HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRIS

Happy Birthday to my very first Grandchild. Kristopher is 21 years old today! Oh I remember his birth like it was yesterday. He was a beautiful baby. And is now a handsome young man. His daddy was beaming from ear to ear :) His mommy was so in love with him. We had so much family waiting to welcome that little baby boy into the world that the the waiting room at Margate General was overflowing and spilled out into the hall. A baby couldn't be loved or wanted more. Where have the years gone?
Happy Birthday my love,
xoxo
Grandma

More bad news for Vietnam

It just continues to get worse :(

Looks like there is NO HOPE for Vietnam adoptions to continue when the current aggreement between the US and Vietnam expires on Sept.1. On Friday, Vietnam officials sent a letter to the US Embassy in Hanoi stating they will NOT sign another agreement with the US. We all had hoped another MOU would be signed, if not by Sept.1, at least a few months later so adoptions could continue. That won't happen now.

Vietnam to end adoption program with US after report - Yahoo! News

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

Only in THIS family could we search for one pair of shoes and come up with 3 LEFT SHOES of the same Red Mickey CROCS! DANG! I'm trying to get everyone ready to watch the end of Meg's softball game and can't find Austin's shoes. All I need is 1 pair of red Crocs. We have 3 pairs of the same shoes, same size..and what can I find? 3 LEFT shoes! Time to break out the old Spiderman sandals gotta RUN! :(

VIETNAM

What a sad day yesterday was for Vietnam adoptions. After weeks of rumors, the truth finally appeared on the US Embassy's Hanoi site. As of now, Vietnam adoptions will STOP on Sept.1, 2008 and dossiers will not be accepted as of July 1. They are saying those with referrals by Sept. 1 will be able to bring their children home. Those without referrals, their dossiers will be returned to their agencies. How sad for the innocent children left behind. How sad for the parents only wanting to love a child. Everyone looses. We can only pray something will change and adoptions can go forward.

$1,000,000

Meg and I were shopping at Walmart tonight. We needed a few groceries and she wanted to get some stuff for the pool. I ended up getting Ryan and the "A" Team those swimsuits that have the life jacket approved by the Coast Guard in them. I'm not taking any chances with them after last Sunday's episode. Meg was in the pool today and Mr. Monkey, Austin, was shimmying up the pool fence! So, as we're walking to the car with our goodies Meg asks "Did daddy get paid today"? I started laughing and said "yes he did". Then she asks, "Does daddy make a Million dollars a week"? "No" I said, " if he did, I wouldn't be shopping at Walmart". ( I REALLY didn't buy that much stuff) "Were would you shop"? "I don't know, but I wouldn't be cooking or cleaning either, and we'd live in a bigger house" "Well, what job pays $1,000,000 a week? Because that's what I'll go to college to be".
I don't think there is one.

TOLD YA! NEVER A DULL MOMENT

Yesterday's BBQ started off with a BANG! We hadn't been there 5 minutes, were still inside hugging and crying over each other when someone ran in to say Austin was in the pool!!! At the bottom!!!. Thank GOD for older grandchildren. Courtney saw bright yellow crocs flying and then saw Austin at the bottom of the pool. She has a cast on but ran to the pool where Kris was swimming and they both rescued him! That was the best $40 I ever spent, bought them at Mickey's House, bright yellow Mickey Crocs. Courtney hadn't seen Austin fall in the pool, no one had, she saw the yellow shoe fly in the air!
The day got much better, how could it not? We all had a great time, food and drink flowing non stop. Kids running everywhere and adults standing guard at the pool till all went home.
We decided to start having annual Family Reunions. Michelle will be the first host next summer.
After the stress of the day I ended up going to bed at 9:45. NEVER have I gone to bed so early.

HAPPY PASSOVER

Happy Passover to all our family and friends celebrating today! Our daughter Kim and her family flew in from Denver to celebrate with her husband's family and our daughter Michelle is hosting Passover dinner for her inlaws this year. I think Linda, her MIL, is bringing the dinner and Michelle's in charge of a special dessert. Tomorrow we will all get together for a BBQ at Michelle's house. We can't wait to see our children and grandbabies!! I'll be sure to take lots of pics and post them. Thanks for reminding me Viv.

WELCOME

Welcome to our family's BLOG. With 10 kids and one on the way, we are a happy,busy, crazy gang. Mike and I are the proud parents of 8 girls and 2 boys. Michelle, Kimberly (Kim), Tracy, Elizabeth ( Betsy), Wendy, Megan, Ryan, Amy, Austin ( The "A" Team) and Paisley. Our first 5 were tummy babies, the last 5 grew in our hearts, and our hearts are growing again because very soon, one small 5 year old little girl will be coming home.

I want to thank Tina, from "The Story of You" for designing my BLOG. It's beautiful! So much more than I could have imagined. I'm so happy with the way it turned out. We used Tina's "The Story of You" for 3 of our adoptions and they were wonderful travel journals, now she is also designing BLOGS.

So, sit down, have a cup of coffee and welcome to The Adventures of The Poko Pack. I can promise you, there is NEVER a dull moment here :)