God is Good!

My Beloved Family!

We had our six months post placement visit. This is the family photo we made. I am reminded of my blessings. Ellie was such a "hoot" while we visited with our SW. She walked around Chic Filet with her walker, saying hello to people who spoke to her, stopping to tell me things. Every lovable part of her personality was shining!

Other April Happenings

A home my grandmother once lived in is a preserved historic site. Her parents were tenant farmers. We recently held a family reunion there, and I took the girls' picture on the front porch of the home. If you 're ever in south Georgia, visit Obediah's Okefenokee, and you'll walk in the house where my grandmother lived, and my grandfather proposed to her on the same porch where my girls are standing.

I couldn't get both of the girls smiling at the same time, so here are 2 cropped pictures.

Last summer, when Josie-Tatum and I were picking blackberries along the side of the road, we talked about Ellie. We talked about how she would be with us the next blackberry season. We made jam. I see now the blackberry bushes in bloom again, preparing to produce fruit. Last summer, I made jam, thinking of Ellie. Now, she's eating the jam with her cream cheese and bagle. I think she enjoyed it. What do you think?

Ellie enjoys hiding her eyes, turning her head, and other pranks when I try to take her picture. This is a cropped shot. There were others in thr group. Ellie had taken the hair piece and framed her face. You can see by the smile she was proud of herself. She is so full of personality.

While we had already celebrated the boys' birthdays at Longhorns' Steakhouse and a day at the beach, we had another celebration on Caleb's "real" birthday. He wanted his grandparents, Aunt Bobbie and cousin Joshua to join him on his birthday. Here is a picture of him with his baby sisters.
And, the same Aunt Bobbie who traveled all the way to China with us, who was a saint and stayed in her room so I could try to foster attachment with Ellie, who entertained Josie-Tatum when I was napping with Ellie, the same sister who wrote in the sand a message for me last summer that said, "Good morning my sister. I love you!" when we were waiting for Ellie and I was so discouraged.....
This same sister gave Caleb and Brandon special gifts for their birthdays.....a treat bag filled with sardines, vienna sausage, candy bugs, and candy eyeballs. Gotta love the picture! (There was cash in the bottom of the bag.)

A more attractive picture of Caleb and his girlfriend........