If they could see me now...

Picture this: One little Orphan girl, 3.5 years old, 33" and 23 lbs. in Saigon, Vietnam...end of the Vietnam War when Saigon is "falling" and Operation Baby Airlift is underway...this would be the one of the FIRST photos my Mother would receive of me - a snapshot into her future daughter's eyes. During a period of time when there was so much uncertainty, change, chaos...one brave, single woman would have the COURAGE to adopt a little Vietnamese toddler! COURAGE: It is not the action in ABSENCE of FEAR...it is the action INSPITE OF FEAR...

Thank you to my Mom & Grandma for having the COURAGE to raise me and do the best you could!!! Without a father figure or brothers or male role models in my life, I am learning from my God-given friend :) that self-reliance, self worth and self survival comes from leaning and trusting in God through my WEAKNESSES (not just my strengths!) My GA *twin* girl :) - shared a verse with me this past summer that I meditate on now daily - Jer. 33:3 and the SAV (Simple Asian Version) translation = "Call unto me & I will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you do not know..."

Little would we realize from the photo above, of my 3 generation women family, would then lead into our 3rd generation adoption legacy. My mom was adopted by my Grandma (& Grandpa, he passed away before I came along) and then my mom adopted me as toddler from Vietnam . Then Oct. 16, 2006 at 5:15pm - this would be the one of the FIRST photos that I would receive of MY daughter- a snapshot into MY future daughter's eyes... If you look closely from MY orphan picture and my orphan daughter's picture, you will see the common "look" of fear, strength, survival and tenacity...However, my daughter would not be the "lonely only" child but have 2 amazing big brothers to protect her and one awesome daddy who loves her and thinks she is sooooo pretty & beautiful. Those are gifts to Maile that will transcend her lifetime...I weep at those thoughts and grateful she will have a different foundation to build her littl' soul from. Thank you God.

This is one of my FAVORITE photos of Maile in recent months. LOOK at her NOW...THOSE EYES!!! WOW!!! Our littl' Thuy Trang is thriving, growing, so beautiful & strong...Her English, verbal skills and comprehension is amazing, she LOVES school, dancing, talking about her "friends" and stands so tall and confident at almost 4 years old and now 35" and 25 lbs. (already ahead of me from where I was at that age!)

Maile Noel: we KNOW God has special plans for your life and we cannot wait to see HIS purpose & will for your life. We are honored you have shared your gift of love, hugs, kisses, joy, singing & pure innocence with us. We pray for you (& your brothers) to receive the greatest gift you could ever get on this side of heaven, the gift of SALVATION, to truly know Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior. We pray Jesus will direct your heart and pathways in life as you TRUST in Him in ALL your ways... (Prov. 3:5-6) While this gift is FREE for you, the rewards are PRICELESS...Please know how very proud we are of all you, Joseph, Samuel & Maile, you are our heartbeat and the reason we live, breathe and work so hard!! We love you forever!!! xoxo your FOREVER MOMMY

Happy Birthday Noc Nguyen

Thurs. 04 Sept. 2008

Across the ocean-across the sea....A life born in Vietnam that would now affect me...
Maile's birthmother birthday is today, is she alone -is she OK? Does she know her baby girl is fine & English is what she says?
Noc Nguyen we thank you for giving us hope, Now with Maile with us- Our rainbow in the storms, we can cope!!!
I am forever humbled & changed by His amazing grace & plans for our lives...
(For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord...Plans to give you a Hope & a Future...Jer. 29:11)


This picture is a freeze frame from a video of Maile being fed at lunch time in Vietnam just months before we would get to feed her!!! She appeared to be so dossle, weak and totally dependent on her care givers...

Now, look at these eyes, Thuy Trang Nguyen, strong & determined to survive all that life gives her. With 2 boy playmates by her side she would be well trained and equipped to fend for herself in the coming days as God prepared her for her 2 big brothers!!!!
Amazed and relieved to make it home on USA soil...Miss Maile Noel snuggled close to me as we passed US Customs and ready to greet family & friends. Of course then the TANGERINE STORY comes into play minutes after this photo (we were NOT so happy!!!) you will have to read March 29, 2007 post to get the full effect of the details that would make me irate & frustrated with Don's confession...(ps - it involves fruit...hence the TANGERINE story!!) Ha ha, NOW we can laugh about it... :) LOL...

We are all settled in as a family of 5. Miss Maile hits the ground runnin' each AM, yelling, "Ba, I'm a awake!!!!" Princess Maile Noel Thuy Trang is the light of our lives, rainsbow in the storms & a joy in our hearts. My kids, all 3 of them, are the reason I live, move, breathe and DANCE!!!! I work tirelessly for them daily because I want to teach them hard work, dedication, commitment, etc. will allow them to pursue their dreams in live and through Christ they can do/ be ANYTHING!!!!! We serve a Mighty God, for that, I'm humbled by His mercies being NEW every AM and His Grace being sufficient for me!!!! THANK YOU GOD for the 3 pairs of eyes that call me, "Mommy!!" - THANK YOU for Encore Centre for DANCE, THANK YOU for drawing me closer to YOU in the trials in life to once again show me, YOU ARE GOD & carrying me in the Palm of YOUR Hands... I love you Lord!!! xoxo

LOCK IN with our Encore DANCERS!!!

We had so much fun FRI Aug. 15, 2008 with our Encore Company DANCERS hangin', playin', cleanin' & "runnin' around town" at 3am...YES, I said 3am. Like in "tradition" of our 2nd annual LOCK IN before our OPEN HOUSE Aug. 16, we walked, visited and shopped at CVS & Walmart!!!! I love my girls, they are PRECIOUS!!!! I KNOW more & more WHY God called me to open Encore...to love, minister, teach & be with these young lives! I'm honored and humbled...

Here were are showing "our guns" - deliriously TIRED and maybe even "slap happy" but I don't know who was slapping who...haha. We didn't even get KICKED out this time :). I guess because last year, I WAS the only "adult" with them and the worker at CVS wanted us to be "supervised." This time Ms. Melissa kept us in line :)...and it was still SO FUN.

Here we are "RUNNING" through the DRIVE THRU at CVS...The Pharmacy was still open & I'm sure the Pharmacist thought we were crazy...probably wanting to give us FREE sleeping pills...ha ha. LOL -- I did NOT post the picture that Olivia took of me trying to order "Pho" (Vietnamese Soup") from KFC... Idk why no one answered my request :). I guess because it was 3:30am and they were NOT open and do NOT make Pho there...Wrong place, wrong time!!!

Finally, after wandering around Walmart, dodging trouble and attention from lurking Police around :) (J/K) and running toward (?) I mean AWAY from sprinklers...we sacked out in the studio... We got a whole 3 hrs. sleep from 430am-730am before I woke everyone up to kick them out to get cleaned up and return for Encore's 3rd season OPEN HOUSE!!! Wow, 2 full years under our belt and God remains steadfast in training me up in many ways at Encore & trusting and leaning on HIM...always!!! (Prov. 3:5-6)

To each of my Encore DANCERS, please KNOW I love you, I pray for you and I KNOW God will do great and mighty things in your lives (Jer. 29:11) - so while you DANCE with me at Encore - I will do all I can to build you up in Mind, Body & Spirit...that you may KNOW "YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS YOU!!!" (Phil. 4:13) I love you. So, here's to movin' on by HIS glory & grace...we DANCE with Purpose!!!!!

With HOPE....

"We can cry with HOPE, we can say Good-bye with HOPE...we know our Good-bye is NOT the end..." (from Steven Curtis Chapman's song lyrics "With HOPE")

I cannot explain how/ why certain people touch our lives the way they do...but with an affinity to "older/ wiser" ladies, I immediately was drawn and loved Michelle's Grandmas when I first met them & adopted them into my heart and family's lives!!! Grandma Joycee so vibrant and energetic...Here she is holding Maile days after bringing Maile home from Vietnam last spring at Jeremy's first b-day party.

Last 4th of July 2007 - we hung out with "Grandma Sugar Cain" while Michelle & her family went to Colorado. Poor Grandma Cain was diagnosed and battled colon cancer since Jeremy's birth, back in March 2006!!! She was a precious lady, strong in her Faith, wise with many years of life experiences...I enjoyed so many little conversations on the couch with her. We would watch her soap & Crossword Game on TV...I didn't care, really...I just wanted to sit by her and be with her!!!

Here is Michelle (to the left of Maile & Me) with her mom (L) and Grandma "Sugar Cain" as I nicknamed her...this picture was from last Thanksgiving! Little would we realize in DEC 2007 how the New Year would bring such loss and grief ahead. I guess it's sometimes better NOT to see the crystal ball and know like how God knows!?? Living through the last 6+ mos. have been hard enough, day by day...to see loved ones struggle, fight and try to hang on...losing the grip of life is hardest on the ones who love them so much.

Ugh, this photo was taken this past March 2008, just months before losing these precious little ladies. A light went out on Sat. May 31st with losing Grandma Joycee (on L. in pix). Her heart was so strong and yet her body so weak from the ravenous pancreatic cancer that she lingered on and fought as long as she could.

Then Grandma Sugar Cain's light (on Rt. in pix) went out this past Friday AM on July 18th, 2008. It also happens to be the ANNIVERSARY day of Don's dad (my "Poppy") dying!!! Such grief, sadness and loss...oh shoot me now! I can see and feel the heaviness in the hearts and spirits of Michelle and her family...it's present in mine too. I EMPATHIZE with the pain of such loss of someone so close and living with them for years. I cannot bare to see the couch EMPTY at Mama Karen's house...ugh. THIS side of heaven stinks - esp. when we are the ones left behind...until we see them again someday in Heaven!

Lord, please help us to make sense of it all soon...give strength and comfort quickly. I pray for a PEACE beyond all understanding...

"The Lord is my refuge & my strength..." Psalm 46:1

Cave Springs, GA

Now we KNOW the charm & reason for the namesake of "CAVE SPRINGS" Georgia!!! We went to walk through a real cave in downtown Cave Springs (population of 900!!!) and drink straight from FRESH Spring water...Wow, what a magical day, I wish time could have stood still! The breeze was warm and the waters were fresh and crisp. The kids LOVED ducking, kneeling and squeeling in the cave (which was FREEZIN' inside).



The sweet older man (on the left of the 1st pic. - let us in the cave and gave us dixie cups to drink from the stream!) It was a precious moment to see all of us drinking from the "stream of life" - so pure, so fun, so simple... We were ALL kids & couldn't get enough of it...



Here's the Crazy Carlson Krew all together in the cave - snuggled together and enjoying the moments of exploring, hiking, climbing and discovering this hidden treasure in Cave Springs. There was ONE steep hill of steps and we ventured up most the way, only Aunt Heather was brave enough to get to the top called, "The Devil's Chair" - yikes...NOT sure WHY, but I did't want to find out either. I again in FLIP FLOPS, did not want to return to my Vietnam days of hiking slippery steps and end of tumbling down. I had a good track record before and wanted to keep it that way! :)

Something people may not know about me, I do NOT like getting WET - I don't mind swimming for the most part if I can DRY off and be warm again. But feeling WET & COLD - ugh...they do NOT mix with me!! Right outside the cave, the spring waters filters out to a pond where the kids could feed the turtles, fish & ducks...A few feet over is a river that the rest of the crew & Heather & Rocco (but NOT ME) took full opportunity to do...yay for them! :) It was a splice of time to behold & soak up, sun rays beaming down with warm breeze twirling around and if I would have had a COUNTRY TIME LEMONADE drink, it would have been the PERFECT summer day!!!

Georgia and It's Southern Belles!!!

Well, we made it here to see our dear friends, the Willis family (Jason & Heather adopted Rocco), whom we met, traveled, lived, laughed & cried with for almost 3 weeks in VN last March 2007 when adopting our babies from Ninh Thuan, Vietnam! Both Rocco & Maile lived & played together everyday at the same orphanage and just found out even slept side by side without realizing their fate would bond them forever. We traveled STAND BY on SWA on Fri. June 20, which I don't know I would do again with 3 KIDS & husband. Getting ALL 5 of us on one plane to our final destination of Birmingham, AL (where the Willis family would then pick us up to take us to GA) would prove to be a very long day...ALMOST as exhausting as traveling home to USA with Maile! After settling in, Rocco warmed up very quickly to our kids and they have been playmates since. ABOVE Pix: We are in turquoise shirts, reunited with our Ninh Thuan Buddies, like time had stood still and picking up where we left off...from last meeting, March 29, 2007 (Rocco's 1st B-day & saying good byes in the Airport.)

Our first full day with the Willis' will be a hard day to beat - we got to hang with them on the WILLIS FARM, just 5 mins. away from their country home and with over 130 acres of raw land, 2 ponds, barns, cows, bulls, turkeys, deer, etc...there is A LOT of work to be done!!! The Carlson crew got to DRIVE the Tractor (seen in the ABOVE Pic.) and if YOU thought I was a crazy driver in FRISCO with my Suburban, you should see my drive this tractor. I tried to spear the 1200 lbs. bale of hay you see above and lifted the handle too soon. YIKES...needless to say, the hay tipped over on it's side and we rammed into it like a brick wall. Other than a bruised ego and a golf cart of Don, Heather & my kids watching (& laughing) - we were ALL okay (physically) :). Working on the farm (well as least when the Carlsons come to visit) - it becomes a day of VERY INEXPENSIVE Entertainment...the Willis' enjoyed educating us (*ME*) on how the "shredded wheat" looking hay after a VERY labor intensive project turns into "circles" - called bales of hay!!!

Now, if that was NOT enough, getting behind the wheel when HEATHER IS DRIVING is far more HAZARD to my health (both mental and physical) than I would ever imagine. She decided to take us on these ZEALOUS golf cart tours up and down hills, dirt paths, forest, etc...to show us the land. Poor Joseph, my conservative, sweet son would YELL & SCREAM, "Slow doowwwnnnn, Don't forget Maile's in the cart!!!!" It was halariously precious!!! But the FUNNIEST site Heather and I will NOT ever forget was when Heather asked Samuel, Maile, Joseph & I if we wanted to feed the bull & cows??? Well, not even 30 secs. later, we look back to watch JOSEPH's "Forest Gump" RUN (about 10 blocks) back to where Don, Rocco, Jason & his parents were!!! Joseph was running so fast, there was a trail dust clouding up behind him as he ran, bless his heart!!! We was so terrified.....NOW, I know rightfully so, HOW SMART Joseph was - getting out while he could!!!

Heather gathers the feed & hay & puts it on the back of the golf cart & teases them with a taste to get them to "follow her to another location!!" (here's a "FAMILY PORTRAIT" as Heather calls it - with the WHITE BULL in the back - TOP photo) Well, little would we realize HOW FAST Cows can CHASE after their food. This "safari" ride turned VERY SCARY for a few LONG seconds as I felt like we were in the movies on a GREAT ESCAPE mission. Maile was screaming, I was trying NOT to look back, but then had to get a pic. of the "MAD COWS" coming after us...it was surreal, scary and almost life threatening had they gotten any closer & flipped our golf cart with us in it like a pancake-(see LOWER photo)!!! YIKES...NOW we can laugh about it, but that was definitely a terrifying moment for Samuel, Maile & I...and maybe even my dear friend and crazy woman driver, Heather :). Haha...That is definitely one for the books to tell the grandkids someday! All's well that ends well....whew....close call, but we are A--OK! :)

SAT PM - June 21st - we got the privilege of meeting Sandra & Glenn, neighbors across the country road of the Willis' to have our kids ride on their sweet horse, Liberty. Both Rocco & Maile's first time and they were champs, so brave & strong!!! Joseph, Samuel, Maile & Rocco loved it and here's a precious pic. (ABOVE) of Rocco & Maile saddling up as s duo on the horse...a whole 45# combined - if that (Rocco - age 2 yrs. old & abt. 31.5" tall and 20.5# and Maile - age 3.5 yrs. old & 33.5"tall and 24.5#) They are SO SWEET with each other, we wonder if THEY sense or remember any of their EARLY days together in Ninh Thuan, they were both there together for about 8-9 mos., day in and day out...hmmmm....
Here's the VIETNAMESE clan from around the world, Joseph & Samuel met Rocco for the first time a couple days ago and love on him & play with him like a little brother!!! All united for the visit and we are blessed and amazed on how well they get along and love on each other... We have thoroughly enjoyed our time so far with the Willis family, hearing JASON preach as Senior Pastor @ his church, Lakeview Baptist Church this AM was an honor & highlight as well. We will also participate in the LBC - VBS program this week while we are here and already made a round of Putt Putt golf together...We are humbled and BLESSED by the friendship, kindness and generosity from sharing time, the Willis' house & church family & their lives with us...Wow!!!! THANK YOU God for them, what a gift not only for us...but the legacy of our sweet Ninh Thuan babies!!!! We see the handiwork of God everyday but especially through the eyes of our adopted children who teach us about Love, Loss, Life and yet...Trusting again.... (Jer. 29:11)

2nd Season comes to a close...

Wow, hard to believe how time flies and the last entry was so long ago...I have been sooooo crazy, busy, and crazy busy :) with my DANCE studio's year-end Student Concert. We have boldly celebrated the ministry of DANCE in a Frisco ISD H.S. and it was ALL God to put it all together... There were little glitches in each of our 3 shows (!!) we hosted on SAT June 14th, but all in all, God ROCKED the House!

Here's a few of our Co. dancers at our last audition that will be joining us next Season. I cannot wait to see God work through us for HIS glory!!! I firmly believe in more and more in my life that GOD does have a plan for us, if we are OBEDIENT to the Calling..."For I KNOW the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..." Jer. 29:11

This season's theme was "Dancin' with JOY" and I hope and pray our DANCERS felt the JOY we have for them as well as God as we teach them about Christ & dance steps along the way too! :)


I had to publically apologize at each concert that my fear is to forget a DANCER'S name in the program. While I proofed the 24 page program as well as my husband and Ms. Michelle, NO ONE picked up the absence of MY SONS name in the program!!! Joseph looked at the final proof and in 10 secs. said, "Mommy, how come our names are NOT in the program?" I said, "WHAT???" Ugh... Well, I guess I lost the Mother of the Year for that one...I'm SO SORRY Joseph & Samuel...please forgive me. I am so inadequate and underserving to be your Mommy and yet God humbles me and blesses me DAILY with your presence in my life!!! THANK YOU for being the incredibly precious, young men whom love their Mommy and learning to serve & follow our Mighty God. I LOVE YOU FOREVER....

Desiree Chapman with Just One Year (JOY) Photography took these sweet pictures of my crew & our "adopted" littl' brother, Matthew (Michelle's son) whom tapped to SPIDERMAN & Miss Maile made her debut in BALLET with "Me & My Teddy Bear" and TAP "Thank Heaven for Littl' Girls" dance! I was soooo proud of her for NOT crying and freaking out on me as she has in the past. She seemed to soak up the lights, stage and opportunity to wear GLITTER....is she HAND PICKED for us or what!??? Again, I'm humbled and blessed by her life in ours... "Trust in the Lord with all your heart...in ALL your ways acknowledge Him & He will direct your paths..." Prov. 3:5-6


During the last picture weekend at Encore Centre for DANCE, I tried to get a few action shots... The last time I had a picture of doing a side leap like this was jumping on a bed in a N.Y. Hotel when I WAS a Co. DANCER. Ha ha...that was many moons ago, I'm surprised I could walk after this photo shoot.

Here's to another season that awaits us in the coming weeks. However, I am enjoying a little reprieve and I am JOYfully looking forward to a family vacation to see OUR BUDDY ROCCO (& his parents) in GA that was Maile's littl' orphanage friend in VIETNAM over a year ago! I wonder if they will recognize each other??? We CANNOT wait to see their family as we share the BOND of getting our babies from Vietnam and celebrating ROCCO'S FIRST b-day when heading HOME with his FOREVER Family, last March 29, 2007!!!

We will see you soon Buddy! Love & Miss you... xo Kim-Lan & crew

FOREVER OURS day Today!!! 14 March 2007

14 March 2008

TODAY we celebrate our ONE YEAR anniversary of getting Maile Noel Thuy Trang Carlson --FOREVER in VIETNAM at this time. I so vividly remember the memories, anticipation and emotions racing through my body, heart and mind as we explored our new daughter and her/my homeland!!! WOW, what a difference ONE year makes. She has come out of her shell, so strong, silly, funny, independent and she can be SASSY too!!!! She instinctively knows how to whine, have drama fits and tantrums (in public) and get her Daddy & big brothers wrapped around her finger!!!! Maile amazes us on her English, the way she puts things back in place & in order and doesn't want to be left behind...really wants to be involved :) (she is LIKE her Mommy!!) Whenever I am talking to the boys' about getting something or going somewhere, Maile pipes in, "Maile too!!!!" or "NO Mommy Bye-bye!" It's so cute and precious how much SHE REALLY does understand!!!!

Thank you for your prayers, we still need them. Both Don & I are working FULL time (probably MORE than that!) and trying to find balance, peace and harmony in such a crazy, busy, fast-paced world. WE LOVED VIETNAM, the spirit of the people, their lifestyle...how SIMPLE and relaxed it was...time was no object and families sat around on the streets (literally) eating Pho (soup) & chatting in 100 degree with what felt like 110% humidity! It was surreal and humbling to see how RAW the Vietnamese people were, SO HAPPY with SO little!!!! God is working on me in many ways through this adoption, "training ME up in the way I should go...so when I'm old I won't depart from it!!?" I hope!!! I see my orphan eyes in hers often, the reflection is piercingly similar! I pray God equips me to endure and be prepared for the issues that will ultimately arrive from her adoption story as her heart questions & her history unfolds.

With so much anticipation of THIS Day, "Giving and Receiving" our children from the VIETNAMESE courts to our families forever - it would ALL become official in "their" eyes!!! :) Whew...Heather and I holding the CALENDAR date of the 14th in our hands after meeting with the Directors of the Ninh Thuan orphanage right before the ceremony!

Maile was so sleepy while waiting for the ceremony to begin...she ended sleeping THROUGH the WHOLE ceremony! At least we KNOW it happened and it is all official - and on record & in hard copy too :). I was amazed and honored she felt comfortable enough in my arms to trust herself to go to sleep...wow, this is ONLY on DAY 2 of meeting her & holding her for just a few hours!

After our G&R ceremony, we had our first "play date" of hanging out at the Pacific Ocean Beach and by our hotel pool side. You can see an awake Maile guarded and reserved to the "new life" that awaits her, wondering "WHAT IS GOING ON?" She did NOT speak or smile for DAYS. I will be posting more of her progress in the coming days as you see her BLOOM and open up lie a rose!!!

The evening of 14 March 2007, the VIETNAMESE workers/ directors from Ninh Thuan Orphanage threw us a big G&R ceremony party in style with 4-5 course meal and generously loving on us and congratulating us on taking their Ninh Thuan babies home forever!!! It was such a joyous celebration, it was bittersweet to let them hold Maile for their last time as my daughter remained confused on the whole situation. Overall, the evening was so enjoyable and humbled by the VN people's spirit of generosity, kindness, love & acceptance of us!!!

ONE YEAR ago...MY orphan eyes meet HER orphan eyes!

Filled with so many memories this week of our journey to VIETNAM to bring home our daughter!!! It has been ONE YEAR already of that chapter in our lives, the culminating ending of a two year process in adoption pregnancy!!! After seeing her referral photo every day for FIVE MONTHS, we were finally going to be "delivered" our baby girl, Nguyen thi Thuy Trang at 27 mos., 30.5" tall and 20.5 lbs.!!!! We have such joy and thankfulness, I vividly remember the anticipation of meeting her for the FIRST time after arriving from our 23 hours flight from DFW to Saigon, VN and not wanting to "tour the city" the day before our drive to Ninh Thuan. I remember Heather (the other mom going to my orphanage to get her almost one yr. first born, son!!!) and desperately trying to get our agency to send us to Ninh Thuan a DAY sooner to see our babies, but the itinerary was set for us to "shop and rest" the day before our long bus ride to Ninh Thuan. FINALLY, 6am on 13th of March 2007 - we were leaving Saigon to take our LONG bumpy, can't get there fast enough bus ride to Ninh Thuan, Vietnam!!! The shores of the South China Seas (Pacific Ocean) would soon tell us we were near by!!! I remember getting to the hotel checking in, scurrying quickly to change, freshen up and "look nice" to meet my daughter for the first time. She would never notice, care or realize if I had my hair messy, smelled or looked ratty..."HELLO!!! She has NOTHING, lives in an orphanage after her mother dropped her off the DAY BEFORE she turned 18 mos. old" What was I thinking. As we embarked the parking lot, we saw the children gathered at the top of the stairs looking to see what "foreigners" had arrived. I saw, Maile (My-lee) Noel Thuy Trang Carlson for the first time. The caregivers soon whisked her away to change her once they knew we had arrived. Tears were streaming down my face, heart was racing, the MOMENT was FINALLY here as we rushed up the stairs of the Ninh Thuan Orphanage. It felt like the "Chariots of Fire" moment running in SLOW motion to get to the finish line.

As we arrived at the top of the balcony of the orphanage, not even a minute later before I could get my camera out, Maile was dodging at me...THIS is the photo I got of her right before arriving into my arms!!! Such wonder, bewilderment, shock on her little face in her sweet, white littl' dress and no shoes on!!!! Oh my goodness, my daughter and I would now meet! I wondered, "Does she KNOW about me? does she KNOW I'm going to be her FOREVER Mommy?" "Will she like us?" So many questions racing through my mind that would only answer as time marched forward...

Maile (we called her "Thuy Trang" in VIETNAM so she would know we knew her name & have kept it legally now as well) - but she NEVER cried when I held her, she took everything in with those BIG dark brown eyes in which I could SEE my reflection in. Wow, it was an undescribeable moment in time to just want to hold her and tell her, "It's going to be OKAY now!!!" I practiced very basic Vietnamese phrases, "Mommy loves you," "Pretty girl" and tried to keep telling her that in my AMERICAN (Texas) accent! Yikes.

When "Ba" (daddy) tried to hold her for the first time, she CRIED...the FIRST time I would see her cry...oh that face!!!! Her littl' eyes disappeared and her mouth gapping open with full set of teeth!!! She was so distressed with this WHITE MONSTER holding her after I had just had her trying to reassure her "it's all good." I was even more stunned that she CALMED down and never cried when I held her that first day. Surely the workers MUST have said something about getting a "new Mommy" or something, PLUS me BEING and LOOKING Vietnamese was my trump card.... I really think that was invaluable in helping Maile relate to me :)!!!!

THIS IS one of my MOST FAVORITE photos of just holding her, thanking God for her, wanting the warm, brisk breeze to dance through our hairs and NEVER let go...I did NOT want THIS moment to end!!!! I was in total disbelief that my DAUGHTER was now and forever going to be mine...well, by the next day, 14th of MARCH 2007 - it would all be official!!! Wow, THANK YOU God for being so Mighty, all-knowing, loving and powerful to bring this little life into ours. "Trust in the Lord, with ALL your heart, lean NOT on your own understanding, but in ALL your ways acknowledge HIM and He will make your paths straight!" - Prov. 3:5-6
Forever changed, forever touched, forever grateful....

Let it Snow...in TEXAS???

Maile was HAPPY to ring in the "New Year" at her Vietnamese TET Party back in Febuary. She "made" her littl' Vietnamese Flag and held it with pride. Hard to believe, last year, we did NOT have her at Dillon International's TET Party (the party held by our adoption agency.) We got the call days later (Feb. 12, 2007) to go get her and her "Giving & Receiving Date" would be March 14, 2007!!! Wow...amazed she is now & "FOREVER OURS!!!"










"Let it snow!!!" N. Texas got hit with a "Winter Storm Warning" and schools were closing early, businesses were sending workers home and we even canceled Thurs. PM DANCE classes!!! Here's our "winter wonderland" scene on our street in Frisco!









The snow flakes were so big and fluffy, the boys raced home from school to go out & play in it!!! Maile did NOT seem to care to see her first snow sighting, was rather upset to have to bundle up and try to smile for this photo! She wanted to be inside eating her snack instead!!! ha ha.




Finally got Maile to :) with me (in our MATCHING scarves & hats...thanks to Grandma Lizzy! - Thanks mom!!!) It felt like MICHIGAN and had it been December, I would have said we were going to have a "White Christmas!" But, since we are in TEXAS...doubt the snow will stick! It was a FUN (& cold) day for the Carlson Crew today!!! :)