1. Turning 42 with hubby turning 40, son turning 16, daughters turning 13 & 1- what a milestone of birthdays!

2. My first Mission Trip to Haiti!

3. Celebrating 17 years of marriage to my hunk of a hubby!

   

4. Cheering 4 Hannah at her Cross Country Meets!

5. Cheering 4 Michael who lettered & made the Varsity Golf Team his freshman year!

6. Family Kamp Fun!

7. Florida Trips with family!

   

8. 1st Adoption Reunion Weekend!

9. Surviving my son getting his driver’s license!

10. Watching Zoie thrive- walking, talking, singing, playing & becoming an American citizen!

The BEST is yet to come!

(Feature Photo taken by Tom Davis with permission to use)

www.hopechest.org

“A hearty combination of beans, corn, tomatoes, and taco seasonings, slow cooked with shredded chicken. Deliciously finished, if you like, with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips. Made mostly of canned ingredients, this tasty soup let’s the slow cooker do the work so you don’t have to!”



Bloggy friends- I want you TO DO a few things for me.

• I want to show off your family on Your Photo Gallery on the top.  This is a special spot to celebrate family.  It’s really easy- upload your favorite family pics- there is no limit.  Here’s the crazy thing, when you upload, it says that your photo failed, but it’s just kidding:)  It works great- just click DONE!  My goal this year is to have hundreds of pics that inspire others to take a jump into adoption.

• Also, if you would like for your blog or website to be featured on a special Inspired Links blogroll- fill out the form and we will post your “button” on One Stop Shop. The photo or logo needs to be horizontal and cropped to 120 x 60.  If you don’t have photo shop, iPhoto or another way of cropping your pics online- at this time, my brilliant bloggy brother can resize the photo.  Please only send HORIZONTAL or it makes creating buttons difficult!!

• Please feel free to add my new My Crazy Adoption button on your blogs to help spread the word on adoption. Just copy the HTLM code & paste on your blog.

• One last to-do… I was nominated for top mommy blog and to make the top 10 list, I need lots of votes from you!!  The adorable “vote” button is located here or top right side and all you need to do is click on the pic.  Your click is a vote- that’s it. You can vote 1x day for my crazy blog.  Help me spread the word about adoption!

Thanks for being my crazy friend!

It’s hard for me to wrap my heart around the celebration of Christmas this year.  Hubby and I have noticed a change.  It was subtle at first- Christmas lights going up BEFORE Thanksgiving, merriment in pulling out every single decoration, an extra skip through the stores hunting for presents on sale, finding excuses to drive through town pointing out all the strings of lights hung in every corner of our little town.  Where we live, Christmas starts early, sometimes blending in with the Fall festivities.  The change took me by surprise.  In fact, all four of us have noticed the change.  It wasn’t hard to guess why-

I never dreamed we would have the gift of a baby again to start all over.  Santa’s magic is everywhere.  I hear it in her giggles, I see it in the sparkle that lights up her big brown eyes and I feel it when she grabs my hand to turn on the tree lights every morning.  Adoption is one of the greatest gifts God gave my family.  He knew the deepest desires of our hearts, when we didn’t even remember that it was there, tucked away far from sight.  We have so much to celebrate this Christmas- the things that really count.  We celebrate the birth of a King, our Savior who gave us life and love.  Our love for Zoie is so intense, but I’m reminded during this time of year- how much more intense God’s love is for each and every one of us.  I pray for adoption miracles again this next year.  Adoption is challenging, radical and life- changing.  Are you ready to make a difference in a child’s life?  There are children all over the world who are hoping and wishing tonight for a mommy and daddy- a family.  Let’s work together to make their dreams come true, one at a time.

Merry Christmas Adoption!

We tracked Santa down last night and loaded his sleigh with T shirts. The weather is clear and crisp in my neck of the woods for a speedy Holiday delivery! We will start our next T shirt Adoption Fundraiser on February 1st- Simply Love Month!

Please take a fun pic of you wearing your NEW Simply Love T shirts- add them at Your Photo Gallery (top of blog)

Youth Sizes COMING SOON!

(A little adoption humor- doesn’t this look like a referral pic:)

I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and A Very Crazy Happy New Year!  I’m going to give my blog a “long winters nap” to spend every second possible with my family.  I will see you back here, December 28th to celebrate the best of 2009!  If you’re just stopping by My Crazy Adoption for the first time, take a peek at my One Stop Shop and My Crazy Life located up top.  I’ve been blogging for 3 years, so you can jump back in time and play catch up.  If you have any questions about mommyhood or adoption, please email me.  I added some new stuff on the side – feel free to add my Crazy Button on your blog, as well as check out (In Courage) – a very inspiring women’s website. Don’t forget to add your family photos on Your Photo Gallery and your own 120×60 blog banner- Inspiring Links!  OK bloggy friends- no napping for you!

Merry Christmas from our crazy family to yours.

(thanks Rebecca for all your help:)

A few fun photos from this week-