tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14567403923341553902024-02-19T08:00:15.813-08:00The Hope ReaderUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1456740392334155390.post-92088099566263767352013-01-26T18:46:00.000-08:002013-01-26T18:46:37.569-08:00No Ordinary Love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I told a room of 40 people the other day a story about a girl who dropped out of high school at 16, who teetered dangerously close to walking that other, dark path, who turned it somehow all around.<br />
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That girl became a teacher, and had a knack for special kids. So, that girl became a special education teacher. That girl was doing well. She got married and had a baby, a long awaited little boy, that girl always wanted a little boy. Then, a divorce, before that baby was 1. That girl was shocked & shaken.<br />
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That girl is me. That little baby boy is Ari, and he is 6 and almost 1/2 now. To my great surprise and at times admitted internal greif and dismay, my son was born with a number of special needs. It's been a lot, it has. The biggest part though is the love. I just can't explain it, he's just so special, so much more beyond what is different than other kids about him, or what he lacks or what he can't do, or how behind he is in this or that, or what you can or cannot understand about him. He's like - extraordinary.<br />
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Us mom's with special kids are not your ordinary mom's. We're not supermom's either - we just learn things that mostly, you would never set out to learn. We learn how to live with loss, and how to temper hope, and how to make every moment count, with kids that well - you just never know how it is going to go. We cry at things others mostly don't even notice, because they mean the absolute world. Having Ari and then getting to have Ian, I've been so privileged to meet so many extraordinary mom's of the most amazing people I'll ever know. These kids, they just make us so much better.<br />
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It's no ordinary love.<br />
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Today, was a day like that, where something so average for a boy his age - something that had been so far out of reach for so long - happened. Right in front of my eyes, for the first time ever. He's been crying and begging mommy for such a long time. Watching other little boys, for years on the street where we lived enjoy such a seemingly simple childhood rite. All he could do was watch.<br />
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What can I say? I tried? I did try, I researched, I bought every off the rack model I could afford, in every configuration, that I could. I even tried to hotwire a few to work for him. None ever did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WIRlca6J4GUEpTXgq5XW3yeapYGfBAf3bUxBxCXOHwmLnijYjSnZZQGuIPhE63pMp92hVDxvh25I49QPREfrVX8RlstlxPR5TMbWafctah6MNG5MK0C0GX5yLpyulKKnu2iHGZdGiho/s1600/ari1stbikeride-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WIRlca6J4GUEpTXgq5XW3yeapYGfBAf3bUxBxCXOHwmLnijYjSnZZQGuIPhE63pMp92hVDxvh25I49QPREfrVX8RlstlxPR5TMbWafctah6MNG5MK0C0GX5yLpyulKKnu2iHGZdGiho/s320/ari1stbikeride-3.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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Then, some hope. A Physical Therapist with an idea. Ever heard of Ambucs she said to me? Nope I said back. Well, it's a long shot, the waiting lists are very long, but it could happen for him. Let's try, I said. Two and 1/2 years passed. Then, a phone call - Ari has been chosen! Please check his paperwork and get back to us so that we can process him. It arrived before Christmas but I knew I could never put it together alone.<br />
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So today, became the day.<br />
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It started with me asking for help - something I have no shame in at all! Without help, Ian would be languishing in an asylum, if even still alive.<br />
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Help arrived. Great Help. Special Help. Family Help.<br />
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The man in the hat. My cousin. He lost his little special one, she's an angel 6 and some years gone now. We joked while he worked, he laughed some too, and her name was even said. No ordinary love, and guts and will - does it take for him every single day. It was a special gift that he put the pieces of my son's greatest wish together. As his daughter often wrote: Dream It, Wish It, Do It. </div>
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Then the moment came, he was so happy, he smiled and smiled and waved and laughed and said look at me! I ride my bike! His little boy dreams, just the everyday average ones for an American neighborhood kid, all came true! He was doing it - by him self!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGYJ_aScas2S7sdP6dOJ98y5elLrqArqwUU7WCIhe2TNhCnn1NWrNqxnoRVMhQR02OEq2XMB35vpYA5Auhjp_TWAMK0UkHotv6tNwg2luYMeVFX_QVFeTgcvNB5dbtMdcF4px46n07jw/s1600/ari1stbikeride-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGYJ_aScas2S7sdP6dOJ98y5elLrqArqwUU7WCIhe2TNhCnn1NWrNqxnoRVMhQR02OEq2XMB35vpYA5Auhjp_TWAMK0UkHotv6tNwg2luYMeVFX_QVFeTgcvNB5dbtMdcF4px46n07jw/s320/ari1stbikeride-11.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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Granted, it was absolutely freaking cold out and so I was forced to put an abbreviated end to our little miracle ride outside, which brought the most deep and painful cries from my boy - oh how he loved that first time he could ride a bike. Oh how he would have stayed outdoors in the frigid Wisconsin air and rode and rode and rode....<br />
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No ordinary love, for a little one and his mama. I think the tears froze to my face.<br />
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The moment was surreal for me, standing there, watching it all, snapping pictures, beleiving and confirming all at once that it could really happen for him while he was still a child - having had the Amtryke so humbly delivered to our door at no cost (and trust me these things ain't cheap!), Cousin Rick working in the cold on his knees in our garage to piece it together. I don't think it was a mistake that he was the one I thought to call and that he was the only other person to witness this extremely un-ordinary happening.<br />
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Having a child (or 2) with special needs is hard, on many levels. Still, I wouldn't trade it. No, I would not, not ever. I cry just writing this as the emotions flood back to the moment I raised my arms up in victory for my special little one. He rode a bike today, for the first time. If you only knew what a long and difficult road this has been - today was no ordinary love - shining through.<br />
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I don't know where to begin to thank the many people who made this possible for Ari and us today. It all began 2.5 years ago with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at North Druid Hills and a wonderful Physical Therapist there named Sarah. Sarah knew about Ambucs, a national organization that builds bikes for children with special needs so that they can experience the thrill of independently riding a trike or bike. Sarah encouraged me to put Ari on the list and a woman named Dannell at Ambucs made that happen more than 2 years ago. When the call came in that someone wanted to grant Ari his Amtryke this December, we needed new measurements right away and I am so grateful to Ari's new school based Physical Therapist Leah, who made that happen within 2 days of my request. Her measurements and updated tryke recommendation was a perfect fit! To the organization in Oklahoma that chose Ari as the child they would donate this Amtryke to - words cannot ever express the thankfulness of this gift. To my cousin Rick, or baldy (just not late for supper), I love you more than you know, and I thank you for being here and for taking the time for Ari and for sharing in the a moment I will remember for my entire life. To the genius' at Ambucs - your ingenuity changes lives, and I'm so grateful for the lot of you that thought of that simply beautiful cord pulley system that changes the world for my little boy, that lets him ride his first bike!</div>
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I love no ordinary love. Today was a good, good day. </div>
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<img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r208/jennisajoy/OUAB/BLOG/gretchensignaturecopy.jpg" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1456740392334155390.post-13778714801644254222012-06-20T17:52:00.002-07:002012-06-20T17:53:35.882-07:00A Day in the Life...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white;">well, maybe just a snipit in the day in the life of ari and ian and I. daddy is there, but more in the wings making sure we got a home to call home and the bills are paid. im the kid schlepper, and at times, it is exhausting. mostly, its emotionally inspiring and draining at the same time. special kids need and deserve a lot, and after its all said and done, when i collapse on the bed well past midnight, i could just cry and cry over how much i love my babies.</span></div>
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they<br />
work<br />
so<br />
hard<br />
<br />
for<br />
every<br />
little<br />
thing.<br />
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so, before I get to the pictures, let me break it down:<br />
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this was Tuesday, and this is EVERY Tuesday this summer.<br />
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Wake - 7:30 ish or earlier if Ian has once again defied my insistance that he remain in his bed and not activate the ipod that play the boys' night night music because it wakes ari up...<br />
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7:30 - 8:00 they pummel me in the bed, using all manner of wrestling moves. i believe i have at least a bruised rib. its all loving but its all boy too.<br />
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8:00 - 8:45 potty, dress, breakfast<br />
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8:50 - Ian is off on the school bus which comes to our door (thank you Jesus!) for summer school.<br />
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9:00 - get Ari in the car and drive 25 miles due west to his speech and ot therapy appointments, an hour each.<br />
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12:30 - pick up Ian at school, grab him lunch on the go, this day it was Chick-fil-A<br />
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1:00 arrive to Ian's speech therapy appointment, remain in the room because he's still working on listening to people. this is where the emotions start to rollercoaster. we are trying SO hard to help this child learn to speak. its heartbreaking. its also SO cool when he blurts out a word or a sound. i LOVE his therapist. shes an expert in oral motor and feeding too, which totally effects this boy. shes the one, God sent, I'm sure of it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgsIjMNT87Ts-zietZO0PqkzzRD8dEbuPImaALh6EVOnVWlAsqWvvQX6KPM4r3qoLesGsgqvfpaF6VDuQ2zuz1EdrCWiZImC2a1LdBbZBkzh0XPR2iQE783CzFBK-L8AhTycjws-JQhI/s1600/blogpost0620-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgsIjMNT87Ts-zietZO0PqkzzRD8dEbuPImaALh6EVOnVWlAsqWvvQX6KPM4r3qoLesGsgqvfpaF6VDuQ2zuz1EdrCWiZImC2a1LdBbZBkzh0XPR2iQE783CzFBK-L8AhTycjws-JQhI/s320/blogpost0620-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's start by getting that tongue in order.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXjp6IGzBzRBjany51-G6btQ98N1z6EaclB_qTBO-6QiZG5z2xHUGo0QDim0Oq-eP8HC7sja093ryGhcLm0a1KvRCRmWXU32BglmUaYYtsBYlvfAEYY6fcx5e_zXNzT6TQICijd_Jl74/s1600/blogpost0620-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXjp6IGzBzRBjany51-G6btQ98N1z6EaclB_qTBO-6QiZG5z2xHUGo0QDim0Oq-eP8HC7sja093ryGhcLm0a1KvRCRmWXU32BglmUaYYtsBYlvfAEYY6fcx5e_zXNzT6TQICijd_Jl74/s320/blogpost0620-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Therapist: I'm applying light pressure to force the "f" sound<br />
Ian: and I'm showing you my feet.<br />
The boy is funny. He really is.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0XEpLZYm0nMfxjcAK_Gp1f8WZf5JmyHxQVmnxlbFa_4HXs8pMqrBmN2vgCI9Rw3XvoC4bzy8-mr3lPSbAIrHBcSQReDXoHHkp62Hp3BXBf2npe0XLOy5Yk1j5YVvhocikV28CVO65Ck/s1600/blogpost0620-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0XEpLZYm0nMfxjcAK_Gp1f8WZf5JmyHxQVmnxlbFa_4HXs8pMqrBmN2vgCI9Rw3XvoC4bzy8-mr3lPSbAIrHBcSQReDXoHHkp62Hp3BXBf2npe0XLOy5Yk1j5YVvhocikV28CVO65Ck/s320/blogpost0620-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After speech work, time for sensory rewards.<br />
Ahh, many colored bubbles that I alone can control!<br />
World domination is definitely next!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UcEvBg4TXngnz07WSjFRtFNoKSUWCWAEn4N4AoNpwkcSZB14qeM44HaODSlnDAB1CzbcmJaZCF5pUA0yfreohIKlTmhi8wgUZlqfpWc87mPBYJ0fmE6VWokshhT7n4JYnqvsBFPL0OQ/s1600/blogpost0620-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UcEvBg4TXngnz07WSjFRtFNoKSUWCWAEn4N4AoNpwkcSZB14qeM44HaODSlnDAB1CzbcmJaZCF5pUA0yfreohIKlTmhi8wgUZlqfpWc87mPBYJ0fmE6VWokshhT7n4JYnqvsBFPL0OQ/s320/blogpost0620-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swing = work on taking, always working on talking!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
2:00 mad dash out of speech, drive due south for 20 miles to arrive at swimming lessons for a 3:00 start. did I mention I live in Atlanta metro - TRAFFIC omg.<br />
<br />
3:00 both kids dive in for private lessons. cost: pretty penny. results: PRICELESS!!! Ari can jump of the blocks in the deep end and swim to the side all by himself. he's 5. Ian, after only 2 lessons, can kick himself to his teacher with the aid of a noodle. granted, he's screaming YELLING at the top of his lungs, but he's getting it. he loves the water.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUakEODGG_8UNfgTCCGf8rvmvPzcSUe4yAjn_1HKAiGTfYcqQ3_CNGHccwZS70nGTWM3AamzVg-ZPgHSYltm8RjMs-7rjFKQ-pxRjeVh1eco26UP6htvC2VH73LfdWP_BpJj7ZCH1KFi4/s1600/blogpost0620-1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUakEODGG_8UNfgTCCGf8rvmvPzcSUe4yAjn_1HKAiGTfYcqQ3_CNGHccwZS70nGTWM3AamzVg-ZPgHSYltm8RjMs-7rjFKQ-pxRjeVh1eco26UP6htvC2VH73LfdWP_BpJj7ZCH1KFi4/s320/blogpost0620-1-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ari after having jumped off the racing block into the deep end and swimming to the side.<br />
That's my boy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSDDFjGqPB9Rr7EeThHjjcbvI1b_220DBHJVnWYv8vavaJo5SCvuH-UHIsA8J1kWMxpqUxQ78H8krjUJXeARzQJwHaO5GGgXksqAEfaFD6NEBiA8s0pqj3L0fCrxsZXfSJnnqG_76-bg/s1600/blogpost0620-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSDDFjGqPB9Rr7EeThHjjcbvI1b_220DBHJVnWYv8vavaJo5SCvuH-UHIsA8J1kWMxpqUxQ78H8krjUJXeARzQJwHaO5GGgXksqAEfaFD6NEBiA8s0pqj3L0fCrxsZXfSJnnqG_76-bg/s320/blogpost0620-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian and his new BFF, the noodle.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background-color: white; float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjHox6hvGOdof2qk09DHFdI-Hw2EG1sl8Ho4PC6RzQP3qn9BLxUkx20vURhnAWixG1hu6sfXHpEq89pUrmgFK-wiWcQKzdg2bCLVrecA7ZEES9ILrWIvnrmvxJQ6DieKTBrAvG-9hsTc/s1600/blogpost0620-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjHox6hvGOdof2qk09DHFdI-Hw2EG1sl8Ho4PC6RzQP3qn9BLxUkx20vURhnAWixG1hu6sfXHpEq89pUrmgFK-wiWcQKzdg2bCLVrecA7ZEES9ILrWIvnrmvxJQ6DieKTBrAvG-9hsTc/s320/blogpost0620-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Work some, Splash some. Life is Good.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8PeIBvh3hon_FQc78vw9ErNSPvXPbv9MMsPgzy_eQikv6xYqeXIixSGjt_9eKcAbc1KzmmzyTgvpKg-aJem3xQ_PGylylPVyyrIGWTFARY_X_dYw6MEgPNCD-OVKXmagKKFkh15K9ZA/s1600/blogpost0620-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8PeIBvh3hon_FQc78vw9ErNSPvXPbv9MMsPgzy_eQikv6xYqeXIixSGjt_9eKcAbc1KzmmzyTgvpKg-aJem3xQ_PGylylPVyyrIGWTFARY_X_dYw6MEgPNCD-OVKXmagKKFkh15K9ZA/s320/blogpost0620-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ari at the deep end of the pool (9 ft) talking tech with his teacher Faith<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVbrn0PaJH8_66zIpT__u_M1ecVj-dx0ESjb_gY_8I8Zm5M5kLIev8hmbOKPM1-Gl8m2OfZct7M-X9iduhQLaBhdxp8lY-lrVh8P4xN5pLx-rwYnOctubTzMafti9XVj7STyG466-xRY/s1600/blogpost0620-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVbrn0PaJH8_66zIpT__u_M1ecVj-dx0ESjb_gY_8I8Zm5M5kLIev8hmbOKPM1-Gl8m2OfZct7M-X9iduhQLaBhdxp8lY-lrVh8P4xN5pLx-rwYnOctubTzMafti9XVj7STyG466-xRY/s320/blogpost0620-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My swim monkeys. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
4:00 - 4:15,20,25...depending on the daudle effect with 2 kids 5 and 6...I dry them, change, and sprint out the door to try and avoid rush hour on our 25 mile journey due north to back where we all started from 7 hours earlier.<br />
<br />
5:30 home. kids to potty, whip out ingredients for dinner and start cooking. i cook a meal every night (well almost every night). I use the AMAZING time and money saving service called "<a href="http://www.thefresh20.com/">The Fresh 20</a>." Each week, I get to download my meal plans and shopping list. The weekly meal consists of 20 FRESH ingredients. thats it. and the food is awesome. organic, healthy, home cooked. i could not survived with the Fresh 20.<br />
<br />
6:00 lets eat.<br />
<br />
7:30 bath starts. I do bath, every single night.<br />
<br />
8:00 bed.<br />
<br />
and then....the next day, I do it all over again. so, if you have any SAHM time savers or lifesavers, PLEASE comment!! I only do this in the summers when I am off from my job in public education, so I don't know all the tips and tricks you incredible SAHM use to fend off the exhaustion and keep a smile on your face! Id love some tried and true advice!<br />
<br />
<img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r208/jennisajoy/OUAB/BLOG/gretchensignaturecopy.jpg" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1456740392334155390.post-53813129177394969632012-02-06T18:44:00.001-08:002012-02-06T18:49:33.267-08:00Snip-Its!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjIMGvHDGcOkTnWF0witeSj2HGxDqYBGUWviQv3cmNCNbso29XPfO7BYTlGw5xGoHW_oWOj3hT6T5dvGQE_4mcpIBqqsp0OWps810xVBkaC6BsVPFdHkbpMEup-_yxD372tU7K2TEwO0/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz092.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjIMGvHDGcOkTnWF0witeSj2HGxDqYBGUWviQv3cmNCNbso29XPfO7BYTlGw5xGoHW_oWOj3hT6T5dvGQE_4mcpIBqqsp0OWps810xVBkaC6BsVPFdHkbpMEup-_yxD372tU7K2TEwO0/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz092.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706220028552014098" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkMaBt2KsEnSlLH3tdcMuZmpaCDYT5vM-MhaFlUNxIdR8_8iYV7ELKXjpp546RQQiw2effz2fB6Fmb3eKtUtuqiayERqW3SpsXXrDCBRPak_faKLlOQ_SFBexZ-0LLGngAjWhMwtN2PQ/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz091.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkMaBt2KsEnSlLH3tdcMuZmpaCDYT5vM-MhaFlUNxIdR8_8iYV7ELKXjpp546RQQiw2effz2fB6Fmb3eKtUtuqiayERqW3SpsXXrDCBRPak_faKLlOQ_SFBexZ-0LLGngAjWhMwtN2PQ/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz091.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219747751167986" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJYwXlhQx49uaCY9Ct8ZMFCiyKCyVE4IclVXtzRbHYTE9dLg00pDgiR4HS3H43dzmD5opypq6P-BtXfPzytCYhFULi_fE5AlaDzHeZ_9fqgNrsiqCXcde7Bh9MvKocXfC0jWUFScMgko/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz090.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJYwXlhQx49uaCY9Ct8ZMFCiyKCyVE4IclVXtzRbHYTE9dLg00pDgiR4HS3H43dzmD5opypq6P-BtXfPzytCYhFULi_fE5AlaDzHeZ_9fqgNrsiqCXcde7Bh9MvKocXfC0jWUFScMgko/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz090.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219715057675666" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9-zuUzNoP8X28BM1AEW7VY7tgMIDtkDMGxJQ_8DTHOJFgA8qn5PnWHLEbMeAUES8aHCzuMoO4NqogY7_pKdrMgcx2R9ge9LH_Hr6IFA-jkE6kB8TkMBBvJEtTk1mK8lAtD-wHW4zM90/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz089.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9-zuUzNoP8X28BM1AEW7VY7tgMIDtkDMGxJQ_8DTHOJFgA8qn5PnWHLEbMeAUES8aHCzuMoO4NqogY7_pKdrMgcx2R9ge9LH_Hr6IFA-jkE6kB8TkMBBvJEtTk1mK8lAtD-wHW4zM90/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz089.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219702370536322" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7lc5bfIK-io0EYpNjBMh0b5wnoUA2HXpbqoHvzQisKZMwrG_zLiIYkhl7Af3dCuxcI8KTqK0r8SSVJfQbppSS1WG2dwLBFsieLgCy5TM9GvBOkVBQY8BotXnWmcwJHGeHlC0lGq1mss/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz088.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 398px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7lc5bfIK-io0EYpNjBMh0b5wnoUA2HXpbqoHvzQisKZMwrG_zLiIYkhl7Af3dCuxcI8KTqK0r8SSVJfQbppSS1WG2dwLBFsieLgCy5TM9GvBOkVBQY8BotXnWmcwJHGeHlC0lGq1mss/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz088.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219701559723282" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPRTIjX1UhQRacQAj-xT8ZVRLgSkZ7irPbQ5t3be8RuHikbiZb9-U795h_6YC_Vi80pzV2h0vdZkTlgUtkQ-hx8z1eQ4dGYUSuLnK8CuZT2o6KSpQW-A2uTP07TvfUxE6LIGg0nE63Mg/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz087.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 398px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPRTIjX1UhQRacQAj-xT8ZVRLgSkZ7irPbQ5t3be8RuHikbiZb9-U795h_6YC_Vi80pzV2h0vdZkTlgUtkQ-hx8z1eQ4dGYUSuLnK8CuZT2o6KSpQW-A2uTP07TvfUxE6LIGg0nE63Mg/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz087.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219678243051634" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtF-WEmWOKSRo1wiFZmeSq6u93sPoYQ85LWBe61RVrhM-FdvMRx3vFdrKe-Eo2imwEXm-BIIXDlLZ0Ev9bcA8Ke63D4OimmPvKjQNL_IRhd96CLVLwYOdQlSw8Jx05NkQEh8GkIAIDuT4/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz086.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLocJJzZQtcSf-fBNa7aJhy_UWoInfMmjf6Pj_wK90cvD12jAKHcuYmyux7uhzQ9Wi3dUu8twlPHMFwUddiQqgwjjAHxQRwIFVhxru4h-zQtVKqwXOnRJ8RKf5MYprJLU7Hp8Urk0plhU/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz085.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLocJJzZQtcSf-fBNa7aJhy_UWoInfMmjf6Pj_wK90cvD12jAKHcuYmyux7uhzQ9Wi3dUu8twlPHMFwUddiQqgwjjAHxQRwIFVhxru4h-zQtVKqwXOnRJ8RKf5MYprJLU7Hp8Urk0plhU/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz085.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219419408946514" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWdTksZV9fbuUsIg071MosQRvfafay97EmeTzsfe_vfSmUmLqKHfjy5UfRp_2x8WCflhM7Accgmgf4ibPXrVEpHQZvDWq6bE7spbY5UUhSrPFl91Y-_ETRIOvSncVfECuSvkt9AgDsTM/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz084.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWdTksZV9fbuUsIg071MosQRvfafay97EmeTzsfe_vfSmUmLqKHfjy5UfRp_2x8WCflhM7Accgmgf4ibPXrVEpHQZvDWq6bE7spbY5UUhSrPFl91Y-_ETRIOvSncVfECuSvkt9AgDsTM/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz084.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219412171001954" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4vQjVMQq1wu6EnNl56z8e9dxbUc-D0Hv4X6-TrdFFS3naG-yE_ni2H6y9JpVvKAFudZPzIUPW63ihCU5tNVaSkcAoBhvyxyZ64G7af1olYeFQMstZzoJhA-bnIVcpbUKNmRIGFNFKrY/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz083.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4vQjVMQq1wu6EnNl56z8e9dxbUc-D0Hv4X6-TrdFFS3naG-yE_ni2H6y9JpVvKAFudZPzIUPW63ihCU5tNVaSkcAoBhvyxyZ64G7af1olYeFQMstZzoJhA-bnIVcpbUKNmRIGFNFKrY/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz083.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219407493624322" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLWTeChkjdDbr2sBOEf_ERj_CR6GEYnRnqvljgE9373pJjMGOftIxN9dKuaLkb6-FO4yfxm1cll2qPLbMlCYYxQ9d8jWZpW893eQoDUdDoGaKZKV4XUhuMFuJdk_rkT-rwCKRMBCafOA/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz082.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLWTeChkjdDbr2sBOEf_ERj_CR6GEYnRnqvljgE9373pJjMGOftIxN9dKuaLkb6-FO4yfxm1cll2qPLbMlCYYxQ9d8jWZpW893eQoDUdDoGaKZKV4XUhuMFuJdk_rkT-rwCKRMBCafOA/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz082.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219402049964658" /></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtF-WEmWOKSRo1wiFZmeSq6u93sPoYQ85LWBe61RVrhM-FdvMRx3vFdrKe-Eo2imwEXm-BIIXDlLZ0Ev9bcA8Ke63D4OimmPvKjQNL_IRhd96CLVLwYOdQlSw8Jx05NkQEh8GkIAIDuT4/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz086.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706219428993027186" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u>too cute for words</u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u>right?</u></span></div><br /><p><img class="right" alt="post signature" src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r208/jennisajoy/OUAB/BLOG/gretchensignaturecopy.jpg" border="0" /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1456740392334155390.post-36705932155004861402011-12-27T07:53:00.001-08:002011-12-28T08:37:33.776-08:00The Firsts of Christmas<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPso5unkT6qSNRaE9WkvljFCmdBEZi3NEgfmC7T1fHFreMY4pgavGdjz44mOZESV8kVuvrQO2usHw2UJJGsMGKV64INQ1Emo3PHkTDFFu4oO96AmlYD4YIRG5REfE9EPrrSEls36ygLo/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz059.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;">The First Christmas</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26CAcsamBsjT4N5j09EwA35eQONTPAjC4bZghgR2-JM505nGfUiedY38SO9BiJY2fswaIKnw1LN7WVpSDHZeiNtT3jl42RLB69XFEOjrpiwlrgum3qWbjGBKGZDMk9xjZniKDXhPWIHA/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz038.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837874336742226" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxjW5UcMdQiK0f8Elvjqy1o98Fne77-apvhrbwK9krb0pZZMvLLvgoPNwCP2GujaKJGHcFCFTUWNoNSf5-MbPd25HFO-jrP6SJt0QZCotn4PkZkZKzMvdzUfAHkOjJNWtoB403ICqMGY/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz039.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837883957931714" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; ">There have been a good number of firsts as we watch this year come to a close</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Tonight, as I held my “new” little one (and though he is almost six years old, he is still a tiny little boy) and rocked him to sleep with my homespun version of “Katusha,” a Russian national favorite, my eyes welled up and my stomach got tight. My mind began to swirl…</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>He got left. Ian got left as a baby to fend for himself.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>He was left alone. To “grow” up or to not. To be happy or to be terrified. To live or to die. Not a single call, not a single visit. No one inquired. No room at the “IN” side of anyone’s heart for this one little boy, for five years.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Not until God opened ours, to him. On Christmas Eve, the day that Christ was born, is four months home for Ian. 4 months out of 5 years has this child known love, a family, safety, play, needs met, an education, and God. Seems like a grain of sand to me, in all of what he has missed.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKFTsW5i20M9pXL7taEzaIs_7CohyrhftYZOd9_lVFds1pPsQDBBLANIkgYW-_aHpUqwjc-0Keswoo1RQaL7jM-MtG75xXb7UvWWGTsYD7K8a1fyqoYRCXrJTSb7-QrIDOpan081awwc/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz049.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838285540863378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 400px; " /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>The pain inside our hearts and minds for the many little soulds that we had to leave behind, will never, ever leave me. Many times, it makes me feel insane and I do not know where to put it all or how to deal with it. Feeling compelled to act and speak and advocate and fundraise for orphaned children (with special needs or not), was a FIRST for us this year. A BIG first.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">People tell us, and we often tell ourselves, that everything is okay now because he is here with us. That is true in some respects and not in others. Effects from the “O” (the orphanage) may never leave him, we just don’t know. I see some fading but then only to be replaced by others. Young children are so very impressionable, and the impressions leave psychological and physiological marks. My biggest prayer this Christmas is that he be able to leave the “O” behind and truly come live with us in this new place we call “home.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Christmas was a BIG bang start to him leaving the O.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDwo4sBVWr_qEPg9HTanEVIPp6MaN8FAl7s-ZF0KTVGXVz9xan0sSXj8FiwUqzcIoFEUE2uX5U3NRYiNA_YYvNNrixHNEiWLouqLpKwMhyphenhyphenZy4QNevpEyDnbomNvS2llAtAWWvQqkZWKo/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz042.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838065112404370" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 400px; " /></p><div>People that have adopted many times over have commented to me that for a “first” adoption, we went buck wild. Meaning that we took on an international special needs rescue (<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/hidden-angels-american-families-saving-children-syndrome/story?id=15234109#.Tvn8mSPhed8">watch this</a>) with zero dollars in the bank and just 8 months to get to Ian before he turned five years old and was taken away to the institution where he could no longer be adopted from. His life there…would not have been one.A good friend Julia has written extensively about the horrors these children face being transferred from their baby houses or preschool type orphanages, to the institutions. If you are in search of truth and understanding, please click <a href="http://covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/2011/10/on-rainy-days-they-stayed-inside.html">HERE</a> to read about Aaron.</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Knowing him these 4 months now (Christmas eve marking 4 months home for him exactly), we know that our little man would have been TERRIFIED, and that he would have sunk into himself so far that he would have been lost and broken, and that is how he would have lived until he died.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thank God for the first time we saw his face, and that there was enough time to save him, and that more than 600 people gave more than 40,000 dollars for his ransom. Just. Thank. God.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeadQdGgHnCj_ifbWCuhp3opj1vkD25JSOzTTng2Nm9GwCRuSzFjJB7uttHd5MGNAWMx7jE83QKGSfF-UUgGiPi2U72NlKiMg_P59W9HK4kpFXkcjxW_2SQmKsLzN1zBs6y7o27PmPJo/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz033.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837642667431858" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 394px; height: 283px; " /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">*********</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Now, for our holidays in review:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKgp5gEJgqrZYgqTJdc1U5ZxrdxrK1hxRied9tzfc6jDeH7DFzDekY3XU9zFFD9aDKU5S-XV5YFZUAMUWdJtX30jNF0MQv1p5_IYod4bw0wRTG7bmDub8KOf6-bALYnEsLbtMvdtsH20/s1600/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz015.jpg" style="text-align: left; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKgp5gEJgqrZYgqTJdc1U5ZxrdxrK1hxRied9tzfc6jDeH7DFzDekY3XU9zFFD9aDKU5S-XV5YFZUAMUWdJtX30jNF0MQv1p5_IYod4bw0wRTG7bmDub8KOf6-bALYnEsLbtMvdtsH20/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz015.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837140037737970" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 376px; " /></a><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span><span style="text-align: left; "></span></p><div style="text-align: center;">I asked Santa for a special Christmas for Ari and Ian, and boy did he deliver! </div><div style="text-align: center;">Love me some Santa baby!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***********************</div><div><br /></div><div>First off, our kids are five. They know the reason for the season, and Reece’s Rainbow Angel Tree ornaments hang on our tree (many, many, more to come for as long as an orphan needs a family). We are confident they are caring little boys, they are humble too, and we did not teach them that per se, I think they are just really special little boys. We are so blessed by them. EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuZCljMZA7piYgM-kexP83Q_ekfsgfcbVT-pg7S8FxJPpkQGTt9HnQ8As41oICxZvmroCg1xi8BWKYp5rQNa8jbJFK2AAYncgMQaUphInlcoShwU7tIQ1_C6860rkNSxx6Kcugi8o3LQ/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz046.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838088040473474" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left; ">This was our first Christmas spent at home. The two week break from school and work opened with a trip to the Georgia Aquarium. Leave it to my two kids to take the stage when no one was invited to do so! Please note the biggest fish in the world swimming over Ari in the largest tank of this kind in the WORLD. There are 4 Whale Sharks at the GA Aquarium.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiXHl2VjvtsHvuDp-GFd0jTua7uZby7hXghkvJDvy175ZtkBCL3Bn3lRy0Pf34ImkpbYr0yVLNnVdsm79ru5FRxbVzf4qzy8P41LHEcV8uVAFJAStVBDLIux4X8lozklbukFl0guZ6Yg/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz023.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837161386849042" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3q_SsS6ea9HCr2l3SjGcUBWeWghyaUtW7uq8sK96ublOl0ShmwFx1JBGyzzhovCG2RFxh-r8AK6LojwPWzmI9g-_wtZMA5umVdo67ftfK_6eBJIGU5NXAngha9gUnSY15ALt1axoOME/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz025.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837165438582610" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 337px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSutfs50GH6DDH0aMmgu3uZUFPRxRiFtXCxQoSorQMERyzcj9NROzV2yRB0Z-WAWOwukm-qgFUQhQcpw87nDpB6O1imJNch81b-EJuT-IE5BOA1bf5aw1UeSeRuY5isxLJn929QBqO3g/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz026.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837376186739826" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 386px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3c9QL-inaUQN8SIt0_u8pSV_RHG1NS-lozC-yU8FNSlsUPMbtDbQq70x0ScMRpUscIn2oyEqPe9fsCLncnDARC99jLR1PxdiHzuX8pLzFNfT9eyXteXZ48m8LqgBPUlMz2JxR_CSV1sI/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz027.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837382444309522" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px; " /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Goij1xHAIVVHgDG4jwTLhq_-j_tYTbibtDqt6cDBLI1Pe6sETMdCOI-8zK9RHU6mc110wKg_Aa7ynqfomQb1NLJbZHU3yrgnSELWbT7xY7X9O0xqdXO8qvUBG7_6y_IcDOoxloGttXU/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz028.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837384916478514" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px; " /></div><div>The first decorations were hung on the tree the weekend before, each child delighting in the process, and each wanting to go higher and higher up the tree each time. Oye, our backs! </div><div><br /></div><div>I did manage to make one smart move, I abandoned my urge for pretty glass ornaments and went the plastic, shatter proof route for the kids. What a lifesaver! I cannot count how many times those “balls” went flying. I do believe that anything round and hand size, for a small child, is automatically recognized as a ball to be thrown!</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRqUEoeLNKBe3YVC9m7Htm-Psdz4XHBhAzRuH5PwYlbQS4DIAn5lX-HN_1SYyVLNQCRXLxr0QclUveog2-BSeH-tBS836NF6zywueT27C7Srj9vH7erfqOhJwHTHVYu__NCEqNPo0uEM/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz021.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837150869313330" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 400px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrqCnKFyIf_-88fipsvqvyKc7NA-P_LHY5LFZ5OG1JR30sW-Ltq12iDxVFEdub0IHUqdpGUFhar1JlH4xJGsjG8snTYfeKjKIM6ZyO14gyYg8w5LkgGfs2GuZPC0bT-lLb5DB5CKGMWM/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz020.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837146847173938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 400px; " /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tUKGft5wNTDAR64uszi3s68w810KQup0xoOfXaF9StxW4c32cZCC24fHUFpyldz_ZKVvkbInpV7IC3mAT_UDLCH7FTnOpOGD2nqNJrFfqp_qfJ5tyKvv5UXGj6PRyNGnC5BCgwmDjOY/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz031.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837635410989298" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 400px; " /></o:p></p><div><o:p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCEToprYihkFixvyuCmInYMQ7orZTqZuCP_weXNXfgAqPvswf3VuODJMhYd5SLdPbciIRe-cHMULWeyDjpyZ9nIQHK8MxQQCZsNfyJcHriUdrQrnhLjXNY_iN1a1YlxhvSw2UBslP4l0/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz032.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837634994221602" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 400px; " /></o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal">On the 19th, we went to see Santa for our annual Christmas picture with Santa. Ari got to ask Santa for a race track, the only thing he wanted for all of Christmas. Ian on the other hand, tried to pull off Santa's real beard. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWjPd4bDNcbyUHKpQaCBKqmYj03p41mmzug2EfZcMnUKPUr3mLQH_pX97bNRtY-khC23mXnH-2TMLa1i4-9NdaZqWgPIyJT4VIZ-H3pKJ9z6BxK8Q4wX1USheYQ7pOcoSVcXL8zAp8Ao/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz034.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837644954403634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 281px; height: 400px; " /></p><div>On the 20<sup>th</sup>, the boys and I had a nice little meeting with Santa at the Down Syndrome play group…oh so much!...another change for Ari to ask Santa again for a race track! Ian on the other hand, tried again to pull off Santa's real beard. Cool thing about the mind of a child, they have no concept (unless we teach it to them) or race or color or size or shape - Santa is Santa no matter who he is. My kids thought Santa was the same Santa each time we saw him around town these past few weeks. Ahhh, I love these boys!</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDVjfceHwDvS3PO7nzNu0Wgu8Go4IHTIi5Xj5kh_ajNPIluA5FFEGPAVdI74TZbhac7TTcG4QH7Tp1kVAqi67wuRToJZ7hmQ_BbLkx9sYspfbjCEPtNZEK5bsTeuPJamz89wIXG9PZm8/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz030.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837394030036578" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9ETs34IXL-xXbpKcSjHXFwMAvH_nL7mTQiuZUBzSuytbGl_oKvzRiis2r3Abc5nTMDGDGxso7MkaYNvK0dW4yf5SDNnoZuRiSagWn6ID8Ibd8KDun43XK0JjuQnFLFzoL6ZplQgsTnM/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz029.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837388499692898" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 337px; height: 352px; " /> <p class="MsoNormal">Later that week, our first winter project! Gingerbread creations that outlasted the astonishing pace at which Ari consumed the candy decorations for the train, and Ian’s attempts to eat the structural cookie walls!<o:p></o:p></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCxrwkq5YpmJC1ZVu7WAwRLk-lORpWksHZ0fNONK_yWvLSukuVTGcqqisf493Bn4PZYPGj02Bpzhe-duRXt9et1hghZu_P2K8WBVZI5buyx745kfyB5NLsaGTNrK4QOb-jxS2FxUZ52o/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz036.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837871694388514" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 400px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0likEB2U85gGqReuEiRXwcibOUSNfUi5vFhrMYn6dFnzc4uNas5pwqKTAKctodlsoata5WKQq2MRlBiocxmcXb-DDH-6Gz0wtXOg9pD9Wa851bxoKMVGnaR9zYWeCyClmkDPmhtv7lo8/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz035.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837657587825330" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 396px; " /> <p class="MsoNormal">Friday, a divine meeting happened at our home. A little backstory if you will: The boys have had an incredible train set for more than a year. Craig and I built a custom, 6 foot by 6 foot train table for Ari’s 4<sup>th</sup> birthday. The Geo Trax set had over 800 pieces and it was amazing. It served so well to help us play with our kids.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjmusyZyZ0anACA0O5Qr1FmtLAjKQc2Cc9070f4ZtbJJronxWuLLUa_8-_yBLsv2vm5b-JFDXLFHD4pej3aMtLeyy-URKzk4XI1_wdwjY2AIbup0HEFRFTB9dnPmxQ11GNGG0lxExO5g/s400/photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690856314467126786" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Alas, the train table began to fall to the wayside recently. The boys wanting us to drive them to Barnes and Nobles everyday so they could play with the wooden Thomas set in the kids book department. Our mission was clear, sell the big train table and devise a smaller, fixed track, under the bed, wood set. Sounds easy right? <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">RIGHT! At the very first listing of the kids’ train table and massive train set on Craigslist in Atlanta (a metro area of more than 5 million people) a woman named Anna called me. Anna is a special name to us right now, I can’t say why but just know, it has something to do with Ian’s old “O” and a rescue in progress.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Anyway, Anna, who is mom to three (soon to be 4, and then 5 and 6) sent her husband Carl to come for the train table. Mr. Carl and I exchanged friendly conversation as we packed up the train set for his children. He noticed me speaking Russian to Ian. He asked about it. To make a long and wonderful story short, Carl and Anna, complete strangers to us, are right now in the process for a Russian Adoption of one and hopefully TWO children with special needs that they found at….wait for it….<a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/">Reece’s Rainbow</a>! WOW! No way! The chances of this meeting being by chance carries impossible odds. This meeting marked the first time I met someone that was in the process for RR that we did not already know. Needless to say, this family and us are going to be friends. AMAZING!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Later that Friday night, the new train table was done. Yes, I THINK I am crafty, although I always bite off more than I can chew and have ten projects going and never finish any of them. This week I completed TWO wood projects for the boys. The under the bed train table with fixed track, and an under the bed rolling storage drawer. I love how both turned out and the kids loved the train table. Space being a commodity around here, these two items will go a long way in helping us stay organized and sane!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQadIORBamx45Yfqp0E-_s78L3PrJqbMiu18OrJepwSj9YYLAVIyE5B_KdD-as6cBRl26aGdbR0YP5FujJ_moFTDyWL81ATPxIbYxWayMA-7NWp6oQz3G7V0jdxs0UKr-YDfOSqBxOgrg/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz052.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690850671828800674" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></p><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66gi6XcdHQDg2HEE6i1j6v6hVy3OY2mWIbBkCmJSGvH1y7F4KsbrnLjc4IOQp53AFSt449MVJ7OIjHryHJ3Sb3UCK3lNeWvLODM4o4ofhJWztLvJRIlXIM7EWAgU7NoC2brp4LbVNSfs/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz053.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690850668031038306" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1r9wOctbEUP_0zsQwsBfYHt_vpmIGH_W80XmKDTmYBhkNokmdBVV0HKnC8gO6uojZ32f_XAuw3tLKHvb4Mf6v4cmhyXt92mb9MC9WC_cCdye3pY2U8y0y0oMV6WtArEVbhcgCTLU_vc/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz054.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690850667339796146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPso5unkT6qSNRaE9WkvljFCmdBEZi3NEgfmC7T1fHFreMY4pgavGdjz44mOZESV8kVuvrQO2usHw2UJJGsMGKV64INQ1Emo3PHkTDFFu4oO96AmlYD4YIRG5REfE9EPrrSEls36ygLo/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz059.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690850381990667426" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 331px; " /></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">*******<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On Christmas Eve, we had our first ever at home, in front of the fire and tree, mommy and daddy reading of the Night Before Christmas and a new book called the TOYS Night Before Christmas, complete with our caps, santa and gingerbread socks, and wintery attire. So fitting for a long winter’s nap. HA - I wish! The kids wake up at 6:30 am!!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38RoKT4JeywAyTMeR8tsdgKVkVsFBEXklmOpRL5Cb8IlOg_2F9iVjSNEkoffDtCoFiRVX4cJz-ExCTprg7a5cVkpjOcYSlDDA5yCtnM-iop-1gd9uXDgUrSpVMPnZGKyheUrKRP-Dd-Y/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz045.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838082601292274" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></p><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6Vd2TBFfSVQkRs1zi_zg2X96mPbI7KsuB-vpboGIRnY2f-G9TiuCUoz3KGIMN6TvfHbsUtjVuZE9umFz9p0ikxrCh0RBVvyVnKdNROv476xwETNthcjOLNLbCmBcp0cvxmXCjy3ipck/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz040.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837889459038418" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnMQMRFr5DNQSaGkTcEhvhMDWcDMk3OOvxRtuu6G8kDhufef0HW4GThJCEzvAxZodrNzCYmOHiJdBv2E4ZdQNxTgxQhwl9T5huhmfgjjznGWjZM7z2EWGtJysb8xTYqgs_JWXyubbcUU/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz041.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690837887870816610" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px; " /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5P20nKkeXdcjDvdQPy0LZZ3HNzaty4nD8yzS41nTpBlUBbBfrcxrhDLxUHbIx8IFughwx8q1iiaJdS5eMl5Ck0NvfSxWjsTetgA5rWXVYRAThTLseaK_2ZFs04wSUkhlK3e-38kPGXPI/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz044.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838068039052466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We admired the mantle and our special ornaments</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcr797hb1xHyqMjcuzgDyBDgDOXbUW-dguYaWPkLWpIwZtllTCP00lpS8Zq37o_h7VBw6Bs6bZ82x2mrwuNHLdbf6yg_IVsjaUjSuY3A2-pCtExS1OVcV5kqERgxGsU685CbF4c-tD2Y/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz051.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838301513735666" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 227px; " /><div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">A snow globe of Red Square in Moscow, given to me by my mother more than 20 years ago<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBixSNCOlChFGUyllSf2WIUNU2EG5QbYThA5vNUDtXWKRWKzVrKzbTQAKUbtgOvr6tFoXIqaw2GYpsiitZw0c69TtyZfEvc-xibyAx4MYlHEWAGuAPIoaR3gl0G2z8qoToRLRhxgG0vA/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz055.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690850402845629362" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Our Reece’s Rainbow Angel Tree Ornaments<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirc4oF5gZNS1qwuA8NhQ78POlydECcCYPheDgvOjDv8wDM7FHgu4TQf3RPqazqYiXOe3mY7bBNwZQeTb7F5pXM3l7X83XaQxuhvyzaYIpa_agN1mRXRFi7nWbXdM30YdqMRPjy8QgqKL8/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz057.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690850396898371218" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></p><div style="text-align: center;">Ari’s Trains</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19rF_tjB-9fIT5lxB8OHUW24oOdi7yvYuRcAWBDAmz3qcDucG4x8HvzyaIXF9l0ImyoxzUji2dxj9AjkQtvXVq9Wi0xpEtnN1RwPtJ3ZGtIYsJolzDb_s-UISL-qT2rN6TvOQU9Ay4OM/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz056.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690850400952013922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></p><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJW63kkmhqQ7Fs7eFz-Eeu8_faMewds6tMZR3pg3djUtPEGtAUrUdKaAMRFPGOLXDbUzrZizgBh3qh-r1kIHiA9U_LpzHMLV3Eh2UTTD6yZNhZXnfiFMF9PsSHptpSezaNCTRxi9hZ74/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz058.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690850387337587986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></div><div><br /></div><div>Left milk and cookies for Santa (Ian objected vehemently! He truly believed the cookies and milk were for him!)</div><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq9UeOp54gP7iGpHbahPpCqwd7318FI40-vpC70BU4aJo80X_9R5nFo-Pe51W57jVtHSshCJlbdPUAr6JTCbJxIMJMdlS8Gbw7f01_9tviJ5vzQHreHtvC3tiqqCPzsEJvZneVt1kYCU/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz043.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838063175802402" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 400px; " /></p><div>After the boys were asleep, daddy and I put all the gifts out and watched the fire dwindle on the couch together. No words, just sleep:)</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAAh-Okh-AxyXbB4tTyuS8vt-05P7IFGkov3619groIU3ggVitaX14-qGwxc2HZqBiyAChTDEjTPOR3qqHwfXUDVZZatXBTU5zk6qNzu9vYpz4GbOy1S2WxSO2Sad0We45L02tZYr1D4/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz047.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838276923364594" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 400px; " /></div><div>On Christmas morning, a prayer of thanks be to God, and then a mad dash to see if Mr. Claus did indeed brave our chimney for two little boys, to make real on their visions of some special new toys! OH.BOY! just take a look.</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwl1hPNPbfVpR1zKKHocuRxSZtKSYOgiLNcGZRKQopixXCt-GBHXpJiaAFrbjwtJ2VIhi7CW5Bh_DdG1CmgIQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Ian's first gift opening</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dySuTuLEyfExKgQtdBGxg0ylgCy71g49hyTm0WxUIyPK5XOyZdpXtqfuBYF6IrGOyOEIPj9G8h6KkdzlaJ5zg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Ari's excitement!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">*********</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>This week began with my FIRST TURKEY EVER! Chosen and cooked by me (not mentioning the pan incident whereby I had NO PAN for the bird and had to run out to buy one wasting precious roasting hours!). I am proud to say it was an organic turkey too! It was the best meal, and shared with family from afar. The boys’ great-grandparents drove 7 hours to be with them for a few days! My near 90 grandmother plays ON THE FLOOR with the kids...hotwheels, reads books, pretend plays – she’s awesome! We opened their gifts and sipped some nog, laughed and had a good old traditional family Christmas dinner together. My mother and grandmother declaring that the torch was successfully passed and that I done good on all the victuals of Turkey, dressing, sour pickles, mashed and yams, rolls….etc. Oh my goodness, does this mean I'm old?</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Y_cyPagjrDsBauXfwDq5diGyXic-rWnb6s-spgxg-cSKpnGIfZkzXDW8JaPnZTJrTvWqgnKBuzTSuNokdAp40mID8JpeLP-_77jZurxaI1yO_CH4OxIwW-BUxVvZ1KrtdnxC9xJBc-I/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz050.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690838297587648050" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; ">Ari & Ian's great grandparents. Our gift for grandpa Dale, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; ">a military flag with his Marine service inscribed</span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Tonight, our first official post placement visit will occur and the report will be sent to Russia to be read by the judge that granted our adoption. I hope she feels proud of her choice for Ian, we thinks it was a good one!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Happy Holidays everyone! <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><img class="right" alt="post signature" src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r208/jennisajoy/OUAB/BLOG/gretchensignaturecopy.jpg" border="0" /></p><br /></div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1456740392334155390.post-67609644304423193602011-12-11T13:45:00.000-08:002011-12-12T17:52:43.749-08:00The Led Heart, Welcome to the HOPE reader<div style="text-align: left;">So, here it is folks! Our brand new blog! I know that everyone, friends and family alike, have been waiting for new some pictures and updates on our two wonderful boys, and our personal adult journey's through adopting Ian, and everything else blessed this way comes.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm so happy to report that we are ready to share! </div><div><br /></div><div>The HOPE reader will be "my" virtual depository of all kinds of experiences. The only promises I can make about our new blog is that a good amount of time will be spent trying to document and share those moments in our lives that are meaningful to us, that move us, and that change us. There will also be nonsense fun of the type living with very small children, boys at that, brings… along with things just for the heck of it. </div><div><br /></div><div>First and foremost, we want every person who donated to Ian's adoption to know that we will be eternally grateful for your caring about this one little boy so far away. He was so totally worth it. We look at him everyday and imagine what if...more than 600 of you said, "it's too late for Ian" or "he's too affected by his life thus far in an orphanage" or "I just don't have the money to give" or "my $3.00 won't help them" or even, "if they can't afford it, they should not be adopting" - which incidentally, we were told many, many times over the year plus it took to get Ian home. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you letters and photographs are making their way through the US postal system to the more than 100 addressees that we have on record as having donated to Ian's adoption. Many people handed us cash, people we don't know sent us cash, and all who donated via Reece's Rainbow, have no accessible addressees for us to mail to. Therefore, we are saying to all of you that we cannot reach via letter:</div><div><br /></div><div>May God continue to bless you and may you too experience, in leaps and bounds, opportunities to increase your faith, to change your heart, and to grow closer in your relationships. Please continue to help HIS children find their way home. If you are in need of a place to start with that, my unspeakably wonderful friend JULIA, is having a tremendously inspirational life giving GIVE-A-WAY on her blog located below, it's worth the 5 min. it will take to check it out today (p.s. you might want to have some tissue on hand). </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/">JULIA'S BLOG</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Passed over Babes Give-a-Way</div><div><br /></div><div> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> 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10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">I think one of the most incredible things that God does in my life is to remind me that in order find him, I must be willing to be led. The led heart is the heart that will touch things that are of God. My opening post is about dying to self enough to allow ones heart to be led. The led heart is opened to much love, along with much of what is disturbing to many of us about the day to day reality of life on earth. Make no mistake, I plan on working on being a led heart, more and more and more….</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have learned so much since Ian came home, and what is special to me about that fact is that Ari was the foundation that God built for me to ever begin to believe that I could be a mom to two little guys with pervasive, lifelong, intensive special needs. Being a mom is a gift, and a sometimes gut wrenching experience. A couple of weeks ago, my little man Ari fell down the stairs in our home. I am still horrified at the picture of him crying, his little body just sprawled out on the landing, it was gut wrenching. He is okay, but to give you an idea of how painful that fall, and scary it was for Ari, he ended up getting a rug burn bad enough to take the skin off up UNDER his nose on the upper lip. Just imagine how he had to fall to get that, horrible I tell you. We have no idea how he fell. He has been so consistently good on the stairs…this happened right as we were preparing to take the kids for their holiday photos. They still turned out delicious though, don’t you think? I did some photo magic to take the burn mark out of the first pic.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <!--EndFragment--></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjxuP9uemjL278puPaxJn3DTUrR2GWyTE_Gcf6c6CQyC4e7Wl46TGNFav-m5tnZ5UXfZXg1wsnzvBt8i3Nrwl_7Lrjwg5h09yjEz8X_RWAY4XS4woEqv_V9vSJq2ZvBsrodPcwEYB-BY/s400/2011-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684899232166409586" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ari - Age 5</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcrzzJ8ZesatWnwJPG506mHTZ9sjAN5_ev5ey41QetsQZBo6uWolIFRpCQVFfIAr90KrqtMjKhnOl0l-bc33j3OQBwIzhxBOG0Z8gzcxt8W9aSSCd-xJs6WXS0e1wOk4Y0dBYprOKLcA/s400/2011-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684899251182600882" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian - Age 5 (no, he did not have ANY fun at the photo session)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQABuGCUTGQsFU_cZ9iBwKeYVQsZQurIIo2MDRf7qv-8jiiFa8gDrIPrtggS3cYRMeBjA-V7BthxlQz5w92uLmjpgaESkVDT6hERJqJ4hFl_uNkelMw74TF9yo_SMIjev15NLmVBcb30/s400/ariianlowresscan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684899230153102226" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">our lil' guys</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:enableopentypekerning/> <w:dontflipmirrorindents/> <w:overridetablestylehps/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont 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mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">The day after Ari's fall my cell phone rang in the middle of the day from Ari’s school (immediate panic set in as they never call), it was Ari’s facilitator Shannon. Ari attends school with his “typically developing” peers, with the help of a 4.5 hour a day 1:2 aide. On this day, she told me something amazing about our Ari. She told me that at about 12 noon EST, he became a swimmer! Say what Ms. Shannon? His swim teacher’s first name is Faith. Ms. Faith has worked one on one with Ari since August, once a week in the indoor pool at Ari’s school. That day, my 5 year old son with pervasive, lifelong, and intensive special needs, my little man diagnosed with Autism, that day after his terrible fall, he JUMPED off of the RACING PLATFORM, into the deep end, popped back up, and swam unassisted to the edge of the pool and hung on. He did it with a little floppy body that was bruised and sore from his fall the day before. Can you say TROOPER? This kid is AMAZING. I am so humbled to know him.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrT66aUNzgPBoTUPpxtJtVWC6_W2K85quH7IvjTaHvWcjexMA-mMwJWt4t5yfs56QJw_7AAQi2a8FFDrspsdm9qv_lnJeruSykhFFWrPAc4XDHOibIc6Pjsyla2Yc_oIh8QPR-P0eKSE/s400/DSC01311.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684901501249999218" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></p><div style="text-align: center;">Craig has been in the pool with Ari since he was 14 months old</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Z48inVlBBGGin-JKib7L4XWxtv60An0feelwQkq7nUoxyCJzyecHNZ4VCV4mHiZ4iwn4gJVrnEqhGZH00zCDBZ05rfifVnhjlECHkmfF3Z3emniT5IpdOldxcvn0AL92IoUs3x1Brog/s400/IMG_0475.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684912426344992594" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ari has aquatic therapy too, working on building tone</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <!--EndFragment--></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYhQLMJ42n1Xfwmt6Eojd7yhAfteNVinJilYOveonRvDTZAc_LaOenfdn3JB-AJ4e-ZpG3B1IC4-csHp0-8b6r2GSm3EFHHJhDFlJE7ODI2_l15wr90ZgcX6mul5SfO96SU89jtKJ5Q8/s400/100711d.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684901107840793794" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ari's 5th birthday recognition at his preschool</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCZCGmPCCNJB1q1F8kunRtBE1WIroeQrI-7o7C3rYHREIdR0z_y0JEDpVmPu6DfKvsGU4Gj2CEOTJHD8CdTPNGv_BEmyUC7eu_zt4AR4Ag3mUETDeFLYjdpoNx9a2aADLg_T9xymiZGw/s400/Halloween2011-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684902160151819298" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My brave little fireman! 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mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">As I hugged Ari and praised him when I went to his preschool classroom later on the day of swimming miracle, for their Thanksgiving play and “Kosher Feast,” I was dumbstruck by the juxtaposition of Ari’s miracle in the pool and his disaster on the steps. We moms of kids with special needs, I think we can all say that we stay on high “alert” nearly 99.9 percent of the hours in our days. That position is exhausting, mentally and often physically. Ari has been doing SO WELL on the stairs. Not so much on curbs, or in the house at large, but the steps have been FINE. </p><p class="MsoNormal">With so much to concentrate on, for each boy (Ian coincidentally prefers to go down the steps on his bottom at break neck speed), I forgot about the stairs, to me, it had been MASTERED. Mastery is a funny word though, it comes and goes, just like thinking you “know” God and you “trust” in his promises. If I am honest with myself, and if I am looking for those things that are roadblocks to becoming a led heart – it is the coming and going of my faith. Never lost completely, but for certain there are ebbs and flows. 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font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Later in that week, I got a rare chance to run outside before some very severe weather hit Atlanta. I attempted to do 5 miles. This was day two of kind of trying to get back to running, since I set a goal about a month ago to run those same mountain 5 miles with rolling hills and mile long inclines, in 41 min. Not because I’m turning 41 in May or anything. I just thought “41/41” would be a cool slogan I could use to self-motivate. After my run however, I may be in trouble. Not saying how “fast” I ran them miles (if I can even use the word fast)…just saying, I have my work beautifully cut out for me! Stay tuned to the RUNNING page for more 41/41 updates.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdSanOfOHfw7ppKvAO94_cd3kyceELuYl-lgqGpBBilRqEi2EEdMrExBlsHGXhehIvp-m38aJF8REqg_WdHD-iyDdJeZHygX4bq3MtbRy6NWuL5BaSa1fJHb1vziet69etw4pqZAz_mg/s400/DSC00617.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684903967923078706" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></p><div style="text-align: center;">Ian running through the Pumpkin Patch field this fall, likely much </div><div style="text-align: center;">faster and nibble than I around the mountain! </div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">At a moment of <s>just plain stopping running</s> calculated rest, I removed my headphones, turned the music I was listening to off, and listened to the earth. The sound of the wind, the leaves, the smell in the air of a rain storm that was near, and even the whizzing of a biker passing me…it was all so PEACEFUL, that I cried to God in thanks for the blessing of that moment. Physically, I was a wreck and couldn’t run another step. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Spiritually, my heart was being led to a period on the mountain when I cried out loud for all the blessings that surrounded me. I heard myself. When is the last time you simply stood outside, with no one else around, and listened to the earth? Asking myself, I cannot tell you, I do not recall, has it been YEARS? Perhaps. God leads us to what we need, and often we will not see the truth of that statement until the moment has passed us. 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font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">Since you last saw us, we were in the throws of adjustment to several things: another child (1 is WAY different than 2! Don’t let anyone fool you!), a change in Ari’s entire routine (new school, new teachers, new schedule, new brother), the emotional and financial recovery from an intensive adoption “rescue” if you will, and just the restarting of our lives after Ian landed on August 24<sup>th</sup>. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today, we are still in all that stuff above, and I think we will be for some time. What has changed is that we are starting to be able to etch out a microcosm of consistency with our lives and the boys. There is SO much Craig and I would like to do creatively and with the kids, we hope to get to a place soon where it all clicks and we can all feel at home and at peace (we have peace, all the time no matter our circumstances as a gift from above, so the peace I mean is more like the yelling and stomping and wayward hand waving of one certain Russian General that has infiltrated our ranks!). </p><p class="MsoNormal">I’m no shrink, but I think we are wading through it all “okay”. I truly do not have a thing to complain about, especially if I think back to all of the moments of PEACE and HOPE that come from being a led heart. Putting those moments together to make a complete day is where I’m heading. I’m excited to go there.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ian is doing okay, which is a loaded word because it includes the times he's doing fantastic and the times he's still hurting from the atrocity of his upbringing before we knew him. YES, I said ATROCITY! and it is. I DID NOT know what a life spent in an orphanage could do to a child. Now I know, and Ian's "effects" I think are light compared to some of the truly sickening places these kids get pulled from. WE (i.e. us humans, are allowing some truly awful things to happen to children, and I pray for an end to it all one day soon. You know, you can MAKE a BABY go insane by leaving him lay all day for years....) Someone once told me they respected my blog because I kept it real, and I intend to continue that trend…sugar (and sugar coating) is bad for your health anyway! So, here are the truths about Ian and our adoption and our adjustment so far:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul><li>This is great. These kids have changed us. We are better because and for them. Without them, I do not want to know where I would be. We have a real man at the helm of our little family too, and he keeps it all together. He works when his is sick, and has not had a day off in over a year. I am surrounded by Saints and Angels (and a Vampire, a pink Butterfly Fairy, and an overworked Firefighter!). It IS a beautiful life.</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XyRUC_-vO8wt2pbIBTx4GspaIiZkE2OsB5ETnZJeP6EHyi5lYtm5Z0qb-fqMJjuAhptZTGGam9dLlfPgeUBW6XowU-AfTCAmdpZ12g0XKEMnkS2ZLWU3Kql4UyoVoG0_xnicR3FZgv8/s400/Halloween2011-14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684915130018447106" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 380px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian, friend Olivia, and Ari enjoying their loot!</div><ul><li>Ian can count to 5, say HI and BYE in English, knows who we are, learned how to cut (assisted), can kind of draw a circle, is starting to listen better, understands MOST English, has stylish new glasses, loves to eat cheese and anything sweet, comes to us for hugs and is learning to give kisses sans the head-butting upon approach! he's a great mom and dad's helper, and he is tolerating Ari's massive bear hugs and 3-4 times and hour sloppy kisses:) He shows concern for all of us, and he's learning about the world, and this list goes on....</li></ul><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOR0brJ_BYGE-iNti4xamVW3KNQEXYiIcvDDNDKIgXVPf1jKMSB2zaCWD47BS5LrHHaYDenpHszQGeCaJWf0AQAU8hIKVczmvWCFlQHm1CRs1Ej3NGb-L6Rpcrnoyr9pxxW6A41DLIsA0/s400/Ian+%2526+ms+sara+halloween.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684914738466201410" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian and his preschool teacher Ms. Sara </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDgpbnIQkXnBQl3dJM0ihrJipxsy6rdJfPRqCs-X1CZliqkGRHlV2P4DQIMZnrLn5WP5RU5f7dPcq5zW5jsri-j0Lmrb8Pu9AkGRT0sq_X837vdtUfnVJM2P33DNlV_Gry4RQkMsCHYs/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684920866628324818" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 282px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian's progress on drawing (and face recognition) Dec. 2011 - Done Independently</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPCDCm55BG8xuVoZOWiAPqRhadtJ24IBw9GviHEA0DjYSa4yY4XQj__5QaZWZim2X1yiNLA6tYd6rcr5RDa3DGTCITQJOn9rl4GdtrRtQuJU8SiCmY1xSEwrQMDoKW6hQiD2nL_Ak7FM/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz001.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684920867889047378" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian's practice writing the letter "I" with hand over hand assistance</div><div style="text-align: center;">(the fact that he was cooperative was a big deal, he resists writing most times)</div><ul><li>This is hard. Mainly because we are tired. We are doing this just the two of us, there is no family here and to be frank, when you have kids with special needs, you cannot just get anyone to come in and break you. If you do, you could risk the unlearning of so much that you spent time working on. God has blessed us. We have two wonderful high school girls that come each week to help us. The boys are still in 100 percent supervision at all times mode and Ian is always such. It is costly but we are realists and hey, mom and dad have to have a few hours to do housework and brush our own teeth.</li></ul><ul><li>Ian refuses to get on the bus to school by throwing massive tantrums, he still hits others, he is very defiant and generally naughty (naughty in the 5 year old boy sense but turned up a few notches), he has less than zero impulse control, breaks most anything he gets his hands on, can have a very ugly attitude, spits or makes some lewd or rude hand gesture when he feels he's being controlled, and this list kinda keeps going on too....</li></ul><ul><li>Ari loves Ian. He says, all the time, "I love my brother very much." They are becoming peas in a pod. When Ian learns to talk, I am sure the relationship will get better and better. </li></ul><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRj1v4JmRniJPb26XZrGKGJ_X9YiraxWEJsecVfZdSD7HjbK3eSw8F-pfo_LGLocpLsV76C_D-Oj6FhHJN5tL5-rJ7TVZ6YQd47op3yQ0SHqT9r6XQpYdPPNTzoIwn4CFP3aYf7pyymy0/s400/DSC00604.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675809611280345826" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></div><ul><li>Ian loves Ari. Whenever Ari cries, Ian is upset too. He will come to comfort him too, with a hug, a blown kiss, and a pat on the back. Pouring water over his head during bath time is also another favorite expression of play from Ian to Ari. Ari loves it BTW. Oh, and a "hot shower" is Ian's new favorite thing that he never experienced before, he absolutely squeals, screams, dances and laughs in delight in the shower. </li></ul><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_gx15J6DB1HnAVWRRA5j-xZePfbUaJXbU-zH7_vnhhLR4V9oYReVFiNB890XTaPmfgkLZamG_ydJPD6ln2EQYGxMHgrWzlHDh6onGdiM3sb5IIFOdyLwrgj8ynZuDLBEUtBvHw1O5Sw/s400/Halloween2011-12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684913285515526514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 288px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Where one goes, as does the other! (The kids picked their own costumes!)</div><ul><li>We see so much progress from Ian, he is a VERY (understatement) SMART boy. His problem solving processes are incredible. Part of the reason he breaks stuff is that wants to KNOW how it was put together, lay out the pieces, examine them and <strike>put them back together </strike>then move on to the next good looking multi piece item to farm for parts. While he is not yet playing with toys in the way they are intended, he is a creative beast. His current love is stacking things.</li></ul><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2Uicm9ncpPoO9jnDwRurkxtCJa0NLnLMk8y9Cld0NiahgyODyNHbII9JZLu7Haf_RsLwJVOS65Fer9ViEz4L3CGFU9JKkajpb2CYNWwzAxdG8x_ZMSufSXXM2D3mjcF0xDYMFnfPm_4/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684922407462435922" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian on his first ever trip to the bowling alley! To say he LOVED it would be a serious understatement, although the turn taking was not a hit with him:)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmb0bYTKx1MY8DhELfal81MgywaiwVi3TPacJmCULkLTu223BknqGkspE1zKcBTW3zMXqnQk7c7Q5oOIWFm79xIbHzPPT8tmXT1hEbYBYCKIPwFnPSTFidKil0fsegMzqfJ7JLvuuqYzE/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz005.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684928482916082738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian and Ari at a Korean BBQ. Ian is a picky eater but when he decides he likes something, he'll shovel it in with a vengeance! Ari on the other hand ate his way through the table, he's a connoisseur of everything foodish!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><ul><li>This is humbling. No explanation needed.</li></ul><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg190eEDFwRgpSrDSa-s32_7ov5afxeSpEoSvazngQwuG-Z4jZifaFFXylbjfCkVnVgnFzIRkIV1bIDgE2VqxRWEsYSQu_CEwgeFWujF01d0oNUuuUHoGe6OV2bTRcq3n5FreGkStWX6Kw/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz006.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684928489761337394" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px; " /></div><ul><li>This is a gift to us of epic proportions. </li></ul><ul><li>God sustains us though it all. </li></ul><ul><li>We are practicing, everyday, being led.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MieNF-agWSybMeaMSfvrPsGSOSoUF3GP8xOLM5JF3EmJqp7oA9bM3F5tGJ6bLe5Ep2HJ4Dus-mV1IEFttz1AZD6qCpmFeq84z1wdQlmTir3oAwHKjdP_GepmVzz1Uk5T4O4xOLLE3ok/s400/DSC00652.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684913321675438594" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A family friend came to see the boys:) Ari, Gabby, and Ian</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmR8DZVXDzR3Ub4P82Etj35xR6IyriNQVHguHZ4vp0UGDakub3OJiH9Vj9EkRXZKDZpnXNTnUeMQ8Puj9OrZY574YCYQEknbckjvhoMTM7UdDzhlEkGiQg0Udef3B2-7Nl6cLvLXUpha0/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz004.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684924883391554226" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We've been to a record number of birthday parties this fall! More than 7 already!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiY92-f06F1iBfwSRo6PVGTSpj2Cedo8KL05MnQ4WEmFIHVGUdUymK5uPKhS3cyEe31kx1kpE5yGsJnVcNgSHRfRI0vKKrFWOXjKBUwyKygglp2Cn3pRiJbT46NPbjBSDiaxJZLvcc-lE/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz007.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684928495658421282" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is a special picture for us, Ian is still adjusting to human touch, and close, loving touch (that of a mother) is really something I think feels so strange to him. I think he likes it but he is still figuring all of that out. This was the first time (other than when he has been sick), that he crawled up into my arms on his own seeking that mama love:)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wanna say a bit more about Ian and affection, because I think there is somewhat of an illusion that even though these kids are "raised" in orphanages, that the caregivers love on them. There are many realities that you just do not see until you are there standing in the midst of 10,11,12 special needs babies all clamoring for attention. The caregivers work 24 hours shifts. There is 1 caregiver and 1 aide per shift. ONE. Ponder that. Further, the little girls are better off for a number of reasons, one being by default in the baby houses and kind of preschool orphanages, because they have long hair. Prior to head shaving in the institutions, the girls have long hair and their hair has to be touched to be done. This is an opportunity for them to experience closer human touch than the regular herding that takes place. Ian can totally dress, undress, and potty himself. He's 5. This did not happen by chance, he can do buttons, zippers, and to the finest details. Ari would run the streets "poodle nuckie" (our word for birthday suit attire) if left to his own dressing devices. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ian was rarely touched, that is OBVIOUS. Loving touch was likely non-existant because loving touch has to do also with connections with people. With different caregivers coming and going, this possibility was slim as well. For Ian, he had another thing not going for him. In our final adoption papers we became privy to some further information about the culture under which he lived. We already knew that being a person of color in Russia was not all the rage. We felt it when we were there. In the papers, we found his detailed medical history. There, about 3/4 of the page down, appeared his list of "deseases."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Deseases: Trisomy 21 Downs Syndrome, Strabismus, Negroid Skin......</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Did you catch that? NEGROID SKIN is considered a "desease". Awesome. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So again, back to the human touch thing. Add it all up for yourself. This is ALL news to him. He just was not the number one choice to be a cuddlebug in his life and it HAS impacted him. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What does that little bit of information lead you to? HOPE for Ian because he might now be able to be reprogrammed to accept loving touch? It's a great possibility, we are living on hope. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Perhaps, considering this, you will be LED, or allow your heart to be LED to stop this from happening to other children. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY to be the LED hands and feet of God right now. This is Katie. She was just adopted from a place where the children are barely kept alive. The barley part is unbearable. How old is Katie? She's NINE YEARS OLD. She's the size of a NINE MONTH OLD. Food is important to survival, it is necessary. Human touch is too. Without human touch, GROWTH IS STUNTED. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYFY482oscfjc-FlZmDMBgNEYvzdjcT5DeJMBJL_fC3HefL_aoNe1fYT-NWnptKL5VelOG-Y0bOmB0TQMu2XhpSpkZWmZxut8vHUton6NB0ghv028KugdBgR4oqVdqXpg0qCYlAaRkVU/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz008.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684937512845903058" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 363px; height: 400px; " /></div><div><br /></div><div>Once her MAMA got a hold of Katie (oh my such a brave a faifthful family!), just a month later, look at her! She IS coming alive! Even the doctors said she was too far gone to ever grow again. LOOK at what the LED HEART can do! </div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWm0MY8f7xp705cZJVceMGykOPbnGRBfm1o8hpNoJpiX6PgRS-9OxZhT4S-W8n2LktdXEuVmdNcV00URJH1TtcJIatV-RRYNSnqyxQHhW9CILOtO9hyoHq1G1Z7MFyY2IhyphenhyphenSxvFrTlfI/s400/Snapz+Pro+XScreenSnapz009.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684937517648275826" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 400px; " /></div><div><br /></div><div>You can keep up with Katie <a href="http://theblessingofverity.com/">HERE</a>, and please consider donating to this year's Reece's Rainbow Christmas Angel tree via <a href="http://www.covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/">JULIA's BLOG</a>. So many babes passed over, so many....let's TOUCH THEM with LOVE and HOPE, while we give thanks for all the ways we are all so very blessed. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OxND1z6syT0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Next week: The road to our first ever Christmas at home.<br /><p><img class="right" alt="post signature" src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r208/jennisajoy/OUAB/BLOG/gretchensignaturecopy.jpg" border="0" /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7