Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Gratitude

Dear Life,

As Thanksgiving draws near, I have been thinking about my family.
I have been thinking about my children.
I have been thinking about how very grateful I am that we live in a free country, with the knowledge we have and the medical advances our medical teams have.
I have been thinking how very grateful I am that we are allowed to make choices.
The choice to keep a child that was born with extras.
The choice to teach that child that he or she can do whatever they want to do in life.
The choice to teach them to dream.

I am thankful for all of those people who helped our little man last year.
Those that supported him, visited him, read to him, walked with him, and loved him.
By the end of the year last year, we felt so much support and love, and we knew that although he was not out of the woods with his hips and leg, he would be ok.
We knew that somehow, we had to give back.
We had to find a way to help another child.
A child that needs a family.
A child that had no hope.
A child that had no dreams.

I am thankful for Sofi.
When we looked at her picture, looked in her eyes and into her soul,
We knew that we could take care of this child.
We knew that we could be her family.
We knew that we could give her hope.
We knew that we could show her how to dream.

I am thankful for our caseworker.
When we told her we wanted to adopt, she told us we could do it.
When we told her we didn't know how we would fund it, she told us we could fundraise.
So we did.
We told Sofi's story.
Over and over and over again.
We have written, shared, cried, laughed and been amazed.
We have collected shoes, clothing, had pizza nights, picture days, cupcake days, Ruby's days, jewelry fundraisers, you name it and we've done it.  (Except garage sales.  I hate garage sales)
We have raised over $25,000.

I am thankful for you.
You have listened to us write about Sofi.
You have cried with us.
You have shared our words.
You have participated in our fundraisers.
You have loved this girl as we do.
You have given.
And given again.
Because of you, I got to visit her in October.
Because of you, she will be home in January.
Because of you, there will be one less orphan.
Because of you, she will have a family.
Because of you she will have hope.
Because of you she can dream.

There will never be enough words to thank those that have been a part of this story.
Sofi's story.
She is almost here.
We are so close.
We are $750 away from being fully funded with our agency.
Then we only need a few thousand more to fly over and bring her home.
Our flights are paid for, we just need to pay for hers, for her medical clearances, the driver to pick her up (she is six hours from the capitol) and then she will be here.

Consider helping us finish this.
Consider giving one more time.
Consider Sofi coming home in Januaray.
Consider her safe.
Consider her loved.
Consider you....a part of her.

Thank you.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thanksgiving Special

Dear Life,


I am thankful for this man.....he is the better part of who I am.





I am thankful for my family....they have formed the woman I have become.



I am thankful for my Grandmother who has always been a rock in my life and my sister who has stood next to me through everything.







I am grateful for the family I have married into...they shaped the little girl I was to the mother and wife I am now....and loved me as I learned.



I am thankful for God giving me a father on earth to replace the emptiness I had....and for giving me a wonderful Hawaiian family to show me what unconditional love looks like.



And I am grateful I was able to pull a cute outfit out of my closet.....









And I love that this boy loves me and loves to be in front of the camera like his mama!!!!!! :)



Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

From...A Mom of Boys!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Well...I tried

Dear Life,

Well....life...you got in the way of my good intentions.  I really wanted to teach my family about being thankful....but I guess it's unrealistic to think that I could get my family to write a thank you letter to someone every day.  I really tried...but we've been rotating a nasty cold...and it just didn't happen.  So...I decided to have them share something they are grateful for every day at the dinner table..starting today.

Kawika (9)    I am grateful for food! (typical boy)
Keoni (17)    Martenelli's Apple Cider (no words)
Kekoa (14)   The Office... (REALLY???)
Kalani (11)    The Scriptures (AWWW...that was awesome)
Kumaka (4)   The Scriptures (copycat)
Daddy            Scriptures too (I guess he's a copycat too)
Mommy          My best friend.....daddy...(then he kissed me and the kids were practically hurling at the table "EWWWWWW"  "Don't Look" ETC ETC )

Good times!  Love my family!


From...A Mom of Boys!!!