Morgan Mosaic

CHRISTMAS HAPPENINGS...

2011-01-01T07:37:00.000-08:00

Rudolph cupcakes for Anna's 1st grade class. Luke also had a batch for his class. Anna is pictured here with her teacher, Mrs. Doherty.

Anna enjoying the Christmas parade.

Luke loved pretending to be Santa!

One of Anna's and Luke's favorite people...Santa Claus!

CHRISTMAS CARD

2011-01-01T07:14:00.000-08:00

The children had fun with this "Silent Night".

All was NOT calm, but oh, very bright!

Our wish for you is Peace, Joy, & Love

As we celebrate Jesus, God's gift from above.

MOM'S BIRTHDAY....74???

2011-01-01T07:05:00.000-08:00

WOW!!! Can this pretty lady be 74??? The picture of grace and beauty, my mom is definitely an example to follow. She can run circles around me...if I'm only half as fit at this age I'll be doing good. I'm so proud of her inner strength...she has handled so many of life's challenges so gracefully. I love you Mom! Happy Birthday!

DAVID'S HOUSE OF HOPE

2010-11-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

Dad, Jamie (David's Wife), and Mom in front of the door of David's House of
Hope. My brother, David, had a heart for Inside Out Ministries and the Healing Ranch (a place where people who are hurting, who have habits and hangups, can come for healing). David worked very hard in helping to build this house, and he poured his heart into the vision and mission of Inside-out Ministries. We visited the ranch today for a time of fellowship and dedication. Above the door the sign reads "David's House of Hope". I know that my brother would be honored. My prayer is that anyone who enters that door will indeed find the hope that they are looking for....that hope being in Christ Jesus.

David's House of Hope....consists of 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, living area, and kitchen....not yet completed, but well on its way. The beautiful cross in front is stain-glassed; the picture doesn't do it justice, but it's gorgeous. This piece was created by Jan Chipps. She also has many other pieces of art...pottery, metal, cloth, etc....that are simply beautiful, and for sale...proceeds going towards Inside-Out Ministries.

Jamie Sharp giving her testimony and sharing David's heart about the Ranch and

Inside-Out Ministries. She spoke beautifully...even though her heart is

still breaking over the loss of David.

Anna and Luke enjoy their day at 'The Healing Ranch'.

John Mark's Senior Ring!!!

2010-11-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

John Mark shows off his senior ring! We sent him on a treasure hunt November 2nd. The hunt consisted of clues which led him....eventually....to the prize, the "senior ring". It was a lot of fun, especially because it was raining outside, and John Mark had to search in the rain! The last clue led him to the kitchen where he was to look in the dishwasher. Inside was a beautifully wrapped gift....which held another gift bag, and another , and another, and another. After a lot of laughs, John Mark finally claimed the prize.

And of course, the little siblings had to see if it would fit on their finger. Luke thought it was very nice....he kept saying "awwww". John Mark had a hard time getting it back from Luke....and the chase was on, with Luke yelling, "MINE!"

Anna enjoyed herself trying on Big Bubba's ring.

HALLOWEEN 2010

2010-11-06T20:01:00.000-07:00

Anna was a little rodeo queen and Luke was "Woody" from Toy Story. They had such fun trick-or-treating downtown Smackover. They came home with way too much candy...enough to last til next Halloween anyway.

Fall Fun!

2010-10-24T18:19:00.000-07:00

Anna's Cartwheel

Hug or Choke-hold?

Rodeo Bound

Anna and Rio

John Mark showing Rocky at Fair

18 Already?!?

2010-10-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

OH MY GOODNESS!!! How time flies. It seems just like yesterday that I was bringing this bundle of joy home from Children's Hospital! I can't believe that he is 18 already. Although he thinks he is quite ready to be an adult, I'm not quite ready for him to be.

I'm so proud of John Mark and the way he always finds something to smile about. He has taught me so much about life and love and how to be truly grateful. I love you John Mark and wish you a very happy birthday!

ABC's and 1,2,3's....

2010-10-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

Anna and her 1st grade teacher Mrs. Doherty...Anna
is doing very well in school. She just brought home her
first 9 weeks report card and she had 2 A's!! One A for
reading/literacy and one A for Math. Yippee! Way to go
Anna!

Luke and his Preschool teacher, Miss Brittney...Luke
loves "Miss Nitney" so much. He leaves the house each
morning jumping up and down saying, "Nitney, Nitney"!
He is doing great. He is learning his colors and recognizing
and saying many picture names. His teachers are proud of
what he is accomplishing. I know they are amazed, unlike
me, because I know how smart this boy is. Keep up the good
work, Lukey!

ANNA'S First Riding Lesson!!

2010-07-28T15:20:00.001-07:00

What a natural!!! Anna had her first riding lesson today. The horse she rode was named Rio. Anna learned how to make Rio go, turn, and stop. She learned how to sit up straight on Rio's back. She also learned how to make Rio trot!! She let out a little yell when Rio started trotting, but the scared look soon turned into a big smile:) I think horses just may be in our future.

LUKE...Future Rodeo Champ!

2010-07-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

LUKE couldn't let his big sister outdo him. He had to show everyone that he could ride just as well as Anna....even if it was on a horse swing! He does try to do everything big sister does. Maybe it's because he is only 2 inches shorter and only 6 pounds lighter than her. He enjoys chasing her around....probably just so he can get close enough to get a handful of that beautiful hair of hers! All kidding aside...he loves her and his Bubba so much and he is learning so much from both of them.

I really want to know where he learned to throw so well! Today he threw my cell phone into the pool....yes, that's the 3rd new one in a year. John Mark thinks Verizon won't let me have anymore! I must clarify that only 1 of the (swimming) phones is Luke's fault. The other two were completely my fault....one went swimming in Dr. Pepper and one went swimming in Sprite. Cell phones do not like to go swimming!!!

More Summer Fun!!!

2010-07-28T14:17:00.001-07:00

JOHN MARK has had a ton of fun this summer. He attended FFA Leadership Camp at Camp Couchdale, close to Hot Springs. He just returned home from Camp Aldersgate where he spent a week at Med Camp for kids with heart or kidney conditions. He had a blast! He brought home towels in the 'to be washed' bag.....does this mean he actually took a shower, or is he learning how to keep mom happy? Let's make it look like I used the towels! The guys in the picture
were counselors and campers from Camp Aldersgate..John Mark in the white Camp shirt.

He is also staying busy on the farm with his show animals, Rocky the goat, and Miss Piggy, the pig. We've just acquired another show pig, Mr. Hammy.
John Mark works at the Hardware Store one day a week....when Jerry can talk him into it and he can fit it into his busy schedule. He says he's ready to retire like PawPaw!!!

John Mark will start summer band practice next week. Where did this summer go?

BIRTHDAYS IN JULY...2010!!!

2010-07-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

WOW! How time flies...and flies, and flies!!! Can't believe it has been 2 years since last post. Oh, so much to do and so little time. We've been so busy making memories that I forget to share them. My youngest two just had birthdays. Luke turned 4 on July 3rd and Anna turned 6 on July 9th. Luke had a really fun carnival party, complete with games, popcorn, cupcakes, and even a carnival ride (to see all of the farm animals). We can't have a party for Luke without the animals. Anna had a swim party at Mawmaw and Pawpaw's house with many of her friends attending. We enjoyed the pool (especially the slide), a pool cake, and an unplanned trip to the barn to see the animals. Yes, Anna loves the farm too! Birthdays, for these two anyway, seem to come around way too often. I know I can't keep them little forever but these days with them are just so sweet. I love these years of sweet innocence.

Six Weeks Later......

2008-06-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

Anna loves horses....and they love her too! This is one of her favorite horses, but she's pretty fond of my dad's miniature horses....more her size!!
We made a trip to the Little Rock Zoo for John Mark's Heart Reunion Picnic (Arkansas Children's Hospital). We all enjoyed the giraffes and elephants. Anna can name almost all the animals in English!
At home.....just acting silly!
Princess Anna reading a bedtime Bible story.
Having fun with John Mark (Bubba). She adores him, and the feeling is mutual.

WOW! How time flies....everyone has been asking, "When are you gonna put more pics on the blog?" I think....didn't I just do that yesterday? Well, it was several yesterdays ago and I apologize. We've been quite busy with our little ones and it's been a lot of fun! Our little princess loves chips, cookies, chicken fried rice, yogurt, riding horses, swimming, helping mom fold clothes (at which she's quite good), but mostly, she loves hugs and kisses. What a match! We love those things too!

We're Home!!! Here are some pictures of a Kyrgyzstan Princess!

2008-05-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Combing my hair at the orphanage.......gotta look good when I go out into the big world.
Dad and Anna (yes.....she's got him wrapped tight around that little finger; she's a Daddy's Girl)
Here I am.....playing at the SOS Clinic in Almaty, waiting on my appointment with the doctor.
Lookin' cool in my dad's shades.
Mom, Dad, and Anna in front of US Embassy in Almaty.....check out the mountains in the background.....and of course I was on top of a mountain after our interview with the Embassy.

(Getting dressed at Orphanage on Gotcha Day)

WOW! The last 36 hours have been a blur! Many of those hours spent on airplanes. Anna was a super flyer. I keep saying she's my "Go Girl". She loves to go! We arrived home around 9:30pm last night. Needless to say, it was quite late when we went to bed. Everyone was really excited. The "brats" (brothers) adore their sister. And yes, we're already having sibling rivalry between Luke and Anna. You can't hold one without holding the other. That's OK ....we have big laps!

Thanks everyone for your prayers in this journey. We really felt them while we were away. Please continue to pray for our family and the adjustments that we'll all make.

Love you all,

Melody

Embassy Visit....

2008-05-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

Our interview at the Embassy lasted only 5 minutes......I was afraid for nothing. The consular asked very few questions. He asked Anna if she wanted to go to America and she grinned her biggest grin and giggled. He said, "I'll take that as a yes!" We're ready for our trip home beginning in the morning 3:45 am time here. Long trip home!

We're having trouble with phone cards so John Mark check your email ...
Love you all,
M & J

"Gotcha" Day!

2008-05-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

Tuesday around 3:00pm here, we arrived at Tokmok Orphanage and woke up our little girl from her nap. They asked her if she was ready to go to America and she said "Dah"! That's yes of course. We drove back to Bishkek, and then to Kazahkstan border. Everything went smoothly at the border. The only question that was asked was , "A boy named Anna?" They thought she was a boy. Her hair has grown a couple of inches, she just needs hairbows! The trip from the border on to Almaty was 5 hours. Adam drove slowly because Anna was quite car sick....yes, she initiated me into motherhood, again, from the top and the bottom. Oh well, that's what moms are for. We arrived at our apartment in Almaty at 11:30pm. We all had baths, ate a midnight snack and then went to bed. We slept very well.

Today we went shopping......Anna loves shopping; she will definitely be a girly-girl. I'll have to get her Aunt Mary and Cousin Shelley to take her shopping. The prices here are outrageous.......a dollar doesn't go very far here. We also went to the SOS Medical Clinic. Anna doesn't like people in white coats. She took one look at a nurse in a white coat and had a melt down. You know, the orphanage workers all wear white coats......that could have been the reason for the crying. She tells Chinara she doesn't want to go back!

Tomorrow, Thursday, we pick up her visa from the embassy here in Almaty and then wait for 5:45 Friday morning to fly home!!!!

The boys are doing great. I hear the band concert went well.....way to go John Mark! Luke had fun with Mrs. Donna while Mawmaw and Pawpaw and JM were at the band concert.

We love you all,
Melody, Jerry, and Anna

Maple Avenue Baptist Church Donation........

2008-05-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

Our church, Maple Avenue Baptist in Smackover, has been collecting needed items for the orphanages in Kyrgyzstan, to be distributed by missionary John Wright. We were able to collect a duffel bag full of tylenol, creams, ointments, vitamins, etc. for the children in the orphanages. The pictures are of the mission team accepting the donations from our church. Our prayer is that these items will open doors for John and Julie in their missionary efforts to help the needy children of Kyrgyzstan.

Dinner With Mission Team From Canada.....

2008-05-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had a wonderful time fellowshipping with John Wright and a mission team from Canada. We had dinner at the Metro Bar & Grill (good Christian hang-out....ha-ha). It really was great sharing dinner and conversation with fellow Christians. Their stories have an inspiring message. You can read about their missionary work at John's blog. This is that address. http://www.actofkindness.blogspot.com/ . Here are some of the pictures from the evening. Tomorrow around noon we will leave Bishkek for good. We will travel 1 hour to Tokmok for our "Gotcha Day". We will pick up Anna and then travel 4 hours to Almaty, Kazahkstan. We will be in Almaty until Friday morning and then we come home!

Afternoon in the Park....

2008-05-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

We spent Monday afternoon with Chinara and Adam, our in-country facilitators. We also picked up Ksenia, our translator from our 1st trip to Bishkek. We walked around the park area of Bishkek. Exhibits were set up for the holiday....it's Constitution Day in Bishkek. There were art exhibits (which I enjoyed). The doves in the picture are wedding doves. No one could tell me what they were called, so John Mark, look it up and tell us when we get home. I've never seen dove before with large plumes. One picture is of Ksenia blowing a dandelion.......we told her if she could blow off all the fuzzies, she would get her wish. John Mark calls these blowies. After walking around the park, we went shopping at a large department store. It was 6 floors of mostly souvenirs and electronics. We had fun trying on hats and we found a beautiful dress and vest with matching hat for Anna. We also bought souvenirs for the boys. There was a huge toy store that had the same type toys as America.

Out Our Window

2008-05-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

This is the view right out of our hotel window. We are staying at the Silk Road Lodge. It's very nice with everything we need. They even have a pool, sauna, and weight room downstairs. We enjoyed a delicious meal of fried (stir-fried) chicken and rice with vegetables. Yummy! For dessert we had a plate full of fruit covered in some kind of sweet sauce: very tasty. Don't worry when you look at the pictures Mom. It's amazing how they build these new hotels with all the modern conveniences right in the middle of poverty. These are some pictures of that poverty. The woman is actually cooking over that fire in her back yard (in the rain). And I sometimes complain of all the work I have to do. Someone, somewhere, always has life harder. It's easy to see that here.

Pictures........

2008-05-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

These 1st few pics. are of the tornado damage between Sheridan and Little Rock. We came through this area right after the tornado came through, and were slowed tremendously because of accidents. I knew there was a reason for us leaving Smackover late. Jerry kept trying to hurry me up but something kept slowing me down. Must've been a God-thing. He gave us traveling mercies. I guess my cousin, Philip, is helping out with the rescue teams. We were able to pull up some Arkansas news on the computer and learned there were 7 deaths, many lost homes, and many without electricity across central Arkansas because of the Friday storms.

In Bishkek!

2008-05-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

Our flight from London to Bishkek with a stop in Almaty lasted 9 hours. We slept alot on the plane, but went straight to bed when we made it to our room. We slept for another 8 hours.....with all the sleeping you would think we would be rested; however, I could go back to bed again right now.
It is Sunday morning at home and we just talked with our boys through skype and a webcam, so we were able to actually see them and talk with them. They are being well taken care of by mawmaw and pawpaw. They will go to church and the youth's potato lunch and then this evening they have a birthday party to attend. Today will pass fast for them.

Sunday here is almost over, it is 7:30pm. We will go downstairs and have dinner at our hotel. We are staying at a very nice hotel with all the amenities. The view from our window, however, is quite different. We are actually watching the women cook on an open fire outside in the rain. They are also washing dishes and clothes outside. Sometimes we take for granted all that we have in America. Traveling to a 3rd world country helps us realize how blessed as a nation we are.

It is a national holiday here today and tomorrow. The director of the orphanage will not be there these 2 days, so we can't get Anna until Tuesday......bummer! That's OK. We've waited a very long time for her; what's 2 more days? Today is almost gone. Tomorrow (Monday) we will go shopping and try to meet up with John Wright, the missionary. Tuesday morning we travel 1 hour to Tokmok where Anna's orphanage is located. And then from there we'll go to Almaty, Kazahkstan for our Embassy appointment.

Love to you all,
Melody & Jerry

Flight Into Tomorrow

2008-05-03T02:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
We arrived in London at 2:30am home time. My boys were fast asleep at home (I hope); and the sun was shining brightly here in London at 8:30am That seemed weird. We flew into the sunrise.....how cool! Next stop......Almaty, Kazahkstan (we will stay on the plane....just like a bus stop) and then to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan which will be 2:30pm Saturday afternoon. It will be Sunday 3:30am in Bishkek...........boy, are we confused!?!

We met a lady on the last flight who is a writer and just had her first book (The Last Payload) published. Her name is Renne' Fletcher and she was very sweet. She asked what we were naming our new daughter. We told her. She said that she would use Anna's name in her next book that she is already writing. Isn't that cool! We look forward to buying and reading her books. It was good to meet you Renne'.

The boys are doing well and in very capable and loving hands. They're staying at Maw-maw's and Paw-paw's (the boys' favorite place). Be sweet boys and know that we love you! Be good to each other. I'm so proud of you two. We love you Mawmaw and Pawpaw. Thanks for being such awesome grandparents!

We'll post again in Bishkek.
Until then, keep praying us there......
Love, M & J

On Our Way!!

2008-05-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

Tornadoes, high waters, heavy rains, traffic accidents, and cancelled flights won't stop us. We're on a mission! We are on our way to get our little girl. We'll post more, including tornado damage pictures, later. We're boarding now and heading for Dallas. From there, London, Kazahkstan, and finally Kyrgyzstan.
Love you all.
Melody and Jerry

Two More Days......To WAIT!!

2008-04-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

Seems like we've been doing a lot of waiting this last year. Wait for home study approval. Wait for USCIS approval. Wait for dossier to tour the world while gathering signatures. Wait for trip to meet our daughter. Wait for court proceedings. Wait 30 days after court to schedule trip #2. And now we wait again, this time we're waiting for our visas. Travel is scheduled for Friday, May 2nd, so needless to say, this wait is making me a little nervous. It's funny how you get a little lift just when you need one. It's really not funny, I realize it's a God-thing! But, Sunday at church, my son handed me a piece of paper that had these words typed on it: "Someone once shared with me that waiting is part of walking with God. One of the commentaries had an acrostic to help us continue to do what God would want us to do in our seemingly hopeless situations. Here it is. W - Worship God, A - Accept God's timing, I - Impact others, and T - Trust God. WAIT.......WAIT........WAIT. Oooh.....yes, I've wasted time waiting (and worrying) when I could have been really WAITing according to the acrostic.

I'm so excited about what's to come. Real life changes and abundant blessings are in store for our family and I'm ready.......I just hope the boys are ready. My prayer is that God is preparing their hearts and there'll be complete acceptance of their sister. So, for now, we wait, only this time we WAIT the right way!
(But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31)

Yippee!!! It's official!!!

2008-03-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

We received word this morning that court went well without any problems. Anna is an official member of the Morgan family......well, after the 30 day waiting period. I know, I know, more waiting! It's O.K., though. I think that throughout this process I've definitely become a more patient individual. I'm also a lot less selfish.....which I attribute to adoption. It's no longer about me and my "wants" when our daughter is barely getting her basic "needs" met. I find myself thinking about her alot, and wanting so much for her. I think about the other children in the orphanages as well and wish for them a forever family.

John Mark, my 15 year old, is soooo excited about his little sister. He asks every day, "How much longer til Anna?" No, he is NOT one for patience. Maybe this will help him too. I am so proud of him.......heart transplant recipient (2002), current 8th grader, and recent winner at our regional science fair contest. Of course, his project was on chicken eggs.....he is such a farmer!

And Luke, our 20 month old.........I'm not quite sure how he'll take to Anna......I hope they will be fast, true friends. Right now, life's all about him....just ask him!! He's so much fun and growing so fast. His preschool teacher said that he is going to be an artist. Can you believe they paint with 20 months old?? I find it difficult at times painting with 3rd/4th graders at my school! I think I'll buy Lukey some watercolor paints for Easter. I keep telling everyone that he is keeping us young........but after painting with him, I'm sure I'll find some gray hairs!

COURT DATE - MARCH 19th!!!

2008-03-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally have a court date.......next week, March 19th. I've had several people ask if I would have to go to court. Thankfully, we will have our facilitator stand in for us at court. We have signed a Power of Attorney giving her this right. I am thrilled that we actually have a date! That means in 30 days, the adoption will be final! We'll be able to travel around the end of April to pick up our precious little girl. I hope she remembers us.......it has been so long! There is light at the end of the tunnel, however, and I'm thankful. We just have to remember that God's timing is perfect timing. He knows best! These pictures of Anna were sent to us from friends we've met through the internet who are also adopting from Kyrgyzstan. She looks so happy!

1st Trip to Kyrgyzstan!

2008-01-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

Our adoption agency called on 11/27/07 to inform us that we would be traveling really soon. It was urgent that we get to Kyrgyzstan immediately and sign referral papers. There was no time for fear at this point.....arrangements had to be made. Flights were arranged, bags were packed, our boys' "suitcases to grandma's" were filled with necessities, and the not so necessary. We really should have been in a panic, but instead the excitement of finally meeting and holding our little girl kept us focused. We flew out of Little Rock 12/05/07. Our flight connections were Chicago, London, Moscow, and then Bishkek. Every detail went smoothly until Moscow. We had a 6 hour delay; not exactly my pick for a place to spend the night. We had to stay in the airport because we had no visa for Moscow. The bench we found to sleep on was cold and hard but we did manage a few hours sleep. I literally had a melt-down when I found out that our flight was delayed. Not because of where I was, but I felt that I was losing those precious hours I could have been with my little girl. We arrived in Bishkek around 2:00 on the 7th. Our agency's facilitator and translator met us at the airport. We then rode an hour away to the Tokmok Orphanage. I couldn't believe that I would meet my new daughter when I hadn't had a shower in two days! This picture is the very first time that I held my baby girl in my arms. What a feeling! Someone asked me if the love I feel for her is as great as the love I have for my boys. This love is an amazing, overwhelming love that's hard to explain. But, it is ever bit as strong as the love I have for John Mark and Luke. Needless to say, I cried many happy tears that day, especially when Anna called me "Mama".

Our Adoption Journey Begins

2007-12-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

This is the photograph that sent my head and heart reeling! We received this picture shortly after I contacted an adoption agency in February, 2007. The agency was wanting to bring four children to the states for a host program. We would meet our new little girl in New York some time in March. She would stay with us for six months. During this time we would proceed with

the adoption paperwork. At the end of the six months, we would make a trip to Kyrgyzstan to make the adoption official. Due to politics, this hosting program fell through, along with our hopes of meeting Mahabat in early spring. The agency said that we could still proceed with the adoption if that was our hearts' desire; it would just take a little longer. My husband and I were completely taken in by our little girl's big brown pleading eyes that tugged on our hearts' strings. She was already ours! Needless to say, we quickly began adoption proceedings. There is nothing quick about an adoption, however. Tons of paperwork, running to the court house for legal papers, notarizations, home studies, government approvals, and on and on and on, can certainly wear down a person's hope........but, LOVE bears all things and hopes all things.........we must hold on to that verse. Isn't it amazing that our little girl's name, Mahabat, means love? That is so like God! He is so good!

2007-12-28T21:30:00.001-08:00