It is so hard for me to believe that we received Samantha’s referral 2 years ago on May 6, 2009. I remember the day like it was just yesterday. Our agency had just received access to the list after not having it for approx. 18 months when the CCAA changed the China Special Needs Program….
The last couple of days have been exciting around here. Mom arrived late Thursday night and Thursday (5/6) was also the official 1 year anniversary of us receiving Samantha’s referral and today was Samantha’s 4th birthday and the first time we have been able to celebrate her birthday with her. She loved that it was…
Wow, one year!!! Happy Birthday Samantha!!!
We are all wishing Samantha Happy Birthday and the family Happy Anniversary…Everyone looked like they enjoyed the day and you can see that the girls are truely Blessed by Sisterhood. Glad your Mom could be their to celebrate with you. Lil Orchid stills loves to sit on my lap and read about the girls! Happiness Always.
Oh My Gosh, they are both so darn cute. Please tell YuPing that Zen was so happy to see the pictures of her birthday. Seriously, she was in heaven. She has a birthday soon too. May 25th she will be 6 years old. It is mentally and physically exhausing but it is worth it. Zen doent want to leave my side ALL DAY! Sometimes I have to keep remindiong her about "personal space" as of right now, there is NONE! Please tell Sammie that Zenb said Happy Birthday! You are a great mom!
Your princesses are beautiful!
Happy Birthday beautiful Birthday Girl!
Happy referral day to your family!
Sooooooooo happy!
Happy Birthday Samantha!! It looks like you all did some serious celebrating…… your two princesses are just PRECIOUS!! Love the matching jammies and the plaid dresses……OH MY WORD…..they are so darn cute!!
Hope you are well Jonni!! Life has been completely nuts…. hoping things will slow down soon:)
Take Care~
Lisa
Happy Birthday Sweet Sammy!!!
Ok, it's official. You have two of the cutest girls on the planet:) Happy Birthday, Samantha…and happy 1 year referralversary! Ha!
Happy Birthday Samantha!!!
Happy Birthday, Samantha. You look so cute in your plaid dress. I got Taylor one in China too. I hope you have fun playing with your new toys.
Joy
I am so excited, I can hardly stand it. We received our PA today and I will be posting pics of our newest daughter Samantha here later this afternoon. The wonderful call from our agency made my day! John is on a plane right now flying to Philly for business. I hope he checks his…
Samantha is so cute. I bet you can't wait to hold her in your arms. I am glad Sofia will have a companion. What is the age differnce? I wish you all the best.
Ann Robinson
What a gorgeous little girl!
Congrats on the PA! Both Sofia and Samantha are BEAUTIFUL and much LOVED! Waiting for more adventure stories and everyday living. Always in our hearts!
OOOOOOOHHHHHH SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!! WONDERFUL NEWS!!!! YEAH! She is beautiful!!! When do you think you will travel???? sooooo happy for you!!!!!!
Hi Jonni, It’s Kelli from the SWI website of our girls. I was so excited to see you on adopttalk. Your girls are beautiful and I cant wait to for you to get to China. Give my ZenXiao a kiss for me while your there. CONGRATULATIONS
Wow, Jonni, she is absolutely beautiful! Look at those kissable lips!!! So happy for you!!!
YA!!!!
We are so happy for you!
Love your little Jiangsu girl, Jen is from the same province.
That is great news, Im so excited for you. She is sooo cute. Congratulations!!! She is a very lucky little girl. You know I really need to start catching up to you. LOL Hopefully not to much longer now 
WOW! That is so exciting. CONGRATS!! Love you guys. I need to call you and give you an update on our lives….
Awwww!!! Samantha is beautiful! I am so happy for you. I can’t wait to see Sofia and Samantha playing together
Take care!
Michele
What a Cutie!!! Congrats.
Donna
Congrats on your PA Jonni! Samantha is a little sweetie!
awesome.
What wonderful friends the girls will be.
I’m so happy for you Jonni…brimming!
so happy for you!!!! She is beautiful!!!!!
I just love seeing her beautiful face! Those pictures are awesome..what a priceless gift!!
Soooo, excited for you guys!!
That is so exciting! What a beautiful little girl!
We just returned from Nanjing. You must visit the wall and the brocade factory. Your daughter is beautiful. We loved our time in Nanjing.
She is so pretty!!! I really can’t wait for you guys to go get her. Are you going to take Sofia with you? I can’t remember if you said something about that. If not – can I go?? I would love to bring home a sister for Little T.
*sigh*
You are very blessed to have those earlier pictures of Sam. Sometimes its so hard for me to think that she stayed in an orphanage all this time when she could have been home, but then I think…DUH!!!…she was waiting for her mommy and daddy – you guys! God is so good!
Love ya!
Carla
She’s BEAUTIFUL! We have to celebrate at the workshop for sure. Are you already LID? If so it will be super quick for LOA and TA.
YEAH! Congratulations! She is adorable
omg she is beautiful!!!! congrats!! now you have 2 very very adorable little ones!!!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! Jonni she is the most precious little thing!!! LOVE the pouty little lips!!! I have chills right now…I am so excited for you all! I will praying for a very speedy LOA and TA!!!!
Congrats!
Jeannine
I just had to come over again and see your daughter!! She is gorgeous! Ohhhhhh I am so happy for you all! Can’t wait to see those girls of yours together!! She really is stunning!
She is so beautiful. I can’t wait to see her in your arms.
You have so many pictures of her. This is great.
Samantha is so beautiful! And how exciting to have all those fabulous pictures. You thought I knew the lingo, but I’m lost now on the PA and LOA I just know it’s getting close for ya’ll and I’m so happy for you! Congratulations!
Jen
Congratulations! You are guys are really moving right along!
Congratulations! Yippee. I can’t wait to see her and I am soooo happy for you.
Natalie
Wow – PA already?! So cooooool. Can’t wait for more pics. Glad for you all. Can’t believe you will have two only FIVE MONTHS APART. Watch out, John, those teen years will be interesting to say teh least 
Yippee!!!!!!
woohoo
Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you! I can’t wait to see her picture:)
Adorable Easter pictures of Miss Sofia……love her dress!!
Have a great week….sounds like it is off to a wonderful start:)
Lisa
We did it, we did it, we really, really did it.
Congrats!! Can’t wait to see pics of Sammie:)
Jonni,
I’m so excited for you!! The girls
are so beautiful. We are so lucky
to have found our girls. I hope
LOA’S come in record speed. You
have done an amazing job on your
blog! I hope to have mine redone
real soon!
Hugs Girly,
Sindy
How exciting indeed!! Yahoo for sure. I’ll be checking back later for pics.
Yippeeeee, it’s a great day.
WOOHOO Congrats!!!! What a great day!!
I am so very happy for you!
Woo-Hoo !
What a great day !
That is wonderful!!! One step closer to sweet Sam. Hmmm….do you think John will be able to understand what you are saying on the voice mail because I’m sure you were screaming and crying at the same time!
Hugs,
Carla
Really? HOW EXCITING!
Ohhhhhh I am sooooooo very excited for you all!!!!!! Congratulations!!!! I can not wait to see her!! I will be stalking you all day!!!hee hee
What agency is it that you are with?? Everything seems to go sooo smoothly. Must be a great agency!
How is Sophia doing with all the excitement? Will you have her travel with you?
Was also wondering if you ever received the citizenship package that we turn in at the airport? I still need to get my form notarized and sent in.
All our best!!!!!!!
I am so excited for you. I saw Samantha’s pic over at China Adopt Talk. She is so cute. We just accepted a referral last week for a little girl who will be two in Sept. I would love to be over there for her birthday or even have her back here in the US for her second birthday. Our dossier hasn’t been through review yet (LID3/12/08)so our LOA will take longer. I guess we have to get PA first. My 6 1/2 year old son is so excited. I haven’t put any pics of her on my blog yet. I am waiting for PA. The site is http://www.theweaversworld.blogspot.com.
Congratulations again,
Joy
We received the referral from China’s shared list today for our daughter Samantha Katherine. We are overjoyed, excited, and still pinching ourselves. Unfortunately, we cannot share her photo until we receive approval officially. She was born on 5.8.06 and is five months older than Sofia. She is at the Yangzhou City SWI in the Jiangsu…
Congrats Jonni! Wonderful, wonderful news.
I am really late replying to this(because Bloglines stinks), but huge congratulations!!! This is very exciting news! And happy, happy birthday little Samantha.
AAAAHHHHHH!!!! I finally get to my computer and THIS is what I find? I am SOSOOOSOSOSOSOSOOSOSOSOSO happy for you!
**HUGS OF CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!**
Congratulations–how lucky Samantha is to have such a loving, kind family to come home to.
Much love to all 3 of you–well now all 4!
Maureen
Yipee! Tell me more!
congrats!!!!
Congrats!!!!!! You all must be so excited!!
Congratulations.
Hi Jonni, its Karen, from the Yangzhou site… I had to check out your blog I should be getting the girls up, but I just wanted to tell you I think I have been to your blog before, believe it or not… Do you go on Julia Laine’s blog? Maybe that is how I found you before… maybe adoption, anyway… its great to meet you !!!
Karen
PS… I posted this at first by mistake in one of your April entries… just in case you see it again
I’m crying as I type this. Oh Jonni, I am so very happy for all of you. You are truly blessed!!
{{hugs all around}}
COngrats!! I couldn’t be more excited for your family!!!
Congratulations Jonni, John and Sophia! How very exciting and I can’t wait to meet your new little one.
My heart is overjoyed for you and your family…Congratulations to Sofia, you are a little sister!
You are truely Blessed!!
Thank You God for such a wonderful gift!
I’ll be waiting for a photo. Congratulations Jonni!!!!!!
Congratulations!!! Can’t wait to hear more about Samantha and see her beautiful face.
Yea !!!
Congrats – can’t wait to see her home.
What awesome news!!!! Can’t wait for the offical reveal of your new cherubs face. You’d better get some more memory for both your camera and your computer. I think you’re gonna need it.
(((hugs)))
Lisa
Yeehaa! Things work out just the way they are supposed to, don’t they? Can only imagine how thrilled you must be. Keep us posted!
YA!!!
So excited for you, huge congrats, just wonderful news!!
Conrats Sofia, your going to be a wonderful big sis…
Oh my goodness!!! Your post gave me the chills..congrats!! I can’t wait to hear all about her! You will LOVE having daughters so close in age! I loved watching how my girls become the best of friends!! Keep us posted!!
Jeannine
I am beyond happy for you!!!!! Congrats and I can’t wait to hear more!
CONGRATS!!! I’m so happy for you
and your family! We will both have
a set of virtual twins!!!
Hugs,
Sindy
Congratulations!!! I am so excited for you……what terrific news!!
Lisa
Congrats! Wow, that happened fast. I am so happy for you
Can’t wait to hear all the details.
fantastic news Jonni!
Wow! Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you guys!
Hurray! This is such good news for your family. I hope all your paperwork flies thru super fast and you have her soon.
Lyndsey
CONGRATS!!!! What exciting news! Can’t wait to hear more.
OMYGOODNESS! Another bit of baby news! Yippee. I told ya. I told ya she’d be here soon. Wow. So happy for you. Thanks for your sweet note the other day. You are loved also!
So amazing. Can’t wait to follow the journey.
Woo Hoo! Congratulations!
That is fantastic news. You must be on cloud nine right now. I can’t wait to hear more about it.
Wow, Sophia will be the little sister, how great is that!
Shannon
HOLY COW!!!!
I am SOOOOOOOO HAPPY and EXCITED for you guys!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
Can’t wait to hear more from you “mommy”!!!!
Hugs!!!
Jill
Couldn’t be happier for you! Looking forward to following your journey!
Kelly Raudenbush
LID 7/23/2007
OMG! Jonni we are so very excited to hear this….keep us posted!!!! Congrats, bet Sofia is super excited too.
Wonderful news!!! I can’t wait to see you get all your A’s!!!
WAHOOOO!!! I am SO excited for you guys!!!
Can’t WAIT to hear all the details
Debbi Napolitano - Congratulations Jonni – What a wonderful blog! It is so amazing how we ended up with the daughters we were supposed to have, isn’t it?
Amy Smith-Kepler - Beautiful post. Congratulations on the two year anniversary of one of the best days of your life!
Trish Swyers Freid - I heard from Heather today….we need to set up a time to get together with the girls! Too much time has passed!
Jo - As you have been watching those two little darlings grow and flourish I feel like I have been watching YOU (from accross the Atlantic) do the same, both as a mom and a photographer. And it has been a joy to watch.