Supporting Elli's Class Through Search Engine...

This is new to me...maybe not to some of you, but I wanted to pass along. There is a fairly new search engine that is owned by Yahoo. When you use the search engine they will donate to a verified charity. If you shop through one of their sponsors, they will donate a percentage of the total purchase!!!

This is an awesome opportunity to support Elli's classroom at her orphanage. I have mentioned Half the Sky numerous times before and the work that they do in China orphanages - including Elli's. They are one of the charities that you can select your "donation" to be given to. As well, Love Without Boundaries is also one of the charities. LWB is the charity that got Elli's palate surgery done. In addition, there is Shaohannah's Hope which gave us a grant for Anna's adoption and we are in process of seeking a grant for Elli's adoption. Shaohannah's Hope not only give grants to adoptive families, but funds foster care and is currently building a 6-story home in China in Luoyang. As well, they educate churches, families, communities on adoption and the need for orphan care across the globe. Autism Speaks is another worthy cause. I have friends whose children have autism and this is a great non-profit that educates, informs and active in research. All are great organizations that could use the financial help. The main thing is - get involved!

So, my request...make Good Search your search engine/home page today! If you are going to be shopping online at one of the sponsor's sites, go through Good Search. There are hundred's of sites, Wal-Mart, iTunes, Target, Children's Place, Chadwicks, Staples, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, eBay, Sephora, JCPenney, Snapfish, Vera Bradley, Netflix, GameStop, Ballard Designs, BestBuy, Nike, elf, Fossil, Gap, GNC, ToysRUs....seriously must I go on?

Sending love and hugs to Elli,

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

One Year Anniversary - Gotcha Day!

Yes, I am well aware that I am over 1 week past due on this....BUT, I do have excuses :-)

On June 4th we celebrated, briefly, the 1 year anniversary of Anna's Gotcha Day. The boys were more upset with me than Anna, because she didn't have a clue, that we didn't get to "eat out" for the occasion, but we were getting the yard sale together for Elli. I asked Anna had she rather go celebrate or help bring her sister home...she squealed so I took that as a "let's bring home Elli!!"

We have been so blessed over the last year, actually the last 2 years...okay, our entire lives...Anna has just been an amazing joy and blessing to our family. I cannot imagine her not being here. There are still obstacles and we have to work on constantly to try to catch her up as much as possible, but considering how she was one year ago - she is a totally different child. It is amazing to see the pictures of June 2007 compared to now. We are soooooo proud of her! Truly God has blessed this little girl.

Praying for his continual blessings upon Anna and her life....we love you sweet girl!!
Daddy, Momma, Carter, Jacob & Parker - YOUR FAMILY

In Memory of Maria...

Since the tragic death of Maria Sue Chapman on May 21, 2008, there has been over $100,000 donated in her honor to Shaohannah's Hope. To learn more about how you can help honor this little girl and help orphans around the world please click here.

Tragedy...

I know that I don't personally "know" the Chapman family, but their family's loss has me in tears this morning. I was so moved by the Chapman's story when we went to a concert about 6 years ago. I sat and cried as Steven shared his 2 adoptive daughters' stories. They went on an adopted a third daughter from China, Maria.

The Chapman family has been a huge encouragement for so many adoptive families and changed the life of so many orphans around the world. Not only in the area of adoption, but their dedication to the children still in orphanages and foster care. We were blessed last year with a grant from their charitable organization, Shaohannah's Hope, when bringing home Anna. We have again applied to help with the expenses of Elli's adoption. I may not know them personally, but they have personally touched our family.

Please pray for this family as they are grieving the loss of their 5-year old daughter, Maria Sue. I cannot imagine what they must be feeling or the long road ahead of this family. There is no doubt that they love their children and are truly dedicated parents. Only God knows and only God can bring peace and comfort to this wonderful family.

Sending prayers to the Chapman Family,

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

With Hope

By Steven Curtis Chapman

1 Thess. 4:13-14 / Heb. 6:9, 10:23

This is not at all how

We thought it was supposed to be

We had so many plans for you

We had so many dreams

And now you've gone away

And left us with the memories of your smile

And nothing we can say

And nothing we can do

Can take away the pain

The pain of losing you, but ...

We can cry with hope

We can say goodbye with hope

'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no

And we can grieve with hope

'Cause we believe with hope

(There's a place by God's grace)

There's a place where we'll see your face again

We'll see your face again

And never have I known

Anything so hard to understand

And never have I questioned more

The wisdom of God's plan

But through the cloud of tears

I see the Father's smile and say well done

And I imagine you

Where you wanted most to be

Seeing all your dreams come true

'Cause now you're home

And now you're free, and ...

We have this hope as an anchor

'Cause we believe that everything

God promised us is true, so ...

We wait with hope

And we ache with hope

We hold on with hope

We let go with hope

China Earthquake...

I am sure that you have heard about the earthquake that occurred in China on Monday. The sheer devastation is just unimaginable to me. I have been so fortunate in my life to have never experienced anything so tragic. The pictures, stories, videos of those in China is just heartbreaking. The loss of lives, the number of people still missing is horrible.

Thankfully, there are many people in place who are intervening during this tragedy. Half the Sky is in action right now. They are checking on all the orphanages as well as the foster families that were/could be affected by not only the earthquake that hit on Monday, but the over 3,300, yes thirty-three hundred, aftershocks some registering 6.0. Just as the ice storm that hit China in early 2008, Half the Sky is there helping the orphanages get the needed supplies. You can select the links and read the updates from China. There are orphanages are structurally damaged as well as in need of formula, diapers, bedding, etc. They have also set up a fund to help with their efforts.

If you can make a donation, please do, but above all of that, please pray for the people of China.

Praying for God's comfort & peace in China,

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

Mother's Day...

As expected, Mother's Day was chaotic, but hey, I didn't expect it to be anything less. We got up and did the usual Sunday morning routine to make it to church late :-) During the service, all my kids were given a flower to bring to me. Being the typical cry baby, I cried when Parker first walked up to me and told me that he loved me as he handed me a little red carnation. Trying to swallow the tears, I finally decided to just give it up and let it go. I am truly one of those people that I used to laugh at...my mother's dream is finally coming true!!

Even though there are days that picking up that same toy that I just picked up an hour before gets very, very tiring, I do love being a mom. I would have never imagined having 4 children and another on the way...but I am so happy that I do. It just goes to prove that God's plan for our lives far exceed what we could have planned ourselves.

Anna, Carter, Me, Parker, Elli, Jacob

One Very, Very Proud Mom,
Marcy

Happy Mother's Day...

For 11 years now, I have been able to call myself a mother. The first year brought my first son. The years following brought many happy moments, joyful memories and a few more babies. Every year, I have tried to make sure I had a picture with my kids on Mother’s Day. Last year, I sat on my front porch swing after church to take a picture with my three beautiful blonde boys holding a picture of my daughter that waited for me in China. She held my heart even though she didn’t know it. Anna was just as much mine as the three that surrounded me. The day was filled with many tears as I so desperately wished all my children were with me.

This year, I am so blessed to have my little Anna with me on Mother’s Day. She is no longer a picture for me to hold, but in the flesh. She stands at my feet, swatting at my legs, gesturing for me to pick her up. She dances to the tunes of Backyardigans, hides under her bed with her feet sticking out as a game, brings me cereal boxes to let me know she has managed to open the pantry, kisses the mirror at the sight of herself, tries to put on her brothers’ shirts, plays in the cabinets, loves baths, climbs on her daddy, jumps on beds, mimics everything she sees us do, drags out the clothes in her drawers, comes running when she hears me yell for dinner, gets jealous when I hold Parker, thinks she runs the house, feels so cuddly in her little pajamas, hair falls right over her eyes, waddles when she runs, breaths heavy when she is asleep, makes you giggle when she does, plays kitchen in her room, feeds you food she magically gets out of the TV., understands “the look”, ignores “the look”, happy to be playing at home, loves when brothers come home from school, stands at the door when she see daddy in the backyard, squeals when grandparents come, loves to be center of attention, knows she usually gets her way, rotten as they come, and couldn’t imagine her not here.

This Mother’s Day, I will have my four with me on the front porch swing…holding another picture. A picture of another daughter that now pulls my heart. I will hold my four here just as close as I can believing that next year, she will be here with us fighting for attention, playing with her sister, messing up faster than I can clean, getting into mischief, tattling on her brothers and not wanting to sit still for next year’s picture…but believe me, there will be a picture.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Blessed mother of four & praying for blessing number five,
Marcy