the lines and songs from the musical “Cats.” Eventually, his “people” knew their parts as well. He would literally spend hours having them perform.

Now, he’s half grown - truly! Instead of Barney, he’s into all classic rock, and instead of having his “people” perform, he’s on stage performing himself. What an amazing transformation - and so quickly! I’m so happy that he’s still my buddy, that he still cracks me up with the humor of his Uncle Douglas, that he’d rather hang out with his dad than anyone else, that he’s just an all-around awesome kid. May God continue to work in his life and create him to be the man He desires, and may God show his father and his absolutely clueless mother the best ways to parent this precious first child. And may my tears quit flowing down my cheeks!

He’s Taller Than His Momma - How Did That Happen?

Carson with His Best Buddy!

My favorite restaurant in the world (okay, might be a stretch, but I do love it!) is Cozymel’s in Little Rock. We had a Smith family dinner there while we were in town. Enjoy the pictures!

Kitty with Her Uncle Graham

My kids have him wrapped around their little fingers! He’s definitely into spoiling them pretty close to rotten!

Aunt Danea with Jia

This is the only time that Danea’s hair was presentable since the girls played beauty shop with her the entire visit. Aunt Danea had her hair brushed and had clips put into it for hours on end. She even let Jia give her a pedicure with bright red polish! Now, that’s an aunt!

Kitty with Her Aunt Marci

Kitty and Aunt Marci have one huge thing in common besides their green shirts. They both love to shop!! It was wonderful to see her while we were there and visit her just-moved-into apartment. She’s a beautiful, sweet girl - and she’s available!!!

Brittany, Jia, and cousin Taylor

Taylor tried speaking Chinese to Jia but didn’t get much of a response. He was so sweet, coming by to visit several times while we were there. Brittany, his girlfriend, is a precious girl as well. They were both great to our kids.

William, Douglas, and Luke, more cousins, joined us as well with their mom and dad, Douglas and Camille. We had a wonderful time with lots of laughter and great food!! Thanks, ya’ll for enduring Cozymel’s yet again!! Besides, the Smiths have to like it because it was Rowland’s and Graham’s dad’s favorite place, too! If it was good enough for Papa, it is definitely good enough for me!!!

Just thought I’d share what it looks like to drive FOREVER and a day twice in a week. I will admit that it was much easier for our kids than it was for my brother and I growing up. My parents pulled out the back seats of their van, laid a mattress on the ground, and we took toys and games and played for 28 1/2 hours STRAIGHT driving Little Rock to San Diego. (Jennifer, my beloved sister, probably owes me something for the torture!)

My children had two DVD players, two Nintendo DS game systems, IPods, Leapsters, two laptops for movies or games, and two really fun parents who stopped about every two or two and one half hours (sometimes even more often!) because WE had to go to the bathroom. Of course, each stop was greeted with more food, more sodas, and even more stuff to do in the car. The boys laughed at Mr. Bean videos for hours. (Thanks, Amy and Grant!) The girls colored pictures, wrote in their journals, watched DVDs, played their handheld games, and played with their Barbies and stuffed animals. And everyone slept A LOT!!!

First Moments of the Trip - Excitement Still Alive!!

Rowland on a Mission

And the Day Dragged On

A New Day

Carson Freshly Showered and Thrilled About the Ride

William Showered and Ready to Go Again

Rowland on a Different Kind of Mission

Ahhh….the Sweet Smells of Kansas

The Final Leg - Hope Resumes!!

On the way home from Arkansas, we made a long-awaited stop in Oklahoma. Finally, after being apart for almost four years, our Guigang girls were reunited. What a wonderful reunion - short but SO, SO SWEET!!!

Kayden and Jia, our beautiful Guigang girls!!!

We met for dinner at Chili’s. Have you ever asked for a table for fourteen - when 10 of them were kids? It was the first time we’d met each other’s other children since only Carson traveled when we went to China to bring our baby girls home.

Kuyler, William, and Carson (the boys minus Kolton who took off after dinner)

Jia, Kitty, Kayden, and Kenzie

Connie with Her “Twins” Kaeleb and Kambry (only one month apart)

Notice all of the Oklahoma kids have names that start with a K and have six letters! Not only can Connie and Clayton parent (and very well!) six children, they can even be creative while doing so!

All of the Kids (minus Kolton)

Rowland Fell in Love with Kaeleb!

Carson and Jia Hanging in the Hot Tub

Trouble One and Trouble Two

Kaeleb even went into the pool headfirst. Clayton jumped in - cowboy boots and all!!

Clayton and Kaeleb - Strong Men

I guess I really can’t describe the emotions of the visit. The pictures don’t do justice for the appearance of the heart. I remember Kayden as Connie’s little “monkey” riding in her sling all over China. Jia was a scared little girl, almost two years old, who hated me, clung to Rowland, and screamed for her “mama,” her foster mom. I remember being on the airplane on the way home while everyone except Jia and I slept. As I walked her up and down the aisle of that plane, I sang, “Jesus Loves Jia” over and over and over again. Finally, she allowed me to comfort her.

I remember so many of our friends and family greeting us at the airport late at night (if anyone has pictures, I’d LOVE them!!), giving Jia hugs and an American flag. She asked me the other day what her first word was, and while I don’t know her first Chinese word, I do know that she woke up in her home that first morning saying, “hon-gry” again and again. I didn’t have the awesome privilege of carrying that princess in my tummy, but I’ve definitely felt her kick in the middle of the night! I didn’t get to hear her first cries, but I am the one she runs to with her tears now. I didn’t see her first steps, but I watch her dance around the house, jump into my arms, kiss me, and tell me how much she loves me, her Mom-mom.

Wo ai ni, Xiao Shen!!! I love you, my Jia!!

Stupid title, I know! All I could think of was that my momma used to always sing, “Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Home again, home again, jiggity jog.” I don’t know where it came from, but it stuck in my mind!

We’re home from our trip back to Arkansas for my Grandmother’s 90th birthday. We had a gynormous party at her church, then a fancy sit-down meal at her house for the family. Picture fine china, 13 children in a room at a table by themselves, and 19 adults who were nervous wrecks! Fortunately, the only thing broken was a chair that was probably 120 years old, and it just collapsed underneath one of the older cousins. If it hadn’t been so tragic, I would’ve laughed my tail end off!

My Handsome Man

Poor Carson in a Collared Shirt - (I actually had to buy him one!)
I’m only taller than him because I have on four inch heels!

My Grandmother Trying to Have a Conversation with William

Four Generations of Kittys (I’m the one standing like I’m ready to kick some boodie!)

Just a Few of the Kids’ Cousins

Princess Jia with a Pink Rosebud from One of the Cakes

Grandmother at the Family Party with ANOTHER CAKE!

My sweet princess learned to ride her bike yesterday! Actually, she’s had the bike for a year now, but her daddy and I have been too lazy to really get her going on it. He’s pushed her around a few times, and yesterday, he held on for just a minute before she was off on her own. Good job, Sissy!!

(Laura, if you read this, notice the helmet!)

Rowland was allergic to cats growing up and as an adult. Carson, too, was allergic to cats and even took allergy shots. When we moved to California and had to get rid of our Westie Cricket, all of the tears finally pushed Rowland to do something none of us ever expected. He went to the Animal Shelter and brought home a cat!

Our Other “Boy”

As Rowland tells the story, Valentino was the only cat who jumped on the glass and meowed, begging, “Pick me! Pick me!” The rest is cat history. This little boy has so much personality! We’ve all become “cat whisperers,” I suppose, because we all know exactly what he wants. He’s a mischievous little guy who’ll jump out and attack and be gone before you can turn around. At night, he loves to come stand on Rowland’s stomach and wait for Rowland to rub the inside of his ears - yes, the INSIDE of his ears! He’ll even let me rub his tummy!

Each morning, we let Valentino go out in the back yard and play for about an hour while the kids are getting ready for school. We usually leave the door open so that he can run in and out as he pleases. As I was getting ready to leave one morning last week, I checked to make sure he was in the house. (He actually comes when you meow to him!) Sure enough, there was Valentino sitting downstairs intensely watching something. Upon closer examination, I realized that he had struck pay dirt! Valentino caught and killed his first snake - and without any front claws! He must’ve been so proud as he carried his treasure inside and yet looked a little disappointed that his play toy wouldn’t play anymore!

Most recently, Valentino has mastered a new trick, and it’s definitely a risky one! We have a rail along the upstairs hallway, and Valentino has learned to jump up on the rail without falling to the ground 16 or so feet below and walk it like a tightrope! I’m afraid our little guy may be looking to leave home soon and join the circus!

Valentino, the Circus Cat