Chinese New Year 2023

Happy Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) 2023!!

This year Lunar New Year fell on a Sunday. Between that, having a busy schedule and our friends that celebrate with us having just gotten back from Taiwan, we didn't have a big celebration. Instead, Faith wore her traditional Chinese silk dress to church and afterwards we went to Panda Express. Here are some pictures of her in her beautiful dress.

Happy Chinese New Year!!

 

CCAI Celebrates 30 Years of Love!

 

This year marked CCAI's 30 year anniversary. CCAI is the Adoption Agency we used for Faith's adoption. They celebrated by having reunions around the country and we were so excited when we found out one of the reunions would be in Plano!!! 

We met so many Texas families that have adopted through CCAI.

And Faith made some new forever friends!!

One of the biggest highlights was finally meeting Josh and Lily the founders of CCAI. They are just the sweetest people and treated us all like family! 

It was such a neat experience for our family and Faith had the best time getting to know more adoptees! She smiled the whole time and you could tell that the whole celebration meant so much to her!! 

5 Years a SERNA!!!

Five years ago today, our sweet Faith was placed in our arms for the very first time. 

5 Years ago our family was made complete.

5 years ago, Li Ren Lan - orphan, became Faith RenLan Serna - adopted, chosen, loved. 

5 years of love with a lifetime more to go! 

Happy Gotcha Day!! 

Surgery - again.

Faith was born with clubbed feet and a condition called arthrogryposis. When she was still in China she had one corrective surgery for her feet. After she had been home for a few months, she had her second and on October 7th she had her 3rd surgery. 

She was a trooper. The anesthesia made her super weepy - but she really was so brave. 

 As soon as she got home, she wanted everyone to sign her casts. 

She had a visit from a sweet friend. 

And got a few gifts! 

By the next day she was challenging GiGi to a walker race - and WON!

She will be in casts until November 19 - the day before her birthday. Since the surgery she has been doing really well. This could be her last foot surgery - but probably not. Clubbed feet really want to be clubbed - so more surgery may follow, though the doctor told us that this surgery won't be an option in the future because of the amount of scar tissue she has. We are so blessed by her hospital and doctors and especially by her brave attitude! She is an inspiration! 

Adoption Reunion Day 3

Day 3 of our 5 year reunion started off with worship! 

Maddox was super excited to take friends to church!

Annette and I thought we should have a picture since we were all dressed up. 

These dresses can easily go from church to the cat walk - right!?!

We love all of our adoption group, but the Vaughn's have become dear friends. We share prayer requests and check in on each other frequently. They are like family to us for sure! 

Our handsome husbands needed pictures, too. 

 Like fathers like sons.

After church we headed over for a picnic in the park. 

 Everyone had a little down time after the picnic -  naps were taken. Then everyone met back up at the Vaughn house for pizza and a pool party!

He melts me!!

At the end of the evening we all said sad good-byes. The kids called each other their China cousins. These families are so precious - they are each really like family to us. 

We plan to meet up for another reunion in 5 more years to celebrate 10 years with our sweet kids in CHINA!!!