Different

I guess I have always been a little different. I wish I could say I am confident about that and that I don't care what others think, but that's not true. Sometimes, I wish I could fit in, but it just isn't me. Recently, I realized that I had started thinking differently about how I spend money, any money. When my husbands suggests getting a Big Mac, instead of thinking, "yum" and "no dishes", I think, "I could use that money to help a child".

My seven year old told me today that she wanted to save money to start a collection of Zsu Zsu pets. She already has one. So I said, "Couldn't you use your money to help others". Is this unfair of me to push my feelings on my child?

I have always been kind of shy, but recently I almost feel brave enough to tell people, "Hey! Don't get that new $20,000 car or do you really need to go on an expensive cruise every year, you could help a child! Help a dog! Help someone". I have never said this, and maybe it isn't right that I do. But someone along the way must have said something to me to make me see things differently and what if they hadn't.

Then I wouldn't have had these angels.....






What do you all think?

Does laundry multiply?

I spent all day yesterday sorting, washing, organizing and finally nagging several children of mine to fold laundry. I could actually see the floor! I found several pieces of Halloween candy in the bottom of the laundry basket! It was quite a thrill. This morning, at 4 am, I might mention, my husband said he couldn't find any socks. I looked in the basket and it was filled with clothes! Is there a laundry fairy? How do I tell her I do NOT want any more of her deliveries!! Maybe it would be easier to buy new socks.

I think these two look highly suspicious!



Catherine wasn't happy about loosing the Halloween candy again, but maybe one day we will find it. Or, maybe not.

How can you choose who you save?

God has put these two children in my heart and I won't rest until they are safe! No one has ever inquired about them! Please help!

This is little Moira. We've heard she is in a laying room. Not a good place to be. It's hard to imagine what she is going through. She has cleft palate and arthrogryposis. For some reason, her caregivers at the orphanage have decided she shouldn't be with the other children. She will get no love, no stimulation, not much food and no future. She will be laying in a crib until she is four and then she will be transferred to a mental institution where she will probably quickly waste away. 80% of children who are transferred to mental institutions die within the first year!!!

Such a Sweet little one

Sweet Nastya was born with Apert syndrome. She is going on 2 years old now, and will so greatly benefit from cranial surgery and reconstruction of her hands as necessary. She needs to get out of the orphanage as soon as possible!

My youngest daughter, little Catherine, has something very similar to what Nastya has. If Nastya doesn't have surgery soon, her brain will actually be compressed in her skull. This is a really, really bad thing. She needs surgery!

Here is what Catherine went through after her surgery...


The doctors had to cut open her skull and re-arrange the skull to make sure her brain had room to grow.
I shudder to think what would have happened to Catherine if we had chosen to say no to adopting her. It would have been much easier to say no and just go on with our lives, but we would have missed out on so much!

Post #2, endlessly treading water

So, you can see what I am up against.

I woke up all perky, planning to get the house cleaned and decrease the clutter (aka,finding the kitchen table). While I am being perky in the kitchen, my three year old is drawing all over my 200 pound Mastiff, Hugger, who is drooling all over my couch. I am not even sure what my seven year old has on her hand, some kind of slime. She is excited about it though! Why even try to clean, right! I think this is a sign, so,I'm off to eat Oreos.

My Very First Post!!!

Hi Everyone,

This is exciting to be starting my blog, but I sure hope someone will read this!!!

(We made these shirts with our handprints and footprints! Very fun to do. Mine is supposed to be a tree with their handprints, but it kind of looks like green fireworks. Of course, I am wearing my favorite Pink Panther hat from when I was a kid. )

My name is Catherine and I have been married to Travis for 17 years. Wow! That is a long time! We have four kids. Elliot is 16 and no, he is not driving! Maybe when he is 25. Isabella just turned 10. We adopted her from Haiti three years ago, when she was almost 7. Anastasia is 7 3/4. Our youngest is also named Catherine. Sometimes we call her little Catherine, however, this does NOT make me "big" Catherine. She is three and we adopted her two years ago when she was 11 months old from the Republic of Georgia.

We have a few dogs and cats, quite a few, but who's counting? (well, maybe the neighbors)

My mom and grandma live about a mile away, which is really wonderful.

I have wanted to adopt again for about a year. My favorite site is Reecesrainbow.org

Of course, finances are a problem, but if God has told us to do this, I know we can do it!