Micah turned one month on February 9! We received new pictures and update! He is looking super sweet and so big! Kate, our case manager, described him a tiny, little boy, but he just looks so big to me. I am sure he is tiny next two the other two boys sharing his home! We were just so excited to get pictures! What a joy!
This weekend we will be celebrating Andy's second birthday. He was born February 14, Valentine's Day, at 3:19 in the morning. He is still so sweet and loves to sit on Daddy's lap and read bedtime books. He gives the best little hugs. He is full of energy and wrestles anything that moves and doesn't, like him Pooh Bear. He is quite good at kicking and throwing balls. He stops every so often for a sweet cuddle and suck of his thumb, then it is back to playing. Andy, we love and are very proud of the little man you are becoming.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Another Step Complete
Today after Elliana's story time at our local library we headed to Columbus to get 12 documents State certified. We stopped at the outlet malls on the way to see if we could find snow pants that would fit Elliana. She had been wearing Andy for the last couple of snow falls and it was time for her to get her own. The kids did pretty good, Andy slept from the time from the library to the outlets.
After that we headed the rest of the way to Columbus. We did not have any issues at the Secretary of State and it did not take more that 20 minutes. Since we were in Columbus, I stopped to see my aunt and uncle. We stayed for afternoon and dinner. The kids did not do so well there. Elliana had not napped all day and was crying and whining because her blanket had been left in the car. We can not drive all the way up to my aunt's house, but are picked up in a vehicle that can handle a large hill, dirt roads, and 10 inches of snow. So she was upset about not being able to go get it and could not rest without it. Andy was running and having a grand time, never stopping. Once my cousins arrived, Andy loved playing with Lauren. She is a teacher and great with the kids! She helped distract them until dinner. When we finally left, both the kids fell asleep within three minutes and slept the two hours home!
On the quiet ride, I thought three kids, three and under- Am I crazy to think that I can do this? But God gave me such a peace and understanding that Micah is from Him and He will be glorified through this adoption and how I raise all three of my kids. That does not mean that we will not struggle with balancing time with all three or that sometimes it will be crazy, but I am not afraid!
After that we headed the rest of the way to Columbus. We did not have any issues at the Secretary of State and it did not take more that 20 minutes. Since we were in Columbus, I stopped to see my aunt and uncle. We stayed for afternoon and dinner. The kids did not do so well there. Elliana had not napped all day and was crying and whining because her blanket had been left in the car. We can not drive all the way up to my aunt's house, but are picked up in a vehicle that can handle a large hill, dirt roads, and 10 inches of snow. So she was upset about not being able to go get it and could not rest without it. Andy was running and having a grand time, never stopping. Once my cousins arrived, Andy loved playing with Lauren. She is a teacher and great with the kids! She helped distract them until dinner. When we finally left, both the kids fell asleep within three minutes and slept the two hours home!
On the quiet ride, I thought three kids, three and under- Am I crazy to think that I can do this? But God gave me such a peace and understanding that Micah is from Him and He will be glorified through this adoption and how I raise all three of my kids. That does not mean that we will not struggle with balancing time with all three or that sometimes it will be crazy, but I am not afraid!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Explaining adoption to a three year old
Elliana has been part of our discussion on adoption from the beginning. We have openly talked about it since Andy was born. So he too has heard it, but he is yet to communicate his understanding of what it means.
The day after we accepted Micah's referral Elliana started playing adoption. She held two baby dolls and said this one is from my belly, but not this one. I say, "Oh, yeah." She responded, "Yeah, he in my daddy's belly." So in her three year old world, that is where Micah came from, her daddy's belly. Well, after couple more days of talking about Micah, non-stop, she had a different idea. We have a picture of Micah's birthmom. She would ask to see his birthmom and think of tons of questions that I know I will need to find better answers to. "Why does he have two mommy's? You his mommy, me his sister. Me love him."
This week her questions have been fewer. She still can not pass a picture of him without commenting "He Micah, me baby brother." (sounds like baby broller.)
The day after we accepted Micah's referral Elliana started playing adoption. She held two baby dolls and said this one is from my belly, but not this one. I say, "Oh, yeah." She responded, "Yeah, he in my daddy's belly." So in her three year old world, that is where Micah came from, her daddy's belly. Well, after couple more days of talking about Micah, non-stop, she had a different idea. We have a picture of Micah's birthmom. She would ask to see his birthmom and think of tons of questions that I know I will need to find better answers to. "Why does he have two mommy's? You his mommy, me his sister. Me love him."
This week her questions have been fewer. She still can not pass a picture of him without commenting "He Micah, me baby brother." (sounds like baby broller.)
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Trying a video
I thought I would try to post a video. Since it is a test, it is just one that I already had recorded. The kids play "mini-van" all the time, although this is the first time with steering wheels. We do not have a minivan, but Elliana asks to ride in one every change she gets.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Before I knew you...
On Sundays, our community class just started studying Jeremiah. Such amazing little nuggets of wisdom God has spoken through our teacher in just two weeks! This week, along with the fact that it was Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, we looked at some pretty great verses:
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
Psalms 139:13-16
You make all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! you workmanship is marvelous- and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. every day of my life was recorded in your book. every moment was laid out before a single day passed.
Isaiah 49:1,5
Listen to me, all of you in far-off lands! The LORD called me before my birth; form within the womb he called me by name... and Now the LORD speaks- he who formed me in my mother's womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring his people of Israel back to him. The LORD has honored me, and my God has given me strength.
John 15:16,19
You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name...If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it loves it own. But I have chosen you out of the world, so you don't belong to it.
Galatians 1:15
But God had a special plans for me and set me apart for his work even before I was born.
I cannot help but praise God that He knew Micah before his birthmom knew of him and has called him to be part of me!
We have finished our acceptance paperwork and sent it off to our agency. From there it will head to Taiwan and hopefully get a fast court date. You can pray for one of Micah's roommate, his first court date is tomorrow morning (tonight in our time zone.)
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
Psalms 139:13-16
You make all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! you workmanship is marvelous- and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. every day of my life was recorded in your book. every moment was laid out before a single day passed.
Isaiah 49:1,5
Listen to me, all of you in far-off lands! The LORD called me before my birth; form within the womb he called me by name... and Now the LORD speaks- he who formed me in my mother's womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring his people of Israel back to him. The LORD has honored me, and my God has given me strength.
John 15:16,19
You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name...If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it loves it own. But I have chosen you out of the world, so you don't belong to it.
Galatians 1:15
But God had a special plans for me and set me apart for his work even before I was born.
I cannot help but praise God that He knew Micah before his birthmom knew of him and has called him to be part of me!
We have finished our acceptance paperwork and sent it off to our agency. From there it will head to Taiwan and hopefully get a fast court date. You can pray for one of Micah's roommate, his first court date is tomorrow morning (tonight in our time zone.)
Saturday, January 16, 2010
THE BEST NEWS-baby boy
We are happy to introduce Micah, born January 9! Of course you want the story, so here it is. On Thursday at 5:00, the phone rang and I saw the area code. I knew it was Kate which made me a little nervous and excited. She shared that she had a referral for us and was emailing us his information. Chris was not home from work yet, but I could not wait so I opened the email just to take a peek:) Once Chris got home we rushed through the information and had to leave for Bible Study. Chris is the leader so we could not easily skip. I texted my parents on the way, so they would be the first to know of their 16th grandchild. Then we shared with our group that we were going to be parents to a newborn boy.
Friday, Kate called to hear what we had decided. We had no name picked out so we asked her to wait before emailing out to our pilot group. (Sorry group, she will email on Monday and send a picture.) We wanted to wait to tell everyone until we had a name, but I could not contain myself and told everyone we saw. I had planned a playdate on Friday so anyone who came heard.
Back to his name, we still had not had time to talk much about it. Well, Saturday morning we both said Micah it will be. Meanings of names are very important to Chris. Micah means "he who is like God".
Elliana and I went shopping and she picked out some pajamas for Micah. She loves jammies and usually wears them all day, every day. She was convinced that he had to have them. Everyone we passed on the way to checkout she told them that the pjs were for Micah. I can not wait for her to tell people tomorrow at church. She said that she was a baby brother, Micah, but he is far away. Andy has been extra clingy to me so I think he knows something is going on.
I will not be able to post a picture so if you would like, just send me an email and I will send you a peak too. Funny thing is, I have been mistake as Chinese (more than once). I don't know if you noticed, but I do not look Chinese. Several people have commented that he looks like Chris, who is not Chinese either.
Friday, Kate called to hear what we had decided. We had no name picked out so we asked her to wait before emailing out to our pilot group. (Sorry group, she will email on Monday and send a picture.) We wanted to wait to tell everyone until we had a name, but I could not contain myself and told everyone we saw. I had planned a playdate on Friday so anyone who came heard.
Back to his name, we still had not had time to talk much about it. Well, Saturday morning we both said Micah it will be. Meanings of names are very important to Chris. Micah means "he who is like God".
Elliana and I went shopping and she picked out some pajamas for Micah. She loves jammies and usually wears them all day, every day. She was convinced that he had to have them. Everyone we passed on the way to checkout she told them that the pjs were for Micah. I can not wait for her to tell people tomorrow at church. She said that she was a baby brother, Micah, but he is far away. Andy has been extra clingy to me so I think he knows something is going on.
I will not be able to post a picture so if you would like, just send me an email and I will send you a peak too. Funny thing is, I have been mistake as Chinese (more than once). I don't know if you noticed, but I do not look Chinese. Several people have commented that he looks like Chris, who is not Chinese either.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
First meeting AGCI
Tomorrow will mark the one year date to our first meeting with All God's Children International. We went to an informational meeting in our area. Deb, the area coordinator, had just started working with the agency. She was very sweet and we were able to meet a family that had previous adopted and hear their story.
It was also at this meeting that we learned that AGCI was going to be doing a pilot program with Taiwan. We knew we would not be considered for the program at that time, but we still left feeling excited and that God was definitely leading our journey. I have already shared how we ended up being able to join the pilot program so I will not bore you with it again.
It is hard to believe a a year has already past. God has been faithful and drawn me closer to Him as I learn how great His love is for His children. I do hope that we do not have a wait another year, but if we do, God will still be faithful!
It was also at this meeting that we learned that AGCI was going to be doing a pilot program with Taiwan. We knew we would not be considered for the program at that time, but we still left feeling excited and that God was definitely leading our journey. I have already shared how we ended up being able to join the pilot program so I will not bore you with it again.
It is hard to believe a a year has already past. God has been faithful and drawn me closer to Him as I learn how great His love is for His children. I do hope that we do not have a wait another year, but if we do, God will still be faithful!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)