Only a Rose.........

Breanna and Heather are adopted and I think with their new families or very soon.
A lovely family in the Netherlands is waiting for our sweet Cailean.
We heard nothing of Jade's adoption at all and a coupla others came and went without a word.

Amanda is busy with a whole new set of babies and doesn't have much to say about the adoptions.
I understand.
Much as I would love all the juicey details it is enough that they are quietly happening and I am grateful
to be able to follow quite a few of the children on their family blogs or facebook. It really is a small world
and a close community.

Be patient little Rose. Soon it will be your time.

Thanks be to God and blessings on all the new families.

I hope and pray all is well at Starfish and all the newbies find homes too.
I hope Amanda stays strong.

Out of action........

So sorry folks. Have had a lot of trouble with blogger lately and I think I am back on track. Lots of good news and
I am looking forward to wrapping this up some time in the very near future.

It was bothering me that I couldn't update on all our little friends and their new families.

Talk to you soon.
xoxox

OH My Gosh........

Could that mean only two of our original kids from twenty odd adopted since March 2008? If 5 are left minus Sean, equals 4, and Breanna and Heather matched , equals 2 left. Rose and Caillean. Wow.

Yes and I am glad and thank God.

I won't forget dear Caitlyn who will never be adopted and Patrick and Danielle who I hope are happy in Heaven.

Vive La France.............

Sean is now there with his big sister and his Mama and Papa.

The good news is Breanna is also matched and the fabulous Miss Heather.

Imagine a day very soon when all OUR little starfish are home with their families.

THAT'S NOT ALL FOLKS............

Amanda is pretty busy these days with a ton o' new babies and lots of them with clefts and palate problems and surgeries and so much going on. Never ever heard how Jade"s adoption went or how she did. We keep her in our prayers and so hope she is happy and well. Some rumblings of future adoptions. Sean for one and not sure of little else. Slim pickings but we will take what we can. When I know so will you.

I peruse the few blogs and facebook pages of the kids who are home and all seem well adjusted, loved and cherished..........and that's a miraculous and wonderful thing. Wish I had a way of following all of their lives and vicariously watching them as they grow, but am grateful I can at least know how some of them are.

I'll take it.

Keep the faith.

My little one.......

Sweet little Caitlyn.

The five, plus one I never knew...........

These are our five remaining "big" kids left at Starfish. Cailean, Emily who we did not have the pleasure of meeting, Sean, Breanna, Rose and Heather. These are the annual Easter pictures. They all look absolutely wonderful.
They are a little family of their own and I am thankful for that.

A blessed joyous Easter to you all.

Jade is home.....Sean may be next......

No report on Jade's adoption other than it happened last sunday I think and that she went to a home with a couple of sisters.
Wish I could find out more and see some photos but so far it isn't happening.

Brief note that maybe sean is next. Poor little guy must be missing all his buddies.

You'll know when I do. so sorry there is so little to say.

Left....Heather, Brianna, Callum, Cailean, Sean and Caitlyn. Five.

China was fab........

Home.......over the jet lag..........and in love with a whole bunch of new kids. Sadly I will never know what happens to them all.
Too many and known by their chinese names that I can never hope to remember. We chose a nickname for most. Check out our
blog for the 2009 trip if you are interested.

Ready to say goodbye soon to all of our little friends. Bittersweet.

Jade,Jade,Jade........finally...6 left....

I am hearing that she is going home with a single Mommy. She will love having all that attention. Best of love to you both.
How i wish I could hug you and give you a kiss goodbye. Jade was the kid who just stood off to one side and took it all in. I
caught glimpses of her real self now and then but she was very guarded and we just knew she needed a family. Well, now she has one and we couldn't be happier. Hope we are somehow able to find how how she gets on.

Lily is in the arms of her Daddy!!

Bit delayed with this post but still overjoyed to be doing it. Can't wait to see her with her Mom and her sister. We love you Lily!!!
Will do a number count later.........we are busy here in China too.


Check out this lovely little video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDDQvNWdeM8

back to China 09.........

Fate is a funny thing!

We are leaving on Friday for part 2 of the return to China. It is Beth and Grace's turn to go back. ( see link to the left if you want to come with us)
We are leaving the very same day that Lily's Daddy is leaving to bring her home. Isabel is conflicted.
Part of her would love to be going back. She so wanted Lily to be ours. We are grateful to know she is going somewhere wonderful and that she is already loved and wanted and she has great parents, a lovely sister and an amazing future ahead.

It still seems strange to me to go to China and not come back with another child. Still we are happy to be a family, to have our
beautiful girls and that this miracle continues to happen every single day. That's why I keep reading the blogs.
I can hardly fathom how big this is.

Here's a prayer I nicked from another blog that I would like to share.
Let it be a mantra for us all.

Lord, thank You for sending Isabel, Grace and Beth to us. For knowing so well exactly who we needed and for loving us enough to entrust them to our care. We pray that their lives will be a blessing...to those who know them, and more importantly, to You, Father. We know they were Yours before they were ours and that they will always be Your Children first. May we daily be reminded of what a gift we have truly been given ~ In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen

It's Jade.........only six left!!!!!

Found out from far, far away ( thanks Jet) that Jade is heading home too!!!She is the one I didn't know about but was so hopeful for. That little girl really needs a Mommy and Daddy and some serious
one on one attention.I think she is the oldest at Starfish. I am happy for her and her parents and sending prayers out tonight.

I hope I can find out more and see some photos. That would be so nice.

I will make this into a book when everyone is home and it will be a treasure for us in the future.

Eight take away two, equals........

Bit of a teaser here.

I know for sure Lily's Dad is coming to get her in early March........that leaves seven.
I am told there is one more adoption in March but not sure who!!! How exciting!!!!

So therefore that leaves six left. Of our original group. A whole bunch of others have
swelled the ranks at Starfish and it is sad to think that there is a limitless supply of children
needing homes.

But today I will think only that there were 21 and only 6 are left........and all this happened in
just over a year. From only one foster home.

Thanks be to God.......

Soon we are off to China and I will definitely keep ypu updated as able.

Wish we could bring one home with us too.

Sad but true....this would make 8 left.

Baby Caitlyn was my special little girl. The youngest and the smallest and the one who needed the love the most IMHO.
She asked for absolutely nothing. She would lay in her small cot and look around or she would be sleeping. The few times she cried it was a pitiful little kitten's mewing. Never loud and robust. Her head was on an odd angle and she was very difficult to feed. Her suck was weak and she was mostly fed with a bottle propped up on a rolled up blanket. Everyone said she ate better this way. Most times that I checked she was in a little pool of formula. The hole was over large for the nipple and it would just empty into the cot. I would pick her up and take her into the bathroom for clean clothes and then change her bed linens. Then I would sit and hold her and try to feed her. It would take a very, very, very long time to get even an ounce in. She never gained any weight in the three weeks we were at Starfish. I have been trying to get an update for a while and finally heard from someone
who tells me she is probably not adoptable because of her mental capacities. She will likely be placed in a home Amanda knows of and cared for there. I don't know what her future will be but I hope they are good people and that they will care for her well and perhaps grow to love her as we did in such a short time. Please say a prayer for Caitlyn and her caregivers.

Happy Year of the Ox.......

So much good news from Starfish and meeting so many people this past week. Amazing and miraculous.
God is good.

A special shout out to all our little friends entering this new year with their families. Loving and being loved.

Our Lily is heading HOME.....

My Isabel bonded the most with Lily at Starfish. Not sure why. She would make a bee line for her the minute we walked through the doors and would spend a lot of time playing, cuddling and feeding her. She would have liked nothing better than we bring her home with us. We have missed her this past year and hoped and prayed for a home and a family of her very own. Little Danielle in the photo never had that chance and passed away never knowing the love of her own family.

Today I found that our prayers have been answered and Lily will soon be coming to America into the loving arms of a Mommy and Daddy and a big sister. We are beyond happy. More miracles...........and eight left of our gang.

Rose, Jade, Callum, Cailean, Breanna, Caitlyn, Heather and Sean.........hope I got that right.
Keep praying.

Single digits..........nine to go!!!

Look upon this picture and see a true miracle. It is the adoption offices in Xian. It is not my story to tell but it is a wonderful tale and hopefully one day her parents will tell it. This is the very lovely Norma Xian, formerly known as Erica. A quiet girl who waited patiently and dreamily for her parents to take her home to New York. They worked feverishly and determinedly to make her their own. Not because they wanted a baby, they lead a pretty charmed life and are happy people, but because they met her and fell in love. It was always and always will be their darling girl Norma. Just a simple thing. Just love.
I knew you would do it guys.......I think you are a pretty special family in so many ways.

Over 1/2 way there.........ten to go!!........

Rebecca is with her family and almost home. God bless little darling girl.
Can't wait to see you bloom in your new place.

I am so excited......again.

Today is the day..if not mistaken.....that Rebecca meets her family. It will be a tough transition for her given her age but I know
she will settle and her glorious new life will begin. Best part is I found her family blog and I can watch it all unfold. That to me is priceless. More adoptions coming down the pike. I need to review and give you all the new number. Will do soon.