Oh My...Is She Really Double Digits???

My oldest is ten! TEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is a decade!!!! And so unbelievable to me!!!
I have put off this post for a while as I am still in denial, but it's true!! :)

For her 10th party we did Dr. Seuss. It was a great party! I made cakeballs (my newest love) and of course green (deviled) eggs and ham. We bought each girl a Cat in the Hat hat and they looked so cute!! We played telephone using phrases from "There's a Wocket in my Pocket", then watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and broke into teams to answer questions from the movie. Finally, we played a game where the girls had to balance things on their teammates heads (like the cat does in "Cat in the Hat").

I wanted to share 10 things I love about my 10 year old...

1. Her sweet and gentle spirit. She is kind to EVERYONE she encounters ALL THE TIME!!!

2. Her humor. She likes to laugh and be silly.

3. Her patience. She never seems to get irritated and will sit and help her sister with reading or her brother with trains with no complaints.

4. Her loving heart. She always hugs with purpose.

5. Her intelligence. She grasps new concepts with ease and retains everything she hears.

6. Her humility. She doesn't care that she is beautiful and smart.

7. Her smile. She has a pure and true smile.

8. Her eyes. The most gorgeous eyes you can imagine.

9. Her concern for others. She truly sees the hurting in the world and has compassion on them.

10. Her wisdom. She is wise beyond her years!!

I love you angel!!

Travel Dates

We just got our confirmed travel dates. We will be "officially" in Ethiopia for the adoption Feb. 14th-19th. Matt and I will probably go on the 10th to visit with the Johnsons and to photograph the area.

I'll be honest, although it is great to know the dates, my heart just broke when I opened the email!! I know I am being selfish and not trusting and I promise to return to that, but I am sad that we won't be going this month like we expected. I am certain God is teaching me to trust, let go of control and know that His ways are not my ways...they are better!!! So my head knows that and soon my heart will follow!!

Precious Sam, we are so close to holding you in our arms. My desire to begin pouring love into your life is so great I can hardly contain it! I want you to know security, consistency and the love of a family that is all your own!! I want you to be cherished and given the time, love and attention that you deserve. I am so grateful for the precious people who have loved and taken care of you while I couldn't and know that they gave you all they could, but it's time now. Time for you to know your mommy and daddy and brother and sisters and all of the family and friends who love you here already!! We will make a red, yellow and green paper chain and we'll tear one off every day until you are home. What a day of rejoicing that will be!!!

Wow...I think I just heard God's longing for a personal, "at home" relationship with His children. He truly has given me an even greater understanding of the deep love He has for me through this adoption process!!

***I've been keeping a monthly journal on a website called www.aboutmybaby.com. Well, they are closing after this year, so I thought I need to just keep up with my entries on this blog instead. Here is what I posted today!

Madison:
Ten...is it true? My oldest has been here a full decade????? It can't be!!! You are a beautiful, kind, loving, smart and compassionate young lady! You make the world brighter and positively effect everyone you come in contact with! God gave you so many wonderful gifts and it is such an amazing experience to watch you use them to love others!!
As we begin the second semester of Madison's 5th grade year, she is still in swimming, but we may be switching to gymnastics soon...we'll see!
Madison is getting excited/nervous to travel with us to Ethiopia to get her brother, Sam, hopefully at the end of this month. I know it will be an amazing experience for her! She is making tie blankets (fleece squares you tie together) to take the the orphanage and transition home to donate! She loves to give and it inspires me! I don't think I've ever met a more selfless person!

Abby:
You are more joyful by the day. You also have a very tender heart. You might get in trouble often because your little adventurous heart just HAS to try new and exciting things, but your sincere and joyful spirit reins in your life! I just love you to pieces. You keep life exciting and fun!!!
Abby is thriving in gymnastics. She just moved up a level and is soooo limber. I find her sleeping in all sorts of contortions at night. She is the most excited about bringing her baby brother home. She is a little mommy for sure and I know will be a huge help!!

Max:
You hold the key to my giggle box. Oh, how you make me laugh! You are so silly and so very laid back. Life is just a bowl of cherries for you and you keep our home light and cheerful! You still talk with a lisp and it is the cutest thing ever!!! You LOVE spiderman and trains and happily play alone or with others!!! I need to take lessons on how to just relax and enjoy life from you! I love you so much my precious little man.
Max is loving his preK class at St. John. He frequently forgets his classmates names but boy does he love them. He yells with excitement any time he sees them outside of class, even in the parking lot on the way home when he's just been with them all day. He is loved by his teacher and, of course, anyone he comes in contact with. How could you not just eat those dimples up!

Sam:
Sweet, sweet baby. We are so close to holding you in our arms, to smelling your sweet baby smell and hearing your sweet little voice. Getting new pictures of you brings a flurry of excitement to our home. Oh, how we long to have you home!!! We feel very disjointed and unsettled knowing a part of our family is on another continent! But, we trust in God's perfect timing and know that you will soon be home where you belong!!! We love you precious little one!!!