Fun!

This is what we do for fun around here.

Thanksgiving

We went to my sister Debbie's house for Thanksgiving. Our girls just love their cousins and had a great time with them. Debbie did all the cooking- well she did trust me with the green beans which has always been a family tradition since I am notorious for not being able to cook very well. :-) The food was great, I had seconds on the green beans! :-)



After dinner we went to the Old Mill. I was hoping to get some family pictures for a Christmas Card but it was a little too dark already, so we just had fun.

On Black Friday, Debbie and Abigail got up at 4 am for the sales. That was a little early for me, but I did manage to get Brent up and out the door with me at 7am for a little shopping. Of course, that was late compared to everyone else who had been up hours before, so everything I wanted was already sold out, oh well.

Karianne bakes

I am behind on my blogging. Karianne's birthday was last monday. She wanted to make her own cake so she did. I put it together and iced it, but she mixed it up and decorated it. It turned out so cute and she was so proud of it.

SHe wanted to make brownies yesterday but I was out of oil. She kept on me to go buy some until I finally went out this morning and bought some oil for her brownies. So this morning she made Brownies and also some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Mmm Mmm. Lucy was a big help too. :-)

Karianne is 5!

Karianne got her picture taken for her 5th birthday. Just thought I'd share a few pictures that I love. She is just so beautiful! Five is a big landmark. It makes me reflective about all we went through before we had her, our first little miracle; a living child. She has had 3 siblings before her turn 5 already, but those were just anniversaries that I kept in my heart. Those little Peaks are in Heaven with their Heavenly Father. It is such a treat for me to be able to celebrate this landmark birthday with Karianne. Thank you God for this sweet child.

"You will come and have mercy…because the time has now come." Psalm 102:13 (NCV)

My heart hopes for a home,
A family to call my own.
I need your love…
When will you come?

I lie alone and I'm cold,
There is no one to hold.
I need your touch…
When will you come?

The days turn to weeks,
In silence I plead.
I only speak with my eyes…
When will you come?

As I lie in my bed, I am living yet dead.
I pray for hope to arrive,
Please hear my cries…
When will you come?

by Jan Beazely

What a cutie!

This little boy needs to find his forever family, take a look!

Brennen is an adorable strawberry blonde boy who was born in April of 2008. He is all smiles! He was born prematurely at 35 weeks. His medical says he has communicating hydrocephalia, subcompensated form. He has had some respiratory infections and several ear infections. They were concerned about his hearing but they have put tubes in Brennen's ears and now his hearing appears to be fine according to the orphanage director. We need to find a home study ready family who is able to complete their paperwork quickly to bring Brennen home. If you have a completed home study for international adoption and would like more information, contact Kids To Adopt by email at kidstoadopt@yahoo.com or by phone at 360-695-1704.

Update

I just found out the family in the last post now have all their funds to bring home these precious boys! I am so excited for them. They will be traveling soon. Thank you to everyone that was a part of the miracle.

Help this family be a miracle for a boy!

Oh this family is stepping out on faith. Can we come along side them and help? They committed to adopt a boy that ages out in FOUR WEEKS! Please read their message and help out with their fundraiser. God gave them the heart, let us be the feet to make this happen.

Karin

Below is an email our friends at IAAP sent out:

A Family Needs Our Help!

Many of you have seen that we have been advocating for the adoption of Zhang LuShi, a boy that will be 14 years old on December 12 and subsequently will age out and no longer be able to be adopted. Well, a miracle has happened and last week a family, the Kambergers, made the commitment to adopt him and the CCAA gave them pre-approval. They have until December 12 to adopt him (just four weeks away) and the CCAA has said they will do everything necessary on their end to make this happen.

Now we need another miracle! The Kamberger's were already going to adopt another child so now they have the expenses for two children and they must raise the money fast. Please read about them below and do what you can to help them and Lushi!

This boys life will be changed forever and you can help make this happen. Please read below and see how you can be a part of the miracle!

Thank you all,

Dick and Cheryl Graham

The info below was posted on the Kambergers' blog and is used her by permission.

Two weeks ago, on October 30, Dick and Cheryl Graham with Bringing Hope to Children advocated for a boy rapidly approaching his 14th birthday. We have been in process to adopt Christina DuJie since August and had just recently sent in our I800A after an extended wait for our Home Study. I don't usually open these emails, but was moved to see what the situation was. The moving has not stopped.

We are now PreApproved to adopt Zhang LuShi in addition to DuJie and are trying desperately to give this child a home. His 14th birthday is December 12th .... just 4 short weeks away!! China is willing to do whatever it takes to get this child a family. Our agency, CAWLI, is doing everything THEY can to expedite this process. And we see days flying by with little to no time to raise the money needed to bring these children home or give USCIS the time to process our case.

I am asking for TWO things from this fantastic adoptive community:

First - PRAY for God's will to be accomplished - if He is pleased to place LuShi in our home, then He can pave the way through this seemingly IMPOSSIBLE short time period to do so. Pray for USCIS to be moved by compassion or whatever it takes to truly push this file through. China is willing to have everything else in fax only and even to let us travel without TA in hand.

Second - help us is ANY way feasible and within your power to get to China and give this boy a chance. There is a chipin on www.afamilyforchristina.blogspot.com and a purse fundraiser (done by the lovely Kelly R!) at www.hopeandhealingfororphans.blogspot.com . We could use frequent fly miles to help get us there and back or help with our stay at the hotel. Spread the word to any groups you belong to!

LuShi is from Linfen, Shanxi and has urinary incontinence and was diagnosed to have a tethered cord 2 years ago (tho he has no history of spina bifada). He has only been allowed to go to school the last few years after LWB stepped in to support the cost of adult incontinence pads. There is no surgeon in China that feels skilled enough to do his surgery. He is nearly 14 and I am sure growing like any other 13 year old boy!! That cord could snap at any time, leaving him in a worse place than he is already in.

John and I are willing to do whatever the Lord desires regarding LuShi - we want to give him the opportunity for family, support, love, expert medical care and the chance to be told there is a God who loves him very much. Could you or your coworkers be looking for a great compassionate giving idea for the Christmas season? What a gift this would be for LuShi who has been overlooked for far too long. And what a story to tell him in future days of the support and love of a huge adoption community who KNOW what a true miracle this would be!!

In His strength and mercy alone,
Mary
dh John
ds Jeriah 23, ddilaw, Shawna
dgrand-d Hannah Lynn due 12/17!
dd Caitlin 17
dd Grace 15
dd Sarabeth 9 ad 12/3/06 Jiangxi
ds Jeremy 9, ad 2/18/08 Hunan
ds Nathan 6 ad 8/21/05 Henan via Shepherds Field
dd Juliana 6 ad 9/26/04 Jiangxi
dd Christina DuJie 9 LOI 8/3 PA 8/24 Jiangxi via Shepherds Field
www.kambergerchronicles.blogspot.com

Karianne: "Momma, Angie always thinks she's right but I am!"

Grandma's House

We made a drive up to Michigan and a very short visit with my Grandmother in Flint. I came down with the flu and the girls all had horrible sounding coughs, so we had to cut our visit short. My grandmother has lived in the same house for over 60 years. She is making plans to sell it now because stairs have become problematic for her. I love that house and have lots of good memories there- especially playing in her yard. It was a joy, even if it was short lived, to watch the girls play in grandma's yard as well. They had never seen so many leaves in their lives! Love you Grandma.




Here's a few things around the house that I love and have been there, in the same spot ever since I can remember:

The old piano downstairs




a vignette in my mother's old bedroom.





the green metal glider outside





The very useful green stacking footstools.





A few of Grandma's mixers from all her years of professional cake decorating.