Happy 17th Anniversary, Honey!

Ds Fact:  Studies in the 1990s indicated that children with DS are at a higher risk to develop Celiac Disease than the general population. The reasons for that aren't entirely clear, but since children with DS are at a greater risk from auto-immune diseases, that Celiac Disease represents another one of these type of diseases. Source: http://www.ds-health.com/celiac.htm  (More on this tomorrow and how it relates to Elijah.)

Ds Blog: http://luckytolovelyla.blogspot.com/  Another WONDERFUL family that has adopted several beautiful children and are in process to adopt a second child with Down syndrome (4th adoption!!!)!!! I had the awesome privilege of first meeting Dave and Summer last December on the streets of Simferopol, Ukraine. :-)  Yes, they were adopting from the same orphanage as us! What fun we had together as navigated the "marshukas" and laughed and cried about this roller coaster journey that international adoption is. They arrived shortly before we left, so we only overlapped about a week I think. Once you got through this process with someone, you have made life-long friends. I am so blessed to call Summer (and Dave) good friends!

Here are some photos I don't think I ever posted.

Elijah and Isabelle hangin' out in their strollers
Reminds me of the old "Look Who's Talking" movie!

Summer, Bellie and Dave spending their visit on the infamous black couch

Love at first sight!

Please pray for them as they have not heard about their travel date yet...it's been TOO long and their new son Gavin has been waiting TOO long. They've had such a long, tough road for both of their international adoptions. Also, please pray about helping them out financially too. Thanks! Be sure to stop by their blog to see how INCREDIBLE Bellie looks now. AMAZING!

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Happy 17th Anniversary to my most wonderful, awesome, patient husband!

I love you, Pat! I am honored and privileged to be your wife. Thank you for being the godly husband and father the Lord has called you to be. I'm so blessed! I deeply appreciate how hard you work to provide for our family, but yet still balance work and family time so well. And thank you for putting up with me too. It takes a very special man to do that. :-)

I love you Honey!