Friends helping...

Look at what my sneaky friend, Erica, is up to.  I didn't even know she was going to do this for us....check it out HERE!!!

They recently came home with their sweet princess, Zahra, and now look at her...hitting the floor running to help other adoptive families get their babes home...I love you friend!!!!

Stop on by and see how they are helping our sweet Jubilee home!

Love it!!!

You guys are so amazing...through you, God has provided a little over $600 for our Jubilee girl...we are in need of $1400 more and it's due today...eecckk...prayer for God's continued financial provision would be a wonderful blessing. Thank you!!!

I woke up imagining her in our arms...longing to see her sweet face.  My heart is heavy for her bmom, "L".  She is about to make one of the most difficult decisions she will ever have to make.  The decision she is making for her baby is one of great love & complete sacrifice. A sacrifice that will forever changer L and a sacrifice that will hurt for a very long time.  Thank you guys for praying for her and our baby girl!!!!

The year of Jubilee

We have decided on our sweet girl's name.  One of the things that drew "L" to our family was 'how happy we looked'.  She kept saying, "They look so happy...just look at the kids...they are so happy."  There is so much more to share but that will come later.  We immediately knew that our girl's named needed to reflect joy and happiness.


Websters definition of our girl's name is: A time of great rejoicing. A season of great public joy and festivity.

The old testament describes her 'name' as a time of joyful celebration...of the trumpets being sounded!!

Our sweet girl will be named...

JUBILEE

and we will use her birthmother's name as her middle name.

Our precious Jubilee, we are eagerly awaiting your arrival and are celebrating that you will soon be in our arms. You are an amazing gift and we can't wait until you are here. The trumpets are sounding...there is great public joy & we are celebrating you. We love you sweet one!

IN SHOCK!!!!!!!!

There are really no other words to completely describe what our family is feeling....we are in absolute shock and excited beyond words!!!

God has decided to bless us with a precious baby girl...YES...we are going to have a new daughter.  We received a phone call from our agency a few days ago regarding a domestic situation that they felt we'd be a good match for...at this time I won't go into any of the detail but baby girl is due in 13 days. We just got home from meeting the precious birthmother and she has chosen our family...she told us to hurry up and pick a name :)  I even got the amazing privilege of feeling our girl move several times!! Our meeting was so wonderful and so comfortable.  We are so thankful for the time we had with her today!!!

We asking for your prayers...that the Lord would be preparing us for our new girl...a newborn...I still can't believe it!!!  That the Lord would continue to comfort this precious bmama as she prepares to make the most difficult choice ever!

Prayers for financial provision would be a blessing, too!  The costs for the adoption will be around $14,500 with $2,500 being an IMMEDIATE need.  Our agency has discounted it as much as possible but we will still have to pay the fees asap.  I am putting a chip-in on the right hand side of the our blog if you feel led to donate. Wow...I can't believe this...I will be honest...the thought of trying to fundraise again is very daunting but I know the amazing blessing of the journey, too.  Funny thing is we need $14,500 in less than 2 weeks..ahhh!!!

We have a baby girl on the way...I can't believe it!!!! Thank you, Lord for this amazing surprise!!!

Dedication and Promotion

Today was a beautiful day of celebration.  

Dedication...
Celebration of our sweet miracle boy...the sweet boy the Lord perfectly chose for our family...the sweet boy that God miraculous provided for...our precious Solomon! Even though we dedicated you to the Lord long before you came home to us, today we stood before our family and friends...before our Maker and publicly dedicated your life to the Lord.  Our promise is to raise you in the ways of the Lord...to help you grow in your knowledge of Him.  Our greatest hopes and dreams for you are that you come to know the Lord personally at a young age and that you will choose to live your life fully and solely for Him.  God has great, glorious plans for you sweet one! We love you so much!

Solomon was absolutely hysterical today...we all walked up to the front of the church and he was smiling HUGE as if to say, "Look at me...are you all here for me...that's right...it's all about me!" The entire church was laughing...he was soooo precious!

We wanted so badly for daddy to hold him during the dedication but with the chaos of getting our brood up on the stage, somehow I ended up with him.

 

Promotion...

Today was also another day of celebration but for our big boy!  {tears} Our big, baby boy has officially promoted OUT of elementary school and INTO high school...{WWAAHH} How in the world is this possible?  Our precious boy is becoming a young man! 

Timothy, we are so incredibly proud of you...proud of who you are and who you are becoming. Your compassionate heart for your siblings is amazing and we are certain the Lord is going to use your loving heart mightily.  These next 4 years are a huge part of what shapes you into the man you will become. Continue to keep your eyes focused on the Lord. Seek Him in ALL you do and He WILL guide your every footstep. We love you so much and are very proud that you are our son!

 Daddy reading his beautiful thoughts, encouragement, prayers, and hopes to our son.  

 Proud Papa and Grammy (my parents with Timothy) so bummed missed getting pictures with everyone else...

Baby Heather is recovering!

Do you guys remember sweet baby Heather?  Sweet baby Heather that you guys helped sponsor her surgery...sweet baby Heather that motivated me to train and run my first marathon in March??

I just received word from Love Without Boundaries ... baby Heather has had her surgery and she is recovering well!  This is ALL because of YOU and your love for her!  Thank you guys soooo much. I am soooo excited for this sweet one!!!

She is perfect...

absolutely perfectly created by OUR LORD!!!  No mistake made...she was known by our Maker long before He fashioned her in her mother's womb.  But you know what...most people don't see her that way...they see a little girl who is not complete...I ASSURE you, she is complete...wonderfully and fearfully made!!! PLEASE help spread the word about this precious one!!!

This is beautiful, amazing A Lian. I have been advocating for this sweet one for a while and still she does not have her forever family. I have this tiny video of her and it brings me to tears...tears of joy because there is NO doubt she is a bundle of beautiful joy...tears of longing...longing for her to have a forever family to love her!

Sweet A Lian is almost 3 years old and was born with Down's Syndrome.  Here's a little bit of info. on this little miracle: A Lian is a completely adorable child. She loves to cuddle and give kisses, and though sometimes solemn, her whole face scrunches up in a ready smile and laugh when interacting. She can dance with the music, and cooperates when the caretakers dress her. She eats with a good appetite, can peel the skin off of fruit by herself, and can drink with a straw. Any family would be blessed to have this sweetheart. A Lian is physically healthy. No heart or thyroid issues have been detected. A Lian - Just learned to walk. She seemed to enjoy walking around with the walker that was present. Wide base of support when walking with arms up in a high guard position (typical for newly acquired walking ability). Wide base of support while sitting. Is able to get on both knees and reach and play in that position. Can go into a 1/2 kneeling position, which is an age appropriate transition movement. Will climb up to get a toy. She is curious and likes to explore. Loved lying in the fresh, warm, clean pile of diapers on the floor. Will scribble circles when given a pen/pencil. Loves to interact with the adults and enjoys just being carried around and played with on your lap.

Will you help me find my mommy and daddy? Please email stacy at lovingthefatherless@gmail.com

My middle kids on adoption and babies...

Tr: Mommy...when I get married I don't think I"m going to have any babies from my tummy.  I want to adopt all of them.
Mom: No matter how your babes come to you, they are an amazing blessing. I can't wait to see how the Lord brings you your children. Why do you want to adopt all of your kids?
Tr: I don't know, I just think adoption is so cool. I hope my husband is adopted, too then we would be a totally adoptive family.

I LOVE IT!!!!!

"I" had to chime in and here's what he's thinking about:

I: Mom, when are you going to get a baby in your tummy?
Mom: I don't think I will but it's up to the Lord to decide that.
I: Why not...
Tr: Mom won't get a baby in her tummy because daddy won't let her.

Ohhhh, these kids are too much!!!!!!

He LOVES me!!!!

One thing we quickly became aware of when Cana first came home was how long true bonding and attachment takes when adopting a new child whether they are an infant or older child. It's not something that happens right away...it's one of those things that you take day by day and it can take years for a deep, true bond and attachment.

One of the greatest joys is to see little sparks of attachment in your child. It may be something they say or something they do but there is nothing more beautiful when you can see the fruit of attachment and bonding.

I noticed our first bonding moment with Solomon about 45 minutes after we met him. We were back in our hotel room getting to know each other and playing the sticker game. You know, the one where you stick stickers on your face and your child's face to promote eye contact.  He looked soooo deeply into my eyes and I knew he knew we were his!  The next moment was when he was playing catch with his daddy that same day...he wanted to play for hours and hours...he'd lock eye with Paul every time he threw the ball or caught the ball...it was so amazing.

We have since been blessed with little 'sparks' of his healthy bonding & attachment but something very special happened today...

TODAY...8 months after Solomon became ours, he told me, "I lub you for making me noodles mama."  Has he told me that he's loved me before?  Sure after I have said it to him first but NEVER has he told me all on his own. He then wanted to hold my hand as we shared our cup-o-noodles together.  Now, I didn't make a big deal of it in front of him because it truly caught me off guard but I was dancing on the inside when I realized it was his first time telling me he loved me.  I got up to get something and he was right behind me hugging my leg.  He then wanted my attention (which he usually tries to get by saying 'mom' over and over) but instead he kissed my arm and said, 'mom'. It's hilarious...he's almost googly eyed at me...he keeps walking in the office and giving me huge smiles and staring at me.  It's a smile and stare I've never seen before...FINALLY...finally my boy is in-love with me!  Finally my sweet boy knows what it truly means to be in-love with his mama and to have a mama that loves him back! Oh, precious one, you finally know this is your home...you finally know that you are forever ours and we are forever yours!  Oh Lord, thank you for the gift of our son! How undeserving we are!

CREATED FOR A PLACE I'VE NEVER KNOWN...

THIS IS HOME...

NOW I'M FINALLY WHERE I BELONG...

Why we homeschool!!!!!!!

For moments like this...this is WHY we homeschool!!!

Could it get any more beautiful? Lord, thank you for this amazing privilege!