Family Day 2009

Well it’s been a year!  Can you believe it?  We are so amazed at the transformations we’ve ALL experienced over the past year.  The kids have grown so much.  A school year has passed.  We’ve celebrated every holiday together now.  We ARE a family.  Erika, you were right.  I thought after 6 months, I knew what was happening.  But after that year mark, life is so much smoother.  Thank the Lord for our babies.

A Beautiful Picture

Happy 14th Birthday Bryan Ray!

Bryan celebrated his birthday at the Olive Garden.  He FINALLY got a cell phone.    He didn’t want them to sing to him, but our waitress did bring him a special dessert.

Happy 12th Birthday, Brett Andrei!

We celebrated Brett’s birthday by going out to eat at the Golden Corral – his fave on Tuesday night. We also celebrated on Saturday by going to Ryan’s.  He got a portable DVD player – something he’s wanted for a few months.

Happy 4th Birthday, Bella Anna!

She’s FOUR now…… What a great day we had. She wanted to go out to “chips and salsa” to eat, so we did. They sang Happy Birthday to her and brought her a dessert. At home, she got a cake and a 4 wheeler to drive in the garage. I’m so proud of my baby girl!

We Made the Cover!

Check out this link:  http://www.carolinaadoption.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/cas-enewsletter-spring-2009.pdf  Bella and I made the cover page of our adoption agency’s spring newletter.  It SOOO shows how carefree her life is now and how pain-free mine is now.  Our three children have filled our home and our hearts.

Thanks to “the girls” for encouraging me to send in the pic. 

Look at page 6 and you’ll see how rare it is to find a blondie in Moldova.

NEW PICTURES!!!

Don’t have a heart attack!  We’ve actually added 49 new pictures to the right.  Click on “More Photos”, then at the top right, you can select the “Slideshow” to see them effortlessly.

Thanks to everyone who is still checking in on us.  We’re sorry to be so slow!!!

Beth

Gingerbread Cookies

Lauren and Andrew came over to spend some time with us, and we decorated gingerbread men.  Notice I did NOT say “make” cookies.  They were pre-made.  I did whip up the icing though, so there should be a wee bit of credit there, don’t ya think??  Bella got a big box of them for Christmas, and it was the perfect time to enjoy them.

As a side note, when they first came home, Bella called them BOTH Andrew.  It took us - and her – a while to figure this out.  Now she calls them LaurAndrew.  It works.  They are SUCH precious children.

Brett’s

Bryan’s was Broken, but Still Delicious!

Bella’s Had LOTS of Candy

Christmas in America

Our First Christmas

Brett and Bella

Bryan’s Fav Team

Opening Presents with Dad

Well, the FIVE Pilkintons have had an AWESOME Christmas……  I don’t really know how to express it.  When we applied for the adoptions, one of my FIRST questions was, “do you think we can have them home by Christmas?”  Julie said that she THOUGHT so.  Well, SIX MONTHS before Christmas, they were home!  Praise the Lord.  Kinda makes all those everyday silly disappointments look, well, silly, doesn’t it?!?!?

Santa brought Bella a naptime mat and pillow for pre-school.  Nana’s gonna embroider Barney and her name on it.  The boys got a Wii.  They all got huge stockings full of goodies.

Mom and Dad got to have three amazing children for Christmas.  Nothing could be better.

Christmas with Nana and Papa

Christmas came and went so fast this year.  We hardly had time to breathe it seemed.  We had so much fun with the Hagers, Pryors and Rameys.  MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all!!!  And thanks so much for all of the presents – I think we got so busy that we forgot to say that.

Nana, Papa, and the Grandkids

Granny with Her Great-Grandchildren