God's Wonder

There are times in my life that I sit back in wonder of the direction that God is taking me.  What a ride, if we only let Him.  

The adoption is one of those wonders.  How far we have come!  From first timidly thinking about it to fiercely wanting it.  We went from not being open to attachment issues (so not wanting to consider an older child) to fully expecting some and being open to a sibling pair.  He does amazing work on hearts and minds.

Another wonder is how He is working in my children's lives.   I see Him working in Zach's prayers.  This child can not go to bed without praying with us every night.  He prays for a neighbor with cancer, his teacher's mother, 6 children who lost their mother several years ago.  We do not prompt him to add names.  He hears something and adds them on his own.  I could learn that complete trust that God is there listening from this child.  I see Him working in Eliza's determination to help the needy.  She does not hesitate to babysit for nothing, to scour the neighborhood for the lost pet, help injured wildlife, and to challenge her parents to be all that they can be.  There is no easy out with this child, from rescuing a muddy dog in a thunderstorm (have I mentioned that I am a little scared of all dogs but my own) to exploring adoption in a world she has never seen but had only heard of and then bringing it to the table until our hearts softened to it and then embraced it.  I see Him working on Andrew.   Andrew has been asked to be a "captain" of a part of a volunteer organization that the Red Sox run*.  Eight boys had training tonight at Fenway Park done by Jason Varitek.  The boys can come up with a community service project and the Red Sox will help facilitate it.  In wonder, I see Him working on Andrew's heart.  Imagine being given the task of finding a need and then being given the resources to start fulfill the need.   For a boy that has been given so much, I love that he is being prompted to look outside of himself to find the needs.  The fact that it involves the Red Sox, in a family of Red Sox fans, is simply a nice bonus.  Again, I sit back in wonder.  I wish that I could take some credit but truly my hand is not in it.  His is.

My devotional today:

I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, and I tell you, "Don't be afraid.  I will help you."  Isaiah 41:13

When I am not afraid and trust, amazing things can happen.

* Andrew helped some doctors going to the Dominican Republic by running a baseball glove drive at his school and area colleges.  He sent over 600 gloves to the poor and sick children that the doctors treated.

Progress

We are not criminals.  The FBI says so.  Yeah!!!  By the way, I was not worried.  Medicals for J and me are complete.  Rew and Eliza will be done in the next 2 weeks.  We are only waiting for those small physicals and then the home study completion.  That will then prompt the 171 document and completion of documents for Gladney.  We are almost there.

Day after

Cousins Camp I is officially over.  We had a ball.  Everyone is exhausted and satisfied.  Maybe next year we will have another participant:)  Eliza and Zach were wonderful with their cousins and their cousins were absolute delights.  If I get a little more tech savvy I will upload a video that I hope will make you laugh.

On the adoption front:

I600A went out with the home study to follow.

I had my physical yesterday afternoon (I have to go back to repeat one test).

I had my blood work today.

J completed his physical and blood work yesterday.

Now all we are waiting on:

Kids physicals

My repeat test

Kids recommendations of their parents:)

Visits 2, 3, and 4 or the home study

YEAH!!!!  I am so excited.  (truth be told-a little nervous about the test that I have to repeat).  It is all coming together.  I want to get "our" sweet child home and we are still so far away from that day.

PS Andrew was great too but he has been gone for a while at a soccer camp at Holy Cross.

Cousins Camp Day 3

Painting birdhouses, playing in a sprinkler, mini golf, and making a cookie pie.

Everyone is tired and happy.  My brother and his wife get back tomorrow night.  My kids have loved having the little kids around.  J took Andrew to a college recruiting camp this morning.  The pictures from the day are above.  The 2 year old fell asleep eating lunch.  Getting up at 5am will do that to a girl.  

Cousins Camp Day 2

Blueberry picking, swimming, made blueberry buckle, and blueberry pie.  

In all it was a great day.  My brother forgot to mention that the baby and 2 year old get up at 5 am.  They actually were up at 4:45.  Now, I have a 16 year old that was home at 10:30.  So I am burning the candle at both ends - literally.  J and I better get use to it.  This will be what it is like with a fourth.  One in diapers and one driving.  The kids have been really fun.  They all get along.  The only steadfast rule has been:  we are not allowed to hurt each other with words or with our hands.  Today after waking up for the second time at 5, I want to implement a new rule... no getting up before the clock says 6:00.  Unfortunately, the ones that need to adhere to it can't read time.  Oh well.  It will be good for me to feel what it may be like in a few months.

Blueberry Buckle 

2c flour

1/4c butter (melted)

3/4c sugar

3/4c milk

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg

3/4 tsp salt

2c blueberries

Topping:

1/3c packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4c flour

3 TBSP firm butter

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease cake pan (9x9-I use, but you really can use anything).  Blend all ingredients together except blueberries and topping.  add blueberries.  Spread in pan.  Mix topping ingredients together until crumbly.   sprinkle on top.  Bake 30-35 min until toothpick comes out clean.  Enjoy!

Pictures to follow from yesterday - having technical difficulties.

Cousins Camp Day 1

They cousins got here yesterday.  So now we have the following ages in the house:16, 13, 9, 8, 5, 2, and 8m.  For some of you that is nothing.  I look at your blogs and you are amazing to me.  I am staying on top of the dishes the laundry and the vacuuming (I also have to dogs that shed-a bernese  mountain dog and golden retriever).  How do you do this on a regular basis?!  So far so good.   The kids played tennis and made their cousins camp t-shits.  

One thing I thought was really interesting is that Zach who really wants a little brother is amazing with the 2 year old girl!!  Not that they have a say, but it did give me reassurance. 

So we ended the day by going for dinner on the boat, a ride on the carousel, and ice cream.  They all went to bed without a protest.  Tomorrow-blueberry picking, I think.

Friends

The Lord himself will go before you.  He will be with you; he will not leave you or forget you. Deutoronomy 31:8
I have been thinking a lo about friends and friendship.  I have some really good friends.  the kind you can call at 4a.m. and you know that they will be there.  The one thing that has surprised me the most about the adoption has been some of the friends that I have made through blogging and emailing.  There are some people I feel an instant connection to.  Some that I feel I could learn so much from about faith and the bible, about being a great parent, about charity, about strength, about love.  My new friends have been so kind, patient, and amazing sounding boards through this amazing process.  I have always thought of my friends as gifts from God to me.  To remind me that I am not alone.  To remind me that He is there to help me (at all hours of the day and night).  This life altering process of adoption has opened my eyes and my heart.  It has made me a better parent to my three biological children.  It has brought me new friends.  It has brought me closer to J.  It has made me look at some of the things we spend money on in a new way.  This process has changed my life and I have yet to hold and love our child/ children.  It is what I refer to as a techno-color moment.  That moment when you realize you have been watching life in black and white and not color and you will never be able to go back.  

So today, I thank God for my new friends, my old friends, and for his gentle reminders that He will always be there.

So today, I thank God for my little nieces and nephews that are coming for "Cousins Camp."  I am praying for patience, joy, and the ability to be present in the moment.  I would like them to leave my home planning and dreaming about what we want to do next year.  I will update the blog with pictures.

Wow

This week has been so amazing.  So many referrals and so many passed court.  Their families are closer to being compete.  It is really fun to watch them bring their children home.  It makes it so much more real for us.

We had the first of our four home study meetings today.  We loved our social worker.  I wish the process could be quicker but with her vacation and two weeks of our vacation, we should be finished by the end of August.  Oh well.  In His time.  Our physicals will be done by the end of this month.  i am hoping that all paperwork is in by the end of the summer.  I need to take a class just to keep myself from being too preoccupied.

Weekend Pics

Eliza had a show this weekend.  She did nicely.  A first and a second in the two classes that she competed in.  She has been riding since she was four.  In a family of soccer players, she has found a way to be unique.  No soccer for this girl!!!!

We have been thinking more and more about maybe adopting an older child.  We love and are pretty good at the baby stage, but are wandering if we should be adopting a child that may be harder to place.  Bonding, language, school....a few of our concerns.  Should we try to adopt a sibling group baby and older child?  Any thoughts?

All the people that affect us and our children....

This picture is of us, a foster child of ours, and his new family.  For them, it was such a joyous day, a new brother and son.  For us, it was bittersweet; excited because he was united with his "forever family" and so sad because we knew we might never see him again .  He was our sweet borrowed baby for 12 weeks. 

Now, I think about our sweet child so many hundreds of miles away.  Who is leaving their impression on him/her?  Has that sweet child been born?  Who is comforting her/him?  Who is comforting the birth mother?  Who's heart will be broken when the sweet child is united with us?  What great adventure does God have in store for our family?

The summer continues at break neck speed.  Next Thursday, I have my brother's 4 children( 7m-8y) coming while his wife whisks him away for a weekend away.  We are going to have "cousins camp."  We are planning to tie-die t-shirts, a trip to the zoo, and bowling to name just a few activities.  I am open to any and all suggestions.  I should be thoroughly exhausted by the end.  It is one of their first weekends away.

My best friend

A little about us...

J and I met in college.  We married a few years after graduating.  We had two children during his law school years.  We have grown up together.  He is a great father and an even better husband.  He loves soccer.  He coaches and plays.  He is always up for an adventure.  He is honest and kind and is usually "just another kid."  He is the inspiration behind my background music.....

Acceleration and a Soccer Story

Z playing soccer.  The guy on the left is who he had to cover.  He is a good foot taller than Z.

I have to share another "Leap of Faith." My oldest (Rew) also plays soccer and recently made a switch from his team (the #2 team in all of MA) to another team. It was a very hard decision. It was such a talented team but he really did not care for the coach and the position he was playing. Without getting into too much of the why, it was simply not the healthiest place for him to be (ie boys-not him, but still- throwing up at practice because they were run so hard.) It was so scary for him to leave the team and we/he put his faith in the fact that God would watch over him and his decision. WOW! In two short weeks.. I am so grateful. God is so good. Why do I doubt? Rew loves his coach. He plays all 90 minutes in a position he loves. In addition to playing for his age group, he is playing for the older kids, too. Yes, it is not the second place team but it has amazing potential. The coach has already called a college coach about him. So, if you are doubting, I want you to know He is a loving and kind God. He will watch over you, also. It may not end up the way we first envision, but maybe it will be even better than we could imagine.

Acceleration.  The adoption.  What seemed to start so slowly seems to be accelerating.  Reference have started to come in.  All phase 1 documents are in.  I have started working on the Phase 2 documents.  As this continues, I still have to remind myself...in His time.  

Holiday Weekend

The boys ran in the Road Race. Eliza and I greeted them at the end. Went home changed and then went to a holiday parade. Followed by two barbecues. In all a fun-filled and exhausting day!

Sent off contract to KSB on Thursday. Feels good to start checking big chunks of paperwork off.