Why Days Like This ARE Still WORTH IT!

Today has been rough.  Cody's adoption is taking much longer than we thought.  The enemy really hates adoption and is attacking so many that I know of right now.  I just saw this song for the first time though.  It is just wonderful!  It reminds me of how some asked if we "really" planned to continue with adopting Paula when we knew she wasn't responding.  Even if she never responds then it would be worth it, but just imagine the joy if she does surpass all those odds.  The same is true with each one that I am waiting to bring home right now:  Cody, Paula, Anjelina, Nicholas, and Ahnja!  No matter how hard it is, no matter how much heartache, no matter the trials or the cost - IT IS WORTH IT JUST TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THEM WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE LOVED! 

Enjoy the song and say a prayer for all our little ones and their processes.

Satan is on the Prowl and That Must Mean . . . . .

That GREAT things are in the works!  I am determined to see the good in the trials.  Today it was the van.  I got all 12 kids ready for church and Brent realized that a couple tires were low on the "big van".  He took it down the road to get a little air and the next thing I know he says he can't get them to hold air.  :(  Zeeky was TICKED!  One thing that is not fun is Zeeky (6 years old and has autism, FAS, and fetal drug exposure) when he is dressed and not "going"!  lol  All the kids were ready with coats on and ready to go. 

Brent did get it to Sam's and they fixed the tires.  We were so glad that God worked it out where we wouldn't need new tires!  New tires for our big van were going to run $800!  The people working there were very nice and told him that really the tires were still great.  They need new valves where the air goes in and to be resealed to the rims.  One did have a nail in it, but who knows how long that has been there.  I haven't drove the big van anywhere since last Sunday night.  That wasn't even the tire that was the most concerning since it was just a little low and another was barely holding air at all!  God is AMAZING like that! 

Tonight we made it to church!  We had an awesome service and feel so ready for the week.  I'm sure that the devil will keep on throwing stones at us.  Thankfully, God provides!  The new refrigerator is even bigger than the first one.  :)   I just try to remember that if we weren't on the right track then the devil would have no reason to even bother with us!  He hates it when adoptions are in the works.  He has always made life difficult right before each adoption.  Right now we have Cody's adoption and the 4 from Eastern Europe all at the same time.  He is ticked off!  :)  The international adoption must tick him off even worse.  These kids would have all stayed in institutions their entire lives and their light and purpose that God gave them would have never got to shine.  God has put us here to bring them home though!  We won't be stopped by vans, refrigerators, or the devil.

It really reminds me of one of the songs I have on my Iphone sung by the Veggie Tales.  I love it more than the kids I think.   :)  "GOD IS BIGGER THAN THE BOOGEY MAN"!!

We Must Be Getting Somewhere Because . . . .

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

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

Brent or I will have to go early tomorrow to purchase another refrigerator.  Then I will have to beg for them to bring it.  I can't even get enough milk for a whole 24 hours into that one crammed refrigerator.  I kept some fruits that were ok to do so with in the half working fridge and added freezer packs just in case.  Now I'll have to stand guard to keep the kids from opening it in order to preserve the cold that it is producing.  The water and ice in the door isn't working either. 

Oh well, I guess if we weren't on the right path then the devil would leave us alone.  All the Reece's Rainbow families can tell you about all the ways that the devil comes at you when he fears you will love God's children and bring them out of his hold.

Its Officially Monday

I always look forward to Mondays with such hope.  Monday is the first day of the week that something COULD HAPPEN!  Weekends are long and I have survived another weekend of waiting.

Please pray that this is the week that we will get our USCIS paperwork sent out.  We are waiting to find out if our medicals are acceptable.  We see a Nurse Practitioner and she has always filled out our paperwork.  We are not sure at this point if the USCIS will accept the paperwork without a "doctor" filling it out.  I am praying that we get good news tomorrow and can get this paperwork on its way.  Please pray that it gets done and that we can get a notarized copy of our homestudy in the mail with the application this week.  Then we will have to pray that we can get it done approved at record speed and headed to Eastern Europe!

Also pray that we get news about our domestic foster/adoption.  Our little boy is 4 and his paperwork is stuck "somewhere" in the "system".  We've been working on his adoption for 9 months already and it is ridiculous that it is taking this long.  He should have been home months ago. 

Please continue to pray for our kids who aren't home yet.  Pray that God keeps them safe and puts a hope deep inside of them. 

I pray that I can report some good news to you soon!

Our Cute Little Dictator!

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

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

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

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

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

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





Praying for my Babies

I'm sure they are either awake there or will be soon.  I always think of them right about now.  (Which I guess gives away the fact that I am never asleep at a good time!)  I pray that they will have a good day today.  I pray that someone hugs them and makes them feel special.  I pray that God puts a spark in them that just hangs on knowing that someone is coming for them.  I know He can do it and I just have to believe that He is. 

Heading to bed while thinking and praying for Paula, Anjelina, Nicholas, and Ahnja.

Hurry Up . . . . . Wait!

I haven't posted in a while.  Really we are at the point where we are WAITING.  That is what most of adoption is . . . . we HURRY UP and then we WAIT.  We have waited and our homestudy is finally done with our agency (they did it pretty fast considering, but it seems like forever when you are WAITING).   They have faxed it to the people who need to review it.  Once it has been reviewed and any corrections made then we will get a notarized copy to send to USCIS.  We will HURRY to do each moment of that.  Then we will WAIT.  While we wait we will put together our dossier.  We will also BEG.  Yes, that is another big part of adoption.  I spend a lot of time begging.  I beg for people to HURRY, but instead I just WAIT.  I should be good at waiting by now.  I really should, but I'm not.  I wonder, ponder, worry, and beg.  I am looking forward to that WAIT though, because that is one WAIT closer to the next HURRY UP.  lol

So if you see me somewhere in the real world and I look crazy, don't worry.  Just WAIT for the time when my life will calm down and I will just have more kids.  :)  I can always take the "more kids", it is just the WAITing that kills me. 

Please pray that each WAIT will be short and we can do more HURRY UP.  I really need to get my babies home.  I wonder what each of them are doing.  I know they are awake there.  I pray that someone will hug them today.  I so wish I could do it myself.  Right now I just have to trust that God is holding them for me and pray that Paula holds on. 

Our Family From The Beginning (In Pictures)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is our most recent picture from December 2009.

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

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