sutton093

  T oday we celebrate Maggie's Gotcha Day. Three years ago we met Maggie for the first time. She was tired and cranky and we were overwhelmed with how much we loved her.  Maggie has blossomed into such a beautiful, sweet and silly little girl.   But, she is quick to say that she is a big girl !   Four years old !   Happy Gotcha Day Maggie !!!!!!

Two years ago we were handed a beautiful, sweet little baby girl.  And the adventure began. Maggie and I watched her Gotcha Day video today and she was a little unsure of it all. She told me baby Maggie was sick and sad. Our little baby girl is getting so big now and the changes in her are ENORMOUS !  When we first met Maggie, she could not use her hands, walk, talk, communicate, look us in the eye, play with toys. Nothing.  We love you so much. You are a brave and captivating little girl with so much life and love to give. Happy Gotcha Day Maggie !

Please take a look at these beautiful children that are on the shared list (or will be on the shared list soon).  They all have a special need of hearing loss and are so cute.  I can't stand it ! Hearing loss can be a scary special need at first, but there is so much technology now that enables children that have all levels of hearing loss to hear. For example, Maggie wears a BAHA hearing aid on a soft band and she has wonderful hearing as a result.  There are also cochlear inplants that will allow a deaf child access to the hearing world.  Amazing ! This cutie's SN is deafness. Her file is being prepared, if you see her pop up on the shared or an agency list, please comment and let us know! She is in Love Without Boundaries foster care in Qiandongnan. This is "Sophie" DOB 11-9-08 and it  appears  she has the same Special Need as Maggie - unilateral microtia/atresia of the left ear. Sweet Anna is 3 and 1/2 years old and has hearing loss ...

How's that for a title ?  This is what Maggie thought of the IRS audit !  The government has a wonderful adoption tax credit for qualifying adoption expenses.  So, we kept every receipt, cancelled check and statement that had to do with Maggie's adoption just in case we were ever audited.  And this was the year the IRS decides to audit almost everyone that has adopted recently. Which is funny to me because after you have gone through all the paperwork, Hague, governmental,adoption, jump through hoops yah yah  - you just kind of go with it. I think it is safe to say that if you have adopted Internationally, you are pretty organized now with records and paperwork and the IRS is not so intimidating.  Let's pray they think my record keeping is as good as I think it is ! And then if the IRS wasn't enough, Will had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Last Monday he went to a farm with Chuck and a friend. Then two days later we noticed two ticks, bu...

Mandarin House ( Maggie's Gotcha Day Celebration)

Watch this show on Jan. 8th. Love it !!! It's about a couple that unexceptionably adopts a group of children. And it has Brooke White ( from American Idol). Yeah for family friendly movies on adoption !!! :30 Change of Plans from Moms4FamilyTV.com on Vimeo .

I am still doing adoption paper work one year later. In the state of Alabama, you have to apply through your local courthouse to re-adopt.  The re-adoption will then allow us to get Maggie an Alabama birth certificate. Personally, I think it is crazy to have to re-adopt my child that is fully adopted and fully my child. Crazy !!! But, since I am at the mercy of this insane governmental laws right now, I spent most of the day yesterday doing paperwork and gathering the necessary forms so that we can re- adopt our already adopted daughter. I was told you don't have to have a lawyer in order to re adopt in Alabama.  So, I just did all the work myself. I figure if I can put a Dossier together for China, I can fill out a couple of forms.  And I did.  It was pretty easy and the clerk at the courthouse said it looked fine.  So, I am not sure why some people use a lawyer and spend hundreds of dollars ?  Let's pray I did everything right and we w...

  In 30 minutes our social worker wil be here to complete our one year post placement adoption paper work that must go to China.  One year?  Does time really go by that fast ? Almost one year ago, we met our beautiful daughter.  She was a shell of a baby, unable to use her hands, she had no language or communication, no desire to eat,  no hearing, and no concept of love.  She had many signs of being in an institution (self soothing) - looking at hands constantly, rocking back and forth, wierd rolling of her eyes and head banging.  And oh ! How we loved her at first sight ! And so began the loving and nurturing of Maggie. Also lots of therapy, hearing aids, prayer and time.  One year.  Our baby is so different now.  So special and so sweet.  Ok, I'll have to finish this later...the door bell is ringing.

P lease go over here    and enter the giveaway for a $500 Walmart gift card !  Just in time for Christmas !! A ll proceeds will go toward the adoption of the McKNIGHT family's special needs daughter - Anna Faith.  P lease, please,please join me in supporting this incredible, life changing thing called ADOPTION.

Last Sunday was Orphan Sunday, and I meant to write a long post about it. But, instead, here is a quick one: This beautiful little girl of ours was an orphan, abandoned at birth. Unthinkable. But true. My heart is so burdened by the millions of orphans in our world and we should be doing more. I know Chuck and I have a heart that aches for more children. Specifically children that no one wants. Please join us in prayer today for serious revival of hearts toward orphans. For families that will say yes to the fatherless. That orphans will know mercy and love. The LOVE of a forever family.

Please take a look at Ruby.  She is a beautiful girl in need of a loving family.  My heart is breaking knowing she will age out in three years and that she has had to wait so long for a family.  I have spoken to several families that have met Ruby and know her personally.  They ALL say she is a very sweet, thoughtful, smart girl and would be a blessing to any  family that adopted her. Her special need is very minor - a port wine stain on her face that could possible be lightened with a laser procedure. Madison Adoption Agency is waving all their fees, she has an additional $3000 grant and then there is the $12,000 tax credit that is available.  She is also being advocated/sponsored by Love Without Boundaries. Please go here for more info or contact Madison. ( I will be out of pocket for a couple of days) Join us also in praying for Ruby.  Could she be your daughter ?

If you haven't checked out the new adoption website We Are Grafted In , then head on over and see what an encouragemen t this site is.  It's a Christian website/forum all about adoption ( International and Domestic). The most recent post is titled Images of Adoption and there's a picture of Chuck and Maggie that I submitted.  I am so thankful for this site and for all the wonderful families I have met through the family stories and forums.