This picture was taken the night of Family Day. The next day was the BIG day and he was so excited.

Mike we are so proud of you son! What a man of God you have become and to see you standing tall and finishing up Bootcamp, makes me one happy Momma!

I love you!

Notice Bella's face....this is about how we all felt. There was nothing to do on family day..besides go shopping at the PX, drive around and eat. It got really boring! He could not go off post at all that day. We still enjoyed spending time with our boy! Way to go Mike!

More to come and pictures tomorrow.

We are here in Columbia SC and are having a great time seeing Michael. He is sooo happy we are here too! Family Day was kinda boring, not alot to do but great having him with us for the day. Graduation was great. My only son is grown up! I am not on my computer so I cant put pics on here until i get home...I thought I could. Today is Saturday and our original plan was to be leaving...however he told us late last night that we may get to have him all weekend....so we are waiting on word from him now. He was moving to the other side of his camp for his AIT schooling and after they get him assigned to where he needs to be, the will probably give the soldiers a weekend pass if their families are still here...SO WE WAIT FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH MIKE!

He looks so great...gave me tears thinking back 22 years ago when I was here to see the love of my life graduate from the same Army basic training. He looks so much like his father did!!!!! It gave me goose bumps!

Thanks for following our story...Mikes journey and the exciting adventures of the Andrews Crew...LOL!

We are packing up to head out in the morning....
HERE we come SC....Michael has Family Day on Thurs and GRADUATES on Fri from Basic Training. He is so excited. I know he cant wait to see everyone! I will have plenty of pics to add once we are home! He will stay in Columbia SC for another 10 weeks for his AIT Training. I believe he will be home in late Aug or early Sept for good. HE will be here in AL for 3 weeks and then he will head back to FL for work.

Thanks for all your prayers and lifting him and Lyndsey up. Lyndsey is still healing and will get to finally see her twin brother. They havent spent any time together since Jan 1st. They did briefly see one another about a month ago at the chapel service but thats it. They both are excited.

Stay tuned. WE are heading out by 8:45 in the morning to drop Sydney off and then here we come Mike!

I AM A
PROUD ARMY WIFE!

I AM so proud to live in America. I want to thank all the men and women who have and still do fight for our freedom. For those of them that have lost their lives, Here is a HUGE hug to the families they have left behind. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO GIVE US OUR FREEDOM!

TO MY HUSBAND- William, SON- MICHAEL AND DAUGHTER- LYNDSEY...I AM SO PROUD OF YOU ALL!

where has a week gone??? Lots to update...I will soon with lots of pictures!

Have a blessed day!

Lyndsey is home

Lyndsey is home and very happy to be here. She will be home for 30 days so she will get to see Michael graduate bootcamp. They are both THRILLED about that! Please keep her in your prayers as her leg heals...she is so ready to get onto the next stage of her career in the military...her AIT training. This will still be in TX for 6 months. She is ready to start! We will leave next Wed to head to Columbia SC for Mikes graduation...I will upload pics for sure of that!

Hi all
I just got a call from Signing Time since I havent placed a order all year. They have given me a deal that is hard to pass up. BUT I need to have your help. I am offering this to all of you and anyone else that you know...BUT here is the catcher...this only lasts for ONE WEEK! ORders must be turned in by NEXT Friday MAY 22 ( I WILL LET MONEY ARRIVE UNTIL SAT BUT THATS THE FINAL DAY)...that means money to me and everything...so ORDER NOW!!!!!

Signing time is NOT just for children with a hearing loss OR learning disability ...Its for EVERYONE....Typical developing or not....WE love these...they keep the children and adults alike totally tuned in and learning at the same time...you will NOT be unhappy with them. Go to the web and check them out....www.signingtime.com. There you can view all the items they have for sale..BOOKS, DVD's and flashcards.

Here is the special:

ALL DVD'S REG PRICE $21.99 NOW $15 EA
ALL BOOKS REG PRICE 12.99 NOW 9.50 EA GIFT SETS WOULD BE $29
ALL FLASHCARDS REG PRICE 10.99 NOW 9.00 EA GIFT SETS WOULD BE $27 ORIGINAL SET ONLY

SHIPPING IS ONLY 5.00 SHIPPING FOR UP TO $100
$100-$150 IS ONLY 8.00
$151 AND UP IS ONLY 12.00

FOR THE 10TH PERSON, THE 15TH PERSON AND THE 20TH PERSON WHO ORDERS WILL GET A LARGER DISCOUNT AND MAYBE EVEN A SUPRISE GIFT!

SO BUY AWAY FOLKS, THIS WILL NEVER BE OFFERDED AGAIN!

I TAKE NON CREDIT OR DEBIT PAYPAL, CHECKS BUT PREFER MONEY ORDER AND CASH!
THIS OFFER WILL ONLY BE FOR THE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE UNTIL I GET TO 50 ITEMS. THAT IS ALL I CAN ORDER AT THIS PRICE.
PASS THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

Here's the story line:
A touching and hilarious 'tell-it-like-it-is' look at the lives of a group of female friends, GIRLS NIGHT: THE MUSICAL promises to have audiences around the country laughing, crying and dancing in the aisles! Follow five friends as they re-live their past, celebrate their present and look to the future on a wild and hilarious karaoke night out ... and you'll recognize every one of them! Carol who was born to party, blunt Anita who says it like it is, Liza and her 'issues', boring Kate the great designated driver and Sharon, the not-so-angelic angel who just couldn't resist tagging along! GIRLS NIGHT is bursting with energy and is packed with every female anthem you can think of including Girls Just Want to Have Fun, I Will Survive and Say a Little Prayer, GIRLS NIGHT: THE MUSICAL is an unmissable slice of sizzling entertainment for anyone who really knows how to have fun!

Guess what I just won on the radio????????????????

I am one of the 5 ladies to win a ladies night out pass with Leeann on Mix 103 LADIES NIGHT OUT!
I am so excited its June 5th and my BEST FRIEND SUSAN is going to drive all the way from TN to come go with me....YEAH!

We are gonna have a blast. Guess I better get on to the tanning bed..to get my summer tan started...its gonna be here before i know it!

You just dont know how bad I was just praying for a FUN night out..WITHOUT MY LOVELY CHILDREN!

Thank you Lord for answering my prayer...now I just need a date night with my HUBBY!

Lyndsey:

We just got a call from her to say she is catching a bus home on Saturday morning. William is unable to go get her this time because he is in Arkansas and I cant go with 4 little ones alone on a 7 hour drive...it would end up being more of a 12-14 hour drive...and that is not what i want to do.

She is scared to death so please keep her in your prayers on Sat as she will be taking a taxi and a greyhound bus for the first time ever in her life.

Thanks

SEVEN years ago in a small hospital in Guatemala City a scared woman gave birth to a precious baby girl. This baby was tiny and sick. She had 4 holes in her heart, wasnt eating like she should, failure to thrive, and just happen to also have Down Syndrome. Her birth mother had already made the decsion for an adoption plan because she wanted her daughter to have a better life....one that she knew she couldnt provide her because herself and 2 older children were in hiding from a abusive alcoholic father. When this precious baby was also born with Down Syndrome, she knew this was her answer from God....she must follow through with the adoption plan so her daughter could get the medical care she needed or she would die. This coragious woman took her 3 day old daughter to a save place, the orphanage that she hoped would find her a forever family. The orphanage director loved her dearly...he wanted to find her a heart surgeon that would correct her heart....but with all the efforts he had, everytime she would get sick and no doctor wanted to touch her... He prayed and prayed for an answer...he soon felt that he must move her to a orphanage run by an American and thought she would be able to find the care and or family she needed. This baby was now 12 months old and weighed only 9 pounds...The birthmother come to the orphanage and took her to the new place where her daughter would hopefully find herself a family. The birth mother had no idea what was about to happen for the future of her child......

A family all the way in Alabama was planning a mission trip with their church. They had a family, a healthy set of twins that were now 14 yrs old....they would soon be a very young couple with no children at home... They had always dreamt of more children, but the mother had to have a hysterectomy due to uteran cancer at age 29..she was devestated. BUT our God had other plans. While the family got ready for their trip, they had already decided to start the homestudy process in Alabama because they had been there for a year and wanted to get updated again so they could be waiting....little did they know...their lives were about to FOREVER change!!!

They boarded the plane for their mission trip with church to GUATEMALA. They were there for seven days to a wonderful place called..CASA PARA NINOS. At this place they fell in love with the children...there were 2 girls in particular that stole their heart and they so wanted to adopt them....but the mission of Casa Aleluya was not to adopt the children out, but to educate them to better their country for God. What an awesome thing to do...but these children needed Mommy and Daddy. The begged to come home with the family....but there was nothing that could be done. One of the girls ended up getting sent back to the abusive family and probably sent to work on the street because she was old enough to actually do something...I pray for her every night....sweet Anna.

The couple cried like little infants the night before they were to leave, they knew that the Lord was calling them to do something big....bigger than they had ever dreamed....

When they got home, the mom started looking at how to adopt from Guatemala.....and through hours of research ....there she was.....a beautiful little princess staring at her on the computer screen... and her name was so touching....it was like God himself was telling her...you couldnt save Anna from Casa but you can save GiovANNA from this life......give her hope...give her a chance to life....give her a family....your family!!!! The mom fell in love instantly....and she didnt care if this little Giovanna had 3 heads, 4 holes in her heart or even yet...Down Syndrome...she was HER DAUGHTER.... She showed the Daddy when he got home...and he was scared to death...what were you really wanting us to do?? Adopt?? REALLY?? Well yes, this is something we have been waiting on for years.......BUT its international adoption..not adoption with the foster care.....WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??

Well this family DID start the process and the 11 month fight became a reality on their 15th wedding anniversary. The little girl they seen on the screen, and had visited for a week after her open heart surgery....was now OFFICALLY their daughter.... The little angel come home forever to her family at the age of 22 months....

So folks, let me introduce you to the little princess who changed our world, our lives and has wrapped us all around her fingers very tightly....

Giovanna Grace Andrews...our little miracle sent from above.

Happy Birthday my sweet Girl...

I know you have another momma out there somewhere praying for you today...you are truely a loved little girl!!!

Here is my "lil man" He is finishing up his bootcamp at Ft Jackson SC. He has made me a proud Momma....I love you son!

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing and having lyndsey and michael telling me happy mothers day! That was so sweet of them. Happy Mother's Day momma if you are reading this...and to Glenda and Becky...yall are super special to us!

Michael will have graduation on May 29th and he is so excited! I know he has had a rough but good time at basic trainging. He is ready to get onto the school part of it...his schooling will last another 9 weeks.

Way to go Mikey!!!

Lyndsey will be coming home again for another 30 day leave so she can continue to heal...please keep her in your prayers!

I was just looking back through pictures and came across this video from Feb. The girls attack William when he comes home from work. I think this was one of the first nice days in February that the girls could actually go outside and play....William found us in the backyard when he come home.....see how the girls put him to work!!! Gabby is learning a new style with her pants during the video so check it out...a newer version of a female Steve Erckal

Hope you enjoy a little of our house.

Today is a dark and gloomy day. It is storming outside and we are under tornado warnings. G & G are off to school and L&B and I are at home. Im gonna try and get some much needed clean up done today, clothes put away and sheets all washed...hhhmmm unless the weather has other plans for my electricity.

The girls are quickly finishing up their last few weeks of school...Man, Where has this school year gone?? Giovanna talks about school all the time, and I hope that she doesnt get too sad when she doesnt get to go everyday...she loves her teachers...can you tell? We are really frustrated right now as what to do with Lily next school year. Her DOB is 9-9-03 so she misses the cut off for first grade by 7 days.... she has completed private school Abeka kindergarten this year and has done well... the public school wants to put her in kindergarten again because of her birthday....she doesnt need that! Her school she is in now only goes to kindergarten so we are at a loss. All the private school around here are full already for first grade...SO what do we do??? I am so praying for this situation......please stand with me on what to do!!!!

Lyndsey update:
She has moved to a therapy rehab setting for her to heal. She said the moral is TERRIBLE and she wants to leave and come home to do her healing time.... So we will see what happens. If she is home, she is gonna want to do what she wants to do and not really heal.....who knows what will happen.

Michael update
He is so pumped now that he got to spend alittle time with william the other week. He has passed his tests he has taken lately, and just completed his 3 day out in the field. They are gearing up for the 7 day hike and stay in the woods with training. this is the last step before he will graduate. His graduation is scheduled for May 28 and 29th in Ft Jackson SC. He is READY!!
He will then stay there for his AIT training.

thanks for keeping up with us!

This is a awesome video...please EVERYONE go to this link (click on the word this link) and watch it...You will love it too!

Our girls do have a DREAM.... all individuals with Down Syndrome have dreams and this video just give you a little idea of what....ENJOY!