Rachel's Birthday!

The other day was Rachel's birthday! We hosted a birthday party for her with her family and the Gibson family.. Star Wars themed!

I've wanted to a Star Wars Birthday Party for awhile, and had so much fun! I found mostly everything on Pinterest, you can find it on my board here. 

 {Signs - Star Wars font was found here. Download, open up zip file, open one of the text tiles in that zip, hit download, open whatever Microsoft product you want to use it in, and it should be the fonts.  I used Publisher. Black background was from google images.}

{Sweet n Salty Sabers - Pretzel Rods with Fruit Roll-ups wrapped around them.}

 {Leia cupcakes - Went off this model. Face and hair is decorating gel/frosting. Buns are Oreos with decorating frosting over  the white filling, stuck on with a toothpick for each side (you can only push them in past one side of the Oreo very carefully or they'll break), and frosting for extra "glue".}

{Lightsaber napkin roll - Incredibly easy, printable and directions here.}

Eating <---> Rachel and her pie!

Top: Rachel & Ashley <---> Carter & Rachel
Bottom: Rebekah & Rachel <---> Rachel & I

Carter waiting for his pie <---> Carter and Elijah, these two get into so much trouble together! :)
Today is also Carter's birthday! Now he and Elijah are both 5! Happy Birthday Carter!!

We had such a fun night (including battles with pool noodle light sabers.. sorry, no pics, they look like this)! Thank you so much to everyone who came to make Rachel's day special!

And Rachel, I just want wish you a (now belated) happy birthday! I'm so grateful to be a friend to such an amazing young women, with such a beautiful heart. I love you! ♥

Down Syndrome Awareness Walk!

Day 6 of 31 for 21! Today we had our Down Syndrome Awareness Walk! It was pretty cold, but we all had a great time! :)

Our team! Named after....

Carter, Jonathan, and Elijah!

Our team!!!

Elijah.. yes, I made his hat. :)

Love these two! So cute!!

Brothers!

The 4 boys from Ukraine!

The 5 Ukrainians!! Lucas, Carter, Jonathan, Elijah, and Lilya (who is a true Ukrainian, and wouldn't sit on the ground, hence why I'm in the picture too! I'm not Ukrainian, no matter how much I want to live there!)!

Lucas is from Krivoy Rog, actually from the same orphanage I met Logan at! Carter and Lilya are from Kiev, Jonathan is from Kramatorsk, and Elijah is from Simferopel! 5 adopted Ukrainians, from 4 different orphanages, now in 4 different families that love them very much!

Elijah wouldn't show me his face. Yes, the leaf is actually as big as it looks!

I told him to say cheese!

Elijah on the slide!

Ruby and Braden! I loved seeing the Zoromski's again today as I haven't seen them since I went to DC with them in July! :) Loved seeing Dax too, he's gotten soo big! He's barely a baby anymore!

They were hiding from me! :)

Lilya!

Rubes hiding :)

What a fun day!!! :)

Also, my mom, Rachel, Ashley (Carter's mama), Michelle (Lilya, Ruby, Braden and Dax's mama), and Ruthann (Lucas's mama) either have blogged about today or will soon I'm sure. :)

It's a........... BOY!!!!

I'm sure you have all been wondering, so today I finally get to announce that it's a....................... BOY!!!

Introducing..... CARTER BENJAMIN GIBSON!

The Gibson Family - Jake, Carter Benjamin, and Ashley!

I guess you already knew he was a boy, but he's officially a Gibson now since they had court today! Congrats Gibson Family!!!! Jake and Ash, the happy new parents, Uncle Ben, Mimi Debbie (aka Auntie Deb or Auntie Crackers), and Pastor Dan!

I'm so happy there is one less orphan in the world today!!!

And Carter is too!!!

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I wonder, when will Lyla become one less?

Waiting Wednesday: Alice

Alice S. 8CH

rteu-8

Date of Birth: June 2006
Gender: Female
Eyes: Brown
Hair: blond
Character: Sociable.

SINGLE MOMS WELCOME!

  

$7032.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

Isn't she sweet? Unfortunately we only have 1 picture of her, but she's soo sweet! :) Since I don't have more pictures, I want to share a post my friend Ashley wrote awhile back about Alice, Lilly, and Carlene. Carlene now has a family working to get her, but Lilly and Alice are still waiting. 

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Royal Daughters

I had planned on posting something totally different...but that's for another day.

Because today,  these girls are weighing heavy on my heart.

*Alice*

I don't know why these three.

*Lilly*

It doesn't matter.

*Carlene*

Can you see these faces in an institution?

Absolutely not.

My heart breaks.  I can't stand it.

When I first started following Reece's Rainbow blogs, I didn't understand how people could be so grieved about a child they never met.

Now I get it.  

I've prayed for these girls.  I've cried over them.  They're a part of me in some small way.

One of them has already been transferred.

I just don't understand it.  Who is this girls mommy?

Who is supposed to be taking care of her?  And why is she not here?  This girl needs her mama.  Unfortunately, it can't be me.  Believe me, I've asked.  It's not me.  I want it to be me, some days.

I've always wanted to put this quote in a little girls room.  It would be so perfect on a wall, surrounded by pink tutu's and baby dolls.  Right now it's on my desktop at home....

 
....lest I ever forget that these girls are princesses.  No - queens.  Royal daughters of the Most High God. Lest I ever, EVER forget that they have a story to be written.  A 'once upon a time' of a lifetime, just waiting in the wings.

Oh Lord...call these mommies.  And call the daddies.  Call them up & out into the beautiful reality that is special needs adoption.  Lord...move - work - speak - and chase down these girls' mommas.  No room for Satan to speak lies - only room for you, Lord.

Because every little girl needs her mommy to kiss her, and her daddy to be wrapped around her finger.

Oh how I'd love to see these girls hug their mommies.

One Thing I Know For Sure: Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice?   No, no, no.  These girls are made of courage, strength, and determination....where is their mommy?

________________________________________________________________

And yep, this the same Ashley who is Carter's new mama!

Carter loves his new mama! 

And his papa - Jake

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One Thing I Know for Sure - Lyla is def a Royal Daughter too!

Pure love.

Our dear friends Jake and Ashley met their boy Carter today. I refreshed thier blog LOTS of times waiting for pictures, and they finally came! Pure love at first sight... with preciousness sprinkled on top!

Carter and Mama

Carter and Jake

"Leave me alone, I'm with my papa!"

I CAN NOT wait to see this boy thrive at home with all the love he is going to get! He is going to be one spoiled little boy, that's for sure! :) I can't wait to do my share of the spoiling!

Please go to their blog to see more pictures and videos!

One of my fav pics of him! ♥

So happy for you Jake, Ash, and Carter!

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Just the Way You Are!

To Jonathan, Elijah, Lil, Ru, Logan, Carter, Lilly, and many other very special kiddos -

You are AMAZING just the way you are!!!!!!!