These are some great adoption answers!

 So they had these cameras in the bottom of the dinosaurs at Universal where you can see what dinosaurs saw, etc. 

 Elizabeth had to hang on with all her weight just to get it to her level :)

 Daddy and the boys- FOREVER playing tag you're it!  Seriously a never ending game!!!!

 Awwww.....family time!!!  Nothing better!!!!

 Here we are at Hard Rock Cafe.  A very rare treat, but fun for our vacation time!

 Look at all those hungry kiddos......

 Crazy fun!

 Love the pink Cadillac!!!!!!

 Buddy Holly is one of our families favorites...probably because my parents lived in Clear Lake, Iowa for a long time (the place he last performed), and Jason's mum loves his music as well.  In fact we had Buddy Holly songs during our wedding.....oh yeah.....while they were waiting for us to sign the registry :)

The Hard Rock is right outside Universal and is the largest in the world!  This place was HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK there are sometimes when I find things that just seriously BLESS the socks off of me!!!!!  THIS IS ONE OF THOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  If you are thinking about adoption, in the middle of an adoption, have adopted, are adopted, or none of the above- READ THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    It is from an adoptee who herself has also given her child for adoption as well.  I guarantee this will be helpful and eye opening!!!

And if you haven't looked at the t-shirts, Christmas ornaments, Africa bags, jewelry, and sooo much more- what are you waiting for?  This not only helps you- Christmas shopping, birthdays, for just for fun, it helps our adoption!!!  Click on the side bar Olive Tree Promise or just donate and leave us a note about what size shirt you want - the Micah 6:8 shirts.  :)

ALL NEW!!!!!!!!! COME CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!

 Awww......what is new?  What is mommy talking about?
OHHHHH........CHECK OUT THE SIDE BAR TO THE LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 That's right.......The very first OFFICIAL FUNDRAISER for our next child!!!  YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

 So be sure to check them both out!!!!  The T-shirts are AMAZING!!  Navy blue, pink, and gray $25/each includes shipping!  All you have to do is press the donate button- give $25/shirt and put in the comment section you color choice and size choice :)  Easy!  :)

ALSO Olive Tree Promise has bead jewelry, t-shirts- SUPERMAN WAS ADOPTED, Africa bags, Christmas ornaments, monogrammed head band or burp cloth, music, and MORE!!!!!  So feel free to go check these items out- AND support our family on our journey to our next child too!!!!!! 

So for some  of you this will just make you laugh and shake your head........in the last couple of weeks since announcing our HUGE NEW JOURNEY  :)  We have had the garage door- sometimes work.....most of the time not, our AC gave out for part of a day- seems to be ok now- praying, lots of sickness, a very unexpected high water bill and electric bill - miscalculations from the previous bill made this one much higher, and our camera mysteriously won't turn on.....at all.....as in I am going through picture withdraw :(  So for a bit you will have to deal with vacation pictures galore?

Yep......and do you know how we feel about all of this- WE KNOW WE ARE ON GOD'S PATH and the enemy can throw stones or try to make us waiver, but that only makes our resolve STRONGER!!!  Jason and I were talking about it and he just turns to me and says- like having to replace an appliance, or AC, or whatever is going to make a family not do an adoption???

That is my man!!!  Hot and sooooo AMAZING!!!!!!  I LOVE that he doesn't even let anything make him begin to think that maybe we shouldn't do this.  Instead we have been working overtime on how else can we save money?  How can we cut those bills back?  Because really let's face it we all have luxuries that we can do without.  I know we do, and I think we live a pretty simple life.

To those that feel called to PRAY FOR OR DONATE TO our next child.  I can guarantee 100% that God will BLESS YOU!!!  Not because I think I am all powerful, but because this is GOD'S CHILD.  Whenever we give out of obedience to Christ - HE WILL ALWAYS COME THROUGH!

And I can tell you that even though some may say our next child "isn't perfect" according to this world.....they will be PERFECT to US and to HIM which is all that matters.  THANK YOU- just will NEVER BE ENOUGH!!!  But I will promise to post a lot of pictures.......when they arrive and pray that will be a good second. :)

I hate being sick.

 So here are some pics from The Dr. Suess area of Universal.  I LOVED IT!!!!

 I mean- how would you like to have this in your back yard????

 I think if I had lots of money and wanted to spend it frivolously......he he he- yeah......I would build this place in my back yard.   

 Of course if you build this you would have to have lots children to share it with.....got that covered!

  I just found it so much fun.....as we were walking through because we of course have read A LOT of Dr. Seuss books together with the children. 

 And I love seeing it "in person". 

 And I loved even more watching my children see it "in person".

Think left and think right, Think low and think high, Oh the Thinks you can think up, if only you try!  Bye-Bye!

So can you guess my favorite area of the park?

So Friday night.....after coming home from the parks I was feeling a little icky, but not a big deal.  Just thought we were tired.  Then Saturday hit and I was down for the count!  Sunday  I thought surely this couldn't get worse (have you ever noticed you should never think that?).  Finally, Monday came and before 8am Jason had gotten all the kids ready and fed and all of us were waiting outside the doors of the local walk in clinic.  I seriously felt like death warmed over.  It was BAD.

My throat felt like razorblades had been busy.  My glands were the size of softballs (and that is only a slight exaggeration), and I couldn't even swallow water- it hurt way tooo much!  I hadn't eaten hardly anything - not a good diet plan.  And for those of you that know me.....I hadn't had Mt. Dew!!!!!!!  That is severe!!!!

But I honestly have a great reason to really hate being sick!  Not just the total waste of time, not getting to spend time with my precious babes, or any of that- although it is.  No this comes from a deep part in my life.  A time when having lots of radiation made me sick - daily.  As in puking up what was not there.  **I had radiation in the abdominal area**.

Then after radiation was over and my great tan on my stomach in the middle of winter which no one saw except me anyway......my blood counts were low......really low.  They warned my mom about the seriousness of becoming too sick could spell out for me.  So she did what any mom would do- she protected me.  I had to wear a silly looking mask all the time.  That was a fashion statement!  I wasn't allowed to go out for any little girls sports- not that there really were any at that time anyway.

But for me even years afterward in middle school my inability to fight anything off took it's toll on me.  I hated being sick.  To me it was just one more reminder that I couldn't do things like everyone else.  It was a reminder of doing tons of "make up work" which is code for EVIL!  You know trying to do all your work without anyone to explain it to you.  Although my mother tried hard!!!!!  And she did do A LOT!!!!!!!  Trust me!!!!

There was a time I marched in to a teacher's office and declared his grading system unfair because part of  the grade was based on attendance.  I had been sick 3 of 4 weeks.  Told you it was bad at times.  I just couldn't get over, you guessed it, strep throat.  It got so bad they started doing testing for other things.  Being the competitive person about grades (which was my older brother Doug's fault I assure you) I told him what I thought of his policies.  I told him that normally I would agree, but that it was null and void when it simply is NOT a person's fault for being sick. 

In fact one of my earlier memories of school because I don't have lots of really early memories (part of the blocking out when things happen to you)....was when my teacher gave me a list for spelling and told me to copy it.  No problem I did that.  When she returned to the room she got all upset at me and said it was the wrong list.  I thought- are you serious?  I am the student.  I am just a kid.  And I was gone because of major surgery and radiation!!!!!!  I don't think that was a nice response.  Just sayin'.

So these past 5 days now....this has been on my mind.  Flashbacks of doing homework after puking my guts out at the hospital, teachers not responding well to me, people working against me when I was trying soo hard.  Well one thing is for sure!  My kids don't have to fear - I am not a homework meanie :)  I won't grade them if they are sick!  And there is no consequences for trying to just get through the day when you aren't feeling well here!

So are you new to my blog- oh you say you haven't heard my miracle story?  Awesome- GO HERE!  And see the MIGHTY WORKS that God has done in my life :)  I can assure you that although I hate being sick- I PRAISE GOD DAILY for HIS MIRACLES IN MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vacation Time!!!

 Hello From the Wright Family........this past week was VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Any Guesses as to where we are??  he he he.....well if you have been to Florida or visited the website you know that we went to....

 Universal Studios/Universal Islands of Adventure.  We purchased the cheapest- FL resident yr round tickets and - went here 4 times this last week.  Now for those theme park lovers out there - YES it is not hard to spend a lot of money, BUT there are lots of easy ways to NOT spend that much money either (especially when you only live an hourish away)!!!!  I think I did a blog post on saving money at theme parks before.  Let's just say we do a lot of water from the tap refills, bring picnic lunches, and have a BLAST!!!!

 And our kiddos love theme parks.....hmmm.....wonder where they get that from????  Did I ever tell you that Jason and I's second official date was to Six Flags, St Louis???

 Awww......sooo cute!  These two have been pretending they are twins lately and love to wear matching or closely matching things all the time :) 

 Waiting in line at the Dr. Seuss area for the carousel....

 Abigail.......yes.....I have to take your picture too! 

 Jonathan looking for a small cubby hole to fit in.  Love it when littles do this :)

 Daddy & Joanna snuggling up together for the ride!

 Love the fun whimsical area.  Lots to just look at all around you. 

 Matthew.....

 Jonathan.....

 Abigail....who is inching up to be almost as tall as I am- hahem???

 My little nut.....

And my two little nuts together.

So we had a great time!!!!!  It was funny getting in line waiting to "validate" our online tickets.  The lady asked the kids if they had seen- Twister, or Harry Potter, or The Incredible Hulk, or .........  No, no, nope.....  I just laughed and said no, but we will have fun any way.  We had a BLAST don't worry!!!!

Bonus to living here in Florida - at most parks here you get a FL discount!!!  WAHOOO!!!!  That is nice!!!
We also went to a state park, hung out at home, ordered out, went out to eat (a privilege for us), went to our lifegroup, and.....oh yeah.....I got extremely sick- yesterday :(  YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I am still sick today!!!!!!!!!!!!  But I had to get out of bed for at least a bit.  I have swollen glands that look like softballs, and nasal congestion that is out of this world.  OYE!!!

Other than that- it has been a SUPER WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh and did I tell you we got our homestudy packet?  OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Now to see how fast we can get that done.  Of course right now....I am going to go back to BED!!!!!

Life as normal & an incredible story!

 Does this scare you?  Yeah, a bit creepy.  But well, normal at our home :)  Jason has this tea towel that "looks" like English money.  Of course that has the queen's face on it.  So Jason wrapped it around his face and well....then of course everyone had to do it.  I thought I took more pics?  Well, you know so you could be even more creeped out.

So normal.  We are truly living our life as normal now.  Except for on those harder days where we are still adjusting to life that is sooo completely different.  With all the transitions, moving (don't even remind me how many times), and "stuff" we still feel it on those days.  The days when your kiddos are sick, there are too many errands to run, and Joanna is grumpy (I know hard to believe, but it happens).  It is still hard to not have my best friend and hubby around.  Even if it is just to remind me that everything will be ok.

And it is hard for him too.  Especially lately because work is getting busier and no signs of slow down!  They had an employee leave....and they were already looking for another person....so now they are short 2 people.  

So it is great for us that as soon as Jason gets home-

We start our week of VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh praise God!!!  We need some family time.  We need some relax time together!  And we have a bunch of fun planned.  I would tell you on this blog, but some of my kiddos read mommies blog.....and it is top secret until tomorrow!!!!!  So if you are my child and reading this- too bad you will have to wait until tomorrow!!!!

***In other news the homestudy packet hasn't arrived, and I am already getting antsy.  he he he he......yeah.

OK the story behind Mark Shultz's song- What It Means to Be Loved.......get some kleenex!!!!!
“What It Means To Be Loved” is a song that basically wrote itself. I just happened to be in the room when God dropped it in my lap. Its genesis was actually from a story that my wife told me about a family that she’d worked with at the hospital.

The mother was expecting a child and was told that tests revealed health issues that meant the baby probably wouldn’t live long after birth. Although the doctors suggested terminating the pregnancy, the mother decided she would love the child as long as she could. I took those emotions and that unselfish commitment and poured them into the “What It Means To Be Loved” lyrics.

The song starts out:
For five months eight days
My wife and I had waited
Getting ready for our baby girl
But when he called the doctor said, “I need to see you”
And “Could you come in soon”
Something died inside of me to sit with him and hear
A test had said our baby may not live to be a year
And turning to my wife he said
What do you wanna do
She said…

It was at this point of the song when I was writing it that these words just came spilling out:

I wanna give her the world
I wanna hold her hand
I wanna be her mom for as long as I can
I wanna live every moment, until that day comes
I wanna show her what it means to be loved…

And I knew as soon as I hit this chorus and tears were running down my face that this is one I’m going to be playing for a long time. It’s the only song that I’ve ever played in concert where it got a standing ovation before the end of the first chorus was over.

To me, what the song says is that we as Christians are called to love. If that means loving a baby that’s going to be here for 7 minutes or 70 years, it doesn’t make any difference, you just wrap your arms around them and pour yourself into them.

I love the last bridge going to this:

Well ever since the day
We got to bring her home
She’s been out to prove the doctors wrong
You should see her now
She’s as pretty as her mom
And there’s a boy at the front door waiting just to take her to her high school prom
And he wants to give her the world
Wants to hold her hand

Inspired by this family’s story, my wife continued to look at the implications for our own family. She said, “Since you’re adopted I think we should adopt kids too.” I said, “Ok that’s fine.” She said, “I think we should adopt kids maybe with special needs.” And I said, “Ok, that seems like a tall order.” She continued, “Maybe someday we adopt kids with special needs that the doctor only knows they’re going to live for a year or two.” I responded, “Honey, why would we do that?” And my wife said, “Because before they go to heaven, I want them to know what a great Christmas is like and I want them to know what a great birthday is like and let them know that they were loved well before they get to heaven and realize that love. I want them to know that they were loved here on earth and celebrate them here.”

That’s the kind of wife I’m married to. These are the kinds of songs that come out of those stories. It’s a special song and I’m grateful for all the people who’ve walked through loving unconditionally. I hope the song means as much to folks as it does to me.

How are we doing this adoption???

 First things first......look at me I am beautiful everyone!

 Cousins are fun!!!!

 This little cousin- the miracle that was born one year ago Saturday is just soooo cute!!!!!

 Sarah had to get in on the lovin'

 Hanging out with my aunt Jane and cousins kiddos :)

 Can you see the love?

 Oh yeah- hey everyone you are making me blush......

 Joanna thinks it is funny.

 Boys on scooters (yeah they are pink, but they just like the scooters)

 Exploring the park.....

 Joanna squatting.  There is something very cute about a baby squatting down :)

 Watch out .....here they come!!!!!!!!

 Joanna getting in the sand....oh dear cigarette butts too- don't worry I scooped her up after I took the pic because I noticed them- ewwww......

We had fun last week getting together with family having a picnic and playing at the park!  The weather has been perfect- a little cooler than the normal heat.

So I have had a lot of people already ask- how do you plan to do this special needs adoption?  That is a great question- so glad you asked!!!!  Because I get to share with you an all new program through Christian Adoption Consultants!

Special Needs Adoption Program with CAC

October 5, 2011

by tracieloux

Because we believe that every child deserves a loving family, we have created a program designed specifically for families who desire to make themselves available to adopt children with special needs or who are difficult to place because of their age (children 3 and older or sibling groups).
Many of these situations come up within the foster care system, but we have seen an increase of the number of special needs situations with in the world of adoption agencies and attorneys. It is our desire at Christian Adoption Consultants to be a resource to families whose hearts are drawn to special needs adoption and to be a resource to agencies seeking families for special needs adoption situations.
We define special needs as any medically diagnosed disorder like Down syndrome, Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy, HIV, heart problems requiring surgical intervention, or any number of other syndromes or medical disorders. (We will not be considering drug/alcohol exposure in this category unless it is very severe.)
We are including adoption of children 3 and older in our special needs program because of the likelihood that these children will have emotional and behavioral issues and the frequency of RAD, ADHD or Autism occurring in older child adoptions. Older child adoptions can appear in agency/attorney adoptions when the biological family is no longer able to care for a child that they have attempted to raise. Older child adoptions can also occur when an adoptive family has entered into an adoption (often an international adoption) and has come to the place where they do not feel able to care for and parent the child they have adopted. This is called an adoption disruption.
If you are open to adopting a child with special needs or an older child and you are NOT wanting to pursue healthy newborn situations, this may be be perfect fit for you.
Please email tracie@christianadoptionconsultants.com if you would like more information on our Special Needs Adoption Program.
Blessings,
Tracie Loux
Senior Adoption Consultant
Special Needs Program Director
Christian Adoption Consultants

Of course I have asked permission to copy and paste this.  Tracie's response YES PLEASE!!!
Here is the actual link to her page.

Feel free to email Tracie if you have any questions or visit CAC website HERE. 

Of course if you are my facebook friend you have also seen many of the situations I have posted about.  Some of those are also through Mother Goose Adoptions or Creating Christian Families.  Others have been from Tracie, or other people that are asking for help in finding a family for a child.  ANY time I can help find a child/ren homes I jump at it!!!  I will still be posting those as well- of course don't be surprised if after our homestudy I am the one jumping in to ask to be the placement ;)  he he he......

****Praise The Lord!!!!  We found someone to do our homestudy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know some of you think- big deal?  BUT if you have a larger family and want to do a special needs adoption it isn't always easy.  SO WE ARE PRAISING GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! 

Here is a reply we had already received from another agency.....
In a general sense, I would not recommend a large family to adopt a special
needs child since these children require more time and care.  Something that
would be hard to do in a large family without sacrificing the needs of the
other children.

Ummm....yeah.....they don't know our family!!!!!!  Praise God we got an honest answer before paying them any money!!!  I was really up front!!!  Because I wanted an honest answer!!!  Thank the LORD the social worker doing our homestudy is cheaper anyway :)  YEAH!!!!  And she loves big families and she homeschools!!!  :)  OH YEA JACKPOT!!!!  

Now to start planning on how to fundraise......fun, fun, fun.....