You can still order this week online if you can't come to the party.....

THIS IS AN EXTRA SPECIAL Stella & Dot Party! Catherine, the stylist, is donating the proceeds to our Adoption Fund! If you can't make the party, you can still take part by shopping this week online at https://www.stelladot.com/sites/crhoden and entering "KATIE LEACH" in the hostess field. Be thinking ahead for birthdays, Christmas, etc...Have fun shopping knowing you are helping bring another baby home!
THANK YOU!!!

"Bumba" was here!!

My mom was able to come into town last minute for my "golden" birthday and to take a little rest from her busy life at home :) Lily loves her grandma "Bumba" so much and had so much fun! We had ice cream, went shopping, sang songs, went to the farmer's market, baked together...and much more! Weyland had the day off so he joined in the fun AND we were able to go out to dinner on a date on my birthday while Lily & Grandma had a date at home...something we have not done in literally MONTHS! Thanks mom for everything!  And thanks Jo for sending her!!

Graeter's Ice Cream....Yumm!

Baking the Lemon Birthday Cake!

Farmer's Market....

LIly buying me flowers for my birthday with grandma's help!

her words.."Here you go, Mommy, Happy Birthday.  I love you!"

Enjoying the music!

Getting the cake ready...

helping me blow out the candles.

ps..I realized Wey is not in any pics...He was behind the camera the whole day....

Stella & Dot Jewelry For Leach Adoption!!

Date/Time:
Thursday, September 2, 2010 7:30 PM
Hosted by:
Katie Leach
502-645-7969 (Call for Directions)



THIS IS AN EXTRA SPECIAL Stella & Dot Party! Catherine, the stylist, is donating the proceeds to our Adoption Fund! If you can't make the party, you can still take part by shopping this week online at https://www.stelladot.com/sites/crhoden and entering "KATIE LEACH" in the hostess field. Be thinking ahead for birthdays, Christmas, etc...Have fun shopping knowing you are helping bring another baby home!
Thank You,
Katie

Big Hair...Easy, Right?

Every once in a while, Lily asks to wear "big hair." Most people think that when Lily wears her hair in an afro it is easier for both of us...think again!

First you take out the braids...

..and comb it out...

...30-45 minutes later, you get this!

Since she had her braids in for a week, it is time to wash her hair and condition it really well.

The conditioner is Lily's favorite part because she can feel her hair down her back and swish it from side to side!

Then it's more conditioner and oils...comb again...sometimes blow it out a little...

..and 'viola!'

Come tomorrow, we'll have to spray with oil/water, comb again and be on our way.

So, braids are waaaaay easier. Once they're in, they stay that way for a week or more with little maintenance. But, it's fun to see the afro every once in a while :)

Thanks for the Package Auntie Kris!

Back to School

It is hard to believe that the kids in our county are heading back to school on Monday. It's been 100 degrees here and it feels like school just let out...hardly what I remember back in my school days in MN. The air should be getting cool and classes should not start until September..right?! Anyway, we took advantage of the 'back to school' sales and Lily is enjoying new crayons, markers, glue, etc...we also got her a writing tablet to start practicing her letters come fall...when it is really fall!

Thank you Auntie Jerri!

My Aunt Jerri is an excellent seamstress! She made this coat for Kiah to wear a couple years ago and now Lily gets to wear it this fall/winter! It is so pretty....Thanks Jerri! (Ps....Lily was anxious to take it off b/c it is literally like a hundred degrees outside and the jacket is so nice and warm :)......)

POPCORN

Many of you may have read, POPCORN, a Frank Asch Bear Story. It was one of my favorites as a kid, and Lily's new favorite (she has a new favorite every week)! I promised her today that we would make popcorn like Sam the Bear, only we would not be filling the whole house with it! We had fun!

Getting the popcorn out...

Measured and ready....reading the story while we wait for the kettle to heat..

hearing the "test" kernels "Pop!

Ready...

Set..

Go...Pour in the popcorn!

Shake, Swirl.."pop. pop, pop!"

Little salt & butter...

First test....(while reading, "They ate, and ate, and ate...")

(stirring in more butter!)

Yumm!

So Fun!

Opening a Chapter....

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Please read "Closing a chapter" first....

(It feels like a train wreck to write this post just following the previous one, especially if you are just learning that we will not be able to adopt Amber.)
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Opening a new Chapter...

Baby Leach.

We made the decision to open our file for adoption this soon for three reasons:

-We deeply desire to have more children.  The pain of infertility is even greater after the loss of Amber.
-We desire to give orphans a family.
-Our home study will expire in 5 months.

Even though we would have liked to take a few months off from the 'adoption' roller coaster, we had to think about the fact that our paperwork was about to need updating.  The 'off time' would have given us rest in one sense but would have created more work and it would be more expensive in the end.  We are praying that in our time that we wait for Baby Leach, the Lord will heal our hearts as he did before, when he provided our Lily.

We need two miracles though....our agency has said we could get a baby in the next few months, pray that this is true.  We also need around $10,000.00 before this happens... Amber would have been completely paid for by grants we received.  Thankfully these grants will transfer to a new adoption! But we still need the "extra" before we can bring a baby home.  I am applying to more grant agencies, taking part in fundraisers, and more.  Please pray that the Lord would bless these means and Weyland's work shifts to provide us with 10 grand and Baby Leach in 3-4 months before our home study expires.
We know He can, He has done it before, but never the less it is an uncertain place to rest :-).

Closing a Chapter...

Amber.

I have been waiting to write this post, not because I like to keep all of our prayer supporters in the dark, but because we have not received word that the order has been finally written by the judge.  But, alas, time could drag on, so I am writing.

God is sovereign and good, let me say this first.  In all our pain, we believe this with ALL our hearts.

We learned July 8th that we were not chosen for Amber.  I was unable to post this news right away because the order had not yet been written.  Our lawyer had just happened to see the judge that day and spoke with him.  He told our lawyer  many nice things about us, but in the end, felt like Amber should stay where she was attached.

That simple.

After two years of praying, pursuing and hoping, this chapter was closed for us.  Please continue to pray for Amber and her family.  That she would know her heavenly Father who loves her.

It's the season for visitors at our house.....

My best friend came for a visit with her son Karsten, her mom, and her

sister! We had lots of fun! Unfortunately we did not make it into any

pictures together this visit....but here is everyone else!

They were our 3rd set of overnight visitors in the last two weeks and there are rumors that my family (K's) might role in next week for a week or so!  We are hoping they will be able to come...Lily is already assigning beds for everyone :-)

Morning Brew

We have had a busy last couple of weeks and we are sorry for the lack of news from our house...hopefully the 'news reel' will be a little more consistent now!

Lily knows that her mommy needs coffee in the morning! She also loves the credit for making it...knowing how much I like it:)

Goofing off...these two can't do anything without it!

Happy helper!

Grinding the coffee...it smells soooo good:)

Coffee grounds into the filter...

Putting coffee in...

Turing on the coffee pot....

Watching the first drips...

...success!

 Every once in a while she gets a little cup too (mostly milk w/splash of flavor!)!