Sorry Ive been MIA

I got sick last week and just wasnt myself, and by Friday night my throat hurt so bad I hardly could swollow. I had to get everything ready for the kids consignment sale as Sat was the LAST day of drop off, and I had been sick all week...so you guessed it....not everything got tagged and taken to the sale.....

After spending 6 hours in Pri Med on Sunday I found out I didnt have strep but a Bad sinus and ear infections.....my how just 24 hours on medicine can make one feel better. I have my voice back and some energy....but still feels like Im snorting salt water...I feel dizzy at times but other than that Im fine.

PRAISE REPORTS.........please find the link to the right that says " Mike and Meredith Cornish adoption" AND the Urbans adoption..........Both families are in Ukraine right now, and The Urban's have a RECORD time of in and out...I think like 2 weeks.........and their 10 day wait time was waived...........Oh how our precious heavenly Father showed himself during the whole process............Please pray for the Cornish Family as they have had some major dissapointments, but now they have found their 2 new angels that will be joining their family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So pray hard that they will be home soon...........to their other 2 great kiddos and make a family of 6!!!!!

And the winner for the Birthday bash is..............

My table!!! June/ December

I went with a Hawaiian Christmas theame and it turned out so pretty. Attached is a picture of the fruit Christmas tree I did. I had a team of 4 ladies. Some pitched in the fine china, others sewed the table runner and placemats, and others helped make the flowers......so way to go!!!! We had the whole Hawaii feel going with the palm tree and orchid placemats, the fruit and the Christmas feel with Santa, pointseta(sp) and fine china.

Please pray for these two cutie pies......

Here are two angels with Down Syndrome that are weighing very heavy on my heart right now. I am posting this so i can have all my online friends, local friends and family to please please pray for these two angels. The are both very healthy and just happen to have that something thats "a little extra special."

I contacted the agency that has the little girl listed and found out that she is in an orphanage in India. (Doesnt she look like our Bella?)

When i searched google to see if i could find anything out about this home I come across this great video on you tube. I watched it and BAM, there she was in a little yellow shirt, being held by a visitor/missionary helper. Please pray for them both....they NEED a MOMMY AND DADDY AND A FAMILY TO LOVE THEM FOREVER!

Here is the link for the video watch it and remember to pray!!! Thanks so much!

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/asharan-indian-orphanage-fundraising-for-a-new-home/3427375314

PLEASE PLEASE PRAY!!!

My online friend, Meredith and Mike Cornish, from Reece's Rainbow are currently in Ukraine right now doing an adoption of a precious little 4yr old girl who happens to have Down Syndrome. Well they have totally run into some problems, and we need everyone, everywhere to please lift them up to our Lord. They are a faithful, christian couple who have 2 biological children already one also has DS. They have stepped out in faith and started this journey to add to their family. The little girl in now aged out of the "baby house" and is currently living in a mental institution. They are trying to get the director to allow this adoption and sign the appropriate paperwork, but he is not being so cooperative. attached are some pictures of them meeting their "daughter in their hearts" little Sasha/Aleska.

The director is saying" She is not verbal so we dont know how she is going to bond with them. and I dont know if this is whats right for her. I am afraid that she is not going to have a good life and she will be discriminated against." Well HELLO MR. Director...... alot of our kids are not yet 100% verbal, and it does take them awhile to bond with us, it could take months, but she will be loved and adored....she will have a chance to life with a FAMILY and she will grow and develop. Living in an MENTAL INSTITUTION is NOT a good place for anyone.........

SO PLEASE PRAY FOR MIKE AND MERIDITH CORNISH.....IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG AS WELL HERE IS THEIR BLOG http://www.cornishadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/

you know your an adoptive Mommy when......

I seen this posted on our Reeces Rainbow site today by Shelley. An amazing mommy she is. Her and her hubby brought home their precious Xander in the fall from Ukraine and he is also an angel with Down Syndrome......thanks Shelley for this great list....It is all so true!!!


You know you are an adoptive mother (or you should be!) if:

1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has ever made you lose sleep.

2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.

3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.

4. The fact that if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child, there would be no orphans in the world is convicting to you.

5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.

6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about your adopted child's "real" parents.

7. You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth (2 years!)

8. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway knowing where God calls you He will provide.

9. You have ever taken a airplane ride half way around the world with a child you just met.

10. You believe God's heart is for adoption.

11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacy's you could ever leave on this earth.

12. You know what the word Dossier means and you can actually pronounce it!

13. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.

14. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have them in your life.

Snowing here in Alabama

Well this morning it started snowing around 9:30 and didnt stop till around 3:30. It was a beautiful sight to see. The girls loved it. For all of them it was a first. William come running downstairs and said "Rita, have you looked outside?" Well no because it had been raining....what was so great about that...(well acutally alot since were still in the middle of a bad drought) We all jumped up and ran to the window...it wasnt just slowing coming down, it was BIG FAT Snow flakes. How exciting. Attached you will see the beautiful sight .

Boy did the temperature DROP here in the south.

Well today was a good but COLD day. The girls got up and were READY for preschool. I had no idea the rain was coming in and it would be oh so cold by mid morning. Michael left this morning after a nice but too short visit. I am so glad he gets to come home to visit.

Well with this weather change, all the girls have running noses and a small cough. I hope it doesnt worsen.

Please pray for me....Sunday night my blood pressure i guess got WAY too high and i had a bad episode. Not a black out but signs of a heart attack. William asked me if i wanted to go to the ER but i said no, because i thought after awhile i would feel better. It took me a good long time to get back to almost normal, but Monday Am i woke up still really light headed and not myself....so off to the DR i went. Im so glad Michael was here to drive me around. They changed my med's and have to go back and do some blood work....please pray that I will remember each day to take my medicine and take care of myself. I started crying in the Dr's because it hit me.......how in the world will William make it without me? What will all my kids do with no mom? So as much time and energy i put into my kiddos and family.....I must help myself as well....but im terrible at that. so I ask all my prayer warriors out there...please remember me in your prayers.

Well my time to get a new cell phone has come....bye bye nextel and hello to At&t. So if you have a At&t cell or home phone its free for me to call you. william and Michael are now the proud owners of Iphones....... All our phone numbers are the same....but William did get another number as well.

Have a blessed day.

Walk Of Love for Brittany's Hope Foundation

BRITTANY'S HOPE Walk of Love 2008

DEAR FRIENDS THIS IS WHAT WE ARE SENDING OUT ON BEHALF OF THE GREAT GRANT WE GOT FOR OUR GIRLS. PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THIS INTO WORD AND MAKE A SMALL CONTRIBUTION TO BRITTANY'S HOPE. THIS WILL HELP ANOTHER ORPHAN COME HOME TO THEIR FOREVER FAMILY! EVERY PENNY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE


Dear Family and Friends,

We are excited to announce that we will be walking in the Brittany’s Hope Foundation “Walk of Love” on May 4, 2008. Our goal is to raise funds to make it easier for special needs children to find families to call their own.

As adoptive parents, we have experienced the depth of love in the work being done by the Brittany’s Hope Foundation (www.BrittanysHope.org). The foundation places grants on special needs abandoned children around the world who need loving homes and the warmth of a family.

We brought Gabriella Joy and Lilyanna Hope home from Bogota, Colombia in June of 2007. But while Gabby and Lily came home with us, so many children remained behind, wondering when their family would come to get them. Those children still wait for their chance to have the love and safety of a family. We are working to bring these children home to their forever families. Will you please sponsor us? Together, we can help children around the world.

100% of the money you donate will go entirely
to grants on orphaned and abandoned children.

I am asking my sponsors to generously contribute a tax-deductible gift based on my participation in the Walk of Love on Sunday, May 4th, 2008. Remember, every dollar donated will be used for grants on a child who deserves the security and love only a family can provide.

In Peace,
William and Rita Andrews

SPONSOR’S REPLY


I will sponsor WILLIAM AND RITA ANDREWS

I am enclosing a donation of: □ $15 □ $25 □ $50 □ $100 □ $200 Other $_________
(Please mail your check payable to “Brittany's Hope Foundation” 1160 N. Market St., Elizabethtown, PA 17022)

Name

Address

City State Zip Code
Would you like to be added to the Brittany's Hope Foundation mailing list? □ Yes □ No

Gabriella is still in the clear

Well yesterday I took Gabby to the neurologists and he said she is still doing great with no signs that the cyst on her brain is causing any harm. The cyst is located in the cerebellum (sp) so we will watch it. We go back to him in 3 months and in the meantime I will take her back to the eye DR in Birmingham and get another MRI at Baptist South in Montgomery. So please continue to pray for our little Miss!

Sorry Ive been MIA

Here goes our run down on our crazy last few weeks:

Our Chirstmas was a good one, quiet and some what uneventfull. All 5 of my girls were here just missing our son. He did come home the weekend after Christmas for 3 days so that was great. We go the call right before Christmas that Gabby's finger had STAFF infection and so they put her on a really heavy dose of meds.....then 3 of the younger ones, including Gabby all were sick with upper resp crud and the lovely base cliic was closed. So we finally took them to a walk in clinic. Come to find out that either Gabby was allergic to her meds from the staff infection or she is allergic to Zythrimax. She broke out over the course of 3 days in this TERRIBLE raised rASH that took over most of her body. Yesterday after spening another 5.5 hrs in the walk in clinic again she got a shot of steroids and benedryl. Today she is much better, but still lots of rash left. I think it will take her a few days to get rid of it.

I pray that you all had a great holiday with your families. Now on to a new year.....I wonder what it will bring for us??

Have a blessed Christmas Day

I pray that you all have the best day ever. Our day has been fun so far, but raining outside so the girls cant see their trampoline yet or we will be in trouble...they wont stop asking for it if they see it.

I miss my son so badly. This is the FIRST year ever not having him home for Christmas day. All 5 girls are here.

Love ya all

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

These are the two pictures we put on our Christmas card this year. I hope you all enjoy.

William, Rita and kids
2007 Year in Review

January: Well the year started off with a bang once again. The girls are getting so big! Bella turned 2 in December and is just a joy to be around. She is now walking by herself! There is always a smile on her face and full of life. Oh and the BOSS of everyone! Giovanna is getting bigger with each day. She is so excited about life and just full speed ahead for her. Lyndsey started Auburn University in Montgomery. She has decided on a accounting major. Michael is now working at the new Jim –N- Nicks restaurant, and really likes it.

February: Well this month we finally heard the Lord’s voice saying” Go, bring my babies home!” Yes, for all of you this meant we are adopting again. We are adding 2 precious girls to our family. They currently live in Bogota, Colombia in an orphanage. Gabriella Joy with Down syndrome and Lilyanna Hope a bouncing active almost 4yr old. We will be busy getting all the paperwork ready to send overseas.

March: Full speed ahead on the adoption. The paperwork is almost complete. This month William and I celebrated our 18th anniversary. Wow, where did the time go? We also had our Forever Family celebrations: Giovanna home 3yrs & Isabella 2 yrs. I just cant get over how blessed we are!

April: William turned the big 37! Busy with the girls and all the therapists. Both of them are coming along so well.

May: Giovanna turned 5 yrs old on the 11th. We got the call. We are leaving for Colombia on May 27th & get the girls on May 28th. This is Gabriella’s 5 birthday, so it makes for a great celebration. William, Rita & Lyndsey will be going. At this point not sure how long we will be there, could be up to 7 weeks. We did our photo shoot for the magazine article to come out in July.

June: We have the girls. They are precious! Gabby is very sick with double bacterial pneumonia and was in the hospital & home care for 2 wks. Not fun, in a country you don’t speak their language & not American health care. She did recover & the process is moving quickly. We got word that our Sentencia had been granted, this is our final approval, & we will be on the plane home on June 28th. We were in Colombia for exactly 4 wks.

July: The girls are adjusting so well at being at home. They really like having a family all to their selves and NOT sharing with 200 other children. The adjustment for all the 4 little ones is going good. They have to learn, all the toys are for everyone. Michael has taken a job in Rose Mary Beach FL, so he is now living at my parent’s house. He likes his job and loves being at the beach. Our article came out in Woman’s World magazine this month. We are so happy to spread the word about the joys of special needs adoption.

August: The girls start to preschool and love it. Lily is really talking 90% English. It is just so exciting to hear her come up with new words. She had never heard English before. The Montgomery Advertiser did an article on our family & WSFA did an interview with us on air. They both turned out really nice. Go check out our website to see clips from both of them. Giovanna lost her 2 bottom front teeth!

September: Lyndsey & Michael have turned 18!!! Where did the time go? My babies are so grown up! Lyndsey is still working at House of Java and going to AUM. Michael misses home, but he come home about every 4-5 wks.

Oct/Nov: Time is flying by. William and I had the great pleasure of going to a marriage conference. We had friends who volunteered to keep the girls at our house so we could go. They also paid for our tickets. What a blessing that was for us to spend a whole weekend ALONE! Michael is now the proud owner of a ‘03 VW Jetta.

December: Well time to once again wrap up the year. We are so thankful for all that our Jesus has blessed us with. We now have 6 children and a family we couldn’t be happier with. We are so excited to see the faces on the girls this holiday. Gabby & Lily will now have their first Christmas with THEIR own family. I can’t wait to see all 6 of them unwrapping gifts. Lyndsey will start a full time office job in Jan & go to school at night. She is excited.

As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, let us all not forget He is the reason for this awesome season.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISABELLA FAITH

Well today we celebrate the birth of our youngest princess...Isabella Faith. She is now the BIG 3 yrs old!!! I remember this time 3 yrs ago we were having our family Christmas at my mom and Dad's house in FL, and we had no clue what present our God was about to give us!!!! We are so proud of her birth mother for giving us the joy to be her forever family. She has truely blessed us and made us a family.....

As I sit here and think back over the last 3 yrs of our family, I am at awe of God's presence. HE is such a awesome God. I never thought I would be the mother to, at that time 4 kiddos....and now..........Im a momma to 6!!! Isnt He oh so good!!

So I hope you can all say a little prayer for Bella's birth family as they are in Trinidad and hopefully thinking of this beautiful angel....and happy for her new life. I speak to her about every 6 months and she is so happy she made the right choice and gave Bella the gift of life and a forever family....so here is to you GIRLIE (this is her nickname)........THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!

Sorry I have been MIA......

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

I have so much to post about but not time right now, trying to get dinner going, but did want to post our pics we took of the kiddos for our Christmas picture......here's for your enjoyment......

The Andrews Crew

Christmas luncheon with Daddy!

Well sad to say I totally forgot to take a picture, but today was William's Christmas luncheon at the armory. He had drill today so I got the girls all dressed in one of their Chrismtas outfits and off we headed to see Daddy. Boy were they excited to go eat at Daddy's work. They all did very good. Giovanna never ceases to amaze me....She is not one to try new foods and is VERY picky...she doesnt like too many sweets either but today was the day for new things....

She ate: pulled pork, pickles (and wanted more might i add), baked beans and CAKE! These are ALL things she would NEVER eat.............but today she ate them all and wanted MORE PLEASE! Im so glad she is finally seeing that there is other good things to eat out there other thatn just BREAD! LOL

When we got home, the girls played and Bella took her nap. When William got home, I took the 3 older girls outside for a quick walk, the day was gorgeous. Lyndsey walked with us too! They all love their big sister....and Brother!

Tomorrow is preschool for them all so we are all off to bed!