A little wedding preview....

The Littles in their flower girl dresses!

They had so much fun taking these pictures!

A couple of single shots.

A few tender moments.

More fun!

A little love.

Thinking about the big day...

It should be fabulous!!!

With a little help from my friends....

Faith and I got a little behind on things for her wedding....

The girl is getting married on Saturday.  Yikes!

Still have lots to do!

I called on my friends for a little help.

Friends.  What would you do without them?

We needed help assembling a bunch of  tiny boxes. (161 tiny boxes to be exact.)
Filling them with some candy.
Putting a black ribbon around each and every one of them.
Then putting the name and table number card thingy on as well.

Faith decided to use the favor boxes as seating placements also.  Double duty. Smart girl!

We also had to put together the wedding programs.

I became a little panic stricken wondering how we could get this all done by Thursday.

That's when I called on my friends.

They came over in full force.

I told them I would have food & drink.  (That probably helped.)

We got it all done!

That night!

In only a few hours!

We even got the kids to help.

Friends!

Gotta love 'em!!

Sunday Snapshot {a little Easter....}

Shea & Avery were pretty excited to check out their Easter baskets.....

So much so that Shea just had to whip on her new headband......tag & all!

She is also a big 'Madeline' fan!

Avery was thrilled with her 'Kai-lan' bubbles....

and her new duckie blanket....meet 'Rosie'!

Hope ya'll had a Blessed Easter!!

Cuteness X Two

Y'all thought I was talking about Shea & Avery. :)

They are cute....(wink, wink)...most definitely.

But I am talking about two other cutie-patooties.

Our brand new arrivals at An Orphan's Wish.

Just look at them!

A-DORABLE!!\

Meet Daniel.  He has bilateral clubfoot.  He is about 16 months old.  He needs three more sponsors.
Could you be one of them??

Meet LMR.
This little peanut also has bilateral clubfoot.  She is about 16 months old.  She, too, needs three more sponsors.....as well as a Western name!  If you are her next sponsor, you get to chose her name!  Kinda cool.

A quick summary about An Orphan's Wish.....
Founded in 2008.
Staffed by volunteers.
Committed to the caring for some of the orphans in China with special needs.
Located in Guilin where the children reside at the House of Love.

Monthly sponsorships are $35.
Sponsors receive monthly updates and reports on their child and their child's specific unit of care.
**********************************************************************************

I have been honored and blessed to be volunteering for An Orphan's Wish for over a year.
I have seen these precious children grow and thrive as they receive the excellent medical, physical, and emotional care they so desperately need....and deserve!
These children are well-loved!  No doubt about it.

We also advocate for these children to find loving adoptive homes.

We strive to use every donation for the benefit of every single child in our care.

Your sponsorship does so very much to provide for these children in every possible way!

Trust me, I have seen remarkable progress for these children.
These children blossom!  They are happy!  They have beautiful smiles! They play and laugh!
They are in a word - amazing!

I have also seen many of these children find their forever homes through adoption!  Talk about incredible!!!  Wow!

Ready to be a part of this????

To become a sponsor for Daniel, click below:
http://www.anorphanswish.org/Daniel

To become a sponsor for LMR (and possibly get to name her), click below:
http://www.anorphanswish.org/lmr

To learn more about An Ophan's Wish go to anorphanswish.org .

If you have any questions whatsoever, email me at :
donations@anorphanswish.org

Wordless Wednesday {Hair bows: a creative approach.}

Sunday Snapshot {Faith}

Faith.....
about 20 years ago!

How did this little stinker grow up? And so fast?

To think this little girl is getting married in 12 days!!

It really seems like yesterday.....

How quickly the yesterdays become today....

And, somehow my little girl has grown into a woman.

Deep sigh!!!

For real.  How does this happen??

Just for kicks....and possibly some giggles.

How about this blast from the past?

Celebrating Faith's first birthday.
October 29, 1990.
My husband had hair.
I had the 90's hair, and glasses, and jeans!  Yikes!
Oh, how young we all were!

"I miss my China momma."

On the way to school this morning, the girls and I had this conversation:

Shea:  I miss my China momma.

Me:  Really?  I am sure you do.  I am so sorry.

Shea:  Well, I am not sure I miss her.....I just think about her....a lot.

Me:  Of course.  Whatcha thinking?

Shea:  Not sure.

Me:  When you think about your first momma, maybe you can pray for her also.

Shea:  Pray for what?

Me:   mmmmmm, pray that Jesus is watching over her.  Keeping her safe and protected.

Shea:  Safe and protected from what?

Me:   (Now I'm thinking.....I should not have said that.)  Just safe and protected, like how I pray that Jesus    
         keeps you safe and protected as you go through your day.

Avery:  I miss my China momma, too!

Me:  I am sure you do, Sweetie.

Avery:  Where is she?

Me:  In China.

Avery:  What is she doing?

Me:  Not sure.

Avery:  Oh.

Shea:   I mean, I really miss my foster momma.  She is the one who took care of me.....before you.

Me:  Yep.  She did.

Shea:  She had to take really good care of me because of my cleft palate.

Me:  Yes, she is amazing.

Avery:  I miss my foster momma.

Me:  You didn't have one.  (insert smile and small giggle)  You lived in an orphanage until we adopted you.
        Nannies took care of you.

Shea:  You didn't have a foster mother because you didn't have a special need like me.

          Ummmm, pause.....not sure what to say here...

Shea:  But you are still special, Avery!

(Way to go, Shea!)

And then, our conversation ended.
Just ended.

I had tears in my eyes.

The girls.
They started singing with the radio........
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By the way, it's so true.....
The best, most important, serious, inspiring, conversations with your kids,
seems to occur in the car.....
on short trips to school, the store, the library, etc.
Usually, these talks are unexpected.
They always catch me by surprise.
I think I am getting better at navigating through them. (?)
Oh, these chats, are for the most part - brief.
But, so powerful.
They often render me reeling with lots of emotion and much reflecting.
My girls, well....
They seem to be so matter of fact.  So casual.  So.....natural to be asking these questions.
I guess this is their norm. (?)  This is their 'casual' every day regular stuff. (?)
Maybe on some days....
Today being one of them.

This is who they are.
Children with great loss.
Children who have several mothers.....important women in their lives.....past and present.
Children with the ability to accept and move on....for now.
Children who can still love freely.
Children who know they are greatly treasured and loved.
Children who can feel confident in expressing themselves.
My children.
My regular, every day children who have some not so regular, every day stuff to think about and deal with.
My children.
My amazing children.
My children who have the grace and dignity to embrace their past, enjoy their present, and wait as their future on folds.

What a future it will be!!!!

Sunday Snapshot {Grandma Diane}

Grandmas.....gotta love 'em!  :)

Especially,
when one certain grandma...
makes a three hour trip to be a part of Grandparent's Day at her granddaughters' school!!!!

Grandma Diane was able to see a class science project.

Not really sure what is was......
But, Avery wanted to make sure Grandma saw it.

Grandma was also able to watch Avery sing a special song just for Grandparent's Day.

Then a quick run to see Shea....
(poor Grandma.....she had  to keep going back & forth between the girls' classrooms....)

Recite her "S" poem.

And 'break a move'....

        
It was a busy & fun morning filled with snacks, tours, and LOTS of songs!!!!

The girls were thrilled to have their grandma at this special event.

Oh, how they love her!!!

Thanks, Mom!  I love you, too!