We Must Be Getting Somewhere Because . . . .

The refrigerator/freezer broke. I really would like to cry right now. I worked on Cody's adoption paperwork till 3 am. I was so glad to finally see progress toward his adoption. His worker told our agency worker that if we got it done by tomorrow then hopefully we can pass Texas ICPC next week. It was long and hard, but we got it done!


I then when in to realize that the refrigerator that I had hoped just had a door left cracked or something is officially NOT WORKING RIGHT! I had to clean out the other freezer in order to make room for the most important stuff from both freezers to be put into the one that is now working. I then moved all the stuff from the broken refrigerator into the broken freezer. The freezer isn't "freezing", but it is cooling. I managed to move the refrigerated medications into the other refrigerator.

Brent or I will have to go early tomorrow to purchase another refrigerator. Then I will have to beg for them to bring it. I can't even get enough milk for a whole 24 hours into that one crammed refrigerator. I kept some fruits that were ok to do so with in the half working fridge and added freezer packs just in case. Now I'll have to stand guard to keep the kids from opening it in order to preserve the cold that it is producing. The water and ice in the door isn't working either.
Oh well, I guess if we weren't on the right path then the devil would leave us alone. All the Reece's Rainbow families can tell you about all the ways that the devil comes at you when he fears you will love God's children and bring them out of his hold.

Our Cute Little Dictator

This little angelic creature is our very cute and utterly sweet DICTATOR!  :) 

She just makes us do things.  I don't really know how she does it.  She just leads you to whatever she wants and somehow convinces you to get it, give it to her, or make it for her.  She just does it.  I wish I could figure out how she does it!  I think if I could, then I could conquer everything in my path.  All I can figure is that it is her total cuteness.  It is the presence of that ever cute and ever stubborn extra chromosome!  It is just that she is JULIANNE!  :) 

I admit that I am smitten, wrapped around her pinky finger, and constantly amazed at her wonderfulness.  I thank God for choosing me to be her mommy.  I can't imagine how I woke up before her arrival.  I feel sorry for the world around me that doesn't value the worth of her and so many other children who are "chromosomally enhanced".  I thank God for showing me the complete and utter joy of receiving such a blessing.  I wonder how anyone could ever look in those eyes and not want to kiss her cheeks off.  I wonder if I will ever come even partially out from under her complete control.  (lol)  She really is the most wonderful and amazing, tiny, four year old girl I've ever seen.

I recently read an article about how they've found a new test that may make testing for Down Syndrome during pregnancy more routine.  The article talked about how it could help "eraticate the disease".  I nearly vomitted!  If they ever manage to do something so ignorant, then our humanity will take a huge hit.  I already believe that our world is suffering the effects of killing so many innocent babies because they were suspected to have Down Syndrome.  I look at how evil our world is and how little care people have for one another, what if they had all been born?  What if we all felt the connection of love for these special people?  What other gifts did God intend for them to show us?

God offers us GIFTS and that is what our world wants to do with them!

I for one am very glad that Julianne's birthmother did not abort her!  I am so glad that she is alive and gives my home life every day.  I praise the Lord that He let me be her mommy!

I'm Ticked!

I had planned to tell you a really cute story about Julianne's new "thing".  I will try to do that tomorrow.  It really is adorable!  At the moment, I just need to vent!

I am so sick and tired of waiting for Cody to come home.  He doesn't live across the ocean.  I'm not dealing with a foreign country's government.  Nothing needs translated!  Why on earth does our society allow our government to be this inefficient and ridiculous!?! 

I have been loving that cute little red head of mine for 2 years.  I loved him the moment I laid eyes on him.  My heart broke when we left there with Julianne and he was crying at the door.  I have longed to hold him every since.  It took forever for the foster mother to finally give me his social workers contact information.  Since I got it we have been feverishly jumping through any hoop and waiting for months. 

It has now been NINE MONTHS!  I am so sick and tired of it!  I want to hold my little boy.  I want to tuck him in.  I want to kiss him goodnight.  I want to listen to him giggle.  I want to be HIS MOMMY! 

Why or why isn't he home yet?  Why oh why don't people do their jobs efficiently and quickly with care??  How on earth do the people who leave children waiting for their forever families sleep at night? 

I really do pray that God makes them have horrible, restless nights at this point.  I hope He burdens their consciences and makes their weekend miserable!  I hope they can't stand themselves for not caring about the children whose lives they hold in their hands!

Please pray that he is home soon and in my arms!

Sorry about the vent, but I had to get it out.

Julianne's Eyes

We went to the new specialist yesterday.  I liked this new pediatric eye doctor much better.  This lady was very good with her and explained what she was doing.  She did a much better comprehensive eye exam as well. 

She explained that right now Julianne can see 1 INCH in front of her clearly.  Anything beyond that is quite blurry.  She has some scarring that could mean she was a preemie as well.  She does NOT think that Julianne needs the eye surgery that the other doctor wanted to do to allign her eyes right now.  She thinks that the crossing is because of the severity of her vision problems.  She gave us a new prescription for glasses along with the info for the type of frames that would probably work best for her.  It was the type of frames I had researched and was hoping for, which made me feel good about her as well.  She also decided that we need to work towards her full prescription, but that giving her a full strength prescription for glasses now would probably just scare her. 

We went today to the eye doctor's office that we use for the rest of us.  They are ordering the frames for us now and we can't wait to get her all fixed up.  I'm praying hard that she will wear these easier.  :) 

Julianne is amazing anyway.  I can only imagine how amazing she will be once she can see!  She'll probably get into even more (if that is possible lol) and learn a lot more as well. 

She will look so good in glasses that everyone will want them.  :)

Our Family From The Beginning (In Pictures)

As I was going through pictures the other day, I realized that our family pictures really do tell the story of "us".  Here is a little play by play for you all.  :)

This is our first "Family Picture".  Precious had been home just a few months.  She was 8 1/2 when she joined our family.  Dayton was just a few weeks old here.  :)  This was taken in December of 2001.

Next came Denzell who was 7 at the time and Unique who was then 11.  Everyone thought THAT was a BIG family.  lol  They had already been home for several months in this picture.  (I don't have the Spring picture on this computer.)  This was taken in November of 2003.

Next came Andrew who was then age 5 and Forrest who was age 7 at the time.  This picture was taken in Spring of 2006.  :)  People then realized we were "crazy".  haha

Next came Crystal who was 8, Destiny who was 4, and Ezekiel who was 3.  They made us into a family of 11 people and pushed us into most people's "Extreme Large Family" category.  Gotta love a 50% increase in the number of children!  This picture was taken in December of 2007. 

The next additions were close together.  Jose was 7 and Jacob was 5 when they arrived in January of 2009.  Julianne arrived at age 2, just 2 months later.  This picture was taken around May of 2009.

Our last family picture was taken in December of 2009.  We usually always do pictures at Christmas, but I just couldn't do them this year when Cody was so much a part of us, but not here yet.  I promised myself and the kids that we'd do one when he gets home.  I will go ahead and do them before the kids get home from Eastern Europe.  We will then get another as soon as they are all settled in enough to after their arrival home. 

Here is our most recent picture from December 2009.

I can't wait to get everyone in one picture.  I wonder if we will manage to get them all to look at the camera.  :) 

Can't you see how big God has blessed us?  I mean, to most this would be insane, but to us it is just the biggest blessing imaginable.  We are truly and amazingly blessed! 

Counting Some Blessings!

I'm going to attempt a "light-hearted" post.  I thought I'd go through some old pictures and see what I had to share.  Everyone should remember their blessings and smile on Sundays especially.  lol

This one made me smile immediately.  :)  This was Julianne's first tea party.  The two boys joined us because they just couldn't miss Julianne's first tea party.  I think I remember distinctly them giving me that evil eye and telling me that I better not post it.  lol  (I didn't post it for over a year, so I think that is pretty good.  lol)



She started out neat, but it got kind of messy.  :)

Let's see what else I've got in this bag.  :)

Oh wow, was this a long time ago.  Dayton and Andrew were both only 4 years old here and Forrest was 6.  Forrest and Andrew weren't even living with us full-time yet.  What cute little wisemen they were!

Look!  We were about to get eaten by dinosaurs!  (We only had 9 kids then!  That seems like forever ago!)


I don't know what the biggest blessings to look at are right now.  I could count the blessings as those specific moments, which were awesome.  The other blessing is really just getting to be their Mom!  I love those little people and all the joy they bring me.  :)



Help and Have a Chance at a $100 Gift Card!

I am going to give you a link to a special blog. This is the blog of Shelley. Shelley has helped me so much already. She works with families who are adopting from Eastern Europe through Reeces Rainbow. This is their 4th adoption in 4 years I do believe. She met this little girl while at the institution that she adopted her last son from last year. They are getting close to their first trip and they still need quite a bit of money to go.


They have lots of ways that you can help. There are some very cute things her husband sews that are available to buy. You can buy coffee, shirts, CDs, or just donate. If you donate right now you can have your name put on a puzzle piece. When all the puzzle pieces are put together, they will have the money needed to bring their daughter home. They also have an $100 Amazon gift card to give away.

Please jump on over and help them out! This is a great way to help an amazing lady who helps so many others bring their children home. (She puts up with a lot of emails and instant messages from me!)

Go check out her blog and help her bring their little girl home! http://www.gatheringthemfromtheeast.com/2011/02/1500-and-thank-you-gift.html