What the Adoption Books Don't Tell You...

We had adoption training and I read almost every book I could get my hands on, but it's not enough.
Our daughters will be home five years this June 11 and almost every day I go to bed shaking my head and wondering, praying. "Lord, there has to be a way to help these girls!"

This year, we have reached the pinnacle of frustration! What can we be so frustrated about? By all accounts, if you see us out and about, our three youngest look like they are pretty well adjusted. They seem bright enough. They're obedient. They look happy. I want to say that they put on a good front, but that's not it. They are all those things.

The adoption books all talk about loss, and anger, and acting out. We have dealt with very little of that. At least in the physical raging, desperately upset child, sort of way. They outgrew that in their first year of being home. Holidays are not a big trigger point for them. Eg. this Mother's Day, they didn't even talk about their bio mom.  They very rarely do. They would rather talk about life in the orphanage, but even that doesn't happen often.

Not to say that they aren't suffering from a huge loss. They are! It manifests itself in a completely different way than the adoption books and adoption training ever told us about. (Maybe someday I will have to write a book, but these days, I am barely keeping my head above water.) These three little girls have yet to develop thinking skills. Everything is done by rote or imitation. They rarely think for themselves. For example, if our schedule changes because we are running late and I tell them to dress before breakfast, well the next day they will dress before breakfast again. If one decides that it's warm enough to wear shorts in March, the other two will promptly put on shorts too. They leave no room for individuality. Oh, and before you think that one of them actually thought about the fact that it might actually be warm enough in March to put on shorts, yes there is occasionally a glimmer of thinking, but the odds are higher that an older sister put on shorts that day for a reason that could be completely unrelated to the temperature.

They were in school for four years. Although the school did their best to help them out, we could see that they weren't advancing very well. We didn't pull them because I thought I could do a better job, but rather so that I could tailor their education to better suit them. In the meantime, we had Bright Eyes tested. Yes, she has some learning difficulties, but to this day, I still feel that she is stubborn! All three of them have a poor work ethic. They try to find the simplest and quickest way to get things done often choosing to completely ignore any instructions given. Again, they don't want to have to think. If everything could be memorized, they would be fine, but we all know that most things in life require one to think. Read, think, discern, and you can do almost anything. Don't do any one of these and you will not get very far in life.

In September, I began homeschooling them similar to how I had schooled their older siblings. It was a nightmare! I could not leave the room at all. They could not be trusted, and someone was always finishing something that needed to be looked over before they could move on to the next thing. Eventually, Murray found an online program. It works better for them and me, but they have learned ways around it to "cheat" too. Their writing is still not improving despite the comprehensive grammar and writing this program provides and again, I find myself at my wits end! I have actually gone out to the garage and screamed in frustration.

I ask myself questions. I wonder if it's because they are biologically three sisters? Is there chemical damage to their brains? Is it their genetics? Am I that lousy of a mother? Is it all the fault of adoption trauma? How are we supposed to raise them into decently functioning adults?

To put into perspective how behind they are, I will share their age and where they are at grade wise according to their age and where they should actually be if they weren't adopted and had grown up from day one in a normal functioning home and family.

Bella is twelve (She is a December baby, so that does make her a young twelve.) She is currently working at a grade three level. Realistically, she should be in grade seven, a year behind Squirt (who is in grade eight and is also a December baby). If she was still in school, she would be in grade six. However, even socially, she is not close to the behavior of a grade seven girl. She and Squirt rarely play together because Bella is so juvenile yet in so many ways.

Bright Eyes is eleven and is sort of doing grade two. She hasn't mastered writing at all. There is no subject-verb agreement. Punctuation is unheard of and often, even the sentences are not coherent. If her life had been normal from birth, she would be in grade five -- grade four if she was still in school. Again maturity-wise, she is not even close to the level of her would be peers.

Peanut is starting grade two work. Her writing is awful, but likely the closest to her grade level of the three girls. She too is very immature for her biological age. She would be in grade three if she had had the opportunity to have a normal life from the beginning and grade two if she was still in school. She is definitely the most feisty and vocal of her sisters. She needs a constant eye on her and a firm hand guiding her, which despite driving me crazy some days, I find encouraging. I feel the most hopeful for her.

Not only are they behind their would-be peers academically, but even in their slightly corrected grades at school, they are all socially behind their peers. It doesn't seem to have an effect in the younger grades, but we did start noticing with Bella last year that she was being left out of many of the happenings of her classmates. She is generally a happy and sociable girl, so she either didn't notice, or it didn't bother her as she still had a friend or two to spend time with.

Having the three home together worries us because who do they have, but each other. No one is more mature than the other, and because they seem to feed off each other, they don't gain any social skills by being at home all the time.

Add to all this frustration, are three older sisters who lead normal busy teenage lives and who still need their mom and dad very much too, and perhaps you can understand why we are at a complete loss.

I've prayed, I've ranted, I've cried, sometimes in turn, sometimes all at the same time, but we have yet to figure out and understand what will help our girls grow into healthy functioning young ladies.

There must be more adoptive families out there who are facing these very similar struggles, but we have yet to find them, let alone find answers on how to help our daughters.

Where to Begin?

These past few weeks, I feel like the phrase Stay-at-Home-Mom is a complete joke. I have learned in my own way that to say I am "just-a-stay-at-home-mom" is not a justifiable phrase.Being home with or without children at home is a lot of work.

Anyhow, I digress. I am still at home when appointments and activities aren't taking me away. I am in a stage of life where women's health becomes even more important, and shall I say, interesting? Unfortunately I am not blessed with a nice family history of good health. Cancer is rampant in my mom's side of the family. Enough so, that I get to have the gamut of preventative/early detection tests. Fun stuff! ;o) I am thankful for these tests, but not all the appointments (and sometimes prep) that they entail. However, hopefully they will ensure that I stay cancer free and healthy for a long time yet.

In among all the appointments, mine -- and some of the children too, I am homeschooling the three youngest. It's been interesting, rewarding, and truthfully, at times very frustrating -- especially with one child. We finally decided that we need to must have her tested. We cannot figure out if she is taking being a strong-willed child to the max, or if she has some serious learning issues. It could be a combination of both as well as adoption related baggage. All I know is I feel like banging my head against a brick wall in frustration. We are hoping and praying this testing will help us find some ways to deal with the struggles we are having with this child.

Aside from the running around, life continues to be full. My cold storage and freezers are ready for the long winter, I'm way behind on my book challenge, I've learned to crochet granny squares, and even learned a little more about myself. As crazy as it feels, as frustrated as I get, as dirty and messy as my house is, I cannot imagine having my life any other way.

Looking forward to reading and catching up with many of my favorite bloggers soon!

School at Home {aka Homeschooling}

We have one week of school done and so far it has gone well. Since it is summer, I am keeping it quick and casual. One subject a day alternating between math and phonics. I dropped the girls all down a grade for starters, so it should mostly be review -- and it is -- until you add in word problems.

Here lies the problem with word problems. My three Littles have zero thinking skills! Really! They do NOT think. They just do -- or expect to have things done for them. It's not an unusual problem for adopted children -- especially ones who have spent much of their early formative years in an institution. The bigger problem is that they went from the institution of an orphanage to having institutional school.

I am tempted to say it was a big mistake on my part to send them to school instead of homeschooling as was recommended in their medicals.However, for my sanity's sake, it was not a mistake. It was very overwhelming having three extra children in the home who were very needy in a multitude of ways. The reality is, they are still needy in a multitude of ways, but I am at a place where I am better able to handle it. I still don't have the best patience, but I am getting better. Meanwhile, we are working on forcing them to think about their actions. A very common word heard in our home these days is, "why?" We question them about everything. Often they will stare at us with a look that says, "who are you to ask me why!" However, more often now they will respond to the question instead of just staring back at their questioner.

Baby steps!

 

Play!

I know for many adoptive families, teaching their new son or daughter how to play is one of the big things on their list of helping their child to adjust to a new life. We were surprised to discover that with two of our girls at least, that this has not been the case. Peanut and Bright Eyes are very good at happily entertaining themselves for long periods of time. They love Duplo, their kitchen toys, books, colouring, play dough, etc. One of their favorite things is to be outside. I am thankful for our large property. It keeps them very busy. They are happy for the warm weather. No more coats, hats, and mittens!

Peanut is home three days a week yet, but most days she keeps so busy that I hardly see her. I check on her frequently. She comes up for bathroom breaks, I give her snacks and lunch and after lunch she loves to "watch a movie."

I confess, there are days where I feel guilty knowing that she plays so well, but at the same time, I am very thankful for her happy nature. With seven children who have busy lives, I need the time to get things caught up in our home. Speaking of which, I need to get some baking done. The cupboard is bare yet again, and I have a meeting tonight. There will be unhappy campers here tomorrow if they discover there are no cookies or muffins in their lunch for tomorrow.

Happy Monday!



P.S. I have not forgotten the last installment of my photo project.

Learning Your Child is Hearing Impaired Part II

After a disappointing visit to the specialist on April 19, we had an appointment with the audiologist today. He in turn talked to the specialist and we now have a firmer grasp of what is going on with Bright Eyes's (lack of) hearing.

The bad news is that it's not as simple as fluid in the ears and a quick surgery to have tubes put in to correct her hearing. We learned she has mild to moderate hearing loss in her right ear and moderate to severe hearing loss in her left ear. She can hear things best at mid pitch. Low pitched things are sometimes heard, and high pitched things are generally not heard at all. It makes us wonder how Peanut has any conversations with Bright Eyes considering the high pitch of Peanut's voice. Just kidding, but she does talk very high. I'll have to interview them one day and post it.
 
The good news is that this hearing loss can be solved. She might never hear without the help of some type of device, but that's the great thing about technology today, she will be able to hear.

After our visit with the audiologist and the specialist, we scooted over to the hospital to have her give blood, so that she can have a CT scan. It is hoped that this scan will give us further insight into Bright Eyes's inability to hear well, and rule out any disease that may be affecting her hearing. The doctor says that he highly doubts any disease will have caused, or is causing the damage as typically when a child is this young, they were born with hearing issues.

In the meantime, we make small adjustments to enable her to hear and understand what is going on as much as possible. The children get new seating arrangements tomorrow at school and Bright Eyes will sit in the front row with her right ear facing the teacher instead of her more impaired deaf ear.  Tennis balls are being applied to the desks and chairs in the classroom. We all speak louder and more slowly when addressing Bright Eyes and we make sure we've made eye contact so that she knows we are talking to her.

I need to go over the list again of the other things to do that are helpful to her as I know I've forgotten some again.

Top photo: a rare smiling moment in the Philippines. Above photo: The glazed look. We are so happy to rarely see this expression anymore! No wonder we didn't have a lot of happy moments with her in the Philippines. Good grief! It's bad enough she was away from everything she was used to, but then not to hear well and not even in her own language? This little girl is really nothing short of amazing!

Stay tuned for part three to this story, coming soon :o)!

 

Learning Your Child is Hearing Impaired (Part I)

We currently have a child who is hearing impaired. To what extent and whether it is a long term thing is still to be determined, but we're happy to be in the process of helping our little girl hear well again. We feel a combination of relief, stupidity, and guilt that it took us so long to realize it when the clues were there all along.

Before I tell you how we finally realized it, let me go back about three decades or so because the story really begins with me. Long ago I dreamed of becoming a teacher of the deaf (the first, shall we say, irony), but the truth is, God had different plans for me. I went off to a Christian college to become a teacher (I dreamed of specializing after that), hated it, came home after two years, took a diploma course in nursery/landscape at our local college, met my soul mate at church, married eleven months later, finished my diploma,  and worked in the field related to my diploma until I learned we were expecting. Then I became a stay-at-home mom to eventually four children. During this time I homeschooled for five years. (Funny how I still ended up being a teacher.) Eventually, God began a work in our hearts and we started the process of adding to our family through adoption. Those of you who have adopted know all about the enormous piles of paperwork that one must go through to bring a child home. In that pile of paper is a form that prospective parents tick off as to what they will and will not accept in regard to the health of a child. It sounds cruel yes, but when actually given the choice, most of us know what we are and are not able to handle in regard to health issues in a child. Among several other things, we ticked off that we would consider a child with hearing impairment. (The second irony). Having a child with hearing issues did not and does not frighten me/us. I've always had an interest in the hearing impaired, and been fascinated with ASL (American Sign Language) even though I don't know near enough. I am also blessed to have a wonderful sounding board in my friend Julie at Herding Grasshoppers. She's been through it all and is willing and able to help us out with any questions we might have.

Now you know why in some ways having a child who is hearing impaired isn't really a shock to us. So, how did we finally discover this? Well, to be honest, we should really have clued in even before we met Miss Bright Eyes because it said clearly in her medical that she was speech delayed. There could have been many varied reasons for that though, and truthfully it did crossed our minds that she might be hearing impaired, but unfortunately, it didn't put up a red flag for us.

Then came those tumultuous first two weeks in the Philippines. Adjusting to one new child (who is not a newborn) is difficult enough, let alone three children. They each had their own ways of dealing with the stress of this big change, but Bright Eyes was definitely the toughest. She had MAJOR melt downs every.single.day. and often multiple times per day. At this point of course we were simply thinking about the poor wee girl's feelings of fear and anger at yet another big change in her life, and the fact that she knew very little English. We never thought to factor in that she likely wasn't hearing half of what we were saying. How could she understand the tone and influx of our voices? She was likely going based mainly on the expressions on our faces and the garble (to her) that was coming from our mouths -- neither of which she was used to or could even make sense of at the time.

Once we arrived home, she seemed to settle in. The fits were fewer and fewer and by September were completely gone. She adjusted well to kindergarten. They'd all been to see our family doctor who didn't notice anything unusual. The one thing that continued to nag at me was how low and loud her voice was. She often caught colds that would linger, so I suspected that she might need her tonsils and or adenoids out eventually. She also couldn't carry a tune in a bucket if she tried and yet her little sister could sing pitch perfect. We knew she loved music though because she would listen to her big brother's head phones whenever given the opportunity, loved to bang away on his drums, and also liked to play on the piano when she had a chance (all things that given a certain pitch and volume she can hear).

By the summer (the one year home mark) we knew that they all understood English well enough to typically answer questions when asked. It was by this point that we started to really notice what we called her "deer in the headlights" look. When instructed to do something or ask a question, she would just look at us and kind of glaze over. Of course there had been warning signs, but we weren't catching them. We just thought she was being obstinate or dealing with some history that she didn't know how to put into words. We were very frustrated and embarrassingly for us, she suffered the consequences of  our frustration by spending a lot of time in time ins (sitting on a chair in the same room as Mom and Dad) or time outs because we didn't know what to do with her.

Her teacher at school was really frustrated too and there were lots of emails and phone calls back and forth. (I need to add here that Bright Eye's is in a very needy class. There are about 6-8 students in her grade that have some type of issue, learning and/or otherwise, so it is a busy class for both her and her teacher.) We weren't sure what to do with her as she was not only being uncooperative at home, but at school as well. Kindergarten had gone well, so why all the struggles in grade one? We're still not sure, but happily, we hit a turning point over Christmas holidays.

As is not unusual, Peanut had started a fuss upstairs one morning while they were getting dressed. I went up to see what was going on and why she was (fake) crying. (She's a fantastic little actress, our baby girl is.) She accused |Bright Eyes of pinching her. I asked Bright Eyes who immediately started to glazed over. I spoke slower and more clearly (more to keep myself from getting angry) and with a very neutral/ calm look on my face, and told her that I needed her to answer the question. She did! It wasn't a clear answer though and I wanted both sides of the story, so I asked Bright Eyes to sit on the chair in her room while I took Peanut to another room to quiz her. I told Bright Eyes she was not in trouble, but by the time I came back, giant tears were rolling down her cheeks (break my heart!). I explained to her again that she was not in trouble, and that Peanut admitted to being the culprit (not in those words of course), and that she was free to go in a clear and very intoned voice, and gave her a big hug. Remarkably, she has not pulled the deer in the headlights look since. She might start, but we then repeat ourselves slowly and clearly with a neutral or relaxed look on our face, and she responds. This is when I really began to suspect that she might have hearing issues.

I think school might have been back in session for about two weeks when I received yet another phone call from her teacher. This was the phone call I had been waiting for! "I think [Bright Eyes] has hearing issues!" her teacher stated. I was waiting to see if maybe I was imagining it and who better to confirm that I wasn't imagining it than her teacher. Right after that phone call,  I got the ball rolling to have her hearing tested. We've been to our family doctor and to our Children's Health Centre where all three Littles had their hearing tested. Her sisters have impeccable hearing (especially one of them), but Bright Eyes's hearing loss is significant enough that she goes to see a specialist on April 19.

These days she is a very happy contented little girl who yells "what!?" a lot. Her speech is remarkably clear for the impairment she has and the fact that English is not her first language. You will find that she studies your face closely for clues, but as long as you speak slowly and clearly, she understands you well enough that you wouldn't know that she struggles to hear what you're saying. She is happier at school now too, which I'm sure is a huge relief for her teacher!

When we first knew for sure that she was having difficulty hearing, I experimented one morning as I was doing her hair. She of course has her back to me when I do her hair, so I had a one sided conversation with her about the weather and how it was nice to see the snow falling. She didn't move a muscle. I began to wonder how she knew what I needed when I was doing her hair. She anticipates! If it's not the comb that I want, I wave my hand in front of her and she'll hand me the brush or an elastic instead until I have the right thing. I do that with all five girls, so I never noticed anything unusual about it. I'm amazed at how far this little girl has come despite the hurdles she has had to overcome! She really is a gift to our family!

Stay tuned for part two to this story after we see the specialist in late April!

 

A BIG Day

On Monday, December 3, 2012, we had a court date. Four years and eleven months almost to the day of beginning our adoption, we have finally become a forever family.

 Some papers were signed that now state our three youngest daughters are legally and completely ours. Three wonderful ladies who worked very hard for and with us over the almost four years to help make this special day possible were able to be there too.

 If we had questions, these ladies had the answers -- and if they didn't, they would be sure to get the answer for us.

 With my (Deborah's) parents who prayed for us (and still do) encouraged us, questioned us, and were there too look after children whenever needed (and still do). They're some of our biggest fans and cheerleaders and words cannot even begin to describe how thankful we are for their active presence in our lives!

This was a crowded courtroom! A big thank you to all of you too -- our readers, friends, and family who have followed our adoption journey. We deeply appreciate your warm thoughts, words of encouragement, and prayers. Even though this chapter of our story is closed, the journey has really only just begun!

Blessings!

One Year Ago on June 10

One year ago on this date, we were at the Inter-Country Adoption Board making our girls legally ours. Wow! A year already!!

Looking back at photos and talking with the girls, we are reminded of things we had already forgotten. Having experienced both childbirth and adoption, I can say that adoption, like childbirth enables you to forget certain things for a reason. Ohhhhh myyyyy, looking back on those very early days with the girls I suddenly remembered how tumultuous those days were. Yet, we all survived them and the girls are thriving. There is much talk lately of going back FOR A VISIT they stress. Someday we all hope to go (back). We'd love to introduce our older daughters to the beautiful country of their sisters' birth. For now though, we continue to work on teaching the girls the innuendos and quirks of the English language and culture and watch them grow and flourish. One year later, they still have not developed inside voices. I am slowly learning to ignore the loud, but there are times still where I grit my teeth in agony. A shushing comment will now often give me a five minute reprieve :o).

It has been fun and interesting to see the girls strengths and gifts develop. Like our older four, they have very distinct personalities. Bella is still trying to find her place. She went from being the oldest to one of the youngest. It's a difficult place to be. However, she is a strong personality. She is aggressive and knows how to get what she wants. It will do her well in the years to come, but can frustrate all of us yet at this point.She has unbelievable energy and loves to run and dance. Bright Eyes is our deep thinker and she is very very bright. She misses nothing. She is also displaying a strong aptitude for music. Peanut is our comic relief. She still just has such a joie de vivre. Everything is embraced with a smile and a giggle.

So many of the things that we learned about adoptive children have not been an issue with our girls (at this point). Aside from mostly typical kid things, we deal with very little baggage and "stuff". I'm sure over the years to come, there will be lots of "stuff" to deal with, but right now they're doing great!! God knew they were a perfect fit for our family.

Blessings!

 

Nine Months and Growing! (No, I'm NOT Pregnant!!)

I never did a six month post, so I thought maybe a nine month post would be good.

In some ways the girls have been with us long enough that it feels like they've always been here. They really are a perfect fit for our family.

In other ways though, we know we still have a loooong way to go.

We'll start with Peanut. At this point to me she behaves like a very typical three year old. She's actually four mind you, but as we learned beforehand, their emotional ages, don't usually match their physical age. (Very typical of children in multiple homes from birth.) She looks like she's only three anyways, so it works well for us -- provided that we remind ourselves that she processes things the way a three year old does. She has two moods. Happy or whining and obstinate. When she's happy she smiles at everything and everyone. Hit your head? Smile anyways. She's that happy. When she's whining, nobody works but mommy and she gives everyone else the grunt and dirty look. Hit your head? The whole world knows about it.

She plays very well on her own, but needs to know that I'm nearby. She strings together three and four word sentences, and understands simple questions. After that we're not sure how good her English is getting. Often she seems totally clueless as to what she was instructed to do, or the question she was asked. On the other hand, we've forgotten what it's like to have a 3yo in the house and I think sometimes we expect too much from her. I'm sure as the months continue to fly by that we'll continue to see more comprehension on her part.

Bright Eyes has made HUGE strides! She was our most timid child and in a way our most angry child too. Not so much angry about all the new, but angry about her inability to communicate and our ability to understand her. However, now that her English -- both comprehension and speaking has improved, she is more content. She can be very stubborn to the point of ridiculousness, but at the same time, she is the least work of the three of them. She has a fantastic sense of humour. She actually gets when we're teasing her and will break up into this rolling belly laugh. She also gives as good as she gets and loves to tease her brother. Considering that she was the most timid initially she is the one who went to sit with my parents in church this morning. Mind you, they were in the pew right behind us -- just over to the left a bit more, but to her that's all she needs. If she can see us, it's all good. That is the one thing we find that she has not resolved. She still constantly has to check up on us and know exactly where we are and what we are doing. It's almost as if she's afraid that if she doesn't check regularly, we'll just up and disappear on her. Even though we know that that could very possibly be the reason, it sometimes does get very frustrating when you're being raked over the coals so to speak by your seven year old for the umpteen dozenth time.

Bella. Our trial by fire. Truthfully she has been very difficult. I'm not going to go into great detail, but I will say that she has learned the survival skills of a displaced child well! Yesterday afternoon I finally decided to voice some of what I've been feeling because of what I think she's been feeling. It's nine months, so in her mind, that means in three months, she will be off too a new home again. At this point she can't put that into words in her head or out loud, but I'm pretty sure that's what she's been feeling as she has been testing us at every turn.  I told her yesterday, "you can make mean angry all you want, but you are not going anywhere! You are my daughter and it is my job to help you grow and learn. However, you also need to learn to obey! You are making your life more difficult by not listening to Mom and Dad and doing what you are told." It was a very testy afternoon until then. This morning however, she awoke with a smile on her face ready to face the world. She's been mostly congenial and willing to obey. Let's pray it's a turn for the better.

Today it is 17 degrees Celsius here. Days like this are much anticipated and the four youngest are currently munching store brand fruit loops up in one of our pine trees. I anticipate sap covered clothing, rosy cheeks, and tired children. It's moments like this, when they're simply being kids that you know that all the pain, the grief, and the struggles are worth it. We are blessed!

An Update on Jonathan

Here is where things stand for Jonathan right now. I am so very thankful to read that a family has stepped forward. Lots of prayers are still needed, but we're moving in the right direction. Praise be to God!!

AN UPDATE ON JONATHAN...

Oh my goodness gracious! What an outpouring of LOVE we have received for Jonathan. It truly has been an amazing thing to witness. Thousands and thousands of people have read his story in the last 48 hours--only because so many of you cared deeply enough to link on your blogs and facebooks. So many people shared his story. The army of God took up the mandate to care for the orphan!

I am so, so thankful.

As of yesterday we do have a family who has stepped forward and who is qualified to adopt Jonathan. That is the GOOD news. However, as things so often go with international adoptions, this is truly going to take a miracle. Definitely not impossible (for NOTHING is impossible with the King of Kings!), but it is going to take us all praying and believing that this young man WILL come home!

Many have asked me how they can be praying specifically for Jonathan and his adoption. Obviously with time being so crucial in this case, there are many obstacles in the way and we covet your prayers. Every day counts!

~~ The family who is trying to adopt Jonathan will have to have an update done on their homestudy. While this is typically a very simple and easy thing to have done (usually just a paragraph or two which needs to be added), unfortunately with the holidays upon us everyone is busy and they are struggling to find someone to do the update in a huge hurry. Please pray that the Lord, even now, will be moving on a social worker's heart to jump in and get the job done as quickly as possible. Pray that the Father will lead this potential family to the right person who can help them.

~~ Pray for great favor in applying for and getting the visa Jonathan needs to enter the country on. With so little time before he turns sixteen at the end of this month we really do need to pray that God will move this mountain too.

~~ Finances. With no time to fundraise (because adoption is insanely expensive!), his family will have to come up with lot of money super quickly. Again...not impossible. I know that many of you have said that you would love to help. I'll keep you updated on ways that you may be able to do that later.

~~ Timing is crucial here. Please pray that things will happen in the Lord's most perfect and amazing timing.

~~ And for Jonathan. Every time I think of him, my heart aches. He knows all too well that time is ticking by and that with every day that passes his dream of finding a family diminishes. I cannot even imagine all that must be going on in that young man's head right now. Fear, uncertainty, anxiety. Please pray that the Lord would put a hedge of protection around him and that He would keep him safe.

So, things ARE moving forward and there is definitely hope on the horizon for Jonathan, but getting him here truly is going to take a miracle of God. Thankfully, we serve THE God of miracles! Please keep praying that every mountain, every obstacle, and every plan of the enemy will NOT stand in the way of this boy coming home. It's a known fact in the adoption community that if you want your faith to be tested like never before...adopt a child! Why? Because this is spiritual warfare! Adoption is about rescuing children out of captivity--taking them out of darkness and bringing them into HIS glorious light. It is about the Kingdom of God advancing on the earth and many, many children being rescued from the most horrific situations our hearts could ever imagine.

But, adoption comes with a price. It is hard! It takes every ounce of faith you can muster on any given day. It takes courage, a huge heart, obedience, and a promise to your child waiting on the other side of the world that you will NEVER give up on them--no matter what the enemies camp throws your way!

All that to say that we need your continued prayers until Jonathan is safely united with his parents. Please pray church!

I will continue to keep you all updated on specifics as Jonathan's miracle unfolds. Thank you for all you have done to ensure that this young man does NOT become another statistic!

Can You Help? Or Know of Someone Who Can?

My friend Becky posted this on her family blog and I thought I'd share it too. God works in mysterious ways and I know I have a fairly large reader base, so who knows whose heart this post may reach and in turn enable this precious boy to have a very special Christmas! If I didn't have to obey Canadian adoption rules I'd be on my way to Eastern Europe right now. However, since I do,  I'm hoping this post reaches someone who doesn't have to follow Canadian rules and will be able to give this young man his forever family.

URGENT***URGENT

A couple of mornings ago I woke up to an e-mail in my inbox. "A boy needs help!" I read through the information and my heart broke. Not really knowing what my role was at that point, I prayed and trusted the Lord that He would send the right family.

I prayed the entire day on Monday for him. I checked in later that night to see if the many prayers being prayed on his behalf had been answered yet.

No, they hadn't!

Tuesday morning came and all I could think about was this poor young man. I started thinking about when I was a teenager, and what a blessed life I had--a warm bed, food in my tummy, the opportunity to go to school, and people who loved me. I put myself in his position and I felt physically sick.

You see, life as this one young man knows it is about to change. Drastically!

It was then that I knew that I knew that I needed to come to you, the amazing readers of my blog, with another rescue mission. I realized that, knowing all I know about him, if I choose not to advocate for him, well, I may just regret it for the rest of my life. I knew I had to try to help, and I also knew that you guys would be so faithful to rush in and help.

Friends, this time a young man, just fifteen years old, is literally on the brink of an absolute catastrophe!

This is Jonathan. I don't know anything of his history, only that he is an orphan in Eastern Europe.

On December 31, 2011, Jonathan will turn sixteen. A huge birthday for most teens. But a dreaded day for this young man. Soon after the day of his sixteenth birthday Jonathan will be given the "gift" of his freedom. Together with a small bag which contains all of his earthly possessions and about $30 in cash, he will be set free--no longer to be taken care of by a state orphanage.

Freedom?

Sadly, not!

Unfortunately, most of the children like Jonathan who "age out" of the system literally have nowhere to go. They are left on the streets to fend for themselves. With nowhere to turn, and no one to turn to, many end up in the trafficking industry. The majority never make it past their teen years. It is the sobering reality of most orphans who are forced to leave the only place of safety they know. The statistics are staggering. It is one of the many reasons adoption advocates fight so very hard to get children out of orphanages before it is too late. They know.

Here's the thing...

Jonathan has a matter of DAYS to find a family. Mere DAYS!

In order for this boy to be rescued from a life that few of us can even begin to imagine, a family needs to step forward in the next few days and commit to him! I'm told that as long as there is a commitment and the I600 visa is applied for, he will be kept where he is, and the adoption can be completed later. That's the good news.

Right now what is needed is a family who has adopted internationally before. From the contact I have been given, "He needs a family that is married, can travel, and has a homestudy that can be used for immigration approval and is willing to apply for immigration in the next week. If a family is ready to apply they will work directly with the facilitator who knows him."

One week! A visa HAS to be applied for in the next week in order to save this boy!

Here's a little we know about Jonathan:

"Jonathan is apparently a very, very good boy. He has a great sense of humor which has been confirmed by other kids in his class and two children who were recently adopted to U.S. He loves to work on a computer, takes part in virtually all theatrical performances organized at the orphanage, just a great actor, very calm when not on stage, never gets in trouble, loves sports and plays soccer, played basketball and trained in light athletics, studies at good level. Jonathan is respectful to adults and older children. He is obedient and always ready to help. NEEDS A FAMILY to file for immigration ASAP, can adopt later. BEGS translator when he visits if he has found his family yet, desperately wants to be adopted. Can be chatted to on Skype as well as email."

Oh, God in heaven, surely someone can go for this precious young man before it is too late? Surely he can be rescued in time? My heart cannot even bear the thought of what the alternative is.

Many, many people have joined in to spread the search for Jonathan's family as far and as wide as is possible. Many are praying and interceding on his behalf. Will you please join in? Would you use your blogs and your social networks to share Jonathan's desperate need for a family? It is only going to take ONE family to rise up and say yes. Just one. Surely between all of us we can help one boy to be united with his family...and spared the future he is rapidly heading toward? I have to believe it.

I believe with all my heart that we serve a God who LOVES to show His miracle-working power through seemingly impossible situations. He loves to show His power, His glory, and His faithfulness when all the odds are stacked up against us and things seem so dismal. Of course He can do this!

Thank you so much for joining us in the search for Jonathan's family! I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

Please, I'm begging you to share his story wherever you possibly can! It is the only way his family will find their son.

If anyone would like more information about adopting Jonathan, please contact Amy at waitingchildren@gmail.com

Something Neat I Thought I'd Share

As photographers, the Engineer and I have had our work published a few times now, but neither one of us has had our writing published (I don't think) until last month. I guess you can say that I am now a published author/blogger.

As most of you know, last month was National Adoption Month. It's something we're just a tad passionate about these days.

Last month two of my blog posts about adoption were published in the Christian Courier. (It's a denominationally Reformed newspaper that goes out bi-monthly). I don't know the audience range or demographics it reaches, but it is still neat to see my blogging in print nonetheless.

It was also  very good to read other family's adoption stories. You can read one of them here for the next day or so (until the feature changes).  I was nodding my head so vehemently in agreement with their story that I felt like a bobble head. How encouraging to know that I'm not the only one who struggles with having a new little one (or little ones) in the home.

Sadly, They've All, but Forgotten

I was quizzing Bella today on whether she could remember Illongo. She says,"no, I speak only English!"

*Sigh!* I really wanted them to hang on to their Illongo just a little bit. I asked her to talk to Peanut in Illongo, but it wasn't going to happen. It seems the only thing they remember is the Philippine National Anthem. I can understand why. It's a pretty and catchy anthem. Sadly, it's likely in Talalog.





So no more Illongo here except the few words we learned from them early on. We still try to use them, but it's pretty hard to remember to do so when your daughters won't even use them anymore.

National Adoption Month

"Defend the cause of the fatherless..." Isaiah 1:17

Did you know that November is National Adoption Month? Can you believe a whole month is set aside to promote adoption awareness!? It's true! Sadly, I knew nothing about this until we began our adoption journey.( I really need to push our church to at least make our congregation more aware of it).


Orphan Sunday 2011 from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo
.
Some shocking statistics on domestic children in need of adoption:

• there are more than 114,000 children in the U.S. foster care system that are available for adoption
•  each year, more children enter the system than are adopted. 
•  the typical child who has been freed for adoption is at least 8 years old, moves three or more times in foster care, may have been separated from siblings, and will wait five years or more to be adopted. 
•  tragically, tens of thousands will never be adopted and will leave the system at age 18 without families.

** from: PR Web

Some shocking statistics on international children in need of adoption:

• it is estimated there are between 143 million and 210 million orphans worldwide (recent UNICEF report.)
• the current population of the United States is just a little over 300 million… to give you an idea of the enormity of the numbers… (The current population of Russia is 141 million)
• every day 5,760 more children become orphans
• 2,102,400 more children become orphans every year in Africa alone 
• every 15 seconds, another child in Africa becomes an AIDS orphan
• there are an estimated 14 million AIDS orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa (a number higher than the total of every under-eighteen year old in Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland combined)
• this figure was estimated to reach 18 million orphans in Africa alone by 2010
• 8 out of 10 children orphaned by AIDS lives in sub-saharan Africa
• approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but… 
• each year 14, 505, 000 children grow up as orphans and age out of the system by age sixteen
• each day 38,493 orphans age out
• every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out with no family to belong to and no place to call home
• in Russia and the Ukraine, studies have shown that 10% – 15% of these children commit suicide before they reach age eighteen
• these studies also show that 60% of the girls become prostitutes and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals 
• another Russian study reported that of the 15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed, 6,000 were homeless, and 3,000 were in prison within three years…

** from: Skyward Journey (Please note these stats are a little outdated as I used them from another blogger's post circa 2008, but you get the idea).

Here are some great links for you if you are even remotely thinking about adoption!

To learn more about adoption, here's a  couple of great sites to get you started: Waiting to Belong by Focus on the Family, and The Dave Thomas Foundation.

To those of you who are thinking about adopting, but are afraid to start, or don't know where to take their first steps,  I recommend perusing the same websites as above the Waiting to Belong website or The Dave Thomas Foundation  and in Canada, the Canada Adopts website.

For my Canadian readers. Here's a great resource to help you find your way around the adoption world. It's a website called Adoption Magazine  designed by my blogging friend and fellow adoptive Canadian mom, Sharla. Everything that goes on this site is current to the needs of families who have adopted or are thinking about adoption and is Canadian.

My friend Shana at Journey to Zake also has some great links to adoption resources, so go check out her blog, and here's a great post from my friend Wendy at Born in Our Hearts.

There are many reasons to adopt. Adoption is not for the faint of heart, but when you're called, you will be equipped for the call! It doesn't mean you won't mess up, or that things will be perfect, but there is a contentment in being obedient to that calling.

For those of you who don't feel called to adopt or can not adopt, you can still help!

1} First and foremost, you can pray!! Pray for those who are feeling that call, need, desire to adopt. Pray for those who are in the trenches, waiting (patiently, or not so patiently :oS) for the much anticipated call that they have been matched with a child. Pray for those who feel God tugging at their hearts, but can't make/take the step because they do not have the finances. Pray for those who have adopted. It's not an easy journey, but so worth it. Pray for those many many children in need of loving families.

2} You can help financially. Some families host fundraisers to help bring their children home. Who are we to judge the fact that they need to raise funds to grow their family? After all, they are helping give a child a better life. Really, any gift is appreciated because it shows you support what they are doing.

3} Sponsor a child. There are lots of orphanages that have sponsorship programs. The following are links to just a few:  Children's Shelter of Cebu Philippines, God's Littlest Angels Haiti, Hearth to Hearth Ministries Africa, SOS Children's Villages Canadian Sponsorship, American Sponsorship.

4} Help those who have adopted. An adopted child will have questions for the rest of their life. Parenting these children is not always easy. Just letting parents of adopted children know that you are praying for them and their child(ren) is a burden lifted. You can also offer to babysit so the parents can have an evening out. Drop by some cookies, or a casserole if they're just newly home or if you know they're going through a time of struggle. Be creative! Even just a listening ear sometimes is very helpful.

5} Get your church involved! The easiest way is to go to Orphan Sunday to get started.

"In the United States, if one family out of every four churches adopted a child, there would be no orphans in the country" - Kay Warren (I'm sure the same would apply for Canada).

One thing is for sure. You will never have a dull moment again! :o)

Truth Tuesday (AKA Home Five Months)

I'm linking up with Sharla today at The Chaos and the Clutter. (We lead somewhat parallel lives. If you stop by her blog,  you'll know what I mean).

Can you believe it?! We've had our three girls home for five months already!! As I started typing this post this morning, I was being accompanied by beautiful (well not exactly) piano music in the background. The two youngest were tinkling away on our Clavinova. That I've learned to tune out. Other things? Mmm, not so much.

Everywhere we go, people ask us excitedly how are the girls doing!? Truthfully, I'm getting tired of the question. They've been uprooted from what was home to them more than once, to be met by these giant white people who don't speak a lick of Illongo, but proceed to drag them around a small part of their country, force them to eat food they're not sure they like, take them into this giant body of water called a pool and call it swimming, do battle with them every day because what they want and what the tall white people want are two different things, to eventually board yet another airplane and spent over 36 hours traveling, to a country where it's cold 3/4's of the year, to suddenly have to adapt to everything and everyone new. How would you be doing?

Exactly!! You'd be a basket case! Thankfully our girls are not. They are learning English quite well  -- provided you know they ride a bus school (school bus), and go to dress (get dressed).  That the like soap (soup), and feesh (fish). They've adapted quite nicely to the cooler weather. In fact today it's 15 degrees Celsius out and the two youngest are outside playing without their winter coats on and having a great time.

They love school, although academically one is doing much better than the other. (I'm not going to say who, but she is getting the help she needs). One is already asking to take piano lessons like her older sisters. Basically  they jump into everything with two feet! In fact one of them so much so that I've been seriously considering making her wear a crash helmet all day.

The question we, as the girls' parents need to hear is, "how are you doing?" (Happily one of the awesome children's teachers at Bible study did say to me that she sincerely hoped I was finding time to take a break once in awhile. I then proceeded to laugh hysterically. Just kidding!).

All fun aside, even though the girls are adjusting well, sometimes we are not. The girls are still very loud. They are also very boisterous, whiny, and demanding. You have to realize there are three of them, plus four older siblings who although very well adjusted and adapting nicely to their three little sisters, need some Mom and Dad time too.  What I am saying is that these three are very high maintenance yet. Surprisingly, I do let them out of my sight, but bells start ringing in my head the second I don't hear anything. If you give in to a previous "no" even once, they will work it to their advantage every time. In their case, they very much love that adage, rules we're made to be broken.

I feel a little sad for me, when I read from my fellow Philippines adoptive families how in love they are with their new son or daughter. Many days, I'm just not feelin' it. I love them yes, because I know God planned them perfectly for our family. I just am not loving the screaming, whining, lying, disobedience, jealousy, and general cacaphony of noise they create. So am I feeling attached to them? Yes, there are times that I do feel attached to them. Do I feel like we've bonded? Mmm, not as much. It's coming, but some days are seriously better than others.

At this point I find myself wishing they could communicate their needs and wants more clearly. Yes, their English continues to expand, but they still aren't able to connect what they are feeling or thinking to how to say it. That's the thing. They understand instruction (most of the time), but they cannot communicate when they don't, nor can they tell us what they are feeling or thinking. Sometimes it drives me mad because you can see it on their faces that they want to explain what they're feeling, but they haven't the foggiest idea how or even where to start. I firmly believe that once they can communicate their feelings that we'll overcome a huge portion of the whining, greediness, and general obnoxiously loud noise. Of course their ability to communicate will open up all sorts of new issues, but we'll deal with those when they arrive.

I find myself in a perpetual state of exhaustion. I'm sure even in my sleep, there is a part of my brain that is attuned and ready to flinch at the sound of screeching or high decibel chatter. I'm happy they're in bed by 7:30 and that we no longer even have to sit at their door until they fall asleep, but I find myself working at breakneck speed to do all the things that I can't do during the day -- only to fall into bed an hour past when I should be asleep. Only to wake up too early and start over again.

Until you have been with our daughters for a day, you will not fully comprehend what I mean when I say that they are busy. Only the unfortunate ;o) few experience it. On the other hand, they are so stinking cute and ridiculously funny sometimes that I can't begin to imagine life without them.

It's then -- when you realize that you can't imagine life without them -- that you know that perhaps, despite the perpetual noise and  the exhaustion that the bonding is coming along quite nicely.

Adoption isn't a destination, it's a lifelong journey into love.

Adoption is a major undertaking in every way, physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally and financially.

Twelve Weeks

Our girls haven't been with us quite three months, but I've had some quiet moments to marvel at the changes we've already experienced. They really are amazing. Their resiliency at all the changes in their lives astounds me at times because they really are such happy little souls. Their laughter is infectious. Their desire to be like their older siblings is exhausting. It hasn't been a smooth ride -- not at all, but it's been an interesting ride.

We've had some real struggles with Bella (not unexpected, but not expected this early). We've discovered though that just having a quiet and serious talk with her works beautifully! One particular day I was at my wits end with her behaviour. Thankfully, the Engineer was home and caught her in her most recent misbehaviour of the day. (I apologize for being a little vague, but I don't think it's fair to Bella to share the details). He was able to have a chat with her and she has literally turned

over a new leaf. We've been having so much fun with her now, and wow can she make us laugh!

One of my favorite parts of the day with them is listening to them do their prayers before bedtime. Bella's are so well thought out, Bright Eyes's are too, but you don't catch as many words. Peanut's are nothing short of hilarious. She has this itty bitty voice in which you can only catch the odd word. I'm glad God understands her because we sure don't :o)! It's a blessing to see their love for Jesus bloom and grow. We've been working on their baptism ceremony  (yes, our church does infant and child baptism, please don't judge) and are excited about this special day for them. We hope and pray it will hold meaning and memories for them too.

So although I am still feeling very exhausted (and quite spacey) most days, it is a joy to see how much our little girls are changing. We're so glad God blessed us with their little lives!

Be blessed!

Eight Weeks

It's been exactly eight weeks today that our three Filipina daughters landed in Canada with their bleary eyed brother, mother, and father.

 (I have no idea! We'll just call it sleep deprivation!)

The first hours, days, and weeks were nothing short of chaotic. We were happy to arrive to our home where the renovations were completed enough that we could settle in again without that busyness too. John, Jonathan, Mark, and all the other tradesmen that worked on our house, did a beautiful job! We are thrilled with our "new" place!!

As I began laundry, cooked lots of rice,  and tried to work through the jet lag, the girls promptly settled in to a wonderful sleep pattern that is our saving grace! It made for little girls who were excited to explore their new home and back yard. At night as they settled down for sleep they would chatter in Ilongo for about five minutes and then drift off to sleep. Now they like to challenge us a little more on bed time, but most nights they are still asleep within 15-20 minutes of hitting their beds. We continue to sit in their room until they are all asleep, but we appreciate that little bit of down time.

As far as eating, they have truly surprised us. Sometimes a bribe of ice cream for dessert helps, but most of the time, the girls will eat anything we put on their plate. Bright Eyes blows us away with how much she will eat. Some days she eats twice as much as her sisters and will even hum a little if she is really enjoying her supper. Cauliflower and broccoli are still their least favorite. I haven't introduced cabbage yet, but I have a suspicion that it won't be a real winner either. I was surprised that the two oldest will eat beets though.

Breakfast is promptly after waking up and is usually oatmeal or leftover rice from the night before. They have a snack at 10:00 am and LOVE cookies! I try to give them something healthier at that time, but as most moms know, that doesn't always work. Lunch is right around noon. Usually bread with peanut butter or pb and some combination. Bright Eyes discovered this week that bagels (she calls them magels) are really good. For fruit they love apples, bananas, watermelon, and Bella likes peaches too. Afternoon snack is at 3:00pm and is usually the sugary treat -- unless that was eaten in the morning. Then its fruit or crackers or sometimes both. Supper is eaten anywhere between 5:00 and 6:30. We have to be careful not to set the table too early, or Peanut will inform everyone that it's "Shuppertime!!" even if we have half an hour to go yet.

Bella learned to ride a two wheeler in three days. They all still love the scooters. Bella and Squirt love to climb trees which makes me a little nervous, but what's a mother to do. They have all become genuine water lovers. I put them in swimming lessons for two weeks and Bright Eyes our original water hater was the first of the three to jump off the diving board. We now can't get her out of the water.

They were at the doctor for check ups and are very healthy little girls. Growing and gaining. Although the two little ones still aren't in the growth curves yet for weight and height we're not worried because they are growing and gaining nicely and that's what really matters. We're still amazed at Bella's height. Long and lean -- especially by Filipina standards. She and Squirt are only a year apart and their height attests to that. Now if only the would get along well, but even that is slowly improving.

One thing we're still working on is inside voices -- even outside. They are so loud it sends me into mental spasms :o) sometimes. I have to grit my teeth for the noise of it all. 

So although we still fall into bed exhausted every night, we can see that things are coming along nicely.



P.S. I'd love to post more photos, but our computer is dying a swift death, so everything runs veeerrrrrry slow. Too slow for my patience to last while hunting through files for the photos that I can picture in my head that match the words.

I Am Not a Saint

Yes, we adopted three children at one time.

We're not the first to do this,

nor will we be the last. It's not easy.

There are issues -- lots of issues.

Sometimes (actually a lot of the time) I can't tell if the issues are adoption related or just kid related.

I have to tread carefully.

Sometimes I have a hard time loving them enough.

Other times I love them so much it hurts!

I have still not developed enough patience.

I still relish the peace and quiet -- although I'm not sure I remember what that is :o)!

I love the little girl hugs,

cringe at the little girl whining,

and laugh at some of the complete silliness that is little girls.

I am blown away (in a positive way) by some of the things that these girls are capable of, and

I'm blown away (in a negative way) by some of the things that these girls are capable of.

It's a learning curve for each of us -- for all of us.

We're suddenly parents of seven children.

It's not easy. It's interesting.

It's exhausting.

It's rewarding.

It's where God wants me to be, but I'm not a saint.

Our girls aren't lucky -- we are.

Although we prefer to call it blessed.

Eagle Eyes

The Engineer left for work today. So far we've gotten dressed brushed teeth, done hair (the girls not me. Mine looks like I rolled out of bed). We did some school, swung on the swings, blew bubbles, played with sidewalk chalk, and had lunch. In there I've refereed at least a dozen fights and rarely been more than ten feet away from them. I am sure they think I have the eyes of a Philippine eagle! I am learning that I will not get much done -- at least for now, but that is okay (most of the time). I wouldn't even be blogging right now if it weren't for the lap top.

I think Bella is bored. She is more at the same level with Squirt. Once her English explodes, she'll be a force to recon with :o). I think the documentation we received about the girls underestimated them. Or rather, perhaps it was the fact that when we finally met them, it had been over a year since that report had been written. Kids -- even in an orphanage -- can change a LOT in a year. Already, we are seeing strengths and gifts in these little girls.

Their eating habits are not as hard to deal with as I first thought. That is, provided you're willing to forgo vegetables and eat peanut butter sandwiches, grilled cheese, hamburgers, hot dogs, spaghetti, lasagne, cold cereal, oatmeal, fish, and of course rice, oh and corn! The thing I love is that they drink tobig (water) like there's no tomorrow. They already did in the orphanage. Our older kids do too. So happily, we're not going through gallons of juice or milk.

The weather is gorgeous these past couple of days! They're no longer asking to wear jackets and even ran through the hose with their sisters on Saturday. Our oldest and two youngest though, don't tolerate the cold water too well. Peach knows when to quit, but Bright Eyes and Peanut were shaking like a leaf and still wouldn't get out. Silly girls!

Oh, and if any of you like to buy stocks, I suggest you buy shares in peanut butter, toilet paper, and in a few years, ahem, feminine hygiene products (sorry all you men that actually read this blog). I'm already scouring the flyers for sales now ;o)!

Blessings!

One Week Ago

One week ago today, we were waiting and waiting in an airport for our flight that didn't want to arrive. What was supposed to be a six hour layover, turned into an almost twelve hour layover, but we made it home and slowly life is falling into a new normal.

Before we carry on with the new normal, I thought I'd post some photos of our trip home. It's on our bucket list to return to the Philippines again sometime in the future, Lord willing! Loved it there!!

Running off some excess energy after our flight from Manila. One thing I can say about the Beijing airport is that it's immaculate. You could seriously eat off these floors!!

A playground in the provided some amusement for brother and sisters. This is before we moved gates three more times!

I so love flash (not)! This is the plane we thought was our plane. 

This is when the excitement was still high :o). 

Waiting....

and waiting...

and waiting some more.... Thank goodness for fun airport architecture -- even if you might get hurt! (No one did, thankfully)!

Napping was also a great way to pass the time!

Bella's expression when we told her no more chicken and rice. It would be steak and potatoes from now on ;o).

Finally our real plane!

I'm thrilled to say that there have been a large number of matches and calls to travel for families adopting in the past number of weeks. It's been a joy to share each of their journeys with them through a wonderful group we're privileged to be a part of. We're also still praying for all of those whom we know are waiting to be matched, whether you're adopting from the Philippines or other countries! You're in our hearts!

Love to all!