A Day With the Gray's

After my much needed break from electronic gadgets (computers, tvs, PSP, DS) my family is feeling so refreshed. I thought my kids would kill me for taking it all away but you will never believe it!!!!!! Bethany actually enjoyed it.... and Colin... he discovered he has toys in his room!!!! Amazing! I highly recommend this to you all. After my break I decided to give my blog a fresh new look. I wanted to create a cool banner with my family pictures on it, change the font, and you know just spice it up. Well, I don't know if this is a sign that I should of just left electronics out of my life forever... but my computer caught a very bad virus and I lost EVERYTHING!!!! All my pictures from the past 2 years, all my school work, all my home school records, and who knows what else. I managed to upload pictures of Anna Li's adoption and Dylan's birth to a photo website so those are safe but my trip to Disney, Sea World, Colin's first fishing trip, and so many more memories GONE...

Taking a break from TV, facebook, blogging, emails, and the Internet (except for school work) for 1 week. Sometimes we just need to get rid of the distractions and focus on what is important in life. Be back in a week!

It's that time again! I am back to school and hoping to finish someday before I die!! I am still majoring in Collaberative Education (once called Special Education). It has been a little bit of a struggle considering how our school system let us down but that is all the more reason to keep on keeping on. I can and will make a difference in the lives of these children... may not be in this school system but somewhere... I will. I am taking 2 classes at Athens 1. Teaching Language Arts 2. Intro to Learing and Emotional Disabilities. I am also taking 1 credit hour class (A&P lab) at Wallace. Not too happy about this one but so thankful that Dr. H was so willing to work diligently to create a class just for me to get this one credit I needed. Once upon a time, I took A&P 1 class. After the class was taken the system changed from quarters to semesters. Sooooo, when my classes got transfered I somehow lost a credit due to the conversion!! So now, I am stuck taking a 1 credit hour...

I failed to make any new years resolutions this year... probably a good thing because I always break them. However, I am always trying to make an effort to be more thoughtful. I pledge every year to send out birthday, thinking of you, and get well cards. Yet, every year life gets crazy busy and I start to slack off by February. I know, It is sad! But my nephew always lucks up because his birthday is in January. So, new year, new beginings.. I want to let ALL 8 of you know I appreciate you AND In honor of YOU I am making a donation to: THE MORNING STAR PROJECT I learned of this organization through my blogger buddy Lori and I know how dear it is to many of your hearts. Thanks for being my blogger friends:) I wish you all a wonderful new year! To learn more about The Morning Star Project click on the link below: http://www.morningstarproject.blogspot.com/

After failing 3 hearing test the ENT doctor informed us that Dylan needs tubes in his ears:( We are going to get a second opinion and looking into some other options in hopes of avoiding surgery. I know tubes is a simple one day surgery but any time you have to put a baby to sleep is scary to me! Besides failing hearing test Dylan is doing wonderful:) He is a good and happy baby as you can see from his smile! Teething is right around the corner... he can't keep those fist out of his mouth! Some of Dylan's favorite things are laughing at his brother doing jumping jacks, squealing, and gooing:)

Christian Action is near and dear to our heart.  They took such good care of  Anna Li as she waited  for her journey to America to find her  forever family! www.christian-action.org.hk/

Coming Soon....

Our adoption story... To read about our adoption of Anna Li click here . Adopting Anna Li was one of the greatest moments of my life. There are no words to describe the love I have for this child. I will be forever thankful to God for allowing me to be her mother for 16 precious months. Some may look at our story and think what a tragedy but I am here to say you couldn't be more wrong. Sometimes God calls us to do things and they don't always have the ending you would expect. As humans we want to think where did I go wrong because it didn't turn out as we planned. As Christians, we must realize God's plan is not always our plan, God's plan is not always easy, but God's plan is always perfect. God is doing amazing things in my life as well as Anna Li's. It brings me great joy to see her heart shine so bright for Jesus. She is never ashamed to share Him with others. She plants the seed and has faith that someone else will come along and water it. Christ'...

Where to begin?!?! The first time I met my husband: I was a cheerleader in 6th grade and he was a basketball player. My school was playing his school and my dad was there to video tape the whole thing. I am sure we saw each other but at 12 years old… there were no fireworks going off. We almost met once before that in 5th grade when his grandfather came to our house and invited us to church. We had to turn him down because we were already going to another church. If we had went… I would have met my future husband. Fast forward to the year 1997: I landed a job as a part-time cashier for Lowe’s Home Improvement. I went in for my first day of training and who do I met… that 12 year old basketball player all grown up. No, I still wasn’t impressed. I made polite conversation in the break room and then went on with my day. He continued to pursue me, and he eventually won me over after a few happy meals at McDonalds:) We were engaged in 3 months! Chad called off the wedding a month befo...

I sat in the heaviness. And I weighed the risks of sharing our life, all of it, the joy and the sad, the beautiful and the ugly, with the whole crazy world. And I know. That if on the other side of that risk is the possibility that someone may see Jesus in our brokenness and know that there is grace and purpose in theirs too, the the whole crazy world is welcome. For a glass of water, for a welcoming smile, for a story of redemption, for a place to belong. For a glimpse of a Savior who uses even us, the messy ones, "Come and listen to what He's done for you."           -Katie Davis Where to begin?!?! The first time I met my husband: I was a cheerleader in 6th grade and he was a basketball player. My school was playing his school and my dad was there to video tape the whole thing. I am sure we saw each other but at 12 years old… there were no fireworks going off. We almost met once before that in 5th grade when his grandfather c...

Kisses from Katie   This is the most touching blog I have ever read! Katie is a beautiful young girl that has left her world behind in the US to follow the Lord's will for her life in Uganda. Also checkout her ministry: Amazima Be sure to have a tissue ready:)

January Does anything every happen in January?!?!? I think it it is just a month of recovery from the holiday season. No pictures to share. February We celebrated the 13th birthday of Anna Li this month. Her very first birthday in America! We also was surprised with snow! Anna Li came from a province that was very cold and got lots of snow in the winter so this was very welcomed and loved by her. Party at the Skating rink! We took Anna Li to Stix for her 13th b'day. To bad she filled up on junk food from her school party to eat much at her special birthday dinner :( March Spring Break!!! We went to Panama City so that Anna Li could see the beach for the first time. She loved it so much! Who would have ever thought by the end of this year she would be living 10 minutes from the beach. We also continued our family vacation at Sea World and Disney World. It was a very special treat for Anna Li and Colin. This was a first for both of them. April This month we celebrated the resurrec...

Coming Soon....