Blessing...

You know, sometimes you just meet people that you know God put in your path. Tracy is one of those people. I met her through a friend that purchased a necklace from her. My friend heard she was looking for a family wanting to adopt from China so that she could give some of her proceeds to them for their adoption. (Insert smile!!) I called her today and she was excited to explain how we could work together on this project. She has such a heart for adoption, as an adoptive mom herself, and she looks for families to bless with some of the profits from her jewelry.

SO, for the next three months, JunkPosse Jewelry, is donating a part of her proceeds to our family for our next adoption. This means that a portion of all China jewelry designs (either custom or pre-designed) will go toward us and our adoption for these next three months. That means - NOW is the time to shop!!!! Tracy does beautiful work - go see all of her designs - she said to let you know that over the next week or so new China designs will be added - so keep checking back.

Even if you don't need China-themed jewelry, I would still encourage you to go check out her items. Tracy donates a part of most all of her jewelry proceeds to adoptive families, so browse all of her work - it is fabulous!!!

Another One with a Family

I don't know this family at all, I am only working on a blog for a friend of their's - BUT you don't have to know them to be touched!! It is beautiful - she is beautiful - made me cry!!!

Life as a Lewis - their video is on today's post, Wed, Feb. 27.

Home

It is Monday night and we are home! Glad to be here - it is true you know - there is NO PLACE like home!!! Aaron is still running a pretty good temp off and on, but we are confident that all the fluids and antibiotics they pumped into him will help soon!!! We are just glad he is home and on the mend. Thank you SO much for all of the prayers - we felt it!!! I am thankful for Jevohovah - Rophe - the God who Heals! Keep praying - he is definately not "our Aaron" but he is getting there!

Getting the Better of Us...

You know - we've been sick over here for awhile - so when Aaron announced last night that he was starting to feel yuck - I just assumed it was another attack of Influenza A over here. Boy was I wrong - he woke up this morning when I went down to check on him, fever raging, and promptly threw up (sorry - but all the moms will understand!!!) thus began our roller coaster ride. This is when he fell to the floor in pain - could not walk or bend over and so we called the Emergency Room. Of course we heard the dreaded - "Bring him right in". So we did - and the tests began - I can't even tell you what all they ran on him - all I know is that that poor little guy is tired of being poked and prodded. As they ran the second blood draw tonight and were having trouble finding a vein because he is so dehydrated - he had tears running down his face and said to the nurse, "It's ok, I'm just tired of all of this."

They have narrowed it down now - not appendicitis as they first thought - but bladder infection - yes, for a boy that is very rare - and quite serious for how bad his is, I guess. His blood level was high this morning for the infection but even higher tonight when they took the test again. So - he has to spend the night. His temp is also up higher now than it has been all day. We are just covering our little guy in prayer. Tomorrow he has more tests - including an ultrasound to see what is going on in the bladder and, most importantly, if any damage has been done to the kidneys. We pray for wisdom for the doctors.

I will leave you with Chloe's prayer for tonight: "Thank you God for my Polly Pockets and for Aaron. Please help his body to get strong - you can make him strong, God. Amen."

Touching Lives...

As an adoptive mom, my heart has been touched by the whole miracle of adoption. I want to support it as much as I can - help others who are adopting, encourage them, etc. One way I thought I could do this is thinking of the financial end - we know, working on our second international adoption, how expensive it can be to help a child so I want to do all I can to help others earn this money so that MONEY isn't the reason they decide not to adopt! SO - hence begins another blog!!! This new blog, Touching Lives, is started hoping to do just that, touch lives!! Anyone may add their blog/store link to this new blog and it will be a one-stop shopping spot for those of us that want to support adoption. You can know that whatever you purchase from these sites is benefiting adoption. If I am going to spend money - that's sure a bonus to know that it is supporting something that is near and dear to my heart.

So click on the picture below to go visit the new blog - and keep going back to see what's new to go shopping for!!!

Hair

Since some of you asked what Joe uses on Chloe's hair - he says it has to be the heat-activated hairspray. It REALLY works - she still has curls today, Tuesday, and he did it Sunday morning - so that is pretty good. (Yes, she will get a bath tonight - incase you are wondering what is up with that!!!)

So - I put a link here to Amazon to buy the product - you can probably get it many places, but if you do buy it through our website (just like books) we get a portion donated to our adoption account.



Joe did say - that it might not be the product - it might just be his "magic touch"!!!

Pampered Princess

If you ask Chloe her name - it's "Princess Chloe" - hmmm, wonder where she EVER got that idea!! Yes - this is Dad on a Sunday morning before church....

Hair - nails - you get the picture -

Valentine Greetings

Happy Valentine's Day to you ALL!!!

In lieu of the present circumstances at our home - don't send Valentine's - send Kleenex!!!! :)

4 Boxes

4 Boxes - the number of boxes of Kleenex we have gone through in this house since last WEDNESDAY!!! (And these are the jumbo boxes, mind you!!!) Yes, we have been hit - last week Chloe battled Influenza A - and has so kindly shared it with me. Poor thing - her temp was 104 or higher from Wednesday through Friday - runny nose, horrible cough, high fever - you get the picture. And now, yesterday I woke up with 102 fever!! Yes - it is NOT fun - now I know why she had such a hard time sleeping, breathing, etc. So - here we go - our oldest has started in with the symptoms as well - this is when large families AREN'T a blessing!!! :)

Becoming Jane

Becoming Jane......You have probably all seen this already, but our library just got it so I borrowed it for the weekend. It was absolutely HANDS DOWN - one of my favorite movies EVER!!! Of course, background here, I am a BIG Jane Austen fan - Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion, the list goes on and on, but I thought the movie was WONDERFUL!!!! Anne Hathaway was PERFECT as Jane and James McAvoy, well, you just need to see it for yourself!!! And, even Joe was engaged the entire movie - see, I told you it was good. We laughed - the humor was very fun and yes, cried too - I was a bawling baby at the end - and that is very NOT like me!!! SO good - if you haven't seen it, you must!!!

7 Things....

Carey, over at Journey to Jaden, tagged me for

THE SEVEN THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME MEME:

(so here goes - but this will be hard - my life is basically an open book!!)

1. I always wanted a dozen kids - yes, both Joe and I said that, then we started having children!!!

2. I don't like driving - yes, I am the only mother who can't wait until her son is 16 so he can drive!!!

3. The only food I REALLY DO NOT CARE FOR????? Seafood

4. What do I REALLY want to do with my life?? I would love to dabble more in computers and programming - HTML intrigues me!

5. What is my LEAST favorite thing to do??? Sweat!!! (Which is why I hate exercise AND summer!!!)

6. I have to make my bed everyday - I can't stand an unmade bed!!!

7. I have seen bodies embalmed - remember, I wanted to be a mortician!?!?! :)

Now - I would love to tag Stef, Karen, Mr. Brian, Monica, Gwen, Verna, and Nikki.

Favorite Photo Friday

Wow - can it really only be two and a half short years ago!?!?!? Amazing!!!