Merry Christmas

As I sit here typing, listening to the complete quietness (Joe and Christina are sleeping and the kids are downstairs watching a Christmas movie), I can't help but think about last Christmas. We had a wonderful time and lots of memories but something was missing. When I was at church last year listening to the singing all I could think about was what is Christina and her Foster Family doing right now. We had a picture but not Christina. She wasn't at church for us to hold and she wasn't there to see all the beautiful Christmas decorations and to listen to the angelic singing. She wasn't at Mom and Dad's to open all the Christmas presents that family had given us for her and we had no idea when she would be home. Last night I was sitting in church holding Christina through the whole service. She was oohing and aaahing over the lights, singing and the little baby boy in the pew ahead of us. I remember missing her last year but all the pain I felt then I couldn't remember last night. I just enjoyed the moment and was in ahhh of what God had done the past year. All the ups, downs and not knowing was erased the moment we held Christina for the first time. It's amazing how God gives us a child and that child can heal all the pain and suffering just like Jesus does for us. Born to us as a baby in a manger so many years ago. We no longer need to suffer because he was born and saved us by dying on the cross. Everything is in God's time eventhough it isn't what we would want at the time but he always makes things better if we allow him to. Thank you God for Christina, she is the light of our lives. Thank you for all our children you have given us they ARE OUR LIVES. Thank you everyone for the support the last year and all the prayers. Merry Christmas!!! Here are some pictures of us making lefse for the first time. We had quite the assembly line going:

Christina even had her first taste of Lefse and she loved it!!

Christmas Eve Pictures:

Christina touched her first real Christmas Tree. She is smiling because she is thinking she is getting away with something because there isnt' a gate in front of it.

After Christmas dinner we did dishes since Mom still tires easily after her surgery. Here is Christina and Grandma taking a rest on the couch.

Christina opened her gift and it was a baby doll. She screamed and she would scream if someone else would hold it.

Christina found the step at Mom and Dad's. Every child likes it as a seat.

Maria and Christina opening gifts.

Michael so happy with his fishing equipement.

Anthony only wanted a coverall and he was so happy. See how close in height he is to Joe. They can share clothes.

More pictures of Christmas Day...stay tuned:)

Roller Coaster Ride

Two days after Thanksgiving Christina got really sick. By Tuesday morning she was huffing, wheezing and crackling in her lungs. I took her in and she had croup and was diagnosed with Asthma. They also said she had an overgrowth of yeast which was making her stomach not except many foods. It was nice to know what has been causing every thing but at the same time it was scary. We had to start Neb treatments and she took them really well. She is also getting yogurt everyday as well as probiotics for the yeast overgrowth. As of today she is much better and back to her active self. She is able to eat more foods as well. yeahhhhh!!!!! Even though she was sick and had difficulty breathing she still managed to smile. I was rocking her at 2:00 AM...her fever had jumped up to 103 and she was huffing, wheezing and her eyes were closed but I was singing to her and she gave me the biggest smile....only Christina!!!

We decorated the tree on the First Sunday of Advent. It was so much fun seeing Christina see and feel everything for the first time. Christmas last year was happy but sad because we new we had a little girl waiting for us in Guatemala. This year she is here enjoying everything we are. What a blessing.

Here are some pictures of us putting up the tree.

"Do you need this??" Everyone chipping in.

"Do you need any help Daddy"

"What is this shiny stuff?" "Does this taste good?" Daddy helping Christina put on her first ornament.

"What are these things for Maria"

Yes, we had to eventually put up a gate. It was way to tempting to eat the blinking lights!

After she started getting better she went from a practicing walker to a professional walker which is her favorite mode of transportation right now and she has been attempting running. Oh no here we go....and I was happy she was going to walk. I think I will regret that someday soon. She has found the cubbards and Joe is on the mission to put safety latches on but until he gets around to it we have toy hand cuffs, belts, yard sticks, you name it on all the doors. Christina was able to go outside in the snow and she had so much fun she didn't want to come in. She was the cutest show bunny in her snowsuit.

The kids are building a snow fort. they are so excited to have a "normal" winter so they are outside any chance they get.

Mom had a double masectomy and her lymph nodes were free of cancer. We were so happy to hear the good news. Thank you for the prayers. She is recooperating fast at the relief of Dad and Darren. They didn't enjoy being nurse maids, since I was sick and Carolee was in Florida it was up to them.

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.

Our Farm Girl Has A Court Date

Well little Christina had her first coveralls on today and I couldn't resist to take a picture. As soon as she was dressed she went and picked up a farming book. How cool is that. So here are the pictures.

Christina has court on November 21st at 10:00 AM. The court hearing is to make her a US Citizen by making her adoption complete in the eyes of the US courts and change her name from Maria Fernanda Callens to Christina Maria Callens.

Here is one of her proud sister who can't get enough of Christina. It's amazing how not having a baby in the house for 7 years makes everyone so thankful for her. oops it isn't downloading I will try tomorrow. It is soooo cute:)