Brooke is still not sleeping good
The past week has been very hard. Brooke has been sick. I thought at first she was teething. Then I thought it was from the shots. Now I just don't know. She has been running fever and not eating for almost a week. She ate a little better yesterday and today. Maybe she is getting better. She has a terrible cough also.
Brooke is still not sleeping good. I just don't understand it. She was doing so good, until she went for shots. Brooke has always been a mommy's girl. Since the shots she is even more a Mommy's girl. Brooke had got to the point that she would let others hold her some. The past week she does not want anybody but me. If somebody comes up and starts talking to her she starts crying. I feel very confused. I know she has been sick and that is probably a lot of why she is clingy.
Emily mentioned in my guest book that Brooke could have had memories of the shots in China. That is something I have not thought about. She very well could have. I know that in China they use the same needle over and over. After awhile a needle will become dull. If that is the case she probably did not have a good experience with shots while in China. The past week has been very stressful. The lack of sleep is killing me. I did have one night last week that Brooke slept better, but over all it has been bad. My wonderful husband is such a blessing to me. He really has helped out when he has been off of work. Of course some of the times He was being a help, Brooke only wanted her mommy so of course I had to rescue her. LOL Kevin decided he would get up with her the nightsaz he was home. Normally you go pat her and put her passey in her mouth and she goes right back to sleep. I would say we have been getting up with Brooke around 10 times a night. If Brooke had not been sick I might have let her cry for a little bit. It is very hard to do that when she is sick, because I am not for sure if she is hurting or if she is having bad dreams. I know she was put through much last week with the blood being drawn and shots.
Brooke also got her first major boo/boo, this week.
The screen door did not latch and Brooke crawled up to the door and pushed the door and it came back on her fingers. She was crying so hard. Her finger was stuck. The door would not go either way. I was praying "Lord Please don't let her finger be broke"
Kevin was able to pull up on the door and push down on Brooke's finger and pull it out. She had a good bit of skin pulled off the finger but thankfully nothing serious. We held pressure on the finger and then put a band aid on it. We could ask Brooke where she got hurt and she would hold up her little finger. She is a mess.
On a brighter note, Brooke's lab work came back today and everything is fine. We give God the praise for that.
I have so much more I could write, but I will have to do that another time. Both girls are ready for bed. Mommy is also ready for bed. I am trusting we will have a good night of rest.
Denna

No sleep
Mood:  not sure
my photo album I have had two nights without sleep. I am so exhausted. I am not sure what is going on with Brooke. She had been doing so good. She would sleep through the night. Some nights she would wake up one time. The past two she has been horrible with her sleep. Thursday night Kevin and I got up about 10 times with her. I finally but her in Courtney's bed and slept with her, but it was no better.
Last night I had Brooke by myself. I think I might have got a total of 2 and a half hours of sleep. She cried on and off all night. I feel terrible.
Last night Brooke might have had a reason to cry. I know she has been cutting teeth so that was part of it. The main thing is she went to the Dr. yesterday and had to have four shots, and be stuck for blood.
I know she had to be sore from that.
Brooke went to a new Dr. yesterday. I really like him. He is wonderful. Brooke did not have a good experience. First off when Dr. Patz came in Brooke started looking at him like " Don't even touch me" Brooke is staring at him and she is trying to back up to the wall and "BAM" she bongs her head. Of course she starts crying. She has hit her head much harder than that and never flinched. I think she might have knew something was fixing to happen. When the Dr. tried to look at her ears and throat she was so mad. When they drew blood it was terrible. I felt so sorry for Brooke. They had to tie a tunic an around both arms to see which one had the best vein to get blood. Brooke was crying her heart out. Yes mommy got tears also. I was trying to be strong, but I honestly could have bawled right there if the nurses was not in the room. Brooke had to be held down, which made her even madder. I let Kevin help with that, because it was to much for me. Brooke would not take her eyes off the nurse. Every once in a while she would glance at her daddy like " help me dad" he would just talk sweet to her, but it did not help. Finally the blood part was over. They handed her to me and she clung to me. Then another nurse comes in for the shots. As soon as we lay Brooke on the table She starts screaming. By the time the four shots was done Brooke was almost out of breath. She had this cry like" aw, aw, aw, awwwwwwwwwwwwww,"
My heart was breaking. When Courtney was a baby I don't remember going through this. Courtney did not start crying about shots until she was 2. She might have cried out when the shot first stuck her, but nothing like Brooke did.
The bad thing is I have this to look forward to for the next few months or year. Dr. Pat thought it would be best to start all her shots over like she never had them. Some of the reason is the vaccine from China could have been old, sitting to long, not given on time, or the fact that she might never have received it anyway.
Yesterday was a very traumatizing event for Brooke.
I feel last night she was in much pain.
Please pray for me that I can get some rest. I am the type that is not effected good when I loose a lot of sleep. I can't think clear and just feel terrible for days. Pray that Brooke will feel better soon.
By the way Brooke weighed 18 pounds. She was 90% on her height and 10% on her weight. She eats all the time. I figured she would have been about 21 pounds.
Take Care Everybody,
Denna

update
I have not had any disk space to do a update. Sweet Amy helped me out, so I could at list post some. Thanks Amy.Yesterday Brooke took three steps to me. I was so happy to see her first steps. I think she did it before she realized what she had done. She has been standing alone all week, but not taking any steps. I had a toy that she wanted and she started smiling and reached to get the toy and had this look of such surprise on her face. She then walked to Courtney and her daddy. Today she took a few more steps, but not really enough to say she is walking. I think it will be very soon though.
She is doing great still. I was able to post some pictures of Brooke eating her cake if you want to look. She made a big mess.
my photo album

Happy Birthday Brooke
Mood:  hungry
Today was Brooke's birthday. Brooke also received her certificate of Citizenship today. Along with that she received a letter from President Bush welcoming her to the United States. I thought it was pretty neat. Especially with today being her birthday.
As I looked at her certificate with her picture on it, and then read the letter from the President I could not help but get tears in my eyes. Brooke is so blessed. Today is a day of joy for us. As my mind thinks about this time last year I feel so sad for Brooke's biological mom.I wonder what she is doing this year and if she thinks of Brooke. All I can do is pray for Brooke's biological mom. I pray that if she is thinking of her sweet girl that she gave up, that God will comfort her and somehow let her know Brooke is in good hands. I will never know why Brooke's mom chose this. I do understand that things are not easy for the people in China. I also understand that God had this sweet little girl picked out for us and that this was meant to be. I can't help but think of the children's song
" Somebody prayed for me" Brooke had many people praying for her. I still would not be surprised if Brooke had a saved grandmother and Granddaddy in China praying for Brooke to find a loving Christian home. Brooke has found her forever family and I am so thankful. I have a poem for my little sweetheart.

Brooke's Birthday
What a precious bundle of joy you are.
Cute from head to toe.
You melt our hearts with your sweetness
Everywhere you go.
You're a golden ray of sunshine
Sent from heaven above
A perfect little angel
For all of us to love.
Happy Birthday Brooke,
Love mommy, daddy, and sissy

Brooke's birthday party
We had Brooke a birthday party today. It went really well. I wanted to post pictures, but I am out of disk space. I am going to try and work on that and buy some more space. For now all I can do is tell you about it.
Brooke had a Pooh Bear party. She had several friends down to celebrate with her. She also had her wonderful family.
Brooke had her own little cake. She loved it. She started out just picking a little icing off. Before it was over she had blue icing all over her face. She tore into the cake. I had to put her in the bathtub. She was so messy that the water turned blue. I can't believe she is one already. Actually her birthday is Monday, but we celebrated today.
I have to say she had a wonderful day. She enjoyed her cake so much. She even ate a little bit of a hot dog. She only has two teeth so I was afraid to give her much. She has one tooth that just broke through on top.
We bought Brooke a kitchen set. Brooke and Courtney is helping daddy put it together.
Well for tonight that is all.
Denna

A Little Rocking Chair
This is going to be a long post. Sunday night, January 22, 2006 the children's story hour class had a little baby shower for Brooke. I guess I need to start at the beginning of the story. If you have read our journey to our two girls then you know things have not always been easy for us. Several yeas ago Kevin and I turned our desires over to God. We wanted another child and we put our trust in God to give us another child. At the time we never dreamed that God had our little girl in China.
March 9, 2003 the older story hour children wanted to do something for Kevin and I. Story hour is like Sunday School. The children are ages 8-12. Three years ago these children was praying and carrying a burden for Kevin and I. The children would tell their teacher(Sis. Karen Blomgrem) to pray for Denna and Kevin to have a baby. Sis. Karen spoke to the children about faith and how God gives us the desires of our heart. The children was encouraged. They collected their own money and bought us a little oak rocking chair. I remember that night so well. We went to their class and they gave us the chair and cards. Their teacher told them that when God gave us our child that she would have us back up and bring the baby. That same night, Tammy Gullion felt very strong to give Kevin and I a baby outfit. She had no idea the story hour children was giving us the rocker. Tammy said she had the outfit for awhile, but she was afraid to give it to me because she knew how bad we desired a child and she did not want it to seem like she was rubbing it in our face. On March 9, 2003 Tammy felt led to give us the outfit.
At the time it was a encouragement to Kevin and I. We knew that God had allowed both things to take place. As the years went by our little rocking chair sat with nobody in it. The devil would tell us that we would never have a child to sit in it. We held to God's word in Mark 11:24. We also knew that God's timing is not always our timing. We held on to Psalms 27:14. We waited on God. As you all know God blessed us with a beautiful baby girl on Dec. 6, 2005. Brooke has brought so much sunshine into our lives. We know that God had Brooke picked out for us. Brooke needed us as much as we needed her.
Sunday night Sis. Karen had her Story hour class and the children that gave us the chair three years ago, to come to her class and give us a baby shower and to give God the glory for what HE has done.
It was so sweet. I could not help but cry. The children had made up a song about Brooke. They sang two songs. Bro. Johnathon Cornwell also sang a song that he wrote for Brooke. I will try and post the words later to the song the children sang, and Bro. Johnathon wrote. Our pastor Bro. Roland Cornwell was also there. We brought our little chair and let Brooke sit in it.
Bro. Cornwell thought that it would only be fair to let the whole congregation hear the children and see what God had done. Bro. Cornwell asked all the children and everybody that had a part in the children's service to come on the stage and tell the congregation about our little rocking chair. The children sung their songs again. It was so sweet. Of course we did not know this was going to happen. Kevin wore his scrubs to church, because he had to go to work after church. Kevin is on the stage with his hospital scrubs on. Brooke is on the stage with no toy or passey. She was starting to whine and would not sit still. I was so nervous. I finally took her shoe off and let her play with it. That did good for about 5 minutes. I then gave her my watch and she was fine. We had her little rocking chair on the stage and she sat in it. Many people left the service encouraged. God used Brooke's little rocking chair to inspire others that God can give us the desires of our heart.
I have some pictures that I will try and add later. For now I must get some sleep. Brooke is asleep and I know she could be awake soon. I will try and post the words to the songs later.
Goodnight,
Denna

Brooke
Brooke is doing so good. She is such a sweet baby. She is finally sleeping good at night. When Kevin does not have to work it seems like Brooke does worse. I am not for sure why. The past two nights she has slept all night.
Brooke has also got very attached to her pacifier. She would not have anything to do with a passey at first. The past week she has clung to her passey. She goes to sleep with it. It is so sweet. Kevin said he will remind me of that in a couple of years. LOL
Brooke has a duck security blanket and she loves it to. I will rock her to sleep at night, with her ducky and her passey. I will go check on her in the middle of the night and she will have her arms around that duck and her passey in her mouth. I have got to take some pictures and post them. If Brooke every does cry during the night I will go check on her and she will be standing up in the bed, with her duck. (and this week with her passey)
She is still a big mommy's girl, but she will let other people hold her now.
Kevin has had to work all weekend so the girls have not got to see much of him. Today at church Kevin walks in and Brooke sees him, and she starts saying
"Dada, Dada". She then reaches her hands up to Kevin. I thought it was so sweet.
We ate lunch at a Chinese Restaurant today. The people there love Brooke. The one man will hold Brooke and kiss her. They say " Lucky girl"
They are so right. Brooke is so blessed. I have never seen so many people love a baby the way people loves Brooke.
Well I guess that is all for now. Brooke is busy playing. Courtney is playing Barbie's.
Denna ChinaDolls

It is Well
This week has been hard, but God's grace has been there for us. L.D's funeral went so good. It was so sweet. Kevin said he wanted his funeral to be just like it. I told him not to even talk about HIS funeral right now. We all need to be ready because you don't have to be sick to die.
L.D has been sick for a long time. The past three weeks he could barely walk from one room to another. Kevin and I was talking and we said we could just see L.D running in Heaven. We know he is feeling good and he has got His reward.
Courtney has some days where she ask many questions. Sometimes it is so hard to explain to children about death. I have told her that we will see Papa again if we stay saved.
Nadine is doing good. She still is having a hard time, but God is helping her. Nadine and L.D was very close. I know Nadine will have some days that will be worse than others.
Kevin,Lowell, and Nadine went to look at Tombstones yesterday. They found a really pretty one with hearts. They have different things that they put on it. One thing that I thought was really sweet was they put Nadine and L.D's name and then it said "sweethearts forever" I will have to say they were great sweethearts. Nadine stood by him in the good times and the bad.
Well I guess that is all for now.
Denna

In Loving Memory
As many of you know L.D has been very sick. We did not even know if he would be alive when we got home from China. L.D desired to see Brooke. He got to see her. L.D got to spend a little over a month with his granddaughter. He would sit and look at her picture and say " There is my pumpkin" He loved Brooke so much.
We spent Sunday afternoon with Kevin's parents having Christmas. We have not been able to have Christmas because of L.D being so sick. Sunday he felt good and we had a nice time. He got to spend the day with his grandchildren.
Yesterday, January 16, 2006 L.D went home to be with God.
It was a very emotional day. The day started out with L.D being very sick. Kevin went to stay with him while his mom went somewhere. Brooke went with Kevin. L. D held her some, but he felt so bad.
Kevin got home and we got the call about 3:15. When we got to Kevin's parents house it was so sad. Kevin's parents have always been close so Nadine was having a hard time. God helped her, and us.
Nobody is ready to give their family up. The saints of God are truly a blessing. The house was full of saints. One saint would come up, and then another. We are so blessed to be saved and have God.
We know L. D was saved and that is our comfort. We know he is in a better place. Kevin told me last night that His dad was resting, fot the first time in months. L.D has He has been in so much pain and so sick. We can see him now singing and being free of pain. We have good memory's. L. D would not want to come back to us at all now. He has received his reward and we will see him again if we will stay faithful. I know that today L. D is not suffering.
In loving memory of L. D
" We love you DAD"
Denna, Kevin, Courtney, and Brooke

My China Dolls
We went and got the girls pictures taken in their silk dresses. It was Brooke first time in a studio. She did well, but got very sleepy. The lady did about 86 shots. We had a hard time deciding what to get. We got all of them on a disk so we could share with our friends. Take a look at our China dolls.
If you look, post us a message and let us know what you think. We love to read our guest book and see who has been looking.
We are so happy with both of our girls. Brooke slept all night in her bed last night. I was able to sleep very good. Brooke normally wakes us up anywhere from 5 to 10 times a night.
I was very thankful to be able to get some sleep last night.
Check out our pictures.
ChinaDolls