Just to make you smile...

Here are a few short videos taken recently. They aren't anything amazing, but they give a peek into Daniel's personality!

I just love the shrieking and running  =)

 

Daniel vs. Orajel

 

Swimming in the kiddie pool @ staff retreat. He LOVED that he could touch the bottom and repeatedly did this move!

Baby Steps in the Right Direction

This afternoon Daniel and I stopped by Gentle Hands on our way home from church, to visit for a bit and the to take two of the older girls home with us. Krystal & Angelika were pretty excited to come to my house for a sleepover, and spent about 1/2 an hour packing a bag for the night.

And yes, they forgot their toothbrushes.

While they packed, I had a chance to talk with Charity about the direction of the adoption. When I last talked with Charity, she was waiting to set up a meeting with the director of the DS*D. Well, it finally happened! She presented Daniel's case and I now have a NEXT STEP. Wahoo! At some point in the not too distant future, I will need to attend a mandatory adoption forum seminar thing, where I will learn the requirements of adoption. Maybe after that I'll be able to answer the myriads questions everyone asks, which I currently have NO idea about!

On a side-note, I think its rather funny that this gorgeous little boy has grabbed a hold of my heart. I always envisioned daughters, yet figured God would be funny enough to give me sons. Voila...enter Daniel!

Entertaining the crowds with his buddy Ezra and their amazing piano playing, Daniel can't resist flashing a smile at the camera.

Crazy Love...Again!

In March, I posted in response to Linny at A Place Called Simplicity when she challenged readers to share their needs with the world regarding adoption and other pressing circumstances. Well, another challenge has been issued, this time specifically about orphans, either people in the midst of an adoption (oh how I WISH I was there now - but since I don't know if anything has been started, well...), or a ministry that serves orphans.

So, its option B that I'm posting about today. Gentle Hands, which currently houses around 60+ orphans or kids with unlivable home situations, is building a new building to expand their facility. Believe me, all those people do NOT fit so well in the space they're in, so this building is a HUMOUNGOUS blessing. However, there is a serious deficit in the finances to pay for this building, which, by the way, is currently under construction with the 3rd floor in progress. The need is around $100,000 to finish the project. Wow, that really is a lot of money! But the number of lives that can be saved with the ability to house more kids is totally worth it. Gentle Hands is one of very few children's homes in the Philippines that is willing to take in children with special needs or compromised health. Babies and children are rescued from hospitals, dropped off at the door, and pulled from the dark recesses of abuse and suffering. This is a place where God does HUGE healing miracles, of health and hearts, and a place for life to start again.

On the right of the page, there is a link to give to Gentle Hands. If you have any questions, please comment and I'll get back to you.