Ellyana's Precious Dress & a heart for orphans

OK, this link is for these amazing dresses & lots of great links for supporting orphans as this family is on their journey of their 3rd adoption.

Check out this website, for beautiful fabrics & adorable styles (and absolutely amazing "customer service") Its not too early to order your Spring/Easter dresses :)

I have to say how happy Ellyana was to try on this dress (as you can tell from the pictures), it was so precious!

Here she is featured on the website,

http://itspoppydipblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/look-at-this-sweet-baby.html

(I put the link for "Its Poppy Dip" to the side of our blog also)

Enjoy!!!!

Is Jesus the Strongest!?!!

Brian's Grandpa Blume passed away unexpectedly on Wed. morning. He was ready to go & we were very thankful for the nice time we had with him at Christmas. We made a quick trip to the visitation & funeral & have answered more questions about death & dying from our boys than we can count (their 1st funeral in recent memory). We have tried to answer everything Scripturally & in an age-appropriate way...but sometime you just wonder what they are really comprehending!?!

Last night as Zach was eating his snack, he said....Mom, is Jesus the Strongest in the world? Oh, yes, He's the strongest of all! Zach then said, well, if He's the strongest is He going to be able to carry Great-Grandpa all the way to heaven in that tub?

Brian & I could not hold a straight face. After seeing Daddy & 8 other guys trying to carry the casket as pallbears... to a 4 yr old...heaven seems like a really far way to have to carry it ;)

We do rejoice that God's ways are above our ways & that Great-Grandpa can be in heaven!

Christmas & more

Our first "Christmas" was at home together before we left for 7 days to visit family. Ellyana seemed to enjoy things from the very start. It seems to be her motto, and we LOVE it! Christmas is always special, but it seemed extra special this year to see all the excitement in the kids!

We asked for "girly toys" for Ellyana for her for Christmas. She really knows how to push around little matchbox cars & make the "motor" sound just like her brothers...but she looks pretty happy with these new beads too! She is just starting to play with her baby dolls now, it is sooo cute to watch!

We enjoyed our final day with family at a hotel, the kids loved swimming in the pool!

Things have actually been warmer & less snowy here in Michigan than other places! Ellyana enjoyed a few trips down the really big hill at BJ's school with this week's snow. She was jabbering about the snow, who knows what she was saying, but she seems to really like it all!

BJ had fun at his basketball camp today. We had such a good time with our family & the few friends we saw over the holidays! Now it is back to everyday, busy life...praying we can keep Christ 1st in 2010!

Merry CHRISTmas & Happy New Year!

I posted the update on our lives in the 2 blogs below, but I remembered I had wanted to include this incredible C.S. Lewis quote that our friends had sent in their Christmas letter...in reference to how fast time passes, and our continued amazement at it...

C.S. Lewis said our being surprised by the passage of time is akin to a fish being surprised by the wetness of water. Time is the dimension in which we live. Of course it passes. But suppose, Lewis goes on to say, the fish is destined to be a land animal. In that case, he would find the water to be very strange. And of course, the reason we find the passage of time to be strange is because we know, deep down, that we are destined for eternity.

May our thoughts be focused on the Eternal as we continue to be amazed at "how time flies"!

Update 2...guess who is WALKING!?!!

This was at Thanksgiving, Ellyana found Great-Aunt Lucille's cane & decided she could take off...Great-Grandma & Aunt Theresa had to help :)

Those 1st wobbly steps

And here she is coming down the hall...one hand lifted for stability! She is just so precious to watch!

Update...Part 1

Lots of fun days to come with going to visit family & getting some days at home...today is the boys' last day of school till the New Year...hoorah!!!

Any one want us to make you something? Things are really sanitary here ;)

The boys anxious for snow after the neighbor gave them this cool sled for Christmas! I'm missing all the snow we had by this time of year last year...can't wait!

We will celebrate, I found several of these sticky notes around the house yesterday morning, after BJ slept in till 7:00 AM after his 5:15 AM streak....mommy was very happy, we may celebrate every night ;)

A little goofy before our church's Christmas program...the boys both said their parts so nice & sang well! We were very thankful!

I've been trying to take lots of pictures though I haven't been keeping up with posting... Ellyana got to celebrate more birthday with both sides of the family at Thanksgiving time, she loved it!

Pantry bandit!

Zach has been mommy's helper with cooking this year!

I'm going to attempt to post a different blog with our biggest news...Ellyana is walking...it is soooo cute!

Much love to you (sorry, for the random blog...tried to capture the last month in 10 minutes ;)! May you enjoy JESUS as the Reason for the Season! We have so much to thank the Lord! Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday, our precious Ellyana!

Birthday Girl got flowers from Grandpa & Grandma Knobloch yesterday!

The kids got special candy/toys from Ethiopia this morning after breakfast, they have been waiting to open them till Ellyana's birthday! We have been home 3 months, yesterday!

We had a special celebration tonight with family/friends...the Birthday girl enjoyed her day today...with lots of "Happy Birthdays" at church! Still more birthday to come as we look forward to celebrating with both sides of the family at Thanksgiving time!

After she tasted the frosting she decided to skip the fingers & just eat right off the giant cupcake!

Loving the frosting! It really was a "Happy Birthday"!

Ellyana Blume
Happy 1st Birthday!

E – Ellyana…I love it everytime someone asks what your name is…Ellyana it means “God has answered our prayers”… that’s what you are…our answer to so many prayers, its been 3 months since you are home & I think my eyes still fill with tears at sometime everyday…at the “amazingness” of having you here with us, our 17 pound bundle of answered prayer!!!

L – Light, you light up every room you are in…not sure if it is your beauty, your smile or your fun personality…probably just a lovely combination!

L – Laugh, you love to laugh…Little Miss Giggle…especially at your brothers, who endlessly perform tricks to get another giggle

Y – You, you are just perfect for our family…I shouldn’t be surprised, because the God of the Universe picked you just for us…but we think you are perfect…you remind us so much of the boys so its fun to see that God must think this is the kind of kiddos that are just right for our family!

A – Animated, yes, just like your brothers, there isn’t a moment that we don’t know what you are thinking…and we love it!

N – Never a dull moment, you are on-the-go…into everything & always trying to keep up with the boys!

A – Angel, that’s what we think you are…as very beautiful on the inside as you are on the out! A gift from heaven! Our little joy bell! Sister Bear, we love you…Happy Birthday, precious ONE!!!!

Thanks to each of you for your prayers along this amazing journey, we are so thankful!

My Aunt Sheila Steffen went home to heaven this morning, 41 years with Down Syndrome she has a new body & gets to be with Jesus tonight! Ellyana & I fly out Tuesday evening & fly back Wed night. for the funeral/visitation. I think the whole family would appreciate your prayers in this coming week! Thanks so much & God's blessings to you!