Great Days

Here are some fun moments we've been having!!
(Sorry for how huge this post is: this is what I get for not keeping up with all of the pictures!)




Ava and the Rexburg Temple



With her Buddy, Riley



Ava takes EVERY SINGLE toy out of her toy box, even the ones on the VERY BOTTOM



Ava's so curious about her "pregnant"belly... and for all of you other curious-types...
NO WE ARE NOT PREGNANT!!!



Miss Mischief dumps ALL of her Gerber Fruitbites out, complete with the strawberry DUST

Big Grins on a Walk

Playing at the Park

Dad trying to play CATCH-UP

Ava thinks it's her DUTY to collect one mulch chip at a time and give them to us, run back and grab one more, give them to us.... etc. etc...

She thinks it's so funny when she gets too close to the edge of the sidewalk and both Taylor and I are screaming, "AVA STOP!!!!"... she turns and giggles!



On the RUN... again



Eating our Snoasis!!! A summertime staple



Hi Rachel H., this Black Cherry Cheesecake (with a scoop of ice cream on the bottom) is for you!!! Good luck surviving the Humidity!!



So independent (and not too great at sharing!)



Dad showing Ava a ladybug



Best Friends



Buh-Bye for Now!!

KISS KISS

Here's a quick SNACK for ya. Lately every time we give Ava or each other a kiss, we say, "KISS! MMMmmmua!" then we kiss! She loves it.
Yesterday, Taylor and I were watching T.V. while Ava was playing with her dolls. Then out of the blue, Ava walks over to T- who is laying down- and bends down and kisses Taylor right on the middle of his forehead, "Mmmmmua". Just like a Mafia Don does to his "family". Then turns around and continues to play with her toys.
Silly girl!

Kicking off the Summer

Yesterday we Wilson's celebrated our first official summer day-- I know, I know... You're thinking, "UM HELLO? It's been nice for a while AND then the rainy days come and THIS is the official "Kicking-Off-the-Summer Day"!? What??" Yes, we're crazy and spontaneous people like that- and we won't judge if you don't!

So... back to the Kick Off. Taylor, Ava and I went out for a "crazy and spontaneous" walk (good thing you're sitting down.. all the excitement might get one dizzy) and wandered over to the park where we were thrilled to see the Carousel and Splash Park going at full throttle. Despite the cloudy skies, the weather was NICE. Ava was so pumped up at the sight of the carousel that she made a total beeline to the gate and clung onto the bars (sort of like a lonely prisoner longing to get free). It was cute- but we decided that it might be even more HAIR RAISING to actually let her have her first ride!! She loved it (however, peeling her hands from around the bars on the gate to get on the ride was a screaming mess- she was so offended that we weren't letting her look at the horses anymore.

Then off the carousel.. and onto Splash Park. Since it looked pretty cloudy (and eventually it started to sprinkle on us for a minute) there weren't any other kids there which was perfect for us to introduce Ava to the park. She didn't have a swimsuit on, but we let her go nuts anyway since I brought an extra couple of blankets in the stroller in case of crazy weather... this proved to be a good idea since she just wanted to sit (in her jeans) and play in the puddles. I can't wait to see her in her bathing suit splashing around! woo hoo!

(This picture "Cracks" us up-- yeah, yeah.. not funny, I know)

And the Cherry on Top: on our way home, we (in a very "crazy and spontaneous" manner) took a detour to Frontier Pies and both got a slice of our very own... mmmmm, PUMPKIN for me and APPLE for T. Love it. Love it. LOVE IT!

Bonjour!

Here's a quick shout out to Hi Suk and Jean Claude.

First of all: sorry to drag out Ava's birthday celebration for so long. I would have been able to get this up sooner if Little Miss Mischief didn't run off with my camera cord and hide it!!! (Finally found it in the Crisper drawer in our refrigerator... tells you how often I eat my vegies). Anyway- an explanation on one of the clips!

Hi Suk explained to me that in Korea a Baby's First Birthday is a HUGE occasion and one thing they like to do for fun is set up a small table with three things on it: 1) a string 2) money and 3) a pen or pencil. Then let the Birthday girl go and whatever item she picks up of the three tells us her future!!!! I love it!


The string means she'll live a long life. The money... wealth! And the pen or pencil means she'll be a writer!
Find out what Ava chooses...

Hi Suk et Jean Claude,
Je suis desole qu'il me prendre beaucoup temps d'envoie ces photos et de films. J'aime Ava's visage quand elle ecout ton chanson d'anniversaire, c'est tres minon!!
Je veux te dire comment je suis tellement chancer d'avoir toi dans ma vie maintenant. Je suis heureaxs que Ava est l'opportunity de te faire connetre. Ou tant que il vas nous prendons un peux de temps d'econimise d'argent, nous sommes tres contants de venir en france de te voir. Merci beaucoup pour me trouver et pour faire envelopper ma famile dans ta vie.
Bisous, Katy
ps. Notre ami Gary, qui a'habiter en france pandant deuxs ans, nous a tradairons cette lettre pour nous!!!

Happy Birthday Dear Ava!

Just last year...
Wow! Never in a million years could I have ever known how MUCH I love this girl! Ava turned one year old today and we PARTIED! Well, to be more accurate, I partied- and Ava watched sweetly. A quick rundown of the weekend:
My mom and dad came from Wyoming to help us celebrate and Ava LOVED it! Playing with two adoring Grandparents= HEAVEN.
On Saturday Taylor and I gave Ava a small birthday party at the park. The day was beautiful, friends, food (fried, of course!) and presents! I wanted this party to be sort of "themed" so being that Sweetface was born here in Idaho- I wanted to make a "OUR LITTLE SPUD'S TURNING ONE" day- complete with baked potato-shaped ice cream (refer to picture) and Mr. Potato Head cupcakes! We also fried up corn dogs and french fries for everyone. The theme was lost on our guests, I think, but I was giggling about it inside! Hee Hee.. Anyway, Ava scored with toys, coloring crayons, a pink stroller for her Bap's, hair bows, the greatest Quiet Book for Church, etc... she loves all her loot!
I was a tad surprised when she was given her very own birthday cake to dive head first into and all she did was tentatively smush her finger around in the frosting for a bit, then one or two small fistfuls of cake- and that's all! That's okay, more for mom and dad! The cake was a sweet gift from one of Ava's best friends, Destry- it was "CUTE AS A BUTTON"!! Thanks Aunt D!
Playing at the playground was another thrilling part of the day with her two buds, Kobe and Lily.


Monday- Ava's actual birthday, Taylor and I gave her her present from us (that came in the mail just in time). At a barbecue we went to a few weeks ago with some of my old girlfriends from home, Ava loved playing in the little car that belonged to one of the other kids. So, that's what we bought for her (it's the first and last car we'll be buying for this child!!) But she loves it!
As an extra treat to Taylor and I, Destry and Riley were so gracious to babysit Ava while we went on an awesome date!!!! It has been WAY TOO LONG since he and I went out, just the two of us, on anything more than a run to Wal-Mart!! We had a ball tonight!

Well: here are a few pictures from all the chaos, enjoy!
(Sorry for the random smattering of birthday pictures... I still don't get how to do the cute pictures, then right under each have a small caption describing what the picture is all about... I need help!)



I guess a mom's first baby's first birthday is a big deal- and for me, it really was: I can't imagine, and don't ever want to, imagine our lives without our Sweetface... she's brought us so much joy and the older she gets the more my heart explodes with pride. We so blessed. We love you AvaBaby, forever and ever.

Ava's BAP

Here's a quick video of Ava showing you her baby (or what she calls, her "Bap"). I crack up every time she calls some 4 year old a Bap. Whatta character!!

I love that she said "Dad?" at the end of the clip... priceless!

Some back-tracking!

I FINALLY found my long lost camera cord so now I can tell you all how things went in California when we met our birth mother, Hi Suk- complete with a small photo montage! Well, first of all, none of this would have possible without Taylor's fantastic aunt and uncle who live right outside of San Fransisco, the designated meeting place. They were so gracious enough to let us crash at their home (their amazing, beautiful, splendid, newly-remodeled, kid-loving home) and even let us use their car to get to and fro... it was really so nice of them and we appreciate it immensely. The trip was filled with a full day in the city, walking along the piers, eating at Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Park, Palace of Fine Arts, etc... so much to do, so little time. My little brother, Wendel and Ava became fast buddies and it definitely helped that Ava was an angel the whole time- which really surprised me since we were going, going, going almost the whole time. She was so patient which made this little vacation so much sweeter for me! The day before we were to meet with Hi Suk and Jean Claude, her husband, I get a frantic email saying their tour was a little off schedule and they wouldn't be arriving in San Fran until about 5pm, instead of 11am that morning. She was panicked that we wouldn't be able to connect with each other and this whole trip was for nothing!!! (She's not at alllll dramatic like Me! NOoooo sir!) Luckily we made contact and decided that T, Wendel, Ava and I would just go to the hotel they were staying at around 5pm and spend the time there instead of in the city. Great plan! 5pm and the four of us got to the hotel without a hitch and were walking in toward the concierge desk- when all of a sudden we hear a loud squeal of excitement! We turn around and I got totally mauled by our long lost birth mother!!! She is by far one of the best huggers in the WORLD!!!! It was such an adrenaline rush for all of us, hugging, laughing, more hugging and a few tears (from us gals, obviously the guys had to keep it all locked up!). I wrote in my journal when I got back from the hotel this: "Meeting Hi Suk for the first time wasn't scary for me at all, I was calm, but excited. I can't really describe the feeling of the very first hug- only like it was meeting an old friend again after a long time apart- it was warm and sweet. I am now sitting here knowing this was the right thing to do". We all went to the lobby area to talk for a while and share some photos of Wendel and I from our younger years. She was so funny! Always stroking our faces, drinking it in. Then going off with Ava- who was just barely learning how to walk a few steps at a time then- encouraging her in French baby-talk. It was priceless to watch her with Ava, since she and I look so much alike at that age, Hi Suk kept muttering my birth name into her hair and holding her tight. It made my heart ache and explode with happiness at the same time. After a nice dinner at a nearby sushi bar, we went back to the hotel for some more talking. Hi Suk gave Ava and I both dresses called a hanbok which we dressed Ava up in right then and there! What a doll! The dresses are gorgeous, mine is pure white on top with elaborate hand stitching around the collar and scarlet red on bottom.

At the end of the night, none of us wanted to leave- but we knew it wouldn't be the last time we saw each other. We were all so elated the whole way back to the Edgrin's home.

I'm so blessed to have such great families in my life. My birth mother is an inspiration to me. She reminds me that when trials come our way, it's alright to grieve but building a great life afterwards is the best thing to do for your soul. My own mother, Viki, is a huge example of unconditional love and fortitude. Her whole life was dedicated toward making sure her children know they are loved immensely. And my sweet husband who is the biggest supporter and most solid person in my life- someone who doesn't take our blessings for granted and who encourages me to become the mother I want to be. I know that my life is richly blessed because of the people who I love and who love me back.

Thank you all so much for your support and well-wishes with this little adventure of mine- I'm so grateful for your thoughts!

World-O-Bloggers Tag

I got tagged (again)- I'm starting to feel like the chubby kid in the dodge ball game that won't ever end! This is a fun one tagged by Rachel H. who was firstly "my girl" who I went visiting teaching to along with my sweet partner Pamela. Then she and I became tight little bloggin' buds- she's the Blogging Guru of all Blogging Guru's. I immediately felt at home in the Holloway's home- visiting her was like going to an old roomies' place just to kick back... oh and we'd EVENTUALLY get a small lesson in there too! She now lives in Ohio (whoo hooo... we love Ohio) and is loving life with her incredible family (of one sweetheart chickadee daughter and two silly, charming boys, and a really really sincerely nice husband)- I only want the very very best for Rachel and her life!


Rules of this Tag:

1. Answer the questions about the list of friends and/or family on your blog.

2. If you don’t have 18 names answer the question about the next name that you have not had a question for on your list.

3. Tag 5 people.

When did you first meet the first person on your list?

--I actually met Ryan first, he and I were in the very first college class I've ever taken- Spanish 101. Ryan, Nic and I became fast friends (mostly the kind who you can complain to about your insanely early class). Then YEARS later I was working at the Plasma Center and I was about to stick his arm when we figured out the "old cronies" connection... that was fun. Now, his adorable wife is pregnant with their first baby and we couldn't be happier for the two!!



What do you like about the third person on your list's blog?

What DON'T I like about Andrea! I haven't met her husband or baby boy yet, but Andrea and I used to be best friends way back in the day- growing up in Wyoming. She and I used to go on these crazy-long walks and just talk and talk and talk... then when we would run out of things to talk about, we liked to try and remember all the different topics we just got finished talking about!!!!! I know, might I remind you... We grew up in Wyoming.



What do you like best about the fifth and sixth people on your list?

Ash and Tim- my husband's sister and her husband are probably the best kind of in-law siblings someone could ask for. Ash is sort of my Go-To gal when it comes to anything relating to: pregnancy, being a mom, wife stuff, recipes (only the sinful stuff, thank you very much), and much much more. I love them!
Becki- she is so sweet, always really really sunny. Becki has a never-ever cloudy personality which I love (she makes me look like the Grinch who Stole Everything, Not just Christmas!)



How long have you known the ninth person on your list?
Erin- I'm so glad this question landed on Erin, since she's probably the one person on my list who has known me literally from the start. She remembers my little brother and I coming over to their home with my parents when we first were adopted (I think we were being "shown off"? haha!) But Erin and I have known each other forever- but really became good friends in high school (she was a year older than me... meaning she was WAY cooler)



What impresses you about the eleventh and twelfth people on your list?
Kelly- I read a recent post on Kelly's blog where she described her first pregnancy with her son. She had to endure such a difficult pregnancy and her son was born at just over 2 pounds- what an amazing woman. Her son is perfect and just so handsome, what a miracle boy!
Kersten- Wow, her endurance impresses me. Kersten has two little boys and I only really knew her first, Eddie, who is like a mini blond tornado with a stick! Really, that family is too cute and I hope her family and their business is doing great!



What is a memory you have with the sixteenth person on your list?
Megan- I have so many fun memories with Megan. I think it's because in high school we were both little Sassafrasses! I think my most prominent memory with her is in high school. I was walking down a deserted hallway (late to gym class, of course) and at the end of the hallway (by "Cowboy Corner") I see a shoe. Just a shoe lying there without a foot or an owner. It was really quiet and I reached the end of the hallway to hear a little bit of grunting and rustling around. As I round the corner, I see a group of about 20 students surrounding a fight!!! Megan and .... Oh crap, I forgot the other girl's name! Anyway, they were punching and pulling hair and whipping each other around pretty hard so I broke through the circle and pulled one of the girls off the other (I think it was No Name girl) and right then two teachers came down to restore order. It was pretty crazy! But I like to tell people that I save No Name's life that day... she totally owes me!



Say something nice about the eighteenth person on your list.
Michelle- I just LOVE LOVE LOVE Shama- she's one of my old besties from Wyoming too (I'm really lucky to have a group of girls who I grew up with and am still in contact with very frequently!!) Michelle is eternally nice- really! I told my husband that out of all of us SassyPants who grew up together, Michelle is the only one who I haven't ever had a "Moody, Girly Spat" with EVER. She's raising the most handsome little guy who is smart as a whip and just so sweet. We all still call her "Shama"- I think the story goes: someone was saying her name really fast over and over, "Michelle,Michelle, MichelleMichelleMichelle, Shama, Shama, Shama!!"
She's great!

Aight: I now tag
Ami
Becki
Jessica
and whoever else thinks this idea is AWESOME

Another Tag

Ok- so forgive me for feeling pretty popular right now-- I've never been tagged so much in my life!!! (including recess) So now I'm feeling all awesome and my head is barely being held up by my weak neck muscles. My "Awesome" weak neck muscles! JOKING- all this is supposed to be read in a sarcastic tone- BTW.
I just got tagged by my husband's cooler-than-heck cousin, Meg. Ever since meeting my new cousin, I have felt really comfortable around her and her family. And have I mentioned how insanely cute her kiddos are? Well, they are- I'll just say it now, I've got one heckofa good lookin' family.

Who Do You Love? Taylor and Ava are top two- then my family and friends of course!
How Long Have You Been Married? Almost 4 years-- Married the same day as Meg: Aug. 20, 2004
Who Said I Love You First? Sad story: I was getting dropped off for a class by Taylor and as I was stepping out of the car I blurted out, "Okay, Love ya, bye!"--BUT it was supposed to be like a friendly "love ya" not a "I LOVE YOU" love ya. Anyways, I was horrified all during class thinking Taylor was going to bail out on me- but all that worrying was for nothing since he had NO CLUE I said that. So... officially the "I LOVE YOU" was said by Taylor first... during a Denzel Washington movie. I know, romantic, right?
How Long Did You Date? Four months before the proposal, then another 3 and a half months until we got hitched
Where Did He Propose? Tuscany... the apartment complex (it was just the frame- and it really was romantic. Really)
Who Is Taller? Taylor
Who Is Smarter? Silly question: ME. But to give T the benefit of the doubt- he's pretty good with instructions (I can't put anything together... even with diagrams), and he's very book-smart. Okay, who am I kidding- he's got me on common sense too! Please don't tell him this.
Who Does The Laundry? Both
Who Pays The Bills? Me
Who Mows The Lawn? The maintenance man for our apartment complex.
Who Cooks Dinner? Usually a small Roman-looking dude, Little Ceasar
Who Drives? Taylor- I offer to drive a lot, but he LOVES to listen to my commentary on how He's driving... what a sweetheart.

I'm now tagging: Pamela, Aly and Liz

Seven Facts About Me...

First of all- We're back from our trip to San Fransisco to meet with Hi Suk, my birth mother- however, about two days after we got back in town-- we moved to yet another apartment. This time we hope our move will keep us in one spot for longer than a few months. Anyway, I'm going to give ya'lls the update or lowdown on how my reunite with Hi Suk went-- but I have to post pictures along with it-- and that being said... in the move, I lost track of my camera. I'll find it and my stars will finally be aligned once again. By the way- the trip was FANTASTIC... I'm so excited!

Now... back to the original POST: I got tagged by my old girlfriend Erin- she and I have had some great times together way back when and I just wanna say... "Erin, if not for you that one summer... it would have been long, so boring, and BSB would not be part of my top 10 memories- Love ya, girl"

Seven Things 'Bout Me

1. I love to mix M&M's with Hot Tamales (the candy)- the secret is the ratio: one hot tamale with 2 plain M&M's. Magical.

2. My secret fantasy talent would be photography- just to have a creative eye that catches that one perfect moment on camera, that would be bliss for me.

3. The bottom of my feet seem to always be black with dirt- I promise, I scrub them all the time, but we must have really dirty carpets. But why aren't Ava's knees always dirty then?

4. I love the smell of summer barbecues

5. I insist on the toilet paper being hung with the paper coming off the top of the roll, not the bottom. Ever.

6. My favorite "flash-in-the-pan" color is Putrid Green. For now.

7. I have only had one Apple Pie that I actually loved- Mom Wilson's. Seriously, I've never had good apple pie until that one fateful day in Kentucky, on Mallard Street, sitting up at 10pm licking the plate clean.

Okee-Day, Now I think I need to tag some people: So, Jessica W., Andrea, Britt, Angela, and Ash you're IT!

RULES:1. On your post, link back to the person who tagged you - that would be me, in this case.
2. Post your assignment on your blog - seven weird or random facts.
3. Post these rules on your blog.
4. Post links to seven bloggers that you will be tagging.
5. Go to those blogs and give them a comment on their blog to let them know that you have tagged them.

My Ever-Expanding Family

I have a great life- I suspect all of you would agree with me that it's family that really makes you appreciate how AWESOME your life is. Well, I have the coolest opportunity to expand my own family that I never thought was possible. I'm adopted (actually all four of us siblings were adopted) and since my little brother and I were adopted from a Korean orphanage, we just assumed that meeting our biological family would not be possible in this lifetime. This didn't ever affect us- it was just a part of life and we were and are happy with our wonderful family who loves us and raised us well.
In September of 2006, pregnant with Ava- I got a phone call from a Reconnection Handler from Holt International Adoption Agency, the agency we were adopted from, and he told me he has a letter in his hands for me from MY BIRTH MOTHER!!!! I was shocked at first- but very shortly thereafter, I recovered and told him I absolutely am interested in receiving mail from her.
In the following correspondence over the last couple of years, I have become friends with Hi Suk and her sweet husband. They live in France in a place called Lissac sur Couze. Hi Suk's story is an atypical one- not the standard "couldn't take care of you, this is why you were adopted" story, but more like a, "You had an abusive birth father who, after the divorce, abandoned you and your little brother and years later I found out you had been put up for adoption without my consent or knowledge" story. How devastating this would be, to not know where your only two children are and then discovering that you have to wait almost 20 years to try to get in contact with them. I have a deep and profound respect for Hi Suk and what she had to endure. With no other kids of her own, she has made a wonderful life for herself. She is an artist (pottery is her medium), she's very fond of traveling (she calls it "trekking") with her husband, wine is her passion, and her various nieces and nephews are lucky to have such a loving and charismatic aunt who loves them dearly. Hi Suk is beautiful. Her smile is radiant and her eyes still have so much glitter in them- she made the most out of her life and given her lot- she did superbly. The first conversation we had together on the phone, she cried. Then I cried. I can't even possibly try to imagine losing Ava and then having to wait so many years before I could speak to her again- but having a daughter of my own, makes my heart feel so much more empathy and a longing to help heal whatever hole she might have in her heart. What I love about Hi Suk, among many things, is that she's very aware that I have a family and a mother- this was something I was very nervous about- that she would try to "assume the motherhood stance" with me, but she's been very respectful of my life and personal space. She wants us to call her Hi Suk and she's just so thankful we grew up in a loving, happy family. She is thrilled that she is an "instant grandmother" and spoils Ava. Hi Suk frequently says she can't help but shop for little baby girl things for her, it's so sweet! She and I chat, either on the computer or phone, every few days and email pictures frequently. Here are a few of the pictures. The first two are of Hi Suk; isn't she pretty? The third and fourth are of ME as a baby-Looks like we know who Ava inherited her many, many rolls from! And the last one is with my little brother on Hi Suk's lap and me playing next to them.
I'm SO EXCITED to meet her and Jean Claude, her husband, in just a couple of weeks for the very first time. Taylor, Ava, Wendel (my little brother who is also very excited about all of this) and I are flying out to San Fransisco to meet them. We'll only get one day with them for now- but I hope to let Ava have the opportunity to know ALL of her amazing grandmothers!! We'll see what the future brings- but I'm full of hope and enthusiasm. I'll let you all know what happens next...

I Want Candy

About two weeks ago, Taylor and I decided it's high time to get professional photos taken of Ava- considering we've NEVER had them done. BAD IDEA. Ava was a complete angelbaby the whole day, waving hello to strangers, being very outgoing, silly and just plain cute. We make it to our JCPenny appointment about 10 minutes early and disaster strikes. One friendly "Hello" from our 17 foot-tall cameraman and Ava's a mess. She flails herself back on the floor, kicking and screaming. Every time we try to pick her back up, she arches her back, her legs go limp and she's the most unmanageable ragdoll I've ever seen!!!!! I wish I thought of taking out the video camera for this moment, for blackmail purposes of course. We got about 10 frames into the photo shoot, but they were all of Ava bawling- red-faced and angry, then T and I decided to call it quits. We'll try it again once she's a little older... like 15. Here's a couple of pictures we took that day. I bought a cute daisy shaped chocolate sucker that was wrapped in very cute cellophane and a ribbon for her to hold in the photos (in my head, this was going to turn out perfectly- sweet smiles, a flower, ribbon- shoot throw in a unicorn and we're golden!) So we caved in and gave Ava the sucker- and OH did her personality do a complete 180! After all of this, at the end of the day- we chalked it up to another experience that makes us realize that Ava's got a strong personality that we can't predict- and how much we love that about her.