Family Pictures for Miles

EASTER!!

It was so exciting to spend our first Easter with Lily. She is growing so fast and becoming such a little young lady. She loves everything that glitters and sparkles....a true girly girl. My other girl, Morgan, is just the opposite. It is nice to have one of each to enjoy. Her favorites are shoes, sunglasses and purses. Lily loved hunting Easter eggs with her cousins and brother and sister. It was a full day with Easter baskets in the morning, then off to church, then a nap for Lily while Fred took the other two to lunch and then straight to Nana and Paw Paw's for the Easter festivities.

Spring Break 2011- Daufuskie Island, S.C.

Another Spring Break spent at our place at Daufuskie Island, SC. The weather was perfect and the kids had a great time. Lily is loving the beach and the pool. And like the other two, she loves a good golf cart ride. It is the most relaxing place in the world and whenever we go we hate to say goodbye! Here are some pictures of our trip. It was hard to narrow them down to only a few, especially when you take a couple hundred.

Pool Fun

We heated the pool so the kids could swim this weekend. We had beautiful weather on Sunday, so the kids enjoyed some time breaking in the pool for the season. Here are some picture of Lily. This was her first time in a float. She didn't move off the ledge. I was a little surprised because she is usually "no fear". I will take it for now. She had a great time just being in the water.

A little about Morgan

It has been awhile since I have posted about what is going on with each of my children. Morgan is taking riding lessons and loves everything about it. She is also playing soccer, but it is evident that horses are her thing right now. She would spend every minute of her day at the barn if she could. For now she is usually there on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays as long as school work is light.
Here is a picture of her doing what she loves...















Last week Morgan performed in her spring concert at school. She had a solo part as one of the Von Trapp children from the Sound of Music. She was Gretl. I was so proud of her. She loves to sing and you can usually find her singing at the top of her lungs in her room, but don't walk in on her because she will instantly stop. That's ok though, because I can hear her all the way downstairs. I can enjoy from afar.

Where does the time go?

I was thinking today about the fact that Lily has been with us for 8 months now! Maybe it is because we went for a haircut today and it is amazing how much her hair has grown.....or maybe it is because she seems to fit in so perfectly with our family like she has always been here....or maybe it is because her "true colors" are really shining because she feels so darn comfortable with us. I think it is mostly the latter of the three! She will throw a tantrum the moment she doesn't get her way and the girl has some lungs on her thats for sure! Mostly she is funny, happy, full of smiles, dancing and playing but that can turn off like a switch....and then watch out.
Not too much to report on Ethiopia. I know they are working hard to resolve the issues there and it seems like there has been some progress. We have completed our 3 homestudy visits and now we are waiting on our homestudy to be approved by our adoption agency. Things are moving along on our end. Please continue to keep Ethiopia in your prayers.
Here is a picture of Lily in her first "Ponytail".

Disheartening News from Ethiopia....

Last week the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children's, and Youth Affairs announced their intention to reduce intercountry adoptions by 90% beginning March 10, 2011.

The Ministry’s plan for a dramatic reduction is apparently based on two primary issues;

1) the assumption that corruption in intercountry adoption is systemic and rampant and;

2) the Ministry’s resources should be focused on the children for whom intercountry adoption is not an option.

Please consider signing the petition at the link below. You do not have to be an adoptive parent to sign.
Please help us to make a difference in Ethiopia. This change could cause thousands of orphans to not be united with the perspective families in a timely manner. It could cause thousands in the "process" to not move forward. All in all the child suffers. I am also asking that you will PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. God is bigger than this problem! The Department of State will host a caucus call with MOWA and international advocacy organizations, adoption service providers and non-government organizations THIS FRIDAY to see what they should do from this point.

Go here to sign the petition: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43714.html