Two handsome men!

Just had to share these new pictures I took tonight as my oldest two sons were trying on their suits for a wedding they are both in this weekend. Don't they look handsome?!! Oh this mom is so proud of them!!

Gotcha Day for Philip Bao

Today . . .

Two years ago . . .

A very precious, wonderful, amazing

little boy became our son . . .

Happy Gotcha Day

Philip Michael Bao

We love you so very much!

What a family means

Yesterday at church our children from VBS sang a couple of songs for the congregation. Our oldest son, Ted, also was up in front singing with the little kids. In fact, he stood right next to Philip. Two of my three boys together! Sweet!

Well, this being the first time Philip had ever been in front of SO MANY people, he was very frightened by being up there. So instead of singing, he just stood there very stiffly doing the hand motions, looking like he might throw up any minute.

Oh my, we were so sad for him, but there wasn't anything we could do except sit there and keep showing him our smiles while his big brother was right next to him helping him be strong.

After the kids finished singing, we walked out with him and told him what a good job he had done with the hand motions up in front of all of those people. We gently suggested that second service he could also sing those songs. He just looked up at us like we were crayz! LOL!

Second service came, and still Ted stood beside him. Still we sat in the front rows smiling at him with love and saying a little prayer that he would be ok this time.

When the singing started, Philip looked up at Ted and then looked at us, smiled, and began to sing with a sweet smile on his face!

Oh be still my heart - what a joy it was to witness Philip beginning to understand just what it might mean to be part of a family - to have that kind of support in your tough times in life! You could just see it written on his face. What a sweet moment of time we saw today!

Bittersweet Father's Day

So happy that Kevin gets to celebrate his first Father's Day with our little Elijah! Boy, is Eli sweet! And that Kevin can spend the day with his two older sons as well! They are sweet, too!


So sad that this is the first Father's Day without my dad. We miss both of our dads all the time but never more than on a Father's Day.


So thankful that our dads were such amazing fathers and role models to us that their going would leave such a big hole in our hearts!

THEY DID IT!

The children at our Vacation Bible School this week

did it! Or I should say, "God did it!"

They raised enough money to fund lip repair surgeries

for three, possibly four, children

who live in Philip's China home

(The Philip Hayden Foundation's children's village)

Yippee Jesus - as Linny would say!

Here are some fun pictures of our children's minister, Deidra,

and her trusty helper Amanda getting blasted with

water balloons from 173 children - (not all at once though!)

Also notice Deidra's GREEN hair! Each level of funds raised had a different consequence for her. The kids loved it! When we saw the total raised, we did too!

Praying to meet our goal - what a week!

Adventure on the high seas!

Philip loving VBS

The "China" room

Captain Jack and Amanda

Taking a pie in the face so that Tonye can have his surgery -
Way to go Deidra and Amanda

Looking good!

VBS has been so amazing and fun this week. Just one more day. We are really tired but very happy that we can share about Philip Hayden each day with so many people.


The children met their goal of raising money for Tonye to have lip surgery. Our children's minister and her able helper got a pie in the face thrown by my hubby and our oldest son. It was funny, and the kids went wild!!


Now tomorrow we find out if the children can help Tess and Clyde as well. My guess is that they will!


The lessons have all been about how awesome the Bible is - God's word is true, God's word is comforting, God's word is surprising, God's word is life-changing, and God's word is for everyone. It has been a wonderful week learning about God's word and sharing how we can make a difference in the lives of orphans.


Ted shares the Bible lesson through drama each day as Captain Jack, we share about Philip Hayden's children's village in China in our missions' station, and Philip has attended and loved his first VBS ever! The best thing about this week - we did it together!



Years ago, we participated in VBS every year when Ted was little but have taken a long break from it as he has grown older and no longer attended. Now we are back in full swing, and it feels good!


Thank you to everyone who has sent in a donation to help three children at PHF receive their much needed surgeries! You are the best!

VBS and Philip Hayden

Well,

Tomorrow begins Philip's first Vacation Bible School . . .

Ted and I were at the church today helping with decorations,

and I gotta say that it is so fun looking . . .

I can just hardly wait for Philip to walk in and see how transformed "his" church is!

Learning about Jesus all week long with other kids . . .

Can't think of anything better!

And then there is the fact that all those wonderful children will be raising funds

ALL WEEK LONG

for the Philip Hayden Foundation

The beautiful Christ-filled foster village in the heart of China

where our Philip lived for three years!

Philip's "China Home"

It's not too late to donate to help the children.

If you would like to give a donation to benefit three children who are needing surgeries soon at Shepherd's Field Children's Village (Philip Hayden Foundation)

you can make out a check and send it to:

Ben Davis Christian Church

701 S. High School Road

Indianapolis, IN 46241

Be sure to write "Shepherd's Field Children's Village" in the memo section of your check.

Wouldn't it be amazing to be a part of helping three precious orphan children in China receive much needed surgeries soon!

Getting better!

This morning our little boy still wasn't feeling so very well.

(Philip looks like a movie director in this picture, doesn't he?

He always likes to walk around the house in our shoes!)

Boy, what a difference a few more hours can make for Elijah!

We think he is on his way to recovery.

Elijah is released from the hospital

Kevin phoned a little while ago to say Elijah was released and they were on their way home from the hospital! Yeah!

Eli had started to perk up around 4 a.m. this morning, and he was beginning to want to eat a little. After his papa took over, he really began eating! I think I hear their car pulling in right now!

Yippee that he is home! Thank you God!

Update on Elijah

This is Ted filling in for Mom tonight after a long day at the hospital.

Elijah made it through the surgery this morning. After getting tubes put in his ears, he had his palette repaired.


While that part is over, now comes the recovery. He won't swallow anything...I mean, ANYTHING. Which means that he cannot go home until he does.

We praise God that Eli made it through his surgery and for the gifted surgeons, doctors, and nurses who work tirelessly to help all of the children in the world.

Thank you for all the love, prayers, and support during this time. Please continue to pray for healing for our little guy and a speedy recovery.

Elijah's surgery

Elijah is having surgery to close his palate on Monday, June 7th. We could sure use some prayers for this sweet little guy on that day. Since he still sucks his fingers, he will have to be in arm restraints for three weeks so that he doesn't pull out any stitches! Yikes! I think we are most worried about that part of the process!!

Also, if you want to help the children at our Vacation Bible School raise money for Philip's China home (the Philip Hayden Foundation - Shepherd's Field Children's Village), you can still do that. See the post from June 2 for more information. :)

Philip Hayden Foundation - Shepherd's Field

Won't you consider donating to a very worthy cause??


In a few weeks, the children at our church will be raising funds for Shepherd's Field Children's Village during their Vacation Bible School.


Their goal . . .


To provide the funds to give one child a hope and a future - to provide a much needed surgery for at least one child from Shepherd's Field.



Won't you consider helping them reach their goal?



Why is this so important?



One of our first pictures of our precious Philip
living at Shepherd's Field Children's Village
(Philip Hayden Foundation)
in China

See how joyful he is?



Our Philip LOVED living at Shepherd's Field.



It is a beautiful place to live while waiting for your forever family.



It is also a beautiful place to live if you are an orphan in China who is past the age of 14 and cannot be adopted to a forever family because the loving people who work at Shepherd's Field become your forever family.



Wouldn't it be so amazingly wonderful if more orphans could live at places like Shepherd's Field Children's Village?




Philip came to us so "whole."

Wouldn't it be wonderful if more orphans could come to their new forever families whole?

The goal of Philip Hayden Foundation's Shepherd's Field Children's Village (as stated on their 2010 calendar) is to take the so-called broken children and transform their hopelessness into beautiful stories of redemption and love.




See their website at www.ChinaOrphans.org

You can be a part of this incredible story of giving children a hope and a future. . .



If you wish to donate to help our children at Vacation Bible School reach their goal, you can send a check to . . .



Ben Davis Christian Church
701 S. High School Road
Indianapolis, IN 46241

Be sure to put "Shepherd's Field Children's
Village" in the memo section of your check.

James 1:27
"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."





Wouldn't it be wonderful if, through your donations as well as the children's, they could go "way beyond" their goal of helping one child? Maybe funds could be raised to help two or more children?

Won't you please help?