I know it's been a very long time since you last heard from me, Phoebe Pearson.  I am sorry about that; it's just life has been so incredibly busy for our family!

We now live in a new city.  Still live in Texas, just live in a smaller city.  Fort Worth is getting too big, too fast, and I don't like how the Fort Worth school system is operating, so we came here to Burleson.  It's growing by leaps and bounds, but nothing to the extent that Fort Worth is.

So far, the children have adjusted to their new digs, better than my husband or I could have ever thought!  We thank God for this; they keep us sane!  LOL

Our children are no longer so little.  The youngest, Linn, is no longer a little girl:  she is now a big, strapping  ten-and-a-half year old.  She is taller than me!  And Sapphy, Brandt, Hanh Ly, Hayleigh, Jamar, Jourdan, Ash, and Adam are out of the house:  the only kids left here at home with us are Malik, Miracle, and Linn.

We're also grandparents now.  Sapphire, now married, has given us our first grandchild, a daughter, Promise Michaela, who is six months old.  Brandt and his lovely wife, Carole,  have given us two brand new grandsons, twins, named Kyler and Kevyn (they are about six weeks old now, just the cutest little things!).  Hayleigh, Jamar, Ashton, and Adam are now attending college, and it won't be long before Hanh follows in their footsteps.

We don't know how long Miracle will be with us, but every day we have with her is nothing but a blessing from God.  Miracle, as you know, has brain damage and cerebral palsy; she requires total care; but she is a sweet-natured child with a loving heart.  We just love her to pieces!

Doctors didn't think that Miracle would live as long as she has; they figured she'd be dead by the age of five.  We adopted her about six years ago, along with her twin, Malik, who has severe asthma.  Malik has battled the odds, too; he's been in and out of the hospital with frightening asthma attacks. 

It is incredible to think that our once-little children are now growing up before our eyes.  And now we have three grandchildren to spoil!  LOL  The family tradition continues!  :)

Who knows whether our kids will adopt children as we have; time will only tell!

I still keep active with the adoption community; I still keep in touch with people like Louisiana (and Bill) Sandusky, Betty Jo Ciagalore, Donna Sue Oliver, Jane and Michael Mulligan, Kendra Kent, and others.  We share our joys, our tears, and keep each other up to date with the latest happenings of our lives.

My husband is looking for work:  he is a victim of today's recession.  He got laid off from his janitorial job back in November; it was a sad Christmas for us.  We did have Christmas for the children, but nothing like in the past; presents were rather skimpy this year. 

We are trusting in the Lord to open doors; so far that hasn't happened; yet we still manage to see the good in life.  We are indeed blessed beyond measure!  :)

We also moved to Burleson just after the middle of January; we are still learning to navigate our way around, get used to the new location.  Burleson is pretty good size, as far as cities go, but it still feels like a small town, with a charm that we find appealing.  The schools certainly seem to be better here, and I pray the children will make new friends. 

We are looking for a church.  We did go by one on the main highway, Victory Family Assembly of God, that we may check out one of these days.  It looks like a rather large church.  Hopefully it will be what we are looking for:  a loving church geared for families and a church that preaches the Bible.  We shall see what we shall see.

Well, that's about it for now.  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Phoebe Pearson signing off!  God bless!

~Love, your friend, Phoebe.  :)