Ashland Pictures

New Pictures and Halloween

Halloween was a lot of fun this year....both girls enjoyed trick or treating, but Emma was easily the most excited with the candy loot! Nina was freezing the majority of the night and chose to sit out the 2nd round of trick or treating with our friend, Audrey. Nina and Emma have also started swimming classes, and both LOVE it! Little Nina is so excited by the time she gets to jump into the water that I am convinced that she will soil her swimsuit! Her teacher thinks that it is hilarious! Emma is a pro, and is doing really with in class with Audrey. Both girls are singing in the children's choir at church. Nina has an obviously tougher time learning the words, but is catching on with our help.

Nina received a bone scan last week which threw us for a loop. It says that she is 4 1/2, according to her bone structure. Dr. Taylor says that, giving a year or so for institutionalization and poor nutrition, she appears to be 5 1/2 or 6. Where do we go from here? Well, she is scheduled for a dental visit on the 25th, at which time she will have a dental scan. The dental scan *can* be more accurate. We will compare the two scans then figure out what to do. Dr. Taylor says that she would recommend waiting a year, giving her as much calcium and iron as possible, and seeing how she is progressing at that point. If it appears that her birthdate is still incorrect after a year, we will be able to change her birthday legally if we wish. Interestingly enough, I asked her last week how old she was....guess what she told me? "Six!" After telling us that she was 8 up until now, she says six! I don't know what to think of that...the truth is that only God and her parents know for sure, which means that we will never know for sure.

I sent an email to her orphanage director with some pictures recently. I have not received a reply, but I didn't expect to. Nina would still like to call her friend in China, and we will try to arrange that in the future.

Hope that everyone is doing well. Our thoughts are with my family in Florida. My great uncle is receiving hospice care, and his remaining time on this earth is very short. We are praying for my great aunt, Janie, in hopes that she will take comfort in knowing that she will be reunited with him someday.

God bless!

Kris