AUNT DEBBIE VISITS!

Debbie flew in to visit this past weekend. Since the weather was so beautiful, we went back to Grant's Farm.

NEW BIKE!!!!

For those of you who've followed our blog for sometime, when Yulia arrived from Russia she couldn't ride a bike. We spent $25 for a "junker" on which she could learn. Well, that junker ended up costing us more than $100 by the time we added two sets of training wheels, new tires, etc.

Yulia recently learned how to ride without training wheels. We've been talking about getting a new bike.

Well, SHE WON A BIKE AT THE CHURCH PICNIC SUNDAY NIGHT. Very exciting!!!! And, it's the perfect Longhorn orange color.

Here she is in the driveway with one of her friends from school.

Lake Pictures from July

When I went to a girl's weekend in Texas back in July, Paul and Yulia met friends at Beaver's Lake in Arkansas for some fun in the sun. We just recently got the pictures back.

Here's Yulia with Joe and Kris' daughter.












Yulia isn't sure she likes tubing. This was her first time ever in a lake, in a ski boat and in an intertube.













Yulia and Dad chillin'.














Pablo skiing.




Look how beautiful Arkansas is!!!

ONE YEAR!!!!

It's hard to believe, but it's been one year since the Lord blessed our family with Yulia Nicole Barry! Saturday, September 6th, was the one year anniversary of our courtdate. She officially became a U.S. Citizen September 20th when the plane touched down in Chicago, but we decided we'd pick one date and stick with it.






First visit to Russia, August 2006.














Second trip to Russia, September 2007.














September 2008, with our friend "Bud", the Clydesdale.
















July 2008 with Jon and his fiancee, Ashley.















With Big Sis, Colyn, in June 2008.













Yulia will never realize how much prayer and heartache went into the two years of trying to get her here. It's amazing how quickly she's picking up on Americanisms. She told me today she wants Rock Star for Christmas, along with a Nintendo Game Boy. She's riding the bus everyday and is doing well in the 5th grade.

Her comprehension is about 80%. We are going to Disney World in October. We went to Disney on Ice today for the one year celebration. On the way to today's performance, she asked me if there were going to be roller coasters there.(At Disney on Ice) I told her no, there would be ice skating. She said, "But Mom, I can't ice skate." The fun never ends.