Final Home Study Visit

It has been a while since I have updated the Blog. A lot has happened. I had my first home visit with my social worker in February and tomorrow I will have the second face to face visit. It took a while to get the second visit due to the social worker going on a vacation. It is alright though as I have procrastinated in getting the last few things done. Procrastinated is such a harsh word, it is more like I decided to tell life it needed to be put on hold while I spend the week cramming in information about China and how the whole thing is going to go with the adoption. When you start work at 6:15 a.m. Monday through Friday, pick up children after school, take everyone here and there, go to Bible study twice a week, try and keep a house running smoothly, put dinner on the table, take time  doing activities with the kids, look at e-mails, try and work on fund raising, you know us mothers, we can go on forever........................ Needless to say, I had to say  "children take the bus home from school,"  "sorry, if you have an activity you must call someone else to take you,"  "laundry, you sit right here and I will get back to you starting next weekend."  And dinner you ask? I just said those 3 magic words everyone loves to hear "LET'S EAT OUT! " I must tell you my brain was sent into over load towards the end of the week. Mind you I have adopted a child and had 3 bio children. When people say those comments like "your taking the easy way out"  I just want to laugh and say if you only knew the real story. Anyway, tonight I said "kids we are going out and relieve the stress of all this."
I took three of the kids roller skating. Unfortunately Erica had to work so she was not able to go. Everyone had a blast. Here are some pics.

Let's get started

Having fun watching

Ice cream is cold

Air hockey after roller skating

Hey, mama can have fun too

Had a great time. Time for a slurpee 

I know there are not any pictures of them actually skating, but they did skate. I took several short videos but I do not know how to upload them.  What a great time relaxing and laughing with the kids. I actually spoke with the manager and asked her, " can a person in a wheelchair go out onto the floor?" Guess what she said? "Yes, as long as someone is pushing the wheelchair." I hope Blossom enjoys skating, in her case the wheels are just a little larger. 

Home Study date is set!

Yippee, I have set the Home Study date! I will have my home study the second week of February. The social worker I will be working with is very nice and is open to questions. She has been very helpful and has put my mind at ease.

Early picture of Blossom. Taken in the summer of 2006.

Look how she has grown. Taken in Oct 2011

Matthew 18:5 And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.

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?