New Blog Address

Well, it's time to renew the .com and since I am not posting very often, I have decided to just let it expire and use the blogger email. So in case life ever allows me to get back to blog world, please update my new blog address:
www.buildingbridgestoorphans.blogspot.com

Thanks!!
Jenny

Photo Book

Scott and I had the most amazing trip! I just made a photo book of our time away and thought I'd share it here! It was a short cruise but the perfect amount of time to be away as it's so hard to leave the kids! We were blessed with perfect weather too!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo books are the perfect gift for any occasion.

Goals for the New Year

So excited to be on my way for my goals for the New Year. My first one is to fight to keep on track with my health-eating and exercising. While "fight" may sound a bit dramatic, in the midst of the kids' busy schedules and work, it feels like I need to fight with my own will-power to continue to stay strong and MAKE the time to workout! Arbonne products and becoming a consultant to help afford them, have been a HUGE blessing to me. Was never able to maintain this weight that I have lost previously. That feels good. I am already signed up for 2012 Moms on the Run to continue to be able to run with this group of women that I have really enjoyed and help keep me accountable. Scott started exercising when he turned 40 too and he is my biggest source of accountability/help. He is so dedicated to getting to our little Snap Fitne** that we joined. Love that and I am hoping we'll even run a race together this year. NEVER thought we'd EVER do that (or even desire to)! :)

I would like organization to be a goal but not sure I'll tackle that one yet...we'll see.


The next BIG one is MEALS! I need to budget better and PLAN! So to make this happen I just joined E Mealz and I am really excited! I have heard so many good things and I'm ready to jump in! I thought they only had plans for Ald*'s and my hubby is not a A*** fan! Well, this weekend I finally checked it out and learned that they have a meal plan for just about everything! I signed up for the Walmart Low Fat Cooking plan (but heard you can shop anywhere for convience and still save due to just having a plan) and am excited! Even found a Groupon that saved money on my subscription!

So....will report back if my cooking life gets transformed!!! I sure need this HELP!!!! Who knows, MAYBE I'll even start LIKING cooking cuz last year at this time I NEVER even dreamed that I would RUN let alone LIKE IT! :)

Happy Birthday Abby!

I have to say that when a child comes in your arms at 18 months....3 years old comes really fast. Especially when she was a tiny 15 pounder that wore 3-6 mo. clothes! AMAZED at all the growing she has done in this short amount of time! Thankful that she has now been HOME as long as she was in the orphanage....a milestone. While I know there are still things to work through, I am so please with how far she as come. She will now let me leave the room and keep playing at times. Just this week, she has gone upstairs two times to lie down (in our bed to watch TV) without anyone else upstairs! Yesterday, I set a plate of rice for her to eat and watched her get up in the chair. I continued on in the kitchen to try to figure out what in the world to make quickly for everyone, looked over and NO ABBY! Scott and I looked puzzled...still not use to her not being on my leg, let alone missing! We went up to our room and we found a proud Abby eating her rice and watching Elmo! Cracked us up! I posted a pic. on fb but just realized it's on my phone so I can't post it here!

Another thought/reflection I have in my mind on her birthday is how Abigail means "A Father's Joy" and just how much I enjoy watching Scott's face light up when he is with Abby. So do her brothers...words can't express how this momma feels seeing them all together! Adding a toddler to our family again has brought so much joy! The thought that "we could have missed this" is never far from my mind. There were so many things that seemed to be mountains along the journey and I am just so thankful that the Lord gave us the faith to believe and know that this was His will. Just heard the song that I use to listen to OVER AND OVER and was reminded again..."Our Savior"...HE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS! AMEN!!!!

Daddy helping Abby to blow out her candle!

Silly Daddy!

MN in January...crazy warm weather!

Abby is also starting to talk so much more!!! We still don't know if she will need the surgery for her speech as she hasn't had enough language to determine if she will get her sounds out without the nasality. However, it's still shocking to hear her answer a question back! We have never questioned her receptive language...she understands everything! So fun to hear her responses tho! I enrolled her in an early childhood class for two year olds and her school speech teacher comes to the parent/child separation time to help Abby learn from other kids her age who are talking. I think it's working! Taking a break from private speech therapy until we get more language under her belt. I got a little tired of taking her to therapy and having her NOT talk! I do have to say I learned a lot and am comfortable being the "home speech therapist" for now! Our ENT didn't agree with the break but I was able to convince him that my idea was a good one for now..LOL!

So that concludes my random thoughts for today but I'll post some more pictures...

Abby's favorites...Dora, Wonder Pets and M's!

The amazing Mrs. Paider Cake!!!

Family Bday Party!

Our neighbor Lillie came over with a gift...so sweet! What a blessing to have a little girl who is also adopted live right next door!

Abby's cousin! So fun that they were able to play together last week! Wish she lived closer!

Happy New Year!

So Thankful!

Thanksgiving was a wonderful day with family! The holidays are fun with a toddler again! Still remembering and thinking of the holidays that I was longing for our little girl! Those were so hard, especially in 2009 when we knew who she was and that she was spending her first Christmas in an orphanage. The song, "Merry Christmas" by Third Day about put me over the edge...not sure why I kept listening to it, but the lyrics were as if I wrote them:
But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire
And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

However, this permanently etched memory of how hard the wait was for Abby and all the obstacles really, to this day and I pray ALWAYS, makes me not take a moment for granted! It's a really good place to parent from (as long as I don't slip into spoiling her because of it, that is. My mom said I'm a little "soft" when it comes to discipline this time around...oops). It has been the same way with my boys. They didn't come "easy" either and I am just always so thankful and in awe of God's faithfulness to bless us with these amazing two young men. I am ONE LUCKY MOM!!! Feeling very thankful! 

Christmas Card Shopping!

Most Wonderful Story Christmas Card

Find unique and Personalized Christmas cards at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Last year we used Shutterfly for our cards and I was so pleased by how they turned out.  The photos were crisp and clear and the cards were thick and sturdy.  My favorite part of the card was the inside where there was room to write just a brief update on each child. Of course, it was extra fun to have this be our FIRST Christmas Card with ABBY IN IT! 

This year I am trying to once again decide which design we will use.  There are so many to choose from that I am having a hard time deciding.  I am also in the process of making cards for my parents as this year was their 50th Wedding Anniversary so I chose Shutterfly once again to try to capture this wonderful memory! We gave my parents a photo session for their anniversary to MAKE them get their pictures taken. They had never done anything like that and had more pictures taken than on their actual wedding day. They ended up having such a great time and we have lots of good pictures to choose from for their Christmas Card! :)

Poinsettia Window Christmas Card

Create personalized Christmas card designs at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

So, what about you?  Have you thought about Christmas cards and Christmas gifts yet?  Shutterfly has so many options to choose from from calendars to photo gifts.  I cannot wait to see what Christmas cards you send this year.

Tis' the Season! :)

New Favorite Song!

I have a new favorite song by Peder Eide that I know all you orphan care/adoption friends will love too! Watch closely because Abby and I make a brief appearance...fun! :) It's the moment that Abby melted into my shoulder just like I had dreamed of. It was an amazing, perfect and unforgetable moment the day we picked her up at the orphanage! :) Here is the music video:


For those that have attended the National Orphan Summit the last two years, you'll remember Peder Eide as he led worship there. His song, "Why Wouldn't ?" touched so many of our hearts and decisions to adopt! That song is on his Christmas Album, Perfect Surprise which I can't wait to start listening to now that the season is upon us!

Back to Come to the Rescue though (I digressed in my enthusiasm for all of Peder's music)! I wanted to make sure you know that if you order the CD directly from his website, they are giving a part of the sale proceeds to an amazing program from Compassion called the Highly Vulnerable Children's Fund. It is a crucial fund for children who have been orphaned or suffered abuse. Click on the link for more info. 


But that's not all! Peder is letting me start a contest and is going to have a drawing for a free t-shirt and autographed CD for those that help spread the word about his new album, Come to the Rescue! Please help bless his ministry by spreading the word and most of all share the song that will soften hearts to the orphan and motivate people to ACTION! That's my only motivation by starting this contest (I don't work for him!)!! Here are the details:


-Blog, facebook, post on adoption Yahoo groups, share with your adoption agency and/or twitter. Please make sure to include the music video and Highly Vulnerable Children's fund info. You get one entry for EACH thing you do! I am praying this song goes viral! :)


-Send an email to: michelle@pedereide.com and tell her what all you did. Please include the link to your blog post. She will do the drawing on November 19!!!


Thank you orphan advocates and blog friends for helping to get the word out about this song that we pray will impact the life of a child!