Bringing Home Naomi

Oh Happy Day

2011-09-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Take a walk with me again down memory lane . It was 3 yrs. ago this week we received the sweetest soul ever this side of eternity! Naomi came into our lives with such a calm sweet disposition and I am fond of saying she is my reward. Such a friendly lil thing, never meets a stranger and blesses everyone she meets (except for the cashier she told "you got fat") Oh, my I was mortified when I realized she told the girl that. We had just been talking about how our cat really got fat and you know when she saw the girl.......well, I guess she just thought she needed to know. And she's been prone to ask people their names and where they live. I've been working on teaching her not to ask about people's secrets. But , then when she asks someone how they got hurt and then proceeds to show them her leggy and how it helps her the kindness in her soul comes shining through. I know God has an awesome plan to use her in the lives of people with injuries or other disabilities. She is just now really coming to an understanding of her own disability although she is able to do everything anyone else can. For the first time this summer when we began to go to our neighborhood pool we encountered our first obstacle in her dealing with the amputation of her foot and that was how to get into the pool. She actually learned to swim just this summer and I was amazed at how fast and fearlessly she took to the water. She was swimming on her own in only a few weeks. But, still getting from the poolside chairs to the pool on the hot concrete was a challenge. I could carry her and put her in, or leave her prosthetic by the side of the pool to get wet, or she could hop on one foot . None of which are good! Swimming with the prosthetic is out of the question now that she is swimming without it. Maybe we will figure it out next year. We traveled to Shreveport Shriner's last monday for the fitting of leggy #3 and they will be shipping it to us this week. She can't wait and told somebody "my leggy's coming in a box and it's going to surprise us" .

My Blessings

2011-04-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

My pride and joy! Beautiful sisters !

The children whom the Lord has given me.

Oh, the love between these two.

Beautiful Feet

STRETCHY ARMS

2011-03-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

She stretcheth out her hands to the poor; yea she reacheth forth her hand to the needy. Prov 31

One of my favorite animated movies is "The Incredibles" I love the mom and her stretchy arms. She can whip forth her arms in a nano-second and I am highly impressed and also very jealous of those arms. Heck I need arms like that. I can only imagine how many times a day I could use that kind of help. How about when I'm in the kitchen cooking and I hear the water running in the bathroom.......knowing it's not supposed to be on that high or that long. LOL. Why in the world didn't God make us moms with stretchy arms or another set of arms to begin with. If we'd been born that way who would think it strange.

And then the Lord showed me Prov 31 and the stretchy arms that gal has. It was His idea after all; just look at how the Proverbs woman stretches out her arms to the poor and needy. Some all the way to China......others to Eastern Europe and Africa. Here my friend Megan is stretching out her arms to grab ahold of one precious soul, beautiful Sophia. You can go to www.myjourneyoftheheart.blogspot.com to see her beautiful daughter to be. While you're there leave her a word of encouragement and prayer.

Introducing Ivan's Family

2011-01-20T09:05:00.001-08:00

The Kramer Family

You can go to www.thekramerfamilysite.blogspot.com to read this AMAZING story and follow Ivan's journey home. God is so good!

CRAZY LOVE

2011-01-17T06:07:00.000-08:00

That's what I love about God. He puts His Crazy Love in our hearts and we respond with that same love toward others. Love that defys explanation, love that goes the extra mile, love that labors tirelessly , love that embraces the unloved, uncared for, unlovely (in the world's eyes). We as the body of Christ do the things that others would say "are you crazy". Yep! We are! Crazy in love with HIM and all that He is.

It is amazing how our God can intertwine and connect his people in this world. I will introduce you to Ivan's family in the next post. This picture is from our garage sale fundraiser this weekend. It was precious to see children bring money from their piggbanks and toothfairy money. They also helped people bring their purchases to the cars and cleaned up after too. What a HUGE help !

AND THE WINNER IS:

2010-12-20T11:49:00.001-08:00

CINDY STEPHENS!!! CONGRATS! EMail me with your address. Thanks for all the donations for Ivan. I will be posting a link about his adoption soon.

IVAN HAS A FAMILY !!!!

2010-12-18T11:53:00.000-08:00

OH MY!!! HE HAS A FAMILY!!! I am beyond excited and so grateful that Ivan has his Christmas Miracle. And everyone who gave and prayed for him has a part in that miracle. Just a short post to let you know I have delayed the drawing for the giftcard until tomorrow. I wanted to draw the winning name among friends and therefore have some witnesses. So come back tomorrow and find out who has won the giftcard. If you have donated online please check to see that a comment was left. There is one donation I do not have a name for. Thanks to all who have donated and prayed for little Ivan K.

GIFT CARD GIVE-A-WAY for Ivan K.

2010-11-18T14:29:00.000-08:00

It's give-a-way time! A $50 gift card from OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE RESTAURANT just in time for Christmas. All you have to do to win this gift card is donate $5 to IVAN K's chip-in for one chance to win. Donate $25 and your name will be placed 6 x's in the basket. Then go back and leave a comment on this post and the amount so your name can be added. ALL proceeds go directly to Reece's Rainbow and will be placed in Ivan's account for his adoption grant. You can donate securely using paypal.

OUT OF THE WOODS

2010-11-13T09:58:00.000-08:00

and into the garage....she went. Dad caught the adorable grey kitten for Marissa to snuggle with at night. We really hoped that she would help Marissa go to sleep easier. He put that snarling, scratching, hissing ball of fur into the crate and put a top on it. He filled the crate with an old blanket and put some water and food into the crate. Snuggled with her every day. Lots of face time and reassuring her she would be OK! Sounds kinda like our adoptions, huh! She rewarded us with loud purring and a softening of her body towards us. Decided after a week it was time to bring her home from Dad's office by the woods. We delighted in her antics the first day as we let her come out of the bathroom for hours at a time to play. Time to move to the garage we decided . Let her out there to roam all night BUT the next morning she was no where to be found. Did she sneak out somewhere or go under the car? We checked every crevice and under the hood and I slammed the doors lots of times praying she was not in the engine. Drove off to go do all day errands and came back to an empty food bowl and a full litter box. KWIM! We gave her a couple more days to come out. BUT, nothing again but the empty food bowl and full litter box. So now I am waiting here with the garage door open letting her see total freedom. Will she take it? Not gonna feed and clean up poop for a no-show! Crazy cat! She coulda had a great family.

ORPHAN SUNDAY

2010-11-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

Today is ORPHAN SUNDAY a day set aside in some of our churches to bring about awareness of the plight of so many orphans in this world. I have 3 sweet blessings that are no longer orphans in this world, but such is not the case for a precious little boy in Eastern Europe. Look on my sidebar and you will see a sweet boy IVAN who is listed with Reece's Rainbow. I have agreed to be his Christmas Warrior which means I am praying for him to find a family and doing some fundraising for a grant to go towards his adoption expenses. IVAN is only a year old and has a condition known as Down Syndrome . He lives in a baby house in Eastern Europe where he will be cared for until his 4th birthday at which time he will be transferred to a mental institution to spend the rest of his life if not adopted. There will be no one there to kiss him goodnight; no therapy to help him be all he could be; no one to hold him when he cries. Can you imagine growing up without parents to help you? I cannot! Ivan deserves a life outside of a mental institution and I am believing for a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE for him....a family for Christmas.

Reece's Rainbow has begun their Christmas Angel Tree Fundraiser and you can click on the ornament above Ivan's picture to donate to his account. For $35 you will receive a Christmas ornament with his picture on it to hang on your tree. All proceeds go directly to Reece's Rainbow and you can make a secure payment through paypal.

Ridiculously Proud

2010-10-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

We just came home from our day trip to Shriner's Hospital for Children yesterday where Naomi was fitted for her second prosthesis. I convinced them to mail it to us so we don't have to do the 5 hr. drive there and back. So *leggy* will be arriving in the mail. She was a bit fearful of what might be happening but I kept saying that leggy has to see the Dr. She is just fine as long as she is not the one. LOL .

Before we met Naomi I wondered what kind of feelings I would have when other people saw she had a birth defect and ultimately her prosthesis. I wondered if she would want to hide it or be self-conscious about it. Yesterday we saw lots of children with birth defects and she saw beautiful children missing a hand or an arm. She is starting to understand a bit about her birth defect and that other people have difficulties as well. She saw people walking with crutches and asked them if they were going to be OK. Such a caring nature she has. Naomi is such a great kid with a wonderful outlook on the world even though she has had a rough start. Nothing slows her down and she doesn't know the words I can't do it. She tries to do everything even though there are times she surely should not. I am the one who is more cautious about the physical aspects of her adventurous nature. And you know I find myself *ridiculously proud* for someone to see she has a prothesis and yet is not afraid to climb and jump and try the most challenging activities.

Preschool Here I come

2010-09-09T17:03:00.001-07:00

I can't believe she is ready for preschool ! Wednesday was her first day and she LOVED IT! On the ride to school she said -I have leggy- so we talked about that for a few minutes and then she moved on to ask me if I was coming RIGHT back. I was so proud that she was able to sit at her table and let me leave without a major meltdown. She's so grown up! It certainly helped that there was playdough on the table and that she had her BACKYARDAGAN LUNCHBOX in her cubby. (can't figure out how to make the pic bigger)

Hillsong United - With All I Am (lyrics on video)

2010-06-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT

2010-05-30T12:34:00.001-07:00

This is perhaps the first time she's played in the sprinkler. She had a blast!

Last Summer

2010-05-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

I've been coming across this picture many times this year and everytime I am just awestruck by Naomi's progress with her prosthetis. She had only been walking for a short time last summer when this picture was taken and the day we ventured out to the Aquarium she began to run. I love this picture of her spunk and determination to not let her special need keep her from doing anything.

Jesus Culture - Sing My Love

2010-05-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Chloe` Jeanette

2010-04-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

Introducing beautiful Chloe`Jeanette Beaver. She arrived on Monday the 12th a beautiful bundle of joy. So sweet and pink weighing in at 7.7 our 5th grandchild. Naomi saw her at the hospital and once at home. She walks around all day saying "Chloe so beautiful" at just the right time too ....like when she's in trouble for digging into someone's stuff. She's learning to use her leggy to her advantage also. Just the other day I would not let her go outside because it was too wet and so she threw herself down and took off her leggy just for spite. Then looked at me to see what I thought about it.....just walked away....she put it back on. We made the trip to Shriner's to have leggy adjusted and on the way I told her we would see the Dr. She cried and said "NO". So then I asked if leggy could see the Dr. and she said "sure". So now she walks up to people and tells them "leggy saw Dr." When she is in trouble she tells me "leggy saw Dr." as if to say remember about my leg mom!

EASTER BLESSINGS

2010-04-08T17:41:00.001-07:00

Christmas Party

2009-12-20T17:39:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

A huge thank you goes out to all veterans on this Veterans Day. I want to honor my dad William Bryan Averill Jr. and my father-in-law Sidney W. Campbell Jr. and my brother William Bryan Averill III. Also a friend of our Jason Amato who recently returned from duty. We are so glad you are home and well. Thank you everyone who has served our great country and sacrificed for our freedom.

Ye-O-Ba and cute pics

2009-10-23T06:23:00.000-07:00

Naomi's language is exploding and she is speaking so many new words. Her frustration is increasing too as WE struggle to understand her and her requests. Just this morning over and over she says Ye-O-ba and I ask over and over for her to say it again thinking I surely will get it this times...but no...So she says it over and over getting so mad by now. It's a new word for sure but I finally figured it out when I went to get her some cereal......It's cheerios in a bowl....Ye-O-ba....ha ha. It's so funny now that I figured it out.

Marissa had a funny saying for her Cheerios too because we would ask her do you want Cheerios in a bag (as a snack, dry ) or in a bowl . So if she wanted them with milk she would say "I want Cheerios in a bag in a bowl" She always thought cheerios were "cheerios in a bag".

No matter what Naomi is wearing for the day she manages to find the tutu and put it on too so every outfit has to have it. It is itchy and scratchy and she complains but WILL NOT let me take it off.

Here is Naomi and Annazelle playing. They are so cute together learning to play together and share.

ALL GIRL

2009-10-12T12:20:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

How He Loves Us

2009-09-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

I love this song and am trying to get the words printed here so bear with me while I finish editing. Listening to this song I have been thinking about how our girls have the opportunity to know not only the love of father and mother , sister and brother....family ....but also to come to know the love of their heavenly Father. The big girls are off to school everyday and Naomi helps put them on the bus each morning and so now it is just the two of us. We do miss them and just a few minutes ago while I was updating the blog Naomi saw Mia's picture and just burst into tears. And while it broke my heart for her I also see God's big picture that she is bonded not only to us but her sister as well and what an awesome gift ...a sister...to have ...even after we her parents have gone on to glory as they say.

Remember to mute my music so you can hear just this song.....

Happy GOTCHA Day 1 Year ago

2009-09-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this trip down memory lane with us. It's always so much fun to go back and look at the pictures of our children's adoption day and see how much they have changed and grown and to think of the special time we had in China. These memories are ones we will always treasure and talk about with our girls. They also love to hear their STORY and see the pictures of when they joined our family. Not really understanding at first but after hearing it over and over they come to see just how they came to be and where they fit .....something as humans we are always trying to figure out.

New Granddaughter Grace and First Day of School

2009-08-22T17:21:00.001-07:00

Orthopedic Surgeon Speaks

2009-08-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

I just felt like this short video by a former Orthopedic Surgeon was important enough to watch. I have a great respect for Dr.'s especially Orthopedic Dr's after seeing 5 different Ortho Dr's for Naomi's foot and leg issue. Remember to mute my music for this.

Summer Fun

2009-08-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

They have had more fun in this tiny pool we got just a few days ago. We had to wait until now because of Naomi's surgery and wound recovery so they are making up for lost time. School starts this Fri. for Mia and next week for Marissa. I was so looking forward to this week a few weeks ago but now am kinda sad our summer is coming to an end. It is bittersweet. Marissa will meet her teacher tomorrow night. Hope she is ready for our little firecracker.

News Story

2009-07-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a cute photo and story of Naomi from our local paper. We were at Shriners Childrens Hospital the same week the vote was taken to keep the hospitals open and so our local newspaper sent a reporter to the hospital to interview someone from the New Orleans area and we were selected. The pictures and video he took of some of her first steps with the prosthesis are priceless. You can see the pic and story at www.nola.com/business .

And......she's WALKING

2009-07-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

We traveled to Shreveport Shriners on Monday and expected to be there until Fri. She has adapted so well to her prosthesis that we left a day earlier. Putting the foot on was a challenge at first but now I have figured out how to get it on right. She actually loves it now and cries when I take it off. We are working our way up to wearing it all day except for naps and night time. It really is the cutest thing without a sock and shoe. I included a couple of pictures without socks so you can see the toes. Adorable. The first day was tough and she cried when we put it on but after being able to walk she realized she was mobile and loved it. Naomi amazed the therapists by adapting so well so fast and we believe that learning to walk on her little foot was a big help. She did not need any encouragement to try it out and she walked all over the hospital. I had trouble keeping up with her as she found new things to see and she was trying to run by the 3rd day.

We actually may make the local paper down here in New Orleans . Because the hospital was in danger of closing the last few months they had a new turn of events and sent a reporter to interview someone from this area. I am so blessed to have actual footage of some of her first steps and many, many pictures. Can't wait to see some of it. We are so happy the Shriner's will stay open not only for us but the many, many children that need it in this area.

THE PUMPKIN

2009-06-29T13:56:00.001-07:00

Healing Nicely

2009-06-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

We leave for Shriners in the morning for the fitting for her prothesis. Her incision is healing nicely and she had her first real bath in several weeks. We've been giving her partial baths in the sink, or used the hand held shower. She loves her baths so much. We got shoes for the fitting this week and I am not sure about the size....they will really be the first shoes she can walk in. We are excited to see the end result of the amputation .....the ability to walk without a limp. A few weeks from now I will travel again to Shreveport for her therapy with her new leg and foot.

She is such a trooper and nothing keeps her down. In fact she is back to her old antics of climbing on the counters and getting stuck in places. LOL. I had to rescue her yesterday because she had pulled out the bottom drawer to get to the top drawer in the bathroom and got her arm stuck in the top drawer. Oh, My she has learned to open doors.....nothing is safe anymore. She stands on her one tippy=toe and hangs onto the doorknob and lets her body weigh fall and the door opens. I have to make certain the dead bolts are in place in the front door or she would crawl to the street. She is a mover. LOL

(don't know why I cannot put this post in right order)

I AM STILL SO MAD

2009-05-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Having a child with a special need brings a lot of mixed emotions ....some emotions that seem to come upon you when you least expect or are aware of them. For the most part we have not had the sadness or grief that I think most parents experience because we chose her with this need and are so aware that without the need we also do not have her. Since the amputation of her foot I have been very sad about the operation and that it needed to be done for her future. We are convinced we did the right thing and yet are sad to see it done knowing that to feel anything else would be denying our humanness.

I AM STILL SO MAD ABOUT THIS INCIDENT:

Momma Bear in me just appeared the other day at the playground so bear with me while I vent. I'm guessing it was because it was the day before we were to travel to Shriner's Hosp. to have this darn cast that falls off at least once a day off FINALLY and I would be seeing her leg without a foot that probably set me off....but anyway I took the girls to the playground ....the ONE FOR DIFFERENTLY ABLED KIDS...ok...when I realized that the only thing Naomi could really do is swing. So I head over to the swings and see that there is one empty and just before getting there a child about 6 or so runs to the swing and gets in it....then his MOM proceeds to push him ( IN THE SWING FOR HANDICAPED CHILDREN )and another child who has now gone to sleep in another swing. She sees the entire thing and does NOTHING! So I just stand there thinking that surely one of the swings will open up in a few minutes while I survey the rest of the park thinking ....What else can she do? She cannot walk and crawling on this hot cement is out . Sandbox NO! Slide NO....because I cannot keep her from hitting bottom with her foot. Looking around I finally thought about the teeter totter, so we went in that direction but the whole time I kept my eye on the swings. We did that for a few minutes but she was restless and wanted to do something else and my arms were getting tired so we went back in the direction of the swings....sat on the bench for a while and just watched everyone playing and still keeping an eye on the swing and getting madder by the moment because the two moms could tell I was waiting for one of the swings. Now at this point I think they were determined that they were NOT letting them go just because I wanted/needed ONE .....did I say they had 4 between them....and they continued to push their children.

I just could not believe that they would not let one of the swings go and I kept saying to myself ....swinging is the ONLY thing she can do right now ...why would they act like this... And then it happened on the inside of me. Now, I normally had been telling people that asked about her leg that she had an operation because I just didn't feel like strangers need to know the details and people get all wierd reactions from saying she had her foot amputated. But this day as I sat inside the jungle gym thingy so she could at least play with some of the thingys another mom asked me about her leg and I said it JUST FOR THE REACTION! I was so mad at not being able to swing her and ya know I should have gone up to the two moms and said what I did JUST FOR THEIR REACTION so they could feel XXXX (not even printable) about the way they were hogging the swings. But, I did not.

Now all is not lost , because I know they went home thinking about ME and how THEY did not give up their swings until they were good and ready.

Our vist to Shriners on Monday went very well. We saw the prothesist and she was fitted with her new leg and foot . It is very real looking and is the same color as her skin because I wanted it to blend in and not clash with all her pretty dresses and outfits. I know some kids have different colors and designs especially boys, but next time if she wants something different we will do that. She did not want to put it on and would not stand up with it on either . She cried the entire time and I think was scared mostly. The foot part is so adorable and has real looking toenails . We keep asking her if she wants some new piggies....she says NO!....She'll get used to it. We go back July 6 to stay 5 days for therapy to use it. We are almost there!

GOODBYE T-1

2009-05-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

End of T-1 for Mia. She has grown and matured so much in this one year. We are so glad to have chosen Transitional First for her before her entrance into First grade. It gave her another year to mature and learn language. We have found both our girls need another year to master speech and language as they both came home from China as toddlers with their speech just emerging. Marissa will also go to T-1 as well...we feel...at this point. Some parents feel this extra year has implications of failure on either the child's or parents part but we welcome another year to mature and master school concepts in a non-pressured enviroment where they are nutured and not put in position of grading before they are ready. We so love the public school they attend and they get plenty of good attention to their speech needs. The teachers love my girls and for that I am so grateful. They will do well here.

SCHOOL'S OUT

2009-05-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

End of preschool for Marissa. Ahhh! Wonderful memories of her preschool. Kindergarden here we come.

MY LITTLE TEA PARTY

2009-05-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

We combined their birthdays this year to have a fabulous party at MY LITTLE TEA PARTY . A great time was had by all the little girls. They were all made up with make up and dress up clothes. They had their nails done and a fashion show. SO CUTE!

DENTIST VISIT

2009-05-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

We've had alot going on in the past few weeks and so I'll post a little bit about each with pics. It looks like we will be at the hospital again with Marissa and her dentist as she seems to have several bad teeth that will need attention. We had to do this 2 years ago because she has such a phobia of Drs. and is not so cooperative. She also came home from China with weak teeth and so we are not surprised we need to go this route again. Actually getting her into this dentist chair is like a miracle to us. Just wish they could do what she needs without hospitalization. She loves these pictures of herself.

HARVEST

2009-05-22T07:13:00.001-07:00

Just had to post these wonderful pictures of our tiny little garden and the blessing of watching plants grow and eating the fruit of our labors. DH has worked so hard and invested so much time in our little garden and we have some great memories .

Happy Girl is back

2009-05-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Our happy little girl is BACK!!!! She woke up this morning and ate a cup of yogurt and TWO pancakes, played in the playroom and took apart a picture frame from the foyer. You moms know how worried we get when our sweeties do not want to eat, play or tear something up. LOL She is still kinda clingy which is to be expected but feeling so much better.

Maybe a new hairdo will make me feel better

2009-05-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Feeling a little bit better but still not herself. She did eat and drink more today. We took her to the Ped. and no ear or throat infection and doesn't seem to be in pain from her incision, but still kinda listless and certainly wanting mom all the time. I guess it will take a few more days to bounce back. Thanks again for all the prayers and words of encouragement.

Sad little Face

2009-05-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

Naomi is doing great physically and doesn't seem to be in any pain . But, she seems sad or depressed. She is not crawling much and is not her happy girl self. She keeps pointing to outside and wants to swing but when we go out she is cranky. We got a wagon this morning and maybe it will help to wheel her around in the yard. I am wondering if this is part of her grieving her independence and even the loss of her foot. I can imagine she doesn't understand it will be temperary; but we keep telling her she will get a new foot that works better. Sad to see her like this.

We're Home

2009-05-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

Exhausted but glad to be home again. We are settling in and finding out just what Naomi can do in her cast. We were told she will likely crawl in her cast just don't let her try to bear weight . I guess we don't have to worry about her climbing cabinets for a while. She's sitting her just watching TV and playing with some toys. Thank you guys for praying for us. The trip home was a breeze. We go back in 3 weeks to have the cast removed and then a few weeks again to be fitted for her prothesis and then we will have a little stay to learn to walk again. We just cannot say enough good things about Shriners...from the way they cared for Naomi and us while we were there. A few before and after photos.

Rough Day

2009-04-30T07:46:00.001-07:00

Yesterday proved to be a very rough day and hoping it was her worst. Waking up to all she was in for emotionally and physically. Today seems much better. She took her IV out in one fit and wanted the splint off the next. She seems to understand her foot is gone. She had a moment last night when she moved her toes on her left foot and then tried to move the other toes and then sat upright and wiggled her left foot and then looked at her right foot and said "Uh Oh!" It was precious and heartbreaking at the same time. We told her to tell her little foot goodbye again and she did while waving. Again precious but heartbreaking. There are lots of little ones her and bigger kids in therapy. Lots of tears and anxious moms and dads. We love the family atmosphere and each and every team member involved with her care. The Shriners are wonderful. We are blessed. Grant is pulling Naomi in a wagon right now....the only thing making her happy. She does not want to be in the room. Can't blame her.
Thank you everyone for the prayers. What would we do without our caring families. I am going to try to post a picture of our precious in her wagon.
"

Surgery

2009-04-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

Here we are at Shriner's Hosp. Checked in yesterday and spent the day meeting with the nurses and caregivers for Naomi. Today we were up at 6 am for her presurgery meds and then up to the surgery at 7 am. She did fine and is resting in the room with Dad holding her. She has had some juice and should be off her IV soon. I will try to post some pics later. We love, love this hospital. Everyone is so pleasant and kind. And this hospital is so clean! Love it. The playroom is packed with great toys and games and Naomi spent a good part of yesterday getting acquainted with the strollers.

Time to Go

2009-04-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

I can't say that I am ready but I know it is time to deal with Naomi's foot. We had an August 11 appt. for her amputation but said we would be open to moving the date up if there was a cancellation. We have been called twice now but everytime on a Fri. to be up in Shreveport on Sunday. Both times we were just not ready but said next time we will be even if it is on a Fri. So they call on Thursday to be up in Shreveport on Tues. A bit more doable considering all the arrangements we have to make for the other girls.

We know it is for the best , but still telling people is hard and hard to explain. Funny thing is that Naomi is trying to deal with her foot in her way. She will go get a flip-flop or princess shoe and put it on her little foot. Not both, just the little foot and walk around like that so that it lifts her foot up an inch or so. It's time!

The plan is to leave tomorrow and check in on Tues. and the operation will be Wed. Hope to be home by Sun. and then go back in 4 weeks to take the cast off and fit for a prothesis . When it's ready we go back and stay for a while to learn to use it.

Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts for her surgery and recovery.

Happy Birthday Mia

2009-04-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

Mia turned 7 yesterday . We went to the mall...what else...rode the bunny train...ate beignets and hot chocolate....great fun.

Transformation

2009-03-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

In adoption the fearful become beloved
The scorned become adored
The nameless become cherished
The lonely become the laughing
and death becomes life abundant

Such truth! We have seen Naomi become so confident in walking, asking , doing anything. Certainly she was scorned in China for her infirmity and arrived at the orphange without a name, but she is loved with a fierce love in this family and adored by her sisters and brother. We have the reward of a sweet girl with hugs and kisses for us all. My one regret is that her birth family will never know the blessing she is.

Having a Coke

2009-03-26T17:42:00.001-07:00

This is where I found her today! She pulls out all the drawers and climbs up and sits on the counters. Nothing gets in the way of something she is trying to get to. And I guess for her sake it is a good thing, but I never know where I will find her. Last week it was the bathroom sink; sitting in the sink eating toothpaste (children's of course).

Eating Strawberries

2009-03-07T14:05:00.001-08:00

She could really use a haircut about now, but I would like to let it grow.

New Turn of Events

2009-02-28T18:02:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a rough couple of weeks for us. In November of last year at Children's Hosp. in New Orleans we were given some good news about Naomi's leg and foot and thought she would be a good candidate for leg-legnthing ; but inspite of the good things about her condition it seems she is NOT a good candidate for that process to legnthen her leg . We have been to 3 other doctors to seek other opinions and it seems that amputation of the foot is the standard treatment for fibular hemimelia. We took a trip up to Shreveport Shriner's Hosp. to seek their opinion and it seems that legnthening will solve only one problem with her leg. We have been advised that amputation of her foot and fitting with a prothetic foot will give her the best mobiity and will be the least painful treatment. As hard as that news has been for us to accept with every Dr. visit we learn more about her condition and why amputation is recommended. The other route will take at least 4 operations and yet she would still have to wear a brace and still have a limp. We want the best mobility for her, the best functioning limb so she can walk, run, and even dance without limitations. Prothetics have come so far and if we do it while she is so young she will grow up not knowing anything else. Of course we did know this was a possiblity when we first accepted her referral but were hoping for another outcome.

We surely do need prayer for our family as we have been preparing our other girls for this. They do know about the plan now and even last night they both cried as we told them what we felt would be good for Naomi. It was so sad. We are set up for early August but if there is a cancellation we will take an earlier appt.

My Grandson Ayden

2009-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

My grandson Ayden is such a cutie pie and growing so fast.

Annazelle's First Birthday

2009-01-19T14:48:00.000-08:00

It was our granddaughter Annazelle's first birthday....and it was a wild time. She is adorable and loved that cake.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

2009-01-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here is Marissa reciting part of Psalm 23 ....her version.... so adorable. Be sure to mute my music below .

Orphan's Prayer

2009-01-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

I am waiting…somewhere far…far away
on the other side of the world.
I may not know who you are or what you look like
But some how deep in my heart I know you are out there.
That one day you will come and find me.
It’s a long journey, and it takes a lot of time…
I wish it could be easier.
But I know that the ones who come for me
will not count the cost.
They will only see the joy of finding me.
For now I abide in the fields of the fatherless.
Day by day wondering why I was born here
and not somewhere else?
Asking…why my life couldn’t have been different?
It is so lonely…Even though I am surrounded by
hundreds of other children,
I know that something is missing…
I know in my heart I need a place to call home.
My arms long to be wrapped in a father’s embrace…
I long to be saved by a mother’s love…
Gazing out the orphanage window I offer a
prayer of hope,“Oh God please help them
come quickly.”
Even as I lay in the darkness of each night
somehow I feel assured,
That no matter how lost I appear I am not alone.
Holy hands guard my steps; sacred fingers wipe
my tears, touching my lonely heart.
The one who made me,
The God that knew me before I was born
Hears me every time I call
He whispers His promises in my ear.
I listen with hope to His voice.
But what I worry about most is that no one wants to look for me.
The fields are vast and there are so many scattered all over the earth.
I wonder how one little child, so lost, can be found?
Yet He calms my heart and assures me that He will find you.
That He will make sure that you hear His voice clearly.
He has promised me that He will make a way through the fields,
That He will personally cut a path and lead you right to my orphanage door.

Christmas

2008-12-26T19:33:00.001-08:00

Naomi saying "I certainly do not want to see the guy in the red suit".

Christmas Eve and Smores/Sally

2008-12-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

The best part of this picture was the fun I had taking it. This was probably the 6th one and my 3 mth. old grandson Ayden is missing. I love it. And then Smores/Sally was a great hit this morning and I cannot wait to see the faces of my grandchildren. She is greatly loved. Marissa wants to call her Sally. I think it's a good name for a pony.

Christmas Blessings

2008-12-24T05:40:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Be sure to mute my music at the bottom before clicking to see the Smilebox. ENJOY!

Mom's Letter to Santa

2008-12-22T18:11:00.000-08:00

I found this letter to Santa and thought to share
it with you guys. Hilarious! Enjoy!

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed,
cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the
doctor's office more than my own doctor and sold
sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a
shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could
spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to
write this letter with my daughter's red crayon, on the
back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and
who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next
18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache
(in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms
that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong
enough to pull my screaming child out of
the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere
in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year
I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that
only plays adult music, a television that
doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking
animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind
the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll
that says, 'Yes, Mommy' to boost my parental
confidence,along with two kids who don't fight and
three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without
the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks
chanting 'Don't eat in the living room' and
'Take your hands off your sister,' because my voice
seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can
only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products,
I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my
hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food
warmer than room temperature without it being served in a
Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few
Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it
be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will
clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you
could coerce my children to help around the house without
demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized
crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and my
daughter saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think
she wants her crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to
leave your wet boots by the door and come in
and dry off so you don't catch a cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat
too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always,

MOM

IT'S SNOWING !!!!

2008-12-11T07:08:00.001-08:00

We woke up this morning to snow flurries and now a winter wonderland. The girls are so excited and run to the window every few minutes and exclaim LOOK! Naomi knows something special is going up and gets excited too. Can you believe snow down here in the deep south.

I'M A FURNITURE CLIMBING.........

2008-12-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas tree rearranging, banana eating, crib sleeping (YEAH), sister watching, book reading, crumb snatching, uh-oh! and more saying, daddy loving, computer using (trying to YIKES!),toilet water playing (ugh) ,adored by everyone, very busy little girl.

THANKSGIVING

2008-12-02T13:06:00.000-08:00

We had a houseful and it was wonderful. Naomi had her first taste of turkey and dressing. She loved the cranberry sauce and potatoes. She has been making herself at home and is interested in every nook and cranny of this house. Here she found the toilet paper. Her cup runneth over. LOL

IT'S A THREE RING CIRCUS

2008-11-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

People ask how Naomi is adjusting in our family and I'd have to say it's now a three ring circus. Funny how adding just one more can change the dynamics of a group. Naomi spends a lot of time watching us deal with Marissa who has quite a mind of her own. Observations: Naomi now can count to two while pointing her finger . She's learning the 1-2-3 approach we use to modify Marissa's behavior. Naomi starts fussing in the same tone I use while redirecting and restating my expectation for Marissa. hmmmm.....I'll have to work on that one. Mia on the other hand will have a career in law enforcement. Mia likes order and has a do it myself thing going on right now. She is even trying to use the 1-2-3 approach on Marissa. hmmmm.....I'll have to work on that one too. Naomi has learned where all the appliance manuels are and can even start the dishwasher with her pointy finger. We are ALL learning to shut the bathroom doors after Na-Na discovered with great delight the water in the toilet bowl. UGH!!!! I'm telling you the joy she had on her face the day she found out there is water in there.... We are loving it.

GOOD NEWS

2008-11-14T12:24:00.001-08:00

We are praising God for our good report at Children's Hospital on wednesday. We were told Naomi has 4 bones in her foot , even though only 3 toes and that her foot is stable and a strong leg bone with no weak areas. The bowing of her tibia may straighten out as she grows we were also told and most of her leg legnth difference is because of the bowing. We were not able to see her ankle bones well and will go back in 3 months for extensive xrays for that and to see how she progresses. She will be fitted with an AFO that slips into a shoe that will be built up . We are very excited to see that she will be walking in a few months and that her bones are good and strong. The doctor also said there were no other abnormalities in the pelvic region or her knees and there is growth plates at the base of the knee of her short leg.

Last night I was thanking God for every good thing about her leg and foot. She wants to walk so bad and can cruise about the furniture. She does try to stand independently but cannot get her balance yet. But, with the AFO she will be on her way . Praise God. She is such a darling child and her need so incredibly manageable.

FREEDOM

2008-11-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

This video is excellent and is widely watched on YouTube right now. It takes less than 2 minutes. Remember to turn off my music so you can hear.

Our New Baby

2008-10-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

It's what Marissa has been calling her lately. So cute! I hear "our new baby is ....." all day long. The girls just adore her and can't wait for her to wake up and play. Marissa now being the middle child is really leaving behind some of her baby ways and is enjoying being a big girl. Surprisingly they are able to play side by side even though there is clearly 3 years difference in their ages. It is a great match. Somedays when I look at Naomi I can hardly believe she is the same little person as the face on my blog , that I looked at a hundred times just waiting till we could travel to her. In my mind I thought somehow we would be denied on some flimsy explanation. But, she is real and she is here. We are so blessed and she is our joy.

My Beautiful Girls

2008-10-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

DH casually says to me last Sat. evening during church after he made a trip back home for some clean clothes because someone had an accident, "I had a thought" . Hmm...I said "What" "Maybe you ought to start the paperwork for the next one...." Hmm.. I said "I think our I171h is still good".....Hmm....NOT!!!! I know to quit when I'm ahead. But, seriously that is his heart. He would have a houseful if we thought we could live through it.

Home update

2008-10-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

Naomi is settling into her new home and loving it. At first I think she felt lost at times because our home is so much larger than she is accustomed to at the orphanage and especially than our hotel room. Of course I am busy cleaning and cooking and generally running around the house trying to get all things done. Sometimes she sees me flying by trying to accomplish wash or whatever and holds out her hands. I guess I could put her in the baby carrier and carry her with me , but she really likes being on the floor playing or exploring something. So for now I pick her up and TRY doing it onehanded. Sometimes it works, sometimes not..... I end up flying around the house while she is sleeping or intently playing. It's working fine and she fits in soooo well here. We are loving her and her sweet, calm nature. I can put her in her high chair with cheerios and she is fine. She went to our church last night for her first service and you should have heard all the oohs and awws. She loves people and of course will go to anyone having just come from the orphanage but she looks at me and wants back in my arms. (By the way , we are allowing others to hold her this week , but will actively practice attachment parenting by not encouraging this practice .) She is our first orphanage baby having 2 others in foster care and that was an entirely different experience. She is such a joy to us and we are so blessed .

We're Home

2008-10-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

Home never looked so good Sat night at about midnight. With 4 flights and a 1 hr. car ride home I think Naomi thought she would live the rest of her life in some kind of contraption. Honestly though she did very well on the 12 hr. flight home with our bulkhead seats (which at first I absolutely did not want) . She had room to get on the floor by my feet, but did not fit in the bassinet provided. Eating was a challenge but then the meals were not really fit to eat in any case. She has been such a joy and such an easy baby to care for , happy most of the time and easily consoled. Does she know I am her mom? Maybe just the best nanny she has ever had. She is not completly mobile but scoots along very well and yesterday stood up independently in the yard while Grant and the girls were playing "soccer" . She loves the girls and they just adore her , helping me and protecting her whenever they can. She fits just perfectly into our family. I just cannot believe how blessed we are. Thank you LORD!!

Pictures to follow this post.

More China Pictures

2008-09-28T18:55:00.001-07:00

More China Pictures

2008-09-28T18:39:00.001-07:00

The top photo is a picture of Inga and me and Naomi inside the meeting room of the orphanage. On our tour of the orphanage we were led into a very large meeting room with quite a few very large arm chairs and this beautiful chinese screen. Inga came with her mom and dad to help bring her little sister Elisa home.

Guangzhou and Red Sofa Group Picture

2008-09-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry to leave everyone hanging like this but Naomi has proved to be a velcro baby after all so I'll update from our travel day to Guangzhou. Sat. morning we flew out of Nanjing and into Guangzhou and the edges of a typhoon. The White Swan Hotel is situated on the Pearl River which overflowed it's banks and flooded several blocks one of which we had to wade in our walk to our Medical Examination. The water receeded quickly and even though several business flooded they were open promptly the next day. These pictures were across the street from our hotel.

More Cute Pictures

2008-09-21T04:04:00.000-07:00

Naomi gains stregnth everyday in her legs and pulled to a standing position today. We don't know if she was doing this in the orphanage but we have no pictures of it and she would not the first few days. She is a delightful child and we are enjoying her so much. We feel very blessed.

Happy Baby

2008-09-20T04:04:00.000-07:00

Naomi is becoming more relaxed and playful. She is a happy baby today.

Orphanage Visit

2008-09-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

We took the 3 hour ride to Wuxi Orphanage to see where Naomi has been for her entire life. The grounds were breathtakingly beautiful. Large trees and manicured gardens. The classrooms for the preschoolers were very bright with wooden tables and lots of crafts the children had done. We then went up the stairs to the nursery where Naomi had slept and the room she played in. It was such an emotion time for her to see her nannies again and the familiar nursery and I could see she was very confused. But, just the same I think good for her to see us interact with her caregivers and she saw that they approve of us. It seems the girls were more relaxed and settled on the bus ride back to the hotel. We also passed by our girl's finding spots and were able to take pictures. We then stopped briefly at a market and purchased a few gifts to be able to present to the girls from their home town.

It's Official

2008-09-16T23:44:00.000-07:00

Well it's official. She's ours and she is such a sweetheart. A very gentle, calm, sweet little girl. She loves to be held and cries when I put her down. She actually will let Grant hold her if I'm not in the room. She has not done much crying at all which is much different from Mia and Marissa who were both in foster care. We meet her nannies and they loved her so much . I think she was quite the favorite. We are calling her Princess Naomi. Her feet never touch the floor.

Naomi Here We Come

2008-09-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I am finished panicking AND packing and we will be off tomorrow at about noon. I think I am finally have everything ready for us to leave for 2 weeks. We will receive Naomi on tue. and then fly to Guangzhou the following tue. to finish the paperwork. I hope it will still be warm enough to swim as that is Grant's favorite thing to do with the girls and aids in bonding so much.

I talked with Mia last night about coming to her school and sharing our trip to China and explaining a bit about the one-child policy. She has tried to explain it , but has only a basic grasp still. I think it will be a great way to help her classmates understand that I AM THE REAL MOM!!!! At open house the other day one little boy came up to me and said "so you got her from China." He was not being rude or anything , just curious. I am going to bring lots of pictures and some of our souvernirs to share. SO .....my next post should be from China.......

Travel Dates

2008-09-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

Yikes! We leave in only 4 days. Still working on our airline tickets and starting on my first pack! LOL! Our CA is on Sept. 25th. I can't believe it is finally here. It was such a long wait and then rush, rush at the end. Naomi Tao Xuan here we come !

TRAVEL APPROVAL

2008-08-30T05:56:00.000-07:00

HOORAY! Travel Approval arrived late last night. We will have more details later on our actual travel days. But, here is a new picture. She looks so healthy. Praise God.

Marissa's love bugs

2008-08-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

My Beautiful Girls

2008-08-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Heather and Addison our first grandchild.
Marissa at our front door
Mia at the Children's Museum
My beautiful first born Courtney and granddaughter Annazelle Joy

Still Waiting for Travel Approval

2008-08-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

OK! I'm getting a little antsy waiting for Travel Approval. Sent off for our Visa's and we are talking about what to do during our downtime before we receive Naomi Tao Xuan. Actually talked with our travel agent and he was so funny. Saying we need to do all our fun stuff before we get baby. I told him with 2 other little ones at home having one was going to be a vacation!!!! He just laughed. I am actually looking forward to just being with my hubby for a couple of days by ourselves. Grant is so good on these trips to fetch our girls. It is so wonderful to work together to make something so wonderful come about. It is such a special time for us as a couple to receive our daughters into our life. We are almost there!!!!

IF I PACK WILL IT COME? Travel Approval?

2008-08-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I decided to pack a few days ago.....BUT, now I am wondering if I even have the right clothes for late Sept. early Oct. In fact we first started this journey July 4, 2007, matched with Xi, Tao Yan (Malia) in Sept07 , thought we might even travel in March 08. So much for MY plans. We had such a wake-up call when our precious Malia passed away in the orphanage. (You can read about it in my other blog www.journeytomalia.blogspot.com) Matched again in May with Xi, Tao Xuan. So now we wait for Travel Approval. SO many thoughts are going through my head. Am I ready? Are my girls ready for another sister? What else do I need to do? Will anything fit? How will she grieve?.....And yet excitement too....We're really going back to China! Can't wait to hold this little one in my arms.....ahhhh! It's going to be so good.

Hi Naomi

2008-08-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Naomi, We are 2 of your big sisters waiting for mom and dad to come get you. We have lots of toys, and books and clothes just waiting for you. We even have some shoes and blankets and lots of Cinderella dress up clothes and a 12 Dancing Princesses DVD that we can watch and learn to dance. We can't wait for you to get here. Hurry Up!!

IT'S HERE!!!!

2008-08-02T04:30:00.000-07:00

It's Here! It's Here !

We received a email from our agency last night at 9:25 that our Letter of Seeking Confirmation has arrived from CCAA. Yeah! Naomi here we come. Your mama and baba are coming for you. We are doing the snoopy dance over here!!! We expect travel to be in 4-6 weeks.

Mia and Marissa's Dance

2008-07-30T18:14:00.001-07:00

Anyone know what it says?

2008-07-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

This scroll was purchased at Mia's Adoption in 2003 and I just adore the picture.
Hoping it says something really meaningful and about children.
Can anyone help me out with the translation. Click on the picture to enlarge.

Photo Album in China

2008-07-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

I am waiting rather impatiently for MY phone call from my agency with some good news about our LOSC that is the Letter of Seeking Confirmation asking me if after all this time and energy and waiting I do still want to adopt Xi, Tao Xuan. Can you imagine saying anyone saying nope-changed my mind. But, seriously perhaps people do change their mind or find out more information about the child they petitioned for or perhaps their circumstances changed drastically.

Last week I sent to my agency a SASSY PICTURE BOOK with our pictures and the girls also so she can see her mama and baba. I get tears in my eyes just thinking about how the nannys could be right this minute telling her about us. Amazing. They will use it to talk to her and prepare her for us. Just the same I am sure she will cry and miss her nanny and the only home she has ever known. My mind goes back to the day we met Mia and how scared and small she was and how much she cried. We were so happy and she so sad. And that is how it is for some and for a while, after the grieving process they get happy---after all they have a mom and dad all to themselves showering love and lots of food and hey, life gets good for them.

No Real News

2008-07-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

Well we do not have any real news yet on our adoption of Xi, Tao Xuan but several families with our agency received great news yesterday. Just wish it was us. I am encouraged that it may not be too much longer because we were already preapproved for Malia and do not have to wait for our dossier to be reviewed. I did call my agency and they have written a letter asking for our case to be expeditated , but it's anyone's guess if it will be so. But , just the same we are preparing to travel sometime in Sept. Which is also the same month our adult daughter Heather is due to deliver our first grandson Aiden. YEAH!!!! She will be needing help and I would like to be there to help her.

Encouragement

2008-06-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

It's wonderful when God gives you some signs along the journey that "yes" you are on the path that He has laid out for you. After the loss of our dear Malia Tao Yan we excitedly accepted the match of Naomi Tao Xuan . While we were reviewing her file and waiting for a very short video of her we of course were praying and asking God "Is she the one". Now I was in love with her beautiful face but we all know that with special need children we need to be comfortable with their need and feel that we can meet it. And so in the middle of one sleepless night a few weeks ago I was asking the Lord to show me and I picked up my bible that was in the kitchen. Now this bible is one that is not in the best condition and so I had it put away, but apparently it found it's way onto the table. I picked it up and out fell a few pages. I hastly picked them up and proceeded to stuff the maps pages back into it's place and then looked at the other pages that fell out and would you believe the section that was ripped out was in II Samuel 9. It is the part where David asks if there is anyone from the house of Saul that he could show kindness to. And then Mephibosheth who was lame in his feet was brought to the palace. I just about jumped up and down in delight over this sign. So God you are really in all of this!!!! I am so amazed at HIS PLAN, that is not my plan at all.

The next thing God showed me has to do with Naomi's diagnosis. I was looking at what her diagnosis is call Fibular Hemimelia and doing some research on the internet. And so I have had to type it in several times and while typing it I felt like the Lord said look at the ending. MELIA Naomi has Malia's name in her condition. That is heavy. God knows the end from the beginning.

Today at church I showed Naomi's picture to a friend I had not seen in a couple of weeks . During worship she came to me and said she was teaching on the book of Ruth and studying the part where Naomi tells Ruth to go down to the threshing floor and ask Boaz to be her kindsmen redeemer. And then he spreads his garment over her FEET.

I am just amazed at God's ability to get my attention at this point. LOL So God is in the details , yes. You can read about our loss of Malia at www.journeytomaliacampbell.blogspot.com We will not forget her.

Moving forward

2008-06-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

Well, our LOI is now at CCAA and we wait rather impatiently for the timeframe to bring our precious little one home. It's anyone's guess what CCAA will do now that we are matched with Xi, Tao Xuan. We are hoping for a travel before the Olympics but I'm thinking after is more probable. The little girls and my big girls are excited about finally having a little one in the house but Mia still says she misses Malia and wants to call the new baby Malia. It is so hard for them to understand what has happened but it has given us new opportunities to talk about heaven and God's plan for us and also how we have to trust in God and His plans.

Introducing Xi , Tao Xuan

2008-05-31T15:20:00.000-07:00

We've been matched again with a 12 mth. old from Wuxi Orphanage in Jiangsu Province.