WOW!! Happy New Year!!

I can't believe it's already New Year's Eve. My husband made my day by saying, he'd rather spend New Year's Eve with his wife and kids than at some big party. I have to say I'd agree. This move has been a little tough, we're missing friends and smiling faces whereever we would go in Sheridan, but have grown, as a family, because of it. We've spent ALOT of family time the past 3.5 months and honestly love being with each other. I think it's been the perfect thing to mold our family into the family God wants us to be. Janika said the other day, "Mom, this move has really deepened my faith because I don't have all of the busy-ness of my life in Sheridan anymore. I have more time to really talk to God." WOW--

Speaking of Janika. She melted my heart yesterday. Most of you know that after I got back from Ethiopia, I was pretty sick all summer. We've finally nailed down the culprit and I can't eat anything with wheat in it or WHAMMO, sick again. Last night, my daughter wanted to make homemade pizza and then made me my own wheat free pizza!! I haven't had pizza since August and it tasted so great!! Thanks, Jani- you truly are a gift to me...

Elli's life also changed in Ethiopia. She KNOWS she is meant to work in an orphanage when she's older and thinks about orphans ALL OF THE TIME. She had a $30 gift card to Wal-mart (thank you EnerCrest) and has been saving it. The day after Christmas, we all went there and she got busy--not buying anything for herself, but enough to almost fill a rubbermaid tub with kids' clothes that were on clearance...Now I just need to find a family to take them to Ethiopia with them when they travel..any takers out there? Also, for Christmas, she didn't want anything for herself. She asked, and received (thanks Sauros) money for her mission fund. She's got 1/4 of a plane ticket saved already--Again WOW, this Mommy learns so much from her kids' example.

The past two days have been COLD- actually it's been cold for awhile and looks to be for sometime-- ND truly is an ICEBOX. Yesterday, Kael and Gavin bundled up and went outside for over an hour and had the time of their lives. Kael constantly thanks me for bringing home Gavin (thanks to God!!). Today, Gavin couldn't wait for a repeat performance..following Kael around WAITING on his big brother to play with him. Mike, in his wisdom, reminded Kael how neat it was that this little boy wants to be with him all the time.. ANOTHER WOW MOMENT..What a blessing both of my boys are, to each other and to all of us.

This past week, Gavin has been able to skype with three well loved friends from Benchi Maji. Their families feel like family to us..another WOW from God. What a gift..being united with families that we have never met, because we serve the same BIG GOD and have followed his mandate to care for orphans in their distress.

Finally, I have to say that I hear my kids (Elli, Janika, Kael and Layne)saying over and over "Mom, we have room for more." I know some naysayers about adoption say that it can detrimentally affect your biological kids. They are wrong! Adoption increases your children's ability to love others and see others as more important than themselves. I couldn't imagine my life without Layne and Gavin.. WOW, thanks, God for bringing these amazing kids into my life and definitely into my heart.

As I'm typing this, I can hear yells and laughs as the rest of my family plays Twister upstairs..what a wonderful sound..

We pray you all have a Happy New Year!!!

LRP's Special Education School Attorneys Conference Agenda

LRP's Special Education School Attorneys Conference Agenda

EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - An Interview with Miriam Kurtzig Freedman, M.A., J.D.: On Fixing Special Education—12 Steps to Transform a Broken System…

EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - An Interview with Miriam Kurtzig Freedman, M.A., J.D.: On Fixing Special Education—12 Steps to Transform a Broken System…

More Christmas Pictures

Here are a few more pictures from Gavin's first Christmas. He really loves to match other people, from placemats at the table, to his Daddy and brother's clothes for Christmas Eve Service. We are always more than happy to oblige, unless it is taking longer than 10 minutes to set the breakfast table, while he tries to find matching plates, bowls, spoons, cups, cereal and drink as Layne.

Great Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas together as a family, very low key, focusing on Christ's birth and each other. Mike sang at church with Elli and Janika, which was a huge treat. It was the first time he's sung with them in public. It was really a blessing to hear them sing together.

Gavin and Layne have had multiple sleep-overs the past few nights. They LOVE it, but I have to remind them over and over to go to sleep. Gavin said last night, "Mommy, we are having BIG FUN!!" From the giggles I'm sure they were. Fortunately for Gavin, Layne has an incredible imagination and fortunately for her, he is game to go along with just about any pretend play. I honestly don't know how they sleep with 10 stuffed animals in their bed with them.

Kael has been busy, busy, building K'Nex inventions and the little ones love playing with whatever he's built. He and Mike are on day 2 of an Axis and Allies Europe Game. Cousins--he'll be ready for battle this summer!

We have been diligently praying for a sibling group of 4 to find a family by next Christmas. Would you join us in prayer for them? Mike met the oldest boy of the 4 back in June, when we were in Addis Ababa, picking up Gavin. The reality is, orphanages can only keep kids up to a certain age and he is almost to that age. Hopefully, we'll be able to tell you that he and his siblings have a family soon. Maybe, by posting this, someone will contact us about being their family. We would happily put you in contact with our agency, if you have room in your homes to love 4 beautiful kids.

6 months home!!

It's been awhile since I've posted about Gavin. We met our new social worker this week for his 6 month post placement visit--still can't believe it's been 6 months already!! She was amazed at Gavin's language abilities and how easily he seems to have become a part of our family. He was very animated showing her around his house, his room, talking about all the things he and Layne do together. It was a good visit.

Mike and I keep pinching ourselves with regards to his transition. He delights us everyday with the new things he's learning and with his infectious laugh.

It is so fun to watch him get into the Christmas spirit around here. One of the pictures shows him with his own stocking- I think he thinks we're a little crazy hanging them on the mantle, but loves having his "own" anything. Tonight at dinner, he was able to tell his Daddy, that we give gifts at Christmas because God gave us HIS son for Christmas, the greatest gift of all!! In just 6 months, our son has come to a new land, integrated into a new family, learned a new language, eaten all new foods and discovered that he has a LOVING heavenly Father who gave us a wonderful gift many, many Christmases ago.

We are rejoicing in our family this week as our good friends, the Halls wait for their court date for their little girls, our friends, the Hutchesons wait for their court date next week, and 2 more children were removed from our agency's waiting child list this week--next Christmas all of these children will have a families!!

FAQs - Discrimination - Is it Legal to Send Special Ed Kids Home Early? - Wrightslaw

FAQs - Discrimination - Is it Legal to Send Special Ed Kids Home Early? - Wrightslaw

important links

I've been following two family's journeys back to Ethiopia, with Childrens' HopeChest. These families are helping to find sponsors for specific orphanages/carepoints in Ethiopia. The sponsorships are unique in that each sponsor helps to meet the needs of the individual child as well as the orphanage itself. If you want to take a trip to help meet the needs of your sponsored child, you are invited to!!

PLEASE take the time to read the following blogs:



http://familyfromafar.blogspot.com

http://afatherseyes.blogspot.com

The single biggest predictor of college failure

The single biggest predictor of college failure

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Calling Prayer Warriors for the Reed Family

Good morning everyone. As you know, I've asked you to pray for the Reed Family before. They received a referral for a little girl, earlier this year, passed court and two days later their precious daughter passed away in ET. They just got home from ET with their beautiful daughter,Maura, on Saturday. This morning, Maura is undergoing a cardiac cath. at Vanderbilt University. Please pray for this entire family, as they wait, for news that the procedure was a success and Maura's heart was healed.

You can go to reedadoption.blogspot.com to follow their journey and let them know that you're praying for them.

Thank you.

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day. Since beginning to adopt a child from Ethiopia, we've learned so much about AIDS. Gavin does not have HIV, but after reading information from many families whose children do have HIV, I wouldn't hesitate to adopt a child with HIV. Did you know?

With proper medication, the viral load in a child with HIV can become ZERO?

Children with HIV, who grow up on medication have a nearly normal life expectancy.

Medication for children with HIV can run as low as $60/month, that's as much as some people spend on a mocha every day.

There are no documented cases of children with HIV passing the virus on to their family members.

NOW, the harsh reality is:
If these children are left in their countries of origin without medicines, they will die and die early.

There are entire nations in Africa that are missing the "parent" generations, nations where one elderly lady might be trying to raise 25 orphaned toddlers.

Let God use you today, to make a difference in the life of a child affected by AIDS.

Check out amazing ministries, like Childrens Hopechest to see how you can make a difference. Consider being the answer for one of these children.