The Adoption Crusade | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

The Adoption Crusade Christianity Today A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction
I love this article... brings up a lot of valid points. Check it out!

Revelation Song

This video includes scenes from Passion of The Christ.  If you have never seen it, I strongly recommend you do.  Truly gave me a much deeper anderstanding and appreciation of Jesus' death and resurrection.
Leaves me in complete awe...

Be sure to stop the music player at the bottom of this blog.

Caleb is 5!

How can my baby really be 5?  This year, Caleb had his first big birthday party.  For his 3rd and 4th birthdays, we kept things pretty low-key, and had very small family parties at home. This year, C asked to have a big party with "all of his friends".  We felt he was ready for it, so we agreed.  C ended up having his party at a local bounce house and C had the time of his life! It was so precious to watch him truly enjoy being the center of attention! It just warmed my heart through and through to watch him have so much fun!


Bashful but elated as his friends sang "Happy Birthday" to him- check out his sweaty head!



The Birthday Boy with his favorite thing... sugar!!!!



C with one of his best buds



The slides were sooooo much fun!



C with his other best bud



I think Andrew had a little bit too much bouncing :0)



Boy From Baby House 10

I've talked about this book on this blog before, but if you haven't read it, at least take a few minutes to watch this Dateline NBC presentation about it.  Andrew watched it with me and was riveted.  This is an incredible true story of a Russian orphan adopted by an American woman... there are so many miracles woven into this boy's story.   Check it out at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/

Da is the Very Best Word I've EVER Heard!

The judge said Da to the Parks!  Now Aleksandr has a Mama and Papa FOREVER!!!!!!!! 

Praise GOD!!!!!!!!!

check out their blog at http://www.parkadoption.blogspot.com/

Attachment Help

A few people have asked me some questions about attachment after reading the recent post on Caleb's recent attachment progress.  Here's a great recorded radio show that really goes through all of the basics of identifying attachment issues and methods / resources for dealing with them. 

www.creatingafamily.org/radioplayer  once you're there, go to the program dated April 21,2010, entitled
"What is Happening With Russian Adoptions / Raising a Child With Attachment Issues

Great program for any family dealing with these issues- not just children adopted from Russian orphanages.

Third Day | Third Day Shines Spotlight On Adoption With Video For "Children Of God" | TodaysChristianMusic.com

Third Day Third Day Shines Spotlight On Adoption With Video For "Children Of God" TodaysChristianMusic.com 

Watch the video in the post below :0)

"Children Of God" - Official Music Video

Third Day's new song... I just love this video! It is absolutely beautiful!
Mute the player music on this blog and check it out :0)

The Sweetest Little Miracles

Caleb has been home for over two and a half years now, but we are still seeing increasing signs of attachment.  I remember the first time our therapist told me full attachment can take 3-4 years for a child who comes home at two or older.  I almost got up and left her office right then!  The thought terrified me and angered me all at the same time.  Caleb had only been home for a year at that time.  It seemed impossible to me that a child who had only been on this earth for 24 months (25 in Caleb's case). would take longer than 24 months to fully attach.  Was she crazy?  How hard could it be to love and to allow oneself to be loved????  Little did I know it then, but she couldn't have been more right.  And so began my journey to reality, helped along by countless hours and sleepless nights spent learning all I possibly could on the subject of...

ATTACHMENT.

Clearly, there are many factors that influence attachment, such as: age at adoption, fetal health, previous experience with attachment to one or two loving adults, consistent care, disposition of the child, and exposure to previous and current traumatic events (the transition from orphanage living to living in a family counts as seriously traumatic for many kids).  Some kids attach quickly and relatively easily.  In Caleb's case, though, most of his history clearly indicated that he would struggle. It took me a long time to come to terms with this.  It is so difficult to want to give you child love, peace and security, only to end up feeling as though you are failing him.  I am the Mommy, and Mommies are supposed to make everything better for their babies.

One thing I can say about our attachment struggles is that I wouldn't trade them for the world.  I have learned to let go of the fear and the overanalyzing.  Now I just live in the positives of today (or perhaps yesterday or last week if today is not going so well).  No longer do I take the peace and joy in my childrens' hearts for granted.

Hmmm... this is something the therapist wanted me to work on even at the 1 year home mark.  Better late than never, right?

Anyway, I have learned to appreciate even the smallest of loving gestures.  I cannot tell you how absolutely amazing it is when I hear my son's sweet voice singing, "I love my Mama, she is the bestest Mama ever", when I am in the other room and he doesn't know I am listening.  When he isn't saying those things because he knows he should say them, but he is saying those things because he really feels that way in that moment.  Truly, the room starts spinning and I am on cloud nine when my son stops what he is doing just to run up to me, cup my face in his hands, and tell me how glad he is that I am his Mama.  My heart nearly stops as his big blue eyes search to lock with mine, as they silently echo the sentiment.  Don't get me wrong, I have always adored hearing all of my children speak so lovingly and sweetly.  I LOVE when I can nearly SEE their little hearts spilling over with love and contentment.  It is so huge to KNOW that you are loved... to rest in that fact... to relish that fact.  This has not always been the case with my Caleb, so when I see that joy and contentment in him, it takes all the strength I've got to keep from screaming out loud with joy.  I don't want to scare the poor child, after all!

Some of the things that have been happening lately are really big, and I need to blog so I won't forget them. 

Last week, Caleb came to me in the night and said he needed me because he was scared.  He has never done this before.  In the past, he has only called for me / cried in his sleep.

A few weeks ago, Caleb was not feeling well and actually slept soundly and contentedly between D and I for several hours.  He even wrapped his little arm around me in his sleep.  Obviously, I didn't sleep much... I was trying to relish every moment.  As a mom to 3 older kids, I honestly never thought I would be lying in the dark in the middle of the night just giddy that my kid was in bed next to me and hanging on me! 
In the past, C has always had trouble sleeping near anyone.  He always likes to sleep alone, so this accomplishment is really, really huge.

When we went out of town for 2 nights a few weeks ago, C stayed with Grandma and Grandpa for the first time.  On the second day, he cried and said he missed his Mommy and Daddy.  Granted, he has never stayed without us for quite so long before, but C has stayed overnight at Grandma's and Grandpa's a few times before(in the past year- never before that b/c of needing to bond with us).  In the past, he has never cried because he wanted to go home... he has only cried because he didn't want to be home.

During a hockey weekend away about a month or so ago, Caleb got teary and told me he missed his home.  Once we did arrive back home, he told me he was soooooo happy we were home.  He even ran to his room and dove in his bed to hug his pillow.  Another new one for him!  He's the kind of kid who can't wait to go somewhere and never wants the adventure to end.

Last thing... C has always been fairly aggressive with the dog.  He figured out early on that he could control her, so he would often poke her, hit her, pull her tail, etc. when I was not looking.  Honestly, it's crazy to me that he is that bold, given the fact that she outweighs him by about 40 pounds.  Unfortunately (or fortunately), Sadie just takes all of the abuse and has never retaliated.  We have been working with C quite a bit on this behavior.  Whenever he is upset, he tends to feel the need to control, so he uses the dog as an outlet.  We have been working on other outlets and I am so proud of C, because he is really doing well with this.  Lately, he comes to me more often than not to let me know he is upset and needs a hug.  There have been a few times I have even caught him using her as a comfort in a completely normal way.  Yesterday, I walked in on him with her and saw him lying next to her and petting her gently.  He told me he was sad and she was helping him to feel better.  To be honest, I had rounded the corner steeling my heart for the gentle reprimand (and resulting fit) that would need to come as soon as I laid my eyes on him treating her poorly AGAIN.  And yet, that is not at all what I found around the corner.  That left me awestruck.

I look forward to what each new day will bring, as God is still doing miracles in Caleb's heart!  How awesome it is, not only to have a front row seat, but to actually get to see, touch and feel the miracles God is creating :0)

If you are interested in reading more about attachment, check out
http://www.onethankfulmom.com/

Mileage????

Note: These P.J.'s are only one season old and this child owns 2 pairs of footie P.J.'s.  Yes, they were brand new when footie P.J. wear'in weather began a few months ago... and, no, the other pair did not fare any better than the pair depicted. 
Can someone tell me what this child does to make his P.J.'s look this way?  Clearly I am missing something, because during most of his waking hours, C wears socks and shoes... or he's barefoot.
Hmmmm...

The Park Family Has a Court Date!!!!!!!!!

The Park Family has received a court date to bring Aleksandr home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Please check their blog at parkadoption.blogspot.com to read more.  Please pray for this family.  We love them so dearly and can't wait to hear the news that Aleksandr is home forever with his 4 brothers.  God is about to do another miracle!!!

A Fun Christmas Surprise!

Hope you all had a VERY Merry Christmas!  We had a great one here, despite the fact that it was all over much too soon :0(   Andrew will be 10 years old in just 2 days, so I realize I don't have much longer to celebrate Christmas in such a fun and childlike way (although, there will hopefully be grandchildren someday...).  I just love the JOY children bring to Christmas.  Yes, it is all SO very tiring, but the smiles and laughter makes it all SOOOOOO worthwhile.  And the family time we get to enjoy is priceless. 
The biggest highlight this year was snow and sledding on Christmas eve.  We got to go to Christmas eve service with our hair still wet from our time spent sledding together.  Honestly, I'm fairly certain that was one of the best family times we have ever had.  We went to a local park with some huge sledding hills and there weren't many other people there (not many people are crazy enough to go to a park with huge hills on the entrance drive during a snowstorm!).  The snow was pouring out of the sky, and everything was so white and pristine.  I just love how quiet and beautiful it is when the snow is coming down like that.  And our kids had SO MUCH FUN!!!  I can't say I have ever been sledding on Christmas Eve before.  It was certainly worth ignoring the final Christmas preparations that needed to be completed  at home. They got done later... MUCH later :0)

Caleb's Christmas Program

Caleb's preschool program did not disappoint!  He looked absolutely PRECIOUS up there, just singing his little heart out :0)  Singing Jingle Bells was a highlight for Caleb because he got to ring jingle bells during the song- he talked about this every single day for two months and just COULD NOT wait to get to do this in front of an audience!  My biggest fear is that he would not let go of them when the song ended and it came time for the teacher to collect them from all of the kids.  Much to my relief, Caleb did relinquish the bells without a fuss!  He just had to sueeze in that little extra ring first!!!  LOL :0)

Proud Mama

My oldest is such an awesome kid!  He is my firstborn and will always have a very special place in my heart because of that.  His quirky sense of humor is just the absolute best!  His ultra deep heart is one of the other gifts God gave him that I cherish.  I thank God for every moment I get to spend with him, and I miss him when we are not together.  On top of it all, Andrew is a very responsible kid and I am so proud of the young man he is becoming (despite the fact that I am protesting the speed at which this seems to be happening).

*sniff*

Just recently, Andrew got his report card and he is now an HONOR ROLL student!

Straight A's!!!!!!!!  Woo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You go, boy :0)

All Things Hockey

Hockey season is in full swing, and C is loving it!  Between Andrew playing travel and C playing developmental (3x per week), our life is all about hockey right now.  It is impressive how quickly C has gone from falling 32 times per minute, to actually skating in full gear for an hour with a stick in hand. 

The icing on the cake for C is watching the Zamboni at the end of practice before the big boys take the ice.  He is officially obsessed with everything Zamboni. 

I just hope the Zamboni guy is cool with being stalked :0)

Waiting for the Zamboni to come by

Here it comes!  This just THRILLS Caleb every time.

Caleb stops to chat with his friend, Henry

C in action.  Sorry for the poor quality, this pic is taken through the net.



What a cutie pie!!!!!!!



Thumbs Up For Preschool!

Caleb has been attending preschool 2 mornings a week since the beginning of September.  I have held off posting on his progress until I felt he was really settled.  Oftentimes, Caleb starts out really well in a new situation, but slides into bad behavior slowly after a few weeks.  Situations like church and school are very stressful for him because there are so many other kids around and overstimulation is a big threat.  Perhaps these situations remind him of living in the orphanage... always around so many other people... having to fend for himself.  There is also the fear of abandonment (very real in his mind).  In the past year or two, he has often told me he is afraid I will never come back to get him.  He even has nightmares about it.  Breaks my heart.  Of course, I always reassure him that I will ALWAYS come back.  That I will ALWAYS be his Mama and he will ALWAYS be my baby.  I explain to him that that is how God designed it.  Once you have a forever Mama, it really is FOREVER.  We talk about this every day.  We spent all summer working on his understanding of our relationship and how solid it is.  We prayed that C would grow to completely rest in our love for him every day.

And then September came.

I must admit, I was extremely nervous about preschool.  I had no idea how C would take it.  I was worried he would relapse into the angry and frightened little boy he once was.  That he would feel somehow threatened by the experience.  Now that we are 2 solid months in, I can safely say none of my fears have turned into reality, despite the fact that we have also thrown the stress of hockey into the mix.  Caleb has done amazingly well and he absolutely loves school!  He even got a perfect midterm report from his teacher 2 weeks ago.  We are SOOOOOOO very proud :0)

I never cease to be amazed with my baby and how faithful God has been!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was "dress silly day", so that's why all of the kids in the video look the way they do :0)

Back to Siberia

Goodness!  I just can't sleep!!!! 
The day has finally arrived, and the Parks (see Oct. 12th post below) are on a plane over the North Pole right now at this moment... on their way to meet their son in Siberia for the very first time.  Last time they were on this journey, we were with them... meeting our son for the very first time.   What a precious moment! 
Please pray for the journey this time around to go smoothly (just as it did last time) and for the visit with their son to fill their hearts with heaps of joy that they can hold on to until they can return to take him home forever!  Please also pray for their 4 boys at home, that their child hearts are filled with a peace and understanding that only God can give.
I just can't wait to see that precious little face!  I am about to become an Auntie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Halloween

Halloween went off without a hitch this year!!!  What a relief :0)  Last year was a disaster for Ashley and Riley, who both got sick shortly after I finished taking pictures last year :0(
This year, all of the kids had a blast!  The older 3 love Trick-or-Treating with Caleb because they only have to follow behind him and he does all of the work (they are quite shy around adults and before Caleb came along, I would be the one to have to knock on doors or ring the doorbells).  The only difficult part for the big kids is keeping up with their very outgoing and determined little brother.  He is a Halloween pro :0) 
This year, Caleb was joined by his equally outgoing and determined best buddy, Logan (A.K.A. Superman).  They were an unstoppable superhero duo!!!

Cowgirl (Ash). Hockey Player, Batman and Gypsy (Ril)



2 seconds before start time!  This kid was EXCITED!!!!



The face says it all!

Check Out This Video (and then read Crazy Love)

I've decided that every now and then, I need to talk about the books that have truly changed the way I view life and God's plan for me in this life.  Francis Chan's book, "Crazy Love"  is incredible!  I strongly encourage you to check it out.  Not a huge expense or time commitment, just amazing :0)

I Love My Girls!

Just a few days ago, I took the girls outside for a little photo shoot.  It has been so beautiful here lately, so I wanted to take advantage of the awesome fall weather.  I got lucky this time, because BOTH girls decided to cooperate (Riley really dispises being photographed).  They even happily (!!!!!) posed for a few pics together, which is very rare. 

Ashley- she is so photogenic :0)



Riley and Ashley

The girls wanted a pic hanging upside down

Riley- my sweetie pie