Sadie's first Christmas

Sadie at her first Christmas with her new family and new cousins… She was an early Christmas gift for all of us. She is doing well - -- better everyday. Getting use to her new brothers, cousins, mom, dad & Grand parents… been an adjustment and not fully over but everyday she is doing better… We love her as our own. We know this is the work of God and she is our own… praise Him for this gift – she is so special… thank you God!

Sadie with her new brothers and cousins! They are so excited to have a new little sister. Ryan is so excited that he is no longer the youngest… A picture of Sadie in her Christmas dress. If she only new what Jesus did for her… she will soon – She is a happy little girl. She is still a little over whelmed but doing better every day. She grinds her teeth and pulls her hail when she gets overwhelmed. She also wakes up at night and cries a quite whine telling us she is sad for what she has left - - - her foster family and her life in China… she is sad and misses these things but she is adjusting well to life with the Pehkonen’s – I’m trying to get her on the sales floor… I do not think you could say “No” to these eyes… Heidi says a need to wait a few years or decades but I think why wait? Get her to earn her keep… I’m losing so far… Ha ha - - -

Sadie's first USA bath

Sadie’s first USA bath!!! What a cutie!!! She is very special to us… a true gift from God. It is amazing how He works – He gives us her as a Gift and we give Sadie a gift of life in the USA… life where she will decide her destine verse where she came from in China – Praise God for His gifts and blessings. When the world looks impossible or discouraging – think of the blessings and gifts you have received – is it really that bad? God is GREAT!

Sadie's first USA hair cut!

Sadie’s first USA hair cut!!! What a cutie!!! She is so cut already but after her little snip -snip… she is even cuter…

Welcome Home Sadie!!!

“WELCOME HOME SADIE!” These are a few pictures of our first few days home in Colorado. We all were so happy to be home. Sadie is doing ok. She is a little or a lot overwhelmed… it is a lot for her but she is doing well – with a family like the Pehkonen’s… how could you not be just be so excited!!!! Ha ha…

Denver - - - Home Sweet Home

Pictures of our Denver arrival. Grandma Joan, Jim, Sondra, Sawyer, Ryan, Kathy, Haley, Sierra, Scott & Calie - - - So good to be home. Been a long 32 hours and we are really glad to be home. Cannot wait for our own bed and our own house. I’ve been waiting to just be able to walk around in my underwear… and soon I can do this with out worries.

American Girl Made in China!

Sadie is a US citizen!!! She is an American Girl, made in China!!! This was such a neat night. We arrive home and Sadie is not only our daughter but also a US citizen. These other pictures are Heidi’s aunt Myrla, who lives in Orange County, who meet us at the airport to snuggle the new Pehkonen. The other pictures are the two twins after their first McDonalds processed chicken Mc Nuggets – as you can see… they loved ‘em…

On the flight… How lucky we all are…

On the flight home!!! This is so huge because once we land on US soil… all our new daughters become US criticizes!!! We all have come a long way and we are all excited to land in the good old USA - - - my stomach is better but I feel a head cold coming on – Great – get back from being gone two weeks and get sick. What a journey for Heidi and I. We have spent a lot of time discussing how God works and how amazing He is. He has blessed us with this new healthy beautiful daughter and he is blessing her by allowing her to come to a country where she will be free. A country where she can do what ever she wants – be what ever she wants and most of all be blessed by being a Pehkonen… ha ha – well this one might be test from God – poor Sadie… Oh well – our Sadie is almost home!!! This was an amazing view of Sadie’s hand on mine… she is so tiny but so bold. Look at the picture of Wayne and Heidi’s seat – you think we were going on a 12-day flight – Heidi brought everything but the kitchen sink…

Getting ready for “Our” 12 hour flight

These pictures were some of us just relaxing before our short 12-hour flight back to the good old USA!!! Our flight is scheduled to leave on time and we’re all ready to go home!!!

Getting Ready to board the airplane for our 12-hour journey home

These were pictures taken at the airport right before we got on the airplane for our 12-hour flight home. We all were very excited for the trip home – not to excited for the 12-hour flight…

Wayne’s Last night in China…

This is a picture we took of Wayne meeting a few of the “local Shopping Sales girls…’ as I guess they called it – he disappeared for a few hours and said he was “Shopping???” What ever - ha ha… No really these two girls were friends with Wayne and Heidi. They worked in one of the local shops and helped Wayne and Heidi pick out some nice new stuff for Sadie at a very low price – a few US $’s… Wayne and Heidi got on a first name bases with a lot of the shop help…Some more pictures of our last day and all the luggage as we were loading up to the airport for our trip home…

Pictures of our last day in China

These are a few pictures of our last day in China. We did a picture with all the kids – pretty amazing if you think about it. Also a bare butt picture of Sadie after her final bath in China… as grandma Pearl would say, “I do not care about anything but you better look good when your arrive back…” - ask Sondra if you need anymore information. David form Larimer experienced some of the local food – octopus on a stick – I was going to have a few but ran out of RMD currency – bummer… a picture of Heidi and Sadie in a close moment – very special….

Final Thoughts from China…

Wow, what a few weeks. To tell you the truth – words cannot explain how wonderful and how amazing the last two weeks have been. It has been an emotional rollercoaster of every thoughts and feeling imaginable times infinity – Sawyer what would this be? Ha ha. Wayne, Heidi, Sadie and I have really been through a lot and we are very happy to be coming home. It is truly a bittersweet day, as we get ready to load the bus to the airport. We all have missed our family and friends very much. We have seen sights that we really cannot imagine and really have opened all of our lives with a new perspective of things we in the USA really take for granted everyday. We have acquired a new daughter who we will love and give a life that opportunity is hers - - - it is and will all be up to her as to where she wants to take it. We have turned her little life around in a new direction. We have been able to see her village and see the place that she might have grown up in. We have seen God at work in more ways then we all can explain and really look to the future with excitement and love as Sadie is now part of our family, part of our life and part of us. We are so excited and as Heidi just whispered in m y ear, “I cannot believe she is ours…” This really sums up our experience – We cannot believe she is ours. We love her and cannot wait to get her home.
I will ad a bunch of other pictures once I get home. It is so much faster. Sawyer wants to help keep the sight going… so we will keep adding pictures over the next few months for family who want to keep in touch. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers – pray for a safe trip home to Denver and I thank God for our new little sweet thing – Our Sadie XI XI (Pronounced - Sadie she she).