Thankful Sunday

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It's Sunday again? At least that's what the calendar says. This week was a blur. I think I threw into auto pilot or something. as you can see below the little darlings went to the Father / Daughter dance last night. And before anyone tells me they like my fireplace, it's not mine. It's at the dance,lol. I can only wish.




Isn't that moving picture cool! i can't watch it too long I get dizzy. But I love it.



I'm so very thankful that these girly girls have a dad that cares so much. And they will never know the flip side. I used to dread these dances when I was in school because I knew I wasn't going. My father was not in my life at all.


I'm thankful for this Princess who has such a sense of humor. She gave me the thumbs up to post this photo. What a face.

I'm thankful that March is just hours away. The battle between Winter and Spring will begin, inevitably we all know who wins each and every year!

I'm thankful we have an 11:00am Mass at Church. Any earlier and we would need divine intervention to get us all there.

And speaking of Divine intervention, I am so thankful I have knowledge and faith and belief of God in my life. I sit in amazement sometimes of the people who don't believe in any thing after death. How do they rise in the morning? It is so depressing to think that once you die... that's it.


I am thankful for Ann's Flower Shop. She is such a sweetie and so reasonably priced. Always has a kind word for you and pleasant conversation. She made these pretty corsages for Dad to give to his girls last night .

And I am thankful for showers. Which I am about to get into.

One thing I'm not so thankful for is we just became a one car family. Since the barter system is extinct , we also cannot get car number two fixed right now which makes life for this family of seven quite difficult.
Please say a prayer that we can be up and running soon.

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Vote for Me and I'll vote For You

This is a terrible picture of the poster but the photo above shows what it looks like



The NDSS had a campaign a while back. I think most of us participated in it. The More Alike than Different Campaign. I just voted for three cuties. That's the great part about it. You can vote for your child and two other sweets. So go check it out and while your there cast one vote for Emilia! Number 68!
Click here to view and vote.

More Music

I have finally added music, as you can see to your right. Olivia found this cute ipod. And you get to see the video or the words to each song. Now no one get yourself into a tither about it. If you don't like it or prefer not to listen then just pause it.
To tell you the truth I have to pause the music on your blogs while I am reading or I find myself reading the same sentence over and over. I guess I'm easily distracted.
A lot of you have really great music, so sometimes I just visit to play your music.

Well enjoy it or pause it, it's up to you. I just wanted to give a heads up.

Music ... Finally!!

Music expresses feeling and thought, without language; it was below and before speech, and it is above and beyond all words. ~Robert G. Ingersoll



Emilia joined a music group! Yesterday was here first visit. Andrew and Bella came along too. It was great. We sang so many cute songs. Now I just have to learn them. We played with scarves and instruments, lots of interacting with the songs.

Emilia got her first lesson in staying put. She wasn't to thrilled to have to sit with me. She would have much more preferred to walk/crawl around and check out all the new faces.

All in all she did very good for her first time. She is the youngest one in the group and I feel this is going to be a wonderful addition to all her other therapies. We finally have everything I wanted for her. I am faithfully learning new signs. We are signing to her more and more. She has PT and speech weekly, and OT every other week. That's the only thing I wish we could increase. For now her siblings give her OT every day just by interacting with her. I am so blessed to have their help. There is always someone to play with her or get her to practice her walking.

I love this little bundle so much. For all we need to do for her, she has done so much more for us. I couldn't imagine my life without her.

Just Hanging Around...

...with Daddy.

Emilia's 16 months

Miss Em is developing a little attitude. Now that she's 16months old, she thinks she knows everything.





When I ask her to sit and take a pretty picture, she plays with the cat.


Or completely ignores me and plays with her slinky.



Emmie can you look at Mommy and smile?

Come on Em, just one picture?



Nope! Now she's playing with Olivia.



A little patty cake.


Cute feet but not the picture I was hoping for. So this is Emilia Faith at sixteen months. Can't wait to see how she listens at sixteen years!!!

Thankful Sunday

another great photo by Sophie



Sunday again. We've had some beautiful weather this week. Sunny and in the forties. Can't ask for better than that for February.

So today I'm thankful for my alarm clock. Besides coffee it's the other thing I could not live without in the mornings.

Playdates and sleepovers!! With the kids out of school and no budget for entertainment, the kids still had fun with their friends this week.

Olivia's new pointe shoes. We have been putting off getting new ones for as long as possible, but dancing in her old ones she can easily get injured. The ones she has been wearing are about eighty dollars and last a few months.OUCH! but yesterday the girl at the store tried a different pair on her as they didn't have her usual in stock and low and behold Livy liked them. They were almost thirty dollars less! So mama LOVED them!

Tylenol! Miss Em is cutting a mouthful of teeth, and Tylenol lets the Princess get a good nights sleep.

Robins! They're back!!! Saw a whole flock of them yesterday. They are a promise that warmer weather is coming.

Lent. It's a time of prayer and fasting. A time to reflect on the forty days of fasting and praying Jesus went through in the desert. It's a time for me to get closer to Jesus. To make more time for prayer.
To walk through these forty days with Jesus by my side, think about the ultimate sacrifice he made for us. To remember out of the darkness comes a brilliant light... Easter! Eternal life for us!

Enjoy your Sunday!
God Bless

Cousin Itt

She looks like a young Cousin It. And yes I just dated myself! Please , don't any of you youngins' ask who Cousin Itt is!!!! Just Google him.lol

Sleepy Emmie

This is what happens when Miss E decides she doesn't need a nap.

And don't worry, we didn't let her sleep with food in her mouth. She perked up for a minute to wash it down with some milk. Then promptly passed out for the rest of the night.

Happy Birthday Tata!!!

One of Tata's visits to see us. Sophia was almost two. She spent every moment possible on Tata's shoulders. She would sing, "happy , happy, happy".


Tata is Polish for Daddy. Today is my Father- in - law's birthday.He is the only person I have ever called Daddy. My parents were divorced when I was a baby. When I was a little girl I used to sit in my room and pray that my father would come back, he never did (thank God), but I grew up always longing for a "daddy".

Two months after Peter and I were married I met Tata. He along with his wife Jola (Peter's mom died when he was 18, and Tata remarried an incredible woman) and son Michael came to America to visit us. We hit it off instantly. It was as if I always new him. We didn't speak the same language but understood each other perfectly.

They stayed for two months and when it was time for them to go it was the worst good bye ever. Since then we have met either here or in Poland four more times. That's not a lot of visits in the last almost fifteen years, but we have a lot of memories in those few visits, more memories than my real father could ever give me.

I don't think I can put into words exactly what you mean to me, Tata, except that I've been praying for you since I was a little girl. You are the daddy that I longed for.
God did answer my prayers for a daddy, long after I gave up and stopped praying.

I hope your day was fabulous!!!!!

Exactly four years ago we were all together in Florida. It was the happiest time ever. We haven't seen each other since then. I think it's time you come to visit us, Tata. You haven't meet Emilia yet!!!



Love you so much, Stefcia xoxox

Emilia Faith Walks!

Here she is. Sorry it's a long one. Please don't feel obligated to watch the whole thing. I just got carried away.

The Usual RI Panic

As I said yesterday,we panic easily here in RI. By 5:00pm Tuesday the whole state reported it would be shut down on Wednesday, so of course I went back to the store for more milk bread and eggs, and came home to wait for the inevitable.

And wait...

And wait...

10:00pm, Tuesday, nothing

2:30am, Wednesday, nothing

6:30am, Wednesday, nothing

OH COME ON!!!!!

8:42am, We have flakes!

Of course, inevitably the inevitable was late!

So today we have all the fixin's for a snow day party. A movie, sweets, ingredients for a cake. We love cake. And hot chocolate.

And I caught Emmie on tape! Will post her first steps soon!

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It's Coming!

Well it's almost Valentines Day and with it's arrival brings the traditional nor'easter! Just wondering if any one else celebrates Valentines Day this way? With a dumping of the white stuff. Every year we wait and seriously every year it comes. Not on the exact day of the 14th but always around it,since the blizzard of 78', which we are still twitching over. We are scarred for life from that one. I try to control myself, but at the mere mention of snow I send Peter to the store for milk and bread. I've been watching the blog updates, a lot of you have been heavily snowed upon.You've posted your beautiful pictures and I guess it's my turn. Can't say I'm really looking forward to it. but if you can't beat them, join them! You can't stop Mother Nature.

We'll put the bikes away and take out the sleds, stay home from school.
When life deals you another unwanted snow storm... make hot chocolate.

Sunday in the Park

Yesterday found us at our children' school for open house. Of course we are always the last to leave from where ever it is that we are leaving , just for the mere fact that I couldn't get all five kids in the same spot at the same time. Even Miss Em was whisked away by here adoring fans.
Well, because of that one of the teachers, who is also a sweet friend, sent us off with a boat load of left over hot dogs and buns, with the suggestion that we feed the ducks with the bread.

Great idea! So off we went.


Miss Em slept through it all.

Thankful Sunday

Here we are again. Right now I'm trying to write this post, feed the baby, threaten the rest to get dressed and lovely for church (including my hubby) and referee fights over Little Pet Shop Toys.

This week has had it's fair share of disappointments but that is not what this post about.

So here's some thankfulness.

Thankful for The Red Box. A movie for a buck. We watch Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, last night.

And OREOS, we all stuffed our faces last night.

Thankful for coffee, I could not live without it.

Thankful for Peter who ran out to the pharmacy around 10:30 last night to get my prescription. I take muscle relaxers at night for my back and I never remember I'm out of them until I am ready to go to bed and I realize the bottle is empty.

And right now as Andrew is screaming his sweet head off about who knows what ! I'm thankful that he has a set of healthy lungs to produce such a head spitting noise.

Thankful for the incredible deal I got on a coat for Andrew. Andrew's winter coat finally bit the dust after three years. There was very little in the "budget" (heheeh) for a new one. I said a prayer and went to Kohls. I scored an $85.00 coat for get this... $17.00!! YIPPEE. The girls were marking them down as I was shopping. So cool.

And I'm thankful and excited that last night Miss Em took 3 steps!!!!! We cheered and clapped so much for her she just laughed and smiled, and looked at us like 'What did I do"?

And if you hadn't noticed our button is ready to grab!!! Just copy the code. Thanks, Becky!!!
Everyone have a fun and blessed Sunday.

Wrestle Mania

Are you ready big sister?


Here I come.

Emmie and Sophie love to play wrestle on the floor. it's great exercise for Emmie and as you can see she gets such a hoot out of it.



But, she'll always take a break to smile at the camera. All while holding her opponent down.



You can tell Sophie is begging for mercy.


OK sis, I won't go too hard on you tonight. Let me help you up.

Another Baby in Need

I just copied this from a blog I follow, No greater gift.

Another baby in need.


We have just learned of a situation involving a little girl here in Ohio who has not yet been born and who is in need of a family. She was supposed to have been delivered via Cesarean section in early March, but it looks like her birth is imminent. The birth mother is currently in the hospital and has been given steroids to aid the development of the child's lungs as the end of the pregnancy draws near. In addition to being born somewhat premature, a neonatal neurologist believes that this baby girl is going to be blind and will have MRDD, hydrocephalus, seizures, and cerebal palsy. A final diagnosis will be made after the delivery, but this is what is expected at this point. The baby will be transferred to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus once she is born so that she can be evaluated for a shunt that will relieve the pressure caused by her hydrocephalus.
The reason that this precious little girl is being put up for adoption is that the birth mother is currently incarcerated. Because of her inability to parent the infant after she is born, we really need to find a family for her soon, lest she be placed into the foster care system. Up to this point, the birth mother has been calling the baby Annabelle, and hopes that the name can stay with the baby in some form. She would also like to receive annual updates on this girl via photos and a letter. The agency that is working to place her—Caring for Kids—is not charging any fees for their services. That means that the only fees that the adoptive family will face are the attorneys' fees, although there might be minimal fees for post-placement visits, as well.
Anyone who is interested in adopting this baby girl, please write to annabelle@theshepherdscrook.org for more information. And please join us in praying for this tiny one's future.
In Him,
Greg
Administrative Assistant

I'm Blue

And I'm not talking about her eyes. For a couple of weeks Miss Em has been getting into something that makes her blue. At first I thought it was a marker, but as we searched the house there were none at her level. It happened a second time and I was totally confused as to what she was getting into. This morning she was caught red handed or shall I say blue handed. Sorry I couldn't help it.

What's turning her blue is a CD cover. A cardboard one that the kids got in a Happy Meal . Mystery solved , CD cover gone!!! Unfortunately the blue doesn't wash off very easily so she'll be sporting this lovely shade for the rest of the day.



P.S I'm sending out one more plea for help to get my button right ( you can see it in my sidebar). If someone knows what I need to do so others can grab it I would appreciate it. My computer programmer by trade hubby is stumped by this one!

Button Help

Peter has set up a new web site. It is a site about special needs of all kinds. The name is Heroes - Talk . There we hope to spread the good news about our gems and hopefully educate. We've also been posting about the difficulties in adoption. The newest nightmare is now the good ol' U.S.A has started denying Visa's to children from Uganda that have adoptive parents waiting for them. I have a button on my blog with Emmie's face in it. That will take you to our website.

The help I need is if someone can tell me how to get a code so others can post it on their blogs too. I know a lot of you have your own buttons. I would really appreciate it.
You can e- mail me instructions, rarefindings@verizon.net

Thanks !!!

Lera Needs a Forever Home

Are you her forever family?????????????????????????????????
She's running out of time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Contact Reece's Rainbow!

Water 101... It's Wet!

And yucky, especially when it's the cats drinking water.



And you're sitting in it. "Come on mommy, get me outta here"!




And your mommy is taking pictures of you. " Are you kidding"!!!!

Emilia gave herself a little OT before her PT this morning. She can empty the bowl. Maybe next time she should pick the bowl with blocks in it. At least she has given up on eating the cats food.

Is There a Toy For This Kid??

Come on Emmie!


This is the first time she ever crawled through the doorway.

This is her reaction when we clapped for her.


Kind of knocking down the blocks.


It's almost impossible to get Emilia interested in any kind of a toy or activity which doesn't include starring at your face. Does anyone else have this, and I hate to use the word problem because she certainly enjoys people watching. But she won't play with her toys, although she does enjoy banging things together. But, no stacking or putting objects into a bucket. She will definitely empty the bucket, lol.

She just started OT a couple of weeks ago. I've been nagging them for it for months. Early Intervention is so shorthanded. I think I'm really going to like her new OT, she has a lot of really good ideas. Hopefully Miss Em will be interested.