Thanksgiving Fun!!

The turkey and ham were wonderful, as well as the pumpkin and chocolate chip pie.
Now for some time outside....Thanksgiving in the deep south means outside playtime..

Beep  Beep!!

Well, it is not the beach, but I really do like the sandbox now....Amazing how far she has come...at first she would not even think about getting into the sandbox...

What would a "Southern Thanksgiving" be without some football..

Walker and his Dad were tossing it around.

He was certainly concentrating on something.

 Keep your eyes on the ball...

Outside time always means some bubble blowing, too...

Heather got the blowing action started.

Did not take Lilly long to get into the action

Look, Mammy, I caught it!!

Big brother Hampton, aka, "Bubba" was hanging around trying to get Lilly to show us her Karate moves...

When it all said and done...there is nothing like sharing good times with family.  Most of our family is away today with other family and friends and we missed them. Hope your turkey day was filled with family, friends, food and lots of love...

Brian, Heather, Hampton, Walker & Lilly

Randy & Donna

Friday Night Lights

Lilly and "Scrunch"

Friday night in South Georgia means one thing....high school football...and here in Folkston that means cheering for the Indians. It was hot and muggy...definetely not football weather, but that does not deter the Indian faithful. This was Lilly's first football game and she was excited to cheer for the Indians and her big brother, Hampton, aka as "Bubba". She had her Indian t-shirt with his name and number, 18, and her bright red bow. Lilly was just too cute.

Hampton and the Indians won 41-6 and we were so proud that he was in on 4 of the scoring drives.  As a sophomore he is now a strong 6'1", 195 lb. tight end.  Mainly being used as a blocking end.

Hampton up to the line

Doing his job blocking his man

Part of the fun of a Friday night game is sharing the fun time with friends.  Lilly enjoyed having her friend, Addie Jacoby, sitting next to us.  Addie's parents are our pastor and family, Randy & Paula Jacoby.  Addie is really into the football spirit much to her Dad's delight.  Big sisters, Ahnna & Abigail are members of the Indian Marching Band of Pride.  They put on a wonderful half time show.  We are so proud of our band. They are truly amazing every year.

Lilly and Addie watching the action

Having fun cheering for the Indians

Today was a special day for the Jacoby family.  It was Paula's birthday and her special present was notification that their dossier was sent to China for the adoption of their new daughter.  We are all so excited about another beautiful Chinese daughter added to our church family.

Paula & Addie Jacoby

A fun evening with friends and family enjoying another Indian victory.  Hopefully just one of many this season. Our little girl is adapting the all things, "Southern".

Heather & Lilly

  

Get Out the Almanac!!

Lilly has spent most of the day with Mammy today.  The rest of the family had eye doctor appointments in Jacksonville.  Mammy has not been able to spend a lot of time with just Lilly since the broken leg on June 3.  Thank goodness the leg is getting stronger.

Lilly & MeMe

My Granny and Granddaddy Tomlinson lived by the Farmer's Almanac.  When one of us kids were eating a lot of food, Granny would tell Granddaddy to get out the Almanac and see when that kid is going to fill.  Lilly was that way at lunch today.  Randy came home and ate with us.  My younger brother, Bill Allen, is the most wonderful cook on his huge grill.  I or rather all of us love his smoked chicken.  He smoked me a 10 pound bag of leg quarters last week and I still had 2 left in the refrigerator(most of them are in the freezer).  We also are still enjoying fresh tomatoes and Lilly loves the little cherry ones.  Leftover mac & cheese, corn on the cob, and English peas rounded out our lunch. Randy just thinks I'm going to cook supper, too.  Wrong O!!  I fixed Lilly's plate and thought I bet she will not eat much chicken because of all the veggies..that was wrong, too.  She ate almost all of my leg quarter, 10 cherry tomatoes, mac & cheese, peas and finished off with a cup of chocolate pudding...then proceeded to grab the chicken leg and see if she could get any more chicken off the bone.  So good to see her enjoying all our "Southern" food.

Mom came by on her way to meet her friend Inez for a late lunch, too.  I tried to get a picture of Lilly with the corn, but did not get the camera out in time.

Lilly wanted her picture with Poppa

After lunch Lilly decided it was time to brush her teeth.  Eating corn on the cob will do that to you. I did not have a small brush for her, so I just got out one of the new ones we got from the dentist last month.  She was just happy to have one of her own.

After the teeth brushing she wanted "bubbles".  So I filled the sink with soap and water.  Memo to all Moms and GrandMoms...a soapy filled sink and an empty Crystal Lite container will occupy a child for about 30-45 minutes.  Now you will have to mop around the sink and put their clothes in the dryer, but she was so happy and entertained herself.

Brush Brush Brush

Mammy..I need more bubbles

Adding water cap full at a time

You have to concentrate to get the water in the container.

  

You've Come A Long Way, Lilly

I was thinking about that famous phrase today.  Lilly was so happy to see me and greeted me with a huge smile and outstretched arms, waiting for me to pick her up.  I thought back to that Monday morning at the Civil Affairs office in Wuhan when she came walking into the room.  Her little face was looking around wondering where am I and who are all these people.

We are so pleased with the way Lilly has adapted to her new world.  So many changes in such a short time.  Her forever family looks nothing like her birth parents or caregivers.  A new language that sounds nothing like the sing song Chinese language, yet she is already repeating so many words and is actually beginning to put 2 words together.  New foods so strange to her palate, yet she is loving boiled peanuts, all kind of fruits (today she had her first "Georgia" peach and she ate almost 2 of them, skin and all), watermelons, fresh green beans (thanks, Uncle Bill & Aunt Patsy), fresh squash, celery, fried chicken and beef jerky  (just like her brothers and Poppa).

Saturday she spent 4 plus hours with Randy & I while Mom and BaBa went to a wedding.  It was our first time for her to help Mammy bake a cake.  At first she wasn't sure about the standing in the chair in front of that strange machine.  Didn't take her long to get into the adding of ingredients and turning the mixer on & off.  We made a banana crumb cake...yummy!

Do I need to add the eggs?

Taste so good...banana cake!!

Easter weekend was the first time Heather took Lilly out to the pool.  Needless to say, I'm sure she had never seen a swimming pool.  All that water was just too much.  She sat very safely in Heather's lap until she watched the water bugs, Walker, Alaina and Ella.  After a time she actually got into the pool with me.  She held on for dear life, but let me swirl her around in the water.  Fast forward 3 weeks...Randy and I took her out there and she was ready to get into the water immediately.  Laughing, squealing, pouring water on herself and Randy....throwing water at him from a cup...she was not ready to get out after about an hour...Looking forward to having her in the water daily when Walker finishes school later this week.  I think by mid summer she will be swimming around by herself with her swimmies.

This is so much fun

My Poppa is so funny

So many more fun times to come.  It is so amazing to share "first" things in her life.  I feel so honored to have the opportunity to show what an amazing world God has created for her to live in.  Later in June, Alaina and Ella will be here for a week.  What a treasure to have all 5 granchildren together.  Looking forward to making memories...

Family time at Easter

Poppa & Ella at the playground

Hampton holding Alaina, Lilly, Walker holding Ella

Alaina at the top of the big slide.

As you can see it is hard to get 5 children ranging from age 15 to 2 to all look the same way and smile, but we tried.  Mainly it was just hard to get them to stop long enough to snap a picture.  Alaina was wiggling on Hampton who was battling a really bad sunburn via a day at the beach.  Ella wanted to sit on the seat and Lilly was just not sure what to make of all these blonde children.

The little girls all did really well playing together.  That does not mean there weren't some tears over sharing trikes and balls.  Ella was like but, that has always been my trike and I'm not sure I like sharing. Thank goodness I had the good idea to buy all new bubbles and bubble wands, goggles, swim mask, pool balls and dive toys for everyone.

Our Saturday started with Miranda & family going over early to meet Lilly.

JB & Miranda showing Lilly a toy from his Mom, Lee.

Ella, Alaina & Lilly

Poor Lilly we woke her up so she could meet more of her family before the shower.  So many changes and new things and people in her life.

After the shower (I'll cover that in a separate post) we changed into shorts and headed out to see Walker play baseball.  It was so hot, but we enjoyed the time outside and Miranda got to see lots of friends and their children.  In a small town everyone goes out to the ball fields to see the children play.

Walker hit it to the fence.

I just love baseball!

Watching the batter from first base.

After hot dogs, french fries and cokes for the kids, we stopped off for bar-b-cue sandwiches to benefit Dalton Luder and some pool time.  No pictures because Mammy was the only adult that braved the cool pool water.  As expected Lilly wanted no part of the pool at first, but as she sat with Mom and saw the other kids having fun she eventually let me take her into the pool.  Alaina and Ella are little water bugs and they had spent some time with LeeLee ( their other grandmother) and swam in her indoor pool.  It helps to keep kids in the water.  It was funny to me how Ella was not cold even though her lips were blue and her teeth chattering, but Lilly never shivered the first time.  Will thought he was going to have a quiet afternoon by the pool reading and catching some rays.  Not happening with 4 lively children around the pool.  Our day ended with steaks cooked on the charcoal grill.  Nothing better than having my family all together around the table sharing a meal.

No one had to be rocked to sleep that night, especially, "Mammy".

They're Coming!!

Mammy, Alaina & Ella

JB, Miranda, Alaina & Ella

I realized that I had not included any pictures of my other two grandchildren, Alaina & Ella.  They are just such precious little girls and Randy & I love to have them here in our home.  Alaina will be 6 on July 28th and is a kindergarten student at Peeples Elementary School in Peachtree City, GA.  Ella is her lively 3 year old sister that loves going to "Miss Darlene's" each week day.  Mom, Miranda is our middle child.  She is a physical therapist with her own practice in Griffin GA, while her husband, John Ben, (JB) is a math teacher at Starrs Mills High School in Peachtree City.  They live in the small town of Senoia, and love their church, FBC, Senoia.  Mom & Dad just celebrated their 10th anniversary with a Princess Cruise to the eastern Caribbean.

Will & MeMe

Our son, Will, is our youngest child and looks just like his dad.  He like his older sisters went to Athens to UGA, however he has just never left Athens.  He loves his life there with his friends.  I think Athens would be a great place to live, too.  He is the office manager for Athens Sleep and Wellness Center.  His true love is craft beer and I know he would like to find some way to manufacture his own.  Maybe one day.

Everyone will be home for Easter and Randy & I are really looking forward to having everyone here.  It will be a busy time.  Friends are having a shower for Lilly on Saturday morning, Walker has baseball games at noon, Saturday afternoon will be Mary Eve's wonderful Easter Egg hunt.  Sunday we will all be at church celebrating our risen Savior and then family and friends will gather here for lunch, swimming and hunting eggs.  My two brothers & wives, Joe & Marion and Bill & Patsy, will join with my mother, MeMe, along with our pastor & family and other friends.  I think the count is around 25 right now and growing.  Celebrating with family and friends will be a wonderful to introduce Lilly to Easter.

Jet Lag is REAL!

Can I can I carry a bucket of Doras & ride at the same time?

It doesn't seem possible that we have been home 2 weeks.  All my life I have read about jet lag and let me tell you it is the real deal.  We were so tired when we got home Friday, April 1, I thought nothing would interfere with sleep....well...I was wrong.  I slept relatively well that first night and felt fairly good all day Saturday.  Randy had started with a cold several days before we left China and it really hit him hard on Sat. & Sun.  I was the only one who made it to church on Sunday morning, but by Sun. afternoon, it had begun to drag me down, too.  Hard to describe how you feel, fine one minute and can't make another step the next minute.  You fight to stay awake past 8 PM and then you are wide awake at midnight or 3 AM.  Lilly and the Hulings were battling it too.  You can't explain to a 2 year old why you are wide awake from 12 to 5 AM and then want to sleep until 10 AM.  By mid-week we were all beginning to sleep better, but still waking at odd hours.  Unfortunately by Thursday the cold bug had decided it needed to visit me, too and I have been battling it and a terrible cough.  Hopefully we will all get back to normal in a few more days.

The number one question I hear everywhere I go is, "How is Lilly adjusting?"  I think she is doing really well all things considered.  She is bonding with all of us and it comfortable around all of us.  She loves to eat and we have still not found anything she does not like, except the baby formula they recommended we give her.  She loves, boiled peanuts, hot dogs, hamburgers, onion, bell pepper, edamame, peas & rice, chicken nuggets, broccoli, all kinds of fruit, carrot salad, cherry tomatoes, you name it she will eat it.  Strangely she will eat small amounts of dessert, cake, cookies & ice cream.  Not sure she has had lots of sweets before.  She really likes yogurt type drinks.  What a blessing to have a little one who loves all kinds of food.

Cooking at Mammy's house.

She is still struggling with sleeping through the night.  Heather says she will cry out several times during the night, never really awake, but struggling in her sleep.  You can not really comfort her and once Heather picked her up out of her bed and attempted to comfort her and she wanted her to put her back into her bed.  After several minutes she went back to sleep.  Lilly likes to sit in her stroller or booster seat.  Last Saturday she sat in her stroller for Walker's 2 baseball games.  Not many 2 year olds will do that.  She played for a short time in Randy's lap and then wanted to get back into the stroller.  Heather says she often wants to sit in her booster seat and snap and unsnap her safety belt.  It is obvious to us that she has not had many toys to play with as she seems unsure how to play.  We also believe she has not been taken outside very much either and if she has it has been on concrete.  I have a sand box that all the kids have loved to play in, but she will only squat down by it and scratch around in the edge.  Can't get her interested in picking flowers either, although she does like to ride on the golf cart.  Heather is taking her outside every day for short times.  She is very much her mother's daughter, as she is very hot natured, just like Heather.  It is going to be a long summer.  She also loves shoes...my kind of girl.  Miranda has sent probably 10 or so pairs of shoes from Alaina & Ella and she can put on her socks and shoes herself and she loves to try all of them on.  Not necessarily matching the same shoes.

Her laughter continues to light up a room.  She is also very ticklish and will just squeal with delight if you tickle her.  She usually laughs out loud when she sees Randy.  Yesterday I was showing Heather the web blog of Jennifer Turquette, who traveled with us the two weeks in China.  Lilly was in her lap and when the blog opened up it had a picture of Steve, Jennifer, and Sophia, and she was so excited to see Sophia.  She just called out and pointed to her picture.  It was the same on all the pictures.  It was like I know that little girl.  She also likes to look at pictures of herself.  Wonder if she had ever seen a picture of herself?

Poppa loves to tickle me.

 I continue to feel so blessed to have been given this opportunity to travel to China and share it with all of you.  God has blessed us with such a sweet precious baby girl.  She continues to bring joy into our lives and I look forward to each day with her as we share God's love and His goodness with her.  I'm excited that next weekend JB, Miranda & family and Will are going to be home with us.  It will be a lively noisy house, but in a very good way.