A "Blue" Christmas!

This is how my darling daughter looked when she got back from a few days with JuJu!!!!

Yep, that is a blue velour jump suit!!  Took me right back to a bad Olivia Newton John movie - a scary 70's flashback!  Hehe!

Payback for all those clothing battles, Mom????  Payback for forgetting to send clothes???  Hey, it is Christmas and we have 5 kids and I have no short term memory anymore or long term memory or come to think of it, not much left up there anymore at all!!!  How long can I claim "Mommie Brain" and does "Mommie Brain" just turn right into "Grandmother Brain?"  I figure we have earned it!  Hehe!

I WILL remember to send clothes next time and I WILL continue to hide carefully put away Em's bad 70's flashback for the next time she visits JuJu!!! 

THANKS MOM - Heh!!!

Christmas Card 2010

OK, so this year we are not sending out Christmas Cards - just didn't make the budget this year!  Sigh!

However, we just had to take the insane traditional Christmas card pic, you know, cause I don't have enough insanity in my life!  Heh!

So, here is the official 2010 Christmas Card pic - unless I can talk the kids into doing it again!!!  Hehe!!

and some of the out takes:

 As I wrote on another friend's blog, I think I love the out takes more than the perfect picture because our life is more like an out take than a perfect picture.

I like it that way!! 

Here are also a pic of a beautiful Christmas ornament for some of my adoptive friends.

My beautiful sis in law gave me these wonderful ornaments at Christmas last year and I love them.  Pier One, y'all!!!

and because I am really tired, here are just some of our pics from Christmas so far, excuse the lack of snappy repartee':

Christmas PJ Party madness

Waiting on Santa

Santa at last!

wonder what Santa is telling Em??

Must have been good!!

Even big guys get to sit on Santa's knee

and little teeny ones too!

Must have told Lizzie, she wasn't getting that puppy!

Couldn't talk the 2 biggest boys into it!!!  3 out of 5 ain't bad!!

Merry Christmas Y'all!!!

My Big Girl...

Well, it happened the other day!  My little girl who still thinks Barney is an OK dude and that a quarter can buy the world, reached yet another milestone on her journey to big girl status, shedding one more little girl layer on the way! 

For a while now, Em has been able to ride her "big girl" bike without training wheels, yet every time we try (and we tried quite a bit), she would take off - and scream!!!!  She would be cruising on down the road training wheel-less while screaming for someone, anyone to save her from apparently a fate worse than death - falling!  The idea of just putting her feet down to stop herself must have alluded her!  Heh!

Now in her defense she does have 3 big brothers or should I say one Charlie and she has seen her fair share of falls and what can happen when you fall...

and don't wear your helmet!!  Do you know I STILL have to get on this child for NOT wearing his helmet!!!  UGH!!  I guess that fall did nothing to cure the hardness of his head - just left a big crack in the sidewalk! 

So anyway, I suppose you could say that the girl has been traumatized a bit by her Charlie big bro's and their antics.  Still, all that practicing was, if nothing else, hard on this poor old Momma's back!   Em wanted so badly to loose those little girl training wheels but was terrified or traumatized or Charlietized!!!  Any way ya look at it, she could do it, but her fear stopped her every time!

Well, I am happy to report that after riding a friend's bike in the grass (why didn't I think of that sooner), she suddenly saw that she could  do it and that she could actually put - her - foot - down to stop herself from falling!!!  Hey, what a concept, huh?? 

So, without further ado, may I present the just a bit more grown up Emmeline, otherwise known as Charlie's twin!  Oh my, why did I want her to ride without training wheels again???  Hehe!!!

If you listen closely, you can hear baby sister in the background cheering her bigger sister on, while doing some fancy moves of her own!

Gotta have a chat with that girl about talking on the phone while driving!!  Yeah, like I am one to talk - so to speak!!  Hehe!

Oh yeah and while Miss Em was gleefully riding her bike - with - her - helmet, her other half decided that he was going to bike down to a friend's house a play football...

Anything missing there, young Charles????  Sheessh!  His brilliant Mom (ahem) did however figure out how he could carry the football....

 and KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL!!!!  I don't want anymore cracks in my sidewalk!!!  Hehe!

Wordless Wednesday

Thank you

Sunday Snapshot - A Wheelchair for Blossom!!!!!

This Sunday Snapshot is a very special Sunday Snapshot for me. 

You see, there is a precious little girl in China.  This precious little girl's name is Blossom and she has severe CP.  Blossom cannot physically do anything but...

There is SO much life in her eyes! 

I took a step out in faith last night as I posted about this beautiful child in China, as I had never done anything like this before.  I truly felt God's hand on mine as I wrote this post and asked for help - help for this beautiful child with so much life in her eyes.

I never expected the immediate and overwhelming response I got, although I probably should have because the Lord is so great and because you all are so awesome, but I was still - blown away!

There were so many of you who without hesitation, offered help and donation so that sweet Blossom could be more mobile, could be a true part of the world around her, the world that she so loves experiencing! 

One of my wonderful readers suggested getting in touch with Love Without Boundaries and so - I - did and again without hesitation, Suzanne, their wonderful Orphanage Assistance Director, jumped right in and joyfully agreed to help!

In her own words, "let's get that girl a chair!"  LOVE it!!!!

So...  If you would like to donate to "A Wheelchair for Blossom," please go, here .  LWB's has set up a fund to help purchase a wheelchair for this precious child and all you have to do is again, go here , enter your info and the amount you would like to donate and make sure you put "Blossom's wheelchair" in the note section.  They also accept paypal.  You just need to make certain that you designate it for "Blossom's wheelchair." 

I just have to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who commented and emailed and offered so much!  I am praising God for all of this and cannot wait to share pictures of beautiful Blossom in her first and very own - wheelchair!!!  Imagine the smile on her face when she is able to sit - up - all - by - herself!

I think I might make a separate page just for Blossom and the effort to get her a wheelchair.  Does anyone know how to make a button or would anyone offer to make a button for Blossom and her little bit of independence??

I know that this time of year, everyone is stretched so thin but please if you feel so led, please help this precious child experience the world around her more like a 5 year old should.

To join in on more fab Sunday Snapshots go here,

Blossom

OK, I know that I just published my "Waiting Kids" post on Wednesday but I have gotten some new info on precious, sweet Blossom and I just felt moved to give her a post all to herself. 

You see, Lizzie attends the IEP class at the boys' school where she gets her speech therapy and OT and it is WONDERFUL!  I know how blessed we are with her teachers because I have heard horror stories about some IEP's! 

Anyway, there is the cutest, sweetest child in Lizzie's class who has severe CP.  She cannot speak but can communicate.  She cannot speak but can light up the room with her smile!  She cannot sit up but can learn about the world around her from her wheelchair - her wheelchair.

This child is a bright ray of sunshine every time I see her, every time I say hello and she flashes me that adorable smile, my heart melts!  Every time I see her, she just radiates warmth and love and life. 

Why am I telling you about this precious child in Lizzie's class?

I am telling you about her because I received an email about Blossom yesterday.

This email...

"As far as Blossom goes, her CP is severe. She is not mobile, needs assistance with all self-help (feeding, diapering, tooth brushing, etc.)."

"She was nonverbal when we were there in July 2009. However, she does communicate through smiles, eye gaze, and expressions. She is a beautiful, sweet, sensitive little girl who just melts a person's heart when they come in contact with her. I have a cousin who is the same age as Blossom and has severe CP so I can compare the two somewhat. Blossom is VERY easy going and not bothered by noise, activity, etc. She is able to consume her calories through her mouth with assistance (unlike many kiddos with severe CP). She is very aware of her surroundings and just so very sweet."
 

 
"She is obviously not mobile and cannot sit up independently. She love love loves music, stories, and attention. Harmony does an amazing job working with her. We were there for a 10 hour shift and she was worked with (PT) at least 3 times while we were there for at least 15-20 minutes each time. She is adored. She actually slept in a crib next to our little Bella and Bella loved to talk to her and entertain her."
 
Sound familiar??? 
 
When I read that email, I knew I had to step up my advocacy for this sweet child - who now had become very real to me.  Blossom is the precious child in Lizzie's classroom and I have to do something more for her.  So...
 
I am still appealing to any family out there who might be willing to take that big leap of faith, that leap of faith that would change this precious child's life forever!  I am appealing to any family out there who may be thinking about adopting again, may be praying about a child out there somewhere who they know is waiting for them - for the love of their family. 
 
To put it bluntly, I am appealing for a family for sweet, precious Blossom, because I see her future in the eyes of the beautiful child in Lizzie's class and I know her future if she stays in China.
 

Now, as much as I pray that the Lord leads Blossom's family to her, I am also appealing for something a bit more practical for Blossom.  Practical but essential, not essential for life but essential for quality of life. 
 
I am appealing for this after receiving another email yesterday about beautiful Blossom. 
 
This email...
 
Hi Annie

She is very sweet. I do believe she understands what is said to her. I asked my husband and my daughter and they both felt the same. My daughter was reminding me how much Blossom could express herself nonverbally- again with her eyes, her grin, her expressions.

I really have a hard time knowing if additional care here would get her sitting up independently. I know for sure that if she had a special wheelchair and could be upright, the learning that could occur in the world would improve immensely. Immensely. Receptively she understands. And I believe she is capable of learning. Social is definitely her strength.

Have you figured it out???  Yep, I would love to be able to get a wheelchair donated to this beautiful child, this child who if not being held, sees the world from a prone position but who if given the chance could maybe be more independent and definitely more social (which she loves) and part of the world around her! 

So, I am asking for help and am stepping out in faith cause I don't really know how to go about getting a wheelchair donated much less getting one shipped over but maybe you do?  Maybe your family or some other family that you know has a child with CP who has outgrown their chair and could donate it to help another sweet soul.  Maybe you know how to go about setting up a fundraiser and could give me some pointers, cause I am clueless!  Heh!  Maybe you are a family who might be traveling soon and could help in the transport of this donated wheelchair? 

Please, if you have any suggestions or want to help in any way or want to get more info on sweet Blossom, email me at 5puppies@comcast.net or simply leave a comment on this post.

Thank you!

Determination!

If you look up that word - determination - in the dictionary, you would find just one word as the definition...

LIZZIE