Anniversary, Court and Thanksgiving

Yes, another long post. I need to get on here more often. It has been so busy. My brother, sister and myself have been planning a surprise 40th Anniversary Party for Mom and Dad. Believe it or not we pulled it off:) It was such a nice suprise for them and seeing them so happy. We had over 150 people there. This Party came at a good time since my Mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer the Friday before. We are praying it was caught soon enough since it was found at a routine Mammogram. She has surgery on the 30th. Please keep her in your prayers. Here are some pictures of the happy couple, the cake and some my family.

Wednesday the day before Thanksgiving we had court to re-adopt Christina and change her name to Christina Maria from Maria Fernanda. She was smiling at everyone there especially the judge until he held her then she gave her Granny look and was analyzing him during pictures. The kids all came and it was a very special occasion because Christina will now have a US Birth Certificate and a Social Security Number. She is a US citizen!!!!!

Here are some pictures of all the excitement.

Here is a picture of her in her carseat she has moved up from an infant carrier...she is a big girl now!!!

Thanksgiving meant a lot to us this year. It was Christina's first Thanksgiving with us. Last year we were driving to Thanksgiving dinner and we were missing her so much. It's so amazing how time heals the pain of the wait of which we are very thankful!!! We are also thankful for our family. Our kids are such great kids they are so good with Christina they never complain about taking care of her....other things yes but not her. I am Thankful for my husband who is always there and is my best friend. He is the one who knows me like no other person. Yes, we have our squabbles like every couple does at some point but then we get to make up!! We are thankful for both of our families. If we need help or someone to talk to, ask a question or need help they are there. We are most Thankful to God who has given us all our blessings!!!! After being in Guatemala where there are the rich and the very poor and no middle class you begin to realize that happiness is not what we have in material things it means our families, health and God as the center of our lives. Please keep in your prayers all those children in Guatemala who will be in limbo and the birth families who won't have the choices they have now for their children when adoptions eventually close to become Hague compliant. Also pray the Guatemala government is able to move swiftly to close those gaps for any corruption to end and that Adoptions will proceed again so children will be given a chance to have a US forever family if that is what their birth parents choose. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Go Purple for Adoption Awareness Month

November is Adoption Awareness month and that is why I switched the color on my blog to purple. Adoption has changed us in so many ways. People have told us that it's so nice we adopted to help a child have a better life."....in actuality she has been the one who has helped us. We had a pretty easy life as far as the kidsgo they were very independent. I said let's go and they were out the door. I said take a shower or do chores they were on it. Now we have all had to start thinking of someone other than ourselves everyday 24/7. It has been challenging with her allergies, her viruses and being up at night but other than that it has really brought us together as a family. When you see your 14. 10 and 8 year old come in from outside or just come up from doing school and fight to hug or play with their little sister it makes you realized this is what life is all about. She makes people be happy when they are down or she can make you giggle when you haven't giggled in a long time. If you have ever thought of adopting and never thought about it, it is never to late. There are many children in the US as well as in other countries who are waiting for a family to be there Forever Family. How can you say no to those big brown eyes:) Joe, Anthony and Michael (as their scout) went hunting last weekend and they got two deer. It's so nice to have ring bologna, summer sausage (Joe's sandwich meat all summer...when he eats 4 sandwiches a day it doesn't last long,) beef sticks and we even tried hotdogs this year. We will see how they taste this week. Joe and the boys have so much fun. I don't know what part they loved more preparing to go or the hunting. The night before is such an exciting time as well as their "hunters breakfast" Maria and I have waiting for them when they return.

We had the kids' Christmas picture taken this week and here are some pictures of them seperately...you will have to wait until the Christmas letter comes out to see them together. It was Christina's first professional pictures...we will just leave it at that.

Here are our two boys...being hams. Here are our beautiful girls.Christina walking in a dress and shoes.

Farming, walking, good bye,a baby (not us:) 5 month Anniversary and roses!!

A strange title that explains why so long since our last update.

First off Joe and the kids have been in their glory farming again. Joe had the renters save corn stocks for us to bale. The kids and Joe had so much fun. Then Anthony has spent the last two weeks stock chopping and digging bean ground. He was just glowing. This is one time and probably the only when I would have enjoyed him having a drivers license. I was drop off and pick taxi but it was worth it seeing him sooooo happpy. He told me he is going to go to college to earn a degree in computers so he can use the money to farm. Knowing Anthony he will do it, too.

Christina was placed in our arms 5 months ago today. It's so amazing how she has changed us and has been such a joy. It's also Adoption Month which is so fitting. Once you adopt you are part of a whole different group of people and until you adopt it is hard to explain but you feel like you are family with anyone who has adopted. The connection is so amazing. The "BIG Vote" is on Monday to see how adoptions will change in Guatemala and if they will grandfather all those children in process to be adopted. Keep the prayers going:)

Here is a picture of Christina 5 months ago today!!

Christina started walking at 14 months and one week. She is so funny. We have been trying to have her walk for months. She would only take two steps smile at us and drop down to crawl. Well she woke up on Sunday morning and starting walking across the living room. She went from two steps the day before to 19 steps the moment she woke up. We were so surprised and Christina just kept walking and smiling from all the attention. We also found out that my baby sister is having a baby. Cary and Carolee are proud to announce their little one is due around May 10-13, 2008. Grandpa and Grandma are to excited to have another grandchild to spoil and I am really excited that Carolee and I will have children close in age at least one anyway. Christina and Carolee's baby will be 21 months apart. I can't wait until next Christmas. The Good Bye is a happy one and a sad one. Nicholas' mommy, Kimberly, is going to be a stay-at-home mom which we are so happy for him and her but we were also sad to say Good Bye to our little boy we have been doing daycare for almost two years. He has been here 5 days a week from 6:30 AM-5:30 PM. We had a going away party which Nicholas' called a "Birthday Party" because we had a balloon, presents, and cupcakes. We will also miss seeing his Jimmy and Kimberly everyday. Here is my Birthday surprise from Joe. After he gave me these beautiful roses he said he was done working for the year. So he will be home all winter...yeahhhh!!!!

Well that is all for now. Hunting news will coming in the next update. Watch for deer hunting news soon.