Happy Birthday Jesus

Happy Birthday Jesus. Our church held three services this weekend and boy was it a packed house in each service. Our church holds approximately 1200 give or take and each service (two Saturday and one Sunday) were pretty much full.  Do more people come out of respect, tradition, or  because they know deep down that there is a God and and he is the true savior of the world? Well, what ever the reason they came today, I am happy to see so many people there and pray that each on who left a Church today that did not know Jesus on the way in will have the opportunity to get to know him as their Lord and savior. I pray that they felt something in their heart that is so different that they want more of it. I pray that their minds would be open and that they would remember what was said through out the upcoming week and they may step back into church next Sunday. I pray that anyone who has strayed away that they know that Jesus still loves them and he has not left them and he is waiting for them to come back. Happy Birthday Jesus!

Our family had our Christmas celebration together and we are all praying it will be the last one without Blossom. Only 365 more days until we do it again and next time we will have Blossom with us. Although she was not with us physically she was here with us in our hearts. Here are some small gifts we opened on behalf of Blossom.

I wish you were here. Here is your first pillow pet!

Jessica bought you a coloring book and crayons.

Nathan opened up a pair of pink camouflage slippers.

Erica opened your frog slippers. You may have to wrestle with her on these as frogs are her thing!

And Matthew opened your Winnie The Pooh slippers.

Merry Christmas Blossom!

Happy Birthday Blossom

Today is Blossom's 6th birthday! Although we were not able to celebrate her birthday with her we were able to get a birthday present package to her. A few weeks ago a couple from my brother Gary's church went to China to pick up their new son and brought our care package with them.

Remember this?

well  take a look at this.........

What a great fitHere are some other pictures of Blossom's birthday

Look what my mama sent me for my birthday. I got a new hand made dress,  baby doll,  photo book with pictures of my family, some slippers, tights, hair ties,  red Chinese outfit, pajamas, and yes my very own Bring Blossom Home handmade hat/scarf .

I am queen for the day!

What a gorgeous cake! I love it that they wrote Blossom in English.

Looks like she is saying "o.k. o.k. already no more pictures, I want some cake!"

With that we say Happy Birthday Blossom! I am looking forward to you spending your 7th birthday at home with all of us. Romans 1:9-10 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by telling others the Good News about his son.  One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.

I was so happy to find these in my e-mail this morning. How is it you can start the day at 5:00 a.m. smiling and crying at the same time? I feel so blessed and am soooooo soooooo very thankful to everyone who has helped me so far on my journey to bring Blossom home. A big thank you to our Lord for making this all possible.

OOPS!!!!!!!! I lost it all with the click of a button!

Such frustration! My sister in law Diane and I have has worked and worked on getting a fundraising site up and going. When we were ready to attach the site to my blog with the click of the button I accidentally deleted all of my pages at the top of my blog! Grown...... UGGG.......Sigh....... Grown......... Oh how my heart sank and I just hurt so deep with in my core. I just sat in shock staring at the screen. REALLY?  Hours and Hours spent plinking away at the keyboard gone in just one click? Yes, it's true they are gone somewhere out there in cyber space floating around. After telling my children, they were like "didn't you save them?" I looked back at them blinking my eyes and said "save them?"  "Oh you can do that?" Needless to say I am not so computer savvy.  So I will add the pages I once had and this time I will save them! Well, the good news is that we added the fundraising site tonight. Diane, my mother in law Gail, and I ( mostly those two) have put together some really great hats/scarfs. Please take a look and if so moved make a donation for one, two or several. Thanks everyone! The Lord hears his people when they call him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. Psalms 34:17

Blessed with Home Study Fees!

I have been so very busy with the holiday that pasted and the upcoming ones. I just wanted to let everyone know that the Lord has blessed me with the funds to begin our home study! PRAISE GOD! PRAISE GOD! I am so so very thankful to our Lord for allowing his people to be moved and step out and help me to bring Blossom home. Now I must begin the next phase of the journey and get together paperwork and meet with the social worker and complete the home study process. A huge thank you to everyone who blessed me and Blossom.

 Between both of my sister in laws, my daughter Jessica, son Matthew, and myself we were all able to make enough hats for each of the children at Harmony House. Each child will receive a hand made hat and a pair of purchased gloves. Every child was prayed for while their hat was being complete. I was also able to finish sewing Blossom's dress and get together a few birthday gifts. Blossom's birthday is  December 20th. She will be 6 years old. I am so excited that she will be here next year for her birthday. A family form my brothers church was able to transport the care package to Beijing and it was picked up an taken to Harmony House. I hope to be able to share some pictures later on showing Blossom's birthday party and maybe a few children with the hats!
Here is the latest pic of my little lady!

A day spent in prayer

I am sending out a plea to everyone. I am asking everyone to take some extra time tomorrow Sunday, Nov 13 and go away from all the distractions in life. Maybe to a park, go for a walk, or just sit in the car and lift Blossoms adoption to the Lord. Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father, who sees everything will reward you. Right after church tomorrow which is around 10:30 a.m. pacific time I will get away from everything and spend uninterrupted time with my Father. I know the Lord wants me to bring Blossom home and I know it will be in his time. The things I will be lifting to our Lord and ask if you will also is Patients, patience that I will not be discouraged in my wait. Raising the money needed to begin the home study. I received PA almost a month ago and still have not been able to begin the Home study. I need prayer that the Lord will provide this money through fundraising and just plain old donations. Matthew 18:19 Again I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done by my Father in Heaven. I am trying so hard to get some fundraising ideas together and just have not been successful. Please pray that these ideas will begin to come together and materialize. Prayer that once the funds are available that the home study will be quick and go off without any problems.
I know everyone who has had the experience of adoption knows that waiting is so so hard. It will stretch you until you feel as though you will snap in half. You can begin to question yourself  "am I doing the right thing?" "Is this what God wants?" and question after question will arise. I know that the Lord wants me to bring Blossom into our family and to tell you the truth she already is. This whole experience has taught me that God's people care about this little girl.

I can not explain the feeling of wanting to bring Blossom home. That anguish that she is there just out of my reach. The pain of knowing she will once again go to bed without her mommy to tuck her in and kiss her on the check. The thought of her wondering if she will have a family to tuck her in at night and kiss her on the cheek. The pain that I have missed out on 30 more days of her life, never to regain them. For most of you, you know these feelings you were there at one time. So again I send out a plea to Gods people to take time away from life tomorrow and pray with me to get Blossom home.

Who could resist this smile?

Meet the Johnson Family From Idaho

With their permission, I would like to introduce the Johnson family from Idaho.

Lisa (mom) Darren (dad) Hillary (oldest daughter) Mary (youngest daughter) Joe (son).
I was introduced to this beautiful family a couple of weeks ago. Lisa and her family have been praying about Blossom. One night Lisa had a dream about Blossom. Lisa said she rarely has dreams and to remember it was phenomenal. This is the dream she told me. Lisa clearly saw Blossom being greeted at the airport by an exuberant American family!! Lisa remembers the mom not being too tall, dishwater blond, light brown hair and I thought she was wearing glasses. Lisa remembers there being a tall man, kind of bald with dark thin hair and glasses and a mustache, not skinny, and I thought "WOW he kind of looks like a pastor I used to know" Lisa then woke up! Lisa said she didn't know if the man would be Blossoms father or not, he seemed like he was making sure all went well.
Later when the Johnson family was having their new home built (another blessing from God) she unpacked Hillary's ECO communication computer. Lisa began thinking what am I going to do with this computer and all the equipment that goes with it? It's new and and it would be wonderful for the right person! And Blossom came clearly to her mind. You see Hillary had been given a new eye gaze computer to use.
This is a picture of Hillary and the ECO communication computer.

Lisa began to plan on how to bring this ECO computer to Blossom in China but then heard Blossom had a forever family in process! So she thought it would be better to hold off and get it to her new family so they could learn to use it. I will defiantly need to learn how to use it. I have had experience using a communication computer with a client I worked with several years ago but he had been using it for years and I only had to put him in his wheelchair and turn it on. He did the rest.
The ECO is very high tech.It comes with a built in DVD player, mp3 player, a cell phone, and can be programed as a remote to control the T.V. or even turn the lights off and on!! Praise the Lord.
As I have said before many many people have said over and over again that Blossom seems to understand what is going on in her environment. She follows people with her eyes and watches the children play. She smiles and laughs at the nannies when they do something funny. She even babbles at people like she is really trying to let them know something. If you just sit back for a moment and imagine how frustrating it would be to say.... be wrapped up in a blanket only having your head and eyes to communicate, no speaking allowed. Now lets say you have a headache so you start to cry and someone comes to you and tries to console you. They say what's wrong? But you can only cry. What are the chances that that person is going to figure out that your head hurts just because you are crying? Yes, through much process of elimination they may at some point figure it out, but it is unlikely. I do this game over and over everyday in my job. And let me tell you it is extremely frustrating to know that someone is in pain, hungry, sad, wet, frustrated, tired (I could go on and on) and not be able to get it right, to help them feel better. Now just imagine someone puts a device right in front of you and you can use this device to tell people "I have a headache, please give me some tylenol and rest". Your needs are met right then and there.
I really can not tell you if Blossom will be able to use this device or not. She may not but what a blessing, a true miracle actually if you think about it to be given the opportunity to try!
I am soooooooooooooooo soooooooooooooooo thankful to the Johnson family for listening to our Lord. Thank you to Hillary for being a fighter and letting people know, I am here, and if you let me I will show you who I am.
Thank you Father for this family being put into Blossoms life.

Do You Hear It?

Do you hear it? Listen............. It's the Angels rejoicing and dancing because another child has a family to call their own! Yes everyone I received PA today!!! Praise the Lord!! I know some of you know who my daughter is but for others it will be a surprise. So without further A  do.......










Drum Roll Please............................

My daughters name is..............

There is a whole lot of excitement going on around here!!! Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

2 Timothy 4:7  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

I hope everyone is as excited as I am. Please take some time and enjoy my Blog.

Passing time

When I sent my LOI paperwork in wouldn't you know it, China was beginning their week long Trade Fair. So my waiting for PA did not even begin until 10-10- 2011. Sigh..... So I decided to begin sewing a birthday gift for my little girl. It is a cute little blue dress. The bottom has a lime green band with little cupcake print on it. It also has a matching hat.

We also spent time making some improvements in the front yard. We moved two and a half tons of pea gravel from the driveway to the front walkway.

Nathan worked so hard he had to lay down for a while.

We had some fun.

We have  more to do. I can't wait until it is complete. So as I wait I will accomplish many task.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ." Philippians 4:6-7

LOI is off to China. Bye come back soon with PA!!!!

I received an e-mail saying my LOI paperwork was sent to China today. Now I wait on pins and needles to see if we are approved. I have been praying that China will come to a decision quickly. This little girl needs to come home as soon as possible and begin therapy soon after. She has a lot going on with her medically and the sooner she gets here the better. I also begin to realize the ominous task of trying to fund raise for this adoption. "LORD, you brought this adoption to me, I know if it is your will then you will have a way to see that I am able to proceed." "Again I lift my concerns to you Father and ask that my path be clear and not cluttered with worries. Amen"
I posted a family picture of our little happy family. Quit a handsome group if I do say myself.

LOI paperwork is complete!

Let us rejoice and be glad in Him! I just sent the rest of my completed LOI paperwork to the adoption agency. I am so happy. Now, I pray that the CCAA will have a soft heart and allow this precious little girl to come home.  I wonder how long I will wait?  The good news is,  it is the beginning of a new week so I will be busy with work, kids, church, life...... So many things to do to keep my mind off of it. RIGHT? Like a child waiting for Christmas morning I will wait with heightened emotion. The Lord is moving for this little one. When I become anxious I will offer my inpatients to him. I will fill my thoughts with how the Lord has plans for her. Jeremiah 29:11" For I know the plans I have for this little girl," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper her and not harm her,  plans to give her hope and a future." I trust in this verse. I hold tight to the promise that the LORD gave me about this child.
I hope very soon I will post who this child is.

LOI paperwork almost complete!

     I  complete my physical on Friday 9-30-11. That will be my last piece of paperwork to turn in for my LOI to be complete! I am excited to be complete this piece of my of my journey along the Blossom trail. I wonder how long I must wait to receive PA? I hear some receive it in a matter of a few days to a week or so. This journey has already started out rough. It took 6 months to have her file complete and last week I learned that the home my daughter is staying in will be closing down. This is due to the Chinese government finding out that this home supports an underground ministry. I am very sad to think about my little girl being returned to her orphanage. Although she is 5 years old she is so small and unable to communicate that she needs attention. I have prayed and prayed that the Lord will soften the governments heart and allow the home to stay open. The Lord is so merciful and I know he is looking out for my daughter. I am praying that no matter what happens she will be comfortable both physically and emotionally.
      It wont be long now until I spill the beans  who my daughter is. I will be shouting from the roof tops!! Well, maybe not the rooftops because it's along way down. Hee Hee. I hope the next time I post it will have my daughters name in BIG letters across the top. And pictures to show everyone!! Please continue in prayer for this adoption.

I have my little girls file!!!

I am a little late, but as of Aug 30 my little girls file has finally been sent to the adoption agency!!!! PRAISE THE LORD! I am soooo excited. I have waited 6 very L  O  N  G months for her file to be re written and sent to the adoption agency. So I am at work Friday listening to a wheelchair repair man tell me about what the problem is with my clients chair  and my phone rings. I immediately recognize the number. I almost pass out.  I say hello in my most calm voice. My social worker begins to tell me that the file is complete and she will send it to me in my e-mail in about 5 mins. I'm moving all over like a little kid that needs a bathroom, my voice becomes much higher and I feel all the blood in my body rush to my face. I'm looking at the wheelchair repair man and I wondering if he thinks I am going to pee all over his workshop floor. I have a grin from ear to ear. I begin thinking, she said e-mail in 5 mins! And I have 5 1/2 hours left at work.  I finish my phone call, and the wheelchair repair man says "looks like someone got some good news". I give him a quick overview of what just happened and load up the wheelchair and head back to the office. So I begin driving my bus and I just bust out laughing. I am side splitting laughing. That kind of laugh that makes your face and side hurt. I also begin crying!! All at the same time! I am praising the Lord and thanking the Lord. What a ride. I get back to the office and I find my son Nathan. I tell him what just happened and he says lets use my cell phone. I look over the file and there are 3 new pictures attached as well!!!  What a great day. I can hardly wait until I get off work to tell my other children. One by one they get home from school and work, each one is excited and loves the pictures of their little sister. 

The file is in translation!

We are moving along slow as it may be we are moving. My little girls file in in translation. I still have not heard any definite news but I am still prying that things will work out. Meanwhile I am creating a quilt for her. I am having so much fun putting this quilt together. I have no pattern to follow and no real clue on what I am doing but I must be doing something right because it is turning out sooooo cute. As I work on the quilt I imagine the day she will sleep under it. It helps me focus on prayers for her. Much love is being stitched into this quilt. I hope when it is finished I will be able to figure out how to put a picture of it on this blog. I am also starting to make a introduction scrap book about her new family. As I generally work very slowly when I craft I should start now. I am going to write a little on each page in English and then ask my sister in law if she would have her friend translate it into Mandarin Chinese for me.   

Crafting, Crafting, Crafting,

In order to bring my little girl home from China I need to raise some serious money. My sister in law and I have racked and racked our brains on fund raising ideas. We have spent many, many hours brain storming on what we can craft that people will want to buy. We have come up with several ideas and have begun creating them. I am waiting to reveal our products until I gain PA from China. Then I hope everyone will buy three or four of everything!
The last time I posted I mentioned we were waiting for our little girls file to be completed and sent on to the local government for approval for her to be put back on the adoption list. Praise the Lord her file was completed and was sent on!!!
Please continue to hold this very special adoption up in prayer.

Grandma and Grandpa are in the loop!

 G-ma and G-pa were up from San Diego this week. We were very nervous as my family has not told them about our desire to adopt a little girl from China. Jessica and Matthew spent several days preparing a DVD about our plans. To say the least they were in aw. They knew something was going on but were unsure of what it was. At one point in the video G-ma thought we were going on a mission to China. It is a mission just not the one they were thinking. This mission has a great gift that comes home with us! They are excited and now I feel a great weight lifted from my shoulders. Please continue praying for the Lords hand to be all over this little girl and for her file to be completed and sent to the CCAA soon. I will reveal her name once I receive PA from China.