Happy Halloween

We celebrated Halloween tonight with our good friends. We had a pizza party and then we took Maya and Grace trick or treating in the neighborhood. The girls were too cute.
I will post pictures later.

Happy Halloween to everyone!

Way to go Red Sox!

For the second time in a decade the Boston Red Sox have won a World Series! For a Bostonian like myself--this is amazing!
Maya watched the games with us and learned how to say "Out," "Safe," and "Go, Go Go,". She also loves to sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

Way to go Red Sox!

Home for five months

We celebrated being home for five months with a visit to Downtown Disney. Every year before Halloween we get caramel apples. So last night we shared the tradition with Maya. Our traditions have so much more meaning now that she is here.

Playdate with Grace

Maya had a playdate with Grace. The girls had so much fun playing on the horses and with the princess dolls.
The Vieras' gave Maya a beautiful bracelet for her christening. Grace has a similar one. So the girls sat together and held hands with their bracelets on.

First pig tails

Maya's hair is getting long enough to put up into pig tails. She looks so grown up with them.

Just being sweet

Maya now loves having her picture taken. She then wants to see the image on the camera when its done.

Hey Mon

Maya looks like a little rhastafarian with her Daddy's Halloween wig on.

Playing with dolls

Maya is turning in quite the little girl. She played with her baby dolls the other day and even gave them a bottle.

A Red Sox Prayer

As we head into game 2 of the World Series--this prayer may be what it takes for our team to win!
Not sure who wrote it--but it is very funny!
A RED SOX PRAYER
Our Father, who art at Fenway…
Baseball be thy game.
They Kingdom come,
Playoffs need to be won,
On Earth, then on to the Cask ‘n’ Flagon.
Give us this day, a perfect Papi,
And forgive us our losses,
As we forgive those,
Like Bill Buckner.
And lead us not, into desperation,
But deliver us from any losses.
For thine is the Power,
And the Glory,
To beat the Indians,
Forever and ever….the Yankees suck
A-men

Green Meadows Petting Zoo

Maya holding a baby chick at the petting zoo. It was a great day.

What a difference a year makes!

Last year at this time we were on the Disney Cruise for our best friends wedding and laughing through tears that we had been logged in at the CCAA for a year. We had no idea who Maya was--that she was 7 months old and waiting for her Mama and Daddy!
Yesterday we went to Green Meadows Farm in Poinciana--I actually milked a cow. Maya rode a horse for the very first time. It was great seeing so many beautiful children from China. We were especially happy to see the Poches--it had been almost a year and half since we last saw them--Natalie is too cute. We hope they will get a referral for another little one soon.

I will post pictures very soon.

Official photo with the judge!

Here we are with the judge in the Osceola County court house. Maya is officially recognized by the state as our daughter!

19 months old and legally ours again!

Today we appeared in court in Kissimmee to have our foreign adoption recognized by the State of Florida. It was just a formality since Maya has been ours-legally since May 16th. However, this recognition allows us to get birth certificates in English.
Attorney Paul Consbruck, an adoptive father, represented us for the hearing. The whole process was so easy and worth the money. We left the courthouse feeling very confident that everything has been completed and our adoption is finalized.

Maya Lily turns 19 months old today. I have to admit that I am a bit emotional. She is growing up so quickly. I know we have been blessed. My thoughts are with her biological parents. I pray they have peace of mind and somehow know that she is with a family who love her more than anything in the whole world. We are forever grateful to them for the beautiful life they created and are honored to be her mother and father.

Five months since Gotcha Day!

It has been five months since we got Maya--she has grown so much. I want her to stay little forever :)
Tomorrow we are doing our re-adoption with Judge Apte in Kissimmee. This will allow us to get birth certificates in English.

Patriots fan

Maya watched the Patriots stomp the Cowboys today. She wore her Patriots dress! She learned how to do "touchdown".

Favorite book

Maya's new favorite book is "Happy Adoption Day!" She picks it up everyday and has us read it to her.

Special people to Maya

Ally and Dennis Spellman


Jim and Jill Straka


Kim Yoho and Sara Schumacher


Auntie Jo-Jo and Uncle Paul


The three grandmas
Nana Birdie, Granny Linn and Nona

Disney with Nona

Maya and Nona spent the afternoon at the Magic Kingdom before Nona went back to New Jersey. They rode on the Sleeping Beauty ride, Dumbo and the carousel.

Picking pumpkins

Maya had a ball picking out the pumpkins. It is amazing how much fun we have just watching her.

Fall Festival

Maya enjoyed this weekend's Fall Festival in Celebration. We finally got her the pumpkins she has been pointing at!

Pictures of Maya Lily

Thanks to our dear friend Jim Straka--we have amazing photos of Maya Lily on her first day home from China and her baptism.
If you would like to view the photos--you need to go to jstrakaphoto.com
the current password is Lilly--Jim will change it to Lily later today.
The photos are beautiful!
Thanks Uncle Jim-we love you!

Maya's baptism

Maya was baptized on Saturday at the Corpus Christi Church here in Celebration. Paul and Kate Fiore are her god-parents. Kate was unable to attend because she recently gave birth to their second daughter, Cassandra. My dear friend Allison Spellman filled in for Kate and did a great job!
Maya was so funny with Fr. Gregory. She started clapping when he picked her up and introduced her to the church.
We were so happy to have our family and close friends here with us to celebrate this special event.
Tomorrow we will be having our final post-placement meeting with our social worker. We have also received a court date to have Maya re-adopted here in Florida. This will be done on October 18th at the Osceola County Courthouse.

I will post pictures of the baptism later this week.