Hold Fast

I found this video the other day, and I thought about all my fellow adopting moms. There is so much pain and uncertainty with Vietnam adoptions right now. There seems to be new problems and roadblocks almost daily. I know I am not alone in feeling like I want to give up and throw in the towel, but this song is such an encouragement to me. I know that there will be days that I feel like I just can't go on another day, but I dont have to give up. Jesus will be there to carry me through.

Some pictures of Easter weekend. As you can tell it was cold, that is why Harrison is crying in the first pic. He was cold and wanted to go inside.

My Child

I posted this poem back in September, and I just recently read it again. It is still my heart.

MY CHILD
My child, I carried you in my heart before you were even born And dared to dream that you were real.
My child, I carried your picture with me since the day I received it, And dared to love a child I was yet to meet.
My child,I carried you in my arms at last,and gazed in helpless wonder at your face, And dared to lose my heart to you.
And now, my child, a dream fulfilled, a prayer answered, a family created, I have dared to become a mom.
And so now, my precious child, I shall carry you home.

So, I am at the hotel right now, watching my kids swimming and having a great time together. We are having to redo our fingerprints, since they expired in Nov. Tell me, how do fingerprints expire? When I sent in the request to have them done again, I asked for a close location since we have three children, and it would be easier for us not to have to travel several hours to Abbington. They gave us our request, however, they gave us an 8:00 a.m. appointment. I thought that was going to be a problem. We would have to get up at 4am with three tired and cranky kids, travel three hours, spend thirty minutes being fingerprinted, and then turn around and come home. Then we got the great idea to make it fun:-) We all needed some away time. This adoption has gotten SO stressful, and it has taken a toll on all of us.I get stressed and worried, then the kids get cranky and irritable, and then I get more stressed,and they get more cranky. The cycle just keeps going. It was the perfect time to get away, and spend some alone time together.
We are having a great time swimming, sitting in the hot tub, watching cable t.v., eating snacks, and just hanging out. What we thought was going to be a stressful trip, has turned out to be a blessing.




The kids enjoying the luxury of laying in bed, eating, and watching tv. They loved it.

8 months old

Today, Maya turns 8 months old. I looked up the development of a normal 8 month old, and I pray that Maya is developing normally. This is what I found...

The 8-month-old's motor skills include:
* Crawling and pulling on furniture to stand.
* Needing help to get down from standing.
* Sitting without support for 10 minutes.
* Pinching with the thumb and forefinger.

The 8-month-old's language skills include:
* May say "Ma-Ma" and "Da-Da" but not specifically to parents.
* Understanding simple instructions.
* Shaking head no.

The 8-month-old's mental abilities include:
* Reacting quickly to situations.
* Showing interest in cause-and-effect relationships like making wheels turn or bells sound.
* Anticipating events not related to own behavior like meeting Mom or Dad at the door.
* Solving simple problems.

The 8-month-old's social traits include:
* Shouting for attention.
* Pushing things away that are not wanted.
* Biting and chewing toys.

Please continue to pray for Maya as she is growing. You should hear the prayers that our three small children pray for her on a daily business. They pretty much go like this:
God, please help Maya to get enough food, and please let someone hold her and hug her today, and please, please, let us get her quickly.
They are so precious, and they love their baby sister so much. The other day Harrison(3), went over to our front door, opened it, and said Mama, please go get Maya now. They are so ready for their sister to come home. Please continue to pray for a miracle with us. We are hoping to hear some news, good or bad, sometime in April.