The Beach

We had such a great time at the beach this year! Our family piles into one house and spends a week eating, sunning, playing, fishing, reading, laughing and eating some more! It just doesn't get any better. I can honestly say that it is the best week of the year for us. We are so blessed with such a great family who genuinly has a ball doing everything together! It is always so hard to leave after our beach week together. Thank you, Granny and Granddaddy! We love you so much.
I am going to try to do a better job at keeping up our blog. I have said that before so we'll see how it goes, but I would like to print it one day as a little family journal.
The summer has literally flown by, and I have no idea where it went. I can't believe it's time to start thinking of school supplies, and school activities already. Ugh. We enjoy our summers.
The past year has been a hard one for our family. We have experienced a lot of transitions. We are finally at a point of healing. We need it very badly and are ready to heal together as a family of seven.

A Miracle for Mei Mei

If anyone still checks in with this blog, please look at my friend Jan's blog, http://www.lillymakesfive.blogspot.com/. Jan brought home their daughter, Leiney Grace, three months ago. And while Leiney Grace is thriving and loving her new family, she did leave behind a special little friend who she calls Mei Mei (little sister in Chinese). Mei Mei doesn't have the best looking medical file. She has spina bifida. Her feet are also deformed. She has never had surgery to correct them, so she has carries her weight on these poor little feet. They are sad to look at. But one thing you can't miss about Mei Mei is her beautiful smile. When it was time for Leiney Grace to leave the orphanage to meet her family, Mei Mei held back her tears and told Leiney Grace "Go with your Mama and Baba".  I think it's time for Mei Mei to meet her Mama and Baba too. Jan and her friend Jennifer have decided to begin fundraising for Mei Mei. They don't know who her family will be, but their goal is to raise the funds for Mei Mei's adoption. Please check out "Moms on a Mission". Every little life is equally important. It's very easy to forget they exist while we hurry through our busy days. While everyone doesn't feel the call to adopt, everyone can help in some way to give a child a family.
Proverbs11:25  A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Luke 6:38   Give, and it will be given to you...

Last Call For Luke

This may be long. I have been thinking about what to say on this blog since it be will used one more time! Not that it ever gets read! My words are never as eloquent as I would like for them to be or express how my heart really feels. And I have sooo much that I would like to say about how I feel and how we feel and why in the world we are doing this again??!!?? Being placed in the "crazy" category was never really a life goal of mine but neither was having seven children. But things change. And lives..and hearts..and even goals. And I am so happy that they do. See, when we started Cate's adoption, it was pretty much still about us. Cate was a cute little girl with a very manageable special need. But our family began to change a little. We began to have this overwhelming feeling that we should be doing more. That we are here to do a little more. We felt like we have been blessed with so much, and we knew that we had the room in our home and hearts for another child. And then another. And another. I know that some people just can't imagine. Because they tell me. And I understand that too. Because children can be hard and time consuming and expensive. But when they say that God does not call the equipped, He equips those He calls, they were not even kidding. I remember sitting at my computer in China when we were there with Cai. Her special need was feeling quite overwhelming and we were actually surprised with a need that we were unaware of. Greg was here at home and I remember wondering how in the world were we going to do this? But we were given a peace that surpasses all understanding. We have seen answered prayers and healing and a love and peace that only comes from Him. It has had absolutely nothing to do with us. So, the newest member of our family is a beautiful little boy who we have named Luke. He is in an orphanage in the same province that Cai is from, but his orphanage is about six hours away. I promise to post his picture here soon. We would love your prayers for Luke and for our family as we travel this road one last time.

A Fairy Happy Birthday!

Happy 6th birthday Cate!

The Happiest Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to Cai! Cai has been so excited about her birthday! I have to admit, I was pretty excited about her birthday too, since it is her first with us as her family! She wore a smile ALL day long! It was so sweet. She was just so happy! She loved her pink princess table cloth, her pink plates, her cake, and of course her presents. I'm not sure whether she had ever opened a present before- she wasn't really sure what to do at first. But she caught on fast!

I know it's a little mushy, but today I kept thinking of her first Mama- the Mama that wrote on a little piece of paper Cai's birth date and time, so that someone would always know. And I know she was thinking of Cai today too.

Our First SB Clinic Appointment

Our first appointment was made at MUSC's Spina Bifida Clinic when we were in China. It was made for August 24. Before I met Cai, I couldn't wait for that date to get here- that's when we would learn more and form a plan of action for our daughter. I love action. It means I'm doing something, heading in a better, positive direction! But after I held our daughter and knew our daughter and loved on our daughter, I began dreading that darn appointment. For all of the reasons I thought I wanted it. It would mean we would have to DO something. Different. That probably won't be much fun. Certainly not for her. Or us. And it will be anything but easy.
We prayed for that appointment, and the doctors, and the tests. Our friends and family prayed. And we felt God's hand the entire day. Cai did great- even during the not so fun tests. The doctors and staff were very kind and seemed very knowledgable. They didn't even feel that right now Cai needs an MRI of her spine, so no surgery ( a definite answered prayer). Her kidneys look great so no surgery there either! We will start physical therapy to help her strengthen her legs and feet. I guess if you could say there's a downside, it would be that after another test in December, we will have to start intermittent catheterizations every few hours to help Cai's bladder empty. It's just not working like it should, and we need to keep her kidneys healthy. I knew this would be a possibilty, but hoped it wouldn't be our plan of action. We continue to pray for healing for Cai's little body and truly feel very peaceful. She has amazed us with her courage, her humor and her strength. We love this little girl so much!

" It is right, and I would say even good, to grieve the pains and brokenness of this world and the way it manifests itself in our bodies. But grieve with hope, knowing that HE might be shown more glorious through the most broken parts of our lives.- unknown"

A little of this, A little of that

After Cai's haircut- not one tear!

Cate's new glasses!

My grandparents with Some of their grandchildren and great grandchildren. Note the cast on Rion's arm- skim boarding accident only 3 hours after arriving at the beach!

Cai- having a great week at the beach!

Do they look happy or what?