Here are a couple pictures of our bathing beauty at the lake!

Check Out This Truely Inspirational Story! Here's Wishing A Happy Fathers Day To All Those Dad's Out There That Help Their Children To Imagine!!

[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]
I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an Institution.''

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was Anything to help the boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. ``There's nothing going on in his brain.''

"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want To do that.''

Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried. ``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore For two weeks.''

That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''

And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.

``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried.

Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii . It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud Getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you Think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best Time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the Time.

``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of the Century.''

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass. , always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.

That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

And the video is below....

We try to go to Lake Okaboji every weekend. Lately it has done nothing but rain, but we have had a few sunny days. Here are a few pictures of us having fun at the lake over Memorial Day Weekend.


Ben Asleep In The Wagon...This Being A Kid Thing Is Exhausting!!


Susanna Asleep In The Cabin...Seems She's Exhausted Too!


Valerie and Taryn


Terry and Ethan


Me and Jacie


Susanna, Hunter and Ethan On The Beach


OK Uncle Pat...Putting A Kid On The Roof Isn't Such A Good Idea...They Do Eventually Want To Come Down!!


The Kids At The Beach


Uncle Pat Used To Be Maria's Favorite, But After The Whole Putting Ethan On The Roof Thing, She Is Understandably Leary!!

IF YOU GIVE A MOM A MUFFIN

If you give a Mom a muffin,
She'll want a strong cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll make herself some.
Her three year old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer, she'll trip over boots and bump into the box of Goodwill items.
Bumping into the Goodwill items will remind her she has to get these boxes in the car and out of her basement.
When she puts the boxes in the car, she'll find a bag of groceries and this will remind her she has to cook dinner.
She will get out the chicken defrosting in the fridge.
She'll look for her cookbook (101 Things To Do With Chicken).
The cookbook will be sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the Netflix movie she's meant to mail and the preschool bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The checkbook will be in her purse that is being dumped out by her one year old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the baby's diaper.
As she finishes up, she'll realize she brought the hand sanitizer down to the kitchen.
While she is throwing away the diaper and searching for the hand sanitizer, the phone will ring.
Her three year old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend not for coffee but a very strong drink.
Thinking of drinking will remind her that she was going to have a cup of coffee in order to stay awake for the rest of the day.
And chances are...
If she finds her cup of coffee (which she has to reheat by now),
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Welcome To The World
Henry Gunner Sejnoha
May 31, 2007




Here he is...Henry Gunner Sejnoha. He was born on Thursday...and I must say he certainly is a handsome boy!! Congratulations Shane and Jane, we're so happy for you and your beautiful new addition to your (our) family!!

On Tuesday after returning from Satiago we traveled to Antigua, Guatemala. Antigua Guatemala (commonly referred to as just Antigua or La Antigua) is a city in the central mountains of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish New World Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruined churches. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city had a peak population of some 60,000 in the 1770s; the bulk of the population moved away in the late 18th century. Despite significant population growth in the late 20th century, the city reached half that number in the 1990s. According to the 2002 census, the city has some 33,000 inhabitants.

Antigua Guatemala means the "ancient Guatemala". Founded on March 10, 1543, as the third capital of Guatemala, after the nearby town of Ciudad Vieja was destroyed in a flood, Antigua Guatemala was for more than 200 years the seat of the military governor of the Spanish colony of Guatemala, a large region that included almost all of present-day Central America. The conquistadores named the city La Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala ("The Very Noble and Very Loyal City of Santiago of the Knights of Guatemala") but it was known just as Santiago de Guatemala, in honor of their patron saint, Santiago, after Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

In 1773, a series of earthquakes destroyed much of the town. The Spanish Crown ordered (1776) the removal of the capital to a safer location, where Guatemala City, the modern capital of Guatemala, now stands. The badly damaged city was ordered abandoned, although not everyone left

Central Park is the heart of the city. The reconstructed fountain in particular is very beautiful. People enjoy this park from early in the morning to late at night. Nowadays, Antigua is noted for its very elaborate religious celebrations for the Holy Week leading up to Easter.


Three large volcanoes dominate the horizon around Antigua.

The most commanding, to the south of the city, is the Volcán de Agua or "Volcano of Water", some 3766 meters (12 356 feet) high. It is so named because the crater atop it was formerly filled with water. Shortly after the Spanish conquest of Guatemala, the first capital was on a site part-way up this mountain. It was destroyed by a flood and mudslide when an earthquake let loose the water from the crater, and the capital of Guatemala was moved down the valley to the current Antigua. The original site is a village now known as "Ciudad Vieja", ("The Old City").

To the west of the city are a pair of peaks, Acatenango, long inactive, some 3976 meters (13045 feet) high, and the Volcán de Fuego or "Volcano of Fire", some 3763 meters (12346 feet) high. "Fuego" is famous for being almost constantly active at a low level. Smoke issues from its top daily, but larger eruptions are rare.

We returned home from Guatemala last night. We had a wonderful trip. It started out with great disappointment and ended with great joy! That's how things are supposed to work right??

On Sunday morning as we were preparing to leave for the airport...this is at 4am...my sister Valerie called and said that she had been up all night and couldn't find her passport. Trying to be positive, we told her to keep looking, we had 2 hours until our flight actually left. She didn't find her passport and wasn't able to go with us to Guatemala. Needless to say, we were all very disappointed. We decided however that there must be a good reason why she wasn't able to be with us and we would leave it at that and enjoy our trip.

We arrived in Guatemala City at 7pm that evening and our travel guide Mario was there to greet us at the airport. He took us to the Marriott and made plans to leave for Lake Atalan in the morning. When we arrived at the Marriott we were greeted by a familiar face. Karla, one of the people that work for the attorney that processed Maria's adoption was in the lobby. From across the lobby, I heard, "Hola, Stephanie, Hola, David!" It was very nice to see a familiar face. Karla was at the Marriott to meet with an adoptive family that had their embassy appointment the next morning. They were just finishing the paperwork. Karla had already arranged to bring Lidia, Maria's foster mother to the Marriott with her when she went to the embassy appointment in the morning, so we knew Maria would be able to see her right away on Monday morning.

Lidia was waiting for us when we arrived in the lobby on Monday morning. Maria was a bit apprehensive at first, but she warmed up to Lidia in no time. It didn't take long for Maria to recognize who Lidia was or the sweet sayings that Lidia constantly says to her. My favorite is:"Oh Pretty Baby! Conchita Juanita!" I'm sure I spelled that wrong...but you get the picture.

As we were sitting in the lobby waiting for Karla to arrive to join us for breakfast, Lidia asked if we were going to adopt again. I told her that we were thinking about it, but we probably wouldn't start the process again until November or December. She then asked if we were interested in a boy or a girl? I replied that I would probably like a girl, but it didn't really matter. At that point, the light went on...she said to me..."you know, we have a baby girl that was born 3 weeks ago, that hasn't been referred to any other adoptive parents yet." Dave looked at me with complete and utter fear...I started to ask questions about the baby and after a couple of minutes Lidia was on the cell phone to Karla. Karla arrived to have breakfast with us about an hour later and as we ate, I continued to ask questions, and Dave continued to look as though he was just hit with a Mack Truck! We decided that we would talk about it as a family and get back to them. Although, truth be told, I had already made my decision at that point!

Here we all are at the Marriott before we left for Lidia's home.

My Mom, Lidia with Maria, Stephanie, David and Karla


We finished our breakfast as Mario arrived and we decided to go to Lidia's house before going to our next destination, Lake Atalan. Mario drove us to Lidia's home, where Maria was able to see Jaime, Lidia's husband. She went right to him. I suspect, that she remembered him right away. We found out while there where Maria's fasination with birds comes from. Lidia has several birds and Maria was quite captivated by them. We met Flora Luisa for the first time, but didn't take any pictures or talk too much about her as we hadn't been alone to discuss the situation yet. We left Lidia's and continued our travels to Lake Atilan.

Mario had made reservations at a very beautiful hotel at Lake Atilan in the city of Panachel. The hotel was an coffee plantation that has been converted into a hotel and botanical gardens. The gardens are breathtaking. Each room opens up into the gardens and has a wonderful view of the lake and the volcanoes.





The lake is 90 square miles and is surrounded by 3 active volcanoes. It was very overcast the two days we were there so even though we were right underneath these giant mountains, we couldn't catch a glimpse of them. We took a short boat ride to one of the small villages known for it's very traditional lifestyle. Santiago is a bustling village during the day with everyone attending the market and the children going to school.





To Be Continued!!

I found a fantastic price on tickets to Guatemala the other day, so before Dave could think about it too much and tell me no, I booked them!! Myself, my mom, my sister Val, Dave and Maria will be traveling to Guatemala in May! I am sooo excited I can hardly stand myself! We leave on Sunday the 13th and return home on Thursday the 17th, so it's a short trip, but I don't care....we're going!! I have been itching to go back almost from the time we touched the ground on December 15th.
I sent an email to the attorney that completed Maria's adoption in the hope that she could get a message to Lidia, Maria's Foster Mother, to let her know we would be there and see if we could meet for dinner. The attorney responded within the hour and said that Lidia would be very excited to see Maria again and that her assistant Karla would be more than happy to get her to the hotel for dinner. I think it's wonderful that they are still willing to do that favor for us...it is another indication of what a great group of people we worked with for Maria's adoption!
I also emailed the tour guide that we used during our first visit to see if he had the dates available and to get his advice on where to go. We will have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to sightsee. There are two definate places I want to go...Lake Atilan and Antigua. We have been to Antigua, but not to Lake Atilan...it is supposed to be spectacular. I believe it is listed as one of the 1,000 places you should visit on earth. It is a beautiful lake surrounded by active volcanoes! Don't tell that to my mom though...she probably won't want to go!



Here's a picture of Lake Atilan I found on the internet. It won't be long and we will be able to post our own!!

Daddy brought cupcakes to Maria's daycare on her birthday and our daycare provider, Judi gave us this cute picture of her with her cupcake today. It seems there is a pattern with Maria and frosting and her face!













We went to a St. Patricks Day party at Judi and Jeff's....here are a few pictures!

I'd rather be LUCKY than GOOD!














Daddy and Maria enjoying the Green Festivities!









Judi Green and Maria. Judi is Maria's Daycare Provider.













One of Maria's many buddies from daycare...Liza. The kids there all love Maria....I'm pretty sure she is getting spoiled!!

Maria's first birthday was on March 29th. I can't believe she is already a year old. She was baptised on Sunday March 25th, so we celebrated both her birthday and her baptism on Sunday. It was a great day!

She looked like such and angel in her baptismal gown.





Maria and her God Parents: Tina Bott and Jeremy Meyer


Maria and the Headlee boys.


Maria and Grandma and Grandpa Sejnoha










Maria and Grandma Richter















Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos
And now for the birthday party! As you can tell she really enjoyed her birthday cake!

Happy Easter!!

We went to the mall today to visit the Easter Bunny and Maria did not like him at all! In her defense, he was a little freaky! There wasn't anyone else in line when we first arrived and he wasn't moving a muscle. I had a hard time determining whether he was a real bunny or fake! He must have been sleeping under that big head!


We also went to Scheels and Daddy was able to purchase the bike carrier he has had his eye on. Hopefully he and Maria will be able to put on a lot of miles this Spring and Summer. She seems to like it...after we got home, Dave put her in it and wheeled her around the house and she giggled like crazy!

Maria is gifted! Dave and I laugh and tease each other that Maria is so incredibly smart that we think she is gifted. She is doing so many new things. She's sort of our little command baby. We could spend all night asking her to do something and she would oblige. Some of the things she is currently doing are:

Kissing On Demand: I am a huge culprit of asking her to kiss mama numerous times in a row. She always does it and never complains, so I think I will keep asking until she denies me.

Retrieves Any Object: She is a great fetch player! She will keep herself occupied for hours by bringing the object of the moment (usually a ball, but not always) and one of us throws it across the room, she retrieves it and brings it back, process starts all over.

Trying To Draw: I don't think she has actually laid down any ink herself without assistance, but she's close. She finds a pen and something to write on...usually old junk mail or a magazine and knows how to hold the pen and tries to draw. I know, "Bad Mama" for not having crayons or something in the house that will produce color easier than a pen, but I didn't think we would need any this soon!

Yell At Birds And Dogs: For some reason the dogs next door and any bird that chirps gets yelled at by Maria. It is so hilarious that I sometimes park her by the back door when the dogs are barking just to listen to her give them heck!

She is developing such a little personality that it is fun to just sit and watch her or interact with her. We are having a wonderful time being parents to this little gem that it is hard to fathom our life without her.

Speaking of Gems....she just crawled by me on her way to the toys and she apparently has some stinky gems she needs taken care of right now! Whew...I need to open a window!! Talk to you again soon! Stephanie

OK...we have finally taught Maria something! Just kidding...we have taught her lots of things...it's just we can't repeat most of them here! Here is daddy trying to get her to do the "soooo big"...which she actually does really well now!! She hasn't really gotten the patty cake thing going yet...except she does laugh like crazy when you do it with her!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

THE CHOSEN HEART

Longing for a child to love,
I'd wish upon the stars above.
In my heart I always knew,
A part of me was meant for you.

I think how happy we will be,
Once I adopt you, and you adopt me.

I dream of all the joy you'll bring,
Imagining even the littlest things.
The way it will feel to hold you tight,
And tuck you in every night.

The drawings on the refrigerator door,
And childhood toys across the floor.
The favorite stories read again and again,
And hours of games with make believe friends.

The day you took my outstretched hand,
A journey ended, but our lives began.
Still mesmerized by your sweet face,
Still warmed inside by our first embrace.

I promised to give you a happy home,
And a loving family all your own.
A house you've now made complete,
With laughter, smiles and tiny feet.

A parent is one who guides the way,
Know I will be there everyday.
Rest easy as each night you sleep,
A lifetime of love is yours to keep.

Longing for a child to love,
I'd wish upon the stars above.
In my heart I always knew,
A part of me belonged to you.

Tonight on one of the adoption blogs I subscribe to, someone asked what was our favorite adoption song, or the song that reminded us most of our adoption journey?

I immediately thought of a song that I discovered shortly after we received our referral of Maria. It will always have significant meaning for me, and I hope someday for Maria. I think the lyrics are beautiful and especially poignant for us. I have reposted the video that I made with our referral pictures of Maria....look how tiny she is! The video has the initial pictures of Maria, the pictures of the first time we met her and our first visit trip. The song is Lullabye by the Dixie Chicks...forever known by me as Maria's Lullabye...Enjoy!


center>
Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos
Here are the lyrics:

They didn't have you were I come from
Never knew the best was yet to come
Life began when I saw your face
And I hear your laugh like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough? Is forever enough?
How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough, cuz I'm never never giving you up

I slip in bed when you're asleep
To hold you close and feel your breath on me
Tomorrow will be so much to do
So tonight I'll drift in a dream with you

How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough? Is forever enough?
How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough, cuz I'm never never giving you up

As you wander through this troubled world
In search of all things beautiful
You can close your eyes and you're miles away
And hear my voice like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough? Is forever enough?
How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough, cuz I'm never never giving you up

How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough? Is forever enough?
How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough, cuz I'm never never giving you up

Is forever enough cuz I'm never never giving you up

WoW!! Tomorrow we will have been home for one month!! It has been the most exciting, exhausting and truely memorable month of my life!!

I'm sorry I haven't posted much...I actually haven't done much of anything, except get to know Maria! We came home on the 15th...had a wonderful Christmas and New Years and are now starting to get used to our every day life

She is crawling all over the house and is now trying to get up on her feet from a crawling position. It won't be too long and she will be cruising while holding onto furniture and then watch out, she'll be walking!! It seems like she has gotten so much bigger just since we have been home.

She eats really well...although don't try to give her any of that baby food...no way!! That stuff is for babies!! She only eats whatever Mommy and Daddy are eating!! I guess it's easier that way...and who am I to argue with a 9 month old who has made up her mind??

She loves her two papa's and grandma's and all of her cousins. She especially loves when the Headlee boys come over and love on her. It's probably not a good sign for either of us actually...Not good for Val (my sister) that her boys seem to really like kissing Maria and not good for me that Maria really likes them kissing her!!

I have to give a big shout out and say Congratulations to Emily and Jason...they just found out that they will be having a boy! Emily is due in May!

And also a shout out to my brother Shane and his wife Jane...they will find out this week what gender their baby is! I think they secretly want a boy...so that's what I'm hoping for!! They are due in June...Babies Everywhere!!

We got Maria's first professional pictures taken today, so I thought I would share. Now I'm not biased or anything...but isn't she just about the cutest thing you ever did see??





Click on the link to the right to see more of her pictures! Talk to you soon!!
Stephanie

Russian orphan appreciating her new life in South Dakota
Posted by: "Karen Holt" karenholt@compuserve.com rhouse77
Tue Dec 26, 2006 2:56 pm (PST)
Russian orphan appreciating her new life in South Dakota

By Russ Keen, Aberdeen American News

ABERDEEN - Lessons in the art of gracefully and gratefully receiving
Christmas gifts might be taken from a 5-year-old Aberdeen girl who, until a
few months ago, lived in an orphanage in Russia.

Other than a few clothes, Natasha Nicole Cleveland's only worldly possession
when she came to Aberdeen was a little cross fastened to a piece of twine to
wear as a necklace, her mother, Nancy Cleveland of Aberdeen, said.

Nancy adopted Natasha in the spring. The two became a family on Easter
Sunday.

"She brought nothing. We started from scratch," Nancy said.

Every little thing Natasha has acquired since astounds her, Nancy said.

Natasha is not the kind of kid who turns up her nose when she gets socks
instead of toys. Nancy recalled her daughter's amazement when she opened the
first gifts from her mother when they first met at the orphanage about a
year ago. They were simple gifts of clothing, including socks.

Natasha examined every item slowly, carefully and lovingly, looked up at her
mother's face and said in Russian, "Are these really all for me?"

"She couldn't believe it," Nancy said.

Natasha gave Nancy a profound gift that day, too.

"That very first day I met her she called me 'Mama,'" Nancy said. "I didn't
expect that. I was taken aback."

Other simple gifts: Natasha is also not the kind of kid to whine when it's
time to jump in the tub. It was like she had entered heaven when she slid
into her first bathtub full of warm water in her Aberdeen home, Betty
Sanders of Aberdeen, Natasha's grandmother and Nancy's mother, said.

"She just relished being in that much water," Sanders said. "She laughed and
giggled, dunked her head and laid back in it."

Nancy said she's not sure how the orphanage kept kids clean.

"They don't tell you a lot. But it was obvious Natasha didn't know about
bathtubs," Nancy said.

Long hair

Natasha is also discovering the simple gift of pretty hair. The 50 kids at
the orphanage near Pskov, Russia, all had butch haircuts - boys and girls,
Nancy said, apparently for hygiene.

"People here thought she was a boy," Nancy said. "So, she has been wanting
long hair."

As Nancy related the story, Natasha jumped on the back of the sofa on which
her mother sat and began to play with her mother's long hair.

"She loves to put pigtails in my hair," Nancy said.

Natasha now has her own. Last week for the first time, her blond hair
reached the length that she could have two pigtails.

"That first day she spent hours flipping them with her fingers," Nancy said.

And Natasha is not the kind of kid to crab while traveling long distances.
When she left the orphanage with her mother, they boarded a train for a
12-hour trip to Moscow. Undoubtedly, it was Natasha's first sustained
glimpse of the world outside of the orphanage, Nancy said.

"She was like a bird let out of a cage that night on that train," Nancy
said. "She kept moving around looking out of the windows. She stayed awake
for hours beyond her bedtime."

Shares what she gets

Natasha is also not the kind of kid to hoard what she gets. Her very first
meal in Aberdeen was a roast-beef dinner prepared by her grandmother.
Natasha filled her plate with all the warm goodies and promptly,
unexpectedly handed it over to her mother. The moment was tender and
touching beyond words, Nancy said.

"She wanted to make sure I ate first."

This is, of course, Natasha's first U.S.-style Christmas. When she tasted
her first candy cane a few days ago, her bright eyes conveyed the delight
her taste buds were experiencing, Nancy said. The girl offered her mother a
lick on the cane.

"She wanted me to try it," Nancy said. "She always wants me to know what she
is feeling."

Mostly, they are good feelings.

"There are so many firsts for her. There is so much for her to absorb. She
goes through most days with excitement and giggles."

Learning English

Natasha is learning English rapidly and has reached the point where she
talks in sentences of a few words each, Nancy said. Natasha shared a few
thoughts in English. She likes her cousins, some of whom live far away.

"Talk to them on the telephone," Natasha said. That's one of her favorite
activities.

She also sang her ABCs, counted to 20 and sang, with her mother, "You better
watch out. You better not pout. You better not cry. I'm telling you why.
Santa Claus is coming to town."

One of her favorite phrases is "Oh, my gosh," which she utters whenever
something amazes her - which is frequently, Nancy said.

Natasha also likes to do dishes, help clean and cook.

"Whatever you're doing, she wants to do. We wonder how long it will last,"
Sanders said with a laugh.

Fulfillment for Nancy

Not only does Natasha have a mom. Nancy has her first child.

"We wanted to have kids," she said of her and her late husband, Steve
Cleveland.

He died of cancer in 1987 in San Bernardino, Calif., where the couple lived.
Medication he was on during his illness made it unwise to conceive, Nancy
said.

Steve had blond hair and blue eyes, as does Natasha. That would please
Steve, Nancy said.

"And she has his last name," she said.

A sister of Nancy's, who lives in Maryland with her husband, adopted a boy
from Russia two years before Nancy adopted Natasha. That's when Nancy
started thinking about it. She helped her sister and brother-in-law through
their process, and they helped her.

Natasha has filled a void in Nancy's life, Sanders said with tears welling.
Also, Natasha is Sanders' only grandchild who lives close enough for daily
contact.

"It's nice to have a grandchild around to spoil," she said. "It's just a
thrill."

Life has not been perfect for Natasha since finding a mom. Shortly after she
came to Aberdeen, Nancy learned through an interpreter that Natasha missed
her friends at the orphanage.

"She wanted to fly back and bring her friends over here," Nancy said.

But now she has close friends in her neighborhood and at her preschool, Dare
to Dream, Nancy said.

Like most kids, she hopes to get stuff from Santa - "a baby-doll high
chair," she said.

The girl has told her mother, "Santa needs to bring me presents because I
have been good." And she also wonders how Santa will know where she is on
Christmas because the family plans to travel.

Worship, prayer

Natasha loves to attend Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where she was
baptized Oct. 14, Nancy's birthday, wearing a beaded dress Natasha selected.
She becomes upset during Mass if she can't see the Rev. Edward Pierce, Nancy
said.

Natasha loves to sing in church, repeating the word "Alleluia" while other
worshippers sing other words, Nancy said.

And Natasha likes to pray before she goes to sleep.

"I always ask her, 'What do you want to pray about tonight?'" Nancy said.
Natasha often chooses other people and recently expressed what could be
called her Christmas wish for each and every child in orphanages.

"One night, she said she wanted to pray for all kids to have a mama or a
papa," Nancy said.

----------------------------------------------------------
----

Copyright C 2006 The Rapid City Journal
Rapid City, SD

Karen H
Mom to A from St Petersburg BH #1, & W from Tula Reg. BH
Family Stories, Funding, Regional Lists & adoption links at my website
http://www.karensadoptionlinks.com

One week ago tonight at this time we were packing our bags and getting ready to come home! We have been home for 6 days and it has been incredible. I haven't had much time to do anything but help Maria become accustomed to our home, but it has been the best 6 days of my life.

I thought that I had gotten to know her when we were in Guatemala together, but I know now that she didn't show us much of her personality while we were there! She has soo much more personality than I could have imagined!

I also now know just how sad she was to leave. I didn't have anything to compare her moods to, but now I do. I can tell now that she was genuinely upset and sad to be away from her foster mother. She has adjusted well over the past few days. She now wakes up happy and goes to sleep happy and is pretty much happy all day!

I think we have begun to bond fairly well. She looks to me for the things she needs and when she wants to be held. She looks to Dave for entertainment and doesn't like it when he leaves the room, but she is getting used to the idea that when he leaves...he always comes back!

It's going to be a busy weekend! We are going to have out of town guests and a few visitors over the weekend. We of course will then be celebrating Christmas Eve with our families on Sunday and will be waking early on Christmas Day to see if Santa came down the chimney.

Speaking of Santa...We went to the mall and got Maria's picture taken with Santa. She was bound and determined not to smile...until we walked away from Santa, then of course there was a smile from ear to ear!!

Click on the link below to see Maria make an Elf of herself!!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=4f76e6f4fef90f0ff54671dG06122110

Merry Christmas!!

Oh My Gosh!!

I can't believe the time to say this has actually arrived.

We will be leaving on Sunday, December 10th (albeit very late on the 10th) to go get our sweet Maria!! We won't arrive in Guatemala City until 5:30 am on December 11th. That's OK...who needs sleep when they are doing something this important anyway!!

On Monday, our Foster Mother, Lidia, will bring Maria to the hotel some time that day, we haven't found out when yet, but some time that day. At that time, we will also meet with our attorney's assistant to fill out the remainder of the paperwork. It's simple stuff, like we promise to make sure her vaccinations are up to date within 30 days, that kind of stuff! Nothing to worry about!

Then on Tuesday, we have our appointment at the US Embassy. That is where we swear that we are the people on the documents that have been submitted and Maria becomes a US Citizen!! Yea!! Add one to the rolls Census Takers!! And make sure you change that law about adoptive children being President, because that is what our Maria aspires to be!!

On Wednesday, our attorney's assistant goes to the US Embassy to get our completed paperwork that we have to give to the Immigration Officers when we get to our first stop in the Great Ole U S of A.

We could leave Guatemala anytime after that...about 3:00 pm on Wednesday. The only flight I could get, however, was on Friday. We will arrive in Sioux Falls at 9:11pm on Friday, December 15th. I know most of my and Dave's family plan to meet us at the airport and then come over to our house for coffee and cookies, or beer and pizza...which ever you prefer!! If you are reading this and have been following our story, we would love to have you there to celebrate!! Please don't hesitate to come!!

I have mixed feelings about Maria leaving Guatemala. Although I so desperately want to get her to our home, I also know that she is leaving behind something she will never get back...her connection with her homeland.

In her short 8 months on earth, she will have lost her birth mother, her foster mother, her birth country, her culture, her native language, and her identity. That's a lot to absorb. I don't think as a 39 year old I can completely comprehend what that's like, so I don't think it's possible for anyone younger to even try to ponder. I feel bad about that.

I know that I will work very hard to ensure that she has all of the resources she needs to feel that connection, but I have a feeling that once you leave...it's never the same. Makes me a little sad.

She is however the most loved little girl in the tri-state area and I can't wait to go love on her! Her little cheeks are going to be peppered with soooo many kisses on Monday, she will look like she has a rash!!

Please join us on Friday evening to welcome the newest US Citizen to Sioux Falls. Maria Rene Richter!

We Finally Have PINK!!

That means that we have been issued our appointment with the US Embasy in Guatemala. The appointment is on a pink piece of paper...thus the term "we have pink".

Our appointment at the US Embassy in Guatemala is on Tuesday, December 12th. We pick up our paperwork, showing that Maria is a US citizen on Wednesday afternoon and then we are free to come home.

We will be arriving at the Sioux Falls airport at 9:11pm on Friday, December 15th. I am soooo excited for everyone to meet Maria I can hardly stand it!! We will meet you at the airport and then there will be a party at our house!!

Such a Good Night!!

OK...I'm done with my pity party for the night...although I thought it was a good one.

I would like all of you to please consider giving to a very worthwhile cause. Sharon and her husband have worked in Guatemala for a long time. They have many projects that they need help with. You can copy this link http://www.mayanfamilies.org/ and learn of the great things they are doing in Guatemala to help families, women and children.

Here is an exerpt from thier website. I would encourage anyone that has toys they would like to donate to contact me, I will take them down with me on our next trip, or to contact Sharon dirctly and contribute. My family will be contributing to the Christmas Basket Project. I urge all of you that can, to do so as well. You can click on the link on the right (Mayan Families Projects & Mission) and get to their website.
Stephanie

Hello, we are the volunteers of Mayan Families and we are living in the highlands of the Lake Atitlan area in the small town of Panajachel, Guatemala, Central America. With your assistance we are making small miracles happen each day in peoples lives. One child at a time. One Family at a time. Every dollar donated goes to fund our many worthwhile projects. We all work on a Volunteer basis. We work within the Indigenous Mayan Communities on projects ranging from enrolling and keeping kids, especially girls, in school, helping single parent families deal with HIV/AIDS, Malnutrition, Basic Health Care, Organizing Medical and Dental Clinics, Animal Rescue and so much more.

MayanFamilies.org provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters. We do so irrespective of race, creed or religion.

Our projects are varied but because we have lived and been involved with indigenous community life in Guatemala for many years we find ourselves able to respond in a personal way to the immediate and actual needs as they appear.

We need your help, prayers and assistance!
CHRISTMAS PROJECT:

Please send your donations to Dwight Poage 2609 Hartford St. San Diego, CA. 92110-2315 and make checks payable to MAYAN FAMILIES.

Yes – it is coming up fast! We have collected about 600 toys that will be distributed at Christmas time at our party in San Jorge. We are only about half way there. We need a lot more. If you are coming to Guatemala and can bring toys …we would greatly appreciate it. These do not have to be new toys.




Our other Christmas project this year will be sponsoring families for CHRISTMAS BASKETS. We have many families, mostly single, abandoned & widowed mothers, who cannot afford to provide the traditional Christmas celebration for their family. A food basket will cost $30US and will provide a Christmas Tamale celebration meal for a family of 10 or more.

It will include:

The plastic basket that will hold all the food. This will be used by the family to stack dishes, wash dishes, hold food etc.

The food will include:
Oil, 15 lbs of Rice to make the tamales, a block of drinking chocolate (this is traditional to drink at midnight), a loaf of bread with which they eat the tamales at midnight, raisins for the tamales, grapes, apples, sugar, 5lbs of meat, tomatoes, one pound of coffee, leaves to wrap the tamales, cloves, pepper, sesame, pumpkin seeds. These are the requirements to make the Christmas tamales.
If you would like to sponsor a family for a Christmas Basket, we will send you a photo and history of the family and a photo when they receive their basket.

If you are coming down to Guatemala and can bring some toys, please let us know by e-mail at:
mayanfamilies@yahoo.com
Lets all Help these children have a Merry Christmas!