This precious little girl needs a family...

This is Kathy. She is a sweet 5 year old girl who lives at Philip Hayden Foundation (PHF). Our Grace was in the same house with her. Kathy has post operative heart disease, but still needs another surgery. Unfortunatley, she cannot get this surgery in China so she needs her family to find her as soon as possible. She is listed with Bay Area Adoption Agency (BAAS). The waiting child coordinator is Xiaoqing Cai (xqcai@comcast.net). She will gladly answer any and all questions about Kathy. Please let others know about her!

This is a picture of my husband holding Kathy when we were at PHF in December to adopt Grace. She loved to sit in our laps and was sweet and silly. She is delightful!

Therapy time

We've been trying to do more therapy time around her. Some things we've done are wheelbarrow, crab crawls, balance balls, and scissor jacks. We've also played in shaving cream, beans, popcorn, barley, and water! I've been reading lots of books on OT and Aspergers and am trying to boost our sensory diet. I'd love to hear what others are doing. We only get to go to official therapy once a week, so I know that I need to do more here at the house. Ideas?

The boys have been taking a homeschool gymnastics class which is actually good

for some of their OT stuff, so I count it as therapy! This was the final class of the

session dad got to go in and take pictures.

(BTW, they're falling into a large foam pit! Mama had to ask!)

What a beauty!

Don't you LOVE this picture?? My 11 year old made this dress for Shaoey! She is such a princess... She is so elegant and beautiful and funny and loving...

my heart just bursts at how far she's come!

This was the first picture we ever saw

of our little girl... It was taken when she was

8 months old, 2 weeks after her lip surgery.

This one was taken on the day she officially became a part of our family...

15 months old~so forelorn and sad....

Hard to believe it's the same little girl.

Abba, we thank you for our precious Shaoey. She is a such a delight.

She brings so much joy and laughter into our lives.

Did you know that her Chinese name Xi Duo means "much happiness?"

And we chose the name Shaohannah even before we knew who she was.

It means "laughter" and "gift of God's grace."

That says it all... What a joyful gift God has given us~to have chosen

us to parent His daughter, to entrust her to us to love and care for. WOW!

Spring is here!!!

Happy birthday, Jacob!

...even if it is almost 3 months late... Jacob celebrated his birthday in China. Our guide had a cake delivered to the hotel, how sweet! But this is the one he was really waiting for--6 of his closest friends came over to run around having a nerf war and eating pizza and chocolate chunk cookies and ice cream! They also got Troy to take them on a trailer ride. They figured out if you rode backwards it was more fun (we have a very bumpy yard).

Just...

God has drawn my attention to a problem I have while praying. I don't know if you may have this problem too. I find myself praying to Him like this "Lord, I just ask you to heal my son's sensory issues. Father, I just ask you to watch over us today as we travel. Lord, I just....." I think you get the point.

Why do I say this? Is it that I don't want to bother Him? Is it that I don't think my problems and prayers (and therefore--me) are important enough to warrant his attention? Is it that I don't have faith that He'll answer? I think it's all of the above. I have had to make a concerted effort to rid my prayers of that word. I don't want the bare minimum! I want ALL His blessings, abundantly, overflowing. I need to learn to come before Him boldly, boldy proclaiming His words and promises over our family.

Will He listen to me? Every one seems to know Jeremiah 29:11, but it's 29:12-13 that I like. "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Faith? Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 I like what my bible says: Two words describe faith: sure and certain. These 2 qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character--he IS who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises--he WILL do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.

I found this poem several years ago and have listened to it many times. I am putting it here in it's entirety, but if you get a chance PLEASE go to Father's Love Letter and LISTEN to it. Absorb it. Believe it. God loves YOU (....and ME)!

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God


I hope you enjoyed it. If you listened to it, isn't the voice just captivating and stirring?
I wish I could have this playing subliminally all night while I slept!

Life is rough...

...when you misbehave...




...and write ALL over your playroom walls...


SS wasn't very happy when we took away the colored pencils she had found and written all over the walls. She didn't do just one spot. Noooooo....she wrote on all 4 walls. If this is the reaction she gives just when we take something away, I can't imagine when she actually gets disciplined for something!


I think I forgot to mention the bathing dolls incident last week! How could I forget that?! The girls were quiet and Shao came out with damp hair. She said there was water on the floor. I went to investigate and found that the girls were giving their dolls a bath----IN THE TOILET! And they also decided to wet their own hair while they were at it--WITH TOILET WATER! Can we say "EWWWWW! Gross!!!?" It was everywhere. And they were cloth dolls.

"Naughty like a boy" all her reports said. I didn't believe them at first. It didn't take me long to realize--they were right. Sigh.