Please, Please Pray

At this exact moment, more than half way around the world, this sweet momma is walking into a court room hoping to receive permission to bring this beautiful precious child home with her. To free her from the confines of the orphanage she lives in. To provide her with a tender loving family.

Evan and Angie

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But it could be complicated. Angie and her husband Clark are in the exact same courtroom, with the exact same judge who denied Kirill's family last week. Clark has been preparing a statement. He is asking for prayer for his strength as he presents their case. Their plea to hopefully allow this judge to see the warmth and desire in their hearts to bring Evan and all her 47 chromosomes home. To follow their story click here. It could be a long day for them. The Davis family presented testimony for more than five hours. Wouldn't it be miraculous if the Hook family was able to convince the judge in half that time and convince her to allow Kirill to come home too. Miracles do happen.

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7:30 am EST Update - Word is coming in there is a problem with the paperwork. It is being worked on. Please continue prayers and uplifting thoughts. They have not yet been denied. There is hope.

For the Love of Reece's Rainbow

by Joyce...That last post was hard to write. Even harder to imagine. As the news spread around the world, there were so many of us that had a hard time grasping it's meaning. Why would a little boy be denied a family? Simply because he had an extra chromosome. I so wanted to believe there was a larger message that one day we could understand. Boy, the power of prayer certainly can make that happen. Quickly. Today, Patricia Heaton stepped forward to help. She has offered $1 to Reece's Rainbow for each person that follows Reece's Rainbow on Twitter up to $10,000.

More importantly, Ms. Heaton is lending her international star power to Reece's Rainbow and that will hopefully help spread the word to help Kirill and his family and the other families who are in the process of adoption.

Speaking of adoption, I had a visitor today in the store. Susan's story is so beautiful. She has two precious girls...

Shannon

and Mary Ellen

Both adopted through Reece's Rainbow. Please click this link to read her story. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to know Susan. We are going to get the girls together real soon. We live within blocks of each other. She even owns a business just down the street on Mayfield. Small, small, world. I truly am so blessed and thankful to have such wonderful people coming into my life. Please continue to pray for the Davis family. Kirill's story is moving mountains, but it must be a heavy load to carry for Tesney and Greg.

When Life Seems Unkind

by Joyce...The longer I am alive, the more I realize life often does not seem fair. There are moments of great happiness and elation and there are moments of pain and sorrow. I've also lived long enough to realize, our struggles are often meticulously planned out to better prepare us for what's to come. I hold that last thought in mind as I follow this story. It seems so unkind. So unbelievable. Yet, it is real.

There is a little boy named Kirill. He lives in an orphanage in eastern Europe. His basic needs are being met, but as most babies living in an institutional setting, the surroundings are quite modest and he is void of the love only a family can give. And this is where the story breaks down.



Kirill has a family waiting for him. They have spent a great deal of time preparing, raising the needed funds, completing mountains of paperwork. They have even held him in their arms. On August 10, 2010, they felt that human attachment. They experienced that first moment when Kirill wrapped his arms around their necks. Their hearts are wide open with desire and love. This past week they returned to Eastern Europe to being Kirill home. Instead, their arms are empty. They were denied.

That's right. DENIED. The judge told them because Kirill has Down syndrome, he would be better off in the orphanage. In a cold sterile institution. I have been wrestling with this from the moment I first read it. For many reasons. Some to personal to share here. I just can't fathom how another human being could possibly think this way. By denying this little boy a family this judge has denied him the chance to ever experience true love. She has denied him the possibility of ever having a bond with a mother, of having siblings interact with him, of having a family support system, a real family to celebrate his birthday each year. She has denied him access to quality health care. All because he has Down syndrome.

My heart is breaking for this little boy. For the Davis family. Yet, they are not giving up. Please go to their blog. Read Kirill's story. Pray with all your might that something will cause this judge to rethink her decision. To change her mind. To realize that it is because he has Down syndrome that he deserves a family. A family to love him each and everyday. A family who WANTS him.

I Love Roly Poly

Last Saturday my mom went to Roly Poly and did not even get me anything. So tonight, when she asked me what I wanted to do for dinner, I said I wanted to go to Roly Poly. So we headed to Golden Gate. It is just down the road from our store.

When we got there this really nice man said hello. His name is Mark.

Thanks Mark. I ordered #9. It is called Thanksgiving. That's because it has turkey with cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing, lettuce and fresh basil mayo. Look at this...

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Yummy!!! You just have to try it. They have a million different kinds of wraps. And soup. That's what my mom got today. Along with frozen yogurt with strawberries and kiwi.

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Guess what? I had a surprise visitor today at the store.

My friend Danielle came to see me. She is on spring break from Ohio State. Oh speaking of the Buckeyes...what a sad night for the basketball team. Sorry Brutus. Maybe next year.

I also met a new friend. She is Clare's grandaughter. We exchanged phone numbers. Cool. It was a great Saturday.

Who Let Brutus Out...

woof...woof...oh-io...Oh-Io...OH-IO...come on Buckeyes!!! woof...woof...Let's go Buckeyes, let's go. I think I'm getting two story lines confused.

OK I gotta go. The Buckeyes are playing. Sweet Sixteen. Hey, that's like my birthday party. Oh speaking of my dogs...they are modeling right now...no not on the bed...in the front window. Check them out. Good doggies. Go Buckeyes!!!

It's a Rainbow

Sari and I finished our job and made a rainbow. Do you want to see?

CLICK HERE

42 Bolts of Batiks

My mom told me while I was getting dressed there was a surprise for me at the store.

Yep, there were 42 new bolts of batiks. And then she told me I needed to unwrap them. All of 42.

"Are you kidding me??!!!"

Oh man, this is going to be a long, tiring day.

Celebrate T21

Today is World Down Syndrome Day. Celebrate!!! Be proud!!! If you have a family member with Down syndrome, call them. Tell them you love them. Give them a hug if you can. If you don't know someone with Down syndrome, educate yourself. Read the hundreds of blogs on our sidebar. Down syndrome is one of life's greatest gifts.

With side effects. Side effects from knowing a person with Down syndrome include, joy, laughter, frustration, wonderment, awe, perplexity, surprise, fascination, confusion and love, love, love. Quoted from Beth Lennox, the very wise mother of beautiful Hannah, age 13.

Blast Off Luv Garland

More mail. Am I the luckiest girl or what?

I wonder who this is from?

My mom is telling me about this cute note.

Look at it. It is a rocket blasting off. With Luv from Garland Grace Groves. Now how cool is that!! I love it!!!!!! Thank you so much. We will put it on our bulletin board so everyone can see it.

I Love My Cereal

Twenty Years Ago Today...

Busy Day

Thank goodness enough snow melted so I was able to go to work today.

We had so much to do. We are packing up more pillowcases. Thank you to everyone who is bringing them in.

On Monday, we are taking 35 more down to the Ronald McDonald House.

I was packing them all afternoon. Now I just have to put the notes in.

Snowed In

I should be working today. But, the store is closed. Too much snow.

So I am just sitting at the front window watching the plows on the street. My mom has to go to the office to process payroll. I hope she doesn't get stuck. She took a shovel with her. I think I will go back to bed. Then I will get up and watch a movie.

I Have a Surprise

I am going to Salt Lake City to meet Kristen's family!!!!

and all our other blogging friends in Utah. I will be there from May 9 until May 15. Stay tuned for details. Yippee!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait:)

You All Win

There was another package waiting for me upstairs.

I really can't believe all the mail I am getting. I wonder what this could be?

OMG!!! It is a bag from Disneyland.

Look at this. A key ring with my name on it.

And look at this. Mickey Mouse ears made with buttons. You all guessed it. We sell buttons in the store. How perfect is this!!! I wonder who it is from...

There is a card...

with hearts falling out of it. "Mom, come get a picture of my leg."

This is so sweet. It is from Kristen's mom, Polly. She went to Disneyland. She was sad because Kristen was not with her. And then she saw this pin and thought of me. That makes me cry a little. I think Kristen helped her find it. Thank you so much. I love the pin and the key chain. And I have a little surprise for you...

Button, Button...

Who's got the button? I have another guessing game for you.

Do you see the buttons? What else do you see?

LAST DAY TO VOTE FOR LILY

Please, please, please, go to this LINK and vote for Lily. First hit the "Vote for Me" Button. THEN BE SURE TO ENTER THE SECURITY WORD followed by "Process my Vote." IT IS A THREE STEP PROCESS. A very easy process but without steps two and three the vote has not been recorded.

Please Vote NOW

This is my little friend Lily. Isn't she so cute!!!! Her mom writes a blog called The Perfect Lily.

Lily is in the running to win the cutest Kid of the Year on the Parent Magazine website. She is currently in second place, so she needs all of us to vote!!! Just click this LINK. It is that simple. No signing up or anything. HURRY. The deadline is very soon like tomorrow. Hurry. Please Vote for Lily!!!

Introducing...Max & Whiskers

Betcha wondered why we had dogs in the store. It's because...our new fabric collection...

is called Max & Whiskers. And it is so dog gone cute!!!

So Sari and I got back to work. It sure was fun playing with the puppies though.

Sari is the master at unpacking and unwrapping the new fabric.

And I am the master at putting labels on things. Today, I am putting our "Compliments of JEllen's house of fabric" sticker on these patterns. They are free. Better hurry in though, we only have 50.

Playful Puppies

New puppies have arrived at the store!!!

A Jack Russell Terrier and a Yorkshire Terrier.

They are so cute.

Sari and I were playing with them all afternoon.

They are so lovable. They bark too.

"Sari, I think my mom just said something about work? Do you know what she is talking about?"

Cool Cats

I just can't believe it. I got another package in the mail.

Hmm...I wonder what is in here? Looks like a note.

Oh, I know what this is. It is a pattern called Achy Breaky Hearts. I see it on the store blog all the time.

Look TWO patterns. This is so nice. It is from Gerri Richards. She is the designer for Cool Cat Creations.

The funny thing is we have this flyer in the drawer at the store. The salesman from Hoffman Fabrics gave it to us when we ordered a bunch of Hoffman Batiks which will be in the store in April. And we will have the Cool Cat Creations patterns too.

Look how cute this notecard is. Thank you so much Gerri.