Made To Be So Much More

Things I am learning...

I have never been one who thought I had a lot of patience...I still am not sure I display all that i should have in me, but I have seen so much more in me now that I ever have before. how is that? Where did it come from?

Before I started this journey into adoption I doubted many times I had the patience I needed for the four children I had. Sure many thought I must have a lot of it to have four small children and home-school them all. But those weren't choices I made. Those were things God told me to do...so I did. Easy? Absolutely not, but I was always one to obey authority. :) Okay not ALWAYS!

Since being home, three months later I started to feel like a literal fog was lifting from my head. I was starting to see and feel life again. I could now see the things I did not see before. God HAD indeed given the things I needed to care for 6 small children! It is the only way I can explain not losing my head with so many small children. HE gave it to me. It is the only way I can explain being able to get together sensory games together for my four littles and working on colors and numbers and touch. Does that mean I have it all together every day? Absolutely not! I still have days where I’m dragging and nothing gets accomplished. But I'm also learning when to do more and when to do less. Not everyday needs to be a “fun day”.  

So when God called us to this journey I believed HE would provide the funds. Did I get nervous at times how it would be done, you bet, but I didn't doubt He would do it. But believing the energy and patients for six kids, that was a whole nother story. How was I going to do it?! Where was it going to come from?! Two of the six needed even more on top of the four I already had! Lord where and how am I going to accomplish this everyday?!

Now as I look back and the fog has lifted, I see it. He never expected ME to do it on my own all alone in the first place! HE gave me the energy and patience just like He promised when He said all I need to do is say YES and HE would provide all that I needed to accomplish His work. Why oh why did I not believe Him for those things?

Truth is because I now realize I trusted myself for those things daily. I try to do them in my own flesh...which is pretty impossible and ridiculous when He is SO much more capable than I.

So to any of you who have asked how do you do it and I say one day at a time…that is why you get that answer. I cant do it, so I rely on HIM one day at a time.

For those of you who ask are we done adopting...my answer is probably not. The Lord has given us a huge heart for these children. And before you say it,  I know, I know, we can’t save them all, and we don't intend to try in the realm of bringing as many as we can home with US. BUT I do know He is not done with us bringing kids into our family. When will that be… I have no clue. I know right now we are still getting the kids into their normal and we still have a ways to go in getting Nina’s seizures figured out, so it will not be this year, that much I can give you. :)

getting a little too close

As far as an update on Nina and her seizures, we are still working on them. We started her on a new medicine a few months ago. Seizure medication is pretty tricky as you can’t just stop one to start the other. You have to wean off one while your weaning onto the other one, and you have to base it on how many seizures she is having. So it means watching how many seizures she has, calling the doctor and waiting for her to tell you to change them. A few weeks later get blood work done to check the levels of the medicine in her blood, and repeat. It is a loooong process, that may never be done because as soon as the medicine starts really working and all seizures are figured out, she will most likely grow out of the dosage she is one. :/ Unfortunately, as many have asked, surgery is not really an option right now as it is a last resort. The tumors are part of her brain and removing them would be like removing part of her brain. When and if it is an option, only parts of the tumor will be removed.

Unfortunately the medicine does have some side effects for a few weeks while her body is balancing itself out, but Nina is one tough little girl and together we are getting through them.

Ah, an update. So I wrote this post like a week ago and didn't get around to posting it...life has a way of happening like that...but a funny thing happened. We had just changed Nina’s meds so she was having a very difficult week. She can get very irritable making my days a bit..eh um...difficult. So that added with Levi deciding he was going to have a “fun” week on top made my “patient” post hard to hit send. Things were CRAZY and I lost my patience that I had written about earlier.

I thought how in the world can I hit send when I don't feel that patience I wrote about?! Where did it go?! Why oh why are things going backwards when I thought I was finally getting my feet on the ground?!

Truth is, it was still there. Unfortunately life isn't always easy. I have the three year old having to deal with her new life on top of understanding and dealing with the fact that she is always tired and just doesn't feel right. One 2 year old who is still finding his place in the family and coming down with a cold and another 2 year learning that things don’t always happen the way you want right away. Yea, it is a recipe for a HARD week. But that happens when you have kids, kids have bad weeks, growth spurts, times of sickness and when more than one struggles with any of these things, motherhood takes a hit. It’s exhausting.

new hair cut

Though when I lay next to Nina at night, I thank the LORD I have the chance to stand in the gap for her, rub her sweet face and sing to her how much God loves her more than anyone EVER could. I thank the LORD I get to be the one listen to Isac’s little voice tell me stories that make no since at all! And of course the Lord has already blessed me with four other children who I get the honor of calling my kids.

I guess I sum it all up to say, biological, fostered or adopted, motherhood is HARD! It is exhausting and confusing and it PUSHES ALL of us! But I am SO thankful and grateful I have a God who promises to ALWAYS give us what we need through EVERY circumstance!!  I could have made every excuse in the world to parent the four I have, and no one would have blamed me one bit for staying where I was...comfortable. But God wants MORE from all of us so that He can make us SO much more. And what a blessing to have a front row seat to see HIM push me to be EVEN MORE!

Ephesians 3:16-21

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

James 1:2-4

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Are You Willing To Follow Him?

HELLO THERE!!! It's been awhile. Ya see, a complete thought in my head is one thing so a complete thought anywhere else...well it doesn't happen often. I will update our new life in another blog.

 First I want to take a moment to introduce you to someone. Someone who from the moment I saw this little face and read their story my life, my prayers and my thoughts (though still scattered), were changed. His agency name (a name given to him by the agency, not his real name), is Kellin. Kellin is a little boy who is the same age as my two boys. Though I have never had the pleasure of meeting this sweet boy I suspect he is like any two year old boy. He loves to climb and jump and race through life as though there are no limits to gravity. Building blocks, though very fun to build up, are even more fun to knock down because the crashing sounds brings so much joy! Trucks and balls and even blocks are better thrown and super man is "so cool"!

But this is not the joy that Kellin experiences. You see, sweet Kellin is an orphan. After being found, he was placed  in a sweet and caring foster home in China, where this once very sick, skinny, and sad baby grew healthy, plump, and smiley for a year. That is until he was ordered back to the orphanage. Where this baby, who once knew the touch of love, the rocking of strong arms and and a full belly, is left in a crib day after day. This sweet boy who was progressing so well, and while still didn't have the love of a forever mamma, was feeling loved, is now left to cry and long for the life he once knew, in dark, cold, and unknown orphanage.

Kellin is blind. This sweet boy can't see where he is, or know who is taking care of him (or not taking care of him) today. They say when a person is missing one of their senses that the others are heightened. I can only imagine the darkness that he must feel all around him. The silence of laughter and the lack of cries from children who understand quickly that no one is coming to quench that love, affection or need that they have. Since he is blind, the nannies lack of understanding of him and his need, leave him trapped behind the bars of his crib, where they assume he is "safer".

What about you? What if this was your fate? I can assure you, in my self absorb, earthly and Americanized entitlement, I would probably give up. Where is the love I once knew for a short time? I had obviously done something to tick someone off in my life so I was dealt the hand I deserved.  The light would go out of me. So many kids live with this burden. It is often said by physiologist that kids will always find a way to blame themselves for sad, hard things that they face in their lives. But this sweet boy did nothing. And yet he waits, cries and is left.

This sweet boy is up for adoption. In fact he is not even on an agency list, probably because he has been passed up so many times before because he is blind. Can you think of any blind people in our history who have over come their need and made amazing impacts in our world? I said before his other senses have been heightened to take over where his eyes can not. And how many times has he had to adapt to the places he has been in, at only 2 years old! I have no doubt that this sweet boy, if given the chance, will MOVE MOUNTAINS!!!!!! I imagine he will be pretty dependent on mom and dad until he learns the ropes, but you know what, my two kiddos, home for 3 1/2 months are dependent on me also. I have talked to moms who have adopted children who are blind and all of them said having a child who is blind is so much less of a need they ever imagined! And I am sure any of them would love to talk to anyone interested in Kellin.

I pray pray PRAY for this sweet boy and his forever family daily. Actually almost every minute. I know they are out there!  I would bring him home in a heart beat if I knew for sure that was what the Lord wanted! And maybe we can at some point. But right now I sit in the day time and think of a little boy who once knew warmth, laying in a cold, hard crib so far away, longing for a hug and tender touch. Please don't be afraid to jump! The Lord can do SUCH amazing things with your life if you are only willing to REALLY let HiM!

As I sit here rocking my own China baby boy who has a fever, I can't help but grieve for Kellin who doesn't have a mamma to nurse him, rock him or love on him extra when he is sick. I praise God I get to do this for Isac, but pray for those other children like Kellin whose need is great...

I leave you with this quote from Jesus Calling:

 "When I gave you My Spirit, I empowered you to live beyond your natural ability and strength. That's why it is so wrong to measure your energy level against the challenges ahead of you. The issue is not your strength but Mine, which is limitless." 

This is good news. Not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit!! (Zechariah 4:6!)


And here is sweet Kellin...

Please consider putting the smile back on his face!!!!

Words to live by:

SONG: Follow You

"...Use my hands, use my feet to make Your kingdom come

To the corners of the earth until Your work is done

'Cause faith without works is dead

And on the cross Your blood was shed

So how could we not give it away so freely?..."

Read more: Leeland - Follow You Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

From a Insanely Grateful Heart

Oh my fellow readers! I have been wanting to write something like this for so long! I am so so so very thankful for allll of the amazing support we have had, before, through and after coming home!
The amazing donations, time and love through our process. The AMAZING meals people supplied when we came home were SUCH a big help! And you wont believe the number of people who asked if they could take one or more of our kiddos out to play so I could get a few things done or how many friends called or text just to see how we were doing! I even had a friend come and fold my laundry! And I haven't been able to take anyone up on their babysitting all 6 kids yet, but I am blown away by those who have offered!!!! My mom has gone above and beyond to come by when I need it, watch one or more kiddos when we had doctor visits or really just be whatever we need when we needed it. We couldn't have done it without you all!
Thanks for being God's hands and feet and helping support us while we transition to a family of 8! It hasn't been easy or always beautiful, but knowing we are being used of God is an amazing place to be!

<3 <3 <3 THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU <3 <3 <3 <3

He Brought Us You

WOW! Been awhile! Obviously we have been a tad more busy these day but I do still plan on trying to keep everything updated.

Well first off  HAPPY 2014! Hard to believe this whole year has been filled with a mind full of adoption prep and we start the new year with our kiddos ALL HOME!
Josh and I feel so very blessed to have them both here! Isac is our happy, lovable charming little boy. He definitely has his moments. He is still learning what no means and how not everything will go his way in this family.  After all of his doctors appointments though he is free and clear of any special needs! We are still waiting to hear though about his high lead counts, I'm assuming since they haven't moved too quick on it it's nothing dire but I'll be happy when I don't have to think about it any more.He and Levi are finding more common ground together, usually if it has something to do with throwing or running around screaming (oiy-vey), but I'm just happy to not see them pushing each other.
Nina seems to be bonding to both of us much more and I see a little but more of who she is every day. Just today she crawled in my lap and literally moved my arms around her body to cradle her. Such a sweet moment as this is a very good sign for kids who are adopted because it means they want to start back from the beginning with you as their mommy. They want to fill in where their lives left off before they were an orphan. And they want you to fill in those spaces. Most all moments with Nina are short as she doesn't sit still long at all! She is very lively and LOOOOVES music! Both her and Isac will jump up at every sound of music and dance around. ARE THEY NOT NOLL'S OR WHAT!!!!!! We still struggle with Nina going to new places, it really makes her nervous but she did better this week in church than the last week and better than two weeks before that, so she's making progress! :)
We also got an official diagnosis for her. It was what her neurologist suspected, Tubular Sclerosis Complex. you can read about it here: http://www.tsalliance.org/. Her body has benign tumors on major organs of her body, There are on her brain which is what causes the seizures. (Please pray for this as we are working hard at getting her meds  at a good dose to control the seizures. We are getting very close to being at the max we can give her with what she is on now. I really want to stay far away from brain surgery as much as possible, to control her seizures.) Other places we are having checked out this week are her kidneys and heart. Next month she will have her eyes checked for them as well. There is no cure for it, you usually just treat the symptoms unless they are causing major life threatening issues. Other things it also affects are behavior issues, sometimes kids can be on the Spectrum or have OCD and or act younger (we see this with Nina in some areas). We were pretty shocked as this is more than we had thought. As a mom, it was a tough pill to swallow. What was the hardest for me to grasp was that this special need has sooo many different areas that could and probably would have been missed had our GREAT Creator not seen her and taken her in. Though this was more than we thought, every part of my heart is ready and willing to see her through each and every thing we face together! She is our daughter. I don't know this because she is a sweet happy well adjusted kid, because sometimes, well honestly she is not, i don't know this because she always has nothing but love for us, because sometimes SHE REALLY doesn't yet. I don't say this because, well I'll be completely honest, I have already fallen completely in love with her as if I have always known her, because honestly, just like she is not there yet with us as strangers, I am not their with her yet either. I say this because through every step of our adoption process, I have seen our amazing God move and write ours and Nina and Isac's life stories together. They are our kids because He made it so, and in that I find rest. The rest will come. Though their are days (especially in China) that I wondered, "WHEN GOD?", but they will. And God has blessed me with friends and allll around me who keep reminding me that.

In fact in church we sang this song called Your Great Name by Natalie Grant, sitting there holding Nina and singing the words:

"All the weak; find their strength; at the sound of your great name
Hungry souls; receive grace; at the sound of your great name
The fatherless; they find their rest; at the sound of your great name
Sick are healed; and the dead are raised; at the sound of your great name"

Read more: Natalie Grant - Your Great Name Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

I got CHILLS! Our great and Mighty God loooves this child!!!! He knew she needed a family! He knew and WANTED her to be loved, so HE moved mountains to make it happen! Did you hear me? HE moved those mountains! And I know some of you may be thinking, okay, but there are millions of orphans still waiting. Still starving, freezing, sick and broken hearted. Does He not need or love than any more than Nina and Isac, to bring their families? See the sad thing is He IS! HE wants those children to be loved and healed and happy just as much as our sweet babies. God is calling SO many to step forward, to stop making excuses and saying "I always wanted to adopt", or if only I had a bigger house or more money. The thing is, HE also gave each one of free will to make the choices in our lives. HE wants US to move with our hearts and not be puppets on a string that He plays with, and the sad truth is, so many refuse to listen. And I get it! Adoption is SCARY STUFF ya'll! I don't say that to scare any one out of it, I say it to be true and honest and real! It isn't easy. Kids who have never had love, who get smacked in the face or worse. just because on a daily basis, wont come freely when you call their name, will flinch some times when you try to show them how to use a toy or hold their hand. They will reach for your hand to rub their backs when they are crying and then push it away because they know they want the love and innately know it should be there, but don't know how to receive it. They may rage for a good 15 minute in time out because they don't understand these rules of life and then get so much that they don't know how to calm down and have someone sooth them.because they are used to no one caring about their feelings. It is hard. But I will tell you. It is BEAUTIFUL too! You know when you get the joy to watch an infant find their hands, or the first time they turn their head to their name. OR are wide eyed at everything they see for the first time, that we take so for granted. Or seeing them accomplish a small task and the joy they have at seeing how happy it makes you. Those are the things that are PRICELESS to watch through the eyes of an almost 4 year old! Nina has been there for all those things I mentioned, and the hard things...they are coming. She doesn't flinch near as often, just this week she has learned to let me sooth her and has cried on my SHOULDER! I know it sounds crazy that a crying child would make me happy but oh how my heart was bursting! She was learning to trust me enough to let me sooth her!! We still have a long way to go with both of them, but our God is SO Big! And I pray that anyone reading this will step out! There are SOOO many children waiting! Sooo many children who are begging you, as is God, to be their mommy! 

Please if I can talk to ANYONE about adoption, I will share all I can! Don't be afraid to answer the call! Like a few quote's I'm reading in a book called Kisses from Kate:

"God has a way of using inadequate people, and sometimes He calls us to reach a little higher or stretch a little further, even when we feel we can't do any more. We simply trust him. And then, HE gives us everything we need to do the "more" that He is asking of us."

I am SO not good at this friends. I know and can totally feel God has given me so so much more patients than I have EVER possessed in my life. But you know what, just like when I had 4, there are days when I don't want to remember that patients. I want to scream, cry or just give up. But I see the smile on Nina and Isac's faces. I see the sparkle in Nina's eyes that wasn't there before. He is doing great things, in her and in me! 

I hear from people that we will be forever blessed or that we are so amazing, those comments make me cringe, because (and I promise I'm not trying to sound spiritual) it's not me. I've said it a million times, none of this was us. It was ALL Him. And I still rely on him daily to get through each moment. 

Another quote I love is:

"Sometimes, the everyday routine of my life feels so normal to me. At other times the idea of raising all of these children seems like quite a daunting task. I realized that since I have chosen an unusual path it is easier for outsiders to look at my life and come to the conclusion that it is something extraordinary. That I am courageous. That I am strong. That I am special. But I am just a plane girl from Tennessee. Broken in many ways, sinful, and inadequate. common and simple with nothing special about me. Nothing special except I choose to say "yes". "Yes" to the things God asks of me and "yes" to the people He places in front of me. You can too. I am just an ordinary person. An ordinary person serving and extraordinary God."

I pray that many will realize that God has such BIG plans for each of us! We can all do so much, if we just do something! 

Thanks so much for reading my looooong post! ;) Here are a few cute pictures for sticking with me! :)

ENJOY

loooooves swings! This was at Nana's, the kids got a play set for Christmas!!

Our Christmas card (that got sent out late) Merry Christmas (no I didn't have time to get it done professionally, I am just one crazy mama who thought it was a good idea to dress them up before the Christmas Eve service and take pictures by myself, but wouldn't you know it, THEY ARE ALL LOOKING!!! Christmas miracle!!

silly kids

my girls my girls my girls talking bout MY GIRLS!!

our sweet new blessings

our sweet boys-laid back and crazy! boy I'm in trouble!

Listening to Baba tell the Christmas Story

Christmas morning-all the boys got toy guns!

Likes to climb too...yay

My family parade!

One eats very messy, one VERY neat...for now

on our way to doctor's appointments

Isac's first birthday party to celebrate his little cousin!

My little dancer!

Mama cuddles

you like my pigtails? (all pictures of this sweet girl are done against her will! She doesn't scream or anything, just runs as soon as she realizes what your doing! LOL)

But not this little guy! He LOVES them!

more snuggles

Cheeeeeese

yes I love pudding!

Isac is learning when you have big sister's you need to either join them, or run faster!

first Sunday at church

Gangster Sista's

Home a Little More than a Week!!!

We are HOME!!! I was hoping to have a post written after a week home, but life is a bit...busy to say the least. Our home coming was sweet! Our flight to America was uneventful and really not too bad. We ended up in the way back which was to our advantage as the staff was close by and couldn't keep their eyes of the kids! They talked to them and gave us drinks. Thankfully we had our own row because Nina made MANY trips to the bathroom. i think she really just wanted to get up and walk, which I dont blame her. One flight attendant looked at Isac and said, wow he is big for his age, he is like what, 9 months? I said no, 2 years old, then he looked shocked and said OH THEN HE IS SMALL! When we got to Chicago we had to go through security, where the woman had a lot more sympothy for Nina's crying and rushed Josh and I through. Then we had to go through customs and sadly we had to go get our food checked because we had brought breakfast off the plane for Nina since she had just fallen asleep towards the end of the flight (of course) and meat from other countries is taken away.This got Nina pretty upset as I think she thought we were going through security again but the woman working told us that she had been through enough and that Josh could walk away with her. What a relief!
The short flight from Chicago to Tampa seemed the worst. After not getting even a minute of sleep on the long flight, and the kids getting maybe about 2 hours, we were ALL DONE! Isac cried pretty loud for the beginning but thankfully he settled down and fell asleep. The ride foe me was torture! I felt more done I think than Isac. Even though the ride was only 2 hours, I was just SO DONE!
I was an emotional mess when we landed, knowing I was going to see my children's faces again! I felt like I couldn't say hi and give hugs to each of them enough! It was so good to be home!!!
The first few days Josh and I could tell Levi was being a little distant from both of us. We aren't sure if maybe he didn't understand why we had left and maybe he was confused or angry, but he came around pretty quick and was his old self. We were both VERY impressed with how well Levi acted towards Nina and Isac. Very willing to share and want to play with them both. Isac on the other hand wasn't too thrilled with having to share mommy and daddy, and I think some of it also had to do with the fact that he didn't understand Levi. Levi would try and get him to play and Isac would just get mad and run away. I have seen some changes in that though. There have been moments when Isac and Levi will be boys and run around in circles just giggling away! Giving me hope that they will be best friends and partners in crime in no time!
The girls have loved on and spoiled both Nina and Isac. Though Isac is eating the attention up! He loves being carried around and given kisses by his big sisters!

ISAC
Isac is a fun loving laid back boy. He giggles and laughs and is so silly at times. His sleep is coming, he usually only wakes up once sometimes two times a night, but is pretty easy to rock back to sleep. We started putting him in the room with Levi. It seems to be working out so far since Levi sleeps pretty hard in the middle of the night when Isac wakes up. Isac's medical appointments have gone pretty good. He cried through the blood draw, but didn't fight, he smiles through the doctors appointment where we found out he is a healthy boy other than his high lead count. The doctor said she has never had a child with a lead so high so she is looking into what is the best action to take for him. Isac's little fits are less often. He still has them every once in awhile, but being home and some sleep (and NOT being on a plane) has made them much easier to handle!

NINA
Nina is defenetly coming into her own. When we first got home there was a lot of not trusting us, snatching things from our hands if we were handing it to her, not wanting us to touch her without being very slow and careful and trying a few times, and being very unsure about listening to simple commands like come or sit or eat. I have seen simple commands become much easier for her to obey right away, she gently takes things from us and when we reach for her hands she doesn't pull away. She still does have moments of stubbornness when she decides she doesn't want to listen, but those moments have been a lot fewer. She cracks us up when we put her in time in (like timeout only we sit near her instead of sitting her alone somewhere so she can learn we aren't sending her away, she just needs a break to obey), what seems like the end of her world quickly turns to an I love you and lots of kisses. Kisses-Nina LOVES kisses! She still hasn't figured out how to give them, but she doesn't mawl us quite like before. Watching life through Nina's eyes has been SUCH a joy!!! Her first bubble bath her eyes got so big and her smile just as big! I hated taking her out, but the water was getting so cold. Going for a walk and seeing her eyes wind with wonder watching leaves fall. Walking on the grass without shoes, it took her some time to step out on it and for awhile it was only on her tip toes, but eventually she was running! Going for a ride in the car look equally as fun as she enjoys watching everything outside as it goes! THe whole world is so new! We take for granted everyday the things we do on a normal basis, stickers, ice cream, bubbles and grass, all everyday things children play with but all so new to Nina. Nina wasn't as much of a fan of any of her doctors appointments, she screamed through everyone. She really tried to be brave, but it was too much for her. At her neurology appointment we learned that the seizures are coming from all lobes of her brain and that her brain is underdeveloped. The doctor gave us an idea of what she thinks it might be but she said she wont be sure until she has an MRI (scheduled for this Thursday).
Life since we have gotten home as been a whirlwind. Josh and I have both had moments of  being overwhelmed, exhausted and tired. Unfortunately the jet lag hit me pretty hard making me feel like I had the flu at times, but thankfully that seems to have settled down. We are all getting used to each other and medical appointments mixed with uncertain diagnosis, lack of sleep and teaching both of the kids how our family operates, all equal a LOT of work, but even with all of this, there isn't a moment when either of us doubt this is exactly where God wants us! Just like Our pastor preached on  Sunday, Moses wanted to just stay a Shepard, he didn't feel equipped to do the things God was asking of him, but he went never the less, and God did GREAT things through him. i praise God for asking us to step out in faith, though definitely not easy, it is a true honor, I just pray we will survive! LOL

Prayer request-Nina's MRI she will be sedated, but because we had to do it this week they fit us in in the afternoon, which means Nina can't eat till after. It's going to be a loooong morning! Also keep praying everyone will keep working on bonding, Isac is there, he knows who mommy and daddy is, Nina is getting there, but there are still times when she would go to anyone who would pick her up. We have been and will be staying close to home for awhile to help her work on this.

our Thanksgiving blessings and new American citizens!!!

done with all our flights-mama trying to wake us up to meet our family! I am trying!

I on the other hand am not trying-I just sleep with one eye open.

Our sweet family who came and met us on Thanksgiving!

Part of our Hernando adoption group came and met us on their Thanksgiving! Thank you Michelle!

We have alll of our babies together at last!!

First ride in her car seat-they both did SOOO much better than I thought they would!

Double trouble

Relaxing after a looong day!

The next day we tried to stay outside as much as possible to help the jet lag.

I see crazy things in our future!

A quick visit to Nana and Papa's-in the tree house

Meeting the donkey's

And tractor rides.

Worn out!!!

Fell asleep on the floor while mommy and daddy fought to keep us up till 8pm

Snuggles with big sister

I'm such a cheese

Our first but VERY COLD AND QUICK trip to the beach

My family