Joys

A friend of ours who had just come through a tough season made the comment in a recent email that she was not just surviving-she was thriving. I've been thinking so much about that. Our family, too, has been in survival mode. The past season of helping Silas to work through his anger, guarding our own hearts, and just learning how to parent three small children was hard...but we are THRIVING now, and I don't think my attitude has reflected that. Tony and I were talking about the JOYS of parenthood-relishing in each child and celebrating their unique qualities. When life gets chaotic, those blessings are overlooked at our house.

We took a trip to St. Louis this week to finish up some paperwork for our second adoption. This forced family time was great in making us slow down and really SEE our kids. Here are some of the JOYS we noted:

*Witnessing Silas' compassion come out when he sees others hurt-especially his momma!
*Mya's awesome attitude when she plays games-not caring if she wins or loses.
*Cale's cuddles-he give the best hugs!
*Hearing our kids sing and/or quote the Word of God.
*Mya's crazy hair and seeing how it fits her own sense of style.
*Silas' appreciation of ANYTHING I cook.
*Spending quiet afternoons reading chapter books with Cale.
*Seeing Mya carry frogs and power tools in her Cinderella purse.
*Hearing Cale reprimand his daddy for driving too fast.
*Constant Hugs/Kisses and I love you's from Silas.
*Mya's fetish to smell everything. :)
*Cale's love for people. He never meets a stranger, and he often bridges uncomfortable situations with love.
*Silas has great determination and will try many times before he asks for help or gives up.
*Seeing the motherly instincts God has given Mya. She loves babies!

Thank you God for entrusting us with your children! And help us to honor and cherish them with your love.

Adoption Update

Our homes study was completed this week (so grateful for our social worker, Shannon), and we were able to send it off with our I-600 application to the government. After our paperwork and fingerprints are approved, this document will be attached to our dossier stack of paperwork and sent to Ethiopia! All of that to say, we are a month or two out of officially waiting. After that, our wait time is only known by the Lord. Our agency is not setting our expectations up at all on a time frame. We are requesting a 2 or 3 year old little girl and there really isn't an established pattern for kiddos over 2.

If I keep this about obedience to the Lord and paperwork, it is so much easier. But when I start to call her baby sister and think about what she may be facing right now without a family, it is harder to be patient. I cried putting together our photo pages for our dossier. Attached was our family picture of 5...she is missing. We have a little girl out there that belongs here. And then I just prayed, "Lord help me love her." Attachment was hard with Silas, and I need to start praying for my heart right now.

Here is what one adoptive parent in Ethiopia said about an orphanage:

"We are here in Ethiopia for court. We visited 2 orphanages today and one broke our hearts and needs URGENT help!!!! KVI orphanage. There were no crib mattresses in the cribs and no babies had on diapers! Pieces of ripped up sheets in the place of diapers!!! we were so disturbed that we went out and bought 6 crib mattresses for KVI and delivered them. Problem is they are NOT plastic covered so they will get ruined quickly! Babies are soaking wet because of no diapers."

We are so anxious to go and bring our girl home, but also to help out too. We want to make our trip count. So, we will be calling on you all to help out with donations when the time gets closer. Their needs might look different then. It just breaks your heart. How can we have so much and they have so little? Our cups run over. I wish this sinful flesh didn't have to be reminded of that so much.

Celebrating with Aliens and Lady Bugs

Weekend of Emotions

We spent last Saturday at my in-laws celebrating Cale's, Mya's, and our niece Sara's birthdays...and then visiting the grave site of our niece Grace. The cemetery was so surreal and peaceful and then we walked back in Tony's parents house to hear the sounds of squeals and laughter. It was such a good reminder to not take their little precious lives for granted and to be thankful for the time that God has given us. Our cup runneth over!

Did I mention that there were tigers and a band for entertainment?

Take Me Out to the Ball Game...

Last weekend was our second annual trip to St. Louis. This was Mya and Silas' first baseball game, and it was Cale's first time to know the players and truly be interested in the details of the game. It was great to see the joy as he took it all in. Go Cardinals...sure wish they would have actually won!