Getting ready for Christmas....!!

Well, we had some Christmas pictures taken of the kids; some for us, some for Christmas cards.....needless to say, Bella did NOT want to cooperate.....Generally, she LOVES to have her picture taken, then little diva that she is....Not this day......Gave the photographer a run for her money, but we were able to get some nice shots of the kids....

hard to believe that Christmas is coming up....SOON!!!!

Anyway, will work on getting additional pictures up....I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!!

Been a LONG LONG LONG time...!!

Well, if anyone checks 'the blog', anymore, soooo sorry for the long time between posts....!!!

Shortly after the last post, I was recently laid off from my last job (6 years with the company....blind-sided totally!!!!). In any event, actively looking for a job, which in this market place, is about as easy as finding a needle in a haystack!!!!

But, I am trying to keep a positive attitude.....trying to network....send resumes...send resumes, and send MORE resumes......!!!! If anyone knows of companies in Southeastern Mass/Rhode Island area that are looking for a dedicated Account Manager/Account Executive (regardless of the industry..!), keep me in mind!!!!

Sooo, what has been going on since I last posted?? a LOT.....!! The family are all doing great....thank god Tina is still gainfully employed.......We had a wonderful Summer and fall, and now are gearing up for the Holidays......Zach played soccer in the fall and did great.....he seems to be getting more and more comfortable with it, and more 'agressive' around the net, which is great....he is still doing karate, and is having a lot of fun with that......He is currently an orange belt, and is sticking with it.......Zach is in the second grade, and we couldn't be more pleased with his school work.......Per analysis, he is currently reading at a 5th/6th grade level, which we are very pleased with (he LOVES to read, mostly about animals...)...We also received notification that he has qualified for the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (which requires a 95th percentile rank or higher in reading, math or composite score).....He MUST get this from his mom; god knows he doesn't get it from me......!!

Now, onto Bella....'the Booch'.....Boy, is the second child a handful!!!! We LOVE the Booch to death, and she knows it....She knows how to play us, as we call her our little Diva......Even though I am currently looking for employment, we are still sending her to daycare for a little bit each day, as she loves interacting with the other kids......She is speaking more and more each day, and has priceless facial expressions and mannerisms.........One day, she went into Zach's room and turned the TV, right when he was watching it......Zach said' hey, what are you doing, bella????"....She looked at him, straight faced, shrugged her shoulders, and said...."Too bad'!!! We had to stop ourselves from laughing.....She is our little devil....our little Diva.....HATES the word no when directed at her, but LOVES saying NO to us.......She is coming along with her potty training and is doing good with it.....and her appetite?? all i can say is keep your fingers away when she is chowing down!!!!!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, spent with my mom and Tina's family......the 'young cousins' on tina's family challenged the 'old guys' to a game of flag football on Turkey Day....we played in the morning.......If anyone over 40 is reading this, DO NOT play flag football at this age....You will pay dearly for it afterwards...(think I'm still working out the muscle kinks...).....

now, onto the Christmas Holiday....it seems that Zach is asking for every Lego ever made, along with every video game....Bella is happy with whatever she gets, and Zach made sure to include things in his letter to Santa for her......

I PROMISE to update this blog more frequently and will get new pictures up here as soon as possible.....

Best wishes to anyone out there who still pops on here to check for updates.....

love,

The Walnista's

Summer is winding down...

Wow....The Friday before Labor Day....where has the time gone...? Seems like just yesterday, we anxiously awaited the last day of school....Now, school for Zach starts next Tuesday....!

We can't complain, as we had a fun-filled summer.....trips to Storyland....a visit to my brother's place in Maine....visit to our friends on Long Island.....a great vacation on Martha's Vineyard.....a wonderful reunion of China 137........day trips here and there...all and all, a wonderful summer......

We had some pictures of the family recently taken, and this was my favorite......Bella leaning against her big brother Zachary....

I hope this post finds anyone who is still reading it doing well, and that you had a fun-filled summer like us.......Fall will be just around the corner....!!

best wishes!!!

Super Star....!!

Bella has her pose down, and is ready for the, oh, let's see, the 2024 Olympic Gymnastic Team....!!!

More stories and photos to follow, especially from our wonderful China 137 Reunion...!!

Bella LOVES the Pagano men....!

Bella certainly has a soft spot for the Pagano men (Dante, Michael, and Steven)...I guess she has good taste...! (as long as she doesn't grow up cheering for the Yankees or the Giants....!

Pictured here is Michael, Steven, Jianna, Zach and Bella.....

Zach looks up to Steven and enjoys hanging out with him when we get together....both Michael and Steven are some of the nicest, most polite boys you could ever meet......job well done, Dante and Carmen..!!

Friends for life.....!!

Our daughter, Bella, will forever be bonded with her Chinese 'sisters' from our trip, especially the Guangxi Girls (Roma, Jianna and Laina)....We hope they remain friends for life...

Bella and Jianna in a Chinese outfit that our friend, Carmen (Jianna's mom) got them....

Dress up time

Here's Bella and Jianna having fun with hats in New York....

VERY stylish.....!!!

Bathing Beauty.....

In July, we visited our very good friends (our 'extended family' in New York)......We had a wonderful, relaxing visit with them and enjoy their company very much....They have a great pool and hot tub in their yard, which we took advantage of....Here is a picture of their sweet daughter, Jianna, who is a year older than Bella.....She's all ready for the pool!!!

Riding the Flume at Storyland....

Getting a little wet on the Flume at Storyland......For what it's worth, I thought the Flume (Yule Log) at Santa's Village was better.....

Pictured here is me, Zach and Zach's friend, Alex....

...Just tell me when we're back on the ground!!

Tina lookin like she can't wait for the Ferris Wheel to stop......!!

Riding a bear....!

Another picture from Clark's Trading Post, which I don't think has changed much since when we were kids.....Bella and Zach seemed to have a lot of fun there...Zach especially enjoyed the train ride through 'Wolfman Territory..'

Older we get, faster summer goes bye...!!

Wow, here it is August 12th....Where has the summer gone?? Seems like just yesterday, Zach was getting out of school for the summer break....we were making plans for the summer.....Now, it's almost back to school...! We did have a fun filled summer, and it's not ever yet as we leave for vacation this Saturday for Martha's Vineyard...!! It should be a lot of fun.....I've been there for day trips, but never for an extended time...We are going with good friends of ours, and looking forward to it.....but, we did do a lot this summer.....we went to Storyland...Santa's Village in North Conway....Visited our friends, the Pagano's in New York.....visited my brother's family in Maine....took day trips here and there.....had our China 137 Reunion this last weekend up in Northampton (pictures and stories about that weekend to follow).....Seems like every weekend we were doing one thing or another....it keeps us busy, for sure......! As I haven't updated pictures here in quite some time, I thought I'd take this opportunity to post some of our summer pictures......hope you enjoy.....!

This first picture is from Clark's Trading Post in New Hampshire. We went up there the week after Zach got out of school...

My Love Poem (given to us by the Judge)

Following is the Poem given to us by the Judge today that she had all of us sign. As mentioned, it was written by a Poet, who had just adopted a little boy. He wrote it from the child's perespective.

I hear my father; I hear my mother. I need never fear. I shall never be lonely or want of love. When I am hungry it is you who will provide for me. When I am in dismay, it is you who will fill me with comfort. When I am astonished or bewildered, it is you who will make the weak ground firm beneath my soil. It is in you that I put my trust. When I am sick it is you who will send for the doctor. When I am well, it is in your eyes that I shall know best that I am loved. And it is towards the shining of your smiles that I lift up my heart and in your laughter that I shall know my best delight. I hear my father and my mother and they are my giants. My king and queen beside whom there are no others so wise. So worthy, so honorable, or brave or beautiful in this world.

Here comes the judge...! 'officially adopted in Massachusetts'...

This morning at 8:30 a.m., we went to the Probate Court of Bristol County (in New Bedford, MA) for our finalization hearing for Isabella's adoption. From what we were told by the attorney, this is not necessary but it has Bella's adoption on record in the state of Massachusetts. This will assist her down the road if she ever needs access to birth certificates; adoption information, etc (if she's applying for marriage licenses and so forth). All four of us went to the courthouse and were called into the Judge's chambers. The Judge was VERY VERY sweet, and you can tell she LOVES this part of her job; seeing a family finalize their adoption. She had a HUGE jar of assorted candy on her desk and immediately asked Zach how many pockets he had. He replied 4; she asked how many does your daddy have; again, answer was 4. Tina and Bella did not have pockets in their outfits, so the Judge said the number 8 just isn't going to do for pieces of candy. She told Zach and Bella to take 10 pieces of candy, and proceeded to have Zach dump the ENTIRE jar on her desk...!! You should hear Bella's squeal of delight as they started taking pieces of candy (bear in mind, they exceeded 10 due to prompting from the Judge....!! they got about 20 pieces, much to their delight...!). The Judge gave them a large manila envelope to stash their goodies in...She then took out an outdated Polaroid camera (film no longer exists for it; she stocked up on as much film at CVS that she could before they ran out), and had us take a picture with her....She was very very sweet...The pic is small, but she gave us two, along with a poem, 'My Love Poem' that a father who was adopting a little boy wrote (it is from the child's point of view), she gave us 2 copies; one for Bella and one for Zach. She said that it is a promise for the family to honor, and had all four of us sign the Poem (Zach signed for Bella).....She said a lot of familes take the picture, and put it with the poem for framing. We will do just that, and I will post the Poem here......Bella, of course, ate her way through the Judges office....NOTHING changes, eat and eat and eat...She ate here way through China and hasn't stopped.....!!!

Lazy days of summer.....not quite...!!!

it is hard to believe that it is July 1oth....I have a feeling this summer will FLY by for us, unfortunately. So far, can't complain about the weather, if you like hazy and hot....!!!

Anyways, it seems like we have been on the go since Zach got out of school....We spent a week up in the NH area, visiting Story Land....Santa's Village...Clark Trading Post (where Zach and Bella were almost attacked by the legendary Wolf Man as we took a train ride through his terriortory...hopefully can post pictures...)....It was a very nice week for us before Zach started summer camp....He is attending a camp which is right across the street from our home at Memorial Park..it is great as i can walk him across the street in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon. They have a lot of activities for the kids, as well as field trips....This is actually his 3rd summer attending, and more and more of his friends are going. I look back on the first summer he went, at the age and 5, when he knew no one....Zach is a shy child to start with, so it broke my heart to leave him in the morning, and to see him sitting there, all alone, sobbing a bit.....all it took was a little boy to introduce himself, and things got better...now, he's got a little posse going for him....!! Bella is still going to daycare 4 days a weeek down the street from us, and LOVES it...it keeps her busy and she is learning alot.......For the 4th of July, we visited our near and dear friends the Pagano's in New York (Long Island). We drove down on Friday morning and came back late Saturday night......it was great, relaxing weekend...swimming in the pool...hot tub...couple of beers...and lots and lots of BBQng..(thank you, Dante, for cooking all weekend)...Carmen traveled to China with us last year to get her gorgeous little girl, Jianna....She traveled all by herself, as her husband, Dante, stayed home with their 2 boys (Michael and Steven; 2 of the nicest boys you could ever meet)...we became fast friends in China and the friendship has carried over into the States....we have posted pics here before of their family, and we thoroughly enjoy getting together when time permits......in any event, it was a fantastic weekend, Zach had a ball with their boys and Bella and Jianna played great.....thank you, Pagano's for a great weekend, if you read this....!!

August will be a busy busy month for us....We have our annual China 137 (our travel group number) the weekend of August 9th....then we leave August 16th to the Vineyard with good friends of ours (nancy and jimmy and laina, don't think we're not gonna track you down on the Island.....).....The weekend we get back, one of my best friends from high school is having an informal reunion at his home that continues to snowball....(last count, I believe 60 old high school buddies and spouses have said they will attend...should be a blast)......then, wow, it's the end of summer....!! But, we love doing thing on the weekends with the kids, and they seem to have a blast, too...we will fit a trip up to Maine to visit my brother and his family and I will try and sneak in some golf or a Red Sox game here and there....i HOPE to get some updated pics online of the kids and their various activities/travels.....Best summer wishes to all!

Wedding photos..

The photographer at my brother in law's wedding took a lot of candid photos....He took a couple of nice ones of Zach and Bella in black and white, leaning against a glass railing. He captured Zach's reflection against the glass, and it came out nice....

TGIF to everyone......on vacation next week...yeah...!!! Will update the blog with some vacation pictures.....best wishes....

Banner number 17: How Sweet it Is...!!!

Wow......It's over.....Celtics are NBA Champions.....First time since the Larry Bird era.....the new big 3 of Garnett, Allen and Pierce stepped up and got it done.....And in huge fashion, blowing out the Lakers by 39 in Game 6....NOW I can catch up on some sleep (if Bella will just let us...!!)

Sox win last year.....Celts just won....if only the Patriots had completed their perfect season....mmmm, who did they lose to again???? Where is that team from?? Dante...Steven..Michael....you know what team beat the Patriots???

We are ON vacation next week, heading up to Story Land area for some R and R.....should be fun!!!

How can Mommy and Daddy ever get mad at me??? Too cute....

Bella as of late has been 'testing' us with her sleeping..(or lack thereof...)...she used to be such a great sleeper.....Put her to bed, and don't hear a peep out of her until next morning....Now, bed time is turning into a long ordeal....we read some books.....then, off to the crib....a few minutes later, the crying starts...You try and let her cry it out, but it gets louder..and louder and LOUDER...problem is, Zach's bedroom is right...next door....So, more rocking for Bella...more sobbing...whimpering, til she grows tired, and is ready for the crib.....It would be one thing if that was the end of it......Nope.........could be another wake up call LATE night/early morning......Hopefully, it is just...a...phase....It is just a phase, right??? she will grow out of it, right?//

(editors note: the past few nights she has gotten back to normal and have been sleeping much much better, let's hope it carries over...).....But, looking at the 'smirk', you can't stay mad at her for too long!!!

All dressed up.....

As previously stated, Tina's brother Greg got married a few weeks ago. We had a lot of fun at their wedding in Boston, and Zach and Bella got to get dressed up....Zach looked handsome in his khaki pants, blue oxford and blue blazer.....Bella was all dressed up as well, and had a lot of fun 'twirling and dancing' on the dance floor.....!! With yesterday being Father's Day, it gave me time to reflect on things...how truly lucky I am to have a loving, wonderful wife in Tina and two fantastic children in Zachary and Isabella....far too often we take things for granted....But, life IS too short.....sometimes you just need to take a step back, relax and enjoy your life, whatever may be dealt to you...We are healthy and happy.....and I would not trade being a father...a 'dad'...for anything in the world.....Is it tiring...stressful some times? absolutely....but, seeing their smile...hearing that 'luv u dadda'....watching my son wait for the perfect pitch in rookie ball.....it doesn't get better than that....To any dads reading this blog, a very Happy Father's Day to you......Enjoy the time you have with your children and families....Life is too short to stress the small things.....!

Let's Go Celtics....!

No pictures of the kids this time......Just a picture from the game last night......3 games to 1, Boston up over their rivals, the LA Lakers......Was traveling home from Pittsburgh last night, via Philly....supposed to land at 10 in Providence; plenty of time to get home for the second half of the game...ONLY problem is that plane didn't leave Philly until 10 15 PM...ouch...needless to say, 'listened' to one of the greatest comebacks....greatest games...in Celtics (and NBA) history on drive home, instead of watching it...Oh well......One more game.....Can they win banner number 17??

Let's go Celtics!!!

Can I drive?????

Bella's big present was a motorized Dora Explorer jeep (with a working radio!!)...She loves to drive up and down the driveway with Zach....Its really cute....course, if you are in her way, she will just run you over.......!!!!

Birthday photos...sorry for the delay

as previously stated, on May 10th, Bella turned 2....we had a family party for her that weekend and she had a lot of fun....!!

We had a Sponge Bob Cake (which she wore some of) as she LOVES Sponge Bob!!

I apologize for the delay in posting pictures of her birthday, but we had some computer problems....Following are some photos from her birthday......We are happy to report that all are doing well on our end....Zach's school year is winding down (can you believe it???), and active in karate and baseball.....Bella, well, she's just into....EVERYTHING...busy, busy.......Tina's brother got married this past Sunday...it was a very nice wedding, and the kids were invited....Bella had a ball on the dance floor.....for it being a long day (we had to be there at noon, and didnt get home to about 8 pm, no nap) her and Zach did GREAT....we will post some wedding photos later on....

Birthday Celebration.....!!!

Sorry haven't updated the blog in a bit, but have been busy traveling, etc....Anyway back on May 10th, Bella turned two....!! We had a family celebration that weekend, and she had a lot of fun.....Her big gift was a motorized Dora Explorer jeep, that her and Zach love to drive up and down the driveway....She also got a nice wagon that we can pull her in (Miss Nosy always needs to know what is going on, so in the wagon she can see more than when she;s in her stroller). She had a great birtday celebration, and we can't believe where the time has gone...Thanks to everyone for their birthday wishes....I am posting some updated birthday pictures......

2nd Birthday for Bella....!!!

Today is Bella's second Birthday......! As most parents of children ask, where has the time gone????

seems like yesterday we were JUST in China...now we've been home for over a year, and ready to celebrate her 2nd birthday.......We will post Birthday pictures later on......No big party planned for her, will celebrate with our family today, and then tomorrow, for Mother's Day, will have our families down.......She seems excited about her birthday....when you ask her how old she is, she says 'two'...in a little cute voice, and holds up two fingers.....we are truly blessed with her bubbly, happy go lucky, personality (although she DOES have her moments, and does not like the word NO.....crosses her arms, and gives us the pouty face)....yes, the 'teen years' will be a challenge for sure.......Anyway, Happy Birthday, sweet Bella....

love, Mom, Dad and Zach....

Happy Birthday, Zach...!

Our son, Zach, turns 7 today....! We couldn't be prouder of the fine young man (and big brother) he has turned into!

Happy 7th Birthday, Zach!!

then and now.....

A lot has changed in the year since we've been home from China with Bella.....Here is a picture of Bella in China and Bella at home........She is still our lovable little girl, but is changing every day....!!!

"Gotcha".......!!!

One year ago....to the day....Isabella Liang Walnista was placed in our arms for the first time....and in our hearts for a lifetime....!!! To quote the Grateful Dead, "What a long, strange trip it's been'.......We went from making the decision to adopt.....to selecting the agency we would go with....to then determining what country (China was a no brainer for us with Tina's heritage)...to meeting with the social workers....to the paperwork.....Oh...the paperwork......to getting everything in and approved....then, to waiting....and waiting....and waiting...and Waiting...!! We finally got 'the call'...we had been matched with you......We got a couple of picture, limited information, but we knew who you were...and you were waiting for us....and we couldn't wait to meet you......Next came the dates of our travel....more paperwork....shots......do we bring Zach...(yes, and thank god we did...!!)....finally, boarding a plane for a far away, distance land....our journey is underway.......a few anxious days spent in Beijing..meeting other families waiting to meet their little one......onto another plane...another city.....this time, to Nanning...to MEET you for the first time......!! Did we sleep the night before? did we bring enough things? what if she cries when we get here? will she like us? will she be scared...will WE be scared........All of that went out the window when they brought you into the room on April 9th, 2007....and we saw you...held you...for the first time (of many)....You took to us right away and us to you.......we 'got you'......!!! Yes, today is lovingly referred to as 'gotcha day'.......it is the day you get your child....it is a special day for everyone... a day that always will be remembered....be celebrated.......

A year has passed since that day....You are home with us now......Our home...Your home......You have adapted better than we had ever thought..imagined....you adore your big brother, Zachary.....he loves you....we love you........we sit back and watch you grow....watch you develop.....havent you ALWAYS been with us? has it ONLY been one year......we cannot...nor would we want to...imagine life without you.......we may have 'got you' on this day....April ninth....but YOU got US...the first time we held you.......the first time we kissed you....you got us for the rest of your life......and we couldn't be happier....!

this post is dedicated to you, Isabella Liang and Zachary William, for making our lives better....for enriching our lives......for completing our family........We 'got' Zach on April 11th, 2001 and we 'got' Bella on April 9th, 2007........! Last year was a wild and crazy ride....and it only gets better with each passing day.....Both of you continue to amaze us....The world is yours to make what you wish of it...We are here to guide you...support you.....to love you.....the world is YOURS..it is what YOU make of it....You have already made OUR world better......we love you, Bella and Zach.....

These are some of my favorites from China....She ate her way through China, and hasn't stopped since....We will post updated pics to show how much Bella has changed

....Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting.....!!

Zach has been doing karate for a little over a year now, and seems to really enjoy it.....His teacher is EXCELLENT with the kids, and teaches them not only the necessary skills associated with karate, but about being a good person; helping out others; listening to your parents and teachers. It is a great program, and we are happy that Zach enjoys it and is doing well.....Here's a photo that was taken with his karate program....

Bunny pays a visit....

Last year, Easter in China....this year, bunny stops by Mansfield......doesn' get much better......Bella and Zach had fun on their Easter Egg hunt in the backyard....Course, Bella would run past most of the eggs, laughing and giggling....Zach was kind enough to go back and point out 'missed' eggs to his little sister, and they then shared in the 'loot'.....

mmmmmmmmmm Chocolate...!

The ears of the bunny didn't stand a chance..!!!

Never seen snow in Guangxi....

Although this past winter wasn't a fierce one, we did get a few snow storms......Having been born in southern China, Bella had never seen snow ...until this year.....She didn't quite know what to make of it....It was cold....it felt funny......but she had fun with it......She even helped Daddy shovel the driveway one snow storm.......

New friends....

One thing that came out of our trip to China was the new friends that we made....and it wasn't limited to just the people we went to China with.......Carmen traveled to China by herself to bring sweet Jianna home........She had the love and support of her husband and two boys back home, who we now have gotten to know and consider friends.....family.....Steven is almost 11, Michael is almost 16.....We have had the joy of spending time with them and getting to know them.....They have befriended our son Zach, and we are proud to call them our friends.....Michael, love those cartoons....hoping to see them on TV one of these days..Keep pursuing your dream....your passion.......Steven, my hand is still hurting from playing catch with you this past weekend......I know you are a born and bred 'New Yorker', but would love to see you wearing a Red Sox uniform down the road.....Sox are always looking for a good left handed pitcher...!

Guangxi Rocks!!!!!

We thought it would be fun not only to have the girls all in their Chinese outfits (previous picture) but to have them in matching tee shirts.......We got them pink tee shirts that proudly proclaimed "I'm a Guangxi Girl" with their names on the bottom (and their American names, written in Chinese, on the back).....These girls, and our families, will forever be linked....be bonded....due to where they were born....We are lucky and proud to consider the Pagano's....the Trainers....the Benoits....and Sandra....our friends....our family. We hope that we will always remain in touch...Yes, as years past, the visits...the reunions, may taper off due to family commitments.....But we will ALWAYS have China 137.......Nanning....Guangxi province to keep us together....We love you all, and can't wait to see you again....

Guangxi Girls Gone Wild....!!!!

This past weekend we hosted a Guangxi Province reuninon.....As most of you now know, when we went to China (it will be year this April 5th..!), we spent time in Beijing and then headed to the province where our daugther was waiting for us......Isabella was in an orphanage in Laibin, and we flew into Nanning, which is located in the Guangxi province of China...Joining us on that journey were Jacqui and John (who adopted Roma); Nancy and Jimmy (who adopted Laina) and Carmen (who adopted Jianna; her husband, Dante, stayed back home with their two boys, Michael and Steven)...Also joining us on that trip was Sandra (lovingly known as "Peeps" as she was our People and was a HUGE help with all of our families).....this past Saturday, all of the girls (Roma, Laina and Jianna) came to visit us......we had a GREAT time.....we cooked out......spent time together....and just got caught up on everything....it was a nice weekend, that was overdue, and went by too fast.....we had a lot of laughs and memories..Our only regret was that John couldnt make it, as he had a business commitment...he was missed, but we will catch up with him next reunion.....the following pics that I post will be from this past weekend......As you can see, our daughter isn't shy to show a 'little' belly...!! We miss the Guangxi Family already and cant wait til the NEXT reunion!!

Reach for the Stars......

This photo captured the silhouette of Zachary, leaning against a hotel window, in China....It appears that he is 'reaching for the Stars'......Zachary, NEVER stop reaching for the stars....for your goals......Anything is possible.....!

Easter Sunday.....Last year, we were in China...!

Easter certainly comes earlier this year....It is hard to believe that last Easter, we were in China....! Zachary received a letter from the Easter Bunny prior to departing for China, informing him that due to his trip to China, his Easter Egg hunt would be after we arrived home....This year, we are happy to report that the bunny will be paying a visit to Mansfield, ON Easter Sunday....!! It is amazing how much time has gone bye since last year.....Right around this time, we were awaiting word as to when we would be traveling....getting all our documents....our shots...in order...Now, we are getting ready to celebrate one year with our daughter.......It truly is amazing....I know a lot of friends still have not yet met Bella, and we hope to change that this spring/summer.....She is truly a blessing, and is more and more fun each day....Yes, she is a handful, but we find ourselves just sitting back and watching her, with awe and amazement, as to how far she has come in one year.....Here is a child that was 'taken' from the only home she ever knew, put on a plane to a faraway, foreign land, with strangers she's only known for less than 2 weeks........But, it is like she has always been a part of our family.....We can't imagine life without her, nor would we want to.....This post is dedicated to you, Isabella and Zachary, who have brought more joy to our lives than you can ever imagine.....And to all of our China 137 family and friends, we know you are sharing the same joy as our one year anniversary approaches.....We are so happy to have kept in touch with everyone...to have the reunions....the chat sites...the emails...the phone calls. For two weeks, we were in a strange land, nervous, excited.....and it was comforting to share it with other families, who we now consider our family...our friends.....to our Guangxi Family.....Carmen, Dante, Michael, Steven and Jianna.....Jacqui, John and Roma......Nancy, Jimmy and Laina....and Sandra (Peeps), we wish you a very HAPPY EASTER and see you next weekend...!

the next few photos I'm posting were taken in China by 'Miss Sandra', who we lovingly refer to as "Peeps"....!!! (this first picture is one of my favorites...Bella dressed up in her Chinese dress, that our dear friend, Carmen, bought her)....For the record, the thumb STILL is a constant in her mouth...!

Quiet....peaceful....down time....

I love this picture.....We were new parents....Not ready for the craziness that a newborn brings to your life.....the sleepless nights....the constant diaper changes...the running out to get things.....the strained veggies (that get thrown at you....!!)......but, every so often, you were able to sit down....relax......and be amazed that this child.....that you are holding...is yours......It is the same feeling we have with our Bella.......As someone once said, anyone can be a parent....but it takes a special person to be a Mother.......A Father....! As crazy as things can get (and yes, those who warned me that it gets crazier with two are right on the money...!), we wouldn't change parenthood for the world.....

this picture was taken a few nights after we got home from the hospital with Zach.....Quite simply, it is mother and son.....relaxing

Styling and ready to go......

Tina had to have a professional picture of Zachary taken....every...single....month......!!! This was one of my favorites..Hard to believe he was only ONE month old in this picture.....Bear in mind, he was 9 lbs, 5 ounces and 22 inches....a BIG baby........Course, now he's skinny as can be

Zachary continued

Zach, Bella isn't the only one that had a lot of pictures taken of her......You always loved to have your picture taken, and here are some of our favorites.....!! This was one of the first pictures of Zach...he was a big, healthy, happy baby....Ate everything...My, how things change.....For those that are reading this with toddlers at home who LOVE that their daughter or son eats everything in sight....Enjoy it.....there will come a time when its Chicken Nuggets and Fries.......Although, we can't complain...he does try new things for us......!

Number One Son.......Zachary....!!

This blog....site....was set up last year before we travelled to China to get our daughter, Isabella...(Bella).....It was a resource for family and friends to track our trip.....see our daughter....and hear about our experiences......I recently started to post more updates and photos, so those interested can watch as she grows.......It got me to thinking....reflecting.....about the birth of our first child, Zachary.....Zach will be turning 7 this April (wow, where has the time gone...!!) And will celebrating his birthday in the United States...!! Last year, he celebrated his 6th birthday in Nanning, China with our wonderful Guangxi Family (Carmen and Jianna; John, Jacqui and Roma and Jimmy, Nancy and Laina, all of whom we will be seeing...soon!).........I thought it would be fun to post some baby pictures of Zachary to see how he has changed through the years...(and becaue I am very proud of what a fine, young man he is turning into, and wanted him to know that......Zachary, one day, I hope you look back on this blog, and realize how important you were in our journey to get Bella, and what a wonderful, caring brother you are.....)....Enjoy...

Hi.....!!

Nanning

I never thought I'd say this but I find myself missing China.....!!! Yes, it was an incredibly hectic, tiresome, trip......Yes, we were emotionally and physically exhausted, but it will go down as a trip of a lifetime, and not just because we were able to bring Isabella home.....! In all my years, I never would have guessed that I would have traveled to China......and, barring our adoption, probably wouldn't have......but, I loved the Guangxi province, and in particular, Nanning.....It was a beautiful city, with great parks, great weather, and friendly people........Beijing, you can take or leave it....too hectic....bustling....too tiresome......Nanning is where we spent a good part of our time.......where we relaxed with the other families...got to interact with our daugther......People ask if we'll ever go back to China, and much as we'd love to, not sure....but, if we ever did go back, would definitely spend most of the time in the Nanning area.....

Bella and Jianna

In Feb, we took a 'road trip' to visit our friends, the Pagano's, in New York.....we had a BLAST....!!! What a great trip (and what a great family.....!!).....We were able to take the train in on Saturday to New York City with the kids...(Zach, of course, loved the HUGE Toys R Us near Times Square, which boasts an indoor ferris wheel, a larger than life moving dinosaur, and TONS of toys....!!)....We did get over to Rockerfeller Center.....and saw everyone ice skating.....All and all, it was a fun weekend, and a lot shorter driver than we expected....We are hoping to make it back out this summer when the weather is warmer.....

I am attaching a picture of Bella and Jianna......Bella will be turning 2 in May and Jianna will be 3 in July.............Both girls were great and played well together......If you look closely, you can see that I am wearing a New York Giants Super Bowl tee shirt, the result of my bet with the Pagano men......(wearing a Super Bowl Tee shirt for the Pats losing is far better than what Zach wanted, which was to have whoever lost the bet to dye their hair pink.....needless to say, Zach 'escaped' wearing a Super Bowl tee, as we could not find one in his size....)......

Gung Hay Fat Choy.....(Happy New Year...!!)

Chinese New Year is celebrating the Year of the Rat........!

As we keep in touch with a lot of the families we traveled to China with (had a summer reunion.....contstantly email.....call...try and get together when we can), we decided to have a Play date with the children to celebrate Chinese New Year...(Gung Hay Fat Choy....).....

On Feb 9th, we met at a play place in the Northboro area for the group known as China 137 (we are the 137th group through Wide Horizon to travel to China).......The kids had a blast, and we all went to a buffett lunch in Shrewsbury...It really is a close 'family' for China 137......Even though there were close to 30 families that traveled to China with us, it is always great to see everyone...catch up....see how the kids are changing and growing......

Bella was from the Guangxi province of China........When we went to get her from that province and the city of Nanning, we traveled with 3 other families......The Trainers (who adopted Roma)......The Pagano's (Carmen traveled all by herself, which was incredible.......they adopted Jianna) and the Benoit's (who adopted Laina), as well as Miss Sandra (who traveled with the Trainers and become a dear friend to all of us, especially Zach)........In any event, we are all getting together the weekend of March 29th here in Mansfield...! We are looking forward to seeing the Guangxi Girls......and how they have changed....!!! The families will come down Saturday and spend the night at local hotels, with everyone coming over to our house to just relax and play......It should be a lot of fun, and will have some great stories and reminincising........

Above is a picture of Zach and Bella from the Chinese New Year play date....