And Merrilee Makes Three

Re:

2012-01-26T12:22:00.001-05:00

Dear Colleague,
http://savus.ro/severin.php?vorpageID=61

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:22:18
_________________________________
"But Thad here, hes different." (c) Seville walioketi

Some recent videos....

2011-09-15T19:35:00.004-04:00

Taken during a September visit...

2011-09-09T11:25:00.006-04:00

This is a little dark, but hopefully you will get the idea.

Merrilee loved her visit to the National Aquarium...or as she calls it...the "big fish tank..."

Can you tell by her "Oh...there's one...there's one..." that she was excited?

Barnyard Dance

2011-08-15T22:52:00.004-04:00

One of Merrilee's favorite books is "Barnyard Dance" by Sandra Boynton.

It's her favorite book to read along with daddy at bedtime.

In fact, most of the time now, she reads it TO daddy.

It's not everyday you get to hear a four-year-old read the word "promenade..."

Summer Views

2011-08-12T20:18:00.016-04:00

Haven't been writing much on the blog. Most of the pics and video of Merrilee gets posted on mommy and daddy's Facebook pages.

But, here are some pics from the summer. frim the 4th of July, to trips to the Maryland Zoo and National Aquarium.

Little Merrilee turned four in June. And every day, she is growing up a little bit more.

A Quick Visit

2011-03-28T20:40:00.002-04:00

Merrilee and mommy came home for a quick visit this weekend.

Today, daddy took Merrilee to her favorite pond to feed the ducks and geese.

But alas, there were few ducks and geese to be found. But there were plenty of seagulls.

Guess even the seagulls need to eat!!!

Getting Caught Up

2011-02-26T17:11:00.004-05:00

Time to get caught up on some older videos.

First, on the drive to Georgia in September 2010, Merrilee got to visit her friend Kassidy, and she had fun blowing bubbles with Kassidy and Kassidy's dad, Billy...

Next, there was the trip to the pumpkin patch and the fall festival with mom...

There was also the trip through the maze...

And of course, there was trick or treating, though Merrilee had a bad cold and wasn't feeling too well. Still, she "monkeyed it up..."

Some video from her first haircut...

And lastly, ice cream with mom...

Reading To Her Animals

2011-02-26T17:09:00.003-05:00

Merrilee loves books. She loves to read books with mom and dad, at school, and with her friends.

And sometimes, Merrilee likes to do the reading.

Usually, her audience is a few of her favorite stuffed animals...

The Chinese Were RIght About A Few Things...

2011-02-20T12:59:00.009-05:00

Before we picked up our sweet little girl, the Chinese sent us a packet of information about her.

Most of it was outdated by the time we got her. But three things were very true:

Merrilee has a great appetite....

Merrilee loves the outdoors....

Merrilee loves music (and that apparently means dancing too!)

Merrilee's First Haircut

2011-02-20T12:51:00.004-05:00

Well, it only took three and a half years, but mommy mustered up the courage for Merrilee's first haircut.

Here are some pictures from that historic occasion -- February 19, 2011 -- Merrilee's first haircut!

A Christmas Together

2010-12-25T18:12:00.005-05:00

Life has been so busy these past few months, and we haven't been posting many updates to this blog.

But today is Christmas! It is Merrilee's third Christmas with us -- but only the second with both mommy and daddy.

This time last year, mommy was in Iraq. And this year, we pause and say of word of thanks to all of those service men and women who are serving their country and separated from their families. They make it possible for us all to sleep a little better at night.

We're not certain, but we think Rudolph flew by about 3 a.m. and when we woke up this morning, sure enough, the jolly man in red had made a visit while we were asleep.

Here are some scenes from Christmas 2010!

And now everyone is bracing for the newest snow storm...

May the new year bring everyone health, peace, and happiness.

The Girl Loves Her Cupcake!!!

2010-10-28T21:58:00.002-04:00

Daddy lives to get pictures and videos of his little girl. She is growing up a little bit more each and every day.

And clearly, she loves her cupcakes!

What's Merrilee Been Up To?

2010-10-12T07:56:00.002-04:00

So what's Merrilee been up to in Georgia?

Nothing much.

Just hanging around...

Daddy's Little Monkey

2010-10-11T08:15:00.012-04:00

Daddy got a chance to visit Merrilee the first weekend of October. The weather was beautiful, and while daddy was there, Merrilee's Halloween costume arrived.

Merrilee just loves monkeys. So this year, when she goes through the neighborhood trick or treating, she'll be dressed as a monkey...

Merrilee really enjoys playing with all of her stuffed animals -- especially her monkeys and alligators. Just the other day, mommy thought Merrilee was being a little too quiet. When she went into Merrilee's room, she found out that Merrilee was hosting a tea party!

A New Buddy

2010-09-29T08:39:00.003-04:00

Daddy sure does miss his little girl. But he sent along a little love to her this week.

On Tuesday, when Merrilee got home from school, she found a package in the mail. It was a special gift from daddy. The package contained a new stuffed animal for her collection -- a stuffed giraffe.

Merrilee clearly loves the newest addition. She determined it is a boy giraffe, and so she has named him George.

Gettin' Southern

2010-09-16T11:36:00.006-04:00

Merrilee is becoming quite the southern princess already, and she's enjoying chowing down on some yummy southern BBQ.

She also enjoyed a visit from her Uncle Barry....

Fly Away!

2010-09-13T07:57:00.002-04:00

Well, no matter where she goes, Merrilee loves to find those coin-operated rides at shopping malls, Wal-Marts, and grocery stores.

It didn't take her long to find one near her new house in Georgia...

A Visit With A Friend From China

2010-09-07T08:38:00.003-04:00

Well, this blog probably won't be updated as much in the future. Merrilee's mommy has taken a job in Georgia, and for the last few weeks, we've been busy working out details for a move. Yesterday, mommy and Merrilee left for their new home there. Daddy is staying in Baltimore and will try a long-distance commute for a while. We'll see how that goes.

When mommy and Merrilee left yesterday, they drove half way to their new home. They stopped in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and spent the night with Billy, Nikki and Kassidy. Billy and Nikki are our friends. They were in our travel group to China. They were very gracious hosts (Nikki cooked a yummy meal...) and the best part was seeing our two little girls together. Here are some pictures mommy snapped with her iPhone. The two girls both look like princesses!

On Merrilee's last day in Baltimore, she spent most of the morning with daddy. We made a final visit to feed the ducks and geese at the local pond. Then, we visited the local playground. Then, it was a final visit to Opie's snowball stand for the last snowball of the season. Here's some video of the last few hours together...

Beach Baby

2010-08-29T16:36:00.014-04:00

Merrilee enjoyed her vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. She is already a beach baby. She went shell hunting and she spent a lot of time playing in the surf and making sand castles. She loved the road trip down to Cape Hatteras to see the lighthouse.

Merrilee, mommy and daddy were joined by uncle Jim and aunt Judy from Arkansas, along with cousin Blakely.

Merrilee is already asking when she can go back to the beach.

Here are some assorted pictures and video.

And...some random video shots...

Gotcha Day -- 2 Years Later!

2010-08-19T09:56:00.004-04:00

Has it really been two years already?

It was August 18, 2008, that we were in a little non-descript government building in Wuhan, China, getting to meet our precious little Merrilee for the very first time.

After almost four years of waiting, and traveling halfway around the world, it was a moment we will never forget...

Some days we miss that little girl so much. The time has gone by so quickly. But she has grown into one fine little buckaroo!!!

Happy anniversary, Merrilee. Happy "Gotcha Day!"

Playground Visits

2010-08-10T10:27:00.003-04:00

While mommy has been away on another temporary duty assignment, it's been in the 90's again here in Baltimore.

And, almost every day, despite the heat, Merrilee wants to go to the neighborhood playgrounds.

It may not be the playgrounds though. It may be the snowball she gets from Opie's Snowballs afterward to cool down.

Here are some random playground scenes...

The Little Buckaroo!

2010-08-03T08:35:00.004-04:00

One of the really cool things about the Goddard School is they do more than just the traditional school pictures.

A couple of weeks ago, they brought in a photographer who brought a pony to the school. All of the kids got to dress up and get their picture taken with the pony!

That day, Merrilee packed jeans for her picture. But when the time came to get the photo snapped, it was about 100 degrees, so Merrilee opted just to stay in her shorts. Still, it may be the cowboy hat that sets the tone.

Here she is -- our little buckaroo!

Vacation Bible School

2010-08-03T08:29:00.003-04:00

Merrilee had a split day last week. In the mornings, she went to the Vacation Bible School at our church, Catonsville United Methodist. In the afternoons, she went to her regular school, the Goddard School in Hanover, Maryland.

On Friday night, there was a big celebration at the church to mark the end of Vacation Bible School. 266 kids attended this summer, and dozens of volunteers made it all possible and there were lots of generous donations of supplies.

Here are some scenes from the Friday night celebration. Not the best quality, but you'll get the idea.

A Scorcher

2010-07-25T17:51:00.003-04:00

It was a scorcher yesterday. The temperature was above 100 degrees (after you top that, what's a degree or two?) The heat index was around 110-112 degrees.

In the morning, Merrilee made a visit to the local library with mommy.

Then, after Merrilee's nap, she got to enjoy the pools...both the big pool and her baby pool. She is becoming quite the fish, and she gets all around the big pool with her swimmies on. She even puts her head under water now. She's learning how to float and how to paddle around too.

After that refreshing dip in the pool it was grilled pork chops and roasted vegetables, including the green beans we grew in the back yard. And mommy made some yummy potato salad too!

Dress Up Day

2010-07-23T07:43:00.004-04:00

Today was dress-up day at Merrilee's school. All of the kids were allowed to dress up in costumes, or dress as their favorite characters.

Mommy did a great job helping Merrilee get dressed up as Ariel!

Can you tell Merrille loves to play dress up?

A Quick Trip To The Playground

2010-07-19T09:25:00.007-04:00

Mommy had some errands to run this past Saturday.

So Merrilee and daddy got a little time to bond together. We did one of Merrilee's favorite things -- we went to the local dump. For some reason, Merrilee LOVES going to the dump.

Then it was off to the neighborhood playground....

And after the playground, it was a visit to Opie's snowball stand.

In case you're wondering, Merrilee had a blueberry snowball, and daddy had peach.

Handling The Heat...

2010-07-05T20:53:00.003-04:00

It was steamy in Baltimore today, July 5, 2010.

It topped out at 99 degrees, but it felt even warmer. And this hot spell is expected to last most of the week. Plus, it's been very, very dry.

Daddy was at work today, but mommy and Merrilee had the day off.

Merrilee was joined by daddy's goddaughter, Miss Jessica, for a little dip in the pool. From the baby pool to the big girl pool, Merrilee is really becoming a water baby!

Independence Day

2010-07-04T09:32:00.010-04:00

Merrilee is celebrating her second Independence Day holiday in America.

Since July 4th fell on a Sunday this year, our community held its annual parade on July 3rd.

Merrilee and mommy were both decked out in red, white and blue. Merrilee wore a cute little "America's Sweetheart" t-shirt, and waved her flag all through the parade.

The parade had lots of fire engines, marching bands, floats, veterans, and of course, politicians. The weather was perfect for a parade. Okay, maybe it was just a tad warm. But as they say, a good time was had by all!

Here are some scenes from the parade...

And here are more scenes from the big parade...

Happy 4th everyone!

Father's Day Weekend

2010-06-22T20:34:00.004-04:00

It was a wonderful Father's Day weekend for Merrilee and her daddy.

On Saturday, the family ventured to the Hippodrome Theater to see Nickelodeon's "Storytime Live!" show. Merrilee loved the live stage show. It feature Ni Hao Kai-lan, the Wonder Pets, Dora the Explorer, and the Backyardigans. She especially liked the Backyardigans because Mayor Stinkypants (Austin) has forced the dirty townspeople (Tasha, Tyrone and Uniqua) to take part in the annual Festival of Dirt. It was a journey through Purewood Forest as Robin Hood the Clean helped clean up the village of Filthingham. Since then, everybody has been "Mayor Stinkypants" to Merrilee.

Then on Sunday, daddy's side of the family gathered together for brunch at Johannsons Dining House in Westminster. It was a delicious meal, and a special thank you to Merrilee's cousin Doug who picked up the tab. It was the first time the family had seen mommy since she returned from her tour of duty in the big sandbox.

After brunch, it was time for some daddy-daughter pictures outside on the sidewalk...

Merrilee had some very special presents for daddy. His favorite is a talking picture frame that Merrilee decorated herself with stickers. Merrilee's message was a simple "Happy Father's Day! I love you, daddy!"

That gift, and the memory of this special day, will be cherished forever!

Turning Three

2010-06-15T21:20:00.014-04:00

Merrilee celebrated her third birthday today. It is hard to believe she's that old already. It seems just like yesterday that an innocent and apprehensive 15-month old was being placed into our arms for the first time.

Today, mommy took a break around lunch and went to Merrilee's school. She treated Merrilee's class to a birthday pizza party, complete with birthday cupcakes. It appears a good time was had by all, as they say...

Merrilee's class even sang happy birthday to her!

Merrilee got a few nice treats for her birthday. First, there was an unexpected birthday package from Billy, Nikki and Kassidy, our forever friends from our trip to China. She got a musical card from Doug, Kadie and Jordan. (She had to take it along in the car when we she went out for her birthday dinner...) And, we found a nice little tune on the answering machine when we got home -- Merrilee's beloved cousin Jordan singing "Happy Birthday!" to her. It was great!

Nemo Pool

2010-06-14T12:37:00.005-04:00

It was blazing hot in Baltimore this past weekend.

And while daddy was busy working on the grown ups' in-ground pool (powerwashing it in preparation for a new paint job...) Merrilee was enjoying her new Nemo toddler pool.

School Pictures!

2010-06-08T19:05:00.011-04:00

What happened to the little girl named Merrilee? She has grown up so fast. These are her latest school pictures from the Goddard School, taken in May 2010.

The girl has attitude!

Baby Got A New Set Of Wheels

2010-06-03T19:14:00.005-04:00

Well, Merrilee finally got to go for a spin around the block!

Back on Christmas day, Merrilee got a very special present from Cousin Doug, Kadie, and Jordan. They gave her an electric, Disney princess, FJ Cruiser.

We didn't put it together while mommy was in the big sandbox in the Middle East. Merrilee wanted mommy to be home to see the first ride.

So, for your viewing pleasure...a short glimpse of Merrilee's first turn behind the wheel, and her first ride around the block...

Now Available For Weddings!

2010-06-03T19:10:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the musical birthday card from Uncle Bart and Aunt Andrea, Merrilee has learned to do the "chicken dance."

She wants you to know she is now available for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and retirement parties....

An Early Party

2010-05-31T17:28:00.003-04:00

Merrilee got to travel to Arkansas in mid-May so she could attend her cousin Madison's high school graduation.

Mommy and daddy traveled with her, though daddy had to come back early for work. Merrilee and mommy stayed an extra week.

Everybody had a great time. A special thank you to Uncle Jim and Aunt Judy for hosting the traveling Millers.

And a special thank you to Uncle Bart and Aunt Andrea for opening their home and hosting an early birthday party for Merrilee. She really enjoyed being with her aunts, uncles and cousins. Here are some scenes from the party...

Merrilee wishes she could visit her Arkansas family more often. As they say, a good time was had by all.

Mother And Child Reunion

2010-05-07T09:59:00.003-04:00

After touching down at BWI Airport, and then a quick shower, it was off to the Goddard School to re-unite Merrilee with her mommy. She was quite sure what to make of it all...

The folks at the Goddard School did something very nice for mommy. They put together a scrapbook of all the things mommy had done at school while mommy was in Iraq. It was a very nice, and very sweet, gift for mommy.

Mommy's Return

2010-05-07T09:55:00.003-04:00

Several dozen folks from Operation Welcome Home were on hand Thursday afternoon at Baltimore-Washington International Airport to welcome home the troops from overseas.

One of them was Merrilee's mommy, Lt. Col. Beth Miller, back home after six months in Iraq.

Welcome home mommy!

Counting Down....

2010-04-20T20:41:00.004-04:00

Where does the time go? Hard to believe we haven't updated this blog in a couple of weeks. We've just been so busy.

This past weekend, Merrilee and daddy went to Pimlico Race Course. But it's not what you think. Daddy's good friend, Mr. Chick Lang, passed away a few weeks ago, and his memorial service was at the track. Mr. Chick was the former GM of the track, and his wishes were that he be cremated, and his ashes scattered in the winner's circle. That's exactly what happened. It was a moving sight, as jockey Ryan Fogelsonger took Chick's ashes for one final ride around the track. You can see more about that HERE.

Next, a little proof that princesses can grow into angels. Remember Dorothy Hamill? She's all grown up now and living in Baltimore. She is a wonderful person, and gives freely and willingly of her time for worthy causes. One of the nicer athletes you'll ever meet! See more about her HERE.

Next, mommy is counting down the days for her return to the U.S. She's done her duty and we are all proud of her. Here she is with General Ray Odierno. He's the big man running the show in Iraq.

Finally, no one is counting down the days more than Merrilee. She has talked to mommy on the phone often, and she has Skyped with mommy almost every weekend. Technology has made the world much smaller. Today, Merrilee got some more books from mommy. These were the last of the books mommy got as gifts for Merrilee before she was deployed. There were story books, coloring books, and Merrilee's VERY FAVORITE -- STICKER BOOKS!

Merrilee is so excited about meeting mommy at the airport. And like she said today, "Daddy, I can't wait til mommy gets home. I need to get my hair cut!"

Skinned!

2010-04-06T19:57:00.006-04:00

It was 95 degrees today in Baltimore. Not very humid so it was really nice.

Merrilee went to school in little shorts and a short-sleeved T-shirt.

They got to spend a lot of time on the playground -- so much so that by 7:30 tonight she was asking to go to bed.

So day one of heat, shorts and the playground. That has to mean the first SKINNED KNEE of the season!

Ah, kids will be kids. And so the summer season begins!

The Hunt

2010-04-04T14:14:00.006-04:00

On Easter, Merrilee went to her cousin Jordan's house for an Easter egg hunt.

The hunt was put together by Kadie and Doug -- Jordan's mom and dad.

Merrilee was teamed up with Jordan and they helped each other find the right color of eggs for their team.

Merrilee loves Jordan. She says, "Jordan is just like my big brother."

Merrilee is very glad to have cousins like Doug, Kadie and Jordan!

A Stinky Slinky!

2010-04-01T19:38:00.004-04:00

Our friends Nikki, Billy and Kassidy sent a nice package with treats.

It was filled with stuff for Merrilee.

There was Disney lipstick (chapstick,) sunglasses, a cute little outfit, glow stick, a Minnie Mouse snapband for her wrist, a Disney Princess ball and something else.

Merrilee got her first SLINKY!

She hasn't quite figured out all to do with it, or even how to say it. She kept asking daddy if she could play with her "stinky."

There was also something very special for daddy in the box. It was a coffee mug with some very special pictures not just of daddy and Merrilee, but of mommy and Merrilee and Nikki and Billy and Kassidy.

When you travel to China, and you share "Gotcha Day" with a small group of people, a bond is formed that lasts forever. We are Merrilee's "forever family" and Nikki, Billy and Kassidy are our "forever friends!"

Bad Daddy!

2010-03-25T19:50:00.003-04:00

So Merrilee is growing like a weed. And her feet are getting big. So, she needed some new shoes. Shoe shopping is usually mommy's job. Mommy loves to shop for shoes -- for herself AND for Merrilee.

But mommy's in the big sandbox, and daddy had to do the shopping. But daddy hates to shoe shop at stores. So, he decided to shop on line.

When he got to the Kohl's site, he just couldn't make up his mind. What to pick...what to pick...

Today the box finally arrived. Here for your viewing pleasure -- Merrilee's new shoes -- all six pairs!

So which are your favorite. Feel free to cast your vote!

Books

2010-03-19T09:39:00.006-04:00

A package from mommy arrived the other day. It was filled with books for Merrilee.

We are so lucky to have a little girl who loves to read.

The moment we opened the box, she plopped in her Dora chair and started to read...

The subject doesn't seem to matter to Merrilee. She just loves books and loves to read. Oh yeah...she likes to open the mail too!

Jump!

2010-03-07T17:45:00.007-05:00

We haven't been updating the blog much lately. We've been so busy and just haven't had the time. Also, we haven't done much cool stuff. Everyone in Baltimore has just been letting all the snow melt.

Today though, Merrilee got to go to a birthday party for her friend Samantha. The party was as a place called the Jump Zone in Columbia, Maryland. They have a lot of inflatables, and after a few minutes of shyness, Merrilee really warmed up and got into trying out all of them...

Here are a few more shots from the day as a slideshow.

Merrilee is doing just fine. She is growing into quite a little lady and she loves going to school everyday. She loves her teachers, Ms. Jess, Ms. Debbie and Ms. Richie. She's had to spend a few nights away from home because of daddy's work, and she's really enjoyed being with Mr. Steve, Ms. Bea, and Ms. Jessica. Oh yeah, she loves being with their dog Emma too!

A Package From Mommy

2010-02-17T19:34:00.004-05:00

Getting home isn't easy these days. Many of the roads still haven't been plowed curb to curb. So the commute is taking twice as long as it did before the snow.

Tonight, it took Merrilee and daddy about an hour to get home from Merrilee's school. But once we were home, and walking up the sidewalk, Merrilee spotted a box on the porch.

"It's a present for me!" she shouted. And she was right. It was a box from mommy! Inside was a bear dressed like Uncle Sam, some chocolates, a sweet card, and of course some ring pops.

Needless to say, everything was a hit...especially the ring pops...

Mountains of Snow

2010-02-12T17:14:00.004-05:00

We have mountains of snow and are digging out following the latest 20-plus inch snowstorm in Baltimore. These were taken today...two days after our blizzard and after two days of shoveling!

Merrilee is dwarfed by the mountains of snow. But, she loves the snow!

History!

2010-02-12T07:05:00.004-05:00

History was made this week.

This is now officially the snowiest winter in the history of Baltimore.

We've had more than 79 inches of snow this season. We've had three 20-inch-plus snowfalls in less than a month. We had a mess over the weekend, and then an honest-to-God blizzard on Wednesday.

Everyone is very sore from digging out cars and shoveling snow.

Merrilee's school has been closed most of this week. Daddy had to work, so on Monday, our next door neighbor, Emma Sue, took care of Merrilee. Then on Tuesday, Merrilee went to stay with our friends Steve and Bea and their daughter, Jessica. She'll be coming back home later today.

This was the first time Merrilee spent a night away from home without mommy or daddy. She's been a good little trooper. She packed toys, food and clothes for her multi-day sleepover.

And Steve, Bea and Jessica have been so kind to help out. It would be hard to get through all of this without good friends and neighbors.

Blizzard!

2010-02-06T12:06:00.003-05:00

Well, Baltimore got hammered, and it's still snowing. This will go down in the books as an historic, record snowfall for Baltimore. Easily two feet. It's been snowing since about noon on Friday and it won't stop until 7 tonight.

This is a back-breaking heavy, wet snow to shovel. And one problem is where do you put it all when you shovel? Even four-wheel drives are having problems getting around. Here's a little video from shoveling the front sidewalk. It took a half-hour just to do this!

Valentine's Card

2010-02-06T11:53:00.003-05:00

Merrilee got a sweet Valentine's card from her mother.

She really loves it and she carries it everywhere!

Snowmagedden!

2010-02-05T22:55:00.005-05:00

Merrilee's school closed at 1pm today because of the big blizzard moving in.

On the way home, daddy's Blackberry rang. It was Merrilee's mommy calling from Iraq.

Merrilee got to talk for a few minutes.

We had no sooner hung up though, when daddy looked into the backseat to find Merrilee was sound asleep and snoring. Seems 1pm is her naptime, and the ride home was interfering!

By the way, the National Weather Service says this could be the worst snowfall ever for Baltimore:

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RECORD SNOWFALL FOR THE BALTIMORE AND WASHINGTON DC METROPOLITAN AREAS.

TRAVEL CONDITIONS TONIGHT ACROSS THE REGION WILL BE EXTREMELYHAZARDOUS AND LIFE-THREATENING. HELP YOUR LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT FIRST RESPONDERS AND TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES BY STAYING OFF THE ROADS.

Killing Time On A Snow Day

2010-02-03T19:23:00.008-05:00

We've been very, very busy these last two weeks, so we are sorry we haven't posted much. We had several inches of snow over the weekend, and about five inches more last night.

Because of the snow, Merrilee's school opened three hours late. That meant she had to go to work with daddy for a while.

Some of daddy's co-workers, especially Mr. Scott (who Merrilee calls "the funny man") took their time to entertain her. Mr. Scott did his animal impressions. First he was a cow, then a snake, and finally a rooster!

And lest you think we're done with snow, this Baltimore forecast is leading the news here tonight:

A Winter Storm Watch is in effect from Friday morning through Saturday evening.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch, which is in effect from Friday morning through Saturday evening.

Precipitation type, snow.

Accumulations, this storm is likely to produce 12 or more inches of snow in the watch area, with a good chance for localized amounts over 20 inches.

Timing, snow is expected to begin late morning Friday, continuing through Saturday evening.
Temperatures, highs in the lower to mid 30s Friday. Friday night and Saturday, temperatures will be 25 to 30 degrees.

Winds, east 5 to 10 mph Friday and Friday night, becoming north 10 to 20 mph Saturday.

Precautionary/preparedness actions,

This storm has the potential to be similar to the December 19th storm. Plan for substantial disruptions to travel Friday afternoon through the weekend.

Yikes!

Vocabulary

2010-01-16T11:14:00.004-05:00

Whenever Merrilee is in the car with her daddy, there is non-stop singing and talking.

Some days, we work on expanding Merrilee's vocabulary. She loves to learn new words.

On this day, the subject was "musical instruments...."

Since the audio originally came from the voice recorder on daddy's iphone, we married the audio to her latest school pictures. Please indulge us one more time....

Protect This House!

2010-01-13T08:33:00.009-05:00

We're getting back to our regular routine with school now that the holidays are over. There has been one small interruption, and that's been the Baltimore Ravens making it into the playoffs.

On Tuesday, Merrilee's teacher was a little unhappy with Merrilee. Seems Merrilee went around her class trying to tackle some of her classmates. It would appear she remembers a little too much from watching the Ravens play this season. Merrilee's teacher says most of the kids she tried to tackle were bigger than her too! Now that's daddy's little girl.

Merrilee's mommy got to watch ALL of the Ravens game on Sunday, when they trounced Tom Brady and the Patriots. She says the game was very exciting. She is also showing off her Ravens gear to her co-workers in the sandbox. She has her "Protect This House" Ravens towel at her cubicle, and she is very proud of her new jerseys.

A special thank you to Derrick Mason and Haloti Ngata for the autographs -- especially Derrick, who noted in his "Be safe!" He is one classy guy!

Good luck on Sunday! Hopefully the Ravens can do to Peyton Manning what they did to Tom Brady!

More Snow...Playing With All Those Toys!

2009-12-31T13:49:00.003-05:00

We got a little more snow overnight. About two inches. What the forecasters call a wintry mix. It was pretty easy to shovel it away, compared to the 21.5" before Christmas.

Merrilee has played non-stop with all of her toys from Santa and friends.

She has really gotten used to her guitar. She straps it on, strums, and dances away. Looking forward to a time when toys don't make noise.

Oh well, at least her preference is guitar!

The Cutest Little Dress

2009-12-27T18:26:00.005-05:00

Merrilee wants to say a special thank you to Aunt Judy and Uncle Jim. They sent her this cute little outfit for Christmas -- complete with the red holiday bow.

She wore it to Doug and Kadie's for dinner on Christmas day. Merrilee loves this outfit. She calls it her "fancy Christmas dress."

She really did look cute!!! Thank you, Judy and Jim!

Mommy and Santa

2009-12-25T19:06:00.005-05:00

Merrilee was separated from her mother this Christmas day, but she did get to talk to mommy for a bit on Skype, and show mommy all of her presents. Mommy sent Merrilee a couple of pictures today too. First, mommy got to spend some time in the big sandbox with Mr. and Mrs. Claus...

Mommy also sent a picture of her roommate. Her name is Beth too! Merrilee is always happy to get pictures from her mommy...

Technology is a wonderful thing. It's amazing how quickly images and messages go from one side of the world to the other.

To everyone far away from home this Christmas, Merrilee says "be safe!"

Doug and Kadie's

2009-12-25T18:37:00.010-05:00

On Christmas afternoon, we went to cousin Doug and Kadie's for Christmas dinner, and more gift opening. Beside Doug and Kadie, cousins Heather and Jordan were there, along with Uncle Glenn and Aunt Sandy.

As Merrilee said, she looked "fancy." She wore her special Christmas dress and shirt that were a gift from Aunt Judy and Uncle Jim. She event wore her special bow, though she didn't keep that in very long. (We'll have more pictures of the dress soon. We left our camera at Doug and Kadie's and won't get it back until Sunday...)

Merrille was showered with gifts. She loved them all. Her bracelet, teddy bear, games, jackets, and her Disney Princess FJ Cruiser electric car. That thing is so big it took up the entire back of the 4Runner on the way home. There were lots of other gitfs...dolls and games and more. And she loves them all!

Merrilee especially enojoyed seeing Jordan, and going up to his old room to see his Christmas garden and play his drums!

Here's a little video of Merrilee on the drums...

When we got home, she also had to play her "electric" guitar. She has a style that is a mix of James Burton and Jimi Hendrix...

Can't wait til Merrilee gets to entertain all the people who gave her these gifts. And Merrilee can't wait until mommy gets to see, and HEAR, all her new toys. Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Morning

2009-12-25T18:30:00.004-05:00

What a busy Christmas morning.

At 6:10 a.m. Merrilee started calling, "Daddy, I want to get up. I want to get up." She toddled out to the baby gate at the top of the stairs, looked down and said "Presents! Presents! Santa was here!"

She could barely contain herself as she ran down the steps and over to her gifts. Santa brought her a lot of nice toys.

A special thanks to Merrilee's Aunt Brittany (she loved her Disney hoppy) and to Uncle Bart (she has taken her little stuffed animal everywhere, and we've already watched her DVD about five times!)

Here's a sample of some of the gift opening from Christmas morning.

SNOW and PICTURES!

2009-12-18T18:58:00.015-05:00

Okay. The Baltimore area got whacked BIG TIME over the weekend with a major snowstorm. In Catonsville, where we live, the unofficial total was 21.5 inches. And, it's so cold it's going to be around for a while. Most of the major school systems were closed Monday.

A big thank you to Merrilee's niece Heather. We trekked over to get her early Saturday morning, and she is staying with us til Tuesday to help take care of Merrilee while dad is working early (going in at 4:30 a.m.)

It took a couple of hours to shovel out on Sunday, and a huge thank you goes out to Mr. Bob down the street. He came by with his snowblower and cleared out the foot of the driveway. (After we got out and shoveled, the plow came through and pushed up a huge snow wall on our cul de sac.

Merrille loved the snow. She loved looking at it and feeling it on her hand. She did not like it so much though when it ended up being almost as high as she is tall.

Meanwhile, Merrilee got her latest school pictures on Friday. Does anyone have a favorite?

So what do you think? We're a little selfish about this. We think they're ALL good!

She Has Made MUSIC!

2009-12-16T21:18:00.008-05:00

Three of the people who work for Merrilee's daddy -- Ms. Anne, Mr. John, and Mr. Robert -- pitched in and got Merrilee a little holiday present.

They insisted she open it tonight, and she did.

It was a Disney princess musical instrument set, complete with trumpet, cymbals, castanets, maracas, and oh yes, the drum.

Lots and lots of noisemakers. Needless to say, Merrilee loved them. So much so, in fact, that she had to sleep with the trumpet in her bed tonight.

By the way, be listening for Ms. Anne, Mr, John, and Mr. Robert on the radio. You'll be hearing them all soon on the new OVERNIGHT shift.

Merrilee says if her instruments are keeping daddy awake, the people who gave them to her might as well be awake too!

A Special Visitor On Our Street!

2009-12-14T20:00:00.003-05:00

Merrilee heard a noise at the end of our street.

Lo and behold, it was the jolly old man in red himself! Santa was riding on a fire truck!

He went down the street and stopped right in front of our house.

Merrilee waved and blew him a kiss. She said, "I've been good" and "Bring me some presents..."

Santa's elves gave Merrilee a candy cane. She's trying to be a very good girl.

We hung her stocking tonight, and ones for the dogs, Bogart and Bacall. Will they be filled with treats on Christmas morning?

Hanukkah

2009-12-12T21:33:00.004-05:00

Merrilee and her daddy were treated to a nice traditional Hanukkah dinner at Mr. Rob and Mrs. Susan's house. The food was excellent, especially the peach soup and the brisket. Yum-mo!

Merrilee was fascinated by the dreidel, and she loved the lighting of the candles on the menorah.

She also liked playing with Jonathan and his friends...especially the drums and the piano.

A few quick glimpses from our visit...

Trains

2009-12-12T15:28:00.002-05:00

The highlight of Merrilee's Saturday was a visit to see the train garden at the Ellicott City Fire Station # 2.

Merrilee LOVED it! She didn't want to leave.

Here's a little bit of what she saw...

Loving Her School

2009-12-11T19:03:00.006-05:00

We are very lucky that Merrilee loves going to school. As we've mentioned previously, Merrilee goes to the Goddard School in Hanover, Maryland. It makes daddy's commute a lot longer in the morning and afternoon, and she usually spends 10 to 11 hours at the school each day.

Merrilee is blessed with some great teachers and classmates.

Every morning when she gets to school, Merrilee runs in to see Miss Charlotte. Later, her teachers are Miss Richie, Miss Jessica, and Miss Debbie.

We are keeping Miss Debbie in our thoughts and prayers. Her husband is a marine, and he will soon be going to that other big sandbox where more of our troops are headed. Will hope he will be safe.

Today, the school email us some pictures of Merrilee. We thought we'd share them with you!

Clearly Merrilee loves all the fun she has at school. She loves the music and the arts and crafts. The other day, the class practiced shaking hands and saying "Nice to meet you..." We practiced all that night when she got home too. Thank you, Goddard School, for all you do for our Merrilee!

Our First Snow Of The Year

2009-12-06T15:00:00.007-05:00

Baltimore received its first snowfall of this winter on December 5, 2009. We probably got about five inches here where we live. The flakes were big, but the snow didn't cause much of a problem. The roads were still pretty warm so not much piled up on the highways, though as you can see, it was enough for the salt truck to come through our neighborhood.

Merrilee was fascinated by the snow, as always. She remembers it from this year. She stood at the picture window a lot yesterday, and just watched it come down.

Today we made another trip to the grocery store. Merrilee has to stop and play with the snow on the bushes next to our front porch. She thinks the snow is pretty cool, though she doesn't like the cold or the wind. (By the way, sorry for the poor quality of the pictures, but they are video screen grabs, and I was shooting through our front window.)

Interesting Comment...

2009-12-03T19:53:00.004-05:00

Everyday, Merrilee's school sends home a "daily activity report" for each child.

It says how much she ate, when she napped, when she used the potty, what they did for language and cognitive skills, creative arts, music, and much more.

At the very bottom, there is a block for a special message.

Today, Merrilee's said

"Today Merrilee told Ms. Debbie 'I miss my daddy. He's at work. I miss my mommy. She's at important work.'"

What an interesting and observant comment from a two-year-old.

A Day With Her Cousins

2009-11-28T12:37:00.006-05:00

Merrilee had a terrific time this morning! Her cousins Doug, Kadie and Jordan took her to the Festival of Trees.

Merrilee told me she loved all the lights and trains, but she was a little scared of "Santa Closet." That's what she's been calling him lately.

When Doug stopped by to pick up Jordan, Leah snapped these photos. Leah really is an excellent and talented photographer!!!

A Very Happy Child...

2009-11-27T16:44:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, and I mean sometimes, it doesn't take much to make Merrilee happy.

Today, for instance, she was the picture of happiness.

It was all about sitting in the laundry basket, with her blue blanket, wearing her Crocs, and eating Cheez-its.

Merrilee says..."This is the life!"

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T19:55:00.015-05:00

Merrilee missed mommy this Thanksgiving. Normally mommy would cook the big family dinner. But this year, with mommy in a far away land, the rest of the family left behind went out to dinner. Merrilee wore a little panda shirt outfit that was a gift from mommy before mommy deployed overseas...

Merrilee loves her cousins Doug and Kadie. They are among Merrilee's favorite babysitters. We think she likes Doug so much because he is so willing to act HER age and play with her...

And cousin Kadie helped put Merrilee's hair in a pretty pony tail for dinner...

Merrilee missed mommy but was proud to show off the outfit from mommy...

And this year, the holiday novelty at Hallmark is this flashing house that plays holiday tunes. You can buy as many as you want and connect them together, and they all flash their lights to the music. Merrilee decided they look good on the TV stand in front of the DVD player...

Merrilee is already anxiously awaiting the visit from the chubby bearded man in the red suit!

The Mail....

2009-11-24T10:32:00.002-05:00

Merrilee has been talking with mommy on Skype. Not everyday, but about once a week.

With the holidays coming up, it takes a little while for mail to reach mommy.

But, if you want to send a card, the address is:

Lt Col Beth Miller
MNF-I
Unit 2034, Box 34,
APO AE 09870

Don't Bother Me...I'm Eating

2009-11-17T11:34:00.005-05:00

Merrilee loves her mommy.

But she reminds daddy all the time not to bother her while she's eating.

Here's an example...

Coloring

2009-11-17T11:25:00.004-05:00

Before mommy left for her deployment, she bough Merrilee a GIANT Disney coloring book.

And daddy bought Merrilee a huge pyramid of crayons.

So now, Merrilee is spending a lot of time coloring at night.

One thing we noticed...she colors with her right hand. Merrilee does some things left-handed, and some things right-handed. It looks like she goes with the right for coloring...

Skype

2009-11-15T17:14:00.004-05:00

Merrilee's mommy arrived safe and sound at her deployment destination.

Merrilee got to see her and talk to her today on Skype. All things considered, Merrilee says mommy looked pretty good. Mommy doesn't have the internet in her room, but there are some common areas where she can get on line to check email, Facebook, and Skype.

The funny thing was, today, the background was a Subway. Beth says they even have $5 foot longs there.

If you would like to send a card, her address is:

Lt Col Beth Miller, MNF-I, Unit 2034, Box 34, APO AE 09870

Goodbye Mommy...Be Safe

2009-11-11T21:18:00.032-05:00

Merrilee was a real trooper as she trekked to BWI Airport on Veterans' Day evening, to send mommy off on a six-month deployment to the big sandbox. Both mommy and Merrilee held up well.

Merrilee has always loved the airport. She loves all the activity and she loves airplanes. But tonight, she was focused on mommy and telling her "I love you" and "Goodbye mom..."

There were hundreds of people near the international terminal, outside the Air Mobility Command gate. They were there on this Veterans' Day evening to greet servicemen and women who were returning from overseas deployments. One of the greeters was Gary Smith. Gary went to high school with Merrilee's dad, and he attends Merrilee's church.

These greeters are all a part of Operation Welcome Home. After Vietnam, America learned a lesson. You may not like the mission or the war, but you ALWAYS honor those who do their duty and who serve their country.

Operation Welcome Home is just one small way America expresses its thanks. We watched as these military members were greeted with cheers, waving flags, signs, and welcome home "goodie bags" and to a person, they shook hands, high-fived the crowd, and beamed back some smiles of their own. Merrilee wanted to be a part of the action....

You can join Operation Welcome Home, or make a donation. If you'd like to go to the airport to greet the members of the military, OWH's web site has all the information. Here's a little more video to give you a sense of the crowd and the reception these service people get...

Just before we parted, one lady from Operation Welcome Home went up to Merrilee's mommy. She said, "We are proud of you and your service. Please be safe."

That is our prayer -- that all of these people separated from their families, off in distant lands, stay safe and return home safely very soon. And that includes our friend, Billy, who has been away in Afghanistan. We hope he gets to see his precious daughter, Kassidy, very soon.

Costume Number Two

2009-10-31T17:20:00.016-04:00

Merrilee donned costumer number two for a Friday night party at her friend Emma's house. Emma licves across the street. Merrilee went as Ariel, wearing a costume mommy bought for her during this summer's trip to Disney World.

Daddy helped Merrilee decorate her pumpkin party favor...

Emma had a lot of her friends at the party...

Everyone had a great time at the party! And all the kids got lots of candy to take home. They'll have sugar highs for weeks to come.

Thank you Emma! Thank you Mrs. Jessica and Mr. Dave!

And Merrilee, you looked marvelous!

Halloween -- The First Of Two Costumes

2009-10-30T08:39:00.004-04:00

With mommy away, Merrilee paid tribute today to all the men and women in uniform. For her school Halloween party, she dressed up in her BDUs. For the record, this is an AIR FORCE uniform!

I admit, the pants were a little too big in the waist. And since there wasn't a safety pin to be found, we made do with some velcro straps through the belt loops in the back. It worked!

And here's a little video message to mommy...

One last thing...on the way to work today, daddy stopped and got a cup of coffee. While he was checking out, the man behind him was wearing a uniform too. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Daddy bought the sergeant's coffee. If you see someone in uniform the next few days, buy them a coffee. It's the least we can do.

Missing Mommy

2009-10-27T20:57:00.005-04:00

Merrilee is already missing her mommy a lot. She has asked a number of times, "mommy going away?"

We are trying to keep her occupied and thanks to a few friends, Merrilee has some new entertainment.

First, our good friend Edie Brown is handling PR for the Disney on Ice show. Edie gave this flashing tiara to Merrilee and she just loves wearing it around the house.

Next, Miss Kristy, who works with daddy, gave Merrilee this musical card. Merrilee loves musical cards. This one has that hamster music. Merrilee wanted to dance, but she couldn't really get those hips going until she took off the tiara.

Thank you, Merrilee, for the gift of joy you bring to us!

We are so lucky, and so blessed!

Merrilee's Bedtime Prayers

2009-10-25T20:10:00.002-04:00

We've been very busy these last two weeks, getting ready for mommy's deployment.

Mommy leaves in the morning for two weeks of training. She comes home late on November 5th, and then heads to the big sandbox on November 11th.

We are already missing her.

One thing Merrilee does every night is say her prayers. She prays for her mommy and daddy, her dogs (Bogart and Bacall) and for herself.

This is the way Merrilee ends her day...

Thank You Steve Bisciotti

2009-10-13T11:04:00.003-04:00

Merrilee's mommy and daddy got to go to the Ravens football game this past Sunday. They went with their friends Rob and Susan. The weather was terrific. The outcome of the game could have been better, with the Ravens losing to the Bengals in the last minute of the game.

At every Ravens game, the pre-game festivities include the Baltimore Marching Ravens and a military color guard performing this routine to Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A."

It's not the hippest song in the world, but 71,000 people rise to their feet for it every week. And then, this is the way the Ravens handle the team introductions.

By the way, October 11, 2009 was breast cancer awareness day, and thus the Ravens cheerleaders had pink pom poms.

Thank you, Steve Bisciotti for being a professional sports team owner that we all admire!

Fire House Open House

2009-10-10T17:39:00.003-04:00

The Ellicott City Fire Station on Route 103 had an open house from 1pm to 4pm on October 10, 2009. Merrilee took daddy to the open house.

Merrilee enjoyed it so much! The fireman were very nice.

She started off with a big hug for Sparky, the department mascot. Then, she got to sit inside a BIG fire truck, and she got a fire ducky for the bath tub and a bright yellow fire hat.

She saw lots of demonstrations about fire safety, the tools the firefighters use, and how they rescue people from burning houses and vans in crashes.

And after the open house Merrilee took daddy to McDonald's, where they share an M and M McFlurry!

Uncle Jim And Aunt Judy Visit

2009-10-04T17:24:00.014-04:00

Mommy's uncle and aunt, Jim and Judy Brady, visited this week. They came to participate in mommy's promotion ceremony. They also got to spend some time getting to know Merrilee better.

While they were here, mommy took them to the Naval Academy and it just so happens it was the day before the big Navy-Air Force game. They caught up with the Air Force band practicing, and they even discovered that the Navy mascot, "Bill the goat" had been painted Air Force blue.

We also enjoyed time with Merrilee blowing bubbles, and sitting outside on the patio just visiting.

Uncle Jim gave Merrilee some T-ball lessons too!

Scenes From Mommy's Promotion

2009-10-02T13:31:00.016-04:00

As we mentioned in an earlier blog, mommy promotion ceremony was Thursday. She is now officially a Lt. Colonel. The ceremony took place at the Defense Information school at Ft. Meade.

Rev. Mark Waddell, the pastor of Catonsville Unitd Methodist Church, offered the invocation.

Lt. Col. Will Manley, the Deputy Commandant of DINFOS, introduced the guest speaker.

Col. King Gillespie has been a mentor to mommy for most of her military career. He was the guest speaker, and he also administered the oath of office.

Mommy's uncle and aunt, Jim and Judy Brady, flew in from Arkansas and helped "pin on" her new rank.

After taking the oath and pinning on her new rank, mommy said a few words, and had some special gifts for those who took part in the ceremony. The sweetest moment was when she presented Merrilee with her first "big girl" wrist corsage.

A few other special people were there to witness the promotion -- our friend and neighbor, Sharon Jones, and our friend and Vietnam vet, Al Parsons.

Lt. Col. Beth Miller. We are all so proud of you!

A Portrait

2009-10-02T10:18:00.004-04:00

Merrilee's mommy had her official promotion ceremony on Thursday. She's now a Lt. Colonel. We're hoping to have a little video of that up soon.

Mommy works at the Defense Information School at Ft. Meade. It's where all of the military folks train to become public affairs officers. They learn many, many skills -- from writing press releases, to photography, broadcasting and the graphic arts.

There are many, many talented instructors there. One of them is Jason Shipp. As a present for daddy, mommy had Jason draw this sketch of our family.

Daddy didn't get to meet Jason, but he did get to meet Jason's mom and brother. They are a terrific family, and this sketch will be treasured for years to come!

Thank you Jason!

The Big News

2009-09-28T08:59:00.003-04:00

The big news is...

Mommy is getting deployed for six months.

She is due to ship out on October 25.

We can't say where she is going.

We can say she won't have a lot of time to make sand castles in this sandbox.

Ravens And Spanish

2009-09-28T08:47:00.004-04:00

Daddy was at the Ravens game on Sunday, cheering them on to their BIG win over the Cleveland Browns. Merrilee stayed at home, but she was showing her support and cheering in her own way...

By the way, Merrilee is learning to speak Spanish. No kidding. She can already count to ten in English, Chinese, and yes, now Spanish...

A Trip To The Library

2009-09-27T07:29:00.012-04:00

Merrilee loves books. She loves to read and loves to have someone read to her. A few weeks ago, she went to the library and got her very own library card. This weekend, she went back with mommy, returned her books, and checked out more books. We love having the Catonsville branch of the library so close to home...

And here is a short video from the trip. Note how heavy the backpack is at the end...

Then it was a visit with Mr. Al, inside his restaurant, Matthews 1600. Merrilee loves Al...

We have some major news coming soon -- let's just say Merrilee will have a little adjusting to do!

An Important Face Behind The Scenes

2009-09-15T07:48:00.002-04:00

The paperwork involved when you adopt internationally is massive.

Everyone who applies has to have a social worker do a home study report. In our case, because our wait grew so long, we had to have that home study updated a couple of times.

Even when you get your child, the paperwork continues.

You have to have your social worker come back six months after you get your child and do a post placement report. And, then again at twelve months, your social worker comes back for one final post placement report.

In our case, we were blessed to have a wonderful social worker. Anne Pearce was referred to us by another family who adopted from China. She works for the United Methodist Board of Child Care in Baltimore. Over the past few years she has become a friend working "behind the scenes."

She offered so much support while we were going through the adoption process.

She paid what we think will be her last scheduled visit to us last week, in preparation for the twelve month post placement report.

Anne, we couldn't have done it without you! We will forever be grateful. We hope you will continue to follow the blog and visit from time to time.

We look forward to finishing all the paperwork and storing away that mountain of paper. From time to time we will go back and look at it, and we may even wonder how we did it and how we survived the nearly four-year wait for Merrilee. One thing we know. It was well worth it!

Soup For You!

2009-09-13T09:02:00.004-04:00

Well she's never seen the Seinfeld episode, but Merrilee would be very angry if someone ever told her "No soup for you!"

She loves soup. Especially this broccoli and cheddar soup her mother made for her.

And what would soup be without those tasty little oyster crackers?

Ice Cream And Kitty Cats

2009-09-07T16:33:00.009-04:00

Mommy and Merrilee took Aunt Sharoun out this past Friday. They went shopping at the Columbia Mall and had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. As these pictures show, Merrilee's favorite part of the meal was apparently the ice cream at the end...

And Merrilee had fun with Aunt Sharon outside by one of the fountains..

Finally, Merrilee is loving her little kitty slippers. These were a gift from Ms. Tamara last year. They were a little big last year, but now they fit just fine. Merrilee loves the little whiskers coming out from the front. They close with velcro too, and everyone knows that velcro is a toddler's best friend...

All in all, it looks like ice cream and slippers make Merrilee a pretty happy child!

"I Love To Ride My Pony..."

2009-09-05T18:48:00.007-04:00

Merrilee loves to ride her rocking horse.

She loves the song it plays, "I'm a pretty pony..."

Sometimes she gets going so fast and hard, she falls off right onto her little tushy. But when she does, she is giggling all the way...

A Day At The Mall

2009-09-05T09:53:00.005-04:00

The other day Merrilee and mommy got to spend a nice day out shopping at the Columbia Mall with Aunt Sharon.

They even had lunch together at the Cheesecake Factory.

One thing Merrilee really enjoyed was when Aunt Sharon took her to feel the cool water coming from one of the waterfall foutains at the Columbia Mall.

Books, Books, Books...

2009-09-05T09:45:00.005-04:00

We are so lucky.

Merrilee loves books. She loves to read, and she loves to have others read to her.

Every night we read to her before she goes to bed. It calms her down and makes her sleep much better.

One of her favorite books features the "Can Do Kids" and after just a few readings, Merrilee knew all their names. It is now one of her favorite books...

"I Feed The Ducks..."

2009-08-30T12:39:00.003-04:00

One of Merrilee's favorite things to do now is go visit the pond at the nearby Woodlawn Cemetery.

The pond is filled with hundreds of geese and ducks. And, they're all VERY hungry.

So today, armed with FIVE loaves of bread, Merrilee had daddy take her there, so she could make sure the animals had a good meal.

By the time we left, their bellies were full.

Getting Caught Up...

2009-08-24T19:44:00.029-04:00

We've been slacking off a bit in getting things posted in a timely fashion. But we have a few minutes tonight to get caught up.

First, thanks to Uncle Bart and Aunt Andrea for the wonderful birthday gifts. As you can see, Mrs. Potato Head is already a huge hit. Merrilee even wore out Bogart and Bacall trying to get them to play with her.

Next, some still photos from her friend Xavier's birthday party. Merrilee loved the "Jump Zone" and she loved the cupcakes too. Merrilee loves any party where there are lots of kids and yummy food. She's easy to please...

Finally, we all had a great time a couple of weekends ago when we went to Mr. Rob's and Ms. Susan's for a cookout. Merrilee really enjoyed the time there, and she loved playing with their dog, Biskit. (So did mommy...)

That's just a little look at what's been going on the last few weeks.

Birthday Party Fun

2009-08-23T17:23:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, August 22, 2009, mommy took Merrilee to a birthday party. The party was for Merrilee's friend, Xavier Henry, who turned three.

The party was held at the Jump Zone in Columbia.

All of the kids had a great time! Merrilee loved all the bouncy toys, and she really loved flying down the sliding board.

Mommy shot some video...

Gotcha Day Anniversary

2009-08-18T07:56:00.020-04:00

Happy Anniversary to Merrilee!

Happy Anniversary to our family!

It was one year ago today that we found ourselves in a non-descript government building in Wuhan, China, and a little girl named Pu Fu Na became our Merrilee.

Before our trip,. we had sent over a care package to Merrilee's orphanage. One of the things we included was a little stuffed bunny rabbit. That little bunny made it to Merrilee's foster family, and it was in her arms when she was handed to Beth. Merrilee slept with that bunny on the bus back to our hotel, and she still sleeps with it every night.

It has been a wonderful year. In December we traveled to Arkansas so that Merrilee could meet Beth's family. In June, we celebrated Merrilee's second birthday at Disney World. Merrilee has stayed relatively healthy. A few sniffles here and there, one nasty ear infection, and a small cyst that had to be surgically removed from her neck. She was almost completely potty trained before she turned two, but that continues to present some challenges.

She has a terrific appetite, enjoys the outdoors, loves music and books, and loves being around people. She is independent, and yes, at times, very stubborn.

We've gone trough the Wiggles, and Doodlebops, and are currently stuck in Elmo-land. She enjoys watching Ni Hao Kailan too!

Thank you all for following this blog and being so supportive. In the past year, Merrilee received so many wonderful gifts -- clothes, books, toys, blankets, dolls, stuffed animals, DVDs, special mementos...the list goes on and on. We have appreciated every gift, and Merrilee has enjoyed them all.

Here is Merrilee today, taken this morning before we got in the car for school. She is really growing fast.

One last note, congratulations to mommy, who last week, got promoted to Lt. Colonel!!! We are very proud of her, and her service to our country.

Cousin Doug

2009-07-31T13:02:00.004-04:00

Merrilee loves people. She loves family. She loves the simplest things.

She loves when cousin Doug, Kadie, and Jordan visit. We think part of that might be because Doug has the wonderful ability to act like he's only two. Just kidding, Doug.

And hey, it isn't easy s-q-u-e-e-z-i-n-g into that playhouse in the back yard!

A Day At The Pool

2009-07-28T08:28:00.015-04:00

This past Saturday, Merrilee got to go to a neighborhood pool. She and mommy were invited by our neighbor Kim, and her two girls Hannah and Sophie.

As it is so often said..."a good time was had by all..."

Musical Birthday Cards

2009-07-28T08:17:00.004-04:00

Merrilee got a handful of musical cards for her birthday.

She just loves.

One of them is from cousin Nathan in Arkansas. She loves to open it and look at it -- it's sort of like she's waiting for Nathan to pop out.

Those cards provide a lot of musical moments for Merrilee...

The Next Cal

2009-07-21T10:05:00.003-04:00

Watch out baseball fans!

There's a new Cal Ripken, Jr. out there.

And despite all the toys and the big back yard, sometimes Merrilee's favorite thing to do is just be silly with mommy and daddy...