Awards.......

Awards... and more Awards!!!! The boys had a great year in school! We are so proud of them!

Jordan received 4 awards yesterday. Along with A/B Honor Roll and this was his first year he had perfect attendance! This was Jordan's first year of Middle School. Way to go Jordan!!!!!
1. Science Award
2. Family and Consumer Science
3. Reading Achievement
4.Community and Service

Josiah's Awards: (4th Grade)

1. A/B Honor Roll

2. Awana Award (at church)

Josiah only missed 4 days of school from when he went to Guatemala with me to pick up Lilee. He would have had perfect attendance too! Way to go Josiah!

Joel Awards: (1st grade)

1. He made great grades this year! ( if 1st grade had A /B honor roll he would have made it too!)

2. He had perfect Attendance for the 2nd year in a row!

3. Awana Award (at church)

4. He also made Terrific Kid last month!

Way to go Joel!!!!!

Sara Ava:

1. Awana Award( at church)

2.Most helpful in Awana's (at church)

Good job Sara Ava!

Kids singing at their Awana Awards on Wed. night. Sara Ava is at the end in the bright green. Josiah is in the middle top row with the aqua shirt.

Josiah with his Awana's group.


Joel receiving his Awana Award.

Schools Out.....

Schools Out .... Teacher And The Monkey's Out.....


Joel is one happy boy that school is out! Today was their last day. For their treat once we get the house cleaned up , lunch ate, and naps taken I am taking them to the pool. Notice Joel's hair no faux hawk in the first picture the 2nd he has one. He had to go fix his hair. Hee Hee!

The Joy's Of Potty Training!

I have been sticking Lilee on the potty the last few days before her bath. Last night she went Pee Pee for the first time. Jordan was so excited about it he had to give her candy!

Her favorite part is getting the toilet paper ready.


Waiting patiently waiting for her bath water to be ready.

We had a bad day yesterday. Since we do not have a kitchen right now we have to eat out alot. After I had taken the kids out to eat, while we were trying to get into the house Josiah bumped into Sara and made her fall and scrape her knee. As I was unlocking the door I heard screaming. So I ran to see if she was ok. When I got her to stop crying , I asked Siah to give her a hug and tell her he was sorry and he did. As I turned my back to throw something into the trash outside I heard a loud thud and then everyone started screaming. Josiah was carring Lilee into the house, (because our front step is to big for her short little legs) Jordan opened the door into them and Lilee went flying out of his arms. Jordan caught her leg on the way down but she hit her head in the edge of the concrete step and scrapped her arm. Lets just say my heart stopped. By the time I threw everything downI ran to get her she had a huge knot on her head already. I held ice on her head for a while ,Josiah felt so bad that he wanted to take over and then Jordan sat on the couch with her and watched TV holding ice on her head. All the kids hoovered over her all night long. Even after they went to bed Josiah kept getting up asking me if I am checking on her. He felt so bad! I explained to them why we had to watch her so closely and what can happen. She still has a nice size bump on her head but it looks alot better then last night. I was ready to take her to the hospital if I saw any head injury signs but she did ok. She was crying a little in her sleep last night but I woke her up several times checking her and watching her eyes. She start running around the house last night before bed acting her old self. But she kept saying SCAREY SCAREY! I guess she heard mommy saying it Scared the life out of me!

Joel said," it must of made her smarter because she pee peed in the potty last night."

CELL PHONE FUNDRAISER

Just wanted to remind everyone about our Cell Phone and Empty Ink Cartridges Fundraiser will end on June 5th. So if you have any old Cell Phones or Empty Ink Cartridges you would like to donate or just want to get rid of and do not know what to do with please let me know. All funds raised will go to pay on our Adoptions.

Only 1 week left!!! Please Pray that more will come in this week. Please ask your family, friends, co-workers anyone you know. Thank you all!!!

You can leave a comment here or you can e-mail me at karlton5@juno.com.

Jordan's Birthday...

Jordan's Indiana Jones Cake


Jordan's cake lite up. The boys said it was the Temple of Doom torches .

Make a wish and blow out your candles.

Our crew and Cali and Curtis playing basketball before his slumber party.

HAPPY 12TH B/D JORDAN!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH! YOU ARE A GREAT SON AND A GOOD BIG BROTHER !WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!! YOU HAVE HAD A GREAT YEAR IN YOUR 1ST YEAR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOUR WONDERFUL GRADES AND AWARDS YOU HAVE EARNED THIS YEAR! (FAMILY I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS PICTURE OF JORDAN THIS IS THE ONE YOU ALL WILL BE GETTING OF JORDAN THIS YEAR. I TOOK THIS AT MAGNOLIA PLANTATION, LET ME KNOW WHAT SIZE OR SIZES YOU WANT.)


THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN ON OUR FAMILY VACATION IN APRIL IN CHARLESTON, SC.

JORDAN BEING PUNISHED ON A PLANTATION. NOT REALLY! THE KIDS ALL HAD TO HAVE THEIR PICTURES MADE IN THIS!

Please Pray For Steven Curtis Chapman's Family!

Their 5 yr. old daughterMaria ( the youngest of the 3 girls adopted from China) was hit by the car of her teenage brother yesterday in their driveway, and did not survive. Please pray for this family especially the brother! This will be a very hard time for this family!

This family has helped so many people be able to adopt with Shoahannah's Hope. They are the reason Lilee is with our family today!

CHECK OUT MY CLOTHES FOR MISSIONS BLOG!

I have a new post on there and have updated the things that were sold and Lowered the donation prices. The clothes are the 3rd post down.

http://clothesformissions.blogspot.com/

NEW CLOTHES WILL BE POSTED AS SOON AS A FEW MORE ITEMS SALE!

The Latest update on Willy.....

is on my ministry blog. http://loveforthechildren.blogspot.com/
Please keep praying that we meet the amount needed soon!
We are almost there!

Lilee's New Do!

LIKE IT???

I thought this would be a great laugh for you all today!

We are more then 1/2 way there!!!!!!!

I have had $600 pledged to help Willy! We are more then 1/2 there in helping Willy get his Guardianship to stay with his foster family forever! Then there will be one less orphan in Guatemala!!!! What a happy day that will be!! Please keep praying !!!!!! I could not do this with out your prayers, donations, and your voice in helping Willy!!!!! But we still need $460.

If you would like to help Willy get his Guardianship you can send me a e-mail at karlton5@juno.com

Willy needs your prayers!!!!!!!

The lawyer I hired to do Willy's Guardianship is starting on it tomorrow (Thursday). He says he can do this in about 2 weeks.
Which is a huge praise!!!!!!!!! But.... I have to come up with $500 by Monday to wire to him!
It will cost me $30 to wire the money both times. So now I will only be able to give a little bit!
I have had a few people to say they will give a donation, but I do not know how much. "PLEASE Dear Lord Please send help fast for Willy!!!!!! You ask us to take care of the orphans giving them Food, and clothing and to protect them fromt he bad of the world and that is what I am trying to do." James 1:27, Duet. 10:18

It would truly be awesome to help help there be one less orphan in the world. Especially in Guatemala right now! Where my heart is.

If your heart is in Guatemala and you have wanted to help out the children left behind that can not be adopted then here is your chance. I am trying to help Willy's foster family get permanent
guardianship of him until he is 18.

You can read more on my ministry blog http://loveforthechildren.blogspot.com/

If you are interested in Helping save Willy please leave a comment here or e-mail me at karlton5@juno.com

May God Bless you all!!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY 2008!

First of all I want to say Happy Mothers Day to our moms!!!!!!!!!! We LOVE YOU !!!!!!!!


This is an extremely happy Mothers Day for me this year! This is the first year that all my kids are home and under one roof! Here are some recent pictures of me w/ my kids.

April 2008 Family Vacation



Easter 2008. Jordan took this picture , he is the only one missing from this picture.

I had a wonderful mothers day! Sara Ava, Joel, Jordan , and Karlton all made me cards. Joel made me breakfast yesterday morning because this morning was muffins for moms at church. Friday Karlton and kids took me out for my dinner Friday night to Red Lobster! MMMMM!! I also get to go flower shopping today!!! (For outside flowers)

PRAYERS NEEDED!

Please check out my ministry blog, I have exciting news!! But we need your prayers!
http://loveforthechildren.blogspot.com/

If you read my blog and you have a blog of your own would you please consider posting my ministry blog and asking prayer for Willy? Pray that I raise the $1,000 needed for the Guardianship and that the lawyer will be able to do it in the amount of time he said he could do it in. It would be very much appreciated and a huge blessing!!!!!

Please check out how I am trying to raise money for my Mission trip!

I just created a blog to get rid my kids clothes that they have grown out of to raise the money for my upcoming mission trip to Guatemala this summer. I am asking donations for these items.

I have boys size 5 jeans 1 pr. for now, and little girls size 12-18 mo. and size 4 shoes.

Check it out at http://clothesformissions.blogspot.com/

Please pass this on to people you know with little girls!

Our Guate Tot get together ...

Saturday I put together a get together for families that have adopted from Guatemala that live in NC and SC. These are all people that I chat with on the Guatemala adoption forum. 19 turned out. 8 Guates, and 11 of their family members. We meet at the new furbished mall beside of Carowinds. It is a Latin themed mall called Fiesta Plaza. It was a really neat place. But the coolest part of the mall is the giant play ground. The reason we came here!! The kids had a blast.
We all had a really great time getting to know each other! It is so nice to know there are people who have gone through experiences you have.

The monsterous play ground. Look hard you will see Jordan and Lilee at the top.

Sara Ava having a good time playing.

A group shot of all the Guate tots together, minus one he left early. Yes these are all girls!

All the kids that came, minus the 2 youngest. The big brothers and sister got in on this one.

Another group shot. It was hard to get all the kids in a picture.. This picture was missing Josiah, and the 2 littlest ones.

Sitting patiently waiting for the play ground to open to the public.

Sara Ava made an instant new best friend! Chloe!!! They were hugging and holding hands the whole time. I think they must be kindred spirits! They were tooo cute!

Sweet baby Maria! Maria I sure enjoyed holding you!

There were even clowns there!

Sara Ava and sweet little Austin.

2 Cute sisters!!! Breanna and Madison. They are not twins.

Sara Ava and Breanna. I think they looked alike!

Chloe, Lilee , and Sara Ava. Poor Lilee really stuck out. She did not look like any of Guates. I guess I will need to have an American adoption play date for her. No one could believe she was from Guatemala. They thought she looked like me and then after they meet Karlton then they all agreed she looked like her daddy. It was so nice to meet you all Teresa, Sophia, Dawn,Katelyn and the 2 daddies who came too! I am looking forward to the next get together this summer!

FFF #13

I am finally back to doing my FFF's. I am calling this one "Oh Deer!"

We went to the petting Zoo at the Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, SC. I heard Joel say,"mom take a picture". When I looked up this is what I saw. I sure was surprised!!!

Then the deer started jumping over the fence to us. How cool is that!

They came right up to us checking us out. The sniffed my camera.....

Licked Karlton's legs....nibbled on Sara Ava's sweater...

got into my purse ......

Then ate my hair well actully ripped my hair out!!!!!! Joel said it was because my hair looked like hey. " Ouch!!" After that I was over the dear!

Last but not least a picture of mommy and all her kiddies at the pier in Charleston, SC.

Singing Praises today!

First of all the Dr. called this morning to say the girls blood work looks good so far!! But are still running more test. But a huge praise Sara Ava's iron is finally back to normal. After a few months of testing her it was running low a few times. It is were it needs to be. I was able to up her complete vitamin to a whole one. So I think with that plus the girl loves her Spinich Salad that was the key!

Next I wanted to let everyone know we are off to a good start with our cell phone and empty cartridge fundraiser. My dear friend Lynn and her husband own a computer repair company and donated alot of ink cartridges. And a lot of sweet people I have never even meet before (from the Guatemala adoption forum that I am a member of) have contacted me saying they have phones or cartridges they want to send me. Is God awesome or what!!!

I am praying that we do have a sucessful fundraiser to help us pay down our huge adoption debt! Please continue that pray with us that people will continue to donate their unwanted recyclables!