Just One Year Ago...

The other night, I wondered back to our blog and started reading through the posts from a year ago.   So much has changed in the past year.  So many answered prayers and blessings.  A year ago, I was teaching.  Kaleb and I did the commute in the car with our waffles, coffee and KSLT playing.  I remember a year ago yesterday, that Kaleb asked me in the car 'Momma, when will we get a picture of my sister'.  To which I would always reply- God's not ready yet Kaleb but it's really, really soon.  That the last morning I answered not knowing when God would reveal our sweet baby girl.  A year ago this morning... we got 'the call'.  It was there in the car with our waffles and coffee and KSLT playing that God introduced me to my daughter.  Here's the post from last year- Praise the Lord...

I had kind of forgotten about ditching the computerized dolls in the hallway and all the craziness of that day!  What I didn't mention in the post is how incredibly impossible it was to pay attention to the professional development meetings that day.  What a day it was!! And, then there was the telling to family...oh, what precious fun & memories- Start Spreadin' the News.  And, then the real craziness began!!  

As I kept reading my way back down memory lane, I came to the post about her name.  And, we named her- we didn't know how much God would show His abundance!  E is for...

The abundance of God has been poured out into our lives this past year.  Financial abundance when were out of money and there was a trip to China coming fast.  An abundance of prayer for her, our travel, our transition and our family.  An abundance of help from family who loved on Kaleb for 16 days while we journeyed to pick up our Elsie.  An abundance of endurance for the plane ride home.  An abundance of patience and mind numbing emotional exhaustion during those first weeks home.  An abundance of sleep deprivation and trust building and emotional healing and dying to self in a pile of nothingness on the couch by the end of the day-ness.  And, then... came the first glimpses of healing and safety and smiles and togetherness.  And, it started to grow from glimpses of progress to outright overflowing abundance of progress.  

 These two are the best of friends like I've never seen in my life! 

You couldn't make two siblings more emotionally connected.  Two peas in a pod, indeed.  

Nine months ago today, we woke up together for the first time as a family all on the same continent.  And, now we see the incredible abundance of love and joy and laughter and fun and companionship and humor and spunk our little Elsie has brought to our family.  

Hauling one of her favorite kitties around wearing her Dora the Explorer dress up skirt with her huntin' cap & jacket.  What a gem of a girl she is! 

You couldn't find two siblings more in love with each other.  They're quite the pair and are incredibly emotionally connected to each other.  It's crazy the bond of doing life together.  What a beautiful thing to watch.

  

And, she's got a healthy dose of spunk in her too!  But anyone would given the fact that a year ago tonight she was sleeping in an unheated institution where food was scarce and the kids were many.  

You'd learn to throw a good punch and defend yourself too!  But through it all, she's came out shining like a little star all ready to light up the world around her.  Today, thumb sucking is those last few minutes before falling asleep.  And, most days life is still fine after she finishes her one little sack of fruit snacks after nap time.  I would guess her vocabulary is in the hundreds.  Knows all her body part words, all the normal basic colors and started to love singing.  I'll hear her playing and humming to her baby.  I am so proud and excited to see what this past year has brought to our little Elsie AND, to live in the abundant blessings she has brought to our lives!

She is funny, a little crazy, loves a good laugh, is a prankster and loves doing handstands on the couch with her brother 'spotting' her ;)  She also does a sweet summersault for a 2.25 year old who could barely walk last March.  Last night, the two kids spent a solid 15 minutes rolling across the living room floor laughing and laughing and laughing.  And, a handful of times a day she'll just walk up to me and say 'hugggg'.  So, we just stand there or sit there for like a whole big ole' minute and hugggggg.  And, life is good.  And, God is good.  

We are incredibly thankful for how God has built our family.

He knew what our family was to be long before we had a clue.  

I am so thankful I get to call you my daughter and that I get to be your Mamma. 

Praise the Lord!! 

The Crazy of September...

And, suddenly- it is October.  September has been one of our most jam packed month.  It has been good, but it has also been a ton of work, or so it feels like.  We've been to Colorado Springs, helped with a jumbo crazy garage sale, had company for a weekend, drove to Sioux Falls for the weekend and completely re-built the railings on our deck and porch.  It was crammed full of goodness but not much down time.  That good however.... here's some of the crazy good this past month-

First stop... Colorado Springs which included garden of the gods.  Beautiful place indeed! 

Followed by the wedding... why we came in the first place ;)

 Precious fun indeed :) 

Because we were near-ish by, we stopped in Greeley to catch up with the cousins and family.  

 This is why kid gates are well... pointless in multiple regards ;) 

 We got home and it was the first day of preschool for the year...

Kaleb requested...pancakes for breakfast.  

Of course.
Grandpa Robert should be quite pleased, I am sure ;) 

 Literally bouncing with excitement!

 Preschool has been great!  They've already had field trips to the library, the fire department and apple picking is just around the corner.  So fun to watch his enthusiasm to learn things.  

That Friday, we crazily chopped off large sections of deck railing. 

The beginning of a really, really long process....

Fast forward 3-ish weeks and we have replaced the deck railing building it from scratch, primed it and painted it.

Today, it looks like this...

(cap rail and touch-ups still to do but...lots of progress)

The next Saturday was awesome- we helped out our really good friends with their adoption yard sale.  It was fun to see how God provides and multiples in just the perfect way :) 

 That next weekend, Wes' parents were in town.
Oh, the fun times!!!

Because the grandparents were near- we figured it was a great time to dedicate Elsie to God.
It was a precious time to stand with our church which has helped us so much in the building of our family.  So grateful to have our church in which to raise our kids so that they know the love of Christ, are discipled in His truth and to fellowship with fellow believers.  Thankful indeed!!

After a week of building deck railings, priming deck spindles .... there were cupcakes to bake. 

 SURPRISE!!!!

Happy Birthday Auntie Ashley :) 

We love you!! 

 Good work, Justin!  

So thankful for you in our Ashley's life :) 

 Then, we headed for the water fun! 

Kaleb stepped up his game and headed for the big slide.  

It was a wild adventure indeed!! 

 Happy Golden Birthday, Ashley :) 

And, we worked full time. 

Traveled for work, ate a lot of pizza and DQ, Played with kids, did daycare and a few other random adventures along the way too.
It was good and fun and busy. 

And, it explains why I'm tired ;)  

September was good and so very full of life.  

Thankful, indeed!!

Our Little Star... Happy 2nd Birthday!

Yesterday, was one of my favorite days of all time.  It was of joy and fun and family and friends and laughter and comical moments and good food and precious memories.  And, it was a miracle.  We celebrated our Elsie's 2nd birthday.  What an honor to bless this sweet little girl with her first birthday party!  These past few weeks have been crazy busy.  Prep for a work conference, more work travel, hiding from the rally which involved a trip to the ranch for the kids and some RBC fun add in a little Kids Bible Time prep for this fall/winter plus ninja classes, a bit of allergies+a cold and most importantly... planning our little girl's first birthday party.  We barely pulled it off but it was a blast and totally worth it!! :) Here's a peak into the fun of our day....our day of all things Elsie!

 Twinkle, twinkle our little star. 

What a wonder that you are, 

You've grown so much and come so far

Let's celebrate how loved you are! 

 Her favorite foods... fruit salad and lo mein and star shaped watermelon and corn on the cob- the girl has good taste :) 

 We're so big, we just eat with the big kids.  

 Oh, the presents.... 

 Followed by cake of course....

 And, then we sang Happy Birthday.  

 And, it was the most happy, joyous, exciting rendition of Happy Birthday you've heard!!! 

 So, of course.. she wanted more singing of the Happy Birthday! 

So we did :) 

 "More" "More" "More"

It was precious indeed.  So, incredibly precious.  

Pictures say a lot but a video tells even more.  

This my friends, is what adoption is all about: 

Because every little two year old deserves joy.  

Squeals of arm waving boundless joy.  

In reality, the video doesn't even come close to capturing the feeling and excitement everyone felt standing there in our cramped little dining room.  It was loud and for a moment while we sang it a 2nd time I thought... this is why you adopt.  

It isn't a mission.

It isn't a crusade to save the world. 

It isn't about rescuing or saving or trying to make yourself feel better. 

It's not about t-shirts with James 1:27 plastered all over them.

It's about being surrounded and smothered in love by family and friends.  

It's about being a daughter who is loved and cherished.  

Families need kids and kids need families.  

Simple as that.

And, to those that helped bring her home...

that little video above is thanks to- YOU. 

God used so many of you to help us bring home our daughter home.  

And, for that- we are profoundly grateful!

In comparison, I doubt anyone even recognized or knew that a year and two days ago was her very first birthday.  I am thankful beyond words that a year ago today, they started preparing her paperwork.  Praise the Lord she will never live what could have been.  

Happy 2nd Birthday our Elsie girl :) 

We love you!!!  

And, every day I praise the Lord He chose me to be your Mama.