Happy 3rd Birthday Zane...........

Monday, February 22, 2010
Three years ago today on the other side of the world our son precious son was born. Zane has been home for 15 months now and its as if he has always been here. Isn't it amazing how God does that? He is the most affectionate little boy I have ever met, so loveable and sweet, but still just wild enough to keep things interesting in the Blackwell house (just Sat. he tore up his dvd player by putting a acorn and penny inside it). Daniel says, "Zane keeps us young"!
Once again I am so grateful to all those that made it possible for Zane to be our son, Peggy & Jen. I am grateful to Thuoc who did so much more than his job, but went out of his way to make us feel welcomed. He took such good care of us in VietNam and he loved all our babies with all his heart. I am also so grateful to Trang in VietNam that would hold our sweet sweet baby and tell him stories in English about his Mommy & Daddy coming to get him. I am grateful to the nurses in the Baby Home for taking care of him and making our 2 week visit with them so enjoyable. They truly made us a part of their family. I am grateful to our birthmother that made what had to be the most difficult decision of her life to leave her son in the care of that baby home so that he could one day find his "forever family". I am so grateful to Kyleigh, Brent, Kaitlyn, and Chloe for embracing their baby brother with all the love that they have. And just like Chloe, I am so grateful to my heavenly Father for giving us another one of "His children".

Opening Birthday Presents

Zane "The Knight" compliments of Brent & Meghan

Happy 14th Birthday Kaitlyn............

February 17, 2010
Fourteen years ago today, 10:39 am to be exact Kaitlyn Hope Blackwell came into the world after thirty-seven hours of natural childbirth.
I remember looking into those beautiful blue eyes of hers and my the healing of my heart began...........
After trying for over 7 years to conceive and enduring the loss of our daughter at 28 1/2 weeks, God had answered our prayers by giving us another one of His blessings. Poor baby girl's labor was so hard that I broke her collar bone delivering her but other than that she was a healthy 7 lb. 7 oz. angel.
To think that fourteen years can go by so quickly is almost unbelieveable to me, but its true, she is now a fourteen year old young lady and my only prayer for her is to always put God first in life in every single thing she does..............
I LOVE YOU KAITLYN! HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY!!!

Blackwell Birthday Dinner at Kanpai of Tokyo

Kaitlyn, Chloe, & Zane celebrating their birthdays.......

Happy 5th Birthday CHLOE............

My beautiful "Gift from God" turned 5 yesterday on Valentine's Day. I can't hardly believe that she has been home almost 4 years now. Sometimes I wish I could turn back the time and she would be a toddler again.
Her birthday was very special, not only was it Valentine's Day but her daddy also became her Pastor yesterday. Daniel was voted in as our full time Pastor at Glendale Baptist Church. Her Sunday School teachers had her a little party with cake squares and gifts and then we went out to eat with some of our family where she also had a birthday cake. Presents opened later at home and then after church last night we went out with a bunch of our church family to her favorite Mexican Restuarant and she got her birthday dessert and a special "Happy Birthday" song by the waitstaff. In the pictures she is wearing the beautiful poppydip dress that my friend April sent her from GA. Birthday celebrations continue today with Brent taking her on a lunch date and tonight we are taking all 3 of them to Kanpai of Tokyo for a birthday dinner. Kaitlyn will be 14 on Wed., Zane will be 3 on Monday, needless to say 3 birthdays in the same week is not good for my diet at all. If I am not careful I am going to be gained my 35 lbs back just this week eating cake squares and birthday cake! Oh well at least we are getting them all over with at once, right.
When I put Chloe to bed last night I teared up remembering the exact moment she came into our lives. It was Feb. 18th and I was so very sad because we had lost our 1st referral just a few weeks before, Missy called and said, "I am sending you some pictures of a beautiful baby girl that was born on Valentines Day", look at them and call me back. I called Daniel and told him to get to school ASAP, and I will never forget opening that email to all those pictures. She was the fattest most beautiful baby in the world. And she was ours, how did I know?
She was wrapped in the blanket that we had did her nursery in. Not just butterflies but the exact blanket that was in her nursery. What are the chances of that in Guatemala? I took out all those pictues again yesterday and cried seeing those of her birthmother holding her and I was so very thankful. Thankful to Peggy, Missy, and Jen for uniting our family, Mammy, Poppy, and Nancy for raising her as their very own for the first 14 mos. of her life, forever thankful to our birthmother Alysia for changing our lives forever. Because of her sacrificial love I am the mommy that gets to tuck her in at night. Most importantly, I thank my Heavenly Father for His many blessing one of which is "CHLOE".

Birthday Celebration In Sunday School.......

Birthday Lunch At New China...........