A new blog!!

New blog. www.onmyfrontporchlookingin.blogspot.com

I have been thinking for some time about starting a new blog. I originally started blogging as a way for family and friends to follow along on our journey to bring Sierra home. The writing gave me an outlet during the stressful times we endured. I have always enjoyed writing and find it relaxing and comforting. I would like to continue writitng about the things that mean the most to me, my family, friends, my relationship with God and just the everyday nuances of life in the country. This blog will always old a special place in my heart. In it is our journey to China to meet our amazing daughter. Someday she will be able to read it and learn how much she is truly loved and how everyone was waiting for her arrival.
While I was trying to figure out what to name my new blog, a song came on the radio. I had always liked it. It is sung my Lonestar. It talks about sitting on the porch and looking at the beautiful views he can see, but his favorite view is looking in and seeing his wife and kids. The song says its the beauty inside that is important. Anyway when I heard it I knew it was the perfect title for my new blog.
I would like to include in my blog more about me, my husband, and my other 3 wonderful children as well as Sierra and how she is blossoming and growing. I hope everyone will click on the link and join me in looking in!!!!!

A gift of a day!!

Those of you who know me know that I love being outside. Friday and Saturday were 2 days that were perfect for doing just that. It is so fun to watch Sierra as I know for a fact that she did not see alot of outside time. We spent pretty much all day Saturday in our yard!! But before we went out, when Daddy went to the dump sierra realized the kitchen garbage basket was sitting on the floor, without a bag in it. Now, the only help she adked for was for me to open up the cabinet under the sink. We have a child proof latch on it. The rest she did all onher own. I had to take pictures , it was just too cute.

After she got dressed she went outside to help big brother David rake out some mud ruts. She knew just what to do with her rake and hoe!!!

Had to take a picture together!!
Then other big brother Paul stopped over with Jenn and Sierra was so glad to see them!!!

Like I said it was a pefect day. We uncovered our camper and Sierra got to walk over to our neighbors and swing on their swing set. She played ball, rode her hot wheel,went to the other neighbors and fed the horses carrots and went to bed nice and early!!! And the best part was I got to do it all with her!!!!

What a fun day!!!

Sierra took the above picture of Grace. I tink she captured how beautiful she is!!!

Sierra has never wanted to hold another child's hand but she loved holding Grace's!!! I sure wish she would smile for the camera!!!!

Today we started out our day as we do every Friday morning. Sierra and I go visit my good friend Ellen and her husband Art( who is also a very dear friend) Art has been battling a brain tumor for over 11 years. He is now in the advanced stages of his cancer battle. He is home and Ellen has stopped working to be with him. They are the most devoted couple I have ever met. I knew this way before Art became sick. I have always thought of them as two people who love each other in a very big way. They have weathered this storm with grace , dignity amd love. They have accomplished much in the last 11 years and have lived life to the very fullest. Art has never given up and if you ask him how he is he always replies" I'm looking good!!" I hold them both very close to my heart. Anyway on Friday mornings Sierra and I go to visit and help out in any small way we can. The first time we were there, Sierra had Ellen and I both in tears as she gently caressed Art's hand. She looks foward to the visits and always asks to see Art as soon as we get there. (Unless she is already feeding their dog bones!!!) I am so grateful that these two people are in Sierra's life. I love you guys!!!

Next we went to vsit another friend Grace. Grace came to the US from China in 2005. Her parents were the main reason we went ahead with our plans to adopt from China. Scott and I had talked about it but when I first met Grace I knew we had to move foward!!! We used the same agency they did and were extremely happy. So Sierra and I went to their house for a lunch date. It was unseasonably warm so we were outside most of the time!!! We had a great time and I got some cute pictures. It was an awsome visit!!!

Sierra then had time for a nap before she went to gymnastics!!! What a fun day and I loved spending it with her!!!

Good news for David!!

After contacting the school this morning, they have agreed to pay for David's windshield, We just have to bring them 3 different quotes which we did today!!! I am so happy it worked out this way. Diane and Stephe thank you both for your support and generous offers!!!!

David's rough day!

I was thinking today of how I have been posting so much about Sierra that I should really do a post about David. He is such an amazing big brother to Sierra!!( Tim and Paul are awesome too!) He can not wait to get home to see her and she can not wait to see him!!! She now knows that he is in school during the day and we went and visited him there yesterday so she could see.
David has made the Varsity baseball team. He loves playing ball and this is his first year on Varsity. His brother Paul is the Assistant Coach. ( I haven't decided whether that is good or bad for David. I will let you know in a couple of weeks. ) So tonight I had a meeting and when I came home I asked David how practice was. He mumbled something about it being not so great!! I asked him if he got hurt and he said no. It seems that the girl's JV softball team was praciticing near the parking lot where his truck is parked. (The students have designated parking spots.) Well a miss guided softball wound up shattering his windshield on his truck!!! Now, his truck is older so it does not have collision. We are strapped so tight with me not working. Daivd has a job lined up starting in April but his truck is undriveable. I sent an email to the school asking what they can so. I have a feeling the answer will be nothing but I am willing to fight it. He parked where they told him to. So, keep your fingers crossed or better yet please pray for a positive response from the school. I feel so bad for him. All his friends drive newer, nicer vehicles but he drives the one he paid for with all of his own money. He is such a good kid and I hate that this happened to him!!!!!

Some outside fun!!!

Sierra was just lounging around so her Dad decided to take her outside on her climbing apparatus!! He got some great pictures with her yellow raincoat.

Of course she has to find the mud first!! Little girls are not that different than little boys!!!

Fot those of you wondering, Emma and Sierra are becomong friends!!

We thank God every day for bringing this precious gift into our family. I can not picture our life with her not in it!!!! I am also grateful for a n up and running computer with a much faster internet. I can't wait to post more pictures of our adventures!!!

Gymnastics

Sierra has started a gymnastics class run by the town youth commission. she seems to really like it and is learning lessons about working in a small group of children. There is only about 6 kids and they split up into a smaller group. So even though she is learning to wait her turn, she does not have to wait that long. If you look closely at the picture of her on the balance beam you will notice that it is Daddy holding her hand. She did not want anyone else to help her!!! Its fun watching her in new situations. She usually watches for a long time before she will join in. But she takes everything in as she watches and doesn't miss a thing.

Daddy and Sierra at the parade. She loved the drums!!!!

These are two favorites, will try to post more later. Sierra is sitting on Paul's lap showing me the candy she got at the parade. The other picture is her telling Scott to be quiet while she is "talking" on the phone!!! I just love that picture!!!

We are doing great!!1

I can't believe is been so long since I posted. I am still having major trouble with my computer ans am still using david's laptop. Hopefully we will get things running soon and I can post some pictures!!! Sierra and I are living our days at home. It is so much fun learning and watching with her. Her enthusiasm for life is a joy to watch. G od really knew what he was doing when he spoke to me about adopting. If any one is wondering whether you could love a newly placed 3year old in your family as uch as a bio kid, the answer for us is a resounding YES!!!!! The love I feel for this little girl is as strong as the love I feel for my 3 wonderful boys. I would protect her with every breath of my being. She has grown in my heart , not my body but she is ours forever!!! I will never fully know what her life was like before but I take great pleasure in wat ching her laugh, play , run, dance and sing. And oh can she sing. She sings in the car , in thebath and when she is going to sleep at night. When our phone rings she hums the tune of the ring!!! Her voice is beatiful. it sounds like an angel to me!!! We took her to her first big parade on Sunday and what fun we had!!! She saw everything, trucks, dogs , pippers, bands, clowns, the Easter Bunny, candy being thrown to her, and of course fire trucks.

Maple syrup time!!

Scott and David help our neighbor collect and boil sap. We took Sierra over to the sap house to watch the sap boil. We love the fresh maple syrup and enjoy the process of making it. Sierra loves helping Daddy check the pails hanging on our maple trees!!!

Funny thing happened!

just a little while ago, I was posting a comment to someone and I was going to mention our LOA wait. When I counted on my fingers the number of months that it took, I had to do it twice. Why???? Because it didn't seem right to me, it seemed too short. I thought, was it really only 5 months??? An amazing thing has happened, as horrible and long as the wait seemed at the time, now that we have Sierra home and with us, 5 months doesn't seem so long. Now part of the problem always was that our agency believed we would hear sooner. Many people had so they were right in thinking that at the time. And of course there was the pain of other people getting theirs before us. But now much of that pain is fading. Not entirely forgotten as I will always grieve for the time we missed out on, but I know now that we are fortunate. Our little girl is amazing and I would have waited even longer!!! But it did shock me that I am thinking of that time in a whole new light!!!!

Sierra's Party

I love this picture of her sitting on the table in her native dress.


Sierra's party was a wonderful success, except for the goose egg and cut she received at the very end.) So many(149) people came out to say welcome to our little girl. It filled our hearts with love to such a huge turnout. thanks to our friend "Chef Eck" the food was absolutely wonderful.
Luckily it did not snow and Scott and Eric did not have to go to work!!! Thanks to everyone who came and all those who helped. We indeed live in a wonderful, sharing community and I will forever be grateful for the love they have shown Sierra. As you can see by the pictures she was quite a happy little girl. This is the best shot of the 3 of us so far!!!

Welcome Sierra

Today we are hosting an Open House welcoming Sierra to our family and community. We are so blessed that our family, friends, church family and community have welcomed Sierra with open arms. She has a way of just charming the socks off of everyone who meets her. We are having the party at our local community center (from 3-6) and hope many people will come to share our joy. If you are reading this and live locally PLEASE stop by!!! Yesterday she got to spend the day with Dad while I took the dreaded but money saving 6 hour defensive driving course. Throughout the whole course I couldnot help thinking about the driving in China. Certainly no one there has ever taken this workshop. As I have said before driving in China is just INSANE!!!!!! Anyway Dad and Sierra had a great time and I made it through the course!!!

The above picture was again taken by my friend Barbara. I just love it!!!! She is beautiful even when she doesn't smile.

The amount of English she is picking up is astounding. She is like a sponge, just soaking everything in. Today at church she "read" along when we were reading and"sang" along while we were singing!!

I will post pictures either later today or tomorrow of the party!!! Have a great day!!!!

A few more pictures!!

She loves helping me so the dishes or anything that I am doing. It's great to have a little helper again!!!

It's so hard to get her beqautiful smile for the camera!!!

Sierra loves when her big brothers come to play. Here she is giggling at Tim!!

This is what happens when we try to get Sierra to smile!!! Her cousin Jake has the hang of it!!!!

Computer Woes

Hi, I am back on David's laptop as my computer is experiencing serious problems again. I am so frustrated as I have only started putting together a slide show of our trip and I so want to finish it. I love taking pictures of Sierra, she is so cute!!!!! I love watching her interact with all her brothers, cousins, grandpa, aunts and uncles etc. We are so blessed to have Scott's father and brother both live with in one mile of our house. My kids live with in 5 miles!! Sadly, Scott's mother passed away during our wait for Sierra. I am so sad that she never got to meet her or even see her pictures. She was a wonderful womenand she would have loved Sierra. I know she would be so proud of the father Scott has become!!!

Hi All!!!

Here are some more outside pictures!!!!

Yesterday I went to post and somehow only my pictures showed up. Anyway, today I have my computer back and everything seems to be working fine!!! We are finally in a groove and life is sweet. I love that I am able to spend all this time with Sierra. She is blossoming everyday and is enjoying finding out about the world around her. She is into everything, more like a 2 year old, but I understand that most things are brand new to her. My favorite time is when she first wakes up in the morning. She is so cuddly and takes my face in her hands and kisses it all over!!!She loves her Daddy and can't wait for him to get home each day. We are so blessed!!!

David and Sierra

Ok, I promised you some pictures of David and Sierra. The top one was of Sierra's first visit to our mall. She is 34 inches tall, David is 72 1/2 inches tall so she is less than half his height. She loves walking with him.

The next few pictures are of Sierra helping out at the firehouse. Daddy is a captain, brother Paul is an Asst. Chief and David is an active member. She loves going with Dad on training night and helping. I love the picture of her helping David roll up the hose!!!

This is a picture of Sierra being cool!!! She loves putting on sunglasses!!! We are having a blast with her. She is such a happy, funny , little girl. She seems to be dong well and we are all so in love. My sister came up to see her yesterday and I had all my siblings and all my children under the same roof. But I didn't get any pictures, that is VERY unusual for me!!1 Anyway it was an awesome Valentines Day. I do hope you enjoy these pictures!!!

A moment to share!!!

Here is a recap of the last few days. On Friday night we went to our favorite diner where Steve the owner was thrilled to meet Sierra. He had been waiting very patiently. Of course David had to show her how to blow off the cover of her straw. He then showed her how to put it back on so she could do it over and over again. What are big brothers for?

On Sunday Sierra and I went to Dylan's house for lunch. This is my favorite picture that I took that day, Sierra and Dylan eating bananas sitting on the counter. Toocute!

Giving her Daddy a goodnight kiss all dressed up in her flannel PJs!!!

What did I say big brothers were for? As soon as she sees Tim she wants him to throw her up in the air. I ususally look away but I couldn't resist getting this picture!!!!

Her and Paaul laughing together. She sure does love all her big brothers. I will post one of her and David next!!

She is doing awesome and we are loving every minute.
I have a moment to share with all of you. Back in Novwmber I gave Scota DVD slide show I had made up. On it were various pictures of China and the pictures we had recieived of Sierra. I also incorparated two songs. One was Over the Rainbow by Martina McBride and one was My Wish my Rascal Flatts. My Wish talks about what you wish for someone you love, it talks about not forgetting where you have been and the people who have loved you etc. Well get this. on the Friday we were leaving China, we sat in the airplane , a Southern CHINA airplane, waiting for take off. What should come on over the loud speakers but the song My Wish!! On a Chinese airline!! I looked at Scott, he looked at me and we both looked at our little Sierra(and of course I started bawling!!). I could not believe it. No way could this happen,(but for God, I know)!! To this day , I can not believe the timing. I will never forget that moment. Although I couldnot take a picture of it that moment is forever imprinted on my brain and in my heart. What a memory!!!