"New Post"...FINALLY!!

 I am glad to have a moment to post some pictures and give a little update too! I really want to continue to blog to keep up with Betsy's first year at home. We have been so busy lately that it has been hard to keep up to date with what we are doing. We have been to the dentist three times in the past three weeks. Betsy had to get three fillings, got an infection, and as a result had to have a tooth pulled! We have also been to the International Adoption Clinic twice. Betsy is doing great! The therepists at the clinic were very encouraging. She is adjusting really well. We are continually amazed by this little girl! More than anything we are Amazed by our God who brought this sweet girl into our lives:) We give Him all the glory!!

Betsy is showing off the balloon she got at her first dentist visit.

Betsy's first trip to the IAC. It was April 27 the day all the tornados hit Alabama.

This is one very sleepy little girl!

Badmitton anyone?

Having fun at Granny's the day before Mother's Day.

This girl loves the phone!

Betsy and Sam riding the golf cart at Granny's.

Cousins Holly, Becca, and Katie meeting Betsy for the first time.

Nathan, Sam, and Hugh(back row) Morgan, Holly, Ellie, Henry, Becca, Maddie, and Betsy

Me with my mother on Mother's Day:)

I am so thankful for these precious children!

Happy Birthday Ellie!! Ellie turned eleven on May 10, 2011.

Betsy and Ellie

Ellie's birthday cupcake and ice cream.

Fingerpainting Fun!

Betsy loves to paint.

Henry working on his masterpiece.

Easter 2011

Well, here we are the day after Mother's Day, and I am  posting about Easter! I have alot of catching up to do. My computer has not been working exactly right since the storms. I have attempted to post a couple of times, but had trouble. Ok...back to Easter. We enjoyed a beautiful Easter Sunday:) Betsy and I went to church for the first time since we had been home from China. What a great day to go!! Betsy and I sat in the balcony with my parents. She did great! Betsy loves to sing, so when the music began she stood up and started clapping her hands with the rest of us! I can't tell you how good it was to worship with my church family on Easter Sunday. Also, to have my parents and my daughter with me was just icing on the cake:) When the choir came out I got tears in my eyes. I love to sing in the choir! I truly missed being in the choir loft with everyone. It was such an awesome worship service. At one point I was standing, singing, and holding Betsy. I looked at her and she was so happy. As I looked into her eyes on this wonderful ressurection day the Lord reminded me of some words from a song by Steven Curtis Chapman. In the song he says... "I saw the face of Jesus on a little orphan girl. She was standing in a corner on the other side of the world." He goes on to sing..."what now, what will you do now that you found me, what now, what will you do with this treasure you found"? I was holding in my hands a precious little treasure, a gift from God. I knew at that moment I was looking into the very heart of God. He loves the orphan...he is a Father to the Fatherless! Praise God!!! What was even more wonderful that day was that the precious treasure I was holding was my daughter! She was an orphan no more!! I felt like the Lord was also asking what will you do now? WOW...what I want more than anything is to show her the love of Christ. I pray that Todd and I will be faithful in doing this with all of our children. So, what is the Lord asking you to do today? Is there something he has laid on your heart? Do you feel him calling you to defend the orphan? Pray that God would reveal to you exactly how he wants you to do this. Maybe it's through adoption, helping an adoptive family, raising awareness of the orphan crisis, or praying. There are so many thing we can do. One thing I know for a fact is that we are ALL, as christians, called to defend the orphan in some way. Have a blessed day:)    



Betsy showing off her new swim skirt cover up...kept saying beautiful!



Henry showing off his Woody/Buzz flip flops.

Betsy loved counting the dyed eggs! She did it MANY times:)

Betsy and Henry...off to hunt eggs!

Betsy and Papa

Betsy put a sticker on her nose and thought it was so funny:)

Nana, Papa, and "The Gang"

One Week Ago...

Alabamians were hit by tornados that completely devestated many communities. Lives were changed forever. I have wanted to post my Easter weekend pictures and a couple of other things, but really felt compelled to say something about the terrible storms that passed through Alabama last week. Thankfully we were without power for about 1 1/2 days. Many people that live in the same town as we do were without power for as many as 5 days (maybe more...that's the longest I know about). It has been on every page of the paper, and of course on the news. My aunt and her son along with his two children had two large trees fall on their home, and lost both of their cars. The small community of Hackleburg which is just a few miles from where Todd grew up was completely destroyed! There are story after story of loss. The town of Phil Campbell, where friends from our church grew up and have family there, was hit extremely hard...blown away! One thing that prevails in all of these stories is the grace of God! These people have essentially lost everything, but they continue to give glory to God, and thank him for what they do have. It is a blessing to hear these stories of hope in the midst of great loss! If you are able to help in any way please do. You can call the governor's disaster info hotline @ 1-866-465-2241, contact the American Red Cross, or The Salvation Army (you can call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or text "GIVE" to make a $10 donation). I know anything you do would be greatly appreciated:) More than anything, please pray as people began to rebuild and move forward.