Please pray!

Many of you that read our blog know that we were blessed tremendously with grant money to finance the adoption of Sarah Jo. Do you remember the flyer that was passed out at malls all over the US this past Christmas that included the picture of Sarah? It was from Shaohannah's Hope, a ministry to encourage people and churches to do more in the way of adopting both across the street and around the world. Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth started Shaohannah's Hope and are known for doing so much work within the Christian community in the areas of adoption and orphan care.

Last night their youngest daughter Maria (age five, adopted from China) was accidentally killed in an auto accident in their own drive. Please remember the entire family as they grieve. I remember the words from one of SCC's songs called, "Hope." It was written for close friends of thiers that lost a daughter at a young age. Here are the words:

With Hope
I Thess. 4:13-14; Heb. 6:9, 10:23

That is not at all how
we thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
we had so many dreams
And now you’ve gone away
and left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
and nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
the pain of losing you

We can cry with hope
we can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end
We can grieve with hope
because we believe with hope
There’s a place where we’ll see your face again
We’ll see your face again

Never have I known
anything so hard to understand
Never have I questioned more
the wisdom of God’s plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father smile and say well done
And I imagine you
where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you’re home and now you’re free

We can cry with hope, we can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end
We can grieve with hope, because we believe with hope
There’s a place where we’ll see your face again
We’ll see your face again

We have this hope like as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything God promised us is true

So we can cry with hope, we can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end
We can grieve with hope, because we believe with hope
There’s a place
By God’s grace
There’s a place where we’ll see your face again


The Seven Alexanders are one of many families that have generously blessed by the Chapman family and their ministry. Thank you for praying for them.

Kathy

Gotcha Day Fashion Show!

Gotcha Day Fashion Show!

This is Lily when we were leaving the Civil Affairs Office in Guangzhou on the day we got her! Yeah, I know, I was a lot smaller back then, too!!!!!

This picture above is Lily wearing the clothes that she had on when we had her Gotcha Day in 2004! Oh my...she has grown!

Gotcha Day 2006!

The picture above was taken yesterday....two years from Gotcha Day!

Okay, so it's time for a pedicure! I just couldn't skip showing how much her feet have grown!

Two years ago.......................

This is Sarah on Gotcha Day, May 15, 2006

This is Sarah a few weeks ago!
It was two years ago today that Tom and I were sitting waiting in a room in the Lottery Hotel. Any minute they would bring Sarah into the room to be placed in our arms for the very first time. Adopting a 22-month old brought some anxiety. We didn't know what her personality would be. We wouldn't know her likes or dislikes. We weren't sure if she'd love us, her three brothers and her sister. Whew, I was anxious!

Here we are two years later! She is funny, sometimes stubborn, smart, creative, loving and did I say smart? She likes most all foods, her blanket, her bed, her stuffed animals and her bath! Most importantly, she is madly in love with all of us as we are with her!

Tyler playing "Furelise" by Ludwig Von Beethoven....oh, and a few pictures!

This picture clearly communicates the creativity that the girls have! First, the blankets on their heads are wigs! Yes, they wanted longer hair that day. They are constantly putting on shoes and dresses! I'm a little concerned that Lily is giving Sarah a pedicure with a hairbrush....oh well........I still have a way to go as a mom to girls!

Lily enjoys chilling out inside the bin that I keep a bunch of blankets. Don't worry....I always take the lid off. This is a picture of her one night when I thought she was awful quiet in there......she fell asleep!

Sarah

Lily

Today is Mother's Day. I find myself saying the same things my mother said when I was growing up..."All I want for Mother's Day is a day of peace and no fighting!" Well, that's me! Yeah, well, throw in a cup of hot coffee, too!

Two years ago we celebrated Mother's Day in China as it was the day we got Sarah. Time has certainly flown by.

I did enjoy a nice Sunday dinner out to one of my favorite Chinese places. The kids got me a new coffee pot and a picture frame that shows digital pics. At this moment, the girls are in bed sleeping and the boys went to visit friends...I'm enjoying my moment of peace!

Tyler had a piano recital recently. It was a challenge to get piano lessons in this year between golf and basketball. He did a great job!