The Boroughs' Family Blog

Merry Christmas 2011!

2011-12-25T13:31:00.001-08:00

Thankful

2011-11-12T16:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I just feel overwhelmed by God's goodness to us. We have so much to thank Him for everyday. This week was a real blessing. Thursday we got to meet up with Susanna and Joe Musser at the airport as they started their journey to bring Katie home. I found myself teary meeting Susanna in person. We have prayed for months for Katie and her precious family, and it was so special to finally meet. They are already in Katie's country, and Adam is leaving soon to meet up with them!

Yesterday we received a call from a local special needs grant organization. They are purchasing a stroller for Irina. Wow! This will be so helpful as she has outgrown her stroller, and our insurance would not cover the one designed for an older special needs child. I was so sure they were calling to tell us that they were unable to grant our request, that I was silent for several seconds before I could get out "thank you"!

If you are following the Musser's blog, you probably know they are having Thanksgiving at our home. We are so excited to meet their entire family (and hope they aren't traumatized by our loud and wild crew!). Life has been so busy I haven't had much time to get to the specific planning, although a dear friend volunteered to help prepare the dinner. Today I got an email from a lovely person who had emailed me a few months ago, as she saw our family on the Reece's Rainbow site and realized we live minutes away. She and several friends from her church have been following the Musser's blog, and saw we were hosting Thanksgiving dinner. They volunteered to bake and bring all the desserts! I cried when I read the email. I just love the way God weaves our stories together, and cares about the most intimate details in our lives.I am so thankful.

I wish I could.....

2011-11-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Orphan,
I saw your picture today and heard about your plight. Your face is so beautiful and sad, and it tugs at my heart.

I hear you don't get enough to eat, and that there isn't always medicine if you get sick. You sleep in a room with many children, but you still feel alone.

You have never had anyone wish you a "Happy Birthday", give you a gift, or even sing you a lullaby goodnight. No one has ever told you about Jesus or that He loves you.

I wish we could adopt you, but....

It is such a long way to travel, it would cost so much money, and it involves so much paperwork.
Our home isn't very big, and we already have children. Adding another child to our family would mean they would have to share a bedroom as well as our love and attention.
What if you have health issues or special needs that are not yet diagnosed?
You might have a hard time adjusting to a family after never knowing one, or have "issues" from years of neglect, malnutrition, mistreatment, or abuse.

I'm sorry, it just feels like too much of a risk and sacrifice. Adoption doesn't really feel like our "calling". Maybe there is another family....

(I originally posted this last year, but decided to repost as November is orphan awareness month. My heart breaks over and over for the estimated 162 million orphans worldwide. Please prayerfully consider how God is asking YOU to respond!)

It's the best I could do...

2011-10-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

It was no easy task getting a picture of the 5 youngest kids in their costumes! I'm just happy we got everyone in it, even if they aren't all looking in the direction of the camera!

Samuel is six!

2011-10-27T16:25:00.001-07:00

Sam had his birthday last week! He is a big six year old now. He has celebrated several siblings' birthdays since his homecoming, and he fully embraced his special day. It was all things Buzz and Woody for this guy. He really liked being the birthday boy.

In other exciting news, Sam also started school last week. I attended with him initially, but he quickly adapted to the routine. He was also very excited to ride the school bus. Every afternoon when he is finished his lunch, he tells me "Come on! Come on! It's coming! The bus! It's coming!". He is charming everyone who works with him.

Sam's casts will be coming off in 2 weeks, and then he will get his new braces. The best part about that is SHOES! This little boy desperately wants to wear shoes, and I can't wait to get him his first real pair!

Sam is such a blessing. I was overcome with emotion on his birthday, thinking how different all our lives are this year! He had no idea last year we were even coming back to bring him home. So thankful for the privilege of being his mom.

Our Mighty God!

2011-10-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

The mission is fully funded! Thank you, Lord! Thank you to everyone who contributed and spread the word. We were so moved to watch that ChipIn climb higher and higher. Wow! God is so good! Oh how He loves these precious ones.

Psalm 72:12-14
He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.

Please continue to PRAY earnestly for sweet Katerina! Pray for her family, pray for my husband, and pray for the medical team that is prepping to care for her soon. We are so blessed to share a part in this amazing journey.

Won't you join us for this mission?

2011-09-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

For several months now, we have been following the adoption journey of this amazing family HERE. We have been so moved by their precious daughter Katerina, and by their steadfast faith and testimony through their adoption process. This precious treasure has lived for 9 1/2 years not only without the love of a family, but truly the most basic of needs. She weighs a mere 11 pounds. 11 pounds! That is the size of a newborn. She will be admitted to the intensive care unit of Children's Hopital of Philadelphia immediately upon her arrival in the US.

What could we do? My husband is an ICU nurse. He is an adoptive Dad of 10 children. He has traveled to Eastern Europe. The answer was obvious! We would offer his expertise to this family to assist in transporting this princess home. I have goosebumps at God's fingerprints all over this situation. I am awed by His amazing tapestry as He interweaves lives together. We are so blessed to play even the smallest part in this little one's story of redemption.

We estimate Adam's travel expenses (airfare, food, lodging) will be around $1500. We can not burden this family to fundraise for this expense. God is always so faithful! He has provided the funds for us to adopt 6 children internationally over the last 6 years, so we know this
is merely pocket change in His economy. If you feel led, please use the ChipIn box above.

Vandals

2011-09-01T10:02:00.001-07:00

There is apparently a problem with vandalism in our neighborhood. Who would do something like this?

Irina never heard a thing and had no idea who the culprit might be.

Here comes Hurricane Irene!

2011-08-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

Yikes! We thought life was exciting enough living with a hurricane named IRINA! Now this! Busy battening down the hatches and sneaking in my technology fill before the power goes out! Keep us in prayer as we get set to weather the storm. A hurricane, no power, and 10 kids stuck in the house together at the end of the summer. Oh boy! Should be interesting!

They were coloring so nicely....

2011-08-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

I should have known better!

Praise God!

2011-08-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

My heart rejoices today! Sweet Liliana's ransom has been raised AND she has a paper-ready family! Please join me in praying she is home quickly. Please also pray for the MANY like her, in desperate need of being rescued.

Sometimes I wish I didn't know...

2011-08-16T16:37:00.000-07:00

BUT I do know, and that makes me accountable.....
(the original post with picture has been edited)

Proverbs 24:11-12
New International Version (NIV)

11 Rescue those being led away to death;
   hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
   does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
   Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

Sam's Krazy Kar!

2011-08-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

Isn't this cool? After seeing Sam love the hand crank ride at Knoebels, I was determined to find him some type of adaptive bike. We found this very cool and relatively inexpensive ($69.99 on Amazon) compared to "real" specialty bikes (thousands of dollars!). He wants to do whatever the other kids are doing and he is determined to learn a way. I love his persistence and that he doesn't become frustrated or quit. He is such a great role model. He is going to achieve great things!

A picture of the Boroughs Bunch-all of us!

2011-08-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun on the 4th of July, meeting up with some visiting friends at a local water ice/ ice cream place. My friend took this family picture of us. Irina was not happy. It is very fitting, because it really captures our girl this summer. We are headed back to the developmental pediatrician next week to see how we can help little miss grumpy.

Fun day!

2011-08-06T18:25:00.001-07:00

We took the 4 youngest boys to Knoebels amusement park for the day on our way to pick up their sister from camp. We had a blast! Babushka (mom-mom) went with us. Sam desperately wanted to try the hand crank train ride. He loved it. He just goes for it with every new experience! We can't wait to go back. We got to meet up with our good friends the Torres family. We met 2 years ago when adopting in Ukraine, so it was a lot of fun to finally meet up stateside!

New Sandbox

2011-07-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

Irina got a new sandbox for her birthday and it is a big hit with all the kids!

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Pictures and prayer!

2011-06-26T20:09:00.004-07:00

Please pray for families currently in process to adopt from Ukraine. As we shared during our process, Ukraine has been moving toward changes in their adoption process, and we feared closure for many months. A law finally passed and as a result, all adoptions will be temporarily suspended on July 11th. Please pray earnestly for those families in country right now, that God will move mountains and get their court dates prior to closure. Pray that the suspension will not last long so that families can get their children HOME! I cry when I think about the fact that we were literally weeks from being caught in this situation. My heart aches for those families.

Happy (belated) birthday, Blair!

2011-06-26T20:09:00.001-07:00

It was quite a celebration time last week as Blair's birthday was a day after Irina's. Blair is 8! I cannot believe it! We love this little goofballs and can't imagine life without him!

Happy (belated) Birthday, Irina!

2011-06-26T20:06:00.001-07:00

Oh my, I might never catch up! Last week was Irina's birthday! My sweet baby girl is 6! How is that possible? We had a follow up last week with the developmental pediatrician. She had not seen Irina in a year and when she walked into the exam room she said "this is not the same little girl!". She was so impressed by how much Irina has grown and progressed. We are so proud of her!

Sam!

2011-06-23T05:32:00.000-07:00

I know this is long overdue! Sam will mark 2 weeks home tomorrow. He is doing fantastic! So many firsts and new experiences, and he takes them all in stride. There are lots of things to like in America: baked ziti, pizza, oranges, mommy's whole wheat chocolate cookies, the dog (he was terrified of him initially, but now constantly calls "Pedro"), the pool, siblings (sometimes;), toys, swings, and so much more!

Hopefully I will do better at sharing now that I figured out how to email pictures directly to the blog!

24 more hours...

2011-06-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

Till my wonderful hubby and beautiful son are HOME! Oh, I can barely stand the wait! I will be so excited to share pictures of Sam with his sisters and brothers. Please pray for safe travels....

Gotcha, Sam!

2011-06-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Daddy has sprung him from the orphanage-forever! Thank you, Lord! I got to video skype with them today! Sam recognized me and immediately got out our family photo album and pointed to my picture saying "Mama-Papa"! I'm pretty sure he thinks both Adam and I are called "mama-papa" like it is one word! You should see him maneuvering around the apartment in his wheelchair. It is amazing, especially since he's only had a couple hours to try it out!

Please pray the passport arrives tomorrow so that homecoming is Friday! It did not come early as we had hoped, but now I will be thrilled just to get them home for the weekend!

Tomorrow is a big day!

2011-06-05T16:59:00.000-07:00

Please pray for Sam's passport to be ready, and for availability on the Wednesday flight. We are so anxious to be home together as a family!

Daddy and sam!

2011-06-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie. I am JEALOUS! My husband got to visit briefly with Sam today. I am so happy for both of them, but sad for me. Poor Sam seemed shocked to see him, and it took a few minutes for him to warm up. This picture made me sad, because Sam is so serious in it. I cannot wait to get my arms wrapped around this precious little guy again! Things are clipping along, got the court decree and new birth certificate. The passport office is on the agenda for tomorrow. Praying things move quickly! I want them HOME!

A blip in time

2011-05-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that last week at this time we were headed home! Only a week, and yet it feels longer. Two weeks from today (God willing-if we hit no glitches) Sam will be making that same trip home with his Daddy. Two weeks, but it feels like forever. In the scheme of things, it's a blip in time. For nearly two years we prayed for Sam, for many months we paper-chased, we lived in his country for almost a month, and now just two more weeks. Why does each day closer become more unbearable to wait? I have done this before. I know in the end it is all worth it- all the waiting, the struggle, the pain of the process. Yet, it never gets easier. It is never okay in a mom's heart to be away from her child, especially on another continent, across an ocean, when she can't even know that he understands she has not left him forever. Yes, it's just a blip in time, but I can't wait for this blip to end....and for the next part of the journey to begin!

There's No Place Like Home!

2011-05-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

I kept thinking of Dorothy and her ruby slippers all day Friday as we made the long journey home. I was really wishing for a pair of those magic shoes to get home quick. Ahhhh. Home! It is a joy to be home. Saturday morning we jumped right back into daily life and all of us headed out to the little guys' baseball game and it's been non-stop since. Anybody who knows me, knows I am a homebody(I cried as soon as we landed back in the good ole' USA). I love my role as a mom and chief operating officer of our household. After being away for so long, I have a renewed appreciation for getting to be with those I love, to sleep in my (heavenly!)bed, and drink gallons of tap water (in case you are wondering, I'm totally over wanting to do laundry,cook, or clean!).

However, I am not content. My heart is missing a little boy, MY little boy across the ocean who is waiting to come home. Home is not complete without his presence. As I was tickling and hugging Irina today, my heart ached to hear his adorable laugh when we would give him tickles and kisses (he is super ticklish). I can't wait to squeeze my little guy in my arms and not have to let go. I can't wait to hear his little voice saying "mama" again.

The plan originally was that I would return for the second trip to bring Sam home. During the first trip, Adam and I decided it would be best for him to go back. I am honestly jealous that he will get to do "gotcha day" and be loving on Sam while I am at home waiting, but I also can't imagine leaving the kids at home again after being away for so long. It is really not much longer, but while I wait all I can do is pray earnestly and comfort my aching heart with the thought that VERY soon we will be together as a family ALL of us under the same roof, on the same continent!

We have another son!

2011-05-19T11:44:00.001-07:00

Praise the Lord! We had court today, and the Judge granted our petition to adopt Samuel! We are headed home tomorrow for the 10 day wait. I cannot wait to squeeze my kids at home. I cannot even describe how much I have missed them all. At the same time, it is really hard to leave Sam here. The orphanage allowed us to leave our family photo album with him, and to reassure him that we will be back. Please pray for him. No matter what, it will be hard for him to understand where we are and why we aren't visiting everyday. Not much longer and he will be home, but we will be counting down the days....

3 Weeks and Counting....

2011-05-17T22:25:00.001-07:00

Well our glitch does not seem to want to work itself out. Each day we are told that hopefully "tomorrow" is the day, but we have hit week 3 and are still waiting to resolve this issue so we can go to court. Prayers would be appreciated! We are missing our kids at home terribly, and we are so anxious to make Sam officially ours and get this boy home! I will try to post some pictures tonight of Mr. Cutie-Patootie! He is such a sweetheart, and the highlight of our day are our visits with him....

Uh Oh, another glitch...

2011-05-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

Well, court did not happen yesterday. It was a hard day. I woke up homesick, weary, and sad. I miss my kids at home desperately, I miss my bed, I am even missing doing my kids' laundry and cooking and cleaning my home (Yikes! I must really be homesick!). We were originally scheduled to fly home Sunday, but that obviously will not be happening. We had hoped and planned on court Monday, but we have another paperwork issue that needs to be resolved before that can happen. Please pray with us that the document is corrected, no more glitches, and for successful court either Monday or Tuesday!

In the meantime, the highlight of our day is always our visit with Sam! He is just so sweet and loveable. We got him a bubble gun, which he really seemed to enjoy..

Update!

2011-05-11T06:11:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I get the "worst-blogger-of-the-year" award. Sorry. We lost internet for several days, then we hit a glitch in the process, and I was just too weary to post. Our glitch was resolved (thank you, Lord!) and we are now waiting to hear about court (hoping and praying for this Friday....). In the midst of the "process" we are having a blast getting to know Sam! He is just so stinkin' cute and sweet! He has mastered the nerf gun we got him, as well as having a lot of fun blowing bubbles. We have been so blessed to get to spend time with two other adoptive families, as well as meet two other families briefly who were headed home. Alright, well I know you just want to see some pictures anyway, so here you go...

"S" is for smart!

2011-05-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

We had another great visit with Sam today! He was really excited to see us, and seemed surprised we were back. We looked through his family photo album and said his siblings' names while looking at each picture. He always gets excited when he gets to the picture of Adam and I, pointing enthusiastically and saying "mama!" and "papa!".

Sammy is Mr. Smartypants! Watch the short video clip of him using the iPad and repeating words in English!

Our Beautiful Boy!

2011-04-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

Be still my heart! We have visited with Sammy twice. He is delightful and we are so blessed. They had told him we were coming yesterday, so when we walked around the corner he was anxiously looking for us and called out "mama!" when he saw me. Yep, won my heart immediately!

I'm going to keep it short so we can skype the kiddos at home, but here are a couple pics from our first day:

We're here!

2011-04-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

I know I have been a bad blogger! We don't have Internet in our apartment, so this will be quick! We got Sam's referral today, and we will see him tomorrow! I can't wait! Pray we get Internet so I can post pictures!

8 more days...

2011-04-17T18:02:00.000-07:00

And we will be on our way!

We have a date!

2011-04-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

We also finally have internet back(I would have shared sooner, but we switched providers after unreliable service). We are so excited. We will be in Sam's country by the end of this month! There is so much to do. Why is it months of wait, wait, wait, and all of a sudden you are sprinting to the finish line? Please pray for all the final details as well as some specific political situations in Sam's country that have direct influence on the adoption process.

In the meantime, life continues as normal and I have catch up with some pics of birthday boys and baseball players! Maybe tomorrow.

The iPad Winner is....

2011-04-06T10:50:00.001-07:00

Congratulations, DeAngelis Family!

Thank you to everyone who contributed and helped spread the word about the giveaway! I wish I had a prize for all of you. Really, I prayed for each of you as I wrote your names on the raffle tickets. I hope that you will feel blessed to have participated in bringing our precious son home!

The winner of the Visa gift card does not wish to be named. This stubborn-I mean gracious person would like me to keep the gift card to do another giveaway and raise more funds. Still deciding what to do, but I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, we are still WAITING to hear word of a travel date. We are hopeful it will be by the end of this week.

Oh, and special thanks to my goofball Blair who drew the raffle ticket winners and then had to do silly poses while I tried to take the picture!

Sock Monkey says...

2011-04-01T09:11:00.001-07:00

ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT ON THE IPAD GIVEAWAY! PLEASE HELP BRING SAM HOME!

To donate, click here.

You're right, sock monkey didn't really say that. What he did say was "Please come home soon, Sam! I want to play with you!". Look how lonely Sock Monkey looks:( He and Mommy really want Sam HOME....still waiting (not so patiently) for news of our travel date. Keep praying, and keep spreading the word about the giveaway. We can't tell you how much we appreciate everyone who has donated and spread the word!

Hurry! One week left! Apple iPad 2 Giveaway!

2011-03-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Just one week left till the giveaway ends! Don't miss out and please keep spreading the word! If you are local and plan on attending our Chick-fil-A fundraiser night on Tuesday, April 5th, you WILL be able to participate in the giveaway that night, but the ChipIn will end on April 3rd! Thank you to everyone who has contributed and helped spread the word!

We received wonderful news today that our dossier was submitted in Samuel's country! We are just weeks away from traveling, and we are in need of funds to make that possible!

Here is your chance to help us by making a tax deductible donation, and getting a chance to be the winner of the brand new Apple iPad 2! Here's how to enter the giveaway:

Click on the ChipIn box below and make a tax deductible donation to Reece's Rainbow to sponsor our adoption:
$10 donation= 1 entry
$25 donation= 3 entries
$50 donation= 7 entries

We also need your help to spread the word! So, we will do a separate $50 Visa gift card drawing for those who post a link to the giveaway on your blog or on your facebook account. You will need to leave me a comment here so I can be sure to enter you for the drawing.

The giveaway will end on April 3rd, and we hope to do a "live" drawing at our Chick-fil-A fundraiser on April 5th!

Got Gold? Help us bring Samuel home!

2011-03-07T08:09:00.000-08:00

We are doing a fundraiser to help bring our Samuel home from Eastern Europe. Unlike most fundraisers, this time you won't be asked to spend money, but to make money! How does that work?

Gold prices are at an all-time high right now. You can turn your unwanted gold into cash, and help out a good cause as well. You are probably thinking "sorry, I don't have any gold", because I was thinking the same thing. So I went through my jewelry box and came up with a couple mismatched earrings, a few broken chains/bracelets, and an old locket. These are items I literally have no use for, but I can turn them into money to help cover some of our adoption expenses!

This is how it works: You are under No Obligation! You get a quote on your items, and if you like it, you get a check or money through paypal almost immediately, and you can be reimbursed your shipping costs as well. Then, the "gold guy" takes 15% of the "gold party" total and we get it as a host gift toward our adoption. If you don't like the quote, the "gold guy" sends your items back to you and pays the shipping, and will even reimburse the shipping to him. Any color gold, any karat, items that are broken, missing stones, gold teeth, gold coins, and even gold watches are great! If the item has stones in it, he will remove them and return them to you (he only wants the gold!).

If you are interested, you have two options:

1) If you live near me locally, you can give me the items directly and I will handle the mailing to "gold guy".

2) If you don't live near me, or you prefer, you can mail the items directly to my "gold guy", just please include all your contact information, your shipping costs, as well as that you are participating in "Boroughs Family fundraiser"(please be sure to inclued our names as he does quite a few fundraisers for adoptive families).

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!

The "gold guy"(who comes highly recommended!):

Steven Kersh
8927 Hypoluxo Rd
Suite A4, #350
Lake Worth, Florida
33467

stevenkersh@yahoo.com

A BIG step closer!

2011-02-26T18:36:00.000-08:00

Isn't she lovely? Our precious paper baby started on her journey to Eastern Europe today! Please pray for her safe arrival. The stack of papers probably doesn't look like much to many people, but to us it represents months of time, effort, money, prayers, and even a few tears. It was with mixed emotions I handed her off at Fed Ex today. Yes, I am relieved to (hopefully!) be done with the paperchase, I am excited to be nearing the end of our "pregnancy", but it is a little nerve-wracking to hand off precious documents that mean so much to us and so little to those who will be responsible for their safe delivery! It is hard to believe that we are really, finally getting closer to the day we will see our Sam and tell him that his mommy and daddy have come to bring him home.

Anyone want an iPad?

2011-02-22T18:40:00.001-08:00

We are thinking of doing an iPad giveaway to help raise some funds for Sam's adoption. We should be mailing our dossier to his country the end of this week, and travel is coming up and we are short of funds! Anyone interested?

We got the golden ticket & something else

2011-02-20T10:20:00.000-08:00

Yippee!! It came! It came! Our approval notice from immigration! This was the last document needed to complete our dossier, which we hope will be on it's way to Sam's country this week.

So, what else came this week? Oh, nothing good I'm sorry to say! A nasty, awful, yucky, horrible stomach bug that has ripped through the house at lightening speed. Thanks to Irina who brought the lovely "gift" home from school this week. All but two of us have had the misfortune of experiencing this illness so far (yes, i had my fun turn, thank you). Yeah, you might not want to stop by for a visit for a few days. Some serious spring cleaning is on the agenda this week!

Super Bowl Sunday!

2011-02-06T18:20:00.001-08:00

How to make your Sunday SUPER: Start with scones for breakfast! Yum!

After church, have some outdoor playtime (I am so thankful it warmed up enough for the kids to play on my in-laws porch this afternoon! They really needed some outdoor playtime and it is so muddy and wet with melting snow.)

After some yummy snacks for the game, you have to end with a scrumptious smores desset! Mmm mmm good!

What did you do today?

2011-02-05T16:01:00.000-08:00

We slept in till 7 (well, some of us didn't actually sleep until 7, but mom has a hard and fast rule about not coming out of bedrooms before 7 on Saturdays). We picked up the new bedding for the boys' room, and now it is an all sports theme (Ivan was helping to model the new bedding as well as the new bunk beds-he is sitting on Sam's bed)! We had yummy homemade wheat-crust vegie pizza for lunch, we played, and we had a "freeze dance" party (note Luke's expression in his picture!). We(well, actually mommy) did a little laundry, we played, watched a movie, played and did some more laundry, and then it was time for dinner, bathtime and bed! Irina seems to love her big girl bed. (The reason her picture looks like it does is she has netting around her bed to keep her IN the bed and out of trouble. Unlike Luke, just seeing a boundary provides enough security for her to leave it alone and sleep peacefully. Luke is another story...)

Now, mommy and daddy are going to get some take-out sushi (yummy!) and go hide in our room and watch a movie-just the 2 of us!:)I hope your day was as fun as ours!

Where did the week go?

2011-02-04T17:15:00.000-08:00

Seriously, between the weather and the crazy busyness of life, I can't keep the days straight! It's kind of embarrassing to wish someone a good weekend and then ask "it is Friday, right?". Oh my! So a brief rundown on some happenings in our life this week:

* We have a precious new niece named Ava! She is so beautiful and we are so thrilled for her mommy,daddy, and big sis Morgan! They don't live locally, so I haven't gotten to meet her yet, but two of my big kids got to travel with grandparents and claim her as the cutest baby girl EVER!
*Completed our (hopefully) last step toward immigration approval! Yippee! Our oldest daughter got her fingerprints done Thursday, so now we wait on that "Golden Ticket" (as we adoptive parents lovingly refer to immigration approval!).
*Irina transitioned from a crib to a big girl bed! She really seems to like it and is sleeping well. She looks so small on a twin-size bed. I will have to post a picture of her.
*Blair transitioned with no problems from his toddler bed to the jr.loft bed (but then again, he ended up there most nights when it was Ivan's bed).
*Ivan transitioned to the top bunk! This was more challenging than I thought. He was excited about getting a new bed, but I was surprised when he expressed fear at sleeping on the top bunk. Big sis Caroline volunteered to sleep up on top with him one (uncomfortable) night, and that did the trick! He has slept up there no problems since then! Thank you, Caroline!:)
*Irina wore big girl pants ALL day Saturday with no accidents (I am not brave enough to try underwear at school/while out yet)!
*Irina actually got to go to swim therapy this week! We have only made it twice so far as it has been cancelled every other time due to winter weather! She loves it(mommy honestly could do without putting on a bathing suit in the middle of winter, but I tell her each time it is a testament to how much I truly love her, because I know how much joy the pool gives her).
*For some reason, Blair and Luke decided 4 am was the perfect time to awaken this morning. This very tired mama did not agree, but now they are both back in bed and I am not. Life is definitely not fair:)

SNOW!

2011-01-27T11:33:00.000-08:00

Why procrastination never works

2011-01-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

I try not to put things off, because I have learned you just never know what tomorrow holds. Sometimes though, things just have to wait. We had a week full of appointments and 2 mornings with delayed school openings because of snow. I was determined to get my laundry caught up today. It didn't help that a certain child removed his diaper last night and added all his bedding to the numerous piles in the laundry room. I knew I was in trouble when the first load was done-and soaking wet! I put it on for an additional spin cycle, assuming it was the heavy bedding that kept it from spinning out the first time. Nope. Still dripping wet! I turned the washer on again. It made all the right sounds, but the laundry didn't move. No spin at all! So now we really wait as the repair technician can't make it here till Tuesday afternoon! Hmmmm.....that's gonna be a LOT of laundry to catch up on. Guess where I'll be on Tuesday night?

Just yesterday

2011-01-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

Our dossier was done! That last document was complete. Today I got an email. The requirements have changed, one of our documents needs to be redone. The paper chase is maddening.....

Isn't God amazing?

2011-01-15T06:09:00.000-08:00

Really, He always blesses and provides for our family, but this week He has really knocked my socks off! So often people ask "How do you do it?", meaning how do we provide for 9 (soon to be 10) kids and the answer is really that WE don't, but God does! Just this week, these are the amazing ways our family has been blessed:

Sunday we ran into our Pediatric dentist who was visiting our church. He only treats our 4 youngest children, so he said he was surprised when he got our Christmas card and realized how large of a family we have. He felt compelled to help us and so we will no longer be billed for any dental care for our children! Whatever insurance does not cover, his practice will absorb! I still have a hard time expressing my gratitude for this enormous blessing!

Monday our wonderful friend from church whose construction company did our roof this summer, was here with his crew to replace some windows (that have badly needed replacement!). Our entire first floor is handicapped-accessible, with the exception of our living room, which is sunken and one step down. Adam and I had discussed where to put a ramp, and I was wondering if it was even possible someday in the future to have the floor elevated. Our friend volunteered himself and a crew from church to do just that! We will pay for the supplies, and he said in one day they can get that floor the same level and put in a wheelchair-friendly flooring (we currently have carpeting) and they will do the labor FREE! Wow!

This week I emailed the International Adoption Clinic at our local children's hospital to get Sam set up as soon as he gets home. I inquired if they had a Spina Bifida clinic that we could get him scheduled with. They responded that the head doctor of the SB clinic is also part of the adoption clinic! She will be overseeing Sam's care, and will be available to us should we have any issues with his care before he gets home, and then will be his first visit once he is home! How wonderful to have this continuity of care for him and us!

Yesterday Ivan and Blair had their two-year follow up with the cardiologist. After EKGs, echocardiagrams, and exams, they were given a clean bill of health and sent on our way to return in another two years! Thank you, Lord!

Last night I stopped at Target and got some amazing deals on some things I hope will fit Sam, most for under a $1! You can't beat that, except for FREE.....Adam came home with 2 huge bags today from a wonderful co-worker! She gave us hand-me-downs for the boys and all in great condition and super nice!

I am blessed beyond words, and the good news continues....our homestudy is on its way to Sam's country for translation. We are waiting on immigration for our approval so our complete dossier can make its trans-Atlantic trip....

So close!

2011-01-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

We are so close to having a complete dossier, I can barely stand it! I want it done! I want to send it to Sam's country and be officially "in process". We are still awaiting immigration approval, but aside from that it is 2 more documents and then it is complete (well, after we get state apostilles). The one document we have done twice already and are awaiting instructions because it wasn't done to the specifications needed. GRRRRRR! Please pray that the third time is the charm! Please pray we can wrap up this paperwork and get it on it's international journey quickly.

Oh, and I never did update on "the vote". Apparently it did not occur, but it is rumored it may occur next week. Sources say (unofficially) the outcome if it passes will not create a closure, but may result in changes to the adoption process in Sam's country. Our prayer is that whatever happens, that the Lord will bring home Sam quickly before any paperwork changes occur or any delays.

So very close, and yet Sam is still so far away! We are coming Sammy! I am sorry it is taking so long, but we are working as hard and fast as we can!

Start 2011 in a great way!

2011-01-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

Why not help a child join a family? There are so many ways to do that, and today there is a way you can do that AND get something fun for yourself (or a loved one)! I have two friends that I have met only in "cyber-space", but I have been following along as they bring their precious girls home from China. They are SO close to holding them in their arms....all that stands between them is money. Please, go check out their beautiful items up for auction and bid on a few (and I admit that I have bid on a few, so the selfish part of me doesn't want the competition:). Please click on the links and help precious Isabella and Liliana join their families! Hurry home to your Mamas, sweet girls!

What a great way to end the year!

2010-12-31T16:26:00.000-08:00

I was so thrilled to find today that Reece's Rainbow met its Angel Tree goal! $1,000 grants for each and every child! Truly amazing! Now we just need families to step forward in 2011, and these little ones could be home in the arms of a mommy and daddy by Christmas! Check out the wonderful news yourself HERE!

If you look at the beautiful faces, you won't be able to help yourself but to fall in love with at least one. Why not pick a little one to pray for, or advocate for, or even better yet, to adopt yourself? My kids have fallen in love with sweet little "Doug" in China, and so we are praying as a family for his family to find him very soon. Look at this sweet face:

Please Pray!

2010-12-17T17:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends, please join us in earnest prayer. Next week there is a vote scheduled to occur in Sam's country that could have a huge impact on adoption. The first draft of this bill passed already, and if it is signed into law the way the initial draft was written, all adoptions from the US would immediately stop-even adoptions currently in process. Please pray for God's hand to move in a mighty way on behalf of Sam and our family, and all the other waiting children!

Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Blessed, Blessed, Blessed!

2010-12-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

That is how I feel today! I was so excited over the weekend we got our "invitation" from immigration to get our fingerprints done. Yippee...except that it was absolutely the worst day and time possible, actually impossible! ALL of our school-aged kids had 1/2 days, school parties, and Adam was working. There was just no way it was going to happen, and it seriously pained me to contemplate sending that form back with the box checked off to reschedule us. We heard from other families that they went in and successfully got fingerprinted when it wasn't their appointed day/time. We decided to venture off to immigration with our papers, passports, and prayers and WOOHOO they took us no problem and we were in and out in 10 minutes!

To back up just a bit, last night as I was getting little ones ready for bed, there was a knock on the door. I opened the door to find 4 fireman from our local firehouse standing before me with bags of groceries....Christmas dinner times 2 from our Mayor and township council! It was such a wonderful surprise and blessing! 2 turkeys, 2 pumpkin pies, and all the yummy fixings that make a Christmas dinner complete! I have a sneaking suspicion that the WONDERFUL ladies at our township building had something to do with this gift! We are in their office at least once (many times several times) a week asking for notarization, faxing, scanning, and emailing of oodles of adoption paperwork. They are so, so lovely and helpful to us! We are so thankful and appreciative! God is so good to us and blesses us abundantly!

We're moving along...

2010-11-22T17:29:00.000-08:00

It never goes as quick as I'd like, but we are plugging along with our paperwork for our precious Samuel! All of our medicals are done, we've submitted our application to immigration, we just got word that our fingerprints/clearances came back, and the final meeting with the Social worker is this week! Slowly, slowly...meanwhile, in real life, we have begun the round of parent/teacher conferences today, gotten Blair fitted with his new loaner hearing aids, completed paperwork for Albertine to get new hearing aids, hosted a dinner(for 40 people!) for the team that traveled to Haiti with Adam on a mission trip in October, and I have even begun to contemplate Christmas shopping! Yikes! How did it get to be Thanksgiving so fast???? At least I have ONE gift done! Adam and I agreed that our "gift" to each other would be the lovely packet that I mailed off to immigration last week for $910! Merry Christmas to us:)

Our big announcement!

2010-11-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

Yep, some of you guessed it! Our family is blessed to be growing again! I admit, I am a bit surprised by the "who" and "where", but not too much. We have a beautiful son that we are paper-chasing for in Eastern Europe! We plan to rename him Samuel and we couldn't be more thrilled (about the son, but not the "paper chase"!). We met this precious little boy when we traveled to bring home our Luke and Irina, and we have prayed for a forever family for him for over a year. Finally, we realized that WE were that family! Here he is:

If you feel led to make a tax-deductible donation to our adoption, you can find our sponsorship page here. More than anything, we need your earnest prayers for Samuel's homecoming! We hope and pray it won't be long before we hold him in our arms and tell him "we came back for you, Samuel! Mommy and Daddy came back to get you and bring you home!"

Stay Tuned!

2010-10-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

I have some very exciting news to share! I should be able to to "go public" this week!! Any guesses??????

I wish I could but....

2010-10-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Orphan,
I saw your picture today and heard about your plight. Your face is so beautiful and sad, and it tugs at my heart.

I hear you don't get enough to eat, and that there isn't always medicine if you get sick. You sleep in a room with many children, but you still feel alone.

You have never had anyone wish you a "Happy Birthday", give you a gift, or even sing you a lullaby goodnight. No one has ever told you about Jesus or that He loves you.

I wish we could adopt you, but....

It is such a long way to travel, it would cost so much money, and it involves so much paperwork.
Our home isn't very big, and we have already have children. Adding another child to our family would mean they would have to share toys, have bunk beds, and maybe give up dance class.
What if you have health issues or special needs that are not yet diagnosed?
You might have a hard time adjusting to a family after never knowing one, or have "issues" from years of neglect, malnutrition, mistreatment, or abuse.

I'm sorry, it is just too much of a risk and sacrifice for our comfortable life. Adoption doesn't really feel like our "calling". Maybe there is another family....

(This "letter" is not my original idea, I borrowed the idea from here, but I wanted to use my own "spin")

How to Lose your Mind in a Summer

2010-08-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

A how-to guide for any mom aspiring to insanity:

Step 1: Have 9 kids

Step 2: Decide to fill every week of the summer with at least one specialist appointment, preferably two or more.

Step 3: Throw in a weekly session of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy

Step 4: Make sure your older children have the best possible activity schedule (as in non-stop)

Step 5: Live in a school district that opts not to bus for the summer “enrichment program” that the 5 youngest kids attend, so you get to transport 5 kids to 2 different locations at 2 different drop off/pick up times, 4 days a week for a month

Step 6: Do not plan a vacation

Step 7: Expose your children to germs so that several get a virus the same week

Just when you think you see the oasis of school on the horizon, and think you may survive without the complete loss of your mind……

Start a major roofing project the last week and half of summer, make sure they start work on the back of the house making the pool unavailable in the heat, and try watching the letter sounds video a few more times……

Only 10 more days, but who’s counting?

State of Confusion

2010-08-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

I am a person that likes routine, the familiar, structure, the predictable, and yet it seems that God has given life a good shake anytime I get too comfortable. Just as I enter that place of contentment with the way things are, they change. I am certainly not an adventure-seeker, but it seems life with the Lord for us has been full of adventure.

So, I am in a weird place right now. We are in a place of waiting, waiting and seeking direction. Waiting for God to open or close doors, to make our path clear. So why is this place now so unsettling? It’s not just one thing, but many things from our family to ministry, to me personally. God is keeping me in limbo at the moment. It is not a familiar place. Why am I not content in this place now? Life is busy, and it certainly isn’t like I am sitting around bored.

I am used to Him calling us, (and although I may need a few nudges to get on board with His plans) jumping into action and going where He leads. This is different and really challenging for me! He has burdened my heart in several ways, but it seems we are stuck and His response to all of it is: WAIT. It has made me question if I heard Him right, did I misunderstand Him? He hasn’t closed doors, but the message is very clearly WAIT. I am trying to just trust Him, to not ask the why. I know that He sees the big picture and that He has a perfect plan already in place, but I still find myself wondering “why must we wait”? I want to go where He calls, I want to obey what He asks, but I am in a bit of a state of confusion at the moment. I know He will lift the fog when the timing is right, so I am praying I learn the lessons He has for me in this season…the season of waiting.

AWESOME GIVE AWAY!

2010-08-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

Check out my friend Robin's blog Red Thread Stitches for a great give away that ends on MONDAY! I can't wait to go enter. If you don't win one of those awesome t-shirts, then certainly buy one as they support not only Steven Curtis Chapman's Show Hope organization, but they also help to bring Robin's precious Lilana home!

Down to 4!

2010-08-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

Kids that is! The oldest 5 are all away this week. One is at camp, three are on a church mission trip, and one is away on a graduation trip with my Mother-in-law (they are in London as I type this, and headed to Paris next-I'm going to admit I am a wee bit jealous:). Whew. It feels so......strange! I admit I was kind of looking forward to the quiet and a bit less laundry and chaos (until they all return, each with a weeks worth of dirty clothes!), but I am missing them! I like my crazy, noisy, and busy crew and it doesn't feel right to only have the four youngest running around. Remind me I felt this way next week when I need a megaphone to be heard over the voices of nine kids!

Prayers are answered....

2010-08-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

Monroe has found a family! Thank you, Lord! They are a wonderful, loving family and I am so thrilled the Lord chose them. You can check out Meredith's blog post about how God led them regarding Monroe

here

. Please pray that there are no paperwork glitches and that Monroe can be in the arms of his family without ever spending one moment in that institution!

She can do this too!

2010-07-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe this is the same child who a year ago would shriek and carry on so badly during bathtime that her lips would turn blue! I'm still not sure who was more traumatized by baths - me or her?

So, little Miss Determination decided this week that she was tired of sitting on the side of the pool waiting for mommy, daddy, or a sibling to take her in the water. Instead, she thought she would just try swimming all by herself, and that is what she did! Can you tell how proud she is? I know I am one proud mama! Wait till her physical therapist hears the good news.

She can do it!

2010-07-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about Irina is her determination to accomplish a task. Now it has to be something she WANTS to do, because during her weekly physical therapy, if she doesn't want to work on something then she cannot be pushed to do it. However, if she wants to conquer something, then look out world! At the playground the other day, she very timidly and cautiously went across the swing bridge. She held tightly to the handrail, and took small, slow steps. She went back and forth, gaining confidence each time, until finally she was running across the bridge laughing and so very proud of herself!

Monkey Business

2010-07-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Please won't you help?

2010-07-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

BOY, Born February 4, 2005
SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!
Monroe is a sunshine of a little boy! He is already 5 and blessed to still be at the baby house. He needs a family right away!

From a missionary who visited with him in June 2010: I met with the doctor in his Groupa House who brought me back to meet him. The Head Doctor wanted me to meet the children who needed equipment. While measuring him for a chair, she explained to me what was more important was that he get a family. He will be traferred in six months to the worst institution, restrained in a crib in a dark room. She broke into tears! Monroe has spastic cerebral palsy in all four limbs and is globally delayed. He is able to recognize the voices of his careworkers and understand simple directions. However, due to his spacitiy he is unable to do much of anything. No speech. With therapy he can improve but will always have limitations. I measured his head circumfeence and once home will check with a doctor regtarding whether ir not he is microcephalic as well. I will try to gather more information on him today. His temperament was sweet and his eyes twinkled. He needs a family fast!

From an adoptive family who visited with him in June 2009: Monroe has CP. It appears that he is unable to use his arms and legs and is not sitting up on his own. He has the most beautiful smile and I don't think there is much of a cognitive delay. He loves to be held and his whole face lights up when you come near him."

*** Monroe has an incredible benefactor who has offered a FULL GRANT of $20,000 for his adoption. He is facing imminent institutionalization, and will regress quickly once he is transferred. Families who are qualified (www.reecesrainbow.org/newfamily.html) to adopt internationally and who are approved to adopt a significantly delayed child should contact Andrea for more information. This is a very fast program and it is very possible to have him home before the end of 2010! ***

MORE PHOTOS AVAILABLE
I have $20,000 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

Anyone interested please email Andrea Roberts at Reeces Rainbow! bamaroberts@comcast.net

Remember Lucy?

2010-07-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

My heart is overflowing with joy! Sweet Lucy is now named Teresa, and her wonderful family is in China right now to bring her home! What an amazing answer to prayer. She looks so happy and comfortable, it is so obvious that this was God's plan for her all along. Please pray for her as they travel home. Her heart condition is very serious (you could never tell from the pictures that she is a sick little girl). Please check out their family blog and send them love and prayers here.

Happy Birthday, Awesome Hubby!

2010-07-16T17:26:00.000-07:00

This week was my incredible husband's birthday! To mark the occassion, he shaved his head. I wasn't sure about the idea when he mentioned it awhile back, but I think he looks super handsome (or if I want to get my older kids to gag I can just say "hot"!:). We celebrated with homemade crab cakes and my Caroline made a decadent cheesecake for dessert. My husband really enjoys cycling, so we got him a bike trailer so he could tote around a kid or two when he goes for a ride (some might say this is a little selfish on my part, but really how good will he get doing hills with that added resistence in the back? I'm really just thinking of him! Really).

As you can see, Blair was very willing to be the first passenger. He looks pretty comfy with his water bottle in one hand and a snack in the other....

Nothing worthwhile is ever easy

2010-07-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

I tried to find out who said this to credit them, but it seems there are many individuals quoted as saying something to this effect. I know these words are true, and it feels even more so right now. Sometimes it seems the more worthwhile and valuable the goal, the harder the journey is to get there.

I am being intentionally vague on my blog, but as soon as I can, I promise I will go into detail. You may wonder why I am bothering to post when I am leaving you in the dark, but it is partly therapeutic and also to keep asking for your continued prayers for us. Prayer changes things, and we need it!

We are on a journey that truly either God is in it, or it ain't gonna happen. Really. This is one of those scenarios where HE is going to show up in a big way or He is going to shut the door. We were told yesterday that there is a 95% chance that what we are pursuing isn't going to happen. 95%! I wanted to cry when I got this news. As I shared with my amazing husband the "bad news", his response melted my heart. He simply responded "well, then there is a 5% chance it will".

It doesn't make any logical sense to push on when the chances of success are so slim, but faith is all about trusting God with what is impossible. This certainly isn't the first time the "odds" aren't in our favor. It isn't the first time we have asked the Lord to work a miracle on our behalf. No matter the outcome, we know that He loves us and has a plan for us. We just feel we have to trust Him to give us the final "no" or "yes". We have to at least ask Him for that miracle.

Don't press your luck...

2010-07-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

When will I learn? Once you get a fairly decent picture or two, you don't keep going!

We have a Priceless WINNER!

2010-07-05T13:12:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to RACHEL at Brown Eyed Blessings! I will be in contact to get your mailing information and get the book out to you this week. I hope you enjoy it, and consider putting a review on your blog when you are done reading it. Thank you to everyone who participated! I wish I could have sent all of you a free copy!

Oh, and a special thank you to my assistant Blair for helping to draw a name!:)

Time is running out!

2010-07-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

The give away for the Priceless book will end on Monday, July 5th at noon! See the post below for how to add your name to the drawing! Don't miss out on getting this great book FREE! Happy Birthday, America!

Beautiful Slave

2010-07-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine had this video posted on her blog, and it is very timely having recently read the book Priceless. Please watch.

Priceless GIVE AWAY!!!

2010-06-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is totally free, no obligation giveaway! I have a copy of Tom Davis' new novel Priceless to send to the winner. I know I love to read in the summer, and this is a great book. If you aren't familiar with Tom Davis, he has written Fields of the Fatherless (a MUST read for anyone seeking to know God's heart for the fatherless) and Red Letters.

If you have a heart for orphans, you must read this book. Maybe you are familiar with the tragic statistics of what happens to young girls once they age out of the system, or maybe you never really thought about it? This book will break your heart for those women and children caught in bondage. You can read more about this issue and the book at: http://www.sheispriceless.com

Okay, it is super easy to enter for the giveaway! Just post a comment, become a follower of this blog (those who are currently followers will automatically be entered), post about it on your blog with a link back (please let me know you have done this), and/or email me at: boroughs9@gmail.com. The more ways you enter, the more chances you have to win a FREE copy of this great book! Please spread the word! I will randomly have one of my kids draw a name on July 5th!

Happy Birthday Blair!

2010-06-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

It was a very busy week in our house last week, and the day after we celebrated Irina's 5th b-day, we celebrated Blair's 7th b-day! Blair loved the fact that it was his day, and he had a "noodle" day all day too. He adores pasta and Chinese food, so that is what he had-for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He really liked his new Toy Story bike helmet, gator golf game, and of course a new Spongebob video. I don't know what the appeal is with sb, but he loves all things having to do with that theme! Happy Birthday, sweet boy! We love you and thank the Lord for you!

Happy Birthday Princess!

2010-06-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

Happy, happy birthday to our sweet girl! Irina turned 5 last week! All the older kids were so excited to celebrate her birthday. We knew it was her first American birthday, but I am sure it was the first birthday party ever. We started the day with yummy homemade donuts. Mmmmm. Irina loved all her gifts, and of course she loved when we sang and she got to eat her birthday cupcake. We love this precious princess and thank God for the gift of being her family!

Please help my friend!

2010-06-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

Last year in Eastern Europe, we had the wonderful blessing to meet several other families who were also there to adopt. One of those couples was Lyndi and Bill, and they were adopting their adorable son Patrick. Lyndi and Bill are in process to adopt again, this time a 15 year old son with epilepsy (please see his button on the sidebar-Freddie). Once an orphan turns 16, they are no longer adoptable, so time is of the essence. They are set to travel in ONE WEEK and they have hit a glitch! Please pray earnestly, and if you can contribute to help them, please do so! You can go directly to their blog here
They need an unexpected and additional $3,000 NOW! Please consider making a tax deductible donation at www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorshupp.html

Take me out to the ball game!

2010-06-19T18:24:00.001-07:00

Do you have a Miracle League near you? We are huge fans of Miracle League in our area. It is a special needs baseball league, and this year both Ivan and Blair got to play. Ivan is very serious about his game, and Blair spent the games trying to figure out the best way to amuse the crowd. He is such a ham! Last week he put his baseball mit on his head while he was in the outfield, and came around behind the player who was up to bat just to get a laugh from the fans. He is too much. Today was the season ending picnic and trophies, and here are a few pics to enjoy....

One Year Later: IRINA!

2010-06-15T18:06:00.001-07:00

The same day we met Luke, we also met Irina. She actually came into the room first, and I immediately fell in love with her. When I first saw her referral picture, I did not think “oh how cute”. Instead, I was immediately drawn to look at her eyes, and my heart broke. The sadness and hopelessness just drew me in, and as we prayed for her and our decision to bring her home, she seemed to call out “rescue me, please rescue me”.

After our initial visit with Luke and Irina, the orphanage doctor came in to read their medical charts to us, with our facilitator translating. The doctor misunderstood our intention to adopt both children, and thought we were choosing between them. She told the facilitator to tell us that there was no choice, we should take Luke and that we did not want Irina. I will never forget the expression on her face when the facilitator explained that we wanted BOTH children. I might have been missing some cultural cues, but it was a most unpleasant expression, a look of complete disgust. Perhaps she thought we were foolish, or misunderstood our intentions. She couldn’t have been more wrong though, we DID want Irina! This little girl is loved so very dearly and cherished more than that doctor could ever imagine.

This child is not the same one we brought home from the Ukraine. That little girl had a hard time with prolonged physical affection, and she would become completely over stimulated by our attention. She could not feed herself, and had only been fed (and would only eat) pureed foods. She aspirated liquids anytime she would drink, and she did many self-stimulating behaviors like thwacking her tongue, banging her head, facial ticks, and rocking. Her only means of communicating were raging and grunting, and she didn’t make eye contact. It was impossible to get a good picture of her because she would never smile. If we played outside, she would rub her hands in dirt and sand, and then put them in her mouth and eat it. Only a shadow of that little girl remains…

Irina’s transformation this year is nothing but AMAZING! She is a ray of sunshine in our family. Her belly laughs are the best, and we hear them often! She smiles ALL the time, and is now even doing modeling poses for the camera. Irina has learned many signs, her rages have decreased significantly, and she is even starting to make speech sounds (my favorite is when she signs and says “mom” at the same time!). She has learned to eat with a spoon and fork, eats almost anything and everything, and drinks from a sippy cup and a straw. She loves the sandbox and pool and outdoor play (and doesn’t eat the sand and dirt-usually!). She loves LOVE! She not only tolerates affection but seeks it and gives it! Irina reminds me daily of what redemption means, and how love can utterly transform a person. This little girl bubbles with love, joy, and fun and we thank God daily that we followed His prompting and added her to our family!

One Year Later: LUKE!

2010-06-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

A year ago this week, we found ourselves in Eastern Europe, meeting our youngest son (and daughter, but I am going to give her a separate post!)! It is hard to describe all the emotions you experience when the long awaited moment has come, and the child you have prayed for, dreamed of, and stared at their picture, suddenly appears before you in the flesh.

My first thought of Luke was that he was so much cuter in person, and I thought his referral picture was adorable! He burst into that room with so much energy and personality that first day! He was immediately fun and full of laughter and giggles. It was obvious he liked to play and enjoyed attention, and we had a ball engaging with him.

Now a year has gone by, and he has experienced so much, grown and developed so much, and played so hard! As I think back to when we first met him, he is still very much the same little boy. He is fun, affectionate, smart, and often mischievous. However, he has changed in so many ways as well. He no longer grabs food off of someone else’s plate (or takes his friend’s snacks at school), or stuffs a banana (peel and all) in his mouth and frantically tries to eat it, and he can (and does!) take turns (okay, as much as any preschooler). He has learned to share, typically not the toys he loves the most, but we are getting there! He has learned to use the potty and wore big boy pants ALL last week! (Yippee for mommy that she has fewer pull ups to buy!) He gets to ride the school bus, which he loves. He also loves water and to get dirty. It actually brings me tremendous joy to see this little guy play outside and get filthy. I don’t think he was really “allowed” to get dirty at the orphanage, so I love to watch him play with sand, dirt, sticks, rocks, and any and all things that boys love.

Luke also got to celebrate his first birthday ever, and boy did he like turning 5! He had a birthday crown at preschool and he wanted to wear it all day. He loved his cake, and really liked his gifts, his favorite being the matchbox cars and the stuffed puppy (that barks and howls) from Mom-mom and Pop-pop. More than anything, I believe Luke has learned that he is loved, that he has a FAMILY. He is learning what a mama and papa are, that they never ever leave you, and that sisters and brothers love you and take care of you.

It is heart breaking to think of the contrast of what Luke’s life would have been like if he had not been adopted; would he have survived a mental institution long enough to see his 5th birthday? Oh what a tragic waste it would have been for this precious child to not know the love of a family, and to spend out the rest of his days with his potential untapped, his beautiful face unseen, and his infectious laughter unheard. Thank you, thank you, Lord, for the precious gift of our son!

Moving Mountains.....

2010-06-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

Do you ever find yourself on a path where the obstacles that lay ahead make the journey seem impossible? I have felt this way lately about a journey I have started on. This week I found myself having a spiritual temper tantrum, whining to the Lord about how the road ahead is impassible and why couldn’t it just be easier. This morning on my way to church, I was realizing that He sets me on these paths because He knows me so well. He knows that if the task is something I feel I can accomplish, I will go ahead and do it on my own, and pretty much say “I got it Lord…I’ll let you know if I run into trouble”. This time the mountains are not the type I can scale or go around, they are mountains that only He can move to make the journey possible. Why don’t I trust Him to do that? He has never failed us, and He is always faithful to see us through, no matter how bad the “odds” might be. IF this is His plan, then He is going to make it happen.

So, please pray for me, dear friends! He has moved several obstacles on this journey all ready, things that would have slammed the door shut to our continuing down this path. Pray for me to trust Him to move the ones that loom ahead. They seem so much bigger and at times I am fearful because they are too big for us to conquer, but nothing is too big for Him.

My version of Dr. Seuss on Attachment Issues

2010-06-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year when our kiddo with attachment issues begins to unravel at the changes in routine and structure. I will be honest, it is tough to revisit behaviors that you had thought (hoped) you had overcome. I don't share much on my blog on this topic, not because I don't want to be honest about our struggles in parenting a hurt child, but I feel I need to protect this child's privacy-their story is their own to share. I would always be willing to chat with anyone struggling with attachment issues by email though, so please feel free to contact me if you want to discuss things privately.

Anyway, I have no idea why Dr. Seuss popped into my head tonight while thinking about attachment issues, but here goes:(Oh, and if you don't have personal experience with the challenges of parenting a hurt child, please don't judge too harshly! We love our child with all our hearts, but parenting this child has been one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do!)

I do not like this kid of mine, I do not like them at this time.

Kicking, hitting, screaming “I hate you!”- oh the awful things this kid will do!

Love them, hug them, help them trust? Some days I think my head will bust.

Stealing, lying, hoarding food….can this kid do any good?

Love them, love them, don’t dare stop! Even when your heart might pop.

Wounded, broken, heart torn in two. Heal their scars? What can we do?

Hugging them ten times a day, will it make it all okay?

Be consistent, stay the course….could things get any worse?

Pray, pray, down on your knees! Beg the Lord to help you please.

I do not like this kid of mine, I do not like them at this time.

But, I will love them, yes I will! I will love them each day still.

I will love them every day, until they know they're here to stay!

Yes I will love them, yes I will! I will love them each and every day...

Until they know our love will never go away!
Okay, it's silly and I am certainly no poet, but that's my version of Dr. Seuss on attachment!

Help bring Liliana home!

2010-06-01T18:15:00.000-07:00

I am going to be posting about some fundraisers that some "cyber" friends are holding right now to bring home their precious waiting children. This one is to help bring home beautiful Liliana for Robin and her family. Please go HERE and get a chance to win this gorgeous quilt. Hmmm....I want to help Robin, but I also want to win that quilt for myself! So, go get some numbers and if you want, you can give it to me if you win! Seriously, please support this family in bringing home their daughter.

God is good!

2010-05-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

He really is, all the time. I know my last post was pretty negative, and I try not to be a discouragement, but I needed to rant a little. Please forgive me. I don't want to be dishonest and pretend that life is all sunshine and rainbows all the time, because it isn't. However, God is faithful in all things. He knows the circumstances, and He has a plan in it, even when we can't see it. No, nothing miraculous happened with our daughter's school situation. I still believe that the school is wrong. I am not happy about it, and I am ready for battle when it comes to our upcoming IEP meetings for our younger set. As their mom, I feel like God has given me the responsibility to advocate and fight for my kids. I just have to remember that He loves them more than I ever could, and He can work good out of bad. So we are trusting Him with the big picture, and knowing that He holds all the details in the palm of His hand.

When Special Education Fails

2010-05-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

Be Warned: This is going to be ugly because I am mad, frustrated, and totally disgusted with the public school system.

I have been told over and over and over that my children with IEP’s (Individual Education Plans) are entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education through the age of 21. I have also been told at special education trainings to NEVER accept a diploma until you are sure your child is graduating TO something.

So, last year, when our daughter was a junior in high school, we expressed our concern regarding her accepting a diploma at the end of her “senior” year. What was the transition plan? What would she graduate to? Several months ago we had an IEP meeting with the school again regarding graduation. We shared that we are concerned that our daughter is graduating to “nothing”. She is unable to go on to college, and she is not prepared for employment. How did the school respond? They said “a lot of students are in the same situation”. Seriously, THAT was their response! They are basically unconcerned with my daughter’s educational outcome (or should I say lack of one). They said they have provided her with an “adequate” (their term) education, and a few days later we got the official Notice to Graduate.

We were mad, but figured the law was on our side. Our daughter is entitled, and they are obligated. At least that is how I read the law, but I guess I am wrong. After months of fighting with the school, meeting multiple times, enlisting the help of a disabilities advocate, and filing for mediation, we are left with no recourse. The only option left is for us to hire an attorney. Any idea how much a retainer fee for an education lawyer is? A lot! Meanwhile, the school already has an attorney, so it basically doesn’t cost them a thing. They have nothing to lose in taking this all the way to court. We do. Even if we win, we can not recoup the attorney fees, which we can’t afford to begin with.

So, public special education has failed my daughter, and there doesn’t seem to be anything I can do. The law has not done its job to protect her rights. She is one more child that has been left behind, and no one but us seems to care. As it is IEP season, I encourage you to advocate hard for your child...and get to be best friends with an attorney who specializes in educational law, you may need them one day.

Letting go....

2010-05-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

Did you ever have to let go of a dream? Find yourself on a path that was different than what you had hoped? I am in that place right now. I see pictures of waiting children every day, and they always tug on my heart. My heart grieves for any child that is need of a family. I have learned to pray for them, but a select few really capture my heart, and I always share those few with my hubby. Only very rarely do we both feel that similar tug, and most of the time when we feel an immediate "YES" in unison, we start the process and bring him or her home to join our family.

As I shared in previous posts, I fell in love with a little girl name Lucy. I knew it would be an uphill battle. She was born in China, and according to their requirements our family is too large and our income not enough. I kept pushing. I know there are waivers sometimes, and certainly God could do that. I tried to get a home study started, but our last agency doesn't do Hague studies, another agency couldn't figure out how to do the update when our previous home study wasn't for a Hague country. We found ourselves back at the wonderful agency that helped us bring home our boys from Hong Kong. They were willing to help us, but the problem was that they could only ask China for a pre-approval if they had Lucy's file, and they didn't. We could proceed with a home study for China, but it would be costly and time consuming, and ultimately we could end up not getting a waiver for ANY child. This seemed so risky. Perhaps her file would end up on the shared list (apparently all special needs children from China are now supposed to be a shared list, and not held exclusively by individual agencies)and then our agency could ask China if they would make exceptions. We had no choice but to wait, and pray, and dream.

I had heard a family was paper chasing for Lucy. I prayed they would officially be "locked in" so I could release her. Sometimes people have good intentions, their hearts are drawn to the plight of a waiting child, but the reality of completing the process doesn't come to fruition. I feared (and if I am truthful-hoped) that perhaps this family wouldn't follow through. Then Lucy would end up on the shared list in a miraculous way, that God would move mountains to bring her home to our family. I know that sounds so selfish. I allowed myself to fall in love with the "idea" of this precious child. I saw her as the suddenly missing piece of our family puzzle. Yesterday I was finally brave enough to email Lucy's agency and ask if she was now officially "locked in". She has been matched to a family, and they hope to have her home this summer. This is such wonderful news! I am praying for them, that their paperwork goes through super fast with no glitches, that Lucy's health remains good while she waits, and mostly I pray for a miracle for Lucy. I will be honest, I also pray a little for my broken heart. I know God has a plan, and it is always better than what we can imagine. Sometimes we have to get on board with that plan in a way that is a bit painful and hurts our hearts. So I am letting go, and I pray that I can fully surrender to wherever He is leading.

You might have a large family if...

2010-05-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

~Everytime you order lunch meat at the deli they ask if you are having a party.
~You have to take a head count anytime you go somewhere to make sure everyone is accounted for.
~You get asked if you are a school group when you go places.
~The pharmacist thanks you for your business when there is a strep pandemic in the house.
~You need to take out a personal loan to cover the Dr.visits and medicine for the strep pandemic.
~The receptionist at the Pediatrician's office knows you on a first name basis, and asks which child you have with you that day.
~You get told at least twice a day that your family should have it's own reality TV show (and you respond "No, thank you!" everytime)
~You run the dishwasher twice a day.
~The washer is ALWAYS running:)
~You dream of winning a lifetime supply of detergent, tissues, or toilet paper.
~You love when your kids where sandals, because you HATE socks!
~You have to order the party platter when you get take out.
~You are never lonely, because you are never alone!
~Your kids have the biggest cheering section at all sports events, concerts, and plays.
And finally:
~Your home is filled with noise, activity, and clutter, but it overflows with joy and love!

A life transformed through adoption

2010-05-02T16:38:00.000-07:00

To say that adoption is life-altering is an understatement. A child goes from being an orphan with no family, and an uncertain (at best) future, and in a moment life is radically different. Through the act of adoption, an orphan becomes a cherished son or daughter, they belong to a family, and their future is suddenly full of promise.

However, the life I am referring to is not any of my adopted children’s, but my own. You see, I knew life would change with the adoption of each of my children. What I didn’t anticipate is how God would use adoption to transform me. I had no idea that He would reveal so much of His character to me in the adoption process. His adoption of me took on such literal meaning as I adopted each of my children. I already knew God loved me, but I got a much deeper understanding of the depth and breadth of that love. I had no idea how much you could love and miss someone that you had never met. I could not imagine the sacrifices I would be willing to make or the distance I would go, for someone who was literally a complete stranger.

The act of adoption has also taught me much about my character, and some of those lessons have been difficult to learn; I can be fearful, impatient, faithless, doubting, and whiny. On the other hand, I have learned that can be persistent and stubborn, assertive, and a “mama bear” anytime a situation calls for me to defend my children. I have gained a better understanding about unconditional love, and found out how exceedingly challenging it is to actually love someone without conditions (I dare you to really examine if you have a person in your life that you love, that doesn’t love you back).

Adoption has changed and altered me, and I will never be the same. I thank God every day that He would allow me to be transformed through the miracle of adoption. I cannot imagine my life without my amazing kids, and I am blessed beyond words to be their mom!

Fallen off the face of the earth....

2010-04-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

We didn't, but April has certainly been quite a month! It started with several kids getting a stomach bug, then a week where 7 kids got strep (not to mention mom and dad as well), 4 kids got a skin rash, and then a couple kids got horrible stomach upset as a result of being on the antibiotic for strep. As if that wasn't enough, we have 4 kids with strep AGAIN this week! I can't wait for May....it has to get better, right?

Pray for Chrissie!

2010-04-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

Please pray for precious Chrissie (you can see her button on my sidebar) or check out her blog here. The story of her adoption is beautiful, and I have no doubt God has amazing plans through the testimony of this precious child and her family.

Pray for Lucy today!

2010-03-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

So many people have been touched by the plight of little Lucy in China! This little girl needs a miracle, a miracle that only God can provide. So, we need to go to the ONE who can help and lift her in earnest prayer. A fellow blogger has arranged a day of prayer today, and you can check out her blog here. Please join us in praying for God to move mountains so that Lucy can come home to a forever family that loves her and give her the surgery she so desperately needs.

A Mother's love

2010-03-13T16:04:00.001-08:00

This weekend is the first time that Luke and Irina have been sick since they have been home. They have felt awful, but it has provided lots of bonding time as they are super snuggly and want to be held. Yesterday, I held Irina in my arms while she slept snuggled up to me for over an hour. It was such a blessing. As I held her, I couldn't help but think of all the times she had been sick in her life with no mommy to hold her. It brought tears to my eyes to imagine her feeling sick, and perhaps lying in a crib all alone with no one to attend to her and give her the extra love and nurturing she needed.

It also made me think of Lucy. It sounds like she is getting very good care, but nothing replaces the love of a mommy. It is hard to imagine any child without a mom, but especially a little child who is medically fragile. Both our sons from Hong Kong had heart surgery as infants. They were so blessed to be well cared for, but I still have often wondered how a baby survives being that sick without parents to love and nurture them.

I know Lucy's heart condition is scary, and her prognosis uncertain. The reality is that life is uncertain for all of us. God does not promise us how many tomorrows we get, we only know that we have this moment. This precious little girl deserves a mommy to hold her and love her, for however long that may be......

Please help Lucy!

2010-03-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

Look at this precious little girl! She is in desperate need of a family. She has a significant heart condition and needs an adoptive family so that she can get surgery. The doctors fear she may even need a heart transplant. Is she your daughter? Do you know anyone looking for a beautiful little girl to complete their family?

I will be honest, I am in love with this little girl! My hubby and I saw her and immediately wanted to add her to our family. Sadly, we do not meet the requirement for China due to family size and income requirements. There is sometimes the possibility that the Chinese government will allow waivers for exceptional situations, but we can't request this without an updated home study. The agency cannot put Lucy "on hold" for a family that might not be able to complete her adoption, she needs a paper ready family NOW. Please pray and spread the word! You can check out the agency blog here.

Update!

2010-02-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

We took Luke and Irina for their follow up appointment at the International Adoption Clinic. Both of them are making progress and look to be in great health! The Dr. noted that Luke's activity level and impulsiveness is probably impacting some of his developmental progress. He really has made a lot of gains, but he is Mr. Distraction (and actually swung from the chandelier this week! UGH! We thought we had overcome that one with the loss of several cookies. I guess it had been awhile though, so he needed to test it out again!). We will continue to follow up with the Developmental Pediatrician about addressing these concerns with Luke.

Irina has made significant gains. She has improved around 8-9 months in her gross motor skills in the last 6 months. The Dr. also said "a diagnosis in the autism spectrum no longer seems likely"!!!! How awesome is that? God is so good! I am amazed at the changes we have seen in just the few months that they have been home. It's funny, it feels like they have always been here, but it has only been 7 months. We feel so blessed that God chose us to parent these two crazy kids!:)

I may need therapy

2010-02-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

I am totally hooked on saving money! I am going to become known as the crazy coupon woman at my local grocery store. Look at all this stuff I got today! I saved $113.66!!!! Come on, I am pretty proud of my efforts! I purchased 64 items and spent $66 and got a free reusable shopping bag, AND I got another coupon for $10 off my next purchase and another free shopping bag.

Irina's first day of school!

2010-02-22T17:39:00.001-08:00

Irina had a great first day! She has a wonderful preschool teacher and she had lots of fun. I thought I would share a few pics of the big event. As you look at them, I am sure will understand why I post as few pictures as I do! It is no easy task getting these guys to cooperate!

It's official!

2010-02-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

I am addicted to my new hobby! Who would have thought coupons could be so fun? Tonight I spent $75.87 at the drugstore and grocery store. Between sales and coupons, I saved $88.14 AND I get $10 off my next grocery purchase and a free reusable shopping bag! Not bad for a novice!

My new hobby

2010-02-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

It all started before Christmas, when a friend sent me an email about a deal online for 100 photo Christmas cards FREE. I honestly thought there had to be a catch, till I got my cards-FREE! What a deal! I am always bargain hunting as a mom of 9 kids, but even if we were millionaires I just believe that we should be good stewards with what God has given to us. I have dabbled with couponing, but it always seemed to be a lot of work for very little payback. I mean, my time is valuable! It didn't make sense to sit down and cut out a ton of coupons, which end up expiring or getting lost, and the few I take to the store usually end up not getting used with the store brand being cheaper. BUT, I have discovered that there is a lot of savvy people out there scoring items for FREE. Now that catches my attention! I am still learning the rules of the game, but by following a few websites, much of the investigating work is done for you. I can't tell you how many samples and freebies I have scored this week. Go take a look here and here.I have decided to keep tabs of the money we save this month with coupons, and put that money aside for something "special". I haven't successfully purchased a store item FREE yet, but I'm working on it! Today I saved $13.50 with coupons and a $5 gift card I got in the mail at Walmart...

Just one of THOSE days....

2010-02-18T16:26:00.001-08:00

It didn't start out well, so we all really needed a pick-me-up. These helped!