The Wolf and the Moose!

A couple of weeks ago we were looking forward to seeing a presentation about wolves at the nearby Community College. Sierra loves animals so we thought this would be fun. It turned out to be the day that we lost our dear friend Grace and at first I wasn't sure I wanted to go. But Sierra was excited and I knew that we should still go. My son Paul and his girlfriend Jenn met us there. They were raffling off a few things, one of which was a HUGE stuffed moose!!! You couldn't choose what to win but I knew Sierra wanted that moose and Dad was hoping against hope that she didn't (Not that he is mean, he just is realistic to how much space we have) but he bought the tickets anyway. After a very interesting and informative presentation they pulled the ticket for the moose and....you guessed..Sierra won it!! It was worth everything to see the smile on her face. Now... this moose is living in her room. During the day he is in her crib and at night he sits on the floor. It takes up a good portion of her room and I can barely lift it to move it. Eventually it will have to find a new space but we are enjoying it right now!!!

Atka, an Arctic wolf

Sierra and her very large moose!!!

These are some Thanksgiving pictures!!

My kids with their Aunt Deb

Aunt Deb Sierra Aunt Beth

Dancing fun!
Cousins decorating cookies

Scott and his brother Steve making potatoes at the firehouse for the Community Thanksgiving dinner!

Just a cutie!!

Nothing like family at Thanksgiving
Sierra and PopPop

PopPop and the grandkids

Thank you all!

Thank you all so much for your kind words and prayers over the last week. It has been a difficult time but I felt the love and support from those who emailed me and left comments on the blog. Grace's family is an inspiration to all who have seen them this last week. Their hearts are broken but they are comforted knowing that Grace is with Jesus. They are going ahead with the adoption that they started last spring. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this tough time. We are blessed to know them and call them friends. I am having a hard time coming to terms with it all but my family and friends are helping with that also.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!! We are so incredibly blessed this year. We have jobs ( and I am able to take a leave!!), we have our health, my older children are all nearby and we have our precious Sierra home with us where she belongs!!! The other day she watched an airplane fly over head and she said "Daddy, Daddy, there is another little girl coming home!!!" ( No lie, its really what she said! ) We are only hoping it was true!!!

A Celebration of Grace!!!

Today we celebrated Grace's life!! In a small country church in our tiny, rural community we remembered the little girl who had touched so many of our lives in such a short amount of time. We listened as her family shared with us the profound love they had for their daughter. And we listened as they spoke of God's grace and the love they have for Him. We all witnessed the the unshakable faith of this family who has suffered a loss so horrific we can not really imagine it. But with God's grace and the knowledge that their sweet Grace is in the loving arms of Jesus, they will get through tomorrow and all the tomorrows after that until they once again are all together.

For me it was an affirmation of a faith that is fairly new to me. But I am grateful for the love that was prevalent in that small white church. The slide show of her life with her Mom, Dad and brother and sister, the stories that people shared, and the words of her grandfathers and father, helped to start the healing process.And when it was over we all sung...what else...Amazing Grace!!

Our family will never forget Grace. We only have to look at our Sierra and we will remember. If it were not for Grace, Sierra would not be a part of our family. Thank you sweet Grace, your spirit and grace live on!!

Grace and Sierra on October 23, 2009

Very Difficult Day!

This has been one of the most difficult days I have ever faced. Our friends lost their dear little girl Grace due to bacterial menengitis. She was 5. She was sick for only 3 days. Grace was adopted from China and was the main reason we made the final decision to start our adoption journey.. I had kept a photo of Grace on our refrigerator during the entire process. She was our inspiration. After January the photo was replaced with one of Sierra and Grace. Just a few weeks ago we attended a Harvest Moon Celebration Dinner with Grace and her family. They are devastated!!Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. They are a family of great faith and I know they will somehow get through this if only for the sake of their other 2 children. Our hearts are broken into tiny little pieces and are struggling with how to best help our friends. I know I can count on you all to pray for them. Thank you!

Surgery a sussess!!!

Thumbs up and her thumb is perfectly straight!!!

Thursday we went to the Dr's. to have Sierra's cast off. It wasn't a hard cast so no sawing had to be done. Sierra was still a little nervous and hid her arm and would not let the Dr. look at it. So he sat down in a chair and waited until she was ready. He really was amazing with her and this procedure has been such a positive experience. He cut it with scissors and let her peel away all the gauze. Scott and I were both a little shocked when we saw the incision. It went almost all the way around the base of the thumb. Sierra tells everyone she got a new thumb and that IS what it looks like! Any way as you can see she can do thumbs up now and its nice and straight!! So she is done, no therapy needed. He said kids just automatically start using it again and she has!!