Getting registered to vote for the first time.
Here is Billy with his completed ballot.
And posing outside with his "I Voted" sticker on his vest.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Volcanos & Halloween~October 31, 2012
Oops! I forgot to make an entry about my hoodlums on Halloween. I already posted pictures of Caleb, Steven and James in their costumes a few days ago. Billy dressed up as a Boise State Bronco fan, Scheri as a Hansen Huskey basketball player, and Teresa was a rock band member. I was stationed down at the church for the annual Trunk or Treat so it was already dark when I saw the older girls so their pictures didn't turn out. But at least I can include Princess Abby and Boise Bronco Billy. Shhhhh! Don't tell! We never did get around to carving pumpkins this year--and so far none of my kids have complained about it.
Also on Sunday evening October 27, Abby and I baked chocolate cakes to use as the base for her school volcano project. She and I practiced mixing the baking soda and vinegar to watch the chemical reaction. We ended up having to make a paper cone top on our volcano because the BBQ sauce bottle we were using for the funnel was too tall for our cake.
The little bottle is holding the 1/4 cup of vinegar to be added during class time.
Princess Abby and The Great Pumpkin
Billy
Caleb went through the Trunk or Treat line of cars about 5 times I think before actually going door to door with Scheri.
Scheri
Orphan Sunday in Retrospect~Nov 5, 2012
Report on Orphan Sunday:
We had an amazingly good seminar on Saturday using the "If You Were Mine" DVD's. It was attended by 4 family units actually interested in learning more about adoption. If you are from a big church or big city maybe "4" sounds small but for us it is HUGELY exciting. These people blessed me enormously just by attending. I think we all left with full tummies, crammed heads, tired bum-bums and a desire to investigate the adoption option further. Interestingly enough in this relatively small group, there were folks interested in foster care adoption, domestic adoption, as well as international adoption! One lady left promising to look at the Reece's Rainbow site--especially interested in babies with Down syndrome.
During Sunday worship we showed the informational video regarding the "If You Were Mine" series! I had set up a big table in the foyer with rice/prayer folders for Orphan's table; the brochure "Ten Things Every Christian Can Do for the Orphan;" Christmas catalogs from World Vision and Samaritan's Purse; Prayer Guide: "40 Days of Prayer;" a few foster care DVD's from last year's event. Finally, I had made a poster of the ways the Assemblies of God is officially involved in orphan care and printed off 25 copies of the survey put out from the Assemblies of God regarding foster care (for people who don't have internet access.) I got all the rice handed out, as well as a few catalogs and brochures. But I think I was only able to give out ONE paper copy of the foster care survey (though I did hand out a few copies of the on-line link)--and that was to my Daddy. No, wait, I did give out one other copy to the lady who told me she didn't think people should be going to other countries to adopt but should adopt the children right here in the States. I told her, "Then THIS is for you--it is talking about foster care of our kids right here in the States."
So I guess the bottom line is: we've come a long way but we still have a long ways to go.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Preparing Our Hearts for Orphan Sunday~Oct 30, 2012
I'm copying a post from another supporter of Orphan Sunday:
We serve a mighty God who IS able to move mountains, but sometimes He is simply just trying to help us see something from a different perspective. Orphan Sunday is not about one church, one person, or one objective. Orphan Sunday is the Church (collectively as God intended) coming together on ONE DAY with ONE PURPOSE using ONE VOICE. Let us begin this week raising ONE VOICE of prayer to Him on Monday, October 29. Below is a Prayer & Fasting Guide for the week leading up to Orphan Sunday. We ask you to join with us in praying for Judea (your town), Samaria (the US) and the uttermost parts of the world.
Today, pray for local foster and adoptive folks who are on the front lines of orphan care to be encouraged, supported by the local church, and that God may give them the strength to continue. This includes, but is not limited to: foster and adoptive parents, those who work within the foster care system, those who facilitate foster care or adoptive services, case workers, social workers, psychologists and therapists. These folks are on the front lines of orphan care and often feel alone or bound by a system.
Tuesday, October 30 (Judea: your town)
Today, pray for your pastor, your church leadership, and the Church as a whole to feel the Lord's heart for the orphans as seen in Psalm 68:5-6 (below) and for Him to raise up workers for the harvest from your church and community to go to the "fields of the fatherless."
Wednesday, October 31 (Samaria: The U.S.)
Today, pray for state and federal policy makers, judges, attorneys, penitentiary and correction officers and workers, and national organizations committed to helping orphans. Ask the Lord to give them wisdom as they make decisions directly affecting children, particularly the orphan.
Thursday, November 1 (Samaria: The U.S.)
Today, pray that God would move mightily within the Church across the United States and give the Church a positive voice across America as it reaches out to homeless children and youth, victims of child trafficking, foster care, parents struggling to care for and raise their children, birth parents, and children trapped in an abusive situation.
Friday, November 2 (The Uttermost Parts of the World)
Today, ask the Lord help parents struggling to care for their children due to financial, physical, medical, stress or social stigma due to a birth defect. Ask the Lord to protect children and their parents from kidnapping, child trafficking, hunger, disease and war.
Saturday, November 3 (The Uttermost Parts of the World) Fasting Day: If you are able to fast (give up food for the day), then fast and pray. If you are unable to fast, consider giving up one meal, a favorite item, TV, Facebook or your phone.
Today, ask God that of the 2 billion Christians in the world, 7% would show hope to a single orphan, looking after the child in their distress. Ask the Lord to convict the church around the world that if we did this, there would effectively be no more orphans. Ask the Lord to show each of His followers that we can each do something. Within your prayers, choose a country or countries to pray specifically over and pray for nationals within that country to rise up and be willing to care for orphans.
Sunday, November 4 (ORPHAN SUNDAY!)
Today, pray for Orphan Sunday events around the world to go smoothly. Pray for the Lord to speak through pastors and speakers around the world. Pray for the Spirit to convict, encourage, challenge and confirm families, pastors and orphan care workers all over the world.
We serve a mighty God who IS able to move mountains, but sometimes He is simply just trying to help us see something from a different perspective. Orphan Sunday is not about one church, one person, or one objective. Orphan Sunday is the Church (collectively as God intended) coming together on ONE DAY with ONE PURPOSE using ONE VOICE. Let us begin this week raising ONE VOICE of prayer to Him on Monday, October 29. Below is a Prayer & Fasting Guide for the week leading up to Orphan Sunday. We ask you to join with us in praying for Judea (your town), Samaria (the US) and the uttermost parts of the world.
Prayer & Fasting Guide
Monday, October 29 (Judea: your town)Today, pray for local foster and adoptive folks who are on the front lines of orphan care to be encouraged, supported by the local church, and that God may give them the strength to continue. This includes, but is not limited to: foster and adoptive parents, those who work within the foster care system, those who facilitate foster care or adoptive services, case workers, social workers, psychologists and therapists. These folks are on the front lines of orphan care and often feel alone or bound by a system.
Tuesday, October 30 (Judea: your town)
Today, pray for your pastor, your church leadership, and the Church as a whole to feel the Lord's heart for the orphans as seen in Psalm 68:5-6 (below) and for Him to raise up workers for the harvest from your church and community to go to the "fields of the fatherless."
"A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families..."
~Psalm 68:5-6
"Give up your wicked ways. Learn
to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight
for the rights of widows."
~Isaiah 1:16-17
Wednesday, October 31 (Samaria: The U.S.)
Today, pray for state and federal policy makers, judges, attorneys, penitentiary and correction officers and workers, and national organizations committed to helping orphans. Ask the Lord to give them wisdom as they make decisions directly affecting children, particularly the orphan.
Thursday, November 1 (Samaria: The U.S.)
Today, pray that God would move mightily within the Church across the United States and give the Church a positive voice across America as it reaches out to homeless children and youth, victims of child trafficking, foster care, parents struggling to care for and raise their children, birth parents, and children trapped in an abusive situation.
Friday, November 2 (The Uttermost Parts of the World)
Today, ask the Lord help parents struggling to care for their children due to financial, physical, medical, stress or social stigma due to a birth defect. Ask the Lord to protect children and their parents from kidnapping, child trafficking, hunger, disease and war.
Saturday, November 3 (The Uttermost Parts of the World) Fasting Day: If you are able to fast (give up food for the day), then fast and pray. If you are unable to fast, consider giving up one meal, a favorite item, TV, Facebook or your phone.
Today, ask God that of the 2 billion Christians in the world, 7% would show hope to a single orphan, looking after the child in their distress. Ask the Lord to convict the church around the world that if we did this, there would effectively be no more orphans. Ask the Lord to show each of His followers that we can each do something. Within your prayers, choose a country or countries to pray specifically over and pray for nationals within that country to rise up and be willing to care for orphans.
Sunday, November 4 (ORPHAN SUNDAY!)
Today, pray for Orphan Sunday events around the world to go smoothly. Pray for the Lord to speak through pastors and speakers around the world. Pray for the Spirit to convict, encourage, challenge and confirm families, pastors and orphan care workers all over the world.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Article from the Local News~October 29, 2012
Extra-Special Family Has Plenty Of Room
By
Jay Michaels
Hansen, Idaho (KMVT-TV) If you've never had a child before, it's a
big job figuring out how to care for your kid, even if they don't have
any special needs.
At first, Kevin and Joy McClain from Hansen were foster parents. Then they realized they wanted to adopt a little boy they were taking care of named Billy. But that was just the first of their adventures in adoption, because so far they've adopted seven kids with special needs.
Adoptive Parent Joy McClain says, “The autistic spectrum disorder, some attention deficit, some cerebral palsy, and our youngest two have Down syndrome.”
The two youngest kids are a pair of eight year old boys from Ukraine named Stephen and Caleb. The rest of the McClain clan includes Billy, who's now 18 years old, Teresa, James, Scheri, Caleb, and Stephen. Abby is eleven years old, and is the latest addition from Bulgaria.
Billy McClain says, “We go to church, learn about God, read the Bible, and sing, listen to the pastor.”
Joy McClain says she and her husband Kevin didn't really choose Billy because he had special needs. She says he was just their kid, and the special needs came along with him. But this family of nine has plenty of room for all these personalities, which seem to fit together pretty well.
Scheri McClain, 16, says, “We have our ups and downs. But together as a family we seem to make things work.”
A free informational workshop on adoption called “If You Were Mine” will be held this Saturday, November 3rd beginning at 8:30 a.m. That will be held at the Hansen Assembly of God Church, 319 Second Avenue East in Hansen.
At first, Kevin and Joy McClain from Hansen were foster parents. Then they realized they wanted to adopt a little boy they were taking care of named Billy. But that was just the first of their adventures in adoption, because so far they've adopted seven kids with special needs.
Adoptive Parent Joy McClain says, “The autistic spectrum disorder, some attention deficit, some cerebral palsy, and our youngest two have Down syndrome.”
The two youngest kids are a pair of eight year old boys from Ukraine named Stephen and Caleb. The rest of the McClain clan includes Billy, who's now 18 years old, Teresa, James, Scheri, Caleb, and Stephen. Abby is eleven years old, and is the latest addition from Bulgaria.
Billy McClain says, “We go to church, learn about God, read the Bible, and sing, listen to the pastor.”
Joy McClain says she and her husband Kevin didn't really choose Billy because he had special needs. She says he was just their kid, and the special needs came along with him. But this family of nine has plenty of room for all these personalities, which seem to fit together pretty well.
Scheri McClain, 16, says, “We have our ups and downs. But together as a family we seem to make things work.”
A free informational workshop on adoption called “If You Were Mine” will be held this Saturday, November 3rd beginning at 8:30 a.m. That will be held at the Hansen Assembly of God Church, 319 Second Avenue East in Hansen.
http://www.kmvt.com/news/
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Our Children~October 27, 2012
Our family had the honor of being interviewed today by the local KMVT TV station on the subject of adoption. How cool is that! While the charming reporter, Jay Michaels, had our children all lined up on the couch in the order they joined our family, I grabbed a few snapshots for myself.
Gotcha: Billy, March 1996; Teresa, July 1996; James, April 2000; Scheri, January 2002; Caleb, February 2008; Steven, July 2009; Abby, July 2011
The one above is my favorite--when Jay finally got all the kids smiling AND looking at him :)
James' Science Experiment~October 24, 2012
We are using Alpha-Omega's Monarch program this year for James who is a freshman. We were really struggling with Science until we purchased a science kit that contains most of the "stuff" that he needs for his projects. James seems to be enjoying these lessons -- and I know I am not dreading Science experiments so much myself.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
WACAP Boys Who Need a Family~Oct. 24, 2012
Connor
His
father died when Connor was six and his mother left him with his aunt;
later he was sent to the institute when she could no longer care for
him. His name means “he grows up
like the hardy white poplar which grows in the north”. Connor is a
handsome, healthy boy. When he was younger his caretakers described him
as “big eyes, bright--he is sunshine, beautiful, and cute boy”. He
studies at the local school where he is an excellent
student who loves learning, and he’s popular with the caregivers,
teachers and his classmates. He has a reputation for being helpful to
others with chores and caring for younger children. His report says he’s
polite and does everything carefully, making his
bed, cleaning his room, and making sure he looks nice. He likes playing
basketball, drawing and
reading books.
There is a $4,200
Promise Child grant for eligible families for this adoption. Please contact a waiting child case manager at
ckids@wacap.org
for more information. To
receive waiting child information you must first submit WACAP’s 2 page
pre-application. There is no fee to view this information. To download
the
pre-application go to www.wacap.org
, then select waiting child and select pre-application.
There
is also $3000 available for this child's adoption from a generous
donor. Families of all incomes may apply for this grant. Please contact a
Family Finders Case Manager for
more information or contact us at ckids@wacap.org
Conner KFY.0399.33092.01
**************************************************************
Larry
Larry is a healthy, normal boy who has good self care, enjoys
reading books
and watching television, and likes communicating with others. He is
above average in his school work, studies well and gets along with both
the students and the teachers. He is fond of singing and jumping
according to his caregivers. Larry is a talkative child
who loves outdoor activities as well as playing games.
There is a $4,200
Promise Child grant for eligible families for this adoption. Please contact a
waiting child
case manager at ckids@wacap.org
for more information. To
receive waiting child information you must first submit WACAP’s 2 page
pre-application. There is no fee to view this information. To download
the
pre-application go to www.wacap.org
, then select waiting child and select pre-application.
There
is also $3000 available for this child's adoption from a generous
donor. Families of all incomes may apply for this grant. Please contact a
Family Finders Case Manager for
more information or contact us at ckids@wacap.org
Larry HL.0399.33091.01
*******************************************************
Stan
Child's Name:
Stan
Gender: Boy
Date of Birth: March 1999
Continent: Asia
ID: Stan QSL.0399.31080.01
Gender: Boy
Date of Birth: March 1999
Continent: Asia
ID: Stan QSL.0399.31080.01
This child is a part of the Special Focus Program.
Stan
says that mathematics is his favorite subject in school. He would like
to be a policeman or be in the army when he grows up. He participates in
the Tae Kwon Do lessons that
are offered at the institute and proudly demonstrated his skills to us.
He says that running is his favorite sport and he took third place in
his class. He likes to
play computer games.
Despite having ear atresia on the right side, Stan can hear quite well.
He lives in a foster family with a brother, grandfather, and his foster
parents. He enjoys playing with his friends. He says that he isn’t the
best in class at school, but he does do his
homework. He has a beautiful smile. Stan was very polite and respectful
and bowed to greet us and again as he left. He is a very charismatic
boy and we observed him helping and taking care of other children
throughout our visit. What he really needs is a permanent
family who will take care of him.
There is a $4,200
Promise Child grant for eligible families for this adoption. Please contact a
waiting child
case manager at ckids@wacap.org
for more information. To
receive waiting child information you must first submit WACAP’s 2 page
pre-application. There is no fee to view this information. To download
the
pre-application go to www.wacap.org
, then select waiting child and select pre-application.
There
is also $3000 available for this child's adoption from a generous
donor. Families of all incomes may apply for this grant. Please contact a
Family Finders Case Manager for
more information or contact us at ckids@wacap.org
Stan QSL.0399.31080.01
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
New Duds~October 22, 2012
Today Caleb, Abby, and Steven received T-shirts from Good News Club. The prerequisite for a new shirt is attending 3 times. Last week the new shirts had not yet arrived.
Also today James and I picked out a Halloween costume for him and also outfits for the 3 little kids. Here are Steven (Bumble Bee from the Transformers), James, a Pirate Captain, and Caleb (Optimus Prime from the Transformers)
Monday, October 22, 2012
I'm Caught Up!!~October 21, 2012
Yesterday Abby and Steven put these puzzles together and are here being silly.
Kevin, Billy and James spent time yesterday and today repairing the siding on our motor home. It had torn off on one of our last trips and with winter approaching Kevin didn't want to leave it unprotected. My clever husband is using the sheeting that is made to surround tubs and showers and in the process saving us lots of moolah.
This morning our whole family went to church over in Hagerman because Pastor Tellez gave me the wonderful opportunity to talk to his congregation about Orphan Sunday. I was able to leave posters, orphan care handouts, info about foster care as well as packages of rice there at the church. Pastor Tellez said they will expand on my talk on November 4!! Cool!! We ate at the Snake River Grill, the same place Kevin and I had our first meal together after our wedding over 18 1/2 years ago.
This afternoon, the guys also repaired our roof where the nasty wind on the 16th had ripped shingles loose. (James and I had missed the windstorm because we had gone to the Fellowship Meeting in Gooding. The same wind mangled our trampoline and sent it sailing into the field behind our house.)
And these pictures are the lower and upper portions of our lovely Teresa.
Family Pictures~October 14, 2012
The Makeup Artist~October 19, 2012
Someone whose identity shall remain unknown decided it would be fun to apply makeup to the faces of the three youngest children in this family :) :)
Science in Action~October 11, 2012
James performing an experiment showing how to separate the various items in a mixture. Please also note that James now has braces on his top teeth as of Oct. 8.
Lake Cleveland~October 6, 2012
The water level is really low this time of year.
Kevin, Mom, Dad and Caleb
After a hike up the rocky mountain side, Steven and Caleb were busily "grilling" rocks for our dining pleasure
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