Easter 2016

Lots of Easter fun this week!


Dying Eggs:

I grew up dying eggs. I help Isaac dye eggs every year. I know half the nation probably dyes eggs, but the more I think about it, the more it becomes one of the stranger traditions I've ever participated in. Does anyone know the WHY behind dying Easter eggs??  I'd love to know. 

Glow In The Dark Easter Egg Hunt:

THESE crazy cousins (and their crazy parents) had a blast with our own Glow-in-the-Dark Indoor Easter Egg Hunt. Difficult to photograph, but SUPER fun and I would TOTALLY recommend it to everyone. 

God of Miracles:

Easter 2016

Isaac and I were asked to be apart of public testimony during worship for Easter weekend at church. Our God is a God of miracles. He is the God who was and is to come. We have the power of the Risen One. He is the God who brings the dead to life. He is the God of miracles: Adoption is a miracle. Our family is a miracle. Isaac is a miracle. HE is the God of miracles!

Isaac waved to the whole sanctuary then took a bow!
Joy FILLED!!

World Down Syndrome Day 2016

Then there was the time that all the Bamboo Families made a cross-country video of their beautiful chromosomally enhanced children and their families to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day!

What better way to celebrate how PERFECTLY God created our children...and all those still waiting to come home?!  

VIDEO VIA YOUTUBE

VIDEO VIA GOOGLE+

Spelling

Guess who decided spelling was fun?!  (This kid is seriously getting ready for kindergarten)

He makes me proud.  :)

For Baby V

It was a normal Saturday morning, making breakfast with Isaac while watching Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. I was in all my pre-shower Saturday morning glory when my phone dinged. I immediately recognized the name...awww, one of our Bamboo Mommas. *smile* She and I had just talked on the phone two days prior. She and her husband are experienced parents to a child with Down syndrome already and were in the final adoption stretch, just waiting for The Call to travel to China any day. In fact, she had been putting the finishing touches on her new daughter's room as we chatted. Baby V's 2nd birthday was coming soon and everyone was hoping she would be HOME to celebrate.  Maybe they had gotten the call! 

"I just got a phone call from (our agency) that our sweet girl passed away this week. She had a horrible cold, which turned to pneumonia, and she didn't make it. She died in the hospital, alone, just weeks before we could show her the love of a family. Please pray for us here grieving the daughter we love who is now wrapped in the arms of the Lord."

*GASP*  

"...she died in the hospital, alone..."

Alone. 

Oh, sweet Lord! 

I stood in the kitchen and bawled while the toast burned.

Can you imagine any worse nightmare? My Isaac had just turned two when he was hospitalized with a simple virus that evolved into terrible pneumonia...but he was HOME, with his mother...ME. For eleven days in a cramped hospital room he was NEVER alone. The two times I left to get some much needed sleep, my mother was at his side, cradling him, comforting him, praying over him. At ALL times he was surrounded by the people who loved him most in this world...except...except, no one loves him as much as the One who created him.  

I am confident that sweet Baby V was in fact not alone. Her earthly body may not have been surrounded by humans, but I know (I know it!) her Heavenly Father was at her side...softly caressing the single dark curl on her head and whispering of the day He created the moon and the stars. Maybe even recounting the day her earthly forever mother & father had met their Savior and how much they loved her; how many times their hearts whispered her name as they prepared to bring her home. How she will immediately recognize her older American sisters when they finally arrive in Heaven with her. Exactly what the Lord spoke to her spirit I don't know, but I am certain of His presence as she was released from her earthly body and skipped joyfully into her Creator’s loving arms. He has promised us this, I will never leave you for forsake you. Never. Ever.

Thank you God for this promise!   

Sadly, Baby V story is not an isolated one, especially in China.  Often poor families who know their children have special medical and developmental needs abandon their sweet children in hopes of someone...anyone...can provide for their precious treasure. Not every child is found in time (they go straight into the arms of Papa God, hallelujah). When the child is found, many times the social welfare services can't (or won't) provide for the medical or developmental need and ultimately neglect is the reason they enter into Heaven. For some, they are matched with a family, who loves, who hopes, who fights to bring their baby home...like Baby V, and the deep layers of bureaucracy in all countries involved make for a horribly lengthy process to retrieve your fragile child. When overworked, understaffed orphanages can't send a trusted caregiver or nanny with every sick child that needs to go to the hospital...well, you know the end of that story. 

Practically, there is little that those of us on the outside can do to 'fix' the problem. Because ultimately the problem is a result of a deep-deep fracture in the soul of man.  In believing one lie---You can do this without God---we invited all the horrible that has taken place in all of history. Let's be very clear, this is OUR fault, not God's.  

Spiritually though, we have power. We can bow our hearts and invite God back in! We can repent for devaluing all the God has declared good and believe for healing. We can contend for hearts to change...including our own...and fight for little ones like Baby V.  

The Bamboo Project Family has circled the wagons around Baby V's family left behind to grieve until they hold her in Heaven. They have also dedicated themselves to daily prayer. Each family storming the heavens for our children, for the families pursuing, for the babies waiting, for birth parents, and government officials; for God to move deeply in the country that gave us our beauties and the country that lets us raise them here. We firmly believe Baby V's story does not have to be repeated. 

Will you join us?

The Crisco Incident

During the adoption process potential parents are required to read A LOT of parenting books. Topics are varied from attachment issues, cultural concerns, developmental milestones, self care, spiritual plans and discipline styles to international hair care and financial planning.  I stand before you now to declare NOT ONE of those books mentions the possibility of what happened this morning. It can be named nothing other than..."THE CRISCO INCIDENT"

...I seriously laughed the entire way to work. He's a creative stinker, but boy do I love him. <3 

A Mini-Vay-Kay

My boy craves quality time. He certainly has ample quantity of time with me, but his little emotional bank depletes quickly when our time together has been limited to errands around town or projects around the house. As the last six weeks has been mostly those things, you could tell we needed some time away...desperately (I'm really not sure whose attitude has been worse recently, mine or his!)

Praise the Lord for a well timed, last minute Groupon to the Great Wolf Lodge!  It was a quick mini-vacation (just one night away) but we both had a blast and came back with much better attitudes (I think the ice cream helped).  We had been once exactly 1 year ago and I wasn't sure Isaac would remember, but when we walked in the door he gasped and yelled "Yes!" then rapidly signed "swim, swim, swim!" Then I got smothered in kisses...there were A LOT of kisses in our 24 hours away. I think my boy was happy he got the quality time we so desperately needed. 

Getting out of work and school early for an ADVENTURE!

Someone was super excited to be here!

Lots & lots of kisses <3

Accidentally walked under the 50,000 gallon dump area. Oops!

Wave Pool Selfie

I LOVE how he sits!

The bubbles coming from his pants make me nervous...

Underwater piggies

Someone is all done

While I am convinced there is no greater hell then putting on a wet swimsuit, we had a great time. He played hard and practiced his swimming well...even several times pushing himself away from me to go underwater and kick. The FOUR adult size pieces of pizza he ate in our room is proof of how hard he played.   Looking forward to our next adventure...which isn't that far away. :)

Thanks for a great trip!

Chinese New Year

I've struggled to find OUR Chinese New Year tradition as we've done something new every year depending on our schedule and local events. Ultimately, I've decided that NOT having a Chinese New Year tradition will indeed be our Chinese New Year tradition. :)  

This year we are splitting CNY into two parts: We celebrated the first half this weekend with an afternoon at the Lunar New Year celebration in International District.  (Wouldn't you know it...I forgot the camera. Darn it. Samsung selfies will have to do this year). 

Packed house

Isaac really enjoyed the Kung Fu exhibition!

My favorite...Japanese drummers

Fresh dumplings

Enjoying lunch with my Chinese boy
(And I used chopsticks!)

No matter what we choose to do every year, Chinese New Year is about celebrating my boy's first home, his first family, and the wonderful Chinese Christians who loved & protected Isaac while he waited to come HOME. We eat dumplings and think of them. We hear drums and pray for them. We watch Kung Fu and remember their sacrifice. I look at my Chinese boy and melt at God's love for us and them equally. He is the God of the nations...ALL of them. 

God of Nations

God of all nations, Lord of creation

It’s in the bonds of love we meet

We come together at Your feet

Equal in Your sight, Made one by Your might

You’ve called us to restore Your lands

And place them back within Your hands

So tonight, be glorified

Be magnified, as every nation lifts You high

Oh, Father tonight, it’s our desire

To see Your kingdom shine

On earth as in Heaven tonight

God of all nations, Lord of creation

Your purpose is our hope, our bread

All You’ve planned and all You’ve said

Lord of the heavens, Lord of the ages

The church You build shall never fail

No gate or border will prevail

Tonight, be glorified

Lifted up high, it’s our desire

So tonight, be glorified

Lifted up high, it’s our desire

Oh, Father, tonight, it’s our desire

You’re magnified, lifted up high

Nothing says Chinese New Year like silks and a construction hat!

 Chinese New Year Part 2...coming in April!!

Building Stuff

Has anyone heard of the Kids Workshops at Home Depot??  VERY cool. We made our first field trip there this morning, where Isaac got to build his first real project with real tools all by himself. He did such a GREAT job and was super excited to use the hammer and nails and screw driver. I wish I could have captured his "Mom! I got this." face when I made a sorry attempt to help him.  And oh, the absolute pride that beamed from his face when he got to show Gramma his finished project...PRICELESS!

Lining up the nails in the right spots

Lots of hammering

It's a new way to hold a hammer, but it works

Checking the directions about the placement of the mailbox flag

Hows that for fine motor movement?!

Taking his painting VERY seriously

Certificate of achievement

Checking out his Valentines Mailbox pin.
Hoping to add lots more pins in the months to come.

If you are looking for a fun & FREE event for your kids, check out your local Home Depot for information. I highly recommend it! We'll be back again next month for sure.