Willow's first night with her crib made into a toddler bed!

It's all about the hats!

We are alive and starting to live with a little more grace around here.  Eliana has started making some great strides in healing and I'm trying to rejoin society.  At least the cyber society. :-)  Not sure if anyone will see these, but hopefully someone is still around.  Hopefully I will be back soon!

Easter 2010

These two take my breath away!  The Lord has blessed us so much.

Thank you!

We are almost ready to leave the house. Thank you so much for your love and generosity. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to post and let you know that we can go to China knowing that the Lord provided for our needs. We have been humbled by the love you have shown to our family. Thank you doesn't seem like enough for the blessing you all have given. This verse popped into my head the moment I saw the balance on our PayPal account.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (New King James Version)

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

We said the need was $1000 and "exceedingly abundantly above"...well, there is $1560 in our account. Thank you so much! I will be thanking everyone individually, but right now I hope you will take this as a very heart felt personal thank you until I have time to properly do it.

We spent 11 years trying to have/adopt a child and in just 14 months the Lord has blessed us with two beautiful daughters. Thank you for sharing in the joy as we leave and watch yet again another miracle take place. My heart is so full, and truly our cup runs over. I will not be able to access Facebook while we are there, but I will be getting comments if you leave them. Don't forget I will be posting here.

11th Hour Plea for Help.

Hello everyone,

I have not wanted to ask for help. I have hoped and prayed that we would be able to bring our daughter home without making a plea for help from others, as I know these are difficult times financially all around. However, I find myself left with no other choice but to ask for help if anyone is able to help us bring our daughter Willow home. We leave tomorrow and are short about $1,000 to bring Willow home. We anticipated our final fees to be somewhere around $8,000 only to have them be $9,200 plus our plane tickets were about $1,200 over what we set aside. We have maxed our credit line and card to the limit and there is zero in the savings account. Our house payment is about to hit and there isn't enough to cover it. So I'm asking if there is anyway you can help us bring Willow home.

If you are able to donate any amount it will be an answer to prayer. We are praying that Jesus will move in enough hearts that we will have the money needed to bring our daughter home. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.... thank you for helping our family, but most of all thank you for helping our daughter who will soon no longer be an orphan but with your help will find herself in her family's arms in just a couple of days.
Thank you and God bless you.

Love, April for Patrick, Eliana and Willow

Headed to China!

Please follow our journey back to China here.

Can I change my mind?

Okay, you all make me sad. I have decided that I will keep the blog. I truly do want to blog I just don't seem to be able to. Eliana is still VERY demanding of time and the only chance I get on the computer is just for a few minutes at a time. Not enough to do a proper post.

So I talked with the other "hiking boot aka Patrick" and he will help more often keep up with documenting out "ladybugs". Never fear we won't go anywhere.

Thanks for all the love you show us.