May 13th, 2009

Happy Gotcha Day Dawson!  Well, Pizza in the Park didn't work due to the Ohio rain so the gathering became Pizza in the House.  A very casual get together with my parents and a few friends.  We ate and celebrated for a few hours and opened a few gifts (which I said no gifts but, no one EVER listens to me!)  She did get her first barbie like doll....Cinderella.  Look at her face!  She loved it!  Oh no...what am I in for now!  

Some water table toys.  We just have a few cups, so these will come in handy!

I think she likes Cinderella!

May 12th 2009

Tomorrow is officially what is known as "Gotcha Day"  The Day I met Dawson and she became mine forever!  Exactly a 

year ago, I landed in Guatemala, headed to the Marriott, unpacked and a few hours later, Dawson came through the 

doors with her foster family.  I could write a book about the whole trip but, it would take me forever.  So instead, I 

looked back at all my old pictures and put a slide show together.  I tried to include the moment we met her all the way 

to the moment she came home.  I also put in a few beautiful pictures from Guatemala.  Not only is Dawson beautiful, 

but her birth country is too!  What a difference a year can make in everyone's life!  I am posting this tonight because 

tomorrow we will be having "Pizza in the Park" with a few family and friends to officially celebrate "Gotcha Day."  I 

couldn't think of a better place to celebrate!  

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

May 11th, 2009

Mother's Day Part TWO

My mom decided to take Dawson outside to help plant.  Grammy planted and Dawson put the empty pots on her head.  I just happened to be close by with the camera and couldn't resist the photo op!  

May 10th, 2009

Happy Mother's Day! We left early this morning to head to Grammy and Papa's lake house for breakfast. We had homemade omelets, eggs, bacon, sausage, cake and much more. Everything was delicious! Dawson had not been to the lake house since last summer so she really wasn't sure where she was when she walked in the door. It took her a few minutes to warm up and check things out!  She wondered around inside and out and now she feels right at home!!!!  It was a beautiful day so I took some time to take some fun pictures!  

My Mother's Day card from Dawson!

(Thanks Aunt Kathy for sending the card)

Dawson personally autographed my card...all over it!

Grammy's Mother's Day cake

Eating breakfast...yum, yum, yum.

Peeking through the fence.

Jumping off the deck step...what we do off everything now!  JUMP! JUMP!

Taking cousin Alex for a walk around the house. 

May 8th, 2009

Out to dinner again but, this time Chinese. Dawson ordered her usual...chicken lo mein. As you can see, we had lots of fun at dinner. She's getting much better at eating the noodles! Of course not graceful but, cute!

May 7th, 2009

Happy Cinco de Mayo a few days late! I spent the evening cooking an authentic Mexican dinner for a few friends. It was delicious and tons of fun. A great excuse for a small party and wonderful Mexican food! (if I must say so myself). I did cheat a little as I stopped by our local Mexican restaurant to pick up some authentic chips and salsa. We are frequent visitors there, so they immediately passed over a lei that said Corona Light to Dawson along with a chocolate mint. What a way to celebrate. My intentions were to take lots of pictures but, since I was the cook, I never got to it. The only picture I took was leaving the Mexican restaurant, with my cell phone! Maybe next time!

We headed to the park this morning just to have some good old fun! We ran, we jumped and we climbed and climbed and climbed. Dawson has been a climber since the day I brought her home. She was all over anything that even resembled a ladder. It was a beautiful day to be outside so we really took advantage of it! What fun we had!!!!