Can you spare less than $1 per day?

Please go to Bringing Hope to Children (link in my sidebar) and see if you can't spare less than $1 per day to help feed, clothe, and care for these children. This is the fundraising branch of the IAAP adoption agency, and their two centers in Siping and Changchun (Jilin province) provide special care for orphans whose needs are too great for their orphanages. You can see what a difference their care has made in such a short time for this sweet boy, Zhang Qi.

One Year Ago Today

It was one year ago today, February 13, 2007, that we first saw our daughter, Ellie Tian's face. She was just a baby in the photos we saw...7 months old, in fact, although she was at that point already 18 months old. We would then wait until July 2007 to see any updated, more recent photos. She was such a beautiful baby! It is amazing to think back over this past year, and all the events leading up to Ellie joining our family. She truly has been in our hearts since this day last year, and then the agency confirmed that she would be ours the next day, Valentine's Day.

And then...God sovereignly placed her in our arms on September 2, 2007.She is such a feisty, spicy girl, who feels everything, both joy and anger, with a passion that belies her 2.5 years. Her smile is as big as the ocean and her hugs are as tight as can be. We are so blessed, and I am so thankful for my daughter, Tian Elaine Angela.

Not exactly what I had in mind!

I thought I'd inspire the girls to want to use the potty by getting them Pull-ups, but they believe this is a better use for them.

This is so not what I had in mind!

I'm convinced that one of the fundamental differences between men and women is the need for Armor All. My dh thinks this stuff is great...makes his car all slick and shiny. He makes sure he gets the inside of his car detailed with it every time he gets it cleaned.

I, on the other hand, loathe the stuff. It leaves a tacky residue (if they were polite enough to wipe all of it off) or even worse, a full-on sticky mess, which makes it hard to grasp your steering wheel. And forget about the space where your door handle is. You just know you're gonna need at least three baby wipes to get that offensive stuff off your hand and out from under your fingernails. I can't even switch the radio station without a smear of that stuff being left on my finger. Blech!

Rant over!

These are my some of my greatest blessings...Clay, Ellie, Mary, Annie, and Sam.