tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39573300680210345372024-03-12T22:21:24.528-05:00The Horton Family AdoptionThe Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-72172382562290100932013-09-03T22:58:00.000-05:002013-09-03T23:19:22.594-05:00Greetings from the other side of the rabbit hole!I decided to update the blog. Mainly because it has been so long, but also for a little closure. It has been a little over two years since we turned in our paperwork at Lifeline. Turns out Zac was not even 3 months old at the time. It's hard to believe. After a lifetime of thinking about adoption, we got serious about the time he was born. Coincidence? I think not. I believe that Zac was meant to be our son from the moment he was born. Now he's been home 8 months! It's hard to imagine our lives without him. He was meant for us, and us for him. He was fearfully and wonderfully made by God... to be part of our family. Now he's your typical two-year-old. He's into EVERYTHING. He's SO smart... adorable... loving... sometimes mischievous... He loves his brother and sisters so much. And they love him too. I am so thankful that he has them. He's full of energy and never seems to stop, except for that rare moment. Every once in a while I scoop him up and sit him on my knee and hug him tightly. I nuzzle his neck and whisper in his ear, "I love you, boy." And in that moment he is still. He's learned to hug back, and pat me on the back. He sits quietly for a minute or two, and then he's off once again. Another adventure calls. <br />
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My goal has always been to turn this blog into a book for Zac. For the most part, I've written it for him. So I guess I feel like this part of the story is complete. I want to thank everyone for following us and for contributing to our adoption in so many ways. This has been such an amazing process. I hope that Zac has changed you the way he has changed us.<br />
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So, where do we go from here? Well, look on the right side margin. Now you can follow Zac and his family on Twitter (If you're not on Twitter, you can always check back here to see the same Tweets). If you do follow Zac, what will you get? Photos of our little man growing up... hopefully a pearl of wisdom here and there... reflections from a couple of adoptive parents... We believe that adoption is a beautiful picture of God's grace: He has not forgotten ANY of us. We're reminded of this every day we look at our son. So don't be surprised if we remind you too. What you won't get is a bunch of personal details. Ok? Then let's go! <br />
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<br />The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-48886193567197790862013-05-12T10:37:00.000-05:002013-05-12T10:38:03.546-05:00Mother's Day 2013Mother's Day 2013 finds DeAnna the proud momma of four. It's a time of joy and also a time of sadness. While we celebrate Zac and all that we've been through as a family this year, we also grieve for his birth mom, somewhere in Chongqing, China. <div><br></div><div><span style="color: rgb(46, 30, 0); line-height: 24px; ">...she left her beloved child alongside a shrub by a bus stop in China. I imagine that she couldn't just walk away that morning, but watched from afar as the city streets began to fill. I see a tearful smile creep across her tortured face as he is discovered. "He'll be alright," she reassures herself. "Please," she says silently, "Please let them find a family to love him." I wish I could tell her that he's alright. God was watching him, and He sent us to care for him, to love him.</span></div><div><br></div><div>She can only dream of the life he will have. Maybe she knows someone at the orphanage… maybe she knows he was adopted. I pray that somehow God can give her peace. So we celebrate this Mother's Day as we will every year, with gratitude to the woman who carried him, who delivered him to the orphanage, and into our lives, but also to the woman who will love him, who will shepherd him throughout his entire life.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs2xjCLLgmH2F9ayk7QPlpQuMQchKaIoOXvf6iJgaSvC7LJhjsJ4u_Km0aYkK-ETiDr0Pvh_rSQ5VotyJ9Uchdtru2D-HGfFRh5hTQnNx7SNC6tyePcx15GoK6RYOvpqZj7jzAnJ6Mr_y/s1600/IMG_0220-783547.jpeg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs2xjCLLgmH2F9ayk7QPlpQuMQchKaIoOXvf6iJgaSvC7LJhjsJ4u_Km0aYkK-ETiDr0Pvh_rSQ5VotyJ9Uchdtru2D-HGfFRh5hTQnNx7SNC6tyePcx15GoK6RYOvpqZj7jzAnJ6Mr_y/s320/IMG_0220-783547.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5877117642317444514" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUpbd3H3cN2P7pC64yeHcp8yB6Tg84ysKDVEmRp-5_ykeGxPOgZvSL5Siv5PcFIH_1pSZWLMTJOT2w6-3jVWtjiKui_VuhEVzBH1sWlMyNwD7eekWIk3uR2eErFWAjylDoTeRJWpDWj4R/s1600/IMG_1203-785965.jpeg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUpbd3H3cN2P7pC64yeHcp8yB6Tg84ysKDVEmRp-5_ykeGxPOgZvSL5Siv5PcFIH_1pSZWLMTJOT2w6-3jVWtjiKui_VuhEVzBH1sWlMyNwD7eekWIk3uR2eErFWAjylDoTeRJWpDWj4R/s320/IMG_1203-785965.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5877117654843818978" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-bhyRjkSLBYmGPeuc0RQSA3uqgAi613n67N8-PntlwDGsF5lBioZaPkku81_UqyA09Z_Ve60QdzHyKbtYnqGEYfFoEUmWQ6of9uiJggQW6D3Dsgk0pShnRpjh1BB5UCUVr3CVj_nY7Z8/s1600/IMG_1217+-+Version+2-788254.jpeg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-bhyRjkSLBYmGPeuc0RQSA3uqgAi613n67N8-PntlwDGsF5lBioZaPkku81_UqyA09Z_Ve60QdzHyKbtYnqGEYfFoEUmWQ6of9uiJggQW6D3Dsgk0pShnRpjh1BB5UCUVr3CVj_nY7Z8/s320/IMG_1217+-+Version+2-788254.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5877117665814581650" /></a></div><div><br></div>The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-31214682148657006742013-04-06T11:18:00.001-05:002013-09-03T21:47:56.908-05:00Family Photo Shoot<div>
On March 8th, two months and a day from our Gotcha Day, we had our first family photo made. It was an Easter theme. Sadly, this is the day that Zac injured his finger. But even in our grief, we can't ignore how happy and beautiful our little family is in these wonderful pictures. We are so blessed to have Zac home! He is a smart, handsome little boy with an amazingly resilient character!</div>
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Today, April 6th, we're a day shy of our 3 month anniversary. Zac's sleeping patterns are getting better, but still remains a challenge. He explores his new world at such an intense level that we really have to follow him around constantly. Zac is still learning things that most (almost) 2-year-olds have mastered by this time, simply because he was never exposed to them. We believe that he was well-cared-for, but obviously sheltered. So he's very curious, but hasn't been given the tender corrections that parents use to teach and condition their little ones. Maybe his finger was a shot across the bow, a warning for us to be ever vigilant. He's such a smart boy. He loves cause and effect, and is quick to figure things out. He's still not talking a lot, but the number of words he understands is incredible, and growing every day. Thanks everyone for your thoughts, prayers and kind words during the past few weeks. We do believe that God has lifted our family up through all this, and we've truly felt your prayers. </div>
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God is our refuge and strength,<br />
<span style="line-height: 22px;">a very present</span><span style="line-height: 13px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">help in </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">trouble.</span><br />
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,<br />
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,<br />
though its waters roar and foam,<br />
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. <br />
<i>Psalm 46:1-3 ESV</i></div>
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The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-53235948220036425412013-03-19T22:22:00.001-05:002013-03-19T22:40:43.095-05:00Two months at home…We got home almost exactly two months ago, but it seems like so much longer. We really feel like Zac has always been ours. He is a great little boy. His character is amazing. The day after he hurt his finger, you would have never known anything happened. And that giant cast has not slowed him down a bit. He is so resilient. He acts like it's been there his whole life! Nothing really seems to get him down (except that Mommy won't carry him around ALL day long! And that there is a limit to how many blueberries he is allowed to eat in one sitting.) He is such a trooper! Please join us in praying for him as he continues to heal. <div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;">"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy..." Psalm 103:2-4</span></h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac and his big bro!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Z Pack</td></tr>
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The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-23558599502505087082013-02-14T08:34:00.001-06:002013-02-14T08:35:27.630-06:00SlideshowJust a sweet little slideshow. Happy Valentine's Day!<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuwfhN7G8K4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuwfhN7G8K4</a><br />
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KenThe Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-25684220227890580142013-01-27T14:32:00.000-06:002013-01-27T19:23:12.155-06:00Zac, Rock Star, at home:<div class="mobile-photo">
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Long ago a mother placed her child in a basket among the reeds. She had to save him. There was simply no other option. And she hoped that her plan would lead to him being raised as a child of privilege, one who would grow to be the man she dreamed he could be. About a year and a half ago, another mother had a similar idea as she left her beloved child alongside a shrub by a bus stop in China. I imagine that she couldn't just walk away that morning, but watched from afar as the city streets began to fill. I see a tearful smile creep across her tortured face as he is discovered. "He'll be alright," she reassures herself. "Please," she says silently, "Please let them find a family to love him." I wish I could tell her that he's alright. God was watching him, and He sent us to care for him, to love him. </div>
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Well, it's one week since we returned home from China. I can't believe it's taken me this long to update this blog! This week has been a whirlwind! We arrived home Friday night, greeted at the airport by a small group of friends. We choked up as we saw them, our first glimpse of home after so long spent away. It was just one more amazing act of kindness from our friends and family. We got back to the house and found it clean with a warm meal waiting for us. We spent the next two days recovering from the jet lag. Since then we have made the first tiny steps toward returning to a normal life. The kids have welcomed Zac with open arms. There really hasn't been any jealousy. DeAnna says he's a rock star, and we're all his fans! Zoe is the caring big sister... patient and protective. Zander is the proud big brother, jostling for the attention of his sibling. Zac seems to really love him. During a basketball practice Zac took off across the court, weaving though players and coaches. Turns out he had his sights set on Zander, and went straight to him. Zander's face brightened as Zac approached with his arms out and a big smile. Zuri is the "little mama," happy to lend a hand when it's time to feed him, bathe him, or dress him. She says, "We picked the right baby!" <br />
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He is sleeping in our bed, and doing well. When he does wake up, he screams at high volume! We think that in his orphanage, the first one to get attention was the one who cried the loudest! But DeAnna settles him quickly and he drifts off to sleep. He sleeps sideways, and kicks and flops a lot. He loves the outdoors, and has a great time at the park. He has really warmed up to me, and we take day trips together while Mama takes a break. He waves "Hi" to us all, and DeAnna has taught him a cute little surprised face that he we all imitate. </div>
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Truthfully, our journey has been so smooth, and Zac is a such wonderful child. I joke that God only gives you what you can handle, and He knows we can't handle much! But, honestly, we are so truly blessed. And we are so truly thankful!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac and Daddy arriving at the airport</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The welcome party</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe welcomed home by Caroline and Campbell</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally home: It's nap time!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac loves walks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zuri enjoyed the snow while we were gone!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A day in the life</td></tr>
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The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-45416602809492446552013-01-17T06:46:00.000-06:002013-01-17T07:12:22.982-06:00Big Ole Jet Airliner, Carry Me to My Home.Well, we're headed home! We've enjoyed our time here, but boy are we excited to go home! We will be traveling for over 26 hours; over 16 in the sky. We are so thankful for our experience here: good weather, no sickness, Zac's demeanor... All in all it has been an amazing time, one that we will never forget. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel. Thanks again to everyone who chipped in while we were here. You are amazing! And thanks again to the one who lead us here in the first place, who wrote Zac's name on our hearts. <i><b>Soli Deo Gloria!</b></i> Glory to God alone! We are the proud parents of four beautiful children! We could not be happier! Friday evening will find us finally, thankfully home. Thanks be to God!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flower girl</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supplies for our trip!</td></tr>
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<br />The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-23939745072872386042013-01-16T06:09:00.000-06:002013-01-16T07:29:27.521-06:00Shamian Island and River Cruise<div class="mobile-photo">
On Tuesday most of the families we're with went to the consulate. They're leaving Thursday. Since we're not leaving 'til Friday, we had to wait until Wednesday. Tuesday night we all went on a river cruise. It was more fun than we expected. The views were nice, and the food was ok, but we enjoyed visiting with the other families. Zoe became good friends with a little 5-year-old named Mikaya. They have spent quite a bit of time together these past two days. </div>
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Today, Wednesday, we finally went to the U.S. Consulate. They don't allow cameras, so we don't have any photos of this important step. There were about 8 adoptive families there. We all took an oath together, and then waited to turn in our documents one-by-one. Once we turned everything in, they congratulated us and we were done. Tomorrow we will pick up Zac's passport with his visa. When we land in Chicago on Friday, Zac will instantly become a U.S. citizen! We are so excited to be finished! All the waiting, all the paperwork, all the heartache, all the money... it's finally done!</div>
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After the consulate, we all went to Shamian Island to sight-see and shop. It's a beautiful area with 100-year-old buildings, cobblestone pedestrian streets, and moss-covered trees. It reminded us of Charleston or Savannah. There was a nice park, and interesting shops and restaurants. We found a playground for Zac. He loved the slide!</div>
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We've had a lot of good times these past two weeks, but we are ready to come home. We're ready to introduce Zac to the rest of his family! One thing our family is famous for is nicknames, and Zac has a few! I mentioned before we call him "Zac Attack." But when the locals find out he's from Chongqing, they say "spicy Sichuan!" Chongqing is in the Sichuan area, known for spicy Sichuan (or Szechuan) cooking. So DeAnna and I have taken to calling him "Sichuan." He certainly loves local food! We're going to have to add a few recipes to our menu! And he is such an energetic, fun-loving, happy child. He is going to LOVE Zander and Zuri! We all miss them so much. We are SO ready to have our little family together, like we belong.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shamian Island</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We tried to get Zac to get in line, but he said, "No!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac on the playground</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the slide with Sissy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy family!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One, two, three, go!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Cheese!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nap time</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating on the cruise</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Mama and Daddy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Mama on the boat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe and Mikaya. "Clink!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the amazing buildings in downtown Guangzhou</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruise entertainment. Has anybody seen my drink?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac working the floor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">River Princess</td></tr>
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The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-55636964654268788922013-01-14T07:11:00.000-06:002013-01-14T07:51:04.275-06:00Guangzhou Zoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Today we visited the Guangzhou Zoo. It was a perfect day. It was about 65°F. We've heard so many stories about how hot it gets here in the summer, and about visiting the zoo in that heat. We've seen pictures of families drenched in sweat after 2 hours. We almost felt guilty that we had it so good! DeAnna and I love the outdoors, and we were getting a little weary of the cities. The zoo was very pretty, with ponds and plenty of trees. And there was hardly anyone there until we were leaving. It was very relaxing. We started the day with a shuttle ride around the park. We got a feel for the layout and got our first glimpse of the animals. They have just about everything. We liked the tigers, asian elephants, bears, rhinos and especially the panda. This was Zac's first trip to the zoo, and he really loved it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: -webkit-auto;">After the zoo, our guide took us to a traditional Chinese dumpling restaurant. It was more of a "local" place off the beaten path. The food was delicious! We had Japanese tofu, fried meat and cabbage dumplings, steamed vegetable dumplings, and mixed noodles with vegetables. Zac enjoyed a little of everything! He eats like a champ! There's pretty much nothing he won't eat! Zoe tried some Chinese noodles and liked them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: -webkit-auto;">It's hard to believe that a week ago we met Zac in person for the first time. It really feels like we've known him since he was born. He is a happy child. It's mind-boggling to think that he left behind everything he's ever known to trust in us to provide for all his needs. Yet he truly seems to know that he can depend on us. He really never seems scared, except sometimes when he first wakes up. But his mama comforts him. He realizes that he is safe. He is loved. He is ours.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe at the fountain, Guangzhou Zoo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the entrance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac and Mama</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two 'Roos</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe and Daddy ridin' the hippo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Precious smile!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaB8iwedsGAs72NtnILT8qvn7tWE5d0MTPSJyeutCEoTvRt8UQo50_j7gxjhKr3YI5Wj2mmLEPsMH80Oon0iLY2mXtGpR80qVHfx0Xc9xT_8IfXkFKDRkNwNIaa1mowdEAqPE7Ey7wG74L/s1600/IMG_0342-768277.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293021164610178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaB8iwedsGAs72NtnILT8qvn7tWE5d0MTPSJyeutCEoTvRt8UQo50_j7gxjhKr3YI5Wj2mmLEPsMH80Oon0iLY2mXtGpR80qVHfx0Xc9xT_8IfXkFKDRkNwNIaa1mowdEAqPE7Ey7wG74L/s320/IMG_0342-768277.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a beautiful day!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeLtJZ61KdevKbWa0PiO4tWOia9dxXttcwpCHVn6fPDl-9PTJr8v3NAYTB2MvsCAX5dPkGon9TYWFqEqn4LOUa1z44pzW6jCN81xFow8jeexQlTZhFYhyphenhyphenTcaPUtXPEuEx1WFTEPZ4aQ2B/s1600/IMG_0322-769652.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293025956410930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeLtJZ61KdevKbWa0PiO4tWOia9dxXttcwpCHVn6fPDl-9PTJr8v3NAYTB2MvsCAX5dPkGon9TYWFqEqn4LOUa1z44pzW6jCN81xFow8jeexQlTZhFYhyphenhyphenTcaPUtXPEuEx1WFTEPZ4aQ2B/s320/IMG_0322-769652.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the panda bear enclosure</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_c72hI64Ih5kcLS2QGDMRF3NiBwr7p2QrjOTCXv9QYMJlz4RKAGeQKBg9qdRemq92TYukCDpesjKCDMav-KS2cCKz3oG-TwMwJGJhoMn62Nzjy26TnNwMi_oKVZl11QRX8j9DUwtPGTH/s1600/IMG_0320-772552.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293037598584514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_c72hI64Ih5kcLS2QGDMRF3NiBwr7p2QrjOTCXv9QYMJlz4RKAGeQKBg9qdRemq92TYukCDpesjKCDMav-KS2cCKz3oG-TwMwJGJhoMn62Nzjy26TnNwMi_oKVZl11QRX8j9DUwtPGTH/s320/IMG_0320-772552.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panda bear!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6a5ZNAutt24PWCtNaGLnMqXupm2SOq_MCXy3rtr9bg0WOVf-VLamE_UJaRNBjnCiyVZqQ79RIdOL1o9ld27WQCiZu7dqxZ75VY20PWZFW9B3iQ6sl3J7-Gsbs1wxSWWXfNEKGTsseP2r/s1600/IMG_0381-774812.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293045393332610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6a5ZNAutt24PWCtNaGLnMqXupm2SOq_MCXy3rtr9bg0WOVf-VLamE_UJaRNBjnCiyVZqQ79RIdOL1o9ld27WQCiZu7dqxZ75VY20PWZFW9B3iQ6sl3J7-Gsbs1wxSWWXfNEKGTsseP2r/s320/IMG_0381-774812.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhinos!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KZJxA-bw7IbK-H14dYwDCemEM4RHPX7juGYeblssZyT2ADdecbMh1Z7XI6sjox5qY7U_iPbDLUYTbl6UMX4E_ctrbLdNu7mECy2k-FeAoECGN3CrzzEVjMP9MnlqIOgr7PQOVTv73e4m/s1600/IMG_0278-777037.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293059833182130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KZJxA-bw7IbK-H14dYwDCemEM4RHPX7juGYeblssZyT2ADdecbMh1Z7XI6sjox5qY7U_iPbDLUYTbl6UMX4E_ctrbLdNu7mECy2k-FeAoECGN3CrzzEVjMP9MnlqIOgr7PQOVTv73e4m/s320/IMG_0278-777037.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe bear!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgo8BYGk8qfDaAP1H6rxokVp5Z_FOq46RO1ZOBxQoPOTtKBRsEbdqz0tsBv5G0IEyszSlq1E02M-Mw_bVw0NR31kGlVwJl5g30ArLLTZrue2yxW-qkDlmLdmqkG2cMTrStxAjW-U24n_z/s1600/IMG_0332-780037.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293071058927362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgo8BYGk8qfDaAP1H6rxokVp5Z_FOq46RO1ZOBxQoPOTtKBRsEbdqz0tsBv5G0IEyszSlq1E02M-Mw_bVw0NR31kGlVwJl5g30ArLLTZrue2yxW-qkDlmLdmqkG2cMTrStxAjW-U24n_z/s320/IMG_0332-780037.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Z is for Zebra!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQytTlYs4hS5swoJew5uj3DWhG-h_btUx765qZUSXmE3E3_ANGdp7aLunx4aiMN31IJ5cNurpRKYNTjTbcsAednVpUpxsuEmDIju1IaW5XVi4_Ni5fvBs5ozV45muy943cMQjMq5ARfxce/s1600/IMG_0386-783209.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293084658433970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQytTlYs4hS5swoJew5uj3DWhG-h_btUx765qZUSXmE3E3_ANGdp7aLunx4aiMN31IJ5cNurpRKYNTjTbcsAednVpUpxsuEmDIju1IaW5XVi4_Ni5fvBs5ozV45muy943cMQjMq5ARfxce/s320/IMG_0386-783209.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little bird!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8GWHJmsd8ntoguZpMhxzsDgVBx5TaqwCMhq9gtv4WkB8mmq9LDGpmQrv1lqkHHgvpGBLV_54z3xGKPC3L3MpVXZoYBYBrrZbpU6PUAbiXzHnab_33BXCBqGMk1Iowg1RkRhK4vxA0maA/s1600/IMG_0389-785205.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293094625931426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8GWHJmsd8ntoguZpMhxzsDgVBx5TaqwCMhq9gtv4WkB8mmq9LDGpmQrv1lqkHHgvpGBLV_54z3xGKPC3L3MpVXZoYBYBrrZbpU6PUAbiXzHnab_33BXCBqGMk1Iowg1RkRhK4vxA0maA/s320/IMG_0389-785205.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch with another adoptive family</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OsWg0myQ3WyafXhLRsK5lW6IAETMF0dDwL43dw7qEoggmMnGfyMe7AFp4Ki6CktcUYFUQKW28X3It1aW8ULBtO7XkdyG6Vp-B3VzOF90JUOKSkO_-SY2c42aIEdhrHYfVfJxUS5shyphenhyphenR8/s1600/IMG_0390-787781.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833293103217820914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OsWg0myQ3WyafXhLRsK5lW6IAETMF0dDwL43dw7qEoggmMnGfyMe7AFp4Ki6CktcUYFUQKW28X3It1aW8ULBtO7XkdyG6Vp-B3VzOF90JUOKSkO_-SY2c42aIEdhrHYfVfJxUS5shyphenhyphenR8/s320/IMG_0390-787781.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great food!</td></tr>
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The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-1953024458229228842013-01-13T08:31:00.001-06:002013-01-14T00:00:50.454-06:00Local ShoppingToday was Sunday, and we drove to a local shopping area. It was a market with stores located along a pedestrian street as well as a multi-level mall building. They had shoes, clothes, watches, and DVDs, but also pearls and jade. We were on a budget, so we were mainly window-shopping. We did find a beautiful pink jade rabbit pendant for Zoe... $35 American!<br />
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We took some time to explore the hotel today. There's a waterfall and koi pond in the back. Zac loved the green space! We're not sure he's ever experienced grass! He was so happy, but not quite sure what to do.<br />
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As I mentioned before, we're just burning time until we get his visa docs and U.S. passport. So Lifeline has us going somewhere just about every day. I guess to keep us from going stir-crazy! Tomorrow we visit the Guangzhou Zoo. We're enjoying the time with Zac. He is changing every day, and I think in the long run we need this time with him to build the foundation of our life together. But, at the same time, we are just ready to come home!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaunXk6M0HHotfXgraWrzwKa9wYXvLXp315Mxqb-wWPX1qH76Wa7H0QA47zQCsNwL-TaqG_DAtUihB6yTtbR4sVBEt5xmGfzDgUFwds21S4dbesa5gdd_E3WRjBQjUIwqkQXdZi7jVfh0/s1600/IMG_0255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaunXk6M0HHotfXgraWrzwKa9wYXvLXp315Mxqb-wWPX1qH76Wa7H0QA47zQCsNwL-TaqG_DAtUihB6yTtbR4sVBEt5xmGfzDgUFwds21S4dbesa5gdd_E3WRjBQjUIwqkQXdZi7jVfh0/s320/IMG_0255.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe's jade bunny</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsdpC4Z5vwZqYg1RMiz2Ocxx3k8PtOjWtzG1b8-q-fa2RiTVTAsbWb9CT4QntccBdaVSDDKuQScGDXkiTa-4BFV85lnfC0N7haL8EalKy7mBB-tYFvhHPmy0IQZSHbd-zkk5283TvZfnU/s1600/IMG_0262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsdpC4Z5vwZqYg1RMiz2Ocxx3k8PtOjWtzG1b8-q-fa2RiTVTAsbWb9CT4QntccBdaVSDDKuQScGDXkiTa-4BFV85lnfC0N7haL8EalKy7mBB-tYFvhHPmy0IQZSHbd-zkk5283TvZfnU/s320/IMG_0262.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe and DeAnna</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhnKlqp0Okkx64m2VemdECTzMlp4VZn_L9Q433v4WPqjTFOdS1-Eh27NAMohXfytDO5eWiq0gpnDjhmef7S8DIkH0gzDZZrny1WH1-mvG6zSPxLOIGhY44QbaiE3rXSotQMPIDhTVaKne/s1600/IMG_0269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhnKlqp0Okkx64m2VemdECTzMlp4VZn_L9Q433v4WPqjTFOdS1-Eh27NAMohXfytDO5eWiq0gpnDjhmef7S8DIkH0gzDZZrny1WH1-mvG6zSPxLOIGhY44QbaiE3rXSotQMPIDhTVaKne/s320/IMG_0269.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DeAnna with our guide; Zac sleeping; McDonald's</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJDm76BDCwB2MadJHArkrfIIakXA_WZb_WtlvxPxhD4-m0la67idx9g-Yem5Fl9QUvhisPWDuD4Z_LM8Sj-ddzEs-DOMJCYsWjp1L3F6jqGu_PJNZQWXTYOtbghFmNDK3armMPNqPDZF9/s1600/IMG_0279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJDm76BDCwB2MadJHArkrfIIakXA_WZb_WtlvxPxhD4-m0la67idx9g-Yem5Fl9QUvhisPWDuD4Z_LM8Sj-ddzEs-DOMJCYsWjp1L3F6jqGu_PJNZQWXTYOtbghFmNDK3armMPNqPDZF9/s320/IMG_0279.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"It's Ok guys, I got it!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRxtOlq5e3bddtrkIfPVwp2-s_tj0P5wN70jnl2AVvr8MEcK6YyoheE6JrWnZZFXxiwOijKj_TfbfT0m6uNt25uBDCgYn-6zG0yKCauNZoH7CO5v0U2GnbbnqTaxyNxYJ-P0EUNEO_TwQ/s1600/IMG_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRxtOlq5e3bddtrkIfPVwp2-s_tj0P5wN70jnl2AVvr8MEcK6YyoheE6JrWnZZFXxiwOijKj_TfbfT0m6uNt25uBDCgYn-6zG0yKCauNZoH7CO5v0U2GnbbnqTaxyNxYJ-P0EUNEO_TwQ/s320/IMG_0280.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo juice, anyone?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23mtMIz_U9pb5v3Y15AfKRQ9bkl-MSucLeWTxNrsEUF3D22c-mCHu0gzyA1X69VN-fhNLPNtX2O-PaPKc-o1BYBcXlhPBvufb3jdV0UWSCgPbG9cOp6U0ShrHsgzpmOW9JXV1Z7WrTJ3O/s1600/IMG_0298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23mtMIz_U9pb5v3Y15AfKRQ9bkl-MSucLeWTxNrsEUF3D22c-mCHu0gzyA1X69VN-fhNLPNtX2O-PaPKc-o1BYBcXlhPBvufb3jdV0UWSCgPbG9cOp6U0ShrHsgzpmOW9JXV1Z7WrTJ3O/s320/IMG_0298.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe at the koi pond</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtw1n2hhrALO-81n56W_10t-tB5MIaDWsh__LBAuRsB9-v9qdU7ZTZyFHvLwuf2Hlb8wFaxQNk3mxo3dLFlW-NaSIg8aeZ-xDSWrNYpxn9zxrbFNzhy3QRzhx9uvoyod-WYjLUERar6DB/s1600/IMG_0300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtw1n2hhrALO-81n56W_10t-tB5MIaDWsh__LBAuRsB9-v9qdU7ZTZyFHvLwuf2Hlb8wFaxQNk3mxo3dLFlW-NaSIg8aeZ-xDSWrNYpxn9zxrbFNzhy3QRzhx9uvoyod-WYjLUERar6DB/s320/IMG_0300.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to see, but we're at the top of a waterfall!</td></tr>
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The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-7242964904153923072013-01-12T07:13:00.000-06:002013-01-12T07:47:29.276-06:00Guangzhou and Our Trip to the ITHC<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsRJB0NPuNdMaa83UALMr6DEmu7CmrtNlZREUo02XB9p667ILP97SEmY0oh0PD2PxHsFok3IjfNsEhWC-SoofufWNA78vM6EwJ7DdKmhpmNTZz2rupr7vfIbyEebcGMeQkFYlt_SU_nz0/s1600/IMG_0196-731459.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5832550689563308946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsRJB0NPuNdMaa83UALMr6DEmu7CmrtNlZREUo02XB9p667ILP97SEmY0oh0PD2PxHsFok3IjfNsEhWC-SoofufWNA78vM6EwJ7DdKmhpmNTZz2rupr7vfIbyEebcGMeQkFYlt_SU_nz0/s320/IMG_0196-731459.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the ITHC</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jwqBteQ4KQWsFEO-NSPWdBF0CmLwDYVMACeca4ZdMY8Cku3RsG7diV_SjqAqYVPhDH7B7ONE6Gs8Gj7QqPyvncoiJIT6xbKsp_LrMOTSVSYpQ9h8a3dMVIkHWAtBlImON0iZeBm7ywDj/s1600/IMG_0207-734587.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5832550705741918738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jwqBteQ4KQWsFEO-NSPWdBF0CmLwDYVMACeca4ZdMY8Cku3RsG7diV_SjqAqYVPhDH7B7ONE6Gs8Gj7QqPyvncoiJIT6xbKsp_LrMOTSVSYpQ9h8a3dMVIkHWAtBlImON0iZeBm7ywDj/s320/IMG_0207-734587.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice cream break</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful view!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe's fan!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asleep at lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing with Daddy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFQb4M0MuMHjs4lTFGyFD2l-HaJ6fhC6l3PJ8RS9bZYMdzAt3980EiV6-mn8XpL2ZpCE9OIApt0KeVkxsTEm6VC-tvDDVHn-bTLYUGFiTGPLNvpv1fiN0CiSLDHBeeawU9jV_5TXHUrv2/s1600/IMG_0184-751477.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5832550777953454642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFQb4M0MuMHjs4lTFGyFD2l-HaJ6fhC6l3PJ8RS9bZYMdzAt3980EiV6-mn8XpL2ZpCE9OIApt0KeVkxsTEm6VC-tvDDVHn-bTLYUGFiTGPLNvpv1fiN0CiSLDHBeeawU9jV_5TXHUrv2/s320/IMG_0184-751477.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting our new guide at the hotel</td></tr>
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As I write this it's 8pm Saturday here, 6am Saturday back home. We spent Friday packing for Guangzhou, picking up Zac's Chinese passport, and traveling. We also got our photo book of his adoption ceremony. It's really good, and includes a few more pictures of him at the orphanage that we've never seen. Each little piece of his story that falls into place means so much to us. The flight to Guangzhou was not bad, but Zac moved and wiggled all the way there. Our new guide met us at the airport and brought us to our hotel. The hotel is really nice! We have a living room and a bedroom, and they gave us a stroller and a crib for Zac. The view from our window is amazing! There is one other Lifeline family here, plus we're traveling with a family from another agency. But here at the hotel there are probably 10 or more adoptive families. Breakfast was funny! They had all of us seated near each other and away from everyone else. They've probably learned from experience that newly adopted children can be a handful!
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Saturday morning we met to take Zac to the International Travel Health Clinic (ITHC). This is where anyone headed out of the country for travel gets checked out before they can leave. It was a zoo! There were so many people there, and nothing moved quickly. But we eventually made our way through the channels, and for the most part Zac was great. A little boy was infatuated with Zoe! We think he was in love! That afternoon we worked on our paperwork for Zac's Visa. This week will basically be a waiting game for his U.S. passport and Visa. At lunch, our guide, Rebecca, was feeding Zac broccoli and snow peas, and he feel asleep in his plate! Poor little guy! This afternoon Zoe had an ice cream break... mango, coconut and green tea! Well, she wasn't big on the green tea flavor!<br />
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Zac is really coming out of his shell. He is walking, talking and into everything! He is becoming more comfortable and confident. His new nickname around here is "Zac Attack"! But his cuteness gets him out of everything! He is warming up to me (Ken), so we're finally starting to give Mama a break now and then. She can't be far off, but at least now she doesn't ALWAYS have to hold him! Today he slept in my arms while we explored the city. He is such a blessing! He is beautiful… smart… curious… excited by the world around him. His smile will melt your heart, and when his eyes widen with happiness it's a glimpse into everything that is right in this world.
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Thanks everyone for your prayers and thoughts! We truly feel it! Thanks to everyone who is working the garage sale in our absence! And thank you to everyone who is helping with the kids! You can't imagine what you mean to us and to this process!<br />
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Zachary: HE remembers! HE remembers us all. We may turn away, we may run. We may think we've never even met Him. But HE remembers us all!The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-36661588575486490562013-01-10T04:22:00.002-06:002013-01-10T08:03:35.743-06:00Orphanage visit<br />
<div style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-color 0.2s linear, -webkit-box-shadow 0.2s linear, box-shadow 0.2s linear, color 0.2s linear, opacity 0.2s linear, text-shadow 0.2s linear, -webkit-transform 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: MuseoSansRounded300, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.15em; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1in; margin-right: 1in; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.5in;">
One day an elephant saw a hummingbird lying on its back with its tiny feet up in the air.</div>
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"What are you doing?" asked the elephant.</div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-color 0.2s linear, -webkit-box-shadow 0.2s linear, box-shadow 0.2s linear, color 0.2s linear, opacity 0.2s linear, text-shadow 0.2s linear, -webkit-transform 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: MuseoSansRounded300, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.15em; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1in; margin-right: 1in; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.5in;">
The hummingbird replied, "I heard that the sky might fall today, and so I am ready to help hold it up, should it fall.”</div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-color 0.2s linear, -webkit-box-shadow 0.2s linear, box-shadow 0.2s linear, color 0.2s linear, opacity 0.2s linear, text-shadow 0.2s linear, -webkit-transform 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: MuseoSansRounded300, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.15em; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1in; margin-right: 1in; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.5in;">
The elephant laughed cruelly. “Do you really think,” he said, "that those tiny feet could help hold up the sky?”</div>
<div style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-color 0.2s linear, -webkit-box-shadow 0.2s linear, box-shadow 0.2s linear, color 0.2s linear, opacity 0.2s linear, text-shadow 0.2s linear, -webkit-transform 0.2s linear; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: MuseoSansRounded300, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.15em; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1in; margin-right: 1in; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.5in;">
The hummingbird kept his feet up in the air, intent on his purpose, as he replied, "Not alone. But each must do what he can. And this is what I can do.”<br />
<cite style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-color 0.2s linear, -webkit-box-shadow 0.2s linear, box-shadow 0.2s linear, color 0.2s linear, opacity 0.2s linear, text-shadow 0.2s linear, -webkit-transform 0.2s linear; border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right;">– A Chinese Folktale</cite></div>
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Today we visited Zac's orphanage, the Children's Welfare Institute of Chongqing City. It was amazing to see some of the places from the pictures we were sent of Zac. We met with the assistant director and Zac's caregiver. We also got the opportunity to help out another Lifeline family by finding their son and taking pictures of him. Zac was happy. He didn't seem scared or homesick. As usual he was glued to Mama. We brought cookies for the orphanage, and he spent the visit smearing one all over his face. We got to see his play areas and his sleeping area. We took pictures outside of the playground where some of his early photos were taken. Since his arrival at the orphanage, Zac has received physical therapy from a group called Half the Sky (from the old Chinese adage "A woman holds up half the sky"). <a href="http://www.halfthesky.org/en/content/million-rainbows" target="_blank">http://www.halfthesky.org/en/content/million-rainbows</a> Their goal is to ensure that every orphaned child has a caring adult in his/her life and a chance at a bright future. On the way to the orphanage our guide gave us Zac's "Child's Memory Book" from Half the Sky. This is such an amazing blessing! One of the truly sad things about adoption is the years that you missed.... All the memories and pictures. We thought we would never have Zac's "baby book". But they had maintained a thick packet of notes, photos, and drawings since the beginning! Our hearts just about broke! What a gift! Of course, all the notes are in Chinese, so we will need some help to translate it. But what a treasure! <br />
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We were so happy to have been able to visit the orphanage. We felt like it was an important step in our journey. But there are over 500 children at Chongqing, and it was heartbreaking to walk away with only one.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaCJuKA4B2BhCux3hweqTYW5fURAKLpAvn3QCktUbjnn3diZzW8eZ2sG1W-qWuQgaBooDrPDilkpi9z0WFVoj8GOatDNsP0xiXupzAwFasR-mk7rnEZ9Vr43EXp1kBBl-klWzbpkodGnt/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaCJuKA4B2BhCux3hweqTYW5fURAKLpAvn3QCktUbjnn3diZzW8eZ2sG1W-qWuQgaBooDrPDilkpi9z0WFVoj8GOatDNsP0xiXupzAwFasR-mk7rnEZ9Vr43EXp1kBBl-klWzbpkodGnt/s320/IMG_0132.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children's Welfare Institute</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskLasqKmPOreLJLxXo8VQ-5OPPWG4WQhV0fmVXc8Ec8cvKox8YI7kGkuTxeHCkWYXFWXaBtUgCdAdLzLAdNQZnxL6jYFf7A3Vxgn_aThyphenhyphenDiRjYuBtN_nq8jcNzfvW7J1VPbVK_acop6jN/s1600/IMG_0156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskLasqKmPOreLJLxXo8VQ-5OPPWG4WQhV0fmVXc8Ec8cvKox8YI7kGkuTxeHCkWYXFWXaBtUgCdAdLzLAdNQZnxL6jYFf7A3Vxgn_aThyphenhyphenDiRjYuBtN_nq8jcNzfvW7J1VPbVK_acop6jN/s320/IMG_0156.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sleeping area and Zac's crib</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RTc592Y4wc43pM_57sqpRdOAQ8RxtvnS5TM3nowDF4AL5HCERh6vo5D0GZ3Atha035dGY4vIxbd4SNaeptnyVRdS0KCcvNKVNu0D1ytwrWD9GTngYqivSD1TnUsv7d_DBC3VnUi6dNS0/s1600/IMG_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RTc592Y4wc43pM_57sqpRdOAQ8RxtvnS5TM3nowDF4AL5HCERh6vo5D0GZ3Atha035dGY4vIxbd4SNaeptnyVRdS0KCcvNKVNu0D1ytwrWD9GTngYqivSD1TnUsv7d_DBC3VnUi6dNS0/s320/IMG_0151.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac and DeAnna with his caregiver</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac's slide.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQWdO7_wGFHUu9YZejimLR9-O1EihmmR1k_gYowRv4nnW9Ep6i1HGE6znl2QRMiKR6iwOxU79KLSUlzSt_R_VZYG5eWD34xvJq-82Qxee7MrcfOuu6yffPw2UViOrh5SiGTptJLokNpW1/s1600/IMG_0158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQWdO7_wGFHUu9YZejimLR9-O1EihmmR1k_gYowRv4nnW9Ep6i1HGE6znl2QRMiKR6iwOxU79KLSUlzSt_R_VZYG5eWD34xvJq-82Qxee7MrcfOuu6yffPw2UViOrh5SiGTptJLokNpW1/s320/IMG_0158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The third floor was Zac's play area</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJ_J54cX_eVVhxnJvud4lZtrNLLTT3w0dypeiKVI9QC7QviNESuAUGCzWUw0vCbyq1AQFpMZGyyFRGarUcZGIV993ZeVQwJMbxCcEy8PnL8K3FnxDvEoNToKFSTjlGukC5f6c7v-IJ6F6/s1600/IMG_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJ_J54cX_eVVhxnJvud4lZtrNLLTT3w0dypeiKVI9QC7QviNESuAUGCzWUw0vCbyq1AQFpMZGyyFRGarUcZGIV993ZeVQwJMbxCcEy8PnL8K3FnxDvEoNToKFSTjlGukC5f6c7v-IJ6F6/s320/IMG_0173.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"While there is life, there is hope."</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the gate.</td></tr>
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The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-44031851600199371632013-01-09T03:49:00.000-06:002013-01-09T03:59:01.773-06:00A day in ChongqingWe spent the first half of the day today exploring Chongqing. The city is actually a municipality, almost like a Washington, D.C. It sits at the junction of the Jialing and Yangtze rivers. It's a very hilly, very foggy city. We visited a park at the junction of the rivers, but the fog made it hard to see much of the city. We also drove up to the highest point in the city at Chongqing Eling Park. Again, normally the view would be amazing, but today the city was socked in by fog. << Boring historical fact alert >> Up near the high point we saw the former residence of General Chiang Kai-Shek. During the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) he made the city his wartime capital, partially because of it's mountainous, foggy geography. The park also pays tribute to the people relocated by the Three Gorges Dam project, many of whom were moved to Chongqing. The girls had High Tea and learned about different types of tea and the proper way to serve and drink it. They tried jasmine tea, ginseng tea, and lychee tea. We had a fun time, even if the fog wouldn't cooperate! Tomorrow we get to visit Zac's orphanage! We're bringing cookies!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, so I didn't take this one. But this is what the city looks like with no fog.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General Chiang Kai-Shek's former residence</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stepping stones</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High tea at Eling Park</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1912834254"></span><span id="goog_1912834255"></span><br />The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-82573978742248730062013-01-08T04:35:00.000-06:002013-01-08T04:44:49.757-06:00Adoption CeremonyWe traveled back to the Adoption Center today to finish some documents, get our family photo, and our "red book". We had a ceremony to present us with the official documentation showing that we are approved to adopt Zac, called the "red book". We also get a photo book on Friday before we leave Chongqing documenting the ceremony, including photos of the area and of Zac's orphanage. DeAnna knew there was going to be a ceremony, but didn't realize how big a step it was symbolically until it was happening. She teared up pretty quickly and had a hard time holding it together. This week in Chongqing is basically the China side of the adoption. Next week in Guangzhou is the American side. So today was a very big day! We will spend tomorrow sight-seeing before we visit the orphanage on Thursday. Friday we pick up Zac's Chinese passport and head to Guangzhou!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtGJM1XvgnnAXPiMGEFUiPbOB4EfVcjggCk_MDW6QmJ4ro6ZilBXWX-hkI7bmXwZSl7PLCqUjxyCsMK0xsA8Z4D34J4EwsmCpogAQ27IWVEjb62rBPRW5bnBfnENaIWm0-vmypTBMbfZL/s1600/IMG_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtGJM1XvgnnAXPiMGEFUiPbOB4EfVcjggCk_MDW6QmJ4ro6ZilBXWX-hkI7bmXwZSl7PLCqUjxyCsMK0xsA8Z4D34J4EwsmCpogAQ27IWVEjb62rBPRW5bnBfnENaIWm0-vmypTBMbfZL/s320/IMG_0085.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac and Mama enjoying congee at breakfast</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The adoption ceremony</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We all signed our names with a fingerprint, even Zac!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The proud family!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe eating rice with chopsticks!</td></tr>
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<br />The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-22433232778575701732013-01-07T07:32:00.001-06:002013-01-07T07:37:19.864-06:00Gotcha Day, Jan. 7th, 2013Today we met Zac! We finished some paperwork this morning, and then at about 2:30pm we met our guide to head to Chongqing International Adoption Center. I can't tell you how surreal it was! Getting ready, riding down the hotel elevator, driving over in the van... It just didn't seem real! There were three couples including us there today. After a little while, the caregivers and orphanage assistant director came walking the children in. The second child was our little Zac! The caregiver was pointing to DeAnna and saying, "Mama, mama." She let Zac go and he walked to DeAnna! It was really amazing! He was very calm. DeAnna was crying, but Zac was just taking it all in. She asked the caregiver if he was always this calm, and she said he had actually been crying since they left the orphanage, and stopped just as he met DeAnna! We spent time asking questions... His caregiver has been with him since he came to the orphanage. What does he like to eat? What is his favorite toy? etc. He seemed truly content, not terrified. He loves Zoe and followed her with his gaze wherever she went. He's not scared of me, but he preferred DeAnna. We signed some paperwork, thanked his caregiver for her love and care, and within 45 minutes we were driving away. He was also calm on the way back to the hotel. Once we got back, we all played with him and talked to him. I was able to make him laugh a lot (it's a gift!). We fed him a bottle and later some baby food. He had some quality time with DeAnna while I went off to make an attempt at ordering Papa Johns in Chinese. I did pretty well, although Zoe was asleep by the time I got back! We gave Zac his first bath (which he did not like one bit!) and got him ready for bed. Now he's stretched out asleep. What a day! I have to say, it couldn't have gone much better! He really seems comfortable with us. Tomorrow we go back to the center to complete paperwork. Thursday we are visiting his orphanage, and by Friday we will collect all the finalized provincial paperwork and fly off to Guangzhou to get ready to meet with the consulate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before we met Zac!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy family! Zac can hardly sit up in his puffy suit!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSnHB5eU99pgwC9aSI72mbMTsVJ3xFpu7R8fCngrvbrdEz63KqOw7PNdofoU1JpHrB0-1GhJZmjeYFGXVjG1dzJb9_RPAB1ijKobuGmn10w_BBQRMSxCVhiyYXMQ34ob5pEThr7MNm8Lu/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSnHB5eU99pgwC9aSI72mbMTsVJ3xFpu7R8fCngrvbrdEz63KqOw7PNdofoU1JpHrB0-1GhJZmjeYFGXVjG1dzJb9_RPAB1ijKobuGmn10w_BBQRMSxCVhiyYXMQ34ob5pEThr7MNm8Lu/s320/IMG_0030.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting Daddy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xWVeF9jPOoHqpPSRieq0l1NW2bshhuEwyb2zLZvmmUEdFznd8s4ZKmG33QwRBp5JGRzK7T8ybhafGmlN5WA6igRdQ3vjw0R2LpZtGSyaFEH5ddkdAH-nG9RSy0lzz87y9jiNdxMW1pAf/s1600/IMG_0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xWVeF9jPOoHqpPSRieq0l1NW2bshhuEwyb2zLZvmmUEdFznd8s4ZKmG33QwRBp5JGRzK7T8ybhafGmlN5WA6igRdQ3vjw0R2LpZtGSyaFEH5ddkdAH-nG9RSy0lzz87y9jiNdxMW1pAf/s320/IMG_0046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the adoption center</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfPS9LWReS9CgHytYhNyqO1zf1fc7gy86twe0VX_PGAdjdJRb5xQ7hL5R5U6NxklPD2xl3eBKVzoPNih_8meaEojQYvQxIZBs4gVzLb6TJ7-Cx5RefKDYLg5ESrNRyxc8DYnqVeFu6EJy/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfPS9LWReS9CgHytYhNyqO1zf1fc7gy86twe0VX_PGAdjdJRb5xQ7hL5R5U6NxklPD2xl3eBKVzoPNih_8meaEojQYvQxIZBs4gVzLb6TJ7-Cx5RefKDYLg5ESrNRyxc8DYnqVeFu6EJy/s320/IMG_0052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama and Zac</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_HoL7IJjtd0cjKDyyK50P6LBgBb3T8Zo-nwOezT1GadgDx_mnhhfB8WjnqsTEOtnaUfngkQocjn6ZRonfIeOhcRWemjbeYukafOC8m3fLl-Mjittk3-DQIO-q-_o7G5S2P0KtpwZil4p/s1600/IMG_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_HoL7IJjtd0cjKDyyK50P6LBgBb3T8Zo-nwOezT1GadgDx_mnhhfB8WjnqsTEOtnaUfngkQocjn6ZRonfIeOhcRWemjbeYukafOC8m3fLl-Mjittk3-DQIO-q-_o7G5S2P0KtpwZil4p/s320/IMG_0065.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy makes me laugh! alternate title: "I like sweet potatoes!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun times!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6HDt5UakogUkRfk9N2dXLk0WlQt_9kfX8hfukA8RUuOvu7-VMdv-P28r3kmhTp75Zyjxd6r38fGSi-OImVK0qm2h24HuIffUG3fkzL_VGjz0Pr2pif02hLIvA8q-usiweX5vhu2dpKCn/s1600/IMG_0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6HDt5UakogUkRfk9N2dXLk0WlQt_9kfX8hfukA8RUuOvu7-VMdv-P28r3kmhTp75Zyjxd6r38fGSi-OImVK0qm2h24HuIffUG3fkzL_VGjz0Pr2pif02hLIvA8q-usiweX5vhu2dpKCn/s320/IMG_0076.JPG" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet baby after bath time</td></tr>
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The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-25342567763856273972013-01-06T15:27:00.001-06:002013-01-06T15:43:59.065-06:00Chongqing!We've made it to Chongqing! Sticking to Central time, we left Birmingham at 6:10am Fri. and landed here at 9:30am Sat. Over 27 hours travel time! We got to FaceTime with the kids last night. It was so good to see them! Once we laid down in bed, we slept like rocks. Pretty low key day today. Breakfast was good, buffet at the hotel. The hotel is very nice. They have a lot of local food, but also eggs and bacon, etc. DeAnna enjoyed some noodles in broth with dumplings. Then we went exploring in the immediate area. It's a downtown area with lots of shopping and restaurants. There's a big mall just a block from the hotel. I left our new camera at home, so we had to shop for a replacement, just something simple to use while we're here. I decided to wait until our guide came by to make a purchase. We went back to the room and the girls decided it was nap time! When our guide showed up they weren't budging, so I went down to meet him. I brought him to the electronics store so that he could help me ask questions. I got a little Canon I can carry in my pocket. It was good to have our guide there to translate. He showed me around and pointed out a few restaurants. Then he showed me where the grocery store is. It was crazy! You've never seen so many people. And it's every man for himself! We grabbed some bottled water and headed out. We discussed tomorrow's itinerary and he left for the day. Once I got the girls awake we spent the rest of the day window-shopping and ate dinner. Now we're back in the room planning for tomorrow. We meet our guide at 10am to get paperwork in order, then at 2:30pm we will head to the adoption center to get Zac. We will be back in the room with him tomorrow evening (early Monday morning for you guys). Let's hope Zac is happy and content! We're well aware that things are gonna get tough with a 1&1/2 year old in tow! It'll be time for me to shift into "daddy logistics mode" like when the kids were little. DeAnna is ready!<br />
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Ken<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner at the hotel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bustling Chongqing!</td></tr>
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<br />The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-78764659066823186962013-01-04T10:05:00.003-06:002013-01-04T10:05:39.491-06:00China bound!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45JDGuy1a3lFWPGCUBrt3SfhCso9Hl9Ht0FF9Ao5tPGlzpwUoQvZ0vniylquM9ekgEgd3cl0ElmPjxi8fFCY8cJHJxsSKlngirEL3o5Hjjh2OACMDVZTWsB41Ahkdm60FzeTsYM1kJy2h/s1600/IMAG2391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45JDGuy1a3lFWPGCUBrt3SfhCso9Hl9Ht0FF9Ao5tPGlzpwUoQvZ0vniylquM9ekgEgd3cl0ElmPjxi8fFCY8cJHJxsSKlngirEL3o5Hjjh2OACMDVZTWsB41Ahkdm60FzeTsYM1kJy2h/s320/IMAG2391.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe and Zena in Chicago, 1/04</td></tr>
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Well, where to begin? Late Sunday night, 12/30, we got a call from Lifeline. She said, "We asked for the first available consulate appointment, and they gave us January 16th!" Now, you travel two weeks before your appointment, so that meant we would depart less than a week later, Friday January 4th! "Gotcha day" (when we get Zac) is Monday, Jan. 7th! I can't even describe the whirlwind that ensued. Last minute airline reservations, packing, planning, wiring money ahead... Total chaos! Complete excitement! We're coming for you Zac! My little boy, I will be holding you in just days! We got less and less sleep each night. All culminating in two hours of sleep last night and a 4am trip to the airport. As I write this, we're sitting in the airport in Chicago waiting for our next flight to Beijing! That leg alone is over 14 hours. We will step off that plane in China! We plan to stay connected, so watch this blog for updates and pictures! I want to stop and say thanks. Thanks to all our friends and family who have supported us through all this... emotionally, financially, spiritually. So many people have made so many contributions. And thanks to our gracious God! Thank You for guiding our path, thank You for all your blessings in our life, thank You for our little boy in China and the life he will begin to realize in mere days. God is good! Let all the praise be to Him! The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-29599731703466077122012-12-20T16:37:00.003-06:002012-12-20T21:26:05.202-06:00New Pictures!Our Article 5 letter was picked up Dec. 17 and couriered to the CCCWA in Beijing! We are now waiting for our travel approval, which typically happens 3-4 weeks from the receipt of our Article 5. Let's pray for it to move quickly and get us to China before Chinese New Year! We also received updated photos of our little boy! We requested photos in the care package we sent in October. Maybe this means he got it? He looks healthy and happy in his little winter suit! Please join us every day as we pray for his continued health and safety! We're coming for you little buddy! <br />
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For those of you new to our blog, feel free to read the older posts, or scroll past these pictures to "Read More" about why we decided to adopt!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrLUexUOnqCEPwPhZBvyO4iNMwSEq0uONl6HSyuwkh05SDwaFbhMjgr2g2GQsGAOmUrYGr6gh5UsrcUHJ9LNQKkcjGXCtBoQ1P5NA9cp5Iq4iI3LET8Aysi17V0hzDO2oss1K_J5e6D8S/s1600/%3F%3F%3F.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrLUexUOnqCEPwPhZBvyO4iNMwSEq0uONl6HSyuwkh05SDwaFbhMjgr2g2GQsGAOmUrYGr6gh5UsrcUHJ9LNQKkcjGXCtBoQ1P5NA9cp5Iq4iI3LET8Aysi17V0hzDO2oss1K_J5e6D8S/s320/%3F%3F%3F.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac, ~18 months</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwkqR8NligUWJvQBtfNYWI1rebvNkib780IpReuS97RViu8Qp-cry7yo3iXcatmVU0ZAjTrvD5fdx9drJbGJOMD1guQkNYLF4Et8fNps-yNqgKAyJgMO5iPWOQ32rtfY6H-iV1-jb86wQ/s1600/%3F%3F%3F1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwkqR8NligUWJvQBtfNYWI1rebvNkib780IpReuS97RViu8Qp-cry7yo3iXcatmVU0ZAjTrvD5fdx9drJbGJOMD1guQkNYLF4Et8fNps-yNqgKAyJgMO5iPWOQ32rtfY6H-iV1-jb86wQ/s320/%3F%3F%3F1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Within months, by God's grace, my wife, DeAnna, and I will bring home our son, Zachary, from China. DeAnna and I have been together for 13 years. Ever since I've known her, her heart has been on the suffering of children. Hunger, neglect, and abuse of children have weighed heavy on her heart every day. We've been on a long road to address that need with organizations such as Feed the Children, Smile Train, Sumaritan's Purse and Compassion International. Along the way, I have come to some personal conclusions about fatherhood. I think that being a dad to my children, raising them, shepherding them, is what God put me here to do. It gives me more satisfaction than anything else I've ever done in my life. Also, I believe that many of the things that are wrong in our society can be traced back to the father... abusive fathers, fathers who abandon their children, fathers who are never there. So, I think that the greatest gift I could ever give a child is to be his father. I love my children, and I'm so excited to share this love with another son. Add to this the fact that both DeAnna and I have for some reason always pictured our family to include four children. We are both the youngest of four, so I guess it just seems natural. </span></span></span><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In my opinion, adoption is a calling from God. I believe that we are all called (or will be called) in different ways. You know it when it happens. I think we're pre-wired for it, and it just seems natural. About two years ago when DeAnna reintroduced the idea, we just knew it was right. Not everyone will adopt, nor should everyone adopt. But I do feel that we can all help these children in some way. Many of our friends and family have offered a hand in the process, and we consider this a wonderful blessing. We believe that our son was wonderfully, perfectly and beautifully meant to be. God created this child to be our son, and he created us to be his parents. From the day he was born, Zac was meant to be a part of our family. We would never be the same without him. We are redeemed and adopted by God as sons through Jesus Christ. Through this process of adoption, we pray that we may show this beautiful picture of Grace to another of God's children.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Ken</span></span></span></div>
<br />The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-72244500072178901472012-12-09T22:51:00.003-06:002012-12-09T23:24:05.681-06:00Almost there!<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F29926145" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Our theme song for Christmas, "All I Want for Christmas is You!" No, I can't handle the Mariah Carey version! We most likely won't travel by Christmas, but it's so close we can taste it. We would give anything to climb on a plane tomorrow!<br />
<br />
Well, we're almost there! We received our "cable letter" from the National Visa Center on Nov. 29th stating that they had completed processing Zac's visa petition and forwarded it to the U.S. Embassy in Guangzhou, China. About 2 weeks after this (about Dec. 13-17) we should receive our "Article 5." This is where the consulate makes sure the visa petition is in order and signs off on it. Then they send it to the CCAA for travel approval. We're supposed to receive our travel approval 3 to 4 weeks after this, and that's where it gets hairy. Chinese New Year is Feb. 10th. We are praying that we can travel and be back before then. We've been told that China is rushing somewhat to get families through. Please pray for us that we can travel as soon as possible. We can't imagine having to wait until later in February. <br />
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Thanks so much to everyone who has supported us through this long process! We love you all more than words can describe! It is a bittersweet Christmas, God willing it'll be our last one without Zac here. In case we don't post again before the Holiday, Merry Christmas everyone! Let us celebrate the day that Jesus was born, the day that God predestined us all to be adopted as His sons!<br />
<br />
Ken and DeAnna<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnki8R7eMnwYwz0MGqw8NG0rV7t3EzZxNq2rFOSoVGfLru5qOpfJwEXxe9voqiSLOO9xGMroizXTI0czq9evVU17PtiRxIOO6RG55bLGVmaPi1SvfAhzC7hLgphKwcGW7b9F7iVgHnmPl/s1600/DSC_4620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnki8R7eMnwYwz0MGqw8NG0rV7t3EzZxNq2rFOSoVGfLru5qOpfJwEXxe9voqiSLOO9xGMroizXTI0czq9evVU17PtiRxIOO6RG55bLGVmaPi1SvfAhzC7hLgphKwcGW7b9F7iVgHnmPl/s320/DSC_4620.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids packing a Care Package for Zac 10/15/12<br />Wonder if it ever got there?</td></tr>
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<br />The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-64632406491759880212012-09-22T17:30:00.001-05:002012-09-25T08:05:53.391-05:00Meet Zac!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Big news! On Sept. 10, only 7 days after our last post, we received the file for the child who we now know as our son, Zachary Ryder Horton! Zac is adorable! He is about 16 months old right now. According to his file, when he was 14 months old, he was pulling up and walking, finding his toys, clapping his hands when he saw his caregiver, "reading" books, and playing hide-and-seek. According to his caregivers, he is easy to take care of, smiles a lot, is active, and is interested in learning. It was his smile in the first picture we saw that melted our hearts. We always thought we would know our son when we saw him, and we did! Strangely, it feels like we've always known him, we just had to find him again... Like his face was written on our hearts, and we recognized him when we saw him. We submitted our Letter of Intent (LOI) with China on Monday, Sept. 17, and received our Pre-Approval (PA) on Thursday, Sept. 20. The PA says that the China Center of Adoption Affairs agrees to move this application file into the procedure for adoption. Typically, it's 6 months from the PA to travel, sometimes shorter. We're told that since our Log In Date was so long ago, our wait may be shorter. Let's hope!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PmiiqbE7BzV56uLHOHCoqQikLqsRyzyrbTQ-RJg_TbeN16rcndFluCy1mtvpJPJXkzd-1rrGg4hJFzdogoq6YzwmCkL5RkMxILSwm5l1eDW0iug9izlUdnf9WVzZ5PQoMSx1J03LjeHs/s1600/IMG_1392fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PmiiqbE7BzV56uLHOHCoqQikLqsRyzyrbTQ-RJg_TbeN16rcndFluCy1mtvpJPJXkzd-1rrGg4hJFzdogoq6YzwmCkL5RkMxILSwm5l1eDW0iug9izlUdnf9WVzZ5PQoMSx1J03LjeHs/s320/IMG_1392fb.jpg" width="309" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The photo that stole our hearts! Zac at 11 months <br />
when Lifeline and the IAC visited his orphanage in April.<br />
Look at those little teefies!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgB05b202g2I7yDYLLY0fU434UBnE-m_2RvLDOy77u7kwwIQXOwphyabQooYuVANrmA7_50KOoEcaWI1ejsqqzaGYlKhjvv4UlHXv9RUs8wMxzisLJx2Dx9W-SNTfiffAd2I0CC5EVL51/s1600/IMG_3849b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgB05b202g2I7yDYLLY0fU434UBnE-m_2RvLDOy77u7kwwIQXOwphyabQooYuVANrmA7_50KOoEcaWI1ejsqqzaGYlKhjvv4UlHXv9RUs8wMxzisLJx2Dx9W-SNTfiffAd2I0CC5EVL51/s320/IMG_3849b.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ken's favorite, Zac somewhere after 11 months.<br />
"The 'Snoopy' outfit"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ65pnVLDx6Bo6oiqXDg8xhHtuKexlJR03Ox96nTy-cIVrsvkBos1AWbuuhZIwnuNDVDg0Na9X6QKuHwecMCekK9p58wxGN4D88IHZspmtU9DJd2KQMzm4tKAr9MMRuMShkh_-X6ce4-Ev/s1600/shot_634830426795762401.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ65pnVLDx6Bo6oiqXDg8xhHtuKexlJR03Ox96nTy-cIVrsvkBos1AWbuuhZIwnuNDVDg0Na9X6QKuHwecMCekK9p58wxGN4D88IHZspmtU9DJd2KQMzm4tKAr9MMRuMShkh_-X6ce4-Ev/s1600/shot_634830426795762401.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zac at 14 months on the playground.<br />
They buzzed his hair, but he's still so cute!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkAy99RQ12gC-d4xB4hm9gEsImjxQ8ABzjwLNsPl77ohVoMekPdiBxJQ_npwpoq5HSR8P8D3JlNzxChV2KYTulWJpIFrEKmYecJfMwLw7qvzq1OylX3zMLCxUPsbyztOf9G5G_epjV3Db/s1600/B51-01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkAy99RQ12gC-d4xB4hm9gEsImjxQ8ABzjwLNsPl77ohVoMekPdiBxJQ_npwpoq5HSR8P8D3JlNzxChV2KYTulWJpIFrEKmYecJfMwLw7qvzq1OylX3zMLCxUPsbyztOf9G5G_epjV3Db/s320/B51-01b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our newest photo, Zac at 16 months, taken<br />
by Lifeline and the IAC during their current visit,<br />
in Sept. "The 'Angry Birds' outfit"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri';"><i>Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri';"><i>For His steadfast love endures forever;
</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri';"><i>to Him who alone does great
wonders,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri';"><i>for His steadfast love endures forever.
</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i>Psalm 136:1&4</i></span></div>
The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-86198294794709842632012-09-03T11:00:00.001-05:002012-09-25T08:06:19.392-05:00Log In Date, Partnerships BeginWell, we've kind of dropped off the radar for a while. A lot is happening, though, and we wanted to bring everyone up to speed. Our dossier went off to China on June 7th, and was logged into the CCCWA on June 18th, making that day our "LID" or log-in date. In the following days and weeks, we struggled with deciding whether to be matched through the shared list or to wait for the Lifeline orphanage partnerships. In the end we decided to wait. Ultimately, the partnerships were what lead us to Lifeline in the first place, and that was our plan from the beginning. Right now we have close personal friends in China completing their adoptions. We are so happy for these families, but it feels bittersweet as we continue to wait patiently. We read with joy the emails and blogs of their experiences, but our hearts ache for our own little boy. <br />
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But, on August 31st Lifeline began receiving the files for the children from the orphanage partnerships! Lifeline will internally match these children with waiting families. If a family is being considered to review a file, they will be contacted in the next two weeks. Children whose files are not internally matched will then be posted for other Lifeline families to consider. As I've described before, the partnerships allow families to consider a child with much more extensive information at their disposal, and without the time limits of the shared list. So, it is entirely possible that we could be matched very soon! We can't believe that we might meet our son any day now! Please pray for us these next weeks as we trust in God to bring this child into our family! In early August we passed our one-year mark in the adoption process. It has been a long journey, and some days it feels like we will never reach the end, but we have learned to be patient, to trust in God, and to never give up. It's impossible to say if our son is in these first files or not. All we can do is leave this in God's hands and wait. We will update you as soon as we have more information!<br />
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P.S.- To Zac: I heard this song, in a Veggie Tales movie of all places, and I thought of you. One day I will sing it to you, but for now I just want you to know, somehow, over the 10,000 plus miles, that you were meant to be. Everything about you was for a reason, and I know that one day it will all make sense. -Ken<br />
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<b>Meant To Be</b> by Steven Curtis Chapman<br />
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Long before you drew your first breath<br />
A dream was coming true</div>
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God wanted to give a gift to the world<br />
So he wrapped it up in you</div>
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Every step that you’ve taken<br />
Every move that you make<br />
Is part of his plan</div>
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You were meant to be touching<br />
The lives that you touch</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
And meant to be here<br />
Making this world so much more<br />
Than it would be without you in it</div>
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You were meant to be bringing<br />
The gifts that you bring<br />
And singing the songs<br />
You’ve been given to sing</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
You are perfectly, wonderfully,<br />
Beautifully meant to be<br />
You were meant to be</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Long before you took your first fall<br />
You stumbled to the ground<br />
God started telling the story of you to the angels around<br />
Every failure and victory<br />
Everything in between<br />
Its all in his hand</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
You were meant to be touching<br />
The lives that you touch<br />
And meant to be here<br />
Making this world so much more<br />
Than it would be without you in it</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
You were meant to be bringing<br />
The gifts that you bring</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
And singing the songs<br />
You’ve been given to sing</div>
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You are perfectly, wonderfully,<br />
Beautifully meant to be<br />
You were meant to be (yeah)<br />
Meant to be<br />
You are<br />
You are<br />
You are meant to be<br />
You are<br />
You are<br />
You are meant to be</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
For every breath that your taking<br />
And every move that you make<br />
It’s a meaningful life you’ve been given<br />
Live it well</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
You were meant to be touching<br />
The lives that you touch<br />
And meant to be here<br />
Making this world so much more<br />
Than it would be without you in it</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
You were meant to be bringing<br />
The gifts that you bring<br />
And singing the songs<br />
You’ve been given to sing</div>
<div style="background-color: #e1dcd1; border: 0px; color: #4b3a33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
You are perfectly, wonderfully,<br />
Beautifully meant to be (yeah)<br />
You were meant to be (yeah)<br />
You were meant to be (yeah)<br />
You were meant to be<br />
To be<br />
You were meant to be</div>
</div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">"The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him." Psalm 28:7</span>The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-70572421715611933962012-06-07T23:24:00.002-05:002012-06-07T23:45:47.463-05:00Dossier off to China!Well, in the world of international adoption, you could almost say that things are really moving along! After receiving approval from Immigration, our dossier went off to the Chinese Consulate for legalization on May, 25th. Zuri turned four on Tuesday (June 5), so we decided to take a quick trip to Ross Bridge to celebrate. The kids had a great time. We swam, ate great food, went on a hike, watched TV in the room, and everyone slept like babies at night. Today we were savoring every minute by the pool, trying to pretend that it wasn't our last day, when we got an e-mail from Mallory. She had received our dossier back from the consulate, processed all the documents, and sent it out to China! Our dossier is off to China! So today is referred to as our "DTC" (Dossier to China). This is one of the major stepping stones of international adoption, and cause for celebration! It takes about 3 business days for our dossier to reach China. We told the kids and shared a little moment of excitement at the news. It's becoming more real every day! After about 3-4 weeks we will receive our "LID" (Log In Date). That's the date our dossier is officially translated and logged into the CCCWA (Chinese Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption). This will be the point when we can get matched with a child, our next milestone. We've decided that this is a good time to share a little info... we've decided that our son's name with be Zachary Ryder. Needless to say, he will be a Z kid. How could he not? He will be one of us in every way, including his name! Zachary means "remembered by God" or "The Lord remembers". We think this is so appropriate. This little boy was born in China and abandoned. The world may see him as forsaken, forgotten. But God never forgot him. He had a plan for him from day one. What a beautiful picture of God's love! And it seems so perfect that this Z name was just waiting for us! We plan to call him Zac, for short. And, no, we can't stop there. Ryder means "Knight" or "mounted warrior". It's also the name of a Canadian pro cyclist who just won the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy), Ryder Hesjedal. So we kind of take a 21st century twist on the name to infer our love of cycling. <br />
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Please join us in celebrating our "DTC day" and pray for that little boy, almost 12,000 miles away, who since the day he was born God intended to be our son, Zac. Let's thank God for remembering him, as He remembers every one of us.The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-73139191076283816052012-04-07T10:24:00.002-05:002012-04-07T10:36:39.592-05:00Almost past Immigration!I know many of you are beginning to realize how slow this process can feel. I've had a few people ask, "Are you still adopting?" As if to say, "We haven't heard anything for quite a while... did you change your mind?" Well, of course, we are still hard at work! I can't believe our last post was in January. So, here's the latest: Having completed our home study, we sent our info off to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS" or, more commonly "CIS" or even just "Immigration"). Then we received our appointment for biometrics with CIS. If you miss your appointment, you get to submit the application all over again! We realized that making our appointment was going to take a lot of rearranging, so we gambled and went a day early. We begged and pleaded for them to fit us in, and amazingly, it worked! Less than a half-hour later we were fingerprinted and on our way! According to our social worker, it should only be about a month before we get our approval from CIS. This will mean that we are approved to bring a child into the US as our son. At that point we will send our dossier off to China. So.... hopefully sometime around July we will be ready to get matched to a child. Now, what is truly amazing about that timeline is regarding a new development at Lifeline, our adoption agency. Here's an except from their announcement:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">"Lifeline Children’s Services’s China Team is very excited to announce our partnership with three new orphanages in China beginning </span><strong style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">June 2012</strong><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">. Our medical teams will be visiting the Chong Qing Orphanage of Chong Qing City, Sui Xi Orphanage of Guangdong Province, and Zhu Hai Orphanage of Guangdong Province during the month of </span><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>April</strong></em><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">. While at the orphanages, pediatricians and therapists associated with the </span><strong style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">International Adoption Clinic of Birmingham, Alabama</strong><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"> as well as other doctors and medical professionals will be evaluating the children and providing reports for their referral files. Many of our staff will also be on the ground with the teams to photograph and video each child to provide potential adoptive families with glimpses into the lives and faces of these children."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">This is great news, and the timing is truly amazing. The doctors and therapists from the IAC here in Birmingham will be evaluating the children personally, and the partnership with these orphanages will begin just as we are ready to be matched. It makes us realize that although we try so hard to control things, this is all really in God's hands. It is His timing that actually matters. Even though we have felt "behind" through so much of this process, it may be that we are right on time after all! We are so excited as the IAC specialists travel to meet the children! In the next few months this process should finally begin to reveal who our little boy is!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">As we celebrate Easter, let us pray for Lifeline's China team. Let us put our trust in God as we walk with them on the journey to meet our son! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">"The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9<span style="color: blue;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Joyfully,</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemF3_VGQ2zuxsBDKbzRDOPnYFBaJ5YFS_o8cOiRoHACCzZWrdExQL_yicjA5ljCWCn0yxbaV9uuGC4Fz2Ck5gE4VjvCsc13ZJB8zS2RcIH53_Ml7pnwoooveng2cP6003TGg5aHnkdcRx/s1600/IMAG0244blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemF3_VGQ2zuxsBDKbzRDOPnYFBaJ5YFS_o8cOiRoHACCzZWrdExQL_yicjA5ljCWCn0yxbaV9uuGC4Fz2Ck5gE4VjvCsc13ZJB8zS2RcIH53_Ml7pnwoooveng2cP6003TGg5aHnkdcRx/s320/IMAG0244blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zander & Zoe riding "Daisy", Birmingham Zoo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkGiImTAT-0_BhVu-JR2b05xwmFcNudPiFzN19TYkwLIAWLVWos06aBrn6GhPrOLdiJeYYqIZ-m9T8LpHjzevyVR5nOQY5eH_PmGJZwPHIXXHgkFr3vI41_PdkVI1xj6cRHjYHavSu9Zb/s1600/IMAG0246blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkGiImTAT-0_BhVu-JR2b05xwmFcNudPiFzN19TYkwLIAWLVWos06aBrn6GhPrOLdiJeYYqIZ-m9T8LpHjzevyVR5nOQY5eH_PmGJZwPHIXXHgkFr3vI41_PdkVI1xj6cRHjYHavSu9Zb/s320/IMAG0246blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zuri and Ken riding "Big Joe"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-1906620895117374702012-01-10T12:09:00.000-06:002012-01-10T12:15:13.831-06:00Hurry up and wait (some more)...Our hopes to tie up the home study with a pretty Christmas bow and send it off for good were somewhat disappointed this month. We couldn't quite get our medicals done in time, the letter from my supervisor turned out to be missing some details, and DeAnna's fingerprints were deemed "unreadable". I'm pretty sure she had her fingerprints removed when the government recruited her to track aliens here on Earth... or was that Men in Black? Anyway, for the first couple of weeks in January we have had to put our heads back down and forge ahead. We spent a day getting DeAnna's fingerprints re-done and mailed off (third time's a charm!), and another day renewing our passports (no, you can't show your teeth!). We completed some more discussion questions (our favorite!), got the medicals sent in, and had my boss add some more describing words (really, really, really excellent...). Everything is in except for the final word on DeAnna's fingerprints. So today we get to relax and breathe while we pray for everything to process swiftly. My consolation is that God is sovereign in all this. I know that the timing is all part of His plan. To me it seems like a delay, but to our son it may be perfect timing! One day it will all make sense. Let's all hope that day is sooner rather than later!<br />
<br />
Love you all,<br />
<br />
KenThe Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957330068021034537.post-92065363954540306092011-12-11T13:55:00.001-06:002011-12-11T15:33:50.395-06:00A Christmas prayerJust wanted to put out a little Christmas prayer as we get ready for the countdown to the big day! As an adoptive-father-to-be, I am constantly thankful to God who adopted us all as sons through Jesus. And this week I am turning my thoughts to Joseph, our most famous adoptive father. God breathed life into creation, but we would eventually succumb to sin. Then He promised us a seed delivered through a woman that would crush sin and save us all. Joseph was faithful to God, and adopted Jesus as his own, raising him, shepherding him, teaching him. I pray that I can be half the man that Joseph was as I become a father to this little boy. I pray that I can be faithful to follow the path that God has laid before me. Merry Christmas everyone! I hope it brings joy and wonder to us all. We love you!<br />
<br />
Ken<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeIfvUAfkJSmvH-ljMqM-EwZUOgau-2Srv_KM3Adfth92ZvfwFqd6ZHrX-6S2YKOqfx8wsloU2T2Qh4SQmkr5_4bEZuN_Ot9R_4veUmxKMC6KSjFV7joF1KvFjwJMkZMZkq7Z2RxfS2En/s1600/DSC03082web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeIfvUAfkJSmvH-ljMqM-EwZUOgau-2Srv_KM3Adfth92ZvfwFqd6ZHrX-6S2YKOqfx8wsloU2T2Qh4SQmkr5_4bEZuN_Ot9R_4veUmxKMC6KSjFV7joF1KvFjwJMkZMZkq7Z2RxfS2En/s320/DSC03082web.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, you CAN cut down a <br />
Christmas tree in Alabama!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmN6tLiTE9DnqQJAoKjLVmmOUTTZ30phgS_LceCs4tPV0eoItmM735dqIJTV6IWJ8yoKpm7X1EbX1lpXGS3ltaAitRc2jnSHtA-TaWGPJaxAticrfMXGlhAPyAoH7MgetXK0B2MuMa-5G/s1600/DSC03112web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmN6tLiTE9DnqQJAoKjLVmmOUTTZ30phgS_LceCs4tPV0eoItmM735dqIJTV6IWJ8yoKpm7X1EbX1lpXGS3ltaAitRc2jnSHtA-TaWGPJaxAticrfMXGlhAPyAoH7MgetXK0B2MuMa-5G/s320/DSC03112web.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ballet princess Suzy Snowflake! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Horton Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03840665501258890487noreply@blogger.com0