Isaiah 41:9-10

Little did I know in 2008 when God laid this verse on my heart and I went to Haiti that He had a much bigger plan for my life in Africa! When I went to Haiti I sort of struggled with the fact that there wasn't some life-changing experience. I walked away from that trip with a deeper desire to adopt, a broken heart for the oppressed and the orphan and a great appreciation for America!

Now looking back on that trip I see that maybe God was laying the framework for our adoption. Maybe He sent me to Haiti to experience a third world country before I went to pick up my son. So I wouldn't be so shocked at what I would see in Ethiopia!

Little did I know that the mother of my son was 3 months pregnant at the time! I had NO CLUE he was being formed in his mother's womb! WOW!!! God was working, He was working to prepare my heart and give me compassion and a broken heart for His people! I wonder if Ade's mom knew she was pregnant yet? I wonder if she had told her family yet. I wonder if they were making plans for him yet. So many unknowns with adoption.

I didn't get to meet his mother which I was very disappointed about. I don't even have a picture of her to show to him. But I pray for her and her family every night when I put Ade to bed. I pray that maybe God would open that door and I would someday get to meet her or even just see a picture of her!

God shows me little by little all the ways He was in this and I love looking back and watching how His plan unfolded!

A quick update

Not too much going on around here. The kids had a 3 day week this week so tomorrow we are going with some friends to the Great Wolf Lodge! We are pretty excited about that! And then of course "Harvest Evangelism" is Sunday. We go around to the different houses and say "God bless you" and hand the different people a Bible tract and then they get handy. Trying to put a little light in a dark holiday! And then of course I get candy as well!

Ade is continuing to grow and blossom! He is such a joy. We took him to get his haircut today and it was amazing how much hair came off of him and what it looks like! I kept saying I wasn't real sure how to do a "black boys" hair and Ella was a bit offended!!! I was laughing. He looks handsome. He is talking so much, it is awesome to watch him!

I can't believe he has been home for almost 2 months. This has been an amazing 2 months. There have been some hard days, but the good days far outnumber the hard ones. Tonight we all just played up in the playroom for like 2 hours and it was so much fun! I love those nights when we are all together in one room! The kids love it too! I rearranged the toys and the kids rediscovered some of their things and had a great time with their "new" toys!

Anyway, not much else going on. Just living life! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Kids say the cutest things!

Yesterday we went to court to begin the re-adoption in the states. Maya went with us and she was soo good. We came to the school to pick up Max and she told him we had been at court. Then she asked him if he knew what court was for and he said "no". She said, "it is for celebrating adoption!!!" Is that not the cutest most innocent thing ever? She then asked if we went to court when she was a baby. I was thinking, wouldn't it be nice if that is all court was for! There would be a lot more love in the world!

Today Max's teacher stopped me in pickup line to tell me a funny about him! She said they were studying compound words in class and drawing a line from one word to the other. For instance dog and house. Max made his lines to make the word, "homeboy"!!! How funny is that kid? He makes me laugh so hard. He is such a joy to have around!

I just finished reading Mary Beth Chapman's book Choosing to See. It was soooo good. And that saying just keeps going through my mind all throughout my day. When I'm starting to get frustrated or irritate, I need to choose to see! Children are a blessing from the Lord! Let's remember that!

A few firsts for The Bugs!!!

Precious Ade has experienced quite a few firsts this month! He went to the pumpkin patch for the first time which was such a blessing! I really almost cried. I so wanted him home for the holidays and I could not wait to take him to the pumpkin patch and here he was having a blast! Brought tears to my eyes!

He also rode on his first pony, he wasn't too impressed! He had his first hayride, saw his first pumpkin and most importantly tasted his first capri sun!!! What a month for Bugs!!! He seemed to thoroughly enjoy all of it!

He is starting to talk so much. He repeats a lot of what I say! He is just so awesome! He is saying Momma, Daddy, Ba-ba for bottle, moo, and rough rough! Also Hi and Bye!!! He signs a few things as well.

This has just been such an awesome experience for our family and I am having the urge to do it again! God will show us if this is what He wants for us! And a little side note, if you haven't read Adopted for Life, you need to! It is soooo good!

OUCH!!!

So little man had his circumcision on Thursday. While he was under they also removed a mole from his neck and back. So the poor little guy is ALL stitched up! I was almost in tears a few times, he would cry and grab at his diaper. He was in pain! But he mix of Tylenol with codeine and Ibuprofen seemed to do the trick! But my heart really went out to him!

This morning when he woke up it was dripping blood. We made a special trip to the dr and got him all fixed up! And he took a 3 hour nap today! Unbelievable!!! He is doing much better.

We are so in love with our baby boy. He is just such a true blessing! So happy and cute. We are blessed! We are LOVING being a family of 6. Poor little Maya is having some issues lately so be praying for her. She is such a precious girl but her attitude has not been so precious lately!

Sadness:(

There seems to be a lot of sadness going around right now. We had a family at our old church that lost her husband in a shooting accident a couple of weeks ago. They are our age. And they have a 5 year old daughter. Breaks my heart. His wife amazes me with her strength and her faith through all of it. She is awesome.

Then on Friday we got an email that a former pastor at our church, his wife unexpectedly passed away. This was a SHOCK. She was a young, healthy woman full of life. She moved mountains when she prayed. She actually laid hands on me about 8 years ago and prayed for my healing from acid reflux and I swear when she and Pastor Linda touched my stomach I literally felt something pull out of my stomach and I have never struggled with it again! God is so good. She was just an awesome wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was so funny and had some serious fashion sense. I am pretty good friends with one of her daughters, we sang on the worship team together at church. My heart is BREAKING for her. Her mom was such a support to her and was her best friend. I can't even imagine how she is feeling.

Then just found out today a girl Joe went to high school with was in an ATV accident and is now paralyzed. So heartbreaking. To be so young and have to face such adversity.

It is really weighing on my heart for these families and the many more around the world who are struggling. If you would please pray for these families that God would give them strength and peace. And also be praying for Ade on Thursday morning, he has a little surgery scheduled!

Have a great day and tell the ones you love how much they mean to you!