Dateline

I have been waiting to post on the Dateline show(far from news) for a while. It's disturbing that the majority of the show was about the bad things that happen with Guatemalan adoptions because it sells. In case you didn't stay till the end, after 50 minutes or so of the show they finally mentioned briefly that the majority of adoptions are very legal and what everyone just watched for most of the hour is rare. For those who are wondering how we know Chrisina was not stolen and her Biological mother wasn't forced to make an adoption plan, we know the details and have information which we will share with Christina only someday and it will be up to her to tell if she so chooses. I could go on and on about each thing that Dateline said but this sums up and I don't want to trash anyone like they just did.

Adoption

I found this and it's so beautiful, I just had to post and share.

"We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life. But those who make their journey home across time & miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands." ~Kristi Larson

Happy 11th Birthday Michael

Michael turned 11 year old today on 1-9-2008. We had a small celebration because he was recovering from some stomach trouble caused by antibiotics. He decided the best cake to have for his stomach was cornbread cake. We loved it. Christina watching Michael open gifts and saying "OHHHHHH" her favorite new word. He wanted a golf club for his birthday so I guess we will have one golfer in the family. Plus he is a Star Wars fan. You give him some characters and he can play for hours using that imagination of his. Michael also got a dresser which everyone helped put together. Christina inherited Michael's dresser. No more changing table. My baby is growing up:( Christina helping her way. Carpenter in the making. Anthony do you need my help?

New Years Eve

Well my husband really knows how to celebrate New Years Eve. We had just put Christina to bed and she was sound asleep when Joe and the kids decided to go and check the goats to see if they have had any babies which has been a ritual for the last two weeks. All of a sudden as I was closing Christina's door the kids came in screaming.....Thomas, yes a girl goat, had a baby. So I donned all the beautiful farm apparel and went into the 40 below windchill MN night and saw the baby. He was beautiful. This was 11 PM... so we waited in Joe's camper which we set up as a warming house and waited for Thomas to have another because she was still huge. We waited and froze and waited and froze and nothing for over an hour then at 12:30AM New Years Day she had two more boys. So one was born New Years Eve and his brothers were born New Years Day. The kids were so excited. I was excited too but couldn't move because I was so cold. We all ran in the house after the triplets had eaten and warmed by the corn burner. Then we all said "Happy New Year" and went to bed. Yes, a memorable but not very romantic New Year's Eve. This is the way a farm family with goats in MN spends New Years Eve. As I write this we have had 6 Nannies come in with 11 babies. All healthy and oh so cute.

Here are some pictures:

All the pregnant Nannies

The kids love their kids(Name of baby goats)

Here are pictures of the special Mama and her one of her babies having dinner. Aren't they cute!!??

Yes, slow as usual

Yes, I said I would post Christmas pictures around two weeks ago but here I am just getting around to it. Sorry:(

We had a wonderful 1st Christmas with Christina. We got up opened Santa gifts and decided...I guess the kids decided.... to open the rest of our gifts instead of spreading them out. Yes, what were Joe and I thinking torturing the kids like that.

Christina loved her baby dolls she received and screamed if anyone touched them. Yes, she still screams. This is from the girl that has a smile on all day long and doesn't scream for anything since we have tought her sign language.(I will explain this more later.) I guess her baby dolls are special to her. We think she thinks they are real babies.

Then we all got dressed and started the big turkey dinner. It was a whole family affair with everyone helping and Christina in the backpack so she wouldn't miss anything. The only problem with the backpack is when you are standing too close to a cubbard for too long; she will open and grab something out of it in a blink of an eye. Those tiny hands are quick.

After we ate and cleaned up everyone sat down for a must needed rest. Joe and Christina slept. It was amazing here after all the waiting we were celebrating with our little girl. I still get teary eyed somedays just looking at her.

I also have been thinking about her birthmother and wondering what she is doing now and if she was thinking about Christina on Christmas. Joe and I talked we would like to find and meet her one day. But we know this may never happen. So we are going to have her picture and the information we received made into a book or a scrapbook page. We are so thankful she made an adoption plan for Christina. We pray God will give her the reassurance that we will always love and take care of her all the days of her life.

January 3rd was her 6 month Anniversary when she was placed in our arms. We looked at pictures the other day and we all can't believe it was only 6 months ago. Christina is so secure and attached to us like she has been with us all along. She does struggle with sleeping at night if I have been gone during the day or night so I am trying to stay home more.

Christina was going through a screaming spell where she would scream for what she wanted so I talked with Kimberly. She taught Nicholas sign language before he could talk and he is so amazing on how well he does. So we started with Christina. She knows the signs for ....more, done, milk, and eat. We can't believe how fast she has learned it. She has added "Nigh nigh" when she is tired to her vocabulary list. She is also saying "BEBE' " which is spanish for baby. The kids are learning sign and spanish as well so Christina is helping us learn so much.

Here are pictures of our First Christmas as a family of "6"

Christina really got the hang of unwrapping presents by the time Christmas was done.

Maria loved having a sister to help open presents. The kids were more excited watching Christina open her presents then theirs.

Maria the princess lover. Our own little princess:) Michael...the only wanted fishing gear, CD Player and Roy Roger Music CD's. Yes, they still have them around.

Anthony and his hunting:) Christina directing Dad on what to do in the kitchen.

Sisterly Love. It doesn't get any cuter than this.

She loved her baby and still screams if anyone else touches it. Any other toy she is fine sharing but not this one....a Mother in the making by God's Design:)

Christina's first ride on a John Deere!! Not much excitement there...huh?? Thanks Grandpa and Grandma:)