Meant to Be

Blessings

'Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;

They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate. 

Psalm 127:3-5 (NKJ)

Shaylee Joy Day

Today is FINALLY the big day for my dear friend Sharon.  I posted about our connection before.  I was so excited to finally get to see her hold her new baby girl this morning. Look at that baby SMILE :)  Go take a peek at this beautiful baby girl who finally has her mommy!!

Promote Orphan Sunday

Start now by asking your church to do something and get involved in promoting orphan awareness.  Here is a great resource for that http://www.orphansunday.org/ .  You can get this video clip off that site as well to have it shown in your church.    Come on, just ask your pastor.  What is the worst they can say, no.  At least you can then say that you tried to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.  Good luck!

Orphan Sunday from Greg Buzek on Vimeo.

First Friday to First Flight

Another one of my "special projects" is getting on a plane tomorrow to meet their new baby girl.  I am SO excited to watch this sweet family finally meet their daughter waiting for them in China.  I first met them back in February 2007 at the very first adoption gathering (First Friday) we ever attended.  I have followed their journey ever since.

Fortunately, God arranged for me to get to be a part of their red thread to Claire, and I am very grateful for that opportunity.  I can't wait to finally SEE baby Claire in the arms of her mother.  Please follow along with the Radicchi Team as they embark on this awesome journey of a lifetime :)

Racing Rebels

I failed to post the pics from last weekend when my dad and CJ got to be Nascar drivers for a day.  We took the boys down with us for the crash course training, and they even got to take a trip around the track in a super fast race car passenger van.  They enjoyed checking it out even though it was in the van.

I must say my husband did look pretty hot cute in his Jeff Gordon attire :)  Vrooommm, vrooooom!

TGIF

Looking forward to spending my weekend enjoying all my babies :)  Hope you have a great weekend too!

Changes in Waiting Child Program

New Announcement about the Shared List:


Children on the list, longer than 2 months, will be known as "Special Focus Children". Families will have relaxed requirements, including 6 months to get a dossier submitted, to be matched with these "Special Focus Children".

Those who adopt a "Special Focus Child" will be permitted to adopt TWO children (both special focus or just one special focus) at the same time or as two separate adoptions. The adoptions just need to be within 12 months of one another.

Also, per agency requests, more children will be added to agency individual lists.

New Week

Happy Monday!!  New week, new adventures, and if she can still smile with a bad hair day like this...

Well then I think we should all just be happy and smile too :)  Looking forward to a better week.

Reality Post

Just keeping things real here on my Straight Talking blog...

Transmission is shot on my van- needs a new one

Air conditioner is shot on the little Honda - needs a new compressor

Camper blew out a tire- need to get all 4 replaced before next month's trip

Faith had a bad ear infection- required night time Immediate Care visit and full price antibiotic

Oh and yes, CJ is now working "over-the-road" most of the time now :(

Where's the Calgon when you need it??!?

Not the Baby Anymore

As I watch a few of my friends getting ready to adopt their daughters, I am reminded of my feelings that I had right before we left to go get Faith.  I was SO scared of what adding a younger sibling to the family was going to do to the current "baby", my Shelby baby.  I just knew that she was going to be very jealous and I really thought she might regress in our attachment process that we had worked so hard at.  I thought that her trust in me would waiver and that we would all have to prove to her again that we STILL loved her even though there was now a new baby in the family.

Boy, was I wrong!  From the very minute that we received Faith, Shelby has done nothing but LOVE love love her baby sister. I know it sounds too good to be true, but it is the truth.  Something changed in Shelby that day.  Something very wonderful changed in Shelby's heart that day unexpectedly...

It made her a better person!

Not that my Shelby was a "bad" person to begin with; however, she was a self centered, selfish, tantrum throwing, jealous little girl before we added Faith to the mix.  She only wanted mommy to do everything for her, her brothers were second best, and her daddy-well he would do only if he was last option.  Once Faith arrived, it seemed as if Shelby just released all those negative traits.  (Now I am sure some of those traits she came by honestly from her traumatic history) Just once she met Faith and realized that she had someone she was supposed to "take care of and love", she seemed to let go of all her selfishness and distrust of us.  All of a sudden, her Daddy was cool, her brothers were alot of fun, and mommy, well she was always going to be there to love her anytime she needed it.

It was definitely an unexpected blessing that only God could provide. Who would have thought that "replacing" the baby in the family would have been such a wonderful and easy transition for the current baby in the family??! 

So to all of you mommies out there who are worried about how your current child is going to feel about not being the baby anymore...I say watch out, because it just might make them a better person  :)  A more beautiful person than you could have ever imagined...

Brotherly Love

If laughter is the best medicine, I am betting our house is the healthiest on the block!!

Some Things Money Can't Buy

1 Application to Adopt, plus
2 Cleft Palate Surgeries, plus
2 Summer School summers, plus
4 Speech Sessions per week...equalled

1 PRICELESS phone call today from my four year old and this proud mommy understanding EVERY single word she said on the phone!! 

I mean everything...from  mom, I ate Cheerios for breakfast, and had graham crackers, mom, I had macaroni, pineapple, and green beans, mom, the big yellow bus came to my school, mom, I went to Rocky Mount to see Ms. Johnson, mom, I went outside to play, and mom...bye I love you :)

I love you too baby girl, oh how I love you!

Still Not a Big Shopping Fan

We went to the pet store last night so Caleb could hold a snake...again.  Faith was not impressed.  Sleep is all she had on her mind.  This is what happens when you wait until 6pm to take your nap ;)

First Day of School

Well at least it was for my big kids!  Caleb is now in 5th grade, his last year in elementary school...sniff.  Travis is a big 2nd grader, and my baby big girl Shelby started a new school and is now in PreK.  Wow, time really does fly right by watching your babies grow up.

No tears this morning, well except from Faith.  She was SO sad that she didn't get to go to school too.  Unfortunately her preschool doesn' start classes until Wednesday.  The next few days are going to be really tough for her as she watches everyone else getting to go to school. She doesn't understand at all on why she doesn't get to go back to school yet :(

I sure hope she still remembers how much she "wants" to go to school come drop off time next week!

Junie Day

One of my "special projects" got her reward today...baby Junie!  Follow Ashley along as she finally gets to meet the little girl we have so desperately prayed home :)