Randomness

Random thoughts and photos:

1. Isaac does NOT like Teddy grahams. I think that is weird.

2. When I can't find my little boy, 99% of the time he has locked himself in the pantry and he is eating raw potatoes.  That is even weirder.

3. Me pretending to snore apparently is the funniest thing Isaac has ever heard! (He has got a belly laugh!)

4. Let's be clear...I do not snore unless I am pretending with a toddler.

5. Isaac can put on his own socks! (AND my underwear over his pants and on his head...there will be no photos of this)

6. Isaac has started to sing. It's SUPER cute! He has a little song about "momma" that he sings and rocks & claps to. Sometimes the signs for Itsy-Bitsy Spider sneak into his song...apparently, I'm an awesome spider killer and songs need to be written about my bravery.

7.  Isaac gets the hiccups every.single.day.  It's the cute puppy-dog hiccups that makes you want to smooch his cheeks. Love it!
8. On the rare occasion that he sleeps in my bed, Isaac likes to spoon...except he likes to be the big spoon and throw his arm over my shoulder and leg over my hip...I would die to somehow get a photo of that!

 

Catching up on some reading while waiting for his doctors appointment.

A visit to the annual Moon Festival at the local Chinese Reconciliation Park.
We tasted bean-cakes (not yummy) and listened to a Black Gospel Choir yodel before the Irish dancing started. (No, I'm not making that up).
Next year, we may head to the big city for our Moon Festival fix. 

Helping Gramma with the vacuuming.

NOT a happy boy
(this pix will make me laugh forever!)



Sending some photos to China Momma!

Kitchen jam session

Eeeking out the last drop of summer...playing in the surf.

Performing a surprise drawer inspection at Gramma's house

Noodle Art

When the artistic spirit moves you at dinner time, sometimes you just gotta cover your mom with noodles.  Who am I to argue?

So serious...

One more, RIGHT there.

Proud boy!

Bamboo Fundraising!

Lots of exciting ventures in the quest to bring home the 14 Bamboo Kids!   

     I've gotten to virtually 'meet' a few of the forever families who are welcoming home their sweet ones. They are such precious-hearted people who are truly in love with their forever children. You can imaging their absolute longing to get their arms around their babies!  With one Bamboo mother, every email to & from each other contains the sentence "I'm crying as I type this...", sometimes with joy, sometimes with pain, always knowing God is at work. To know they have heard the adoption call, stepped out in faith, and are now on the road watching the Lord bring their little miracle home...it's like waiting for Isaac all over again!! 

     Some of the families have shared specific fundraising anxieties. The cost daunting, even with the special grants available for the Bamboo Project. Hearing those specific needs has renewed the determination to help bring these kids HOME!

   

      Here are a few ways that you and others can help bring these fourteen kids to their forever families:

     YouCaring.com is hosting an online fundraiser for the Bamboo Project. This is a fee-free way to give quickly & easily to these families. The goal right now is $5,000, but I'd LOVE to see us surpass that by multiple thousands of dollars!  We are already $400 closer!! Would you consider giving and help spread the word?? Click on the link below to give or use GIVE NOW box on the right side of the blog.

https://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/the-bamboo-project/85696

 
 

   Jessie Johanson, A Puget Sound real estate agent with Keller Williams, is hosting a National Adoption Awareness Month (November) campaign through the end of the year, with half the fees of ALL new listings before the end of the year to be given to the Bamboo Project! How awesome is this?? If you or someone you know is looking to sell their house, now is the time!! Please contact Jessie to start the process.

 

  
     Also...a 5k fun run/walk is in development in the city of Federal Way with all proceeds to be given to the Bamboo Project! I'm not a runner, but you better believe Isaac & I can out-stroller anyone who cares to join us!!  More information to be posted soon.  :)

 

   We also have designs for t-shirts to be made & sold before the holiday rush and a couple other ideas up our sleeves so there are lots of ways for people to be involved!  The formal fundraising will only be taking place until the end of the year, and I am hopeFULL in a "God that owns the cattle on a thousands hills" (Ps 50:10) and whose heart breaks for every sparrow that falls (Matt 10:29). Our Heavenly Father WILL make a way for every Bamboo child and every forever family (Is 43:10)...of this I am confident and so very blessed to be a part in this small way.
     Please continue to lift up these precious children and their forever families. And share the word so we can bring these babies HOME!

 

Do'ing The Puyallup...er, Washington State Fair!

     The last day of expected summer weather was yesterday afternoon (the rain arrived today, right on schedule!) and we live just 5miles from the fairgrounds...so to the State Fair we went!

 

Checking out the bovines.

Honestly, I think he was surprised at their size.
He was very cautious with waving hello to these ladies.

He lured the goat in...and then shoved his finger up the goat's nose!
The goat enjoyed it about as much as I do when I get that same service.

Miniature donkey...who knew?!

I know a song about a llama going to the dentist...
As me about it sometime and I'll sing it for you.

My kid is so cool, the animals come to see HIM at the fair!

We rode the sky-train!!
Fifty-five feet above the fairgrounds...SUPER COOL.

Checking out the fair-peeps.

He repeated signed 'clouds' while we were up and then the rest of the evening.  :)

Baby's first Krusty Pup.
He took a mouth full!

     I love how flexible my boy is.  He definitely needs his routine, but Isaac has an adventuresome spirit and is up for trying new things. I am thankful that the Lord knit that into Isaac's personality. I want him to explore and investigate and get excited about possibility, whatever that might be. And most certainly when it comes to listening to the Lord...an OK-God-what's-up next-attitude!

    Looking forward to visiting the fair next year!  I think we'll be ready for a few more rides then!!

What A Week!

The last week has been anything but mundane...

     Isaac broke his 10-week streak without a fever or ear infection last Thursday. And despite an urgent visit to our pediatrician, antibiotics, breathing treatments and chest percussion around the clock the infection became pneumonia which caused some serious dehydration and landed us in the hospital again. GROAN.  I won't lie, when I heard 'we've called the hospital and they are expecting you' I choked up. The thought of another eleven days of isolation in a teeny-tiny hospital room with a child struggling to breathe nearly gave me a panic attack. THANKFULLY, Isaac was much less sick this time AND we were roomed in the new pediatric wing of the hospital in their gi-normus family rooms. Praise the Lord!

Jumping & playing...at 0300.

 

     For three days Isaac charmed the staff while receiving IV fluids and refusing to eat or drink anything. Let me tell you...that boy has a stubborn streak! On day three, I was more than ready to go home and finally got a bribe of Pirates Booty to get my boy to swallow the required 6 oz to make 'bail'. Good gravy.   In classic Isaac fashion, he high-fived every staff member in the building as we left the hospital like he was the team captain going for the gold!

That is what hospital discharge looks like!

 

     It took two more days to get him to eat & drink normally and because of a two pound weight loss through this all, we are having to push supplemental drinks & all the extra calories we can find.  I know God's hand of protection is over Isaac...his middle name means 'healthy'...and I continue to believe that as he grows & gets stronger infections like these will be a passing event. But I am so very thankful for God's work through our medical team, IV fluids, and oral steroids. I just don't want my boy to be sick!

 

   The day after we got home, Isaac got his Super Ear!  (quite the timing, eh?)  Getting his hearing aid has been a bit of a process, but our day finally came.  I was a little nervous as to how Isaac would respond to that funny thing in his ear; his ears & nose are two things he does NOT allow to be touched. Starting a hearing aid with an infection in that same ear did not seem like a good combination...BUT, once again, he proved me wrong.  The audiologist placed the aid in his ear while he sat on my lap and when I said quietly "Isaac, Momma loves you" he immediately turned to find me on his super ear side!  It was super sweet!  There was almost a sense of relief on his face, as if to say 'finally, you stopped mumbling!'  Precious boy. The world is going to open up for you now!!

 

    Also this week, we said good-bye to Grampa Charlie. It was just 8 weeks ago that Isaac & I flew to visit with GPC and I see now God's perfect timing. He became ill shortly after and the Lord called him home on September 6th. Grampa Charlie was good man who loved Jesus, his family, his country, and the Packers...in that order. He adopted Isaac & I as his own, loving Jesus right through us. I'm sad that Isaac won't have more summer visits with his Grampa Charlie, but I am so very honored that Isaac has Grampa Charlie's faith in our spiritual heritage. He modeled for us EXACTLY how the Lord designed family. We love you, Grampa Charlie! We know you'll get the Apostles to watch the Packer Games from above. :)

You are all FAMILY (sons of God) through faith in Christ Jesus.
Galations 3:26