Here We Are

Where did 2012 go??? It's hard to believe we're starting another new year! Last year wasn't a bad year...we got to experience a lot of firsts as parents, which was both terrifying and exciting. We're still in awe of the fact that we are finally parents, and the fact that we get to be parents to a beautiful, amazing little girl makes it even better. We're still learning, still growing, still trying to get a grasp on things, but we're getting there. :) Maleeya has taught us so much and we're thankful she's so forgiving and loving! We made it through ear

We got to go to our first Chinese New Year as a family in February. Adam and I went the year before, right after we had been matched with our daughter. It was neat to be there with all these families again, with our daughter!

We got to celebrate Easter together as a family of 3, along with having our "first" Mother's Day and Father's Day. The year before, we'd been matched, but our daughter was half-way around the world. We also both celebrated birthdays with our little girl here to help us! :) April also marked a "first" or maybe more of a milestone - our daughter had been home with us longer than she was without us. :)

We had our first "Gotcha Day" in August. We took a trip to Tulsa to go to the zoo as a family to celebrate before joining up with our sweet friends, the Habuda's (their son, Levi, was just a month old when we were in Taiwan picking up our daughter!). We all went to the aquarium together and then back to Matt's parent's house to watch the kiddos play in the sprinkler and then we had a yummy BBQ. Super fun and sweet time of fellowship celebrating the life of both of our cute kiddos. I'm so thankful for their friendship!

In September, we had the HOGL reunion in Joplin; now, this wasn't our first one with our daughter, last year we'd been home about 5 weeks when we went to our first one, but this one was a "first" because we got to see a couple of the "babies" that were at the orphanage at the same time as Maleeya for the first time since Taiwan. They've grown up so much! They're all so adorable! And Maleeya had so much fun playing with all of them again. It was cute watching all of them interact. She also "stole" her first kiss from Landon later that night. :) Super cute! I loved being able to meet all of the families in person as well! We'd only been communicating through facebook before, so it was nice to see them face-to-face. :) Just wish some of them didn't live so far away!

Maleeya took her first steps in November (2011) and then just after the first of the year, she was a full-fledged walker. :) And she hasn't slowed down since! In fact, she pretty much runs everywhere now. :) There were also some fun firsts of jumping and her trying to do somersaults.

Well, that wraps up our year of "firsts." :) Hard to believe we now have a 2-year old! She's grown and changed so much! She's still working on getting in her 2-year molars and we are both praying it's soon! Poor thing has had an ear infection and some nasty diapers, along with the drooling, biting and snot. :( We're very thankful God has blessed us with this beautiful little girl! We can't imagine life without her!

I'm excited to see what 2013 brings! I hope you all have a wonderfully blessed New Year!