Congrats to the Eye Family

I just found out today that Tracy and Jeremiah Eye are traveling to China to get their new little one! I am sooo excited for them. Adoption is a wonderful thing and it's great to see some folks go through it again! We wish you the best of luck and can't wait to see all the pictures, etc. Your new little one is just adorable!!! We will be following on the blog!

Maddie is doing great! She got all 220 sight words sometime in Jan. and is reading on an E level! We are very excited for her. She takes gymnastics, but wants to try soccer in the fall, so we shall see. All in all, she is doing great! I am thrilled with how she has adjusted! I promise to write more as life slows down....when I'm 80!

Ok, so it's been another long time. Lots more to write!

We had a great summer and Maddie loved it. She learned to swim, went on two long vacations and started school ready to work. She knows many sight words and is in gymnastics. She is having a great time! She became a US Citizen on August 13, 2009 and got her Social Security Card about two weeks ago.

The family is adjusting well. Maddie also loved Halloween and was a beautfiul CLEMSON cheerleader! She thought getting candy for virtually nothing was wonderful! We are still eating it all. We are now in Memphis for Thanksgiving and she is enjoying that as well. I think she feels very secure in her role as little sister and knows that her family loves her very much. She is now looking forward to Christmas. Santa Claus did visit Shishu Mandir, so she knows all about him and what he might bring her. Her list is not too long, so I think Santa will be able to handle it.

Well, that's a really quick update, but I have been so busy just being a mom, etc. that it's been hard to find time to write. I am grateful for the busyness, though. I will continue to post as more of life's "firsts" happen for the Indian Angel. Love to all, Ashley

It's been too long- lots to update!!!

Everyone please forgive me for not blogging sooner! Maddie finished school well. She will get a full year of Kindergarten next year, but already knows about 30 sight words and is ready small books. She is at Grammy and Pop's lake and pool during the summer and loves to swim. She also went to Jefferson's cheer camp last week and had a great time.

Here are some pictures from her at cheer camp and at her sixth birthday party. It was big fun and lots of her friends were there! I think she is really settling in nicely. There is also one picture of her with Dipti, the girl who lives in Augusta and lived in the Shishu Mandir orphanage with Maddie. We all went to an adoption picnic together last weekend. It was great to see her and her family!

Maddie has grown so much, not only physically, but emotionally, in the last 4.5 mos. It is great to see the progress!

I promise not to be so late on the updates next time!

All rise- court is now in session!

Maddie's court case went great. We told our story to the judge, he agreed she should be with us, and then he signed the papers. That was it. Our families were there to support us and so was one of our good friends! Thanks to so many of you who prayed for court that day. It was terrific. Now, we are settling in and learning how to be a family.

Maddie spent the night over at a friend's house for the first time on Friday night. It went well and I was very proud of her. Here are some pics of her and mommy before church this morning and some of the court proceedings.

Our court date is set!

Our attorney filed our petition for adoption on Friday and was given a court date of March 6. This means that Maddie will offcially be ours on this date. As you know, we have guardianship of Maddie in accordance with Indian law. Once we have the hearing, she will formally adopted and will have an US Birth Certificate. She will also have her new name, Maddie Ambika, printed on it. After this, we can file for her citizenship certificate and get her Social Security Card.

We are really excited that Maddie will be ours formally so soon. Of course, she has been ours in our hearts for months!!! If you are in town and can join us, please do so. Respond and I will give you all the details. We look forward to seeing anyone who can share this day with us!

The tooth fairy gave the $ to daddy!

Maddie lost a tooth on Saturday. We were very excited about the tooth fairy coming to see her for the first time, but she was not. In fact, she had a lot of trouble going to bed thinking that someone was coming into her bedroom in the middle of the night, even if it was to give her money. Therefore, Daddy "emailed" the tooth fairy and told her not to come, but just to mail the money to Daddy instead. So, even though the payment was delayed, Maddie was paid for her tooth.

She also saw the dentist and pediatrician again. She is doing well and now has five fillings (poor kid). She also had her first playground accident today. She has a big shiner under her eye, but she is doing fine.

We have made plans to see Dipti, from Maddie's orphanage, in April. Dipti lives with her mom, dad, and brother in Augusta, and even better, they are CLEMSON FANS!!!! We are very excited about getting together to visit with them!

Brand new heart and silver hat!

Today Maddie had a LOT going on. Poor thing, her mean mother made her go to two doctor appointments! First, we went to see Dr. J at the Sibley Heart Center. They did an EKG of her heart, then an ultrasound. It was a very kid friendly place and Maddie was a trooper most of the time. She became very hungry and restless during the ultrasound but overall, did great.

Dr. J said her heart was perfect. He told me that if I looked at it, I wouldn't even be able to tell that she had surgery. The reason she is growing so well now (remember those first pictures?) is because her heart is strong again. He said it was the right size and was doing exactly what it was supposed to do. She is clear to run around and be a complete monkey, which is exactly what she usually does.

After Sibley, we ran through McD's drive thru for free fries (on Tuesdays) and a chocolate dipped ice cream. Yes, we were on the way to the dentist and that's probably the worst thing I could have given her, but it's what she will eat and what she wanted to eat and she'd had a hard day, so that's what we did!

What I didn't know was that the day was actually going to get even harder. At the dentist, Maddie had to have three cavities filled and get a silver hat (crown) for one of her teeth. Needless to say, when she was finished, she was in some pain and looked a little beat up. However, after some ibuprofen and TLC, she is doing fine.

She seems to be enjoying school and is doing well. She is reading beginning books and has learned about ten sight words. Most of all, I think she enjoys being where M1 and M2 are. I think it's comforting for her to know that big brother and sister are close.

Tnings are really starting to get settled now and as much as it's crazy sometimes, I am really enjoying being a mother to three. The gray hairs may come earlier, but that's why they make Clairol!