How He Loves Us

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

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

Orthopedic Surgeon Speaks

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

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

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

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.