Our LID was May 15, 2006.

Since we have logged into China, we have tried to keep busy. Summer brought with it many projects around the house, since last year we moved in late in August. We had a concrete driveway, walk and patios put in, as well as several retaining walls. Tom and I spread 20 yards of mulch around the house as well as planted many new trees and shrubs. We have been busy inside as well. We are starting to get Ellie’s room ready. We are organizing the basement and touching up paint. We keep hearing “get all of your projects done now because once you have your daughter…” I think that this is true for two reasons, one it will be hard to find the time and two, we will want to spend all of our time with our new daughter.

We went on vacation to Wildwood N.J. This was a family vacation with my family. We spent many nights walking up and down the boardwalk and most days relaxing on the beach. Wildwood is as nostalgic as you might think, but Atlantic City just plain struck us as funny. We have been back to AC with Glenn since summer.

We spent lots of time with our friends this summer going to all sorts of festivals in the area.

School has started and as a matter of fact, we are 15 weeks in. Time sure flies. My students are great this year, both in their behavior and in their academics. I sure hope that the “honeymoon” is never over with them.

Tom and I went back to our Alma Mater for Homecoming. Neither of us had been back for a Homecoming since we graduated and next year is Tom’s fifteenth year out of college. We immediately found Shawna and Brandon and spent lots of time with them and their two beautiful daughters. It was so great to meet the other families with children from China or who were in the process of adoption.

We spent Christmas with our families. Christmas Eve was spent at my parent’s house near Pittsburgh. It has always been a tradition for my family to open presents on Christmas Eve, my parent’s always said that Santa stopped at our house first. Christmas Day was spent at Tom’s sister’s house.