Walking, talking, watching it snow!

CLICK ON PHOTO OF HALLE-GRACE TO VIEW GALLERY

Halle-Grace is into everything and exploring her world! She is a smart monkey! She is talking and mimics ANYTHING she sees! She is saying a lot these days and has THE funniest personality! She is definitely a Miss Congeniality! She waves at everyone and tells everyone BYE BYE whether they are coming or going! She LOVES Maa Maa and PaPa and I think they are pretty smitten with her as well. They are such a blessing! They treat and refer to Halle-Grace as one of their grandchildren...that makes it SO easy to enjoy my career and I thank God for them daily! She is doing so much better eating these days and her favorite dish is mash potatoes! She is a "southern belle" when it comes to eating...she will probably be unlike her mom and LOVE sweet tea someday as well!
She is walking around really well. She has been taking steps for sometime now, but really took off this past Monday night!
We are watching it snow...and Halle-Grace is watching her eye lids...I'll type more later, I need to lay her down in her crib.
Love to all! WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE OUR TINY MIRACLE, WE ARE SO IN LOVE!

Halle-Grace thinks of "work-outs" in the same fashion as her mama!!!

She is just like me!
Jason wanted a baby jogger/trailer for Christmas and Santa delivered. He went for a three mile jog today and said it was AWESOME! He can also hook it to the back of BELLA (his bike, yes..IT has a name)...and take Halle-Grace around the neighborhood. As you can tell from the photos, she thinks of working out about the same as I do...SLEEP IS BETTER! LOL


Halle-Grace wouldn't eat for me tonight but she is sleeping like a QUEEN! No more stressing over the eating...if she remains in 3-6 months clothes for the next two years...I TRIED! Oh, her jeans were 6-9 months...ignore the sagging! LOL

ONE MORE THING! You must check out this blog http://www.aninvisiblethread.blogspot.com/Melissa is a mom of 4...it gives me the BEST laughs! ENJOY!

"Mama can't cook"

Well Halle-Grace has confirmed that I CANNOT COOK!!! She has been eating like a queen at Maa Maa's house...but NOT at home! We thought, "it's a kid thing, she eats good for everyone but mom & dad kind of thing" WELL NO!!! Jason brought Halle-Grace along with her dinner (compliments of Maa Maa) home tonight and she ate as fast as I would feed her! And I was thinking I would prepare a Vietnamese dish for Tet, what was I thinking???

Great ideas for Tet... cooking/decorating and more

Thanks Mary for sharing the link!
www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog

When you're smiling...the whole world smiles with you!

*click photo for more SMILES*
Today ended the initiative to get your senators/reps to sign the letter to the Prime Minister of VN concerning a new MOU. I called Richard Burr's Washington office late Monday and was told "he signed the letter." I also sent communication to Congressman McHenry and his AWESOME constituent leader, David McCrary, assured me the Congressman would get the information and also advocate to his peers in DC! I hope we will hear GOOD news!
*HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY KENNEDY!!! Kennedy's blog is listed below "Remember Nguyen". I love the name of their blog! Nguyen is a common sir name in VN and to most all TQ angels. It is pronounced "when".
*The hens are preparing for a Tet exchange...
*Tet celebration: Well, I don't have my recipe just yet *Mary, if you are reading this, I am working on it* Actually, Trish, who attends our church is going to help me. Her mom is from VN...so watch out, this might be fabulous! Jason is probably thinking "nothing that comes from Shannon's cooking is fabulous." Maybe that is Halle-Grace's problem...she still is on this strange "refuse food" kick! However, she is incredibly HAPPY as you can tell from the photos!

Prepare to celebrate Tet

CLICK ON PIC OF HALLE-GRACE TO VIEW GALLERY

Tet Nguyen Dan, is the lunar New year Festival and it is the most important Vietnamese holiday. Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is the celebration of the beginning of spring as well as a new year. It is the time for family reunions, exchanging gifs, best wishes and the beginning of a new year. Tet begins Jan. 26th!

HAPPY 1st Birthday Saige! Saige is a TQ beauty! Her blog is listed below as "our Vietnamese Angel" Saige's mom is one of my hen friends! I hope Saige had a WONDERFUL birthday!

"And I think to myself, what a wonderful world"

CLICK ON PHOTO TO VIEW MORE...Halle-Grace continues to grow and explore...she is saying a lot these days and mimics just about anything that we do! She is quite the character and has a winning personality! Everyone says, "she is SO beautiful" and she is, however, true beauty truly is from the inside out and she is ABSOLUTELY beautiful!!!
The only struggle at this point is WHAT WILL SHE EAT? She is ready for some new "taste and texture". We have tried several things yet still trying to find out what type of "eater" she will be. If she takes after me, she will be a "creature of habit" which means I eat the same thing just about everyday. If she is like her dad, she will have a sweet tooth!!!
This morning she refused her oatmeal but enjoyed Dannon plain vanilla yogurt and some cheerios (which are by far her favorite at this point). Jason is cooking in the kitchen to give her a taste test for later! Maybe I should stop eating my usual and see what he stirs up for me?
Speaking of food/recipes, we are going to a TET party this month with other CAS families. TET is the Vietnamese New Year. The party will include a POT luck lunch...so, we will be preparing a Vietnamese dish to take! I'll make sure to post the recipe when we make a decision. TET begins on Jan. 26th...let's get ready to CELEBRATE!!!

A recap of New Year's Eve...

WOW, what a start...I have always heard BAD rehearsal = excellent performance...I hope that statement is true! SO, Jason was sick all night (feeling much better after a Z pack and cough medicine). Nanny fell out of the back door and spent the next day in the ER. Halle-Grace partied ALL NIGHT! She danced and yelled and had too much fun with the girls (Hannah, Nanny, Suzie and myself). We hope Nanny will feel better SOON! She went to Carolina Orthopaedics in Hickory on Friday and has broken toes on one foot (that was from a fall out of the beach the day after Christmas)and the other foot/ankle is in an aircast! Hannah is telling her she is staying at the "Hannah Hotel" in the king suite! Mike, Papa Gene, Hunter and the rest of the hunting boys are in Mississippi!
We are incredibly blessed to be able to ring "DEVINE 09" in with our tiny miracle!
ENJOY the photos!!!
Thanks Hannah for allowing me to practice with my new camera...you make a great model! As I continue to learn more about the camera (haven't used all of the lens yet) I know I have a great model to help me. Halle-Grace is not still enough for practice..more action shots with her!!!

I LOVE THIS BROWN EYED BEAUTY!!!

Wishing you a DEVINE 09!

"Please be safe on New Year's Eve...I want to make sure you all continue to follow my journey...I am just getting a good start!"
(her expressions are classic)

~As you can see I am truly enjoying my Christmas present....FABULOUS Photos of Princess Halle-Grace who SO loves the new camera! Just wait till I really learn this high tech machine!






Poor Jason is really sick! Say a prayer he is feeling better soon! He was in bed ALL day while I worked out of town and Halle-Grace stayed with Maa Maa & Pa Pa (thank God for Peggy & Austin...they are such blessings). Since I have been home since 6pm there has been ZERO improvement...flu? virus? We can't ring in "DEVINE 09" with a sick dad...not to mention, he is a BIG helper who is greatly missed when he is out of commission!

IT'S TIME to contact those you HELP put in office

(From Joint Council)
Dear Families, Friends and Colleagues,
Senators Landrieu and Coleman, along with other Members of Congress, are continuing to show their support of ensuring every child’s right to a permanent, safe, and loving family. As part of their commitment, they will be forwarding a letter to Nguyen Tan Dung, the Prime Minister of Vietnam. This letter will encourage Vietnam’s continued participation in negotiations related to the new bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption. The letter will express Congressional support for the continuation of intercountry adoption and will emphasize the importance of the transition to a Hague-compliant system and a new bilateral treaty.
Between Monday, January 5th and Wednesday, January 7th, individuals can support this important initiative through the following methods:
Contact your Congressional Representatives and Senators and ask them to sign the letter to the Prime Minister of Vietnam regarding the future of intercountry adoptions from Vietnam. Also, note that if they are interested in signing, they should contact Sarada Peri from Senator Landrieu’s office (Sarada_Peri@landrieu.senate.gov) by Wednesday, January 7th. For a list of Senators and Congressman that have signed the letter as of the time of this writing, please see below.

To contact your Senators’ phone numbers and email address at www.senate.gov
Representatives’ www.house.gov
The letter to the Prime Minister can only be successful with your help!
Please note the following Senators have already signed the letter to the Prime Minister of Vietnam:Senator Landrieu
Senators Coleman, Oberstar, Lincoln, Lautenber,Menendez, Kerry, Johnson, Bill Nelson, Akaka, Roberts, Murkowski,Durbin, Klobuchar
Please note the following Representatives have already signed the letter to the Prime Minister of Vietnam:Rep. Jim Oberstar
Rep. Scott Garrett, Jerry Costello & Joe Pitts

If you have any questions, contact Joint Council staff via advocate@jcics.org

A Devine Christmas

Christmas 2008 with our Christmas Angel!

Mamaw Devine with her 11 GREAT grandchildren!

Giving Kay Kay Christmas Kisses...

And Papaw Ronnie too!

Halle-Grace & Hunter

Halle-Grace and Nanny

Opening presents from Santa with Daddy

MY GIRL!

Halle-Grace and her great aunt Sally at the Cornwell breakfast

Hannah & Halle-Grace




Granny & Halle-Grace

Santa came to see Halle-Grace and left her lots of goodies...and shared some with her too!!!

Christmas morning! What a busy and special day with our tiny miracle! We are all exhausted from a FUN-FILLED day! We hope your day was a special one as well. God Bless and may we never forget the meaning of this day!
Is that Santa?

Merry Christmas to all...Santa is coming tonight!

It's Christmas Eve...I have so many amazing photos to upload but we have to go to bed so Santa can come and bring Halle-Grace some Christmas surprises! Here are a few pics from our family time tonight! Thanks to Jason for an excellent dinner!



The Turners

Nanny & Papa Gene with Hunter, Hannah & Halle-Grace
Jason & Hunter prepare dinner for all!