Every birthday for a child is special!  But, when you are celebrating your first birthday with your forever family, I think it is extra-special!  Some of you may remember Emme's precious birthday party in Yangzhou last year.  Her nannies did an amazing job of creating a beautiful party for her from the care package we sent.  The last one she would ever have in an orphanage!  When she looks at those pictures now, she tells us she was just waiting for us to come...  Two weeks later that wish came true!  And all of our lives have been blessed by our precious "Little Bean!"

Happy Birthday Emme Jade!!!  You are, and will always be, forever ours and forever loved!!  

We had another beautiful and fun filled weekend at the cabin!  This is definitely the summer to be in the water!  Last week we loved celebrating Daddy and Sienna's birthdays!  This week Emme Jade is the birthday girl!  And, closing out the month on the 31st we will be celebrating Ruby Mei!!  Whew.. It's like Christmas in July over here!  At some point I will catch up here on all of these events!

Tomorrow we are meeting with our Social Worker, Ava to do Emme's one year post placement.  I honestly can't believe it has almost been a year with our precious baby girl!!  I took some sweet photos of her today!  She has blossomed in so many ways!

Other exciting news, is that "The Middles" are going to be swimming the breast stroke in the club Championships on Friday!!!!  Three kids are chosen from each club, and Sienna and Ruby were selected for our club!!!  I will be cheering my heart out for my little fish!  Six weeks ago they could barely get to the end of the 25m pool..  Now, they are "In It To Win It!!!!"  We are all excited for them to have this fun opportunity!   My prayer is that they both can make it to the finals on Saturday so their Daddy can see them swim.  He can't be there on Friday due to a business trip he can't change... He just may hear Ainsley and I screaming our heads off across the miles!

So, another eventful and crazy week for this house!  Summer is flying by!  But, I can honestly say we are making the most of it!  I will be back soon with pictures of our soon to be 4 year old!!!

It's hard to describe the excitement on Sienna's face as I tucked her in and said,

"I will see you when you are seven!"  She had the biggest smile on her face.  It was obvious sleep was not going to come easily on her birthday eve!

Since it's late and the "Birthday Fairy" still has some things to do, I will keep this short!  I am sure there will be pictures later to share!  I just want to make a point to say that our beautiful seven year old makes us proud to be her parents.  She has shown us on more than one occasion what love can do!  Her gorgeous smile, precious dimple, beautiful eyes, contagious laugh and inner strength inspire me to be a better Mom!  I am very confident that I am the one that has learned more in the last year than our very special daughter!  It was not that long ago that we were just finding our way together!   I am so thankful to say we are celebrating seven years with one very happy and healthy little girl!

Happy Birthday Sienna Grace!  You are  so very LOVED!!

Today we celebrate the man in our lives who loves us to the moon and back!  He is generous, kind, giving, thoughtful, hard working, fun, and amazing!!!!  He always puts us first!!  We are so thankful for all he does for our family!!!  Happy Birthday to our AWESOME Daddy!  We hope you have a very special day and a fantastic 50th year!!

WE LOVE YOU!

Just a quick glimpse at our July and you will know why I have not been posting often:

July 16th - Jeff's Birthday (A very BIG one!)

July 20th - Sienna's Birthday

July 24th - Emme Jade's Birthday
July 29th - Special Visitors arrive!!

July 31st - Ruby's Mei's Birthday

In between we have swim meets, swim practice, swim lessons, cabin weekends, and endless other fun things keeping us busy!  Ainsley had an AWESOME time at camp!!!!  Thank you to all of you who prayed for her!  I have so many cabin photos to post, and pictures to take..  I just wanted to quickly post to say all is well over here..  We are just pre-occupied enjoying our summer!!!!

More soon!

Today Emme Jade will celebrate her first Independence Day as an American Citizen!!  Since Emme loves to celebrate anything, she will be totally in to the festivities with our friends at the cabin!  We look forward to a special day with the Trio!  Missing our big girl..  She loves this day at the lake with friends!  But, praying she is celebrating with the new friends she has made this week!

Happy 4th of July from Northern, Minnesota!

Yesterday afternoon I delivered the Campers to Trout Lake in northern, MN!  Based on what I saw just for drop off, they are going to have an action packed, and very fun week!!!  Their counselors seemed very nice, and their cabin was great!  The whole thing reminded me of "Parent Trap!"  Today I mailed Ainsley a little care package with some sweet cards from her little sisters!  We miss our big girl, but are so excited for her to be having this fun experience!!!!

It's a very hot week to be at camp, but hopefully she is spending her day playing on the water!!!!

My final words to Ainsley and Kate...  "Make some fun memories!"  Can't wait to hear all about it when they come home!!