It’s been a while since I did a general update post.
Life’s been so busy with Vanya’s giveaway and trying to find him a family. Oh my goodness. Thank you to all of you who have spread his story far and wide. As of tonight we have had a few strong possibilities for a potential family–but nothing definite yet. Please keep praying. Time is so critical and we need his family to step forward in the next few days. Thank you, friends. Thank you for making one little orphan boy’s life matter.
Trusting and not wavering in my faith that Vanya will come home!
So. Last week we celebrated our oldest’s twelfth birthday. Twelve years have flown by–and I know the next twelve will too. Time has a way of doing that.
Oh, how I love this boy of ours! The one who showed me that I love, love, love being a mom.
The one who has so graciously put up with all of our parenting blunders as we gradually figured out the whole being a parent thing over the years. Connor, you totally rock, dude!
Just one thing, though, my biggest guy….
Just remember that you will NEVER be too old for kisses from your mother!
Even though you may think you are.
Got it?
Good! I love you, Honey.
Spring has finally sprung. Thank goodness! I felt like winter would never end. So not a winter girl.
I cannot believe we have been living in our little row house for almost a year already. If you’ve been reading my blog for that long, then you will remember that we moved here after bringing Hailee and Harper home. This house has been such a blessing. It gave us a place to settle and adjust to our new normal with our new daughters. Hailee has done so well living at sea level (we moved here from Colorado).
We bought this inner city house about six years ago, and had never actually lived in it ourselves. This year has given us time to make some upgrades and update paint colors.
And get stuck into the teeny tiny garden.
We’ve put little hands to work.
And enjoyed science lessons along the way.
Teaching children how to work hard and with all of their hearts is one of those hard life lessons. Some days they get it right–other days, not so much.
But more than that, we want our children to learn how to serve with excellence, as unto the Lord.
We want them to know that it’s okay to get their hands dirty, and that hard work always pays off in the end.
And that quitting is never an option.
Working hard does include pushing littlest sister in the wheelbarrow, right?
They’re learning to become servants–right here in their own home. They’re learning how to love one another, and love one another some more.
My heart overflows.
Sunny days mean sitting on a blanket in the park opposite our home.
Spending sweet moments together.
And just being as cute as a button.
Harper continues to blossom like a flower in the springtime. I posted some before and afters of Hailee right here, and I have not fogotten about Harpy’s. I’ll do it this week.
She’s our full-time walker, our little singer, our imitator, our lover of worship music and dancing, and the one who will always choose to be in our arms rather than on the ground.
She’s our resident koala bear.
Hailee, sweet Hailee. She continues to amaze us.
I have spent much time reflecting on the last year that these two girls have been in our lives. I have gone through old posts on my blog and marvelled at the amazing transformation that has taken place in their lives. The changes in them are not because we have done anything special or unique, or given them all the therapy services in the world (because we haven’t)–but it simply comes down to one thing that has made all the differnce in their lives.
F~A~M~I~L~Y.
Family loves unconditionally.
Family encourages them to go beyond their current abilities and spurs them on to learn new things.
Family cheers them on when they learn new things–no matter how big or small. They’re their cheerleaders.
Family embraces, cuddles, loves, sings, comforts, plays, teaches.
Family, and God’s miracles! That’s what has made the most difference in our daughters’ lives.
I’m convinced of it.
To love and be loved.
To be treasured and adored just the way they are.
To know the love of a family.
What a difference it makes in the life of a child.
As I ponder one year with our sweet daughters and thank God for the gifts He has given us, I cannot help but ache for the many, many who do not have what they have. The millions who will never know the joy that is family! My heart is never far from them–the ones who wait, and wait, and wait.
I’m so very, very thankful that these two angels do know it…
Joy that bubbles over.
Joy indescribable.
Looking forward to one week of no school.
Giveaway winners to be announced this week. Fun.
Have a very blessed week, dear friends. Thank you for journeying with me.
