giggles and curls

'Cause It's Tradition

2011-02-18T07:00:00.001-08:00

A Year in Pictures 2010

The Wait

2011-02-10T12:51:00.000-08:00

We knew instantly that our daughter was in India. We left the consultation with the fertility specialist, a meeting that should have devastated any young couple wishing for a child. God met us in that moment and gave us the gift of hope. There are few things in my life that I’ve been more certain of, but as we left through the waiting room littered with weary-faced couples, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that our child was waiting for us halfway around the world.

For those of you who have not been through the adoption process, let me just tell you, the wait to bring a child into your home can be excruciating. It seems as though the average person spends a great deal of their day waiting on this or that. But what if that waiting is the wait for a child? What if days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and months into years? The phrases, “God’s timing is perfect” and “God knows what He’s doing” are so easy to say, yet so hard to live.

Our 2 ½ year journey to our daughter would forever change my relationship with God. When you wait for something so special, so life changing, you learn to lean on God in ways that you might not have before. One of my favorite Bible verses has always been, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) The closeness that I felt while walking with God through the adoption process is nearly indescribable. He continued to meet us where we were in every situation. Fear of the unknown was met with peace. Crisis was met with reassurance and pain was met with comfort. I’m thankful for the wait. It reminded me that God not only promises to go before us, but He also longs to walk beside.

Let me just tell you, God’s timing IS perfect and He does knows exactly what He’s doing. Faith, hope and love have taken on a new life for me. I tend to see those words differently now. Faith looks like walking in stride with the Father, no matter how difficult the situation. Hope looks like the realization that God has something planned for us that is so much greater than what we could have planned for ourselves. Love, our love for God and His for us, looks like a little girl with jet black hair that we held for the first time in an orphanage in India.

Why Heritage Camp?

2010-10-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

This summer, we packed up and headed to Tulsa, OK for Dillon International's annual India Heritage Camp. It wasn't a first for us...Dustin and I have been attending since we started the process to adopt Mia. In fact, one of the reasons we chose Dillon as our adoption agency was because they offered a heritage camp. Being cared for before, during and after our adoption sounded like a pretty good thing. Who wouldn't want the option to participate in that, right?

First of all, let me mention that, like most mothers, what I can give Mia are these things: unconditional love, refuge from the storms of life, lessons and guidance. But let me tell you what I CAN'T give her. Heritage. No matter how many Indian songs and movies we watch and listen to, no matter how many Indian meals I make/ruin, no matter how many Bollywood dance parties we have in our living room, I can't give her heritage. You know, the deep rooted, experience of her heritage. As parents we want to give our children everything, and it saddens me to think that I will never be able to fully give her that.

BUT...

What I can do is this; help her create her own experiences. A great place to start is Heritage Camp. I never knew how much we would need it...she would need it...I would need it. At first we attended for all of the reason I told other people to attend; "it's good for the kids to see other families that look like us" and "they have so much fun learning about India." Those reasons are still true, but it goes much deeper now. No, Mia will never have the experience of rich, deep-rooted heritage, but she will be surrounded, year after year, by children who are experiencing all the things that she is. She may not have the experience of long-held traditions, but we are making our own...along side other adoptive families.

To all of you adoptive families out there, may I make a few suggestions?

Do all you can to be a minority in a sea of faces that look just like your child's. Try your best, on a regular basis, to be the minority. Your child experiences that day in and day out. That's one of the things that we discussed at camp this year. There are many ways to do this. One of the ways, is by attending church services in which the congregation is predominately of your child's race. You can also attend festivals and cultural celebrations in your area. Ask around in the community. More than likely, opportunities will present themselves for you and you family to engage in your child's culture.

Try to bring good people into your life that share your child's heritage. Do you have friends that are of you child's race? If the answer is no, please try your best to change that.

Get out of your comfort zone. Your child has to all the time.

There's one more thing you can do.

Attend a Heritage Camp. Find a way to attend. There are ways to lower the cost: work it into a family vacation, stay with friends in the area or volunteer at camp. Trust me, you will walk away with a deeper understanding of your child in every aspect. Enough said.

Here are a few highlights from this year's camp!

The Gift

2010-08-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Three years ago tonight, Emy entered the world...small in size, but mighty in spirit! She tried with all of her strength, all 1 lb. 8 oz. of her, to stay in this world. Thanks to the prayers of our friends, family, church family and the talent and grace of the nurses and doctors, we are now able to share our lives with one more precious little gift. The Lord has brought her so far, I just can't wait to see what He has in store for her life!

Here's just a small glimpse of her amazing story...Happy Birthday Emy!!!

If You've Tasted Such Good Things...

2010-07-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, I leave for Zambia, Africa. I want to keep this post simple. I do want to say a few things though.

I'm gonna miss this girl...
and this girl...
...like crazy. Oh, and their daddy also!

I've posted this video before, but I'm going to post it again. I can't stop watching it for some reason. I've typed out some of the text below...just 'cause.

I know I've neglected my blog lately, but I'm going to post as much as possible while in Zambia. I want you to see and "meet" some of the amazing people, especially the children, that will be coming into my life shortly. I hope you check in from time to time to see how our team is doing...and maybe say a little prayer. Say a prayer for our team, that our impact will be great and that we will be greatly impacted. Please pray that we open our hearts and see those around us the way God truly sees them. Please pray for those of us who are leaving small children behind...I'm afraid it will be a true test for us.

Disclaimer...I don't know anything about the organization listed at the end of this video.

Jackie Pullinger

Selected text from Go!! Jackie Pullinger

“The principle of the gospel is this…the gospel always brings life to the receiver and death to the giver. If the gospel brought death to Jesus Christ, why would we think that in preaching the gospel it would be any less for us? He says, if anybody would be my disciple he must take up his cross and follow me. If it killed Him to give life to us and He invites us then to do the same, why would we expect that it would be any less?”

“The poor people all over the earth who have never heard of Jesus, they are the poorest people. They are desperate for food, they’re desperate for blankets, they’re desperate for medicine, they’re desperate for water. The most number of people worldwide who’ve never heard about the love of the Lord Jesus Christ are desperately poor…and they are not going to come here to hear the gospel. We have to go there. So why haven’t people gone? It has something to do with guarding our life, and living a normal life so other people can go. But I say...No! Why don’t you all go, if you’ve tasted such good things? Go to the ends of the earth because those poor aren’t gonna watch Jesus on TV -- they haven’t got electricity. They’re not going to hear about Him unless we go. So would you? I’m here with a plea for you…if you’ve known the love of God…if you’ve tasted of His sweetness at all…there’s no other way to serve him except giving up your life…and this is voluntary. This is not a sentence of death…at all -- we’re not sentenced to death. We are just privileged to answer His call.”

Forever Mine, Forever More: An Adoption Lullaby

2010-05-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Gotcha Day Mia!

Forever Mine, Forever More: An Adoption Lullaby

by Angie Tucker

Before you came home,
I spoke words to you in the air,
And the wind swept them up,
As if light as a prayer.

Over steep mountains,
Across oceans blue,
It traveled to bring
My message to you.

As the warm wind tumbled
Through tall summer trees,
The leaves clapped & applauded
As if to agree.

For the wind told the trees
Part of my message to you,
“You are loved, you are loved,”
So simple, so true.

You are loved, you are loved.

When the wind traveled
Across the wide open sea,
It whispered part of
The message from me.

As crested waves crashed
Like kisses on the shore,
They revealed what they were told,
“You’re adored, you’re adored.”

You’re adored, you’re adored.

The evening starts burst
With glimmering delight
When they caught word
Of the message in flight.

Well, the moon came around
To see what was the matter,
The stars sparkled as they whispered
“Forever, forever.”

Forever, forever.

When through a tiny window
You peeked,
The wind swirled around
And tickled your cheek.

As you drifted to sleep,
The wind whispered in your ear,
Words sweet as a wish,
As true as a prayer.

And now that I’m holding you,
So close and tight,
I’ll whisper my message,
The wind delivered that night.

Listen close - you can hear it,
As you’ve heard it before.
“You are loved, you are adored,
Forever mine, forever more.”

“You are loved, you are adored,
Forever mine, forever more.”

Books and Blogs

2010-05-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Four years ago this week, we met Mia for the first time. As I sift through my memory of those anxious and wonderful days, I'm reminded of how special our trip was. Just one of the many spectacular things about our trip was a chance meeting on the plane from Kolkata to London. We chatted with Maura Hurley Basu who was traveling with her husband and two young children. She was gracious and kind and we truly enjoyed the conversation. Originally from New York, Maura now works at a school (Shikshamitra: Friends of Learning) for children living in the slum community. She offered to send me a book she wrote. The book is called To the Local Bazaar, and is written in English and Bengali. The book is about a young girl and her mother going to the bazaar, and is illustrated by Karuna Chitrakar, a local folk artist. This method of art is more than 1,000 years old and has been handed down to Chitrakar from generation to generation. This type of art is called the 'pata' style and is traditionally painted on a scroll. If any of you adoptive moms would be interested in purchasing a book, I would be more than happy to put you in contact with Maura.

2010 Asian Festival!!!

I recently "met" another blog mom named Kari Gibson. She has two bio kids and a baby girl from Ethiopia. She had the amazing 'Simply Love' idea to help adoptive parents raise money for their adoptions. I'm sure some of you have seen the t-shirts. If not, here's a sample:

Front...

Back...

Goodness, I love these shirts! Above you will see the male shirt...by the way, you can pick your country. She has a large list of countries, and if you don't see the country you are adopting from you can name the shirt! If you are interested in raising money for your adoption, you can contact Kari at karigib@gmail.com.

Anyway, Kari (her crazy-fun blog is My Crazy Adoption) asked to feature our story as her May family profile. If you think you have a grasp on our story...skip our article and check out the rest of her blog. If you are not familiar with our story and you'd like it in a nutshell (he, he, I'm picturing Mike Myers in Austin Powers right now) just click here. By the way, Kari's biological daughter, Hannah, was born at 26 weeks, weighing only 1 lb. 5 oz. Oh, we have so, so much in common!

Well, Mia's Gotcha Day is tomorrow. I have a special post planned for tomorrow!

Tiny Dancer & The Ambassador

2010-04-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

Our family was featured in an article for Adoption Today Magazine!

Last month I had the opportunity to be a part of a special weekend. To raise money for the LUKA International Foundation and their work in Zambia, the LUKA board hosted Dr. Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika, Ambassador of the Republic of Zambia to the United States of America. She spoke at our Zambia auction and helped make the evening spectacular. One of the items up for bid was a huge painting by artist Jerrod Smith. It was amazing and the pic I post doesn't even come close to doing it justice!

Anyway, that's the best I could do with my iPhone. I didn't win the bid and have finally stopped shedding tears about it! :o) By the way, Debbi M., if you are reading this, I may need to come over and visit my painting soon! ;o) With all joking aside, it was truly an amazing weekend. Oh, and come to find out, Jerrod Smith (the artist) is my aunt Debi's cousin! Crazy!

I was able to attend a dinner that Friday night and the Ambassador spoke about the Zambian way of life and the needs of the people. It was beyond fascinating. The need is so great...from the lack of education, the AIDS epidemic to the orphan crisis. What an amazing and Godly woman she is. At the auction on Saturday, she said this...

"If you invest in a child, you change a community, you change a nation & I believe you change the world."

and this may be one of my favorite quotes of all time...

"If we only invest in our biological children, someday they will come across the children whom we didn't invest in and either way...we lose our investment."

Wow.

She said so many great things...I had to start writing stuff down!

Thanks Debbi & the LUKA International Foundation for letting me join in on such a moving weekend!

Easter Moments

2010-04-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

Big Sis...

Just between sisters...

Along came a spider...

So Africa It Is...

2010-03-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog. It's been awhile. There's been a lot going on lately. Let me fill you in. I could simplify...but where's the fun in that?!

So the story begins with the stopping of our second adoption last fall. It was painful, I mean really painful. The hopes, the planning, the dreaming...was all gone. It sounds strange, but the only thing that may be close to it is a miscarriage. The loss of a child - before you've even met. I was in mourning for a while, and I still mourn from time to time -- but, as in all situations that you can't control, we must move forward and have faith that God's timing is perfect and that He has a plan. Although I cannot see...I can trust...and although I cannot have my desires, I can hold to my faith.

And my faith has brought me here...

I am a great believer in the thought that there are no coincidences with God - always have been, always will be. For several years now, I have felt a strong urge to promote adoption and help the most vulnerable of our society...the orphans. I did an adoption blog for Mia's adoption & an orphan awareness video, I made a few orphanage connections in India, but just wasn't sure what to do. I DID know that I should take the energy I would have directed towards our adoption and focus it on something else. For more direction, I decided to schedule a meeting with my pastor. When we met with him, I shared my desires and asked for his direction on where to go next. Jon, our amazing pastor (we love that man so much!) said that just 2 days before I asked to meet with him, he had asked the council to pray that someone would come forward to help promote a child sponsorship program in Zambia (our church is partnering with the country of Zambia for the next decade). I went to Pastor Jon thinking about how to start an orphan care ministry in our church and ended up being asked to help lay the groundwork for a child sponsorship program. I am beyond thrilled! I'll be working with a great group of people to aid the children of Zambia.

During that meeting, an opportunity came up for me to go with a team to Zambia this summer. We will be going to install water wells and help build a training facility. I will also be focusing on learning more about the children that will be sponsored and will be trying to gain a more complete understanding of their needs. Zambia Fact: The country of Zambia has approx. 1.4 million orphans - the second highest number of any country in the world. 57% of Zambian orphans have been orphaned by AIDS. Our sponsorship program will focus on the most vulnerable at this particular school...the children who have lost one or both parents...the orphaned. Being able to visit the school and get to know the kids will be such a blessing...I wish I could go tomorrow! Hopefully this will be just the first school of many more to come! The Luka Foundation is doing wonderful things...I'm so excited to be part of it!

Seeing what I saw in India broke my heart for children in need. How much more will my heart break by visiting Zambia? What will life look like when I return? I'm trusting God, the One who gave me this desire in the first place, to take what I experience, to take my heart that's been broken for the children I'll meet and be able to use it for their benefit and for His glory.

I'm still working out the details on HOW to get to Zambia. I've joined a little late in the game...the other team members have had quite a bit more time to raise the funds to go. I'm praying that all will work out if it's meant to.

This video was brought to my attention by Joy...a great gal with a heart for children in need -- we've both decided that we would be the best of friends if we lived close! Joy will be going to Uganda in November. Thanks for making me aware of this video, Joy...I'm passing it on.

So now is the scary part...moving from IDEATION to ACTION. I told God of my desires. He listened. He guided. So Africa it is.

If you feel led to contribute to my trip, you can find more info on how to do that here.

The photographs above are by a talented photographer named Michael Mistretta.

My Princesses, The Princess & the Frog & A Little Princess

2010-01-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas & New Year's. Here are some pics from the last few weeks:

Emy loves Mia...
and Mia loves Emy...
My sweet girls.

The drift of snow outside the girls' playroom window...
More sweetness...
Here are the girls right before we left to see The Princess and the Frog...tutus and all! I've been wondering when Disney would get around to creating a dark skinned princess. Well, they finally did it & the movie was pretty good. According to Mia, the best part of the movie was the lightning bug...according to Emy, the best part of the movie was the popcorn!

The girls and their grampa in the princess tent!
Christmas Day

I just watched this again with my girls and I wanted to share one of the songs from the movie. This is a remake of the Shirley Temple movie. If for some reason you don't know the story, it's about a girl who leaves India to go to a girls school because her father is being sent off to war (her mother has passed). While there, they get word that her father has died in battle and she is forced to work at the school and serve the other girls. She escapes the harshness of her new reality by telling the other girls stories of India. The remake is a great movie and I nearly cry every time I watch it. If you have kids and haven't seen the movie yet, go rent it! Here's the movie's original trailer and here's a song from the movie:

"One Day" for Day One

2010-01-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas...I have tons of pics that I'll post later. I'm away from my computer and it just takes too long to post my pics from the computer I have access to now. Happy New Year Everyone! Until I post my pics, here's "One Day" by Matisyahu...perfect for "day one" of this new year!

When Santa Comes to Town...

2009-12-24T11:47:00.000-08:00

We had the opportunity to go to a party last week...and Santa was the surprise guest! We were so thankful to be able to attend! We parents brought a gift from home for each child. Santa gathered up the gifts that were hidden in a secret location and then popped in through the front door with a specific gift for each child. He did magic tricks, read them a book and told them the true story of Christmas. It was such a special afternoon (plus we got to avoid the mall Santa thing)! Thanks, Star! Here are a few pics from the event:

Mia helping Santa with his bubble trick.
No crying so far...

We may just make it...

Awww...such a pleasant finish (compared to last year's experience).
She asked Santa for make-up. Yah. :I And so it begins....

Well, Merry Christmas everyone! This is a song from Natalie Grant called "I Believe". The quality is not great, but it's a wonderful song. It's powerful, even though she's only accompanied by a piano in this version.

I watched this for the first time in it's entirety with Dustin and the girls this year. A Charlie Brown Christmas...can't beat this part...

May your prayers touch the Heavens and the Heavens touch your heart.

Merry Christmas,

Dustin, Angie, Mia & Emy

Father/Daughter Dance, A Home for the Holidays & More

2009-12-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late in posting this, but in November, one of our local schools held a fundraiser for the prom. It was a father/daughter dance for ages 4 & up. Dustin and Mia were so excited! The night had everything a night of dancing entails..a corsage & boutonniere, the "prom pose" (as you can see below) and lots of good fun and music. They had a great time!

Mia's new, unknown best friend for the evening...

My adventures in bread-making! I'd never made bread before, but decided to make some baguettes. They may be a little on the chubby side, but they tasted great!

Now, for some Christmas Wish-list goodies! Dustin and I have decided not to exchange gifts this year. We've urged our family not to buy for us, but instead just buy for the kids. Hopefully, they have taken our request to heart. I thought I would post this list late enough that none of my family could actually purchase any of these! We really wanted to simplify things this year, but it's always fun to look, right?

Toms Shoes Wrap Boots - yummy! Toms Shoes motto is "One for One." You buy a pair of Toms and they will give a pair to a child in need. You can even choose which country you would like for the shoes to be sent to. Buy a pair - give a pair...benefits a child in need!

More Toms...
I was first introduced to these on another blog. I love the idea and the thought. These sandals are by Sseko Designs. You can buy different straps to for the sole and wrap them different ways. They benefit a group of women in Uganda (helps put them through university).

Okay, not that I would wear them with a winter coat, but you get the picture...
The last item is called the Snowball Hoodie Scarf. Plain and simple - it would benefit me (and Urban Outfitters). He, he!
I'll post again before Christmas. We have some Santa pics to share! Anyways, DON'T FORGET ABOUT "A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS". It's on CBS tomorrow night, 8/7 central. It sheds light on the large amount of kids in the U.S. foster-care system that are looking for permanent families. Watch it, tape it, TiVo it, DVR it...it's always a good show. Just a few of the guests will be Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood & Shakira (if you still needed an excuse to watch).

A Baby Changes Everything...

2009-12-13T18:54:00.000-08:00

Every year, CBS broadcasts "A Home for the Holidays", a special promoting adoption of children in the U.S. foster-care system. The show features profiles of children who are looking for homes, live performances and celebrities that have been adopted, have adopted or who have been touched by adoption. The 2009 special will be shown on Wednesday, December 23rd on CBS (hosted by Faith Hill - I think she does it every year).

The 2008 broadcast included a performance of "A Baby Changes Everything" by Faith Hill. I was going to post this for my Christmas post, but I don't know how much longer it will be on YouTube. I've been looking for it for weeks, but haven't been able to find it posted due to copyright laws. So enjoy (while you can) and tune in to CBS on 12/23. It's always an amazing show!

It's Better Than...

2009-12-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

Mia said the cutest thing the other day. I was rubbing her feet and she became really quiet. I wondered if she was falling asleep (which was the purpose) and asked her if she liked me rubbing her feet. She quietly replied, "Yesss, it's better than sunshine!"

Oh, fall is the best season of all! Football...Halloween...Thanksgiving...my birthday...and the start of Clementine season! I don't know if any of you are as fanatic about clementines as I am, but they are piled high in our fruit bowl this time of year. In fact, we have an entire fruit bowl devoted to the clementine. (And, yes, I had to have one after I took this pic!)

I was at Whole Foods the other day (I was in a different city - unfortunately there is not a Whole Foods close to where I live), and noticed a clementine flavored pop! I know this is distributed in different locations, but it's the first time I've seen this brand. I'll have to find out where I can get more Izze Sparkling Clementine goodness, because, yes, it's already gone!

It wasn't exactly a leaf-pile...it was a leaf-line, but much fun was had!

The "Big-Foot" pose...

Welcome December!

2009-12-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

What's Christmas without a little Sound of Music?

Who hasn't secretly wished that they would all of a sudden find themselves in the middle of a musical? Come on...admit it...

Heartbroken

2009-11-19T21:27:00.000-08:00

If there is a point beyond "heart-broken" - I find myself there at this moment. For the third time, we find ourselves stopping our adoption. In 2007, we put our 2nd adoption on hold, because (thank the Lord) I got pregnant with Emy. We started up again this spring only to stop because Dustin got laid off - just to get hired back a week later (thank the Lord again). We waited a few months to make sure things were stable and decided to proceed again. We, yet again, find ourselves in a situation in which our only option is to stop the process.

The worst part - the part that rips my heart at the core - is that I broke my rule and told Mia about the adoption. I always said that I wouldn't tell my girls until we had a referral. Mia was having an extremely difficult time - a first of it's kind type of thing - ya know, pull the car over so that I can hug her as she cries kind of thing. I thought it would cheer her up to know that she would be getting a little brother that looked just like her. Well, for months now she's been talking about her brother in India, praying for her brother and telling complete strangers that she has a baby brother. I can't bring myself to tell her...I don't even know where to begin...

Dustin and I have gone through so many lows over the past two years. The death of his sister, his grandmother and his sister's husband happened all within an 9 month period. With this last attempt to start up the adoption process, we felt like we were healing and ready to move on to something great for our family. This latest blow has been nearly crippling for me and there are days when I find it hard to see through the haze.

"Faith" can be a pretty & shiny word when you don't have to put it into use...I mean really put it to use. Sometimes when you've been stripped of everything else, faith is the only thing that can get you through. It has to...it's all you've got. If there is a bright-side, it is this...I have two healthy & wonderful girls. One, I was lucky enough to adopt and the other, I was lucky enough to give birth to. Both are beautiful and the definition of gifts from God. For that I'm forever grateful.

Finally, this is National Adoption Month. I received a request earlier this month regarding my "No Orphans of God" video that is on YouTube. A church in Alabama asked if they could use my video on Orphan Sunday. From what I know, my video played while the church choir (100+ choir members) sang the song from the video (No Orphans of God by Avalon). It was such a blessing to me that they used my video and that someone might be moved/motivated to help a child in need. I'm trying to get a video of the service...I'd love to see it! You can see the video they showed on the right side of this blog or see it larger below...

Thanks again to all of you who submitted photos of your family to be used in the video. When I get the video of the choir singing to this, I'll post it.

God Bless...

Fall...it's the most wonderful time of the year!

2009-11-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday To Me! I love my girls...

Their present to me...every year the girls decorate a cake for my birthday.

Gramma and the girls on Halloween...
Sweet-E at Uncle Dave's party...

Flying tutu-less ballerina!

Shanta & Mia. Shanta and her husband own a local Indian restaurant. We've all become friends. They always tease Mia and tell her that they want her to marry their son (he's in med school right now)! Oh, the "age" thing is just a minor snag. ;o)
Happy Diwali!

Firsts and Seconds

2009-08-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

Emy's 2nd Birthday (part 1)

We had Emy's 2nd birthday party (part 1) early so that her Nanna and her cousin Jason (seen below) could be there...

Busted! That's a classic "prayer peek" if I've ever seen one...
Nightly ritual...
Awww, birthday party part duex...

First day of public school! Mia was so excited! By the way, Emy insisted on standing with Mia for her official "first day of school" picture...you'll see a theme here...

She also insisted on wearing a backpack just like big sister...
And when I took Mia's picture inside her school...

Guess who also had to have her picture taken...

Goodness, I love those girls!

Plies, Princesses and Pals

2009-07-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

This is a video of Mia's dance recital from June. The people who took this video are the parent's of the girl to the right of Mia. I found this on YouTube, and since I'm a bad mom and haven't taken my video of the recital off of my camera yet, I'll just post theirs! By the way, all the girls did really well, but I must say...Mia was perfection!

aaww, luke! mia & emy's "cousin"
playdate!

sweet samuel...mia & emy's "cousin"
mia and her friend, kaila...
dress-up time!
twirling ballerina!
practicing her toe-touch...

pacey princess!
mirror, mirror...
more pictures...really mom?

Buddies, Blessing & Beginnings...

2009-07-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, sorry for my massive absence! Long time no blog, right?! A big sorry to those of you that actually follow my blog. I hope you're still out there somewhere!

While I've been away, a few things have popped up that have kept me pretty busy. First things first, India Camp! I cannot tell you how wonderful camp was for us this year. We've attended for four years now. Dustin and I attended even before Mia came home. It's a wonderful experience, and one of the main reasons we chose Dillon International as our adoption agency. Things were different this year for us because Mia was finally old enough to be a camper.

It was truly a blessing to be able to see her interact with all of the other kids. It was also refreshing to be surrounded by families that looked just like us. I can't exactly tell you why, but Mia has been quite different since we returned. She seemed as though she matured by several years in just a 3 day span. I honestly think that we all, our entire family, had a renewed sense of understanding for one another after we left.

I was finally able to actually sit and visit with Nadra Conner (Ian's mom). The kids were off to their lessons, and Nadra and I were able to have a wonderful, long talk. We've gathered together several times over the past couple of years, but we've always had the kids to distract us from true conversation. It was a blessing to have a few moments of uninterrupted time with her. For those that don't know, Mia and Ian were cribmates in India. While we waited to bring our kids home, we both received videos of our babies. It was the sweetest thing, and something that Mia still likes to point out, the ayahs had dressed Mia and Ian alike! Little did the ayahs know, but Ian and Mia would have the opportunity to remain close. The children's home where our kids were born, places children in homes all over the world, but by no small miracle, they were placed with families living just an hour and 45 minutes apart. The Conners are very dear to us and we look forward to many years of Tucker/Conner gatherings. Our children knew each other before they knew us, but because of us and by the grace of God, they will continue to know each other for many years to come. God is so good.

Here's just a glimpse of Dillon International's 2009 India Heritage Camp. Heather and Dillon Staff...well done!

Just catching you up on some pics from late spring/early summer.

Okay, Dustin and I have decided to start up our second adoption!!!!!!! We've already started to gather the overwhelming amount of paperwork needed to get started!
We tried to start the process in May, but Dustin got laid-off (only to get his job back a week later - crazy). His company wanted to move us to Chicago. Anyway, everything worked out and we are now ready to move forward!

Details...

Country: India

Hoping for: Preferably a boy -- the girls need a little brother!

Agency: Dillon International (of course!)

Timeline: (laugh, laugh) Only God knows!

Okay, sorry if my blog slacks a little over the next several months. I've been devoting most of my spare time to writing (not on my blog, obviously). I'm attempting to write a fiction novel. It's quite a big project, and it's one that I intend on finishing...unlike most things I start! I work a little bit everyday on my book (I'm writing my 4th chapter right now), so by the time blogging comes around, my creative juices are running on empty!

I do promise to update the blog with pictures of the girls and progress on our adoption. There may not be much to each post, but at least I'll give ya the good stuff!

God bless & please pray for our new journey!

Live To Tell...My Life in ITunes...and...Captain Morgan

2009-03-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Things have been crazy, but I'm back.

-----------------

I never do these things, but this one I thought was fun!

My Life in Itunes
RULES:
1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Have Fun!

1. IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY' YOU SAY?
The Right Place (by Taylor Hicks)

2. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF
It's No Good (by Depeche Mode)

3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Don't Stop Me Now (by Queen)

4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Lump (by The Presidents of the United States of America) -- "Lumpy" is more like it.

5. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
That's What I Believe (by Donnie McClurkin)

6. WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?
Something Fine (by Jackson Browne)

7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Interstate Love Song (by Stone Temple Pilots)

8. WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
This Is The Last Time (by Keane) --- This is my personal favorite!

9. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Eric's Song (by 12 Stones) -- Eric is my brother's name

10. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Syrup & Honey (by Duffy)

11. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Easy To Love (by Ben Webster) -- We'll have to ask Dustin about that one...

12. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
He'll Do Whatever It Takes (by Phillips, Craig & Dean)

13. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Jindi Mahi (by Panjabi MC) -- That's fitting (India is heaven)...at the dinner afterwards they better be serving Indian food as well!

14. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
White Christmas (by Bing Crosby) - I love Christmas!

15. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
One Day I'll Fly Away (by Nicole Kidman - Moulin Rouge) -- Huh, don't fear flying yet...

16. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
God (by OutKast) -- That's right...that's my secret power!

17. WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
Overnight Male (by George Straight) -- Busted! Just kidding, what?

18. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
If You Ask (by Faith Hill)

19. WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Live To Tell by Madonna

________________________________

This is great. WITHOUT ANY prompting, ask your child these questions and write down EXACTLY what they say. It is a great way to find out what they really think.

Mia - Age 3

1. What is something mom always says to you?

"It's not okay to hit."

2. What makes mom happy?
"Doing the right thing."

3. What makes mom sad?
"When I stick out my tongue."

4. What was your mom like as a child?
"Tiny."

5. How old is your mom?
"Three." (three and three is more like it...)

6. How tall is your mom?
"Big."

7. What is her favorite thing to do?
"Go outside."

8. What does your mom do when you're not around?
"Cook."

11. What is your mom really good at?
"Working on the computer." (ouch)

12. What is your mom not very good at?
"Going to the zoo." -- (It's true, I hate the zoo...well, the animal part of the zoo. They all seem SO depressed.)

13. What does your mom do for a job?
"Work with daddy."

14.What is your mom's favorite food?
"Broccoli, Chicken and Captain Morgan." -- First of all, let me tell you that I laughed until I cried, cried, cried when she said that! Where in the world did she hear about Captain Morgan (for those that don't know - that's alcohol)? I prodded her for more information and finally she said that Captain Morgan was a character on Scooby Doo. She had just watched it at her cousin's house over the weekend. But, for her to put it all together, this random little tid bit that effortlessly flowed out of her mouth could have gotten mommy a call from our local department of children's services! Honest, I've never touched the stuff...now, there are days when I think the good Captain and I should strike up a warm and lasting friendship, but honest...I've never met him!

15. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
"Target" -- That's my girl!

Pics from San Antonio!

Taken after a long hot day at Six Flags...

Mia fed the dolphins!

Seeing Shamu...nervous and delighted! Emy was so scared, she clung to me with her back facing Shamu for the entire show!
Emy and my brother...(My brother and his wife Hiley joined us on the trip).

143,000,000 orphans

2009-03-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

Don't know anything about these organizations, but the videos are great. You may need a tissue or two...I did!

Quote for the day:
"Each one of them is Jesus in disguise."
-- Mother Teresa

Hollywood Loves India!

2009-02-24T12:10:00.000-08:00

Okay, I don't need to say anything about Slumdog. If you've read my blog, you know my love for this movie! Good to see that Hollywood got it right this time! They rarely get anything right!

"Smile Pinki" won for best short documentary. I hadn't heard about this one, but I'm gonna track it down! I first heard about "Born Into Brothels" via the Oscars (BIB won for best documentary) so I guess watching the Oscars has some benefit!

If you haven't seen this documentary yet, go rent it. Dustin and I had to go to the Art Museum downtown to watch it, but when it came out on video we bought it. Here's Born Into Brothels:

If any of you saw the Oscars, I hope you caught the performances by A.R. Rahman (two of the three songs up for best original song were his). The performance included what I would guess as about 20-30 female dancers dressed in beautiful, traditional Indian clothes who danced to "O...Saya." They were later joined by the same number of male dancers and they all danced to the song that eventually won, "Jai Ho." I must say, Mia and I like "O...Saya", but "Jai Ho" is fun. Mia calls "O...Saya" the drum song. She always wants to hear the drum song! Anyway, it did my heart good to see a small part of Indian culture being celebrated in America for all the world to see!

From the second she came home, I have always played Indian music for her. She has her favorites and requests them all the time. I hope I'm able to make Indian music just some of the sounds of her childhood. I want it to be so familiar that she doesn't think twice when hearing it. I must say, it is no great sacrifice for me to listen to it! I'm a fan!

To change the subject a bit...move over Barack Obama...Mia has a new crush! More details to come...

2009-02-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks for your encouraging comments on my last post...I knew some of you had been there and would understand!

Well, my last post was a little "word-heavy" so I thought I'd just throw a few fun things in this post. First of all, I found the sweetest book at Barnes and Noble tonight. Dustin and I took the girls for a little family outing and when I read this children's book I nearly bawled right there in the store. I read it several times to Mia tonight and one page gets me every time! Maybe it's just me...I've had to stop reading her "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein (hands down my favorite book) 'cause I can't read it without crying! Well, anyway -- if I could write a book for my girls, it would be exactly like this...

Here's just another little random morsel of goodness. One of my favorite singers right now is Yael Naim...and this is one of my favorites of hers (her best in my opinion is "Lachlom", but there's no video to be found for that one). Don't feel bad if you can't understand her...she's singing in Hebrew and French.

More randomness...great song & great video...

Cute story...

Anyway, happy Friday Eve and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

The How

2009-02-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

Sitting here at home, not at church...Emy, I'm sure, is wondering why I still haven't let her venture out in over a week. She's doing MUCH better...just mom being a little extra cautious.

If you would have asked me a year ago what I'd be doing today, even with all of the "crazy" going on this time last year, I still would have said I'd be smack-dab in the middle of our second adoption. Well, one month leads into the next and still nothing. (Liberty, I was almost certain we'd be going through our adoptions together!)

Those of you who have adopted know how it goes...adoption isn't easy...adoption isn't fast...adoption isn't cheap. Although I have a biological little one, I'm not one of those women who can just wish myself pregnant and have it be so. Emy was a miracle...my pregnancy and her survival. Even if we really tried to get pregnant, the perceived risk (in my mind) for the child would be too big of a burden for my heart to handle. Can't say I'll feel this way 5 years from now, but if you ask me today pregnancy is not an option.

Who, When, How

Who...

As you know, Mia is from Kolkata. We've surrounded ourselves with everything Indian. I love the country, culture & curry! I had a passion for India before Mia and my passion has grown stronger because of Mia. I literally dream of India! But I truly have to say that India is now a part of us as much as we are, in a small way, a part of it. In a sense, we are part of it's legacy. By instilling the love of culture, the love of its people, art, dance, etc., we have woven our family into the colorful fabric that is India - and I do mean colorful! Now, with all that being said, we are still trying to be open to adopting from other countries. I would love to adopt from another country, but if I'm being totally honest...I have to ask myself, "Could I appreciate another country and incorporate another culture into our lives with as much ease as I have done with India"? Would I be doing that child an injustice by not having the same passion for their country as I do for India? The child, regardless of country, would be loved beyond measure...but with international adoption and all of its complexities...is love enough? In a sense, I feel as though my heart has made a commitment to India, but in the same breath, if God leads us to another country, I know He will give us the same passion for that country as He has given us with India.

When...

And so the clock keeps ticking and the situation becomes no less complicated. Mia will be 4 in May and little Emy is already 18 months old...so hard to believe. The average adoption, in my estimation, is around 24-32 months depending on the country. That may even be a kind estimate. You adoptive parents know, even if you start an adoption now, you won't see the fruits of your labor for years to come. I desperately want to add another child to our family. If only wishing made it so.

How...

New house, two kiddos, one income, failing economy. These are scary times for some of us. Dustin sells dental implants for a great company. Well, dental implants are an elective procedure and I'm terrified that people will elect not to have them placed! When you are in sales, the fear of layoffs is always in the corner of your mind. Guess that's where faith comes in, right? Faith, faith, faith...so easy to say, so hard to live.

For those of you that have adopted, do you ever find yourself looking at the world through the eyes of adoption. Here's what I mean:

I find myself flipping through a celebrity mag at the doctor's office or flipping the channels and come across some celebrity show and yes I stop...must be that whole "train wreck" thing right? Anyway, Mr. or Mrs. Celebrity is reported to have spent $30,000 for one night as some hotel, or $50,000 for a dinner, and....now, tell me if you've done the same...I say to myself, "That could fund our entire adoption and then some"! And it's not just celebrities. With the recent news about the bailouts, you don't have to go far to hear stories about CEO's spending as much for a day at the spa as it would cost to give a child a family.

I know, I know...I must sound bitter! But really, I can't be the only one who thinks like that! Right!? Anyway, I know there are ways...fundraisers, donations, etc. I guess Dustin and I have a hard time asking for money via fundraisers or donations, because international adoption is our choice - our privilege.

We are blessed to even be in the world of international adoption. God led us to India, gave us Mia, gave us Emy and if that's all He gives us, I would die a happy woman - happier & more blessed than I deserve I must say!

Well, for the time being - as far as our next adoption goes, it's easier for me to dream about the "who"...plan for the "when"...rather than live in the "how".

MLK, Jr. Day Parade & Pneumonia with a capital P

2009-01-26T13:34:00.000-08:00

One week ago, we as a family, marched for the first time together in the MLK, Jr. Day Parade. I have to say, I was very excited! Dustin has marched before, but this is the first time we have been able to take the girls. Our church partners with a predominately African-American church in our city and we march together in the parade as a symbol of unity & community. It was a beautiful day, a little chilly, but spirits were high as this was the eve of Barack Obama's inauguration. Whether you are a democrat or republican or neither...the mood was undeniable. The excitement was almost palpable. Here are a few pics...

Well, Thursday afternoon was spent in the emergency room with little Miss E. Come to find out, she has pneumonia and RSV. Upon release, the nurse came in and said that the doctors almost kept her in the hospital. Part of me thought, "Well, if she's bad enough that they can't decide, maybe she should stay." But, I truly am thankful that we are able to treat her from home. Goodness knows she's seen her share of hospital stays. We're just staying in and keeping a close eye on her. Am I stir crazy...yes! Would I take stir crazy over a hospital stay? To quote Sarah Palin, "You betcha"!

Mac Attack

2009-01-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, so Dustin and I bought a Mac for Christmas. We had his work laptop, but when he was at work or out of town, I was left computer-less. Just imagine the horror! So, we purchased a Mac and I'm addicted!

I'm officially checking into Mac rehab.

Random Thoughts: Mia's First Crush, Slumdog and the Life of a Trampoline

2009-01-05T13:04:00.001-08:00

Mia has a crush on Barack Obama! It all started when she was 2 years old - nearly one year ago. We never said his name much in our house, so when she yelled out "Aahk-Obama" one day (with such joy in her voice I must say) it shocked me! At 2 1/2 years old, she fell in love. Her first crush!

Every time he was on t.v. she would yell out his name! She would run up to the t.v. and try to touch him, say she wants to get on the t.v. and dance with him & even said that HE would be sad if HE didn't get to meet HER! I think she's right!

By the way, although we are excited to see Barack Obama & his family in the white house (I'll hear from some of you on that one - you know who you are) Dustin and I lean conservative/independent politically so Mia's fascination was her own creation!

I got to see Slumdog Millionaire on New Year's Day! It is rare for Dustin and I to go see a movie these days, but I had to make this one happen! Well, the Golden Globes got it right - it was GREAT! It's definitely rough and probably more realistic than I want to believe, but it's one of my favorites already. If you get a chance to venture out, I would highly recommend this movie. You can find the movie trailer on one of my recent posts.

Okay, I didn't mean to scare anyone about the trampoline thing. I should have said that nobody got hurt! We set up the trampoline on Christmas Day and the next day, we looked out our window & it was gone. It ended up in a field across the street. It has been appropriately coined by our neighbors as the "flying saucer". It lasted (in it's original state) for 24 hours before our Oklahoma wind had it's way with our trampoline. Thus, the birth & death of our Christmas trampoline. Now, before you shed many a tear, you'll be happy to know that the trampoline was resurrected to it's full glory just a few days ago. Parts replaced, frame welded to perfection and new netting...it's back in business!

christmas at a glance...

2009-01-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

Picture from our Christmas card...

The girls at Thanksgiving...

Christmas Eve - Baking cookies for Santa...
Mia and Emy painted a picture for Dustin for Christmas...yes, Emy really painted!

Mia and her ladybug pillow...
She's my ladybug!

Blocking Emy's face from the shot...Sibling rivalry at its finest!

I apologize in advance to any Texas fans...Nope, those aren't gang signs...that's Mia's spontaneous downward hook 'em horns...makes any sooner proud and brings a tear to her daddy's eye!

Rollercoaster! Thanks to their Uncle Boo & Aunt Hiley...

Trampoline for Christmas (from Santa via Grampa & Gramma)...

Grampa's turn...

Nearly takes out Mia!

Uncle Boo...
Dustin & the girls...

Gramma's turn...

And yes, I took my turn as well, but I was the camera person that day...and well, you know how that goes...always behind the camera, never in the shot.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

I'll fill you in on our trampoline tragedy tomorrow! Yikes!

A Home for the Holidays

2008-12-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

I meant to put a reminder on my blog about this show, but with the rush of the holidays, I must say I forgot. Anyway, here's a little clip from an annual show that promotes adoption. It was on CBS and is called "A Home for the Holidays". The show (that has been running for I think 10 years now) features Faith Hill, Jamie Fox, Kristin Chenoweth (all adopted) and a few adoptive parents including Renee Russo & Steven Spielberg & wife, Kate Capshaw. One of the featured children waiting for a home resembles my Mia. Kills me. I'm praying that all of these children find the home that is a perfect fit for them.

An adoption poem...

Every call has a beginning. A quiet moment when God whispers a promise to a mother’s heart. A holy place where a father bows and faithfully accepts the journey set before him. A miraculous morning that unexpectedly dawns…Casting its first light on a chosen threshold. A gentle knock..a closed door opens. A sacred invitation sent by the Father..Leads to the other side of the world. Where lonely hearts stare out orphanage windows praying for someone to care.. And then one morning, On an ordinary day an orphan’s life changes... God sends them a second chance...Through you.--author unknown

"Stole" this poem from Rocco's blog. Thanks!

Our Little "Stumbelina" & A New Family

2008-12-16T12:31:00.001-08:00

This was Mia's Christmas program debut. I believe she stumbles a total of 6 times...that's right...6! That's my girl! Hey, if you're gonna do it...do it right, eh?! If you are 3 years old & wearing new dress shoes, steps can be the devil!

Sorry about the poor video quality. I'm almost too embarrassed to post it. I don't really know what happened between my computer and YouTube. It looks fine on my computer!

Enjoy Mia vs. The Devil Stairs

And now to new family...

An online community has come together to do something special. A large group of us, 90 or so strong, have sponsored an orphanage in Ethiopia. I came upon this opportunity through word-of-mouth and by my constant & ever obsessive blogstalking. I'm assuming that some to most of us are bloggers, adoptive moms or blogstalkers. Anyway, this is something that I would otherwise keep private, but I'm so excited about what God is going to do that I wanted to share it with you and give you the same opportunity. There's a chance for the sponsors to visit Ethiopia this April, but do to finances and the hope of starting up our second adoption, I don't think it's doable for us this year. Our sponsorship is through Children's Hopechest (you can see more information about Children's Hopechest on my "Do Something" post). There are still children that need sponsorship, so if you are interested feel free to email me (angt@att.net) and I'll put you in contact with our contact person, Amy (http://bottomlysandethiopia.blogspot.com/).

Meet our new family!

Shows & Shirts

2008-12-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

If you haven't visited my blog in the last several days, please go to the post before this one to view Emy's video!

Slumdog Millionaire -- From what I've heard this is one of the best pictures of the year. It's about an orphan from Mumbai. It's generating Oscar buzz. I'm dying to see it...

Also, for all of my fellow IndiMoms out there, I found this great shirt on the web. The shirt shows the word "Please" in Bengali! Proceeds from this shirt go to support the Global Food Crisis (GFC) Fund. I don't want much for Christmas, but I've gotta have this!

You can find more gear in several languages at this site:

www.compassion.com

Quote For Today:

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one."

Mother Teresa

Emy's Video

2008-12-09T07:21:00.000-08:00

Our youngest daughter, Emy, was born over three months premature (25 weeks gestation), weighing only 1 pound 8 oz. She spent the first 3 months of her life in the NICU. Here's the beginning of her story...

Don't forget to turn up your volume.

For Emy's entire story, you can click on Emy's picture on the right side of this blog.

For those of you who haven't seen Mia's video, I'll attach it as well.

For Mia's entire story, you can click on her picture on the right side of this blog.

Twisted 12 Days

2008-12-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Heard this song on the radio yesterday...It's my favorite Christmas song of the year! So fun!

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

Where love is, there God is also.
Mohandas Gandhi

Do Something

2008-11-23T17:23:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for the video I created, see the earlier post.

Let me just start off by saying that this will not be a normal post. It's a little bit of a rant...a little bit of a challenge. Christians...shame on us. Shame on us. Shame on ME. I've asked God to show me how He can use me to help those in need. I consider myself a compassionate person, but I'm convinced that it means nothing to God for us to feel and not act. Let me repeat that, I'm convinced that it means nothing to God for us to feel and not act. Shame on me.

We as Christians have been called to care for those in need. If we are not doing so, why are we here? At the very least we are called to be Christ-like. What if Christ walked by the beggar, felt compassion towards him, then went on his way...did nothing? I hardly believe many of us would be calling ourselves Christians today.

Our church recently held our first adoption fair. It was a huge success and we hope that it connected at least a few children to their forever families. One of the foundations in attendance was Anna's House Foundation. Anna's House is a foundation that works alongside agencies, biological families and medical professionals to provide stable homes for newborn babies.

HERE'S ANNA'S STORY:

Anna was born, weighing just a little over 3 lbs., to a drug addicted mom. Pronounced clinically dead, she was rushed to Children's Hospital here in OKC. She spent the next 6 weeks on a ventilator until DHS released her to a relative who (needless to say) was couch homeless (no home of her own/stayed with friends, moving from house to house) and not equipped to care for a baby like Anna. Anna was taken back to the emergency room having lost most of the weight she had previously gained. Anna was near death and the doctors didn't expect her to survive the night. Her lungs were so damaged by the lack of care received that hope seemed lost.

Anna survived that night, and the next and the hospital became her home...the nurses and doctors her family. She stayed in the hospital for 70 days with no one to visit her but her assigned DHS worker. The foster placement workers, along with her child welfare worker, were left with their hands tied. There were newborns and infants coming into the system daily. They had a priority to place those babies without a “home” into foster homes first as there were FIVE infants and newborns in the Oklahoma County shelter alone; two of those five – just six days old. The doctors in charge of little “Anna’s” care had made a most difficult call. If she did not bond with a “mother” very soon, it was likely that she would die. Clinically, they had done all they could do, she was dying of neglect. Through the grace of God, a family heard about Anna and took her in. They have started the foundation now known as Anna's House Foundation.
http://annashousefoundation.org/

If anyone knows our story, you may know how hard it was for me to hear this (and even type this post). Our Emy, born at 25 weeks gestation and 1 1/2 lbs., stayed in the hospital the same amount of time that Anna did. I pleaded with God for her to come home...I visited her everyday, sometimes multiple times when I could. It BREAKS my heart to hear that there was a baby LIVING in the hospital because there was no home for her. I can't imagine no one longing for that child to be home. When Emy was on the ventilator and I would walk into her hospital room and she would hear my voice, her sats improved (meaning by hearing my voice she relaxed and could breath better). Imagine a baby not hearing a familiar voice, a loving touch, not having a mother (biological or adopted) praying for it every second of every day. Breaks my heart beyond words...

We live in the Bible-belt. For goodness sakes, Oklahoma might as well be the big fat shiny buckle on the Bible-belt. With as many "Christians" as we have in our midst, there is no reason that any child, no matter what age, should spend one unnecessary second in a shelter, hospital or an orphanage. Shame on us. Shame on me.

I've prayed for a challenge and boy does God deliver! Take this challenge with me. Let God challenge us and let's challenge each other. Each of us, changing one child's life, can change the world. We are not all called to adopt or be foster parents, but we are all called to DO SOMETHING.

Imagine what the world would be like if every Christian acted on their feelings of compassion...

Here are some great videos. Take a view minutes to watch....

Children's Hopechest
http://www.hopechest.org/

I found this video on a blog I visited and the next Sunday it was shown in our church service.

Advent Conspiracy
http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

Red Letters Campaign
http://www.redletterscampaign.com/

I'm currently reading this book:

Red Letters: Living a Faith that Bleeds
By Author Tom Davis
Tom's Blog: http://tomdavis.typepad.com/

No Orphans of God

2008-11-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

Happy National Adoption Month!

I volunteered to put together a slide-show for an upcoming adoption fair. This is the result. I'm very thankful to all of the talented photographers who allowed me to use their work and to all of the families who submitted photos. Also, a big thanks to my mom for being a Mac wiz (I'm now a big fan of iMovie)! I hope you enjoy the video. I had a great time making it! I hope all who see it will be challenged to help a child in need.

Turn up the volume!

Thanks to the following photographers for their contributions:

Micheal Mistretta, Dereck Bradley, Lori Scott (http://www.littlemiracles.org/), Carl Zoch (www.carlzochphotography.com), John Isaac, Robert Croma, Dave Blum, drwhimsy (flickr), Sam Powers, Bell Family, Werre Family, Connor Family, DeArmon Family, Bottomly Family

This video idea was taken from a video I saw posted by jiejie4china (YouTube name). I loved the video, but wanted to change it a little and add my own pics.

Video by myself and Julie Hall -- Music by Avalon

The Essence of E

2008-10-21T09:57:00.001-07:00

Jeez, Crap, Gosh and Oh, My Lord

2008-10-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

The other day Mia said, "Mom, we don't say Jeez, Crap, Gosh and Oh, my Lord." Knowing Mia, it was her sneaky way of getting to say all of them at one time without getting in trouble!

Beauty on a Dry Erase Board...(If you can't read 3 yr. old script, it says "mommy")...

Tiny toes...
Grampa's ultra-hip glasses...(just to be fair, he really doesn't wear them)...

"Okay, give me less 'happy', I need less 'happy'...please NO smiling"...

Good Bye City Life...Green Acres We Are There!

2008-09-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, we don't have "acres", but it's close! We are finally moving out of our temporary apartment to our new house in the country. Our house is close enough to the city that we have easy access to everything, but far enough out that we still have that quiet, small-town feel.

Boy, that U-Haul is the best looking vehicle I've seen in a long time....

The Ones Left Behind

2008-09-15T13:12:00.001-07:00

For those of you that know me or know our story through our blog, you know that we have a heart for adoption. Mia, my oldest was adopted from India and while in the process of adopting our second child from India, we became pregnant with Emy. I've combined my two previous blogs into this one. This site will not only be an online journal of our family, but also a site to promote adoption - international and domestic. This is my passion.

Our church is putting on a city-wide adoption fair this November and I've volunteered to put together a slideshow to promote the event. In my search to gather photos for the slideshow, I've come across some really powerful photos of children that need homes -- children here in the U.S. and children in many other areas of the world. I've been searching through www.flickr.com to find what I'm looking for and came across this photo. The photo isn't great, but it's description cut me to the core. It's of a little girl in a Russian orphanage. The photographer, Luke Hoersten, apparently took this while working in this orphanage for a short period of time (mission trip?).

He described this girl as being determined to be adopted. She's dressed in her best -- massive hair bow and all. She kept saying, "I'm pretty and good, I'm pretty and good" in Russian.

Ouch.

No telling how many adoptive parents she has seen come and go with their newly adopted children. I saw this picture several weeks ago and it has continued to haunt me ever since. Honestly, it's all too easy for me to forget about those children who have passed that so-called "adoptable" age. Why does it seem riskier to adopt older children? Is adoption without risk altogether? No. If God has chosen a child for our family, does it matter if the child is 5 months or 5 years? If it's meant to be, it's meant to be regardless, right?

I don't know. I've just been haunted by this picture and it has really made me think. We hope to start up another adoption when things slow down for us. I watch some of my friends and fellow bloggers as they receive referrals and travel to pick up their children. It just makes my heart yearn to do the same. I just don't know what God wants of us at this moment. We are trying to keep our hearts open and let God lead us as He did with Mia.

I promise my next post will be much lighter!

Apartment Living

2008-09-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right...Dustin, Mia, Emy, Charlie (the dog) and I are living in an apartment right now. I can just feel your jealousy radiating from my computer! In May, after having our home on the market for just two short weeks, we sold it without having found another home in the area we liked. We ended up finding a home that was being built and will be ready by the end of this month. These last (almost) 4 months have been interesting to say the least!

After living in our last house for almost 7 years, it was quite a change to go back to apartment living. Luckily, we got a lower-level unit with two bedrooms, but at times we still feel like we are loosing our minds! Johnny "lead-foot" lives above us and gets up every morning at 5 o'clock. I'm convinced he jumps everywhere he goes in his apartment! Did I mention the "critters" we have at our complex? Just one short month ago, Mia, Emy and I were literally chased into our apartment by a SKUNK! Okay, so maybe he wasn't rabid, but he was very, very close and running at us no less. We also have several families of raccoons. They are actually pretty cute - they do their dumpster-diving thing, stare at us as we drive by and leave us alone if we leave them alone (and we do).

Well, in a few short weeks we will be out of this apartment (sob, sob). Mr. Pepe Lapue will have to find some other family to terrorize!

Welcome to our new family blog!

2008-08-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

mia and emy's blogs will be combined into this one blog.