Sunday, January 20, 2008

January 20th, 2008

This is our attempt to blog our life's journey with our newest family member, Cecelia Grace Zhifan. Our family adopted Cecelia Grace on December 2, 2007, from Jiangxi Province, China. We began the process in December of 2006, picked Cecelia from our agency's Waiting Child list in April of 2007, and then waited...NOT so patiently for our travel to China. We returned home with Cecelia on December 13th, 2007 - one of the greatest days of our lives!

Our family is a BIG family, by most standards, but we would have it NO other way. Cecelia is our 6th child! Our oldest son, Jonathan, is 29. He has been married to Julie for 4 years. They live in Massachusetts where he is the IT manager of the biochemical dept. of a major university. Julie is a post-doctorate researcher for the national gov't. Our second son, Ryan, is 27. He is a computer engineer and is also working as an adjunct for a local college and pursuing his doctorate. He was married in November to Gillian, who is a 2nd grade teacher. Our third son, Evan, is 25. He is an RN at a local hospital, and is pursuing a graduate degree in order to become a nurse practitioner. He was married last year to Erin, who is a voice teacher at a local school. Our first daughter, Kaitlyn, is a freshman at Hobart College and would like to be a veterinarian someday. She is a biology major. Our fourth son, Collin, is a home-schooled 5th grader. He just turned 11. Finally we arrive at Cecelia...she will two years old on February 17th. She is just a delight! What a wonderful life we have!

John and I have been married for over 30 years! When we were first married we naively thought we would have two children and live happily-ever-after. The happily-ever-after is definately true, but who were we to know that we would fall so much in love with our children and with parenting! We are so proud of each and every one of our children and our daughters-in-law! They bring us joy each day. It is for this reason that we just knew we were NOT finished in the parenting category. Many of our friends and family thought we were off our proverbial rocker when we told them of our plans to adopt a new little one. But WE knew it was part of our life's plan! So our intent for this blog is for you to enjoy a small part of our incredible life!

The first pictures are the referral pictures we received for Cecelia. Her Chinese name is Zhi Fan. We have incorporated her Chinese name into her American name as we feel it is an important part of her unique heritage. These pictures were taken two months after her surgery and and she is about one year old in them. Cecelia was born with a cleft lip and palate. Her lip was repaired in China at the Jiangxi Women and Children's hospital. Our guide showed us the hospital in Nanchang, China, where she had the procedure done. She will have her palate repaired soon. We have seen a cleft group where we live and are also researching a cleft group in Boston.


The next pictures in our blog are from Christmas. We had only been home with Cecelia for one week when these pictures were taken. Already she was showing bits of the person she really is. She was only crawling in these pictures and was just beginning to enjoy REAL food. Until we got Cecelia, she had only had formula and rice cereal. She LOVES food. As a matter of fact, she would eat all day long if we put food in front of her. She weighed 17.6 pounds at her medical check-up for immigration. By the first week home she was up to 18.4 pounds. It will be interesting to see her weight at her next check-up! She is "filling out" nicely although this girl is one tiny person!

The next set of pictures is from last night. Most of our children were here for the evening and Evan was trying out a camera. Enjoy the pictures! What a difference in Cecelia! She is now walking, running, and climbing. She has grown a shoe size and a clothes size. She now wears a perfect size 12 months. Her receptive language is unbelievable. It almost seems as though she can understand nearly everything we say to her. As we were researching Chinese adoption, most every blog raved about the incredible development of these children once they are home. It is actually UNBELIEVABLE! The human spirit is an incredible spirit! When we first received Cecelia, she had marks on her ankles where we think she may have been tied to her crib. Well, it is our profound discovery that you may tie a child physically down, but spiritually and emotionally they still soar! What a baby girl! Just take a look for yourselves!

2 comments:

JMCS said...

Norie,

What a wonderful family you have and we are so fortunate to have you guys as part of our lives. Cecelia is just beautiful and a little treasure. Can't wait to see you tomorrow.

Love,
Jonni
:)

JMCS said...

Need more pictures. :)

Jonni

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstance.

The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.

Ballet Class

Ballet Class
How many years do you think it will take for my leg to reach that bar?

The Cutest Ladybug in the World

The Cutest Ladybug in the World
Cecelia is going to be a ladybug for Halloween and she just loves her costume. She will wear it on every occasion she can. This was one day in our little homeschool. I love this picture so much. And of course I love the little ladybug in it the most!

Apple picking, pumpkins, and calves...fall fun

Apple picking, pumpkins, and calves...fall fun
Collin, Cecelia and her little friend Sofia spent a day picking apples, pumpkins and visiting calves...Fall fun!

feeding a calf

Cecelia enjoyed picking this pumpkin until her fingers touched the dirt!...catch the LOOK!

dance class

dance class
ballet sure works up your thirst!

Two Little Ballerinas

Two Little Ballerinas
Cecelia and her friend Meilyn

A Day at the Zoo

A Day at the Zoo
Cecelia and some friends met at the zoo last week for a really fun day. Here are a few pictures. I must confess that I forgot to bring my camera so these pictures are courtesy of Jonni, mommy to Cecelia's friend Sofia!

Cecelia and her friends: Helaina, Sofia, Cecelia, and Meilyn

here's looking at you

here's looking at you
one of my favorite pics of the summer

how's my flexibility?

how's my flexibility?

stretching

stretching

attitude

attitude

All set for college

All set for college

cecelia grace

cecelia grace

happiness is a blowup pool and sunshine!

happiness is a blowup pool and sunshine!

the big pool!

the big pool!

Cecelia at Ben and Jerry's in Vermont - one week after surgery!

Cecelia at Ben and Jerry's in Vermont - one week after surgery!

Cecelia and Dolly in the hospital

Cecelia and Dolly in the hospital

12 hours after surgery

12 hours after surgery

Cecelia in recovery

Cecelia in recovery

Bad hair day - take three

Bad hair day - take three

Bad hair day - take two

Bad hair day - take two

Bad hair day - take one

Bad hair day - take one

Swinging in Vermont

Swinging in Vermont

Side walk chalk is the best!

Side walk chalk is the best!

Is this how you cast out?

Is this how you cast out?

Cecelia and Dad fishing

Cecelia and Dad fishing

Cecelia and the beautiful peacock

Cecelia and the beautiful peacock

In Tilly's flower bed

In Tilly's flower bed

making American" pizza...Cecelia and Tilly

making American" pizza...Cecelia and Tilly

Heidelberg

Heidelberg
Cecelia and Collin climbed the entire mountain to get to the castle

Tilly and Cecelia

Tilly and Cecelia

Still in Mosbach

Still in Mosbach

Collin and Cecelia in Mosbach

Collin and Cecelia in Mosbach

On our way to Germany!

On our way to Germany!

here is my latest quilt in the background

here is my latest quilt in the background
"the quilting helper"

some "new "stitches from my helper

some "new "stitches from my helper

Happy Easter

Happy Easter
our beautiful baby

I love jelly beans!

I love jelly beans!

collin loves them too!

collin loves them too!

I need some more!

I need some more!

ut oh where are they?

ut oh where are they?

all gone......and I am sad

all gone......and I am sad

my brother doesn't like me to cry...

my brother doesn't like me to cry...

I love my brother

I love my brother

It's My Birthday!

It's My Birthday!

My birthday cake

My birthday cake

two candles for Cecelia and one for good luck!

two candles for Cecelia and one for good luck!

will I be this tall?

will I be this tall?

I love this toy!

I love this toy!

nothing like a bath in the sink on a cold winter's night in Vermont

nothing like a bath in the sink on a cold winter's night in Vermont

new cousins- Juleigh and Cecelia with Juleigh's daddy- Uncle Freddie

new cousins- Juleigh and Cecelia with Juleigh's daddy- Uncle Freddie

this is winter!

this is winter!

the cabin in February

the cabin in February

out the front window- check out the swingset to get an idea of how much snow there is!

out the front window- check out the swingset to get an idea of how much snow there is!

a bit of space at the end of the driveway

vermont in the winter

vermont in the winter
Mt. Killington

hmmmm..a new bike!

hmmmm..a new bike!

I am almost two!

I am almost two!

I'll share!

I'll share!

what else is there in life...gummies and Chinese New Year!

what else is there in life...gummies and Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

I love when two year olds discover their pockets!

I love when two year olds discover their pockets!

Hadley is the next victim...oops, I mean playmate

Hadley is the next victim...oops, I mean playmate

I am so happy!

I am so happy!

Cecelia, Carly, and Meilyn

Cecelia, Carly, and Meilyn
friends!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year!

I am too cute!

Cecelia and Riley waiting for the school kids to arrive

some of my favorite toys!

"What did you want me to write?"

my favorite blankie!

how can I look mad and adorable at the same time?

our baby with her baby

what a wonder...

Cecelia at Christmas 2

Cecelia at Christmas 2007

Cecelia at 19 months old

Cecelia at 1 year

Cecelia 1 year old