Happy Birthday Markana!

From December, 2009

(Thanks to Rebekah T. for the cake!)

Happy Holidays, everyone!

From December, 2009

Here's wishing everyone happy Holidays, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Solstice, Saturnalia, Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, Festivus and New Year. We hope you have a great time with family and friends, and take time to appreciate all the wonderful things that make life so special.

We'd like to thank everyone who has helped us and sent their good thoughts during this last year. We are fortunate to have so many compassionate people in our lives and we appreciate everything everyone has done for us.

Here's to a happy, hopeful and healthy 2010!

Montessori School Open House

Chip and his mom took Stella to an Open House at her perspective school yesterday. Chip says that they could have left her there and she would not even had noticed they were gone - so busy exploring everything. She is just going to love it. So beautiful there, open land and cozy rooms.

Here she is in her classroom next to the table where she will eat her lunch. So cute. And she is wearing a little dress that was given to her by her Grandmaw Rose.

Happy Thanksgiving

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Georgia. We had a wonderful dinner at Chip's parents house with all of the family. I am thankful that we were all able to be together today.

This is a picture of Stella and her cousin Noah having a sweet moment.

My First Vacation - Well, sort of

While Mommy and Daddy went to California, I went to Union City to stay with Cookie and Papa all by myself. I had tons of fun and kept everyone quite busy. I made friends with all of the neighbors and made my rounds about town. I was thinking I might stay a while, but I know that Mommy and Daddy were ready for me to come home.


Here is a picture of Cookie and me from the photo shoot she took me to while I was there. I even allowed for three outfit changes!

Stella

Happy Halloween!

Stella hit a few parties tonight in her very cute costume. (The monkey suit got beat out - sorry Throops!) First we went to Auntie Suzy's and had some tasty snacks with her neighbors and later attended the costume contest/chili cook-off in our neighborhood. We did not enter the contest, but Stella loved seeing all of the other kids dressed up. And then we snuck home, closed the blinds, turned off the lights and hid from trick-or-treaters! Hey, a girl has got to sleep!

A special thanks to our dear friend Scott King for bringing us the jack-o-lantern!

When I get to the bottom I go back to the top

From October, 2009

I'm finding myself constantly impressed by all the things Stella knows how to do already, but this one just kills me. Look at that enthusiasm! Seriously?!?

The new slide (yes, it's in the garage for now) has been a big hit. She and her two neighborhood companions, Sam and Claire, take turns fighting and screaming over who gets to play with it next, while the adults try unsuccessfully to teach concepts like "share" and "take turns". Fifteen-month-olds are good at many things, but sharing isn't one of them.

Here's Stella, discovering and mastering her new toy.

Strollin'

Light the Night Walk

I have never been much of a "team player". I didn't play sports or have many extra curricular activities to speak of. I am certainly a far cry from a leader. But, in the face of my illness, it seems that I was chosen.

Team Jordan is a name we use often in our home. It started with Chip and I and then we added Stella, so it seemed the natural selection to name my team. I am proud to say that through the efforts of my team and so many generous contributors, Team Jordan was able to raise $2500 towards helping find a cure for Lymphoma and Leukemia. I am more than proud.

It was a picture perfect night. The weather was amazing, the Nashville skyline was the back drop and my dear friends and family walked with me for what is now personally, a very important cause. I thank them.

To see more photos.

Ruslana (Update below)

This is Ruslana. She is an orphan from Ukraine that my sister-in-law, her husband and children hope to adopt. They have worked tirelessly raising funds to bring this little girl home. And they love her.

They have been put through the ringer with paperwork, details and requirements and were finally granted approval last week. This week they have found out that they will be moving Ruslana to a mental institution and the adoption may, or may not, go through. It is impossible for them to be there in this time frame as they are being asked for fingerprints for the millionth time!

Please keep Ruslana and her family here that loves her in your thoughts.

From my sister-in law.....
News- we are pressing forward. The reality is that Ruslana will be transferred this week. Not in 2 weeks like we thought- THIS week. The institution has her paperwork and the bus is coming for her. Our prayer now is that the bus will break down!!:) Our dossier paperwork should have been finished already. We were lacking a couple of documents a couple of weeks ago, all which came in record time (remember our USCIS approval?!). I went to have one final background clearance approved only to find that it wasn't detailed enough for Ruslana's country. This caused us to have to head back to our local sheriff's department (AGAIN!) to have prints retaken. Actually, they didn't even have to reprint us. They just printed out our old prints- duh, prints don't change- and sent us on our way. These certain background checks typically take 14 days to process. Of course, I sent Ruslana's story along with the prints, and we're praying we get results this week.