Indiana Christmas 2009

We loaded up the Pathfinder and headed to Indiana for Christmas this year. It was odd not having Mindy along for the ride and Evelyn asked where she was. I had to remind her that Mindy was with Jesus and she would celebrate Christmas with Him. That was a hard moment. On Christmas Eve, Evelyn set out cookies and milk for Santa. The next morning, she checked to see if he had come and eaten the cookies--it was precious! She gleefully opened all her presents. She loved the baby dolls, washing machine, vaccuum cleaner, and her new board games. The drive home was a bit treacherous as a winter storm blew in that Sunday. We encountered several cars that had slid off the interstate and even came to a standstill as there had been a serious accident blocking one lane of traffic. Fortunately, the weather eventually let up and road conditions improved the closer we got to home. Now to unpack everything and put it all away--oh what fun!

Christmas Time

We know it is a bit early, but with a pending winter storm threatening to change our travel plans; we celebrated Christmas at home tonight. Evelyn had a blast opening presents and couldn't wait to use all of them! From the stocking to her last present, she giggled and oohed at everything. As I type, her and Daddy are playing with a Playdo Octopus thing that we bought for her. Though her sheer joy of opening presents made us smile, we couldn't help but notice the void in the room as Mindy wasn't there to open her stocking from Santa Dog. We are celebrating with a mixture of emotions this year--grief for the loss of Mindy, joy for the moments with Evelyn, and thankfulness for the love we have of our family and friends.

Goodbye Mindy

At 5:00 p.m. this evening, Rob and I said goodbye to our wonderful 12 1/2 yr. old black lab, Mindy. She has been a part of our lives ever since Rob and I began dating. Mindy was just weaned when we purchased her from a breeder in KY. I remember the ride back to Rob's apartment and how Mindy sat perfectly in my lap. We called her our "pretty princess" and adored her. As I moved away to TN after college, she was my companion. She protected us, gave us joy, and above all unconditionally loved us. Since late October, Mindy's health began to fail. She began suffering from arthritis and Cushing's disease. As of late, she began to have accidents in the house, bleed for no reason, and eat very little. Our vet, Dr. Miller, said it was time to say good-bye to her. We didn't want her to suffer anymore. It has been the hardest thing for us. Mindy went peacefully in Rob's arms while I kissed her good-bye. Our home seems empty now and our grief is great. There will never be a more loving and wonderful pet than our beloved Mindy.

Trick or Treat!

Evelyn thoroughly enjoyed Halloween this year! We have been teaching her to say "trick or treat" when she knocked on doors for the last couple of weeks. Last night, she donned her pumpkin costume and was ready for action! Rob and I were delighted that she was willing to say "trick or treat" and "thank you" at each stop. She did not want to ride in her stroller, but preferred to walk the entire subdivision. After each stop, she would gleefully run down the driveways and shout "Mommy, I got another candy!" It was so much fun to watch her really enjoy the holiday. If last night was any indication of what is to come, Christmas will be unbelievable!

Carving Pumpkins

A few weeks ago, we headed to the pumpkin patch to find our perfect pumpkins this year. Last night, we had a lot of fun carving them! Evelyn decided she wanted a silly face on her pumpkin. She dictated to Mommy the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth for Mommy to draw. Then, Daddy began the carving! At first, Evelyn did not like the slimy feel of the pulp and seeds, but soon got over that! Before we knew it, she was constantly putting her hands into the pumpkin. She enjoyed it so much, she just had to help Daddy carve his pumpkin!

Pumpkin Patch

Today was our annual trip to the pumpkin patch! Every year it gets more fun as Evelyn grows and learns more each day. Unfortunately, the weather was less than ideal. It was cloudy, windy, and very cool. So, we put on our heavy coats and long pants and headed out the door! Evelyn loved getting to pick her own pumpkin--she is like Mommy, she knows it when she sees it and doesn't take long to decide! After picking our pumpkins, we strolled around the farm and looked at the animals. She enjoyed watching the horses, but wanted nothing to do with riding on one. Evelyn got her face painted while we were there. She sat very still as the girl painted a sparkly jack-o-lantern on her cheek. Afterwards, she wanted to ride on the little cars that were pulled by a four wheeler. She had such fun that she had to ride it twice before we got her to leave!

Surgery and Fall Festival

Evelyn had her second and final surgery this week. It was for trigger thumb, but this time on the right hand. This second surgery was wonderful. The staff remembered Evelyn and even had a Beanie Baby bear waiting on her bed for her when we arrived. They took her back at about 7:30 AM and was done by 8:00. When they were wrapping her hand, the head nurse said that plain white would not do as she knew Evelyn loved the color purple. With that said, she insisted they place some purple wrapping around it. So, Evelyn now has a purple boo-boo! She is so spoiled =)!

On Sat., Evelyn felt good enough to attend my school's annual Fall Festival. She was careful not to get her boo-boo wet as she played in the duck pond. Evelyn loved getting to feed the sheep, pet the llamas, and hear the chickens at the petting zoo. She rode on some trikes, toured an actual school bus (which she always tells us that she wants to ride), bounced in a bouncy house, and just plain wore herself out!

Disney On Ice and Scooter

Two months ago we were in bed watching the news when an ad came on for Disney On Ice. Rob rushed down to the computer and ordered front row tickets for his little princess! Last night was our big night out as Evelyn attended her first Disney On Ice. She donned her Minnie Mouse ears and gleefully ran to the car to go see Mickey Mouse. She was a little apprehensive at first--especially when Genie from Alladin came out, but once the Princesses arrived, all was well! She loved watching the show and her little face beamed the entire time. It was worth every penny we spent to see her smile and enjoy the show.

The next morning, Daddy headed to Atlanta for a NASCAR race with some of the neighbors. Grandma Donna arrived for the weekend and we went shopping. Of course, Evelyn got something--a pink Radio Flyer scooter and new helmet with pads. Needless to say, she loves her first scooter!

Monkeying Around

Sorry it has been so long since our last posting, but Mommy is back to work and Daddy has returned to school for his final semester (yeah!). Evelyn's pumpkins are growing and she has her cast off from her thumb surgery. We have been enjoying the few remaining summer days with lots of playing and relaxing (if that it is even possible). Today, she and Daddy went to a place called Monkey Joe's, which is an enclosed inflatable facility for kids. Our good friends Mason and Jacob went as well. She LOVED it! Mommy was helping host a baby shower and the men decided to take the kids for fun and lunch. Rob said she just giggled and ran around. She actually began to cry when it was time to leave for lunch! Of course, she was sound asleep when Mommy got home, but she told me all about the fun she had after her nap. It sounds as if we will be going there again soon!

Planting Pumpkins

Okay, so if you know us, you know that neither Rob nor I have a green thumb. However, a kind woman with whom Rob works gave him three pumpkin seedlings this week. Thus, we are planting pumpkins for Evelyn. She was very excited and we hope this project works out so that she can learn from the experience. Evelyn had fun raking the soil and putting the seedlings in the ground. She even enjoyed pouring the Miracle Gro food on it with Daddy. Cross your fingers and hold your breath as we are embarking on the gardening path--one that none of us have ever trod before!

Happy 2nd Gotcha Day, Evelyn!

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Can this be real? Has Evelyn been home with us for 2 yrs. already?! We watch her and think to ourselves how blessed we are and how much she has changed in such a short amount of time. To celebrate the day, we ate lunch with Daddy and then had a special dinner out with just the family. Oh, and she got a new Imagination Movers CD to listen and dance (she absolutely LOVES them and their music). We didn't want to do anything over the top in the gift dept. as we want the focus to be on the blessing of her coming home to us and making the family complete. This is such a special day for us and words can't express how we feel: blessed, adoration, pure joy, and unconditional love. These are just a few words that begin to describe how we feel as we celebrate Evelyn's 2nd Gotcha Day.

Cakes, Magic, and the 4th

We did a lot of celebrating last week! It was Daddy's birthday on Monday and Evelyn surprised him by helping make a cake for him! Evelyn helped Mommy decorate the cake with sprinkles and had a blast! It was so fun, she didn't want to stop decorating with sprinkles--needless to say, Daddy had a very festive birthday cake.

Later in the week, we (the whole family) went to the Magic House for some fun. It was almost too much to take in! Evelyn loved the Once Upon a Time exhibit as she climbed up Jack's Beanstalk and slid down, pretended to be Cinderella in a carriage, and explored with bubbles. She and Daddy had a hair-raising experience with magnets and wouldn't you know, she found an old-fashioned tea set to have a tea party. We left with the promise to return as soon as she gets her boo-boo off as there were lots of water activities that we didn't participate in this time.

The next day was the 4th of July. We were preparing to attend a parade and later a baseball game, but mother nature had different plans. It was rainy and cool the whole day. Mommy and Evelyn made a flag cake to celebrate our country's birthday. Evelyn did a great job putting the blueberries and strawberries onto the cake. When the rain finally stopped, we headed out into the court to eat with our neighbors and celebrate the 4th! All that socializing and eating wore Evelyn out as she didn't make it to see the fireworks.

Thumb Surgery

Yesterday, Evelyn had surgery on her left thumb to correct her trigger thumb. We tried to treat it conservatively by putting it in a cast in April, but her thumb reverted at the end of May. We arrived at the hospital around 6:30 AM and her surgery was scheduled for 7:30 AM. Upon arriving, Evelyn made herself right at home--she quickly charmed the nursing staff and all the doctors. As usual, the surgery started late (8:00 AM)but was quickly over (8:15 AM). It was tough to watch her come out of the anethsia as she cried and flailed about (they say it was very typical for this age). Once she calmed down, she wanted milk and we were allowed to come home. We were home around 9:30 AM. She wanted to eat a little something (pink Pop Tart) and then napped for 3 1/2 hours. Evelyn will be in a stint for the first week and when we have our one week check up, she will be put into a cast for another 2 weeks.

Oh, and more good news (Mommy is being sarcastic)! It looks like her right thumb is now triggering, so we will likely go through this again in about 6 weeks or so--yeah!!!

Pool Party and Father's Day

It has been a fun week for Evelyn! Last TH, she went to a pool party and enjoyed basking in the sun while floating in her purple hippo. When given the choice of a one-piece swimsuit or the bikini, she chose the bikini (imagine that)! We celebrated Daddy's second Father's Day by giving him a present on Sunday morning before going to church. Evelyn did a great job keeping the present a secret from Daddy. Believe it or not, she kept the secret from Friday through Sunday when we gave him the gift. Mommy was very impressed with that! Later in the day, Evelyn rode around the court with Jon and Daddy on the lawn tractor. We thought she would be afraid of the loud noise, but in true Evelyn fashion, she LOVED it! No fear and kept telling Mommy "No, Mommy" every time we tried to get her off the tractor! Evelyn will be having surgery on TH. We will post on her condition later that day or on Friday. Please say a prayer for her recovery. It isn't a major surgery, but we are always worried when she has to be put to sleep (as every parent does).

Summertime Fun

We have had a busy couple of weeks! Evelyn went to her first luau at the home of our friends. She loved riding the Radio Flyer scooter and of course, swinging with her new boyfriend, Mason. The following week, we shopped around and purchased a big girl bedroom furniture. She was her room painted purple (her new favorite color) and the bedroom furniture should arrive in about 10-12 weeks. Then, we met with our boyfriend, Mason, and his Mommy for a morning of fun at the Butterfly House. For some strange reason, she did not enjoy the butterflies this time, but absolutely LOVED riding the carousel nearby. After that, we played in the park and had a snack. Then, we ended the morning with lunch at Chik Fil A and said good-bye to our boyfriend. Later that evening, we headed to visit Pop and Grandma in Hayti. It was a great weekend and summer is off to a fast start for us!

Trip to the Zoo

Yesterday, Mommy and Evelyn headed to the zoo for some fun! The weather was perfect--low 70's and partly cloudy. We arrived early and much to Mommy's surprise, Evelyn was a little apprehensive about the animals at first. We visited the penguins first and made our way around the zoo from there. The prairie dogs seemed to make her giggle the most while the fish at the hippo exhibit captivated her attention for a while. She also enjoyed the monkeys. She kept showing me her teeth as there were two of the chimps who were cleaning each others teeth. For Mommy, the neatest part was seeing the elephant, Raja, stand on his hind legs when asked by his trainer at the zoo. It was funny to see Evelyn's reaction to the elephant as he moved his trunk around--she thought it was his tongue and kept sticking hers out and trying to move it in the same way! After a bite for lunch, we headed for home around 11:30. Mommy wasn't even to the interstate before Evelyn was sound asleep. All that fresh air and riding in the stroller must have made her exhausted as she slept for 3 1/2 hours! It was such a great morning and Mommy is really looking forward to more summer fun.

Ears Pierced!

Last night, we took Evelyn to the local mall and had her ears pierced (sorry, Mom). She had been talking all weekend about wanting "bling bling" like grandma (see, Mom, this was your doing). Rob was excited and I was a bit apprehensive. Evelyn helped pick out her CZ studs and then came time to get in the chair. She was fine until Daddy held her. That is when she started fussing. The girls who did the piercing did a great job--it was quick! As soon as Rob finished holding her, she quit crying. She likes knowing that she has earrings like Mommy, but is not very cooperative when it comes time to clean the studs. That is a challenge! However, we must admit that she looks terribly cute with her "bling bling!"

Wow, Time Flies!

Has a month really gone by since the blog was last updated?! I (Kristina) greatly apologize. It has been a very busy and hectic month for all of us. Rob finished the semester at SLU and is looking forward to only one more semester! Kristina finished the school year and is so grateful that summer is here and time to be Mommy and have fun with Evelyn. Speaking of Evelyn, she has had a busy month as well! She finished her hand cast for the trigger thumb, but unfortunately, it looks like she will have surgery on June 25th to permanently correct it. At the beginning of May, we celebrated her one year of finalization for the adoption and Korean Children's Day. It was great to see all of our good friends--Jared, Jane, Scott, Leslie, Owen and Avery. Evelyn was able to do some of the crafts this year (she made a beaded bracelet with Mommy) and enjoyed hitting Daddy with a noodle at the Tae Kwan Do station! Over Memorial weekend, we traveled to IN to visit family and attend Cousin Derek's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and Evelyn, our little social butterfly, enjoyed meeting everyone at the reception. Most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her grandparents, aunts, and uncle.

Hippity Hoppity Easter is Here!

Evelyn has really enjoyed Easter this year! Of course, it really helps that it did not snow like last year. To kick off the holiday, we colored eggs on Friday night. Not just any old eggs, but glittery eggs! Evelyn had fun putting the dye tabs into the water and watching the eggs change color. Most of all, she loved shaking the glitter onto the eggs. Yes, three cracked along the way, but all went well for the most part! On Saturday, Rob's parents drove up for a visit and brought along one of 4 Easter baskets that she received this year (she isn't spoiled at all is she?!). Later in the evening, we all headed over to Mason's house for an egg hunt. Our good friends all gathered and the dads got to scatter the eggs on the front lawn. Once outside, it was comical! Evelyn ran around collecting as many eggs as possible while Mason and Jacob would pick one up and open to see what was inside. In the end, Evelyn had 23 eggs! Who would have guessed our little one would be such a good collector? Then, on Sunday morning, Evelyn awoke to find the Easter Bunny had left another basket of goodies for her on her little table. She was excited to sift through the items and show them to Pop and Grandma. On a day that we celebrate Christ rising from the dead to fulfill His promise, we also realize the many blessings He has given to us--especially our family. Happy Easter everyone!

Pretty in Pink

Yesterday morning, Mommy woke Evelyn up and began getting her dressed (normal routine). Suddenly, Mommy noticed that Evelyn was not using her left arm at all and it was hanging limp by her side. Off to the ER we went! After several xrays, we were sent across the hall to an orthopedic doctor. He looked at her xrays and determined there were no broken bones nor fractures. Then, he began touching her arm, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. The only time she winced was when he touched her elbow. With that said, he determined that she had pulled her elbow somehow and needed a hard cast for the next 2 weeks! How this happened is still a puzzle. The only thing we can think of is that she got her arm caught in between the crib slats during the night and when she tried to roll, it pulled the elbow out of place. Of course, Evelyn being Evelyn, she never once cried or fussed about it. She was as happy as a lark as they put the pink (she chose the color) cast on her arm. In the meantime, Mommy was crying (imagine that).