Celebration!

May 21st was Family Day - the day that we were reunited as a family of seven and we were all together for the first time!     What a wonderful event to celebrate and remember God's goodness and faithfulness to us.

For the past week, my mind has been going over and over the events of this week a year ago - replaying all of the details.   I wasn't sure I was going to make it through that week, and I'm not too sure the boys thought they would either.   When I remember the pain, grieving, and confusion of that first week, and the depression and struggles that followed,  I can only thank God that He allowed it all in order to create this beautiful family that only He COULD create.   My family is God's idea.   He fit us together like the pieces of a puzzle.   I still think I'm only understanding the tip of the iceberg as far as really, really seeing the awesomeness of God's plan in adoption.   I can't wait for Him to open my eyes more and more.

I remember thinking many times during those first months home:  "I can't wait to see where we are when we reach the year mark..."

And now here we are!   It has gone by very, very fast.   At times, agonizingly slow, but mostly fast.  :-)

The boys turned a corner around 9 months home and seemed to feel very at home with us.  Their fears seemed to vanish, and they seemed to wholly invest in just loving us and believing that we were family - for good!

They are growing like weeds.  Sleeping great.  Their vocabulary is enlarging.   I think we are parasite free... :-)   Their health is excellent!  We are laughing a lot.  :-)    Still eating a lot, too...  Will that ever stop??

So, here are my boys - home for one year and counting.   Can't wait to see what this next year holds for us!

My Beautiful Family

ISN'T GOD GOOD??  

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today...we saw Lukas and Yakob's faces for the first time.   It was the day that changed everything.  

Late last night, I read the post that I wrote about the day that we got their referral.   It was still as fresh in my memory as yesterday.  It was so unexpected.  It was so life-changing.  We saw the pictures of these precious little faces, but we didn't know the people behind those faces at all.  We knew that somehow we loved them.  We knew that from that moment on, they would be a part of our lives...forever.   Only God can do something like that.  Take strangers from across the world and put them together to make a family.   Blood really does not make a family...Love Does.  

Those faces are no longer strangers to us.  They are a very precious, very loved, very integral part of our family. 

I read back over the blog entries that documented our journey to this point.  And I worshipped God.  I was reminded again how HE worked out every detail, provided for every need, moved every mountain in our path.  It is so good to remember.  My faith is encouraged and renewed by remembering His mighty acts. 

If this is what can happen in a year's time - I can't wait to see where our family is at this point next year!

Our God sets the lonely in families!

It is good to remember.  It is good to tell the stories of God's provision.  It is good to make sure our children know the awesome deeds of the Lord.  In the day to day of our lives, it so easy to forget the miracles that God performs on our behalf, on behalf of His children from ages past and even to today.   Today, our family is remembering and praising His name! 

Joshua 4:6-7

"Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' then you shall say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever."

Our New Normal

We will celebrate the 9 month anniversary of meeting the boys tomorrow!  

There have been lots of changes happening in our home in the meantime.  Lots.  :-) 

God is SO good.  I can not say that enough.   He is SO good.  He is SO faithful.  He is SO merciful.  He is SO kind.  He is SO powerful.  He is SO real. 

He has brought us through the difficult transition period of getting to know each other and starting to feel like a normal family again.  The transition was longer and harder than I anticipated - but it is SO worth it!   We will always have progress to make, but we have found our "new normal" and are looking forward to continuing to grow and change together. 

God has begun the healing process.  We are seeing the fruit of His work in the boys' hearts more and more all the time.  There is nothing sweeter than hearing YJ sing "Jesus Loves Me" or hearing Lukas pray, "Jesus, thank You fam-i-ly all togedder.  Thank You Jesus love me.  Thank You Jesus always with me."  

Personally, God has done a mighty work in my life.  To be honest, I really, really struggled with the changes that this adoption brought into our lives.  It was not pretty.  I have prayed that God would use those struggles for His glory, despite the ugliness of them, and I believe that He will.  He has been showing Himself to me in a way I have not seen Him before.  I am learning to listen for His voice in a new way.  I am clinging to Him in complete dependence.   All of the struggle is so worth it - to have a closer walk with Him.   I have seen evidence of His promise that He will use all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose!  (Romans 8:28).  

I feel so hopeful for the future and for whatever God may call us to in this life.   We are committed to following Him whereever and however He leads.   We are fixed on the hope that awaits us in eternity and pray that all of our lives are leading to that moment when we see Jesus face to face.  

And now, for your enjoyment, I give you the Marshmallow Man:

Getting ready to head out and enjoy playing in the frozen, icy tundra that has become our yard:

Lukas and YJ jumping for joy:

Lukas is celebrating his first birthday with us.  Turning 5!!

We are so thankful that God added these two boys to our family.  We feel immeasurably blessed with the five beautiful rewards that God has given us.   

"I have learned the secret of being content in any circumstance...I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:11,13