Heart of Worship

Music is often a very important part of language development for children with Down syndrome. It certainly has been for my Isaac...and specifically for him it has been Worship that has helped him express who he is the most. There isn't a day that goes by that Worship isn't being played in the car, in the house, on the phone, etc. In fact, for his birthday last year he got 10 kid worship CDs...he was in HEAVEN! (Don't tell him, but he's getting the story books to go with them this year...).  

It has taken me a while to put my finger on it, but it is in Worship that Isaac is most himself. He doesn't have to fight against his emotions or lack of words, or his chromosomes, he is EXACTLY himself during worship. His spirit isn't being held back by his body. In those minutes of music and surrender he is fully aligned with who God created him to be.  It melts this momma's heart to see it, and I find myself worshiping from a deeper place right along with him.  

So, you can imagine what happened when Pastor Jonathan invited the kids up to the front to sing this Sunday...

Photo credit: Cassandra Hamilton

I'm thankful for the seed of worship already planted in my child and for a church worship team that regularly waters it. If I can teach my little boy one thing, just ONE thing it's to run to the One who Created him: in joy, in sorrow, in confusion, in victory. It is in God's presence that I want him to feel most comfortable in (and terrible uncomfortable when he is NOT in it!).

So praise on, sweet boy!  You make my heart, and most importantly Jesus's heart happy <3

Happy are the people who know how to praise you.
    Lord, let them live in the light of your presence.

Psalm 89:15

Summer Garden

This is why we have a garden:
So dirty little boys can water the plants with water from the swimming pool in a princess watering can;
And eat strawberries in the evening sun until their tummies are full.  <3

Beating the Heat

Summer arrived in Seattle this week...with a vengeance. 97 degrees. Uggg!  In a city without air conditioning, anything over 82 degrees is a little rough. So how do you beat the heat?? Go to the beach! 

So strong!

We made our own river!

Look how TALL he is!

The little stinker was splashing me!

Summers at the beach are good for a little boy <3 

Happy Family Day----FOUR Years Together As A Family!!

We have rounded the sun one more time to celebrate FOUR years together as a family. That is mind boggling to me. Absolutely. Mind. Boggling. Where does the time go?! It's been fun to see the memory blasts on Facebook to what I was doing on this day in the years before I knew my son existed. They are all great memories, but the ones in the last four years will forever be my favorite...until next year, then it will the memories from the last FIVE years!

Today we celebrated the birth of our family. We spent a spectacular summer afternoon on the Sundae Cruise (get it? ice cream on a boat tour...who can go wrong?!) touring around Lake Union. It was our first adventure on a boat and Isaac's first root beer float...he loved them both! (He choose my float over his ice cream cone!)  He found his sea legs quickly and even helped the captain guide the boat in for docking. It was a PERFECT afternoon. (And if you are in the Seattle area, I HIGHLY recommend this field trip!)

I couldn't pick between these two photos...they are both my favorite <3

In honor of another year as a family, you can watch the video of how far we've come in the last 365 days. Once again I am SO VERY thankful for God's hand of protection and provision over our lives. It is through HIS redemptive plan for all of His children that we can call Him FATHER.

Bamboo Cousins Reunion 2016

For the second year, families who have welcomed a child HOME from the Bamboo Project have joined together for a Bamboo Cousins Reunion. Honestly, the first one in Chicago last July could have been a real bust. A what-have-we-gotten-ourselves-into-with-these-weirdos-we-met-on-the-Internet bust. But is wasn't! It was AMAZING. Like meeting up with your favorite friends at summer camp! 

We get together because the faces of our children below were once on an adoption flyer. Each child was created perfectly a half world away with an extra chromosome of love and then forsaken because of it. There was no hope for these sweet children. Oh, but now...NOW, they are LOVED and wanted and healthy and growing into a group of seriously goofy preschoolers. Just look at them!   They are sons & daughters. They are brothers & sisters and cousins and nieces & nephews and grandchildren and friends. For a time in their lives they were deemed family-less, orphans. BUT NO MORE! They are the children of the Most High God. They are Bamboo Cousins. <3

Photo credit HaLee Curtis Photography

For three days, seven Bamboo families joined together outside of Williamsburg, Virginia. We ate, we swam, we played, we fellowship-ed, we marveled at God's miraculous hand in each of our lives.

Above all, throughout our weekend together, we thanked our Heavenly Father for giving us to each other. "Find Your Tribe and Love Them Hard" was our theme this year.  It's the one of the most New Testament things you can do: "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up" 1 Thes 5:11

Photo credit HaLee Curtis Photography

There are two things that stood out to me the most this year. One is in pictures. Of course, to most of the people who are reading this you would never know why these photos are so beautiful. But to the Bamboo parents they will instantly pick out that none of parents below are with their actual Bamboo children...or rather, non of the Bamboo children are actually with their parents. I understand that is a strange sentence, specially for a group of people who focus so intently on attachment, but these snapshots in time show the beauty of The Tribe. A community of families raising their children together, even while scattered across the nation.  Bamboo Aunties and Uncles speaking into the little lives that surround them with equal passion and dedication. And little ones finding safety in a community of adults that are committed to pointing their hearts towards Jesus.

The other magical event of the weekend, I don't think we'll ever truly be able to photo-document the magnitude of...the hearts of the Bamboo Siblings.  These fine young men & women...boys & girls...make my heart very proud. Their graciousness with their chromosomally enhanced siblings, and their little Bamboo friends is truly beautiful. Adoption is indeed a family event, but sometimes biological siblings are asked to make a biggest emotional sacrifice. These beautiful siblings have so graciously responded to the Holy Spirit's calling to be: loving, joyful, peaceful, kind, long suffering, faithful, gentle and full of self control. It was a pleasure to see them offer themselves over the weekend but also just be kids. They bonded with each other as siblings and friends. Played hours of hackysack and chase and swimming and even participated in a ropes course together in 100 degree heat. As parents we continue to pray blessing over each of their lives and stand firm that the Lord is working DEEPLY in their hearts in ways that will forever change the world. <3

It was an amazing weekend, full of love and encouragement and full awareness of God's presence in our lives. I am so very thankful for these families that are walking this journey together. They each said YES to a calling that seemed overwhelming and God provided a support network thousands of miles wide and 50 states deep. The Lord promised to provide for ALL our needs <3 

Photo credit HaLee Curtis Photography

Photo credit HaLee Curtis Photography

Photo credit HaLee Curtis Photography

Bamboo Cousins Reunion 2017, we are already looking forward to you and all the new families that you bring to us!!