"A wheelchair for Jack"

This video is of Jack one day after he rec'd his new wheelchair!

There are a couple of still photos then the video will begin :)

My goodness--I cannot wait to kiss and hug this little boy!

Who's Next???

Introducing.....

"Jack"

born November 2, 2007

He currently lives at the 

STARFISH FOSTER HOME

in Xi'An, ShaanXi, China

He has spina bifida and hydrocephalus just

like our daughter, Brighton

AND....

Elijah David

who resides in KaiFeng, Henan, China

He was born on October 29, 2005

He has down syndrome and is actually attending a

public Chinese kindergarten!

 

For those of you who are wondering--

We submitted our paperwork to CHina for approval

stating that I was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer and 

that I was undergoing treatment.  We submitted a written statement from my

oncologist saying my cancer was removed from my body and that all treatment

I was receiving was as aggressive as possible.  My life expectancy is that of any other

woman trying to adopt a child and that I would most likely be

able to raise these boys to adulthood.

Two years ago--China would have said--absolutely NO

Now...as God would have it-- they have said YES!

James 1:27 (New International Version, ©2010)

²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

I know many of you will have opinions that may be of concern-

I have heard it all before.

The bottom line is that we feel called to each of these boys and

we are being obedient to the Lord.  We are willing

to step out in faith and we know that God ordained these boys

from the beginning of time.

 

I understand that some of you may feel you need to share your concern with

Bill or I.  PLEASE-- keep your thoughts of negativity to yourself.

We do not need or want to hear them

We live our lives to please Christ.....period.

I ask that if you have concern that you pray for usin a way God leads you. 

We are excited to be adopting again and feel

blessed God has taken us on this path.

I do not mean to sound harsh but I just do

not want to deal with negative comments.

Ephesians 4:29 (New International Version, ©2010)

 ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 

I will post more on the way God brought each of these little guys intro our life.

They both  have their own story... each one God breathed.

Cooking--Chinese style!!

Ever since we brought home Samantha and Piper 

we have been learning a lot about CHinese

cooking.  How to prepare, serve, and eat it. 

Samantha and I have shared many nights in the kitchen

cooking and laughing at each other.

  We always agree to more salt.....

but---never agree to what part of the chicken is best to eat.

A few things I have learned:

• Many Chinese like their rice as "soup"  also known as congee. Just cook the rice to the package directions and then add more water to make soupy.

• Anything resembling a barely cooked vegetable on top of the rice soup is great

• The hotter the better for any dish (this is a personal preference but my girls cannot get it hot enough!)
• NEVER throw away the juice of anything-- noodles, dumplings, cooked chicken, browned beef
• Remain hungry at all times when Samantha is cooking.  She expects you to eat some.
• The best part of the chicken is the dark meat. (Chinese think the breast meat is the worst part of the chicken---it is the least expensive part of the chicken to buy in China.  The wings and thighs are the most expensive.)

• Noodles and rice are breakfast foods....so are any vegetables I can find.

Below are some photos of our meal last night:

I served "Jiao Zi" and mussels. (much to my husbands dismay)

The kids love dumplings (Jiao Zi) - I can get them by the 50 pack at BJ's

and the kids put them down like

they haven't eaten in four days!  Sometimes we make our Jiao Zi 

but usually buying them is the way I go.

I also happened to have some mussels in garlic/butter sauce that 

were frozen so I thawed and cooked them.

I may have been awarded the "mom of the year" award

last night had a vote been taken.

My kids love mussels and Jiao Zi...Joey ran shouting thru the

house last night "Jiao Zi! Jiao Zi!"

They all came running

So, the dumplings were served in a bowl 

WITH the juice and then the mussels were added--with their juice.

Everyone was "fat and happy" at the end of the meal. 

Piper even drank the dumpling juice out of a glass.

She loves the juice!  (EWWW)

So, if you have learned anything from this post, its--

NEVER throw away the juice!

Fancy Taco Night

Chelsea called last night and asked if she could have friends over for dinner.

Seems not only was it dinner at our house but it was

"Fancy Taco Night"

I love this group of kids....they are all christians who love gathering and getting all

dressed up.  SO-- it was MESSY tacos and some spiffy outfits!

 Some awesome kids:

Marley, Jordan, Nick, Chelsea, Becky, and Bess

Did YOU know that if you put sour cream in a baggie and cut off the corner it makes 

it easier to put on the taco?

This is the real personality of Chelsea's friends!!

I LOVE THEM!

"You are such a good person"

"You are such a good person"

I have this said to me often.  It opens a huge door for me...

First:

       I have to make sure the person knows that

I do not claim nor ever will claim to be "good"

I am a sinner and have fallen short of the glory of God. 

It is only through Him that I have been saved by grace

  through my faith in Him. 

NOT by ANYTHING I have done.

 I am a mother and wife--

trying to serve Him through serving my family.

SECOND:

I want others to know that I give

Christ all the glory in my life.

Bill and I have been called to serve Christ.  

Our calling involves adoption and caring for His children.

We have 8 special kids because the Lord ordained it...

I know it seems we must be some kind of hero

for adopting six children.

Six children who have needs that may be

more than most people can handle.

This is OUR calling.  

It is not because we are "good"--

it is because we are trying to be obedient to a God who

has ordained our lives for the care of His children.

Many people serve Christ is many ways.

Each person does have a calling on their life--

some know it early on....others search and 

pray to find it all their life

Still, others may even ignore their calling

because they feel its too much

Let me tell you--

THERE IS NOTHING BETTER

THAN BEING IN THE WILL OF GOD

It is not always easy to be in His will but it is this obedience 

that will give you blessing upon blessing.

In our family's case--- 8 blessings.... 

I am not "good"

 God is "good to me."

A Chld's laughter

I was on facebook this morning and ran across a video I just have to share....

This video is of a little boy being loved on by his nanny in China.

He lives in a foreign run foster home where he is fortunate to have a caregiver that spends quality

time with him and makes sure he feels loved.

  B-U-T

he does not have a mommy and daddy.

This breaks my heart because as a BOY in China with a special need his chances

 to be adopted are slim....with each passing day he will be "older" and that means a family

may not want a child "THAT OLD" 

There is a shared list of children available for adoption-- a HUGE percentage of these kids are BOYS!

 Please join me in prayer for these children who NEED to be loved and cared for by PARENT--

 I will rejoice when this little guy has a family....but for now-- HE waits..

I got it---photo of the new RUM-Bus

Here's the actual van!

Bill flies to Norfolk tomorrow to drive it HOME!

I am beyond excited.

On an even more exciting note--

I finished chemo today!

Today was the last time I needed to go get hooked up to the IV to have these

toxic drugs pumped into my body.

Yes, they are helping me -- but its been rough

and I am thankful I am almost done with the queasy feeling belly,

week without taste buds, achey joints, and general feeling of lousiness!

A-M-E-N!!

Thanks so much for all your prayers---they have all given me encouragement and

support thru the last several months and I am grateful!

So, I leave you with this photo of me in August--

Peace to you all-- friends...

People Hauler

I am soooo excited to share that my hubby just purchased

our family a wonderful people hauler!

 Can I get an "AMEN!" for some elbow room??

This is a van like ours--- I couldn't get the actual photo off of Ebay.

The van we purchased is Dark Green!!  LOVE IT!!

Thank you Lord for your provisions!

SNOW and ICE!

The Kids are finally back at school today...almost a week off!
We had lots of fun and some hairy times too.  Everyone was ready to go to their designated corners a few times! 
I took a photo of our house this a.m.  This is a build-up of ice and snow over the last 10 days.  It hasn't melted much in between storms so the piles are everywhere!

Samantha wanted to come with me to take photos.  She had Bill's big boots on so she got up in the snow pile! She had a hard time getting out of the snow---see below:

She is so sweet and fun!  We just love her to death!


As we shift into February and get going again I have my LAST chemo appointment this week.  I am thankful I only have four and this is the last to get through.  This past treatment has "hung on" longer than the other two.  My fatigue has been with me the entire 21 days and I just can't seem to get going some days.  Last Saturday I slept in and when I finally got up it was 12:38pm.  I thought it might have been 10:00!  Simple trips out make me very tired so I only do a little each day.
Friday, they will hook me up for the last time.  It takes about 3 and a half hours to drip into my system.  Not a big deal.  Its always interesting to chat with others that are there.  Saturday I go back for my liquid gold.
It is a shot that is 6 mg of neulasta.  This drug helps the bone marrow stimulate to make white blood cells. I am told it keeps me out of the hospital.  This shot costs 8,900.00! That's why I call it liquid gold....
Unfortunately, this is also what puts me in bed for several days with bone pain.  I'll take it to walk this Earth for many more years.
Ya know--the Fall was really hard but I have to say--we got through it with the help of many.
God does not give you more than you can handle---He walks beside you every step of the way.
 Every time we were down or needed that GOD WINK...it was there.
I challenge you to listen to my husband's message from 10/31/10---
Its called "Why I'm not scared" and he gives his testimony of our weeks in September and October.  Through my cancer diagnosis, Brighton's 5 surgeries, and his father's hospitalization and passing.
You can listen to it here
Well...I guess thats it for now.
Time for school with Samantha and Joey!

Psalm 42:11 (New International Version, ©2010)

 ¹¹ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
   Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
   for I will yet praise him,
   my Savior and my God.