O Tannenbaum!

     We've spent the long holiday weekend laying low to let Isaac recover from his procedure. He is doing well, thank you Jesus!  In fact, if his appetite is any indication of anything...he is doing EXTREMELY well!  (This current growth spurt of his is requiring full meals every 2 hours...geesh).  So we bundled up yesterday and went to the Christmas Tree farm with Gramma. It was his first trip and once he figured out that he could run free, he was a happy boy.  (And...apparently, he likes...no LOVES...fresh hot mini donuts!) He picked out the perfect Isaac-sized tree, rode the choo-choo train, hid in the trees with Gramma and let me play with my new camera.  (He also threw a fit under the "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" sign that will forever crack me up!)  Here are a few photos of our day:



Not feeling the 'wonderful-ness' just about then...

 

 

 

 

So happy to be able to share this season with my little boy and tell him of God's great gift to us. It IS a wonderful time of the year!

The Valley of Chronic Ear Infections

     We've been walking through The Valley of Chronic Ear Infections for most of 2013. Frequent ear infections are a common event in the life of an extra chromosome, I knew this at the start of our journey, but we've been hit particularly hard in that department. Nine times since the start of this year, I've rushed my little boy to our pediatrician with a temperature over 103, limp and listless in my arms. (Twice we've been admitted to the hospital--for resulting pneumonia & dehydration.) Each time he bounces back to his happy little self within 24 hours of antibiotics and Tylenol, but after ear infection number four I started asking for ear tubes. Somehow securing this simple procedure has been an event in and of itself.

 

     The first local Ear Nose & Throat (ENT) physician we were referred to listened as I shared our ear infection history and I fully expected he would jump up and call the operating room scheduling desk before I stopped to take a breath.  Instead, he stared at me blankly and stated (I'm quoting!):  "You really shouldn't waste your time & money on kids like this. He's got one good ear. Let him use it".
Can you flipping believe that???????????????????   I don't make a very good ticked-off mommy. We stormed out of that office so I wouldn't punch him in the face. (Yes, a formal letter has been written to the CEO of that hospital system.)
     The second local ENT physician we visited was delightful; he spent time with us, flirted with Isaac, validated my concerns during three separate office visits...and then refused to offer any treatment options. "You know he has Down syndrome, he is just going to get sicker than other kids. I hope this winter is better."  Wait...what? NO. We need a different plan than 'deal with it', even if you are nicer than the first fartknocker we saw. (Christian swear word...insert  your own totally justified descriptive word of your choice...I've probably thought it already.)
     During our ninth ear infection visit to the pediatrician I was nearly in tears. SURELY, there has got to be a better plan! We cannot walk through this valley for one more day. We simply can't. Thankfully, the clinic nurse has an adult son with Down syndrome and heard our plea, made some calls and got us in to a specialty clinic in Seattle. I was so very thankful! Miracles of miracles occurred with the calendar and the lovely nurse practitioner who saw us (way to go NPs!) gently asked 5minutes into our visit "Why doesn't he have tubes yet?!"  I swear to you, I nearly kissed her! We were scheduled for the procedure within minutes.
    So, today is our day to walk out on the other side of The Valley. Praise the Lord! Ear tubes aren't 100% and Isaac will always be prone to infections more frequently than other kids, but we are praying as we enter the winter season that the tubes will lessen the frequency & severity of any illnesses that may come our way. I am thankful for the miracle of modern medicine, a well placed clinic nurse and even more thankful for the power of The Great Physician in our lives. For whatever valley we ever walk through, we will not fear, for our God is with us, guiding, blessing, protecting & comforting. That is His promise to us. (Psalm 23)
   Here is my silly boy prepping for surgery...

Peek-a-boo!

Large & in charge!

 

High-five operating nurse---you can do it!

 P.S...we are home already and resting well. Praise the Lord!

 

National Adoption Day!

     I've been reading Kisses From Katie, the incredible true story of a young girl from Tennessee who followed God into Uganda and at the age of 19 was the forever mother to 6 children! By the age of 25, she would have started an international ministry, written a New York Times bestseller and have...wait for it...FOURTEEN precious faces to forever love every day. Her story is not specifically about adoption, in fact she only spends three paragraphs on the topic through the whole book. Her story IS though about the beautiful chaos that stepping out in faith can be. She loves because God loved her first. (1John 4:19)  I love what she says in the foreword of the book:

 

"People who really want to make a difference in the world usually do it, in one way or another. And I've noticed something about people who make a difference in the world; They hold the unshakable conviction that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters. They get excited over one smile. They are willing to feed one stomach, educate one mind, and treat one wound. They aren't determined to revolutionize the world all at once; they're satisfied with small changes. Over time, though, the small changes add up. Sometimes they even transform cities and nations, and yes, the world."

 

     Today is National Adoption Day. A day to celebrate the beauty of forever families, of children loved FOREVER, of stepping out in faith, of making a difference in one...or two...or fourteen.  Of little Chinese boys who eat pizza crust first, and hate brushing their teeth. Of God's miraculous plan of relentless love and redemption. Of choosing to love because the Lord chose us with His life.

  

     For those following the Bamboo Project...five children have been matched with their forever families!!  I am so very excited for these sweet hearts to meet their Mommas & Daddys! Please continue to pray over the remaining nine children and their forever families still waiting to come forward. Also for extended favor with the governing bodies as we continue to advocate for these precious children past our 'deadline' at the end of the year. Fundraising continues; there is a fun fundraiser being planned for the Christmas rush and it appears that doors are opening for a 5k in the spring! As we enter the holiday season (and tax prep!), please consider giving directly to Bethany Christian Services for the Bamboo Families or through the YouCaring link on the right side of the blog. Every cent goes directly to the families welcoming a Bamboo child HOME...FOREVER. You can be a part of loving these kids into the family of God!

Happy Birthday Isaac!!!

     My little boy turns three today.  THREE.  This boggles my mind. Last year he had just come home. Two years ago I had just found out he existed. Three years ago his birth mother held him in her arms. Today I hold him and kiss him and hug him and tell him what a handsome boy he is, how much Momma loves him and how special we are that Jesus put us together as a family. Today my son's life is CELEBRATED!

     Isaac has grown another inch and a half, putting him above average in height on the typical growth charts (he is above the 200th percentile on the Down syndrome charts!). He is officially in 24month clothing and I've packed away his slipper shoes...only big boy shoes for this little man. It also means when he snuggles in bed with me, he no longer fits in the spoon between my chin & knees...we both have to stretch out now. He can reach the light switch from his crib in his room, as well as everything on the kitchen counters.  He has also figured out how to put a straw in his own juice box. Smart boy. He chatters all day long in a language that is certainly not of this Earth. Ths shape-sorter & stacking rings have been put away to make room for cars and drums. He laughs at his own jokes and thinks Super Grover is hysterical. He loves to mimic NFL refs and give good-effort touchdowns to any player who gets the football. He is still very much a toddler, balancing his strengths & boundaries, but his hugs are the BEST and boy does he love to dance!

     Isaac is an amazing little boy and I can't describe what a joy it is to be his Momma. I continue to pray over his health and safety; for him to be surrounded by people who can bring Truth & Love into his little life; that even at this young age he is learning to make friends and value them; that when his words come that he will speak joy into the life of others and that he would NEVER doubt our Father's love for him, or the love the Lord gives me for my son.
     I love you always, sweet boy.  Happy third birthday!

(Here are some photos from Isaac's little party)

 

Asian Eyes

     I come from a L-O-N-G line of pale. As far back as the 1500s on both sides of my family, there is nothing but Dutch, Irish & German; strong European stock, but all pasty & and round-eyed.  Yet somehow I was born with Asian Eyes. Not my parents. Not my brothers. Not my cousins. Just me...

Yep...that's me!
(Insert ooohhs & ahhhs HERE)

     I heard a story once about a young gal and all she ever wanted was blue eyes. She hated that she had brown eyes and begged God to change her pretty brown eyes to ocean blue. Of course, that did not happen. She would later become a missionary to a third world tribe that held deep mystical fear of blue eyes. In fact they had murdered every blue-eyed missionary that had come near. Yet, this brown-eyed woman with the same loving message of a Perfect Father was welcomed and accepted into their fold, and God worked wonders there...all because she did NOT have blue eyes. Clearly, our Heavenly Father had a plan even before she was born.

    I share that story because I've always wondered how in God's green earth I ended up with Asian eyes. In fact, growing up I was SO conscientious of my squinty smile that I worked hard in photos to pry my eye lids open...and I've ended up looking like this:

Deer in a headlights!
Even my niece doesn't know what to do.
(Sadly, there are A LOT of photos of me like this out there)

     Isn't it something though, that even while I was being formed in my mother's womb God foreknew that I would have an Asian son and maybe in his own little heart it would be important that we looked alike...

 

    Several strangers have commented how much Isaac looks like me. I can't tell you how my heart beams when I hear this!  It is proof again how God put us together perfectly as a family. His plan was never for children not to be with their birth families, just like His plan was never for Adam & Eve to sin in the Garden.  But what a perfectly awesome redemption He offered through our adoption in Christ.  Isaac will inherit his spiritual genetics from me and God graced us with the same eyes in the mean time. How cool is that?!

 

 

 

P.S...Almost always the strangers who comment that we look alike do a double-take and add "but his father must be Asian??"  :) If I'm feeling gracious I smile & nod. BUT if I'm feeling spicy I add "Gosh, I sure hope so!" *wink*

Morning Smiles & Cheerios

Some breakfast-adorable-ness to start your day!

Weekend Get Away

     I'm glad I knew in August that we would be itching for a weekend getaway in November and booked a weekend away for something to look forward to! (Thank you Past-Me. I owe you one!) So, this weekend we kidnapped Gramma and road-tripped to Leavenworth, a quaint Bavarian-themed town at the base of the Cascade Mountains.  There was just enough snow in the mountains to almost get you to flip on the Christmas music (I said almost) and on the other side there were still just enough fall leaves in the air to justify a new book during a specific toddler's nap time.  We wandered through the shops, strolled through the river park, ate gingerbread cookies and drank hot cider. It was a low key weekend and a perfect excuse to breath the air in a different place.  If you ask Isaac what his favorite part of the weekend was, he would say:

1. Swimming in the hotel pool (we worked on our kicking and bubble-blowing!)

2. Playing open-sesame with the elevator doors (oh, the power!)

3. Helping Gramma push the luggage cart. (that may have been his absolute favorite part...seriously)

 

Here is a glimpse at our trip:

He did AWESOME in the car.
More than 4 hours in the car each way without any complaining!

He took CONTROL of pushing this luggage cart.
No messing around!

"I got this Momma"

Hotel bedtime story with Gramma

View from the hotel.

Walking into town.

Last bit of color

 

Telling me a story...

Laughing at his own joke!

World's cutest panda!

Downtown is all lit up for Christmas

 

 

A good trip to Leavenworth!

 

CoverBoy!

     Guess which super-cute little boy has his own page in a national calendar?? That's right...we've got a cover boy in the family! Mr. October himself. :)

     Bethany Christian Services prints a calendar every year with some of the beautiful faces of adoption...children & families alike; domestic, international, foster care, family support and adoption. This year, Isaac was chosen to represent October, Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  I'm so flippin' proud of my Little One! (And thank you Lord for letting us share YOUR story in our lives!)

     If you would like to purchase a calendar for $5 & support the incredible work of Bethany Christian Services please click HERE . Pre-orders are available only until Tuesday November 12th...SO HURRY!!!

 

P.S...what a great way to support National Adoption Month! *wink*

Orphan Sunday

     November is Adoption Awareness Month and today is Orphan Sunday. A day set aside to remember the awesome opportunity that Christians and churches have to care for God's MOST precious...His beautiful babies & sweethearts that were created so wonderfully in the Father's perfect image and through no sin of their own have been forced to defend themselves on this earth. Birth mothers have been trafficked; birth fathers have left; families have died of disease or war; cultures have decided futures before life began; bad choices have been made; whatever the story, the consequences have left 169million children in this world ALONE.

  

     But HOPE shines through, doesn't it?  God sent His son to rescue us from our own consequences then says...Love Me by loving My defenseless children. It's not their fault. They have done nothing wrong. I love them. Go get them. Hug them. Fall in love with them. Kiss them until their faces are raw. Be their safe place while they are learning to trust Me. Provide for them like I provide for you--physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually. Don't look at their outward appearance or what society says they are destined to be. See how perfectly I made them, with a hope and a future. Then understand the hurt that this world has caused and let Me love them whole again through you. I will break your heart for this child...if you let Me and you'll be a whole new person because of it.

August 2012.

 

 

    There are usually a lot of statistics thrown around on Orphan Sunday or at Adoption events: 15million children worldwide without both mother & father. Tens of millions without father alone. 500,000 in foster care in the US. 2,200 foster children in my state alone waiting for forever families.  The numbers are overwhelming and admittedly leave a lot of people in such a state of shock they can't move forward.  Let me encourage you with this number....ONE.  If you are looking for a way to be involved in orphan care start with the care of ONE:

• Give to an orphan-care ministry for the care of one child. (ShowHope, Reece's Rainbow, Bethany Christian Services, WorldVision, etc)
• Support one family as they bring home their forever child. (Contact me, I have a list!)
• Or ask to 'sponsor' one fee/cost of a family's growing adoption burden. (this can be from the cost of stamps to travel costs)
• Find one agency or ministry that supports your state foster care system. (SleepCountryUSA gives winter coats to kids in foster care, Royal Family Kids Camp provides a summer camp experience)
• Contact your church to financially support one missionary on the mission field caring for God's children.
• Volunteer for one community program that supports at risk-children.
• Take one child from a single-parent home from your church/school/work out to lunch. Be a mentor. A friend.
• Pick one month to donate your tithe or vacation time to an orphan-care cause close to your heart. (Consider the Bamboo Project!)
• Read one book to find out how you can be involved in caring for God's sweet ones (Contact me, I have a list!)
• Pray one prayer to ask God how you can be involved. (It'll only take once, I promise!)

     The numbers are daunting but the response by ONE can be positively overwhelming! Please take a moment to consider how you can forever impact the life of a child waiting for their life of wholeness to begin.  Just look at how awesome it can be for you BOTH!

 

    

October 2013

 

 

Fall Fun-ness

We've done some fun fall-ish things lately...

 

We went leaf hunting!



 

 

We went to the Pumpkin Patch!

 

 

 

This guy captured our attention for a good while!

 

 

We decorated pumpkins!

 

 

 

We went to the Harvest Party!

Super Grover 2.0...and his Mom!

"Fishing" with Cousin Vaughn...er Superman.

This seriously cracks me up. You can see the light go on as to what this Harvest Party deal is all about...

Wait, what...I hit the golf ball and you give me what...?

I can pick any piece I want, right out of this here basket??

Well shoot, I'll just eat my winnings right here!

     Thankful for this time of beautiful changing seasons. Of God's bounty in our lives. For a church that puts on an awesome Harvest Party. And for my personal Super Grover 2.0.