Calling all adoptive friends/parents...

Do you remember what it was like WAITING for your child to come home?

Visiting them, holding them, breathing in everything about them and then having to say good-bye? to. your. child!?!

Having to watch your child grow up in pictures.

Do you remember being glued to your computer - hitting refresh and send/receive ALL day long - hoping, begging, pleading for any e-mails with news?

Trying to get on with life while half of your mind/body and soul lived 1,000 miles away from you?

Do you remember the community of blogs and forums that suffered alongside with you and got you through it all?

Could you imagine.

doing.

it.

for.

FOUR
.
.
.
.
YEARS!?!?


There's a very special family that has been doing just that! In May 2005, a little 7 year old boy and his 5 year old sister were growing up in an orphanage when their forever Mommy and Daddy found them.

There have been been visits.

There have been good-byes.

There have been "It's over" moments, where they were told nothing else could be done to bring them home.

And there have been moments of hope. Like 2 years ago when all adoptions were shutting down in Guatemala and all of a sudden there was a glimmer of hope, maybe just maybe a way to bring their children home, this Mommy and Daddy (once again) flew into a panic and scrambled around for paperwork and somehow managed to start the process of bringing home their children.

Again.

At the helm of this crazy story is a remarkable woman. A woman of amazing obedience and faith who serves a God she might not understand, but one she undeniably loves and trusts and gives her whole life to.

Dawn might not know it, but she really, really kept me going during my excruciatingly-long-to-me 14 month journey to bringing home my babies. When others were accomplishing this feat with remarkable speed at 6 and 8 months and bringing home babies, Dawn simply walked beside me, saying "I know. I know. It is difficult." She cheered me on. She provided strength and support and most importantly she made me feel like I was not alone.

Friends do that.

These wonderful little children of hers, now 12 and 9 ARE coming home.

Sometime.

Maybe in another few months.

Maybe in about 5 or 6 months.

It's a whole new world out there. One none of us are familiar with - the old language of PGN, pinks, etc have all been replaced. There's a small little band that are getting each other through the ever changing maze.

But not en masse.

Like there used to be.

For us.

So - would you take a moment and go spread some love? Maybe get hooked on her story. Pray for her and her family. All of them!

It's going to be a long 6 months. Sure would be nice if she had some company. Some folks to walk along the path with her.

www.prayingthemhome.blogspot.com

I'm not making this stuff up, people....

All week long Austin has been asking to get his training wheels off. I sort of dismissed him thinking, yeah, right buddy!

But when Daddy came home tonight, Austin ran up and asked, "Now, Daddy? Now, can I finally have my training wheels off?"

Daddy acquiesced.

And in the time it took me to get my camera, less than 30 seconds. Austin had taught himself how to ride a bike...with no training wheels! Gary didn't even get that chase your kid down the street while holding onto the back of his seat and then let him go moment that all Mom and Dad's dream about.

In about a two minutes Austin was literally zooming up and down the street.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Things were a little more difficult for Logan. But by nightfall, he had a really good grasp of the bike, too. It's just now too dark to film. I know - then they should be inside, right? But Logan, really, really wanted to try one more time. And Daddy just couldn't say "no!"

Conversations...

Three days a week, we wake up, get in the car and drive over to our favorite, favorite person's in the world house! That would be Van. They play together while the Mommies go to work.

Every time they see each other they run full steam ahead and hug or knock each other down and end up in a big ole' pig pile! Departing is just as enthusiastic - because who knows how long it will be before they're next reunion. Lots of love between these boys!

One morning in the car, Logan says "Mumma, I got an idea." What's that, baby?

Logan: "How about this? Lets do this, Momma. First, we'll go to Van's house. Then, Van will get in our car. Next, we go to BuschGardens (Big Amusement/Theme park) and after that, then we'll go the Chucky Cheese. Is that a good idea, Mommy?"

Yep - yes, that sounds like your perfect, perfect day, baby!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I worked really late one night and when I came home Austin and Logan had lots and lots of love for me.

When I got on the computer, Austin sat up in my lap. Kissed on me. Played with my hair. Loved all over my face. He even laid down in my arms like a little baby and continued to kiss and play and love on me. I was rubbing him, lovin' him and kissin him and he finally said, Momma

this is amazing.

My response: "This is amazing? What's amazing, baby?"

My sweetheart clarifies, "Being here, in your arms...."

Be still, mah heart!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One morning, Austin and Logan said they wanted to take their "baby bears" (stuffed animals/bears that play the role of baby) with them in the car.

You know what it's like leaving the house for the day, bags, backpacks, purses, snacks, sippy cups, etc.

So, when they came down the stairs with two baby bears each, I intercepted (as I envisioned carrying everything back in later) and said, "Whoa, whoa whoa, that's a lot of teddy bears, boys. How about we just take one each. Why are you taking two?"

Logan looked straight at me as if to say "Duh! Mom", with little brows furrowed, and stated the obvious, "Two babies, Mom. They're twins."

;-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Simple reward charts!?! These little things have recently been like hitting pay dirt in our household!

Get a sticker in each box and "Win the prize!"

After co-sleeping for their first year home, we had "successfully" gotten them into their own rooms, but 6 out of 7 nights a week, we were getting up with them 2-3 times a night just to put them back in bed or just to give them a kiss or whatever. They just never seemed to sleep through the night.

Finally, these little reward charts did the trick. They have been sleeping in their beds ALL NIGHT long for like three weeks now! Yahoo!! We also ended up moving their twin beds together, since they were always sharing one bed anyway. so, now they have a ginormous King size bed - which is what we could have used in the first place while co-sleeping in a queen! hahaha

Upon seeing their King bed for the very first time after we had told them they were getting a big bed like Mom and Dad and like big brother Evan, they jumped up and down in excitement, laid on the bed. And then said,

"Okay, Mommy, you lay here, Daddy lay here and where's Evan? He will sleep in here too."

They had misunderstood our explanation and were really, really excited about a big bed, big enough for everyone to sleep on. ;-(

They earned their scooters on a Sunday morning and were so excited, they had to ride them just a leetle bit before church!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And almost, almost at 3 years and 2 months of age, Austin and Logan are 90.5 % potty trained. And Gary keeps wondering why his plants are all turning yellow. ;-) Gotta love boys, summertime and the ease of porta-pottying!

~~~~~~

What else have we been up to this summer?

this....

Lots and lot of it - dirt, that is! Who knew 3 year olds could get so stinky, smelly, sweaty!

Austin and Logan put in day after day after day, of a good day's work of hard core sweat and play!

3 year old stats

We finally had the boys' 3 year check-up. And due to a last minute scheduling conflict, I was going solo! No small feat!

So, I need to give a HUGE shout out to my blogging friend, Lisa and her daughter Sophia (my future daughter-in-law) who had given the boys some surprise gifts awhile back: Race cars that were also games! The boys had not played with them (because like a true blogger, I wanted to snap pictures and document the whole event for blogging purposes, but surprise, surprise that didn't happen and it turned out to be a HUGE blessing in disguise because...) WooHoo - the cars were a BIG hit keeping the boys occupied. HUGE! Thank you, thank you, thank you Lisa and Sophia!

And my big boys did amazingly well. Where they used to scream and cry on the scale, getting touched, having anyone (doctor/nurse) walk in the office netting high pitched screaming (I think all the adoption related trips to the embassy doctor and then home to the adoption specialist and the lab for blood work and then the "catch-up" shots all in a manner of two months was just too, too much for them and left a lasting impression) - this year they were cheerful, helpful and eager. We also had bought a doctor's kit and played doctor right before the last 3 doc visits - so I think the fear is gone for the most part.

Anyway, they charmed and performed like their usual little selfs. The doctor was once again blown away by their speech - usage of big words, proper pronouns, big sentences, etc.

And we finally made it out of the 35% range! Can I get a whoop, whoop!?!

Logan: 30.5 lbs and 37 inches tall (40%)
Austin: 31.5 lbs and 37.5 inches tall (50%)

I think it's hysterical that this one pound, 1/2 inch thing has been consistent for three years now! Every update we ever got from Guatemala reported the same thing - Austin heavier by one pound and taller by 1/2 inch. Wonder if that will always be?

So - overall, good clean bill of health. No problems, no concerns. Oh - and no pictures!

Atta boys!

Ugh!.....I was gonna end the post there, but I wouldn't be doing justice to their online scrapbook if I didn't document the "lab/shot" portion of the visit. I just feel that the whole me getting overrun and butt kicked by the twin thing has been so overdone on my blog, but it is what it is! lol

To his credit, Gary did say he would bring the boys back for shots so I wouldn't have to go it alone on top of an hour long visit, but things were going so well....I just thought we could handle it!

In true doctor's office style, there was like 5 hours down time between the doctor and the calling out of our names for shots. Yes, it could have been shorter, but my Lord, not by much! And at this point, my boys aint no dummies! They KNOW what's going on. So those five hours were "No Mom - lets go. We don't want shots." But alas, it was our time and (for some reason) Austin always goes first.

I walk into the lab room with Austin, thinking fear of being left alone would be enough to motivate Logan to follow. Not. But he does stay outside the room, on a bench coincidentally sitting next to a Mom and Dad each holding a very quiet 18 month girl twin in their lap who were each eyeing me and my solo-ness with a bit of awe...even after I assured them it could not have been done at their girls' age. Anyway, I deducted that Logan would be semi-safe out there.

Austin's first poke was a finger poke. Yep, I hated those too, Austin!! So, go right ahead and cry little buddy. Logan now hears Austin in trouble and decides to conquer his fear of shots and come in to support his bro.

"Is that blood, Mommy?" Yes, dear.
Austin's blood?" Right again, dear.

Finger poke/blood draw done.

I cringe, here comes the arm shot. Austin is on my lap, we've played doctor's enough that he doesn't even tense when she cleans his arm and brings out the needle - and then, I felt it in every part of his body and what gets me the most is his cry is so "Oh my goodness, why? Why would somebody hurt me like that?" Oh - it just breaks my heart!

Logan stuck around long enough to continue supporting Austin, but at those two little worlds, "All done", that boy (realizing what comes next, his turn) grew wings and flew out of that room faster than a rocket ship taking off for outer space!

At this point, I was pretty exhausted and still comforting Austin and just figured sooner or later somebody would catch him and bring him back to us. And they did. Apparently on one of his turns around a corner our very own, Dr. Lara (a twin Mommy herself) scooped him up and brought him right back around to the lab!

Of course, he only made it to the couch. And there he sat, behind the wall, very quietly, very still and willing himself to be invincible!

Austin and I were still in the lab room (he was getting his much deserved stickers) so I tried to get Austin to entice his brother to come back in.

"LOGAN? Logan, come in here!"
The nurse, speaking to Logan - "Your brother wants you."
"What."
"Your brother, he's calling you."
"What."

"LOGAN!?!"
Nurse: "See?"

Logan gets down off the couch, comes to the doorway.
"Austin?......You calling me?"
"Yes."
...little pause, then still from the doorway,
"What?"

My boy aint no fool! So, I looked at the nurse and said, can we do this the kickin' and screaming way?
"Absolutely."

;-(

No fun. For Momma or for Momma's baby.

Austin stood by. That helped me, at least.

And then - it was all over. Everybody had stickers and tear streaked faces. But they had earned back all their lost privileges from a bad visit to Nonnie's church. Their basketballs, their scooters and their bikes! And we even got milkshakes on the way home!

Sh-woo! So glad that's only an annual thing!

I'm a Grandma!

Gary and I just found out we have our first Grandpup!

Mason and Lory rescued him from the pound. He is a beautiful 2 year old, sweet, sweet loving adorable Alaskan Malamute.

World: I give you - Ni'cko (pronounced Nee-ko)



Isn't he a beaut! Poor little thing is currently very underweight, but Mason and Lory have already been outstanding parents to the little guy and we're sure he'll be thriving in no time under their care!

Welcome to the family, Ni'cko!