A Heart of Thanksgiving

I have been mentally planning a "thankful" post for a week or so, but never got around to it. I am so glad I waited because our pastor preached a great sermon which changed my perspective on thankfulness. 

One of the key points that hit home on Sunday was that it is easy to give thanks for all that is good in our lives, but do we stop to give thanks even in the deepest of pits? This year, our family has many good things to be thankful for, but have we chosen to give thanks through the trials? Before we left for China my aunt got some really tough news...probably the toughest kind one can get-cancer...no cure. My aunt Ila didn't hear the sermon I did on Sunday and for the months since her diagnosis she has chosen to praise our Lord! She chooses to see joy even in the pit! What a witness to believers and especially to unbelievers.

So after reflecting on our sermon and thinking about Ila I changed to regular tune of my praises...you know the kind like I am thankful for my home, God, family, etc. Of course, we are all thankful for these good gifts, but those are easy...I am choosing a more reflective way of giving thanks this year.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks...

I am thankful for a burden for orphans. Praise God he broke my heart for what breaks His.

I chose to be thankful for Chloe's past-even her first days which where the most traumatic of her little life-God knew she would end up a daughter.

I am thankful her birth mother made one of the hardest decisions of her life. 

I am thankful for our country...and drinking water (and toilets  that aren't holes in the ground)....and hospitals and medicine. And that we can provide surgeries and therapies for Chloe she would have never received in her birth country.

I am thankful we went through two referrals and saw the faces of two precious children who we ultimately said no to. Those days were not easy, and I still think about those sweet faces, but those "no's" led us to Chloe.

I am thankful that my boys love, love, love their sister even though their lives have changed incredibly since we came home from China.

I am thankful we can use this experience to mold their hearts for the things of God. 

I am thankful of Chloe's special needs. I don't think I have openly said here for fear of judgement, but cleft palate and lip is not easy. In fact, many times in grad school I closed my craniofacial abnormalities book and said silent prayers that I would never have a child with those needs. God was probably chuckling. My sweet girl's needs are many, but being a mother now of a child with special needs has given me greater compassion for children who I see for therapy and their devoted parents.

I am thankful for a surgery right before Christmas because I will have help to care for her over the holidays with Nick being off (have really had to chose to be thankful for this one because let me tell you I am not excited to be staying in the hospital the week before Christmas and to miss so many fun events)

I am thankful for my "net" and that I still have friends after not being one of the best these last five months. 

I am thankful for a husband who "gets" that this life isn't about us. And chose to take a huge step of faith in this crazy mission.

I am thankful for my parents and ALL of their help-17 days (or as my dad puffs 20 days) with the boys when we were in China. And then all staying with them through all Chloe's surgeries. My cup runneth over!

I am thankful that every prayer on this card was answered-

I am thankful for adoption-without it our family wouldn't be complete! I am thankful for how much adopting has taught me about God's love for us.

I am thankful for the adoption community and all my friends who have a heart for orphans near and far!

I am thankful for our Pastor who changed my perspective on thankfulness and for my aunt who lives our a heart of thanksgiving even in a pit.

I am thankful this crib is empty and this chair is filled this Thanksgiving!

Give thanks to The Lord for His love endures forever...

18 MONTHS old!!

What a happy day! Chloe is 18 months old!!! When we first held her in our arms she was just over 13 months old and today we celebrate 1.5 years of life! Do any of you watch Guilliana and Bill?? I love the episode where G tells Bill that they need to figure out plans for Duke's six month birthday....Bill is appalled:) I am with Guilliana....sure wish we were having a big bash for this special day considering Chloe didn't get a first bday party with her family.Although we did send cake and other goodies to her orphanage. 

Since there is no 18 month bash here are some current stats about our girl!

She signs "eat" 500 times a day and would probably really eat all those times if we let her.

She can sign drink, out, more, all done:)

She says mama but its not intentional yet.

Chloe loves macaroni and cheese or any pasta

As of yesterday, her days of infant formula are done!!! The budget is happy!!

She has speech therapy once a week (soon to be three since her mommy can take advantage of a company full of slps) and is working on attending to an activity, appropriate play, and oral motor activities. She doesn't love speech therapy much to her mommy's dismay.

She LOVES music and dances like no ones business!

She loves the water! Puts her face in and doesn't mind a bit!

She knows and loves her immediate family and is very attached to us!

Her wardrobe is uh-mazing thanks for so many well dressed friends! She still doesn't like hair bows though! Mommy will not give up:)

She never, ever sits if she is awake. She is on the go and into EVERYthing! The boys mischief when they were little doesn't even compare to their busy sister.

She loves her bed (at home not at Em's) and goes to sleep easily for a nap and for bed!

She loves singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider and does the movements:)

She dislikes the car, but has made a few gains in that area.

She dislikes sleeping at Em's:) This weekend when we went she was up from 11:30-4:00 am...needless to say, mama only stayed one night.

She loves her "baby" Aunt Amy gave her. I put several loveys given to her in her bed and she chose "baby"

She loves riding on Grandaddy's golf cart!

Just a small snapshot of our Chloe on this very special day!! Oh how excited is mama for your second bday...let the party planning begin!!!

Four months Gotchaversary

On 11-1 little Miss Rae Rae (as I have begun call her) had been with us FOUR months! It seems likes years ago that we were in China having our little chunk monk handed over. Oh how I can kiss her face off! And tickle those chunky thighs. I still look back at pictures from our time in China wishing I had taken it all in a little more. The Chloe in China has changed sooo much. Not just her appearance, but everything about her. In China, she slept between Nick and I and didn't make a peep or move. 

Now my wild woman never stops and the thought of her sleeping between us seems comical. I remember our travels to her orphanage and time spent in her room there. Would her nannies even recognize her now? 

I recently went through a gazillion adoption papers to organize. Many had not been touched since we got off the plane, but this mama couldn't look at the enormous pile any longer. So glad my OCD kicked in because I found the baby book the orphanage staff gave us. Such a treasure I have overlooked in the craziness of settling into life as a family of 5 and surgeries. Any mother who has adopted in a country like China where nothing is known about history knows how special it is to have newborn pictures and even hand and foot prints. I love that her orphanage thought ahead to know one day she would have a family and documented her beginnings long before they knew we existed.

I was told this little boy was Chloe's best friend

My precious baby was so tiny. I don't know what she weighed when she was born or her birth story, but I have glimpses of her first days which I will always be grateful for. 

Happy 4 Months baby girl! What did we ever do without you?! (Well, maybe we sat:) 

Baby Dedication

Chloe's baby dedication this past Sunday was so special. It was a last minute decision to have her dedicated on Orphan Sunday by our wonderful friend Dustin Janney. Because we didn't give much notice I wasn't even sure my parents would be able to come, but they drove up Sunday morning to be with us.

 Our entire life group was there sitting in the front with us. They have all been a huge part if Chloe's adoption and were probably the first to know of our decision to adopt. We really began seeking God's will for us in the area of adoption during our 40 days in the Word bible study together so it was very special seeing the baby we had all prayed for be dedicated to The Lord. We promised to raise Chloe to love Jesus and in accordance to Deuteronomy 11:18-21.

 ¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, ²¹ so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

Our pastor pointed out that Chloe hasn't just been adopted by us, but by God. It is crazy how much meaning that has once you have actually adopted a child. Chloe is not just our child, but a child of the King!! 

Last Orphan Sunday, our now daughter, sat in an orphanage alone on the other side of the world. Yesterday, she had pews filled with those who love her and pray for her faithfully. She is a daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, friend. Gosh, if you don't believe God can move mountains look at her! 

A little restless during the prayer

After church, we went to lunch at Red Lobster (picked by Gavin) with my parents and our friends, the Gillicks and then headed to Sea World.

Chloe was all tuckered out from her big day:)

Celebrating one less orphan!! (Could you just die over those shoes?!)

Happy National Adoption Month

I can think of no better way to celebrate adoption by dedicating our precious daughter to The Lord. So this Sunday, on Orphan Sunday, we will, in front of our church, vow to raise Chloe to love and serve The Lord. I get teary just thinking how God has orchestrated all of this and now on such a special Sunday we have the privilege to honor Him and declare Chloe as His. He promised, "I will not leave you as orphans I will come to you." He always keeps His promises. 

Adoption is redemption. Redemption is the heart of our Father in heaven.