Thank you prayer warriors!!!!

Thank you all for lifting my cousin Lindsay in prayer! The results from her scan revealed NO cancer in the brain!!!! PRAISE JESUS!!!

I am just so thrilled beyond words. I wanted her to have peace of mind and try to get back to normal as soon as possible. In July she will have another scan done to determine if she is CANCER FREE!!! I truly believe HE has restored her health!!!

I posted this picture of Lindsay and me from 2003. We had babies a few weeks apart, I'm holding Rachel and she's holding her son Ryan. I love her so!

Madelyn's Fundraiser!!

Yeah!!! I am so excited to announce I finally got the fundraiser blog up and running!!! To all my blogging buddies, if you would do me the favor of posting it on your blog, I will give you FIVE free entries, just leave me a comment and I will send you the raffle numbers!!!

We're raffling off some pretty cool items...CHECK IT OUT!!!


http://bringingmadelynhome.blogspot.com/


Thank you to all!

hugs,
Amy

My little entrepreneurs

My mother/father -in -law put together a huge neighborhood garage sale last week so the girls and I thought up the idea of having a lemonade stand. They're at an age that sitting all day at the garage sale might be too much for them so the lemonade stand was the perfect remedy!! I bought cans of Country Time lemonade, put it on ice, made a sigh (I am so NOT creative), and dug up a little "cash register", the girls were so excited!!! The day couldn't have been better, the weather was great and we had a ton of business. It was so cute to watch as Linzhi was drumming up business by saying "Want some lemonade?" Rachel on the other had was a bit bashful but warmed up and started saying "hello" then Linzhi would finish it off, it really was precious to see them working together! They made a total of $26.25!!! School is over this week so our plan is to celebrate the last day of school with a trip to the dollar store to buy some goodies. It makes me feel like my babies are growing up a bit.

I am looking forward to summer, I'm praying for good times and movement in our journey to Madelyn. I'm a bit discouraged with some possible delays that could hold up getting our I-800 filed. The state of IL is changing some home study requirements June 1st and our adoption agency is a bit back logged in reviewing home studies so I'm praying we can still make it in before the cut off but it's not looking like we will...However, I know God can move paperwork much faster than anyone can so I must relax and let him do His job... So we will see!!!

Please enjoy the pics from our day of work!



Linzhi taking a much needed break!
Grandpa and Auntie Tina.

Gram and Linzhi.

Waiting for customers...

Linzhi tasting the ice. =)

Rachel counting the money after a sale.
Linzhi in grandma's sun hat.
And Rachel in grandma's sun hat.
Winding down...

Help a family bring their daughter home!

My sweet friend Becky at http://bilbybunch.blogspot.com/ is raising money to bring her sweetie Jada home from China. They just received their LOA so times a tickin...

Not only is she selling clothes she also does blog design (like mine). She is so talented and generous, so please check it out!!

Blessings,
Amy

It's been too long...

All I can say is...HAGUE TRAINING IN PROCESS!!!! Yep, we're knee deep in training modules!! I really don't mind doing all the pre-work and I really love checking it off the list. =) We are getting really close to almost being finished with the dossier except for our CIS approval. Monday, our social worker called and she was typing up our home study ...YEAH(check), Physicals (check), Fingerprints (check), etc... It feels so good to be that much closer to bringing our girl home. We are really so excited this time around, I think because it's our second time so we pretty much know what to expect AND I've learned so much from Linzhi that I feel more confident and faith-filled (because of God). He has given me (and CJ) so much peace and patience that I believe all will get complete in His time. It's a wonderful feeling!!

I am however, DYING ( I guess I'm not too patient on this end..LOL) to get some kind of update on Madelyn. I have emailed and almost begged for info, a picture, a video...SOMETHING!! Poor Karla @ Lifeline, I know she feels my pain, bless her heart, she is so good to us. We did get confirmation our care package made it to Lily in China...Hopefully, Madelyn has it... Last week we purchased a cake to be delivered to Madelyn and her friends and caretakers through www.blessedkids.com We paid extra to get digital pictures of her receiving and eating the cake, there is no guarantee but if the orphanage allows it, we should get some pictures emailed to us within the next 2-3 weeks. I am praying for this to happen, I must see her face! I know she's getting bigger and I would love to see more candid photos of her because maybe, just maybe we can get some kind of glimpse of her personality. CJ and I are planning on sending something to her every month just so she can get some idea of her new family. I have been lifting her in prayer asking the Lord to prepare her heart for this transition, I am fearful she may be feeling stress with what's to come, I wish we could put her at ease but we're giving it to God because he knows her heart best and I know He will take care of her emotional needs as the time gets closer.

Well, I'm off to bed, I have to get a ROOT CANAL (fun times) tomorrow morning... ugh! I can't put it off anymore, it's time to be able to eat and drink hot and cold foods without shooting pain...LOL...It's not that bad, I'm just a drama queen. ;-)

Love and hugs to all,
Amy



I planted these for Madelyn. They're always blooming beautiful pink flowers...Just like our beautiful girl in China.

Happy Mother's day to all my favorite moms out there!! I had a very sweet day with my kids and hubby. I started my day by sleeping in!!! LOVED every extra minute of it because I believe I'm getting a sinus infection...YUCK! Linzhi is not feeling well and Trevor's been complaining of headaches as well. CJ made the decision to keep everyone home from church so we could rest. I don't like to miss church but I'm grateful for the extra rest since CJ is leaving for the next five days for work, so that leaves me holding down the daddy part of the fort too. We sure will miss him and I'm praying for health while he's gone.

So, we finally got moving and decided we were all hungry so we kept our lunch reservation at our favorite Japanese steak house!! My girls tend to be on the picky side of eating, Rachel more than Linzhi however, when we eat at this restaurant, RACHEL eats and eats and eats....I love watching her enjoy her noodles because it's such a rarity! After our late lunch we drove over to spend some time visiting with CJ's mom and Willie, then later in the evening we went to my sisters house for dessert with my mom and her husband John. It was a full day but filled with lots of laughter, hiccups and sneezing (mom and Linzhi)...One little piece was missing...My Madelyn. I thought of her often and as we were driving I had time to day dream about the day we get to meet her. I am so grateful for my four babies and my sweet husband. I can't imagine my life without any of them.

I have a prayer request on this mother's day for my sweet cousin Lindsay. She's the mother of five beautiful kids and the wife to a good husband. She is fighting breast cancer and just finished her radiation a couple of weeks ago however, for the last week she has been experiencing some major headaches and none of the medication that's been subscribed is taking care of it. Tomorrow she is getting an MRI to see what's going on. We are hopeful for sinus related issues but she is fearing her cancer has spread to her brain. Please pray for comfort and peace of mind. I can't imagine what she deals with everyday and I hope for her and her family it's nothing but allergies. Please keep her in your prayers and I will update when I have more information. THANK YOU!



Linzhi telling daddy a secret ear to ear....So cute!

Miss Rachel enjoying her noodles and chopsticks...She is also in my jean jacket because she said "my bones are shivering"

My blessings...

Rachel

I've been MIA for about a week...WOW! It's been so busy around here...We're finishing our landscaping, gutting two bathrooms, dance class, playing outside and oh yes...ADOPTION paperwork!!! Whew! I'm glad to be back and I so thrilled to dedicate this post to my lovely Rachel. I, adore this child....

Tonight, was picture day at her dance studio. We are getting ready for the big final recital and she is a ball of emotions... Nervous, excited, sad (that dance will be ending for the summer) and jumpy! She's been jumping around the house as if she's full of sugar and caffeine!! I know her so well and could sense by the time we left for dance, it was getting the best of her so, I brought her up to her room to get her dressed and started asking her what she was feeling... Oh my goodness, the flood gates opened as she told me how she felt about dancing in front of people at the recital and she was so nervous her bun wouldn't stay tight, etc... I absolutely LOVED our talk this evening, I just sat and listened as she poured out her heart, I was so excited to tell her how wonderful I think she is and that it's ok to feel all those feelings and that mama (and daddy) are always here to talk. She seemed to feel better and held my hand most of the night at the studio, I want to bottle this time with her, I just soaked up everything second of it! It was our time together, just mama and Rachel and what a blessing it was... My little girl is growing up... *sigh* I think I'll go get one of our new landscape brinks to put on her head to see if I can buy more time with her at age 5. Excuse me, 5 1/2 (She always corrects me).



Trying to do the splits!

With her good buddy Lauren...Always holding hands!

Outside our house before dance class.

With Lauren.

My baby.

Taking time out to peruse the clearance rack. (We walked out without buying a thing...progress!)