Will You Dare?

I put this video together for the Angel Tree kiddos on Reece's Rainbow...hoping to help with donations or finding a family for at least one of them.  As with most things, it took me forever and I am a little too late for it to do much good this year.  But I'm hoping it might still make a difference to one child.  

Just like the story of the starfish, if it makes a difference to one or helps one child find a family...it is worth it!  I hope you will consider adoption in 2013, but if not, will you help a child by donating toward their adoption grant?  There is no shortage of families that want to adopt.  Just a shortage of funds to do it.  Every penny you donate helps tremendously!  That is a fact I can personally attest to.  :)  Hope you enjoy the video.   

Boden

This is Boden. He is 5 years old and he has Down syndrome.  He lives in a pretty good orphanage in a certain Asian country and needs a family!  

I'm trying to raise money for this sweet little dude. I am his Christmas Angel Tree warrior.  He is listed on Reece's Rainbow and is available for adoption.  I want to be able to raise at least $1000 for his grant account by Christmas.  There are many many families who want to adopt children with DS, but unfortunately the super expensive costs of international adoption are what stands in the way of these kids coming home.  What better gift can you give this Christmas than the life saving gift of helping a child come home?!   Remember, if you donate through RR it is tax deductible!!

Also, I want people all over the world to be praying specifically that a family will step forward to adopt him and love him forever.  :) 

 

I would love to hear from anyone who might be interested in adopting him.  I do have one other photo of him, so send me a message if you want more info...

 

Happy National Adoption Day!

Today is National Adoption Day.  

Here are the faces of adoption in our home and family.  Not every face you will see in these pictures is adopted.  However, everyone in these pictures have had their lives touched by adoption.  

And that is so cool!  

To all our children...especially the ones who are adopted:  We love you so very much and our life has been forever changed because of you. Thank God He gave us the privilege to love you forever!

Perfection

Here's a little video I made to celebrate Down syndrome awareness month.  Our girls are amazing little blessings and super cute, too.  We could not imagine our life without Down syndrome.  :)   Hope you enjoy it as much as I did putting it together.  

Parks and Pictures

I haven't been much of a blogger lately.  Well, I haven't been much of anything really...except a very busy mom with 9 kids at home, six of whom are under the age of 6.  :)   That explains it I guess.

Truth be told, I have been somewhat overwhelmed with everything lately. The last 2 1/2 months I've struggled a bit thinking I'd taken on too much or I just couldn't handle what I've been given.   :( 

This adoption has had a rough adjustment. Much much harder than any of our other adoptions.  Don't get me wrong, I love having all these little ones.  We feel completely blessed and lucky to have every single one of them!

But it has been tough.

It is not the girls themselves. They are great and seem to be adjusting amazingly well!  It's just the fact that we have so many "littles".  

When we brought Anna and Victoria home 2 years ago, it was BUSY!  It took us a good 6-8 months to feel like we were back to "normal".  This time we are just 3 months in, and the adjustment is definitely much harder. 

There is just not enough time in the day to get everything done.  And I mean that literally.  I know most people feel that way with 2 kids. I felt that way myself before as well -- when I had just 5 boys, or when we had 6 boys and one sweet little girl with health issues.  I am finding it hard to get anything done except the basic and immediate needs.  Lol

I pretty much cook meals, clean up after said meals, change diapers/go potty, get kids dressed and cleaned up, and try to find an activity to keep them occupied. Then it's time for the next meal where I again serve up 6 little plates, etc.  And on and on it goes.

Evenings tend to be alot harder as everyone is usually tired and cranky and we are juggling sports practices and homework as well.  :)  But I am thankful for the great husband I have who is super helpful getting kids ready for bed and most nights gets them into bed as well.

Well, enough of that boring stuff.  It is not all bad!  God has been working on me and I am trying to make sure I do it all as unto the Lord.   :)   And I do know it will get easier.  Right?

I am happy to say that we managed to get to the park today.  It was Ruby and Emmee Ai's first time and I think they had a pretty good time.  And I managed to get a few good pictures with my new lens. Yay!

Madalyn had a blast!  She was off and running everywhere.

So were the boys!!

Sorry... no pictures of Anna and Toria this time.  They weren't with us because they were at school and on a field trip visiting the pumpkin patch!  :)  

Next time a little update on all the kids....

Happy 2 Years Gotcha

Gotcha Day October 14, 2010

 Town where the girls' orphanage was.  Thought the sign was cool.  

The orphanage

 Look how tiny Toria looks.  She is so sweet!!!

Our post from Oct 14, 2010...read it here:  :)

http://bringinghomeourgirls.blogspot.com/2010/10/we-got-em.html

These girls have been amazing since day one.  

Happy Gotcha Day 2 years girls!!  We love you more than words can say!!