Harper Family

Happy 17th Birthday Lacey!!!

2012-02-09T22:31:00.003-06:00

I remember every detail to that night 17 years ago. Nothing really went as planned and I am so glad because I wouldn't have such an interesting story to tell...
One week before my due date at around 6:30pm Daddy & I met my friend Nanci at the mall to walk. After about an hour I started feeling small pains that seemed quite regular. We kept walking. Your Daddy with his watch out was getting a little more excited with each contraction. Finally around 8:00 we headed home thinking maybe it was time. As soon as we arrived at home I decided I was going to see if a shower would help me feel better. It didn't! So I started gathering things together thinking that we would possibly be headed to the hospital during the night. Daddy had everything set up in the living room just like we had talked about in Lamaze class. Soft music, a towel, a picture to focus on, something to massage my back with, and anything else he thought we might need. Our goal was to labor at home as long as possible. Since you were our first I finally decided to call the doctor. I stayed on the phone with her through 2 contractions that were 3 minutes apart and really hurting. She said, I think since this is your first I want you to go ahead and head to the hospital. Your Daddy was so disappointed that their would be no Lamaze techniques being used at home. Ha! But quickly realized that things were progressing quite fast. So as I walk out the door, he remembers that our trash pickup day is the next morning. Oye! Well at that very moment the pain increased and I made my way to the car and ~~patiently~~ waited for him. The 20 minute ride to the hospital seemed SO long. I felt every bump and really thought we would never get there. We arrived at 11:00pm, where the registration lady quickly realized I needed to go straight up to L & D. As the elevator doors opened I was greeted by about 4 people & whisked off to a delivery room. AND.... 21 minutes later you were delivered By. The. Nurse!!! LOL In that 21 minutes things got a bit crazy and I even heard a nurse say, "Don't Push!" Yeah right! One push and you were here & our lives were FOREVER changed. It was AWESOME & AMAZING and it seems just like it was just yesterday.

Lacey, You bring us so much JOY. Watching our first born grow from a newborn into an amazing young lady is beyond words. We are so proud of you and thank God everyday that he placed you FIRST in our lives. You are the leader of the tribe, a faithful sister, a defender of your brothers & sisters, a fierce friend, a lover of justice and a mighty young woman of God. May this next year be more than you could have ever dreamed of, may God bless you in everything you do & may you grow to love Him more every day!

We Love you Lacey!!

Happy Birthday!

Love,

Dad, Mom, Sydnie, Baylie, Jonathan, Tate, Charlie, Emmy, Levi, & Kenlie

One Day, One Lunch

2012-02-01T14:15:00.003-06:00

Join Me Friday Feb. 3rd for

One Day, One Lunch

and help a child go to school!!!

Click HERE and visit Addisyn's BLOG to see what a difference

ONE LUNCH can make in the life of a child...

You can also CLICK HERE to Donate your Lunch Money!

(make sure you scroll down & click SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS)

Thankful Heart

2012-01-24T14:58:00.005-06:00

No words could ever express how thankful we are for this AMAZING Family. Because of your hearts Our Families lives have been changed FOREVER!!!! AFRICA was AWESOME and I'm so glad God sent our families together! We Love you Lawrence Family!!!!

May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

~Ruth 2:12

aDoPtEd

2012-01-24T14:12:00.001-06:00

*Pause My BLOG Music at the bottom & ENJOY!!!*

Until Next Time...

2012-01-23T10:51:00.000-06:00

Today was our last day in Ethiopia:( Bittersweet as we wait to board our 10:45pm flight to make the 33 hour trip back to Midland. We ventured out this morning to visit the Alert hospital(ALL AFRICA LEPROSY TUBERCULOSIS REHABILITATION RESEARCH TRAINING CENTER) that sits near the trash dump in the Korah community. This hospital was established by German's to help train medical proffesionals & offer those affected with leprosy receive life saving medical care. It has since began caring for those with TB & HIV/AIDS as well. We enjoyed watching many of them weaving, sewing, crocheting and creating beautiful crafts. We were able to visit their gift shop and we were blessed by all the beautiful things that these patient had made. Next we traveled to the Fistual hospital where we ended up not being able to have a tour, but the grounds were blooming with beautiful flowers. You can watch a great documentary on this hospital called "Walk To Beautiful." We stopped to buy some Ethiopian coffee and headed back to the guest house to pack, shower and head to the airport. Our hearts & minds are FULL, and we pray that as we return home we will continue to see what God really wanted us to get out of this trip. It is amazing that just when you think you are going to help and love on people, you end up really being the one that get's an Extreme Heart Make-over!

Until Next Time... We Love you Ethiopia!

AND... To Wynne Elder & Alison Holcomb

Thank You for touching the lives of our girls:)

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ~Mark 16:15-16

Kidane Orphanage

2012-01-23T10:38:00.000-06:00

We had a blast last night at an authentic Ethiopian resturant where we had some new experiences. Ha! We tried most of what they brought us, but I did pass on the ox stomach. Eeeeww!!! Anyway the entertainment was fabulous!! And Yes, Sid has been practicing his new dance moves that he saw:)

Today we traveled across town to Kidane Meheret Children's Home. The orphanage is run by Sister Lutgarda and the children are blessed to be very well taken care. The children receive basic care, education, work skills, & chruch and prayer. The children are beautiful and helpful and loved having so many of us to hold & feed babies, paint fingernails, make bracelets & worship with them. It was such a fun day! I spent time feeding a precious little girl that had CP. She was so determined to try to feed herself and I loved her spirit. I was thrilled to find out that the very next day her Forever Family was coming for her:) In fact as Sid & I walked through the orphanage with the sister inquiring on children available for adoption. We soon found out that every healthy infant, several toddlers, 2 older girls all hand families coming for them. WOW! I thanked the sister for all her hard work & for being the hands and feet in helping place the children in families. It was so wonderful! It was hard to see the sweet special needs children being passed over. Such sweethearts just longing for a Mama & Papa. A HUGE thank you to all the sisters and mamas taking such good care of these children. May God bless each & every one of you.

After a fun-filled day with the children, we traveled to a market to do a bit of shopping. It was a fun experience for the girls to see how to bargain & how to tell the kids wanting to clean our shoes NO 50 times. So many little faces just trying to feed themselves. So hard:( We had a yummy dinner at the guest house and an Amazing worship time as a team.

Thank you to everyone that has prayed for us. Please continue to lift us up as we really begin to process everything we have seen & felt. Pray that God will continue to break our hearts as we settle back into our western culture, and that we will continue to take action to help make a difference in the lives of those who are in poverty, those who are suffering from treatable diseases, and the widows & the orphans just trying to survive from one day to the next.

Tomorrow.... Our final day. Excited to see our family at home, but SO hard to leave our new friends & a country that we LOVE. Now this saying really makes sense...

"I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me"

“Open your mouth for those who can not speak, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.” ~Proverbs 31:8-9

Abraham

2012-01-23T10:26:00.000-06:00

Our Day at Korah today was an incredible blessing. The leaders, families, & children are all amazing and we were blessed to spend time with them. We spent the morning split up into our teams doing arts & crafts, playing futbol (soccer), and singing worship songs with the children followed by Wynne sharing the story of Jesus through a candy cane. The kids were excited to recieve a candy cane once our time was over. Sydnie spent time in the kitchen with the women that were cooking the goats we had brought them the previous day. She had fun helping cut up the goat meat & the women were blessed by her willingness to help. Baylie had some girls insist on braiding her blonde hair. A little painful, but so fun!Lacey had a trail of little ones following her around loving the attention. And Sid was spent time with the elderly that come to the feeding center. Such a blessing to see him feeding a Leper that hand no hands & sitting quietly holding the hand of an 86 year old man. We literally looked into the eyes of Jesus all day. And It. Was. AMAZING!

"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' ~Matt 25:30

A Story From My Heart, That only GOD could have orchestrated...

As I stood in a tiny little medical room so neatly organized, I listened to Emily the Nurse & Berhanu a young man that onced lived on the trash dump discuss the needs of two young boys they had just brought off the dump, my heart was broken. As Emily cleaned wounds on one boys leg, found them clean clothes and then took them both to shower and to eat fresh cooked food I was overwhelmed with the needs of not only these two fatherless boys, but to the thousands just like them. And then... I glanced out the door to see a mother and her sweet baby waiting patiently to see Nurse Emily and My. Heart. Stopped. What I saw looking back at me was a very weak but very sweet little one with Down Syndrome looking at me with the most amazing big brown eyes! Be. Still. My. Heart! His name is Abraham and his mama loves him with all her heart. After she was given a new pair of shoes & some 500 calorie packs to add to Abraham's diet we decided to walk with her to her home to carry a sack of food for her and her family that was Provided for by Hope for Korah. Sydnie & I both went with her along with a translator and followed her through the dirt paths and then through another familes hut & into her tiny hut. She shares these little home with her 14 yr old, 12 yr old & Abraham her 2 yr old. As we sat on the only bed in her little 8x8 hut we would soon find out that she was also a widow. Her husband taken to be with Jesus because of a treatable disease, Leprosy. I was finally able to hold Abraham just long enough to assess him because he was so afraid of me. That's when I was able to share with her through a translator that God had given her a perfect child. I was able to encourage her and teach her things to help her little man. She was thrilled to know that because he could bear weight on his legs that he could someday walk. We then found out that she needed help to keep her two older children in school. It cost a mere $5 a year to attend the local school plus books and supplies. She was also just 1 day away from having to move out of her home because she had no money to pay the rent which was 200 brr(about $12/month) I immediately offered to pay for two months rent & Sydnie offered to pay the third month. This would give Hope For Korah time to get her set up so that our family could sponsor her family. She was overwhelmed and hugged me like I have never been hugged before. She will soon be working with the Mission Ethiopia program where she will be empowered by learning a trade that will help her provide for her family. But in the mean time we are her Family Sponsor & we are BLESSED to be able to help her and her children. For me, I know that this was orchestrated by the Father to the fatherless. My heart is forever changed because of what I have seen, what I have felt, and what I know God wants from me. God, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Move me to ACTION daily, and help me to love You more for who You are.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world

~James 1:27

I HEART Ethiopia!!!

2012-01-23T10:16:00.000-06:00

We started our day off today BUYING GOATS!! That was an interesting & fun experience! On a busy street corner in the middle of the city there were crowds of men desperately hoping someone would by at least one goat from them. Today we bought 4 from the man with the best price. I will say that thiswas the first time I have ridden in a van with a goat laying tied up in the floor next to me. Ha! We then drove only about 20 minutes to the edge of town where the Village of Korah is. I was so excited to meet the people of this Leper community and love on some kiddos! We started our first day out by seperating into small groups with a translator and vising homes in the community where we served fresh ethiopian coffee and fresh baked bread. Yum to Both! It was so amazing to sit in a tiny 8x8 hut with one twin size mattress (for a family of 5) and see the love & happiness that their family shared. We could see such JOY as she prepared coffee for her visitors. We were truly blessed to see how much they love our heavenly Father and hear them speak of how this is temporary and one day they will live in their permanent home with our Creator. Wow! My heart was broken yet somewhat jealous to see how much they love & praise God even in their poverty. That may sound crazy, but i saw something in that home that we just simply MISS in our plentiful western homes. Lord, O pray that my eyes will stay wide open, that I will see that I have MORE than enough. Help me to PRAISE YOU in EVERYTHING, to remember EVERYTHING belongs to YOU, and to be content and have JOY wherever You may lead me in this earthly life. We spent a few hours loving on the children as they came to the church for lunch and waved goodbye as they returned to school with promises of a funfilled day tomorrow.

Click HERE to find out more about

Hope For Korah

But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits. ~Psalm 5:11

I Left My HEART in Rwanda

2012-01-23T09:56:00.000-06:00

I never could have dreamed that leaving Rwanda would be SO hard. The beauty, the joyful hearts, the happiness among the poverty, my LOVE for these amazing people will always be. You will be missed my sweet friends! I WILL be back! My Heart is in Rwanda...

Today was a full day of traveling. We traveled 3 hours by bus and then flew from Kigali, Rwanda to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We finally settled into our Ethiopian guest house just in time to eat dinner and then we were off to bed.

Tomorrow we're off to BUY GOATS for the kids at Korah...

Rwanda Memories

"If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs."
~Deuteronomy 15:7-8

Noel Day #2

2012-01-12T10:58:00.004-06:00

It was so wonderful to arrive at the Noel orphanage today and greet familiar faces so excited to see us. My Patrick & Denise found me quickly:) Baylie & I spent some time in the youngest baby room holding babies, playing with babies, and having a sweet teenager, John, translate for us with the caregivers (Mama's) It was nice to be able to tell them what a great job they are doing taking care of the children and that we hope God blesses each of them for what they do every day for the children. We then strapped a baby on our back and walked around with our other friends laughing and playing, working hard to understand each other. It was just SO Awesome!!! After my sweet little one Louisa took a long nap on my back I took her back for lunch and headed over to sing with Sid in the special needs area. It was such a blessing to see these special teenagers blossom and come alive as Sid played ball with them & sang to them for hours. Sid left the soccer ball with a little boy, Modest who stayed with him all day with a promise that the ball would stay in the special needs area. Praying it stays their for a while since it is the ONLY thing they have:( We had lunch and then we sang worship music with all the children. My favorite part was listening to our friend John who is blind sing several songs with Sid playing guitar. It was so so sweet!!! We took instant pictures of the kids, played ball, and walked & talked all day. It was spectacular and exhausting, and I loved EVERY minute of it! It really is amazing home spending a day holding the hand of a child can make them feel so important, so loved, so special regardless of the fact that you do not speak the same language.
So many people talk about whether they think short term mission trips really help or hurt. Without a doubt, we have made a difference in the lives of many. And even if I only reach one child with the love of my Savior then It. Is. Worth. It!!!

My sweetest moment of the day:
Singing these words to my blind friend John and seeing him break down in tears...

I Love you Lord, And I Lift My Voice

To Worship You Oh My soul Rejoice

Take joy my king in what you hear

May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear

John & Sid Praising God

Baylie with a Little Tiny:)

Little Louisa Nappin'

Sydnie & Alise

My Sweet Patrick's

Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless,

defend the orphan, plead for the widow

~Isaiah 1:23

Noel Orphanage Day 1

2011-12-31T14:31:00.001-06:00

I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. the Noel orphanage!!! This orphanage is just outside Gisenyi. There are 600+ children in this orphanage starving for interaction and love. The workers all work very hard to keep the children fed and clean and dry...but there are just SO many children. We were entertained by many of the kids with an African drum show, an acrobat show & dancing. They really were spectacular! The children gave us tours of the grounds including visiting the pigs, cows, chickens, and two little kittens. I even got to see the cow that was being butchered for there New Years dinner. That was, let's just say...Ewwww!!! Ha! The children get meat on Christmas, New Year's & Easter so for them it is very special. I immediately had friends as I walked off the bus. I spent a big part of the day with Denise, Moses, Patrick & Patrick's brother Patrick. LOL Most of the older children get to choose an English name and apparently they both liked the name Patrick:) The girls and Sid all had buddies too & we hardley saw each other the whole day. We painted fingernails on girls & boys, made salvation bracelets, held babies, jumped rope, played soccer, played football, talked and took pictures ALL day!! It was incredible, especially to see their faces light up when we told them we were coming back tomorrow. Nothing could express to you the emotion you feel when these sweet faces say things like; "Is it ok I call you Mama?", "I want to keep you in my heart", "Are you coming to see me again soon?", and the most brutal... "You want be my Mama cause I very much like you?" Oye! Sniff! We also spent time in the special needs roomwhich was full of older children who were survivors of the genocide. Most were injured or were found months later living in the forest with animals. They loved the attention & we enjoyed loving on them & telling them how special they are & how much they are loved. It was truly heartbreaking. I am excited about returning to spend the day with these sweeties tomorrow, but would love prayers for their hearts & ours as we leave them tomorrow night. It will not be easy. God is working in the hearts of all of those on our team. It truly is impossible to step out of your comfort zone, travel across the world to hold a childs hand and not be changed. My God continue to break my heart for what breaks His.

"Religion that God the Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress."

~ James 1:27

Imbabawzi Home

2011-12-31T01:11:00.000-06:00

Today was such a blessing.... We took a beautiful scenic 3 hour drive to the Imbabawzi orphanage and spent the day with teenagers, all who were orphaned by the genocide. The day was spent making crafts, playing soccer, frisbee, singing, worshipping & of course dancing!! This is a working flower plantation that was started in 1949 by American Rosamond Carr who spent 50 years in Rwanda. After leaving the plantation during the genocide she returned to rebuild and seeing the need of the orphaned children to in 40 children in December 1994. Flowers are cut every Wednesday to sell and it is beautiful!! The kids are amazing and just like any other child they just want to be loved. The children that Roz took in are now teenagers and young adults that are being educated and being prepared to transition to independent living. Please join me in praying for the children of Imbabawzi as they grow into adulthood, loveing God and learning to LIVE after so much pain. And THank You to my new friendship with Musasumbuko. What a smart and kind young man. May God continue to use you in a mighty way.

'Til tomorrow.....

The BEST Family

2011-12-30T13:52:00.003-06:00

This morning our team went to the Genocide Museum:( WOW! No words can express what the people of this beautiful country have gone through. 1 million people killed in 100 days because they were poor. It was interesting to hear the history of how it all happened but most of all it was inspiring to see how the people of Rwanda are rebuilding their country. Every face you look into here has been affected by the Genocide and it will continue to affect the next generations. After a great lunch at Chez Robert which was close to the Hotel Rawanda, we were off to visit the Best Family. Now, this is not your typical family. This family consists completely of primarily boys(with a few girls) that were all orphaned during the Genocide. In 2001 four boys who had spent day after day surviving as orphans after their families were murdered, started The Best Family simply by SHARING. If one had a little food he'd share with the others, if one had $2 he's split it 4 ways, if one needed something the other had they simply shared. In 2004 they began bringing other children into their home who were also survivors of the Genocide, and today they have 50 orphans who not only are surviving, but are loving each other, getting an education, and loving God through it all. We were so blessed to meet this amazing family and how God continues to enable them to persevere in spite of the heartache they have all endured. These are mighty men(and women) of God, and I pray that God blesses them more than they could ever imagine so that they might continue to share God's love with fatherless. Thanks for the singing, worshipping and all out dance party!! And to my two new friends Claude & Rachel, I pray for peace, for wisdom, and for great results on your exams!!

My Feet are in Rwanda!!!

2011-12-30T13:33:00.001-06:00

After two full days of traveling we FINALLY made it to Kigali, Rwanda!!! Wahoo!! Let's just say between the motion sickness and feeling crummy from the Malaria meds the trip seemed crazy long! Ha! We had no major delays and setteled down to recover from traveling in nice little apartments in Kigali. We will be here the next two nights. We are so thankful to God for such a peace. Rwanda is beautiful and the people are amazing!!!

AFRICA Here We Come!!!

2011-12-30T13:22:00.002-06:00

The posts over the next week and half will serve as a journal for our family as we travel to Ethiopia & Rwanda with a ministry called Visting Orphans to do just that... VISIT ORPHANS. We are excited and blessed to have the opportunity and can't wait to see how God continues to refine and conform us in His likeness... HERE. WE. GO..............

Will They Come??? Wednesday

2011-12-16T11:02:00.000-06:00

Looking to Adopt a Sibling Group? This brother and sister want a

Mommy & Daddy more than anything!! They would do so well in a LOVING family. Who could resist those brown eyes & giant dimples!

Meet Alyssa & Yates

CLICK HERE to find out more about these sweeties...

When it's Jesus' Birthday, Who gets the gifts???

2011-12-09T09:41:00.001-06:00

The past few years have been a real struggle for us emotionally as we sit in rooms full of gifts for us and our children. Some of those gifts are barely even looked at or played with, and rarely do they remember who gave them what gift as the Huge mound of wrapping paper grows larger and larger. So as we have prayed over what Christmas means and Who Christmas is really for, God clearly showed us that December 25th is STILL all about the Birth of our Savior and we have done a really crummy job of celebrating his birth. We asked our kids this morning; When it's your Birthday who get's the gifts? ME! When it's Daddy's Birthday who get's the gifts? Daddy!! When it's Jesus' Birthday who get's the gifts? ...Silence, Uuuummmm We Do. Hmmmmm.... there is something wrong with this picture and clearly our kids understood. So for our family for this Christmas each child can request Something They Want, And Something To Give. They are excited about purchasing goats and chickens for families in need through World Vision and finding people to serve right here in our community

So from this year forward we will give the gifts of time and experiences. We will serve and share and spend time with one another. We will share what we would have spent on gifts for ourselves on those who are in need; the lonely, the needy, the poor, the orphan, and the widow.

Thank you to Jen Hatmaker and Ann Voskamp for sharing your perspectives in words, and helping me to see that doing this for our Heavenly Father will NEVER be something that we will regret.

Check out these Blog Posts to get a little Perspective on where our hearts are as well.

http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/11/29/the-christmas-conundrum

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/12/when-christmas-gets-radical-whose-birthday-is-it-really/

I pray that the words of these sweet women will touch your hearts and spur you to make a change to GIVE to Jesus on His Birthday!! What a miraculous day the birth of our Savior must have been!

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince Of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6

Poinsetta's For Saul

2011-12-08T17:43:00.001-06:00

I have 15 Poinsetta's left for those of you in the Midland area.

Proceeds go toward's Saul's Adoption Grant!!!!

Help me grow Saul's Adoption Grant & enjoy a Beautiful Poinsetta

Contact me & I will deliver!!

Poinsetta's are $15.00

They.

Are.

Beautiful!!!

Will They Come??? Wednesday...

2011-12-07T15:17:00.001-06:00

Meet Brenna

The most spectacular eyes!!!! This little lovie needs a Mommy & Daddy!!!

Could it be YOU:)

She Just turned ONE & she is healthy outside of her HIV. She is in an orphanage

where the children have good medical care so is likely on ARV meds:)

Please Pray My Forever Family finds ME!

CLICK HERE for more info on Brenna:)

Happy 14th Birthday Sydnie!!!

2011-12-03T09:40:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Sydnie!!!

Today we celebrate 14 years of life with you. We are forever grateful that God blessed us with you. The day you were born was sweet and you instantly stole our hearts. Since that day you have given us many memories and many stories to tell. Ha! You are talented, athletic, kind-hearted and a servant to those around you. You love to bake regardless of the fact that your mom is not a good teacher and you can always show me how to run electronics. You make me laugh even when I am trying to be mad at you, you are quick to forgive and you are amazingly patient with the special kiddos in our house. Thank you for what you bring to our family and I pray that you continue to live life to the fullest. I pray that God continues to grow you into an amazing woman of God. Remember you are loved by many and cherished by a loving God and we LOVE YOU LIKE CRAZY!!!

Happy 14th Sydnie!!!

We LOVE You!

Have An AMAZING Year!!!

We Love You!!!!

Happy 8th! Tate The Great!!

2011-12-02T09:26:00.002-06:00

Clown (noun): a comic performer, as in a circus, theatrical production,

or the like; a person who acts like a clown or comedian!!!

That is our Tate The Great!!! What an Amazing Young man you are becoming!!! We love your zest for life, your heart for the hurting and your endless questions about life. You make every day a little brighter, a little more hilarious & a little sweeter with your presence. I pray that you will continue to crave God's word and wanna know why the Bible says what it says. I pray that you continue to grow in God's knowledge and that you continue to love God more every day. We Love you just the way you are and we are so blessed to have you as our son. Hope your day is Amazing and that the next year ROCKS!!!!

Happy Birthday Tate!

We can not imagine our family without your zany personality,

quick wit & downright craziness

Handsome

Rarely Serious

Fish Man

What you let your sisters do to you:)

Brothers:)

Happy 8th Birthday!!!!!
We Love YOU
Mommy, Daddy, Lacey, Sydnie, Baylie, Jonathan, Charlie, Emmy, Levi, Kenlie

Will They Come??? Wednesday

2011-11-30T11:27:00.000-06:00

Meet Melody

Oh My! Look at that head of pretty hair:)

Melody is only 5 months old & URGENTLY Needs a family

so she can get heart surgery!!

ARE YOU HER FAMILY?????

CLICK HERE to read more about this sweet girl

Wanna WIN an Ipad 2????

2011-11-29T21:25:00.000-06:00

Of course you do!!!!! Visit our Friends

The Westbrooks Blog

and DONATE to Help them get their Daughter Home!!!!

Help Daniel raise the money so he can travel to bring his sister home! What a great way to be a part of someone's adoption story.

And you might even WIN an Ipad 2!!!!

Grab This!

Will They Come??? Wednesday

2011-11-17T10:41:00.000-06:00

Meet Francine

Francine has CP & delayed speech but she is walking!

She is said to be very sweet & smart by other adoptive parents that have met her

She already has $3400 in her Adoption Grant to help with expenses.

CLICK HERE to read more about Sweet Francine

Givin' It Up!

2011-11-14T08:45:00.000-06:00

The BIG 4-0!!!

My 40th

In less than 48 hours I will be a wonderful, incredibly blessed 40 year old!!! So excited to see what God has in store for me in the next 40 years! Praying these years are crazier and more radical than the past 40... So to finish off my 39th year and begin my 40th Help me celebrate by DONATING to my Christmas Angel.

If you haven't met him yet...

This is Saul & his cute dimple

I am advocating to raise funds for his adoption grant

so that one day when his Forever Family finds him, they will have the needed money to bring him home!

SO in lieu of Birthday gifts

PLEASE Donate to Saul's Adoption Grant

Every person that DONATES $35.00 or more

will receive a sweet Christmas ornament with Saul's smiling face on it!

Awesome Adoption Gear!!

2011-11-07T14:30:00.001-06:00

Visit the Patterson Family's blog

and check out their cute adoption gear!

Help them get Vlad & Dima HOME

by purchasing some cute T's and bags

My FAVORITE.... The car decal!!!

Help this Sweet Family Get their Boys HOME for Christmas!!

Happy Birthday Baylie!!!

2011-11-04T12:19:00.001-05:00

HaPpY BiRtHdAy

Baylie!!!!

I thank God every day that he brought you into this world!!!

You are cherished & loved and we can not imagine our lives without you in it.

We are proud of you for the young lady that you are becoming. Thank you for always making me laugh when I am frustrated, for being a fierce friend, and for loving your brothers and sisters even when they are driving you insane! Thank you for always kissing me goodnight, always saying "I Love You" and always making sure I have all my ducks in a row. ha! One day you will make someone an incredible godly wife and be a super mom to who knows how many sweet little ones. You Rock Baylie and we Love, LoVe, LOVE You!!

Happy 12th Birthday!!

Love,

Mom, Dad, Lacey, Sydnie, Jonathan, Tate, Charlie, Emmy,

Levi, & Kenlie

Sweet Sister

Full of Laughter

Beautiful Smile

16 Days

2011-11-01T13:00:00.001-05:00

Yes, That's Right

In 16 Days I will be the

BIG 4-0!!!!

Remember This Little Guy?

He still needs a family

And...

He still needs DONATIONS to HELP that family

SO Here's The Deal...

It only takes 40 people giving $25.00

to reach Saul's $1000 goal

for my 40th!!!

SO for ONE week Give up something for Saul

Give up The Starbucks

Give up the Steak

Give up The Extra's

And

DONATE $25 for my 40th Birthday!!!

You can DONATE on the sidebar through the CHIP-IN or the RR button. Both go directly to RR & Both are tax deductible:)

REMEMBER:

If you DONATE $35 or more you get a sweet ornament with Saul's picture on it to hang on your Christmas Tree.

"He blesses those who provide for the orphan." ~Duet 14:29

Will They Come??? Wednesday

2011-10-19T08:48:00.000-05:00

Sweet Nadine Needs A Family!!

Nadine is in the same orphanage that Charlie & Levi were in:) She is 16 months old & has been fortunate enough to have already had heart surgery & is doing well!

CLICK HERE to find out more about her

40 FOR 40

2011-10-17T09:12:00.000-05:00

It only takes 40 people giving $25.00

to reach Saul's $1000 goal

for my 40th!!!

Saul's Baby Picture:)

Having fun!

Saul would do so well in a family. And oh, how he deserves a
loving "Forever Family"
Please consider making a Birthday Donation to help grow his Adoption Grant.

**Remember if you DONATE $35.00 or more you will receive a Christmas Ornament with Saul's sweet face on it to hang on your Christmas Tree**

The BIG "4-0"

2011-10-15T15:33:00.002-05:00

Yup! That's right... I am officially one month away from my 40th Birthday!!! WOW I'm getting old! So starting today until my Birthday on November 16th, I am officially giving up my birthday and all that goes along with a typical birthday for little Mr. Dimples:)

I am Saul's Christmas Warrior

And I want to see his Adoption Grant Grow!!!

So, for my 40th Birthday I am asking that each of you make a donation to his Grant.

Just click on Saul's CHIP-IN and your donation will go directly to

Reece's Rainbow as a tax deductible donation. For those who DONATE $35 or more you will receive a Christmas Ornament with Saul's precious face to hang on your Christmas Tree!

Thank You for helping me celebrate the blessing of 40 years,
and please pray that Saul's Forever Family will find him soon.

Will They Come??? Wednesday

2011-10-14T09:13:00.000-05:00

Meet Sammy

What a cutie!! Sammy has Apert Syndrome and has just turned 3yrs old. He would transition well into a family. Are you his family????

CLICK HERE to find out more about Sammy

One Year & God's HOPE

2011-10-09T20:06:00.000-05:00

Today as I walked off the airplane returning from Haiti, I see smiling faces waiting patiently to hug my neck & I realized that One Year Ago today I was getting off the plane with Charlie & Levi. What a wonderful day that was! One Year? Wow! Oh, how time flies & i am amazed at how much we have been blessed with over that year. As we celebrate the Year Anniversary of the boys being home, God continues to reveal so much to us and teach us so much every day. My 8 days in Haiti was amazing, filled with sweet moments of seeing God's redemption, and sad moments of seeing those who God loves deeply abandoned, neglected, starved, searching for something. My prayer for Haiti and the precious people that live their is that God will fill them with Hope. That they will see that God is their healer, their protector, their Hope in this earthly world. I pray that God will continue to break my heart for what breaks his, to spur my passion for the orphan, the widow, and for justice in a world where millions are suffering.

*****

Baylie spent the weekend at Extreme Leader camp for the 6th graders. It was so refreshing to hear her stories and hear how much she learned about how God can use her to make a difference in the lives of others. I am so proud of her for being such an encourager to her friends and helping them to see that they can do things that are out of their comfort zone or scary. I am so grateful to my heavenly Father who has touch her heart & is growing her everyday.

*****

And..the hubby did an amazing job managing the circus while I was gone:) I am SO blessed to have such an amazing godly man that encourages me, loves me, and listens to every crazy thing I ~~know~~ hope God is leading us to. I Love you more than words can express & I can not wait to see where God leads us next!

Haiti In Pictures
Coming soon:)

Will They Come??? Wednesday

2011-09-29T09:06:00.000-05:00

Are you My Mommy & Daddy???

Please Pray for Jonas:)

He looks healthy & SO sweet!

Now all he needs is LOVE!

And.... He has $3800 in his Adoption Grant!!!

CLICK HERE for more Info

Abundance

2011-09-27T10:54:00.001-05:00

Today I am trying to gather my thoughts as they bounce from finding homes for orphans, preparing for Haiti, racing to Dr. appointments, bible studies, feeding programs, orphans, laundry, what I am gonna fix for supper, soccer, gymnastics, baseball, dance, homework, malaria, formula for starving infants, how to dig deeper into God's word, HIV, speech, physical therapy, yellow fever shots, Down Syndrome, grocery shopping, passports, adoption, budgeting, fundraising, exercising(ha!), indestructible glasses, leading and shaping my children, schedules, chore charts, Reece's Rainbow, volunteering, Visiting Orphans, church, homeschooling(what?!?) and when I will have 5 minutes of uninterrupted conversation with the love of my life. (and that's just what went through my brain in the last 5 minutes!!!)

God continues to move us into a time of Abundance...

Abundance: an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply; overflowing fullness

We are all healthy, loved and provided for. Our life is full of people who love and support us in every crazy adventure God leads us on. He helps us daily to provide in every way so that I can be home. He has provided so that I can spend 8 days in Haiti and know that my hubby & kiddos are taken care of. He has put people in our path that have mentored, prayed, and equipped us to continue on the journey God has us on. All of this is so amazing! Last week we talked about the multiple times God has DONE this or DONE that. How we doubted, how we were discouraged and THEN... How God took us and molded us, shaped us and taught us through that experience. And maybe even Rocked our world a little bit:) Oh, how I pray that I will not doubt my Father, the one who comforts me, encourages me, and never leaves me. So, let me just share how God rocked our world..AGAIN! Through all of our doubting; we have seen God raise 30K in 8 months to bring our boys home, we have seen him provide an amazing home for us, we have seen people bless us with an extreme makeover of our new home, we have seen God bring together a group of employees to join us where God is working, we have seen God provide for our kids back to school needs, we have seen God provide 4 months of tuition so that Charlie & Levi can remain at the The Bynum School, and then came an opportunity to take our oldest 3 girls on a mission trip. Ah, my hearts desire. It sounded like a totally cool opportunity, something we had always talked about but never really thought it could happen. But remember God's got this! So we pray about it, and without question we felt God telling us to GO! The thought of raising the money was a wee bit overwhelming (there came that doubt again), but we knew it was God. We notified Visiting Orphans that there would be 5 of us going and then started thinking of every fundraiser we could possibly have over the next 6 weeks and THEN.....in less than 12 hours; yes I said 12 hours we had someone say, "Well, How 'bout I just pay for the whole trip? God wants me to do that".... What? Are you Serious, No Stinkin' Way, Tears, Holy Cow!!!! I seriously almost passed out! and... I am crying again as I type this. lol You can not put boundaries on what God can and WILL do.
I remember when I was a little girl sitting at my grandad's house flipping through a National Geographic magazine that was filled with pictures of Ethiopia. The peoples faces, the reality of the life they lived. I knew even at a young age that we had an Abundance compared to them, and that SOMEBODY should do something about it. Now I know God was planting a seed:) I can no longer sit back and pretend that it is somebody else's problem.

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered

~Proverbs 21:13

A paraphrase from Matthew 25 by Richard Stearns:
For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointe out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved.

We will be traveling Dec. 27th-Jan 7th to 5 orphanages in Ethiopia & Rwanda
Please Pray for us as we prepare to love on orphans and share the Love of Christ with them.

We have a Garage Sale Fundraiser planned in October
This will be to raise the $600 needed for our yellow fever shots
&
for supplies that we will be taking to these orphanages

If you have items that you would like to DONATE to our sale please contact me:
wah3@hotmail.com
We can pick up if needed:)

Will They Come??? Wednesday

2011-09-21T16:53:00.000-05:00

HOLY COW!!!! I would scoop this one up in heartbeat if Haiti would let us:)

Calvin is HIV+ but is really doing well developmentaly

Could this be your son, could you handle waking up to that big 'ol smile everyday:)

To Read more about Calvin

CLICK HERE

Calvin:)

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act"

~Proverbs 24:12

One Year Ago TODAY....

2011-09-15T09:47:00.000-05:00

Our family was grown through the blessing of adoption....

Charlie Josiah Harper

Levi Preston Harper

became part of their "Forever Family"
Like the birth of our other children,

That is a day we will never forget...

CHARLIE

LEVI

ONE YEAR LATER:)

Is there ever the "perfect" time to take a risk? Probably not.

But there's a perfect God in whom we can risk, imperfectly.

Thank You God for opening our hearts to the orphans & for guiding us through this amazing journey!

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act"

~Proverbs 24:12

Will They Come???? Wednesday?

2011-09-07T14:28:00.000-05:00

The world is full of orphans dying to having a Mommy & Daddy! 147 million orphans to be exact. An many of them are in fact DYING to have a Mommy & Daddy...

Are you my Mommy & Daddy????

Carol Ann - What a sweetie!!

To find out more about Carol Ann CLICK HERE:)

Will They Come??? Wednesday

2011-08-31T14:01:00.002-05:00

Until Their Mama comes, this Mama will continue to advocate for the orphan's

Is this your Child?

CLICK HERE to Find out more about this sweet face:)

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act" ~Proverbs 24:12

Colorado Trip...Summer 2011

2011-08-31T13:45:00.000-05:00

It has been 3 weeks since we traveled Grizwald style to Colorado in our 15 passenger van with 9 kids in tow. But since I also use this as a journal of our lives that our kids WILL enjoy one day, I thought I would share some of our fun times:) The slideshow is full of I-phone pictures since my camera quit working first day of trip:(

The Lunch Bunch - Women's Study

2011-08-23T09:14:00.001-05:00

For those of you in the Midland/Odessa area. Come join us as we learn how to dig into God's word in a fun & exciting way, to help grow us closer to Him...

Like a refreshing conversation between friends, A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study is fun and entertaining. It takes the academic nature of Bible study and blends it with humorous stories and thoughtful insights to help today's busy women uncover the life-changing truths of God's Word.

We will meet...

Friday's @ 11:15

3505 Lockheed Ave

***Study Begins Friday Sept.9th with lunch & meet & greet***

Please try to order your book soon.

I ordered my book on amazon.com or you can purchase at Mardel

Contact me at wah3@hotmail.com to sign-up or if you have questions:)

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. ~2 Tim 2:15

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. ~James 1:18

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ~Eph 1:13

Redeemed...

2011-08-20T13:52:00.000-05:00

Liliana has a FAMILY and her adoption was fully funded in less than 24hrs. Woot! Woot!!! $23,000

Your Mommy & Daddy are Coming Sweet Girl!!!

I can not wait to see her transformed by the LOVE of a family:)

I've seen it over and over again & everytime I am amazed at Our God and how he works:)

Thank you Adeye and everyone who spread the word & donated to rescue this child!

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2011/08/astonishing-love.html

Remember

Sweet Carrington...

Redeemed!!! From THIS....

To THIS!!!!!! Yay God!!!

http://carringtonscourage.blogspot.com/2011/08/5-months-and-10-pounds.html

There are SO many more just like this. Please pray that they too are redeemed, pray that Liliana waits for her mommy & daddy & pray for those who are hanging in the balance wondering what they can do to help.

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act" Proverbs 24:12

The Reality IS...

2011-08-18T17:13:00.000-05:00

...this is the condition Charlie could have been if he had been tranferred on his 6th Birthday & sentenced the mental institution. Our loving little 7year old who weighs 34 pounds could have just withered away, hidden from the world.

Liliana 11years old & TEN pounds!!!!

Devasting.....

I can't express to you how heavy my heart is....

Please visit Adeye's blog & click on the CHIP IN button so that this ONE can be rescued!

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2011/08/because-it-is-our-problem.html

Liliana and millions of other children deserve to have LIFE!

ONE orphan at a time....

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. ~Mother Teresa

Happy 7th Birthday Charlie!!!

2011-08-18T07:42:00.000-05:00

On August 16th, 2010, 2 days before you were to be transfered to an adult mental institution, we walked into an orphanage in Kyiv,Ukraine, where we were lead outside to meet our soon to be son for the first time. That was the day we hugged you for the first time;)

The TIGHTEST hug I have every received!

Sept 15th, 2010 YOU became our son:)

TODAY is your 7th Birthday & we are so blessed that God placed you in our Family

And we look forward to celebrating many, many more:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

~Daddy, Mommy, Lacey, Sydnie, Baylie, Jonathan, Tate, Emmy, Levi & Kenlie

Happy 9th Birthday Jonathan!!!

2011-08-07T13:32:00.000-05:00

9 years ago today our FIRST son was born into this world. Even after 2 ultrasounds both saying that our 4th baby would be a boy, I wouldn't believe it until he was here. So after waking up with my waterbreaking and a strong contraction at 4:45am, driving 100mph on the interstate thinking I was gonna have you in the car, & walking into the hospital and delivering you 20 minutes later at 6:45am, I was ecstatic to see "A Baby B-O-Y!" Boy were there a lot of tears over this sweet little bundle of boy:) From that day on you have been a joy. You are growing into such a mighty little man of God, and we are so proud of you. Thank you for being such a good big brother, thank you for loving your sisters in such a sweet way & thank you for smiling that silly smile & saying "whatsup?" to me every morning. You are an amazing young man & we are SO proud that God made you part of our family. Dude! You Rock! Oh, and daddy & I look forward to sitting in the stands(for free) and watching you pitch in Ranger Stadium one day;)

Happy 9th Birthday JoJo!!!

We LOVE you!

~Daddy,Mommy,Lacey, Sydnie, Baylie, Tate, Charlie, Emmy, Levi & Kenlie

Big "D" with Big Daddy:)

2011-07-29T08:25:00.000-05:00

So this morning the hubby & I are off to Dallas for a fun filled weekend ALONE:) Yahoo! That doesn't happen to often around here. I planned a Mystery Weekend for Sid & I don't think he has guessed what we are doing yet. (I'll share later once the suprise is out of the bag!) He does know that we are going to Six Flags when we arrive. Ha! I know those of you that know me are laughing their Bu*t off right now. Yes, I will be riding every roller coaster in the park. Joy! Seriously, please pray for me. I have tried to pump myself up to get on these roller coasters & have prayed all week that nothing would malfunction because my 9 children need me. LOL As long as I can hold down the funnel cake I plan to eat, I'll be good:) Check back for an update on our Mystery Weekend!! (some details will not be shared due to adult content)

WE. ARE. OFF..... Yeah Baby!!

Happy 4th Birthday Kenlie!!!

2011-07-28T09:18:00.000-05:00

Number "7" the number of completion.(Ha!) The number we see over and over in the bible. The number of children I ~~knew~~ didn't quite know God had for us. 9 months of pregnancy was not as easy this time. 35 & pregnant in nursing school with 6 other children at home was not my idea, but God's:) Apparently He has a very funny sense of humor! And thanks to Zofran & some super nice clinical instructors I survived, and 2 weeks before graduation you were born in TEXAS!!! From the second you came into this world you have been loved by many. We can't imagine our family without your sweet little freckled face smile. AND... finally one that looks like Mama;) Your goofy & silly and you have the best belly laugh ever. And I will always hear that sweet little voice saying things like, "Lesterday I was being disisult and I wheely sowwy mommy" You are the cherry on top, the unexpected gift that God blessed us with & We Love You...All the way to the moon!

Happy 4th Birthday Peanut!!!

Kenlie

Maleigh

Harper

We LOVE YOU,

~Daddy, Mommy, Lacey, Sydnie, Baylie, Jonathan, Tate, Charlie, Emmy & Levi

Happy 6th Birthday Emmy!!!

2011-07-26T16:14:00.000-05:00

6 years ago today in Nashville,Tn you arrived in this world right on time. Tiny & Sweet & loved by 5 brothers and sisters & a very Happy Mommy & Daddy:) You are the child that made sure the girls would out number the boys;) You are the child that moved us into a LARGER vehicle & I can not imagine our family without you. You add spunk & laughter to every day. You make me smile when you say funny things & you make me so proud when you play "little mama" to your little brother & sister. One day you will be an amazing mommy & probably the CEO of a large company, or a teacher, or a boss to someone (not that your Bossy or anything:) We are so excited that you are going to be in the first grade this year. And I know you are excited about turning "6" so you can FINALLY get your ears pierced!! You make us proud and we LOVE you SO much!!!

Happy 6th Birthday Boo!

We Love You!!!!

Emerson

Kate

Harper

Love,

~Daddy, Mommy, Lacey, Sydnie, Baylie, Jonathan, Tate, Charlie, Levi & Kenlie

Keep Sharing Teri

2011-07-22T10:36:00.000-05:00

Teri Lynn's Grant is nearing the $25,000!!!!!

Yay God!!!!!!

So... know that money will NOT be an issue for Teri Lynn's Family

Where are they????

Please continue to Pray & Share Her story of how people came together to raise

$25,000 in a matter of 4 days!!!

Her "Forever Family"

is out there somewhere:)

Amazed!!!!

2011-07-21T11:10:00.000-05:00

Teri Lynn's

Adoption Grant

has passed $20,000

in 3 Days!!!!!

God is so good & I can not wait to see who God has chosen for her "Forever Family"

Read Here &

Here

to read the hearts of two amazing women!

Thank You Adeye & Julia

for your heart for the least of these...

http://reecesrainbow.org/teri-lynn-30c

Teri Lynn's Turn

2011-07-20T14:23:00.001-05:00

Over $10,000 has been raised towards Teri Lynn's Adoption Grant, PLUS a matching Grant of $2500!!!! Wahoo!!! Now another donor has graciously offered a second matching Grant of $2500!! This would get her Grant to almost $20,000!!!! Yeah Baby!!!

CLICK HERE

to follow her Adoption Grant

as God continues to grow it AND....
DONATE:)

Praying for Teri Lynn...

2011-07-19T16:24:00.002-05:00

Please pray for this sweet little one's "Forever Family" to find her!!! (See Angel of Week on sidebar) She is waiting for her Mommy & Daddy. Please spread the word and pictures of what an adult mental institution has done to this angel in 3 weeks. She, along with so many others deserves more... Let's help change the world for this ONE!! Sit back and see what God's gonna do:)

Click HERE to see Teri Lynn's Adoption Grant

AND... Pray her "Forever Family" finds her soon:)

**How amazing would it be for her adoption to be

PAID IN FULL!!!***

Believe It Or Not!!! These are ALL Orphans NO MORE:)

2011-07-08T19:25:00.003-05:00

Grab This!

**PAUSE MY Music at BOTTOM of Page**

Before & After - Extreme Blessing!!!

2011-07-05T15:26:00.000-05:00

Words can not express how BLESSED our family feels:) What our family, friends & community have done for us simply blows our minds everyday!!!! We have a list of 30+ families that have played a part in this whole "Makeover" and we are amazed at the love that each of you put into making our house a HOME.

THANK YOU TO EACH

AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!

BLESSED TO THE MAX!!!

Coming SOON!!!

2011-06-14T10:12:00.002-05:00

Before & After pictures

of our EXTREME BLESSING MAKEOVER

COMING SOON!!!!!!!

UPDATE: Extreme Blessing

2011-05-25T14:55:00.003-05:00

We are 13 days into the Extreme Makeover that our family, friends & community have blessed us with:) It has been truly UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! So many sweet people have blessed us with their labor of love; painting, texturing, repairing, changing, ripping, hammering, redoing, decorating, etc., etc....Every room has been redone with creative loving hearts & when I walk through each room I am amazed at how perfect every room is for each child! So, So, So Sweet!! We even had a local business with wonderful employees take up a donation to put new flooring in, and they presented us with a check to pay for ALL the flooring!!!! Totally Awestruck with what every person involved in this blessing has done. We are honored and blessed to the max! Our cup overfloweth! Sid asked everyone to write scriptures on the concrete so that once the flooring was layed we would be ALWAYS standing on God's Word:) So Cool! The floors a being installed today & it is really coming together. I can't wait to hang pictures on the walls and spend our first night in our HOME. It is so exciting to see our children running & playing and enjoying all the space & I expect to have a BIG Thank You COOKOUT in the near future! We love EVERYONE that has a played a part in this & are excited for you to continue to follow our family's ADVENTURE's!!!

Pictures COMING SOON!!

EXTREME Blessing!!!!

2011-05-18T11:26:00.009-05:00

Many of you know the journey we have been on for the past few years & seen how amazingly blessed we have been. But the day I sat down(thank goodness I was sitting) and our dear friends told us what was about to unfold before our eyes, was a day I will NEVER forget! A day that honestly brought us both to uncontrollable tears!! This is the email I received next:)

Sid & Wendy Harper have been blessed with finding a house for their family! I would like to ask you to help continue the blessing for this selfless family by providing our time and resources for the big “move-in” weekend.

Date: 5/13-15
Time: Whenever you can
Place: NEW HOUSE

I have never organized a SURPRISE MISSION like this before, so the sky is the limit and there is no wrong answer. More than one family or person can sponsor a room with larger needs. For example: if you love papering cabinets and organizing pantries and another person wants to buy the supplies needed in the kitchen then that would work out great. If you can’t make it on either weekend donating to a specific area with gift cards or other resources (donated items or good deals or finds) would be great.

***Over 30+ families have come together to bless our family with an

"EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER!"

There are no words that can express how grateful we are for every person that has played a part in this blessing & in our lives over the past years. We are overwhelmed with what God has done and continues to do in our lives. And we are amazed by the love and support of our family, friends & community!

The WORK in PROGRESS........

AND......The work continues:)

Update Coming SOON!!!!

Back The Blocks Blitz

2011-05-09T11:30:00.005-05:00

This Family has been an Inspiration to so many, and a pure example of a Family ready and willing to GO wherever God leads! Please help support them as they move to Guatemala to serve and share Christ with the orphans at Eagle's Nest Orphanage in Guatemala:) They NEED 147 people to commit to $25/month to support them for ONE year. Can you HELP?

Check out the "Back The Block Blitz" HERE!

You can also follow their family blog at:

buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com/

Fun In The Sun!

2011-05-01T17:13:00.005-05:00

So, the pool was a little COLD

Jonathan - caught eating in the pool!

Baylie Grace:)

Tate, Jonathan & Emmy

Kisses!!! Baylie & Charlie

Tate - Jumpin' In!

Mrs. Elaina & Levi - Thanks for the swim!

Sydnie - Chillin' in the Hot Tub

Warmin' Up!

Emerson The Fish:)

Kenlie:) Multiple floatation devices!

Splash Time!!!

Dude! I Love This:o)

The Bynum School

2011-04-28T17:01:00.008-05:00

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!!!

This post is not only a plug for Charlie and Levi's school, The Bynum School, but also a huge THANK YOU to numerous people who have loved on our boys over the past few months, donated so they could attend an AMAZING school, and been a part of the transformation of two little lives. The Bynum School, "Where every child succeeds," is a private non-profit school for students with special needs that serves the entire Permian Basin. Their programs include Preschool, Elementary, TEENS and Vocational. The environment is unique and the staff is spectacular. Every staff member has a relationship with each child and they literally work their little behinds off to help the kids be everything they can be. Charlie and Levi have been incredibly blessed to be able to attend such a wonderful school, and they have learned so much in such a short amount of time. The boys receive therapies such as Speech, OT, PT, Music Therapy, Water therapy, hippotherapy, Multiple therapies at MCRC, and "Big Fun" therapy at Next Level Gymnastics. So, as you can see The Bynum School has become a part of our family and the boys are thriving there. Our goal is to keep the boys enrolled, so that means we begin the fundraising to pay tuition so that they can continue to get all the therapies and services that they are currently getting:) If you are interested in making a DONATION, check the sidebar for the address & look for a DONATE button coming soon:) We will also be having a YARD SALE in JUNE and will be taking donated items to help raise tuition:) Stay tuned for the date and save those items!

I LOVE BYNUM SCHOOL!!!!!

God's Roller Coaster.. Wee!!!!!

2011-04-26T09:15:00.007-05:00

The past few weeks have been quite a roller coaster:) You know one of those that when you get off of the ride your whoopin' & hollerin' cause it was so FUN, and then minutes later your lookin' for the bushes cause your about to loose your cookies! LOL God has blessed us with amazing friends & family who have prayed for our family, supported our family emotionally, financially & sometimes psychologically(you know who you are) After 5+ years of renting a small duplex, God has provided the perfect house for us!!! In a few weeks we will be moving from our little 1100sq ft duplex into our 3600sq ft house where will have more room:) In Texas that gets a YAHOO!!! Sid's job has continued to grow and every day he's out the door on a mission & comes back through the door excited about what God is doing in his workplace. Nothing better than a hubby that loves the challenge of his job:) The kids are all doing great and anxiously awaiting Summer!!! Lacey has a new job at a boutique called Posh Pony. She loves it and is such a hard worker. She is getting ready for summer track. Sydnie is still flippin' her heart out at Gymnastics & just found out that she will be attending IGC Camp in PA in July with her team. Baylie is still kickin' it in Club Soccer, having a great season and is a fierce defense player. Jonathan is in the middle of Baseball season. He has a mean swing & is really getting to be a great pitcher:) Tate is gearing up to run summer track & flip with da boys at gymnastics. Emerson is finishing up her Kindergarten year, loves school and can't wait to start gymnastics. Kenlie is graduating from the 3 year old class & moving on to Pre-K next year. She also is looking forward to summer gymnastics. Charlie & Levi are still LOVIN' school, working hard at PT, and learning more everyday. Our children are so blessed & we are blessed to be entrusted with each of them. We continue to advocate for the orphan by spreading the word, helping to find families for them, raising funds & praying for the ministries and the people who work so hard to ransom these orphans. On May 7th we will be having our homestudy updated and will be waiting on God to show us the child he has for our family. Please pray that it goes smoothly since we will be in the middle of moving. Ha! God's timing not ours, right? We look forward to what God is doing in our lives & wake each day ready to join Him where he is already working.

**So I have finally realized that there will no longer be "Perfect" pictures with 9 kids in a picture.(whatever that mean) So for those of you that know my kids, you will see their personalities just poppin of the page. Ha!

"The BOYS"

"The Girls"

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. ~Psalm 127:3-5

Sweet Vanya's Dream Has Come True!!

2011-04-26T09:00:00.004-05:00

I know one family can not change the World, but a FAMILY can change the World for ONE child

Vanya Has A FAMILY!!!

God has found a family for Vanya!!!! Wahoo!! Vanya will be coming home SOON!!

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2011/04/when-dreams-become-reality.html

God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy ~Psalm 68:6

Driver's License, Baseball & Naps...

2011-04-12T11:02:00.005-05:00

We have officially made it through ONE month of Driving:) No tickets, no fender-benders:) Only a boot on her wheel for parking with no sticker at school!! Ooops! Great Driver:) Great Kid:)

The "Real Thing" With a Cute picture:)

Future Texas Ranger:) The season has begun! Yay!

"Nap-Time"(these people wear us out!)

9 sweet kids = More school functions than I can count, Soccer, Gymnastics, Track, Baseball, Choir, Theatre, Dentist, Doctor, PT, Putt-putt with the Special needs Preschool, School Carnival

AND.... That's just for this week:)

Lovin' Every minute of it!!!

Fall Women's Bible Study

2011-04-11T11:12:00.004-05:00

I will be hosting a Women's Bible Study in the Fall & would love to invite anyone in the Midland/Odessa area to join us:) I know it is still 5 months away, but these days I have to plan way ahead. LOL... Please pray about joining us as we study about how we can allow God to use us through the INTERRUPTIONS in our lives.

Jonah: Navigating A Life Interrupted

by Pricilla Shirer What do we do when God interrupts our lives? Many times, like Jonah, we run! In this 7-session Bible study, Priscilla redefines interruption and shows that interruption is actually God's invitation to do something beyond our wildest dreams. When Jonah was willing to allow God to interrupt his life, the result was revival in an entire city.

Study will start Friday Sept. 9th

So Mark Your Calendars

Location & Time TBA

Please comment or email if you plan to attend:)

6 Months:)

2011-04-11T09:50:00.005-05:00

6 months ago we landed in a small West Texas airport and carried 2 "Orphans NO More" off the airplane after a 23hr journey HOME! Our 2 NEW Sons:) What a wonderful feeling that was:) Since then we have seen them transformed into happy little boys that know they are loved. Slowly these two lives that God has entrusted us with have crawled out of their shell & found their place in our family. I always knew I had a lot of love to give, but I never realized how much love I would receive from 2 little boys that had been discarded and unloved. Yes, there are days when there is frustration, there are days when I wonder will they ever be potty trained, will they ever talk where we can understand them, will they ever sleep an entire night without waking up? BUT then I remember.."6 months", it's only been 6 months. It feels like they have been a part of our family forever, so I have to constantly remind myself how incredibly far they have come in 6 months!!! It truly is Amazing! I thank God every day for speaking to our hearts, for literally breaking our hearts for the orphan. I thank our families for accepting them just as they are and loving them, I thank our children for sacrificing in many ways & for your hearts for adoption. One day I have no doubt I will be following your journey's to adopt. (Tate, Good luck with the 20 children you are going to adopt. I will start praying for your wife now) LOL

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans. . .James 1:27

"A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families." ~Psalm 68: 5&6

Look What God is Doing!!!

2011-04-07T21:22:00.004-05:00

Praying Kiril Home

http://ourstorycontinued.blogspot.com/2011/04/7-day-blitz-for-kiril.html

Vanya's Dream

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2011/04/dream-come-true-giveaway.html

A Little Boy's DREAM

2011-04-06T11:19:00.004-05:00

Vanya Needs A FAMILY:)

Click HERE to read Vanya's story & see how you can help to get this sweet little guy home, so he will NEVER have to step foot in a mental institution...

Dream Come True Giveaway http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2011/04/dream-come-true-giveaway.html

Remember This Sweet Face?

2011-04-03T16:31:00.003-05:00

Antonio Has A Family!!!!!

After seeing this little sweetie in person & praying for months that he would have his own family I am so incredibly happy for Antonio & his FOREVER FAMILY!!!

Now let's HELP the Gibson Family Bring Him HOME!!!!

http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorgibson-2

Prison Bars

2011-03-25T11:08:00.009-05:00

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered. ~Proverbs 21:13

For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land. ~Deuteronomy 15:11

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
~2 Corinthians 9:6-12

If you are not in a postion to adopt please pray about how you can help through PRAYER, ADVOCATING & DONATING...

The Golden's
http://www.adoptingourfirst.blogspot.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The White's
http://www.whitesadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Ray's
http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorray

When God Speaks!

2011-03-23T11:51:00.005-05:00

If you had told me 10yrs ago I would have 9 kiddos in my home, I would have laughed and thought that is insanity!!! LOL But somewhere along the road I have been consistently walking with the One. I slowly began staying beside Him, walking with him, sometimes even following behind him a bit, always striving to not be led astray. Yes, there were times when I wandered away looking for something for myself, something to fill what I really just need Him to fill; but every day I am drawn closer to the One who created me, the One who gets me through every day, the One who gave me a heart for the hurting, for the oppressed, for the orphan. So.......until the day that I take my last breath and join my Father who loves & cares for me; I will pray, advocate, adopt, donate and whatever else God shows me to help those who cannot help themselves. Because when God speaks & you TRUST Him, your life is forever changed!

The faces that I think of when I should be sleeping, so instead I pray for them and their family that I know is out there SOMEWHERE...

Is one of these sweet faces your child?

If God has been speaking to your heart please visit this site to see if your little one is there.
http://reecesrainbow.org/

"There is no merit in thinking about doing something. The result is exactly the same as not thinking about it. It is only doing the thing that counts."

~Stephanie Nance (adoptive mom & advocate)

Clarity

2011-03-21T14:34:00.002-05:00

“I do not have clarity, what I have is trust. I will pray that you can learn to trust God every day. He will show you what to do each step of the way.” ~Mother Teresa

This is what I repeat to myself often! It makes so much sense. In life we all want a roadmap with all the destinations on it, a clear blueprint of how our life is gonna turn out. But God wants us to roll outta bed every morning, pick up our cross and follow him. No map, No blueprint, No detailed instructions. Just us TRUSTING the One who has come to lead us everyday regardless of the what the world thinks. However hard this may seem, I have seen proof before my eyes that God DOES know what's best for me & he DOES have a beautiful plan for my life:) So I will stop planning the way I want things to go and be still and wait for God to LEAD ME...

"Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever sing for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. ~Psalm 5:11-12

Pictures:)

2011-03-16T23:13:00.004-05:00

Baby Girls:)

Levi - SO Fun!

Charlie - Seriously he NEVER wants to get off!

Abilene ZOO - See the Animals?

Sydnie with her Flingos (that is not mispelled)

Charlie does NOT dig the Cold or the Wind. But what a trooper!

Jonathan!!!! Get outta the Giraffe pens!

These Monkeys are COOL!

The Monkeys were definitely a hit!

CHEESE!!!!!

School wears me out!

Yee Haw!

Seriously scary how much they look alike:)

Giddey-up! Tate

Sweet Sixteen:)

2011-03-16T22:30:00.006-05:00

Sniff! Sniff;)

"Sweet Sixteen"

Aww...Love it!

Driving Test - PASSED! Yeah Baby:)

Basketball Banquet

Disconnected Kids

2011-03-07T11:35:00.002-06:00

Thank You to Zack Brown & The Bynum School for hosting Dr. Melillo author of Disconnected Kids. What a blessing to hear from someone who has put his heart & soul into helping kids with special needs and their parents. In his book he lays out a new roadmap for success by presenting an individualized at-home program that allows parents to assess, address, and even CORRECT their child's neurological disconnects, using physical, sensory, and academic exercises. Check this book out!!! He also has Brain Balance centers in several cities where they can help assess & work with your child.

http://www.brainbalancecenters.com/

Check it out for yourself:)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T11:49:00.000-06:00

In Case Your Wondering & My Heart Today:)

2011-02-24T11:49:00.006-06:00

Charlie & Levi are doing AMAZING:) It has been almost 5 months since they arrived HOME & it seems like they have been with us forever!!!! Every day they learn something new & everyday we see the sparkle that was once lost returning to their sweet little eyes. All the rest of the children have adjusted so well to having 2 new brother's. Yesterday as I wrote down all the kids ages 18,16,13,11,8,7,6,5,4,3 I thought Hmmmm... now all we need is a 2 and 1yr old. LOL God has truly blessed our family & every day we are learning more and more how to truly rely on God for EVERYTHING!!! All of the Good, the Bad & the Ugly that I go through in this life is GROWING ME. Growing me closer to the ONE who I will one day spend eternity with. I don't know where God is leading us next, but what I do know is that I WILL be following Him! More children, missions, who knows?? Wherever he sends us we WILL Go!

Our small bible study group has read our way through Crazy Love, Radical & now When Helping Hurts. I have been digging deeper into God's Word & God has used all of these things to take me to a new a wonderful place where I feel a constant urge to join Him wherever he is working. It's not always easy because we all have our own agenda, but it's what he commands of us. Did you know that one of the reasons Israel was sent into captivity was because of her failure to care for the poor? "There should be no poor among you" Deut 15:4 Yes there was an unbelievable amount of idolatry going on, but they had failed so many people in need. God restored Israel and expected them(and us) to embody a kingdom in which there is no poverty Rev 21:1-4 And let me tell you that We. Are. Failing!!

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. (that's you & me) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possesions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, (that's us again) let us not love with words or tongue but with ACTIONS and in TRUTH." 1 John 3:16-18

As Christians most of us understand this but where we FAIL is with the ACTION part. We MUST find where we can take ACTION to be a part of caring for the poor, the widows & the orphans. God has commanded us to do so! There is absolutely no excuse for poverty. period!

This is what God says will happen if we share our food, provide shelter, clothe them and NEVER turn away from those in need.

"Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear gaurd. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here I am. If you do away with the yoke of opression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the opressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday" Isa 58:1-3, 5-10

Wow!! Nuff said!

I Urge you to find where God what's YOU to join HIM, where He is ALREADY working!

To Be CONTINUED...

Glasses #1

2011-02-24T11:33:00.002-06:00

Day 1 - wore them for approx 5hrs with strap & appeared to LOVE them

Day 2 - Went to school, wore for 1 hour & then bent them & threw them across the room losing ear piece, went straight to get them repaired, put wrap around ear peices on

Day 3 - wore them to school, 2hrs, lost strap,bent leg, straight to get them repaired

Day 4 - wore to school 2 hrs, lost nose piece, straight to get new nose piece

Day 5 - bent into unrecognizeable metal, straightened them ourselves, they will never be the same!

*Somebody tell me where I can find the cute little rubber frames???

Cute Huh???

I will tell you that he was fitted incorrectly. Temple length too long & lens size to large. (Now I know) I have learned my lesson. Even after the wrap around temples were put on they still never touched the back of his ear & they would not stay up unless we put a strap on tight, which then caused the nose piece to dig into his nose. Oye! I do think he liked the fact that he could see, but was frustrated with the poor fit.

Are You My Family?????

2011-02-16T12:35:00.005-06:00

Antonio(5)

The LAST Little DS Sweetie at Charlie & Levi's Orphanage Needs a Mommy & Daddy!!!!

This Sweet Little guy is precious!! All of these sweeties with DS have joined there "Forever Families" ~Bella, Max, Lilly, Amelia, Jessa, Joseph, Charlie & Levi AND....these will soon be joining their "Forever Families" ~Leesia, Jackson, & Micah! We want Antonio to have a family too!!! He has $2330 in his Adoption Grant towards his adoption

PLEASE Help us find Antonio's "Forever Family"

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-16T12:12:00.002-06:00

Levi telling his friend goodbye at the orphanage... bittersweet;)

$1475.95

2011-02-02T08:06:00.004-06:00

This is the amount that Jayson has in his adoption grant fund. It is slowly moving towards the $2000 mark. Jayson's family will need $23,000 to bring him home. AND the quicker his Grant Fund increases the quicker he can find a "Forever Family" There are SO many adoptive families ready to bring a child into their family, but few that can fund the adoption themselves. Please help these sweet chubby cheeks to find their way into a loving family where he will be cherished and loved. Where he can thrive and receive medical care that he can not recieve where he lives now. What a sweet son he would make!

You can donate directly to Jayson's Grant Fund by clicking HERE or by clicking on the CHIPIN button on the sidebar. Both go directly to Reece's Rainbow. Both are tax deductible:)

Who could resist this little face:)

The Ones I Left Behind

2011-01-25T08:48:00.004-06:00

Over the past few days I have been spending time specifically in prayer over my unexplained emotions. For the past few weeks I have found myself grouchy, grumpy, tearful, & with little patience for others. Even though my heart is full of joy and happiness, and I feel blessed beyond anything I could have ever imagined, I have still felt emotionally crummy. So for several days I have been seeking God, pleading for him to reveal my weakness, asking for him to fill the void I have been feeling, and to just pull me out of the funk I am in. It's amazing what God can reveal to you when you simply ASK! So, while spending sweet time with my El-Elyon (Lord Most High) he spoke into my heart. What I didn't realize was that I was actually grieving. Thrilled for the new journey he has taken our family on, but grieving over the ones that (I) left behind:( You see, once you have spent weeks visiting an orphanage and seeing so many little ones desperate to call you Mama, your heart can NEVER be the same. Yes, I know that (I) can not save them ALL. It's about saving the world of that ONE orphan. But when those little ones longingly look into your eyes, reach for you to pick them up and then snuggle into your arms like it's the first time they've been held, (for some it is the first time) you heart aches and you start thinking about how quickly you can come back to get them. People ask all the time, "how did you find the boys?" The chain of events that lead us to our boys is long and sweet, but the reality is God lead me to Charlie & then used His other children to speak to both of our hearts, and we knew that God meant for these two orphans to be OURS! God Rocked our world in a totally radical way & we are forever grateful. BUT... what about Anton & Sergey & Pasha & Ivan &, &, &... and the other's that I couldn't bring home with me. My heart grieves to think that those little ones will soon be moved to an institution where they will live out their short little lives, all because (I) couldn't bring them home:( See, that's where your heart dwells when you leave them behind, that's why so many of us grieve after adoption, and that's why so many of us advocate, post pictures, and beg & plead for other families to bring these children HOME! No more, "We would love to adopt", or "I have always wanted to adopt", "It's just not a good time", etc, etc. Just DO IT! And if your circumstances will not allow you to adopt you can make a HUGE difference by advocating, donating and praying for God's children to all have a loving family. What's keeping you from stepping out in faith?

“I do not have clarity, what I have is trust. I will pray that you can learn to trust God every day. He will show you what to do each step of the way.” ~Mother Teresa

Today I am humbled that God has given me every emotion I have felt over the past year. And grateful that he has brought me to this point where I can continue to make a difference in the lives of orphans. Thank you God for choosing to adopt ME:)

"He hears the cries of the orphan." ~Exodus 22:22-24

"Religion that our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." ~James 1:27

"He blesses those who provide for the orphan." ~Deut 14:29

"For when I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." ~Matt 25:35-36

Medical Updates

2011-01-20T11:32:00.004-06:00

Here is the lastest Medical Update on the boys.

Levi:

Saw Opthalmologist yesterday. His right eye is a bit farsighted & is doing all the work. His left eye is at least 20/200. Which means he sees nada. So he was fitted for glasses that should help that eye start to correct. We go back in 2 months & then will likely start patching the good eye, followed by surgery at some point. By the way he looks so stinkin' cute in those glasses (pictures as soon as we pick them up)
He will see cardiologist again in March to recheck AV canal & regurgitation in both valves & determine if they will or will not do surgery
See's Audiologist in Feb. to check hearing now that his tubes are in
Saw Dentist this week. He said his gums were healing well & we will go back in 3 months
Appt. with Urologist in Feb. to check out his urinary issues
Evals for PT, OT, & Speech coming up(this is in addition to what he receives at school)

Charlie:

Saw Opthalmologist. He said that he can only see 2-5 feet in front of him & that only surgery will correct it. Glasses will not help. Hmmm...Getting a 2nd opinion on that one
Cardiologist confirmed ASD is closed and only saw an enlarged aorta. Will go back in Dec.
Appt. Jan 26th with Urologist. He will be scheduled for surgery to repair urinary reflux & to bring the testicle down were it belongs:)
He will see ENT in Feb to talk about removal of tonsil, adenoids, and tubes. Followed by the audiologist to check the hearing. Pedi believes he does not hear well from right ear
Labs have been done to check for Diabetes Insipidus because of his weight loss, excessive drinking, excessive urination
C-spine xray was GOOD
Evals for PT, OT & Speech coming up(this is in addition to what his school offers)

By the way we absoulutely LOVE their school, their teachers, & the entire staff at The Bynum School!!!! Thank you for everything you are doing for our little guys. We are grateful & blessed to having such wonderful people working with them everyday!!!

2 of 153

2011-01-08T10:06:00.005-06:00

In 2010 153 of God's children were brought home to be with their "Forever Families" through Reece's Rainbow adoption ministry. 153!!!!! That is up from 76 children in 2009. Amazing! Look Here to see how many children were saved ONE child at a time because of their families hearts being willing to step out in faith and know that God would provide everything they needed to bring that child home. It's not about having clarity, it's about having faith. We can't save the world, but we can save the world for ONE child. Is 2011 the year that you will step out in faith and make a difference in the life of a child? We are not all called to adopt, but we are ALL called to ACTION! Please consider making a donation, advocating for a specific child or becoming a prayer warrior for one of these children.

ONE CHILD AT A TIME

After Court Sept 12th, 2010

TWO Worlds Changed FOREVER

Only God knew that these TWO would change ALL of our lives FOREVER too!

"Religion that our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

We Are Jayson's NEW YEARS WARRIOR....

2011-01-04T13:58:00.006-06:00

These sweet Little Chubby Cheeks STILL need a Mommy & Daddy!!!! Oh, how I love this sweet little guy! He would make an Amazing son. He is 18 months old and doing so well. His adoption process is easy with only one trip over for 7-14 days and you bring him home 1st trip!! Please consider making your first DONATION of 2011 to his Adoption Grant Fund. There is not a lack of families willing to bring Little ones like Jayson home, there is only a lack of FUNDS. Help us get him Home with his "Forever Family" before another Christmas rolls around... Right now Jason has $1104.45 in his Adoption Grant Fund. This was raised in 8 weeks from donations between $4.45-$50!!!! You can see how quickly even a $5 DONATION can make such a difference!!! We want to see his smiling face in a loving family ASAP!!!!! You can make a tax deductible donation by clicking on the Chip In button or by clicking on the New Year Warrior Button on the sidebar which will take you directly to the Reece's Rainbow site!! Thank you to those who have already DONATED & Happy 2011 To ALL of you.......

"Help Make A Difference For This ONE Child!"

Sid & Santa...Seriously???

2010-12-29T16:06:00.001-06:00

"I Love this guy!"

"Come on, Gimme a hug!"

Skip The Steak!!!!!

2010-12-08T14:06:00.000-06:00

Wondering Where You can Help during the CHRISTmas Season???? Here's a GREAT suggestions. Make a donation towards Jayson's Adoption! This little guy needs a family and I can't think of anything better than helping this little one find his forever family. The #1 reason why families choose not to adopt is $$$MONEY$$$. Let's FILL his Adoption Grant Fund so that his "Forever Family" can bring him home!!! Right now Jayson has $36 in his Grant Fund. That would almost be enough for a couple to have a steak dinner. Skip the steak dinner & PLEASE help us grow his adoption fund by donating any amount. CLICK on the CHIP IN button to DONATE and give Jayson the Best CHRISTmas Present ever!!!!! How can you resist those chubby cheeks!!!!

Depraved Indifference

2010-12-03T11:34:00.001-06:00

2010-11-01T10:58:00.002-05:00

Happy Dressup and Celebrate Fall!!!

2010

Lacey, Sydnie, Baylie, Jonathan, Tate, Charlie, Emmy, Levi, Kenlie

Landri, Kole & Jake

Our Christmas Tree Angel

2010-10-01T02:13:00.000-05:00

Jayson
Boy, Born July 2009

Jayson is a sweet 15 month old boy in Latin America. He is healthy and growing well. He Needs a Mommy & Daddy and we are helping to raise money for his adoption. This is an EASY program, with easy travel and easy family requirements/restrictions. Photos and more medical/social history coming soon. Please inquire if you are interested!
http://reecesrainbow.com/eelittles.html

U.S. families only at this time
Single moms and married couples, ages 25-55
No family size restrictions
NO CRIMINAL HISTORY
NO MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS
Both parents travel for one trip only for approx 14 days
Fast program, approx 9 months start to finish
Beautiful and comfortable place to visit
Child comes home on an IR-3 visa (meaning adoption must be finalized here in the US as well)
Total cost approx $25k

To DONATE click on the CHIP IN button on the side bar

And Help Jayson get his Christmas Wish!!!!

Sydnie's 1st Gymnastics Meet!!!

2010-09-17T07:32:00.005-05:00

Way To Go Sydnie!!!

We are PROUD of you!!!

Sydnie & Lacey

Level 4 Girls

1st Place Vault

1st Place Bars

3rd Place Floor

3rd Place All-A-Round

Meet Schedule:

Sat. Sept 18th - San Angelo
Sat. Sept. 25th - Odessa
Sat. Oct. 2nd - Odessa
Sat. Oct. 6th - Lubbock

2010-09-03T21:37:00.001-05:00

God's Heart

2010-08-05T12:34:00.012-05:00

"These are the children that the Lord saw fit to bless me with" Gen 33:5

"The Girls"

"The Boys"

Levi

Charlie

Charlie & Levi are two sweet little ones that will soon join our family....Not because we thought it sounded cool, not because we thought it might be fun, BUT because God commands us to take care of the orphans and widows and We know it's part of his plan for US. God Never said being a Christ follower would be EASY. There is no Easy Button in this Precious Life that Christ has given me. My God does NOT want me to avoid things because they are hard or because people might think I am crazy or weird. He does not want me to avoid where He is leading my family. And...I do NOT EVER want to miss out on what Jesus is really about! I want my life to be a life that glorifies Him! Going against what's normal or typical or ordinary is sometimes HARD, but SO incredibly worth it! Yes... Adoption is Hard, Adoption is Amazing, And Adoption IS the Gospel of Christ. And for us there is no alternative because Adoption Is God's Heart.

Showing The LOVE of Jesus...

2010-07-16T22:29:00.004-05:00

THIS is what it's ALL about. Not the Big house, the fancy car, the newest "whatever." It's about making a difference in the lives of God's children and caring for the widows. If only we could sacrifice even half of what this mighty young woman of God has. All for Jesus...

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. ~James1:27

***Pause My music at the bottom of this page***

To follow Katie's Blog in Uganda go to: http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

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FUN TIMES!!!!

2010-07-01T13:01:00.006-05:00

Just a few pics from the last few weeks:) FUN TIMES!!!!!

Emmy, Kenlie & Tate- Bug Catchers!!

Sydnie @ the Gym

Friends - Off to Church Camp!!!

JoJo & Emmy Being silly after visiting Pop

Emmy @ the pool in Dallas

Jonathan in Ruidoso, NM

Kenlie & her "BIG GIRL" hairdo

Baylie & Sydnie - The Sunflowers are getting SO Big!!

Texas Plains

2010-06-24T17:15:00.004-05:00

This is my Granny singing Gene Autry's "Texas Plains." Still one of the best voices ever!!! One of my best childhood memories... Singing with Granny in her living room with the family, and sitting next to her in church on sunday mornings listening to her magical voice. I love you Granny!!!

**Pause my music at the bottom of this page so you can hear her sing**

Happy 4th Anniversary Reece's Rainbow

2010-06-19T14:49:00.002-05:00

We could never THANK YOU enough for what you have done & continue to do for so many children. One child at a time...

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Our Other HOME.....

2010-05-09T13:28:00.005-05:00

Please Continue to pray for the people of Middle Tennesse. Because of the oil spill and other national news this got very little coverage. Many of the people have a long road ahead of them and need to be covered with prayer. To all of our friends, We love you and will continue to pray for strength and peace...We Love you guys!!!

PAUSE MY Music at the Bottom of the page....

Baseball Star

2010-05-02T16:53:00.004-05:00

It's really getting fun to watch these little guys start playing ball. JoJo was playing shortstop and got the player OUT at 2nd & then quickly threw it to 1st and got that player OUT too. Double play...SWEET!! He looked like such a professional!!! Although, I think he was shocked that he did it... He gets a hit everytime up to bat & loves every minute of it!!!

Getting Ready To RUN home & slide AGAIN!!

Made it to 1st base...

Waiting for a Pop fly...

It's Official & Legal...

2010-04-18T16:40:00.005-05:00

Lacey passed her written driving test!!!! Yay! So now she can legally drive with an adult in the car with her! WooHoo!!! I Think?!@?!@ Look for her out on the streets driving a 15 passenger van!!! If she can drive that she can drive anything!!!

PROM NIGHT

2010-04-18T16:26:00.003-05:00

Hayley looked beautiful for her Jr./Sr. Prom, so we thought we would share!!

Enjoy!!

PROM NIGHT!! Beautiful!!

Lacey & Hayley :)

Hayley & Dad

Hayley & Greg