Peter the Horse

Any parent that has adopted a child internationally and they were in a orphanage, knows what I mean when I am thrilled that miss diva is trusting our close friend , Shawn to help her get on Peter. This is a huge step for her and makes me feel so proud and blessed to have both her and our friends.

 Shawn helping her up onto Peter. I think she was a little unsure but was fine after she was sitting on him.

                                      Look at that smile. She is so proud of herself here.

                               Annd of they go, her and Jen for a ride around the barn.

                                                                           so proud!

                                                 Jen, Peter, Zachary and Miss Diva

Father's Day

We had a great time on the grand river boat cruise...the food was good and Miss diva actually enjoyed herself. I am a little skeptical, she likes being at home and that is about it.

enjoying our happy pie

 

                   silly goose....she had fun on the boat...hope she likes the boat going to Newfoundland this summer...

      

If you look closely, on the log at the back of this picture, there are turtles sitting there. She thought they were very funny and didn't understand why they were on the log...

                                                                               ?

And our Captian for this afternoon is.....she thought this was great and she was actually steering the boat.   God love her!

UCI

Just a quick note to say we have received the UCI number the Immigration Canada to adopt "child Schraud".

Please pray for us. I now know that I have to call McMaster on Monday to arrange Miss Diva's next surgery. This really scares me. I wish my mom was here...there are times when we all need our mama's and I am super glad I have mine here on earth with me.

Donkey Day

This weekend was a busy one,on Saturday we went to the LPGA. Miss Diva got a signed ball by Jaye. That was pretty cool. Baba has pics on his phone, I will have to get them off there.

On sunday, we went to Donkey day with our friends Shawn, jen and Zachary.

This was us waiting for them  to arrive. It was very skeptical of rain..it did rain but not until later in the day. Miss Diva was very excited to spend the day with Zachary

We got there , and they were given rides down to the event on the wagon. She was unsure but finally climbed aboard when she saw other children enjoying the ride. She really enjoyed it as well. Lots of smiles.

Miss Diva wouldn't go anywhere near this lady with the bird. She just kept saying scary mommy.

She was thrilled with the sound of this harp. She didn't want to leave it but didn't want to try. She is shy that way. Finally the owner convinced her to try and that she wouldn't look. Anything to do with music and miss diva is in love.

 
 

 




The two monkeys standing beside the tractor while we decided what we were going to do. At this point it was raining really hard.

I thought was going to decline the invitation to brush the donkey. She kind of did. She was brushing for a while but wanted to pet the donkey instead. I am amazed at how far she has come in 3 years home. Last year, she would have never done this, now, she is doing it and alone. She is amazing!

 There was an old fire truck there from a station in Guelph. The kids anxiously waited their turn and climbed aboard. She was happy and had a ton a fun there.

Sitting in the barn after doing a craft, hoping and waiting the rain would stop. She loved playing on the bales of hay and hanging out inside the barn.

Watching the juggler with her friend Zach and some of the other kids in the barn...what a wonderful day had by all.

Frozen 5th birthday

I always worry about making birthday cakes. I just don't have enough experience to feel confident about doing it. Anyway, I've always made Miss Diva's and I actually enjoyed doing this one.

I used  sixlet candy, and her FROZEN figurines and a little buttercream icing and fondant.

She loved it and thought it was pretty neat that the ice cubes was blinking different colours.

 

For a couple of weeks now, whenever I would be walking, I would keep my eyes peeled for twigs.. I brought a few home and painted them white. Then I put them in a candle holder with what looked like ice pieces and hung blue and white rock candy from them.I thought they looked great and the kids loved looking at them

This is the under covered patio where I had the tables set up for the girls to eat. It was so much fun doing this party. I had a blast and I loved how it turned out.

I had a basket in Miss Diva's room with some books in it. I brought it out, had Jason sketch me out a sleigh on paper, cut it out, painted it brown and stuck it on the sides for Sven's sleigh. I ordered the blue boxes for her goodies to give to friends, which kind of looks like ice blocks.

These were some of the FROZEN balloons I ordered of line. She loved them and so did her friends. They were a lot bigger than I thought.

                             Game of Pin the Nose on Olaf

These were some treats that I had made up for the girls to take home. Inside this one there are pretzels, marshmallows, carrot candy and chocolate chips.

Miss Diva and one of her friends from school. They play so well together and she is a special kid as well. She is a heart baby and full of life.

                            Playing Pin the Nose on Olaf

All of her friends that came to help celebrate her birthday. She is one blessed little girls to have these friends

Opening presents with mama. She got a lot of new toys, money and gift cards. Thank you everyone.

Swinging her her little friend from Mandarin school.....Marialena...she is one blessed little girl.


          HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART, WE LOVE YOU 2 THE MOON AND BACK

Rhubarb People

So, this week, I cut down my rhubarb because it was huge and growing bigger than my house. Well, not quite but it just underneath miss diva's window.

After I cut it down, I put the leaves under the shade umbrella we had set up for miss diva's birthday party on Saturday. I put out a bunch of different toys for the kids to play with but the girls found another use for these leaves.

RHUBARB PEOPLE.....that's what they were..silly girls. Doesn't miss V look lovely? she is a firecracker and gotta love the spice and energy most of the time.

 







Miss Diva was having so much fun. She was yelling "look, mama, I am a rhubarb kid." She loves to play with miss V and they get along most of the time

                                               Our beautiful girls posing...gotta love them

                                Little Miss A, she wasn't so sure about being a rhubarb person

                 Little miss V now being a peacock...she is an amazing little girl with lots of spunk!

                                                         Her new hair do she said.

                                                                    Mr. Millar

Butterfly Conservatory

Us westerners sometimes take for  granted the beauty we see every day. The grass, the birds and the beauty of butterflies. I am guilty of this! Bringing miss diva home has made me realize how fortunate we are to have a beautiful country and the freedom and ability to come and go as we please.

I think miss diva may have gotten outside only a handful of times while living in China. 2 of those were for medical appointments. So indulging in the wonderful outside world was foreign to her. I remember while in Hohhot, the third day there, was nice and sunny. We decided to go for a walk in the area of the hotel. Miss Diva saw the trees moving , stared at it and cried. My heart was so heavy for all the children in institutions all across the country.

So, after 3 years of being home and four attempts to get her to go see the butterflies, she finally went in. We were so proud of her. She was so brave.

 Miss Diva and I going into the conservatory, she held my leg most of the time, but did it!

                                                              so beautiful!

 You could watch new butterflies hatching and the process of the caterpillars life there. She thought it was cool that they hung, what seemed upside down to her.

 They had a "touch table" where there was a dead butterfly, she was very brave and picked it up. We are so proud of this brave little girl.

She keeps reminding us of the little things that we sometimes take for granted and to take things slow. She is our world!