Fun Friday~

Maggie is having fun today with her friends....baking cookies, making ornaments, dressing up...whew, maybe that is the reason I can't get through my morning cup of coffee...and it is noon!



You know I have taken too many pictures when they are hiding from me!





Have a great weekend! We will hopefully get a tree, but the forecast is for snow...brrrrr~

I've got some bragging to do~

Every Thanksgiving we have a turkey trot in our neighborhood. It is only a 5K and we have both walkers and runners, so it is very family friendly. There are even door prizes...woo hoo!

This is the first year the older boys have joined in, and I basically made them because they both run cross country and track at school. And I am happy to report that they came in 1st (Garrett) and 2nd place (Mitchell)...way to go guys! (And their Dad wasn't far behind them!) Gabe also finished with a good time as well. And Gabe, I won't tell anyone that I beat you!


(I hesitate to share this awful no makeup picture of myself...)

Gabe was in a Geography Bee at school this past week and won! I was kind of surprised because I recall him showing me the study guide, but we had never gotten around to studying for it. I asked him about it when he got home and told me that he had been studying on the bus every day. Way to go Gabe...he is learning how to multi task already!



*And to answer some of your questions about my Wordless post yesterday. Maggie had missed her nap and we were in her room getting ready for bed when I started going through her closet. I turned around because she had gotten quiet and she had fallen asleep with her knight helmet on. She is so funny...one minute she is dressing up as a princess, and the next she is a knight!

Wordless Wednesday~

November is National Adoption Month~

I couldn't let this month go by without mentioning adoption and how much we have all been blessed by this simple act of obedience. I am always struck by all of the excuses people give on why they can't adopt...money being the main one...because I believe God will provide if you feel led to do so. My husband had many of the same excuses I hear all the time, so I understand, but I am also thankful that he decided to believe that adopting was something that God had called us to, not something I felt called to do. So, if anyone out there is still "on the fence" about adoption, I urge you to continue to pray...and maybe watching this video will stir your heart and make yourself ponder the question, "Why wouldn't I?"

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18

Sunday Snapshot (Gabe)~

My friend Stephanie over at Ni Hao Y'all has begun Snapshot Sunday to help her remember to document the day to day stuff that her family is up to. Since that has always been my original intention for my blog, this is a perfect way to finish up these posts I have been trying to get down since September! Thanks for the push Stephanie!




Today is Gabe's turn. My funny, smart 3rd child is almost 10 years old...double digits baby! It seems like only yesterday that I was lying (literally) on the hospital floor crying because they had refused my request for an epidural, and not long after, the boy with these to die for eyelashes was born.



Gabe is bascially into whatever sport he is playing at the moment. He just finished up a fantastic football season. He was leary of flag football at first, but ended up loving it and doing very well. He can play quarterback, but is also a great receiver, a very versatile player.





Basketball starts soon, and I know this because he was outside in the dark last night practicing his shot!

You may remember this post about him knocking out his 2 front teeth, well, he now has had them fixed and they look great! However, he can never...NEVER eat a whole apple or an ear of corn the usual way. Makes it more difficult for this Mom, who has to now cut his apples up instead of throwing a whole one in his lunch...that is ok, he is sooooo worth the trouble!

Let's see, he is a daredevil~


He is quite the funny characer as everyone around him knows. Lately, he has been complaining that his bed was not comfortable and I would find him reading in our bed every night. He said that he wished that he could have our bed. So I bought him one of those egg shell things to put on the mattress and he is oh so happy now! On that same note, I found he and his friends on our bed the other day trying it out. He said that they had been asking to see how soft our bed was...



He loves his little sister and like the other boys has given in to playing this game.



He is an honor roll student, is a leader to his friends and loves to be tickled and snuggled by his Mom. (And he tells that same Mom that she doesn't look 42, more like 28 or 29...that's my boy!)

And finally, I think that he is just about one of the cutest boys around!



Ok, Stephanie, are we good now? LOL! Good thing I am not trying to make early church today!

Pearl River...how you can help~

Last September, after reading this book, I was led to Kay Bratt's blog. I had been burdened again about all of the children still left in orphanages in China. I began to wonder if God was calling us to China again when I read a post about Pearl River, an organization who sponsors children in foster care. Ok, I said to God, maybe you just want us to help orphans in another way. Then I saw this face and knew I could do something~



I read this about Pearl River~

The Mission of Pearl River Outreach is to improve the lives of orphaned children in China through basic professional medical training of staff, volunteers, and foster parents who work in, and through, Chinese orphanages. It is our belief that simple, standardized professional training in basic infant and child care is the first step toward the healthy growth and development that every child deserves.

Because I know that children benefit from being in foster care, I contacted a fellow adoptive mom about sharing a sponsorship with me and shortly thereafter sweet Kiley, our little Bamboo Baby, was on her way to being fully sponsored. For $35 a month we have helped Kiley stay in a loving foster home. Just this past week, I was informed that Kiley has been adopted by her forever family...I hope and pray that we have been a small part of her life by providing this support. We look forward to getting another child to sponsor soon!



Kat Bratt wrote this on her blog about the difference foster care can make~

Foster care to a Chinese child means the difference between going to bed hungry or full.
The difference between having someone hold you during a fever or consoling yourself.
The difference between feeling wanted or resigning yourself to being alone.
We can assist institutions with their foster care programs. We can help more children to have a life filled with joy, rather than a life void of human interaction.


Oh, and that fellow adoptive mom? Well, she felt such a burden that she is now the administrator of The Pearl River blog. Go over and say hello and sponsor a little one. There are also some great fundraisers going on as well if you want to help in another way. We can ALL do something!

Orphan's Wish Fundraiser~

Starting tomorrow at 12 Noon, My Adoption Website will be hosting a clothing sale with 100% PERCENT of the money collected going to An Orphan's Wish. Please stop by tomorrow and shop! From the website:

We're just a day away from the myadoptionwebsite fundraiser, benefiting An Orphan's Wish!If I may, a few words of thanks to our Shoppers, and a few thoughts about shopping a fundraiser . . .

We've had an overwhelming response to our plea for donations . . . you are going to be amazed at the variety of beautiful, lovely and fun items available for you to purchase and bid on! But all the donations in the world don't help needy children without YOU, the generous person willing to buy them! In the days ahead we have the potential here to raise a significant amount of money - - every bit of which will turn around and provide children supported by An Orphan's Wish with the warm clothes and clean, cloth diapers they need. So I feel confident in saying Thank You! to you, knowing that many of you plan to step up and make a difference through the purchase of an outfit (outfits!) or other item.

A few thoughts about shopping . . .

- First, if you have a little girl, you are going to find a wealth of outfits - - a lot of dresses! - - in a variety of sizes. If you are in the market for a beautiful holiday dress, you'll have come to the right place!! There are many, many dresses and outfits ideal for Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, a wedding, or just a special photo. There are also plenty of more casual items too!- There are many coats, a few hats, lots of bows, darling backpacks, some shoes, cozy blankets, and more . . . . in other words, it's not just outfits!

- There are some selections for boys!

- As I mentioned earlier, we've had some very generous donations of items such custom bedding, gorgeous jewelry, and a set of amazing, custom photos cards . . . either 50 Christmas cards or 50 adoption announcements. You're going to love them!

- Please think "outside the box" . . . I encourage you to come to the fundraiser with the spirit of giving. Besides shopping for your children at home, or the child you may be waiting for, consider doing a bit of Christmas shopping! Several items would be appropriate to give as gifts. And more importantly, I think all of us personally know families who are struggling financially right now. How lovely it would be to surprise a friend, c0-worker, or even someone you don't know personally, with a beautiful outfit or other item for their child. Are you participating in an Angel Tree or other similar holiday benefit for children? There are many items that still have tags . . . make a purchase from this fundraiser for a needy child in your community . . . now you've helped twice!! Consider your budget ahead of time and what you might be able to give - - then shop away, knowing the lives that will be blessed by your giving heart.

-And last, as a waiting parent (we are LID June 2006 for our second daughter) I'll be the first to admit that it is hard to enjoy shopping for your future child . . . the wait is endless and discouraging, and sometimes it is difficult to feel joyful about making even the simplest of preparations. I want you to know that I really, really understand that. I thank you just for visiting, for shopping for others, or for spreading the word about this event. And if some lovely little item tugs at your heart and finds a place in your future child's closet, may it bring you a measure of comfort and hope to see it there.

So the countdown is on! Thank you to our GENEROUS donors, and thank you to all the shoppers!! See you here on Wednesday at noon!!!