Grand Marias Vacation (part 1)

The end of June we took a vacation to Grand Marias Minnesota.

We drove to Duluth and spent the night.  Then got up the next morning to continue our trip North along the shore of Lake Superior.  It was a gorgeous drive!

We stopped at Gooseberry Falls State Park for some hiking and photo's.

It's a breathtaking place to go!

The kids all made me a nervous wreck though!  I was so afraid they were going to get swept away.

When we got to our cabin, the first thing we did was head to the lake!

The water was 36 degree's!

Even though we warned the kids, it was not at all what they were expecting!

The evenings were in the low fifties, perfect for roasting marshmallows!

Jia is using her stick for a microphone!

We headed South a bit to Lutzen - Caribou Highlands Resort for some Alpine Sliding!

I hate the ride up, but the ride down is so worth it!

Here's the kids with their sleds, fixing to ride down the mountain.

You can hardly tell where the water ends and the sky begins!

Of course one of the first things I noticed when we arrived in Grand Marias was this!

Just today I made Jia a dress from the gorgeous hand painted fabric I bought here!

View of town from the Quilt Shop.

We played in town at the harbor for a while one afternoon.

We also drove up to the Canadian border just to show the kids.  We seen this bear close to Grand Portage.

Our Cabin on the lake!

One Reason...

One of the MANY reasons I am SEW BLESSED:

When we received Jia's file to review, it included a report from a well known, well respected American Cardiologist who had reviewed her medical file. Her diagnosis? A 4mm VSD, Pulmonary Stenosis and enlarged Ventricle Side of her heart.

When we arrived in the US with Jia, one of our first appoinments was with our cardiologist at Childrens Mercy, who confirmed the diagnosis. He told us not to worry, no surgery was needed, the VSD was small, there was no reason to limit activity and to just moniter her yearly.

Last year, I took her alone for her annual check up and was told ( this is what I gleaned from the all the big words Dr. G used ) that the VSD allowed the blood to flow through more quickly, and the Pulmonary Stenosis (narrow valve leading from the heart to the lungs) kept it from exiting as quickly as it should. Dr. G said if there was no change in the VSD and no change in the enlargement of one side of her heart, he would consider surgery the next year. This momma was like... "Say WHAAAAAAA??????"

Well, today was 'next year'. Jack took off work to go with us and we were both a little anxious. But I gotta tell you, this momma has been praying to Jesus for a year now to heal her heart because I do NOT want heart surgery for my mini me!

Our report? Her hole is measuring a bit smaller, 3.5mm (1/2 a mm, but we'll take it!), she's basically 'grown into' her enlarged side of the heart (meaning it's still enlarged, but she's grown and so the percentile is not outside of normal now, the very 'HIGH' end of normal (95%) but still w/i normal) and that Pulmonary Stenosis she was diagnosed with..... G.O.N.E.

Now tell me God isn't still in the miracle business. Our wonderful doctor had some medical jargon to explain that, but we're going with this: "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" James 5:16

So praise God with us and testify to His lovingkindness! We go back in a year and we'll keep on praying for that hole to shrink up! We are surely feeling SEW BLESSED!!!


Look among the nations and watch-
Be utterly astounded!
For I will work a work in your days
Which you would not believe, though it were told you!
(Habakkuk 1:5)


But certainly God has heard me;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor His mercy from me!
(Psalm 66:19)

North

We are headed North on I35... On our way to Grand Marais Minnesota for a much needed vacation! We got us a cabin right on Lake Superior, blue skies and a DVD player! Ahhhhh.....life is good!
If you follow JHAM on Facebook, then you already know we've been asked to advocate for waiting children through our ministry. So be watching for precious little faces to make their appearance soon! We appreciate your prayers and your help spreading the word about these children who are waiting for their forever family to find them! If Our agency had not advocated for Jia via Internet, we would not have found her. God has....can...and will continue to use the Internet to bring these children home and we are thrilled to be asked to be a part of it!
First off though, a little rest from all of our craziness lately. A little time to reconnect spiritually and bond together! We are stopping at Mall of America on our way back home. Pictures will be next week!
Joy

June 22, 2011 - 2nd Anniversary of Gotcha Day!

In celebration of Jia's 2nd Gotcha Day, I'm sharing a video I made to share with our church for National Adoption Month in November.

Also Celebrating Megan's 2nd Forever Family Day

and Emma's first year home with her family!

God is GOOD!

The little girl with the spiderman sandals...

2 years in review!

Referral Photo

(love at first sight)

First Family Photo

"Gotcha"

Meeting Jory at the airport

1 month home

September 2009

Meeting Caiya - her MaoGang sister that now lives in North Carolina

1st Forever Family Day - 6/22/10

Family Portrait

6?22/10

2011

We've discovered rollers!

Miss Attitude!

Playing TBall



A COOL TREAT FOR A GOOD CAUSE

A NOTE FROM WENDY'S... JUST IN TIME FOR FATHERS DAY!!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!


6/17/11
A cool treat for a great cause
Dear friends,

On Sunday, I’m taking my 84-year-old dad to Wendy’s to buy him a chocolate Frosty for Father’s Day. I’m celebrating him and all that he has done for me – for bringing me up and never letting me down. Will you join us?

Stop by any Wendy’s this Saturday and Sunday and support the work of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption -- for every Frosty product sold, 50 cents will be donated to the Foundation in support of foster care adoption. There are 115,000 children looking for families, and a dad like mine, to call their own.

It’s simple. When you go to Wendy’s, you help find families for children. A Frosty is a cool treat for a great cause.

Happy Father’s Day!

Rita
Rita Soronen

President & CEO

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption