Friday, July 29, 2011

Fatherless Friday

Polly
Whose smile doesn't reach her eyes...

This little treasure is still waiting...oh, how I love her <3

Girl, born September 2005



This smiley young lady is listed only as having hypothyroidism, which is typically very easily controlled with daily medication. Polly may have other effects of orphanage life, but nothing else was noted for her.

There are many other children who could be adopted with Polly.


*** Update.....Sweet Patrick from last Friday's post has a family coming for him!!!  :) :)

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Happy 4th Birthday, Mackenzie!

It's our granddaughter's 4th birthday
She takes after her 'Omie' and likes chocolate...in any form ;)



She loves playing with silly string! But what kid doesn't.... :)


Likes to 'help' Grandma (not me, I'm 'Omie') with dishes ...gotta love that!


Having fun on a big jumpy slide, pretty in pink.


She loves animals like here Omie <3


and likes being goofy with Alex


Cuddling with the gang....Toma doesn't look like he wants to cuddle...


eating some bubbles at grandma's house.....did I mention she has a 'ski' at the end of her name???


Loves her afternoon snacks with grandma...


And she SO wants a pony...here she is riding one with her mom :) Our daughter Ashley.


Being a little drama queen, she certainly gets THAT from her mom ;)


Having some fun at the park ...and being silly.


haha.....she looks like Pooh on Benydryl....


But she's super sweet...


And super GOOFY.

Her 'Poppy' ( Rich) calls her 'Big Mac'.....but I think she's way to pretty for that nick name :)

Monday, July 25, 2011

Toma loves his pools ;)

He could stay in them all day. 




And fans.  He still has such a 'thing' for fans.

ok...and high heel shoes, but I wasn't going to reveal that one.  ;)

He's having a fun summer...he spends most of his days outside, only coming in to eat and sit over in his corner with his table and fan...like a little mad scientist trying to figure out what makes it work...he's taken a couple of them apart enough that I had to throw them away. 

He's such a sweet little guy.  He's by far the easiest of any of our kids.   No matter where we go, he's always got his hand out to hold someones hand, he's definitely a hand holding sort of guy...it's so sweet.
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Saturday, July 23, 2011

Love this picture, Love these guys....

I love these two....such awesome young men.

       Scotty and Jacee...both from American Idol...together last night, having a good time.

We need more people like these two.  Good, honest, hardworking, God fearing young men.  And I can tell ya that Jacee is just about the sweetest young man I've ever come across :)

Friday, July 22, 2011

Guess who has a 22 yr old!

It's Ashley's 22nd Birthday today!!!  Happy Birthday, Ashley :)
Ashley the snake charmer

Fatherless Friday

This story breaks my heart....and I was going to tell it today, but then I saw that my friend Julia http://covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/ did...and well, I can't tell a story anywhere near the way she can....Six years ago, a Mama across the ocean gave birth to a little boy. His little body was twisted and contorted, and the doctors and nurses whispered in her ears, urging her to give him up: "He will never walk." "He will be a burden." "You cannot afford to keep him." "He will be better off hidden away." "He should not have been born." She was in an unforgiving world where broken children are tossed aside on a regular basis.

Despite all of this, her mother's heart would not allow her to let him go. Against the advice of all of those worldly-wise whisperers, she decided to keep him. She carried her beloved little boy with the contorted body home, where she cared for him and loved on him. She tenderly worked his arms and his legs. She nursed him and washed him. It was hard. We don't know if she had support. We know that finding work while maintaining a disabled child at home in that world is next to impossible. Somehow, though, mother and son survived together in this way for six years.

Back in January 2011, financial strain and her own health problems forced this Mama to take her son to live in a baby house orphanage. She chose the best one she could find, one where the staff was willing to work with special needs kids like her son. She wanted to find a job and a home nearby so that she could visit her precious treasure. Evey time she walked through the door, his face lit up: his Mama was back. Her love carried him through the loneliness of the baby house and kept him going. He loved his Mama and she loved him.

A few months later, though, Mama suddenly stopped coming. Her little boy longed for her and waited for her; but no matter how hard he wished for her, she no longer appeared.

Her absence wasn't by choice. Unknown to the little boy, his Mama had died of cancer in March.

Now he is all alone in the orphanage, with no one to visit him, for the first time in his six years of life. He refuses to believe the caretakers who tell him that she is never coming back. Each day, he continues to look for her. He scans the face of everyone who walks into the building, looking for a Mama who can never return to him.


A little boy who was tenderly loved for 6 years, suddenly orphaned.

 



He needs a Mama.



He desperately needs a Mama.



He will not be allowed to stay at his good baby house orphanage. Because he is wheelchair bound, he will be transferred to an institution for older children with special needs, just as Aaron was transferred.





I can't bear the thought.



His Reece's Rainbow name is Patrick and he needs a Mama.



He needs to grieve in the arms of a Mama who will help him overcome his great loss. He needs a family who can restore for him the joy of being loved and held and cherished.



I would get him if I could. I would cross that ocean and bring him home if the road was clear for us. But it is not. And so I am crying out for someone else to go get him. He needs a family.



My heart grieves deep within me for this one little boy.



Please please please post on your blogs about this little guy. Please, someone go get him.

Little boys are not supposed to have to say goodbye to their Mamas when they are only six years old.

*****

.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

wanna know how hot it is outside??

Yesterday I went out to feed the llama and came back in looking like THIS.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

More new Charity photo's....

Oh, how I love this girl <3

There is an awesome family adopting in her region right now, their blog is here...http://bringingcarsonhome.blogspot.com/?spref=fb  and they were able to get these beautiful pictures of little Miss Charity. 





What a delight she would be for some lucky
family...

I've been sending them to my husband all afternoon with little snippets about adoption....but the bottom line is this girl goes to bed every night without a mama or papa to tuck her in...to hold her and love her...she needs SOMEONE to come for her.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Yummy :) My kids LOVE pancakes, do yours??

If you're looking for a good pancake recipe, these are SO good!  I always double it, or even triple it... this one below doesn't make very many.  But they're the best pancakes I've ever made :)
1 c. flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. sugar
1 c. milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt


Combine dry ingredients. Add milk, egg and oil. Mix until smooth. Heat non-stick pan over medium heat until water beads. Do not oil. Pour pancake mixture in 1/4 cup amounts. Turn when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Remove from heat when pancake stops steaming.

( I put them on a buttered griddle)

Friday, July 15, 2011

Fatherless Friday

See the difference in these two pictures??  This is after less than a month of this little girl being transferred from the baby orphanage to an institution....  How sad :(    Can you imagine her in a year?  She desperately needs someone to save her from that fate.



HELP!! I HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED!!

111xg-30C
Teri Lynn

Date of Birth: December 2005
Gender: Female
Eyes: Gray
Hair: brown
Character: Cheerful, kind


More photos available


$316.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption!
Help me reach my 5/5/5 goal:

Thursday, July 14, 2011

My little Summer Rose is 7 today!!!

Happy Birthday Summer!













She want's to go bowling and out for Chinese later ;)

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

What a story....Can you help??

This is borrowed from my friend Stephanie Nance's blog....



Eyes of a Child


In the eyes of a child there is joy, there is laughter
There is hope, there is trust, a chance to shape the future
For the lessons of life there is no better teacher
Than the look in the eyes of a child


On occasion you will hear me complaining about Zhen's eyes. Seriously, why couldn't the orphanage arrange to have his cataract removed when he was a baby? Then his vision could have developed normally as he grew. The sad truth is that in Eastern Europe, babies with disabilities just don't get the medical care that they need.

Then I stop whining. And I'm thankful. For I remember a bright and beautiful boy that I met at church in Ukraine last summer. Meet Andrei...

About two years ago, Andrei was having some problems with his eyes. His parents took him to an eye specialist in Kiev who recommended laser surgery! Cool huh?

After the laser surgery was performed, the doctor came out to talk to the family and said... "Oops, we made a mistake and your son is now blind in that eye". (Can you even imagine?! The word "malpractice" comes to my mind.) The doctors did not operate on the other eye at the time, (thank God!) but said that it would need surgery in the future.

Over the course of the next two years, Dema and Marina, Andrei's father and mother, home schooled Andrei because the doctor said that a blow to the head or a fall could make him permanently blind. Now, I ask you, is that any way for a young boy to live, in fear of getting bonked on the head or falling down? No rough housing with his little brother? No running?

Now Andrei is now down to 50% vision in his one good eye.

What a nice looking family! Andrei's father leads the singing at church and teaches young adults. His mother is the church pianist. This photo is a couple of years old.

Last Friday, Andrei was having some problems with his eye and so the doctor wanted to take his eye out (!!!) and coat with silicone to help preserve the eye. Well, instead of that (sheesh!) we would like to get Andrei to the United States as quick as possible so that the doctors here can work on him. Marina had an appointment today at the US embassy in Kiev and thankfully, she was able to get the visas they need to leave Ukraine right away.

In a couple of weeks Andrei and his mother will travel to Chicago. A doctor there believes that he can help save his one good eye. A nearby church has agreed to host mother and son for one month while Andrei receives treatment. The good doctor cannot treat Andrei for free, but he will reduce his fee. What a great opportunity!

In keeping with our mission to improve the lives of children in Crimea, Project TLC would like to assist this family with their expenses. We will dedicate contributions received over the next two weeks in order to preserve what is left of Andrei's limited eyesight.

The total projected need is at least $2000, so please share this far and wide, and donate as you are led. You may use the Paypal button here:






Or you may send your gifts to:

His Kids Too!
219 – B Delta Ct.
Tallahassee, FL 32303

*note Project TLC on check memo


God bless you!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Another new picture of Charity

Posted by PicasaI just LOVE HER!!!!  She's still waiting.....

www.reecesrainbow.org 

Sunday, July 10, 2011

My little Dennis the Menace

See this naughty face......?
I happened to glance at my fishtank...which you can't even SEE my fish in...because ALEX fed them for me...last night. I was really mad at scolded him saying it was going to take me 20 minutes to clean that dang thing out. He stood there like a little statue with his mouth open and slowly said .....    "I didn't see that coming".....
                                   He has to help me clean it out.....Not so funny now.  ;)

Friday, July 8, 2011

Fatherless Friday

Precious Cathereine....still waiting.

                                                     
                                                            Little Grant......still waiting.
These children are both on the 'older' child page of Reeces Rainbow....they have been waiting so long.  They ARE living on borrowed time, and it's running out :(

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Hmmm....

I *think* I should be offended, lol...
The 'True Green' guy just came to the door and the conversation went like this:
him- Hey, looks like you could use some help with your lawn
me-ah, no...I don't think so
him- do you like having a clover field in your front yard?
me-I like clover
him-yeah, sure you do
me-I'm raising kids, not green grass
him-do you LIKE being the talk of the neighborhood for your bad lawn?
 me-Well, we are whether it's about the lawn or not
him-alright, see ya. but here's my card if you change your mind.
NOT LIKELY.

I can't get this child off my mind....oh, how he wants a family!

Born May 18, 2005

 Cole has an impish smile and is very helpful and sweet. He was born HIV+ and turned 6 years old this past spring. He's fortunate to be in a good orphanage, although they'll transfer him this fall if he doesn't find a family.

From a family who met him this past summer: He is the oldest of the boys still there, so the most at risk for being transferred. He seems very smart. He was what I call the "orphanage helper". He was always helping the ladies push the strollers full of laundry back and forth from the laundry house and always helping the groundskeepers sweep and pick up sticks, etc.



From a family who visited with him in spring 2011:

Cole is bright, friendly, engaging, inquisitive, helpful, athletic, and charming! Being the oldest child there, Cole is everyone's "big brother". He helps the caregivers keep track of any of the little ones who wander too far, and coaxes them back to where they belong. He can often be seen carrying bags of sand toys that they bring out to play with. He's learned responsibility from a young age. There are also pictures of him on the walls in traditional clothes of his country, performing in a Children's Day program with the biggest smile on his face! So, he clearly enjoys music and dancing, as well as sports. Whenever he sees me, he smiles and waves and yells, "Mama!" As in "Look! Here I am!". The director said that Cole asked my son if we would take him, too. To which my son answered "Yes! You can come too! My mama and papa will bring all of you!" Ouch. How it hurts me to know that within a few days, my son will be the only little boy walking out through those gates, and "Cole" (and "Owen") will be left behind. People are overlooking an absolute gem of a child!



For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

This little boy needs a family before it's too late...

It just breaks my heart to see so much potential and love being lost.  Look at his smile!  Look in his eyes!  He's going to be 12 soon.  12 yrs without a family :(  12 years of a family missing out on what an awesome son he would have been ....If this boy isn't adopted soon, all his chances for a healthy life will be gone.  And not just because he has HIV, but because he'll be out on the streets, alone, with no future.  I can't stand to think of it.  It's not supposed to be this way!  Please pray for Vlad.
Vlad Boy, Born September 22, 1999
From our facilitator who has visited with him: HIV. Vlad is very healthy and has the most striking green eyes! His life story is very typical. The boy doesn't have brothers and sisters, the mother died. Super boy. Physically developed perfectly well. By the fact very healthy, practically never ill. He is very fond of English, reads children stories without a dictionary, speaks good English. The boy is very communicative, always optimistic. He is very supportive with friends and very polite and obedient with the teachers and caregivers. Dreams about obtaining a family.

***Vlad is also an OLDER CHILD, and will have no opportunities if he ages out. His "orphan and HIV status" will follow him the rest of her life. Please give Vlad a chance to grow up knowing the love of a family and having basic the opportunities that he deserves. ***

For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/