Here's a Funny for You

We have this thing here at the Hood house where Zac argues with Jadyn back and forth saying "that's MY Mommy" and so on and so forth. I truly believe they would spend hours arguing over this fact.

What is really funny when the name Daddy becomes involved.

Last night Zac said "that's MY Mommy" and the argument ensued. Jadyn immediately bristles and with quite the bark in her voice says "that's MY Mommy. It continues and has a tendency to get louder and louder. During the course of the argument, Zac always says "well, that's MY Daddy". To which Jadyn promptly responds EVERY TIME "well, that's MY Mommy". We all laugh, Pat realizes his place in the food chain and Jadyn is triumphant as she marvels at her arguing skills.

I was standing in the kitchen during the said argument and Pat had stepped into the little pastor's room. Jadyn was arguing with Zachary and suddenly he threw her a curve. Zac said to Jadyn "that's YOUR Daddy" To which Jadyn promptly and loudly replied "NO, that's YOUR Daddy and that's MY Mommy"!

I'm telling, that child is a genius. She will NOT be out argued.

To this I must ask myself one question. Why is it that EVERYONE in my house will not settle for being outdone?

Sheesh!

Have a fun Monday!

Alyza Kate's Birthday Party

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Birthday, Precious One

I've said it before and I'll say it again, adoption is not for the weak.

Today is one of those days that leaves an indescribable feeling of sadness, yet happiness in your heart of hearts.

February 28, 2007 our sweet Alyza Kate came into this world. So, today is her second birthday. It's been a really tough time for me, even though I knew what to expect. You see, we missed Jadyn's first birthday and well, quite frankly, it stinks. The only way I can describe it is to think about being away from your child on his/her birthday. I think over and over in my mind, does anyone care that it's her birthday? Will anyone tell her happy birthday? give her an extra special hug? give her an extra tight hug?

I pray they will.

I would ask that you pray for us today also. These are the things that cause my hair to require color to cover the grey. It's the things that keeps me awake at night, one of many things.

Alyza Kate,

Happy Birthday sweet girl! Today is your birthday and you may or may not even know it, but your family here knows that it is. We are praying for you, thinking about you, and longing even more to be with you. We cannot wait to come get you and bring you home with us. We will have a big celebration then and you can have a big party at that time. Your family waits for you and cannot wait until the day that we can give you that birthday kiss in person.

I love you,
Mommy

So, if you will, remember our sweet girl today. Ask God to bless her a little extra today and pray that someone will love on her just a little more than usual. Thanks friends, for walking this road with us. We love you.

We Have a New Daughter!

We are please to announce that we have received the referral of our beautiful Ethiopian daughter. We got the call at 1:28 pm yesterday from Abbey, our social worker. We were so surprised.

Of course, Pat was in Murfreesboro and I had to call him to tell him to get himself home - NOW. I told Abbey I would call her back when he got home, ran and got the video camera set up and waited on him to get here. Finally, they made it home and we called her back. She wasn't at her desk because that would have been much too easy, so I left a message. Soon, she called back and she emailed the information/pictures to us. We all gathered around the computer and opened the email.

Because of Ethiopian law, we can't post pictures in a public forum, blog etc. until after our court date. Just take my word, she is BEAUTIFUL. She is a little peanut, 23 lbs, but has the biggest eyes ever. Her eyes are the biggest part of her. She will be 2 this month on 2/28 and we are so sad that we won't be there for her birthday. But, we'll make up for it when we get her home. Pray, pray, pray for a speedy court date and that we pass the first time. We just want her home.

We are blessed beyond anything that we could hope for or imagine. We are praising God for His faithfulness and for His goodness. Thank you for sharing in our joy and rejoicing with us. God is good.

Don't Forget About Wall/Window Decals

Hey everyone!

Just a quick reminder. Don't forget about the wall/window decals that are available. They look great on your car and on your walls! What better way to start a conversation about adoption in the parking lot of the grocery store? :)

Thanks for your help in bringing home Alyza Kate. We really appreciate it!

Happy Almost Birthday Uncle Vern!

Today Tomorrow is my brother's/Jadyn's favorite Uncle Vern's birthday! (I didn't notice that it was the 3rd and not the 4th) Oops! Anyway, Happy B-Day tomorrow, we love you! Here's a little present from Jadyn.

Enjoy.

I Have New Look! Like It?

My dear friend from afar, Becky, did a little work on my blog. Actually, she did a lot of work. A complete makeover and I LOVE it! Now that we are adding another daughter to our family, one that happens to be from Africa, I felt the need to move away from a China blog, and move to something that describes our family.

We want our family to mirror the family of God. That why God led us to adopt. We want to be a picture, all nations, all colors. Our life is a full life, but we would be incomplete if we did not have Christ in our lives. In John 10:10, scripture tells us that He came so that we would have life and have it to the fullest. He has blessed us with a full life. Herein, lies the ins and outs, the ups and downs of what it means to be a Hood!

Let me know what you think about the blog and check out Becky's blog if you are looking for a "new look"! She is wonderful to work with and hopefully, she won't say that I was the hardest person that she ever did a blog makeover for!!!

Thanks for reading.

What Do You Do With This Information?

It has taken me several days after viewing the following video to process what I saw.  To say that it touched me is an understatement.  In discussing this with my friend Susan, she posed the question that I have had rolling around in my head but was unable to put into words,  "what do you do with this kind of information?"

Speechless.

As I finished this video, I was left speechless.  Literally.  Very few things leave me unable to form words, but this video did.  But, very quickly, I found myself crying out to my God.  Again, I say, what is the significance of my existence?  Am I REALLY making a difference in this world.  Could I, realistically, hop on over to Expedia and book a plane ticket to Uganda? No.  Does that change the fact that I have a responsibility?  No.

But, what?

What responsibility do I have after receiving this kind of information?  This is not 35 years ago, when your parents were telling you about the starving children in Africa, this is here, this is NOW. This are 3 children who are most likely orphaned by AIDS, left to care for themselves, with no provisions to do so. 

There is money being sent to Africa through many different organizations - some very good, some, not so good.  I have a heart for children, I have a heart for orphans, I have a heart for Africa.  This video shook me to my core.  Let me warn you, it is VERY hard to watch.  Probably, as hard as most anything that I have ever seen.

So, I'm asking you, that if you choose to watch it.  First, pray and ask God what He wants you to do with this information.  Then proceed with caution.  I know that it will shake you to your very core, as it did  me.  Then, let me know what you think, when you are once again able to form words and/or thoughts.  

Leave me a comment and answer the question - What do I do with this information?

Happy Weekend!

Yay, today is Friday.  I'm off on Fridays, so I love it when that day of the week rolls around.  It means that I've got the next three days to spend with my sweet family.  I LOVE Fridays!

I have been such a slacker when it comes to blogging.  I really do have a lot to say, I just go around, mumbling it to myself, and never actually get it on the blog.  But, I'm going to do better.  There, I typed it.  I am going to do better.  I have so many things that I think, I need to blog about that, but just don't take the time to sit down and get it on my blog, but things are about to change.  

So, allow me to sweep out those dusty, dark corners of my mind and get rid of a few things.  Then, I can start again, refreshed and renewed. :)

1.  Yes, I watched the inauguration and had very mixed emotions about the whole thing.  I am committed to praying for President Obama, his way of thinking on many things scares me, but he is our president.  I found myself very reflective and contemplative about how far we have come as a  nation and where we are.  No matter who you voted for, this was a big day for our country.  But, what "gets" me is that people see this as an end to racism.  Yes, we've come along way, but we are not there.  We have so far to go.  I plan on doing a whole post on the subject of racism in our world today.  This is something that has been weighing heavily on my mind and I've got a few things that I need to say.  Another post for another time!   

2.  I cannot keep the dust and crapola off of my wood floors.  Where does all this stuff come from?  I could sweep 10 times a day and it still looks dirty.  What's up with that?

3.  I desperately need a pedicure.

4.  And a massage.

5.  We have been on the waiting list for Ethiopia for 4.5 months now.  I'm tired of waiting.  

6.  I am not a very good waiter.

7.  It's 2:46 a.m. and I should be in bed, but I made the statement that I am going to be a better blogger and this is the only time that I have any peace on the computer.

8.  I think adoption is the greatest thing in the world that you can do for your family.

9.  I wish I had a pool.

10.  I think the fact that my daughter carries her purse to bed with her is the funniest thing in the world.  She is such a grandmother.  Her purse hardly leaves her side and it is crammed, and I do mean crammed, full!  The other morning Zac said that he needed lunch money, Jadyn spoke up and said "I get it, I get it" and opened her purse, pulled out a $10 Disney Princess Dollar and handed it to Zac.  Wow, if it were only that simple.  She had her purse on the table while she was eating breakfast.  It's just never leaves her side, or course, if I carried as much Disney Princess Money around with me as she does, it would never leave my side either.  Other items in her purse include, 3 hair bands, 72 socks, SilverMist fairy with a broken wing (we are saddened that she only flies in circles now but being crammed in a purse with 72 socks is hard on fairy wings), a golf ball (not sure where this even came from), thousands of Disney Princess Dollars, a spoon, and finally, a pad and pen.  She takes notes and names often.

I'm sure that I could go on and on, but after all, it is 3:00 a.m. and I hear my warm bed calling my name.  So, I think I'll leave it at that for now.  

More later...

New Do

Baby girl has a new hair cut.  And, oh my, she looks so old.  We finally got the last bit of her "leftover" hair cut off and my has it changed her appearance.  She just gets prettier and prettier every day.  I love that little girl.  Go ahead, see for yourself.

New Countries Available

Hey all,

If you look to the right, I have added some new countries that are now available.  The following countries are now available:  China, Ethiopia (the country itself), Africa, Guatemala, Haiti and Columbia.  If you would like to use paypal, you can, but if you want more than one, email me directly so I can adjust the shipping.  Shipping will only be charged once.

Thanks for looking and for your support!

Wall and Car Decals Now Available!

Hey everyone!  I am making available these vinyl car and wall decals.  They apply easily to your vehicle  or wall and look GREAT!  I have both the China and the Ethiopia on the back of my van.  People are already noticing.  What an easy way to open a dialogue about adoption.  Great conversation starters!  I can do other countries as the need arises.  They will be the same price.  I can also do them larger or you would like to have a larger one for your wall.

These will stay on forever, but are EASILY removed should you decide you would like to remove it.  They are not reusable though.  They are like Uppercase Living products, if you are familiar with them.

If you are interested in one, and you want to use paypal, just click on the "Add to Cart"  button at the right, after you choose the one you want.  Shipping is $2.00, but if you want more than one,  email me at and I will adjust the pricing for the shipping of multiple decals!  Or, if you just have a question about the decals, let me know.  

Thanks for looking and thanks for ordering!

What a Nice Surprise!

Last night, not too long after dark, I passed by the front door and looked out the side glass.  And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but SNOW!  It's only December and we're getting SNOW!  It was a wet, fast sticking snow that looked like cotton balls falling from the sky.

Jadyn changed clothes about 15 times this morning trying to put on something to wear out into the snow.  Some of the outfits consisted of capri pants, black sunday shoes without socks, her blue crocheted hat, a pair of pajamas - size 18 months, and an old navy jacket that is a 12-18 month size.  Here are a few pictures from her time outside.  Sorry that she would never be still long enough to catch her face on the camera.

Now, I must go pick up clothes that are strewn from one end of my house to the other.

Really.

Enjoy your snowday!

Bless You Mommy

A couple of evenings ago I was in the kitchen doing kitchen things.  Jadyn has perfected being under my feet in such a short amount of time.  She loves to be right where the action is. No matter what I am doing, she is somewhere close by.  Because we're coming up on Thanksgiving, things have been particularly busy in the Hood kitchen.

I had my hands full and felt a sneeze coming on.  Loudly, out it came without much warning.  I tried to stifle it, but it was pretty loud and boisterous.

"Bless you Mommy" was Jadyn's response to my sneeze.

 In her sweet, tiny little voice - Jadyn "blessed" me.  I  held back a tear or two and my heart felt very full.  Jadyn responded to my sneeze and I realized among the dishes in the sink and the milk spots on the floor that God has truly blessed me, more that Jadyn will ever understand.    Oh, my sweet child,  I am blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Bless you,

Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

One Tuesday, the schools were closed for the election so the kids had a day off.  I went in a little early to work so I could skip out a little early and we headed to the Nashville Zoo.

While we did not see lions (except for a mountain lion), tigers (we couldn't find him in his habitat) or bears (don't have any at the Nashville zoo), a good time was still had by all.  Jadyn, Addie, Leslie and I headed out to spend the afternoon seeing the animals.  We had so much fun.  I think Jadyn has been once, but it was last summer and she would have been small.  She enjoyed it so much and ran circles around us.  She must have ran a hundred miles.  Here are a few pictures from the day.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Halloween 2008

Happy Halloween From Our Castle to Yours!

Ole Twinkle Toes

Man+pedicure+NFL=Great Blog Post

It seems to take away the sting of watching your masculinity fly out the window before your eyes if you watch football while you are getting your pedicure.  Jadyn started out with just a nail file and then it was all down hill.  She put her little finger in the air and said "I get my pink" which is what she calls nail polish of any color.  Pat new he was in for it when that statement was made.

And he cannot tell her no.

It was actually quite funny, however, his right foot looked as though he had got it stuck under the lawnmower.  We all know that could never happen though ! I love him for the "tea" he drinks out of the little pink disney princess cups and for letting our little girl paint his toenails.  However, I spent the next 30 minutes with the remover and cotton getting the "pink" off his nails and feet.  I think he enjoyed it. Me, not so much.

Here are some pictures from the occasion.

To Lose a Friend

Seldom in life do you meet someone who leaves an imprint on your soul of the way people are supposed to be in this world.  Someone who touches your life unlike anyone you have ever known or met.  Someone who you know you can trust, who is an example for you to follow and who causes you to evaluate yourself more closely than ever before.

Jacquie Franklin did that for me.

On Saturday night, while still in China, Pat and I learned of the passing of a sweet friend.  At 3:00 a.m. on Saturday morning in Smyrna, Jac met face to face, the One whom she loved.  I know that she walked hand in hand with her Savior into eternity, because I believe He receives each one of His children home like that.  I don't believe He allows us to walk that journey alone.  I believe that He is with us every step of the way.  In learning of our loss, Pat and I held each other and cried.  I am so very grateful to a God that orchestrates every move that He allowed our paths to cross and fully believe that not a single event was by accident.  Looking back over the past few years, it's so very easy to see the hand of God in so many things.

Friend.

Simply put, Jacquie was my friend.  She made me want to be a better person just by being around her, isn't that what friends are for?  She always left you feeling loved and valued.  I love people that give value to your very existence.  And she did.  She made you feel like you were on the top of her list of favorite people, from the homeless men at Room at the Inn that she didn't know personally, to Mike and Ryan.   And, those of us that were priviledged to fall somewhere in between.  She gave value and worth to your life, just by being her.  She was never without a compliment, always saw the good in people, and thought my cobbler was the best ever!  Sweet memories that bring a smile to my tear stained face.  It's taken me a few days to collect my thoughts, but it took only a matter or seconds to begin the self-examination of my life.  In feeling the sting of death of a loved one once again, I looked at my feeble attempt to make a difference in this world.  Perhaps, moreso than ever before.  I don't know for sure, but I suspect several of us that knew and loved Jac are doing the same.  That is the legacy of Jacquie Franklin.  That is what she left behind, a trail of people in her wake that are now looking at their own lives and wondering what impression they are leaving on this world.  At least I know that I am.  Thank you for being my friend, for I am blessed by having known you.

Servant.

On Tuesday, before Jac's homegoing on Saturday, she asked to paint the toenails of a friend.  After a bit of persuading, Susan allowed Jac to paint her toenails.  It was a struggle, and weakness and fatigue were the enemy at this point of her life.  After finishing her final masterpiece, she was tired and went to lie down.  She never got up again, at least not in her earthly body.  Her last earthly task was "washing the feet" of a friend.  A true servant's heart if ever there was one.  Her final act of servanthood on this earth was complete, that of making a difference in each and every life that she touched.  What an example!

Daughter of the King.

Without a doubt, watching the spiritual growth take place in the life of Jacquie has been a great joy in my life.  Even when facing the dark days that she knew would soon come, she pressed on.  Oh, it was not without tears, for we shed many, many tears over her illness, lousy test results and fear of the unknown.  But, she completely trusted her Creator.  The One who knit her together in her Mothers womb, the one that ordained each one of her days to be, even before the very foundations of the world were laid.  You see, Jacquie knew Him personally and loved Him with all her heart.  She walked with Him, talked with Him, and relied on Him for her strength and perseverance in the face of her failing health. "It's all good" came across Jac's lips many, many times.  Even then,  she trusted Him.  She looked to Him in the good times and in the bad times.   Oh, how grateful I am for that summer evening when Jac walked across my yard and struck up a conversation, part of which included "what time does your church start"?  It was just the beginning of a bunch of puzzle pieces that were about to fit together.

Whole.

I never stopped praying for Jacquie and I never stopped asking God to heal her.  More than ever before, I boldly stood before the Throne and asked my God to heal Jacquie, EVERY time I prayed for her.  I repeatedly claimed scripture and I fully believe that if He has chosen to do so, He could have healed her body of that terrible disease.  Did God fail no answer my prayer?  No.  For, you see, Jacquie IS healed.  She is more whole that she has ever been in her life.  God answered my prayer, just not the way that I would have chosen for it to be answered.  I am thankful that there is no more cancer, no more tears, and no medications.  It just stinks for the rest of us.  But, I am thankful that we were blessed with many, many good times with Jacquie even after that terrible day in February when she was diagnosed.  I am thankful, most of all, that she is whole.  Not broken anymore, but whole.  God, you are good.  

Jacquie, my friend, thank you for making a difference in both life and death.  I will miss your sweet face, your kind words and your servants heart.  I will miss you, sweet friend.

"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord

is to be praised.  Give her the reward she has earned..."

Proverbs 31:29-31a

 

Until we praise Him together again,

We Are Home!

Thank you, Jesus, we are home!  I so enjoyed our time in China, but it is ALWAYS good to be home.  It is wonderful to be able to freely say what I want to say and freely type what I choose.  We had to be so very careful with what we wrote while we were in China.  The internet is monitored VERY closely in China and anything you write or say could endanger the families that live there and attempt to demonstrate the love of God to the people of China.

Man, what an amazing work that these M families have going on.  Let me just tell you, God is alive and well in China.  Christianity is growing at a rapid rate and this makes the government very nervous.  I have so very many stories to tell, including more detail on the visits that we made and attending a service at an underground church.  What an experience.  I always knew they existed, but never thought that I would actually attend one myself.  The people of China are hungry for the truth, they desire to know the one true and living God.  As a team, we laughed, we cried and all emotions in between.  There is just so much to tell.  Where do I begin?

It's 3:00 a.m. and I am beat.  It's been a tough couple of days since returning home.  Pat and I lost a very special person in our lives, Jacquie Franklin.  Today, the world is less one great woman.  A woman that we were honored to know and love the past several years.  What a blessing she was to our lives.  Check back soon.  

Thanks for reading,

Lasting Impressions

What are the things that keep you up at night? If you have ever read any of my blog, you know what those things are for me. You know that I normally do most of my blogging in the middle of the night. Well, China is no exception.

It's the images of the things that I have seen that has me up at 3:53 a.m. trying to process everything. I am sorry, I told you that I would post about the Tianjin SWI the other night, but I have had complications getting logged it. It wasn't that I couldn't log in, in fact, we have really had no problems with internet connections which is very unusual. The last time the team was here, they had access to NOTHING, except skype. Seems weird to have someone "tell" you what you can view on the internet, huh?

I have always been one to have trouble shutting my mind down. What's weird is that I go to sleep very quickly, but soon wake up and the race is on.. Often times, the face of that little boy that sat in my lap the whole time we were at the Langfang SWI was what I see. I could hear him, in a very sweet, mild voice, turn to me and say "Ni hao" about ever minute or so. Tonight/this morning is no exception. We traveled to Tianjin, which is a coastal municipality on the Yellow Sea. It's a very large, beautiful city and took us about 2 hours from Langfang. We arrived at the Tianjin SWI and were met with 2 beautiful, professional looking ladies and escorted to a conference room up stairs. I was AMAZED at this facility from the walk in the front door, up to the conference room.

We were served tea and were told that the children were napping and we could hang out for just a bit until nap time is over. So, we sipped our jasmine tea and waited. One of the ladies returned and began to give us a short presentation about the SWI through an interpreter. She told us all about the SWI, the school, the care that the children received etc. What a facility. We then began our tour. I ask the M that was with is if this SWI did adoptions out of it and he said yes. As we walked about the freshly painted halls, peered into the windows of the class rooms, play rooms filled with toys and books and saw a few of the children that were living there, it became evident to me that this place was certainly not the norm. After all, I have visited SWI's before, wow, no comparison. It was clean, smelled nice, the children were clean (most all were SN), the rooms were filled with toys, colorful mats on the floors, the nannies were dressed in nice uniforms and many, many other things. They have multiple buildings on the campus and they even took us into the building for the children with the most severe SN. The M said out of all the times he had been there, he had never got to go into this building.

In this building, there were rooms that had about 10 cots on the floor and the children were nestled all snug in their cots and were down for their naps. Most all of the children had CP which was moderate to severe, most being severe. Each room had 3-4 ayi and a smile was on everyone's face. All of the children in this building were not considered adoptable. As we left the building, I ended up at the back of the group walking beside the M. He quietly made the statement that this SWI was not like this 6 months ago. Everything was completely different, from the fresh paint to the multiple playgrounds filled with colorful playground equipment. That statement spoke volumes to me and if you know much about this culture, it should to you too.

The lady that is the house parent of the foster home that is run by the M family that we stayed with had to come to Tianjin to meet the couple that is adopting Caleb, one of the children that lived at their foster home in Langfang. He was a naughty, 6 year old that was all boy that was being adopted by a Chinese family. He did not have a left hand. He left to go be with his forever family while we were here. It was interesting to see how things work in China as far as adoptions go. The paperwork looked much the same.

One of the rooms that we went into was a baby room that had about 20 or so babies and probably 15 ayi with them. All of the ayi had a baby on their lap and they were laughing and playing. They had boppy cushions and play gyms and lots of toys. The babies that were not on the lap of an aye was asleep in a bouncy seat right beside of one. Pat and I were bent over playing with the most beautiful little girl with a cleft lip/cleft palate. The ayi handed her to Pat and I held off as long as I could and took her away from him. She was beautiful and was so sweet. She smelled so good and was dressed in clean clothes - no rag with a bungee cord - and felt like she had on a diaper. (I didn't look to see for sure) Imagine that. The M said that in all the years that he had been coming here that he had never seen anyone get to hold one of the children. I cried those silent tears and prd over this child and the others in the room.

We found out that that particular facility has, at present, 749 children. This facility had been completely redone in the last 6 months and I knew the reason for it. The world has been watching. I am sure that many, many tours have been done in this SWI to show the world how wonderful the SWI system is in China. To let other people see how well the children are cared for in China, especially those little ones with disabilities. To let the visitors from all over the world that want to see a Chinese orphanage get a glimpse. Millions of people have watched this part of the world in the last few weeks. They were relieved to see how well children are cared for. What I had just seen was a showcase orphanage - one that officials want the world to see. But, I kept thinking to myself, why Tianjin? The reason for that can be found if you google Tianjin. Make sense? I hope so. Because of my current location, I can't elaborate much more. But, if you have been around Chinese adoptions at all, you probably get the picture.

That was probably more information than you wanted and I am sorry that the post is so long. It's hard for me to condense everything I'm thinking into manuscripts smaller than War & Peace. I have so much more to tell you, but if I tell you now, you will be reading for days. Good night from China and I will see you soon.

Amy