American Heritage Girls

Julia has joined a girls club

somewhat like Girl Scouts

with a faith perspective

Recently she had her "joining" ceremony...

She has been having so much fun

in her very own "Girls Club".

My heart is full...

Can I just say

that my heart is full???

I love my family!!

Life is always busy

and sometimes difficult...

But when I look 

at photos of the past month...

my heart is full of 

joy

and 

I am so thankful.

I really love 

each and every one of my kids...

each one unique 

and wonderfully and fearfully created...

and we all join together to create

this family that God has knit together

and given to me.

My firstborn, Nate and his girlfriend, Dianna.

My beautiful daughter Lydia and her husband Jason.

Our third child, tenderhearted Jacob.

Our fourth child, our Zulu princess Julia.

Our fifth child, Hannes, whose name means God is Gracious - and that He is.

Blessing beyond measure...

It was about a year ago

give or take a week

when we committed to Hannes...

all we really knew of him 

was this photo 

and the fact that he had a 

congenital heart defect.

But God knew him.

And God knew us.

And we believe that one year ago, 

God asked us

if we would adopt Hannes.

We could have said no.

There were a lot of unknowns.

And we always said we would never adopt from Eastern Europe.

And we couldn't fit three car seats in our car, so we'd need another car.

(And Julie had successfully raised two kids to adulthood 

without that dreaded "m" word - 

she may or may not have 

at one point declared: I will never own a minivan)

And we both were raised in families of three kids - 

and KNEW we never wanted to have three... two or four, 

but not three little ones at once.

It's expensive.

We already adopted one.

You can't save them all.

There were alot of reasons why we could have said no.

Said no to God.

After all He has done for us.

He has blessed us beyond measure.

And we believe He asked us to.

God asked us...

there was really only one answer...

Yes.

Yes, God.

We will do this.

It certainly wasn't an easy road.

But God doesn't always ask us to do easy.

And oh how God has blessed us in our obedience.

 Six months home.

With this little one.

Exploring a world he never even dreamed existed...

(who knew people raced pigs...)

Finding a pumpkin in 40 mile an hour winds...

(this boy who was amazed the first time he felt the breeze on his face)

With a family...

who loves him...

and know that in obeying God

even in the hard things...

There is bountiful blessing beyond measure...

Five and a half months home!!

 Five and a half months home!

Hannes is loving life in a family!

He is mischevious!

He is giggly!

He loves to sing!

He cries,

and whines,

and throws a fit if he can't get his way!

He knows the word 'no', but at times chooses not to listen!

We rejoice at these behaviors,

because it means

he is turning into

a 

real boy!

A real boy who expresses himself

who has discovered that he has feelings

and can make those feelings known!

Positive or negative expressions of his self

and

he is becoming

who God designed him to be!

And we rejoice!

 

Some days...

Some days

I look at these beautiful little faces 

and their bright smiles...

and my heart is filled to overflowing

with joy

and gratitude

for how God has blessed me!

Four and a half months home!

Jacob captured this photo of Hannes!

We have really turned a corner 

now that we have been home 

for just over 

4 months!

Hannes will come to you when you call for him.

He seeks us out to be picked up.

He has given his first hugs!

He is smiling so much more now.

His walking is much more steady.

He is eating much thicker foods - 

mashed potatos, sloppy joes 

(if you put each spoonful in yogurt to "disguise" the texture...

 He can knock over lamps while climbing stairs!!

(it's his extend-o arms - they really are 

longer than they look!)

We are so delighted with all that he is!

We just sent photos of Hannes

to the orphanage and our translator

with another family

who is traveling now

to adopt their baby girl

from the same

orphanage that Hannes was in.

We were able to meet and take pictures 

of their little girl while we were there.

I love the unity of the families who 

are adopting children from Lugansk!

Homeschool!!

We have started!!

We now have a week under our belts

and we are 

loving learning!

Jacob is enjoying phonics and putting letters together to make words!

He is learning place value in Math and Astronomy in Science!

 

Julia is learning to say and write her letters and numbers!

She loved the lesson on counting the M&M's,

especially when she ate the chocolate!

This girl LOVES chocolate!

I love the excitement,

I love the looks of delight when they understand a concept

and I love listening to 

Daddy reading 

stories to them.

We are so blessed!