we're blessed with two happy kids!

a beautiful day to have fun on the swingset!!!

how precious

Check it out ... taking naps on the drive home from Chicago.

Willem turns 2!!!

Happy Birthday to Willem!!!

We celebrated Willem's second birthday this weekend. The pictures of him with frosting on his hand and face were staged! He didn't know what to do with his cupcake and would have pushed it onto the floor if we hadn't stopped him.

Happy New Year!

what a great laugh!

just for fun!

trying on Meili's sunglasses

Meili often falls asleep while reading books after preschool. This is one of her more interesting sleeping poses!

playing around

all dressed up - thanks for the treasures Menga!

haircuts

Yesterday was a day for haircuts. Willem's hair seems to be growing in some places and not in others. It was sticking up all over the top of his head. He needed a haircut.

Meili's hair was hanging over her ears. It was sticking out on the sides. It was long in the back and crazy in the front. She needed a haircut.

It all started while I was in the living room playing with Willem. Meili took her own scissors, went in the back room and quietly started cutting off clumps of her own hair. When I went into the back room she quickly put the scissors behind her back. The hair all over the floor was a dead giveaway. So... it was time to do those haircuts.

Now they're both looking pretty sharp! Willem's sporting a buzz like his daddy! It's so cute!

Gotcha Day!

Three years ago today we headed over to the Civil Affairs office in Hangzhou, China to meet our daughter Meili. Today we celebrate three years together as a family! What a precious blessing from God!

Gotcha Day, January 30, 2007

Celebrating Gotcha Day with delicious pancakes!

finally gone sledding...

still happy!!!

He really is this happy... a lot! Such a precious little boy!

happy and sleepy!

Hanging out in the kitchen one day last week...
Willem is such a happy little kid!

Meanwhile, in the other room,
Meili falls asleep while reading Amelia Bedelia.

a little wintertime story

This is the school.

This is the girl who goes to the school.

This is the sled all shiny and red that I use to bring the girl to the school.



This is the brother who rides along in the sled while we bring the girl to school.

This is the ice all over the road on the way to bring the girl to the school.

This is the bruise I got on my knee when I fell on the ice
while pulling the sled to bring the girl to the school.

This is what I ordered to wear on my shoes when I pull the sled over the ice on my way to bring the girl to school!!!

THE END!

a happy little boy!

Merry Christmas!