Sad day at our house......

For 13 years, I have had a constant companion. She had the prettiest fur, the smelliest breath, the best personality, the most awful toots!!, the cutest grin, the biggest toenails, she loved to play footsies, she loved to chew gross things, she was a great pillow, she shed a lot, a good friend, not a good kisser, very tolerant of kids climbing on her, not a good dancer, she was a sliding board for little kids, she thought she was a little lap dog, all in all she was the best dog ever. She was named Kandi Deane D'Angelo, but called Kandi or Kandi Cane, Kandi Deane, Stinkie Dog, and Horse.

We had to put Kandi, our Golden Retriever, to sleep last night and we have a friend that is a Vet, and bless her heart, she came to our house. The girls were in the other room, Mark was keeping watch and I was sitting in the floor holding Kandi's head and crying like a baby and just rubbing her head. And Denise gave her the shot and she showly relaxed and went to sleep. Kandi didn't even resist.

She was tired, old and had arthritis and thyroid problems and we think there was more going on and we had decided it was time. She wasn't in a whole lot of pain yet, but we didn't want her to be either!! It was a difficult night at our house!!

Chinese New Year Party!!

We went to a Chinese New Year Party at Jackie and Trevor's house, on Saturday evening. We had so much fun!The New Year's Cake!!

Masor

Quincie

Gabi

Ava

3 of the Guatemalan kiddos.... Diego, Jameson and Heidy

Heidy

Molly and Lindy

Gina and son Dillon

The "red couch" photo with the Chinese girls... Macer, Ava, Maci, Molly and Quincie and another Molly, Ava and Lindy.

The Guatemalan children... Malia, Libby, Diego, Jameson, Heidy and Jace.

Peyton, Donnie, Gina, Maci and Dillon

The New Years Dragon.....

FFF # 2 for me - theme - Messy Faces

This is 2 weeks after Heidy came home. It was her 2nd birthday.

My dad letting her snitch icing before the party!! He has done that with all my kids!!!

Ok, I realize I am a bad "FFF" poster already, I can't just chose 1 picture!!

Happy Chinese New Year !!!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR
to everyone!!
Especially to all of our friends who have daughters or sons born in China,
whether home or not!!

From the little Guatemalan dressed in Chinese clothing.... :-)

We Pray For Children

I found this beautiful poem that says so much......

We Pray for Children

We pray for children who put chocolate fingers everywhere,who like to be tickled, who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants,who sneak popsicles before supper,who erase holds in math workbooks,who never can find their shoes....

And we pray for those who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire, who can't bounce down the street in a new pair of sneakers,who never "counted potatoes,"who are born in places we wouldn't be caught dead,who never go to the circus,who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for children who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions, who sleep with the dog and bury goldfish,who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money,who cover themselves with Band-Aids and sing off key,who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink,who slurp their soup....

And we pray for those who never get dessert,who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,who watch their parents watch them die,who can't find any bread to steal,who don't have any rooms to clean up,who pictures are not on anyone's dresser,whose monsters are real...

We pray for children who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,who like ghost stories,who shove dirty clothes under the bed and never rinse out the tub,who love visits from the tooth fairy,who don't like to be kissed in front of the school bus, who squirm in church or temple and scream in the phone....

And we pray for those whose nightmares come in the daytime,who will eat anything, who have never seen a dentist,who aren't spoiled by anybody,who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,who live and move, but have no being.

We pray for children who want to be carried,for those who must, for those we never give up on,for those who don't have a second chancefor those we smother....and those who will grab the hand of anyone kind enough to offer it.
~ Ina J Hughes

Playing in the snow

We got some snow, though not a lot, on Thursday night, and there was no school Friday because there was ice under it!! But my kids and friends waited until it was close to dark before they went to play!!

Here they go.....

Skyler and Rachel being silly!!

Heidy

Skyler and Heidy sledding

Heidy got tired an wanted to go have hot chocolate....

I tried to get one more smile out of her....

Then she was done

FFF --- Besos

My first Favorite Friday Foto....

Theme ---- Besos

I couldn't choose, you get two for the price of one....


Heidy and her buddy "Sissy Mady and Mady calls her "Sissy Heidy"
Heidy and her buddy Maci.

I got tagged....

I have been tagged...



It's my first...

Okay here are the instructions and here's what I gotta do: I was tagged by Becca http://princessellaruth.blogspot.com/ . Here is what you do:
The rules are to link the person who sent this and leave a comment on their blog so their readers can visit yours~
Post the rules on your blog~
Share7 strange/weird facts about yourself~
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and link their blog~
Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
So, here are 7 wierd/strange facts about myself.


1. I have had acrylic nails for probably 10 years now. I hate my hands with out nails and this is the only way I have them!!

2. I live in such a small town that we do not have a Walmart or a Target. SERIOUSLY!!!

3. I actually do have scrapbooking supplies and stamping card supplies and USE them!!

4. I have 4 kids ranging in age from 26 (next month) to 3. And I love it! I also have a daughter in law and a son in law!!

5. I only use Dove soap to bathe with.

6. The one place I thought that I was scared to death of as a child, I have gone to and want to go back.... Africa!!


7. And lastly, I will be 50 this year... shhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!


OK, Maybe they aren't so weird or strange but they are true and not everyone knows them.

Priceless......

Priceless...

You know you are an adoptive mother (or you should be!) if:

1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has ever made you lose sleep.
2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.
3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.
4. The fact that if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child, there would be no orphans in the world is convicting to you.
5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.
6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about your adopted child's "real" parents.
7. You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth (2 years!)
8. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway knowing where God calls you He will provide.
9. You have ever taken a airplane ride half way around the world with a child you just met.
10. You believe God's heart is for adoption.
11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacy's you could ever leave on this earth.
12. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have them in your life.
13. You know what the word Dossier means and you can actually pronounce it!
14. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.
15. You know full well that the journey of your child coming into your family is one of the most wonderful, miraculous things that has ever happened to you.

Tumble Bears and "Tormados"

Heidy got promoted in gymnastics. It isn't "Mom and Tot" classes anymore. It is the "Tumble Bears" and I don't have to help!! I just get to watch. I love it!! We go on Tuesdays at 4:15 And tonight while we were there we had a tornado warning and the gals at the gymnastics told us and asked me if I thought we should get everyone in the inner bathroom. I said YES!! So we went in the bathroom for about 30 minutes!! It was cute though, she tried to make it fun until the power went off. She told the kids that we were going to party in the bathroom!!! We never saw a tornado, but I went outside (no, I'm not usually so brave) to see what was going on, there was hail on the cars and the clouds were terrible!! It was kind of scary!!! Afterwards the gal said, thanks for helping me, I sort of freaked out, I said it was fine I was a seasoned mom! (not old) I can understand why she did, having all the kids under her care! Thank God nothing happened, He is good! Heidy is telling everyone she sees that we had a "tormado".

Heidy doing a cartwheel......

It was very dry in there and look at Heidy's hair!!

A round off...

Practicing the balance beam...

Trying a handstand..

She is doing it!!

The bars, that is her favorite!

Doing the Straddle on the bar!!

She loves gymnastics!!