Wow...this is one huge month!!! Ethan will turn 8 years old on the 4th. Ten days later, on the 14th, Luke will turn 6. Probably on the 14th or 15th our two from across the ocean, will finally be home! CRAZINESS!!!! It's so weird seeing my kids get older. I keep looking at Ethan and thinking...who is this kid???? He's so tall and handsome! He's getting more mature. Luke has been my baby for so long. While he still loves to cuddle and snuggle and be right by my side, he is growing up too. Pretty soon we'll be back in the toddler stage...which will be really weird! AND....we'll have a GIRL! All new territory there! I'm so excited. Honestly, I'm nervous too. I know we're going to have struggles and up and downs. But...I cannot wait. It seems like this has taken forever. I'm being very impatient. Chad wants to wait to buy plane tickets until our POA has the kid's visas in hand. I'm telling him he needs to have more faith...trust God....and just go NOW! They'll be printed...they said they'd print them the 9th! What? Do you really think that would not happen??? Then I snap out of it and realize that every step of the way there has been some snag...so he is right. I'm thankful he's using wisdom and not being emotional and impulsive like me!
Last week we went to hear a homeschool couple speak and it was really good. One thing I've really been relating to this week is about how boys hit this "phase" around 8-10 years old. They'll just be angry or upset for no reason at all. They talked about how you can prepare them for this so they will better know how to deal with it. I've been seeing this in Ethan. I have thought that this child is acting like a 2 year old over NOTHING! Thankful they shared the wisdom they have gained over the years. I think Chad will be having a talk with him very soon. :) It's really cool that Ethan will also be having such an awesome experience after just turning 8 years old. He will be going to Ghana and meeting his brother and sister for the first time!
Luke and I are going to soak up our alone time while they are gone. He thrives off of just being with you...in your lap, running his fingers through your hair, playing board games, getting to sleep with us, etc. He's really looking forward to having me all to himself. He is in for a big change so I'm thankful we'll have this time together.
I am so blessed! I am also feeling so desperate for more of God! I look at these boys and want them to love God more than anything. Then...I look at the example I am setting. He has so much work to do in me! I pray I will love Him with all of my heart, soul and strength so that they will want to do the same.
Our visas have been approved!!!! They won't print them until March 9th...but, we're just thankful that we have a date!!! Chad, Ethan and my mother in law will leave on the 10th to go get our kids and finally bring them home! It's been so long it almost doesn't seem real. We are all so relieved and so excited. Even the lady from Sen. Corker's office has emailed several times to see if we had been approved yet. :) God is so good! We are so blessed! I can't wait to hug my little girl and gaze deep into her eyes. I ache for the day when I can snuggle my little guy again. Soon!
We've had a good day around here. The boys had some fun at bedtime. Every night after his shower, Luke spikes his hair up all over. They got extra crazy tonight!
First, an adoption update: our children's visa's were denied for the third time yesterday. We really thought they'd be approved and printed this time. But, we have since learned what we think they want. These papers they are requesting will take up to 10 business days to get here and then we have to get the originals to Ghana. So, we're looking at another 3 weeks or so. It seems like FOREVER to me! I know it seems like forever to our little girl. She has known which kids will be going home and in which order...now she knows that some kids will be going home before her that she thought would go after her. While that is fine and is the nature of adoption...it's just hard for a little kid in that situation. We're definitely learning some lessons about adoption and things to do differently next time. So...after I freaked out, I've realized that a few weeks is not forever and that this is God's timing. He's holding our children and will bring them home to us.
Today....we've had a sweet day. We had heart shaped pancakes for breakfast and gave each other Valentine's. Then the boys and I did school and a few Valentine projects. We had lots of down time just watching movies, playing with legos, took a short walk, and then dinner and family movie time. Somewhere in there the boys (including Chad) played around on Spotify singing along to a bunch of Disney songs! Chad LOVES Spotify. He loves that they have karaoke and he makes us all listen to him singing at the top of his lungs!
Anyways...the boys are so funny. They feel like they have to hate everything that has to do with princesses or love stories! This morning Luke had his "No Kissing" pin ready and put it on his shirt. Funny thing is...he's the most cuddly little guy and loves to give us hugs and kisses. Guess it's just a boy thing. :) It's fun to think that soon we'll have a little girl in the house so the boys will have to put up with princess movies and tea parties!
I was reminded of our little girl singing the song from Tangled I've Got a Dream! She would stomp around and sing it all the time. She loves that movie!
The boys have been sick and Luke woke up with a fever this morning after being up all night coughing. So, we're trying to rest and I'm pumping them full of vitamins and such. Trying to get Ethan healthy and ready to go to Ghana.
