One month ago!

We were coming home from China with Michael!

I won't share our lovely family photo, once we were all together, since there was throw-up stains all over my shirt.  Poor Miss Magoo.

But it was a great homecoming none-the-less, as not only were Papa and Mr. J were there to meet us but so was our friend and their 4, all adopted from China, with balloon's, welcome home signs and waving American flags!

So we have had a good great month so far!  Michael is very outgoing.  He likes to take a minute and see what's happening and then jump in with both feet.  He's not afraid to try anything, even if it's only once.  

He's not a picky eater either.  So far only one thing he doesn't like and that's cheese.  He usually has seconds of pretty much everything and 3rds if there is anything left and he really really likes it!

In the month since Michael has been home, he has given me a hand picked flower.  Once from our backyard and once this past weekend when we were at the river.  But with it came "I love you"!  Oh my goodness was I One Happy Momma!!!

Michael absolutely LOVES church!  Again, jumped right in with both feet.  They had a lake night a week ago for both the Jr. High and Sr. High kids.  We had Mr. J. (my step-son) that weekend as well, so we dropped both of them off for a few hours of fun with the other kids from church.

At first, Michael stayed with Mr. J. and they went swimming in the lake.  Okay that lasted all of about 5 maybe 10 minutes.  It was so cold!  Then, they had a BBQ and fun after that.  I asked Mr. J. how Michael did and he let me know the kids were playing soccer and Michael was off and that was the last he saw of him for the rest of the evening.  He loved it!

Not only does he like to play Soccer, he loves Origami and to draw.  Both of which he is good at!  

Our mini van

We also have given Michael two books, one in Chinese and the same one in English.  They are 101 Favorite Stories from the Bible.  You should have seen his face light up when I handed them to him.  He was so happy!

Michael's English is coming slowly and he understands more and more each day.  If we really need to explain something to him we use Google Translate.  Other wise, we just talk and he seems to get it.   He is trying to use his English more and more, but still seems a little shy about it.  It will come and it has helped that the two littles are here to talk to him, constantly, lol.  :D  When school starts, I think is when he'll really be using it.

Well, this past weekend the weather was gorgeous and so we decided to take a drive and have a picnic near the river.  It still amazes me, even after all these years, that we can drive about 45 minutes and be in the most beautiful mountain setting!  We are truly blessed to be living in such a awesome state!  To see God's creation is just, simply put, BEAUTIFUL!!

So Papa BBQ'd hot dogs and we had lunch and then played along side of the river and just had a great time as a family!

So that is how our month and summer has been going.  We are blessed once again with an amazing child and once again that has accepted us as his family!  

God is sooooo good!!!!!!

 Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom and pause the music player

I put this together a couple of years ago, so we could show it to our guests at our spaghetti dinner fundraiser we had for Mister.

It has been on my mind recently and so I'm posting it here to share with others why adoption is so much a part of my life, me, my soul.

All the children, except for the first few, are children of friends of ours and friends that I have made online throughout the adoption community.

Some say the number of orphans, 143 million, now 147 million, is not accurate because that number includes children who are also considered orphans because they have lost one parent and being raised by either the surviving parent or a relative.

So even if we were to take out the number of children considered to be orphaned this way, it still leaves a whole LOT of orphans in this world!!  Children who don't have families, who don't have parents, who don't have anyone to love them and adopt them as their own!

I can honestly say that if it's not a 143 million or 147 million or whatever Million it is, there are too many orphans in this world, period!!

So to know that the few that are in this video means there are a few less orphans, because the parents of these children, adopted them into their family, makes me happy beyond belief!  

I think about how I would feel if God didn't love me enough to send Jesus to die for our sins and therefore adopting me into his family.  Where would that leave me?  I shutter to think.

I will end with this question...Doesn't a child here on earth deserve the same?  Someone to love them just as God loves us.

In love He destined us for adoption to Himself...Ephesians 1:5

10 years ago today!

Since I've decided to make this a family blog and not just about the kids, I thought I would share that today is our 10 year Anniversary!

We have been together for 12 years total now.  Wow!  I can't believe it's been that long already!

I can clearly remember 7 years ago when we decided to adopt after trying to have children and never getting  pregnant.  Don't know why, never found out, just accepted it and moved on and here we are.  :D

Honestly, I have always wanted adopt since I'm adopted myself.  I am just so grateful to have married a wonderful man that wanted to adopt also!  Or at least after I mentioned it to him and said this is what I really really wanted to do.  :D He said yes, immediatley!  I'm not surprised.  I know my hubby well enough that he says yes to pretty much anything I ask for, well for something like this that is.  :D

How incredibly blessed am I!?  I really am!

Yes, we have had our ups and downs just like everyone does, but here we are 10 years later and I can't help but think or should I say know that God is the one that keeps reminding us of how much our marriage means to us and how He is watching over us and taking care of our marriage, our commitment to each other.

Happy Anniversary to my WONDERFUL husband, my love!

2 years ago today!

Elijah's Gotcha Day Video

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Our celebration we had for Mister this past weekend.

Don't forget to scroll to the bottom to pause the music player

We were chasing after a very active little 21 month old boy in the hotel in Fuzhou, China!

When we arrived on the conference room floor of the hotel, we stepped out of the elevator to seeing a little boy one second and gone the next!  I remember saying to Papa, "boy the parents of that little boy are going to have their hands full."

A minute or so later, our guide came back to us and said, "here's your little boy."  Yes, the same one, that we just saw run by and run by again and the same one I told Papa, boy are they going to have their hands full! Lol!  :D

Sure enough we are still chasing our little boy, our Mister, and he has never slowed down!

We are so blessed by him and all the things that are him!  He's a little shy at first when meeting new people and when that's over, he's off and running and giggling.  He loves to cuddle and without any reason at all come up and say, "I love you with all my heart."

He is all boy and loves anything that has to do with cars, trucks and playing hard and just plain loves!  Including his newest brother Michael!  He never leaves him alone actually.  Good thing Michael is such a good sport and big brother!

It's hard to believe it's been 2 years already, but we are so in love with our boy and so happy that God has blessed us with him!

Happy 2nd Gotcha Day Mister!  We LOVE you with all our hearts!

XOXOXO,

Momma, Papa, Jacob, Miss Magoo and Michael

Can you help!?

UPDATE:  We have added a new family that is fundraising for their 13 yr old son Colin!  They are also waiting for their Travel Approval and it may be coming in the next 4 weeks!  Please check out their blog.  I will be donating just as soon as I'm done with this post. 

Please see below and I've added their button on the sidebar as well.

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This post may hit a nerve for some, but hopefully will inspire others, to give or at the very least see how it can be done.

We know there are different thoughts opinions about fundraising to help fund adoptions.  We are ones that  believe that fundraising is necessary to bring home an orphan, a child, to their forever family!

This is how we do it and NEVER feel that we don't have enough money or if things weren't already tight, or every other reason excuse not to donate.

While it's nice, okay great, to be able to give $25, $50 or even $100 to help a family.  We think of more along the lines of $5 or $10. It may not be much, but it adds up and quickly.  If more people would give just that small amount, families will have raised their amount in no time!

Here's another way we look at it.  Isn't a couple cups of Starbucks coffee, (or whatever else $5 or $10 is spent on) worth giving up (say once or twice a month) so that same money can go towards a family to help bring a child home!?  A Child!  Not a tv, not some electronic gadget, not even a car, but a child!  I say YES it is!  In the grand scheme of things, you know, the big picture, that $5 or $10 is nothing in the long run!  Also, it just brings us so much joy knowing that we were able to help, even in some small way.

We will say that once we started thinking believing that we can find this small amount and we quit thinking, we don't have it, we can't afford it, whatever the reason is why we can't, and believe that we can, we have found it and we want to give more and more often. 

Sorry if this sounds like we're preaching, but this is serious stuff and adoption is our passion!  It all comes back to following God's lead to care for the orphans and widows.  God says we must, not should, but must do it!

All's we ask is, if you truly feel that you can't donate, then pray about it, ask for God's help how you can and listen for His answer.  If it is not to donate, even a small amount, then please pray for the families that are fundraising so they can raise all the funds needed.  

So with all that said, we  we want to bring attention to a few families families that are still needing to raise funds to bring their beautiful children home!  If you are reading this and you are fundraising for your adoption, please let us know and we will be happy to include you on our blog!  We will post about it and if you have a grab button, we will put it on our sidebar so folks can click and go to your blogs.  So please, please let us know, so we can get the word out about your adoptions!  Thanks!

Also, be sure to check out the Helping Families tab above, as we will be adding the families below and others there as well.

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First up is Karen and her family and trying to bring Max home!

Here is their blog.  From Louisiana to China with Love (just click on the blog name to take you there) they are waiting for travel approval.  She is also selling the Blessed By Adoption car vinyls and every little bit helps! 

I too am selling the car vinyls, left over from our fundraiser, until I run out.  See the sidebar to make a donation.  If you buy one from me I will donate your purchase to Karen for her adoptions!  So please go and check out their blog and bless them in any way you can.  Thanks!

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Next up is Anita and her family.  They are adopting Faith!  Faith is from Tianjin, same orphanage as our Michael!

Here is their blog.  Adoption, miles of the heart (just click on the blog name to take you there)

If you can spare even a few dollars to help bring Faith home, it will be greatly appreciated! 

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Next is Sharon and her family.  They are adopting John Wesley!  Sharon is a new friend and the designer of our blog makeover!!

Here is their blog.  Our Family Our Story (just click on the blog name to take you there)

They have a number of things they are doing to fund raise to bring John Wesley home!  

Such as selling Ugandan Bead Necklaces and Goat Milk Soap (the best soap on earth!)

So please stop by their blog and see what you can do to help!

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Next is Angie and her family adopting their 13 yr old boy, Colin!

Here is their blog:  Ryland's Family (just click on the blog name to take you there)

$10 that's it!  Also, a Thrity-One fundraiser and Scentsy fundraiser.

Let's help bring this older boy home to his forever family!!

A very full weekend!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Don't forget to scroll down and pause the music player at the bottom

What a weekend!

We have never been so busy in our lives, okay at least not for a long time.  :D

It started on Friday afternoon, I decided at the last minute to go pick up Papa from work (he works in Downtown Seattle) and it was a beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest, so instead going straight home, we decided to go to the park and let the kids play.

We hung out at the park and then went to dinner and then onto church for a family movie night.

They were keeping with the theme from VBS this year, Junkyard Dogs and showed 101 Dalmatians (animation) and Beethoven.

We brought our camping chairs and had free popcorn.  What a great way to spend time as a family, watching kid friendly movies and watching them at church!

We didn't get but about 15-20 minutes into the 2nd movie and Miss Magoo was ready to call it a night.

Now that we've done it, we'll know for the next time, to bring blankets and pillows and have the little put on jammy's.  Then if they fall asleep we can pack them into the van and go home and tuck them into bed without waking them up and trying to get them changed.

So every summer Seattle celebrates Seafair from July through August and it's celebrated in different communities around Seattle for different events, usually centered around marine events.  After all Seattle claims to the boating capital of the world.  I have to say my most favorite event is when the U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly overhead and over the buildings in downtown Seattle.  They actually close down the I-90 floating bridge over Lake Washington. It is a sight to see and hear!  It is truly awesome to watch!

So on Saturday we went this year for the first time to watch the Seafair Pirates land on Alki Beach.  Oh my goodness, it is CRAZY how many people show up!  I will say, we won't do it again.  :D  Nothing to write home to mom about.  But we had a great day at the beach and the weather was phenomenal!!

Michael let me know this was the first time he has been to the beach!  Aww, a new first, love it!  We also met up with Jacob and his mom and her boyfriend and his 3 daughter's visiting for the summer.  That's who all the kids are in the one picture in the slideshow.

After being there all morning and most of the afternoon, we called it a day and came home and Papa made homemade chocolate ice cream!  Actually having some now as I'm typing this up.  :D

So here it is Sunday and we let Michael know that we were going to church and asked him if he wanted to go be with the kids his age or stay with Momma and Papa and go to church with us.  Without any hesitation he said he wanted to go be with the kids his age.

When we got to church, we went downstairs to find someone who could help us and help Michael out and explained the particulars.  We were introduced to a very nice young man (quite honestly we thought he was a high school student) he was more than happy to help Michael and made sure he felt welcomed and invited.  Come to find out he is the new Jr. High Youth Pastor!

So Michael took off and that was that!  After church I went to pick him up and wanted to see how he did and one of the Jr. High boys introduced himself to me and said that he was the one that hung out with Michael and said he did great!  Asked if he could come to church on Wednesday nights too.

I asked Michael if he had a good time and with a big smile on his face said, "yes."

Tonight I gave him 101 Favorite Stories of the Bible in Chinese and in English.  Again I was met with another great big smile on his face and "thank you!"  I am definitely one happy momma!

Michael is very outgoing and so willing and open to all the new things that he faces.  What a blessing he is!  I've said it once, I'll say it again, I can't wait to see what God has in store for him!

Enjoy the slideshow and sorry this post is so long.  I told you we had a full weekend!

Blessings and hugs to you all!

Home!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom and pause the music player

Well I'm a little behind again with posting.

Let's see...

We got home Friday June 24th and things were going well until Sunday the 26th.

Mister developed a fever during lunch, we got home and he took a nap after we gave him some Children's Tylenol.  He didn't want to eat anything for dinner, he still had a fever and  sat him on the couch with a cold wash cloth on his head.  He kept taking it off and wouldn't leave it on.

Next thing he said he didn't feel good, I picked him up and next thing I know he had a seizure!

I start screaming out, "call 911!"  So my hubby called and I got him to the bath tub to get the cold water on him, in the meantime he went unconscious.  I found out later from my hubby that he also turned blue.  Yes, we were scared!  Hubby was talking to the 911 operator and losing it and I was losing it with trying to get Mister taken care of so we switched roles and I was able to calm down and he was able to get Mister to start breathing again!

In the meantime, I hung up with 911 and started praying and so was Miss Magoo.  She told me later that our sweet boy was trying to pray also!

The EMT's came and we took Mister to the ER.  They ran a bunch of tests, gave him fluids and antibiotics and couldn't find out why he had a fever to begin with. 

The EMT's told us we did the right thing and acted as fast as we did by getting him in the tub with the cold water.  Good to know we did something right.  I just felt so bad for my little boy!

They let us know that he had a febrile seizure.  While yes they may be somewhat common for children to get when their fevers spike, it was the first time we have ever experienced it and something we never want to experience again!

While at the ER, I tried to explain as best I could about what happened and Michael shook his head yes and went with the flow. 

So we got home from the ER at 1 in the morning and still on China time and scared about Mister, I was up until about 7am, checking on him. 

On Monday we took him to the Pediatrician and she looked at his throat and noticed it looked a little red, She took a culture and it turns out he had strep throat and that's the reason why he had a fever. So she gave us antibiotics and little by little his fever broke and Mister was back to himself within a day or so.

We are thanking and praising God for taking care of our boy! 

After all of that, we continued to celebrate our boy coming home and things have been going well since.  He is very outgoing and eats everything we put in front of him.  Good thing, he needs some meat on them bones.  :D

On Friday we went to Seattle to pick up Papa from work and he actually got sick when we got there.  Not sure why.  Maybe everything finally caught up with him after being home for a week.  Bless his heart.

He has a new best friend, Bucky, our cat.  Bucky loves him and won't leave him alone.  He does great with our 4 dogs as well.  We had the 3 cameras worth of photos developed and come to find out he had a dog with his Foster Family.  All the photos were of him and none of his Foster Family or anyone else.

He also brought a photo of all his foster brothers and sisters, 5 in all.  I have been able to locate 2 so far!  We know the names of 2 more, and put a request out on the groups I'm on to see if anyone knew them or knows the families that adopted them, nothing yet.

We went to church yesterday for the first time since being home and it was our summer celebration and so instead of a regular service they had the crew get up and perform some of the songs they did for VBS.  Junkyard Dogs was the theme this year.  I volunteered, but with all the happened with Mister we couldn't make it.

They called all the kids to come up and sit around the stairs of the stage and Michael went along and as soon as they started the first song, Michael was up on his feet, clapping along and had the BIGGEST smile on his face!

It was so cool to see him so excited about it all!  Even neater that it was all about Jesus!  Afterwards we had lunch, with BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs, ice cream, popcorn, cotton candy.  There was face painting (which Michael didn't want to do) and a craft for the kids to make.  The biggest hit was the HUGE bouncy house type thing, that all the kids loved going on.  As you can see by the pictures.  :D

So here we are on 4th of July and plans are to go to some friends later and have a BBQ and set off some fireworks.

We hope all of you are having a fun day celebrating our country's birthday (#235 to be exact) and staying safe!

God Bless!