April 28, 2011
Nima and Her Friends Here is an image one of the other mothers shared with me. This photo was taken of Nima with three of her friends at the orphanage last July, before we even met her. She is the one peaking through the balcony on the far left. 

Nima and Her Friends

Here is an image one of the other mothers shared with me. This photo was taken of Nima with three of her friends at the orphanage last July, before we even met her. She is the one peaking through the balcony on the far left. 

April 28, 2011
I MISS YOU BABY! I am stuck at the Atlanta airport after all the awful storms yesterday. Last night I laid in my hotel room, nervous about the tornadoes.  The destruction and loss of life is so sad.  I pray for the families and people who have been affected by the storms. Last night was my first night leaving Nima since last October.  I miss her so much. I hope my flight doesn’t get canceled and I make it home tonight.  Life has been moving pretty quickly. I have been shooting at the studio a couple days a week, working outside on our yard and garden (when it isn’t raining), and getting ready for a BIG SALE May 10th.  I had a nightmare lately that we had to give Nima up and send her back to Nepal.  Even though I know this can’t happen,   The other night, Jed heard me having a panic attack in my sleep and woke me up. I had the most devastating feeling in the pit of my stomach. I just thank God everyday for Nima.  I feel so blessed to be her mother. I watch her laugh and play everyday and think about the fact that she could still be living in an orphanage.   I can’t believe that we met her 9 months ago.  Nepal will be in my heart forever, but it is starting to feel surreal and that my time there was a dream.  But then again, I feel like I am living a dream here and I can’t believe I am home with my daughter!

I MISS YOU BABY!

I am stuck at the Atlanta airport after all the awful storms yesterday. Last night I laid in my hotel room, nervous about the tornadoes.  The destruction and loss of life is so sad.  I pray for the families and people who have been affected by the storms.

Last night was my first night leaving Nima since last October.  I miss her so much. I hope my flight doesn’t get canceled and I make it home tonight.  Life has been moving pretty quickly. I have been shooting at the studio a couple days a week, working outside on our yard and garden (when it isn’t raining), and getting ready for a BIG SALE May 10th. 

I had a nightmare lately that we had to give Nima up and send her back to Nepal.  Even though I know this can’t happen,   The other night, Jed heard me having a panic attack in my sleep and woke me up. I had the most devastating feeling in the pit of my stomach. I just thank God everyday for Nima.  I feel so blessed to be her mother. I watch her laugh and play everyday and think about the fact that she could still be living in an orphanage.   I can’t believe that we met her 9 months ago.  Nepal will be in my heart forever, but it is starting to feel surreal and that my time there was a dream.  But then again, I feel like I am living a dream here and I can’t believe I am home with my daughter!

April 17, 2011
Nima’s Orchard Sorry I haven’t posted anything for a month, but I have been busy being a mom and LOVING it!  We have been spending a lot of time outside in the yard playing and landscaping.  Nima is so cute.  She follows Jed and I around with her little red wagon and helps out by picking up sticks in the yard.  We are planning a great garden this year.  I can’t wait!  All of our plants are blooming.  The flowering trees are gorgeous. Last year we planted a beautiful weeping cherry tree and nine fruit trees.  It was before we even knew about Nima, but I kept having visions of our daughter playing underneath the trees and following me around the yard helping me pick their fruit in the fall. The trees were planted the year we adopted Nima, so I have been referring to it as Nima’s Orchard. It has been surreal watching her play in the yard. It is truly a dream come true. I don’t know how it is even possible, but I love that little girl more everyday!

Nima’s Orchard

Sorry I haven’t posted anything for a month, but I have been busy being a mom and LOVING it!  We have been spending a lot of time outside in the yard playing and landscaping.  Nima is so cute.  She follows Jed and I around with her little red wagon and helps out by picking up sticks in the yard.  We are planning a great garden this year.  I can’t wait!  All of our plants are blooming.  The flowering trees are gorgeous. Last year we planted a beautiful weeping cherry tree and nine fruit trees.  It was before we even knew about Nima, but I kept having visions of our daughter playing underneath the trees and following me around the yard helping me pick their fruit in the fall. The trees were planted the year we adopted Nima, so I have been referring to it as Nima’s Orchard. It has been surreal watching her play in the yard. It is truly a dream come true. I don’t know how it is even possible, but I love that little girl more everyday!

March 14, 2011

Cheers, Salute, Kanpai, Salud, or Deetz (Nima’s word for Cheers)

It has just been the girls the last couple of days.  Jed gets home from Austin tomorrow night. We have been sleeping in, going on walks (sometimes with rollerblades), enjoying the fireplace, dancing, going to Gold’s, Lowe’s, and the pet shop. We almost came home with fish, a bird, and a guinea pig.  Nima experienced the kid’s room at church for the first time on Sunday.  She had a blast.  We have frequented the coffee shop, had playdates, and went to a birthday party.  Happy 9th birthday Zach!

Deetz-Vicki and Nima

March 11, 2011

“Children Of God” - Official Music Video (via thirddaychannel)

March 10, 2011 • 1 note
I know our daughter is adopted, but somehow she still got her daddy’s hair!

I know our daughter is adopted, but somehow she still got her daddy’s hair!

March 10, 2011 • 1 note
3 weeks, 7 Flights,  2 Countries, 3 Cities,  2 Deserts, and 1 Ocean Not long after getting home in January, the three of us hoped back on a plane for work. We just got back a couple of days ago and are finally getting settled in. In the last three weeks we visited Palm Springs, Las Vegas, and Cabo.  I am a little worried that Nima is going to get bored with her life in Morton, Illinois after all the excitement, beautiful hotels, pools, room service, and amazing people who showered her with love.  “Boring” actually sounds really nice to me right now.  Over the last six months, I have learned to do “boring” really well.  In fact, Jed is gone for 6 days, so Nima and I are back to hanging out just the two of us.  It feels weird that the last time it was just us, we were halfway around the world. The best part of the last three weeks was getting to see so many friends who have been our support over the last few months.  There were many moments I felt overwhelmed. There are so many people who did so much for us.   Nima did amazing.  She had so much fun meeting everyone and exploring new places and things.  I have to admit, Vegas is a different place when you have a baby.  Many nights were spent eating mac n’ cheese and sitting in my room. ( I secretly loved it, though)  I have recently accepted that things are going to take some time to figure out and that I am not going to know the answers immediately to a lot of stuff. I  had some really good conversations with friends over the last few weeks. In one conversation, we were talking to us about picking a word for the year.   My word for 2011 is Content.  This comes from my realization of how content I was in Nepal when I had “nothing.”  A friend shared a great article from Oprah’s March magazine where she quotes the book Enough Already! by Peter Walsh:   “Our homes are overwhelmed with stuff and our lives littered with the empty promises that the stuff didn’t fulfill…In buying what we want, we hope to acquire the life we desire…But chasing the life you want by accumulating more stuff is a dead-end street.” The other thing that I am realizing I need in my life right now is Rest.  Before leaving for Nepal in August I was overcommitted and exhausted.  I am going to add things back into my life slowly.  I am taking a step back from everything and re-inventing, re-evaluating, and re-prioritizing.  I know it will just take some time. Here are some lyrics from a song I listened to often while in Nepal, “More Time,” by Need to Breathe. They are one of my favorite bands. We’re off to new lands So hold on to my hands It’s gonna be alright It’s a whole lot brighter So stand by the fire It’s gonna be alright Yeah, the road gets harder But it’s not much farther It’s gonna be alright You know that it ain’t easy Please believe me It’s gonna be alright Please don’t worry now It will turn around Cause I need more time Just a few more months and we’ll be fine So say what’s on your mind Cause I can’t figure out just what’s inside So say alright Cause I know we can make it if we try Cause I need more time Just a few more months and we’ll be fine

3 weeks, 7 Flights,  2 Countries, 3 Cities,  2 Deserts, and 1 Ocean

Not long after getting home in January, the three of us hoped back on a plane for work. We just got back a couple of days ago and are finally getting settled in. In the last three weeks we visited Palm Springs, Las Vegas, and Cabo.  I am a little worried that Nima is going to get bored with her life in Morton, Illinois after all the excitement, beautiful hotels, pools, room service, and amazing people who showered her with love.  “Boring” actually sounds really nice to me right now.  Over the last six months, I have learned to do “boring” really well.  In fact, Jed is gone for 6 days, so Nima and I are back to hanging out just the two of us.  It feels weird that the last time it was just us, we were halfway around the world.

The best part of the last three weeks was getting to see so many friends who have been our support over the last few months.  There were many moments I felt overwhelmed. There are so many people who did so much for us.   Nima did amazing.  She had so much fun meeting everyone and exploring new places and things.  I have to admit, Vegas is a different place when you have a baby.  Many nights were spent eating mac n’ cheese and sitting in my room. ( I secretly loved it, though)  I have recently accepted that things are going to take some time to figure out and that I am not going to know the answers immediately to a lot of stuff. I  had some really good conversations with friends over the last few weeks. In one conversation, we were talking to us about picking a word for the year.   My word for 2011 is Content.  This comes from my realization of how content I was in Nepal when I had “nothing.”  A friend shared a great article from Oprah’s March magazine where she quotes the book Enough Already! by Peter Walsh: 

 “Our homes are overwhelmed with stuff and our lives littered with the empty promises that the stuff didn’t fulfill…In buying what we want, we hope to acquire the life we desire…But chasing the life you want by accumulating more stuff is a dead-end street.”

The other thing that I am realizing I need in my life right now is Rest.  Before leaving for Nepal in August I was overcommitted and exhausted.  I am going to add things back into my life slowly.  I am taking a step back from everything and re-inventing, re-evaluating, and re-prioritizing.  I know it will just take some time. Here are some lyrics from a song I listened to often while in Nepal, “More Time,” by Need to Breathe. They are one of my favorite bands.

We’re off to new lands 
So hold on to my hands 
It’s gonna be alright 
It’s a whole lot brighter 
So stand by the fire 
It’s gonna be alright 
Yeah, the road gets harder 
But it’s not much farther 
It’s gonna be alright 
You know that it ain’t easy 
Please believe me 
It’s gonna be alright 

Please don’t worry now 
It will turn around 

Cause I need more time 
Just a few more months and we’ll be fine 
So say what’s on your mind 
Cause I can’t figure out just what’s inside 
So say alright 
Cause I know we can make it if we try 
Cause I need more time 
Just a few more months and we’ll be fine

February 12, 2011

January 23, 2011

Here is our homecoming video. A special thanks to Julia for the photos and Emma for the video. I want to thank everyone for their support and love during this journey.  The best is yet to come!

Love- Vicki, Jed, and Nima

February 10, 2011

In The News

February 9, 2011
The Next American Idol Nima has been practicing her singing and dancing skills.  It is definitely her favorite thing to do.  She went to a birthday party last weekend for her cousin and had a blast. She didn’t get her musical talent from me, though :) We have gotten to see a lot of people lately, which has been great.  Nima and I are starting to feel a little more adjusted to life back home each and every day. We are getting ready to leave for a couple weeks for some work trips.  I am excited and anxious at the same time. There are a lot of people I haven’t seen for a long time that I can’t wait to see and who I know are excited to meet Nima. We are definitely ready to get out of the cold weather :)

The Next American Idol

Nima has been practicing her singing and dancing skills.  It is definitely her favorite thing to do.  She went to a birthday party last weekend for her cousin and had a blast. She didn’t get her musical talent from me, though :) We have gotten to see a lot of people lately, which has been great.  Nima and I are starting to feel a little more adjusted to life back home each and every day. We are getting ready to leave for a couple weeks for some work trips.  I am excited and anxious at the same time. There are a lot of people I haven’t seen for a long time that I can’t wait to see and who I know are excited to meet Nima. We are definitely ready to get out of the cold weather :)