...Just a Reminder...This story builds FROM THE BOTTOM UP...so if you're joining late, be sure to catch up by reading from the beginning...Thanks.




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Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Happy Forever Family Day, Ashley. Can It Really be SEVEN Years?!

Good evening All, Dad here with another short post to mark the SEVEN YEAR anniversary of Ashley joining our Family.

 Here she was Seven Years Ago...

With Aunt Rita in Wuhan

On Adoption Day with Kyle and Ashley's Foster Grandmother



And here she is more recently...


With the Lockhead Extended Family at Labor Day


At Winterthur Gardens in Delaware
 More pictures are below...after the post...


Ashley is a few weeks into THIRD GRADE, and she enjoys her Teacher, her Friends and her school.  She continues to be a strong reader.  She's a bit of a creative, and she enjoys working on many craft projects and even takes the lead when we need Birthday Cards for friends and relatives.  She's still as active as ever and enjoys most every outdoor activity (hiking, bike riding, trampolining).

She's growing into a very helpful Big Sister to her younger Brothers Ryan and especially Tyler, who she sometimes refers to as "My Little Munchkin"! He's still learning English and Ashley helps Tyler with his Letter and Number activities, and even with his writing.

We're coming off a very busy summer filled with tons of activities (most planned, but many spontaneous).  We visited lots of museums, parks, and gardens and made a ton of great memories.  We visited Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Mark and our cousins in Michigan over the 4th of July.  Ashley even learned a little about fishing from her older brothers.  We even went on a cool Dune Buggy Ride in Saugatuck.

In the spring we visited Punta Cana, and logged a ton of Beach and Pool time.  And toward the end of the Summer we had the chance to visit Southern California.  We enjoyed our time at Disneyland and California Adventure, and roamed from San Diego to LA along the PCH.

We've been very fortunate that Ashley's health continues to be very good.  She's able to manage her challenges pretty much on her own; but she's getting to mature enough to know to ask for help if she gets in a jam or if things aren't exactly right.  It's hard to believe that she's TWO YEARS Post-Op for her reversal surgery - it seems like it was just last week!  She's a very strong and courageous little fighter, and she hasn't looked back.

We're looking forward to a Fall full of great activities: Fall Festivals, Hayrides, Corn Mazes, Pumpkins, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas.  Soon enough, we'll be staring at her 9th Birthday!

Not so fast, though, let's just enjoy the memory of that Day in Wuhan seven years ago.  We have so many memories of her Adoption Trip.  I enjoy rummaging through old Blog Posts and photos to relive the magic...

Sharing one of my favorite moments/pictures from that trip -  the first photo and the last photo / story from THIS POST

Happy Forever Family / Gotcha Day, Ashley.
We Love You Very Much.
Love, Mom & Dad

Here are a few recent pictures...


At Winterthur Gardens



With Mom at the DC Zoo (All Growed Up!)



On the Swings at Dutch Wonderland



Tyler and Ashley rode the Kiddie Whip at DW 12 times...in a row.




At Longwood Gardens


With the Michigan Cousins at Lake Michigan on July 4th



First Day of Summer!



With Kyle in Punta Cana



With T-Bone in Punta Cana

Ashley and Dylan in Michigan at Meier Gardens



At Hershey Gardens



On the Beach at Cape Henlopen Park, Delaware




Tubing on the Delaware River



Trying to take the chill off...


On the Beach in Stone Harbor


Sunday, January 1, 2017

Happy 8th Birthday, Ashley!! (And Happy Forever Family Day, too!)

Hi All,

Just a quick post to mark Ashley's 8th Birthday!  It's been a tremendous year for our Ashley.  She's blasting through her year in 2nd Grade, and many of her Kindergarten and First Grade friends are in her class again this year.

Since her last surgery, things have stabilized really well and she's in a good place.  She is very active and enjoys jumping and flipping on our Trampoline, riding her bike and scooter and generally trying to keep up with her FOUR brothers. (I feel sorry for the first date she brings home!)

We are winding up our Christmas holiday vacation, with one more free day before school starts again.  Grandma and Poppa visited from Michigan, so we were HOME for the first time in many years.  It was nice, but the kids and I both missed the trip to Michigan - and the usual snow that we see there.  They had a very nice visit and had a chance to meet Tyler for the first time.  He bonded almost immediately, as he has usually been doing with his aunts, uncles and cousins.

Ashley continues to do well in school and enjoys all of her subjects.  She's a great reader and is solidly above grade level.

We also just passed Ashley's anniversary of her Forever Family Day - October 11.  She has been a Lockhead for SIX wonderful years.

We are all looking forward to an exciting 2017.

Happy Birthday, Ashley - We Love YOU very much!
Love, Dad & Mom

Here are a few photos of Ashley from earlier tonite...