Happy New Year!!!

Our family wishes everyone a Happy and Blessed New Year!!!

Our Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone! The boys and I had a really nice Christmas this year. My parents came over to celebrate the day with us. My brother Sean called from Florida. It's always good to hear from him, we miss him so much! Caleb really got into opening the presents which was a lot of fun to watch. Santa brought him a big red fire engine with flashing lights, siren, and battery operated moving ladder. Needless to say, Caleb was excited and didn't want to open anything else. He got a Tickle Me Elmo this year and he loves it! See video below.:) Santa brought Jimmy a real black cowboy hat like the one that Garth Brooks wears. Jimmy is a big fan! He also got a Garth Brooks World Tour baseball cap. Jimmy loves movies and he got a few movies..... He also got a snowglobe with Santa in it because Jimmy would like to be Santa Clause. You need to watch Santa Clause 3 the Escape Clause to understand this one. Ben got some video games, baseball caps, a remote control car (sorry Dad, it's a Ford)... The boys gave me some really great smelling candles, pretty necklaces, cute ornaments.... The greatest gift of all is from God and that is my family. My family means the world to me and I'm so thankful for them each and everyday. The pictures above show the highlights of our day including Caleb blowing out the candle on Jesus's birthday cake. Thank you to my mom who baked the cake and brought it over for us to share. I pray that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and safe 2008!

HOHOHO!

Caleb saw Santa today at the daycare Christmas party! He went right up to him and said "HOHOHO!" It was so CUTE! Santa got a big kick out of him!

The week before Christmas

We have had a pretty eventful week so far. We got 10 inches of snow on Sunday which resulted in a Snow Day on Monday for all of us. Caleb got the flu bug and had to stay home on Tuesday with Momma. Then today, Caleb had his Christmas program at school. I love it when they have the Christmas program, the kids look so darn cute! They are so excited that their families are there, that some of them forget to sing.:) Jimmy got ready for Christmas also, by shopping at the mall with his class and some friends. They shop at the mall, and then come back to the school to wrap their presents for their families, before bringing them home. As usual, Jimmy came in the door holding a bag with the presents and came over to me and whispered, "I got your present Mom." I said "Don't tell me what it is, buddy." (because every year he does) This year was no different, he whispered back to me, "I got your candle." :):) I love it!!! Every year he walks in and tells me exactly what my gift is. Ben looked at me and said "He already told me what mine is, in detail." It's funny, Jimmy can't keep a secret!" Here is Caleb in the snow, Caleb eating the Gingerbread cookie he made at school, and today at his Christmas program. Ben would not let me post the picture of him shoveling snow (remember he's my camera-shy one) Only 6 more days to Christmas...I have to go finish wrapping!!

Where is THAT SOCK???

Want a clue? LOOK UP! I kid you not, these are just a few places where I have found Caleb's socks this week. As soon as he gets home, the shoes and socks come off. He is pretty good about putting the shoes where they go, but the socks are a different story. They go flying! I find them on top of picture frames, shelves, in plants, on top of doors.... So because we have a few decorations around for Christmas, Caleb has decided to decorate himself!!!!:)The bottom picture is a recent picture of Caleb I wanted to share!

GOTCHA!!!

These are pictures of Caleb's Gotcha Day (the day he officially became my son). No longer an orphan, Caleb now had a family. He was a son and a little brother now. These pictures are my favorite. The top one I always refer to as the "WE DID IT" picture. It was taken right after the court declared Caleb my son. We drove straight from the courthouse to Caleb's orphanage, showed them the adoption decree and they brought Caleb to me. Here I was holding my youngest son. I remember thinking to myself, I am a mother of three. I prayed for this day for so long!! Of course, Caleb did not realize what was happening or how his life was about to change. No more endless hours waiting in a crib for a smile or a touch. No more rocking himself to sleep every night. Caleb was going HOME with his Mommy.
Notice Caleb's outfit? Because they have a limited amount of clothes, the orphanage puts the children in clothes that fit, even if they have boys wearing girls clothes. See these little red girls shoes? Caleb's little feet were about a size too big for them. Here is Caleb in the bottom photo wearing the clothes that I brought for him. This is the first time Caleb had clothes of his own. I look at these pictures often and replay over every moment of that day. It truly was a blessed day and one of the most important days of our lives.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Well, winter has arrived in Michigan! We even have a winter weather advisory. When we came out of the mall this evening, there was a blanket of snow everywhere! It always looks so pretty when it starts to fall in December, less pretty if it is still falling in late March but that's Michigan! Here's Caleb after we got home. He thinks the snow is pretty cool! He was such a trooper today while we shopped for Christmas presents and hats, mittens..... He did get to see Santa though so he was pretty excited about that! Now we are in for the night, and decided to order pizza. They said the delivery would take an hour or so (even though they are five minutes from our house). But that's what you get when you order pizza on a cold, snowy Saturday night!!

I'm Thankful

I'm thankful for my three wonderful sons. I have been blessed!

A Time to Give

Yes...........I did it! I put the Christmas tree up. I usually wait until after Thanksgiving but I couldn't wait! Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. It's a time for families and for giving and I love both! Please remember to give the gift of a family to an orphan child with Down syndrome by donating to Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree. There are many children with DS all over the world waiting for a family. These children are God's most innocent and pure at heart. So, please don't forget them as you are getting ready for the holidays this year. My beautiful son Caleb, was one of these children waiting for a family. By the Grace of God, I was led to him. You can help make it possible for a family to bring home one of these precious children.

http://www.reecesrainbow.com/angeltree.htm

Benjamin

Ben is my 16 year old and also my middle son. He is also my shy one when it comes to taking his picture. I managed to get a couple shots of him recently and wanted to share them. Ben is a wonderful young man who has a big heart for all living things, but especially individuals with special needs and animals. He has been both a younger brother to Jimmy and at times the "older" brother also. When I told him I wanted to adopt a little boy, he was very excited. When I told him about Caleb and said "You realize that he has DS?" Ben's response was "And your point is...??" He is a remarkable brother to both Jimmy and Caleb. Ben is a great young man all around. He has a good sense of humor and still enjoys hanging out with mom. He never lets a day go by without telling me that he loves me and giving me a hug. You know when you were younger and you misbehaved and your parents would say, "I hope you have a kid just like you." ? Well, I hope that one day Ben is blessed to have a son who is just like him, and that's a very GOOD thing!

Jimmy is 21!!!

21 years ago I gave birth to a very special little boy. A little boy who I named Jimmy.... and my life has never been the same. This little boy of mine has brought more to my life that I could ever imagine. He has inspired me, increased my faith, given me unconditional love, brought me an incredible amount of joy, and given me a reason to smile every day. Through the years, I have rejoiced and celebrated every word he learned to say, every milestone he surpassed, every challenge he overcame. I have watched in awe as he has reached out to others with his sweetness and sense of humor. My life is enriched because of Jimmy, and I am honored and proud to be his mother. He is not only my son, but he is my hero. Happy Birthday Jimmy, I love you with all of my heart!

Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree

I am asking you to please consider sponsoring a child with Down syndrome who is waiting for a family. There are over 80 children with Down syndrome on this Angel tree that are waiting for families all over the world. Your donation of $35 or more can make a difference as to whether this child will get adopted. International adoption is very expensive and families who are adopting need this grant money to help with adoption costs. Once you have sponsored a child, you will receive a beautiful ornament with the child's picture on it to hang on your own tree. These precious children are in desperate need of a home. Please look into your heart this holiday season and help give the gift of a family to one of these precious children. These beautiful little boys are just a couple of the many, many children with DS waiting for a family. www.reecesrainbow.com/angeltree.htm

My Three...............Pirates!!!

Here are Jimmy, Ben, and Caleb on Halloween. Actually, Caleb was Thomas but I had accidently bought a child's size pirate hat for Jimmy, so I kept it for Caleb. We had a good time trick or treating. Caleb did well and said "Treat" and "Thank you" very well for about the first 10 houses. After that it was "Say Trick or Treat" and he would say "NOoooooooo." He was more interested in trying to give out hugs and tell me that he saw a garage door at every house. He even got lucky and saw one go down after their car pulled in. (Caleb loves to watch garage doors go up and down.) It was a fun time for everyone!

Jimmy's Senior Year

My son Jimmy graduated in 2006 but I didn't have a blog then, so I wanted to share his homecoming parade video (he made the senior Homecoming Court) , prom and graduation photos. I am so proud of my amazing young man!!

Just thought I would share.......

My favorite piggies!!!!!!!
And thanks to his big brother Ben, Caleb's piggies are smiling!!:)

From Jimmy with Love

Isn't this awesome? Jimmy made this wonderful pumpkin with flowers at school and presented it to me when I picked him up. He came out of school with a huge grin and telling me, "I made it for you!" I love it! Thank you buddy!!

Caleb is the big "5"!

I can't believe it, my baby is 5 years old! It seems like yesterday that I brought home my little "fudgey". He was only a little over 2 1/2 years old. He has really gotten bigger and has learned so much in the last couple of years. He weighs 42 lbs.and is 41 inches tall. He is beginning to say two word phrases and to sing with his sing-a-long videos. This summer he started riding his tricycle and also blowing bubbles. This was very cool because he was able to blow out his candles on his cake for the first time. Look at his little lips in this picture! He was sooo cute and didn't stop blowing till they were all out. He loves Thomas the Tank Engine so this was on his cake. He really likes playing with his cars and is especially fascinated with garage doors. I was able to find a few toys with moving doors and one with a garage door. He also got a remote control car and a truck that makes every noise under the sun! It was such a special day for Caleb. Though, I still can't believe my "baby" is already 5 years old.

Reece's Rainbow

Children from all over the world, children of God, children with DS.

My Awesome Boys!

They're growing up.......Ben is now taller than Jimmy. Caleb will be 5 in a week. Jimmy will be 21 next month! Hug your children everyday, tell them you love them, and take a lot of pictures because before you know it, they're grown! I'm proud of my boys, I've been Blessed!

Sunday............

Jimmy and Caleb were so cute tonight. The day is over and we're winding down. Jimmy started tickling Caleb and Caleb let's out the cutest laugh. I had to take some pictures. Unfortunately, Ben was camera shy so I couldn't get his picture tonight.
Here are my oldest and my youngest, joys of my life!

Fun in a Box

I think every child at one time or another plays in a box. So of course, I had to share a couple photos of Caleb in his. I walked out of the livingroom to get his juice and came back to see him in the box!! Here's my wonderful little guy!

How do I look?

Whenever Jimmy is going somewhere special, he comes out of his room and smiles and then says, "How do I look?" This young man has made me smile everyday for almost 21 years! What a Blessing!

My sweet boy Caleb!

Here is Caleb looking adorable before school. He is proudly wearing his Reece's Rainbow shirt.It says "Never Underestimate the Blessing of an Extra Chromosome!!!

Caleb's first day back to school

Poor baby! The bus was 1/2 hour late bringing him home and it's 90* outside. No smile for this photo, but Mommy sure was smiling! I got to get my little man off the bus! He did give me a "cheese" for the next photo. :)

MY THREE SONS!

He's ready!!!!!!

Caleb started back to daycare this week because I started back to work.
He goes to a wonderful daycare, Play N Learn. Caleb was the first child with DS to attend and they were excited to have him! He just loves it there! All I have to ask is "Do you want to go see Laura?" and Caleb replies "Wora?" and I say "Yes, Laura":)
That's all it takes and he's off to get his shoes. I have this thing about lunchboxes (and shoes for Caleb but that's another blog!). They have the coolest lunchboxes these days! The firetruck was last years and the Thomas the Tank Engine is this years. He didn't need a new one but I couldn't resist especially when Caleb calls it the "Choo Choo box!" So off we went to daycare, Caleb running in, holding his Choo Choo box flying in all directions. He had plenty of hugs for everyone and lots of smiles. I think every working mom would agree that it is not easy to drop your child off at daycare and go to work, but Caleb is so excited to go and play there that it makes me feel better! This year he will be attending daycare in the morning and school in the afternoon. Last year was the opposite. This means that the bus will bring Caleb home after school. I am so excited to get my handsome little guy off the bus. I will take pictures, I promise! Now if I could only find a way to build that excitement in Jimmy and Ben to get up and go to school! Hmmmmm......