A Leap of Faith

Where We Are At

2012-01-30T17:20:00.001-08:00

These past 6 weeks have been filled with paperwork and appointments. We started off right away with getting our first round of fingerprints for background checks to go with our homestudy. We were told to do these right away because they take 2-4 weeks to process. So, we jumped on it and had them done before Christmas to get the ball rolling. After Christmas we had our social worker visits and were pleasantly surprised at how painless it all was. Our new social worker is wonderful! I threw myself into collecting as many dossier documents as I possibly could so they'd be ready to go as soon as the homestudy was complete. The next step would be applying to the USCIS for approval to bring an orphan into the U.S. This can take a few months to complete. After that is done we can finish "fancy stamping" our documents (apostilling) then send the whole dossier to the Chinese Embassy in D.C. to authenticate them. After all of that our dossier will go to China and we wait for their letter of approval or L.O.A. I've heard that this can take 5-6 months to get. Then we wait some more to get travel dates. So, I'm sure you can understand my irritation with the State of NE and the State of MN for not having finished processing my stinking background checks!!! My homestudy was approved by our agency this afternoon. It is done, finito, complete, ready to go! And I can't submit my paperwork for immigration because some yahoo at the state can't seem to enter our names into their stupid computer to make sure we are not child abusers!!!!!! Seriously?! It has been 6 weeks! I have compiled an entire dossier and completed a homestudy in less time than it has taken them to process our fingerprints. Yes, I know...I need to calm down. This will all happen in God's timing, and His timing is best. But, I am so frustrated that people cannot seem to do their jobs. This ranting is just to chronicle this journey for Malia. Excuse all the mistakes, sloppy writing style, messed up grammar, run on sentences, etc. I'm too tired to care right now. My baby needs surgery, she needs to come home. I wish people would think of things like that when they go to work in the morning. Do your job to the best of your ability, not just the minimum effort. What you do does matter and it does affect others.

All things in green are done (And have been for 2 weeks now)
All things in red hinge on the background checks being completed

Homestudy

Employment letters

Medical check ups and forms

Financial forms

Reference letters

Local Police Clearance

Certified Birth Certificates

Certified Marriage Certificate

Passport Copies

New Passport Sized Photos

Homestudy Agency Hague Certificate

Photos of our family in plastic covers

USCIS Approval I CANNOT GET THIS WITHOUT THE HOMESTUDY/BACKGROUND CHECKS!

To China We Will Go!

2012-01-04T18:29:00.000-08:00

I posted a few weeks ago about a little girl weighing heavily on my heart. After much prayer and discussion we have decided to take yet another frightening leap of faith. Where God guides, He provides. We are trusting that this will all come together. We received pre approval from China last night to adopt Malia! She is 14 months old and she has amniotic banding of her fingers/toes and foot (much like Anara's). We are praying that God will handle the finances and that He'll make a way to get her home FAST to have surgery so that we might be able to save her foot. She's perfect and beautiful! We are going full speed at getting our homestudy done and collecting the dossier. I'm highly motivated to get it done in record time. We sure would appreciate your prayers!

Pie Challenge Video 2011

2011-12-31T17:59:00.000-08:00

Thank you so very much to all of you that contributed to this year's Pie Challenge! We made our $500 goal and then some ;) So many children will know that they are not forgotten, that they are loved, and that they have hope because of your prayers and generosity. As promised you will get to see multiple pie splats...and an added bonus "victim" that was not expecting to get splatted! Thanks to a special little guy for being such a good sport. If you notice me cringing before the pie in my face from Tyler, it's because he darned near broke the first year we did this! Made me a wee bit nervous...John Wright has been posting pictures of the parties in Kyrgyzstan that have just begun since their arrival the day after Christmas. They hit the ground running and started in on the festivities immediately. If you'd like to check it out go to Act of Kindness.

"Malia"

2011-12-14T17:52:00.000-08:00

Ever wish you could do something drastic, crazy, completely incomprehensible and possibly inadvisable? I wish I could tonight. I wish I could take out a loan for $30,000 without being concerned about when I could pay it back. I would beg if I thought it would do any good. I would sell family heirlooms that I hold near and dear as mementos of loved ones that are long gone. I have plans to open an etsy shop. But, all of this would never add up to the ransom that is needed.
There is nothing I can do on my own power to help a very special little girl in China. She's only a year old. She's alone. She has amniotic banding of her fingers, much like Anara, which is no problem. But, she also has a constriction band just around her ankle...a very tight one. I don't know if she's in pain. It should be surgically repaired, and it should be done NOW. I'm not a medical professional, but I've done enough research and talked to enough people to know that I have reason to fear she could potentially lose her foot if she doesn't get help soon....sooner than I can get to her. Make no mistake, I'd be her mommy in a heartbeat! Letting go of that hope is so very hard for me. If I could wave my magic wand and have a way to make it happen I'd already be filling out the paperwork....actually, in my Pollyanna naivety, I did start to fill out the papers. I can't explain it, but I just have a very special feeling about her...
The only thing I can do, is pray. I've been praying day and night for the last 24 hours for this little girl. I haven't slept hardly at all and I haven't felt like eating (which is a big deal for me ;), and shed many, many tears. She deserves so much more. She deserves to be loved. She deserves medical care. She deserves a family. I've seen the power of prayer and what it can do. I know that God has a plan...I'm just not privy to what that plan might be. I've also seen what the adoption community is capable of doing when word gets out about a child that is in need. I've seen families step forward just in time for an orphan about to age out. I've seen entire adoption fees covered in 24hrs! There is no better grapevine than the adoption community. PLEASE, with all you have, pray for this beautiful little girl and pass the word! Let's see what God's got planned for her...and her future family. This is the link to a lady's blog that is advocating for many kids. I can't share this little girl's file...but I can share this link: She's called "Malia" http://sharinglifeandlove.blogspot.com/2011/10/two-birthday-girls-individual-agency.html

Happy 10th, Tyler!

2011-10-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Well little buddy, you've hit the double digits, the big 1-0! You've made us so proud over the years. You're devotion to your brother and sisters, your compassion for others, and generosity inspire us daily. God has big plans for your life, Tyler. You are special. We love you!

The Long Awaited Wrights Visit

2011-09-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

This should've been writen long ago. However, we had back to back visitors, and then we began our school year. Better late than never, right? Sorry for the delay :)

We had such a wonderful time at the end of July when John and Julie Wright came for a visit. The kids wasted no time in introducing them into our zoo and adopting them into our family. They graciously snuggled guinea pigs, an obnoxious mutt, and yes, even the feathered friends. I nearly scolded Tyler for putting the bird on the kitchen table (especially with company over!) and realized that JOHN had put her on the table and was attempting to teach Tyler to hypnotize the chickens...it almost worked on Pip, but Prissy was just too high strung. Julie brought along a bag filled with dress up clothes, beautiful table cloths, yurts, and instruments to entertain the masses of children :) During their stay we were also fortunate to meet Tony and Lisa S. and their adorable kids. Thanks to all of you for coming to spend time with our family, it was an honor!

Happy 5th Birthday, Anara!

2011-07-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Dumpling! I cannot believe that you are 5 years old today. It seems like only yesterday that I held you for the first time. You have grown up so much and bring us so much joy. Have a wonderful day full of fun. We love you!

Get The Word Out

2011-06-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have seen the adoption community band together and try to help countless orphans waiting for their forever families. I'm asking for you help to spread the word, there are 3 more specific children that need our help. Kids to Adopt (our placing agency) is trying desperately to find committed families for these very special kids by August. After August their time runs out and they will be left without hope for a future. These children are not allowed to be photo listed. All 3 are international adoptions from Eastern Europe. However, I have a short written description of them and Kids to Adopt would be happy to give you more information if you think you might be the family for these kids! I've seen the pictures of these kids and they are amazing. I wish that we could share them with you on the internet!
The oldest child, Raymond, will "age out" of the system after August and will never have the chance to be in a family. For those of you that don't know much about orphanages in Eastern Europe, this means he will be turned out to the streets with no one to turn to. There is no "safety net" for these children. They have very few options available to them....drugs, stealing, prostitution. Daisy and Jack will be transferred to "disabled orphanages". If you didn't see the special on "The Boy from Baby House 10" ,I recommend you take a few minutes and watch a dose of reality from the other side of the world...It will rip your heart out. Some of us have been to places like this, or similar. Anara's orphanage was nothing compared to to these hellish places. And the memory of children in that orphanage is a memory that will forever be burned into my mind. I've looked into the faces of the kids that will meet this fate if someone doesn't come for them. When orphans have names and faces they become impossible to ignore. You can't just turn the channel if it unnerves you. It is this reality that still haunts so many of us. You may not be the family for these kids (I'm not the family either!) but you CAN get the word out so that that special family can find their kids!

Raymond August 1995

Raymond is a boy who likes sports! He is deaf. Raymond is described as a cheerful boy. He always has a smile on his face. Raymond is very communicative. Time is running out to find this fine young man a home. Despite the great education he is receiving, he won't have a future where he is living now. If you are married and interested in more information about how to make Raymond a part of your forever family, please contact Kids To Adopt by email at kidstoadopt@yahoo.com or by phone at 360-695-1704.

Daisy born May of 2005

This beautiful brown haired, brown eyed little sprite has Down Syndrome. She will be transferred to an orphanage for disabled children in August of 2011 if we do not find her a family! She is healthy except for having a functional systolic heart murmur. Daisy is a gentle little girl who has a lot of personality. She is so happy and her smile lights up the room when people talk to her and play with her. Her moods are very stable and age appropriate. Daisy can role-play with the toys and she can complete tasks asked of her. Dolls are one of Daisy’s favorite toys! She is in a very basic preschool program at the orphanage and she especially loves the music and dance classes. While the teacher says her thinking is a bit slow, she tries very hard. She is completely independent in her eating, drinking, washing, and dressing. Daisy even puts her toys and clothes away all by herself! If Daisy gets transferred to an orphanage for disabled children she will lose the ability to go to school, have a family, and lead a happy life. We urgently need to find a family for Daisy. We can’t let her down! If you are interested in more information about this special little girl, please contact Kids To Adopt by email at kidstoadopt@yahoo.com or by phone at 360-695-1704.

Jack born November of 2004

URGENT NEED! Jack gets transferred to an institution in August! He needs a family right away! $5,000 Grant available! He was born at 34 weeks weighing 4.4 pounds. His mother did not receive prenatal care. Jack is a cheery young boy with a sweet smile. He has many disabilities including arthogryposis of the lower extremities, hernias, hip joint dysplasia, scholiosis and hemangiomas to name a few. This little guy’s legs are stuck in a criss-cross position but that doesn’t stop him from getting around using his upper body which is very strong. Jack is very small and will continue to stay small for his age. At 5 years 2 months he was only 26 ½ inches tall and weighed 22.2 pounds. We are not sure that they are measuring his legs in his height. Since he can’t straighten them, getting a realistic measurement on him is pretty much impossible. We have excellent developmental information. Jack has very good upper body dexterity. Jack will never have the chance to get an education or the medical care he needs where they plan to move him. He will never get released from the institution so, this will be his life sentence! This special boy needs a family with a huge heart and a wheelchair accessible home so he can learn how to be independent. A family adopting Jack must have access to good medical care or a Shriner’s Hospital because Jack will definitely need some medical intervention when he comes home. If you think you could be Jack’s forever family, please contact Kids To Adopt at 360-695-1704 or email us at kidstoadopt@yahoo.com

Kester Kids' Birthdays

2011-05-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to 3 of my favorite kids! Happy Birthday to Linus, Sally & Violet!

Happy Birthday to Linus (May 29th), Sally (June 17th) & Violet (August 12th)! I love you guys :)

Happy 8th Birthday, Toby!

2011-05-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday a little early to my Toby-Bear! I love you so much and I am so proud of the boy you are becoming.

Happy Birthday, Toby! You have a heart as big as the whole outdoors and it is an honor to be your mommy :) I love you.

Belt Testing

2011-05-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

The kids (+Tim) all had their belt testing last weekend. Anara was immediately intimidated by the "audience" of parents. She decided to just sit out on my lap and forgo the belt. We weren't sure she would pass this time around anyways because she's so young, and it takes some strength to break the boards. The instructor was making an exception by allowing her to take class before turning 5 because she follows instruction so well. Toby has done a belt test already and we knew he'd do just fine. Tyler and Mia had me a bit concerned, not because of remembering the form, but the audience...Mia's eyes got wide and started to tear up when she realized she was going to have to perform in front of people. Tyler gets easily stressed in large crowds. But, they both shocked me. Tyler and Mia were called up together to go through their form and they NAILED it! Mia did her board break in one try. Tyler decided to be an over achiever (like his father!). He was determined to do a jump side kick for his board break...and he wanted to use the green board. This is not typical for a white belt level. But...he DID IT! I think he wowed a few people. Toby and Tim were really fun to watch. They did their form together and they were in sync for most of it and cool under pressure. At the end of class the instructor approached me and asked if he could give Anara her orange belt anyway because she'd done so well in class. She was so proud and so were were. I didn't get a picture of her in it yet, because she'd already changed out of her uniform. Congratulations everyone!

I had trouble getting a good shot of Toby. He was moving too fast and they all blurred.

I used to watch T.V. like this at her age....*sigh* "You don't use it, you lose it" - is true.

A quick review with Dad before they get up.

Stretching

Tyler has been nicknamed, "Rubberband Boy" by one of the other dads.

Happy 6th Mia!

2011-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that 6 years ago this beautiful little girl showed up to bless our family! Mia was the best Mother's Day gift I ever received. Happy Birthday, Princess Puff, I love you.

Spring...Is Never Coming

2011-03-05T18:07:00.000-08:00

I've been a very bad blogger...here's a recap of this month: Tyler participated in his first Pinewood Derby race at church. He won 3rd place for design! He designed this great white shark car by himself. Dad helped to cut things out, but Tyler did almost everything else.

I was so proud and excited for him that I cried :) He was such a good sport about everything. He was humble, he was encouraging to his team members, and very gracious.

We had a little celebrating to do last week....

Daddy offered to let the girls sit on his lap...so he could get at their icecream!

The celebration was for Toby (and Tim) passing their testing for their orange belts in taekwondo!

Is he adorable or what? He's growing up waaay to fast.

Breaking the board

Too bad Tim doesn't look like he's having any fun isn't it? :)

Go Toby!

Surprise! We got more snow...

Look, a brown patch of grass! It's only because the wind was blowing so badly that it drifed away from the house...

According to Tyler it is fun to pick up chunks of snow and smash them with your head. Boys...

Mia modeling my first leotard, and demonstrating my favorite position for watching TV at her age. If I did it now, I'd probably never walk again!

The New Baby...

2011-03-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

Today we expanded our family again....

This pathetic little handful of fluff is a Malaysian Serama Bantum...when it is full grown it will be just a little bigger than a can of pop. It is 3 weeks old, and not quite as big as a standard chick. I saw one that was hatched just a couple of days ago and it was the size of a 9v battery!

Safe and secure. Snoozing on it's back!

This baby is for Priscilla. We (I) thought she could use a companion since she lives in the basement. Although she comes upstairs to play quite often, I feel badly that she's all alone down there. However...Priscilla is NOT impressed with her new sibling. She thinks we should call it, "SNACK". She's going to get used to her...slowly and with supervision. Ty was very upset when Prissy pecked at the baby and made it chirp. We had to explain that she is just being a chicken and trying to make sure the baby knows that this is her territory and that she is the boss.

This baby was sold "straight run" meaning they do not determine their gender for you...so, we have a few weeks until we know if this is a hen or a rooster. We decided on this breed of chicken because even if we end up with a rooster their crow is 1/3 the volume of a standard chicken. The woman we bought her from knows this is an indoor pet and assured us that we won't have a problem with the noise. So, if any of you have ideas for names leave them in the comments for me!

The Roman Chicken

2011-01-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

Look what came in the mail! New aprons made by Nana :) The girls were very pleased.

We let Prissy come upstairs for the history lesson on ancient Rome. I'd finished one chapter and happened to look up and saw this.

Apparently, Prissy was taking the lesson very seriously...

...lounging on a cushion, in front of a cozy fire, attended by her servant, being fed grapes! Who knew that chickens could be roman?

What a rough life for a formerly bullied bird. Did I mention that she tried to attack the dog the other day?! She charged poor Dudley, who was minding his own business, and tried to peck him. She's gutsy...not terribly smart...but gutsy.

Goodbye to my Grandpa

2011-01-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

The Saturday before Christmas I received a phone call from my mom. My grandpa was being moved to a hospice home home the next day. He'd been going downhill rapidly and he'd finally stopped eating or drinking and he needed to be where there'd be round the clock care and pain control. There was a good chance that he wouldn't tolerate the stress of the ambulance ride and could be gone in a matter of hours. I needed to be there, I needed to say goodbye, I needed to be there for him. So, Tim put me on a plane for Lincoln the next morning.

I arrived at the Monarch (the FABULOUS facility where we had Grandpa transferred) courtesy of Brenda's Taxi Service about 11:00am. My family spent the rest of the day and late into the evening with grandpa. My cousin, Nick, refused to leave grandpa alone and spent the night. The next day was much the same except grandpa sporadically opened his eyes a few time. One of those times I was sitting in front of him and gently brushed back his hair and said, "Hi there, handsome"...he smiled and closed his eyes again. Later on he did it again and my mom was there and said, "I love you" and he grinned again. The third time my cousin Heather spoke to him and received another smile. He was hearing us, he knew we were there. He also knew it was okay to let go. Mom and I wanted to stay with Grandpa that night but Dad was insistent that we needed some sleep since we'd spent 14 hrs. there that day. So, we reluctantly went home. Grandpa was well looked after by the Monarch staff, we knew he was in loving and capable hands.

Tim arrived with all of the kids on Tuesday evening. I'd held it together fairly well until I saw my kids walk in. To my surprise the kids wanted to see G-Pop...I was hesitant, but decided that they may have needed the chance to say goodbye as much as I did. Tim took the kids home to Nana's house to get settled in and I stubbornly told my dad that I was NOT leaving Grandpa that night. Grandpa would've never left one of us alone had it been in his power and I was not going anywhere. Mom needed to work the next morning as did my dad (he'd used all his vacation with his recent back surgery). I know that Nick wanted to stay but he volunteered to take grandma back home and get her settled for the night so that my Uncle Doug could stay with his father. We passed the evening with a glass of wine, a movie, and lots of stories. We finally were able to take a little nap on the fold out love seat and recliner. Doug awoke about 3:30 and noticed grandpa's breathing was becoming very erratic. The nurses confirmed it and told us that he was getting close. I called my parents about 4am to tell them to come. I sat at my grandfather's side holding his hand and telling him how much I loved him and that it was okay to go. I told him we would be alright, that we would take care of each other, and that we would take care of grandma. Doug sat at his other side stroking his hair and telling him he loved him and that he was almost home, where there'd be no more pain, no more headaches, only joy. He took his last breath around 4:10am. I can only imagine the glory that he awoke to!

It was a joy, an honor, and privilege to be John Henry Harral's granddaughter. He made me feel special. He always had time for me. He always took me out to pick a bouquet of flowers, even when he had one of his splitting headaches. He was a man of courage, a patriot who served his country even when badly injured and given the option of an honorable discharge TWICE...and he refused it. The man received a head wound that knocked him out, he woke up in a different country 3 days later, they tried to send him home and he hitch-hiked back to his unit at the front lines. He was a man of impeccable work ethic, a man who fiercely loved his family. Heaven just gained the very best gardener and ice cream man. And while those of us left here on Earth miss him terribly, we have the hope and the promise of seeing him again.

Grandpa always had his own lyrics to "Hark the Herald Angel Sing"..."Hark, the John Harral Angel Sings". Shortly after Grandpa passed, we all had a good laugh/cry when we realized the song playing on the radio was none other than Grandpa's song. He surely did get to sing with the angels this Christmas. I wonder if he talked them into singing his version?

Pie, X-mas in Nebraska & New Year's

2011-01-03T15:55:00.000-08:00

Nana is getting impatient...I'm guessing that Grammy probably is too. I haven't posted pictures for a while :) So, here ya go.

In all the chaos of the Pie War we forgot to let Tyler cream someone...Toby is such a good sport that even though he'd already showered he hopped back into the tub and let Tyler splat him with another pie :)

Thanks for adding some more fun to the challenge, Jeremy!

Sweet Smooches

MAKE-UP!

I think next time we need to add sprinkles

and maybe a cherry on top

Violet was a fan of the homeade potstickers and take out fried rice...of course Violet likes most anything ;)

Sally and Anara sporting some retro aprons

The Peanuts Gang....Violet was all done posing.

My dog is a good sport...the critter on his back is Floyd, he is the daddy of our two pigs.

Linus Presley

The boys got a bunch of Hex Bug stuff for Christmas from Nana and Papa. My house has been over run by these little battery powered bugs! (Battery powered is the only kind of bug I allow in my house)

My sweet Kayla

Mallory and her new Jessie doll.

The boys got microscopes and slides, it was a BIG HIT!

The girls got the fairies and princess sets to share for their big gift from Nana and Papa. There will be hours and hours of imagination with these dolls.

Nana makes each kid a pillowcase for Christmas....appropriate, huh?

Mia and Anara's pillowcases are cupcake prints :)

Tyler got the wish!

Uncle Matt thought Tyler might like to try breaking the wishbone...and he's pretty good with making sure the kids win.

Mia with GG showing off her new blanket and TOOTHLESS-ER grin. She lost 2 more teeth the week of Christmas! Both were loose but she had a little help finishing the job. Tooth #1 she smacked on Daddy's shin while wrestling...Tooth #2 was smacked free when she walked around behind her Daddy just as he swung the car door open. I told Tim that I was going to wrap her in bubble wrap when she's with him from now on.

We scaled back on gifts this year. We never go overboard but, this year the kids really didn't need another toy and their closets are full of clothing that fits. So, since we now live at the North Pole I made them each their own fleece tied blanket. We also spend a good deal of time traveling to and from Nebraska (not nearly as much now that the plant in Lincoln has officially closed) and our car time to and from activities can be lengthy as well. So we thought that buying each child a (cheap) MP3 player would be a good idea. Boy was it ever! They were thrilled.

Anara's new ornament

Mia jamming to her music and cozy in her blanket

Tyler's blanket was guitars, Toby's was Huskers, and both girls had different cupcake prints.
When Tim saw Toby's Husker blanket before Christmas he prentended to pout saying he wanted one too...so the girls and I snuck off to the fabric store and bought the fleece and they helped me make one for him. We finished just in the knick of time as I ended up leaving for Lincoln the next morning.

GG spent Christmas Eve with us. She gave each of the kids their own little bottle of perfume/cologne. Remember "Love's Babysoft"? My girls are big fans :)

Dancin' with Nana. Even Moo-Moo got in on the action.

Since I had to leave MN before I'd done any baking Brenda decided to take care of it for me. She said that it wouldn't be right not to have Christmas cookies. She made an extra batch of dough for me to bake, and the icing for the kids to decorate them with. I am blessed to have such an awesome friend.

Mia stuck to GG like glue the entire night. She always seems to know who needs her the most.

The Pie Challenge 2010

2011-01-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone that donated and prayed for this challenge! We had a "Great Pie War" this evening, a good time was had by all.

Let It Snow...and Snow...and Snow

2010-12-08T19:36:00.000-08:00

The poor kid is losing teeth right and left

A Snow Dumpling

This is Dudley. He is lucky to be alive. He shot out the door ahead of the kids before getting his leash clipped to his collar. I ran through 8 inches of snow, in the freezing cold clear into the next block of houses to catch him. I found out that I am old and out of shape in doing so...stupid dog! He's fortunate that the children love him so much. I could've left him to turn into a sausage-cicle that afternoon!

Tyler can do gymnastics in any weather

Toby the snow jester

He found the mini slope in the backyard...he spent the whole time rolling down it!

Snow Puff

Violet

Sally

Linus, Sally & Violet

The best buddies...

The drive home from Grammy & Grandpa's after Thanksgiving. This was after Anara screamed for the first hour of the trip of course.

Did I mention Toby loves his little cousin Sara?

This is as good as it gets with NINE children. Three are screaming, 3 are smiling, 2 are oblivious, and one looks like his head is going to explode and the vein in his neck rupture!

Okay, this one is slightly better....

Thanksgiving in Pictures

2010-11-30T15:35:00.000-08:00

The Sweet Baby Sara and the Cute Miss Claire

This is how Grandpa and Grammy spent Thanksgiving: With at least 3 kids on their laps at all times. A wonderful time was had by all! It was loud and crazy at time with 9 children in the house but, it sure was fun.

This is how the "men folk" spent a good chunk of their time. There's a new air hockey/ping pong table in the basement...tournament time!

Little Miss Lita Leigh!

Mia with "Lady Margaret" aka "Maggie"

This is as good as it gets with 7 kids...wait till I load the pictures with all 9 of the kids!

The Adorable Little Miss Madison :)

Anara and Maddy playing hairdresser. They became best buddies over the trip. I wish we lived closer.

New snuggly robes will come in handy in the North Pole...Minnesota.

The boys were anxious to get into the tanks and army men that Aunt Kimmy and Uncle Aaron gave them.

Meet the newest addition to the clan, baby Henry! Check out those fluffy cheeks and spikey hair. Have you ever seen such cuteness?

Toby's got a shadow! And she sure is precious :)

We celebrate Christmas a little early too.

Toby is still my snuggle bear. Grammy enjoyed the cuddling.

Henry got a sink bath and then a massage by 4 ladies! He wasn't thrilled.

The step ladder was the best part of decorating! How many monkeys can you fit on one ladder you ask? Hmmm...I know for a fact that at least 3 will try to fit.

Decorating Grammy & Grandpa's tree

This is one of the things I love most about my husband. He's wonderful with babies :) Makes me fall in love all over again.

Mia was too happy to get the chance to help feed a baby.

Anara and cousin Lita. She's a big sister now!

This is the happiest baby! Meet our niece Sara. She reminds me of what Toby was like as a baby. We kept forgetting she was there because she was so content.

Our Christmas tree usually looks plenty big. But, this year it appeared to have shrunk to a pitiful "Charlie Brown" sort of tree. The new house is bigger with higher ceilings. I may have to check the clearance deals after Christmas...especially since the old one is falling apart after 10yrs. We let the kids have the mini tree in the school room up on the table. They thought it was pretty fun to set up 2 trees :)

Decorating the tree for the first time at our new house.

Becky and I made new winter cupcake hats for the girls. Pretty cute, huh?

The Pie Challenge 2010!!!

2010-11-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

Both of these little girls could've easily been spending Christmas in an orphanage...

It's that time of year again! Last year many of you generously donated to the "Pie Challenge" so that orphans in Kyrgyzstan could experience Christmas. The outpouring of love was so very touching to our family. So, when the Wright's issued the challenge again for this year we couldn't say no. If I meet my goal of $500 there will be more pies in someone's face...yet to be determined ;)

We forget that Christmas is not about "stuff" it is about Christ's birth. He sacrificed EVERYTHING to come here for us as a human baby. Yet, often times we get caught up in the hustle and bussle and lose sight of what this holiday is really about. It is about family, love, compassion, sharing, giving...not "stuff". This year the Pie challenge will begin on Thanksgiving Day and last until December 18th. Can you spare a $5 bill? Could you skip that latte at Starbucks? Could you ignore that urge for a Big Mac and a fry? Above all else, please continue to pray for these precious children. They need to know they have value, that they are loved, that they are special. The Wright's and their team can make sure that they begin to know how precious they are. Here's where to go to donate : Act of Kindness and click on our name "Marques"...little spelling oops ;) . Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Month in Photos

2010-11-20T22:34:00.000-08:00

Our first playdate with Alina!

This is my newest creation, Grinch shirts for Tyler and Toby. It is also how I feel about the 6 inches of snow that we got last weekend...Let my first Minnesotan winter initiation begin. Bah Humbug!

Toby begging for a carrot nose for his snowman. Now, how could I say no to that face?

Ty and Toby working on their snowmen

Tyler making a face to match the jester's ski hat

The Snow Dumpling

Mia thought she could wear her cheapy thin Walmart coat from last season...she quickly found out that it not going to cut it this winter.

Friends in the making :)

Our first playdate with Alina

Becky's cat Gordon tolerating Mia's affection

The boys helping Amelia with her reading

Tyler helping Anara with her letters

SHE'S HOME! SHE'S HOME! SHES HOME! Praise God, Alina is finally home!

"My prince did come, his name is Daddy"

Alina meeting big brother Al

Meeting big brother Anthony

Trick Or Treat 2010

2010-10-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

The trick or treating team!

We took the kids trick or treating in our neighborhood for the first time ever. Grandpa stayed behind and answered the door.

The pumpkin creations. Tyler drew a goblin shark...try carving that!

Two tiny fairies and one SUPER SIZED moth! You do not want to hit this one with your car...it would leave a dent ;)

Batman & Robin

"I am Batman!"

Mia is missing a few teeth with several more coming loose...perhaps she should've been the Tooth Fairy!

She tried to wear the big wings, but they kept flopping over.

"You want me to stick my hand in there?"

Robin Redhead

Face painting at the church Fall Frolic

Having a manicure at the fall frolic, complete with little jewels.

The wands were cute, but mommy and grammy ended up carrying them most of the evening. So, we opted to leave them home for trick or treating. The crowns were too "pinchy"...hence the glittery headbands. Hmmm...mommy should've worn one!

Bobbed Beauty II

2010-10-24T21:50:00.000-07:00

She INSISTS on wearing her hair down or in a headband lately. However, it just hangs in her face and it looks messy...that is one of mommy's pet peaves. So, we have found a good solution. She agreed to get it cut into a style that will allow her to wear it down whenever she wants :) Happy Nara and Happy Mommy. I think this will become "her do" bobbed and stacked in the back suits her well.

Prissy's Pampers

2010-10-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

"And they say that I'm the bird brain"

Did you know they make diapers for chickens? Well, they do...and since this little bag of feathers is an indoor bird that needs to run around now and then we decided to try one out.

What in the $*%#$%#$ ?! I don't think so!

"Seriously?! You think I'm gonna wear this thing?...Stupid woman!"

Chickens should really be allowed to scratch around for bugs and whatnot. However, we don't have a fenced yard and it backs up to some rather tall natural grasses (weeds that the town calls natural...). We cannot risk losing this bird! So, I also ordered her a harness with a loop to attach a leash.

"I'm not going to bark for him"

Boy's Best Friend

"This so degrading!"

And shortly after the picture she managed to wriggle free of said harness. It will need a little modification to fit Prissy more securly. Ummm, Nana? Can you make alterations on such a contraption?

For The Granparents!

2010-10-03T20:34:00.000-07:00