Luke's GOTCHA DAY -- Five Years Later!

Today is GOTCHA DAY FOR LUKE --- the five years has flown by (well a larger majority of the days have so that's a good thing). The precious needy baby that we brought home is now independent for many things but still willing to give out more cuddles than imaginable. He is a very inquisitive five (almost six) year old and is so tender hearted. He still loves to hold doors open for others and say "after you" and grin. He is also still "all about Daddy". Trains are in just about every thought of his. We have moved on from Thomas but we are now into pointing out steamies and diesels and asking Daddy about how his NORFOLK & SOUTHERN Stock is doing (thanks to Poppop's generous stock gifts). He still wants to be an Engineer and work with trains. Next month he will start Kindergarten. He is excited about going to the school that mommy went to and the fact that it is across the street seems to be really cool for him right now. (I am sure that will change pretty fast though like it did for me).

For all the LOVE, HUGS, KISSES, SMILES and wonderful LUKE-isms we have gotten along the way we can still say that there is no other 'son' for us. He is as much a part of us as one can be. We are excited about the years to come and will continue to celebrate Gotcha Day every year. Today we went to get a PIRATE costume for our GOTCHA DAY GIFT and Luke chose CHILI'S as his dining place. He ate more salsa tonight than ever. FINALLY....the spicy Guatemalan side is coming out! Mommy has been waiting for him to 'love spicey' and it's coming.

To the next five years........ oh how they will fly by!

With Love and Hugs!!

July 26, 2007

July 26, 2012

We lost our First Tooth!

Yes, we are still here and doing very well.  Sorry it has been so long since we have posted.  LOTS of excuses... some of them good...most of them not.  Will try to do better.  Life has been a roller coaster for a number of months with most of the hills being good ones.

Maran lost her first tooth last night July 23, 2012. Daddy called me while I was shopping and asked "What happened to her tooth"?  I didn't know what he was referring too.  Apparently she lost a tooth and no one knew... NOT EVEN HER.  So it must have been a crunchy nugget.  That's all I can think.  NO tooth doesn't mean the tooth fairy won't still come with pixie dust in hand though!  (the gap on the left side of her mouth has always been there so that is NOT a missing tooth but it sure looks like one).

Stay tuned... we are FOR SURE going to catch up... that's a promise!!

SO MUCH CATCHING UP TO DO....

Just because you take a hiatus doesn't mean you are more organized or have better control.  WE ARE BACK THOUGH.... I wanted to make a NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION that included BLOGGING ONCE A WEEK but... It is April and this is the first.  OH WELL...another reason I don't make resolutions.

IN A QUICK UPDATE:

1.  School is going well.

2.  WE LOVED the holidays and had a great time.

3.  We enjoyed a long weekend in New York City for Mommy's birthday...(PICTURES TO FOLLOW).

4.  Follow up Dr. visit with Maran shows foot doing as well as it can but the bones need to grow some more and hopefully straighten up which means we wait and see. 

5.  Our house is for sale as we have found another one that we love.  Mommy and Daddy spent six weeks going through all the "STUFF" and it is now on the market.  (Basically we have the essentials left in the house and have all but packed it up).

6.  Maran LOVES DANCE.

7.  Luke and Maran are on the same T Ball Team (The Yankees)

8.  We went to Carowinds for the first time.

9.  We had a spend the night party with Aunt Peggy and Cousin Tefie.

10.  Maran's recital is coming up real soon and we are all ready!

Pre-K is going well.  Both of their little minds are like sponges.  Amazing how fast they learn and what they choose to retain (or at least admit).  Maran enjoys spelling and typing on the computer.  Luke still loves trains more than life and can tell you all about steamies and locomotives. 

Mom and Dad are still enjoying the innocence of this stage of life.  Each day is a blessing full of hugs, smiles, laughs, giggles and some tears.  Maran will one day make a good actress (actually a soap star) as her tears can come on like a light. 

God truly knew what he was doing when he made "FAMILY".

Hugs to all!

We are on a Cruise...

Be back soon with lots of pictures and stories!

Love and Hugs,

Mr. Snickerdoodle and Miss Sassafras

HOME EXACTLY ONE YEAR!

November 1, 2010 I arrived in North Carolina to dear friends and family.

When I went to my new home there was this big thing called a dog.  Her name was Abbey and she was a Golden Retriever and I was scared to death of her.  Now she is my buddy.

I was introduced to someone named Luke who is my brother.  I liked him at first, then I didn't and now some minutes I do want to play with him while others he is "JUST A BOY".  I have many wonderful cousins and a Nammy and Pop Pop that are the best people ever.  My Aunt Peggy spoils me, my Tia Lisa gives me loud toys and my Aunt Mary sends many surprises in the mail.  I am very blessed!

This was our first picture together one year ago today.

November 1, 2010

This is our picture today.  We have changed.  Deep down I love having a brother and I love playing with him. 

November 1, 2011.

Thank you for loving me!

Love and Hugs,

Maran

PS Do you want me to write your name for you because I now have mastered my name and I am starting to write everyone's name now. 

GOTCHA DAY...One year Later and Happy

Since we thought we would never get to China to get Maran it is unbelievable that we have been home a year. 

Many things have changed.  ALL FOR THE BETTER.  First, Maran brings an added light to our family.  Who knew? She has touched many and especially her cousin David.  I am sure he will not mind me using what he wrote about her.  Such wonderful words from a young man who understands without fail what agape is and that a home is a home, deserved by all and especially deserved by orphan children.  David and I always said that if we opened ONE person's eyes to adoption then we would be happy.  With Cousin David(our nephew), we pray for him a life of happiness, a loving family and lovely wife and with that many children if they are what he wants.  If he chooses for some of his to be adopted great.  If he spreads the word and advocates for this wonderful cause then hip hip hooray!  While we know adoption is not for everyone we are excited about the openness we have received especially from our young and loving nieces and nephews.  Cousin David, in turn, has been an inspiration to Maran.

Below is an excerpt from what Cousin David wrote.  He is referring to three people in particular in his life that have changed his life. The title of his story is 'GOD HUMBLING ME'. 

The final example is with my three-year-old cousin Maran Gieser. I wasn’t ready for Maran to change my life when my aunt and uncle adopted her in October 2010.

Now that Maran’s been in the States, I cannot believe how much joy she has brought me in just the few days I’ve spent with her. Last weekend at graduation, I couldn’t get enough of playing with Maran.

If you would have told me just last September that I would find Maran Gieser the cutest, cuddliest cousin, and be laughing and smiling nonstop when I was with her, I would have pessimistically countered

God humbles me all the time, and this is the way he’s humbled me most recently. Eller, Jack and Maran, thanks for hanging in there and being willing to love me, even if I didn’t have the best attitude at first. I love y’all, and I hope that I’ll do a better job of loving all people through the lessons that y’all have unintentionally taught me.

Instead of looking at all those hungry faces needing homes or adoptions on TV, I shouldn’t dismiss them but think, “That’s somebody’s Maran right there.”

One year later we have this:

A little China Doll who is

*beyond her years of being fluent in English
*ready to perform heart surgery sooner than later as she wants to be a heart doctor
*lover of hair bows
*lover of any and all foods placed before her.  She has yet to meet many things she doesn't like
*a caretaker
*everyone's friend
*teacher's pet (IN A GOOD UNDER COVER WAY)
*Daddy's little angel
*Mommy's little helper
*the office wrecker (She is like a one girl wrecking ball when allowed)
*Lover of the outdoors
*Portable Party
*tender hearted
*thinks family and cousins are better than rice and noodles and BELIEVE ME this is truly special
*fearless
*daredevil
*prissy
*loving
*huggable
AND A SOUTHERN GIRL HAS BEEN MADE

We LOVE:

Grits and Green beans
Banana Pudding and Fried Bacon 
Waffle House Waffles
Soup that has cooked all day
BBQ in any style, flavor and combination!

ONE YEAR AGO:

We spoke Chinese now we speak some Chinese (still trying to keep it with her) some Spanish, and LOTS OF ENGLISH.  We are also pretty good with sign language.

We had on a ragged dress and shoes that were three sizes too small on Gotcha Day.    Today we have what we need and some of what we want but we have learned fast that want and need are different.

We hoarded food.  We still do it some today but not as bad.

We weighed 17 pounds and we now weigh 36.  19 POUND GAIN.  While this is not good for many people this was VERY NEEDED and GOOD FOR HER.  (We were told she weighed 25 pounds)

We were 26" tall.  We are now 34" tall.

We had on a size 5 pair of shoes that should have been 8.  Now one foot is size 10 and the other size 9.

We don't have club feet nearly as bad.

We have eaten more shelled peanuts than you could imagine.

We have shared the love (Blowed kisses) to just about everyone we have looked at.

We have enjoyed Mother's Morning Out and rocked at Pre-K.

We have gotten in trouble.

We have cried to get our way out.

We have heard every day from mommy "Share the Love" and "Be a good Friend and Listener" as well as "I LOVE YOU".

We have shown the world how we can cry on demand.

We can charm you like there is no tomorrow.

We can use little girl "ANTICS" on you and once you figure it out you are hooked in our grasp.

We drink YOO HOO (the only form of Chocolate if you can call it that).

We still will not drink Milk but we will tell you that we like it.

We think cemetery flowers are "BEAUTIFUL" like mommies friend Duckie.

We feel that boo boos should have MANY BAND AIDES on them regardless of where the boo boo is located.

We KNOW that Santa watches us all the time and we know that mommy gets text messages from Santa when we are naughty.

We know that BU*T is a bad bad word and that SH*T UP is equally as bad and we will tell you if we hear you say it.  (EVEN IF YOU SAY IT IN A NON-NASTY WAY). 

We love singing Baby Jesus song. 

We love playing dress up.

We ARE HAPPY that the holidays are around the corner.

There are many more but the best is that Maran loves her family and she KNOWS she is loved.  She loves Luke the majority of the time and is a good playmate. She has already learned that it is often better to go ahead and share than to fight over "whose turn it is". 

Blessings in the form of children are so sweet.  Here we are one year later with a beautiful and smart child who we hope continues to love being here.  She often  refers to China as "MY CHINA" but she will also quickly tell you that she does not want to go back.  Some of the stories I have learned have allowed me to confirm that 100% she does not have to go back (meaning to the orphanage).  To visit --- ABSOLUTELY.  She will see her native country as much as we can take here there. I personally promise that I will enjoy it a lot more this time around!

Thank you for joining us on our ride.  It has not all been smooth and happy but it has been worth every emotion we have gotten from it.

From our Happy Family to yours......

HUGS and "SHARE The LOVE".

At the Fair enjoying my ONE YEAR in America! Dora  This Princess Chic is one of my favs!