I got this on one of the web groups I belong to. It was written by Paul Harvey. Here in Germany many of the parents go "over board" in making it easy for their (often) one child. They try to remove every stone in the path so their little prince or princess doesn't hurt their feet. I think trouble often makes us better people. My oldest daughter has Autism. My second daughter has always had to be more responsible then her years. She (Nicole) is amazingly mature. Adopting our sons has helped to balance Nicole out. She can play more, and laugh more. Her adopted brothers have made her a more rounded person. I guess that is what Paul Harvey is really saying, children need good and bad things to make them well rounded people. This is also my desire for all my princes & princesses. With out the struggle, nothing has any real meaning! But struggle alone does not bring us life!

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them
worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and
homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn
honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the
car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are
sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and
your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister.
And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the
room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because
he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to
tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that
you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask
your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding
with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one
instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and
subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush
on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn
what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove
and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.
And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is
not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa
and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through
your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at
Hannukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your
hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard
work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I
die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.

We secure our friends, not by accepting favors, but by doing them.

Hi, If you have some time then take a look at the following web site. There are many adoption videos. They will have you crying with joy!!! Please take a look...it is worth the time!

Videos

Please pray! I know some of you that read this blog pray. My wonderful mother in law has brain surgery tomorrow (wed German time, Tuesday night in the USA). She has had a problems with tumors in her brain. They are not canorous, but grow faster and faster. This will be the fourth such operation. It may also be the last op, because the tumors just keep growing faster! Please pray for her, her name is Waltrud. Please pray that she is able to wake up from this operation. Also pray that she recovers her speech, and memories. I hope God will bless her with at least two more good years. I would love her to meet Sarah. Thank you for your prayers!

Update- They ran some more tests. They think the operation will last from 12-18 hours. They think they maybe able to remove the whole of the tumors. The main ardery has moved, so they can get bits of the tumor they could not or dare not try to remove before. They plan to wait until next Wednesday to do the operation, because of how much time they think it will take. Please keep praying for her. Things are more hopeful then they had been. Maybe she could actually come through this operation,and not have to worry about the tumors returning. This is so much better then I could have hoped!!! By Gods grace I pray she lives many more good years. She is an amazing women, and I love her so much!

Is this Sarah? What do you think? Same nose, eyes, and big ears.

I just got what I think are two new pictures of Sarah taken by a women that just picked up her son from the same childrens home as Sarah. Wow!!! What a gift! The women who took these photos wrote this about Sarah...
"If you look closely this little girl is trying to figure out what to do with this cheerio I just gave her. A very content little girl.
I gave her a hug and kiss and told her she has a family trying their best to get there as soon as possible.

This little girl was outside playing with the volunteers that come twice a week for 2 hours. She took a whole handful of cheerios that I gave her and shoved them in her pocket. I hugged her and told her her mamma and babba were thinking about her and will be there soon."

I found this photo on some other adoption blog. It is the paper required for an international adoption. We are almost finished with our paper work. I did some more work on Sarahs bedroom today. It is almost finished. I sat for a few hours in an over stuffed chair in her room. I prayed and dreamt about her. In a few months I won't have to dream, because she will be (Lord willing) there in her room! What an amazing thing...to be allowed to be the parent to this beautiful sweet heart. I am so blessed!!!

I am so in love with this boy! Juergen and I have had more then one talk about him. We prayed and prayed for him. We finally decided it would not be right for us to try to adopt him. But I am so glad some wonderful family has finally heard the "call", and Yun Peng will have a family!!!

I love the words to this song. You probably already know it, but maybe not. I have 3 daughters. Two I gave birth to, and one still waiting for me in China. Jessica, my oldest daughter has autism. She does not speak (often). This morning she gave me a wonderful gift. She looked me straight in the eyes and said as clear as day, " Mama, Mama"! I sat down and cried! What sweet words. It has been years since I've heard her speak them.

Artist/Band: Martina McBride
Lyrics for Song: In My Daughters Eyes
Lyrics for Album: Other Songs

In my daughter's eyes, I am a hero.
I am strong an' wise,
And I know no fear.
But the truth is plain to see:
She was sent to rescue me,
I see who I wanna be, in my daughter's eyes.

In my daughter's eyes, everyone is equal,
Darkness turns to light,
And the world is at peace.
This miracle God gave to me,
Gives me strength when I am weak.
I find reason to believe, in my daughter's eyes.

An' when she wraps her hand around my finger,
Oh, it puts a smile in my heart.
Everything becomes a little clearer.
I realise what life is all about.
It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough;
It's givin' more when you feel like givin' up.
I've seen the light: it's in my daughter's eyes.

In my daughter's eyes, I can see the future.
A reflection of who I am,
An' what will be.
An' though she'll grow an', some day, leave:
Maybe raise a family,
When I'm gone, I hope you'll see,
How happy she made me,
For I'll be there, in my daughter's eyes.

I found this on my adoption agencys site, cute!!!

IF AIRLINES SOLD PAINT


First, a reprise of how ordinary hardware stores sell paint.

Customer: Hi. How much is your paint?
Clerk: We have regular quality paint for $12 a gallon and premium
paint for $18. How many gallons would you like?
Customer: Five gallons of regular paint please.
Clerk: Great. That will be $60 plus tax.

Now, imagine you are buying paint from an airline.

First you spend days trying to reach them by phone to ask if they have paint. Nobody answers. So you drive to an airline office.

Customer: Hi. How much is your paint?

Clerk: Well, sir, that all depends on quite a lot of things.

Customer: Can you give me a guess? Is there an average price?

Clerk: Our lowest price is $9 a gallon, and we have 60 different prices up to $200 a gallon.

Customer: What’s the difference in the paint?

Clerk: Oh, there isn’t any difference; it’s all the same paint.

Customer: Well, then I’d like some of that $9 paint

Clerk: When do you intend to use the paint?

Customer: I want to paint tomorrow. It’s my day off.

Clerk: Sir, the paint for tomorrow is the $200 paint.

Customer: When would I have to paint to get the $9 paint?

Clerk: That would be very late at night in about three weeks. But you will have to agree to start painting before Friday of that week and continue painting until at least Sunday.

Customer: You’ve got to be kidding!

Clerk: I’ll check and see if we have any paint available.

Customer: You have shelves FULL of paint! I can see it!

Clerk: Just because you see it doesn’t mean we have it. We sell only
a certain number of gallons on any given weekend. Oh, and by the way, the price per gallon just went to $12. We don’t have any more $9 paint.

Customer: The price went up as we were talking?

Clerk: Yes, sir. We change the prices and rules thousands of times a day, and since you haven’t actually walked out of the store with your paint! yet, we just decided to change. I suggest you get on with your purchase. How many gallons do you want?

Customer: Maybe five gallons. Make that six, so I’ll have enough.

Clerk: Oh no, sir, you can’t do that. If you buy paint and don’t use it, there are penalties and possible confiscation of the paint you already have.

Customer: WHAT?

Clerk: We can sell enough paint to do your kitchen, bathroom, hall and north bedroom, but if you stop painting before you do the bedroom, you will be in violation of government tariffs.

Customer: What does it matter whether I use all the paint? I already paid you for it!

Clerk: We make plans based upon the idea that all our paint is used, every drop. If you don’t, it causes us all sorts of problems.

Customer: This is crazy!! I suppose something terrible happens if I don’t keep painting until after Saturday night!

Clerk: Oh yes! Every gallon you bought automatically becomes the $200 paint
.
Customer: To heck with that! I’ll buy what I need somewhere else!

Clerk: But where you want to paint we are the only paint supplier! And don’t go looking for bargains! All paint stores have the same rules. Thanks for painting with our airline. Next!

"Few of us can do great things, but all of us can do small things with great love."

- Mother Teresa

I just bought this bed for Sarah's room (on e-bay of course). We just moved Nicole into the boys old room. Now I can start getting Sarah's room ready. It is starting to feel more real! I do not really care for the pink head and foot boards on the bed. I think I will have my daughter Nicole paint them with butterflies and flowers. Nicole is almost 13 years old & the best artist in her class!

..Before The Dawn
from Tom Fisher

It’s early in the morning
Two hours before the light
I look around to see who’s there
No one is in sight.

I set both baskets by the gate
Kneeling to the ground
Tying my shoe, I say good-bye
I know you will be found.

Standing up I look once more
Up and down the street
My hand picks up one basket
The task is now complete.

Please don’t cry my darling
Let me walk away
My heart remains there with you
Until my dying day.

Hi, I am reading a blog called Hearts of Hope. This amazing family adopted 7 children (four are from Ethiopia). Anyway, she just wrote a short piece about being a super mom. I love the piece, and thought you might too. I am no way near a super mom! I do nothing perfect! I do love my children, and want so much to teach them what they need to be strong and noble people. I hope my children will love God, love them selves, and really make an impact on the world around them. I hope they are faithful to use their gifts and talents. I hope the live full and fulfilling lives. I hope they have peace and are loved!

that address is

http://heartsofhopeadoption.blogspot.com/

Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.
Les Brown

Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead."
Les Brown

"Live out of your imagination instead of out of your memory."
Les Brown

"Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones."
Les Brown

my personal favorite..."Shoot for the moon.
Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
Les Brown

Get your ideas on paper and study them.
Do not let them go to waste!"
Les Brown

Les Brown is truly an inspiration! He had no formal education past high school. What he did have was persistence and determination. He was born in a low-income area of Miami, Florida. Les and his twin brother were adopted when they were six weeks old. Ms. Maime Brown, a single parent , who had little education become his mom. Here is a man who truly has achieved success!

Hi,I just watched the most heart warming story about a single man who adopted a boy with CP. I think you can watch it at this address. The story is called "War creates a family".
http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/glenn.beck/index.html

I was not there the first time you laughed.
I missed the first bottle, I missed the first bath.
I did not witness your first steps.
Your growing so big without me.
I hope I will be there to teach you to trust.
You'll learn to speak my mother tongue.
You won't be adopted when you're young
but you'll know the love of a family.
God has not forgotten every tear
you have cried alone my waiting child.
And I have not forgotten that you are there.
My days would be empty without you.

How can you tell the difference between a need and a call? Sometimes the need is the call...but sometimes not! There is a 7 year old boy on our adoption agencys waiting list. His name is Yun Peng. He is living with a foster family, he is smart, and very good! I have a real burden for this boy. I have been trying hard to get him a family. I pray for him it seems nearly every waking hour. I can not think of anything else right now. His file will be returned to China next week. His chances of getting a family are to be honest very very small! Who, after all would adopt a 7 year old boy, when they could easily get a 2 year old boy, or 1 year old girl even? My agency says they could even try to get China to give us a waiver, so we could adopt him. Juergen, being the one who must consider sanity, says "no". How can we know if my burden is only a burden to pray, or a call to adopt him. Certainly God could not only call me, with out also giving Juergen this call too! I am praying for Yun Pengs family. My heart will be so sad if they return the file of this special special boy!

I read this letter on one of the yahoo adoption web groups. She wrote that I could forward it to anyone who might be blessed by it. I am blessed by how God can surprize us, and provie all that we need! If you need some of Gods provision, maybe this will bless you!

Dear Friends and Family;

We wanted to share something that happened to us - yesterday we were blessed
beyond our imagination!

Yesterday morning (Mother's Day) we were worshipping at church and halfway
through our Pastor's message, one of the ushers came and put a gift down next to
us in an empty seat. She motioned to us that it was indeed intended for us and
disappeared. As we weren't expecting a gift,and the timing of it was very
unusual (during service)- we were a bit confused. It was a lovely wrapped pink
package-topped off with a huge pink cascading bow. I thought it was probably a
thank you from someone Bruce had recently helped- he is a 'giver' and is always
blessing someone ;-) The fact that it was wrapped in pink was a bit
baffling...but I leaned over and peaked under the large bow, indeed it did say
in large letters, Kimmie and Bruce ! Hmmm, interesting indeed! I refocused and
continued in worship-we carried the package out and on our way home, as Bruce
was driving I opened the card. On the front was a beautiful arch covered with
roses...a beautiful old door~an entrance, which was covered with a climbing
rose, blooming in full pink blossoms..the card said...

We cannot know what lies beyond the door....

(inside)...but we can open it,and face the challenges
knowing we have the support of people who love us.

handwritten in beautiful cursive was written;

Psalm 37:4-7


As I had my bible with me, I quickly looked up the passage....
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the
dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.


Now, here's where it became very emotional and where my family began to
think I was losing it. The card was unsigned, so still we didn't know who had
gone to so much trouble for us... I opened the box and inside found a beautiful
silver music box which was edged in a pattern of gold....on the top~ a picture
of a garden, heavily ladened with roses, wisteria ...meticulously cared
for...roses are climbing over the entrance-which is an arbor connected to a
fence in which hearts cutouts enclose and encircle the garden. ..it say:

God has written these three words on the heart of each of
us:
Faith. Hope.
Love

I opened the music box (which by the way plays "What a friend we have in Jesus")
and inside was a bank check for ...

$10,000!!!

My family thought I was having a heart attack-as I couldn't even get the
words out to say how much the check I was holding was for! Guess I made some
REALLY interesting faces and sound effects (glad they didn't have a video camera
;-)

Now for some of you, you may not know, but this is our third adoption
(Guatemala) and really we are totally trusting God for our finances. We have
told the adoption agency that we feel God has told us that there will be more
than one joining our family. This increases the expense-and though we are not
worried- we have been waiting on God to make a way. When we signed up with our
agency (All God's Children International) we only contracted for one child, as
we didn't have the money to commit to a second, but asked that it would be noted
in our file, and our paperwork would be worded for "2"~in case God did have
plans for a larger family.

There are a few people in our church that know of the journey we are on-
that have stood with us in prayer and support as we go on this wonderful,and at
times long, journey that God has us on. We are currently #7 and are awaiting
our referral phone call. I am sure you will hear us screaming with JOY soon-
;-) It maybe one son coming, but perhaps God has MORE! Anyway you slice
it, we are totally pumped up and feel like race horses being held at the gate!

Thank you all for allowing sharing our AWE and JOY- we are still in a state
of shock! Over and over again yesterday Bruce and I would say, "$10,000!"
-"$10,000!!!" I could hardly sleep last night, for feeling overwhelmed, loved,
and totally covered by the very hand of God!


We may never know this side of heaven, who has blessed us in such a huge
way. But our prayers are that this person/persons, who have followed the Lord's
leading~ will be blessed beyond measure -the windows of heaven opened up over
their lives! We are blessed beyond measure! I hope I have captured our
amazement and joy and have pointed all of you to God for the glory. It is He
who has done this, and it is God who desires all of our praise! Our hearts
desire is to serve him and bring him Glory!


Our hearts are WAY full-our minds can't even begin to conceive what God has
done, we just wanted to share ~well basically so we wouldn't implode out of
keeping something so amazing to ourselves! :-) Thank you for joining us in
rejoicing ...and for continuing to press into prayer for us (and our children!)
as we continue to run the race to which He has called us.




In His arms;
Kimmie
~Bruce~Bella~Lacianna~ and Tia Comollo


ps-Please feel free to forward our letter to whom ever you think may be blessed
by it. We are totally blown away by God's goodness!

Well, it was like night and day! I had my new medical exam today. This time I went to Juergen's doctor. His staff was super friendly. They treated me like gold! I was in and out of the office in 45 mins. with all the tests run. the lab work is done in 3 days, and the report will be finished next week! Wow!!! Hopefully everything is normal on my lab work. I was so stressed and worried over this medical exam! The last doctor made me feel like a criminal because I wanted this report! I feel so happy to have finished this small hurdle. I am hoping to apply for the visa on Friday. In a few weeks our papers should be ready to send to China. Praise God for this wonderful doctor!!!

A friend of mine just sent me this. I thought it was cute, so I am posting it.


THE MOMMY TEST
I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She
picked up
something off the ground and started to put it in
her mouth. I took
the item away from her and I asked her not to do
that.
"Why?" my daughter asked.
"Because it's been laying outside, you don't know
where it's been,
it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total
admiration and
asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?"
"Uh," ...I was thinking quickly,"All moms know this
stuff. It's on
the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't
let you be a Mommy."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but
she was
evidently pondering this new information.
"OH...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass
the test you
have to be the daddy."
"Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face
and joy in my
heart.


I have my medical exam next week. I also need to go to Frankfurt to apply for our visa. I wanted to take my medical report with me, but I think I will just go and get the visa started. Hopefully it will go faster if I open a visa file, and send the missing paperwork when I get it. We are going to be waiting for another 2--4 months for travel approval. I am a bit depressed about having to wait, but I am fighting to have a good attitude. I am dreaming about our trip. Right now, we are talking about taking the whole family, and even stopping in Thailand before we go to China. Both our son's where adopted from Thailand. We feel like it would be good for them to see Thailand again, and keep processing their own life stories. Thailand is a great place for us to relax, and really enjoy being together as a family. I think it will be stressful bringing in a 3 year old Chinese girl. It will take a great deal of love, and care from Juergen and I. We will probably not have much time for the other 4 children. This is why we want to spend some quality time with the other 4 children before we get Sarah. Any way, this is our dream. Only God knows what will actually happen in the next 4 or so months. Today we dream, but it is really only a dream for now!

"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit" -Helen Keller

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."
Helen Keller


"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."
Helen Heller

"Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. "
Helen Keller

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart."
Hellen Keller

Helen Keller was born in 1880 and died in 1968. A high fever made her both deaf and blind. Anne Sullivan taught her to sign and read braille.

Last night Juergen was at church. I was at my computer trying to figure out how to add music to my Israel slide show. The boys wanted to suprize me by making dinner. They told me not to come down stairs until it was finished. When I did come, I had to walk down stairs with my eyes closed! When I opened my eyes I saw the table set nicely. There was a stack of under cooked toast, and butter, jam, honey, cold cuts and cheese on the table. They had also made a small cucumber and tomato salad they were most proud of. We would save the salad for dessert. I sat down to dinner, and Philip insisted on praying. He thanked God for the meal, and for the good work they had done! They wanted to light the candles, and so we did. I was so proud of my sons for making me dinner. When it was over,Thomas pulled out a calculator, and said I owed them a Euro, that is about $1.24. I thought they had given me a gift, but the where excited to earn some money. I told them I was not going to pay them for everything they did, but gave them each a Euro. Well, this morning Juergen got up and went to the baker for fresh bread. It is a holiday (labor day) in Germany. I hear the boys down stairs saying "hurry, let's set the table." They have gone into business together!