Here's Praying for Next WEEK!!!

Bummer - we didn't get our travel date today.  So we will PRAY that next week is our week.  Plus that will give us another couple weeks for donations??????  maybe???????

 Dave went to the bank yesterday to sign for a $20,000 loan - OUCH!!!!  But we always knew we wouldn't let money stand in the way of our new son!!!

Imagine if we let money stand in the way of bringing that little girl home????  

Then she wouldn't be able to rest her precious piggies on her Daddy 

in the front yard while he is wearing his PJ's!!!!  

 Because that is absolutely PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!

Just keep waiting, Just keep waiting, Just keep waiting,

Remember Dory the fish in FINDING NEMO?  She would sing "Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming"  Well, I have been singing this song since Monday.  I just switched out "swimming" for "waiting".  I know, I am super creative.

We had thought we might get our travel date on Monday and then we thought maybe we would get it on Tuesday.  And yes, then again we thought today would be the day.  Three days waiting is sooooooooo LONG when you are waiting for the date you will meet your new son.  It really is painful.  Luckily I have had a partner in this waiting game, Mrs. Sarah Basile.  We have waited together - not so patiently but really making a fun time out of it all.  I know three days probably doesn't sound like a lot but it is crazy how insane it can make you!!!!  And Dory the fish really just sums it all up so nicely - she just keeps on swimming but not making much progress!!  But I believe the message is, "Just keep swimming"!!  So not only am I creative but apparently a pretty deep thinker too!!

I found this picture today on my phone and I just love it!!  I wanted to share it with all of you.

Now what makes this picture so much fun are the expressions on these guys faces.  The girls were not even about to fake a "cheese" for a picture at the Doctor's office.  But my sweet Owen forced one out even though he was the only one that had to have a finger poke and immunizations.  But the girls - NO WAY!!!!  And Belle didn't even have an appointment and she was still pretty bitter.  These guys are so much fun all the time and I just can't believe GOD Blessed me to be their MOM!!!!!  I so can NOT wait for GAVIN to join this group!!!!

Masha & Harlene

I would like to introduce you to Masha's Family!!!!  YAY!!!!  The Rowe Family will be traveling soon (GOD WILLING) to bring home Masha and Christopher.  Masha stole my heart last year the moment I saw her.  I posted about her HERE and HERE and now she will be soon meeting her Beautiful Family!!!!!  Oh My - GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!

And then we have sweet Precious little Harlene.  And guess who her Mommy and Daddy are?????  Sarah & Shawn Basile!!!!  Zoya will be her Big Sister!!!!  Now probably most of you know that my good friends had committed to bring Laina home and Sarah explains it all very well HERE and HERE!!

Please PRAY for both these wonderful families!!!!!  

As for us - well we are hoping and PRAYING to get our travel date this week.  Oh My - I can hardly stand it!!!  I check my e/m probably 5 million times a day - I am not exaggerating!!!  Well, maybe a little!!!!  But that date is just so important and it is so thrilling to know we are getting so close.  I mean realistically we could be meeting our new beautiful son with in a months time.  So AWESOME!!!!!!!  So GOD!!!!!!!!!

Moments like this........

Remind me how very BLESSED I AM!!!!  

Conor & Jessie

Conor and his beautiful girlfriend Jessie just prior to her homecoming!!!!

It is so FUN to be a Mom of children that range from 3 years to 17 years old!  As you are chasing one around the house to put her big girl undies on your watching another head off to homecoming.   Playing Power rangers with one and watching another fill out paperwork to go to college in Ukraine.  (yes, Ukraine - who would of thought?)  

WOW!!!  I am just so BLESSED to be the MOM of these amazing children.  And to know one more beautiful guy will be joining all this fun - well I tell you - GOD is very GOOD!!!!

Conor

It is not an easy thing at all to watch your children grow up.  Although I so know it is inevitable I wish it all could just slow down a little bit.  You know???  Conor is such a handsome young man and he has the best sense of humor.  I don't think a day goes by that he doesn't make me laugh!!!!  I am so very proud of the young man he is becoming and I LOVE him with every ounce of my soul!!!!

Dave helping him with his tie :)

 Just because he can NOT help himself

 That is one Proud Mom with one heck of a Great Kid!!!!!!!!!!!

 We had to work around Belle on this one.  She had fallen asleep on the couch and I had to have a picture of Conor and his little sibs!!!!

Nick was at a college football game and Taylor was at work :(

Is there ever a time of NO TEXTING?????  Nope, I don't think so!!!!

Off he goes!!!!  My oh My - it is something to watch your son walk away a man - isn't it???

Sara wanted to go to the "dance show" with her big brother and was so not happy when he left!!!!!!

That's how Mommy feels too sweetie!!!!!!

Night Night My Beautiful Power Ranger

Another Donation!!!!!

Thank you so much to the person that donated $20!!!!!!   I am amazed that so many generous people have given to help us BRING Beautiful Gavin HOME!!!!!!!  We are so very GRATEFUL to all of you!!!!!!  Truly, we will be FOREVER reminded when we look at our sweet boy of your generosity!!!!!!!!!!!!  Thank YOU!!!

We do have to take out a loan for our adoption.  It is pretty yucky to think we will have monthly payments on our son but we HAVE to do it!  We had to take out a loan when we adopted sweet Belle too!  Of course that is paid off now - Thank GOD!!!!  This loan will be for a larger sum of money since we really weren't caught up yet after Belle's adoption.  So the bottom line is:

WE SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE EVERY DONATION

IMPORTANT:  Our Very Good Friends the Basile's are in NEED OF PRAYER!!!!!  Please Storm HEAVEN for this Beautiful Family - GOD knows the NEED!!!!!!  

I am NESTING!!!!!

Ah Ha!!!!  I am so officially nesting and I LOVE IT!!!!  I just realized it - so it is pretty exciting.  I have been organizing, organizing and more organizing since Saturday and I just figured out why I am so obsessed with all this organizing.  Well, because I am getting ready for our new addition - Beautiful Gavin!!!  He will be HOME soon -so I am glad that my body kicked in high gear to get ready!!!  I am not sure I can explain effectively how absolutely amazing it is to realize your mind, heart and soul are so ahead of the game.  It's the BEST!!!!!  Knowing that our sweet precious boy will be home soon - well, I just cry those super happy tears!!!

In addition to nesting - today is a very special day.   Today is

DAVE'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

Gavin will soon realize the importance of this very special day.  He will be as GRATEFUL as the rest of this family on this very day.  Gavin will be BLESSED with the BESTEST FATHER IN THE WHOLE WORLD and he will surely want to celebrate the day his DADDY was born!!!!!!!!

So very soon this will be Gavin being held with a LOVE he has never had the chance to experience!!!

THE LOVE OF A DADDY!!!!

So very GRATEFUL!!!!!!!!

I was beyond excited to see our adoption fund go up $50 this weekend!!!!!  Woo Hoo!!!!    Thank you - Thank you - Thank you!!!!!  It is something so SPECIAL to know that people want to help us!!!  So whom ever you are - we are FOREVER GRATEFUL!!!!!

My wonderful Friend Julie sent us a very generous donation too!!!!  We are just so super GRATEFUL!!!!  Julie's daughter Dashlyn was adopted last year too.  Dashlyn and Bellie are pretty much sisters since they did live 2 plus years under the same roof.  I so hope and PRAY to get these two girls together again some day!!!!  I also so want to HUG that very good friend of mine!!!!!!  Thank you so much Julie for being an AMAZING FRIEND!!!!!  I Love You Girl!!!!

Little Update:  Taylor, Nick, Sara and Belle are all SICK!!!!  YES SICK!!!!  I am trying to stay positive and think it is great that they are all sick while we are still home and not in EE.  Right?  Well, Tay and Nick started last week with cold symptoms.  They both had fevers over the weekend.  Sara started with asthma issues Saturday night.  So she has been getting her routine breathing treatments every 4 hours.  She does seem to be breathing better - THANK GOD!!!  And Bellie - well she has had a fever since yesterday.  Her little cheeks are bright red and she just wants to be snuggled!!!  I LOVE that I stay home now so that I can snuggle her right up!!!!  She looks at me with these pathetic little sick eyes that scream - "Thank You Mom"!!!!  This little girl is something I tell you!!!!  It doesn't matter what is going on and it doesn't matter that she isn't able to communicate in a typical fashion - she always says "Thank You"!!!!  She has taught me so very much!!!!!!

I Have to Share This With All Of YOU!!!!

This morning we were waiting for Owen's bus.

  Owen found a maple tree seed.

  He picked it up and said:

"Mom, someone left their wings"

You Sweet Sweet Boy!!!!!

Give me an "S", Give me a "U", Give me a "B", Give me a "M".......

SUBMITTED

Our dossier for Beautiful Gavin was submitted today!!!!!! 

 Oh My Goodness!!!!!!!  

If you would please close your eyes and envision me doing back handspring after back handspring, over and over again.  If I could do it in real life I so would - but since I can't - I must ask that you use your best imagination.  Feel Free to picture me looking lots like Faith Hill too!!!  Perfect - Thank You!!!!!!

And I must let you in on a beautiful little secret - I got this AMAZING NEWS from my very very GOOD FRIEND, Mrs. Sarah Basile.  How would she know you might ask??????  Well -  because The Basile Family was SUBMITTED TODAY TOO!!!!!!!  Oh My!!!!!!  The thought that we might be able to travel together is just so CRAZY AWESOME!!!!!!!  Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!

I am so super GRATEFUL!!!!!  

Thank you GOD!!!!!!!!!

Specs 4 Us!!!!

I LOVE THIS COMPANY!!!!!!!!

And I LOVE Sarah B for telling me about this amazing company!!!!!  Thanks Sister!!!!!

Specs 4 Us designs frames for children with Down syndrome!!!  So they fit PERFECT!!!!!!  Amazing Really!!!! And they are so super nice to work with!!  I sent an e/m Monday night and had a response first thing Tuesday morning.  Maria the FOUNDER asked me to call her.  So I did and she was so SWEET!!!  Maria sent us 4 frames to try on Bellie and they came today.  Also, since we don't have insurance coverage for the frames she gave us a very nice discount.  We will keep the one we like and send the others back.  She even included an envelope with postage on it to return the frames.  We tried all 4 on Belle and I have a favorite but what do you think???????

#1

 #2

 #3

 #4

 #2 AGAIN 

 #3 AGAIN

#2 and #3 fit the BEST!!  So let me know of those two which you think looks Best on our little model here.  Belle was so funny trying these on and then trying to get pictures!!!    She is becoming quite the little HAM!!!!

This is the mission of Specs 4 Us:

Our Mission:

To improve the sight and quality of life for children with Down syndrome by providing custom frames that fit their unique needs.

SPECS4US has designed a frame specially designed to fit children with Down syndrome. With a pair of Erin’s World frames your child will no longer be constrained from their eyeglasses. They will be able to explore the world freely and clearly without wearing glasses that are too big or are constantly slipping down their nose. These frames are made with your child’s unique needs in mind and solve the problems that regular eyeglasses never could.

LOVE IT - LOVE IT - LOVE IT

I Just Love A Good Picture

Sara fell asleep while - are you ready for this???????? balancing a Lego on her nose!!!!!

 Can you believe this crazy girl??????

 I wanted to get a picture of every angle 

 She slept with it on her face for about 30 minutes 

 Then I just had to take it off because I couldn't STOP LAUGHING

 Sound asleep with a Lego on her nose

 It just kills me!!!

Oh My and then this shot!!!!!  

WOW!!!!!  

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Elisha for capturing this beautiful MOMENT!!!!!! 

 I Love IT!!!!!!!!

Miss Sara Grace

The youngest member of our family started Preschool today!!!!!  Miss Sara Grace!!!!!  She was so excited this morning knowing she was going to school.  Daddy of course came home from work to make sure he was there for the Big Day too!!!!

 First we had to get in the car and drop off Owen at school - Sara was very concerned that she wouldn't be on time.  She is lecturing me here!!!

 Then we got home and started the walk to her school.  Which is conveniently right across the street!!!!

 See how excited she is???  She can not even believe this day is finally here!!!!!

 Isn't she the cutest????

 Uh Oh - Now we are at the door and Sara starts to get a little nervous

 So Daddy takes her hand and walks her in to her first day of school

 But Sara just isn't sure about all of this so she makes sure to stay close to her Daddy

 Our sweet little girl was so so so nervous

 Right back to holding on to her Dad's leg

 Still holding on!!  Just switched legs!!!!

And then it was time for Mommy's, Daddy's and one big sister (Bellie is older than Sara) to leave. 

As we left Dave asked me:

 "now, they have all our information, right? 

 they know how to get a hold of us, right?"  
I said:
"hunny - we live right across the street"

So obviously it's not just Sara with the attachment issue here!!!  LOL!!!  Love that husband of mine!!!

Sara had a very good first day at preschool. The teacher told me that she did get a little emotional a few times and told the teacher
"I think I will walk home now"

My Sweet Sweet Sara Grace!!!!

Waking up to GAVIN!!!!!

What a wonderful way to start the day!!!!!!  Waking up and seeing our beautiful little boy!!!!!  Thank you Catherine so much for sending us this picture of him!!!!  Such a BLESSING!!!!!!!

Gavin is the sweet little love sitting on the floor!!!!  Oh My Goodness!!!!!!

I Just Love Him So Much!!!!!!

And

I can NOT WAIT for him to be a part of

THIS

GOD IS GOOD!!!!!!!!

Thank you Joann!!!!!

The last donation to our account was HUGE - $150!!!!!!  Today we found out who the super generous person was that made that donation!!!!!!  It was Joann!!!!!  Joann is Bellie's Physical Therapist!!!!!  Can you believe it???  Now that is some therapist - huh???  Wow!!!!!

Bellie will have PT, OT and Speech 3 times a week, 30 minutes each session.  We are so BLESSED to work with some super FABULOUS ladies!!!!  Since we have to leave the house for PT & OT , Joann and her co-workers make it possible for us to have Belle's therapies back to back.  They manipulate their schedules to make our lives easier.   Oh My do I appreciate this!!!!!   And in addition to this, they all LOVE Belle and treat her like a perfect little princess even when she gives them a bit of an attitude!!!  These ladies are AMAZING and we are just so LUCKY!!!!  Thank you Joann, Jeanine, Liz and Tracy for being the kind of people that make a difference in the lives of children!!!!

Thank you Joann for your very generous donation - we are forever GRATEFUL!!!!!!!!

Moments I never want to FORGET!!!!!

 Sara pointing out dog poop to her Dad for pick up

wearing only undies and pink rain boots

 How much fun Sara has jumping in the rain

 Sara mowing the driveway in the rain

 When Owen ventures out in the rain even if he is a little scared

 How absolutely beautiful my son is!!!!!!!

 How these two will share an umbrella - even if it is only for a second

 How Tay came out in the rain to watch her little siblings have FUN

 I never want to forget Sara dumping the "rain" out of her boots

I don't think I could ever forget sister snuggle naps!!!!

 Belle starting to really have an interest in all types of toys

 Belle thinking all toys play music so she should put them to her ear!!!!

 How much fun just clapping hands is

 How loopy our sweet princess gets after "sleepy juice"

 How absolutely precious she ALWAYS IS!!!!!

 How she can still SMILE even though her body is telling her to SLEEP

How funny she found her own hand while under the influence of VERSED

Night, Night Baby Girl!!!!!

And I don't have a picture but I will never FORGET today, September 12, 2011 is the day our DOSSIER was delivered so that we may ADOPT a BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BOY!!!!

I WILL NEVER EVER FORGET HOW BLESSED I AM!!!!!