Busy Week!

We are going to try and update the blog at least weekly. We’ll see how this goes.
Last Saturday we decided to venture out and test Ava a little more in her car seat and stroller. So we headed to St Louis. We had several clothes to exchange at Chocolate Soup in Town and Country. This store has allowed us to shop since we began the adoption process and bring back whatever didn’t fit Ava. It helped keep the adoption alive over the 3 ½ years by buying clothes for Ava as we went along. Ava did great riding in her car seat to St Louis and back. She rode along in her stroller as she and Tammy shopped. Tammy did have to pick up things as Ava would pull them off the shelf. I took the boys along with Uncle Ralph and Carson to see Transformers as the girls shopped.
Sunday was another great day of worship with our church family. During the service, Ava was looking at some friends of ours who were sitting behind us and patted me on the shoulder and said “This is Daddy” in Chinese. This definitely put a smile on my face. One morning last week, when Tammy picked her up out of her bed she hugged and kissed Tammy and said “I love you mama” in Chinese. Ava continues to display a little more of her personality each day.
This has definitely been a busy week. We are in the middle of VBS at our church. I was glad we were home for it since it would give Ava a chance to spend a lot of time with our church family. She is definitely making herself at home. She has become so comfortable that she is now running around the whole church. We will find her playing in the nursery by herself or with some of our church family. She is now allowing more people to hold her. If she won’t allow you to hold her then she will probably give you a BIG wave. She doesn’t seem like the same little girl we met in Lanzhou.
On Tuesday, Ava had her first appointment with our pediatrican, Dr. Ploegman. The appointment went very well. She did great. He was very pleased with the progress she has made and was very surprised by how well she has adjusted. She is on both US charts for height and weight. We were surprised by this. She now weighs 21 lbs which is a gain of 1 lb since we received her. I bet all that cheesecake helped the weight gain. Dr. Ploegman was so glad that we have the two appointments next Thursday at St Louis Children’s Hospital. She will see the International Adoption Clinic at 10:30 for a medical exam and then a 12:15 appointment with Dr. Leonard, her neurosurgeon. We are anxiously awaiting these appointments. Each day we are reminded of what a blessing we have been given. God has entrusted us with four of His amazing children. Havin' a blast at VBS with Diana

Such a big girl for the pediatrician!

Mommy and Ava at VBS

Enjoying a beautiful evening at Aunt Jen's and Uncle Ralph's