Bringing Home Our Two Little Bulgarian Lovebugs TRIP TWO

FURBY FUND RAISER

2012-10-21T11:30:00.001-07:00


FURBY FUNDRAISER FOR BRASKA AND ZACK

STARTING BIDS ARE AT $20.00

ONCE YOU PLACE YOUR BID DEPOSIT YOU BID ON OUR RR ACCOUNT AND A WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT.

YOU CAN PM ME ALSO WITH YOUR BID AND DIRECTLY SEND YOUR PAYMENT TO OUR PAYPAL LINK.

YOU CHOSE THE COLOR ONCE THE AUCTION IS OVER.

REMEMBER THE MORE YOU TIMES YOU BID THE BETTER THE CHANCES OF WINNING.

Happy Birthday My Sweet Baby Girl

2012-10-19T14:34:00.001-07:00

Happy 7th Birthday our Sweet Little Girl

Tomorrow our little girl will be 7 years old. So hard to believe that this is our Second Birthday with Sarah Christiana "Our Little Chrissie"

Here are a few of last years Photos and as you can see she is the most beautiful precious child our Lord has given us. Oh how blessed our family is to be able to share each day with Chrissie. She is just precious and not just because she is our child but a child our Lord has chosen to let us love. There has not been a day we have not enough each giggle, each smile and the endless kisses. How can we thank our Lord and everyone who help us in bringing her home to our family. If it were not for "About A Child Agency-Victoria Kats, Dreams Adoptions-Toni, Reeces Rainbow Family and all our family and friends Chrissie being here would not have happened. Again we are truly blessed...

One Step Closer

2012-10-19T14:15:00.003-07:00

This week we got our final stamp applied on our I800 Approval and it has been forwarded to the National Visa Center. So within 10 days we should be issued our Article 5. Next step a signature from the MOJ in Bulgaria this will allow us to be assigned a judge and a court date. After court we have a 10 day wait for our adoption to be final and the children will be finally ours on paper but at the moment they have captured our hearts.. During the next months we will need to raise the necessary funds in bring our children home. So I ask that you keep our family and our children in your prayers...

We got our Golden Ticket

2012-10-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

ONE YEAR SINCE OUR COMMITMENT WITH BRASKA N ZACK

2012-10-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

It has been one year with our adoption of Braska and Zack. Tonight I am adding another Adoption Ticker on. The ticker will be how many days it has been since we seen both children last. Praying this time passes us quickly but also praying we have the much needed funds to pay our agency. We are in great need of funds to complete our adoption and also to travel to bring them home. Without final agency fees our pick up date will be also delayed. So I ask for everyone's help.. You can donate direct our our PAYPAL or through Reeces Rainbow. www.reecesrainbow.org for the Davis Family for Braska and Zack.. Every dollar is appreciate and we thank everyone who has helped us during our journey to bring our children home..

Pumpkins-Pumpkins-Chrissie-n-Christian

2012-10-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

And Christian has choosen his pumpkins.

It is Pumpkin time at the Davis Home!!

What a toot Christian is.

Christian is our family's clown.

Gentle and kind.

Chrissie is our serious child.

This will be her second Halloween being home.

Yes fall is here and the pumpkins are arriving at the market. My grandson Christian and Chrissie just love being able to chose their pumpkins for this special day. Halloween is also my mother's birthday. Our family celebrates Halloween difference than most families. On this special day we do not celebrate ghosts or gobbins. We sat aside this day as a day to remember my mother. For Halloween she had always set aside for her children and grandchildren. She would make candy apples, popcorn balls and we would all sit around painting our pumpkins and enjoying one another company. I remember smelling her pies and the cookies that filled the fall's air. My mother had a smile bigger than any mother could have. She was a special and loving mother. And with each new family member we would make a special Halloween Cake just for them and one for my mom. Also if a new baby was due we would decorate a mini-pumpkin just for them. Unfornuately my younger children never got to meet my mother. She died in 2000 the year before we adopted our Makayla. And since then I have kept this tradition of our family's Halloween Night. Gary and I would go out during the week with all the kids and chose the biggest pumpkin we could find. Not a store brought pumpkin but one from the fields of thousands of pumpkins. We would sit down and each child would dig their hands to remove the seeds which we would dry out and then roast. Saving a few seeds to grow our own pumpkins. On Halloween night we would light this large pumpkin to remember my precious mother. This week as I hurry to complete my documents for the second stage in this adoption. Each day I started to think back of my mother when I was a child. Oh how I miss her and the days we had with one another. Just hearing her voice each day as she grew older I knew one day I will soon like her be a grandmother. And now a grandmother of 12 grandchildren and one on the way. My life is never dull and always filled with giggles and laughter all around me . Some days there are days with children and grandchildren spilling their drinks on my carpet or crayon marks on the walls. But each and every grandchild and child each so difference and special. As you walk in the doors o our home you can tell it is a home filled with the signs that children have been there. As you enter in the front door you are greeted by our guinea pig Toni and hamster Scooter. Then a living room filled in toys and books. Our walls are filled with photos of one big family of love. How blessed am I to have this family and to be their mother and grandmother. With only months away in bringing Braska and Zack home we have painted two small chairs just for them. One pink and one blue. As we save every penny we can it is still hard with coming up with the remaining funds. So this weekend and every weekend we will continue to try and raise and save the needed funds. Our Lord will guide us in having enough but I worry like most mothers do. So I ask my friends and family to help us during this time. So please I ask you to please think of these two children. They both deserve holidays filled with pumpkins and the smell of home made cookies filling their air. Having a bed of their very own with a pillow to rest their small heads on.. But most of all a father and a mother to love them. In just a few days our Chrissie will turn 7 years old. We first saw her photo for adoption when she was turning 4 years old. It has been a year since we seen Braska and Zacks;s photo and committed. And still a few months left before we bring them home and to get them here we need the extra funds. I ask and pray for your help at this time.. God Bless Denise Peddington Davis

IN TWO DAYS, IT WILL BE ONE YEAR SINCE WE COMMITTED TO OUR CHILDREN

2012-10-09T00:55:00.000-07:00

In just two days it will be one year since we committed to our children. Time has really passed by quickly. Praying this next year we hear something from Immigration on our approval and shortly afterwards the next steps to follow for a court date. We should be receiving back documents from our State's Commission Office any day and these will be forwarded to a family traveling to Bulgaria to give to our attorney.. Once there they will be translated and ready for when our Article 5 is received. Once the Minister of Justice signs the documents a judge is assigned and a court date is given.. So praying for a court date in December. Mean while we are saving and raising the remaining agency funds and travel funds for Trip Two. Praying to be able to travel in January to February of 2013. What a Happy New Year this will be. Wishing we could have them home by Christmas but next Christmas they will be home.

Please again I ask for prayers and also if you can share our blog with others so we can raise the much needed funds to bring them home. God Bless.

Our little Chrissie

2012-10-09T00:41:00.003-07:00

Little Chrissie

You wonder sometimes why children ask you certain questions and you just don't know what to say back.
The other day while my husband was in the kitchen our youngest little girl Chrissie ask her dad a few questions. Like most little girls they can make one question into hundred. But the one question could bring one father to tears. "Daddy when will I ever grow up and not be cripple any more?" With little pink braces on her legs and crutches by her side she wiggles to crawl up in her wheelchair to catch the school bus. With a smile that will melt butter she looks up for answers. And then told us she wanted new feet for her birthday.

With her birthday just weeks away new feet we can not get I told her but we can get some new shoes. But she replied back I want new feet to dance and run. And no matter what shoes we found they can not make her run and dance. Now remember this is a six year old turning seven in a few weeks. Nightly as I remove her tiny socks and rub them with powder and prepare her or bed it finally sunk in. Never once did I think of my child's disability or her being difference from other children. All I could see was my little angel with the precious smile. Sometimes we as parents do not think our children notice as much as they do and also noticed they are difference. Chrissie was born with Spina Bifida and both of her feet are club. This making it very difficult or her to stand very long or walk short distances. With pink little braces, pink crutches and a pink wheel chair everything you think might make Chrissie's life a little easier can not replace the fact she will always be in this condition. She will never be able to run or maybe not even dance like her friends but she has one thing they do not. She has a smile and such love I have never seen in another child like her. This little girl as precious as life it's self is truly a blessing from our Lord. There has never been a person that Chrissie has met that has not feel in love with her. She is silly and with the funniest little giggle. As we were tucking her into bed I told her you know I have never know such a sweet curly headed little girl like her. And that also I am the proudest momma in the world to be able to brush and comb her hair. For she is one of our Lord's sweetest little Angels here on earth. I told her about Heaven and also about yes one day you will be able to run and dance. Not just dance but to be able to dance with Jesus. And you will be able to run with the angels. As she was falling to sleep she giggled and laugh and told me she would see me in Heaven to watch her run and dance. And also to tell Daddy not to worry or cry because she will be okay.

As a parent we see our kids as perfect and not with a disability but as our child. It does not matter to us if they are sick or disable we love them unconditionally. As I close the door to my child's room and wheel back her pink wheelchair I think of how blessed we are to have her in our life.

We adopted Chrissie on March 18th, 2011 and Chrissie came to the US on May 13th, 2011.

Not has not been one day we have not had a smile or a giggle from her.

MY ADOPTION TROLL

2012-10-07T21:46:00.002-07:00


ADOPTING MOTHERS EAT TROLLS FOR BREAKFAST. DON'T MESS WITH AN ADOPTING MOMMA AND HER KIDS. A MESSAGE FOR MY TROLL. IF I FIND YOU I WILL EAT YOU!!!!

Off to work & a busy-busy weekend

2012-10-05T12:21:00.003-07:00

Hard to believe after all these years of education I am working as a Mascot. I am the shorter one in the moose's costume. Yes the one with it's mouth open. :O)) Spending most of my weekends working on the side to bring in enough funds to help with our agency fees, airline and travel fees for our second trip. It may look like fund work :O) and it is to work around children who love you.. But inside these costumes it is very hot and 30 minutes seems like a full day. As I dance and hope and skip all I can think of is Braska and Zack. It is amazing what a momma will do for the children they love. Time will arrive quickly so we are saving every nickle and dime we can to add to our travel fund. So when you see a funny moose think of me and how much I love these two kids.

When to discuss adoption

2012-10-05T12:08:00.002-07:00

When I saw this photos I just had to add it to my blog. And yes my dogs also think I am their real Momma.

IS one of these little girls your daughter? Or maybe both?

2012-10-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

RITA is such a little beauty! She is 7 years old and has Arthorgryposis. Developmentally, she is doing quite well. I have additional photos and a video of her that were taken yesterday. She talks very well and has made huge improvements toward overcoming her physical limitations and becoming more independent. She needs a FAMILY before she is transferred to an adult institution!!!!

SADIE is also 7 yrs old and has just physical disabilities. She has a wonderful personality and is quite smart! I had to laugh when the director said that Sadie "mothers" the other children in her group and reminds the staff that they need

to change diapers and feed children :) There ARE treatments that can improve her physical health available in the US. She desperately needs a family that can help meet those medical needs! I have photos and videos that were taken yesterday of Sadie.

Both these little girls are available for adoption. And if you are interested they are both waiting for a momma and Poppa. So why are you waiting? Both children are available through About A Child Agency. www.aboutachild.org

THE I800 is in the Mail :o)

2012-10-04T13:09:00.001-07:00

All documents are complete and the last and final one the I800. As I went to seal the envelope just one last look inside. Removing the documents and carefully one by one reviewing each one I carefully placed them back inside. Hard to believe in this one Priority Mail Envelope holds the faith of the two little ones we have grown to love so dear. I wonder if the person opening the envelope only knew how our family has already prepared not only our home but in our hearts. Little beds are now being placed in their rooms with small stuff animals to lay upon their small beds. Names have been chosen for each child for the start of their new beginning. I have made several dresses for Braska and blankets for little Zack. Now at night they will be rocked, held and read to each night. Their heads will be kissed and they will be tucked in with their favorite toys. So many memories lay ahead for these two children and for our family. How blessed we are to have met these two children.

In the next couple of weeks we will try and raise the much needed funds to complete our adoption. Saving the money to adopt can be stressful. And I try to be very frugal about all. Today I read this passage from the bible.
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" Phillippians 4:19
God has been so gracious during Chrissie's adoption and also Braska and Zack. Without the help of several people it would have been very difficult or maybe even impossible. I say this to myself over and over our Lord has lead us to these two children. And even when there were days of nasty comments, delays or set backs I know God in his time will guide us to them. I can not say that this will be our last adoption because I do not know at this moment. What I do know is that our Lord, Our God above has his plans or us all. And I will patience and follow his loving words.

Nightly when our home is silent and you can only hear the creaks of the house settling I stop to review photos of the children. I wished I had taken more but much of my time was spent trying to hold on to the two of them as much as I could. To snuggle and nest with them in my arms. As I unpack my luggage I think of what I worn each day during a visit. Trying not to cry I think and wonder about their days. I pray that they stay well and that they are healthy and feel no pain. CF is hard on a child and there is alot of pain involved daily. Seeing little Zack and watching as he tries to eat it is even difficult or him to do so. His little throat is raw from the Acid Reflux and his small stomach rumbles because it is filled with gas. Daily meds, daily therapy and the pain involved just breathing is hard. As taking a simple breath for us is so hard for both of these children.

Today as I drop this large white Priority Mail Envelope out the outside I place my :O))
Now all we can now do is wait and pray. And also raise these remaining funds. Again I ask for prayers each day for Braska and Zack, for our Family and the remaining travel funds for our second and final trip.

A few videos o the kids

2012-10-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

New Shoes

2012-10-03T18:43:00.002-07:00

Zach getting some new shoes.

11 Months, 2 weeks & 6 days

2012-10-03T18:26:00.002-07:00

It will be almost one year since we made our commitment to adopt Braska and Zack. And still we have to wait till several more months for a court date and then to travel. Time is quickly passing us by and during this time we will prepare for our second and final trip. With prior trips to Bulgaria we have met so many wonderful people and have been able to enjoy the beauty of Bulgaria. Nightly Patrick talks about his Fries with Cheese. Boy does Patrick love Cheese and his especially loves Bulgaria Cheese. :O)) Here is one fo Bulgaria's famous Pizzas.

Oh how Patrick loves peppers.

Some of the pepper's from Tonia's garden.

And a few more peppers.

The day prior to leaving we had dinner with my sweet sis and friend. Not a day goes by I do not think about her.

Tonia

And oh how I miss her and love her. She is a true inspiration and angel for the many children and families she has helped. There are many times she will suffer in pain to see these small souls with loving homes. Nightly I pray for her health so she can complete her dream in helping as many children as possible with families. For anyone that does not know her she is just precious.....


Me & Tonia

The Documents are in the mail :O))

2012-10-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

Today we finished up the last of the documents to be apostilled by our State's Commision Office. Then in about a week these documents will be off there way to Bulgaria to our Attorney. Tomorrow we will be finishing up our I800 and it off in the mail. :O)) Now all we can do is wait and pray for our final approval and a court date.

Mean while we will work hard on raising the much needed funds for travel and agency fees. So for the next couple of months we will be busy-busy.

Tonight I wonder about Braska and Zack. I wonder how both of their days have been and I wonder if they remember us and also that we are coming back for them. with our last adoption it was so hard waiting between trips and then just waiting for a court date seemed like forever.

Last night was such a difficult night for me. Much of the night I cried and cried just because of some comments that I received on this blog. I spent most of the night wondering just who hated me this much to upset me and also try to make me feel awful about adopting. In my heart I know I am a good mother and I know I will be the best mother to these two children. When both Patrick and I held them they held on tight to where we could not breath. So why would someone say I was an awful mother and they do not even know me. My heart is the kindest heart and I am always filled with love. I love people especially children and pets. Why would someone try and hate me so to hurt me? In my heart I try and not feel hate to anyone and at the moment I feel no hate only the feeling o wondering why. I know in this world we can not please everyone or make everyone happy. If you see each day I write I leave a smiley face :O)) And this is me :O)) I love to smile so crying is not me or will not be me. I want in this world to leave my smile to all when I leave this earth. :O)))

Comment Section and yes there are tears tonight ;o(

2012-10-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

I have taken down the comment section to our Adoption Blog and also have made Braska and Zack's Blog private. Having a blog made it able for us to share photos and updates. And also help in assist our family in raising the much needed funds to adopt both Braska and Zack.

On our Adoption Blog I was totally honest in Gary and my ages of 55 years. I never once thought our ages were an issue of whether the both of us were good parents or not. Today I received a comment from someone who lived in Shreveport Louisiana posing as one of our neighbors. Each of my surrounding neighbors know how much Gary and I love our children. So whom ever this may be I do not understand why they would post such evil words and not even leave their name. It is one thing to state an opinion but to say it without leaving your name is a coward and not my neighbor. I love my neighbors so I know that it is not someone close to our family and these words do hurt no matter whether a friend, neighbor etc..

In each of my posts on my blog I post how I honestly feel. I love all my children and they love me. When I look into their small eyes I see that I am their mother and they need me. From each child I feel their love. So***I can not let Braska and Zack down either they need Gary and me. We may not be the most wealthiest people in the world with funds but we have one another. Our family is filled with love and each on of us love one another. Never once in my entire life did I ever try to and upset anyone.. I am the type that can not even kill a bug or spider. I am always the person who comes running to help or give what I could.
When my grandchildren visit I see that they are loved and this would not show if their own parents were not loved. Again I am puzzled that someone would say words to hurt and upset me during this happy time.

It takes a lot to make me cry and believe me I am not weak. But like any person I do have feelings and I take what others say highly. And hearing awful repeated comments it has taken a toll today. Oh I pray I do not feel hate in return for I do not want to hate anyone. I pray nightly and also through out the day so I wonder just what made this person choose me to hurt. Again I pray no one should ever have any one try and destroy their dream of adopting. This is not our first nor last adoption. We may later in the future adopt again and I leave this up to our Lord to decide.

During our adoption with Chrissie the same thing happen with nasty posts on our Adoption Blog. Same person it seems for the writing and contents the same. I tried to ignore this person but after several days I guess it finally grabbed at my heart. I try and not feel hate or be upset but I am human. Just knowing some one could be this darn cruel is upsetting. Especially when so many people and family members are looking forward to Braska and Zack coming home.

When we were on our trip visiting the children there were no words of how happy we were meeting them. Nothing can take way this feeling or no one can.. I will fight to complete our adoption for we love these children. I ask our Lord to give me the strength to ignore and forget these nasty comments. I ask for your prayers tonight or me to wake with a clear head.. I know our Lord is there and I must also not let this upset me so. I pray no one else feels as I do this one moment as I am feeling....

I800, studying and more

2012-10-01T15:52:00.002-07:00

Spent most of our weekend compiling everything we need to submit our I800, downloading and printing out our final documents. These documents will be sent to our Attorney in Bulgaria for Power of Attorney. This will make it able or our attorney to represent our family in court for Zack and Braska's adoption. Praying we hear something within the next two weeks about our approval and that our Article 5 is being forwarded to Bulgaria. Praying for a date in early December and we will be able to pick up our children the next year.

After some nasty comments on CF I posted early a post on CF to better educate others about CF. Our family has joined a support group for children with CF and this will help educate us and prepare our family

to assist the children once they arrive home. I spoke today to several physicians here in Shreveport who will assist in our children's care and we have been preparing for their upcoming arrival home. The main issues with children with CF is their lungs and their digestive tracks. We have learned that it is very difficult for children to gain weight due to their digestive tracks so we have inquired also on a feeding specialist once the children arrive home to monitor both their diets.

As you can tell through the photos of Zack weight gain has been a big problem. His tiny arms are just skin and bones as well as his little legs and feet. Again I ask and pray for everyone to pray for these two small children.. Winters are hard in Eastern Europe and having lung issues makes it even harder for these two.

What is Cystic Fibrosis? Please Read

2012-10-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

What You Need to Know
What Is Cystic Fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and
obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.
Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis
People with CF can have a variety of symptoms, including:

very salty-tasting skin;
persistent coughing, at times with phlegm;
frequent lung infections;
wheezing or shortness of breath;
poor growth/weight gain in spite of a good appetite; and
frequent greasy, bulky stools or difficulty in bowel movements.

Statistics

About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year.
More than 70% of patients are diagnosed by age two.
More than 45% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.
The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is in the late 30s.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Since 1955, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has been the driving force behind the pursuit of a cure. Thanks to the dedication and financial backing of our supporters — patients, families and friends, clinicians, researchers, volunteers, individual donors, corporations and staff, we are making a difference.

Learn more about Testing for Cystic Fibrosis.
Explore all aspects of Living with CF at every stage of life.
See what Treatments are available and what’s in development.

Video of Braska & Zack

2012-09-29T19:02:00.000-07:00

A video of our 1st Trip to see Braska and Zack

And a few more photos

2012-09-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

A little food

2012-09-29T17:27:00.002-07:00

Add caption

And more photos

2012-09-29T17:23:00.003-07:00

More Photos

2012-09-29T17:18:00.001-07:00

On happy big brother

Guess who loves who?

Zack is number one!!

Zack is showing Patrick the Ball Pit.

What a smile.

Such a precious little guy.

Bringing Home Our Two Little Bulgarian Lovebugs **TRIP TWO**