Monday, October 31, 2011

Where was Belle last year for Halloween?

It's so hard to even believe last year Belle wasn't with us for Halloween.  What do you mean she hasn't been here since she was born???  Really????   Where was she last year then??   Well unfortunately, last year our sweet girl laid in the same crib she had been confined to for about 30 months in an orphanage in Ukraine.   She had no idea that a Mommy and Daddy were coming to get her.  She had no clue at all that she had two sisters and three brothers waiting for her to come home.  She could never of imagined the crazy amounts of hugs, kisses and snugs that would be coming her way.  So I can only assume last year this time she was banging her head feverishly and scraping her thumbs continuously on her decaying teeth.  She most likely had a bruise and lump on her head where she banged it and her thumbs were raw with bleeding blisters.  I am sure she didn't cry because what good would it do.



This year is much different!!!

Bellie woke up this morning smiling.  Her Mommy picked her up and held her tight knowing how BLESSED she is to have such a sweet little girl.  She was carried out to the living room where her big brother Owen yelled "Happy Halloween Sister Belle".  She laughed.  She sat on the couch and drank her juice.  Then her sister woke up and came running out to sit with her on the couch.  Trying to hug and kiss her.  Belle was too busy drinking her juice so she laughed.  Owen got on the bus to school but not before he kissed Belle goodbye.  And he reminded her that tonight was "trick or treat night".  She laughed.  Then it was time to eat breakfast.  Belle had eggs, sausage and toast.  Next her Mom helped her get her Halloween shirt on and it was time to head to therapy.  When therapy was over, she showed off how good she could walk today.  Her Mom was so excited, picked her up and squeezed her tight she laughed.  Then we headed back home.  Belle had some applesauce for snack and her Mom read her and her sister a book she laughed.  Owen came home from school and told us about his day.  Belle laughed.  We played duck duck goose - she laughed.  Lunch time and Belle had chicken nuggets, tater tots and a banana.  Her Dad came home and she lit up with the biggest smile she could find.  He picked her right up and tickled her like crazy.  She laughed like crazy.  She showed Dad how good she could walk today and she laughed.  She hung out with her Dad for a little bit and then it was time for him to go back to work.  So she played a little on the living room floor and started to rub her eyes.  Her Mom asked her if she wanted to go "night night".  She laughed.  So her Mom carried her to her crib, gave her lots of hugs and kisses and laid her down.  Her mom made sure she had her phone that played her favorite music and her teether.  Belle laughed.  Then she feel asleep for her nap.


Happy Halloween Sweet Belle!!!

Rally for Charlotte!!!!!

Look at this Beautiful Princess


Her Mommy and Daddy have a date to meet her but they are still short on funds!!!!  They need a little over $900 by the end of the day today!!!!!!!  Please - every little bit helps - anything you are able to give to this family would be so AWESOME!!!!

Please go HERE and be a part of helping Charlie get home!!!!!!


Thank you - Thank you - Thank you!!!!!!!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Halloween Fun

So many fun things going on for this Halloween season.  Owen is beside himself with crazy excitement.  All of these activities to wear a costume out in public is a dream come true for him.  Oh he is having a BLAST!!!!

We are so BLESSED to live in a community with a Children's Safety Village.  It is this beautifully constructed little village with streets, buildings, traffic signs, etc...  It is AWESOME!!!  It was built to educate children of our community about Fire Safety and Bicycle Safety.   Well this is the second year that they have hosted an incredible Safe Fright Night.  So Wednesday evening we got the three Little's dressed up and off we went.  Dave was in charge of pictures - um - well yes, he is the most Amazing Dad ever but not so much of a photographer.  So this is what we got:
 Red Power Ranger and Pretty Pink Butterfly
Bellie the little brown Monkey


Then Thursday Sara's preschool had a Halloween party.  

 Bellie was invited too!!  So fun!!!  She is not happy that I am only allowing her to have a bag of tim bits and not the big plate of treats.  She is sooo giving me the stink eye with a "Really Mom??????"
 Sara and her best friend Mikael!!  Don't they make a cute couple?
 Sweet Belle!!


Then today - Owen had his school Halloween Party!!!  I can not even tell you how out of his mind with excitement he was.  It is so so so so fun to watch him!!!  Oh My - I just LOVE it all!!!!  

 Of course I was crying when he saw his Dad in the doorway.  He was so excited and proud!!!  
Have I mentioned how grateful I am for my life????  If not, boy oh boy I sure am!!!!
 All dressed and talking to Captain America.  They were trying to decide who was stronger. No conclusion was made sadly.
 Okay - I probably don't have to squeeze the life out of my children for a picture but I just can't help myself!!!
 Oh do I LOVE this picture!!!! 
 Three super hero's planning out how in the world they are going to save the day with all these adults around!!!  Spidey is making an entrance to the meeting so maybe he will have an idea!!
 Look at this group!!  WOW!!!!  So Fun!!!  And my beautiful boy front and center with the Biggest Smile!!!! I am so in Love with that little man!!!!
And there he is, Owen Power Ranger Police.  Just taking it all in!!!  
How ever are we going to explain when Tuesday comes that it is all over?????????
HELP!!!!!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Dave & Bellie

Thank you so much for all your comments on the Bellie walking video!!!

Jane - Yes, Bellie wears little orthotics for her ankles every day.  They have made a huge difference.

Also, I forgot to mention that Belle is now receiving PT and OT 3 times a week for 30 minutes each.  I am positive this is making the BIG difference in her steps lately!!!

Dave & Bellie

The truth is Dave & Bellie have recently found this crazy bond!  I honestly thought I would be Belle's "favorite" forever!!  I was counting on it!!  But that little stinker is so in LOVE with her Dad that when he is home she doesn't even know I exist.  I'm like "Hello Bellie - Remember me??????".  Nope, she wants to be with her Dad and that's it.  So if you watched the video of Belle walking - this is why she has to stop after step 3 to get some Love from her father.  And this new found LOVE goes both ways.  Guess who I found in my bed last night???????  Yep, Miss Belle!!!!  Her Dad had his arms wrapped around her tight, whispering in her ear "night, night pretty girl".   And she just laid there eating it all up!  Smiling away!!!!  So I got in to bed and just watched these two.  I can't think of many things I have ever enjoyed more.  They just snuggled for about an hour, talking, smiling, giggling.  It was so AWESOME!!!  Then they both just slowly fell asleep, Dave still with his arms wrapped around her.  Then she wiggled out - I assumed she was going to come over and snuggle me but NO - she put her head on her Dad and fell right to sleep.  I couldn't help but think of Belle's birth father.  The orphanage director told us that her birth father called to check on her often and would stop in the orphanage to check with the Director on how she was doing.  He even called the day we first met Belle as if he knew maybe that her life that day was about to change forever.  He never would go see her - the director said it was "too difficult for him".  So I couldn't help but wondered if he could ever of imagined that a Man on the other side of the ocean would come to adopt his daughter.  Give her his last name.  Work hard to support her and make sure she had everything she would need.  Hug her.  Kiss her.  Love her unconditionally Forever. Do you think he could ever even fathom that this same man would hold her tight, tell her how pretty she is and fall asleep with her in his arms?  I PRAY that he does know.  I PRAY that he has PEACE!!!  I PRAY that he knows that her Daddy is forever GRATEFUL to him for creating this rare beauty that he is BLESSED to call his DAUGHTER!!!!


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

So Many Things I Want To Post

I have days that I have no idea what to post and then today I have a million things I want to share.

I WANT BADLY TO BRING GAVIN HOME NOW!!!!!!!


I am so heartbroken that beautiful LYLA (Lilianna) still doesn't have a family!!!!
 PLEASE GOD FIND HER A FAMILY!!!!!!!!!  


Sara had her first Field Trip!!!!  YAY!!!!  We went to the Busti Cider Mill and watched how they make apple cider.  So FUN!!!!  I didn't get to go on many field trips with the big kids when they were little and I realize now how much I missed :(  

Look at that smile!!!  I am so BLESSED to be able to go on field trips now!!!!

Owen LOVES to use the laptop now.  He is getting pretty good at using the mouse too.  But, there is one problem still with our little man.  Why don't I just show you.


Owen also recently has been able to convince his Dad that he is "big" enough to use the camera.  So when I copied the photos from my camera to computer today - I found a lot of this

 Lots of dog bum and Owen feet

Many, Many angles of pictures of our Lucy's rear end.  So is it a coincidence that I took a picture of Owen's bum and now he photographs the dog's bum????  Oh boy!!!!

I am so excited to share this Amazing way to Raise Awareness for EB.  And Raise Money!!!!!!


For more information Please Go HERE!!!!!  

and take just a few moments to watch this video


As I have said many many times these two have showed me a whole new world of LOVE


Have you ever seen a more Beautiful Love????????

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Will Belle ever walk?

Will Belle ever walk?  I have asked myself this question a million times.  While visiting with Belle in the orphanage if we would put her in a standing position she would grimace in pain and her little skinny spaghetti legs would shake and then just give out.


It was so AWFUL!!!!   But we knew we had to strengthen up those little legs!!  


We were not home long and she started standing for longer periods of time.  It was AMAZING!!!
Belle started PT and OT in late April - 2 times a week for 30 minutes each


In June(5 months home) Belle was pulling herself up in her crib.  It was so AWESOME!!!!


In July she was pulling her self up on the couch and climbing up!!!  WOW!!!  Go Bellie!!!!


So she was doing GREAT - maybe her progress wasn't as quick as we had thought it should be but we were just so PROUD of her!!!!
But she still wasn't taking very good steps with assistance.  When we would try and get her to take steps she would bring her little bum to the ground so she could scoot!!  So I honestly wasn't sure if she would ever walk.  Well, things are very different now - THANK GOD!!!!!

Belle is taking GREAT steps with assistance now.  YAY!!!!!  What I have realized though is that she has to put so much effort in to each step.  When her siblings learned to walk it was so different.  They would just take step after step - as if it came "naturally".  Well, it just hasn't come "naturally" for our sweet girl yet.  Every step is so much work for her.  But she doesn't GIVE UP - she just keeps trying!!!

Now when Belle is really hungry I can stand her up at the oven.  She will hold on to the oven door handle and  
reach over for her highchair and take 2 beautiful steps.  I LOVE watching her do this!!!!!


Okay, here is a video from today!!

 Introducing the Beautiful Steps of Miss. Isabelle Spitz!!!



So, will Belle ever walk?  
YEP - She Sure Will!!!!!
I think it would be so WONDERFUL if Bellie would be walking before her 4th Birthday in February.   So that is the goal folks!!!  And if we don't meet it - No biggie!!!  We will just set a new one!!!!  

Friday, October 21, 2011

Blog Hop

Okay - I am joining a little late but I absolutely LOVE this concept and had to jump in!!!!!!


Go to the above link and check it out!!!!!!


Thursday, October 20, 2011

Let's Help Get Charlie Home!!!!!!

Money, Money, Money

Money is the big nasty wall standing between Kelly and her daughter Charlie!

Can you imagine not being able to save your daughter because of money??????

Please take a look at this AMAZING GIVEAWAY and be a part of the SOLUTION that brought a beautiful little girl HOME to her forever FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!


Look at her!!!!!  
Oh my - it is sooooooooo time for her to come HOME!!!!!!!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Wow - GOD IS GOOD!!!!!!

Today was the day that Sarah & Shawn Basile met the most beautiful teeny tiny Princess!!!  Her name is Mila Hope and she is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!!!!

Oh My Gosh!!!!  I can't even believe the LOVE that screams from the pictures on their blog!!!!  


Isn't it just so amazing how Shawn, Sarah and Mila were meant to be together forever????  It doesn't matter if an ocean is between a mother and her daughter - they will indeed find each other.  
GOD MAKES SURE OF IT!!!!!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Please Pray for Nathaniel and Family

Oh my - I have absolutely no idea what to even say.  So I ask that you please visit the blog of this family and PRAY, PRAY HARD for them and handsome little Nathaniel!!!!

http://savenathaniel.blogspot.com/2011/10/we-are-devastated.html

I am just so sick about this!!!!  What in the world?????????????

Can she get any cuter?????

 Belle absolutely LOVES to get comfy in Mommy & Daddy's bed!  She is so funny!!!  She pulls the covers up and she is so PROUD!!!!!  Oh and in case you might wonder why she often has a cell phone -  she listens to music.  It was the best thing we could think of that she could hold with ease.
 I Love when she makes this face!!!  
 So very PRECIOUS!!!!!
 And just as SWEET as can be!!!
 LOVE HER - LOVE HER - LOVE HER - LOVE HER
I call this her "learning face"!!!  She just takes everything in.  Even what seems so simple to most people Belle finds absolutely interesting!!!!!  My Goodness this girl teaches me so MUCH!!!!!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Thank You ALL!!!

Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments you left on my last post!!  You guys are the BEST!!!!

Jill - Thank you for understanding completely as you too know about Christmas away from home!!

We truly are trying to stay super positive.
1)  Halloween is Owen's favorite - so I am so HAPPY we will be able to celebrate with him.  This will be Bellie's first Halloween so that will be so special!!!
2)  I LOVE Thanksgiving so MUCH!!!  Conor and I cook all day and Nick and I shop on Black Friday and go out for breakfast!  And of course, Belle's first Thanksgiving!!!   These are 3 very important dates so knowing we will be here is nice!!!
3)  Sara's preschool is having a field trip to a cider mill and I get to chaperone next week - YAY!!!  So FUN!!!
4)  The thought that MOLLY might be able to come and stay with the kids to help my Mom - Oh My that is the BEST EVER!!!!!  If we are gone during her Christmas break!!!  (Thank you so much Molly for that Amazing offer)
5)  We have some time to raise some more money.  This is HUGE!!!  Since now we will not be able to claim the tax credit offered to adopting families in 2011.  This HURTS!!!!  This is how we planned to pay back our loan.  But since Gavin will not be home until 2012 we will not qualify.  OUCH!!!!!!

So these positives only have to do with us.  I can NOT come up with one positive for poor Gavin having to stay in an orphanage for 2 more months or more.  YUCK!!!!  Poor little Buddy - I sure do LOVE him and I can't do a thing..........  UGH!!!!!!!!!!!

I found this picture the other day and I just LOVE it soooooooooo Much.  I wanted to share with all of you!!!!

Is that the best "pucker up" you have ever seen?????

Friday, October 14, 2011

Some Yucky News

In addition to some other yucky things going on in this house, we just received an update on our adoption process.  UGH!!!!  We have to WAIT!!!  More unfortunate is that Gavin has to Continue to WAIT!!!!   A new agency is handling all adoptions where Gavin lives.  Well, they took over last week.  So, it will take them some time to be fully staffed and become familiar with all operations of adoption.  Obviously I understand as it only makes sense.  But, the bottom line is that we probably will not receive our invitation (travel date) until the beginning of December at the earliest.  The chance that our sweet little boy will be home this year is very very slim the way I understand things.  So He waits...........  The scariest part is that he will be 4 years old in May.  Now it is a known fact that orphans with Down syndrome or other special needs are transferred to an adult mental institution after their 4th birthday.  So Please Please Pray that our sweet precious little boy will continue to stay in the baby house until we can get him!!!!  Please Pray that he knows we Love him and we would leave tomorrow if we could to bring him home.  Thank you so much!!!!!!

I PROMISE 
 Mommy & Daddy are coming Sweet Boy!!!!!!!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Tripp Roth

I have posted a few times about a very special beautiful little boy named Tripp!  I have been inspired beyond words when it comes to sweet Tripp and his mother Courtney.  


Conor had to write a paper for his English class.  A paper about a life changing experience.  I didn't realize at 16 he could write this:

I don't remember what I was doing exactly, but I walked up from the basement, probably from playing a video game or browsing the internet. I had walked upstairs to see my mother crying on her laptop. Normally I would be alarmed by the sight, but recently this was an occurring event. She had recently become a blogger, sharing information about our family and the process we've gone through of adopting a special needs child from a different country. Through her blogging, she had found families going through similar events, and other families asking for prayers and support.
"What's wrong Mom?" I asked her.
"Come watch this video," she told me in between tears. She began to tell me that she was looking at a blog titled ""EB"ing a Mommy." This was not the first time I had found her looking at this blog, and certainly not the last. I had never really taken a deep interest in it, seeing every time my mom was looking at it she was crying. She always tells me to come look at the heartbreaking stories she finds, and I don't like to look at them because I know that I too will become emotional. But this time I went over and looked at the pictures of a baby boy, whose face and body were covered with large sores.



Tripp, born May 14, 2009, and was diagnosed with Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa. This is a disease where any friction on the skin or mucous membrane causes blisters to form. They told Tripp's mom that her baby boy probably wouldn't live to see his first birthday. A lot to take in, but she did not hold back any love for her precious baby. A lot went on the first couple months of Tripp's life, mostly trying to find as much information as possibly, and trying to find solutions to many problems as well. He had trouble breathing and eating due to sores in his throat and mouth. After attempts to help his breathing, the only solution was for Tripp to get a tracheostomy ("trach"). Following his tracheostomy were many eye surgeries resulting from many corneal abrasions and tissue growth over his eyeballs. Soon enough, Tripp lost his vision.


Reluctantly, with the fear of crying, I joined my mom and sister in watching a slideshow of pictures of Tripp . Needless to say the three of us were crying, heartbroken from the unfortunate events that have affected Tripp's life. But it didn't stop there. We watched videos of Tripp playing drums, scooting from drum to drum, playing perfectly to the rhythm. "How old is he Mom?" I asked.
"Only two," she responded.
"And he can play the drums that well?"
"Crazy isn't it?"
“He’d probably grow up to be a music prodigy,” my sister added. We all agreed. We also looked at pictures of the sores that covered his body and looked at endless pictures of him smiling and playing. Through all the pain, Tripp can still smile. I soon began to realize how lucky I am to be healthy, how lucky I am to refer to a small bruise pain, how lucky I am to have my vision, how lucky I am to not have to worry about being careful of my sensitive skin, and also how lucky I am to have found something that could make me realize how fortunate I am to be blessed with the life I have. It's sad that a suffering boy has to be the eye opener for me, and if I could I would do anything to give him better health. I never was a religious person, but at that moment I made a promise to God that if he would take pain out of Tripp's life, even if it was only for a day or two, that I would never ask him for anything else, for as long as I live.
We finished up watching the videos so I hopped in the shower, and took some time to relax. It couldn't have been more then five minutes when I decided that I needed to learn more about Tripp. So I went downstairs and got on the computer and read posts about Tripp and learned what the disease was and the chances that Tripp would get better. There isn't a cure for Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa, and right now they're just trying to make Tripp feel comfortable because things aren't going so well. I pray for Tripp, for him to have better health and to be able to live 
like a healthy child. I will occasionally look and see how Tripp is doing, somewhat afraid that my hope for him to get better hasn't occurred yet. I would do anything for him to get better, almost like an exchange for him changing my life.

Monday, October 10, 2011

So Loved

This little girl is so LOVED by her big brothers.  They are absolutely SMITTEN with her.  Sometimes it's a fight for who is going to hold her.  And we wonder why she isn't walking yet?????  Ha Ha - well, when you have 7 family members that can't walk by her with out picking her up - why in the world would she ever want to walk.  She came from a place where people would walk by her countless times and never even look at her.    
I can only assume how often she cried from not feeling well, or cried because she was hungry and the same people would still just WALK BY!!  Can you even imagine?????   That beautiful little girl was IGNORED for 2 years and 11 months.   UGH!!!!!  But now, she has these 2 big brothers who are wrapped around her little finger!!!!  All she has to do is make the littlest peep and they run to her!!  She has an endless supply of love, hugs and kisses from these boys.  And she is Forever Safe because they will make sure of it!!!!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Hello Dolly


Just the sweetest little Princess Doll!!!!!