Christmas 2011...So blessed!!!!

We were ALL so blessed to have our FIRST Christmas with Wes Paulos this year.....LAST year I had just arrived home from Africa in time for Christmas....My heart ached for the starving, sick little boy I'd left behind...BUT...this Christmas, Wes is HOME and he enjoyed opening his FIRST Christmas present EVER:

Oh, he's SO CUTE.......I just Praised God this Christmas for the miracle of our new son and the fact that we have 6 little LOVES that make Christmas completely MAGICAL..... CAUSE 3 LITTLE BOYS:AND, 3 LITTLE GIRLS:EQUALS.... ONE VERY HAPPY family this year.....

We are indeed SO BLESSED!!!!!!

(ages this Christmas 2011: 9,8,6,4,3 and 1)

And, from this VERY smothered in babies Momma.....

I Pray you all had a VERY Merry Blessed Christmas!!!! (pic taken last night from our family Christmas party...cracks me up....so represents my life right now...always on the floor covered in babies!!! LOL) Happy Monday to you all, kj

A Year Ago Today...

A year ago today, I walked into a remote orphanage in Ethiopia and saw my son for the first time.... He sat starving at only 7 lbs., covered in waste and flies, unable to smile, and in need of a life saving surgery to survive....I painfully left him there and promised I would return for him.....I prayed every day that he would SURVIVE until i could return to bring him home....One YEAR LATER exactly TODAY... He weighed 25 lbs at his Dr. appt this morning, he's a healthy, active post op toddler boy who has NOW been home over 7 months....And, our Cranio Surgeon says he doesn't have to see us back for 1 year!!!! yayyyyyyy!! His surgeries have been a success and we are celebrating here today for this LITTLE MIRACLE that i met one year ago TODAY!!! We love you more than words could ever express Wes Paulos!! I can't imagine my world with out YOU IN IT!!!! You bring me pure happiness each and every day!! Happy 1 year Meetcha Day!! :) And, Happy Monday to you all, kj

Oh.....Soooo Cute!!! :)

I so LOVE the new VERY SOFT long sleeve Kid's Ordinary Hero Tshirt..... I had to grab one for ALL 6 of my kiddos...BUT...Wes was napping and the big 3 were at school...so it only left my 3 and 4 yr. old to model the new shirts for me....Check them out:



Oh, they keep me on my toes...but...such CUTE craziness always going on at my house!!! :) LOL Grab ya a shirt too this season at www.ordinaryhero.org .....Ya gotta find the store on the site somewhere i'm guessing!!!! :) Just had to share...Merry, Merry to you all...and Happy Saturday to you all too ,kj

Teddy Made It HOME!!!!!!!

The airport homecoming for my nephew, Teddy, last night was just a MIRACLE!! Oh, how i love airport homecomings...The only thing better about an airport homecoming is when it is YOUR OWN FAMILY COMING HOME!!! So much fun...my 6 kiddos were just BEYOND excited as we waited:He arrives and there is NO room for the boy to even breathe...he's attacked by his brother and sister and cousins RIGHT AWAY...and he handled it all so well...like he'd been waiting a million years for this day:

All 4 sisters posing for a pic:

I've met Teddy while in Ethiopia on two of my trips...it was so great holding this little love again...He's so tiny for a 4 year old:

My Julia couldn't wait for HER turn to hold him:

Wes apologizing to Teddy for getting HOME so much sooner than he did....ha ha...just kidding :)....
3 sisters with our 4 Ethiopian Children....God willing...I think we're ALL DONE growing our families.....
Miss Lucy Lane got tired of all the commotion over Cousin Teddy and took a little rest on Daddy:
Teddy and his Daddy.....Oh, that face (teddy's :) is just so cute:
And, here is the family of 5 now....Oh, we're all just so thankful that this long wait is over and they are ALL finally together...Praise the LORD!!!!!!
I cant' wait to kiss Teddy's little face again on Thursday..Oh, we ALL have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!!! Welcome home Teddy!! We all love you SO much and your ENTIRE family PRAISES GOD THAT YOU ARE FINALLY HOME!!! Happy Sunday to you all, kj

Happy 3rd Birthday Miss Lucy Lane!!!

OHHHH!!!!! How is it that my sweet girl is now 3 years old!!?? Lucy Lane has now been home 2 1/2 years and today she turns 3 !!! Wow...time has certainly flown by!!!!I just had to say happy birthday to my sweet, adorable, fun, crazy, outgoing, funny, sassy, hilarious, dramatic, confident, lovable, CUTE, joyful, Lucy Lane!!! Our family would be just so boring without YOU Baby Girl!!! You are truly a BLESSING in each and every way!!!! :)
We love you SO MUCH and we thank God for you EACH DAY!!!

Happy Birthday Miss Lucy Lane and Happy Tuesday to you all!!! kj

Teddy is Coming HOME!!! They Got CLEARED!!

Just a quick note to say PRAISE JESUS...The U.S. Embassy cleared my sister and her son...and MY NEPHEW IS COMING HOME!!!!!!

I'm sure she'll be on the NEXT FLIGHT OUT!!!!! So over the moon excited for them...and for our entire fam!! That will be 4 sweet, adorable, little Ethiopian Babes around the Thanksgiving table this year!! 3 sisters...4 children that now have a HUGE family that LOVES them more than words could ever express!!

Celebrating the Good News...All Praise Be To GOD!!! Happy Wednesday to you all, kj

Orphan Sunday 2011....Never Forget...

What a difference a year makes...This time last year on Orphan Sunday, I was praying my hubby would allow us to adopt for #6!! This year...our son has been home 6 months...Wow!! God answers prayers in big ways!! :) My sister just came out with this video today...so proud of what Ordinary Hero is doing...and what a GREAT video and message for Orphan Sunday...enjoy... happy Sunday to you all, kj (pause my music at bottom of page)

Ordinary Hero~ The Orphan from Kelly Putty on Vimeo.