About

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I am a mom to eight lovely children,  four grew within me and four grew apart from me, but all have grown in my heart. We have been together as one forever family since July 2016, after a two and half year long adoption journey that began with our first orphan hosting trip through Project143.

My blog originated with the beginning of our adoption journey. My very first post, “How do you do it” answers the question I was first posed endlessly–“How do you decide to adopt five siblings all at once?” Click on the link and find the answer to that question and read my all-time most viewed post.

For those who are curious about the endless stacks of paperwork it takes to complete an international adoption, you may want to take a peek at my post “the paper chase” that explains a bit of the beginning steps of our adoption journey, with regards to the mounds of paperwork it entails.

Additional questions, such as the reason why we chose international versus domestic adoption or why we chose to adopt older children, click and see the post titled, “Questions” which addresses these and more.

For an insider’s view of our first hosting trip with the boys, look at the post “Interview Questions with Tiny Green Elephants”.

For those who may think we never faced problems or struggles or fear or doubt during our adoption, please see these following posts that addresses all of these issues.

Our adoption was made final in Latvia on Thanksgiving Day 2016. How appropriate. You can view a photo video of our journey over the past two years at my post, “Whatever you do just don’t lost heart.”

As for me, here is a little bit more about my background. I have my Master’s degree in Education with my Teaching Certificate to teach K-8th grade, from The University of Michigan (GO BLUE!). My undergraduate degree is in Psychology with a Social Work minor. Working with vulnerable children is something I have always been drawn to.  I have worked as a youth mentor, behavioral therapist for autistic children, and I have worked for several groups homes as both a child care counselor and later as a Director of Training. In the public school system  I taught grades PK, K, 2, 3, and 4 and subbed them all. Finally, for a few years I opened a home-based preschool which I loved! Currently I’m happy to be able to homeschool my children and spend time with my loving husband of 17 years who works in the medical field.

kidsA photo of all the littles taken recently.Not pictured above is my wonderful 21-year old daughter, who is my right-hand woman. I don’t know what I would do without her help!

fam2016roblaughA photo of our entire family taken Christmas 2016.

Today our kiddo makeup now looks like this: 21, 11, 10, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4.  If you are following along closely on my blog, you may have noticed we are missing one boy (the now almost 15 year old boy whom we hosted four times). You can read more about why this is in my post, The Battle.

UPDATE::: God is a God of redemption, and this 15 year old I mention above is NOW 17 and officially our son! Praise God! You can read the story in my post, Replace fear with FAITH.

Our kiddo makeup now looks like this: 24, 17, 14, 12, 12, 10, 9, 7, 6. the photo below was taken the day after coming home from our second adoption of our oldest son.

As I said, I originally started this blog to talk about our beginning adoption journey. As we are nearing the end of our official adoption and immigration part of that journey, I believe my blog will evolve to cover new topics. I hope to branch out and share a little more about how my home functions and what I have learned over my twenty-four year parenting journey that continues. Writing on the blog is creative fun for me. I enjoy the interactive atmosphere of the blogging style of writing. As I move forward with the blog, I want to share, learn, inspire, encourage, help, teach and connect. Thanks for stopping by and reading through.😍

115 thoughts on “About”

  4. Yes, I’ll agree you need as many prayers as you can get! Wow…looks like a photo of the Walton or “Brady bunch” family! Bless you all!!!!! Thank you for the visit and please stop by my place anytime. I follow those who follow me and I’ll do my best to get back your way as soon as I have time…

    Thanks so much for sharing.

    Steve

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  6. This makes me smile. I just wish I could be part of your family. But I would more suit a grandmother role. LOL
    Thanks for sharing and I know it won’t all be plain sailing, but I know that those children are so blessed to have such amazing parents.

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  11. Crazy Love Parents, how did we miss meeting for all this time????
    I am both Honored and Humbled to know that you had super human vision all along.( And I am addressing the both of you}
    I raised 4 Sons who are all Fine, Good Men.
    Sincerely,
    Robert

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  14. What a story! I thought from going from 3 children to 6 was a big deal. We are a blended family, so we have 3 in the house on a regular basis and the other 3 every other weekend, holidays, and extended times during the summer. It’s exciting and scary at the same time to see what God does. I look forward to learning from the lessons God teaches you as you share those with the blogging community! God bless you and your family!

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting, Matthew! I appreciate it. My oldest is from my first marriage, so we also have some blending in our family. Sounds like you have a lovely family as well. ❤ Looking forward to reading more of your blog. 🙂

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  16. What an amazing woman you are! May God continue to give you strength, wisdom and His love for these kids. I am so impressed! Press on! 🙂

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      1. We also have an adopted son (only one), and he is already an adult, with his own family and children, but I have worked with families who adopted children, siblings as well, and I know what you have gone through. Many blessings to you,
        Dolly

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      2. Oh that is awesome to hear, Dolly! Thanks for sharing. Adoption is not for the faint of heart. I heard that when were first started the process and only now, more than two years later, am I learning what that truly means! Thanks for sharing and blessings to you and yours as well!

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      4. 🤣🤣 Yes, this is true. Hopefully, it won’t be as bad as those years I spent working in group homes with 6 very troubled teens in a house at a time. My hats go off to those workers, that was by far the hardest job I ever had! Praying we will make it through! ☺️☺️Take care, Dolly!

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      5. Of course it will be terrible, as it always is, adopted or not, and of course you’ll live through it – everybody does! My hat is off to you – I only worked with kids like that at school, and I only had one at home. At some point we tried to have a dorm arrangement for three boys, but it was not a successful experiment so we just ran the ESE school and provided lots of support for parents, biological or adoptive. Blessings!

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  20. So glad to find your blog. I am Gramama to six. It seems that with all your experiences before, that a houseful of beautiful children would be easier. Prayers and blessings for you and your family as you continue to know and experience the Lord’s will for you. Whenever you have time and are led, please visit GOD’S GRACE ~ GOD’S GLORY. Looking forward to your postings. ~ Fran

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Fran. Yes, I feel as though God had been preparing the way all these years for us to bring these children home. As you look back, you can connect the dots. Isn’t that how it always is? Looking forward to checking out your blog as well! 🙂

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  24. Good morning Christina, how are you, hubby, and the rest of the family? As I mentioned in a reply to you yesterday, I’ve read all of your posts! So I just thought I would say “hi” on your ABOUT page. Hope all is well with everyone and hope to hear from you soon…

    Steve

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    1. Thanks, Steve! We are all doing well. Enjoying some unseasonably weather and getting outside a lot with the kiddos. We had a hockey tournament last weekend in Canada for two of our boys. Hope all is well with you! Thanks for the support on my blog. I wish I had the time to read each of your posts…I’m trying to get over there as often as I can!!! :-). Take care! 🙂 Christina

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      1. Oh wow…I guess you love to get out with all the “kiddos” and have some fun. So, you live in Canada, or you are just close to it?

        I think you do a super job in supporting my blog and I appreciate it! I understand with how busy you are that you can’t always find time to post on your blog. But when you do, its always worth reading!!

        Have a super day and enjoy it…

        Steve

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      3. Wow…I imagine it is cold in Michigan right now! As I say, I’m in So. California where we shiver at temps in the low 40’s! And 2-3 inches of rain in a day is quite a big thing here…

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      4. It is STILL cold where I live in Michigan. Not far from me actually calls for snow today and again in a few days! Brrrrr! Makes me miss my days in sunny California. We spent 5 years in Carlsbad while my husband was stationed at Camp Pendleton! :-). Hope you are continuing to recover from whatever sent you to the hospital! I am still praying!

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      5. Okay, so you are in Michigan…wow I got confused from the posts you made. It’s not the posts, it is me. Yes, Calif. is so sunny…too sunny for my taste. But if I were in the cold and snow, I wouldn’t be happy with that for too long either.

        I have an intestinal infection which is called diverticulitis. It requires antibiotics to get rid of it. Mine is a milder case so I’m home and taking meds.

        Thanks for your concern, Christina…

        🙂

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      7. Thanks so much, Christina. Hey I’ve got a question…is oatmeal okay to eat right now? Sounds like you are somewhat familiar with this problem…

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      8. My Dad had it and so I know about the seeds. Not sure about the rest of it! ;-). I would follow your doctor’s advice! 😉 I pray you are on the mend and feeling much better!

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      9. I am handling the stomach issues pretty well. Went in to have 6 pain shots in my spinal area yesterday. Things are a bit sore today as you might imagine. I can’t seem to catch a break now that I am “less young” than I used to be…Lol!

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      10. Oh MY! Six shots- yikes! Hopefully the will bring you some pain relief!!!! I will be praying specifically for these shots to bring the much- needed pain relief!!! It’s not easier getting older, hey? I was just at the doctor myself today with a round of tests being ordered. Ugh! I hit 40 and now I’m falling apart, lol!

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      11. YES…6 of them. The doctor said I must be able to handle a good bit of pain. He didn’t know what a chicken I was before I went to the appt! It’s over now, and they did seem to help some. I have 6 more in three weeks…phase two of this treatment.

        Christina, you are still a young one at 40. I wish I could feel as I did back then. I’m 63 now, and talk about falling apart! I used to play so many sports and stuff. Not anymore, that’s for sure!! Oh well, I’m getting used to more pills and a lot less activity 😦

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      12. Ugh! Six more, I am sorry to hear that, Steve! Yes, I am sure at 63 I will be wishing I was 40 again. Yet, here I am at 40 wishing I was 20 again! loL! Isn’t that how it goes? I have a bad knee that needs a knee replacement, but I am a big baby about the idea as well and so I keep pushing it off… I don’t have time for that! HA HA! 😉

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  25. Hey Christina! How are things going with you and the family? Haven’t seen you in a while so you must be busy. Hope all is great…just wanted to say “hi!”

    Steve

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  26. So glad I found you through Steve’s Light Ministry Blog. My husband and I have always talked about adopting or possibly becoming foster parents. Just waiting for the right time. I look forward to following you. 🙂

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    1. Awwww that’s great Laura!!!! Looking forward to reading your blog as well. That’s awesome that you feel the calling to foster/adopt. The world certainly needs more people to fill these needs!!!! Take care- Christina

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      1. Yes, I can totally tell because of the state of your house. I mean, can you at least pick up those clothes in the living room? And the dish hasn’t been washed. It’s been sitting there for two minutes!

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      2. I’m looking around for the hidden camera because as I type I have SEVEN, yes seven, loads of clean laundry waiting to be folded. Wwwaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!

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      3. I’m starting a production company that will be feature gifs and movie trailers. We will just do really short videos, because who has time for 2 and half hour movies?
        What did that have to do with your house? Oh yeah, hidden camera. And I do see both those pieces of clothes that you need to wash.

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      4. Oh maaaaaan….. you mean my dirty shorts and stained shirt?!?! Gaaaah! You caught me! Lol! I do agree with you on the need for shorter films- I don’t have time for long movies either! Hahaha!

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      5. Your pile is so small. It disgusts me, it is so small. Mine is bigger just in the one room. You don’t want to know what my one son’s room looks like. He sends us on a scavenger hunt every day looking for his clothes.

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      6. Ohhhh the hunt for clothes…. I totally know that hunt! Lol! Kids put the clothes away and sometimes….. wellllll…. let’s just say my 7 year old boy was wearing the 8 year old girl’s jeans yesterday and today my 10 year old was wearing the 7 year old pants. But hey- at least they were clothed AND they were even CLEAN! Ohhhhhh ya…. that’s how we roll around here! 🤣

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      7. That is definitely how things should be. My wife, son and daughter are all around the same size of shoes and socks, so when I fold, I just have to make them in a big pile and tell them to all sort them out whose is whose.

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      17. That may be a fact for some people, but it totally isn’t true for me. First of all, my natural resting face is a frown. Not made up, it just is. So resting face is using very few muscles. So for me to smile, it literally hurts, because I have to do a complete reversal of movement. After that session of smiling for my Linkedin/Google photos, my face literally hurt.

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      19. You better buy it, because it is true. You can ask my sister in law that took the pictures. My worst nightmare would be if my smile got stuck. Not only would it hurt, but people would approach me because a smile would make me approachable.

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