And the big news is.....

we're adopting! For most of you, it won't come as a surprise since we have been telling just about everyone when the opportunity arises. We are still very early in the process. Most of the paperwork is ready for the home study and we are starting our dossier paperchase. There is a lot involved.

Why are we doing this? Umm, cause we're crazy. Or maybe we aren't able to add children to our family fast enough through biological means. Or maybe, just maybe, God has called us to it. The first two being reasons that some have suggested for why we are adopting at this phase in our family life. The third being the real reason.

B.J. and I have always known we were going to adopt 'eventually'. We figured that God would have that happen later - after our kids were, at the very least, older. Nope. For the last 18 months, we have gotten to have a front row seat to adoption - through Janaya's vision teacher, Maryanne, and also through my friend from my TMI years, who just completed an adoption of a little girl from India. We have also gotten to follow the blog of another friend who is nearing the end of her family's adoption journey. Okay, no big deal. How cool that others are adopting.

Then, one day, Maryanne mentioned someone she knew who knew someone else from India who was wanting to give her baby girl up for adoption, "Wow, that would be so cool," was my thought. I just knew that B.J. would never go for it though. It would be crazy, to say the least. I wish I could say that I prayed that B.J. would be on board, but that would be untrue. I honestly didn't even have enough faith to think that my prayers would make a difference. So, I made sure, when I mentioned it to B.J. that night, to mention it in an 0ff-handed kind of way. That way, he wouldn't think I was seriously considering it. His response? "Hmm, maybe we are supposed to pursue adoption sooner rather than later. We need to pray about this." Say WHAT??????????????? Did I really just hear right?

So, we prayed. Well, B.J. prayed while I prayed and researched like CRAZY!!!!!! (and found out that the India thing wouldn't work) I had this growing sense of urgency about the whole thing. The more I read and learned the more convinced I became that this was what we were to do. B.J. took a while longer (actually, I think he was just trying to be sure of God's calling), but he came to the same conclusion (nice when God convinces our spouse rather than us trying to do that work). There was one hold-up. A lot, okay most adoption agencies do not like if you get pregnant while in the adoption process. Since most adoptions take at least a year, the chance of us getting pregnant during the adoption process is pretty high. We're not the biggest fans of birth control for lots of reasons, but that is a whole other post. So, I started contacting agencies that worked in our countries of interest to find out how they would handle a pregnancy. That eliminated lots of them. Eventually, we decided to go with CCAI and submitted our application right around Christmas-time.

So, now we are in the paper-chase. We are getting child-abuse and criminal background clearances. We are ordering multiple copies of birth certificates. We are getting ready to order passports. We are writing a 20-30 page 'autobiography' which consists of answering a LOT of questions. And, we are looking into fundraising opportunities. We don't have 20k-30k sitting in our bank account just waiting to be spent. Most people don't. What we do have is a God that has clearly called us to this special-needs adoption from China and is more than able to provide all we need. I am frequently reminding myself of that when I think about the payments coming due. This is a faith walk. A chance to do what God has commanded the church to do - to care for orphans and widows. An opportunity to welcome a child into our lives and teach him/her about Christ and His love. How can we do any less? We, as the church, are all called to care for orphans. Some of us are called to adopt. Others are called to support those who adopt. Still others are called to go care for orphans, while others are called to advocate on behalf of orphans. Whatever that calling may look like, God's word is very clear that we are to care for orphans.

So, I would covet your prayers in this time. We are stepping out in faith because God has called us to do that. It is His job to make it happen.

James 1:20

"For the anger of man (or mom) works not the righteousness of God." Ouch. I needed to read that verse today. This is one of those days that I have felt disconnected from my children and overwhelmed with the tasks set before me. I have struggled to keep my focus on God and instead have been scurrying about trying to do everything I am supposed to do. I have doubted God's provision, stressed about the state of my house, and worst of all, been frustrated and angry with my kids. There are times that I wish that my natural response to frustrations would be one that would work what God wants, but I know it doesn't. My natural response is to get an edge on my voice, speak louder, be more abrupt, and be annoyed and irritated with my kids. A screaming one year old only adds fuel to the fire, so to speak.

Rewritten for me, that verse says "Rachel, your anger won't do the work that needs to happen in your kids (in fact it probably interferes with it - my own addition)." All right. I am choosing to turn this day around. I am going to memorize this verse and allow the Holy Spirit to remind me of it as needed. I will focus on the many, many blessings God has given us. I will trust that He will provide for all of our needs, and I will quit trying to make everything happen. Instead of doing it on my own, I choose to REST in His arms. And as I am resting, I am going to go deal with a two year old who doesn't want to nap ;)

Adoption assistance

No time for a full blog entry now, but if you get a chance, please click the link below and sign the petition asking Congress to make the Adoption Tax Credit fully refundable for 2012 and 2013 instead of phasing it out. I promise a new post soon :)

http://www.change.org/petitions/make-adoption-costs-fully-refundable-in-the-2012-2013-tax-years#

Sick :(

No, not me - Simeon. I hate when my kids are sick. Fortunately, it is not a common occurrence around her, so when it happens, it is more noticeable. Frankly, no one is really operating at 100% this week. B.J. and I are up to all hours trying to get things done (life is busy enough without the added fun of preparing for Christmas), Elianna has a lingering cough from an earlier cold, Janaya is a little 'off' somehow too. Simeon though, is the worst.

He has been running a fever since Tuesday nap time and it hasn't really changed. It is between 100.6 and 101.6 so nothing major, and we are very much of the opinion that the fever is the body's way of defending itself and as long as it doesn't get dangerously high, we leave it alone. I did take him to the doctor (which I SOOO don't usually do for a simple fever) since he had just been getting over a cold and still had a nasty cough when he got the fever. The doctor checked him out and said that his ears had some pus in them so she was going to treat him for an ear infection. Hmm. I'm not really certain that is the issue, though it might be. It just seems that to cause a fever, I would have expected a worse ear infection. I'm not convinced it isn't bronchitis based on how and what he is coughing. So, while I don't like antibiotics automatically for ear infections or bronchitis, I went with it.

He is miserable and not himself. He's not really eating which is VERY unusual for him..Okay, the constant holding isn't that unusual come to think of it. But, he is sleeping hours upon hours at nap time which is very unusual for him. He is also just cuddling with me all day long - also extremely unusual for my get-into-everything-I-possibly-can-in-two-seconds little boy. I have to admit that I am enjoying the cuddles. I am almost resenting the Christmas preparations because they are nagging at me with an ever-impending deadline, making it very hard to just sit with him. I am very glad to still be nursing because it is one of the few things he still has an appetite for right now and I know it will help him feel better faster. So, for now, I am trying to get as much done as possible while still meeting my little-guys 'needier' needs. Thank God for nursing and baby-wearing. This would have been an impossible week without both of those! I'm just praying for a speedy recovery, health for all of us, and a restful and restorative Christmas break.

Flashback

I was going through pics from this year and came across this treasure. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy

Dear Simeon,

I can't believe your first year has already come and gone. You came into this world in a 'no-nonsense' way and you have continued in your determination to conquer the world. Never willing to settle for being the third born, you have worked your way into our hearts and family in such a way that we could never imagine if you weren't here.

I have loved watching you grow and develop this year - even when it wasn't necessarily the pace I was expecting, but I am learning that your pace is all your own and it is just right for you. I love how you know now when you have done something exciting, and you cheer for yourself with your big, cheeky, grin that now has some teeth in it. Lately, you are starting to stand independently and when you decide you've had enough and sit down, you clap and cheer for yourself with the biggest smile. I love it! I love your laughter and I have to chuckle along when you find something funny.

As your mommy, you have a way of melting my heart that takes my breath away. I love that you have discovered that and have been freely dispensing hugs left and right. As much as on some days I am ready for you to be a bit more independent, I am remembering to cherish these moments. All too soon, you will be off and running and not quite as willing to cuddle up with your mama. So for now, I will continue to take advantage of the cuddle bug you are and enjoy every minute.

I pray that in this coming year that you would begin to know God more. I pray that I can live a life that shows the Gospel to you. I pray that we can begin to hide God's word in your heart. I can't wait to introduce you to the Savior. I pray for an extra measure of protection over my adventurous little climber, and I thank God that He is watching out for you.

Happy Birthday, my precious son. Your mama loves you so very much!

Just for contrast :)

Time to get OUT!

We had the wonderful chance to celebrate Thanksgiving this year up at Sarah's new house. For those of you who don't know, my sister, Sarah, and her husband have spent this year building a new house on the side of a mountain in North-Central PA. It is a beautiful, huge house and they were crazy enough to invite all 24+ people to not only have dinner, but stay over a night or two too!

On our last day there (Friday), we went hiking to see the property and in that hiking came across a really cool stream (one of two on the property). This one snaked and forked and rushed its way down the side of the mountain. Perfect. Especially for preschool children. Without hesitation or preparation, the girls started doing the same thing my sisters and I used to do in the woods - play in the stream. Give any kid a stream, a stick, and some leaves and watch their imaginations soar. The girls took turns clearing sections of stream, blocking others, racing leaves down the mountainside, and getting pretty darn wet :) They had a BLAST! and I was not about to stop them. So what if they got wet and muddy (okay, I admit I was a little bit annoyed at that, but I kept it inside - it's just clothes and shoes, I reminded myself). Kids don't get to play like that anymore. We are too busy with lessons, schedules, and to-do lists to just let kids play. Play is the work of childhood, someone once said and it is true. There was all kinds of learning going on in that play. There were gross motor skills being developed, problem solving, physics, science, etc. but that ultimately didn't matter. They were learning in the way that kids this age should learn....by playing.



Elianna hard at work

Grampy made a walking stick for Janaya

Simeon came along for the ride - he even napped a bit Like father, like son :)

Hey! It's MOMMY!!!