Christmas Card 2010

I Just Love This Picture of the Girls!

It was taken at a holiday party last Sunday.

Samantha & Madison

Potty Training

We have been trying to potty train Madison on and off since March of this year (if I recall correctly).  It has been a real struggle.  First we started off petrified of the potty chair - she'd scream and scream and cry and just have a tizzy, so we gave up.  It was just too stressful on both mommy and her.  Then we stated up again in May with the same old problems.  Talked with her doctor about it and she said don't worry about it - it's a complete power/control issues for her and just give up.  She'll let you know when she's ready, blah, blah, blah.  So again, we let it go.  She turned 3 in October and this momma was determined that IT WAS TIME once again to start the process.  So we began the Monday following her birthday.  It's been a hit or miss thing with her and we had the whole whining/screaming (no crying get you, just major hissy fits) but we just kept it up this time and didn't let her control the situation. 

Low and behold, we think it has finally, AT LONG LAST, clicked inasmuch as we have had two days with only one little dribble in her pull up!!!!!  No more fighting to go on the potty, she runs right in and sits down and does her business within seconds now rather than 15 - 20 minutes on the potty chair.  Don't get me wrong, we still have a long way to go, but this mommy is happy, happy, happy that we are finally making progress!!!! 

Actually, we knew that when it clicked with Madison, it would click and she'd more than likely be trained in a blink of an eye then.  I guess we shall see, huh?

Keep your fingers crossed that we are on the path of no more diapers!!!!!!

Look Who's 3 Today!

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY MADISON! Madison's 3rd birthday is today, but we celebrated it yesterday with family and friends ala a Minnie Mouse Themed Party.

Here's a few photos from her big day:

 

Today we took the girls to the Minnesota Zoo for Madison's birthday and then we went to Old Chicago for "Lupper" as we called it today - a late lunch before supper - LOL!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl.  We love you to the moon and back a gazillion times over!

Flash Back to 9-14-09

It was one year ago today that we met Miss Madison for the very first time in person in a steaming hot Civil Affairs Building in Guangzhou China!!!!

Here's two links to our thoughts from last year:

http://rothclanjourney.blogspot.com/2009/09/additional-pictures.html
http://rothclanjourney.blogspot.com/2009/09/meeting-madison-91309.html


HAPPY FOREVER FAMILY DAY SWEET GIRL!!!!

Flashback to 9-13-09

Here's the two posts we did from last year on this date while in China: 

http://rothclanjourney.blogspot.com/2009/09/meeting-madison-91309.html

http://rothclanjourney.blogspot.com/2009/09/heres-few-more-pics-from-9-13-09.html


We hope you enjoy revisiting our time in China!

Flash Back to 9-12-09

Here's a link to our post from last year on this date!  http://rothclanjourney.blogspot.com/2009/09/were-in-china.html

Flashback to 9-11-09

It was exactly one year ago today that Dale, Samantha and I began our long awaited trek to China to finally meet Madison Marie Lvfen!  What an adventure it was! 

Over the  next two weeks, as time permits, we will revist those two weeks in China!

The Green Queens

Samantha is playing soccer again this year.  This year her team is comprised of 5 six year olds and they decided to name their team "THE GREEN QUEENS".  Dale is coaching her team again this year.  Soccer season began the middle of August this year and will run until the middle of October.  We've had practices twice a week through Labor Day Week and then we'll drop down to one day a week.  We've had one game so far this year and our next game is this coming Saturday.  Games are each Saturday afternoon from 12:00 - 1:00.  They have a fall Jamboree coming up on Septembe 18th, where they play 3 or 4 games in one day.  Looking forward to that.  We are excited for a great soccer season!  This is one sport Samantha loves to play!

First Day of School - 1st Grade

Today Samantha started school ~ it was her first day of 1st Grade!!!  Wow, I cannot believe my baby girl is a big first grader already!  It really seems just like yesterday that Dale and I boarded a plane bound for China to meet our first child.  Where has the time gone?

In any event, on Monday evening at bedtime, Sammie was pretty nervous; she said her tummy hurt.  I explained to her that was normal and she would be fine.  Well low and behold, come Tuesday morning when her alary went off and I went in to turn it off, she bolted up in bed and said "I'm gonna get dressed now".  I told her to go out in the living room and wake up a bit.  She ate breakfast, brushed her teeth and got dressed all in under an hour and had her coat and back pack on by 7:00 a.m. (we didn't have to leave for school until 7:45 a.m.)  She was bouncing off the walls with excitment and kept asking me if it was time to leave yet.

I did manage to take a couple of pictures of her at home (see below) and was going to take the camera to school, but had forgotten it as we were leaving and then she said she really didn't want me to take pictures at school and said and I quote "You know, dad can't take pictures of me when I go off to college".  She's really too funny!  Thus, no actual pictures of her in school, but she had a wonderful first day of First Grade!

Open House @ Samantha's School

This afternoon we had open house at Samantha's school.  She got to meet her teacher; we brought her school supplies in and she put them in her desk (with the exception of a few items that had to go in a special place), and went on a small treasure hunt around her classroom.  Her teacher seems really nice and we are looking forward to a good school year!!!!

One Year Ago Today

these were the only two letters I wanted to hear from our agency:

T A

yep, it was one year ago today and we received our travel approval ~ the permission we needed to head to China to bring Miss Madison home!!!!!!!!!

First Grade Assessement

Samantha had her first grade assessement this morning.  It was scheduled for one-half hour, but Dale said her teacher said it wouldn't be long as Samantha reads at such a high level already.  At the endof kindergarten they want you to read at around a level D or E (if I recall correctly) and Samantha exceeded that, and is currently reading at a level I or higher.  She is a wiz kid when it comes to reading.  We are very, very proud of her and hope she keeps up her love of reading!!!!!

11 Months Ago Today . . .

you joined our family.  HAPPY 11 MONTH FOREVER FAMILY DAY!  It is hard to believe you've been with us for just a short time . . . it feels like you have been a part of our family for as long as we can remember.  We love you to the moon and back a gazillion times over!!!!!

10 Months

HAPPY 10 MONTH FOREVER FAMILY DAY MADISON!!!!!  WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE BEFORE YOU JOINED OUR FAMILY!  YOU ARE A FIREBALL AND WE ARE SO THANKFUL YOU ARE A PART OF OUR FAMILY!!!!

9 Months Ago Today

we met this sweet face in person for the very first time. Here's a pic from September 2009

and one from June 12, 2010:

My oh my has she changed!

Here

8 Months . . . Where has the time gone?

Today marks our 8 month Forever Family Day!  It is hard to believe that 8 months ago in a sweltering hot civil affairs building in Guangdong China I was handed a little screaming bundle of joy!  It had been over 3 1/2 years since be began Madison's adoption journey and 3 years to the date that China had logged our dossier into their sytems.

It's certainly been an amazing 8 months and Madison has added a whole new demension to our family!  Our family is complete and we thank God each and every day for the blessings that have been bestoed upon us.

Happy Forever Family Day Madison Marie Lvfen!  We love you all the way to China and back a gazillion times over!

7 Months Ago

today we became a family of 4!  Happy 7 Month Forver Family Day Madison!  The past 7 months have been wonderful!  We are so thankful you are finally home with your forever family.  We love you very much!

Madison's Baptism

Madison was baptized into God's Family today at 10:30 a.m. at Christ Lutheran Church  in Lake e Elmo, Minnesota.  This is the same church Dale and I were married at.  Madison's Sponsors/Godparents are Denise's sister, Theresa and her husband, James.  It was a very speical and beautiful day.  Samantha helped out during communion and following the service and baptism we had a luncheon at Dale's brother's house.  Here are a few pictures from Madison's special day:

HAPPY EASTER!!

Here is our Easter Card for 2010.  Below are some additional photos of the girls we took recently in their Easter attire.  Hope you enjoy! 

Happy Easter Everyone! Today we got the girls up early and headed into 8:00 church service with my mom and dad, my oldest sister, Theresa, and her husband, Jim, and then met my brother, Rick, and his girlfriend, Connie, and my brother-in-law, Mark (Dale’s brother too) for breakfast at the Machine Shed in Woodbury. Needless to say, it was one expensive breakfast! We didn’t know when we made reservations that they only had their Easter Brunch buffet and thus it cost us over $75.00 for breakfast for the 4 of us! We will not be going back there next year!!!

Before church, the girls searched for their Easter baskets. Sammie said the Easter Bunny knows she’s getting older as he hid her Easter basket in the bathtub, which was harder for her to find! Wonder where he’ll hide it next year?

Afterwards in the afternoon both sides of our family came to our house for Easter dinner. This has been a tradition of ours since Dale retired from the service in 2000. This year we had a total of 21 people at the house. The weather was beautiful and the kids were lucky to be able to have our annual Easter egg hunt outside this year. Some of us even ate dinner outside. All in all, it was a great day.

Here’s a few pictures from the day!

 

One Year Ago Today

we received the best news of 2009 ~ it is the day we received Madison's referral. 

I remember this day very clearly.  I was at work and was exchanging emails with another fellow adoptive mom who was also waiting for news of her pending referral.  I had talked with our agency rep that morning as I was simply feeling like I was going to crack up if we did not receive our referral soon.  All the waiting was just taking it toll on me.  I remember Karin saying nope nothing today, but hopefully soon.  I'd heard those words so many times over the past year that that is all they were to me, empty words!  In the meantime, I received an email from my on-line buddy who had just received a phone call with their referral of a little girl.  Needless to say, I was beside myself with emotion (I was so very happy for her, but was so sad for Dale, Samantha and I) that I went into the bathroom at work and just sobbed my eyes out.  I pulled myself together and began to resume my day.  Shortly thereafter the phone at work rang and it was our agency rep Karin.  She said how's ya doing and I send I've been better.  She then said how would you feel if I told you I was looking at Madison's face right now?  I was so shocked that I said huh, you are kidding me and she said nope, I'm looking at her adorable little face right now!  Of course I began to cry and was beside myself once again.  She emailed me her info (which I couldn't open at work because of our stupid old computers), but I quickly called Dale and emailed him the info and then I quickly ran over to our agency's office to pick up the information she had on Madison and the whirlwind began.  Arranging for a doctor to review her file, filling our and signing documents, etc., etc.  Needless to say, it was love at first sight and we accepted Madison's referral. 

It really was surreal to finally put a face to a little person you have envisioned in your mind for over 3 1/2 years.  Wow, what an amazing day March 27, 2009 turned out to be!

Happy 6 Month Forever Family Day!

Wow, it is hard to believe that Madison has been with our family for six months already.  During the long wait to her referral it seemed as if time simply stood still, but once she joined our family, then once again, time begins to fly by.  Makes a person go hmmmmmmmmm.  Happy Forver Family Day Madison!  We love you beyond words!

Second Post Placement Visit

Tonight we have our second post placement visit.  It's hard to believe that it's been over 5 months since Madison joined our family.  She has definitely brought a lot of different things into the family dynamics.  She's grown so much during the past 5 1/2 months.  It's been fun watching her emerge on a daily basis ~ she defintely keeps us on our toes as you never know what she'll be up to next.

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!!!!!

Happy Chinese New Year!  This is the year of the tiger!  Wishing happiness and prosoperity in the new year.  Here's a couple pics of the girls in their Chinese dresses:

5 Months Already!

Happy 5 Month Forever Family Day Madison!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  Hope you have a wonderful day with your sweeties!!!!!

School Conferences

Last night, February 10, 2010, we had our second school conference for Samantha.  It went great.  We have learned that she is pretty advanced in her reading skills (at the end of Kindergarten they want you to be at a level "C") and she is currently at a level D, and almost to an E, which is the highest level you can go.  Overall for all the kindergarten classes, she is in the top 10%!  She has expanded her writing skills tremendously and her favorite thing to do in school is writer's workshop.  She has a wonderful teacher and she may be working with Samantha one-on-one for reading so that she can challenge her more and more throughout the rest of the year!

We are very, very proud of you Samantha!  Keep up the great work sweetie!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY SAMANTHA RAE!!!!

 Today I am wishing my bright, happy, beautiful, sensitive and most wonderful little girl in the world a BIG HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY!  Wow, I cannot believe our little girl is already 6 years old!  Where has the past 5 years gone?  It just seems like yesterday that we were coming home from China and celebrating her first birthday.  Well we were . . . just five years ago today!

On her special day, Sammie has chosen to have dinner at Red Lobster tonight.  She wants baby shrimp (popcorn shrimp) - yummy (as she days)!!!!!!  So after work we will head out for dinner and then she'll get one present tonight and the rest on Saturday when we celebrate her birthday with family and friends!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!  WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!

Happy Birthday!

Wishing a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my hubby and best friend, Dale!  Also to Keira, Sammie's Tonggu Sister!  She and Dale share birthdays!  We have a connection with her family in more ways than one!

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Hell Day . . . no make that week!

Last week, beginning on Monday, January 25, 2010 started the beginning of H-E-L-L week for the Roth Clan!  Sunday we celebrated Samantha's 5th Forever Family Day with our good friends the Maupins, who also adopted their oldest daughter the same time we did Samantha.  Our families have been great friends since that wonderful time way back when.  Sunday was a great day, with the exception of the Vikings losing the championship game, but oh well.

Now onto the beginning of hell week . . . I woke up at my usual time on Monday morning and was getting ready for work.  I woke Samantha and Madison up at their usual times (around 7:00 a.m.).  Madison didn't seem her usual bubbly self that morning when she got up (just laid on on her little couch, kind of our of it).  I finished getting ready and was going to start getting the girls ready when I noticed Madison felt warm.  Thus I took her temp and it was 101.5.  I gave her some Tylenol at 7:45 a.m., called into work and daycare (Sammie didn't have school on Monday) and we were just going to stay home and have a quiet day . . . or so we thought! 

Madison began feeling better and ate breakfast and was playing and all seemed well.  Then, about 10:15 or so she went and sat back down on her little couch and pulled her blanket up on her and was sitting quietly.  Sammie was playing a game on the laptop in the living room.  I went in to get dressed and was going to recheck Madison's temp after that.  A  few minutes later, Sammie yelled, "Mommy, Madison is just laying on the floor".  Needless to say, I ran into the living room and she was laying on the floor in a weird position in between the couch and the coffee table (thankfully she didn't hit her head on the coffee table when she feel, if she did in deed fall, as Sammie said she didn't hear anything).  In any event, I quickly picked her up and instantly knew something was wrong ~ she had spit/drool coming from her mouth, her eyes looked strange, she was pretty limp and as a mom I could just tell something wasn't quite right.  I kept talking to her and tried to get her to focus on me and look at me and she would for a little while, but her little body was just like a rag doll.  I quickly called Dale at work and told him to get home ASAP and then I hug up and called 9-1-1.  Needless to say, they took her Children's Hospital by ambulance.  Both the EMT's and the ER figure she had a febrile seizure as her temp was 104 when the EMT's arrived at our house and was still 104 when we got to the ER.  We stayed in the ER for the better part of the day and after her temp came down and they ran a few test (strep and urinology to rule out a UTI), they sent us home with instructions to keep her on Motrim every 6 hours around the clock, which included waking her up during the night and to follow up with our own doctor in 2 days.  One of the scariest days as a parent of Madison thus far!  Her older sister also had a seizure episode back in November 2005, but hers was much different than Madison's was.  Sammie's was not a febrile seizure.  I wrote about this episode on our family's Yahoo Group.

Twelve hours later we are back in the ER at Children's Hospital, this time with Samantha.  She developed severe abdominal pain and started throwing up around 8:15 p.m.  At first we thought it might have been her nerves from everything that had happened earlier in the day with Madison, but when she kept throwing up every 20 minutes or so and couldn't keep anything down, I knew it was not just nerves.  After a phone call to the triage nurse line at the hospital, it was time to bundle up the kiddos and take Samantha to the ER as they wanted to rule out a bowel obstruction, etc.  Dale dropped us off and then took Madison back home.  After spending several hours in the ER, then giving her some anti nauseu medicine to stop the vommiting, we were told she had a severe case of the stomach flu.  After she was able to keep down a popsicle and some apple juice, they gave us a prescription for the anti nauseau meds and back home we went.  She ended up throwing up again when we got home (after the car ride home and I think was related to the car ride and being overly tired - she hadn't slept at all that night and here it was now 4:00 a.m.).  After that, she went to bed and slept all night with no more episodes of vomiting.  Thank the Lord!  See your child have the drive heaves is horrible.  Luckily, it was only a 24 hour flu bug, but we kept her home from school both Tuesday and Wednesday as it drained her little body big time!  After she got over the stomach flu, she then developed a cold. 

Tuesday morning the dawn of a new day or so we thought . . . Needless to say, Dale work up with the same stomach virus Samantha had.  It was not pleasant.  I felt a little bit ill, but didn't vomit or get the diarreha at all.  Madison was doing better and so was Samantha.

Wednesday, Dale took Madison in for her follow up doctor's appointed and she was given the thumbs up and said all looked well, but her doctor wanted us to keep her on Motrim for another couple of days . . . we didn't have to wake her up during the night, just give it to her every six hours while she was awake.  I went back to work today too!

Thursday and Friday for the most part were okay.  Madison' wasn't eating much and had developed some funny poo's and we thought oh no, not again.  Last time she had those same symptoms, she had a double ear infection. 

Now it is early Saturday morning and guess who wakes up with the flu stomach virus!  Yep you guessed it, mommy!  I do not recall when I have been so sick!  This virus is very strong and hits you very fast.  You are down hard.  Needless to say, my entire Saturday was spend either in the bathroom or in bed!  It took me a few days to recover.  The same virus also hit my sister's entire family of 6!  Saturday afternoon, Madison was still not eating and drinking much so back to Urgent Care she went with daddy.  No ear infections, but they thought she just might be getting her sister's cold.

Fast forward to Sunday and Monday of this week, and now Miss Madison has developed a case of having a hard time pooping!  Finally, she was able to go and now it is Wednesday and for the most part, the Roth Clan is on the road to recovery!

Let me tell you, when your kiddos are sick, as any parent knows, it is heart wrenching as you want to make it all better and right now!  I'm just thankful that for all intents and purposes, our girls are over all healthy!  Now, let's stay that way!  Please bring on summer!

Happy 5th Forver Family Day!!!!!

Dale, Samantha & I on January 24, 2005

Dale, Samantha, Madison & I on January 24, 2010

Today marks our Fifth Forever Family Day - the day Samantha was first placed in our arms and our family was born!


We can recall the day like it was yesterday. Dale and I got up early in the morning (it was a Monday) we ate breakfast and then took a walk around Nanchang. We watched the people of Nanchange do Thai Chi (sp?), and just took in the sights. It was an amazing experience.  After our walk, we went back to the hotel to meet up with our travelmates and our guide. We were off to the Civil Affairs Building to meet our daughters for the first time. Of course, we had mixed emotions - anxious, excited, scared, but most of all HAPPY to finally be meeting our daughter!

At approximately 12:10 pm (China Time) we heard some noise in the hallway and realized our daughters were on their way to meet their families. We heard one of the babies crying and later learned that it was our daughter, Samantha.

We all were very excited as the girls began coming into the room adjacet to ours. We could see their beautiful little faces and most of them had rosy red cheeks. As I recall, the girls were all tired from their long trek from Tonngu.

One by one, each of the four families in our travel group was called up to meet their daughter. Samantha was lovingly placed into my arms around 12:15 p.m. that most wonderful day five years ago. Both she and I were crying but for very different reasons. Me, for it was the happiest day of my life and for her, it was was probably the scariest day of her life. I'm sure she was wondering what the heck was going on.

Thereafter, Samantha has been, and continues to be a very happy, bright and beautiful child. We could not have wished for a more perfect little girl than the one God and the CCAA chose for us. Our lives have been foreverly blessed with this most wonderful child!  Samantha continues to amaze us each and every day and she brings such joy and happiness to us and all those around her. 

We can't imagine where the time has gone! Five years later and this most wonderful journey of parenthood continues!  We anticipate what the future holds for Samantha Rae! 

Happy 5th Forever Family Day Samantha Rae Minhe!  Mommy and daddy love you very much and are so proud that we get to call you our daughter!

RIP Angela Marie Klover

Today is really a bitter sweet day for us.  It marks our 5th Forever Family Day with Samantha, but it also marks four years ago that our niece, Angela, was tragically taken from us in an automobile accident.  Her accident occurred on our one year anniversary of Forever Family Day!

We love and miss you so very much Angela and there is not a day that goes by that we do not think of you!  We hope you received the balloons Samantha sent you up in heaven!

Here's a picture of Sammie sending the purple balloon (she had already released a pink one):

Four Months Ago Today . . .

we, along with 46 other families met our children for the very first time.  Yep, it has already been four months that Miss Madison has been a part of our family!  Wow, where has the time gone?

It has been an amazing four months, but also difficult and hard at times, but we have been blessed beyond words to have been chosen to be the parents of a second beautiful and amazing little girl from China. 

Madison has really blossomed over the past four months.  Here are some of her accomlishments:

*  She walks, runs and even jumps steadily.  When we first met her in China she was very wobbly on her feet and has grown more and more stead with each passing day.

*  She is no longer afraid of our dog Bella.  That really only lasted a few days, but now she a Bella are best of buddies!

*  She and her sister get along most of the time, but boy, oh boy, they can fight too!

*  She has picked up many English words and is starting to put them together in 2 word sentences.  One of her first words was "Sponge Bob" ~ go figure!!!!  LOL!!!!  She now says probably 50 or more words (I guess I've never counted), but she can say momma, dadda, Rae Rae (for Sammie), milk, juice, Bella, lovey (Love You), stinky, bath, bottle, bum (for butt as I always call it her bum), Irv (her daycare mom's hubby), nana (for banana), grandma, papa, owie, pretty (for hair boys), and teeth, just to name a few.  I could go on and on, but you get the gist I'm sure.

*  She copies EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING her big sister does.  She also mimics things mommy and daddy do too!

*  She has gained almost three pounds since we've been home, which is huge for her!  She now weighs a wopping 21.2 lbs.  She was at 18.2 back in September.

*  She is afraid of the snow we have here in Minnesota.  That hopefully will change soon as we are going to take her outside to play in it when it warms up a bit.

*  She is very strong willed and stubborn and likes to fixate or obsess about things at times.  Needless to say, at times personalities in our house clash!

*  She is a drama queen like her older sister and can pitch a fit for 45 minutes or more!

*  She remains a HUGE eater and is not very picky about what she eats.  She loves fruits of all kinds.

*  She is very funny and outgoing and easily laughs! 

I could go on and on, but overall her adjuster to her new life has been good.  At times, it feels as if she has been with our family forever and not only four months!  We are looking forward to what the future has in store for her and our family as a whole!

Wordless Wednesday

52 Years

Wishing my parents a Happy 52nd Wedding Anniversary today!  Wow, that is a long time!  Love you both very, very much!

Wordless Wednesday

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Needless to say, I for one am sick of the frigid weather we are having here in Minnesota thus far this year!  It generally comes around the end of January / early February, but we've been hit in December 2009 and early January 2010 this winter season.  Cannot wait for spring ................ BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!  We hope you had a safe and happy New Year's Eve and as we say goodbye to another decade, we hope you are able to reflect on the good with fond memories and are able to learn from the mistakes made during the past 10 years.  As we look forward to 2010, I for one am anxious to know what the next 10 years will have in store for our family.  I know we will be dealing with one teenager (God help us) and one pre-teen too!  We've been blessed beyond words in the decade beginning with Y2K.  What happened, Dale and I were married in November 2000, Samantha joined our family in January 2005 (although we learned who she was in December 2004) and Madison joined our family in September 2009 (although we learned who she was in March 2009).  I'd say the past decade has been wonderful to our family!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!  Here's to 2010 and beyond ..........