39 years today, 09.12.09
Happy Birthday Mama! September 13, 2009
Today is my mother’s birthday (09.12), as well as my parents anniversary! Today she is 59 and has been married to my dad for 39 years!! We went to her favorite Cuban restaurant, La Septima Cafe for dinner…
Haley didn’t want chocolate cake that was waiting at home, so she ordered some flan, it was so good, she just about licked the bowl!
After dinner we came back home to enjoy mom’s favorite chocolate mayonaise cake, recipe courtesy of my good friend, Amy.
Then it was gift time. My mother is a huge fan of pugs, we have one named Harley… So the girls picked out all pug cards for her. One for her & my dad’s anniversary & one for her birthday. 
Mom has also been spending a lot of time crocheting, so I ordered her some woven labels to sew onto her blankets, hats & scarves she’s been making.
We also got her an iPod shuffle and loaded it up with her favorite Christian music, yes, and with Adam Lambert too!
Serafina’s new litter box September 12, 2009
I know this is not fascinating news to everyone who follows our blog, but it is great news for the Lazzara household and whomever comes to visit. So we have a very smelly cat (who gets baths often), and her litter box was causing a stink in the house, literally. I was recently cat sitting for Jason & Lauren and they have 2 cats, who’s litter boxes do not smell at all. Well, it’s beacuse they have “Privacy” doors that close & hold all the sssmmmeeellllyyyy poo in. I’ve seen these, but have never thought to buy one. Well, Rich & I were at Target last weekend & we bought Serafina a new litter box. So, Rich, who says he doesn’t care about the kitty, was very concerned about the design. He said, ”She will hate it, are you sure we need that?, also, how’s she going to get out?”…. So I showed him how she was going to get out… Easier said than done! Serafina has had some trouble with the new box, but she has it down pat now. I took video today & she’s doing great! First, here’s a new picture of the princess
Here’s her 1:51 video… trying to get out…
Lazzara’s Got Talent? September 11, 2009
Our close family and friends know how much the girls love to put on a talent show. If you have ever babysat, you have seen a talent show. These shows used to be short. One number each. Last week, Judy was over babysitting and I saw the program. Yes, they make a program. Each girl (Lorin and Avery this time) had about 8 songs they were to perform. Haley was the Emcee and Lorin & Avery were the “talent”. It’s funny to me that Haley, who has the most training in dance, usually never performs. Here are a few of my very favorite talent show performances.
Avery “Kiss the Girl” from The Little Mermaid~ June 2008
Lorin’s performance of “I want it all” from High School Musical~ April 2009
Avery’s performance of “You Cant’ Stop the Beat” from Hairspray~ June 2009
A note I love from Andrea September 11, 2009
I have stolen this note (with permission) from a new friend. I loved her thoughts & asked her if I could share them on our blog, so here you go… Replace “Ethiopia” with “Uganda” and you will see what I mean……..
Why Ethiopia? Why Now?
This “Why Ethiopia”question is one we have already gotten a lot of–and one we fully expect and anticipate answering many times during our lives. My answer is really a question right back: Why not? The simplicity of it all is that we love children, our biological children desire this as much as we do, and we feel it is our responsibility as Christians to love these children deeply as they were our own…so much so, even bringing one to live with us forever.In just a month’s time, I have gotten much encouragement in our step of faith to follow God in our choosing to adopt. How thankful I am for those who stand with us and behind us! I have also already gotten some resistance–and surprisingly some comments from other believers who I look up to…but even for these I am thankful. I am reminded that I must keep my eyes on the cross–on what God is calling us to–and to not look to man or worry about what man thinks.
Our love to orphans should show no boundaries. I feel we should love them whole heartedly as we love our own. We should not only give our money and time–but also our hearts. To love them as Jesus calls us to requires sacrifice–maybe some of us will feel led to sacrifice to the point of lifestyle change by giving sacrificially so they may live until they are grafted in a forever family; some may be called to family change through adoption or others may change to the point of moving across the world to serve the orphan (www.kissesfromkate.blogspot.com) But one thing we must remember, is that when we follow Jesus wholeheartedly we will no longer be living as the world lives and our lives will look different–and thus, not everyone will agree with us…even some who call themselves Christians.
I overheard a recent opinion about our adoption that truthfully caught me off guard but how thankful I was to hear it so early in the process. It was said that we should take care of our own children first before we adopt. This was puzzling to hear from a believer–but I have to say that we truly already believe the children in Ethiopia that God has set apart for us are OURS…and we are actually trying to take care of our “own” children first by persuing them now whole-heartedly…to rescue them from the dying and to graft them forevermore into THEIR/OUR family! We also feel we are taking care of our biological children by persuing this with them and not allowing ourselves to get too comfortable in our world. They are getting to see firsthand the gospel of Christ–a tranformation from orphan to son/daughter forever. How thankful I am that God didn’t take care of His own flesh “first” or wait until life seemed perfect and peaceful to persue us. How thankful I am that He made sacrifices and chose to rescue the dying…even at the very expense of his own flesh, His Son. How thankful I am that I am no longer an orphan because He was willing to fight for me at any cost. These children are our OWN. We love them already, and we are willing to fight for them because they are OURS.
The UN now estimates 6 million orphans in Ethiopia alone and approxiamately 132 million worldwide. So while we can’t rescue them all–we can rescue one. And now is as good of a time as any. We are not promised tomorrow, so today is really the best time for us to begin. Mother Theresa said it well–if you can’t feed 100, then feed 1. And it is our prayer that God will use this one to one day make a difference in the lives of many. When looking at those numbers the question to ask is not “why” but more obviously “why not”. And to that question we were left with no answers…and joyfully the paperwork has begun. Help us all Lord to love beyond borders, to show no boundaries and to love orphans as they are our own. Call us Lord deeply into your heart…and help us to love sacrificially as you do.
Written by Andrea Young
http://www.babeofmyheart.blogspot.com/
Uganda has over 2 million orphans~
I found this video this morning… African Lullaby
It’s in the mail! September 10, 2009
Yesterday I mailed off our application to Amani Baby Cottage!! It included an original & copy for our 7 page application, signed agreement forms, reference letters, autobiographies, family photos and 2 sets of passport photos for Rich & I. I have no idea how long it takes for them to review applications, but please pray that it’s fast & we are accepted to adopt from Amani!!
Care package for Caroline September 10, 2009
Today we went shopping for Caroline. We guessed her size to be the same as Haley, since she’s about the average size of a 9 year old girl… Lorin is not. We got her 2 dresses, shoes, underwear, and a notebook. I took this photo of the girls with her photo & sent it to her as well, the girls each wrote her a note & I wrote her a letter from the family… We also sent along a few addressed envelopes for her to write us back. We told her to ask Ms. Agnes what is the best way we can help her buy postage. I asked the Post Office here and they said they couldn’t help us with that, so let’s see how the mail system in Uganda works… We know several Pastors in her area, who can probably help, let’s hope so. 
Hooray for Labor Day! September 8, 2009
Today we went to Indian Rocks beach with Mimi, Tony, JoJo & Ava. Rich was out of town, so he wasn’t able to be with us… We spent the day relaxing, swimming, playing Frisbee, fishing and Haley & Lorin gave Mommy & Mimi their special “beach pedicures”.
Haley caught a crab, which she named, “Norm”. 
Ava caught her first fish today! We brought him on shore and the girls pet him. Then Avery threw him back in… With her bare hands.
One of the highlights of the day was the Frisbee catching competition between Haley & Lorin. Tony would be in the water and throw the Frisbee to each girl & the first one to 5 would get a prize. Well, the competition went back and forth for some time and finally they tied! Then Tony had a great idea for a tie breaker. The girls had to lay on their back and he would say “Go!” as he threw the Frisbee. They had to get up from laying position to then find the Frisbee and catch it. The first one to 3 would then be the winner… Guess what? TIE! So what was the prize you ask? Per Tony, the prize was his valuable lesson on sportsmanship. They were not happy.
Sweet Caroline September 4, 2009
After visiting Uganda this July our eyes were opened, very wide, to the orphans of this beautiful country. We had the opportunity to visit 3 orphanages while we were there. One that we visited several times was Ms. Agnes’ Orphanage. We were able to paint their facility, give the children new clothes, take them to see the dental and medical team and just spend time with them playing. When we returned home, many people asked us what affected us most, for us, it was the orphans.
I found out that we, as Americans don’t realize the many ways that we can help make a difference in the lives of the people in foreign countries, without personally going there to help in the aid. I was also surprised to find out that not all of Ms. Agnes’ 58 children had sponsors. For $30 a month, you can send a child to school, make sure he/she has clothing and 2 hot meals per day. Thirty dollars a month. THIRTY DOLLARS A MONTH! How many of us have $1 per day in change in our car? How many of us pay $30 for a pedicure? How many of us pay twice that in one night for a dinner out? How many of us buy clothes and shoes that we don’t need for much more that that? I do. I have. I know now, that an education and food for a child is worth much more than how pretty my toes are.
After sharing this with family & friends, I was approached by Tracey to see if I thought it would be okay for Poppe and she to make a donation in Haley & Lorin’s name to sponsor a child for 1 year, as a birthday gift to Haley & Lorin. Ummmm, YES!!! That would be an amazing gift! Haley & Lorin have been taught about Africa, they have seen our photographs, heard our stories, they have even seen video of the children at Ms. Agnes’ singing and dancing for us… They know what an orphan is. They know that they have no parents, no loved ones to care for them, very few clothing items and not enough food. They know that if someone does not pay, they will never go to school. They know all about orphans. I am so proud that they have servants hearts and that they were excited that money that could have gone to buy a year long pass to Disney World, was used to help a child. I am so proud of the young ladies they are growing in to.
So this week I got our sponsor child’s info and 8×10 photo in the mail. I opened it immediately and cried. Cried and cried and cried. I cried for the happiness in my heart that we now have a face to put with the child we’d been praying for. I cried because this is what the face of an orphan looks like. Beautiful, just how God intended her to be. We met lovely Caroline. She is 9 years old. Her birthday is August 10, 2000 (one day before Haley & Lorin). Her father died of AIDS and her mother went mad. She was brought to Ms. Agnes one year ago by a good Samaritan. Then I cried some more. Oh God, what has this child seen in her 9 years? Father, please protect her from the day to day struggles that she faces, reveal yourself to her and make it known to her that You love her. Thank you for Ms. Agnes! For caring for these children when no one else would. Thank you that she teaches the children Your Word and that You are glorified in all that she does. Please use our story to inspire others to sponsor a child like precious Caroline.
Haley’s Big News! September 4, 2009
Well, last Saturday Haley had her very first audition!! She auditioned for a role in the Brandon Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Today she received her letter in the mail saying, “Congratulations, you have been selected to dance the role of an Angel in Brandon Ballet’s 2009 production of The Nutcracker”.
The Nutcracker performances will be on December 12th at 2 pm and 7:30 pm and December 13th at 2 pm and 5:30 pm at Spoto High School in Riverview. Please come out and support her at one of these shows. She said to me today that, “the best part of dancing is everyone coming to see you & telling you that you did a good job and getting flowers”. How sweet is that? Here is a photo of her in ballerina mode at her recital last May.
