Phone Pic Fun

I have a few pictures on my phone from some things we have done the past week that I didn't get the big camera out for.

 We got to celebrate Kinsley's 6th birthday with her.

 It was a fun mermaid party!

 We hit the trail with our bikes one evening.

 I walked instead of riding so that I could stay close to Brynn and help her along the way.  This was her first time to ride her own bike during a family bike ride.  She did really well, but tired on the way back.  I ended up jogging while I pulled her along.  This was the farthest she has ever ridden and we were so proud of her!  We clocked 1.6 miles!

 We hit the theaters to see the new movie.  It was a cute film!

 Thanks to Gr0upon, I got a great deal to a local water park.  We invited Cade to come with us so that Blake would have someone to do the big stuff with.

 Brynn, Barrett, and I played in the kiddie area.  Those two have become little fish this summer.

Lemonade for the Love Project

Lemonade for the Love Project was the theme and the kids rocked it!!

It was sunny.  It was hot.

 But they never gave up!

 Blake was devoted to the mission.  He watched every second, waiting for cars to come by. He poured lemonade and told the story of the Love Project over and over again. He insisted that we leave the stand open until we couldn't keep it open any longer.

 These two little guys busied themselves in the shade with other things during their "break time".

 2.5 hours later, we finally closed the stand so that we could come in for dinner and baths.  The kids raised $80 to send to the Love Project!  See post below for details about the Love Project. 

The lemonade stand was fun, but more important were the lessons of service and giving that were learned. Blake said he learned patience as he watched the cars pass by without stopping.  He learned that we don't always get things when we want them, during the moments we sat with no cars even passing by.  Lastly, he said he learned courage.  It took courage to speak to strangers and explain the Love Project.

I am one proud mama!!

Update on Love Project baby Ti Fan:

She made it through surgery and is back in ICU.  The next 48 hours are critical.

If you have not donated to help with her medical expenses, and would like to  help Ti Fan be able to stay with her family, please do so!  Together we can make a difference!

Click HERE to donate.

Update

Baby Moses' heart surgery has been funded!  We are so thankful for a God who cares for the orphan and allows us to be His hands and feet.

The greatest need is The Love Project family I mentioned in my previous post.  I have learned that the baby girl is a few weeks old and is a twin.  She is only 5 lbs and has a VSD which needs surgery immediately.  She is in the ICU and the family has already paid more than 8,000 and they have no more.  They are trying to get more but haven't been successful.  We need to raise $9000 by Tuesday to fund her surgery and ICU stay and KEEP HER WITH HER FAMILY!  Let's show this family the LOVE of Jesus and help fund their baby's surgery so that their family can remain whole.

Love Project Baby Ti Fan

click HERE to donate.  Put LOVE PROJECT in the comments.

Please help spread the word!

The kids are setting up a lemonade stand Monday to help raise money.

Consider what you can do to help.

Something little can make a big difference in the life of someone else!

Current Needs & VBS 2013

I first want to let you know of some current needs before I move on with VBS stuff.  There are two opportunities to help someone in need  by just the click of a button.  Baby Moses, who is at Morning Star Family Home in China is in need of heart surgery.  China does things very differently than we do here in the United States.  You have to pay before they will tend to your medical needs.  Baby Moses is at the same foster care home where Brynn was.  They depend on donations from people like you and I.  They have seen funding from the U.S. drop over the last year.  You can click HERE to make a donation of any amount using paypal or credit card.  There is also an address if you prefer to send a check.  Type Baby Moses in the comments section on your donation if you want it to go toward his surgery.

The second need is a new project called the Love Project.  It is something very close to our hearts that we want to start getting the word out about so that people can help.  In China, if a baby is born with a heart defect, or a sickness of any type,  the parents are forced to take them to the hospital for medical attention, just as we would here in the U.S.  The difference is that we have methods of paying the medical bills, and eventually get to take our baby home when he/she is well.  That is not an option for parents in China.  If they can't pay the medical bill at the hospital (not six months later when they get the bill in the mail)... they are faced with two choices.  One is taking their baby home to die, the other... walking out of the hospital and leaving their baby in the hospital to get the medical care it needs to survive.  Option two means they never see their baby again and it becomes an orphan.  They are forced to abandon him/her because they can't pay the bill for the medical care the baby needs.  It is a harsh reality of their country.  The Love Project pays the bill for the family so that they can leave the hospital with their baby after he/she has received the medical care needed.  There is a family in China right now who has a baby that requires heart surgery.  They can't pay it.  So, they are faced with choosing life for her, which means they have to walk away and leave her.  Click HERE to donate so that we can raise enough money to pay her medical bills and the family can stay whole and be restored, just as God intended.  The Li family was the first Love Project family.  Their picture story is below.  If you want to donate to the new family who the Love Project is raising money to sponsor, put Love Project in the comments section of your donation.

Now, on to VBS 2013.  We had the best week!  It was so fun to watch the kids learning and growing in God's word.  Each day they came home with stories of Paul and medical missionaries who are helping in other countries.  We collected supplies to send and raised money by bringing pennies.  We raised 300+ lbs of pennies!  The kids learned new songs with motions that reinforce the truths of God's word. I worked in the baby room taking care of the VBS workers' babies.  I love this job!  The pictures below are a combination of several cameras.  Thanks to everyone who took pictures for me.  I was lucky to see my kids when I out taking the babies for a walk.  You better believe I had my camera with me just in case:)

 I didn't get the VBS frame picture of Barrett on my camera, but his teacher took one of him, printed it, and made a cute door hanger with it.

My baby rocking partner, Tammy.  We have rocked babies together 2 years in a row now, and have the best time!  So thankful for her!

 Our theme was, "Facing Fear, Trusting God".

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgement.  

2 Timothy 1:7

This and That

We have been zonked this week with Vacation Bible School.  Actually, it is Brynn who has really been feeling it.  She isn't used to such a full morning.  By the time we get home she is physically and emotionally exhausted!  Luckily our evenings have been extremely low key, which helps!!

 The kids and I have been having a blast at VBS!  I will post pictures at the end of the week.

 There is a fellow adoptive family who is heavy on my heart this week.  They adopted their little girl from China the same year we adopted Brynn.  They found out when they got home with her that she needed a heart transplant.  They have had quite a journey the last two years, and the other night she finally got her new heart... but now they need our prayers more than ever.  The adoption community is lifting her up in prayer and we are ready to spread her story so others can too!  Click HERE to read her story.

 I am excited about something I am putting together to help raise money for Morning Star Foundation.  I hope to have the details worked out soon so that we can start spreading the word!

 We have been reading some good books over here this summer and I will soon be sharing more about them.  We love lazy summer days, inside the cool house, with a good book!  Can't wait to share them with you!

 That is a little bit of what has been going on over here. 

 I have been enjoying every second at home with these three kids!  I love our time together and never want to take it for granted!