Pumpkin Patch...

We had a blast as you can tell by all!!!  We were some tired puppies later though, but SO WORTH it!!!  We're loving these special times with Ellie,  she just melts your heart...

Our Family Adventure...

Our family adventure was the best!!!  We had a blast as a family!  We've never giggled, laughed, and cried (laughing so hard) through the Safari...   We also had a great time in San Antonio.  The Alamo was really neat.  Ellie loved her first carriage ride too.  She loved it so much that we made another step towards in liking men that she waved and said "bye" within feet of him....

Life is priceless...

The best seat in the car for the safari ride...

Ellie loved the Zebras (mommy too).   I think it's a Madagascar thing...

Ellie's special dress made for her (Esty) for our family adventure day...

Ellie loving the petting the goats, especially the babies...

Ellie was in heaven at the "Chalk Art"...it was actually really cool!

Ellie's expression when the horse carriage started to pull away with the sound of  "clip clop"

Ellie's first horse carriage ride...

 

 

Ellie's first "bubble tea"...



Ellie learning to drive...



Our Daughter...

Ellie Pei Hua was place in our arms on October 5, 2009 in Taiwan.  It was the most amazing day of our lives that we will always treasure as Ellie's parents.   As we reflect on that special day, all those wonderful, precious and amazing memories FLOODS back like it was yesterday.  At times its hard to comprehend where a year has gone, and knowing a year ago I was holding my daughter for the very first time and crying with this unbelievable emotion in my heart.    What an amazing gift to be given to LOVE...

Taiwan is a beautiful country with the most loving, kind and respectful people.  Our hearts ached for Ellie on that day as we departed from Taiwan to come home.   We had the most wonderful experience and time while in Taiwan that we did not want to leave on Day 7... we could've of easily stayed another week in Taiwan!!  We can not wait to return with Ellie one day to share with her this amazing culture and Country.

Ellie is the most amazing, beautiful, silly, funny, smart, curious little girl.   There are still days where I'm still in this "awh" over my daughter.  We were given this amazing gift  from God.  We are very humble with our blessings and we're thankful that God has chosen Ellie to be our daughter. 

                 God knew all a long that Ellie was "Our Chosen Child"...

As we celebrate with Ellie of this special day, we decided to scratch the "gotcha day" day thing.  On that day it was a very emotional day for Ellie, mommy and daddy.  My heart still aches to think of the pain she went through on that day, weeks and months later.  She was taken from the only thing (s) (attached) that she ever knew.  Care givers, friends, food, clothing and culture..so on.  We decided not to focus on those losses for Ellie as "gotcha day".  As we walked out of the orphanage on that day with Ellie sleep in daddy's arms, at that moment, Ellie's life changed forever, she was seeing things for the first time, tasting and smelling.   Seeing something for the first through our daughter's eyes is the most "heart flutterly" gift to be given as her parents.  We decided to make October 5th our family adventure day for Ellie...seeing something for the very first time.  On October 5, 2009, Ellie was seeing the world for first time as we stood on those orphanage steps as a family.  It's been this UNBELIEVABLE journey for us, and it continues to warm our hearts daily.

p.s. Ellie will be seeing the "Alamo" with a carriage ride for the first time this weekend. (pics will follow soon)

 

p.s.s.  I left out a very special "aha moment" that happened last night.  After I went to bed last night 8:30ish, Ellie came into our room on my bed side at 10pm and said "mama"... At 10 PM was exactly 12 hours behind in Taiwan to the date at 10 AM when we held Ellie for the first time.