Happy 11 months, Allie!

Allie Patricia
11 months old

Laughter is the best medicine for the soul!
It is impossible to not smile when you hear this sweet giggle.

PURE JOY!

What a blessing this child is to our family! I am so humbled that God chose me to be her mother - what an honor and JOY it is. How lucky I am to look at this sweet face every day and call her my daughter. She is the most precious gift and has brought much happiness to all of us. It is hard to believe that Allie has only been home with us for 5 months - as it feels as she has been a part of our family forever. She just belongs with us and I thank God every single day for giving us the opportunity to adopt and leading us to this beautiful girl. She is loved so completely by our whole family . . . and we are blessed to be loved right back by her!

Allie is growing so fast and is at such a fun age - where everything is new and fascinating! It is hard to believe that next month we will be celebrating her first birthday - how exciting and fun that will be.

But as much as my heart soars with JOY, it is also filled with deep sadness today at the loss of another precious life to cancer. Please join me today in celebrating the precious life of King JuJu . . . who was healed in Heaven yesterday after battling a brain tumor. He was only 4 years old. Join me in praying for his sweet family - especially his mother, Mimi. I have followed Julian's story and have gotten to know his mother through her updates and e-mails. They are a family filled with faith and are rejoicing that their son is finally healed and FREE - yet I know all too well the pain and heartache after losing a child. Her words cut deep into my heart and they bring back so many painful memories . . . and Julian reminds me so much of Jacob. We will never understand WHY . . . but we know that we can cling to God during these sad times and know that we are being HELD! Please pray today for Julian's family . . . pray for peace above all understanding. And please stop by their website and leave them a note of encouragement . . . CARE PAGES . . . password juliansworld . . . and look at Julian's sweet face and know that we have to continue doing ALL we can to find a cure for childhood cancer.

Ending with a scripture . . .

"Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord!"
Psalm 111:1-4

Thanking the Lord with all of my heart . . .
for ALL of my children,

for the gift of each day,

for the love, grace and peace He gives us all,