Baby Shower for Maggie Next Saturday...

Please join us next Saturday, September 15th for a baby shower for a very special little girl. Maggie is the newest member of the Oatsvall family. Their blog is 'The Oatsvall Team'. Please take some time to visit their blog and read Maggie's story.

I been asked several times to release Gwen's wish list for Maggie and so today I am unveiling it.

Maggie's head was badly burned while in foster care in China. Two mother's have volunteered to have their daughter's hair cut for Locks of Love to make a wig for Maggie. That is just one of the most beautiful gifts I have ever heard of. I don't know how many hair donations would be needed to make a wig, but if any of you Mom's would be willing, I think that would be incredible.

Please e-mail me if you would like to have Gwen's wish list. My e-mail address is timnkim@gmail.com, I'm doing it this way so that she doesn't receive duplicates of the same gifts. If you plan to purchase something from the list, let me know and I will remove your list item.

Gwen is also putting together a box of needed items to leave behind at Maggie's orphanage. Please keep the orphans in mind and feel free to include one of the items below or one of your choice to be sent to the orphanage and include it clearly labeled with your gift for Maggie.

blankets
socks
wash clothes

If anyone would like to support the shower on their blog, it would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to add the sidebar graphic or do a post. Thank you so much~

Happy Birthday Kelly!!

Happy Birthday to our girlfriend Kelly at 'Katie's Antics'. I hope you have a wonderful day!!

Good Morning Everyone and Welcome to the Saturday Morning Chat Group!

Good Morning! Welcome to the morning chat. I'm about to make some coffee and get ready to settle in for some good conversation. Today is my Godson's birthday, so we'll be heading to his party this afternoon. He's into Space Heroes, so I bought him the Jupiter and Neptune action figures. His Dad told me he still didn't have Uranus, but there was no way I was showing up with that! I also put the finishing touches on Gwen's Baby Shower which is next Saturday, please put it on your calendars. I'll be doing a post on it this afternoon. Also, if you have a newer blog or would like some headers done, Verna does a fabulous job. She did the Morning Chat Group header and she is raising money to bring a little boy named Ethan home from China.

If I'm away for a minute or two, please bear with me. I may catch a blog or two when the chat slows down, or Eli may need a potty break. The chat group runs until 12 noon and I am always looking for new comments!

Help Bring Ethan Home...Fundraiser for the Shockley Family...

Verna the Blogfairy is doing a fundraiser to raise money for the Shockley family to help them bring their son Ethan home from China.
If you need any blog make-overs, headers or LID signs, please contact Verna. Your money will be going to a very good cause.
Please visit her web design blog at http://www.blogfairytemplates.blogspot.com/ She's the talent behind many of your favorite blogs. She has done a large number of headers for me and designed the 7 month LID graphic that you see below.
If you would like to help by displaying the Help us bring Ethan Home graphic on your sidebar or would like to do a post to help Verna's cause, that would be very appreciated!

Thank you so much...

Thank you everyone. I am completely overwhelmed. Yesterday was a self-induced meltdown of a day, one of those days where you wish you could go back in time and do everything differently. I am getting myself together here and perking up. I greatly appreciate all of your comments. I feel a little blown away by it all. Wow. I can say that it is very real and powerful to have so many of you offering prayers and support for me.

Walk Away...

Today is the first time that I have believed that I should walk away from this blog. That I wondered what I am doing with this. I've seen it as a reflection of what is best in me. What do you see? It appears my best isn't quite enough right now. I've had a bad day. A crazy awful day.

7 Months...

7 months...

I would like to introduce you to Sherri & John...

I have recently come across a blog that I find completely inspiring. This couple is putting together their dossier and working to adopt from China knowing full well how long it may take and what obstacles they face. Despite it all, they are certain that their child is in China and they are moving forward. I really enjoy reading their blog and admire them tremendously. Their blog is 'Journey to Nikki'. Drop by and say hello.

4 Posts Today! Happy Birthday to Our Dear Friend Panda-Mom!

Happy Birthday Panda-Mom! Her blog is Pandapalooza!

Congratulations to my Friend Terri on the Referral of her Daughter...

Congratulations to my dear friend Terri at 'Our Whole World in His Hands' on the referral of her daughter! I am so happy to introduce Ella Claire!

First Day of School and Some Fun...

Today was the first day of school. We were all up early! Here's a picture of the boys, it came out kind of dark.


Not only was today the first day of school, but today was also picture day and poor Tyler has a black eye. He naturally inherited the dark circles that run in my family, but his is a real shiner. The boys get a little rough out on the tubes on the lake. Tyler got elbowed in the eye. The black eye just sticks right out there in the picture on his school id which will also be in the year book.

I joined in Dannye's bib swap and got these adorable bibs from Doris. She also sent a beautiful magnet that I put on our refrigerator, some cards that touched my heart and a set of hair barrets. My favorite are the hair barrets because she made them herself for my girl. Thank you so much Doris! I was a little low today and your carepackage really meant a lot to me.

Oh, I almost forgot that Doris sent a large amount of Fun Dip. It slipped my mind because it went straight out of my hands when I pulled it out of the envelope. Here is Tyler enjoying that treasure!

Quote for the Week...

I'm going to keep these words close to my heart this week.

4 Days and A Theory...

If you haven't already been devastated, then let me be the one to inform you that the CCAA only processed 4 days this past month. In fact, according to my friend Sara's blog, they have only processed 4 months in the past year.

This is what I think is going on. You can believe it or pass it by. If you have a theory, I'd love to hear it. Please leave it in comments.

This is my take...

1. There is a monthly quota of children being allowed out of the country.
2. SN children are being given priority.
3. When all of the SN children have their slots, whatever is left is filled with NSN children until that months quota is filled.
4. That is why we are seeing our friends with SN children coming home with their babes, while we are going nowhere.

This doesn't leave me hopeful that we will be seeing our daughter anytime soon unless we move to SN. 3 years doesn't even seem likely.

Happy Labor Day!

Each year, our entire neighborhood meets in an open area and has breakfast together on Labor Day. Each family brings a dish to pass and their own paper plates and silverware. There are usually around 80-100 people who attend. Tables are set up, someone prays, and we all eat and talk together. Our neighborhood is kind of funny. We all are very close throughout the summer, but once fall hits, we seem to draw back into our own individual lives until the next Spring.
I am making tons of blueberry muffins this morning!
What do you guys do on Labor Day?

I put these graphics up so that if anyone is looking for something to put on their blogs, they can use one.

Have a great day!!

Happy Labor Day Weekend Everyone!

We're having a wonderful weekend with my FIL. He and my hubs are doing some pretty big projects around the house that will really help our large family be more comfortable. He brought us a new dining room table that can seat up to 14. We were crammed around our old table and we are moving our dining room to a different area, so he is re-wiring and moving my chandelier to a different area to fit over my new table. It really is a blessing for me to see him and my husband working together.
We went to our new church again this Sunday and were able to meet the high school and junior high Youth Leader. The children are excited for youth group activities to begin this week.
I hope that you all are having a great weekend!