Our Saturday Get Away

(Orphanage link deleted to protect Nola)

I've surprised myself in getting a Paypal Donate button up and running on the **** ******* site. If you have planned to donate, it's now easier with Paypal.

On Saturday morning, Mark and I took off on the bike for a day long trip. We headed down to Madison. It's located in Southeastern Indiana on the Ohio river. If you haven't been there, it is such a beautiful town. Now, for some reason, I have no pictures to prove that so you'll have to take my word for it. Beautiful homes built in the 1800's line the main street. Downtown there are quaint antique shops and specialty shops. We're going back sometime when we have more time to explore.

Clifty Falls State Park is just outside Madison. Riding through the park in the shade of the towering trees was a welcome change from the midday sun. There are several trails in the park leading to waterfalls. We only had time to take one. Hiking in our motorcycle boots wasn't the most comfortable but seeing the falls made it worth it.

Ah, chivalry is not dead!

How sweet of my hubby to hold that giant boulder up out of the way so I could continue down the path.

This picture of the falls does not do justice to the actual beauty of the scene. I couldn't get far enough away to get a nice picture of the falls without it being covered by trees. The sound of the water was so relaxing. It truly is a special place. The park would be a great place to camp if you're a camper (I am, but my family's not). If you ever get the chance, head down to Madison. http://www.oldmadison.com/

Adoption news: There's none to share. The lawyer who is going to try and get our court date moved up gets back from his vacation tomorrow. You can bet I'll be sending him a message reminding him............................we're still waiting.

I'll keep you posted!

Back To Everyday Life

I've had a hard time talking myself into posting something new on this blog. I don't want to take away from the needs of the children of **** *******. Sooooooooo, I've started another blog, (web address deleted to protect Nola) and hopefully you will visit there and follow our fundraising efforts. I added a link over on the right to make that easier I just wish it was more noticeable. The donations are starting to come in and I will update that site weekly. If you would like to donate, we hope to have our first shipment leaving the end of June.

There is good news on the adoption front (not our adoption front). Our good friends Danny and Brittney have gotten a favorable ruling from the judge and their case is going back to PGN. They had a court date Friday and the Judge made her ruling yesterday. That is certainly something to WOOOOHOOOO about!

Lets pray that little Kinsey is home with her Mami and Papi very soon!
Don't you just love that hair!!!

http://babygirlreyher.blogspot.com/

Now, on to the family stuff I've been neglecting. So much goes on in a family our size.

On April 19th, my number four child turned 17! Unbelievable! Happy Birthday Kelsey!

Then it was prom time. Doesn't she look beautiful!!! And her date was quite handsome! Our pink dogwood tree made the perfect backdrop for pictures on the porch.




The day I had been anticipating (and fearing) finally came, May 2nd, our mini marathon day! We drove up to Indy the evening before so we could miss that hour and a half drive the day of the race. We all ate dinner at Max and Erma's (yummy) then it was off to our hotel. Upon our arrival, we found out the hotel sold our rooms that we had reserved months before and confirmed the night before. Luckily, there was a hotel with some open rooms not too far away. That in itself was a miracle! Race day was just perfect, cool and partly cloudy. We couldn't have asked for better. We started the race in corral X. That means we were way, way back in the field of starters. It actually took us 26 minutes and 10 seconds to get to the starting line after the race had started. There were around 35,000 racers. It was an awesome experience! I finished in 3 hours and 13 minutes. I walked of course with my two walking buddies Alice and Michelle. We averaged 14 min, 45 sec miles. My goal was to complete the race in 15 minute miles or less and WE DID IT!!!!! I have a medal to prove it! All in all it was a great experience!


We just finished updating our homestudy for the second time during this adoption. Paperwork............what a joy! Hope you can sense the sarcasm. The lawyer we contacted to see if he can get our court date moved up will be back from his European vacation on the 29th. He promised to do his best to help us as soon as he gets back. I pray he can get the job done. Our little Nola needs something good to happen. I'm so worried about her mental and emotional state. No child should have to endure the life altering changes she has experienced in the short time she's been in this world. I'm praying God will heal her little broken heart quickly and completely when we get her home.

Please continue your prayers. All of the children caught up in this mess need to be remembered along with all of those who may not have an opportunity to have a happy forever home.

HELP FOR ORPHANS OF GUATEMALA

Thanks to everyone who has offered to help make the lives of the children in "the hogar" a little brighter. I've been trying to figure out the best way to ship supplies and donations but I feel like I'm wasting time. Those details can be ironed out as we take in donations and see what kind of shipment we actually have to send.


Here are some facts about the orphanage. There are two houses. The first one is home to 97 children from birth to 6 years of age. The home is overcrowded and understaffed, although the staff seems to be doing their best to care for the children. The biggest need at this house is clothing, shoes and playground equipment. The second house houses 15 special needs children on the first floor and 17 babies from 1 month to 9 months of age on the second floor. The second house needs everything you can think of for babies:


*Bottles
*Nipples
*Pacifiers
*Formula
*Diapers
*Small toys with lights and music
*Exercsaucers (3 or 4)
*Punkin seats or bouncy seats (aprox. 6)
*Baby bed Mobiles (could use 15)
*Soft rubber interlocking floor squares
*(No stuffed animals or cloth toys that can't be wiped down with antibacterial wipes)


I was not allowed to take any pictures of the children but I do have a few pictures of empty rooms. The hogar is clean. The colors of the rooms are bright and cheerful but there are just too many children and not enough staff. Any kind of toys that offer stimulation for the younger children would be a great benefit. Unfortunately they spend way too much time in their beds and their little brains need to be working.


It's hard to tell by this picture, but this is the play area for the first house. It's a concrete slab. There are two rubber balls, three half tires sticking out of the ground, a small plastic slide and a baby swing. That's the extent of their playground equipment.


This is a typical bedroom. As you can see, it's full of beds. Each bedroom I saw was completely full of rows of beds with just enough room to walk around each row. Most rooms had a rocking chair where the room mother could sit. The day I was there, each room mother I saw was holding and rocking a sick child. With so many children in such a small space, they can't help but pass along their sickness to each other.

This is their little dining room. There were 18 little chairs around this table and it's the only one in the room. I can't imagine 18 toddlers sitting down and sitting still at a table like this but I guess if they want to eat, they learn to sit and sit still.

It no longer makes sense to ask why our little Nola has been placed here. I've seen for myself the need of these children and I have to do all I can to help them.

Small items can be sent relatively easy. Our friends Danny and Brittney are traveling down the end of June and have offered to take an extra suitcase full of donations with them. I'm sure I'll be traveling down again sometime soon and I will take all I can with me. It might make more sense to purchase large items while in Guatemala. We'll just wait and see how shipping fees turn out.

If you would like to donate items (new or gently used) send them to:

Shelburn First Baptist Church

520 West Mill Street

Shelburn, IN 47879

Monetary donations in the form of check or money order can also be sent to the church.

Please be sure you put Guatemala or Guatemala Orphanage on the memo line.

If you have a specific way you would like the money to be used, just enclose a note with your wishes.

I would love to outfit the playground with some Little Tikes play houses or something similar and some ride or pedal toys. The children will be so grateful for anything we send. They currently have nothing so anything we send will be wonderful.

I'll keep you all updated with lists of items donated.