Wordless Wednesday - Funny Faces

Pausing to reflect....

My daughter Katie has been home almost a year, and what a year it has been. This is a time, right now, to pause for a minute and take a breath and reflect. As I did this, my thoughts took a turn I did not expect. 

So many people look back on the first anniversary of meeting their child and the first thing they think about is how much that child has changed. If their adopted child was an infant, it's more "normal" changes - learning to walk and talk, growing and mastering, changing from an infant to a toddler. With older children, it's watching them learn english, learn to be in a family, learn to trust.

For me, when I look back on this past year, I think first of how much Katie has changed me. I think about how dependent I've become - on God and my husband. I can't be the best mom Katie deserves without Jesus every single day - molding me, taking away my impatient and angry reactions, energizing me when I am depleted and holding me up when I am weak. My husband is my knight in shining armor every night when her gets home; he rides in swoops up the small princesses and gives the queen mum a much needed breather. I could not do this without him. I know that in a profound and deep way I didn't know with Becky.

I think about the humility that I have developed because of this child. I used to think I had a pretty good handle on things. On everything. I was a pretty competent and intelligent person, and what I didn't know I could figure out fairly quickly. I could do it all, and then some. I found out pretty quickly that none of that is true. I am fallible and imperfect and there's a whole lot I don't know. Ouch. 

I think about how I have learned to separate the important things form the unimportant. Many days, I am lucky if I have time to brush my teeth and wash my face - so let's forget about actually writing thank you notes and returning phone calls "to just chat". When a child pulls her pants down to pee at the tree in the middle of a crowded park, I am just very grateful that she didn't pee in her pants. It's a little unimportant thing. 

I think about how much my friendships have meant as I navigate what it really means to be the mom of a child with developmental disabilities. The hardest thing I have done is try to parent this child - and those friends that give me grace every day are precious to me. Those that understand my child is not perfect, that I am not perfect and that love us through those times of trouble are a gift from God - and I finally see the difference. 

A year ago tonight, I boarded a plane bound for China one woman, and through the grace of God, came home to become another. All because one little girl in a picture captured our hearts. Don't ever believe that God can't use you to change the world- he used Katie to change mine. 

Big girl's big day

Guess who rode the bus home all by herself today for the first time???

She loved it! And...mom survived! 

Daddy's Day Off

Daddy was home from work today - and we went to the Santa Ana Zoo....referred to locally as the "monkey zoo". It's a small local zoo, that by it's founder is required to have at least 50 monkey's in residence at all times. They also have a merry go round and a small train - which are as big a highlight as the monkeys!  

We also dragged big brother Matt with us, but he declined the merry go round....

...but we made him go on the train! 

Becky was being her usually cooperative self for pictures - she's in a phase right now of not wanting "posed" pictures taken.

We never go to this zoo on the weekends, and so we didn't realize that on weekend and holidays they had elephant rides. It's pretty cool - the money they charge goes to elephant conservation and protection causes. Becky and Matt were nominated to be our official "elephant riders" for the day - 

It's a good day when daddy is home - for everyone! 

January Reprive

I think my New Year's resolution will be to visit the beach at least once a month....January - check.....

It was a beautiful day - sunny, warm - just what the doctor ordered! 

Run baby run

How far would you walk to save the life of your chid? One mile, two miles, 26.2 miles? As many as it took. How far would you walk to save the life of a child you have never met? A child that had no family to walk for them. A child that desperately needed life saving surgery but no one to get it for them. 

When we adopted Becky and Katie from China, no one told us that we would also bring home the hearts of the many thousands of orphans left behind. No one told us that their stories would haunt us. That we would want to bring them all home with us  - to fix all their hurts. No one told us that we just couldn't turn our backs on those precious children. 

Through an amazing organization, Love Without Boundaries, we have found a way to help. On March 20th, some of my favorite moms and I will be walking 26.2 miles to raise money for the medical programs that give these orphan children a chance - a chance at life and a chance for a forever family. 

I am not an athlete. I don't run. I managed to opt out of phys ed in high school. I have no idea how to train. I am not obsessive about my health or exercising. As a matter of fact, i hate to exercise and have never been able to sustain any long term exercise and training program. 

But I will walk 26.2 miles for these kids. My friends will walk (and a couple are running!) for these kids. You can help. I am asking for your support. You can help these children by helping me raise money. It's easy to donate - just go here and give what you can. It's much less painless than walking the 26.2 miles! 

I will be updating the LA Marathon section of the blog weekly with our training updates and anecdotes! Follow along, hold me accountable, pray for me (I'm a little old  for this!) and mostly pray that our efforts would be multiplied and many kids would benefit! 

The first week of the new year....

There hasn't been much going on! We said goodbye to 2010 with our friends Ben & Sam....

Baby George didn't make it to see the New Year - and we barely made it to midnight east coast time! 

The kids had a pajama party - complete with bedtime stories courtesy of Tia Annie :)

Sunday - two years to the day we said "hi" - we said "good-bye" to Ashlee- but it was with joy in our hearts as she begins her new life in Seattle with her sweetheart! 

I think her friends Brittney and Erin will miss her almost as much as we will..

A girl with the men of her life...here is the weird thing - Jonathan and Doug are VERY much alike - right down to the type of clothes (and boots) they like on their women, to sharing the same birthdate! 

There was a lot of playing princess when daddy was home on vacation for a couple of days-  and here is the beautiful thing about daddy Prince Charming - princess don't care if they show up to the ball in their pajamas! 

dancing with Cinderella at the ball....

the ceremonial glass slipper fitting....

a princess with her prince charming - and so the cycle begins all over again....

We said goodbye to one princess to start the new year off - but there are two little ones that will be keeping us busy - and before we know it - too soon- we will be bidding them goodbye as well, so for now, we will enjoy every moment that God gives us with them!