South Carolina & Pennsylvania

Here we are in SC with Grandat & Dusie & Uncle Ronnie

GETTYSBURG

A gun-courtesy of Nana..... ;)

Laurel is definately an animal lover

OK John, no complaining about doing hay.... look at these guys!

Lovin' Cherry Crest Farm

An Amish volleyball tournament

Waiting for Thomas

Yummy homeade root beer and jellies!

Amish Buggies

As you can see with the lack of updates, our family has been traveling a bit these last few weeks. We took a trip to SC to see Grandat and Dusie. We had a great time catching up although Laurel got pretty sick with Croup. Hopefully next trip she will be a little more agreeable.

This past weekend we went to PA with Nana & Poppy. Now Noah just LOVES Pennsylvania. And as you can see from the pictures you'll know why. We visited Gettysburg Battlefield, Hershey (Laurel was in heaven!!), Cherry Crest Farm (so much fun for 1 day!!) and Day out with Thomas the Train. I know I've left things out but there was so much to do. Noah was so excited to see Thomas he almost quit breathing! That boy and trains. Laurel was pretty much the same way when we visited the chocolate factory..... a girl after my own heart. I have so many more pictures but not nearly enough computer space for them right now but I'll post more later. Thanks to Nana & Poppy for many new memories made!!

Can you Help??

Sawyer (13xgt, Region 3)

Boy, Born June 2007

• We do not have any formal medical info about this boy, other than he has some mild craniofacial disorder. He has the wispiest blonde hair and beautiful eyes. Full medical info available upon dossier submission.
  2 trips
• • One parent for first trip, about one week
  • Both parents travel for 2nd trip, only 4 days
  • One parent stays behind for 1-3 weeks, depending on whether the 10 day wait is waived
  • No family size restrictions
  • No parental age restrictions
  • Total program and travel fees under $30k
  • Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
  • Married couples and single mothers may apply

Anastasia (4)

Girl, Born June 25, 2009

Anastasia is a sweet girl who was born with arthrogryposis. We are waiting for her medical records, but she clearly has hydrocephaly as well. Hoping to find out if a shunt has been placed yet or not (this pic is from Oct 2009). Anastasia desperately needs a family.

More photos available

Time to show you a few more precious orphans who need a Mama and Daddy. I know these pictures may be shocking & even disturbing to some of you. I am one of those people who sometimes believes that if I don't see the tragedy or injustice that maybe it doesn't really happen. But that is not real life. That point of view isn't even Biblical. This verse has changed both my and Mike's life.... "Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12. Mike & I have had our eyes opened to the plight of orphans in the world. They are living, breathing children just like our own sweet Laurel and Noah who hurt everyday. We long to do more to help this cause and pray for the Lord to show us ways we can help or help others in the process. For now, I can shed a little light on these precious children who need homes and medical attention. Adoption is not an easy process. For some it comes naturally and others not so much. But, it is a Biblical principle. Once again, not everyone is in the position to adopt a child but everyone can do SOMETHING for them. Pray for them daily, support someone who is trying to adopt, anything but let's all do SOMETHING.

As for our little family, we had a wonderful weekend in S.C. with Mike's Dad (Grandat) and his new bride (Dusie). The babies were a bit under the weather (Laurel has Croup) but despite that we had a really fun pool party and loved seeing everyone again. Noah thinks S.C. is a great place to live. I'll have to agree but boy is it hot!! :) We hope to see Grandat and Dusie again soon. My Camera is acting ugly right now so I can't get pictures off of it but will hopefully remedy that soon.
Last night we took the kids to a Mudcats game. One of our dear Reeces Rainbow friends, Jenn, who is adopting Milana had a fundraiser there. Noah now has a love/hate relationship with Muddy the Mudcat. Pics to come soon.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER PRECIOUS GO TO WWW.REECESRAINBOW.ORG

Tookie Monk and Dadat - fishing buddies

Little Miss Priss "going shopping" minus her britches!

Video: Granny hit a deer many months ago but for some reason Noah

is just now talking about it and "reenacting" what he things it sounded like!!

It has been a while since an update here at The Little Red House. Things are better since last week. God is still good and in control. We had a wonderful, uplifting service on Sunday that reminded me that God is still Sovreign and working in peoples lives even in the midst of turmoil and storms.... especially then.

The babies had a busy week. Laurel has good weeks and rough weeks and this seems to be one of those rough weeks filled with tantrums and crankiness. When she's good she's good but when she doesn't feel good WATCH OUT! However, she is doing really good on the language front. In fact, when we went for our speech therapy on Wed. our therapist had met with the Cochlear Implant team about Laurel. They were all in agreement that with her progressing so quickly that they are not even talking Cochlears right now. We'll just keep on doing what we are doing! Praise God for that!!

Noah has become quite the fisherman. He and his Dadat go fishing at the pond a few times a week and Noah can now reel the fish in himself. He just laughs and laughs when he does it. Yesterday, Mike threw a fish back and it jumped back in the boat with Noah. He almost fell out laughing!! He has the best sense of humor and keeps us laughing all the time at the things he says. His newest movie love is "Milo & Otis" and he loves the soundtrack from Oklahoma or as he calls it "Uncle Homer" :0

Nana & Poppy's pool is now open and the kids would stay in it all day if we let them. Laurel wouldn't go in it until she could take ALL her clothes off. We finally figured out that she called it a "bath" and who gets a bath with their clothes on??Funny babies.

TOUGH WEEKEND

Hello All. We've been going through a bit of a rough weekend around here but are thankful for God's faithfulness. Friday afternoon our family friend and worship leader David Carson found out very unexpectedly that he had a brain tumor. It tooks us all by surprise, especially his dear family and we grieved with them. How funny it was when we found out that when his wife actually got the call and said "he has a brain tumor" that Mr. Carson said he was actually excited that he would soon see his Saviour face to face. Oh to have that eternal perspective. He is out of surgery and doing well and has a new blog to chronicle his journey to see his dear Saviour. While we are praying for lots more years with him and his humor, we are content to place his life in God's loving arms. Follow his new blog at http://www.davidccarson.blogspot.com/. Also, that same day Mike's Grandma was taken to the hospital for what is now being said is Pastuerella Pneumonia. I know I didn't spell that right. Anyway, she had a rough start in the hospital but I tell you that woman's tough!! She always puts her trust in the Lord and makes no bones about it. She'll undergo more antibiotics but will hopefully be out of their soon.

Anyway, tough weekend. It all changes your perspective on how short life is and ALL that matters is our relationship with Christ. We appreciate your prayers for these dear people.

Madeline- Reeces Rainbow Orphan

Because Mike & I are not in a position to adopt again right now (even though I would LOVE too), and the fact that I am so grateful to www.reecesrainbow.org in the help of finding Laurel, I have decided to post an orphan that is waiting right now for a mommy & a daddy. I love this little girl and under different circumstances would not hesitate to go and get her. Madeline has a joint condition that is not curable but is not progressive. It is very manageble in the US with therapy and possibly a surgery. There are 147 MILLION orphans in the world. That is 147 million real faces and real children that have no one to tuck them in at night, who may not get enough food and who may never hear about the love of Jesus. I have seen first hand what a little love, nutrition and excercise will do for a child. The transformation of Laurel is absolutely amazing and it breaks my heart to know that she spent her first 2 years of her life with no one to kiss her when she cried. Reeces Rainbow.org is such a great advocate for the orphan. If you can't adopt then consider donating money to their tax deductable grant.
Remember, we are a testiment to God's goodness. We started with $2,000 in our adoption fund and GOD allowed the rest to be raised through a lot of hard work, generous people and an amazing small church! Praise be to God. Don't allow the matter of money to stand in the way of saving one of these children's lives. The majority of disabled children in Madeline's country are placed in institutions at the age of 4 where they are bedridden for the rest of their short lives. There is no way out. Madeline is already over this limit and still in the baby house! Please consider helping one of these angels!! Spread the word.... www.reecesrainbow.org. She is on the "Other Angels" page.
Here is what they say about sweet Madeline!

Please consider Madeline (31)
Girl, Born May 20, 2005
SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!
Madeline is so pretty, and is patiently waiting for her family! She has brown hair and eyes. She was born with arthrogryposis and club feet. From her caregivers: Speaks separate words, begins to speak in phrases, sitting well, eats independently, likes to play, reacts well to adults, very sweet and joyful little girl.
I have $1000 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

Picnics, Mother's Day & Family Reunions

Laurel Pigin' out at the Picnic

Laurel, Nana & Noah playing in the creek Noah & Dadat painted and made this "turtle" and entered it

in Turtlefest

My sweet Snappin Turtles

My mom's side of the family

My Uncle and Grandma

A new way to fish

Teaching Miss Priss how to fish

Yep, he caught fish number 5!!

Aunt Janie Pondering

Some Country Scenery

Sorry for the delay in updating the blog. Busy times. Last weekend we had a wonderful marathon weekend! First, on Saturday we took Nana to the park and had a picnic. Everybody but Mama got in the creek and had a great time. Nana was pretty brave. Then we went to Turtlefest where we saw Noah's "box" turtle he had made and painting and entered in a contest.... for the record he should have won ;)

We all had a great time and got to see some neat things.

On Sunday, Mother's Day, my mom's side of the family met at the family farm to have a Mother's Day reunion of sorts. It is rare that we all can get together and almost everyone was there minus 2 of us. It was a lot of fun and so laid back. We had another picnic and then we all fished for about 3 hours. Noah absolutely loves to fish. We did however get a huge case of sunburn.

I can't believe that this day last May, was when we committed to adopting Laurel on Reeces Rainbow.org. It was such a scary unknown back then but now seems so natural and normal that she is part of our family. What a wonderful Mother's Day it was to know that I had my little boy whom I asked God for, for 1 1/2 yrs and my daughter who we went half way around the world to find. God works in such amazing ways!

Excursions

Look at this squirrel hanging upside down!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you Mother's or Mother's to one day be out there! I love being a Mommy & although Mother's Day is special to remember someone you love, EVERYDAY as a Mommy is special. Not so much easy everyday but special none the less. Thank you Lord Jesus for my wonderful husband and my 2 precious gifts.

We have been going on some excursions here lately thanks to the beautiful weather. We are exploring some local parks and find that there are so many around our area. Who knew that these places existed right off the main road? Last Friday we took the babies to a hiking trail that has a gorgeous boardwalk. I wasn't sure how Laurel would do b/c the hike was about 1 mile with steps but she loved it! So much so that we did it twice that day!! Tonight (Wed.) we took the babies to a park close by the house with a lake. They loved looking at the water and wanted to jump in so bad..... that would NOT be good for Laurel's hearing aids.

Laurel has had a really good week this week. Her language has picked up again and she did great at her speech therapy. It's so funny. Some weeks she seems to have a hard time with tantrums and even sleeping and then the very next week she is back to her old self again and making progress. Little kids minds are so neat to watch develop.

Noah is still the BEST big brother in the world. When Laurel gets upset over something he kisses her and makes her laugh.

I thank God for my life!