girl time in the kitchen

the girls were bored, my rarely emerging "cooking from scratch" urge...urged...

we were hungry and impulsive,

and somehow making a strawberry shortcake cake (really the name) together became our goal of the day.

add big tablespoons of silliness, messiness, adequate spills, couple of missing ingredients,
and oh yeah...it ain't shortcake till you have tears in there somewhere...

i will publish the end result too, which was o' this world good.

thank goodness.

I HAVE MISSED BEING HERE...

HAVE YOU EVER STARTED A CROSS STITCH OR EMBROIDERY PATTERN AND INSTEAD OF THE INTRICATE BEAUTIFUL PICTURE YOU ARE TRYING TO CREATE, YOU GET "OFF" ON THE PATTERN?...

FIRST, YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN TWEAK IT AND MAKE IT WORK ANYWAY, BUT AN EMERGING NEED FOR READJUSTMENT AND "DO-OVERS" MAKES ITSELF INCREASINGLY VIVID ... IN FACT, THE MORE YOU CONTINUE, THE MORE PERSISTENT IT BECOMES.

...AND YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO STOP THE PROJECT AND CAREFULLY UNTANGLE THE TROUBLE, MAYBE EVEN UNDO PART OF THAT HARD TEDIOUS WORK ...

AHH, KNOWING IT REQUIRES REVERSAL, PATIENCE AND LOSING GROUND FOR AWHILE; TAKING A STEADY, MAGNIFIED LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN GOING ABOUT FIXING IT.


WITH SUMMER HERE AND SOME JOB STRESSES , NEW SCHEDULES AND PRIORITY SEEKING, IT WAS TIME TO STEP BACK AND ADJUST ME, US, JOB, PRECEDENCE...A LITTLE OF LOTS OF STUFF.

AND IN THE END, GOOD THINGS COME.

THE ARTISTRY WILL BE MORE BEAUTIFUL, THE COLORS RICHER AND RIGHT BECAUSE THE TIME AND CARE WAS TAKEN TO TRY TO MASTER THE CRAFT WITH THE PATIENCE IT DESERVES.

IT IS NEVER EASY, IN FACT, REALLY HARD FOR FOLKS LIKE ME THAT LIKE TIDY ORDER...AND LITTLE CHANGE.

BUT... ITS HARD WORK THAT PAYS THE DIVIDENDS OF BEING TRUER TO WHAT GOD WANTS, TRUER TO YOURSELF, TO YOUR PURSUITS AND TO YOUR PRIORITIES AND VALUES.

...SO ITS BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. FAMILY MEETINGS, LOOKING AT PRIORITIES TOGETHER, ELIMINATING AND CHANGING, DOING THE HARD WORK OF DECIDING WHAT MATTERS MOST...

GOOD STUFF, HARD STUFF.

WE'LL HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN...I BET SOONER RATHER THAN LATER...BUT FOR NOW, WE'VE DONE SOME MENDING.

AND IT'S TIME TO DIVE BACK INTO THE WEAVE, AND CONTINUE BEING PART OF THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT THAT GOD IS CREATING...


BY THE WAY!!
GUESS WHO TURNS THREE, AND PICTURES WILL COME TOMORROW!

LOVE, PEACE AND HAPPINESS FROM THE WEEKEND...

JACOB BOOTIN' UP...




SPORTING A NEW HAIRCUT:)



RULE #1 LIVE ON THE EDGE...



NO NEED FOR COMMENT. BLESSED WITH HAIR!



LIL' MISS IN THE FRUIT BOWL



YOU GOTTA LOVE THOSE PERFECT LITTLE FINE MOTOR SKILLS...



THERE'S NO ONE "SPECIALER" THAN DADDY...



HER HERO.



DETERMINATION...HOW DOES THIS GROW IN THE CRACK OF THE SIDEWALK...WITH NOTHING ELSE AROUND?



SIMPLE, BEAUTIFUL, BACKYARD...





PERFECT ENDINGS FOR THE PRINCESSES...

The day began very early...

after days of brilliant sunshine, the familiar patter of rain on our skylight awakened us...and first rational thoughts were of the car windows down. Aww...what an inconvenience...

this rain gave us no head's up, no prep time, its persistence was un-letting.

And so it is with life. It isn't always sunshine. We can find ourselves in a steady rain, or maybe even a raging storm...and there was no warning, no time to prepare. Or maybe the shadows of worry and fret are relentlessly pattering and decidedly clouding the day.

It happens...and we all seek refuge from it. We can "glass half full" and make the best of it for awhile, but not for very long.

Because we weren't meant to brave the storms alone. He is there, and He is our Wing of Shelter.

I needed to remember that as the emotions of worry rained on my day. With nine kids, there is always a worry, in fact, many, many . And I find myself talking to God throughout the day as I try to turn those anxious thoughts to Him over and again. He is my resting place, my Shelter.

But sometimes, like the rain, our very real emotions persist. And even when I don't like it, I'm glad that they do.

Thank you that we are able to deeply feel --fear and sadness , loneliness and loss, annoyance and anger, and know that they are significant, real emotions...

but they are valuable, restorable, and replaceable--with time, and His graceful care. He wants to envelop us in those difficult emotions, and carry us through them.

When we recognize that bounty....that the more we learn to accept the duration of the rain and lean on Him during it, it begins to seep deep into our soul to renew parched roots, and to find richer beauty.

Its rewards make themselves known as it subsides, and we are richer for it, more compassionate, more usable,
...and we are able to experience the good emotions with the same kind of passion and richness.

Our littlest endures a lot. It has been a journey. There has been rain, sometimes steady ...dripping.. Yet her future is so bright , and we rejoice in that.

But the duration of the rain isn't over for her. It isn't for any of us. And as she was casted for her next orthotics, I found my self praying that I would help her learn to endure well, all the while she is teaching and showing me the same.

Oh,... the sun will shine...allot...we will bask in every bit of it, and when not... our Shelter will be there for her and for us...always.


--Casting first foot and leg... Q a little wary--





and then the other...







and I love the look they gave one another...

Good Morning!

I am excited to have the opportunity to advocate for some beautiful little gals that are awaiting their forever families. These little girls are in China and all have a special need, I call it an "enhancement".

Orphans with a variety of special needs are waiting in Chinese orphanages for adoption — some with very minor special needs. While China's regular adoption program can now take in excess of 4 years from start to finish, the wait for a child with special needs is less than one year. We are looking both for home study-ready families to be matched immediately with children and and also for families who want to start the adoption home study to begin preparing to adopt through this program.

There are also many young infants and toddlers with mild needs that are available to families that become China dossier ready first. The children below have been waiting for a while, and the paperwork criteria for beginning their adoptions has been lessened.




Please carefully read the following info which describes disclaimers we all need to follow carefully, as well as information regarding the requirements for families interested in adopting from China.

We want you to learn more about the Children in that program so that you can pray and prepare yourself for the possibility of adopting such a child. Children’s faces steal our hearts. That is because we are all made in HIS image and have a need to connect visually to others. In presenting children’s pictures and brief descriptions, we want to protect the children’s welfare so that their information is not going to be placed on inappropriate sites.

All information and content included on this site, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio clips, digital downloads is the property of the owner, or in some cases, a shared list supplier. You may not modify, copy, distribute, transmit, display, publish, or sell any information from this website without the express written consent International Family Services.

Below you can see our latest group of highlighted children from the medical special needs list. We cannot display pictures of these children to the public at large, however, you can view these children's pictures as well as additional website by contacting me.

I try to keep this list as accurate and updated as possible. However, all of the children listed are from a shared agency list and may have already found a family by the time you inquire about them. If you have any questions about any of the children listed please contact me as soon as possible. To be matched with one of these children you will need to have a home study in progress or completed and/or be able to have a dossier in China within 3 months.

China's eligibility requirements state that only married, heterosexual couples may adopt. Both husband and wife must be between ages
of 30 and 55 at the time the dossier goes to China, and they must have been married at least 2 years. (If either husband or wife has
been previously divorced, they must be married at least 5 years at the time the dossier arrives in China.) Additionally, couples must be
physically and mentally healthy (neither applicant is taking psychotropic drugs; neither applicant has a Body Mass Index of 40 or
above; neither applicant has a history of cancer). Financially, the family's net assets must be over $80,000, with a minimum salary of
$10,000 per family member, including the child to be adopted (minimum of $40,000 in cases of childless couple). Both applicants
must have at least a high school diploma. Neither applicant may have a criminal record. We have a special parental qualification form
for you to complete. CCAA is somewhat flexible with families adopting children with special needs, and we can check with CCAA to
see if you qualify.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION!




Lovely Piper is a 4 year old little gal who is extroverted, loves to play and has always met all of her developmental milestones, including walking and running. She is affected with scoliosis. More reports are available about her.



Precious Mia is affected with club feet. This report was done be her foster family about one year ago.

Mia is extroverted and active. She likes speaking, smiling, and listening to music. She has great ability of imitation, and likes imitating the music she heard and singing. She also has adaptive capacity. She is not fear of strangers and has quick reaction. She likes playing all kinds of toys with her friends, and she likes doll best. When she stays quietly, she likes reading children’s books.
She has good ability of language expression. She can express her will and action by speaking. She cannot stand alone, and when she wants to move, she will do that by holding onto the objects, such as, little chair, and go to the place she wants to go. She is very clever and she often puts on and takes off her clothes on her own. She can button or unbutton

A QUILT,... UNIQUELY CONNECTED, WOVEN WITH INTRICATE CARE, THREADS OF A TAPESTRY,.. THESE RICH WORDS WE USE TO DESCRIBE THE WONDER OF ADOPTION.
AND THOSE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY ADOPTION OFTEN CONTINUE THAT JOURNEY OF WONDER , ALWAYS LOOKING BEHIND THEIR SHOULDER TO HELP A CHILD STILL WAITING...
AND SUCH WAS THE SITUATION WITH A DEAR READER WHO SUGGESTED THAT I CHECK INTO SEEING IF THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER LITTLE GAL IN CHINA WITH QUYNH'S RARE DISEASE.

WITH CCAA's BLESSINGS, WE DID, AND MY HEART IS ABSOLUTELY JOYOUS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR HER...

MEET LITTLE KEELY...

AND PRAY WITH ME THAT SHE MIGHT FIND HER FOREVER HOME...QUYNH AND I ARE ON A MISSION TO HELP HER DO JUST THAT!






MORE COMING!





Little Mei, (above) is adorable! New update is coming, but her corrective surgery reports are as follows...

Medical check at the time of admission found her: inferior movement of limbs, left equinovarus, a cystic lesions 10x7cm in the middle of lumbosacral portion, she was diagnosed with the former PE in Jing’an district: 1.congenital meningocele 2. equinovarus of left foot 3.CHD. underwent intraspinal probling in Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University during Feb.15 2008 –Mar.7 2008, granted symptomatic treatment after the operation and she recovered well(see attachment2 and 3). On Sept.25 2008, had with left ATL+ left lengthening of tendon, granted anti-infection after the operation and plaster fixture of left lower limb, she recovered well.(see attachment4.5). on Dec.12 2008, had UCG in Shanghai Children’s Medical Center affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University and found: VSD(almost closed)(see attachment6). Now the baby has normal development:80cm in height, 12kg in weight, 48cm in head size, 51cm in chest size, 20teeth. Immunization: vaccinated BCG, all for HBV, basic OPV, DPT, MV, JEV and EMV, once for MMR and Chickenpox, twice for HAV, influenza，oral RV.