Thankful Thursday

This thankful Thursday I am going to give you an update on Miss Claire. I am thankful everyday that God picked her out for our family. I am a blessed mom indeed with all 4 of my treasures.

I am thankful for:

~The International Adoption Clinic that we have connected with here in Alabama. We took Claire there on Monday and it was comforting to hear from the "experts" that Claire is doing very well considering her rough start in the orphanage. I am so thankful that our daughter's heart is healing and she is making great strides.

~The Hear Center in Birmingham. We have been amazed with the way Claire is tolerating her cochlear implant processor so much better since going to the Hear Center. One day she even told me thank you when I put it on her! That was definitely a first.

~Claire is talking more and more! She is starting to imitate animals sounds. She can imitate a cow, a dog, a duck, and a cat. She is also starting to ask where sounds are coming from. She is also starting to distinguish our voices! She says the sweetest prayers. The kids take turns praying at meal time and so Claire wants to take a turn to. Well, she prays her prayer with such intensity. I am thankful that the Holy Spirit translates prayers! I'm sure she is giving God an earful! Sometimes after speaking her prayer she will then sign her prayer!

~Claire is continuing to learn more and more signs. She has been teaching the kids at AWANA how to do the verses for Cubbies in sign language. Have I mentioned how smart this girl is?!

~Claire lives life with such gusto! This girl of ours brings such joy to all who are around her. You can't be around her long without breaking into a big smile. I'm so thankful that I am her mom!

Claire after her basketball game..Claire living life with gusto...
Brianna and Claire at the Fall Fest at church..

Claire and Hunter..the cutest ladybug and ninja...Claire enjoying the rides at the Fall Fest..

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

Thankful Thursday

This thankful Thursday I am thankful for:

~You guessed it - SLEEP! I've shared before how Claire has really struggled with sleeping especially since the move. Well, we have had a breakthrough!! We started about 3 weeks ago really working on getting her to fall asleep in her own room. We would put her to bed and tell her we would be back in 5 minutes to check on her. After 5 minutes, if she was still upset or awake we would go in rub her back, give her another kiss and tell her we will be back in 5 minutes. The first night we tried it this went on for 1 1/2 hours before she finally gave into sleep. The next night, only 45 minutes. The next night, only 15 minutes. Well, this week when we tell her it is time she happily walks into her room and gets in bed and goes right to sleep. One night she even told us she was going to bed and she got in bed by herself!! Now, she still isn't sleeping through the night but we are making progress in the right direction!!

~Football season! Yes, I love football. This is my favorite time of year! Nothing beats watching a football game in crisp, cool fall weather! I love that Claire loves football too. We drove by a stadium one night and the lights were on and she asked if we could go in and sit! That's my girl! I just have to mention that my Denver Broncos are 6-0 right now!!

Here, Claire is cheering for the Huskers. Go Big Red!

~Uncle Wayne! I am thankful that we live for the first time close to family and we get to spend time with them over long weekends. Claire loves her Uncle Wayne and it has been fun to watch her become close to all of the Georgia gang!

What a way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

~Homeschool volleyball! I am so thankful that we found a homeschool volleyball team for Brianna. This team was just awesome to watch. They always had the best attitude and could smile and laugh even after just losing the game. Many parents and coaches from the other teams always commented on their attitude. I think that is a testimony to these girls that they always let their light shine for Christ.

What are you thankful for this week?

Wordless Wednesday!

Thankful Thursday - Celebrating Brianna!

This thankful Thursday, I celebrate Brianna. On Sunday, October 11, she turned 15! How can that be possible that my firstborn baby girl is 15? Some girls dream of becoming a doctor or starting a business, I dreamed about becoming a wife and a mother. With the birth of Brianna, those dreams came true.


Brianna, it has been so much fun being your mom. I love your sense of humor, your competitive spirit, your servant's heart, the way you are a true friend to your friends, your laugh, your smile, your goofiness, your serious side when times call for you to be serious, the way you are a great big sister and the way Jesus shines through you! I am so proud to be your mom.

Brianna at 3 months! Wasn't she adorable?

Brianna at 2 1/2! Easter 1997
First day of 8th grade.. 2008Brianna and her love of cats!

Brianna loving on Claire..

Volleyball 2009..Go Trailblazers!Brianna with some of her friends from volleyball..

Beautiful girl inside and out!
This was taken on her birthday while visiting Georgia..
If you look closely at her shirt that she made you will see some of her sense of humor. Her shirt says "Me Be Home Teached" She is always making us laugh!

Happy Birthday, Brianna! I love you, Mom

Wordless Wednesday - Our basketball girl!

Thankful Thursday - Caleb's Story

This thankful Thursday I want to share how our adoption of our little guy came about. Enjoy Caleb's story. I am thankful to be able to share it with you.

I guess Caleb's story started when we adopted Claire. Gary and I just knew that she would not be the last child for us. God really took our desire for more children and turned it into a heart for orphans. Due to this heart for orphans, I would check the photo listing on Rainbow Kids occasionally and I saw several Korean children through Holt International. So I started occasionally checking Holt’s site, they also have a photo listing of waiting children. We decided with the upcoming move to Alabama we would just wait especially since we will only be in Alabama for less than a year. Well, God had other plans. On a side note, Brianna had said several months ago “I think we need to adopt a little boy from Korea and I have the perfect name for him. Do you want to hear it? His name is Caleb.” When she said this we were still thinking Uganda would be where we would adopt from next. However, the seed had been planted. I started feeling nudges that we were supposed to pursue Korea first before Uganda (I don’t know if Uganda will ever happen but the desire is there). Well, on May 13, I felt like we needed to apply for the waiting child program through Holt. With Holt, you can apply and pay $50 and that will allow you to view children’s files and see the photos on the password protected sites. There was a photo of a little baby boy that I was sure was ours so when I sent the application I requested his file. The next evening, Gary and I went to an Agape Pregnancy Center fundraiser and while the speaker was talking I suddenly had a strange sensation and a little boy’s picture flashed through my mind. I almost started crying because I was so overwhelmed with what had just happened. The picture wasn’t of the little boy whose file I had requested but of another little boy that I hadn’t even considered before. When I told Gary on the way home he said you know what that means, we need to ask for his file. I immediately emailed Holt when we got home and requested his file. We received the files of both boys the next day. We both felt such peace about pursuing Caleb (Korean name is Ho-min). He has significant special needs (at least more than Claire has) and we have talked with a doctor several times but nothing we heard changed our mind about pursuing him. The following week we let Holt know we wanted to pursue him. We then had to fill out questionnaires so our family could go before the committee to be selected as his family. As you know, we found out June 4 that we were approved. Korea doesn’t require a dossier just an approved home study. Once we have an approved home study, we can get him usually 3-5 months later. We are so close to finishing our home study. Our social worker comes for our home visit on Monday!! God has faithfully provided the funds thus far for his adoption and we are trusting Him to provide the rest of the money needed. We are also considering some fundraising ideas. If any of you know of any successful fundraising ideas please let me know. His full name is going to be Caleb Joseph Ho-min. Caleb means faithful and I really think God has been faithful in finding a family for him, he has been waiting almost 2 years and Joseph means God will add and God really did add him to our family. This little boy wasn’t even on our radar screen until May 14 and June 4 we find out he will be ours, only God could do that. We have both felt God saying to us, “Are you going to trust me on this, he is my child, will you step out in faith and bring him home.” How could we say no to that? Could you pray that we bring Caleb home soon? He has been hospitalized several times since June related to his special need. We need to get him home and seen by doctors here and started on consistant medicine and therapy.

Since I can't show you his face yet. Here is his adorable hands and feet!!

Another side note, Brianna told me she had a dream this week that we were at the hospital picking up a new baby. She said we named him Benjamin! This girl is scaring me!!