All I Want for Christmas Is . . .

A Sprinter Paratransit Minibus!

Why, you ask do I want such a big expensive vehicle?  

1. There will be a day in the not so distant future that I will not be able to transfer Jacob in and out of our van. 

2.  I am not looking forward to loading and unloading his wheelchair onto the back of our van in the freezing cold snow this winter.  But I will keep doing it until I am in the grave if I have to because I love him that much!

3.  This vehicle will allow us to love 2-3 more children!!  We currently have a 12 passenger van and we have 12 people in our family.  I do a lot with the kids by myself and need to be able to transport them all in one vehicle.

My God is big and I find it a joy to serve him by loving his children, as many as I possibly can. Darren and I are confident that we were created for just a time as this to serve. It is such a blessing to see the miracles God provides for us.  A van such as this would most definitely be a miracle! God is good all the time!

Top Ten Things My Children Have Taught Me - #10

I have been thinking a lot about my kids and how my faith has been increased since they entered my life so I thought I would write down the top ten.

 

 

#10

NEVER use the words "CAN'T" or "WILL NEVER" to describe my kids
 

Remember this little guy?  At 10 months old he weighed nine pounds.  We were told he may not live long enough to complete the adoption and bring him home.

 

 

This little guy should have a visual impairment, hearing impairment, feeding tube, seizures, never walk, never talk,  and have very low cognitive ability.   Shhhh!!!  Don't tell Jacob though he didn't get that memo!

Jacob didn't just live he is LIVING!!

 

 

 

 

Jacob is WALKING!!!!

 

 

 

 

Jacob is TALKING!!!



For the last two weeks during speech therapy Jacob has used his Dynavox to make independent purposeful choices.  Two weeks ago when it was time for his therapist to leave, Jacob, using his Dynavox, told his therapist goodbye.  This is a regular routine, but what he did next was all on his own!!  He then chose "I don't want you to go" and then "I want a hug"!!!  SERIOUSY!!!  He is already hitting on girls! 

Last week he was in therapy and my parents walked in the house for a visit.  Jacob immediately, using his Dynavox, told his therapist he was done.  He then navigated page to page and chose the picture for "FAMILY". 

Don't tell Jacob "HE WILL NEVER WALK"  or "HE CAN'T TALK" 

I think I will erase those phrases from my vocabulary

 

 

I could give many more examples of my kids defying the odds.  Want to know why I believe in miracles?  It's actually really simple.  I have a house full of living breathing miracles!  How could I not?



Reflecting Back

During my morning walk I was reflecting back on my life.  I don't have many regrets in life.  However, I do have one major regret that changed the course of my life.   My biggest regret was leaving the music program in college.  That one decision lead to many bad choices over several years.  I had a person that I trusted give me bad counsel.  I stopped singing.  I sold my flute.  Pretty much left music forever.  I regret letting that person influence me to walk away from a gift that God had given me to use for his glory.  I have regretted that decision almost daily to the point where I still have not fully recovered.  I let it take away one of the biggest joys I had in worship.   I still to this day cannot bring myself to sing.  Besides singing in the pew at church my voice is only heard in my head.  If I had a do over in life that is the one decision I would want to change.

I think I am talking about this now because two of my girls have been given beautiful natural gifts by God.  They are at an age now that they are wanting to develop those gifts more.  I don't want that joy to be stolen.  I am praying that God provides the finances needed for them to pursue their gifts. I am praying that God puts encouragers in their life to walk along with them.  I am praying that they never loose sight of the beautiful gift God has given them.  I am praying that they use those gifts for God's glory and worship. 

PLEASE DON'T LET SOMEONE TAKE AWAY YOUR GIFTS AND JOY

A Day in the Life of ME

Thought it would be fun to write snippets from a day in the life of ME! 

Grateful this morning the kids let me sleep to 7:00a.m.  WOOHOO!!!  Jacob has been congested so I have been "trying" to sleep on the couch holding him. 

Breakfast to everyone then clean table and floors.  Who knew such a mess could be made by eating a bowl of cereal.

Tried feeding Jacob but he was just not ready yet.  Changed diapers and put kids on potty.

Chatted online with three different adoptive moms all at the same time.  LOVE FACEBOOK MESSAGING!!

Therapist number #1 came and spent an hour and a half working with two kids.  While therapist was here Durable Medical Equipment company calls to apologize because they screwed up AGAIN!!  The are getting parts on order ASAP. 

Isaac falls down and scraps up his nose and gets a small cut. 

Therapist leaves, time to eat lunch.

Therapist number #2 arrives and spends two hours working with kids.  Meantime I am teaching younger kids in school room.

During all of this I am going back and forth helping two older girls with their school work.

Have heart to heart talk with child who has lied to me AGAIN.

Therapist leaves. Clean the kitchen from lunch.  Jacob finally eats something.

I run down to the pharmacy to pick up Jacob's food, which I was supposed to do on Friday but forgot :)

Child needs blood work done but that will have to wait until tomorrow.  Ran out of time today

Finally get a shower.  I won't tell you how many days it has been.

Hubby gets home. WOOHOO

Start dinner.

Dinner and celebrate Faith's birthday

Take daughter to church

Got Jacob to eat again.

Bath for little ones and put to bed.

Pick up daughter from church

Put rest of kids to bed.

Jacob ate again and put to sleep.

Worked on paperwork for three kids who need additional services.


Maybe tomorrow I can write down all the odd things that were said in our house.

Family Changes Everything

This is our Sera's referral video from 2009.  It breaks my heart when I watch it.  She was a very sad little girl.   She had been brought to the orphanage by her birth mother.  It was obvious that Sera had not been touched often.  She pulled away and cried when someone went to touch her.  She was very malnourished.

What breaks my heart even more is to think about what her life would have been had she not been "REDEEMED" through adoption.   Without corrective eyeglasses Sera could only see 4 inches in front of her.  She also had seven fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot.   Sera would have been considered "WORTHLESS" .    Sera's future would have been alone begging on the streets.

BUT

 

A

 

FAMILY

 

CHANGES

 

EVERYTHING
 

 

 *Photography by Nina Mullins Photography

 

 

Sera has a long road ahead of her.  We have no idea what her health will look like in the future.  She has a progressive kidney disease which could potentially lead to double kidney failure.  She will also continue to loose her vision.  There are so many unknowns in her future.  However, there is one thing that she will always have . . . .

 

FAMILY

 

WALKING

 

BESIDE

 

HER

 

ALL

 

THE

 

WAY

More Pictures from Photo Shoot

Are you ready for more pictures from the photo shoot???? 

 

 

 

All of these pictures were taken by Sandra Dee's Photography

 

 

 

GRACE

Grace now has a modeling facebook page.  Please stop by and "like" her page.

 

 

 

 

 

Miranda

 

 

 

 

Miranda now has a modeling facebook page.  Please stop by and "like" her page.

 

 

 

 

The Makeover

A year and a half ago I walked into a dental clinic with my newly adopted daughter. She was from Ethiopia, spoke zero English, and had a mouth full of rotten teeth. When the dentist walked out with my daughter I thought "WOW! she is beautiful, I can't believe she is a dentist". Then she started talking to me about my daughter, then I thought "WOW!! she really loves her patients". She really took a great interest in making my daughter feel comfortable, pain free, and beautiful. After all the dental work was complete my daughter said to me in her broken English, "I so happy, my mouth no hurting". My daughter also said, "my doctor so pretty". That beautiful caring Dentist is Dr. Misee Harris. Dr. Harris gave our daughter her smile back but God was not done with Dr. Harris and our family.

Fast forward to the present. One of my daughters has always wanted to be a model. Her 13th birthday was coming up and I had told her that we would not even consider modeling until she was thirteen. She shares a birth date with one of her sisters. We had been so busy with medical issues with some of our children and the recent adoption of two more children I wanted to treat my big girls to something special. That is where Dr. Misee Harris enters into our lives once again. Who would have thought? Misee Harris was giving away a shopping spree, makeover, and photo shoot. She chose my girls!!!!

We shopped and shopped until the mall closed.

 

 

 

They got a makeover!

 

 

 

Then the photo shoot . . .

Photography by Sandra Dee's Photography

 

 

I know you want to see more pictures but you will just have to wait :)  I have something more important to tell you about right now. 

 

Dr. Misee Harris is now a friend to me and a mentor to my girls.  As an adoptive mom of children of different races, it is important to me and my children for them to have role models of their own skin color and of other skin colors.  For many years society has told us that we are not all equal.  This is beginning to change and I want my girls to see women of all skin colors as the successful and beautiful persons that God intended. 

 

It is also important that persons of all colors be represented on television and print equally.  It is important for my children.  I am so proud of Misee Harris and her quest to be the first Bachelorette with darker skin.  It is important to my girls to see a young woman of their same skin color going after their dreams.  Wouldn't it be great to see multi-racial dating presented in a good light?  Or even better to see more multi-racial families represented in the media.  If you would like to follow Dr. Misee Harris' quest to become the first Bachelorette with beautiful brown skin follow her Facebook page, Misee Harris 4 The Black Bachelorette.

Lifesong "Mission Moment"

Faith. Family. Home.In caring for orphans, our hope is to instil faith, family and a sense of home deep into the hearts of every child we are blessed to serve. Please enjoy this month's Mission Moment highlighting the fruit of God's work through us.

Baptized in the Name of the ONE True God...

In a country where the worship of many gods is commonplace, lives of children are being changed and transformed by the working of Jesus Christ, the ONE true God. Lifesong India provides homes for almost 600 children who are all being exposed to the gospel of our loving, merciful and kind Father God.
Baptism has always been a powerful symbol of Christianity. This symbol is especially notable in this culture because through this outward testimony of faith, children are publicly turning away from false gods to rely only on Jesus! Witness the baptism of the girls from one of our homes below. Learn more about Lifesong India >>

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38 

Building Children's Home in Guatemala

It's exciting to see the progress of our new orphan care initiative in Guatemala. Construction has started on the family homes that will one day invite orphans with special needs into their doors to give faith, family and a future to children in need. Thanks to many of you for your support in this exciting new project!

Please continue to pray for safety and wisdom as construction continues. Learn more about Lifesong Guatemala: Village of Hope >>

Read more about Faith, Family & Home...

Orphans in Ukraine Find Forever Families -- Through Adoption with Borders, like-minded families and churches in the USA connect with Christian families in Ukraine who are seeking to adopt.  Read Full Story

Planting Spiritual Seeds in Liberia -- Our aim is to help children develop a personal relationship with the Lord and to keep that relationship growing.  Read Full Story

Mehesh, A Life Changed -- "I don't want to think about what my life would be like if I didn't have the opportunity to live at that home (Chitty Memorial Home in Lifesong India)..." Read full story

Help Reece's Rainbow win $50,000

We have two children with Down Syndrome through adoption. We are so grateful to Reece's Rainbow and their ministry to help orphans with Down Syndrome.

This beautiful young lady has written a song about her siblings with Down Syndrome. She wants to donate $50,000 to help more children with Down Syndrome to find families.  If she gets 700,000 hits on her video she wins $50,000 for Reece's Rainbow. You can read more about her quest to win $50,000 for Reece's Rainbow HERE.

Early Birthday Surprise

Today Grace and Miranda got an early birthday surprise.  Grace has been asking about modeling for a couple of years.  I told her we would not even discuss it until she turned 13.  Well, next week she turns THIRTEEN!!!  Honestly,  not ready to be the mother of a teenager but I guess it is inevitable. 

Today she got a HUGE early birthday surprise!!

 

 

and everyone needs someone to share a special moment with so....

 

 

 

Thank you Misee Harris!!  You can follow Misee's facebook page "Misee Harris 4 The Black Bachelorette".  Dr. Harris is an amazing young woman and I am so blessed that God placed her in our path.  She is a great role model for our young girls.

Stuck

Blogging Again!!

We have been really busy adjusting to our new home and our new babies.  I needed to take a break for a few months but I am back.   Our new babies are doing great!