Our Sneha waiting afar.......

More news from India -CARA needs a new letter confirming that we want to adopt Sneha with her special needs even though we have two biological children of our own. We definitely want to adopt her and bring her into our family. We knew we would adopt her even before I went to India to meet her. One year ago I went to India for a week to spend time with her and while there I wrote a letter confirming our meeting and our desire to make Sneha part our forever family. We hope our Sneha can come home soon after the New Year.

It's Almost Christmas!!!!!

My big snow angel- Brent

Graedy is very excited for his birthday, Christmas, and vacation.

Elise was out sleding in zero degree temperature and this is what the air did to her cheeks after only one hour. They were red with big white spots.

My three best presents under my tree Graedy, Elise, and Elijah.

Elijah's first Christmas tree and first American Christmas ever! He enjoy's and is very interested in the real Christmas story. Santa on the other hand is a problem that we have been discussing for a couple of months. One night he cried for the children in China that santa doesn't visit and he was only comforted knowing when we talked about needing to tell China about Santa.

November 29, 2008

Do you like Elijah's perm????? Just kidding it is a wig. Our son from China had his first Thanksgiving and we forgot the camera!!!! Time was well spent with family at the farm.

Remebering November 2005 in Great Falls, Montana. What a difference three years can make. This year Thanksgiving day Graedy ran a Turkey Trot- 5miles with his best friend Joseph in Windsor, CO. Elise helped Grandma Jean the day before Thanksgiving make three homemade pies and set up the dining room for the coming visitors. She is quite the good cook!

Our Sneha waiting in India- twelve months and two weeks. We were sad to hear of the trouble in India. We need your prayers for the people of India and for our Sneha that we can safely bring her home. We are still waiting for our INS approval so that when India gives the ok we have the papers to go get her. The process before us still is waiting for the NOC from India and then her papers travel through the courts for three court dates.

The flag of India.

The flag of Ghana, where our other daughter Pearl waits. The ball is finally rolling to get the paperwork started for Pearl. The process is rather simple, but each part of the process takes time and of course we can't get fingerprinted for Ghana until the homestudy is submitted is to USCIS.

The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday following Thanksgiving were spent with Elijah, Elise, and Graedy all sick. I just had a thought with five kids they could all be sick at once or it could possibly drag at for weeks at a time. Time to stock up on OJ and vitamins and rest for Mom.

October 2008/ November 2008

Elise 2008



November 2, 2008 Elise's 9th Birthday!!!!!! We can't believe our baby girl is already 9 years old.
She had her best friend Skyla stay over night. We enjoyed friends, family, cake, and ice cream, and of course the movie of Elise's choice "Camp Rock" . Her bed now has a cool "Camp Rock" comforter and sheets.


Graedy's first official 5K race!!!! He has always loved to run to from the minute he learned to walk he wanted to run. He likes to run with his best friend Joseph. He participates in running club and has run well over 100 miles.

October 2008


















New pictures of our Grace Sneha. She looks so grown up and even is growing hair. Yeah!!! We can't wait until she comes home. We are just waiting for the first step our NOC and then her case moves onto the courts. We have heard the court process can take months. So please pray she will be home before next fall. We have a family sponsorship on Reece's Rainbow where we found her. Just go tohttp://www.reecesrainbow.com/ and then go to adopting families.


October 31, 2008

Elijah's first official Halloween in America. Elijah's favorite was the play-dough. They had a great time trick or treating with cousins in Greeley. A year for a lot of firsts.

Elijah's head is still healing and he has to be on seizure medication for up to a year post-op. He bumped his head and had a seizure, but the neurologist thought it was from the bump and not just random. The good news is no more EEG's for six months if he stays healthy.

New and exciting news for the Arnold Family we are proud to annouce the next expected addition our daughter to be Pearl from Ghana, Africa. We have just started the process and hope to have her home within a year. Africa has been on Brent's heart for along time . Pictures will be posted in the future after our dossier is submitted.

September 2008

Our Elijah ,the little funny guy! We never could have hoped for a child to fit into our family any better. He is just as stubborn, willful, and competitive as Graedy and Elise. God placed him in our home with all of us in mind. We are so thankful that he is here!!!!

Our Miss Elise the girl who is gifted with the flare for decorating and a big help when her heart is so inclined . I walked to the rythm of my own tune and in good time. An inspiration to all kids who want to know how to cook and bake. A true lover of animals.

Graedy our fifth grader is now in flag football and loving it! He just seems to be naturally gifted with grace and strength. He is very dilligent about his homework and reading. He is now so thoughtful of his little brother and very helpful.

Grace Sneha waiting in India.............

Thoughts of summer

My friend Debbie

We are thankful for a summer spent getting to know new friends. Elijah and his friend Luke are both from China brought together here in America. At Timberline church we were brought together with other adoptive families to spread the word of adoption to the world and give our children friends with situations in common and a good point of reference for us parents. We can make a difference in our world one child at a time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR SEVEN YEAR OLD ELIJAH!!!!!

Thinking back one year ago and the wait seemed so long. How was life in China how, how was he doing, did he even know that we were coming to get him and thinking of him constantly???? Well thank goodness he is here with us for his first all American birthday --cake, ice cream, cousins, grandparents, and lots of presents.

What a summer-hot, hot, and hotter. We survived and we are back to school. Graedy is in fifth grade at Beattie, and Elise is in third grade at Beattie. Elijah attends first grade at Johnson , the closest elementary with an English second language program.

Brent has finally started his new phase of his life. Out with the old and in with the new!!!!! A chance to enjoy life once again. A career with the same motivation as his life and beliefs in God above. Praise the lord for the man from St. Andrew's with a job lead!!!!!