Something Else To Share

Back in 2001 we met a couple, Jay and Suzanne Faske, who were in the process of adopting their daughter Miriam Grace from India at the same time we were waiting for Grace. We got to know them a little bit at a Dillon International India reunion in Tulsa. At that time, they had four children....two biological sons and a son and daughter adopted from India...and they were waiting for the referral of their fifth child.

As it turned out, perfectly arranged by God, we were both given the clearance to travel to India to get our daughters at the same time. We had planned for Mike to go get Grace and for me to stay at home with Noah since he was still so small. Jay and Suzanne had planned to both travel, but in the aftermath of September 11th, they decided that just Suzanne would travel and Jay would stay at home with their children. So we were able to make travel arrangements together. Both Mike and Suzanne flew to Amsterdam. They met there and were able to travel the rest of the way to Calcutta together. It was a great arrangement....Suzanne was a great help to Mike with all the "Mommy" stuff and Mike was able to take care of all the travel logistics. They both arrived home safely with our beautiful daughters.

Although we haven't been able to keep in close contact, I feel we will always have a bond with the Faskes. We have been able to keep up with all of what they are up to through their websites http://www.angelfire.com/or3/hereiam/index.html and www.foreverfamilies.org.
If you check these out you will see that they have been VERY busy! Since bringing Miriam home, they have adopted 8 more children...from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, and now Colombia! It is amazing to read all of their stories. They have also started an orphan ministry called Here I Am. The Faskes are currently in Colombia to bring home their 13th child, Jonah. (I believe they are actually coming home today. ) Jonah's story is particularly amazing. I hope you will read about it here. (Scroll down to the bottom of the page to read about Jonah.)

http://www.angelfire.com/az3/foreverfamilies/1FaskeFamily.html

We've been truly inspired by this family and their compassion and tireless work on the behalf of orphaned children and I wanted to share their stories with you.

Favorite Link Friday - 9/30/05

This is one of my most favorite catalogs. My heart goes pitter-patter when it comes in the mail! They have recently revamped their web-site. I haven't had a chance to really check it out yet, but you can bet your boots I will!

http://www.gooseberrypatch.com/

Enjoy!!!!

Five Finger Prayer

I received this in an email from Mike's Mom this morning. I thought it was a great idea to share.

The Five-Finger Prayer

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach,instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Have a great day!

A Fine Evening

Good morning!

We had a late night last night. Our family was invited to a fund raising dinner for MCCD- the Midwest Council for Children with Disabilities. This is the group that so generously pays for Samuel and Noah's hippotherapy and spider therapy. They were also responsible for finding the used wheelchair lift that Mike is working on getting in our van.

We had a great time. Everyone was so kind to the kids. And as for myself personally, I was overwhelmed and humbled by people's generosity. During the day there was a golf outing. Different companies paid to sponsor holes. Individuals and companies also paid to have foursomes play. They had a raffle for a large plasma screen TV as well as a $1 raffle for smaller prizes. The fact that just about everyone went home with a prize showed that many people generously bought tickets. One lady bought raffle tickets and gave a couple to each of our kids, so even they were involved. Somehow we went home with 2 stovetop popcorn poppers, a Christmas tree ornament, and a golf shirt! Each of the kids there were also given a Halloween pumpkin bucket with a coloring book, crayons, and play-doh in it. There was a silent auction as well. There must have been at least 75 items....event tickets, gift certificates, autographed items, a bike, a HUGE stuffed toy horse. They also had a live auction for tickets in a dugout suite for an Indians game (That alone went for over $4000 I think) and also a bat that they had all the kids "sign".

We had a nice dinner and they showed a powerpoint presentation showing all the Ohio kids that they support and telling a little bit about hippotherapy. Samuel was especially excited to see his face on the screen.
We got to visit with two of our therapist/friends from Angel Acres, Vicki and Judi. And we made some new friends too.

So we had a great time, but it sure was tough getting up this morning. It was almost a one hour drive there and home so we got home pretty late. But we managed to get the boys up and ready for school and off on the bus.

We are so grateful to MCCD and Angel Acres. They have been so very generous to us.

Favorite Link Friday - 9/23/05

I just can't help posting this one today!

Look out Chicago....Here we come!!!!!!!!!!

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp?c_id=cle

GO TRIBE!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who are wondering, but haven't asked.....

I've had a couple people ask why Samuel has a cast on his arm. Don't be alarmed....nothing is broken!! Samuel had "serial casting" done on his right wrist. This wrist had become very stiff and flexed since his thumb surgery (same time as hip) last March. What they did was stretch out his wrist really well and then put a cast on it. This would give his wrist a good stretch 24/7. A week later we would go back, they would remove the cast and check his progress, stretch the wrist out some more, and put on a new cast for another week. I think he had a total of 4 casts. Everyone has been pretty impressed with the results Samuel got. He now just has a removeable cast that he wears at night and we are finally able to get him in the hand splint that was made for him after surgery. He wears that during the day.

Thanks for all the concern you've shown about Samuel!

95 more.....

Shopping Days until Christmas!!!!!!! Have you started YOURS????

You'll have to forgive me. My three boys' birthdays are in November and December so I have to start early!!!

Favorite Link Friday - 9/16/05

Happy Friday!

http://www.motivatedmoms.com

Here is a site for something new I have tried. It's called Motivated Moms and they sell a downloadable chore schedule to help moms keep on track with household chores. I recently bought their discounted plan that includes the schedule for the remainder of 2005 ($4 BTW). So far I feel that it has been really helpful. I don't necessarily do everything on the list for each day, but it has definitely helped keep me "motivated".

Catching Up

Hey there!

Well, we returned home safely from our vacation in NC. Why is it that I have returned home more tired than when I left???? Oh, I remember now.....they're called children! :o) My answer to everyone who has asked about our vacation has been "The weather was great!" It really was beautiful and we are blessed to have been able to get away for a week. I am feeling especially blessed to have been spared from hurricane Ophelia too. The destruction from hurricanes we have seen recently is just something I cannot even begin to fathom. I see the pictures on TV, but I don't think you truly understand if you haven't personally experienced it yourself. I felt the same way after Sept.11.

Anyways.....we have managed to get back into our normal routine. The boys headed back to school and are getting settled in again. Grace also had two days of preschool this week. Today she was off because of a teacher workshop (Are they allowed to do that??) and I wondered what we would do all day. Well, first Grace helped me clean the kitchen. Actually she played with water in the sink while I cleaned the stovetop, toaster oven, and mopped the floor. But she did actually scrub out the sink with a SOS pad and so she did help. She also wiped off the front of the stove and dishwasher after I sprayed them with Windex. This all kept her busy for quite a while....I was impressed.

We also had a major "potty" breakthrough. I won't post all the gory details to protect the privacy of my dear daughter, but let me just say that it was MAJOR!! We did the happy dance, called Daddy, and went to Toys R Us to pick out a prize! M&Ms for today's accomplishment and a toy incentive of her choice for accomplishing the "task" five more times....to be given out when she has reached this goal, but out for her to see. These incentives have worked in the past, so hopefully they'll do the trick this time as well.

Grace practiced some "writing" also. And while I wasn't looking she "polished" her fingernails with a black Sharpie marker! Yea, that's right....the permanent kind!!! FYI....nail polish remover actually works pretty well on Sharpie marker as well as polish. It handled the nails pretty well...now they're just sort of gray. Around her nails and cuticles are still pretty black though. Oh the joys........ LOL!!!!

So our day has actually turned out pretty fun. Time to sign off. Quiet time is almost over and I promised Grace I would push her on the swing!

Hittin' the road!!

When the boys get home from school today we'll be hittin' the road for the beach. Hurray!!!! We are so ready for this! Well, actually I'm still packing, but boy is my spirit ready! Hopefully, we'll get a little "R & R" ...not always the case when vacationing with young children, so we'll see. We will definitely have fun though.

Here's where we're going.....beautiful Emerald Isle, NC!!
Gotta go pack! See you next week!!