Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Joanna's Birthday & Prayers needed!

 Hello everyone...hang on mommy put a LOT of pictures in this post.  It seems I am just too cute for words so she put pictures instead.  :)

 Yep, never wanted a pacifier over the past 12 months, but now I kind of like it mostly to chew on.  :)




 So we had to get out of the house....yeah....more on that at the end of the post.  So we went back to the state park for some picnic time!

 Awww......me and my sister chillin' together aren't we cute?
 It's time for my party!!!
I actually like balloons now. 
 Uh oh!  Here I come!!!!
 Hmm.....what is all this, a dish thing, and silverware what???
 MMMMM.....now this looks GREAT!

 Hey, look everyone is singing to me...awww....thanks!
 This is really the part of the cake I want. 
 It's time to get started on the desert!
 Hmmm.....I think I dropped some in this thing.
 What is this thing....trying to get the hang of it.  (she did really well by the way)
 Awww.....that is what I said when I saw my cards. 
 Ohhhh a pink ball :)
 I like ripping the paper- fun!
 And then when you do this...it does this....
 Now I am getting the real hang of ripping open my presents!
OOOOOO- now this makes some fun music to jam to.  (I will have mommy post a video later).

To read my AMAZING STORY here are some links....  we have a daughter, pics of our Joanna, Joanna's Story part 1, Joanna's Story part 2, Joanna's Story part 3.

To our BEAUTIFUL daughter Joanna Faith Wright.  There were many many many tears on our journey to find you.  There was loss of another daughter.  There were times when it felt very hopeless, BUT GOD had plans beyond our view.  Something so wonderful that we couldn't have planned......YOU!  We Thank God EVERY DAY for you.  For the joy you bring into our home and our hearts!

Your fun words- mama, dada, baba, and of course Uh Oh (he he he).  Wonder how you learned that?   You love to dance, cuddle, cruise, and hang out with your brothers and sisters.  You don't really like going to anyone except family right now, but we don't mind because we love to carry you in the sling as much as possible :)  We are privileged to watch you grow up.  We Thank God that your birth family chose life and we will NEVER forget their sacrifice, their love for you, and for us.  We PRAISE GOD for them and will always be grateful to them for YOU!

****Lastly we have a HUGE prayer request.  In our in between step, that is until we find a home to buy, we rented a vacation rental.  We have put our stuff into storage until we find a home.  So that being said.  The place where we are staying is a NIGHTMARE!!!!  The house itself is ok (well besides all the things that keep breaking down and having to "borrow" internet because ours - you guessed it is still not hooked up), but this is NOT A SAFE AREA TO LIVE IN!!!!!!  I am not saying that lightly.  When you neighbors tell you they wouldn't allow their child to come live with them because there were drug raids etc going on last week, there are cars on jacks, smashed windows, places boarded up, trash in all the yards (even ours even though we have picked up every day around our townhouse), loud music blaring from neighbors and cars at all hours, people yelling and screaming outside our windows, mobile home dragged into the middle of the road near the entry into the area along with a bin on it's side, the "entry house" has been trashed, we have been warned by more than one person to NOT LET OUR CHILDREN OUTSIDE AT ALL!!!!!!  Yeah....not making me feel safe.  To be honest I am surprised our computer is still here- FOR REAL!!!  Other than our computer and ourselves there is not anything of value with us.  Please pray!!!!  We have not been able to find any alternative- this is FL and there are rentals everywhere, but they are all rented!  So right now we are STUCK!  We are just praying our tax refund comes soon (oh yeah we have to send in additional paperwork for that- which they will be sending a letter to us this Friday to let us know what we are to send them- UGH!!) so we can buy a home asap and GET OUT OF HERE!!! Praying a hedge of safety around our family, and for those living here that are stuck!

28 comments:

  1. Dawn - Thoughts and prayers to you and your family. May you all remain safe and sound, and find light at the end of the tunnel.

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  2. Oh, I am so sorry. I am praying for the Lord to protect all of you. I wonder if He brought you there to shine His light in the darkness? Even if it's a very short time... Praying it's a short time.
    Much love and PRAYER!
    Amy

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  3. Praying for more than a hedge of protection- but a steel wall of protection for your sweet family!

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  4. WOW. so much on your plate friend!! we are surely praying with you and believing with you for protection!!
    *Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?*
    Love all the pictures of the princess!!

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  5. Praying for you all!

    I was looking at those adorable pictures of Joanna and envying the warmth...it's freezing up here in the north!

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  6. Praying for all of you...it sounds like a rough place to be right now, but if any family can shine some light into a VERY dark place, yours can! God is able!

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  7. oh no! Praying praying praying for your family! I can't imagine how scary that must be!

    And Miss Joanna looked like she had a blast at her party, what a cutie!

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  8. No fun! I am praying a hedge of protection around your house and family right now! In Jesus Name!!!!
    Jenny

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  9. oh my goodness! Surely the Lord will provide!
    Was Joanna's bday yesterday or today? I had a birthday princess here on Tuesday, the 22nd! :) Pics on my blog!

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  10. Happy,happy birthday precious girl!!

    Praying Dawn for a hedge of protection around you and a new place to live!
    Much love!
    Lisa

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  11. Happy Birthday to your precious baby girl! Praying for your safety and that God will give you peace of his protection!

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  12. Oh My - I'm praying for your protection right now & that God will guide you to the right house for you guys (& quickly!!!)

    Happy Birthday to precious Joanna - she is so sweet! It's hard to believe she is one already - what a huge year you guys have had!

    Take care & keep safe
    Renata:)

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  13. 2 extended stay hotel rooms w kitchen s
    and get out! once spring break is over there
    will be a ton of vacant rentals to choose from.
    We got hit with that adoption credit paper work baloney also. Even though all of ours was previously claimed and it is all a carry forward. I think they are just delaying so they dont have to pay out. I'm sending the IRS a photo of our 8 : )

    Happy Birthday Joanna!! you inspired us to take the plunge again and 7 months later we were blessed beyond our belief.

    God keep you surrounded with peace and safety!

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  14. I just got caught up. LOVE all the pictures! But DON'T love the situation you're in right now. I am praying for protection, and for a speedy tax refund.

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  15. Okay FIRST of all...Joanna is the CUTEST little thing EVER!!! Happy birthday to her! I can't even believe its been one year already!
    Second, I am SOO sorry for your rental situation...you will be in my prayers...hoping God opens some doors SOON!

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  16. Dawn, I received an email that someone forwarded from Joint Council on Adoption that said if the IRS asks for additional documents, to just send another copy of the adoption decree. Apparently one branch of IRS isn't forwarding the adoption documents to the other branch. So the other branch ends up asking family for more documents. Joint Council says the adoption decree is all that's necessary, and if IRS doesn't accept that as enough proof, to contact Joint Council to let them know.

    I agree with moving in to a hotel/motel in a better area of town!!!!!! What about a cottage at a campground?!? I know you need space, but safety is more important and if you can get in a campground, y'all can spend most your days outside.

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  17. oh, I am so sorry that you are dealing with that, We are praying for you all! I wanted to talk to you about some things(domestic) via phone or through email. Can you please email me when you get service running ok? Thanks so much!
    Lots of love and blessings!
    Praying you hold it together with all those kiddos in the house all day too!!

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  18. Happy Birthday, Joanna! Hope you have lots of fun being 1!

    I am praying for your family's housing situation. May you feel God's strength, peace and nearness each day, and may He wrap His arms of protection around you all and hold you close throughout your stay in the rental. Hope you find a home soon!!

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  19. Happy Birthday beautiful Princess! I can't beleive she's having a birthday already! Good grief! Where has the time gone?
    Praying for your housing situation... scary stuff!

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  20. Just found your site, did some reading and found out you are not that far from us. If you ever want to explore further south and give the kids a day on a ranch, just let us know. We are located off 75 exit 191. We have acres of fun. We also have lots of kids to hang out with. Just loved reading about your family, will keep you in our prayers.

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  21. Dear Dawn, There have been several times I have felt God leading me to pray for you and this post is one of those times. I know about living in "dangerous places." There were years when the police would come to our door, while my husband was directing his wilderness camp while I stayed in town with our disabled children, and advise me to keep my children inside due to the domestic violence and drug activity in our alley. We were broken into several times while my husband was away, etc. etc. Our church came over to "pray for the offenders to move off our block" and my oldest son, then about 8, asked them, "Do you think that is such a good idea? I mean if they move to another block, how do you know there's someone there who prays for them every day like my mom does?" So as I pray for a hedge of protection around your family, which I KNOW THE LORD IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF! I will also pray for the lost souls on your block, who need to know the love of Jesus! As an aside, we have introduced several neighbors to the saving love of Jesus, so you just never know...Many blessings, Jennifer

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  22. Dawn, I will be praying for you and your sweet family. Thank you for sharing your heart and where you are, so that we can lift you up to our loving Father who has His loving arms around all of you. Happy Birthday hugs to Joanna!

    Jessica

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  23. Praying, praying, praying!!!

    Much love,
    Future Mama
    http://expectingablessing.blogspot.com/

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  24. Oh Dawn, what an awful situation. How wonderful that you are staying positive, and your kids will pick up on it! I pray they will not experience any fear, bad dreams, etc. as a result of the situation. Start looking for houses now, and be ready to jump when that tax money comes in!

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  25. Praying for you and your family. You are so brave to make these big changes and I know in the long run it will all be great for all of you.

    I too have had my tax refund held up and I am a Tax Accountant with my own business!! I prepared more than 10 tax returns for other adoptive parents and they have all gotten their refunds, but mine is being held for review! I have 4 adopted children and I think it has to do with the number. I received my CP-5 letter, which just basically says, "Wait until we contact you!"

    Praying that this too will be straightened out for you.

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  26. Praying for all of you too. Our tax refund is being held up too. It's a carryover special needs/foster adoption from 2009. We sent in what we thought was sufficient documents (even had an official copy of the decree made)

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  27. I cannot believe Joanna is 1 already! Sweet precious child of God; Happy Birthday!

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