Christmas Photos

More Christmas photos are in order from Christmas Eve. There have been many celebration stations such as at our daughter's Sherie's place, our place, at grandma's place, aunt's and friend's place. It's been a busy time of the year with lots of love, food, good will and presents. Maya and her nephew Brandon were showered with gifts and attention.

As we know in China they don't celebrate Christmas as much as New Year's which is at end of January first week of February. Even then the presents may be fruit or money. Maya was telling us about New Year's she has experienced and she seemed to have fun even without presents. I know that we spoil the kids sometimes with too many gifts but we want them to have everything they want. We like to make them happy, their little hearts dance. We want to hear them sequels and melt in their smiles. Many kids don't have anyone to wish this for them. No one to give them presents. There are so many kids who get nothing, so many who don't even know what Christmas or New Year's is. For them it's just another day without love.

We are so glad to be able to help one child and so of course we want to give her everything. We know she had a family and she tells us her mother liked high heel shoes so perhaps they were able to afford some presents but this is China we're talking about and most people will hardly be able to afford to put food on the table.

Marry Christmas Maya Lanlan and little Brandon.

Sweet dreams.

More photos to come.

'Tis the Season

Maya's first Christmas with her family was a big success. She was very spoiled like a little princess should be. This is just a short post with only a few pix but there will be more to follow. It's been a busy few days, very lovely and loving, exciting and tiring too but we are thankful for the blessings this Christmas of our children, grandchildren, family and friends. Merry Christmas to all.

Maya with her American Girl doll she so wanted and other treasures.

Brandon also made out like a bandit.

Kristina

Here is our older daughter Kristina. One day I got a few good snaps of her. It's not easy. This girl is always on the go, school, work, romance. I am happy that she is really striving to finish her schooling. She completed her co-op a couple of weeks ago and got good reviews. She also works on the weekends and manages to play a game with Maya and me or put glitter on the Christmas decorations with us. She is such a pretty girl and we're so proud of her for doing so well. And at the bottom is box of pink roses chocolates I got from my mother. Love it.

First Thanksgiving

I have to go back again to document a little about Maya's first Thanksgiving with us back in October. She was quite amused by the whole hoopla over cooking a turkey. The family had got together at our house to celebrate ... well being a family. It is the thing we are most thankful for, to have each other. I'm sure there are many people in the world who for one reason or another find themselves alone but we are lucky enough to have a big family and lots of friends whom we keep in touch with on a regular basis. Sometimes I wish we saw each other more but for the most part no one is alone on Thanksgiving day or hungry. This year was even more special as we add another member to our family and for that we are thankful to be blessed like this at this point of our lives. Now we have four blessings and one super blessing. It was special day indeed.

Nine

Just a few portraits taken a little while ago to make sure Maya has some nice memories of the age she was when she first came to Canada. She is three years younger than I was when I first came to Canada so I can relate how scary things were at first. I was heading into my teenhood and things were quite dramatic. Sometimes I feel like she is heading into teenhood already because each day is so different but for the most part she is still nine and naive to what's waiting for her ahead. She tries very hard and often falls but she picks herself right back up again and continues on.

Fall is Over

I do realize that fall is over but I'm still tracking back the photo to October so here is a start of it. My grandson came over to stir some trouble for grandma and we had a great day playing in the leaves. They almost covered the ground. We don't have much trees, really only one in our front yard and a lilac tree that's really a bush grown tall by the house. Our evergreen was ruined last year in the ice storm. It bent over and never quite recovered and had to be cut down. I hate cutting any trees but it had to be done. We rolled in the leaves and hoped the bees would stay away. Sometimes they could be hiding somewhere to get you when you least expect it.

So here are a few more pics of leaves. Now it's already time for snow and Santa. We've seen Santa a couple of times already and will surely see him couple of times more. It's been cold but not cold enough to complain about. So far so good.