Thank. You.

 

To our most recent donor...

;,)

You made our day.  And our life.

 Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Seriously

We can't believe it.

Your donation will be honored by the love we shower on Maya.

************************************************************

Today, when Andrew got off the phone with the adoption agency, he said he's pretty sure they are annoyed of him.  "She was being kind of sassy with me, I think she's sick of me calling everyday and just wants me to email."

But...have you seen our daughter's little face?  I think she's worth bugging people. (The people we are paying to work quickly to get her home, I might add... ;)

They're great and all, but there is precious cargo waiting on the other end of all this hoopla!

 

Downs Town

"UNO!" she called brightly while peering excitedly over her yellow card at us.

"Uh-oh, look out!  Kim had Uno!"  We all said.

We coaxed the other players in which cards to put down, and when to draw, and told some when they had an "Uno", but even with our help, it didn't diminish the excitement or anticipation.

"Dennis!  You have Uno!" 
His eyes widened while staring that the card, then slowly looked up at us with open mouthed silent suprise.

"Yep!  You only have one card left, you could be the third winner!!" 
He looked back at his card, eyes wide with wonder, while happiness slowly crept onto the corners of his mouth. 
"Uno?" he asked, the game we had been playing for half and hour. 
He had just told us that he was getting married tomorrow, while everyone else shook their heads no, and said, "He's lying!"  Haha, we were cracking up.

"Yes!" We told Dennis,  "An Uno!  Looks like we might have a number 3 winner in a moment," we told him while giving him a thumbs up.  A few people had already won, then gotten cards again to keep playing, so we just counted the winners. 


Our small group had signed up to visit "Downstown," a home for adults with Downs syndrome and other special needs. 

It.

Was.

Awesome.



We spent the night playing the most lively game of Uno of our lives, where there were many winners, but with each winner, there was a legit celebration, which always involved cheering, and sometimes involved dancing.

During our game, Andrew brought out his guitar and sang some songs, and we all sang along--quite at first.  But then, while looking around the room, we noticed that all the residents of Downstown belted the songs out with their whole hearts.  They didn't care about the voices, or feeling awkward, and I could see it was making the rest of us more confidant--our voices gaining more joy and volume.

"I'll go get my CD's, you guys wait here," a resident told us.  "Tim McGraw."  They told us that they all go to our same church, North Coast in Vista.

"Oh cool, what's your favorite thing about church," I asked.  The responses were:

-God and Jesus
-When Chris (our pastor) smashed a TV  (It happened a few weeks ago as an illustration, it was great)
-Muuuuuuusic
-Singing
-but many people mentioned the TV smashing

"Ok guys, I got my CD player, and I got my CDs." Kim had come back, arms full.

"Oh cool," I said, "Who here likes Taylor Swift?"

"NOOOOOOO ONEEEEEE!!!!!!"  Kim said, loud enough to make it resolute. 

We all laughed.

We moved into the living room where it was now karaoke time.  Kim started.

Then it was also dancing time.  I told Kim to ask Andrew to dance, and I bet that he would.

"YEAH!!" she said, already on her feet, hand extended to Andrew.  Someone else invited Craig.

We all left happier.  We all left feeling closer as a group.  We loved our time.  I felt inspired to live my life more fully--their joy is contageous.

I don't know if you know of this little secret, but you can adopt waiting children with Down Syndrome here:  www.reecesrainbow.org

Did you know people with Downs Syndrome are abused and hurt in other countries?  Did you know there is a 90% termination rate in this country for pregnancies with a baby who may have Ds? :''(

MISSING OUT!

If you've never done a service project--DO IT!  It's seriously the best thing you could ever do with your time.  It's SO easy to sign up, if you ever have a question, just email me.  There are a million and one things you could do, and I promise you, it will be the best night of your life, and if you don't you'll probabally just end up watching The Voice on your couch while getting a crick in your neck.

Ginger Limabeans

Are actually quite good, and a perfect little toddler snack.  I had bought some in bulk, and once I soaked them, I got a little worried looking at the pale, slightly inflated beans, now wrinkled in the murky water--lips puckered, mid secret.

"Who's going to eat these now?" I wondered.

I threw them in a pan with some olive oil, and as they heated up, they already stated to look better.   Then I added some powdered ginger, since I consider it a sweeter spice, and continued to warm them up.  ( I threw in some broccoli too to see how it'd taste with some ginger)

Once they were done, I put them in a little dish and sat by Finley, not looking at him, but ephatically enjoying eating one at time, as he stared at me eating them.

"DAS!?" he said, which is catch all for "That."

"Oh, YOU want some of these?" I asked.

"Peeees!!" he begged.

"Oh, well, Ok, but just one...."  I handed him a ginger limabean, which he quickly gobbled, and through the bean mush in his mouth he held out his chubby, soft hand and said, "DAS!?!?"

"Ok, you can have more."

Ginger Lima beans, you guys are pretty yummy!  And you really clean up well once you are out of your soaking water!

 Even good with an afternoon tea while airplane watching

wow

:,)

We just got a really generous donation.

Thank you for your generous gift, and your sacrifice.  I honestly can't even comprehend that you donated that to us.  Thank you for investing in our little Maya, thank you for being one more HUGE piece of the bridge across the ocean to bring her home.

You.

Are.

Amazing.

Now reveal yourself so we can cook you some BORSCHT!  (We love you)

PS.  Andrew picked up a nice stack of papers to be sent to Sacramento today to get some beautiful apostilles!  Look out R*ssia, here we COME!  :)

Borscht

The other day we got a huge bunch of beets in our CSA, so I decided to try my hand at making borscht, which is a Russian soup, so that Maya will have some familiar foods when she gets home.

I of course used the Slow Cooker, since it's so much easier and you don't have to stand over a hot pot of a specified amount of time.  I used this recipe, well mostly.  I never truly follow a recipe perfectly.  Ever.  Too stressful.

And guess what!?  It was SO good.  And healthy.  We ate it for a couple days, and Finley loved it too!

Hip hip hooray!  They say that with so many new adjustments in the life of an adopted child, it can be really hard!  So, my plan is to ease her in.  I'm thinking the first week we'll have plenty of Borscht, then after, we'll all go get some dipped cones to mesh our two cultures together :)

Ta-Ta for now!  Try this beet soup, sounds bad, tastes AMAZING!

Some Thoughts

 It's warming up here in Southern California, and it's been really nice out.

  Finley even gets to wear shorts and sandals, while exploring with mama and papa.

  Before we officially committed to Maya, God laid it strongly on our hearts that our "giving money" could not go to our adoption, and it was horrifying. 


I didn't even want to bring it up to Andrew how heavily God had laid it on my heart, cause then maybe we wouldn't have to.

But when I did, he was also timidly on board.  We prayed, "God show us what's right.  Everything we have we know if from you, show us how to give, show us where," quick and simple, we already felt better.  The more we discussed it, we knew the point of giving, is well, to give to others.   Allowing God to meet our needs.  We also knew that if we gave all our giving money to our adoption, it would just end up with us, and partly we would miss giving to others as it had been such a source of joy and excitement in our lives.  "If we give to the adoption, it would just be going to us, which isn't the point of giving," we both knew it was right, we had become resolved.  Then something happened.

Now don't get me wrong, still all of our other money is going to our adoption, it's just that we are sure that our tithe does not. 

So, that day, we gave to others, and we moved on.  We got a phone call 2 hours later. "Hey guys!" a friend from bible study, "Will you send me the link to Reece's Rainbow, we want to give to Maya before the end of the year,"  "Oh gosh, yes of course," I said as I looked at Andrew.  Oh my goodness, they donated more than we would have given that very same day.  THE VERY SAME DAY that God told us to give to others, He provided even more than what we would have hoarded and saved for ourselves out of fear, and distrust in God.  The same day we responded to God's direct leading, and gave to others, feeling like it could be such a mistake.

Sometimes God teaches us lessons over months and years, even decades.  But God has been so immediate in his lessons to us recently, and especially in guiding us with this adoption.  I am learning that if we each were to hoard our goods, our money, our time for ourselves out of fear, we would be missing out on so much of God's blessings, which are tangilble and intangible.  And as exciting, and relieving as tangible is, the intangible are the components to the life descibled in the bible; joy, peace and purpose.  A peace that trancends all understanding.
 

This month we were able to help students go on missions trips, help other adopting families, Los Angelitos Orphanage, North Coast, and in the mail we received 2 checks for our adoption from people we have NEVER even met, and won Star Baby...

I might just as well say it, I think God is good.  He is especially good when I am with it enough to actually listen and obey.  You'd think I'd totally trust him by now...

How to cloth diaper through the night

The Tiny started sleeping through the night at around 4 or 5 months old without interruption, which was devine, but the normal stuffed Bum Genius couldn't hack it and he woke up wet the first two times.  Our first thought was to put him in a dispoable for the night, but what a bummer that would be to have to purchase disposables just for the night.  I knew there had to be a solution, right?

And I found one, a cheap one at that!


Thirsties Hemp Inserts.

And they are true to their name.  We slip in the insert along with the normal insert, and even now when he sleeps 12 to 13 hours through the night, he doesn't wake up wet.  They are great!  You don't need that many since it will only be the one diaper at night.

Here is the only hard part about them, they are hard to dry after you wash them cause they really are so darn thirsty!  I've had to run them through for a second time in the dryer, but now what I do it I lay them out flat in the sun, and that seems to be the real best way to get them dry and ready.

Sometimes when I get my diapers ready and stuffed, I will make 4 or 5 night time diapers and put them in a special spot so I can just grab one for him before bed, and other times I just slip a thirties in to a normally stuffed bum genius just before bed.


I am so glad we found a night time cloth diapering solutions so he can focus on his drumming with friends skills.

 

Which makes a boy happy.  Which makes a mama happy, too.

Thank You

Photo by Mark Nagel

To our two most recent people who left donations.  Thank you so much.

One is annonymous.

And I know one came from Bula Ministries which send people from anywhere in the country on to missions trips to discretely with a team help the poor.  I love this organization.  It helps people in real need in many places in the country, but it will more change the life of the person going.  I always think there is no better way to impact the life of a teenager, young adult, young married, 30 something through retirement age than having them go on a missions trip.  Check out Bula if you or someone you know may be interested in traveling to Fiji to help women and children rescued from the sex-trade, to Africa to serve at an incredible orphanage, or Ecuador, the place where Mr. Brockhaus and I first fell in love with orphans.

Star Baby

I teach Spanish to high schoolers 4 mornings a week until 10:20am, and this morning as I was teaching period 1, I had my TA hold my phone to her ear for a half hour listening to the radio until she FINALLY HEARD THE NEWS!
"THEY SAID STAR BABY!" she interrupted my gripping lecture about negative Tu commands.

"Turn it UP!" I directed, obviously equally as interested in the material at hand.

And 30 pairs of ears listened as the Dj said the two runners up.  "And the winner is...


FINLEY!!!!"



"WHAT!!??!?!?!?  Everyone shouted.  "YOUR BABY JUST WON!!!"

"Ok everyone, let's all together shout and clap together for winning!"  and we did.

"Um, Senora Brockhaus, can we get no homework since Finley won?"

"No." :)

We won the Star Baby Contest!  We are so thankful to you for voting!  SO THANKFUL!  As much as this was a baby contest, it also mostly wasn't.  It is more a true reflection of the people God has placed in Maya and our lives who knew it would be a huge win to get her home.   You used your own time, and you voted!!

You guys KNEW!

Marla, a really wonderful friend said this: "well of course...i mean look at that face!!! oh my goodeee goodness..soo exciting!!! it will be so fun for maya to see all the creative ways you raised her love fund....i think it would be nice for sure if you just had a boat load of money yourselves and could pay ...but how much more sweet to get so many involved and be so resourceful...i know God will use it to let her little heart know just how much you wanted her and how many people were praying for her too!!! what a party!!!

And it's so true.  We wish we had every single penny it takes to bring her home, and not have to bug a single soul for help voting, etc.  But... where would we need faith?  And...how many people are now a direct link, a powerful force in bringing Maya home?  If you want to know one of the top 3 things that almost kept us from committing to adoption money was one of them.  I mean, we truly didn't have close to the amount it costs when we said yes (obviously...), and who thinks that is a good idea!?  I mean in ANY other financial circumstance?

The only reason we said yes was because we felt a direct and clear leading to commit to her by God.  And even then we still were mostly thinking of saying no.  Heck, we did say no for a while.  Then, God clearly pointed out all the times in the past that we felt fear, strong, almost crippling fear in the midst of a clear leading.  The only reason we continued is that God reminded us that we had felt this way before when he asked us to do something, and each time we stuck it out and persevered it was always met with unimaginable blessing despite the 'sacrifice.'  

Oh, that and the miracles He showed us.  I know I haven't really shared them yet, but I will soon, maybe just not in a blog post about starbaby, sheesh.

Ok, so we are so happy we won, but I hesitate to post the link to the winning page.  Because there are some crazy comments.  And I have to think that there are some people out there who's true identity and self worth are wrapped up in the beauty of their child, and their child winning, because there are some not so nice comments.  But heck, I didn't enter him into this contest for some cuteness ego boost, if it weren't for our adoption we wouldn't be entered at all.  And another part of me feels so happy and blessed to know where my worth truly is, and to know that I don't have any rude people like this that surround me!  So, with that said, here is the link:

http://www.star941fm.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=402982&article=10054767

Just look at the picture and celebrate with us!  This was NOT our doing.  All the thanks goes to God and to every single person who voted. 

Over the weekend, and an update.

Scenes from the weekend.

Little boys cuddling this precious stuff animals.  He only recently started loving stuffed animals, but doesn't call them by their animal names, but only the sound they make.  His cat is a very high pitched "mew" that sounds uncannily like our own cats.

"Finley, say cooowww."

"Muuuuuuuuuu" he says, with the satisfied look of a job well done in his eyes.

Chic-Fil-A was giving away free breakfast, so you know we were there.  Free fits in PERFECTLY with our adoption budget.  *Air high five from Dave Ramsey*  If you are adopting and haven't done Dave Ramsey...GET WITH THE PROGRAM! :)

Then when friends ask to come over, and that they are bringing the food, you can't help but say YES! (And then invite more, cause hey, the food is already there!)  It was a crazy baby mad house, and we loved it.  Our dining room shares a wall with Finn's room, and for a moment, we let the toddlers play is his room while we all ate, and it was so cool--even though it only last all of 2 minutes.  Something to look forward to I 'spose.

Finley is being too cool for the camera.

Sweet little Elliette at her papa's birthday party.  We love this baby OH SO MUCH!  Isn't she amazing??

My two guys.  I am one blessed mama and wifey.

Elliette and Joe have been practicing this for a while...and they have it mastered.  I sometimes get a little nervous when I see it, but they are pretty darn good at it, I say.

As far as adoption news, I haven't really been mentioning it because I was frustrated that first our home study social worker was on vacation, then had the flu, then our adoption agency was on vacation till today....  I feel impatient and feel like we should be way ahead of schedule, and I don't like to be complainy or negative.  So, now that everyone is back, you can know that all is good now, and should be processing as normal.  Sheesh, we just want to meet our girl already! 

I think, honestly, adopting an 'older child' is the best thing.  Is she were a baby, I would be torturing myself thinking about her laying in a crib, and all that she is missing out on every single day.  My impatience would be killing me!  But I know that Maya is walking and talking, and even though I am sure we'll be doing a lot of catch up work with her (if only her mama was a teacher.... ;) that she ok right now. 

Do you know the statistics of children who leave the orphanages unadopted?  If not, I'll share sometime this week.


We find out if Finley won that dang star baby contest tomorrow.  I seriously hope we win.  I don't think I will EVER enter him in a contest again, but at this time in our lives, I am NOT to proud to say we need the money.

Vote here, it's the LAST day to vote till midnight:  http://www.star941fm.com/pages/star-baby/vote-entrants.php?ag=&gid=2#8

HAVE A GOOD MONDAY!

PLEASE!

Vote for....

By clicking here:  http://www.star941fm.com/pages/star-baby/vote-entrants.php?ag=&gid=2#8http://www.star941fm.com/pages/star-baby/vote-entrants.php?ag=&gid=2#8

If you have 3 different emails, you can vote 3 times in one day. 

There are only 3 days left to vote!

Then, early Tuesday morning, we tune in to the radio and see if when they announce the winner it will be FINLEY!  Oh mu goodess, that $2000 would seriously be amazing. 

Today, at breakfast Andrew and I talked about the contest, and if Finley would win if we weren't adopting. 

"How many people would you ask to vote for him?" I asked Andrew.

"Oh...none.  I wouldn't even tell anyone we entered."  He replied.  Haha, totally.

Just know we appriciate you and your votes because never in our lives have we ever needed such a huge amount of money.  Thanks for understanding!

Love,
Brocollihouses.  

You know what they say the worth of pictures is...

A picture.

If just about all these kids got.

A good or bad picture of the Reece's Rainbow kids can make or break them.  Which is why when I saw Dale's new picture today, I gasped.  It was terrible. 

Andrew and I have been supporting him for a few months now, and loved his little baby face.  In the new picture, I love that he is smiling...but that was all I loved.  It was kind of terrible!!

In the orphanages, they coat the kids with the cookie monster blue anitseptic, which is defenelty not an endearing accesory in photos.  I mean, come on, like I said, they only have ONE picture.   What make it the primary focus making his eyebrows look like a blue explosion?



So I went on picmonkey.com and I fixed our little guy up so his mama can find him a bit better!

I got most the blue off, it may only look like he has a bruise left, but STILL!  SO MUCH BETTER LITTLE GUY!  LOVE IT!

All I did was do what any mom would do in person, and wipe that stuff off!

Ok, so I know what you're thinking...

"WHAT AN AMAZING CHILD!!  HOW DO I GET MY HANDS ON HIM TO PULL HIM INTO A HUG and then keep him in my family so he doesn't wind up a statistic and then I'll make him his own Christmas stocking while we play blocks!?"

Well, first off.  Here's a little more info for you:

Boy, born November 2009
Personality: Very sweet, kind and calm.  <------------------ PERFECT!
This little love has vision problems; it’s unclear how much (if anything) he can see.  He has horizontal loose nystagmus; partial upper lid ptosis (droopy eyelid).

Do you have room in your house for a droopy eyelid, if it means a sweet, kind and calm boy? (Blue gunk not included)

Yes, yes, yes we are fundraising like crazy to bring our Maya home...but....

If you would like to donate to Dale as well, it would be awesome.  This sweet boy needs a home like he needs a good face washing!

Donate here:  http://reecesrainbow.org/26448/dale-26ha


Just for kicks:

"COME FIND ME MAMA!  I'M A GOOD BOY!"  -Dale

God Found Us You

Excerpts from a book we bought for Maya, and sits waiting for her in her room.  One that we will read her soon.

"Little Fox cuddled up to Mama Fox one night and said sleepily, "Mama, tell me again about the night I came home."

"Oh, yes," mama said with a smile.  "That is my favorite story of all.  When God found us you, it made me the happiest mother in the world.

"Just by comin' home?"  Little Fox said with a yawn.

"Especially by coming home," Mama Fox said.



Thank you Lord for finding us Maya, help us to be patient in the wait.  Help us to meet her soon.

You are loved little one, more than you know.

To our most recent person who donated to our adoption fund to bring home Maya!  Thank you so much!  It means everything to us.

VOTE HERE!  6 days!

*please!* 

**************http://www.star941fm.com/pages/star-baby/vote-entrants.php?ag=&gid=2#8******

Andrew turned 31!!

It's official, Andrew is now  in his mid-thirties ;)

So how did we celebrate this old man?  We had a pizza party at our house for everyone to celebrate our favorite red head! 

The kids thought it was their own personal dance party.  They were mostly right.

"Wanna see my quick step?" -Finley

 We only have the fanciest of parties at our pad.  Costco pizza is a must.  Oh and beverage?  We were generous enough to ask our friends to BYOB.  I know, I know, we are such thoughtful party planners. 

Two papas riling up the kiddos

I love all the expressions in this picture, even the up close blurry ones.

Two sweet, pregnant friends!

Andrew does NOT like cake!  So we had birthday peach pie, with a tea light!  "Yes, this is going great," thought Finley.  "Just keep passing that pie into my hand and it will be perfect!"

 "Ok guys, this is Finley writing.  I want to teach you all how to get your own slice of party pizza when no one is looking.  Ok, so wait till everyone is eating pie and ice cream inside, then when no one is looking, reach your hand up in the table, and take a slice off someone's plate.  It doesn't matter who.

Then make yourself comfortable and enjoy!  This opportunity may be fleeting, so eat quick!  It will be glorious!  If anyone finds you, act natural. 

Like this."

After the food was stuffed in our bellies, we all relaxed in our living room and play music together with the kids.

We sang some Raffi, "This little light of mine," IZ, and Bob Marley.

All the kids grabbed some instruments of their own and joined in.

 Drums, cajons, harmonicas, guitars, shakers.

 But when it was just the daddies, I must admit it sounded a lot nicer :)

I have a sweet video of the music, but I can't upload it!  Drat!

Happy Birthday old man Andrew, we love you and love celebrating your birth cause we all think you are super awesome!