WHAT A SUMMER! 2008

Summer was fantastic. The Brooke Clan came over and swam with us.
Here's fearless Quinn. Here's Ryleigh the dolphin!
Here's Hannah wo-manning the patrol boat.
Great shot of Brogan (Ying's new love of her life)
Anders was a fantastic and accomodating big brother.

Can "do" no wrong with panty-hose- hair!!!!!!!!!
Pierce and Brogan, happy little boys- Thanks to Holly and Richard!!!!!!
Corin in the "center of attention"

2008 Summer was great, Anders was here for several weeks and Thomas arrived for a few weeks.

Mei Li's Dancing at the State Capital & Graduates

Mei Li's Love of China Dance class performed for Asian Month at the Texas State Capital. She is 3rd from the right, wearing red/white and blue with a white scarf.

She also graduated form her Great Wall Chinese Language class Kindergarten level. Her teacher Yuhong Wang is fantastic and taught them so much.




And, she graduated from Pre-school at the Asian American Cultural Center's Magic Dragon program.
We are very proud of her. And she is so happy that she gets to go to Kindergarten in August. "her new school" I enrolled her in the Montessori school across the street from where she goes now so she can get picked up by the van and taken after school to the AACC after school program where many of her friends will also attend. This way she and Ying Li will get to play together at the end of the day also.




This is Kathryn, she and Mei Li share a cubbie and have lots of fun together.


The Magic Dragon graduates got to have a ride in a van around the parking lot- the limo forgot that it was supposed to pick them up.
but it was fine because they also had a petting zoo. Mei Li held a rabbit and a chicken and pet a cow. She also rode a pony.

This is Dane "Dane Dane" as we know him. We have known him for a long time. In the first photo that I have of Mei Li on her first day at daycare, he is sitting in a high chair in the background.

This is Jayden, apparently some of the girls want to marry him.

May- the longest month of the year

Lots of family visiting to celebrate Sandra and Tom's wedding.
This month there are lots of changes- dance class will go on summer break, Chinese language class is out for the summer. Chinese club takes 2 weeks off, Mei Li graduated from Pre-School and there are lots of performances.
Ying Li learned to climb up and down her shelves. All the time, she was counting 1-10and singing the ABC song- quite proud of herself.



The dancing girls were practicing with their reflections in the windows before Uncle Jann and Uncle David let them get into the hot tub.

One year ago April 2nd we first held Ying Li- what a difference LOVE makes

Ying Li, you have been more than we could ever imagine- wink~ wink~!
Actually, you have tested our patience and in return, we gained your trust.
Now when you lean back in my arms very relaxed and so happy, content and at ease, I am forever greatful that we are your parents and that we are able to see the transformation that only love can bring.
Thanks for teaching me so much.
In the introduction to the third part of the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull- the last words of Jonathan's teacher are: "keep working on love". In this part Jonathan understands that the spirit cannot be really free without the ability to forgive, and the way to progress leads through becoming a teacher — not just through working hard as a student.
I could not say it better

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Can't believe it has been one year!! Happy Birthday and almost Gotcha Day Liang Xiao Tian and Liang Xiao Ying!!!

Remember this part of the Birthday Cake that the Guides gave you in Chongqing China? Here we are holding Liang, Xiao Ying on Gotcha Day 2007- Ying Li Bonfils-Rasmussen
Here are Eng Ng and Dasa Hapsari with their daughter Liang Xiao Tian- Aileen Ananda Ng Hapsari
No crying for our kiddos!
And now, the Liangping "sisters" at the place they spent the first year of their lives- the Liangping SWI.
Life from this point on has been so much better for all of us!
What a difference a year makes!

4 YEARS AGO TODAY

We first held Cen Ye Quan 4 years ago today in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.(actually it was March 14th but I started this post early)
She was then, and is now, a very entertaining, endearing, self confidant, tiny in stature but big in heart little girl.
We love her so much.
She is the kind of kiddo who takes every balloon that the grocery store gives her and tells me to open a window while I drive down the road...she makes a wish that sounds something like this, "I wish I wish with all my might that all the childrens in China gets famawees and thanks you to my foster mother and I hopes you are taking care of all de little kids..." and the baloon whips out of her hand and we say- "dear balloon, please find your way to China to say hi to all the little childrens and tell them it will be ok."

Well, she certainly is a one of a kind wonder in our lives.
We love you, Mei Li, forever.
mom and dad

The Bunny Ears Dance

The entertainment is never-ending at our house. There is no sound track to go with it so you'll have to imagine what music Mei Li had in her head ;} It may take a few seconds to upload. The last step is classic!

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Happy New Year 2008 Year of the Rat

Here the girls are all dressed up and rarin' to go. Mei Li made lanterns (she calls then lanterines). Shao Laoshi made that hat that Ying Li is wearing for Mei Li but Ying Li loves is so Mei Li lets her wear it. We were out shopping and the girls just had to have the bunny ears! Then Mei Li treated us to a performance.

Mei Li turned 5 years old!

She is one amazing little girl. She told her daddy she wanted him to buy her flowers for her birthday. He got up early on her birthday morning and went to the store to get "Danish" pastries no doubt, and flowers.
In Denmark they celebrate in the morning with breakfast in bed and presents.


She performed opening ceremony songs and dance with her classmates at the Asian American Cultural Center For Lunar New Year. She also did a Kung Fu demonstration.


Here she is with her super friend Madison.