A few more fun videos

Thought I'd share a few more videos of our little Priya for your viewing entertainment. 1) Priya's 1st recorded dance recital. 2) Priya making a run for it! Giving a glimpse of how fast she is these days. 3) Priya investigating her daddy's scruffy face.

Want to see something cute?

Priya is enamored with the book BABY BELUGA and the song that it is based on. She wants us to read/sing it to her multiple times every day and is now a regular part of her bedtime routine. She has also decided that she enjoys reading and singing to herself. She'll pick up a book and page through it using the various words that she knows - whether or not they are related to the book. It is adorable!

Below is a clip of her reading and singing the BABY BELUGA book before bed. Could she be any cuter?


Priya is also developing quite a love of dancing. She makes us laugh and provides so much entertainment these days! In this video she is also sporting her very first single pony tail! I can't believe how fast her hair is growing!

My First Glimpse...

I got to talk with Jon for a longer period of time today and it was wonderful to hear about their new lives and how they and the girls are adjusting to each other.  It's such a huge answer to prayer that things are going SO well!  Jon had to go into work for a few hours today so we got to catch up on his commute home.

Later this evening Jon set up his laptop so that we could Skype for about 10 minutes.  What an awesome surprise!  He set it up so that they didn't see or hear me but I was able to watch and listen while the four of them played together.  It was so touching to hear O & L calling them Mommy and Daddy and to see how well they are all bonding already!  The girls were putting make-up on Jenetta and were dressed up in ballerina costumes.  They were absolutely adorable!

Thanks for that special glimpse into your new lives Jon and Jenetta!  I am so proud of you both and am continuing to pray for all of you!

Getting the creative juices flowing again...

I love to make things with my hands. It's fun to create and to see something new emerge before your eyes. I used to make jewelry, but since Priya came along it has been placed on the back burner. Recently my sister-in-law, Emily, inspired me to try something new. She made a bow holder to hang in Ella's room that neatly organized her bows (see Emily's handiwork below).

I've kept Priya's bows in zip lock bags and stored in a basket in her room, but I wanted a way to store them that made it easier to find what I wanted. I wandered over to Walmart one evening and came back with supplies that ended up costing me only $5 - fabric, ribbon, and some 50 cent jungle animals that matched the theme in Priya's room. Coupled with some cardboard, batting, staples and glue a new creation soon emerged. I had to get creative with the limited wall space in Priya's room (hence the ever-so-fashionable thermostat in the pic). But in the end I was happy with the result.

Thanks for the inspiration Emily! It was fun to try something new! :)

J&J Update!

Jon and Jenetta have a new post with a couple of photos! They are exhausted after their first day with the girls but things seem to be going well. We are so excited for you J&J and are looking forward to the day when we'll be able to meet O&L in person! We love you!

Today Is THE Day!

Today is the day that my brother and sister-in-law will meet O & L for the first time. In approximately one hour from now Jon and Jenetta will meet these sweet little girls at the airport in San Diego. We are bursting with excitement and are eager to hear how the first meeting goes.

They have been working hard to get their home ready and were blessed with a shower on Saturday. Check out Jon and Jenetta 's blog to see some of the fruits of their labor. :)

We are praying for you J&J and O & L!!!

Another Day of Fun

Ashish went back to work today, but I get to continue with the Spring Break fun until Monday. So this morning Priya and I hit Jump River Park and let the fun continue. She spent some time on the swing and going down the slide, but seemed to primarily enjoy practicing going up and down the stairs today. She is quite good at going up the stairs and is getting close to mastering going back down too. The kid-sized railing definitely helped in the process.

She is wearing a beautiful Indian top that was given to her when she was born by her Uncle Arpit and Aunt Binal in India. It's fun to be able to be able to expose her to various aspects of her Indian heritage along the way.


When Ashish got off work we headed back outside again and had a blast walking around the campus...

And then headed over to the McConnell Foundation for a nice walk.


It's been so nice to have this extra time with Ashish these past few days and to see him bonding with our little girl.