Connecting the Rainbow...

If you look to right on my side bar, you will see a new graphic for a brand-new Reece's Rainbow program called Connecting the Rainbow!

This exciting new program's main goal is to support and help parents in Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, and Russia who have chosen to keep their child with Down syndrome home and raise them in their own family. Isn't this awesome!!!!

To find out more details, please click on the graphic to the right. AND, you can be big part of the process, too, by either donating financial support, toys, and therapy tools listed under the "wish list" section.

Also, I wanted to share that I am going to be the Parent Liaison for the Ukraine part of the program. I am so excited for this opportunity.

Take a peek at the website....as is stated there, the MAIN goal is that the services of Reece's Rainbow and adoptions of children with Ds will no longer be needed in these Eastern European countries. Please join us in helping take the steps to make that happen!

Update....All But One Have Forever Families!

Last July we posted pictures of several little children waiting for their forever families:

http://beautifulgiftfromgod.blogspot.com/2009/07/max-charlie-zhora-lilyahelp-us-find.html

I am so happy to report that all but one have been adopted or will be in the upcoming months. Who is still waiting? Little Zhora.....Please pray that someone commits to him soon!

It's our hope that one day we can meet these families and have a sort of reunion for the children. Wouldn't that be something?

The Blubber, I mean Rubber, Meets the Road....

I just returned from a very humbling episode....a fitness evaluation at our local YMCA. Let's just say that the only area I am average in is the ab crunches! The eval was the first step in the Y's Fitness for Life program.

The fitness expert then helped me set three goals with a re-evaluation to be completed in 12 weeks. I am doing this to get healthy so that hopefully I will be around to take care of my four children.

Well, this is where the "blubber" meets the road!

Who Needs the Grammys When You have This....

One Down....Eleven to Go....

Well, I made it through month one of buying no new clothes for myself! Not one single thing!

But why is it when you restrict something, you then notice it everywhere! Temptation lurks in the most unsuspecting of places....Did you know there are clothes everywhere--even at your local gas station! (albeit not the most fashionable pieces) but nonetheless clothing... :)

Oh well, I will continue on my self-imposed challenge to not buy anything new. But it is oh, so hard!

On to month two.... :)

Bella's Dedication and our Special Family....

Today was a very special day in our lives....we dedicated Bella to the Lord during a baby/child Dedication service.

In our small church of about 200 people, there were over 10 families dedicating children...two of those children were adopted!

Isn't it amazing how God forms families? And now, we give Bella back to Him--and trust through his strength and mercy, we can help her grow in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord.

And then, this afternoon I read this wonderful quote from another gal:

God doesn't give children with special needs to strong people; He gives children with special needs to ordinary, weak people and then gives them strength. Raising a child with Down syndrome doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family.

We are eternally grateful that God MAKES our family special through the gifts of Grace and Bella!

Sissy-Beth is Sixteen!

I can't believe it, but Elizabeth, aka Sissy, Sissy-Beth, or Sister, is 16 today!

It seems like yesterday when she entered our world and changed us forever. We love her so much....Happy 16th, Sissy-Beth!