Dear Anonymous

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Questions.... more answers":

I want to know how you are getting child after child from china... Basically 4 in four years, when some couples have been waiting two or three years for their FIRST referral. Something about it just doesn't seem right (nor fair) to me.

Dear Anonymous,
You are correct. We began this journey in July of 2004 and by the time Shepherd comes home this summer, we will have grown our family by four blessings in 4 years. And we praise God for that! God has truly opened doors for our family time and time again. He has shown, in mighty ways, just where His heart is for these orphans. His plans for our family were not what we had planned, but His path for us was one that He had laid out, long ago. We only said, "Yes!" to His calling. So the glory is all His!! We just did our part. And this is what I consider to be 'our part':

Do your homework ~ When we started this adoption journey we asked for references, experiences of others so we could go with a well-respected agency. We contacted said agency and began in earnest. We did not seek to learn more about other agencies, or how they might have run their programs. We just put our heads down and got to work. We were blessed to have chosen CCAI as our first agency and indeed, they took care of us. But soon after starting our paperwork I learned about the 'Waiting Child Program'. I read about it. Inquired with CCAI about it. Researched the internet. Got involved in groups to learn about others' experiences. Prayed about it. Discussed it with my husband. Prayed some more.
I think many people (certainly not ALL, but many) just get in a *line* and because everyone else is in the line, they figure that's the best line to be in. They don't ask questions, don't research other *shorter* lines... they just wait. Then they get upset when the other line moves faster. Suddenly they want to learn about the other *line*: What's the deal? What about us? Is this fair? Who is in that other line? What are they waiting for and why do they get special consideration? This is not the time to be asking questions. God opened my eyes to the special needs program in September 2004 and after that, there was no doubt in my mind that my child was going to be special needs. It was scary, to be honest. And believe it or not, very unpopular at the time. The wait for a NSN baby was just 6 months. But we followed where God lead. We accepted Isabelle's referral in February 2005, 4 months after submitting our paperwork requesting a SN referral. There was only one other family on our CCAI group that was waiting for a referral.
Many families have been caught up in the changes the CCAA has made. The slowdown is truly unfortunate for the NSN families, but most of all for the children who are waiting. And there are families who would love to switch programs now, but can't. I truly feel for them, I can't imagine being told my child was 3+ years away. This is why I hope that this will benefit someone: do your research. Before you are committed to an ageny, call other agencies... many other agencies. Ask how they run their program. Get references. Ask about the SN program. Ask about the needs of the kiddos. Ask how many people are in *line* for a SN referral. Ask how they match families. Don't go solely on Joe Schmoe's recommendation, the decision to adopt is a life changing experience and thus deserves the appropriate time, diligence and attention. Learn about special needs. Email families who have children with the SN's you would even remotely consider. Get on groups who are specifically for SN children from China. Talk to your doctor. Talk to your spouse. Search your heart and see if indeed, the SN program might be where you will find your child. You might truly be surprised by what you learn.

Be flexible ~ The China program is filled with families who want what we thought we wanted when we started: ayap (as young as possible). female. 'healthy'. We unknowingly fell into a heaping pile of families who didn't even give a second thought to 'special needs', dismissing it as unrealistic, too expensive, and just too time consuming to think of caring for a child with additional 'needs'. But, like I have mentioned, God gently opened my eyes to those children who wait and not only wait for a family, but for someone to love, accept and care for them, flaws and all. My husband did not switch *lines* quite as quickly as I did... he needed more time, more information, more prayer before he felt ready to consider the SN program. Which is wise, the SN program can not be taken lightly. These kids DO have additional needs. All families are NOT cut out for the program. I could not agree more. But I think many people discount the program (or used to before the slowdown) without giving it enough time and consideration. When we accepted Isabelle's referral in 2005, the majority of families were saying, "only healthy." When we accepted Sophie's referral in 2006 most families were saying, "only ayap." When we accepted Jude and Shepherd's referrals, most people were (and still are) saying, "only female." This is what I mean by being flexible. I don't know if you are a Christian, anonymous, but it has given us a huge advantage over someone who seeks to plan their own life. We can trust God to plan ours. His vision for our family is different than ours was. His plan is always better, always. So we have been able to rely on Him instead of our own fearful, short-sighted hearts. So while our line is *shorter*, it's the same exact line anyone else could get into. That's one of the main reasons for this blog, to encourage others to consider getting into the same line we are in! But you can be sure, we don't get any special treatment. That is the beauty of the China program: no one does. But we are open to the kids that many families aren't. When we sent in our checklist to Lifeline we were told there were 40 families waiting. 40. We were the ONLY ones requesting a boy. No. one. else. Unfair you think, anonymous? Not right? Unfair and not right to whom? Maybe to all those precious boys that need a family as badly as the little girls....

Play by the rules ~ While you say, "it doesn't seem right, nor fair" that we have been able to bring home 4 children in 4 years, the CCAA has made it clear: they want the SN kids to get homes, asap. The families in the SN program don't have to follow all the same rules as those in the NSN program, which makes total sense: 80% of the children languishing in orphanages have some special need! And those that are NSN have a good chance of being adopted domestically. The SN kids very rarely get this opportunity. These kids need families and need them NOW. Many have health needs that require immediate attention. Some just need a lot of love, nourishment and attention. Yet the number of families in line for NSN babies continues to far exceed the number of NSN children ready to be placed. Meanwhile there are referrals for SN kids that are sent back to China all the time, with no family stepping forward. Thankfully many people have taken the time, especially since the slowdown, to learn more about the SN program. And MANY have decided to pursue a waiting child instead of waiting for a NSN referral. This is truly a blessing for the entire SN program, this *slowdown*, as it seems the eyes of the adoption community have been opened, if somewhat forcefully, to the need of these incredibly special children. Many of whom have needs that can be met by the average American family. So if CCAA wants to change some of the rules for the SN program, I say, "Well done!!" These kids NEED homes and they need them now. They are just as wonderful, perfect and deserving as the NSN babies. And it's not the families that are given the special consideration, it's the children. And isn't that what this is all about? The children.

So, I'd like to thank Anonymous for his/her question. After all, it's by asking questions that we receive answers :)

Haircuts, balloons and carseats

The weather around here might not be spring-like, but it feels like it should be spring. The daffodils are popping up, trees are starting to hint at the beginning of buds. Which meant it was time for the 'spring' haircut. Both girls were overdue and I will be the first to admit, our experiment with growing Sophie's hair out was a miserable failure. The longer her hair got, the more out of control her double cowlicks became. She has gorgeous hair, but it just takes on a life of it's own when it's longer. And if I had the time to blow dry it completely, daily, it would be gorgeous any length. But we go for ease around here. And for Sophie short = easy. Now with Isabelle, short is just practical. The girl is a wildcat and when her hair gets in her fact she gets irritated. So the bangs are an effort to keep more of her hair out of her face. I think she looks a bit like Deb's Sophie now :)
I think both of their cuts look absolutely adorable, I love their sassy new spring looks. The girls were thrilled to have a haircut day as haircuts equal lollipops. And on this occasion, it meant balloons also as our stylist was sweet enough to give each of the girls one of her Valentine's Day balloons. Note though that the excitement on the girls' faces was not due to the haircuts nor the lollys, but it was lil bro's brand new carseat that was the inspiration for all those smiles... they had no idea what was in the box, really who cares?, they were just pumped to have that big ol' box to play with!!
P.S. Marathon carseats are on a great sale right now. I got ours at Baby Catalog for $209, no tax, no shipping. A full $70 cheaper than you'll find any other time of the year. We picked the Crocodile pattern for our little guy!

Questions.... more answers

Shelby said...

What first led you to adoption?

*My husband, surprisingly :) In July 2004, he came to me, hands shaking, and told me that we had a daughter in China. I thought he was crazy! I think HE thought he was crazy, too!! But God had spoken to him and there was no denying it! We had never discussed adoption and I don't think either of us had ever considered it. Ever.

Did you ever think after adopting once that you would be back for more?

*With each adoption we've always thought that this adoption would complete our family. Obviously, God has changed our minds each time, because we are heading back to China for #4 ;)

Did you always plan a on a large family or did God slowly lead you to one?

*Our last biological son, Dalton, was born in 2001. We were done with him, we thought. So sure that we made *sure* that we wouldn't be having any more biological kiddos. So when God brought the idea of adoption into our family, we were all surprised! And with each child, we've thought, "Surely, we can make room for one more..." and it's always been much easier than we'd expected. So yes, God has slowly, slowly, lead us to grow our family. I think if He'd mentioned something about doubling the size of our family at the outset, we'd have run for cover!!


Mom To Six said...

How in the world did you get Chris to go back again, and do you think this is it?

*I have tried very hard, each time, to defer to Chris for the final decision. There have been many tears shed and many prayers said on my part over little ones that had captured my heart. But the reality is that I DO have a mama's heart and I know that. So, in an effort to stay in touch with what God wanted us to do, and not rely on my emotions (which is a bad idea, anyway!) I committed to waiting for Chris to make the final decision. And he has each time. I knew that if God had another child in our future, He would definitely make it clear to Chris. And I am very blessed to have a husband who is open to God's leading. So I tried my best to be still and wait, knowing it would be much easier for Chris to hear from God if I wasn't chattering away at him all the time.
And do I think this is it? Uh, no. Neither does Chris. 'Nuff said ;)

Anonymous said...

Here's my question ...

what is the secret to affording, raising & parenting 6 children?

*Well, first of all, it's almost 8 kids now :) And I guess our 'secret' really isn't a secret, it's learning to prioritize and then live our lives in a way that demonstrates those priorities. Our family is THE most important thing in our lives. So that means we choose to give up things that aren't necessary. We don't do a lot of extra things, we don't have lots of new clothes, we don't spend tons of $ on birthdays and Christmas. We don't eat out a lot ('cept McD's and making an occasional 'run for the border', where we can all eat for $20). We teach our kids about God and what He expects of them, His rules and how He is at work around them all the time. We expect our children to be part of the family unit, help out, and be obedient to us. We always keep in mind that they are still children, but know that eventually their obedience will be to their Heavenly Father, when we are no longer in the position of primary influence. We try to keep an eternal perspective instead of a worldly perspective, realizing that little lives and hearts are worth infinitely more than any 'thing' the world has to offer.

Martha said...

After growing-up in a one-income family (with four girls), I'm curious to know about your budget--not necessarily specifics but maybe just about grocery shopping. How do you keep food spending under control? Thanks so much for sharing!

*In September, we stared on Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. It's a budget set up based upon spending cash only, paying off ALL debt (excluding mortgage) and getting rid of all credit cards. It's been a challenge, for sure, but we have always been a bit on the *frugal* side. I say 'a bit' because I realize that frugality, like many things, is relative. I've never searched circulars and shopped different stores to save a buck or two. We, thankfully, have the commissary (a military grocery store) which saves us a good bit of $. I do try to check prices weekly and if something is much cheaper at WalMart (which has happened before) I'll hold off. But most times, we save at least 25% off our groceries by shopping at the commissary. We spend about $150 week on groceries, which I consider to be very reasonable. I really don't have to watch what we buy at the grocery, I just try to avoid buying anything we won't use, if a child requests something special, I'll buy it, but then they'd better eat it! I buy a lot of my boys' clothes at Goodwill. Now this might not be some people's proverbial 'cup of tea', but I love to go to the Goodwill... I find some great stuff there. It's the only place I can go and afford anything in the place! Since my boys love to dress themselves, and anything goes where boys and 'matching' are concerned, I buy Gap and Old Navy jeans and tees at Goodwill and then pass them down from oldest to youngest. Jude is so much younger than Dalton, I've had to buy him a lot of *new* stuff, but my sister, Angie, has given me a lot of her son's clothes.
Now, for my girls, Goodwill doesn't work. I do find a few things there for play, but not much. I buy a lot of their clothes off ebay in lots. Or when Gymbo is having a big sale.. I've been known to spend some major dinero. I love to buy a lot of a certain line (I do love Gymboree for my girls ;)) and dress them similarly, but not identically. When they outgrow it, I resell the clothes that don't have holes or stains at a local consignment sale. Many times I make back what I paid for the clothes. It can be laborious, but it's how I justify dropping the big $!
Chris and I are pretty low maintenance. We shop at Old Navy mostly, and if I have to buy something dressier I usually hit Marshall's. I'm really better with a smaller selection, I lose my mind at the mall. And I don't stress too much about clothes, I'd rather spend the time, energy and $ on my family! That said, I do try to look nice for my man, so when I need some updating, I don't wait for him to have to tell me to get with it ;) I color my own hair, don't do my nails (unless you consider clipping with a nail clipper 'doing')and really don't mind living without a lot of those extras. Being able to bring home our babies has been MORE than worth it... a million times over!!

The Ferrill's said...

Do you have to straighten your hair or does it just naturally looked so brushed and coiffed like that?

*Girl... I spend less than 10 minutes on my hair. It's stick straight. And believe me, when we finally get together, you're gonna see it does not look 'coiffed' in person! I get out of the shower and it takes 8 minutes to blow dry. I know it's just 8 minutes because often that's all the time I've got!

krj said...

What was the most difficult part of your time spent in China? The most amazing (Gotcha moment not included)?

*For me, the most difficult part was making the trip(s) without Chris. It was lonely and scary at times. The jet lag is SO tough, SO exhausting... and without sleep, I am a different (in a bad way!) person. The absolute *worst* time of all the trips was the first few days after we adopted Jude. He was in pretty bad shape, his head was super misshapen, he had an infection on his head, there was something funky going on with his eye, he was very stoic and his feet just freaked me out!! Jude's adoption was our third SN adoption, but our first 'physical' SN. And I like to think of myself as pretty tough, but there is a huge difference between looking at someone else's child and looking at your own. I truly felt overwhelmed by what his needs might be. It's embarrassing to admit, since I had seen a picture of his feet, but his feet looked so deformed, his little ankles were all bruised, I was afraid that Dr. Ponseti would never get them corrected. I spent several sleepless nights sitting on the floor of our hotel bathroom, crying on the phone. Again and again I reminded myself of how God had lead us to Jude, and Chris reminded me, "God doesn't change His mind!" Chris and my sister Angie were my 'rock' at that time, reassuring me that for many, the initial few days can be tough, but that things would get much easier as the days passed. Indeed, within days I was feeling renewed and reassured that everything was going to be fine. And now, clearly, I am totally in love with the boy!! But those first few days were very stressful, frightening and emotionally overwhelming. And it was our third adoption. To say I was caught off guard would be an understatement! My advice for any waiting parent is to have support IN PLACE when you go to get your child, either in person or waiting back at home: emotional support and medical support, if you can arrange it. Some people have a fairy tale 'gotcha' experience but I would guess that most are difficult in some aspect. I don't want to frighten anyone, but I hope that my experience might help better prepare other waiting parents who might find themselves in a similar position, having a surprisingly difficult initial adjustment.
I think the most amazing experience would have to be the Great Wall... it was truly spectacular. And I am really not into 'stuff' like that. But it was something you do NOT want to miss. We went to the Mutianyu section which was much less popular so we felt like we had the Wall all to ourselves. And May is a gorgeous time of year to be there :) The most fun was the time right after we settled in with Jude and headed to Guangzhou. Tori and I had a blast shopping, hitting Starbucks, just goofing off with Jude in the room at the White Swan. Of course, it helped a lot that by this time, my body clock was finally adjusting to China time ;)

There are still more questions that I have not answered yet. I will do my best to answer them all, so if you're interested in the musings of a slightly nutty, God loving, fly- by- the- seat- of- her- pants kinda mom, stay tuned ;)

Our beautiful boy!

Yesterday we received these wonderful new pictures of Shepherd!! They were taken on Chinese New Year's Eve and evidently they had quite a celebration! While our little man refuses to send us a smile, he is evidently up for eating just about anything those ladies are offering, so that's a good sign! Chris and I had to giggle at the ridiculousness of the amount (and what the heck is it, it looks like a big ol' rib!) they are trying to put into that teeny tiny mouth of his. But he's opening up like a little bird... gosh, I just can't WAIT to scoop him up in my arms!!! We also received updated measurements: our boy, at 15 months, is weighing in at 20 pounds and is 29 inches! If these are accurate, he's between the the 25 and 50% for Chinese boys in weight and between 10 and 25% for Chinese boys in height. The good news is, he's growing! He now has 7 teeth, too :)
Thanks to all the support we've received from you guys, we are that much closer to bringing our little peanut HOME!!

Kickin' Blog Redesign Giveaway!

I am constantly amazed at the kindness of others. Chelley at Live Fully, Laugh Often, Love Deeply recently contacted me with a fabulous idea to help us raise some additional funds to help bring our boy home! Chelley had her blog redesigned by Rebecca (who also did mine ;)) and decided to purchase another redesign to donate to our adoption fundraiser! So I could hold another super- fun, super- exciting giveaway ;) Yeah Chelley!! So I am thrilled to announce the start of our Kickin' Blog Redesign Giveaway!!!

*The winner of the blog redesign giveaway will receive: A complete blog overhaul! And you are gonna LOVE it!!! Please keep in mind Rebecca can only work on blogs hosted by Blogger :)
*The winner will not even have to pay for their kit!
*The winner will immediately go to the top of Rebecca's queue so they won't have to wait to get started on their redesign!

I'm excited!! I SO love to see the new designs Rebecca comes up with, each blog she does is so unique, professional and just FUN to look at! I was amazed at how much I enjoyed having my blog 'redone'. I feel like my blog is sort of an extension of me and my family, and well, I want it to be lookin' good!!!

If you've been wanting a bloggy facelift but weren't sure how to do it, this is the perfect opportunity to get a completely new 'look', your blog will be redone from top to bottom! The incredibly talented blog artiste, Rebecca, is also a mom who is raising funds to complete a SN adoption from China. AND on top of all that, she has a heart of gold and donates 10% of her proceeds to Love Without Boundaries! What's not to love here?!?

So, again with some rules :)
The drawing will take place on March 15 (less than one month away!) and the suggested donation is $5 per entry, but you can donate any amount you choose and feel free to enter as many times as you wish :) You can donate through ChipIn HERE, or on the sidebar. I will email you with your number as soon as I can, within 24 hours for sure. No entries will be accepted after 12:00PM on March 14 and the winner will be notified via email on the 15th. I will also be doing another videotaping of the drawing... maybe this time I'll let Isabelle pick the number! If you would like to enter without making a donation, please leave a comment on this blog post with your name, address and email address so I can contact you. Please remember to include all your information or I will not be able to give you a number.

Let the giveaway BEGIN!!

Desperately seeking sponsors

If you have ever considered sponsoring a child in foster care, but not taken that 'leap'... NOW is the time!! IAAP, a well respected adoption agency, runs 2 centers in China that care for children that are either too sick, weak or malnourished to remain at their orphanages. The centers care for the children until they are healthy and strong and receive surgery, if necessary. Then the children go back to their orphanage where they will hopefully be placed for adoption! But the centers are in desperate need of funds. In fact, if 100 new sponsors are not found for the remaining children, the centers may not be able to stay open to provide the care that these children need so urgently, forcing many of the children to be sent back at their orphanages prematurely. PLEASE consider sponsoring one of these CUTIES!!
If you decide to sponsor a child, PLEASE leave a comment, I'd LOVE to hear about the little one that touched your heart :)

Read this letter from Dick and Cheryl at IAAP:

Funding Centers in China ~ Making Progress

We wish to thank all of you who have so generously donated to help the special

needs children in China (please read the article below about Li AiHua's surgery tomorrow). At the left you will find our fundraising thermometer showing how far we have come and how far we still need to go to fully fund the Changchun and Siping Centers. We have added over 50 new sponsors in the last two weeks, but we need a minimum of 100 additional sponsors to be able to keep both Centers open. Although this will allow us to keep the Centers open, it will not provide for those unexpected situations such as emergency medical care or repairs to the heat system when it is 10 below zero outside. To do that we need the full 330 sponsors. If we can find another 100 sponsors right now, it will prevent us from facing the possibility of having to send some of the children back to their orphanages before they are ready to go. We don't want to send them back while they still need special care to to the very orphanage that could not adequately care for them in the first place.

We had an email from a new sponsor last week that really clarifies the value of the $28 per month donation. She said she was out with her family eating dinner at an average family restaurant and realized they would pay an amount for one meal for their family that was more than the $28 sponsorship for one child. That places a whole different perspective on the value of that $28.

Cheryl and I sponsor 2 of the children. We know we all need to watch our pennies but we also know this will make a huge difference in the life of these children. We know that many of you may feel that your $28 is so small an amount that it can't possibly be significant. But $28 sent by 330 of you would be an incredible amount for the Centers!

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
- Edward Everett Hale

We hope you will decide to make the difference in the life of one of these children by Sponsoring A Child.

Dick and Cheryl Graham

IAAP

Good stuff

I love this devotional. Yesterday's (yes, I'm reading it one day late!) was exceptional so I wanted to share as I suspect some of you will be touched like I was when I read it.
I subscribe to 'Encouragement for Today', so it arrives in my inbox every morning. It's much easier to read that way, since I don't have to remember to go searching for it on the internet (just one more thing to remember ;)) To subscribe, go HERE.

One Day Completely With God

Lysa TerKeurst

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere." Psalm 84:10a (NIV)

Devotion:

Why do I often want to settle for less than what God has for me? What if I truly lived today completely obedient to God's word and in tune with His voice? What if before every choice I make today, I held up my options to the Lord and chose obedience over convenience and righteousness over my rights.

God has never asked me to do great things for him. All He has ever required of me is to allow His greatness to enter me, change things around in me, and be revealed through me. Not to do for Him, but rather to simply be with Him.

So, just for today I will live this way. Just for today, I am making the choice to not settle. Just for today, I will not let the subtle influences of pride, what is best for me, what is easiest for me, and what I want overshadow my desire for more of God in my life.

Today, I will believe with absolute certainty. Today, I will obey with complete surrender. Today, I will seek with complete abandon. For today, I want God to find in me a haven in which to rest.

Isaiah 66: 1-2 (NASB) says, "Thus says the LORD, 'Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,' declares the LORD. 'But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.'"

My soul jumps at God's question, "Where is the house you could build for me -- where is a place that I may rest?" He is the God of the Universe - so big and so mighty and so capable. Yet, asking almost a vulnerable question to a completely unworthy human - "Can I abide with you today?"

If the president of the United States called me today to inquire, "Can I come and stay for a while? I'd like to sit and find rest with your family today," I would be left utterly speechless. How much more so that the God of the Universe actually desires that with each of us today.

Unimaginable. Uncontainable. Unfathomable. Yet completely true.

There are no great people in the kingdom of God. Just simple people. But every now and then a simple person makes a great choice. Oh God, let me make that choice today. Even if it is just for a day - how I long for it to be more - but even if it is just for today, may it be completely so.

For one day completely with You, is better than a thousand elsewhere.

Dear Lord, I desire You today. Surround me with Your presence. Remove the distractions from my heart and mind so I can see only you. Lead me, guide me and teach me today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your questions answered, round 2

Mike&Ramona said...

I also am curious as to when in the world you get to take a shower.

* I shower whenever I need to! I'm pretty easy going and my kids know the deal... no trouble when mama's in the shower! I have Miss TattleTale (ahem.. I mean Miss Sophie) on duty when I shower most of the time, otherwise I just lock the door to my bedroom with a Dora DVD on for the kids, put them up on my bed and pray for the best ;)

And 2nd one, how on earth do you keep everyone's socks straight? I can't do that and there are only 4 of us!!

*Obviously the boys and girls are easy to keep organized. And since the boys share a room, they also share a sock organizer. I usually get their socks for them in the AM, so I pick the small ones for Dalton and the big ones for Asher, I know I shoulda been a rocket scientist ;) Jude's are the hardest... they're so small! And he's a sock/shoe addict, he's constantly sneaking into his sock drawer and trying on every pair of socks he can get his hands on...


Patricia/NYC said...

Oh this is fun! OK...how do you manage to get dinner on the table for everyone at the same time?

*We do 'family style'. I leave everything in the pot or bowl and put it on the table. Then we pray and Chris and I divide and conquer, each of us cutting or fixing everyone's food just so. We try to think of every condiment that might be requested during the meal beforehand so we don't have to get up 50 times, but we usually have to anyway. We don't get to eat a lot of meals hot anymore ;)


Rebecca said...

What do you guys do for family vacations?

*We don't! At least not lately. We've wanted to, we've planned on it, but haven't been able to put one together since Isabelle came home. We did visit the beach one weekend, but I guess our last vacation was a one month visit to the Ronald McDonald house in Iowa City ;) We'd love to go to Disneyworld, but other than the obvious cost issue, we keep adding little ones and saying, "Well NEXT year we'll go.." but the next year we've got a new baby!


AnnaB said...

How about what do you do for fun? (meaning just you, or with Chris?)

* We went to a Christmas party last year! It was the first time we'd been out together alone in a LONG time. It's hard to find a babysitter that is competent with so many kiddos! Plus, I'm sort of a freak about my kids... I don't trust ANYONE with them, so that limits our options big time. Chris and I are banking on the fact that we'll both live to a ripe old age and we'll have plenty 'together' time in the future, but we'll have to see what God has planned!

How OLD are you? How old is Chris?

*Nosy. Nosy. Nosy. But since I love you I'll answer. I am 39. Chris is 39. He was born one week before me :)


Tish said...

Do your biological children ever get resentful of adopting since it can mean less mom and dad time for them individually?

*Never. Not once. It really has surprised me how open they have been to the whole process. They are so enamored with their siblings that I don't think it has even occurred to them what they have had to give up in growing our family through adoption. I think a lot of families make the mistake of feeling *sorry* for the bio kids and I believe kids pick up on that sort of mindset. We've always been very positive about the way God has chosen to add to our family and, thankfully, we've yet to have any issues arise. Interestingly, Dalton has mentioned several times that he sad he came from my tummy, he wishes he was adopted!

When/how do you ever go shopping just for yourself? Like for clothes that you will need to try on?

*What is this you speak of: 'shopping for oneself'? I do not understand?;) Actually, I don't shop often and when I do it's desperate times.. in and out of Old Navy in a mad rush, usually. When I really need something new, Chris will stay at home with the kids. In a dressing room with a couple of toddlers is one place I do NOT want to be.


Amie said...

I want to know what you do for fun.. what are your interests.. other than kiddos, and adoption and horses?

*I really don't have any. Really. I mean, I love to learn about adoption, special needs specifically, love to read blogs, love to encourage others on their adoption journeys. I am a non-fiction girl so when I do read, it's for information purposes only. I just think anything fictitious is a waste of my time, I need reality! I don't dig the TV, so much junk. Definite waste of time, in my opinion. I think that as God grows me, He gives me new passions for things that He wants me to pursue. So for now, my heart is set on SN kiddos from China, I'm just waiting on Him for further instructions!


Mary Beth said...

How do you stay motivated and not become overwhelmed? And perhaps a related question is: Are you exhausted? :)

*I DO become overwhelmed... constantly!! But I've just had to learn to cope with the 'I think my head is about to explode' feeling of being overwhelmed and realize that it will pass. I sounds simple, but as I have learned not to panic when I feel that way, I cope better in the meantime, the experience passes and all is well again :) And yes, some days I do feel exhausted. But exhaustion is a relative thing and when I'm feeling sorry for myself, I am reminded of how stinkin' BLESSED I am, how blessed we ALL are here in the US and I get over myself, cancel the pity party and get back in saddle. I think so much of it is attitude and perspective. I remind myself, "I don't HAVE to care for all my kids... I GET to care for all my kids. I don't want ANYONE else doing MY job." Perspective really makes a difference.


Lisa Osborn said...

I think I am most interested in your ability to maintain calm and patience and get anywhere on time.

*Start early! I am sadly having to learn and relearn this lesson constantly. I seem to forget some days that what used to take me 30 minutes to do, now might take 90 with so many little bodies! Getting everyone fed and ready and out the door is a challenge. But I really rely on my boys to help. They corral the girls while I get ready and then help me get them to the car when it's time to go. They also buckle their siblings carseats, since mama ain't so agile reaching into the backseat anymore ;)
Now calm is another thing. I have been told that I appear very calm, which really surprises me. I often feel that when we are out and my kids are being psychotic (ie just being kids!) that I get very stressed as one of my pet peeves is parents to 'forget' that their child is running amok in the doctor's waiting room, for instance. I insist on my kids behaving appropriately in public and have been known to take one outside for a car 'timeout' if necessary.

How do you remain patient with all the messes and delays and inconveniences that I am sure come with having so many young children and such an active household.

*How do I remain patient you ask? Is that a requirement?;) I am not patient. I strive for more patience on a daily basis. I guess I am fairly laid back, so that probably helps to balance my lack of patience. Plus, my kids can tell when I'm serious, and when they see 'the look' they get a move on. I think much of parenting so many is tolerance. I have learned to tolerate more chaos, more clutter, more craziness. Just like working out or anything that requires strength and endurance, you have to build your 'ability' up a bit at a time. When I am asked, "How do you DO it? I could NEVER do it!" I say, "Oh yes you could... if you wanted to!! You just have to get used to it!" :)

I'm working on the balance of questions... more to come :)

Grateful

Wow! We have been so blessed!! I just have to share all that God has been doing through you guys, through your support, kindness and donations!

We received the donation from The Little Pearl Foundation! Thank you SO much, Maureen! What an impact you have had on our family and one little boy's life :) We are so grateful to you and your precious Olivia who inspired you to reach out to help other families. May your foundation be blessed in the future to make an impact on the lives of many little ones who wait for a family to call their own! You are such an inspiration to me!

We just wrote out a check to Lifeline, our agency, for $3344.46! That's how much we raised from the giveaway! Holy moly, we are STILL amazed at this incredible total!! So many have reached out and supported us in our efforts to bring Shepherd home, what a huge blessing it has been to us to witness, and we can't wait to share with Shepherd how loved he was even before he officially joined our family!

There was another benefactor who has helped our fundraising efforts in a wonderful way. The family wanted to remain anonymous, but I know she follows our blog, so I wanted to send out a huge, "THANK YOU!!" to M. and her beautiful family. Thank you so much for blessing us and little Shepherd!!

So that leaves us way ahead of where we were just a month ago! Truly amazing to see how God is at work!! Chris and I have been crunching the numbers, trying to get a handle on the exact total amount we'll have to raise in order to bring Shepherd home and as of now, we are less than $3500 short of the total amount we'll need! Praise God!!

Stay tuned, I'll be posting about a brand new giveaway soon... :)

So much more than you ever wanted to know about me

Holy cow. You guys have come up with so many questions... even if I had the time to answer all of them, I am sure y'all would be bored to tears. So I'm going to try to keep it short and sweet, if possible ;)
I've added some pictures so you can see our closets, pantry and how I've organized some areas of our house that work for us. Then entryway houses baskets for shoes and books, hooks for backpacks. The closets aren't crazy organized, for sure, but organized enough for me to know where everything is. The girls' closet is borderline overflowing, but they have such a tiny closet and my girls NEED this stuff!! They're girls!!! All these pics are 'as is', I figured if you were brave enough to read this post on our household, you deserved a peek into our closets as they really are ;)
One of the most common questions was about how I run our household. And honestly, it's not something I've purposefully thought a lot about. But over the years it has evolved due to the fact that every year for the last 3 years, we've been adding one new child to our ever- growing family. Then throw moving every 2-3 years into the mix. So organization has become a necessity. I'm not an OCD type organizer, one who lines up condiments perfectly in the refrigerator or has an organizer in her junk drawer (although I did think about buying one) but I am continuously cleaning and organizing drawers, closets etc. I try to get the most function out of the smallest space (our home is barely 2500 sf) and we've got quite a bit to pack into it. Another thing I do is tackle the job when I think about it. Not wait for the perfect time, cuz that time isn't gonna just fall out of the sky. When I have a lot to do, I make lists, but not often. I just try to knock it out instead of writing it down. Over the years I've surprised myself many times by how LITTLE time something takes me, something I've obsessed about in my mind for weeks or longer. When I do clean out a closet or a drawer, I do NOT hang onto a lot of 'stuff'. I've had to become hard core and pitch, sell or give away things that I don't LOVE or don't have significant sentimental value. At first it was hard, but after a while I began to feel so liberated by not being tied down to so much 'stuff' that giving away or throwing away became much easier. So I'm always looking for ways to organize and properly care for what I do keep and then give away or throw away what I no longer use. Makes moving so often a WHOLE lot easier, too :)
I find that I save a lot of time and energy by having a place for everything and I use a lot of storage containers and ziplocs for this purpose... games with lots of pieces, craft items, play doh and cookie cutters, paint... all go into storage boxes or ziplocs when not in use. I have baskets placed in the living room and computer room for the kids toys and we do have a play kitchen, but other than that, no kids toys are out. I just don't want my house to look like a Chuck E. Cheese... it's not soothing to me. Once I've established where everything goes, I make sure my kids know where everything goes. My kids HELP. They not only have daily chores, but I expect them to help whenever I ask. If we all pitch in, it can only take a few minutes to clean up a once- trashed living room floor. Even Isabelle has learned to help and if she can't find the exact spot for something, I just ask her to 'put it in the basket' (which is simple enough for Jude, too). Sometimes they complain, no doubt, but not often. Sometimes we race, trying to beat the timer I've set. Sometimes I'll award a 'Best Helper' award to whoever puts forth the most effort. And when all else fails and someone's having a really bad day, I offer to call daddy and see if they want to tell daddy that they don't want to help. Never had one take me up on that ;)
So chores: yes, the boys have daily chores, appropriate for their age. And each day it's something different to keep things interesting. They are also in charge of putting away their own laundry and once weekly, clean and dust their room. But the chore chart doesn't stop with the kids: I also have a chore chart :) I am one LAZY housecleaner and if it ain't in writing, staring me in the face, I don't do it until it gets bad. But I do really like a clean house, clean meaning 'tidy': no stuff on the floors, pillows put back on the couch, beds made, floors clean, not a lot of clutter. And I can't stand a dirty bathroom. And I can wear out a vacuum if given the chance. I like to vacuum, like mowing a yard, it gives me a real sense of accomplishment. For that moment I can stand there and say, "I just DID something!" I hate to dust which isn't so bad because my husband is a bit of a dust freak. Plus he's tall so he can find dust no one else would ever notice. This mostly makes up for the fact that he refuses to mop and at least 75% of our house is hardwood or tile. He says it reminds him of when he was younger and he hated it. So he doesn't mop. But he is a laundry fanatic. I know, I AM blessed. He does 90% of the laundry. He comes home usually about 7:00 but almost always runs a load and has it all folded and put away by the time we go to bed. He really enjoys it, I think, it's his preferred way of helping out daily. I bathe the kids and have dinner ready before he gets home, so it' something he can do and chill in front of the TV after the kids are in bed. We have a frontloader so we usually only run 7-10 loads/week. Thankfully the girls clothes are small ;)
Okay, so I've covered chores, laundry and organization. I do almost all the cooking and I never spend more than 30 minutes on dinner. Unless it's someone's birthday or a very special event. I just don't have time. But I don't like to cut corners and do the casserole 'just add water' thing either. Yuk. I grew up on good ol' home cooking and by the looks of my kids and myself, we're all eating pretty well ;) I go grocery shopping once week and try to avoid going in between. I have to buy for at least 4 meals as we go out on Sunday and usually have leftovers one night. I use the crockpot a lot and try new recipes that meet my tough criteria (ingredients must be something I've heard of, cannot include any meat other than chicken, beef or pork, must take less than 30 minutes to prepare, and must be kid friendly) On that note, we NEVER make our kids other food to eat in place of the meal I've prepared. If you don't like it, you don't eat. I try to serve a bread/pasta and veggie side so that if someone hates the main dish, they can eat the sides. Occasionally we'll let them have a bowl of cereal in lieu of the meal, but try not to do it often, and if they do go the cereal route, then no dessert. Even though we don't eat dessert often, just the idea of NOT being able to have it motivates them to try the food on their plate (kids... so simple minded ;)) We DO eat dinner together every night. Honestly, every night unless Chris is away (then NOTHING goes according to schedule). It's something I grew up doing and feel very strongly about, it bonds us as a family once a day. It gives us time to hear about each other and share what went on during our day. Isabelle is the official 'picker', deciding who prays that night since she is still not quite sure what to pray for ;) When someone is picked, they say their own prayer, not the standard "God is great..." We decided to do this long ago as a way of encouraging each of our children to THINK about what they wanted to pray about and you would not believe some of the sweet things that come out of their mouths!! I LOVE it!! Whoever prays also gets to start "Best, Worst and Grateful" in which we go around the table, each person having a turn to tell the best part of their day, the worst part of their day and what they were grateful for that day. My kids love doing it, but sometimes do get distracted. So we have fun trying to make sure everyone is listening (if you're caught not listening, you might get stuck with clearing the table. This usually gets everyone's attention ;)) After dinner we sit at the table and do a family devotional, appropriate for kids. We read a bible verse and read the devotional that has a story related to that particular verse. We try to do it nightly, and if Chris or I forget, one of the kids almost always reminds us! Dinner usually lasts an hour, but it is the most well- spent hour of my day, other than my quiet time.
That moves us into bedtime. We really have no nighttime issues, thankfully! The girls are the first 'set' to go to bed, usually right after dinner. No fuss, no muss. We don't have time for a long routine and the girls just don't need that much time to wind down, they're usually exhausted. Sometimes I'll read a book, but most of the time it's under the covers, stuffed animals and blankets just so, some night-night tickles, kisses and high-fives and lights out! While we rarely have trouble getting them to bed, Isabelle, until very recently, woke up many times a night. Nighttime is the time when mama is off- duty (think: taxi with 'off duty' on the top... that's me ;)) Chris always get up. Unless vomit is involved, that's a two man job. It really helps me stay sane as I am really one who needs sleep. At least 8 hours. I know, I'm a baby. But if I can get my 8 hours, you can call me a baby all you want and I won't scratch your eyes out. See what no sleep can do to me? Yeah, like I said, I need at least 8 hours.
Next, the boys go to bed at 8:30, Chris reads to them before bed for about 15 minutes and then they say prayers. After prayers I come in for tuck ins and kisses and it's lights out for them. I can't say how we have managed to avoid a lot of night time hassles other than the fact that we just haven't really indulged a lot of night time silliness. Not to say I would ever leave one of mine alone at night either frightened or upset. But we don't jump through hoops trying to get them to go to bed. We have always expected it and I guess they just know that by now. Asher used to have horrible night terrors (horrible!) when he would scream, thrash and cry for HOURS at night. It was the worst. We didn't know it at the time, but since then I've learned an option is putting the child in a warm bath to help them wake up and settle down. Hope I don't ever have to use that tip.
Jude sleeps in our room and goes to bed about 9:30, that way he gets some mama time with no competition. Plus, he's just fun to have around at night. He'll hang out playing or sometimes wants to watch Max and Ruby and chill on our bed, but he gets some one-on-one time with both of us, which we all love. At 9:30, Chris puts on his boots/bar and tucks him into his little toddler bed which is just a few feet away from my side of the bed. I've found that if I do the tuck in he cries, but if Chris takes him, has him give me a goodnight kiss, and puts him to bed, he's fine. He sleeps great and occasionally wakes up at night when he's lost his beloved pillow, but I can usually reach it without having to get out of bed ;) In general, I've found that consistency really pays off. It's very hard for me to have a set routine since I'm, at heart, a fly- by- the- seat- 0f- my- pants kinda girl. Really hard. But Chris is my polar opposite and he's shown me that consistency in the PM routine is key to happy campers in the AM.
My gosh, does anyone really want me to answer any other questions after that painfully long discourse on running our household?!?

To all you nosy Nellies :)

GREAT questions!! Some have me cracking up and others have my brain churning... what DO I really do that's any different than anyone else? Not much, I don't think! But buckle up, 'cuz you guys are gonna get an earful. Tomorrow. Just finished the taxes (oh. my. gosh. my butt is killing me from sitting at my desk for so long) and I'm gonna go stuff my face with some celebratory junk food!!
And if anyone wants to ask any really NOSY questions, feel free! I am one curious gal, so I can appreciate a really inquisitive question. Now I might not answer said 'inquisitive' question, but I will appreciate it! :)
Until tomorrow!

20 questions? Nah... how 'bout 10 :)

I've decided to take Miss Tish up on her comment: "have you ever considered doing a 20 questions post where readers could ask a question and then you would do a follow up post answering the top 20 questions? not that i'm trying to give you more work to do...i just know there are probably a lot of moms like me who would like your insight on everything from your thoughts about bringing a child home who is older than current child(ren) to when in the world do you take a shower????"
In a show of my deep appreciation for all the incredible support I've received from you guys, I figure I'll belly up to the bar, so to speak, and answer any pressing (or just nosy) questions you guys might have. In the case that there are not 10 of you that are interested in knowing more about me, then I'll just answer Tish's questions :)
I also figure this will sort of satisfy the meme that the hilarious Amie and adorable Kris tagged me with. Sort of two birds, one stone, right? I mean, I got a lotta kids, got to multitask!!

And the winner is....

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

Katie Hodges!!!

Feel free to watch the video if your interested in a blow by blow account of how it all went down... exciting stuff!! Anyone who knows me knows I can't STAND to wait, so as soon as Jude went down for his nap, I got serious! Sophie, in Asher's absence (he was still at school, poor guy ;)), was the next least likely to make the fatal mistake of picking more than one number. She did well, my Sophie Lu, and she came up with number 130!! Katie, congratulations!! If you're up for it, I'd LOVE for you to introduce yourself :)
And to everyone who entered and donated to help us bring our boy home, thank you from the bottom our our hearts.

Bring it ON!

Okay guys, just to reiterate, as of midnight last night, no more numbers can be given out for the giveaway... sorry!! Any donations that are given after this point will not be eligible for the drawing this afternoon and will be considered purely a donation :)

I've been hard at work getting the numbers written up, paper cut just so, Sharpie all over my fingers... it's coming together! Chris had to go out of town for the day and I'm not sure what time he'll be home. Evidently his boss didn't feel like a camera giveaway was important enough to give Chris the afternoon off. Whatsupwitdat? Guess he doesn't follow the blog ;) So I've decided, I'm just gonna do this thing! I am hoping to have Jude down for his nap when the boys get home and then it's gonna be SHOW TIME!! Asher is going to be the official 'picker', I'm sure he'll be excited when I tell him what an important job he's been chosen for :)

Check back about 4:00 CST, 'kay? Hopefully everything will go according to plan and I won't have to deal with a crazy toddler uprising in the meantime... and the winner will be posted!!

Who loves you, baby?

• You guys have amazed me with your fantastic ideas for Random Acts of Kindness week! I haven't done quite as well as most of you, we've been housebound since Monday! But when I do finally get out, I've got plans people!! BIG plans!
  
• The camera giveaway is TOMORROW!!! So after 12:00 tonight, no more entries will be accepted. I am so excited, I have it all planned out! I will videotape the whole thing and then download it for everyone to share in the excitement! BUT, since I can't really trust Isabelle, Sophie or Jude to draw ONE, I'll have to wait for the reinforcements to come home... sorry! I know, I can't stand to wait one more minute, either!! Check in for the announcement around 6:00 CST!!!
• Did you happen to see that incredible ChipIn total? UNBELIEVABLE!!! I am in awe of the support we have received. What else can I say? You guys rock! God rocks!!! Everyone of you who took time out of your day to read our story, donate to our fundraiser and lift up a prayer on behalf of our sweet Shepherd... THANK YOU :)
• We got a tidbit from China today!! We are LID! Yesssss!! Our official log-in date is 2/3/08, right before Chinese New Year! We're comin' as fast as we can, Shepherd!
  
• Jude's website is updated!! I know... only 2 months late! ;) His guestbook expires at the end of the month, so if you'd like to leave a comment for him wishing him a happy birthday, or anything else you'd like to wish for him, we would love it! But please remember to do so before the 24th :)
  

Be kind to someone this week!

It's Random Acts of Kindness week this week! February 11 - 17 to be exact :) I know I am always so grateful when someone does something nice for me: holds the door when I'm struggling with my double stroller, has a kind word and a sticker for my kids at the dr. office, even something as simple sharing a sympathetic smile when I'm having a tough day can really cheer me up. So I am going to participate by purposefully trying to be kind to someone every day this week. And NOT just my kids ;)
I'd love to hear ideas and if you've done something kind for someone, please leave a comment and share your story... I can use all the inspiration I can get!

Look who is 2!!!

Jude turned 2 on Saturday! We went up to Atlanta to celebrate and had a fantastic time with family... cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents all gathered to celebrate our precious boy's birthday :) He was a bit shy with all the attention, but he managed to crack a few smiles thanks to a cake, presents and about two dozen balloons... I'm working on an update for his website, it should be up soon!
Happy birthday to Michelle and Romy who share Jude's special day! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, we sure did :)

Our Story

In case anyone missed it the first time, here's our announcement for Shepherd ;)

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Year of the Rat

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! Welcome the Year of the Rat! I do have to say, I'm kinda glad that I wasn't born in the year of the Rat, nor were any of my kiddos... kinda yucky. No offense to any of you Rats out there. I'm a Monkey as are Chris and Isabelle. Tori and Dalton are Snakes, Asher is a Rabbit, Sophie is a Sheep and Zach, Jude and Shepherd are Dogs :)
What are you?

RAT:This is your general characteristics:

1. Ambitious
2. Sincere
3. You can be generous with your financial resources
4. You are compatible with the Monkey and Dragon
5. You are not compatible with the Horse

OX:This is your general characteristics:

• A leader
• Bright
• Cheerful
• You are compatible with the Snake and Rooster
• You are not compatible with the Sheep

TIGER:This is your general characteristics:

1. Forthright
2. Sensitive
3. Posess great courage
4. You are compatible with the Horse and Dog
5. You are not compatible with the Monkey

RABBIT:This is your general characteristics:

• Talented
• Affectionate
• You are a seeker of tranquility
• You are compatible with the Sheep and Boar
• You are not compatible with the Monkey

DRAGON:This is your general characteristics:

1. Robust
2. Passionate
3. Your life is filled with complexity
4. You are compatible with the Monkey
5. You are not compatible with the Dog

SNAKE:This is your general characteristics:

• Strong willed
• Intense
• Displays great wisdom
• You are compatible with the Rooster and Ox
• You are not compatible with the Boar

HORSE:This is your general characteristics:

1. Physically attractive
2. Popular
3. You like the company of others
4. You are compatible with the Tiger and Dog
5. You are not compatible with the Rat

SHEEP:This is your general characteristics:

• Aesthetic
• Stylish
• You enjoy being a private person
• You are compatible with the Boar and Rabbit
• You are not compatible with the Ox

MONKEY:This is your general characteristics:

1. Persuasive
2. Intelligent
3. Strives to excel
4. You are compatible with the Dragon and Rat
5. You are not compatible with the Tiger

ROOSTER:This is your general characteristics:

• Seeking wisdom
• Seeking truth
• You have a pioneering spirit
• You are compatible with the Snake and Ox
• You are not compatible with the Rabbit

DOG:This is your general characteristics:

1. Generous
2. Loyal
3. You have the ability to work well with others
4. You are compatible with the Horse and Tiger
5. You are not compatible with the Dragon

BOAR:This is your general characteristics:

• Gallant
• Noble
• Your friends will remain at your side
• You are compatible with the Rabbit and Sheep
• You are not compatible with the Snake

Wordless Wednesday

It's a good thing he's so darn cute

This boy is into EVERYTHING! I am so excited for him, now that he is finally truly walking. But.. this new *uprightness* that comes from being able to walk well has brought with it a whole new set of considerations. He loves to get into all sorts of things, his favorite being any place that he might find something sharp, sticky or extremely breakable. We have all the truly dangerous stuff behind baby locks but, seriously, this kid can get into trouble with a roll of scotch tape, a fork and a clothes pin. He's gifted, I tell ya. Here he is foraging through our utensils drawer. He can't see in, he just has to go in, feel around, and pull out whatever feels most *useful* to him. Usually he prefers to carry around several spoons in a variety of colors. On this day I busted him in the act, so he, without hesitation, casually closed the drawer and made a sweet segue into telling me about his fantastic 'backpack' he had on... just like "Boots"! Forget Dora mom, Jude is into Boots. And when he talks about Max and Ruby? It's Max, no need to even say "Ruby". When I remind him about Ruby he just laughs. Ahhhh... boys :)

A bit about me

Tammy tagged me at Our Three Daughters so here goes :)

Four jobs I have had in my life
* Waitress (I was the WORST!)
* Worked at Sound Warehouse while I was in college
* Ran a horse farm (my favorite job other than being a mommy ;))
* uhhh... does being a mom count?

Four movies I could watch over and over
* Man From Snowy River
* Gladiator
* Pretty Woman
* Pride and Prejudice

Four places I have lived
* Delaware
* Dallas
* Oklahoma
* St. Louis

Four shows that I watch
* I don't really watch anything besides Noggin and Nick Jr. :)

Four places I have been
* France
* Germany
* Jamaica
* China ~ my favorite!

Four people who email me regularly
* Kris
* Nicole
* Hayley
* Rebecca

Four of my favorite foods
* french fries
* really good chocolate chip cookies
* anything at Macaroni Grill
* basically anything that ISN'T good for you

Four places I would rather be right now
* In China, holding Shepherd
* On a beach in Florida
* Riding my old horse, Harley
* DISNEYWORLD! I've never been!

Four folks I think will respond
* I have no idea, I've never done one of these before

Four things I'm looking forward to in the next 12 months
* Shepherd coming home
* Getting situated in our new home
* Getting Shepherd's feet fixed in Iowa
* Did I say Shepherd coming home?

Four goals for the New year?
* More time set aside for bible study, prayer
* Fundraising, baby!
* Giving to other adoptive families in need
* Being a better wife. The mommy thing comes easy, hubs sometimes gets the short end of the stick.

Four gifts I got for Christmas
* A necklace with my sweet Shepherd's face as a charm
* Bath and Bodyworks gift card
* Old Navy gift card
* A beautiful picture frame for pictures of my babies!

Four places I want to visit
* Wherever God wants to send me :)

Four things you did not know about me
* I used to be teased in school for my freckles. They nicknamed me "Strawberry".
* I grew up in a family just like the Brady Bunch, 6 kids. I was Cindy... youngest girl.
* I love even numbers, 4 is my favorite. At the grocery I almost always buy in 2's.
* I am a total softie, especially for animals. I've tried to help any animal I've come across needing help. Once I pulled a mother possum out of our Jack Russell's mouth. She lived and so did her babies :)

Four things I wish I could be better at
* Dressing. I'm pretty simple and don't really like to step out of my comfort zone.
* Corresponding. I spread myself too thin and don't get to stay up with all my friends like I'd like to. Must be all these kids.
* Photography. I'd love to take some classes. Someday, someday.
* Reaching out. I'm sort of shy and have a hard time making friends when we move to a new town.

Four things I can cook without a recipe
* Chicken Chili
* Chicken Burritos
* Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Mexican Dip :)

Four musicians that I really like
* Nichole Nordeman
* Natalie Grant
* Third Day
* Mercy Me

Oh and one more thing about me. I am a procrastinator. I sit here with a list of chores that I need to do, dinner unstarted, kids happily playing on the swingset safely in our backyard on a beautiful day. And I'm at the computer. Best get goin' before baby Jude wakes up!
I tag everyone who I listed under "People who email me regularly"... but I'll still love you guys even if you don't want to participate :)

The Little Mouse Emergency Fund

Just knowing what is going on in China right now is making my heart hurt. So many babies lacking so many necessities already, now having to fight just to stay alive without proper food or heat during some of the worst weather China has seen in a century. If you're not aware of the need for help, visit Half The Sky for a full report on all the orphanages that HTS has been able to contact. I have heard nothing about Shepherd's orphanage, but I am optimistic that DG is far south enough to not have been hit by all the snow and ice that north Guangdong province has experienced. I say optimistic, but how can a mother not worry about her baby? I was already concerned about him before, but now the very basics ~ heat and food ~ are coming into question. SO many babies are doing without in China... babies, the elderly and those who dutifully and lovingly provide them with care. Thankfully HTS is in a position to help in a big way, and, due to the generosity of others, has been able to provide much needed relief to those hit hardest by the severe weather. HTS is even requesting to be able to help any and all orphanages in need, even those not affiliated with HTS programs. If you've ever considered giving to Half the Sky, now is the time!


CLICK TO GIVE

Keepin' my boys happy

Are you ready for some football? I know we are around here, and when I say "we" I don't mean me ;) But my boys are so excited about the Super Bowl (even though Asher's beloved Packers are out of the running) and since Dalton's favorite team is the Patriots... at least for now ;)
So tomorrow I'll be pulling out all the stops to make sure my boys are content during game time, as I know my husband would do for me if there were a female equivalent... say, being at the Oprah 'good things' show, live :) Okay, back to reality. So I'll be fixin' up some yummies and thought I'd share one of our all time favorite recipes: Mexican Dip. Honestly, it's never failed me since I started making it 7 years ago. If Asher had to choose a favorite dinner, it would be this. Shhh, don't tell anyone I pass it off as a 'dinner' to my 8 year old ;)
So here it is...
Mexican Dip
1 package cream cheese
1 can Hormel Chili (we prefer the 'no beans' variety)
1 can black olives (cuz we love 'em, but you don't have to use them)
1 can salsa verde
1 can black beans or refried beans
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Soften cream cheese and spread in bottom of 8' x 8' pan. Layer remaining items in any order you prefer, and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Earliest picture of Shepherd

This is our earliest picture of Shepherd. Tiny little thing, isn't he? And he looks so scared :( He was found at 2 days old 'by the roadside' behind a market. As inconceivable as this sounds, it is common practice for babies to be abandonded near a road so that the child has a good likelihood of being found quickly. And considering that he was abandoned in November, I can only assume the weather was not suitable for a newborn to be left alone outside for any amount of time. I am just so grateful he was found.
My heart breaks when I think of his parents, specifically his mother. As a mother of four biological children, I find it hard to fathom carrying a baby for 9 months and NOT developing some sort of attachment, intended or not. I imagine her giving birth... first seeing his precious face, then... surprise! A boy!! And last... his feet. Clubbed. Deformed. I imagine her heart sank. I think of the disappointment that must have filled the room full of family members who might have been there for the birth. New to the world, taking his first brave breaths, and already deemed 'imperfect'.
Thank the Lord for His perfect plan. We can't wait to hold him. To welcome him with arms wide open. To tell him how perfectly PERFECT he is. To tell him that he is God's creation: fearfully and wonderfully made. How God has picked us to be his family and how blessed we feel to be chosen for such an honor.

Psalm 139:1-16
O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!

I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night – but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Now doesn't that feel good?