Gotcha Day One Year Later, 2012

I cannot believe we are one year out on this side of adopting! It almost doesn't seem real. To be honest it feels like almost 3 years ago that we were in China. Even when we look back and talk of all the memories from our trip, it seems like it was so much longer than 1 year. The good news is that for the first time about a week ago, I realized that it's hard to remember life before Hannah. This is SO HUGE for me because those first several months were very hard and my mind could SO easily remember my easy life before adoption. Now everything just feels so normal. It's funny how we all can look at her and not see her to be any different than us, just as though she were born into this family the same way Mark and Charles were born into our family. When I think of how God brought a child from half way across the earth and dropped her into our family (one day when I finally post her real Gotcha Day video you can see just how she really was dropped right into our lives), I am just amazed at God's greatness.




Thinking back over these last 12 months we are over joyed at all the unexpected blessings that have come our way. Most adopted children are almost 1 year behind developmentally on adoption day. Hannah has never been even 1 day behind...Let's not forget the fact that she was also considered special needs medically when we first accepted her file, and we have never had to deal with anything medical outside of checkups. Hannah knows all of her shapes, colors (both in English and Chinese), alphabet, numbers, can count to at least 10, is now learning the sounds of the alphabet and how to draw them, has excellent speech, can quote a number of books by heart, can help match up socks and PJ's from the laundry, set napkins and silverware for meals on the table, and can say some of the sweetest prayers without any prompting. I can brag this way on her because I have nothing to do with her gene pool...I only wish I had something to do with it.

One of the things that has really flourished in the last couple of months is her love of singing. The girl's mouth NEVER stops!!!!!! She has the sweetest little Texas accent, and I could listen to her sing all day...oh wait, I do. :o) One of her favorite songs is, "God Made Me". This was never one of my favorite songs on one of our children's CD's, but when she started singing it on her own one day it brought tears to my eyes and it has now become my favorite.

Every night when we put our kids to bed we pray with them and sing each of them a song. Each child in our house has THEIR song that we sing them EVERY night. We have switched up 3 different songs to incorporate their names in it. Hannah's song is Jesus Loves The Little Children. So we sing, "Jesus loves our little Hannah". She loves it! Then we always follow up everyone's song with God Is So Good. Last night when I was praying and singing her songs I could not hold back the tears. I was so overwhelmed with God's love for her/us, and all the blessings He has granted us through her. To think of our lives without her joyful, compassionate, sweet spirit makes me sad. Had we said, "No" to God's calling for our family we would have missed out on more things than I care to count...and that's just the ones I know of. It's been (and still can be) a very hard road, adoption always is, but one that is worth traveling. I can hardly wait to see all the blessings ahead for this child and our family as we continue on.




We have a simple celebration dinner planned for tonight. I will try and post pictures as soon as I can (since this one didn't have many). :o(
Happy Gotcha Day Hannah Qingchu Campbell! We all love you so much and are so thankful for how God brought you into our family one year ago today.
Wo ai ni (I love you in Chinese)!!!!!!

This Time Last Year

It's hard to believe we were in China this time last year leaving Beijing for Houngzhou to pick up our daughter.




Funny how the memories come flooding back as you prepare to celebrate this day! Tomorrow we will celebrate Hannah's "Gotcha Day"...This is the day she was born into our family. It is a day we will celebrate every year of her life, and it is one VERY MUCH worth celebrating.

Let's Go Rangers!!!

Anyone who knows us knows that we love the Rangers in this house...and oh how we love these Rangers! :o)





So every week we dress up to support the cutest Rangers in Texas.





With the cutest little cheerleader...EVER!





We sit in the stands and cheer our little hearts out for these boys.





Whether it's when Charles is up to bat.


Or Mark is running home.


We love to cheer them on...So cute to watch!


If you are wondering where Charlie is in these photos, you have to look closer at the pitcher. The handsome Rangers coach is my husband. :o)


Go Rangers!!!!!!