"Forget Me Not" Friday!

This is my first Friday to join in to advocate for some wonderful waiting children who are dangerously close to aging out . When each of these children turn 14 they will loose their chance of ever knowing the love of a family.
As the mother of a soon to be 17 year old ,I could not even imagine him out and on his own in this world.
The girls posted below all age out this summer ! This means they have just weeks to find families. Please feel free to copy any or all of the photos and help spread the word .Just maybe someone will see their daughter and bring one of these sweet girls home.

Girl, outgoing 8/7/1997

repaired cl lip,cleft palate

Precious girl 8/1/1997

seizure free epilepsy

Girl DOB Summer 1997, deaf and mute

for more info contact Annie 5puppies@comcast.net

Girl DOB: Summer 1997, deaf and mute

for more info Annie 5puppies@comcast.net

Easter!

Here are some random Easter pics!

Ava was the winner of the golden egg!
Pei did not care about the golden egg ...she just wanted chocolate :)

All wired up on chocolate!

Wishing all a blessed Easter!

Does the Easter bunny bite?

It is really funny how a three year old mind works but that is the infamous question for the week.

So Sunday Ava thought it was a great idea to head to the mall and have a photo taken with the cuddly lovable Easter Bunny. So she convinces Pei that this is a great plan and she is in like Flinn . Pei s just easy like that :) So we begin the process of getting them dressed .And can I just say it is a process .

~Fancy dress

~Hair combed and styled

~Just the right pair of shoes

~While you are combing the 2nd diva's hair ,diva 1 has messed hers up!

~multiple wardrobe malfunctions

~And yes lipgloss!

Now multiply that x's 2!

Mind you I am having a flashback to the photo shoot with Santa Clause. The look on her face says it all.

I swore I would never do that again! So, I get into the car cautiously optimistic :) Why shouldn't I we have just been at Chuck E. Cheese this past week and all parties LOVED the big mouse!

So, I shot a couple of shots before we got in the car ...just in case Someone changes their mind.

Well, I will spare you all the details but after circling EB about 5o times , lots of talking ,lots of crying, looking at his big teeth , this was the end result.

Pei was such a good sport! I think she will be my daredevil!
But you know his teeth are really big!!!!!

The boy from baby house #10

This past week I walked in the door from church and began watching the most amazing story about a little boy from Russia named Vayna. There I sat with my purse still on my arm completely enthralled by the story of the boy from baby house #10. I know people who watched it that could not believe that this really happens in this day and time. But for those of us who have walked the road of adoption and seen where our children have been, we know that this is reality. I have seen both sides of adoption . I have two beautiful daughters ,one lucky to be loved and cared for by a wonderful foster family in China . The other not so lucky ,Ava lived her days "housed" with no one. There is so much that these sweet sisters have in common but yet they are vastly different in so many ways. This past week I sent a letter to Pei's foster family thanking them for all the love and care that they showered Pei with. As far as I am concerned Pei has three mommas .Her birth mom who gave her life , loved her for three days and then carefully placed her where she would be found. Second , her China mom who took Pei in her heart and loved her knowing that she would one day have to give her up . And then there is me,her forever mom. I see Pei's life as an unbroken thread. There were no gaps of loneliness or isolation on her path. In my mind, she was passed and carefully handed to the next . From one mother's arms to the next and loved on her journey to us. But Ava's story brings so much sadness to me.From the beginning her life was filled with a series of gaps. She has been home three years this September and those at the orphanage would not even recognize this baby girl now. When we meet her it was like she was waiting on her life to begin. So at 14 months her life began when we walked out the gates of that orphanage as a family. As I watched Vayna's story I was taken back to that place that you do not want to visit. This was a trip back to Ava's beginning and for this mom it is a raw place on my heart. I have to ask myself could this have been her story. Yes ,it could have been any of our kids story. And right now there are children who lives read like a scene from Vayna's life. This week I have found myself so thankful of all the doors that closed ,road blocks and all of the delays in the process . Broken roads might not make much sense at the time but they happen for a reason. I am reminded of this with each sweet giggle , each tiny, little hand reaching for mine and hearing a little voice say I love you. If you have not seen this dateline story of the boy from baby house #10 here is the link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600#/42535819 Go to videos and click on the boy from baby house 10. What a wonderful ending this story has!

What's been going on???????

Well ... A little Tex time ! He looks really comfy swaddled in Ava's favorite blanket :)

A little peep time! (Can you tell we all shop together too!)

More time with the peeps!!!!!

A little swimming!

A little climbing!

a little driving!

pony time!

And lots of sister time and lovin it !!!!!!!