Foster Friends

As you think about your life over the past year and what you want for the future year, I thought I would add something for you to think and pray about.

A year ago I was told of a website that has literally changed our lives. We already had it in our hearts to adopt and we were just looking for the where and when. This website sealed the deal and answered those questions for us. I am not asking anyone to physically adopt a child like we are, but rather to foster a friend.

It is no secret that I favor one children's shelter in the Philippines, the Children's Shelter of Cebu. We met the director of it last year when we went to a local information session about adoption. Also, my aunt and uncle are friends with the people that run the shelter from the days they were missionaries in Cebu. I would like my connection to the orphanage to be your connection also.

A year ago we decided to have a foster friend from CSC. His name is Rodrigo and he is 6 years old. We donate $25 a month to CSC as his friend and we send him an occasional gift or letter. In return CSC sends us cards and letters at different times during the year, some about Rodrigo, others from him. We just got our Christmas card from him and it was addressed to Auntie Julie and Uncle Ryan, it almost made me cry it was so cute. We can not adopt Rodrigo, even though he is as cute as a button, but we can help him have a great life at CSC. We love all they do there and we like supporting them and their mission.

Just think about it. If it isn't the right time for you to have a foster friend that is okay, but tell others about it please.

I feel like that woman on t.v. begging for money for the starving children around the world. Sorry about that. No guilt here, no child will be without food or any story like that.

Wordless Wednesday- Babysitting friends

Our dog Daisy

Daisy is now 8 years old and she is starting to show it a bit. She is a very active, some say hyper, dog and loves running and playing. We knew something was wrong with her on Friday night when she just didn't even greet us at the door when we came home. She was sluggish and shaking most of the evening, we thought maybe she had a seizure while we were out. (She has epilepsy). She always sleeps in Liam's room, but that night she couldn't even make it up the 6 stairs to his room. Ryan carried her up to his room because she wanted to be there so much. We decided to take her to the vet in the morning if she didn't look better.

When morning came, she was worse. She could hardly walk and we feared that she may have ruptured a disc in her back. Ryan called the vet as soon as they opened and took her in. They looked at her and did some x-rays. The bad news was that she hurt her back, the good news was that it was only a pinched nerve not a ruptured disc. They gave us some anti-inflammatory medicine and put her on bed rest for a week.

The first day went okay, although she wanted to get every time she heard someone, she physically couldn't do it. Day two has been a little more difficult to keep her down. We have to put her on a leash when she goes out to pee and we are letting her go on the deck (otherwise she has to do stairs). Don't worry Ryan will clean it up in the spring!! We have her bed, water and food all in a little area of our living room with a box blocking her in the corner. If we aren't by her we can definitely hear her when she makes it to the kitchen. Her back legs kind of just drag on the tile when she comes in the room.

Hopefully the week will go by quickly and she will recover well. I know that she is really bored and hates not being able to run and play, but it is for her own good. I thought keeping Liam down after his surgery when he was one was difficult, I think this is going to be more difficult every day that passes.

What a difference a day makes!

Remember how I hate winter? Well, now we are at war!

On Wednesday morning Ryan had to go back to work, he was not excited about that. His mom is in town, so we loaned her his car since he takes the bus. At 6:15 he woke me and the kids up to drive him to the bus stop, not a big deal. When we got outside we found out it had snowed 6 inches and it made everything a big deal. I drove him slowly and safely to the bus stop, a lot of the streets were already plowed. Then I dropped him off and turned around in a parking lot and started up the hill to the main road. The road we were on was not plowed and my little minivan got experience snow first hand. My wheels just spun and there was a truck behind me wanting to go forward with his life. He had given me some room, so I backed up and tried it again and again. Then his patience ended and he went around me. I kept trying while Ryan watched me from his bus window. Next a truck with a plow thing on the front was behind me, but he had no patience or compassion (I thought maybe he could drop his little plow thing for me). I guess Liam counted the tries up the hill and got to 11 (he counted them silently, otherwise he wouldn't be alive right now;) So, we made it up the hill and drove home safely.

Next problem was the 6 inches of snow on our driveway. The three of got dressed and went to shovel the driveway. Our brand new snow blower is currently broken, so we had a lot of shoveling. We shoveled off and on for 3 hours, the good thing is that it was warm out at least. Then they finally plowed our street and made a mess at the end of our driveway. At that point I gave up! My sister was coming over, but she has a truck so she can drive over it! Ryan was a great guy and went out to shovel it after his mom left last night at 8:30pm. I may have to go touch it up today in the heat of the day, but he got the majority done.

Well, today is going to be a new day. We woke up at 6:15 and took Ryan to the bus without any problems. We have no snow to move today either. I am going to take the boys to the zoo that I had promised for yesterday and we are going to have a fun relaxing day.

For the record I am so sore today, my head won't even stay up on my neck. That must mean that I worked out! Yay me!

Wordless Wednesday- Christmas is over :(

Adoption Update

We finally completed our dossier (application to Philippines) and our agency has sent it off to ICAB (the government agency in the Philippines that decides who gets to adopt). Now we are going to start the waiting game. At this point we first wait for approval. This is when the Philippines accepts our application and puts us in the pile of people that want to adopt. After our approval we wait for our referral, this is when we find out which kids will actually be part of our forever family. The time between the approval and the referral can be as short as 3 months or as long as 3 years or anywhere in between. We will travel to the Philippines 1-3 months after our referral. We stay in the Philippines for one week and bring the children home with us.

So now we wait. We have a lot to do to get prepared for our new children. We have things to physically rearrange in our house and have to prepare mentally also. Thank you everyone for your support.

Wordless Wednesday- What's left of it