8 months home!

       Gotcha Day                             4 months home                 8 months home      

It's hard to believe that 8 months ago today we were on a plane flying home from China with our sweet baby girl. Sometimes it seems like we have always had Ava, but other times it seems like it was just yesterday that we were in China. I can still smell all the weird smells, and hear the honking horns and the zipping of mopeds. I can hear the sound of fireworks that were set off at weddings. (Weddings occurred daily in various hotel lobbies) I can see the smog in the sky from all the pollution, but then I see the beautiful mountains and the Great Wall. I can remember the huge brass Buddahs and feeling how LOST those people really are, putting all their beliefs and faith in a "statue." I remember how desperately I wanted to get home to the comforts of my own house and fresh water and clean clothes. But now I would do almost anything to go BACK. I remember visiting Ava's orphanage and feeling helpless that I could only take one child home with us, when there were so many that needed a family. I know that God opened out hearts to help the ORPHANS of the world, and we would go back in a heartbeat. We'll have to see if that's God's plan for us or just our desires. We are constantly praying about this. We are so blessed that God let us have this experience!

The last posts I wrote on Ava were 1-1/2 and 2 months ago. My how things have changed. Ava has come so far and changed so much since school has been out. She understands so much more, and she is behaving so much better. Very rarely does she have her little meltdowns. And if she does, they are short lived. I can even reason with her to be "good" and "happy." At school they had a behavior chart (green, yellow, and red) so I made one and put it in the kitchen. Ava does not like to "go to yellow" or "red," so that strategy really works for her.  I honestly can't tell you how much she has changed. Things are really going great right now. She is talking more, putting at least 3 words together quite often. I'm very pleased with her progress. She's so smart and remembers everything. She's such a little actress and quite a drama queen. Ava still loves to be the center of attention and she loves to make people laugh. She knows she's funny! How in the world did she get such a sense of humor?? Ava loves to sing songs and she remembers every motion. Her skin and hair are so beautiful and she's gained about 5 or 6 lbs since we have been home. She is such a joy, and we are so blessed. She's truly a miracle, and she's changed our lives forever. I love that little girl with all my heart!!  I'm so glad we trusted God and took that leap of faith to go bring a daughter home from the other side of the world. God told us from the very beginning to trust Him and He would bring us great joy....and He has!!

Ava loves her sunglasses, and she's getting braver in the pool! Physically she is so much stronger than when we first got her. She could barely walk, and now she can run everywhere and go up and down steps. Ava is so loving, and loves to be cuddled and held!