(Zoie at 6 months old)

Sweet and happy and helpful and funny and affectionate and playful…. we LOVE YOU just the way you are Zoie!! Happy 17 months today!!!

Many years ago, my friend Dawn gave me this yummy taco salad recipe. For some reason, I can’t get my kids to eat salads very often, but they POUND THIS ONE DOWN:)) I wish I was talented enough to make homemade taco bowls to use for the base, but you can buy them already made. It adds a lot of extra calories, so usually I just serve in a fun bowl or plate.

CRAZY GOOD TACO SALAD
*1 head of iceburg lettuce
*1 head of leafy green lettuce
*bag of Fritos
*2 cans RANCH STYLE BEANS (brand)
*1 jar French dressing (orange color)
*cheddar cheese
*green onions- chop
*celery- chop
*1-2 pounds ground beef or turkey (seasoned)
*olives- optional cuz my hubby hates them:)
**taco bowls- optional

DIRECTIONS:
Chop or tear lettuce into bite size pieces. Drain the beans. Chop up all your veggies & add to lettuce. Chill. Brown the meat.
JUST BEFORE you serve the salad.… add your beans, dressing-amount is up to you, meat & cheese (too early & it will get soggy-yuck) Mix it good. Top with Fritos & serve!!!! The combination of dressing & beans rocks!!!

Enjoy this yummy salad outside tonight…. light some tiki candles & don’t forget the mosquito spray!! ps: Happy 17 months Zoie!!!

I was going through the stuff jammed in every page of my Bible (does anyone else do that?) My love language is cards… they’re like little presents in the mail. I save the special ones I want to keep forever in the pages of my Bible.

I also stuff photos and notes and keepsakes. I surprised myself Sunday by finding a paper with COURT DATE written on top with the date June 10, 2008. It brought tears to my eyes remembering how I felt when I wrote these words one year ago….

Journal entry:
I’m feeling today (5/22/08)
*Losing Heart
*Feeling a sense of loss
*motivation is low
*crushed in spirit
Psalm 9:1-2 I want to remember/recount all of Your wonderful deeds. I will give THANKS to the Lord with my whole heart. I will be glad and exalt in You! Praise Your Name!
Luke 18… DO NOT LOSE HEART. ALWAYS PRAY!!
I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy! Court date June 10th…
Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will CALL on Him as long as I live!

I was at Kanakuk K-Kauai with Awesome M (just the 2 of us) and the entire staff and Kamp families were cheering us for our big court date the entire week. I was a nervous wreck all day June 10th (2008) My son was wonderful and kind and sensitive to his mom who was on the brink of a crazy breakdown IF WE FAILED!! I was eating lunch in the dining hall when the 703 number popped up on my cell. My heart jumped out of my chest…. this was it ZOIE WAS GOING TO BE OURS!!

Duni’s voice did not sound happy. She told me we did not pass. Our POA forgot to add us to the list of families for court June 10th. He forgot us. He forgot my daughter and forgot our family. I was devastated. I was sooooo angry at a man on the other side of the world. I wanted to yell at him and make him feel as horrible as I was feeling. It was a blow to my heart.

Everyone at Kamp was incredible. The downfall…I was asked over 100+ if we passed court. I held it together and tried to explain that we didn’t “lose” Zoie, but we would have to wait until our next court date to legally call her our daughter. Roger was out of town and Awesome H was at another camp, so my son planned a special night “out on the town” to cheer me up. I was so sad. My BF Andrea had failed court 10+ times & I watched her agony to keep the faith that they would pass. I didn’t want a repeat, but it was possible!!

Miraculously, we passed our 2nd court date with flying colors. I will never forget the sweetness that poured over me when I heard Duni say YOU PASSED!!! I had been scrubbing the bathroom and had on bright yellow scrubby gloves (I swear) I dropped to me knees and wept tears of joy…gloves and all. I don’t ever want to forget the feelings and emotions and pain when I heard YOU DID NOT PASS. God allows my heart to feel deeply burdened to pray for AWAA friends and adoptive families I don’t even ‘personally’ know in the bloggy world.

I pray that NO MATTER WHAT trials or testing you are facing in your adoption…. you remember that God is in control and He won’t allow your child to stay a second longer than HE HAS ALREADY PLANNED.
I commit to pray and cheer and support and hold your hand as you wait for your children. It’s my honor!!!!!!!!!!

Please let me know who you are and how I can pray for you on your journey.

“Think of the plight of the orphan somewhere right now out there in the world. It’s not just that she’s lonely. It’s that she has NO inheritance, no future. With every passing year she’s less “cute,” less adoptable. In just a few years, on her eighteenth birthday, she’ll be expelled from the orphanage or from “the system.” What will happen to her then? Maybe she’ll join the military or find some job training. Maybe she’ll stare at a tile on the ceiling above her as her body is violated by a man who’s willing to pay her enough to eat for a day, alone in a back alley or in front of a camera crew of strangers. Maybe she’ll place a revolver in her mouth or tie a rope around her neck, knowing NO ONE will have to deal with her except, once again the bureaucratic “authorities” who can clean up the mess she leaves behind. Can you feel the force of such desperation?
Jesus can.
She’s his little sister.

What if a mighty battalion of Christian parents would open their hearts and their homes to unwanted infants- infants some so-called “clinics” would like to see carried out with the medical waste? It might mean that next Christmas there’ll be one more stocking at the chimney at your house..a new son or daughter who escaped the abortionist’s knife or the orphanage’s grip to find at your knee the grace of a carpenter’s Son.”
Quote from a BRAND NEW adoption book titled…
Adopted For Life- Russell D. Moore

(photo by Awesome M)

I’m deeply burdened to pray for my bloggy adoption friends who are waiting… waiting for referrals and court dates and travel and bands being lifted and miracles!! Every adoption story is different, but our trials and testing and pain are the same. We want our children HOME and in our arms!!!!

Just to encourage you today.

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of His grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace. EVERY DAY should be a day of relating to God on the basis of His grace alone.
(Jerry Bridges)

Today we had a mini-reunion at Starbucks. We got to meet my bloggy friend, Lory Howlett and her adorable kiddos. It was so much fun to meet someone from a blog who jumped out & met us in the real world:) My friend Kelly & Rahel joined us, too. We had 3 beautiful ET princesses…Zoie, Rae & Amelia romping thru the coffee house. I think the customers were a little amazed!! What a special visit!!
ENJOY:)

Zoie, Kari & Amelia

Zoie & Amelia

Amelia

Rae

(Zoie & Amelia-1 day apart b-days:)

Rog, Zoie & Rae

Lory&Amelia Kari&Zoie

The girls:)

My bloggy friend Kristi inspired me to have my own hit contest…. the 99,999th Simply Love Blog visit WINS!!! I wish I could give away a Hawaiian cruise or a luxury spa weekend or even a car, but I promise the prize will be super COOL:))

OK…all you have to do is if YOU are the 99,999th bloggy hit, take a pic of the computer screen & email me or leave me a comment…I’ll take your bloggy word of honor!!!

I vow to work hard on updating daily on my 3 Awesomes & Mr. Dreamy… splashing photos & videos to show off our love of family! Thank you for all your support, prayers and cheers *bloggy friends* from the beginning!!! Oh what a crazy journey:) This contest is to SIMPLY say THANK YOU!!

We just read the sad news about baby Happy. Here is the post & link to Katie Davis’ blog. Please pray for a mommy on the other side of the world who is dealing with terrible loss. Her mommy heart is breaking and needs our support and love and prayers!! I held our 22 week old son in my arms when he passed away, you never get over a loss like that, but God uses the pain for HIS GLORY!!
Happy is playing with Jesus in heaven today.

Beautiful Kelly & Rahel met us at the park today 2 play!! Rae & Zoie are from the same city and orphanage and transitional home in Ethiopia and now live in the same town in the Ozarks. They are bonded sisters:)

“I know I look like a drunk baby, but I’m strictly a milk drinker:)”

OK, I don’t think last Wednesday’s WOW recipe WOW’d anyone:)) I have received lots of requests for my scone recipe. It’s been pointed out to me that I talk ALOT about scones!!! I have no idea why these tiny doughy cakes make me soooo happy, but they do!! My hubby dubbed me Queen of scones & my nickname is Kiki…hence the name of my yummy scones. In all honestly, its a horrible addiction & its why I’ve gained a few extra pounds since Zoie girl came home:)) I’m working on Scone AA, but its a slow healing process. I did NOT create this scone recipe…it’s not my original, but I have added a few key ingredients that have made them perfection. I make 4 kinds… the lazy ball chocolate chip scone, the “cut out” shape scone with sugar cinnamon sprinkle, the seasonal scone (fruits & nuts) and plain Jane. Scones are SO EASY to make & they will impress your family & friends at any occasion. My kid’s friends beg to let them spend the night Friday cuz they know my Saturday Scones will be waiting for them when they wake up:)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar (i use Splenda mix)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (omit if using the sugar/cinn. sprinkle)
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
• 4 tablespoons milk (add more if too dry)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl (I use my Kitchenaid mixer) whisk together all the ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter. Stir in the chocolate chips. Mix in the orange juice. I add the milk at the end to form a soft dough.
3. Lazy Chocolate Chip Ball- roll with hands into little balls whatever size you want:)
   
4. Sweet Shapes- turn out the dough on a floured surface. Pat or roll into a 9 inch circle about 1/2 inch thick. With a fun cookie cutter-any shape, cut out 12 scones, pushing the dough scraps together for the last few, if necessary. Spray w/ Pam & sprinkle sugar & cinnamon. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet.
5. Seasonal- add dried fruits, candies & nuts if you like.
6. Plain Jane- Don’t add anything extra. Top with butter & jam to eat.
   
7. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Do not overbake-they will keep baking as they cool. Move to wire racks to cool.

Bake at your own risk…. there is NO return!!! xoxo

SWEET SHAPES…top with sugar & cinnamon