Friday, December 4, 2009

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.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

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





Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Headed to China!

Please follow our journey back to China here.


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

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.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Shutting this blog down.

I know what a shock. LOL, I never post so I guess it is no shock. I just don't have it in me to blog anymore so I'm taking this blog down. Just wanted to let you know why it will disappear soon.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Thursday, September 10, 2009

New Pictures of Willow!

Well, for those of you who thought Willow looked like a boy....take a look at our second beautiful princess! I knew she was girly from the moment I saw her. Mama knows best. :-)

Taken July 29th, so not quite new...but new to us!

This one was taken August 13 so at least it is only a little less than a month old.
How do you say "in love!"



Well, for those of you who thought Willow looked like a boy....take a look at our second beautiful princess! I knew she was girly from the moment I saw her. Mama knows best. :-)

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Eliana and Willow

I'm not sure about you, but it seems like when you make the decision to add to your family you might wonder if you are doing the right thing. Well, in our case with the issues we deal with on a daily basis I sometimes ask...are we doing the right thing for Eliana and for Willow?

Now before you all get upset thinking we are second guessing it, we are NOT! We are COMMITTED 100% to both of our daughters. I'm not sure how in the world I'm going to juggle both girls when Eliana requires a ton of holding and Willow is jealous of her foster mom holding the other children. Yes, we have quite the challenge ahead of us, but Eliana is so excited for her Mei Mei. Obviously she really doesn't know the whole implication of having a sister, but she is forming such a bond with her picture.

Today she was at the table eating crackers out of her play baby bowl and was getting mad at me for ignoring her. I was on the phone right next to her and didn't hear her say something. Oops! Well, I asked her what was wrong and she said very upset and loudly, "WILLOW!" and pointed to the table. She wanted Willow at the table with us. I went and got her picture and she sat there for a good 15 min. talking to her and trying to feed her crackers. See the video below of such a precious moment.

To view the video larger click on the arrows that point out. That is the expand button. Enjoy!

Eliana and Willow
Originally uploaded by Journey to SiJi


WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs!

Oh my goodness me. I have had this book in Eliana's wish list for a while now. It was a favorite book of mine when I was a child and now look...coming to a theater near you very soon. Please go and enjoy this wonderful book come alive on the big screen for us!

Click here for more information and the trailer. Although, very different than the book it might be good.

Updates.

We have gotten a couple of updates on Willow. I will post them in order here.


~ She can walk very well, and go around freely. She never stops talking. (Oh gosh...between Me, Eliana and now Willow, Patrick will NEVER get a word in :-) She has very good appetite. All her development seem normal. She is 73cm, 8.6kg, 44cm head, 44cm chest, 11.5cm feet, 5 teeth.



~ She can walk about 10m by self. She needs to stop to adjust her steps sometimes in order to keep going. She has very good appetite and never be picky. She can eat a whole bowl rice. She likes to eat meat. She is very active and outgoing. (We are going to have two active girls 3 and 2, We are in training right now to keep up.) She plays well with other children. (Wonderful!) She loves to watch TV. She sleeps with her foster Mom every night. (I can see it now with two adults, two children and a dog. You know if our house ever got broken into wouldn't they be surprised of what they would find in the middle of the night. :-)

Questions for Foster Family

1. What is her personality like? (happy, quiet, shy, outgoing, loud, scared, friendly, stubborn, reserved, withdrawn, etc.)


She is outgoing and active.

2. How does she go to sleep (held?rocked?tucked in a certain position?)?

She can sleep by herself in her crab but needs her foster care mother in the same room

3. Does she sleep through the night?

Yes, she can sleep all night from 12pm-10am

4. Does she sleep in the dark or with a light on?

She needs a nightlight in her bedroom.

5. Is she a light sleeper waking easily or heavy sleeper?

She has a deep sleep, not easy to wake

6. Does she wake in the night (to be fed?diaper change?)?

She doesn’t need to change diaper and take bottle during the night.

7. What are her likes/dislikes?

She likes to watch TV and listen music, but she doesn’t like toy with feather.

8. Can you find out all family members living in the foster home and their names?

There are five members in her family,mother ,father , two sisters and 1 brother.

9. Who is the primary care giver?

Her foster care mother always takes care her, she attached her very much.

10. Who is the child most attached to?

She likes to be held and kissed by her foster care mother, she doesn’t like her mother holds the other kids. (boy we have a real issue, don’t we? J)

11. What makes her happy? Sad? Scared?

She is afraid in the darkness.

12. What is done to comfort/soothe her?

Kiss and hold her will make her happy.

13. Is she potty trained?

Yes, but seems not good effect, she still uses diaper

14. Is she healthy? Does she get sick often? If so, what? Has she been seen by a doctor for anything?

She is very health, she saw doctor one time as teething cause diarrhea.

15. Does she take a bottle?

She doesn’t bottle any more.

16. Do they have any pets or has she been exposed to any animals?

There is no pet in her foster care home.

LID

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Friday, August 14, 2009

Introducing Willow Mei

Without further delay...
Introducing our daughter Willow Mei!