This year was just simply HUGE on every level for Robert, Mary and I; individually and collectively, we’ve experienced such growth & have come through some challenges that have strengthened us spiritually and emotionally. It truly has been a great year and now – it’s pretty much gone and SO much has happened that it has been a big blur.
I felt that I would just list some of the biggest highlights and milestones for Mary because as you know – whatever successes she experiences, Mom & Dad do, too!
*Mary began her early intervention class in the school system!
*Mary experienced her first Valentine’s party at school AND got to receive Valentine love from Mama & Dada.
*Mary’s speech and language development has continued to SOAR with the assistance of her hearing impaired educator, speech therapist, her summer at Bill Wilkerson at Vanderbilt and with careful monitoring of her audiologists, ENT and 
pediatrician. She has successfully and literally expanded her vocabulary in lightening speed thanks to her ‘team’! Still has a ways to go but since January 13th 2009 to present – it has been remarkable - especially since her only words were “bye-bye” and “no” when she first came home with us from China.
*Oh – and to date, Mary STILL has fluid in her ears. We are predicting PE tubes, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in January. That will be confirmed on Monday, January 4, 2009……stay tuned.
*Mary experienced her first Easter!
*Mary got in the tubes and rocked out on the lake!
*Mary had such a successful report from her cardiologist’s visit in June that she doesn’t have to see him again until next FALL!!!!
*Mary has been selected as “Student of the Month” for April, “Terrific Helper” and was also chosen as “Cool Calendar Helper” for this semester at school! She truly is a good student in that she’s very eager and self-motivated to learn!
*Mary now recognizes who her family members are and has developed an especially close bond with her Grandpa, GeeGee & PopPop and big brother Brian and big sister (Jei Jei), Jennifer! Mary LOVES her family and ….well, the family LOVES Mary!
Mary continues to enjoy Sunday School and automatically puts her hand together at the table
and prays! We don’t know what she says all the time, but we give thanks to God that HE knows and that He honors her little heart!
*The bond built between Robert & I (and continues to grow!) has been such a foundation for Mary that she KNOWS who her parents are! We feel that she has successfully bonded to us as we have to her and by this time next year, it will be surreal that Mary has been home with us just a bit longer – than she ever lived in China. We are so proud of her!
*As her parents, we continue to process the moments where we ‘missed it’ and make changes for the better but more importantly – we also have learned to give ourselves a break, throw down big-time for all of the successes and give glory to God for helping us become good stewards of this gift He gave us!
We continue on to 2010 with a sincere and renewed spirit to model to Mary that God and His word is consistent, is the very best for us and is everything to us! Without Him – our world would be total darkness but when darkness comes, we are still able to find the joy in His everlasting light!
May His strength, abundance of love and mercy be in your hearts throughout the rest of this year and next!!!!!
