Celebration!

May 21st was Family Day - the day that we were reunited as a family of seven and we were all together for the first time!     What a wonderful event to celebrate and remember God's goodness and faithfulness to us.

For the past week, my mind has been going over and over the events of this week a year ago - replaying all of the details.   I wasn't sure I was going to make it through that week, and I'm not too sure the boys thought they would either.   When I remember the pain, grieving, and confusion of that first week, and the depression and struggles that followed,  I can only thank God that He allowed it all in order to create this beautiful family that only He COULD create.   My family is God's idea.   He fit us together like the pieces of a puzzle.   I still think I'm only understanding the tip of the iceberg as far as really, really seeing the awesomeness of God's plan in adoption.   I can't wait for Him to open my eyes more and more.

I remember thinking many times during those first months home:  "I can't wait to see where we are when we reach the year mark..."

And now here we are!   It has gone by very, very fast.   At times, agonizingly slow, but mostly fast.  :-)

The boys turned a corner around 9 months home and seemed to feel very at home with us.  Their fears seemed to vanish, and they seemed to wholly invest in just loving us and believing that we were family - for good!

They are growing like weeds.  Sleeping great.  Their vocabulary is enlarging.   I think we are parasite free... :-)   Their health is excellent!  We are laughing a lot.  :-)    Still eating a lot, too...  Will that ever stop??

So, here are my boys - home for one year and counting.   Can't wait to see what this next year holds for us!

My Beautiful Family

ISN'T GOD GOOD??  

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today...we saw Lukas and Yakob's faces for the first time.   It was the day that changed everything.  

Late last night, I read the post that I wrote about the day that we got their referral.   It was still as fresh in my memory as yesterday.  It was so unexpected.  It was so life-changing.  We saw the pictures of these precious little faces, but we didn't know the people behind those faces at all.  We knew that somehow we loved them.  We knew that from that moment on, they would be a part of our lives...forever.   Only God can do something like that.  Take strangers from across the world and put them together to make a family.   Blood really does not make a family...Love Does.  

Those faces are no longer strangers to us.  They are a very precious, very loved, very integral part of our family. 

I read back over the blog entries that documented our journey to this point.  And I worshipped God.  I was reminded again how HE worked out every detail, provided for every need, moved every mountain in our path.  It is so good to remember.  My faith is encouraged and renewed by remembering His mighty acts. 

If this is what can happen in a year's time - I can't wait to see where our family is at this point next year!

Our God sets the lonely in families!

It is good to remember.  It is good to tell the stories of God's provision.  It is good to make sure our children know the awesome deeds of the Lord.  In the day to day of our lives, it so easy to forget the miracles that God performs on our behalf, on behalf of His children from ages past and even to today.   Today, our family is remembering and praising His name! 

Joshua 4:6-7

"Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' then you shall say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever."

Our New Normal

We will celebrate the 9 month anniversary of meeting the boys tomorrow!  

There have been lots of changes happening in our home in the meantime.  Lots.  :-) 

God is SO good.  I can not say that enough.   He is SO good.  He is SO faithful.  He is SO merciful.  He is SO kind.  He is SO powerful.  He is SO real. 

He has brought us through the difficult transition period of getting to know each other and starting to feel like a normal family again.  The transition was longer and harder than I anticipated - but it is SO worth it!   We will always have progress to make, but we have found our "new normal" and are looking forward to continuing to grow and change together. 

God has begun the healing process.  We are seeing the fruit of His work in the boys' hearts more and more all the time.  There is nothing sweeter than hearing YJ sing "Jesus Loves Me" or hearing Lukas pray, "Jesus, thank You fam-i-ly all togedder.  Thank You Jesus love me.  Thank You Jesus always with me."  

Personally, God has done a mighty work in my life.  To be honest, I really, really struggled with the changes that this adoption brought into our lives.  It was not pretty.  I have prayed that God would use those struggles for His glory, despite the ugliness of them, and I believe that He will.  He has been showing Himself to me in a way I have not seen Him before.  I am learning to listen for His voice in a new way.  I am clinging to Him in complete dependence.   All of the struggle is so worth it - to have a closer walk with Him.   I have seen evidence of His promise that He will use all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose!  (Romans 8:28).  

I feel so hopeful for the future and for whatever God may call us to in this life.   We are committed to following Him whereever and however He leads.   We are fixed on the hope that awaits us in eternity and pray that all of our lives are leading to that moment when we see Jesus face to face.  

And now, for your enjoyment, I give you the Marshmallow Man:

Getting ready to head out and enjoy playing in the frozen, icy tundra that has become our yard:

Lukas and YJ jumping for joy:

Lukas is celebrating his first birthday with us.  Turning 5!!

We are so thankful that God added these two boys to our family.  We feel immeasurably blessed with the five beautiful rewards that God has given us.   

"I have learned the secret of being content in any circumstance...I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:11,13

Time is Flying...

The boys have now been with us for 6-1/2 months!!  Unbelievable.  Time is going so fast.  The boys have now been with us longer than they were in orphanage care.  That was a big milestone for me. 

Life is very busy right now.  Each day is packed and then the next one begins.  I haven't had time to keep the blog updated, but I had a request to post some current pics and I do want to show my boys off! 

There is just no way that I could begin to put into words all that has happened here in just half a year's time.  It has not been easy.  But, I can say without a doubt, that it is SO worth any difficulty that we have encountered.  And there have been many.  I've heard it said that Satan really attacks families that adopts, and based on our experience, I would say that is true.  But I have been blown away by God's faithfulness and goodness throughout all of it. 

Communication is improving all the time. It is a true joy to me to have a real conversation with Lukas.  I am beginning to get some insight into what is going on in his head.  He has shared some from the past.  He is such a sensitive, tender soul.   He is so loving and tells each of us that he loves us daily.  He is really blossoming in so many ways.  Tonight, as he cuddled up on my lap while I rocked him at bedtime, I marveled at how far we have come.  He trusts me.  He is willing to let his body melt against me.  He feels safe and he knows he is home.   I am so thankful.

Wow - he has grown and changed so much!

YJ is repeating everything he hears and adding to his vocabulary every single day.  He is rambunctious and hilarious.  He cannot help but dance when he hears the slightest rhythm - and that boy has moves, I'm tellin ya!   He keeps us laughing all the time.   I am amazed at how much and how fast he is learning and changing. He is growing up very fast.  We are definitely growing in bonding and attaching.  He is a cuddler which I love! 

Yes, he is as mischievous as he looks!

I'm trying to find my rhythm with homeschooling with two little ones underfoot.  It has been a challenge, I won't lie.  Some days are harder than others.  But, I'm learning as I go and we are definitely making progress.  This is the scene many days as my little guys are learning to be content doing table activities. 

Whoever invented Play-Dough, I thank you! 



Another big milestone - I became the mother of a teenager - and I couldn't be prouder of her!



That's all I've got time for now.  I will leave you with a picture of my five precious children, couresy of my sis-in-law.   Aren't they beautiful?  Each one a unique blessing.  I am one thankful mama. 

Bless the Lord O my soul!

Let all that is within me rejoice! 

Four Months Update

I just can't stand to not post some pics of our little guys as we passed the four month mark and give an update on how we are doing.

I went through some post-adoption depression during the first couple of months home.  It was hard for all of us.   I read this article found here:  http://www.melissafaygreene.com/pages/adoptanthology.html which was written by Melissa Fay Greene - author of the book about Ethiopia called There is No Me Without You.  This article spoke so much to me and encouraged me that I was not alone in the way I was feeling.   I won't go into the details of my struggles during these months, but I will say that God has delivered me!   While the days can be hard, my heart is filled with hope and rejoicing in all that God has done and will do.

The boys are doing amazingly well.   We have had some grieving, and some rough spots, but overall, they are adjusting beautifully.  Within the past week or so, I think we have really crossed some hurdles.  The boys seem very comfortable right now and we are really finding our groove as a family.

So, some pics and some news:

Lukas just took off riding his bike all on his own without a helping hand from me at all!   We started him just gliding on a bike without pedals which he did for several months - and then one day, he said, "Mom.  Put them back on.  I can do it!"  So, the pedals went on - and away he went - full speed, down hills, around corners and never looking back.  He is very athletic and runs super fast!

Lukas also discovered that he likes painting and that he's pretty good at it.  I love to hear him tell the story of his painting.  They are proudly displayed on our mantle.  He is enjoying books more and is understanding the stories now!   He is expressing his love for us more all the time and it brings joy to our hearts!

Best of all, we are really communicating so much better!  It is a relief and a blessing to be able to have a give and take and be able to understand more of what is going on in his sweet little head.

YJ has discovered that he really likes wearing big shoes.  He finds them all over the house and wears them around.  But he especially likes Mama's high heels.

He is talking so much more and it is wonderful to hear new words added to his vocabulary.  He is hilarious!  We laugh at him (I mean with him) all day long.  He is very dramatic and loves to show off.  He is also an escape artist.  I found him one night at 2:30 a.m. hanging out in the recliner in our living room - wide awake with the foot rest up!  I have to keep my eye on him at all times.

Today, he got his second haircut - and Daddy did this one!  He was so cute during it and seemed to actually enjoy it.

In family news, the girls and I participated in a project to bless the girls and women of Ethiopia last night.  It was designed to provide women with sanitary products.  Did you know that such a simple thing to us in American is life-changing to women in third world countries??   We are looking and praying for ways to continue to serve and be involved in helping "the least of these".  We pray that our hearts would be broken by those things that break God's heart and that we would be willing to be His hands and feet in whatever way He calls us to.  I love that my girls could participate in this project.   And a huge thank-you to the 21 women and girls who helped make this happen!  God will use the work of your hands, ladies!  I have a template with instructions available if any of you would like to do something similar on your own or with a group.  There is always a need for these products and I can help you get them to Ethiopia.  Please let me know and I will e-mail it to you.  (Template courtesy of my good friend, Cindy!)  

God continues to amaze us by His goodness and His sufficiency.  HE IS what we need in every situation and circumstance.   We continue to appreciate your prayers so very much.

"Now they may say to me, 'What is His name? What shall I say to them?'
God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.'"
Exodus 3:13-14 

Three Months and a Leave of Absence

Today marks 3 months from the day we met our boys.  That is hard to believe for me.  In some ways, it seems like yesterday.  In others, it feels like an eternity.   We have had so many ups and downs during this time.   It has been life changing in a way that nothing in my life can really compare to.   I pray that we have all grown and become more Christ-like, that we see the world in new ways, that we have the eyes of Christ as we look at the humanity surrounding us.  

My boys have changed and grown dramatically during this short time.  When we first laid eyes on them, these precious faces changed everything for us:

Today, when I look at them, I marvel at how healthy and strong they look, how happy their smiles are, how jubilantly the yell and run and jump all over the house, how early they get up, how much food they eat...  :-)  They look so much older:

Today, we also started our school year officially.  Again, I am just floored by God's timing.  We brought the boys home just at the end of our school year and we are ready to start right at the 3 month mark of having them home.  We've had the whole summer to get used to each other before jumping back into our new year of homeschool.  What perfect timing!  AND - we had a wonderfully fantastic first day back at school.  I asked God to really surprise me at how great our day would go - and HE DID!!!  

So, with teaching a 7th grader, two 5th graders, a preschooler, and a toddler, my hands are very full.  Oh, and did I mention that I'm cooking challenged?  Which makes meals for 7 people day after day more of a challenge than it should be.   In fact, I'd rather blog than cook!   Between running a household, homeschooling with 5 kids, and somehow keeping these kids' hungry bellies filled - I am having to prioritize my time more than ever.

This blog has been such a blessing to me.  Having an outlet to share what is going on with our adoption process, knowing that people were and are praying, and getting encouragement through the comments of others has been a wonderful thing.    However, blogging is difficult for me.  Writing is not an outlet for me - it's a chore.   I have to force myself to write in my own personal journal because I want a record of our lives.

I have found so much help and encouragement through the blogs of others and I'm so thankful that God has gifted others to be able to write so beautifully and effortlessly because it blesses me!

I have struggled over whether to continue this blog or not.  I want so much to encourage others on their own adoption journeys or to maybe inspire someone to consider adoption.  I want to be an advocate for orphans and for their needs.  I want to be a voice for the voiceless.  I'm just not sure that this blog is the way to do that.

I purposely do not write about my older 3 kids' personal lives or issues.  I want to protect their privacy.   Now that the boys are home with us, it is difficult to write much about our story without sharing details that I consider private to them.  

I believe the answer is to quit blogging for the time being.  I just don't have the time.  It takes me a long time to write a paragraph - I check and recheck it for errors - I drive myself crazy!!    I have some issues...   Should I blog about them??  :-)

I desire to continue to share our story with others in ways that can be an encouragement.  I still want to be able to send out prayer requests because I rely very heavily on the prayers of others.  So, I may use the blog to do periodic updates or to share a specific prayer need or just to put out some updated pictures of the kids.  But in the meantime, there won't be a whole lot coming out of our corner of the woods.

As I was writing this, Riley came in to talk for a bit.  She asked me why, if God cares about the smallest things in our lives, does He allow such hard things like children living in trash dumps?   As you can imagine, that led to a long discussion.  Part of that discussion included that, as God's children, we have the responsibility to use the resources and gifts He has given us to serve those who are suffering.   It ended with both of us having tears rolling down our faces.  When I asked Riley why she was crying, she said, "I'm just so glad that we adopted."

Many of our fears when considering adoption had to do with our biological children.  Was it fair to them?  How much would they have to give up?  Our family would never be the same.  We would be asking them to make sacrifices in many ways.   Riley's words are such a testament of the work of God in all of our lives.  No fears should ever keep us from obeying and following where God leads.  If God calls and we follow, blessing is the result.   It's a lesson I needed to be reminded of.  I am just beginning to grasp the full joy of adoption.   

Thank you so much for sharing this wild ride with us.  Thank you for being present with us.  Thank you for truly caring about us.   Most of all, thank you, thank you, thank you for praying for us.    God has been listening.

 "But Jesus said to him, "No one after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Luke 9:62 

How do you like my teeth?

Yesterday, Lukas had some dental work done.  It was scheduled at a surgery center and he had to go under general anesthesia for about an hour.  I was very concerned about how he would handle being taken away from me.   I had some people praying.   It was rather traumatic - for both of us - when the nurse carried him away from me.  He was very upset and didn't understand what was happening.  However, I was so thankful to be allowed to be by his side as he awoke afterwards.  

He had multiple cavities fixed, two front teeth pulled and then stitches put in, coatings put on the remaining teeth and lots of serious black stain scraped off.   We are unsure of the origin of the stain, but assume it is from a food that he had eaten lots of in Ethiopia.  The dentist had a very hard time removing it, but got the majority of it off.

Lukas had an amazing recovery!   Not once has he complained of pain.  Not once.  No pain reliever needed!   I kept asking him if he had "ouchies" and he kept insisting "No ouchies!"   He asked for a mirror to see why the front of his mouth felt so funny.  He looked and looked at the gaping hole and the stitches in his gum, and finally nodded, and smiled as if to say, "Yep, they did good!"   He looked in the mirror the rest of the day, checking and checking.   He seemed rather proud of his missing front teeth.  :-)   Thank you to all who prayed for him.  God definitely answered those prayers!

Not only did he stay awake the rest of the day and seemingly felt great, he got up at 3:00 a.m. and went out in the yard with Tom and the older 3 kids to watch the meteor shower for an hour!   I think he fits in just fine around here...

So, how do you like those beautiful white teeth and that devastatingly handsome smile?