What it Means to Love

Friday, October 26, 2012

the most important part: the child.

Sometimes, I really wish

that we didn't see a waiting child

and their grant, developmental level, age, and health conditions

at the same time.

Sometimes

I really wish

we could see a waiting child

and just take in the child.

Reposted (with different pictures) with permission from Briana's blog. Click a picture to go to that child's profile. All the children in this post are older girls with a desperate need to get out of their orphanage/institution.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Baking a Cake

This post has absolutely nothing to do with anything I typically post about here.... but I wanted to post about it. :)

Now, I can cook meals no problem, but when it comes to baking?? What I make is usually a flop. I can usually make it taste good, but how it looks? Not so good. My sister and grandma are the bakers, not me.

So when I told my sisters I would make them a rainbow layered cake, I was dreaming big, being overly optimistic, and fully knowing that their cake be an emergency run to the store.

First step was finding a circle cake pan. We didn't have one, my "baking grandma" didn't have one, but thankfully my other grandma had two!

Second step - getting the food coloring. It was originally going to be rainbow, 6 layers with white frosting, but we couldn't pass up the fun neon colors at the store, so we ended up with that instead.

Then it was baking day! Mom, Rachel, and me were the baking team...

First two layers... looks like a green moldy hamburger. LOL

All the layers.... btw the frosting was SOO good but very sweet - homemade buttercream frosting - recipe found here.

The finished product! Mom gets all the credit for the outside frosting job....

Not leaning too much! The top layer did fall apart... but was mended with extra frosting. ;)

Happy Girls with their cake - Rebekah and Rachel

I was surprised how neat the inside looked!

So there you have it - my layered cake (that mom and Rachel did a lot of!). Wasn't as hard as it looks, and def something that I'm willing to try again. The trick to let the layers cool completely before layering, and after they are layered to cool the whole thing in the fridge to harden the frosting before putting the outside layer on. :)

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Waiting Wednesday and Ds Creed

My face may be different

But my feelings the same

I laugh and I cry

And I take pride in my gains

I was sent here among you

To teach you to love

As God in the heavens

Looks down from above

To Him I'm no different

His love knows no bounds

It's those here among you

In cities and towns

That judge me by standards

That man has imparted

But this family I've chosen

Will help me get started

For I'm one of the children

So special and few

That came here to learn

The same lessons as you

That love is acceptance

It must come from the heart

We all have the same purpose

Though not the same start

The Lord gave me life

To live and embrace

And I'll do it as you do

But at my own pace

More info on any of these children can be found on this page - they are all in the same region, they all have Down syndrome, and they all need a family.