Three Month Mark

Happy Three Months Hannah Grace McDuffie!

We can't imagine our family without you :)

(thank you Deacon for taking this picture for Mama ;)

Catching Up

We have been busy, busy, and I've got a lot of catching up to do........so what better way than by pictures :)
Since I blogged last, Hannah has......

 gotten her first haircut

(more of a trim really :)

attended her first Vacation Bible School 

had her first ice cream cone

celebrated Father's Day at the pool 

(she even took a break for some good ol' watermelon)

and taken two beach trips

first to St. Simons

then to Panama City

We have also found out some not so great news.  Hannah's left hip is dislocated and has to be repaired sooooooo, we have postponed the hand surgery and she will be having surgery on her hip/leg on July 12th in Atlanta.  After the surgery she will be in a spica/body cast for at least six weeks.

PLEASE KEEP OUR FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS!!!  Stephen and I both know without a shadow of a doubt that we are smack-dab in the middle of God's plan for us, but we also know these next few months are going to be a little trying to say the least. (surgery, me going back to work, kids starting back to school, and a two year old in a body cast!!!)  But, we also know that this little "bump in the road" was no surprise to our amazing God.  We are so thankful to have Hannah home with us so this could be found and treated.

Has It Really Only Been Two Months?

Today marks two months since our "Gotcha Day."  WOW!   It really seems like much longer than that to me. Stephen and I talk all of the time about how it seems like Hannah has just always been a part of our family, and she has really only been with us for two months (and home for six weeks)?!?!  I know it sounds cliche, but we really can't imagine how our lives were without her.

 Just think, two months ago Hannah hadn't even met MK and Deacon, and now she tattles on them daily (by name :).

She has learned/changed so much in just these two months

• she will now stand (assisted)
• if she falls on her back, she can now get herself back into a seated position
• she can get on her hands and knees by herself AND support her body weight AND hold her head up for way more than 20 seconds
• can say many, many words in English and seems to understand most anything we say to her
• new hairstyle (no bangs :)
• goes to sleep without crying (because we lay down with her and then move her to her bed after she falls asleep)

She has also turned into quite the little stinker!!!!  Instead of the cute little pout, now when things don't go her way we get a full-fledged fit!!!  "Terribly Twos" in full force.  We tell ourselves that those fits just show she is comfortable with us. (right??!?!?)

To celebrate two months, I snapped a few pics :) :) :)

My beautifully sweet, headstrong, stinker!!

Please keep us in your prayers as we have several things coming up (health wise) with Hannah.

• she will start physical therapy soon to gain strength in her lower body so she can begin to stand on her own and then walk :)
• she will go to Atlanta on June 11th to see the lower limb specialist
• and the biggie....she will have surgery on her right hand on June 26th

We now have proof....

.......that Hannah is a citizen of the United States of America!!!  Hannah's Certificate of Citizenship came in the mail today!!! :)

YAY!

checking to make sure everything is correct ;)

Even though Hannah officially became a citizen when we went through the airport in Atlanta on the day we arrived home, it now seems OFFICIAL.

Thank You to everyone for the continued prayers and support!!

God is Good!

My First Mother's Day.....

.......as a Mama of three, and Hannah's first Mother's Day with a Mama!!!!  :) :) :)  And what a FABULOUS day it was.

Today was also Hannah's Dedication at Church. 

(what a great Mother's Day gift :)

We were surrounded by Family

and friends

It doesn't get any better that this!!!!

Thank you Lord again and again.

 “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God."

Peace

Before we went to China, and while we were there, my prayer was for Peace.  I prayed for peace for my heart....I knew it would be hard to leave MK and Deacon for two weeks, and I knew we would face challenges with a two year old who's world was about to be turned upside down (and I knew I needed it for the plane rides :).  I prayed for peace for Mary Kathryn and Deacon.....that their little hearts and minds may be at peace with what all was going on.  I prayed for peace for Hannah......that her heart would be at peace and ready to receive her Mama, Daddy, and new family.

Now that we are at home, I pray for peace for Hannah's birth-mother.

When sharing about our adoption and orphans in China in general, we often get the comment, "how could anybody just abandon their baby" or "I just don't see how any mother could do that"  Both of these are thoughts that I have had myself, and honestly I still don't understand, but I PRAISE THE LORD everyday that Hannah's birth-mother had the courage to let her go.  I believe in my heart that Hannah's birth-mother somehow felt the calling of the Lord that the baby she had given birth to was not her own.....the calling to give her up, and because she acted upon that calling I am able to kiss MY daughter goodnight each night and wake up to her smiling face each morning. :)  Because she listened to a God that more than likely she does not even know, Hannah is where God intended her to be when she was created.  That is the birth-mother we will tell Hannah about one day.

Tonight I pray for peace for Hannah's birth-mother.  I pray that she has peace in her heart and knows that the daughter she, unselfishly in my eyes, gave up is now HOME!

And now..........

here are a few pics of life as we have come to know it :)

Everyday when MK does her homework, Hannah whines and cries and hangs out around the bar until I put her in her booster seat so she can do her "homework"/coloring sheet too!   

I made white chocolate covered strawberries and little sista LOVED them. :)

more ballgames

and playing with friends

Isaiah 26:12

"LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have 

accomplished you have done for us."

Time Flies.....

....when you're having fun!  Today marks one month that our little Hannah Grace has been in our arms.  Wow!  What a great month it has been.
I love........
* the way she grins at me when she catches me just staring at her,
* her "squeezey" hugs,
* the way she bows her head and puts her hands together when we say the blessing and prayers at night,
* that she will cuddle with me more and more,
* the fact that she is showing us her personality more and more :)
* and most of all, that I can call her mine!

 To celebrate today, we had a little photo shoot this morning ;)

  

Proverbs 24:12 (New Living Translation) " Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and he sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and he knows you knew! And he will judge all people according to what they have done."

I continue to praise the Lord that He opened my eyes to adoption and put that upon my heart.  He knew what I knew, and he didn't give up on me.  We have been blessed beyond measure!

 

We had our one month "check-up" with our social worker from the adoption agency yesterday, and all went well.

And now for a few more random shots of our life. :)

Ready for Church :)

Hannah's 2nd Birthday "Party"

(and by party I mean cake after Sunday lunch :)

I  have to brag on one of my big babies....... Monday while Hannah was napping, Deacon came to me and said he was "ready to ride his bike without training wheels,"  and boy was he ever.  After a few attempts, he was off!

(yes, he is on a pink bike.....Mama couldn't get the training wheels off of his "boy bike" :)

I am one proud and Blessed Mama.