Around the Tree with Grandma and Grandpa

The kids LOVE when Grandma and Grandpa Russell come to town. They get spoiled to death, of course, and they just love being with their grandparents. It was WONDERFUL that Grandma and Grandpa could come visit at the start of the Christmas season to help get the tree, decorate the house, and play with Maya and Sam. Here they all are around our newly-decorated tree.

Come again soon, Grandma and Grandpa.

Cutting the Christmas Tree

Aaron's mom and dad (Paula and Dave) came for a visit the first weekend in December, and while they were here, we went and cut our Christmas tree. It was a wonderful morning outdoors followed by some hours of decorating later that afternoon.

Our family just before picking a tree.

Maya got to help cut the tree trunk.

Sam brought his own dose of silliness to our morning.

Aaron's parents joined us for this special morning.

My sweet boy is almost 3 1/2! Hard to believe.

And my big girl is 6 1/2.

Grandpa helped Maya finish cutting the tree's trunk, then together they hauled it to the car.

Wrapping Up November

November came and went really quickly at our house. We started with a visit from Uncle Nathan (my brother) and ended with Thanksgiving followed up with our match with a baby in China.

We were matched on November 28, 2011 with a little boy in Guangdong Provence, which is in southern China. It was his first birthday the day we received the match. After some consultation with a pediatrician at the UW Center for Adoption Medicine, we decided to say YES to this little boy.

His name is Matthew and he has a cleft lip and palate, which we will have corrected when we get him home to Everett, which will likely be sometime this next spring.


Hooray for a third child for our family. Welcome, Matthew.

Me with my sister Amy and brother Nathan in early November.

Uncle "Noodle" (Nathan) with his nephews and niece.

The cousins on Thanksgiving.

Crazy Mr. Sam.

Our family--although Sam doesn't look very happy.

My 6 1/2 year old girl!

The night we were matched with Matthew, his 1st birthday. We lit a candle and sang to him.