“How wonderful it is that nobody needs to wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
- Anne Frank
Andrea Roberts, Executive Director
"By raising money to offer adoption grants on waiting children, we are able to give adoptive families the extra financial help they need to bring a child with Down syndrome home from a miserable existence in overseas orphanages.... These children are viewed as outcasts with no ability to learn or be functional members of society. They languish in mental institutions, hidden away from the world in shame....There is no shortage of families wishing to adopt children with Down syndrome, only a shortage of funds to do so!"
The entire top half of one of the two trees in my front yard fell into the street. THANKFULLY no damage was done. 
This picture is looking from the back of the house. Can you see the little bit left on top of the tree?
These two little pumpkins were growing on this huge vine right outside my front door. It was a fun surprise. I loved seeing them there. I cut them off today and pulled out the vine. It was so big! It spanned my entire drive way! The pumpkins sure were nice to look at but I am glad to have that thing out of the way of the front walk.
Ok. So that is my only other fall decoration. :) I'm planning on shopping the clearance section when the season is over. 
This is seriously cute! Anna woke up early one morning in the motel. I took her into my room and we played "It's too cold, shut it." I let her open the window a little and then told her to shut it. (It was cold outside.) At the very beginning of the video she is making faces because she thinks I am going to take a picture. I LOVE how she says "I can't." Towards the middle Abigail surprises us with a BOO. SO so cute.
Abigail tries to "talk like that." Anna makes a funny joke.
I could watch these all day! I love those girls!
"My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean"
I have no idea why this shot looks so crazy! Watch the video. It's way better.
future singer??
Can you tell that these are circular earrings on Abigail? A friend of my mom gave Anna her own box of bandaids. She LOVED them.
Her back side was wiggly like a puppy until I turned on the camera. Grr, that's a video I would have loved to have. :)
So remember when I said I couldn't take pictures or movies of Anna because she would stop what ever she was doing when the camera turned on? Yeah.
She was playing very nicely by herself and I tried to take some footage of normal life. She had just asked for help putting the shoes back on.
At least she said "Thank you" so nicely. I love that she said "Thank you" unprompted so often. I LOVE her! Even if I couldn't get any movies of her.
Random dancing.
Here is a video of me making Anna do something so she could watch it.
She turned her bow to the back. Don't you know that is the newest thing??
Our first night in the motel we let the girls jump on the beds.
She was jumping like a crazy woman until I pulled the camera out. (This will become a theme for the week. Anna will do something cute until I pull out the camera. It makes a chime when it is turned on and to her that meant stop what you were previoulsy doing.)
Then she started this falling thing. Goofy girl!
This book spoke to me in many, many ways. It really touched me deeply.
I did not read this book but I believe I can recommend it based on how much I loved Captivating.
No, I won't be looking at referral pictures of my new niece. Not yet anyway. (Haha! Just kidding ! I don't know anything about Grace adopting again.) This is what that looked like.
July 11, 2008. Looking at pictures of Anna for the very first time.
Awww, isn't she so cute!! First time in a shopping cart, reaching out to be picked up and held. Um, yeah. Anna does reach out to be picked up (or rescued from the cat (check out the video in this post), or to give hugs or to get raspberried) but this is not that.
To the cross I look,
Here she is in an outfit that my sister sent for her. She is 16 months now. We are so excited for my sister, mom and niece (um..older niece) to be traveling to Ethiopia in mid-September.
I rocked and rocked and rocked and cuddled and cuddled. I sat and watched the sun come up. I thanked God for my night and for the things He is showing me. I REALLY enjoyed it.
For those nights I am very grateful.
Prior to the walk we were allowed on the field!! I'm not a huge sports fan but this was pretty cool.
The walk also took us past the Field Museum. I really need to get downtown more. It is a shame that I don't enjoy it more seeing as I live so close.
The majority of the walk was along the lake front. We didn't get any pictures of that at all even though it was beautiful. We were so busy walking and trying to keep warm. Thankfully, we all made it.
I love lilacs! I only wish I could capture the smell. Thank you God for everything You have created around us. I love You, Lord.
I saw this bird in the window for a few weeks but didn't realize she was sitting on eggs until the other day. This window is right outside the front door of my apartment. Almost every time I leave or return I look at her. She is always sitting there alert looking around. I have never seen her away from her nest. (Until today when I scared her by opening the blinds to take a picture...oops!) I have been thinking about her for a little while now. She just sits there on her nest. Day in and day out. Just sitting. Does she feel lonely? Does she feel bored? How would I ever manage in that situation? I thought of how bored I would be sitting and sitting. How lonely I would feel. After a while I realized that this bird is only doing what she has been made to do. She doesn't know anything else. This is her life. She is where she is supposed to be, doing what she is supposed to be doing.
How have I missed that in my life? I do believe I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing, but I don't always feel content with where I am. I am often lonely and bored. I wish for a husband and children. I wish for a different life. But after studying that bird for days I am trying to be more content with where I am. This is what God has created me to do at this time. This is my life and it is only my selfish desires that keep me from being fulfilled in this place.
Today was the first time I saw the papa bird. I wasn't looking for him before. I was focused on the plight of the mama bird. Today as I drove home with my two bags of groceries, I saw him.
Do you see him there? He is on the look out. Mama is in the window near the pole and there he is. Protecting her, watching over her. How could she be lonely? He is there. He is not right there next to her but it is even better. He is watching out over her. She might not even be able to see him at all times but he is there. He has not left her. He is right there to meet her needs. (I know this because guess who showed up when I frightened mama away with the blinds.)
