Spring Soccer begins!

Gramma Jean comes to visit/April referrals....

Spring has sprung, thank goodness!!! April is here, warmer weather has arrived, spring soccer is beginning and baby referrals are in....
I have been putting off mentioning referrals just simply b/c they suck this month...the number referred sucks! I hate to say it like that, but that's exactly how I feel. They have matched families with babies logged in through Jan 9th 2006.....BIG BUMMER. I really thought they'd have gotten further into Jan of 06 by this point, but once again disappointment. And again, there's nothing we can do but pray for this speed up that supposedly is going to happen again one day soon. We pray that next month on May 1st they have gottten MUCH farther into January....with our log in day of March 15 2006 I feel like we are soooo close and yet sooo far at the same time. But...I still feel God's blessings for chosing this path for us, and although my hearts hurts and aches on a daily basis while enduring this wait, I have not given up hope AT ALL, that our sweet Sophie Ruth is waiting for us and we will get to her some day soon!
I love this baby girl who lies oceans away...I love this baby girl who I've yet to meet, but will some day....
I thank God for this adoption journey and thank him for the daughter he has made waiting for us.
Okay, so on a happier not so negative note....Gramma Jean came last weekend and we had a fabulous time, Thank you so much Gramma Jean! Mommy and daddy went out on the town till the wee hours of the night while Gramma and Charlie spent some fun time together. And we also spent the day in the warm sunshine at the zoo! And much to Charlie's delight he got to see his favorite animal the tiger, up close and personal which made his day!! We love you Gramma and can't wait for our journey together in China to be coming some day soon!

Happy Easter Sophie!

Happy Easter Sophia Ruth,
Another holiday here and gone and you are still not in my arms...
I sat in church on this splendid Easter morning with the brilliant sun shining through the sanctuary, and I couldn't help but let my mind wander to you....
You-my sweet daugther to be, all bundled up snug a world away sleeping through the night, this Easter morning.
As I celebrate Easter this year, it just makes me realize what a gift being a Christian is and what a privledge to celebrate that Christ has risen for us, all of us, and you too Sophie! It is He that gives me strength and courage to KNOW with all my heart you are safe and protected right now while you wait for us, and us for you........
"Do not be afraid for I am with you, I will bring your children from the East and gather you from the West" -Isaiah 43:5
Love, Mommy xoxox

Easter Weekend 2008/Addie's First Birthday Celebration!

Sweet Mattie Gail!

After being home 7 months now, I finally got over to my dear friend Tressa's to see her baby girl, Mattie! If you remember, we met Mattie for the first time back at our halloween party in October and she had only been home from China for a few weeks! Tressa and I became good friends about a year and a half ago and met while waiting to adopt our daughters from China. Tressa and her husband were logged into the Chinese Gov. in Novemeber of 2005 so that's why they already have little Mattie girl! Sophie- I have a feeling you and Mattie will be good buddies one day soon!
I had so much fun visiting with Tressa and Mattie! Tressa is doing such an amazing job with her, she is a ray of sunshine, I couldn't stop smiling at her and couldnt help leaving there that day filled with such hope and excitement that it is going to be our turn soon! Our turn to bring home our own ray of sunshine, our Sweet Sophie Ruth!
I dreamt of you, Sophie, for the first time in a very long time, it was so real, you were about 2 to 3 months old and I was staring at a picture of you, it was sent to me from China somehow and I remember just staring so intently at you....I can still see it in my minds eye.......it seemed so real.
Oh Sophie, I can hardly wait for you and that moment I stare at your picture for the first time in real life...it's only a matter of months now, not years......only months away!
Love Mommy

March Referrals are in!

Well it's official, they've matched families with there sweet baby girls through January 4 2006! Although we were hoping they'd have gotten farther into January, it still brings us great joy to announce that they are FINALLY into our year of 2006!!! There are only 63 days left before they get to our date of March 15 2006(omitting seven days for Chinese New Year of course when they dont' log anyone into the match department!)
Sophie each day we get closer I feel you more and more...I have been dreaming of you more often...you may not being growing in my tummy right now, but I am 100% sure you are growing in my heart...I feel you growing my heart bigger each day!
Born in My Heart
I see you in my dreams and feel you in my heart
Sweet baby waiting patiently half a world apart
I try hard to imagine your many gifts and charms
Passing time until at last I hold you in my arms
Soon we'll be together, (daddy, Charlie, you and me!)
And I'll give you all my love
My precious little angel from above!

Love, Mommy

March 2008....Surprise Trip!

Well, it was Grandy's birthday weekend and we decided to give her a little surprise and drop in for an unexpected visit....and boy was she surprised!! During our stay we were lucky enough to enjoy some very warm weather(almost 70 degrees!)and a delight from what we've been used to! We also went rollar skating and had a blast!!! I can't wait for you to learn to skate with us, Sophie, it's sooo much fun! It was a nice little get away and refreshing to be outside again so much! Happy Birthday Grandy...just think, next year Sophie will be celebrating with us! No news yet about the next batch of babies being matched, but "rumor" has it that they are most definetly into Janurary of 2006....our LID Year, HOORAY!!!!(we are March 2006)
Stay tuned.....!

About the Pictures below....

The slide show below just captures some snapshots of Charlie's birthday celebration...And although the "original party" didn't go as planned due to the yucky flu we had for 10 days(yes, 10!) Charlie still managed to have fun!
Gramma Jean and Auntie Kim, Ashley and Austin came down the day of the original party, and although it ended up being cancelled, Charlie still had fun with Gramma Jean, Poppie, Grandy and Auntie Kim and family...
Thankfully, the next day he felt so much better and we threw together a small celebration with some of his good buddies!
I still can't believe our baby is five....so independant, smart, funny, sweet and so loving!
Sophie girl you are going to be so lucky to have such a great big brother!
And although this wait has been two years tooooooo long......we know it's God's plan and one that will work perfectly for our family! I am beginning to see how the four year age gap between you and your brother to be will really fit us well!
During our bought with the flu I couldn't help but think and worry about you.....I pray the flu stays away from wherever you are right now, and I pray you are healthy and warm and loved by whomever God has by your side.....
Sophie we just Can't wait to get you home!!!! I know these next six months are going to fly by...March is right around the corner....then April /May/June/July.....and oh my goodness we will only be moments away from you at that point I hope!!!!
I love you my sweet daughter to be!!! (and daddy and Charlie too!)
Love, Mommy xoxox

Birthday festivities for our Charlie Boy!

Our Charlie Boy/Power Ranger turns Five today!

Wow...where did those years go??? I feel like it was just last month we brought our sweet baby boy home...and now here he is "morphing" himself into the Red/Tiger Power Ranger..defending his territory with his tiger hand claw and tiger num-chucks(don't laugh if I'm spelling this wrong!)
Anyway....Sophie your big brother is soooo excited for you to be coming home soon in the next few months! This will be his last birthday without his baby sister, next year you'll be crawling all over the place at his party!
The last batch of babies matched was through December 27th 2005! Rumor has it that throughout this month they should be working on matching babies to families logged into January 2006! Again, we are March of 2006......we are getting closer to you my baby girl!!!!
I love you and your big brother to the stars and moon and back(as Charlie and I always say!)
Love Mommy xoxo

Christmas with the Rogers Family Jan 2008

We got together with Jeff's side of the family the first weekend of January and celebrated the holiday season together! Everyone came from all over to spend some time! We had a great time, and Charlie really enjoyed playing with his cousins, Alivia and Kayla!

Saying Goodbye....

A very important person left this world today....January 7, 2008....
Someone I longed for you to meet-
Someone who's name will now be a part of who you will one day become-
My Gramma Ruth......
Great Gramma Ruth to you....although you will not ever see her,
I will be sure you'll know her in your heart.
She was a wonderful grandmother to me and holds a special place in my heart.
There will not be a Christmas morning gone by, that I will not think of her...

When I was a little girl, my little brother(your Uncle Dougie)and I would call her first thing on Christmas morning....and by "first thing", I really mean it...
One year, Dougie and I were so excited we woke up a 3am....and sure enough...at 3am we called Gramma Ruthie to share with her what we saw that Santa had brought...
And unlike anyone else I know, instead of being irritated by the EARLY wake up call, she came over gladly, and came over with a smile for us! She LOVED Christmas, and loved us!

Gramma Ruth loved us so very much, that I know for sure, especially your brother to be, Charlie.
She and Charlie had an instant bond from the day he was born(maybe it was that bubble gum sucker she let him lick at only one month old!!!)
Charlie just adored her, and since a young toddler, would sit with her for hours playing games and just babbling on to her. And as he grew into the wonderful four year old he is, he has recently loved visiting her apartment, and knows just where she keeps the cookies and snacks, and loved riding on her scooter with her!

As much as it breaks my heart that she will never meet you Sophie-I know she will now be your Guardian Angel and guide you home to us.
She bought the very first present ever bought for you when we announced we were adopting. This teeny, tiny China tea set...it's purple(her favorite color)and it sits on a table in your room along with a cross she got you.
Sophia Ruth - My gramma's name will live on with you someday very, very soon!
Goodnight....and goodnight to my sweet Gramma Ruth...may you be living it up it our Glorious Heaven with your dear loved 0nes that were waiting for you there...and most importantly, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, I know He holds you near....
-Amy(aka: Mommy!)

Happy New Years 2008

Happy New Year 2008!! I can't believe another year has passed...as I'm sure all of you can relate..."where does that time go?" For us it's bitter sweet, half of my heart is sad that another year has flashed by and our Charlie boy is one year bigger and it's gone too fast, and the other half of it is soooo excited time has gone fast only to get to our little girl waiting!
We hope all of you out there, our loved and cherished family and friends, had a wonderful New Years Eve and Day and know how much we love you all!
We ask that you would all be praying along with us that THIS is our YEAR; the year God brings this wait to an end and our daughter/sister(and for that matter, grandaughter, greatgrandaughter, niece, cousin, newest playmate....) HOME to US!!!! And not only for us, but also for all the other precious families out there waiting to be built as well! (Especially our new wonderful friends, Rusty and Georgette, who are waiting along with us, with the same log in date as us...we will be traveling together to get our daughters!!)

Sophie, last night as the ball dropped, and daddy, Charlie(yes, Charlie stayed up!) and I rang in the new year we were thinking of you and praying for you and saying how we couldn't wait till next New Years Eve when you will be in our arms, and with us, your forever family! Love, Mommy xoxox
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good year!!!!!!

Merry Christmas, but with a heavy heart......

Dear Sophia, Christmas Day is coming to an end, most of our family have traveled back home, your daddy, Charlie and Uncle Dougie, are winding down from the days excitement, but I can't help to sit here tonight with a heavy heart. Heavy with sadness that another Christmas is here and almost gone, and youre still not with us. I can barely let my mind wander to wonder where you are right now tonight on Christmas. Your stocking was hung and filled by Santa this morning, filled with so many things for you and so much hope and prayers inside too.
I pray that you my Sophie Ruth are being held and loved tonight, I hope that somehow you know, know that you do have a family in this world....and again when you are all grown up, I hope you can read back on this and feel the love I have for you right now, the longing to have and hold you near.
So Merry Christmas to you my sweet daughter, wherever you are.......Christmas was just not the same without you.... last year at this time, I really thought you'd be home here with us by now.....I know you'll be with us for the next one, I just know it!
Love Mommy

It's Christmas Eve...oh the excitement!

More Winter/Christmas fun! 2007

Celebration Christmas up North 2007

We traveled up North again this year so my family could all celebrate the holiday together!

We had such a nice time and our Charlie boy got his wish....LOTS of snow! While there on Saturday, we woke up and it began to fall and didn't quit falling all day! Charlie got to ride with Uncle Chris on his four wheeler(another wish come true) and had a ball playing with his cousins in all that snow!

Sophie, one day soon, next winter actually, you'll be able to join this crazy crowd!

And as crazy as we all are, I am proud to be part of each and every one of them, and I know you'll be too! Happy Holidays and God bless!

Love Mommy

Vist up north continued.....

Charlie had so much fun with his cousins! He just adores them and always has so much fun! Although they live far away, I am so glad Charlie has such a special relationship with all three of them! Sophie, I can't wait for you to be in the next family picture with your awaiting cousins!
Love Mommy

December Referrals

Well, it's official, China has matched families with babies that were logged in through December 14th, 2005!

Wow, this is starting to get sooooo exciting.....

Heres my little "guesstimation".....

There are only 59 days between Dec 14th and our log in date of March 15....(omitting five days due to Chinese New Year when the chinese gov. does not log people in)

So- lets say China matches around 8 log in dates a month from now until then(could be more or less)....

Simple math 8 divided by the 59 days left is around 7 months left until it's our turn!!!!!!

And, if they start doing more then just 8 days per month that will be less then 7 months!!!!

Oh my goodness....I can not believe this is really starting to feel sooooooo close compared to how it's felt the last two years.....

I am so happy that we've held on for the past two years and never given up...I've met so many people in some of the adoption groups I am in that have dropped out and given up...I can't imagine...

We KNOW 100% our baby girl is in China right now waiting for us...

Sophia Ruth, one day when you are all grown up, and wonder about how you came about into this world, I hope you can read back through this journal/blog and KNOW without a doubt, how much you were wanted and longed for and loved....loved before you even came about!

We ARE coming soon Sophie girl...so very soon!

Love, Mommy

Thanksgiving Weekend 2007

Although I am behind on posting, I wanted to include a few shots of our Thanksgiving weekend in KY. Gramma Jean and Great Grandpa Jack were kind enough to travel with us so we could go spend some time with Great Gramma Ruth!

We had such a fun time! Gramma Jean, Charlie and I spent the day Friday with Gramma Ruthie, while the boys(Poppie, Uncle Dougie, Jeff and Great Grandpa Jack) all went to the track for the day!

Grandpa Jack had lots of fun, but I think he enjoyed the "hot pool"(as Charlie calls it)the most!

I can't begin to put in words all we are thankful for, there wouldn't be enough room..... we are so very blessed and thankful for our Lord and Savior, our wonderful family, the best friends around, and this adoption journey that God has led us on. At times this past two years has been hard waiting for our Sophie girl, but I wouldn't trade it for the world....and I would wait two more if need be just to get to our sweet girl!(but thankgoodness, that won't happen!)

No news yet on the next set of matches mailed out....it should be any day now! The lastest "rumor" I've heard is that China matched through Dec 14th of 2005.....We'll have to wait and see!

Love you so much already my Sophia Ruth!!!!

Mommy

The matches are through December 8th!!!!

Well the latest news is that they are through matching people logged
in through December 8, 2005(and we're March 15, 2006)
So, what that means for us is that there are only 71 days left of people logged in ahead of us!!!! That does not include Saturdays and Sundays of course, b/c the Chinese Gov does not log people in on weekends, so that leaves 71 Days of people between us and the match day of our baby girl!
And to "guesstimate" if they match an AVG of 15 days worth of people each month for the rest of time(or at least the next 6 months or so)that is only about 4 or 5 months away till it's our turn!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! That sounds so close just compared to the 2 years we've already waited! And of course are we ready for our Sophie girl????? NO NO NO!!!(Well, of course yes ready for her, but not, "baby ready" as in supplies....!) Her room has yet to be done(it's currently the junk room), we've yet to buy durable suitcases for the trip, we have not watched our "Prepare to travel to China" video our agency sent us. We've yet to transfer our savings money to thousands of "FRESH PRESSED" bills.....and the list goes on!
But, the girl does have clothes!!!! (now that's a given for all you who really know me!!)
So we are really getting excited! I know it may be shorter or a bit longer than 4 or 5 more months, but reguardless, it's coming SOON!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and one more thing, I saw my butterfly, or I should say, Sophie's orange(Monarch)butterfly on Saturday.....It's Mid-November, there should not be any butterflys flying around Ohio in Mid-November, esp Monarchs which travel south in September(and it was freezing here Sat.) I had just been praying again last week about how I probably won't see any butterflys until spring again, and low and behold, God showed me one!!!!!(and Jeff and Charlie were there as my witness!!!)
So Sophie girl we are going to be coming very, very soon!!!
Love mommy xoxox

This Morning in China

This morning in China a mother cries
She'll never forget her daughter's eyes
Her heart is broken and filled with pain

She has no choice but to leave her there
The cost of living is too much to bear
She hopes her daughter will one day know
True love can be found in letting go

This morning in China a baby cries
Hungry and scared as tears fill her eyes

Her mother has left her in this public place
Another lost daughter of the Chinese race

Someone passing by has heard her soft moan
She's soon quickly taken to a foster home

It's there she'll reside in the care of another
Until she's adopted by a brand new mother

That very same moment in the U.S.A
A woman cries as she starts to pray
Her heart is heavy but filled with much love
She prays for a daughter she thinks the world of

"Dear Jesus I ask that your arms would be
wrapped tightly around the one picked for me
Guard her in China 'till I make my way"

And in my arms FOREVER she'll stay!
-author unknown

Dear Sophie Ruth, I found this poem while roaming around online and had to journal it for you. It spoke so much to my heart, I feel like I could have written it myself.
I know you are of this world right now, as crazy as it seems, I can feel you in my heart each day I breath. Daddy, Charlie and I don't go to bed one single night without praying for you and asking that God is protecting you in these first 6-9 months or so of your precious life!
We love you sweet daughter to be!!!!!
-Mommy!

Happy Halloween/Fall our Sophie Girl 2007

Dear Sophia Ruth, all our halloween festivities and trick or treating were fun, but we really missed you this year! Last year we thought for sure you'd be here with us to dress up and take around the block, Charlie even came up with lots of cute costume ideas....BUT... you WILL be with us next year and we just can't wait!!! Charlie has even more costume ideas and can't wait to dress you up!
We love you our sweet daughter/sister to be...Happy Fall to you way over the ocean!!!
Love Mommy, Daddy and Charlie

More Halloween fun 2007!