Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Depending on God
When I turn the key in my car to start it each morning I forget to depend on God. I depend on Toyota and Interstate Battery or whoever manufactured my car. I don't have to depend on God for food. There's WalMart, WinnDixie and maybe even McDonalds or Wendys some days.
I believe that is one of the faults of modern society. We don't need God, or we THINK we don't need God.
Thankfulness can be a beginning to recognizing our ongoing need for God in our lives. Today I am thankful for many things but will focus on the small things like the fact that my car started this morning, the fact that we had electricity this morning when I woke up, the mere fact that I woke up in a safe place and not some war ravaged nation or to the sounds of missiles or bombs.
I have much to give thanks fir.
- Amanda & Roland
I believe that is one of the faults of modern society. We don't need God, or we THINK we don't need God.
Thankfulness can be a beginning to recognizing our ongoing need for God in our lives. Today I am thankful for many things but will focus on the small things like the fact that my car started this morning, the fact that we had electricity this morning when I woke up, the mere fact that I woke up in a safe place and not some war ravaged nation or to the sounds of missiles or bombs.
I have much to give thanks fir.
- Amanda & Roland
Well it's been several months since we are now home. I have decided to go back and post some things and also be better at posting updates of the boys. I'll also post at least weekly on our other blog: www.wherethereisgreatloveandmiracles.blogspot.com.
I was sitting in the dentist waiting room with M and looking at all the pics and videos from China. I came across Liam's gotcha video. What I saw was a scared little boy but it only takes about 2 minutes before he is laughing and playing with me. He has such a sweet personality!! He really is a love bug!
I'm trying to figure out how to post a video link to show you his video. It's amazing how a child can start to open up so quickly. I believe it is a testament to the care and love he received in his foster home.
- Amanda & Roland
I was sitting in the dentist waiting room with M and looking at all the pics and videos from China. I came across Liam's gotcha video. What I saw was a scared little boy but it only takes about 2 minutes before he is laughing and playing with me. He has such a sweet personality!! He really is a love bug!
I'm trying to figure out how to post a video link to show you his video. It's amazing how a child can start to open up so quickly. I believe it is a testament to the care and love he received in his foster home.
- Amanda & Roland
Saturday, November 27, 2010
8 yrs old
I am just thinking and praying a lot about JC and his being 8 yrs old. He has been in the orphanage all his life. For what it's worth, he lives in a great orphanage. By orphanage standards Shanghai is probably the Tajmahal. He might even be dismayed at our facilities compared to the campus he is used to. But, there is one thing we have that the orphanage doesn't. Family.
I have read and heard folks say it's a crime to bring a child out of their culture and expect him to learn a whole new culture. I wish the world was perfect place where all biological could safely and adequately care for all their birth children and live happily ever after.
I was adopted and don't consider myself traumatized. Sure I hd issues to work through as a child, young adult and adult but I don't think those issues are really any different than what many other non-adoptees face.
Orphans in China who are not adopted become unadoptable at age 14. By age 16 they are released from the orphanage. The culture in China is such that being an orphan is considered very bad luck. So no one wants to hire you for a job. Some people say how will they know someone's a orphan? Well the naming of children in orphanages is such that it automatically identifies the person. Take L. His Chinese last name is Dang. This means communist. All babies that end up in orphanages in his province have this last name. T is from Zhanjiang and all orphans there are given Zhan. Since these are not "real" last names in China it would single them out. Plus T and L have cleft lip and palate. They will have plastic surgery in US and have had some wonderful surgeries in China, but there will probably always be some sort of scarring. This is more bad luck.
Orphans don't have an opportunity to go to college either. That means no good paying job and limits their choices.
So JC is 8. In a few years he would have to move out and care for himself. That's just not going to happen.
We are praying his little heart will be open to the love his Mamma and Daddy have for him as well as the love and harassment his brothers and sisters are sure to shower him with!
- Amanda & Roland
I have read and heard folks say it's a crime to bring a child out of their culture and expect him to learn a whole new culture. I wish the world was perfect place where all biological could safely and adequately care for all their birth children and live happily ever after.
I was adopted and don't consider myself traumatized. Sure I hd issues to work through as a child, young adult and adult but I don't think those issues are really any different than what many other non-adoptees face.
Orphans in China who are not adopted become unadoptable at age 14. By age 16 they are released from the orphanage. The culture in China is such that being an orphan is considered very bad luck. So no one wants to hire you for a job. Some people say how will they know someone's a orphan? Well the naming of children in orphanages is such that it automatically identifies the person. Take L. His Chinese last name is Dang. This means communist. All babies that end up in orphanages in his province have this last name. T is from Zhanjiang and all orphans there are given Zhan. Since these are not "real" last names in China it would single them out. Plus T and L have cleft lip and palate. They will have plastic surgery in US and have had some wonderful surgeries in China, but there will probably always be some sort of scarring. This is more bad luck.
Orphans don't have an opportunity to go to college either. That means no good paying job and limits their choices.
So JC is 8. In a few years he would have to move out and care for himself. That's just not going to happen.
We are praying his little heart will be open to the love his Mamma and Daddy have for him as well as the love and harassment his brothers and sisters are sure to shower him with!
- Amanda & Roland
Friday, November 26, 2010
Iron Man turned 5 today
H, or Iron Man as he is know by all turned 5 today. He has been on an IM kick since just before Halloween. Of course he was IM for Halloween and has played in the costume daily since. I'll have to say, the costume has held up nicely! Everyday when he gets home, he runs upstairs to change into IM.
His bday is next week, and since Mom's going to China, we celebrated last night. Yes, IM on Turkey day!
He was a little overstimulated to say the least. He's the type of kid that opens 1 or 2 presents he likes and then is done. He got IM shirt, shoes, toys, hat, gloves and several toys including the talking IM face. He liked the simple mask better than the heavy head suit and his favourite toy was the boy barbie sized "doll". R says their "action figures". I guess that's how boys play with "dolls" by calling them "action figures". Whatever you call it, he LOVED it!!
Notice he's not letting go of that doll!! Oops I mean action figure!!
Amanda & Roland
His bday is next week, and since Mom's going to China, we celebrated last night. Yes, IM on Turkey day!
He was a little overstimulated to say the least. He's the type of kid that opens 1 or 2 presents he likes and then is done. He got IM shirt, shoes, toys, hat, gloves and several toys including the talking IM face. He liked the simple mask better than the heavy head suit and his favourite toy was the boy barbie sized "doll". R says their "action figures". I guess that's how boys play with "dolls" by calling them "action figures". Whatever you call it, he LOVED it!!
Notice he's not letting go of that doll!! Oops I mean action figure!!
Amanda & Roland
Thnksgiving
I had help in the kitchen today. M was up early and wanted to help so I put her to work.
She makes a mean fruit salad.
Mawmaw stepped in to help her stir.
We have so much to be thankful for today and every day all year!
Amanda & Roland
She makes a mean fruit salad.
Mawmaw stepped in to help her stir.
We have so much to be thankful for today and every day all year!
Amanda & Roland
Trip to get our tree
We went last weekend to pick out our Christmas tree. It's pretty much our tradition to go to a local tree farm and tag our tree, then we'll
Go back the day or weekend after Thanksgiving and pick it up.
We need the tree for Christmas and recycle it into our ponds to make hiding places for baby brim to breed in the spring. The trees make excellent nests. For many years others have donated trees and they are haulled to the coastline to help with our state's erosion problem.
Here's this years' tree:
And some more pics from the tree farm (they also have a pumpkin patch there)
Amanda & Roland
Go back the day or weekend after Thanksgiving and pick it up.
We need the tree for Christmas and recycle it into our ponds to make hiding places for baby brim to breed in the spring. The trees make excellent nests. For many years others have donated trees and they are haulled to the coastline to help with our state's erosion problem.
Here's this years' tree:
And some more pics from the tree farm (they also have a pumpkin patch there)
Amanda & Roland
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