Your First "Sissy"

Today was an incredible, joyous day!
V, your sissy "Constance" met her family today!
You two grew up together for 3 years and 4 months. She too has DS.
Mommy and daddy met her on their first trip to visit you.
How about everyone read the words of her mom(dad?) and their first meeting of her.
http://thegatherednest.blogspot.com/2011/12/day-4-meeting-constance.html
When I read these words, and saw these pictures, my heart skipped a beat and i wanted to cry tears of joy!
GOD IS SOOO GOOD!

Words Can't Measure Up.

Earlier, before I dressed you into your jammies, the fuzzy navy ones with the feet, I was holding you, we were standing over Madi's shoulders as she was on facebook. You were being so snuggley, so cute, so lovey. Then, I flashed back to when mommy and daddy were in country last November, how my arms ached to hold that cute little boy in all the pictures I saw. To when I could only tell the walls of the house, and our siblings how much I love you. Now I can scoop you up any time of the day, (when you allow me to) kiss you on your cheeks, or cute little lips, and tell you how much my heart adores you, how much my life has been made better by you, how much my aching arms no longer ache, how much I never ever want to let you go, how much you have always been loved, how perfectly God made you, how many hearts your cute little eyes have grabbed a hold.
Buds, you are an amazing, gift from God, I wouldn't change you for the world, but if I could I would change the world for you. Babes. You make the sunshine even on the darkest days.

You are perfect in every sense of the word, your sparkly brown almond shape eyes, your cute little nose, your fiery red hair, your smiley little mouth, your chubby little fingers, your cute perfectly spaced toes, your voice when you ask for milk. The way you dance when you hear music, and sing along to songs you know.  The hugs that melt my heart, the giggle that is so contagious.

V, you are the most perfect, special, little boy in all the world. And guess what, Vahny, I'm glad--no beyond glad--I'm THRILLED that you are MY brother.

And though these words are to describe the love I have for you, babes, they don't even measure up to the love I have for you. Never.

"I'll do anything
For you dear anything
For you mean everything to me."

I Love you to Timbuktu and back.
Love Sissy Manda!

Thanksgiving

Hey there V, sorry i haven't written to you lately. It's been really hectic, i mean with thanksgiving, school, and more school(which is where I am right now).
Your first thanksgiving was amazing!  You absolutely LOVED all of the food!
It was a fun thanksgiving!
You are definitely Josh's baby brother, you love love love pumpkin pie! :D
When grandma was getting the pies ready for serving you came over to the table(eye height for you) and stuck your little fingers into the pie! Hehe grandma got a picture! :)

This Thanksgiving I am truly thankful for you and the rest of our huge family! I don't know who I'd be today with out mommy or daddy or any of our siblings! I simply can't see myself without Madison, Kenzy, MaeMae, Josh, Jordan, or you Vahny, i just can't! I try to imagine not having any siblings, what I'd get to do, travel, be by myself, go places with mommy and daddy, just me and no one else. Some of those things seem amazing to get the chance to do, but in all truths, I'd really rather be sitting at home watching a movie with all of you guys. My lord has truly blessed me with my family. I am so thankful for you guys. Mommy and Daddy are my heroes, in all aspects of life, going on a loong journey to get you, taking care of all 7 of us, managing bills, making dinner, providing a home, going to work, working two jobs, driving us places we need to go, and on top of all that showing us where we need to be with God. showing us that true love really does exist. OH HOW I LOVE MY PARENTS!

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for our family, and God's never-ending love being poured down on us daily!


(I'll post pictures later)

Christmas is just around the corner!

Love you to the top of the Eiffel Tower back down and up 1,000,000 times!
Sissy Manda!

Your Birthday

Today is the day God blessed this earth with you.
Buddy Today for you means freedom
It means life and love
It means a future that no one can think of!
A future so GREAT so amazingly planned.
By the one we call God
And right in his hand
Is where he holds us, bud, so dearly loved.

Vahnya, if you were still hidden in a baby home, if you weren't given a chance, bud.
You'd be a lost face of this earth, no one would know, you'd be a number.
You'd be hidden bud, in a mental institution. You wouldn't know love.
You wouldn't be here for me to hug.
V, it breaks my heart to think that this would have been your fate
If we would have not found you
Or if we were too late.
Tied to a crib, never to be loved, or hugged or even just looked at.

But instead, you get a party, a time to be loved, and celebrated.
A time of happiness, of joy, and glee!
A time to recognize that honey,
YOU'RE FREE
You DO have a future!
You WONT be ignored!

Buddy people love you.
Its beyond true!
You're the cutest
Youre the best!
I love you until the very last day!
Bud, I'll never go away!
Happy birthday to you, V, remember the love, the freedom, the celebration, and future you have!
Never forget what God gave to us!

Happy fourth Birthday!
I love you to death!

I love you to the moon and back a million times!

Love your sissy Manda!

Your FIRST Halloween!

Well Punkin, yesterday was Halloween.

I was going to post a bundle of super cute pictures from last night, but blogger is again being mean and wont let me. :/
That will be a post all its own I guess! :)

You were the cutest PUMPKIN ever! :)
You got sooooo much candy!
You thought it was the best thing ever!
Free CANDY who doesnt think thats awesome!

A Special Meeting

So we've know for a little over a month that the Hagler family was planning on moving here. I talked to Lindsay as often as I could, to check in on the kids, and to just talk.
You see the Hagler family brought their two lovies Sasha and Ana home a month after you got home.

Let me tell you a little story, when mommy first showed me ReecesRainbow, Ana was always at the top of the page. She was the first baby I ever saw on RR. The first one I loved. The first one I called "mine" although there was no possible way for her to actually be "mine". I loved her. Daily I checked in on her, for updates, a new picture, and most importantly to see if she had a family. I remember when she got her first "new" picture. It was taken by some one in country and then a few weeks after another one was posted. I checked the blog of the woman who was adopting a little girl from Ana's baby home, she posted on her blog updates and pictures of both Ana and Sasha. Ana's picture was etched into my brain. I always thought about her wishing to hold her, and kiss her. I still have her pictures saved to my laptop.

 Then one happy day I saw on RR that both Ana and Sasha had a family. :)
 That was a great day. I wanted to know more and I couldnt wait until their parents met them!
Their blog was locked and I didnt get to see updates, or pictures, until it was opened, which was when they were home. I found Lindsay on facebook this summer and added her as a friend and began talking to her.

Today, buds, was a great day.
Lindsay told Madi that they were going to be at the play group tonight, when Madison told me I ran down stairs and told mommy, I cried happy tears, just like I did when I found out mommy and dada were gonna meet you, and the day I held you in my arms.

We drove up to the church parking lot and saw them, in person, for the first time.
I didnt expect Ana or Sasha to want to come to me or play with me right away, I mean I was a new person to them.
But unexpectedly, when Lindsay put Ana down, she came over to me, looked at me, and hugged me, and urged me to pick her up. Talk about another dream come true(the first was holding you)! There I was not expecting to hold her, and SHE came to me! My heart melted! I read to her, and played with her, Sasha, and you. It was a great day.

Sasha is gonna be a little lady killer when he gets older, his eyes are amazing, and his hair, my-my hes a cutie! He was so energetic and happy!
It was great to meet the entire family, and actually hug some one I've "known" for a while.
They are a great family.

Thank you God for privileging me to meet them! <3
:)

PICTURES SOON!

Buddy Walk 2011

Wooooooooah!
It's been a forever since I last posted, I've been crazy busy, buddy. With school and everything.
We had a Parents Night Out last night to help Bring Constance (your friend from your baby home) Home! We raised $131!! It was amazing!

Today, Vahny, was the Buddy Walk.
It was a blast. There were SOOOO many cute little kids, my goodness.
We met Martine, adopted from RR. She's beautiful! We met so many other people.
We walked around the Rose Garden, took pictures with Chewbaka, and played games!
We, meaning, Mommy, Rachel Davis, her husband and her daughters, Anjelica, Anjelica's mom and dad, Lyndsey, Aletha, Jordan, Makenzy, Madison, Caitlin, The Jenks family, You, and I, Made up the ReecesRainbow team. We passed out little goodie bags with information on RR. And passed out almost all that we brought to pass out. IT WAS GREAT!!

Oaks Park In Pictures

Here are some pictures from Oaks Park!!!!!!!!!

 

For the First time

For the first time today, YOU went to an amusement park, Oaks Park. It was SO much fun, seeing you having a blast with everything, the Scrambler, the (little kid)Roller Coaster, the Tilt-a-Whirl, the Balloon Ride, the Rockin' Tug, the Carousel, the Cho-Cho Train, and the BIG Slide.
Oh my goodness, you loved everything about being there, the excitement, the rush, the wind in your hair, the joy of the crowd, the craziness of the lines, everything. I'd say you had a blast. :)
I really wanted to upload the pictures from today, but blogger isnt uploading them.

But one thing before I end this post.
The entrance to the Train had American Flags surrounding it, when we got to the front of the line I kept getting swooshed in the face by one of the flags. You thought it was the funniest thing, to watch sissy get hit in the face by a flag, you tried to "get" the flag while sissy held you. It was so cute.
Anyways there is some value to this story besides your cuteness.
It made me think, if mommy and daddy would have said "No" to God when he called them to adopt you, you would have never been a part of our family, I would have never known the joy that you bring, and our family's hearts would have never changed. You would still be stuck in an orphanage, waiting, wondering, hoping for a family.
That flag, buddy, is a reminder of your freedom, the freedom GOD gave you (and everyone else in this country) and whenever you see it remember how much God loves you, that he sent his ONLY son to die for you, and he'd do anything for you. He loves you, and he is the reason you are where you are today.

(I'll try to upload the pictures as soon as I can)
Love you more than you know. <3
Love sissy, Manda.

Thankful!

Hey Little V,
Last night as I was snuggling you right before I put you in your crib.
I prayed to God, I told him I was so thankful for you, that I couldn't even fathom my life with out you in it, I thanked him for all of the help through out your adoption buddy, then I cried.
I cried to myself though, I was in your room with you holding you, crying.
I tried to imagine if mommy and daddy would have given up in the hard times, then i wouldn't be holding you, you'd be in an orphanage, still waiting.
I cried for your birth family, that they never knew how much love you give and how smart you are.
I cried for happy reasons. I was blessed by the most perfect little brother anyone could imagine, EVER.
You are so loved.
I cried for the families who are so scared about having a child with DS that they abort that child, I cried for them because they are too scared of the unknown to even step foot into it.
I cried for all the people who give up in the adoption process because of money, or because its ''Too hard" 
But boy, with out the hard times we wouldn't be here, Life isn't easy. Life's hard some times.
It's not impossible to adopt, because with GOD ANYTHING is possible.
Then I wondered, How was I blessed by you? How come I'm your big sister, little man, I loove you.
Then I told you "I love you, I will never ever leave you, buddy, I love you so much."
I like to think you told me "I yuv you." but that could just be me, maybe you did, but maybe you just babbled.
You kissed me, and hugged me and then I put you in your crib.

I love you SO much babes.
I'm so so thankful for you!
Love Sissy Danda.

Babies, Babies, and More BABIES!(Or Monkeys)

Last week Mommy had a new baby start at our daycare, Baby Ian. At first you didn't like the idea of him being here, You would just stare at him from a distance.You HATE baby dolls so I think you thought he was a dolly. But you warmed up to him, you even held him. (With sissy's help)

Ian Is extra special Just like you, we met him through your play group, he is nearly 3 months and he is the size of a newborn, he is so precious and sweet the last few days i have been holding him for hours at a time. He is so cute!

Lately you have been carying either Woody or this monkey around pretending it is a baby, wrapping them up in a blanket, and putting them in the baby's swing. Its so cute.
You said "Ma Babu" yesterday when Madison took your monkey. It's the cutest things. I guess since you are not in the liking with dolls, monkey or woody is the way to go! :D

Also Buddy boy, you have began to TALK alot more! You say up to 16 words, including, Stop, No, Milk, Hot, Danda(Manda), Denzy(Kenzy), Josh, Dada and alot more! You sign too! 18 different signs! You can sign and say Milk and Hot. Today when I came over with my lunch to the table you looked at me signed HOT and said HOT! With no promting, (My food was hot) You're just so smart, buddy and you've only been home for 4 months and 9 days! You are so amazingly intellegent!

Tonight you have you're play group again.
I Love you Like cookies! :) (EVEN MORE)

My Blessings.

Well, Sunshine, I have a lot of blessings in this life, I was thinking about it just now when i read a quote i used to use all the time when i was 13: "When I count my blessings I count YOU twice"  It was one of my favorite things to right in cards or use just because. I was just thinking that I should let you know my blessings (I mean besides you.)

To start off, We have a HUGE close-knit family bud, This is dad's side, we all live next to each other, like literally, who can say they have that? :) Not very many people!

We have 7 cousins and 2 aunts and 2 uncles and Papa and Grandma. Us 7 kids, and Mommy and Daddy. (Its Big I know)

We have a nice house to live, enough food to eat, loving caring people in our lives, and God, buddy, never ever forget that GOD Loved us so much he sent Jesus to die for our sins, buddy, okay?

The Bible says: "For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son; That whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life." John 3:16

God, will never leave you or forsake you, bud, he loves you more than you know, he loves you more than anyone on this Earth loves you! I'm not exaggerating at all.

Did I ever stop to think how truly blessed I am? Not until now, babe, we are blessed beyond words!

I am genuinely blessed by you, brudder, there are seriously not enough words in this world to describe how much I love you, I love you with all of my being, i loved you before i met you, I loved you when you were just a picture, I loved you when you were just a thought. Babe! I LOVE YOU MORE NOW! I can't even remember the days before you came home, it seems forever ago, it seems like you've been here your whole life! It seems as though you never lived in a baby home, it seems as though you lived with us since birth, maybe its because you look like mommy, maybe its because you mesh so perfectly with our family, or maybe its just simply because you were born in our hearts by a truly miraculous blessing from God.

Never lose sight of what really matters, Family, Friends, Love, Purity, Joy, Peace, Hope, and most importantly our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Vahny, just by your being and God leading us to you, We are changing the world buddy, whether it be by the way this world looks at people who are 'different' or by trying to save as many orphans as we can!

You're the reason I am who I am today!

And Sunshine, when I count my blessings, I DEFIANTLY count you twice! (I actually count our whole family twice!)

Love more than the shiny stars in the night time sky!

Love Sissy Manda!