Our Year in Review/Pictures

I'm back!!  Yes, I know... I've been an absentee blogger. I've only managed to post here on the blog about 4 times since January.  I was doing ok blogging before then and since Emmee and Ruby came home, but I think all the busy-ness and stress and adjustments of having 2 new little people in the family caught up with me about Christmas time.  

Truth be told, it has been really hard this time around.  The girls have been great, and have adjusted well!  It isn't them. I have just been a bit overwhelmed with the sheer numbers of little ones and each of their differing needs. Now before you start slamming me because I should've known what I was getting into and I chose to adopt, I'm really not complaining or regretting anything.  I am just stating fact.  It would be wonderful if everything about adoption was easy peasy.  But it isn't. There is so much good in adopting, and I believe all my children are amazing blessings!  But I have a lot on my plate...5 little girls who require most of my time.  Plus I try to make sure that the boys are participating in all of the activities they want to and getting their fair share of my time as well. I had been feeling pretty down, stressed, and overwhelmed for awhile.  I barely have had time to do anything for myself, let alone sit down and blog. That's my excuse for not blogging anyway.  :)  

I didn't  mean to go on about all that, and I am doing much better now.  Actually, getting away for a few days at the beginning of May when I attended the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit 9 with my awesome friend Wendy, was a good break for me and rejuvenating. 

But this was not what this blog post was supposed to be about.  I wanted to try to get caught up a bit and share some pictures of the last year.  So here goes...  

 Last year at this time, we had just gotten our tickets booked and were leaving in a few weeks. I cannot believe how fast this last year has gone by!  We spent the 4th of July playing a little, but mostly packing and preparing for Daniel and I to leave for China on the 13th.

  Daniel and I enjoyed the beauty of Hong Kong, 

and then we finally arrived in China.

 Hong Kong Airport

 Ruby's Province

After the whirlwind of traveling through 3 provinces in China during the course of just 5 days (whew!) and having 2 awesome gotcha days, we finally had the girls and they were doing great!   

And despite one big hiccup when we were trying to get home, we finally made it home safely!

August 1, 2012

Here's a few of my favorite pictures of the kids from the last 11 months:

All my love bugs together.

August 2012

October 2012 

November 2012

December 2012

 January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

Easter 2013

May 2013

Toria started walking!!!

June 2013

The most recent group picture of the girls. Have you noticed how much Emmee's hair has grown back?  Look back through the pics again.  :)

Oh don't forget the newest members of the family.  

Lily and Daisy came in January.  So sweet.

They've grown a bunch.

Are these girls a kick or what?! No matter how hard it has been the last few months, every single one of them is so very worth it.

I wouldn't trade 'em.

Summit 9

Well hello!  It's me here! Yea, the one that used to post here at least kind of regularly for the last few years.  I've been a bit absent from bloggy land lately.  It's not that I don't want to be here.  It's just truly that I have not had any time. Really, none!  

The last  9 months have just about kicked my butt. Having 9 children at home is busy, and the 5 girls really keep me going.  All of the girls except Madalyn are in school, and I thought that would make it a little easier, but it has almost made it busier.  The good news is they are all doing well and enjoying school a lot. We are super happy with Anna and Victoria's school, and Ruby is actually over there with them now.  Emmee is attending school about 25 miles away, which makes for a long day for her, but she is doing pretty well with it.  Still, getting everyone dressed and fed and ready in the mornings is alot of work and I'm almost ready to go back to bed by the time I'm done.  Lol    

I'm sitting here in Nashville waiting to board my flight back to Colorado.  It is delayed (but thankfully not cancelled which is how I started this trip), so I thought I'd write a few things.  

I was blessed to have the privilege to attend Summit 9 for the last 2 days, which is put on by the Christian Alliance for Orphans.  This is the 9th summit conference (hence the 9), and there were over 2500 people attending!  It was AMAZING!  What's really cool is that the first Summit had only 39 people in attendance.  How amazing what God has done in just the last few years!  God is moving friends!  God most definitely has a heart for orphans and it is so wonderful to see how many people are responding to His call.  

Just walking into the church sanctuary the first day getting to worship the Lord you could just feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and knew He was there.  And in a big way!  Got to listen to people like Peter Eide, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Jimmy Wayne, Nicole Mullen, and David Platt! And more!  Everyone had their own moving story concerning orphans or adoption or the like.   

Hopefully I can share more about what happened there and what I learned.  I especially enjoyed spending time with my friend Wendy and meeting new people like Amy and her beautiful family who were so hospitable and let us invade their house!  Love Love Love seeing other adoptive families and especially their sweet kiddos.  

Nashville and the surrounding area is truly beautiful as well.  My pictures aren't the greatest but I will leave you with them anyway.  Fixing to board my flight.  I would appreciate any prayers for safety and a smooth flight.  Thanks!

 Coming into Nashville

 Brentwood Baptist Church - this place is enormous!

 Stephen Curtis Chapman

David Platt

Did You Know

Christ has no body on earth but YOURS.

No hands but yours.

No feet but yours.

 Yours are the eyes through which... 

Christ's compassion for the world is to look out.

 Yours are the feet with which He is to go

 about doing good.

And yours are the hands with which He is to 

bless us now.

Saint Teresa of Avila 

How will you be His hands 

and feet today?

World Down Syndrome Day 2013

Today, March 21st, is World Down Syndrome Day.  March 21st was chosen because of the numbers 3/21.  People with Down syndrome have 3 copies of the 21st chromosome.  This is a day to raise awareness for people with Down syndrome and inform people what Down syndrome is really all about.  

There are many stereotypes about Down syndrome.  Most are myths and just plain not true.  I want to help people understand that my daughters are more like everyone else than they are different.  They have hopes, desires, and dreams just like you. They have a broad range of feelings and emotions just like you do. How I wish the world could see our children the way we do!  That they are beautiful and amazing and loved tremendously. They may seem different. But aren't we all different...each in our own way?  

My girls are just regular little girls. They play, laugh, cry, throw temper tantrums, and get into trouble. They like cookies and pizza, jumping on the trampoline, ice cream and playing at the park among many other things.  :) This is who they are...

Precious and tiny and sweet.  

I AM HERE!

Kissable.  

I AM LOVED BY MY COUSINS!

The baby of the family. 

 I AM A LITTLE SISTER!

Red, white and blue. 

I AM PATRIOTIC!

Many surgeries.  

I AM A SURVIVOR!

Afraid of loud fireworks.  

I AM A NORMAL LITTLE KID!

Get into things I'm not supposed to.

I AM MESSY!

Hard work to reach my developmental milestones.

I AM DETERMINED!

New sisters.

I AM WORTH TRAVELING 10 THOUSAND MILES FOR! 

Abandoned, neglected, alone.

I AM STRONG ANYWAY! 

Orphans no more.

I AM NOT ALONE ANYMORE!

Sisters

I AM ADORABLE!

Funny faces.

I AM SILLY!

Adoption

I AM CHOSEN!

Giggles

I AM FUNNY!

Sightseeing

I AM A TRAVELER!

More beautiful cousins. :)

I AM AN AMERICAN NOW!

Big brother.

I AM HUG-ABLE!

Family

I AM HOME!

Signing "bird".

I AM SMART!

Highest slide at the park.

I AM DARING!

School

I AM A STUDENT!

 

Creative

I AM FUN!

Sad...tears

I AM FULL OF FEELINGS!

Hmmm...

I AM FULL OF ATTITUDE!

 My lil' sis.

I AM SWEET!!!

Pretty girls.

I AM LOVED!!

Our children with Down syndrome have been one of the biggest blessings in our life. I hope you can see a little bit more of why now.  :)  

Happy World Down Syndrome Day 2013!!!!