If only....

Sweet little Toby is about the cutest little guy I have ever seen. I would give anything to go get him :) Wouldn't you??

This is little Lisette.....from Eastern Europe too, but not from U*raine where Toma is from. She's never far from my mind....

We want to go back for another child so badly.

Please say a prayer that He works it all out....

Tidbits about Toma

This is what 5 boxes of macaroni and cheese looks like blended up.

He really likes this. He's starting to eat more foods FINALLY. He tries bits of ours at meals and he'll eat many more things than before. He drinks sometimes now too, which is wonderful :)

When he see's me getting the camera out he hides under his play table. He loves sitting here playing and looking in his mirror.

Come out Toma and let me take your picture....

Being still for ONE MINUTE for mom....
Then he got distracted by the 2 horses playing on the floor....

Then decided to be silly on the couch.

I secretly like dressing him like a baby, I LOVE overalls! I guess it's because I missed having him as a baby, so I'm trying to make up for it :) :) :)

I'll huff and I'll puff ....

and blow out your power for 17 hours!

It's been SO windy here in MN for the last couple of days that last night our power went out around 10 pm. It just came back on now at 2:30 the next day.
Here in MN in late October it's COLD.... so all night we had no heat either. Brrrrr.

No lights, couldn't find a stinkin match in the entire house.....had to walk around in the pitch dark with Alex's Mickey Mouse flashlight looking for a match....just ONE match to light a candle....the flashlight is going very very dim.....after looking out in the garage and everywhere I could think of I found 4 matches. YAYYYYYY.

I don't mean to sound like a baby here, but THAT'S A LONG TIME WITHOUT POWER!

NO coffee????? Oh, man. NO computer???? major oh man!

You know how you hear that 'the silence is deafening'?? Well, it is. I'll tell you one of the weirdest things about me.....I have to sleep with LOTS of noise. I HAVE to have my blow dryer going on my bed, my sound machine going, AND a fan going in my room. And the really dumb part is that then I put ear plugs in!!! HA, that even sounds ridiculous to ME.

Anyway, I couldn't sleep AT ALL last night because the SILENCE was SO DEAFENING.

So anyways.....after my 17 hours w/o power, I'm totally rethinking my strategy of moving to the boonies and becoming a pioneer.

Breakfast of Champions.....

We made a cake (again) yesterday .... num....

And this morning for breakfast we sliced it and put it in the toaster then had it with butter on it.....

super num :)


****ok, I came back for the 'keeping it real' part, in case you were thinking we were like the Waltons sitting around the table eating our toasted cake....
The stupid cat jumped up on the counter before I got up this morning and barfed in front of my coffee maker.....NOT YUM!

How's that for a 'Good Morning'!!!

Totally gross. I bleached the counter.

Heath and Brady

Are 2 little boys that need someone to rescue them. They are in desperate need of a family. Their situation is dire, living in a mental institution with very little stimulation, very little everything, actually. They are lost boys with almost no hope of having a life outside of what they have now, which really can't be called a life. It's just existing. And their just little boys....so small and helpless. So at the mercy of everyone around them. Which includes young adult men in the same institution.

They CAN be adopted.

It's their ONLY chance. I pray that someone steps out in faith to rescue them.

You can go to this blog to read from someone who has met them, seen how they live, seen the desperation of their situation....someone who DID step out in faith and adopt from the very institution these boys are in.


http//covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/

Look at these eyes.....imagine what it must be like to live his life....please help find his family...pray, donate money to http://www.reecesrainbow.org/ to the older boys grant....search your hearts for ways to help. They need you.

Four of my favorite angels.....

I love these boys....they are my 'other angels' sweeties. They do not have Down Syndrome, but other special needs. They ALL need families. Look into their eyes, oh the potential! What wonderful son's they would be. This is Gregory ( above)

This is Edwin (above)

This is Austin (above)

And last but not least, this is Jonah.

None of these sweet boys will have a chance at life outside of institution walls. That's a sad fact, but very true and they need to be rescued SOON.

Look at those smiles, the love they have to give is immeasurable....

www.reecesrainbow.org

Michael's long lost little brother...

Isn't he darling.....He's on Reecesrainbow.org and really needs a family.Doesn't he look like my Michael??

I don't know how to crop pictures, or I would have taken Alex out. But I think the resemblance is striking.

I would love to go get him. Take a look at Reeces Rainbow, so many kids need families so badly.

The Salt of the Earth....

My dad. Sure, he looks nice so far..... But look at these eyebrows! They curl up like horns.

Always the joker....

loves to torture the little ones....

Ah, yes, he is doing what you think he's doing. I mean, who's dad DOES that!??!

experimenting with false teeth.

How's it look?

Nah, who needs teeth anyway.

All in all, I'd say genetically.... I don't stand a chance.

I'd like your opinion......

When we were in 'my special country' I found this hat at an outdoor market for Artiom. This is his 'gotcha day' picture.....The hat had tassels on the top and sort of looked like a gesters hat. But we noticed pretty quickly that the way he is always flapping and dancing made him look like a clown with this hat on. So we took it off.

Then a couple of weeks ago I read 'The clown of God' and I didn't know how to feel about it at first. But the more I thought about it, the more beautiful it became to me.

Thursday, September 30, 2010
The Clown of God


This passage is from a book entitled, The Clowns of God, by Morris West. In
the
book, a deposed pope has gone through many trials and tribulations and it is
the
time of the Second Coming. When he meets the Returned Christ, the former pope
is
afraid and unsure much like the apostles when Christ first arose. This passage
takes place in a mountain hideaway where children from a school for Down
Syndrome are among those present. The Returned Christ is speaking about one of
these children as he holds her.


"I know what you are thinking. You need a sign. What better one could I give
but
to make this little one whole and new? I could do it; but I will not. I am the
Lord and not a conjurer. I gave this mite a gift I denied to all of
you--eternal
innocence. To you she looks imperfect--but to me she is flawless, like the bud
that dies unopened or the fledgling that falls from the nest to be devoured by
ants. She will never offend me, as all of you have done. She will never
pervert
or destroy the work of my Father's hands. She is necessary to you. She will
evoke the kindness that will keep you human. Her infirmity will prompt you to
gratitude for your own good fortune... More! She will remind you every day
that
I am who I am, that my ways are not yours, and that the smallest dust mite
whirled in the darkest spaces does not fall out of my hand... I have chosen
you.
You have not chosen me. This little one is my sign to you. Treasure her!"

But....I can see where it might not sit right with some people. Especially if the child is yours biologically (?) ....I don't know. Maybe it makes a difference, maybe it doesn't.

But for me, with my adopted child, I thought it was beautiful and made me love him even more.

But does it sit well with you? Does it offend you? Do you feel defensive that someone is referring to your child as a clown?

I've been thinking about it for a while now and still haven't come to a solid conclusion....

But Toma is wearing his hat today :)

So...what do YOU think??

I'm asking this for a 'friend'.....

Has anyone gotten mouth sores after eating a whole bag of this? just wondering.

come out, come out, wherever you are....

My aunt Patti is a lurker.

She's been reading my blog for over a year now and has never, ever commented.
Not even once.
She's not a follower either....(don't think I haven't noticed that Aunt Patti)
I think she's shy, maybe even unsociable....maybe she doesn't want to the world to know she's a LURKER!

Ha.

Can you all do me a favor and say 'hi' to her.....encourage her to maybe leave a comment just ONCE?!?!

another one of my favorites...

Awe, look at her! This is Paulina. What a delightful daughter she would be :) She's in Eastern Europe too, and is VERY able and smart. What a doll.

Please *think* about this....

When I say that these children are living on borrowed time, I really mean it. This is sweet Anne Marie, we met her in March, she lived in Artiom's orphanage. We just learned today that she has passed away in the orphanage, alone, without a mommy or daddy to hold her and love her. Ever.

I pray she is running around in Heaven right now, with love showered down on her.
Please, Please consider adopting one of these children....
www.reecesrainbow.com
You really would be saving a life.

Isn't this the most darling boy in the world?

This is Sabastian. I just LOVE him :) He needs a family.....oh, I would just love to go get him. I mean, who wouldn't, he's adorable!

www.reecesrainbow.org

this stuff is Heavenly.....

I should never have found it.

super hero was mad

That I forgot to post pictures of him :)

This is my Alex. He's the funniest little thing, I just LOVE him :)

I'll say it again, there's nothing sweeter in the world than a 3 yr old boy!

found some older pictures of Toma to compare with the new ones

I found some pictures of Artiom when he first came home 6 months ago and I put them on here along with some current ones so you can compare... Here's the crew before the Halloween party, (minus Alex)

Here he is at a festival last month..

his first pony ride last month....

at the park last month....


COMPARED TO THIS FROM 6 MONTHS AGO...

you could see his whole spine....

I just can't believe how skinny he was!

just so tiny....

This was his first day home, Easter Day :)

Just think what he'll look like next year at this time! I love seeing him change and grow and be healthier.

When we first brought him home he just sat most of the time. Probably from being under nourished and weak. Along with lack of stimulation his whole life.

Now, he's such a little stinker! Gotta watch him like a hawk ;)

He's always going, going, going. :)

how cute is this little tiger.....

Toma is at his first party tonight! He's dressed as a tiger and is just the sweetest little thing...

All the kids are at the party at a local church from 6-10 pm!!! We have never had them ALL go somewhere before, and we don't quite know what to do with ourselves! :) :)

charlize theron

is a block away from my house shooting a movie. cool, huh? (except she's a liberal)

0k, ok. I'm sure she's very nice.

The kids got pictures :)

my bowl of oatmeal

I made a bowl of oatmeal the other night.

Once and a while a good bowl of oatmeal really hits the spot, doesn't it?

My secret ingredient to making it really good is a big dallop of vanilla ice cream on top, along with the brown sugar of course. Num.

But when I made this bowl and sat down to my 10 minutes of semi peace and quiet to eat it, I noticed a couple of hairs in it....not yum.

But I picked them out, picked one out of my mouth, and tried to pretend that didn't just happen, so I could enjoy it.

Our oldest daughter Ashley was over and took a bowl in the other room to eat it, and she has ALWAYS had a 'hair fetish' finding hair in her food totally grosses her out.

So, she starts holloring out 'GROSS mom, there's HAIR in this' ...I said 'no, there's not, eat it anyway' :) :)

But as I kept eating there just seemed to be a abnormal amount (ok, what IS the 'normal' amount) of hair. It's grossing even ME out. But hey, I had to atleast finish the part with the ice cream melted on it, right? :)

(Honestly, there wasn't much else in the house to eat at this point, I needed to go shopping.)

But as I picked another hair out of my mouth and studied it, I noticed it was sort of orange-ish and a bit curly. Hmmm.

We have a monstorous dog with that color hair....

I got up and looked in the oatmeal box and sure enough to my disgust, there were hairs all over in what was left of the oatmeal! Sticking out all over as I rolled it around. Ugh. Barforama.

then the monstorous dog comes trotting out in the kitchen to see what's going on. I compare hairs.....yes, I'm quite sure they are all his.

My theory is that SOMEONE (lindsey) dropped the oatmeal out of the pantry and swept it up and put it back in the container. It has her name written all over it. Plus, she doesn't like oatmeal, so what does she care?!

Someday ........my life will be quiet...and normal....and the oatmeal won't be hairy.

look at their faces.....

These are some of my favorite sweeties that STILL need someone to come for them..... They are all in Eastern Europe and can be adopted quickly. They are all facing an institution for the rest of their lives if no one comes for them soon...

http://www.reecesrainbow.org/

Adoption is a lot easier than most people think. If 'I' can do it, you can too!

Plus, it was a WONDERFUL family experience for us traveling over there, and our little Artoma is a much loved member of our family, in fact, he teaches our 'typical' kids so much about love.

Think about it. Pray about it. These kids don't have forever, the clock is ticking and they really ARE living on borrowed time.