Alot going on

I have not posted in forever, next week maybe I will have more time, it is very chaotic now in our lives. Please pray for our family. I will post more later.

Jonathan

Yesterday we had to place Jonathan back in a treatment facility. Only those who have had to do this know how devestating this is. We know this is the best for him now but are all hurting like crazy. Please pray that God will perform a miracle for our big guy and please pray for us as a family. Just look at this sweet precious angel. Jonathan is such a wise old soul. When I was telling him where we were taking him I was crying and he said I know your sad mom but it is what I have to do. He is one brave boy.

Mossy is the big 2

Prayer for a Child's Birthday
With thanksgiving and love that you have been given to be a part of our heart and of our family, we celebrate this day of your birth, beautiful child, delightful spirit.

May you have a year full of joy and may your prodigious talents, like arrows, find their true mark through a long life in this world.

Pledge for an Adopted Child
We did not plant you, true.
But when the season is done,
When the alternate prayers
For the sun and for rain are counted,
When the pain of weeding
And the pride of watching are through,
We will hold you high.

A shining leaf
Above the thousand seeds grown wild
Not by our planting,
But by heaven.
Our harvest.
Our own child.

Mossy at 23 months

it is hard to believe that our baby girl will be two years old next months. She is growing up way to fast. She is a real Jianxi beauty. She is talking, using more words each day. Our family is truly blessed.

Prayer

Father of the fatherless, you give your children a home in which to dwell; and like a loving mother you gather us into your household. We give you thanks for the child who has come to bless this family and for the parents who have taken this child to be their own. By the power of your Holy Spirit, fill our family with trust, understanding and affection; and, through this child in our midst, enable us better to know the mystery that we are all your children by adoption; through Jesus Christ our Lord

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

The Gift of Life

I didn't give you the gift of life,
But in my heart I know.
The love I feel is deep and real,
As if it had been so.
For us to have each other
Is like a dream come true!
No, I didn't give you
The gift of life,
Life gave me the gift of YOU!

Andrew is 8.

Andrew turned 8 years old yesterday. He is a really great, smart kiddo. He amazes me everyday with his wisdom. He said to say he loves LEGOS. Happy Birthday Andrew.

25th anniversery

Today is our 25th anniversery.  We spent the day shopping, I got diamond earrings and we refinanced our house.  How much more exciting  could a day get.  Yesterday was also Stan's 50th birthday.

Weekend update

Jonathan got to come home for the day Saturday. I picked him up at 8 and we came home where he did really good. He got to spend some time with all his brothers and sister as well as us. Andrew and Kenny are pretty much inside kids but when they get a chance they can get dirty just like all boys do.

Mossy at 22 months

We can hardly believe Mossy will be two years old in two months. She is growing like a weed and very animated now. She is getting speech therapy and learning sign language to help us understand her more. She loves to rock in the new rocking chairs we bought for the front porch and loves eat also. Here are some new photos.

Jonathans sleep study

Tonight I will spend the night at a sleep center with Jonathan. He is having a sleep study to rule out sleep disturbances and seizures. Maybe this will give us some answers. Here is a picture of what a sleep study is, this is not Jonathan but I will post some pictures tomorrow. Please pray that we will have some new things to guide us and help figure this puzzle out.

March 2009

We are still here. We are still working, or Stan is on getting our mess cleaned up from the storm. We have been plant shopping to buy some schrubs for the yard so our house will look a little more homey. Please continue to pray for Jonathan and our family. We need a huge miracle.

We're back

Oh where do I began. Well with the winter ice storm the last of January we were with out power for almost a week and we feel lucky, some had to go without power almost one month. We were also lucky that we had an old generator that powered our electric fireplace, refigerators and my dad oxygen concetrator. The kids were good through it all but were our very bored. We just cable and internet service one week ago. I had 1400 email messages in my inbox, yike.s Jonathan is still in Tennessee and is making some improvement, we are able to see him every week. He will be eight on March 6th. My how time flies. Andrew is a good boy as usually, Kenny is having some impovement in school, Sean and Seth are working long hours and being young adults. And last but not lnot least Mossy. She is growing and changing everyday. She is a LITTLE spoiled thought. She is talking more and talks about her baby all the time. She loves one particular doll and she wags it around all the time. She has learned to jump on the bed too. She totally amazes us.

Happy Gotcha Day

One year ago today princess Mossy was placed in my arms. It seems like it was yesterday. It was a very exciting day. We landed in Nanchung and Bruce our guide said you get your babies in two hours. We were all so excited and totally exhaused. We had just been in Beijing the day before for a grueling tour but boy were we ready. All of the girls are doing awesome and we hope to get together with them this summer. Happy gotcha day girls. We are all so truly blessed to have these most precious angels and all of our other childrenk, adopted adn bio.

Flu shots and fun with hats.

SEE MY OUCHY
All the kids had flu shots. I had to take Mossy to get her immunizations and took Kenny and Andrew along. The nurse ask if they needed flu shots so I said yes. Mossy did fine with hers but Andrew let out a loud scream and it took three of us to hold Kenny down. Bad thing is now they have to have another one in one month.

Here are some pix of Mossy and her hats.

Christmas and New Year's.

We were very blessed to be able to have all six of our children home for Christmas day. We have been very busy with work, the kids, the house and going twice a week to visit Jonathan. He is doing some better, please continue to pray for him and his struggles. We had a very good 2008 and are expecting to have another good year in 2009.

Miss Mossy at 18 months

Our Mossy is eighteen months old today. She is definately a toddler now. She is walking pretty good although she looks a little like Frankenstein with her little legs stiff. She is quite the little lady. She is saying more, thank you, stop, mama, and dada. Someone told me once children start walking their speech takes off. She is a mess.

Happy 22nd Birthday Sean and Seth

Today is Sean and Seth's 22nd birthday. How did they get so old? We are so proud of them, they both bought houses this year, have a job and girlfriends. They have really made us proud. Thanks for not giving us any trouble all these years. Thanks for being Mama's boys, right Megan.

On a lighter note

MOSSY THEN

MOSSY NOW
One year ago today we got our call that we had a bouncing baby girl, five and a half months old. We wouldn't see her sweet little face until the next day but this is what Emily told me about her, she is cute, not much hair, and serious and she was right. Wow what a difference a year makes.

Prayer for Children

How fitting is this. Everyone who knows me know what is going on with Jonathan so please keep him in your prayers , maybe even say this prayer for him.
Prayer for Children
Blessed God, you have created life to begin with childhood, a time of innocence, laughter, and exploration. Bless, we beseech you, the children of this world. Grant unto them the nurture they need for strong physical growth, keen minds, balanced emotions, and a holy spiritual life. Send unto them teachers to inspire an inquiring and discerning heart, to enable curiosity toward their surroundings, and a knowledge of this global village. Bless them with love, hope, and vision, and keep them ever in your unfailing compassion and protection. Amen.

- Vienna Cobb Anderson

Holidays

Make a Smilebox greeting

I cannot do this alone

I Cannot Do This Alone
O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Mossy is 17 months old

Here of some pix from about ten days ago when we had some friends over. We are still putting some things up in the house but are in and will have our Thanksgiving Sunday. Please keep our family in your prayers, especially our Jonathan as he is going on a very difficult journey.

Lead me to peace

Lead me from death to life,
from falsehood to truth.
Lead me from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
Lead me from hate to love,
from war to peace.
Let peace fill my heart,
my world, my universe.
Amen.

fun times

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Dream

Seth had a dream last night. In that dream his Granny came to him riding on a Harley,
with an angel as a passenger. She told him thank you and said that everything would be okay now. Seth is now at peace.

Feels like today.

Listen to the words.Enough said;)

Hallowing, yeah hallowing

JONATHAN AS INDIANA JONES

ANDREW AS ULTIMUS PRIME

KENNY AS DARTH VADER

JONATHAN, BATMAN AND JOKER, HE SAID I THOUGHT YOU WERE ENEMIES

MOSSY AS YOU GUESSED IT A LADY BUG
Here are pictures of our little gobblings. Our neighbor invited us to her church for trunk or treat and the kids had a great time.

Mossy at 16 months and moving

Mossy is 16 months old today. She is doing great. The boys are good as well. We are moving into our house or at least trying to. Here are some pictures from today.

Mossy at 15 months

Mossy is 15 months old today. She is making such progress. She is standing alone and will be taking off soon. She is such an amazing little person. She has a joyous laugh and we hear it alot. Yesterday we readopted her and she is now officially Mossy Marina Grace Manea. Here are some photos.

Mossy at 14 months

Mossy will be fourteen months old tomorrow. She is almost walking. She has a temper and is a real little diva. She loves our photo shoots. Here are some pix from today.

KENNY IS SIX YEARS OLD

Kenny celebrated his birthday on the 13th. We took cupcakes to school and at first he did not want to eat any, but then he decided he would, LOL.

Buying paint and flooring and grandpa

Today Stan, Mossy and I went to Lowes to buy flooring and paint. 33 gallons of paint and 35 gallons of primer. I hope I dont hate the colors after they go up. A woman at Lowes thought Stan was Mossy's grandpa,hehe. I thought we should get a seniors discount, right. The paint will most likely be up in about three weeks. I will post pix when some of it goes up.

Six Months Ours

Mossy was placed in my arms six months ago, a day earlier than we had expected. WOW what an exciting day for all of us in our travel group. Time has really flown by and we are enjoying raising a little princess along with our sons.

Moss is 13 months old today

MOSSY STARING AS PIGLET

MOSSY CRUISING

MOMMY AND ME

I HATE THIS STUPID PINK HAT

LOOK HOW CUTE I AM
Hey friends and family. Our MOMO girl is thirteen months old today. Her physical therapy says she should be walking in a months or so. House is still progressing, the sheetrock was delived today and it will start going up on Monday. Here are some cute pictures of Mossy.

Update

Mossy then

Mossy now
Been very busy lately. Jonathan, Andrew and Kenny all have tutoring two to three times a week so we are on the run all the time. The house is being insulated this week and they will start sheetrock next week. We hope to be in in about three months max. All the kids are doing good. Sean got engaged and both Sean and Seth have bought houses. Here is a comparison of Mossy when we first got her and now. We have been home over five months now.

Mossy Meets a New Friend

Mossy and Maggie

Mossy and Maggie again

Maggie

Mossy
Yesterday we met the Ford family at the park here in Paducah. Since Mossy has been home I don't think she has seen another Chinese child until today. Maggie is 15 months old and has been home for about five months too. When we arrived at the park the boys yelled, there is another Chinese girl like Mossy. We hope Mossy has alot of opportunities to meet Chinese people in the future.

Princess in the Park

From today's photo shoot.

This is Life

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Happy 1st Birthday Mossy

Mossy will be one tomorrow the 18th but technically she is already one because China is 14 hours ahead of us. I find myself thinking about her birth mother. What a precious gift she gave to Mossy and to us. First the gift of life and then making a heartwrenching decision to have to abandonon her. She did place her in front of the hospital so she would be found. So we must thank her for her heroism. Mossy is the most precious little girl and perfect for our family. She is truly loved by everyone who knows her.

Mossy early birthday party

We had a early get together for Mossy birhtday which is on Wednesday. It is a rare occation to have all six kids together.

BACK FROM A SHORT VACATION

We took a quick trip to Florida with the four youngest kiddos. With gas prices four buck a gallon this might be our last year. Here are some photos enjoy them.

Remember........

Beautiful Girl

Mossy and Jonathan

Mossy Sean and Andrew

Mossy and her daddy

Kenny aka Candyman
As we are approaching Memorial Day please take time to remember all those who passed before us, most recently Maria Chapman. I am sure she is smiling down upon her family and they will be reunited in Heaven. Please challange youself to help others through pledging your monthly donation to Shoahannahs Hope. Give whatever you can so children around the world can have a family, just like our sons and daughter.

Another Angel Gets Her Wings

Maria and her father.
Everyone in the adoption community knows what the Chapman family has done to help many hundred orphans find a home. Please pray for this family. I spoke to Maria's grandmother this morning and they are coping as best as they can. Please remember this family in your prayers.

Mossy at eleven months

Today our Momo girl is eleven months old. She is even more than we ever dreamed. She is the happiest little girl in the world. She has made tremendous progress, she is scooting on her bottom, almost crawling and will stand with some assistance. She says mama, dada, nana (for Bottle), she claps her hands when you say Yeah and loves Sponge Bob. She is truly a blessing.

Our house update

The front of the house

The basement entry

The backside.
Well the ouside of the house is mostly finished as you can see. Stan is doing the plumbing, running the telephone and cable wires and finishing up the electrical. Hopefully we will be in the house within the next three months. Remember I said hopefully.

Daycare battle wounds

Mossy has had her first "fight" at daycare. She got bit by another child. I am not upset because all of my boys were biters and sometime they bit the other kids and sometimes they got bit. Oh well life goes on, right. MY POOR BABY!!!!!

Happy 7th Birthday Andrew

Today is Andrew's seventh birthday. We love you Andrew, always and forever


Andrew and best bud, sometimes, Jonathan

Andrew at school today

Andrew and big brother Seth

Happy 24th Anniversery

Today we have been married for twenty four years. How time flies. I love you honey.What an amazing journey this has been. Here's to another twenty four plus.

MOSSY AT TEN MONTHS

Mossy is ten months old today. She is progressing lying to sitting and stand on her legs with help. She gets more precious every day. All five of her brothers think she is adorable and she has daddy wrapped around both little fingers. Here are some pix from this week.