Here Comes Meredith

Fun in South Carolina and Fathers Day

2011-06-20T16:14:00.000-06:00

Fairy Party

2010-11-21T19:13:00.001-07:00

One of Meredith's friends had a Fairy Party today .........

So much fun for the kids to get together and dance and have fun.
And such a treat for me to actually dress her up in girly clothes!!!

Just Being Silly

2010-10-23T19:51:00.002-06:00

I loves these shots....it was one of those days when we were just hanging around the house having fun............
Lindsay came over to help decorate Halloween cookies and the girls were tickling each other and laughing and giggling like they do when they get together!

I took a lot of pictures of Meredith in this dress because it is one of Lindsay's old dresses that she wore when I think she was about 4 years old!!!

Swimming!

2010-08-08T16:54:00.001-06:00

We enrolled Meredith in swimming lessons for the first time this summer and she really loved it after the first couple of sessions. Considering when we first met her she ABSOLUTELY HATED the water, she has really come around!

Jumping off the side is especially fun!

It doesn't get much better than when I have BOTH instructors all to myself.

Ahhh, summertime.....

Summer Picnicking

2010-07-11T16:04:00.002-06:00

Waiting for her sister to come back from her ride...

Headed out of the corral...

Down the long, dusty trail she goes.......

We had a summer meeting/picnic at a wonderful ranch yesterday and Meredith had an opportunity to ride a horse. She rode not only once, but twice, and probably would've ridden many more times if we let her!!
"Brownie" was such a sweet gentle horse and the ranch hands were so patient with all of the little kids that were not old enough to go on the longer rides with a group.
What a fun time!!

Meredith is THREE!!

2010-07-08T17:28:00.001-06:00

Meredith had a "Tinkerbell" birthday party last month to celebrate her third birthday.

Her friends and their parents came over to play games, eat, play and party with her.

It was a great day for all fairies and their friends!!

What has been going on?

2010-05-30T21:01:00.008-06:00

We spent a nice, relaxing week in Mexico in April. It was wonderful, but truly seems like a lifetime ago! Lindsay and John were able to join us for part of the time, and we got to celebrate Lindsay's birthday on the beach. Meredith was thrilled to have her sister there - they even had a sleepover one night. What a treat for Mom and Dad! We found a great place to stay and are ready to go back...!!

Dee

2010-04-25T14:28:00.000-06:00

My fondest memories go back to when I was about 6-7 years old. Quite frankly, I ‘m not sure how I managed to graduate from 1st grade…you see Mom worked part-time and her job required her to leave a few minutes before the school bus picked Mark and I up (right outside our front door)in Wichita. Each day as Mom left she said, “don’t be late, and if you have any problems, call Dee”. Well, Mark never had any problems, but I very conveniently had a “tummy ache” most every morning that Mom worked and Dee had to come pick me up! We would go to the dime store and buy paper dolls or a new book and then go spend the morning together. Sometimes we would bake cookies or hang the laundry outside on the line to dry, but mostly it was just about spending time with Dee! At least until Mom came to pick me up and gave me the ol’ hairy eyeball…..Of course this was never so harsh a punishment that it prevented me from doing it again and again!!
A lot of the other recollections I have revolve around food and sometimes I will smell something that will trigger a memory of Dee and Carl’s home. Soft molasses cookies; homegrown Kansas cucumbers and tomatoes; wintergreen-flavored pink candies; dilly bread. Angel food cake – one time she brought her special bowl and spoon to Colorado in her suitcase so she could make me a cake for my birthday.
Dee saved dimes. She had a stash in her bureau drawer that fascinated me. She kept them in a box right next to her jewelry and when I visited we would check it out.

The baubles and the dimes.

I always thought that maybe she would give me her secret supply one day and then I would be rich!!
She was very independent if not detrimentally stubborn. I think I inherited/learned this trait from her. I would tell her that I am pretty proud of this. My husband isn’t always so thankful!
I always felt that I had a special bond with Dee. Looking back, I have a suspicion that all of her grandchildren, even great-grandchildren felt the same way. That is just the way she was. I think she was a kid at heart and was always comfortable around all of us.

There is so much more…but let me just summarize by saying that…..
“I reckon” this was one special lady that I loved very much!

I’ll never forget you, Dee.
Love,
Margo

Happy 100th Birthday Great Grandma!!

2010-03-20T14:45:00.004-06:00

Meredith's Great Grandmother Catherine turned 100 years old last Sunday!! So Jie Jie, Auntie Feather (Heather), PopBob, Geny, Cousin Scott, Cousin Suzanne, Meredith and I went to Kansas for the celebration. Aunt Pat and Uncle Doug met us there from Washington and we had a party for Grandma complete with cake, ice cream and punch. How fortunate and blessed we all are to have this wonderful woman in our lives!
We love you Grandma!!

Qu Mei and Qu Sha

2010-02-06T14:42:00.003-07:00

The top photo was taken in April 2008, in Hunan China.
These two precious girls spent the first year of their lives under the care of this wonderful woman, their foster mother.

On January 17, 2010, Qu Mei (Meredith), and her beautiful foster sister, Qu Sha (Lily) were re-united. It was such a blessing to meet Lily and her family and to have the opportunity for these children to re-connect and establish a lifelong bond that will be so meaningful to them in the future. I am so grateful to Debbie for traveling to meet up with us, so honored to be introduced to Miss Hannah and so thankful that we were brought together.

We look forward to many more reunions and lots of photo opportunities and stories in the future!

Re-connecting

2010-01-24T20:53:00.006-07:00

Every so often we are able to re-connect with the other Colorado families that we traveled to China with when we brought home our precious daughters. These times are so very special and I hope we can continue to gather so that our girls can maintain their bond and grow their frindships.
This particular day was spent at the Denver Aquarium and then out to lunch for some yummy Mexican food and fun together at the restaurant. Hopefully the next reunion we will be able to let the kids run around outside more....maybe a park?!?
We love you Joie and Ren!!! (Loe too, of course)!!

One Last Christmas Celebration

2009-12-30T17:43:00.001-07:00

Between all of the festivities and other holiday events, we had a bit of a delayed celebration with my sister and brother in-law. Nevertheless, we managed to get in a fun evening of wining,dining and lots of fun with Auntie Heather and Uncle Dan! Thanks for the beautiful hat and scarf - - it is super cute!!

Random Pics

2009-12-26T20:28:00.002-07:00

Here are some random pictures from the past couple of weeks....

What a Christmas......

2009-12-25T19:13:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful Christmas..Meredith is at a great age for celebrating. She is still fairly patient, but really had a blast opening gifts, (hers and others)! She especially enjoyed spending time with her Jie Jie and John (Dohn) who brought her fun toys and played with them, too!!

We celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa G the week before at their condo in Summit County before they left for Michigan.

And Now it is November

2009-11-26T17:30:00.005-07:00

Wow - -It has been a long time! Where do I begin? First of all, let me say that it has not been so fun being a banker these past several months.....There are days I hesitate to even pronounce my profession lest I get scorned, or lectured at the very least! Plus who'd of ever thought that real estate and the general economy in Aspen, Vail, Telluride and Steamboat would look like it does today?!? Definitely long days, tough conversations, empathetic situations and trying times.......
However, at the end of the day when I walk in the door, I have the most beautiful, happy, intelligent, loving little girl waiting to greet me and suddenly the world is perfect!!!
Meredith has grown SO much over the past several months. She has gotten tall and her hair has finally started to grow, but most impressively, her language skills have taken off. She carries on full conversations - mocking Eric and I completely. She is singing, counting to 10 and beyond, knows her ABCs, all of her colors and most every shape imaginable. This little girl has most definitely caught up to her peers and probably has gone beyond many!! I think she is ready to learn a second language and I would love to find a Chinese linguist to work with her. That is one of the most challenging aspects about living in a rural city - - the lack of diverse educational specialists. I will do my best to find someone, though - I think it is important. I would also like to get her into some sort of gymnastics program.
Meredith still loves her day-care and now interacts with several of her "friends" there - so fun to watch these relationships grow.
We seem to travel fairly regularly and she is a good little companion. Her latest passion is going on a boat! She sure enjoyed riding with "Pop Bob and Geny" in Florida.

As we head into December and the rush of the holidays, I will try to keep in touch more often. As I read all of your wonderful blogs out there I realize how important it is and that it really doesn't take that much of an effort!!

My Best to All.

My Mommy......

2009-11-22T20:01:00.001-07:00

Promises to update this blog real soon.
In the meantime, here is a recent picture of me..............

Traveling

2009-07-26T19:39:00.003-06:00

We spent a few days in Michigan visiting relatives and gathering for Eric's high school class reunion a couple of weeks ago. Meredith had a good time playing with her cousins and being spoiled by her aunt Kirsten and Grandma and Grandpa! Here a couple of fun pictures from our trip.

Meredith is TWO!!

2009-07-06T19:14:00.000-06:00

Merdith's birthday is June 30th, which fell on a Tuesday this year. We celebrated with family on her birthday and then had a little larger gathering on Sunday, July 5th. She still is a bit overwhelmed by crowds and obviously had never dealt with a "birthday candle" before (no worries, she did not burn herself)! Also, sweets are not exactly her favorite food either, so delving into the cake was not a gimme. Nevertheless, she did enjoy the gifts, guests and extra attention. It is funny all of the things that we take for granted - such as birthday parties and cakes and presents. I remember even when Lindsay was 2, she knew what was going on and never hesitated to take full advantage, but it is a lot different with a child that has come from a life of basic necessities and limited foods.
Looking back over the past 12 months I see a baby that has flourished and grown and turned into a happy and beautiful toddler. I feel so fortunate and blessed to have this child in my life.

Fun at the amusement park!

2009-06-29T11:28:00.000-06:00

What is summer without a day at the amusement park?

A Day at the Zoo

2009-06-26T20:06:00.011-06:00

What a great time we had at the zoo!

We saw Zebras and Giraffes..

Monkeys and Yaks

But the day would not have been complete without some goldfish snacks, a carousel ride on a panda bear, and a kiddie train ride!!

Gotcha Day + One Year

2009-06-16T17:37:00.004-06:00

Now

Then

Be The Match Marrowthon

2009-06-10T18:50:00.003-06:00

Meredith's foster sister's Jie Jie has a life threatening blood disease and is looking for a potential bone marrow donor. This has prompted me to register my bone marrow with the hopes of helping at least one person.....I figure it is the very least I can do. After all, I have been blessed by good health and I never want to take that for granted.
Honestly, this process is SO simple and the registration can all be done on the web! Seriously - they will mail you the kit to take the necessary cheek swabs and even pay for the postage to send it back. There is no cost involved and you could be saving the life of a child......
Please consider registering your bone marrow!

My dirt girl!

2009-05-17T12:22:00.004-06:00

Meredith has always loved to be in the dirt. She was SO excited when I ripped open the bag of top soil, she came running over, tore off her shoes and literally stood in the bag before helping me unload it and spread it around!!
Fortunately she went to help her Daddy with another project when it came time to plant.......

Video from Mothers Day 2009

2009-05-10T21:13:00.005-06:00

So I had a wonderful day, topped off with a delicious dinner out with my girls! Since we try to dine out early for Meredith's sake, we often have the advantage of a less crowded restaurant. Such was the case last night, and we used it to our benefit. There was no one sitting directly around us so Meredith was free to roam around the table from lap to lap taking in all of the loving she could get, plus play some games around her high chair. Her big sister was happy to oblige with the lyrics and film footage...
Enjoy!

A Week in P.V.

2009-04-28T17:43:00.010-06:00

We spent a week in sunny Mexico that consisted of three (not so square) meals a day, several hours of beach time, a little pool activity, some seaside napping, multiple bottles of appropriate liquid per person,a little bargaining and foreign trade and we even managed to sneak in enough hours of slumber each night to get us through.
Turned out to be a really fun and easy trip.
Enjoy the pictures......

2009-04-13T06:43:00.006-06:00

We had a party for Jie Jie's birthday on Saturday night. Meredith got all dressed up.

(posted by Eric)

Baby Angus Calves

2009-03-22T14:31:00.004-06:00

We had an opportunity to visit some newborn Angus calves yesterday. Since it was such a beautiful spring day here in the Rockies, we jumped at the chance! Meredith was so excited - besides the cats and dogs in her home and storybooks, cows are one of her favorites (plus "moo" is one of the few animal noises she can actually imitate). So we talked it up, drove up to the ranch and she ran to the barn. Once we got inside and she saw the size of Mama Cow, it was a whole different story! Even though the babies were about as tall as she is, it was still a bit intimidating and she preferred to stay by Mom or Dads side most of the time. Even so, it was a fun experience and I wouldn't rule out a future in ag - - she looks pretty comfortable beside that tractor, don't you think?

Isn't Everybody....................?!?!?

2009-03-17T10:04:00.001-06:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Music and Reading...... I Love it!

2009-03-05T14:09:00.009-07:00

Eric seems to think that Meredith is a natural on the ivories. Hmm, What do you think, Grandpa?

I'm not sure that she is a prodigy, but she does enjoy it and we will certainly encourage her!

When Lindsay was little she loved the book "Caps For Sale" by Esphyr Slobodkina. So I was anxious to find a copy and read it to Meredith. Well, Meredith not only loves the story with the monkeys and all, but she loves to wear hats, as well. So last Sunday when she came into the kitchen looking like this, we knew right away that she was imitating the peddler in her and her sister's beloved book!! Too cute!

February Fun

2009-02-07T16:13:00.008-07:00

Mom and Meredith helping spring along.

Grandma G. and Meredith feed the fish at the Fish Hatchery

Sledding in the front yard.

Meredith appears to like ice cream.

Meredith finally met her cousins from Michigan, Nicholas and Cole

Making Cupcakes

2009-01-25T11:20:00.004-07:00

Yesterday was a cold, snowy day and I thought it might be fun to bake some cupcakes and let Meredith help decorate them. She is always interested when I am in the kitchen - she goes to her drawer, or to the pantry and pulls out various cans and tupperware and spoons and basically everything she can and does her own version of culinary arts. So I figure this would be fun! Actually it was a lot of fun and Lexi (Dalmation),had a hayday camped out under Meredith's stool chowing down on sprinkles, sugar and various decorations. (I'm surprised the dog wasn't sick)!

BTW, if you are wondering about the new hairdo......let me just say one thing;
If you are ever considering Cost Cutters and you are in a hurry......DON'T!! No matter how much your child's hair is driving you crazy. This haircut that Meredith has now is the result of a "fix" from a disaster of a cut from a week ago. Thanks, Tiffany!

2008 Highlights and Milestones

2009-01-01T10:37:00.058-07:00

January

My Grandmother "Dee" turned 100 years old!! The family traveled to Hot Springs, AR to help her celebrate. You Go Girl!!

Margo had lens replacement surgery in both eyes and is now glasses and contacts free!! (After how many years)???

February

Eric took his annual boys ski trip. This year they went to Banff. (You guys have come a long way since the poor old days of cramming 8 to a condo in "Crusty Butt")!!

Margo took her annual family Foundation trip to Scottsdale - just Dad and the siblings on this annual trek, and it is all business!! (and shopping, tennis and good food)!

March

We took our last childless vacation - at least for a while, to Huatulco, Mexico. It was wonderful, but I think we went too early. There was much too much winter left when we returned!

Lindsay finished school with her MBA in Accounting/Finance Management and Information Systems Management. Yeah - Have we told you lately how proud we are of you?!

April

We made a weekend trip to our favorite spot in Moab for some spring hiking and biking.

Come on Spring........

May

5-5-08, After nearly 3 years of chasing paperwork and dreams, we are finally matched with our baby girl, Qu Mei. Wow - - what a day this was!!

The rest of May was pretty much a blur of final paperwork, packing, wrapping up things at work, parties and general chaos....

June

The trip of a lifetime, the ups and downs, new friendships, bonding, trials, sleep deprivation, culture shock, HEAT, humidity, smog, traffic, pollution, crowds, generosity, curiosity, sadness, lost, overwhelmed, amazed, relieved...HOME....Start all over again...!!

6-30-08 Meredith is home 3 days and we celebrate her first birthday (quietly)!

July

My Aunt Carol passed away on 6-29-08 and we met up with several family members at her memorial service July 3rd in Montrose.

Summer finally came to Colorado - -I think it went from cold to Hot!

August

Margo has a "big" birthday. Eric and Lindsay helped her celebrate by throwing a surprise party!! Okay....you got me this time! It was a lot of fun and my mom was here to help celebrate, too! Thanks, Mom!

Grandma and Grandpa G come out to visit and meet Meredith for the first time.

September

Mom and Dad are back to work full-time and Meredith starts day-care. The first week was a little rough, but after that everything is terrific and she LOVES it!

Meredith is a walking bundle of energy. It took her a little longer, but she has it now and she is so happy to be mobile!

October

Lindsay passes her final exam and receives her CPA - Congratulations, Jie Jie!!!

We enjoy a warm and beautiful fall here in the Colorado Rocky Mountains!

November

Our first long trip with Meredith since China - we fly commercially to Miami for management meeting. Trip was a grand success and everyone has a good time!

We celebrated our traditional Thanksgiving with our good friends, John and Svetlana, and Lindsay and John. We have a good time and feel blessed to have such special friends and family.

December

We have a wonderful, white Christmas - we spent the day with family.

Eric celebrates his birthday with a trip to Denver and a rival hockey game between the Avalanche and Red Wings. Happily, the Av's win in an overtime shootout! (Sorry, honey, but I'm blogging) Meredith loved the hockey game, btw...

And that takes us to the end of 2008.

It has been a tumultuous year to say the least, and one that many people would surely like to forget. However, I am one that believes that we all need some difficulty in our lives in order to properly embrace the good - sort of like appreciating the light only after darkness. It is a good time to look within and find what we can do for others, even if that means only a smile or a small gesture of goodwill.

Thanks for visiting and following our blog.

Peace and Happiness to all of you for 2009

December Update

2008-12-17T19:38:00.002-07:00

Well here it is just past the middle of December and I find that I haven't posted in over three weeks...... again! There just seems to be so much going on in our busy lives these days that we so easily get caught up in it. Lord knows the economy is a mess and now is truly not a great time to be in the business of finance. Couple that times two and sometimes you get a household that is honestly exhausted, (mentally) when they get home at night! Even though we try very hard to keep our business lives separate, sometimes it is hard not to let things spill over when you are dealing with so many variables like we are right now. With all of that aside, the one thing that remains a positive and a constant source of joy and appreciation in our lives is MEREDITH!!

She is doing great! She is a running, laughing, cheerful bundle of energy that starts and ends each day with a hug and a smile. We are so blessed to have her in our lives and can't imagine life without her.

I am working on our Christmas cards, (at the rate I am going they may be "New Year's cards"). So please do not feel slighted if you haven't received one yet. I am yearning for home-baked goods, but doubt anything much will come from my kitchen this year, and my Mom is moving to Oregon, so count her out.....Hmmmm. Amazing where all of the time goes!!

The picture was taken last weekend at a potluck we attended for all of the China adopted children in our valley - -aren't they all beautiful? It was wonderful getting together with all of the great families and their children.

I hope you all are doing well and are taking time to enjoy the season.

Blessings to all of you!

Beach Girl

2008-11-23T10:03:00.003-07:00

We spent this past week in the Florida Keys. Every year our Board of Directors has a management meeting/retreat at a wonderful resort in Key Largo. This year Meredith was lucky enough to come along and entertain everyone and enjoy the sunshine and sweet life of a Florida beach girl! She was a wonderful traveler (for the most part), and a real trouper when it came to meeting tons of new people, minding her manners at business dinners and keeping the atmosphere down to earth! I think we need to keep her home for a while now so that she doesn't think that it is her job to walk around looking adorable so that everyone ( and I mean, everyone), can tell her how cute she is!!

Anyway, here are some photos from the trip.

Enjoy!

2008-11-02T21:16:00.002-07:00

What Happened to October?

I have some photos from last month's events that I have been wanting to post, so I guess I had better get them out here before I update November stuff!

Meredith had her first haircut - really it was just a bang trim, but none the less traumatic as you can see by the pictures!

We really didn't do much of anything for Halloween. The kids all dressed in their costumes at day-care and trekked down to the bank for some treats. They were all SO adorable, and I especially love the picture of my two girls together.

I am so thankful that we have had such a warm and beautiful fall here. It has been so nice to be able to spend time outdoors - that is definitely Meredith's favorite pastime.

Autumn in the Rockies

2008-10-18T20:58:00.012-06:00

It would be hard to find a day to top a day like today..... October 18th, 75 degrees with a beautiful blue Colorado sky, blue spruce trees and pines intermixed with the aspen, maple and elms along the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers. Picture perfect for a day in the park!

Daily Life

2008-10-16T19:16:00.005-06:00

Have I mentioned how much Meredith loves to go to daycare? Once she is finished eating her breakfast and sees that her lunch has been made and packed in her special lunchbox, there is no turning back.... She is ready! She insists on carrying her own lunch, and jacket - if necessary, and she will go stand by the garage door in the mudroom to wait (impatiently, I might add), for her driver!! Do I dare say that this is reminiscent of the dog waiting to go on a walk?? (OK - I am just kidding - -nobody turn me in). Seriously, if she wasn't so happy to be picked up in the afternoon, Eric and I have agreed that we might have some serious hurt feelings over this whole scenario!

The other pictures were taken with Meredith's jie jie, Lindsay and her Dalmation, Lexie. They were just hanging out (the 3 girls) playing with some blocks! Good stuff on a Sunday afternoon.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

2008-09-27T20:26:00.006-06:00

This afternoon we went to a local farmer's pumpkin patch so that Meredith could pick out a couple of good potential jack-o-lanterns and possibly a nice pie pumpkin. We weren't sure how she might comprehend this whole concept, but it was a beautiful autumn day and we were on our way to an "End of Summer" picnic at our friend's home nearby, so we thought we would stop and give it a try! Needless to say, once she caught on to the idea, she loved it, wanted many more than three pumpkins and wanted Daddy to keep pushing them around the fields in the wheelbarrow! I think we got some great gourds, too....

Updated Photos

2008-09-16T20:04:00.004-06:00

Here are some recent photos from our busy life. Meredith has started daycare full-time and really loves the other kids and "Miss Joy" and "Miss Megan"! She comes home happy, exhausted and "wearing" most of the details of her fun-filled day! (They say that is how you can tell she had a really good day - - by how dirty she gets!)

She also spent a week with her grandparents while they were here visiting, she went to her first Rockies Baseball game, visited our adoption agency, travelled to Denver for the weekend, went to a couple of parties, and...Oh, starting walking!!!

Never a dull moment around here!

Meredith is aware of the camera....

2008-08-25T20:24:00.007-06:00

It didn't take long for Meredith to become aware of the camera! Now every time I get out the 35mm, she immediately clams up, turns away, or does something goofy with her tongue! The other day I thought she looked particularly cute and so I thought it would be an ideal time to get some shots.....here is her take on how the shoot went.........

As you can see, about one in every seven pictures turns out to be a real winner, but what the heck, I think they are all great and I plan to fill up all of our memory cards! (Besides, you never know when we might need a couple of "bribe" shots about fifteen years from now)!!

Enjoy!

p.s. Meredith was having an exceptional hair day!

............Liz, hurry back!!

Birthdays!!!

2008-08-14T16:05:00.004-06:00

We had a couple of birthdays last week. Margo's was on the 5th and her mother's on the 6th. Grammy came out for the week to get to know Meredith and babysit. Margo and I both had to work the full week. That was tough. Last Friday we had a surprise birthday party and all our friends came. Meredith had a great time.

Yes I know I have been slacking,,,,,,,,

2008-08-03T20:46:00.007-06:00

I am not sure exactly where the time goes these days. Back when we were waiting to be matched, I am certain that the hands on the clock were drenched in honey, but now the days turn into weeks and the weeks just seem to fly by.

Meredith is growing both physically and emotionally and she is such a great joy to be around! Most of the time she is a bright, happy, quizzical little bundle eagerly awaiting whats in store for each new day. She still loves to eat - especially broccoli, peaches, bananas and chicken, but honestly there aren't too many food options that she turns away!

Rather than babble on, I think I will just post some photos and you can get caught up looking at those!!

Back To Work

2008-07-15T21:20:00.002-06:00

This week Eric and I started back to work part-time. Eric will work 3 days this week and I will work 2 and then next week we will switch. After that we are going to rely on some family for day-care fill-in until Meredith can start full-time September 1st. Today was my first day back in my office and it was a little tough, although very comforting to know that Meredith was with Daddy. Right before I left for China, my office was moved to the third floor so when I went to work today I walked into a new office of boxes, new furniture, 4 weeks worth of mail and 869 unopened email messages.....it was a little overwhelming! Needless to say I don't really feel like I accomplished too much and I am dead tired, but it sure was great to come home to that great smile!!

Swimming and Biking, Oh My!

2008-07-13T20:58:00.001-06:00

You know how some kids are just born adventurers? They are constantly on the go, anxious to try one new thing after another - no fear? Well, not Meredith! She tends to be on the conservative side (hmmm - perhaps like her Dad)? She doesn't really mind trying new things, but she is very cautious and her tendency is to resist, at least at first. So it was no surprise that she was apprehensive about the pool. She now sort of enjoys the water in her bath as long as you don't get her face or hair wet (yeah, right), and that is the way she felt about the pool. "Thank you very much, this top step is fine and I'll have a great time as long as I can feel the sides and the bottom"! Anyway, she had a good time and the door is open to explore more the next time.

Biking was a little different. She seemed to really enjoy riding in the trailer...until she had to put her helmet on. The chin strap was tight and the back of the helmet pushed her face down! I have to admit she looked pretty miserable by the time we stopped for a break - -it was hot, the helmet had slipped down over her eyes and she had fallen asleep! We'll have to work on that one I guess. It was a good first try and we managed to get about 4.5 miles in on our new stellar bike path. Last year they took out the old railroad tracks and paved an awesome bike trail that now connects all the way from Glenwood Canyon to Aspen. It might be a while before WE make that kind of progress, though!

Settling in

2008-07-08T14:55:00.007-06:00

We have been home now for a little over ten days now and it is finally beginning to feel like we are a "normal" family - - if you can define normal, that is! We are establishing a routine and Meredith is beginning to sleep through the night without too much of a fuss at bedtime. She still hates her crib - or at least puts on a good show that she does, but eventually gives in and succumbs to slumber for a good 10 - 12 hours!

Bert the cat adores her and is always nearby if not at her side on the blanket next to her toys. The dogs are more watchful, especially at mealtime waiting for a morsel or two to drop their way. Meredith adores her big sister, Lindsay and always has lots of fun when she is around, too.

Today we went on a hike and Meredith got to ride in her new backpack. To say she was thrilled is definitely an overstatement, but it was a beautiful day and Mom, Dad and Zoey got some good exercise and Meredith made sure that we didn't sneak up on any bears!

After lunch Sandy, our home-study agent dropped by for a quick visit. Normally she doesn't come on such a spur-of -the-moment, but she was in town and we were both here so we said "why not"! (Besides, she is a delightful person and it is always nice to see her)!

Our adoption agency got matches today for more families in our January LID group. It is always so fun to see the pictures and feel the excitement of the families we have come to know over the past years. In several ways it seems like so long ago that we were matched and yet it was only a mere 9 weeks!!

Doctor's Visit

2008-07-02T20:16:00.003-06:00

This morning Meredith had her first well-baby check up with her Dr. The visit went well - much better than the assembly line method at the Guangzhou medical facility!. Meredith is very healthy, weighing in at 17.6 pounds (only the 5th % for her age), 30" tall (75th %), and in keeping with the Young tradition, her head circumference is 47cm ( in the 90th percentile). She will need to have several more immunizations, but we decided not to give them today and will wait a few weeks instead so that she is not over traumatized by her first visit to this office! Everyone was happy to see her there - she seems to make new friends everywhere she goes! We will be gradually switching her formula to straight milk which is good because she is getting low and I have no idea where I might find the Chinese brand she has been eating! Dr. Paul says the table food of chicken, noodles and fresh fruits and vegetables that she loves are perfect for her, so that will continue, as well.
Now we will have to tackle the major hurdle of sleep....starting tonight!!

On a sad note, my Aunt Carol passed away Sunday and we will be traveling to Montrose for her service tomorrow. I am so sorry to see my relatives under these circumstances, but feel fortunate that we will all be together much sooner than we had planned. My brother is flying in tonight from Oregon.
Rest in Peace, Aunt Carol.

Happy First Birthday!

2008-06-30T16:18:00.002-06:00

I know this isn't much of a cake - Mom just isn't up to a personalized "special" one this year, but promises to make up for it next year!! We have decided to have a fairly low-key celebration at Beau Jo's pizza tonight, just big sis and Grandpa, John and Geny and Mom and Dad. Maybe once we are more into a set routine we can have a real party, but for now we are still pretty sleep deprived and easily over stimulated so we will just stick to the basics and have a good time! Besides, I think we all have had enough excitement the past couple of weeks to last quite a while.

While I have a chance to type for a few minutes, I just want to express my gratitude to all of you that have supported us throughout this amazing journey. As I am pacing the halls in the wee hours of the night trying to soothe Meredith and coax her into Mountain Daylight Time, I have been reflecting on all of the wonderful people in our lives and how each of you play such an important role - whether you realize it, or not. To our families that are there for us day in and day out - - (especially you, Lindsay). Our co-workers that have taken on extra responsibilities so that we can devote much needed time with our new daughter. Our friends that call and give us that extra "boost" and let us know that they care. Our travel companions from G1357 - -your patience and support were beyond reproach. Even the kindness of strangers touched my heart - - the immigration officer at the SFO airport that called us to the front of the line so that we didn't have to wait with a newly adopted baby (turns out he was a Chinese -American also) and the housekeeping matron in the Hong Kong airport that helped set up the changing table for Meredith. Hopefully as our busy lives return to "normal", we will remember these kind deeds and take the time to pass on a little kindness ourselves.
Blessings to all.

Reflections on a Voyage to China

2008-06-29T11:30:00.001-06:00

To say this was a life changing excursion would be an understatement. How often do you go on "vacation" and come home with a lifetime commitment?

While away, we lost both a childhood friend of Lindsay's and a coworkers husband. How strange that a time of joy and a time of sorrow can intermingle so closely in our extended family. Even though Meredith is almost one, it feels to us like she was born when they placed her in our arms.

At first I was unsure about travelling to China. I wanted to get Meredith as soon as possible, but wouldn't it be nice if they delivered her to us in the US like the Koreans do? Some people claim the travel requirement is all about money. Now I know different. These last two weeks are irreplaceable. No way else would we be free to shower our attention on Meredith with no outside distractions. No cooking, no cleaning, no work. Plus, we now have a better understanding of the world she comes from.

I've thought quite often about what drives someone to leave their baby on the street for strangers to find. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt because I don't walk in their shoes. However, after only two weeks of Meredith being my daughter, I can't think of any set of circumstances that could cause me to give her up. I guess some things will never be understood.

What a change we've seen in our daughter over the last two weeks. We first met a terrified, confused little girl. Her screams were bloodcurdling. Over two weeks those screams have turned to laughs. She has the biggest smile I've ever seen. Everyday we see new aspects of her personality. I can't wait to see what is next.

Home Sweet Home

2008-06-28T11:51:00.004-06:00

After more than 24 hours of travel we are finally home. We landed in Rifle at 6:30 last night (Friday). That is 8:30 am on Saturday in Guangzhou were we started. We got up at 4:00 am on Friday morning so that was one really long day.

We did get a little sleep on the Hong Kong to San Francisco flight. Meredith slept for about 6 hours in the bassinet the airline provided. Last night wasn't so good for sleeping. We got Meredith to go to sleep about 10:00 but she woke up by midnight. Couldn't really get her back to sleep after that. I was up with her for a few hours and then Margo took over. Margo and Meredith are both taking naps right now. I need to wake Meredith so we can get her on a normal schedule.

It feels great to be home. Now I just need to figure out what to do with a baby at home. I had the hotel routine down. I guess we'll figure it out.

Thanks for all the support and messages while we were in China. It really helps to be able to stay in touch with friends and family.

Last Day in Guangzhou

2008-06-26T06:12:00.002-06:00

Today's it. Our last day. It rained again so we didn't do too much. A little last minute shopping. At 2:45 we loaded up the bus one last time to go to the U.S. Consulate. While there we took the oath, which really just means we swore everything on our applications was true and correct. After the oath we received Meredith's visa to enter the United States. Yeah!!!! We can take her home. We'll still need to apply for a passport once we get to the States.

Tomorrow morning at 6:50 am we head for home. A quick flight to Hong Kong and then a looooong flight to San Francisco. Sandwiched between is a six hour layover in the Hong Kong airport. We are hoping to be home by 7:00 pm Friday night.

As soon as we clear immigration in San Francisco Meredith is a U.S. Citizen. Hooray!!!

See everyone soon.

Red Couch Photo Day

2008-06-25T18:01:00.000-06:00

Today was a slow day. It rained hard most of the day so people mostly hung around the hotel. In the morning we had to wait around the hotel room. Jason had taken all our paperwork to the U.S. Consulate. We needed to be on standby in case there were any questions. Everything was fine with our documents.

Later in the day it was time for the traditional Red Couch Photos. Its tradition to take a picture of all the babies in the travel group sitting on a red couch in the White Swan lobby. We did that and more. All the combinations you can think of. All the babies were dressed in Chinese style clothing. Only Margo and I dressed from the adults.

Can't wait to get home. Tomorrow we get the last duties out of the way.

A Girl's (2nd) Best Friend

2008-06-24T06:56:00.002-06:00

Today we ventured in our first Chinese taxi and traveled to the Pearl Market in the LiWan Plaza in Guangzhou. It actually was a decent trip there and the shopping experience was good. Of course we made a few purchases and Meredith even ended up with a baby bracelet of strung tiny little freshwater pearls. (Gee, thanks for starting that Aunt Terri)!! Jenni Lin and Lily also got matching "baby bling" to wear for the red couch photos.

They have wonderful gems and red coral at this market also. I say market, but really it is a 7 story building packed with wholesalers and jewelry design shops. Some of you ladies back home would go crazy....you know who you are! I would love to go back tomorrow if we have time.

After lunch Eric and Meredith went to the room for a nap and I went out on Shamian Island to shop around for a few more gifts to take home.

We had a group dinner at the Cow and Bridge Thai restaurant. I think the food there is really good - we had lunch there a few days ago. Meredith dined on steamed bean curd and broccoli plus most of my Thai steamed veggies and seafood. Eric had Thai BBQ'd shrimp which she probably would've liked, too (being a spicy Hunan girl and all), but we all know that Eric does not share well and so far, that has not changed!

More Paperwork

2008-06-23T04:01:00.003-06:00

This morning we met to complete more forms for the U.S.Consulate - all in preparation for Meredith's visa. Everything has to be p-e-r-f-e-c-t, so it takes a long time to go over everything so that no one has any surprises. This afternoon Meredith will have her picture taken for the visa and she will get her medical exam. It is another hot and sweaty day, so I am sure it will be an ideal situation for 12 babies in a waiting room at a public health facility!!

update:

As you can see, it didn't go too badly, and best of all, we are very happy to report that she is a very healthy child!!

It is HOT!!!!

2008-06-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Even though Guangzhou is a city of 12 million people, our hotel "The White Swan", is located on Shamian Island which is somewhat separate from the main city so it does not feel like such a big bustling place. However, it is very, very hot and humid. It has rained here for the past 20 days straight and now the sun is out, so you can kind of get the picture!!
We took a tour of the city today that included a visit to the Liurong Temple (Temple of the Six Banyan Trees), where we had Meredith blessed by one of the Buddhist monks. We also saw the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum, Old Chen House and did some shopping at the Provencial Art and Crafts Center. Later in the afternoon, Lisa and I (Margo) walked down to the Health Center and splurged on a foot and neck massage which was heavenly!!
Dinner tonight is going to be in the room compliments of Papa John aka "Pop Jon" in China!

Traveling

2008-06-21T06:48:00.000-06:00

Today we left Changsha and headed south to Gaungzhou, the capital of the province of Guangdong. In a way it was bittersweet.....sad to be taking Meredith away from her birthplace forever, but so happy to be moving on and getting away from the busy city and one step closer to her forever home.
She traveled like a true champ - looking out of the airplane window contentedly and enjoying moving, as always.

A Good Day

2008-06-20T21:00:00.000-06:00

Today was finally a good day. Meredith was like a real child. Smiling, eating, laughing and yes, still some crying. We started out with a good breakfast, some play and a meeting. Since this is our last day in Changsha we thought we'd go out and see the city. We walked out into the most oppressive heat I've ever felt. It only took a few minutes to decide to go back to the air conditioned Friendship Shop, a big department store we had gone to on Wednesday. We spent a few hours there buying more for Meredith and some gifts for back home. Then it was back to the hotel for lunch and a power nap for all three of us. Tonight we've just been getting ready to travel. Tomorrow we go to Guangzhou for the rest of the trip. We have some U.S. paperwork to get done. All the Chinese paperwork is finished. Meredith was officially ours as of 9:30 on Tuesday. We received her Chinese passport today. We'll get a U.S. passport in Guangzhou.

Time for a Field Trip

2008-06-19T07:57:00.002-06:00

Today we were scheduled for a field trip. We went to Martyrs Park and then he embroidery factory. The park trip was kind of a bust. Martyrs Park is a monument to those that died in the communist revolution. It also has theme park attractions. Shortly after we got there it started to rain. We went to the embroidery factory instead. They had some amazing work there. Embroidery on silk that looks like photographs. Some of it is double sided. One double sided piece has different designs on each side. You can't even tell. Later, we tried the park again but it started to rain again. In the evening we had a group dinner at a nearby Chinese restaurant. The food was pretty good. We took a walk afterwords and got some new sunglasses for Margo.

Meredith did better today. She still doesn't like the hotel room, but she was good when we went out. She LOVES breakfast.

A Free Day

2008-06-18T20:22:00.000-06:00

No official duties today. We are on our own until a group dinner tonight. We'll be going to a "Western Style" restaurant with the group. (That ended up being an unorganized mess, but the food was OK. Although the beer was served warm).

We went to the Friendship Shop down the street. This is a big department store. Lots of high end designer stuff. They did have a good children's department. We got some things for Meredith.

Margo used her credit card and that was quite an ordeal. She had to go all the way down from the 6th floor to the 1st floor and go through some interrogation and sign a dozen documents to get that done.

Meredith is doing a little better today. She had breakfast with Margo and we started to see some personality come out.

Today its Official

2008-06-17T08:13:00.003-06:00

This is hard. Meredith isn't a particularly happy camper right now. She cried all the time after we received her. She's grieving pretty deeply. The only time she quiets down even a little is when I (Eric) am holding her. She has to be held. Luckily, she will sleep through the night. Yesterday she wasn't interested in eating, but she will today.

We went back to the Civil Affairs Office today to do the official paperwork. We had a family photo taken, signed the adoption agreements and had some stuff notarized. At that point Meredith became officially ours.

Gotcha Day!

2008-06-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today is the day we have been waiting for, wondering about, dreaming of for the past 2 1/2 years. It is finally here. This is it. In less than 8 hours we will be parents and our lives will change forever. Are we ready? Of course we are! Are we sure? Of course not!!
One thing we both agree about this morning is - each of us had a lousy night's sleep on the world's HARDEST bed! (Yes, we have been to Mexico and the beds there are hard, but that does not even compare)! I think if you weighed 500 lbs you would not even make a dent in this "mattress"! Oh well' just another reminder that we are on the older side of parenthood! Nothing is going to stop us now. We are off to shower, eat and then gather for a group meeting at 10AM to go over some details. Eric is double-checking the camera batteries and making sure our paperwork is in order.
On a side note, we are unable to view this blog or any comments made, our email is inaccessible, and right now SKYPE is only in Chinese characters that I cannot decipher enough to manage my way through enough to make a call, so we are not able to contact you for now. We will be working on that, though and hope to be in touch before the day is through.
Godspeed!

Update:

She's ours. Shortly after 3:00 local time Meredith was placed in Margo's arms. We are thrilled. Can't say the same for Meredith (yet). She's a little unhappy. She basically cried the remainder of the day.

There's a Crib in our Room

2008-06-15T03:07:00.003-06:00

We just got into the Dolton Hotel in Changsha. We left Hong Kong late this morning on a Hong Kong Airlines flight. It was about an hour late leaving Hong Kong but everything else was fine. The bus ride into Changsha from the airport took about 40 minutes. Quite interesting. Lots of trash, construction, rundown houses, new high rises and about everything in between. We are on the 30th floor of the hotel. The view is OK if you can see through the smog.

Word is we will get Meredith at 3:00 tomorrow. We'll have to bus to the Civil Affairs office where they will place her in our arms. We are supposed to get some time to ask the nannies questions about her and her habits.

I don't know if we will get to check or send any emails. Right now I can't get into comcast.net. That sight might be blocked by the government.

A Day in Hong Kong

2008-06-14T08:24:00.002-06:00

We spent the day in Hong Kong meeting the other families and getting used to the time change. We were supposed to take a tour in the morning but it rained too much overnight. The tour was delayed until the afternoon. We started with a dim sum lunch. A bunch of Chinese food served family style. After that we boarded a bus and went to see the city. The first stop was for a sampan ride in Aberdeen. We got on an old rickety boat and floated around the other old rickety boats. Then we went to jewelry store followed by a visit to Stanley Market. We finished up on Victoria Peak. Luckily it had cleared up so we could see the city. Tomorrow its off to Changsha were we will receive Meredith.

WooHoo They Made It!

2008-06-13T07:51:00.002-06:00

Just got off the phone with my Mom and Eric and they have successfully landed in Hong Kong and navigated their way to their hotel. Despite their orignal fears of their luggage not making it, suprisingly enough it did! Just thought I would keep everyone up to date! I am sure they will post when they can!

Lil' Sister :-)

We're on the Way

2008-06-12T13:40:00.002-06:00

Travel day is finally here. We're sitting in San Francisco right now waiting for our flight to Hong Kong. Our 7:00 am flight out of Aspen was delayed a little so we had to "run" to our gate to catch the San Francisco flight. Hopefully our baggage made it also. We met up with Lisa from our travel group in San Fran and had some lunch. It was nice to finally meet one of our cyberbuddies in person. Thanks for all your well wishes. We'll check in again when we get to Hong Kong.

Cyber Friends and Travel Buddies

2008-06-05T19:41:00.003-06:00

I just want to take a few minutes to acknowledge the internet support group that has helped me "keep it together" the past 2 years, 4 months, 3 weeks and 4 days. Of course there is still a few more days left until we actually have our babies in our arms, and then who knows, perhaps that is when we may REALLY need the support group to rally! Anyway, to all of the January LIDs that are still out there waiting for their magical calls - or their TA's, or for the privilege of saying "NEXT!!", I say hang tight my friends it truly does happen and yes, it is all that it is cracked up to be. And to all of CCAI Travel Group 1357 - I can't wait to meet you all in person next week and share the experience of a lifetime with you and your families. I look forward to creating lifelong friendships that our daughters and families will forever cherish.
Margo

Party!

2008-06-05T18:39:00.003-06:00

Last Friday a group of good friends put together an amazing party for Eric, Meredith and I. We had a wonderful buffet of Asian food, drinks (what a plus being able to drink at your own baby shower), appetizers, a tasteful game or two, a yummy cake, fancy chopsticks and pink fortune cookies, plus so many wonderful and thoughtful gifts for Meredith! I could go on and on, but truthfully the best part was the gathering and support of all of our friends and family and the genuine love and support that we felt. Everyone is so excited right along with us and has given us encouragement and love along this long journey - it truly has carried us through and we appreciate it so much.

Many thanks again to all of you - you don't know how much it means to us that you are sharing our joy. We are very blessed, indeed.

China....Here we come!

2008-05-27T21:05:00.004-06:00

With our Consulate appointment firmed up this morning, we now have solid travel dates in hand..... We are going to meet up with our group in Hong Kong on Friday, June 13th. From there we will travel to Changsha, Hunan and Meredith should be in our arms by Monday, June 16th at the latest!!! We are working on flights and the overseas portion of travel, but we should have our reservations made within the next couple of days. To say that we are excited is truly an understatement!!!
Now all we need to do is pack......HA -- that should be easy!

A "moment"....

2008-05-25T20:03:00.005-06:00

This morning I was writing an email to Trish, a dear friend from out of state who is coming to house-sit while we are in China when I had one of those "Oh Sh#*t" moments! I think this may have been the first time it really hit me that we are actually going to get on an airplane for 20+ hours, travel to a third world country, where we do not speak or read the language, pick up a child that we have never met before to bring home to be our daughter and spend the rest of our lives with. This actually sounds a little crazy!!! I went down to share my "moment" with Eric and ask him if he had experienced something similar. He assured me that in fact, he had had such a moment before and was surprised that it took me so long, because usually it is me that does the crazy stuff!
Well, I guess this must be normal - - at least I hope so! There is no denying that along with all of the excitement comes a little fear and apprehension, but I would not trade any one of these feelings right now for anything in the world!
Crazy or not Meredith, you are going to be stuck with us and we're coming to get you as soon as we can!!!

Travel Approvals Are Here!!!!

2008-05-23T21:41:00.002-06:00

We got an email this morning that our travel approvals have arrived....Great news! Our agency now has requested Consulate appointments for our group and once these have been confirmed, we will be able to book our flights and be on our way to GO GET MEREDITH!! Perhaps my predictions will come to light after all........

My Prediction

2008-05-21T19:23:00.002-06:00

Here is what my best guess is as to when we travel.....
Leave June 12th
Arrive Hong Kong June 13 (lucky Friday the 13th)!
Tour Hong Kong Saturday
Fly to Changsha Sunday
***Gotcha Day Monday June 16, 2008!!!
At this point, what happens after that I really don't care so much about as to predict!!
We got an indication today from our agency that travel approvals are anticipated next week. We'll see what kind of fortune teller I am......You probably shouldn't bet on any portion of this, but it is fun to think about!!
myg

Waiting on Travel Approval

2008-05-18T15:49:00.002-06:00

We are in yet another waiting pattern....this one is for our official "okay to travel" issued by the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA). Once our agency receives this document, we will be able to request an appointment from the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou. With travel approval and a confirmed appointment in Guangzhou, we will be able to book airline tickets! Our itinerary will look something like this: Fly from San Francisco to Hong Kong, spend 2 days in Hong Kong. Fly from Hong Kong to Changsha, Hunan. GET MEREDITH!! Spend 4-5 days in Changsha. Fly to Guangzhou for 4-5 days. Either fly directly to L.A. from Guangzhou, or return to Hong Kong and fly back to S.F. and then home. We will be travelling with a group from our agency of approximately 10 families, all adopting from Hunan. Our agency is arranging all in-China accommodations and we will always have an escort, stay at 5 star hotels and be well taken care of - -they are terrific! Evidently there is no warning when these travel approvals arrive - they just show up in the mail, so we are anxious to receive them and hope that it won't be too much longer. We should have our travel visa's procured this week.

Meredith's in Foster Care

2008-05-16T09:50:00.003-06:00

We found out today that Meredith is actually in foster care in Miluo. Information is a little sketchy, but it appears the orphanage in Miluo, if it even exists, is very small. It is not unusual for the nannies to foster the children in their own homes. Apparently, that is the case with Meredith. She has been living in a home. That should be good for her development and ability to bond.

Her name is official...

2008-05-10T09:52:00.003-06:00

We have officially agreed on a middle (and last) name for our child.... she will be Meredith MeiLynne Gardey. We will spare her the confusion associated with a hyphenated last name - - (Mom gets enough of that), and combine her Chinese name with her mother and grandmother's middle name. Dad got to pass on the last name :)
On another note, we have begun our paperwork for our Chinese Visa's and are in the process of meeting other parents in our travel group. We hope to leave in the next 4-6 weeks to bring Meredith home!
This is becoming real!!!!!

Big Sister

2008-05-10T09:45:00.002-06:00

This is Meredith's big sister Lindsay and her boyfriend, John. Lindsay is excited to finally have a sibling!!

More Pictures

2008-05-05T19:08:00.002-06:00

Here are the other two pictures we have of Meredith. Hopefully we'll get some updated pictures within a few weeks. These were taken in December.

Here She Is!!!!!

2008-05-05T10:59:00.002-06:00

Isn't she beautiful?
We are just over the moon!!
Her name is Qu Mei , she is currently in the Miluo City SWI in Hunan, China.
She was born June 30, 2007. Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks?

Leaving for Denver...

2008-05-04T11:15:00.002-06:00

Just to let you all know what to expect, our plan is to upload pictures and information to this blog as soon as we get it tomorrow! Please feel free to share this address with friends and family so that they can share in our happiness!
Thanks for hanging in there with us....it has been a long, long ride.
We love you!
Margo

CCAI Has Referrals

2008-05-02T10:20:00.004-06:00

Referrals are in!!!!!!!! Below is what was posted today on the CCAI website. Because CCAI needs to verify the information, we won't know anything until Monday. We're going to go down to Denver on Sunday so we can be waiting at the door of CCAI when they open Monday morning. It's going to be a loooooooong weekend.

"5/2/2008Matches Arrived!!!

We did receive matches today for families logged in January 11, 2006. We are excited to have received these matches! We did not receive matches for our families that are expedited due to Chinese Descent. The CCAA has not verified with us the cut off date for matches at this time.
We are excited to be calling all of our families on Monday!"

Our Pets

2008-05-01T18:10:00.001-06:00

We have three pets right now. Lexi the deaf Dalmatian, Zoey the Great North American Black Dog and Bert the Cat.