Luke's First Day of School!

Today Luke started preschool. He did GREAT! Here are a couple cute pics as he was getting ready for his big day. "Big" brother Blair rode the bus with him, and showed him the ropes.

I got a makeover!

Okay, well not me personally (I wish!), but thanks to wonderful, gracious, exceedingly helpful Lu, my blog got a makeover! Thank you, Dear Lu!

Adventures at the mall...

So, the kids' orthotics came today and it was time to go shoe shopping! I decided to trek out to the mall with all the kids in tow (minus older son who is spending the night with his grandparents) and get it all done in one shot. The plan was: get each of the younger ones a pair of shoes that fit with their orthotics, treat everyone to an Auntie Anne's pretzel, zip through Target, and the grand finale....Starbucks for mommy! Well, we successfully got 4 pairs of shoes and it wasn't an easy task with 2 little boys with super wide feet without the orthotics. The store was having a sale, so we did pretty well I think! (I did have to laugh when the salesgirl asked if all the kids were mine. Did she think I was crazy enough to bring other people's kids shoe shopping?) We then got our yummy and somewhat sticky treat (come on, you have to get the cinnamon sugar pretzels!), and then to Target. I knew our moments were numbered in Target so we worked as quickly as possible, but in the end I had to forgo the Starbucks:( Oh well, maybe next time.

Adoption Myth #1: You have to be wealthy to adopt

As it is National Adoption Month, I thought I would post about some myths that people believe about adoption. I have adopted enough times to know that the above myth is untrue. However, a lot of people believe this, and it is often what prohibits families from truly considering adoption. I have recently had three different people ask me if I was wealthy or if I had won the lottery when we discussed our large adoptive family. I said I did feel like I won the lottery, but certainly not in a financial sense!

I do find it ironic that so many will react the way they do to the cost of an adoption. $20,000! What? Yet, they don't blink an eye about signing for a loan for a $40,000 SUV or a mortgage on a $250,000 house. Material possessions hold no eternal value, and they can be destroyed by fire, accident, flood. How does one put a price tag on a human life; a living, breathing, precious life? Is there any cost too high to ransom the life of your child?

I do understand that looking at those numbers is intimidating. We have never looked at the estimated cost of one our international adoptions and said "oh heck, we'll just withdraw that from our millions in the bank"! Often it does require sacrifice. We have cut back on expenses, taken loans, gotten grants, fundraised, used tax returns and bonuses, and we have been given gifts. The bottom line is that God always provides the necessary funds, and often in ways we don't expect. I truly believe that if God is asking you to step out in faith and do something (like adopting) that He will provide the means for you to do it. It has been my experience that He doesn't usually reveal how it will all come together in advance, and sometimes it feels like just in the nick of time. He is aware of the need though, before we even express it to Him, and He knows how it will all work out.

My heart breaks...

anytime I see the picture of a waiting child, but especially those little ones who are truly in desperate need of a family. Look at this beautiful little girl! Little Lera is in Russia and in desperate need of a family. She is facing imminent transfer to an institution where she can NOT be adopted. She needs a family willing to commit to her NOW! Please pass on her information to anyone you think may be interested. She has a $5,000 grant and more information is available, please contact Andrea at: bamaroberts@comcast.net.

UPDATE! LERA HAS A FAMILY!!!!!

Why Wouldn't I?

Our Christmas Angel!

As my blog followers know, we found our precious Luke & Irina through an amazing ministry named Reece's Rainbow. This year we have committed to help fundraise for one of the waiting children. Look at Paul J (he is the button on the sidebar)! Isn't he adorable? He is in desperate need of a mommy and daddy to call his own. So many families would love to adopt, but the cost seems out of their reach. I know the grant money we received was essential to complete our adoption. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Reece's Rainbow, and pray that next Christmas Paul J. will be home with his forever family!

Plight of the Orphan

My Barrel of Monkeys

I found these adorable monkey costumes and had to get them for the 3 youngest kids. I kept trying to figure out how to make the double stroller a barrel when it dawned on me that I should be the barrel! Everyone at our church harvest carnival found it quite appropriate...especially as I spent most of the time there chasing down my monkeys that got lose...

Look What I Can Do!

I feel like my posts have been a little lopsided, and I promise my next one will have some pictures of my handsome Luke! Poor guy had dental surgery today and was a real trooper! In the meantime, I am so proud of Ms. Irina who is now feeding herself with a spoon! Look at my sweet pea in action!

My TOTs...

That's code for: Trio of Terror!:) They are cute though, aren't they? Oh, and this was taken before Irina broke her brand new glasses. Sigh. Everyone got fitted for their orthotics today, so in a few weeks we get to go shoe shopping, which is always a challenge trying to get shoes for 4 kids that fit with the orthotics, including 2 boys with wide feet.....

A Love Story

Last night I attended a fundraising banquet for Bethany Christian Services, the adoption agency that we used for both our Hong Kong adoptions. The theme of the banquet this year was "Love Stories", and they asked us to share one of ours. Here is what I shared:

Five years ago, my husband Adam approached me with the idea of adopting a child with special needs, specifically a child with Down Syndrome (DS). Adam had an adopted sister with DS and she had a significant impact on his life, and was the major influence in his choice of a career as a nurse. Unfortunately, she passed away due to an unexpected health issue when she was only 8 years old, so I had never had the opportunity to know her personally. I told Adam that I wasn’t really interested in growing our family beyond our four children, and especially not adding a child with special needs. I was sure I wasn’t “equipped” for the challenge of parenting a special needs child, and I was fearful of what it would mean for our future.

A few months later after much prayer and the Lord’s work in my heart, I found myself at a Bethany information meeting. My heart melted at the picture of a precious little boy named Ivan in the Lifelines magazine. Ivan fit none of my criteria for a child for our family. He was too old (nearly 7), he was in Hong Kong (we were looking at adopting through US foster care again), and he had Down Syndrome. We filled out our application and received information on several waiting children, but in my heart I knew Ivan was our son. We took what felt like a huge leap of faith, and committed to adopt Ivan. Nearly nine months later, we were in Hong Kong to bring him home. The day we met him is one of the favorite memories of my lifetime. He was an immediate joy and blessing! All fears I had about parenting Ivan were gone.

Everyone who meets Ivan is forever changed for the better. He has a wonderful warmth and affection, an enthusiasm for life, and he has a great sense of humor. Ivan was the inspiration for our church to start a program for special needs children in Sunday School. He has touched the lives of all his school teachers and therapists, his doctors, and has influenced other families we know to pursue the adoption of an older child.

Ivan is one of the most amazing and inspirational people I have ever known. He accepts others unconditionally and has transformed the lives of every member of our family. He brings limitless love, joy, and laughter to our home. Ivan is directly responsible for inspiring us to adopt four more special needs children, three of whom have DS like Ivan. We are so grateful that the Lord chose to bless us with this most treasured gift of a son! We cannot imagine our lives without him.

A year ago yesterday....

Oh my goodness, I feel like such a scatterbrain these days. I honestly don't know the date half the time, and I suddenly realized that today was October 14th, meaning yesterday was October 13th. Why is this important you might ask? A year ago on October 13th, Adam and I officially committed to adopting Luke (known as Ruslan at the time). Wow. It is just hard to believe how much your life can change in a year. What started as a simple act of obedience has completely altered all of our lives forever. Luke was facing an imminent transfer to an institution at the time of his 4th birthday, which was exactly 6 months from the day we committed to bring him home. Irina was not even in our thoughts or plans at the time! I am so thankful that the Lord had far better and more wonderful plans than we could imagine at the start of our journey! I am so thankful that the waiting and the adoption process is now complete, and I get to tuck two more blessings into bed each night. Sometimes I think I might need to crawl to my own bed I am so tired at the end of each day, but it is all worth it and I am overwhelmed by God's blessings!

How cute is she?

I know I am a little biased, but doesn't Irina look adorable in her new glasses? Of course, as soon as we were done snapping the pics she took her glasses and winged them across the room. Getting her to keep them on is going to be a challenge, so pray for my stamina! I am one stubborn mom, so I am hoping that eventually I will be victorious....

A better place to swing...

A couple weeks ago we ordered Irina a therapy swing to hang in the living room (or should I say the converted play room). My hubby got the hardware and hung the swing today, and this little girl was all giggles and smiles! Please forgive her hair..she was just up for a nap and anxious to get back on that swing! Luke also joined in the fun. I realized when I was snapping his picture the irony of the shirt he was wearing. Superman. Hmmmm. I'm thinking maybe we shouldn't encourage any heroes that fly!

Swinging from the chandelier

I had always heard that saying, but just thought it was a metaphor and not a reference to literal behavior. I have discovered that someone actually and literally had a child that swung from the chandelier and that's how it got said. I know this because I actually now have a child that was caught swinging from the dining room chandelier...more than once in the last week! Any guesses for who it might be? The first time I walked in the room the culprit was already down and laughing as the chandelier swung widly and the table cloth lay on the floor. Hmmm. He couldn't have! He must have thrown a toy or something. Nope! Hubby caught him the next day in full Tarzan swing. Oh my! This little boy gives new meaning to the term "child proofing". Really. We have invested in numerous gates and devices, rearranged and removed things, and he is exceptionally good at figuring ways around them (or over them). Did I mention that we meet with the school next week and he will be starting preschool? This boy needs to be kept busy, and this mama needs to be able to have a cup of coffee without worrying that Tarzan is going to come crashing into the kitchen!

Life is Complicated

Okay, I'm not feeling creative, but I do feel like an update is long overdue,so here goes: Life has been super busy with the addition of our two newest members. I keep waiting for some semblence of "normal" to return to our home, and it just hasn't happened. I have chalked much of it up to adding two special needs children at one time, but I just couldn't get past feeling overwhelmed on a daily basis. I felt like something was wrong with me, like maybe I was just too old to keep up with another set of preschool "twins".

Last week we took Luke and Irina for their appointments with the Developmental Pediatrician at the Trisomy 21 Clinic. It was a long appointment, but the positive thing was that L & I behaved very much like they do typically, which meant the Dr. got a good indication of their personalities and needs. At the end of the visit, the Dr. said she believes that Luke has ADHD in addition to DS. I immediately had a "so that explains it!" moment. This knowledge has really helped me to understand why Luke acts the way he does, and to have quite a bit more patience with him. I hate that he will have an additional challenge to face in life, but knowing this will help us as parents, and the school as they educate him. So I guess he really is more active and impulsive, and it's not just me being old!

The Dr. also believes that Irina has a dual diagnosis of DS and autism. I will admit that I have feared this diagnosis since the day I met her, and it makes my heart ache. My sweet daughter has had to endure much hardship prior to her adoption, and the thought that she will have this added challenge to face is hard for me to accept as a mom. The Dr. would like to see her back in six months at which time she will make a formal diagnosis.

After the appointment, as my head was swimming with all the conflicting thoughts and emotions, I asked my husband what he thought about Irina having autism, and he responded "well, I like her, so I think we'll keep her". I love how he made it all so simple. No, it didn't make all the questions and concerns go away, but what he said made me realize how much I love both Luke and Irina (and all my other kids as well!), and on that note, I'm going to bed!

Princess

We got Irina a sweet little princess costume for her birthday. We weren't sure if she would be interested in it yet, but she adores it! She wants to put it on everyday. Of course, the big girls love that she likes to dress up. She is the most beautiful little girl, but it is nearly impossible to get a picture that truly captures her beauty. Here are a few cute ones!

Pool Time Pictures!

Yes, I'm serious this time! Here are some pictures of the kids playing at the pool. They had so much fun, and they are so cute.

What a difference....

three weeks makes! Wow! In some ways I can't believe we have been home that long, and in other ways it seems much longer. I want to do better at posting the changes as a way to journal them for myself. Luke and Irina are doing so great! They really change daily, and it is wonderful to watch them blend into our family. Each night at dinner we all hold hands as we thank God for our meal and blessings. Both L & I put up a huge fuss and did not want to have their hands held. A few nights ago as we sat down to eat, they both put their hands out and willingly held hands! It might not seem like a big deal, but every milestone is so wonderful.

The day we first met Irina I was so worried for her. She had so many self-stimulating behaviors, and she seemed uncomfortable with affection and physical contact. This little girl just eats up love now. She loves all the affection she gets from mommy,daddy, and siblings, but she also gives lots of affection now. She freely gives hugs and kisses. She smiles and laughs all the time! She is so smart too. Yesterday at dinner she signed "more drink please"! Yes, she signed a sentence! She knows signs for-drink, more, please, cookie, all done. She can now use a sippy cup, and she is working on feeding herself with a spoon. Oh, and she wouldn't touch pasta or rice at first. Actually, she would only eat food that was pureed the first week she was home. She now eats everything we eat, and she is now even eating pasta and rice. She still hates to be bathed, but she loved my in-laws pool (go figure:). I am hoping one day soon she isn't fearful when she is getting her hair washed.

Luke is a smart little guy as well. He continues to learn signs, and has added "no" to his speech vocabulary (of course, he hears "No, Luke!" about a thousand times a day!:). He is now able to actually jump on the trampoline (he couldn't figure out how to actually bounce his feet off it at first). He is doing a much better job of listening as well. He is just so curious and wants to explore, so sometimes he can't seem to help himself but to play with something he shouldn't. I love when he just comes up to me and plants a big kiss on my lips. He is 100% all boy, and he and his big brothers really seem to be bonding and enjoy playing together. He actually decided he didn't like dinner last night and refused to eat much. This might not seem like a milestone, but this is the little boy who snatched a banana off the counter and tried to eat the bottom of it - peel and all! He is obviously understanding that food is plentiful and that every meal might not be his last.

Okay, I PROMISE I won't post again without pictures to share! I just need to get my hubby to assist me in downloading them to the computer.

More pictures...

coming soon, I promise! I know that was really mean, but it got your attention, right? I would have downloaded them tonight, but I am on my hubby's computer and it doesn't like me for some reason when I try to download pictures. I tried to explain the problem to him, but when he tried it it worked like a charm. GRRRR! I am hoping I got at least one cute picture at my in-laws pool today, but we'll see. My day started at 5:29 am. That is way too early for me, but I couldn't be too grumpy as I watched Luke and his big brother Blair(who is 2 years older but about 2 inches and 9 pounds smaller!) playing so nicely in their room. It is really wonderful to watch new siblings bond, and especially when they are laughing and giggling. The problem with those two is that they have decided it is very entertaining to do things that make mommy say "NO!", especially if both of them are doing it at once. Oh my, I am in serious trouble. Thank goodness that Irina is an angel....:)

Two Weeks Home!

Today marks 2 weeks since our homecoming! It has been a very busy 2 weeks for sure. Everyone is adjusting well, and Luke has finally decided to sleep all night. I am going to post a picture of the cutest t-shirts that my sister had made for the kids! We had a difficult time getting the 2 of them to cooperate for the picture taking, so we had to resort to bribery. Cookies are a favorite!

The good, the bad, and the ugly

There has been some of each during our first week home! I’ll start with the worst:

The Ugly: One word-poop
Yes, we have had some ugly poop issues. One of our first mornings home I went into Irina’s room to get her out of bed. As soon as I hit the door I could smell the problem, but as I approached her crib I could see it as well. Yuck! She had taken the contents of her awful diaper and smeared it everywhere. Luke apparently did not want to be outdone in this department. A couple days later, I went into the boys’ room and he had apparently removed his pull-up and pooped on the floor. Then he and one of his brothers stepped in it and tracked it all over the room, the bedding, everywhere.

The Bad: orphanage behaviors
Unfortunately, children who reside in institutions develop behaviors and “skills” to help them cope in that environment. These behaviors are challenging and can involve issues with food and eating, aggressive behaviors like hitting and biting, and self-soothing behaviors like rocking, head banging, etc. We have had a fair share of these issues as well, and we will continue working on them.

The Good! Saving the best for last
Yes, it has been a challenging week, but it has also been a very blessed week. Luke is quickly learning that he will be fed regularly, and that he doesn’t need to cram his food because no one else is going to take it. He has learned to sign “more”, “please”, “cookie”, “water”, “eat”, and he says “mama”, “papa” and “beep beep” (he loves to watch cars and trucks). He has the chunkiest, smooshiest cheeks, and he gives the best kisses with his little marshmallow lips. He has an adorable laugh and is super ticklish.

Irina smiles and laughs more each day. She already adores her big sisters, and puts her arms up for them to pick her up. She has learned to drink from a sippy cup, and she has also learned the sign “more”, and will now use it readily. She loves music, and she loves to dance, tickle, and be tickled.

We can’t wait to watch the changes that happen over the coming months as these two really start to understand that they are loved and cherished, and that they can trust us to meet their needs.

Home Sweet Home!

It feels so good to be home, although honestly I am pretty exhausted. I am having difficulty keeping track of the days right now, as Mr. Luke does not feel like getting his sleeping in sync with the US time zone! I am also still recovering from jet lag, as the trip home really took its toll. We traveled for 24 hours, and the best way to describe the experience was horrendously horrible. The kids did NOT do well. They pretty much took turns screaming and having temper tantrums for the duration of both flights, and most of our layover in Frankfurt, Germany. I can't blame them (I felt like having a major meltdown myself), but I know it was a miserable experience for the other passengers and there was absolutely nothing we could do but get through it. I wouldn't get on a plane right now for a million dollars or a trip to a tropical location. We will all be okay. We just need to get everyone on a good sleep schedule, and I need a little therapy for my PTSD!:) I will try to post pictures before the kids are 20...I just need a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.....

We're coming home!

Thank you, Lord! We are headed home first thing tomorrow morning! Yippee!! It has been so super busy and impossible to post updates, but I will catch up when we get HOME! Home- that word never sounded so sweet! Keep praying for our very long flights tomorrow! Finally we will be a FAMILY all together on the same continent!

Tomorrow is the BIG day!

Tomorrow my MIL and I will take our last trip to the orphanage, and we will pick up Luke and Irina! We are so excited, but they will probably be scared and nervous as we will be leaving the only place they have ever known. Please pray for peace in their little hearts, and a sense of safety, comfort and security with us. Please continue to pray for the next steps that need to occur for us to leave for home!

Who could resist?

We had a very busy visit with my 2 active pumpkins and it was challenging to get any pictures, but my mother-in-law did get 2 cute photos. How cute are these two?

Blessed...

Today was our first opportunity to visit with Luke and Irina since we came back, as we spent all day yesterday completing paperwork. I got to read/hear their new names many times yesterday, and it brought tears to my eyes each time. They are ours officially! It is hard to put to words how joyful I feel when I think about it. As we waited for them to come down for their visit today, I was choked with emotion. I could barely stand the wait! Then they appeared, and my heart skipped a beat! Oh how I love these precious new little lives that God has entrusted us with! Their grandmother also got to meet them for the first time today.

Please be in prayer for our process and paperwork. We are in the home stretch, and I can't wait to be HOME! We have decided to visit a couple more days before bringing them to the apartment, and hopefully make the adjustment a bit easier. I can't wait till we are all together as a family FOREVER! Please pray it is SOON!

I'm going back for my kids!

I am packed and ready to go! I can't wait to post that we are all HOME together! Please keep us in prayer for safe travels, for all to go well at home while Daddy plays Mr. Mom, for no glitches and smooth sailing for paperwork, and for Luke and Irina's adjustment. I am so looking forward to giving them both lots of hugs and kisses, and introducing them to their grandmother. My wonderful mother-in-law is once again going to accompany me on my travels. Oh, and just to clarify...I am NOT taking 2 car seats on my trip! I mentioned in my last post about my messy room and the 2 car seats, and I got an email asking if I was seriously going to lug 2 car seats to Eastern Europe and back! NO, I am trying to pack as light as possible, but it's more challenging fitting everything for 3 people (even 2 small ones)in one suitcase than just one!

Travel preparations...again!

If I find the energy, I might need to take and post a picture of my bedroom floor just so you can get a glimpse of the chaos of my life at the moment. I have an opened suitcase, which I have not yet fully unpacked, but have started to repack, 2 car seats, boxes and bags of clothes...Ugh. The very sight of it makes me flee the room. I have a bad feeling that I will be tackling the task of packing at the last minute this trip. I am headed back on Sunday! I can't wait, and yet the thought of boarding another airplane is not appealing! It will all be worth it in a few weeks when I step off that plane with Luke and Irina and we are all finally together as a family FOREVER!

Introducing....

Luke Jonathan and Irina Sherita!! Aren't they beautiful?

We are official!

PRAISE THE LORD!!! After a roller coaster day where we weren't sure we were going to have court, we finally did! We are now the proud parents of NINE kiddos! We are heading home tomorrow. I can't wait to see our kids at home. I have missed them terribly. At the same time, I am already missing my precious L & I! I can't wait to be back to bring them home! Happy 4th of July weekend! Thank you for all the prayers and support. We are so grateful!

In limbo still...

We need continued prayers! We had hoped to have a paperwork glitch worked out today so we could have a definite court date. It didn't happen. We are still hoping and praying that God will miraculously make a way for this paperwork issue to be resolved and for the judge to hold our court tomorrow so we can go home on Saturday as planned. Please pray for us! I miss the kids at home desperately. We have never been away from them for so long, and the strain is beginning to wear on all of us at this point.

In the meantime, we have been blessed by several other American families who are also here to adopt. We have so much fun when we get together! What an amazing group! Last night we hosted "dinner and a hair cut" at our apartment. Adam was complaining about needing a hair cut, and it just so happens that one of the adoptive moms is a beautician. She brought her scissors, and we provided the dinner! It was a lot of fun and good laughs. What a blessing to go through this journey with others who understand.

Your prayers are needed!

We have arrived safely(guess you figured that out!). We met our amazing, beautiful children and we are in awe of God's blessings on our family! We are totally in love with these precious little ones. We are enjoying our time here, but missing our kids at home terribly. We need your prayers! We have been here for 2 weeks and are still awaiting news of a court date. Please pray in earnest that court occurs this week! We can't post pictures of the kids until everything is finalized, and I can't wait to share them with you. They are more wonderful than we imagined and will fit in perfectly with our crew at home! Please lift us in prayer, for a quick court date, favor with all officials, and for our little ones to come home quickly!

Last Post State Side!

I can't believe it's time to type that! We are actually packed and ready to go. This is the first adoption trip ever that my hubby and I aren't up most of the night before leaving frantically packing. He is chalking it up to "expertise". I just hope we aren't forgetting anything. I have a new chant "passports, tickets, dossier copies, passports, tickets, dossier copies..."! We won't arrive in EE till Monday afternoon. Our referral appointment is Tuesday, although I don't know what time. Please keep praying for safe travels, smooth process,and for L & I as they meet us, and for the kiddos at home! I can't wait to see L & I, but I am already sad with missing our other children. They are very excited to spend time with their wonderful mom-mom and pop-pop, and can't wait to dig into all the goodies in the freezer/pantry that we got this week. As my hubby was helping me put all the groceries away the other night he commented that he hopes even a little bit will be left upon our return home. Don't count on that....
Next post from EE (hopefully we can get good internet connections)!

Travel Preparations!

We have been very busily preparing all the details for travel! Wow! There is so much to do at the very end. Of course, in the midst of everything we are doing all the end-of-school year activities, visiting classes to determine the best placement for our one son for next year, and they decided this week would be a good time to pave the street we live on! Got to love that timing! Well, no time for chit chat...off to run some more errands as the countdown continues...

The 10 day post

This was written by a couple on the Reece's Rainbow group, and they posted it 10 days before meeting their precious sons. It has become sort of a tradition for others to also post this poem before leaving to bring home their little ones.


10 days away...

and I'm wondering...

I wonder...when it was 10 days before I met God and He adopted me, was HE this excited?

I wonder if His stomach did flips and He got tears in His eyes when He thought about holding me for the first time.

I wonder if His heart ached when He thought about my life without Him as my Daddy.

I wonder if it grieved Him to know that I was living as an orphan and had no hope of a future without Him.

I wonder if He was as okay with paying my ransom as I am with paying my children's.

I wonder if, for Him, there was not cost too high, no sacrifice to great.

I wonder...by Chris and Mary Malone

An Orphan's Prayer

[From "Small Blessings", an All God's Children International Publication]


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 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 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.
My prayer is..
When he speaks...Please don't forget to listen...
When He calls don't be too afraid to go
For I am waiting...somewhere, far...far...away
On the other side of the world
To come home.

The "news"

New baseball player:

New sand:

New bubbles:

New shades:

New "do"

We have tickets!!

It's official! We are booked on flights to Eastern Europe. Wow. It felt like this day might never arrive. Praying for no glitches and for smooth sailing. Now if I can just survive next week! Lets see...2 field trips, 3 IEP meetings, a baseball game, 2 kids with picnics....! I'm tired just thinking about it. I think packing will need to wait a week.

I'm going to see my babies!

The reality is slowly setting in. I am a bit afraid to embrace the excitement, because it feels like the waiting has been forever and it can't really be true that it is almost time! There is so much to do, so much to plan and coordinate, but I am having a hard time focusing on any of that today. In a few short weeks I will SEE them...my precious little ones, live and in person! I will get to touch them, to hear their voices for the first time, to have them finally know that we exist, to start to help them understand that they are loved, that they have a mommy and daddy....the day can't get here soon enough! We are finally coming, Luke and Irina! FINALLY!

We have a travel date!

Woohoo! We are scheduled to be in Eastern Europe on June 16th! Now I've got to go look at airline tickets...

My Incredible Husband!

I love my husband!! He is honestly my best friend, and we have so much fun spending time together. Today after we got the kids off to school, we went for a nice bike ride (this time only a 12 mile one). Then we ran errands, he took me out to lunch, he installed a replacement ceiling fan in our room, and he made a super yummy dinner!! I so appreciate the wonderful care he takes of all of us, especially me. I am so blessed!

No applause needed, thank you....

Thank you to Barb at Holm Sweet Home for her nomination for this award! As a result, I have also newly discovered her blog, so go check it out!:)

The Rules for the award:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 (or whatever number of) other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.

Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I'm sorry, but I haven't discovered 15 new blogs...I am spending WAY too much time on the computer as it is, so I have a few less (but no less important or fabulous) newly discovered lovely blogs:

Addie ~ Talley Images

Amberlyn ~ Pure Mommy Extract

Sarah & Joyce ~ Class of 2008

MamaPoRuski ~ Slava Bogu!

Amy L ~ Amy and Sons

We are SUBMITTED!!!

Could you hear the happy screams??? We just heard that our dossier was officially submitted! Now the prayers and nail biting while we wait to hear that we are approved! We should hear our travel date after that.

A Calming Mom Moment

Ahhh. Do you ever have those brief minutes where all is right with the world? Dinner is over, dishes done, just enough coffee in the pot for one more cup. You and the kids head outside so they can ride bikes/blow bubbles/jump rope while you read a page or two of that new magazine and leisurely drink you coffee.

It all changes in an instant. You hop up from your chair for maybe 3 seconds and turn around just in time to catch the DOG drinking your coffee! (I guess the good news is I didn’t unknowingly drink after him!) Then you have a child with a skinned knee, the mosquitoes come out in full force and POOF moment gone! Oh well, maybe tomorrow…

My Stomach is in knots!

The closer we get to Monday the more in knots my stomach feels! Ugh! On the one hand I can't wait for it to get here, and on the other, I am pretty terrified of bad news! Please pray for us!

Hi Sarah!

I just want to say thank you to all of you who follow, visit, and comment on my blog! I was just reading through comments and saw a post from Sarah. Apparently she has visited before, but I just wanted to let her know that I am honored that she stopped by and left a comment. Sarah is an accomplished young woman who just happens to have Down Syndrome. Thank you, Sarah, for stopping by and for posting a comment. It really made my day!

Counting down to Monday

We are just days away from our second scheduled submission....Monday. I wish I was excited, but I am just so nervous and anxious. I so want to hear we are officially submitted and approved, especially after our "glitch" in April. Please lift us in prayer. We are ready to be done the waiting and to go and meet our precious new family members!

In Paris again....

Our paperwork has arrived in Paris, France on a stopover to its destination. This certainly feels like deja vu. Hopefully the third time really is the charm (in this being the third Fed Ex envelope we have sent). All I really want for Mother's Day is a submission, an official approval, and a travel date to bring my babies HOME!

Here we go again...

We just sent another packet of papers to EE today. Please pray for their safe arrival so that our dossier can be successfully submitted on May 18th. I am so anxious to have this paperchase done once and for all! We want to bring our little ones home. We have all been waiting far too long...

The Roller Coaster of Adoption

Well, yesterday was not a good day. Instead of good news, we got bad news (I definitely would have preferred NO news!). Our dossier was not able to be submitted because they had an issue with one document. In my defense, this document was done as specified, but the requirements changed. Not sure if they were changed just for the day, just for us, or just for the official who made the decision, but this is at times the nature of international adoption. It was such a disappointment. The further frustrating fact is that holidays prevent us from submitting for the next 2 weeks, and the day that we now can submit, several of our documents will be considered "expired". This means not only are we delayed, but we now need to redo 9 documents, have them notarized, state sealed, and once again Fed Ex'd to EE. I was pretty much undone by this.

My wonderful husband decided that getting on our bikes would make me feel better, and so we headed out for a ride. He neglected to mention that this ride would be 24 miles long on a record-breaking hot day. He was right though, 10 miles in the tears stopped flowing, although I am still unsure if I felt better or if I just became too dehydrated to cry anymore. Seriously, we did feel better and I spent my ride praying, crying, and recognizing that God knows the big picture that I do not. I need to trust Him. He has brought us on this journey, and He will see us through.

It isn't really the paperwork, or the time, or the expense, but really feeling so close to the day we would meet our children and having it pushed further away. Our hearts just ache to hold them and love them, and it feels as though we have waited long enough already. So, please pray in earnest for us as we do press on! We started the paper chase AGAIN and one document is already on its way for a state seal. Now for the other 9......

Monday is the day!

Tomorrow is Monday, and we pray it is our "big" day! We are scheduled to have our dossier officially submitted to Luke and Irina's country adoption officials. Please pray! I have butterflies in my stomach with anticipation. I want to hear that we are approved and find out our travel date, but I am also nervous with worry that somewhere we forgot to cross a "t" or dot an "i". Please pray for favor and for us to hear quickly the good news. I hope we have great news to share with everyone SOON!

Hopefully a week from today...

We will get news that we are officially submitted! Then we hope to hear quickly about a travel date. It's so hard to look at the calendar and try to plan life in the coming weeks not knowing when we will be traveling. I am trying to trust the Lord with the details and not worry about the exact timing, but this is challenging as I am the type of person who likes to plan and anticipate (or at least try!).

Happy Belated Birthday, Baby Boy!

Yesterday was Luke's birthday! I thank God for this precious son, but I was a little sad that we didn't get to celebrate this b-day together. I rejoice in knowing that this is the last one we will ever spend apart! We found out today that our dossier will be officially submitted on April 27th! It seems so far away, but really it is only a couple of weeks. We are just so weary of waiting, but I am trying so hard to trust the Lord in the timing. HE knows the big picture and I do not. So, please pray it is approved with no issues and that we are given a quick travel date. We are hopefully just weeks away from holding our little ones in our arms!

Waiting....

We are stuck in waiting mode at the moment. No news is good news, right? I hope so! Meanwhile, we are busy nesting at home. I got Luke and Irina's new bedding and pillows and their beds are all set up. We had our Chick-fil-A fundraiser Thursday night and it was a blast! No idea the financial outcome, but we had a huge turnout and it was such a great encouragement to see so many of our church family come out to support us and help bring our little ones home. Our kids thoroughly enjoyed it, and were asking when we can do it again?

It Arrived!

Our dossier arrived safely today! Thank you, Lord! Now the wait as our facilitator translates and checks that every document will meet the requirements. Please pray it is all done correctly! Okay, back to nesting....

Nesting...

As all mamas know, as their "due date" approaches, the "nesting" begins! I am in complete nesting mode. This week we picked up all the wonderful things that God has provided FREE-a toddler bed (which I just put together tonight), 2 toddler car seats, 2 high chairs, a double stroller, a dresser and several child gates. I am also working on stocking the freezer with 3 weeks worth of meals for the kids at home while we are traveling. We have been shopping thrift and used clothing sales for clothes (we are guessing sizes since we won't know for sure till we see the kids in person).

We are praying about getting a larger family vehicle. Our current vehicle will seat everyone, but its going to be tight with 3 car seats, and we have no storage room. I don't think we can even fit the double stroller with everyone in the car. If anyone knows someone who is selling a used 12 passenger van or a dodge sprinter, let us know! We are praying for the Lord to present us with the right vehicle at just the right price, so waiting and praying.

OH, I have to mention...our dossier is still enroute to its destination, and right now it is in Paris, France! Go baby, go!

Our Dossier is on its way!!

Now please pray for its safe arrival in EE. It should arrive on Wednesday, and I will be nail biting and checking its progress until then. It has taken over 5 months and lots of hard work and some tears to compile all those documents, and it was actually a little hard to hand it over. I want it to arrive at its destination, but it is a little scary trusting anyone with something so important. So, now we wait again...

We got our 171H!!!! Woohoo!!

It came! It came! No more stalking the mail man:) Praise the Lord! It is already notarized and on its way for a state seal. We should have it by the end of the week I would think as we overnighted it there and back and paid for the expedited service. Then, we will send our entire dossier to EE. I can't believe it. There were days it felt like we would never get here. Our facilitator asked us to scan/email our home study so she can start translating. Gulp! It all feels so real all of a sudden. Please pray that everything is found in perfect order for acceptance once it is submitted. Now off to stalk the Fed Ex man or woman as we wait for it to return with that apostille!

WE ARE APPROVED!!

Praise the Lord!! I could cry I am so happy right now. After a challenging week of phone calls/emails/faxes and earnest prayers, we got a call this afternoon from our Congressman's office that we have our immigration approval! This is a huge praise!! Our file has been sent to the National Visa Center and that wonderful, glorious, beautiful document known as a 171H is on it's way to us! What a wonderful way to start the weekend. As soon as that precious document is in my hands, we will be zipping to the notary and then off for state seals and then it will join all the rest of our dossier papers and be on its way to Eastern Europe! Woohoo!! We are inching closer and closer to the day we will finally meet our new son and daughter!

I am stalking my mail carrier

It's true...only not for the reasons he may fear! I am still waiting for that immigration approval. I wish it would get here. It's all we are waiting for so that our dossier will be complete and we can send it on its way. My mail carrier is really hoping it comes soon too, before he goes and gets a restraining order that keeps me in the house until his truck has left our mail box! Pray it comes soon!!

I have such great friends!

Look how cute! A few of us get together for a "girls night" every so often...not often enough! They surprised me with these adorable backpacks for Luke and Irina filled with toys to help entertain them on the long flight home. They also blessed us with a Walmart gift card! Thanks so much! You guys are the BEST!

Almost Done!!

We are really in the home stretch of this paperchase now! Our one set of documents arrived with their state seals today! Yippee! We got the last document we need for our home study agency, and our previous home study agency is overnighting the last thing we need from them. The plan is to send all our other documents for their apostilles on Monday! Once they come back, our dossier will be complete and we will just be waiting on immigration approval. Praying it comes SOON! I can't wait to Fed Ex all of this priceless paperwork to EE...and then it will be nail biting while our facilitator looks it over, translates it, and then if everything is in order gets a date for submission! Pray for smooth sailing for these last steps. My heart is aching to meet my precious Luke and Irina! We are coming, little ones! We love you and pray for you everyday!

Thank you, Anonymous!

Anonymous sounds so impersonal, especially because the family I am going to share about is not unknown to us, and in fact we know them well and love them dearly! However, I'm going to share some personal things and I thought out of respect for them I would not reveal their identity. If they are okay with me "outing" them, then I will be happy to do so in another post. Okay, so why the thank you?
Last week, Mr. A found out that he was no longer employed. This was a surprising blow because Mr. A has been a loyal and dedicated employee for many years, and has won awards and recognition for being a top performer at his job. We know the Lord has a plan in all this, but it is sometimes hard to see that in the midst of a storm. It is devastating and very stressful, especially when you have 5 young kids under your roof. A couple days after this occurred, Mrs. A calls to tell me that she and Mr. A were talking and he had an idea. Since he is currently unemployed, he is able to be at home with their 5 children so that Mrs. A can come stay with our kids for part of the time we are traveling for our adoption. WHAT?! I am amazed and humbled that this family is facing a crisis and yet they are inspired to think of how they can help US. I was brought to tears at this offer, and thrilled because my kids love Mrs.A and she loves them! Today Mrs. A calls me again. Mr.A had an account at his employer for charitable contributions. They weren't even sure there was anything in it, but when they checked there was a sizable sum. They have donated all of this money to our adoption fund! I could only respond by crying like a baby on the phone. Wow! Thank you just isn't adequate. Please pray God's blessings rain down on this amazing family and that they are blessed many times over for their generosity and love. We love you, "Anonymous Family"!!

Almost There!!

We are so close I can barely stand it! We sent off some of our documents for their apostilles on Tuesday (we got married, work, and have a Dr. in another state). I am hoping, hoping, hoping to have the last 3 things we need and be able to mail them off this week for their apostilles. Then we will just be waiting for our immigration approval, which I will expedite for an apostille when it arrives. It is $15 per document extra to expedite for the apostille, so unfortunately we have to go the slow route for the bulk of the documents. I will be doing a happy dance once we get these things mailed off!! Oh this paperwork has been so trying I can't wait to be done. Pray it all arrives and returns safely and done correctly. I am still hopeful that there is a chance we will travel in April. I can't wait to get my babies HOME!!

We are blessed!

I am always so touched by who God uses to bless our family...often those people who we don't expect. I don't mean because these individuals or families aren't generous, quite the opposite! These are amazing people, some of them are in the process of their own adoptions, some don't seem to have a lot of "extra" to spare, some have their own personal struggles, and yet they feel led to bless and encourage us! We are so humbled and touched. This week I have started to send out weekly adoption updates and shared specific prayer requests as well as some needs. I am overwhelmed by the response. We have gotten offers for half of the needs listed (so far we have a toddler bed for Irina, a high chair, and one car seat)and we have also gotten a financial contribution. Wow! Thank you Lord, for the provision of these needs, and for the blessing of these wonderful people in our lives!

Please pray for Mattea!

I am sharing this from meredith's blog. Meredith's daughter Emma had the same heart condition as Mattea and had a miraculous outcome, so let's pray the same for sweet Mattea!
This is Mattea Olena! Isn't she adorable?? Mattea was adopted from Ukraine just a short time ago and today she is undergoing a heart cath procedure. You see, the heart condition that she has is the same that Emma had. Typically this is an 'easy repair' for children under a year old. Once a child's body has dealt with the pressures of the condition for many years it causes damage to the lungs and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). With Emma after her cath we were told she was inoperable and would likely live about 6 more months. We struggled and pushed to get her surgery and the rest of the story you all know-- Emma's pressures have DECREASED and the pulmonary damage that we were told was irreversible is, in fact, correcting itself.

Emma's heart was the first unrepaired AV Canal defect in a child that old that our WONDERFUL surgeon has seen in 25 years! Mattea is a bit older that Emma already and her family is facing similar things to what we did. This first cath will help evaluate the lungs and the doctor will give their 'recommendation' as far as care/surgery go.

I hope this helps to direct your hearts in prayer :) Please agree with me in prayer for Mattea!

If you would, please click over to Mattea's family's blog and let them know you are praying!

I'm whining...

I want to be done, I want to be done! Oh this paperwork is hateful, and people who are uncooperative make it so much more difficult. EE is very specific about how things are written, notarized, sealed, and I feel badly asking people to complete things with all the specifications, but I have no choice if I want to bring my children home. Some people are so incredibly gracious and helpful, like our mortgage guy! He did a required form ASAP and even dropped it off at our home! He is wonderful! Others...well, not so much. I guess they see it as not their problem, but a little kindness goes a long long way. I had planned to mail a big packet for state seals today, but it isn't go to happen because I am held up by an unhelpful person. Boo hoo! Please forgive my whining....I also have another sick child home from school today:( I can't wait for winter to end!

Getting Closer...

We are really truly nearing the end of the paperchase and I am chomping at the bit to be done! I can't wait to send this dossier on its way and be officially logged in. My next step is mailing everything off for the apostilles (state seals). I am waiting for just a couple more papers. Pray they come SOON! We could use prayers for good health as well. Ugh. First the flu, and now a stomach virus...spring can't get here soon enough for sure.

While we were...in memory

This was written by meredith, and I felt compelled to share it on my blog as well. It was especially sobering as I just got over the flu myself and am now caring for my sick little ones...


While we were eating...
... they were hungry

While we were playing...
... they were restrained

While we were tucking our kids into bed...
... they were alone

While we turned up the heat...
... they laid in the icy cold

While we wrapped our children in blanket sleepers...
... they laid in their own excrement


While we sang songs and listened to music...
... they listened to the screams and cries of those around them

While we rocked our babies...
... they silently rocked themselves

While we hugged our kids...
... they scratched at their own faces and pulled their own hair for stimulation

While we cried over scraped knees...
... they moaned in their loneliness

While we brushed our daughters' beautiful hair...
... they had their heads shaven to stave off the lice

While we fought off the flu with love and nourishment...
... they got the flu and went Home.

No longer suffering... but so many more still are.

In memory of those that have never felt the love of a family, but have passed away alone. Today we learned of the passing of these two girls in Eastern Europe.

My First Blog Award!!

Thank you so much Lu, for giving me this award! The description of the friendship award and the rules:

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."


Okay, so the 8 bloggers I chose:

LindsayKids7

Abiding There

Our Path Less Traveled

The Cullimore Girls

ggaggle

Wee Ones Little Things

PJ Academy

Embracing Life as Household Six

Valentine Give Away!

Check out my friend Lisa's blog for a fun Valentine's give away!

http://abidingthere.blogspot.com/2009/01/valentine-giveaway.html

Who couldn't use something pretty to cheer up the winter blues? Good luck!

Play Dough Advice...

Okay, so sometimes taking the easy way doesn't pay. The one recipe didn't work at all! If it sounds too simple it is. This one worked much better:

http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/playdough-recipe.html

Mine didn't look as nice as the pictures, but hey it is the fun factor that counts and not the appearance, right? The above recipe made the right amount for 6 kids (my oldest wasn't interested in playing) and provided some quiet entertainment and I still got away without cooking it! I would suggest putting it on wax paper as it does contain olive oil. Maybe it will help those of us with dry skin?

Some fun with play dough!

Snow Day

No, not the fun kind with the white fluffy snow you can play with and make snow balls, but the wet mushy stuff that gets you soaking wet. So...we are stuck inside trying to find quiet activities for 7 kids while my poor hubby tries to sleep. I am going to attempt some home made play dough, only I am being super lazy and am trying a non-cooking recipe. We did have a productive morning...bedrooms cleaned (well, I haven't checked them yet, so this is according to child standards that they are supposedly "clean"), 2 loads of laundry done, 2 meals made/eaten, lasagna cooking in the crockpot for dinner(I heart my crockpot!), bread baking in the bread machine (okay, I could never survive the pioneer days! I love my appliances.), and multiple calls back and forth about refinancing....I think I could get more done with the phone unplugged right now. If I ever become a millionaire I won't hire a maid, but rather a secretary! I would so enjoy someone to take care of those busywork calls and paper finding!

Paper work!

Yuck! Okay, I know I've complained before, but I truly do not like the paper chase of adoption. I would prefer morning sickness, at least I would be losing weight and not gaining it! I know it is just part of the process, but it makes me crazy. Of course, choosing to get our dossier together at the same time as completing grant applications and trying to refinance doesn't help..and then there is the tax stuff to get together in a few weeks. I have a headache just typing this. I guess accounting and book keeping are not professions that I will ever aspire to.

It is getting done though, so that is the good news. Now just pray that all of it is done correctly and without errors. We already found out that we need to do another set of fingerprints because the form that went to our home study agency is not acceptable to the country we are adopting from, and we need one that is sent directly to us already notarized. I didn't know there was such a thing, so thank you to Jaime a fellow paper pregnant mommy who has been helping me along! Okay, enough complaining for one night. Headed to the notary tomorrow, after an eye appointment, a trip to have B's glasses repaired, and to pick up I's hearing aid which was broken. It is a month of paper work and breakage apparently (we've already replaced the printer last week and the DVD player went kaput last night).

Good news day!

Today our youngest sons I and B had their annual cardiology appointments. Both I and B were born in Hong Kong and have Down Syndrome and surgically corrected heart defects. The Doctor felt there were no significant changes, so she doesn't need to see them again for two years! Yippee! This is great news because they are doing well, and it also cuts down on the number of specialists we see every year. Good news considering we don't really know anything about Luke and Irina's health, so we don't know how many specialists appointments we will be adding once they are home.

I am working hard at getting the rest of our dossier together while we wait for our I 171H. Ugh. Did I mention I don't like paperwork? Of course, our printer decided to bite the dust a few weeks ago. After running to the library to make multiple copies, we decided that a new printer/scanner/copier was a necessity with the adoption paperwork (and the library isn't open when I seem to have the free time to actually get to the paperwork, usually around 11pm). So, now I have no excuse...well, except the notary isn't available at midnight!

One Step Closer!!

We had our immigration fingerprinting appointments today, so we are a smidgen closer to our I 171H!(This is the form that will give us our official immigration approval so that we can send our dossier and get officially started with the process in Luke and Irina's country) I remember our first international adoption how puzzling all the form names and numbers were, and although they are now quite familiar, I am still a total wreck filling them out and mailing them for fear of making a mistake or forgetting to include some important document! Now we wait and pray that it does not take the 10 weeks that is estimated. We had always been blessed to have our approval come much quicker than anticipated, so hoping it is the same this time. We also mailed our Home Study and medicals to our US coordinator to be checked for errors or problems. Please pray that everything is in order so we can move on to the other needed documents.

I want to thank all of you for your kind comments and good wishes! I am so new at this blogging thing that I'm trying to figure out how to respond other than posting. Please continue to keep us in your prayers! I also appreciate those who have grabbed out button, and I am more than happy to grab yours...just let me know your blog address!

Mommy and Daddy are coming, Luke and Irina!!:)

Thank you, Lu!

A very lovely lady from my Reece's Rainbow site gave me my blog makeover and made the button for Luke and Irina! Please stop by Lu's blog: http://thepoppiesblog.blogspot.com Thank you so much Lu, for helping this technology-challenged mom out!

Eight is NOT Enough!

So, I figure you might have guessed from the previous post with our blog button....we are expecting "twins"!! We are so excited! The country where Luke(this will be his new name!) is from, allows the adoption of two unrelated children if they reside in the same orphanage. Luke and Irina are not biological siblings, but they have been together since they were babies. Irina is just 2 months younger than Luke. As we prayed for direction, both my husband and I felt certain that the Lord was asking us to also bring home this precious little girl. We are so thrilled (okay, and honestly a little fearful at the thought of the challenge of having preschool aged twins).

Things are moving along with our process, although never as fast as one would like. Our home study is complete, and we are waiting for our immigration preapproval. We are working at gathering all the paperwork for our dossier (groan...I do NOT like paperwork) and we have to get some grant applications done ASAP. We knew stepping out on this journey that the Lord was going to have provide the funds in some miraculous ways, and now we need some additional funds for our sweet daughter. I promise I'm going to try to be much better at updating this blog than in the past!

Coming soon...

a blog makeover! Can't wait to reveal the new look as well as some exciting news! Now if only someone would offer to give me a personal makeover.....

Grab the Button!

Help us bring home Luke and Irina! Please grab our button and put it on your blog!




<a href="http://www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorboroughs.htm"><img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/WilliamtheOutlaw/irinslukeproof.jpg" alt=" Irina & Luke " width="160" /></a><br/> <a href="http://justamomofseven.blogspot.com/2009/01/grab-button.html ">Grab This Button</a>