Little Girls Outting

Well yesterday was Monday, which was Brent's day off.  Aleshia had an appointment to follow up with our primary medical provider.  I took Julianne, Anita, Ahnja, and Destiny along and got their flu shots.  I was ready for A LOT of whining, but it just didn't happen.  I had Destiny go first, because I knew she wouldn't whine.  Everyone else just followed her lead I guess.  The girls looked so cute!  I put them all in matching outfits and they were so THRILLED about all having the "same" outfits.  I figure I better enjoy it now, because any day some of them will start to not like it and then it will be over! 

The girls were so funny in the doctor's office.  Ahnja and Destiny are a hoot together always.  Anita and Julianne are like two peas in a pod as well.  Aleshia still isn't to the point that she can interact and join in the same way they can, but I love how they try to include her and show her things.

After the appointment I drove through McDonalds (we hardly ever do that!) and got them pies and ice creams.  We took extra to share with grandparents and headed to their house.  Mommom and Daddy Bill (what we've always called my grandparents since I was little) couldn't believe how neatly the girls ate and how sweet and loving they are.  They were so well behaved that even Daddy Bill was talking about it!  His vision is very bad now, so he thought Ahnja was me at one point.  I told him that I'll take that as a compliment, because she is WAY cuter than I ever was. 

After we left there, we went to Walmart to pick up a few things.  We went to the Christmas aisle first.  I love hearing my little Bulgarian Americans exclaim over the exciting things that we've put up here and they saw there for Christmas.  We picked out some new singing Christmas characters.  Ahnja and Destiny were quietly singing Jingle Bells through the store.  Ahnja's English is coming along so well!  They both got quieter (and Destiny quit on me), when I got out the camera to record it, but at least I got a little.  I heard people talking about the "cute little girls" and "look how well behaved all those kids are".  I love that they saw those things instead of noticing that 4 of the 5 kids with me had Down Syndrome.  No one even mentioned or seemed to notice their "extra".  I love that little extra chromosome, but I want people to see them for all their wonderfulness and then notice that "extra" blessing.  :)  There was an older couple in front of me at checkouts.  They turned and said that they'd never seen such well behaved children.  I wondered later what they would have thought if they'd known that 2 of those girls had spent time in institutions????  I wondered how many of the people smiling at Ahnja and Destiny singing got a blessing from hearing their joy of getting ready for Christmas?  I wonder if any of them ever think about the children still stuck behind the walls of institutions and orphanages and the joy that they and the world are missing out on? 

I know one thing, I AM VERY BLESSED!

 

If you want to visit our current Christmas Sale on Facebook, then go check it out. 

Lots of neat ways to start off your Christmas. 

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/events/187448391380177/

Just click that link and it will take you there!

The money from that will help with the cost of the adoption of the next 3 Unroes!

Christmas Yet? Want One?

So are you ready for Christmas yet at your house??  We start early here.  A lot of people really think we are crazy for putting up our Christmas trees already.  Then the outside decorations likely put them over the edge.  lol  I've never cared what people think much though!

We usually wait until October 19th to begin decorating.  This year we were all itching to get started early.  This is our 5 Bulgarian Blessings very first Christmas home.  Keith, I'm sure has never experienced any type of Christmas before coming home.  He has now though!

The others may have had some celebrations, but not like THIS.  :)  So two large trees and 2 small trees are decorated inside.  Our biggest tree is up, but waiting till Sunday to do our Thankful Chain (we make a paper chain with each link having something we are thankful for instead of using tinsil on that tree) and get it decorated.  That tree takes a little more time, because everything on it is either their ornament with their names on it or something that we have made.  The Angel Tree (Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree ornaments are the main thing on it) and our Nativity Tree (all ornaments relating to the true meaning of Christmas and our Savior) are both fully up.  Our outside lights and inflatable decorations are up.  All the little things that sing and make Christmas so fun are all over the house.  The life size singing Santa is up in the living room. 

So exciting having all 18 of these home to celebrate.  So hard though knowing that three of the children who have stolen my heart are not here.  We had a Christmas Auction already that started the holiday spirit flowing over on Facebook.  Now we have some Christmas necklaces that will make perfect gifts that you can purchase to help with their adoptions.  :) 

 The necklaces come on this card that explains the meaning of the necklace.

I thought these were just perfect

because they talk about the price that God the Father paid

with the life of His Son. 

They also say "If God loved us, we also ought to love one another".

That is so much of the reason behind adoption!

God did it for us

and

we are BLESSED to be able to do it for children in the earthly sense!

 

These would make a perfect gift for teachers, Sunday School teachers, children, moms, grandmothers, aunts, friends, or even to put in a stocking! 

 

For a $15, you'll have one sent to you. 

If you are like me, then you always need more than one of anything.

A $25 donation will get two of them.

 

For $20, I will send one of these to whoever you'd like to surprise

 (with or without telling them who it is from),

along with a letter than tells that this was sent to them because a donation was made

to help children be adopted.

I will put a picture of our family and the three children into the document/letter format,

so that they can see who it was to help. 

For $35, I will send the above package to 2 separate people. 

 

I have about 26 of these available to send out. 

I will leave this available as long as I have enough to do it and then I'll put discontinued into the title.

 

I can send these now if you wish or mail them out the week of Thanksgiving. 

abcunroe@yahoo.com is my email address so that you can send me special instructions as to who they are going to and if you want them held until Thanksgiving.

If you pay and I do not hear otherwise,

then I will send the item to the address on the Chip In as soon as possible.

 

Several people have asked about the next auction.  The Christmas Auction went very well and lots of people got some really great deals.  Sure makes Christmas shopping easy when there is so much in one place.  We are aiming to have another one the first week of November.  If you have something you would like to donate, then contact me at the email address above.  I will post here when the auction starts.  Keep checking back.  I know some people on here and Facebook missed the last one, but I will try my best to make sure everyone knows.  :) 

Commitment Paperwork? Who?

Our commitment paperwork arrived in country today.  It is in the hands of our wonderful attorney.  We are praying that all goes well and that it is submitted soon.  Holding our breath till the commitment papers are accepted! 

*In case you don't know the process and terms, the "commitment papers" are not to commit us to some crazy farm for having 18 kids and being ready to adopt again.  ;)    They are the papers where we are requesting the government of their country allows us to commit to adopt them.  This is a packet explaining a lot about our family, the adjustment of the other children into our family, and our preparedness to adopt again.  It also explains how the 3 children that we are wanting to commit to will fit into our family.  It gives details about our family and tells where in the process we are and how soon our homestudy will be ready to go off to USCIS. 

So who are we asking to be allowed to commit to?

Presley is 3

 

Carson is 6

 

Thad is 9

 

Those are only their online Reece's Rainbow names.  We will be choosing new names, so we are actually working on that now.  Please pray that the commitment papers are accepted, that 



Some pictures of Nicholas and a small update

Nicholas is doing great.  He is a child that I thought would take quite a while to adjust and be able to go to church and out to eat.  He handles everything very well already though.  He can sit through a preaching service.  He waits patiently when we go out to eat.  He is using the potty when sent.

Most of all, he loves being loved!  He loves hugs, kisses, sitting on your lap, and being picked up.  He is 10 years old, but about the size of Cody who is 5 years old.  He very much understands what we are saying already and smiles when I say 'I love you'.  Such a cutie!

Here are some pictures.

We are so blessed!  I'll try to do better at updating, but things are busy with the new adoption paperwork.  On top of that, I'm trying to find a new pediatric cardiologist that I will like.  Aleshia is fine now, but the one Aleshia went to will be one we never go to again and the one Julianne has seen for quite some time is using the same new medicine for sedation.  That means that none of my children will be seeing him for ECHOs that they want sedations for either.  Julianne was due to have one in December, so I need a new cardiologist quickly.  

I'll give more updates on the kids we are going back for soon.  Our commitment paperwork should arrive my snail mail in their country tomorrow!