In case you missed it....

(Both videos will automatically start so pause one before you watch the other- The first video is the one that aired on TV last night, the second is the online video that is the story of Bree and Mia)

So many emotions brought up again watching this piece on ABC world news last night.

Cried tears of happiness that Mia was safely home with us

Cried tears of joy watching some of the moments that changed our lives forever

Cried tears of heartache for the children left there without families to love them

Cried tears of gratitude for the miracle that this journey continues to be

It was almost like a dream....did we really travel across the world?

Did we really live in a foreign country for 32 days?

Did we really bring our daughter home only 7 months ago?

Watching the story with Mia sitting in our laps was almost surreal.

She would have been destined for the life in an institution...

there are no words to express how wrong that would have been...and how wrong it is for those who are there

Once again we were able to relive the miracle of this journey last night and it was incredible

For the full, more in depth written story go HERE

Back when ABC contacted us about doing this special, we were very nervous to add one more stress to the already stressful and emotional journey we were embarking on, but we knew that if this piece was handled properly and in the right spirit, that it could be a moving force for more children to find families. So we jumped right in and started sending videos and pictures to ABC of every step of the journey and then met Abbie Boudreoux and Sarah Netter when we arrived in Ukraine.

We had lots of fun with these two ladies for the few days they were with us in Ukraine...lots of laughs and memories of our wild ride there

And were so excited to have them come visit us again in our home a month after Mia came home.

Kris and his entourage of girls he hung out with in Ukraine

This is what our home looked like set up for the formal interview...

It was funny because when they came to our home, I was deathly sick with morning sickness and totally had to fake it through interviews and such.

We had prayed all along that this piece would be positive and would be a force for good to enable more awareness and attention to these other waiting children and Reece's Rainbow and we are so grateful that it was done so well!

By far the hardest part of this journey for us was walking away from the orphanage and knowing there were SO many other children being left behind. We wanted to scoop them all up and take them home.

Being there we knew how much these children wanted families because they lit up when we would come in the room to get Mia and they called us "Mama and Papa". And it tore our hearts out! So being able to continue to spread awareness was all we knew we could do to help these kids and we appreciate ABC for letting us do that.

Thank you to ABC and these ladies for fighting for this story and spreading awareness.

Last night the Reece's Rainbow website had so much traffic after the story aired that the website crashed...which is a good reason for it to happen but not good that it crashed at a peak moment when people were trying to see what they could do to help, so PLEASE continue sharing this story and videos so that people can go to Reece's rainbow and hopefully be moved to help in some way.

Thanks for all your love and support! Yes we were the faces to this particular story but we could not have brought Mia home without the help and support of SO many!

BIG NEWS!

Literally it is big NEWS.... Last Feb. just after we had committed to adopt Mia we received a call from Andrea at Reece's Rainbow saying that she had been contacted by ABC world news and they wanted to do a story about Reece's Rainbow and wanted to follow a family in the process from start to finish. ABC decided to follow our journey to Mia.

They came with us to Ukraine which was quite an adventure for them, and we were glad to have a few more English friends for a few days. We had lots of fun stories that we couldnt share at the time because we couldn't say they were with us. they were there with us when we met Mia for the first time and stayed with us for a few days there. Then when we got homemwith Mia they came to our home for a few days to film Mia in her new family and do a follow up.

we had to keep this a secret for the last 10 months but now the story is supposed to air TOMORROW NIGHT MONDAY DEC 26 ON ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DIANE SAWYER. I beleive it is on at 5:30 mst so set your dvr and spread the word!

when we were first approached about doing this my first thought was "no I do not want a national camera crew following this crazy, nerve wracking journey with me" but when we thought of the potential for good that this could have for the other waiting children on Reece's rainbow we knew we had to do it. our hope is that it will bring. More national awareness to Reece's rainbow and that more of these children will find their forever families before it is too late!
So tune in tomorrow night with us! we can't wait to see what they put together!

AllI really want for Christmas...

One year ago at this time, I was scrolling through all the sweet faces on Reece's Rainbow, feeling something stirring in my heart drawing me towards these children.

One year ago, I came across this little face on a few blogs, and my heart told me she was what was drawing me in and I knew we had to go get her

One year ago, as I celebrated Christmas with my family here, I wondered and worried about this little lost daughter around the world

One year ago, I watched on Christmas morning as my 3 girls danced in their new dance room and all I could think about was that one little girl was missing from this group, one little girl was meant to be dancing on that dance floor too.

One year ago, we were making one of the most life changing decisions we would ever make, and we were about to embark on a miraculous journey that would change us all.

One year ago, this little one knew nothing of a family or what Christmas was all about

Now she has been home with us for 6 months and in one week she will get to experience the magic of Christmas with a family for the first time.

It feels like she has been part of our family forever and it is amazing to watch how much she has blossomed and grown over the past 6 months......because all she really needed was a family.

I found this song about a little boy in an orphanage who writes a letter to Santa after Santa comes to the orphanage to visit. All he asks for from Santa is a family....

Mia has taught us that this year we all have exactly what we need for Christmas....a family!

And we are so grateful to have Mia home with us this Christmas!

Fieldtrip time

Bree and Mia got to go on a Fieldtrip to the children's museum with their preschool. it was Mia's first Fieldtrip and it looks like she loved it! Of course was not ale to go which was hard for me, but luckily m mom went with them and took her camera for me!

Bree and her fabulous speech therapist, Ann

Bree playing news anchor

Mia and Griffin

Mia of course loved the dolls and the little house area. she is such a little mommy to dolls. I can,t wait to see her on Christmas when she gets her very own doll for the first time.

he water area is always a favorite !

Bree looks a little unsure of the horse

Must be realistic food

Loving the shopping in the store

look at her go....little miss Mia is figuring out how to walk up the stairs holding the rail with much more balance than she used to

Love seeing their excitement about the bus

it is so heartwarming to see my girls relationship growing all the time! Bree is such a good sister always watching out for Mia and teaching her things and Mia is always asking where Bree is. to think that a few months ago Mia had no idea what a relationship with a sister was like!

Grateful

happy thanksgiving! today I am thankful for so many blessings! I am emotional about it all this year...I will blame the tears on the pregnancy! We have So much to be grateful for this year and I think it has all taught me that just as hard as I pray and ask for blessings, in return I need to be grateful for those blessings with the same intensity that I pray for them!

I am thankful for this amazing man! I knew he was incredible when I married him, but this year we have been through so much that has brought us closer than ever. In the last year he has opened his arms to an orphan girl around the world who needed a family and now he has stepped up to a whole new level of what it means to take care of your family. he not only works to provide for us, but he now does EVERYTHING else needed to meet all of his girls needs and he does it with no complaints. I am grateful to have him! He makes me a better person and we would not be making it through this bed rest without him.

I am thankful for my oldest Kyra for being such a great big sister. for her compassion and love for her sisters...especially the way she watches over Bree and Mia and understands what they are all about. she too, is taking on more responsibility right now to get these babies here safe.

I am thankful for Adrie and her sweet heart of gold. She is always aware of others feelings and concerned about others. I am grateful for her understanding of my current situation and understanding that I have to miss big moments in her life right now, yet she doesn,t complain.

I am grateful for this ray of sunshine whose smile lights up my life daily! her pure perfection has changed us all and her hugs and smiles make everything seem alright. it was because of her that our hearts were open to the idea of bringing this sweetie home..

I am thankful for miss Mia and the amazing miracle that we have been a part of in bringing her home. she teaches us all to be more grateful and appreciate what we have and to not take the little things...or the big things...in life for granted. I am thankful that she is able to be with a family this thanksgiving! she is going to love this holiday dedicated to food!

I am thankful that my idea of perfect was changed by these two. and that they now have each other to enjoy life together!

I am thankful for the two new miracles growing inside of me! I am thankful to be on bed rest because it means the babies are still growing inside of me. it is teaching me patience. It is teaching me about sacrificing for another. It is teaching me to be humble and I am grateful to be able to do my part to get these two girls here in safety.

I am thankful for the amazing friends and family who are sacrificing and helping my family daily so that our twins can safely join our family.
as well as for the many who are continually praying for us!
happy thanksgiving! I am humbled and grateful this day and I love you all!

October was quite the medical month

On October 14, Adrie fell off the playground at the park and broke her elbow. Oct. 15 she had surgery at PCMC and had 2 pins put in her elbow.

Watching cartoons with her bear before the surgery. she was admitted Friday night after the fall and had surgery the next day.

A very groggy little girl after the surgery. It took her a few hours to really wake up.

we got a little forced smile when they told her she could eat Mac and cheese and a shake

The next day was her primary program at church and although she was in lots of pain and doped up on meds she still wanted to go as her part.


2 days after Adrie,s surgery was the appointment where we found out the babies were in danger and needed intervention to save them. so Oct. 19 we flew to california to meet with the specialist surgeon for the TTTS surgery and had the surgery the next day Oct. 20. So in less than a week we had a surgery to fix Adrie,s arm and a life saving surgery for the twins.

the week after we got back from California, Adrie had her hard cast put on....of course she chose pink!

this past Thursday she got to have the cast removed and the pins taken out

Final picture of the cast on

she is happy to have her arm back!

she has a badge on her elbow for a few more days now

this is what the pins looked like coming out of her arm. hey were like this underneath her cast and we they removed the cast, they took a pair of pliers and popped the pins out.....yuck!

Bree of course wanted to try Adrie's cast on

needless to say we are glad Oct. and it's medical emergencies are behind us. it has been a month (tomorrow) since the laser surgery for the twins and we are so grateful things are moving along well for them. I still can,t get over what a miracle it is that they could perform this surgery and save my girls. we are now grateful for each week that goes by that they are growing and developing inside me and pray that they will keep doing this well for at least another 9 weeks before they decide to come join us.
So today I am VERY grateful for modern medicine and the technology to perform such surgeries.