Christmas Week

What an enjoyable week we have had. We got to share it with our closest friends which is wonderful when you can't have your family near! We had fantastic sunny and warm weather and made the most of it with walks out in the countryside. I hope you all enjoyed Christmas too. If you would like to see photos from our week please click here :) Wishing you love and all the best in these last few days of 2013 and into the New Year. Love xx

FCE Christmas Party and our Weekend Away

Tonight was the FCE Christmas party. A time when anyone who works in or alongside the foundation comes together in the Club and celebrates with a meal and speeches and information on the past years happenings. As these events go I actually enjoyed this years! Think it might have something to do with my son being a little older and being able to sit and talk with friends. Plus I did get a momentary tear in my eye when Courtney pointed out that this would hopefully be the last one we will attend. We both hope to finalise our boys adoptions sometime in the New Year.

Courtney and I with our families - if you want to see more photos from tonight please click here.

Cristi and I also had a lovely Christmassy weekend away visiting our friend Anghelina in Arad. We had a fantastic weekend seeing all the sights and having lots of laughs together. Cristi even met Santa. As we sat eating lunch in McDonald's (I know the shame!) in walked a man with white hair and a big white beard, rosy cheeks and bright blue eyes. He had a red jacket and a Christmas shirt and to top it off he had a Santa hat atop his head. All the kids went silent as he walked in and one little girl went running up to speak to him before her mum could stop her. Then we heard him speak English so after a little persuasion from my shy boy we went over to talk to him. I apologised for interrupting his meal but said that my son just needed to ask one question............"Are you really the REAL Santa?" he asked and I tell you I wished I had filmed his face as Santa replied "yes well of course I am". I do not think my son has ever looked happier! What a magical moment!! 

Meeting Santa :) If you would like to see more photos from our weekend in Arad please click this.

A Busy Wednesday

Today has been a non stop day of Christmas cheer and heartache. This morning I was in the depot with the Blythswood shoeboxes finding those perfect boxes to make my girls at the institution smile and feel lucky this Christmas.

I also got to go and see the beautiful little angels from school practice for their competition tomorrow. Some of you helped to dress them and they and the teachers were very thankful for your donations. They looked super cute and of course angelic :) I am wishing them luck and courage as they get up on that big stage tomorrow!

This afternoon we went to the 'old peoples home' to hand out Christmas gifts and sing carols. Oh my I tell you most years are hard but this year, tears were shed. Lost little faces of long and hard lives weeping as we sang songs of cheer and love. It was heartbreaking! It is hard to only offer a song, a Christmas greeting and a held hand. Snippets of love. 

It is wonderful on one hand to be involved in these moments. To live life this way with my son, to see the joy on some faces as we sing and dance with these old and often forgotten people. However, seeing the pain in some of their eyes, the smell of the place, and realising that my son could have been one of those young, lost, damaged souls (that live in one of the buildings there) had he not had the fortune of being placed in the orphanage he did. Life is so fragile and sometimes we humans are so cruel to those around us. Destroying innocence and creating a generation of hurt.

Remember to share some love and cheer this Christmas especially with those who have no one and often go through this time lonely and forgotten. It can be hard to see but a few moments of discomfort on your part can be worth huge moments of joy and love to another.

I love these two!!

Merry band of carolers

Singing as the gifts are handed out

Spreading some Christmas love

Oh Gyula! He literally ran at me and grabbed me in his arms. What a beautiful man!! Read my earlier post Gyula to see a bit about him.

Beautiful!

Group singing - they of course joined in with the carols too!

This lovely lady had a cat. She loves her cat!! I took a photo for her which she is very excited to receive when I get it printed out.

Courtney came with Otis - the old residents at the home were so happy to see him and hold his hand. It has been many years since this lady has seen such a small child so she actually thought he was a doll at first.

We also had the pleasure of being sung to although I had to stop filming when he broke down in  tears - oh my heart hurts :(

Thanksgiving

Yesterday we celebrated a belated but lovely Thanksgiving together. We had some lovely food which everyone helped in some way to prepare and we had a great time eating, playing and being together. Such a simple and enjoyable evening. If you want to see some photos please click here. Thankful blessings to you all my lovely friends, family and supporters :) xx

December 1st

We were so busy doing all this that we missed our annual "La Multi Ani Romania" photo but we have had a fun day together all the same :) so Happy Birthday Romania and Happy Advent to you all xx

Santa's little helper making fruit salad for the team's breakfast

Advent Breakfast

Happy 1st of Advent

Lucky me surrounded by beautiful Boys!

Family package delivery