Memorial Day Staycation

We have a long weekend away planned in June and a big trip scheduled for July, so we took this weekend to stay near home base and have fun in new (& cheap!) ways.


Day 1: Donut Date with Cousin M
Cousin M had a special sleep over at Gramma's house and she invited us to breakfast on the town.

It's a big as her head!!

Here is the most precious part of the date:

Day 2: First time bowling!

There is an episode of Reading Rainbow where LaVar Burton talks about "chain reactions" at a bowling alley. He reads "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie", goes to a bowling ball making factory, and meets a falling domino artist.  It is REALLY interesting, and Isaac LOVES it (I swear to you, not once in all my years on this earth had I wondered how bowling balls were made, but now I know!). 

I had been looking for an excuse to take Isaac bowling and when I Groupon popped up on my phone after church, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. You can see my little Reading Rainbow fan had NO problem figuring out the game. :)

Next to smallest size. 

7 pounds gets heavy fast!

He knocked down the pins!!

 Here is a video of the whole process:

Yes, that score says Isaac: 99 and Momma: 79 but he had the benefit of the bumpers and the ball slide, so I really don't want to talk about it.

No, actually, I DO want to talk about it...because I went to high school in the Midwest and I was required...REQUIRED...to take bowling as a part of my physical education classes. Trigonometry may have kicked my butt, Bowling 101 did not. So while Isaac hasn't been bowling in 5 & 1/2 years (never), I haven't been bowling in 20+ years, so there. It took my body a few frames to figure out what it did so well way back in the day, even without a written test. Next time, however. Next time, I take no prisoners!

 

Day 3: Hometown Tourists

I love living near a city that is so tourist friendly. When we haven't had visitors in a while I start to get the itch to explore new places in Seattle. While we frequent Pike Place Market when we are in town, we made sure to visit new stores and eat new foods while we were there today. 

I love looking down to see this face looking up at me. <3

Then we popped on over to West Seattle and met Uncle Thad and Brett the Dog for a stroll along Alki Beach.

Day 4: Beach Combing
A church friend recommended a new beach and hiking park as 'little leg friendly'...that's us!

I love seeing him wander away and explore on his own.
The crab that scurried over his shoe drew him a little closer to Jesus, so it was a win-win for everyone (except the crab)

He played with that stick in the middle of the trail for 20 minutes!

We've had a great long weekend doing new things, feeding my boy's quality time tank, and my camera full of memories for us both. <3

My Little Snuggler

He's officially 'boomerag-ing".  Every night between 9-12 he leaves his bed, turns off his sound machine, drags his pillow & blanket into my bed and makes himself at home...with or without me. (Let me tell ya, when a tiny human, that you didn't know was in your bed, sneezes at 2am, it scares the yogurt right out you!)

I don't know why he has needed to sleep with me recently, but he does. Whatever his little heart and mind is processing right now, it involves needing to touch me all night long. Sometimes it's his fingers in my hair. Sometimes he entwines his hands in mind (that'll melt anyone!). Most nights he roots around in the pillows until his cheeks find mine and we sleep cheek to cheek. My favorite (although I don't sleep much) is when he folds himself in half--nose to toes--and scoots into my "spoon", full enveloped into his momma. Whether he is feeling insecure and needs reassurance or overwhelmingly loved, I don't know, but in the quiet of the night I get to whisper to his heart, "Momma is here, buddy. Momma is always here" (and then find a mocha on the way to work). 

Even as we are approaching four years HOME,  I am just realizing that the adoption road is never linear. There is no getting from Point A to Point B with a few adoption related bumps in the road. It's not learning to walk before you can run. There is no milestone that you just have to get to when you don't have to think about adoption trauma anymore, because the adoption road map looks a paint by number Ikea instruction manual...up side down. 

That's why the road to healing is all the more powerful.

When my brain says "I don't know what to do!", the Lord says "If you need wisdom, ask Me and I will gladly show you what do to" (James 1:5)

When Isaac's heart says "What if you never come back??", I can show him time and time again, Momma always comes back; Jesus is always here; You will never be left or forgotten again. "The Lord himself will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forget you. Don’t be afraid and do not let your heart be worried." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

When my body is screaming "SLEEP!!!!", "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." (Isaiah 40:29) Aka, the coffee scripture.

When my little boy is running another fever, when fearful tears fill his eyes again, when there is another appointment on our calendar, the Great Physician says "I will restore health to you and heal your sicknesses!" (Jeremiah 30:17)

When emotions are done, just done, "His unfailing love lasts forever, His faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens." (Psalm 89:2)


The adoption road can be a doozie and right now involves sock-less size 8 toddler feet wedged under my hips at 3am. Oh, that I would snuggle into the Lord the way Isaac snuggles into me!  You are our Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who makes bitter things sweet. <3 (Exodus 15:25-26)

Introducing...

The newest members of the family:

Beijing

Shanghai

HongKong 

&

Balthazar

Also known as:

yeh-oh iSHie

yeh-oh iSHie

yeh-oh iSHie 

&

HHHr-ange iSHie

Also know as:

Responsibility

Follow Through

First Pet 

&

Not A Hamster

We've been talking about fishies for a while now. And have made several visits to the pet store to look at our favorite ones, visit the turtles and be mocked by the birds.  In a moment of parental boredom today I said, "Isaac, would you like to get some fishies to live at our house?"  I thought his little eyeballs were going to pop out of his head! Could there be anything more magical to happen to a little boy in the whole entire world then to have your own fishies...in your own home?!?!?  Apparently not. :)  Major mom-points were scored today.

Methinks it won't be so magical the first time he has to clean the tank...

Ahhhh, the highs and lows of childhood.

Supporting Grace Village

I've recently become aware of and a big supporter of Grace Village, a Christian foster home IN CHINA for children with Down syndrome...several who are our sweet Bamboo babies.  <3  An American family felt the call to love “the least of these” in a hands-on & practical way and opened the first home, Grace Village and are now prepping to open Ava’s House, a second DS foster home. They have developed trusted relationships with the orphanage directors and are being given over all the beautiful children with Down syndrome for Ava’s House at the end of June. Can you image that undertaking?!  Can you imagine the JOY in that home?!  Amazing!  In doing this, they are declaring value over each of these children; they are providing love and nurturing in a home environment instead of a sterile (and sometime dangerous) orphanage; they are speaking LIFE over each sweet heart; and they are raising up locals to do the every same.  I LOVE everything about this ministry!

If you would like to support this ministry, there is an online baby shower where you can sponsor specific needs for the new foster home.  Everything from burp cloths and diapers ($1/each) to high chairs ($50) to therapy toys ($825) to security equipment ($3000) are needed.  Donations are tax deductible and go directly to being the hands of Jesus to “our” little ones in China. What a beautiful way to love. <3   Zhanjiang Kids Blog: Online Shower for Grace Village/ Ava's House

To see more about Grace Village, there is a video HERE.

Mother's Day 2016

This kid...I tell ya.  He is TOO much. 

He made me a mother. 
He has taught me how to love deeply, check my pride, miraculously function on 3 hours of sleep, crave frosted coffee and NEED Jesus. 
He's taught me how know what he is thinking before he has even thought the thought, giggle loudly and ask for his forgiveness. 
My life is rarely quiet and never boring...and I love it that way.  <3
Thank you Lord for picking me to point this child to You.

Yesterday, we continued our tradition of visiting the Chinese Park near our home and honoring Isaac's birth mother & foster mother with flowers.  They knew him first. They loved him first. If the world was perfect & whole as God has intended, they would be with him now. Instead, I get to stand in for them. And while we may never know the intimate details of why Isaac is with me and not them, we honor their hearts. As women who gave life (birth momma) and protected life (foster momma). We love you and we honor you. I thank you. 

String of Pearls Bridge

Being cool and five and stuff. 

It's not technically looking East, but we pretended. 

This made me particularly happy: I have shared the story of our Birth Mother's Day tradition with several adoption families, some local. When we arrived today someone had already left their precious gift to their child's birth mother. We added our flowers and prayed over them all. Wouldn't it be great (bitter sweet, really), if someday that pagoda bench is FULL of flowers honoring the women who loved life through birth??  That would be a Birth Mother's Day indeed.