MERRY CHRISTMAS

Our family is still grieving the loss of Papa "Halainah called Grandpa, Papa." We tried desperately to make Christmas as special as we possibly could for Halainah's sake. We tried our best to put on a happy face. I know Halainah misses Papa too. She points to his picture everyday and says, "Papa sleeping." It breaks my heart oh so much. I do hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas filled with the love of your family and friends. We are inching close to our very first Gotcha Day anniversary. I sure wish Papa and Oma (my mom) were here to celebrate with us.

Christmas morning, a bare Christmas tree reminds us of the last few weeks events and why it is still bare.

Santa came and Halainah was overwhelmed with the presents.

She had tons of presents to open. Opa even came in the morning with a truck load.

Halainah is feeding her Elmo book a bottle...too cute.

Looking pretty.

Playing with one of Jiu Jiu's gifts.

You can always find Halainah sitting in a chair reading a book.


Relaxing with Daddy.

Aunt Chrissy, Halainah and baby Vincent.

All of the cousins ready to start opening presents.


Cutie Patutie Leanna sound asleep on the floor and our wild child Halainah still up at midnight.

Asleep in the car on the way to Aunt Ann and Uncle Klause's house.

Halainah and cousin Tyler on Christmas day.

So cute together.
Halainah enjoying Chocolate pudding for the first time!

GOD SAW YOU GETTING TIRED

God saw you getting tired when a cure was not to be

So He closed His arms around you and whispered,

“Come to me!”

You did not deserve what you went through

and so He gave you rest.

God’s garden must be beautiful, He only takes the best.

And when we saw you sleeping so peaceful and free of pain,

We could not wish you back to suffer that again.

Revelation 21:4

“And God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor
sorrow, nor crying, and there shall be no more
pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Grandpa, I will love you and remember you for always and forever! - Halainah

LITTLE MONKEY

Jiu Jiu and Tia Crystal sent Halainah this adorable Monkey outfit for her birthday. Tia Crystal nicknamed Halainah "little monkey" way before we traveled to China to bring her home. And it has stuck ever since. So this outfit was perfect. It is also super super soft. So Halainah wore it on Saturday which happened to be our very first snowfall this season.

Thank you so much Jiu Jiu and Tia Crystal...don't I look super cute?

A MEMORABLE WEEKEND

On Saturday we took my Godson Norman to the movie theater to see A Christmas Carol in 3D. We had a lot of fun. The movie was great but a little scary for the younger kids. Halainah and Cassie who are 6 months apart had a play date at Cassie's house. Halainah had a blast. The cousins played and shared and made lots of noise. Aunt Deb made dinner for us when we got back and we had a chance to chit chat while the kids played nicely together.

On Sunday we ventured out to Staten Island to celebrate my father-in-laws 80th birthday. It was a very special day. The entire family gathered to help my father-in-law celebrate such an important milestone. We are so very thankful that he was released from the hospital on Saturday so that he was able to enjoy his birthday at home. The house was noisy and rowdy with all of the cousins playing together but I wouldn't want it any other way. It truly was so very nice to see everyone together, laughing and enjoying one's company. I had a blast playing with all of our special angels and catching up on days gone by. I pray that we can celebrate many more birthdays with my father-in-law and that we can all gather around the table as a special family.

Halainah got dressed up for Grandpa on his special day!


Cousin Vincent...don't you just want to eat those cheeks!

Uncle Tony and our beautiful niece Leanna!

Cousins - Antoinette and Halainah

Cousins playing together

Leanna cracks me up in this pic...SO CUTE!

Grandpa blowing out his candles...Happy 80th Birthday Grandpa!

Cousins for life - Leanna, Antoinette, Halainah and Serena

Proud Grandpa with his children, Tony, Annmarie and Chrissy

The Entire Family Together. What a very special picture!

Grandma and Grandpa with all of their grandchildren.

Aunt Annmarie and her very first angel from above, Celeste.

And I just had to throw this pic. in. Tony was messing around with my early Christmas present special from him, my new camera. This is a setting on the camera. Halainah is watching Elmo on her early Christmas present, her portable DVD player.


We all had a wonderful most memorable weekend. And we are praying for many more weekends just like this one!

God Bless!

HALAINAH'S NEW RIDE

Halainah is such a lucky little girl. Her Godparents love her so much they gave Halainah her very own motorized bike for her birthday. And this little stinker of a dare devil loves it. She tells me "side" which means outside so she can ride her bike.


She gets onto her bike and takes off with no fear.

She looks back once to make sure I am still watching.

At first it's a leisure ride taking in the fall scenery.

Which quickly turns into a race to see how far she can get.

Uh...sweetie...you are only 2...wait for Mama!


In other news...Halainah met Santa and she most certainly feared him. Pictures soon to come!

In more other news...I am putting together a video which documents our entire adoption journey from beginning to end to honor our daughter for her 1 year anniversary with her forever family.

In more more other news...I have a great fund raising idea to help with our newest adoption journey to Halainah's Mei Mei. I am actually very excited about it and hope with the help of my Aunts and cousin we can make my idea into a huge success.

I can't wait to share our video with you once done and my fund raising campaign...hopefully both turn out spectacular.

Many Blessings From Our Family To Yours!

HALAINAH'S VERY FIRST BIRTHDAY BASH

On November 7th, all of our family and friends gathered together to celebrate Halainah's 2nd birthday and her very first celebration with her family. It was a beautiful day and a day that we honestly thought would only be a dream for us. At one very low point in our lives, we never thought that we would have children. And now we are blessed with the most beautiful angelic child, a child that is ours forever.

We had 80 of our most amazing relative and friends come out to honor our daughter. And Halainah had a blast. She laughed and laughed all day long. She had tons of tons of treats. And she was given tons and tons of hugs and kisses.

Halainah's party took a month or so to plan and flew by in an instant. But we have beautiful memories captured both in pictures and video. I can't wait to share this special day with Halainah when she is older.

Thank you so much to our family and friends who made our daughter's birthday so special. The only thing missing was my mom and Jiu Jiu.

Enjoy the pics and hopefully they paint a picture of how amazing Halainah's birthday really was.

Here's Halainah getting ready for her special day.


The Godparent Sandwich

Halainah and cousin Mikey whom she adores

Halainah's big balloon or "boon" as she calls it.

Still trying to get ready.

Uncle Mario, my Mother In Law and Father In Law all chatting.

Halainah enjoying a bag of chips that she normally can't have.

Trampoline fun with Halainah's cousins and friends.

Cousin Antoinette taking really good care of her little cousin


Halainah and cousin Tyler hanging out on the Trampoline

Daddy and Halainah in their birthday hats

Halainah and Giggles the Clown and Cousin TJ in the background

Some of the party crew.

Me trying to get Halainah to say hello to Elmo...Nope...wasn't going to happen.

Elmo and cousin Tyler

More trampoline fun with cousins Antoinette, cutie pie Leanna and Mikey

The beautiful China Doll cousins

Balloon fun with the clown

Halainah eating her first cupcake

She dove right in

Halainah's beautiful cake

Sharing with Aunt Bonnie

Present time

She quickly got the hang of ripping her gifts open





Lainey and cousin Tyler...so cute