My daughter, my tiny miracle!
May 31, 2010
May 29, 2010
Moments like this...
CONGRATULATIONS to Riley and Matt on the adoption of the most beautiful baby boy...baby Will! I remember the very beginning of their journey and to witness the miracle of adoption complete their family is such a blessing!
And here's a sneak peek of our little blessing in her 1st dance recital costume...and some of her moves!! The recital is 2 weeks away...she is so adorable!
May 28, 2010
"I'm 2 1/2 and I ran my first mile"
I cannot believe my baby girl is 2 1/2!!!
So, what is Miss Magic up to these days.....If you ask her how old she is, she replies, "2 and a half"...she no longer says two! Miss Magic continues to sprinkle her magic dust everywhere she goes. She is SO friendly and talks to everyone! Her preschool has ended for the summer and her very 1st dance recital is coming up in 2 weeks! I'm so excited to watch her "show out".
Halle-Grace is such a smart little girl! She knows her ABCs, she can count, knows all of her colors, shapes (to include hearts, stars) and she can draw a smiley face and a heart and writes some numbers! She still loves art! We play dress up a lot and she LOVES to have a fashion show followed by a tea party. Yes, my long legs sit at the tiny princess table (one day the chair is going to break).
She & her dad love to go outside. She's his assistant "pool keeper" and helps him check the levels in the pool...she loves to swim AND YES, she ran a mile! We decided to take a little walk around our neighborhood and she insisted on running the ENTIRE mile! She's quite impressive...quite Magical!
Stay tuned for details on "An Evening Of Magic"
So, what is Miss Magic up to these days.....If you ask her how old she is, she replies, "2 and a half"...she no longer says two! Miss Magic continues to sprinkle her magic dust everywhere she goes. She is SO friendly and talks to everyone! Her preschool has ended for the summer and her very 1st dance recital is coming up in 2 weeks! I'm so excited to watch her "show out".
She & her dad love to go outside. She's his assistant "pool keeper" and helps him check the levels in the pool...she loves to swim AND YES, she ran a mile! We decided to take a little walk around our neighborhood and she insisted on running the ENTIRE mile! She's quite impressive...quite Magical!
Stay tuned for details on "An Evening Of Magic"
Thank you Uncle Ned for making my rocking horse.
May 19, 2010
Determination...What it takes to be an Elephant Mom
Thanks to "Best Ever You" Magazine, I had the opportunity to team up with another "elephant mom" aka Katie Eastman who lives in Maine and write about our journeys to our beautiful daughters. Katie and I had so much fun getting to know one another and sharing our stories. I found out very quickly that it is STILL very therapeutic to share about the the "journey" with others who have traveled a similar one.
To experience "the wait" alone would be devastating! I am so blessed that I found my adoption support group! If you're a frequent reader of this blog, you probably remember "The Hot Hens". I thank God for my Hens! I miss them all (hey hens, are we going to Sesame Place anytime soon? Disney will work too.....)
So, here's a link to our story, I hope you enjoy! http://www.besteveryou.com/bey/cali-halle-grace/
To experience "the wait" alone would be devastating! I am so blessed that I found my adoption support group! If you're a frequent reader of this blog, you probably remember "The Hot Hens". I thank God for my Hens! I miss them all (hey hens, are we going to Sesame Place anytime soon? Disney will work too.....)
So, here's a link to our story, I hope you enjoy! http://www.besteveryou.com/bey/cali-halle-grace/
May 14, 2010
Be the VOICE for a child
May is National Foster Care Month and there are so many children in foster care (DSS custody) who need you, they need your voice! Please consider becoming a Guardian Ad Litem...I'm glad I did:)
May 13, 2010
NCFA Takes Legal Action for Adopted Child Returned to Russia
From the NCFA website.
UPDATED: May 11, 2010, 3:30 pm EST: The National Council For Adoption (NCFA) has confirmed that the petition requesting an investigation into the actions of adoptive mother Torry Hansen and her mother, Nancy Hansen has been filed in the Shelbyville, Tennessee Circuit Court, along with a request that a guardian ad litem be appointed to represent the interests of the child.
Click below to read the entire press release
https://www.adoptioncouncil.org/images/stories/documents/051110%20legal%20action%20in%20tennesseeupdated.pdf
UPDATED: May 11, 2010, 3:30 pm EST: The National Council For Adoption (NCFA) has confirmed that the petition requesting an investigation into the actions of adoptive mother Torry Hansen and her mother, Nancy Hansen has been filed in the Shelbyville, Tennessee Circuit Court, along with a request that a guardian ad litem be appointed to represent the interests of the child.
Click below to read the entire press release
https://www.adoptioncouncil.org/images/stories/documents/051110%20legal%20action%20in%20tennesseeupdated.pdf
May 12, 2010
Reflection...Mother's Day
I have tried unsuccessfully (at least to this point) to upload my Mother's Day card! It is the sweetest thing I have ever heard! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can get this task accomplished! I have listened to the card at least 100 times! I had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day! I was able to spend the day with my amazing mom and entire family. Halle-Grace told me what my gifts were before she was suppose to...HAHA! How cute is she??!!! Jason had to laugh about her "telling" as well. She's so much fun!
On Mother's Day again this year, I couldn't help but think about a very special lady...somewhere in the world...the woman who gave birth to Halle-Grace. As Halle-Grace gets older and begins to fully understand, I want her to know how much her birth mother loved her. There are times when people will say, "why, how could she, that's terrible" and I always reply, "thank God she did, otherwise I wouldn't be Halle-Grace's mother". Jason & I made the trip to Tuyen Quang, Vietnam on September 1, 2008 and spent hours that day in Halle-Grace's orphanage (her home for the first 9 months of her life). To be completely honest, before making the trip to Vietnam there were times that I also wondered......I can tell you that during the 4 hour drive from Hanoi to TQ (where there are no roads, seriously, the people have NOTHING)...it all made complete sense! I know that her birth mother/family wanted Halle-Grace to have the BEST life possible! If you ask me, placing HG up for adoption has to be the greatest act of love... unconditional love, unselfish love!
Blessed and thankful for the MIRACLE of adoption!
Shannon
On Mother's Day again this year, I couldn't help but think about a very special lady...somewhere in the world...the woman who gave birth to Halle-Grace. As Halle-Grace gets older and begins to fully understand, I want her to know how much her birth mother loved her. There are times when people will say, "why, how could she, that's terrible" and I always reply, "thank God she did, otherwise I wouldn't be Halle-Grace's mother". Jason & I made the trip to Tuyen Quang, Vietnam on September 1, 2008 and spent hours that day in Halle-Grace's orphanage (her home for the first 9 months of her life). To be completely honest, before making the trip to Vietnam there were times that I also wondered......I can tell you that during the 4 hour drive from Hanoi to TQ (where there are no roads, seriously, the people have NOTHING)...it all made complete sense! I know that her birth mother/family wanted Halle-Grace to have the BEST life possible! If you ask me, placing HG up for adoption has to be the greatest act of love... unconditional love, unselfish love!
Blessed and thankful for the MIRACLE of adoption!
Shannon
Nanny with the grandchildren on Mother's Day 2010...Hunter, Hannah & Halle-Grace.
May 6, 2010
Two years of blogging...
It's hard to believe I started blogging here two years ago on Mother's Day! I wanted to be a mom for such a long time! You see my journey to motherhood was NOT easy but 99.9% of the time the things you want, love and cherish the most...don't come easy! God was preparing me for Halle-Grace and the moment she was placed in my arms in TQ, Vietnam...ALL of the pain, questions, doubt, fear, guilt was suddenly GONE!
God used "life" to fully prepare me for the journey to becoming Miss Magic's mother. Sometimes I sit and wonder, why did HE choose me? Halle-Grace is such an amazing little girl! She's simply the BEST! She is smart, beautiful, friendly, funny...and has a way of "lighting" up a room the moment she enters it! God knew the struggle for Halle-Grace and the other 44 TQ children...He knew he would place me on the other side of the world, in a 3rd world country, waiting on her visa and rallying for the other children who needed a voice! I look back now and I am thankful I had the time to spend in her birth country learning about her beautiful culture. WOW, thank you Lord! I am her mom and that just blows me away! What a blessing! She's my perfect miracle!
God used "life" to fully prepare me for the journey to becoming Miss Magic's mother. Sometimes I sit and wonder, why did HE choose me? Halle-Grace is such an amazing little girl! She's simply the BEST! She is smart, beautiful, friendly, funny...and has a way of "lighting" up a room the moment she enters it! God knew the struggle for Halle-Grace and the other 44 TQ children...He knew he would place me on the other side of the world, in a 3rd world country, waiting on her visa and rallying for the other children who needed a voice! I look back now and I am thankful I had the time to spend in her birth country learning about her beautiful culture. WOW, thank you Lord! I am her mom and that just blows me away! What a blessing! She's my perfect miracle!
The photo I had of Halle-Grace on Mother's Day 2008.
One Blessed Mother, Shannon Devine
May 2, 2010
President proclaims May 2010 National Foster Care Month.
President Obama proclaims May 2010 National Foster Care Month
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-foster-care-month
NCFA celebrates National Foster Care Month.
https://www.adoptioncouncil.org/events/national-foster-care-month.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-foster-care-month
NCFA celebrates National Foster Care Month.
https://www.adoptioncouncil.org/events/national-foster-care-month.html
Adopt Shoppe
I found the neatest little on-line shopping place. http://www.adoptshoppe.com/ If you know someone who's adopting and want to find a special gift for their special new one...you may want to shop around. One thing in particular that I especially love are the "adoption baby books". Speaking from experience, these are not easy to find and most stores where you purchase baby books do not have "adoption" baby books. There's tons of other "neat" finds on the site as well.
Enjoy!
Shannon
Enjoy!
Shannon
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