Honoring Birth Families

I was reading the That We Might Be Adopted blog and came across this post Honoring Birth Families. I loved it. You can just see the joy on the faces of the parents. What an honor and joy to give back to them in this small way.

http://thatwemightbeadopted.blogspot.com/2010/03/honoring-birth-families.html

A long while ago we sent photos and letters to Addis's and Mulu's father. We received a letter and photos back a few months later. It was such a blessing to all of us to hear from him and such a joy to be able to send him a small update and pics of/from the girls.

They will forever have another set of parents in Ethiopia. Unfortunately their mother died many years ago but their father is still living. What a blessing to be able to involve him in their life even if it is from afar.

The Little Chef

Our cousin, the other Vickie G, just graduated from culinary school and YES! she has a blog where she is posting many of her yummy recipes. I thought I would share with you so you could enjoy her talents too.


http://chef-v.blogspot.com

More Makenna pics

The happy family
Sweet Perfection
Jared, Miranda and Makenna
Mommy and her little doll baby
Grandpa Steve and Makenna
Daddy, Grandma and Makenna
Grandma and Grandpa with Makenna
Uncle John with his new niece
Auntie Addis and Makenna

Paperback Swap

I joined paperbackswap.com a few months ago and have really enjoyed it. I'm able to swap books with other members who have posted books that they're done reading. It's basically free but you do have to pay postage to send it to the member requesting your book. For every book you post and is requested and mailed, you receive a book credit for any book that is available.

I simply type in the ISBN #. It then posts on the website and other members are able to request it. It might just be the book that someone has been looking for. They also have a Wishlist. If you want a book that no one has posted you can put it on your Wishlist and when it becomes available they'll notify you.

You can also specify the terms that you will accept a book. I have put down that I don't want any books that smell like smoke. If you have a friend that lives near you you can both utilize the system and exchange books with each other without paying postage but still receive a book credit.

So far I've received and read: The Secret Life of Bees, The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Family Tree, Lucia, Lucia and I have about twelve more books to read. I get to start one today and am thinking it might be Water for Elephants. (I ended up throwing Water For Elephants away because of the vulgarity in it. I cannot recommend it at all.)

Introducing our first grandbaby!!!

Makenna Joy, born March 9 at 1:33 pm, 8.6lbs, 21.6" long