Emma Grace Estes - Memories of 07,

I wanted to do some memory sharing of one of the biggest years of our life!! I feel like we've been so blessed and had such a run of emotions this last year. The beginning of the year found us trying to adjust to Faith Nicole not being with us all the time, it was a big adjustment but she's done so well and we know because we get her every other weekend. We are very thankful to Faith's dad and family for sharing this precious child with us. As we were adjusting to this we knew we would soon be going to get our beautiful daughter in China. As the time finally approached we had all typed of emotions. Tim had taken a hudge test that required much of his time prior to our trip so he was exhausted. I was on pins and needles. We begged Broc to go to China but he said no, he wanted to stay in the states, I knew how bad I would miss him. With much help and prayer we finally made it to China to meet and pick up Gracie. I remember walking in and seeing the little face that I had saw on her pictures, she bravely tried to smile but when I tried to take her that little smile turned into a fit that lasted over an hour. Tim had to take her and she stayed with him attached until after we got home from China. The next few weeks were a whirlwind, I was in a daze. I was woke up when I found out how sick my father was. We did get to talk with him before he passed. I remember one night in the ICU I said dad, Glenda and Patrick are coming home to see you and he laughed and said my gosh you'd think I was dying or something. At that point no one knew the severity of his condition. About a week before he died he really did have some good days and I got to talk with him quite a bit. He could only nod but I feel so blessed that I had that time with him. Dad loved the TV and I asked him dad are you ready to watch TV yet, he smiled and nodded no. I also got to tell him about his helicopter ride to St. Louis he just couldn't believe it. I told him he'd really been sick and he'd be ok. He nodded again. I also told him how much I loved him!! It's really hard to lose a parent. By the time dad had died, we had decided to leave our home on Fimore St. and move, might I add by that time it was 105 outside. We seemed to settle in our new home right before the holidays, they were nice we just still had a void in our family. We are thankful and blessed and hope eveyone has a great 2008.