ElleAnna and Granny

I Cannot Even Fathom

As I type this, I know that the past three years with ElleAnna have gone by in a whirlwind. So many changes and adjustments, but twice as much laughter and celebration. None of us can imagine our lives without her. That stretches beyond the walls of our tumble down shack (aka home). She has touched so many with her grin and sassiness.

I checked the internet savy site tonight of how far "behind" the Chinese government continues to be - so many families waiting and yet, such a slow process. The information posted indicates that parents who were logged into the system on 05/23/2006 got their referrals on November 1, 2010. We were not logged in until 07/12/2006. At their sloth's pace, that means we would not have our referral until 11/22/2011 - still another year from now - should we have not opted to go the special needs route at the time. That's a wait of over FIVE YEARS! When you add in the amount of months (sometimes years) you do paperwork and such to prepare for that magical "log in date", its far longer than five years for most. I thought our wait was tortue enough. There are LOTS of folks waiting much, much longer than we could ever imagine.

They are in my prayers tonight - as we celebrate having ElleAnna home for three years this month, they continue to ache and wait for their children.

November 8, 2007 -

- we were robbing the bank. Needing lots and lots of cash - unused, not marked on, no creases, etc. Interesting, huh? Each fee we had to pay would require cold, hard, American currency....

Look at Us Now!

Time for a Smile

So, so, so hard to believe that this photo is creeping up on being three years old!! They have all changed so much in the time since then! Look how tiny Elle is here and the boys' hair - WOW! Bryant has about as much on his head here as he's got growing on his face now!

Nathan Stiles

This is a recent article about the young man from Spring Hill, Kansas.


http://www.kmbc.com/news/25639294/detail.html

Matthew West - Save A Place For Me

I posted this video thanks to my sister. She had it on her Facebook page in memory of a young man from Spring Hill, Kansas who died recently. He'd been unable to participate in football after having a concussion. The first game after his return, he collapsed on the sidelines following a hit - and then, never regained consciousness. He died at the KU Med Center. He was only 17 years old. Such a bright light in his church and community. Our prayers go to his family, friends, and loved ones who will grieve his passing for many years to come. This song certainly echoes their sadness in the lyrics and the pictures. Life is short, and fragile. Handle it with care!

Who Am I - Casting Crowns