Aly Day!!!!!

Three years ago today, my Mom and Dad Got me and we became a family. We adopted each other while we were in China and I will live with them forever and ever. They will always be my Mommy and Daddy!! Love, Alyson Ming-Lian Swindler

Well, there ya go!! I don't have any pictures to post from Aly's Gotcha Day because I still don't have anything from my old hard drive. (Hopefully we will get all of that done this next week!!) Anyway, please take a moment and stop by our travel website to read about our journey to Alyson and see all of the pictures from our trip!!

I can't even believe we have had her as our precious daughter for THREE YEARS!!!! How amazing our God is to give us such good and wonderful blessings!!!

I am now going to go try to hook up the old video camera so we can watch her Gotcha day video!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!

In HIS Mighty Grip~

Go check this out...

Okay...so stop by my dear hubby's blog and read his latest post. I was actually going to post it to mine, but he beat me to it!! It is beautiful and will bring a tear to your eye!!

Our company made it and we are getting ready to have a late lunch and then make plans to go look at Christmas lights tonight!! WHOOO HOOO...I love to go look at Christmas lights!!!!

Have a wonderful day everyone!!

In HIS Mighty Grip

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAK!!

My computer is up and running again. I have nothing loaded the old hard drive yet (that will have to wait until after Christmas), but at least I am online!! Anyway, we have company coming in today for Christmas and it is rapidly getting crazy around here, so I wanted to pause and take a minute to wish everyone...

Free Glitter Graphics
I may or may not be around too much over the next week...time will tell. Okay...so you know that I will be posting on Aly's Gotcha Day (27th) and her 4th Birthday (29th) and my birthday (31st), but anyway!!!!

Seriously, I hope that you have a wonderful blessed Christmas and that God will bless you with an extra dose of His loving care this coming year!!!!

In HIS Mighty Grip...

"Gotcha" One year ago today!!

It's amazing what changes occur in a year. It is hard to imagine our lives without our Liliana Grace MinQin Swindler. She has been in our arms for a year now. She was in our hearts a lot longer than that. The "tiger lily" has blossomed into a beautiful little girl with a little temper and a few tantrums here and there but more than enough love and smiles and laughter to make up for anything that might temporarily drive you batty.
We are sooooo blessed to have both of our girls. God is good all the time and He certainly knew what He was doing when He put us together. He certainly does have a sense of humor too. Lili and Aly are wonderful, amazing little creations and examples of His creativity. We can't wait to see what new and exciting things are ours for the coming New Year.
Last year this time we were in Nanchang. It was cold and we were anticipating getting our little Lili. I remember when I first met her eyes. There was a special connection there. I don't know how to explain it, there was just something unspeakable but that witnessed to my very soul about this little life that I now held in my arms. Maybe it was all the perfume the orphanage workers had sprayed her with that was clouding my mind. Maybe it was the lack of good sleep. I choose to think it was a "heart touch", a connection that only God gives. I don't remember feeling that when we first got Aly, it took some time to connect but boy when we did... Amazingly enough, after getting Lili I was sooooo angry that a new child was coming into our life and would interupt my relationship with my wonderful little girl. After all why messs up a good thing? Little did I know that God gave me a heart to love them both so far beyond what I had invisioned. I am ready for 3, 4, or 5 or as many children as He will give us. I would love to fill our home. I know Shelley would too. From my fingers to God's inbox.
What a ride!!!
Merry Christmas
David- for Shelley because she crashed her computer...AGAIN

ARGH!! Trying to remember YOU ARE GOOD post...

Okay...so the bad news...my computer has apparently crashed!!! Won't boot...looks like we will be on the phone for a while...a good LONG while with "Bob" in India!! But...the good news...David got the MAXIMUM coverage on this computer when we bought it...so we are covered basically no matter what!!! I knew I loved that guy for something other than his good looks!!! If he had only bought Google stock in 04 when we wanted to!! He always gets these "small voice in the back of his head" moments about stuff. It ALWAYS works out...except for when he doesn't listen to that "small voice in the back of his head"
So, I will check in on my email occasionally on David's laptop. See ya when "Bob" gets me up and running again!! :-)

In HIS Mighty Grip
Shelley

PS...when you get a chance, go check out the "Company Girls" link on the right. Well, it isn't a link, but the address is listed there. Anyway, Rachel Anne is such a blessing and you will love her site!!!

Bye-Bye...off to call "Bob"

You Are Good...

You know...as we are moving closer to Christmas there are so many many emotions running rampant at our house this year. We are grateful for all that God has provided for us this past year, we have two beautiful children, David and I have each other, we also lost both of our Mothers this year, made two huge moves, brought a new child into our home, lost our jobs,and have been through more than our fair share of heartache in the last 12 months or more. We are exhausted...physically and emotionally...and, well it just plain sucks on some days. But, the good outweighs the bad when you look at it all. I have learned so much and have seen God's provision on so many many levels. It is amazing to see how HE has sustained us!!Every night when I put my precious Lili to bed, I play a CD while I'm rocking her. On that CD is a song that has sustained me many nights as I sat there rocking that child with tears running down my face. It is called "You are Good" and it is by Nichol Nordeman. I decided to look on Youtube and see if there might be a video of it...and sure enough, there was! So, I wanted to share it with you. It is a beautiful song and it ministers to my heart each and every night. I hope it brings you the same comfort!!!
So, are we blessed? Oh, YES!! Is God still in control? Oh, Yes Yes!! Is God Good to us all the time? OH MY...a RESOUNDING YES!!!! I hope you will take the time this Holy season to thank the ONE who blesses your life every day! The one who laid down the life of his only Son for you!! The one who is ALWAYS Good to you!!!!
Merry CHRISTmas!!!

The Two Year Old Update

I thought that I would take this opportunity to catch you up on all things Lili...now that she is two and plotting her take-over of the world!! She has been in secret meetings all week with her partners in crime...it should be quite the coup!!

Seriously though...our little two year old is just amazing. Although she still goes by "Tiger Lili" (remember our trip to China????) she has definately refined the image a bit! She is still my "sensitive child" and gets her feelings hurt at the drop of a hat. And she can also throw a temper tantrum like NOBODY'S business!!! She is starting to realize that "It ain't workin" so it really is kind of funny to watch her throw herself to the floor and then glance back up at us to see if it helped her cause any. Then she will throw in an Eye-roll for good measure. Too Funny!!!


Lili has some sort of thing for her sisters shoes. She takes hers off as soon as we come in the door, but will walk around all day in Aly's shoes. She LOVES them!! Of course they are also usually on the wrong foot! :-) But, hey!!


I'm not sure how she could walk with the thingy between the wrong toes!! OUCH She didn't seem to mind at all.










She has finally discovered the joys of the playground. For the longest time she would go to the park or playground and she *might* join in on something, but she was usually scared and just wanted to sit it out. Well, things have definately changed. She climbs, slides, runs, romps and plays with the best of 'em now! She is still terrified of the swing, but I suspect that will fall by the wayside soon too.


Her new buddy from the park

Aly is always dragging her somewhere!

This is at Chick-Fil-A. She got up in that little car overhead and refused to come down. Every time I would tell her to, she would just laugh and giggle and ignore me!! Yeah...real funny...ha ha!!

I have a video of her climbing this thing. It is a hoot! She just loved it. I was waiting for her to break her neck at any moment!!

We took the girls to look at some christmas lights in our neighboorhood last night and Lili was beside herself trying to see it all. Christmas should be a lot of fun. She loves the lights, the Santa's , the trees and it all!!

Well, that is about it from Lili-land today. We are off to the chiropractor today...PRAISE GOD!!!!! I'll will try to post some more later

In HIS Mighty Grip~

My baby is TWO!!!!

So did you all think I was never going to post again?? Yeah, well I was beginning to wonder myself. But, now that the REAL Holiday crazies have set in...I had to post some pictures. For those of you who don't know about the December crazies in our house, let

me give you the rundown. Here is how it goes....

December 2- Lili's birthday

December 18- Lili's gotcha day and adoption day anniversaries

December 25- Christmas Day

December 27- Aly's Gotcha Day anniversary

December 28- Aly's Adoption Day anniversary

December 29- Aly's birthday

December 29- Lili's citizenship anniversary (the day we came home with her and she became a US citizen

December 31- My birthday

January 8- Aly's citizenship anniversary (okay, so this isn't in December, but it is close)

So I guess December will be very very busy...FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!! :-) I wouldn't trade it for anything. Yesterday was the kick-off day...Lili's birthday. She is finally TWO!!! I can hardly believe it. What a year! What an amazing series of changes for one little life!

I dressed them up in some of their China silks and and invited some friends over and we celebrated!! She had a blast!!

Okay...without further adieu...here are the pictures

My beautiful China Angels!! What on earth did we do to deserve these amazing daughters!!

Oh yes...I'm a happy girl now...the gifts are coming and most importantly...FOOD!!!!!! I'm SO ready for this!!

My big sister "Ah-wah" gave me my very first baby doll. I LOVE it!! She also gave me a kiss and told me she loved me. I love my big sister!

The I got ANOTHER baby doll from my good buddies Joe and John. How cool is that!!

Oh yes...the cake!!! It's MINE...ALL MINE!! Okay, well maybe not ALL mine.

I can feel the sugar surging through my veins...I should be awake for at least 7 or 8 more hours!!
Maybe I should smear it all over my toes.

I would have to say that, all in all, it was a great day for turning two!!