Upside Down Christmas?

As the mom of a large family I do not look forward to Christmas for the above reasons. What if we celebrate simply? Do my kids remember what their third gift was last year? I'm already thinking that we will go to the thrift store and let the kids pick out $5 or $10 worth of gifts for their family gift swap. I do need to read with my kids more. We should play more games. That's what they'll remember. Not all the stuff that was in their stockings. How did we get to where we are? Get us off the merry-go-round, please!

For more on this topic go to That We Might Be Adopted

Kisses from Katie-New book Fall 2011

Ever google your name?

I just did and found this. The Mother's Companion and this Maxine Ferebee.

Helen was the first one to teach me that children are a blessing and Maxine is my grandmother. I used to spend teenage summers at her home in Parkdale, Oregon to stay out of trouble while my mom was at work. She was instrumental in my walk with the Lord in that time period. I didn't know I was mentioned in her obituary, I had never seen it until now. The wonder of the internet!

Check out these bunkbeds!

They look easy enough to build. I like how nice and neat they look too.

Sitina Dolls

My friend is selling what she calls "sitina dolls".  They are flip dolls that a Nigerian widow has sewn that have an Ethiopian mother on one side and you flip the dress and find an American mother on the other side.  It can be used to share with your kids how they have two moms that are "joined by love" - Sitina means that in Amharic. Please go to her blog if you are interested http://www.sitinadolls.blogspot.com/.  You can read more of the story and choose fabrics and see the poem that comes with them.  They are $35 which includes shipping.  Let her know if you have any questions.

Love this!!

Saw this at the San Diego Zoo. Thought it was most appropriate!

Why Men Are Never Depressed

This was sent to us by a good friend. Enjoy!

WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED:


Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too picky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

Children Are a Blessing

Children are a Blessing

Why do you have so many children? Are you going to have any more? You must live in a huge house...these are some of the many questions large families receive on a regular basis. The Moore family is a Christian homeschool family of ten children, who decided to use the influences of media to share their story.

Join the Moore family in a short documentary about what God's Word says about children. The Moores will give you an inside look into their family, the birth of their tenth child and why they have chosen to to allow as many children as God would bless them with. They answer questions like, what does the Bible say about birth control and what was Margaret Sanger trying to accomplish?

My personal friends, the Redman family, Our Full House, first heard about this movie in July, at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. Fast forward six months and they are offering a free copy of the film Children are a Blessing to one of their readers.

They will be giving away one copy of the movie Children are a Blessing, this Friday. To enter, please leave a comment about your family (how many children you have or would like to have). If you have a blog or facebook page, please post about their giveaway (and then leave a comment telling them that you did) and you will receive an additional entry for each.

Our Full House

Ethnic Dolls

Sock Dolls

My friend Lori won a trip to Ethiopia with Visiting Orphans and My Crazy Adoption just by buying a t-shirt from My Crazy Adoption. Here is the description of the trip she won:

Visiting Orphans is partnering with James River Assembly church to send out this mission team. This trip is open to members of James River Assembly Church and individual sign ups through this website and Kari Gibson’s blogsite, My Crazy Adoption.

The team will be working in Addis Ababa with Project 61 for extreme needy children living in the Korah city dump, and a 2-day ministry for orphaned street children (feeding program). We will have a special outreach at an orphanage 1.5 hours outside the city, as well as an excursion to Negash Lodge to see the beauty of rural Ethiopia. We will also visit Fistula Hospital for an exclusive tour of the center and the courageous women featured in the movie “A Walk To Beautiful.”

Lori has decided to take her daughter with her and they are selling handmade items to raise funds for Ali's trip. I bought two of Lori's dolls when we were adopting Anna & Adah back in 2007, we didn't know at that time who would join our family, but we bought the dolls anyways. Really cute, affordable, and just the right size=perfect!!

Buy One in your choice of Four Nationalities: African, Asian, Hispanic or Caucasian. OR, purchase TWINS! By one for yourself - AND - we will send her identical twin to an orphan in a foreign country. Body/Hat color requests accommodated when possible.
$10 go to www.doingitafraid.org

A Doll's Heart

http://www.adollsheart.blogspot.com/

Dolls available from: Ethiopia, India, Guatemala, China, Haiti, Ukraine/Russia $30 each

Each doll all has it's own country's flag colors embordiered on their hearts. There are 6 countries currently available, but she can make any country of Africa that people would want also.

All the proceeds off her site go to helping orphans through various avenues so she really want to get the word out. Please feel free to spread the word and list this on your blogs and FB if you like. I am currently highlighting an orphanage/children's home on her blog that houses only special needs kids, that I visited this fall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heart 4 Hearts Dolls

http://www.target.com/Heart-4-Hearts-Rahel-Ethiopia/dp/B004880DD4/ref=br_1_2?ie=UTF8&id=Heart+4+Hearts+Rahel+Ethiopia&node=1041578&searchSize=30&searchView=grid5&searchPage=3&sr=1-2&qid=1291170127&rh&searchBinNameList=target_com_age%2Ctarget_com_gender-bin%2Ctarget_com_category-bin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_character-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin%2Ctarget_com_ethnicity-bin&searchRank=salesrank&frombrowse=1

Kudos to Target. They got this one right! There are six beautiful dolls to choose from: Dell (USA), Lilian (Belarus), Rahel (Ethiopia), Nahji (India), Tipi (Laos), and Consuelo (Mexico. When you buy a Hearts For Hearts Girls doll, a portion of the purchase price is donated to children's causes in those countries through World Vision, a global humanitarian organization. $24.99, shipping Dec 22. Free shipping right now if you spend over $50.00.

The Girl I Used To Be

She came tonight as I sat alone,
The girl I used to be...
And she gazed at me with her earnest eye
And questioned reproachfully:
Have you forgotten the many plans
And hopes I had for you?
The great career, the splendid fame,
All the wonderful things to do?
Where is the mansion of stately height
With all of its garden rare?
The silken robes that I dreamed for you
And the jewels in your hair?
And as she spoke, I was very sad
For I wanted her pleased with me...
This slender girl from the shadowy past
The girl I used to be.
So gently rising I took her hand,
And guided her up the stair.
Where peacefully sleeping my babies lay
Innocent, sweet, and fair.
And I told her that these are my only gems,
And precious they are to me:
That silken robe is my motherhood
of costly simplicity.
And my mansion of stately height is love,
And the only career I know,
Is serving each day in these sheltered walls
For the dear ones who come and go.
And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,
She smiled through her tears at me.
And I saw that the woman that I am now
Pleased the girl I used to be.
Author Unknown

The Little Things

Have you ever noticed it's the little things in life that are a blessing? I have little blessings every day. Yesterday we went to a friend's going away party, he's going to San Antonio to boot camp. His mom pulled together a photo album and inside was a picture of Steve as his Awana Cubbie leader. What a blessing to see one of our Cubbies as a young man now entering the military. One of my previous Cubbies is now a mom with her second baby on the way, and she helped us in the Cubbie program this past year before moving. Seeing these young people continue in their faith is a reward for the time and commitment we invested in them so many years ago.

The privilege of watching my granddaughter two-three times a week is another blessing. Thankfully the Lord has provided me with hands that can hold her, change her, feel her little fluffy head, and feed her. I have lips that can smooch her little chubby cheeks. Feet that can go to her when her aunties and uncles just can't figure out what she needs. I have the blessing of her being in my life.

I have the blessing of having two little girls that get scared at night and need mommy and daddy. Just snuggling up with us and being with us is enough for them. They're content with us. Us. That's it. They don't need fancy things. Just time. Blessed to be able to have a lap that holds them. They won't be little much longer.

I'm blessed to have medical care. James had strep throat the other day. Thankfully we were able to get him an appointment that day and get the necessary medicine. How many children can get medical appts. and medicine all in the same day? Did you know that there are more doctors in Washington, D.C. than there are in the whole country of Ethiopia?

I'm blessed to have children that can laugh, who are healthy, can learn, and walk and run and and and........

I'm blessed to have a husband who loves his family. Who would rather be with us than with the guys. Who goes to work everyday so that we can have the things we deem necessary (a lot of wants, but necessaries too). I'm blessed because he is involved in our lives and the lives of other children.

I'm blessed to have a Savior who died for me. A Savior who gave His life when He didn't have to, who came out of heaven for me. Me. Why? Love. Thankfully I accepted His gift when He gave it to me. My life has been much better because of Him.

Blessings. They're all around. The glow of the bright full moon. The waves of the ocean. Cars that work. Children laughing. Good food. Just observe and you'll see blessings in abundance too.

Rag Quilt for Joe

I made a rag quilt for Joe and finished it a month or so ago. He was with me when I picked out the fabric which was from JoAnn's. I use flannel with Warm & Natural batting in between. My squares are cut 10x10 with usually a 3/4" seam or so. I did make it three rows longer than usual because he is already 6' tall and only 14. He puts it on his twin size bed. It's not quite wide enough to cover the whole bed, but it seems long enough.

A rag quilting class is being offered at my church on June 5 if any of you want to venture into the world of flannel and thread. If you're local and want to attend, make a comment and I'll get in touch with you.

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

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.)

Thanks Marcia!

Ethiopia Window Decals

http://www.juliegumm.com/orphanadvocacy/EthiopiaWindowDecals.htm

Thanksgiving coloring pages

I was searching for coloring pages for my Little House class and came across this website. The pages aren't Little House related but they are Thanksgiving related and since it is one week before Thanksgiving I thought the children would enjoy coloring them. I enjoy this site because the pages are acceptable for older elementary. They're not too babyish. There is one where a pilgrim couple is knelt in prayer and another where a pilgrim woman is offering a native American some food. I think your older kids as well as younger children would enjoy these!

http://holidays.kaboose.com/thanks-color.html

Jesse & Sage engagement photos

Our friend Tim takes beautiful pictures. Tim, Jesse, and Sage headed out to Oak Oasis Park by our house one day to take these engagement photos. If you scroll down the page you'll also see Nathan & Sarah's engagement photos. Thanks Tim! They're beautiful!

http://timothytylerblog.com/

Homesewn Ethiopian Flag Blankies

I saw this blanket mentioned on the CAFE discussion group. I checked it out and it seems like such a nice gift to bring with you to give your new little one in Ethopia, or a wonderful shower present for that special someone adopting from Ethiopia. Good job, MamaEnat!!!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33627190

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MamaEnat?section_id=6475057

Who Am I