Catching Up

Whew, again.  Just as we were turning the corner with Teddi's recovery last week Grinner went down with a stomach bug.  What I thought would be a short lived event for Grinner has taken him a week to kick . . . and has brought the rest of us down, one by one.  Baba was the first one to catch it from Grinner.  Then on Sunday morning Teddi went down, and yesterday morning Mama caught the bug, or shall we say the bug finally caught up to Mama?  Today my flitless Flit and I spent much of the day curled up on the couch together.  Tonight we are doing much better. Thank you Baba for keeping the ship afloat.

Just when I thought I would never catch up on my posts, the bug jumped in . . . and our seven year old Dell went down for the count, victim of another kind of bug.  Bryan and Brady went computer shopping on Sunday, and I am pleased to announce that we are the blessed new owners of an iMac computer.  Catching up on my posts just took a whole new turn as I try and locate my picture files and learn to operate our new "blessing".  So far, so good . . . I think . . .

So tonight to "catch up" I bring you two of my very favorite rainbows, Teddi and Claire.  Teddi was only ten days post-op when these pictures were taken, which explains the dark circles under her weary little eyes.  It was a Friday evening, the end of a very long week.  Baba had been gone since Saturday, sleep was still a huge issue, eating still held it's challenges for Teddi . . . you get the picture.  Looooong week.  Then came a knock at our door, and an invitation to go for a walk.  It was Claire, and her mama (my neighbor Robin), along with Claire's big sister.  If you have been following my blog for awhile, you will know that Claire came home from China just two months behind Teddi.  My friend Melissa (previous post), soon to be Katie's mama, not only waited with me, but she waited with Robin as well.  That we would all live a few doors away from each other and that Teddi and Claire would come home so closely together was a God thing, for which I am so grateful! 

So on a "stormy" Friday night, I opened my door to see this sweet faced girl, who just happened to be dressed exactly like my own sweet faced girl.  A double rainbow indeed.  We went for a long walk around our neighborhood, and I must say, the "storm" passed.  Friends can do that, can't they?  Thank you Lord for friends!

Double sweetness, Claire and Teddi

New friends .  . .

precious blessings!

There have been other blessings in this buggy week . . .

My new blogger friend Jenn, received her RA/LOA for her sweet daughter Karleigh Mei last week after a very long, yet faithful wait.  She now awaits Travel Approval and will soon be united with her new daughter.  God is faithful!

My blogger friend Sarah and her family left for China yesterday morning, and will soon be united with their precious daughter Grace, who just turned four.  Sarah's older daughter Lily who is eight, and Teddi (with my help), have begun a "pen-pal" relationship, via email.  This started during Teddi's recovery when Lily began praying for Teddi.  Lily is a precious child of God!  We just discovered this week (when Sarah and I talked by phone) that Lily and Teddi are from the same province in China.  It will be so good to see little Grace join her very own family!

Eight year old Candace Le continues to do well with her new family.  She has a beautiful smile, and a pretty good pout (on occasion) --  by all reports from her new Mama and Baba.  God has given Laine and Rob an amazing journey to their seventh child.  Please pray for them as they prepare to travel home at week's end.

My friend Kim, is counting down to their travel for almost five year old Vivi Jo.  I am elated!  I have been following Kim since she and her husband traveled to China for their son Max, and now they will return, very shortly, for Vivi Jo.  God is good!

Remember when I posted my excitement that there was a new child coming home from Teddi's orphanage?  A little girl who will soon be known as Sunny?  Well I am blessed to announce that there are now THREE babes waiting to leave Zhuhai.  Teddi's friend Sunny, along with another little girl about two, and a little boy named Ren, who is about to celebrate his second birthday!

Oh and I got to see pictures of Melissa's five year old Katie. I must tell you, she is the most beautiful little girl in all of Mongolia!

Some of these kiddo's blogs are private . . . some are not.  You can find links to Karleigh Mei, Grace and Ren in my sidebar, as well as Kim's Max and Vivi Jo!

My "catch up" has been long winded, not surprising.  Thanks to those of you who have stuck it out.  

Just one more .  . . I have a new blogger friend Doreen whose wait is growing very, very long while a sweet little guy in China waits to be united with his Mama, Baba and siblings.  For those of you who have waited, or have been caught in a "longer than expected" wait, you know how agonizing this can be. Please remember those who long to hold their babies, as well as the children who wait.  You can see Doreen's lil' man, and follow her patient wait, in Journey Of A Blessed Family, in my side bar.

A final thought, you don't have to be involved in the adoption process, in order to be involved in adoption. God has called us all to be involved . . . maybe your part is to pray for the babies and children around the world, and in our own neighborhoods, who need families to call their own.  Please remember His precious ones.

Blessings from my blessed nest ~

Tina