HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!!!

****Thank you for all my sweet birthday wishes!  They mean so much to me!  :o)  ****

***My family raided my blog and surprised me with this special blog for me!  I'm so blessed....thank you Karl, Katie, Lexie, Gannon, and Garrison!  I love you!! ***

SURPRISE!
Happy Birthday Mama!!!

The first time ever I saw your face

I thought the sun rose in your eyes

Love, Karl



We love you Mom and thank you for everything you do for us! It’s hard to find photos of the one who sacrifices all for the family and does most of the “photo-taking”, but we managed to find a few….









Here’s a couple of birthday wishes from each of us:

From Katie… I love you Mom and am sooooo thankful for you! I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing Mom! I look up to you in so many ways and have such a huge respect for you. You truly are an amazing woman of God and you portray the Proverbs 31 mother, daughter, sister, wife, and friend every day! Happy Birthday!

From Lexie…Hey Mom! I hope that you’re having an awesome birthday! I love you so much and can’t thank God enough for you! Thanks for always being there for me after a hard day and always listening to anything and everything I have to say. I don’t know what I would do without you! Love ya!

From Gannon…Dear Mom, I hope that your birthday is a very very fun one. You’re the best mom any one could have! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you!

From Garrison…Mom, you’re amazing and I love you sooooo much! I hope you have a fun time at your birthday. You’re the best!

From your Loving Husband…Happy Birthday my Love!! I still remember well the day I first saw you across the cafeteria line in first grade. You were then and still are the prettiest girl I have ever met. Not only has God bestowed you with beauty and grace but a heart of gold to serve and love all of us as you do. Thank you for being you. We praise God for bringing you into our lives. I love you soooooo much! Karl

Tabbies and Kitties :o)

I have been meaning to post this for a long time now and am JUST now getting to it.  I bought the cutest little "tabby" and "kitty" from Sam, a fellow blogger and China mommy.  I just love it!  It is so soft and just the right size for little hands.  Thank you Sam!

The Karen People

My family has the awesome opportunity to help the Karen people--refugees from Burma, learn English.  I have fallen in love with these people!!  They are so sweet and their children are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!

Please join with me, in prayer for them.  Can you imagine leaving where they came from---and coming to America?  Yes...it is a blessing...but they have so much to learn and understand.  Can you also imagine their children being placed in our schools?  

Please watch the video that I have posted below.  And lift them up in prayer!  Thank you!

Oh...and be sure to "quiet" my music before you start the video.  Just scroll down to the bottom of my page.  :o)

Nightmare in East Burma

January Birthday Pictures...

So now that I've had a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of things after the holidays, I thought I'd post some pictures from the birthdays we've had.  :o)

Garrison was super excited to go and build his own skateboard on his birthday!

This is the cake I made for Garrison for his birthday party with his friends.  Can you tell it's a skateboard?
Garrison blowing out his candles at our "family birthday party" for him. 

Karl (with silly birthday-hat) on his birthday with Gannon singing his heart out!  :o)  

The new car that Karl bought for Katie on HIS birthday!  What a dad!

Pretty Stamps!!!!

Look at the pretty stamps I just ordered online!  I was so happy to find these!  These are the 1st in a series the USPS is doing.  Sooo pretty!!  :o)

An Award!?

I got an award!!  ME?!  That's crazy....but oh so appreciated!  Makes me feel loved and happy! Thank you to Lindy's mom, Lisa, for giving me this award!

Xandra from Heart of Service created this award to honor those blogs that are "must reads".  In her own words: "So here's to all the blogs that you'be discovered that you can't possibly live without.  They make you laugh, cry, think and feel connected every time you read a post.  They give you a thrill as you see them loading into your browser and  you get an equally satisfying thrill when you see that they have commented on your blog."

I started this blog only a short time ago, to keep family and friends updated on what was happening with our adoption of Karleigh Mei.  Little did I know, that in such a short time I would make NEW friends!  I have already learned so much and have enjoyed my fellow bloggers.  You are ALL an absolute God-send! I thank God for all of you!

I want to pass this award on to these bloggers that I just LOVE checking in on EVERY day! They are:

My daughter Lexie.  She was the first one to start blogging and convinced ME to do my own blog.  Lexie is an amazing 15 yr. old who loves the Lord with her whole heart.  She loves her family and she can't wait for our little Karleigh Mei to join us! I love you Lexie and I am oh-so-proud of you!!

Denise at Journey to Maggie Mae is a must check blog for me every day!  Denise is one of the first bloggers that I met.  She is a dear and I so appreciate her friendship!  I am super excited about following their journey to Maggie Mae in China.  If you check out her blog you will be blessed....and you'll be able to see their BEAUTIFUL daughter that is waiting for them in China!

Stefanie's blog at Ni Hao Y'all is always a delight to go to, even if she hasn't posted in a while.  When I grow up I want to be just like Stefanie!  It is clear that this is a woman who loves the Lord and is following Him with unabashed love.  I can't begin to describe this awesome family....just go check out their site!  They are in the process of adopting their 8th child.  If you go just to look at all of their beautiful faces you won't be disappointed!

Jeanette at A Quiver Full is also a blessing to visit!  They returned from China not too long ago with sweet Elizabeth.  Jeanette is another sweet friend that I have met in "Blogger-Land".  I have enjoyed watching their journey--and am sure you will too!  It is because of her blog, that I stumbled across months ago (from my daughter Lexie's blog), that inspired me to consider special needs adoption. You are an inspiration and a blessing Jeanette!  Go check out her blog!

There are numerous more blogs that I enjoy checking out every day.  I wish I could list them all here.  I am incredibly thankful for all of my fellow bloggers!

Happy Blessings,

Jenn

Happy Birthday Karl!!

Today is my wonderful and awesome husband's birthday!! He is truly an amazing man...such  a great husband, father, brother, son, and friend. Happy Birthday Karl.....I love celebrating YOU!!

He's not afraid to do a cart-wheel in the middle of Hyde Park, London.

Karl and Gannon skiing.
The pigeon man at St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy.
Relaxing on a camping trip.
Karl and Brian in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

New Special Needs Referrals!

I received an email from my agency today telling me that they got a new batch of SN referrals! There are 6 girls and 4 boys in the 0-2 age range. I highly doubt (but I secretly wish!) that Karleigh Mei is in this batch. I do know that this puts us closer to her though! That is exciting!

LID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness!!! I'm so excited to announce that we have our Log In Date!! It's 12-14-07!! YIPPEE!!

Happy 11th Birthday Garrison!

Garrison~~Today we celebrate YOU!! You are an incredible blessing to everyone you are around. You have an amazing heart and such a sweet spirit. You are awesome! You are going to be such a great BIG brother....Karleigh Mei is going to fall head over heels in love with you! I love you and I am so very proud of you!!