NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY !

This is a very special week across our country ! In courtrooms everywhere there will be around 4,500 kids taken out of the "broken failing system". They will get a new name and become a part of a family that will hopefully love them unconditionally ! They will now have someone in their life that will be there when they need them. There will be much hoopla going on at the courthouses ! Family pictures, presents, balloons, clowns, food and just excitement.

While this will be an amazing week !

Here is the reality ! There are 510,000 kids in foster care. There are 129,000 kids that are legally free to be adopted right now .This does not include the millions of orphans in other countries who will go to bed tonight in conditions we would not let our dog live in. They are just children !

I met a young lady last week. Beautiful young girl ! She could be a model ! If you did not know her story you would think she lived a great life with no problems. This sweet girl about to age out of the foster system had lived in 30 homes since she was 4. She had lived through things children should not experience. The hope for her has come through foster parents who would not give up on her, even when she kept running away. This precious girl will get adopted this week . I do not know if her adoptive parents are Christians. I would like to think they are. They are however setting an example for us all !

There are so many foster kids who need someone like this couple to just love them, the way Jesus loves us ! He takes us with all of our "issues". He loves us with a love that we cannot fathom ! He takes us back with open arms when we run away ! Most of us are the picture of the prodigal son . I know I am. He loved us while we were yet sinners. We deserve nothing ! He takes us in and heals our wounds and makes us his kids.

Please join me in praying for the kids who will be adopted this week! Pray that they will find security in our Heavenly Father. While there are nice people on this earth , we are all sinners and our Heavenly Father is the only one who will never leave us or forsake us.

Please also pray for all those children who are waiting for a forever family. I only know what some of these kids have experienced and I cannot imagine having to cope with things like seeing your parent be killed or being treated so badly, by people who are supposed to love you. Sin is an ugly thing !

Pray that more Christians will open their homes to these kids ! You can look at the adoptable kids in Texas at the Tare website go to dfps.state.tx.us/adoption . They change this every week.

If you have any questions about fostering , I would love to answer them. Post a comment and I will get back to you.

John Matthew has a silly hat !

Did any of you watch Blues Clues with your older kids? We did ! Steve had a song he sang when blue had something silly on his head.

It went like this:

Blue has a silly hat
Blue has a silly hat
and you repeat that until your annoyed !

In fact I will sing this for you in the video !

Well we have been singing that here for many years and so the first time our baby cleared out his bowl and put it on his head we sang the song. That was our first critical mistake ! John Matthew being the showman that he is, found this to be his new stand up act at the dinner table. Why not he has a captivated audience .

The problem now is he does this at every meal with every bowl. He has a lot of hair and so the food gets really messy in all his curly hair.

The moral here - be careful what you find to be funny !

Heavy metal in blue

Patrick just got Braces ! He picked out blue ! He is so excited to have them. Trying to get used to eating a whole lot slower and there seems to be some foods that are not even worth trying to eat !

I always wanted braces growing up ! Little did I know I would get to put most of my kids through them.

He looks so grown up !

New addition !

Because we want to see how fast we can max out our current home we just got another dog. We already had Marvel, the very large Catahoola and Matt and I were thinking it would be great for him to have a buddy !

Back story on Pets -
Now for those who know me well, they know I am not a "dog person" . I have actually always loved cats. When Matt and I first got married we had Miles the cat. He was black and white and he loved me. He slept on my head , nice I know. Now Miles the cat hated Matt, everyday when Matt came home he would attack Matt and bite him and try to climb up his leg and slide down with his claws dug into Matt's leg. My sweet husband endured the cat knowing I loved him. We kept Miles until we brought Grace home and Miles the cat was in her bassinet. That was all we needed to find a new loving home for Miles.

10 years later my kids and My husband decided it was time for a dog. We found Marvel on Craigslist and he really has been a precious pet. He is a protector and never barks unless the yard guy is in our yard. He does not chew up anything and he is so gentle with my all my kids. He is well trained and puts his nose on the door knob when he wants to go out. Since we have had Marvel I realized I just did not have much experience with really good , smart dogs.

This month Matt and I were looking at dogs online and found my new baby dog! We had a list of cute names , but when we saw him we had to call him SUGAR ! He is precious ! He is one year old. He is house trained. He also gets along with Marvel and we could not be happier.

GOT GERMS !

We have all passed some bug around our house for the last week. Now, I have been a mother for many years and I have lived through countless high fevers, too many stomach bugs to count and hundreds of colds. I have just never had 5 kids sick at the same time I was sick. Needless to say it has been a first for me. Like everything else has to be in my house I had a spread sheet of who had what meds and when. Thankfully , My precious husband has remained well !! He is holding down the job and the sick ward.

Have you ever noticed that a persons personality seems magnified when they are sick? The laid back ones seem to be more chilled. The children on the High drama side seem to be a bit more clinging and whinny. The talkers when they have fever can really get to babbling. Cuties !

I have prayed for a large dose of patience and I always try to keep my small issues in check, when I realize there are people who are praying for their children to live .

Hope you all are staying well this season !

Patricks Birthday !

(Patrick after eating a turkey leg at the state fair )

Dear Patrick ,
I cannot believe you turned 9 years old yesterday ! It is amazing to think back to the day I had you . In some ways it seems like yesterday ! In other ways you have changed so much. We remember when you were born and the nurses did not need to look at your bracelet because you looked so much like your dad and you still do. You were such a cute toddler and you were so sensitive and you still are. We rejoiced when you became a believer and we have watched our faithful Lord transform you and change you into a sinner saved by Grace. We love to have theological discussions with you , because you are so deep and you understand so much ! We love your passion and we are so excited to see the plans our Father has for you . You inspire us to Love God with all our hearts ! We are blessed to be your parents ! You are a special blessing from the Lord, Patrick !

All our love ,
Mom and Dad

By the way, you are the only 9 yr old I have ever met who ordered sushi on his birthday !

WHERE'S MARVEL ?

My kids had their own version of Where is Waldo, with our dog Marvel.

Can you spot our very large dog?