~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
A SMALL WAY TO HELP!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Ciara made her debut to the Warren congregation on Sunday morning, September 13th, and the following week was formally welcomed home with a potluck/shower that the congregation threw for her. Everyone has been waiting anxiously to meet her and the congregation has fallen just as easily in love with her as the rest of her family has. Now that she's here, Ciara has adjusted fabulously and is now running around with the rest of the pack! lol Here are some highlights from the party!
Ciara and her PapaCiara with her Pappap (Jackie's dad)Ciara with her Granny (Jackie's mom)Being silly!Jackie and Roger opening Ciara's gifts surrounded by all the excited children, lolOh, she likes this one!Some photos of Ciara's new church familyRoger and Jackie's granddaughter Logan getting in on some of the actionCiara and her Mama
"...children are a heritage from the Lord..."
Playing with her new friend Julianna while Randy looks on.One happy girl!Thank you, Father!Wednesday, September 23, 2009
DING, DING, DING! WE HAVE A WINNER!
(Psst. Turn off the music at the bottom of the blog before you play the video.)
CONGRATULATIONS to our WINNER!!!
SO.....JACLYN is the winner of my giveaway!
And what is the prize you ask?
Wwweeellllll....the prize is: Four beautiful Chineses silk scrolls depicting the four seasons. My mom found these in a little store while we were in Guangzhou and I knew they were the perfect prize for my giveaway. I hope you enjoy them, Jaclyn!
Jaclyn and I have become good bloggy friends because both of our daughters are from the same SWI in China, Hefei in the province of Anhui. In fact, Ciara and Jemma are close to the same age, were in the same classroom and knew each other quite well. I say that in the past tense because obviously Ciara is home, but Jemma is still waiting for her mommy and daddy to come and get her. Not through any fault of Jaclyn and her husband, but that's how the process works. Believe me, they would be on the next flight over there to get their sweet little Jemma if they could :) I got to meet Jemma and took lots of pictures of her when we visited the orphanage a couple weeks ago, she's a doll!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
PAINTED PIGGIES AND ADJUSTING
After the salon session, Leyna took Logan to her swimming lessons at the YMCA, which Ciara would love to join in on but is still too young yet. While she waited for Logan to get back, Ciara watched a little TV, played with her new bear she got from the Mathenys, and then she decided to goof around with Mama by playing the 'ole hiding under the blanket routine, and of course I just happened to have my camera handy!
Monday, September 21, 2009
WELCOME HOME, CIARA!
Our congregation is small in numbers, but big in generosity and love for others, and my whole family is very thankful for each and every one of them. We love Christ's church and its people!
I'll post more pictures as they come in because, once again, I forgot my camera!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
HOME SWEET HOME
Friday, September 18, 2009
SURFIN' WITH MAMA
Begging me to sit on my lap with her favorite morning cup of Fruit Loops, lol.Proud of her solution!Now, shall I check my email or Facebook?Mama and Ciara
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
WILL YOU ACCEPT THIS CHALLENGE?
Every call has a beginning…
A miraculous morning that unexpectedly dawns…
A gentle knock…
A sacred invitation sent by the Father…
And then one morning…
Through you.
This was our travel group while in China.
The babies from left to right are Shawna (18 months), Ciara (2 1/2), Heather (3 1/2), Harper (16 months), and Zadie (2 1/2)
I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN
Monday, September 14, 2009
CAGED IN
Sunday, September 13, 2009
HOME SWEET HOME
And this child gets the whole ultimatum thing. You know, the one that says if you do this, this will happen. And up to this point, she's truly convinced I'll do whatever it is I said I would do, and I give all the credit for that to her Foster Mama, that lady must have really stuck to her guns, and I believe when she said something was going to happen, it happened, lol, because Ciara immediately stops what she's doing when faced with and told what the consequences will be. Thank you, Foster Mama!!
She's still messing with me about pretending she has to go to the bathroom to get out of doing things, like eating, going to bed, and just wanting to play with the water at the sink, lol, so I decided to let Roger in on some of that action. I'm half afraid to actually wait her out because the little stinker has a lot of control and can go to the bathroom at will, and I just know the one time I don't take her and she gets really mad, she'll make herself go. Oh, you gotta love that stubborn, relentless side in all of us, lol.
On the best side, though (and the one we see the most), she is a happy, loving, cuddly, super cute, giggly little girl that we have all just fallen completely in love with. I look at her and I think to myself that only two weeks ago her whole world was completely turned upsidedown, something that if done to an adult would be totally mentally debilitating, and here she is running into our arms and giving us kisses, saying hello to every new face she meets with that sweet little turned up upper lip she has, and just making herself at home in an environment completely foreign to her with people she has no obligation whatsoever to love. I've said it before, but our family will be forever grateful to THE ONE who made all of this possible and to THE ONE who has answered every single prayer we lifted up to Him.
Below are just some random pictures of our last couple days in China, a few that didn't come through on the posts I sent to my daughter, and then a few from our first few days at home.
At the Chen Family Museum in Guangzhou, two days before we left China.Walking back from the museum through the streets of Guangzhou.Just Ciara being cute.More cuteness!I just thought the chicken man was cool.This is my stereotypical thought whenever I think of ChinaAnyone for lizard on a stick? Yummy!Mom, seriously, I gotta take this call.Logan being a goof while her mother Leyna is otherwise occupied.I come all the way from China for my big sister Leyna to do this to my hair!Ciara basically poundin' the tar outta Logan and tickling her.