We interrupt our regular posting....

To announce.....
That today at exactly 11:01






We got an email








While eating in Bojangles
(We had to get some shots at the Dr. this morning hence the Brunch)








That would forever change our day







and life









It had just become 2010 in China










Pretty Special







Because






that email






said something



Very special

















Woo Hoo!!! I think 2010 is already looking like a really good year!

Here is a video just so you can see some Anna Grace cuteness.... (:


We leave on January 19 and come home on February 5!!!!
We will get Andrew on January 21!!! woo hoo!

Continue to pray and please pray for our safety and health!

Say What?!?

So Anna Grace has gotten into saying the funniest things! They are hilarious! She calls everyone Sweetie. Everyone. i.e. "Sweetie would you like me to wear a bow?" Hilarious. Where she gets it from? No idea.
She is in LOVE with Pandas. She is a Baby Panda, I am a SissyPanda, Mommy is a MamaPanda, and Daddy is a DaddyPanda.
All of us say the same thing (MamaPanda, SissyPanda, & DaddyPanda) which is "I will never, never, ever leave you. Pretty sweet huh? Best Part. She came up with all of it. The names and what we say everything. But what does she say "I love you so, so, so very much!"
She also has her opinions on a new little one coming home. My Mom was talking about Andrew the other day and she has this conversation with her ::

AG :: Mommy I want a sister now.
MP :: Well Anna Grace you are getting a brother
AG :: Well MamaPanda I would love a sister
MP :: I know sweet girl but you are getting a big brother
(she thinks he is a baby...heh. Not quite he is a whole 5 weeks older! ;)
AG :: Can't we just go get a gewel instead
MP :: No, we can't.
AG :: Fine, I will just have to go with Andrew I guess.

She also loves herself. Which is a good thing. I guess. High selfesteem she does have.
On Christmas Day she walked around in her *New HoHo (Ni Hao Kai-Lan) panties and some high heels. heh. She is a keeper alright.
She also got a HoHo baby. It is her baby. She rocks him and holds him and talks and talks to him ;) quite cute! She will make a great little sister and Mommy. great.

Here is a very special video of her singing "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift......She knows EVERY word. This video does not how truly amazing she is! (Now this might just be me being her sister and thinking she is amazing when she walks...but hey, I think it pretty awesome a 3 year old can do this....Oh and enjoy my back -up singing (: I know, it is a-w-f-u-l )



Have a Happy Monday!

So I decided that each Sunday I would update about the previous week.
I figured this would be a way to keep everyone updated. So I will go day by day.

Sunday :: We had a family Christmas party to go to and then I had volleyball-very low key day not to much fun to update about (:

Monday :: Monday was pretty lazy. We were all out of school and didn't do much. Our Article 5 came the Friday before so we were mainly stalking my Mom's email to see if something had come.

Tuesday :: "The Boys" had a day and "The Girls" did too. My Mom, Anna Grace, and I went shopping with my Nana and well i'm not completely sure what all the did. ( A lot of video games most likely )
Wednesday :: Our sweet friends, Jodi and her kids:Max, Cole, & Kamden came over and we baked Christmas goodies! Then our family went to look at Christmas Lights! It was so much fun! I love Christmas!

Thursday :: We invited our whole family over to our house for a Christmas Eve celebration and my Uncle Johnny's birthday (yes, he was born on Christmas Eve)

Friday :: Our day started at 7:06 (wow we got up late this year!) when we got to see what Santa left for us! Then we headed to my Nana's house for some more fun! Ooh Christmas!

Saturday :: We spent most of the day at home cleaning Christmas stuff up. Then at about 5:30 we went to Frank*es Fun Park and celebrated Adam's Birthday (Dec. 17)

So there is our weekly update. I know you are probably mumbling to yourselves at the moment "Really? That is pretty boring. I don't know how worth it that is"
But my hope is that it will get more interesting once we are in China and then when Andrew comes home.
Please continue to pray for us as we prepare to bring him home!

P.S I am going to be updating our trip to China on ANDREW'S blog. I will not be able to update two blogs so we are sticking with one and because this is our Journey to Andrew it will be on Andrew's blog (: But once we get home a new blog will be created so I can update about both of these precious kids. (I can hear your shouts of joy about another blog to track down. not) If you have any advice on what to do once he is home, PLEASE tell me!
Oh and in about 3 weeks we will be in China (:
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah

Have a great week!

Pictures of my Family (well the siblings - one!)

Here are some NEW pictures of my siblings and I (: Enjoyyyy


Very very favorite!




sisters (:


brothers (:


Me
(Ashton, the author of this blog) (:


Adam
(Sports lover and has the smarts)


Hayne (think the Hanes brand minus the s)
(X-men and power ranger fanatic. Always smiling.
Everyone should have his outlook. Oh to be 7 again.)


Anna Grace
(Sweet Princess lover of everything in the world--especially Princesses!!)

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

*Click to Enlarge*
I figured I should go ahead and wish you all a very Merry Christmas saying we will be very busy in the upcoming days.
Please continue to pray for us and our trip to China for Andrew that is coming up! We will be there in 17-30 days! (wow!)
We have some friends coming in tomorrow
and staying for a few days then it will be Christmas
and I know all of you will be equally busy!
So we are sending our love and wishing you a Merry Christmas!!

Nothing Much (:

Well we have been up to "Nothing Much" as Anna Grace might say (:
We are waiting on our TA now because as of yesterday our Article 5 has been signed and is at the CCAA! aaammeeennn!
Here are a few pictures !!'

New Blog!

Hey guys! So I have set up a blog all about Orphan Awareness and such with my friend, Anna! It is going really well and we would LOVE for you to stop by! If you just click on the button below---- (YES, I learned how to make the buttons!! hehe)

So please stop by! we would LOVE for you too!!

"The Perfect Family"

So I have been thinking lately.....
My life was pretty normal when I was a little girl. I had a wonderful Mommy and Daddy and it was, in my opinion, what people would consider "the Perfect Family"
In 1992 my parents got married. They wanted 2 kids a boy and a girl, or as some would call it here in the U.S.A. "the Perfect Family"

3 years later in 1995 they had a little girl...me. Then in 1998 Adam was born. Perfection. A girl and a boy and a mom and dad. "The Perfect, typical American Family."
They were done.....or so they thought (:
In 2001 a surprise came.....John Hayne! Now they were definitely done (snicker) not quite Mom and Dad. In 2005 my Mom went to get a massage that my Dad had been begging her to get but she let the certificate expire. God thing. So he called the place and got them to let her go. There all the lady could talk about as she was doing her massage was her amazing journey to China to get her little girl. door opened. When my Mom left she called my Dad and jokingly (or so she says) said "Hal, I think we have a daughter in China." he then replied "I have been praying you would say that when it was the right time." amazing right? So they started the journey to their newest little girl, Anna Grace! In 2006 our sweet 3 year old, Hayne was attacked by a dog. He was just like a cleft baby. God was working, preparing hearts and we did not even know it. After waiting 2 long years we went to China and brought her home. God has done miraculous things and the miracle of Anna Grace has so blessed us and I could not imagine a day without this little girl. But we were done for sure. Completely. No getting around it, done. {Hello God does have a sense of humor!} When we came home from China I begged and pleaded for another child from China! I knew (or hoped) that we would go back. "Nope your not" I kept protesting and they would disagree whenever I said so I prayed because I found begging didn't do to much and I should leave it to God. But when I would ask all my Dad would say was "If we ever do go back, which I doubt, I want a little boy 3 years old because I do want to retire at some point in life." and my Mom would say "I want a little girl with a cleft lip and palate"
I just continued to pray and believe.
In May of 2009 my Mom decided to look at the HOPE list with our agency...NOT looking for a child just looking at the children for leisure. Well she opened the list and started at the bottom. #46 was the first number she clicked on and she lost her breath. He was 2 1/2 soon to be 3 and had a cleft lip/palate. wow. God. So she went to my Dad's work and showed him the list. They both agreed that they wanted more information on this child. So they requested his file. We were already on a list. So we figured it was not meant to be. Then on June 5, 2009 (A MONTH LATER!) My Mom received an email that said "Hope Child #46 for your review" she was at My Dad's office and was crowded with customers and she starts shouting "No, No, No. They already said it was most likely not going to happen he can't be ours. God did not want this....etc." We figured that for this precious little boy to still be available God had his hand in this and it might just possibly be meant to be.
So we opened the file and fell head over heels in love with a little boy that will soon be called Andrew Hudson! On June 15 we accepted his referral and since then we have been working hard to get him home!
God is so amazing.
We can now say 147 million orphans minus 2.
I have come to terms that I like God's plan for our "Perfect Family" much more than societies.
So if you ask me,
Yes we have
The Perfect Family.

and who knows maybe the perfect family won't be 7 but 8 or 9 maybe just maybe 10....hmm.
But who knows??
Just saying though.
(Not pushing Mom...just saying)
(:

Not sure what to call this.....

Here are some pictures of Anna Grace! I adore this dress! Is it not precious?

This Thursday I am ever so Thankful that we have 6 more days until Christmas Break!!
*humming to Christmas Christmas time is here....*
hehe

Ooh and

SURPRISE!

Anna Grace is going to be Mary in the Christmas play at her "school"

Hope you have a great week!1

Snapshot Sunday

Ok so saying that I am not a Mommy and just a Big Sister I am going to tell you a little bit about each of my siblings.... So this Sunday it is all about....

Hayne

He is sweet.

Loving, oh so loving. and a Rockin' AWESOME swimmer!!

Probably the most caring little man I know (:

I love him....Even when I don't always show it

But hey, he is my little brother...I can't make it too easy on him!

He is a miracle...see here.

And can not wait to be a BIG brother to Andrew!!

New Post HERE at the Andrew Blog
(:
Gosh I love this little boy! so much.

Favorite Foto of the Week!

How much Cuter can it get?

I <3 Faces

Tooshies
Week 47


Here is a favorite of mine!

Pictures of Anna Grace

Here are some pictures I took of Anna Grace today.

Can she get any cuter? I think she is precious and oh do I love these pictures!!!
So Enjoy and try to ignore the fact that I have not posted any pictures of weekend fun
(:
hehe

Christmas??

My favorite....ever.

Striking a Pose!

Beautiful!

So there are some pictures.... (:

Weekend Sneak Peek!

Here is a sneak peek of who came and saw us this weekend!!




*Pictures of Maddie, Lillie, and Anna Grace to come as well as pictures from this weekend (:*

Thankful.....

This Thanksgiving I am especially thankful (see post below-watch video) but so is Anna Grace!

At her school this year they made a video and they went around the entire room and asked each child what they were thankful for ; they were saying cookies, m&ms, etc. and then they went to Anna Grace and said, "What are you thankful for?" and she looked at the camera and said "I am thankful for a home."

How amazing is that? She continues to just amazes me. While all the others said cookies she was thankful to have a HOME. God is SO good! I can't imagine a day without Anna Grace and find myself wondering what we did without her! I can not wait to finally have Andrew home!! Double Blessing!

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for

• My Family
• Adoption
• Health
• Friends
• a home
• Anna Grace

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!

New Video and New Blog Design

I made this video about our journey to Anna Grace and Andrew from my point of view......... (:

The Journey.... from Ashton B. on Vimeo.

enjoy! (:


Oh and I have a new blog design for Fall/Thanksgiving! Let me know what you think!

Guess....

what we will be doing this weekend?!?



Maddie and Lillie are coming over!!! Yay! We are so excited! Hurry friends!

Just some Pictures.....

Here are some pictures of Anna Grace (:



I added an "old" look to the picture....funky but I like it (:


Making a Halloween necklaces......


Anna Grace with her sweet friend!


Spider Cupcake!


Anna Grace with her "pre-school" class-- (notice the Snow Wh*te headband!)


Oh those lips...... I so love them!


Prettiest Pumpkin Ever!


Princess Ariel (:

100 Good Wishes Quilt....

I have a huge favor to ask of you all. As many of you already know we are in the process of adopting our sweet boy from China. A tradition in china is a Bai Jia Bei or 100 Good Wishes Quilt, we plan on creating a Bai Jai Bei for Andrew. We made a 100 Good Wishes quilt for Anna Grace and want to do the same for Andrew!

Here is some history about the Bai Jia Bei or 100 Good Wishes Quilt:

“To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth with a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth goes into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth can go into a creative memory notebook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.”

What we need is a 7”x7” square of washable cotton fabric. The fabric can be anything you would like, maybe something that represents adoption to you or something special for Andrew. (Honestly ANYTHING is fine!) Along with this piece of fabric we need a 2”x2” piece of the same fabric attached to a piece of paper that you have either written or typed a wish for Andrew (either is fine!), this can be something personal or a favorite poem, song lyric, quote, bible verse, etc, but it should have a special significance for you. Remember to sign and date the paper and also include your address. This paper will go into his scrapbook and be cherished forever.

If you would like to send a quilt square for Andrew email me at dancerabr@yahoo.com! I would love for anyone to send one! Thank you!

Here is some information that might help you......

• His name is going to be Andrew Hudson
• His room is knights and castles (not that it matters)
• We love the cars theme but ANY fabric will be so cherished!
  

Again thank you all so much!

Sticker Princess

This is quite the Sticker Princess huh??

I think it looks quite cute and the cute shoes just add to it!

But you can't forget the pretty dress that goes with it can you?
I think not!