Life and Times with the Thatcher Family

Recent Photos

2009-05-31T12:01:00.001-07:00

Summer News

2009-05-31T11:53:00.000-07:00

I don't have much time for blogging lately, but wanted to catch up all up--at least those of you who read this blog and don't Facebook with me! Here are a few bullet points for our latest happenings:

--The girls finished up the school year on May 20th and are hanging out with me every day. We try and make it to the gym and then spend the rest of the day doing something fun.

--I turned the Big 40 on May 23rd, so we rented a princess jumpy castle for the weekend. The whole street came over for a cook out and some jumpy time.

--We are going to New Braunfels, TX for our adoption reunion. Can't wait to see everyone and catch up with all the babies! It will be awesome to see the difference a year plus has made with these children. Some families are already adopting again--soooo amazing.

--Ava will be getting tubes put in her ears on June 23rd. We hope this will help with her speech and balance. She will turn 3 on June 25th. Can't believe it--she still only weighs 25 lbs.--little bitty thing.

--The girls are swimming, swimming, swimming--they both love it! Emma is all over the pool like a pro. Mommy still can't let her go too far with out freaking out. She can handle it, mommy cannot!

I will post photos next. I have been having problems, so we will see what happens. Hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far.

Easter 2009

2009-04-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone! We knew the weather was going to be rough on Easter, so we hunted eggs on Saturday. The Easter Bunny left a few surprises for the girls on the front porch on Easter morning. Here are a few photos of the fun.

Snow and Ice Storm Fun!

2009-03-29T04:53:00.000-07:00

Mommy wasn't happy about the blizzard that came through on Friday and Saturday, but we decided to join the fun! Hopefully now Spring can show up for good--HOPEFULLY!!!

Happy Anniversary Ava! We Love You Mei Mei!

2009-03-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

Ava Le Bei one year later!

Where Ava used to sleep, eat, and play one year ago.

Now she chases her big sister around and even dresses like her!

Our first meeting with Ava and the day she joined our family--Gotcha Day!

Today we celebrate the first day we met Ava and the day we call Gotcha Day. Ava was late arriving to the civil affairs building so we actually got to ride with her and the nannies on the elevator. We couldn't hold her, but the nannies told her that we were her family, her Mama, Baba, and Jie Jie. She was so scared and just snuggled into her nannies shoulder and looked at us with confusion. She was so withdrawn with no emotion for the first 24 hours. After that, it was game on and her outgoing personality began to show in little pieces. We brought Ava home at 21 months old. She had lived at the orphanage since she was found at one day old. She didn't speak or understand any English so communication was frustrating for us all.

Over the past year, Ava has endured leaving her nannies and caretakers, moving from an orphanage in Southern China to a hotel for 2 1/2 weeks with perfect strangers, getting on an airplane with these strangers and moving to New Mexico for 3 months, then packing up and moving to Kansas. Ava has proven that she is a survivor and adapts amazingly well to change. She now understands 99% of what we say to her and can communicate great considering her age and what she's been exposed to. Ava is also a social butterfly. She loves to wave and say hello to everyone. She loves playing with the big girls and boys--I think she's 2 1/2 going on 10!

As I put Ava to bed tonight, I thought about the first night she slept in her crib beside our bed in the hotel in Guangzhou. She went right to sleep and slept all night--she must have been exhausted from the fear of the unknown. I was so scared about what the future would hold for our family with our newest member. How would things work out with Ava and the bonding process and would she eventually love us as her Forever Family? How would Emma adapt as the big sister and with no longer getting all the attention?

I still remember the first time Ava called me Mama--of course, now she says it 500 times a day! She now says "I love You" and it makes me tear up every time she says it. Emma is an amazing big sister and LOVES Ava so much. She still doesn't like Ava to get into her big girl stuff in her bedroom, but shares anything and everything with her Mei Mei. Thank you Emma for being the wonderful young girl and awesome big sister that you have become. We are so proud of you.

Thanks for an amazing year Ava. You have lived up to your nannies nickname of a "naughty baby", but we love your curiosity and mischief. You have changed our lives for the better and taught us that we can all endure what ever is thrown our way.

Ready for Spring!

2009-02-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

The Thatcher Family is ready for SPRING! Daddy made it home from his deployment!!! Ava's collar bone is healing nicely and she is back to normal. Emma is doing great in school and looking forward to her dance recital and summer! Enjoy some new photos.

All Thrust and No Vector Ava

2009-01-24T05:08:00.000-08:00

Well, the inevitable finally happened. My little wild girl broke her collar bone yesterday at the gym day care. She decided to be Super Girl and dive off of the ramp that goes into the little play castle. We rushed to the doctor and got the x-rays and the bone was completely cracked into. She refuses to wear the sling, but doesn't want to use her right arm much anyway because of the pain. She has to have it checked in 3 weeks to see if it's healing okay. This is the most common bone broken in the human body and you can't really do anything for it but let it heal. She is in a lot of pain, so we are pumping the Motrin and Tylenol every 2 hours. Gotta go, she crying again--poor baby.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T19:11:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! We have had a crazy 2008 with the addition of our daughter Ava, a new house and Air Force assignment. I hope 2009 is less eventful :)! We are doing okay here, minus being sick over the holidays. Here are a few photos of the girls. Hope you all have a healthy and happy new year!

Swimming lessons with the sister! They love the indoor pool!!! It has been a great activity this winter!

Christmas Tree

2008-12-13T19:09:00.000-08:00

I was pretty nervous about putting up a Christmas tree with my busy little Ava running around. Of course, I had to put up a tree, it wouldn't be Christmas without one! Ava is learning so fast, I knew it would be painful for the first few days and after that the novelty would wear off. I was right, she immediately went over and starting pulling the ornaments off. She climbed up in the chair next to the tree and tried to get some off of the tree a little higher. After we "discussed" the tree, she gets it now and just likes to look and touch the lower ornaments. She still takes them off, but is pretty gentle with them. Here are a few photos of Ava exploring the decorations. My camera is terrible, so the quality of the photos is not the greatest.

Children's Christmas Party and Ava's New Love

2008-12-06T19:47:00.000-08:00

We had the Operations Group Children's Christmas Party today at the Base Chapel. I was in charge of the cookie decorating table for our squadron. Since Scott is gone, I had our baby sitter come with us to watch Ava so I could man the cookie table. The party was a lot of fun and Emma and Ava thoroughly enjoyed themselves from 8:30 this morning until 1:30 this afternoon! Santa arrived in a Humvee and Ava's eyes were about to pop out of her head. This was her first Santa sighting and she was totally hooked from the start. She was kicking and pushing to make her way to his lap. Once she was there, she was batting her eyes and smiling away. She was telling him all about it--whatever it is??? She got very upset when other kids would sit in his lap. By the end of the party, she and Santa were very good friends.

Emma enjoyed the treats, crafts, and face painting. She mostly enjoyed getting to run around with all the other kids her age. She informed me that the guy in the suit was not the real Santa, so she didn't plan on sitting in his lap. She did pose for a picture though.

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-02T14:27:00.000-08:00

First cousins Emma, Bella, Braden, and Ava Thatcher.

Having fun in the basement dancing with Uncle Mike, Scott's oldest brother.

Playing on the blow-up mattress with Bella and Emma.

Playing Monopoly with Aunt Traci, Bella, Emma, and Grams.

Thanksgiving lunch at the Country Club. We had our own private room because our party was so large!

Daddy's Departure

2008-12-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Well, Scotty left for the desert on November 24th and we miss him so much already. Emma took his departure especially hard, as we knew she would. Luckily Scott's family came for Thanksgiving, so it was a welcomed distraction for her. Scott is safely settled in to his deployed location and has jumped right into his job there. He will be home sometime around the first part of February if things go as planned over there. Here are a few photos of Scott and his girls and of us having breakfast the day he left.

First Hair Cut and Other News

2008-11-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, I had to trick Ava into getting her picture made! She was brushing her teeth and I snapped a few shots of the hair cut we got last week. She hated the little smock they made her wear and didn't mind the hair cut part at all. She is a little freaked out by anything too tight or high on her neck. She was working on a "mullet", so I wanted to get her hair started towards a little bob. She still has such baby-fine hair, so she's got a few years before she has a pony tail like big Sis Emma. One of our neighbors recommended the salon because they cater to kids. They were awesome to Ava and Emma!

In other news, Ava started a new school this week. She has lost interest in napping for the most part, so I checked to see if they had an opening in their afternoon program and someone had cancelled the same day I called!!! This is a part time program for 2-year olds, MWF, from 12:15 to 3:15. I immediately put her on the waiting list when we moved to Wichita and new that we probably wouldn't get in until she was 3. They have a super program and it is very hard to get in without waiting for a while. I am so excited to have some consistency and structure for Ava--she needs it! She is so active and ready to learn and play. This will be wonderful for her. She is on a "probation" period to see if the school is a match for her personality. She even had to have an evaluation before they would let her attend. Of course, she is the smallest one in the class, but the teacher said she is holding her own with the bigger 2-year olds. There are only 10 kids in the class to 2 teachers--love that! She has only attended the program for 2 days and she has already fallen off of the toddler slide face-first and now has a swollen lip with a big scrape :(. It will not be the last boo boo, but she looks extra pitiful this time, so mommy feels really sorry for her!

We don't have any Halloween photos to share because it was too chaotic that day with everything going on and Mommy forgot to take photos--I know, how could I be so selfish? Ava wouldn't wear her USA Cheerleader outfit. We tried it on, but it immediately came off. Emma went as Hanna Montana and looked adorable.

Scott is getting ready to deploy again for 3 months. We are not happy about him missing Ava's first Christmas with us, but it's what he does and we are proud of him for that. Unfortunately, we have only been together as a family for about 3 months out of this year. The year before that we were only together about 2 months of the time. Ava is becoming a little more attached to him these days and now he's going to leave again. Emma will take this deployment the hardest for sure. She is a daddy's girl, 100%. Mommy is no fun these days and seems to crack the whip more that anything else. E-Dog (Scott's name for Emma) looks forward to Daddy coming home from work and snuggling with him before she falls asleep. Hard times ahead for the Thatcher girls without our man! Luckily, we will have Scott's family to be with for Thanksgiving and my family to be with at Christmas, so the girls will have some folks to take their focus off of daddy's absence.

Mo! Do Not Take My Picture!

2008-10-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Ava is very against any photo taking right now. Any time I get the camera out and point it towards her, she says, "MO" and runs away or hides her face. She sometimes gets "No" out, but most of the time it comes out as "Mo". What a character she is!

Friday!

2008-10-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

Emma dressed up for her school's mis-match day.

Ava stole mommy's work out hat!

New bean bags from Meme!

Emma's friend Erin joined in the fun this afternoon.

More of the Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-18T19:50:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-18T19:44:00.001-07:00

Just Some Photos

2008-10-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

Ava in my vest. She loves putting on big jackets, but hates wearing her own.

Ava enjoying sitting with Big Sis! Grams and Papa hanging out on the couch! They came to stay with us for about a week and we had a blast! Thanks Grams and Papa for all the help and great company.

Bath Time Fun!

Look at my BUBBLES!

I just wanted to post a photo from our Gotcha Day over six months ago. Ava has changed a lot since that first day. Here she was very shut down and didn't show any emotion. Now, you definitely know how she's feeling--she doesn't hold anything back. What an amazing little girl. We are seeing her change on a daily basis!

Update on Ava

2008-10-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

One word to describe Ava would be ACTIVE! This girl is non-stop, on the go and into everything. Let's just say I enjoy her naps more than she does right now--it's the only time I can get things done around here! Ava has started a Mom's Morning Out program 2 days per week now and seems to enjoy herself--at least that's what the teachers tell me. I take this time to get our grocery shopping and errands done. Ava is not too hip on being strapped into anything right now, no shopping carts, no strollers, no car seats, so shopping with her is quite the adventure. She is so happy with her freedom right now and loves to do everything by herself. If she sees you do something, she is going to try it herself. One big thing is that we are potty training her and she's doing pretty good with it. Hopefully she will be out of diapers/pull-ups soon.

Ava's health seems better. We took her for an upper-GI test and spine x-ray a month ago. She didn't have anything obstructing her GI tract so she has been diagnosed with acid reflux for now. The medicine seems to be helping a little, but she still throws up every now and then. She coughs and gags and gets the hiccups every day, so we are still researching her problems. Her lower back has an indentation visible from the outside and looks almost mis-shapen from an injury of some sort. The x-ray didn't reveal anything internal, so the doctor is not worried about it. She is receiving physical therapy for her muscle development and walking issues and therapy for her speech as well. She is really starting to talk a lot more--it's fun to watch her transforming so quickly. Here are some recent photos.

Chillin in my crazy glasses!

I found Emma's old winter hat and mommy's oven mits. I am ready for Kansas Winters!

Daddy and Ava watching Emma cheering!

Sisters!

Ava actually wanted this bow in her hair because Emma had one for the game. Of course she took it out before we even got out of the garage on the way to the game!

Update on Emma

2008-10-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

Well, Emma turned 6 on August 28th and had a great party here in Wichita with her friends and classmates. I talked her into having her party in mid-September so we would know more people from school and our neighborhood. Emma loves 1st Grade and all the new things her school has to offer. She rarely eats cafeteria food, but loves riding the bus to and from school. I wasn't so hip on the idea of the bus, but we are the last stop before the bus gets to school in the mornings and the first drop off in the afternoons. The school is exactly one mile from our house, so she's only on the bus for about 3 minutes tops! The bus driver is very strict, so of course, I love her! Here are some photos of our big girl!

First day of school with daddy, her favorite person!

Emma's birthday party at a place called Pump it Up! The kids had a blast!

Emma's smiling big before her Cheerleading Camp. She got to cheer at a local high school football game last Friday night--she LOVED it!

Future cheerleading squad!!!

Learning to fish at clinic with daddy. She actually caught a little fish that day and now wants a pet worm to keep in her room, go figure, not a fish?

Updates on the House Here in Kansas

2008-10-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Finally, a chance to post a few things. First, I will update you on the happenings with the house and getting settled and then I will tell you about the girls! We jumped right in here with painting the house, as I mentioned in the previous post. The painters took one month instead of 2 weeks and it was painful! The house was a mix of really bad colors of paint and wood work, so we had the walls, trim, doors, and even the ceilings painted. We lived upstairs while the basement was being done and in the basement while the upstairs was being done. Unfortunately, the basement only took a week and the upstairs took 3 weeks. After the pain of living in the basement and having our entire upstairs wrapped in plastic (no kitchen was not fun!!!), we also got granite countertops put in the kitchen. We are now getting estimates for new cabinets--the cherry ones we have now don't even blend with the hard wood floors--I think the previous owners were color blind. We did get a great deal on the house, so we still feel like we are staying well within the market for this area and adding value to the house. Here are some photos of the not so much fun of remodeling and living out of pocket.

Emma lounging on the blow-up mattress in the basement.

Ava scratching her head and going, "Are these people gypsies or what? First New Mexico, then Kansas, first upstairs, now down stairs, what is going on?"

This is the upstairs before the painting began. Lots of tape and plastic everywhere. We even had to use the refridgerator in the garage for 3 weeks and do our laundry on base. We kept reminding ourselves, that at least we had a house and to just get over it. It did make it a little easier to be thankful for the things we had and not life's little inconveniences. We feel blessed that we could afford to have the painting done in the first place.

Our master bedroom before the new paint. Lovely yellow in some rooms and blue in others. Dark cherry finish on the woodwork in some rooms and white-washed pine in other rooms???

Our bathroom before the painting.

Settling In Slowly in Kansas

2008-08-01T10:24:00.001-07:00

Finally a post, right? Where do I begin??? First, I will say thanks to my hubby for the previous post. I must admit I have had my frustrations with going through all this as a "single parent" and we have had some "colorful" discussions about things! I appreciate Scott recognizing my efforts throughout this process--this has been the hardest challenge that I have faced yet--previous life as an Air Force officer included! Emma loves to play my computer while Ava is taking a nap, so I hardly have time to post or answer emails--I apologize!!! I have so much to say, but only a little time to share, so here are the high lights:

--Emma has been amazing during the move and is so excited about everything. She loves the new house, neighborhood, church, and soon her new school. She starts school on August 18th--she can't wait!!! She has kept me going when things seem to overwhelming to take.

--Ava has had the worst time adjusting to the move. She has attached more than ever to me, for obvious reasons, I have been the only one here for her. She has endured a move from the orphanage to the hotel in China, one house in Albuquerque for 3 1/2 months, a week in temporary housing in Albuquerque, a week in temporary housing in Wichita, and now 2 weeks in a new house in Wichita. Her sleeping hasn't been good and she is still throwing up at least once a week. I am taking her to our new pediatrician here in Wichita to finally get her some help with her digestion and walking problems. I am so excited to get her some consistent medical care. I have also enrolled her in a Mom's Day Out program on Wednesday mornings so she can be away from me for a few hours and so I can run a few errands on my own. She will start going in September.

--Scott finished his training at Altus 2 weeks early and is now a certified KC-135 Instructor Pilot and the new Director of Operations for the 349th Air Refueling Squadron. He completed his check ride on Friday and reported to work in the squadron the following Monday--so much for any time off to help me unpack boxes. So far he is enjoying the new job and has already connected with several folks that we were stationed with here in Wichita from 1996-2000.

--As for the house, well, we had planned to paint the wood work and walls ourselves, but there was no way since Scott went straight to work and I can't do it with little people running around. We hired a company to paint and they got started last Wednesday. They started in the basement and are still working down there today. They plan on starting on the upstairs tomorrow or Wednesday. We will live in the basement while they paint the upstairs. The color of woodwork and paint in this house were terrible, so we are basically paying them to paint every inch to include trim, doors, walls, inside closets, etc. They will be in our house every day for at least 2 weeks. With all this going on, we haven't finished unpacking boxes or getting our household in order. What's the point when we'd have to take things out of closets and off the walls to paint! We can't really settle in until they finish the job.

I can't find my camera, so no photos for now--sorry! I must say that we miss everyone in Albuquerque so much. For all my gym rat buddies--I did find a gym, but it doesn't compare to being there with you all in Spin class! I know we will get settled in here eventually and be able to keep you all posted a little more often.

Gene

Controlled Chaos

2008-07-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

Gene has sketchy internet access at best so I am going to seize the opportunity to hijack the blog. Sorry, I don’t have any pictures but all the pretty girls are still in Albuquerque and I am here alone in Altus. Pictures of me just wouldn’t measure up to your expectations so this is TEXT only.

I can’t even begin to tell you how incredible Gene is. She is more incredible than the Incredible Hulk and more Iron Woman than Iron Man. I haven’t seen either of those movies so if they were bad please forgive the reference.

I was able to land at 0200 Thursday morning, debrief my flight and head out of Altus around 0400. That’s 4:00 am. That put me pulling into ABQ around 11:00 after driving all night so I was pretty much useless Thursday while the packers were at our house. Friday the 4^th, I was pretty useless too. But Gene got the packers going on Thursday and they got about 60% of the house packed. Friday, we had a wonderful dinner over at our friends’, the Browns’, house. They didn’t want us to miss out on the 4^th so they had us over for a cook-out. A big thank you goes to them for upholding the tradition of the “military family”. Saturday, we continued cleaning and organizing getting ready for Monday and the return of the packers. Well, guess what? Sunday Mary, Paige and I got sick with a stomach bug. Well that’s pretty crummy but you know those things don’t stop until they have made their rounds to everyone in the house! So, Monday morning Ava wakes up at 0600 screaming. And she screams and screams and screams. Guess who is the only person she wants to hold her? Yep, she’s sick and she only wants mommy. I was able to pry her away for a couple of hours to get her to take a nap with me but when she woke up and realized again that mom wasn’t there…SCREAMING! So it’s 10:00 am on Monday and the packers are showing up and Ava will only be held by mommy and I have to leave to go back to Altus. So superhero mom takes over and spends the next 6 hours with a 20 pound 2-year old clutched around her neck packing up our house…BY HERSELF! Thanks again to Mary and Paige who took care of Emma and to wonderful, beautiful, Emma who is the best kid in the world for not making this any more painful. During this packing day (Monday), Gene also had to marshal the troops from our former house into temporary housing where they will stay until Friday morning when they pull out of Albuquerque. That by itself took 4 or 5 trips back and forth between the two houses getting food out of the refrigerators and clothes and bedding, etc. transferred to the temporary house. That gets us to Tuesday; remember I said those stomach bugs have got to make their rounds? Yep, now Gene has got it. So she spends Tuesday sick with the packers trying to finish off packing our house. Today, Wednesday, the movers showed up (3 hours late) and started loading. Gene is still sick so she is fighting nausea and muscle aches all day while working with the movers. Then the movers leave at 6:30 pm and Gene still has to clean the garage and house. She finally got to a stopping point around 7:45 pm. There is still more work to do tomorrow. She has to move some stuff like propane tanks, etc. that the movers won’t move and clean out the refrigerator. Finally, she has to let the cleaners in at 0800 tomorrow (she keeps such a clean house they probably won’t know what to clean) and then do the final house inspection tomorrow at 2:30 pm. It’s time to rest right? NOPE! Friday morning, she will load the car and the girls and drive 10 hours to Wichita. I will meet them Friday in Wichita where Gene and I will attempt to paint the entire inside of our 2200 sqft house in 2.5 days before the movers show up with our stuff. When the movers show up, guess what? It’s time for me to leave again. I still have a couple of weeks of training left at Altus so I will be there during the week and (hopefully) home for the weekend if the weather holds out and I don’t have to fly on the weekends.

I can’t even begin to tell you how strong and resilient Gene has been through this whole process and our whole marriage for that matter. I always seem to be off “flying” or trying to get ahead (or caught up) at work while Gene is packing, moving, un-packing and getting ready to pack again. I have to thank God because he gave me the most incredible woman on the planet.

I just have one last person to thank:

Bekah (Gene) thanks for being my wife!

Getting Ready for the Move

2008-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

First, my Mom and Paige are helping me through this move thing and I couldn't be doing this without their help--THANK YOU!!!! Well, we have our pre-move inspection for base housing today and the packers start this Thursday. We haven't seen Scott since Father's Day, but he's off for the 4th, so he gets to come home this weekend :). Of course, he gets to help me take down the storage shed and do a little organizing for the packers who will show back up on Monday. We are closing on the new house in Kansas through the mail and things will be final on the 8th. Scott will go back to Oklahoma on Sunday. The packers continue on Monday and will finish on Wednesday and load the truck on Thursday. Our final inspection in base housing is Friday, the 11th and then we are on the road to Kansas. We hope to meet the moving truck in Wichita at our new house so we can do a "door-to-door" move. If things go as planned--bonus--very rare, but it could happen :)!

We have been having a few "last" playdates with Emma and her friends. She seems to be doing okay with the move. Ava of course, doesn't have a clue what is coming over the next week or so! She is pretty flexible so far, so hopefully it will not be too hard on her.

We will be staying in temporary base housing here in Albuquerque and in Wichita while the movers do their thing. The internet is scetchy at best in both places, so I will do my best to post and check email during the chaos. Here are a few photos of recent activities with the girls.

Happy Birthday Ava!

2008-06-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

Our Ava turned 2 years old today! We celebrated her birthday at her favorite place for french fries--yes, McDonalds! Fancy, I know, but she LOVES french fries. I made her a cake and we had a small family party at the McD's on the base. Her favorite thing was the card that Emma picked out for her--it was one of those music cards and it sang Happy Birthday to her when she opened it. I bet she listened to it 100 times tonight. Please enjoy a few photos of the big day.

Summer Fun

2008-06-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! We have been keeping busy with moving plans and summer activities. My mom and Paige have been here for 10 days now and it is so nice to have their help and company while Scott is gone. We are trying to keep the girls entertained and keep up with the move schedule too. Ava and Emma are becoming quite good friends and developing a great relationship as sisters. Please enjoy the photos, I will write more later.

Meme and the girls playing with the sled in the back yard.

Ava LOVES to get wet if there is water any where near her!

Hiding under the covers with Meme!

Playing in the bird bath with Emma.

Emma enjoying lunch in her make shift cabin.

Emma's New Passion

2008-06-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

During the last month of Kindergarten, Emma and her class enjoyed reading a chapter book about a young New Mexican girl named Josephina. There is an American Girl doll that is modeled after Josephina. Scott and I got Emma this doll for her kindergarten graduation. Josephina grew up at El Rancho De Las Golondrinas--the living museum we just toured over the weekend. Emma picked out a Josephina skirt and sash at the gift shop and has been obsessed about it ever since. Here are some photos of Emma as Josephina.

More Photos from the Field Trip

2008-06-09T06:01:00.001-07:00

Daddy and Ava enjoying a snow cone.

El Rancho De Las Golondrinas, the living museum we went to with Emma's class, had an old school house with a volunteer that conducted a mock class for the kids. They loved it!

Ava couldn't stand it, she had to join the class. Let's hope she still feels that way when it's time to start pre-school in a couple of years!

Ava joining her big sister, Emma, for school.

Hey, is anyone up there? I sure am digging this lolly pop thing!

Suprise Visit By Daddy!

2008-06-09T05:35:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. Scott called us last Friday night around 7:00 to tell us he was an hour and a half from home! We didn't expect to see him for several weeks because of his Saturday class and simulator schedule. Altus Air Force Base lost power during a severe storm last Thursday night, so his Saturday schedule was canceled and the base didn't expect to get power for several days. Lucky for us, Scott decided to come home instead of sticking around the base with no power.

Emma was so excited to see her dad, especially since she didn't expect it. Saturday, we went to a living history museum with Emma's former kindergarten class. They usually have their end of the year field trip a couple of weeks after graduation to coincide with the children's festival at this museum near Santa Fe. We had a great time and enjoyed having Scott there with us. We didn't like having to say good-bye to Emma's teachers and friends. She has blossomed so much at her Montessori school over the past 3 years. The teachers and staff there are so caring and professional. We love you all and will miss you so much.

On the down side, Emma was devastated when Scott had to leave on Sunday afternoon to go back to Altus. She cried for an hour and I couldn't console her--it was heart breaking. She LOVES her daddy so much. Ava was so sweet and was very concerned about Emma's tears. She just hugged Emma and looked at her, like "it's okay". These occasional weekend visits from dad are bitter sweet!

Emma (pink hat), Ms Robin, Emma's teacher (beige hat), Emma's classmate Eric (orange hat) and his mom Kristy. They were checking out the white arctic wolf. He was huge!

Ava and Daddy checking out the wolf.

Snow Cone goodness!!!

Polka Dots and Popcicles

2008-06-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Emma and Ava dressed in their polka dot dresses.

I am not so sure I want to share these carrots with the rabbits, they are pretty tasty.

Emma's new bikini!

Even More...

2008-05-31T06:01:00.001-07:00

Emma and Ava wore their Air Force Princess shirts yesterday. They looked pretty cute all dressed alike. As you can see by most of the pictures, Ava loves to create some special outfits of her own.

Here she is trying on Emma's ballet slippers.

Emma headed to the ballet with her best friend Ella. Thanks to Juliet, Ella's mom, for taking them to see the ballet while I stayed home with Ava. They had a great time!

More Photos

2008-05-31T05:50:00.001-07:00

Emma mixing her paint to come up with some pretty cool colors. This girl is so creative and loves art of any kind!

Ava looking for one of the many bunnies that live in and around our back yard. She loves putting carrots around the yard in all of the bunny holes.

Having fun on the slide.

The girls with their swim gear on. I took Emma and Ava to the spray park the other day, but the water was FREEZING! We didn't stay very long. I think they will really enjoy it with the water and temperature outside heats up a bit.

What a cute face!

Latest Happenings Here...

2008-05-31T05:29:00.000-07:00

Emma and Scott's mom, Grams, opening one of Emma's graduation presents. We were so happy that Scott's parents could be here for Emma's ballet recital and her kindergarten graduation. Their help and company were priceless to us while Scott is gone to training.

Scott got to come home on Memorial Day weekend and we celebrated my birthday and our 13th Anniversary. He also brought home his new toy, the Wii Fit and he and Emma had fun hitting the virtual ski slopes!

Ava in her half cheer leader, half ballerina outfit.

Where's the bird? Dher, Dher...

Ava loves painting on our back patio. Here, she is sporting her cheer leading top and head band around her waist.

More Photos

2008-05-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, We are Still Here!

2008-05-21T12:18:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone. My apologies for not posting until now. I barely have time to check my email, let alone post anything on our blog. Scott's parents are here this week to meet Ava for the first time and also to come for Emma's ballet recital and kindergarten graduation. I am so happy they are here for a visit. It is nice to have some adult company and some help with the girls. Scott has been gone for one month now, only 2 1/2 more to go! In the mean time, the girls and I will pack up the house hold goods and move to Kansas around the first part of July. My mom and Paige will come out here mid-June to help with the girls while I deal with the movers--thank goodness!!! Scott can't miss class, so their help will be priceless!

Emma's ballet recital was awesome!!! She did so well and is looking forward to finding a new ballet school in Wichita. She graduates from kindergarten tomorrow afternoon. She has to recite a poem and informed me this morning that she is very nervous because there will be a lot of people there. I plan on videoing everything so Scott can watch it when he gets home. Emma has had a great year and has done so well with the kindergarten program. She is looking forward to her new elementary school in Kansas too! Everything will be new, even her house!

Ava continues to do very well adjusting here at home. She is still throwing up a couple of times per week. Unfortunately we do not know why. She seems to feel just fine, eats well, and is full of energy. We cannot pin point any one food that aggrevates her system either. We will find a gastro specialist once we get to Wichita and get to the bottom of this. We found out that she is allergic to sunscreen, so we are searching for something that she can tolerate without breaking out into a rash. She was running a fever all day yesterday, but is just fine today. She is walking better also--just needs more practice and I think she will be fine. Here are some quick things about Ava:

--She is a great sleeper now! She loves going to bed in her crib every night and sleeps all night--no crying at bedtime. Just a happy girl that gives kisses good night and falls asleep by herself--AMEN!!! She still only takes a short nap, but hey, at least she's great at night!!!

--Ava loves her sister Emma, but is ready to defend herself and claim her territory in a split second. She can be pretty mean to Emma--hitting, spitting, and now pinching. We are working on this!!! Last night she pinched me too!!! She can also be really sweet giving Emma hugs and kisses and playing chase, painting the sidewalk, and taking a baths.

--Ava will put herself in time out--too funny. She knows my tone of voice when I am not happy and I will say, "do you want to go to time out?". She will shake her head no, and then go sit against the wall. I try not to crack up, but it's so funny to see. This time out thing seems to work for discipline for her. She doesn't like it, so most of the time she will stop her bad behavior if I threaten time out.

--Ava loves water--drinking it, bathing in it, swimming in it, splashing in it--you name it, she LOVES water.

--Ava is very friendly and goes to everyone. Her new favorite person is my father-in-law, Papa. She will even call him Papa. Of course, he's in heaven right now with this little girl giving him this attention.

--Ava is very independent. She wants to dress herself, feed herself, brush her teeth, comb her hair. She loves to throw away her dirty diapers, trash, etc. She wants to put her milk cup in the fridge by herself. Sometimes it's easier to do it myself, but she doesn't want me to--very stubborn, this one.

--She is picking up the language very quickly and seems to understand most of what we say to her. She said, "I love You" today.

Here are some recent photos of the girls. Enjoy.

Gene

A Lot Going On Here!

2008-05-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

Well, Scott has been gone for a couple of weeks now and we are settling into a routine. Emma is getting ready for her ballet recital and kindergarten graduation! Ava is continuing to adjust to our life here at home with very little problems. She wants to do everything Emma does and have everything Emma has, so the sibling rivalry has begun!

Ava hasn't had any "episodes" or thrown up in about a week--record so far for us :). She just got over a green nose and now she has a rash on her cheeks, neck, and behind her ears. I have been treating it like eczema or dry skin, but who knows what it is? It could be a reaction to her vaccinations or a virus. If it is not better in a few days, then we will go back to the doctor. Everything is so new to her, so she is like a newborn and her system is adjusting to everything. Unfortunately her liver enzyme test came back elevated, so we have to repeat her blood work next month. The doctor said it could be anything, so don't panic yet and too bring her in earlier if she starts to look jaundice.

The last bit of news of that we bought a house sight, unseen! Scott went to Wichita a couple of weekends ago to check out some neighborhoods, schools, and houses. He found a few prospects, but nothing we just had to jump on. Our realtor called us this past Tuesday and said that a house popped up on the MLS and it was a bargain. She went to look at it for us and said that it wouldn't last until the end of the day. I was on the phone with her while she toured the house and she described everything to me. She emailed us some photos and info and said not to waste too much time thinking about it--it was the deal of the century. It just so happened that the couple selling the house are Chinese and were being sent back to China by their company. They also wanted to close the exact same day that we did! Their company is paying to relocate them, so they are selling the house and all the furniture well below market value. I made the offer on the spot and they accepted! We are nervous, but our realtor assures us that we got an awesome deal. She was happy that she beat all of her other realtor buddies to the deal too. I guess the market is so down now that the competition is fierce. We have to paint the inside of house, but other than that it is right along the lines of our taste and style. The colors are a little bright for us :).

More soon...here are some photos for your enjoyment.

Your Photo Fix :)

2008-04-29T20:47:00.001-07:00

One More Post! Happy Birthday Emilie!

2008-04-28T21:48:00.001-07:00

We have to wish our good friend Emilie Callender a Happy 5th Birthday today. We hope you had a wonderful party on your big day. Sorry we couldn't be there, but we are thinking of you! Birthday Hugs and Kisses from us all, especially Emma and Ava!

Update on Ava

2008-04-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to confess that I am cutting this info from an email I sent to a couple of folks. I am so tired and thought I could update you all at once on the blog. Ava is doing okay, but still spitting/throwing up quite a bit. She hasn’t had any more spells where she doesn’t respond to me. Talk about FREAKED out! The one episode about drove me over the edge! The doctor said that she wouldn’t rule out a seizure, but since Ava came out of it pretty quickly and didn’t seem lethargic for a long time afterwards, that it is not likely that she had a seizure. I said that she went to bed an hour after the episode and slept all night (unusual for her)! The doc said to let her adjust to the food and drinks here for a few more weeks and we would reevaluate things. She thinks it might be acid reflux or some digestive problem.

The doctor also thinks that Ava will need some physical therapy for her walking. Ava is definitely behind with walking—she’s very unstable on her feet. Her feet are very turned in and she drags her toes on both feet as she walks—it’s like she doesn’t quite know how to pick up her knees.

She had some shots and then the dreaded blood draw. She is black and blue from the blood draw. They had a hard time finding the veins and had to take blood from both arms because the first arm dried up. I am glad to get that over with and hopefully the results will be okay.

Ava is otherwise happy and only cries if she’s tired, hungry, or thirsty. She also cries if I leave the room or she can’t see me—I guess that’s good for attachment progress. Of course she has to attach to me because I’m the only one here :)! That is also hard for me and quite the adjustment for me. I am so used to running around the house doing my work. Now, I have this little person clinging to my leg or crying for me to pick her up. It takes a lot of patience to deal with this every day. She will play with Emma for a few minutes, but as soon as she realizes that I am not in the room, she is looking for me. Eventually this too shall pass and we will move on to another stage of toddler-hood. What's next, I don’t remember?

Ava has also been having night terrors around 0200-0300 most nights. After reading a book about her sleep habits, I have tried not to pick her up or wake during the crying. She is definitely asleep during these episodes, so as long as she’s not hurting herself, the book says to let her work through it on her own and go back to a comfortable sleep. These episodes should get less and less as she gets older. It’s not easy to watch, but I agree with the doctor and his philosophy on this. We have worked through the crying when being put in her crib and she goes to bed without much crying now. I usually sit by the crib until she’s asleep and then I leave the room. Bedtime and naps are much easier now that we’ve shown her that she can trust us and that her bed is a peaceful, restful, nice place to be for sleep. Each nap and night has been different, but I feel like she trusts us now and that sleep will continue to get better the majority of the time. The road to getting her to sleep in the crib at home came much harder than getting her to sleep in the crib in China. It was quite the adjustment for her and we had to let her go into the ugly cry for several nights. Eventually the crying got less and less and she only fusses for a minute now. We keep the routine pretty precise each night and I know that helps with her expectations and her comfort level.

No pictures with this post. I will try to post some later in the week. Mama needs sleep now. Good night.

This Week's Happenings

2008-04-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well, since Scott left I have not had time to post! This being a single mom of 2 princesses, one being a very inquisitive toddler, is taking 200% of my time. Sorry it has taken me so long for a post! Things are going well in my opinion. Ava is getting the hang of things now that we are on a schedule of sorts. She enjoys going to take Emma to school every morning and getting all of the attention from the kids and teachers. We haven't been able to go to the gym because I am still fighting this crud and breathing, even without a spin class is hard :(. I am soooooo ready for my workouts--next week it has got to happen, right?

Ava really scared me last night because she came running in the kitchen appearing to be choking or gagging on something. Of course, I flip her over my knee and bang her on the back and she eventually threw up, several times. The scary thing was the fact that she became very lethargic and would not open her eyes or respond to me throughout this 5 minute episode. I had the phone in my hand to call 911, but then she started to come around and seemed fine the rest of the night. She has been her normal, happy, I don't want to take a nap, self today. She has a doctor's appointment in the morning for her physical, so I plan on having a long talk with the pediatrician. My first freaky thoughts are that she might have had a seizure??? I just don't know. Maybe she was choked on her own spit or mucus??? I am praying that it's nothing serious. She has been eating, pooping, playing, and breathing fine for a couple of weeks. She did throw up for a few days after we got back from China and the doctor said it was just a virus. She didn't have the same non-responsive reaction during those days like she did last night. I am nervous, but thinking positive thoughts for little Ava.

I took her to the commissary to buy groceries for the first time today. She LOVED riding in the shopping carts with the truck on the front. She drove that thing around for 40 minutes and didn't run into any retirees! She was such a good girl.

BIG NEWS, Emma lost her first tooth and the tooth fairy came last night!!! Luckily, we left a note for the tooth fairy to please leave Emma's tooth because she wants to keep it. Her friend Ella did the same thing and the tooth fairy didn't have a problem with that. Emma said we needed to do the same thing. She also left a picture of Ava and her together for the tooth fairy to add to her collection--we are sure she has a collection of photos from all of her clients. Emma also informed me that Scott never paid her the $100 he owed her for eating a soy bean. Yep, she ate a soy bean last weekend and Dad said "if you eat it I will give you $100". Emma ate it, but never collected. She has not forgotten Daddy!!!

Her are some photos from the week. Enjoy, it might be a few days before I post again!

Scott's Last Few Days in Albuquerque

2008-04-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

We are all so sad because Daddy is leaving us tomorrow to go to training in Altus, Oklahoma until August. The girls and I will stay here in Albuquerque so Emma can finish school and then we will move to Wichita, Kansas to eventually meet up with daddy. Wichita is Scott's next duty assignment, but he's got to go to KC-135 training before he gets there. He will drive up to Wichita on the weekends to find us a house and then the girls and I will move there sometime mid to late June. Altus, Oklahoma is only a 4 1/2 hour drive from Wichita, so he can come and see us on the weekends once we get moved into the house there. Unfortunately, Albuquerque is almost 8 hours away, so we will not get to see him unless he gets a long weekend off.

We had a great weekend, minus me being sick with sore throat and congestion and now Emma is getting it :(. Scott got his things together to leave, Emma and I entertained Ava so she would stay out of the way, and on Sunday we took Emma to a classmates birthday party. It was a great party at a hair salon--all the girls got up-do's and nails done--too cute!

I must tell you all how awesome Scott has been with Ava and getting her acclimated here at home. He has made it his quest to get her sleeping in her own crib, minding her manners, and learning to play a little on her own so she will not drive mommy nuts when he leaves :). Scott has more patience than I will ever have, so I am going to strive to be more like him for Ava's sake! Those of you who know Scott, know how "ate up" he is about his Air Force work, geocaching, sleep, "masters of the obvious" who drive him crazy, and his gadgets. That being said, he is so relaxed with Ava and I am amazed how he has made it his mission to get this little girl adjusted in just a week here at home. He has been so stressed about leaving us here for his training and has not rested since we've been home from China. I am so proud of him for being such a great person, husband, and most of all father. Emma and Ava are so lucky to have him for their dad. I know he will always be there for them no matter what. The last photo is Ava thinking that "rats" I don't want daddy to leave!

Having Fun with Emma

2008-04-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

The two girls are getting along better and better each day. Emma gets frustrated at times because Ava doesn't really know how to play with things yet. We are learning to be patient and trying to teach her how to play. Everything is new to Ava, the wind, grass, toys, the bath tub, shoes, a soft mattress, someone touching her, sounds, language, smells, sights, EVERYTHING! She is on sensory overload right now and she is trying to soak everything in as fast as she can. Her favorite food is a banana. She walks over to the counter and points to them and says, "Nana". She would eat 10 a day if I let her. We have her first appointment with our pediatrician tomorrow morning. I am not looking forward to all the blood work and shots, but it must be done. Scott's lucky he gets to miss all that!

I have to give another shout out to all the folks who have reached out to help us during this crazy time in our lives. Folks have given us gifts, meals, sent emails, flowers and balloons, gift cards, words of support. Even folks we've never met have left us comments of support on this blog. We are so humbled by all of your support, those of you we know and those that we've never even met. We are grateful to you all.

Getting on a Schedule

2008-04-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ava is feeling pretty good today and so far, we think she is going to like her new schedule here at home. She still fusses when we put her down for a nap or bed time, but the crying is getting shorter and we think she is comfortable in her crib now. The crib is still in the guest room next to the bed and Scott and Emma have been sleeping in there just in case she wakes up in the middle of the night. For the past 2 nights, she has slept all night! Emma is keeping Scott up more than Ava! Ava loves to copy everything we do, brushing teeth, combing hair, talking on the phone, getting dressed--she is a sponge! We are so happy she is interested in everything around her--she is going to be a brainiac like her dad and big sister! Here are a few photos from the past few days.

A Good Night's Sleep!!!

2008-04-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. Ava slept all night last night and she is feeling much better today. We dropped Emma off at school and then I took Ava with me over to the gym to meet all my buddies from Spin Class and meet Miss Cesie in the daycare. She was quite the social butterfly with my friends and really took to Miss Cesie in the daycare. She didn't body slam any of the kids or hit them with any toys, so maybe she will not get kicked out and I get my workout in everyday! I stayed with her in the daycare for about 20 minutes and then we went to the shoe store to get her some good shoes for walking. We bought several pairs of shoes in China, but she needs some good arch supports and soles for walking right now. We bought 2 pairs of Striderites and I kept her awake on the ride home with cheerios and toys. She ate a good lunch, we read a couple of books, and then I put her in the crib for a nap. She protested at first, but after about 15 minutes, she fell over and went to sleep. I felt like someone had given me a million dollars when that happened! She has been screaming when we put her down, but today it was only a little whining and head bobbing--hopefully we can keep this up for her daily routine. Consistency has always been the key with Emma and we hope to do the same with Ava.

Scott just got home after his final outprocessing appointment at the base. He is now on leave until Monday, so we can spend a few more days of quality time together as a family before he leaves for good. I am so happy that he is returning to his passion of flying. We will miss him while he's gone to training, but we know he is in his element and is happy! When daddy's happy, we are all happy!

We got more gifts today from our wonderful friends and from someone that Scott worked with on some trips out to California. Again, we are overwhelmed by your support and generosity. I promised some photos, so here they are. There are a few of Emma and Ava at ballet and some of the girls with our friends Sophie and Natalie. Love to you all!

Getting Better Slowly

2008-04-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

Rachel, Rachel's Mom, and everyone else who is leaving us comments of support and keeping us in your prayers--thank you so much! The thoughts and prayers are working because Ava did better last night and hopefully she will sleep even better tonight. She only threw up once yesterday morning and none today. Her sinuses seem better today too. We haven't been giving her any formula or milk, just water, juice, or pedialyte. The doc said only clear liquids until the vomiting stops. I think she is on the mend--she just needs rest now!

She is hilarious when she is laughing and playing. She seems pretty happy to be with us, she just doesn’t feel good and hates to miss anything for a bunch of sleep. We let her walk around in the green grass yesterday—her first time playing in green grass! She was a little unsure, but eventually had a good time chasing bubbles and the soccer ball.

Emma started back to school today, so we took Ava in to show her teacher and classmates. She loved the attention from everyone and fell in love with the school and everyone there. I only wish we could stay in Albuquerque for a few more years for her to go there. Emma has been going their for 3 years and has blossomed into quite a nice young girl because of the environment there.

We also attended Scott's farewell luncheon for his work today. He received several nice momentos and folks said alot of nice things about his work. I also got some nice flowers for my work as the key spouse. Of course, Ava stole the show as she was passed about from person to person. She ate up the attention. She is not afraid of anyone! She felt especially comfortable around these folks today because they were all in camoflauge. The nannies from her orphanage wore camo from head to toe--why? Who knows, but that was their daily uniform.

We had more food and presents delivered today. Once again, I can't say enough about the generosity of people--it is so amazing. Thank you all--it has helped so much in this crazy time. I know, I need to post photos--I will soon, I promise!

Tough Times at the Thatcher Household

2008-04-13T05:43:00.000-07:00

Ava is giving us a run for our money around here. Bless her heart, she has been so congested, throwing up quite a bit, and not sleeping at all. We took her to the urgent care clinic yesterday afternoon and the doctor said to put her on antibiotics for her sinuses, tylenol and motrin for pain, and benedryl for helping her sleep and to dry up her nose a little. We were both trying to stay up and help each other clean up puke and play with Ava while she was wide awake at all hours. She screams and screams if we put her in her crib to go to sleep. She will not take a nap either. She was so mad yesterday that she climbed out of her crib! What do we do now? She is so strong in her upper body, that she just pulled herself up and over--unbelievable how strong she is. I think she will definitely be a gymnast or swimmer! Right now we feel like she is practicing to be one of the women of the WWE! We don't know if her illness is causing her insomnia or if the jet lag is still affecting her. We don't know how this little 21 lb. kid can operate on no sleep. I suppose her adrenaline from being in a new place with strange people just keeps her going. What a survivor she is--she has had to be. She had no one to get her through the tough times until now and she is fighting hard to survive, but doesn't realize yet that she can trust us to never let her down.

Scott has been pulling the "night shift" so I can get some sleep before he leaves for training a week from tomorrow. Last night, she went to bed at 9:00 and woke up at 11:30--I think she must of taken a nap. Breaking news, okay, Scott just came in to tell me that she actually fell back asleep at 11:30 and is still asleep!!! This is huge, the benedryl must have worked or she is just too exhausted to put up a fight any more. Maybe she can get on a schedule soon! I will not get too excited until I see a trend, but we will definitely celebrate more than 2 hours of sleep at a time!

We have received so many welcome home calls and emails from you all--THANK YOU! Sorry we haven't been responding much--I will try and do better when the sickness is over and sleep is abundant!!! Thanks also again for all the food and support from everyone!!!

Just one comment about Emma--she is the best and I mean the best ever! I can't tell you how much I love this little girl for being who she is. I am so proud of her character and heart. I know Ava will grow up to look up to her and I am so excited about their relationship with each other. They are doing great and Ava is warming up to Emma more and more each day.

We Made it Home Safely

2008-04-10T23:35:00.000-07:00

We got home Wednesday, April 9th in the late afternoon. The trip was long, but we all survived with only a little spit up along the way. We were worried that Ava was sick because she threw up the night before we left, but she was fine on the trip. Emma slept most of the way home, but Ava only slept about 4 hours. Of course Scott and I didn't sleep at all and we are still trying to recover from the jet lag. Emma is still exhausted and will start back to school on Monday. Her school is closed tomorrow for parent-teacher conferences. Ava is exhausted and refuses to sleep. She is kicking all of our butts right now, that's for sure.

She is having fun exploring her new house and getting into everything that she is not supposed to. We have some "toddler-proofing to do. The nannies were telling the truth when they said she is a naughty baby. She doesn't care for getting in her car seat at first, but quiets down once the van is rolling. We hope that she likes going to the gym daycare so Gene can continue her work out schedule every day. I miss all my gym rat buddies--thanks for all your comments and emails!!!

I must tell you all about our wonderful friends, neighbors, and Scott's office. We came home to a great Welcome Home sign and gift card from Scott's work--thank you so much Mitzi and everyone else who thought of us. When we went inside, we found that our great neighbors, the Brown Family, had stocked our fridge with some essentials, left us dinner, and had our mail for us. You guys are so thoughtful--we really appreciate everything. We also received a meal that night from the Ramsey family and the Shannon family has lined up meals for us for next week. Around 5:00 someone knocked on the door and we got some pretty flowers and balloons from the Callender Family--thank you so much for thinking of us. I haven't even gotten a chance to thank you also for the package you sent with the beautiful quilt, clothes, and frame. Anne, you are so talented! We really appreciate the support, emails, post, gifts, meals, etc. from everyone. We are overwhelmed with your friendship and support.

More soon after we recover from this trip!!!

Last Post from China

2008-04-08T07:39:00.001-07:00

Well, this is it from China folks. Just when you think that the trip ahead will be so miserable, just add one puking baby and the possibility that your entire party will catch it to the mix! Yes, Ava started throwing up tonight right before bed, so we are hoping its some food issue. If not, this should make for an even more unpleasant flight home. Please pray that she is back to normal when she wakes up for the journey to her new country. Ava will be a US citizen when we process through immigrations in San Francisco. Thanks again for all of the support and comments on the blog. We can't wait to introduce Ava to everyone and to tell you all more about our experience in China. More soon on the blog from the good ol' USA!

Only One More Night

2008-04-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we have one breakfast voucher left--whoooo hoooooo! We are so ready to come home. Our entire trip to China will total 21 days--too long to be away from home. We are so ready to get home and introduce Ava to her new place--at least for a few months anyway. We are moving to Kansas in June. Poor thing will wonder where to breakfast buffet and nightly trip to the 7-Eleven for ice cream went! That has been the usual routine here on the island. We will probably post one more time from China before we head home. Here are a few photos, because I know you want to see some!!! One photo has our guide Veronica--she has been priceless throughout this trip. She is an amazing person and really the most organized person I've ever met. There is another photo of Ava with the Stafeil's little girl, Lily. She and Ava came from the same orphanage and were crib neighbors. We hope they can stay in touch with each other as they grow up with this common bond.

The Red Couch and Group Photo

2008-04-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have not adopted from China before, when you stay at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, you must have your baby's picture made on the famous red couch. We have 11 babies in our group and they all got dressed up to have their photos taken on the red couch. We thought Ava would run away as soon as we sat her down, but she just sat still looking around at all the screaming babies beside her. She stayed put until we came and got her off the couch! We all said, "What just happened and whose baby is that?" Yes, she is ready to jump up and explore most of the time. Please enjoy the photos of our most patient Ava and the rest of our group. She is in the top row, middle of the pack, dressed in dark pink.

Medical Exam Day

2008-04-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

We had medical exams for the babies in our group and none of them warmed up to those white coats very well! We had to take the babies to 3 spots in the medical exam adoption area. First, the doctor in the white coat and mask measured Ava's head, checked her limbs, muscles, etc. and then signed off on his part of the form--I think that mask really got her going. Next, she was weighed and measured by two nice ladies in white coats--she's almost 22 lbs. and it's all in her shoulders. We think she will be a swimmer. Last, she had to meet another white coat who checked her hearing, ears, eyes, and throat. She hated every minute of it, but at least she didn't get a shot--at least not until we get her home!

Some Sights Around Shamian Island

2008-04-04T23:15:00.001-07:00

We are all doing well and Ava continues to show us more sides of her personality. She is non-stop in the play room here in the hotel and has quite the temper when she wants to do something and gets told no. She loves to hop in everyone's lap and give them a big smile. She really doesn't seem to be afraid of anyone. Bath time with her is wild! She splashes around like crazy--I can see her really enjoying the kiddy pool this summer. She is talking like crazy also, but we really don't understand what she is saying. Ava loves to imitate everyone and enjoys exploring every thing she can get her hands on. Who needs the gym when you have Ava to chase around!

The weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow so we are going to the zoo here. Here are a few photos of life around the island. Thanks again for all your emails and comments. We miss our friends, family, and home--we can't wait to get back to life at home! Only 4 more days!!!

Ava's Finding Spot

2008-04-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

We were told that Ava was abandoned when she was one day old and found in front of a police station in Shaoguan City. This was not the case as we found out once we got more paperwork here in China. She was actually found at the gate of a neighborhood called Gangyuan Residence on June 26, 2006. A policeman took her to the Qujiang Social Welfare Institute and that is where she lived until March 24, 2008. Now, she is a Thatcher and will be with us forever. She was found at the base of a structure on the left side of the neighborhood entrance. She was wrapped up in a white towel and nothing else was found with her--no note or anything. Here are some photos of the finding spot for Qu Le Bei, now Ava Thatcher.

Ava's Orphanage Visit

2008-04-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

We were told before we came to China that Ava's orphanage wasn't open to visits, but we found out once we got over here that it might be possible. We pressed ahead and made it happen yesterday. Our agency arranged transportation for us and we hired a translator through the hotel business center to come along also. Emma and Ava stayed behind at the hotel with my mom and Paige because it was a 6 hour round trip. We also didn't know how Ava would react if she went back there--so we decided not to put her through that trauma again. Scott and I went with Rachel's husband Jeff. Their daughter Lily also came from the same orphanage. Rachel chose to stay back at the hotel with Lily as well. Of course, we had a 30 passenger bus for just the 3 of us, the translator, and the driver! I was glad to be surrounded by something big because the traffic here is scary!

The drive to Shaoguan City was beautiful and green. This area of China is also very hilly--not quite mountains like we think of, but close. I enjoyed the drive--the highway was new, so it was like driving on a modern highway in the US. The Qujiang Social Welfare Institute is in the down town area of Shaoguan City above an old motor cycle shop. The orphanage is also co-located with an old-folks home.

Let me just say, that this will change how I look at Ava forever. To actually see what this little girl endured for almost the first two years of her life, just proves to me how tough and resiliant she is. The staff at the Qujiang SWI truly cares for each child and gave us a story about each of them that we saw. Even though the conditions were not the best, I think the staff does the best that they can given the circumstances. This orphanage is considered one of the nicer ones in China, so I can't imagine what a bad one is like for the children.

The staff said that Ava and Lily were the 2 favorite kids there. Of course, all we heard was that Ava or "Bei Bei" is a naughty baby!!! They all said they loved her and missed her though. You could also sense their disappointment because we didn't bring Ava back to see them.

Right now, there are 28 children there and 85% of them are special needs. We only saw Ava's old room and there were 11 children in that room. We didn't get to see any other room but the kitchen. Looking at the photos doesn't even begin to paint a picture of life there in that place. I can understand some of Ava's behavior and mannerisms much better now. I am amazed at how far she has come since she has been with us for only 10 days.

Scott and I fell in love with another little girl in Ava's room. She is 5 years old and her special need is that she has a heart defect and will need surgery. She was following us around the room with BIG smiles and melted our hearts. If we could have taken her out of there yesterday, I truly believe we would have done it. I am not so sure that Scott has still given up hope of going to get her. The problem is, she may not even be on the official government list to be adopted. I know there are so many children in these orphanages waiting to have a family--I just don't understand the "red tape" to make this happen. It isn't right.

More Photos...

2008-04-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

More Photos...

2008-04-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

More Photos of Us in China

2008-03-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone. Yes, we are still here in Guangzhou and Ava is fitting in just fine in the Thatcher Family. She is showing us new sides to her personality every day and it is fun to watch. I wonder what she really thinks of us! Here are some more photos for you all to check out. Thanks again for all your support and comments.

Daddy Taught Bei Bei "Knuckles" and More

2008-03-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

Scott taught Ava Bei Bei to do "Knuckles" yesterday and now she will do them with anyone. She's a smarty that one!

Emma and the Chinese Paparazzi

2008-03-30T06:41:00.000-07:00

Emma is quite the celebrity here in China. People want their photo made with her every where we go and always comment on how beautiful she is. Emma is very embarassed every time this happens, but she is always polite and says thank you. We were even approached by a man and woman carrying a catalog with American kids posing for clothing ads and they wanted me to contact them so Emma could be a model. Of course, I politely took their card and said, we will contact you--yeah right. Anyway, it has been a hoot to watch Emma with her fans. Here are a few photos.

More Photos from China

2008-03-29T16:14:00.001-07:00

The Past Few Days

2008-03-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

Well, we've been in China for 10 days and we only have 10 more to go. Our guide set up a trip to a traditional Cantonese market today, but we decided to just stay around the hotel and island and get to know Ava a little more. Ava is coming out of her shell more and more and seems to be very comfortable around us. She eats everything in sight and seems very friendly around everyone. Her naughty streak is coming out more and more each day as well. She loves to explore and find out how and why things work. She is very strong for a little thing and refuses to take no for an anwer on a lot of things. She got very mad yesterday when I had to take Emma's new fan from her--we saw a pretty spicy temper! Ava wakes up pretty happy and smiling in the mornings and is ready to go, go ,go. She took her first stroller ride around the island yesterday also and really loved it. She doesn't care for being strapped in the baby carrier on mommy or daddy, so we borrowed a stroller to see how it would go. She liked it so much that we bought one from one of the local shops last night--they are so cheap over here.

Emma is trying so hard to be patient with Ava. She got to go for a sleepover in her Mimi's room last night, so I am sure she had a great time and didn't miss the bedtime crying from little sister! We can tell Emma is a little jealous, but handling it well. We are surprised to see that she is actually a little rough with Ava. She loves it when Ava comes alive and runs around the rooms chasing us all. I can't wait to get home to see how their relationship will grow once they trust each other.

We found out yesterday that we might get to visit Ava's orphanage on Wednesday. At first, we were told that it was closed to visitors, but we asked again once we got here and our guide is trying to work it out through our agency and the government here. Apparently it has to go through officials channels here or the orphanage director will get in trouble. If we get to go, we will split the costs of a van, driver, and guide with Rachel and her family. The orphanage is about 3 hours north of here, so it would be an interesting trip I am sure. The traffic in China is crazy, that is a whole other post in itself!

Here are some photos of our recent fun.

More About Ava "Bei Bei"

2008-03-27T00:28:00.000-07:00

Ava woke up about 4 times last night, but went back to sleep in her crib with a little patting on the belly. She comes alive when it is just the few of us in our room or in the hotel play room, but she shuts down while we are in public places. We went to visit some beautiful gardens with our travel group this morning and she got a little too hot in the baby carrier--so I got puked on for the first time in a while. She was feeling better at lunch and now she and Ba Ba (daddy) are taking a nap. We did notice that she seems to have a rattle in her chest after she eats or drinks, so we are watching that. Her leg is a little better today, but it is still very sensitive for her and she hates to have her diaper changed. You can tell she used her legs and arms to defend herself from the bigger kids at the orphanage. Every time Emma comes near or I am changing her diaper, those arms start to swing and legs start to kick! She is learning the meaning of no or boo in Chinese very quickly!

When we got Ava, we immediately noticed that one side of her head is very flat and the other is not. We didn't know if she had been in an accident or maybe this happened at birth. When we saw some photos taken at her orphanage just a few weeks ago, we found out why she has such a mis-shaped head. Her crib had a piece of plywood in it for a mattress. No pillow, no padding, no blanket, just a plain board. The pictures showed the toddlers sleeping on these sheets of wood. I cry even typing this email to think about that. We will take her to the doctor when we get home, but hopefully it is something that she will grow out of with proper care. You should see her beautiful eyes, mouth, and cheeks--she will melt your heart with her smile.

There are some guys washing the windows outside my room right now--they are crazy--we are on the 27th floor! I just got back from shopping for a few little outfits for Ava. I had to get some 12 month pants because the 18 month sizes just fall off of her tiny little bottom. We are going to a Thai restaurant for a group dinner tonight and then to a temple of some sort tomorrow. I will post more photos later after we've downloaded the one's from the garden today. Hope everyone is well today and thanks again for following our trip!

Last Night and Shopping Trip

2008-03-25T23:10:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty good night #2. Ava Bei Bei woke up twice crying, but a held her for a few minutes and put her back in her crib and she went back to sleep right away--woo hoo! We have been enjoying the HUGE breakfast buffet here at the White Swan, but can't seem to be on time to meet our friends! I have forgotten how long it takes to get myself and a baby ready. Emma is a big help also and can do most things for herself, so that is nice. Emma is adjusting well to having a little one around. It is still frustrating for her to have to share our attention, but as usual, she is amazing and has more patience that Scott or I will ever have. I hope Ava can see how wonderful her big sister is and want to be just like her.

Okay, we went to the French version of a Wal-Mart in Guangzhou China, need I say more? The place is called Carre For. Anne have you heard of this? It was 2 story and packed with people. This was a light crowd too! Ava took her first ride in a shopping cart and seemed to like it. We got some baby supplies and a few impulse items. We have to go get Ava's photo taken this afternoon for her passport. Right now she is taking a little nap, which she did NOT want to do. She just doesn't want to miss anything--she is very social! She finally fell asleep after crying for about 10-15 minutes. This seemed like 8 hours to me, but I know she will be okay and appreciate her sleep!

Thanks again for all the comments. We love hearing from everyone and I appreciate you forwarding them to me Anne. We love you all and thanks for everything. I will post more later. Here are a few more photos. Sorry if I repeat them, I can't view the blog and I can't remember everything I posted!

A Little About Ava "Bei Bei"

2008-03-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

Ava is TINY! She is 21 months old and the 18-month clothing I brought for her is falling off of her. She has a pretty bad raw place on her leg where they had her diaper sinched down so tight and you can tell it has been there for a while. She kicks and screams when I put medicine on it, but I think she knows I am only trying to make it better. After meeting with the orphanage directors, we found out that Ava, or Bei Bei, as they call her, has a very out going personality. They said she adapts well in most situations and is a dare devil! They told me to watch out for this one--she likes to explore every where around her. They said they loved her very much and would miss her.

Well, day one with Ava was pretty unreal. She only cried when she got hungry and when we put her down for bed, but other than that, I think she was pretty shut down and in a little shock. When the orphanage director and nanny director brought her out to us, she never cried or got upset, she just looked at us, like who are you crazy people. Scott actually got a smile on the way back to the hotel from the Civil Affairs Office. She slept pretty much all night long, with a few play sessions in the dark. We heard her playing, but she never cried for us to get her and went back to sleep--SWEET! I hope night #2 is just as good. She had a good dinner of rice and congee on night #1, so far, so good.

Well, we made it through day number #2 with Bei Bei and she is doing great. Our adoption was finalized this morning after signing more papers, giving more money, and swearing to take care of her always. We did this at the Civil Affairs Office, the same place we picked her up yesterday. The same folks from the orphanage were there, but she didn't seem to upset to see them. They played with her for a few minutes, but she came back to us with no tears. We went back to the hotel for lunch and a nap and that didn't go so well. We tried to lay her down for a nap and she wanted nothing to do with that. Scott finally got her to lay down on the bed for a little snooze while I went down stairs to do more paperwork and meet with the orphanage folks.

After the nap, we decided to go out and about the island and do some shopping around. Ava did fine riding in the carrier that my buddy Linda let us borrow for this trip--thanks Linda. After shopping we took Ava to the play room at our hotel and she came out of her shell--it was hilarious! They have the same type floor and fenced area that she had in her orphanage, so we think she felt at home there to play. She would run, and I mean run, from Scott, to me, to Emma and back. When she got to us, she would just jump on us and laugh. We wore her out and now she is in the bed--no tears, just an immediate snore! Oh yeah, her new toy and the one she is sleeping with right now--the remote...future TIVO owner I am sure of it!

Thank you so much for all your support, comments, and emails. Tim and Laura, thank you for inspiring us to take this journey. Here are a few more photos of Gotcha Day...

We Got an Angel on Gotcha Day

2008-03-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

The Thatcher Family is now 4 strong! We got Ava, better known as Bei Bei, today at 3:30. So far things are going smoothly. I will post more about her tomorrow--my anxiety has now turned into exhaustion! Let the photos speak for themselves...

Guangzhou is Great!

2008-03-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, the hotel we are staying in is AWESOME! We had reserved a regular room, but decided to upgrade to a suite when we checked in. We are so glad we did, because we have a separate bedroom, a living room, and 1 1/2 baths. Since we will be here for 2 1/2 more weeks, I think we will be more comfortable with more space. Emma is sleeping on a roll-away and Ava has a crib. The breakfast is included in our stay here and would put the Las Vegas buffets to shame! Scott found the gym this morning, so we hope to get our daily workouts in while we are here.

Ms. Robin, Emma has been taking a lot of photos for her China Book! She is really into it!

Our guide just took us around Shamian Island here in Guangzhou. Our hotel, The White Swan, is located on this island. Guangzhou is located in Southern China and it is warm and humid here. The area has a tropical island feeling and the streets are very pleasant for daily walks. There are a lot of local people out in the parks exercising, dancing, practicing "Hacky Sack", and shopping. There were several groups of retirees singing in an outdoor chior and even a ball room dancing group in the park. We also saw about 6 couples having their wedding photos made in the parks. This place has a very relaxing feel to it and I think it will be the perfect place to get to know Ava. Which, by the way, we are about to meet her in about 5 hours!!!!!!!!!!!

We can post to our blog, but we cannot see it after we post, so please forgive me if I make a mistake or two! I also can't read your comments, but I am trying to set it up to have them emailed to me. Thanks so much for all your thoughts and prayers. Today is the big day, so we hope to post soon to let you know how it goes with GOTCHA DAY!!!

A Few More Photos of Beijing

2008-03-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

Photos from Beijing Touring

2008-03-22T20:19:00.001-07:00

We Made it to Beijing!

2008-03-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry its taken so long to post, but we have been going non-stop since we arrived late on the 20th. We have toured the Summer Palace, Beijing Zoo Panda's, The Temple of Heaven, Acrobatics Show, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and The Great Wall of China. We even got to go by the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Center. We finally had some time tonight to get the computer up and running, but we haven't downloaded any photos yet. We will try and do that tomorrow night. We have been trying the food and learning about the Chinese culture. Emma's favorite event was getting to go to a Tea Room--her new favorite thing is Rose Tea! We have been exhausted by the end of each day, I guess they are preparing us for the exhaustion to come with having new babies!

We will fly from Beijing to Guangzhou tomorrow afternoon and will be there until the 9th of April. We found out today that we will be getting our babies on Monday the 24th at 3:30 in the afternoon. Just hearing our guide tell the group about what to expect was overwhelming, I can imagine what the real deal is going to feel like!

Hope everyone is doing well. We will post pictures soon!

Updated Photo of Ava

2008-03-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

Ava’s photo was included in the January 2008 Love Without Boundaries update. Looks like she loves her formula. A big thank you to this organization for providing wonderful nutritional support to Ava’s orphanage.

We Finally Have Travel Plans

2008-03-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

We finally have travel plans for China! We will be in China for 21 days, yes, that’s 3 weeks! Here is a rough look at what our plans are:

March 19 Leave Albuquerque and fly to San Francisco and then Beijing

March 20 Arrive Beijing

March 21-22 Tour Beijing

March 23 Fly to Guangzhou

March 24 We get Ava, GOTCHA DAY!

March 25-April 8 Paperwork, Tours, Paperwork, Tours

April 9 Fly home from Hong Kong to San Francisco and finally Albuquerque

Ava in the LWB Update

2008-03-08T05:28:00.000-08:00

This post is from the Love Without Boundaries November/December 2007 Update. Ava's orphanage receives nutritional support from this wonderful organization. This is what the nannies had to say about Ava. Oh boy, it sounds like she will keep us busy...

It’s hard to believe with this sweet face, but
they say “B” is a very naughty baby. “She is
restless. When she starts to walk, she also
becomes a little trouble maker. When the
nanny put the clean diaper on the table, she
walks over and pulls all the diaper to the floor
and laugh at it. When the nanny prepares the
bath water for the babies, she likes to play
with the water and make the floor wet. But
she is so sweet. So the nanny would just
smile and tell her not to do it again.”
“

Ava at 6 Months Old

2008-03-08T05:13:00.001-08:00

Here are some photos from a family who also adopted from Qujiang in January of 2007. They took some photos of some of the babies and look who they took a photo of! This is Ava at around 6 months old. What a sweet little face! You can see the whole slide show of the orphanage visit from this family in our favorite sites section on the right.

Travel Approval Finally Came

2008-03-08T04:14:00.000-08:00

After you get matched to a baby, you then accept the match, we call it the referral in our world here. Then the excruciating wait for Travel Approval (TA) begins. You would think the wait of over 2 years would have been the hardest part of this whole process. Nope, once you see your baby's face, know that she is waiting to join your family, but you can't just hop on the plane and go get her--that is the hardest part. After scouring the Rumor Queen for hints of TA's coming in, I soon discover that ours is taking an especially long time. After a couple of weeks, other agencies start receiving their TA's, but ours is no where to be found. Frustrated does not even begin to describe what my travel group has been feeling over the past 33 days during this TA wait.

After 4+ weeks of waiting, it finally came yesterday afternoon. Now that we have TA, we have to wait more, I know, shock there! We have to wait to get our appointment at the Consulate in Guangzhou before we can book our travel arrangements. Our agency is requesting this appointment for the week of April 1st. If things go as planned we should be leaving for China to week of March 20th to go get Ava. We will be in China for 14-17 days, depending on when our appointment gets booked. Things are finally moving along!!!!!!!!!!!

More Photos of Ava Le Bei

2008-03-06T21:13:00.000-08:00

Referral for "Ava" Qu Le Bei Born June 25, 2006

2008-02-14T16:29:00.000-08:00

Qu Le Bei

Born June 25, 2006

Guangdong Province

Qujiang Social Welfare Institute

The Thatcher Family Adoption Journey

2008-02-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

We started the process to adopt a little sister for Emma in July of 2005. After completing all of the paperwork, background checks, medical appointments, and home studies, we finally recieved at match to a little girl in China over 2 years later. We recieved a call from our agency on February 4, 2008 that we were matched to Qu Le Bei, born on June 25, 2006. She has been living in the Qujiang Social Welfare Institute in the Guangdong Province all of her life. Her American name will be Ava and will keep Le Bei for her middle name.