Be Mine...

Today is not only Valentine's Day, but it is also the anniversary of the day that my husband proposed. There are lots of funny and original proposals, but I seriously doubt there are many that share a similar proposal.

Twelve years ago tonight, our date started with flowers and candy before Rodney took me to dinner. We went to a small restaurant in downtown Bowling Green (the city I was living in while going to college at Western Kentucky University). The food was good, the "atmosphere" was romantic and there was a pianist playing love songs in the main dining area. We had a nice dinner and were going to see a movie, but instead decided to go to the mall to look around...we are in disagreement on whose idea this was to go to the mall to "look" at rings. We had been talking about getting married, but there had been no proposal, just talk.

We had looked at rings before, but no real serious looking. That night we went to a few stores and found a ring that we both liked. They asked me to try it on, it fit. Rodney asked if I like it...I said yes and he said "I'll take it." So now, we are in the mall, him carrying a small bag, with a ring inside - me knowing, but acting like the purchase had never happened....very awkward moments. We were leaving the mall, exiting through a Sears to go back to his truck. As we were approaching the outside exit door, Rodney said, "I don't know what I am waiting for." He pulled me off the main isle between two racks of bras in the women's underwear section, dropped to one knee and proposed. I of course said yes, and we both busted out laughing as the lovely background of the proposal was a nice wall of hanging "granny panties". That was just the beginning of many crazy things to come in our lives together.

Just 1 month and 2 days later, we were married! Oh yeah, and add the fact that we had just met 2 months prior. Looking back, I am surprised that my parents didn't lock me up in their basement. I have to believe that God planned us being together. The circumstances surrounding our meeting, marriage and the life that has been given to us couldn't be coincidence, but I believe divinely planned.

My husband is honest, hard working, loving and compassionate. He loves his children. He provides for our family and for whatever reason, after nearly 12 years of marriage he still loves me. I couldn't imagine sharing my life, my children and my dreams with anyone else. Happy Valentine's Day...I am glad you are mine!

Sending love to my husband and to my little Valentines,
Marcy

Xin Nian Kuai Le!!!

I'm a day late, but that's better than my average...Happy Chinese New Year! This is the Year of the Rat...I know, a rat. But in Asian cultures, the rat is a symbol of luck. I would consider it a curse personally :-) They admire the rat for their quick response, ability to maneuver out of situations and a rat is "witty". Since the 7th of February started the Chinese New Year, we decided to have a little party.

We started with the kids making Chinese lanterns, I made Chinese Moon Cakes, and then we had a Chinese themed dinner. We had shrimp and broccoli, teriyaki chicken, fried rice and egg rolls - yum! I made everyone "attempt" to eat with chopsticks. Carter and Jacob, not my most adventurous eaters, didn't enjoy the meal. They did have fun playing trying to pick up food with the chopsticks, but ended up eating sandwiches and chips...go figure! My kitchen was a mess with vegetables, pots, pans, etc. trying to make a Chinese meal and my kids are begging for anything not on the table. Rodney, Anna, my sister-in-law and myself made pigs of ourselves...it was really good even if I did make it.

The Chinese New Year is one of, if not, the most important holiday in China. It is the time of year that really focuses on family. Business close, migrant workers travel home and a huge celebration erupts in every city and village across China. I thought it would be a good time to try to do something for Anna to remember her birth country's culture. I know that she doesn't remember much about China, but I think it is important for her to know and be comfortable with who she is and where she is from.

Anna is my daughter and is an American, but she is from China and we are proud of the fact. Just as we are proud of our biological children and every little detail about them is special and important to us, Anna's birth heritage is important to us as well. There are things that I cannot offer her in regards to her past...knowledge of her birth family, the circumstances surrounding her birth, the reason she was placed for adoption, these are things that we will never know. They are facts in her life that can bring uncertainty and if not handled appropriately they could bring insecurities and damage to her confidence of her self-worth. Anna's confidence in her value and our love for her is something I never want her to question. Anything that we can do to show her how proud we are of her and how blessed we feel that she is in our lives - I want to do it. It may just be a dinner, crafts and a cute little outfit, but I hope it shows her how important every aspect of her makeup is to our family.

Gong Xi Fa Chai!
Sending love from Rodney, Marcy, Carter, Jacob, Parker & Anna Mei

Crazy Weather...

The weather in China is getting better. The forecast for various regions in south central China is sunny with increasing temperatures over the next few days. That is great news. Half the Sky is still helping orphanages in need. They update their site regularly with the current needs. There are still orphanages that are in desperate need, but things are looking better.

On a local level, Tuesday night brought horrible storms through this area. Tornadoes brought much destruction and fatalities. Only about 10 miles from where we live, there was a path cut by a tornado that flattened homes and took the lives of 13 people. There were 4 people killed in our county. The winds, rain and lightening were pretty scary when we were watching reports of tornados touching down so close to our home. We were very blessed that we were not "physically" affected by these storms. It is heartbreaking to know that people so close have had their lives totally shaken. Losing a home would be so hard, but those that lost family members, I cannot imagine. Our prayers are with those that are suffering.

When our county came under a Tornado Warning, I woke Carter and Jacob up and told them to go downstairs. As we went into the living room, I could see out the front windows and the sky was orange. I knew that either half of the community down the road was on fire or something crazy was about to happen. I couldn't tell at my first glance if it was flickering or not, it was just an orange glow. I told Rodney, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law to come and look. Rodney said it was a fire, he could see the flickering. After about 30 minutes, we found out that about 25 miles away, a natural gas transmission station was on fire.

The blaze and/or glow from the fire could be seen in about 6 counties. Fortunately, no one was working Tuesday night at the station and no houses around the station were damaged due to the fire. There were houses destroyed around the station by the tornado that also damaged the station.

2008 has started a little odd. Hopefully, the bad things are over and good things are to come. Spring is just around the corner which will bring green grass, leaves on the trees, flowers and "outside" weather!!!

Praying for those trying to piece their lives back together & all those in China,

Rodney, Marcy, Carter, Jacob, Parker, and Anna Mei

Half the Sky update...

There is another update on Half the Sky's website. Thankfully, there has been a great response in their ask for help. Some of the orphanages have already received some help...others they still cannot reach due to the weather and the lack of available transportation. They are reporting an expected break in the weather on Monday and hope to be able to get much needed supplies to areas then. However, another storm is expected on Tuesday, so they only have a small window. Conditions have worsened in some orphanages. Supplies needed are hard to come by in the areas hardest hit.

Please continue to remember these children and those that are there trying to get help to these orphans.

http://www.halfthesky.org/journal/?p=77

Praying for China,
Marcy

Another Plea...

Love Without Boundaries won the challenge...fabulous news! They get all the contributions made over the last few weeks along with the $50,000 first place prize. The total money contributed to LWB will easily exceed $100,000! They will be able to do tons of great work with this money.

There is another plea for the children in China. As you may know, the weather in China over the last couple of weeks has been the worst it has been in over 5 decades. Extreme temperatures, snow, ice, the transportation system has been at a stand still. Migrant workers trying to get home for the Chinese New Year holiday are stranded at airports and train stations throughout China. In Guangzhou along, over 500,000 people have been stranded at the train station...just in Guangzhou! Food supplies, clean water and heating has become a real issue for these people.

Unfortunately, the news hasn't been covering the conditions that the orphanages throughout China are now suffering. Half the Sky is an organization that sponsors orphanages throughout China in many ways like Love Without Boundaries. They offer the necessities to these orphanages that they otherwise would do without. I got an e-mail containing information regarding several orphanages that Half the Sky sponsors. There are some really scary situations right now. Places without food, water, diapers, electricity, etc. It is heart breaking.

Right now, Half the Sky is trying to get space heaters, coal, blankets, coats, food, water, medicine, etc. to these orphanages. They have created a Little Mouse Emergency Fund in order to help deal with this very urgent crisis specifically. Please go take a look at some of the needs and if you can, contribute. There are babies in these orphanages that I know of specifically. Please pray that the weather in China clears soon and the needed supplies can get to these children and all those stranded in China as soon as possible.

I don't like asking people for help, but this is really important to me...

http://www.halfthesky.org/work/littlemouse.php

Praying for these children & all the people in China,
Marcy

An Awesome Cause...

Love Without Boundaries is an incredible charity. It is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that was started by a group of parent to provide care for orphans throughout China. The organization provides medical, nutritional, foster care and educational support to children in orphanages and foster care in China. They have provided thousands of surgeries/procedures to children that otherwise would have died in China. Because of their efforts, these children have not only been given a second chance at life, but they have been given homes. After these children receive the critical help needed, they can be placed with families wanting to adopt a special needs child. As well, they provide food and formula to the country's poorer orphanages. They provide educational materials and means for the older children to be able to go to school and even scholorships for children to further their educational goals in college.

I know several families that have adopted children who received heart and cleft surgeries through Love Without Boundaries. Some of these children would have never lived to be adopted if it were not for this organization. You can find the link to their website on the sidebar to check them out. The reason for my posting this today is that they are in the Facebook Challenge and are so close to winning the first place $50,000.00 challenge. If they win this, 10 children will be able to receive the heart surgeries they so desperately need. They have won many of the daily challenges at $1,000.00 but what a difference the first place prize would make.

The Facebook Challenge is really easy and doesn't require a large donation in order to help. You just have to create a Facebook account and donate a minimum of $10.00. LWB gets credit for each unique donation...regardless of the amount. As of 9:17 am, cst, LWB is in second place for the daily challenge and the 50 day challenge. Second place is awarded $25,000.00, which would be great too, but I would love to see them win First. You can get directly to their Facebook cause at the following link....go check it out. Your $10 could make a HUGE difference in a child's life.

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/view_cause/51591

Also on the above link at the bottom of the page there are multiple links to LWB videos. Below is the link to one of their blogs...there are some really sweet pictures on here of children that they have been able to help. There is one little guy at the bottom that has just gotten his new leg - oh, his face just melts my heart!!

http://lwbinpictures.blogspot.com/

Marcy

Sam Is Finally Home....

All ready to go home

After 18 days, Mr. Samuel Ryan is finally home. Stephanie said that he did great and she was so excited she could have ran all the way home. Stephanie, Rick and Jack are so happy to finally all be together at home.

We wish Jack was more excited about Sam finally coming home :-)

Look how tiny he is compared to Jack!!

Not that I would mention it, but he wore the pjs his Aunt Marcy got him home from the hospital...just thought you might like to know (wink!!)

Even though he is home, we will stay away a bit longer. He is still not even considered a "NEWBORN" yet, so we need to be extra cautious about germs. A simple cold that an adult or child may have could easily turn into something serious like RSV for a preemie. He is up to 5 lbs., but that is still such a little tike. He needs to stay healthy and keep on growing. Even though I would love to snuggle this little bundle, I know that it won't be much longer until this whole cold/flu season will be over and we can just "eat him up!!"

He's happy to be home too!

Sending love & sweet dreams to Sam, Jack, Stephanie & Rick!

Love,

Rodney, Marcy, Carter, Jacob, Parker & Anna