Friday, October 29, 2010

Do you wanna be an angel?


The holidays are just around the corner, and my sweet friend over at Frugal Trenches, has a wonderful opportunity to give and help a child in China! There is a huge need in China for clothing for the babies and children in institutions to help them stay warm over the winter months. They are also greatly in need of toys. Could you send a few items, and bless an orphan this year? You will be so blessed!!! Go over to her blog and get more details...this is an exciting opportunity....

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Kitty Love


" A MEOW massages the heart "

Monday, October 25, 2010

Life is fragile...

Just one week ago, I was just out of the hospital ER, beginning to recuperate from a serious health crisis. It came out of the blue. I thought I had a slight stiff neck. It progressed to the point of unimaginable pain anytime I turned my head in the slightest in any direction. IV narcotics only took the edge off. It was crazy. It was bizarre. But, through it all I have learned to truly appreciate the access to healthcare we have in this country. I am still on antibiotics now, and off all steroids and pain medication. I can still feel the infection, as the antibiotics work to kill it off day by day. I am so thankful, and greatly blessed, as I know that if I lived in many other nations I may not have lived through this. I could have never had the opportunity to get the meds I needed. I could have had to suffer in the agony of that pain, as the infection spread from my neck through my head and brain. I am so aware of how very fortunate I am to have the medical care I needed right when I needed it. Thank you, Lord. I pray that somewhere, right now, someone else suffering will be relieved of their pain and suffering and a miracle of healing would be upon them! Amen.

Giveaway!

I have always wanted a DVD from the Homestead Blessings gals...here is the chance to enter a giveaway for one of their DVD's.

Email them here to enter:
homesteadblessingsgiveaway@gmail.com

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Foster care update...

So much is going on around here, but I did want to do a quick foster care update!

Since the BIG meeting about baby L, and her mom getting out of jail, things have been going well with visitations. It had been 7 mos. since they had seen each other, so I wasn't sure what baby L would remember since she is now only 16 mos. old. I was able to go to the first visit. I wanted baby L to feel comfortable and I wanted to fill her mom in on things about baby L. It was great to see them together. She loves this baby so much! She was so excited to spend time with her. I was happy that with some reassurance from me, mellow little baby L was able to ease back into it. I showed her mom what makes her laugh, how to get her to talk, what foods she loves, etc. She brings presents to her at every visit now. She is getting another chance at regaining her rights to her, but the dept. states that it is very close, and may not be enough time for her. The dept. will be making their decision on who they feel the next option is, the relatives, or us, next week. A court date will then be set, and depending on what her mom does in the next few months, a permanant decision should be made at the hearing sometime in the new year.

Baby C's father continues to protest everything the dept. and the courts are doing. He is even contesting the adoption of a prior child of his that has already been adopted by a relative. Most of it is getting thrown out all the time, but apparently they have to hear him out. He was recently described to me as a legal nightmare. Since he is doing all this it is delaying her case further, while both parents work none of their plan. I guess they just like to fight the system but do nothing to really show they are doing what it will really take.

That's about it! More updates will come as I find out more!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Reece's Rainbow

I have a friend who is currently considering adopting a child through Reece's Rainbow. They specialize in international adoption, specifically children with Down syndrome.

I have been working with children with special health care needs since 1998. I have worked with a handful of children with Down syndrome over those years. They became my favorite kids to work with after awhile. They were always happy, smiling, and loving. They brightened my day, and I came to the realization that parents with children with Down syndrome are truly blessed.

It can be challenging raising a child with Down syndrome. They can have attentional challenges, learning difficulties, and will need more care than a typically developing child. Parents must look into the future and find supportive resources out there for their adult child with Down syndrome at some point. But the blessings far outweigh the challenges. What I love about Reece's Rainbow is the fact that they focus internationally. Many of these children in eastern europe get moved to a mental hospital at the age of 4 if they are not adopted. That is where they will remain. They will not know the love of a family they so deserve. They will experience deprivation, and neglect, and most possibly, abuse. It is sad to see that happening, when here, in the US, there are resources, therapies, and so many options out there to assist these very special kids.
I look at their site often. I am amazed at how many sweet little faces there are there. Take a peek for yourself, and maybe, just possibly, you might see a face you will call your own.
http://www.reecesrainbow.com/waitingchildgallery.html

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Thank you!

Thank you to those that have prayed and emailed me! I think I am going to live. I am on 3 types of meds, and can finally move my head again without tremendous pain. Apparently it is some neck infection, that can happen to anyone when you eat from the bacteria you have in your mouth, it can get lodged in your throat, and move into the neck muscles, and create an infection and abscess! I have never heard of this. But, it would be me to come down with something so strange!

In the next day or two I should have a babies update! I got to go to the first visitation that baby L had with her mom, after getting out of jail. It had been 7 months since they saw each other.
More soon...

Monday, October 18, 2010

Please pray....

I am heading to the ER for the 3rd time in less than 24 hours. The pain I am experiencing (neck & head) is more intense than anything I have ever felt, it is disabling...none of the meds the Dr's have prescribed are helping....thank you.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

So cute!!!

My 4 year old, miss L, has been saying the sweetest things lately. She always tells me that I am her special mama, and she is my special daughter. She always talks about the love in her heart, and how happy she is that we came to China to get her. She also goes out on the front porch to sing songs to the moon each night. Tonight we all quietly peered out the door to watch her as she was singing "Twinkle twinkle little star" into the night sky.
Then later on, when we were spending some time playing with her this evening, she looked at me and said, "Mama, you are my rainbow, daddy is my superhero, and I am your heart!" What more could you ask for to make your heart swell? The pure, sweet expressions from a little child are priceless. Thank you, Lord for the gift of her.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Praise and Worship-Family Style!

The other night we did church at home, with praise and worship, family style. Daddy picked out a few different songs, played them and we all praised and worshiped God right in the living room. Baby L danced around in circles giggling, and we all had a great time. Daddy then read from the Bible, and we ended with, of course, my current favorite, amazing, worship song of all, it's one that seems to bring you right into the presence of God...

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Good-bye sweet Sophie

I loved this kitten. We decided to keep her from the last litter of kitten's M's cat had. M found her cat dead when Sophie was 5 wks. old. Because of this, we have been keeping Sophie in every night, but we let her out to play during the day and especially when the kids are out playing. The other day we went to visit some friends for a couple hours, and when we got back, she was gone. We live on a small farm, we have a huge barn and we should be able to have a couple barn cats. Not anymore. There is something evil lurking around here. We have never had coyotes, and the barn owls didn't come back this year. I just don't know what happened.
Good-bye dear Sophie. We miss you.