Happy New Year's-- 12/31/09

Hi Everyone!!

We hope that you enjoyed a safe and fun New Year's Eve! We stayed in, and Chelsea invited her boyfriend and a few of her friends over for a New Year's game night. The rest of us watched Disney Channel (and then Dick Clark) until the ball dropped. (Ellie-Kate fell asleep around 9:30, though :) !)

What an amazing year that this one has been... We're so grateful that we end it with Ellie-Kate in our house!! According to a recent e-mail from Living Hope Adoption Agency, the United States welcomed 12,753 international adoptions in 2009, with 3001 children from China. (China ranked first, followed by Ethiopia with 2277 children to the U.S.) In terms of our agency alone, 56 children were adopted from China in 2009, with 43 from the special needs program. (Yes, Ellie-Kate was one of those children!)

However, for us, Ellie-Kate is definitely NOT a number... She's our precious, unique little toddler-- inquisitive, energetic, smart, athletic, funny, beautiful, alert, and HAPPY. She loves us, and we love and treasure her so much as well. She's the perfect addition to our family, and we can't imagine our lives without her. We truly look forward to sharing all of this next year with her and to celebrating her upcoming birthday and, for that matter, praising God for every day with her. What an amazing gift that she has been to all of us. We will always fondly remember 2009 as the year in which we held her in our arms for the first time.

Here's hoping that you enjoy a great New Year!! Thanks so much for caring about our family :)

Christie