Getting Better

Things are getting much better. Thank you God!

Yesterday I dared take all three boys out in public again & they did well. We're venturing out again today & I think we will all be fine.

Our set-back was a good reminder to me that we are making GREAT progress but that it is still fragile.

I'm weary & am looking forward to John having the next two days off! Phew!

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

We had a wonderful Christmas! So good, in so many ways. It all kind of ended yesterday though when Nana & Papa had to go back to Canada & Daddy had to go back to work. I guess I should have anticipated better how difficult that would be for my children but hind sight is 20/20, right?

From the minute the boys got up yesterday, I could see behaviors coming back - things I hadn't seen happen in a month at least. Difficult things. It was a very hard day.

I'm REALLY hoping today will be better.

In a way, this "regression" (if that's what I can call it) has served to show me just how far we all have come in such a short time. No wonder I was feeling overwhelmed the first month we were all home!

I guess I am mostly really proud of all of us, especially Luke & Nathan. We are healing day by day with God's help. It's hard but it is beautifully awesome.


P.S. Thanks for praying for us. We need it.

Christmas Cuties

Nathan, my little "Iron Man", complete with a milk mustache

Sleepy me, covered in cute little super heroes

LOVE this one!

My little "banker"

Happy, happy boy!

More Christmas Cuties

Christmas Doggies

It wouldn't be our house without a few dogs around!
Ben & Toby have been enjoying the holidays so far. :)

The Finger In The Nose Trick

I took a series of these photos & the whole time Nathan Godfred was teasing Nana by trying to stick his finger in his nose. He is the cutest little tease!

Luke Emmanuel is Six!

It was such a joy to celebrate Luke's birthday on Dec.22. He choose the cake he wanted me to make & helped me decorate it. He loved putting candy on it so it ended up VERY polka-dotty! We had a little party & had a lot of fun celebrating the gift of his life! What HUGE JOY I had, finally being able to enjoy this day with my precious son!

I read this C.S. Lewis quote recently & I can't get it out of my mind. I want to give like that!

"Charity - giving to the poor - is an essential part of Christian morality....
I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give.
I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare."
C.S. Lewis

Yes, they are ALL boy...

...and I wouldn't have it any other way! (Usually!)

First Snow Fun

This wasn't just the boy's first snow this year, this was their first snow ever!
They loved it!

Pre-Christmas Fun

Sweet Nana & Papa

A little "elf" named Nathan Godfred

A furry "elf" - everyone seemed to want to sit under the tree today!

Nana & Nathan playing "Break the Ice"

Luke Emmanuel

Snuggling With Nana, Papa & Toby

I LOVE how Luke just snuggled in between his newly discovered Grandparents!

Doggy kisses! Nathan is my animal lover.

It looks like Nathan is asleep in these pictures but he is actually "basking" in the attention from Papa & "Toby".

I love how the sun beams are falling right across Nathan's face
in this picture.

Grandparents

Nana & Papa are visiting us for Christmas - EXCITING times! :) It is so much fun to stand back & watch the boys interacting with them for the first time. Pictures to follow...

I'm working on my new generation of dog lovers. :)
This cute little pup is just visiting us for the weekend.

Hanging Out with Friends

Happy & Sad

Things that make me happy:

*Hearing "I love you Mommy." for the first time
*Little boy hugs & kisses
*Three brothers being kind to each other (at least some of the time!)
*Giggling gaggles of little guys
*Mark reading stories to Nathan
*Listening to my children talk to God at bed time
*Seeing my five year old just being a little boy

Things that make me sad:

*Seeing glimpses of pain in my five year old
*Knowing there are so many children around the world who are still asking God for a Mommy & a Daddy

Imperfection

A friend of mine wrote in her blog recently about how everywhere she looks online, there are pictures of beautiful homes, lovely professionally decorated rooms, even super organized & stream-lined refrigerators. Ahhh perfection! She took a picture of her "normal" looking fridge (ie: slightly messy) in response. Her idea has resonated with me! It's not that I don't like beauty &/or organization, because I do. It's wonderful! It's just that I am rarely attaining it in my home these days & I am mostly OK with that. So, I am going to post a picture of a NOT perfect area in my home. I might even start posting one weekly! ;)
Yeah, this is it...my not organized or attractive dining room table. This is how it looks after breakfast & home school duty.

Nathan Godfred

Nathan got hurt today while he was playing & he was really crying hard. I sat down next to him & snuggled him up in my arms. He stopped crying right away. This immediate response has never happened before! It's a big deal!

Also, right out of the blue this morning he looked at me and said, "I like you." :) Awwwwwwwwwwwwww...this Mom's heart is all mushy on the inside!
I just love... well ... love!

The First Hike

Luke & Nathan had never gone hiking before, or at least they had never done anything that was called a "hike". I explained that we would
take a long walk in the woods.

They asked, "Why?"

I assured them it would be fun but I think they were sceptical. They did have fun though! We all love hiking now!

Boys in Boxes

Of to A Good Start

This morning I was able to take a shower with NO frantic knocks on the door with the accompanying "Mommy Mommy! Usually this happens at least 4 times during the short time I am in the bathroom. Yay! Progress! (I really enjoyed the peace too!)

Later, when I was getting breakfast ready, I did not have one person remind me, "I'm hungry." This normally happens multiple times and can really try my patience since, there I am - MAKING the breakfast!

Also, I got the food on the table unnoticed! All three boys were busy playing. This is huge! My kids are really starting to relax about food! This is the biggest encouragement for me. It is a joy to see my children able to relax about food. Thank you God for healing for my children & a much more peaceful morning for me! :)

The Blind Side

I am dying to see this movie! Anyone seen it? Comments? I think I am going to need plenty of kleenex!

Brothers

Nathan spent some one-on-one time with Daddy today, & Mark & Luke attended a "Pack a Shoe Box Party" (Operation Christmas Child) with me. They decided they wanted to make sure everyone knew they were brothers so they got dressed in similar outfits. I even heard them happily commenting,
"We look like twins!" which I LOVED!

My Cool Dude

Mark is seven now. He is smart, fun, intense & very strong. When he was about two & a half years old he started moving our couch when there was a toy underneath that he wanted. I would tell my friends that he could move the couch & they would think I was exaggerating, but then I'd ask him to demonstrate and sure enough...

Mark is not just physically strong though. He also has a good strong will. Before we brought Luke & Nathan home from Ghana, I had many moments of concern over how Mark would adjust to his two younger brothers. I tried to prepare him in every way possible. I prayed. I worried. I prayed some more. I decided God had a plan. Duh...I know! :)

We have all been together about 10 weeks now (counting our 4 weeks in Accra) & I am amazed & thrilled to report that Mark is doing GREAT! He is doing so much better than I dared hope. John & I are both so grateful & thankful. We don't take the credit for it, that's for sure. It is a VERY COOL thing that God is doing; there's just no better explanation for it. Mark has his moments, for sure and we are working to help him through those times, but overall, he has really stepped up to the plate of becoming a big brother. He is sharing better than we had hoped. He is caring better than we had hoped. He is loving better too. Yesterday he started giving his brothers "gifts" from his collection of stuff in his room (he is a huge "collecto"). He was really enjoying being a giver & I asked him why he was doing it. I was pretty sure I knew the answer but I wanted Luke & Nathan to hear. Mark explained the giving with, "Because I love them!" Later on, Luke & Nathan also decided to start giving gifts & even I was receiving small cars & plastic horses - awesome! Ha!

Today is a new day, of course, and we have already had plenty of squabbles etc. (Two out of the three boys have very strong wills after all!) but I am hanging on to Mark's words & actions & hanging on to HOPE that yes, of course God has a plan. Duh!

It is really cool to see it working out in my "cool dude" Mark.
I am so proud of him & thankful to my Heavenly Father!