Lovin' some strawberries!

Collin's new favorite fruit is strawberries..fresh, of course! He likes them best rinsed and left whole with the top cut off. Thanks Grandpa Danny and Grandma Darleen for the fresh batch last week!
We hope to go swimming soon..it will be Collin's first time. Stay tuned!

What Collin is doing now: playing with his remote control choo-choos.

Finally a swingset to play on!

Collin helped Daddy assemble his new swingset last weekend. Pawpaw helped and after many hours in the sun the swingset, complete with treehouse, is complete just in time for summer!

The Graduate!

Collin graduated from 3 year old preschool last week. He is officially a 4 year old preschooler! Time has flown by so quickly. It seems like yesterday that I took a timid Collin to visit the preschool room shortly after we came home from China. He quickly became acclamated to the school routine and grew to LOVE his school friends and especially his teacher, Ms. Brianne, who is in the top photo.

In the last photo, Collin and his school friends thought Ms. Brianne was so funny talking into the microphone. She would announce someone's name and Collin would shout "you're so funny!" Collin is looking forward to attending preschool all day, every day next year. He especially looks forward to spending his days with Ms. Brianne. Mommy looks forward to having him with her in the building so she can "peak in" on him every once in a while!!

What Collin is doing now: taking a much needed nap!

Day of shopping and a new toy..of course!

We spent the day in Fairview after church today, eating lunch and "window" shopping for a swingset for Collin. At the first home improvement store we stopped at we picked up a booklet on the swingsets available at that store. Collin thumbed through it and turned to a picture in the middle, which was a picture of the largest kit available. When he saw it he said, "that's what I'm talking about guys!"
Our final stop was at the toy store..daddy's idea. Daddy let Collin pick out a toy and he chose a train, of course, and mommy picked out a magnetic word making game made by the same company that makes the letter sound and recognition movies he loves (in the picture). He is past recognizing his letters and knowing what their sounds are so it's on to making 3 letter words! Collin and I played with it for a while when we got home, and I can already say that I would recommend it to anyone whose children are ready to learn how to spell and read. It helps build over 300 three letter words! I just need to get some kind of case to keep the letters in when we need to take it on the road. Collin, being the funny man he is, while playing with his word maker, he didn't hear one of the directions the "lady" gave, and he put his mouth up to the speaker and said, "what did you say, sir?" Made me belly laugh!
What Collin is doing now: playing with his word-maker!

In Recognition

Dear China mom,

I don't know what your motivation was when you left your son (our son) at the gate that faitfull day, but I can't imagine what excrutiating thoughts must run through your mind on a daily basis not knowing what has become of him...where is he, is he okay, is he scared, cold or hungry, is he searching for you, or waiting for you to come back? Collin does not realize that he has another mother in his life. I hope someday that I will be able to explain it, and I hope that he will find it in himself to understand why he will never be able to meet you. I can't help but think of you everyday when I look at him. Thank you for giving him 9 months of nourishment and a year of your love to him. I wonder if he has your sense of humor, goofy laugh, inquisitiveness, and outgoing personality. He has so many different "faces" when his picture is taken. Are these the faces of his biological father, grandma, aunt or uncle? I hope somehow, some way, you know that the son you sacrificed, for whatever reason, is healthy, so very loved, and above all..he is happy. Although Collin and I are, literally, from two different worlds, we have a bond like any mother and son would have. This bond includes you as well. Our lives were destined to intertwine. If it were not for you, I would not have the beautiful son that I thank God for everyday. So, China mom, I thank-you for OUR son this Mother's Day.

Bathtub spelling

Collin spelled and sounded out his first word in the tub the other night :)

Escape To The Orient

Our local prom was last night and the theme was "Escape To The Orient". My sister-in-law met Collin and I up at the school to see the decorations before the dance got underway. She dressed her daughter in a chinese outfit she found locally a few years ago, and I dressed Collin in his outfit that we bought on Shamian Island while in China. They blended in perfectly with the scenery! Aunty Jen thought it would be fun to get a "prom" picture of the two of them together for future reference...or embarrasement-ha! The kids loved the large dragon whose head was perched around the basketball goal. It's body draped down to the floor...it was pretty cool! Hope the teens enjoyed the unique scenery and had a great time.

Enjoy the pictures!

What Collin is doing now: taking a bath and squirting his watergun all over the tub walls!