Introducing Emily Grace Mei Venn

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Oops!!

I have had several people tell me that they are disappointed that we have stopped updating the blog. I plan to update like crazy in the next few days!! I will admit that after I started posting on facebook that I totally neglected the blog. I promise to update :o)
Stay tuned!! There will be tons of pics and quick dialogue to tell you all that you have missed :o)
Thank you in advance for tuning in and caring what we are doing in our family with our sweet Emily Grace!!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

June Update

We just returned from Las Vegas where I acted as Matron of Honor as well as honored family member to "give away" my friend Ursula Galosson as she married her best friend Dr. John Spence. What a fun and exhausting four days it was!! The whole weekend was full of fun, fabulous food, wine, great weather, a great beach like pool and ridiculously fun entertaining friends of the couple!! We did arrive home safely but with David sick as a dog. He has an upper respiratory infection with the early stages of bronchitis. Geeze...Poor David, he was ER sick the last time we were in Vegas...needless to say...David has decided that he hates Vegas. All of the pics were taken by a traveling photographer ( I plan to get copies) Now we are trying to calm down, get well and prepare for our week long trip to Walt Disney World coming all too soon. I hope that I have time to do the laundry before packing again. This is too fast paced for even me Lol!!! :o) Pics of both are coming soon!!!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Happy Mother's Day

What a sweet day!!! Emily Grace made the most precious gift with her hand prints. I will cherish it forever!!! David then took us out to Vining's Inn for brunch. How sweet!! I am very thankful for my lil' angel!! I couldn't be more in love!! I would have loved seeing my mother today, but she is at the beach. Miss you Mom!! We did visit David's mother and grandmother with gifts in tow, but they wouldn't allow any pictures. It was very nice spending the afternoon with them, though. David's father, a chef by hobby, prepared a fabulous dinner. We had a very nice day!!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Pre-Dance Recital Pictures

Emily Grace had to have her dance recital pictures made today. I decided to take some pics of my very own as well. She felt like a little princess. I think that she was most excited about wearing lipgloss. How cute is that? I can't believe my little baby girl looks so grown up now!!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Emily Grace and Briana Light Up The Dance Floor

We recently went out to dinner with Doug, Lisa and their beautiful Briana. There was live music and our little beauties just had to get out on the floor and put on a show. It was simply adorable if I do say so myself. They were a hit as you can imagine :o)
We all had a great time together and we look forward to doing it again!!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

My New Found Favorite Hobby

I have just begun to paint. I had always wanted to try it, but I had always been reluctant since I can't even draw a stick figure that is worth anything. :o) Here are my very first four paintings ever!! I just love painting!! It is so therapeutic!! There is an art studio right by my house where you can just drop in for a class, paint and go home...no commitment. I love that idea. I would paint more if it were cheaper. I have plans to go again this month.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Happy Gotcha Day to Emily Grace's Gotcha Day Sisters!

Here is pic of all of Emily Graces' "Gotcha Day" sisters at the 1st year reunion!! They were all roughly 2 years old. It was tough trying to get them to smile all at once. (If you are not sure which beautiful baby is Emily Grace, she is the one with pigtails) They are all roughly 3 years old now. I would love to see them all together at this age.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Today is the 2nd Anniversary of our Gotcha Day

Two years ago, was the most precious day of my life!!! It was the day that Emily Grace became ours!! Here are few pics of that special day!!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

50's Style Father/Daughter Dance

Emily Grace and David participated in their very first Father/Daughter dance. It was held at her Dance Studio with a 50's theme. The two of them were so cute in their costumes. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought so. I am proud to announce that Emily Grace and David won 1st place in the Best Dressed Category!! I was so proud!! David didn't have a camera with him so we don't any pictures of the contest or the dance just yet. I am going to put an all call out at the studio for any pics of them. I did stop in for a sec before it started. Moms weren't allowed :o) (I did snap one pic) The place was decorated so nicely. David said that the night was so sweet. He also said that it was in the top 5 best things that he has ever experienced in his life. He told me he has waited his whole life to have experiences like that one. Of course, I cried. How darn sweet huh?

Thursday, March 26, 2009

The Results from the Post Opt appointment

The doctor told us today that Emily Grace's eyes are responding perfectly from the surgery!!! He also said that 75% of children who respond perfectly never have another problem and 25% of those respond well at first and then their eyes reverse on the own. Of course they would need another surgery and sometimes two more. We are praying that she is of the first 75%!! We will have another appointment in 9 months to see what the prognosis is at that point. Also more good news is that her depth perception is already up to a normal scale!! We are grateful for that too!! We also learned that she is a slight bit near-sided which technically means that her actual eyes are long in shape and just like one's foot grows long as he/she ages so does the eye. The longer her eye becomes, the more near-sided she may become. There is no need for glasses yet, but maybe by 1st grade or so. (I am near-sided too, and it was my daughter's eye doctor that actually explained why that is... Hmmm. Did you all out there in cyber space know what it really meant to be near-sided or far-sided? Well, we all learn something new everyday!!!
I don't have to tell that I will be sleeping well tonight!!! :o)

Monday, March 23, 2009

Planting Flowers on a Beautiful Day!!

Today, was so beautiful so Emily Grace and I planted flowers. Notice the pint size garden gloves, kneeling knee pad, and shovel. She just loved planting the flowers...some of the flowers lost their heads due to the toddler handling, but I feel sure that they will grow back :o) She is recovering well and we will find out how successful the surgery was this week. Keep your fingers crossed!!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Almost a week after surgery...her "whites" are still pretty red!! But she is back to her self!! Hooray!! We will find out if the surgery was a success on March 26th

Friday, March 13, 2009

Recovering

Emily Grace is recovering from her surgery pretty well I guess. She has very blood red "whites" of her eyes (she even had some bloody tears in the beginning) but she doesn't complain much. I think that the redness is even more red today than right after the surgery. When it hurts (which apparently isn't often) she runs to me and says "Hurry Momma, I need my tylenol." I get it for her and that is all I hear of it. She has been spending most of her time in her favorite past time...The world of pretend role playing and putting together her jigsaw puzzles...one after another. She LOVES puzzles!! She will probably be ready to go back to Miss Kim's on Wednesday of next week and very ready to get back to her little friends, but I do worry how they will treat her with her blood red "whites" of her eyes. Although, she has only been surrounded by family and only positive words have been said, she is self conscience of it a little bit. I just wish that I could "love" the redness away and make her well :o) We will not know if the surgery was a success for another two weeks. It takes that long for the brain to decide what to do with what the doctors have done. I AM PRAYING that it was a success the first time. Some children with strabismus require 2-3 surgeries. My heart needs this one surgery to be the only one :o}
BTW: WANNA LAUGH? You will love that Emily Grace thought that since there was make up smudged on the inside of my phone that she would wash it in the sink. It is very clean but no longer works. :o) Ahhhh....Life with a 3 year old. So if you haven't heard from me or can't reach me...this is why. :o)

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Emily Grace's Surgery

First let me thank all of you for your prayers and support!! You will never really know how much it meant to us!! Emily Grace's surgery WAS this morning around 10am. It was very successful!!! God is so Good!!! Emily Grace asked to wear her scrubs and doctor's coat to the surgery so of course I let her :o) She was extremely cooperative for all of the nurses and doctors and THEN it was time for the procedure to begin and she clung to me out of utter fear and wouldn't let go. THEY TOOK her from me and put the anesthesia mask on her face and she just looked at me with the most helpless pitiful eyes and looked at me like I was betraying her since I was helping them. I was as strong as I could be until she fell asleep and then I just broke down. I just felt awful!! There is no way to prepare you for that one...THey only let one of us go back there. Now I know why. It is just too awful for two to have to be consoled. Finally, she was returned to us still groggy, but feeling pretty well. The Doc said that everything went well and that it will be about two weeks before the redness disappears and before the brain completely registers the new eye alignment. He said that her weak eye may go in or out while adjusting. (Glad he prepared me for that one :o) Now that it is over, I can finally breath!!! Here is a couple of before pics and one after to see just how her eyes look post surgery.

We are getting to leave for the surgery

I am up and getting us ready for the surgery. We have to be in at 8am and with morning traffic, we will have to leave around 6:45am. The actual procedure begins at 9:30am. I am letting Emily Grace sleep as long as she can. She did ask me if she could wear her doctor's scrubs and white coat to see the doctors. So, last night, I washed and pressed this cute little outfit for this morning. WE APPRECIATE THE PRAYERS so very much and WE request that the prayers continue until she is out of surgery and the healing of her eyes has occurred. I hope this isn't too much to ask, but it is for our sweet amazing baby, Emily Grace.
God Bless all of you who have been so supportive during all of this!!!
I will post a pic of her all dressed up to meet the docs later.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Please Pray For Emily Grace

Emily Grace's surgery is scheduled for 9:30am Wednesday March 11th. At times, I deal with the idea well and at times (more than the other) I am a complete mess and every time I look at her, I have to say a mental prayer for the success of this surgery and her complete well being. I don't know what is wrong with me. I understand all Moms deal with the first time their baby has surgery are filled with tons of anxiety, but I think that I am abnormal :0} I am so in love with this baby and she is more than I had ever imagined we would have in a baby ... AND we waited forever for her...I just don't want to rock the boat. Does that make any sense? PLEASE SAY A PRAYER FOR EMILY GRACE...not in a minute and not later for fear that your life will distract you and you may forget, please take a minute and pray for her well being before you click away from this blog!!!
I thank you in advance for your prayers!!!
God Bless you,
Amy :o)

Monday, March 2, 2009

Emily Grace's 3rd Birthday Party

Yesterday, we celebrated Emily Grace's 3rd birthday (today is her birthday) at Gymboree. Of all the days to get snow in Georgia, we received it yesterday. It literally snowed little slush balls from 10:45am till about 4:00pm. Everything was covered except the roads. It was beautiful, but slushy. I would have a picture to show, but I was too busy with the party. In spite of the weather, we still had a great turn out for the party. This is a little surprising because most everything stops for the slightest snow in Georgia. The party was a HUGE SUCESS!! Emily Grace practically had a smile on her face for the entire 1 1/2 hours. She just loved sharing her birthday with so many of her friends and cousins. Every few minutes she would run to David or me and give us a big heart felt hug and then run right back to what she was doing. She also pretty much hopped from place to place, she was so happy. I would have shed tears of joy if I had had any time to just watch, I am sure. I was running just about as much as she. It was a wonderful joy filled day and our little family is so very thankful :o)

Monday, February 23, 2009

Emily Grace's Surgery

Emily Grace has to have surgery to correct her strabismus (her left eye occasionally turns out when focusing on an object far away in her visual distance. If left untreated, she could lose the vision in her left eye altogether and the eye would permanently remain turning outward) This surgery requires that the good eye be cut on as well. The plan is to attach a muscle from the weak eye to the strong to always keep them aligned. I have to say that I am EXTREMELY uneasy about relinquishing my daughter to be put to sleep and to have both of her eyes cut on..especially after seeing the possible risks from the surgery on the papers that we are required to sign. I promise you that I will need some sort of valium to go through with it. Currently, the surgery is scheduled for March 11th. May I please ask all of you for your prayers during scary but necessary time for us??!!! Please pray that Emily Grace emerges healthy, whole and with a successful surgery behind her without any complications. Please also pray that I am strong enough for her during this time!!!!!
I thank you in advance for the much needed prayers!!
Amy

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Valentine's Day

After giving our sweet little Valentine her gift on Valentine's morning, we made cup cakes together for her to give all four grandparents as their gift. She was so excited!! Check out her first hair cut pics below as well!

Emily Grace's First Hair Cut

Just before Emily Grace's 3rd birthday, she finally had her first hair cut. Bless her heart, she was still pretty much bald at 13 months and it took forever for her to have enough hair for a bow let along enough hair to cut. Well recently, she had enough to put in two thin pigtails, but there was still quite a bit in the back of her hair that was not long enough to go up in the pigtails. So during craft time, a little girl at her baby sitter's house decided to cut a CHUNK of that remaining hair (that we waiting to grow in) so we had to cut all of her hair to make it look normal. She had to have about 2 1/2 inches cut from her length to even it out. Emily Grace was worried that she wouldn't have enough hair for her bows. I promised her that we would figure out how to wear her bows and not to worry.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

To follow the adoption journey, click on archived journals from 2007

Emily Grace's First Symphony

Last weekend, we took Emily Grace to her very first Symphony. We just had to. She has this obsession with the violin. When I was girl, I always thought that I would have my children take piano lessons. Now that I have a child, I realize that they think for themselves. :-D Imagine that! She loves classical music and when there is violin in the piece of music, she gets so excited and says "Mommy, I hear the violin" and begins to play her invisible violin. It is too adorable. This orchestra had a "instrument petting zoo" before the show and Emily Grace was overly thrilled to be able to hold a violin and actually use the bow (is that what you refer to it as)? I feel sure that there are Violin lessons in the near future

Sunday, January 11, 2009

We Came in 4th place in the Photo Contest

Please check out the following website and see a pic of our family that came in 4th place in a Photography contest. Once you have seen our unique pic, please look back at the top of the website. The pics change and there are about 3 of Emily Grace being shown. We aren't proud of our lil' beauty or anything :-)
photosite

Friday, January 2, 2009

Christmas Morning with gifts from Santa Claus

PIctures from Various Houses on Christmas

Here are pics from the various Houses. In a little while I post pics from Christmas Morning after Santa came to visit!! I have to organize those..you know how it is :-)