Summer Fun - July / Aug / Sept

Every July, Germantown offers a "family" campout and movie in one of the many parks. Sofia and I enjoy some popcorn as we await the movie to start.








Popcorm quickly became one of Sofia's most favorite foods (and she loves to have her own bag / cup when she's home).














Will decided he wanted to be a chef so true to form, mommy made sure she got him his much needed chef outfit.


He made some cookies and likes giving a hand to mom.










- > Dawn took the kids to the Milwaukee County Zoo. Sofi took her first zoo train ride. They enjoyed seeing all the animals and petting the sharks and stingrays. Mommy even treated the kids to eating at the zoo (rather than the PBJ days).

For the past couple of years, our friends the Jameson's have invited us to northern Wisconsin resort called Silver Birch Ranch. It is a great experience and this year we were able to really enjoy it as Sofia was with us. We had fun doing everything from boating to horse back riding.



We're already looking forward to next year's trip.

The boys started another school year (here's a picture of our 1st grader - Will and our 6th grader -Zach).

How did Sofia react you ask, she cried when the boys left and Dawn had to pull her away from Will when she dropped him off. Dawn said she kept crying Will's name most of the morning.

May - first of June 2007 Update

While visiting family over the Memorial Day weekend, Will got to do one of his favorite things while at Uncle Dewight's house, ride horses. Here he is with Dewight's latest addition to his family.


We had a very nice (but busy) visit but unfortunately couldn't visit everyone. Several new things occured during the past month; will and Zach have both lost more teeth, Zach broke his arm, Sofia has started to crawl on her own and stand/walk -with help, Sofi met more family members, our first all day concert at Alpine Valley - Fishfest, a Christian music event and other events. Here are some additional pictures over the past month :

Family Fun - April 2007

Well, April has been a busy month for the Newsome's. Our fun started with going to Florida during the boys' spring break. In true Newsome fashion, Sofia found that she too enjoys the beach (it took her a little while to realize it....I think eating the sand helped her along.) We enjoyed going to the beach and spending time with Dawn's family. We also had a friend we met in China spend a day with us as we exchanged stories of how the kids are adjusting and saw how much each of our kids have grown since we were in China.

Here are some pictures from Florida:

Here are some photos from our trip to Chicago this past weekend. We traveled to Chicago on the train and spent the day shopping and yes, we took Sofia to American Girl store and purchased the Just Like Me doll (although she shouldn't play with it for a few more years, we're ready and it actually looks like her) The day ended with dinner at Rainforest Cafe.

Oh how the time goes by....

Well, it's been a little while since the last update. I've posted a recent picture of Sofia and the boys at the Chicago Auto Show. Let me tell you, THE BOYS loved the auto show (including me, James). Sofia continues to grow every day and is absorbing everything like a sponge. She is so smart and can remember things that amaze you.

Our next adventure is going to take place in a few days. We're off to Florida to visit Dawn's family, The BEACH and our friends we made in China (who live in Tampa). We'll keep the site updated with pictures of the trip.

God Bless....

Baby, It's cold outside ..and snowy

We'll it finally got here, the snow that is. In the past two days we've received over 14 inches. The boys played outside and I snow blowed our drive way along with the neighbor's.

GO TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who live in a warmer part of the states or another country, please note that it was very cold here last night. The temperature got to - 9 degress (yes, that's negative) and the wind chill was at - 35.

We'll it's that time of the year again, SUPER SUNDAY which brings with it the SUPER BOWL. As for the Newsome home - it also brings some touchy issues. You see one of the family members is a Bear fan (thank you very much Mr Bill) and the other four members are ....well you be the judge of who most of Newsome's support:

we had some friends over for the game and they were actually Packer fans but cheered for the Colts (as they told me true Packer fans could never cheer for the Bears. I took this picture of Sofi (in her Manning jersey) and their son (in the Favre jersey).

What a difference 6 weeks makes

Well, we've been home for almost six weeks and WOW what a difference we've seen in our family. It seems as if Sofia has been with us all along and she learns and does more every day. The boys are back to school and love being home (just as we all do).

Since we've been home, Sofia has gained 1.5 pounds and has grown 2 inches longer and got her first hair cut. She's is getting 6 more teeth, has a ear infection and we couldn't even tell because she's just so happy. We are getting ready to celebrate CHRISTmas and want to wish everyone a Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year.

Here are some pictures we've taken since we've returned home (and yes, Sofia has already been to Florida to see Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Cyndi):

Don't forget the real reason for the CHRISTmas season. I hope we all take time to realize how blessed we are. God Bless.....

We made it home.....

Friday, November 17th we had our citizen oath at the US Consulate in Guangzhou, China for Sofia. (Sorry - no pictures as cameras were not allowed). On this day, 63 children were officially sworn in as US citizens. It was a amazing. Here's a picture of Dawn and Sofia on the way to the Consulate. After the ceremony, we went back to the hotel to finish packing.











Saturday, November 18th -
Our day started very early in the morning hours in China as we prepared for our return flight to the US. Here's on last picture of the boys with Judy our coordinator while we were in China (and if I said it once, I'll keep saying it over and over - SHE WAS GREAT!!! After that we left China and headed for Tokyo, Japan.

Once we were in Tokyo, it was a change of planes and off to Minneapolis, MN in our big 747:

After Minneapolis, we were off to Milwaukee where after a 27 hour day, we were met by several of our friends welcoming the whole Newsome family home. We again thank all of our friends and family for all your support and prayers. Sofia will come to know how special each and every one of you truly are.

When we got home, we enjoyed a meal someone had given us and let Sofia adjust to her new home. She seemed very curious and comfortable. The neighbors gave Sofia a welcome home gift which she (and the boys) opened in her new bedroom.

November 16th - An end to an emotional day

Today turned out to be the most emotional day for us yet. We traveled to the orphanage where Sofia stayed from November 1, 2005 until we were able to get here to her. The orphanage had several little ones just waiting for a new mommy and daddy.

When we arrived, we were first met by several care givers of the orphanage (dressed as nurses), the Director of the orphanage (the lady in the dark suit clothes in the picture below) and all the kids. Sofia immediately recognized where she was and reacted with screaming and fear (I believe the fear was she was going to be left there again - not in how she was treated as she was treated as good as she could be). Again, the comfort for us was the comfort she had with mommy (and the rest of her family) holding her every step of the way.

Sofia had left her mark on the people who cared for her. The director of the orphanage was very happy to see Sofia and how happy we and she were with each other. The care givers also took special interest in Sofia and were happy we brought her back to say goodbye one last time. There was only one care giver (nurse in above picture) that Sofia had a positive reaction to and would allow to hold her. Sofia seemed ok with being back there once she realized that mommy and daddy weren't going anywhere and that Dawn wasn't putting her down or allowing anyone else to hold her from that point.

We were able to walk through the orphanage and that 's where we saw all the little kids. There were a couple of kids that recognized Sofia and ran to her to kiss and hug her. She responded to all the kids with apparent happiness. It was when we got to the room where the beds/cribs are that was the peak of the emotional roller coaster we were on today. When we walked in the room, Sofia immediately recognized her friend in the crib next to where she had been for over a year.

Sofia's name tag was still on the crib and the director let us take it with us. I / we couldn't hold back the tears when we saw the children just waiting for someone to take them home and to know that this is the very spot where our precious Sofi had been for so long. If the law allowed for it, the Newsome family would have grown by every kid in the orphanage today. (Several of the kids were in another room today thus the empty cribs. Sofia's crib -where she spent so many days /and time for the past year- was the blue one in the picture below).

I am thankful for all the orphanage did for Sofia and all the little children. With the limited resources they have , they do the best they can. We then left the orphanage for a trip into Foshan, where Sofia was abandoned.

After a short drive, we arrived at the location where Sofia's birth mother and father left her on November 1, 2005 . They left her at the door of the women's and children center. The pictures below show the very spot she was found (this to was a tearful occasion. To know that a mother and father loved their little one so much and knew that they couldn't care for her and that the only way for her survival was to give her up. Little did they know that on that day they were our angels who with their courage and faith along with God's blessing would deliver our precious Sofia to us.

Through the tears and emotions I told Dawn that Sofia was found once at this very spot by strangers passing by as an abandoned child and on this day she was found again by strangers passing by as a member of our family to never be left alone again.

As we headed back to Guangzhou, I again thanked God for Sofia. I looked up and saw this beautiful little face looking at me as to say, " Daddy - it's ok because we're together now".

Night falls on China - November 15, 2006

Today was another beautiful day filled with great weather and more memories to last a life time. This morning was free time for us so we walk around the island and took a walking trip to another part of the city (I don't know how many miles we walk a day but I'm sure it would blow me away if I really knew):

Our "scheduled" day started in the afternoon with Sofia's medical exam. The only good thing about it (as Sofi was screaming during some of the procedures) was Sofia looked for us. Once Dawn would be able to hold her, she seemed to know things would be ok and found comfort in Dawn's touch. Here's some pictures from the exam (by the way - she's now over 15 pounds. When we first got her, she was unable to roll over and in the almost two weeks she's been with us she's able to roll over and over and over):

After the medical exam our GREAT guide (from our adoption agency) Judy had arranged for us to go to a wonderful ancient museum in Guangzhou. The name of the place was the Chen Ancestral Hall. This place was like so many here - absolutely incredible.

We were back on our private bus and headed back to the island where Judy had arranged for us to have a spectacular Chinese dinner in a private room of a restaurant. The food was out of this world. The fun wasn't over yet. After dinner we were off to a cruise on the Pearl River, which runs through Guangzhou, to see the wonderful lights around the city. Here's a picture of our beautiful Sofia waiting for the boat and just a few of the pictures of the city near the Pearl River:

After such an action packed day what else is there for a girl or girls to do but ..........

Tomorrow we're off to see the orphanage Sofia was in and the city she was found in. Again, we thank everyone for your support and continued prayers.