The Yes and No Post

Yes, we are back from Myrtle Beach.

 

Yes, Aaron got to go down to the beach.

 

Yes, it rained as soon as we got down there.

 

No, he did not get to use the brand new shovel and bucket we bought him to play in the sand.

 

Yes, he had a wonderful time anyway on our trip.

 

Yes, he thought Ripley's Aquarium was a great alternative to the beach.

 

Yes, I could have stayed at the Aquarium all day just sitting peacefully in front of the tanks and watching the fish swim by.

 

Yes, we had a great convention.

 

Yes, we talked to a lot of schools.

 

No, absolutely no one had any idea who we were but most of them were open and excited to hear about us.

 

Yes, I am glad to be home.

 

No, I don't have any more conventions this year!

 

Yes, I am very very glad about that!

 

No, we are still not finished writing but we are very close.

 

The End.

 

------------------------------------

 

P.S. If you are looking to help a family in need...

 

 

Michelle Barrett is two weeks from travel and is short by over 9,000 dollars.  Because she is a single mom she has struggled to get any grants. 

 

We really need to support her!!

 

You want to know why???

 

Besides the fact that she has stepped out in FAITH and is ADOPTING a special needs little guy....Three years ago she adopted two siblings from the U.S. Foster System.  The little boy has ARTHROGRYPOSIS and the little girl has limb differences.

 

That makes her a SUPER MOM!!

 

Anyone who adopts a child with arthrogryposis has my love and support!!!

 

 

Please won't you sow into her adoption?  She has fundraised like crazy and has raised over $20,000 for this adoption.

 

Let's help her finish the job!

 

Here are two ways you can donate...

 

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO MICHELLE'S YOU CARING PAGE

 

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO MICHELLE'S GRANT ACCOUNT

 

The grant account needs to read $11,775 to be fully funded.

 

 

 

Raining in SC

Rob and Aaron and I are in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina today.

 

We are running a booth at the Southeast Christian School Convention.

 

It's a convention for teachers and administrators and as part of the three day convention - they build in free time for the teachers which means the vendors get free time too.  This afternoon is free time/beach time!  Woo Hoo!

 

Aaron is so excited.

 

Two nights in a hotel and time to play at the ocean. What more could he ask for??

THAT IT STOP RAINING PLEASE!!!!
 

 

We were hoping to have all of our writing finished before this convention but time moved too quickly and we aren't quite done.  The deadline is hanging over heads like a little black rain cloud.  We are trying to let it go for a few days though and just enjoy our time with our littlest. 

 

While we are gone.... I'll entertain you with some cute pictures of Aaron and his favorite dog, Summer!

 

 

Would you believe that about 6 years ago that dog knocked me over and broke my arm and hand?

 

Would you believe that in the four years Aaron has been home she has never knocked him over?

 

 

 

 

She's not the brightest dog on the block ... her retriever skills are atrocious... she thinks covering herself in stuff we shall not name here is the best fun...

 

But she is gentle with him.

 

And he loves her.

 

 

Sweet dog.  Precious boy.

 

 

 

 

Memory Lane

Four years ago he became our son.

 

Looking back fills me with so many memories.

 

 

I remember riding in the car with him that first day and wanting nothing more than just to hold him in my arms, but he would have none of it.

 

We went out to dinner with another Reece's Rainbow dad and had pizza.... an American child's dream dinner... He hated it. He still doesn't like pizza very much.

 

We were stuck in the city due to USCIS losing our paperwork. Rob and I were outright miserable because after 3 months of trauma - we just wanted to go home.

 

He totally didn't mind the delay though because walking around the city was his favorite part....

 

It was here that we realized that our son who had been caged up for six years had a remarkable sense of direction.

 

 

No matter where we walked in that city - he always knew exactly how to get back to the apartment. Since language was an issue - there were sometimes when we weren't heading back and he would get rather upset with us because we were NOT going the right way.

 

Our facilitator came to visit us while we sat and waited for USCIS to get their act together... Aaron refused to speak in front of her or anyone else that could translate for us, so we never knew what he was saying to us.

 

 

We knew he had a very limited vocabulary - it wasn't until last December that we learned that most of what he had to say was not worth translating!  Potty mouth.

 

 

He spent most of the time in the airport with tears streaming down his face.  No sounds. Just tears.  Not because he didn't want to go but because he didn't understand that in order to get on an airplane you had to go through hours and hours of waiting in line.

 

 

When we finally arrived and met our family and friends at the airport...

 

The first thing he did was stick out his tongue at everyone!

 

We never knew how to interpret that gesture... especially since he has never done it again!

 

 

 

 

 Four years ago. 

 

Hard times then.

 

Fond memories now.

 

What a difference four years makes!

 

 

 

5 for 5 for 5... HUH????

It's Friday afternoon.

 

You got paid today.

You realize that you have been blessed beyond measure with that paycheck.

 

 

 

Okay.

 

Maybe you think you deserve more than you were just paid.

Regardless.

 

I bet that if you look carefully enough you will discover that you just might possibly have a few dollars to spare in that check.  Even after you tithe and pay the light and the phone and the water and the house and the car and the yacht and .... whatnots...

 

The vast majority of you reading this will have something left. Maybe not much but you got something to spare...

 

Maybe 5 left over? 10?

 

Now what are you going to do with it?

 

Go get a latte.. an option.

 

 

An ice cream cone. That works too.

 

Go see a movie.  Visit a museum.  All good choices.

 

How about dividing it five ways and give it to five different families.

 

Huh?

 

5 dollars?

 

10 dollars?

 

That's only 1 or 2 dollars each family?

 

Sounds really really silly.

 

Not if a whole bunch of us do the same thing.

 

It's called 5/5/5 for Families

I donate my five

 

 

 And you donate your five

 

 

 And others donate their fives

 

 

And on the 5th of the month the money is split evenly between 5 families from 5 different countries.

 

Of course no one is going to stop you if you choose to donate 10.

 

 

 Or 20

 

 Or 100.

 

 

 And the coolest part...

 

It's just once a month and you can set it up so that you don't even have to think about it.

 

GO TO THIS LINK

 

Make a payment and click the little button that says - Make this recurring.

 

And five families will be  blessed.

 

It's better than a latte.  OR an ice cream cone.

 

I promise.

 

Just think.

 

5 families every single month.

 

X 12 months

 

= 60 families.

 

Bet you didn't know what an amazing mathematician I am.

 

Actually I am lousy at math.

 

But I can count by 5's.

 

And I know what it means to the families.

 

Won't you consider joining in?
 

 

 

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

 

Click HERE to donate.

 

The

 

The Averett Family

 

 The Barrett Family

 

 The Duvall Family

 

 The Fristoe Family

 

 The Lee Family

 

 

 

Will all thank you if you do...

 

AND SO WILL THEIR SWEET BABES!!

5/5/5 FOR FAMILIES

CLICK HERE TO JOIN IN

 

Heigh Ho Heigh Ho

We interrupt the writing process for a quick picture break...

Without dimples...

 

 

....Or with dimples....

 

 

I just seriously love this little guy to pieces!!!

 

An Aaron Creation!

 

Don't tell Aaron that missing muscles and tendons in his arms and hands is a show-stopper...

 

He spent a LONG time placing all those blocks in just the right place.

 

 

 

BE IMPRESSED!

 

I most certainly am!

 

And this goofy son of mine...

 

 

Last weekend he was in a really fun musical called DEAR EDWINA JR.

 

He was asked to be in at the last moment and stepped up and did a beautiful job!

 

To say I was proud of him would be a total understatement.  He sang two songs - one in a Transylvania accent - and the other as a love song and both were gorgeous. 

 

My boy has talent.

 

 

He's also a total nutcase...

 

 

And I love him to pieces too!

 

 

 

And that is the end of this picture break...

 

 

HEIGH HO HEIGH HO..

 

It's back to writing I  go....

 

 

Fatherless Friday...

Well...

 

Not for them.

 

In a few short days they will be claimed. 

 

Their Mama is on the plane right now flying to go get one of the boys! Their Papa is leaving in a few hours too to go get the other boy. 

 

Doesn't that just make you want to outright bawl on this Fatherless Friday??

 

 

At the beginning of the week they were over $4,000 short on what they needed to get the boys. 

But many many of you amazing readers have been pouring into this family and as of this morning they are only needing $1,054.00 to be fully funded.

A Mama and a Papa going separate ways to bring two boys into their family.

Can we finish this?

 

Elizabeth knit these socks for them.

 

 

Socks knit with prayers and love to get them home.

 

 

She's had a terribly rough week chemo wise but has been so blessed to watch the numbers fall for the Andersons.

I seriously want to finish this for her.

 

If you want the chance to win those amazing Elizabeth Dehority socks then just CLICK HERE to donate to the boys and then e-mail your receipt to this e-mail address:  biglittledays@gmail.com

On this Fatherless Friday... Let's get these two not-for-long Fatherless Boys funded!!

 

THANK YOU!!

 

Their grant account needs to read $21,236.00 to be fully funded.

 

 

For Elizabeth

I know.

 

I'm SUPPOSED to be working.

 

Two products left and they are seriously hanging heavy over our heads.

 

We have people begging for them to the point where we are having to provide the first seven weeks free so that we don't have a riot on our hands!

 

But you see my dear friend Elizabeth is seriously struggling.  Her Facebook status this morning ripped my heart out. 

 

 

 

"T minus nine hours and 25 minutes until dose number two of my new chemo. Last week my white cell count was borderline (2.9) so there is a chance that if this new drug has dropped it more, they could decide not to do the infusion. That would be bad. So far the number one side effect has been PROFOUND weakness. and fatigue. Like "sleep for 12 hours, get up,brush teeth,and then have to take a four hour nap to recover from the extreme exertion of brushing teeth" kind of tired. And weakness like not being able to pull my shirt off over my head because it's too heavy kind of weakness. I now feel like the laziest mama in the entire universe. But so far we are having no cardiac complications or worsening neuropathy. My hair has not yet started to fall out. Nine hours and 21 minutes ..... stress, stress, stress......"

 

 

Can anyone read that and not want to DO SOMETHING???

 

I can't give her strength in body though I wish with all my heart I could.

 

But I can help distract her in the Dehority Distraction style by being her voice for the Anderson family.  She wants to get them funded.  They leave in TWO DAYS and are not there yet.  We chipped away in the last 24 hours and that is AWESOME and AMAZING!  They were needed $4,401 yesterday.

 

Today they need $2,858.

 

I don't have that much money but I do have $10.00.

 

If I throw in $10.00 - will you join me?

 

Ten dollars - five for each boy.  Danny and Wayne. 

 

 

 

Elizabeth knit these socks for them.

 

 

Socks knit with prayers and love to get them home.

 

 

Help her finish the job.

 

I'm donating as soon as I finish typing this Blogpost.

 

Please join me.

 

If you don't have 10... then 5 will do.  And if you have more then just feel free to give more.

 

And if you want the chance to win those amazing Elizabeth Dehority socks then Just CLICK HERE to donate to the boys and then e-mail your receipt to this e-mail address:  biglittledays@gmail.com

 

THANK YOU!!

 

Their grant account needs to read $21,236.00 to be fully funded

 

LET'S GIVE ELIZABETH SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT TODAY!