Merry Christmas!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

We are officially done. It is 11:25 and we will be able to go to bed within 30 minutes. This is an early night compared to many Christmas Eves. The kids were ready to go to bed by 9:00 even Kristopher. By looking at the kids piles you would think Kristopher and Nicholas weren't getting much. Kristopher asked for a couple of video games and Nicholas wanted sports tickets. Neither one take up much space. The girls appear to be getting the most because their stuff is so much cheaper.

We went to a very well done Christmas Eve service tonight. It was the Christmas Story done through song, a few characters, lights, and video. After that we rode around and looked at Christmas lights. Once home we enjoyed our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, spaghetti.

What in the world will Grace think tomorrow morning? She will have no idea what is happening. We know we are probably in for lots of fussing. She always wants what someone else has. By next year she will have outgrown this. We have heard her fussing several times tonight which is unusual for her. I wonder if she is overwhelmed with all we have been doing. The alternative is she may be getting sick. I certainly hope not.

Tomorrow around 11:15 we will head to the airport. We depart at 1:20 to arrive in Jacksonville at 3:05. My sister in law is preparing Christmas dinner this year. We are all looking forward to being together again. It is rare that the whole family is there.

Grace has started crying. Guess I better go check on her.

Merry Christmas to All!

Grace's First Picture with Santa

Yan Fu Ming

Yan Fu Ming will never know the love of a family. Today would have been his second birthday. He passed away a few days ago. We don't know why but we do know if a family had found him sooner this probably wouldn't have happened. He is blind and may have had some other needs. A couple of months ago his file came to our agency. A family had not chosen him yet but I am sure in time his family would have stepped forward. We find peace in the fact that he is in a better place. He now can see and feels no pain.

Our hearts go out to these kids. If they aren't adopted there is no future for them. The orphanages and foster parents do the best they can do. They don't have the money or resources to get them the care they need. There are several organizations that help the children and orphanges but they can't help them all. Some orphanages are too proud to accept help, too.

We mourn the loss of this precious little boy. In honor of his life we(our agency and anyone who wants to help)will be helping another child continue to live. He,too, is an adorable little boy. If he doesn't get the blood tranfusions he needs he may not make it either. Hopefully his family will find him before it is too late.

Grace's Follow Up Appointment

We went to see the plastic surgeon today. Grace's palate still has a gap. He said it was in a very unusual place and he didn't know why it hadn't closed. The bad news is we now have to go back in two months so he can see if it healed. If it hasn't we all know what that means(more surgery). The good news is she can now eat whatever she wants. I think Julia was more excited than her that she can now eat pretzels. All the kids are relieved because they no longer have to hide foods when they are eating something hard.

Must See Movie

Zachary, Zachary, Zachary

The title says it all. Everybody needs to have at least one Zachary in their family. He tests every boundary, questions every answer, and wants everything done his way. He is great at crafts and projects. Hours he will spend completing a school project with no guidance or encouragement to get it done. In Zach's world everything has to be done now. Wait a minute never sits well with him.

So are you wondering what he did now? He was sent to his room to clean it. He admitted earlier in the morning that he hadn't cleaned it in a month(not completely true but his words). Needless to say he was not thrilled to have to go clean his room. He wanted to do it his way, when and how he wanted to do it. That didn't sit well with Dallas and I. He was to do it immediately. Off he went raging to his room. We don't know exactly what happened but the next thing you know he is crying and asking for a bandaid. He has a gash between two of his fingers. A metal Jeff Gordon sign was the culprit. It appeared to need stitches so Dallas and him precede to the medical clinic.

Three stitches later a lesson is learned. The question is will Zachary remember it.


The spots on Zachary's hand are magic marker. Guess that will be there for 3 weeks. That is when he goes back to get the stitches out. He can't wash his hand until then.