Gotcha Day - 2.0

823 days – 2 yrs and 3 months as an orphan…  June 17, 2013 will forever be a day we will never forget. That day still feels as if it was just yesterday.  I remember everything that happened that morning especially that knock at 10:12 am and I opened that door to finally see with my own eyes – our daughter.  We waited 6 very long years for her.  The waiting is terrible.  Tears at all heart strings and even raised questions about if we were supposed to be down this adoption path.  I do not miss those 6 yrs of waiting.  Megan has now been with our family for 730 days!!!!  So much is the same with the Chicklet.  Mainly her personality and facial expressions.  She is still extremely stubborn but in the words from the orphanage before we left for China - “she is slightly stubborn”.  Megan has 1000+ facial expression for just about everything.  She is constantly making us laugh with the way she’ll say things, how she plays, or eats.  

A shout out to our friends we met in China.  It’s like our Gotcha day with them, too!  : )  It is totally amazing to have met some truly wonderful people half way around the world and know they are there for us no matter what.  Even when two of us are in need of some sunshine, palm trees, warm weather, some beverages and many laughs.  We hold these friends near and dear to our hearts.  

Megan is very healthy – Thank God.  No lingering heart issues.  She’ll continue to be seen yearly to make sure all the scaring and valves continue to stretch as she grows.  Speaking of her growing…  she’s been a little slow in that department.  She is 30lbs on a good day ; ) and is 39 ½ inches tall.  She has gained 9lbs and grown 7 ½ inches since we had her 1^st dr appointment the day after we got back from China.  She has been in speech during the last school year and she has well exceeded her goals. She’ll continue with speech next year while she’s attending 4yr old preschool.  Megan loves to play outside, ride her bike, her scooter, play baseball and play in the pool.  She’s not fond of winter – she takes after her Mommy.  : )  She makes some mean cookies, pizza, cake, ice cream and spaghetti in her kitchen.  She’ll even serve them up with coffee or a coke.  Megan will even tell us we have to say our prayers before we eat.  Ha!!  She loves to talk about Florida and Disney World.  We made a trip down to Disney World back in April and had a great time – with the exception of some rain that hampered our plans.  She was so excited to meet characters – a far cry from her first trip when she would fake sleep so she didn’t have to see them.  She kissed each character, hugged them and was all smiles.  She loved the roller coasters, shopping and eating and eating. The one thing missing from our trip was Jacob.  He decided that he didn’t want to miss school and stayed home.  We are planning a trip next May with all 5 of us.  I can’t wait.  

All 3 kids will be starting new schools next year.  Megan will be going to Century Park Learning Center for 4 yr preschool.  She will be staying in that school until 6^th grade.  Alex will be a freshman at Grandville High School and Jacob will be a freshman at Michigan State University.  Holy smokes – talk about a wide range of schools for our kids.  

 Got Love????  Adopt!!!! 

 That Mulan is too funny!!!

 Arms up, Papa!!!!

 hysterical!!! 

 "i so beautiful!" 

 OMG, LOVE, love, LOVE

 Megan did her hair...

 donut?  duh... 

 she was very happy for her Gaka

 proud parents with a crazy photo bomber...  who's kid is that any way???

 bahahahahahaha - one of her Gotcha Day presents.

Megan and Ariel

long awaited entry...

Who in the heck is in charge of this blog anyway???? No updates since July???  Hello people!!!!!  ; )

Hello All!!!!!
I hope this update finds you well.  The Hawley's are keeping busy and doing very well.  What has been happening since July....  In August we took a fantastic driving vacation.  We hit Pittsburgh for a Tigers/Pirates baseball game.  What a great time!  The Tigs lost but a very nice venue to watch a game.  Our hotel was right across the parking lot making it extremely easy for Megan and I to make a getaway when Megan got tired and was ready for bed.  The next morning we were off toward Baltimore.  On the way there, we stopped at the Flight 93 Memorial.  Holy smokes, what a moving experience that was. We are so grateful that we were able to go see it and have brought our children, too.  Jacob & Alex were far too young and of course, Megan wasn't even born but we are sure it made a great impression on them.  Baltimore was great.  What an awesome city! The inner harbor is amazing.  If you haven't spent some time there - you really should.  The weather was perfect for walking around, eating outside, traveling via the water taxis and for the boys to see yet another MLB game.  They made a last minute decision to hit Camden Yards to watch the Orioles take on the Skankees - Oops, I mean the Yankees.  ; )  We spent 2 days in Baltimore, then off to DC. Although it was a very brief visit, it was awesome to walk from the Washington Monument, to the Lincoln Memorial, then past the Whitehouse.  Next off to Virgina to visit one of our travel buddies:  the Patricks!!!  Holy smokes, we missed them so much. Even though Brandi and I talk often, it was so great to sit and visit like we often did in China.  They are such wonderful people and are thankful to call them dear friends.  So much has changed for them since we saw them in August.  They just came home from their 2nd visit to China.  They brought home little Ruby to complete their awesome family.  We couldn't be happier for them.  We could have stayed for a week and that wouldn't have been long enough but after one night we were back to Pittsburgh for a night and then home. Megan did fantastic on the entire trip.  Only a few times did she complain that her butt hurt from sitting too long.  She wanted Papa to kiss it but he told her no.  Poor Chicklet.

Summer was over far too quickly...  On to school... Alex entered the 8th grade and Jacob entered his senior year.  Megan began speech class once a week and she loves it.  "Speech Is Fun!" is what she says all the time.  She has a great speech therapist who said she is doing amazing.  She is very smart and fun to work with.  Megan is currently far ahead of where they anticipated her to be at.  Yay Megan!!!!!!!!!  She is talking much clearer and the things that girl says are too funny.  Both boys continue to do great school work. They are such great kids.  Jacob has been accepted to Michigan State University.  Yeah Hooooo!!  Megan is already very familiar with MSU gear and says "Go Green! Go White!!!!".

Overall Megan is doing fantastic.  Since her tonsillectomy in June, she has been sleeping like a champ!  Thank you, Jesus!! I'm not sure how many more nights I could go through waking up 3 or more times...  Her health has been great.  We pray that all our kids continue to be healthy this winter.  She loves to play with her babies, color and play playdough.  She also is an amazing "cook". She loves to make Jeffrey chocolate cake and pizza and she makes a mean donut for her Mommy.    Megan has learned to recognize all her letters and most of her numbers.  Hopefully she'll learning to write soon.  Such a big girl!

Jeffrey is still keeping very busy but doing well.  He's looking forward to an upcoming seminar in Tampa...  I am totally jealous of his destination but not the seminar.  I am doing well, too.  I am no longer working in corporate America.  My position was eliminated after almost 17 yrs - due to a bank merger, but my new position is being a stay at home mom.  I can't believe I just wrote that.  Still sad for me but I am thankful to be able to stay with Megan all day and am able to greet the boys when they get home from school.  Who knows what will come for me but I'll keep ya'll posted.

12/17/14 marks our 1 1/2 yr anniversary since having Megan enter our family!  We couldn't love this Chicklet any more than we do.  I look at her every day in pure amazement that she is here with us.  God had amazing plans for her to enter our family and we will forever be grateful.

Many blessings to you.  May you have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

 Our little fish

 loves to be the "same"

 We could not love these 3 more!!!!

who goes on vacation and doesn't bring a coat for their youngest?????

 The Hawley and Patrick kids

So sweet!!!  Max and Megan were at the same orphanage in China

look at her face!!! 

 appropriate!!

 that is a great pony!

 a lot going on here...

 still loving her flops.  She really is my girl!!!! 

 must be something very important she's looking at on her phone.

Lily wasn't too happy with her... : )

Totally hysterical!!!!!! 

Just a short post

Hello All!!!! Hope you all are having a safe and wonderful summer!! It's the end of July and it really doesn't feel like we've had a good summer yet. Big sigh... Here's to hoping for a warm fall and winter!!!

Megan is 3 weeks post op and she's finally on the road to recovery! She had her adenoid and tonsils out in hopes to help aid her speech. We have learned that she apparently is a very s l o w healer... And, the bad breath that is supposed to go away in roughly 2 weeks is still hangin' on....blech!!!! I can't wait until that nastiness is gone!!!! Other than the recovery, Megan is doing just fine. Funnier that all get out and still extremely stubborn.

We are getting ready to head out on our 1st full family trip. We are hitting Pittsburgh for a Tigers game, then off to Baltimore for a couple of days and then down to VA to visit our travel buddies from China that we haven't seen in a little over a year. We are so excited!! We are hoping to plan a get together with the rest of our travel group next year. We have kept in contact with all of them but it sure would be nice to see their faces in person.

Just a short post this time around.




Megan and Foo foo are all ready for surgery! All feet are toasty warm.


My poor Chicklet.


I'm not sure she'll ever wear sunglasses correctly.


My little fishy! She loves to float.


Corn on the cob? Sure!!!

Below are a few videos from when we were in China

Wasting time before Megan arrives.  Watching traffic!  : )

 Megan "brushing" her teeth

Only had her for 5 days and she already knows the Night Night song...  and doesn't like it. 

What Chinese kid doesn't need squeaker shoes?

Gotcha Day Anniversary!!

Oh my goodness! As I was preparing to write this blog entry I kept thinking that this would be quite long; but now that I sit down it may be quite short. I am at a loss for words on what to say... I am sure you are all tired of reading how much we love the little Chicklet and how totally awesome she is... Ah who cares, it's my blog ; ) I can't begin to tell you all how much Jeffrey and I sit in total awe when we watch or listen to Megan. It is so hard to explain words. One year ago today we were sitting in our incredible hotel room in Jinan  besides ourselves wondering when Megan was going to arrive and if she'd be as wonderful as we both had dreamed her to be. It was 10:12 am June 17, 2013 ( 10:12 pm June 16 -Father's day here in the US), when our door bell rang. We have watched the video a thousand times and I could watch it a million more and never get sick of it. 10:11 am we were just a family of 4 and one minute later that all changed. All for the better!! She has changed the 4 of us - it is amazing. I remember that moment like it just happened. We waited 6 very long years for her and this is the 1st time I have said it, but it was worth it. It was the hardest thing we have ever done. Filling out the endless stacks of paperwork, waiting for this approval and that approval or just plain 'ol waiting, for what seemed like no apparent reason - only to have her walk in the room at the most perfect time. God is amazing!!!

Has Megan changed from when from that 1st day we received her? Ummmm, no!  I went back and reread our China blog entries (I have read them quite a few times over the last yr but who's counting?) and had to giggle when I read what we wrote about Megan. We were dead on accurate. She still is so incredibly funny and has a million faces to show. She is still sassy and incredibly stubborn. Holy Moses, I wish the stubbornness would die down some - geesh. The only difference from then until now is that she has gained 6 lbs and has grown 3 inches. Oh, and she has a bit more hair on her head. She was shaved right before we got her and she's slowly working on growing her hair out. : )


Health wise she is fantastic! The cardiologist has given her a glowing review. We will go back in 1 yr for a follow up. Megan has been assessed by 2 speech therapist. Both of them said she is very smart but just  needs a bit of help pronouncing her words better. She will begin once a week sessions when schools begins. August 4th Megan is getting her tonsils and adenoids out. Both therapists think this could be hampering her speaking. The ENT wasn't thrilled with taking them out as he really didn't have any medical issue but said if we really thought it would help her speech, he is going to do it.


Jacob and Alex are doing fantastic. Jacob is 16 and going to be a senior.  Alex is 13 and going in to 8th grade. They both are amazing students - we couldn't be more proud of them and the people they are. They love their sister but both know exactly what to do to push her buttons... Ugh!!! Megan does get back at them or should I say Jacob. Ha! When he wants a kiss, she will tell him yucky and covers her mouth. She doesn't like when Jacob doesn't shave. Hee hee!!!!



Thank you for taking the time to read our blog and for all your prayers.



PS - this wasn't short... ; )

 The moment we met Megan!!


Our 1st day!!! 6/17/13


6/17/14





Megan wanted Papa to buy this Buick... He said no...


I checked in on Megan one night and his is what I saw. M channeling Jim Leyland :)


The awesome cookies I had made to celebrate our Gotcha Day


Yummmm cookies!!!


Such a sweet girl!


1st and last day of school

It is about that time again

Holy Smokes!! Where has the time gone? The last time I posted an entry was
January!! That seems like so long ago yet, 3 months later we are still in
cold nasty weather... Ugh!!!! What have we been doing for the last few
months? Let's see.... Birthdays, birthdays and birthdays... Jeffrey was
in January, Alex was in February, Megan celebrated her 1st birthday in the
US on St. Patrick's day and me in April. Megan sure loves birthdays!!! She
loves to sing Happy Birthday and thinks it is pretty darn cool to get
presents on the big day!!!! This year we celebrated Megan's pre birthday
with a Minnie Mouse birthday with the family. Then we did some special
things for her on the 17th. We wanted to make sure that she knows when her
birthday is and that it is a big day! Jacob and Alex got her an extremely
obnoxious girly Cinderella bike, which she adores!!!! Now if we could just
get her to learn to pedal on her own, it would be a miracle!!!!! Anyone
have advice on that, it would be extremely welcome.



April came and seemed to bring in a few extra emotions that I had some
trouble dealing with. The 17th of April is the anniversary of the day
Megan's birth parents made a huge sacrifice and left their 4 week old
Princess on the steps of a hospital in Jinan, China. Their sick little
child became one of the greatest blessings in our lives but I can't help but
think the sadness her parents had to go through that day or even now 3 yrs
later. I am so torn with the thoughts of the "if only"... All she needed
was one surgery and she's totally healthy but if not for their sacrifice, we
wouldn't have this amazing little chicklet in our home to constantly love
and kiss every day. Moments of happiness but how can I be happy at their
unfortunate situation? Never did I ever think that this would ever be an
issue but somehow it is. I pray for her birth parents. I pray they are at
peace with their decision and that they know in their hearts that their
daughter is happy, healthy and loved beyond words.



Anyway, Megan is doing fantastic!!! She is one of the funniest little
people we know. We are constantly laughing at what she does. Wait, except
for the stubborn stuff. That is a gene I wish her birth parents didn't pass
on... Ugh!!! Geeze Louise, this girl is stubborn like no other. Her match
in that department is her own brother, Jacob. Thank God we don't have both
of them going through this stage at the same time. You would find me in a
small padded room being medicated. : ) We had Megan assessed by an awesome
speech therapist last week and she gave us a lot of good feedback as to why
Megan isn't speaking well. She thinks it is an airway, tonsils and adenoids
thing so we made an appointment with an ENT. A doctor we know extremely
well as we probably funded both his kids' college and grad schools with all
of Alex's appointments, hospital stays and surgeries. He said her tonsils
and adenoids are moderately large but would like to try a 4 week stint of
antibiotics to try and get rid of some constant phlegm in her throat to see
if that helps. If that doesn't work, he'll do surgery. Next on the doctor
rotation was her follow up visit to the cardiologist. Down side of that
visit is that Jeffrey, Megan and I were all wearing Michigan State clothes
and the doctor went to Michigan... Ooops, note to self - do not wear any
college clothes to the next visit. : ) Dr. Malcolm gave her a glowing
review!!!!! He is absolutely amazed with how well the Chinese doctors did
her surgery and how well she is doing now. He said that you can't even hear
her murmur with a stethoscope and it is only noticeable on her EKG. He said
that just isn't all that common to have such great results as she has. He
would like to continue to see her as she grows to insure that her pulmonary
valve, which was one thing that was repaired, is stretching correctly as she
grows and isn't developing any stiffness from scar tissue. She weighs in at
27.4 lbs and 36 inches tall. Such a big girl!!!! She has gained 6 lbs and
grown 3 inches since coming home 10 months ago. Something we can't seem to
fix is her sleeping issue. She has no issues going to bed at night or for
naps but just can't seem to sleep consistently through the night. Leaving
this Mama one tired old lady. Hoping that if she gets her tonsils and
adenoids out, it will help. God, please let it help!!!!!!



Many people have asked about our travel buddies - they are all doing very
well! We just received updates from all of them. 2 families are on their
2nd adoptions and we wish them all the best. I miss seeing them and being
able to chat with them. At the time China was so overwhelming but now
looking back at it, I'd take it back to see the sites again and to be able
to chat with those we came so close to. I have the most amazing, supportive
husband on this Earth but seeing a note come from Brandi in our inbox or on
FB always comes at the most perfect time. God has given us so many things
to be thankful for!






Who's ready to go to Florida???





If I fake sleep then maybe the characters won't come near me...





Fun in the sun!





1st drive... Need much more practice





How can you not laugh???























I'm 3 today!!!!





My new bike from my brothers.





Lovin' laundry with my Papa - wearing Mommies roos.





The best kids ever!!!





Donut enjoyment!!!






Yakkin' her way down the hall and BAM!!! Right into the wall.