http://spotlight.news.yahoo.com/v/10836826

Top 10 reasons why a glass door on the front of an 80's entertainment center in a bedroom is DUMB!

10) It is a magnet for fingerprints made by your adorable grandchildren.

9) It is time-consuming to clean.

8) It is not FUNG Shei. I looked it up for you. Trust me.

7) It could create a glare in the sun that might wake you up in the morning before you are ready to get up...ANNOYING AND ALSO DUMB!

6) It could provide an unwanted reflection in an awkward situation. I'm just sayin'.

5) It could be hazardous to wayward birds looking to catch a 'lil late night cable.

4) It could cause a cat to see its reflection and get into a fight with itself...if you had a cat.

3) LESS is MORE!

2) It may emit invisible toxins that could build-up and eventually become dangerous...or even lethal. Again, don't look this one up...trust us!

1) It prevents golf lovers from being able to keep golf clubs near them if they have adorable grandchildren who might pick up said clubs and swing them into the glass in an effort to be like their Super Cool Grandpa Tom...shattering the door into thousands of tiny pieces all over the room!

WELCOME HOME GRANDMA AND GRANDPA!

WE ALL LOVE YOU... Especially your adorable Grandchildren!

:)

P.S. Won't you join us in a new "Welcome Home from Vacation" tradition in which we wear our shoes in our bedroom near the TV for at least 5 vacuumings. :)

This Bloggy world has afforded me the opportunity to meet so many other people who share my passion for ALL THINGS ADOPTION. I have made so many friends who inspire me to find a way to make a difference for these children who are still left behind. Who challenge me to go beyond what I ever imagined I could do for the cause. They encourage me to be a more vocal advocate for a cause I feel so deeply passionate about. And I thank God for placing them in my life! I am so blessed for knowing them.

Shelby started it off with The ELISON PROJECT. She is just an adoptive mom who decided she was going to do her part to help as many children home as possible. She started the Elison Project on her own, to place grants on WC as well as to families who could use a little help with their Adoption funds. We are one of the blessed recipients of one of her Grants. So was Stefanie's(Ni Hao Y'all) sister Andrea. She basically pulled cash out of her own bank account as well as cash contributed by a few of Elison Project directors, to finance these Grants. Just an example of how one can make a difference if you just decide to do it. Shelby did just that. She just decided she was going to do it, and she never looked back. When I think of how many children and families were helped by her generosity, It just makes me so happy. And Proud. And inspired. I love when that happens.

One of my other good friends has found a way to make a difference for the children who still wait, and for their potential families. Stefanie has had a dream for a while to start a site to educate anyone interested in SN adoption from China. She has finally brought that dream to fruition, with NO HANDS BUT OURS. And she is allowing Rebecca , Tonggu Momma , and me to come along and contribute to her labor of love(thanks TM).

NO HANDS BUT OURS was designed to be a resource for ALL things SN adoption. You will find information about specific special needs, links and resources, family stories, agencies, as well as information about current children who wait. A place where anyone who is considering the WC program or at any stage of the process can find answers as well as encouragement to help them along on their journey. I would have loved to have had a resource like this when we began the process to Adopt Hannah back in 06. It makes me smile to think of all the families who will be blessed by this. As well as all the children who will find homes because this site helped to educate as well as take some of the mystery out of certain SN thereby possibly opening people up to more than they knew they would ever consider.
I am a proud mom to 3 children from China, so far! :) Two of whom were considered SN. My oldest son David was born with a heart defect. I often think if he were born in China (I know, stay with me), he would have been TAGGED. Overlooked. He might have been left behind because he was considered imperfect. His orphanage might not have had the funds to get him the help he needed, as so often is the case. The thought sickens me. Thankfully that was not the case for him.

But for so many little ones who are considered SN, that unfortunately IS their reality. I praise God everyday, that that was not the fate for Grace, Hannah and Johnathan. For whatever reason, God allowed us to be the ones to care for these beautiful souls. I am so thankful that because of David's heart condition, we were not afraid of the idea of a SN but rather had a special place in our hearts for these little ones who had the potential to get over looked. The idea of life without each and every one of them is unthinkable. China was most definitely right about one thing. They are indeed SPECIAL!


I could NOT be more proud of Stefanie for making this a reality, or more thankful to be able to be a part of NO HAND BUT OURS! and to be contributing alongside these AMAZING women who share a passion for ALL children who wait. I pray it will be a blessing to others beyond anything any of us could have ever imagined. I pray that it will increase exponentially the number of children who will be coming home to their forever families!

Please, spread the word so that others can know about this awesome resource. And go check it out for yourself. If you are in the process of waiting for or searching for your WC, or if you are in the "regular program" and have considered switching to SN, I am certain you will find something that will be helpful. Even if you have never even entertained the thought, stop by. You just NEVER know. :)

Thanks Stef , for all you do for these children, and for these waiting families. I just LOVE you girl, and am so thankful for the opportunity to take part in this. You inspire. I AM, inspired.
:)

p.s. Don't forget to vote for OWEN. Click on the vote icon on the top left of the page(only if you like the blog peeps..No pressure) . And please spread the word!! If you have no clue what this is about check out this post for more info. GO TEAM OWEN!!

Right where they BELONG!

PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!

:)

One.More.Sleep!

Check out a post I hijacked from my sisters blog from last week... Yes. She is cool. And Yes again, I am BLESSED! ...




God is good...all the time. But some days my radar is more tuned in to this truth than others...Today was the first full day we relished in the reality that Johnathan was safe and happy in his daddy's arms. Today was the day that Johnathan ventured for 90 minutes in the outside world to meet the man that would have a thoughtfully packed bag of goodies just for him. And today is the day that Stripey Man got to hold his Stripey boy...the boy he had been praying for and anxiously plotting their times together. Today Johnathan got to meet his forever family on Skype...a video conferencing tool I knew nothing about five years ago but that has played a significant roll in my sister's growing family. Today is the day that six beautiful children got to laugh with and share together in the joy of their precious little brother...the brother who will snuggle to read books with them, sneak their french fries, and surely will want to do everything his big brothers are doing. And today is the day that I got to see my sister's life feel slightly more complete...She has dreamed and prayed over this day for days, weeks, months, and in many ways for years. Her family is her ministry and her life...I am so very thankful for this most amazing day when she could hear the laughs of all these children at the same time. Thank you Jesus. Truly, God is good, all the time. We can't wait to see you Johnathan. We love you!!

Seriously, Stef. What were you thinking? First off.. there is the matter of the "TAG FREE for X days counter." Which in and of itself should have been enough. It just should. But then, you throw in, oh I don't know... THIS!.. and it just leaves me scratchin' my head. Why girl? Why? Honestly... :) lol.

Because I love you... and because I know you give this in love, I will participate. I will once again humiliate myself and bore my friends with my mindless and brutally honest tid-bits about myself. ughhh... I am so sorry friends. I am just. so. sorry. You too, "TAG FREE FOR X DAY COUNTER". There goes the pizza party! ;)lol

In order to accept this Bloggy Award/Tag in disguise, you must do the following:

1)When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back.

2)Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in their content or design.

3)Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Honest Weblog’.

4)List [if you can and/or dare] at least ten honest things about yourself. And then, pass it on.”

And now, I shall bore you to tears...

1. I am a tradition Junkie. I make a tradition out of anything and everything. I am a child of divorce, and because of that, we didn’t have many traditions. I don’t know how I just made that connection there, but I think when you are a child of divorce you take license with that to blame everything and anything on that fact. Because we lacked in the tradition department, I strive to ensure our kiddos childhood’s are rich in tradition. Some might say I over tradition. I think it is better to have over traditioned than to have never traditioned at all. That is how Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote it, right? (Might have googled the name so you would think I was smart)

2. I am an eternal optimist, almost to a fault. Case in Point. Sometimes, I get a little crazy and think I might like to start eating healthy, and workout. So when this happens, I usually treat myself to something I wouldn’t eat while partaking in the healthy lifestyle. Certain sugary delights.. or something fried perhaps. Cause you know, tomorrow is DAY 1. Sometimes, just sometimes, I might get halfway(if that) through Day 1 and decide that day is not really a good day to start DAY 1.. but rather, tomorrow is feeling a bit more DAY 1-ish. So that day then becomes the DAY BEFORE DAY 1. And, once again I plan and partake in “my last meal.” Because I am an optimist… there is always another DAY 1. See the problem here? While I do see it.. doesn’t bug me. I’m an optimist. I am just happy giving myself credit for recognizing there is a problem. :)

3. Some might call me vertically challenged. I am 5’1” on a tall day. I don’t really even know I am short. Might be that eternal optimism thing. I have always been smaller than everyone else, and it has never really bothered me. Though my mom, in recalling my 1st grade year and the hazing that I suffered at the hands of Billy Quinimin due to my“shrimpiness”, as he liked to call it, may beg to differ. The horrible first grade year aside, it is not something I really think about. Though as my 7th grader catches me in height, I have come to the realization that I am going to be one of those moms who looks up at her kids. And that makes me laugh.

4. I often laugh at inappropriate times. It is a BIG PROBLEM! Always had it. Always will. Funerals. (Thankfully no one has ever noticed. Oh I would just die. See laughing there. I said the word die in talking about funeral. Very inappropriate. ) Weddings. My sister has the same problem, which I am thankful for. Not that she has it.. I am sorry for that. But that someone understands. It is AWFUL. If we both need to go to a funeral, we have to sit away from each other. Cannot make eye contact. Or a laughing fit will ensue. And let me tell you. There is nothing funny about it. I think it is just my awkward response to an uncomfortable situation. I spent a good amount of my time in high school choir in the hallway.. because I would start laughing, and could not stop. Might have had to step out of a few concerts, because I laughed so hard, I MIGHT have almost peed my pants. And I was not a trouble maker, mind you. Just an obnoxiously inappropriately timed laugher. I am SOOO VERY SORRY Mrs. B. Did I mention I am a child of divorce?

5. I frequently misuse words. If I am feeling bold and I want to try out a new word I am unsure of, I will throw it in there speaking really softly or speeding up when I get to the word in hopes that no one notices in case I have misused the word. Unfortunately if no one notices, they don’t get a chance to call me out on it, and then I never learn whether I used the word appropriately or not. That means there is a good chance I could repeat the same ignorant mistake. And no, I never think to come home and look up the word in the dictionary. That would be perspicacious of me. Or would it?

6. I am horrible at SMALL TALK. If I go to a party(sha, right.) and there is a room of people that I don’t know, I freeze up. Because I just.cannot. small talk. I don’t care what the weather is, nor do I want to pretend like I do. You want to tell me about your family, how your passion for something turned into your career, traditions your grandma passed on to you, How you met your spouse and how you proposed, I am all over it. I could talk to you for hours about you. But start chiming in about the weather and you’ve lost me man. I can’t do it. Exception: You are a weather man and weather is your passion. Then and only then can I hang long enough to chat about the weather.

7. I have memory issues. I have a hard time remembering things that are told to me. So even if I found someone at a party who would like to tell me their life story, chances are 30 minutes later, I’ve lost it all. I am a visual learner, so if I can somehow connect what you tell me to a picture, it has a chance of sticking. I try to blame it on mommy brain, but truth is, I have had this issue my whole life and I come by it honestly. Hi MOM! It is mom, right?

8. I am a WORRIER! I try not to be, but I can’t help it. It is funny because I am fairly laid back and a go with the flow kind of gal, but when it comes to my kiddos, my family and people’s feelings. I am a worrier. Did they make friends the first day of school. Was their zipper down and they didn’t know it? Did the bus make it to school? Ugghhh… This is something I am praying about and working on. Umm… I am pretty sure there is some scriptural basis that alludes to the fact that I am not supposed to worry. Can you imagine if I spent my nervous energy diving into scripture and in prayer, what a difference that would make? Not to mention the lines on my forehead that could have been prevented? If you are young and there is still a chance for your forehead, learn from me friend.

9. That Follower gadget haunts me. Remember we had a talk about it here. I love that it allows people to connect with other people. I have met so MANY people I would have never come across otherwise. I have met people that I didn’t even know read my blog, and it gave me the opportunity to have a chance to peek in on them and get to know them a little bit. So personally, I love it for that reason. What I don’t like is how it is displayed up there for all to see, as though it is a badge of honor or something. A popularity contest, if you will. Because it is not. It should not be a way to “show off” how many friends you have. Yet, I see so many comments from people about the follower gadget and how they don’t want to put it up because they only have x followers and someone else has y followers. Or they feel the same way that I do about it, they don’t want anyone to get their feelings hurt. You see what I struggle with. The inner turmoil. Another thing to worry about. Check.

10. I think I might be a Jesus Freak. I have heard about them, might have even laughed at the name a few years back. Didn’t know what it meant then, and still don’t. Is it a secret club or something? I am behind in getting this out, so I don’t have time to google it. If it is someone who is head over heals crazy for our Savior, striving everyday to be more like HIM, but always falling short, then Jesus Freak I am, Sam. Sign me up and send me the bumper sticker. I will display it proudly. But I don’t want to be in the club. I am not really a “club” fan. As far as I have been taught, everyone has the invitation to be a Jesus Freak, you just have to accept the invitation. Confess your sin, accept him into your heart as your savior, and you are good to go- Intro to becoming a Jesus Freak 101. If you’re not in the “not -a -club "Jesus Freak" club.” , and you want to be, shoot me an e-mail, as I would love to help you get started on your journey. And I will TOTALLY send you a bumper Sticker! :)

Please tell me that was 10 things.. Are we good now? Umm… Thanks Stef for the award/" TAG Free Counter for X days killer." Can we say I owe you one? :)

And now the part I don't like. If you have been around long enough, you might know I don't like choosing people for these things. AT ALL. I might have been made fun of last time for my random nomination method, but that's okay. I kept on keeping on. I was going to pass on passing this on, but I decided I am going to shoot you in the direction of blogs that have a cool story to share, so that you can be blessed. So If I didn't pick you, doesn't mean I don't love you. Cause I do.

1) MckMamma at My Charming Kids This gal rarely accepts a bloggy award/TAG IN DISGUISE... and she has been a little busy with her MckMiracle, and all!!!! But I am just going to send you on over there anyways, for some MckMuffin cuteness!!!!!!

2) Angie at Bring the Rain- Again, she has about 10,000 people following her, and no time in between caring for her little cuties and ministering to her thousand of followers, nor does she even know who I am , but I wanted to put her in case you haven't "met" her yet. I hope you take the time to head on over and read her story. Talk about laying it all out there... and blessing everyone for doing so!

3) Rebecca at China Baby! I am cheating, because I know she has already been chosen by Stef. She is doing a blog makeover giveaway. You can head on over to her blog and nominate someone for a blogover. Also, did I mention that she is doing a fundraiser to bring her son OWEN home? I can't even name all the things she is raffleing away. You need to see it for yourself. Head on over To China for Owen and get in on the fun. What could be more fun than helping to get a little man home to his family. Nothing. Get prepared for some SERIOUS cuteness!

4) Linn at A Place Called Simplicity. She has one cool story to share and I don't want you to miss out. Check out the picture in her header. Is that one big beautiful family, or what?

5) Sara at Football and Fried Rice. She got some good news last week, and I am still celebrating!

6) Tonya at Safe in His Arms. In case anyone missed out on hearing about Brent's story during our giveaway!

7) Gwen at Oatsvall Team. She always has an inspiring story to share.

If you don't frequent these blogs, I hope you head on over there to learn a little more about them and their stories. You won't be sorry!

Lots of Love~

If you want to follow along, see post below!


PRAISE GOD!

:)

p.s. If you left a comment to follow along, and you have not heard from me yet, you might want to try again. You might have left out your e-mail, and I had no way to contact you. I have also sent out many that did not seem to make it there for some reason...so if you have left a second comment, I am all caught up on the invites and you should have one in your in-box. If not, please let me know! :)