Trip to NYC and Radio City Music Hall

Ginny, Timmy, Jen, Michael, Ken and I had a great time in New York City with Zach, Kara and Ryan. The kids were captivated by the Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall. It was awesome to see their eyes so big and them so quiet. Of course, we made a trip to Toys R Us. I think it is the biggest toy store I have ever been in. Ryan loved the gigantic dinosaur. Then it was on to Rockefeller Center where Zach loved seeing all the American flags . You know, the Flag Day birthday boy. Seeing the Empire State Building tower shrouded in fog was eerie. We didn't go into St. Patrick's Cathedral. The last time I was in there, my sister, Suzy, got robbed. We had a great dinner at Tony Napoli's on 43rd and something street. The entrees they serve feed two to three people. We had fun choosing different dishes. I think we almost spent as much on the deserts as we did on the main courses. But they were awesome, as you can see with Kara enjoying her brownie chocolate sundae and Ryan loving all the whipped cream on his strawberry shortcake. The ride home was very quiet. Ryan fell fast asleep next to Papa. We were all exhausted. But we had a great day!
Hugs and kisses,

Another Beautiful Angel

Marie Therese Rose Wilkes found her way to Heaven November 16th, the ten month anniversary of our Amanda joining the Angel Babies in Heaven. Kristen and Corey are sad for their loss of Marie, but celebrate her life. Their friends, Mary and Brian, Marie's siblings, Julia and Matthew, and their families shared in Marie's life for 45 wonderful days. I am so glad they had that precious time with Marie. And I know Marie now has the wings of an angel and is a playmate to our sweet angel Amanda.
Hugs and Kisses,

Our Nina

After our loss of Amanda, I found the need to help a child who lacked the love and support he/she would never receive from biological parents. Through my Grandparents of Internationally Adopted Children Yahoo Group I had heard of The Antares Foundation. It is a not-for-profit organization which strives to improve the lives of children living in orphanages in Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan. I got on their web site and immediately fell in love with a sweet seven year old little girl named Nina. I showed Papa Nina's picture and he agreed. We would become her sponsors. I immediately contacted the Foundation to find out what we would do as sponsors. We could do as much or as little as we wanted to do. We would write Nina letters telling her about ourselves and our families. We would send her packages of clothes, hair accessories, sneakers, just about anything we thought Nina would love. These packages would contain the very first things Nina "owned." They would be all hers, to share or not to share with her family. Over the months, we watched Nina change from a little girl who never smiled to one who knows two Americans love and care about her. It has made all the difference in her and our lives.

All of my life I have been able to find something good to come from something bad that had happened in my life. Losing our Amanda has been the most tragic, heart wrenching loss I have ever tried to endure in my life. Having Nina in my life has not lessened this loss any, but I know that from it a little seven year old girl living halfway around the world now has someone who loves her.
Hugs and kisses,

An Afternoon at the Farm

Ken and I spent Saturday at Liberty Ridge Farm with Kara, Zach and Emily. They had a great time. Kara and Zach loved rolling around in the gigantic tires on tracks. Another big attraction was the underground slide. Emily had a good time just watching her sister and cousin. She enjoyed the animals best. Next year Alex can join us. But we need a bigger car to bring all four of them!
Hugs and kisses,

Halloween 2008

Ken and I had a great time with our four monsters Halloween. I think it would have been so appropriate if that is what they had all been dressed as. Zach was in his glory as a Star Wars character, which one I have no clue. Kara was a beautiful vampire, loving wearing her goulish dress and all that makeup. It was so funny to see Emily as as the sweet, girly Sleeping Beauty she was. Then there was Alex, his happy, smiley self. He was a cowboy riding his horse and thought it was great. I wonder what our two year old really thought of the day. We had another awesome Halloween with our grandchildren, the loves of our lives.
Hugs and kisses,