The Big 0-5

And there she is .... a vision in pink! The birthday girl had a very special day thanks to all the effort her Oma put into the day (her parents were on their way back from Mexico). Oma (grandma in German) threw a tea party fit for a princess. And Zanna was more than happy to play the part. This is what she wore the whole day - a birthday gift opened in the morning and enjoyed throughout the day.

The streamers decorated the kitchen area and the centerpiece put together with Zanna's tea sets. Too cute! My mom made little tea sandwhiches and invited Zanna's godparents over to join in. The kids were thrilled Auntie Karen and Uncle Skip were there!
We arrived home that night and continued the celebration the next day. We went out to lunch - her pick- and then went to the mall for a trip to Build a Bear. Kind of an outing/present kind of thing - and she picked out Hello Kitty complete with outfit.

Two days of celebrating and she was getting used to being the center of attention and receiving gifts. Can't believe my little girl is 5!

The time of Lent

Sometimes we Forget. We forget birthdays, anniversaries, important dates. We forget names. We forget memories, songs, the voice of a loved one now in heaven.

We forget to turn off the light, to close a drawer, to lock a door. We forget why we went in a room or what we were going to say next. We forget assignments, directions, engagements - we forget to look at our calendar. We forget why it is we’re doing what we’re doing. We forget where we put it. We forget what matters.

We forget to pray. We forget to praise. We forget to worship. We forget to make time for the one that created time. We forget we need Him in order to breathe, to wake up everyday - to simply be.

It seems like we’re in the business of forgetting. It’s something we do well. Our Abba Father says - don’t forget. He know this about us. He had the Israelites tie tassels on themselves as a reminder of his commandments knowing they’d forget. He commanded they celebrate the Passover celebration so at least they would tell their children once a year of how God protected them from the angel of death in Egypt. He knew in one generation He could be forgotten.  We forget why we need Him.

 Easter rolls around every Spring in its predictable way. We’re ready to whip out our spring clothes and white shoes. The easter baskets are filled with candy, the ham is in the oven and an easter lily graces our table. At church we sing all the familiar Easter hymns and enjoy the sermon filled with good news - Christ has risen! He has risen indeed! Then why does it feel like we’ve forgotten something? Oh, yes .....

He had to die. 

The season of Lent starts with Ash Wednesday on March 9th. It is 40 days long, not including Sundays. Lent is the time in the church year that allows for reflection, repentance and preparation for Easter. It’s the time to Remember. Remember we need Him to forgive us. Remember we need Him to live a perfect life for us. Remember He suffered and died - for OUR sins. Remember that He humbled Himself on this earth - and He didn’t forget us. Remember all that and THEN come celebrate on Easter Sunday and shout from the rooftops Christ has risen! He has risen indeed!

Can you feel the love?!! Part 2

Valentine's Day - a made up holiday that women in cahoots with the Hallmark company came up with to get gifts, extra attention and make money, respectively. No matter - early in the morning of February 14th my love and I boarded a plane for Mexico! A blessing to be sure; an opportunity to spend time alone as a couple, share moments and memories that only include each other. My mother spent time watching the children as we spent time gazing into each others eyes.... am I grossing anyone out yet? OK, I'll get real. While we certainly enjoyed the moments of walking on the beach, swimming in the pool, eating, drinking and laying out to bask in the sunshine like the lizards we occasionally ran across on the resort - I spent a good day and a half sick with a sinus cold and low grade fever and also developed a rash that progressively got worse as the week wore on.  I suppose I could suggest the good Lord in His infinite wisdom maybe didn't want us too "close to paradise" so we'd be ready to head back home! Regardless, neither was a life threatening issue. The sinus cold didn't stop me from laying on the beach. And while I suspect the rash was an allergic reaction to the fantastic food I was inhaling in great quantities, I certainly wasn't going to stop eating!! There was one day that I was on cold medication, full strength allergy medication and pina colodas. Needless to say, it was a good thing I didn't have to operate any heavy machinery that day.
Prayers were answered as reports from the home front were positive. Mom fared extremely well on her own - shuttling them to their activities, making meals, baking, throwing a birthday tea party, even acting as substitute teacher in my absence. I did notice when I dropped her off at the airport to board a plane for Texas where she would meet up with Dad and start their own month and a half of holiday - she fairly leaped out of the van with nary a glance behind her. Ah, well - who could blame her? Just kidding, Mom - you're the best!!!! And now the kids keep asking to watch a movie to which we respond Oma's not here and she can't hear you! Go clean your room!  Ah, back to reality for them too!

Can you feel the love?!!

I guess you could say we're in the thick of winter now. In an effort to entertain themselves and others around them they formed a band - for one afternoon. I'm sorry to report the band has since broken up but it sure had potential!

In an effort to entertain myself and get the creative juices flowing, I managed to produce this Valentine's wreath. I think it's adorable! For a few days, I mindlessly wound yarn around foam balls from the dollar store. Zanna thought only grandmas used yarn. Will wondered what I was trying to sew. Oh, dear children! Then I got my hot glue gun out and went to work!

My big idea was to incorporate it into a Valentine themed mantel. I recruited some help to make tissue paper hearts to hang from jute string (all part of the vision;)

I dragged the children to Michael's Craft Store and found a few items to add to the display. I found these adorable little frames for super cheap and personalized them.

Ta-dah!! And here's the finished product. Can you feel the love?!!

Our Family!

We spent our "forever family day" or "Gotcha Day" or whatever you want to call it - outside in the cold. Ha! Ironically, it gave Wayne and I an opportunity to wear our faux Columbia outwear we purchased super cheap in China four years ago. We participated in a local congregation's winter outing they were nice enough to invite us to. It happened to fall on the right day! It was at a nearby sugar bush and we went on a horse drawn sleigh ride, visited the farm animals in the barn and had a chili supper. Another family brought some snow shoes they lent to Will and he had a blast on them! It was a really fun day - perfect for the occasion! 

Meant to Be - Steven Curtis Chapman

I can't get through this video without tears!  I love the pictures of "Gotcha Days"!

Celebrating our 4th Forever Family Day!

 

On Saturday we celebrate our 4th Forever Family Day - the day Hosanna Rou became a part of our lives. I can't help but think back to where we were 4 years ago. The pictures bring me back as does the words I wrote when I first started this blog - as a means to keep family and friends in the loop as we adventured off across the world to bring our daughter home! We wanted a way Will could be a part of it and know what was going on since he stayed home with my parents. And I'm so grateful for the words I took the time to post because I can only imagine what I would have forgotten otherwise.
The picture above was one of three pictures we were given of Guo Si Rou two months before we left. I kept these pictures next to me all the time! In my purse, on the fridge and next to my bed.  I'd stare at it for hours combined, I'm sure. I was so thrilled that she was smiling! I knew the next few months for her would be a scary ride - at best. I wanted to soak up her smile. I wanted to go and get her right away. We had already waited for her for so long - more waiting.
We made it finally to the big day - a room of 15 or so families waiting expectantly together for their daughters to be brought in. The anticipation hung in the air, the silence was heavy. And the next minutes became a blur as babies were announced in their Chinese names and the room got louder and louder as one by one they were brought in. Empty arms now full. The waiting over. Our dreams come true.

The weeks in China were like nothing I'd ever experienced - sights, sounds, smells all so foreign. As we went about the things we needed to do to complete the adoption - interviews, visit to clinic, etc we also were tourists with babies in strollers. We wanted to soak up everything we could about the culture and land where our babies came from but we were also lugging babies and all things needed for a day trip, all adults were sleep deprived and exhausted wandering around the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City in a daze, covered in snot (mine and babies because everyone was sick). We didn't even get Zanna in a stroller until near the end of our stay - she wanted me to hold her all the time and needed to give her whatever she needed to help her bond with me. There was one particular cold day at the Forbidden City
where the Lord answered my prayers, parted the clouds and I saw a Starbucks.

Check out that smile - me and my Starbucks

We also took a day trip out to the countryside to get an idea of the area our babies came from. The life out in those parts was quite hard to wrap my head around. They lived off of not much more than a dollar a day. 

We were very ready to get home. I wanted to start a normal life and get out of hotels. I wanted to get back to Will. I wanted to sleep. Heck, I wanted to drink water from the tap and pee sitting down (as opposed to the squat toilets - talk about trying to keep focused on your aim when you're sleep deprived). 

We had web cammed a few times with my parents and Will from China so we saw them and they got to see Zanna but the reunion in the airport was a moment forever imprinted on my mind and heart as brother and sister met for the first time.

The expectant brother!

After an insanely long plane ride around the world with 25 or so babies on board to Toronto, we arrived at the airport to be greeted by my parents, Will and Zanna's godmother Karen. Thank goodness for Karen and her presence of mind to take pictures because the rest of us were crying! My two childrens' eyes met as if they recognized each other and were reunited, not just first meeting.  

She crawled out of my arms into Will's lap and put her head on his shoulder. It was precious!!

The road to her was long. Adoption comes from loss and pain and yet it's grace and unconditional love that fills the hole and heals the wounds. She is my daughter as Will is my son though the story is different.  And adoption wasn't our original plan but God had a better one, better than we could ever imagine!

And as we look forward to celebrating her 5th birthday, we say a special prayer for her birth parents, whoever and wherever they are and we give thanks for her foster family that gave her the love and care that contributed to her ability to come to trust and love us. 

We thank the Lord for guiding our path and leading us to one another.