Papa's Thoughts

Alison,

I just wanted to take a moment to share with your readers some thoughts on
my experience in the Ukraine. I’m honored that you and Mike asked me to
help bring Tate home and have been enjoying my time from the moment Mike and
I arrived. I spend as much time taking in the unbelievable sights of this
magnificent city. The people are gracious beyond expectation and I can only
hope that we Americans would do as well with foreign visitors to our
country.

I’m hustling each day to see as much and do as much as possible, given that
most of the time we are careening through the city and into the country side
by our driver, Andre. There are still numerous papers and signatures for
the adoption to get signed and an unbelievable paper trail to follow. I
pray each day that I’ll live long enough to just get back to the apartment
in one piece! Mr. Todd’s wild ride doesn’t come close to describing the
adventure!!


I didn’t know what to expect on my first visit to the Orphanage, but can
report that I’m impressed beyond belief with the loving care and attention
that the special needs children are receiving. The caregivers seem to truly
love and respect the children. The children are well taken care of and I
know that there will be many tears the moment Tate leaves the love of this
place. Mine will be among them.




I’m looking forward to Saturday’s welcome home event and celebrating with
all of you who have been following along on this adventure. Thank you,
Alison, for taking the time, energy and love in preparing and maintaining
this Blog. It has been a wonderful journey!

Love you,

DAD

Counting

Counting down the days until Christmas. We can hardly wait!






Speaking of countdowns...my boys will be home in 3 DAYS!!!!

Tate's Celebrity Status

During the first trip our friend George asked if we would consider allowing a reporter to do a story on our Adoption. George works with different organizations that help children in orphanages in Ukraine. It is his hope that families in Ukraine will get a better understand of children with special needs.
The story being done is going to both be in print as well as a short film documentary. A crew followed Mike and Tate around a little bit. I wish they had him in something other than the pink boots! :)
































I thought I would include the questions from the journalist. Some of you may find it interesting.

Questions for Alison from journalist Larissa~

Эллисон, здравстуйте! Очень жаль, что я с вами не познакомилась, когда вы были на Украине.
Hallo,Allison! It's a pity,that I didn't meet you during your stay at Ukraine.
Хочу сказать, что я поражена и восхищена вашим поступком.
I want to tell,that I'm impressed so much by your step.
Правда,для нас,украинцев,усыновлять детей с синдромом Дауна настолько нетипично,
For us,Ukrainians,to adopt Down syndrom child is so non typical
что я до сих пор не могу понять мотивы вашего поступка.
that I can't understand motivation of your step till now.
Что это? Жалость? Жажда трудностей и острых ощущений?
What is it? is it a pity? Or do you need hard work and sharp impressions?
Желание вырастить собственных детей еще более сердобольными и чуткими людьми?
Is it wish to arise your own children more warm heart and sensitive?
Объясните мне, пожалуйста.
Can you explaine me,please?

Hello Larissa -

Thank you for your email....nice to meet you. I appreciate your kind words and your interest in this story. Please know that we see Tate as a blessing to our family....we believe that God made him perfect in every way. He will require special needs and attentions, but we are ready to accept him just as he is and love him unconditionally. Our children will grow up knowing true joy in the face of their brother, will understand how precious people with special needs are, and what a blessing God has given to our family.

Говорят,болезни и трудности,которые вы перенесли ранее,сделало вашу душу очень...
They say,that suffering from illness and troubles,that you had before,made your soul so
...впечатлительной и ранимой,что и повлияло на ваше решение взять Женечку.Так ли это?
sensitive,what influanced on your decision to take Zhenya. Is it so?
Не могли бы вы немного рассказать о ваших болезнях и как вы с ними боролись,
Could you share your experiance in the struggling against hard disease...
чтобы показать читателям ваше мужество в преодолении жизненных препятствий?
...for showing readers your courage in getting over the life difficulties.

I am not sure that my childhood illness played a direct role in this adoption. It obviously played a significant role in shaping the person that I am and my outlook on life. God has blessed me with good health and a wonderful family. Mike and I have always discussed the possibility of adopting a child with special needs. With the help of Reese's Rainbow and their great work as an advocate for children around the world with Down syndrome....this dream is now a reality.

Расскажите, что вы подумали, когда впервые увидели Женечку в доме ребенка?
Tell,please,what you thought,looking at the Zhenya for the first sight in the orphanage.
Расскажите немножко о своих детях,о каждом из них.Какие они по характеру,чем увлекаются.
Share the info about your own children,every of them,their prefferable interests.
Читателям будет интересно узнать, какие у Жени братья и сестры.
It will be interesting for readers,what sisters and brothers will have Zhenya.
Как готовятся к встрече нового братика ваши дети? Готовят ли они ему какие-то подарки?
How are prepairing children for the meeting with new brother? What presents they are prepair?
Собираются ли как-то поздравить с Рождеством?
Will it be special congratulation with the Xmass?

Our first meeting with Tate was very emotional and intense....we loved him and were so thankful to finally be able to hug him and meet him in person. It was great to see him in such a loving environment. Mike and I are so thankful to the wonderful caretakers that have shown Tate so much love. Tate's brothers and sisters are very excited to meet him!!! Our two daughters (Bailey,age 7 and Brooklyn,age 5) have been watching all the videos and pictures that we have taken and are very anxious for him to arrive. Our two sons (Buddy, age 3 and Emmett, age 1) are not quite old enough to understand, but they will love having another boy in the house. Yes, we are busy for his arrival next week....putting his room together, getting his bed ready (my dad built him a special bed that he will love!), and my aunt is currently making a very special blanket just for him. Christmas will be unforgettable this year...we will have the whole family together!

Будете ли вы со временем разыскивать родителей мальчика?
Will you search for Zhenya's bio relatives later?
Нет ли у вас страха,что вы не справитесь с воспитанием Жени и ноша окажется слишком тяжелой?
Aren't you scaring,that can fail with arising Zhenya and it will be too hard???
Есть ли у вас знакомые, которые уже воспитывают ребенка с синдромом Дауна?
Have you friends,who are arising Down syndrom child?

А, может, в Америке есть какие-то известные личности, которые смело рассказывают о своих детях,
больных синдромом Дауна, и это воодушевляет тех мам, у которых в семьях подрастает ребенок с
синдромом Дауна?
Are there at US famous personalities,who are telling about their own Down syndrome
children and it inspire moms,who has such children at their families?

First, let me say that Mike and I have said all along that the true hero in this story is Tate's birth-mother that chose life. This decision has given us such an incredible blessing, and we will always be grateful to her and for that decision. Given that, we do not have any plans to contact the family. No, we are not afraid of failing with Tate as we are not afraid of not being able to raise any of our other children. We take comfort in knowing that God will always provide. Yes, I do have friends with children with Down syndrome, and they have been such an encouragement to me! They will continue to provide wonderful insight and support to our family during this journey.

Буду очень признательна получить от вас ответ. С уважением. Лариса.
Will be thankful for the answers. With respect. Larissa

Thank you Larissa,
Alison.

Breakfast...

...or rather BREAKFAST in BED!
The kids and our special friend Sarah surprised me with a wonderful treat. They made pancakes with mango slices. I felt like ROYALTY!

Here is what Tate had for breakfast- beet soup with potatoes and fish mashed together, YUMMY!

A note from Daddy

Here are some notes that I took today during our drive to Kiev with Tate and his caretaker...

7am - wakes up - check his bed to see if it is wet - take him potty (note: she said that it would probably be good to do a pull-up but that they just cant afford them).

* potty (when he goes potty they always encourage him by saying "dyakao-yoo" - "thank you" in Ukrainian. He sits on the potty (didn't see it but she explained it to me)
* brushing teeth (she mentioned that he taught himself how to do his teeth and is very independent wanting to do it by himself (probably explains his teeth)). She did comment on how good his small motor skills are much better than the other kids...he can sit putting small beans from one bowl to another for quite some time.
* play time with toys and other children

8am - breakfast - typically about 15 min. and is usually something like oatmeal with butter, bread, tea w/ milk

(15 min. after eating....potty time)
washing his hands / face / etc.

9am - Lesson 1 - is one-on-one time with caretaker where they do things like games / story-telling (showing how the bunny hops / bear walks / etc) / stacking / playing with models that help him put shapes in the right spots / etc.

10am - Free Play & Glass of Juice (typically they have them outdoors - always talking about the birds singing, interacting with them...

Noon - Lunch (she mentioned that he is able to eat by himself (usually with a bib) and drinks out of a standard cup). Did speak with her about choking issues and she mentioned that he is good to eat most anything, but they do mash up most everything (she explained that we could gauge his chewing capabilities...they just have too many kids to chance having anyone have choking issues so they basically mash most everything up). She definitely said that something like an apple would not be good, but that we will just need to experiment with it a bit. This is something that we will just have to work on...
(lunch is usually borsh / soup...steamed chicken or meat...cabbage/rice/mashed potato/etc...

(15 min. after eating...potty time)
washing his hands / face / etc.

12:30pm - Nap Until 3:30

(Potty)

3:30pm - Snack (cracker / milk / pastry / etc)

4pm - 2nd Lesson (I think that they do lots of focused things that he enjoys...singing, tactile activities, physical development (i.e. crawling through tubes, dancing)

5pm - 7pm - Free Play Outside

7pm - Prepare for dinner (wash hands / face / put bib on)

7:15pm - Dinner (they do monitor his intake as he will eat and eat)...same types of foods mentioned above and about 100-200 grams of drink (4-7 ounces)

(Potty)

8pm - Ready / Go to Bed

She mentioned that he would be fine with either a bath or shower. She also commented that he doesn't currently have a blanket that he needs to sleep with.

I have to tell you that I am SO EXCITED to get him home. I think that is why I am so frustrated with the final details...just want to take him now and get home. He is SO SUPER SWEET...such a love. The kids are going to love him so much...he loves repetition, is very disciplined, and needs structure & encouragement. He was singing and saying "mama" for about 10 min. today on the ride home...you would have loved to see it!! We tried to get him to say "papa" but he just kept saying mama...the caretaker was explaining to him where you were. Seeing him with his caretaker was incredible...she truly loves him and is so good with him. It is going to be hard to take him out of that environment, but I know that same love is waiting for him at home :-).

BED- Part 1

In case you were wondering where Tate is living I thought I would do a post (in 3 parts) about his current bed and his future one. Here is a picture of the place that he sleeps now. This is the only bed he has know for the past 4 years; those are his little yellow pants hanging over the end.


This video shows more detail. The guy at the end, with the scary laugh, is George.


Tate is going to share a room with Buddy. In a few months Baby M will join them as well. My dad, carpenter and creative head, is finishing up Tate's bed. It just might be the cutest bed I have ever seen; aside from Buddy's bed. I will do a post in a few days of Buddy's room before Tate's bed arrives. CURIOUS?

First Car Ride

Ever wonder what it would be like as a four year old to drive in a car for the very first time??? Here is what Tate thought-




Mike said Tate was very quiet just taking in his new surroundings. They were on their way to get his passport picture taken. On the drive back to the orphanage he was making a sound to imitate the car's motor. TOO CUTE!

Inspired

My original plan for the second trip was all figured out in my mind while we were still in Ukraine. Since Mike was going to be the one returning I thought I would keep things simple for him. I packed a large carseat bag filled with most of the stuff that Mike would need and left it with our driver, Andrae, while we returned. In the bag was a umbrella, toys, diapers, snacks, videos, kids cups, 2 blankets, a pillow and Mike's toiletries. I figured all he would need to return with were clothes for he and Tate. He shouldn't need more than one small carry on.

A change of plan happened suddenly when I was inspired by my friend, Karen. Karen adopted two sweet little girls from Ukraine a few months ago. Her husband shared on her blog that Karen took an extra suitcase filled with 100 cozy pj's for the children in her daughters' orphanage. I was so inspired I figured Mike didn't need to travel so light on the way out to Ukraine and thus prepared to scratch my plan.

On Saturday while I should have been packing Mike one little bag we went on a shopping spree instead.
The kids were thrilled to play Santa for Tate's little friends. We bought baby wipes, cozy pj's, warm winter jackets, sweats, jeans and under shirts. The best part of shopping was watching Mike get so excited about getting stuff for the kids. He specifically picked out jackets for Vlad, Ivanna, Irene and Willhem. I bet he was even more excited as he dropped off the duffel bag this morning. Speaking of which, he made it safely. Today was spent on an exhausting paper trail that lasted from 9am until 6:30pm. The highlight of his day came at 4:40 when he was reunited with Tate. He says he looks wonderful and can't wait to bring him home... FINALLY!

...just a few more hours!

Guess who Mike gets to see soon...I am SO jealous!

40 Birthday Blessings

Today was a special day. Today my friend, Wendy, celebrated her birthday. I was honored to be a part of her day. Her story is inspiring. It is filled with great trials and even greater victories. Wendy is courageous, determined and strong. She loves passionately in a way few of us will ever comprehend. She is thankful for the little things and truly appreciate every tomorrow. I am blessed by her friendship and thankful our paths are intertwined. Happy Birthday my sweet friend!

In the Air

We just returned home from LAX dropping Mike and my Dad off. They will be landing in Ukraine tomorrow evening at 10:40pm. Please join us as we pray for a safe and speedy trip. I can't wait for my boys to come home!

Peyton Jay Teixeira

Our biggest BLESSING this Thanksgiving came in the form of a sweet little bundle. The much anticipated baby Peyton (AKA PJ) was born on Thanksgiving morning. The third in the line of beautiful Teixeira babies Peyton completes the bunch perfectly. She is the spitting image of her big sister Skyler.

After gobbling up my turkey (no pun intended :)). Mike and I left a house full of family to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with our friends. The best part of my day was snuggling with Peyton. We are so excited to watch her grow into a little lady. We can't wait to see what God has in store for her life.

I am THANKFUL for the gift of New Life.

Cousins

The kids and I have been enjoying spending time with our cousins for the past few days. My sister, Carolyn, has four children. My kids LOVE playing with Bekah, Drew, Rachel and Zech. On Wednesday evening after going to pizza together we went to Papa and Nonnie's house for cookies and pj's. My mom has a pj obsession so when the kids are all at her house you know pj's will be coming out at some point (which is great for us because we never have to buy them). Here are all of the kids lined up to receive their new cozys.


That same evening I was fortunate to spend a few hours with my cousins as well. While getting caught up on concerts, boyfriends and babies we shopped for a few last minute additions for our Thanksgiving meal.


I am THANKFUL for my Family.

Goodbye Presidents

With this month quickly coming to an end we are sad to say goodbye to our study on the Presidents. I would continue it and we would never be out material to study but, I am excited to move on to our Advent unit.

Here are a few highlights from this month-

The battle at Bunker Hill-


Jewelry for the First Ladies-


Flag Pizza-


Campaign Headquarters :) -


Sorting Democrats/Independents/Republicans-


The Gettysburg Address-



I am THANKFUL for my students.

Beach Football

The second part of our long weekend included a trip to the beach; are you seeing a theme- 3 weekends in a row. The weather has been incredible. It is way too hard to pass up the beach on days like this-


We are THANKFUL for great friends to enjoy it with!

Think PINK

Bailey had a really big weekend. It started off with a party for her girlfriend, Esther. The girls were asked to arrive dressed in PINK. Bailey was larger than life for this party. Even her hair was colored pink. Too bad the party didn't start until 5pm. She was ready to go at noon. ;)

I caught her checking out her get-up in the mirror. She was quite impressed!

The best part of the evening came when they announced that they were going to go toilet paper one of the girls homes. I don't think Bailey even knew what they were talking about. She called home and asked permission. I of course was THRILLED! My parents did not allow us to go T.P. homes. Although, one time my mom caved in and allowed me to T.P. our home as long as I cleaned it all up first thing in the morning- LAME! Anyway, Bailey was brought home at 11:00pm and she couldn't stop talking about how much fun she had. Since a few of the girls were spending the night at the party we thought it would be fun to T.P. their house. Mike, aka 'the best dad EVER', took Bailey back out at 3am; talk about a bonding experience. Her excitement the next day was priceless.

To CARLIE with LOVE

My Little Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I hope there was something educational that the kids learned while helping me put this together. We spent the past hour playing on the computer. Maybe I could count it as Computer Science. :)

Ukrainian Hottie

Our friend George had a quick visit with Tate today. He said that he is doing well and that he is anxious to speak (probably more of the 'roaring language' that George was referring to at our first meeting ;) ). Mike will get to snuggle him in 12 more days!!!

(BTW- Tate looks like my Dad did back in the 50's with his slicked down, combed over hair style- very handsome!)

Gone Fishin'

The day we got home from Ukraine Mike took the boys down to the tackle shop to get set up for fishing. Three weeks stuck in a foreign country will make you do strange things! The very first time Buddy cast his line into the water he caught a fish! Mike is now slightly obsessed. He and his mom took the kids on Saturday afternoon and then I joined them on Sunday. The weather was incredible. We didn't catch any fish but we all had a wonderful time.
I asked Bailey yesterday if she had fun fishing. She said, "It's not that fun when you don't catch any fish." So I asked if she had fun jumping in the waves and digging in the sand. She replied, "Nah, I just had fun hanging out with Dad."

3 Reasons Why Brooklyn Rocks!

#1 - She is very fashion forward and is willing to take risks!



#2 - She knows what she likes! Blended Java Chip w/ extra whip, PLEASE.



#3 - She is constantly surprising us! We had NO IDEA that she learned this along with Bailey. We thought she knew the first three- only Brooklyn.

Maddie May

Our sweet Maddie May turned one year old on Thursday, or should I say seven (in dog years). The festivities were small with not more than a song, a bone and Maddie begging for a cupcake. WE LOVE YOU MAY MAY!

My Boy

Are you missing him too?

Enjoy!

WESTMONT

Please be in prayer for Westmont College as well as the residents of both Montecito and Santa Barbara. The fire continues to burn and the winds are picking up. The picture above is of the sweet prayer chapel on campus...we need your prayers!

VIDEOS

If you are having trouble loading the videos give it a minute and then reload the page.

The Big Question

The one question everyone has asked is, "How did the kids do while you were gone?" ANSWER- the kids did EXCELLENT! Really, I had a much harder time being away from them than they had being away from me. Since I am sure you have all missed them too :)...here is a update.

One of the ways that I homeschool Bailey is through Unit Studies. Our school year has been divided up into various subjects. Up until now her most favorite has been NATURAL DISASTERS with Tornadoes topping her list. The beginning of November brought a new obsession- PRESIDENTS. My Aunt Jo did a wonderful job of capturing her curiosity in school. After homeschooling for 20 years I guess she knows a thing or two :). Bailey is hooked. We are talking 'Presidents' morning, noon and night!



Brooklyn refused my request for a video. She actually said, "No video today Mom, but you can take my picture." She really makes you work! Brooklyn has told me several times in the past few days that her favorite thing right now is her Doctor outfit sent from Aunt Carolyn. She looks so darn cute in it too...maybe with some luck I'll be able to sneak a video tomorrow.


Buddy went through BOOT CAMP while we were away; REALLY GOOD boot camp. Aunt Jo stressed the importance of obeying. How much would you pay to hear your 3 year old say this-


Baby M changed more in three weeks than I could have ever imagined he would. When we left he could say Mama, Dada, Papa and ball. Check him out now-

There's NO place like HOME!

We made it home safely. Oh, how good it feels to kiss our babies, sleep in our sheets and eat some really good food!

MORE LATER- OFF ENJOYING LIFE!

Officially our SON!!!

Today was a really exciting day for the McKay household. Today our family grew by two feet. Today we gained a son, a brother and a life-long friend. Today is a very special day. A day we will never forget!

The court process was easy and quick. We were ushered into a medium sized office with our translator, social worker and orphanage attorney. A female judge presided over the hearing. She first asked us a few formal questions- name, birth date, address. Then she asked a few questions about adopting and specifically a child with special needs. A short thirty minutes later it was over and we were standing outside. The hardest part of the hearing was listening to the orphanage attorney talk about Tate. She said that he was abandoned by his birth parents and that he was unwanted in Ukraine for adoption. Their loss- OUR GAIN!

Here are the first few minutes of us with our SON! (Nice pink outfit!)





Saying goodbye today was not as hard as I had envisioned it would be. We know that Tate is well loved by the orphanage workers. Mike will return to Ukraine with my dad after the 10 day mandatory waiting period. They will pick him up to bring him home for the very first time!!!

ELECTION DAY

It is such a strange feeling to be out of the Country on Election Day. We will return home to a new President- weird. My devotional for today included the following that I thought I would pass along. And yes, MOM, we sent our absentee ballots in before we left!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
God's Word actually has a lot to say about politics and world leaders - and here are a few critical facts you might want to put into your perspective:

First of all, it is God Himself Who determines the winners of elections. Yep - and all along you thought it was the voting system and the Electoral College? Sure, they were the tools, but the Hand behind it all is the Sovereign and All Powerful King of the Universe:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God (Romans 13:1).

The 'governing authorities' that are referred to here were not democratic or even friendly towards Christians. But that didn't matter then - or now - because it is crystal clear from this verse that there is no senator, judge, or even president who wasn't placed there by God Himself.

I know...pretty weird, huh? But actually, it makes sense. It's not like God is in heaven going 'Oh no! The guy I voted for didn't win!'

I actually take comfort in the fact that no matter which person is sworn into office in January, it's the one that God established to be President of the United States .

So what does this mean? Well, whether you can vote or not, whether your candidate won or not, whether you kept up or not...really doesn't matter in the big picture. This is our responsibility:

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

What usually happens when the 'wrong' person gets into office is we moan, complain, make jokes, and do everything else but what we are supposed to do...which is pray.


We must pray-

-that God will turn the heart of all presidents and kings and rulers to Himself.

-that our President will rule fairly and justly.

-that God will accomplish His perfect will through those He placed in authority.

-that we will properly submit to our government regardless of whether or not elephants or donkeys are running the circus.

That...is how we rock the vote!

Smart Little Guy

We have been working with Tate during each visit on words in Sign Language. The first few were basic- blowing kisses and bye-bye. We have since added a few words that will probably be lifesavers considering we have a child who understands Ukrainian which neither of us speaks. He now has the concept of the words more, help and drink.

Missing our babies

We have been in Ukraine for two weeks now but it feels so much longer. I can't explain how desperately we want to be home. We are scheduled to have Court on Wednesday morning at 10:00am. If all goes as planned we will fly out very early on Thursday morning.

Mike received the following email from Bailey this evening.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEAR DAD
I miss you so much.
I hope you are missing Henrietta.
Tell mom that she has 6 presents.
You have 3 presents.
You are the best dad ever.
I love you so much daddy.
I hope you are having a good time in Ukraine.
Buddy is being a good boy.
Brooklyn is being a good helper.
M is a good brother.
We will see you in 4 days.

LOVE BAILEY!
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Talking to the kids on Skype has been such a blessing but it has been really hard these past few days. Just seeing them makes me want to cry but it is a catch 22. I don't want them to see just how sad I am- does that makes sense? Just 4 more days...we can make it!

The attempted break in turned out to be a blessing. The day before it happen I had reach my breaking point. To be brutally honest I was praying for an escape. My husband carried us through. He always has a way of putting a good spin on a bad situation. I guess that is what makes him a good salesman. Our new apartment has been a breath of fresh air- literally and figuratively. The neighborhood that it is in is almost quaint.
We are staying on the 2nd floor in the corner. It is a very quiet place in the Embassy District.

We have gone on exploration walks twice a day and have found a cute bakery and a really good pizza place.
We miss our babies but are still so thankful for the opportunity that we have been given here in Ukraine. Just 4 more days...we can make it!

Little Zoey

I want each of you meet a special friend of ours named Zoey. If you click on her picture it will take you to the blog that her amazing mother, Heather, has been writing about Zoey. Zoey has been an inspiration to countless individuals and has blessed our family with her journey. Zoey's list of medical trials include Down syndrome, a stroke in utero, AV Canal Complete and Infantile Spasms. Zoey continues through prayer and the strength of her family to fight for life. This past week Zoey was hit with yet another diagnosis- Leukemia. And so begins a new journey for the Needham family. They need love, support and prayers to get them through this trying time. Please add them to your prayer list. Zoey is a miracle. We are praising God for what He is accomplishing through Zoey's life.

A while ago we were on our way to have lunch with the Needhams. I was telling Bailey that she was going to think that Zoey was the cutest thing she has ever seen. Bailey had not meet Zoey in person but had seen her pictures many times. I told her how it is different in real life. Bailey wanted to bet on it. She said that Zoey is cute but she has a lot of competition- Baby M, Tate, Micah and Miller are all tops on her list. At lunch Mike told Bailey that she needed to keep her thoughts to herself about the bet.

Bailey was enamored with Zoey from the moment she laid eyes on her. We all took turns snuggling her but Bailey could hardly stand being away from her. On the way to the car Bailey was giddy. She said, " Mom, you won the bet. There isn't even a contest. Zoey IS the cutest thing ever. I think she is an angel." I AGREE

Guest blogger

One of my friends asked me before I left what my thoughts were on the upcoming election and current economic issues. I flippantly responded that I was tired of politicians and their “campaigning”, and tired of thinking about the economy and all those that were involved with the current mess (politicians, bankers, mortgage brokers, etc.)….

This trip has given me such a different perspective and been such a humbling reminder…

How easy it is for me to sit in the comforts of the US and say that I am “tired” of thinking about politicians and the economy. I have quickly been reminded of just how truly blessed I am to be an American. Here in the Ukraine I have seen a country that is a new democracy (I use the term “democracy” loosely) and all the hardships that go along with that – Ukraine became independent of USSR in the early 90’s. The country is rich with natural resources and hard-working citizens, but the country is plagued by corruption at every level (bribes and corruption are rampant in all parts of the business and political world). Citizens are passionate about politics as it will literally shape and directly impact their lives. They don’t have the luxury of simply being “tired” and “dis-engaging”.

I will get off my soap-box now, but wanted to share my humbling reminder with all of you. We are truly blessed to be Americans, to live in a culture with deeps roots in an established democracy, and a common moral fabric that allows us so many opportunities. Given that, I will always be grateful to this country for caring for my son and for his mother that chose life (forever blessing our family because of that decision).

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and encouragement during this process!

Mike

ANGEL TREE

It's November 1st!! Today is the kickoff of the annual Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree Project! Visit www.reecesrainbow.org/angeltree2008.htm to view all of the beautiful children in ONE PLACE and to have the opportunity to sponsor these children in honor of family members, friends, or coworkers!