My girls are blessed with a Daddy who loves them, loves and respects their Mom, and who always puts our family first!!!! Jeff, thank you for always giving us your best. We love you!

It is hard to believe that six years ago I was in Nashville, TN with a precious new born baby girl that we named Ainsley Kathryn. Now fast forward six years and we have a beautiful daughter that will be in first grade at the end of August. In some ways it feels like yesterday that Jeff was driving me to Baptist Hospital. I remember so many details of that incredible day.

Tuesday, June 12th we celebrated Ainsley's 6th with a Princess Party. It was an old fashioned home party, and it went well. We had 10 little girls dressed in their princess finery. They were all so cute!! It was fun for me to decorate and get ready the night before. I wanted it to be a very special day for her.

Happy Birthday Ainsley Kathryn! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So many of you have faithfully traveled to China and back with us. I won't spend time re-living it here. But, if you ever want to journey back please visit us at www.myadoptionwebsite.com/diandjeff. We still plan to update our "Journey to Ruby Mei" monthly there. That site has been such a gift to us. We still are amazed at the support we have recieved from all of your guest book messages... Thank you!

This blog was created by me before we left for China. At the time I was just tinkering and having fun with it. A few of my friends have the most amazing journals of their daily lives, ponderings, thoughts, etc.. I can not promise you will get smart reading mine, but I hope you enjoy the random thoughts of a Mom who is learning to thrive in her new "normal! Ruby has been an amazing addition to our family. God definitely picked the perfect baby for us. She is so lovable and flexible, I pinch myself daily that I get to spend my days (and nights) with her!!

I have never won any patience awards in my life. In fact, I pray for it daily... As I have stated before, I believe that is one of the reasons God chose Jeff and I for adoption. We had to learn to wait, and wait, and wait some more... Some of lifes best lessons are learned when you wait!

So coming home from China to a daughter who missed us and needed our attention, along with jetlag, 13 hour time change and a new baby that wasn't sleeping at night was really tough. There are days like yesterday when it still is. But, overall we are doing so well. Ainsley has adjusted, and she is doing a wondeful job in her new role as big sister, and helper to me.

At some point I will probably do a post about the transition from only child to big sister and how to take it all out on the ones you love most... But, for now trust we are doing so much better than we were the first week home...

OK - you have all been telling me you need a little Ruby fix, so here are some updated pics.

We will agree that she is pretty yummy! We feel incredible blessed that God has given us two of his beautiful daughters to love and raise...

We are leaving on a jet plane in 12 days!!!! Monday, April 9th we received our Consulate Appointment confirmation which led to the finalization of plane tickets for a party of three leaving China together on May 17th! Here is what our trip looks like:

May 2nd - Di & Jeff leave MSP bound for Beijing
May 3rd - Arrive Beijing
May 4th - No schedule, on our own!!!
May 5th - Beijing Sight Seeing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summ Palace
May 6th - Church Service & Great Wall
May 7th - Travel to Nanchang!!!!!
May 8th - Meet Ruby Mei Rouse (Time TBD)
May 9th - Paperwork, Sight-seeing, Shop!!
May 10th - Ditto
May 11th - Ditto
May 12th - Fly to Guangzhou
May 13th/14th - Fill out Consulate Forms & Ruby's Medical Exam
May 15th - Consulate Appointment @ 9:30
May 16th - Pick up Ruby's Visa
May 17th - Travel home from GZ via Narita and SFO
Land in MSP at 4:15pm!!!!
Ruby Mei meets her precious big sister for the first time!

We have had a lot going on in our lives over the past two weeks. Sunday, April 15th our BIL, Jack lost his battle to Parkinson's. We are so grateful that we were in town to be here for Barb. God has shown us that His timing is perfect ALWAYS!!!! Ruby Mei will be such a source of joy for her Aunt Bop!!!! Thanks to all of you who have supported us again through this time in our lives. With family and friends here to celebrate Jack's life, the days are quickly flying by as we prepare to leave for China! We are so excited for May 2nd to be finally heading to Ruby land!
We hope you will follow our journey at www.myadoptionwebsite.com/diandjeff for daily ramblings about our adventures in China! And, of course for photos of our precious girl!

Blessings from a very happy Mama!