NEW PHOTOS OF CIARA!

These five photos were just posted in a group that I belong to. They were posted by a family who were just in China who got to take some pictures inside the orphanage. This was an absolutely fantastic surprise as China wasn't letting people visit the orphanages as of late because of the Swine Flu scare. Isn't Ciara just adorable? Again, look at those cheeks!! She is the one in the green outfit. In fact, we sent her that outfit a couple months ago along with some others. Roger noticed that her shoes that we also sent were on the wrong feet so she's going to fit in with this family just fine! lol Only 16 more days until China and 20 days until I finally get to hold this precious little girl and kiss those puffer cheekers, lol

My new bloggy friend Jaclyn and soon-to-be mother to another Hefei girl like Ciara was actually the one who emailed me this morning and told me about these pictures. So, Jaclyn, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I'm really hoping I get to take some pictures of her daughter while I'm there, I know her mommy is very anxious to see some updates on her little girl.

PENNSYLVANIA CHRISTIAN CAMP 2009

As promised I have finally gotten around to posting about my week at PCC. This year was kind of a different year for me. I really, really, really wanted to go to camp, but because Roger and I have been waiting for the past month and a half for our Travel Approval to China to get Ciara, which I knew would come the week of camp (AND IT DID!!!), I really, really, really wanted to get home, too! Plus, add in the fact that while at camp my Mom and I got a call from home telling us that my granddaughter and Mom's great granddaughter had contracted Lyme Disease and was starting treatment for that, it made for some very mixed feelings about wanting to stay and wanting to leave.

Camp for me has always been like a refuge for one complete week outta the year, a refuge from trying desperately to not be what the world would have me to be. It's a place of peace and quiet up in the mountains of Blue Knob, (blocking out of course the 6o + 3rd, 4th and 5th graders that attended this year, lol). I made some new hopefully lifelong friends this year (Sherrie, Kandi, Dawn, Bill and Steve) and got reacquainted with some old ones, lol.

There was a compilation made of over 550 photos taken this year by various folks, so I've just selected a few of my favorites of those that attended from our congregation up in Warren.

The group of us from Warren Church of ChristFrom Talent Night, this was a re-enactment of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Evan (right) with a new friend, Justin. Evan as a junior staff member.
My nephew Jake and Collin at the amphitheatre.My beautiful niece McKaylaMy beautiful niece McKayla (I'm sorry, did I already say that?)McKayla posing with a friend.McKayla in one of her classes with Steve.My nephew Josh ringing the PCC gong.Oh, my, look at Josh's eyes!Jake posing for this shot while his brother Josh pays attention to the speaker, lol.My nephew Jake and a friend.Sitting around the campfire.Jake helping to pack the mattresses in the truck the last day of camp.Pam and I after a rainy day.My office for the week.I dunno what I was thinking about!Mom working in the kitchen while being heckled by the pirate (Gary) to the left, lolThis is what Josh, McKayla and Jake looked like when we arrived at camp...And this is what they looked like when we left for home.

GIVEAWAY REMINDER

I know I haven't posted much lately, but I was at Pennsylvania Christian Camp way up in the mountains of Blue Knob, Pennsylvania with no internet service for one whole week and have been in sort of whirlwind mode since returning back to planet Earth. Soon, very soon I'll be posting all about PCC with lots of pictures!

(This is a repeat post from 7-2-09. I plan on posting it once a week to remind everyone about my giveaway!)

We received our TA on 7-28 and on 8-26 my mom and I leave for China to get Ciara. In light of this unbelievable blessing/gift my husband and I are about to receive from an amazingly loving God, I thought it only fitting that I have my first and hopefully not last GIVEAWAY to show my appreciation for all the love and support you all have given to me in the last two years during our adoption journey. The gift will be something that I will get in China, and of course I don't know what that is yet, lol.

Now, anyone can enter and hopefully all of you will participate (it always makes things more fun when you actually have entries, lol), and there will be several ways to enter, and hopefully you'll take advantage of all of them.

1. You'll be given one entry for just leaving a comment to this post.

2. You'll be given one entry by mentioning this giveaway on your own blog, telling me that you've done so by leaving a comment to this post.

3. You'll be given one entry by posting a link on your blog to my blog, telling me that you've done so by leaving a comment to this post.

4. You'll be given one entry for every other site you have that you mention this giveaway on, i.e., Facebook, MySpace, etc., telling me that you've done so by leaving a comment to this post.

5. (ADDENDUM) For those of you who receive these posts through your email, just leave a comment by replying to the email.

The bottom line is....YOU HAVE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO RECEIVE EACH ENTRY!!!

Entries will be taken for my very first giveaway up to the day I leave for China. And, folks, we're going to pick the winner the old fashioned way. Depending on how many times you're entered, your name will be written on slips of paper and put into something. My very new and very beautiful daughter Ciara is going to pick the winner and I'm going to videotape it and post the winner on a day to be announced sometime very soon after we get back from China!!!

GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!

MORE POSIES!

I'm kinda partial to lilies!

The first gladiola.

My first zucchini of the season!Can you see the hummingbird's tail? Have you ever tried to take a picture of a hummingbird? lolAnd a photo op wouldn't be complete without my precious little Lulu who just got a trim. Please ignore the broken chair in the background, lol

WAITING CHILDREN - PLEASE WATCH!!

CHANCE OR DESIGN?!?

What do you think? Chance or Design?

DUH!!! No brainer...ONLY GOD!

WEEKLY GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT

(This is a repeat post from 7-2-09. I plan on posting it once a week to remind everyone about my giveaway!)

Prayerfully within the next 5-7 weeks, I'm going to be in China with my mom meeting my daughter for the first time. In light of this unbelievable blessing/gift my husband and I are about to receive from an amazingly loving God, I thought it only fitting that I have my first and hopefully not last GIVEAWAY to show my appreciation for all the love and support you all have given to me in the last two years during our adoption journey. The gift will be something that I will get in China, and of course I don't know what that is yet, lol.

Now, anyone can enter and hopefully all of you will participate (it always makes things more fun when you actually have entries, lol), and there will be several ways to enter, and hopefully you'll take advantage of all of them.

1. You'll be given one entry for just leaving a comment to this post.

2. You'll be given one entry by mentioning this giveaway on your own blog, telling me that you've done so by leaving a comment to this post.

3. You'll be given one entry by posting a link on your blog to my blog, telling me that you've done so by leaving a comment to this post.

4. You'll be given one entry for every other site you have that you mention this giveaway on, i.e., Facebook, MySpace, etc., telling me that you've done so by leaving a comment to this post.

5. (ADDENDUM) For those of you who receive these posts through your email, just leave a comment by replying to the email.

The bottom line is....YOU HAVE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO RECEIVE EACH ENTRY!!!

Entries will be taken for my very first giveaway up to the day I leave for China. And, folks, we're going to pick the winner the old fashioned way. Depending on how many times you're entered, your name will be written on slips of paper and put into something. My very new and very beautiful daughter Ciara is going to pick the winner and I'm going to videotape it and post the winner on a day to be announced sometime very soon after we get back from China!!!

GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!

SPARKLERS IN OUR DRIVEWAY

Tonight we just went out in our driveway and put off the few remnant fireworks we had left, along with the last couple boxes of sparklers. Although, Leyna and Logan went to see the BIG fireworks at Betts Park, Roger and I were kinda lowkey this year and just stayed home on the 4th.

(Remember to enter my giveaway!)